the final afterparty

[incompletely]

[

That sure happened, but everyone, by some miracle, made it out alive. No one else died, nothing blew up, no arson was committed, we're all still here. And being here, being present despite everything that just happened, is really important. This is for everyone, McGillis and Yuri included (and Jack, if he wants to party from the dungeon), because they all need it. Even with the new revelations, nobody should be left behind.

The party takes place in the bar again, and it probably looks a little...odd? Because there's all the alcohol in the back, and then...there's a bunch of donuts on one of the tables. Two whole baskets of donuts from the bakery, provided by Tenn. Next to the baskets is tea provided by Koto. Have at it, everyone. ]

Comments

[incompletely]

Well, I'm glad you decided to show up anyway.

[ He hums a little. ]

That doesn't surprise me, but I'm available as always, if you need to speak about anything in particular. Today was a lot to take in.

[ideismo]

It was, though I believe the offer to be more appropriate when extended to you. How are you, after everything?

[incompletely]

[ ... ]

Do you want to know how I feel after today? Or after this experience as a whole?

[ideismo]

Answer for both.

[incompletely]

After today...I won't lie. I'm pretty exhausted. That's the simplest way to put it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[ However. ]

Overall, though... A lot's happened. I got to fix things with Riku, I learned how to set aside my pride in the interest of learning and understanding different people. Grief isn't something I was as acquainted with like other people are, so because of that, I also had to come to terms with the fact that there was something monstrous within me.

[ See: C-ta and Riku's case. All the trials, really, but that stands out to him especially. ]

But when I go home, [ Not if. When. ] there's a lot I want to do. There's a lot I want to fix. And as long as I can take what I've learned here and keep on helping other people as best as I can, then I'll look back on all of this with some level of pride. Not for the bloodshed or the mistakes I've made, but for the people I've gotten to meet along the way.

Really. I wouldn't have lasted this long were it not for the people here. Yourself included, Alexei-san.

[ideismo]

[...What the hell does he do with that.]

I'm glad that I could help you in some way. And...I agree, in some ways - that I likely wouldn't be here now, were it not for those of you here.

[He's fussing with his gloves again, a little, at that.]

I'm not a good person. I'm one of the first to admit that, and I've always been willing to take responsibility for what I've done back in Terca Lumireis. But I've meant what I said, with regards to wanting to save people. That's always been first and foremost in my mind, despite everything.

[incompletely]

[ Take that, Alexei!! Tenn got to be nice to Yeager, he'll menace you in the same way!!! ]

That's okay. I don't think this is about being a good or a bad person anymore, for what it's worth. I can't look at myself in the mirror and say that I'm the person I want to be anymore, so I do understand to some extent.

[ He smiles again. ]

But we've been through a lot. And as much as Jack-san wants to tell us that we never actually wanted to look out for one another, I don't believe that. Trials, sure, but outside of that, I think a lot of us did what we could with the time we spent together here.

[ideismo]

[...Tenn, there's a difference between "school idol has trauma-induced crisis of faith" and "jrpg villain intends to murder just like so many people you have no fucking idea", but. He'll let that go for now.]

I still didn't vote. I'm sure McGillis is annoyed with me for it, but I'm not willing to compromise on that.

[incompletely]

[ i laughed out loud holy fuck ]

...That's your decision, and if he's annoyed, then that's on him. I just hope we won't have to go through another one of these trials again.

[ideismo]

If we do then so be it. We'll continue until no one is willing to kill; that's the most we can do at this point.

[incompletely]

Yeah, pretty much. I can't wait until they're over.

[ because. jesus. they are all SO TIRED. ]

[ideismo]

I don't think we have any left in us at this rate.

[incompletely]

After today? Definitely not.

[ they're all dead on the inside ]

[ideismo]

We'll have to see where things go, I suppose.

[Surely they can only go up from here?? Surely.]

...It's strange to not have Suga here.

[incompletely]

...Yeah. It is.

[ Tenn's wearing the friendship bracelet Suga made for him still. Does Alexei have his, too? ]

I didn't feel great about sharing what he said about the traitors at the trial, but I think it was necessary.

[ideismo]

[He does, yeah. He hasn't taken it off since Suga gave it to him on Monday.]

It had to be said. It got us a good distance further in discussion, at least.

[incompletely]

[ Good. Solidarity, then. ]

I don't even know if that's what Suga-san went out to do, honestly, but somehow, it lead us to the right person in the end. And...he was right about Jack-san and McGillis-san, though I'll admit that those two were my suspicions as well.

[ideismo]

...Likewise.

I had my reasons for not wanting to say anything about McGillis, but I've suspected for a while.

[incompletely]

What were the signs, in your opinion?

[ Because he has his reasons, too, but... ]

[ideismo]

He's similar to me, just with less of a sense of morals. And I absolutely would have killed every single one of you for such an offer.

[WELL, ALL RIGHT THEN.]

As before, it was just an understanding I had. Nothing concrete.

1/2

[incompletely]

[ AH, YES. CLASSIC ALEXEI.... ]

[incompletely]

[ .........anyway. ]

So do you think the offer kind of like the murder incentive, then? Hamelin promised to grant his wish if he worked for him, over murdering someone.

[ideismo]

[Listen, sometimes he's like this and now that you all know he's a shitty human being you all have to deal with him.]

It has to be something drastic like that, yes, but I imagine that there's something else to it - otherwise, why not just play the game normally?

I don't know what else would have been offered, but I imagine it was a decent reward. Enough to make it worth it.

[incompletely]

Yeah... There's probably more to it than whatever incentive we've been getting these past few weeks.

[ This is so much, oh god. ]

...We can revisit this later. Honestly, my head hurts trying to piece it all together right now.

[ideismo]

Of course.

[...]

it is good to know that you're not allowing this to demoralize you entirely.