AFTERPARTY III: Never Have I Ever Been Quite This Drunk

[mirrite]

[There's absolutely nothing celebratory about this drinking party. "Party" isn't even the right word, not really-- it's more like a "drink until you forget and/or black out" session for anyone who wants to participate, and even the bartender isn't immune from that much. Please forgive him if your drink isn't mixed quite right; he's trying his best under the circumstances.

There's food, too, if anyone wants to attempt to stave off a hangover tomorrow, or just get something in their stomach after the events of the day: stirfry from Makoto, vegetable soup from Nageki (mediocre, but hey, a genuine effort was made and that's what counts), and some tea for those who would rather abstain from the harder stuff. (Is that even many people tonight? Probably not.)

Come on by the bar if you're hungry or want a drink, or even if you just don't want to be alone right now. That much, at least, is something that can be guaranteed tonight.]

Comments

[crimson_flamel]

[A few hours pass before she arrives at the afterparty, sitting down in the corner. Eventually, she'll even remember to pour herself a drink.

Her jaw is set and she looks... frustrated, but less angry than she was at the end of the trial. Mostly, she's just tired. If anyone approaches her, she'll nod at them and silently motion for them to sit next to her.

Upon closer inspection, her fists seem to be bruised and bleeding slightly from some stress relief sparring against an inanimate dummy that is now missing a head.]

[gemuinemanagement]

[Suga brings her some food to go along with her drink, and frowns at seeing her bleeding knuckles.]

Should I get you some bandages

[crimson_flamel]

No.

It's nice. To not feel them in my system.

[She doesn't elaborate.]

[gemuinemanagement]

[uh okay]

Should I ask how you're holding up

[crimson_flamel]

Better. I should trust my gut more. Still, I had time to think and I can't really be angry about Yor's inevitable betrayal.

[She has a sip of her drink.]

And you?

[gemuinemanagement]

[......]

I don't know what it's like to have siblings
But Yor reminded me of a big sister
She was always looking after me

So I've been better, I guess

[crimson_flamel]

[Her expression softens. Siblings... Maybe. Maybe that might be it.]

...Sometimes I struggle with... remembering what that was like too. I used to have so many and now...

[She closes her eyes and sighs.]

She did care for you. And Rika, and Tenn, and Riku, and Sami too. Probably SQ too. But she was a predator. Killing was just instinctual for her. Both things can be true.

I wonder what her wish was.

[gemuinemanagement]

I know
People are complicated

[If C-ta could have genuinely cared about him despite - all of that - then he doesn't doubt that Yor cared, too.]

I wonder if it would help to share them
It might not change anything
But at least we wouldn't wonder what was so important

[adorabilities]

Edelgard?

[ as she approaches. inevitably, she would end up here as well. ]

[crimson_flamel]

[She raises her head slightly and nods.]

Oh. Hello, Adora.

[adorabilities]

... Want someone to practice with...?

[crimson_flamel]

[She chuckles darkly.]

Practice might be a bit of a generous word for it. But... I wouldn't say no to your company.

I've never had to bleed to break a training dummy. It's a relief, honestly.

[adorabilities]

Well, that's the closest to what it is, isn't it?

[ she will go to grab a practice sword, though. ]

[hellochildren]

It appears more zan vone of us is suffing-suffering wis our finces-vices.

[The parrot may be drunk, but he's still got eyes and a brain-a heavily inebriated brain, but a brain nonetheless.

He almost considers taking that seat before the possibility of breaking his neck in a drunken fall comes to mind.]

Guilt as vell? Or ashanet-ashamed over mistakes?

[crimson_flamel]

Can't it be both?

[She raises a drink with an exhausted smile.]

Part of me is a little annoyed that I was right in doubting her from the start. I even felt guilty for being cruel to her.

[Even now, she does a bit.]

SQ deserved better than to die for that.

[hellochildren]

I see your point.

[He certainly feel one, and he can't blame people for feeling the other.]

You can say sat-zat aken-again. For bos sings.

Frau SQ deserved mush-much better zan dyink-dying for her.

