the winds and skies will surely extinguish this pain of mine;

[eternalfuture]

Usagi isn't okay. She's upset and she's sad and she really just wants to go home, but that's clearly not happening. So, she'll just put one foot in front of the other. She's reminded of how, even when she's at her lowest, her friends are there for her. That's enough, for now.

Eventually she'll make her way to the kitchen - while she's not a great cook, even she can't mess up cutting up fruit and making sandwiches. She'll eventually make her way to the dining hall, carefully setting things out. She'll also manage to make her way into the conservatory, leaving a blank notebook and a few pens out.

You'll get a knock at your door at some point, or a note slid under your door, letting you know that she's got things set up. Hawke will, specifically, get a note asking her to please bring our Emotional Support Doggo. The notes are all signed with an actual rabbit doodle instead of her name, because cute bunnies make things better, right?

The notes read: Hey, I made some snacks and they are all set up in the dining hall. Also, there's a notebook in the conservatory - if we want to write down memories of people we're missing or something like that. I'm not great with this kind of thing, so if someone wants to do a more elaborate memorial, they're welcome.

Comments

[tomestones]

[For as much as last Friday sucked, at least it was easy to be mad at Misty. To blame her for Sayo's death. They weren't people Dagr was close to, and privately, they'd been silently thankful for it.

This week they lost someone they had hoped to rekindle a friendship with. Lottie had been so important to them, once. But after that fateful trip, things hadn't been the same, and they'd hoped that maybe with all this time together now...

But Mafuyu wasn't even really responsible for what happened. Mafuyu was someone they could have befriended too, and now she's gone as well. Two more lives, for an accident. The Interim Headmistress has a lot to answer for, but just how long will it take until they can find a way to bring her to trial? To make her pay for what she's done?

(How many more will die?)

Dagr only remains in their room for a short time before heading out to the central quad, more specifically, the cafeteria. Originally they planned to get something to eat, but they've ended up distracted and are now sitting at one of the tables, tapping a pen against their lips as they study a notebook they're writing in. Whatever it is they're working on doesn't seem to be going well, given their displeased expression, but at least they're looking more put together than they were at the end of the trial.

Later on they'll actually get some food in the dining hall, where they'll... try to remain to put in a good appearance. They want to help as many people as they can, but they're just so damn tired after everything today's been. Still, they'll offer a tired smile when they see you.]

You doing alright? I know today's been a lot for all of us. Have you already eaten?

[goldendoll]

[ doloris is... a little more together than she had been, before. even if going back to the room had been tough. ]

... You don't have to force it, Dagr. But thanks. [ she can't quite manage a smile in return, but her lips do twitch inwards ever so slightly at their show of kindness, as she shakes her head. ]

Uh... no, no, though, just... coffee, [ gripping this insulated mug for dear life, ] and some of the snacks that Kohaku-chan brought to the trial, I guess...?

cafeteria

[iseedollpeople]

[Mei spends this trial's end just as she did the other one -- wandering in and out of places, and not particularly engaging much with any of them. Maybe that's why she puts in an appearance at the cafeteria, only to walk in and out like someone who's just opened the wrong fridge door.

She comes back in eventually, deposits a few sheets of paper and writing utensils, and a cup of tea that looks like it came all the way from the trial basement, judging by the fact that it is both definitely no longer steaming and in the same cups Kohaku used.

Still later, she's back with a fruit sandwich in the least efficient meal gathering of all time. But as established she's neither a hunter nor a gatherer.

There's a little hmm as she stares down the fruit sandwich (it's colorful, probably a little too sweet, but) and then does a taste-testing nibble. It doesn't sound displeased.]

[eternalfuture]

[Usagi's smile is tired and pained, but she's forcing it.]

Yeah, I snacked a little bit as I was putting things together.

Dining Hall

[sweetsynergy]

[Vanity gives a polite, tired smile.]

I should probably be the one asking you that.

dining hall

[curdle]

Yes.

[ To bear false witness is a sin, Thomasin. Lie not to your elders.

There's like, two beats before she admits: ]

... No.

