beachepisode | [ week one: execution ]

Entry tags:

murder: execution

[ week one: execution ]

EXECUTION

There's the sound of that handbell again, sometime Sunday morning when the sun gets high in the sky. It's PB in the front yard of the manor. He's looking as chipper(?) as ever and is riding the high of yesterday's trial. Voting for Tamon? That was good television. He's living it up, babey!

Which means when everyone gathers, he will beckon them to follow. Onto the beach, that invisible wall gone for now and instead PB leads them to a circle of tiki torches, lit despite the daytime hours and surrounded in a circle by mannequins. The sound of the waves are loud near the water where they stand and it's actually a little cold. The crew is there, filming the circle and the contestants as well as they're encouraged to stand around it. If they try to go into the circle itself, they will be stopped — except for one person.

Tamon will be carried out of the house by mannequins, all the way to to the middle of the circle and dropped in the center of the sand. The mannequins will leave then, going back to their place among the circle of crew. This is feeling very Survivor, isn't it? Which is when PB pipes up —

"Don't worry, everyone. It's distinct enough that we won't get sued!"

Bastard.

Anyway, now that you're all here, what's going to happen next?

♥

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[ And so... PB claps his hands together, very happy for what's about to happen next. ]

So, to preface, usually after the trial I would have you vote for the executioner for that week's execution. This is what will happen next Saturday so keep that in mind. This week, however, we filmed some promo already since it's week one and we need to keep the footage as canon as possible.

[ Sometimes you just gotta pre-plan the first week a little bit, you know? ]

Anyway, that means... Tsukasa! You're our executioner today. Let me know what weapon you would like and off you go, to kill your friend!

[ And Tsukasa is also going to be bodily hauled into the ring by a pair of mannequins, who are surprisingly strong! So weird.

There are a couple of mannequins holding up a banner that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GISELLE!!!

At the same time, music starts playing from one of the mannequins holding up a boombox nearby. Time for a sponsored music break, y'all! ]

Edited 2026-05-03 18:51 (UTC)

[ can you believe this idol on idol violence

the mannequins haul tamon out from his basement baby jail and dump him in the sand, where he just sort of...lies uselessly for a good ten seconds before slowly crawling onto his knees and gazing blearily around him. he cried a lot, didn't sleep, and hasn't changed out of his clothes in probably like three days so he looks like shit, but ain't that the mood for this execution?

but his eyes do latch onto something nearby and he's quick to search out maid-chan in the crowd and give her a little nod. ]

Oh, um.....happy birthday, Miss Giselle. I'm very sorry for ruining your day like this.

[ he will die as penance for ruining her birthday :( ]

... Eh?

[It's bad enough to be out here, honestly. Bad enough to know that they're still playing along with this horrible script.

Part of Tsukasa is still entirely, completely certain this can't be happening. Surely this is just a bad dream? The body--Yves' body--yesterday must have also been a bad dream. Surely--

He's grabbed by the arms and yanked forward, and he struggles, of course, though it gets him nowhere.]

W-wait, wait, wait!! W-weapon?! You must be joking--!

[sup tamon, please don't be so resigned to this]

[ Man, this music is great, isn't it? ]

Nope. Not a joke! Part of the show. [ And then, very seriously, very monotone: ] Pick a weapon.

[ He better get to work! ]

[ somehow he got giselle's birthday but missed the part where tsukasa was assigned to be his killer. it's fine. these things happen.

so good news for tsukasa, tamon is no longer resigned because seeing his good friend (🏳️‍🌈❓) tsukasa chucked into the ring along with him gets his heart pounding and his feet moving and he's quickly stumble-pushing himself upright towards tsukasa. ]

Mister Tsukasa...? Why are you....?

[ wait a minute, there's no way—surely this has to be a mistake? goodbye tsukasa, he is pivoting (and almost tripping over his own feet) as he starts shambling towards pb. ]

Wait...can't we pick someone else? Please?

Absolutely not!!

[He's shaking his head aggressively before PB even finishes speaking. It's really kind of a miracle that any of them can be heard over Haruaki though.

But he's quick to whip around when Tamon goes stumbling towards PB.]

What are you--hang on! Tamon! I won't do it, and neither will anyone else! We're not going to kill you. You're going to be fine, just like I said!

[ . . . ]

You're not going to do it?

