Audience: Harrowhark Nonagesimus

[probe]

Comments

[probe]

[sniff.]

Yeeeeup.

[bonetiddies]

So it's someone's stupid item, then. And they used it on him.

[Gross.]

[probe]

[she doesn't say anything to that, but:]

What are you guys going to do with him now?

[bonetiddies]

I don't know. I think it would probably be best to kill him and be done with it.

[She chews a little at her poor thumb nail.]

He has nothing to lose now, knowing he's likely to be voted off, so he'll only become more dangerous. He may be angry with Gu Yun, or with myself and Mollymauk. But that's operating mainly from the perspective of what would be best for me, not necessarily what would be best for everyone as a whole.

[probe]

[her mouth works at that.]

I don't like the idea of just keeping him alive as a prisoner. [sourly.] But it's not up to me.

[bonetiddies]

Do you think we ought not make him a prisoner?

[probe]

[a long sigh.]

Look, uh, this is your thing. All of you. You guys decide who lives and who dies, we don't. I don't want to influence anything.

[bonetiddies]

I suppose. If the secret answer to our problems is going to be learning to forgive and befriending Childe, I'd like to be forewarned.

But I'm not planning to kill him so long as I think we can subdue him. Personally, I'd rather be a prisoner than dead.

[probe]

[snort.] No, I wouldn't ask you to forgive or befriend anybody, boo. I am not Childe's biggest fan.

[she tilts her head back.] I don't think the answer is going to be the power of friendship, this time.

[bonetiddies]

Thank God for that.

[That would be terrible.]

What about these messages from the dead some have received?

[probe]

Whaaat about them?

[bonetiddies]

Well. . . do they come as a surprise to you?

[probe]

A little. [she rubs at her neck.] But not a lot.

[bonetiddies]

I understood from others that their souls were somewhere. It doesn't surprise me either; communications from the dead are not necessarily uncommon where I'm from.

Should we consider them legitimate or suspect?

[probe]

Legit. [...] But there isn't a way to see them, or save them. They're gone, okay?

[bonetiddies]

Okay, but gone as in - beyond someone using a wish to revive them?

[probe]

That I don't know. I haven't seen the desire thing work.

[bonetiddies]

Do you think it really will? I admit at this point I'm skeptical.

[probe]

... I hope so. [a deep breath, and a slow exhale.] I really hope it does.

[bonetiddies]

I do, too.

[This conversation is getting sad.]

I have been told so many times to concentrate on the living, but that is all I do. I don't think it's useful to get in the habit of assuming death can be reversed, even though in cases it can be. But I'm not pleased if some among us were led to believe they'd be allowed to save someone with such little evidence.

[probe]

All we can ever do is try to save as many people as we can, Harrow.

[she puts lets her hand drift down into the water of the koi pond, running her finger along one of the koi that passes by.]

Hope's not a bad thing, either.

[bonetiddies]

So I keep hearing. I have never found that to be the case.

[She just watches, and sighs.]

I wonder how much we ought to be listening to the eight of you on these matters, anyway. I've found your guidance helpful, and I am not intending to express doubt or distrust in you, merely that - I don't know whether our interests are fully aligned, and I suspect if they weren't, you wouldn't be able to say so openly.

[Are you feeding us to Gluttony's cats.]

[probe]

[wrath is an expressive person - it's hard to miss the way her ears twitch and flatten back against her skull, like she's been scolded.]

I don't want to lie to you. Just so you know. [she keeps her eyes on the koi.]

[bonetiddies]

[Yes. She doesn't miss that at all. She's just frowning. That's enough of an answer.]

I know that.

[She chews at her lip a little more.]

. . . We're strangers who appeared here, expecting to. Be taken to the indulgence center, daddy? And receive miracles in return. And in the interim, we've expected you to answer all of our questions and resolve our problems and. . . bear the brunt of it, when we become frustrated by circumstances.

Of course you're going to have your individual opinions, and you'll like some of us just as you'll dislike others. But as a whole, it isn't really reasonable to expect we have the same interests when our situations are so different.

It wasn't an accusation. Just an observation, of an assumption that I think I ought to rectify.

[probe]

[she can't help herself, she does snort at the indulgence center, daddy part, but.]

Nah, I uh. You're right. [she finally glances up at harrow.] I do like you a lot. You're a smart lady and I'm glad I've been able to meet you.

[...] I've never minded helping or bearing the brunt. That won't change, even if the situation does.