The sky shines differently today than it did yesterday

[employeeoftheyear]

[Perhaps to the surprise of no one, there is no after party after that trial. Two children were dead. Two children were dead over a simple accident and the Wizard cared more about himself than anyone else. But they won't give up, they can't give up. They had to keep fighting until everything's been set right.

At the Lobby ofrenda later that night, there are six origami pieces accoupling the other memorials. A penguin, a rose, an octopus man, computer, a music note, and the last one are of a boy and girl holding hands. Along with that there is a plate of strawberry cupcakes with blueberry icing and a note that reads:]

There is still hope and love in the world

Never let The Wizard make you think otherwise 💗

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

I know.

[ Orpheus looks at the offered hand, held out awkward and uncertain, and reaches out to clasp it in his own briefly before letting go. ]

I know. We can't give up, no matter what. It's just. It's hard. We have to be smart about it, and not throw our lives away too early to make a difference, but. Waiting means living through this even longer. Or not living at all, for some of us.

[mayavericks]

Sometimes... people are not ready to be helped. They do not want to listen to the other people in their lives. Their perspectives.

Regardless... I know you did all you could for him, Cassandra.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

....No. I didn't.

I could have done more. I could have told him everything will be okay. Even if it won't be, I could have tried to make it better. I could have...

[...done nothing. Because what could she do?]

[mayavericks]

Telling him it would be okay would have been an insult to his intelligence, Cassandra. You know that. He was a smart young man, and would not have simply taken it on faith alone.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[A perfect fit, somehow. Funny how some of the best things in your life tend to come out of nowhere.]

...Yeah. [there's a feeling in Cassandra's chest. She hasn't felt it in a little while. It's hope.] Having people by your side that care about you... helps. It helps a lot. If we all stand by each other, we'll be much stronger than if we worked apart.

[Her thumb runs smoothly against the back of Elsa's hand. Delicate, gently. Like she worried Elsa might break if she so much as thought more about the woman beside her. And Cassandra was thinking a lot.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Faint burn scars are course against Orpheus's hand in the brief moment they connect. When he lets go, it falls back against Cassandra's side. Limp.]

It's a heck of a trap. The longer we stay here, the more we risk falling victim to the Wizard's motives and tricks. But if we try anything too quickly, we might just... fail. We have to be smarter than this.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Even in the murky warmth of a summer evening, Ruddiger's fur is soft and... fresh. He's a clean little guy. Has to be if he hangs around Varian.

He chitters quietly, imploringly. In as much as he can, he seems to understand, and curls into Peregrine's embrace.]

...Hey. [Cass doesn't want to disturb this moment. She really, really doesn't.] We should head back inside.

[comeandfindme]

I know.

[ For a moment it just seems like she's repeating it again. But— ]

...I gotta— Farrah'll wanna see him.

[themuseabandonsyou]

It is. I'm not - I've never been smart, or clever, or wise. I can't begin to think of how we could get out of this. I know there's a chance, if we can trick the Wizard into letting the bindings on Discord's powers slip? But I wouldn't even know what to look for, for an opening, or think of other ideas. All I can really do is wait and watch while the rest of you try to figure things out.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He just stands there for a good few minutes. He distantly realizes that he probably shouldn't have called him dad, but when Salieri doesn't discourage it, he feels another small sob escape.

He had no idea how badly he needed support like this until now. Undying, unconditional support. Not like Spongebob didn't trust his friends, but Spongebob prided himself in being independent. It didn't hit him how it's still nice to have someone to just.

Rely on.]

Th-thank you. For everything. You're so nice and smart and kind and I love talking with you and playing music with you and-

[He's definately babbling now.]

[defyingfrigidity]

... It's good to hear you say that.

[Elsa's hands always seem so delicate. Years and years of wearing gloves have left them almost unnaturally smooth, and it's only in recent years that they've gained the usual nicks and cuts most people gain with work. It just further highlights the difference between them, but... not in a bad way.

Her touch is soft. Her touch is gentle. Her touch tries always to soothe, not hurt.]

I was worried, that you were going to start pulling away from all of us. This... this is the worst time to do that, when you're in so much pain.

[barberic]

[Benjamin doesn't stop digging, although the pace of it does slow, to show that he's listening to her. If he keeps stopping, he'll be here all night.

But when she's finished, he does pause, straighten to look up at her.]

...He was desperate. I can understand that.

