Then something broke in me and I wanted to go home

[tokencanadian]

[The ending to a very long day has come, and it couldn't have ended... softer, which isn't the first word Pyrrha would use, as everything about what had happened stung hard. Of all the things Choromatsu could have done, he did what he did out of worry for his friends and family, and instantly regretted it when his plans actually came to fruition. It reminded her of things. Certain things, and certain people, who did so much for their family..

...So that's it, isn't it. I can't save my children.

She can't stand this, this feeling in her stomach. So, she does something about it, pushes herself to help instead of moping all to herself. All she has to do is make a quick visit to the storage closet, and a less... exciting trip to the restaurant. Soon enough, everyone's getting a carefully written letter slipped under their door.]

Hey.
The trial was tough, and draining, but as much as we can, I think we should all stick together. Show PAL and his bosses that he can't shake us. It's what Ardyn would want, and Choromatsu as well.
If you would like some food and company, come to the VIP lounge. I won't force anyone, just know that you're not alone, even if you think you are.
- Pyrrha

[True to her word, Pyrrha's in the VIP lounge. Things have been set up so there's a good amount of food on the tables and bar. Mostly simpler things, like fruits and a few non-cookie snacks from the restaurant, and the packaged food from storage. There's also some fresh coffee, water, and whatever the lounge naturally has at the bar. It should be enough for everyone, if anyone even has the appetite to begin with.

Let's party like we're running out of time.]

Comments

[motherfucking_ghost]

[Church isn't as used to this kind of rage. The slow, quiet, smoldering, persistent kind. He's used to flashing quick and petering out in an instant. This doesn't leave when he watches Choromatsu eat the damned cookie. It doesn't ease when he watches him fade and die. It doesn't cease when PAL lets them out without a vote.

He goes straight to room 7.

...Under the bed. That's what he'd said, right? Under their bed. Under his bed. It takes a few minutes for him to gather himself up to even look.

He deposits them outside the door.]

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika goes to pick hers up, sniffles as she reads it. Gets offended at the comment about her cooking, but that's for later.]

Oh, poor Church-san...

[daughterofthemark]

[Knock, knock.]

[cyan_maid]

[...It's probably towards when she goes to bed that she picks up her letter, but Jane won't bother Church when she does. She'll take it, and read it on her own, and cry on her own and let the man grieve.

They'll be here when he comes out, after all.]

[myocordial]

[Heart considers knocking, checking up on Church, doing... something. But he's not sure what he'd even say right now. So maybe giving him space is better.


Heart takes his letter and leaves.]

[induality]

[Fukawa gives it some time-- not just for him but... to find her own words. But she'd never abandon him.]

...Leonard...

You don't have to say anything. Listening is enough. I'm sorry... that I wasn't there for you when you deserved it. That I let myself run instead of supporting you when I knew you needed it-- deserved it. It's fine if you're mad at me.

...but I'm done running. And... if you need me... for anything... I'm going to be here.

[misanthropicprinciple]

[It's about nighttime when another knock comes. It's not really the soft nighttime kind of knocking though. It's not banging--not yet--but someone's insistent about this.

Knock knock knock knock.]

[airlockedmods]

[So about SIS.

She was going to appearify in room 7 to check on Church like she did before the trial but watching him dump the letters outside the door gives her pause. When the door closes again she appears in front of it, bending down to pick up the one with SIS clearly written on it.

She opens and reads it silently, an unreadable expression on her face if anyone happens to see her. When she finishes she turns and walks down the hallway instead of vanishing, the letter still in her hand.

SIS will not be available for calling for the night.]

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna is first back into the elevator, and briefly stops by the security office before paying a visit to room 4 to put up new markers.

Choromatsu's is between the ones he made for his brothers. It's out of order, but... it seems like the right place for it to be. She leaves the bookmark and the picture there.

Ardyn's is next to Yuuri's. She doesn't have anything to put in front of this one. She'll have to ask... no, she'll have to let Church and Junpei deal with it on their own schedule.

She arrives late to the "party," but she's there, making her rounds as usual. Trying to make sure no one is alone for long.]

room 4

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika walks in and pauses, a book in her arms.]

Arianna-chan...

[kingshaming]

[When she arrived Xander nods to her and stands, moving over to talk to her quietly]

Arianna, I would speak to you alone, if I may?

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika sadly munches on a premade cheese sandwich, staring at the bar.]

What could we have done?

[tokencanadian]

I wish I knew.

[Here's your former roomie, Yurika, coming over with a cup of water. No tea for her, of course.]

I still wonder if, had no one died, that they would have gone through with it.

