The sight brings to mind a painting sheâd once come across while on a job.
Millaisâ depiction of Ophelia. Her lips parted in a silent expression of anguish, her hair billowing around her shoulders in a plume of sodden curls, her hands turned heavenward with a bushel of flowers slipping through her porcelain fingers.Â
The woman that now rests at their feet, though lacking the same romanticized lens of a 19th century work of art, has an eerie tranquility about her which Kasumi feels would shatter if the woman were to be touched. At first glance, she appears to be unmarred by any external wounds that would give some indication about the truth behind her fate, though what lies beneath her waterlogged clothing is still a mystery.
A murder? Or perhapsâŠ
âDo you think those scientists know anything about this? Or is this another flaw in their system?â
â... Itâs hard to say,â Willard turned the body on its side, examining for any and all external wounds and marks to indicate what, exactly, had happened to her.
Gently, precisely, like a surgeon, he worked, examining her hands and the flowers that they had been holding, looking for dirt under the fingernails, residue along the stomach, anything that could give away details about the how of the murder.
Of course, going down the list of suspects and motives was even more important.
âYou didnât do this yourself, right?â
He didnât even look up when he asked the question, he asked it as casually as he had routinely opened the victimâs eyes and checked her pupils.
Not that this wasnât relatable, but it was a little strange to have someone appear ominously at oneâs door, only to be promptly distracted by oneâs cat. Well, she was a very pretty cat.
âHer name is Estrellita,â Asher concedes.Â
He steps around Willard and the cat to close the door behind them, then crouches next to the pair and strokes a hand idly down Estrellitaâs spine as she noses politely at Willardâs hand.
âSo, Mister WrightâŠIâve told you something about me. Now tell me something about you.â
ââWho is spreading rumors about youâ...? Iâm sure, as a journalist, you understand that everyone has some information about them floating out there. Itâs just a matter of finding it... and reading between the lines.â
Will looked deeply into Estrellitaâs eyes as she stared back at him, the two seeming to have some sort of intimate conversation outside the need of vocal communication or body language, as he rubbed the side of her face.
â... Excuse me. My work isnât official, as youâve probably guessed. You can rest easy knowing that I donât have much interest in your personal affairs... but I did have some questions about where you come from.
It was a routine list of questions, and Will rattled them off as if he had recited them a thousand times before. âWhat kind of world do you come from?â âDo you have any clues as to why the scientists kidnapped you?â âHave you seen anyone else from your origin world?â âDo they know anything?â âWhat was the last memory you had before you were taken?â âWhat was the first thing you witnessed when you arrived at Hive City?â
Then, after he got the formalities out of the way, Willard went into more detail. His interest wasnât just in where Asher had come from or why he was kidnapped... if it was, he wouldnât have picked him out, exclusively.
âSo... you were a journalist...? Then, tell me, what was your first impression of this place? ... Do you have any suspicions as to the real intentions of the Hive...?â
An artificial city, constructed on highly advanced technology, designated around manipulation, deceit, and experimentation conducted by a shadowy puppet organization on its citizens for reasons unknown.
I figured a small âimprovement memeâ would be a fine idea for RPers looking to brush up their skills and topple weaknesses, so here it is. Feel free to use the symbols or go for a more in depth response. Yes, you can send any of these to me too.Â
âą: You need to work on character responses, they tend to be bland.Â
â: Your RP responses are really short/ could have more effort put in!
ÎŁ: Youâre messing up your punctuation here and there.Â
âŒ: Try to improve your spelling/Grammar
âŻ: Try to open up to more RPers, youâre great, but youâre missing out on a lot of potentially amazing RPs!
âČ: Try to be more positive on yourself, thereâs no reason to hate on yourself so much.Â
â : You need to be more respectful.Â
â: You need to improve your action sequences or reactions of characters.Â
â€: Youâre doing amazing, we can always improve but every RP I read of yours is a joy.
