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

[whatyouwant]

[Elle doesn't let got of Angus as they exit the trial. She doesn't speak either.

Eventually they sit down and Elle lets out a shuddering breath. Her brows furrow as she stares at the table in front of her.]

This is just going to keep happening, isn't it?

[mcfife]

[He grips her hand tightly. He doesn't know what he can do, but this does help him think clearly.]

We can't keep letting The Wizard get away with this. We have to strike the next time we see him. Else how many more will die because of him?

[whatyouwant]

But what even is 'him'? That big metal head? Some asshole locked away god knows where?

[It takes a lot for Elle to give in to more pessimistic thinking. Apparently two children dying gruesomely in one day is enough to do it.]

We have no idea how to find him.

[mcfife]

He's no where near the auditorium. Janis and the Balladeer proved that. [And gave a life in the process.] Only Hester knows. She has to know.

I thought I could find answers on the roof, but how could I expect something so simple. [He rests his head on an arm laid out on the table.] How many more of us will die until Hester speaks?

[whatyouwant]

I keep thinking 'this is going to be the thing that gets her to work with us,' but it never happens. She acts like it bothers her, but...

[She leans her head on Angus' shoulder.]

Maybe if we get her somewhere the Wizard can't see her? Maybe she can't help us or...or maybe she doesn't actually care and none of this will matter anyways.

[mcfife]

She went to Salieri's party. Was that all an act?

[They didn't have an ally, in the end.]

He knows what she does. The Wizards cares for her. How can she turn her back on him?

[whatyouwant]

I mean, I love my family, but if Dad was pulling something like this, [She gestures around them.] I'd do everything I could to stop it.

[mcfife]

[Angus tilts his head so he can press against Elle. She's right, any person with a heart would turn against their evil family. It's the right thing to do.]

I'm starting to feel like chasing after Zargothrax was easier than this. At least we could hide from him long enough for prepare.

[whatyouwant]

We just can't get a break. It feels like things are on a schedule. His schedule. Every time we feel like we're making progress, something happens.

[Melancholy isn't something Elle is use to, and she doesn't really like it.]

[mcfife]

I can't lose any more of you. [He presses Elle's hand again and presses a cheek against the side of her head - where the pink flower hairpin is.] I feel like I don't know who to trust anymore.

...Not that I don't believe you won't kill anyone, Elle. But every time, it's come a surprise.

[whatyouwant]

Varian and Elizabeth didn't kill anyone either. They had accidents that the Wizard blamed them for.

[Elle squeezes his hand and pulls back just enough to look him in the eye.]

I can't promise something like that won't happen, but I do promise that if it does, I'll tell you right away.

[mcfife]

[With that, Angus sits up.]

Varian chose not to find help. He chose to let her die, even if it was peacefully. Elle, he would not have decided to kill her if it weren't for the Wizard. If he hadn't consider himself a - if he thought he was a terrible person! This is what the Wizard wants, he wants us to think nothing of death, to have these second thoughts! He's trying to trick us into evil, that's what he's doing!

[whatyouwant]

But like, even if Varian did look for help...what would that have done? We couldn't have saved her, and worse case scenario, the Wizard would have come up with some bullshit reason why someone else was guilty and we wouldn't even have known who was the right person to vote for.

[She sighs and turns so she can hug Angus better in their seats.]

I've been trying so hard to stay positive, to keep everyone's spirits up, but I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.

[mcfife]

We might have! We might have - we have people who know things. There's so many things we could have done, if only we were faster!

...If only we knew things sooner.

[It was the lack of time that lead to Zargothrax nearly conquering the prime timeline. They were too slow to save Mumble, too slow to help Connor, too slow, to find Rina.]

We're all just too late to save anyone.

[whatyouwant]

[Elle wants to say something like "We'll save the next one!" or "We'll get out of here before it can happen again!" but she just...can't.

So she doesn't say anything, instead turning her face into the crook of Angus' neck and letting just a few tears out.]

[mcfife]

[She doesn't have to speak; he knows how she feels. Unlike Elle, Angus has seen the death of many. But a billion is a statistic; seven is a tragedy. As she cries, he caresses the back of her head.]

I have saved nations before. I can save a few people.