Audience: Mineo Enomoto

[probe]

Comments

[probe]

I know the answers you're looking for, Enomoto, but I'm afraid you won't like the ones I have. [they cut him off briefly, growing silent again.]

The only way you could possibly have a vote not result in death is to not vote at all. [and here they raise a clawed hand, a flash of a similar scales tattoo on the back of it before they touch the side of their hood where the emblem's stitched in.] Justice, here, is a balance.

I don't particularly care if people trust me. [needlessly harsh, and after a moment they clarify.] I don't expect it. But it's a matter of all of you taking things into your own hands and finding what matters.

[sengokus]

[ . . . . .

he leans back in his chair, turning the words over in his head.]

... that's all the truth, right?

Even if I don't like to hear it - you're not lying? At least about any of that.

[probe]

I don't have a reason to lie and it would hardly be beneficial to either of us if I did.

[sengokus]

[ . . . . he just sighs.]

Then what's the benefit to you? Do you want us to succeed? Why even give us this way to resolve this, knowing that more people might die as a result - and that's this place's justice?

I was told you wanna help us indulge... and maybe that you're all supposed to indulge too? But - how?

[probe]

Because I would prefer an effort be made than to let murderers roam without any sort of retribution or answer, especially when it's more likely they will continue if there isn't any sort of potential risk of being caught.

[...] How...what, exactly?

[sengokus]

[he nods at the first part....]

I mean, maybe I got bad intel... but I heard that you were supposed to do indulging of your own?

So I guess I was just confused about what that looked like.

[probe]

[...]

It's optional for us, though several of us choose to continue indulging anyhow. It can be an indulgence of our namesake, or it can be helping you indulge in other ways.

There aren't many limits.

[sengokus]

... is there something you wish for too, Greed-san? Is that why you're here?

[probe]

No. Who told you that we had to indulge?

[sengokus]

[ . . . ]

Am I getting them in trouble if I tell you....

[probe]

Of course you aren't, but I would prefer to know where information is coming from when it's brought to me.

[sengokus]

Uh - Gu-san...

[ . . . ]

It is right? Or wrong. If indulging is optional...

Then - how come you're here, Greed-san? I haven't been able to figure out the incentive for all of you yet.

[probe]

There is no incentive, Enomoto. We are only meant to be here to ensure and occasionally help you indulge in order to obtain what it is you came for. That's it.

[sengokus]

[ . . . ]

How come? So you're just - here, but you exist for us?

[probe]

What? We had an existence prior to your arrival, who told you that? [?????]

[sengokus]

[he shakes his head]

No, no, I got that part!

But I meant - you're here! And your function, in essence, is just to help us out? Why? Why would you leave your lives behind?

[probe]

You're making this sound far more heroic than it is.

[sengokus]

.... am I....?

[he looks confused]

I guess... I'm just not sure why you're all participating even this much.

[probe]

...it's irrelevant. Your sole focus should be on indulging and staying ahead to earn the power necessary to gain what you want.

[their gaze shifts this time to stare at mineo, an eerie purple glow from under the hood as more wispy shadows spill out.]

What have you been doing to indulge in the last week?

[sengokus]

Sleeping in. Not telling people things that maybe I should consider telling them. Not doing work for a while.

[he has

still not told takeru a damn thing and he will not be starting]

Took my time seeing any of you guys again - does that count?

But I'm just saying that it doesn't feel irrelevant to me... I wanna get to know you too, so I've been curious about it....

[probe]

They count enough, I'm sure. Your Avatar would have a better idea though. I've never been fond of being idle.

[they aren't sure how to address the last part.] Letting your curiosity wander to where it shouldn't go will only set you further back from your goals.

[sengokus]

That could count for my indulgence.

[no he's just being a little shit and he knows it]

... but I mean - I don't know if my goals are really worth it if I stop being entirely me to get there. Like if I wanted to be totally Sloth, I'd just stop caring about everybody around me, right?

You were the one who said I should balance.

[probe]

[the hood goes entirely dark, almost as if greed closed their eyes.]

Balance with the other participants. Or perhaps start with other Avatars such as Envy, Sloth or Lust. Those three are more than willing to be sociable.

[sengokus]

Well... I'm two for three on them - and I plan on seeing Lust-san too!

But I mean... that doesn't mean we can't try to get along, right?

[probe]

This is us getting along plenty.