Funeral Service for Adaman and Hodaka Morishima

[giddyundertaker]

[ An hour or two after the first trial's end, Hild and the Undertaker set out to invite as many people as possible to the Restaurant for the funerals of our dearly departed friends.

Why the restaurant of all places? Because there aren't enough chairs and tables elsewhere.

Indeed, some of the tables have been moved against the wall to make room for the seats. The chairs have been set up in four rows of six, like an improvised theater or a church. To the side, a small buffet has been set up courtesy of Obi, Mafuyu, and Hild. As for the main event? Two tables have been set up and decorated in black fabric and white flowers. In lieu of a live viewing, two drawings referenced from the profiles have been set up in the center of funeral wreaths... They're not the best, due to the artist's handicaps, but it does look like Adaman and Hodaka at least.]

Comments

continued cw as above

[honeyedtea]

[ At the sound of Mafuyu's voice, Mielle freezes – locks up like a prey animal hoping to be overlooked by whatever has it in its sights. But when she realizes it's Mafuyu – just Mafuyu – she manages to take in a big, shuddering breath. She feels the throb of her pulse under her own hands and knows that she's fine, she's alive but convincing her head of that is easier than her heart. ]

I–I don't... [ Another deep, shaky breath. The ones that come in between are a little too shallow but she's breathing, at least. ] When did I...?!

[sastruga]

Ah... There, breathe like that, but a little slower. It's alright. You're okay.

[She'll reach out, carefully, gently, to put a hand over one of Mielle's. Ready to pull back if she doesn't like it, of course, but. Trying to bring her back a little.]

You're in the suite with the rest of us. You're safe, Mielle-san.

[honeyedtea]

[ Mafuyu's hands are cold. They're not like Aria's hands, the sickly warmth of a childhood fever – they're cool, grounding and Mielle's eyes drop to the hand atop hers with an oddly distant look that slowly, gradually becomes clearer. ]

Mafuyu...

[ That's right. She's here in the suite – someone must have carried her? – and if Mafuyu is this calm then it must be true that she's safe. She shudders and hunches up small, her other hand rising to grip Mafuyu's in her own, like a lifeline. ]

Yes... it's safe here... [ She swallows hard and lifts her gaze back up to Mafuyu's face. ] But... that wasn't a dream today, was it? Hodaka... he and Adaman really...?

[sastruga]

[She tenses a little at the mention of Hodaka and Adaman. Honestly... she'd much rather just say it was a dream. They could all just pretend like it never happened.

It would be nice, if they could.]

...Mm. It wasn't a dream.

I'm sorry.

[honeyedtea]

. . . Ah.

[ What else even is there to say?

Even with Mafuyu looking her in the eye and telling her it's real, it's hard to actually believe it. Less than a full day ago, they were a full group and Hodaka and Adaman were alive and part of it. They were all tense and worried, of course but–

It was nothing like this. ]

I'd hoped... that perhaps it was some sort of trick. Or maybe... an illusion, or a scare tactic to teach us a lesson. [ She makes a thin sound that doesn't make it all the way to being a laugh. ] I don't know why I thought our mayor was above stooping to this.

[sastruga]

I think... all of us hoped as much. That it wouldn't actually be like...

[If she lets her mind wander, she can still see it. That execution. The image of it is burned into her memory, it seems, or at least for now. Maybe that will fade.

Or maybe it won't.]

Can you hold still here a moment? I just need to grab something.

[honeyedtea]

[ Her head snaps up and for a moment she looks panicked - either at the thought of being left alone or of Mafuyu, specifically, leaving after what they've all just seen. But then she forces herself to get a grip. She can't act like a child, squalling and clinging, so eventually she nods. ]

Y... yes. I'll wait right here.