don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[captainobnoxious]

But there's just some people that grind your gears, right? There's nothing wrong with that, Biki, just because you've got a few you can't be friendly with doesn't mean you're not a good girl. A good idol either.

[Though she understands the importance of appearances more than anyone, honestly. Being a leader has a different set of expectations... but it's no different in that aspect.]

At least, in my opinion. What's the point of trying to get along with everyone if you can't be honest with them and yourself?

[firstaid]

...do you know why fractured dimensions exist?

[hesperos]

[ He smirks for a bit, because he's been wanting to crack a title joke for all of these weeks and he's gotten the chance to do exactly just that! ]

Hey, so, do you plan on asking everyone else about their secret if they're gonna just happen on by too?

[ninehundredlives]

But the wording wasn't wrong, was it? "My actions"...I only put the flowers in there because I was hiding them from Eric. There was this other man who kept sending them...

[ninehundredlives]

I've known Alena knew for a while. We...well, we didn't really talk about it. Something came out of the machine, and I went to yell at her about it.

[brandnewday]

[Biki...it's a cute nickname, but it'd be even nicer if it was coming from a friend? Right now, she sort of feels like a rival(???) has come into her room to give her a lecture. It's not really easy to open up in a situation like this.]

I am a good idol! On stage, beneath the sparkling lights, it's like all my dreams are comin' true. I can help my fans smile, laugh, cheer, and forget their problems just for a short while! And when I'm on TV, I can teach 'em something new every show! It's the greatest job in the world! There's no kind of job that's too hard for me!

[But her enthusiasm fades a little.]

But it's different outside of that. I don't think I'm dishonest! I just don't really know how to fit in. And when I'm alone...I don't know how to feel that way I do on stage.

[Maybe Sigrun's noticed it in passing. How Hibiki tends to sulk when she's alone, but when she's with someone she's talked to frequently before, she lights up completely.]

[firstaid]

It's probably also better to just be transparent.

[Since this is a messed up trust exercise and all.]

[heritrix]

It's a little bit of both. Human mages can generate magical energy too, by converting their own life force, but our spells won't activate in the first place without interacting with the mana in the world around us.

[She raises a finger.] You know how you can't have fire without oxygen, right? It's exactly like that. We're providing the fuel, but without the world's energy to create that chain reaction, we can't make any explosions.

[That's imagery she hopes Tabby can appreciate, because Rin also enjoys blowing things up. Both figuratively and literally in this case; the girl does love her exploding gems. But anyways:]

Both resources replenish, but at different rates. It might take only a few days or hours for humans to generate more mana, depending on how much has been used, but the world replenishes its energy more slowly, as best as its able.

If too much was taken from it all at once, then yeah. It really could be gone forever. It's happened in other worlds.

[heritrix]

Oh? Did you have to host a party or something?

[That would be scary to someone who's nervous about interacting with people, Rin bets.]

[notaccurate]

[He makes a face at the 'get a dog' suggestion.]

Why would getting a dog help in any way? They are as much work as a child, and even then there is not the eventual payoff of 'they will be an adult that can take care of themselves someday.'

[notaccurate]

[This took an abrupt turn.]

Like a haunting?

[Luca's first instinct is to say 'ghosts aren't real', but. Well. They might be real in other worlds.]

[notaccurate]

[Luca raises his glass too.]

To brighter futures.

[notaccurate]

[Estelle, you are too good and pure for this murdergame.]

You have been listening to my worries, but how about yourself? Are you holding up alright?

[heritrix]

[...Rin actually can't argue against that. Keeping her head held high, her gaze lingers beyond Susan's shoulder for a moment in thought, before going back to her.]

I can't refute that. [She wants to, for Susan's sake, but her pragmatism won't let her.] If I tried, I'd be creating a double standard, or otherwise excusing my own actions.

[destage]

Understood!

[She will do just that, then--milk and eggs, obtained, and set out.]

Is there anything else I can help you with, Tabby-san?

[firstaid]

[Estelle nods.]

In comparison to others, I'm actually doing quite well.

[She was never afraid of her secret and she's more than happy to check on others. So right now, she doesn't want to focus on herself or her worries. She wants to take care of others.]

[destage]

...Yeah...

[Like, seriously, some of these are just...what the hell were the priorities of the coordinators, jesus christ.]

They're probably not expecting anyone to ask for context on these, and just expecting us to take it all at face value.

[notaccurate]

Even though your secret is...

[Luca never thought that Estelle could have done something particularly bad, but that secret was especially worrying.]

[firstaid]

[At that she bows her head a bit.]

I... already knew all of this. It's just a fact I've accepted.

[And something she may potentially die for.]

[notaccurate]

But why is you being alive killing your world?

[destage]

[Sayaka beams and takes nice drink from her glass, before sighing contently.]

Honestly...I've never had this kind of hope back home. It's honestly a wonderful thing, you know? Even if it's...you know, here.

[notaccurate]

Funny how dark situations bring out the best in people, isn't it?

[Then again, it can also bring out the worst. Like how Walter probably murdered Fern to keep his secret safe.]

[firstaid]

My power. Every time I used it, it was only causing my world harm. I... didn't know. I... also killed someone with my power to heal others.

[A poison is what she is...]

[notaccurate]

Oh.

[That's...awkward.]

Though I suppose if it's just your powers that cause it, and not you, you could just avoid using your powers.

[He's not even going to address that 'killing someone' part because how the hell do you kill someone with healing?]

[firstaid]

I... I wish I could but it's such a habit now.

[Her friends try to stop her, and sometimes they do, but really... it's difficult to not want to heal someone in front of her.]

Do I just let someone injured stay injured where there's something I can do about it?