we're gonna afterparty and you're GOING TO FUCKING LIKE IT

[presomnia]

[Tiki wanders into the great hall expecting company, expecting a full room just like before to abate her loneliness and what she finds instead is...Mahiro, chillin'.

And no one else.

Okay. Cool. Fine. She'll throw a goddamn party herself IF THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, TRY HER.

So she drags one (1) rude teen into the kitchen despite protests that he can't cook, finds Eizen actively in the middle of cooking, and takes full advantage of the situation and also her own cute charm until curry for two turns into curry for twenty four.

Everyone will find notes slipped under their door, courtesy of Tiki's new gopher since he refuses to cook, the first part written in loose, loopy handwriting like an elementary schooler who hasn't quite gotten the hang of the cursive they've been taught:]

Let's meet in the Great Hall together in about an hour and have dinner again this time, so nobody has to be alone.

[aaand under that in a completely different set of handwriting:]

I don't know why we're doing this after someone died from getting poisoned through food but at least there won't be any fucking cake. Don't come if you don't want to.

[hm. well.

in the Great Hall, Tiki's hard at work setting up Eizen's mabo curry for the taking (and she's bullied him into making exactly one plate of non-spicy curry because she loves Hanyuu), and also hard at work into bullying Mahiro into helping her set up silverware and plates and beverages. It's not much, but it's here.]

Comments

[presomnia]

[Tiki frowns a little, expression pursing.]

If I were to fall asleep like that again, I don't know that I could be woken up... [She doesn't quite smile, but she does relax.] It's okay. I sleep when I'm sleepy, but I'm not right now. It's too important to be with everyone else, anyway.

[aumygoddess]

If you say so...

[ pats her head but doesn't look entirely convinced ]

I am curious, how were you woken up, before? If you don't feel like talking about that, though, it is fine.

[presomnia]

Ban-Ban woke me up. ...He's another Manakete. The second time...Lord Gotoh let Mar-Mar wake me up, because he had the Starsphere.

[one day she won't take for granted that everyone just knows what she's talking about]

[aumygoddess]

[ uh

give her a second. Mar-Mar was Tiki's friend, she remembers that name. Everything else tho. ]

A Starsphere...?

[presomnia]

The Starsphere. It's a magic jewel, part of the Shield of Seals. Um... It keeps me from turning into a monster.

[

nice]

[aumygoddess]

[ her eyes widen for a moment. A magic jewel to keep her from turning into a monster? GEE THAT DOESN'T SOUND FAMILIAR, AND ALSO DOESN'T REMIND HANYUU OF THE INCIDENT(TM) A THOUSAND YEARS AGO AT ALL, NAH. ]

And that's why you went to sleep in the first place?

[presomnia]

[a small nod.]

If I turned into a monster, like the ice and the fire dragons, it would be really bad... So my parent made sure Lord Gotoh would keep me asleep.

[aumygoddess]

Ah...that sounds like a no-win situation either way you go about it, goodness.

[ ... ]

But I'm glad you're with us now, even if our situation isn't very good.

[presomnia]

[That finally gets Tiki to smile, brighter than she's been all weekend.]

It's always lots of fun at the palace with Mar-Mar and everyone else... And even if it's bad here, I really like all my friends! I'm glad I'm with you, too, Yuu-Yuu.

[aumygoddess]

[ SHE IS DOING ALL SHE PHYSICALLY CAN TO NOT MELT INTO A SAPPY PUDDLE, THIS IS TOO CUTE, HOW DARE

Hanyuu's not really a hugger, so Tiki gets another hair-ruffling. ]

I hope I get to meet this friend of yours one day. He sounds interesting.