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[halfblaked]

ᚫ Hello, you've reached Professor Blake. I'm likely in lecture right now, but you may leave a message. ᚫ

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[halfblaked]

Well...of course. They're gods, after all.

[ He paused, a necessary beat, and then tipped his head. ]

You sound...conflicted.

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[andtherevolution]

Well, it's not like the pantheon's all the same, you know. I mean, you'd know that better than anyone, right? Some of them are alright, but others are nothing but trouble... and even the ones who are okay can be a real pain in the-

[Adult! You are talking to an adult!]

-uh, neck.

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[halfblaked]

Ah yes, a great deal of them err more toward being trouble rather than...what one would expect, yes?

[ David lifted an eyebrow. ]

You tell twelve young adults that they are gods, give them unimaginable power, and then...you let them do what they will, and tell them they have two years to live.

Every personality reacts to that reality differently, I'm afraid. Consequences start...to not matter. In the slightest.

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[andtherevolution]

That doesn't give them an excuse to make everyone around them miserable.

[Her face darkens, and she grips the spine of her book so tight that her knuckles start to turn white]

They have a chance to do something... something amazing, and some of them just don't care.

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[halfblaked]

No, most of them don't.

[ His eyes lit to her hands, holding the book. ]

This isn't just observation, is it?

[ No, David, it wasn't. You would know, wouldn't you? ]

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[andtherevolution]

[She realizes what she's doing, and she turns around to shove her book back on the shelf, staring at the rest of the collection instead of the professor]

You know about more than just the pantheon, right?

[Enjoy the tangents, Doctor, they're part of the Utena Tenjou Experience]

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[halfblaked]

Well, I did have a fully-rounded education, yes.

[ David said, as if that was obvious. He thought it should be. ]

I can even care for myself, which is more than most in my field. I assume there's a reason for the question?

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[andtherevolution]

[The sarcasm does nothing for her mood, and she continues facing the stacks, not able to face him]

Yeah. What do you think gods have in common? In all the stories you've read, with all these different pantheons... what do they want from us?

[Us. Mere mortals, here for their entertainment]

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[halfblaked]

Ah. That's... a complicated question.

[ David turned, his own book clasped in one hand, behind his back, the other around it, just happened to cover his pinky, if she happened to turn and look. ]

In the myths, it can be quite different than the pantheons. In mythology, after all, it was the Greek gods that punished Prometheus for giving the gift of fire to humans, and it was the gods who tempted Pandora with the jar of all of humanity's evils after they were given the gift of fire. Gods have...always been vengeful -- showing the worst of our own qualities, coupled with power and immortality.

It's almost interesting, that they have such power, such immortality, and yet they're just as bad, if not worse, than we are.

I don't know if they want anythings specific, as a group. They are individuals, after all, that doesn't change, when they have such power. Most of them just want... to be selfish.

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[andtherevolution]

Yeah, that sounds like the pantheon, alright. Not all of them are bad, but they're all pretty wrapped up in the whole rock god thing.

[A pause. That's not exactly fair, is it? She turns around, her expression more neutral now]

...well, not all of them. Baal - you know, the de Chima ambassador? - he actually he wants to do something more than just be cool and mysterious. [Have some spirit fingers! For emphasis] He actually cares about the world outside the pantheon.

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[halfblaked]

Mm, yes, he will fight for what he believes is right.

[ David chose his words very carefully, didn't he? ]

Baal does, however, exude some measure of natural "coolness", so it should be unsurprising that he wouldn't have to work at that one.

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[andtherevolution]

I wonder if it has anything to do with the god he's supposed to be. I don't know much about him - uh, the myths, I mean. But Baal's pretty much the head of his pantheon, isn't he? Sort of like a father... maybe that's why he's so responsible.

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[halfblaked]

Oh, I don't know if any one person is the head of this pantheon. They make decisions as a collective, after all.

