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

[heritrix]

Your concern is appreciated, but not necessary.

[...That's too cold. But she's always been like this; it's why she went to her room. When other people are around her, she can't be herself. If she's upset, she can usually shake it off quickly, or resolve it later, but there was no way she could manage that with a day like today.

Adelina probably deserves better than that. After a slight pause, Rin speaks again.]

But I do owe you an apology, incidentally.

[bloodbiter]

[There's a response to the first part waiting on her lips, but it's what Rin says next that throws her off guard. It's not hard to hear the pause before she speaks or the mixture of confusion and curiosity in her voice.]

You do? For what?

[heritrix]

When we first met and you asked about my father, I lied by omission. [...] We didn't know each other well then. It's not the sort of thing you say in an introduction.

[bloodbiter]

...You don’t need to apologize for that, truly. I wouldn’t have wanted you to share anything that made you uncomfortable.

[heritrix]

It was more for your sake. I made my peace with what happened a long time ago.

[Or so she thought, until today.]

[bloodbiter]

I see.

[And there's a pause, before she continues on.]

So you are aware... You needn't worry about altering the truth for my sake. I can assure you I will be able to handle anything you should like to tell me.

[heritrix]

[There's silence on Rin's end. She's not really sure how to respond to that.]

[bloodbiter]

[Likewise, there’s a pause before she speaks again.]

If you would rather be alone, I can take my leave. If you would like company, though, I could certainly provide.

[heritrix]

[This is hard for her. On instinct, she wants to refuse. But after another few moments, the door does crack open. The invitation to come inside isn't made with words, but that gesture itself. Rin has already left the door to backtrack to her bed.]

[bloodbiter]

[She walks in, closing the door softly behind her. After a moment or two, in order to fill the silence:]

You needn't speak of it if you don't wish to. In fact, we needn't speak at all, if you don't want to.

[heritrix]

So you're just going to sit quietly? [Rin huffs a little, picking some pictures from off the bed.] If I was going to insist on something so ridiculous, I may as well have turned you away at the door.

[bloodbiter]

...Sometimes it can help simply to know you aren't alone.

[But she won't continue with that train of thought if Rin doesn't seem averse to talking. Instead, she'll let her call the shots.]

What would you like to talk about?

[heritrix]

[...]

What did you think of Estelle?

[bloodbiter]

[The question surprises her, but she answers quickly regardless.]

She was incredibly kind. She made missteps, certainly, but... She did not deserve to be brought here.

[heritrix]

...Mm. [Rin bows her head.] I don't like to think in terms of who deserves what, but she definitely didn't.

[bloodbiter]

[A small, thoughtful hum.]

What terms do you prefer to think in, then?

[heritrix]

Potential. [...] There was a lot she hadn't experienced yet. She could have had a good life.

[bloodbiter]

...That is a good way to think of it, too. She was among the younger people here. She should have had the chance to go home safely.

[heritrix]

Young or old doesn't really matter either, does it? Susan has had a rough life... She's older, but she deserves to be happy as much as anyone. Tarrlok too.

[bloodbiter]

Ah, I didn't mean it's a factor in terms of who deserves to go home, rather... I was agreeing with your point about potential, I suppose.

[A pause.]

Were you close with her?

1/2

[heritrix]

...not really.

[Rin's not sure she'd say she's close to anyone here, though there are some she likes more than others. And it's an opinion that might change after today.]

I liked her, but there were days too when I couldn't stand her. It wasn't because she was bullheaded, but what she chose to be bullheaded about. She was so naive and altruistic, I was sure it would get her killed someday.

[That's why she snapped at Estelle, all the way back during the very first trial. At least it wasn't quite the setup she feared, but trying to reach the heart of Kirei of all people...

The bastard literally didn't have a heart, she thinks, as they so learned today. How did she miss that for ten years?]

[heritrix]

[Rin shakes those thoughts from her mind, reaching for Estelle's room key, then holding it to her chest. She'll have to give it to Yuri later.]

...I had so many issues with that. But... I thought she was better staying that way too. She was so sweet. It was comforting to have someone like her around.

[bloodbiter]

...She wasn't a perfect person. She was - far too idealistic, I think.

[And that led to her demise. Truthfully, knowing that stings in a certain way she can't pin down, but it's not exactly from her point of view.]

You're right, though. I wish this was a place where believing in people, believing in the best in them... I wish, more than anything, it didn't bring her the fate that came to her.

[heritrix]

...at least it was a quick death. As little comfort as there is to find in that.

[bloodbiter]

No, it does help to know that she must not have suffered for long. It's certainly better than the alternative, especially given... the way other murders here have been carried out.

[Here's looking at you, Walter.]