#i know again dont think too hard about it

blackmadhi week day 3: culture 

transcript under cut

First comic features Athena and Simon having the following conversation:

Athena asks, “Oooh, what’re you reading? ‘The Pillars of Khura’inism? That’s new.”

To which Simon responds, “I’m fact-checking. There’s no way there’s a hell made of tickling or a hell of (oddly specific) hangnails. It’s all balderdash. The Sad Monk is making it all up.”

Athena looks pensive, asking again, “You think? Wouldn’t it be, like, bad to lie about your religion?”

“Irrelevant.” Simon replies. “I care not for what that blackguard gets up to.”

Athena interjects, “Says the one looking up Khura’inese insults now.”

Simon answers, “‘Pohlkunan’ is very versatile.”

Finally, Athena says, “… Simon, you know that you can talk to Nahyuta normally, right? Just reading about someone’s background… won’t get you any closer to them, you know?”

Simon concludes with, “…I know.”

Second comic features Apollo and Nahyuta having the following conversation:

“’The History of Rakugo’… ‘Japanese Society’… ‘Legend of the Samurai’…? Hey, Yuty, what’s with all these books on Japan?”

“They’re for research purposes.” Nahyuta responds.

“Research for what? Are you going to Japan?”

“Not that I know of, no.”

“Then, why?”

Apollo is met with silence. He then offers his own thoughts, saying, “…does this have something to do with Prosecutor Blackquill? I know he keeps playing mind games with you, but don’t listen to him, Nahyuta. He’s just trying to rile you up.”

Nahyuta declares, “I am going to defeat him at Japanese Trivia and then we will see who is laughing.”

Apollo looks exasperated all of a sudden, remarking, “…I can’t believe you’re trying to out-nerd Blackquill.”

“And succeeding.” Nahyuta adds.

“And… succeeding.” Apollo repeats skeptically.

Third comic features Simon and Nahyuta having the following conversation with a shared thought bubble on top of their heads, reading:

“What part of me getting invested in your culture and niche obscure interests do you not understand. I am in love with you”

Nahyuta starts speaking, saying, “What are you looking at? Direct your filthy eyes elsewhere.”

“Tch.” Simon responds. “I’m only looking in this direction because I felt your piercing gaze at my back! You look away first.”

“You look away first.” Nahyuta insists.

“No, you look away first.” Simon shoots back.

“I don’t feel like it.”

“Hmph. Well, I don’t feel like it, either!”