i feel the love, and i feel it burn, down this river every turn

[oyashiromama]

[The trial, as usual, was taxing. It's for different reasons every week, but what it all comes down to is there are fewer of them than there were, and that keeps on happening. The note comes, as it always does, earlier than last week, but still with some delay. There's a note slipped under everyone's door. ...One under Gold's door because of course Silver will be staying there, she knows.]

Please come to the dining room, if you would like not to be alone. There will be food, and there will be some cards and board games if you need a distraction.

- Hanyuu & Elda

[True to that, there are a variety of foods. It's nothing too fancy. Rice, grilled fish, eggs in various styles. ...No creampuffs this time, it seems Hanyuu thought that would be a little in poor taste. Also a bunch of fries? ...Really spicy fries, like incredibly so.

On a far table, board games brought from the games room have been left out, along with many decks of cards.]

Comments

[elepe]

[...well, today's...not as fucked up as it could have been, to say the least. Lusamine's thankful enough for that, even if she actually feels something toward a part of it.

She doesn't like that fact.

She'll be in the dining room for a while, though, sitting with her Pokemon out--Clefable and Lilligant sitting on the ground right next to her, and Mismagius floating around the area. She's eating a bit, and...writing, it seems, on some loose paper.

She'll leave a little later on and go to the pool, though. She had refrained from swimming after what had happened here, but...well. It's stress reducing. Her Pokemon aren't with her this time, though. The dears need a rest.

Of course, much later on she'll be in Room 14 with the door opened a crack. She won't mind visitors too much, at least.]

Dining Room

[matchbreaker]

All of you, try these for me.

[ Elda says this imperiously pushing two plates of the fries she made towards Lusamine and he pokémon before sort of getting into a crouch near to the table, sitting across from her. Also oops if she's interrupting your writing.

One of the plates has red pepper flakes and salt on them. The other has paprika and pepper. ]

[elepe]

[...Well, Clefable and Mismagius are on those plates the second Elda sets them down--Lilligant at least tries to give her equivalent of a thank you before taking some and testing.]

Oh, are you experimenting with food? Well, I suppose that's no problem...

[And try they do! ...All of the Pokemon react a little bit like they got hit in the tongue with the red pepper and salt fries, but they seem to enjoy the paprika and pepper ones. With Lusamine, it's the opposite--paprika and pepper are a bit odd even for her, but the the first set are what she continues eating.]

...Not bad, for a first time around.

[matchbreaker]

Mmmmhmm. If every time we're going to have one of these things or those meetings you lot are going to eat everything, I figured I might as well learn something. So on Monday I forced a bunch of people to give me lessons. This one I learned from Silver, but the spice mixing is original.

[ And then Estelle. And then... Killia. For better or worse. Still, she looks sheepish that these - all of them - seem to find something that they like! ]

[elepe]

[She gets a bit of a unified 'thank you' attempt from all of the Pokemon at once, while they focus on the second set. Lusamine smiles.]

I'm glad to see it. Why, that saying may have some truth to it after all...

[It gets a bit of a laugh.]

It's very hard to do these wrong, however. They're excellent for testing out. Sandwiches are good as well, if you ever decide to go further.

[matchbreaker]

I've tried those a little. Though you never put meat on yours, right?

[ She'd noticed that much! ]

Estelle taught me to how to make this rice omelette thing. And then... Killia tried to show me something. But he was a lousy teacher, truth told.

[ Still, that sentiment was warm. Elda sits there, rocking in her chair. She's... not at all sure what to make of everything. That's probably why she's taking so much pride in this small victory that Lusamine and her own are eating these. ]

[elepe]

Oh, yes. I've never been the biggest fan of it, considering my closeness with Pokemon...

[She waves it off though, it's not important.]

I don't believe I'm familiar with a rice omelette, but what did he try to teach you? Did he give you the name of the dish?

[Color her at least a little curious while she eats.]

[matchbreaker]

I had stepped in on him making many things. Some soup - miso, I believe? - and flapjacks and all manner of things. His lesson was on grits.

[ She shakes her head ]

I could make you a rice omelette unless eggs offend your sensibilities too.

[ Might as well get more practice ]

[elepe]

...I suppose that makes sense for him. He needed all of the food he could get to keep that...thing at bay. I'm not familiar with that food, however. A shame, but...

