"Thanks." At least by now Jean's gotten over the whole embarrassing scene of getting drunk in the ocean of champagne so he can drink it with ease. He has to agree about the chocolates though. They're very delicious.
"Ah." It made sense for the Devil to not be either gender. Jean quietly sips more of the champagne before talking again. He has been curious about something for a while, so he might as well ask.
"Is there someone you're rooting for, now that xie's not in either?"
"No one I'm super invested in," she says with a shrug. "Not like I was for me or MALBOLGE. Mei, I guess, if I had to choose any of them, just for old time's sake--but she has to get through her first round."
"Right. There are still many who haven't even beaten the first round." It felt like so many Jaunts had already gone past, but in reality there was still a lot to go through before they can even advance to round two.
"You have no idea," she says. "Ugh. I mean, last round's pretty hazy--they always get that way once someone gains the World and reality reorders itself--but I think I got further than I did this time. All that cheating I did to get back in and I lost in my Qualifying Round! To SAGE of all Arcana!"
"Other than your views being really different, is there something else that makes you so negative towards SAGE? Because that sounds like a major grudge."
She snorts. "Hoo boy. Yeah, I've got reason. The stupid mutt's shenanigans after Fortuna died put me and MALBOLGE in distinct danger of losing our individuality. I mean yeah, we're partners, but that doesn't mean we're the same idea. So we had to try to stop SAGE. It was self-preservation."
"No, not more powerful, it's kind of... okay. We sort of define each other? Like it's not just who we are, but who we aren't? So SAGE in particular, between me and MALBOLGE, defines us both and keeps us separate. Anyway, he was going to stop doing that. And we couldn't let him. So we stopped him. We could have killed him, but he's my brother, you know? I loved him too much to kill him even though he was basically trying to unindividuate me, even though the fight he started ended up getting Cephas killed. So we imprisoned him on the GRID."
"I think I understand what you mean", Jean says with a nod. "So now that he's back, I'm assuming he's still keeping you separate? Otherwise you wouldn't have different marks."
"That's good. I'm glad to hear that you're not in any danger from that." He may have his issues with her, but he wouldn't want her to lose her individuality. That's something he wouldn't wish on anyone.
"Yeah, me too," she says. "Anyway, that's why I've got a problem with SAGE these days. I mean it's one thing to not be having fun anymore. It's another thing to blow off to your own little pocket dimension and leave your siblings in the lurch. If catching up to him and binding him did anything, it tied him back to us again."
Lovers smiles, a genuinely pleased smile. "Thanks," she says, gratefully. "I mean, that's what I want, you know. For people to try to understand me? Like that jerk Matthew, Morty's kid, he didn't even try and now he's spreading lies about me. I didn't want what Moebius turned into, Jean. I honestly didn't. Sure, I wanted you guys to have consequences for messing things up so badly for the J-Twins, but so did half the Arcana. And, you know, it didn't look so bad on paper." She snorts. "Yeah, and then it actually happened. I think MALBOLGE still liked it, but it honestly wasn't my bag? It was so dark. I mean, I love a bit of drama in my Jaunts, sure, but there's got to be a bit of levity somewhere in there. A little romance. Not death, death, death, kill, kill, kill. Bleh."
She stuffs some chocolate into her mouth.
"If we were gonna take down a murder entertainment complex for your punishment, why not the one with that bear?" she mutters, half to herself. "That one had a bunch of built-in downtime and detective and courtroom stuff that I bet the J-Twins would have liked better than Total Slaughter Town."
"... a bear?" Jean asks after a long silent moment, frowning. Then he shook his head. "We haven't done anything that might deserve another punishment, have we? After Moebius."
"Yeah, cute little guy, but kinda psycho. I liked his sister, the bunny, better. And no. No, you guys haven't. I mean, okay, I kinda think Penuel wanted to once or twice, but she's been a real bitch since the mess after Fortuna died and she couldn't get enough of us to agree on it."
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"... xie?"
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"Is there someone you're rooting for, now that xie's not in either?"
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"I guess it must be frustrating. Just waiting."
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She stuffs some chocolate into her mouth.
"If we were gonna take down a murder entertainment complex for your punishment, why not the one with that bear?" she mutters, half to herself. "That one had a bunch of built-in downtime and detective and courtroom stuff that I bet the J-Twins would have liked better than Total Slaughter Town."
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"How many of you need to agree to make something happen? Over half?"
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