Conversation · Bird's Nest Roy

"In that case, she'll be happy to get a visit from us. If we can find her..." He looks around, worried.

"What if she intends to commit a crime and blame it on the Citizens Militia? On me?"

He tenses. "I hadn't considered that... This is why I don't like to deal with guns."

He considered it, but his priority was to get rid of the gun as quickly as possible -- albeit for a price.

"She must be one of my adoring fans. Just wanted to feel closer to me, you know."

"Sure, man."

He's doubtful, but doesn't see the point in contradicting a notion that is so dear to you.

"You gotta help me find her, man."

"I wish I could help with that, officer, but I don't know where she was from or where she was going."

He's trying to ingratiate himself with you by anticipating your questions. He knows he shouldn't have sold the gun.

"Maybe she's a vigilante. Wants to prove she can patrol the streets more effectively than the Citizens Militia."

"Oh... I certainly hope not."

He steps further back behind the bullet-resistant glass, visibly perturbed. He doesn't want to be involved in any incidents.

"At least now I know how I lost my sidearm. Let's talk about something else." (Conclude.)

"Of course."

"Have people from Evrart Claire's Union come here to track that gun?"

"Maybe. Shady looking guys came in here yesterday, looking like they'd just taken off their Wild Pines overalls. They asked if I have a police weapon to sell. I told them I already sold it."

"They went their way. It was a trip, but you know. All sorts of people come here, asking for all sorts of things."

Wait, then it might be true – Evrart's claims.

"Maybe Claire really is tracking down your gun." The lieutenant's eyebrows rise slightly. "Hm..."

People as oleaginous as Evrart seem like they're lying even when they're really being truthful.

"Wait, I sold you my gun?"

"You... uhh..."

With Kim here too?! That just sounded really, really bad.

"You were adamant about getting rid of it, officer." He hesitates. "Said you were undeserving of a service weapon of the Revachol Citizens Militia."

"And I don't like keeping guns around the shop for long. Off-the-charts photon emissions. The unhealthy kind."

He's not telling you the whole story. It seems he's trying to spare you.

He probably has a good reason for that. (Drop the matter.)

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

He looks away. "You weren't quite yourself, officer."

"What was I like?"

"You were very distraught. You said the gun was a threat to your life, and... that you can't trust yourself with it tonight. And you need the money."

"When I said that I don't normally buy firearms, you put the gun barrel in your mouth and sort of... sucked on it. Then I agreed to take it."

You sucked on a gun? Good. Good. Very normal.

Very normal behaviour. You must've been in a great shape.

"I really should have killed myself. Maybe I still will one of these days."

The light swirls in his face and glasses. He doesn't know what to say.

"Happens to the best of us, I guess."

"It certainly does, especially in Revachol."

"Wait... how much did I sell the gun for?"

"Fifteen reál."

The lieutenant looks from you to Roy and then back to you. It's clear that he hopes this tableau might still turn out to be a bad dream -- it's not, though.

This has got to be the most.... wow...

There's pity there too. In case you didn't notice.

Say nothing.

The light swirls in his face and glasses. He doesn't know what to say either.

"I'm so sorry you had to see me in that state. We don't have to talk about it any further."

"No apologies necessary, officer."

"Do you know anything about the traffic menace on the loose?"

"Traffic... I'm sorry, officer, but I don't drive."

"Wait, why don't you drive?"

"I just don't like it very much. Movement on the road never really gelled well with the movement of my thoughts."

"But didn't you hear it when the traffic menace drove over your roof?"

"Now that I think about it, I do remember hearing a thunderous noise the other night -- some kind of powerful electric vortex hitting the shop and then moving on..."

"That sure narrows down our list of suspects."

"I can understand how you would mistake Jacob Irw for a powerful electric vortex."

"Jacob Irw? The great TipTop champion? Yes, yes..."

His forehead creases. "Do you think it may have been... Jacob Irw who drove over your roof?"

"It's a logical explanation. I felt within that thunderous crash a soul plunged into chaos."

"I felt within that thunderous crash a soul plunged into chaos."