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[This is becoming a rather tiring tradition, but only in the sense that the Trumps keep making it necessary. Naoki's not one to leave people hurting if he can do something about it.]

All right, who else needs a mercury poisoning antidote?

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Ah, healing gifts. Many’s the time where I’ve sorely regretted the lack of such abilities. Can those be taught and learned in this place like teleporting?

It depends on the type of healing. There's some magic that's freely available, and more than a few of us who know basic first aid. My usual fallback can technically be taught, but the process isn't exactly pleasant and there's no guarantee that'd come with it as a result.

As for this specific instance, I'm not sharing that. I don't trust myself with half of what it's capable of.

[There's a very short list of people Naoki would even contemplate explaining alchemy to.]

There are many unpleasant lessons worth learning, but if there is a freely available alternative that works just as well, I can see why you’d recommend that. I would not be adverse to even first aid. What skills I have picked up aren’t necessarily the best.

[He pauses, lost in his own thoughts, but then chimes back in. A part of him itches to ask, but he can understand not volunteering information so he holds back.]

My, that sounds powerful and dangerous. I applaud your sense of responsibility with it.

Being yelled at by yourself is never fun, and I don't think any of us want to try to recreate the only alternative I'm aware of. As far as first aid goes, though, I think there might be a push for some kind of wider lessons soon, and if there isn't, that's something I can definitely handle.

[Well, if he's that curious, Jolie did call it by name, and Naoki didn't deny what it was. That'd probably explain a lot.]

There's some powerful stuff around here that can't be completely locked down. [No matter how much some people might want it to be.] This, though, I'm pretty sure I was the only person who ever had in the first place.

[It so happens that Tybalt can be a terrible snoop when he wants to be, and while he's listening in he does happen to come across that explanation. And, ah, it does explain quite a lot.]

No, I don't imagine it would be, although I'm drawing somewhat of a blank on how it could happen. But then! Our worlds are surely very different.

In some ways, it seems, but not others. A shame I'm the only one here from mine. A sometimes companion of mine would surely love to compare notes with you, if he were here.

[That would be Tybalt's quiet way of letting Naoki know that he was listening in, and perhaps further discussion might be best in private, should he be concerned about word getting out.]

So far, the only time it's come up has been in a couple of dungeons.

Well, if they ever turn up, it might make for an interesting conversation. [It's not the exact skill he's worried about being out there so much as what all it can do. Naoki doesn't really keep how he's whipping up all these antidotes secret.]

Dungeons?

I will be sure to point him your way, should he arrived. In the meantime, it seems an additional pre-emptive declaration of my deepest appreciation is in order, just in case. One would hope there would be fewer poisonings, druggings, and attempts at alchemical mind control here than at home, but it's already shaping up to be another similarity. A distressing one, I might add.

[That's both fishing for affirmation that Naoki could counter all of those things, and a round-about way of saying he'll be the first to ask for cures should any of those things happen.]

When people come back from disappearing for a while, it's usually in a dungeon. Sometimes it just happens without the actual disappearing.

So our wonderful hosts throw people in dungeons from time to time? Surely they mean it as an edifying experience and not something more sinister.

[The sarcasm is strong with this one.]

Whether the Trumps mean it as anything in particular, or are even the ones doing it, I couldn't say. What I can say is they're rarely fun for the person stuck in one.

I have a feeling the image of a dark hole with manacles is falling short of what they actually are, considering what you mentioned earlier. So how can a dungeon end up with someone yelling at themselves? Or rather, what has my lack of experience left me bereft of when trying to grasp the concept?

The dungeons I'm used to back home, not to mention many of them here, don't have manacles so much as twist your subconscious against you. The worst of it leads to all the crap you've been repressing taking physical form and haranguing you until you admit it's part of you.

And if you don't - and I've never seen anyone not deny it first - it goes berserk and tries to kill you.

That does sound... messy. A dreadful challenge, as well. I wouldn't want to have my own subconscious arraying all its power against me. I suppose the reward of new powers makes the ordeal easier to swallow, but then again, are they worth it?

Is there any pattern to people ending up in them?

I think it was worthwhile. But I also wasn't actively seeking it out and wouldn't wish that hell on anyone, especially not with how badly it can go wrong.

At home we were dealing with a serial kidnapping case. Here... a handful of people usually disappear after any given jaunt, and some of them resurface anywhere from hours later to months or even years. Others just don't come back.

One could say we're also dealing with serial kidnappings, really. Although developing the powers to get yourselves free, pardon me if I've assumed too much there, is quite the accomplishment.

Hm, do any of those who disappear report anything about how they do? Should we find them again, of course.

It wouldn't have been possible without backup.

...that's a good question, actually. If they have, I haven't been around for it.

Then I'm glad you had such skilled backup!

Something to look into for the future, then, although I'm personally not sure where to start asking.

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