P3: Chapter Seven

BeAutyBrokEn

Upon respawning in the Tee Dome, BeAutyBrokEn was told that a principle waited for her in the common room. She took a moment to swallow her frustration; frustration at getting killed, frustration with M2suh, frustration that she was being called to deal with someone. The moment was enough, now she was ready to face whatever or whoever was waiting.

She opened the door and started down the stairs to the common room. Before she had reached the bottom of the stairs she heard a squeal and knew exactly who was waiting for her. A look at the principle, followed by focusing on it

BuddercuP

Level 1

Wallet-0Au

confirmed her suspicions. She didn’t need to see a name to recognize her friend's new principle, as she looked practically identical to her first principle other than one glaring addition, two large butterfly wings. “Beauty! Beauty, I’m so glad you’re here. They told me you were on a mission and weren’t expected back for a few more days.”

“Yeah, things didn’t go as planned.”

“I wanna hear all about it. Come on, I got a table and a jug of Tonic.” BuddercuP took BeAutyBrokEn’s hand and led her to the table. When they were seated with cups of Tonic before them she continued the conversation, “So what happened, I heard you had a partner where are they? Who are they?”

“Right now he goes by M2suh. I don’t know where he is or what happened.”

“What do you mean, right now?”

“Huh?”

“You said, right now he goes by M2suh, what did you mean by that?”

“When I first met him he was called Ragnar, Ragnar got Tokened, and I met M2suh. He wanted to work together so he could get strong enough to get the principles wh Tokened Ragnar. I agreed to work together, I thought he liked me.” BeAutyBrokEn finished in a quiet voice.

“Oh, I see. You liked him didn’t you.” When BeAutyBrokEn nodded assent BuddercuP continued. “Sounds like you like each other, so what happened? Why are you here and he’s not?”

BeAutyBrokEn groaned and put her elbows on the table she rested her face in her hands and said, “I don’t know, I got mad at something he said and started to walk off then I got killed.”

“What did he say? Did he kill you?”

“I don’t know I’ve been thinking about that since I respawned. I was walking away so I had my back to him, the blow that killed me hit me in the back. M2suh’s weapon is throwing knives, I hadn't seen any other principle for a while. He must have killed me, I don’t know what other conclusions there could be.”

“You’re right, the evidence seems pretty damning. But could I play devil's advocate?”

BeAutyBrokEn nodded her consent.

“You didn’t see him throw the knife, you don’t even know if it was a knife that killed you?”

BeAutyBrokEn shook her head and said, “no,” in a small voice. “But there was no else around.”

“Maybe, but the Tbag who Tokened me flew and used a bow and arrow to get the drop on me, isn't it possible that’s what happened?”

“I guess. But if that's the case where is M2suh? He should have respawned by now.”

“Well, there is one option, you are here, so M2suh must have fought the Tbag long enough to protect you from being Tokened. If that’s what happened then there are two possibilities; the first is he fought and lost then was Tokened, the other is he won and was delayed on the way back.”

“Oh man, If it’s the first option I’ll feel so guilty. But you could be right, he could be coming back and maybe he’s in trouble. I know, I’ll go out and try to find him.” as soon as the words had left BeAutyBrokEn’s mouth, she was standing up to leave.

When BuddercuP said, “Wait, I’ll come with you.” BeAutyBrokEn waited for her friend to join her then they headed to the door together. Before they reached the doorway a shadow filled it. The shadow slithered through the door and towards them, revealing itself to be M2suh.

“Beauty! Oh, Beauty, I’m glad to see you,” he said, as soon as he was close enough to speak and not shout.

But it wasn’t BeAutyBrokEn who answered, it was BuddercuP who spoke. “So you’re this M2suh I’ve been hearing about. Did you stab my friend in the back?”

M2suh, who had holstered his knives before entering the Tee Dome, held up his empty hands, “no, no it wasn’t me I swear,” he said, “It was that Tbag, I’m sorry it got the drop on me, I should have been paying better attention. Sorry.”

BeAutyBrokEn felt a rush of emotion at his ardent defense. “Don’t worry about it, it’s in the past. What happened, I mean you must have won,” she shrugged, “We’re both here, right?”

M2suh’s reptilian face broke into a grin, “I don’t think it knew I also use a ranged weapon, and for underestimating me I Tokened him.” he looked a BeAutyBrokEn. “I’m sorry that’s not the truth, the Tbag made me angry when he killed you.” he paused for a moment then looked at BuddercuP. “I’m sorry that’s not the whole truth either. I killed him because he shot you in the back, I Tokened him because he Tokened you.” he pointed to BuddercuP.

“Well aren't you the noble one?” BuddercuP replied sarcastically. “If you’re so noble why did you make my friend wait? It couldn’t have taken so long to Token them and come back.”

“Relax,” BeAutyBrokEn said to her friend, then returned her attention to M2suh, “She’s right though it did take you a long time to return here after I was killed, did something happen? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” M2suh nodded, “but you’re right something happened. Do you remember that Penny Cop lady?” he asked BeAutyBrokEn.

She nodded, “Yes, we met her while hunting the Tbag, right?”

“Yeah, exactly. I ran into her on my way back here.”

“You did?” BeAutyBrokEn blurted.

“Yes she was looking for us. She had just had a crazy experience, I don’t totally understand, it was something to do with butterflies and burning bushes. Something talked to her, it told her that there are two computer programs, one of them was talking to her and it told her how to get a principle’s IP address. To do it she needed me to Token her.”

“And you did?” BuddercuP asked with disgust in her voice.

“Yeah. She insisted I do it, I got the sense that she would have been more upset if I didn’t. It didn’t seem like a big deal, I’m going to ask you to do the same thing.” M2suh said, shrugging.

“What!? You want us to Token you?”

M2suh shrugged again, “I do. Penny said that we can create a skill that will tell a principles’ IP address. I don’t have the patience to wait till I can create a new skill. If you won’t do it I’ll go to the Black Hand, I just didn’t want to give them the boost.”

“I’d do it.” BuddercuP said, “But I’m only level one, sorry.”

“Fine.” BeAutyBrokEn scowled, “I’ll do it, but I’m not happy about it.”

“Maybe that will make it easier.” BuddercuP offered.

“Either way we should not do it in here,” M2suh said.

“Fine, I know a place.” BeAutyBrokEn lead the three of them out the door.