[The smile is clear in her voice, though it's nowhere close to the almost sickly saccharine tones of Ruin's.]
Actually, I already spoke with Ruin about asking you for a favor, just to make sure, you know, that I didn't harbor any kind of misunderstandings. The two of us don't have an exactly negative relationship and I'm not aiming to change that.
[As for what's in it for him...]
You help me out and I'll help you out, no defecting required. What exactly you get depends on what you want...and how much you help.
[Best of both worlds tbh. Two favors for the price of one!]
Ruin and I have agreed that Love and Sincerity need to be brought down a peg. There are personal reasons we mutually dislike them, but the numbers are bad enough to cause a concern.
[She rolls an empty scotch glass between her hands, an idle habit to occupy her as she thinks.]
Ruin's going to ask you to kill for her, that much is obvious. I mean, duh? Ruin? Ultimately, you can just target whoever you'd like to in order to appease her...but if you knock out anyone from Sincerity, in particular...I'll make it worth your while.
[He nods through the explanation. So, Indulgence either isn't a threat or is on good terms with these two then, given that Indulgence had the second highest follower count after Love, if he's remembering correctly. Good to know.]
A simple enough request.
[...]
Though "straightforward" is probably a better word. Are you gonna help me narrow down my options?
[He's a genius but he has nfi who is aligned with who just yet.]
I'm not allowed to name any names. You'll have to figure out who belongs to who on your own.
[She taps a nail in aggravation against her glass.]
If I could give you names, I would. I want this done sooner rather than later. The longer they're still standing the longer they'll rope everyone into their inner circle. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out which one defected--is going to defect--from me. They love bragging about how easy it was to make a fool out of me. But I don't want that one dead. I want that one for last.
[They're going to pay for it.]
Right now, the numbers are in your favor for strategy. I doubt many people have started confiding their alignments to each other, but you may be able to lie about your own to get information out of someone stupid enough to believe you.
[But understandable. It suits him, anyway—it'll take him a little time to narrow the field, and he'd prefer not to jump to murder too quickly. It'll be smarter to get the lay of the land first.]
If I come up with a name all on my own, can I run it past you? I'd at least like to make sure I'm not going to take out a follower of yours or Ruin's.
[He doubts he'll bungle the job that badly, but it's still a question worth asking.]
There aren't any rules that say we can't give suggestions or opinions concerning any names that you provide, so, why not?
[They're both smart enough to read between the lines.]
In the meantime, I'm going to try to endear myself to some of Sincerity's more dim-witted followers to see if they'll defect. Fat chance if my reputation keeps getting smeared, but no matter how many competitors get snuffed, neither Ruin or I are going to get anywhere with two followers.
[Disorder tips the glass over with a finger, watching it roll helplessly against the wood of the bar's table.]
I'm still working on them. I don't know how far I can push them, how much they'll be willing to do. I'll likely have to tread carefully if I don't want to end up with no one.
[Newt watches the glass too, his attention lost to the heavy rumble of glass on wood briefly before remembering that Disorder was still speaking to him. Ah, right.]
That must be frustrating for you.
[For a moment, it sounds like real empathy. And truly, he means the words, just... There's a reason he hasn't fallen in line with Sincerity. If he was younger, maybe.]
But they shouldn't have signed on with you if they weren't willing to play by your rules. It's not like any of you are subtle.
[The names. He's talking about the names.]
I'm happy to provide a nudge or two if it comes to that. A little advice from a peer might go over better for you
[His to-do list is growing, but he does have six weeks to kill. When the glass rolls to a stop, he reaches for it to give it a spin. It wobbles over the uneven grain, teetering close to the edge of the table.
It's probably, like, metaphorical or something, but Newt just wanted something to do with his hands.]
[Disorder stops the glass where it totters, holding it with the edge of a nail in its hazardous position.]
I don't plan on letting that happen. The two of us have an understanding, but it's only temporary. Once our mutual enemies are off the board, I doubt we'll be playing so nice.
[Still.]
But so long as we're talking hypothetical...
[She lets the glass go, watching as it topples and shatters.]
They're yours if you want them...if you defect to my team.
[She holds up a hand to indicate she won't just leave it at that, knowing that he's already protested about leaving Ruin.]
Defect for one week then defect back. Ruin will likely make a big stink about it, but if either of us can make a promise that it's only temporary, I'm willing to deal with a bit of stink-eye.
No deal. The power I got from Ruin practically makes me unkillable. I'd rather do espionage the good old-fashioned way than risk getting booted from the competition entirely.
[He tips his head to the side.]
Ruin and I get along, but I'm not on their team because we're chummy. It's a business transaction.
Everything's a business transaction. Anyone who thinks otherwise is setting themselves up to get eaten alive.
[She leans her cheek into a palm.]
It's not that I don't want to give you a week's access to one of my powers, I just can't. We're exclusively forbidden for granting that kind of boon onto another god's following, alliance or not.
[This rule is personally victimizing him. There's a quick spark of petulant anger that he's not allowed to have his way, but he snaps out of it as another question pops into his head. He's not sure what made him think of it.]
What happens when a god loses all of their followers?
Hm. Is it rude to say that's unfortunate? Then again, maybe that's more satisfying in the longrun. Getting to lord your win over the others is better than killing them permanently, I think.
[There's a twinge of... something, in the back of his mind. He can't quite tell what it is, but it's not a good feeling. He shifts his weight.
Better switch gears.]
One more question for ya: Any idea where Patience's room is?
Somewhere behind that big door she kept locked. Why even make it appear in the first place, I couldn't tell you. It's more than just a single room behind there, though.
