And it's the stars, the stars that lie to you.

[neverheardofhim]

[This week, Varric opted to take a page from Vanille’s book. Gathering everyone together after the roller-coaster that the first trial had been proved to be somewhat cathartic for himself. He hoped that it would prove to do the same for the others.]

[He wasn’t alone, of course, having found himself blessed with the most ragtag team of chefs and party-planners. He might have had words for and thoughts on Elda and Kimbley, Mikazuki was welcome company, and he wasn’t about to turn away potential allies, even in a fight as simple as cooking dinner.]

[Once everyone’s set to a task, baking a cake, brewing tea, or stirring stew (the only task Varric could think to assign Elda to), Varric excused himself to his room. His first task was writing up cards, each personally titled and signed by Varric.]

Food in the Library. 5 p.m. Don’t spend the night alone.

[Each note was slid under a door and accompanied by a single rap on the wood.]

[With his tasks completed, Varric returned to the kitchen to put out any potential fires and, with luck, set the food out. A table in the library would be adorned with plenty of tea, cake, pancakes courtesy of Viktor, and stew thanks mostly to Varric (sorry, Elda).]

Comments

[oyashiromama]

[Last week, Hanyuu cried for twenty minutes in her room. This week, she cries for longer, but it's not in hers. Immediately, she goes to room 16 - Alani's room. She goes into the desks and reads, quietly, the teachings of the Bluemother. She looks over those and is careful not to stain them with tears. Careful to keep her tears controlled. However... Once her single-minded goal of getting those is complete, she sees some letters on Alani's desk.

...It doesn't take much to set her off, really. But she only gets a few words into the letter addressed to her before she can't read anymore, dropping it to the floor and then just. Collapsing to her knees and sobbing into her sleeves.

She didn't quite close the door. If you're nearby, you may hear her.

After that...eventually...after a brief stop to her room, where she sees the note, she will make her way to the library, where the gathering is. It's mostly to give people their letters. If she can't find them there, she'll check their rooms. Either way, she won't stay there for long. Maybe you can catch her for a conversation.

If not, she'll be in the laundry room, actually. Filling several basins with water. She's...not quite sure what to do? But well, she'll take off her socks, and her sandals, and she'll slip off her sleeves and roll up her hakama, and she'll stand in it, water up to her knees. She closes her eyes and puts her hands together in prayer. Shakily, she begins, from what she remembers.]

Th- the Bluemother i-is the song of the Emula...

laundry

[matchbreaker]

[ Honestly, as the party was trailing off - hell, maybe before then she was done with it even she headed to Hanyuu's room. And upon not finding her there headed up somewhere else...

... And really, long story short, a lot of searching later sh's coming, naked-footed, into the laundry room. She hums a bit as she comes in and sees Hanyuu ]

You doing a soul honoring thing for the fish girl?

[ She asks, advancing on her ]

[oyashiromama]

[She doesn't open her eyes.]

Her name was Alani. [She is firm but there's no bite to it, just a tone of...impatience?] She told me to keep her religion alive.

[matchbreaker]

[ Honestly, she knows she deserves the tone.

... That said, Elda also just walks right up to Hanyuu and the basins, shakes her head, and then says, quietly ]

Are you going to tell me you have to do this tonight?

[ Sincerely, she asks this. There's no judgment one way or the other ]

Alani's room; room 16

[tsugomori]

[ One of the people Mikazuki is looking for this time happens to be Hanyuu. He doesn't want her to be alone at least, but doesn't find her in the library, or elsewhere -- until he passes by room 16 to hear her sobs. In his hands is some warm tea. ]

Hanyuu? Are you in there?

[ He steps closer. ]

[oyashiromama]

[The only answer he'll get are her cries. She's not really good with words right now, but how she's shrinking in on herself does seem to hint that she knows he's here.]

[tsugomori]

I apologize for my abrupt entry.

[ He only says so in the event it does seem abrupt, and he opens the door quietly with his free hand. Then, he comes by her side, and sets the tea nearby them as he kneels down next to her.

He reaches to place a hand gently on her shoulder if allowed. ]

...I'm here for you, Hanyuu.

room 16

[modernmedicine]

[There will be a gentle knock at the door once Mercy hears the sound of crying. There's only one thing to do: she kneels down next to Hanyuu.]

It's all right. Let the tears go.

[She won't tell her to stop crying.]

[oyashiromama]

[She shakes her head as she cries. It won't be alright, it can't. But almost instinctively, she leans against Mercy.]

