Puppy-Fox has shown Lalli what might have been if Emil had declined his uncle’s invitation and another Cleanser, Eric, had taken his place. Now caught up to when Puppy-Fox appeared, Puppy-Fox still has a few final words for Lalli...
“Of course, none of what I’ve shown you with Eric actually happened, and here’s why:” The scene blurred yet again. They stood in a rough camp cleared from a vast forest. Emil, hair suitably sparkly, was among a large crowd of similarly clad spectators surrounding a raised wooden platform upon which stood ‘Eric’, bound, and an impressive older man, scars crisscrossing his stern but kind face.
“CLEANSERS!” the man began at a volume just shy of the Shouty One’s. “You have been accepted into our family, regardless of anything in your past! This second chance--to show your true quality, without the weight of your past dragging you down--is not something to be taken lightly!” He turned to ‘Eric’. “Behold the consequences when that second chance, the trust we place in all of you to be as family to us and each other, is BETRAYED!”
A truly massive man cloaked in black stepped up behind ‘Eric’, unfurling a nasty-looking bullwhip.
“This one was accepted into our family as ‘Eric Smed’, and, had he honored that bond, he would have lived and died under that name, an honored member of our company. Instead, he tried to force himself on one of our fellows, violating the trust in which we all live, and, failing that, he killed her, against all that we hold dear!”
An angry murmur passed through the crowd.
“Now, as justice for this crime against every standard of Cleanser-hood, ‘Eric Smed’, or, as he will once again be known, Ivor Vit, will be flogged and used as TROLL-BAIT!” The cheers prevented him from continuing for some time. “Having broken the Cleanser-bond in the worst possible way, and having diminished us as a company, a nation, and as a whole, he will now serve to diminish our enemies!”
The noise of the crowd’s cheers cut off, leaving Lalli alone with Puppy-Fox.
“Not that you will believe this, but I was the one who heeded the murdered girl’s calls for justice by drawing the searchers to her body.” Puppy-Fox stared at now-Lalli intently. “So, are you finally properly grateful, human?”
Lalli nodded, unable to speak.
“OK. That’s all I wanted.” Puppy-Fox looked at him for a moment. “You know I’ll have to make you forget all this, right?”
Lalli nodded again.
“Well, I will leave the notion in your mind that it might have been all kinds of worse without Emil along, so you’ll keep some of that gratitude that we’re due.” They were back in the bunk area, Lalli lying on the nice wooden flats as he watched Puppy-Fox. “Farewell, Lalli Hotakainen. We may meet again, but not soon.”
Lalli slept...