Predators Wake Up Early

EmiRose

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Brünhild listened to Angelo's words as she stretched her abdominal muscles and wondered, how many sad fates the man had encountered during his career. Surely countless, of that Brünhild was sure. It took great mental strength to be able to continue as a police officer. Brünhild respected officer Genovese, as a person and a possible opponent.
"Sorrow and conflict are things embedded in the nature of most things, it's near impossible to escape them. But I'm sure I do not need to tell you that."
Brünhild smiled slightly and leaned her head to the side, beginning to stretch her neck for a bit.
"The island has done many things for me though I have been here for roughly a month. It has opened my eyes in many aspects. Even if I was the one who found it, not other way around."

Brünhild was curious about officer Genovese, but she really did not wish to start prying open anything that may not be ready to be opened. Officer Genovese was more or less mentally stable and had himself together, that much Brünhild could gather. But earlier when he had spoken she had had the feeling he was talking from personal experience.
"Officer Genovese, if you do not mind me asking, was there any particular motivation for you to become a police officer?"
Brünhild recconed this was a harmless enough question, slightly personal but not too much.
 

Romi

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She'd found the island herself? Angelo raised an eyebrow at that. It was... well, unusual to say the least. Most people were found by the scouts, and it was only Angelo second guessing himself that stopped him from outright commenting on it. Maybe she didn't mean found it. Maybe she meant found out about it. That was decently common. Still a distant second to getting found by the scouts, but not exactly unusual. Like people who grew up in supernatural communities.

Her question was pretty harmless, and Angelo answered it with a practiced ease--he got that question a lot--as he worked out.

"I did a lot of messed up stuff when I was growing up," Angelo said, leaving it firmly to her imagination what kind of messed up stuff he was talking about. "So when I got a fresh start here, I figured I'd use my skills for something less awful. Being a cop seemed like a kind of obvious job for me, and it didn't require a ton of stuff I didn't want to do. Just doing the same stuff I already did... for the opposite side."

Which was a very roundabout way of saying I wanted to help people.
 

EmiRose

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Brünhild was slightly confused as to why officer Genovese reacted to her words like he did. Brünhild had found the island through thorough research and multiple connections. She had not wanted to break the Veil and draw attention to herself. Along the years Brünhild had been able to keep herself clean of ny charges and came to the island with a clean slate, at least in law's eyes.

Brünhild had a vivid imagination when it came to "messed up stuff", and many images went through her head as officer Genovese explained his career choice. She had to hold most of them back or otherwise she couldn't have been able to concentrate on his words.
Brünhild was not surprised at the fact that officer Genovese was not a "clean" individual, so to say. Surprisingly few on this island were. He was probably that good of a cop thanks to that fact. And Brünhild could relate to the man's story, surprisingly much. Though in her case Brünhild had not yet reached the point, where she could leave all the messed up stuff she had done behind. But Brünhild, when she would get her work done, wanted to help people. Save lives instead of taking them.
Brünhild wondered what that particular "other side" had been for Angelo.
"I understand that, the need to aid others. It's part of the reason I started working at Blackthorn. It's a place where I can utilize my skills in order to help."
Brünhild, in all honesty, looked up to the job of a police officer, even wished to be one. But she couldn't become one. Probably never. And she had accepted that. Not because she had been the enemy of the law for too long. Angelo had proved that was not an obstacle. But because she didn't have time. Brünhild was going to lose her place on this island soon enough.
"But stepping off the path you have treaded for a long time takes more courage than many believe. Even if it's just going to the "opposite side"."
Brünhild had a knowing tone, that hinted that she was talking from personal experience.
 

Romi

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Courage. Angelo didn't feel like it was courage. Maybe for someone else. For him it had been a relief, an escape. His world had been rapidly closing in on him, threatening to strangle him, and then someone had held out a hand to offer him an escape.

