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[Ah. There's the one he remembers from his dream. His smile stays easy as he makes his way over, keeping a respectable distance.]
Oh good, I'm glad you got it.
You could call it a music box. I had a larger version of that back home that I worked on whenever I could. I figured it was as good a project as anything else to try and test the technology you've been kind enough to offer.
Oh good, I'm glad you got it.
You could call it a music box. I had a larger version of that back home that I worked on whenever I could. I figured it was as good a project as anything else to try and test the technology you've been kind enough to offer.
Music in a box, huh?
[Indulgence turns it over in their hands. Clearly, whatever technology there is in that lab, this one has nothing to do with it. If nothing else, the deity at least seems amused or intrigued. That's probably a good start?]
Hmm. How does it work? Show me.
[Indulgence turns it over in their hands. Clearly, whatever technology there is in that lab, this one has nothing to do with it. If nothing else, the deity at least seems amused or intrigued. That's probably a good start?]
Hmm. How does it work? Show me.
[WORDS ARE HARSH, INDULGENCE
He can't help but laugh, a palm lifting up in some gesture of placidity.]
My apologies, then. No offense meant. I just don't like to assume.
[Not that his question is entirely simple. But he can get to that later. Indulgence has spoken their mind, so he might as well do what he said he would.
He turns it to one side, where a simple latch opens up a panel inside the box. At the flick of a switch, it starts up, playing a pleasant little melody. It's not overtly complicated - Guy's a tinkerer and not a musician, after all - but it plays its song smoothly and settles back down to silence with a low whirr as Guy turns it off.]
Nothing fancy, I'm afraid. Improving on it wouldn't be a problem, I would just need some time. Might not be the smartest use of it around here, given what's going on, but hey, I'd enjoy it.
...
That's why I figured it could be a start. If I've chosen to align with you, I might as well figure out what that means to you, right?
[And he got their attention, so that's at least a good step in... some direction, anyway.]
He can't help but laugh, a palm lifting up in some gesture of placidity.]
My apologies, then. No offense meant. I just don't like to assume.
[Not that his question is entirely simple. But he can get to that later. Indulgence has spoken their mind, so he might as well do what he said he would.
He turns it to one side, where a simple latch opens up a panel inside the box. At the flick of a switch, it starts up, playing a pleasant little melody. It's not overtly complicated - Guy's a tinkerer and not a musician, after all - but it plays its song smoothly and settles back down to silence with a low whirr as Guy turns it off.]
Nothing fancy, I'm afraid. Improving on it wouldn't be a problem, I would just need some time. Might not be the smartest use of it around here, given what's going on, but hey, I'd enjoy it.
...
That's why I figured it could be a start. If I've chosen to align with you, I might as well figure out what that means to you, right?
[And he got their attention, so that's at least a good step in... some direction, anyway.]
It's good enough for now.
[Considering they've clearly never seen such a contraption. It's pretty obvious that this god isn't all that typically easy to please.]
So, you want to know what I'm all about, that's it? What with this whole charade and what's in it for me?
[With the music box turned off, Indulgence spins it on a finger. Their hands are nimble, and it doesn't waver or topple before it gets stashed inside their robes.]
You should see the world. Disaster with a Capital-D.
[Considering they've clearly never seen such a contraption. It's pretty obvious that this god isn't all that typically easy to please.]
So, you want to know what I'm all about, that's it? What with this whole charade and what's in it for me?
[With the music box turned off, Indulgence spins it on a finger. Their hands are nimble, and it doesn't waver or topple before it gets stashed inside their robes.]
You should see the world. Disaster with a Capital-D.
Like, a whole pantheon of untrained, classless know-it-alls flinging around their powers like they know a thing about how to run the world kind of disaster. But, ah, news flash, the whole place is a wasteland of conflict.
[Indulgence finally stands, stretching luxuriously.]
But I know how to run the world. It's kind of my thing, it's what I do. Only I can't do it right now while everyone else keeps bowling me over and undermining my decisions. Really puts a cramp in my style.
[Indulgence finally stands, stretching luxuriously.]
But I know how to run the world. It's kind of my thing, it's what I do. Only I can't do it right now while everyone else keeps bowling me over and undermining my decisions. Really puts a cramp in my style.
[Do you have regrets, Guy. How many.]
Sure I do! I'm royalty born and raised. Running things is how I roll, baby. A good old walk in the park.
[With a self-assured laugh, the god shrugs.]
And once the others have all finally recognized me, I'll give them their own positions beneath me. Like I said, benevolent.
Sure I do! I'm royalty born and raised. Running things is how I roll, baby. A good old walk in the park.
[With a self-assured laugh, the god shrugs.]
And once the others have all finally recognized me, I'll give them their own positions beneath me. Like I said, benevolent.
Look, I won't deny that our personalities are...
[Eeeeehhhh...Indulgence stares blankly at Guy for a long moment.]
