trusthell | I'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[And so the day's trial for the attempted murder of Gabriel Knight draw to a close with... charitably better results then usual.

They were alive, at the least, but that didn't mean there wasn't several blows against the trust that had been built up here. One mole that attempted murder, another that quit, and another that was given the offer no doubt put strain on several relationships... most notably Sigrun's.

It was all, in a word... frankly shitty. But now it's all out there, no sense in trying to get it back.

An hour (or two) after the "trial" ends and everyone's gone off on their own business, Speedwagon heads back to the kitchen. It was the usual plan in mind, what they did after every trial. And everyone, regardless of what was said or done, would soon find a note being slipped under their door.]

[Name],
There's gonna be food in the dining hall, in case anyone's got an appetite for it.
I know some might want to be alone after that mess of an investigation, but if you don't then the offer's as open as it's always been.
I'd say sticking together might still be safer then not.

-R E.O. Speedwagon

[And yes, folks that arrive in the dining hall will find a nice spread of sandwiches, soup, and what leftovers Speedwagon could scrounge out of the fridge. Speedwagon isn't the best cook in the group, but there's definitely stuff here that's good enough to eat.

...Sigrun's 'masterpiece' was, thankfully, left out of this. Keeping folks alive is the goal, after all.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[They were all busy. Speedwagon merely brushes the compliment off with a scoff.]

Nothing too difficult, just some food and a lot of note writing.

[But, judging from the tired smile that's still there, he appreciates it.]

Glad to see that some are coming out for it. Makes the whole thing worth it.

Makes your hand cramp by the last of the notes.

[...or, it did when there were more notes to write.]

Food's good.

So I've heard.

[At least he could do this, it's the least he could do.]

Thanks. I know I'm not the best, but I'm not the worst either.

[...] Just more skills needed to survive.

Mm. Hard to get by if you can't at least make a sandwich and can't rely on someone else to cook for you all the time.

Never did understand why rich people don't at least pick up the skill in case they stop being rich people someday.

Right? It's just a waste. [Oh, we're talking about the rich. That's good, this is a good topic.]

Granted, some rich folks are rich enough to have people do even that for them, not that it'll matter if what you said happens.

[He shakes his head after a moment.] Not all of them are like that, of course. Not like I thought.

Of course not. People will always end up surprising you.

[...not always in a good way.]

... Right. For better or worse, that is.

[As it's been so... completely brought into focus around here.]

Sometimes it's a good surprise, like with the Joestars back home in England... other times it's terrible...

[Like today.]

Like Dio.

Mm. Can't say I know too many pleasant vampires.

[He doesn't want to be vampire racist, they're just... not great.]

All the sorts I can remember meeting aren't great for conversation either. [Too busy trying to eat him. Not such a bad idea, being vampire racist.

Just don't tell Kamui.]

...I've been thinking... about the ghosts, I mean.

Anything in specific?

[Lots of things to think about ghosts.]

[...Oh boy, is he about to make it any worse... Is that possible?]

Well... seeing as they've been able to see us when we're all gathered together... you figure they know about all of that yet?

[there's another question sitting on his lips, but he doesn't want to say it just yet.]

Most likely. Don't see why not, if there's even enough of us left.

[...if there were just too few of them left to summon the ghosts, he wouldn't be altogether surprised.]

hmm. [Yeah, by the way he nodded at that, it was probably what he was thinking exactly.]

If there's not, then we've lost an important trick up our sleeve. Granted, whose to say unless we try it again in the future? Might just have to next week.

At this point, there's no reason not to - secrecy is out.

[Yeah... the secret's out, they don't have much that the Kingmaker hasn't already learned about, thanks to the moles. Really, by this point the only matter of business left was figuring out... what happens next.]

All the more reason then! [He casts a soft look on the afterparty.] Sooner or later, we'll have to deal with that monster.

...Sigrun and I discussed once what we should do with the Kingmaker if we ever got a chance. Not sure I still agree with what I said then.

....Dare I ask?

Do you prefer to think of me as someone who's entirely reformed?

....I'd like to think so.

Then no, you shouldn't ask.

[....]

I just like to think of you as better then you might. It's hard to say just how much it helped me.

Can't see why, but I'm always happy to help.

It's just the way it is, you know? Not to say doing it specifically to you helps me any. Some people don't think they're worth much, for one reason or another. Getting told you are is a bit of good fortune, if I say so myself.

[...You know how someone might be talking and then it slowly turns self-reflective because they're working from experience? There's a lot that Speedwagon simply doesn't talk about, because why do that when there's so many other people that need the help?

Madness, really. Only thing that can make it better are some kind words, possibly narrated by Johnny Young Bosch. who you are hearing right now. Don't deny it.

anyway]

...Just a bit of rambling. I'm sorry.

...Ah.

[There might have been a moment of miscommunication there, but he thinks he gets it now.]

You're worth a great deal to me, and to the people here. Don't know if there's anything like an objective value for a person - probably not - but you're a treasure in my eyes.

[And that's honest, and not exaggerated.]

Thank you.

[...Ah. Well.

Speedwagon can certainly dish out the compliments, but he can't take them. No sir.]

Y-you're very welcome! If there's anything you're needing, I can get it.

[It is his afterparty, after all.]

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