Week 3 Post-Trial

[xxxx_me]

[It's hard to feel much cheer after finding out the culprit. Everyone's welcome to do whatever brings them peace after such a tense time, whether it's jotting down memories before the next loss or finding other things to occupy themselves with.]

Comments

[undershadow]

Yeah, I kinda doubt anyone's got enough energy for murder after all that. But just in case. [ She lifts her head up off the ground just enough to say: ] Hey, Neku.

[scratchitti]

Hey Lena. Want me to leave?

[undershadow]

Me and all the deadly plants could use some company, I guess. Even from one of those dangerous, murdering teens.

[ She sighs. ]

What a week, huh?

[scratchitti]

Seriously. It's been... a lot.

[he comes to sit]

Good job tearing them up by the way.

[undershadow]

Knowing the creepy twins, it'll be back by tomorrow... but thanks.

You know, I didn't even see nightshade when I checked it out the first time? So maybe they just, like, play-doughed it into existence once Manaka started getting antsy.

[scratchitti]

Wouldn't surprise me. Soon as she started plotting just 'pop'.

[undershadow]

They're just giving like that, you know? And here I thought knowing about dumb poisons might help someone for once.

But that's on me for having hope, honestly. ... And her. For killing someone in cold blood.

[scratchitti]

Yeah... she was creepy but I never would have expected a kid to be that cold-blooded.

[He winces- it's not cool to badmouth the dead but...]

[undershadow]

[ There's a long period of silence, where Lena blinks up at the sky. Weighing how rude this is, maybe? ]

... I did.

[ Or not! ]

[scratchitti]

...

[He glances over at her, a little surprised, but not judging]

Her specifically or like, kids in general?

[undershadow]

No, no, Manaka. [ She's struggling for words that can communicate her intent without betraying too much. ] Nothing ever really... got to her, you know? And it's not like she just had a really good poker face.

[ And even if she did, that would be a bad sign, because Lena also has one of those! ]

It was more like nothing actually mattered to her but Saber. Her portrait basically spelled it out.

[scratchitti]

Hm. Yeah, you're not wrong. She was like one of those creepy horror movie kids but real. Or like...

[He doesn't want to try and play armchair psychologist but-]

... like she didn't really have any empathy? I mostly avoided her because of it.

[undershadow]

... I don't know if she had anything. The first day here, I mentioned getting mad just to get mad, and it was like... a totally foreign concept. If the only thing she really felt normal about was this Saber guy, she'd want to hold onto him. And it's not like anything else was standing in her way.

[ Like morals! One of her hands goes to the other wrist, seemingly without her even realizing it, to touch the friendship bracelet she has wrapped around it. ]

And she was also obviously a witch, but that was a whole other thing.

[scratchitti]

I mean, a witch isn't the weirdest shit here. But... it's kinda sad. I guess if only one thing made me feel anything I'd go nuts to get it too.

[undershadow]

... Yeah. And — I kind of get it? One person totally changing everything. But that's why I could never do what she did.

[scratchitti]

Yeah?

[He can kinda get it- losing someone changed him, and finding someone did the same]

[undershadow]

Webby — uh, Webbigail Vanderquack. She's my best friend, I guess.

[ this is maybe the lamest attempt at downplaying her feelings she's ever made but whatever ]

You know how some people are just... good? Like, better than you.

[ She feels like she at least has some backing behind asking this question, considering what he said to Seven! Those were the words of a person who's Been Through It. ]

[scratchitti]

Oh... yeah, yeah I do.

[His tone is soft. Softer than he's ever sounded here. Like he's remembering something he cares deeply for]

I'm lucky I've met someone like that twice.

[undershadow]

Man, I'm lucky I met one once. I didn't really "do" friends until she showed up. It was always easier not to get attached. The second you start caring about stuff, you're basically daring everyone else to take advantage of it.

... and now I'm telling you about how great she is, so obviously that was a bust.

[scratchitti]

Look, I basically told Seven the exact same thing in there, so... just say you're telling a kindred soul or something sappy like that. She must be something special.

[undershadow]

She's something else, that's for sure. [ A beat. ] Welp, there goes my casually aloof image.

... You wanna talk about it? While we're getting sappy.

[ technically manaka's the one who really got sappy today but shhhhhh ]