Private Conversations with the Lady

[soulspice]

[Welcome to the Lady's...not home far from home, but it's a place she tolerates. The moment you enter it's clear she did her best to make this office in the bookstore a place she approves.

Outfitted with an overly plush chair on a rather elaborate rug, the desk is overflowing with countless books stacked everywhere, with everything serving as a makeshift bookshelf including an errant fax machine. The Lady seems to have tried her best to make the amenities up to her standards: there’s a tray with a teapot, notes everywhere written with confusing ciphers, and what seems to be an attempt to make a generator, but wasn’t completed.

Where the Lady sits it’s far more orderly, facing the door and giving her the high ground against anyone who enters. On the far wall hangs a large portrait of the Lady, adding character and additional charm. Truly, this is the office of someone who wants you to feel small before her presence.

And, there on her chair, there she is. When the door opened she turned her head towards you, seeing who it was. Invariably of who it is, she sighs like this is a big interruption of her work, and keeps writing and drawing]

Don't touch anything and make sure you don't track mud in. If you have any complaints go see Rembrandt.

[She didn't even look up while saying that. So, what brings you to her office today?]

Comments

[soulspice]

It's...a recent project. My father worked with teleportation portals, so I plundered his research and managed to get a grasp on the principles.

[Her usual haughty expression softens at the mention of her father. Looks like there's people out there the Lady still has some affection for]

That, coupled with some technology and research I stole from scientists I have killed, is what brought me here.

[psychophant]

[Huh... He just sort of assumed the Lady didn't have any familial ties to speak of, so this is interesting.]

Fair enough. You're an intelligent woman, I've no doubts you've put their research to good use.

["""good""" considering you dragged us here, but you know what he means.]

Can you tell me any more about your father? It sounds like you're very fond of him.

[soulspice]

[The Lady smiles fondly]

His name was Lucifer. You know, like the demon. He was brilliant, and his evil antics got the attention of the most known heroes of our time. He also taught me so much about biology and animal augmenting. His hounds were deadly, that's for sure.

[The Lady's family was a force to be reckoned, yup]

He turned onto the good side when I married, and I suppose he stayed there until he died in a freak airship explosion? I don't know the details, but it must have been very tragic. Apparently my relatives laugh about it at Christmas.

[And although she holds her father in much higher regard than 99.9% of people she knows, she'd laugh about that too, really]

[psychophant]

[...well, he's not sure what he was expecting but somehow it wasn't this. The Lady's family is just as wild as she is, this is hilarious.]

It certainly sounds like your family is an interesting bunch. I didn't know you were married, though.

[The implied question here is "what... happened" because he suspects the Lady's spouse isn't around anymore.]

[soulspice]

[The fondness evaporates immediately. Whooops]

Oh, yes. My wretched husband. Next time I see him I'm going to turn him to ashes for EVERYTHING HE DARED TO DO AND NOT DO!

[Yeah, not many warm feelings there. Yoooou may want to change the topic, Iago]

[psychophant]

[y i k e s]

He sounds dreadful. Truly horrid, if you're this furious about it.

[RIGHT SO MOVING ON—]

Can you tell me more about "animal augmenting"? I've never heard of such a thing before and it sounds fascinating.

[soulspice]

Oh, you know, giving animals more intelligence, more strength, better abilities...my world has so many animals and monsters with increased intelligence it'd be unusual to find a scientist family without them.

[The Lady grins proudly]

I, for one, am great at handling large amounts of small animals at once. Especially insects.

[psychophant]

[HE HASN'T FORGOTTEN THE GROSS BUG!!!!]

Why insects? I imagine quite a lot could be done with them, but I'm certainly no expert.

[soulspice]

[The Lady's voice acquires a rather devious tone:]

Because insects are small, reproduce with ease, and get almost anywhere. They're perfect for infiltrating towns and cities. And, most important of all. they're excellent vectors for...some things. Believe me: you don't want to know what I can achieve with the marvelous insects I create.

