chicago ♔ it’s a tragedy to be left only with memories

[savemyself]

WHO || Failboat and friends [Closed]
WHAT || As the trial drags on, the Knights spend their last few months in Chicago and tensions mount
WHERE || Various locations, Chicago
WHEN || November 21st - The end of the trial?? [Back AND Forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order


Everybody loves a media circus and the trial of Rafael Giovanni is no exception. If he was famous before, in the days following the shooting, now he's all people are talking about, and all the tabloids want to focus on. The complications presented at some of the early hearings by Jaka, regarding the identity of the Black Scourge and Rafael's alleged reaction have only made the story more appealing to the millions watching.

They've also caused the trial to drag out for months as facts are checked, evidence is poured over, and the jury becomes only more split on the issue. In the meantime, the holidays fly by, and one of the most terrible winters in years blankets Chicago in blizzards.

This log covers any work and non-work related shenanigans the Knights have while staying in Chicago, immediately following the last log and continuing for the next couple months. This will be the Knight's last time in Chicago before the trial: after which they plan to return to the castle to fully Knight Violet and Elena and decide where to head next.

Make your own threads, don't fuss about tag order, feel free to threadjack multiple people into one thread for hang-outs, ask me if you want a certain scene with an NPC, etc. forever whatever.

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

[He narrows his eyes at her and, for a moment, he looks less confident (will save 10, which means he rolled a TWO), because yes, that's true. He wants to be isolated. He wants to be alone. He wants to keep everyone at a distance, because what good is a man who lives his entire life trying to die. They'll never get it.]

Their mistake. They think I'm gonna be wacky Uncle Descant to their kids and their grandkids for the rest of time. And I ain't in this to be anyone's ageless mentor figure. I'm done. It's ending. [His voice shakes a bit. Jade was his chance. He would have forgot about loopholes and the knowledge that he would die and lived a life with her- a life he knew would slip away the second anything came calling and it would have.

But he couldn't give her even five minutes of the life she wanted. So that's it. That's the story. He will bash himself on the paving stones and burn every bridge until he sees this done.]

[accusatory]

You're forgetting one part, Des. You might find a sense of purpose in throwing yourself haphazardly onto the rocks in order to make sure she gets her dying wish, but what she asked for isn't something that can be accomplished through one grand gesture. Rafael will struggle with this for the rest of his life, and all you're doing is making certain he'll never let you back into it. Limiting your influence, so that the next time he ruins everything she's ever wanted for him, they'll be nothing you can do but mull over how little purpose you've left yourself.

[nothingsodivine]

What? You thought I was gonna hold his hand? He's got Buffy. He's got Vi. He's got all of 'em. I wasn't planning on helping pick up the pieces when this is over.

[He moves past her, clearly thinking that settles the matter.] Is this some big "when I'm all alone and purposeless, I'll call for you" spiel, because your sales pitch still needs work, Az.

[accusatory]

It's concern for you. I'm allowed to have that. I'm the reason you're here.

[nothingsodivine]

Yeah, and have I mentioned how fuzzy that makes me feel? [He scowls.] I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself. You wanted this horse? You best enjoy how often I throw the derby.

[accusatory]

That's precisely why I keep my money on you, Des. Because unlike them, I already know what we both know: that you'll never be their kind of hero. That they can't mold you into one.

[nothingsodivine]

Stop. You're gonna get me all tingly. That's the first thing you've said I can really get behind. [Or at least accept with minimal defensiveness. She's never said anything that wasn't true.]

[accusatory]

I've told you before - we're on the same side. After all: I think what they did to Jade was a complete waste.

[nothingsodivine]

[He still doesn't buy it, but mentioning Jade gets his hackles up. It's an innocuous statement, but considering everyone wanted their hands on Jade for one thing or another, it's not just innocent.]

Waste of what?

[accusatory]

Of the life she could have had. [ she stares at him with evident concern that he doesn't just assume that she's what she means. WHAT ELSE WOULD SHE MEAN. ] A life that was thrown away on a gamble that they were never going to win.

[nothingsodivine]

[HE HAS A VALID REASON FOR BEING CONCERNED.]

You don't have to tell me that twice. [He just... assumes she means the Knights.] All the more reason to cut ties before someone else gets hurt.

[Some bystander. Some civilian. Or Nadia. The Knights know what they're doing. Their pain is background static to watching someone who didn't want or understand what she was being yanked into jerked around by all this.]

[accusatory]

Oh Des. There's still so much you don't understand. [ her voice is laden with sympathy as she steps forward and brushes at his cheek with the back of her hand ] I don't mean the Knights. I mean the people who decided Eterna had to die - to help you become the man they want you to be.

[nothingsodivine]

[MOTHERFUCK-

Des jerks away from her touch.]

What the Jiminy Christmas are you talkin' about?

[accusatory]

[ the inhuman light behind her eyes seems to smolder strangely as she stares at him, fully more than the human-looking creature before him now ]

I warned you that there are some things that once seen can never be unseen. That applies to more than just the Hidden World that's been forced on you now.

Your life has been woven into the most powerful lie of all time. Are you prepared to live with the boiling anger that awareness brings?

Do you really wish to know? Or will it only make the weight of each year passing more impossible to bear?

[nothingsodivine]

[ it's a good question, but one he doesn't deliberate on, because ultimately he can't help but stick his face in what he doesn't need to know. He hates the idea that anything is controlling him.]

When you say it like that, how can I say no?

[accusatory]

There's always a choice to be made, Des.

[ but he's clearly made his ] Come with me. [ before he can protest or agree or move, her hand wraps around his arm, and there's a sudden bright light, and what he would swear to god was the sudden sound and texture of wings beating, although all he sees is a strange iridescent darkness against the light for a moment.

and then they're no longer in the bathroom. WHERE COULD THEY BEEEEEEEEEE ]