I dreamed of a world so far from here that's not on the map

[matchbreaker]

To my Fellows,

What is "good" and what is "evil" is something that can be debated for longer than most of you will ever live, as is the nature of men. These debates are without meaning in my eyes. Despite that man's belief, men are not born to be good or evil, and what flaws they have in personality or character are things that can be overcome through their choices. Both for better and, as we've seen, for worse.

Life is not without suffering, but I should hope that every one of you is loved by someone. Loves someone. Many of you probably know that some of those loved ones are entering into an experience similar to our own. The terror of that is an undeniable sword which hangs above our heads.

Do not isolate yourselves, and hold onto what belief will best inspire you. And if you wish to join us for another one of these gatherings, meet us in the dining hall at 8PM.

Sincerely yours,
Elda Marker

PS: Those who can taste will once more provide food.

[ Well that sure is a lot of words which is being put under your doors, put on the fridge, and generally distributed around. It... uh, sure is a letter? It's in the same impossibly perfect cursive as last week, and is written with an almost angry bravado. Because even if she was vindicated at the end there, she was vindicated by a (by his own admission) evil priest. So. That feels bad.

Anyway, with some effort, the dining hall (which now has a lot of candles at Cabanela's little shrine, even with adding the two more here) is filled with food: Susan's got the booze as usual but also a big pot of mac and cheese. Adelina's done her noble best with some finger sandwiches. Yuri's brought some sweets that Estelle might've made. As for Elda, well, she still basically can't cook, so what she provides instead is:

A few board games including a Settlers of Catan, Sorry, and Candyland knock off. I guess we're playing games. Or at least she's suggesting it, who knew? ]

Comments

[notaccurate]

Strange or not, you're allowed to feel how you feel. But if it helps, you could think of it instead of helping me to rescue my son.

[Luca is pretty sure that things would change the moment she saw him, so getting her to go along is important. Even if it's for another purpose at first.]

[notaccurate]

[That really does give him pause.]

...you know, I had never really considered it. I thought these 'terrible people' remembered what they did, and the fact that I have no memory of running any 'game' like this was enough to prove that it wasn't me.

[But if they don't remember, then maybe it could be him. He certainly has the right personality for it.]

[hesperos]

Yeah, I guess.

[ ... ]

Kirei was full of crap. You're already a good person in my eyes.

[ Somewhere in his head he belatedly figures that Luca might mean he wants to become a better person, but oh well. ]

[notaccurate]

[Even if it's delayed, he's starting to get stuff!

Still, Luca looks as though he doesn't quite believe that.]

You say that, but...mmm. It's alright, I suppose. I'll fix it later.

[He's twisting the wedding ring on his finger as he says that.]

I know I have stayed over the last few nights, and I can do so again if you wish, but if you want your space tonight then I can return to my own room.

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods a little at the idea of there being no candle for Kirei, even if at the same time, she knows it has to be all or none - the minute it's subjective is the moment that it loses meaning. Still, she idly wonders aloud: ] Is her death special, compared to say Chitoge's? Sigrun's? They all were simply betrayed by someone they trusted, for better or worse.

[ She... shakes her head. ]

Sorry, I'm sure that's too raw.

[matchbreaker]

Yes, as a matter of consideration for you, girl! People's concerns are sometimes more forceful than some gentle tap, you know!

[ :T :T ]

[matchbreaker]

My own experience to compare to you is unflattering. Better to not give that voice.

[sleepytimegal]

[ ...There's a question, she has. ]

Do you hate me? Not just...me, a human. Like, me, personally.

[matchbreaker]

There's no way that's the case. It's entirely possible the priest wouldn't change how he acts but Archer and especially Kimblee would operate dramatically differently if what was meant is what was in that folder Aligula found. There's no way he remembered it at the time.

[ She waves a hand dismissively. ]

[hesperos]

I didn't say it was anything more special than anyone else's.

