[video/action]

[doubleppk]

[Fujiko's in a bad mood. Not that this is unusual per se, but at least when there were crazy things running around she had things to take her frustrations out on. Now she's low on bullets, and in a foul mood.]

Everybody leaves. [BANG!]
Why bother. [Bang bang bang!]

Che. And I finally got my iPod charged to show him... [But she doesn't seem

Comments

[Voice] | Filtered 100%

[semper_cogitans]

[... Funny. The last time Fujiko and he talked, Raphael was gone then, too.

But this time it's worse. This time it's possibly forever.

Robert doesn't know how much help he can be, but... his timid voice reaches out to her, tentatively, like he's afraid of being lashed out at. With most of his friends gone even temporarily, he isn't sure what to do, except... except try to help.]

... M-Ms. Mine...

[He wants to say that he's sorry, but he doesn't think it'd be good enough. Not even close to good enough.]

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[doubleppk]

[A shrug on Fujiko's end.]

As far as mad scientist types go... they're pretty mild.

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[semper_cogitans]

...

You have... met worse? [Oh gods. Robert didn't even want to think it was possible.]

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[doubleppk]

[... Yeah.... wow... a mental list just popped up... it's so long.]

Oh honey... so much worse. Dr. Oz wanted to kidnap and torture Nessie. The entire Scorpion organization is just fudged in the head, Scorpion himself is the most messed up of all, Magician Boy -- that is Pycal, he was SUPER smart, but also such a creepy sadist, then there's that guy who made his own earthquake machine to collapse Italy -- I don't even remember that dude's name. Something with a V? Honestly... it'd take me hours to explain them all and you probably wouldn't believe it.

[HUNDREDS. HUNDREDS ROBERT.] It's sort of... my job to deal with them in a way. [Sabotage them, hunt them down, assassinate them, do odd jobs for them. This is what she calls "a little of this, a little of that.]

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[And now Robert is a little genuinely horrified. The Malnosso, as far as he's known, are the one exception to his mental picture of scientists-are-always-cool-people, and though he's heard of the concept from Don, he's never seen it spelled out in shocking detail like this.

So Fujiko is right in that he doesn't want to believe it, but with the Malnosso as evidence he can't discount it out of hand, either.]

... Your job... is to deal with d-dangerous individuals?

[Well, that explains her ability to kick ass.]

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[doubleppk]

Yes. It's sort of one of those slippery slope things. Do it once, you can run so many times, but you start getting more of a reputation and then more things happen, more things where only you can do it. [Shrugs and spreads her hands.] Better than farming I guess.

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[semper_cogitans]

[He sort of understands. When one gets to a specialist in one's field, one of course is sought out for one's expertise...]

It sounds... like a r-risky job, but I understand that... that is rather the norm, here.

[Action]

[doubleppk]

Yeah, looks like the Malnosso are a little picky about who they bring here, hm?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

Assuming it is... deliberate, then yes. They... c-certainly are.

... If this is a natural s-sort of selection, however... it is fascinatingly constant...

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[doubleppk]

You think so? But if it's a natural accident then what is the criteria? Unlikely superpowers or unusual lifestyles or something?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

That is what I wish I c-could understand... It would seem to discount someone like myself.

... And yet I am... here. [And it's frustrating. Why?]

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[doubleppk]

You've got a super brain silly. You know more about most sciences than the rest of people here, for all the things they've done or not. Maybe when you get back to your world your future has all sorts of crazy things happening that you fix.

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[semper_cogitans]

I am... not that intelligent, by T-Terran standards... [Actually, he is pretty smart, enough to be considered for placement at the Head Institute... but he doesn't want to exaggerate.]

... So I... doubt that c-claim.

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[doubleppk]

[A shrug.] You're smart even compared to some of the people here. And you know a lot about science and technology, which most people here don't. They're more likely to be into magic or stuff. Maybe you're a counterweight, you know?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

... It is possible... but how effective would one p-person be at that? There is a... significant bias towards magical or paranormal u-universes here in Luceti...

[... In fact, he and now Ginia is the only one...]

[Action]

[doubleppk]

Well there's you and Japan and... I forget who else. But maybe you can make a bunch of electronics and computers and stuff for this place. Magic only works for the person making it. The person making computers or whatever makes it for tons of people.