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

[crimsonchin]

Rakka.

[ The voice is even, quiet. With just a bit of bite behind it, just enough edge in her tone to sound like a warning. Like a snake rattling its tail, or a spider rearing back its legs... ]

What is it?

[charcoalfeather]

[gulp]

Y-yes, it's me. [She can hear the warning on Asuka's voice. Not that it's going to stop her from trying, just yet.]

I just wanted to know... if you're okay.

[crimsonchin]

Same as always.

[ Whether or not that answers her question is a different story. ]

[charcoalfeather]

Asuka.... [Mmmm] do you want to talk to me?

[Rakka's not the best conversationalist, but she'll listen.]

[crimsonchin]

...I don't really have a lot to say.

[charcoalfeather]

...I can listen.

[crimsonchin]

...

What do you want, Rakka? Honestly.

[charcoalfeather]

[There's a moment before she ultimately speaks. It appears that Rakka is trying to choose her words more carefully.]

I want... to know if you're okay. Everyone else has gone down to the dining hall... except you.

[crimsonchin]

If I let you come in and see that I'm okay, will that be enough for you?

[charcoalfeather]

....I guess.

[It's better then nothing?]

[crimsonchin]

[ There's the sound of shuffling before the door unlocks and creaks open... ]

Come in.

[charcoalfeather]

.... [She checked behind herself, seeing if there was anyone else around before she let herself in. Well, not all the way inside. She peeked in first, looking for the redhead.]

Asuka...?

[crimsonchin]

[ Asuka's in the process of making her way back to the bed, plopping back down upon it before she looks back over to Rakka. Her eyes don't look reddened with tears, she's not sniffling, she doesn't look any different from normal.

Same old, tough, anti-social Asuka. ]

Hey.

[charcoalfeather]

[So, the direct opposite of Rakka then. Awesome.

She looks rather tough, which intrigued Rakka, given... what was happening at the moment.]

...Uh! Hello.

[she steps in, shutting the door behind her.]

[crimsonchin]

...

How are you handling it? The...everything.

[charcoalfeather]

Everything? Well...

[Nowhere to sit, so, she'll stay standing against the door.]

It's been so confusing for me; ever since I woke up here, I couldn't remember anything about myself, so I had to make some new memories. And now, I'm stuck here, and I have to be a part of some terrible exercise where people die.

[Rakka's had a lot of feelings about the week thus far. Hmm.]

[crimsonchin]

So what do you think you're going to do about it?

[ Asuka's taken to playing with one of the silver lighters she got out of the machine as she listens to Rakka; she's not igniting it or anything, though. Just...running her thumb against the wheel. Feeling the coarseness against her fingertips. ]

Your memories. This exercise. Do you have any plans in mind?

[charcoalfeather]

[She's noticed the lighter, half expecting Asuka to pull a cigarette from somewhere and light it... For some reason. There's that hole in the memory again, mocking her.]

W... why do you ask?

[crimsonchin]

...Just curious. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I just...want to hear what you think.

[charcoalfeather]

...Mmm.

....I think,the only plan I have is to get out of here. Then, maybe I can go and find the rest of my memories.

[crimsonchin]

Any ideas as to how you're going to do that? Aside from the obvious, of course.

[charcoalfeather]

Well, umm...

[She goes silent fairly quickly. It's hard to have a direction when you don't even have a map.]

[crimsonchin]

It's alright. Some may say that failing to plan is planning to fail, but I don't necessarily think that's the case.

I've always worked better on the fly, myself.

[charcoalfeather]

[Surprisingly, that seems to make some amount of sense to the Haibane.]

I guess... that's what I'll do then. If something good happens, I'll plan for it.