... that's what it's looking like. [ There, there's the reason why he's stormy. ] I'm sure everyone is checking the inn, but do we know where she stayed last night?
[ He huffs a soft, quiet chuckle. No surprise, no judgment, but little humor. ]
En, alright. I can't tell you no, anyways, since I would be doing you a diservice. [ If you simply stand idly by, even inaction can be as damning - ] Let's go.
Let's start in the town, before we head to the northern side of the bridge.
[ Fewer places, maybe, for her to be. ]
... she was. Gege and I saw her memories slipping, and so was her focus. She'd be there, then a thousand li away, before it seemed like she had forgotten.
When I talked to her on Tuesday, she did seem a little out of it. I thought it was just the memories floating around upsetting her, though. Maybe I should'vee looked closer.
[ Though he's started to lead the way to their search, Hua Cheng turns, setting his hand gently down on her shoulder and squeezing. ]
No should've, no could've, no would've. I - saw her, deteriorating over the week. And I asked myself what I could have done. [ a little strained ] But gege told me we can't blame ourselves.
[ On that, they're in agreement. Xie Lian so often is, about things like this, after everything he's seen and done himself. ]
En, so we owe it to them to do our part on this side. If she died before she fell completely apart, then she'll be alright - we'll bring her and the others back.
Do we even know what that means, though? Besides the trials and the votes and all that, what exactly are we supposed to be doing to help them? No one seems to really have an answer yet.
But we have to follow the leads that we do have. Find what we can. There's the promise that we can bring people back, and the nova will restore, but we have to be willing to face what that might ask of us.
If the splintering spreads like a disease would, it has to be culled before it can spread, until we can get to the source. I know I would rather be killed than left to become a husk, if I were infected.
[ He says it easily, and simply, but not unkindly - it's hard, when you care about people. How do people do this all the time. ]
But I won't ever say to stop looking for a better way. Should there be another choice and we find it, then all the better.
...I think that's what I'd want, too. The alternative isn't worth it.
We should definitely keep looking, it's just... with the leaders having forgotten everything, and the rest of us having to keep things secret so we don't disturb the Realm even more, it's going to be hard to find something else. Or even if we do, to share that information safely, and that's even before factoring in how long it could take to find it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
infreefall) wrote2020-10-19 07:32 pm
week 4, friday.
Boo.
[ just getting that out of the way. where are you hua cheng, ochako is here now. ]
It's Hikaru-san, isn't it? [ the missing one. process of elimination, and all. ] Do we at least have an idea of where to start looking for her?
no subject
[ The response is immediate, if - stormy. ]
... that's what it's looking like. [ There, there's the reason why he's stormy. ] I'm sure everyone is checking the inn, but do we know where she stayed last night?
no subject
[ so. ochako is useless. cool. love that. ]
We're never able to find anything between the announcement and trial, though, so looking now probably won't help.
no subject
... I didn't either. [ ha ha ha! ]
Logically, we all know that we won't be able to find anything until the announcement and trial. That won't stop many people, though.
no subject
no subject
Yes. [ softly ] Better a futile search that could, in the smallest chances, get us something, than simply - sitting and waiting.
no subject
no subject
En, alright. I can't tell you no, anyways, since I would be doing you a diservice. [ If you simply stand idly by, even inaction can be as damning - ] Let's go.
no subject
[ she hesitates for a moment, before adding: ]
And why would someone target her? Was she splintering?
no subject
[ Fewer places, maybe, for her to be. ]
... she was. Gege and I saw her memories slipping, and so was her focus. She'd be there, then a thousand li away, before it seemed like she had forgotten.
no subject
When I talked to her on Tuesday, she did seem a little out of it. I thought it was just the memories floating around upsetting her, though. Maybe I should'vee looked closer.
no subject
No should've, no could've, no would've. I - saw her, deteriorating over the week. And I asked myself what I could have done. [ a little strained ] But gege told me we can't blame ourselves.
no subject
There's still a chance that we can bring them back. If they don't splinter all the way, they can be themselves again, once we do.
no subject
En, so we owe it to them to do our part on this side. If she died before she fell completely apart, then she'll be alright - we'll bring her and the others back.
no subject
no subject
But we have to follow the leads that we do have. Find what we can. There's the promise that we can bring people back, and the nova will restore, but we have to be willing to face what that might ask of us.
[ In a place where death is an answer.... ]
no subject
[ not just the executions, but the more people that splinter... ]
There should be a better way than that. I hate that it's not giving us a choice.
no subject
[ He says it easily, and simply, but not unkindly - it's hard, when you care about people. How do people do this all the time. ]
But I won't ever say to stop looking for a better way. Should there be another choice and we find it, then all the better.
no subject
We should definitely keep looking, it's just... with the leaders having forgotten everything, and the rest of us having to keep things secret so we don't disturb the Realm even more, it's going to be hard to find something else. Or even if we do, to share that information safely, and that's even before factoring in how long it could take to find it.