Red Hallway
The hallway connects to the dining room. Different doors sprout out in different directions. Some are just closets, but others lead to more interesting locations. There's a bend near the end of the hall, leading to the dorms.
Lotus: Inhale. Exhale.
Lotus stands in front of the door to the interaction booth, looking nervous. He's carrying a small notepad in his hands.
They said that deities talk in this place...y-years of research back in the city couldn't make one talk...could I really be the one to...?
...He huffs.
And walks inside.
Interaction Booth
Lotus: Taking a step inside, Lotus looks around...nothing, really. He stares up at the ceiling.
"H...Hello...?"
⚇ : "hiiiiiiii"
⁜ : "omg hi lotus"
Lotus: He jumps, startled. "Wwah- Ah! They...They weren't lying..."
He immediately pulls out a small pen, tail whipping around like a dog's. "Aa-ah-- sorry for bothering you, but, ah...I'm a deityologist, I study you guys...we've been trying to contact one of you for ages b-but...apparently, you all are somehow here?"
⚇ : "honestly i dont quite get it either."
⁜ : "yeah, we've got no clue."
Lotus: "O-Oh...but, if even gods aren't sure how they got here...then what could have brought you here...?"
He scratches his head, before writing something down on that notepad of his.
☍ : "I knew a guy once. That's how, I think."
⁜ : "This place seems to have all sorts of anomalies to it. Anomalies even we are unaware of. Being a god doesn't always mean being all-knowing, despite what some people say."
☍ : "Don't get it wrong, we know a lot of shit. But like, all the shit is too much shit for shits like ourselves."
⚇ : "i blame the prawn! i think were supposed to be an 'audience'. ...not sure how i feel about that. i mean, its so sad to see you guys die! ...but on the other hand, that one guy made such a satisfying crunch, so i suppose its not all bad."
⁜ : "Holy hell"
Lotus: ...Upon hearing that last deity speak....he shivers. The memory of Bryan's death comes back to him in a flash, and his waggling flower-tail comes to a halt as it rests on the floor. "U-Uuh- Uhm..."
His breath seems to grow more rapid, and yet he takes his notes anyways. "I...I see..."
⚇ : "i swear, id scoop you all out of there if i could! but i cant deny its a little fun to watch..."
⁜ : "Stop you're scaring him"
⚇ : "am i~?"
☍ : "And you're just disclosing this information, huh? Cool. Awesome."
⚇ : "its still a little harsh, i think. like, if anyone knows about doing unforgivable things its me. and people still keep me around...!"
Lotus: "...Gah..."
There was a little spark of whimsy in his eyes when he walked in. It is now rather vacant. He seems deep in thought...the memory of Bryan and Jasper's deaths playing in his mind over, and over, and over.
And just when he feels all-consumed by that memory, not even listening to the deities talk...
???: "And who are you to bother the gods, child of the flowers?"
Lotus: He turns around, eyes tense in fear.
Δ : "...wait, what was THAT?!"
Paradi: "Oh, don't mind me...I just couldn't help but overhear some things." They say, walking into the room with a smirk. "A room for the gods to watch and talk...how creative."
⚇ : "hey now, were all friends here!! be nice!!"
⁜ : "Oh they're here"
Lotus: "U-Uh-- yeah, what they said!? W-What do you even want, Paradi!?"
Δ : "Who are you to assume things about those such gods, eh? I wasn't bothered, for one..."
⁜ : "Lotus is in no way bothering us."
⚇ : "go back to watching car accidents in the av room or whatever it is you do."
☍ : "...I really shouldn't have expected any sort of neutrality, huh?"
⚇ : "hey, if i beam some liveleak videos directly into your brain will you leave us alone?"
☆ : "please don't do that with lotus here"
⚇ : "shit, can we not target it?"
☆ : "not that I know of"
⚇ : "thought we could target people. huh."
⁜ : "Hey let's remain.... semi professional here. We ARE gods after all."
☆ : "if you can go wild though lol"
Paradi: They listen to the words of the gods, slowly blinking like a cat.
"...Oh, you all...you sound so much less regal then I thought you would. Frankly, I do not worship any of you. I am not the judge or interpreter, only the executioner."
They cast a glance at Lotus. "And I do believe that it's an all-or-none situation. And frankly..."