[ honestly the lie wasn't even convincing, she's probably just been sitting at a table alternately reading Mafuyu's manga and staring into space for a full ten minutes ]

[kickdownthatwall]

[...yeah. she'll get some snacks in the dining hall. kind of... autonomously. she's turning something over in her mind.

...

she has an idea, at least, and she'll mutter it to herself as she gets some cookies.]

...wonder if it would be bad to get leftover pillows and sheets. Might be able to put it together for good punching bag. It would be good way to blow off steam...

[After all, it's not like anyone's ever been killed by being hit in the face with a pillow.

In any case, she is going to head over to the conservatory and... yeah. She'll write it down in English this time, at least. It's a community thing rather than a private thing, right? She mulls over the hard ones, then tries to start with the easier one...]

I am missing my good friend Kyril. He would worry about my fights and even though he was sickly he would attend all of them. After the matches he would come up to me red-faced and congratulate me and then tell me he needed to take shower to cool off from his fevers.

[she pauses and thinks about it, before muttering to herself again.]

You know, I never hear about him being sickly any other time... oh well. Maybe it is allergy.

[thanoptical]

...it sounds like a crush, not an allergy.

Dining Hall

[sweetsynergy]

Hm. Maybe give it a few days. Fighting even a bag might be a bit- sensitive for some people, for a bit.

[She sits, taking a sip of coffee.]

I suppose it might also be in a bit of poor taste to say I've been considering taking up your offer for a rematch.

dining hall

[curdle]

... It might be.

[ Thomasin overhears Alena on her way out of the kitchen! She has one of Mafuyu's duffel bags slung over her shoulder. It looks... extremely heavy right now, actually. ]

I suppose I wouldn't know. Usually, if I cannot stop my frustration, I try to use it up at work... but there is precious little of that at Burnbriar.

[thanoptical]

[Satsuki only briefly returns to B-1. She had seen how Tiera reacted to Mafuyu dying and thought, maybe, it was best to leave her alone for now. It felt wrong to impose on her. She grabbed a small folded up picture from her backpack and took it with her, slipping it in her pocket. After a good cry in the bathroom, of course.

Then she... left for the 'party'. She doesn't eat much if anything. Keeping to herself. Not crying but... she feels like she's too large, too unwieldy. Like she's just someone who was too large and reckless.

She had finally done something. She had diagnosed the cause of death. The location of the death. Guessed that it wasn't instant. Found the culprit. Then felt awful about it after trying to take away someone's goodbye letter. At least things were simple the last trial. Misty had done something incredibly wrong and she knew it. This was... an accident.

She hadn't found a murderer. Just a scared girl. They had made things right by the end but...

Satsuki is staying near the edges of the party for now. Staring at the notebook in front of her she takes out the paper from her pocket. It's a folded up photograph. It's of a woman with black hair, gentle eyes and a beauty mark on her cheek. She stares at it for a while.]

What would have you done, Mom? [It's a whisper, almost prayer-like. She folds it away after some time.

Later you can probably see her with a growing pile of crumpled up paper around her.]

...I don't even know what to say to him.

[She murmurs those words to herself.]

the photo;

[eternalfuture]

[Usagi's just going to gently call out to Satsuki, not wanting to scare her.]

...are you holding up all right?

Papers

[bellpepperexercise]

[Kana is worried about Satsuki, honestly. A lot of intense things happened to everybody, but Satsuki seemed to take it especially hard and blame herself.

Plus, she was there for Kana when she'd broken down. Shouldn't she do the same?

Kana sees the string of paper and sits down next to her curiously.]

Writing a tough letter?

letter

[ergine]

Well, [ Kohaku says as she slides herself into the seat across from Satsuki, a cup of fresh tea and a fruit sandwich in hand, ] what is the thing you would want him to know above all else?

[ Her voice is as chipper as it always is as she interrupt Satsuki's thoughts, but... When she smiles, something about the expression seems bittersweet. ]

photo

[sweetsynergy]

[Vanity leans against the wall nearby, silently for a moment. Her eyes flick across the photo. She breaths deep, taking another sip of coffee. How to approach this?]

