GODLY AUDIENCES: SENRI

[divus]

Comments

[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.]

[usogi]

Only some...?

[he tilts his head]

I was going to ask too - does your godly specialty have something to do with luck? You know, like how Indulgence can summon items more easily....

[divus]

Exactly. I can make someone very lucky, if they earn it... or I can make them unlucky, if I have to.

[clarifying - ]

I haven't had to yet.

[usogi]

Oh!

[senri's expression brightens up at that]

Can you make me super lucky? I think I could use some of that, after everything lately.

[divus]

I'm bound by the rules, so you have to do a task for me first. Let's see...

[Hmm.]

You switched to Justice... have you used your new power yet?

[usogi]

[senri shakes his head]

Not yet.... There's someone in the game who's really bad at admitting he's my friend, so he told me he just wanted me to switch to Justice to use me - in exchange for something else. I was just going to make fun of him for forgetting to use me...

Do you have an idea though, Fortune? Is there something I could do to help get you more followers?

[divus]

Will you tell me which power you picked?

[she's pretty sure she knows but she wants to hear him say it]

[usogi]

Oohh, gods don't know that?

I have Supreme Authority. I've been waiting to use it, but I actually haven't thought of anything that isn't just... funny....

[and might backfire on him,,]

[divus]

We do, but...

[ha ha]

I'm trying to get better about asking instead of just knowing... so I don't frighten people.

[ha ha ha]

...could you... make a rule forbidding people from blaming themselves for things that aren't their fault?

[usogi]

[ . . . . ]

... can I ask why you want me to?

It's a good rule but - .... I guess I'm just curious.