WEEK 6.

[trustwellness]

WEEK 6 With the deaths of Viktor Nikiforov, Varric Tethras, and Killia, you're down to half of your original number. There's only fifteen of you left. How much longer before your number drops again? Saturday is given to regrouping and rest; on Sunday morning the clock chimes as it always has, but at least there are no bodies to find today. It seems you're safe for now. The night before wasn't necessarily a peaceful one, however; you'll probably feel a bit groggy when you wake up, and it seems you've regained something that you didn't realize you'd lost... Of course, that doesn't mean that you've gained nothing else among the many, many losses you've faced; it seems that another floor has been made available to you for surviving another week. Congratulations and well done, even if you might not necessarily appreciate the reward. APPRENTICES REMAINING: 15

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[OOC: Welcome to week six of Trustfell! Feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend. Don't forget to save those threads for coins and the activity check!

If you'd like to get in contact with the Wordsmith, you can do so through letters or the switchboard!]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Ah.

She- ]

... I don't hate so blindly, Hanyuu. Their place in the world's pitiable, to have been put in that sort of position where they aren't part of either world. Half-breeds are human the majority of their lives, but need to feed on blood every month or so. They're infertile. Everything about their bodies stacks the deck against them. I'm not ignorant to how difficult that plight is.

[ . . . ]

But why I hate them? [ She could never hate her own granddaughter. If Karin- no, it's impossible. ]

Two hundred years ago, the humans and their God killed the majority of my people [ Hanyuu already knows this ] And it was the half-breeds that sold us out to them.

[oyashiromama]

[Her mind feels like it's on fire. There's part of her that likes and accepts this, but another part that is in a severe fight-or-flight, and it's telling her to run.

She didn't want to live with the Ryuun. She didn't want to be isolated from the humans, she was suffocated with the Ryuun, she craves acceptance, but- but for the part of her that found life in the human world as well--

She's stiff, but she nods.]

It's... [Her voice is low.] It's- okay. I forgive you. [...] But please- apologize to...Vanille, too.

[...Though Elda can't quite see her face, it's clear to anyone who can that there are very many levels of conflicting emotions going on here, with the most notable one being discomfort, right now.]

[feistytrader]

[...Well, that gets him to stop for a moment.]

Yeah, I'm... It won't open, that's all.

[That's what he means, right? That's totally what he means. Of course, there's an easy solution to this. Silver takes one of the kitchen knives, sets the banana down, and... jabs it once instead of chopping the head off like a sane person because he's a god damn savage that grew up in the woods. At least it's only one stab, no fingers were lost in the incident, and he can finally peel open the banana and...

...Wait. What if Sportacus just wanted his help opening it? He's like... All cool and flips and stuff, but he could totally be a wimp too. He holds the banana out for him. He looks so proud of himself.]

Here you go.

[His face is more than a little flushed and he smells vaguely like alcohol, if that helps Sportacus at all. ...Sportacus doesn't deserve any of this.]

[oyashiromama]

Tell her where it was found, Phi. Maybe that will help.

[feistytrader]

[...Oh. That's what this is about.]

No.

[matchbreaker]

[ This moment... is not the moment she expected. And really, it's not the moment that she wanted either. Hanyuu's face might be obscured to her, but she'd have to be far more dense than she is in order to ignore that something had shifted in the body language of the other woman.

And so it's Elda that breaks the hug.

Elda that wipes off her somewhat teary face. And she nods as well. ]

I will.

[ Probably not right now, though. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . ]

Good.

[ Her face is still in predatory mode, but. ]

[oyashiromama]

A-aah...? Of course, did you- do you recognize something in it?

[...besides the fucking cardboard cutout of viktor]

[feistytrader]

I'm not making the same mistake twice.

[So take it easy, Elda.]

[matchbreaker]

[ And her eyes relax to normal. ]

... Good. Then I needn't drop you into the abyss.

[plegia]

Water magic...? No, I've never heard of such a thing.

[???]

[plegia]

Well of course! What else would I do!

[WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET, HE IS A SIMPLE MAN OF SIMPLE DESIRES]

After the meeting and late at night so idek kitchen? Her room?