â: Message more RPers and get some more activity going please.Â
â¶: Fight scenes could use more work.Â
â„: Romantic Scenes can be awkward, do your best to improve on this, and look out for common pitfalls!
â: You might want to take another look at your character/characters and work on them a bit more. Every great character has a flaw or two.Â
âȘ: Joker *Whatever you feel needs to be addressed*Â
Asherâs eyes narrowed behind the open crack of the door. âEven if it was, what makes you think Iâll just answer your questions?â
At his feet, Estrellita peeked curiously through the slight opening between the door and the frame, mirroring her disgruntled master.
The manâs face, when it came into focus, was a completely ordinary face, or would have been if it werenât for the intense expression. He probably wasnât lying about the investigating bit; Asher knew a fellow mystery seeker when he saw one.
The visitor looked like more of a case man than him, though. Police? Private investigator? Whatever the case, his curiosity was peaked.
Asher hesitated for just a moment more, then gave in, as always, to the spirit of inquiry. He closed the door to remove the chain, then pulled it fully open and stepped aside. Though the door to his home was open, his stance remained guarded.
âFine, Mister Wright, but only if youâll tell me whoâs been spreading rumours about me in a town like this.â
âOrder is a vital part of any institution. A doctrine, a set of rules, is the very structure of society. In the right hands it allows the protection of the innocent, and for the will of the people to be heard.
âI am here to make sure that will protects every person free of sin. I will not allow those who wish to tear down every innocent person in order to reach the truth abuse their power. In the courtroom or on the streets-those who wish to disregard the heart and hurt those who have committed no crimes... I will not tolerate them...!â
Hey, Hive City! Weâve received enough laws for us to open the polls, meaning that you can cast your vote to approve or disapprove of the laws submitted for your consideration by your fellow citizens! Be sure to track the #citta vote tag for updates. All laws have been published; in addition, you can find links to every currently-available poll below. We will make an announcement when we are getting ready to count the ballots, so stay tuned!
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353435x74c741B3-13Â - Act Against Language Appropriation
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353439xD16f7Faa-13Â - Prevention of the Destruction of Public Property Act
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353443xD8d139dE-13Â - Clause of Circumstance
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353446xCd4C579a-13Â - Unlawful Use of Supernatural Powers
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353447x5b41C544-13Â - Hive City Constitution
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353448x82D893bf-13Â - Professional Conduct Statute
http://www.poll-maker.com/poll353450xF25Dd1A1-13Â - Allowance for horses
â â âIf you wish to create laws, you absolutely require the power to enforce them. Iâd like to see someone attempt to throw me in prison or demand a sum of money for my actions.â
â... Youâre right, those punishments would be meaningless to a witch like you.
âWhen a cat misbehaves, they say that spraying them with a water bottle is the best way to teach them right from wrong. I never had to use one on Diana, but I bet youâre a different story.â
His brow furrowed, a little frustrated at the manâs answer. It wasnât that he didnât expect something like this, it was just⊠annoying. He hadnât even thought of asking of his own future, although he wondered if he was still on the path he was supposed to be on. If he couldnât become an Assassin, if he couldnât return, then what would happen-
He could think about that later, not now. As much as it annoyed him the other could decide what he could and couldnât know, Connor knew he wouldnât get anything else out of him.Â
âAre you not human?â
He acted as if he was well acquainted with all of this, with monsters and with witches. It would only make sense that he was something similar himself then. Along with the way he worded things⊠Connor didnât really care as to what he answered. Rather, he asked out of curiosity. He wanted to know the answer, but what it was didnât matter to him.Â
That was all he seemed to have to say on the matter.
â... Iâm pretty sure kids usually like ice cream. You can take it as a peace offering so you donât try to break my neck again.
âCome on,â Will motioned for Connor to follow with his chin, âIf you have any other questions, I can answer them after.â
Something told Willard this kid would get into a lot of trouble, regardless of what he said, so maybe lectures werenât the way to approach this. He wasnât even sure if the kid would follow but, he seemed fascinated enough with the world he was in already, and he probably needed a little guidance. Even if he wouldnât accept outright help, there were always other methods...
