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

[bloodbiter]

[She listens to the entirety of the story, and then she takes a moment to think. She doesn't want to give empty platitudes without really thinking about it, and she imagines Sakura wouldn't want that, either.]

...I am sorry.

[That she was put into a situation where she felt she needed to do something like that, and that it ended in her own death. But there's one question she wants to ask.]

Sayaka, do you regret what you did? And not simply because of how it ended for you.

[destage]

...I do, yeah. I regret that I let my career consume me to the point that I considered it a viable option at all, in the first place. But...

[She doesn't have her memory of how she died back. She just knows she is dead, and it's all her fault.]

I regret everything. That I did that to Naegi-kun, and to Kuwata-kun...

[bloodbiter]

Then you are already different than the person you were when you made that decision.

[She's sure of that much.]

He said people can never change, but if you look on the choices you made and wish you had acted in another way entirely... That means you already have.

[destage]

[...So...it does matter. It seems like it, at least? It at least matters to the people here, and...

Maybe that's all that matters? Sayaka doesn't know for sure, but...she shifts a bit, in her spot.]

...And even if I can't change it...does it still mean that I still deserve to be able to start a new life? When...it's likely they can't?

[bloodbiter]

Yes, it does. You do deserve that, as long as you try your best to not let anything like that happen again. After all... Your continued suffering wouldn't do anything to change their situation now.

[She looks towards her, trying to make eye contact through the barrier.]

You are a kind girl, Sayaka. There are many here who care about you, and... There is a reason we believe in you. You are not an evil person.

[destage]

[...They all really do believe in her, huh?

Okay, maybe not all of them, but. Most? Most. That's...more than she could really ever say about anyone in her life, huh.

Sayaka looks up, peering through the barrier herself and...she smiles, just a bit.]

...Thank you. That...means a lot, to hear from someone like you.

[bloodbiter]

I am glad that it helped. But, remember... I would not have said it if it weren't true. You must give yourself some credit for that, too.

[She isn't in the habit of extending kindness to those she doesn't think are worth it, after all.]