GODLY AUDIENCES: SENRI

[divus]

Comments

WEEK 3

[divus]

[Senri will find Fortune sitting at the riverbank in her wing, playing with the origami fortune teller. She unfolds the flap that says "nice to meet you" as he approaches, and looks up at him, gesturing for him to sit down next to her.]

It's nice to meet you, too.

[usogi]

[this is so much better than the psychic's den he can't even begin to say how relieved he is, wow.

senri will go sit next to her though, offering her a smile.]

Hehe, do you think my fortunes will come true? I put a lot of positive energy into them.

.... sorry - it took me so long to see you.

[divus]

I hope they do.

[she really hopes they do!!]

...no, it's okay. We know about all of you... I sort of had a feeling my room was going to put you off. I'm not mad or anything.

[usogi]

.... sorry, really bad memories.

[hE'S SO SCARED OF THAT ROOM]

Thanks for meeting me out here instead.

... how are you feeling?

[zero sure is a number,]

[divus]

Of course.

[this wouldn't be a very fun audience if he was scared to death]

...I'm okay. I knew one of my followers was going to leave me already, so I was... planning on trying to meet more people this week anyway. I just have to act fast.

[usogi]

[ . . . ]

Do you know what happens - if you don't? I'm gonna try for you too, and see who I can convince but...

[divus]

That's up to all of you, I think.

[usogi]

Huh...?

[he tilts his head at that]

It's up to us what happens to you? What do you mean?

[divus]

Losing all of our followers is... grounds for being eliminated, but it's not a guarantee of elimination.

[Fortune sighs.]

For example... if there's another trial this week, and whichever god loses a follower puts me up there... who do you think will be lost, if I don't have any followers to give up?

[usogi]

[ . . . . ]

Oh -

[fuck. his mouth presses into a thin line]

... okay. Well - it doesn't make sense to vote for you if you don't have anyone who could've been responsible.

So... that won't happen.

[divus]

[She shakes her head.]

...no, it would make sense. Voting for a god with no followers is a way to ensure that nobody other than that god is taken out of the game.

And we're all responsible for you being here... there may be some of you who would rather see a god pay directly for what's happening.

[usogi]

[ . . . ]

But not you - right?

Of all the gods who were voting on how to make us play the game, you didn't vote for it to happen like this. That's what I heard... is that right?

[divus]

That's right... but I wasn't able to stop it from happening, either.

[usogi]

But... you don't like how the competition's been going, right?

I don't think that you should make a sacrifice in a game that you didn't want to participate in in the first place...

[divus]

I'm not saying I want to make a sacrifice, Senri. I'm saying there are some people here who would see voting for a god as more acceptable than voting for one of you, whether I wanted the contest to be this way or not.

[usogi]

[he crosses his arms and as if it's the simplest thing in the world:]

Then I'm going to talk them out of it.

[divus]

[Oh, Senri.]

I hope you're able to.

[usogi]

[and he offers her a smile]

... just watch me. I'll make it all work out.

But before then.... can I get to know you better too? If I know more about you, maybe it'll help me find the right people to join your side.

[divus]

I'll be watching.

[She's probably smiling back, but it's hard to tell with the mask.]

...of course you can. I'm sure you know this already, but... you'll have to ask me questions. I can't just start... [she waves a hand] Telling you everything out of nowhere.

[usogi]

Ah, I know - I hate it. I'd like to just hear stories about you all... I'm sure you've all led really interesting lives.

[he's very much a storyteller and performer at heart? but he just hums thoughtfully]

... why are you the god of Fortune? I didn't get a good look at everything in your room... but you must really enjoy that stuff, right?

[divus]

Not exactly...

[Fortune giggles.]

You know what "fortunate" means, right, Senri?

[usogi]

Um.... being lucky?

[he's trying,]

[divus]

Exactly.

[A beat.]

The fortune-telling stuff is just a play on words. Luck is what I have power over.

[usogi]

Ohh, that's really neat! I think that having good luck on your side makes your whole life better.

[divus]

In some ways, it does.

[In others... well. Less said of that, the better.]