DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

[phantasmods]

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

Comments

[foolishjustice]

It certainly will. If you're lucky, it might be less urgent than Okumura-chan's, and you'll be able to wait until after dealing with Shido directly. Though...

[He sighs and scrubs a hand over his face.]

If he still wants a chance at a good relationship with his father, he might end up disappointed. President Okumura has requested mental shutdowns, which makes him guilty of ordering assassinations.

[hairpincurves]

If I'm lucky.

[... It's clear from her tone that she's not counting on it.]

Oof... So when it comes down to it, this is just going to be a huge mess, no matter what...

[foolishjustice]

Most likely. It was an ugly situation in my timeline, and I'm not sure if there's a way to get a good ending from it.

[hairpincurves]

It's unfortunate, but there's little to be done about it, it sounds like...

[Sigh.]

I'll... see if I can try minimizing the damage where I can, at least...

[foolishjustice]

[He nods and runs a hand through his hair.]

If...nothing else, make sure he isn't watching when it happens. I had no idea at the time, but a mental shutdown is incredibly gruesome.

[hairpincurves]

[She cringes a bit, then nods.]

Duly... noted...

[And then something else occurs to her and she cringes more.]

And even on the off-chance the mental shutdown didn't happen for whatever reason... I wouldn't exactly be optimistic about his survival anyway, come to think of it.

[foolishjustice]

There would be a mundane assassination attempt. And even if he survived that...hiring an assassin is grounds for a murder charge.

[hairpincurves]

[Part of her wants to ask "only a mundane assassination attempt?" but she holds her tongue.]

Definitely a huge mess...

[foolishjustice]

I'm not entirely sure it's possible for Okumura-kun to get his wish. It would require convincing his father to go into hiding, despite wanting to atone for his crimes...

[hairpincurves]

I mean, the man's not exactly gonna be able to atone for anything if he's dead...

[foolishjustice]

...It's not impossible that he won't feel his murder would be deserved. Particularly since it's not unlikely that he would face execution for the people he's ordered dead.

[hairpincurves]

[Groan. The only reason she's not letting her head bonk against the wall is because it's a cave wall.]

[foolishjustice]

A full confession might earn a reduced sentence, but I doubt he'll get anything less than life in prison. The justice system isn't prepared to deal with the implications of a Change of Heart.

[hairpincurves]

Yeah, no kidding...

[foolishjustice]

And...it's not quite the same, but...before the mall, my own regrets had me fully willing to accept conviction as a murderer, regardless of the fact that I regretted each and every innocent life I ended.

[hairpincurves]

[She just looks away, clearly uncertain how to respond to that.]

[foolishjustice]

I'm afraid you won't be able to rely on him believing that the law's judgment wouldn't be appropriate in his situation.

[hairpincurves]

I'll figure something out.

[... There's an unspoken "I hope" attached to the end of that.]

[foolishjustice]

Your best bet, at least in the short term, might be to look into magic you can use to hide him against his will.

[hairpincurves]

I'll see what I can look into...

[foolishjustice]

It won't help with the long-term, but...Okumura-kun might at least feel better if his father's fate is a direct punishment for his crimes.

[hairpincurves]

Yeah... that's the best we can hope for, I think.

[foolishjustice]

And you should probably be able to convince your world's Akechi to at least accept delaying his punishment until doing it legally won't ruin her plan.

[There's a bit of a scowl there, as he talks about his other self.]

[hairpincurves]

[... The scowl earns a frown in response, but she nods. She'll... pick a better time to press this other selves issue, she thinks.]

Hopefully...

[foolishjustice]

She certainly won't understand Okumura-kun's wishes, though. I didn't get it until recently, myself.