Audience: Ashiya Douman

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Comments

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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?

[commedia]

[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.]

[commedia]

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?

[probe]

[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.

[commedia]

You already have fans? Oh! Then you're already well on the way to being famous.

[A smile.]

And...your mother? Admittedly, it is strange for me to think of the Avatar of Lust having a mother, but. What is she like?

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Yup! I have a lot of people who follow my accounts and everything, but I'm still getting started. It's gonna take a lot more work to keep promoting myself.

[but...yeah. they go quiet again as they start doing the detail work on douman's nails.]

My mom's the best. She's kind of like one of my best friends. We usually do everything together because it's been just the two of us for a long time. She's a teacher at an elementary school nearby, so she's home in the evenings and has weekends and holidays off, too. So that's nice.

[commedia]

[This sounds...a lot like the simple history of a human being, not some massive Avatar of an entire sin. Douman glances down at the detail work on the nails, thinking.]

Does she know you're in a place like this? Do you ever see her? I can't imagine the bonds between mother and child could be broken this easily.

[probe]

It's not really broken at all! But it's fine, I don't mind. The others are all really nice to be with anyway.

[commedia]

I see. Well, that bond...I personally cannot understand it, but...

[A thoughtful noise.]

Do you miss her?

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Yeah. [just. easily said.] But it's okay.

[commedia]

...Is it?

[A concerned look.]

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Yeah! [and they sound convinced.] We're here to help you guys out, remember? That's the most important thing.

[commedia]

I suppose...

[But yes, much to think about, here.]

Say...I had a question on my mind that I'm still ruminating over. The skull that we found broken in that trial...do you know where that came from?

[probe]

Yeah. Didn't expect it to end up where it ended up, but we know about it! Why do you ask?

[this is a much nicer topic than asking about their mother, thank you douman.]

[commedia]

[WHY ARE SKULLS BETTER THAN FAMILY MATTERS, LUST????????????]

Well, I suppose we still don't know if that was something separate from the murder, or involved in it. Did it belong to one of you?

[probe]

[sometimes one is easier than the other!!]

I think we all still have our heads...[it's. probably a joke?] But I think if you think about what else you found you'll have an answer.

[commedia]

[What else they found? CLOWNS ARE GOOD AT CLOWNERY, NOT MYSTERIES]

Mmmmmm. Something to think about. [They purse their lips thoughtfully.] The killer wasn't...manipulated in some way, were they? It just all makes me think of some kind of ritual.

[probe]

[the clowns are doing their best.]

No. No manipulation, possession or threatening was involved at all.

[commedia]

[Hm.]

[Douman doesn't seem to like that answer, but...ah, well. One theory out the window.]

I see, I see. [But...] You say no threatening, but...were they asked to do it?

[probe]

No. It's really just like we said. Someone decided to indulge in a little murder and then they got away with it.