[ oh, a run does sound good. but it doesn't escape his notice that this day seems to be his personal day, and he feels a flicker of guilt. a personal day, and ryuu spends it showing a new arrival around -- it seems as if the fount of ryuu's kindness springs eternal.
somehow, kogami isn't all too ready to ask him to continue on his own schedule and not to mind him -- no, not with that particular smile. ]
[ a hum, equal parts thoughtful and enterprising. ]
It depends on what you're in the mood for, then! Even not being picky, there's a pretty big difference between something local on tap and a glass of whisky. Or wine.
[ something tells him he's not the wine sort, but of all people, ryuu knows not to judge a book by its cover. also, he loves to drink. ]
Something local if you think it's worth trying. Or else, whiskey.
[ both remind him of masaoka, of the number of seedy bars he'd been in; maybe he'd adapt pretty well here, too, after all. and ryuu is definitely right, he's not a wine person, unless it's using it as a makeshift flamethrower.
ryuu, on the other hand, knows his wines and spirits pretty well, doesn't he? he gives him a crooked smile -- ]
[ kogami please wine needs to be treated so much more delicately ]
Ah, well...! [ is he just going to sound like a lush?! (it's probable.) ] When you grow up somewhere rural, there's not always a lot to do but drink...
[ but babe wine is just a bunch of crushed grapes ]
[ does it help if he sounds like a cute lush? ] Then you must know the best places to drink. [ make lemonade out of lemons and all that. kogami is, very occasionally, a glass half-full kind of guy.
very occasionally. ] What was Okinawa like, for you?
[ and the love of his life, awamori, is just distilled rice, okay!! ]
I'd like to think I know a few! I've only been here about... hmm, four months, myself. It'll take me a while yet to explore everywhere!
[ though it's nice to have the company. ]
For me? [ he wonders if he's ever put it into words. ] It was home. My dad wasn't super well off, or anything, but it was comfortable. You grow up depending on the sea for a lot of of things.
[ ok fine he will be gentle!! also let him have some of the love of ryuu's life ]
[ kogami listens. four months is not a long time, but to be away from home for that long and still be positive, especially when he isn't a fugitive, is endearing. ]
Oh, no! My stepdad owns a hotel chain... so I spent a lot of time there when I was younger, interacting with tourists. This was before I went to Tokyo, looking to become an idol.
[ he doesn't sound as if there's any particular bad blood there in spite of his divorced family, as if it was just another life experience among many life experiences. but he perks up moments later as they round a quiet corner that puts them on a street lined with busy little bars and restaurants. ]
- ah, we're almost there. It's the one with the green awning, that way.
[ a pub-style place that doesn't look too crowded. ]
[ oh, that's a lovely little place. kogami dutifully follows, taking in everything -- digesting what precious snippets ryuu shares with him. okinawa, then tokyo, the culture shock must've been immense. still, ryuu seems to take everything in stride, perking up when bars are mentioned; it's actually kind of endearing. ]
[ leading the way along the sidewalk and into a district that might be considered an "old town" among the sleekness of lunatia, ryuu chuckles. there's a bit of shine to it still, a polish that might seem hokey if not for the liveliness of the street, shaded by trees. ]
It did! There are things I consider home about both places.
[ simple as that.
with that, he leads the way in. the interior of the place is all dark wood and warm brass, with a long bar top across one wall, and large tables sectioning out the rest of the floor. he nods to the bartender with a smile and a lift of his hand, turning to kogami. ]
[ not that he has anything against bartenders, but walls have ears and from experience, he knows that they tend to talk -- even if there probably isn't anything very classified they'd be discussing about. the bar is gorgeous, tasteful, and inexplicably so ryuu in a thousand little ways. ]
It is, isn't it? I was surprised to find places like this in a city this modern... like something out of science fiction.
[ with its multiple layers, out of the world entertainment, space travel, magic... it'd be enough to overwhelm anyone, if they didn't find some semblance of home to turn to, at the end of the day. with that in mind, ryuu picks a table closer to the front this time, a narrow thing nestled right up against one of the windows. ]
This should do it. Wait here a second, okay?
