PC - Hansa

[maladied]

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[robopriest]

An outside force...

[He glances up at the sky, for a long moment. So much doesn't make sense. The puppets, this place, the disparity.]

...Do you think you're being used?

[maladied]

Used?

[ hmmmmm... it'll really think this possibility over. ]

If we are then I'm not sure what there would be to gain. If whatever wanted to use us, wouldn't it be better for them to allow certain people access to their special skills and magic?

[ if this puppet is allowed to be so frank. ]

Maybe it's more like a game.

[robopriest]

Are you saying you guys don't?

[But their puppets....]

[He frowns, closing his eye for a moment.]

A game to achieve...what? Entertainment?

[maladied]

Well, Lobelia and Sage have some of their magic but they tell me that it's a small fraction of what they're able to do.

[ it tilts its head to the other side, but hardly sounds very pleased itself. ]

Most play games for entertainment, don't they?

[robopriest]

They do.

[Or...]

Some kind of reward, too. Like those clown box tickets. There's a goal. An endgame. Entertainment, and....something else, perhaps?

[maladied]

What kind of goal would this hypothetical thing have?

[ ... ]

If there's a concern about what we've been doing, then why go through so much trouble?

[robopriest]

Powering something else, perhaps. I know sometimes sacrifices are used to power rituals, for example.

[But they're right. It is too much trouble.]

Agh, what a pain. Honestly, if I were you, I'd take a break to clear my head.

[maladied]

[ it'll laugh softly. ]

Thank you for the concern, Hansa, however I don't think I could take a break.

Not a very long one, anyway. There are a lot of people who are depending on me—on us—to find a way to fix things.

[robopriest]

We could take a break right now? Real quick.

[HOPEFUL]

[maladied]

Hm? What are you thinking?

[robopriest]

You. Me. That one arcade game where you whack moles. Best man wins.

[maladied]

[ hmmm. ]

It's not the sort of game that I'd pick for myself, but sure. We can.

Though, you might win from the start. I'm not exactly very strong—puppet or otherwise.

[robopriest]

Oh? So you're more of an intellectual type? Actually, why am I saying this. Of course you are.

Air hockey it is, then.

[IS THIS INTELLECTUAL]

[maladied]

[ IT SURE ISN'T but it'll laugh with a nod. ]

That sounds fine to me. I'll do my best as I am.

[robopriest]

Great!

[he will refrain on adding IT'S A DATE because he does actually respect Foxglove...no need to ruin this.....]

Let's go.

[maladied]

[ the absolute idea of a little puppet trotting after hansa to the arcade is so funny for me but sure! ]

Lead the way.

[robopriest]

[So he does! And in the meantime, because he's a Chatty Cathy...]

So. I have to know. Was the alchemy something you always were into?

[maladied]

[ foxglove doesn't mind it! ]

No, it wasn't. My roots are with chemistry—I stumbled upon alchemy during my research.

[robopriest]

Stumbled?

Wait, you didn't like, find it out by accident, right?

[maladied]

Not exactly.

I've always known of alchemy, but I never knew what it all could do until I read more about it.

[robopriest]

Okay. I was about to be awed by meeting the creator of it, but if you just was a student of it...

[He is joking.]

Are there others like you?

[maladied]

I'm sorry to disappoint you.

[ it won't sound very sorry. clearly it's also joking. ]

Others like me in what way?

[robopriest]

[Hehe.]

In the alchemist sense. Back home, mages usually come in groups. Or were you working by your lonesome.

[maladied]

Oh, then yes.

There were other alchemist that I worked alongside. [ hmmm. ] For a short period of time, I had some working for me.

[robopriest]

Ohoho. Big boss!

Did you like being a leader?