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

[stanbyme]

[If Randall wasn't lying about Dipper, then... What is he going to tell Mabel?

He spent thirty years absolutely certain that Ford was alive. And he was right, in the end, Ford had come out of the portal changed and scarred but still alive. Would he have felt something if Ford had died? Did Mabel feel something when Dipper...]

If I could just see him, talk to him...

[hasit]

...You can. Or, at least, you ought to be able to.

[She nods toward the Beast, who's entered recently toting a bottle of wine and the mirror.]

Ask him. I know it worked for him. I....I'd have said something sooner, but we thought it best to wait. Make sure it wasn't dangerous. A trap.

[stanbyme]

[He follows her gaze, and remembers what Randall said at the trial. Almost as if he's on autopilot, he sets his can of pop down and gets up, only looking back to meet her eyes as he takes back his hand.

He offers her the tiniest of smiles.]

I gotta know. If...I can, I have to find out.

If you, uh. Wanna talk later, I don't think I'm gonna be getting much sleep tonight.

[hasit]

[She nods, inclining her head toward the Beast as if encouraging Stan to go on, already, and puts her hand back in her lap.]

Go ahead. We'll talk later.

[She's going to just go ahead and not think about the implications that might be there in a different situation, because wow, now is not the time.]