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.

[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.

[keyringwitness]

[Yasu perks up when Dylan opens the door to a proper talk about magic. It was different with the maid matron, whenever they discussed it. Like it was a secret trick she was teaching Yasu, something that they couldn't share outside of those quiet moments together. But if someone was asking for Yasu to share that secret world, well... it would be a nice distraction, at least.]

Um... don't tell Thomasin about this, I t- think she wouldn't like it, but...

I'm friends with a witch.

Er. Sort of. [Fiddling with her fingers, Yasu straightens slightly, her grief fading in the face of finally getting to show her universe to someone else.] S- See, back on the island, there's a witch who haunts the forest around the mansion, and wanders the halls at night. Her name is Beatrice. N- Nobody can really see her, but I know she exists- why else would all my things keep disappearing whenever I looked away?

I really hated her for a little while, she made my job hard, and all of my tools vanishing made me seem irresponsible, but, um... that all changed the day I met her properly, inside the island's chapel.

[canismajorcontrolfreak]

Secret's safe with me.

[As Yasu goes on with the topic, a part of Dylan can't help but come up with a certain conclusion. A witch who haunts the forest that nobody can see and steals people's things? Sounds more like imagination at work than anything to do with magic.

But...the smile on Yasu's face pushes down any instinct to debate the topic. If it makes her feel better, than who was he to take down about it?]

So what happened when you met her? Oh, wait, let me guess...she offered to teach you magic?

[keyringwitness]

[Thanks for not shattering Yasu's dreams, Dylan, unlike what certain other boys would do in her future,]

Um... not exactly. I was trying to "see" her form with... er, the orphanage director called it the "eyes of the soul," and said that we were supposed to s- see God and all His angels with it, not... witches.

But I did see her! And she kept on playing pranks on me, and moving everything around the chapel, and mocking me, but... she seemed... lonely. Really lonely.

Nobody could see her, after all. So... I offered to be her friend. At first she laughed it off, but then the b- broom she stole from me was right outside after. She still kept me on my toes, but... she reminded me of things I needed to watch out for. Told my fortune. Even, um, got revenge on some of my meaner coworkers, even though I didn't really want her to...