HA HA HA REPRESSION

Ned basically isn't okay with any of how the Ruby thing went! The game was horrendous, the aftermath of the game was horrendous, the fact that they didn't... really cohesively address things or come to a solution for "Well, what do we do next time?" after the game leaves him pretty sure that it could happen again. He isn't sure whether he feels more guilty or more angry at Tsuruume (and kind of unfairly, even more at Church), and he 100% can't deal with any of those feelings and is just REPRESSING THEM HARDCORE, because after seeing Tsuruume cry and Eff with his face smashed in, he doesn't even care how mad he was, he just wants them to be okay!

...he doesn't really see one lady breaking Eff's face as a disproportionate response to Heliodor having them all HORRIBLY SLAUGHTERED, though. He is all on board with the Avoid Ruby strategy, but it's more just that he doesn't want Heliodor to be vulnerable to any further repercussions than that he has any kind of grudge against Ruby. He just wants it to be over and to never have to deal with it and to never speak to any Ruby ever again.

At the same time he's kind of acknowledging that they still need to figure out how to deal with terrible games as a team, he just... doesn't know how... and is hoping a way will present itself where they can talk about it while completely ignoring the past.

Ran's feelings on the same?

Oh boy...trying to figure out Ran's mindset in this whole thing was hard, LET ME TELL YOU. I think I more or less got it now.

For one, she doesn't HATE Ruby nor can she really BLAME Ruby's reaction for what had happened! She remembers murder in her memories QUITE VIVIDLY and what that can do to people so she can't blame the red team for getting upset. There really was nothing Heliodor could do to make up for that. However, when she saw that Effie got his face bashed in, she was still quite upset because it wasn't his fault for once. He wasn't the one who tossed the stones into the Ruby pile so he shouldn't be the one taking the punishment. I mean, it's not like she wanted Tsuruume to get beaten either, but it's just not fair for Effie to get beaten up for something he didn't do.

On top of that, when they went to apologize, it was said that the apology might not have been really "sincere" (or something of the sort, I'd have to dig up that thread again) which irritated her! Not so much because of herself, but because Tsuruume isn't the type to hide her feelings about something like that. Whether they accepted it, that's one thing, but she didn't like hearing that their feelings were considered false and needed to be "proven". I mean, on our side, we know Ruby is in the right for having that kind of anger, but Ran's slight irrationality in feeling wronged can't be avoided because lol.

I realized a lot of the anger that she built up after these events was because she DID build up a lot of heliodere before hand! They're all so brand new and empty. No memories, no experiences, just gotta go with what they know. They are basically clinging to one another to gain some sort of footing in Aather, you know? They don't HAVE anything else. It's not like they have other teammates that can be the foundation and tell them what they should or shouldn't do. They don't have teammates that can be like, "oh no, this team is really like this so don't do that". They have to figure it out themselves! And well. Look at some of the memories they have. Ran got knocked out in one of hers. '-' Ned is a zombie maker '-' Church got shot in the FACE in his first one, by his own teammate no less! He obviously HAD to do the things that he did in his world. and Ran understands that. Despite that, she can see that they're trying to be nice to one another! He didn't get the chance to really trust anyone, but despite that, he was nice enough to say he would punch someone in the dick for knocking her out. '-' Kindness I know.

So really, she feels like even if they were in the wrong, she HAS to protect them and she feels like they honestly did not get the chance to properly explain why everything had happened. In her murder memories, everyone got the chance to explain themselvesand while they were taken in to be charged anyway, at least she felt like she could understand the pain and such. Again she can't blame Ruby, but because she loves Heliodor, she can't get rid of the irrational anger either. It just went awful all around and finding Effie hurt sort of broke the straw on the Camel's back. She has no intention on dealing with Ruby from this point forth unless the situation calls for it. She will never suggest killing them, she will MAKE SURE OF THAT. However, she won't bother protecting them either. If she had more memories, she prooooobably would but right now, she's still pretty blank about her general morals. '-' And for sure, she won't protect Ruby if it means forsaking Heliodor. Even if it means Ruby will come after them, she'll protect her team with her fists. >:|

GOD IDK. It is such a big hullaballoo and I'm still trying to wrap myself in her feelings. '-'

Is there anything you look forward to with Heliodor?

Oh my god everything. I DON'T KNOW. I don't think I have anything specific, but I really have enjoyed just seeing things develop so far and how... distinctive and all over the place and yet somehow tight-knit Heliodor is. I think you're right that it has a lot to do with the fact that they're all new, and so all they really have to get established with is each other. I'm just so tickled about all the different dynamics that are emerging, and I'm looking forward to that continuing and changing as they get more memories and more experience! I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS TEAM idek.

that was a really short answer after all your thoughts I'm sorry!

How are Jet and Kit getting along?

PRETTY WELL. Ran really enjoys spending time with Kit because while he doesn't remember her, she remembers him and there's just a nice comfort of having someone from your world be there with you. She actually has a minor crush on him which is hilarious! A lot of it stems from him being nice in general and her mixing him up with the person she REALLY loves but I just think it's cute and hilarious nonetheless. I don't expect them to really FALL IN LOVE FOREVER of course because they both have their canon soulmates that they've loved forever and ever and ever but it's still kind of funny amnesia CR to see nonetheless.

If there was one thing that Heliodor would need as a team, what do you think that would be? Kind of like a long time ago, Ruby needed an adult-like figure to sort of herd them together and balance the loud feelings. Do you think Heliodor needs anything like that right now?

At the moment, I feel like Heliodor has a pretty good balance. Ned and Discourse are both... sort of functional adults... Ran and Erika both provide cheer and heart... Eff is protective and hilarious... Tsuruume is fussy and loud and proactive... Rei is quiet and reasonable. I think it's possible that they could develop to need some kind of unifying factor, but right now they seem to work out. What do you think?