From the white lights, the darkness comes...

[sageking]

Today's trial was a mixture of regret, anger, guilt, and second-thoughts. Perhaps some people realized that situations and choices weren't to be black or white. However, decisions were made, and whether it'd be through people keeping secrets or causing a ton of chaos...everyone could probably agree on one thing:

They've made their choices and no matter what happened in the coming days, they will lie in the beds they made for themselves. Whatever that should mean for each and every single person still living here.

That being said, there's still new choices to make. In the days to come, what will those be?

Comments

[foxetious]

[During the meeting but before he breaks off to talk to Gilgamesh and 'Mo Xuanyu,' Gin is hanging around near the edges, in case people feel the need to question him (again) on the efficacy of his powers.

He's still a bit disbelieving that this is Ango's brilliant plan, fwiw.]

[accessorytomurder]

[Arms loop around him from behind, loose but... decidedly lacking in hesitation, by this point.]

...hey. How's, um, Wei-kun holding up?

[In her infinite mercy, she doesn't ask after him directly from the start.]

[foxetious]

[He hums for a moment in acknowledgement and spares a glance towards Shinsou before addressing Nanaka again.]

Beauty, hm? Some would certainly see it that way... Personally, I find it's good for focusing the mind above all else.

[foxetious]

You're the one bested by me, weren't you?

[cw_suicide]

[she knows him so well already, wow. he just takes care to make sure the cigarette won't be in the way, even going as far as putting it out before reaching up to her.]

About as well as can be expected. Still wrapping his head around everything.

I think he was more caught off-guard than I was...

[last part said kind of quietly because. he sure. saw it coming. just not the details]

[accessorytomurder]

Mm.

[One of her hands slips up to comb idly through his hair, more soothing fluffing than actual order going on.]

You're... a pretty guarded guy, you know. But, um, tensing before a blow lands... doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, just the same.

[She squeezes him, gently.]

Don't... Don't use his pain to try and blot out or downsize your own. You know that isn't fair to either or you.

[white_camellia]

I do not believe the two concepts are separate, personally. Focus leads one to refining themselves, and from that refinement stems beauty. Constantly searching for ways to improve will ultimately affect other things as well.

[cw_suicide]

Houdini supposedly died because a fan punched him too hard before he could tense.

Or was that they ruptured his already inflamed appendix? I forget.

[but she's not wrong, and he knows it. he does already have the experience of the death of a friend coming without warning to compare it against and the truth is... they both. hurt. so intensely.]

... I told him, when he volunteered, someone was going to use that as a reason.

[and then Date had to go and actually use those words.]

I was still angry at him about the hesitating on speaking up about the votes, too. And yet, he still knew... I'd help him...

[he would have, too, if only the house would have let him!]

[ghostricked]

Right.

I just wish I had some kind of idea.

[ghostricked]

Evening, Rosa.

[ghostricked]

No. I'm just checking in on everyone.

[Ah, he must have checked on the bodies...]

[ghostricked]

Take the time you need. It'd be bad if you rushed and we got something wrong.

[accessorytomurder]

[She tilts his head, still terribly, terribly gentle with him, and presses her lips to his temple.]

Of course you would.

[Another one, on his forehead.]

Of course he did. Being angry isn't an end to anything, it's... it's transient.

[His cheek, softly.]

...no matter what his voice is used to say, next week, no amount of anger or miasma is going to change or undo the friendship you built together.

[She falters, briefly.]

In... in some ways, the two of you are a lot alike. You treasure other people so... so, so much more than your own selves.

[ghostricked]

If I see a chance... take it?

[If he was a human he'd be biting his lip. Instead he grooms his paw, stressed]

[cw_suicide]

[the last bit draws a small, strained laugh from him mostly because the second-to-last thing has a lump in his throat strangling him for a moment.

he tugs on her arm a bit in a bid to get her to come around to the other side.]

Maybe so. People who drink to the stray dogs are a bit like that.

[foxetious]

[Gin spends several long moments assessing Gilgamesh. Seemingly, he must find something in the look in Gil's stance, since he acquiesces to answer the implied question.]

...You could say Shinsou is the root of my other powers. They would not exist if he did not.

[...in a roundabout fashion]

[white_camellia]

That is a difficult question to answer. An opportunity may only come once, but sometimes there only appears to be an opportunity and taking it will simply lead into a trap.

Do not take things at face value, but do not let an opportunity slip away... Is a rather demanding request, is it not?

In the end, it all comes down to ichigo ichie.

[accessorytomurder]

[She moves obligingly, one arm still curled around the back of his neck.]

...I'm pretty fond of those type of people.

[She sucks in a wet little breath, but her smile wavers a little bit.]

I-I thought... it was pretty hard, not hugging Rin-chan, before. But, um. But, this is... it might be even tougher. Think Wei-kun would mind if I, um, i-if I deferred it to him?

[ghostricked]

Ichigo ichie?

even though its meeting, private time

[sageking]

[ Apparently so. But...it was what it was.

And, well even if there was slight insincerity, he referred to his title properly this time.

Anyway, he'll wait until other people have left and close the door behind them. He's given enough time if people say they wanted to assist or not, so.

His eyes flashed a color that was kind of amber for a moment before receding back to red. ]

I have.

I'm not blind to the fact that abilities have been affected, including the state of barriers. As a Caster, I should be able to increase the strength of the barriers as well. Enough so that it should hold for awhile, with even a few more additional people.

[ Because...defensive/magic spell buffs. He was capable of those. ]

Even so, it's safe to presume that the creature will attempt to interfere, on account that this would still mean some lives were preserved outside of its game in order for the barrier to remain as it was.

Some of the others have discussed ways to cause damage to this place. I've no doubt that doing so could weaken it for awhile to allow the barrier to still hold even with Subete's inclusion, and even if they don't, my own arsenal would be something for it to contend with.

Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the end all be all plan, but it's something we're discussing now since it could be viable, despite everything.

I'm willing to hear strategic thoughts and questions on this, naturally, including input because I do know more about Gin's barriers from the trial as opposed to yours.

[ Glancing at Wei. ]

[tangentlion]

You took me by surprise. But now I know your main trick. And me? I haven't even begun to crunch numbers yet.

[he holds out his hand and a blob of dark static zooms into it from another room. He tosses it up and down like a weird baseball]

But I'm not here to measure dicks. I'm wondering where you get off calling yourself a Reaper, with no wings... and never having been alive! Someone who has never tasted death doesn't have the right to calculate the value of a human soul!

[cw_suicide]

[he slides an arm around her waist to pull her down into the chair with him. because these seats are cozy for that.]

I don't think he'd mind. He might do the same, you know.

[accessorytomurder]

[She nestles in, tossing her legs over his lap and snuggling up to him.]

...he's going to need a lot, after he gets rid of that thing, isn't he?

[white_camellia]

It is a saying in tea ceremonies. It has a variety of meanings, but the core message is as follows: Every moment is a miracle that can never be repeated. At the same time, every moment is a chance to create a miracle that can never be repeated.

If one can understand the miracles that led us to this moment, one can create a miracle that can only be achieved at this moment.

[cw_suicide]

Mm... I don't really know the story behind that, but... it seems like something difficult.

But we'll keep an eye on him, right?