voice;

[closerift]

I know we've all got lots to think about, what with another change of scenery coming very soon, so I'll keep this brief. If there is anyone here who...is mechanically-minded, then I would very much like to speak with you. Someone who might be able to build-...

[ Cecily sounds deeply uncomfortable, so rather than explain further, she makes a dismissive noise and exhales. ]

Please do let me know. ...And thank you.

Comments

[closerift]

I'm telling you, the more you say that, the more you're tempting some awful fate.

[ Things can always get worse, can always go wrong. She can't risk it, not with these people. ]

You really think that he cares? [ Maker, she wants to believe that, but it's. Difficult, to say the least. ] ...I've never gotten that impression, but you're at least closer to Fear. What do you know about them that I don't?

[fogsong]

Hope cares. I don't know how much anymore, he may resent most of us, but he either cares or wants to. [ Delight did, too. She cared enough to betray her own people. ]

And I'm as close with Fear as... I don't know, anyone is with any of them. [ She's spoken to him the most, even likes him to a certain extent (a strange combination to go with her instinctive fear of him and hate). ] You know I don't know anymore about them than you do and some of the things I might know, I don't know if it's even true, or even pertinent.

[closerift]

I thought that Delight cared, but then she betrayed all of us and resulted in quite a lot of deaths.

[ Cecily's included. ]

We don't know who or what we can trust in general, here. You may as well share some of it, even if you're not confident it's credible.

[ Please, Sharon. She's a woman dying of starvation, without any info in all this time. ]

[fogsong]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[ Who's to say that Delight hadn't done what she had with good intentions in mind? That's not to say the god wasn't a fool and it hardly lessens her actions. ]

...You know that the gods usually reproduce asexually, right? A Hope makes another Hope, a Fear another Fear, etc?

[closerift]

Oh, don't spout aphorisms at me, we're quite past that.

[ At that little tidbit, the Inquisitor's eyebrows rise. ]

Is that right? Well, can't say I'm surprised. ...I am, though. That's something wild.

[ And super weird, but, then...they're gods. Can't expect them to be human and fuck like normal people. ]

[fogsong]

There are two of them here not born like that, though: Delight and Fear. Sorrow didn't know who Delight's other... uh, parent was, but he said Fear's was a Tranquility. I didn't dig too deep, didn't want him to close up on me, but I wonder if that... means something, if that makes them different than say a Fear-Fear.

I wonder if that makes them weaker depending on the combination. Or maybe it doesn't even matter.

[closerift]

This is getting complicated. [ Quelle surprise. Cecily scoffs, crossing her arms. ] I don't suppose you've drawn it out in a sort of family tree?

[ Fear-Fear and Tranquility-Fear and...who knows what else. She hadn't even realized, really, how intricate their 'relationships' were.

Maybe there's a lot more to these gods than she'd given them credit for. Than she'd wanted to know. ]

[fogsong]

I guess it can seem complicated but I think that's just because we don't know enough about their social structures and habits. It just makes me question a lot of things, especially after Delight's betrayal; I can't help but wonder if her heritage had something to do with it.

[closerift]

It may have, but where would we find any answers to that?

[ They won't, she thinks, unless they put together those answers themselves.

Cecily thinks a moment, glancing to Sharon. ]

You'd best record all this in that book of yours.

[fogsong]

I already have. [ In fact, she's starting a new one with just hard facts, none of her own personal opinion or theories throw in. The first will continue as it had before, however, to keep her thoughts, their history, and possible new facts in line. ]

I... should show you the location where I'm keeping my books from now on sometime. [ Just in case. ]

[closerift]

I'd like that, if you really don't mind. [ Just in case. But, Maker, it's torture to even for a second imagine Sharon gone again with no sign that she might return. ]

[fogsong]

I don't mind. We know better than to pretend I, or you, or anyone, couldn't disappear at any moment. [ It's a painful thing to consider but it's always at the forefront of her mind nowadays, a constant buzz of anxiety. ]

[closerift]

We do. [ ... ] Just let me know when you're able to show me, then, and I'll be there.

[fogsong]

Yeah, I’ll give you a call when I can. And.. in case I don’t in time, I’m painting new symbols to lead you to it and my personal stash. [ She sends a photo of three simple circles, painted at the base of a building, out of sight unless one knows what to look for ]<\ small>

[closerift]

Fair enough. [ Good to have, in case... Well. She doesn't want to think about that. ] But I hope you'll try and stay so you can show me yourself.

[fogsong]

If I could glue myself to this place, I would. [ She can only offer Cecily her desire to stay, nothing else. ]