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

[sleepytimegal]

Me neither. I already hate not knowing where my memories are supposed to stop or start, but all this...? Especially if it wasn't even us, but some...alternate reality us.

[matchbreaker]

I've not heard anything of me or of you at least. Unless I missed something.

[sleepytimegal]

I meant the general us. The...basic idea of us, whoever that last us is.

[matchbreaker]

Yes, yes, us and our fellows.

[ Huff. ]

You're testy.

[sleepytimegal]

I'm just trying to concentrate... It was, again, a long and rough day.

[matchbreaker]

Absorbed into things? What would you even be concentrating on?

[sleepytimegal]

Thinking about- I don't know, this. This thing, all of it. [ She sighs, very heavily. ] Can we not do this tonight?

[matchbreaker]

[ Mmm. She closes her eyes, exhales and... well. She nods a little, leaning forward on the table. There's much more to discuss there. But no, tonight is probably a bit much here. ]

I keep thinking I should reach out more for you, but I'm always so confused about the approach of it, if I'm honest.

[ Ah well. ]

[sleepytimegal]

...Yeah? Well...it's kind of the same here. Out of my experience. I may have those guys in my head, but...dead military dudes out of time are kind of different from a hundreds-of-years old vampire.

[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]

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

[ Elda.

This counts as civil??? ]

[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?

[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.

[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]

[ Her eyes open a little wider, and she arches her brow a little more. Huh. But no, let's no focus on that, let's put a finger to her lip, brushing the nail on and between them a little. ]

I've no doubt of your intentions, to make that clear.

[ Alex has seemed genuine sweet, if a little bit - okay no, a lot sad. ] If we're to rank based on that, it's probable you should have more ill to say to me.

[sleepytimegal]

...Yeah, it annoys me. But Sayaka thinks so highly of you. And...I dunno, you've been through a lot in your right. So I might as well try.

[ Alex shrugs. ]

Living with the constant echoes kind of puts things in perspective. I wanna...enjoy the good things.

[matchbreaker]

Is perspective really the same thing as wisdom though, really...?

[ Mmm. ]

Still, it's nice that you'd admit that I bother you so much.

[sleepytimegal]

I never said it was, don't call me wise.

[ She's...just barely able to make a joke here. ]

You appreciate that I'm admitting that? Really?

[matchbreaker]

Really! Better to be sincere than to dance around it all, right?

[ Or at least, that's how she sees it. ]

[sleepytimegal]

...Alright, then we're getting somewhere! Sincerity all the way down.

[matchbreaker]

Mmmhm. Like I said, I don't have anything against you specifically, not... really. I just wonder about how much you or her comprehend things.

[sleepytimegal]

...Comprehend things? That's a broad term.

[matchbreaker]

[ Mmmm. ]

... You're young, is all. I know she's young too, don't you start with me there. The whole thing is endearing, though my instincts find it frustrating.

[sleepytimegal]

We won't know how to do things until we do 'em. ...I'd prefer they don't end with death, that one we're- going to try and avoid, but... We won't know things for ourselves until we get some experience, right?