Audience: Belph

[gatonina]

Comments

[axilium]

Just making sure that none of you were secretly one of our pals from before.

[gatonina]

That would be rather silly, wouldn't it? Did Majima put you up to this? We're not gods. [what.]

[axilium]

You had a similar conversation with him, huh?

[gatonina]

He tried to tell me about how his gods hid their identities as if I didn't already know. [they don't seem angry though.] But for two of you to have the same idea...it's intriguing.

[axilium]

Winter Wizard's specific actions while killing Evan raised a few eyebrows, maybe.

[gatonina]

People do all sorts of things when they're feeling emotional, Belph. Perhaps Winter merely felt that Evan didn't deserve this at all.

[axilium]

And the kiss is just something they usually do?

[gatonina]

Yeah. There are some cultures on some planets where people kiss total strangers in greetings and departures. Why is that weird?

[axilium]

My apologies for my ignorance, but I have never heard of a culture where you kiss someone after killing them. Wait, no, Sandalphon did that.

But all right, I'll just take it as a quirk of theirs and judge you if that turns out not to be the case.

[gatonina]

Ah, yes, the one who kissed an actual corpse. It's not quite the same but similar.

Flattering to pretend you aren't judging us already, really. Very cute.

[axilium]

I'm always judging people, so nothing personal. It's my permanent state of being.

[gatonina]

You and I have that in common, so no offense taken.

[axilium]

Glad to hear it.

Anyhow, I see we're continuing with the tasks. And that there's another one added to the bunch.

[gatonina]

That's correct. That portion of the competition will continue so long as the game goes on.

[axilium]

Shoooould we be concerned about doing Pink's requests or does it not matter?

[gatonina]

I don't know about concerned, though you would earn another voucher and more points for your team if you completed them anyway. That may benefit you.

[axilium]

Not 100% convinced that this isn't all going to go horribly wrong, but all right, duly noted.

How do you come up with these tasks anyway? Besides Black Shadows wanting us to do their chores for them.

[gatonina]

Fair enough.

...the tasks are just things we think might be fun or easy for all of you to strengthen your bonds with each other. All of mine are just...people-oriented, I suppose.

[axilium]

I suspect that's not a complete coincidence.

[gatonina]

What, that I happen to like people?

[axilium]

Yes, and that you also want people to like people, I suppose.

[gatonina]

Yes. [they pause then, and there's something soft in their voice.] People...have such a capacity to be wonderful if given the chance. And people, likewise, have the capability of being inherently cruel to each other. I'd rather make my tasks something that leans toward the former than the latter.

[axilium]

... Well, bonding can go either really well or really badly. We'll see which one it is as time goes on.

[gatonina]

Any bets? I'm always interested in the opinions of other people.

[axilium]

As a pessimist, I am automatically obliged to assume it'll go downhill.