GODLY AUDIENCES - ZOE MURPHY

[divus]

Comments

[requiemed]

Yeah, that... might not look so great.

[A pause, and then:]

You could probably ask one of your followers to put up a memorial or something, though. That might be nice.

[divus]

[Sincerity chuckles.]

That's a nice idea. To be honest... I'm sure it's occurred to some of you already.

[The god's head turns somewhat - the person behind the mask is winking, but it's. Not possible to see. Dumb masks.]

So don't go thinking someone's one of mine if a memorial pops up! I have to keep my followers' secrets.

[requiemed]

[In a teasing voice:]

Oh, darn. You caught me in the midst of my dastardly plan.

[divus]

So close, Zoe-ch... Zoe!

[Sincerity is trying, promise.]

[requiemed]

Maybe I'll get you next time.

[She can tell they're trying, and it gets a small smile.]

A for effort. Anyways... Do you spend a lot of time in this room?

[divus]

Oh, yeah. [Sincerity sounds amused.] This place is where I feel most at home.

'Course, I don't usually come out unless it's for an audience. I'm supposed to stay clear when the other gods are hosting, and who wants to get smited for breaking a god rule? Not this boy!

[requiemed]

Is it your area, then, or is that somewhere else?

[A small pause.]

Wait, gods can get punished for breaking rules, too?

[divus]

This one is aaaall mine. Any time you want to update your wardrobe, come see me! I love giving people makeovers.

[He chuckles.]

We gods have rules of our own that we have to follow, just like you participants have rules you need to follow. They're different from yours, though.

[requiemed]

I'll have to take you up on that sometime.

[She offers a smile, looking at the array of clothes for a moment before looking his way once more.]

Can you tell me any of them?

[divus]

One of them's about the masks.

[Sincerity taps the side of his mask to demonstrate.]

We're not allowed to take these off yet. Apparently, it'd be unfair to the gods that aren't so blessed in the looks department. Can't say I blame 'em! Beauty and I are hard to compete with there.

[requiemed]

[She pauses; it's obvious they can't take off the masks, but she didn't expect that reasoning.]

You know, normally I'd say it's kind of insulting you think we'd be swayed by who's the most attractive, but half of us are teenagers... So.

[Fair, probably.]

[divus]

Some of the other gods were swayed at first, too! It's no big deal.

[but then they opened their mouths and all that attraction went out the window]

[requiemed]

Huh. I guess I kind of assumed that you're all, like... Just neutral on each other.

[divus]

Hoo, boy. No we're not. We've all got our opinions, just like anybody else.

[requiemed]

Care to share?

[divus]

Beauty and Love are my favorites! Piety's a sweet kid. And Merriment? He's always down for a good time. Indulgence, too, if you can tempt him into joining you.

[requiemed]

Both of them are pretty awesome.

[She nods.]

Yeah. Still working on the tempting thing... Is he just really picky?

[divus]

You bet he is. He's way more picky than me, and like, before I became a god and all? I thought my standards were the highest.

[requiemed]

...That's interesting. I would've put some of the others way above you.

[A beat.]

Or are there just specific things you're picky about?

[divus]

I'm pickiest about fashion.

[Sincerity has no problems admitting that.]

But he takes picky to a whole different level.

[requiemed]

I'll probably agree with you, if he ever decides he wants to talk to me.

[The salt is real.]

[divus]

He'll wise up sooner or later. Who could want to miss out on talking to such a cute girl?

[requiemed]

[A nervous laugh.]

Yeah, sure. [...] Do you know what kind of stuff he might like as an offering, though?

[divus]

Over-the-top showy stuff... or, like, super-indulgent foods.

[requiemed]

I'm not really the best cook. I guess I'll have to bank on the first option.