dated to the night before the plot starts, at midnight!

[payback]

[Before Uru left, Rin had suggested a cake date for the two of them. A midnight cake date! Something a little silly but fun for it. It's a magical castle of tremendous beauty, after all. In that kind of place a midnight cake-eating party is something that could easily happen.

Uru's gone now and the cake never happened. One half of the party is still here, though. You could guess that Rin stewed for a while and then thought "fuck it" and threw cares otherwise to the wind.

As such, at midnight she's in the dining room, dressed in a fancy traditional kimono and eating her way fastidiously through a very fancy slice of cake. She has to be extra-careful not trail her long sleeves through the frosting, but she's doing a good job of it. Rin has even gone to the trouble of lighting some candles to arrange a small centerpiece. The journal is open at her elbow. Between neat bites she dictates into it.]

Before my friend left, we had this idea of eating cake at midnight. The idea was, we'd make a party of it, you know? [Bite.]

Well, it seems like a shame to scrap an idea just because she's gone now. I don't think she'd care for that kind of attitude. She'd probably have something encouraging to say about it being worthwhile to do something else.

Anyway. My point is, I'm having cake in the dining room. It's midnight now. If you want some, come and get it.

Comments

[heloise]

Like the sun. [ She smiles at a memory or other, before turning to Rin and gesturing to herself. ]

Lucrezia. I believe there is a slice for me?

[payback]

Of course, help yourself. [In spite of the words Rin stands up to make cakelike preparations for another slice and plate all on her own. She went for the nice china, too. In short order a delicate plate complete with fork and slice of cake is pushed over to sit in front of Lucrezia's place.]

How long have you been here?

[heloise]

[ She mutters her thanks for the cake, though it seems a pity to destroy such a pretty thing with her fork. At least the first bite buys her time to think her answer through. ]

A number of months, before. Scarcely two weeks now.

[payback]

[Rin's expression shifts again, though her changes in aspect have overall been pretty subtle the entire time. A ways away from the completely open book she used to be.]

You're one of the ones who returned, I guess. Welcome back.

[heloise]

In mind, yes, though in body I never left. [ She takes another bite. ]

Let us speak of Uru and how she was the loveliest.

[payback]

[She raises her eyebrows momentarily. Oh, one of those - she's been through a few herself. Maybe an unpleasant experience?]

She was here for a long while herself. It grinds a lot of people down but she seemed to stay really good...

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia watches her, and sets her fork down. ]

Has it also eaten away at your brightness, Rin?

[payback]

[Rin has little idea whether that was meant to be a jab or an honest question, but in a sense she doesn't care. Lucrezia gets a thin smile in return. A guarded expression.]

I'm a much different person now than I was when I started. But that's normal.

[heloise]

[ As honest as can be. She thinks she can sympathize. ]

For the better, I hope.

[payback]

Maybe it's averaged out. [There's a dry-humored, sad edge to her smile now. There's a lot of things she'd feel fine forgetting! She'd invite it, in fact. But she gets tired of herself when she broods too much.]

How did you meet Uru?

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia returns that smile, just as cynical. ]

I cannot recall the exact moment. She taught me how to bake, when we were locked in a room once. Chocolate cakes.

[payback]

One of those castle things, huh?

[heloise]

[ She nods. ] And you?

[payback]

Oh... [Her face softens.] It was ages ago now. I forget the exact circumstances. We had this person we both knew, kind of a difficult kid... so we kind of brushed elbows because of him and other friends we both knew. And then we got to be friends...

[heloise]

[ She grins, amused. ]

Like foster parents of a difficult child?

[payback]

Oh, I wouldn't want to put it like that. Uru was a lot closer to him than I was. And it's not as if it matters now anyway.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia takes another bite of her cake. ]

One can hope. There were those who returned.

[payback]

It becomes a little bit like retreading the same path to nowhere over and over again, I find.

[heloise]

When old friends do not remember, do you mean?

[payback]

That's right. One of my best friends... this was a while ago now... I think she came back three times. [Picking at a corner of her slice of cake] And she never remembered. So, this is how the place works. How this place can work. What's the point?

[heloise]

[ She watches Rin for a moment, then averts her eyes to keep from showing pity. That's never kind. ]

Friends and loved ones die too in the world outside this. I suppose then it is the returning that is the worst.

[payback]

I know they do. [At least she seems steady. Dry, cool and steady.] There's really no escape from that.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia takes a deep breath then exhales even slower, as if it hurts. ]

No escape at all.

[payback]

[This is getting too heavy. Rin didn't want this to be an angstfest, she wanted it to be a nice memorial for a friend - she supposes this a sign of everything that's gone wrong with her.

This needs a subject change STAT.]

What did you think of the last world change?

[heloise]

[ Cake makes everything better though. Another bite it is. ]

I was told I missed it, when I was asleep. Konohagakure, was it?