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

[introspects]

[ orihime lightly hugs her back, fingers still shaking around the bracelets on her wrist. ]

...Viktor-san told me that I have to stay alive. I just...I just wasn't expecting to do so without him or Varric-san.

[oyashiromama]

[Her hand lands on the bracelets.]

I'm so sorry...but you have to live. ...I'm still glad you're alive.

[introspects]

Thank you. I'm glad you are, too.

[ she's keeping it together again; she doesn't want to break down in front of hanyuu. she's been through way too much and orihime doesn't want to shove that onto her... ]

Please...don't go, Hanyuu....

[oyashiromama]

I won't.

[...She's broken down so much. So much, lately, it's time- it's time to be strong for someone else again. Like she'd forgotten how to do, over those hundred years.]

I'm going to stay right here, as long as I can.

[introspects]

[ she breathes a small sigh of relief before moving hanyuu's hand to the bracelet she'd made for her and watanuki all those weeks ago. ]

You are...one of my closest friends. I've...I've lost Viktor-san and Varric-san; I can't lose you.

[oyashiromama]

[She reaches up a hand...and brushes it against the ends of Orihime's hair.]

I-I can't promise...anything. My promises always... But I'll tell you I will try. You are also...very important to me.

[introspects]

As long as you don't give up, that's...all I can ask for...

[ as sad as it is, that's the truth. there are no promises, no guarantees here, but they have to try. ]

[oyashiromama]

Yes, I...

[She never really...gave up before. It was just biding her time. Waiting. Waiting, without hope. But...]

...Thank you. For what you said in there.

[introspects]

Of course.

[ orihime frowns, shaking her head. ]

You and Killia-kun are nothing like he is. I didn't want him to use you and Killia-kun as excuses for his behavior. You're both better than that.

[oyashiromama]

All of you...and you just used my name.

[She pulls back a little, so she can look Orihime in the eyes.]

You stand up so much for those in need, Orihime. ...I know Varric would be proud of you.

[introspects]

[ that last part stings, a jab straight through her heart--she knows it wasn't hanyuu's intent, so she holds it together, biting her lip to keep herself from frowning too much. ]

All I did was cry in the first few weeks here. So I...decided that I was going to do my best to do just that and stand up for people who need it.

...You gave me the strength to do that, Hanyuu. Your kindness has truly touched everyone here.

[oyashiromama]

Me...?

[On her end, that squeezes her heart, and she tries to keep her lip from quivering.]

I- I'm relieved...that I've been able to do something for you here. For...all of you, in whatever way. ...But I think...that strength was inside of you...just waiting to come out.

[introspects]

Maybe, but I don't think we would have stood up for you during the trial if you hadn't given us a reason to.

[ she smiles gently now, nodding once in affirmation. ]

[oyashiromama]

[...]

You know... You... When I was alive...all those centuries ago, I had two humans...who I could be myself with, and trust, and...depend on. One of them was the man who would be my husband, and one...one was...my best friend...who would raise my daughter, after I no longer could, and would take...such good care of the village, in my absence.

You...remind me of her...so much.

[introspects]

...I do?

[ she might look a little silly now, looking at hanyuu with wide eyes; she's truly flattered, though, in ways words cannot describe. to be compared to hanyuu's best friend--hanyuu's best friend--it truly is an honor of sorts, and she manages a genuine smile. ]

That's a really nice thing for you to say. I'm glad to hear it.

[oyashiromama]

[For someone with such a poor opinion of herself as Hanyuu, she can't quite imagine the thoughts going through Orihime's head, and how grateful she could possibly be. Yes, Shino was amazing, one of the most fantastic humans she'd had the honor to meet.

But how the honor ties to Hanyuu herself is lost on her.]

You do! Both of you... You, like her, would do whatever you could for those you care about...and not judge those who are different, but help them. I'm so very grateful to her...and to you too. Watanuki isn't the only one we'd be worse off without.

[introspects]

Ah...well...

[ she still can't process this?! she's not used to being thought of so highly like this, but...when she thinks about it, hanyuu reminds her...of someone she knows.

someone important. ]

You remind me, then, of my friend at home, too. She's graceful, kind, and strong...and she's one of the strongest people I know.

Her name is Kuchiki Rukia.

[oyashiromama]

[Just the way Orihime says this person's name, it sounds like this...is someone she holds in very high opinion. Missing context as she is, she's still touched.

She takes Orihime's hand.]

My friend was named Kimiyoshi Shino. What...is Rukia like?

[introspects]

[ orihime gladly takes her hand back, smiling fondly as she looks back on her memories with her friends. with rukia. one of the people she will always and forever hold dear to her heart. ]

Well, Kuchiki-san...she can wield ice, and her zanpakuto is the most beautiful of them all! She's small but elegant, powerful, and admirable...kind and understanding. Noble.

[oyashiromama]

She sounds like such a strong girl.

[...She does have to ask, though-]

What's a zanpakuto? I think...I can piece together what it means, but what...is it a special weapon?

[introspects]

It's a sword! And they have really cool powers, too, with spirits attached to them. Kind of like Munechika-san. They're sort of special like that, haha!

[oyashiromama]

So...they're like Mikazuki, just in his sword form! [She gets that, that's cool!] ...Heh, my sword...when I was alive, I had one sort of like that. It could shape-shift.

[introspects]

...

Eeeeeh?! Hanyuu--Hanyuu had a sword?!

[ YOU NEVER TOLD HER THIS ]

[oyashiromama]

[OH NO-]

A-a-aah...! Y-yes, I did, i-it's sealed away now, but- i-it was called Onigari-no-Ryuuou, and it looked like a willow branch most commonly- au, paper--

[She'll grab paper from the mail room and doodle something like the sword the girl in the center is holding!]

See?