week three - saturday post-trial - shang qinghua

[arockstar]

[Newt finds Shang Qinghua on the beach in the west wing. It feels fitting, for some reason, though he can't place why.]

Hey. Sorry about your god.

Comments

[nosediving]

[After everything, even this cursed beach feels like a nostalgic haven. Shang Qinghua turns to Newt with a wry smile.]

Technically, Great Fortune is not my god.

It's a shame that she's no longer a part of the contest, but this one is merely grateful that she won't be feeling the pain of her injuries anymore.

[arockstar]

Eh, yeah, but she was your first. You're always gonna have a soft spot for your first.

[newt please don't phrase it like that you creep wtf.]

That's a nice way to think of it. I mean, she'll come back at the end just like the rest of us, and she's got Patience to hang out with. I'm sure she'll be okay.

[nosediving]

[He ain't wrong. But, ah, right. Patience.]

She will be. I hope.

Sir, you're really fond of Great Patience, aren't you?

[arockstar]

[He laughs, looking away.]

Yeah, I'm a fan. Why do you ask?

[nosediving]

[His brow relaxes as he regards Newt with a cordial smile.]

This one was merely wondering if we would be seeing her again. It's been two weeks since we last heard from her.

[arockstar]

That I don't know, but she did appear for me this week. It's tougher for her to hold audiences than it is for the other gods, I think.

[nosediving]

She responded to an offering you left her?

[arockstar]

Yeah. I figured she'd be lonely being on the outside of things, so I've been leaving her stuff. What got her to show up was a private concert in the parlor.

[yeah he plays piano, nbd.]

She's been taking care of the dead, I hear.

[nosediving]

[Is there anything that Newt can't do? Besides read.]

That is good news. She must have appreciated the private concert, too, considering her role and task.

[A hard worker who doesn't get to show up in the spotlight, or something like that.]

[arockstar]

Hah, she did. Oh, she said she hands out messages and stuff to the people that have died. You can send them offerings, too.

[nosediving]

Offerings to the deceased? Then, they're not completely out of the contest . . . Have you sent anything?

[arockstar]

I haven't, no. I haven't really known any of them too well.

[So sending them stuff feels weird.]

I asked Patience to say hi to Ava, though. I liked her.

[nosediving]

[He blinks.]

Is she all right? Ava, I mean.

[Wasn't she . . . disassembled on this side . . . ]

[arockstar]

As far as I know, yeah. Patience said she'd pass along the hello, so... She'd have told me if anything was up with Ava, I'd think.

[He trusts Patience.]

[nosediving]

[He sure does!]

The great gods really kept their promise . . . Sir, do many of the participants know about this?

[arockstar]

About which part? I mentioned that I'd spoken to Patience, so at least a few people. It's not a secret.

[He shrugs.]

You're the first person to ask about it, though.