"For some," Angelo said, introspective enough that he stopped his workout as he spoke. He was distracted, for sure. "Maybe not for me. I was young, so it was easier. Harder for adults, set in their ways to change things, but for kids? I figure that's the reason the scouts go after them more than anything else. Kids are ready to be rescued. By the time you're an adult, you're old and jaded and you don't believe anymore. By the time you're an adult, you kind of have to rescue yourself."
 

EmiRose

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Brünhild froze while doing a stretch as she listened to Angelo's answer, fascinated by this new insight. He was right, naturally. Brünhild, a long time ago, had the chance to escape, to be saved. But at the time, despite being a child, had not taken it. Couldn't have taken it. Because it would've required the sacrifice of all those that had suffered alongside her.
Brünhild had a contemplative look in her eyes as she carefully straightened, pondering Angelo's words. She agreed, of course, and nodded. But...she somehow had the look like there was something left unsaid.
"I believe you are right. Few children have the means to rescue themselves, even if they have the courage. What the scouts do, the academy does, is irreplacable. Even if all cannot be saved."
Brünhild and her comrades hadn't been saved. So they had saved themselves, just like Angelo said.
"It must be insolent to say this, but I am relieved. That a person such as you was among the saved."
 

Romi

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Angelo actually laughed at that. Not hard, not cruelly, but... amused. Amused by the way she said it, the flattery.

"I'm nothing special," Angelo said with the most general wave of his hand. "Really. And I was a pretty different person when I showed up here."

He was really, really different. Miles away. The person he'd been when he arrived was barely recognizable to the person he was right then. But the conversation was... almost self-congratulatory? Angelo worried a bit he was talking about himself too much, so he flipped the conversation around.

"So you found this place on your own?"
 

EmiRose

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Brünhild blinked at Angelo's reaction, which was laughter. She could tell the laughter wasn't meant as an insult but it confused Brünhild nevertheless. Had she said something amusing? Brünhild had trouble understanding humour from time to time.
"I suppose the definition of special ranges from person to person. Some say all people are special in their own way. I think I heard it in a cartoon show."
Brünhild shrugged a bit. The comment about a cartoon show was partly a joke, but she had actually heard those particular words in a morning cartoon when she had been skimming the channels.
Brünhild was slightly curious about how different Angelo was talking about but that would've been way too personal of a question to ask.

Brünhild nodded, when Angelo asked his question.
"Yes. I had traveled the world for some decades when I heard of Manta Carlos. It took a bit of research but eventually I was able to find this island. It was worth the trouble."
 

Romi

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Angelo was very much a everyone is special in their own way kind of person. It was the kind of sentiment you'd find in a kids show, but nowhere was it more true than on Manta Carlos. You didn't get to come unless you were extra special in some way. That was just how it was. Even the normal people--the people with no powers, who were just totally average humans--were special for the reasons why they were there.

And Brunhild was apparently special because of how she'd managed to get there.

Angelo let out a low whistle.

"Now that's impressive. Most people don't have even the slightest inkling the island's a thing before someone from the island bursts into their life. You almost never hear about people finding the island all on their own."
 

EmiRose

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Brünhild was surprised by this sudden praise, and rubbed her neck a bit before starting to stretch her sides, feeling slightly flustered. Brünhild did not think of her abilities as anything special, she had not earned them as they had been forced on her. And tracking things down was what a predator did, what Brünhild had been designed to do.
"Thank you, but it's nothing that impressive, really. I merely did what I do best."
Brünhild was a humble individual, and preferred to avoid being in the spotlight. So she wasn't used to receiving compliments, especially from someone she considered socially in a higher standing than her.
"And it helped I was, in a way, part of the supernatural community, since I have been biologically engineered."
 

Romi

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"What you did best was pretty impressive," Angelo insisted. "Most people on the island are supernatural in some way, but most spend their entire lives without realizing Manta Carlos exists. Being able to spot that sort of thing and figure it out... Impressive."

It was. No way around it, and he wasn't going to let Brunhild avoid it.

"Just because someone has the power doesn't mean they know how to use it, and it certainly doesn't mean they have any creativity for it. You're selling yourself short."
 
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