Different. But at our core, we have some like-minded ways of thinking. When you really get going about the things you like, it can feel almost like nothing else is half as interesting. So, you help me live the way I want, I help you live the way you want. Not a bad deal if I do say so myself.
[Eeeeehhhh...Indulgence stares blankly at Guy for a long moment.]
Different. But at our core, we have some like-minded ways of thinking. When you really get going about the things you like, it can feel almost like nothing else is half as interesting. So, you help me live the way I want, I help you live the way you want. Not a bad deal if I do say so myself.
[well, they aren't wrong, but he's still having regrets!!!
Guy falls silent as he crosses his arms across his chest, losing a bit of that smile for something more neutral.]
And I'll take it you know what I want, then.
So you should probably already know what I'm going to ask next, right?
Guy falls silent as he crosses his arms across his chest, losing a bit of that smile for something more neutral.]
And I'll take it you know what I want, then.
So you should probably already know what I'm going to ask next, right?
Damn it, Luke.
[look
he's had a long weekend ok let him swear a little]
He hates spilling blood. What could he even want badly enough to--
[...Mmm. No, he answered his question, but he doesn't like some of the implications of the answer he just came up with and it shows on his face.
Inhale. Exhale.]
-- though I guess that doesn't matter, right? If I don't win, if he doesn't win... if the god we've chosen doesn't win, then it's all for nothing.
I help you get your life, and you help me get mine. That's the deal.
[look
he's had a long weekend ok let him swear a little]
He hates spilling blood. What could he even want badly enough to--
[...Mmm. No, he answered his question, but he doesn't like some of the implications of the answer he just came up with and it shows on his face.
Inhale. Exhale.]
-- though I guess that doesn't matter, right? If I don't win, if he doesn't win... if the god we've chosen doesn't win, then it's all for nothing.
I help you get your life, and you help me get mine. That's the deal.
Exactamundo! When you strike a nail you really strike it dead center, don't you, pal?
[Unbothered by Guy's evident moral dilemma, the god crosses their arms behind their head, a perfect picture of leisure.]
So first thing's first: you gotta get yourselves on the same team if you want to get what you both want.
[Unbothered by Guy's evident moral dilemma, the god crosses their arms behind their head, a perfect picture of leisure.]
So first thing's first: you gotta get yourselves on the same team if you want to get what you both want.
Right. Lucky me. [He sighs, letting the tension drop from his shoulders. Getting worked up wasn't going to help things here, especially when he didn't have enough information to actually work with.]
...Well, his own alignment shouldn't be the issue. It's the rest I have to wonder about. But I'll have to figure that out on my own. [Luke used to be such an open book to him for so long. He likes to think things could drop right back to the way they were.
But who is he kidding, really?
He lets his hands drop back to his side, fingers resting idly on the blade at his hip.]
That's all I had to ask of you for now, I suppose. Did you have any questions for me?
...Well, his own alignment shouldn't be the issue. It's the rest I have to wonder about. But I'll have to figure that out on my own. [Luke used to be such an open book to him for so long. He likes to think things could drop right back to the way they were.
But who is he kidding, really?
He lets his hands drop back to his side, fingers resting idly on the blade at his hip.]
That's all I had to ask of you for now, I suppose. Did you have any questions for me?
[When Guy returns to the lab again after having left his offering, Justice is waiting for him, sitting in a chair and kicking their legs (which are too short to reach the ground, aw).]
Hello!
[The god is holding the note Guy had written in their tiny hands.]
Thank you for your suggestions--it's really nice to meet you!
Hello!
[The god is holding the note Guy had written in their tiny hands.]
Thank you for your suggestions--it's really nice to meet you!
[He looks up from where he has his nose buried in a mess of exposed circuitry, brows raised in surprise when he sees the mask rather than a face of one of the dozens of other people who had made the lab their second home over the weekend.
A beat, and he stands up straight, dusting himself off with a more formal air to his posture.]
Not at all. We've met before, if I'm right. It's nice to have a proper introduction.
[He gives a little bow from where he stands.]
Guy Cecil. It's a pleasure.
What's on your mind?
A beat, and he stands up straight, dusting himself off with a more formal air to his posture.]
Not at all. We've met before, if I'm right. It's nice to have a proper introduction.
[He gives a little bow from where he stands.]
Guy Cecil. It's a pleasure.
What's on your mind?
[OH NO WHY IS THIS PLACE FULL OF CHILDREN EVEN THE GODS AREN'T FREE.]
Whoa, already--? Geeze, you guys work fast...
Well, you're welcome! That must make you Justice, then, right?
[Here we go, he'll just hold out a gloved hand to the tiny guy.]
Nice to meet you, too. I'm Guy.
Whoa, already--? Geeze, you guys work fast...
Well, you're welcome! That must make you Justice, then, right?
[Here we go, he'll just hold out a gloved hand to the tiny guy.]
Nice to meet you, too. I'm Guy.
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