Afterparty

[latinumsbetter]

[After the execution finishes and Wendy is dragged down into the Earth by that absolute horrific monstrosity of a creature and Typhon gives his goodbye, Quark will stand there for a long moment in the silence, before announcing, in a voice that wavers while trying to go for neutral:]

The bar’ll be open. Sitting around alone isn’t going to help anyone. [he turns to look at Ferdinand] Ferdinand, you’re with me. I need someone to move the table.

[and, taking Cerejeira’s elbow, he’s going to head out of the Arena. So...post trial, the Eatery’s been moved into bar configuration by Ferdinand and Quark. There’s been several of the extra togas gathered and folded to be used as blankets. There are snacks from the pantry brought out and placed on plates and in bowls and left out to eat. The bar is open, but so is the kitchen, if anyone wants to make something.

Both Ferdinand and Quark can be found behind the bar, the latter attempting to teach the former how to use the replicator he’s now got back there in addition to the other drink components. At least it’s keeping them busy. They’re both there to serve drinks, however.

The door is open.]

Comments

[latinumsbetter]

[Once the bar gets set up and Ferdinand gets going, Quark is going to duck out and go to Alex's room.

Eventually, he returns, Fritz the German Shepherd at his heels. From then on, the two of them will be behind the bar. He's there to make drinks and to make sure that Ferdinand doesn't destroy anything on accident. Fritz is there to get underfoot and also look cute.]

cw: body horror?? crimes against humanity and the sanctity of life??

[rockymountaindie]

[ You've been in here before. Alex's room is neat but messy. He's piled most everything he's gotten from the cornucopia in corners, far away from his bed. There is Clear's sculpture in the corner closest to his bed, just where you left it.

Fritz the dog sleeps outside. There isn't really a lot notable in here...except for the thing on the bed.

It sits next to Eyelex the Eye-Pod, who alternates between looking at it and the door. It's...noisy. Crying like a newborn baby bird. Looking like a newborn baby bird, fetal and ugly.

And made entirely of clay.

Alex did say he had one more thing he brought to life. One more thing he was taking care of. ]

cw: body horror?? crimes against humanity and the sanctity of life??

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark stops in the doorway, one foot already inside the room, staring. He blinks once, twice--]

Alex, what did you do?!

[a mixture of horror and sheer exasperation is in his voice.

Quark heaves a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face, and walks further into the room, stopping at the bed and staring down at it.]

Alright, so that maybe wasn't the best decision, kid. Who's supposed to take care of this thing now?

cw: body horror?? crimes against humanity and the sanctity of life??

[rockymountaindie]

[ There's no one to answer you, unfortunately, except for this little eraserhead baby, still crying and reaching out for nothing. Eyelex just turns and looks at Quark, almost expectantly.

If he looks around Alex's room, though, particularly the slightly open end table, he'll find something else Alex did mean to leave behind. ]

bar

[yourheroine]

Dog...

[That's the first word out of Aoi's mouth when she reaches the bar again.]

Oh. Can Quark make another one of those tomato juice drinks? Aoi got one from Ferdinand before, but it tasted...different. There's no aftertaste.

[She has a half-full glass of just. Tomato juice on ice.]

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark blinks, before he scowls a bit, reaching out to take the glass from her and turning it a bit]

Is this...? [he turns his head, looking towards Ferdinand down the bar] Hey! Ferdinand!

[he holds up the glass] What kinda drink is this?

[markofnobility]

She wanted a tomato juice drink!

[Hands on his hips looking as sassy as can be]

I will have you know I know what tomatos are.

bar time yaaaaaay

[murchada]

[cerejeira's just kind of sitting here. she's soaked. the area around her is soaked. she hasn't looked up yet.]

[latinumsbetter]

[Well. Quark will bring her over a hot cup of tea with a shot of the Not So Good Stuff in it and press it into her hands]

Here. Start with this.

[murchada]

...Sure.

[she's not sure she really feels like drinking anything right now. but the cup is warm. it's... nice.]

[sweetsynergy]

[Sooner or later, Vanity slides behind the bar, bearing a- the best word might be cauldron? -a steaming pot of coffee.]

Charge extra for this, it's the really good stuff.

[latinumsbetter]

[Quark pauses, blinking. He'll reach out to take it, though, curious]

The really good stuff, huh? Do what do I owe the pleasure?

[sweetsynergy]

[She shrugs.]

If you're gonna be serving it in this place, might as well have some of the better stuff as an option.

[pariunt]

[Well. Astarion is here, but it's clear he's not entirely in the mood for drinking.

But at least he comments on Fritz the dog.]

When my companions and I were fighting the Dead Three's chosen, we had a dog at camp. Scratch. Ended up getting taken in by a child when we were finished. Tav couldn't exactly take him with us to the Underdark.

[latinumsbetter]

That surprises me. With a name like Underdark, it's gotta be a cheery place, perfect for a dog.

[pariunt]

[Astarion snorts.]

We also had an owlbear. I think that one ended up with one of the druids.

bar

[raisethemoon]

Ah. Welcome back, Quark.

[ Luna is still at the bar, drinking whatever alcohol it is that she's got totally straight! She is in fact resting her head against the bar as in the icon, though not out of drunkenness. It's just. Man. ]

[latinumsbetter]

[whooboy]

Princess. [he peers down into her glass] You sure you don't want something to mix with that...? [because girl, that stuff is nasty]

[raisethemoon]

[ Yeah it tastes foul ]

I do not care.

[catsgothistongue]

[Doggo...

Ranma reaches down, offering his hand for Fritz to sniff and will scratch his head if allowed.]

