woofus

[bisouled]

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[soulus]

[Too many people are enjoying this. He gives her a flat look that might not look as flat as he would like, power to lie and all.]

[bisouled]

Hee hee. Sorry, sorry. It's just nice to hear you rely on me for once! The offer stands, though - don't be shy.

[ what could she possibly do to help?? who knows. but sometimes knowing someone's out there is enough to help. ]

I was able to check Jeanne over during the trial, by the way. If she was involved last week, she did a really good job covering it up. So... we can probably count her out, for now.

[soulus]

[There's no deception behind her words. She really is just like this.]

You sound convinced.

[bisouled]

Well... I'm at least convinced that she didn't get hurt doing it. [ a pause. ] There was something weird, though... You know how we've sort of been able to tell how each other are feeling this week? I don't know what it was, but she felt a bit of something for a second when I pressed her.

[soulus]

What do you think it was?

[bisouled]

[ Fiora shakes her head. ]

I really don't know. It was just... different. I was thanking her for letting me investigate her when it happened. She said something like "there's no reason I wouldn't help." [ a beat. ] Maybe it was guilt, or uncertainty?

[soulus]

[He falls quiet. That can be anything or everything, really. But it gets him thinking with a twinge of something akin to bitterness.]

[bisouled]

... Not really anything, I know, but I figured I should share it with you, anyway.

[ pardner!! ]

I didn't get a chance to investigate Alyssa this week.

[soulus]

What did you think at the trial?

[bisouled]

I'm not really the suspicious type. It was odd that she came up again this week, though. Did you talk to her at all?

[soulus]

Our paths did cross this week . . .

[bisouled]

So much for that lead, huh?

[ she can't blame him when she also didn't talk to her... ]

Well... all's well that ends well, I guess. [ even though she doesn't want someone to die? Fiora frowns. ] ... I wish there was some way to solve this stuff without killing. A prison, or some such.

[soulus]

It's never too late. The distortion hasn't left its mark on the Realm.

[bisouled]

... You really think so?

[ pensive. ]

If we've already changed it once, surely we can change it again. For the better this time.

[soulus]

[That, he thinks as he lifts the cookie and takes a bite, is optimistic.]

Would you not prefer that change to do away with the deaths entirely?

[bisouled]

[ it is actually a very good cookie. Fiora's cooking is no joke. ]

Of course I would. This world is made of all of us - so it should reflect what we all want. I know most of us don't want this. [ she shakes her head. ] We just need to find out how. I need to work harder.

[soulus]

[It is, he concedes inwardly, the best cookie he's ever had in his long-lived life. He also can't remember the last time he ate a cookie.]

How do you intend to do that?

[bisouled]

[ rufus that is so sad but also TELL HER THAT ]

I've got some ideas... I think the first step is putting an end to this competition. Being divided into secret teams is just making everything harder.

[soulus]

. . . That's a small step.

[bisouled]

[ dryly: ] Thanks for your input.

[soulus]

Your ideas are too short-sighted. You should look further ahead.

[bisouled]

How much further ahead can I look? They're not giving us many options outside of playing by their rules.

[soulus]

[He makes a face before lifting the cookie for another bite—a reminder of why she gave it to him in the first place.]

[bisouled]

[ oh. right. the curse. Fiora blinks, then shakes her head as realization dawns. ]

Oops. [ sorry, Rufus. ] If you must know, I've got smaller steps in my plan. Finding out who else is on my team, for instance.

[soulus]

Have you found anyone?