bravenewworld | "So about my other job..." [closed]

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"So about my other job..." [closed]

[Being friends with Lenna has its advantages. Case in point: not only can she live with her, she has a roommate on road trips. Just after the mission, she is on the way back to where they were staying. She beat Lenna there -- she thinks, at least -- and is thus in their room. She better change quick.]

[After all, she has a secret to keep.]

[Case in point: the mask made of bone, resting in her opened bag for the world (or, at least, the room) to see. Rose has it off and her hood down, but she is still wearing the brown, snug-fitting, and thick clothing she wears for her missions as the Scattered Bones's boss.]

[She's pulling off her her dagger belt, sticking it in her belongings, when she might hear the door opening.]

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Rose! I have a surprise for-

[Lenna enters the room after knocking briefly, carrying a small package in her arms. But her cheerful greeting is quickly cut short as she sees that skull mask, and the clothing Rose is currently dressed in. Lenna isn't terribly familiar with assassins, but the outfit does suggest a certain criminal bent.]

Ah... I... should I come back?

Wha--

[She hesitates, when she gets a look at Lenna. There's no real hiding this: Rose is dressed up for war, and those two short swords she just put down are dangerous. There's even faint motes of black light wafting up from her.]

...uh. Hey, Lenna--uh. No, it's... all cool! Yep. Totally!

[That laughter? It's nervous.]

It looks like I'm interrupting...

[A glance at the swords this time.]

...something.

I was, uh... putting away my gear.

[She swallows.]

...for my second job, I guess.

Your second job... is it...?

[She probably doesn't need to finish the sentence, which is good, because she has no idea how.]

Yeah. Mercenary. [She glances to the side for a second.]

I was with the group that went into the secured areas tonight. The... you know. The one that the Seekers asked for help with.

Oh...

['Mercenary' is a slightly better word than 'assassin,' so it's fortunate Rose chose to phrase it that way.]

So you saw them too? The gods Gigas has chained up down there?

[Anything to change the subject.]

Not the gods, but... that's terrible. We found the stone they were looking for.

[She frowns, looking tense; she turns to face Lenna, folding her arms, and leaning against the wall. As an effort to look casual, it totally fails.]

I wonder what will happen now. Everything will be out in the open soon.

[Lenna's discomfort matches Rose's at this point.]

I don't think anything good. Caldera's never been happy with Gigas. This... isn't going to go over well with them. It...

[Rose isn't really good at trying to dodge a subject. She looks at Lenna directly, making eye contact.]

...Are you mad at me? For hiding it?

[...subject change much?]

I...

[She has to think about that, honestly.]

...I don't know. I don't think you're a bad person, Rose, even after seeing this. But...

[Sighing, she shakes her head.]

...why? Why do you do it?

...It's what I learned to do, growing up. A Calderan soldier adopted me. His whole unit did, basically. Then...

[It's more than that, actually.]

...There's people who'd do terrible things. They'll kill people to get their way. They'll enslave Pokemon. They'll... capture gods and use them. They don't listen, when people try to talk.

I'm good at fighting. It's how I grew up.

So, after everything happened with my dad, I... wanted to help. [She looks down at her hand; she makes a fist, and a few motes of darkness rise around it.] ...And I'm good at this.

I... see.

[It's hard, hearing this. Lenna knows in her heart that what Rose is saying is true - that words can't always sway people. But it's not something she likes to admit, and it's the opposite of the ideals she herself has always held, and the way she's chosen to live her life.]

You do what you do to help people, though... right?

...Yeah.

[She doesn't look away, but the temptation's there. On some level, she expects Lenna to tell her to go. She doesn't regret her choices or her life. She knows, however, that it doesn't sit well with some people.]

I'm not hurting people for money or something like that. I've got the merchant thing to make a living.

[...but, she still doesn't like the idea that it has to end. It hurts to think about. More than she'd like to admit.]

Rose...

[Lenna's voice is calm and even, once she's gathered herself.]

...I'm sure you know that it can't look like the Tycoon family is sponsoring mercenary activity, especially against our allies.

[There's a small sigh as she continues, though, accompanied by a hesitant smile.]

...But I've never believed in the sort of mindset that prioritizes politics over friends.

[Stepping forward, she gently takes one of Rose's hands in her own, threading their fingers together.]

Can you promise me you'll only tread this path as an absolute last resort?

[Rose waits for it, sure that it's coming. Lenna's right, of course. A noble house in Union can scarcely be seen as endorsing mercenary activity. Especially -- and Lenna is correct -- mercenary activity against allies and those they've signed a peace treaty with.]

[She steels herself for what's to follow -- and then the smile. She blinks, looking more confused than anything for a moment, and she's trying to make sense of the words when Lenna takes her hand.]

Lenna...

[Their fingers thread together and Rose squeezes with hers.]

I can. I won't... I'll never do anything that'll hurt you or your family. I promise.

[Lenna's smile softens and widens as Rose gives her reply, her eyes misting over slightly.]

Thank you, Rose.

[She lets go of her hand after another brief squeeze, giving her friend a one-armed hug before pulling back and holding up the package she's had this whole time with her other hand.]

So... let's talk about something more pleasant. Do you want to see the surprise I have for us?

[Rose steps back, separating with that little bit of distance when Lenna pulls back too. She smiles, though, and she looks down at the package. She certainly won't admit to feeling misty-eyed.]

[(But she is.)]

[But she brightens, right away, at Lenna's offer.] Oh, yeah! I'd love to! Watcha got?

It's that thing we talked about before...

[Lenna's practically beaming as she opens up the package. Inside are two pairs of beach sandals with Vaporeon faces on the front.]

Ta-dah!

Oh my gosh! Look at them!

[that]

[that might be a little "eeeeeeee" sound in the back of her throat]

Lenna, they're so cute!

Aren't they, though!

[Lenna is all smiles, bouncing excitedly on her heels.]

I was thinking we could take that beach trip sometime soon to break them in.

You bet! We should totally do that!

[She takes her pair, testingly, like she's touching a magical treasure.] We'll be the most stylish, Lenna. The most.

Do you want to try them on? I've resisted the temptation until now because I thought we should try them together.

Heck yeah I do!

[She plops down on the bed. It might look ridiculous: wearing leathers for a fight, pulling off her boots and socks, and beaming down at her blue Vaporeon slippers.]

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