[Anything that sounds gritty is kind of weird, 0/10.]

...And no, these eggs...weirdly enough, they don't inspire the same adverse reaction. I would be fine with that, if you're willing.

[It's not like you can usually eat Pokemon eggs anyway.]

pool

[iaspis]

I wasn't expecting anyone else in here.

[She seems surprised that Lusamine's Pokemon aren't around.]

I haven't been in here since...

It's been a while.

[elepe]

[Lusamine perks a bit when she sees Jasper. It seems the feeling is mutual, at the very least, but...]

It has bad memories associated with it, I imagine.

[After what happened...]

It seems like a waste, not to use it after such events. It's a wonderful stress reliever--do your kind have something similar?

[iaspis]

Yes, would imagine many of us avoid this room now.

[Even if it's for different reasons.]

I know some Gems collect things. It's possible to store them, in a "room", I guess you could call it. Something only you can really access. A sort of physical metaphysical plane, where you can retreat to. It might not be exactly the same thing, but it's what I think of.

[elepe]

...Perhaps like a world of daydreams? Or simply an ideal world, in ones mind.

[That's the way it sounds to her, at least.]

Is this simply a matter of the gem's power, whether they have one of these rooms? Or could anyone try to make one?

[iaspis]

Anyone could make one.

I have one, but I can't access it here. It's... complicated to explain, but it's unsettling.

[elepe]

[...Lusamine pauses a bit, swimming up closer to Jasper.]

It would be a way to avoid what is happening here, wouldn't it? ...Did you try, when Mr. Kimbley passed?

[All things considering...she wouldn't blame her, really.]

[iaspis]

...No. I tried much earlier.

[elepe]

[...oh.]

...How regrettable. I imagine such a thing would offer much needed reprieve, but of course the Wordsmith would not allow such things...

dining room

[ravagers]

[ Hi, mom. Vanille takes a seat right next to her and gives Clefable and Lilligant each a pat. ]

What're you writing?

[elepe]

[Hey there, Vanille. Both Pokemon smile at the petting, at least, and go up next to her.]

An apology for Gangrel. After what happened today...he deserves one, I think.

[She shifts a bit, though--it can wait, because;]

How are you feeling, dear?

[ravagers]

Mm, I hope he'll appreciate it.

[ Vanille wraps her arms around Clefable, burying her face against the Pokemon's body. If Lusamine listens close enough, she'll hear Vanille sniffle quietly. ]

I miss 'em.

[elepe]

[She hopes so too, at least.

...Still, Lusamine quiets herself a bit and shifts her attention to Vanille. She can at least be a little more sympathetic, all things considering. Clefable wraps her tiny arms around Vanille, patting her.]

...They were rather precious to you, weren't they? [Considering what Varric said...] It isn't going to be easy. Losing someone so important...it leaves a hole in your chest that you can never quite get rid of.

[...]

But...it is not the end. Grieve for them for as long as you need to, but it is not the end. The letters prove that, if nothing else.

[ravagers]

[ Clefable, you're a good friend. Vanille lifts her head to look at Lusamine, nods, then ducks her head down again. ]

Y-yeah... Varric... was like a dad to me. Wish I could've told him...

[ ... ]

You're right. It's-- it's easy to forget that, huh... [ She sniffles and finally pulls away from Clefable. ] It's like... we can keep a little piece of them with us.

[elepe]

[...Oh.

That sounds especially painful, shit. Lusamine's look goes downcast at that. When you don't get to tell someone something very important before they leave...]

...Listen. I know this is going to be hard for you, Vanille. But...perhaps you should write to him, and tell him that. It may not have the same impact as if he were alive, but...

[...]

I think he would want to know. Most...would love a chance to be able to tell those lost how they truly feel, that they weren't able to beforehand.

[ravagers]

[ She's not too good with writing, but... ]

You... you think so? I'll give it a shot.

[ She leans against Lusamine. ]

It seems... a lot of that's been happening here, huh? Regrets, missed chances...

[elepe]

[Yeah, Lusamine pulls her into a hug when she leans in.]

...We lose people every week. There's...bound to be something you don't manage to tell someone, before they're gone. It's agonizing.