some moments last forever, and some flare out with love, love, love [afterparty]

[visiblepattern]

[So that all sucked really bad, huh.

Forrest had meant what he said about going to the clinic immediately after all of this, getting medical supplies ready and set up on hand to prepare to receive people - Dandy is the primary candidate for this, whether he likes it or not - but before he goes he grabs Rossiu for the briefest moment before sending him on his way. Sure enough, when the note comes in a few minutes it isn't in Forrest's flowing, delicate hand but rather something blockier and incredibly neat. If you've seen Rossiu's handwriting, you'll recognize it: ]

We're having a memorial gathering in the ice cream parlor in an hour. Feel free to attend if you'd like, or if you would prefer to not be alone.
[...It seems like as good a place as any.

There are some things set up, though not terribly many; the tables are set out and are perhaps a bit closer than they normally would be, but go ahead and make yourself some sundaes, pull up a chair, talk to one another, ruminate over whether Jason and Hagakure would have liked this (or whether Vholran wouldn't have, either way) - it's your night, to do what you want with.]

Comments

[visiblepattern]

[Forrest is actually spending a fair amount of the night in the clinic, in case people were caught up in Vholran's everything and decided they weren't feeling well or wanted something looked at, or likewise just in case…well, in case someone wants to talk, he supposes. It's a quieter place than most, and even if he supposes it can seem a bit impersonal as all medical places do, it's also close enough that he can step into the ice cream parlor once in a while if he so chooses.

He stays there for quite a while, actually, until it's extremely late; at that point he's feeling pretty spent, but he doesn't go upstairs. He just makes his way back to the garden as usual, and he prays there until…well.

It'll probably be more morning than not by the time he stops.]

[bootyhunter]

[While Dandy is being patched up by Forrest, his face is sour, like a grapefruit. Eventually, however, he heels.]

I'm sorry.

For all the shit I said today.

[He kicks at the ground with his foot.]

I didn't want you hangin' around the body when I put it down, 'cause I...

Lost it a little, I guess.

I just wanted one last chance for him and me to be alone.

Clinic

[pairtner]

[By the time Aiba arrives to the clinic, Forrest is there already. Oh, nice]

It's possible you may not need me, but I decided to come here. I can provide painkillers, if the need arises.

[If anyone needs stitches -- Dandy -- then painkillers might make things easier, she figures. She thought she should offer]

clinic

[specialyellthing]

[Zinda had heard Forrest’s intentions to fix people up at the Clinic—- so when she doesn’t see him for a bit; she takes matters into her own hands.

It’s only once she’s standing in the clinic holding a bowl of strawberry ice cream that she realizes—-]

I did not think this out. This is probably awful unhygienic, huh? Me bringin’ you have ice cream into the med tent?

Clinic

[howveryglib]

[…he should probably go and check on Forrest, huh. Maybe having something to do is keeping him from spiraling the way it kind of helped Gaius out, but he should still poke in and ask…]

Forrest. Do you require assistance with anything?

[hotpaprika]

[Much like last week, Jonathan makes a round at the suites, providing drinks and snacks for those who are skipping the party, as well as lend an ear for those who need it.

Once he's done, and receives the message, he decides to go down to help Forrest set up for the party, and checking up on those at the clinic.

Eventually he gets himself a scoop of ice cream but he finds himself... strangely not very hungry.]

Dear God, all I want right now is a good, stiff drink.

[When he leaves, instead of going back to his room, he heads to the church to just... sit in silence and pray to whoever will hear.]

church

[allatonce]

[Joy's already in the church when Jonathan enters, dressed in an entirely white suit. She says nothing for a few minutes and then:]

Does it help? I... We don't have that in Buddhism.

Setup

[howveryglib]

[…he makes a contemplative face.]

I wonder if it is at all possible to do anything at all with the liquor from the vending machine. I doubt so, but…

[onemillion]

[After assisting with the invitations for the afterparty and passing them out, Rossiu returns to his room for a little while. It's partially to destress, partially to make sure Leafeon's fine, and... mostly to get changed into the jacket Forrest made him and dark slacks, since his usual attire needs to be cleaned after dealing with soot. He returns to the afterparty with Leafeon, and since Leafeon is not allowed to eat ice cream, he has snacks for our adorable Pokémon friend. He's more focused on feeding Leafeon said snacks than he is on anything else, including getting himself some ice cream. Actually, he seems pretty distracted in general...

Eventually though, he ends up leaving the afterparty. He eventually ends up at the incredibly cursed patio, where he has a sketchbook and some pencils with him. If you happen to catch a glimpse of what he's working on, it's obvious he's not an artist - these are closer to mechanical drafts and designs rather than actual art. He seems to be drawing some kind of big robot with a face. Wow I wonder what that could be.]

patio

[buriedstar]

[ Well they're both here, so naturally Seo Dawon is going to peek at what Rossiu is drawing at some point. ]

Is that a mecha?

patio

[howveryglib]

[ah, Rossiu. Someone to have a conversation wi-

…he sees what Rossiu is drawing, and it is good he does not have any furry features based on his nickname because while his expression remains controlled, the theoretical tail in this equation would be going thunk thunk thunk against the chair behind him…]

Is that something from your home?

