luministi | ◌ 017 ◌ What is behind door number two?

[ooc: Skipping Sara on purpose this round! She's reading.]

[her expression is dark] Neither did I. I'm afraid Teger was only killed so Iussus would have to take his place. He's so obsessed with evidence, Resarci likely thought he would be easy to evade. But that didn't work either. No, you residents got that poor girl involved, and look what happened for it! [eyes Fuu a bit angrily]

Resarci thought he was, but clearly there is still someone out there who is working against the project. And isn't it obvious? Resarci has poured half his fortune into this project. Constantine may be the only one more set on its success than he is.

Well, as I'm sure you've already guessed, it was most likely either Mr Ardes or his accomplice. Or accomplices. But no, I don't know who that might be.

HA? [blinks] Oh, yes, Head Assistant. And Constantine is the Head Researcher. They're abbreviations for our positions on the project.

[Fuu nods seriously. The parts of the 'big picture' that she can start to see are frightful. It had been incredibly suspicious timing for Iussus to replace Teiger, and now she knows for certain it was no accident.
Everything that happens in this town goes through the Mayor, and his close accomplice doctor Resacri to whom the whole town in indebted to.]

[Fuu feels a pang at Miss Osculia's angry look. Poor girl? The evidence against doctor Resarci--]
Miss Verita? We- No, for certain we didn't mean anything to happen to her! I tried to warn her about what she was doing, but...

But still, we worked together to question doctor Resarci.

[After a long moment Fuu holds off the sense of guilt that is trying to overtake her. She will take time for it later, but she has to hold on to clarity just a bit longer.]

What does doctor Resarci stand to gain from all this? Having poured so much money into it, he must want something desperately.

[she doesn't like the way Miss Osculia is regarding Fuu at all--nor Fuu's expression when she heard it. Sara looks up from her reading, closing the diary and offering it to Fuu] It sounds to me like Verita made a choice--and a brave one, at that.

[snaps] A stupid one! Do you think Resarci would have tried anything with Constantine's own daughter if she hadn't been so foolish as to stand against him? Any of you could have stopped her. Now, not even Constantine's loved ones are free of scrutiny!

[but she takes a deep breath after that tirade and also takes that moment to compose herself. after several deep breaths, the anger fades from her expression. she pushes her glasses unnecessarily up her nose] Results, of course. He believes in the benefits of the project--and certainly in the money it could bring in. And now that he has put so much into it, he has even more to lose if it isn't successful.

[Fuu can't help but flinch as Miss Osculia yells at them. She agreed with Ms Sara - Miss Verita had made a brave decision. But there was no ignoring the consequences of what they'd led her in to.]
[She will certainly speak to Miss Verita about it later. And apologize deeply.]

[in quiet anger] Money-- A business venture. Profit... [Fuu stands stock-still for a moment, eyes closed. Oh, the next time she sees that awful man she'll bind him in wind and not let him go! She'll be happy to ensure he loses every penny of this 'investment'! But... One last thing to be certain of.]

And what do the townspeople stand to gain from all this? You said that nearly everyone agreed that the benefits would be worth it - what were they looking forward to?

[Sara can't stay quiet anymore. this is too familiar--too close to home. it screams of Mavic Chen and the Great Clock--the price the old men paid for the space lanes. and even worse, the price that the Empire was to pay at the hand of the Daleks for the Guardian's own ambition]

I'm not sure the townspeople are the only ones meant to benefit. What about the people of this world? But will they have any idea what their "benefits" cost?

[Miss Osculia smiles thinly at Sara] It seems you understand, at least. [turns to Fuu] Revitalization of the human form. That's what they--what all our people--stand to gain from this project.

[Fuu looks between Sara and Osculia for a moment.]

I'm sorry, Ms Sara. I still don't understand.
Revitalization is what everyone wants, not just the Mayor? Does that mean there some... world-wide illness or something that will be cured?

[She doesn't want to believe that they are all in this for some selfish reason, she doesn't...]

[softly] Does it have to be an illness? Think about your own world. What would your government do if they knew of a way that people could be revitalized who otherwise would have died?

Exactly! If this project is successful, it could revolutionize medicine. Consider the lives that could be saved. If you were in our position, would you go ahead with the project, believing it would only cause some...discomfort...to people from other places who you didn't even know? When so many people could live as a result?

[Fuu wraps her arms tight around herself, and a soft, small groan of confusion escapes her. It would revolutionize their world. At the edge of her mind comes thoughts of the revolution three teenage girls had unintentionally brought Cephiro. What was the right thing to do now? The right thing to believe?]

