probe | Audience: Harrowhark Nonagesimus

It comes back to motivations, Harrowhark. Naturally finding the truth is important, but in this case...I would say that perhaps looking back on it and questioning how you could have tried to find Miss Shellstrop's killer won't benefit you nearly as much as focusing on the week ahead.

[Frysquint.]

Surely you realize this is only likely to make me more compelled.

[Forbidden lore. . . but she takes the point.]

No, I'll accept that direction, but let me dwell on it for one moment longer. Do you believe that it would be possible to have a Thursday night where no one dies?

Yes, I know. [tiredly. harrow and greed are unfortunately similar which means he really can only bank on their relationship being strong enough she'll take him at his word.] And you're free to dwell on it as long as you need to. I've dwelled on losses for years.

[don't? just admit that?]

But I ask that you leave that case behind, just this once. And I do still believe that it would be possible to have a week no one dies. It's a matter of using what knowledge you have to set things into motion prior to their start. And, of course, deciding what the best course of action would be.

Then I will. [God, she wants to figure out why, though. But she does trust him, so. Fine.]

Hmm. Is it correct, that murder counts for a larger amount of indulgence than other actions?

Miss Amane wasn't lying about that. That is, in fact, the case. Word seems to be spreading quickly.

Is there a shortfall? Is there reason to believe, at this point, we won't succeed without taking drastic actions for higher point totals?

If there's a reason for that belief, I don't know what it is. Several of you really did just decide to start taking matters into your own hands.

An assumption that if someone else decided murder is worth the risk, they must know more than the rest of us?

[Yikes, okay.]

What happens when we've been to all the floors?

People lie all the time. I would be very interested in knowing if a murderer knows more than a normal person. But I suppose I can't blame anyone for believing such an assumption.

[but bad.]

...to be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself. There isn't a secret to unlocking each floor or anything of the sort. It simply just happens. Once your final floor is unlocked, I can only guess it's a means to help you indulge further until enough is generated to fulfill your desires.

Then your suspicion is that we have as much time as we need?

...I wouldn't waste too much time. But you will have the time that you need, yes.

The principle behind murder being "worth more" fascinates me, from a thanergenic perspective. Is there an understood reason for this? Are there other actions, besides murder, that generate a disproportionately high amount of indulgence?

[I feel like she says this and then immediately is afraid the answer includes sex and that's going to have to be acknowledged in this conversation.]

...do you really wish for me to answer that?

[listen he does not want to talk about sex either.]

I believe it's the idea that it's...well. It's a theory, rather. I don't have proof yet and I haven't had time to further research the reasoning behind it, all things considered. But I do believe murder is "worth more" is simply because you're eliminating one other person you won't have to share with in the end. It's what makes sense from a strategic point of view.

[it's not exactly one he agrees with, but there's that.]

[Okay, so it's sex. Got it. Moving on. Follow up questions with Wrath later.]

That's what Despair told me at the outset, and makes more sense than viewing murder as an indulgence - outside of certain maniacs we've had here, it wouldn't seem to fit.

. . . Researching that type of thing is difficult or dangerous for you? Wrath said something about that.

[yes, please go talk to wrath and leave him out of this, thank you!]

I'm sure it's possible it can be an indulgence if a particular sin is applied, but for all intents and purposes it's about thinning out the winning pool. The more indulgence available and the less people to share with, the more likely you'll get what you came for.

[but they pause to watch maus for a bit who's trotting along and having a good time.]

Yes, but most of us continue to try anyhow. [see: four morons getting their shit wrecked.]

[That doesn't really sit well with her, for a number of reasons.]

. . . Mm. Yes. I've already spoken with Pride about the excursion this week. [Really the last thing she would want is for him to believe that he needs to share details of a personalized torture that shook him as badly as he was when he returned. She doesn't believe herself entitled to them.]

Is the information gathered worth the cost? The larger picture. . . is it something other than fending off murder attempts until we finish indulging enough to leave?

Ah. I hope what you heard from him was informative...? [tentatively, like he wants to ask, but he doesn't press. the thing is that hilariously if harrow even gave any sort of indication she was curious he'd tell her. but if she seems like she doesn't want to know, he'll keep the information to himself.

that's what emotional repression does to you, i guess.]

I'm of the belief that all information is worth it. If only so we can truly understand some of the things occurring around this base, and what the bigger picture fully entails.

