This is fine. It's fine. We're fine.

[sharpasanarrow]

[Well that was.

Something.

Underneath everyone’s door they’ll find a slip of paper, in shaky calligraphy, that reads:

INVITATION

Meet in the Dining Room.

Do not bring alcohol of any sort.

Upon arrival into the Dining Room it’s clear that this is very much...not a party.

The center of the room is cleared of all tables, and instead has all the chairs arranged in a circle, facing inwards. On the tables pushed to the side are jugs of water, cups, plates of saltines, and several hastily-made pamplets that read on the front ”How to cope with Child homicide” that contains an advisory list:

1. Try not to think about it.
2. Do not get hysterical.
3. Crying is permitted, but keep it within a reasonable volume. (For the consideration of fellow mourners)
4. Maintain civility
5. Do not plunder the belongings of the deceased.
6. No drinking or gambling your sorrows away. Set an example.

Standing in front of one of the chairs already is Mr.Arrow. He clears his throat as people start to slowly come in.]

I gathered you all here because I believed it would be conductive to group morale if we all worked through our feelings regarding recent events. Talk about your feelings with one another, but not with me.

[He steps back a little, out of the circle of chairs, in what seems to be an invitation for people to sit down and discuss with one another.]

Comments

[upgradeit]

[His day has been so bad that he doesn't understand what Tadashi is telling him at first. At best, he hoped that he'd be able to talk to Tadashi.]

How - [???] That's not possible. You - the fire. We had a funeral for you and Callaghan said - he said he left you there to die.

[That's not really what he said, but it's what Hiro took away from their exchange. All he can remember about that moment is being so angry that Callaghan was alive and Tadashi wasn't.]

[notasingleword]

[Ariel just sits with her and lets Kim let it out. She pets her hair, but there's nothing she can say like this. She'll just sit here until Kim is done.]

[bayoublues]

[Louis nods slowly. Fair enough.]

I get that. 'Specially after everythin' that happened.

[For now, this kid needs some serious cheering up.]

Hey, I know...I know this day was pretty awful. But...maybe we should do somethin', um, for Noby's sake. Kid needs a better send off than...than....

[You know.]

[lusito]

Hmm... that sounds like quite a steep favor to ask for in exchange for just buying me ramen...

[Josh this is not the time for trolling--!!]

[truecalling]

[...Rat...igan. Right. Should have thought to ask the mice.]

Marnie here was just asking to speak to Ratigan's ex-boyfriend? Do you know him?

[She's convinced it's either you or Remy. Don't throw Remy under the bus Basil.]

[theduck]

Yeah, the back and forth gets old fast. But I don't even need to talk to him, really, I can hear the mirror fine from where we're at.

As long as I know he's not doing anything stupid down there, that's good enough for now. And... thanks.

[sneezelikeakitten]

I'm not going anywhere near him, and I made sure at his trial that everyone knew all the bad things he did.

[Mostly things about Pacifica.] I don't think anyone here trusts him.

[faciliheir]

[she's kinda. too. distracted...

and then she just sorta. puts her guitar on the ground.]

Hey, uh, Princess? What exactly is... this?

[gestures y'know. between them.]

distantly, from hell

[terribibble]

You can trust if I still had my banjo I'd have walloped him good the second he showed up.

[there's 500 tvs down here your conversations are not entirely private my dudes]

[madeofpine]

[He does lift his head up a bit at that.]

Yeah, he does... I was gonna draw somethin', maybe, but didn't really feel good enough. [He's still not sure he could manage it.] D'you have more ideas?

[sneezelikeakitten]

[About that...]

Mabel already knows. I-I talked to her before you.

And you couldn't have known! I was in a hotel with all these other people, and a octopus lady who said she was a sea witch, and a guy who was way too grumpy, and demigods, and then there was Merlin the Wizard himself! There's people who never showed up here, so I'm hoping that means they survived....

[sorrydoods]

I thought I saw Negaduck bring in a bunch a bottles. I'm pretty sure he has a bunch to spare. Good luck getting him to give you any, though.

[Since, you know, he's a dick]

[keyofimagination]

[He seems to Get It.]

I promise. I'm done with idly standing by.

[darnsitall]

[Yelling from the mirror!]

Basil! You're Basil, aren't you! Yes, that's him!

[sneezelikeakitten]

[Then maybe they just need to find Fidd's a banjo.

OLD MAN FIGHT]

1/2

[not_over_yet]

[ he doesn't look like a deer in headlights what are you talking about ]

.....I.

Why...?

[not_over_yet]

[ actually wait

just. abandons the exorcism brainstorming session for a sec. ]

What are you all doing, who's talking about Ratigan, who are you talking to?

[nachosquire]

[God he wishes he could reach into this mirror and just--- pull her over into his arms right now. Their hands pressed against the glass at each other is the closest they're going to get, and it's just not enough.]

We'll work on getting us both out of here. Together. I won't leave this place without you, Star.

[He has no idea how the fuck they're going to do that but.. they'll figure it out. They have to.]

I promised I would protect you until one of us dies. And as far as I'm concerned, you're not dead yet.

[scrapplinghook]

[... Dipper you're trying to tell the girl who made friends with the MAILMAN to be emotionally distant. That ain't gunna work.]

But what if most of them don't do anything! It's not fair to them to not trust them just 'cause of something they MIGHT do!

[not_over_yet]

[ FUCK
thanks Sally ]

[stanbyme]

Atta boy, kid.

[His expression softens. The grief is there and harder to hide.]

Listen, I'm... [He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath.] I'm... I'm sorry I didn't know that you were in trouble sooner.

[I'm sorry I couldn't have saved you.]

I'm proud of you, Dipper.

[I love you.]

[truecalling]

These people aren't evil. [...] Not all of them. And you know it-- people have gotten out before. I'm not giving up.

[Not even if he told her to. But she does have a small reason for having a little more confidence than maybe she should at this early juncture.]

Oh yeah-- LeFou told me to tell you that he has a surprise for you and he'll see you soon. [For everything that's bad and frightening, she can't help smiling when she says--] And he loves you.

[She can't blame Maui for feeling that way now. But if she can pass on even a little bit of hope then it'll give her more for all that she'd lost this horrible week.]

They're working hard even now to save you all.

[notasingleword]

[Huh? She doesn't really understand at first.

Ariel mimics the gesture to try and make it more clear to herself. Oh... oh! Her heart skips a beat, and she has a hard time looking at Freddie suddenly.

This feeling... it's similar to how she felt when she first saw Eric. But it's not exactly the same. It feels almost deeper than that. Ariel writes down a nervous note.]

"Does it bother you?"

[tadaishi]

What? Callaghan? I don't remember any fire.

[This is complete nonsense Hiro. Either way...]

I'm not right now, I swear. I--I don't know, it's a second change or something, but I'm here with people who went through the same thing you're in right now. We're...looking for a way to help you guys.

[This is only half of a lie; they've found one way, they just need to try it.]

[truecalling]

That's a great idea! Even if we can't get everyone to agree, there are probably only a few we have to worry about. We'd all be safer that way.