[ where are they?? i don't know. let's say in front of the pastry shop, where Fiora is sadly ogling the delicious-looking desserts she's not allowed to eat. When she spots Xie Lian, though, her attention is quickly drawn to him instead. ]
Oh! Xie Lian! [ a wave. ] How are you? You didn't drink too much last night, I hope?
Good afternoon, Miss Fiora! [ xie lian greets her with a polite bow as ever! he's probably on his way out of the pastry shop, holding one of them in his hands. ]
I don't drink, so there's nothing like that to worry about from me, although I thank you for your kindness. How are you?
I'm all right. Just exploring around this place. [ she links her hands behind her back. ] I wanted to thank you for what you said the other day - about the third path, I mean. It meant a lot to me to have someone who didn't just reject me out the gate.
[ he will come to sit across from her, settling down in a fluff of all of his white silk, and setting his pastry on the table. i distinctly remembered this being longer in the series but thats ok. ]
It's a very short story - something of a parable, really. A dilemma is present at the end.
Two men have walked all the way to where you stand from across a vast desert. They have been traveling together - each seems to be dying of thirst, and are unbelievably grateful to spot you. However, you only have one cup of water. The one who drinks it lives, and the one who doesn't, dies.
[ that actually makes xie lian laugh! it's light, and he hides his smile just briefly behind his sleeve. ]
Will you forgive this old man's curiosity? It is a parable that someone told me once upon a time, when I was a teenager. Three different people answered it - two others, and myself. [ those two people whos faces and names are static in his memory, but that's fine. ]
The first asked for more details about each man. The second said -- he didn't know, have them decide amongst themselves!
[ his smile grows, a little more, like he's trying to hide his amusement. ] ...And I said, "I'm going to be a god, so I'll just make another cup of water."
[ hmm. the last person she met who thought of himself as a god killed her boyfriend (who is also static) and is in the process of destroying civilization as she knows it, so she's less than amicable to the idea - although it's hard to imagine that zanza and xie lian have anything in common at all. ]
...My point isn't that, though. Rather, the reason I wanted to share that story with you is because you don't have to thank me for not denying you right out, this week - because when I was young, I always firmly believed that there was no point in ignoring one problem to save another. I wanted to try and stride forward even when choices felt impossible, instead of prioritizing someone's suffering over someone else's.
Your words touched me, because I have said the very same. I wanted to see what your answer would be - it does not surprise me that yours was similar.
I -- I thought as much. You sounded like you knew how I felt.
[ she'd have a more thoughtful response to his very thoughtful words, but she's too hung up on the casual mention of his becoming a god. Fiora shakes her head. ]
I'm sorry, I know you just said that this wasn't your point, but... You became a god? [ a pause. ] Do you have a Monado, then?
[ so that's a no. Fiora waves her hands, backing off quickly. ]
Oh, nothing! It's hard to explain. Just - something happened in my world that I thought might be similar. Um... wow. I suppose you can't get us out of here, even though you're a god?
Haha... no...If I could have done that, I would have the very first day.
[ he reaches up to scratch his cheek, sheepish. ] I'm actually really not that powerful of a god, even in my own realm. I don't really have any spiritual energy of my own, nor many believers... Really, I just collect scraps now, so...
That is true, at least in forms of my own existence. [ except he absolutely does have to borrow spiritual energy from people to do anything remotely godly. usually by high fives. sometimes with a kiss
he pauses for a moment. ] Though... my own space as an immortal is a bit complicated...
[ haha.
anyway!!! he waves his hand. ] --Well, that's irrelevant, anyhow. Is that what a "Monado" does?
anyway. she has to assume being an immortal god is complicated, or she'll start questioning everything. She nods. ]
Erm... it's complicated. To be honest, I don't entirely understand what a Monado is, either. But it's the power to change reality - something gods wield.
[ idly, she touches the triangular piece below her collarbones. ]
I figure if you managed to get one, that might be something like ascending into godhood.
[ wow, she never thought she'd have to talk about this, but here she is. She shrugs her shoulders slightly. ]
... Both, sort of. We have one in the Colony - my brother used it, but it almost killed him.
[ she feels like there's more to it than that, but she can't remember anything... ]
And... Well, you know how I mentioned that you have your own body? There are two "gods" where I'm from, and neither of them can manage that. So... this body was created for one of them to use. She was in control for a while. [ a beat. ] She's gone now, though. It's just me in here.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
w5, tuesday
Oh! Xie Lian! [ a wave. ] How are you? You didn't drink too much last night, I hope?
no subject
I don't drink, so there's nothing like that to worry about from me, although I thank you for your kindness. How are you?
no subject
I'm all right. Just exploring around this place. [ she links her hands behind her back. ] I wanted to thank you for what you said the other day - about the third path, I mean. It meant a lot to me to have someone who didn't just reject me out the gate.
no subject
[ after a moment... a smile dawns across his face. xie lian can't help himself, and he gestures over to one of the bakery tables. ]
Miss Fiora, would you spare this one some time for a moment for a story? I'm curious to see what your answer to a question might be.
no subject
A story...? Sure - of course. I haven't got anything pressing to do.
