[Susato can definitely find her! Alisaie hasn't been running around too much today, and she's staked out a small place in the square as her own. Come on over and join her; in spite of how terrible the day's been, the fountain is going and the atmosphere isn't wholly depressing...]
Hello, Susato. How have you been holding up after all that?
[For her part, Alisaie is a bit more subdued than normal and has been since the end of trial. Nanaly was a good friend.]
[Good question. She has to take a moment to think about it, staring out into the square.]
More than anything else, I'm frustrated. Last week was difficult enough, knowing that Tsurumaru's death had been an accident. But Nanaly was wholly innocent. She's been a good friend to me since the very first.
If we'd just had more time, we would have been able to figure it out. We could have done right by all of them.
Yes, I feel quite the same. We were so hasty, and Nanaly paid the price for that.
[Though, she frowns a little as she strokes a hand against Ryutaro's fur.]
It's hard to say what the right outcome would be, particularly when we know there's a chance the people doing the killings are also following a compulsion, but . . . it's no comfort to Nanaly, I'm sure.
Situations like these can rarely be narrowed down to "right" and "wrong." There are so many factors influencing each one of us that even should we know every detail, we'd all have differing thoughts. We can only do what we think is right.
I cannot be angry with those who voted for Nanaly. We faced an impossible choice. But I pray that she--and Sheba and Yelena--reach the realm where the others are, that mayhap we can yet find a way to help them.
[There's an answer there--maybe not one that will map perfectly to Susato's way of viewing the world, but an answer nonetheless--but it's the question that's catching her attention right now.]
Is there something else that's bothering you, Susato? Something more than what happened the past two days.
No, there's nothing going on. I only really meant that you and Alphinaud both seemed rather distressed and I didn't know whether it was only Nanaly or whether there was more to it.
But it isn't something we need to talk about if you would rather we didn't.
Ah. [Alisaie also frowns.] I shouldn't be surprised you noticed Alphinaud too.
The simpler answer is that I myself am fine. I will regret what happened to Nanaly for the rest of my days, even knowing she may live on the other side. But heartless though it is, time will not wait for us to grieve.
I'm worried about Alphinaud, however. He seemed fine when we spoke on Friday, but our failures yesterday seem to have shaken him. He...
[She pauses, considering, then glances Susato's way.]
He'll deny it, but Alphinaud places a great deal of pride in his intelligence. Our inability to find either killer yesterday and sending somebody innocent to their death weighs heavily on him.
Yes. I remember at trial - he was insistent a few times we were on the wrong course when we started to close in on Nanaly. I'm sure it was hard on him that we continued in our folly all the same.
And knowing my brother, he blames himself for not doing enough to clear her name ere time was up.
[She gives a tiny scoff, just a hint of a breath--not mockingly, but in that way of Siblings.]
Honestly, he believes it his sole duty to ensure the deliverance of those around him. When we were in the First, he had a plan to gain entrance to a guarded city--and when an eavesdropper tried to steal his designs, Alphinaud not only let him but explained to him the entire plan so he might be successful. I know not how many days of work he and our friend lost to that setback.
But that is who he is. I couldn't let him sit alone and brood through Nanaly's execution. Not if I could offer any amount of succor.
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Hello, Susato. How have you been holding up after all that?
[For her part, Alisaie is a bit more subdued than normal and has been since the end of trial. Nanaly was a good friend.]
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Hello, Alisaie. I cannot say well - I fear that I hold some share of the blame for what has happened. And you?
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More than anything else, I'm frustrated. Last week was difficult enough, knowing that Tsurumaru's death had been an accident. But Nanaly was wholly innocent. She's been a good friend to me since the very first.
If we'd just had more time, we would have been able to figure it out. We could have done right by all of them.
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[Though, she frowns a little as she strokes a hand against Ryutaro's fur.]
It's hard to say what the right outcome would be, particularly when we know there's a chance the people doing the killings are also following a compulsion, but . . . it's no comfort to Nanaly, I'm sure.
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I cannot be angry with those who voted for Nanaly. We faced an impossible choice. But I pray that she--and Sheba and Yelena--reach the realm where the others are, that mayhap we can yet find a way to help them.
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Is there something else that's bothering you, Susato? Something more than what happened the past two days.
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. . . Ah. Well, it was only a question to see how you are feeling.
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No, please. Is there aught I should know? If so, I'd rather you told me than I were ignorant of what is going on.
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No, there's nothing going on. I only really meant that you and Alphinaud both seemed rather distressed and I didn't know whether it was only Nanaly or whether there was more to it.
But it isn't something we need to talk about if you would rather we didn't.
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The simpler answer is that I myself am fine. I will regret what happened to Nanaly for the rest of my days, even knowing she may live on the other side. But heartless though it is, time will not wait for us to grieve.
I'm worried about Alphinaud, however. He seemed fine when we spoke on Friday, but our failures yesterday seem to have shaken him. He...
[She pauses, considering, then glances Susato's way.]
He'll deny it, but Alphinaud places a great deal of pride in his intelligence. Our inability to find either killer yesterday and sending somebody innocent to their death weighs heavily on him.
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Yes. I remember at trial - he was insistent a few times we were on the wrong course when we started to close in on Nanaly. I'm sure it was hard on him that we continued in our folly all the same.
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And knowing my brother, he blames himself for not doing enough to clear her name ere time was up.
[She gives a tiny scoff, just a hint of a breath--not mockingly, but in that way of Siblings.]
Honestly, he believes it his sole duty to ensure the deliverance of those around him. When we were in the First, he had a plan to gain entrance to a guarded city--and when an eavesdropper tried to steal his designs, Alphinaud not only let him but explained to him the entire plan so he might be successful. I know not how many days of work he and our friend lost to that setback.
But that is who he is. I couldn't let him sit alone and brood through Nanaly's execution. Not if I could offer any amount of succor.
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[So, she gets it.]