[His own work-rough hands, calluses that fit the shape of a shovel almost better than they would the shape of a razor, or a pair of scissors.]

It doesn't make what he did right. Not then, and not now. I'm not saying that at all. But that kind of loss is hard for even an adult to bear.

...If you'd like, I could use another pair of hands. Nothing can make this better, but doing something can make it a little easier to bear.

merging the thread with the marrieds in case either of you want to keep it going

[barberic]

It's possible. [He grunts, tossing the next load of dirt.] Worth remembering, anyway.

We can discuss it later, when we can better focus on tomorrow.

[And not on today's loss.

They lapse into digging again, and then Eurydice asks Benjamin a question.]

[barberic]

[Men, indeed.]

I don't know what became of her, after that. Or my daughter.

When I was finally able to send for them, there was no Lucy Barker to be found in London. I want to hope that...maybe she just left the city. Like I should have done to keep this from happening at all.

[But.]

[mayavericks]

Surely that is all then. She's just waiting for your safe return.

[But even Maya doesn't seem to believe it.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

That's -

[ Orpheus looks up, concerned. The implications don't quite hit him right away, but as they sink in his eyes go wide and he almost drops his shovel. He wants to ask - but you made it back, didn't you? But he knows it's not that simple, that fifteen years can't be undone just like that, that whatever Benjamin remembered earlier in the week was enough to lay him low, without so much as the faintest glimmer of hope in him. The implication is sadly clear. ]

That's horrible. Oh, Benjamin, I'm so sorry.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

...Right. He'll want to see her too. He can stay over there too, if Farrah wants.

[Cassandra can't claim ownership of Ruddiger. Not right now. She doesn't believe she deserves him.]

[comeandfindme]

[ But Peregrine hesitates for a moment. Ruddiger's secure in her arms, nibbling on that apple but also just...kind of clinging to her.

She steps closer to Cassandra. So, if she wants, she can touch him. ]

...I'm sorry.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[These hands. They're different from any other pair of hands she's held before. Rapunzel's were smooth, but more hardened than you'd think, with years of cleaning, baking, and painting being their steady grip. Eugene? It was all a facade of moisturizers and creamers.

But Elsa was... different. Similar, but different.]

It's a little hard to avoid people here, isn't it? [Was that a joke? Maybe.] I'm not... happy, Elsa. It's not easy to talk about this, but it feels like all I can do is just sit here and think about it.

[violentenvies]

[As the fight goes out of Discord, it does from Salieri as well, and he huffs, his shoulders slumping a little as he just...observes Discord for a moment.]

...I suppose, in hindsight, I shouldn't have tried that on an expert.

[he'd thought perhaps Discord might need the same thing, and yet...maybe he doesn't. And Salieri's stomach flips over a bit, disappointed in himself. He's read the situation all wrong, again. What is happening to him?]

[violentenvies]

[it takes a moment, but Salieri nods, quietly]

We...we will. We must. [his hand reaches up to cover Orpheus's, staying that rubbing for a moment]

...thank you, my friend. [he chuckles a little, ruefully] I don't know where I'd be without you.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri glances sidelong at Angus]

He...he didn't tell anyone about his father, either. He kept it all to himself.

[he rests his forehead in his hand, closing his eyes] I...didn't even notice anything was wrong.

[violentenvies]

...I...understand. It feels almost like the walls are closing in, and there's nothing for us to do about it, I--

[Salieri's throat closes up for a moment, and he has to clear it to speak]

We are in a situation where not losing hope is becoming our most difficult task. And Maya, I do admire your strength. Very much so. But I...would also like to encourage you to let others be strong for you, once in a while. This situation we are in, it is so heavy. And though you have an incredible ability to carry it, perhaps...letting others, those close to you, help you do so might be what helps stay your hand at the end of the day.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's eyes close at that, at the sharp pain in his chest, and it's an effort to keep himself from starting to cry again. He's cried so much today and he's even more exhausted with it]

...as am I. [it stop his voice from being hoarse, though, with the strain of trying to stay level] But there was...[there's a hitch in his breath]...there was nothing to be done.

[violentenvies]

[Peregrine explains, and Salieri can feel something clench somewhere in his chest--that she had to go through that, that he almost put others through that, and worst, that he forced her into such a position.]

Oh. Peregrine, I...

[he's pushing to his feet, moving towards her, to kneel down next to her]

I'm so very sorry.