[ he approaches the bar to have a friendly exchange with the bartender, an older gentleman who expertly pours out two tall glasses of something from on the tap, frothy and amber. with a thanks, ryuu returns, sliding the beers down onto the table. ]
[ kogami looks happier at the sight of a cold, cold beer -- he would rather forget the last time someone bought him one, after all, it's under markedly different circumstances. he's looks out the window, pleased to have such a strategic spot. ryuu looks like he knows the bartender well, that sunny friendliness endearing him to people from all walks of life, perhaps. ]
Do you usually come here alone?
[ he asks, genuinely curious. ryuu looks like he could go either way. ]
[That one gets him going still for a long moment, until silently he slips his boot off his other foot. How did he know? Konoe bites back his desire to ask, focusing instead on coming up with a way to keep his winning streak on course.]
Well. Never have I ever... owned pants without a tail hole....
[It might be his first turn towards a barely legal move, but it isn't from a cheating heart! Rather, he can't seem to get his mind away that particular article of clothing...]
[His eyes flash with intensity when they finally return to Kogami's face - ]
Hey! A few months doesn't cut it. It's 'never have I ever', right? That's specific enough. Unless you're a weirder human than I thought.
Weird and dirty. What kind of cat doesn't purr.... [He grumbles, looking over himself until he decides on what to remove - his cloak in the end, fingers making unlacing the thing look easy. He hasn't shaken the need to keep a short sword at his hip, the removal reveals, but he folds his arms to his chest without doing anything with it, the tip of his tail twitching testily as he frowns.]
Moran takes a deep breath as he feels a knot tighten in his chest. Or maybe, it's that fucking weird gem that's now over his heart? Well, nothing I can do about that, though. Cutting it out doesn't seem like a viable option.
Still, he believes in them. The trust that he feels undoes the knot, and soothes his senses. Yes, he believes that they aren't so weak that they'd crumble because he is not with them. So, keep your heads on straight until I get back.
Crossing his arms, he props them up on the railing as he stares out at the city. Something like this is really beyond my imaginings, though. His chin lifts slightly before he sharply turns it toward the man approaching him before the person speaks.
It isn't like the person was attempting to hide their presence or sneak up on him, so there was no reason for him to give such a tell that he knew that they were coming up. Because while there isn't any violent intent, it is merely a beast saying that acknowledges the approach. ]
Ah, cigarettes, eh? [ His tone of voice is friendly and full of ease. ] You're lucky... I only have a few of these left before I gotta worry about shopping for more.
[ He does a quick dig in his back pocket and pulls out his pack. Moran doesn't quite realize how just the pack alone dates him. Still, without hesitation, lightly knocks bottom of the box on his artificial hand so one cigarette pokes its way up. ]
Here. [ He holds out the box with the cigarette extending out of it. ]
[ kogami murmurs, his gaze flickering to the cigarette pack that the stranger pulls from his back pocket. fortunately -- or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, kogami actually has a repository of useless facts when it comes to tobacco and the different types of ash, which means it's easy to place the era that he likely comes from.
the cigarette feels different, a little less polished than the ones that he's used to, as if the machines that made them were new. he offers him a small smile as he takes what's offered, flicking his own lighter that is clearly set in a much more modern era. he doesn't miss the glove on one hand, or the outfit, or the fact that this man's clearly military despite the friendly, easy tone of his words.
interesting. ]
I'm afraid the cigarettes here might not be what you're used to.
[ Moran stumbles backwards in a comical fashion at the sight of the lighter. He has already decided to lean more into his fish-out-of-water situation, if only because that'd make things easier for him in the long run. No different than visiting the pubs, really, and making sure people didn't get too nosy about him.
So, while he lacks William's foresight, he thinks its better to be considered a harmless relic of the past. Less questions asked that way and more people being willing to "educate" or "ignore." ]
I'm still not used at all to this sort of modern tech. [ He rubs the back of his neck, like he is embarrassed by his own reaction. ] Though, something like that probably isn't even all that fancy.
