how am i going to be an optimist about this?

[bloodisthicker]

[Almost as soon as the trial lets out, Tarrlok kind of... tears off to the kitchen, because he's mildly concerned that he's going to experience an adrenaline crash before he even starts cooking, and so he begins! He starts on some tea, marinating some beef for kebabs... but he feels like he's forgetting something...

...

OH SHIT. HE FORGOT TO PUT NOTES OUT OKAY FUCK HANG ON LET HIM REHASH SOMETHING HE THOUGHT WAS FUNNY AND SHOVE IT UNDER PEOPLE'S DOORS BEFORE ANYTHING BURNS]

FOOD IN EAT PLACE

[okay whew he makes it back to the kitchen. And so does Yuri at some point, actually! So... Tarrlok will be getting kebabs ready for everyone, since he was hungry for them, Yuri confirmed, and Cabanela said he'd have whatever he'd have. Speaking of, Cabanela shows up to make some chicken soup! And Yuri makes curry, teriyaki chicken, and steamed vegetables. So there's a little something for everyone. The food that gets put out isn't super fancy, but it's nice, and there's tea just like Elda wanted.

So have at, then!]

Comments

[hesperos]

[ Well, we could have the letters be in a pile in here or them go to Sayaka's room for them, depending.

"Don't go breaking your hands, Lowell-san."

That's the first thing he thought of when she said that. He swallows a particularly hotheaded comment and moves to lean against the wall instead, crossing his arms. ]

Guess so.

You only come in here because of the noise I was making?

[heritrix]

Mm... [Rin steps in.] That's what drew me in, but I wanted to make sure I saw everyone at least once tonight.

[hesperos]

Why'd you wanna go around seeing everyone?

[ He has an urge to start punching the barricades again, but...his hands are kind of hurting and he isn't in the mood for an argument. ]

[heritrix]

It's not like there's many of us left now, and a lot's happened too.

[It's one thing when they send a culprit into the pit to be executed, but three more of their number were killed right in front of them today. Hibiki, Sayaka, Alex... Those goes unsaid, but it's clear from the way her eyes unfocus it's what she's thinking about. Rin shakes her head after a moment.]

Elda and I ended up promising something the rest of you might be uncomfortable with, on top of that. I'd be interested in your thoughts, if nothing else.

[There's probably some overlap there with however he feels, but this feels like a safer way to ask for it.]

1/2

[hesperos]

Why're you interested in what I think about it?

[ Yuri's reply here is at first flippant, and it almost seems like he's going to try to avoid talking about it, as he looks to the side. Then he takes a moment before he looks back at her - if there's anyone here who would understand, it'd be Rin. ]

Elda was the one who said those names. But, if you're going along with it too, then...

2/2

[hesperos]

[ ........ ]

Of course you'd know my thoughts on that, yeah? My 'thoughts' are that the Kirei bastard should stay dead and burn in hell.

[ He doesn't think too much of Kimblee either, but if there's the person he is going to object for the most, it'd be Kirei. ]

[heritrix]

[Man, she's glad he answered her, she was going to get a little annoyed. She doesn't have the patience for those kinds of conversations. This makes it easier.

...Mostly. Kirei is a very difficult subject for her. From the way her face darkens, it's clear she doesn't disagree with Yuri. Fuck that guy? Fuck that guy.]

Yeah. I know those thoughts so well, they could be my own.

[Which is probably what Yuri would like to hear, if it weren't for the fact it sounds like there's a "but" to this.]

[hesperos]

They could, huh?

[ Yuri hears a but in there. He's glad that she confirmed she feels the same way he does, and yet... he feels as if there is something more to it than just that.

He's still angry that Hibiki had died because of a timer and was killed like that - angry that Sayaka had been killed along with Alex (who he didn't know too well out of all the people being killed but he thought was a nice person.) Angry Jericho is doing his thing, essentially. So this is why he went into the dojo so he could vent just so he'll be calmer by tomorrow.

But now on top of this, he's now thinking seriously about the possibility of Kirei coming back alive and he just wants to punch a hole in the wall instead. Still, he seems calm enough when he's talking. ]

So, what, you actually really do plan on making sure that piece of crap is brought back?

[heritrix]

[Honestly, when she came in here she thought Yuri would be more pissed about Kyrie; after what happened to Estelle, she should have known his thoughts would have gone to the same place hers had when Elda made her declaration.]

If I had it my way, I'd carry on with my life and never once think about him again. If I saw his face, I know I wouldn't be able to repress my anger, but so long as I don't I can confidently say I don't care if he lives or dies.

[Rin speaks plainly, but her eyes flash like icy water churned in a river. She folds her arms over her chest.] What becomes of his soul is another matter entirely. I can't leave the Coordinators to use it as they wish.

[hesperos]

[ He's still pissed about Kyrie, yeah, and it's probably a good idea that it's just the one of the two that was mentioned by name for now. But basically, his first thought went immediately to Kirei because of what he'd done to Estelle. ]

Yeah? You sure when we get the chance to do anything with the Coordinators, we're going to be leaving them in the position to be doing anything with anyone's souls?

Just because we're not gonna be allowing them to be using anyone's soul for whatever the hell they want doesn't mean we have to rescue that bastard too. I'm sure if we just left him behind nothing would happen other than he's trapped there, while we turn things around against those responsible for this.

Or do you think otherwise?

