"And I wasn't paying attention because my own temples were both getting hit by this."

She barks bitter laughter. "The Conservative shul less than the Zen pagoda, because apparently Jews arguing five opinions to every four Rabbis appeals to the Orthopraxy's love of intellectual debate. But, hmn. It's not the first time a state religion has pretended Jews are model citizens, and we'll last long enough for it to happen again."

If she'll let her, Leah will hug her bandmate. "I need to spend more time in Waking... fighting through depression again," she says. "Being Coordinated helps, but it's still going to suck."

She chirps, rolling her head into the scritchies without shame. After all, Conductors barely know the meaning of the word in the Wake. She may even nuzzle Thorn if she lets her: plenty of love to go round from Leah.

“This is on Aratta in particular, and about the Conditioned in particular. Discrimination is nothing new. Tightening the vise like this is unusual, but not unprecedented? Damned if I could tell you why.”

"They're cracking down on the Conditioned Diaphoron, if you believe Paraiba, and I do: making it frustrating as every Elven hell for the Hecatites to join, and throwing procedural obstacles in the way of non-gems. There's a huge chance this has to do with the Nightmare that we're implicated in."

She takes a deep breath.

"Honestly, there are things that the Conditioned appropriated from Buddhism, but they seem to have, hmn, appropriately done so? And I don't think their path is incompatible with the Eight Paths, or with the Mitzvot. It's another valid route to happiness. And it gives you superpowers, though the Templar in Star Aria are probably an exaggeration."

She lies down, looking up at the sky, and admits: "I'm tempted to at least attempt joining them. See what comes of it. Don't know if I can hack it, but I feel like I have to try - if only to see what Paraiba has to deal with."

"Oh, not a chance I'll be able to do half the xianxia-ass bullshit Preceptor Kim is capable of," she says, nuzzling back, enjoying the physical contact.

If she wasn't very taken... well. She still wouldn't make a move because she was responsible for Thorn's welfare, and taking advantage of that would be wrong. But she occasionally daydreams about it.

"We're gonna beat this. We're going to find out who did this to us, and they will pay for it. Our songs know what they did in the dark."