They close the door, blocking it. "I won't let Lotus leave quite yet."
Lotus: "Gh-"
☆ : "well."
⁜ : "Disregard what I just said. Paradi you bitch ass motherfucker"
☆ : "guys can we be nice to them while they're stuck here"
Δ : "Being a deity is more of an existential status than an occupational one, no? As much professionalism could be cast aside as one wished..."
⚇ : "i can be regal if i want to. i just think that given the situation, you guys deserve to be spoken to as equals. though, youre starting to make me reconsider that notion."
⁜ : "I just felt bad for Paradi for a moment. But I am over that now"
Lotus: The voices of so many gods seem to be overwhelming him even more considering the situation. He backs himself into a corner, standing against the wall as Paradi continues to block the door.
Paradi: "Gods, Lotus...I don't want to harm anyone," They begin. "I just want to ask Lotus a...personal, question."
⚇ : "in front of all of us? rude."
Δ : "...real interesting concept of harmlessness you have going for you there."
☍ : ("It'd be in front all of us no matter where they'd do it, though...?")
⁜ : ("That is true...")
⚇ : "(its about being polite)"
☆ : ("yeah but it'd probably feel more private if our voices aren't beaming down")
Paradi: "I feel like it's something you all deserve to here....considering he's a deityologist, I'm sure he played some part in that horrid event...the stunt they tried to pull to contact you..."
Lotus: As Paradi speaks, he feels his body burn and freeze at the same time.
He knows what Paradi is talking about. A terrified whimper escapes his throat.
⁜ : "What do you speak of?"
⚇ : "no idea what youre talking about but i promise ive seen worse."
Δ : "...supposed atrocities in the name of contacting us, and we don't... we haven't even heard of it?"
☆ : "Yeah same I think I've seen worse"
Δ : "...That sounds like it should sting."
Paradi: "Of course you wouldn't. The one god who was responsible for watching us was killed by our own hands! ...And they were just a baby compared to you all, no?"
⚇ : "but, as for the both of you, i at least cannot usually affect things, dunno about the others. so it probably... wasnt worth bothering...? though you didnt know that, so i cant blame you."
⁜ : ("Guys what the fuck do they mean")
☆ : ("Fuck if I know")
Δ : "(I wonder if they understand that their account just makes us like them less.)"
⚇ : "(i think i might remember a little bit about that.)"
⁜ : "[Insert flabbergasted silence]"
Lotus: ". . ."
Paradi: They roll their eyes at the deities' endless chatter, focusing their attention back towards Lotus. "Lotus...don't be shy. You had to have been involved in The Prophet Experiments, right?"
⚇ : "fuck man we dont care how many babies he skinned."
⚇ : "at least i assume it was skinning babies?"
⁜ : "No no, let them speak. I'm curious..."
⚇ : "we dont need to know. let lotus keep his damn privacy."
☆ : "yeah I'm on the let lotus keep his privacy side"
Δ : "I feel like they'll tell us either way..."
⁜ : "Ah, yes, you are right. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away."
☍ : "...we'll know in due time, whether or not our friend here survives. If it's such a terrible act, it's most likely their sin. The question I bring regards the need to let us know early."
Δ : "And there's... nothing we can really do to interfere on a physical level, right? –Oh, wait, except..."
⚇ : "sucks that paradi evidently has plot armour,"
⁜ : "Stop you'll inflate their ego even more"
Paradi: "It was all over the news last month...those documents, all of it. Why else would you be here, with us sinners?"
Lotus: "Wh...Wh...Wh...!?"
His entire body is shaking. his knees grow weak, as he struggles not to collapse.
The voices, the horror...the memories...it's all too much.
His eyes roll into the back of his head as he falls over, trembling. The consciousness soon leaves him.
⚇ : "...okay so i can say whatever i want now, right?"
Δ : "Oh great. Look at what you've done."
☆ : "probably"
Paradi: "...Wow. What a cowa-"
CRASH.
⚇ : "IF YOU LIKE SUFFERING SO MUCH WHY DONT YOU KILL YOURSELF"
Δ : "—?!"
⁜ : "???"
☆ : "I mean something just happened out there"
Δ : "(Man, it's so weird being able to interact with the world in text format. Really does a number on your sensory perception.)"