A rare peaceful night. The noise of traffic beneath his window sounded distant, a quiet back and forth rush like the sound of summer waves. Asher hadnât been doing anything in particular, had just been sitting curled in an armchair post-shower with his cat on his lap, trying to distract himself from dark thoughts by concentrating on the feel of her fur under his fingers. Thatâs when the knock had come on the door.
Estrellita leapt from his arms at the sound, like sheâd been the one expecting a visitor. She padded over to the door and pawed at it once, then turned towards Asher with her usual âdo this for me, humanâ look. Sometimes he really had to wonder who was the master and who was the pet in this relationship.
He stood slowly, watching the door. He wasnât expecting anyone â who did he know who would want to visit? â and it probably wasnât safe to open the door to just anyone in this strange city. But curiosity gnawed at him like it always did, only one of the mixed curse-blessings of his existence.
He peered out through the peephole. Someone stood out there, waiting. Blue coat, mysterious demeanor. No one he knew. Should he just step away from the door and hope they would give up when he didnât answer?
The black cat meowed in annoyance and pawed at the door again. Asher looked at her, then opened the door, leaving the chain in place. The person outside his apartment looked no less inscrutable up close.
âIâm Asher Kendrell,â he answered warily. Of course it occurred to him to deny it, to turn the man away with an easy lie, but if this total stranger already knew his full name, he couldnât just look away and hope to stay out of trouble. âWhatâs this about?â
âI have some questions for you. Is it true you used to be involved with journalism?â
Willard leaned in, allowing the light to catch the side of his face. It wasnât threatening, but it was hard to understand his intentions. Maybe that was more dangerous.
âMy name is Willard H. Wright. Iâm conducting an investigation... If youâre the person rumors claim you are, Iâm interested in you.
â... Itâs cold out here. Mind if I come in?â
The war that only became known as âReckoner.â
It was the first exposure Willard had to Hive City and, in a single week, he had seen the ugliest pieces that it had to offer.
Even he was slightly unsettled by the dangerous potential the city had.
And who knew what this artificial world would mean in the wrong hands? If it wasnât already in the wrong hands?
The security breach left Willard distrustful of the scientistsâ ability to maintain control of their own city, at best. What was even worse to imagine was the possibility it was intentional, or it meant there was an active enemy regularly striving to bring this city down.
He bore witness to dozens of casualties, both the âalternateâ citizens and Hive Cityâs residents alike, and he couldnât help but feel it was all senseless.
It was hard to pick a side, and in the end, it didnât really matter. What Willard was more interested in was the sheer destruction... the way that certain citizens could level a city block, or blow up a building with a thought. How many of them like that were here? ... What would happen if they escaped?
What would happen if this city went out of control?
If they managed to even catch angels, then maybe there was enough force here to do considerable damage to multiple levels of reality at once, spanning devastation largely across universes.
... Did those scientists even know what they were tampering with? Who were they to try and tamper with these forces? Time and space were in a precarious position because of this city, and they canât even prevent a simple war?
... The hubris of humanity was well known to Willard.
He sighed. It was a long, long day. But he couldnât sleep yet. There was much to write down, and Diana still needed to be fed.
In the end... Willard was just an observer.
He observed her death... he heard her wish... and he gave rites for her to pass once again to the other side...
It was.... inevitable...
She and Kanon exchanged some words... in the end... she almost looked happy...
...
What was this city trying to do to him...?
He was just a retired nobody, and yet...
The fires died to ashes, and the ashes died on the ground like a thousand grey snowflakes. The battle had stopped hours before, and the other Willard had long since vanished, but... there was still one thing left to do.
He looked down inside the crater the alternate Willard made. There sat a single... small... pile of ash.
On top was a yellow pointed hat. It blew in the breeze, long left behind by its owner.
Willard picked it up. He held it close to his chest, looking down at the scorched earth.
â... Iâm sorry.â
He gave the child his last rites. It was the least he could do. After all, it was him who had done it...
