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[Sometime later, Rin may be walking the streets when he might see a familiar figure, leaning against a wall. Sholmes is puffing away, lifting his head when he sees the other approach.]
So. You want a rematch, hm?
[He says it lightly. Clearly he's not serious.]
So. You want a rematch, hm?
[He says it lightly. Clearly he's not serious.]
Oho, that so? I do some time in the competitive boxing scene. I'd hardly some pushover.
[And he actually just does a little shadow boxing? This is stupid.]
But regardless, I wouldn't really want to fight you.
[And he actually just does a little shadow boxing? This is stupid.]
But regardless, I wouldn't really want to fight you.
[I wish I could tell you that being a dad makes him stupid but unfortunately I cannot.]
Want to get something to eat, instead?
Want to get something to eat, instead?
Not any restaurant. The cafe has a good selection of food, you know. And I find myself in particular craving for a good sweet pastry.
[You may get the feeling he's been eating a lot of pastries over the last several days.]
[You may get the feeling he's been eating a lot of pastries over the last several days.]
I've put some in that ice box! [The fridge.] So...they are cold, but they keep well.
[If he notices the awkwardness, he doesn't comment on it. He'll just beeline towards the fridge to pull out his little box - and then he grabs one out of it and just yeets it over at Rin.]
Catch!
[If he notices the awkwardness, he doesn't comment on it. He'll just beeline towards the fridge to pull out his little box - and then he grabs one out of it and just yeets it over at Rin.]
Catch!
[After the trial, Rin can be found stomping around the city and talking to himself. Most of his mutterings are about 'stupid Qi Rong' and 'we could have understood him', which betray his line of thinking currently.
He'll stop muttering when he sees Sholmes though, unless Sholmes is sneaking up on him on purpose, in which case he'll keep ranting until he's spooked.]
He'll stop muttering when he sees Sholmes though, unless Sholmes is sneaking up on him on purpose, in which case he'll keep ranting until he's spooked.]
[He's not actually popping up out of the blue! He's just sitting against the tower, looking up at the night sky.]
[When he sees Rin, he tilts his head, considering, and waves him over. Come! Sit!]
[When he sees Rin, he tilts his head, considering, and waves him over. Come! Sit!]
[He nods, just letting have his silence for a little bit, but eventually pulls out a piece of paper to write down:]
["Penny for your thoughts? I am all ears."]
[There is a doodle of a bunny pointing to its ears. To fit, Irene is in bunny form right now, loafing next to him.]
["Penny for your thoughts? I am all ears."]
[There is a doodle of a bunny pointing to its ears. To fit, Irene is in bunny form right now, loafing next to him.]
[He snorts at the bunny drawing. How cute.
But what can he even say? As much as Rin tries to 'get' others, he's still terrible at explaining himself. Plus, with everything he's trying to keep quiet, he can't even give a full explanation to begin with.]
...I just...I felt bad for him. Before we knew he did it, it really did look like people just wanted to blame him regardless. It's gotta be lonely, doesn't it? For everyone to believe you did something even if they're not sure you did it.
But what can he even say? As much as Rin tries to 'get' others, he's still terrible at explaining himself. Plus, with everything he's trying to keep quiet, he can't even give a full explanation to begin with.]
...I just...I felt bad for him. Before we knew he did it, it really did look like people just wanted to blame him regardless. It's gotta be lonely, doesn't it? For everyone to believe you did something even if they're not sure you did it.
...
[He nods at that, pensive, before finally speaking.]
I'm sure no one wants to be a scapegoat.
To be the victim, while others gloat.
It must be upsetting, yes, I see,
A life maligned as much as it could be.
To follow one's brain, not heart,
Is a strategy that is quite smart.
But people cannot control their thoughts,
And jump, reckless, to call the shots.
[He nods at that, pensive, before finally speaking.]
I'm sure no one wants to be a scapegoat.
To be the victim, while others gloat.
It must be upsetting, yes, I see,
A life maligned as much as it could be.
To follow one's brain, not heart,
Is a strategy that is quite smart.
But people cannot control their thoughts,
And jump, reckless, to call the shots.
[Give him a moment, he has to decode the poetry and he's not so great at that. But eventually he gets it, and he nods.]
What he did was horrible, but he had to have done it for a reason. If we knew that reason, then we could work to make sure he doesn't murder someone again. That's the best way to help someone not do bad things: find out why they were acting out, and make it so that reason for acting out doesn't exist anymore.
What he did was horrible, but he had to have done it for a reason. If we knew that reason, then we could work to make sure he doesn't murder someone again. That's the best way to help someone not do bad things: find out why they were acting out, and make it so that reason for acting out doesn't exist anymore.
...
[He sighs. Back to writing, because poems are NOT good for these kinds of talks.]
["This is true. I find it impossible to imagine someone doing evil for the sake of evil. Even doing evil for the fun of it is for the sake of pleasure, of delight."]
["Have you used that strategy often in the past?"]
[He sighs. Back to writing, because poems are NOT good for these kinds of talks.]
["This is true. I find it impossible to imagine someone doing evil for the sake of evil. Even doing evil for the fun of it is for the sake of pleasure, of delight."]
["Have you used that strategy often in the past?"]
[Reading is easier than deciphering rhymes anyway, so he appreciates it.]
A few times. I ...I've got a bad temper.
[The most obvious statement ever.]
And I remember kids at school poking me on purpose to make me yell and punch things, and how everyone always blamed stuff on me even if I didn't do anything wrong. So I just...I dunno, I guess I didn't want to immediately think he's a bad guy when he might just be in a bad situation.
...guess it's kinda hard to see a 'he was in a bad situation' when he killed and ate a guy though.
A few times. I ...I've got a bad temper.
[The most obvious statement ever.]
And I remember kids at school poking me on purpose to make me yell and punch things, and how everyone always blamed stuff on me even if I didn't do anything wrong. So I just...I dunno, I guess I didn't want to immediately think he's a bad guy when he might just be in a bad situation.
...guess it's kinda hard to see a 'he was in a bad situation' when he killed and ate a guy though.
[If Sholmes goes into the castle kitchen on Monday, he will see Rin holding a twisted-up piece of paper. He's staring at it intently, like something is supposed to be happening, but for the longest time it doesn't.
But then it starts to smoke a little, and Rin is suddenly grinning.]
Guess it's coming back slowly, then.
But then it starts to smoke a little, and Rin is suddenly grinning.]
Guess it's coming back slowly, then.
They most certainly are.
[And he's chewing on one as he jumps up to sit on the counter.]
So. Your propensity for starting fights...is that something you've done at home, too?
[And he's chewing on one as he jumps up to sit on the counter.]
So. Your propensity for starting fights...is that something you've done at home, too?
...!
[And he's bending down to take a look.]
Coming back? Your...invisible matches?
[And he's bending down to take a look.]
Coming back? Your...invisible matches?
I'm sneaking around like a consulting detective, my dear fellow! Which I am.
[Shut up.]
I daresay, having invisible matches at your disposal must be quite useful.
[Shut up.]
I daresay, having invisible matches at your disposal must be quite useful.
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