[mostly open!] collecting friendship fragments: balance edition

[gotyourbach]

Who: Kaede Akamatsu (gotyourbach), Kokichi Oma (slieght), Maki Harukawa (erlebnisse), Shuichi Saihara (diffidentive), and YOU!

Where: assorted locations!

When: Within a few days of newbie arrival

What: a Dangan class trial meeting, and Kaede introducing her old friends to her new friends! Please let her introduce her friends

Content Warning: DRV3 spoilers likely in thread A below, others will be marked as needed!


A. Closed to Kokichi, Maki, and Shuichi

[Hardly anyone can be surprised that of all the places on the Moon she could have asked them to meet, it would be the Academy's music room. It's the place she feels the safest, after all! There's even a handwritten note on the door: CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE SESSION ♡♡♡

Kaede sits at the piano bench, because of couse she does, while she waits for the others to arrive. She pulled some chairs down from the stack for everybody to use when they get here, and she brought some safe-for-consumption snacks from Bender's café, just in case. Like the perpetually warm and soft chocolate-chip cookies! Everyone likes those.

After that, she just has to ward off the urge to play piano. It's like, right there. But she'll have time to play piano later! It's fine!]

B. Friendship Fragments - Shuichi (joint prompt with diffidentive)

[Kaede is walking with Shuichi toward the Artificer's office, chatting animatedly about -- something. Music, magic, regaling him with tales about her adventures in the Bureau, always with the most positive spin on it. But when she spots one of her friends, she grabs Shuichi's hand without warning and tugs him toward the new person.]

Hey, hey! Have you met Saihara-kun yet?

C. Friendship Fragments - Kokichi (joint prompt with slieght)

[It's nice that the Whomping Willow isn't so whomping anymore. Kaede remembers when it was literally attacking people on Maru. But it seems friendly enough now! She and a shorter boy are sitting under it, Kaede with some homework that she... hasn't started. She seems to be pouting at Kokichi for something he said until she spots someone she knows, then she's waving frantically, trying to gesture for them to come closer.]

Hey, over here! I have to introduce you to someone!

D. Friendship Fragments - Maki (joint prompt with erlebnisse

[Or, maybe, you've come to get yourself some dinner. Kaede's set up shop at a table with a rather severe-looking girl, and seems to be instructing her on Bender's rather... esoteric methods of making food. There's a dish of melting green tea ice cream in front of her that she seems to have forgetten in her animated explanation, and a few other assorted goodies that Kaede's just gotten in case Maki wants them.

She brightens when she spots a familiar face, though, waving for their attention. Maki tenses up as Kaede calls out, startled and uncomfortable. Her glare is intense, eyeing whoever approaches like she's sizing them up and judging them already.]

Hey, have you gotten to meet Harukawa-san yet? Do you have any recommendations for stuff she can order?

E. Wildcard! OTA [Wanna meet the kids somewhere else? Did we discuss another prompt on plurk? Feel free to use this log as a catch-all for that kind of thing!]

Comments

[slieght]

[Quickly plastering a smile on his face, shaky though it is, he offers her a wave and enters the room only enough to be able to close the door behind himself. Not sitting down, nor moving towards any of them. You know. Just in case he needs to run.]

Heeyyyy Harukawa-chan, short time no see, aha...

[erlebnisse]

[She doesn't, honestly, expect Kokichi to show. Maybe she should have, maybe it's something she should've prepared more for, especially now upon seeing that Kaede was definitely here and alive.

But she hadn't. So the sight of Kokichi sauntering in through the doorway is a vicious stab to the chest, his words barely registering. She twitches, a little, her body jerking to turn towards his direction, a swirl of emotions twisting in her gut so tightly that it just disappears to a numbness.

She's angry and frustrated, maybe a little guilty. A little satisfied in seeing how the color drains from his face.

Her fingers curl against her knees and she sits up straight, trying to figure out what to say. Eventually she forces her gaze away to glare a hole into the floor instead.]

...So he did show. [That's all she manages out, not even addressing Kokichi's greeting.]

[diffidentive]

[Oh no...did nobody tell him? Nobody actually...told him Maki was here, did they? Shuichi didn't know when they took their test. And if Kokichi was just told that this was a meeting for "all of them"...]

[Oh boy.]

I told you he would. Um...Oma-kun, why don't you come sit down? [He gestures to the seat beside him, across from Maki.] We have tea...

[And cookies! He knows how much you like both of those things.]

[gotyourbach]

[Kaede pulls out the cups and glances to Shuichi questioningly. Did something happen? her eyes ask, and though she really wants to ask out loud, the atmosphere seems kind of tense.]