It was his responsibility to bear.
The alternate Willard killed many people that day.
Thirty seven. Five children. Nineteen men. Thirteen women. All magic users. Only half put up a fight. Less than that were able to fend him off.
Willard bore witness to all of them.
Even if they were separate people, it wasnât like they were different. Willard understood... who this man was, who he was modeled after, and the truth was-he was Willard. In a sense. He was everything he had been, and everything he had left behind.Â
Not even leaving the SSVD could erase that bloody past.
If the purpose of this âsocial experimentâ was to remind Willard of all his shortcomings, then heâd accept that. There was nothing they could show him that would break him. Heâd gone through it all before...
âDo you think you have the experience to lead the Ushiromiya family?! Then answer me this: How would you lead them through this war?!â
Willard straightened up, looking Jessica dead in the eyes. He was a tower of a person when he wasnât slouching. When she gave an answer, he cut it to pieces. When she gave her reasoning, he tore through it.
âHave you experienced lost?! Do you know what the meaning of risk really is?! Consider the weight of your actions, only then will I accept you as the Ushiromiya head...!
âUnderstand the hearts of those you lead, carry the weight of their sins on your shoulders, and guide them to their futures! That is your responsibility as the next head!â
The two argued for a long time. Sometimes, Willard was aloof, other times, he faced down Jessica outright. It felt like they were in that pet ridden apartment all night. They continued to discuss things, and while some of it did not seem to stick with Jessica, other things seemed to affect her deeply. Willard was challenging her core as a human being...
... If he was asked about it, he would have said it was necessary for her growth as a human being... but, something about the look in his eyes made it seem like he was hiding something.
He never said what. Instead, he just kept talking in frustrating, confusing riddles...
Willard had gathered a general sense of the city. He had blueprints of it in his mind, and had observed several interesting candidates.
His goal was already clear. He needed to know more about the city. Its citizens. He needed to interview them. He folded up a list and put it inside his desk. Tomorrow, he would systematically start to investigate and question each name on that list, for some sort of pattern in the abductions.Â
If he could just figure out the heart of why they were kidnapping people to populate this artificial city, then...
The future⊠More questions and less answers, then. It was easier to take in than he thought it would, and it explained the things he saw. That spirit had been able to show him the future, and if that was possible, then surely this was as well.Â
âWhat year. What year is it? For you, I mean.âÂ
He wasnât sure what kind of answer he expected or wanted. Somehow, he felt as if he needed to ask. It was important, even if he couldnât make sense of it.
His demeanor was a bit calmer than before, but as the man continued, that shifted once more. He rolled his eyes without thinking, not hearing much worth listening to. Knowing there were creatures like that was useful, but it didnât mean he was scared. It only meant that he needed to prepare himself to fight them.Â
âI was not trying to. If I faced someone I deemed a threat, it would be different. You proved yourself otherwise, at least for now. If that changes, I am still prepared. Just as I will be always, no matter who or what I face.â
â... ... ... Who I am or where I come from isnât too important. Iâm nobody in particular. Asking me anything about your own future, too, would be pointless.Â
âItâs better not knowing. Thinking about it will only give you a headache.â
Will didnât need to be an expert on American history for that last part to be obvious. Not that he didnât know a thing or two about the genocide and slavery that encapsulated its history, or what it probably meant for this kid...
âI didnât meant to insult you when I said âIâm stronger than you.â Clearly, youâre someone of interest, or you wouldnât be here. But youâre still human. Weâre in completely different leagues.
âBut thatâs enough about that. Since I have absolutely no intention in harming you, and I assume you donât either, the point is useless.
âJust be careful not to get cursed by any witches. Theyâll tear you limb from limb, put you together again, then repeat the process for a thousand years.â
Will meant that literally, but it wasnât certain if he realized it may not have come across as such. Nor was the brutality of the statement really dawning on him.Â
... He still wasnât sure how to deal with kids. It seemed more and more like he was more of a babysitter than a detective.
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