( lesportesenrose )

                 ( Which of the two do you prefer? )

       That had the ring of a trick question, particularly when it came from one of the Luteces. By default, Elizabeth leaned towards preferring the dawn; but if she made that choice aloud and found that it was contrary to Rosalind’s expectation, she’d make herself out as quite a fool. Was she meant to choose the darkness? Was there some symbolism here that she was failing to grasp? Lord, if the Luteces would only speak plainly! They were only leading Booker and Elizabeth in circles, tossing riddles out like empty bones and watching the dogs run to scrabble for nonexistent marrow.

            And had Rosalind not just contradicted herself? “Do not hold hope where there is none,” she had said; and insofar as that, Elizabeth could grudgingly admit that the scientist might have a point. Hope was strong, but not unbreakable: with enough strain placed on it, even its stubborn bonds could snap. But then, in the same breath, Rosalind had gone on to say that the darkest hour came before the dawn; which, in Elizabeth’s mind, meant that the hour when hope is most justified matches the hour when it is hardest to keep hope alight. Which, then, was she to believe: that hope was not worth holding onto, or that it always was? 

             Elizabeth pressed a hand to her forehead and grunted out a sigh. Very well: if they would speak in riddles, so would she. In a quiet, uncertain voice, she said, “… both. I— prefer both. Darkness shows us the value of hope; and dawn gives us its reward. Each one is vital to the other, right?”

     _{It had precisely been a trick question… In spite of Elizabeth’s constructive mindset along with those universe warping abilities, the probability that a beneficial outcome were to arise had been considerable. Nevertheless, this aisle may have been affected with certain aspects which presumably led toward a highly complex design and could therefore not be reasoned valuable in this experiment. The Lutece’s had one goal; to ensure an essential death and douse the flames in the most ‘subtle’ of manners. Both brother and sister have discussed the consequences thrust upon the DeWitt’s so unjustly, but neither had any other solution to a dilemma they had been unable to tend toward themselves. All enterprises held hazards and injustice, but these had been obligations under the belt of the FALSE SHEPARD and his LAMB.}

     _{A moral of such dismaying nature, it was only in experience that an individual could gather the data and rule their matters as futile. This has happened more often than once with various altering paths in this very experiment, but thus far, their procedures had been proven appropriate. There is no right or wrong interpretation toward her mentions… In fact, they did not anticipate one or the other but instead something vastly dissimilar. What had been needed to successfully execute tasks and dilemmas had been to interchange perspectives and then hypothesize.}

     _{Always had been such a clever lamb. ”See brother,“ the ginger begins as she directs a minor look toward her familiar, "It isn’t solely black and white. Hues of gray are easily comprehensible, as they should be.” An implied approval on her part, Rosalind readjusted her position to overlook the pair that sought answers– blatant and divulged, although these were nothing like the answers they have and were likely ever to receive.}