A Troubled Man

## Dialogue

* **H.B.**
*"Ah, Cross. Impeccable timing."*
*"Would you be so kind as to drag me out of here?"*
* **Cross**
	+ *Agree*: *Drag H.B. away.*
		- **H.B.**
		*"Your quick thinking never ceases to impress."*
		*"Once again, I find myself being overzealously courted by a number of eager ladies. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I am most certainly not."*
		*"Had I been satisfied living the life of your everyday Joe Pathfinder, I suppose I could have avoided this."*
		*"But alas, this is the price one must pay to be the elite-est of the elite."*
		*"Ah, but I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know! As a fellow elite, you must struggle with this sort of thing yourself, yes?"*
		*"I imagine the good ladies/gentlemen of New LA must hound you relentlessly and without pause!"*
			* *Affirm*: *Admit your popularity with the opposite sex.*
				+ **H.B.**
				*"Ah, I figured as much. You sly dog!"*
				*"And as such, you are the rare soul who can empathize with my pain."*
			* *Deny*: *Say that doesn't really happen to you.*
				+ **H.B.**
				*"I am dreadfully sorry to hear that."*
				*"What could the people of NLA possibly be thinking? After all, there are other perfectly desirable people here besides myself."*
		- **H.B.**
		*"Yes, well, I fear this is no time for a leisurely discussion."*
		*"You must drag me out of here at once. Please feel free to use as much force as you're comfortable with."*
		*"Then it will be you whom the ladies blame for my abrupt departure, and not I."*
		*"In this way, we can spare them a little bit of heartbreak, which is but the classy thing to do. I'll see that I make it up to you later."*
		(END)
	+ *Deny*: *Flatly refuse H.B.'s request.*
		- **H.B.**
		*"I...see."*
		*"If I may be so bold, sometimes I question your judgment as a BLADE."*
		*"These ladies believe that I am humanity's only hope, and will stop at nothing to curry my favor."*
		*"If I were to reject their sad, desperate advances, my reputation would be in tatters. They seek only the solace of a hero, after all."*
		*"As a likely candidate to lead BLADE in the near future, I cannot allow unfavorable rumors about me to circulate amongst the rabble. Surely you understand this?"*
		- **Cross**
			* *Reconsider*: *Agree to drag H.B. away.*
				+ **H.B.**
				*"You have made the right decision, my friend."*
				*"Now it is you the ladies will resent, and not I."*
				*"......"*
				*"Yes, well. Never mind the details. Just take me to your next mission or...whatever else you like."*
				(END)
			* *Inform*: *Say the ladies may like his personality, not his station.*
				+ **H.B.**
				*"I had not considered that."*
				*"You're saying they might actually have true feelings for me?"*
				*"That they might even be unaware that I am the elite-est of all elites?"*
				*"...Then that makes them all the more dangerous!"*
				*"I have no intention of allowing a female companion to distract me from my duties."*
				*"And thus, like poor Phaedra chasing after Hippolytus, I fear their love can never be reciprocated."*
				*"Plus, who knows how they might misinterpret the bond that you and I share, hmm?"*
				*"No, it will not do. I must return to the administrative district and begin drafting countermeasures immediately."*
				(END)