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

[matchbreaker]

For a place like that, which has magic wishes or whatever - wouldn't you just have a lot of people bringing back the dead?

[ Somehow that was easier to say than she expected ]

[foundfate]

The price has to be equal to the wish. People have asked before, but Yuuko always says 'the price is too steep'. Trust me, if it could be done, I would have been the first person in line for it.

[matchbreaker]

Who?

[ She knows that's insensitive. But after everything tonight including her friendship ending argument with Varric earlier, she really doesn't care ]

[foundfate]

...

[His initial thought is to not tell her. Not so much because it's personal (he has absolutely no problems admitting to being an orphan, he came to terms with it ages ago), but moreso because Elda has shown in the past that she will take information like that and use it to hurt people. And Watanuki doesn't want to get hurt anymore.

But she's missing her parents too, right? Maybe having that common thing between them would be enough to make her not hurt him.]

Let's just say I understand what you're going through. Well, not the vampire part, but the rest of it.

[Hopefully that's enough for her to get the point.]

But regardless, it won't work. The price has to be exactly the same. If you try to bring back even one person that you truly care about, then you might have to let someone else you really care about die in their place.

[matchbreaker]

[ She doesn't correct him or resent him for that vagueness. After all, she had lied to him too. Her parents were on her mind, especially after she blabbed about her past to Varric, but...

That wasn't the one coiling around her heart.

Still, that explanation makes her smile once more, turning away and picking up the sharpie so she can finish off Kyrie's eulogy. In the end, it'll read: ]

"Kyrie Ushiromiya used her gumption and intellect to help the rest of them find a hidden passage which led to the Wordsmith's doorstep. The burden of patience was great, but she was returned to her beloved husband and family."

[ It's a lie, of course. Probably an even bigger lie than the ones Tethras had put up for the other three. But it makes Elda feel better. ]

That sounds like the sort of things you'd hear in old myths. I hope you guys don't lie too much about the pricing.

[foundfate]

I'm not the one who grants the wishes, so I don't set the prices. I just watch what Yuuko does, and sometimes get stuck with doing the work to actually grant the wish.

...I think that's a better end for Kyrie, though.

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods, as if to agree, but... turning back, she smirks ]

You know, I thought Kimbley was a weird human. You work part time for a genie, that's very/i> strange.

[foundfate]

[SHRUG]

I'm just weird, then. But at least my life isn't boring.

[matchbreaker]

[ My poor html.

Either way, she nods, and then claps him on the back, laughing! ]

Well, I sure know I'm feeling better for it! Might as well let you get back to that party or ghost hunting or whatever you were up to!

[foundfate]

[Oh geez don't knock him over there. But he is glad that she's feeling better.]

Ghost hunting without being able to see ghosts right now seems like an exercise in frustration. A party would probably be a better choice.

[matchbreaker]

Good, good. Go back and have that stew! I even helped get it thick!

[ She stirred it!

... That's what stirring does, right? Either way, she's urging him to leave and go back to the library. She's going to head somewhere else ]