Rufus Catch-All

[misstrust]

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[misstrust]

[ Dorothy looks over at him then, frowning. She'd thought so, seeing some of the results of the pocket search, but... ]

Do you know exactly what mine does? I thought it might be like what it was the week before, where everyone got the same thing, more or less...

But it seems it's been different for others.

[soulus]

[He stares. Asking like that, it almost sounds ominous.]

If that's true, the effects may depend on the appearance of the stone.

[misstrust]

[ In response, Dorothy reaches into a pocket, revealing a blue gem resting in the middle of her palm. ]

Does yours look like this?

[soulus]

[Similarly, he reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out an aquamarine. It's close, but not quite.]

This one affects the user.

[misstrust]

Then they're different. Mine affects another person.

[soulus]

. . . I suppose the effect is unimportant if you have no intention of using it.

[misstrust]

... You don't think I'm lying about that?

[soulus]

[Well, she was drugged up when she admitted to it.]

Even if you are, it benefits you to keep it a secret.

Should you use it to no avail—or to take a life—the ones who will be at a disadvantage are the participants who attend the trial. In other words, it will no longer have anything to do with you.

[misstrust]

[ Look, she mostly remembers everything-- ]

No, that's not what I--

I know that there's no disadvantage to me, but aren't you the one who's practically married to information? I would have thought you'd be asking me everything about it.

[soulus]

. . . Then let me ask: what does it do?

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy tucks the gem away before she answers him. ]

It can completely reverse someone's personality.

[soulus]

For two hours?

[misstrust]

For an entire day.

[soulus]

That's rather potent.

[misstrust]

I know.

[ She gazes out over the river again. ]

An effect like that... it goes against what I believe in. No one should have the right to change who you are.

[soulus]

Who else received the same reward?

[misstrust]

Blanca. I don't think it's something he'd be interested in using, either.

[soulus]

. . . I completed the task with the dreamer. Our stone enhances the user's speed for two hours.

[misstrust]

The dreamer...?

[ ... ]

Also, that's unfair! Why did you get such an incredibly helpful one??

[ Not that she wanted Rufus to get a crappy one, but her luck with these missions hasn't been all that great. ]

[soulus]

[Read the data and find out, Dorothy.]

Mine is self-sufficient . . . but, used correctly, yours can cripple the target's motivation.

[It's overpowered.]

[misstrust]

[ Why does she like this asshole. ]

Or turn someone's half-hearted ambition to kill into full-blown bloodlust.

[ Well, he'd said "used correctly."

Dorothy makes quite the grimace. ]

I suppose I'll need to hold onto it, on the off-chance that I am targeted. You really might not be the only one who finds me annoying.

[soulus]

[Wouldn't that be unfortunate?]

It doesn't have to be annoyance. The perpetrator may be using a different criteria.

[misstrust]

Regardless, you'd lose out on an avenue of information if I died. I thought you seemed unusually concerned.

[soulus]

. . . Did I?

[misstrust]

You did. I didn't think I'd have to prompt you to ask me questions about something you didn't completely know about.

[ Or that his questions before would be about her survival. ]