Audience: Temenos

[becomemod]

Comments

[inquired]

[ maybe tiger should

he hums as he goes to open the priest side and praises the comment about the thought bubbles. ]

Very good, little tiger.

[ teehee.

before he steps in on his side, though, temenos looks over, amused... ] They aren't supposed to be all that comfortable, really - while I suppose confession is a nice experience for catharsis, very few things in the church ever are. If you've ever sat in a pew for longer than a few moments, I'm sure you'll understand what I mean?

[ faithful guy jokes on church ] In you get.

[becomemod]

['little tiger' :||||]

I grew up in an orphanage, this wooden furniture is familiar.

[But yes, they will go in and sit down in the tiny confessional and wait for Temenos to go in the other side. They are doing their best to ignore any sensation of claustrophobia.]

[inquired]

You can leave the door open, if you'd like.

[ he's clever enough to pick up on that, but he settles into his spot and shuts his.

after a moment's pause. ]

For similar reasons, as am I. [ temenos leans back, getting comfortable - he keeps the little side view window thing closed for now, so it's just his voice that drifts through the grate. ] I was a foundling, myself.

[becomemod]

[Ah. That instantly puts Tiger at ease. Most people just don't understand how much that affects someone growing up. But if Temenos was abandoned as a child and left to live at an orphanage or a church, then he would.]

...I honestly don't remember much of my life before age eight. But the director of the orphanage would constantly remind me of how my parents abandoned me in the garbage and how I was lucky that he even found me.

[inquired]

[ me, hitting down your door with a paper towel roll: the lore

he settles in to listen, calm and thoughtful as ever. temenos's voice is soft and sacred in the small space of the confessional, a warmth of light that he always seems to carry. ]

Lucky, hm. [ ok.jpg, is the tone there. dick. ] What an awfully cruel thing to say to a child. [ extremely. ] Did you spend your entire childhood there?

[becomemod]

No. As you said, it was a cruel place. I ran away when I was 12.

[A thought bubble will be somewhat visible on Temenos's side: The scars never did go away, even after healing.]

[inquired]

[ he takes in the thought bubble, but says nothing - this effect doesn't do much for people's dignity, and it doesn't make much of a sanctuary or a confessional to be extra invasive. instead, temenos just lets out a soft hum, understanding. ]

A life far preferable, I imagine. [ running away and getting out of there. anything is better than being stuck in a situation like that. ] Four years of clear memory, and then out to the streets. What then?

[becomemod]

I, uh. I met someone. He offered me a job.

[At 12.]

It...wasn't a very good job. Thinking on it now, I didn't like it much. Being a hero is better.

[inquired]

[ unfortunately he's a medieval so that's not that weird. one of his party mates is like twelve and another one absolutely started doing terrible work when she was twelve.

another understanding noise. ]

Mm. I'm glad that this has worked out for you, in that regard. It sounds as if despite everything, it might be a touch of a blessing?

[becomemod]

I guess so. I just...never felt very blessed.

[inquired]

I'll tell you a secret, little tiger. In my opinion as a cleric, blessings are just something that people say to make each other feel better - they are often paper thin. The gods rarely listen to the needs or whims of people, and faith is a way we prop each other up when we suffer.

[ damn temenos tell us how you really feel about the church. but he continues, a moment later. ]

Rather, it is the actions of others, and the actions we take ourselves, against the misery that life so often deals us that form a blessing. It sounds as if your life has been far, far crueler to you than it should be, but the lights you find along that path are yours to find, and yours alone. In a sense, that makes them oft sweeter. They make up for little, but they light the way forward, nonetheless.

I have the feeling that you have spent much time, perhaps rightfully so, looking into the shadows of your life. Would that be correct?

[becomemod]

...yeah. it is. I-

[My blood is mafia-black, there's no saving me.]

-it's only been eight months or so since I gave up on that kind of life. It's the others- the other team leaders- who helped me look away from the shadows.

[inquired]

[ okay, this time he doesn't quite ignore the thought bubble, scanning it for a moment. ]

That is good to hear. [ ... ] But it doesn't sound as if you've accepted that help, if you'll forgive my, ah. Brief moment of mind reading. Perhaps it is better in this situation that it's available.

[becomemod]

[The bubble suddenly pops, and there is also a 'thud' as Tiger smacks his hand against the wall of the confessional while trying to sweep the thought bubble away.]

...ow.

[inquired]

[ lol ]

A bit late for that, I'm afraid. And even if it weren't... you carry that self loathing on you like a cloak. Not much escapes my eyes, little tiger.

Are you alright? That sounded like it could've smarted.

[becomemod]

[Tiger is wonder how obvious he's being, because he hasn't talked to Temenos that much. Can everyone see through him?]

I'm alright, it won't even bruise.

[inquired]

[ it's a little obvious. but also, sometimes, you're an observer, and understanding people is a key part of your day to day job. ]

I'm glad to hear it. [ c: ] At any rate. Perhaps that's why a confessional can be useful - we clerics are quite good at hearing out your woes. And I in particular can be quite good at drawing them out when they hesitate to come to the surface, though, that's a little less of being a cleric.

[ and a little more of being an inquisitor. :coerce: ]

[becomemod]

Is it a little more of being an enforcer?

[inquired]

Ahaha - goodness, no.

[ tiger likely can't see his thoughtbubble by nature of the confessional, but it's something along the lines of If the Sacred Guard could hear that! ]

My job title is that of an Inquisitor. What do you think I do?

[becomemod]

Someone who tortures people who don't follow your religion?

[inquired]

...Ah, no. My job is to ask questions.

[ help. ]

Quite simply, it is to understand the mindset of others. Occasionally, I have to deal in heretics, but they tend to be the destroying the entire world through the summoning of a chaotic god sort; I don't really care if the people of Solistia choose to follow the Sacred Flame or not, frankly.

[becomemod]

Ah. I see.

[help]

Well at the rate we're going, you're probably going to have to fight some villains here.

[inquired]

There is a large difference between torture and fighting. Not that I do either.

[ fighting...is not what i do... etc. ]

How do you mean? Something beyond our usual fare?

[becomemod]

Villains showed up last week on Wednesday and caused trouble. I get the feeling there will be more in the coming weeks.

[inquired]

And the week before that, yes? It does seem to be a bit of a theme.