It was always irksome to negotiate with people in this kind of mindset. Shizue could see it, how this person could barely restrain herself. How she was looking for ways to still get what she wanted out of this. Or maybe it was more struggling to even accept needing to deal in this way. She had heard that adage, too. Though she would never consider herself a terrorist, she was not oblivious enough to think the other would think of her in any other way. That woman had evidently given into her anger already. That much was clear.



Fortunately though, a cool head seemed to prevail. Though it was not in a good enough manner. Shizue was pulled up, some hair falling into her face which she could not brush away. This blonde simply had no manners or class. So, she sighed. “The irony of it all is that I truly have no reason to betray you in this matter. Yet, you only make it harder for both of us out of narrow-mindedness.” For once, she actually complained. Mostly because this was all kind of silly. She had already given her terms. Forsaking them to appease someone who already expected betrayal was simply not going to work.



“As you said, trust is a two-way street. Logically adhere to that. Your path allows you to not need my trust, as you only have to give up anything once you know I uphold it. In the meantime you demand me to trust you to give your dog that order. And not tell it to maul or detain me. Your plan is rejected.” Saying that, she simply finagled the walky talky into her hands, even as they were still behind her back.



“Now, if you will excuse me, I will simply proceed with my original plan. I will radio you when I deem myself to be sufficiently far away.”


Lydia Magnusson

Shizue simply nodded. “You chose to risk your life. So did I. I have no delusions, people such as you will always come after people like me.” Briefly, she closed her eyes, relaxing. Unlike the other, she did not gaze skywards in search for guidance or absolution. As always, she looked inside. And from within did well up conviction. Hers was not a path threaded lightly. “You may call it a sunk-cost fallacy. Maybe it is. But I charted my course knowing the sacrifices that would be needed. To stop halfway, for any reason, simply does not sit right with me.” For once, she was meeting the other halfway in terms of ideology, though of course, they were still incompatible one way or another. But still, an understanding did seem to form here.



Especially when the girl realized her situation and apparently started to see reason. Still dispassionately, Shizue watched things play out. This all was, at least to an extent, going just as expected. The enemy had come here wearing gear to counteract gas, but they did not wear full hazmat gear. It was easy enough to set traps that could circumvent basic countermeasures, if they were expected.

Though, of course, she would have preferred not to use them. Despite the blonde’s sentiment, Shizue still insisted on not being a monster, at least in some respects. “I will not waste your time with meaningless drivel, given you find yourself in a hurry now,” Shizue replied, catching those icy gazes with the kind of alert calm one would find in a cornered poison type, debating when to sting if it became absolutely necessary.



It still seemed as if words could sway the pendulum, however. “You must have a spare communication device. I simply wish to walk away. Once I left your immediate range, I will tell you which of these contains the antidote.” This time, it was on her to take a deep breath, steadying herself. Maing that kind of demand obviously would not go well. But it was still the best way to resolve all of this. “I know you do not trust me. But you have listened to me, have you not? I have nothing to gain by killing your friends or going back on my words. Hence, I have no reason to do so. Besides, I do have my own pride. That is why I have been giving you the truth and nothing but so far.”


Lydia Magnusson

Taking one with Josh Devlin with Lasciel Elis (not Shizue Murasaki)

BINGO SHEET

BELOW, is a bingo sheet of prompts for Lash

Choosing a Toxic Chain pack for Shizue because of course she wants that!

And I am always bad with stuff like this, so I just say: to another year of fun and games

It was surprising to see someone just drink it eagerly like this. But then again, anyone coming here probably did not lack resolve in that sense. They would not have made it. Few would just bail here, especially since there was no good reason for Rocket to poison them at this point.



Still though, it took something to just drink a mystery liquid like this. Shizue had to admit that much. “Well, I will put that down as both being determined and maybe a little reckless.” After all, there would have been many ways to proceed with this challenge. That had simply been what the other had chosen. And Shizue was going to do her job properly here. “I have filled out what I needed to, so I think this is it. I will present this to the higher ups. But I am quite certain that you will be forwarded to the next stage. Expect to hear from me soon regarding how things proceed.” Shizue did allow herself to smile faintly at that. She did like having more driven scientists after all.


