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[obedient]

[Threads for Kida will go here. Whoop]

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[obedient]

[Kida is in a bookstore, looking around at various books. The books he has in his hands are...very varied, some are porn, others are books on Christian cults, and there are some random mystery and adventure novels, too.]

[intellectualrapist]

[Erika has been following him for a bit and now seems as good of a time as any. She doesn't even sneak up on him. Look, she's trying to be good.

And instantly in his space to look at his stuff. Well she tried.]

Good afternoon, Masaomi-kun! You have quite a spectrum there. Oh, this one is pretty good. [She taps one of the mysteries with a smile.] You can actually trace a certain trick of the genre back to it, though it is rarely given credit for it.

[obedient]

I've been thinking about starting a career. What do you think? Could I be a great detective like Furudo Erika-chan?

[intellectualrapist]

Only if you can develop a taste for truth! A true detective can accept any truth and speak it without flinching.

[As much a jab at herself as it is at him, if he can tell. But she flips her hand to dismiss it.]

Anyway, as a career it isn't as enjoyable as reading a good mystery and figuring it out yourself before the end. In real life, you don't get the answer at the end.

[obedient]

Then I'll just stick to reading about them for now.

[and the question he's been dying to ask anyone who might come in contact with Mikado, the one he's stopped himself from asking, he'll ask Erika now. It's okay, because he asked her to watch out for Mikado]

How's Mikado doing?

[intellectualrapist]

[Erika doesn't miss a beat on it. After all, she was stalking him for business, not pleasure.]

Mikado is the same as ever. You know how he gets about work. Hey, are you done picking out books? We could go for a walk together and catch up. I could play your girlfriend and carry your bag adoringly.

[Meaning she has things to report and figures it's best to talk in private.]

[obedient]

Aren't I the one that's supposed to carry your things for you? Let me put just a couple of these back.

[he puts some back, sneaks the books about Christianity under his coat when no one is looking, and goes to pay for the porn and the mystery novel Erika recommended.

When they're outside and out of view of the shop owner and any curious passersby, he slips the books from under his coat into the bag with the others]

If you're playing my girlfriend, you should take me somewhere where it can just be me and you alone. There's way too many people around to do anything scandalous.

[intellectualrapist]

[She watches him steal with some amusement but doesn't ask. After all, mysteries are more fun to solve. She already has a theory anyway.

Erika hooks their arms together like a lady and a gentleman.]

Scandal might be something appealing to me, though. But I do want to keep you all for myself...

[Her light mood lasts as they following a winding old street. When it's obvious that it's safe to talk, she speaks again.]

Tell me first how you have been feeling. You know what I mean by that, I hope.

[obedient]

I'm fine. I've been keeping myself busy. Or more like I just don't want to sit still for too long. I'm surrounding myself with people, too, so it makes it easier when [he pauses] when I'm feeling really off.

[he is surprised at how quickly and easily he's honest, but he's so desperate for news on Mikado that he's even willing to be open and honest if he must]

What about Mikado?

[intellectualrapist]

[Erika nods thoughtfully. It matches her suspicions and correlates well to Mikado.]

Like you, he has been keeping himself busy with his work. Unlike you, the general detachment and apathy means withdrawing from others and even certain aspects of his self.

[Though she stops there for a moment, it's obvious she is going to continue after some brief thought. Not beating around the bush but to Erika, this is also a mystery of people. The puzzle is a little distracting.]

...Mikado has a dangerous need for acknowledgement, power and thrills. That said, he would consider his actions for a greater good. Is that correct from your knowledge?

[obedient]

He kept that part of himself pretty hidden from me, so when I saw it for the first time it came as a surprise. So just tell me , what kind dangerous way is he fulfilling those needs?

[intellectualrapist]

If I say it as a repeat of Dollars, I assume that makes sense. As I said that night, ah, hee, no I implied it, wasn't that what I did?

[Cough, right, serious.]

Either way, Mikado is part of that group now and doing quite well advancing himself. That is the problem. Naturally some are displeased and others find his quiet but serious devotion admirable. His intention is to create his own group and thus gain enough power to protect what he values.

[Frowning now.] ...The detachment means he doesn't realise how far he's going. He had me punish several people recently and before you get too excited, they had hurt him. The retribution was...unequal but they're recovering fine.

[obedient]

[his fists clench at his side as he looks down, before looking back up at Erika, smiling]

So it's like that, huh? What kind of [in English] 'retribution' was it that was so unequal?

[obedient]

[sometime that Lion arranged or whatever, Kida comes over to visit Will and talk to him about Things. Christianity things, that wild and crazy new religion.]

[alethiological]

[And to Lion's credit, she did remember to nag him endlessly until he promised to be civil, even though he would've done so anyway. Personal opinions and business are completely separate things after all.

Well whatever, it's barely a few seconds after Kida started knocking that the door's answer. An agreed time, so why not wait downstairs in the peace of no lion-lectures to rest or play nice.] Late by a few minutes.

[With all the aura of he doesn't care in the least.]

[obedient]

Were you that eager to see me?

[Kida comes in, a bag full of books and pamphlets with him, as he follows Will to wherever Will wants to talk]

Is it true you were a priest or something? Lion-chan wasn't really that specific, so it was hard to tell.

[alethiological]

Don't push it.

[And with how fast his expression falls to apathy with the words, the request is pretty obvious. Taking the high route, both from Lion's request and for what he's answering, but please don't make it hard Kida.

Then turning away and heading upstairs. Same office upstairs where he does his writing, or where the 3am Erika meetings transpire, or - more relevantly - where Mikado always raids for answers to things. It's only fitting.] First-class Archbishop, actually. It's close enough for what you're looking for.

