WEEK 3; TRIAL

[killerwaves]

TRIAL

Like last week, the kitty bots herd everyone over to the sandbar once the time for investigation has concluded. At the least, this little piece of your personal hells has emerged unscathed in all the wreckage. Unlike last week, Overhaul and Shigaraki are already there waiting for you, the former looking about as grouchy as a mask can get and the latter looking pretty amused.

Off to the side in a booth of its own is the body as well as attendant kittybots; apparently it’s messy enough this time to require some clearance, but it’s still close enough for the admins to oversee.

This murder sure was something, even for your masterminds. Theorize and/or judge about who could have done such a thing and get a snack from your local kitty bots if you get hungry—the theme is italian today, with pizza, mozzarella sticks, stuffed meatballs and the like.

(( OOC: Welcome to your second trial! You'll have 7 hours (8PM EST/5PM PST) to find the killer and send them off their death, if you believe in justice at least. Since this is scapegoat style, finding the correct killer is not mandatory!

Please remember to vote before then unless you've spoken to a mod, as votes are our stand-in for AC. ))

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1/???

[conchy]

Avance, démon! Envoyez-moi en enfer!

[Lobelia attempts to defend himself, he does, but he doesn't attack Beelzebub with nearly as much passion as he had Vergilius. This battle is due to have a very different outcome, after all. What he needs from Beelzebub is one last favor.

He'll manage to land a blow on his shoulder, something that'll smart and ache when he's come to his senses, but Lobelia does nothing more than that to defend himself. In fact, as Beelzebub approaches, Lobelia holds his arms out wide to embrace him.]

2/??? CW: GORE, CANNIBALISM

[gluttoning]

[It's like watching a rabid, furious animal. Beelzebub's body jerks with the blow, but his pace doesn't blow and he doesn't flinch. He doesn't feel.

He hates. He hates. He hungers. And he does not care that Lobelia's arms are open.

He only cares that there is flesh between him and his hate.

His entire hand slams into Lobelia's face with enough force to crack the bone and some teeth as he pulls Lobelia to him, unhinges his jaw, and rips the entire left side of his neck off in one smooth motion, taking blood and muscle and nerve down to the bone.

It's swallowed instantly, going for a second bite. But midway through, he stops, spits it out, and shoves Lobelia straight to the ground, wings vibrating madly.]

You're the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted.

3/??? cw gore and death

[conchy]

[Mm, yep, that'll do it. Lobelia lets out one last laugh, raucous and without shame, feeling his carotid artery burst beneath the press of his fangs, the oxygenated blood spilling from his body, vivid and red. Clean and easy isn't how he expected he would go, but it's as he said, isn't it? Beelezebub really is a softie. That bleeding heart will kill him eventually.

So long as he continues to live, someone like himself can never know happiness. He owes Vergilius his thanks for pounding that lesson into his heart, but for now, it's Beelzebub he has to thank.]

...Merci, petit chien.

[It doesn't take Lobelia long at all to bleed out, his death rattling in his throat as he crumples to the ground. Try a Snickers next time, Beel.]

4/???

[gluttoning]

[Beelzebub snarls down at him in response, like a wild dog over its bones. Let him die. Worthless. Not even good for food. But he can tell the warmth is leaving him. So he turns, a growl as he wipes the blood from his mouth.]

5/???

[conchy]

[Beelzebub won't get too far into his meal before the remainder of Lobelia's body briefly disappears, and when it reemerges... Well. You may want to take a good look at Beelzebub's Beezeback.]

6/??? CW: GORE, BODY HORROR

[gluttoning]

[It happens very suddenly.

Beelzebub freezes in place and pitches forward with a bubbling, choking mix of a roar and a scream, followed by the snap of his neck.... and several other bones. And more, and more, as the curve of his overturned back bulges outward, the insectoid wings underneath seizing.

One would think a new pair of wings were about to burst free, were his abdomen not to suddenly give out like a paper bag underneath him, foreign leathered heels hitting the ground as Beelzebub's body starts to go limp. The space below the nape of his neck follows suit with a deafening series of cracks and the ripping of cloth, the line of his spine and space between his wings splitting away like a zipper being forced to pop open.

It's a grotesque moment, only a few seconds, that now frames the very familiar form of a figure that stands up straight, tall, still ankle-deep in the middle of Beelzebub's still body.]

7/??? cw: gore, death, body horror, everyone put your refreshers down

[conchy]

[And emerging from his Beelzebub chrysalis is a beautiful butterfly... Just kidding, it's Lobelia, wide-eyed and gasping for air. He looks just as surprised to suddenly be alive again, much like the look of shock and agony on whatever remains of Beelzebub's face. Still, that surprise doesn't last long, something like resignation settling in his features. A quiet acceptance.

