when you hear me calling out to you, saying, "i'll always believe in you"

[ratherdoweddings]

[It occurs to Yurika that she has no idea what either of the men they'd lost just now had with regards to religious beliefs. She doesn't know who they wanted to leave their things to. She doesn't miss the detailed funeral requests, and at least neither wanted their ashes scattered over a lake on a planet that might not even exist here while the mall radio blasted "Stairway to Heaven," but having nothing...

It's actually kind of fitting. They don't have much to begin with.

Arianna strongly insisted on handling the food, so don't worry, your afterparty food today does not consist of disgusting burnt lumps and will not send you all back into the courtroom should somebody eat one. Candles are lit on another table and Yurika's standing at the front with a hand on her shoulder.]

In my last group... our last group, for some of us, the only cases we've remembered so far had culprits who were either cruel or just that determined to escape. Here, it seems different. We're all survivors, so it seems, and we're all friends who are doing our best -- even when the motives make it seem like we should give up. Even when people die anyway.

Maybe Togami-san was right that it'll just keep going from now, but he was also right that it can't keep going forever. I'm going to make sure to keep trying for all of you, and I know you will, too.

Comments

[cyan_maid]

Do you know how hard that is for so many people? To even be their true selves...it's incredibly difficult! To even admit one honest thing has been hard for me to do in the past, especially when it mattered most. It's not weird if I admire that!

[everylittlesecret]

I giggle when I lie. That's... forced me to be way more honest than I'd like.

[cyan_maid]

...It's still something admirable to me. I just start yelling and getting worked up when I try to cover up how I feel.

[everylittlesecret]

That........ I've tried that. That's how some people in the mansion disliked me. It wasn't very effective.

[cyan_maid]

I screwed up my only friendships that way.

[everylittlesecret]

Well, you ain't screwing this one up.

[cyan_maid]

Are you sure?

[everylittlesecret]

Yep. Pretty damn sure.

[cyan_maid]

...Aw, shucks.

[everylittlesecret]

You ain't ditching me so easy, Maple. It would take a lot, and you don't look like... well, I can't say serial killer. One of my favorite people did that for fun...

[cyan_maid]

...Well, no, I tend not to make things like that a hobby. But I certainly wouldn't want to "ditch" you, either.