It's like I'm carrying the weight of the world

[hesperos]

[ So, Yuri's going to be going around, putting up slips of paper for everyone to see, because even with everything that was that trial, he is sure it could help. He doesn't know--it's worked from time to time before anyway and someone should do it. ]



[ Yuri, for once, is going to be making some food for the afterparty that isn't desserts. On his side of things, his food is generally going to be geared towards something more western-style and hearty. In essence, there is some things of curry with beef, chicken, and vegetables in them, take your pick. Sayaka and Kyrie also will be assisting with food, providing stuff that is likely to be geared towards something asian.

This whole set up, of course, is going to be done in the dining hall, since that's where it usually is. ]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

There's only one more.

[ Come on, no one here has that many outfits. She says this with a blank tone, as if encouraging him to just go get the last, then. ]

[notaccurate]

[Well there's other stuff besides clothes in there, Luca didn't know if Elda wanted that as well. For now, he just looks a little flustered as he thinks that he should have spoken up sooner.]

...ah. Right.

[He doesn't move to go get it though, he won't do that without verbal permission.]

[matchbreaker]

So go get it, if you're going to be a puppy for me. Fool.

[ She snorts, and then continues her march back to her room. ]

[notaccurate]

[Well alright then. He won't make any quips about the puppy comment, he gets the feeling that today is not the day for being passive-aggressive.

He does go get the last outfit, though, and he will bring it to Elda's room.]

[matchbreaker]

[ elda's room is a light brighter than usual. Ah, that's right, she took down the blanket for Sayaka. Stupid.

She carefully hangs the last outfit in her closet and motions for him to do the same.

Now it's light, Luca can see: the walls are literally covered in sketches. Everyone who has been here. Her family. People she knows from back home. Dozens, no, perhaps over a hundred sketches line the walls, duct-tapped there like a shrine to some forgotten gods. Many people are presented more than once. There's also four-- no, three paintings in the corner. The one that's visible is Sayaka, but the one literally torn to shreds in the middle of the room - it's a bit unclear, but it used to be Susan. ]

[notaccurate]

[Elda that's just a little creepy.

He stops for a moment when he sees the drawings, but at Elda's motioning he steps forward again, hanging the outfit in the closet along with the others.

And then it's back to the drawings. He's trying really hard not to say anything about them, especially the painting that's on the floor and in pieces, but. Well. It's easy to tell that he is 'staring but trying not to make it obvious he is staring.']

[matchbreaker]

... Go on. Laugh, be scared, tease, flee. I care not what you do, but I have no time for your propriety at this point.

[ The woman breathes this out, walking over the back of her bed. She plucks one of the sketches from the wall (one of Aligula) and examines it anew. It was her attempt to capture what the woman's one eye looked like. It ... it still doesn't look right. It's not sinister enough. ]

[notaccurate]

It is a good thing I have no desire to laugh, be scared, tease, or flee.

[Honestly, what he feels right now is sadness for Elda. Seeing someone so strong (and a little scary, yes) so utterly broken is disheartening.]

[matchbreaker]

Then make up your mind, you jittering weasel.

[ She says this, but it's all but sighed out as she sits on the foot of the bed, staring at this drawing of Aligula. ]

[notaccurate]

[He's going to risk taking a step closer, eying the drawing of Aligula (or the back of it, from his angle) as he does so. There is a bit of nervousness to him, because he's not sure if this is the right thing to do or not, but he's trying to not let it control him.]

My mind is already made up. And what I decided is this: you talk, and I will listen.

[matchbreaker]

[ Elda looks up with bloodshot, hateful eyes. They're in the shape of a cates eyes now, and she feels a hard lump in her throat. She drops the sketch to the floor... and once it's there, she steps on it. She doesn't stand entirely though, just stretch enough to allow that. ]

That won't make a difference now.

[notaccurate]

[Luca just watches as Elda does all of that, his gaze lingering on the sketch for a moment before he looks back up to her.]

You don't have to talk about her. You can talk about anything you like.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . She should hit the man.

In fact, she does, but there's no force behind it. But what comes out is a defeated sounding groan of a thing, ]

My granddaughter's going to die, because of some damn bloodline malarky.

[notaccurate]

[AND HE IS KNOCKED OVER AND IN PAIN- yeah no that was not even strong enough to hurt Luca. Elda's heart really isn't into it, it seems. And boy howdy, what she says sure explains why.]

Why will that kill her?

[matchbreaker]

Because she's lost too much blood. Blood is life, especially for a vampire.

[ That... might not make sense, without more context. ]

[notaccurate]

[It absolutely does not, but blood loss sounds bad, and Luca can at least tell that this is upsetting Elda, so.]

I'm sorry for what your granddaughter is going through, and by extension what your family is going through too.

[matchbreaker]

It's... the mood now is triumphant, where my memories end. The girl's rescued, we saved her from those bastards that kidnapped her. [ Her language is slipping much more than she normally lets it. ] But it's not. Like anything's changed. She'll still die because of the goddammned Psyche.

[notaccurate]

Sometimes all we can do is take joy in the small victories, even if the overall picture is gloomy. Perhaps that is why the memory is a triumphant one, even if there is something heavy on your mind.

[matchbreaker]

Stop philosophizing.

[ She punches him again, still very softly. ]

You sound so insincere when you do that.

[notaccurate]

[That gets a frown from him.]

I was speaking sincerely, that's just how I talk.

[matchbreaker]

No one talks like that.

[ She laughs, but it's throaty. ]

... My species is also going to die out. Probably by the end of my lifetime.

[notaccurate]

[He would say he does, but.]

Mmm. It must be hard to find suitable vampire families for marriages and such when you have to stay hidden.

[matchbreaker]

It's more than that.

[ She... She knows no one is going to understand this, but she'll make it more clear: ]

There's only been ten or so births in the last three decades, a full third of those belonging to my family. None in the last decade. And every year, more and more of us die - we grow too old, or some other tomfoolery kills us. We're dying out.

[notaccurate]

["But what about marrying into human families?" "But everyone dies eventually, you won't care when you're dead."

Those two thoughts immediately jump to Luca's mind, but he holds his tongue on them. No, those wouldn't help right now. This is obviously a deep pain, one that logical thoughts won't help.]

It sounds very painful to experience. And terrifying too, to think that your people will be gone soon.

[matchbreaker]

That's why they took her - Karin, I mean. Her blood. He damned blood is a magic tonic, of sorts. The "Psyche," it's called. A miracle that appears in the vampires darkest hours.

[ and Elda... loses her temper. She hits not Luca this time, but the bedpost. It actually cracks from the impact, but Elda's knuckles are bloodied. ]

And that's supposed to be worth my granddaughter?!