[ Oh — the music cuts off? The crew lower their banners. PB tilts his head to one side. Then the other. ]

Are you sure?

[ nope. nope nope nope nonononono no, sorry he's very busy stumbling his way over to pb to try and feebly grab (and shake) him. he has the strength of a wet pool noodle right now though, so it's not very effective. please feel free to shove him back into the sand. ]

What...what happens if he doesn't? Something bad happens, right?? I don't want anything bad to happen to Tsukasa!

[Tsukasa's chin just goes up, a mulish set to his jaw, his hands on his hips. This pose probably has a name in his head.

And, at the same time as Tamon, louder, speaking with certainty:]

Obviously not!! I'm absolutely not going to hurt Tamon, much less kill him! He is a precious friend to me!

[ PB doesn't mind the shaking, though his head wobbles a little. After a moment, he pats Tamon on the head and gently pushes him away, back into the sand.

But his eyes fix on Tsukasa, of course. ]

You'll break your contract this way.

[ Is that what he wants? ]

[ yeah okay, back into the sand he goes. he will just latch onto pb's ankles instead and hug them tightly. (again, he is a wet pool noodle right now.) ]

That's bad! That's definitely bad!

[ he has also started tearing up again. it's been like five minutes. ]

If he doesn't want to kill me, then what if I k....k-kill.....

[ he accidentally breathes in some sand and starts coughing, but the point is probably clear. ]

[Tsukasa hurries to Tamon's side immediately when he hits the sand, crouching to try to help him up, reaching for his arm even as Tamon clutches to PB's ankles. Help. First, to Tamon:]

Don't say that! Whatever you're about to say, absolutely not!!

[And then he lifts his head to scowl at PB.]

I don't remember signing a contract! We haven't even seen them, so--besides which, who cares if I do? Better to break a contract than to hurt someone else.

I said it already. I won't do it!

You signed a contract.

[ He looks up, towards the other contestants and once again states — ]

All of you signed a contract.

[ Then back to Tsukasa. ]

And the penalty for breaking your contract... is death. So, I will ask you one more time, are you sure you want to break your contract?

[ Then he looks to Tamon, crouching down to be on his level for a moment. ]

Or you could finish your thought.

[ He could kill... who? ]

[ this is the worst day of his life (not exaggerating)

his death, which had previously felt so looming and heavy suddenly becomes a distant afterthought. who cares about him when tsukasa's life is on the line now? tsukasa, who had proudly called himself a star and meant it. but the more tamon thinks about it, the more tsukasa is like the sun: vivacious, bright, loved, drawing everyone into its orbit.

they can't possibly let their sun die out. not like this.

he finishes coughing out his mouthful of sand and staggers back up, trying to slot himself between tsukasa and pb. (congrats pb, you're free again!) he stretches his arms out and it's so very clear to see that they're trembling, but he stays firm where he is in the sand. ]

I won't...let that happen. Tsukasa doesn't deserve to be punished for wanting to keep his friends safe. Can't you let him go and I'll... [ he swallows heavily, voice shaking ] k-kill myself i-instead. Y-you can even pick the w-weapon.

[... Huh?

... No, that can't...

He can't possibly be hearing all of this. Tamon can't possibly really be saying these words. Saying he'd kill--he'd--himself, just for that? After everything Tsukasa has said about how he'll most certainly make it through?

Tamon is innocent. He hasn't done anything wrong. And now here he is, being put in this position because of this sadistic show, and, and--and it can't...

Be real, right? None of this can be real. A contract they don't remember signing. A televised death game. Breaking the contract means dying? No way. He can't (won't) believe that. Nobody deserves to be punished here, and especially not Tamon, who has done nothing wrong, who is still learning how to be kind to himself when it's kindness he absolutely deserves.

(Maybe it's all a big, horrible joke. Maybe there's a way out of this.)]

I--said I won't do it.

[He moves his gaze from Tamon to PB, eyes wide, trembling. (Maybe it's all a big lie, right?)]

So... so, let Tamon go...! You already said he's innocent!

[And he's his friend.]

[ He gave them warning. He gave them plenty of warning. PB sighs, giving a shake of his head. On one hand, the drama of it all is good for the ratings. On the other, you can't have people breaking their contracts willy nilly and refusing to participate.

So, he'll reach out and pat Tamon's head one more time. ]

You don't have to kill yourself.

