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

[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.

[matchbreaker]

What makes it so different? That you can absolve yourself of having killed her?

[ Because obviously no one is voting incorrectly that would be stupid. ... But yes she was, complicating Elda's narrative, gosh. ]

[brandnewday]

It's not that. I'm not tryin' to make things easier for me.

[And she sounds a little upset at the accusation!]

It's just that Fern was already gone. And White-san, he tried to kill someone. It sorta balances out...in a way, her body managed to protect us from him. I'm kinda hopin' she can rest easier knowin' that. What happened in the trial was awful, but it still sorta worked somehow.

[matchbreaker]

Don't make her into the biggest possible hero - after all, she... well, "she" - the things within her did try to kill us.

[ She frowns a little. They only "won" because of Kimblee, didn't they? She pegged it down, but Kimblee saw it way before. It bugs her, but not half as much as the fact she thought she had finally caught Fern in some hypocrisy, cornered her completely. But... She was already dead.

Elda's voice is quiet, frustrated.

Because Hibiki's right. She didn't intend to do anything, she just... was killed. And vengeance being taken like that? while she's surprised Hibiki would think like that, that's something Elda can agree with and she's pretty sure Fern would too. Mm. ]

[brandnewday]

Yeah. Those things saved us, and then they tried to kill us. And it was horrifyin'.

[She never thought she'd be thankful to Jericho for interrupting her panic. She remembers that moment of fear. Who were they supposed to vote for? What was really going to happen? The rules were once again defined right in front of them in an extreme case, and she'd really like it if those extreme cases stopped happening.

Her own voice is quiet when she speaks up again.]

Maybe she's not a hero, but I'm really gonna miss her. My feelings on that won't change because of that thing.

[matchbreaker]

[ Che To think there's some other kid who thinks highly of the woman. She's certainly not a hero. she's just... more wreckage, honestly. Nothing special, but also - also not really anything too terrible.

Other than hatefully, disgustingly human. ]

No, no, you might as well keep them steady if you can. Honestly, I found her obnoxious, and I'm frustrated by the result - especially that we don't even get her secret.

[brandnewday]

You're frustrated?

[Hibiki snaps back to attention. She didn't expect to hear that. Fern is kind! Just like her title, she's nurturing.

If Elda asked, though, Hibiki would say she thinks Elda is pretty cool, too. Alas, the poor misinformed youth.]

I guess she'll always be kinda mysterious like that, huh. [But. Secrets.] You probably read mine, huh?

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods. Of course she is. But at that... she snorts and smiles sidelong at Hibiki. ]

It would be irresponsible not to.

[brandnewday]

I sorta get the feelin' you're not surprised by mine.

[matchbreaker]

I don't know you well enough to say one way or the other! It's not as if I'm ignorant to how it's embarrassing, but it's much more normal as compared to some of the others.

[brandnewday]

It's not normal to me. I don't really want any of the other idols back home to know. But you're right. It's kinda not important compared to the others.

[Like. About. How Elda is a vampire.]

Hey, Elda. ...I don't mind that you're a vampire.

[matchbreaker]

[ Well that makes her pause. She frowns and shakes her head before she ... ]

... That's easy to say while they're putting out a lot of blood for me.

[brandnewday]

But you have to drink blood, right? I wouldn't get mad at a cat who ate a mouse, and I love both cats and mice! What you eat doesn't really define you to me.

[matchbreaker]

It's not a cat and a mouse though. You are the mouse.

[ In fact, to make this point a little more clear, she's going to shoot a hand out now. She's not intending to touch Hibiki, but the long lady nails are shooting out to stop just just for her neck in a very quick movement. ]

[brandnewday]

H-hey!

[She flinches visibly, but she's holding onto a bowl of cereal so she can't really dive out of the way or anything. It's scary.]

That doesn't convince me that vampires are bad! It just convinces me that you're kinda scary!

[It's Elda's personality, in other words.]

[matchbreaker]

Is that really all that different?

[ Her eyes seem to shine in the limited light, like a reflective cat.. ]

[brandnewday]

It means you're tryin' to scare me because you're you and not because you're a vampire.

[Only Hibiki could be this stupid? Also, she likes cat eyes??]

You helped me memorize everyone's names and titles, remember? That's one of the nicest things anyone's done for me here.

[matchbreaker]

[ Gaaaawd this girl. Her eyes return to normal and she - scratches her neck. Not harshly, not enough to even cut anything, just to brush with sharp nails before taking her hand back. ]

Chee. Of course I remember that. Your kindness standards are too low.

[brandnewday]

Mm...we're supposed to kill each other, Elda. I'm pretty sure my kindness standards are alright where they are.

[Seriously. She's fine.]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Is that fatalistic or realistic? She's not sure, but it bugs her so much she's going to dig a nail into Hibiki's cheek. ]

[brandnewday]

H-hey! Ow!

[She turns her head away, pouting. If she had to guess why she was scratched, she'd have said it was for being too cheeky.]

I'm just sayin'! I didn't meant to upset ya.

[matchbreaker]

[ Tch. ]

I'm not immune here, everyone's going to be upset. I've got a target on my back now, in plenty of ways.

[brandnewday]

[Is what she said really that upsetting? She wants to ask for an explanation, but she's pretty sure she'd just get called dense or something.]

Why would you have a target on your back? Is it because you're a vampire?

[matchbreaker]

Yes. Even if people aren't going to kill me for that, that's a splinter in people's minds, to make me more suspicious if something else happens.

[ Mmm. ]