Finally Free

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Who: Kaito Watari and YOU! Open of all the people
Where: The Cancer District
Summary: Kaito is finally feeling better and he's out wandering the town, but mainly in the Cancer district. Backdated to the 20th.
Warning: X-treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeme silliness



It was a little warmer, and Kaito was feeling less sick, so clearly this was his chance to go outside and get some fresh air. Yes.

This was clearly the best time to window shop in the Cancer district instead of going to, let's say, somewhere more outdoorsy. Like a park. How about it, Kaito? Feel like going to a park?

...No? Just going to press your face against the glass and stare at all the cool shit?

Alright then!

Comments

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Of course you...about me being this magical exception that descended from nowhere, of course you're wrong! You don't know anything about what normal people can do. I know it's not your fault, but if you think I'm just some magical exception despite being among the "dregs"" sarcastic air quotes going here, "then you're insulting my family, you're insulting the people I grew up with, including Daichi, you're insulting my teachers, you're insulting everyone who had a hand in raising and teaching me."

More sipping of the tea, although he's actually becoming a bit calmer now.

"It's...worrying, you know? I wish you could see the good in people."

[drakenguard]

Yamato processed that quickly, although it was clear by his blank expression that he still didn't fully understand it. So what if he was insulting them? They were inferior, really. No doubt they died early on in the invasion anyway - no doubt a majority of them couldn't access Nicaea to live. Out of the entirety of Japan, only a fraction of a percentage survived due to whatever drops of spiritual energy they possessed.

True, they had their use in teaching Kaito, but they still would've tried to square him into a life of meritocracy, instead of offering opportunities to rise to his full potential.

"The good in people?" Yamato felt his lips curve into a smile, the gesture warped by the lack of emotion in his eyes. "Do you honestly believe that altruism is something that isn't driven by ulterior motives? I've seen them, Kaito," his voice suddenly dropped into a flat drone, "'Good people'. They are self-serving. They may put on a friendly countenance, but there is nothing good there. It's all for their own schemes and plots - instead of challenging you directly, they seek to stab you in the back like the weak little rats they are, shifting the blame upon scapegoats, or insisting that it was all a 'misunderstanding', or trying to twist it upon yourself when caught."

It was clear that Yamato was speaking from experience here, his smile now gone with his lips pressing together in a thin white line as his eyes narrowed in disgusted anger. Politicians. He hated politicians. They patronised him the moment he claimed JP's Chief title. Tried to think they could fool or use him simply because of his young age.

Disgustingdisgustingdisgusting.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"...Yamato." It was clear from Kaito's look that he sympathized, or at least tried to. But, he steeled himself and lurched forward in the conversation.

"...Yeah." He didn't even have to think back very hard. What about Hinako, with her wanting to help because...because! People helping each other, no ulterior motive required. "I've seen people who don't have any motive except to help others. And I know you've seen it too."

[drakenguard]

"It was merely something born from circumstances," Yamato said coldly. "You are discussing those who assisted JP's during the crisis, correct? They had nothing else to do. Nowhere to go. JP's held many opportunities and advantages that none would have merely sitting in the street bemoaning their fate."

Yamato lifted his cup, sipping his coffee. He was perfectly composed when he set it down, his face that carefully blank mask once more. "It was the same for you, wasn't it? I told you then, if you want to survive you must think and act for yourselves. That is what you all did. Their acts of kindness towards others was...simply circumstance. Pity."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"You know, I'm getting really sick of you just saying what motivates people like you're some kind of mind reader. People have a million different reasons for doing any number of things and you would never know about them at all."

Kaito paused, tapping his fingers on the table while lost in thought. Then it looked like he got an idea, or at least thought of something, since his palm thunked down on the table entirely instead of just being restless.

"Do you remember if you ever asked me about civilian life? That whole thing where you were wondering what motivated me?"

[drakenguard]

"Yes," Yamato replied, sounding somewhat disinterested. "I wondered what in common life could produce someone like you. I still don't have my answer."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"And why do you think that is?"

[drakenguard]

There was a brief, stumbling pause. It was clear Yamato was a bit wrong-footed by the question.

"I...don't know," he admitted after a pause, his tone stiff.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Exactly!" ...Kaito, what are you talking about?

"I think you'll have to figure out why you don't have the answer in the first place before you actually find the answer, you know?"

[drakenguard]

"I don't have the answer because I was not raised to be a normal person," Yamato said sharply, a bit disgruntled over this strange riddle. What on earth was Kaito blathering about? "Unless there is something else I am missing."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"No, you'd get it, even if you weren't a civy, I think." Saiduq totally got it, and he was from space!

"I mean, you know...maybe you've been looking in the wrong place."

[drakenguard]

It was clear now that Yamato was becoming openly frustrated, although it was only shown by the slight twitch of his eyebrow.

"The wrong place?"

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Yeah. Or maybe you're overlooking some things and you don't realize it, or you're thinking about it too hard."

He wasn't actually enjoying this, but it was kind of funny to see Yamato spin the gears of his mind into overdrive, looking for an answer somewhere it wasn't.

[drakenguard]

The gears of his mind were spinning into overdrive - enough so that it felt like they were going to spontaneously combust. He couldn't see it. He couldn't see what Kaito was driving towards.

He didn't understand a damned thing.

...Yamato hadn't felt more stupid in his life than he did then.

Yamato started irritably shredding the empty sugar packets apart into tiny pieces, resting his elbows on the edge of the table as he glared at the wall. It wasn't all that obvious at first, but if Kaito looked long enough, it was clear that Yamato was...

Pouting.

"...why don't you just tell me the answer instead of teasing me..."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"I'm not teasing you! Besides, if I told you, would you actually believe me or would you just write my answer off as 'circumstance' or 'an exception'?"

You seeing his point yet?

[drakenguard]

"..." Yamato blinked, his gaze snapping back to Kaito. "Are you saying that it is something I must discover on my own?"

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Well, I was...saying you probably wouldn't believe me, but yeah, it's usually better to puzzle this stuff out."

[drakenguard]

That was true. Yamato believed more in his own deductions than someone else's anyway. Puzzle it out on his own... it seemed pointless.

"I doubt it would change my stance," Yamato said after a pause. "If I figure it out. I will only indulge in this to satisfy you."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Haha, seriously? Just for me, huh?"

You don't say...

[drakenguard]

"Of course," Yamato said without hesitation. His previously cold expression thawed into something a little bit warmer. "Even if you are impossibly frustrating and unpredictable, I...don't mind indulging in your strangeness every so often."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

HE WONDERS WHY THAT IS.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

"Man, I thought I would have annoyed the piss out of you by now."

[drakenguard]

Yamato looked a bit bemused by the phrase, but otherwise let it slide.

"I won't lie. Sometimes you do annoy me to the point of insanity. You make up for it in other areas, though. It's quite fascinating..." And terrifying. Kaito held so much power over him.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Other areas, huh?"

Do tell.

[drakenguard]

Yamato snorted. "Do you wish for me to sing your praises? My, I wouldn't want you to get an overinflated ego," he said, almost sounding coy as he rested his cheek on an upturned palm. "Best to remain humble, Kaito."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Pfft, it's not that. You just normally seem...picky."

And this is the guy who makes stupid-funny videos on NND...