tearmeanewone | sept + video

[Video]

[When the video starts up, it’s very clear that the recording is accidental and loud--there's a strange whooshing noise that has a mechanical drone to it, and the image of Elizabeth, just outside the library surrounded by odd glowing airstreams, is on its side and at a sharp upward angle, the strap of her bag obscuring a bit of it.]

[Which is fairly alarming in itself. Arcs of light seem to be coming from speaker-shaped instruments attached to the droids surrounding her. Anti-tear measures, to make certain she can’t fight back--perhaps because her boyfriend had already given them too much trouble. Elizabeth clutches her head and screams, trying to run despite feeling as though her head is about to explode. She puts up a fight, kicks and flails, but eventually there's too much to defend against while suffering the dizzying siphon. The droids overpower her and she’s pulled out of the frame and away. Seconds of that strange mechanical drone continue over the feed, then once it’s faded, the video cuts.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Don't apologize to me.

[Shu's behavior irritates him, but he understands that it's just the way the other boy is. If Shu starts apologizing, he isn't going to stop, so Gai would rather cut that off at the pass.]

Focus that energy on something useful. If you aren't happy with who you are right now, then work on improving yourself. But don't think that the way to be happy with yourself is to be like me.

You're right. I shouldn't become you.

I'm just me. I'm Shu Ouma and nothing more.

[He's forcing himself to say those words because he knows it's what Gai wants to hear.]

[Gai isn't fooled, Shu.]

You're the one who is the rightful bearer of the crown, not me. It belonged to you all along.

Why does it matter? [He doesn't care about that right now, sorry Gai.] I'll never be able to hold Inori's hand again.

[He's getting ready to run away. Shu doesn't enjoy having these kinds of discussions with Gai. There's too much he doesn't understand.

As far as he knows, the Void Genome belonged to Gai. ]

So you're giving up before you even try?

[Gai's eyes narrow, the look in them clearly disdainful.]

What can I do here? [Shu's scowling at Gai. Don't tell him he didn't try. He's taking up a more defensive stance now. ]

You can't speak to me that way when you couldn't even protect Elizabeth.

[That definitely hurts a bit-- Shu hit his sore spot, and he too scowls for a moment before shaking it off with a shrug. He can use this to his advantage.]

Why are you so determined to become like me if that's what you really think?

I...

[Shu really doesn't know what to say to that. He's speechless. He thinks about it for a while.]

You wouldn't understand.

[Gai continues to challenge Shu with that icy stare, almost as if he's daring Shu to explain just how he wouldn't understand.]

Someone who has confidence couldn't possibly understand.

[seekeywords

Shu really hopes their argument ends soon but he has to get through to Gai.]

[He stares for a moment longer, then looks away, shaking his head.]

You really have forgotten all about our childhood.

[Shu does feel a bit guilty for it.]

This whole time I thought I had to become you. But you're...[Actually Triton, which he still has trouble wrapping his head around.]

Gai, why did you say those things back in Roppongi?

What things do you mean?

[He said a lot of things back in Roppongi. Shu is going to need to be a little more specific about just what it is that he's referring to, even though Gai has a few guesses.]

I thought we were going to save Mana.

So why did you use Inori the way you say you did later?

Because it was the only way to end the cycle and allow both of us to rest. Back in Roppongi, I thought I had finally freed Mana from her curse... but I was wrong. They wouldn't stop reviving her until she had carried out her role as harbinger of the apocalypse.

The only way to free her was to have her carry out her role by starting the apocalypse, and then allow you to stop me.

[Just give him a second, Gai. This is a loaded statement.

Shu's trying to sort it out himself but he still doesn't really understand. Did he kill Gai twice?

He's just trying to stomach this, looking very uncomfortable.]

[Gai will give Shu as much time as he needs to figure things out without any prompting. It's better this way, to let Shu process it all on his own rather than having him explain exactly what happened. This way Shu can own the knowledge for himself on his own terms rather than having it thrust upon him.]

Is Inori just a tool to you?

[This was something that Shu wanted to ask for himself. Nothing really made sense to him, but Gai didn't deny any of the accusations Shu made earlier. ]

That's what I tried to tell myself.

[From the look on his face, however, it's clear that it isn't true.]

[That makes Shu very angry.

He clutches his hand into a fist and he's ready to aim it at Gai face.

Instead of actually hitting Gai, Shu cries louder than before. He doesn't want to hurt Gai anymore so he immediately puts his fist down.]

[When Shu raises his fist, Gai doesn't even blink. He merely stands, unmoving, waiting for Shu to go ahead and punch him... if he actually has the guts to do it, which Gai suspects he doesn't right now.

His suspicion is proven correct when Shu just lowers his fist rather than taking a swing at him. Shu really is far too easy to read-- it doesn't even take him much effort to figure out what the other boy is going to do.]

I'm tired of this.

[He puts his hands to his face in an attempt to cover his face.]

Can things to back to the way they were before?

That's a decision only you can make.

[He isn't angry with Shu; he's made that much about as clear as he could. The only one who can take the next step is Shu himself.]

I'm just an idiot.

How will I be able to decide for myself? I'm not like you. [He can't decide things the same way Gai does.]

Just leave me alone, Gai. You shouldn't be wasting time dealing with me.

[Elizabeth got kidnapped. Shu doesn't want to waste any more time arguing.]

Do what you need to do instead.

[... another predictable response, although Gai had been holding out a faint hope that perhaps this would be the time Shu finally saw the light. If Shu is still going to be this way, then so be it. He's not going to push things any further, not when he still has Elizabeth to worry about, as Shu oh-so-kindly reminded him.

He stares at Shu a moment longer, grey eyes judgmental... and then he simply turns to walk away.

They can continue this discussion later when emotions aren't running so high on both ends.]

action

iwannabethegai - 2014-02-15 08:05 (UTC) - Expand