Hero's Diary: Day 1, Part 11
11/01/26 at 12:45 EST

Pirohiko's footsteps echoed as he ran loudly after Etranger. I wasn't half as eager as he was to plunge deeper into the bowels of this hell, in spite of the fact that I'd have to make my way to the bottom eventually. "Etranger, wait up!" he yelled. He never made it out of earshot, though he had gone far enough ahead that I could no longer see him in this dark, twisting cavern full of unorthodox dangers.

I've become rather curious in what gets printed onto the job description for a Guardian Angel.

"Why did you take off like that?" I assumed he managed to catch up to her. "Five minutes ago you were going on about how important it was to find this man, and save his life! Why did you leave without saying anything?"

"He's pathetic." Her words were short, but strong. "That man says he loves his granddaughter. But she could be in real danger, and rather than do something about it, he's choosing instead to do nothing about it and feel sorry for himself. That's no reason to be in despair. He shouldn't be so weak!"

"What is wrong with you!?" That may have been the first time I'd heard Pirohiko sound angry. It was unsettling. "The thought of losing a loved one is a perfectly good reason to feel despair!"

"But it isn't going to solve anything! He could have been spending less time bitching, and more time doing something about it."

"Feeling despair isn't a choice, it's something that can't be helped. Everyone feels despair over something in their lives at some point or another!"

"Nu-uh!" Etranger argued in true brat fashion. "Not me! I've never felt despair over anything!"

"If that's the case, then I feel sorry for you." Pirohiko's voice was soft and remorseful. It was unsettling.

"Huh? Why? I've lived a perfectly happy life, full of -"

"Despair reminds us of what is truly important in our lives. To be deprived of that reminder must be a truly sad thing." Pirohiko sounded very serious. It was unsettling.

I think Pirohiko is just unsettling in general. I had finally caught up to them, pausing briefly to endure more of their irreverent conversation, but decided to press on. I had a job to do.

Let's see what else inside this dungeon is hungry.
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Tagged under: ZHP
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