[modernmedicine]

[There's nothing she can say to that. Instead, she pulls Hanyuu into a hug.]

letters

[stepout]

[ Hanyuu's not quite lucky enough to catch her in the library, but she's taking the slinky off of her room door when the woman does come by.

...Good, she needed to talk to her anyway, and she gently tosses the toy to the side. Put that away later. ]

...Are you okay? [ First thing's first, honestly. ]

[oyashiromama]

[That question. She's probably going to hear it a lot. Careful not to crumple the letters she holds, she...shakes her head.]

Not... No, not exactly.

[stepout]

I figured not. [ ... ] Want to come in for a bit?

[ She'll step back to give her some room to come in—she asked, but she's pretty firmly suggesting it. ]

laundry room

[feistytrader]

[...Silver looks at Hanyuu for a good long while, considering what exactly he wants to say, or how he wants to react to this.

For a moment, a good deal of irritation spreads across his face, but then he shakes his head, and... Takes off his shoes and socks. It takes a bit to roll up his pants, but he eventually steps in a different basin and awkwardly puts his hands together.]

What do I do?

[He still looks kind of displeased, but here he is anyway. Weavile's hopped into a basin, too.]

[oyashiromama]

[She'd wanted to keep her eyes closed, to continue the ritual (can it even be called that?) but the sound of someone stepping into water is enough for her to open them. She's...surprised, to see Silver there. Weavile too.]

I- I... I'm really just...playing by ear. [...] You don't have to do this, Silver.

[His face when he realized Christo was dead. How unnerved and unsettled he was.]

[feistytrader]

I know.

[Yet he doesn't budge. How does he put this?]

...I don't understand you. I don't understand why you get so upset over the lives of strangers, either.

[But now that he's appropriately asserted himself-]

But you're supposed to honor and respect the dead, or any lives you take. I don't see why this is any different.

laundry room

[firstaid]

[Hanyuu seemed pretty distraught at the trial when Alani confessed. She... she wouldn't know how that feels. To feel betrayed by someone you trust for an incentive, even a good one...

Well, she'll go check on Hanyuu anyway and sees her in there saying her prayer.]

Are you doing that in remembrance of Alani?

[oyashiromama]

Estellise...

[She keeps her eyes closed, to hopefully continue the prayer, but a flash of discomfort crosses her face.]

I... Yes, that is what I'm doing. I...promised her I'd keep the Bluemother alive.

[firstaid]

[The Hanyuu that was always kind and comforting to her... she's the one in need of comfort. Estelle moves closer to her.]

How did she teach you do that-- and if you teach me, may I join you?

[She didn't speak to Alani much, but she was kind...]

Letters

[acherontiastyx]

[...you know he got to her room after he was finished making some hot cocoa and she wasn't there, and damnit hopefully she's in the library so he can give her her fuckin' cocoa before it gets cold

OH GOOD THERE SHE IS.]

Oh. Hey, yeah, Hanyuu, I made this and it's pretty alright. And if it's not, well, the sludge at the bottom's the best part, so I made sure you have a spoon.

[oyashiromama]

[Oh that Hanyuu, giving you the runaround all the time.]

You...aah? [Well, she was just looking for him to give him his letter, but here we are then.] I...thank you...is this...hot cocoa?

[(is Masquerain with him.)]

[acherontiastyx]

Yeah. It cures what ails ya.

...

Well, not really, but it helps.

[BUG IS FLUTTERING BEHIND HIM, YES.]

library

[uncouthhatcher]

[Hanyuu's getting his attention without her coming to get him, and he's sneaking up behind her to tug on her hair a little.

... It's not hard to see she's been crying, though, and Gold presses his lips together.]

Gods can't do everything, [is what he ends up saying, voice a little softer than its usual volume] but I still think you do a damn good job of tryin'. Alani knows that.

[He's not quite ready to use past tense with her.]

[oyashiromama]

[Oh--!! You know it's so much better than her horns, and she really doesn't have it in her to do much other than gasp as she turns to see Gold.

And...then swallows down a lump in her throat.]

I... Oh, Gold, you... ...your words mean a lot. [She can't quite accept them, but...] But if...if I can't save someone, what...kind of god am I...?

[It sounds like something she's been at least mulling over for a little.]

[uncouthhatcher]

[Well, hand holding helped him earlier, so he's gonna hold her hands now.]

You're one that's got a physical form and, if I'm thinkin' right, no powers. You're as human as me.

[... Which isn't something he should say, maybe, but he'll squeeze her hands.]

And... remember what I said? You ain't gotta take this kinda stuff by yourself. Don't gotta be me, doesn't matter if you're a god or a demon or as plain as can be, it's gonna weigh too much on you alone.