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

[matchbreaker]

Oh show it and talk to me, girl! Being alone's one thing, but if you're going to call me mother, I can pry!

[ :T :T

Sits with her. ]

[destage]

[...It's gonna be a bit of a tight space, and Elda will probably see a small glint of red while Sayaka just...adjusts a bit. Apparently, this is just happening tonight. She never did show the stones, did she? No one's really asked, and really, they were just for her...

...She plays around with them, with a sigh. Her eyes are probably noticeably dull when she speaks.]

...Do you really believe what you wrote on those on the invitations, Mom? Do you really think that...people can change?

[matchbreaker]

People.... [ What a question. She brings a hand to her chin and she brushes the finger on her lips. The answer, in truth, is actually more complex than that. But in the end, ]

Yes, I do.

[ She keeps calling her that... ]

[destage]

...Even murderers, whether they succeed or not? Or...people who've thrown one of their only friends under the bus?

[...She knows she's told Elda quite a bit. Did she ever go into the specific details...?]

[matchbreaker]

[ She didn't, no. ]

... Mm. The fact that one is successful and one isn't matters, you know.

[destage]

Even if...the one who isn't was the aggressor...?

[matchbreaker]

Even then.

[ She pulls her legs closer together and she... ]

... I know it seems contradictory for me, so livid, so hateful about things that happened hundreds of years ago to say such things. But the fact remains - death is death. Death is the end of things, and if it is denied, it means something different than if it is created. The world doesn't scold or acknowledge half-measures.

[destage]

[...]

I tricked my only friend in that school--that boy whose picture I got, because I was...so scared, that if...if something happened, I'd have nothing left. I tricked him into switching rooms with me, all to lure another boy in there and kill him. He...killed me first.

[Sayaka shakes.]

That's horrid, isn't it? It's wretched, and I shouldn't...even have this chance...not when I did something like that.

[matchbreaker]

[ That is horrible. There's no denying that.

Elda hums a little though, and she reaches her hand across, to get into the little barrier and brush at Sayaka. This is going to seem uh, unrelated, but. ]

You read my note, girl, but what did you understand of what I meant?

[destage]

[...Sayaka shudders a bit, rolling the stones in her hand around a little more.]

No. I don't...know if I can believe it.

[matchbreaker]

Then allow me to state it even simpler:

The world does not function on cosmic absolutes. It never has.

[destage]

...You're certain of that?

[Sayaka doesn't quite look up in favor of...yeah, she's gonna keep playing with these stones, but her tone's...inquisitive, if nothing else.

(no, not that one)]

[matchbreaker]

Yes.

[ She... ]

Simpler truths are more important anyway. I don't know if you take it - Sayaka, girl, indulge me. What do you think a mother is?

[destage]

[...what does she think a mother is...

That's such a loaded question. She's never personally had one, but...]

...They always show mothers in stories...they're wonderful women. Warm, caring...they ask you how your day was, they want to know what's going on in your life. They're willing to tell you that they're proud of you, and scold you when you're being stupid, but...they care. They always care...

[matchbreaker]

Precisely that. ... It's precisely that. There's a key word above all of that, one which must be understood above all others.

[ And she leans in now, intending to get her face past or through the barrier, making hard eye contact with the girl as her eyes- stuck in cat mode but with blushing cheeks that make her seem - fragile, in a way, she says, ]

That love, it's unconditional.

You may well have foisted it upon me, but it is something I accepted. Do not think I take such things lightly.

[ Say it. ]

I love you. Nothing will change that.

[destage]

[Unconditional love.

That's something Sayaka's heard of before. Many times, in the stories she reads--to be able to love like that, with no restriction, and no sort of...condition to be upheld. Just...a bond that's stronger than steel, stronger than anything.

Then there's those three words, and Sayaka...just...

...She puts the stones back in her sleeve, comes out from the barricade, and just hugs Elda again. Words--words are failing her, they really are, but--]

I--I love you too, Mom...

[matchbreaker]

[ She hugs the girl back, holding her tight. For her part, to say it...

To voice what she knew was true?

That's... well, it's a choice, is the thing. A resolution, a promise. That's what love is. You don't do it, you fall into it - but that's romance. Family, that's more complicated. That's a choice, and that's work. But it's also something done without boundaries, as boundless as the night sky.

She wonders... no, she will make the girl understand. She's laughing a little, ]

If you're a murderer, I will love you, if you're the death of me, I will love you, if you've sinned, I shall hold you close. If you're "evil," then I shall love you all the more, if you're a liar or villain or anything else - if you speak with the dead, if you cut your hair or if you fall for some girl. If you speak with those who are our enemies...

Love doesn't have a limit like that, girl. That, this is what matters more than "good" or "evil."

[destage]

[...Sayaka can't help but chuckle a bit. That's...that's a lot to say, for just one human girl, isn't it? After Elda's gone through so much...it's...

God. She better survive, there...better be something she can do for her, even when they get out--]

...Thank you. Thank you...for not letting me be alone anymore...I couldn't ask for anything more.

[She definitely understands where that Dislikes: loneliness comes from, now. She adores the fact that...well, she isn't alone here. They've lost so many people here, but Sayaka can't say she's alone now.

She's got a family, and they won't leave each other behind.]

[matchbreaker]

I never will. You are mine, and I shall see you until you grow old, until you've come to the end of your days. I shall kiss your brow, and know you lived a long, fulfilling life. I-- I swear this.

[ Because elda won't die before her. It's the promise she can make. She keeps holding her girl a moment longer, but then squeezes her gently. She... pulls back and then shakes her head ]

... But I shan't presume that solves everything. I know I brushed past more. Let us... speak of it.

[destage]

[...Sayaka smiles a bit, but...well, she seems satisfied enough with the answer. She pulls her arms back with a smile.]

...No, I think that does. Just...please don't say that a dead man doesn't matter anymore. I have memories of a wonderful one, that I consider incredibly dear to my heart. To forget the impact he, or anyone else has had...it'd be insulting to all of them.

[Sayaka smiles when she says that, though.]

[matchbreaker]

Memories matter and lessons matter, but dead is dead. To give them prominence over anything else...

[ She waves a hand somewhat dismissively as they disentangle, hanging her head. James is dead.

... To think he matters now ...

Well, it's better to focus away from that. ]

Very very well, that was too callous.