Didn't we just do this last week?

[perpend]

[It's starting to look like this is going to be a weekly occurrence.

Just like last week, Cabanela waits a while before he makes his rounds, writing everyone quick notes and sliding them under each occupied door.]

Stay strong.
If you don't want to be alone tonight, meet in the dining hall.
-Cabanela

[Like last week, Cabanela hasn't bothered to provide anyone with food-- that would just be... rude right now, he thinks. Upon first entering, you'll notice that there are now four lit candles in the center of one of the tables.

Feel free to leave mementos for the dead; it's probably appreciated.]

Comments

[icysemblance]

[Weiss goes by the mailroom to get a pen and some paper before coming back up to the dining hall. She sets her things down, goes to the kitchen to make a pot of tea, and brings it back before settling in.

Dear Winter -

- and an inkblot. There's something she wants to write, but the words just aren't flowing. She sighs, looking around at everyone else. Feel free to ask who this 'Winter' is.]

[decrees]

[Logan approaches Weiss after a moment and takes a seat across from her. He glances at the paper for a moment, but he decides not to ask.]

How are you doing, Weiss?

[That... sure was another trial and execution.]

[icysemblance]

I'm as well as can be expected. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go through another round of a trial, and another execution, but I suppose it's wishful thinking.

[She laughs, but it's tired and bitter-sounding.]

How are you holding up?

[decrees]

I was hoping the same thing.

[Good to know that four years of horrible decisions haven't ultimately killed the idealist in him.]

I'm doing better than I was last week, though that's not difficult.

[It's not like he had to watch his best friend die today.]

I imagine our situation will not get any better next week.

[...Just as a head's up...]

[icysemblance]

I would imagine not. Last week was awful.

[She looks sympathetic, still.]

I had figured as much. If it gets better at all, it will only get worse before it does. I just hope he's done trying to hand out motives and such.

[Weiss looks down, sipping at her tea, then tapping the inkblot next to the name 'Winter'.]

[decrees]

[Logan glances away for a moment before forcing himself to look back at Weiss.]

I doubt he's done with that. He'll most likely find some other incentive to try to get us to act.

[icysemblance]

I do, too, deep down.

[Weiss looks down at her tea again, stirring it but not drinking any.]

...it was incredibly easy to say no to that little immortality game, as far as I'm concerned. I just -

[She looks away.]

I just hope they don't bring anyone from home into this.

[decrees]

[...]

I hope he would know better than to attempt to touch the people that are important to me.

[Sir Walter can take care of himself, but Logan's sister...]

Should he attempt to encourage us in such a way, I have no doubt someone will move. We all have people who are important to us back home.

[icysemblance]

I would hope so, too. That's why I had started writing to my older sister, Winter. If nothing else, she would be able to get my teammates somewhere safe.

[She laughs again, that tired laugh.]

Not that I imagine it would do much good, or that it would even get out, but at least it feels like doing something.

[Another nod.]

I wouldn't doubt it, either. Hurting us is one thing, but our friends and families another entirely.

[decrees]

[Oh no, your sister...]

I've already addressed a letter to my sister, though I doubt the Conductor was kind enough to send it to her. He didn't leave a response at all in my room, for once.

[And thank god for that. Now if he'd stop leaving coins in the middle of the night...]

I can only hope that he will decide against harming our families. I'm not sure how he managed to bring us all here in the first place, but if he's capable of that...

[...It could be a very real possibility, unfortunately.]

[icysemblance]

I suspect it's one of those 'not going to do anything out of the ordinary' kind of things, but it can't hurt.

[Yeah. It's kind of creepy.]

...mm. I know everyone is more than capable of defending themselves, but I would have thought that of myself, too.

[nankurunaisa]

Heya!

[Hibiki isn't sure what makes Weiss stand out the most at this given moment. She wants someone to talk to, that's for sure, and maybe that's enough to get her sitting next to the girl writing a letter.]

Whatcha doin'? Writing something?

[Please don't say it's for the Conductor.]

[icysemblance]

[Weiss will give Hibiki a tired smile, nodding.]

Writing to my sister, actually. She will have gotten worried by now, and if it's possible to get a letter out, I want her to know I'm safe.

[nankurunaisa]

Oh, that's a good idea! I never thought about that. Do you think the Conductor will let us do somethin' like that?

[She'll just. Look a little...]

Winter...that's a pretty name! I bet your sister is just as pretty as you, huh?

[icysemblance]

I don't know, but it's worth a shot.

[That will get a slight nod.]

Winter's gorgeous in the way that I don't think I can be, just yet. It's in the way she carries herself.

Well, that, and...

[Weiss closes her eyes so that the scar over her left eye is more visible.]

She doesn't have that scar.

[nankurunaisa]

It'd be nice to at least contact my Producer...or Inumi...

[Her priorities: work and also her dog?

Hibiki's expression changes when she notices the scar. She's seen Weiss around plenty of times, but she's never noticed that before. She's a...huntress isn't she? Or something like that?]

I know lots of people that carry themselves in a way like that, but...I don't think a scar would make anyone less pretty. I mean, I still think you are!

[But what she thinks and what Weiss feels must be a different story. Hibiki's compliment isn't meant to be empty, she's just...naive about things like that.]

[icysemblance]

Mm. I figured if I could get a letter to Winter, she'd be able to pass it on to everyone else.

[She keeps her eyes closed a little longer, thinking.]

It's really sweet of you to say that, Hibiki. I think I'll get to that point one day, but it just -

[Then she opens them.]

- reminds me of some bad things.

[nankurunaisa]

That's a great idea. I like to think about sendin' a letter to my family and the other idols...but I never thought it'd reach them.

[What kind of captor would let her send a letter? It's just never occurred to her, she's not pessimistic about it by choice.

But, compliment over, she can tell Weiss is thinking about something pretty heavy. It's not any of her business, so Hibiki decides to change the subject to try and make her more comfortable.]

So you've got lots of people waitin' back home? Do you have a big family, Weiss?

[icysemblance]

Why don't you? I think it would probably help cheer you up.

[She hums.]

My family...it's my mother, my father -

[the way she says 'father' is strained.]

- and my sister. Lately, though, my teammates have become a second family to me. You remind me of Ruby, my partner, a lot. Blake's quiet, but she's incredibly smart. Yang's the life of the party, but she can also be really thoughtful.

[nankurunaisa]

Alright! I'm definitely gonna do that later! Hehe, I wonder what they're up to all the time...I bet they're all becomin' even more famous while I'm here! I'm not gonna let 'em pass me too much.

[She's not giving up on her job just because she's stuck here, though a part of her wonders if "held hostage and forced to watch people die" would be a scandal or not.]

You remind me of someone, too! Her name's Takane. She made her debut around the same time as me, and she's graceful and mysterious...

[And unlike Weiss, kind of a major goofball, which is saying something coming from Hibiki.]

[icysemblance]

That's the spirit! I'm positive you won't let them get too far ahead.

[...well, as long as it doesn't involve dating, Hibiki's probably good.]

Do I? What's she like?

Ruby's like you because she's full of energy, really friendly, and really determined.

[sunsong]

Hey, Weiss. Who're you writin' to?

[ Sol hasn't ever been one for letters, but she's starting to think there's someone she should write, too. ]

[icysemblance]

Oh, hello, Sol. I'm writing to my sister, Winter.

[sunsong]

Your sister? Older or younger?

[ ...Your parents really liked snow, huh. NOT LIKE SOL CAN TALK ABOUT NAMES... ]

[icysemblance]

She's a few years older than me.