Ugh. That [i]bitch.[/i]

"D'ya know, we used to be friends?"

Brightberry pauses mid delivery, and rolls her eyes. "You've ranted, once or twice.  You were bes--"

Dyssia throws up her arms emphatically. "We were besties! Two peas in a pod! Shared everything!"

And then one day, they weren't. 

And Dyssia has never figured out why? It's not like they drifted apart, she doesn’t think? She's gone over it again and again and can't pinpoint whether she did something wrong to push her away?

It's just… one day they were friends. And then the next day they weren't. 

That's not an appropriate joke, Dyssia. When will you start to take things seriously, Dyssia? I can't keep taking time away from my studies, Dyssia. Your mockery of Apollo is dooming the planet, Dyssia. You'll never make anything of yourself if you can't focus, Dyssia.

And then, Dyssia didn't even get [i]that.[/i] She'd watch the message beam into the sky, and watch the sky anxiously for a return that never came.

And now Merilt's the Oracle! She made it! Top of the heap, on every counsel, hobnobbing with other experts who are also at the top of the heap, listening to Apollo himself, and Dyssia…

She just needs more [i]time,[/i] is what she needs. She'll find something that she's good at. Or, you know, she's found something she's good at already, she's found lots of things she's good at, but she'll find something she can be perfect at. She'll finally make an offering worthy of Apollo. She'll become a master, she'll be one of the greats, she'll finally be able to talk to Merilt…

Then maybe she can say sorry for whatever it is that pushed them apart.

"Not that I'll get a chance," she mutters, staring at the ground. "Not if she wants me off-planet."

Oh, she's good. Get to a position of power, where you're the intermediary between Apollo and an entire planet, the one in charge of interpreting that perfect golden smile. And what's this? An excuse to get rid of the last reminder of who you used to be? An opportunity to tie up a loose end? Boy howdy, do we have exactly the right person to throw at a ship full of foxgirls!

But there's still that little kernel of hope, isn't there? She's the priestess of Apollo, after all.

Maybe… Maybe Merilt is actually trying to help? What if she's actually telling the truth? I mean, Apollo is pretty hands-off, but he'd still get involved if his high priestess used his name for a personal revenge scheme, wouldn't he? Dyssia doesn't know that. Would Merilt? 

Shit. Shit shit shit.

Salespeople. Convincing people to want things isn't… well, it's not dissimilar to what the Orators do? Maybe? But for things? If you can persuade people that they want what you want, then they'll follow you. Does the same thing apply for things? Follow me, and I will give you things?

"Why do they even need an orator to deal with the Pix? I mean, they've already got one on standby, right?"

"Huh?"

"I [i]mean,[/i] I'm not nearly as good an orator as Salhadin! Why send me?" 

(At least, she's [i]told[/i] he's a better orator than she is. Which she just doesn't see?

(He's a great guy, in terms of personality, you know, but come [i]on![/i] His entire schtick boils down to his presentation. It's like, if anybody hired a guy to hold his head up, whoops, there goes half the audience! Suddenly, there's no risk of physical comedy happening, suddenly half the audience has no reason to watch, and whoops, all you have going for you is poor elocution, and let's be honest, it'd be nice if even [i]normal[/i] speakers had someone to write down what they're saying. 

(Oh, you just don't get it, Dyssia. If you could pay attention, you'd understand, Dyssia. But why bother? If he's not gonna make the effort to be interesting by what he's [i]saying[/i] instead of how he's saying it, then why should she bother to try? She's just gonna wind up trapped in an audience hall where standing up and leaving is [i]her[/i] being rude, so why put yourself through all that trouble?)

"Why do they even [i]need[/i] a hero, huh? What if I don't [i]want[/i] to be a hero, huh? All of my stuff is here, all of my friends are here! And suddenly I'm the asshole if I don't want to go!

"Unless… Brightberry, did they actually say what they want me to do? What kind of hero are they looking for?"