pc catchall with connor (tootsiepop)

[requiemed]

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[requiemed]

[She shifts until her elbow is resting on the table, putting her chin in her palm.]

You doing okay?

[tootsiepop]

Yes.

[Succinct. He fiddles with the hem of his sleeves, like he can't quite get them to sit right against his skin.]

And you? Tonight's trial proved to be more challenging than the last.

[requiemed]

I mean... This time we caught someone who actually knew what they were doing.

[After a moment, though, she just sighs.]

It doesn’t feel like much of a silver lining.

[tootsiepop]

I understand. We discovered Newton's involvement in this week's deaths, but two killers remain at large.

[requiemed]

[She hesitates for a few moments, but:]

We only have to worry about one of them.

[tootsiepop]

[... a beat.]

What do you mean, Zoe?

[requiemed]

...Someone was trying to protect Ruin from Luna.

[tootsiepop]

... And you know this, how?

[requiemed]

I found out on Friday.

[...]

I can’t say any more than that. I’m sorry. Just - you don’t have to worry about Luna’s killer.

[tootsiepop]

I see.

[... Hm.]

Then we only have to concern ourselves with Bart Allen's killer. Thank you for the information.

[requiemed]

[She nods.]

Since Newt’s going to be gone soon and someone was only protecting another person... I hope next week, less people will be hurt.

[tootsiepop]

That would make the two of us.

[Four corpses each week is... a lot.]

But this competition is rapidly approaching its end. It's important that we remember this.

[requiemed]

Yeah.

[After a moment:]

If you’re on the winning team... What do you think you’ll use your wish for?

[tootsiepop]

[...

There's a delay between her response and her answer. Clear hesitation.]

I was ordered to accomplish my mission by any means necessary. This competition is... an opportunity to guarantee my success.

[He

doesn't sound as certain about this as he did four weeks ago.]

[requiemed]

[She tilts her head.]

Having second thoughts? You hesitated.

[tootsiepop]

... No, of course not.

[Hah. Haha.]

My desires continue to align with those of CyberLife. The deviant uprising must be stopped.

[requiemed]

[After a moment:]

Then why did you pause?

[tootsiepop]

Did I? I didn't realize.

[... That's a flimsy excuse and he knows it.]

[requiemed]

Connor...

[She sighs.]

I don’t want to have the same conversation we had last time. I just think... If you were having doubts, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

[tootsiepop]

[...]

And you, Zoe? If you were on the winning team, what would you use your wish for?

[requiemed]

[It's not hard to notice the change of subject, and she nearly comments on it, but... Maybe there's not much point in disagreeing about it so quickly after the last time.

After a few moments:]

Good question. [...] I mean, obviously I thought I knew what I wanted when I came here, but...

[tootsiepop]

[It's fine? It's fine. This is something he's been meaning to ask, anyway. For all the time they've spent talking about his own existential crisis, they've hardly talked about her.]

But...? If I can ask, what was it that you originally wanted?

[requiemed]

[She glances at him for a moment before looking towards the floor. Unseen, her hands tighten into fists in her pockets.]

...My brother. And it's not that I... I mean, of course I still want him back.

[tootsiepop]

... I understand. You don't have to explain yourself.

[Does he? Well.]

Perhaps it would help if you could pinpoint the moment you started to become uncertain about your original wish. Ask yourself what changed, and why did it change?

[You know, the thing he's currently neglecting to do himself.]

[requiemed]

...I thought this place would be a lot less complicated when I came here.

[That sentiment might seem sudden, but she’s leading up to an answer.]

But it is. That means that there are people I had to start counting on, people who I trust... And really care about. When this is all over, I don’t want to just all go back home and never see each other again.