[The thought is enough in itself to make her shudder.]

[induality]

[When she stood... when it was all over-- Fukawa left her grief in the courtroom. She left all the despair and anger and frustration and hopelessness trapped within the walls of that room. Stepping outside she renewed her determination. Rather than running-- she accepted the invitation to the VIP room.

With all her strength she tries to keep her expression from wavering.

But in the face of Ardyn's letter she falters a little. Not out of sadness but an intense pride. Expressed in those words is a great number of feelings from Ardyn that-- their worth can't be expressed.]

...Touko Lucis Caelum...

[Her expression is near blank, but in her eyes there is a spark.]

...I swear... I'll be the death of this cursed foundation. I swear it. The only storm they've to fear is me.

[Later in room 4 she makes a point of penning a poem in fine lettering. She deposits it in it's own spot-- a memorial to Ardyn. And in one for Choromatsu-- she leaves the origami lilies he made for her.]

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna catches her in the VIP room.]

...Dame Touko. I feel I owe you an apology for the state you found yourself in.

[tokencanadian]

[Touko was obviously one of the people Pyrrha was worrying the most over. It's no wonder that she seeks her out during her time in the VIP lounge.]

Touko... I'm so sorry.

[She knows how Fukawa's relationship with Ardyn was incredibly strong. If anyone didn't deserve to lose anything more... It was her.]

About everything.

[cyan_maid]

[Jane turns up after a while, having showered and changed into something clean, but she doesn't touch any of the food Pyrrha put out. Not out of suspicion, but out of just...not wanting to eat. She never eats on these days. She can't.

She's quiet, curled up in one of the chairs, and while she's not crying, she is...shaking slightly. Almost tense. Because she'd had to do it again, like with Rukia, catch onto something significant and look a person in the eye and try to corner them into a confession.

And it sucks.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Jane-chan...

[Yurika leans over and sets a hand on her shoulder.]

We tried. I'm so sorry.

[tokencanadian]

[Pyrrha's scurrying around, busying herself with making sure there's enough of everything. There's always a slight anxiousness to her actions, but that's probably a given. Every so often, she approaches someone if they're on a couch, just hanging around, or even at the bar. And she'll ask with a tired voice,]

Can I get you anything? Water? Maybe... something to eat?

[Guess who hasn't eaten all day.

She does spend a little while on a couch, looking at old pictures through her Scroll, but then it's back to work until a point where most everyone's leaving. Then it's clean-up time.]

Cleaning up

[cyan_maid]

...Do you want some help?

[Jane's just. She's tired, but she's been here, and she can't not help Pyrrha out. Pyrrha always helps others. Let someone help her.]

[airlockedmods]

[It may not be an option in this toplevel but when the night hits and the girls in room 1 have settled down for the sleeps, they have a visitor.

A mysterious glowy visitor.]

[myocordial]

[Heart's mostly in the VIP lounge. He's taken a seat and he's drinking coffee, more for the sake of having something than anything else. He's reading the letter Ardyn wrote for him. And somehow, despite the loss, despite grief, the horror of watching Choromatsu die...

Heart is actually chuckling softly as he reads. There's still sadness in there, of course there is. But the amusement is very real.]

Honestly, Ardyn...

[He makes a stop at room 4 later. Not for any specific purpose, not really, he just felt the need to be there, at the memorial. He's standing quietly in the room, just... thinking.]

room 4

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika's set Choromatsu's family album with the rest of his and his brothers' things. She's staring at that with a sigh.]

Every time we try to do something for everyone, it doesn't work completely.

VIP lounge

[tokencanadian]

...I guess you got a letter from Ardyn as well?

[Here's your host for the night. If Heart were to look closely, he might be able to see the folded paper in Pyrrha's hand. She'd already read hers, naturally. It... She had time to think about it now. She's alright.]

Is it alright?

[nightcure]

[ Noctis is... there in the VIP Lounge. It takes him a while to get there, but he's definitely present. He's got Ardyn's letter in hand, and he's read it a couple of times now. Read, re-read, folded, unfolded. By the end of the program, whenever the hell that is, it'll be a mess.

Junpei, Leonard, Nari, everyone--look after them in my place, and see yourself survive to the end. Live, Your Majesty. Defy the fate you were handed long before you were born.

His eyes always seem to fall on those words, and Noctis lets out a heavy sigh. ]

... Yeah. You have my word.

[ He's seated against the wall, if you'd like to have a chat. ]

[tokencanadian]

[Of course she's coming to see him, how could she not?

But Pyrrha doesn't say anything. She just slides down the wall and takes a seat next to him.]