Staggering out of Beelzebub's remnants, pitched forward with his hands on his knees, Lobelia addresses something yet unseen. The blood red pendant around his neck begins to glow brightly, an ominous black fog spooling forth from the gem. Amusement spills from his lips, but his laughter is cut short by rasps and coughs.]

Heh-ahahaha! Très bien! What anger, such hunger for destruction... Ah, that's right. This is your doing, non...?

[That something appears once more before the crowd: The teeny tiny Tower. When it emerges, it chooses to park its miniscule self right on top of Shigaraki's head. Best seat in the house, clearly. With its attention focused on Lobelia, it slowly raises its arm, upturning its palm, and as it does, Lobelia wryly smiles.]

Ahaha... I can see it now, Tower. Why no pactbearers appeared to you for so long... Rather, they no sooner appeared than disappeared.

[Lobelia's words don't sway the colossus, and it cares not to let his soliloquy drag on. It's sudden and violent, Lobelia's body bursting open in explosive fashion, skin and muscle and bone ruptured and blown to pieces. His death is instant, what remains of him scattered all over the ground and entirely unrecognizable.

Reversing the hands of time, the colossys forms a tight fist, dazzling white light consuming the surroundings. When the light clears, Lobelia is back, staggering upright and gasping for air. This time, the look of shock on his face gives way to amusement even sooner.]

Ah, that's- right— Should the Tower's pactbearer fail to destroy a target even once... Then every ounce of destruction they've ever wrought will be meted out onto them. That was Papa's destruction... next is—

[That's all Lobelia manages before The Tower exacts punishment upon him again, destroying him in the same manner he'd destroyed his own mother as a boy. This time, he's given enough time to let out an excruciating, agonized scream, each of his limbs crushed little by little from the outside in, the pain so great that it rends Lobelia's throat and silences him.

Eventually, he cedes to this death too, only to be brought back again, again, again. Lobelia has killed thousands in his short life, and if The Tower is allowed to go on unimpeded, it will treat him to every last one of those deaths.]

8/?????

[allworknoplague]

[There's just a noise of exasperation from behind the mask where Overhaul's been watching, not even a sigh this time, just a short grunt. The kittybots that have been standing at the ready both with and without pizza shift, and two of them (without pizza) start trundling their way as fast as their kitty treads can carry them.

They're not carrying pizza, but Beelzebub's remains, snuck out from under the constant blast of Lobelia getting Tower-thumped again and again and again. Who wants to get near that?

Not Overhaul, for one, though he's moving out to meet the kittybots at more than a leisurely pace this time. One hand, stripped of its glove, reaches out and rests on one of rare non-gore spattered parts of the remains.]

What did I say? I hate mess, and that's all you're showing me here, Lobelia.

[Gradually at first, and then all at once for those who are able to look away from the spectacle of the hour, the pieces of Beelzebub start reconstructing themselves. Unceremoniously in comparison to how they were torn apart, they knit themselves back together, until the kittybots are holding a whole demon once more.

Overhaul shakes his head, puts his glove back on, and leaves the last words he'll speak to Lobelia before he starts back up the amphitheater.]

It was a show, though, I'll give you that.

CW: trauma, PTSD, implied gore, CotL spoilers

[hearnoplague]

[ This is the sight that stops Kallamar from continuing to harass the overseers.

A thousand deaths. Over, and over, and over.

Between this and the heart, the former bishop of plague is reminded of his own horrible fate... Or what it was before that Lamb came back to... ]

. . .

[ Kallamar is shivering, frozen in fear. It's a good thing he's nowhere near the action, because he is too horrified to even move. ]

1/2 (cw small body horror mention)

[plunges]

[ Meanwhile, there's a sudden opening that appears, right as Beel dives for Lobelia's neck. There are two people that step out of the opening: Haruka and Xiao. Both of them appear to be alive and breathing.

For now, anyway, given that Haruka's got a sizable gash on his leg, and is visibly bleeding through the fabric of his pants. Xiao has his arm around Haruka's shoulder and he's pulling him along as he limps forward, towards whoever is around. He's beat, injured to hell and back, and there are mysterious black fragments that are floating up and around his body.

They take a look at what's happening, and Xiao uses the last ounce of his strength to shield Haruka from the carnage happening in front of them, when Lobelia emerges from Beel's back. ]

2/2 /o/

[townmusician]

[He can barely focus on what's going on as Xiao drags him out, adrenaline only doing so much to stave off the pain as blood drips down his legs. It's lucky Xiao followed after him, because without him he surely would have been torn apart.

He almost wishes Xiao wasn't so efficient a fighter, though, impressive as it is to see the yaksha at work, because the scene they come back to is so much worse then just monsters trying to kill him, somehow. Xiao can't block him from seeing everything, for how extended it is, watching, hearing a man die a thousand deaths. Perhaps shockingly, he doesn't make a noise. Ironic, maybe, for how much Lobelia claimed to enjoy the sounds he made that there's not a peep at all as he goes through what must be immense agony.

