GODLY AUDIENCES - ZOE MURPHY

[divus]

Comments

WEEK 4, FRIDAY

[divus]

[Zoe will find that Cunning is actually leaning against the pine tree at the top of the hill, waiting for her just inside the wing. Luckily it's late enough that nobody else should be coming by.]

You seem to have a lot of questions for me.

[requiemed]

Imagine how bored you might be without me.

[More to the point, though.]

For Art of Deduction... Do we get to pick which murder we want the evidence for?

[divus]

Incredibly.

[But.] It's sort of randomized to be whatever you need most at the time...even if you don't agree. Just trust me.

[requiemed]

So... It'll help catch the killer we most need to catch?

[divus]

Or it'll help clear up the question you need answered the most at that moment. Remember what I said about the Oracle?

[requiemed]

That there are multiple meanings to what they said, but it's always accurate?

[divus]

Right. So what evidence you get might not seem like it's a big deal, or it may not make sense right away, but it's always relevant.

[requiemed]

We just have to put the pieces together. Like what you said about training, right?

[divus]

[...there's a pause...and he claps slowly.]

Finally somebody gets it. [It's not even that sarcastic, he's actually happy about that.] You're gonna have things thrown at you tomorrow you may not expect, but you can't let the rest of your team stray.

[requiemed]

I can't tell if your clapping is sarcastic, but I'm choosing to ignore it if it is.

[Hm.]

What do you mean by my team, exactly?

[divus]

That's for the best. [And he stops.] I mean everybody in the trial tomorrow. Isn't this technically you against us?

[requiemed]

...I would have said you working through us, actually.

[divus]

Yeah? What makes you say that?

[requiemed]

Well... People want their god to win, obviously. They want their wish to be granted, so I'd bet a lot of them are doing everything they can to make sure their god will come out on top.

[...]

That's why Luna killed Fortune and tried to kill Ruin, right?

[divus]

...I dunno. Is it? [There's something in the tone that suggests he doesn't quite agree with that.] Sometimes people are just opportunists, Zo. You can't always help that.

[requiemed]

Right, but...

[Hm.]

If she wasn't doing it because she thought it would help her win, why do it?

[divus]

Free will? Because she could? Someone else wanted her to? There's a ton of reasons anybody could have picked. Some people might just like the challenge.

[requiemed]

...I guess so.

[But, hm.]

Can I ask you something?

[divus]

I'm pretty sure you'd do it even if I said no. What is it?

[requiemed]

It doesn't need to be anything major, since I doubt I could learn a ton in a few weeks, but...

[Hm.]

Can you teach me self defense?

[divus]

[...] Not what I was expecting, but acceptable. [He sounds surprised.] Yeah. Yeah, I can teach you...my hand to hand's a little rusty, but with a blade? Easily. We can cover both.

[requiemed]

I don't want to just barge in here and make you start right now, but - you know. Whenever you want.

[divus]

Not like I'm doing anything else right now. We could get started if you want. Unless you have other plans?

[requiemed]

Yeah, I came here to immediately bail as soon as you agreed.

[A small laugh.]

What do I need to have?

[divus]

Depends. What do you want to start with first? If it's hand to hand you just need to be ready. If you want to learn with a blade, we'll get you one.