⚇ : "(i know right??)"
Gust: The nyric pours in, breaking down the door and pinning Paradi to the floor. She screeches, and slashes Paradi right across the face. Blood flies across the room.
It's too fast for Paradi to even react-- and although they do not scream, their body seems unable to process anything. They're frozen under the beast's weight.
☆ : "GET THEM GUST"
⚇ : "GET THEIR ASS"
⁜ : "WHAT THE FUCK"
☆ : "WOOOOOOO"
⁜ : "Don't kill them!! You'll be condemning yourself to death!"
⚇ : "FUCK EM UP A LITTLE THOUGH"
☆ : "BUT SHE CAN STILL FUCK THEM UP!!!"
⤧ : “GO GUST GO”
⁜ : "Yes"
☍ : "...I wish I got paid for this shit."
Δ : "Considering how likeable this guy seems, I'm sure something else will finish them off eventually."
Δ : "Doesn't have to be you, y'see."
⁜ : "Yeah... Likable."
Gust: She seems...out of it. Too tired to speak, she just grunts and drags Paradi out of the room by their foot...Paradi doesn't seem to even try to resist this.
Lotus: The room is left bloody and with a passed-out Lotus inside.
⚇ : "now lets agree to all be nice when he comes to, right?"
☆ : "yeah"
⁜ : "For sure."
◆ : "... What have we walked into"
⁜ : "Hi! Gust fucking GOT paradi"
⚇ : "first thing we should cover is that paradi didnt actually tell us anything."
Δ : "Can we manifest, like, a blanket to put over him as he's out or something? The illusion of peace and comfort feels, uh, much-needed, considering everything that just transpired in this room."
☆ : "Can we get them a pillow too if that's the case?"
⁜ : "Yeah! Should we tell Lotus Gust attacked him? I mean, im sure Lotus would freak out to see the blood."
◆ : "We probably should"
☍ : "Is that a thing we can do, actually? I've been wondering if we're constrained to the little pedestal right there for the apparition of provisions."
⚇ : "...can we clean up the blood at all?"
☆ : "I don't know..."
⁜ : "I think the only thing we can do is speak."
⁜ : "If we cannot provide physical comfort to Lotus, then we can at least use our words."
The Destroyer: "Leave it to me!"
The bitch appears. Very quickly, it scrambles around the room in a blurry whirlwind.
By the time it's done, the room is clean again.
⚇ : "...thanks?"
⁜ : "Wow. Didn't think I'd say this but thanks, Destroyer."
◆ : "... Who called it a "bitch" or was that just me hearing things"
The Destroyer: "Is clean! Bye-bye!"
Poof. Wow, it does not care about anything else...I guess.
☆ : "the prawn did something nice for once! gotta hand it to them."
◆ : *manifests a blanket over lotus*
Lotus: It works. He now has a blanket.
...Not long after does he wake up, weary and confused. "H...Wwwh....What...happened?"
⁜ : "(It worked!)"
☆ : "gust came in and got paradi's ass"
⁜ : "Hiiii Lotus, how are you feeling"
⚇ : "hey, paradi didnt tell us anything. dont worry"
☆ : "fucked them up"
◆ : "Good morning... Uhhhh in brief paradi got beat up"
☆ : "yeah we didn't really learn anything if that's a concern"
⁜ : "Indeed, Gust for some reason... Barged in and attacked Paradi, before they could speak of anything."
Lotus: "G...Ggood..."
He sighs. His head hurts...
"...Can I just...lie here for a bit longer?" He says, squishing the blanket against his face. "I don't know where this came from, but...it's so comfy..."
☆ : "go nuts"
◆ : "nod"
⁜ : "Yes, of course. Take all the time you need."
⚇ : "yeah :)"
Lotus: He's just....chilling. Trying to relax.
Someone knocks on the door again...guess the prawn fixed the door during its little cleaning montage?
⁜ : "Hmm... I wonder who that could be."
Δ : "Oh, here we go again...?"
⚇ : "come in~!"
Ivan: Creeaaak...
"H-Hey...? Did, uh, did something happen here...?"
◆ : "And the lover arrives"
⚇ : "yeah, but its alright nowBE NICE"
Δ : "That's definitely one way of putting it—!"
