How could this happen? (afterparty)

[folkscallmewander]

[Wander has reeled back from this execution faster than Mulan's. This murder wasn't an accident, but it was still terrible all around, and it wouldn't have happened under normal circumstances. Knowing that Tadashi planned this out made it...a bit better, but it still made something awful eat at his stomach.

Speaking of which, everyone needed to eat something light today. Right after the trial, he heads to the kitchen and prepares twenty bowls of fruit salad and mixes together ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. While they're cooling off, he slides a note under everyone's rooms.]



There's fruit in the lounge, cookies coming soon. We should stick together, especially after this.

♥ Wander

Comments

[outsidethecircle]

So they're like cranes.

[She knows that tradition, after all.]

...I think I'd like that, though.

[folkscallmewander]

Yeah, that's what he said too. But if we're here, it doesn't matter what they're supposed to be unless we put our hearts into it.

[He takes a strip fro himself.]

We can make cranes, too, if you can teach me.

[outsidethecircle]

That's right, isn't it?

[She sets her materials down as she begins to help him.]

I don't really remember much about how to make them. [Anna pauses just for a moment--Come back happy and healthy!--before beginning to make another star.] Auntie once helped me make some for one of her friends but that was a long time ago.

[folkscallmewander]

[He folds his own star, pausing in case Anna needs some guidance on folding hers.]

Your Auntie sounds like a lovely person. Wish I learned how to do papercraft apart form cuttin' and gluin' pieces together.

[outsidethecircle]

[She watches carefully before folding hers.]

Uncle and her are really kind to me. [She doesn't look at him directly when she says this but she sets down her work for a moment. She takes out a photo from her materials--one of an older woman standing on a train station.] This--um--is Auntie.

[folkscallmewander]

[He looks up from this work.]

She looks like a nice lady. [a sad smile.] I hope we can leave soon before she gets really worried about you. All of us should

[They can wish for a safe escape. For everyone to unite and pull through together. For Ghostave to be happy. For himself and Sylvia to return to their galaxy and turn Lord Hater and Lord Dominator into better people. For a happy ending.]

[outsidethecircle]

[She looks at him doubtfully.]

She worries all the time, either way. [But...] I hope so, too. Even the country is better than this place.

[To see the Marsh House again. To get into better shape. To just have a happy, normal life every day.]

[folkscallmewander]

Isn't that how most relatives are? Even Sylvia's sometimes all

[He rises on his knees with one hand on his hip and one finger raised in the air, putting on a deep, exaggerated accent.]

Wander, now don't you go wanderin' around and checkin' out that store or tree over there, you might get into trouble! Come over here and don't help those folks, we gotta escape this planet before the Watchdogs catch us!

[outsidethecircle]

I--snrk.

[That... she barely knows Sylvia but she laughs a bit. It was better than thinking about the first sentence for a while.]

We're not related, though.

[folkscallmewander]

[He sits down and thinks about the bio.]

Foster aunt?

[outsidethecircle]

[There's a nod. She does love Yoriko but that isn't something that she can overcome easily.] I've been living with her family for a long time.

[folkscallmewander]

[But if she's a foster aunt, who is Anna's foster mom? She's living with the aunt all this time?

Well. It's not something Wander of all people can question.]

It's nice, havin' an extended family that looks out for you.

[outsidethecircle]

[Technically she was the foster mom.

But she's glad that it's not questioned.]

I guess.

[folkscallmewander]

You guess?

[He doesn't want to pry too much in case Anna starts asking about Wander's own past, but now he's concerned.]

Are they nice folks?

[outsidethecircle]

[That alarms her slightly--]

No, no, they are nice. They treat me well but... they did send me away to the country for the summer.

[folkscallmewander]

I see.

[He doesn't. He's visibly puzzling out why someone would do that for their kid. Vacation? Camp? Visiting friends?

He bites his lip.] On your own for the first time?

[outsidethecircle]

I'm staying with some of her relatives. [Oh no. She suddenly realizes the phrasing was off--] They said the fresh air would be good for my asthma. The Oiwas are good people, too.

[She quickly adds that.] I think everyone here would like Mrs. Oiwa's cooking.

[folkscallmewander]

It's for your health? [He chuckles.] That's a good reason, then. You're out to get better.

[He pauses his folding.]

Do you go out travelin' much?

[outsidethecircle]

I do feel better than I did. [Healthwise, anyway. She's glad for that distraction, though--]

Not really. We pretty much stay in the city.

[folkscallmewander]

[He nods and returns to his folding, though his mind has wandered far enough that he's slowed down.]

...I don't think I've ever lived in a city before. Most of the time Sylvia and I go campin' or stay in town for a few nights.

[Or sneak onto Lord Hater's ship because the security is laughable.]

[outsidethecircle]

Really? I don't mind the country but I don't think I could live camping.

[Oh, you two.]