WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? OUR TALES RIVAL JUST TURNED INTO A ZOMBIE!

[bloodisthicker]

[...so, uh, that was a thing that happened. Tarrlok was completely ready to do the politician thing and come up with a speech or something for most of whatever the hell that excuse for a trial was, but everything got all confusing, baffling, and horrifying and completely inexplicably, he can't find the words.

Maybe he just... needs a day. Tomorrow will probably be fine. For now, though, Misa volunteered to make brownies, and he was going to make a Northern Water Tribe comfort food specialty.

...even if they only had shortening and not actual animal fat and it'd been a while since he'd made it, but it tasted... alright? Definitely not as good as the stuff back home, but it was hard to get that good, anyway.

...there's also the matter of setting things up in a location other than the dining hall, because even though that's cleaned up, it still feels pretty tasteless to hold a wake literal feet from the place you found someone's bloody corpse.

So, a little later on in the day, a lovingly personalized note will be slid under everyone's doors:



And if the Survivors choose to head to the library, they'll find a... well, okay, it's a bunch of boxes from the storage room of comparable size stacked up on each other to kind of resemble a table. The dining hall ones don't even seem like they'd fit in the library, so Team Afterparty clearly had to improvise. One side is filled with plates, bowls, and spoons, and the other is filled with brownies, cookies, and a big bowl of berry aqutak. There are also chairs dotted throughout the room in a sort of vague circle --- close enough together that if people want to talk, they can, but far enough apart that it'd be easy to drag it off for some privacy.]

Comments

[cherryblooded]

[This is a good idea. Few people would take what just happened well, and two of those people (probably) are dead.

Cherryblod heads to the library, although he can't quite manage to settle down. Instead he'll ask anyone who's not Mettaton:]

Can I get you some tea? Soothes the soul.

[goingdigital]

[Taichi is kinda just poking at the akutaq. Not that he's afraid to eat it just...looks so weird. It was distracting him from the nagging sensation he had going on in the back of his head.]

Mmmm? Ah sure, why not?

[cherryblooded]

Alright. Rose-hip tea fine, or do you prefer a different flavor?

[goingdigital]

[He gives shrimpdad a weary smile.]

Heh, I don't think I could even tell the difference. Thanks, uh...

[He totally does not know your name, rude Taichi.]

[cherryblooded]

Cherryblod. I think this is our first time speaking.

[Which is kind of weird, considering how enclosed this space is.]

[pokexplorer]

[While Colress is more of a coffee drinker, in this situation something soothing sounds a heck of a lot better than something that'll just wire him up even more.]

I would appreciate that, Cherryblod. Whatever happens to be your tea of choice.

[He has...no experience with it...]

[cherryblooded]

Rose-hip is what I have on hand, so I'll choose that. Give me just a moment.

[And he'll go to the kitchen, and in little bit come back with some tea.]

Here you are. Freshly made.

[pokexplorer]

Thank you very much.

[Once it's in his hands, he'll take a nice sip of that tea.

It's surprisingly not too bad!]

I like it- again, thank you.

[And since there's really no stepping around it,]

...Are you faring well? You seemed particularly hurt by this. I imagine you must have spoken to Zagi a lot this last week?

[cherryblooded]

Doing alright, comparatively speaking.

[At least the last death hasn't bothered him as much as some others.]

I was fond of him, yes. He reminded me of myself at his age.

[ratingspoint]

[Well, Mettaton may not be getting asked about it, but at the same time he's definitely going to notice Cherryblod getting tea and what have you for...pretty much everyone; he'll catch him eventually, when he's got a moment.]

I do hope someone's checked in on how you're doing as well.

[It's relatively light, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to know, either.]

[cherryblooded]

You're the first. Thank you.

[It's not resentful or anything - Cherryblod's more used to this than most people, and is one of the ones naturally disposed to look after everyone else anyway. It's natural he'd be doing the fussing right now.]

Can't say I'm doing perfectly, but at the same time... I'm not as bad as most of us, it seems.

[ratingspoint]

Oh, don't mention it, sweetheart; just so long as someone has, right?

[...Moving on, though.]

A good amount of them do seem like they're not doing well, though; it's sad. It's good to know that you're all right, though.

[cherryblooded]

Don't blame them for it. Most people only get dulled to this sort of thing with repeated exposure.

[The ones who don't need that to cope with it are either lucky or some sort of mad.]

...And you?

[prismbloom]

[ Remember how she'd said she'd try not to worry? She's worrying even more now. ]

That's very kind of you. [ ... ] How are you holding up?

[cherryblooded]

Can't say I'm at my best, but I'm alright.

[Which is pretty good, considering he'd been right there suggesting the cutting thing along with her.]

Rose-hip tea, cinnammon, something else...?

[prismbloom]

If you need to talk... I'm here.

Cinnamon, please.

[captainobnoxious]

Does it really? I always just thought it was leaf water.

[sigrun.]

[cherryblooded]

[Sigrun...]

Well, yes, technically it is leaf water. But the chemicals in it are good for relaxing people.

So we're both right.

[captainobnoxious]

[As you can see, she is the same as ever.]

I don't know the whole sciencey bit of it, but alright. I'll take your word for it -- and a cup, too.

[lackinginfaith]

All right. [small nod] You two were close, weren't you? It must be hard on you.

[cherryblooded]

It is, a little.

[But he's still doing better than most.]

He reminded me of myself at that age.

[lackinginfaith]

It's hard to imagine you like that.

[notjustawriter]

[Gabriel manages a weak smile.]

Sure, I'll take a cup.

[cherryblooded]

Rose-hip fine with you?

[notjustawriter]

[He has no idea what that is.]

Sure.

Gertie always brewed me an assortment of teas back at the castle.