week 4 afterparty

[odasaku]

[ well, that was definitely A Trial.

however, oda understands that everyone must be feeling a little heavy, considering the death of someone like jughead and whatever bullshit dazai said earlier.

so, at everyone's door is a note that says the following:

If you don't want to be alone, come to the diner.

There's food.

oda himself is at the diner, although there's no food on his table, nor is he being a very good host of a party. he's just sitting alone at a table next to a window, staring out of it in deep thought. ]

Comments

[pursuitofdeath]

[Fear not-- you don't have to worry about Dazai ruining your festivities. He avoids the diner completely-- but then. He won't be going back to the room he's been staying in either so he probably wouldn't even know they're there.

...no, he's taken up a spot in a tree near the pond.

It would probably be difficult to find him. For a change, he's silent. No stupid songs or the like. Just dead silence as he stares out at an empty spot in the water.

...but if you really want to you can find him.]

[doublelammy]

[Well, someone wants to.

It takes some effort to track Dazai down. He certainly doesn't make it easy. But then again, this is exactly what she's been trained in. Spotting the little things that no one wants her to.

When she finds him, she stands at the base of the tree behind him for a moment, trying to decide what to say.

Ultimately, she decides on nothing at all. Instead, she simply climbs up the tree as well, finding a sturdy enough branch nearby to nestle herself in.]

[quickpersuader]

[Kino is very tired.

She's been awake since early yesterday and hasn't slept much since - only the few hours between the investigation and dawn.

Still, she goes to the diner at the invitation, settling into a seat and ordering a cheeseburger. If others approach, they'll find her slowly eating her way through that and a side of fries.]

[odasaku]

[ oda doesn't expect dazai to come. perhaps that's why he was thinking so much in the diner. about what happened and about what dazai had told him once the results were given. they definitely didn't make oda feel any better about the fact that two more people were going to die here but...

he doesn't think that dazai should be alone. that's for certain.

so when he sees millium begin to track dazai, he quietly goes after her until, well, they're both there. and while he's not going to climb up the tree like she is, oda will stay looking up at him. ]

It's cold. You're gonna get sick.

[quickpersuader]

[It might be time to dump more rocks in the pond, Kino thinks. But then she spots Dazai and, well, it wasn't much of a plan anyway. We have time to spare for this.

She won't climb after Dazai, but she will chat from below:]

...Come to think of it, I had a question for you.

[pursuitofdeath]

[His troubles always do seem to find him. It’s not that he doesn’t want to see them as much as— he doesn’t know how to face them. What he should say— what to do going forward— he has a lot to think about and not much in the means of progress has been made. But ignoring it won’t make it go away... it won’t make the two people who’ve tracked him down go away either.

So he has to come up with something.]

I like to think I take better care of myself than all that.

[It’s words that sound like he should laugh with them— but he doesn’t.]

[relieable]

[the fact that Kino is eating a burger right now is... ironic. Osomatsu passes by with his own food, and pauses. he should know better than to make a joke right here and now, but, hey, those two older folks made jokes of themselves]

...There isn’t any brie on there, right?

[pursuitofdeath]

[Kino.... Dazai hums and manages a small smile.]

Oh? Well if it’s something I can answer, I will.

[doublelammy]

...Oh. Hiya, Oda.

[Normally she's better about noticing she's being followed, but... well. If it's Oda, that's fine. That's who she's here for, anyway.]

Not well enough t'not hang out in weird trees when it's cold n' late, apparently.

[She's not laughing, either, although that's... mostly teasing. Mostly.]

How long were you plannin' on staying out here?

[marmoron]

[Keith's not at the diner. Instead he's at the park where he can be found sitting on the grass and watching Cosmo as he runs. A nearby tree has some deep gashes in it, the reason for which is probably obvious once you spot the Marmora sword in Keith's hands.]

What a stupid reason to die.

[It's muttered to himself.]

[quickpersuader]

No, none.

[And Kino gives a small smile.]

I just asked for the same type of burger he'd eat.

[At least it was intentional?]

[quickpersuader]

[Kino gives a nod. And then:]

What do you mean when you say you're "saving" people?

[relieable]

[ah, she did it on purpose. interesting. Osomatsu doesn’t know much about Kino, but they’ve paired up sometimes, made a good team. maybe it’s about time they became friends. or, at least, better acquaintances]

Were you two close?

[quickpersuader]

[Kino takes another bite, chewing it thoughtfully as she considers his question.]

I don't know if I'd call him a "friend." [Kino making friends is a rare thing in and of itself, with the self-imposed three day rule.] But he told me that if we ever find a way to travel to other worlds, I should drop by his town, Riverdale.

If that were something possible... I still think I'd like to go, someday.

[pursuitofdeath]

Oh... I don’t know.

[Well it’s not a lie. But it’s not a very good answer either.]

I thought maybe it would be better for a little while. I seems I have some thinking I should do.

[Boy if things don’t feel really complicated right now.]

[relieable]

[Osomatsu nods and takes a seat across from her, since they are going to talk. as far as food goes for him, he’s just got a shake and some fries]

I think it’d be really nice to travel to everyone’s worlds. [he sighs, leaning back in the chair] Sarge knows how to do it, so it must be possible.

[quickpersuader]

[Kino nods, smile widening.]

Being able to travel to even different worlds... It sounds so amazing, I can hardly imagine it. I think if we were able to do that, it would be a dream come true.

[The world alone is already full of so many wonderful sights. What would Kino see, she wonders, if she could see other worlds as well?]

[pursuitofdeath]

That was... what I was asked to do. When Odasaku died, that was his request. I didn’t know anything about helping people so it was... difficult. But that was why I joined the Armed Detective Agency. They... take requests from the government and military that are beyond their means and they solve them— whether it’s cases for investigation... threats to public safety... or escorting important individuals that require protection. Our goal is to help people.

[This is probably more words than he’s devoted to it in a long time but. There it is.]

[odasaku]

You can think where it's warm.

[ there's slight concern in oda's expression....which means he is very concerned. ]

I'm not leaving without you.

[relieable]

[ah, look at that smile! it makes Osomatsu’s smile bigger, too]

Yeah, think of all the fun things you could do! I’ll bet there are worlds out there made of candy and ice cream, or worlds where technology is so advanced that no one gets sick.

[quickpersuader]

So then... to you, saving people is just helping them?

[It's a genuine question. Trying to seek out an answer.]

[quickpersuader]

I've actually been to a country where no one gets sick, once.

[Of course she has.]

Although... It wasn't because of their technology. It also came at a cost.

[relieable]

[oh... this is going to take the conversation south, isn’t it?]

Really? What happened?

[robitussin]

[Just like the last week, Natalie is nowhere to be found at the diner despite the invitation she finds on her door.

Instead, a while after the trial concludes, she can be found in the cinema. It doesn't look as though she's interested in watching anything, though; instead, she's staring at the arrow shot through the screen, trying her best to keep her expression neutral.

Should she notice anyone else in there:]

...Can you help me get it out? I don't want to tear the material.

[pursuitofdeath]

In my work, that’s the definition. We prevent unnecessary deaths.

[...]

But unlike some of my colleagues I happen to think there are people that cannot be saved in life.

[People... like himself.]