"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"
[Naoki looks down slightly, frowning. He hasn't told this to anyone here, not like this, and her concern... It brings strange mixed feelings.]
Yeah.
Me, though, I... wasn't supposed to be one of those who'd decide how the world would be. What I was supposed to do in that world was pick one of the Reasons, the philosophies, that the other remaining people came up with. And then I'd side with them. I'd fight for them...or something like that.
[Bitter, bitter, hollow feelings, those idiots, why did they want to make those kinds of selfish, cruel, empty worlds what was wrong with theirs just like it was, why couldn't he--]
Or something like that. [A tool, he thinks. Something to turn the gears, someone to run the errands, someone, something--]
But... a world where each person creates their own world around them, without anyone else ever being involved. A world where the strong rule and the weak die. A world where every bit of individuality is erased, where there's no self, just endless peace.
[...
He goes for a smile, trying to lighten up from the somber conversation.] I just want my old world back, honestly. As flawed as it might be.
Thanks. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything in the end still, but...
When I get back, I'll find out if I can or can't for myself. [He has to. There's nothing else left, after all. But, he turns now and starts walking, waving a hand. Come on, Yang! They're here, they might as well have a walk around the gardens.]
[He glances over to her, slowing his pace slightly so they can walk together.]
It's okay. [Naoki's all right with saying this much. Even if it brings up bad memories. That said...] I'm more worried about if I ended up getting you down.
[Grinning, he reaches over... but he doesn't try to ruffle her hair, he just kinda goes to catch at the end of it nearest to him very lightly with his fingers before pulling away.] In that case, it's all good. You don't have anything to apologise for.
[He realised from last time she probably doesn't want her hair mussed!! So he's compromising. Settling. No matter how strong the temptation to ruffle is.]
I'm counting on you. [And with a gesture of one hand.] It's hard to get all down when we're surrounded by plants and flowers and stuff anyway.
[He makes a sound at her, a good-natured huffing, and moves to sit. Not on the side of the fountain, but on the ground, propping his arms on his knees. He leans back against the fountain next to where she's perched with a light sigh.
It really does smell nice here, and it's nice and quiet.]
You... did go through the trouble of dragging me into this. [He says dragging with a remarkably amused inflection.]
And I did wanna help them out, so doing that much was the least I could do.
[Even if it's something he's not used to doing, not something he was entirely comfortable with... He has to move forward sometime. If he thought of it as a challenge it wasn't as difficult.]
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Yeah.
Me, though, I... wasn't supposed to be one of those who'd decide how the world would be. What I was supposed to do in that world was pick one of the Reasons, the philosophies, that the other remaining people came up with. And then I'd side with them. I'd fight for them...or something like that.
[Bitter, bitter, hollow feelings, those idiots, why did they want to make those kinds of selfish, cruel, empty worlds what was wrong with theirs just like it was, why couldn't he--]
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... [ But she's frowning. He doesn't seem to be remotely happy about any of this. Did that mean there wasn't a Reason he agreed with? ]
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But... a world where each person creates their own world around them, without anyone else ever being involved. A world where the strong rule and the weak die. A world where every bit of individuality is erased, where there's no self, just endless peace.
[...
He goes for a smile, trying to lighten up from the somber conversation.] I just want my old world back, honestly. As flawed as it might be.
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[ And she can't say she likes any of them, so she smiles back at him. ]
But I like that choice of yours pretty well myself.
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Thanks. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything in the end still, but...
When I get back, I'll find out if I can or can't for myself. [He has to. There's nothing else left, after all. But, he turns now and starts walking, waving a hand. Come on, Yang! They're here, they might as well have a walk around the gardens.]
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Sorry-- I kind of made it heavy, huh?
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It's okay. [Naoki's all right with saying this much. Even if it brings up bad memories. That said...] I'm more worried about if I ended up getting you down.
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[ She taps her fist against her chest, grinning. ]
It takes a lot to keep me down!
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[Grinning, he reaches over... but he doesn't try to ruffle her hair, he just kinda goes to catch at the end of it nearest to him very lightly with his fingers before pulling away.] In that case, it's all good. You don't have anything to apologise for.
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Then I'll help keep the mood up instead.
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I'm counting on you. [And with a gesture of one hand.] It's hard to get all down when we're surrounded by plants and flowers and stuff anyway.
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-- Not that I'm tired.
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[LIES.]
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[ PROVE OTHERWISE. ]
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[He elbows her lightly, making his way toward one of the fountains in the gardens.]
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[ But she'll follow him anyway. ]
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[He gets close to one of the fountains, to where the water feeds into a pond and leans over it to peer in curiously.]
...Anyway, we split up into pairs in ViViD. So there was less work.
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[ As she perches on the side of the fountain. Okay, maybe she's a little worn out. ]
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[He makes a sound at her, a good-natured huffing, and moves to sit. Not on the side of the fountain, but on the ground, propping his arms on his knees. He leans back against the fountain next to where she's perched with a light sigh.
It really does smell nice here, and it's nice and quiet.]
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[Gosh, Yang. He's not incapable of it!! He just, you know, tends to keep people at a slight distance and isn't confident in his protecting skills.]
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[ LONE WOLF... ]
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[He pauses, stretching his arms in front of him and leaning his head back against the side of the fountain.] Did you really want to see it that much?
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[ Especially after hearing about his world. This really wasn't a guy she wanted to be left alone. ]
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And I did wanna help them out, so doing that much was the least I could do.
[Even if it's something he's not used to doing, not something he was entirely comfortable with... He has to move forward sometime. If he thought of it as a challenge it wasn't as difficult.]
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