02 - [CLOSED] Shine Off!!

[bittydragon]

Who: Yamato Hotsuin (bittydragon), Alcor (jumyouboshi), and Kaito Watari (awww_yeeeeeaaaah)
Where: Alcor's Apartment
Summary: Kaito investigates cryptic shit, finds bitty Yamato instead
Warnings: Awkwardness

[It was almost as if Yamato had never left home, with how easily he fell back into routine with Alcor and Cerberus. The surroundings were very different - smaller, for one - but he had his chess board, and his books, and it wasn't as if Yamato rarely ventured from his little hermit hole anyway.

Alcor's apartment was small and Spartan, and although kept clean, it was obvious that it wasn't very well lived in. That was fine by Yamato - his own room back in his world had been in the same state.

He currently had his nose buried in one of his books, perched on Alcor's bed with Cerberus curled up on the floor next to him. The chess game had been abandoned, if only because Yamato had been starting to lose and he claimed boredom and headache to wriggle out of it before a checkmate could be claimed. He wouldn't admit defeat on this day (or ever).

Alcor was a quiet, yet constant presence. It was actually nice, although Yamato would never voice this thought a loud.

Sadly, this peace was broken by a sharp knocking on the door. Yamato lifted his head from the book with a small frown, somewhat perplexed. This was Alcor's stead... who would come to visit him? Unless it was Miyako? Hmph, well, if it was, he'd answer it...

So Yamato, without waiting to see if Alcor reacted or not to the door knocking, closed his book, slid off the bed, and padded over to the door - Cerberus instantly lurching awake and lumbering after him]

Comments

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Yeah, hah, surprise! I didn't really know how tell you, and I know it sounds...kind of weird.

[bittydragon]

Ridiculous, actually.

[There was an awkward moment of silence, one where Yamato just looked blankly between Alcor and Kaito. He reached out slowly, and started petting Cerberus on the nose, if only because his demon was starting to get restless. His movements were rather mechanical]

I'm confused as to why I would be friends with the new Shining One, if I become unworthy of that title due to us standing on opposing sides. It does not make sense.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

You're not unworthy of anything! Look...we met and you helped out my friends a ton during an invasion. And you were cold at first, but as the days wore on, we got to know each other really well. And- [He has to settle himself, taking a deep breath before continuing.] -we got through that week because of you, but even if we didn't, I still enjoyed being your friend. You know? I'm...really glad I met you. I get that it sounds weird coming from a stranger, but...

[He has to pause again, in order to keep from tearing up, and he rubs his eyes to get a hold of himself.]

[bittydragon]

[...wait, hold up a second]

Invasion...? What invasion?

[Hero speech flies over his head because... what]

[jumyouboshi]

[Alcor let him speak, saying nothing. Yes...that was why Kaito could sway the hearts of many, to determine the will of the species. That was why he was so fascinating, really, able to unite others under a common ideal, able to sway the opinions of even those who were so, so committed to their ideals that they would even die for them, able to act as a leader while the one who was born to be one couldn't, able to...

...Ah. Yeah. That detail. About the whole. Septentriones invading thing. Granted, he told the Hotsuin family long ago, and gave them the means to defend humanity against the supernatural and them, and it was only "recently", before the invasion, Yamato came to him for advice, but...at the age Yamato was right then, he was probably told about the world's fate, but wasn't told about the specifics. At least, not yet. Not about how Alcor's own kin would attack the world he cherished.]

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

[Ah, dammit, whatever, he can probably keep it vague enough.]

The short version is Earth was invaded, my friends and I got caught up in it, and we met you through JPs. We helped defeat one of the invaders and you let us stay at headquarters to keep helping out, and that's how we got to be friends.

[He can certainly go into more detail about it, but perhaps it would be best for when Yamato is less...upset.]

[bittydragon]

I see...

[Sort of. He digested the information given to him, his head tilted to the side a fraction. He lifted his cup off of his lap suddenly though, just in time for Cerberus to place its muzzle on his lap. Yamato didn't seem to mind.]

But. [Pause] If we all fought to protect the world from these invaders, and assuming Alcor was on our side... then how was it that our viewpoints became incompatible?

[It either meant one of them turned traitor against humanity for one reason or another, which Yamato couldn't imagine at all, or another factor was at play here]

[jumyouboshi]

...I was only to act as an observer, to oversee the world's fate, to see what humanity reaped from the seeds of potential planted long ago. But it seemed that, to humans as well, man's potential for freedom was not as beautiful to others as it was to me...

[And...

...Oh Polaris no...]

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

[Kaito stays silent, as he doesn't have a way to make this sound any better. Besides, Yamato's smart. He can probably figure it out.]

[bittydragon]

[Actually, as soon as he heard humanity and potential in the same sentence, Yamato's brain automatically clocked the fuck out of there. He stared blankly at Alcor, before realising he had stopped talking]

...we did not agree on what path humanity should take once the threat was dealt with?

[Yamato was... guessing???]

[jumyouboshi]

[...What a smart child, unfortunately so.]

Correct.

[It...seemed that Yamato understood, so...]

...You've always been quick on the uptake. It is little wonder that you're the head of the Hotsuin clan.

[It may have seemed to be flattery or distraction to Yamato, but that was also the truth, and Alcor tried to gradually ease his way back to the same sort of banter and attitude that he found himself engaging in with Yamato, in the faint hopes that it would lighten the tension in the room.]

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Mmn. You've hit the nail on the head! But yeah, things got a little...divisive.

[As much as he didn't like to admit, but whatever. It's not like that kind of thing should make you stop being friends...]

[bittydragon]

[There was a moment of silence - one where Yamato stared at Alcor suspiciously. Did he want to know...? What path for humanity did Yamato want to take when he was older?]

What...did I believe was right?

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

It was a lot more complicated than what was just right or wrong.

[Alcor u be quiet.]

Regardless, I could tell that you wanted the world to be better. The only thing we couldn't agree with was the method. ...I'm sorry.

[jumyouboshi]

[Alcor...stayed silent with a similar apologetic expression on his face, letting Kaito handle the situation and take the reins.]

[bittydragon]

What were my methods? Tell me.

[Yamato appeared scarily insistent on dragging out every tiny detail. He felt it woild be important in understanding how... how to maintain his good standing with Alcor. If he could avoid them becoming incompatible...]