like a bitter stranger

[samuraiwomen]

Who: Everyone
What: Our monthly family meeting.
When: March 5th, 2000.
Where: Yogen dorms common room.
Warnings: Discussions of murder, suicide, child death...more?



[ A message goes up on the forums late Friday evening.

S.chidouin: Group meeting in the dorms Saturday. 12:00. No punching. No stabbing. I'll bring stickers.

If your character would not find a post from Sara worth listening too, Bonnie is wandering around, vaguely noting how important this meeting is, and how very much you should attend. No further details are forthcoming.

The meeting itself is a quiet affair. The fireplace is not lit, there are no snacks. Sara waits in the corner for everyone to arrive and get settled and then she clears her throat to speak. ]

As most of you know... [ It's hard to start, but her voice gets firmer as she goes on. ] We spent the last two months investigating Maya Arisu's murder. That case is solved. A few weeks ago, Bonnie-chan and I found the culprit.

Rantaro Amami killed Maya Arisu, Hiro Arisu, the vice principal and is presumably responsible for the scene with Keigo Arata. He is also dead. I just figured...everyone should know. To many people got hurt the last few months. I'm sorry.

[ She fiddles with her hair. That's all...she really has to say. There's not much more then that as the gist of it. ]

Comments

[decrypter]

You are making this about yourself, Miss Hood, when it isn't. This is about Miss Furude, this is about anyone who thinks they're removed from this. That they should only serve themselves. People who only inflame a discussion to serve their own egos, no matter who they are. Everyone who leads a discussion into madness!

[it's not Bonnie. it's this entire school. they'll kill themselves before this school can.]

[dokkans]

--Oh! Okay.

[ IMMEDIATELY SHIFTING BACK like it's nothing. Never mind, then! ]

Well, anyway, I don't think she should leave, but that's really up to her. I said my piece!

[ Don't fight, you two! She's gonna leave this one alone now. ]

[miisdealt]

Then perhaps I should be the one to speak for myself.

[Rika raises her voice--as much as someone with naturally soft spoken tones can. There's a sternness in the way she speaks, but there's also quite a bit of confidence, too.

She doesn't back down.

Not in the slightest.]

I do not have ill intentions when I said what I did. Certainly, I did not see any of the bodies. And certainly, I also have no connections to most anyone here, which makes it easy for someone like me to detach myself.

But you make quite a bit of assumptions about me. Helena-san, was it? If you believe that these words of mine were simply for my own personal ego, then that is what you will believe, even if I say otherwise.

Am I above it all? Of course not. I am fully aware, more than anyone that death can meet the end of any person; whether it's here, or elsewhere.

In any case. I would like to at least hear more about what happened. Because certainly, when things do go in a certain direction, it can grow troublesome. But at the same time... is it not through communication that we are able to understand each other better? A lack of it entirely and leaving someone--one, or others, will only cause to hurt us than bring us together.

[She shuts her eyes, taking a deep breath, thoughtfully.]

Nevertheless... for my careless actions and words being spun in a way that upset you. I offer my sincerest apologies. [She bows, polite.] I will at the very least respect being quiet moving forward for the rest of this meeting.

[decrypter]

...You "apologize for your words being spun in a way" that has upset me? Then your apology is no apology at all.

[the words are as cold as ice, thrown down between them like a gauntlet.]

You might as well have saved your breath, Miss Furude. All you have said amounts to that you're sorry that I am for once voicing my thoughts instead of remaining quiet. Ill intentions or not, careless words harm, nearly kill. As truly as these false leads and accusations do.

If you truly intend to respect being quiet, you can start right now.

[and thankfully at this point, Komaeda is intervening, and redirecting Helena away before she vents so much anger she faints.]

[miisdealt]

[Rika visibly flinches and she opens her mouth for a moment, as if to argue, to say that isn't what she meant--

But in the end.

She decides that for now, the best thing to do is remain completely and utterly silent. Her fingers don't even dare to touch her tea.]