GODLY AUDIENCES: RAY

[divus]

Comments

WEEK 0

[divus]

[When Ray arrives, he'll find that there's a masked figure seated on the floor of the dance studio, soft music playing in the background. Ray's offering is on a plate in front of them and when they sees him they look up and give him their undivided attention.]

Hi Ray. [It's calm and gentle, hands folded primly in their lap as they wait for him.]

[selfimmolates]

[but why the fucking dance studio.]

Yo. [...] Or is that impious?

[divus]

[Do you have a PROBLEM with the studio, Ray? Rude. But there's a laugh instead so no, not impious.]

Not really. I don't mind. [Still, they seem to be staring at him from behind the mask before they scoot back just a bit and pats a spot on the floor.] Come sit.

[Come sit and mourn my messed up HTML, sorry Jan.]

[selfimmolates]

[smh

but okay, he'll sit. being stared at from that mask is creepy, though.]

Do you not like cookies?

[divus]

I do! I really do, it's just...[Give them a moment to lift their hands, tugging fruitlessly at the mask. Doesn't seem to budge.] I don't know why it's stuck like this.

[They sound kind of pouty about it, too. This sucks.]

[selfimmolates]

... Ah. I'll think of something else next time.

[if there is a next time. but good to know they can't remove their masks??]

So, the masks aren't part of your usual getup?

[divus]

It's okay. Really. [They're pretty mad at the mask!!] The masks came with the job, but before this we were able to remove them. It's...I think it has something to do with you guys. It's early, so maybe we aren't allowed to show ourselves yet. [They could muse on that forever, but.]

Tell you what. I'll be able to eat it later and I'll tell you how it was. You made it yourself, right? [Love just Knows Things.]

[selfimmolates]

... Well, if you eat it later, it'll probably be stale by then. With that said, yeah, I did.

[divus]

I didn't think the mask would meld to my face, okay? [Another annoyed tug.] And stale's okay. It'll be a few hours old, but I don't get treats like this very often. So thank you.

[selfimmolates]

No problem. I take it, then, that stuff like this will work for future offerings?

[until ray inevitably scorns them by defecting, but.]

[divus]

For me? Yeah. [They also sound very pleased with that, like they're delighted at the idea that maybe future offerings will come.] It's a very sweet gesture, but I wish I could offer you more than some answers.

[Do they assume that's why he's here? Maybe just a little.]

[selfimmolates]

I'll take what I can get. When are we going to get more info on this entire thing?

[divus]

Soon. [They don't sound too happy about that.] Have you talked to Patience yet?

[selfimmolates]

Sure did. Kind of interesting that one of you isn't taking part in this competition.

[divus]

It's a little weird. [And not entirely something Love feels sure of themselves. There's a moment where they shift, leaning back on their hands and appraising Ray again.] What else did Patience say?

[selfimmolates]

You don't already know?

[divus]

What's wrong with asking for your perspective on it?

[selfimmolates]

Why would you want my perspective...? Anyway, she just confirmed some stuff for me. That the kitchen would be restocked, we'll all be here for about six weeks and get to go home at the end of this, time shouldn't be passing back there, and stuff about this being a new world. Do you not know how you became a god either?

[divus]

Because it's important to me. [There's a long, lengthy pause.] ...it's complicated, I guess. But let's just say we all made some choices.

Patience was right about the rest though. Everything back home is frozen, sort of, so you don't have to worry about people thinking you're missing or anything.

[selfimmolates]

[choices, huh...]

What I'm worried, first and foremost, is something happening while I'm not there. You already know what I'm fighting for here, right?

[divus]

Your family. Keeping them safe and changing that system...[It's hard to continue. The idea makes them a little emotional because yes, they know what sort of situation Ray's coming from and what he's trying to accomplish here.]

...I promise you they'll be safe until you return. It's part of time being frozen.

[selfimmolates]

Good, because if you're wrong or lying about that, then I will find a way to come back here and do something about it.

[and he's deadly serious about that.]

Any info at all you can give me at this point?

[divus]

[Holy shit Ray calm the hell down. Love, despite being a little alarmed, seems to have enough composure not to respond.]

Consider that a promise on your part then. [They take this very seriously.] What else do you want to know? There's a lot of you here and a lot of things happening.

[selfimmolates]

[ray CAN'T CALM DOWN]

Let's see... what're the west and east wings for? Let's start with that.

[divus]

Those? [They wave a hand as if it doesn't matter.] Those are going to be areas that might help you in the future. You'll get to see them soon enough, I think. But I can't be sure what's behind the doors yet.