[WOW COOL ROBOT!!!!]

afterparty

[visiblepattern]

[Forrest will come back in here on one of his wanderings to and from the clinic to check on everyone; might as well come give Leafeon some pets while he's here...]

How are you doing tonight...? All of that was...a lot.

afterparty

[fuckingguy]

Ah, Rossiu.

[ Listen, he is here for Leafeon FIRST and FOREMOST but the other guy is also cool! Noting the snacks... ]

Is he not allowed to eat ice cream?

[buriedstar]

[ Seo Dawon is not at the after-party, which probably isn't surprising. For those in his suite he can be found cooking food like none of that just happened. It is without garlic as usual! ]

Do you have any requests? I'm in a giving mood~. [ ...somehow. Later you can find him at patio, reading a book from the library. He'll look up if anyone approaches and give them a friendly wave. ]

[daimakaicho]

[ She'll give him a wave back, moving so she can look over his shoulder. ]

What're you reading?

suite

[dullshooter]

Are you feeling okay?

[It’s said like it’s a joke, and he leans against the counter with a grin as Seo Dawon cooks.]

There’s no terms and conditions if I ask for pancakes, are there?

suite

[fuckingguy]

[ coming out of his room in his stupid Hawaiian shirt: ]

I have but one request, and you are already abiding by it. So, no.

[ and then he says this, evidently apropos of fuckall nothing?? ]

Do you think he was responsible for the poisoning?

patio

[sastruga]

[...Something about this scene feels entirely too "normal" right now, but. All the same. Mafuyu is walking over like it's normal, too.]

Hmm... What are you reading?

[inaclearing]

[Brett takes a while to arrive at the party. Immediately after the execution, he escorts Dandy to the clinic - drags him there, if need be - and then goes to the garden to collect some white flowers as promised.

He washed his hands in the clinic. He isn't just walking around soaked in blood, you know? But it's still on his shirt and beneath his nails, tacky and drying. He still had to do first aid on a stab wound today, and two more people are dead.

You may find him kneeling on the grass here with an arm pressed over his mouth, taking his own deep-breathing advice.

Eventually, though, he picks himself up. After giving the flowers to Dandy, or at least leaving them where they can be found, he goes upstairs and takes the world's longest shower. It's only a while after that that he actually shows up in the ice cream parlor, wearing the green embroidered jacket Forrest made him and toting several plates stacked high with pancakes, for whatever reason. Some of them are funfetti; some have berries.]

Just in case anyone wants...something a little closer to real food.

[It's still not exactly there, but it's probably better than only eating ice cream? Brett's just gonna make himself a soda float, take a few pancakes, hang out here for a while. He does look a lot better now that he's had time to clean himself up and, presumably, freak out a little in private!]

parlor

[allatonce]

[Joy takes a single berry pancake and starts tearing at it with her hands. In her defense, it's how you eat scallion pancakes.]

Thanks. I, uh.... can't eat the ice cream anyway. Lactose intolerant.

[fuckingguy]

[ The first thing Nandor does, upon returning to New Rapture, is head back to his room in Suite 1 and shove his sooty clothes into the laundry tube! This puts him back in the Hawaiian shirt/punk jeans combo for the rest of the night. He shows up to the ice cream parlor for the memorial gathering, but, again, he doesn't look particularly invested in being there; he stays for a time, and definitely isn't as restless as last week, but all he's really doing is staring at the jukebox selection and zoning out. Occasionally, he'll politely check in with others. And there's one extremely predictable hot take that's going to come up if you end up speaking to him: ]

We are overdue for a meeting.

[ Later on, he once again enters the church, still looking a bit apprehensive — as if the earlier immunity were a fluke somehow caused by an active investigation being on. Once again, nothing happens. This time around, without a crime scene to investigate, he quickly gets bored and heads over to the back wall to survey the symbols. He's just going to touch, like, all of these things, starting with the cross and going from there. ]

Ice Cream Parlor

[giddyundertaker]

Indeed. Though I doubt anyone will be in any right state to contribute to one.

[ Undertaker himself is having himself a sundae with one of his signature homemade biscuits added in. And he's noticed Nandor loitering near the jukebox. ]

Need me to put on your housemates' music for you?

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy is first going to be patched up in the clinic by a very wonderful beeb named Forrest, so if anyone wants to yell at him for being a complete dumbfuck, he is here sulking like an idiot. No matter where he is tonight, that bandaged gash on his arm will be visible.

