[step into my office]

[guillotineroom]

Who: ritsuka and the warden
When: day 84
Where: hm. . .?

What:

[at first, when Ritsuka attempts to purchase the Moon for a mere two tokens. . . the app glitches out, and a brief message pops onto her screen-- Insufficient funds for]

[but then the message vanishes, and she finds her entire world suddenly lurching around her. her stomach flips, a wave of nausea will overcome her, and everything around her seems to twist and turn and melt. . . it's a similar transition to the one everyone experienced when they were brought to the Inner Prison]

[and when everything comes to--]

[she finds herself standing in an office, with everything decorated in familiar shades of gold and blue. there seems to be another presence here with her in the form of a bright crescent of light located behind the desk. no matter how hard she tries to perceive the light, however, she simply cannot. whatever this presence is. . . it's beyond her ability to comprehend. staring at the light for too long will give her a headache. very eldritchy!!]

[what she can comprehend, however, is a voice]

Speak. My time is limited, but I will honor your purchase.

[that sure is the Warden!]

Comments

[fujimaru]

[ OH BOY THIS SURE IS HAPPENING ISN'T IT. She's going to get yelled at later for sure, but everyone else is off having their own adventures.

At the sound of that voice, though, she straightens and squares her shoulders. ]

Typhon-san... right?

[directrice]

[a long stretch of silence follows that statement, and when the Warden speaks, her words are clipped]

Yes. That is my true name. What do you want?

[fujimaru]

[ She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a few seconds. When she opens them again, one is bright red. ]

I want to ask you how you did something. Specifically related to the man you stuck me with.

[directrice]

[if balls of light could raise their brows, this one would. that's the feeling Ritsuka is getting from this. there's no verbal reply, but the silence is clear-- what is it?]

[fujimaru]

...It's not like you can say you found a different version of him to give to me. We've talked, you know? This is the same "Goetia" that I faced years ago.

[ She takes a breath, her hands curling into fists. ]

And that man shouldn't exist. He was erased entirely. Not even the gods should be able to retrieve him, so... how?

[directrice]

[the light seems to shine a little brighter, and Ritsuka finds herself with a mild headache pulsing behind her eyes]

I am a god, am I not? A being that transcends the concepts of space, time and existence. If my children call out to me, I answer. It matters not where they are in the universe.

[fujimaru]

[ Her eyes narrow, but she refuses to back down or flinch. ]

There are things that even the gods are beholden to. And Goetia isn't one of yours.

[directrice]

Yes. You are correct. And yet, that is not one of them.

[a derisive sniff]

He is one of mine, whether he acknowledges it or not. I am the father of all monsters-- of all Beasts.

[fujimaru]

You're the father of monsters. Those are different from Beasts.

[ She lifts her chin a little. ]

Beasts are born from humanity, not the gods. You have no claim on him, but you still found him. I want to know how.

[directrice]

[the light is brighter still, and the headache behind her eyes increases. bearable, but definitely uncomfortable]

I have told you how. Are you dissatisfied with my response?

[fujimaru]

I am.

[ Uncomfortable is fine. Uncomfortable is something Ritsuka is used to gritting her teeth and soldiering through, and she is at least getting a boost from Goetia in this. ]

I want to know how you did it. I want to know if you can do it again.

[directrice]

The details are beyond mortal comprehension.

[it seems the Warden is not interested in giving her more than what she already has on the "how" of things]

And I can-- and shall-- do it again, should I deem it necessary.

[fujimaru]

[ This is where she kind of wishes she'd told Da Vinci and asked her to come along, but too late now. ]

What makes it necessary? You're pulling people at random, even the ones that have nothing to do with you.

[directrice]

I have already told you. You say they have nothing to do with me, but I disagree. They are. . . my children.

[there's a moment where a slight bit of affection seems to creep into the Warden's words]

I have given them shelter. I have given them new vessels. Soon, I will give them new lives.

[fujimaru]

You have given nothing.

[ There's an echo when she says it; for a moment both of her eyes are bright red between one blink and the next. ]

You have set yourself as a false idol, a god above gods, and you grow fat in your own self-satisfaction. You have never once thought of anything but your own gain.

[directrice]

[the room. . . suddenly feels suffocating, like a pressure from above is attempting to squash Ritsuka and Goetia. the light is brighter now; the headache becomes painful. still bearable, but it may be difficult to think]

Are you only here to insult me? Need I remind you that you are still at my mercy.

[fujimaru]

[ She winces, but she still doesn't back down. The red fades from one eye at least. ]

I was here to ask a question. There's someone I want to help.

[directrice]

[the pressure doesn't increased, but it doesn't decrease, either]

And you believe I would assist you with this task?

[fujimaru]

[ "I think that most people who style themselves as gods are arrogant enough to brag if you flatter their ego," she does not say, and she's not really great at the whole flattery thing, but that's not NOT a thought she has. ]

I don't know. You tell me.

[directrice]

[a sharp laugh, and for a moment, the headache becomes so searing Ritsuka's vision goes black]

[. . . but she comes back to herself before long]

I only assist those who assist me. What have you done for me, other than ruin my plans to revive my family?

[fujimaru]

[ She sways a little, then takes a breath, lifting her chin--and then, from under her shirt, she fishes out a locket, holding it up for the Warden to see. ]

I don't know. You're the one who dragged all of us here for your own selfish reasons. Do you really think your family will thank you for that?

[directrice]

[there is a long]

[long]

[long stretch of silence, where it almost seems as though the light is staring intently at that locket]

[and then. . .]

I am not doing this for gratitude. They may hate me at the end, but at least they will be alive to do so.

[fujimaru]

[ She tucks it away again. ]

Is that really fixing anything? What are the good things about being alive? Because to me, a big part of it is knowing my loved ones love me back, and that they're happy--I wouldn't wish for them to be hateful or resentful.

[directrice]

They will be alive to find new loved ones, if necessary. That is enough.

After all, love runs opposite of resentment. You cannot have one without the other.

[fujimaru]

I don't think that's true either... but even if it were, why would you want to make it happen? Aren't there better ways to honor people you love?