[ With the confidence with which she speaks, Ryoji's a bit surprised how set she is on deciding the argument isn't one she would win. A part of him can understand that- he'd interacted with the town's demons before, had his own shadow and the walls of his own house call out his worst traits, and somewhere in the town is his face in a mirror telling people, with all gentleness, that they look tired, that they deserve rest, that they should embrace death and free themselves from this world created to do nothing but torment them.

He'd argued with his demons too, had let those doubts sink in and take root, and yet he doesn't regret talking to them at all. ]

Frustration and self-doubt, it's scary, isn't it? I would also do everything to avoid it. ...But they're not all bad things, aren't they? Humans tend towards reflection, and grow from their reflections. That's something I think is wonderful about them.

[ He considers Vriska and her blatant non-humanness... She counts too. ]