[matchbreaker]

[ Either way, Elda is tracking down Hanyuu. She ... Actually feels a little bit bad for what's going to come next? But it's also something that she needs to do. Or at least, she's well certain that she need to do.

She's got incredibly predatory eyes when she encounters her in the kitchen and/or knocks on her door or runs into her in the hall or whatever it would be. ]

Hanyuu, can I ask something more of you?

[ She knows she's being demanding here, after what happened with the letter. ]

[plegia]

[...ohhhh boy.]

First of all, you'll want to hold it like this.

[He demonstrates, instead of doing his usual thing of twirling it around and somehow not breaking his nails. Standard sword pose, go.]

I can tell you've never fought anyone. I'm not sure if I'd call that lucky or unfortunate!

[FIGHTING IS SO MUCH FUN THOUGH, SPORT]

[plegia]

Of course I am! Come at me with everything you have!

[. . .]

Except don't actually break any of my bones or anything, that would be unpleasant.

[. . . . . .]

But otherwise give me everything you've got!

[LET'S SPAR, JASPER]

[oyashiromama]

[My strength gives you strength, child- yeah, that scans.]

...I am too. I always... When I received...the deck of cards my descendant's club plays with, it... It felt so wonderful to hold in my hands. I can only imagine how good this feels for you.

[oyashiromama]

You don't...have anyone who lives with you?

[She's starting to understand a lot more of Gold's "man I want to help Silver be a kid again" logic!]

I- I don't mean to be overbearing, or anything like that, I just... Why... Where is your family...?

[oyashiromama]

[...And now everything makes a bit more sense. A mistake, they are. A problem. If Elda could've gone back and erased someone, then-

Wait.]

That was horrible of them. Of...whoever did that. ...How many... Was it all of them?

[She keeps her voice even, almost neutral. ...Just a little pained. Selling out your own people- yes, she knows...it's horrible.

God, does she know.]

[oyashiromama]

[When she feels Elda start to disengage, she pushes it all down. She can keep it all neutral, and she can even smile. She can focus on the good feelings that rise from this, because there definitely are some.

She's glad she waited until the meeting's winding down though. Very much so.]

Thank you.

[oyashiromama]

[LET'S GO CLEANING UP IN THE KITCHEN Hanyuu's, it seems, trying to figure out just...what to do with the mochi she's made, putting it in the fridge to save will make it hard and bad but if she leaves it out will Kageshirou take it???

...Does Kageshirou like mochi????

Should she look into this?????

So yes, there's a very puzzled Hanyuu staring at a plate of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla mochi (she has definitely made too much) trying to decide what to do with it, when Elda arrives. Her approach doesn't startle Hanyuu, but she does glance for a moment to make sure...okay, there's no one else there this time, that's good at least!]

Aah, Elda, good evening. [A lot more relaxed now that she's had time to decompress.] What is it?

[matchbreaker]

[ Does she want to say this right in the kitchen? ... Maybe?

... No, she might as well. ]

I need to hear the truth of something right from your lips. [ and so, before she loses her nerve...

No, she want to make sure she's got the full attention. This is... honestly, after that letter, she suspects their relationship is changed. But what she says next might ruin it. But it's also something that she needs, completely. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ It's ... now, more than ever that Elda seems to realize that there is more than them in the room. And...

Well, she's going to take the seat she had. As if that didn't just totally make a scene. Her cheeks tinged something awful. ]

[matchbreaker]

How should I know?! No, if you ask me if every single one in Europe betrayed us, I doubt it! But it was fhose tortured children that caused some great old houses to be ash now. [ . . . ] My parents, my family are all dead because they felt they were better off seeking salvation than dealing with their lot.

[ . . . ]

I don't hate fish girl for it. I don't hate your daughter and I could never hate my granddaughter. But if you ask me if I hate them, just as I hate humankind? Yes, I do.

[ She can't forgive that. She can't. ]

[foundfate]

[Hand-holding is ok, Watanuki will hold Silver's hand.]

There's lots of other things out there that taste good without making you drunk.

[foundfate]

[That sounds...kind of scary, actually. One last chance? Could they do it without messing up?]

It sounds like a lot of pressure, but you can do it, right?