Yeah. It's pretty discouraging but I'm trying not to let it get to me? I mean, it's only been a week, so there's plenty of time to change opinions.

[She gives a small laugh.]

You'd think the way some people talk about me around here that I'm some kind of crazy person. I really don't get it--that's just not me.

Oh, absolutely both. You wouldn't believe some of the nasty things that were said about me by one of my own followers--and I mean, like, before we even met? Rude, right?

Threaten? I tried to warn him. I told him that he had the wrong impression about the god he was planning on defecting to, and he mocked me for it.

[Disorder sounds clearly offended, a touch of hurt creeping into her voice. She sighs heavily, looking down at the water.]

That's insane.

What I'm saying is that I was upset, for a lot of reasons, and yeah sometimes when I get emotional I'm the kind of person that needs, you know, a stress ball, but punching clean through a mirror? That's such a gross exaggeration that I can't even...

[She shakes her head.]

Whatever. If he's going person to person telling them I'm a psychopath who punches holes in glass, it's not like there's anything I can do to prove him wrong. It's totally he-said-she-said.

That's an absolute lie.

[Now more than ever, the shock in her voice sounds completely genuine.]

What I said was that he'd regret defecting. I guess he, like, assumed the worst out of what I said? But I never, ever, threatened to kill him or send anyone after him. Honestly, all I care about right now is getting more people on my side, and that's not going to happen if I go around getting people killed.

Probably to make his new god look like a saint.

[She clicks her tongue.]

But I wouldn't lie about that. I'm not a killer. If you knew more about me, some of the things that I went through when I was mortal, you'd believe me.

I can tell you that I was the victim of a vicious bullying campaign when I was in high school. I became a god shortly afterward.

[She pauses, quiet as she kicks her feet gently in the water.]

People can be really closed minded.

Exactly. The qualities that I value have more to do with how a person follows their own path despite what expectations demand of them. I don't like it when the value of a person lands on how good looking they are or how well they can follow orders.

[It's clear in her voice that she's calming down from mention of The Dreaded Chuuya Incident.]

Thank you for hearing me out. This is really nice.

I don't see what good it'll do; if you think you can get through to him you're free to try, but I really don't think that anything anyone says will change how he sees me. I care more about clearing my name for the ones he's spoken to on his own. They'll all probably still be thoughtful enough to actually, like, hear my side of the story.

Do you think maybe I should try to talk to him again myself? I don't know how well you know him, we only had the one conversation.

[She sighs again.]

I'm hoping if I try and clear up the misunderstanding it'll be easier for him to rectify what he's been saying.

[Chuuya's just That Kind of Person.]

I totally understand. Thank you, Zoe. Let him know that I told him I'm sorry about the whole thing.