that's not what we usually mean by 'dance with death'

[cherryblooded]

[That certainly did happen. Cherryblod's not the type of person who will judge one person's value as being more than another's, so he can't say whether it was better or worse than the first week. It came as less of a shock, maybe, but even so...

It's not the kind of thing people usually want to go through alone.

So, after he spends some time in the kitchen preparing (with assistance from Bruce), he'll slip some personalized notes under everyone's doors.]

[Name],
If you'd prefer to spend this time alone, that's fine.
If you'd prefer not to, I've made some food and set it out in the dining hall.
Even if you're just hungry and would rather not talk, feel free to come take some.
But if you'd like the company, we're here for you.
-Cherryblod

[Those arriving in the dining hall will find an assortment of food - a fair number of sandwiches and other, actual meal-like options since most people missed a meal or two, but also a goodly number of desserts. There's tea, as well as coffee for those who favor it.]

Comments

outside the dining hall

[amygdalae]

[Stepping out from the hall for a quick breather, its not hard to see Sigrun there and notice what she's doing.]

Captain Eide?

[captainobnoxious]

[You'll have to forgive her for not saying anything at first, lest she nick her finger, but when she's done with one of the small branches she looks up at Bruce.]

Hey there, doc. How're you holding up this week?

[amygdalae]

[It's perfectly fine; Bruce doesn't mind at all even if she shooed him away for the need for space, but that doesn't seem to be the case.]

Can't say I'm any better than last week. [Although he is better at dealing with it. Kind of. (Not really. But he's good at pretending.)] How about you?

[captainobnoxious]

[Sigrun never needs space. And she'll mostly get it later.]

Just as fine. Death just doesn't affect me much, you know? So it's never that big of a deal in the end. Besides, there's more than enough people here to feel guilt and sadness at what happened for me.

[... and those are the people she's dedicated to, but she's trusting them not to be too bad tonight. Hard enough to figure out how to feel about Mettaton's possible anger at her for earlier.]

I'll take my time off, of course, but I'm mostly wondering if this is a good enough tribute to them right now.

[amygdalae]

[That... well, Bruce certainly can see where she's coming from. For all that Sigrun is and does, sometimes she comes across as a lot wiser than she tends to portray herself as.

He gives a small nod.]

It's probably the best, with what we all have. [Not to mention the lack of actual physical bodies - for better or for worse.] Hopefully they can both be at peace with this.

[captainobnoxious]

[She is a leader after all. And has been for many a mission. Sometimes this happens to come out.]

I think they will be. It's supposed to be a protection rune, kind of a wish for their loved ones to be safe, and since that's what they both died for... What could fit better on the rock they shared, right?

[amygdalae]

Indeed. It suits them perfectly.

['Devoted'... that was Pearl's 'title', wasn't it? He wonders briefly just who that person could be, but he supposes he'll never know now.]

I'm sure the people they fought for are safe. They can rest with that knowledge.

[captainobnoxious]

If they're given any rest at all, [but that's simply a quiet musing of the captain, blowing on the rock to clean it up a little.]

Anyway, do you think it's safe to assume that it'll happen again if someone kills again? The whole execution thing. Because that's what I'm thinking.

[amygdalae]

It's already happened twice. Considering everything, its hard to write it off as anything but deliberate.

[And honestly... Bruce doesn't know what to make of that. Or rather, of what the Kingmaker thinks or even his reason for employing this method of doing the deed.]

But to be honest, I'd rather not see it for a third time.

[captainobnoxious]

Want to or not, I'll bet it'll happen again. Especially if he starts offering stuff like he did before, which, seeing how great that went, is probably something that'll happen again too. And the next person'll think they've got it this time.

[... Probably.]

I'd hope not too, because I'm really starting to like all of you, but if it happens it happens.

[amygdalae]

[Its not hard to see at all where Sigrun is coming from - and Bruce won't say he will be surprised if this does occur again - but he certainly doesn't hope so either.

Two was already enough. Four now is much worse. He really doesn't want it to be six.]

...we'll just have to be prepared for whatever the Kingmaker might want to throw at us next. [And just mentally be ready, and understand the full consequences of whatever they might think of doing or saying.]

[captainobnoxious]

[hey this time it might be just one]

And be prepared to take out another of our own if they decide that they're worth the risk. We're pretty lucky that the world's pretty black and white in here, huh?

[amygdalae]

For some, I suppose.

[Black and white's never been what Bruce has seen. It's impossible to, honestly, when he's just as guilty himself.]

[captainobnoxious]

For most. What's your problem?

[amygdalae]

[Bruce just kind of... shrugs here.]

I've simply seen a lot, that's all.