[heritrix]

We don't know how many people there are to their organization, or even how it works. [Rin raises a fist to her lower lip, thoughtfully.] Whatever happens with Hilda and Jericho, there are still people behind them. They could take over where those two left off if we're not careful.

[hesperos]

[ ... ]

That's why we need to find a way to put a stop to this thing as a whole somehow.

[ Because so help him if this organization or anyone continues to get away with doing this shit ... ]

Whatever. This is a pain in the ass.

[heritrix]

Well, I'm not giving up until we do. I'm done playing defensively.

[She looks at him, questioningly. They agree on that too, right?]

[hesperos]

I'm sure as hell not giving up either. They have a lot to answer for.

[ He'll bring them down, and make them take responsibility for their own actions with his own hands. ]

[heritrix]

[Rin nods.] Good. But we can't be too reckless. It's just like I told Yosuke, at the very beginning; not a lot has changed since then, unfortunately. We still don't know enough about the Coordinators to defeat or persuade them. That should be our first objective.

[hesperos]

What, learning more about them and everything, you mean?

[ She has a point, though. Which Yuri figured was always the case, but he just got caught up in... well, today's nonsense. He takes a breath, and well, it doesn't change how much he dislikes them, but trying to talk about things rationally is cooling his head.

Which is nice. ]

Well I'm not going to be stupid enough to do anything without thinking. If that's what you're concerned about. We've gotta managed to get it all together enough to figure more about what's going on in order to bring them down.

[heritrix]

[I mean, that is an actual concern, so Just As Planned if he's starting to cool down a little, tbh.]

We need to take care of ourselves in that time, too... We can't afford to lose anymore of our number, but next week will come before we know it.

[Another incentive, another murder. If not that, the timer.]

We won't have the energy to face it if morale stays this low. I won't even ask how you're doing if you don't want to talk, but I know this is hitting everyone hard.

[hesperos]

... Yeah.

[ His eyebrows furrow. He can't really imagine them even losing another one of their number - like Rin says they can't really afford to. They really need to keep someone from killing this week and he's going to be keeping some ideas in the back of his head until next week's meeting. ]

I'm not going to bother you with the details, but I guess it'd be stupid to try and pretend that it didn't affect me at all.

[ ... ]

But, by tomorrow, I'm not going to continue to let it trouble me. Not like this, anyway.

[heritrix]

So you plan to work it out in a single night, huh.

[Coming from anyone else, that might sound sarcastic or disproving. Rin only nods, however, folding her arms. The way her left arm feels, she probably shouldn't be making an offer like this, but...]

Care for a partner? I'll be a lot more effective than those barricades.

[hesperos]

Yeah, that's me. The guy who can work out his issues in just one night.

[ Yuri's managed before, he can do it again. It's probably out of sheer stubbornness and willpower this time, though. However, tomorrow isn't here yet, and so... ]

A partner would be nice. That is, if you can keep up.

[heritrix]

I'll go easy on you.

[Even if her left arm wasn't weak right now, Yuri would still be able to beat her, but Rin's stronger than she looks. She was trained to fight by Kirei, so she'll definitely give him a few surprises; she's able to give a confident reply like so to him for that reason, as she gets into a fighting position.]

[hesperos]

[ Yuri figures that she'll definitely be able to put up a fight, given what he recalls of what she's said in the trial with said shitty priest. ]

Heh, you'll regret that!

[ The raven-haired man says knowing that she's saying that like he's said his own words for purely confidant banter, and so naturally he'll continue it. He'll get into a fighting position but as always he'll make the first strike and come towards her, swinging a low punch in an attempt to hit her in the stomach. ]

[heritrix]

[When Yuri makes the first move to close the distance, Rin grins.

When she blocks, Rin doesn't attempt to completely stop the blow, but redirect it with her arm. She's trying to throw his arm open wide and away from his trunk, where she'll immediately be going for a palm strike.

Her reactions are rapid in this environment. If he fails to block it, she'll flow right into a second strike, but if he does block it, she'll quickly change tactics based on what he does.]

[hesperos]

[ Now, when he sees her grin he doesn't have a worry at all (if anything it makes him wonder what move she'll make.)

When she blocks and doesn't completely halt it, there is a quick thought of, Different than Rideaux, Milla, and Terumi then. Though he's not going to leave himself wide open here. He's moved his other arm to move in the way of her palm coming into contact. Unlike her earlier tactic, it's a full on block with no redirection, and he'll aim a low kick from one of his legs to try to hit the side of her own in an attempt to trip her up or knock her off balance. ]

[heritrix]

[That would probably have worked better, if not very well, had they not hiveminded there. Rin is surprisingly fast; not as fast as Kirei, mind, but it seems whatever martial art he passed down to her is one that emphasizes rapid movements.

As promised, then, when Yuri blocks her blows, she switches tactics. Like him, Rin also thought to go for the legs, though her approach is different. She's dropped down into a full-on crouch, but seeing his kick incoming forces her to change up her plan of action.

Maybe in her favor. Initially she was going for his ankles, but this presents an opportunity for her. Rin plants a hand on the floor, bracing herself to one side with both limbs as she swings her other leg through the air.

Since he has one leg raised like her, she means to kick out the one he's standing on and completely knock him to the ground.

Should his kick still connect with her before that happens, she's also a lot lower now, and half-turned. It'll more likely hit her in the side, or maybe even the shoulder, though it seems she's turned the way she is to minimize that contact to her arm.]