Lying In Wait

He could feel a shift in the conversation as soon as Leeroy claimed he’d have to speak the truth outright. When he spoke like that out of nowhere, it felt almost like a red flag, and Sasha made sure to take what he said with a grain of salt – though why he would lie about his diet, he didn’t know. Maybe he ate something other than food, Sasha reasoned.

But he didn’t want to push the man too far, not when he’d already been so accommodating.

“I imagine they would do the same things anyone would do with organs – sell them to people who need them. It’s good money, and it’s easier than looking for the odd mad scientist who wants them. Really, if you’re into human experimentation, it’s probably easier to just kidnap people yourself. Much cheaper, too. So I don’t see much risk for someone like you.”

“Hmm.” The corner of his lip quirked up slightly. “I was right, speaking to you is mildly entertaining.” He took his phone out and began to compose a message.

‘Have you been banned from school area yet? Many interesting people around.’

“You’re seriously considering it? That’s far more than I expected.” From what Sasha had seen, Leeroy was terribly upright. To be so upright that he’d consider going to the black market just to help people… “Maybe you should apply for sainthood.” He chuckled.

“It’s a good thing, in my book. Don’t know if it’s good in yours.”

He finished sending his text before turning his attention back to Leeroy. “Mm? It’s not that far of a walk, not when you have as much free time as I do. The joys of being mostly unemployed, you know. I just didn’t have anything better to do. Where were you planning to go, anyways?”

He hadn’t decided yet if Niccolò would find Leeroy a worthy pursuit. He was imagining some sort of soft aura, maybe white… though of course, the fact that he exploded on occasion could lend some more interesting colours to him.

“Oh?” Sasha raised an eyebrow. “I’ll make sure not to miss them next time. Sounds like a good time.”

He shrugged. “I did say mostly unemployed. Money is no longer an issue for me, but thank you.” He gave the man a nod. “Home, hmm? I suppose at times like this I simply wander. The island is, after all, full of interesting people. Did you know at least one of your students is a murderer? Or, well, you might not teach her. But she’s almost definitely a student at Starlight.”

“You act as if I get my money from illegal sources. All I did was make a rich friend.” A rich friend who was far too generous for his own good.

Sasha shook his head at Leeroy’s hushed statement. “No, I don’t think anything, and from what I can tell it had nothing to do with her powers... she was simply trying to get her way, and quite willing to kill for it. She was absolutely brilliant… you should have seen her efficiency. The man was twice her size, but not only did she dispatch him in a second, she cleaned the body away within a few minutes.” Guinevere, he’d heard her called. Guinevere Haze. “She’s only a bit taller than five feet. I would tell you more, but if you start acting too suspiciously around her, she might well kill you too. Certainly I’ve had my guard up since I spoke to her.”

“Her hair was silver,” he said softly. “I would call it unusual, but everything seems to go, around here…”

“I did it because I thought it was an interesting thing to talk about, not for your sake. Currently I believe I would genuinely forgive your death if it happened in a particularly intriguing manner.”

Sasha glanced towards Leeroy at his next statement. “Do you, now. I suppose she has a certain presence to her, yes…”

And then he stopped. He drank in everything Leeroy had to say, and for once in his life he found himself genuinely surprised. It sounded like a bad joke.

But from what he could tell, Leeroy was an honest man, and Starlight Academy had just gotten a lot more interesting. “…The amount of power in this area is astounding. I don’t think a simple man like me can hold up.”

“…I was sent a letter some time ago, which promised safety and freedom in the Manta Carlos islands. I’ve begun to fear it wasn’t a lie.”