[ Audibly clicking his tongue, he knocks a cigarette out for himself. Biting the end, he pulls it out of the pack before angrily shoving the pack into his pocket. ]
So long as it's a cigarette, it don't quite matter to me... figures that they'd change how they were, though. Can't keep anything the same. [ Moran leaves out that he considers it a good thing. Keeping things as they are, never improving anything, just ends up with the shit that they're trying to clean up. ]
[ kogami muses, because he's seen its evils and its risks, but that moran finds this lighter surprising is actually quite endearing. of course, moran will come to learn that kogami is not like most people, willing to educate or ignore. no, in fact, moran's roused his curiosity -- it's not every day that someone from what is most likely the nineteenth century turns up.
he flicks the lighter again, politely lighting up moran's for him and discreetly showing him just how it works before he sets it aside in his pocket. ]
[ His lips quirk into a performative nervous smile before he leans in to allow the man to light his cigarette for him. He narrows his eyes slightly as he watches how the device works before it is put away. ]
That so? Shame we both can't avoid it, then.
[ Moran talks around his cigarette at first before he breathes in deep, drawing in the tobacco. The end of the cigarette turning a bright red. He stares out again at the city, pausing to sort out his own thoughts and answers.
Blowing out a stream of smoke, he finally decides on how he'll respond. ]
From my answer, it seem like I'm against it, huh? [ Keeping up too many lies is always a pain. Responding honestly but not all together truthfully is best. It avoids getting tripped up on something said. ] I don't consider it a bad thing, but I don't always think it's good, either.
[ He lets out a sigh. ] It depends on who it benefits and who it shorts, really. If it progresses to where the same group still gets the best cut, well, then everything's actually still the same, ain't it?
[ Feeling that's touching a little too close to his true identity, he tosses out a quick, light slug onto the man's shoulder. ] 'Course, a manservant like myself is always gonna bemoan my state of things. Though, this time around... maybe I'll end up as something like a nobleman.
[ He is able to smile as he says it, even though he feels disgusted at the thought. Even though he was born into nobility, he never wants to go back to it. ]
[ it's an understatement. kogami had been little than a leashed dog under such a system, and he'd never felt like he belonged -- but that's a story for another day. right now, he's more interested in this particular stranger than anything else.
he listens carefully, noting just how thoughtful that answer is -- startlingly so, for one who's come across as friendly and easy. he takes a long, deep drag of the cigarette before looking out, offering him a lopsided smile. ]
Don't you think it'll be a burden? You seem to be accustomed to the service of others, and not yourself. Being a nobleman would bore you.
Do I? Well, I have been a butler for quite a few years now.
[ He lightly scratches his chin before sliding the cigarette back between his lips. Huh. Moran feels like there's something else being said in the light ribbing that he's given, but he can't quite figure it out. ]
You might be right and I don't know how to be a nobleman. Besides, a lot of the people in that upper crust ... they ain't worth the fine silks they wrap themselves up in.
[ Tipping his chin back, he blows a stream of smoke up. ]
So, stranger, can you tell me if it's gotten better in the "future?"
[ what a question to ask. kogami can't help but meet those eyes, quietly taking his measure. what does he say to someone who detests the class system of his world, who clearly wants to see another that's not chained by its principles? he doesn't need to be a detective to know that this man detests the upper crusts of society and to understand the sentiment. ]
In some ways, it is. [ he admits finally. ] But there will always remain those who eagerly exploit the weak. [ he's quiet for a moment. ] There is a system in my world that purports to prevent such things.
[ Yet somehow, he doesn't sound as disappointed or disillusioned as one would think. It's because he doesn't believe the man's world is connected to his own. The world that William will make -- it will actually be one of equality. Will there still be crime? Of course; Moran isn't so idealistic as to think that there won't still be wrongdoings done. But at least, everyone will be judged. ]
That, so? We have one in ours, too, called Scotland Yard and the British government. [ He chuckles. ] ... but it only prevents justice from those that are able to game it. Sounds like yours is the same...
[ Breathing in deep, he knows if he was in a pub that these sort of complaints would be met with glasses raised and loud rallying cries of agreement. But between two people, it sounds a little more intimate and scratching too close to the surface of who he is.
