GODLY AUDIENCES: RAY

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

[There's an unsure pause because that's not a possibility they're fond of.]

Should a god lose all of their followers, in a way we become vulnerable in this competition. It limits our options greatly, and it's grounds for being eliminated.

[selfimmolates]

... And how'd Senri take that? If you told him. He was pretty worried.

[divus]

...not well, I'm afraid. But we've spoken and everything's alright.

[selfimmolates]

Yeah, I didn't get the feeling you were going to smite him on the spot for switching.

[divus]

Of course not. I'd like to leave this game with as few casualties on my part, even if it means finding a way to protect my followers despite what they may do.

[selfimmolates]

He was pretty reluctant to tell you. Guess he must really like you.

[divus]

Senri-kun and I have an understanding, yes. [They're kin.] I'll be sad to lose him should he truly choose to defect, but I can only wish him well.

[selfimmolates]

Glad to know you aren't bitter if someone leaves you. [a beat.] I can guess, but just to confirm, which gods really wouldn't take it well?

[divus]

[There's a light laugh even if that's not even remotely funny. Anyway.]

Ruin, Ambition...Indulgence may, though it's hard to say. Cunning, I believe, would try to get even, as would Disorder. Justice I believe would be sad, and though I don't believe he'd say it, I suspect Merriment would be as well, depending.

[selfimmolates]

[note to self: do not switch to cunning unless desperate, in that case.]

About the ones I expected, then. So you, Love, Fortune, Piety, and Sincerity would be relative okay with it?

[divus]

Love would be hurt, but Love has been hurt before that way. [That's not for Beauty to disclose but there it is!] I believe the rest of us would be understanding, as we believe in your free will above all else. Lady Love as well.

Isn't that most important? [Free will.]

[selfimmolates]

I've been hearing that a lot from you guys.

[divus]

[There's a reason for that, maybe.]

The game started with your own free will in agreeing to come here. Why should that be taken away now that you're here?

[selfimmolates]

I'll admit I'm not the most religious person, but from my understanding, "free will" is not a super important concept in all religions.

[divus]

I'm not sure many of us were religious before ascending either. [Like. Just saying.] Our pantheon runs differently as I'm sure you've noticed. Without free will, you wouldn't be able to change alliances either. Seems really silly otherwise.

[selfimmolates]

If only all of you felt the same way. I'd hate to be a Ruin follower with buyer's remorse.

[divus]

Ruin is a sore loser. [Bluntly.] The trouble with free will is it means people also have the free will and capability to hurt others. In that sense, I wish we had tightened up our rules a bit.

[selfimmolates]

There are a lot of reasons why you should've tightened up your rules.

Cunning's also a sore loser, I take it.

[divus]

A very fair point. [There's a sound that's similar to one of agreement.] As are Disorder and Ambition, though I believe all of us have different feelings on the idea of losing. Some of us are more likely to act out than others is all.

You're the boy who's spoken to everyone so far, aren't you? Surely you have first impressions already.

[selfimmolates]

Well, not Indulgence and Ambition, because they didn't accept my offerings.

[buttheads]

And I do, but I like to check things against what others have to say.

[divus]

You do your research then. [A thoughtful sound.] You remind me of someone...[Oh well, that's not important.]

And if the opinions conflict? What then?

[selfimmolates]

[unsure if reminding them of someone is a good thing.]

Then at best, it's a matter of conflicting beliefs or a misunderstanding somewhere. At worst, someone is lying.

[divus]

How do you deal with liars, Ray-kun? [Not in general, Ray specifically. It's a test and Ray should maybe be a little worried.]

[selfimmolates]

[uhhhhhhhhhh]

Depends on why they lied.

[divus]

It's a why and not a what? [To Beauty, the reasons behind a lie and the kind of lie it was are two different things and they're curious how Ray views them.]