Sometimes I still just use characters as mouthpieces for my own nonsense.

I used to do it when I was a kid.

I hope I'm better at it now.

Or, at least, more entertaining.

… I've still never been subtle a single day in my life, though.


.


"If you had one dream for the world," Noa said, "what would it be? Like, if you could snap your fingers and see one thing done. No strings attached."

Ryo frowned as he thought, ruminated, considered. He always took Noa's questions thunderously seriously, because he seemed to think it was vital to the health of their bond that he did. Noa wasn't sure if Ryo was right, but he couldn't deny that it was nice. This was not to imply that his brothers didn't take him seriously, but there was just something about the way Ryo listened to what Noa said that felt . . . different.

Eventually, Ryo said: "I think it depends whether I am bound by the laws of reality or not." He paused, rubbing his chin. "Because I think I would want every politician to be forced to explain every decision to their grandmother before making it. If they don't have one, I would give them one."

Noa laughed. "Okay, I like that one," he said. "But, all right, you got me. I was thinking about things that are, theoretically at least, possible. But I do like that. Grammy Justice."

"I would also make coffee taste the way that it smells." Ryo cleared his throat as Noa snickered. "Ahem. Anyway. To answer seriously: any corporation's wages would be tied to the CEO's salary. Every time the top executives get a raise, so does everyone else, all the way down the latter. Every time. No exceptions."

Noa looked surprised, but he nodded. "I like that," he said. "You know, I think Aniki does that."

"It's what made me think of it," Ryo said. He smiled. "I guess what it comes down to is this: I would make every corporation across the planet work the way your brother's does. He has a good thing going, and I would like to see other companies make use of his template. I think it would make the world a much better place."

"I think he'd be happy to know that," Noa said.

"What about you? What's your dream for the world?"

Noa hummed low in his throat. "I mean . . . damn, that politician one was good, though." Ryo giggled. "Anything we need," he said eventually, "can't have a price tag. Food, water, shelter, healthcare. None of it. Money is only for luxuries, full stop. No exceptions."

"Oh?" Ryo looked pleasantly surprised, much like Noa had. "I like that, I do. But I thought you said we were talking about things that could happen."

"Listen." Noa held up one finger. "It's possible. All we'd have to do is put your grandma plan into effect first. I don't have anything specific to explain this impulse, but I think the coffee thing would help too, somehow."

"What about restaurants?"

"That's different," Noa said. "You're paying for the experience. Someone else is cooking it, preparing it, bringing it out to you, handling cleanup. That's what you pay for. Not the food. So, yeah, there might still be a price attached to food and stuff but I think it would be specifically tied to the labor required to get it to you. Maybe there'd be a delivery fee or something like that, if you wanted it brought to you. I don't know."

"Hmmm." Ryo eventually shrugged. "All right. I'll grant you that one."

"Why, thank you." Noa bowed dramatically. "My lord is so generous."

"You should feel grateful," Ryo said loftily. "My approval is quite the commodity. I'll have you know, I'm famous on at least six internet forums."