audience: lucas

[mygod]

Comments

[faithkept]

I intend to.

[They will probably also turn his offer down because all four of these stupid horsemen seem like the type, but he will still try anyway.

He shakes his head at the question, though.]

No, though I wanted to confirm what I heard from War. You don't believe Death's situation was caused by one of us...?

[mygod]

[ lucas you are too perfect ]

No.

After we did some investigating of our own, based on the leads that you all gleaned during the ritual, we were able to determine that the cult at large is responsible for Death's demise.

[faithkept]

[:ben:

Anyway he looks like he doesn't know how to feel about that because he DOESN'T!! It's good in that it means there probably isn't a killer on the loose among them just waiting to snap and kill again, but it's bad in that the cult is killing their overseers.]

What reason did they have to target him, do you know...?

[mygod]

Suspicion of betrayal to their greater goals.

[ stretches out lazily like a cat, unbothered ]

Uh oh.

[ stop ]

[faithkept]

[STOP. He's going to hit them with a brick behind Denny's again and now that he can't hit Death with a brick behind Denny's, he will simply have to double up.]

Please sound more concerned. And stop stretching in the dirt.

[HE HATES IT HERE.]

[mygod]

It's surprisingly refreshing, how cold the ground is.

[ thanks famine. but they yawn ]

Do not be worried. I will not let the other two die. I also do not seek to die myself, before you harp on my wording.

[faithkept]

[He doesn't remark on the refreshing cold ground, though he does press his lips into a thin line. It stays that way for a moment because he's reacting in the same way to this wording that he did nearly harp on.]

I'll worry regardless. One of you is already dead.

[mygod]

And so is one of you, with another on the way.

[ falling like dominoes... ]

What is the point is being concerned about us on a personal level? We will not stride boldly to our deaths and compromise all of you. That is all that should matter.

[faithkept]

[GOODBYE SWEET CRAZY BOOTHILL. He makes a bit of a face, thinking about said man and his bonkers bananas current demeanor. May God free you from your insanity amen.]

Is it not a natural thing, coming to care for those around you? Especially in situations like this, where loss is inevitable.

[TRAUMA BONDING!!!!!]

[mygod]

[ nooooooo that's my cyborg buddy. my cybuddy if you will ]

I do not believe that you should offer care for people who are part of the cult that summoned you all here.

The animosity made more sense to me.

[faithkept]

If you weren't actively risking your lives and very much dying in an effort to stand against the rest, then I'm certain the overwhelming sentiment would be different.

[He himself is not exactly attached, but worry comes to him naturally, except for when (redacteds) (redacted).]

[mygod]

[ famine shakes their head... from where they are still on the ground ]

It is not an act done for gratitude or compassion. At the very least, not for myself.

[faithkept]

[He hates so deeply that he's having this conversation with a party who's just lying in the garden like a vole.

He could also say something about how the general drive behind the act probably doesn't make much of a difference, but something seems to give him pause as he's about to speak, and he swerves instead to:]

Then what is it, for you?

[mygod]

[ me googling vole like what the fuck

laying on the ground isn't a bad place for looking at the funky, unfamiliar stars, though, which is what they do now. ]

... intervention, for once, I suppose.

Recognizing that the path that I was taking came with a cost I could not accept, and righting that wrong. I do not want to be complicit in failure, even more so when that failure will come at the cost of human life.

Animosity would make more sense to me, that's true... but whether you all attempt compassion or stew in spite would make no difference to me. [ looks to lucas ] I would not abandon you nonetheless.

[faithkept]

[voles ur npc

While they look up at the stars, Lucas just looks down at them, posture prim as ever even seated on the fckin dirt floor of a garden. He listens, files most of this away, ponders over a few points. Closes his eyes at the notion of not being abandoned when DEATH (THE CONCEPT) IS ALREADY HERE AND SOOO BUFF.]

I suppose I can understand it. [Wanting to right a perceived wrong. Not wanting to fail.] Though your indifference to the way we may view or treat you is strange, I also can't imagine anyone putting their lives on the line if personal opinion would sway them from their efforts.

[mygod]

[ famine would accept being a vole if it meant society could not reach them

they're quiet for a while, as if contemplating something that comes to them ]

I suppose it bothers me. If people think that we are owed your compassion just because we are here.

You owe us nothing.

[faithkept]

[DON'T JUST BE A VOLE ABOUT IT even if that's fair

He also just sighs about that.]

I doubt it's a transactional matter for most here.

[There are just... so many good people with big friendship-filled hearts... and natural compassion... who would offer kindness even to a murderous maniac...]

[mygod]

Not intentionally.

But didn't you also come because you felt the need to worry about us, because you think that it's worthwhile to care for our weell-being?

[faithkept]

[WELL YOU SEE, something something CATHOLIC GUILT something something (REDACTED) but he refuses to get into any of that.]

I came to see how you were doing because you've lost someone. A loss is a loss. It would be remiss to let someone else bear the weight without so much as an offer to help.

[mygod]

It will be annoying to do the work meant for four with the three of us, but we will endure. Otherwise, I do find it a loss. I didn't dislike Death.

[ somehow... ]

And what of you? Were you close to either the one dead or the one afflicted?

[faithkept]

[SOMEHOW... He also frowns a little at the complaint of doing extra work being ANNOYING when Death is DEAD but at least they find it a loss...]

I hope that you're able to lay him to rest peacefully, at least. [GOD!!!!

He shakes his head, though.]

I didn't speak often to either. [A pause, considering.] ...Life is not eternal, and death is often unkind... Still, their circumstances are tragic and worrying.

[mygod]

We will confer to see what he would have wanted, and respect that probably. Funeral processions are often more to soothe the souls of the living than the departed.

[ but they aren't inherently against them either ]

Mm. It is a hollow and senseless loss regardless. I would not be surprised if fear has been stoked amongst you all.

[faithkept]

It still has meaning to some. Respecting the corpse is universal regardless, I'd say.

[Lucas who just got done having a conversation about How To Handle Remains. But yeah! Hollow and senseless!! He thinks back on the conversations he's had, considering.]

There is... concern. Worry. But I think most are upset and angry on behalf of those afflicted, or are still processing what happened.

[He hadn't come across much intense panic or fear, himself.]

[mygod]

You'd be surprised what is and is not universal, amongst these many universes. But your point is heard.

[ famine is not being intentionally pedantic they've just heard a lot of weird stuff about how people react to death around here ]

Hm... It is still recent. And how would you say you are feeling?

[ anticipating this answer to be half-dishonest but it's fine ]

[faithkept]

[THINKING ABOUT LAUDNA.]

...I suppose that's true enough.

[Will he judge people who disrespect the dead anyway even if it's a cultural thing, yes. Yes he will. REGARDLESS!!]

Much the same. I'm unhappy with the deaths, and worried for what it means. There is a great deal of pain in store if suspicions are correct, and I wouldn't wish it on those here.

[It is a relatively honest answer. Like 85% honest.]