>Continued from >>5321751When you look up again, Horse Face is still surprised— <span class="mu-i">more</span> surprised, even. You hadn't expected this. Had hoped, perhaps, but even thinking positively you'd envisioned a moment's shock, not a— a— he's surprised! You've surprised him! Has he never been communed with by a dashing young lady before?
...And, hey, wait! You <span class="mu-i">told</span> Richard so. You told him.
>[+2 ID: 8/13]«Yes.»
«...»
«I am placing you under observation.»
Great! Horse Face hasn't said anything yet, and you sort of want to give him the chance. As to not interrupt anything like 'wow, Lottie, I am extremely impressed at your awesome magyckal abilities!' Or 'wow, Lottie, truly you have unlocked the nice part of me, and I shall henceforth apologize for my heinous crimes!' Yeah. It's coming. You know it's coming. You wait.
Horse Face continues to not say anything as you bounce giddily on your heels. His throat bobs. It's the black-haired woman who cracks her neck and breaks the silence: "Are you two <span class="mu-i">okay,</span> or...?"
"Yes." Horse Face rubs the bottom of his nose. "Thank you, Kichima, we're fine. We were simply having a moment."
"That's a word for it. Sure she wasn't hypnotizing you? I hear that's what they do in cults, they—"
He casts a needly glance at the black-haired woman (Kichima?). "Do I sound particularly hypnotized?"
"Damned if I know." She shrugs. "Just asking. We can still arrest her if—"
"You can't <span class="mu-i">arrest</span> me," you scoff. "I've never done anything wrong in my whole—"
"You can't arrest her, Kichima. I'm not hypnotized. Furthermore—" He's adjusting the straps on his sleevecuffs. "—I am on my way out, and I suspect she was as well."
"Thought she was in to see the goo," says Kichima.
"Ah." Horse Face looks you up and down. You nod in what you hope is a wink-wink nudge-nudge sort of way. "Then I imagine she's changed her mind. Be seeing you."
And he leaves! Horse Face leaves! His stupid longcoat flaps behind him and the double doors swing shut and Kichima turns her (what-passes-for) attention onto you. You're too bewildered to say anything cool. How could he just leave! You saw into his <span class="mu-s">VERY BEING!</span> He's not allowed to— he ought to be <span class="mu-i">groveling,</span> if not— you growl and bolt after him. "Geez," says Kichima, as you ram the doors back open, skid on the first step, and nearly— <span class="mu-i">nearly</span> knock Horse Face over. He sidesteps you. But wouldn't it have been great if you did barrel into him, and he fell and <span class="mu-g">c</span>racked his skull open on a rock? Not fatally, necessarily, but enough to completely alter his personality, and maybe then he'd be—
"Oh, good," says Horse Face, as you come to a panting halt. "Do you have or have you had any personalized contact with a god? Big-G, small-g, false, cryptological. Any sort."
(1/4?)
