Audience: Harrowhark Nonagesimus

[probe]

Comments

[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.

[bonetiddies]

I like talking to you. And to the others. I suppose I don't always know how to approach just - asking someone to sit and have a conversation with me because I want to. It feels like I ought to be doing something more productive with my time.

[But asking a lot of questions about things doesn't feel right when she doesn't necessarily trust the answer.]

[probe]

Hey, productivity is never a bad thing either! I think you're not bad at just vibing with us.

But there are times where I just can't tell you shit. It's not because I don't trust you. It's because I don't want you to get hurt. [a sigh.] I don't - uh, I don't do well with not interfering, you know?

[and then a bit of a laugh.] I died because I tried to fix my mistakes by interfering, actually. Never really thought about it like that before.

[bonetiddies]

Hmm.

[She thinks a little about that.]

I've always dealt with things on my own. I've managed all of the affairs of my House since I was ten years old. It isn't easy for me to accept that there are things that are out of my control, or that I have to be protected from.

. . . I don't want to put you in the position of being forced to hold back from interfering, even when it's difficult for you. I don't want to ask you to do things you ought not to do.

[probe]

[... a longer pause, and then:]

I think, maybe, when you have more answers, you might change your mind. [she looks away again.] You should find answers. As many as you can.

[bonetiddies]

I might not. Disagreeing with decisions isn't the same thing as being unable to understand them.

[But, yes.]

Good. That's what I was going to do anyway, but I'm glad to know you think so.

[probe]

[her lips twitch.]

Yeah, how could I not, you know? [...] I feel like out of all the people I know you're the one that's going to make it work.

... No pressure or anything, haha.

[bonetiddies]

[Oh. Wrath. That's - probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to her, and even though it's not emotion share week yet, she's obviously touched.]

Yes, no pressure.