... no offense Mizuki-san, but why do you think I'd tell you that...?
You scared me last week - and there's no reason to suspect me this week, not when we know what happened to Fortune and Ruin - but there's not really a point in giving my god to someone who doesn't trust me not to hurt someone?
Hmmm... Because you like me? You've been telling me everything else, haven't you? And the more alliances I know, the more I can figure out during the trials.
[ they slip their hands into their pockets, casual. ]
I've been telling you what I think you can use to help everyone here - oh, speaking of which, I got a letter from Passhi since I tried to talk to her. I can show it to you later.
But no matter how much I like you, I get the feeling that you don't really believe in me...
[ senri!! they were trying to dance around this, mostly for their own sake, because they didn't want to commit to this. But, in a way, they sort of already did. They wouldn't have even bothered bringing this up (or so many other things, in the past) if they weren't. ]
I'm trying to look out for you, you know! Someone is worried about you, and asked me to keep you out of trouble. I'm having a really hard time with it!
.... well, I won't go anywhere dangerous, Mizuki-san. I'm with Cunning right now and... well, I have to move anyway but I was gonna go anyway because I think that if he got voted for, he'd remove me from his team first.
.... you know, Mizuki-san and Cunning might get along.
[just a thought.]
Ah but... I'm thinking about it... Depending on if I can find Dizzy's last follower and make sure they're staying, Above Suspicion would be pretty useful for me, to make sure that even if we vote wrong, no one who's innocent could get hurt.
But I do wanna go back to Cheri.... or Justice is waiting for me....
[ . . . well, he shrugs. having those three options should be enough for mizuki to guess from!]
[ but Senri's probably right, anyway. They note down those three possibilities mentally. This is a pretty hard task they've been given, as they thought it would be... ]
And? What do you plan on doing this week once you've made sure everyone has someone? Based on Geiszler-san's comments, there's a very high possibility people will continue to die as someone tries to take down the gods.
Keep myself safe, mostly. There are a some people who would cause a lot of trouble if something happened to me, or be really hurt if I was gone....
[at least he seems to recognize that much,,]
I'm pretty out of my depth with the murder aspect of everything... I'm learning about how to stay away from dangerous situations, but I'm still not as good as others. That's why I just talk a lot, and see if I can bring anything back that's worth thinking about to the people who would know better.
Bloodlessly, for how. I can't control everyone else here, but I can control myself, and try to influence others into being a little less murderous.
[he's thinking of one bitch in particular!
but,]
I talked to some gods about this - but I was told that not only does it matter which god has the most followers, but it also depends on how much you believe in that god's vision for the world. Right now, of the gods in the lead... I don't believe in Bambi's as much as I love her, and I'm not sold on Cunning's. I do like Justice's.
But if everyone just goes to a god for the sake of the numbers, the competition will be rendered void and it might just have to happen again with a new batch.
That's why we can't move forward with Yu-kun's idea, if he ever pitches it again.
Mm. I figured that they wouldn't leave such a simple solution open.
[ Senri might notice that Mizuki's expression noticeably hardens at the mention of "a new batch." That hits way too close to home. They need to end this the right way - they can't have two separate groups stealing people away and torturing them like this. Maybe stopping these stupid games is what they were born to do. ]
... We have to end this here. No matter what it takes.
I agree with you. I'm... trying to figure out how to do that. When I checked with Love recently, she said that we're about halfway... so I think that Passhi really was trying to get us to figure out what to do in six weeks, give or take. I want to leave behind a world that everyone likes, and I've been trying to mend the gods' relationships so that no matter who wins, they'll at least keep from squabbling again.
[ . . . ]
But of the current numbers, I think Justice has the best shot, and would be the easiest to convince people to follow. Love and Cheri are willing to let their followers go in the final week to the winning team, so that their followers can get their wishes. I'm sure other gods like Beauty or Merriment feel the same.
It's hard to say when things change so drastically when people have to defect, and Ambition followers keep using Advancement Opportunity... but that's what I think.
[ oh. now this is interesting information. Mizuki leans in just a little, curiosity piqued. Maybe they're just hoping, too. As much as they get on Senri's case for pinning his hopes on a convenient third option, if one actually exists, then they want to try for it, too. ]
... Willing to let go of their followers, huh? That's the first time I've heard anyone mention that.
[ a beat. ]
That changes things. For a while now, I thought it was strange that the gods had all split into their own discrete groups when so many of them had overlapping ideals... If we look at the game from that angle, it becomes less about beating the other teams and more about making sure certain gods who won't play along end up at zero.
.... I guess I should be glad you never considered leaving Beauty for even a second.
[and he does sound relieved, but he nods afterward.]
Cheri told me that he wanted me to stay with him as long as possible, because he wants to win. All the gods want to win, of course. Beauty and Cheri's worlds sounds similar to me - which isn't a surprise because they're friends. Gods are making deals behind the scenes so that if one of them wins, others might be elevated a little higher or their counsel will be accepted more. That kind of thing.
[ . . . ]
And Mizuki-san, I don't want gods at zero. I want them at one - and by the end, they can be at zero, when the game is over.
Cheri also told me a while back that depending on who wins, people who weren't on their team might be able to get something for participating too, even if it's not their entire wish - so that they don't go back home empty-handed.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
... no offense Mizuki-san, but why do you think I'd tell you that...?
