"A Swing and Miss Doesn't Mean it's Game Over"

[mayavericks]

[Well… All of that sure happened. And while Maya is visibly shaken Sissi's literal dance with death, she’d meant what she’d said to the others -- she would protect them. At that moment, it meant voting and making the “right” decision. Now, though? It means ensuring that no one feels alone, and that everyone has a good meal in them.

She’s not Nana Daiba, however, she certainly can’t do this alone. But she does have the resourcefulness and authoritative disposition to to recruit allies. Discord is sure to be… mostly unbothered by everything that’s happened, and Spongebob will likely be eager to help. She approaches both men: one is asked nicely; The other is grabbed by the collar and dragged from whatever hole he’s locked himself in. Sorry Discord.

For Maya's part, several potato dishes are prepared (can you tell someone has a bias). And while she doesn’t have the resources to make baumkuchen, Maya does manage to produce a cake, as well as… muffins? They’re not… quite how she remembers Nana making them, but she can at least recall how hearty the food had felt, and how it had restored her energy on long days.

It’s a pleasant memory, even if it does make her a touch melancholy.

Nevertheless, the food is laid out in the kitchen, as are a number of pies that Maya has uncovered. She even tucks a few bottles of wine in a corner for the adults that might like it. This is in addition to the mead apparently brought by Salieri. Look she’s not a fan of having alcohol but… she can’t tell the adults no.

But hey, courtesy of Benjamin, there is even some cocoa. It doesn’t start off spiked but… you know. Thanks to Spongebob there are, well… Angry Patties? It’s fine. Even Discord managed to contribute some pies and tea, as well as being bossed around to do the grunt work in the kitchen. There’s also that inexplicable pizza? Huh, that’s weird.

Eventually the group goes around extending invitations to the dorms, knocking on doors and explaining what’s been set up. No one will be forced to go, just… strongly encouraged. Maya herself will even duck into the principal’s office and, if she’s there, invite Hester.

She seemed just as upset as the rest of them.]

Comments

[whatyouwant]

[Elle takes a cut of hot coco and gives Benjamin a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.]

Thanks.

Sorry I wasn't much help back there. [She gestures in the vague direction of the make-shift court room.]

[barberic]

That's alright, Miss Elle. I don't expect I was much help, either. [He matches her smile, putting a hand on the back of her shoulder briefly once she takes the cup of cocoa from him.]

Are you alright?

[whatyouwant]

[Elle lets out a choked sort of chuckle.]

I mean, are any of us alright? We just...Elizabeth...what is even happening here? Why- [She sniffs furiously, trying to hold back tears.]

She didn't deserve to die.

[barberic]

[He hesitates for a moment. But Elle is a wreck - they all are, more or less - and he thinks if ever there were a time to abandon decorum, it was now.

He puts his arm around her shoulders, in a way where she can take it as it is or lean into him if she wants.]

No, she didn't. She was a good woman, she didn't deserve to be made a mockery of like that.

[whatyouwant]

[Elle leans into it, trying very hard to not actually sob even though her efforts to stop the tears altogether have failed.]

It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense.

[barberic]

I know. I know, it doesn't. It's heartless and cruel.

[His thumb rubs her shoulder gently.]

We'll see him hanged for what he's done, pet. It's all of us against him, now. We can't let him drive us apart again.