Post-Trial I Afterparty

[cellpreservation]

[They're down two of their number, and who knows how many more will follow, but for tonight at least... They have a chance to rest.

The school has already been cleaned, leaving no signs of the deaths that occurred on this very day, but that's just as well. After looking around to make sure of that much, Yuta marches into the kitchen and, after a bit of looking around, ends up gathering some snacks: boxed crackers and apple slices that aren't perfectly even in cut but look, he's not the chef of his group, he did his best. These he sets out on some plates in the cafeteria before finding his usual seat to lounge in, eating some apple slices off of a smaller plate he grabbed just for himself.

And then, he waits - to see who trickles in, and who doesn't.

Where is your character in the aftermath?]

Comments

[keyringwitness]

[Yasu has never pet a dog before in her life, but finds the process oddly relieving as she scritches Dylan's ears.

But there's something she needs to say, even if somewhere deep down she knows that Gospel House doesn't entirely deserve the defense.]

It's n- not like, um...

That the orphanage did that to me. [She pauses, having to take several moments to breathe after remembering that she exposed her shameful secret to everyone in class.] I've had it for, er, as long as I c- can remember. It hurts a little bit when I, um, get taller or something, but... really, it's fine.

But still, I... [Yasu curls up, one hand still petting Dylan.] I don't want to go back there. I really don't.

Re: Music Room

[lets_dewey_it]

Yeah... My brother Louie always thinks of it when he's scared. So I thought, I should think of it to give myself hope, and maybe give everyone else that same hope by letting them hear it. Maybe that's corny or naïve, but... it's just that important to me.

[britbrat]

I don't need your help - ow, ow, ow -

[ What would almost certainly have been an impressive proclamation of self-sufficiency is interrupted by more ouchies. Valmont clutches his hand, wincing, and his eyes dart between Emma, Anya, and the increasingly tempting relief promised by the cool washcloth. Finally, reluctantly, to Anya: ]

Ughhh. Just be quick about it.

[ He snatches up the cloth and, with a hiss of pain, presses it to his injured hand. It does make him feel better, and he hates it. The teakettle continues to whistle behind him. ]

[violence_ensues]

ooooo... Anybody can be a hero if they wanted to! I wasn't born one, I just became one!

[panglici]

I don't think so. I didn't want it to be her.

[hashtagwoof]

[ Hunter winces. Valmont may be a jerk, but that still looks like a nasty burn. And not the funny kind. ]

Dude... How high did you put the temperature for? [ He goes to make sure the stove is turned OFF before trying to find an oven mitt. ] I'd be running cold water over that hand if I were you.

[canismajorcontrolfreak]

[...if Dylan were more up for talking at the moment, he'd admit, that's surprising. Already the orphanage forced its charges to be maids and servants at ages as young as six, and life was so bad that Yasu barely knew him for a week before she was willing to trust him and agree to come home with him. Something like...that...feels like a small leap from one to the other, really.

Of course, the fact that it wasn't actually the orphanage that caused it didn't make them look any better in his eyes, and Yasu only assured that that was justified.]

I...I don't think it's fine. But I'm-I'm not going to force you to talk about it. Just...if you need to, I can listen.

[He scootches his head a little closer into her lap, hoping the action is comforting.]

In fact...do you wanna talk about something else? Like...magic, maybe?

[He still doesn't believe it, but...better a distraction than focusing on current issues, right?]

And...don't worry. If there's one thing that I think everyone's agreed on...you should never have to go back to that place.

[canreallymove]

[Don't mind him, he's just come from the gym after a long evening of just Throwing Things and-]

Woah! Y...you ok there, dudette?

[He saw the whole throwing open the door thing.]

[holyironmade]

[Jeanne expected something like this to happen and to need to get it out of the way. She was even pretty sure that Emma would come down on this side of things. But there's one thing. Maybe she's just misinterpreting that one key sign in the middle, is too certain of the specific trial conversation referenced. So she simcoms it back as best she can.]

Either...?

Not Yasu, not Jeanne either...?

[copycut]

That's right. We can't have anyone fainting from hunger right now, so you better fix that.

[ It's not like Kuro knows how to cook. Preparing little snacks like this... It's already about all she can do. That's why she picks up one of the apple slices they just decorated and wields it in the direction of Jeanne's mouth, the forcefulness behind the gesture suggesting she isn't going to take no for an answer. ]

These should at least keep you going until someone makes something else. Take it.

[copycut]

[ Yuta is the one who cut the apples! Of course, the cherries were all her... ]

If you're not sure which name to use, you can always call me onee-chan instead~ [ huhu ] Most people call me "Kuro," though, so it's fine if you want to, too.

