AUDIENCE FOR: Rupert

[guestservices]

Comments

[agleam]

Seriously, how do you just appear with no noise like that...

[he gives them a wave, though]

[guestservices]

[there's a shrug.]

You know. [rupert probably does not know?] What's up? How are things?

[agleam]

Um... I don't know, actually, that's kind of why I asked.

[anyways.]

I think everyone could probably be doing better, after all that... I came to ask you the same thing.

[guestservices]

Details. [they wave a hand.]

...I'm fine though. I wasn't on the clock today so it wasn't as bad as it would be if I was in there with you guys.

[agleam]

Mm, maybe, but... I don't know, I think the facts are pretty tough on their own regardless of whether you had to see all of it play out.

[guestservices]

[they lean back against the front desk.]

You probably have a point. But the thing about death and justice and whatever is that no matter what happens you're gonna have to live with it. Even if you didn't find the right person, Alphinaud is still gone. Even if you aren't killing the right person tomorrow, someone is dying.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing to focus on that. But these are facts we have to face sometimes. It's sometimes just easier when you're a degree removed. You know?

[agleam]

[he thinks about that for a moment.]

I know we can't change anything about what happened to him, or what's going to happen tomorrow. But - I don't think that's a reason not to care. I'd rather do the right thing than the easy thing.

[guestservices]

...when did I say not to care about it though? [it's a genuine question, at least.]

[agleam]

Well - you mentioned it was better to be removed, I kind of interpreted that as being removed enough to care less.

[guestservices]

Oh. Yeah, I guess I can see how you'd interpret it that way. But think of it more like being removed enough to not let yourself go crazy. Not getting stuck thinking of "what if we did this instead" or "what if I had said that".

[agleam]

...Right. Like, the difference between letting it motivate you to try harder next time, and just letting it make you hesitate because you don't want to get it wrong again?

[guestservices]

Exactly. See, I knew you'd get it.

[agleam]

Right. I'll see least try not to take the wrong things from this.

[guestservices]

Thanks. Not that I'm not used to people taking things the wrong way, but the effort's appreciated.

[agleam]

[he nods.]

Apart from wanting to see how you were doing, though... I did have a question.

[guestservices]

[they tilt their head.]

Okay. Lay it on me.

[agleam]

If something like today happens, where we don't find the right person... Does the shadow stay with them and force them to act again next week?

[guestservices]

...shadows kinda do their own thing, Rupert. It's hard to say what actually happens if you don't find the right person. Maybe it leaves, maybe it doesn't. That's just further entertainment for the Nightman, don't you think?

[agleam]

But there's gotta be an option between the two that he finds more entertaining.

[guestservices]

Not really. Both options lead to suffering somehow.

[agleam]

So... It's random, then. Or, up to his whim or whatever.

[guestservices]

[the driest tone:]

The hotel works in mysterious ways.

[agleam]

Somehow I get the feeling it isn't the hotel itself doing this.

[guestservices]

What, you don't think it has its own thoughts and feelings? That's very hotel-ist of you, Rupert.

[agleam]

Yeah, definitely not a word.