[She looks at Ms Sara first, and her words come bitterly.] No... They... would do the same, I'm sure. Experiment. Share the benefit with those who can afford it. Make a profit.

[She then turns to Miss Osculia, and she is overcome with compassionate sadness.] Yes, I would want to save lives. I would want to save every single one! But... if I were in your position, I would have sought another way. With your amazing technology, I'm certain that there would have been another way! Just because they are people I don't know, it doesn't mean I can treat them like ... lab rats.

I said before, Miss Osculia. Many of us would have voluntarily helped if we had but known what this was all about. Why was it chosen to do it this way?

[nods gravely. hers would have done--no, had done the same. and had Robert's government been given such an opportunity before they had succumbed to the disease on his world, she has a feeling that, despite never having met his Council of Elders, she knows what choice they would have made]

[and she has a feeling she knows the answer to Fuu's question. it is, again, so very familiar--so very like the Guardians' great secret Clock. but she watches Miss Osculia to see what she has to say]

[stares down her nose at Fuu] Would you really have agreed--knowing the kinds of tests Constantine had in mind? I doubt most people would be so willing. I can't speak for him, but I believe that's why this project has been run in this way.

No, most people wouldn't be so willing but I--

[Fuu cuts off and her face flushes. She wants to be certain that the words she says are completely sincere. Would she really have agreed, knowing... Princess Esmeraude flashes in her mind, and she wonders if knowing what the Magic Knights had really been there for would have made a difference. If it would have made it easier or harder to kill her in the end. Or if she would have agreed in the first place.]

I understand why it was done this way. I really do. But I--

[Princess Esmeraude's thank you. Ferio's thank you. And in the end, they had saved everyone in Cephiro, and the other three worlds as well. She would chose to save people, no matter what.]

[She looks Miss Osculia directly in the eyes, so she knows she's sincere.] I would do it. I would help you.

[Sara clenches a fist at that, looking away. she remembers being offered such a choice herself--with the water, then the Clock, then the house. Fuu is reminding her more and more of the trapped woman that she used to be--that, perhaps, she still is, despite Robert's gift]

[she wonders if Fuu is driven by guilt like she is, or if she, like Steven, simply feels the need to do such things. either way, she hates to see her in such a position--especially since she fears that Miss Osculia's choice could become more than hypothetical. there's no telling what will be coming next in this town]

[Miss Osculia stares back at her, bitterness in her expression--not at Fuu, but at the situation that such a child has found herself in] Then you're more naive than I thought.

Now. Is there anything else you'd like to know about what's being done to all of you?

[Fuu blushes indignantly at Miss Osculia's comment, unfortunately only seeing her bitterness and not knowing the reason for it.]

It might seem like a small thing after all that, but... do you know if the Mayor really never able to meet with us, or was he avoiding us this whole time?

[puts a hand on Fuu's shoulder again as she says, to Miss Osculia:] Or perhaps she still has hope that we old people have lost over the years.

[gives Sara one of her thin smiles] Perhaps.

Oh, he's never been in town at all before now. He had no intention of meeting anyone. That's what I've been here for. [again, bitterness is clear in her tone]

[Fuu looks over to Ms Sara with surprised gratitude clear on her face. Yet also surprising is the small smile that Miss Osculia gives Sara, and Fuu finds herself relaxing just a bit. Ms Sara believes in her. And... Miss Osculia is stern, but she isn't so bad.]

[Sadly, her optimism about the Mayor is not faring so well.]
I see. I'm sorry that your job has been so difficult.

Do you think he will really make an appearance then, for Miss Sophie and the Doctor's wedding?

[just smiles gently at Fuu. the world could use more people with hope like hers]

[but she turns her gaze back to Miss Osculia, wondering what her response to that will be]

[sighs] I didn't come here for the job.

I'm not certain. I do think he wants to speak to you--otherwise I can't see why he would have brought you here. But he wouldn't have to come for that. I suppose we'll have to wait and find out. [smiles wryly]

[Fuu returns Miss Osculia's smile with a faint one of her own. Back to waiting for the next thing, it seems.]

[Her tone is now lighter and more conversational, with the hard topics seemingly behind them.]
If you didn't come for the job, what did you come for?

[Sara stays quiet. she thinks she's already worked it out]

[her words are quiet, but both they and her expression are bitter] Constantine.

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