⁜ : "Here comes the pretty boy!"
Lotus: "L..Love...r?"
Ivan: "Well, looks like you all know of our little bit!...I kind of liked that bit, yknow, Lotus?" He skips over to him, sitting down next to the guy. "Are you alright, by the way? There was a lot of commotion up here, so I just wanted to make sure..."
Lotus: "Y-Yeah, I'm fine..."
There's a slight blush on his face.
Ivan: "Cool, nice!" He chirps. "Can I get some of that blanket by the way? Looks comfy."
Lotus: "...Sure."
He scooches. Ivan also goes under the blanket, cuddling up next to Lotus. It's a bit close, and a little awkward...but neither seem to mind.
For some reason, Ivan seems to make the last of Lotus's anxiety fade away.
⚇ : "okay dont call them gay dont be presumptuous --"
◆ : ("We think there is a small chance they're in love... just a tiny one")
☍ : "...just let them have this one."
⚇ : "agreed."
⁜ : "(Aww :])"
◑ : "damn! These bitches gay! good for them good for them"
⚇ : "Hey"
◑ : "oops"
Lotus: For a good while, Lotus had his eyes closed, relaxing.
And upon hearing that, they blink right back open. "Wh- H-Hey!! We're just friends!! The lovers thing was a j-joke!!"
Ivan: "Yeah, what he said! ...Unless..."
Lotus: "U-Unless what!?"
Ivan: "...Well, the nickname stuck for a reason, Lolo~"
Lotus: Lotus's small blush turns into a big blush.
He buries his face in his hands.
⁜ : "It's ok, historians will say you were just best friends anyways"
◑ : "sorry bro i thought i could say words without disturbing you. but i guess if im psychically beaming them into your brain that wouldnt work"
◑ : ":3"
⁜ : "Imagine having literal gods as wingmen. Good for you"
Lotus: "...Y-You guys are lucky im exhausted...uuuuuuah...."
Ivan: He's just giggling. Frankly, he finds this hilarious.
◑ : "happy pride month to you two specifically. if you know what that is"
⚇ : "enjoy it while it lasts, okay?"
Ivan: "Eh? Is that like Rainbow Summer or something?" Ivan peeps. "Like...the season where we celebrate diversity? Summer? Do deities do that, too?"
◑ : "sort of!!!"
⁜ : "We do! We dedicate a month to it ^_^"
◑ : "the name is funny though. makes you wonder why we dont have a wrath month. or an envy month :3"
⁜ : "I like the idea of it being an entire season like Ivan said rather than it just lasting one month, really."
◑ : "true true"
⁜ : "You protas have got the right idea"
Ivan: "I mean there's summer, the diversity season, fall is the history season, winter just kind of sucks, and spring is the season of love! Kind of how it works down here."
He's talking to literal gods like they're college buddies.
◆ : "Interesting interesting"
⁜ : "That sounds so swag!!"
Δ : "...whatever did winter do to get the short end of the symbolism stick..."
⁜ : "Yeah, that sucks. I quite enjoy winter"
◆ : "It's too cold and foggy?"
◆ : "And then you have winter depression and stuff..."
Ivan: "No idea," he shrugs. "I mean, The Cold Ones call it 'The Season of Achievement', but that never really caught on in Serpent City."
⁜ : "Hm, interesting"
Δ : "Interesting! It's always been the summers where I come from that fill me with bloodlust."
Δ : "Achievement..."
⁜ : "Same here, not a fan of summer at all"
◆ : "That's not quite depression as much as a burning urge for murder"
◑ : "what plane of existence are yall on where you get cold for a whole season :((( its hot"
⁜ : "Skill issue"
Lotus: "I-I mean, summer feels good on the leaves, right?"
Ivan: "Not everyone has leaves! Look at me with all of my fluff- summer's stink."
Lotus: "Hah...right..."
⁜ : "Personally, fall is my favorite."
◑ : "right???? its so hot out i need to order atleast 16 more servants to fan me down every summer its So inconvenient smh"
⚇ : "you guys are getting servants?????"
⁜ : "That's certainly one way to do it"
◑ : "it came free with your deity collectors edition pack man. didyou lose them or what"
⚇ : ":("