The bodies in my floor all trusted someone. Now I walk on them to tea.

[kingshaming]

[After the trial, Xander does what he does best. What always blanks his mind when training is not an option:

He organizes.

The hot food for lunch is out still, and while he feels far from hungry, he knows they all SHOULD eat. Everyone wanders off to take care of their own grief, and he lets them for now- and instead busies himself at the espresso bar. There's something specific he wants to do.

Later, under each door, and with the same thing written on the white board he had dragged out for meetings:]

There is hot food and tea in the cafeteria, and while I have no stomach for food it is there for those that can.

While it is tempting to be alone right now, if you wish company I shall be there until evening. Now may be a good time to compare new information while it is fresh.

If not, please stay well.

Xander

[And as promised there is fresh tea. Green tea in fact, though it lacks the milk Chitanda made- but basic tea he can manage at least]

Comments

[cyan_maid]

[It takes a moment before she nods, hands curling a little tighter around her cup.]

I...I want to do something. For Chitanda. For...for the Griffin too, and Toby, even if he...was deplorable. We should...we should have some kind of...of ceremony. Or...or put up a little something, at least, for those of us who'd like to mourn.

[ratherdoweddings]

Xander-san and I were talking about that. But what do you think they would want? They were all so different.

[cyan_maid]

[She shakes her head.] I don't know. Maybe some of the others from Japan would know what to do for Chitanda, but I'm not familiar with funeral rights for griffins or...alien penguins. But, it doesn't feel right not to try.

[As much as the thought of Toby leaves a sour taste in her mouth, nobody deserves to go in such a way.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Maybe we can all build a little memorial. None of us had a lot of things of our own, but... maybe something we can make with the art supplies?

[cyan_maid]

[Jane goes a bit stiff.]

I...I don't know...if I can go into the art room for a while.

[You know, after finding someone she'd become so quickly close to turned into a knife pincushion.]

[ratherdoweddings]

...I can get a paper roll and bring it in here. Maybe that'll work.

[cyan_maid]

That should be fine. I...I know I took a pen for myself. I'm sure others have pens and pencils, too.

[ratherdoweddings]

Just hold on a minute.

[Yurika gets up, taking her plate to clear it off, and steps out; she returns moments later with an art paper roll and a box of pencil crayons.]

We can start drawing on this, I think.

[cyan_maid]

[Hm? What could she be...

When Yurika returns with the art supplies, Jane can't help but let her mouth hang open a little.]

...Gosh...y-you have a stronger constitution than me, Miss Yurika...

[ratherdoweddings]

She's gone. There isn't even... they cleaned everything up while we were out. [Yurika holds her head.] I really hope that means they have an on-site morgue.

[cyan_maid]

[That makes Jane's brow furrow immediately - though, even with knowing that, she still doesn't want to go into the art room.]

Gone...? Just - just like that?

[ratherdoweddings]

They must have employees to clean up or something. There's nothing out of place.

[cyan_maid]

[...There's a flicker of hardness to Jane's expression now.]

They can't even let us mourn properly...? They can't let us say goodbye?

[ratherdoweddings]

[What does she even do with this? Just...]

We don't have to do what they tell us! We can remember them and what they had to live for, even if the people in charge think this is fun!

[cyan_maid]

I know that, but...

[But she hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to Chitanda.]

[ratherdoweddings]

...I'm sorry, too. Eru-chan didn't even do anything.

[cyan_maid]

[...A slow nod.]

She wasn't even...he just...because she was there, he...[Jane sighs, a shudder in the sound.] To act indiscriminately, it's...

[She really is sorry nothing is coming out coherently, Yurika. Jane's still reeling.]

[ratherdoweddings]

It's desperation. But we can't let it beat us, Jane-chan. Even if it's hard to even think like that right now.

[cyan_maid]

Mm. No, you're...you're right. I don't want to let it or anything else here beat me.

[She wraps her arms around herself protectively.]

[ratherdoweddings]

I want to think there's still hope, Jane-chan. I know you do, too.

[cyan_maid]

...I do want to. I really do. I...what else is there, but hope, in this place?

[Hope wasn't going to be her thing, uu had told her that before - but if she could just borrow a little bit of that Hope, Jane thinks she'll be alright.

...Maybe not from Jake, though.]

[ratherdoweddings]

There's the rest of us. Even if someone does do this again, it's them against everyone. I don't want it to come to that, but we can make it.

[cyan_maid]

...Right. Alright.

[It's all she can agree to at the moment. Just...she needs some time, and some distractions.]