probe | Audience: Mahito

[everyone should be distracted by dogs. that said, greed doesn't bother telling mahito to get off of the floor and maus sniffs at his fingers before allowing scratches and pets.

mahito not making fun of the dog's name also helps. terrible.]

I suppose, but dogs are incredibly intelligent when trained early. [...] And they're eager to learn with the right incentive.

[and also greed just really likes dogs.]

[TERRIBLE...

Maus will get very many gentle pets and scritches, then. Every day that he can't just follow random stray cats around for funsies or catch birds or go swimming with fish, he becomes more grateful for the few animals he gets to see...]

Hmm, I guess so. I didn't really expect you to be a dog person, though! Or a pet person in general. Hehe.

[This tiny hehe is just for Maus, whose equally tiny ears he has gently folded before watching them pop back up.]

[maus is a spoiled baby who is apparently very used to pets and scritches, so this is allowed.]

No? [don't sound surprised, greed.] I guess I do give off that impression...but dogs are very loyal. Not to mention their ability to perform as needed.

[maus also allows his ears to be played with before trying to roll over for bellyrubs. this is not the most dignified dog, but it's fine.]

[MAUS IS HIS NEW FAVORITE!!!! He makes a tiny little delighted sound when the pupper rolls over before giving Maus ALL the bellyrubs.]

Huh! All true. When you say it like that, it makes a little more sense...

[WHAT DOES THAT MEAN.]

Can I pick him up?

[maus is equally delighted. i'm glad mahito and this pom are on the same wavelength right now.]

Does it? [they are not sure they want to agree on what mahito thinks makes sense, but after a moment there's a tentative nod.]

You may. But please be careful. [do not harm their dog, they will end you.]

[Yeah he's got the same amount of braincells as a pom so this makes sense.

ANYWAY, he'll give Maus a few more bellyrubs before scooping him up like a little baby... At least this finally gets him up off the floor. He's just kneeling there for now, with his arms full of pompom.]

So cute! You're the best! Why can't all humans just be puppies? [God life would be so much easier.] Is he from your home or something? Like the cats?

[stop this. maus is very amendable which is the word i wanted like three tags ago, so he's immediately wiggling around with the bellyrubs before allowing himself to be cradled like the baby he is. there's a slight yap of agreement because maus thinks he's pretty great.]

Ah, no. He was found in the dog park with the others, but...he was the first one I met. [and now greed pretty much takes him everywhere.] I don't think Maus would have let me leave without giving him the attention he deserves.

[maus is busy trying to lick mahito's chin.]

[Maus IS pretty great!! He's such a smart dog. Mahito's fondly allowing Maus to do literally whatever the fuck, patting his tumby and cooing like a normal creature interacting with a cute animal. You could almost forget he's a curse for a second, wow.

But eventually, he'll turn his attention back to Greed. God.]

Aw, that's cute. [Maus chose his owner...] They're all really sweet, huh? I can see why you'd like this guy, though. [PATPAT THE TUM.]

--Ah, right! Thanks for the books. The criminology stuff was pretty interesting. Humans spend a lot of time trying to get inside the mind of killers, don't they?

[maus doesn't think mahito is too cursed so he's a very happy pupper. greed....goes back to their paperwork while mahito's busy with their dog, at least until they're spoke to again.]

Yes, among other reasons. [be more cryptic you asshole. but greed glances up from their work.]

I know it's a difficult concept to grasp for a curse, but as a whole humanity doesn't necessarily condone murder. When it occurs, instinctually, people will want to understand why. A science, if you will.

[This is why animals are so good. PERFECT, PERFECT POM.]

I can get it, even if I don't get it, you know? [He really does walk a weird line between Understanding Things About Humans while never actually being able to experience them firsthand. He really is like an alien observing a species tangentially related to his own...]

I like reading about it! It's really something else, seeing what humans think about themselves. Sometimes they oversimplify things and sometimes they overcomplicate things, and they'll never understand the nature of their own soul like they'd be able to if the could see it. So all the theorizing and speculating - it's fun to read. Hey - why do you think humans kill?

So it seems. [curses are such a weird and fascinating brand of person.]

I believe it's because a soul isn't necessary as straightforward as you say it is. [but there's a pause.]

...humans kill for a multitude of reasons, but it all boils down to their emotions. Their pride. Their greed. Their wrath. Their envy. Their despair. What else would there be?

That's because you can't see it! ...Probably.

[Man he doesn't know with these fuckin avatars, maybe this person is like a lawyer for satan or something with soul vision too.

He moves on easily though, since he's found himself talking in circles about souls a lot lately and has grown a little bored with it.]

Mm, no, I think that's a good answer. [A little nod.] Even sociopaths usually kill for some sense of satisfaction, right? Kind of makes you wonder if humans would still kill if they didn't have to worry about emotion. What do you think?

They would. [that. that answer is really, really fast, but they don't seem to take it back.] Unless you think self-gain doesn't qualify as an emotion?

[CURIOUS. He definitely takes note of that, patting the pompom's tum again.]

I think in a world totally devoid of all emotion, self-gain probably wouldn't exist. I mean, what would motivate someone to gain things, right? Even survival instinct is mostly fear-based.

[maus is trying to chew mahito's fingers but he has baby teeth so it's fine.]

Perhaps that's true. But then again want at its core can simply exist without having an underlying emotion attached. Can't it?

[Even if he didn't have baby teeth, Mahito would allow this. Puppy rights.]

Dunno! I've never wanted anything without an emotion attached. [Even if they're weird, just-one-step-to-the-left-of-normal curse emotions...] Have you?

[puppy rights are important. but greed just...kind of stares at him for a moment.]

Of course I have. [they? are the avatar of greed? sir?]

[YEAH, AND?? All of his greed comes from emotion, he can't relate to emotionless greed.]

Yeah? Like what?

Perfection. [this explains nothing, and yet.] There was never another option, but I never felt any certain way about it.

[is this fucking edgeworth ace attorney

Anyway he seems particularly intrigued by this concept?? He hums, head canting to the side curiously.]

Wasn't there an emotional drive somewhere, though? Most people strive for perfection for some reason... Didn't you feel anything about there not being another option?

No. As I said, there was no other option to even consider, so what was there to feel? It was simply a fact.

If I had to wager, I think I felt something when I actually lost more than I ever did with perfection.

[HE JUST hums in response to the first part, though something in his expression seems - not dissatisfied, but like he wants to continue digging into what was said.

He apparently decides to leave it where it is though, lifting Maus up like Simba.]

What was the feeling?

[given that greed's actually responding, it's likely they're anticipating questions anyhow. maus wags his fluffy tail.]

Defeat. Despair. Disgust. Among other things.

[Gently

places Maus on the table...]

Oh! [He's only felt one of those emotions before! How novel.] What do you think? Is it better or worse than not feeling anything about perfection?

[maus immediately roams the table, doing that thing dogs do when they can't decide who to bother so they run between them.]

It's unnecessary most of the time, and it tends to alter rationality to a degree I'm not always comfortable with. [...but they have to be honest, so.]

It may be better. At least for what it is I've set out to do with my life.

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i truly appreciate that i never got this notif.

dw is trying to save you

and failing

😌

😒

🥰

😔

DONT MAKE SAD FACES AT MY AFFECTION

I WILL DO WHAT I WANT

I, AKI, HAVE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE SAD FACES

#DOUBT

u_u ...

n_n