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

[notbymyside]

[The fact that she's keeping the mask on despite the wardrobe change is interesting, but he doesn't comment on it. Instead, he bows his head politely.]

Please excuse the interruption. Are you available for the discussion we planned previously?

[soulspice]

Indeed, I am. I figured you'd be coming soon.

[She shakes her head]

You are trying to figure out how my abilities are similar to the kind of powers you're familiar with, aren't you?

[notbymyside]

Is it so strange for someone to use what they know to try and understand the unknown?

[So yes, he is.]

If you already know all about me, then you should know about the other from my world you have brought here and how strange it is for any power to affect him in particular.

[soulspice]

Oh, I'm aware about it. It's a shame both your powers had to be taken away, but it's not that big of a deal. Too bad, I'd have loved to see that in action...

[She leans back, a self-satisfied smile on her face]

Tell me, do you have any theories about my abilities? I love when people try to use their intellect. Don't worry, I won't throw you into a pit if you turn out to be mistaken.

[notbymyside]

How kind of you.

[:|]

I don't have any theories yet. I'm still gathering information. A theory without information to back it up is just a guess, and guesses can be wrong. Most are, in fact.

But if you find entertainment in guesses, then I will give you one: you took my power away to keep your secrets from being revealed.

[soulspice]

Nice, I like someone who plays along.

[The Lady seems to think twice about what she says, before finally replying]

Truly, it would have been quite inconvenient to let you find more than you should. Spies and informants are better when they're on my side, but they're so inconvenient when they're against me...

[And Ango's power could have given him an edge over her. She'd have never tolerated such a thing]

Of course I'm not telling you if you're right or wrong, but you're not mistaken in that we'd have taken that power of yours away no matter what.

[notbymyside]

Such is the nature of spy games.

[He's not going to deny his occupation, it seems like she knows way too much to play stupid.]

The replacement power I was given is sorely lacking, though. It seems more suited for manipulation than spy work, and I'm not that good at manipulating others.

[soulspice]

Don't blame me, you're just unlucky that's what you got.

[Hm!]

[notbymyside]

[Hm!]

Unlucky? Why? Were these powers given out randomly?

[soulspice]

Not precisely. I exerted as much control over your new powers as I could, but the results for a few of you left a lot to be desired. Some of you would be suited...other powers. [She smirks] Even someone as perfectly capable as myself encounters problems at times.

[notbymyside]

Of course, I understand. It happens sometimes.

[No cheek here, he's trying to play nice.]

So are our old powers gone forever? Or is that something we can gain back?

[soulspice]

Oh yes. They're gone forever. You better start practicing how to use yours well, because you're not getting anything better. Unless...

[Her visible eye wanders upwards while she thinks]

Haha! Now that's an idea...

[Excuse her, she jots down a few things aside, a bunch of symbols that are undoubtedly a code]

[notbymyside]

[Well. Ango certainly knows better than to interrupt someone on a train of thought. She might end up revealing something unintentionally and he wants to be ready to hear it if she does.

He does try to commit at least some of the symbols to memory for later though. What do the symbols look like?]

[soulspice]

[They look a lot like a strange mixture between greek letters, morse, and English, all written on the same space. Wow]

Would you be willing to be the subject in an attempt to implement another power onto you? Here's a fair warning: there's a ninety percent chance you'll die. Horribly, may I add.

[...at least she's asking instead of just doing it]

[notbymyside]

...

get the percentages down to at least 50/50 and we'll talk.

[No, he's not going to risk his life over powers. But the Lady seems receptive to people who go along with her bullshit, and playing nice is for the best right now.]

[soulspice]

Fool! Do you believe I can do something as reducing the fatality rate? It's all or nothing, Ango Sakaguchi! I cannot make it any lower!

[Looks like that's something she can't do! Protip, Ango: she having your life in her hands is not a good idea at all, haha]

[notbymyside]

Oh? You don't want me to believe in your magical prowess? You don't want me to believe that you know enough about powers that you can find a way to make it more survivable?

[He already knows he's fucked, but if he's gonna die then he's going to die as he lived: stealing information and giving it to the one person he trusts above everyone else.]

[soulspice]

[The Lady stands up, roaring:]

And why would I want to make it more survivable for you?

[Apparently the reason why she's not willing to even try to make it more survivable -- if such thing is even possible -- is precisely because it's Ango]

[notbymyside]

Because then you could see the results of someone having two abilities. And if you already know my past, you should know I take full advantage of every gift I am given.

[soulspice]

That's exactly why you're one of the worst options possible for that. Knowing you, you'll manage to use them to give me more trouble than you're worth.

[She shakes her head]

At least with the high mortality odds I get something out of it, darling. Ninety percent chance you're out of my hair, ten percent chance you prove these powers are worthwhile.

[notbymyside]

Aaah, I see. Then I will have to respectfully decline your offer. It just seems like a very unbalanced deal to me, so I cannot possibly accept.

[His heart is beating a mile a minute, he knows this could all go wrong. But he keeps a calm exterior and just keeps going.]

[soulspice]

[While Ango said that, the Lady's expression hardened. Slowly and very clearly, the desire to take action right away intensified so much it was anyone's guess whether she was going to jump from her desk and try to bodily subdue him.

But then she sighs and mutters to herself:]

Ugh, if only I could risk it...

[She shakes her head, raising her voice]

Get out of here before I do something I'll be annoyed about later.