It's not like either of us did any good.

[ Thy'd both gotten slapped around like toys. ]

[Ren squashes the urge to crush and/or throw his cup, though his hand twitches around it. Pitou is right, as much as he hates to admit it. The fact that they both nearly died is a tad more important than any pride or insults.]

It won't always be like that.

[And with those claws of Pitou's, he imagines it'll be the same for them, eventually. The both of them will be able to do something against those kinds of threats in the future. That's the hope, anyway, but it's one he's stubbornly clinging to as he scowls at his drink.]

Hmm?

[ Well, the king of the ants had been very interested in eating a nice strong human. ]

I know there's a power that exists in me. I remember others being terrified of me, but I don't know how to wake it up again.

I'm not sure any of us knows how. From what I understand, it just tends to happen without our input.

[He takes a sip of his drink as he ponders about someone he's met randomly gaining super strength. He's heard no talk of any power-granting training sessions, so he has to assume.]

... doesn't mean it's not worth attempting, I suppose.

You'd think such a direct threat to my life would do the trick.

[ Wouldn't you just... but 'power' isn't really what they feel they've learned from all this. There is a different idea blossoming in the back of their mind: their relationship to that king. ]

If only it were so easy.

[He is, of course, being sarcastic. Almost dying is far from easy.]

Knowing Retrospec, it'll be something far more obtuse.

Apparently your powers are delicious enough.

[ Sly, slightly jealous. ]

What, getting vague feelings about people and dangerous things if I'm lucky?

[He scoffs.]

I'd be surprised if they didn't "taste" undercooked, if anything. They're hardly useful so far.

Is that what you can do? Well, it's something.

[ Something Pitou feels they could hone into more, if only they could just unlock the secret. ]

Do you know what the source is yet? Of these vague feelings?

Not yet, except it's something about people. It doesn't do much more than my other senses right now.

[He's a bit sour about it, if the twist to his lips is any indication.]

Except get me into trouble, I suppose. [That's because your reaction to sensing danger is to run into it, Ren.]