woofus

[bisouled]

Comments

[soulus]

I have no wish.

[Now that he's gotten it out, he can start to cool down a little. It still enrages him, just thinking about what was done to his mother, but he can start to come back to this moment in the Realm with Fiora in the adjacent pod. Right now, the competition demands his attention.]

He was there when I was brought here. As soon as I return, I will kill him.

[bisouled]

[ same as her, then - getting yanked right out of something very important. No wonder he's so grumpy all the time. There's a twinge of uneasiness at his eagerness to kill this man - but she doesn't know the entire story, and she's not about to insert herself into something so personal. ]

Then we've got to make sure we can all make it back. [ pursing her lips. ] We need a plan. At this rate, we'll all get "removed" before we get enough nova.

[soulus]

[This is good. In order to move away from private matters, it's good to discuss something that qualifies as business. Fiora raises a valid concern; he racks his brain for all the possibilities.]

What do you suggest?

[bisouled]

[ believe it or not, even Fiora knows not to dwell on some topics... she doubts Rufus wants to talk about this much more. But, once again, she's glad he told her. It's tucked away safely into her memories - or, at least, she hopes it's safe. ]

... I'm not really sure. That's why I'm so out of sorts. If only we could get everyone to work together... This whole "teams" thing is the problem.

[soulus]

It was the problem the first time. We have no insight into the current perpetrator's motivations, nor the responsible Leader's method of recruitment.

[bisouled]

[ a nod. ]

It doesn't help that we don't know who did it this time. We can't even look for similarities.

[ fiora sighs, sinking further into her hands. ]

If I had to guess, though... the perpetrator is probably someone like you. Someone who doesn't care what happens to them, as long as they can finish what they need to do... but unlike you, they can't wait. Or... what they want is something they need a miracle to get - a wish.

[soulus]

Between the two, the latter is most likely the case. The former risks losing more than gaining. Of course, we have no way of knowing for certain; it could be neither.

[bisouled]

You don't need to remind me...

[ urgh. she's not a detective!! she's a jock robot. ]

How about you - do you have any ideas? You're a bounty hunter, so maybe you've had to track mysterious people down before. I've only hunted monsters. They're not nearly this subtle.

[soulus]

The bounties I've hunted already had established identities. This is different.

I have my suspicions . . . but airing them without proof would be no better than gossip.

[bisouled]

Well... That's okay, isn't it? You can just share them with me - I won't spread them around.

[ looking up from her slump at him, eyes hopeful. ]

We can at least trade ideas. We're partners, after all, right?

[soulus]

[Although his gaze is trained on the floor, he feels her eyes on him. He considers rejecting the offer and nearly does.]

What ideas do you have?

[bisouled]

[ don't be mean, rufus. ]

I don't have any proof, either. But... Jeanne seemed like a likely suspect to me, between her hair and her weapon.

[soulus]

[Jeanne, huh.]

I suspect the academician was involved somehow.

[bisouled]

The academician?

[ Fiora blinks, not sure who he's referring to; it takes her a moment to remember. ]

That's... the lady with the short blonde hair? Alyssa?

[ it's evident from her curious tone alone that she never considered her as a possibility. ]

[soulus]

The length of the hair might not have matched, but that wasn't the only point of suspicion.

[In his mind, she was never entirely cleared.]

[bisouled]

I know. That's just how I was remembering her.

[ she looks thoughtful. ]

I don't know much about her...

[soulus]

She's educated and perceptive. Of the group with injuries, she was the last to surface when they found her during the initial investigation.

[bisouled]

Hmm... All right, I've got an idea, Rufus.

[ it's obvious she's trying to bring her energy back up, but there's still a solemness to her bearing. ]

Why don't we try looking into those two - Jeanne and Alyssa? Maybe we'll find something out.

[soulus]

How do you intend to do that?

[bisouled]

Talking to them, obviously! That's the best way to learn more about anyone.

[soulus]

And if our suspicions turn out to be false? We would have wasted all that time for nothing.

[bisouled]

[ frowning. ]

Then I assume you've got a better idea? I'm listening.

[soulus]

I will talk to them for the purpose of gathering information about the Realm. Anything else will be supplementary.

[bisouled]

[ a sigh. ]

Gathering information was the point, you know. I'm not looking to go exact revenge on them or anything.

[soulus]

. . . Does that mean you'll keep the identity of the culprit a secret once you find out?