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[satori_komeiji]

^{Art by: Azumi (Madogiwa Bocchi Seki)}

"If you've anything to say, I've heard it before. Surprise me."

*BEEP*

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Re: The Little Mermaid

[satori_komeiji]

Satori's face hardened at Koishi's explanation. She'd have said so herself if her sister hadn't got to it first. Though perhaps she'd be far less blunt. "All of what my sister states is, regrettably for you, entirely true. That said, we do not think any less of you for such thoughts of 'saving' us."

Satori, however, looked like she had much more to say on the matter. "...Your desire to 'fix' us is admirable, but we do not need much fixing or alteration. Merely interacting with you even in such a capacity is enough to change us but slightly. Such a drastic change as you suggest would be like attempting to 'fix' my sister." She paused for a moment and added, looking away... "That said, Chireiden, my pets, my way of life...it is a thing built over centuries of habit, and yet it is more than that. Perhaps you'd understand it better if I explained it entirely." She nodded faintly as she continued.

"In most ways, Koishi and I are parallel to eachother. Even more so when she sought to injure herself to spare her mind from hatred. But when we lose something dear to us, much like you humans, we grieve and rationalize. We attempt to make sense of things. For you, it may be the loss of friends and family. For me, it was the sight of blood, the smeared mess on the kitchen floor, the near-lifeless body of my sister, collapsed.the near-lifeless body of my sister, collapsed. The memory which I know you experienced not long ago. Even with my centuries-old memory,I can recall every detail. And for Koishi, it was her 'last' proper memory before she became what she is, now. That is why, as Koishi states, I can't leave this place." Her voice, slowly but surely, changed tone. She wavered a little as she explained further. "...Without Chireiden, my sister would have one less anchor with which to cling. She might even be lost forever, unable to find a familiar place to call 'home'."

Satori lifts her arms, as if to indicate her surroundings... "This place, these walls, these rooms and floors. All of this is a colossal beacon within the fractured mind of my sister. She's safer here, and I refuse to leave and deny her a home."

Re: The Little Mermaid

[youfool]

[Ted's expression looks to be crumbling.]

"...You have to want it. I can't want it for you. God, if only I could, things would be different. I...I don't-"

[He has so little idea what to do with either of them. What would be their good? The Bible and holy writ only spoke of men, didn't they? The fairy tales didn't mention Youkai. Not the decent ones, anyway. Did they need a soul? He supposed so; it's good to be immortal. Well, not for its own sake. Without God it doesn't much matter; immortality might be a torment without him.

But could they even receive a soul? Is that a question he can even answer? It's probably beyond his ken. Koishi said it would kill them, as youkai. But then, did he really believe her about Youkai? Supposedly they can only exist so long as a certain, superstitious thought persists. But that's wrong, isn't it? No one had those thoughts now, certainly. Yes, they must be wrong about themselves.

It wouldn't be the first time Koishi was mistaken. She told him his pokemon loved him. But that was a lie--or rather, a mistake. He'd later discover that they felt nothing. Nothing at all. So Koishi's insights should be taken with a grain of salt.

But suppose she wasn't wrong? She'd said he could make no significant alterations. If that's the case, he should give up now. No use struggling in vain. If they can't change, and change completely, they're as good as dead anyway whatever he does. Indeed, indulging in vanity again would destroy him, utterly and completely.

But he wants them. He wants Moon and Strength back. They're his, in some indescribable way he can't articulate. But do they even want themselves? They don't appear to. They seem happy to rot and die like they've been doing; content to disappear in that awful home, weakly justified as some place of safety. Sure. Safe and dead. What could provide more security than the grave?

Really, does he want them after all? "Shaped by perception", "real as he wants them to be". But that's precisely what he doesn't want. Dependent reality. He wants the things that exist whether he's around for them or not. Nothing less would serve.

Koishi would return. She'd died and returned, so why her doubting sister? Ted has the life of a vagabond, always moving, and she always manages to find him, sooner or later. No, Satori must be wrong too. Koishi wouldn't just disappear like that.

Fine. They're all wrong. They must be, if they've lived 400 years and never been to a proper church. He knew more about eternity than they did. But not enough; not enough to know any of the answers he wants. Not enough to know whether it's even worth trying; might it be a negligent waste of time, trying to rescue a creature who didn't even have a soul to save? What was the point of it all?

These dozens of contradicting thoughts, all flashing by in the space of fifteen seconds or so, gave Ted a very pained expression. All his thinking was going nowhere; he knew it and it frustrated him severely. The clamor of his thoughts resulted in a hushed, gentle tone of desperate confusion.]

"...I don't know what to do."

[Simple and honest as always. But he just couldn't leave it at that.]

"But...I'll think of something. I just need some more time. In the meantime, erm...good evening."

[If it was evening. He hardly had the mental clarity to tell the time. His head was too tangled to make sense of such details. He hung up; had to think. At least, had to get away before he muddles his mind any further.]