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

[barberic]

[Benjamin looks up from his work, when Cassandra speaks.]

...You know him, from before, don't you? Do you know how to save him?

[The father, he means. The son is... well. Beyond saving.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

...Yeah. We were friends.

[A long time ago. It feels like forever.]

I... me and my friends were on our way to a kingdom where we would solve a problem that's been plaguing our home. We had no idea how to save Varian's dad, nothing was working... So we had to leave him there, under arrest, back in Corona. While we left.

[Her eyes drift over the hole Benjamin is digging.]

He just wanted to make his dad proud of him.

[barberic]

[He sticks the blade of the shovel into the earth to listen to her, taking a drink from a water bottle. When he lowers it again, screwing the cap back on, he speaks, his voice rough from the grief that's been caught in his chest like a weight.]

It would take a heart of stone not to be proud to have such a clever son.

[He sets the water bottle back on, looking over at the bodies shrouded on the cart.]

Unfortunately, I've never known a boy his age who didn't conflict with his father. Or a father my age, who could show his boy how much he was adored. It was... part of the reason I was grateful, to have a daughter.

[He sighs heavily, looking back down at the earth and taking up the shovel again.]

Whatever needs done, we'll do it. And if he can't be saved... perhaps that's better, than knowing what happened to his son.

[The blade of the shovel scrapes as it cuts into the earth, seemingly groaning as he lifts out the next shovelful of dirt.

I like to think my dad would probably be glad that you guys kept me in line while I was here.

Benjamin drives the blade in deeper, his arms straining as he heaves up an unwieldy chunk of dirt.

I'm sure he'll be gladder still to have you returned home safe.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She watches him continue to dig, carving into the earth, strike by strike. Is there a catharsis in this? She figures the answer is, yes, there is. If just for the small fact that this is something in their lives they can control.

She listened, and now, Cassandra is stuck thinking to herself. Heavy lines form across her face as she faces what must be some tumultuous feelings. Things that have been weighing on her all evening coming back to light. As she speaks, it's not like the typical Cassandra. It's small, quiet.]

He wanted to do great things, make his dad proud... just like I did. That's how we actually became friends.

[She sighs heavily, like this is taking a considerable weight off her chest. Or it would.]

When his dad was trapped, he... he turned on the kingdom, on all of us. He kidnapped the queen, threatened her. And when we came to rescue her... He tried to kill me.

[How long ago had it been? When the cold winds whipped the castle towers, threatening to topple them as they buried the land in endless snow? All to make matter worse when one boy burst into the throne room, crying for help as everyone else was freezing to death.

She shivers, even though the summer evening is rather warm.]

There was just nothing we could do.

[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.