itscurtains | and after the party it's the AFTER PARTY

[Tradition is Tradition.

Anne figures it's best to keep everyone busy in the aftermath of the trial, so she wrangles together a team of Mephisto, Santana, and Stephen to help her set up. Mephisto writes the notes and slides them under the door for Nana, Steven, and Christine, letting them know there's food and people in the dining room. The handwriting's not too great. Christine's note contains a 'P.S. If you don't feel up to it, I'll bring some food by later.' from Anne and a little doodle of Tad Cooper.

Thankfully, Anne has help setting up, so the weirdest of her food experiments don't make their way out of the kitchen. However, her platter of sandwiches does contain some interesting surprises--- you may find cheese and jelly, or peanut butter and chicken. There are normal things there too, though! And Biscuits, courtesy of Mephisto.

Their resident therapy dragon is on duty, too. Anne's made him a tiny crown for the event, and a regal little cape. He sits on a pillow in the middle of the dining room table, reigning proudly. ]

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There will be no secrets from me, so long as there are none from you. [He's quiet for a moment, considering this. Then... he laughs. He can't help himself. It's a bitter sound, but -- ]

Promising to tell each other when we kill. What madness has this place instilled?

I don't think it's possible to keep secrets. That's... probably why I was so confused when Stephen started suspecting me.

[Her own smile is wry, and she just shakes her head.]

This place is kind of the worst. I've gotten better at recognizing when things are wrong, but I never wanted to learn that in case someone was going to die the next day...

I think... He was just scared. We all were. Angus and Riley -- we had no reason to suspect them, and yet...

[He shakes his head. It's no excuse.]

You were scared. We only made it worse.

That's hardly your fault either! We're... we're all scared when we're in that situation. I understand it. I-I'm not mad... I just.

[She exhales slowly.]

I wish I could just get it out of my head... what might have happened if I had known. If I would have been stupid enough to let people keep suspecting me, or if I would have confessed and tried to take the blame, like you did.

You would have died. We all would have. And I don't think you could have lived with yourself.

[Mephisto presses his palms together, then separates them. He fusses with his fingers a few more times, still trying to make sense of the words in his head.]

I had to come to terms with that after Riley's passing. That saving her wasn't worth killing you and everyone else.

That's why I said it was stupid. But I don't know if I'd realize it in that situation. I was... so desperate to get him to connect with me again that I might have gone that far for, for someone who had too much control over me in the first place.

[It wasn't the same with Riley. Riley hadn't manipulated Mephisto. She'd been hiding things, but that didn't mean she wasn't herself. But with Jeremy...]

I. I still don't know if how I felt about him was my own choice or just something left over from when the SQUIP had control over me. It makes it even harder to grieve.

I wish i could give you an answer. I hardly understand half of what's going on with your... Squids. [Maybe it'll get her to smile?]

Perhaps the only answer is to find a way to bring Jeremy back. Just Jeremy, no voices in his head. He'll be the only one that can answer you, I think. And you deserve that answer.

[There is a very soft, wobbly smile at that.] Have you been talking to Steven? He calls it the same thing.

[He could always ask. She's pretty sure he knows that he could, so she won't bring it up at the moment. Not when his words make her worry, pulling her legs up to her chest.]

I... I don't even know if that's possible. We turned it off, sure, but he got desperate enough to put it back on again. Besides, even when it's off, it...

[She swallows hard. She knows how he reacted even over the illness, so she can't possible try to explain what it's like even with them being cured.] Never mind.

Then we bring him back. And we teach him how to live with no crutches. [He scoffs, half-hearted. He hardly believes his own words anymore.]

It can't be that hard. I've lived without my basic luxuries. Teleportation, summoning. I haven't been able to refill my chalice with a snap of the fingers in ages, Christine, but I haven't resorted to monstrosity yet.

That's probably because you've got longer to live than us. Humans can be... pretty annoying when they're a little bit inconvenienced.

[She giggles softly.]

I wish I had that power, though. The quick changes offstage would be ten times easier if I could just summon the right pair of shoes.

...I hope you're right though. That it doesn't end up being too hard.

and after the party it's the AFTER PARTY

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