Week 1, Post-Trial: Lenka

[withsadness]

We're okay! We're okay! We! Did! It!

[Mary barely waits until they're actually alone before pressing herself bodily into her big fluffy partner.]

I'm soooooo happy, Lenka!

Comments

[withsadness]

You're really sure?

[She sighs, pressing her face into Lenka's fur, and she's silent for a good, long moment.]

I'm confident in my friends, but I'm scared, too. Terra did a real bad job trying to frame me, but he was a reaper. What if it wasn't just his idea? What if the other reapers decided to put a target on me? And what if...one of the others does it better?

[soylentprotag]

I'm really sure.

[He assumes that's in answer to them knowing she couldn't have committed murder, at least.

The rest of her misgivings are understandable, but that also makes them harder to answer. He wants to comfort her, but also prepare her for what they might face ahead.]

It doesn't look like the Reapers are working together so far. And you've already been framed once -- that means everyone will be suspicious if they try it again. The Reapers should know that, too. [he noses against her hair] And if they try it again, we'll fight them every step of the way.

[withsadness]

I believe you. If you say it's okay, what do I have to ever, ever be afraid of?

[She giggles as his breath moves her hair.]

That tickles! You know what, I hope we'll be together foooorever, Lenka.

[soylentprotag]

[It hurts a little, her faith in him -- it keeps him going, but he also knows he's only one person, regardless of how big he is now. His limitations are what landed him here.

But he can pick them up and keep going. He always has.]

... Thanks for believing me. And not being afraid.

[He's talking about more than their current situation. But that's something for another day. He uses his snout to brush her hair back in place a little.]

I want us to be partners forever too.

[withsadness]

Then we'll work really, really hard! We'll find all the reapers and beat them! That'll be much easier if they're not an organized group.

[That does make her think, though. She wonders if she missed something at trial.]

What makes you say that you think they were all working separately? Something Terra said?

[soylentprotag]

No. Terra wouldn't talk about it.

[They really have their work cut out for them: they're starting from the very bottom. It's like the military hierarchy all over again, but vastly more unfair and many times more powerful.]

It's the evidence we had. Most of it seems to point to the Reapers so far working alone. If they weren't working alone, it would be easier for them to get away.

[withsadness]

Ohhh...I hadn't thought about it that way. You're real smart, too!

[She beams, perking up.]

I guess that would explain why Dahlia targeted her own partner, not caring that she'd die. All that mattered to her was her own grudge. Do you think they all know about each other, at least?

[soylentprotag]

You're just as smart, Mary. You really helped in this last investigation.

[Especially with fashion stuff!! They both did their best.]

Max said that a lot of Reapers were like that -- they want to hurt people. I don't know if they'd know about each other then. Because that's not the kind of person you'd want to trust with your secret identity, is it?

[withsadness]

Mmmm probably not, I guess, but there is safety in having that kinda secret shared, you know? One reaper can't out another because they'd have nothing to lose. They'd just end up exposing each other. Everything would unravel!

[When she thinks about it that way, it's actually kind of funny.]

That would make it reeaaal easy if they did.

[soylentprotag]

It depends on what the Reapers want. But yes, that would make things a lot easier for us.

[And it would make things a lot easier if they had some way of pre-emptively uncovering Reapers. As it is now, they have very little leverage or power -- they're basically lab rats running the maze, sometimes literally.]

We'll learn more about the Reapers. Whether they want us to or not.

[withsadness]

[It's true. It feels all sorts of hopeless, right now.]

You're right! It wouldn't be a very fair game if there wasn't a way, right?

[soylentprotag]

It wouldn't be very fair at all. We're stuck with them, but they're also stuck with us.

[It could be frightening, if you let it be. But it's also an opportunity.]

We'll work as a team. Watch out around you, Mary. Come to me if anything strange happens.

[It's mostly a caution to try and keep her from getting mixed up in anything untoward. She's far too curious and bold for her own good, but there's only so much he can do about that, and only so much he wants to do.]