But it also lets him figure out what kind of person his companion is. Because he senses there is something there... he just can't tell yet what that something is. ]
Being a good person and following a system of law, are they really the same?
Edited (then I had an epiphany and woke up, lol) 2021-02-02 08:31 (UTC)
[ oh, everyone's judged, all right. well, almost everyone. kogami listens attentively, interested in what he has to offer -- it's not often that you come across someone in a century and a world so vastly different from your own.
he raises his brows, however, at the next question. where does he even begin? the easy answer is no, that morality and the law are often not the same. but he finds that he wants to hear about what moran thinks, before he even offers up his own opinion on the matter. ]
[ His eyes shift slightly to look at his companion.
A crooked smile flashes across his face. Laughter starts to slip into his eyes at the very question. Moran isn't certain that he knows one good person. What they're doing is for a better world, but it isn't good. All the deaths that happen will be used to tear down the system around them.
It will only be later -- those that remain will be able to judge if it was truly worth it all. ]
I don't know. [ That depends, huh? ] I'm not sure if "good" exists yet. Maybe it'll get invented some day in the future.
[ Moran laughs -- it lacks any bitterness and sounds honest and clear.
Even the nobles that offered their hands to the poor, they did so as for masturbatory reasons. Just to feel good about themselves and how pious that they were. Yet the rotten state of the class that they were in -- they turned their gaze away and pretend it wasn't there. Yet they pretended they were better than those rotten people, and not part of their corruption. ]
2/2 -- then i lied 'cause i immediately had an i d e a
[ In his mind, his platoon flashes in his thoughts. Captain. He's let go of the chains of the past; he's given himself completely to William and his dreams. But he hears how pained they sound at him believing they weren't good people.
His smile turns self-deprecating for a second. Sorry. ]
No, that's not quite right... A good person. [ His eyes close. ] I'd say it's the sort of people that will die for the justice of the system. They believe in it so much that they want to ensure it won't fade... not so that others' crimes will be covered up, not so the filth can keep rotting the top, but because it'll protect the weak.
[ He opens his eyes. ]
I'd say good are those willing to look injustice in the face and not turn away from it. Someone who wants to change it even if there is no benefit to themselves in doing so.
[ Sorry, William... In my heart, I really do think that you're good. He thinks that William would laugh at him if he heard him say that after all that has been done, but. Someone had to save us all... and you're the one that's doing it. So, let me brag about and praise you to a stranger. ]
[ kogami is a good listener, and it helps that he's more interested in others than his own affairs -- this amiable-seeming man seems honest enough, if more than a little rough around the edges. ]
Maybe some day.
[ he's seen more than his fair share of evil, but he supposes one day it'll really be invented. surprisingly enough, it's the rest of the man's answer that captures his attention. ]
[ A slight smile flashes across his face -- soft and fond. It's more than personal to me. It's my life. ]
That person is someone I greatly respect. He'd hate it if he knew I was calling him a good person, though. [ Moran's tone shifts back to a warmer cheery one. ] I'm sure that he doesn't think what he's doing is good, but just necessary.
[ A necessary evil but you're willing to carry it out, William. ]
Well, I told you what I consider 'good.' Can you answer my question now?
[ kogami's brows are raised, because 'necessary' means a lot of things, mostly not great, especially in the context of blurred lines and how the world is made up of shades of grey. but the world this man lives in is not his own, and kogami can't help but notice how the person he respects seems to mean the world to him.
and also, fair enough -- ]
It depends on who makes the laws and why. [ he takes a long, deep drag of his cigarette, and continues neutrally. ] In my world, they found a way to round up everyone with the potential of committing crimes. Even those who haven't committed it yet. It was a system that could read your brain wave patterns, and judged you accordingly. Of course, they did it in the name of law and order. Those who scored higher on their crime coefficients were either put down, put away in facilities, or leashed as hunting dogs.
[ he glances at him. ] Imagine a society controlled by a system like that.
[ His eyes shift slightly to look to his companion before he returns to gazing out at the cityscape. Is he trying to get a read on me? Moran is just a few minutes too late to realize it, but hey-- ]
He's a humble man. What most people would call "doing good," he'd say was "necessary work."
