As Talulah guided Doctor Sirius Nakamura through the thick forest, there seemed to be a sort of spell cast over them. It may have just been Sirius overthinking it, but he felt very far away from everyone else despite knowing it was only a hundred meters or so. When she stopped, the forest was eerily silent with only the sound of a few birds flying ahead. As Talulah turned, Sirius tensed up, ready to run. It was a foolish idea, since he knew he wouldn't make it far if he did, but what else could he do? She saw this and gave him a look, warning him not to.
"I recall saying that you would be returned after a talk with you. There is no need to worry."
".... If I didn't see you annihilate the whole squad back in Chernobog, I might have believed you."
"Fair enough, though I must commend them for fighting bravely. Very few would do so against me."
"....."
Sirius didn't know what to make of this. What could the enemy leader possibly want with him? There were no words to say between them. They were both fighting for universally the same thing, but in different ways. Now that things had gone this way with them fighting each other, there didn't seem to be a way out. One would have to give up something important if there was going to be a truce, but judging from Talulah's expression, she didn't seem to be here for that kind of talk. He decided to ask a question instead of respond to her comment.
"Why did you bring me here? And what fo-"
"Do you really not remember anything at all?"
"I-.."
Those words left him at a loss of what to say. He didn't expect the conversation to go there. Sure, he might have expected her to order him to surrender or warn him of all the tragedies ahead if he continued, but nothing prepared him for this question. He took a look at her expression. She was studying him rather curiously, with no ill intent at all.
"Take off your mask, Doctor Sirius. There is no reason to hide it in front of me."
He wondered if this was some sort of trick by her: letting his guard down and then taking him down, but there was no point in all the action. She simply could burn him on the spot. Hesitantly, he took off his mask and held it in his hand. He took off his hood as well, assuming that she meant that to be taken off as well. She then studied his features with a look of interest.
"Oh? A shame someone young like you has to go against me. They really didn't give you much of a choice, did they?"
Sirius remained silent, feeling a little more anxious. He needed to keep his calm and calculated thoughts or else he might be the next charred human. Talulah walked around him slowly, looking at him.
"Speak, Doctor. You have my permission to. There is no need to stay silent in a meeting between two enemy leaders. You may address me by my name and I shall by yours."
Sirius stayed silent a bit longer, wondering what to say. This was exactly where he didn't want his life to go. Speaking with a girl alone was something he absolutely terrible at. He panicked slowly, thinking of what to say with fragments of thoughts. He cleared his throat and say the first thing that came to his mind.
"The weather looks nice-"
Sirius instantly stopped talking. In his mind, he was thinking things among the lines of "Why did I say that. Kill me. Make me disappear. God, why me?". Talulah took a second to look at him and gave a light chuckle, deciding to give the poor boy some mercy.
"I didn't imagine you to be like this, but I rather like it. Who knew that the all famous Doctor I've been waiting to meet would turn out like this? Not even a minute ago, you seemed all too defensive."