[Yes, they are the same messed up person in so many ways so they will never press the other about personal topics even though they'd both be willing to share. I accept this about them.]

I don't think all information is worth any cost. No one ought to be. . . boiling their own blood just to see what happens. It's a matter of assessing whether the danger is worth what we get from it.

[There's a scold there, but it's gentle; she knows their intentions were good and the risk seemed worth it in this case, it's just - ever since she learned the Avatars can get more information but will tend to pay a price for it, she's been fairly skeptical of his ability to not overdo it in particular.

She is curious, but she also saw something on Thursday in him, a more fragile core he's protecting with all of the authority and pragmaticism he projects. It did change something about the way she saw him, that he needed her to bark orders at him until he was able to pretend he wasn't in shock, and she feels a little fiercely protective about it. If he would prefer not to have to acknowledge it and would rather wear his armour again, she wants him to be able to.]

It was. You may correct me if I misunderstood anything I was told. The four of you went to investigate the places we've been disappearing to.

From what I understand, you were separated and shown illusions of a personal nature. In some ways, this all started because the four of us who vanished that first week somehow encountered an illusion of a person dear to Pride in there. He saw her, too, but was able to confirm she was only an illusion.

For the most part, it sounded as though what you encountered had no higher purpose except to be traumatic and violent. [Gross. She sounds offended on their behalf!] But Pride mentioned having a "theme," overcome with an emotion that sounded like Envy. It would tie in with ours having a theme of gluttony and the other having a theme of greed, both concluding with a test. But Pride did not think you four were being tested, just toyed with.

The difference, of course, being that I wouldn't boil my own blood when it's very clear what the results would be. [that's hardly helpful. and he gets her point. it's a matter of assessing dangers before heading into them, but what happens when you think you have a general idea of the danger you're running into? or, rather, what happens when you realize you need to know and that need is greater than anything else?

you lose your eyes, that's what.

it's...humiliating to think about the fact that he was so openly exposed to so many people, including people he actually likes and respects. miles edgeworth has never been good at outwardly showing emotion (tears of frustration as a child aside) and so to be left in a position where he was vulnerable...in a way, it makes it feel as though it doesn't matter anymore. let them ask questions.

but there are still things that are unsettling to him.]

That's correct. Gluttony and I have been doing our own research, and Pride wanted to try and see if he could find his daughter. Envy tagged along for his own reasons.

We arrived in the same place, but upon entering the door we were quickly separated. Illusions were inflicted upon all four of us, but even knowing that...we proceeded anyhow.

[there's a pause.]

In a sense, I felt that only my goal mattered. My goal was just as important as everyone else's, and they shouldn't get to have theirs while I didn't get mine. Abandoning the others made sense. After a time it seemed that I should only be working for myself. So, after reflecting upon it, I would agree it was a thematic sort of envy.

Likewise, I would agree with Pride. It was very clearly a means to mock us rather than test us.

Yes, that's similar to what Pride described - a feeling of preoccupation with what others had, not wanting to lose anything.

[Ugh.]

I am glad you decided to try to investigate it, considering how dangerous these have been - though notably Mollymauk was spit out before he was killed, and although we were killed it was with an immediate resurrection. The hostile reaction to the four of you in particular I suppose ought to be taken as a message that these are meant for us, not for you.

I wonder what you did to find a way there? Is that something you can explain?

That part's the same then. There are differences as well, from what I've heard, about what we experienced. I can only assume the house was meant to target us specifically rather than an overall sense of torment.

[ugh, indeed.]

...I'm not sure about that, Harrowhark. It may very well be both. I lost my eyes before I was ever killed.

[so yeah. sometimes you lose your eyes and are left running blind until you're apparently shot to death.]

I don't believe we did anything specific other than set out with the intent of finding a way in. Yet we were all caught by surprise and whisked away without warning, similarly to what happened to you.

What I mean is, if we're going to learn more about these, it's something those of us who aren't Avatars are going to have to puzzle together.

. . . Do you have any sense of the source? I know some of you have said this place does things on its own, almost as though it has its own intentions.

...I don't like the idea of leaving the work to you, you realize. [it's not in his nature.]

We're still tracking the source. This was a set-back, but not a deterrent.

Yes, I realize. And I don't like leaving it to all of you. So we are at an impasse when it comes to our feelings on the matter, and must go with what is logical.

[he sighs, a hand coming into his hood to very gently rub his eyes.]

And you feel that this is the most logical step because?

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