[He doesn't contest that, staring quietly at the ceiling instead.
Incidentally, if she looks around the room -- whether she's been in Natsuno's room or not -- it definitely bears traces of things having been moved recently. Or rather moved in. There's a lot of clothes in the closet (like, a lot, some of which Emi might also recognize), a big familiar cleaver sword that a certain someone has used in public a lot, other little touches.
There's no restless energy to him still, not like usual, but does he seem like the type to go punch things when the going gets tough? Because he absolutely is.
The tough going just hasn't quite made it through his thick skull yet, honestly.]
I don't mind living next to you, then. You kind of get it.
[ She could... definitely offer some personal details in that regard herself, but it isn't really about her right now, so she'll hold off on that for a while. ]
Did it feel good having someone who could relate to you that way?
[He stumbles to a stop for a moment, like he's trying to get words out and failing a lot, actually. It's overall unusual for someone normally as at-ease and chattery as he is.]
[He's quiet for a moment, thinking things over this time, before he stretches a little and tries to answer the question.]
I've known he was a jinrou since the first time we met, actually. He was stuck outside the mansion with the goats and pretending he wasn't. It was actually really funny. He does strange things like that sometimes, like going to sleep in a poison oak tree even though I told him it was a bad idea. He seems like a pretty level-headed guy, but I think he's actually kind of a hothead. And he'd rather set himself and everybody else on fire than do something he doesn't want to do.
[As usual, he doesn't mince words, though there's a softness to the way he runs through it that might be reminiscing or something else entirely.
This is probably the most he's said at once since the investigation started.]
Fighting him was fun, too, once he got around to drinking blood. He's still not that great at it, but training with him is almost like being back at the tournament properly. It's always the best when your opponent really wants to be there.
[...]
He was really bad at dying. It's been a couple of times now, because that's how jinrou work, I guess... but he's really bad at it.
[ She smiles as she listens to it all. Parts of it almost sound a little like Jiro, though she knows there were plenty of differences between them. Jiro probably would have liked Natsuno, though, and would have wanted to protect him, too. He was a superhuman, after all. ]
I wish I'd gotten to know him better. I'm glad you did.
[ It's good that they had each other for a while, she thinks, even if it hurts terribly now. ]
[There's a definite hesitation there, but this type of honesty is instinctive for him, the urge to live true to himself. That's probably what it is, even if he screws up his face a little after saying that, like it might have slipped out somehow or like he might have wanted to make an entirely different expression.
He keeps talking as though that will help his face. And maybe it does.]
I don't know if it was being a jinrou or not. I never exactly met him as a human. But maybe it's because he was both at some point? Maybe it's better if you mix it up.
[ Having two identities at the same time from the beginning is one thing; changing from one to another is always even more complicated when there's no guarantee that either side will accept you. They'd seen that enough times. ]
I think it's easy for humans to think that way about anyone who's different and doesn't submit to their wishes, though. It's usually their morality that defines for the world what's good or bad, and their "good" usually lines up with whatever is most beneficial for them.
Public opinion on superhumans shifted a lot over the years, and not always in the same direction... To be fair, sometimes we manipulated it for our purposes too.
[ She's sure Jiro never completely forgave her for that. ]
Before I came to the Foundation -- about half a year before that -- a propaganda film came out that depicted Jiro and the rest of us as evil monsters intent on destroying the country.
[ To add insult to injury, the actress playing her wasn't very attractive, but that's neither here nor there.
She shifts her position to lie on her stomach, crossing her arms in front of her and resting her cheek against them. This is probably too much, but if he doesn't jump in to cut her off, she's going to keep going. ]
Some time after that, a plan was devised that was supposed to save our world from its energy crisis. They were going to use superhumans as a fuel source by breaking us down over and over, harnessing the energy produced every time we disintegrated and regenerated. But not the ones who were like humans -- just the undesirable beasts and the monsters like me.
[ She closes her eyes and exhales softly. ]
I ended up at the Foundation just before I could put my plan into action, but I saw it there [ and on blu-ray ] -- how everything turned out. I killed the man behind that plan and took over his city for my own people, and Jiro and I declared war on all the humans and the superhumans who sided with them, even some of our old allies.
[ Eyes opening again, she gives a smile. ]
All that to say... if you think you're the only real villain left on this game board now, I can at least promise you you're not.
[He listens raptly, eyes a little round with growing questions, but surprisingly -- he doesn't interrupt. There's a little more animation to him now that he's properly engaged, but he seems content to listen, perhaps strange for someone like him.
There's a little bit of quiet after she finishes her tale, like he's digesting or turning things over, because there's a lot there for him to take up and ferret into. What does end up coming out first is--]
Eh, but that's not villainous at all, is it? You totally saved the superhuman race from the crazy propaganda and the people who wanted to use them to power... whatever. Did they really want power for their weapons or something?
[He looks kind of like he'd like to sit up and keep pelting questions, but he pauses.]
So when you said you knew humans pretty well before...
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[He seems fairly matter-of-fact about that, actually, where you'd expect him to be petulant. It's just a statement.]
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Well. He was special.
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[He doesn't contest that, staring quietly at the ceiling instead.
Incidentally, if she looks around the room -- whether she's been in Natsuno's room or not -- it definitely bears traces of things having been moved recently. Or rather moved in. There's a lot of clothes in the closet (like, a lot, some of which Emi might also recognize), a big familiar cleaver sword that a certain someone has used in public a lot, other little touches.