Maybe it's shock, or some feeling that he's never quite had to confront before. Either way, the idol is silent, even as the pain in his leg starts to set in.]

[solutionary]

[The sounds of bodies ripping and dropping to the floor is something Baizhu is not particularly partial too, especially when they nearly cover the sounds and distract the eyes from Xiao and Haruka making an appearance-- finally, finally an appearance. Lobelia and Beelzebub's standoff was both happening fast and taking more than a small eternity.

The injuries were less welcome, but Xiao is an adeptus and one known for the ability to give protection more than most. If anyone could bring Haruka back, it would be him.

Rest in Peace(?) Beel, but he has more pressing matters to attend to.]

Xiao, Haruka-- Why don't you have a seat, I'll take a look at your injuries.

[Perhaps he'll make sure they go on the far side, away from that.]

[plunges]

[ Baizhu was going to be the first person Xiao would seek out after all of...that...and so it's a relief when he approaches. Xiao nearly collapses when he sits, the drawbacks of his power as well as having to fight countless beasts over and over again weighing on him. Nothing will feel quite as heavy as witnessing Lobelia emerge from Beelzebub's body, though, and hearing Lobelia's thousands of deaths is something not even an adeptus as jaded as him could have prepared himself for.

He just sits, slightly slumped over, but his hand is on Haruka's, trembling as he gives it as tight of a squeeze as he can manage.

His voice is weak when he addresses Baizhu: ]

Help Haruka. Please. I'll be okay.

[chosenwang]

[ He'll look over at them from his spot near his roommate. Trying to catch Xiao's eyes for a moment if he can just to make sure he's okay. He knows Haruka is being cared for. ]

[plunges]

[ Xiao can't meet his eyes, but he's...managing. Managing is probably the best way to put it. He's not fine, but neither are Haruka or Beelzebub. (Or Lobelia, but he spares no pity for evil beings.) He'll live. ]

[chosenwang]

[ If he wasn't trying to be an emotional support pet for his roomie, he would be over there. He let's his gaze stay a moment longer before he looks back at Lobelia's death loop. ]

[chrysaline]

[ Psyche has the sense to know there's no good in watching the rest of this, flinching away when Lobelia rips himself free from Beelzebub's back. This is something she can do something about. She hopes.

She hurries over to join them instead. ]

Are you hurt too, Xiao? Let me help. I can't heal as much right now, but... Doctor Baizhu, just tell me where I'm needed.

[plunges]

No....I'm fine. Take...take care of yourself, instead.

[ He's resistant to her assistance, but he's also shrugged off Baizhu's before. It's nothing personal.

But he really isn't okay, that's for sure. ]

[solutionary]

Thank you, Psyche. If you could tend to Xiao's wounds for now, I would appreciate it. Please watch in case his Karma reacts poorly, from my understanding not much works to reverse or heal it in our own world, let alone here when we are more weakened. If it becomes too much, please say so.

[Xiao is hardy, even here. Haruka is a bit...not, so he's going to prioritize a bit.]

[chrysaline]

[ Psyche nods, politely ignoring Xiao's dismissal and reaching out a hand towards him. Golden light gathers around her hand as she tries to turn her healing towards anything visible. ]

I'll be careful. Xiao... please don't hide any wounds from me. I can't help if you aren't honest.

[ No stoic nonsense here please! ]

[diabolizes]

[ There’s no need to watch all of those deaths, so he hurries to Xiao just to be closer to him. ]

Your Karmic Debt. How is it?

[plunges]

...Fine...it's...fine.

[ The black aura surrounding him is starting to lessen, but everything hurts. He's in so much pain that his voice comes out extremely raspy. ]

[diabolizes]

[ It clearly isn’t, but he can see those shadows lessening and so he lets out a soft sigh. ]

Ah, it’s too bad I can’t pull it from you.

[townmusician]

[He is going to do his best to not look over at the everything happening with Lobelia and Beelzebub right now, even if he can't exactly tune out the sounds.

He's still quiet, shifting a bit so Baizhu can get a good look at his leg when all he really wants to do is collapse and maybe sleep for one hundred years.

It's a nasty wound, but it's at least not fatally deep. No arteries were nicked, thankfully.]

[solutionary]

[Forgive his reach Haruka, but he's going to apply pressure to the wound, simultaneously using part of his tacky Hawaiian shirt to stem the bleeding. Normally he wouldn't need the cloth if he was going to use his Vision for healing, but the bright green twining light comes to hand much slower on this island.

While he's focused, Changsheng extends down Baizhu's arm to slither partially to Haruka. After a quick glance at the wound, she turns her attention to Haruka.]

Enough excitement for you for today, it ssseems. You may focus on me instead.