...it's going to take more than a candlestick to get at the interim headmistress. Whatever we do, we'll need to do it carefully.

[She's not making eye contact, just watching the crowd as she stands there.]

papers please

[curdle]

[ She should absolutely not just venture her first thought to Satsuki, based on a hunch solely derived from her own familial issues, after the absolutely horrible experience the other girl had at the trial. ]

Your father?

[ ah well! Nevertheless, ]

[ergine]

[ It doesn't hurt as much as it did last time. Still, Kohaku isn't in a hurry to return to her room. She takes the kettle and the remaining snacks to the kitchen; the latter is left there with the tray she had carried them on, but the kettle she takes the time to pour our.

It isn't like last week, when she had been so afraid of their supply of food running out. She stays in the kitchen only as long as it takes for her to heat up a new kettle of tea; then, she heads to the conservatory. Maybe it's because her emotions aren't in so much turmoil now, but she doesn't feel the need to busy herself tending the newly-long-wilted plants; she finds a place for the kettle, for anyone who would like to pour themselves a cup, and then she sits against one of the windows sipping tea from her own mug as she watches the snow fall outside.

She'll speak to those who come by to write in Usagi's notebook, but it doesn't seem that she intends to share anything herself. ]

conservatory

[goldendoll]

[ after a while, doloris ends up back in the conservatory as well, coffee in hand, bandages wrapped around her palms. she takes a seat by the same window, facing kohaku, and offers a vague, tired little smile.

asking kohaku how she's doing would be... well, a stupid question, even if she thought she would answer it. so instead, looking out at the snow as well: ]

... Thank you for all you've done for me today, Kohaku-chan.

conservatory

[curdle]

[ Thomasin comes in, nods a friendly-if-muted-by-misery hello to Kohaku, and stands over the open notebook for a long time. She chews her lip. She tries to think of a Bible verse that references the wilderness and doesn't sound blasphemous in context, or an anecdote of rooming with Mafuyu that could convey the shape of the loss she feels.

Nothing is adequate, so she writes nothing. She pours herself a cup of tea, sits near Kohaku, and looks out at the snow in silence. ]

Have you writ anything, Kohaku?

[ look, not all of these are signed or identifiable and she doesn't know anyone's handwriting ]

[shellhawked]

[It takes Hawke a little while to emerge from her room. Last time had been- "easier" isn't the right word but Misty had made it less hard. How she'd handled Sayo's body, her attitude at the trial- it had hurt but not like this. It had been an accident (always an accident adjacent to Hawke, always when she's not there to help, even away from school) and now a sweet girl and her oldest friend at school are both gone.

Trotting by her side is a monstrosity of a mutt wearing red plaid dog pajamas and black socks on all four paws. Varric the Second might be in his jammies but he was promised people, pets and walkies! He is ready to deliver that emotional support and he will work for peanuts.

For ease over everyone, she and Varric plant themselves in the conservatory. He seems thrilled to be able to run around in circles and sniff the dirt while Hawke sits on a bench, an uneaten sandwich in her lap, and stares out at the snow.]

[thanoptical]

[She... blinks at Varric. Sorry, what?]

...You poor thing. How did you... even...

[Satsuki just looks at the dog and then back at Hawke.]

I thought he was like a Chihuahua!

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[ This was somehow worse than last week.

Rinne has been spending most of her time outside her room this week. Between that and the...vibes she picked up during the trial, it's no surprise that she doesn't run back there like last week. Instead, she goes to the church. She almost expects to find Lottie there again, but...no, the...parts of Sayo weren't there for them to return to. Of course Lottie wouldn't be here. She doesn't know if she wanted her to, she...

She stands at the alter, all evidence of Lottie's ritual swept away. ]

...It's a shame. I would've liked to see...

[ In the end, Rinne makes an appearance in the dining hall, though she doesn't try to approach anyone to talk to them. Instead, she sits without eating, folding paper cranes. ]

dining hall (i forgot to mention)

[thanoptical]

[Satsuki isn't even really paying attention to Rinne right now. Not because of anything in particular she's just walking through the hallway. Surely there's nothing wrong in this situation.]

