>>5193276“But that’s not even the worst part!” He spits as if reliving it again! “The longer they sat there, the more you’d feel this… this <span class="mu-s">BUZZING.</span> Like your head was turning into a tuning fork or something!”
“He’s really nailin’ da’ metaphors today, huh?” Ly asks in a bemused tone. SHH!
“So you <span class="mu-i">had</span> to do ‘em.” He concludes with a shrug.
Or else what?
“Or else it’d get <span class="mu-s">LOUDER!</span>” He growls! “And, I dunno, maybe my head would blow up or something! Not like I could really try anything anyways–my whole body was, like, tuned into that crap, alright?”
You thoughtfully rub your chin as you stare at Talbot for a moment. So if what he’s saying is true, you muse aloud to yourself, then all of those attempts to kill you were-
“Not my fault, yea!” He interjects, clearly eager to move on. “There ya’ go–questions answered!”
So when he tracked you down, you continue, brushing off his prior statement, he just <span class="mu-i">knew</span> where you were? By memory? The janitor sinks a little deeper into the mattress as a look of discomfort slowly forms on his face. “I uh…” he mutters, “Y-you were a little different.”
Yea, you frown, you <span class="mu-s">gathered</span>! What’s this about him acting up when you had a close call in the mines, huh? That part of his ‘<span class="mu-i">sidequests</span>’ too?!
“No!” He shouts! “Well, yes! But no! But…” pausing to massage his temples, Talbot takes a steadying breath before looking you square in the eyes. “Okay, look: if I tell you the truth will you promise to not be weirded out?”
Depends, you hiss, crossing your arms across your chest, is it <span class="mu-i">really</span> gonna be the truth, or is he just trying to get you to go away?
“Yes.” He nods. <span class="mu-s">WHICH ONE!?</span> “Christ, the first one! Geez!”
In that case…
>YES, YOU PROMISE!>NOPE, BUT TELL ME ANYWAYS!>OF COURSE (THAT WAS A LIE)!>FORGET IT–YOU DON’T CARE!>WRITE-IN! 