Chasma: Susato

[aono]

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week 1, post-trial

[aono]

[Rin is not very bright, he can at least honestly accept that. His strength has always been his...well, strength. So when it comes to delicate matters like this, he knows to go to the smart people for help.

Susato is a smart people, moreso than most of the people here. Which is why he's approaching her.]

Hey, can I ask you something?

[booksleeves]

[Susato is here in the void, Ryutaro in plover form perched on her shoulder. She seems to be scribbling in her notebook.]

Okumura-san, of course.

[aono]

[Okumura-san...he's so used to not hearing honorifics here, it's strange to hear them again.]

That stuff at the end of the trial, it was weird, yeah? How That Belt-guy looked like he couldn't tell us much of anything.

[booksleeves]

[She only uses them on the Japanese characters.]

It did seem that he couldn't explain his reasons.

[aono]

Do you have any guesses on why?

[Rin has absolutely none, which is why he's asking smart people about it.]

[booksleeves]

Well, my guess would be that there is a competition between the factions, and he was a pawn in that competition, but we are not to know of the specifics if we are not competing.

[aono]

So, like...whatever his faction was, he was told by them to do this? And this might be the 'game' they mentioned before?

[booksleeves]

I think so. But I don't know that he was told by the Watchers, so much as their allies or higher ups?

[aono]

So you think a higher-up came here to talk to him?

[booksleeves]

That is what I think, yes.

[aono]

...huh.

[Interesting.]

Do you think it happened to Qi Rong too?

[booksleeves]

That I am unsure of, but it is certainly possible.

[aono]

He might've just been a lunatic on his own though.

[But Bertbert doesn't seem like the type, so there has to be more at play here. Hmm.]

Were you gonna talk to him tonight?

[booksleeves]

I have spoken to him. That's why I can say all of this - otherwise, I would be utterly lost.

He is eager to talk.

[aono]

...huh. Guess he really wants people to know.

He did seem sorry at the trial too, I don't think he actually wanted to do it.

Week 2, Friday

[aono]

[Time to go find Susato again! Because Rin has thinky-thoughts.]

So with those four back it just leaves Revali, Roxis, and Ulrika unaccounted for. Right?

[booksleeves]

[She can be found in the kitchen, preparing some food with a worried expression on her face. She glances up.]

. . . That's right.

[aono]

[Rin wants to say 'it'll be alright', but that's not the truth. At least one of those three is going to be dead. Maybe all three. It's definitely not alright.

So instead he goes over to see what she's cooking.]

...want some help?

[booksleeves]

[She nods a little.]

Yes, I'd appreciate that. I wanted to make something for the group that just returned.

[aono]

Right. With what they went through, something plain would be best.

[He's looking around at what they have. It's not much.]

...if we can find eggs, we'll have everything we need for Ojiya.

[booksleeves]

Good idea. I'm not sure we'll be able to find eggs, but there is rice and plenty of vegetables, as well as broth.

[aono]

Yeah. And a meal like that'll help them relax too, I think.

[Something something comfort food.]

[booksleeves]

Mm. I feel simply awful for them. And [. . .] for being relieved. They are some of my dearest friends here, and yet.

[Their return means three others did not.]

[aono]

And yet because they came back, it means the others probably aren't.

[He gets it, really. He's feeling the same things here.]

[booksleeves]

[She nods, looking sadly down at the rice she's boiling.]

Three people at once. It's awful.