[ goes to take a seat! ]
no subject
It's a very short story - something of a parable, really. A dilemma is present at the end.
Two men have walked all the way to where you stand from across a vast desert. They have been traveling together - each seems to be dying of thirst, and are unbelievably grateful to spot you. However, you only have one cup of water. The one who drinks it lives, and the one who doesn't, dies.
If it were you, who would you give the water to?
no subject
Very subtle, Xie Lian.
[ her tone is dry, but she plays along, resting her hands on the table with a mechanical clunk. ]
You could split that cup between two people. If you're dying of thirst, it's worse to drink a ton of water all at once, anyway.
no subject
Will you forgive this old man's curiosity? It is a parable that someone told me once upon a time, when I was a teenager. Three different people answered it - two others, and myself. [ those two people whos faces and names are static in his memory, but that's fine. ]
The first asked for more details about each man. The second said -- he didn't know, have them decide amongst themselves!
[ his smile grows, a little more, like he's trying to hide his amusement. ] ...And I said, "I'm going to be a god, so I'll just make another cup of water."
no subject
Going to be a god...?
[ hmm. the last person she met who thought of himself as a god killed her boyfriend (who is also static) and is in the process of destroying civilization as she knows it, so she's less than amicable to the idea - although it's hard to imagine that zanza and xie lian have anything in common at all. ]
You had some high aspirations, huh?
no subject
[ so
he achieved them! ]
...My point isn't that, though. Rather, the reason I wanted to share that story with you is because you don't have to thank me for not denying you right out, this week - because when I was young, I always firmly believed that there was no point in ignoring one problem to save another. I wanted to try and stride forward even when choices felt impossible, instead of prioritizing someone's suffering over someone else's.
Your words touched me, because I have said the very same. I wanted to see what your answer would be - it does not surprise me that yours was similar.
no subject
I -- I thought as much. You sounded like you knew how I felt.
[ she'd have a more thoughtful response to his very thoughtful words, but she's too hung up on the casual mention of his becoming a god. Fiora shakes her head. ]
I'm sorry, I know you just said that this wasn't your point, but... You became a god? [ a pause. ] Do you have a Monado, then?
no subject
A what?
no subject
Oh, nothing! It's hard to explain. Just - something happened in my world that I thought might be similar. Um... wow. I suppose you can't get us out of here, even though you're a god?
[ she has to ask... ]
no subject
[ he reaches up to scratch his cheek, sheepish. ] I'm actually really not that powerful of a god, even in my own realm. I don't really have any spiritual energy of my own, nor many believers... Really, I just collect scraps now, so...
[ the laughingstock of the three realms... ]
no subject
Well... you can still maintain your own shape, though. That's pretty good, isn't it? You don't have to borrow anyone else to do things.
[ should Fiora be treating him differently now...? He doesn't seem like he'd appreciate that, actually, even if he's lamenting not having believers. ]
no subject
That is true, at least in forms of my own existence. [ except he absolutely does have to borrow spiritual energy from people to do anything remotely godly. usually by high fives.
sometimes with a kisshe pauses for a moment. ] Though... my own space as an immortal is a bit complicated...
[ haha.
anyway!!! he waves his hand. ] --Well, that's irrelevant, anyhow. Is that what a "Monado" does?
no subject
anyway. she has to assume being an immortal god is complicated, or she'll start questioning everything. She nods. ]
Erm... it's complicated. To be honest, I don't entirely understand what a Monado is, either. But it's the power to change reality - something gods wield.
[ idly, she touches the triangular piece below her collarbones. ]
I figure if you managed to get one, that might be something like ascending into godhood.
no subject
xie lian watches her hands move to the triangle piece briefly. ]
Mm... that makes sense. I don't really have that sort of ability, and I don't think any god in my realm does.
Do you have one of those Monado, Miss Fiora...? Or, have you just known people who did...?
no subject
... Both, sort of. We have one in the Colony - my brother used it, but it almost killed him.
[ she feels like there's more to it than that, but she can't remember anything... ]
And... Well, you know how I mentioned that you have your own body? There are two "gods" where I'm from, and neither of them can manage that. So... this body was created for one of them to use. She was in control for a while. [ a beat. ] She's gone now, though. It's just me in here.