Minato Arisato ☽ 有里 湊 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
messianic) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
realpolitik2012-10-16 08:02 pm
messianic) wrote in realpolitik2012-10-16 08:02 pm
Minato | Tiir | 020
[The last thing he remembers is infinite space.
He remembers a wall, he remembers chains. He remembers immobility and yet infinite space, calmness and yet pain. He remembers paradoxes.
He remembers death and yet living still, outside of life.
He remembers all of this, and so it is a surprise when suddenly, he is breathing again.
He falls to his knees, wheezing, and feels dirt--a trail, and he blinks in surprise. Feeling, touch: it has been quite some time since he has felt either, and yet he is not sure how long at all. He could not tell time in the void; time was measured by number of times Erebus tried to tear him down, the number of times the strength of Minato's soul repulsed humanity's negativity again and again.
He draws in another deep breath, and another.
And he sighs, eyes fluttering shut a moment, even as he kneels there. He does not know where he is. It certainly does not look like Japan, with wilderness everywhere. It's definitely not anywhere he knows by sight. In fact, there is a foreignness to it that he would find disconcerting, but he is too busy with the overwhelming sensation of feelings.
He's alive.]
He remembers a wall, he remembers chains. He remembers immobility and yet infinite space, calmness and yet pain. He remembers paradoxes.
He remembers death and yet living still, outside of life.
He remembers all of this, and so it is a surprise when suddenly, he is breathing again.
He falls to his knees, wheezing, and feels dirt--a trail, and he blinks in surprise. Feeling, touch: it has been quite some time since he has felt either, and yet he is not sure how long at all. He could not tell time in the void; time was measured by number of times Erebus tried to tear him down, the number of times the strength of Minato's soul repulsed humanity's negativity again and again.
He draws in another deep breath, and another.
And he sighs, eyes fluttering shut a moment, even as he kneels there. He does not know where he is. It certainly does not look like Japan, with wilderness everywhere. It's definitely not anywhere he knows by sight. In fact, there is a foreignness to it that he would find disconcerting, but he is too busy with the overwhelming sensation of feelings.
He's alive.]
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... Of all places? Really?
[He shakes his head, still smiling—in an almost embarrassed manner, if Tiir were the sort to be embarrassed. He still can't quite understand the way Minato thinks, but he's still touched by the remark.]
Thank you. I'd wished, however, that you would never have to see this world with your own eyes.
[After all, it's one thing to tell someone of prejudice, and another to witness it for yourself. That said, Tiir has no intention of letting Minato anywhere near such a situation, considering how easily Minato could be hurt merely for associating with him.
Still, he relishes the warmth of Minato's hands—he's here, he's really here—before he looks up, thinking. If Minato really is to stay with him, then there are a few matters that he needs to deal with...]
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It's a funny comment, too, that Tiir makes. Never have to see the world with his own eyes...? Tiir doesn't know what sorts of things he'd already been through, doesn't realize that he has already seen humanity at its worst and most pitiable. And he has never lost hope through all of that.
He won't lose hope here. Maybe that's all Tiir needs. Someone who will stand beside him and not lose hope.
He won't lose hope. So Minato just tilts his head slightly.]
Well...I'm here. Is there anything I can do?
[He gets the sense that there are things Tiir needs to do, and not only does he not want to hold him back, he wants to assist.]
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Well, first, I'd have to explain this to the others. You can't expect to be relied on until you win their trust, and I can't say how long that will take...
[He sighs, pressing a hand against his face.
Depending on how things go, that might be a mess. Tiir honestly doesn't know what to expect, as it's not as if they've ever invited a human to their group before—not when they've never known who they can trust beyond one another. ]
Some of them—those who were raised among humans—should ultimately be fine with your presence, though many of them will likely be wary, given their past experiences with humans. It's the Iino Doue and Will Hame bearers that I'm worried about...
[Given that Tiir himself possesses the Iino Doue, Minato can take a guess as to what kind of mindset they have. Tiir is hardly the only one who hates (hated?) humans, after all.]
They shouldn't do anything if I say not to [though Tiir has a severe amount of faith in his kind, so perhaps Minato shouldn't take that at face value] but this does rather complicate things. They certainly won't trust you, so as I said, I don't think they would be willing to rely on you for anything. And unlike in Vatheon, we don't have the luxury of time.
[The time to change—not when they could all easily die by the next day. Certainly, if given the time, Tiir has no doubt that Minato could win them over, but they simply don't have that privilege.
And this isn't even addressing how Tiir'll have to introduce Minato to Ene, explain more of Menoris to him, or the fact that they'll be leaving the area soon. Granted, this is the biggest of the problems, but it makes for a rather troublesome situation.]
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But Minato himself is no stranger to hardships or hatred or disgust, and he has no issues with accepting that.
Of course he doesn't. If he did, he would never have been able to get through to Tiir after so long.
Unfortunately, Minato is extraordinarily trusting as well, so he takes Tiir's word that he will be safe so long as Tiir tells them not to hurt him (and honestly, even if he knows there is a high chance this is dangerous, it is not like it will change his resolution to help Tiir and his people). So he simply nods, tucking his hands into his pockets, and tilts his head at Tiir, accepting.]
It's fine if they hate me, Tiir-san. I don't mind.
[He'll win them over in the end, perhaps, but that's not why he says it's fine. It's fine because it is fine; hating him or not hating him is their choice to make, and he accepts that, even if he hasn't done a single thing wrong.]
