Riverside

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass]

Nye gestures to Siana and smiles as she puts forward her question. "My dear, I'm afraid even art and games have to have touch of reality in them so people can relate. But to actually answer the question, the murder is real in that it occurred I'm afraid but the entertainer haven't committed it. Just something they've been inspired as it has been explained to me. You'll have to ask them about the details though as I'm not privy of them."

A Casual Walk

Jim considers this. He doesn’t have many people he can ask about this. And this is the exact kind of thing Sticks has left behind quite pointedly.
He does have one thought.
”Are there any other fey in the city that know him? Who might help me?” he asks.

A Casual Walk

"Eh? Leer Eye? Don't think there be anyone that would know him around here. But then again we barely know anyon' around here." The canine remarks.

"You could always ask the lion, Jim. You know him already. But there's also that serpent the princess just met-"

"But she don't know ol' Leer Eye." The bird is quick to point out.

But as the three argue, Jim can feel something against his leg. As he looks down he can see what at first glance is yet another canine skeleton that has started to dry hump his leg in an awkward manner. However, as its much smaller than most canines he might realize that this is in fact the animated remains of a hare or rabbit.

The creature freezes the moment he looks down and starts to back away. "So s-orry- I couldn't-"

The other skeletal animals haven't failed to spot this incident and suddenly there's a storm of angry noises aimed at the hare. The bird swooping down from Jim's shoulder just to knock it over. "Disgusting! Yer' as bad as th' satyrs!" It accuses while many of the other skeletons start to form a circle around the two. Seemingly hoping to get in a hit or two against the hare.

The canine and the moose looks on with distaste. But while they aren't joining the attack they aren't stopping it either. "I apologize, Jim. That one is the black sheep of our congregation. It cannot control itself." The moose remarks with a shake of its head.

Jim might have noticed that the skeletal hare did look a bit different from the others. It was more dirty and cracked and considering how the other animals seems to be treating it that isn't really a surprise.

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

Jim shakes the skeleton off. He grimaces, but he doesn't seem to be as offended as the animals. Are they not all some part of who Jaahlyn was when she made them? The bird seems to have her indignation and rage, the dog and moose more subtle things but still consistent. Self-loathing and mercy, perhaps? The dog keeps making insulting them as a whole and the moose has been playing peacemaker. Why would something like lust be exempt? Not exactly something that's pleasant in its current form but she was quite clear with him about the sorts of things she's done in her past and what being a satyr usually means.
"It's alright. All of you are what you are." He shakes his head. "Were you saying something? Oh right, something about Radigal? I could ask him."
He would likely be more impartial about if Leer Eye is actually as dangerous to the locals as the animals seem to think.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"I..." Siana goes to begin, before Ana chips in her opinion and the strigoi finds herself just nodding along. "In essence, yeah. Courts are supposed to be more dispassionate than the battlefield; it's not really fair to compare the two." She leans back against her chair, trying to bring her expression back down to something stoic-adjacent. Ilpholin's question still bothered her, and she's not certain she has a solid answer to give back.

Nye's insistence that the murderer they're about to try was, indeed, based on a real person, isn't helping her nerves much. She's not sure what Ana's so upset about, but in her case she knows part of the entity she'd tried to kill on her mission with Jaahlyn was one of the performers here... and it would no doubt be aware of the related fiasco. One she can't say anything about, as she's been sworn to secrecy, which will just make the innuendous finger-pointing that much more ominous. Ana likely wouldn't be able to look her in the eye if the truth of that matter ever got out.

[Recaiden]

[Into the Looking Glass]

Ah, well, Ana's loss. The General nibbles on a few more grasshoppers as the others roll out their concerns.

So, they are passing judgement on a real person. Just one who's not at hand...or are they? Surely she, Siana, and Ilpholin have all killed. Ana is an unknown, and the King may not count. His echelon on being do not die in the normal way, and will killing mortals have the same weight? Is this party all arranged to get someone to confess their 'guilt'?

