Second.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER 2. Saturday evening arrives, and with it the time to follow through on that invitation. Upon entering the resort area, the group will be greeted - inasmuch as the emotionless can properly greet anyone - by staff that evidently works there. They don't appear to be affiliated with Team Galactic, at least not outwardly; they're all dressed similarly, but not in Galactic uniforms, and their hair is down and noticeably not covered in identical wigs. They seem to have retained some aspect of individuality, in other words, as opposed to being absorbed into what appears to be the Team Galactic hivemind, and while they don't seem genuinely pleased to see the lot of you, they'll smile politely as they usher you in, albeit in an odd, uncanny-valley sort of way that doesn't reach their eyes. A purely mechanical reaction, their bodies smile while they do not. It's probably a little difficult to say whether that's preferable or not to the usual blankness you may be getting accustomed to. However, they seem cordial enough as they escort all of you further into the resort proper, past several bungalows that likely contain a few rooms apiece for people to reside in for the duration of their stay. The walk will take you up a few sets of stairs built into the rock formation the resort is built upon, leading eventually to a restaurant that likely overlooks Lake Valor from the north side of the building - it certainly seems elevated enough, and the positioning is right. The seating area itself seems to have been prepared in advance for your arrival; rather than several separated tables, there's one long arrangement draped in white, with twelve chairs arranged down each side - twenty-four total - and one at the head of the table. That one appears to already be occupied with your host for the evening; the smile Saturn is offering is soft but it isn't nice, disingenuous in a way that's only slightly less unsettling than the mechanical expressions of the staff. "It's good of you to join me." His voice is likewise soft but it isn't nice; just the same, he'll gesture at the rest of the table easily. "Feel free to have a seat, and keep your Pokémon out if it pleases you; this used to be a battling establishment, so the staff is more than accustomed to things like that." Food will be brought out shortly after people are seated; there are no arranged seats, so you're free to sit wherever suits you along the table. It's likely noticeable once things are laid out that either the people here don't hunt or Saturn is aggressively vegan; either way, there's no meat involved and nothing that would insinuate that Pokémon were harmed in any way to obtain what's in front of you, though the food is still decidedly nicer and more substantial than anything you've had for the past week - high-class and freshly-prepared, and not...you know, relying on berries and nonperishable stuff from a department store shelf. "Enjoy yourselves." Saturn's voice is still even, still calm to perhaps infuriating levels regardless of whatever the atmosphere in the room may happen to be, "since I did say that this was intended at least partially to apologize for the incident at the lakefront. And of course, you're welcome to ask whatever you like, seeing as you did have questions and I'm no longer strictly on company time. After all, a peaceful solution to this entire...situation is what we're all striving toward, isn't it?"

Comments

[azumods]

[Ah.]

I didn't see fit to report this to him, no, as it's ultimately of no consequence. I can use our resources as I see fit, after all.

[greydients]

By holding a dinner for escaped experiments, dragged here against their will, and who are now clearly not under the influence of his power?

[.....]

Does he know about us, at all?

[azumods]

Oh, he knows of your presence in this world, as that's entirely by his will. The rest, however...

[He shrugs a bit; that odd smile of his is back.]

If he knows about it, it certainly isn't because I've told him.

[semistableman]

I'm curious about what he'd want with a one-armed farmer.

[bucky, for fuck's sake]

I take it you're not worried about him finding you're already aware of us?

[azumods]

If he finds out, then he does. I'm already going to be in trouble for not immediately reporting it.

[semistableman]

[Bucky makes a noise of assent.]

Cooperation is mutually beneficial, then.

[greydients]

[....now this is interesting. If Cyrus doesn't know that they've escaped - and Rey is going to assume he doesn't, because surely he would have reacted by now if he knew outsiders with spirit were running around in his domain - why in the hell would Saturn not tell him?

What is going on, here? The only conclusion Rey can come to, is....no, it couldn't...]

...so not only have you not told your master about our escape, you're giving us dinner.

...

