It's time for an after party!

[perpend]

[About an hour after the trial and subsequent execution, Cabanela makes a decision.

They need to do something, keep the morale up, however little it may be.

Under each occupied room door people will find the following note written:


In difficult times such as this, it is important to carry on.
Don't give into despair; we must preservere.
If you don't want to be alone this evening, meet me in the dining hall.
-Cabanela

[Upon entering the dinning hall, you will find Cabanela sitting at one of the tables; he has lit two candles that are placed at the center of the table, but there's nothing else to note.

You'll have to supply your own food, since he doesn't have much of an appetite.]

Comments

[charcoalfeather]

[She shifts a little, too. Thank goodness that he wasn't against sitting while they talked, because Rakka would not have put it past herself for her legs to give out. And it is comforting, to some extent, sitting with someone else.]

...I'm sorry. It sounds like he was your friend.

[Just a little something she parsed throughout the trial.]

[decrees]

[For a moment Logan is tempted to argue that, as he's been doing for years and all through the trial. But instead he finally nods stiffly.]

Yes, he is-- was. He was my friend.

[The correction is awkward, but it's necessary.]

[charcoalfeather]

[She notes that look, feeling like she may have just said the wrong thing... until he finally relents. A sense of connection seemed to be established.]

Oh. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...

[Her gaze dips. Bringing up someone after they've been brutally executed in front of you probably isn't kosher, is it.]

[decrees]

No, it's alright. You don't need to apologize. I'm... still working through this.

[And he probably will be for the rest of his life.]

...This is the first time I've considered him a friend. I kept insisting he wasn't; my mother told me I should never trust him, but...

[Sorry about the rambling, Rakka. As he said, he's trying to work through it.]

[charcoalfeather]

[At least he's actually trying. You've made an attempt, Logan.]

W-well... [She can't say anything; Rakka has been working on whatever "this" is for a week now.] what changed that? Umm, not that you need to answer....

[decrees]

[Logan is quiet for a moment as he thinks about that. It's pretty obvious when things changed, isn't it?]

...Four years ago. I went through something... horrifying, and when I returned, I couldn't talk about it. No one would have believed me and I was under a lot of stress at the time. Reaver visited me and forced me to discuss what had happened, then proceeded to help me get back on my feet. It wasn't particularly gentle, but he said what I needed to hear.

I cannot go into any more details than that.

[And even that is giving Rakka part of the story no one else has gotten, so that's a thing! Logan looks a little uneasy as he speaks, but he doesn't hesitate.]

[charcoalfeather]

[It's hard to tell what others are going to say, for Rakka especially. So, she decided to just keep asking and talking until something comes of it. It's worked... frighteningly well, so far. For someone that can't remember her life, she's rather good with people.]

So, he helped you when something happened? [She murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. It seemed that she'd found something interesting on the table to look at while those words sunk in.]

It's so strange. Someone like that, offering you help and still being the kind of person that would suddenly kill a person like that... But, maybe that was just who he was.

[decrees]

...Yes, he is the sort of person to look out for himself first. His motivations have always involved what will benefit him.

I... cannot say what caused him to seek me out after that incident. I don't know. But he was good to me and he said what I needed to hear. I've known him my entire life. I spent a good amount of time with him when I was a teenager and after I took the throne over a decade ago, so... he's always been important to me.

[It was just awkward to admit that.]

Reaver is not a good person. He has killed plenty of people before and I am not surprised he chose to act here. He was good to me when I needed it and I've... always been fond of him.

[...]

Had he known that we would have all died if he'd gotten away with the murder, he wouldn't have killed anyone. I'm sure of that.

[...because then he'd have to deal with Logan's sister and that would be more trouble than it's worth, but you know what, at least Reaver wouldn't have been stupid.

At some point Logan will realize he's talking about Reaver in the present tense...]

[charcoalfeather]

[Rakka listened to every word, not reacting too well to what Logan was talking about. It was obvious in the way her mood dipped.]

Maybe you're right... I hope you're right.

[Seems like they're both doing it now.]

....Do you think this will happen again? [It's an honest question, which Rakka herself likely already knows the answer to.]

[decrees]

I know I am. I know him better than most people in Albion.

[...Knew...]

I wish I could tell you that it won't. But unfortunately we have no way to know right now. I do not wish to lie to you, Rakka. We may have to go through something like that again.

[He hopes we won't.]

[charcoalfeather]

...I guess I knew you were going to say that.

[Or, rather something to that effect. Bluuuuh.]

It's so hard. I don't know a lot of you very well, but I can't remember anything else. And, I think a bunch of you are my friends.

[decrees]

[Ahh... that's very sweet...]

Your situation is very different than ours. We have memories of where we're from, who we were, and of the people we knew. Some among us might find that enough of a motivation to attempt to play this game so they can return home.

It is horrible that anyone would consider such a thing, but unfortunately it cannot be dismissed. I sincerely hope we do not need to go through anything like this again, but it is not a possibility we can ignore.

[...]

Try to keep your head up. The only thing we can do now is... move forward.

[No matter how painful that is.]

[charcoalfeather]

[...It's a sad thought that occurs to her in that moment. If she ever choose to murder someone, would that mean all of her memories would return to her? Would she ever have the willpower to attempt such a thing?

No. No, no, no, no. Definitely not.

She frowns, shaking a thought out of her mind, though it might look like something else to Logan.]

I, uh, I will. I'll try. I promise.

[decrees]

...Is something wrong?

[You seem a little distracted...]

[charcoalfeather]

Umm, I'm okay. Please, don't worry about it.

[Rakka's not the best at covering up her thoughts, but to heck with it. Maybe her exhaustion at the day's events would cover for that.]

I just... want this day to be over.

[decrees]

[Well, he doesn't really blame her...]

As do I. I want nothing more than to forget this ever happened.

[...Maybe that was sort of insensitive, saying that to the amnesiac...]

My apologies. I... am not myself today.

[charcoalfeather]

[IT'S A LITTLE RUDE, KING DUDE.]

...I don't know if I want to remember this or not. I mean, if I don't, then that else do I have?

[Remembering nothing, or remembering the death of a nice person? Neither sounded very appealing at the moment.]

It's... it's okay. I'm not mad or anything...

[decrees]

[SORRY, HIS EMPATHY IS KIND OF SHOT TO HELL TODAY...]

Ah, that's... I can understand why you would want to remember it. That was out of line, I should not have said that.

[He shakes his head.]

[charcoalfeather]

[She sighs. Sure has been A Day.]

No, it's alright. [Kind of isn't, but.]

..... [Rakka lets out a yawn.]

[decrees]

...You should return to your room and get some sleep, Rakka.

[No one wants to know what "taking responsibility" for sleeping outside the dorms will involve.]

[charcoalfeather]

H-huh? But, I... [yaaaawn.] I don't really feel like sleeping.

[decrees]

If you fall asleep out here, that will be breaking a rule.

[Because the Conductor is dumb.]

Keep that in mind.

[charcoalfeather]

[The conductor is such a dumb. The Dumbductor. That's what Rakka should call him. Hmmph!]

I will. I promise. [Still, something bugs her, but she won't let on to that.]

I think I'll head to my room then.

[decrees]

Of course. Hopefully you will be able to get some sleep.

[Without horrifying nightmares...]

[charcoalfeather]

Mhmm. [she tries to give him a smile that isn't emotionally drained, and she moves away towards the hall.]

....Goodnight.

[Probably not.]