LOCKED TO preybeforemeals

[quinques]

[One would think that Kureo Mado would be ill-suited for a peaceful place like Johto. He's a fighter, and a pretty damn good one for a man his age. Being stuck in a world without quinques - without ghouls - probably should have been enough to drive him crazy (or crazier).

But Mado always rose to the challenge, and this was no different than anything else he'd done in his life. The investigator is currently seated in the Olivine library, surrounded by books. The piles are fairly neat but the books open in front of him certainly aren't. He has two notebooks open in front of him and flips back and forth between them, writing notes and reading passages in the books he has out. This is the sort of care and dedication that would go into any of his research back home, but what exactly is the former ghoul investigator looking at?

...Pokémon type matchups. To be more specific, he's studying dual-type Pokémon and what sort of strategies work best against them. He seems perfectly content to scribble away in the notebooks, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.]

Comments

[preybeforemeals]

I've shed some light on how I think. Didn't I just tell you that I'm not "most people"?

[Surprisingly, we're not a monolith.]

But if you really want to thank me, I won't say no - answer something for me, maybe.

[quinques]

That depends on what your question is. What do you want to know?

[preybeforemeals]

Assume you bested me in a fight, back home, and had the opportunity to kill me.

Would you do it quickly, or would you enjoy it?

[quinques]

Quickly, of course. Ah, but that's not because of anything that's happened here, even if we were to remember it when we returned. As great as it would be to drag it out, I would prefer not to risk it. If I've underestimated you and you're capable of getting back up and fighting, I don't want to allow the time or opportunity for that. Even if I haven't underestimated you, I don't want to risk another ghoul interfering. No, it's best to get it over with as soon as possible.

[There is one exception, but that's not something he cares to bring up.]

[preybeforemeals]

How very prudent of you.

[It's a bit hard to tell whether that's truly sarcastic or not...]

Maybe it'll work out that way; of course, should you die upon your return, maybe I'll be the one that kills you.

Maybe I'll do you the courtesy of breaking your neck.

[quinques]

I'd like to fight you at full power. Maybe we'll get the chance when we return.

[Hahahahaha...]

But this isn't the sort of thing to discuss in a library; did you need anything else from me?

[preybeforemeals]

I didn't "need" anything from you in the first place - this is a chance encounter, remember.

[...now he's just being difficult.]

[quinques]

[Mado rolls his eyes, but he doesn't look annoyed by Tsukiyama's words.]

Yes, yes, of course, how could I possibly have forgotten that?

[The words are very sarcastic, however.]

[preybeforemeals]

[That gets a laugh out of him - quiet, under his breath.]

I'll leave you to your research for now, indagatore, though don't expect it to go uninterrupted for terribly long if you're planning on coming here to do it; this has been where I spend my afternoons lately.

[Only mentioned for courtesy's sake, obviously - avoidance and all that.]

[quinques]

[If you think he's going to avoid this place just because you spend time here...]

I appreciate the warning, I'll be sure to keep it in mind.

[preybeforemeals]

[Oh, he knows you won't. But at least this way he's given you fair warning that spending time here comes with the risk of Tsukiyama deciding to pester the hell out of you.]

As well you should.