Audience: Ashiya Douman

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Comments

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[my god.]

There's only so much we can do for you anyway. [so they are on their own in a lot of ways.]

...I like to do a little of everything? Dance mostly. And I play video games? I like playing them for other people. And I guess I'm okay at drawing.

[commedia]

[Wow, another artist!]

Oh, you draw? What do you draw?

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It's just things for me! Animals, people, stuff like that. I like drawing stuff I remember, too. Kind of like keeping good memories in my own style.

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What's your favorite thing to draw?

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Definitely people. I'm not as good as I could be, but I've been practicing more, too. [a pause.] We have a lot of time on our hands here.

[commedia]

Envy did say you were all here a long time.

[Enough to develop hobbies, it seems.]

Admittedly, I'm not very good at drawing people. You might have to give me tips.

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That's right. [while the basecoat on douman's hand dries, they will begin painting the other.]

Are you an artist, too?

[commedia]

Mm, not quite, but I have to draw for rituals and my shikigami and the like! Perhaps I should expand past that?

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Only if you want to. I think it's important to know a lot of things, but it's just as important to be really, really good at what you do. [but hm...]

What do you use your rituals and shikigami for? Can I ask?

[commedia]

Oh! To generate curses, and cause destruction!

[And a beat.]

Ah, but only if they're used just as they are. Even curses can help others, or benefit humanity. Even with my abilities, I still helped many, when I was alive.

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[they just nod like douman didn't just say they can create curses of mass destruction.]

Can they really be called curses if they're helping people then?

[commedia]

Of course. One person's salvation can mean the suffering of another. Things are balanced, like that. Kindness doesn't always come free.

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[...is this why douman's hair is the color of a yin-yang. they will wonder that privately as they mull over that.]

Are things really unbalanced if it's two people being saved instead of leaving one to suffer?

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[haha hair symbolism :)]

You say that as if it happens all that often, when two people are saved. Unfortunately, people hold the worst parts of themselves in their hearts, and act more selfishly than they think. They would tear each other down for the sake of themselves, hm!

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[that seems to make them think of something because they go quiet again. quiet enough that they paint at least two or three of their nails before they reply.]

You don't think people can change their motivations for other people? Other things?

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...

[Douman stares down at Lust, dark eyes piercing.]

Oh. The concept of a selfish person and the concept of a person who works for the sake of others are hardly separate. Of course, people can change, and act for the sake of others. I knew of a man who took on the grief of his people dying, over and over again, and became a figure that stood, steeped in vengeance. We all affect one another. All we have to remember is that even the most seemingly selfless acts can, at their core, be selfish too.

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That sort of sounds like the grim reaper...[but all the same, they don't seem too weirded out by what douman says.]

If that's true, then who decides what's selfless and what's selfish?

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[A light laugh.]

Who decides? I wonder. There's no jury, no trial for that one.

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It's...subjective then, right? What someone might think is selfish is another person's idea of being selfless.

Do you think your goals are selfish? [they don't ask if they care, but they're interested.]

[commedia]

Mmmhmm. I think you have the right sort of answer, there.

[And a pause, and then:]

Selfish, but of course. Aah, but its supposed to be selfless, yes? There's so much to learn about love, you know...

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What do you know about love right now? [it would be a ruder question if it wasn't sincere, but also hm.]

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Love is...a yearning sort of feeling. Its warm and sad and needy. And happy when you see the person you love happy, or when you spend time together.

[They seem to rattle it off, like a definition.]

But...its frustrating! It is! Even knowing that, I...still don't quite understand. Do you...know what love is, Light?

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[textbook. very nice, douman, but lust hums as if they aren't sure about that.]

Technically yes, but it's not really something I've ever experienced before. Not that kind of love anyway.

[commedia]

Hm? And what sort of love have you experienced, Light?

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You know...like the love I have for my friends and for my mom. Oh, and my fans, too! I appreciate all of them.