halved | catch-all: ashlyn.

So it's not as simple as just dealing with the people in that room... What do they even want with you?

I don't know. Power of some kind, probably. That's usually how these things work in stories.

That's how things work in real life, too. So that sounds right.

I don't want to have to care about their stupid internal politics and in-fighting...

You shouldn't have to. It's not fair that you got caught up in their crap.

... It's just something I'll have to worry about later. There's nothing I can learn or figure out from here, I don't think.

[... she nods, though obviously very unhappy about this.]

Sorry.

Don't be. We just need to focus on the situation at hand.

Hey, I can be worried about both this situation and yours.

I... guess. But one is obviously more pressing.