Audience: Mahito

[probe]

Comments

i truly appreciate that i never got this notif.

[probe]

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?

dw is trying to save you

[touchups]

[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.

and failing

[probe]

[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?

😌

[touchups]

[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?

😒

[probe]

[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?]

🥰

[touchups]

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

Yeah? Like what?

😔

[probe]

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

DONT MAKE SAD FACES AT MY AFFECTION

[touchups]

[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?

I WILL DO WHAT I WANT

[probe]

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.

I, AKI, HAVE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE SAD FACES

[touchups]

[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?

#DOUBT

[probe]

[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.

u_u ...

[touchups]

[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?

n_n

[probe]

[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.

gently lays u to rest

[touchups]

[ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE. 10/10. A STAR. Mahito adores this dog and holds his hands up so Maus can come sniff and get more scritches any time he wanders over that way.]

Hm... Well, people aren't usually rational anyway, so at least you're not alone. [Reaching out with a free hand to pat Greed's arm.]

What've you set out to do, anyway?

[probe]

[maus will absolutely sniff mahito's hands and run in a circle before flitting back to greed and repeating the cycle. i cannot stress enough that this is a tiny precious pom. the pat gets a Look mahito can't see under the hood, but hrm.

they also know this answer will go over like a lead balloon, but they shrug as they scratch maus under the chin.]

To find the truth in every situation regardless of what it is rather than care about perfection and winning.

[touchups]

[I LOVE THIS POM. BEST POM, 10/10, ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS. Fortunately Mahito thinks much the same, and will continue to give him all the pats and scritches and gross gushing coos he can.

Though, very unfortunately, the answer does not go over like a lead balloon. It's unfortunate because it would have honestly been better for Greed if it had!! There's a spark of interest in his expression, as he leans against the desk.]

Not many people would make that a goal! The ones that do still sometimes come across truths that make them regret their choice, but I get the feeling you're not the type, huh? To regret - at least in that way.

[probe]

[best pom good pom!! also wow, shit.]

No. I don't find regrets to be useful to me, especially when they only further complicate the situation. All truths will hurt at least one person involved but we mustn't let that stop us from obtaining it.

[touchups]

[He is so glad Maus isn't the pom that got involved in shenanigans somehow. God.]

Mm! Not a common perspective, either. [UNFORTUNATELY HE IS A FAN OF UNCOMMON THINGS.] How's it working out for you so far? Or is it a recent decision?

[probe]

[mood.]

...I suppose it's working out well enough, to say the least. I've received answers to some questions I've carried for years, and I've had to take the time to decide what I really want to do going forward. It was a decision made a few years ago, but I had wondered if it would be a decision made too late.

[touchups]

"You're never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream"... was it? That's not bad at all, though! Makes me wish I could get a look at your soul.

[Alarming.]

[probe]

[what a cheesy quote.]

I wonder what you would find there.

[equally alarming.]

[touchups]

[A cheesy quote for a cheesy inspiration.

Anyway unfortunately Mahito is not at all deterred by this ominous statement. IF ANYTHING HE'S JUST MORE INTERESTED. Look, he likes Sebastian the fuck demon, he can like literally anyone and their weird state of soul.]

Hah, half the fun is not knowing, right? Though I do wanna see how much it flickers.

[probe]

[who the fuck is sebastian.]

How does it benefit you to see a person's soul anyhow?

[touchups]

[can't believe greed is also sebastian.]

I can see how calm or agitated someone's soul is, what sort of emotions it's metabolizing, whether or not they're lying - stuff like that. So it tells me more about them, and it's usually more honest than someone's words.

[probe]

...remind me to send you off with a book of psychology before you leave. [i.e. they do not see the benefit, exactly.]