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

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

[...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.]

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It's always a hard decision.

[And with the heaviness that she says it, it's clear that Sigrun's had to make the same choices in the past.]

You don't have to forget it. In fact, it's better to remember what you're feeling now and hold it close every time you have to decide who lives and dies. It's not a fair decision to have to make, but it's one we're probably going to have to make again in the future.

[As much as everyone would wish otherwise, Sigrun knows there's bound to be just as many people who think "I can do it better".]

But it's not something you're doing on your own, Aqua, we're all responsible. You might have suggested the idea, but I was the one who decided that was the one we were going to do and cut everyone up, and the rest of them complied enough that Kamui would have had to follow or be suspect. I can't feel guilty about it because it saved so many others.

[ The worst part is that Aqua knows she's right. She knows that in a place like this, desperation is bound to set in. It didn't with Zagi, no; but the longer they remain in the vault, the more likely it is that someone will take matters into their own hands. ]

I hated myself for suggesting it--I still do. This whole situation is wrong. We barely knew Kamui, yet--

We sent him to his death. [ ... ]

And he died so horribly, Sigrun. I swore I wouldn't let anyone get hurt, but...

[ Aqua's aware that she's close to rambling now, but... god, it just weighs so heavily on her heart and conscience. ]

I won't forget. I can't. Not while we're here.

[And it's good for her to get it out.]

I swore to protect everyone too, don't forget. It's the argument that started me and Mettaton's friendship in the first place.

[As... fucking weird and odd couple as it is.]

But you have to realize that they're just words in the end. You don't want them to be just words and I understand that more than anyone, but in the end we can only do the best we can to the best of our abilities. Sometimes it's just not enough.

[...]

As for what happened to Kamui as punishment... Who could have thought that would've happened? I was expecting a firing squad myself, not the guy I felt as close as kin with suddenly appearing not dead to exact revenge. I'm pretty pissed about his body being disrespected like that too.

Actions do speak louder than words, especially in this sort of situation. I'm not happy that it's so, but at this point there's nothing to do but go forward and take action.

Even if it means doing something terrible.

[ Honestly, they're a pretty damn weird group. Case in point: how many people cared about Zagi.

But anyway. ]

... It's left us all rattled. I didn't expect the Kingmaker to have that sort of power. [ Aqua turns a couple shades paler. ]

[Whereas Aqua turns paler, Sigrun's expression darkens and she blows out her mouth.]

I don't get it. Is he going to do that with anyone who happens to dies, or was it just that one time? It's not right. The dead stay dead and the ancient gods carry their souls on, so to pull it back like that...

[It both sends shivers down her spine and angers her.]

I'm going to ask him about it tomorrow. I'll say something I regret tonight if I radio him, but tomorrow I'll be better.

[No less angry or wanting to wring his neck, but hey. It's okay.]

It's cruel--to bring someone back like that. Someone we cared about, who was our friend. [ She shakes her head. Aqua's opinion of the Kingmaker just keeps getting worse and worse. ]

Please, let me know if you find anything out. Everyone should know, though; we may be better prepared, somewhat, if we know he's going to do it again.

Whatever I learn I'll gladly tell. I actually talked to him the other night, but it wasn't about anything really important and I'd planned to inform everyone during the meeting today, but...

[Well. You know. Zagi would've gotten a kick out of the tiny human thing.]

I think the most important thing I ended up learning was that he wasn't always alone and he doesn't know how long he's been here, being the same as us. But even that's not much information.

... But more serious things had happened.

[ ...? ]

He wasn't always alone... what does that mean, exactly?

He wouldn't say. I don't know if it means that he might've been like us, put through the same experience, or if he wasn't alone until he got here, but he said that at one point that he was with others. So your guess is as good as mine.

[And honestly, Sigrun's not sure where to place her bets on that.]

[ Whatever the reason, Aqua doesn't like any of the ideas she's got. ]

I shudder to think that this has happened before.

We can toss ideas out all day when we get the chance to tell the others, and hopefully by then I'll have something more to speak about, but as it stands that's all we've got.

[...]

And that's he's a little shorter than me, but otherwise a normal sized human. And he somehow manages to take out our trash and put coins around without the use of a company of tiny people

I'm still confused about the coins, but I've at least managed to regain one of the items I'd lost.

[ But, really, how do they show up?! ]

Well, lucky you! I did too, but I haven't been able to show it off just yet.

[... Actually she might do it at the talent show Misa wants to see about doing. It's a pretty monumental object. Really ancient. Expensive. Amazing.]

What'd you get? Your oddly shaped weapon?

I'd be glad to see it.

[ She shakes her head, and she pulls out her Wayfinder. ]

This. I made them for Terra, Ventus, and myself before our exam. It's a good luck charm, to put it simply, but I like to think of it as a symbol of our friendship.

[Oh, it's pretty. Kind of reminds her of the sea. Sigrun holds out her hand for it, wanting to see it a little closer.]

So as long as you have it, then you'll find your way back to each other or something like that? My comrades and I can only count on the blood in our veins and the want to tell another story for that.

[ She hesitates just for a moment... then hands it to Sigrun. This is a serious deal. ]

That's exactly it. We all have our traditions, don't we? There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you all can rely on one another.

[She's very careful with it, at odds with her otherwise brash personality, and when she's done she'll hand it back just as gently, cupping under Aqua's hand and closing it with her other.]

I will personally cut the hands off of any person who tries to make off with this.

[... both while aqua's alive and if she ever dies]

[ She wasn't expecting that, honestly, but it at least pulls a bigger smile from her. Not much, but enough. Aqua places her free hand over Sigrun's squeezing lightly. ]

Thank you. I'm just happy I was the one to receive it, and not someone else.

[ The thought of someone else having this? It's almost too much to bear. ]

[Hey, it's important to her and to the people she feels close to. Sigrun gets that.

Her face lights up despite the moment of seriousness before and she squeezes back.]

If I've ever learned anything, it's that the gods intend for certain things to stay close to oneself, and for you that's this trinket here. Whether it's people, places, things... All of them have a purpose in your life, so it's only natural that your thing here would return to you rather than anyone else.

[The Norwegians are really into their ancient gods, okay. Glory to us all.]

And if it did, there'd be a reason for that as well. But I'm glad it ended up in your hands too -- can you imagine what that robot would've done with it?

[ Aqua's making a mental note to make Sigrun a wayfinder, too--if she ever gets the right supplies. Sure, it won't have magic infused in it, and it may not be exactly the same, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it? ]

Then the things most important to us will always find their way back. It's a wonderful thought--thank you for sharing it with me.

[ If Mettaton got it--? She lets out a little laugh. ]

I'd hope he'd return it to whomever it belonged to.

[That is so sweet. Sigrun already made everyone basically do a blood pact with each other, so that's her end of the deal sealed, but getting a wayfinder would be so touching.]

Sure, after parading it around the vault! I'd hope he wouldn't take it apart or anything like that, but chances are you'd find out he had it by seeing it yourself. Might've made you trade for it too.

Even so, I would have traded anything for it.

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