I still want to help however I can.
[And that's simply what it boils down to. Regardless of the consequences, regardless of how he's viewed, regardless of what happens to him in the end--
He just wants to help.]
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... Well, that's one thing you'll have in common with them, at least, though I would prefer it if you didn't have to think in such a way.
[Because it's tiring, accepting that you're hated and that you will never be anything but hated. Even if they—they, who've hated humans all their lives—were raised to simply not care... it gets tiring, sometimes.
And he doesn't want that for Minato.
There's enough hatred in this world, really, without having to bring it straight to their group as well—but there's not much of a choice, if he's to take in Minato.]
Like I said, though, you may not be able to help for a while. It'll be enough merely to convince them to let you stay with us at all, never mind to trust you with any task. I do have some influence, but I'm not the leader. They're not obliged to listen to me if they don't want to.
[Though he may be the closest thing to a leader when Ene isn't around, there's no doubt in Tiir's mind as to who the true leader always has been and always will be. But speaking of Ene—]
I'll take you to meet her eventually, though—that is, our leader. She'll undoubtedly support you—and possibly even thank you—which should help matters, but right now I don't have that time.
[They have to get out of here, after all. Before Gastark finds them.]
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So he simply nods, understanding.]
I would be happy to meet her.
[But Tiir does seem to be in a hurry; he'd seemed to be in a hurry earlier, when he'd quite literally slammed into Minato.
So of course there is only one thing he can ask.]
What do we need to do now?
[What is going on?]
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He pauses for a moment, thinking, before he finally speaks.]
... How much do you know about our circumstances?
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Only what you told me. I know that the humans here are...are racist towards your people and that it is dangerous...
[...but that's really all they talked about.]
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... It's strange, to think of how little Minato actually knows. Again, it reminds Tiir that he shouldn't be getting him involved with this—though by now, he's realized that Minato is too stubborn to stand down—and an odd discrepancy, considering how much Minato seems to understand him.]
So I never mentioned Gastark, then.
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So he shakes his head.]
No, never.
[But he is, as always, absolutely listening.]
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Though it's true that we have to be wary of humans... most don't go out of their way to actively seek and hunt us down. It would be suicide for ordinary humans, after all, to try and take us on as a group like this.
[Though many of them may be defenceless as children, those of them who manage to survive past childhood aren't quite as easy targets.]
However, the exception to this would be one country: Gastark. I've... had a few encounters with them in the past—
[He looks away slightly as he says that, grief and anger flickering across his face.]
—so I can affirm that they have the means—and the will—to slaughter us, if they were to ever find all of us. Fortunately, we've managed to remain relatively well-hidden, but at the rate that Gastark is conquering the continent, it's only a matter of time before they find us here. Because of that, we have to move.
[They have to run and hide. Keep running and hiding, until the day they finally have the right to live—]
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And Tiir has encountered them multiple times, which means that he has seen his own people, his friends slaughtered multiple times and Minato's expression somehow stays steady, but he swallows, hands in his pockets clenching into fists slowly.
Unsafe because of humans and their prejudice.
There is a lot of work to be done here, Minato thinks, a lot of work that Minato is honestly uncertain he can accomplish all on his own but...what's the point if he doesn't try?
So he lifts his chin with new determined certainty and nods once, firmly.]
Okay. I'm ready to go wherever we need to go.
[It's already a 'we'; Minato will be with Tiir through to the end.]
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In spite of the bad mood that thinking of Gastark puts him in, he smiles.]
Well, at least we won't have to worry about your belongings.
[Or lack thereof.]
... I'm sorry, though. It probably won't be a very pleasant journey.
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But heh.]
I'm used to not having many belongings, it's fine.
[no really]
I'm not going to say I know what it's going to be like, but I've been through a few tough journeys. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.
[Haha literally. Journeys. And Arcana Journeys too and--
Yeah no he'll be fine. He can almost feel the Arcana switch in his brain--World to Fool all over again. Another journey of discovery.]
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How can I not worry about you? You have a tendency of getting yourself into trouble.
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it would almost be a pout, if it wasn't Minato.
because it's Minato, it's still mostly stoic.]
...I don't get into that much trouble...
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I seem to recall an instance where you were too busy worrying over me to defend yourself and I had to get you out of there.
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...Ah, well...
It was dangerous for you as well, Tiir-san, of course I was worried...
[He can't deny that Tiir saved him though--]
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I was hardly in danger. Anyhow, seeing as how I'd just fed, it wouldn't have done much even if I had been injured. You, on the other hand...
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so motherly.]
...Well, now that I know what you can do, I guess I have to admit you're right.
[He just shrugs, almost sheepishly.]
But it turned out alright in the end, thanks to your help.
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... while trying to get Ryner to eat dango...]
... You really are carefree, aren't you?
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Carefree...?]
I guess so.
[when you've been through as much as him with the temperament he has--]
I promise I won't get in the way, though. I know taking care of your friends is very serious.
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I didn't think you would. And besides, I could always use your help in looking after the children.
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And that pulls a smile out of Minato. Kids!]
I'd be happy to.
[He pulls his hands out of his pockets and he
fistpumps
god minato you're so lame.]
I'll follow your lead, Tiir-sensei.
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Ah... well, I have faith that you'll do fine on your own. Those who aren't Iino Doue or Will Hame bearers should like you just fine, at least, once they get past their initial wariness.
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