You're sat down at the desk in the dingy office room. Papers are piled up high, practically being the supports. Your investigation has been going well, you think. Your ability to discern out relevant articles has astounded you. The words appear in... some undiscernible color, with brackets around then - two pairs. Sometimes, anyways. It's almost intuition for you... The fax machine on the desk starts whirring. This is odd, because you don't *recall* a fax machine ever being there, nor was there any plug-ins. It starts printing out a document... ``` == Blood-Letting == Ufufu~ Didn't expect to see reality bleed, did you? I suppose the secret's out, then, that this is all one big, elaborate meta puzzle? I bet you'd like to know it all, don't you? I bet you'd like to know how- ``` You crumpled up the paper into the trash. You don't have time for that. ... Ika and Mako had just arrived back in The Residence yesterday. Nobody really noticed their arrival - or departure, for that matter, but it wasn't like they turned heads in any case. Sure, they *could* brag about being the saviors of the dwarves, but Ika didn't like the idea. "I'm just glad nobody got any ideas. Being the center of attention would freak me out, moreso than I've already been freaked out." "I agree, sweetie. You and me both, feels like we've been through almost too much, you know?" "Yeah..." It was late at night, and after finishing up a couple of chores, and eating dinner, the two had a little time to themselves. Ika was still a little wired from the whole ordeal, barely finding any ability to sleep, so for now, she rested on top of Mako on the couch while the TV played softly into the night. "Ika... I have to wonder something, if you don't me asking." "Uhm, yes?" "The battle the other day... You seemed so certain, yet you're always... a little distant from everything. How did you know what to do?" "I don't know. It just came to me, I guess. Like a muscle I've never flexed before. It's... always hard to put. Sorry. You're in the dark just as much as I am." "No, please, don't be sorry, hon... I'm just worried about you..." "Mmmrg..." Ika looked away, as if out of embarrassment, or trying to hide something. "Love you too, Maks." The TV is still playing. It's just more of a vibe-y channel, with a picture of flowers in the middle of a field. The music playing was a piano rendition of a lullaby, something that Maki had heard before. Ika was still awake despite her sleepiness. "Maks, you think I should go to the desert, like they said?" "It's up to you, sweetie..." "I know that, but... What if the note is right? What if it isn't worth it to know more? I'm already apparently a killer of some kind... Maybe that's a life I want to leave behind." "Ika..." Mako repositioned so she would be upright, but Ika kept laying down on her. "Maybe it's because I'm not in your position, but like, do you really think you were a killer? Whoever took away what you had, probably could have put in new ones, fake ones even! Look, while we don't know everything about you, I know one thing, and that's that the Ika I do know would never try to harm someone like that, the Ika I know would never take the first strike." Ika stayed silent. Mako was probably right, but she still couldn't get the feeling out of her mind... What she did in the dwarves' town was... too normal for her. It felt like every day routine, to slice into that large fish... That couldn't possibly have been a lucky shot, to have gone into such a dangerous situation and be able to navigate it effortlessly. Mako by now had completely fallen asleep, snoring away soundly. Ika tried to get up, but she found herself ensnared by her worst enemy - Mako's arms. It's like a dog: you could, in theory, ask them to get up, but why would you? It's even harder when she's your girlfriend and all... For once, Ika got some sleep at a reasonable hour. [[Tomorrow]] would be a new day, always a new chance for re-invigoration. (End of [[Act]] 2.)