Text | @rubber ducky

[curingidiocy]

[ Soon after LILITH hands the decision to Outsiders, Ratio makes a post on the ocular network. ]

I hope you have all had ample time to rest from the aftermath of the kaiju's attack. However, it is time to turn our attention to the future. We have been given an opportunity to decide our next step.

1: Stay in Seoul and assist the city.
2: Chase after the escaped Imugi.

I imagine opinions may be divided on this front, so I would like to open the forum for discussion. Please state your choice and provide thorough reasoning for your decision. You will not convince anyone with a half-baked argument. You may respond to any comment as you please, but remember to stay civil and do not resort to derogatory or inflammatory comments. Should you break this rule, I will revoke your comment permissions.

Keep in mind that your choice will have a grave effect on the people of this planet. It is not one to be made lightly, so do not treat it with levity.

You may use the form below to keep your comment clear and easy to read.

<b>Decision:</b> State your decision here. <b>Reason:</b> Be concise. Bullet form preferred. <b>Other:</b> If you have any other comment to make, do so here.


[ ooc: This is meant to be a mingle text log! Feel free to comment on each other's posts, yadda yadda go wild! Also the form is only a recommendation, feel free to disregard Ratio's instructions and annoy him. ]

Comments

[curingidiocy]

My fondness for them is well known in the interstellar community. I make it no secret that I bathe with them, and usually keep one on the desk of all of my offices.

[intertwinedfates]

Well that answers my next question of if there's a story behind the name. It's surprisingly adorable. Do you find that having one for company benefits you in any way?

[curingidiocy]

There is a concept in software engineering known as rubber duck debugging, in which a developer who has encountered an issue in their programming explains to the rubber duck, line for line, how the code is meant to operate. The process is meant to facilitate the articulation of the problem in natural language, change the perspective of the developer to one that is more objective, and deepen their understanding of the code by teaching it to the duck.

Studies have shown that this method is more reliable than thinking aloud without an audience, and with an inanimate rubber duck, one need not bother another individual whose time may be better allocated to another task. I frequently use this method to great success.

[intertwinedfates]

[Wow, that's almost like how some people pray to gods for answers and end up finding them on their own, in a way. It's enough to make Yato reconsider everything he knows about computer programming! Which is nothing.]

Damn, maybe I'll have to get myself a rubber duck for figuring out my own problems, even if they aren't quite as technical as something like writing programs. It seems like something that would be a benefit to all kinds of vocations that require strong concentration or long work hours. I wonder if a doctor would find similar use to talking with a duck.

[He could get one for Hiyori to help her with her patients!]

[curingidiocy]

[ He's very pleased to spread the cult of rubber ducks, so he won't tell Yato that the inanimate object can be anything so long as they can picture it as an attentive student. ]

I have certainly made use of it in my medicinal research.

[intertwinedfates]

[As someone who loves whimsy and cute things, Yato a-okay with being led to believe it has to be a rubber duck for the magic to work. Besides, they're not only adorable, but useful, too! Able to help you see water levels, weigh down papers, and other various small tasks.]

In that case I'm gonna get Hiyori one! A little companion who she can tell her struggles to!

[curingidiocy]

Are you an acquaintance of hers?

[intertwinedfates]

More than that! I'm her God of Fortune! [Self-appointed.]

[curingidiocy]

Literally, or figuratively speaking? I must ask because there are other gods among us.

[intertwinedfates]

Literally! My proper title is Delivery God of Fortune, Yatogami! Do you know how many other gods are here? I'd love to meet them.

[curingidiocy]

To my knowledge, there are three others present. Ereshkigal, goddess of death and queen of the underworld, Tezcatlipoca, god of darkness and conflict, and Set, god of war, chaos and storms.

[ Lining them up like this makes you realize how grim these gods' profiles are, huh... ]

[intertwinedfates]

[It really does... Enough that Yato has to laugh a bit. What a group they make, especially since he's really a God of Calamity.]

So four including me, huh. I hope the other two are as nice and friendly as Eresh. She's fun to be around.

[curingidiocy]

[ Yeah that's a quadruple whammy right there. ]

They're quite intelligent individuals. I find them to be pleasant company.

[ Ratio's definition of pleasant company is a bit different though... ]

[intertwinedfates]

[They need like, a goddess of harvest or flowers to balance them all out, sheesh!]

Much better than some of the grumpier gods that are around, for sure. Or more volatile ones.

[Like Takemikazuchi. Crazy bastard's always trying to shock his ass with lightning, it seems.]

[curingidiocy]

[ But of course LILITH would summon gods who govern violent domains, wouldn't they? Since those gods would be guaranteed to be capable of fighting. ]

You said you were a God of Fortune, correct? Are you capable of influencing an individual's luck? What of your own?

[intertwinedfates]

[Very sensible of them when it comes down to it, really. It makes him wonder if the drawing in of non-combatants would've been an accident.]

Ah, well. Truthfully I'm just an aspiring God of Fortune, one who makes a person's luck better by trying to help people myself. It's not an inherent power I have or anything...

[Which sorta makes him feel like a fraud, but... he's trying at least? And it beats having his past out for all to see.]

[curingidiocy]

[ Oh? One can be an aspiring god? Given their dialogue before... ]

I was unaware that gods could change their domains. Truthfully I have very little knowledge of gods like you who are closer to human than Aeon.

How long would it take for you to become a proper God of Fortune? Are there any particular requirements you must fulfill to do so?

[intertwinedfates]

[Oh boy... Now they're getting into the technical side of things, which he... is unfortunately not very experienced with.]

Well, Tenjin was once feared as a vengeful spirit and came to be regarded as a god of scholars and students, so it's not unheard of. But it's not as simple as picking a vocation and having your abilities change to suit it.

I really don't know if I'll ever be able to become a true God of Fortune or if I'm stuck being what I was born as. But I'm damned sight going to try.

[curingidiocy]

[ Funny that he picks the god of scholars to talk about. It interests Ratio only because academia is his specialty. ]

You've already listed an example of change being possible, so you need only understand the steps involved and execute them.

[ He says, like that's at all simple. To Ratio, it is at least. If it's possible, then it can be done. There's no need to worry about whether he can personally accomplish it, he just needs to keep trying until he gets there. Yato just has to do the same as well.

Funny how gods can have aspirations just like humans. What separates them, in the end? Their power and long lives? Their control over certain domains like Aeons? Well, with the few gods around, he can learn over time. ]