Y-yeah. Tea and cookies and mochi! I wasn't sure if you guys would want Japanese snacks or not... the cookies stay warm like they just came out of the oven. That's cool, isn't it?

[diffidentive]

[Yeah, you could say that. Something sure did happen. Several somethings. But Shuichi isn't sure it's his place to tell Kaede about those, so his expression offers no answer to the unspoken question.]

[Sorry, Kaede. You're going to have to actually ask if you want to know. Even if Shuichi wanted to tell you, it's not the sort of thing that can be conveyed with simple glances and minute changes of expression.]

[slieght]

[He's dead. Maki is absolutely going to kill him. The expression on her face and general dismissal of his presence just has him wanting to bail. He can do that, right? Can't he just talk about whatever they're going to talk about later, without Maki there?

No, probably not. And they have to work together if they want to save everyone back home...

He lingers by the door, clearly not wanting to sit down as asked. Or even enter the room more than he already has. He can escape a lot easier if he stays by the door!! But eventually the leader does as asked, moving somewhat stiffly as he walks over to the chair and takes a seat.]

Is it some of that magic tea that Bender-chan makes? I'll definitely take a cup of that! [Not that he'd say no to tea either way, really.]

[erlebnisse]

I don't have a preference. [Maki is...not making this much easier, sorry guys. She slowly exhales and closes her eyes, trying to just. Recenter herself, or something.

When she opens them, her normal glare is trained on Kokichi again. There's...a lot she could say. A lot she wants to say but doesn't really know where to begin. So instead she opts to look away with another sigh and say:] I'm not going to kill you.

[Which might seem WAY out of left field for Kaede, but look, it makes sense.

God, she feels exhausted already.]

...I'll take tea too.

[gotyourbach]

Eh? Huh?

[Maki??? Kokichi???? Nobody is killing anyone! Why does this have to be said?!

Oh God. Did Maki kill Kokichi during the killing game...? Shuichi didn't answer her unspoken question, so all she can do for now is just pour tea in to the cups for them all and open a bag of cookies for anyone to take.]

U-Ummm... yeah, it's some of Bender's tea. Oh, but it doesn't do anything special! I'm pretty sure it's just tea.

Is there anyone else coming...? I only brought enough for the four of us, but I could get more!

[Is there anyone else? It seems worth it to ask if they've found any more of their friends.]

[diffidentive]

[Shuichi glances between Maki and Kokichi, relaxing somewhat when Maki said she isn't going to kill him. Sure, she said that yesterday but that was a whole day ago. A whole day for her to reflect and potentially change her mind.]

I didn't invite anyone else, so...

[He would have sent Kaede a message beforehand, had he encountered any of their other classmates. Or told her by now, given how early he was.]

[slieght]

[Tensing at being addressed, he turns his attention back to Maki and just...stares at her for a few moments. Assessing her and whether or not that was the truth. But it seems to be, so he tries to relax again, laughing it off a little.]

Of course not! We have to work together to save everyone, right? So killing me would tooootally not help. And--

[He pauses, not allowing himself to just mindlessly run his mouth like he's so used to doing. Saying that she was unsuccessful the first time would both bring up bad memories for them both but...he's betting would provoke and invite her to try to kill him anyway.]

And I'm the rogue here, so I'm extra useful! Rogues are super important assets to any proper party.

[Totally a bad idea to kill him. But okay, enough about that!! He glances at Kaede, resisting the urge to ask if Maki's told her or not yet. Of course she hasn't...it's not like Kaede ever got to learn about her secret. And...does she need to know? This isn't a killing game. And sure, he's still pretty bitter, but he just said they need to work together. So he glosses right over her confusion about the killing stuff.]

Aw man, you should have gotten the magic kind. Everyone seems so tense. But I didn't invite anyone else either. I haven't seen any of our other friends...

[Sad as that is...]

[erlebnisse]

[Maki doesn't know much about RPG parties, but she's aware she's a cleric and now that Kokichi is a rogue. She glances to Shuichi and Kaede, wondering, but she decides to announce her new, uh...title thing too.]

I got assigned as a 'cleric.' [She says it in a decidedly bitter tone and looks a bit put out about it, because really, a cleric? her??? Jesus.

But she hasn't seen anyone they know either and shakes her head.] I think it's just us. We should go ahead and start. [before her patience runs any thinner]

[gotyourbach]

A cleric, huh...

[Kaede hums thoughtfully and crosses her arms. On the surface, Maki seems anything but nurselike and nurturing -- it's easy to assume Garfield, that awful cursed cat, made a mistake. Then again...]

Oh! [She points.] I get it! Like that kind of "tough love" bedside manner, right? Harukawa-san seems like she'd be a natural at that.