[ He sounds annoyed, and glares down that one candle instead because that's productive. As far as he's concerned, Kirei deserved no honor of having something up. He can remember him just fine without it,. ]

But when you put it like that then there shouldn't be anything else. Everything's fine the way it is.

[ Well it's not, really but it's as fine as it's going to get for now. ]

[matchbreaker]

- The devil'd you get that from? I wouldn't talk with you so civilly if I did.

[ Elda.

This counts as civil??? ]

[notaccurate]

But if they don't remember what happened, then that makes it worse, doesn't it? They might not be the same people they were then, and they're still being punished for it.

[He just had a similar conversation with Sayaka, so it's on his mind.]

[matchbreaker]

No it's not, not really. [ She shakes her head, focusing on some different candles and the sketches before them. Caren. Green. Blue. Kimblee. ] This as a tribute perhaps, with all being "equal" in death - but it's lacking in many ways. It's not a proper way to mourn, it's hardly a proper way to honor. It's ill-fitting both for the living and the dead, even if that Cabanela man means well.

I don't know what else I would do though, because there really isn't time here for it to be done properly if we want to live.

[matchbreaker]

You were expecting this to be just? What, did you fancy yourself a hero overtime, to kill a traitor, inhumans, "bad people" and evil gods through this all?

[ She says this with a very nasty little smirk of dark amusement. ]

[sleepytimegal]

Oh, gee, I dunno. Because I've got such an influential connection to someone you fear you'll lose? Because every time we talk, I can just feel...something, some judge-y resentful something in your every word? Or 'cause sometimes it feels like you look at me like I'm gonna do something unfathomably stupid or- horrible.

[ She raises her eyebrows. ]

If you do, just- just tell me, okay?

[hesperos]

I'm serious about that.

[ ...Anyway. ]

I want some alone time to myself eventually, so it'd be best if you did. But it doesn't mean you can't stay in here late.

[ He doesn't mind that, at least. He does want some alone time, but... for the first time he doesn't want to deal with something like this completely by himself. ]

[notaccurate]

[Just. This face.]

You are absolutely right. It was silly for me to assume, even for a moment, that anything 'fair' would happen. I will do my best to not forget that in the future.

[matchbreaker]

[ Oh it will be something stupid, but you won't realize it's stupid at the time- ... She holds her tongue there, biting her cheek a little before she leans forward and exhales. ]

I'm too obvious, am I?

I've never gotten along with my actual daughter in law. She was never good enough for my Henry, but in your defense, you're not half the violent, difficult shrew of a woman she is. [ She waves a hand again. ] So to say it's against you is inaccurate, it's more accurate to say that's my frame of reference to deal with the girl of my- ... Of a girl who's seen fit to call me "mom," more and more.

[matchbreaker]

You should do well to assume that! Mark my words, one of these days, unless we resolve things, the biggest, most dramatic violence will be caused by someone sweet and beloved.

[ This comes with dark laugh. ]

[notaccurate]

[He's serious too, but he has to do something important first. Maybe then he can actually tell Yuri about a few key details he has been purposefully leaving out. Provided neither of them die before that point, that is.]

Oh? Is this your way of saying "please stay and talk with me some more, my mind is heavy with thoughts and it's preventing me from sleeping"?

[notaccurate]

Oh good, then at least I won't have to worry about you being the killer.

[He's joking, but he's also already scooting back in his chair a bit.]

[matchbreaker]

Well, not in that capacity to be sure!

[ Evil old lady laugh... ]

I mean, I'm not sure what more can be asked of me than to condemn my husband to die again!

[notaccurate]

He doesn't have to die, you know.

[sleepytimegal]

...Thank you...? [ Wow, what the hell kind of woman got so much on Elda's bad side...? Thanks for the uphill battle.

Alex twirls her pencil between two fingers. ] Well... I'm not gonna...I don't know, what are you worried about me doing to her? Besides...everything we talked about last week. 'Cause I'm...not going to hurt someone I...love again.

[matchbreaker]

He will.

[ She says this firmly, drumming her fingers on the table. ]

James could never survive something like this.