Private Conversations

[dominioned]

The confessional before you is ornate and well maintained, ebony colored wood embellished with the visage of two angels. A jet black curtain separates the confessional from the rest of the Church, offering a surprising degree of privacy to any eavesdroppers nearby. Unlike the rest of Krakow, the inside is dimly lit by a small light bulb securely attached to the ceiling which emits a faint red light. While the atmosphere isn't exactly cozy, it is private.

A smooth voice calls out to you once you've sat down, familiar enough to identify the speaker despite the partition between you.

"Welcome welcome. I take it something is on your mind?"

We're in a museum now, Harry.

Comments

[dominioned]

..if you tell her what you just told me, I'll provide you with a bottle of liquor of your choice.

[ Rideaux can definitely hear his smile. ]

Essentially, yes. But she would object to hearing it worded in such a way.

[pr159]

Oh? In that case, you're on.

[ He'll have to find a good opportunity, but unlike some motives, he's not passing this one up. ]

I wasn't expecting a yes to that, actually, but I like it.

[dominioned]

Good, just inform me when it is done. Though I'll likely hear about it before then.

[ Who can blame him. ]

You like it?

[pr159]

[ shrug! ]

It's a more interesting answer than I was expecting! I was mostly just trying to get information for myself, but now I want to hear this story.

[ Julius always did judge him for being too interested in trashy gossip, and he was 100% right. He may have found their display at the welcome meeting obnoxious, but behind one party's back like this? Yes, please. ]

[dominioned]

Ah, unfortunately I can be terribly shy at times. [ This is clearly bs that he's not even bothering to try to disguise it as true. ]

But it's not much of a story to tell. She was in a vulnerable state and wished to find someone who could support her. And so I happened to find her.

[pr159]

Just "happened to," hm?

[ The whole "blind date" thing kind of implied a more deliberate introduction than that, but it's not really clear to exactly what extent he'd been joking, so... ]

Anyway, that sounds very chivalrous of you. How long ago was that?

sorry for the delay!

[dominioned]

Yes. To use a more fanciful term, perhaps you could describe it as "fate".

[ A little of yes and a little of no. ]

A few months ago.

np!

[pr159]

And already living together. [ in a huge castle, yes, but. ] Moving pretty quickly, aren't we?

[ He leans in a little closer to the partition. ]

So, tell me -- is this just some kind of pity thing on your part, do you actually agree that strongly with what she's trying to do here, or is she just really your type?

[dominioned]

Time is what you make of it.

[ He chuckles. ]

I don't think anyone has ever accused me of pity. As for her goals...I find them interesting on their own, but not terribly so. I certainly don't mind watching them unfold, at any rate. And to the last... well, I won't deny it. [ Why is his taste so bad? ]

[pr159]

[ Why is his taste so bad... ]

I can't say I see eye to eye with you there, but fair enough.

[ He... guesses... ]

Then are you getting anything more out of this besides some entertainment and the pleasure of her company, or are you just along for the ride?

[dominioned]

I have a rather peculiar taste.

[ So they can leave it at that, probably. ]

Of course. We both engaged in this relationship with expectations of the other—communication is of the utmost importance. As I said, no one has ever accused me of pity, or charity for that matter.

[pr159]

[ At least he's aware of it?? ]

Hm. Well, I can respect that much.

[ Not that he expects Rembrandt to give a shit about what any of them think of him, but whatever. ]

Charity's a myth anyway, as far as I'm concerned.

[dominioned]

[ Some things are still nice to hear regardless. ]

Even for the selfless of heart? Not that we have many of those left.

[pr159]

[ There's a scoff at that. ]

Come on, do you really think those ever existed? I've met plenty of bleeding-heart do-gooders, but I don't believe for a second that they weren't aiming to get something out of their good deeds, consciously or not. It's either out of social pressure or for their own egos.

[dominioned]

I don't. Even if they don't realize it, they always get something out of the deal—a better reputation, a sense of self worth and so on.

[pr159]

Exactly. Even the ones sacrificing their lives get to be remembered as heroes. That type gets so indignant when you point it out, too, which really just proves the point further.

[dominioned]

You speak from experience, no?

[pr159]

What, with calling people out, or seeing so-called "charity" in action?

I can at least safely say that hardly anyone gives bread or money to a child on the street unless someone else is watching, and that those who do generally think pretty highly of themselves.

[ It's not like he gives them anything either, because why should anyone else get for free what he had to work for? But, you know. ]

[dominioned]

More the latter, but I would not discounter the former given your performance so far. [ Keep bein yourself in trials Rideaux. ]

...or if they could use those children for something. A fed belly tends to buy loyalty.

[pr159]

I think that's starting to bleed into another subject, if we're talking about conscious exchanges.

[ Which he also has plenty of experience with... ]

Though yes, the ones who say they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts do tend to get bent out of shape when they think you're not being grateful enough.

[dominioned]

As things tend to do.

[ So yeah, agreed. ]

Their egos are typically very important to them, or their prestige, or both. [ A beat. ] But tell me Rideaux—you speak so plainly of sensitive subjects, and similarly in trial. Do you not mind what others think of you?

[pr159]

As long as they aren't denying my accomplishments or capabilities, it doesn't make any difference to me whether they think I'm nice or not.

Though with that said, I'm also not openly antagonizing everyone here for no reason, which I think is more than can be said for some. I'm not so stupid as to make myself into everyone's enemy when anyone here could be looking for someone to target.

[dominioned]

So you hope to sit somewhere in the middle while still speaking your mind, interesting. You do possess skills that others are lacking in as well—I hesitate to think what would happen if Zangetsu were to find a victim first.

[pr159]

Goodbye to half the evidence before the rest of us even hear the announcement.

But yes, that's roughly the plan. I can hold my tongue when I need to, but I also do what needs to be done and do it well, so as long as everyone can begrudgingly accept that, I think I've earned the right to speak my mind to some extent.

Are you looking at your watch over there yet?

[dominioned]

That might prove interesting were it not disgusting.

[ There's something of a jingle, maybe he is checking the time. ]

Yes and no. You are far from the only patron I have who likes to talk at length.