GODLY AUDIENCES: RAY

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

You swapping alignments hardly has anything to do with Senri, does it?

[selfimmolates]

No, but he's my friend [he will never say that word in front of senri] so you'll have to excuse me if I'm invested if something happened between him and one of his favourite gods.

[divus]

[...]

You're friends? [Oh no he sounds delighted and immediately derailing this whole thing.] I never thought I would hear you say that, but very good, Ray-kun.

[selfimmolates]

Don't try and change the subject!

[divus]

But it's important! You wouldn't even agree to being allies with him the last time we spoke!

[selfimmolates]

This is about you and him, not us!

[divus]

Well maybe it should be about you and him and not us!

[In this conversation Ray may realize Beauty is a dumbass teenager.]

[selfimmolates]

Did you have a fight or something!?

[divus]

No!! Well maybe? It wasn't a fight, but it's fine!!

[selfimmolates]

[he sighs.]

What happened.

[divus]

It's been taken care of, Ray-kun. If you're concerned about Senri, then...all I can assure you is that I will do my best to protect him until the end of this game.

[selfimmolates]

I mean, it doesn't seem like it's that "taken care of". Is it anything that'll be making him sad?

[divus]

...do you believe a person can be happy and sad at the same time?

[selfimmolates]

... Yes.

[divus]

Then I suppose you have your answer.

[selfimmolates]

What happened? Did he confess to you and you turned him down, or what?

[divus]

No. It was simply a misunderstanding and now things have changed. [Still vague.] Last week was very busy for him.

[selfimmolates]

[ray just stares because he's not any less concerned??]

[divus]

...please don't doubt the fact that I care for him and want his wish to come true. There were simply unexpected factors along the way.

[selfimmolates]

I don't doubt that—I just want to know why he's apparently sad now!

[divus]

[There's a brief moment before Beauty sighs again.]

Poor timing, truthfully. That's all.

[selfimmolates]

[he just flops onto the table (avoiding the drinks, thanks).]

That doesn't tell me anything...

[divus]

...Ray-kun. Can you tell me why you wish to know? I just want to understand.

[selfimmolates]

... Because from what I know, Senri is the kind of person who'd rather hide any meaningful sadness and keep up the shallow pretense, so there's no way he'll admit to anything on his own.

But given everything else that's already weighing him down, I don't want that for him.

[is ray being a giant hypocrite? yes. but shhh.]

[divus]

[...] You care for him. [That's really sweet though.] You have to consider there are those of us who wish to see other people be happy and we keep our sorrows to ourselves. It's not out of selfishness or ill will, but rather out of wanting to care for other people.

["Us" of course seems to imply himself and Senri both, and maybe that answers some things.]

...as I've said, it was a misunderstanding first on my part, and then on his. But I believe he'll find happiness even among the sadness.

[...] Has it occurred to you that you'll be leaving us soon?