[ Moran pauses, as he actually attempts to imagine a society like the one that. His jaw involuntarily bunches. ] But, there's no telling that they would actually do anything, right? A person should only be tried if they've done something. Is your system really so perfect that innocent people don't suffer because of false readings?
[ He steps back so that he can flick his cigarette off over the side of the railing. ]
[ moran's quick on the uptake, but the way the conversation turns is enough to distract him from it, if only for a few moments. although that reaction is sufficient enough to tell him that the man's not wholly jaded and cynical. it's a human reaction to sibyl, the horror of its system and enforced peace. ]
Mm. [ he agrees. after all, that's been the longest argument against sibyl, even if the system's managed to quash it out of existence. he takes a drag of his cigarettes. ] They do. [ straight up, right there. he thinks of kagari, of yayoi, of the many nameless others who didn't fit into society.
he continues, more bleakly, ]
And there were also people who suffered because the ones who killed others got away with it. Something in their brains made them invisible to the system.
[ Moran can't help but click his tongue at hearing that people are still suffering. It just makes him hold onto the hope of William's dream even more. William is the kind of person that can create a better reality for everyone.
His fist clenches for a brief second, before he loosens his hand. ]
People invisible to the system...
[ He lets that sink in, too. ]
Well... what do you do about those kind of people? If they can't be judged by your system, what do you do?
[ kogami says simply as he takes in the briefly clenched fist, after a few moments. a military man like moran isn't prone to squeamishness, not in that era, and kogami takes another long, deep drag. the side of his mouth tightens briefly. the weight of killing someone is heavy, not to mention the body count that's been racked up over the years.
his next words are grim. ]
I used to be a detective within the system. [ detective, he says, like pops would say it, once upon a time. ]
Moran isn't able to hide his tells -- he stills at the man's reply and stops breathing for a few seconds. He resumes breathing a beat later, and loosens his posture as he realizes he involuntarily stiffened.
A detective that hunts down and kills criminals? Is that the position that system gave detectives now? He can't see the other relaying such information in order to entrap him. Then, perhaps, he's trying to see if I'm someone that he has to one day hunt down?
He turns a little away with a sharper smile. Scary. Yet the tone in his head is filled with warm admiration. If the person next to him is willing to remain committed to his goals, to his sense of justice, even here; Moran can't help but accept him. ]
Me too. It's the only thing that they deserve.
[ A beat as he turns back towards him with a smile. ] Moran. [ And he holds his hand out to shake his companion's. ]
[ kogami notices. he's aware that moran probably notices something similar in him; he can read his tells, the thoughts flickering across that ruggedly handsome face. it seems moran has seen more than his fair share, and his words have clearly struck a chord right down deep.
he reaches out to take his hand as well in a handshake, noting the prosthetic underneath the fabric of the glove. interesting. ]
Kogami. [ he pauses, regarding him with interest. ] Was it Crimea or India?
[ He brings his hand back. The GemSci people were nice enough to fit him with a better prosthetic than what he had back home. Flexing the fingers, he fixes his stare on the artificial hand. ]
I was formally discharged, afterward.
[ As much as he already likes Kogami, he doesn't quite trust him enough to tell him the real story. And, well, it isn't a lie. He was formally discharged -- just as KIA. ]
It's unfortunate to think that wars are still going on. What about your system -- it can't do anything about stopping those?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ oh, a run does sound good. but it doesn't escape his notice that this day seems to be his personal day, and he feels a flicker of guilt. a personal day, and ryuu spends it showing a new arrival around -- it seems as if the fount of ryuu's kindness springs eternal.
somehow, kogami isn't all too ready to ask him to continue on his own schedule and not to mind him -- no, not with that particular smile. ]
I'm not picky. What do you recommend?
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It depends on what you're in the mood for, then! Even not being picky, there's a pretty big difference between something local on tap and a glass of whisky. Or wine.
