No party like an pope party??

[archboxer]

[That... that was a thing for everyone. There should be no celebration for Lif but, well, even if Rhea has a very cynical view of such things it's probably for the best that everyone stays together. Her first stop is the cafeteria, after all nothing better to keep people in one spot than free food. There she bumps into Mira, leaving the snacks to her Rhea ends up writing notes to everyone to come to the cafeteria in a few hours.

Some she hands personally and if she can't find someone she slid it under their door. Rin's she slides into her room regardless.

Fortunately, you won't hear a sermon.]

Comments

[mouflon]

It wouldn't have cut things short if we started there. All that did was confirm the theories we'd already come to.

[ladygeryon]

...you're probably right. [A pause] Sorry you got yelled at like that down there. I didn't expect Rhea to be so...petty, in her arguments.

[mouflon]

Hey, it's not like it's your fault. Besides, I can handle myself. It's not like I've been hiding in my room crying because she was mean to me or anything, don't worry.

[ladygeryon]

Yeah, I can see that. Doesn't mean I can't think she went too far. There's a difference between defending a friend and personal attacks. [Nira sips a bit of water. She's not sure she could keep anything else down right now.]

[mouflon]

[ Rin scoffs. ]

Someone like her probably isn't used to being challenged, and if she is, I'm willing to bet she'd normally go farther than personal attacks. You know, if her Church of Seiros held any power in this place.

[ladygeryon]

Even if it did, that still wouldn't mean she should be allowed to trample over people like that. Though she seems to have realized her authority doesn't mean as much here.

[mouflon]

She knows. The two of us have talked about it before, actually. Either it's a case of old habits dying hard, or she's projecting.

[ This is, like, a blatantly hypocritical statement from someone who just said all people with power are the same like an hour and a half ago, but also just because she's a hypocrite doesn't mean she's wrong. ]

[ladygeryon]

Haaaaah, really? I suppose stressful situations can make people fall into old habits... [Heck, her rant at the Professor? Definitely her going back to her roots as Terrakion's knight.]

[mouflon]

I'm pretty sure her temper just got the better of her. But, whatever. Everyone has seen her true colors now, and that's not my problem to deal with.

[ladygeryon]

That's a good way to look at it. I suspect some other people are going to want to talk with her more now that we're not in a crisis situation. [Such as Nira, herself.]

[mouflon]

I wonder if it's even worth the effort. [ That's half under her breath. Rin speaks more firmly again when she continues, ] But I guess it can't hurt for her to know other people think she was out of line, too. My line of work makes it easy for her to dismiss my opinion out of hand.

[ladygeryon]

Which is very short-sighted of her. Sometimes systems need to be torn down so something can be rebuilt on stabler foundations.

[mouflon]

Someone who is part of one of those systems will never agree with that.

[ladygeryon]

[A sigh.] It's unfortunate, I suppose. Though that does seem like a pessimistic view of things.

[mouflon]

It's the realistic one. So long as a system gives you power, why would you want to give it up? Even if it hurts the people beneath you... Well, there's always ways to justify that. Either they deserve it, or it's actually for their own good, or you can pretend you're benevolently using your position improve their lives when you're the problem in the first place. Trust me, I know the type.

[ladygeryon]

...yeah, so do I. Though not so much on the religious side of things. [There's technically a church of the Swords, but they don't have much of a hierarchy. Nira's position as a Knight and Messiah gives her respect, but not much actual authority.] More along the lines of...caretakers, who should be looking after the children in their care but fail to actually understand them. Who even look forward to being free of them once they come of age.

[mouflon]

Anything that's big enough... It either attracts people like that, or it makes them.

[ And Rin doesn't know which is worse. ]

[ladygeryon]

I'd say...first it makes them, and then it attracts those who were already like that.

[mouflon]

Maybe. [ She sighs. ] I guess it doesn't matter either way. The end result is the same, and it's up to the little people who have to clean up the mess.

[ladygeryon]

And that's what you're trying to do? [Nira's definitely got some suspicion about why she's considered a wanted criminal now.]

[mouflon]

Exactly. There's a plutocracy with half the world under its thumb, and I don't intend to let them get away with smothering humanity into a quiet death.

[ladygeryon]

[Yikes.] You're not doing it all alone, are you? [Mom instincts...tingling...]

[mouflon]

[ WELL, YOU SEE, ]

It's not like I'm the only that feels the way I do. Of course there are other people resisting them. There wouldn't be anyone around to pay me if there wasn't!

[ladygeryon]

[She's fighting against a plutocracy but still wants money, huh...? Nira doesn't point that out, though.]

That's good. It's always better to have a team to back you up.

[mouflon]

[ A girl's gotta eat, Nira! With that said... Yeah, "money" is listed under her likes right there in her profile. ]

Yeah, I... Of course. [ But there's a definite crack in her mood as she says so, a dark expression crossing her face as she turns her eyes away. ] I wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as I have without them.