Palace Game 6/5

[fujimaru]

The Dreamer In The Grand Temple
Humanity Foundation Value: ????

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Comments

[fujimaru]

"Pity." She shakes her head. "The pity that looks at others and thinks that you could do better than them, or for them. It's not such a cut and dried thing as just looking down on someone. Not just for humans, but for animals--the world as a whole. Looking at someone suffering, and thinking that your way is better, and you can change it.

"Sometimes you're right. And sometimes you're not. But in its own way, that is what makes the sin of Pity."

[survivaltricks]

[her explanation makes so much sense, and it resonates with Akira, somewhere deep inside his heart. he falls silent and takes a few more bites of curry, savoring the flavor as he absorbs her words]

Did he ever. . . act on his pity?

[fujimaru]

"If he hadn't, we wouldn't be here," she says, not unkindly. "Ah, maybe not 'here' in the sense of... whatever place Master is in right now. But she wouldn't be my Master--she wouldn't have any of us here, if he had not."

[survivaltricks]

. . . right. Of course.

[he's smiling, but he sounds a little rueful]

Rituska's been through a lot, hasn't she? She tries to hide it. . . but honestly, she's not very good at it.

[fujimaru]

"That girl..." Boudica grimaces. "Honestly, I don't know what they were thinking, putting all of it on her. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. And we were all in a fairly desperate situation. ...We still are."

[survivaltricks]

[lifts his chin]

Whatever responsibilities she had thrust upon her- she knows she isn't alone.

Right?

[fujimaru]

There's a pause, and Boudica actually sighs, looking away briefly.

"That's complicated," she says at last. "She isn't. But she is. There's a lot that we've put on her, even when it wasn't fair. There'll be more, too. Some of it, there's no help for her.

"But she has me." She puts a hand to her chest. "She has everyone who has answered her call. And that's not nothing."

[survivaltricks]

. . .

I'm glad for that. She deserves that support.

[said quietly, but earnestly. and then, with an exhale—]

If I manage to find this Beast I, do you have any advice on how to deal with him?

[fujimaru]

"Don't fight him," she says firmly. "Not that I don't think you're weak or anything. But he's not the sort of thing that's meant to be fought by a single person. I don't care what your pride says, if you think it's a wise idea to die in this place, I'd have to knock you out right here."

[survivaltricks]

[a wry laugh, his lips curving upwards]

Based on what you've told me, I don't think I'd want to fight him, anyway.

. . . he may be the embodiment of humanity's sin, but even he has a right to exist.

[fujimaru]

She huffs a little, smiling as she does, then reaches to pat his cheek fondly again.

"No wonder she likes you," she says. "That's the sort of thing she'd say."

[survivaltricks]

[oH NO HE GOT MOMMED AGAIN. blinks a few times, but then huffs in that slightly-exasperated-but-not-really-all-that-bothered teenager way]

Mmm. . . maybe we're more alike than either of us think.

[polishing off the curry and placing his utensil aside, fingers linked and hands stretched in front of him]

Thank you for the food-- and the help. It was delicious.

The-- ah. The curry, not the help.

[fujimaru]

Unfortunately for him, you cannot escape Boudica motherhenning. But she laughs at his correction, waving a hand.

"Come back some other time! When things are a bit less what they are right now. You can meet some of the others."

[survivaltricks]

[standing up now, and giving her another polite bow of his head]

I will; I promise.

[AND THEN HE IS LEAVING, through a door that he didn't enter from]

[fujimaru]

Out in the stairwell, the only apparent way to go is up.