Runelords 12.8 - Conflicting Sins

Khyrralien hung around the Rusty Dragon, strumming idly on his sitar, a week after they had returned from the Misgivings and still no word on the police order they were under to remain in Sandpoint. Virgil stood nearby, eating an apple and seeming to have little else to occupy his time. Eventually, he said without warning, "...Do you ever feel like you could just, eat every pie?"
The fey turned and blinked up at him, and his answer took a long time in coming. "I do." He said simply "Most days, many hours, some years."
"Do you?" he asked off-handedly. "...Like, try, I mean."
Khyrralien replied brightly, "Oh, most certainly, many a time. Why do you ask?"
Virgil frowned slightly, looking uncomfortable, "I'm...having a hard time with the question of why I shouldn't..."
Tilting his head to the side, he asked, "I am confused, Virgy. Why would there be a reason that you shouldn't?"
It took a moment of solid consideration before he got his reply. "Because...because it's..." he struggled, "I guess it's kind of gross?"
This did nothing to abate the fey's confusion. "...Gross how, Virgy? What would make it gross?"
"It's just...I don't need to eat to eat that much. It's...ehh, just gross to watch, even. It's unattractive."
He giggled slightly, "Not everything you do needs to be attractive, sweetie." Even behind the layers of mask, Virgil knew his eyes were glittering, "Especially not if it feels good." Virgil blinked at him, obviously confused by that statement, as though this concept was somehow beyond his understanding. Khyrralien returned his blank stare for a long moment before continuing, "...Ooookaaay. I think we can come back to that bit another day. It's not so important though," his voice took on the dreamy, airy quality it often held, "it is absolutely, totally possible to make gluttony downright elegant, provided you use a little creativity and effort!" Virgil raised his eyebrow, begging for further explanation. Khyrralien indulged him, "Imagine the scene of a restaurant, whose creations are envied far and wide. You order the most extravagant thing on the menu, tweaked and tailored for your taste. It arrives, and the first bite is divine. But the second...perhaps too much salt. Send it back to the kitchen. The second attempt is better, but the center, not quite cooked properly in the middle. Send it back again. A few tastes of the choicest parts, but, the side is cold, the vegetables not in season, a hair, an imperfection. Send it back again and again, each time replaced with a fresh course." There was a perceptible hunger to Virgil's expression as Khyrralien spoke, describing the self-indulgent scenario. "You aren't 'gross', your behaviour not vulgar. Your tastes are simply too discerning, your palette too refined to suffer imperfection. You must have perfection, even if it takes a hundred tries, and wastes as many dishes." Khyrralien's eyes glittered behind his ill-fitting mask, hiding the hungry grin that was surely there. "Gluttony is about being wasteful, honey, not being vulgar. Those may be the easiest ways to go about it, but they are certainly not the only ones. And although I used food as the example, it's just the low hanging fruit. You can waste anything, if you put your mind to it."
The starved look on Virgil's face was restrained as he considered the suggestion. "That...that sounds good..." he replied, conflict plain. "I feel bad being a prick to the restaurant..."
"Well," Khyr waved him away lightly, "sinning does tend to inconvenience someone. Hence, 'sinning'." A terrible brightness entered his voice as he offered, "At least you're not inciting them to pound each other's faces into a bloody pulp anymore!"
"That's true," Virgil conceded, "and I don't feel like I'm about to snap at any given second." He seemed to consider something for a few seconds before sighing, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to go be a prick to some waiters." A thought seemed to cross his mind, and he brightened considerably, "But, at least there won't be any harm caused that won't be fixed by leaving an exorbitant tip," he grinned, "which is wasteful in and of itself."
Khyr returned the smile, "Now you're thinking!"
Gesturing towards the door, Virgil asked, "Care to join me for a late lunch?"
The fey stood up, "I most certainly would! Lead the way!"
Category:Rise of the Runelords