Hey. [Terse, in a poor man's attempt at sounding casual. Blue eyes flit over to the kitchen, back to the bar.] Y'need someone to handle food duty while you and Ferdie are preppin' drinks?

[Ranma needs something to do, keep himself busy, and well, wasn't like he was much help today anyway so he should do something.]

[latinumsbetter]

[Fritz will definitely let Ranma pet him! He's a pretty friendly dog, leaning into his hand, tail wagging]

Hey, kid. [he jerks his chin a bit towards the kitchen] Knock yourself out. People could probably use a good meal.

[--ah]

Though, ah, before you go, I've got something for you. [he'll set down the glass he had in his hand, reaching inside his jacket and pulling out several folded letters--which he'll flip through until he finds Ranma's, and then holds it out to him.]</small. Here. Alex left this for you.

1/? sorry for the incoming walls of text

[catsgothistongue]

[Puppy......

Giving the goodest good boy headpats, he raises a lazy, half-hearted thumbs up at the greenlight and starts to head to the kitchen intent on burying himself at the stove. It isn't until his brain catches on that Quark still had more to say before he grinds to a halt, whipping around to face the Ferengi.]

For me? What--

[Ranma's breath catches seeing the letter. The letter from Alex, addressed to him, most likely snooped through if the creases and folds of the paper tell him anything. He spares Quark any scathing remarks and snatches his in a single fluid motion. Its contents aren't read out loud, privy to only its reader (and those that had looked at it), but Quark will watch the teenage boy's face vacillate through a myriad of emotions.

"Thank you for helping me with that. I still hate that you had to see it. It's harsh and cruel and cold. That's the exact opposite of you."

Guilt.

Guilt for betraying that perception of him, as he joined the mob's mudslinging and derisions at Wendy when her crime was revealed. Ranma didn't want her to die or thought she deserved eternal damnation, or that she was some cold calculating bitch doing this for wanton avarice and sadism. Yet he let anger beguile him, called her names with more venom than the standard schoolyard teasing, because he was so pissed anyone could've been there at the wrong time. Mutsumi, Misane, anyone who didn't do nothing to anyone could've died because Wendy couldn't bloody her own hands. Because it was Alex, who was genuinely a good guy through and through who wanted nothing more than to keep anyone else ending up in a grave like him, who died for what ended up being nothing.

And now... "I'm not going to waste my last breaths on an asshole like you, Ranma.", she died despising his guts. It doesn't sit well with him. Many people considered him the bane of their existence, and still do to this very day, but they've never bit the dust, let alone died loathing him. Before he could apologize for being such an ass.]

2/4 cw for seppuku mention

[catsgothistongue]

["I felt like I could laugh a lot easier around you. Like I could forget a little, if that makes sense. I haven't felt like that in a long while."

Anger.

Anger at Wendy for caving in to Typhon's temptations and attempting/succeeding in killing someone. Anger at Alex for up and dying after all everything. Anger at Death for claiming Alex's life a second time because its a pissy petty asshole. Anger at Typhon for putting them through this hellhole because of his own personal beef with Athena and the gods.

Anger at himself. Martial artists don't just fight for the sake of it. Most of them do, sure, or see it as a means to throw their weight around those weaker than them. But most are devoted to an ironclad onus: protect the weak and innocent from monsters or danger. For all the faults and flaws of his father, he made sure to browbeat that into Ranma's skull to never forget or stray from. Yet he's let Typhon get away with dragging them around like ragdolls. Now four people are dead. Two of which he helped sentence to their deaths. An egregious failure to uphold that code would be an insult and mockery to the arts at best, and punishable by being disowned from the family name or seppuku to restore lost honor brought upon by his failure.]

3/4 semi cw for slight toxic masculinity?

[catsgothistongue]

["You kind of reminded me of a friend of mine. I really missed him. Thank you for letting me feel like that again."

Loss.

Loss isn't an experience Ranma had gone through before. Getting curse felt like he lost something he values more than his life, his pride as a man, when he first got, but he took it in stride and by the chin. It wasn't as painful as actual losing someone he cared for. He's prayed at his family grave belonging to his ancestors numerous times, but he didn't know them better from a random schmoe on the block. And his father wasn't chatty enough to tell him of them. He grew up without a mom, passively wondering if she ran off on his pop (which. fair on her end, any woman would too) or passed away but never really thought on it much. And now she's back in his life, so those thoughts were swept under the rug in the recess of his mind. Akane nearly came close to dying in his arms, but she woke up, she was fine and safe even when his heart wanted to stop beating right then and there. Crito and Sayo, the only time he met the former was while their head was on Quark's gambling table, and the latter he didn't know all too well from their small conversations.

He liked Alex. He like teasing and messing with him, talking with him, enjoying hanging out with him. Saw him as a friend. And for the hundreds of nerves he must've pushed or gotten on, Alex saw him enough as one too to write him one last letter in the event his days were (and was) up... And now, he's gone.

A friend is dead, unlikely to get a third chance at life again...]

4/4 cw for toxic masculinity and maybe sexism?

[catsgothistongue]

[Ranma... Well, he doesn't break down sobbing and wailing. Because why would he do something so lame? If he was reading this as a girl, maybe he'd be excused a few tears seeping through the cracks, but he's not so he's schooling those emotions. Mouth tighten to an arched frown, he folds up the letter and tucks it into his pocket.]

Thanks.

[Keeping his words scarce, though there was an appreciative cadence to it, he hurries off into the kitchen with his eyes glued to the floor.

Minutes go by, the martial artist returns with plates of okonomiyaki on trays. He moves almost mechanically yet expertly like a waiter catering to patrons, going around to those who're feeling up to eating tonight. One stop, he returns to the bar, sliding a plate over to Quark without asking him first.]

Here, you should eat somethin'.