LOTS OF PEOPLE: THE VERITAS MANSION

[Wolfy]

Sabrina was only waiting for a moment or two before hearing a pained sob come from somewhere. Getting up, she hurried off to find the source. She figured it was Adrasteia – he had just lost a lot, and she couldn’t blame him for being upset over it, while Smile had really lost nothing. In fact, Smile may have gained a thing or two from the horrible ordeal…

So she made her way to Adrasteia’s room, hoping she may provide a little comfort. However, what she saw was horrifyingly different than what she was expecting. Hunched over a vial of some kind, he was laughing to himself, saying something she couldn’t quite make out. She thought she could make out a skull on it.

“Adrasteia, no!” she said, hurrying in. “Drop that!” She ran in, practically skidding to a halt in front of him. “You don’t need to do this! I don’t want to lose you, too!” Forcefully, she grabbed his hands so that she could (at least try) to stop him if he went to take whatever was in that vial.

Not moving her arms, she looked into his eyes and asked plainly, “Why do you want to do this? Surely you have something! I offered you a place to stay and people to be around.” She sighed and looked away, toward the side so she didn’t have to face him. “Look, I’m sorry – it might be fault what happened. I should never have gotten the attention of the mob.”

There was a slight pause. “I’m sorry what happened about Memini, and I’m sorry that I got you dragged into this whole mess when it’s my problem, but I can’t do anything about it. Just please, don’t do this to yourself…”

What else was there to say? Her mind was working furiously to come up with more reasons why he shouldn’t go off on a homicidal rage. But was there anything else? Was her hallow offer really the only thing he had? She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. “I’m sorry, Adrasteia. I really am.” Her argument was really weak, and she hated to leave it at that.

[Rad]

It was almost as if Sabrina’s pleas fell on deaf ears for Adrasteia simply continued with his uncharacteristic insane chuckling. Her apologies also procured little response and ultimately the only reaction she could get from him was an irked expression and a forceful shove.

Fortunately for the young girl, Smile (still soaking wet) and finally arrived to stand behind her and perhaps he was the only thing stopping her from sprawling onto the floor. What transpired next was a solid punch to the face that sent Adrasteia staggering backwards; shocked and no longer laughing.

“See, Sabrina? Sometimes kindness and self-condemnation is not the answer! To get your point across there will be times when the use of one’s fists is necessary.” Smile stated, cracking his knuckles sinisterly as he advanced upon Adrasteia. “However, I understand you’re a nice girl who never resorts to violence but don’t worry. I shall be here to do the ass-kicking for you. Let’s see if I can knock some sense into him!”

Striding towards the still indifferent Adrasteia, Smile seemed on the verge of delivering a brutal beating before he stopped, tossed a vial in Sabrina’s direction and said, “Oh, by the way! I stole this from the barrack earlier. Judging by the description it’s one of those memory erasers…a permanent one that will wipe a few years clear off your mind. I was going to use it for my own purposes but…well consider it compensation for causing you so much trouble.”

With that said it was back to the task at hand.

[Wolfy]

Sabrina suddenly felt herself falling backwards after the shove given by Adrasteia. It was a good thing Smile had been there! If she hadn’t fallen into his arms, she would have landed straight back on the floor. She looked up, relieved, seeing Smile nearby. She stood up and stepped away, just in time to avoid the punch going straight to Adrasteia’s face.

She watched, her hands covering her face up to the bottom of her eyes. She looked horrified, watching the beating about to take place. When Smile tossed the vial, however, she reached out to grab the glass tube before it hit the ground.

She looked at the poison with a frown. “Memory remover, huh?” she asked. She thought for a moment, thinking about taking it herself. She had plenty of memories she wouldn’t mind throwing away. But then a thought occurred to her.

“Wait… Memory,” she said. “Smile, stop!” There was no point in beating Adrasteia up if there was a way to save Memini from his own memories. “What if we gave this to Memini? That would bring him back to normal, wouldn’t it?” She looked down at the vial and nodded slowly. “If we could somehow slip this into his food or something, he would come back!”

She looked at Adrasteia, looking extremely hopeful. Her emerald eyes sparkled with expectation and her innocent face seemed nearly impossible to say no to. “What do you think? We could try, at least!” She was overlooking the danger that might befall the one to attempt the mission.

[Rad]

“Fine, if milady demands it then it shall be done.” Smile replied, letting go of Adrasteia without pummeling him and instead giving the butler a menacing pat on the back. “Now that you mention it…I suppose drugging him with that could be just the solution we need! Brilliant thinking, Sabrina! Unlike SOMEONE you didn’t go completely bonkers over something so trivial.”

Glaring at Adrasteia, Smile continued, “I, for one, am on board with inviting the brat to dinner for if it doesn’t work I can simply beat the living daylights out of him for hurting Sabrina like he did. What do you say, butler? Are you content with your pathetic coward’s way out or are you going to give this a try?”

There was silence for a moment before a smile slowly spread across Adrasteia’s lips. “Count me in as the chef. However, if it fails I’ll make sure the dessert is the last one he’ll ever eat.”