enmity and guilt.

She kept forgetting how serious Bison was. They were not yet the same as Penguin Logistics, but it was for the better. The person standing before her was someone who could be the only brain cell that Penguin Logistics needed because Emperor was certainly not going to use it when he didn’t want to, Texas was too tired with everyone’s bullshit, and Mostima was never there to actually provide some logic. Bison would be the only person who could provide common sense, but then again? If anything, Caster herself sucked at providing any straight advice. This was yet another time when Bison would not get any answers as Mostima would dance around any word she was saying. She gave those vague gestures, but today she was more talkative than usual. Most likely thanks to the ice cream they were eating together now.

“Hm~ Well, with everyone around, you need to think several steps ahead of where you have more than one shot. Don’t live just in this moment, think about the expanse of the things that you’re jumping into,” Mostima made a thoughtful sound as she turned to them, giving a usual smile of her own. The blue-haired woman never seemed to be fazed by anything happening in this world. She laughed even when bullets were flying in the air, it reminded her of Exusiai’s shots and when they were fighting mobs, she’d think of those days when she was more often around. Not anymore. One-shot? It was too little, it was a second, but maybe they all needed to have someone who lived in one realm instead of thousands. Mostima’s understanding of time was so strange. One-shot could include so many things. “But as I said before, Bison, common sense doesn’t really work with them, y’know? Just relax, have fun, ease up. They’ll teach ya a lot. You’re smart, but don’t let that smart brain of yours to get in the way of your natural talents that you are to find.”

There was potential if they were here. A potential that Penguin Logistics would open. Emperor wouldn’t have kept them if there wasn’t a great potential. She could already see it, but it’s not like she would outright tell Bison that.

“Good grief….”

To say that little stunt gave the woman a minor heart attack would be something of an understatement, really. She can’t help but wonder if it’s Exusiai who was the bad influence on Mostima, or if it had actually been Mostima who gave Exusiai her gremlin-like moments. At least to Tessa’s credit she didn’t scream, only jolted in her skin a little from being surprised on this fine evening, and surprisingly didn’t drop the pack of cigarettes she had been ready to open up.

As unhealthy as it was, it felt natural, and just a little closer to the person she used to be.

“….Nothing in particular, it’s just as you say. I slipped out to watch the stars seeing as I couldn’t get to sleep.”

Absentmindedly, the doctor pockets one of her few vices and her eyes flicker back towards the open window and the view of the darkened sky, beautifully decorated with endless starlight.

“I assume you’re here to do the same? To stargaze, I mean.”

The stargazing wasn’t exactly what she was here for. It was more like she was back after her small rendezvous, making sure that no one from Penguin Logistics will notice. The concept of time completely slipped Mostima’s mind, she was always existing somewhere in-between the clocks that tick tocked away the lives of so many. And she was not like them, unable to just be in one place for too long. The time was becoming stagnant, stopping, and then rapidly moving. How lucky of Rhodes Island was to meet Mostima when Emperor called for her, the only being in this world who could get to her with relative ease.

“Heeh~? Doctor can get scared from such a small prank?” There’s another chuckle as Mostima walked closer to the woman, light in her step and not caring about what impression she just delivered. Those gremlin antics were undoubtedly a part of her charm, but it seemed that Exusiai might have had taken those parts to herself as well. Not surprising since they spent a lot of time together before, but how long ago was it? It seemed like all too distant of a memory.  “And not exactly wrong. I’m always wandering around; it doesn’t matter what time it is.”

Mostima could remember the ruins she was traveling through when it was pitch black outside. Only the Moon and the stars were her guides in that abandoned place. So quiet, but not here. Rhodes Island was so vivid and so bright with different sounds. There was always someone working, someone going around, someone sneaking out just like Dr. Ardere did.

nah. i mean /present/ time. in the current arc. in the past, it’s cool.

although CoB takes place at least months AFTER the current story, so as long as exusiai and the rest of the penguin logistics aren’t there… it could happen?

what if motisma met reunion before talulah became possessed and everyone was actually good and well for a while. they could have shared a meal, maybe promising to meet one another again on good terms… then flashforward to now.