You scared me last week - and there's no reason to suspect me this week, not when we know what happened to Fortune and Ruin - but there's not really a point in giving my god to someone who doesn't trust me not to hurt someone?
no subject
Hmmm... Because you like me? You've been telling me everything else, haven't you? And the more alliances I know, the more I can figure out during the trials.
[ they slip their hands into their pockets, casual. ]
Besides, it's my responsibility.
no subject
I've been telling you what I think you can use to help everyone here - oh, speaking of which, I got a letter from Passhi since I tried to talk to her. I can show it to you later.
But no matter how much I like you, I get the feeling that you don't really believe in me...
no subject
A lot of people believe in you, Nito-kun.
no subject
What does that have to do with anything, Mizuki-san...?
no subject
[ senri!! they were trying to dance around this, mostly for their own sake, because they didn't want to commit to this. But, in a way, they sort of already did. They wouldn't have even bothered bringing this up (or so many other things, in the past) if they weren't. ]
I'm trying to look out for you, you know! Someone is worried about you, and asked me to keep you out of trouble. I'm having a really hard time with it!
no subject
[HE WON'T LINGER ON THAT AT LEAST - ]
.... well, I won't go anywhere dangerous, Mizuki-san. I'm with Cunning right now and... well, I have to move anyway but I was gonna go anyway because I think that if he got voted for, he'd remove me from his team first.
I'll only go to gods that like me.
no subject
[ there's like, a gentle edge of annoyance to their casual goofiness somehow... ]
Cunning-san seems like a really bad match for you, though. Just don't do something reckless like joining Piety-kun because he only has one follower.
no subject
[HE'S CONSIDERED IT THOUGHT]
I went to Cunning because I was worried about Bambi, but everyone else had the same idea...
no subject
[ mattaku! These people are horrible at playing their own game. Probably why Senri likes her, though. ]
In that case, though, you should definitely join Beauty-kun. It'll help keep him safe.
no subject
[just a thought.]
Ah but... I'm thinking about it... Depending on if I can find Dizzy's last follower and make sure they're staying, Above Suspicion would be pretty useful for me, to make sure that even if we vote wrong, no one who's innocent could get hurt.
But I do wanna go back to Cheri.... or Justice is waiting for me....
[ . . . well, he shrugs. having those three options should be enough for mizuki to guess from!]
no subject
[ but Senri's probably right, anyway. They note down those three possibilities mentally. This is a pretty hard task they've been given, as they thought it would be... ]
And? What do you plan on doing this week once you've made sure everyone has someone? Based on Geiszler-san's comments, there's a very high possibility people will continue to die as someone tries to take down the gods.
no subject
[at least he seems to recognize that much,,]
I'm pretty out of my depth with the murder aspect of everything... I'm learning about how to stay away from dangerous situations, but I'm still not as good as others. That's why I just talk a lot, and see if I can bring anything back that's worth thinking about to the people who would know better.
no subject
[ a beat. ]
Or how you want to win, at least?
no subject
[he's thinking of one bitch in particular!
but,]
I talked to some gods about this - but I was told that not only does it matter which god has the most followers, but it also depends on how much you believe in that god's vision for the world. Right now, of the gods in the lead... I don't believe in Bambi's as much as I love her, and I'm not sold on Cunning's. I do like Justice's.
But if everyone just goes to a god for the sake of the numbers, the competition will be rendered void and it might just have to happen again with a new batch.
That's why we can't move forward with Yu-kun's idea, if he ever pitches it again.
no subject
Mm. I figured that they wouldn't leave such a simple solution open.
[ Senri might notice that Mizuki's expression noticeably hardens at the mention of "a new batch." That hits way too close to home. They need to end this the right way - they can't have two separate groups stealing people away and torturing them like this. Maybe stopping these stupid games is what they were born to do. ]
... We have to end this here. No matter what it takes.
no subject
I agree with you. I'm... trying to figure out how to do that. When I checked with Love recently, she said that we're about halfway... so I think that Passhi really was trying to get us to figure out what to do in six weeks, give or take. I want to leave behind a world that everyone likes, and I've been trying to mend the gods' relationships so that no matter who wins, they'll at least keep from squabbling again.
[ . . . ]
But of the current numbers, I think Justice has the best shot, and would be the easiest to convince people to follow. Love and Cheri are willing to let their followers go in the final week to the winning team, so that their followers can get their wishes. I'm sure other gods like Beauty or Merriment feel the same.
It's hard to say when things change so drastically when people have to defect, and Ambition followers keep using Advancement Opportunity... but that's what I think.
no subject
... Willing to let go of their followers, huh? That's the first time I've heard anyone mention that.
[ a beat. ]
That changes things. For a while now, I thought it was strange that the gods had all split into their own discrete groups when so many of them had overlapping ideals... If we look at the game from that angle, it becomes less about beating the other teams and more about making sure certain gods who won't play along end up at zero.
no subject
[and he does sound relieved, but he nods afterward.]
Cheri told me that he wanted me to stay with him as long as possible, because he wants to win. All the gods want to win, of course. Beauty and Cheri's worlds sounds similar to me - which isn't a surprise because they're friends. Gods are making deals behind the scenes so that if one of them wins, others might be elevated a little higher or their counsel will be accepted more. That kind of thing.
[ . . . ]
And Mizuki-san, I don't want gods at zero. I want them at one - and by the end, they can be at zero, when the game is over.
Cheri also told me a while back that depending on who wins, people who weren't on their team might be able to get something for participating too, even if it's not their entire wish - so that they don't go back home empty-handed.