But Baal fashions himself as something of a leader, and previous Baals also...fashioned themselves in that role, to varying degrees of success. Being the leader of their own pantheon only gets one so far when it comes to the recurrence. [ A beat. ] Woden is also the head of his pantheon, and they are... [ He trailed off, with a frown. Nobody likes Woden, after all. ]

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[andtherevolution]

[Utena freezes, her expression growing dark. There's a moment of silence as she grits her teeth, and the sharp look in her eyes might be a familiar sight to anyone who's crossed her. But this would be David's first time seeing her this angry, wouldn't it]

So, I'm guessing Woden's always been a scumbag? Or is this a new thing for him?

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[halfblaked]

[ It's always so hard, to keep his face as blank as he needs it to be. He can see the anger in her eyes, and it makes David's heart beat a little faster with delight. He'd gotten under her skin, after all. He coughed, and shook his head. ]

Oh no, he's...been like this since he surfaced. [ Was he always like this? Sometimes, David doesn't know himself. Was he always a monster? Was he always so terrible? He doesn't think he was. He'd raised his son well, gone through all the appropriate motions, treated the everyone in his department equally... ]

Traipsing around with women that he'd offered demi-godhood to, and using their power to grow his own? He didn't even pay them until recently, and there are...stories of what he does with them.

[ Not that they were true. He didn't touch, not like that. But David knew what everyone else said. ]

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[andtherevolution]

Yeah, I've heard about them.

[Her voice is quiet, with a rough edge to it, and she crosses her arms across her stomach]

To be honest, I don't know why anyone would put up with that crap. Then again, he's not really the kind of guy to just let someone walk away, is he?

[It's a rhetorical question, and she makes no effort to hide the bitterness in her voice]

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[halfblaked]

You don't know?

[ David lifted an eyebrow. ] In our world, some would do anything to touch the divine, to have a taste of the pantheon. The fans...they get a piece of it in song, but... to get the rush and high of doing it? I think some people would do anything to feel included among the gods.

[ You know. Like kill your own son. ]

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[andtherevolution]

[She remembers her first concert. How terrifying and exhilarating it was, and how it opened up new worlds that she never even knew existed. It was phenomenal. It was life changing.

What would she give up to experience it?

Nothing, she tells herself firmly. She doesn't need it. She doesn't want it. She has her own power; godhood is not a necessity]

Yeah, well, I guess I'd have to be there to really get it.

[Her voice is quiet, and rough, and she can't quite look David in the eye.]

Re: action

[halfblaked]

Mm, I think so. The context is different there, as opposed to here. For example, I never thought I would have superpowers, and yet...

Here I am. With superpowers.

[ A half-laugh. ] Useless powers, of course, but still powers. I had nothing, back home. It's easy to see why some would compromise.

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[andtherevolution]

[I had nothing. Those three words break through everything, through judgement and pride and fear, and strikes something deep in her memory. Her expression softens, and she rubs her arm, using the feel of the fabric to distract herself from her shame.]

Some people would do anything to feel special. It's easy to forget that when you're always in the spotlight - you know, like we are. But when you find something that makes you special, that makes you shine... if you've never had that before, then you'll hold onto it, no matter how bad it is for you.

[She's not talking about gods anymore.]

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[halfblaked]

Quite so. And giving something up for it, even if it's simply...pride, is...

Such a low price to pay.

You understand, now. Why some would be around someone they find so vile, for something so... grand.

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[andtherevolution]

And I guess he's not used to people who don't need him like the people back home. I bet being around actual superheroes makes him seem a little less special now, huh? He's not really a god to anyone here - here he's just another imPort, just like the rest of us.

[maybe that's why he's SUCH A HUGE DICK]

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[halfblaked]

Oh, I can't presume to know the inner-workings of a god like Woden.

[ David said, and shook his head, ruefully. A ghost of a smile on his lips. ]

Even here, my position is far...diminished compared to the rest of you. Perfect mythological recall is hardly... a good power.

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[andtherevolution]

It's still handy, I guess?

[She smiles sheepishly, scratching the back of her head]

I mean, at least you have a better idea of how to handle these guys than anyone else here. I wouldn't mind having a power like that right now, to be honest.

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[halfblaked]

Oh, all I can do is tell you what some of their past pantheons were like, and the legends and sources of their worship.

It's...not nearly as exciting as I make it out to be. Borderline useless. However, if someone like you is ever in need... I would always be willing to lend a hand.