Eleventh Curse (?)

[bondsofsuffering]

[Audio]

You know, I've been thinking...

[Well. This is out of the blue. He continues to speak, his voice especially light and easy today.]

Hinoto-Ri isn't such a bad place, when you get right down to it. It gives a lot of opportunities you might not have had before - if you were sick, you're healthy. If you were dead, you're alive. You can do pretty much whatever you want! Philemon himself said we won't remember anything that happens here once we return to our worlds. We're technically here to save the people of Hinoto-Ri, but even if you don't do anything, there aren't any real repercussions. You'll still have a roof over your head whether you help or not.

That's a lot more than most people get.

I like it here! Sure, things could always go wrong - but that's fine. I've finally got a shot at living, not having to worry about getting sick or killed... It's about time I embraced that!

[There's a pause, but it's not hard to get the sense that he's got a satisfied grin on the other side of the feed despite the heaviness of those words.]

Ah-- Also, before I forget. Apparently there's another me going around. If you spot him, try and message me, will ya? He's probably harmless, but I think we should probably have a talk.

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

Aw, but that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? That's no fun at all!

I'm not really interested in killing people. But if I'm going to live, I don't want people breathing down my neck, trying to keep me contained or anything, either. I've had enough of that, too.

[otakuro]

((Sorry for the tardiness here! Feel free to ignore if you'd prefer not to continue with this.))

So...

Let's get things straight here, then. You're supposed to be the Antichrist or something, and God is stopping you by making you sick so you die before that happens.

But since this isn't your world, it's not like you being here would do anything.

[bondsofsuffering]

Ahh, no, saying it's God isn't quite right. If God wanted to kill me, he could do that at any time.

Well-- if it's the right one, at least. Things get kind of confusing when you've got two Gods running around.

[As a matter of fact...]

There were two Devils, too, but one of the Gods already... ah, 'took care' of the other one. That's probably why the second God and I came out sickly - having unnatural forces like us around doesn't do the world any good, and doubles definitely shouldn't be necessary.

Even the world itself rejects my existence.

But this world doesn't seem to mind if there's a Devil like me around. Even if letting me live just means another threat to humanity-- this world is much kinder than that one.

[otakuro]

...

And you're sure you're not just reading this out of some sort of weird light novel to try and get us all riled up? Because I'm pretty sure this is like that one thing about Jesus and the Buddha and stuff living in the 21st Century.

[bondsofsuffering]

Do you really think I'd try to kill myself over something like that?

You're the one that got the note. You figured it out, even if I tried to pretend everything was okay. Lucky me you didn't pry too much! I guess catching a cold after everything was said and done turned out to be helpful after all!

Back then, I figured that was my only option. But I was totally wrong!

[otakuro]

...

[There is a few moments of stunned silence in response to that.]

You... you were trying to kill yourself that time? I... Is this serious? No way I would have guessed that. I thought you were just planning to do something... dangerous.

[bondsofsuffering]

You were the one who said it read like a will. But you're still right, in a way--

Slicing your arm open from wrist to shoulder is pretty dangerous.

[otakuro]

Hizumi!

[Atsuro suddenly looks more serious than he has all conversation, gods and demons notwithstanding.]

Whatever you're going on about, killing yourself can't be the answer. ...But I guess there's no point talking about that with you.

Where's Hizumi? The real Hizumi?

[bondsofsuffering]

Haha, oops!

What gave it away?

[otakuro]

Hizumi spends 99% of his time avoiding any conversation but lighthearted jokes, come on. You're either Hizumi under a weird spell or someone mimicking him, and he's not that much of a jerk.

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, he does have a habit of running away from these things. Even right now, he's already trying to avoid me!

But you'd rather deal with a Hizumi who doesn't want to die, right? So you shouldn't mind if I remove that other one, right?

I promise I'll live. No matter what it takes!

[otakuro]

A Hizumi who wants to murder isn't exactly that much higher on the list of 'Hizumis I want to deal with', either.

[bondsofsuffering]

It's not like I want to murder anyone! Well, aside from that other me. But he keeps insisting he needs to die anyway, so it's not like it's all that wrong!

Killing people is just a side effect of the whole, y'know. Living thing.

[otakuro]

...I guess, in one sense, you're both self-harming, but. I think one of these crimes is not like the other.

Whoever you are... You probably should have kept your mouth shut.

[bondsofsuffering]

Why? Are you going to try to stop me?

Try to kill me?

[otakuro]

[Atsuro pauses dramatically.]

I...

I...

I challenge you to another dance-off! Loser is permanently exiled forever.

[And suddenly Atsuro turns off his end of the feed. ...Weird.]