[ She watches as Yasu nibbles. Even if it's not the most enthusiastic eating in the world, Kuro looks satisfied with the result. ]

No, you helped a lot. All of your conclusions pointed us on the right track. Just because things got a little chaotic doesn't mean you didn't add anything of value.

[britbrat]

As high as it would go, of course. How else could I ensure the water would be hot enough for tea?

[ Spoken through gritted teeth as the burn on his hand throbs harder. He hopes it's not too visible to Hunter that he's tearing up a little. This is stupid and humiliating and he did not need it today. ]

- Right. Cold water. Yes, obviously I was just about to do that. Let me -

[ He wrenches open the tap, hissing as the water hits his skin, and very much not making eye contact with Hunter. Stupid, stupid, stupid. ]

[holyironmade]

!!!

...oh.

You're just waiting.

[It speaks. An amount after the revelations of today. That Jeanne genuinely expected to be gagged. She takes the slice by both corners and chews it solemnly.]

This is... sweet. [The food or the gesture? Or the girl? Hm!]

[hashtagwoof]

[ That is probably not how you make tea, but... Just be glad Hunter's not looking at Valmont either. ]

You know, there are coffee machines that also make tea in the future. Maybe use that if this school actually has one.

[ He says as he puts on the oven mitt, picks up the piping hot kettle with said oven mitt, and goes to fetch a coffee mug. Because a beverage at boiling lava temperature would probably melt a regular cup.

Is this actually tea, by the way? ]

[holyironmade]

[Jeanne cannot hide her instinctive sadness. But she tries. She whispers:]

I understand.

[Her body tilts a bit.]

Can I ask you something? Were you forced... or brought up if you will... to go to church back then?

[copycut]

[ Evidently, this is enough to satisfy whatever instinct has been gnawing at Kuro's thoughts. She rolls her shoulders in a slight, relaxed movement, and then she snatches up an apple slice to nibble on herself. She would be lying if she claimed she wasn't hungry herself, after all. ]

I guess you're the kind of person who doesn't normally eat sweets very often, huh? [ Kuro interprets the comment as the first of those—or, at least, she acts like that's the case. ] Let me guess: Doing that would be gluttonous, right?

[holyironmade]

Death comes for us all. But six months [the speculated duration of their brainwashing] is a long time.

[temmapathy]

No! I guess it's not really the same, because you DID choose it, but that doesn't mean you should go back! Don't you like being able to walk around outside and talk with all of us?

[britbrat]

[ Valmont thought he had a pretty decent handle on the tea-making process. You take water. You make the water be hot. You put the water in the teacup. If even a servant can do it, how hard can it be? ]

Coffee machines that make tea...? How?

[ Not that Valmont has ever used a coffee machine in his life, but coffee is coffee. Tea is tea. Never the twain shall meet, right? What's next - dogs and cats living together? Mass hysteria.

(It's in the process of being tea! That is to say, it's boiling water. Lying abandoned on the counter is the teabag Valmont's gotten out to pour said water over. He knows that much about how it works, at least.) ]

[holyironmade]

[Her head tilts. She's relieved the direct comparison is being reduced but now has to deal with an argument that compels her more.]

I like being powerless less.

You have your own happy memories here of playing among us as our friend. Would that be worth prolonging our plight?

[holyironmade]

I... would... rather not confirm or deny that.

[Huh, seems like Kuro hit some kind of jackpot there as Jeanne nervously pouts. What reason does she have to not confirm something so plausible? She even tries to quickly turn the question around.]

Does that mean you eat them whenever you want? How enviable. [...objectively! Not Jeanne herself admitting to anything!] Much is possible through the power of exercise.

[temmapathy]

No, I don't want to be stuck here! But I still like that I meant all of you. Do you NEED to be stuck in there to use your powers? Does everyone in your organization do that?

[holyironmade]

The torture is to increase the amount of power I can expend. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say the amount I can expend in one day's work. [Jeanne has been sheltered as heck so she has no idea how much this sounds like an "MP cap" in a video game.] I can fight most of Hao's followers easily. I am proud of being able to protect my comrades this much. And they are proud of what they have done to protect me. But our levels of potential are different. I still need more power to defeat Hao himself.

[hashtagwoof]

Same way coffee machines make coffee. [ He says flatly as he drops the tea bag into the cup of hot water. ] Just put the tea thingy where the coffee thing goes and let it brew.

[ Very useful for when the hired help is busy or asleep, and the live-in servant is a cat that can only do so much for you.

He sets the mug of hot water and tea bag on the counter in front of Valmont. ] There. Just let it sit for a few minutes and you should have your tea. [ Don't quote him on this, he's used to brewing it in the coffee machine. ]

[keyringwitness]

...how? I don't see how anybody like m- me could... could...

[Be useful. Be smart. Be more than a vessel for something better.]