Andi Makes Bad Decisions: The Post (Canon is El Shaddai)

[archditz]

[The man in the expensive suit stifles a laugh, to the point where it almost comes out a snort.]

I would hardly call this a "bad decision". However, you would probably assume I'm biased. As you should.

[That was a joke, get it? Maybe not, but at least he has enough decency to not laugh at his own jokes.]

You're probably not serious about it anyway. I was under the assumption that you liked me. Am I wrong?

[That was a rhetorical question, as he is never wrong, you see.]

I suppose it's more to do with a lack of trust? I can see how that could happen. Rest assured that the more humans speak of the Lord as if they know everything about Him, the less likely they are to know anything about Him.

The same can be said for a number of other subjects, actually. But it is especially true in this case.

I should thank you for at least opening up to me.

[Pause...]

Thank you.

Comments

[archditz]

Very well. I think that he was led around by others he viewed as wiser than he and became involved in something he wouldn't have otherwise, had he fully known all the damage it would do.

[Yeah, he can't even get mad about Armaros having Nephilim because what was it going to do, swim around and eat plankton all day?]

However...hmmn. [Considering what Michael was on Earth for in the first place, denying that Armaros be forgiven would make him a huge hypocrite, wouldn't it?]

Has he repented?

[warriorscribe]

I believe he has. I'm sure he could let you know, himself, or one of our threads...

*He trails off, wanting an answer more than he wants to explain himself.*

[archditz]

It's fine. I can take you on your word.

[Enoch is the future Voice of God, come on.]

I will speak to Him about it as soon as I can.

[warriorscribe]

Thank you.

*Enoch knows he can't do anything from here. And that this is a metaspace tangent that has no permanent impact on anything but itself. But it's a comfort all the same.

Comfort enough, apparently, to open up.*

What I really wanted to talk about-... Rather, not talk about...

[archditz]

Yes? [Enoch might as well talk about it, it was bound to show up anyway. Not like Michael would mind.]

[warriorscribe]

If... *His voice cracks. He takes a deep breath and tries again.*

If my mundane is somehow...has stumbled on the truth and I'm going to wind up down there...I'll take care of him as well as I can.

*Another pause, his face looking like he's not sure what to feel.*

I wanted to be able to promise that much. To bring good out of it if it's true...

[archditz]

[Oh Enoch, don't do this. Michael reaches out again and grabs Enoch's shoulder, pulling him a bit closer.]

I understand that not knowing much is leading to some...dark thoughts.

But do not talk about yourself like that in my presence ever again. Do you understand?

[warriorscribe]

*This is why he didn't want to talk about it.

He wants to explain himself, but...no. No, he won't argue the point. He meekly nods, shuffling forward to avoid being pulled off balance.*

[archditz]

I'm not angry with you, Enoch. [It's just...terrible to see him like this.]

What an Earth even gave you such an idea?

[warriorscribe]

My mundane's theory...based on the words that have been used.

*They're only machine-translated, so there's hope. But as far as he's aware, nothing really stands very strongly against it, and there are going to be events that...hell, make him worry for his piety now, let alone how he'll feel when he'll actually catch up with them. His only comfort in that respect, really, is the knowledge that he personally will never see a canon update.*

[archditz]

Yes. Humans enjoy theorizing quite a bit, don't they?

[warriorscribe]

There's nothing wrong with keeping an active mind. But when both my mundane and our canon have a record of...writing downhill...

[archditz]

I never said there was. [Michael is full of nothing but sincere kindness.]

However, I think you're letting that underestimate both yourself and the rest of us. This will be fixed, Enoch.

[warriorscribe]

...I hope so.

*Doesn't change the fact that to everyone's knowledge he hasn't had a canonically positive emotional experience since Armaros...*

[archditz]

[Now it's Michael's turn to shift his weight awkwardly, one foot to another, before he speaks again.]

Hmn. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I ever apologized to you.

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch looks up.*

...For what?

[archditz]

For... [Ahh damn, he takes a deep breath and tries again.]

Until you had to go through purification, I had no idea how much pain you were in. At first, I thought Belial caught you in a temporary moment of weakness, but...there was so much pain he could easily take advantage of.

I am so sorry, Enoch.

[warriorscribe]

I'm not there yet... *but he knows about it anyway, here in this space.* ...but it isn't your fault.

[archditz]

Even if it isn't, I was careless when it came to attending to your needs during your mission. Whether it was on accident or not, it was unacceptable on my part.

[warriorscribe]

I don't...I don't blame you for it. It wasn't your task. *He'd learned not to expect more from angels. It was why Lucifel's encouragement was so powerful...*

[archditz]

It didn't have to be my task to pay more attention to you. [It's...odd. Odd to see Michael going from a mostly passive and detached observer to someone who's actually invested in other people's feelings. What Enoch went through, and now looking after Galiel, must have had quite an effect.]

Please accept my apology.

[warriorscribe]

*Quite odd. Enoch takes a moment to respond. When he does, it's quiet.*

I accept it...

[archditz]

Good. [Michael nods and looks at Enoch, trying to suss out what his reactions mean.]

Are you...surprised?

[warriorscribe]

*Somewhere between surprised and sad. He's figured out that where Lucifel learns by watching, Michael learns by directly encountering. Granted, he has completely overestimated how much understanding comes from new knowledge for both of them, but that's only to be expected - he can't help but subconsciously hold the angelic mind against the human mind's patterns.*

I'm...I suppose.

*That's not all there is to it, but it's kind of hard to explain.*

[archditz]

I imagine it's a bit of a shock. I've never thought about how much has changed through the years until I remembered how I was during your mission. [He pauses again, gears turning, trying to figure out what's eating Enoch.]

We are...not above humans either. We're not perfect. [At least, in his opinion, he isn't. That's been proven to him time and time again.]

We are merely different, Enoch. But we make mistakes like everyone else. Do you...understand?