 
NIKOLA SAMSA

This was rather uncomfortable. She decidedly did not like it, of course. But she was well aware that this was not exactly something that could be changed. Apparently, some people simply had no self control. It was not something that she could understand. After all, she would have been perfectly fine to talk things over with some tea, even listen to the other’s arguments. Yet, this young lady was apparently too caught up in her own anger to consider reason at all. Which was sad and made it kind of pointless to even respond. “Rocket, the League, someone always decides who dies and does not. Just like your superiors decided to risk your deaths to come here to capture me.” It was as simple as that in her mind. Weapons were weapons. People used weapons. They decided what happened. Not her. She just gave them the option.



Besides, there was one very simple truth that the other probably would not want to believe. “Do you really think your superiors would pass on that option, if it was presented to you? Naturally, they would not want to get their hands dirty with the development of a designer poison like that. Correction, they would not want to get caught doing that. But if they were offered the option to kill Rocket leaders in such an efficient way, they would simply do it.” At least that was her impression so far. People in power were all like that. It was how they came to power. How they preserved it. How they lived it.



All the while, she watched the girl search for something, all while the call she had made to her allies was left unanswered. Naturally, she did absolutely nothing to set off the Pokemon watching her. Shizue was, in general, not someone who made a lot of excess movements to begin with. Always carrying herself with poise and restraint, she was not giving this woman any satisfaction there. Not even when she had to look up at the other from the seat she had been forced onto. “The antidote is here. But without knowing which to use you will likely just worsen their condition. It is now you who decides who dies and what sacrifice is worth it. I am perfectly willing to allow you to save everyone, if terms are agreeable.”


Lydia Magnusson

Naturally, she still would not resist the physical assault. For one, she was well aware that she was not suited for it. Anyone that became a soldier and made it this far was naturally gifted enough to be stronger than her, even this woman. She had gotten some training, of course, but it was always pointless to get injured trying to fight someone better and stronger than herself.



And Shizue did not do pointless things. At least not if they costed any effort. Otherwise, she would also not have spoken to this lady, either. After all, it was probably pointless. Yet, talking was something that cost her nothing. “No weapon distinguishes between a soldier or a civilian. Not yet.” She chuckled slightly. “My research though? It one day just might. It should be possible to create designer poisons that are harmless to most and only kill the intended target. Your precious guns will not be able to do that.” It was a project she had started already. Of course, the process of developing it would require a lot of sacrifice that would be antithetical to what this woman wanted.



But ultimately? Shizue would make her obsolete. “In fact, once it is finished, there will be no more need for people like you to fight. Or to die, even. War is horribly inefficient when only a few on the top really need to die. And this is not philosophy, this is practicality. Even though it is probably beyond your understanding.” There was a lot more passion in these words than could usually be found with Shizue. A rare moment, in a way, as she did not share these kinds of things with just about anyone.

Peculiar that this one prompted it. But, in a way, she was asking for it. Most people simply didn’t. “That being said, I do not think I can just go with you right now. Are you truly willing to sacrifice your allies and whoever else might be affected by hoping that you can torture anything out of me in time?”


Lydia Magnusson

Ah, so it was that kind of situation. No one in their field spoke lightly of revenge. Shizue, naturally, was a somewhat apathetic being, the kind that ultimately would not care too much about notions like those. Not even those that tried to kill her really deserved needing to have revenge enacted on them. It was a superfluous thing, as far as she was concerned.



But she also knew that those seeking it with passion were quite useful. This lady apparently only cared getting the results she wanted. She would be useful. As long as this person actually meant what she said. “That checks all the boxes, I reckon. Of course, words are rather cheap in that regard.” Saying that, she would reach into her lab coat and retrieve a small vial. The contents were sickeningly green, but otherwise a reasonably clean fluid. “Drink this. It is just a small test of your determination.” She did not elaborate any further. This was something she had designed herself, so she figured the other would not be able to discern at a glance what it was.