Hmm.]
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Are you going to stay in here now?
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I don't really want to leave.
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[ They can check with the goats or something, but. ]
I'm right around the corner if you do stay. It's obviously not the same, but you know I like you, right?
[ Even if you have her clothes... ]
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[He might end up fighting the goats regardless.
There's no restless energy to him still, not like usual, but does he seem like the type to go punch things when the going gets tough? Because he absolutely is.
The tough going just hasn't quite made it through his thick skull yet, honestly.]
I don't mind living next to you, then. You kind of get it.
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[ She's just... going to lie down here on her side, actually. ]
I'd like to hear more about him, if you want to talk about it.
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Then it's back to the ceiling for a long silence that they both listen to. Eventually--]
Watanuki called me a villain one time, you know? It was actually kind of flattering. I've never been called a villain before.
[It's hard to place his tone here. His eyes are closed now.]
Koide gets that. That part. He's the only one.
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[This time, he doesn't seem to be being elusive on purpose.
It's also possible that he doesn't know quite how to articulate the thing, either.]
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Did it feel good having someone who could relate to you that way?
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[He stumbles to a stop for a moment, like he's trying to get words out and failing a lot, actually. It's overall unusual for someone normally as at-ease and chattery as he is.]
... It doesn't happen to me.
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What else did you like about him?
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I've known he was a jinrou since the first time we met, actually. He was stuck outside the mansion with the goats and pretending he wasn't. It was actually really funny. He does strange things like that sometimes, like going to sleep in a poison oak tree even though I told him it was a bad idea. He seems like a pretty level-headed guy, but I think he's actually kind of a hothead. And he'd rather set himself and everybody else on fire than do something he doesn't want to do.
[As usual, he doesn't mince words, though there's a softness to the way he runs through it that might be reminiscing or something else entirely.
This is probably the most he's said at once since the investigation started.]
Fighting him was fun, too, once he got around to drinking blood. He's still not that great at it, but training with him is almost like being back at the tournament properly. It's always the best when your opponent really wants to be there.
[...]
He was really bad at dying. It's been a couple of times now, because that's how jinrou work, I guess... but he's really bad at it.
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I wish I'd gotten to know him better. I'm glad you did.
[ It's good that they had each other for a while, she thinks, even if it hurts terribly now. ]
Was it being a jinrou that made him a villain?
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[There's a definite hesitation there, but this type of honesty is instinctive for him, the urge to live true to himself. That's probably what it is, even if he screws up his face a little after saying that, like it might have slipped out somehow or like he might have wanted to make an entirely different expression.
He keeps talking as though that will help his face. And maybe it does.]
I don't know if it was being a jinrou or not. I never exactly met him as a human. But maybe it's because he was both at some point? Maybe it's better if you mix it up.
[That's just an idle musing, probably.]
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[ Having two identities at the same time from the beginning is one thing; changing from one to another is always even more complicated when there's no guarantee that either side will accept you. They'd seen that enough times. ]
I think it's easy for humans to think that way about anyone who's different and doesn't submit to their wishes, though. It's usually their morality that defines for the world what's good or bad, and their "good" usually lines up with whatever is most beneficial for them.
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[It's very soft, but he's raised a hand and is staring at his wrist where the stripes down his arm are showing just a little, the sleeve riding down.]
Not just humans, even if a lot of people here probably know humans the best.
Everyone and everything is like that.
It's the way living things work.
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[ She watches him, quiet for a while.
Stripes, huh...? ]
Do you mind if I tell you a few things about my world?
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There's a small nod when she speaks again.]
Okay. What's it like?
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[ She's sure Jiro never completely forgave her for that. ]
Before I came to the Foundation -- about half a year before that -- a propaganda film came out that depicted Jiro and the rest of us as evil monsters intent on destroying the country.
[ To add insult to injury, the actress playing her wasn't very attractive, but that's neither here nor there.
She shifts her position to lie on her stomach, crossing her arms in front of her and resting her cheek against them. This is probably too much, but if he doesn't jump in to cut her off, she's going to keep going. ]
Some time after that, a plan was devised that was supposed to save our world from its energy crisis. They were going to use superhumans as a fuel source by breaking us down over and over, harnessing the energy produced every time we disintegrated and regenerated. But not the ones who were like humans -- just the undesirable beasts and the monsters like me.
[ She closes her eyes and exhales softly. ]
I ended up at the Foundation just before I could put my plan into action, but I saw it there [ and on blu-ray ] -- how everything turned out. I killed the man behind that plan and took over his city for my own people, and Jiro and I declared war on all the humans and the superhumans who sided with them, even some of our old allies.
[ Eyes opening again, she gives a smile. ]
All that to say... if you think you're the only real villain left on this game board now, I can at least promise you you're not.
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There's a little bit of quiet after she finishes her tale, like he's digesting or turning things over, because there's a lot there for him to take up and ferret into. What does end up coming out first is--]
Eh, but that's not villainous at all, is it? You totally saved the superhuman race from the crazy propaganda and the people who wanted to use them to power... whatever. Did they really want power for their weapons or something?
[He looks kind of like he'd like to sit up and keep pelting questions, but he pauses.]
So when you said you knew humans pretty well before...
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