[And rogue obviously fits Kokichi, she knew that one already. It's fine for Maki to say "it's just us," but after all these months... Kaede can't help but hold out hope that the rest of her friends will show up someday, too.]

I'm a bard, but... um, I guess I'm not sure where to start. Other than... I'm really happy to see all of you. I've been here for almost nine months now, so, and the three of you are the first one of our friends from that Academy I've seen since... since the end of the trial. The... first trial.

[Just getting that one right out in the open, her expression sobering. She looks to Shuichi for a little bit of strength, and maybe some guidance as to how she should continue.]

[diffidentive]

[Shuichi glances up from his teacup, first at Kaede, then at Maki, then at Kokichi. God, what a tense atmosphere...]

I'm not sure that...there's a right or wrong place to start, really. Um, but...since you brought up the Academy... [May as well start there and get the unpleasantness out of the way first before going back to heir new life here in the Bureau.] Does the Bureau ever...tamper with memories when bringing people here? Because Harukawa-san and I discovered yesterday that....what we remember doesn't match up.

[Namely, he seems to be missing memories compared to her.]

[slieght]

[As much as he really, really wants to laugh at the irony of Maki getting cleric of all things, he refrains. He doesn't say anything on the subject, just hums to acknowledge it.

Until Kaede opens her mouth. There's a snort and an equine laugh from the leader, who finally moves to get himself a cookie and some tea.]

Woooow Akamatsu-chan, is that what you're into? "Tough love bedside manner"? Don't be such a pervert.

[He can't help himself, it was right there. Who says shit like that??? Why does Kaede always say things that nobody else would think to? But he doesn't push that any further, because he's much more interested in the memories topic.]

Ah, you guys really remember different things? How far apart are you?

[erlebnisse]

[Maki looks upwards, as if somehow whatever deity her cleric-ness has aligned with might offer some guidance. "Tough love bedside manner"?? Well--] Akamatsu probably isn't too off the mark, I guess. [She definitely would be tough. Bleeding out?? Whatever, walk it off.

She looks down again at Kokichi's question again, hesitating a little, but-- This time there ar, thankfully, no tears. There's a thickness in her throat she swallows around though before she speaks]

Saihara remembers you taking Kaito into the hangar. And I remember-- [A pause. Just a moment.] Everything after. Like what happened to you. And...the trial. [Her fingers curl into fists at the top of her thighs, curling into her skirt as she abruptly looks away to grab one of those cookies. It's less that she actually wants to eat it, and more that she wants a distraction.

They are pretty warm and nice. She looks at it and then to Kaede, wondering if she's actually a little envious that Kaede doesn't have these memories to fall back on.]

You missed a lot, Akamatsu.

[gotyourbach]

Huh?! N-No, that's not it!

[That's not what she meant at all!! Don't change the subject, Kokichi!

Maki and Shuichi, thankfully, seem to be ignoring it, so she does her best to do the same, though she's flushing an embarrassed hot pink. She hides her lips behind a teacup, though her cheeks are still puffed out in a pout as she glares at Kokichi.

But tampering with memories, huh...? Kaede hesitates, gaze drifting toward the ceiling as she tries to think back. There have been a lot of times where memories have been shared with other people, either willingly or not. There was even a time where a whole manifestation of a darker self -- or whatever -- wanted to blurt every single one of her secrets to whomever passed by. But tampering with memories themselves...?]

A-anyway... no. I've never heard of anything like memory-tampering. That sounds like it'd be a pretty powerful spell...

[She glances down again, into her tea. You missed a lot... she doesn't miss the choked sound of Maki's voice. She can hear it.]

I do know, umm... Arisato-kun told me that he and Aragaki-kun, their memories don't match up, either. When they talked to the Director about it, she said... it's because they were pulled from different-- times. Timelines. Like... okay, you know how you can sing in a round? One person starts, and then a few seconds later another person starts with the same words, and then after that same period of time, a third person starts singing the same words, too? You hear it with a lot of kids songs!

[She hums the first few notes of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" before trailing off into silence and looking up, trying to see if they're following along.]

It's like... we were all singing our own parts of the same song, just at different times, when the Hunger came and... stopped it.

[diffidentive]

.....

[Kaede...you had him up until you started using a music analogy. He knows what singing in a round is, but applying that to something like space-time just makes the whole thing confusing. He frowns in contemplation, taking a sip of tea as he tries to make sense of what she's saying.]

[slieght]

[Kokichi stares at her too, then tilts her head.]