Though, if they drank it, she would find it pleasantly mint-flavoured.


NIKOLA SAMSA

“I see. Though I will be forward right away. Getting to experiment on Rocket’s avatars is not exactly an easy endeavour.” Shizue definitely made it sound like she was speaking from experience. After all, she dealt in poisons and had to make sure that those would still work even on avatars. Yet, the latter kind was not exactly overly fond of, well, being poisoned. Though, of course, that was why she had chosen her words the way she had. Rocket’s avatars were mostly off-limits for experimentation. But if they captured league ones, well, things could probably be arranged.

Though, again, this person was probably pursuant of at least slightly more benign goals, so maybe it would work out. “That being said, Rocket would certainly be very interested in that kind pf procedure. Yet, I also want to make it clear that despite appearances, the organization is effectively at war. So, any and all of your findings will probably be filtered through the lens of usefulness in that area. I take it that you have no issues with that?” She figured the other would be fine with it. But assumptions could be faulty .Simply asking for confirmation now could probably save them some headaches later.


NIKOLA SAMSA

“Ah, I understand that all too well.” Shizue found herself reminded of that one league official that had all but tried to kill her some time ago because they could not grasp the simplest of truths. Progress was inevitable. Someone would innovate eventually. If ever there was a truth to unlock, someone would eventually do it, no matter what high-minded ethics might have been against it.



Hence, it was utterly pointless to try and adhere to such silly notions. They had no place in an enlightened world. However, Shizue did not say any more until the other was finished, mostly to not interrupt this lady. After all, she was coming to one of the more important parts on the checklist.

Expertise. It was something that only someone confident in their ability would bring to the table. It was not something one could fake, after all. If this person tried, they would be found out and probably suffer at least some kind of retribution for it.



“Rocket certainly would be interested in that. The broad concept of it at least. We can offer a suitable working environment and protection. Just as long as you are aware that you are offering your mind to the organization properly and for the foreseeable future.” After all, aside from high-ranking operatives, valuable scientists were among those least likely to ever leave. Or be allowed to leave. They simply could not be allowed to. And right then, this person still had a chance to disengage. Once she got in, that chance would vanish for good.

“That research of yours, can you give me a bit more detail on what that entails? From one curious scientist to another.”


NIKOLA SAMSA

Shizue sighed. “I forgot. It is the brutes, not the scions, that volunteer for this kind of work. So uncivilized.” While she said that, she did not really bother to do anything just yet. If she was being forced the choose between something disproportionate and submission, she chose defiance, albeit in her usual, subdued way. The most efficient way was to simply use gentle force and get your way, and was at least trying to force the other in that direction. Ultimately, was not actively struggling or anything. That was simply not her style.



Just like the other’s attempts to guilt her in any way, shape or form mostly fell on deaf ears. “Your men are soldiers. As are you. Did you not sign up to fight and give your life?” Shizue tilted her head slightly, almost as if she was being quizzical, even though the question was mostly just a rhetorical one. “Were they not hit by one of my creations, they would have been hit by another. Or they would have proceeded to kill others. Or break their bones, as you seem so eager to be.” A light shrug followed. “It does not really matter to me, beyond the immediate effect it may or may not have on my work. Regimes rise and fall all the time.”



Saying that, she found herself looking up at the other. Even she was not one that could simply ignore a gesture like that. But she kept her composure, at least. Shizue had learned that much in her years, after all. “Do you hunt for the maker of this gun, too? Or any of the other weapons you use? They might be more painless, at least if used to be that way, but a weapon is a weapon. Only unlike a gun, research in poison usually results in medicine as well. At least I never make any poison without an antidote.” She would simply stare into the other’s eyes without any malice, fear or even anger. The other might show ice or heat, but Shizue continued to be like the tea she brewed, simmering on a comfortable temperature. The implication still lived vividly in her words all the same, though.