[sweetsynergy]

[Vanity is- eventually here, after whatever happens immediately post-trial in Room A3. But she's managed to raid the school kitchen and cafeteria for a large carafe of coffee, set up with options for creamer and sugar.]

[She's- mostly wall-flowering again, nursing her own cup of coffee and staring at nothing, turning something over in her mind.]

The punishments- no, the executions. Did anything about that seem off to you?

[A short pause.]

Besides the obvious.

[Hawke, notably, does not get this question under any circumstances.]

[Later on, she's in the conservatory, considering the notebook with a faint frown.]

[goldendoll]

... Was there something off and subtle about it?

[ the whole thing ran on some heightened, theatrical logic, after all. which scans perfectly well to her, admittedly, though she knows it's not ordinary. ]

[bellpepperexercise]

[Kana doesn't feel quite as drained as she did after the emotional roller coaster of Sayo and Misty's trial, but there's still a distinct emptiness that she feels. It was all an accident, and now two people are dead. It's hard not to feel a little bit hopeless.

Still, the fruit sandwiches are nice. She always did prefer fruit over vegetables. Kana takes a bite and breathes out a tiny sigh of relief.]

Thanks, Usagi.

[Eventually, Kana does show up in the conservatory. She stares at the blank paper for a while. She doesn't know what to write. Especially not to her mother. Especially, she starts writing something at least.

Lottie,

Thank you for taking care of me when I was freaking out last week.]

Conservatory

[hootheart]

[Tiera's been hanging back, but she notices Kana writing to Lottie, and steps forward to add her own text once she's done.]

Will miss woods time, together. Thank you, for always be there.

[She could take the time to make it more grammatically correct, but that doesn't feel right. And part of her's still sore, perhaps, at those words at the trial.]

[hootheart]

[It's worse than last week. Mafuyu and Lottie were both her friends, both people important to her-and they're gone, just like that.

Tiera actually heads to Room A-1 first, looking for Mafuyu's books. If Thomasin is there as well, that's a bonus.

After that, she can be found at the dining hall, picking at the food, before heading out to the quad to eat, sitting there and remembering how she and Lottie were here just a little bit before. She eventually clambers up onto one of the tables, screeching up into the sky, screaming again and again until she's almost completely hoarse.]

a-1

[curdle]

[ Thomasin is, in fact, there! She's curled up into herself, her back pressed against the foot of the canopy bed, one book in her hands. Mafuyu's remaining manga volumes sit in a neat stack next to her on the floor. The door is unlocked, and Tiera will have to let herself in, because her ass is not moving! Any restraint Thomasin showed during the trial clearly vanished the second she got in here. While she's not actively crying at the moment, her face is glazed with tears, and her braids have come unpinned entirely.

She looks at the books next to her, then up at Tiera in expectant silence. ]

[rednails]

[When she was told by her bedside visitors about how bad the previous trial had been, she couldn't have imagined what it really felt like. Mariko is shaken up by it, but what else is new? These days she's in a continuous state of fear, of feeling that something is just around the corner out of sight, watching.

She's hesitant to accept Usagi's invitation. The apology note still sits by her bedside, sporting a few coffee rings from her new nighttime habit, unacknowledged. She's resentful of her own regret in the matter. Usagi was way out of line and it's ridiculous that anyone should side with her. So why does she feel bad?

Instead of properly attending the party, Mariko heads to the kitchen to make another pot of coffee. It's been done and brewed for a while but she's just staring at it, like she's forgotten that she's there.

"You don’t value life, Mariko!"

Eventually she makes her way upstairs, haunting the door frame to Room A-1. Mariko knows what loneliness feels like and, whether she liked it or not, Thomasin cared for Mafuyu. Her voice is barely above a whisper when she calls;]

Thomasin?

Kitchen

[sweetsynergy]

[Well, that's the look of someone Dealing Really Well.]




[anyway]

If you're brewing that for Thomasin I can tell you she doesn't take it black, at least.