[...]

...can I ask why?

[azumods]

As I've said, it's a matter of personal curiosity. Do you find that answer to be unsatisfying?

[heritrix]

Not at all.

[Of course, she only speaks for herself.]

If anything, I find it relieving.

[azumods]

Do you...?

[heritrix]

Of course.

[In fact, it's because of that that Rin feels comfortable enough to go ahead and just start eating now. She takes a quick nibble to appreciate the food, and continues once she's swallowed it.]

I'll be frank with you, Commander Saturn; I'm fundamentally opposed to the goal your group seeks. If I somehow fail to stay as myself or keep my world from falling into the same state as this one, my best hope would be that more people like you somehow remain active. Not like you in the same sense of pushing this agenda, mind, but people who are curious.

[Another bite; she chews before continuing once again.] A world without conflict will stagnate. There's no future for such a place. But curiosity is one of those human elements that can keep a spark going. Good or bad, someone seeking to satisfy their curiosity makes progress.

[azumods]

My work is primarily in research; I'm well aware of the benefits of curiosity.

[It doesn't sound chiding or anything, it's just kind of a statement.]

[heritrix]

[So was hers, similarly. He asked, after all.]

Another question, if you will. You mentioned before that you're still imperfect... [Creepy as that is] Will there come a point where even the leaders of Team Galactic will join the rest of this world and be removed of their spirit, or are you meant to oversee things indefinitely?

[hesychast]

[ This might not be noticeable, but Rin has Shirou's full attention for this conversation. ]

[heritrix]

[She doesn't even know your deal yet, preacher man, but it's probably stupid. Or it would be if she actually noticed; she's kind of paying more attention to Saturn right now, but I'm sure this won't be awkward later.]

[greydients]

Of course I do! You've basically said that we're a group of experiments, and now we've escaped and returned to normal - recovered from whatever Cyrus did to us. I would assume he'd want to know about that so the problem could be resolved.

[what are you playing at, Saturn-]

Or would your master simply not care that you've gone out of your way not to report an issue like this to him? What do you gain by staying silent?

[heritrix]

[...she's getting really worked about this. Understandably so, but Rin can't help but cut in.]

Think about how you'd feel in his shoes. Our presence here is probably the first itch in a while that's scratched his boredom.

[greydients]

I don't care how bored he is - we're not toys here for his amusement!

[That came out a lot stronger than Rey intended - especially since it's directed at Rin - but she has had it up to here with this entire situation.]

I don't want fancy food and 'chats' with the people who brought us here, I want to go home.

[heritrix]

No, I understand that. I'm just saying you're probably not going to get a better answer for what he gains by speaking to us like this.

[She gestures to the room around them, as if to draw attention to the utter lack of life and intrigue besides what's coming from them.]

This is it.

[greydients]

[She can feel her frustration continuing to pound through her body, but Rey manages to get it under control - enough to answer Rin without raising her voice again, anyway.

Breathe. Just...breathe.

She may not have the Force, but at least she can remember the basics of Luke's 'lessons'.]

This is it...?

[divinedescendant]

Easy, Rey.

[sympathetic and gentle and without judgement, but she wants to make sure this doesn't escalate]

I know, but not all answers will come from one place.

[greydients]

[......

...why is it that she can handle anger, but the second someone is genuinely nice to her when she's upset, she just wants to cry-]

...I don't...

[look just give her a sec to turn away and sort herself out, she can't start tearing up right now]

You're right. I'm...sorry.

[azumods]

Oh, don't misunderstand me - I'm going to be in a lot of trouble if I'm found out. Fortunately, those under my command don't speak with him, and even if they did, they say what I tell them to say.

[Which doesn't answer the question of what he stands to gain from this, but.]

[greydients]

[Yeah, she noticed.]

And you gain what from all this insubordination, exactly? Because if Cyrus is as powerful as you say he is, I don't understand why you're risking yourself like this.

[azumods]

I want to see what you're capable of, M-73. Personal curiosity. That's all.