[ Besides, suicide isn't as great for ratings as an execution.

Instead, he looks to Tsukasa. ]

As you've refused multiple times to perform your role and in doing so, are breaking your contract, the penalty for that is death. Don't say I didn't warn you, Mr. Tenma.

[ After that, Tsukasa will feel his throat tightening and an inability to breathe as the air is cut from his lungs and no matter how many times he tries to breathe in, he is gagged. There is no reprieve for him and he will proceed to suffocate to death right where he's standing. ]

The bright side though, we only needed one death today.

[ So... Tamon will still live. ]

[ don't just pat his head right before condeming tsukasa to suffocation???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ]

[ for a moment, things don't seem too bad. pb just patted him on the head (aw), tsukasa is still standing near him, no one's gotten hurt....maybe everything will be okay?

lol ]

[ and then for some reason tsukasa starts gagging and because tamon is Stupid with a capital S, he just.....stands there for a moment watching this all unfold before something finally clicks and he realizes that what is happening is in fact Very Bad. and then he's scrambling back to tsukasa in a straight up panic. this time it's tsukasa being shaken weakly, as if the very act might shake some air back into him.

(spoilers: it didn't.) ]

W-wait....you can't....please, y-you can't go.....

[.... Oh.

Wait. That's not fair. It happens so suddenly he doesn't even get the chance to drag in a full breath of air. He's not even going to get to try to live as long as possible in this moment, is he...? That's not fair at all.

None of this is fair--

(He'd really thought, briefly, delusionally, that maybe this wouldn't happen. Maybe it was all fake, or a lie, or--)

His vision goes dark at the edges so quickly, and he topples to the ground before he can even try to catch himself with limbs that he can barely feel, hands clawing at his throat as if he could somehow force himself to drag in a breath.

But he can't.

He blinks blearily, trying to make his vision come into focus. It doesn't, but--he thinks that must be Tamon, because the pink hair is so distinct, just like Emu's. His head lolls at Tamon shakes him, lips parting as if to try to speak, but... he can't do that, either.

(He can't even ask someone to look after Saki, to make sure his little sister will be okay. It's the last conscious thought he has.)

Tsukasa goes limp in Tamon's hands, eyes sliding shut, his horrible attempts at dragging in any sort of breath finally silenced. Tsukasa is dead.]

[ nvm i don't have any energy left for a breakdown

not that there's much of one to have. a breakdown won't save tsukasa, nothing he does will at this point. and doesn't that just cement his place here and everywhere else, as someone who's useless, someone with nothing to offer anyone and everyone. he couldn't help solve yves's murder. he couldn't stop everyone from worrying about him. he couldn't save tsukasa. he couldn't do anything back then and he can't do anything now.

despite how much he's tried, nothing has changed. he'll always be the same as before: scared, weak, pathetic, forced to rely on the help of everyone around him.

tsukasa goes limp in his arms and all he can do is cry, wet heaving sobs that look and sound atrocious. but he doesn't know what else to do. doesn't have the strength to do anything else. sorry, he's going to have to be carried out the same way he was carried in because he is not leaving any time soon. ]

[ Then, cuts in PB's voice. ]

Aaaalright, that's a wrap. Let's get this sorted.

[ PB claps his hands and some of the crew will approach now. They'll pull Tsukasa out of Tamon's grip and one of them will appear with a huge rock, tied to a rope and attach it to Tsukasa's corpse. Then they toss the body into the waves, letting it get carried away from the beach and sink down into the ocean.

They don't do anything with Tamon though. The other contestants can handle him.

Afterwards, the crew disperses and will return to their usual positions. Some will linger to film whoever lingers on the beach. Some will go back to the house to do... whatever it is they do in the house. PB will head back to the house as well, and disappear into the production room as per usual.

Happy execution day, everyone! ]

[I wish Kalim would think to run off into the sea and fetch Tsukasa's corpse, but once the barrier is down he simply forces himself to his feet to run over, collapsing in the sand next to Tamon and gathering him up in a tight hug. THEY CAN JUST... STAY HERE AND CRY FOR A WHILE IT'S FINE]

[ yay mutual crying time!!!!! because unfortunately that is exactly what they are going to do for a long time unless a third person drags their sorry asses out. ]

EXECUTION

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1/? can we keep it to two, let's find out

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3/3 jk you're free of me for now

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