[ something tells him he's not the wine sort, but of all people, ryuu knows not to judge a book by its cover. also, he loves to drink. ]
no subject
[ both remind him of masaoka, of the number of seedy bars he'd been in; maybe he'd adapt pretty well here, too, after all. and ryuu is definitely right, he's not a wine person, unless it's using it as a makeshift flamethrower.
ryuu, on the other hand, knows his wines and spirits pretty well, doesn't he? he gives him a crooked smile -- ]
Let me guess: drinking's your thing.
no subject
Ah, well...! [ is he just going to sound like a lush?! (it's probable.) ] When you grow up somewhere rural, there's not always a lot to do but drink...
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[ does it help if he sounds like a cute lush? ] Then you must know the best places to drink. [ make lemonade out of lemons and all that. kogami is, very occasionally, a glass half-full kind of guy.
very occasionally. ] What was Okinawa like, for you?
no subject
I'd like to think I know a few! I've only been here about... hmm, four months, myself. It'll take me a while yet to explore everywhere!
[ though it's nice to have the company. ]
For me? [ he wonders if he's ever put it into words. ] It was home. My dad wasn't super well off, or anything, but it was comfortable. You grow up depending on the sea for a lot of of things.
[ a beat. ]
And tourism.
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[ kogami listens. four months is not a long time, but to be away from home for that long and still be positive, especially when he isn't a fugitive, is endearing. ]
Did you perform for them? The tourists.
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[ he doesn't sound as if there's any particular bad blood there in spite of his divorced family, as if it was just another life experience among many life experiences. but he perks up moments later as they round a quiet corner that puts them on a street lined with busy little bars and restaurants. ]
- ah, we're almost there. It's the one with the green awning, that way.
[ a pub-style place that doesn't look too crowded. ]
no subject
And Tokyo became home, for you?
no subject
It did! There are things I consider home about both places.
[ simple as that.
with that, he leads the way in. the interior of the place is all dark wood and warm brass, with a long bar top across one wall, and large tables sectioning out the rest of the floor. he nods to the bartender with a smile and a lift of his hand, turning to kogami. ]
Table or bar?
no subject
[ not that he has anything against bartenders, but walls have ears and from experience, he knows that they tend to talk -- even if there probably isn't anything very classified they'd be discussing about. the bar is gorgeous, tasteful, and inexplicably so ryuu in a thousand little ways. ]
It's a beautiful place.
no subject
[ with its multiple layers, out of the world entertainment, space travel, magic... it'd be enough to overwhelm anyone, if they didn't find some semblance of home to turn to, at the end of the day. with that in mind, ryuu picks a table closer to the front this time, a narrow thing nestled right up against one of the windows. ]
This should do it. Wait here a second, okay?
[ he approaches the bar to have a friendly exchange with the bartender, an older gentleman who expertly pours out two tall glasses of something from on the tap, frothy and amber. with a thanks, ryuu returns, sliding the beers down onto the table. ]
Here we go.
no subject
[ kogami looks happier at the sight of a cold, cold beer -- he would rather forget the last time someone bought him one, after all, it's under markedly different circumstances. he's looks out the window, pleased to have such a strategic spot. ryuu looks like he knows the bartender well, that sunny friendliness endearing him to people from all walks of life, perhaps. ]
Do you usually come here alone?
[ he asks, genuinely curious. ryuu looks like he could go either way. ]
no subject
I wouldn't say usually... I come by from time to time! This place happened to catch my eye when I was on my home one day. I like it quite a bit.
[ homey, but beautiful. ]
Tell me what you think! [ a nod to the glass opposite his. ] There's a brewery at the groves here, I found out.
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_
[That one gets him going still for a long moment, until silently he slips his boot off his other foot. How did he know? Konoe bites back his desire to ask, focusing instead on coming up with a way to keep his winning streak on course.]
Well. Never have I ever... owned pants without a tail hole....
[It might be his first turn towards a barely legal move, but it isn't from a cheating heart! Rather, he can't seem to get his mind away that particular article of clothing...]
no subject
kogami leans forward, amused. ] I have pants with a hole in them for the past few months.
[ for when the sanguis moon comes again and he has to cope with a tail. ] You really should be more specific.
Let's see. Never have I purred.