However, after the damage is patched up, Dandy will be doing his rounds in a white linen shirt and pants to pray for each of the dead today after having showered. His hair is not up, but instead of being a complete flowy mess, he's parted it a little more conservatively to the side. He will be trying to get white flowers from the garden courtesy of Brett, and will have picked up incense from the spa. However, it's clear as he is walking around that he is not necessarily the best person for this job... So he mutters what he remembers of a Buddhist prayer-]

"May I know myself forgiven for all the harm I may have-"

Shoot. Was it "brought" or "thought?"

[Then tilting his head.]

Oh baby, oh baby! I've got no idea what I'm doin'.

Oh no. I've gotta find somebody else to help me or their souls are just gonna be cursed!

[At the very end of the evening, he can be found locked in his room in Suite 4. These threads will be very sad?! Um, warning. If you wanna get into some existential dread, baby... Find him in his room.]

[allatonce]

[From behind him, quietly:]

"May I know myself forgiven for all the harm I may have thought and done."

[While Dandy was getting patched up, she took the opportunity to shower herself, changing into the all-white suit she hasn't worn since arriving. She touches his shoulder.]

Do you want me to do it?

[giddyundertaker]

[ The memorial services get more and more eccentric...

Not that the Undertaker really minds. He'll be around the Ice Cream Parlor, either helping with the services or enjoying the ice cream. Yes, he made some more bone shaped biscuits and brought them with him. They go lovely with ice scream!

Afterwards, he decides to stop by the vending machine before he heads to bed. May as well make use of those coins he got the other day...

When he inserts the last two coins, he's surprised to find a sotoba fall out of it... Followed by a gallon of seawater spilling onto it. ]

Gah! He quickly picks it up and shakes some of the water off. Blasted seawater...

[howveryglib]

[For once, Gaius doesn’t leave the bathysphere feeling completely morose. He’s not happy, by any means, as two young men are dead who did not deserve their fate, but he at least got to prevent further deaths and that let him feel somewhat useful. You know, instead of like a total fuckup like he’s been feeling since he got here.

He doesn’t need patching up, so he’ll just head straight to the ice cream parlor and get himself something bright cherry red for reasons he would probably not be able to explain if asked. At least he would say he was unable to explain because he pretends he has dignity.

After the action has died down… well. The arcade’s been fixed up. Time to play some rounds of a shooty zombie game In Memoriam, because… well… it feels kind of appropriate, doesn’t it? He seems open to Player 2s but it’s polite to ask.]

???

[bathymetric]

[Have your fun at the arcade, Gaius. There's plenty of it to be had here, recent deaths notwithstanding.

But why does it feel like you're not alone in here?]

[asymptotes]

[ Drakkon was, as usual, relatively quiet throughout the trial. He seems, most of the time, since the poisoning, to be more withdrawn?

There are some cracks, he knows, in his façade. He's not sure how much longer he can keep selling the lie of Tommy Oliver. Piecing together other versions of himself he's never been.

As he thinks about this, of course, he's staring into a bowl of ice cream in the parlor for like. Hours. It's melting.

Later on, he brings Cruger out to walk through Mercury Mile, similarly lost in thought. But he actually might talk to someone first, here. ]

Hey. How, uh... how're you holding up?

mercury mile

[allatonce]

[Joy's been staring out into the black of the ocean and startles when he addresses her.]

What? Sorry, I—

[She doesn't even know how to explain.]

I'm just tired. That's all.

[honeyedtea]

[ Well, that was a trial and a half. Really, she's surprised they hadn't escalated to bloodletting violence during once of these gatherings sooner – or that it took this long for one of those terribly grim and heartless types to decide they were done waiting for their numbers to decrease any further. And there's a vindictive little part of her that's quietly glad that if they had to send anyone to execution this week that it was someone like Vholran.

Mielle initially tries to hover around the clinic to see if there's anything she can do – or, well, realistically, she knows the best she can attempt is some moral support. But after all they've already seen today, the sight of more blood turns her stomach and she's not able to spend more than a few minutes there before she has to make a break for it.

She finds her way to the ice cream parlor with the others, eventually. Her stomach's still a little too upset for anything sweet, but she's hungry enough that she ends up picking at a plain pancake, just for something to put in her stomach. She's got a troubled look on her face, which is probably to be expected. ]

... Did they really think they'd prevent whatever would happen last night?

[ Eventually after the gathering, she finds her way back to teen girl suite. Once again, she's intending to try and read and once again she finds she's unable to focus on much of anything. She's tired, but she's too buzzed to sleep and she ends up staring pensively into space, the book opened and abandoned in her lap. ]

teen girls suite

[sastruga]

[Mafuyu comes back into the suite just to see Mielle sitting there. And immediately, like it's the most natural thing in the world, goes over to sit.]

Mm... Looks like the book isn't holding your attention very well.