GODLY AUDIENCES - TAKAOMI SHISHIMARU

[divus]

Comments

[bakaomi]

You have a friendly name. You lucked out with that one.

[ versus like

fuckin ruin ]

[divus]

[There's a laugh, but yeah like. Super fair.]

We didn't really pick the names ourselves, you know. They were chosen for us around the time we ascended.

[bakaomi]

I heard.

Do you think yours fits?

[divus]

That sounds like a trick question. [And that sounds like a pout in-tone.] ...but in a way? Yeah. I think maybe it does. I hope it stays that way through this entire competition, too. Love's important, don't you think?

[bakaomi]

[ he makes a face ]

Gross.

[divus]

Hey! [WOW????]

I don't mean just romantic, you know!

[bakaomi]

[ at least it's obvious now why taka didn't choose love ]

It sounds needlessly mushy.

[divus]

[Love is going to throw Taka out a window.]

Let me ask you something, Shishimaru-san. What would you say if I told you that you and I are more alike than you think?

[bakaomi]

[ it's fine he'd deserve it ]

Do you have green hair too?

[divus]

Not what I meant. I don't think it'd go over that well anyway. [They regard him carefully though.] But...you want to find the truth in everything, don't you?

[bakaomi]

... yeah. It's part of the job.

[ and he hates deceit. ]

[divus]

You mean as a detective. [Someone did research.] I get it. It gets a little complicated when you don't know all of the pieces, but it's still important to learn as much as you can.

How long have you been doing that?

[bakaomi]

A while.

[ i don't know d!ing hasn't told me ]

My dad's one.

[divus]

So a family business. [They lean forward, cupping their chin in their hand.] You're not the first person to tell me that.

...but you're also into music?

[bakaomi]

[ for the first time all conversation (or like, honestly, in general since getting here), he seems to complete light up. ]

Yeah!

[divus]

[Oh! Oh okay, that's cool, that's actually great. It seems to catch Love's interest, too, seeing how there's a clap of delight.]

What kind? What's your favorite? Aren't you at, like, a music school or something? [What is Dream!ing? Also those are all rapid-fire questions please talk music with Love.]

[bakaomi]

I'm mostly into punk and emo, they're soooo cool! My favorite band is Uribos, but they're not together anymore, but they're fucking legendary.

[ listen taka is grouchy and rude and a killjoy but

when he gets excited about something he is like a little kid and can talk forever it's embarrassing ]

... I wouldn't really call it a music school, but we do performances for the yume lives. The better performance you give, the more points you get, and you have a better chance of scoring in first.

[ there's a pause. ]

So it's kind of like this game, I guess.

[divus]

I don't think I've heard of them. [There's nothing to say about punk and emo because it's not entirely Love's style, but they can appreciate all sorts of music.] But I think people's favorites say a lot about them.

[This is adorable though what the hell, sorry that Love is eating this up and also escalating in excitement.]

Lives...[It's not even a questioning tone, it's one that seems to indicate Love knows what he's talking about.] Maybe that would've been easier than this game. [Love taps their fingers on the floor, a little beat only they can hear.] Do you have to always score really high to stay there?

[bakaomi]

There's different ways to score besides just the lives, but it's the best way to get ahead. So even if you rank poorly in one live, if you... let's say, get the highest score on an exam, you have a chance to catch up.

[ he gestures vaguely. ]

Not everyone in the school participates though, only if you're in the special class. And only the best of the best gets invited to it-- so there's a chance you might get kicked out of the special class if you're not doing enough.

[divus]

[Hm...] Does it ever take the fun out of it if you're constantly competing? The business can be pretty tough, I've heard.

[It's not the same based on what Taka's saying but that's still trying to be the best of the best and that just sounds stressful.]

[bakaomi]

It's not about fun when it comes to the academy. All that matters is getting the top seat, so if I have to go through the damn lives...

[ the problem with the lives is that you have to open your heart to others while doing them.

and taka is bad at that, to the point where he routinely gets sick while doing them because of how much he Refuses but. he chooses not to mention that.... what the fuck is a feeling ]

[divus]

[That's even more concerning.]

Can I ask you something a little personal? Why are you at that academy? What does getting the top seat really get you?

[Taka you dumb binch, you are talking to the god of feelings. Hope you're prepared to answer a bunch of questions.]

[bakaomi]

[ THIS IS WHY HE DIDN'T PICK LOVE, GOD ]

You're pretty much set for life after. You get a lot of power and money, so whatever goals you have you can accomplish fairly easily.

[ will he say what his goals are? no ]

[divus]

Oh. [That still doesn't sound so great.] A price for a price...that sounds about right.

[With that, she's letting the subject drop just a bit.] I've heard somebody has a karaoke machine here. And if you ever wanted a space just for a musical environment without the pressure of a live that's what this place is for. I just don't like the idea of music not being fun anymore, ever.

[bakaomi]

[ there's a pause, as he squints slightly. ]

I feel like I just got conned somehow.