"Go on then, bring out the accused."

She ends up looking skeptically at the stammering Anastasia.
"You haven't actually been on a battlefield, have you? There, we make the same decisions, with less time to think, and less reason, but the same things happen."

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

"Yes, that's him. They're even of the same court as Leer Eyes but I don't know if that actually means anything. They're nothing alike after all. probably from different 'tribes' or whatever the term is that they're using."

But while he speaks the other animals have started to attack the hare. While the bird really couldn't do much damage, especially with its hollow bones, the hooved animals have started to stomp at it, seemingly causing it a great deal of pain judging by the noises its making. "Please! Jim!" He can hear it call out.

The moose continues though. "There's that rat king creature, but that one is even less pleasant than Leer Eye. The princess told you about it, yes?" A beat. "And then there's always pixies. But you'd have to be desperate to speak with pixies. Same with the angels that have started to show up around here. But for different reasons entirely."

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass]

At this point Nye stands up and gestures towards the White Room. "Yes, bring forth the indicted!"

Soon a figure in a white hooded figure comes up the stairs. They're relatively short, around 5 feet, but there's not much else to tell about their physical characteristics as the white robe they've wrapped around their body conceal them completely. The hood pulled down so far it's a wonder they can even see where they are going.

They slowly, reluctantly, walk over to the armchair which have been set up just in front of the guillotine and takes a seat.

Nye starts an introduction, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Now then, the person you see before you have not only taken the life of another sapient being but cannibalized them. Here in the middle of the city no less where sustenance is plentiful." A strange angle to take but it does seem like Nye wants to make some sort of point with all the food here.

Then Nye gestures to the hooded figure. "How does the accused respond?"

They shake their head and from the point they start responding it sounds like they're about to break into a sob.
"It wasn't me. I... couldn't do such a thing."

"And yet you're here. Curious." Nye turns to her guests. "The jury may now start consider their questions. But remember, the accused will only answer one question per person so take your time. Once you wish to put forth your question raise your hand and I will give you audience with the indicted unless someone else already have it. Once everyone has asked their question please give me a note with the verdict you wish to argue for, without showing anyone else, and the second round might begin."

[Reinholdt]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"Exactly," Ilpholin says with a wave her hand as Siana and Ana make her point for her. Though, dear Lolth, how sheltered is that foxgirl? She has some romantic notions about battle, certainly and the General seems to be pushing on that, so Ilpholin doesn't. "Rather than being forced into the easy choice, you have the opportunity to deliberate and make the correct choice, no matter how difficult that choice may be. But if you're still afraid of the responsibility, recuse yourselves now and the rest of us shall continue."

It doesn't long for Nye to try and get them to play regardless and Ilpholin frowns at a couple of things, her questions forming not for the accused but for their host.

"Is the accused allowed to lie? And are we are to ask our questions in secret then? That would hardly seem like enough to go on, let alone decide if they should live or die." Five questions asked in collaboration could paint a proper picture, or at least provide a silhouette. But one question might as well be a crapshoot. Unless that question was determining whether or not the accused was a demon, which honestly runs the risk of making the game boring and predictable. Something every fey hates, even the barely a fey anymore Ilpholin.

Yet, maybe a crapshoot is what Nye wants though. There's a second game being overlayed atop this one and Ilpholin hasn't figured out what it is yet. Hmm... the accused sounded a lot like what a newly minted vampire would say upon having their first meal. Ilpholin's eyes slide over to Siana and carefully gauges her reactions to the entertainer.

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"Ah, good questions, miss Xar'cha. Allow me to clarify then. Your questions will be made here from the table or in front of the accused if you prefer. As long as everyone get to hear both the inquiry and the answer. In addition, the accused is not allowed to lie while answering though their perspective on things might be different from you and I." A beat.

"Oh! I almost forgot. The first person that poses their question might ask two rather than one. This is since the people that wait with their questions have an advantage and to encourage the game to start off."

