I'm sorry, Luci. I would be more optimistic if she'd gone missing last night, people are gone for the weekend all the time. But the 22nd? It's possible
[Blue's been back in town a few days and is still catching up on things when a delivery arrives via Pokémon to Yusuke's apartment in Heropa. In a thoughtfully wrapped little package is a small fox charm from the shrine, and a package of nice handmade, artisan paper. In a separate package labeled 'Yuri', there's 2 photo calendars, filled with pictures of different cats and the address of a cat café on the back of each.]
[Accompanying them are little notes, like the last time he left a gift:]
"Sorry it’s not a real fox... The shopkeep told me this paper was nice for inks!"
[And for Yuri:] "You should visit this place sometime!"
[ Whichever pokemon was good enough to bring this stuff out to him comes back with a nice sketch of itself and Blue together, in a nice manila envelope to protect this beautiful paper. It's really nice! Blue always has the most thoughtful gifts. ]
"Thank you, Blue. These were very thoughtful, we appreciate them very much. Bring us with you next time, won't you?"
[ No, he did not, actually! He knew he wouldn't ever be rid of Dooku entirely, at least not without one of them being ported out, but he'd been expecting a dramatic back alley ambush before a phone call. Interesting. ]
I hope you have been well during the recent chaos.
[Dryly:]
It may please you to hear that a rather large number of people came to my home in Maurtia Falls during the riots, and attempted to kill me. They failed, of course.
[She really does die for those few hours. She vacillates so violently between 'You Deserve This' and 'Don't You Die On Me Now', it's enough to make her head spin. But when her phone chimes she dives for it.]
Not at all. The incident simply focused my attention on how badly we are currently faring against our enemies. The OTO has clearly succeeded in manipulating the population against us yet again. And I have little confidence in the success of the mission to Mars, when the true seat of their power is right here on Earth.
[The Count lowers his voice slightly:]
I find it interesting that those 'Phantom Thieves' who so conveniently targeted me so soon after you did have not yet seen fit to use their talents against the threat that almost wiped out the entirety of Heropa. Just imagine how the tables might turn if members of the OTO began to confess their crimes.
You speak of 'we' as if you and I are allies. We are not, and never were.
[ Even if their ultimate goals are uncomfortably similar. Yusuke would have gone to that clone facility whether Dooku had told him to or not. He wanted to see them burn. That nuclear episode was even worse than the clones.
He'd take their hearts if he could, but it's not that easy. ]
That would be convenient, yes. Your own comeuppance was quite the elaborate drama, if they strike at the OTO, the theatrics make be a wonderful show.
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