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

[mayavericks]

[Maya is... restless. Normally, she might practice but without the sword, it all feels empty. The dance studio feels wrong as well, considering what Rina had been doing there the night prior.

So she just... wanders. She avoids the garden and the corn fields, but... sort of wanders circles around the football field.

Later in the night, she does settle in Broadhurst. She tries to lay down, to get comfortable but --

Nope. Instead she gathers a blanket and a pillow and goes to the gayseball field. It's not too cold out, right?]

gayseball field where else for them

[fourbutts]

[ And, not long after, Janis appears with a blanket and pillow of her own. ]

Not feeling sleeping inside?

[mayavericks]

[Maya sits up, just a little. She glances up at Janis and... Tries to manage a faint smile.]

It... Feels too empty.

[fourbutts]

I get that.

[ She... maybe arguably should have brought Peregrine, now that she thinks about it, but. She wants to have some one-on-one time with Maya after all of that. ]

Mind if I join you?

[mayavericks]

Of course not.

[She sits up all the way now, focusing her gaze on Janis.]

Asking how you are doing would be a foolish question, wouldn't it?

[fourbutts]

[ She lays her blanket out and sits down too, next to her. ]

Maybe, but... I don't know. I cried under the bleachers like a real high schooler and now I have a whole new lease on life. ... That's mostly a lie, but I don't feel like I'm about to cry anymore.

[mayavericks]

[She slips an arm around her waist. Her head nestles against the top of her head.]

If you still feel the need... I'm here.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis sort of. Snuggles into Maya. Realistically, the two blankets are entirely a formality. ]

I know. But I'm good for right now. How about you?

[mayavericks]

[Maya shrugs as best as she can, considering the positioning.]

As well as I can be, considering everything.

gaysball

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice sees Maya out there, sleeping under the open air...

...and ten minutes later, returns with a large coat from the scene shop. She folds it up and lays it beside her, quietly. ]

Here. I don't think the weather's gonna change, but still. You don't wanna get too cold.

[mayavericks]

[Maya... looks a little surprised. She doesn't expect anyone to approach her, let alone Eurydice.]

Ah, thank you.

[She pulls the coat over and... pauses.]

Would you like to sit?

[howtheworldwas]

Sure.

[ Eurydice sits, but this time, she doesn't look at the stars. Instead, she looks directly at Maya. ]

Never try to do that again.

[mayavericks]

Try to -- [Her brows pinch.]

You mean the trial?

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice nods. ]

Dying isn't a loophole. It's not going to fix anything. So don't ever, ever, think that it can.

[mayavericks]

I was not looking for a loophole. I just... Did not want for him to suffer.

[howtheworldwas]

[ that's literally what a loophole is!!!!

whatever. no point in arguing about semantics.

gentler: ] I know. But you would have hurt a bunch of other people, you know.

[mayavericks]

It was... the only thing that made sense to do at the moment. At least then, the execution would have been for an intentional murder.

Broadhurst

[violentenvies]

[by the time Maya gets back to Broadhurst, the lights are out. There is, however, a bit of dim starlight coming in from the windows, making it able to be easily navigated.

However, if Maya is heading to her bed or moving around in the room, there's a rustling--a turning from one of the other beds as Salieri turns over on his side to face her, levering up on an elbow]

Maya? [a whispered question into the semi-darkness, slightly groggy. But he's looking at her, and if she cares to notice, there's another bed that's been pushed together to make his former one bigger, and he's not alone in it.]

[mayavericks]

[It's not necessarily odd to see beds pushed together, not in Broadhurst, certainly. At first she thinks nothing of it, save maybe a wince as she thinks about Rina and Varian, about how they had shared a bed similarly.

She pushes the thoughts to the back of her head as she picks up her bedding and -- stops at the sound of Salieri's voice. It's only then that she realizes that the bed is occupied, and certainly not just by one person.]

Salieri-sensei? [She peers at the other figure.] Ah, I... Did not mean to disturb anything.

[violentenvies]

[Two other figures, in fact. Maybe two and a half. On the opposite side is, as expected Discord, but additionally between them sleeps Farrah, curled around Ruddiger.

Salieri sits up a little, more so he's sitting instead, shaking his head]

Not at all. [he rubs at an eye a bit but...lbr he wasn't really sleeping anyway]

How are you holding up?

[mayavericks]

[Well... It isn't as bad as she was expecting. Through the dim light, she realizes that there are a few other forms curled up and... Okay, she hasn't interrupted anything vital.

To his question, she simply shrugs.]

As well as I can be. And yourself?

[violentenvies]

[at that, there is a very small tug to the corner of his mouth as he turns a bit more to face her]

As well as I can be. [dry, with the tiniest hint of black humor]

[mayavericks]

That's... [What, good? None of this is good, or could ever be good.]

I... am sorry for what happened. Sorry for my behavior. Sorry I was not better.

[violentenvies]

[that'll garner a frown. And Salieri is quiet for a moment, thinking...before he pushes to his feet, coming over to put a hand on her shoulder]

Why don't we talk about this out in the hall? I wouldn't want to wake either of them up--[he inclines his head at the others still sleeping, indicating]--but I would like to talk further about this.

[mayavericks]

[She gives a sharp nod, before quickly finishing up gathering her belongings. She carries them out to the hall and... Settles against the wall, a few feet down the hall. She won't... say anything until Salieri does.]