[Accidental Voice]

[unknownrival]

[Issei is praying. Anyone who knows anything of Japanese Buddhism will recognize that. Even those who aren't familiar will know that he isn't doing it very well. He keeps stopping and restarting after making a mistake. Eventually, he gives up altogether.]

I'm a failure as a monk... If I cannot purify myself of such base thoughts, of what use am I? I should, should be running the streets rather than living in a temple!

[There's a loud thunk.]

Ow. Even beating my head against the wall will not remove these thoughts, it seems. Dear Buddha, help me...

Comments

[stripping.livejournal.com]

Trying to pray and get rid of these thoughts.

[screwloose]

I doubt it'll work. Bad thoughts are hard to control. What's so awful about these thoughts?

[stripping.livejournal.com]

A monk shouldn't be obsessed with sex.

He's not still jealous, not at all.

[screwloose]

Well, there is a virus on. But what is different about this from usual for you?

[stripping.livejournal.com]

I normally think of sex without being prompted about once a week.

[screwloose]

You do? That's very unusual and...besides, what about our last conversation?

[stripping.livejournal.com]

That was the once a week.

[screwloose]

Hmm, I didn't realize.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

Now you know.

[screwloose]

Still seems a little improbable if you're a physically normal human teenager.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

I'm a monk. I pride myself on my self-control.

[screwloose]

Well, that's also good to know. Still, I've locked Birkin in his lab for the duration of the virus, for his safety and that of everyone he might talk to. He's happy as a clam, don't worry.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

I take it he's affected?

[screwloose]

He seems to be. And I do have some work to do, so I can't be in there distracting him every minute.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

Well, good luck.