The accused is sitting huddled over with their knees in their lap and their gaze seemingly aimed straight at them. They either don't want or dare to look up at the 'jury' as they're being discussed.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass]

The expression Ilpholin will see on Siana's face (as will everyone else) will be... relief, mixed with sympathy. Siana's first meal took place far away from Riverside, which makes it unlikely that the white-robes figure represented her. Unlikely, but not impossible; she had still cannibalized the toothipede in the process of killing it. But if they were talking about her, that bit would be a mundane detail; they'd probably focus more on the number of innocents caught in the crossfire.

Though, like Ilpholin, she also quickly concludes that the accused is... if not a vampire, something vampire-adjacent. A lycanthrope maybe, or some other flesh-eating creature that might not have been entirely aware, much less in control, of their actions.

Though she pales again when she realizes something important. Nye never actually said the accused represented any of them. That could just as easily be her uncle, who ate and killed someone on arrival in the Nexus (he never told her where), or her brother or sister, both of whom moroi'd around for a while before her uncle found them. It could even still be her, as lucid as she wasn't during her own time as a moroi. It wasn't what had been on her mind, but it was possible all the same.

...

Or none of the above. But the connection is still there and she finds herself already wondering how to argue for the accused to be released. Siana raises her hand to ask for an audience, and if it's granted, moves not to the appropriate seat, but to the defendant's side, giving them a reassuring pat on the shoulder. After a few of those, she'll ask her questions, if nobody stops her.

► SHOW SPOILER

"Do you sincerely believe you did not commit the crime of which you are accused?"

"If you could prevent such a killing from happening again, by your own hand or someone else's, would you?"

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

"Yes, that's him. They're even of the same court as Leer Eyes but I don't know if that actually means anything. They're nothing alike after all. probably from different 'tribes' or whatever the term is that they're using."

But while he speaks the other animals have started to attack the hare. While the bird really couldn't do much damage, especially with its hollow bones, the hooved animals have started to stomp at it, seemingly causing it a great deal of pain judging by the noises its making. "Please! Jim!" He can hear it call out.

The moose continues though. "There's that rat king creature, but that one is even less pleasant than Leer Eye. The princess told you about it, yes?" A beat. "And then there's always pixies. But you'd have to be desperate to speak with pixies. Same with the angels that have started to show up around here. But for different reasons entirely."

A Casual Walk

"Well, at least angels would have a reason to help, maybe. Pixies are...flighty. Hey!" Jim notices the beating and snaps his fingers, causing a much louder noise than it ought to.
"Knock it off." he tells the skeleton animals, probably not unlike someone chastising a dog.

[Shadowcaller]

The accused looks up as Siana approaches them. But the slight movement of their head doesn't leave their face any less obscured even as they seem to be staring at the strigori.

However, as she places her hand on their shoulder she will find it oddly cold. Another sign of vampirism perhaps? Either way, the accused does not recoil from Siana's touch as their gaze still follows her. They seem to listen to her questions attentively and in the same voice, which the guests might now realize is feminine, they reply.

"I... something within me took me over and- and-" A sob. "Couldn't- couldn't control myself. That thing was not me. It's not who I am." She shakes her head rigorously and then has to take a deep breath to calm herself down and then let's out a loud sniffle before starting to answer Siana's second question. "I'll- I would try to stop it."

"Are those answers to your satisfaction, Siana?" Nye asks once she the accused stops talking again.

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass]

Ilpholin's focus may be on Siana, but she might just note the response of the foxgirl beside her, too. At first glance, the initial look of horror on Ana's face and the sympathetic concern that follows seems perfectly natural of such a sheltered teen upon hearing such a gruesome crime. Murder and cannibalism in the very city she lives? No wonder she's drawn her tails closer around herself.

