trusthell | and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

[It... definitely takes a while for the weekly after-execution note to arrive, but it does --- kind of scrawly and on ripped paper rather than nice stationery.]

EY. YO. WE GOT EFFIGIES IN THE DINING ROOM AND WE'RE GONNA BURN EM.

FOOD TOO. THE USUAL AND HOT COCOA. GOOD FOR THE SOUL. GET SOME. MAYBE TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR ROOM IF YOU HAVE TO. JUST GET SOME.

[Anyway, in the dining room, there's plenty of mugs set out, with a janky looking arrow sign pointing into the kitchen to where you can get your hot cocoa. On the table, there's Vichyssoise, a pot of green tea, and some booze. There's also a cookie tray on the floor away from the table on which to burn the Wordsmith and Kimbley effigies, which are handily placed near the food on the table.

...also if you go in the kitchen without shoes on just. Watch the northern corner. There's no kidneys, but there's a lot of broken plates there for some reason...]

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[Oh my.]

Do you three normally go swimming together?

Wha-- no! We just ran into each other!

[ W-why would she plan things like that with Lusamine? ]

[Because old lady swimming party?]

Ah. Well, at least none of you discovered that scene by yourselves.

... No, I think Hanyuu did. Well, the body, at least.

[ She sort of called the rest of them in there. ]

[Oh. Well then.]

But you, er, still helped her, right?

The swordsman and I both piled into the room pretty quick. The three of us looked around the room there, and then Lusamine sort of took the investigation of the pool.

[ She did her best, but... ]

You won the day, in the end.

...

It doesn't feel like much of a victory, to be honest.

[ She's not looking at him as she says this, instead just watching one of the effigies burn with distant eyes. They're "normal" now, not like like the predatory cat-like ons she held for basically all of that final question, since Silver asked them what they're being accused of. ]

For all of my bravado and accusations and claims, I didn't defeat Silver. You did though. [ Dully. ]

Because he's my friend.

[Looking away seems to be the trend right now. He doesn't want to look at anyone.]

But even then, I needed Gold's help in the end.

[ ... Hah. ]

... Sentimentality is deadly, you know. It's not the worst trait of humanity, but it's one of the ones which can lead to the downfall of a single person. Or even a whole species, with poor enough choices.

[ . . . ]

Still, you won out with kindness.

[ And she's praising him for it. In truth, she feels very useless at the end of everything. She came upon a conclusion, but couldn't even get a confession. She shouted arrogantly at Lusamine and Hanyuu, but didn't back up any of her threats. And what's more - she broke her own rule about sentimentality.

but still, she's patting him on the back ]

[Watanuki flinches slightly at the touch, but he doesn't pull away. He knows Elda means well, or at least as well as she possibly can, so.]

I wish kindness could have saved him.

[Talking about Gold here now, not Silver.]

Even if those two tried to do something horrible, and even if they did succeed in a way, they shouldn't have had to go through that. I've been talking to them so much lately, and I didn't even know that they were planning something like this! Maybe if I had tried harder, if I had talked to them more, then I could have noticed something was wrong before anything happened.

And done what?

[ Her tone is a little nasty here, her hand still on his back - it's... really, she means this to be reassuring at least. ]

Don't sound so much like Hanyuu. There's plenty of things that there can't be forgiveness for, and there's plenty of actions that people need to take, even when it's the wrong choice. [ . . . ] Honestly, if I had half the spine I've been trying to present myself as having, I should've killed someone instead of Alani back then. And certainly for the incentive this week.

I'd prefer it if you didn't kill anyone.

[He's. Kind of been trying to keep her from doing that.]

He's trying to break us, you know. And every week, we keep proving him right. That by pushing the right buttons, he can break us.

So I like that you haven't killed anyone yet, because it means he hasn't broken you yet.

[ . . . Sportacus said something similar. That the choice not to kill, not to take action that would save so many was strong.

... She still can't believe that.

But she does look back up at him, smirking ]

Isn't that the title I was given? Indomitable.

Then you'll be the one to survive to the end.

[That smile he has, there's pain behind it. Because now he's thinking about his own title, Independent, and realizing that despite his best efforts he's going to end up alone again.]

I am.

[ She confirms, boastfully. ]

... But I'm not as kind as Hanyuu or Tethras. So... all of those dead spirits better hope you remain alive as well.

I'll stay alive. I've got to rescue them all, when we get out of here.

[Orihime could do it too, or Hanyuu, but he's promised himself that he will do this. He might not be able to save their lives, but maybe he can at least save their souls.

Once he has his powers back, of course. He never thought he would say that, but he actually misses being able to see the dead.]

[ She... nods. ]

... Early on, I promised Hanyuu that when I went for one of you lot, she'd have to be the one to take me down. [ A beat ] ... I'm not going to promise I won't kill someone if I work out a good plan, but I - regret that promise.

[ Even if she doesn't have the heart to tell Hanyuu that. ]

Then I'll bring your soul out of here along with everyone else's.

[Because he will not die here. He can't die here. He doesn't remember the promise he made to a certain brown-haired boy many years ago, but that promise resonates within him any time the possibility of his death comes up.

Don't disappear!]

But I would rather you make it out of here alive too.

I already said I was going to make it out of here!

[ she hisses that back, socking him lightly in the stomach. And with that done, she laughs, a little bit forced. ]

I'll make it out with you, or without you all. But I-

[ . . . She. In the trial, she wonders, did anyone else notice her when she yelled at Lusamine and Hanyuu? Well of course they did. But she wonders if any of them knew how hard that was for her. ] I shouldn't have burdened her more.

Ow! Watch it, you!

[It didn't really hurt, but he will still fuss.]

And yeah, you really shouldn't have. She takes all of this on herself, you know.

[Elda does know, he realizes. Or else she wouldn't be admitting that she was wrong.]

I know that! [ She snapped this, perhaps a little louder than she should have. ] At the time, I figured that if she was going to claim you, then it was just right, as long as we were friends!

[ . . . Friends.

Ah. ]

But that's not fair...

[ that part is muttered a little softer. ] It's a lot more endearing than it is arrogant.

[Wait. What?]

She...claimed me? What?

Not you specifically, you horny toad.

[ You all. ]

It's not even like that-

[SIGH]

Fine, why did she claim people here then?

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