week one afterparty ★ where is this warmth going? when it's tomorrow, it'll vanish

[excavated]

The day had ended on a rather solemn note, with not just one innocent dead, but two.

Both the Great Detective, Erika Furudo and the magical girl known as Cure Aqua, Karen Minazuki were killed in cold blood, and all that was left behind was a pool of blood that acknowledged their deaths. And yet, in spite of that, they had to move forward... 🗈

Of course, in spite of the lingering feeling that hung in the air, the possible suspicion that would probably stick through them for the rest of their stay here, if not for the rest of their lives.

Being used to death, he knew very well the sting of having blood on your own hands. He understood too well the consequences. But he didn't want people to simply just blame themselves for something that wasn't entirely their fault.

Which is why after a while, he goes on ahead to search people out to tell them that if they would prefer not to be alone, they can come to the dining room and that there will be food. For those who stay in their rooms, however, they'll find a neatly handwritten letter:

To the one who might read this:

We're dealing with a difficult time and I know that because of this turn of events, that people might start to distrust one another and even make the decision to not face the future. But I don't want to hide and run away from our present; I want all of us to face the reality and change the future so that it isn't a sad one. I'm certain that the two that we lost would not want that from us, either.

Feel free to meet me in the dining room if you wish to mourn, or if you'd wish to not face all of this alone. Nobody deserves to be alone on a day like this. Food will be provided. Don't force yourself to come, though.

- Syaoran

Set up in the dining area are a lot of various comfort foods - a lot of soup based dishes, kebabs, hot pots, you name it. Even if the times are difficult, especially with the results, at the very least there's a small glimmer hope, right...?

Comments

Post Chapel adventure

[goldenmaniac]

[Takumi wants to sleep, but he knows he won't yet. So he's trying to nibble at food and sip the tea Akira made]

[excavated]

. . . are you okay?

[goldenmaniac]

... I think so?

[excavated]

Did something happen?

[goldenmaniac]

[He nods]

The epitath... it leads to under the chapel. Ruler, Wheatley and I investigated. We figured out the clues but... it was booby trapped. Everything burned down.

Almost died. Ruler-san saved me...

1 / 2

[excavated]

[ He freezes up for a second there, trying to process it all and isn't even able to say a single word at first, looking completely choked up. It's the first time at all today that he's expressed such an intense emotion in front of everyone; one that isn't just steely and serious. ]

[excavated]

[ And then his expression shifts into something more worrying, as he just moves to go behind Takumi and just.


Goes to hug him. ]

I'm really, really glad you're not dead, Takumi-san.

[goldenmaniac]

[He makes a small surprised noise.... and after a moment just... breaks down.]

[excavated]

[ He sees that and it actually hurts to see, because he knows the kind of person Takumi is. He's seen it in their own conversations, in the trial. There's a kindness that Takumi has that Syaoran just sometimes... wishes he still had. So he just simply lets it happen, quietly rubbing idle circles in an attempt to be reassuring. ] I really am glad. Really. I don't know how I would have felt if we lost a third person today...

[fullbodied]

[she's going to immediately look him over to make sure he's okay.]

I can't believe today. Any burns? I can probably go find some ointment.

[goldenmaniac]

I'm okay, I promise-!

[He wishes today wasn't so Much. Normally he would like being fussed over a little]

[fullbodied]

Don't just say that.

Seriously.

[she sits down across from him.]

[goldenmaniac]

[He looks sheepish and a little shamed]

Ah... I mean, I'm not hurt. Still... shook up.

[fullbodied]

[at least, that seems to get her to relax a little.]

Is there anything I can help with? Even if it's just... venting, y'know? There's a lot of that to go around right now probably.

[goldenmaniac]

[He looks at first like he's going to say no... but then sighs]

I shouldn't have gone to investigate like that by myself. I just... I was so angry about Karen, if I didn't do something I thought I was going to scream. Is... is that normal?

[fullbodied]

... Can I tell you something? Something-- well... really personal.

[improbablenotimpossible]

[Ruler is slowly nursing the tea, not touching his food at all, an arm curled over the book that caused them to have such a fit]

[fullbodied]

[just like she's checking on Takumi, it's time to check on Ruler, too.]

Hey-..

[she pauses]

You're alright, right? I can't heal but...

[improbablenotimpossible]

I'm fine... no one was injured thankfully.

[Though his heart nearly stopped a few times during the incident]

[fullbodied]

If you'd waited, I would have went with you.

[she's totally ignoring she's not immune to fire anymore. but it's a nice thought.]

What happened??

[improbablenotimpossible]

Takumi figured out the.

[Long sigh]

the long way of the Epitaph, Wheatley and I joined him - and the last stanza seemed to have been a trap, given it set the entire chapel on fire.

[Then his brows narrowed]

And it turned out we didn't even need to go through that.

[fullbodied]

[well. that explains a lot.]

And you guys didn't want to wait, once you'd started, huh? Not after today.

[improbablenotimpossible]

In hindsight we probably should have, however I have a terrible habit of focusing hard when something of interest comes up.

At least we got the book in the end.

[goldenmaniac]

... thank you, by the way.

[improbablenotimpossible]

It shouldn't have happened in the first place - but I am glad I made it in time...