GODLY AUDIENCES - ZOE MURPHY

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

And if those pieces are the majority? What then?

[requiemed]

...I don't think that's the case in this game.

[divus]

How many people have switched sides that you know of?

[requiemed]

A lot of them, actually. It's not that rare.

[divus]

And then how many switched back?

[requiemed]

Not all of them.

[divus]

But most. [He makes a play that takes out one of her pieces.] You haven't switched yourself, Zoe. You can't tell me it isn't something to think about.

[requiemed]

I haven't—

[She blinks, then pauses.]

Ambition didn't tell you?

[divus]

--about what? [Please save him, he's lost.]

[requiemed]

Dude, I came to talk to you because I'm... defecting to you this week.

[divus]

...wait really? Oh. The rule thing. Riiight, right. Fair enough.

[requiemed]

It's not just the rule, it's...

[She sighs.]

I don't want you to end up without any followers.

[divus]

And when the week's up....what then? You get why I'm skeptical of what you're saying?

[requiemed]

...It depends how many you have, and if there's anyone else who's low. I'm not going to leave you high and dry if you're in danger.

[divus]

Admirable, Zoe, but I'm telling you...as much as the numbers would help me, I want you to consider your strategy carefully.

[requiemed]

[After a moment:]

You want to elaborate on that?

[divus]

What needs elaboration?

[requiemed]

There's a particular strategy you want me to adopt, right?

[divus]

Eventually it's going to get to a point where more than one of us will be at really low numbers. What're you gonna do at that point?

[requiemed]

...You don't know that that'll happen. And - I'll figure something out if it does.

[divus]

Be realistic. It's bound to happen just by the numbers and the way it's set up. You can't keep shutting your eyes and pretending it won't. [He steals another piece.] It'll hurt in the end.

[requiemed]

Then, like I said... If it does, I'll figure it out.

[There's a small pause.]

Everything here hurts, so it's not like that would be new.

[divus]

...[...hm.] If you move your rook, you can block in my knight.

[requiemed]

[For some reason, it makes her smile slightly, even as she does it.]

Pity move, huh?

[divus]

Everybody's gotta start somewhere. [Shut up and take it, Zoe.]