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[The smile is clear in her voice, though it's nowhere close to the almost sickly saccharine tones of Ruin's.]
Actually, I already spoke with Ruin about asking you for a favor, just to make sure, you know, that I didn't harbor any kind of misunderstandings. The two of us don't have an exactly negative relationship and I'm not aiming to change that.
[As for what's in it for him...]
You help me out and I'll help you out, no defecting required. What exactly you get depends on what you want...and how much you help.
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Hm. In that case, you have my attention.
[He grins. Why just work for one god with the trouble reputation when you could work for both??]
How can I help?
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Ruin and I have agreed that Love and Sincerity need to be brought down a peg. There are personal reasons we mutually dislike them, but the numbers are bad enough to cause a concern.
[She rolls an empty scotch glass between her hands, an idle habit to occupy her as she thinks.]
Ruin's going to ask you to kill for her, that much is obvious. I mean, duh? Ruin? Ultimately, you can just target whoever you'd like to in order to appease her...but if you knock out anyone from Sincerity, in particular...I'll make it worth your while.
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A simple enough request.
[...]
Though "straightforward" is probably a better word. Are you gonna help me narrow down my options?
[He's a genius but he has nfi who is aligned with who just yet.]
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[She taps a nail in aggravation against her glass.]
If I could give you names, I would. I want this done sooner rather than later. The longer they're still standing the longer they'll rope everyone into their inner circle. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out which one defected--is going to defect--from me. They love bragging about how easy it was to make a fool out of me. But I don't want that one dead. I want that one for last.
[They're going to pay for it.]
Right now, the numbers are in your favor for strategy. I doubt many people have started confiding their alignments to each other, but you may be able to lie about your own to get information out of someone stupid enough to believe you.
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[But understandable. It suits him, anyway—it'll take him a little time to narrow the field, and he'd prefer not to jump to murder too quickly. It'll be smarter to get the lay of the land first.]
If I come up with a name all on my own, can I run it past you? I'd at least like to make sure I'm not going to take out a follower of yours or Ruin's.
[He doubts he'll bungle the job that badly, but it's still a question worth asking.]
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[They're both smart enough to read between the lines.]
In the meantime, I'm going to try to endear myself to some of Sincerity's more dim-witted followers to see if they'll defect. Fat chance if my reputation keeps getting smeared, but no matter how many competitors get snuffed, neither Ruin or I are going to get anywhere with two followers.
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But, no, that would be too easy. He likes a challenge.]
Good to know. What's the story with your other followers? They seem loyal enough?
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[Disorder tips the glass over with a finger, watching it roll helplessly against the wood of the bar's table.]
I'm still working on them. I don't know how far I can push them, how much they'll be willing to do. I'll likely have to tread carefully if I don't want to end up with no one.
[Still, she doesn't sound completely worried.]
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That must be frustrating for you.
[For a moment, it sounds like real empathy. And truly, he means the words, just... There's a reason he hasn't fallen in line with Sincerity. If he was younger, maybe.]
But they shouldn't have signed on with you if they weren't willing to play by your rules. It's not like any of you are subtle.
[The names. He's talking about the names.]
I'm happy to provide a nudge or two if it comes to that. A little advice from a peer might go over better for you
[His to-do list is growing, but he does have six weeks to kill. When the glass rolls to a stop, he reaches for it to give it a spin. It wobbles over the uneven grain, teetering close to the edge of the table.
It's probably, like, metaphorical or something, but Newt just wanted something to do with his hands.]
What happens if Ruin wins over you?
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[Disorder stops the glass where it totters, holding it with the edge of a nail in its hazardous position.]
I don't plan on letting that happen. The two of us have an understanding, but it's only temporary. Once our mutual enemies are off the board, I doubt we'll be playing so nice.
[Still.]
But so long as we're talking hypothetical...
[She lets the glass go, watching as it topples and shatters.]
I always find ways to get what I want.
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It's too bad this system is set up for monogamy. That sort of commitment has never been my style.
[There's a flash of a smile, and then he stands, glass crunching under his boots.]
If it wasn't obvious enough, I'm in. But I want to borrow one of your powers next week. I'll use it to further the cause.
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[She holds up a hand to indicate she won't just leave it at that, knowing that he's already protested about leaving Ruin.]
Defect for one week then defect back. Ruin will likely make a big stink about it, but if either of us can make a promise that it's only temporary, I'm willing to deal with a bit of stink-eye.
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No deal. The power I got from Ruin practically makes me unkillable. I'd rather do espionage the good old-fashioned way than risk getting booted from the competition entirely.
[He tips his head to the side.]
Ruin and I get along, but I'm not on their team because we're chummy. It's a business transaction.
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[She leans her cheek into a palm.]
It's not that I don't want to give you a week's access to one of my powers, I just can't. We're exclusively forbidden for granting that kind of boon onto another god's following, alliance or not.
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[This rule is personally victimizing him. There's a quick spark of petulant anger that he's not allowed to have his way, but he snaps out of it as another question pops into his head. He's not sure what made him think of it.]
What happens when a god loses all of their followers?
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[To control other people.]
Technically, they're still in the game. They can try to win back followers...but without followers, gods become vulnerable.
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Open season?
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[There's a twinge of... something, in the back of his mind. He can't quite tell what it is, but it's not a good feeling. He shifts his weight.
Better switch gears.]
One more question for ya: Any idea where Patience's room is?
[Asking for a friend.]
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That's what I figured, but how am I supposed to get in there? Short of defecting to whichever god it was that has that unlocking ability.
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