But there's something more in those pretty blue eyes of hers. A sense of recognition, an anxiety in the way she glances around to gauge the other guests' reactions without turning her head. She thinks she knows exactly who this is - and, the King in Rags might even recognize, this suspicion terrifies her.

Anastasia is fairly quiet as the questions begin and the other members of the party regard the accused, listening studiously to the questions posed and the answers provided - answers, which, the two across the table might recognize, only further the confidence Ana has that she knows who this is.

She settles on two questions herself, but waits to hear what Ilpholin and the General choose to ask first before picking between them. She suspects one of them may ask something similar to the first one she thinks of. Whatever it is that The King in Rags may ask, however, is entirely discounted.

[Recaiden]

[Into the Looking Glass]

So Ana has nothing to say to that. Not surprising, the girl seems quite rattled by the game. But she's looking around as suspiciously as anyone else. Ana and Ilpholin both seem to have caught on to something. Siana's outlook is unclear, other than obvious sympathy for the killer, and the King in Rags is as inscrutable as ever.

The General's mouth is set in a serious line as she listens and considers. It's a grim topic to start with. The cannibalism lends an unsettling touch to it - she's overseen plenty of serious offenses by the soldiers, but that in particular is new - and the entertainer is really acting out her pitiful role quite fully.
But at the same time, her eyes glimmer with excitement from another portion of her. The tension in the air here is thick enough to tear with one's claws - think what a fearful spectacle it might become by the end!

Once Siana has concluded, The General will slowly rise from the table and stand in front of the accused - and now admitted, though with serious complications - murderer and ask her question.

► SHOW SPOILER

"Why was this particular person killed - and ... eaten - as opposed to any other possible victim?"

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

Over lunch one school day Eliseo is sitting in the lunch room talking animatedly with a group of his friends. They're spread across two tables, facing in towards each other in the space in between. Eliseo himself is sitting up on one of the table surfaces with his feet on the bench.

Another four students are arrayed in the space. Senril, a drow boy with slicked back hair and known to be quite wealthy. It shows in the brand name, like new clothes he's wearing at least. Aeces, the lanky merfolk who's already been eyed up for the basketball team. Nokuzola, a human girl with a tough reputation. And finally Cresh, a sporty viashino boy that does his best to keep up with Eliseo.

The five are busy talking and laughing as the lunch hour goes on.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

It's only when the conversation hits its peak that another familiar face appears - Anastasia slips into the cafeteria a little later than usual, a lunchbox in one hand and a plastic folder held in the crook of her arm. She glances around, brightens a little - and soon enough, she's sidled her way over to the group.

"Hey, what's up?" she greets with a friendly smile, glancing between everyone there as she appears near Eliseo. Wait, when did she get here anyways? Shouldn't someone have noticed her walking over?

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

"Yikes! Jeez, what the hell." Cresh jumps a bit as Ana speaks up.

Senril gives her an unimpressed look. "Hello, Ana." He greets, his tone dry.

Eliseo turns and gives her a big grin. "Hey Ana. Wanna sit with us?" He asks. He appears the only one to be enthusiastic about her presence.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

"Oh- sorry," Ana apologizes, glancing towards Cresh next to her and looking embarrassed. She didn't mean to startle him like that! Senril's demeanor seems to pass completely by her though, and she smiles up at Eliseo.

"Um, yeah, sure. Just as long as everyone doesn't mind." She slips into a seat beside him, tails wagging slightly, setting the lunchbox and the folder down on the table as she turns outwards to better look towards the group.

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

Eliseo scoots over to make room between Cresh and himself for Ana to slip in. He puts his arm around her waist.

"We were just talking about how we're gonna get Aeces on the basketball team." Eliseo informs.

"I told you already, I don't know shit about basketball. I'd look dumb." The merfolk protests.

"Look at yourself. You're a giant." Eliseo emphasizes with a gesture.

"He's right, you know." Nokuzola chimes in. "Even if they just put you in front of the basket you'll slow the other team down."