It's not that complicated, Akamatsu-chan. We all come from different timelines that exist alongside each other. In Akamatsu-chan's timeline, the Director had to save her from the Hunger at the end of the first trial. In Saihara-chan's timeline, it came sometime after I took Momota-chan. In Harukawa-chan's, it was sometime after the fifth trial.

[It's pretty straightforward. A lot more straightforward than Kaede's explanation.]

[erlebnisse]

[Maki was pretty much about to say exactly what Kokichi did, which is a little annoying, but hey! At least it was said before someone's brain shut down or Kaede decided to overcomplicate it more.]

And so no one's actually messed with our memories, personally. It just makes everything more confusing for all of us. [She sighs deeply.]

So has there been any word on why the Director chooses who to save and who to let die? [Which seems kinda harsh, maybe, but it's Maki what were you all expecting.]

[gotyourbach]

Mnnghh... well, as long as you understand!

[She thought it was a good analogy! More importantly, she was trying to emphasize that even if their timelines were separate, they're still the same people they knew in their own timelines. But nobody else seems worried about that?

Shuichi is quiet, so she looks to him with a little concern before glancing back to the others and shaking her head.]

N-No, not that I know of. I asked Madame Director, and she said... she had to make a really quick judgement call and save whomever she could at the time.

[She holds her teacup in both hands, shrinking a little into herself as if expecting accusations or anger. Why would the Director choose to save someone who was being executed, instead of everyone else around her? It's the question Kaede had been asking herself for months, especially since she hasn't seen anyone else from that Academy until now.]

I think she'd save everyone if she could.

[diffidentive]

[Okay, see that makes more sense to Shuichi. Well...as much sense as this whole situation CAN make. Because it's still pretty hard to believe, honestly.]

[Ultimately, though, it doesn't seem like it matters that much. Just something to tuck away in case it becomes relevant later.]

Mmm...

[Just a non-committal hum from the detective to show he's still listening. Listening and thinking hard about what the others are saying. The whole "quick judgment call" thing in particular is giving him pause. Why on earth would she pick someone like him over someone like Kaito? He can't help but think that his skills are pretty useless for the task they need to be doing here. He's not a fighter. He's not a leader. He's not particularly inspiring or cunning or strong...so why him?]

[slieght]

[Kokichi glances down to stare at his tea. Wow, it's so interesting! A lot more interesting than this conversation. Because he can't help but think the same thing.

Why him? Why not someone who deserves to live? Who was already alive? Kaito deserved it more...Kaito would be more useful, more helpful. And surely Maki and Shuichi would want him there more...taking a deep breath, he tries to push those thoughts out of his head. They won't help anyone.

He looks up with an uncertain grin.]

I guess she just saw all of our useful qualities! I mean, who's more determined and inspiring than Akamatsu-chan is? If we have to search for and find these relic things, Saihara-chan's is great for that. Aaaand Harukawa-chan is suuuuuuper strong, fast and has lots of endurance! That's the makings for a pretty great party right there.

[He's not sure if Maki's feeling the same way, but he can at least recognize those questions in Kaede and Shuichi's expressions.]

So she didn't make too bad of a choice. We'll just have to hold out until she brings all the others.

[erlebnisse]

I'm not questioning myself. [Yeah unlike the other three, Maki has no questions about why she was saved. Despite being made into a 'cleric' here, her skillset was useful. Maki knew exactly what she was doing here--well, again, minus the cleric angle.

...Okay, granted, Kaede didn't know her "secret" so maybe this just comes across as Extreme Confidence or something.

But as for the others? She could see why detectives were useful, but Kaede and Kokichi...? Well, she supposed the optimism thing Kokichi brought up had some merit to it. She glances to Kokichi and tilts her head]

Didn't include yourself in that line-up, I see.

[slieght]

That's because I'm sure I'll have to prove how I'm useful, since I'm a liar.

[There's no hesitation in his reply, just stated very matter of factly.]

I could tell you how I'm useful if you really wanna hear it, but it's not like my words hold much water. I'm just prepared to show everyone instead.

[He's going into this 100% expecting to have to prove everything, considering everything he did in the game. He'll be surprised if Maki and Shuichi don't expect him to backstab them...]

[gotyourbach]

[The air is still really tense. Kaede frowns when Kokichi leaves himself out of the lineup, and frowns even more when Maki calls him out.]

It's not just that... Don't sell yourself short, Oma-kun! You have all that knowledge about this kind of fantasy stuff!

[She sets her teacup down on the desk with a firm clatter, cheeks puffing out with indignation.]

It's not about proving how "useful" you are or anything like that. It's about making sure we do our best to help everyone else. Right, Saihara-kun?

[She nudges his foot with hers under the table. Speak up, Shuichi!]

Whatever the Director was thinking, we're here now. So... we all have to work together.