trustfell | One day we'll reach to emotions: unexplored, unprecedented

[ Sometime shortly after the trial small notes will be folded underneath the doors of everyone still alive, and also posted to the staircase leading up to the upper floors. Not many of you have probably seen Elda's penmanship yet unless you checked that Penmanship check a while back, but it's impossibly impeccable fancy cursive script, to match with her old timey appearance. ... She also writes a lot more proper than she talks. ]

To My Fellows,

The half of you who didn't assist me in this are cordially invited to a celebration of our continued living, and to the memories of those who aren't. We are a mismatched group,
but it has become increasingly clear that we are together in this. Do not allow yourself to be alone.

We will be congregating in the ballroom for the rest of the night.

Better chefs than I will be providing food.

Sincerely,
Elda Marker

[ she's being somewhat facetious about half the group, but the fact does remain that she got more offers than she expected, when she set out to do this. She had expected that Sayaka would help, and indeed both her and Alex provide cookies and curry for the tables. Elda herself sets up the tables, dotting one longer central one made of smaller ones in the ballroom for things to sit on. The bulk of the food's provided by Tarrlok of all people, Chinese food by any other name. Susan, bless her, provides alcohol. Hibki, once she was clean, decided to run backup on preparing the food.

And then perhaps fittingly, Aligula provided the decorations. Steamers line the room, and little cut outs hang around. At Elda's instruction, it's a mix of cats, snakes, and bats. The majority of them have little faces on them. And finally, as and afterthought more than anything else, Elda makes some tea.

... Said tea is black tea and is impossibly dark and bitter because she can't taste it, but maybe that's what you want on a night like this. Who knows. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's okay Aligula things will be better soon. Luca will let her keep her feelings locked up too, he's not one to call someone out on that when he does exactly the same thing.]

They have names? Huh. The stories I heard never included names.

Your stories sucked. The movie was better anyway too!

[ ...It's too bad they'll never get an AV room, movie night would be fun... Snip snip, hmm-hmmm. ]

Stories not including stuff just means you get to make up whatever you want anyway though, so... Stuff like that's not all awful. [ hmm. ] What would you name 'em if you had the chance?

[Thanks for insulting his country's storytelling traditions, Aligula. She gets a Look for that, but no verbal comment. Instead, he thinks about her question, because any question worth answering is worth putting thought into.]

I would probably name them after gemstones, or different types of rock. People are usually named for something related to their family's profession.

So what's your name mean? If that's what people are usually named for.

[ ...Valentino reminds her of valentines, please be named for love Luca... ]

It means 'strength'. Though it is also associated with 'Valentine', which is another, more common form of the name.

[ ...........

yeah she's looking him up and down. ]

What's so strong about you, Inconspicuous? You look like you'd get swept away by a stray wind.

There are several ways I could answer that question, but I imagine none of them would be satisfactory. So how about another truth that is more believable: I took my wife's last name when we were married.

Well, that's forward-thinking of you! People still get all screwy over taking anything but the guy's lat names nowadays even though, like, it totally doesn't matter who's name you take.

[ Someone who can't remember her last name and also doesn't care about having one probably shouldn't have an opinion on the matter, but anyway. ]

Well my wife was the one with the social standing and a good name, so it made sense to take hers. She has a business to run, and suddenly changing names to an unknown family name would only hurt the business.

...Never mind, you're not forward-thinking, you're just practical. [ OH WELL...... ] Is your wife pretty? Because like, you are, so it only totally makes the most sense that she has to like, match you!

I never claimed to not be boring.

[No, he knows a lot of his worth is in his looks. He is well aware of that fact.]

What, you have never heard of 'unattractive-yet-wealthy person uses money to win over an attractive person' before?

[That said:]

You are right though, she is quite beautiful.

Like attracts like, Inconspicuous. It'd take someone super desperate to pay someone to love them, and even then, that's not real love! It's fake and like, the worst kind? So it doesn't count.

[ really important facts i guess thanks for tuning in ]

[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA]

You realize my marriage was an arranged marriage, yes?

[ i......... oh. ]

Not at all. [ we don't talk, luca!! ] Obviously you got a good family name out of it, but like, what'd she get out of the whole thing then?

A husband with enough status to be worth marrying, but not so much status that he could usurp her position as head of the family? An heir to carry on her family's name after she grows old? The ability to tell multiple suitors only interested in her money and power 'back off, I'm married now'? The fact that, since she is wedded and has a son, she is now considered 'more legitimate' in the business world and people take her more seriously?

Really, she probably got the better end of the deal here.

[The more you know~]

...Your world's totally impressively back there, huh.

[ Like, she... she knew? But also: wow. ]

Sorry about your bad luck, but at least you can eventually love someone in that position! Well... Hopefully~? Even if it's not the totally super romantic kind.

[For a moment he wonders if he should tell her he's gay. It's very private, but at the same time it's probably pretty obvious anyway and it's not like he's going to see these people ever again once he gets out of here. Or he'll die, and it also won't matter then. It might be worth it, watching Aligula get flustered over being proven wrong is pretty fun.]

Seeing as how my tastes run contrary, a 'business partnership' might be the most anyone can hope for here.

[ ...His tastes run contrary, and a business partnership...? She makes a face before it clicks, buuuut... she doesn't really like how he's said it, so she's tilting her head with a small. ]

Sooorry, Inconspicuous, I totally don't get what you mean~! Why don't you try beating around the bush a little less and just say it, huh?

No. Revel in your ignorance if you cannot put the pieces together yourself.

[ .......... ]

You really aren't any fun, are you? [ |T ] Ambitious was interested in guys too, and Aqueous was into girls, and like, I didn't care. Love is love, Inconspicuous, so don't get all fussed about it.

...

That is actually more among our number than I thought.

[He's a little surprised by those numbers.]

There's another two too, but appaaaarently their little romance is supposed to be a secret or something, if they're who Indomitable was trying to be sneaky about with me before. [ A small shrug. ] Anyway, like, we're all under threat of being killed here? I reaaaaaally don't think people what you're into or not.

I never thought that anyone here would care, but... Well. It's private. I wouldn't talk about my relations regardless of if they were with men or women.

[ You people and your shame.... ]

That's your choice, I guess.

One day we'll reach to emotions: unexplored, unprecedented

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