GODLY AUDIENCES: RAY

[divus]

Comments

WEEK 4, SATURDAY

[divus]

[In the game room, Ray will find Merriment laying on the billiard table. The balls have been replaced but he's staring up at the ceiling when Ray walks in.]

What's up?

[selfimmolates]

[staring at the ceiling is a mood.]

I'm thinking of switching to you next week—for All Nighter.

[divus]

Okay. [That's apparently fine.] They could use a third party, especially if Ishi's down a hand. And you've usually got four weapons on you at any given time, so more ground to cover...especially since Ai was using her power for other priorities.

[selfimmolates]

Was she really just using it to practice?

[divus]

Yeah. [A shrug.] We never spoke, so I just figured...maybe she wanted to be left alone.

[Merriment's used to keeping people at arm's length.] I was hoping Taka and Ishi would find her but looks like a murderer did instead.

[selfimmolates]

Most people probably wouldn't expect a dance studio to be important, I guess.

[divus]

Try telling that to Love. [A sigh.] But you're right. She got away with it for a while.

[selfimmolates]

It's one of the best powers in this competition, and she used it for that. I still can't believe it.

[divus]

I know, right? I don't want to get into how disappointed I am, but I'm a little disappointed. [...] I should've tried to talk to her myself. Maybe that would've changed things, but oh well.

...thanks for helping cover Ishi and Taka today.

[selfimmolates]

[he shrugs.]

Nice job lying during trial today. It was hard not to laugh a little at you playing along with Ishikirimaru being chilled.

[divus]

[There's a laugh at least.] Well, let's just say I'm used to getting away with things. I'm only as good as the people playing along.

[selfimmolates]

Then it's a good thing that everyone in the know was a decent liar. I'm actually impressed we managed to hide Ishikirimaru's missing hand.

For now, anyway.

[divus]

Even if that comes out, what're they going to do about it now? They don't know what alignment he's with, and there're bigger things to worry about.

...I wouldn't go around shouting about it, but you know.

[selfimmolates]

Still, he'll be able to move more freely if he's not under suspicion.

[divus]

Then what're you guys planning to free him up from scrutinizing eyes? Can we make him a fake hand, maybe?

[selfimmolates]

That's the idea for now, though I can only do so much. [us: who's friends with hiro.] We were also thinking about asking a god for a favour.

[divus]

[God.] You know how favors work, Ray. You'd have to do something big to make that work. But it depends on the god as well.

[selfimmolates]

Yeah, which is why I'm not counting on it. Ishikirimaru's just going to have to be a glove fanatic from now on, probably.

Which god do you think would be best, though?

[divus]

...you can try appealing to Justice and tell him it's a favor for me. Otherwise, go for one of the softer ones. Love, Beauty, Sincerity...any of those you can trust. Piety, too. He's got a soft spot for Ishi, I think.

[selfimmolates]

So not Indulgence. The others will be happy to hear that.

[divus]

Definitely not. I don't think he'd even see it as a huge problem. It happens when you're spoiled.

[selfimmolates]

I can see why he's not incredibly popular.

[divus]

He's exhausting, I try to avoid him as much as possible for that reason. But those would be my guesses. You'd just have to figure out how to phrase it.

[selfimmolates]

He's not... that bad.

But all right, I'll think on it.

[divus]

Good luck. ...anything else you're curious about?