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

[brandnewday]

[Someone has to show up, right? But like hell is Hibiki going to sit in the secrets room. Just like two weeks ago, she brings a chair somewhere else. This time, she sits in the hallway just outside the dining room with a bowl of cereal to pick it. Really, she's just running her spoon through it over and over.

That sure is something, right?

After it gets too late to sit around feeling numb, she returns to Room #27. Predictably, anyone who comes by and gets her to answer the door will found out she's been crying. It's a good thing the rooms are soundproof.]

hallway

[matchbreaker]

Hey girl, sulking alone out here?

[ The woman exhales this, stepping into the hall herself. Her eyes are already in catlike mode, her fangs lightly exposed. But she doesn't baring any sort of naked hostility - it seems to just be a bit of carry over for her existing mood. ]

Re: hallway

[brandnewday]

Mm. Somethin' like that. Maybe it's more like...tryin' to process everythin' I've seen and read today? I feel like I'm gonna go to bed and wake up somewhere new again. Like, a spaceship.

[Today was a trip, Elda.]

[matchbreaker]

That you would be so lucky.

[ she says it with a laugh, crouching down next to Hibiki, her lips parted into a smirk. ]

No, I imagine we'll still be stuck here tomorrow. And then the next day, and some new dream'll happen.

[brandnewday]

Maybe if enough weird things keep happenin', we'll wake up somewhere nice instead. But it's not like I actually believe that.

[She sighs, setting her bowl on her lap and stretching her arms.]

Today was a mess, huh? Like even more than usual.

[matchbreaker]

[ Mmm. ]

... It has been, it's true. Green sure made a mess of things... though I suppose that isn't her.

[brandnewday]

If anyone made a mess out of things, it's White-san, isn't it? He's the one who started all of this. Though...he was pretty sick. I don't know what I'd think if I were that sick.

[It's not black or white. It's not grey, either. This week, everything is green.]

[matchbreaker]

Oh don't make it so difficult for me.

[ Haha... ha. Laughs and shakes her head, tailing off into a sigh. ] ... That's right though, certainly. He's the one who made a mess of things.

[brandnewday]

I'm makin' it difficult?

[She's a little lost there.]

Even though everything...everything! It was all a mess! I'm still kinda relieved in a way. White-san...he killed Fern. And she, um...those bacteria got revenge for her. That part is simple. It's not like when Jean or Caren died.

room

[captainobnoxious]

[... As bad as a foot as they got off on, Sigrun's not one to leave lonely people alone, so. She'll look around for Hibiki first and then study the plates to try and remember which was hers... oh, Vivacious, right.

She'll knock on it.]

[brandnewday]

Eide-san!

[Of course, sniffling was heard as soon as Hibiki cracked the door even a little. Really, she should've slammed the door shut right there because she's not sure if she trusts Sigrun? But instead, she's so surprised to see her that she opens her door wide open out of surprise. From her eyes, it's obvious she's been crying.]

Did I do somethin' wrong? D-did somethin' happen? Is there an emergency?

["Are you here to kill me" doesn't cross her mind, thankfully.]

[captainobnoxious]

No, no! I just wanted to keep you company, that's all. It's been a rough day.

[She cries when she's alone, after. Sigrun can't have that and the evidence is enough.]

[brandnewday]

[This is a little suspicious, but Hibiki is too gullible to question it. She steps aside so Sigrun can enter. Her room is neat and bare, though it looks like she's been attempting to sleep.]

Alright. Um...you can come in, then. I'm kinda surprised, but I don't mind.

[captainobnoxious]

[There we go. Sigrun'll come in and make herself comfy on Hibiki's bed, sorry she's kind of rude.]

We got off on the wrong foot and I think you're sort of naive sometimes, but it's good to have people like that! Gives others something to look at and admire. I like 'em.

[Well enough, anyway.]

So I don't want you to be alone.

[brandnewday]

[...Alright, then. Hibiki slow blinks as she turns her desk chair to face the bed. As she takes a seat, she doesn't move her eyes off of Sigrun even for a second.

She's so confused.]

Eh? You like me?

[Another slow blink.]

Oh. You read that, huh? It's not really as, um...'complicated' as the other secrets, is it.

[She's trying to recall Sigrun's now. But Sigrun's didn't involve war or a death tally or a dying world.]

[captainobnoxious]

[In theory, she does. Practice has yet to truly be seen.]

It's not, but that's why I remember it better. I don't really care a lot about other people's business unless they're bringing it with them, you know? It's theirs, not mine, if it stays where it should then whatever.

[brandnewday]

I guess that makes sense...mine's more about how I feel. Gyah! I feel super embarrassed now that everyone knows! It's not like I'm cryin' all the time.

[But she's cried during trials before. And probably during at least one of the meetings? And while walking around, maybe. Definitely at after-parties.]

Hallway

[ninehundredlives]

Hibiki?

[Susan was...honestly on her way back to her room with her box of cereal, but she'll stop for this.]

What are you doing out here?

[brandnewday]

I don't really wanna sit in there. The energy's bad, y'know?

[It feels cursed. All those death tolls on the wall.]

But I still wanted to be out and around, I guess. I can hear and see everyone just fine! But I don't wanna be near that wall.

[ninehundredlives]

...no. I guess that makes sense.

[She leans against the wall, sort of sure what she wants to say, but not sure if she should.]

Are you doing okay?

[brandnewday]

Mm...you know how when you hurt yourself, it always hurts more after you sleep? I feel like it's gonna be like that. I'm okay right now! But it'll seem less weird and more real tomorrow.

[It all happened. It all really happened! But it still feels like Fern (Walter who?) will be back in the morning, like those secrets won't be there.

Though...speaking of secrets, she has no idea how to address Susan's at all. So she's not going to.]

Are you okay, Susan? You were right in the thick of it, huh? You're really brave!

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve...

[...hm]

I think I’ve seen worse. Worse people than that thing ended up being, at least.

[brandnewday]

Eh? You've seen worse than...than that...um...collection of things?

[Hibiki's eyes go wide at that. So, Susan is from somewhere weird, too?]

But I don't think it was bad! I mean, I don't...Fern wasn't bad. That wasn't Fern.

[ninehundredlives]

No. Fern was already gone. And that thing...she killed Walter, but he had it coming. It's just that she tried to kill us, too.

[Maybe not really a bad person, despite being visually horrifying. Not as bad as Walter, at least.]

[brandnewday]

I don't feel bad for that thing. It wasn't Fern, so...I'm just glad you were okay. I couldn't even move!

[Just because she loves animals doesn't mean she has to like bacteria, okay?]