Hear Nothing [action]

[mother_of_god]

[OH GOD OH GOD SCARY SKELETONS EVERYWHERE

[Alessa (in projection mode) has fled the terrifying and noisy dress-up corpse parade by hiding in the Concert Hall. Having calmed down slightly, she's been exploring and encountered one of the numerous pianos in a practice room.

[She plinks a note experimentally, then spends a moment trying to recall her (sadly brief) lessons.]

plink plinkety plink plink

[A very simple melody echoes faintly down the hall. It's inexpert, but the player has a little smile on her face.]

Comments

[mother_of_god]

i wish some people could be here, too. It's sad to lose someone you love a lot.

[exbride]

Yes...

But maybe it's asking too much.

[mother_of_god]

You can remember them. Even if you can't be with them, you can remember what it was like.

[exbride]

[Quieter. The regrets pile up inside her at an alarming rate, hearing the finality of those words. For a moment the grief feels like it could crush her, the weight of it too much.

Anthy sighs, and it's a bit shaky. She's not used to being shaky on the outside, especially in front of others. It's absurd. She freezes in place to keep the emotion from flaring up any further. Her reply is detached, to make the feeling less. Sadness; it's troublesome, like when a loose thread of your clothing catches on sharp surface.]

It seems like I'm still sad.

[mother_of_god]

[Alessa's hand settles on Anthy's, light as a moth.]

You can still be sad and be happy. It... can be better, too.

[exbride]

[She looks at hand that has settled on top of hers, and then back up, her eyes a little wide. It's a few seconds before the genuine smile breaks through, but even she can feel that it's real.]

You're kind. [Anthy turns her palm over and gives Alessa's hand a gentle squeeze, thanking her.] Do you think that we could be friends?

[mother_of_god]

[She looks down shyly, and nods.]

i'd like that.

[exbride]

[Friends. Before Utena, she'd had no need or want of them. Something about Alessa gives way to trust, or if not trust, a certain vulnerability. It's the lightest she's felt since her arrival in the Gardens.]

I'm glad. [Her next words are strange-sounding, somewhat wry and distant:] If you have any problems, you can come to me with them. Maybe we can be friends like that.

[mother_of_god]

i... i want to help you, too.

i don't think there are a lot of things people can fix, for me...