Ant I sushpected-suspected her from ze start!

[He slams a foot down to punctuate the statement.]

Not for murter-murder, but somesing! I expectet a botty-bodyguard or skilled fighter, not-not-vhatever ze Hell zat vas!

[The parrot groans before nearly slamming his head against the table, thinking better of it centimeters before contact could be made.]

1/2

[crimson_flamel]

[She has to try not to quirk a smile at his suggestions for Yor's true role.]

Assassin. Presumably in service to her King or... whatever in eternity it is where she's from. I'm almost certain that's what she was. It's what I was certain of at the first trial and then again after the second but... she was so kind to everyone I felt like she wouldn't...

But that was naive of me.

[Sigh.]

I don't think even she realised that SQ would take the fall for her. But she kept us in the dark, and did nothing as she was carted away.

[She can't say that's a moral boundry she doesn't think she'd ever cross but... her callous utalitarian beliefs versous her nature as a bleeding heart with a hero complex. Fight.]

I won't condemn Yor, but I don't think I can forgive her either.

[crimson_flamel]

Oh, where are my manners. Do you... want me to help you onto the chair? You seem to be wobbling into tables a bit...

[Stirs her non-alcoholic drink.]

[hellochildren]

I am...

[He tries to right his position, and the momentum is so strong that he ends up falling unto his rear.]

...assistance vould be appreciated.

Your theory sounds aggur-accurate, as vell as you azzes-assesment. I dizz-dissmissed her as a ditz and nosing more. Now I fear-feel more humiliated zan ever before.

[A genius parrot tricked by a woman like that. He almost would've preferred getting shot.]

At zish-zis point, all ve can to-do is prevent it from happening aken-again.

[crimson_flamel]

[She gently picks him up and puts him on the chair beside her.]

We can hope to. I suppose the most we can do is make sure we don't unerestimate others. It's happened a few times now. We underestimated Zola and regretted it, underestimated Yor and regretted it.

At least I can have faith that you and I are at the very least viable clear suspects for being able to stomach comitting a murder. So, that's a silver lining, I suppose.

[She takes a sip and then looks back down at Pericles.]

We've all made mistakes. And you saved Moriarty's life. Focus on that, my friend.

[amortristis]

[ Morgan is fine to sit in silence with Edelgard for awhile, but eventually her gaze does drift down to her bruised fists. ]

Taking your frustrations out?

[crimson_flamel]

[She looks at her hand and flexes it, opening and closing it into a fist.]

Partly.

...I was proving something to myself, I suppose. My crests - my power, essentially - doesn't work here, otherwise the skin wouldn't even be blemished. The reminder is calming, paradoxically. But I'd be lying if I claimed I wasn't frustrated.

[And experiencing what it was like to be human again, with nothing sleeping under the surface of her blood force-feeding her power that would take her mind and take her body eventually. Apparently to her that means sore knuckles.]

How are you feeling?

[amortristis]

Sounds like quite an ability.

[ She thinks she gets it, though – it's been nice to not have to hide herself, but the lack of an ability to do anything has long since weighed on her. But it was a moot point, for now. ]

I'm all right, more or less. The last moments of the trial were... hectic, to say the least. [ She looks over at her. ] And you?

[crimson_flamel]

...Well, I didn't think I was so gullible. So a little embarassed. And I feel a bit guilty for how I treated Lord Moriarty, considering he's been largely kind to me and nothing but helpful to the group.

[She grimaces.]

I'll apologize before the execution. I think many of us owe him that.

[She didn't even accuse him, just said that she doubted he was the killer and then attempted to taunt a confession out of him in the same breath. She needs to figure out how to turn off guilt, it's been a pain in the ass.]

[amortristis]

[ She nods. ]

With as little time that was left, it's understandable that one could potentially draw an unreasonable conclusion. [ ... ] But Lucifer was found out, in the end, so...

[ She trails off, sighing. ]

It's not an excuse for getting sloppy, but if there is any consolation, we are not sending the wrong person to their death this time.