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[heartofthestar]

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[purrsonality]

Right.

But you didn't really answer my question.

[heartofthestar]

Ah. Forgive me. I was hoping that would answer your question indirectly, because in truth I am not entirely certain what it is you were asking that I am not thinking.

[Venat and Izutsumi have... let us say, great differences in their methods and styles of communication. Every once in a while, that can't help but cause a snag, right?]

[purrsonality]

[ oh. hm. that's fair. izutsumi turns her words over in her head. ]

I mean like . . . you're not always thinking about it, are you? In the back of your mind.

[heartofthestar]

No. Not in the least.

[For a while, she might have had that problem, in no small part because she was profoundly exhausted, and denied the opportunity to at last rest. But that has subsided with time, and though some amount of that weariness remains, the joys living has brought have been more than worth it.]

[purrsonality]

[ izutsumi nods, relieved. ]

Good. Otherwise you can't move ahead.

[heartofthestar]

[This brings to mind a thought, however.]

You needn't answer this question if you so desire, but what are your expectations for your own lifespan?

[purrsonality]

[ she blinks, perplexed. ]

I don't have any. I just assumed it was a human one.

[heartofthestar]

[Venat brings one hand to her mouth, failing utterly to hide a smile.]

Well, that is fair. I wondered if it might be different, given your circumstances.

[purrsonality]

It might be?

It's just not important. It'll happen when it needs to. That's okay.

[heartofthestar]

That is indeed fair. I ask only because I have found my outlook -- or rather, my people's outlook -- to be different in many ways, thanks to our prolonged lives. I wondered if such a consideration had affected you. Merely to understand better, not for any other cause or purpose.

[purrsonality]

[ ah. ]

Not me, personally.

But it made Marcille upset.

[heartofthestar]

I believe I recognize that name, but only that. A comrade of yours, then?

[purrsonality]

Yeah. She's . . . important to me.

[heartofthestar]

It sounds like there must be a story there.

[Venat fails to hide her bright smile behind her curled fingers.]

Which of course I would not pressure you to relate, but should you feel willing, it would not go amiss.

[purrsonality]

I guess there is?

We traveled the dungeon together. Laios, Marcille, Chilchuck, Senshi and me. And she looked after me. She combed my hair and gave me baths.

[heartofthestar]

"The" dungeon?

[There is much to unpack in those simple sentences, but an ex-Azem does tend to focus on certain things more than others. What an odd definitive.]

[purrsonality]

It doesn't have a name. It's just called that.

There's a few around the world, but they aren't as powerful as the one we went into.

[heartofthestar]

That sounds remarkable. Izutsumi, you know I could ply you for tales all day and all night, so you will have to stop me at some point from hearing all this. Yet I very much want to hear more!

[purrsonality]

[ hmm. ]

If you want to, I'll tell you. I'm just not good at all the details.

[heartofthestar]

That is quite all right. I shall ask questions where I may, and if you've no answer, we shall proceed.

[purrsonality]

If you're sure.

It's not a big deal to me. And it's not like I keep secrets.

[heartofthestar]

You are fortunate to have no cause to. [A faint shift of expression, difficult to read, crosses Venat's face.] Do you know, all members of the Convocation were taught how to discern lies from truth, but it has been so long and the people here different enough that what little I remember of the technique is useless.

[purrsonality]

I mean.

Why do you even need to know something like that?

[heartofthestar]

We oversaw the world. Doing so would be difficult if we were perpetually misled, deceived, or misinformed. Considering the scope and depth of the Convocation's duties and accomplishments... well, would you really want the keeper of the very underworld itself to make a poor choice because someone elected to oh-so-slightly fib about their responsibility in a given crisis?

[purrsonality]

I guess.

But it feels like . . . overkill.