#// “Älä pakota minua tappamaan Pilviäni.” = “Please don't make me kill my Pilvi.”

[shiroi---kumo]

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ The little beast is talking again and he can't begin to describe the way his stomach turns when he hear that voice speak to Ai in such a way. That's her brother but his form is being puppeteered by that demon in the same way it dug it's claws into his soul and commanded him. He wasn't born of the beast. They were not kin but he still thought of that man - that boy no longer - as his own. He had always thought of the Hayakawa as the children of his own that he could no longer have.

But he kept them at a distance. He pushed them away. For their safety he said. For their betterment he convinced himself. If they weren't around someone like him then they wouldn't think about the source of their pain. Chaos wouldn't come them if it wasn't being drawn out by the presence of it's favorite toy.

If he just kept them away from him then they would be safe. They could live a normal happy life and even if they had to do that without him then - then he could make peace with that.

But things never go the way he wants them to.

He left them out of so many important moments in his life. He pushed them away because he thought he was being noble by sacrificing his relationship with them for the better good. So they never saw - they never saw him complete his Path. They never saw him dance his vows with Kain. They never saw him truly ascend the throne. They never saw. All the important events in his life that have happened - they don't know them. They don't know why he wears the crown upon his head so boldly now.

He shoved them away. OUT and as far as he could.

What right does he have to tell them that he loves them now?

The beast is talking and he probably should listen, even if it isn't talking to him. Even if it's talking to the camera again but that means it's probably important. If Chaos loves anything, it loves a show and there is no doubt that if he can manage to swim through the memories to actually listen then perhaps he'll at least hear how he's going to d -

".....but in many cultures, beheading was often used as the punishment for those of noble stature. Since our dear little Cloud here had been trying so hard to be like them, it's only fitting we give him the pleasure of dying like one..."

- He can feel his blood running cold as he thinks about it. As he tries to imagine the feeling of a blade cutting through to take his head from his shoulders. It's not a death he's ever experienced but Chaos didn't possess a blade sharp enough to accomplish -

He's watching as a sword case is being brought in the room and he knows before it's even opened. She's screaming inside him. She's weeping and crying and she's begging not to be made to do this.

"Minun Pilvini." She begs "Älä pakota minua tappamaan Pilviäni."

But no one can hear her expect the one she is weeping to save. She's rattling in the hand of the one who takes her. She is rattling and fighting as she attempts to break free of the grasp of the beast that means to strike him down again.

She is rattling but he is not.

No the lunar king is frozen, ignoring the request to if he had any words at all to be his last, despite the gag firmly forced between his lips. It doesn't matter what he would want to say the words won't make it into the air more than the sounds of just pathetic sobs.

And the tears are rolling now as grey eyes fill up his vision. Jade slides to look away if only for a moment to glance to the screen as love fills up his vision. Eyes that are reserved for one man and one man only. Even if his words are trapped within his throat, his emotions can't be erased from his heart.

This is it.

There's no more running. He's going to die.

Will he resurrect as he always does, or is this finally the end of his undying life? He doesn't have a choice in how this will end, but he does have a choice in how this will play out.

So he stares straight into the camera for a short drawn out moment. He stares into that camera like he's looking deep into grey eyes that are always filled glimmering stars whenever he looks back at him. He doesn't need to speak to say to him what he needs to say. He's wearing the same look he did the day they danced their steps of commitment. There's no way that the northern star won't know how the Moon sings Rakastan Sinua with his every breath.

But there's no way out this.

He can't break himself free. His body feels too heavy. His lungs are panting and he can feel the fatigue weighing him down. Even if he started trashing it would only make it worse. What would Rakkani want? Home. Rakkani would want him to come home and he wants to go home too. He wants nothing more than to be able to return to his arms but that isn't in the cards.

He's been dealt the Death card and he's fought against it so many times. He's always gone against it kicking and screaming but now - now it's different. He's not the man he once was and if he needs to show anything in this moment it's grace.

So he's trying to control the trembling as he moves. Jade is falling closed as he does and he never acknowledges the monster's question as he brings his head back around to lay flat with the post at his back. Slowly, body shaking, he swallows hard as this lunar king only moves to raise his head.

He'll go out proudly. He'll go out with his head held high.

And more importantly, he's positioned himself to give that beast a clear strike at his neck. Even an inexperienced swordsman should be able to complete the task in a single blow with as sharp as the Maken's blade was.

If he knew anything at all, he knew Rakkani wouldn't want him to suffer.

I love you.

As everything is occurring, it finally feels everything falling back into place, where it rightfully belongs. It can see the slowing thrashes, the way that the swordsman has his main weapon of breath at the very least stifled. He's at the end of his rope, it may not even need Ai to do anything to keep the man still. It could certainly use this further as well, if he was to fall out of line at some point. If this was his reaction to a slap, there was so much it could act upon later... She wouldn't have to do anything, it decides, but it makes the point clear with one comment before it returns to the vision of perfection it had been attempting to create for so long.

"You're lucky your little outburst made his easier, or you'd be in much bigger trouble..."

However, the girl can only stay stock still in that moment. She's gotten out of it, somehow... She knew this lenience was only due to the way that the prisoner slowed, and she could only tell there would be some punishment to come later. Even if there wasn't, the anticipation for something to come would kill her all the same. She knows better than to stir the pot now. She should have before. Instead, she turns away, to protect herself more than anything else, no matter how selfish that may seem.

It's her fault, and yet she can't watch. How childish could she be...

However, the beast quick acts as though nothing had happened prior, aside from having to step away due to some technical difficulties. Ah, they wouldn't find it strange. Things could raucous with criminals when push came to shove. So, it smooths out its clothing once again and the feed cuts back. The only thing one might possibly see different is the exhausted pretender, and a haze about the room. Both of them, however, meant nothing now. Its image would be maintained, even if they'd seen the beginning of an escape attempt. It could deal with a bit of insubordination, as long as the populous knew that it could handle it.

"I apologize for the sudden interruption, even with the best of preparations, hiccups can appear. However, it's all settled dear viewers, so worry not. We have an execution to return to, after all!" It's face is much more cheerful than it should be in this moment, especially to be recovering from such a setback.

"Now, I don't know if you all know this, but in many cultures, beheading was often used as the punishment for those of noble stature. Since our dear little Cloud here had been trying so hard to be like them, it's only fitting we give him the pleasure of dying like one," it laughs, as it holds its hand out. It takes some time, but then another subordinate rushes in with a sword case in her hands. But its not just any sword.

There, the Maken lies.

It finds no reason to fear that the man will fight back. Not like this, not when the castle could be locked down at a moment's notice. These walls had held him for twelve years, and it could do so for longer if Chaos played its cards right. So, it takes the blade from its case and into its hands. It can feel the feeble god's surge to try and remove herself from its grasp, but it can only laugh. Such a thing didn't work before, and even if the shape of the hands changed, their master's hand not.

It's grip is firm, and it's ready to strike. Even if the slice was not clean, it worried not. It would do this as many times as was needed... It's over, and a few emotions fill it, mostly those of unadulterated glee.

"Do you have any last words? Oh, but even then..." It laughs at its own joke, as it prepares to swing.