i'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[ravagers]

[ Generally, people need time to cope and gather themselves after a... thing... like that. Unfortunately, that's not how Vanille sees it. Her thing is avoid, and once she gets out of that hellhole that's the courtroom, she makes her way to the supplies closet, then to the library. She spends some time setting up things, pushing things aside to make room. Once she's finished, and she's met up with the Party Brigade, she makes enough invitations for everyone. She slips them under everyone's doors, or hands them out if she sees someone walking around.



Inside the library, there are candles set up to provide some soft, comforting lighting. There are pots of tea, courtesy of Mercy, pancakes made by Viktor, and books (picked out by Estelle, of course) laid out on the surrounding tables. The others have provided their own touches, and Vanille's even managed to make something: sugar cookies, which are actually very good. They're flavored lightly with all sorts of flavors--not all in the same cookie, okay--and each plate is marked with whatever flavor she's put in them.

After a successful trial, it's healthy to indulge, right? Let's mingle. ]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

[ . . .

Okay, you know what, if she's going to be off reading in a corner and Elda herself was leaving the library - ]

Hey, Hanyuu. Get up off your tush and come with me.

[ #sosensitive ]

[oyashiromama]

[Oh, nice to see you too, Elda--]

Aa-aah? Good to see you're in the same spirits as always- why? Where are we going?

[matchbreaker]

[ She's not.

But at the same time, motioning for her to get up and follow ]

Back to my room, and 'cus I asked. You answer requests, right?

[oyashiromama]

...I do.

[Well, she has...an idea of what this is about, but- she closes the book she's reading and stands to follow.]

[matchbreaker]

I thought so.

[ So she'll just March Ahead towards her room!! It's at the end of the hall nearest to the entrance to the Foyer. So it's a bit far, but comparatively the closest room.

So not long.

Wanna say anything before they get there ]

[oyashiromama]

[...Uh. Well.]

...can...I know the kind of request you're going to ask me...?

[matchbreaker]

Not until we're there, anyway.

[ YEP ]

[oyashiromama]

[WELL AWESOME]

I assumed as much.

[matchbreaker]

That's not a problem right?

[ Crossing the Foyer ]

[oyashiromama]

[...]

No, of course not. When we're there, then.

[matchbreaker]

[ Good.

Then here they go, her room, Room 11 with "Indomitable" on the door. She frowns at that, pulls the key out of her vest, and then opens it up to reveal-

A destroyed bed. The legs have been knocked off it to put the mattress and the main part of the bed on the floor. Uh? That said, he motions for Hanyuu to come in and lock the door behind them if she accepts ]

[oyashiromama]

[Without a moment's hesitation, she does just that, closed and locked. Elda...isn't going to kill her. Hanyuu knows that much. This is a show of trust.

However, she does look at the room and can't stay silent there.]

You've been busy, it seems. Too high up?

[matchbreaker]

Too soft, [ she admits/corrects ] I don't have any idea how to make it into a good coffin though.

[ That said, she gestures to either what's left of the bed/mattress or the desk chair for Hanyuu to sit if she wants. ]

[oyashiromama]

If we...only had some kind of workshop.

[But she won't linger on that thought for long, taking a seat at the desk and staying silent for but a moment.]

What is the nature of your request, Elda? I can't imagine this is a social call.

[matchbreaker]

[ It's not.

And she begins, rather abruptly, ]

I'm still not responsible for some dead human brat.

[ . . . Apparently, it's justifying herself ]

[oyashiromama]

[...Oh. Well, she appears a little surprised, this was not what she was expecting.]

I... I know you aren't. But here...things are forcefully different, unfortunately.

[matchbreaker]

What, you're not going to keep up that "everyone deserves justice" thing when it's just the two of us?

[ She shoots this back in Hanyuu's face as some dark accusation. ]

[oyashiromama]

[So it's to be like that, is it-]

Yes, everyone deserves justice, and I won't let you speak poorly of her, but I'm not going to push my beliefs on you, not when there's nothing riding on it.

[matchbreaker]

Speaking of beliefs, what was that thing at the end?

[ That whole son of man speech thing. ]

[oyashiromama]

...I was offering her forgiveness. If I could have, I would have done so privately.

[matchbreaker]

Why?

[oyashiromama]

Because everything about this is wrong, and it's the only way I can try and make some of it right.

[matchbreaker]

[ A baleful glare for a long moment.

... But she knows this isn't what she meant to say ]

... I forgive her. She was right, after all.

[oyashiromama]

[She tenses.]

And what do you mean by that?

[matchbreaker]

[ That if he loved her family so strongly (and sh does) why didn't she take- ]

We didn't know Wordsmith was going to make it our problem after it all, so it makes sense to off someone and get home to your family. Hell, everyone else wins too.