Cresh, meanwhile, looks at the folder that's now next to him. He glances Ana, making sure she's focused on the other three across the way more so, then flips the folder open to take a peek inside.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

The arm around Ana's waist seems to surprise her - but she certainly doesn't protest, happy to let him pull her a little closer. She giggles at Nokuzola's addition and nods. "And I mean, like - who hasn't looked a little dumb starting out?" She giggles. "If you're that worried about it though, just get Eliseo to quiz you or something. I bet he's got the rulebook memorized by now."

Cresh successfully evades detection! Well, at least not from Ana, maybe Senril notices but just doesn't care to remark on it. He'll quickly realize the folder is multi-paged - each one seems to be for a different class, and all of her current homework is here. There's also a personal section, and what he finds in them is largely unsurprising. There's some sheet music for a farewell song from a video game that was popular two years ago, a surprisingly good sketch of Eliseo that she's working on for art class - and, oddly, a small hand flyer for the high school's gay-straight alliance.

Near the end of the folder, though, he'll spot something more curious - a signup form for the school's cheer squad, hastily grabbed and slid in between the last two pages on the way here.

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

"Well, at least angels would have a reason to help, maybe. Pixies are...flighty. Hey!" Jim notices the beating and snaps his fingers, causing a much louder noise than it ought to.
"Knock it off." he tells the skeleton animals, probably not unlike someone chastising a dog.

A Casual Walk

The animals starts to back off at Jim's command.
But not the bird as once the other skeletons move back he can see it sitting perched upon the cracked body of the hare, staring at him. "Ye' care about this one, hmm?"

The hare looks up at Jim, its skeletal expression (or lack thereof) unreadable. Though it's not too much of a stretch to guess it's pleading for help.

"The angels would have a reason to help, true. But we're not on great terms with their court right now."

"Neither is Leer Eye though." The canine points out, the two still arguing as if nothing had happened.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"...Completely." Siana answers Nye with a nod. To some degree, that's an exaggeration- there was a lot about this case she still wanted to know- but she's certain she has all the information she needs to render a verdict. Which, truth be told, isn't very much. She probably didn't even need to ask anything at all, for her part, but this would be what she'd need to have in her corner when the time came for the debate.

Siana returns to her seat and quietly scribbles down release on her paper, folding it neatly and waiting for it to be collected. As she does, she happens to catch a glance of Ana... freaking the heck out.

Ana did say she fed on someone. And the accused... has more than a passing similarity with her, situation-wise...

Oh.

Of course.

"...You okay?" The strigoi asks, putting a hand on her shoulder. The same gesture she'd given the accused, for the same purpose.

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

"Uh huh. Big shot Eliseo can give me tips, huh?" Aeces rolls his eyes dramatically.

"Is she wrong though? You'd be smart to learn from the best." Eliseo leans in toward him to really sell that smug grin.

"Okay, all star. Try not to get too big of a head just because you got your girl here to cheer you on."

Cresh leans into the middle of the group and dangles the signup sheet he's snatched from Ana's folder. "Looks like she's just practicing for tryouts." He laughs.

Nokuzola joins in. "Damn, Red. You don't need to join cheer to fawn over your boyfriend. I'm sure he hears you screaming from the sideline already."

"Usually the cheer team takes people who put themselves out there. I don't think they're looking for wall flowers." Senril critiques, not joining in on the mirth of the others.

"I bet Eliseo put her up to it." Cresh leans over to look at the boy. "What? Did you want to see her in one of those little skirts?"

"Okay, guys. You're taking it a bit far." Eliseo says with a frown.

"With those tails putting on a skirt like that definitely means she'll be 'putting herself out there'." More laughter from the whole group, sans Eliseo.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

"Hey I never said it was cool that you knew all the rules by now, El," Ana starts, rolling her eyes too. "I mean, it's pretty nerdy when you- h-hey!" She pales a little when she realizes what Cresh is waving around after a glance between him and the unattended folder, then tries to lunge for it and snatch the piece of paper out of his grasp.

