( for makoto, it’s both figurative and literal. the rules of hell are intricate and iron-wrought: a demon’s name is their essence. so long as their name is remembered and spoken aloud, they, like a concept, would never die. names also enforced a strict hierarchy, as an inferior and less powerful demon could not speak the name of their superior—even if they knew it—without shattering down to their very soul. and as for where that power came from, well, it was also carried within their names. does one’s name and reputation strike fear into the hearts of others? does it breed uncertainty, the worry that one wouldn’t be able to contend with another that might out-maneuver them politically? if a demon could unsettle another, make them even for just a moment believe that they had all the control in a given situation, that belief became actuality—the implication of power became power itself.
makoto has never personally wanted recognition. there’s nothing innate within him that craves it; limelight is something that he actively avoids. but having learned the rules of hell himself, and having seen them work in action and in concert, has taught him that it’s necessary for what he really wants.
he pauses, searching for the words, then answers: ) I want the power to make decisions for myself again.
And I won’t be able to do that without recognition.
no subject
makoto has never personally wanted recognition. there’s nothing innate within him that craves it; limelight is something that he actively avoids. but having learned the rules of hell himself, and having seen them work in action and in concert, has taught him that it’s necessary for what he really wants.
he pauses, searching for the words, then answers: ) I want the power to make decisions for myself again.
And I won’t be able to do that without recognition.