[Iago, seriously: everyone in this game is incredibly lucky this world was not kind to her trademark work]

[psychophant]

[Carefully considers what he's been learning here...]

Oh, I can certainly see where insects would be a marvelous use of your talents.

[can't believe the lady's a resident evil villain smh]

Is that something you've been working on here as well?

[HE'S NOT MENTIONING THE GROSS BUG BUT GODS HE WILL NEVER FORGET IT AS LONG AS HE LIVES]

[soulspice]

I tried to work with them, but it didn't work. Everything would have been much easier if my dear insects had grown properly. Most likely with much less death and hassle.

[She shrugs, nonchalant]

Perhaps it'd have been better for everyone.

[Protip: it definitely wouldn't have been good for anyone]

[psychophant]

[we all would have died so fast........]

It is unfortunate that you haven't been able to see your work with them through here. ["""unfortunate"""] But I imagine you've found plenty of other things to focus on.

[soulspice]

...yes, I actually have. [She turns pensive] If anything I am glad I got to interact with a few of you. These weeks have been some of the most fun I had in a long while, for a variety of reasons.

Frankly that's the only reason why I'm letting everyone go away at the end instead of killing you all.

[Yeah, in a weird, twisted way, she came to appreciate everyone to some extent. Congratulations, Antumbra players, you managed to bond with the Lady despite everything]

[psychophant]

[It's sort of strange to hear it stated so plainly. He's been assuming that there will be some catch, that for whatever reason she won't be willing to let them go when they do reach the end, that something will happen and they won't be able to leave and they'll all die. But the way she says it... Well, maybe he wants to believe that she's being honest.

What a weird thought.]

As strange as it sounds, I'm glad you pulled me here. I've learned so much and come to realize that there's far more that I could be doing with myself than simply ruling Nohr. Truly, I don't know if I can thank you enough for that.

[He doesn't bow, but his expression is genuine anyway. It's also a weird thought, but it's one that he's more comfortable with now that he's allowed himself time to really process it.]

[soulspice]

[The Lady shudders with fake disgust and mutters:]

Ugh, stop thanking me! You're making it sound like I did something good. I'll have to find a puppy to kick later to balance this.

[Hah! Yeah, she's not serious. She's trying really hard to hide it's so weird to be thanked for dragging someone, forcing powers onto them through almost deadly methods, telling him to kill someone, making them go through trials, and also having to deal with her and Rembrandt. What kind of madman thanks the person who caused all that?!

Iago, apparently]

[psychophant]

[That gets him to laugh for a moment before he waves a hand.]

Oh, don't worry, I'm still very angry that my magic's been taken from me. I'm simply pleased I have something more fun to pursue now. I figured I should express that much while I have a chance. I'll refrain from saying anything else that may possibly ruin your reputation any further. You have my word.

[the lady is so cute........ which is a horrible sentence i just had to write, i am so sorry.]

[soulspice]

[That's such a cursed sentence]

Magic is science that hasn't been explained properly yet. I'm sure you will find a fitting replacement somewhere out there -- if I don't give it back to you, that is. After all, I haven't forgotten what I offered to you.

[She taps her arm with her fingers]

Although it seems to me it's moot, now that you have little interest in returning to Nohr to conquer it. I guess I'll have to replace that part of my offer with the means to travel to other worlds to your heart's content.

[psychophant]

I suppose you could look at it that way, although my magic isn't nearly as concrete as most science.

[Results may vary, in other words.]

It is certainly a wonderful offer, though I'm going to wait to the end of all of this to decide exactly what I'll end up doing. My magic is incredibly important to me; without it, I feel... incomplete, I suppose you could say. My magic is the entire reason I was able to gain power in the first place, after all. I've spent my entire life devoted to becoming the best with it.

[In other words, he's definitely not giving up on regaining his magic. He'll figure something out. Hopefully.]