[ science that is not experimenting on children apparently
he gives him a small smile, though, it's not anywhere near its usual radiance and warmth, and nods. ]
Susato knew it was there. So... perhaps that is somewhere we should check quickly, tomorrow.
[ it feels like there's an elephant in the room that needs to be talked about here but xie lian falls quiet, instead, holding his own warm hands pack between his palms and looking into the distance. ]
[ which. it is a dim hope - not like the last time. but even if she is...
san lang, bunny formed instead of qilin, today, droops a little in xie lian's arms and wriggles free, going to mope over towards philia. ] ... If she is... it almost may be worse.
[ because if it's the same as last time, it's definitely worse, and only the two of them know it. ]
[STOP i will say that philia was in bird form but shifted to baby bear form to go be sad with san lang.]
... As soon as she was involved, this was doomed to end badly. [he's quiet for a bit, as if considering his words.] If it isn't her, though, then... as cruel as it is to say this, I can only hope it's not someone as dearly loved. We don't need even more grief.
[between susato's disappearance and rika's sudden death, this has been! an especially shitty day!]
[ xie lian is not a particularly hug-y person - it's just not a thing - but, he shifts, a little, and leans over to bump his shoulder into rochalizo's, the look on his face moving to just... impossibly sad. ]
...I can't help but wonder, if she would think it an absolution. [ especially after last week. ] A just punishment. But, selfishly, I - I was hoping it would never come to it.
Perhaps we can assume the perpetrator would have had to use some sort of power, or be simply strong enough to subdue her quickly, which - to some, may appear easy.
[ but as both xie lian and rochalizo know, that isn't the case. ] She must have left clues. Just as she did during her trial - with her book.
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he gives him a small smile, though, it's not anywhere near its usual radiance and warmth, and nods. ]
Susato knew it was there. So... perhaps that is somewhere we should check quickly, tomorrow.
[ it feels like there's an elephant in the room that needs to be talked about here but xie lian falls quiet, instead, holding his own warm hands pack between his palms and looking into the distance. ]
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[...]
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[ well. ]
If there is hope that she may still be alive...
[ which. it is a dim hope - not like the last time. but even if she is...
san lang, bunny formed instead of qilin, today, droops a little in xie lian's arms and wriggles free, going to mope over towards philia. ] ... If she is... it almost may be worse.
[ because if it's the same as last time, it's definitely worse, and only the two of them know it. ]
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... Yes. I wouldn't wish that on her. [...] But it does sound like it doesn't repeat, at least.
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...a comforting thought, but... at the same time, it isn't.
[ there is always a chance to break a pattern, and...
he thinks about susato for a long moment, and just closes his eyes, shaking his head. ]
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... As soon as she was involved, this was doomed to end badly. [he's quiet for a bit, as if considering his words.] If it isn't her, though, then... as cruel as it is to say this, I can only hope it's not someone as dearly loved. We don't need even more grief.
[between susato's disappearance and rika's sudden death, this has been! an especially shitty day!]
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xie lian's daemon reflects his mood. he frowns, brows together, staring down at the snow under his feet. ]
...And if it is someone so dearly loved, do we let them live in guilt? Or, put someone innocent on the block in their stead?
[ this! sucks! everything about this sucks. ]
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... I suppose we'll see what everyone decides.
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[ ... ]
...I miss her, already.
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tears prick in rochalizo's good eye, but he keeps them at bay.]
... As do I.
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...I can't help but wonder, if she would think it an absolution. [ especially after last week. ] A just punishment. But, selfishly, I - I was hoping it would never come to it.
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I... I hope she fought back. I hope she didn't want to die.
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[ the song lyrics repeat in his head, in a snatched fragment. pleading for their life is twisting the knife.
he swallows, trying to keep it off of his face. ] ...She had Mumei with her, last night. Her sword. She went into it armed, at least.
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... Good. Susato is— [was?] —clever. If she didn't want to die, she wouldn't be so easy to defeat, I think.
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Perhaps we can assume the perpetrator would have had to use some sort of power, or be simply strong enough to subdue her quickly, which - to some, may appear easy.
[ but as both xie lian and rochalizo know, that isn't the case. ] She must have left clues. Just as she did during her trial - with her book.
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[honestly he didn't figure out anything about her book in particular, despite suspecting it was a clue somehow.]
We'll just have to find them.