[And if Kida was smart enough to read into anything beforehand, he can catch that playing off the kind of position that lets one boss around a group the size of a small army is done to keep him from freaking out over it.]

[obedient]

[he actually has been reading up, although he's not going to act impressed with Will, even if he is impressed]

That sounds about right.

[Kida flops down in the office and starts taking books out]

Christianity was different for you though, I mean different from this place. Back where you were from it was pretty mainstream, right? Here it's all considered some dangerous cult. I heard they're even involved in illegal arms trading.

[alethiological]

[Less of a move to impress him and more like with almost any human who goes to a priest or higher to answer questions, instead of just asking a random church-goer. It means they're serious, but usually also nervous, and the first thing is making the atmosphere relaxed enough for the person to speak freely. Step one: play down the importance.]

The only reason it became mainstream for humans were because of the numerous crusades. [No need to mention the countless other wars in God's name, or that many of the crusades were utterly ridiculous and most humans and angels only tagged along for the amusement of it. So many layoffs that year.]

And I'm not involved with the churches because of that. Many of them have lost sight and were blinded by power or wealth. Can't say I approve, but it's quite human of them.

[obedient]

Lost sight of what?

[he pulls his feet up, sitting cross legged on the chair]

Lion-chan said something about Heaven feeling far from here. Is that because of all those Great Old Ones running around? Are they interfering with that kind of stuff do you think?

[alethiological]

The teachings they're supposed to be following.

[But like he said. They're still humans. Not their fault, really. And the question does get him to sit back, arms folded. Something seeming so acceptable that now, looking back on it, feels like a very specific loophole. In which case everything would make a lot more sense.]

...I don't have any proof for it. But I believe it's something like that.

[obedient]

So if people were to join up with some of these Christians to try to take out the Great Old Ones, would it clear a path to Heaven again?

[he pauses, looking down at the papers in front of him, before looking at Will again.]

I'm pretty sure that as long as those Great Old Ones are around we're all damned. And things might not seem so bad now, but there's a definite something after this life, too. As long as the Great Old Ones are here, they're controlling what comes next, too. An eternity of that is worth fighting against no matter what.

[he pushes forward some literature about some of the more militant Christian groups] They're calling it a Crusade, but I think it's different than those Crusades you mentioned. It really is a fight for our salvation. Being a good and devout person isn't enough for anyone anymore as long as those things are around. So, in this kind of situation, would god or whoever's really in charge see it as justified? I guess what I really want to know is whether or not this would be a righteous fight or if it's another case of losing sight of the teachings we should be following. I figured I'd ask you since you'd be an authority on that kind of thing.

[alethiological]

[The look Kida gets is one he might be less aware of, since he usually gets either a glare or a dismissal. Instead it's more piercing, like he finally said something that's actually worth getting serious over. Because... well, he might be right. There's no final answer or red truth for it, but it's the same theory Will follows.

What's worse is he's an angel. If it's for the Lord's sake, he should be involved, especially considering his rank. But Jade said to remain neutral. Getting involved puts Lion in danger. He claimed retirement the day they first met and even though he agrees with the reasons, all that can be done is to let it go.

And there might be a few more strikes in Kida's favor for once, if he's actually serious about it. Qustion him about it later on.] ...Do you know about the first commandment? Isn't it strange?

['Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'

Doesn't that wording seem off?

And maybe Kida will catch what the problem is before he answers. Not saying anything to the rest of his comments about Crusades right now, which might feel more important than if he had said anything at all.]

What you're trying to do is kill a god. A being on the same level as Him. You're risking a lot more than damnation here.

[Somehow it comes out more like a scolding. That some half-ass reason like wanting to start a gang or to protect his retarded boyfriend that, while noble, is not going to cut it.]

[obedient]

Yeah, I do. I've actually been reading more about it all the last few weeks. I wasn't Christian or anything like that at home. I wasn't even really religious. I'd go do New Year's shrine visits and things, but that was more tradition and fun than any kind of religious belief.

So, thinking about it, wouldn't just sitting around and letting those Great Old Ones rule our lives be putting a god before Him? We're living by the rules of those gods and putting our souls in their hands. If there was a chance of reaching God or heaven, they've blocked the way. The only risky thing is not fighting, since there's a definite after life waiting, and the one that's in place while the Great Old Ones are in charge is way worse than anyone could imagine.

[alethiological]

You're repeating yourself.

[Then falling silent, which still feels like more of an acceptance of his theory than any words could make. But there was still a question dodged there, and in a way it's the same thing about Kida that infuriates him most of the time. He wants an opinion? Alright, he'll give it. It means breaking Lion's rule to be nice, but at least he'll keep civil.]

...I'll admit it. You might be right. [Strike in Kida's favor, but not giving him a chance to ask about why Will himself isn't involved or what his chances of survival or how to break into the establishment itself. Because it's followed right into the opinion he asked for.]

But you're the problem I have. I think you're a liar. Your personality, your actions, and your goals conflict with one another. I'm saying you need to need to make this choice with a pure conviction. You're going into it with ulterior motives. ...I won't ask what they are. That's your business. But if this is the case, and you're that obvious to someone outside of the whole thing...

[It's not the warning of a friend. That relationship with Kida is barely enough to be called acquaintances. This is the warning of someone who's hunted down Kida's type. It's still an 'if'. A very large 'if'. But if it's not an 'if', it means someone else can reach that same line of reasoning with no trouble at all. And inquisitors are not very receptive to pleads of innocence.]