The girl looks between the group as they all start to tease her about it, trying to form a defense. Hearing Nokuzola and Senril comment is embarrassing enough, but Ana only starts getting red in the face when Cresh shifts some of the focus in Eliseo.

"W-what? No! I-I mean, he suggested it, but, I-I thought maybe it'd be fun, and Atsede-" Then Nokuzola makes the skirt comment, and Ana gets really red in the face. "T-that's not- that's not how that works!"

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

Cresh lets the form get snatched. It's served its purpose. "Atesede?"

"The delinquent." Senril helpfully supplies.

"Oh that chick. She's been making moves on the cheer squad."

"Damn, Eliseo. You better watch out or your girl's gonna get snatched up." Cresh laughs even harder.

"If she makes the cut." Nokuzola supplies.

"Oh yeah, no worries then."

"Okay shut the fuck up." Eliseo raises his voice the the group sobers a bit. He's drawn looks from the rest of the cafeteria too. "Ana shows up and you guys all turn into assholes. What's wrong with you?"

"It's just jokes." Cresh replies defensively.

"Well it's not fucking funny. Why don't you guys get the hell out of here. My table, and I don't feel like hanging out with you."

"Come on, man. You're over reacting." Aeces says.

"I wasn't asking." Eliseo glares them all down.

After an awkward pause, Senril shrugs and gets up from his seat. He walks off without another word. The others mutter to themselves, but file out as well.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

"S-she's not gonna 'snatch me up'," Anastasia tries weakly to protest again, cheeks getting terribly bright as she shrinks under the relentless teasing from the entire group as she holds the empty form close. She's even shifted a touch closer to Eliseo at some point, almost as if wanting to vanish behind him. The stares from the rest of the cafeteria go unnoticed, and it's only a few moments after the group leaves that Ana finally offers a shaky "T-thanks."

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

After they all leave Ana will note that Eliseo's free hand is clenched in a fist. "I don't know what the fuck makes them think they can get away with that. 'Just jokes" my ass. And what the hell was Cresh doing going through your stuff?" Oh he's really fuming now, and they've drawn a lot of attention from the rest of the room. Sitting up on the tabletop isn't helping with that.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

"I don't even know why they get like that sometimes," Ana replies, tails curled around her as she leans against Eliseo and watches Cresh in particular as the group settles down somewhere else. She glances back at him nervously. "I don't think I've done, like, anything to piss anyone off - right?"

She only seems to fully realize the fact that Cresh had to dig through her folder to find the application once Eliseo mentions it, and goes a little pale. "Gosh, you're right. A-and I have - I-I have personal stuff in there too," she reflects with worry.

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

"Of course you haven't. They're the ones being assholes." Eliseo emphasizes. "They say a lot of stupid shit... Ugh."

Elise gets up from his seat and glares across the cafeteria. "I should go over there and punch him right in the snout." He looks damn near ready to do it, too.

[Arkhosia]

[Riverside Community High]

Anastasia blinks, takes one look at Eliseo and gets up after him. "Whoa, hey," she reaches to grab his arm, wrapping her own around it. "Please, the last thing you need is to get grounded for fighting at school. E-even if like, it kinda would make you my hero." As she speaks, the foxgirl tries to gently coax her boyfriend back down onto the bench behind them.

"Besides, I mean - I don't want to break apart your friend group somehow. Maybe - m-maybe you can just try and... talk to him later, when things have cooled down?" Ana bites her lip. "Make sure there's not like, anything else he's gonna be an asshole about, I guess." There's a light but unmistakably nervous squeeze on Eliseo's arm.

[Gullara]

[Riverside Community High]

Eliseo lets out a sigh and lets Ana guide him to sit again. "I need to talk to all of them at this rate. It's not just Cresh asking like an idiot. I feel like I've been letting them get away with this because they're my friends, but they don't have any right to treat you like that."