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Hey! A few months doesn't cut it. It's 'never have I ever', right? That's specific enough. Unless you're a weirder human than I thought.
Weird and dirty. What kind of cat doesn't purr.... [He grumbles, looking over himself until he decides on what to remove - his cloak in the end, fingers making unlacing the thing look easy. He hasn't shaken the need to keep a short sword at his hip, the removal reveals, but he folds his arms to his chest without doing anything with it, the tip of his tail twitching testily as he frowns.]
Are you going to lose something, too, or not?
.noctium.
sumarlok.
Moran takes a deep breath as he feels a knot tighten in his chest. Or maybe, it's that fucking weird gem that's now over his heart? Well, nothing I can do about that, though. Cutting it out doesn't seem like a viable option.
Still, he believes in them. The trust that he feels undoes the knot, and soothes his senses. Yes, he believes that they aren't so weak that they'd crumble because he is not with them. So, keep your heads on straight until I get back.
Crossing his arms, he props them up on the railing as he stares out at the city. Something like this is really beyond my imaginings, though. His chin lifts slightly before he sharply turns it toward the man approaching him before the person speaks.
It isn't like the person was attempting to hide their presence or sneak up on him, so there was no reason for him to give such a tell that he knew that they were coming up. Because while there isn't any violent intent, it is merely a beast saying that acknowledges the approach. ]
Ah, cigarettes, eh? [ His tone of voice is friendly and full of ease. ] You're lucky... I only have a few of these left before I gotta worry about shopping for more.
[ He does a quick dig in his back pocket and pulls out his pack. Moran doesn't quite realize how just the pack alone dates him. Still, without hesitation, lightly knocks bottom of the box on his artificial hand so one cigarette pokes its way up. ]
Here. [ He holds out the box with the cigarette extending out of it. ]
no subject
[ kogami murmurs, his gaze flickering to the cigarette pack that the stranger pulls from his back pocket. fortunately -- or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, kogami actually has a repository of useless facts when it comes to tobacco and the different types of ash, which means it's easy to place the era that he likely comes from.
the cigarette feels different, a little less polished than the ones that he's used to, as if the machines that made them were new. he offers him a small smile as he takes what's offered, flicking his own lighter that is clearly set in a much more modern era. he doesn't miss the glove on one hand, or the outfit, or the fact that this man's clearly military despite the friendly, easy tone of his words.
interesting. ]
I'm afraid the cigarettes here might not be what you're used to.
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[ Moran stumbles backwards in a comical fashion at the sight of the lighter. He has already decided to lean more into his fish-out-of-water situation, if only because that'd make things easier for him in the long run. No different than visiting the pubs, really, and making sure people didn't get too nosy about him.
So, while he lacks William's foresight, he thinks its better to be considered a harmless relic of the past. Less questions asked that way and more people being willing to "educate" or "ignore." ]
I'm still not used at all to this sort of modern tech. [ He rubs the back of his neck, like he is embarrassed by his own reaction. ] Though, something like that probably isn't even all that fancy.
[ Audibly clicking his tongue, he knocks a cigarette out for himself. Biting the end, he pulls it out of the pack before angrily shoving the pack into his pocket. ]
So long as it's a cigarette, it don't quite matter to me... figures that they'd change how they were, though. Can't keep anything the same. [ Moran leaves out that he considers it a good thing. Keeping things as they are, never improving anything, just ends up with the shit that they're trying to clean up. ]
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[ kogami muses, because he's seen its evils and its risks, but that moran finds this lighter surprising is actually quite endearing. of course, moran will come to learn that kogami is not like most people, willing to educate or ignore. no, in fact, moran's roused his curiosity -- it's not every day that someone from what is most likely the nineteenth century turns up.
he flicks the lighter again, politely lighting up moran's for him and discreetly showing him just how it works before he sets it aside in his pocket. ]
Is that a good thing, or a bad thing for you?
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That so? Shame we both can't avoid it, then.
[ Moran talks around his cigarette at first before he breathes in deep, drawing in the tobacco. The end of the cigarette turning a bright red. He stares out again at the city, pausing to sort out his own thoughts and answers.
Blowing out a stream of smoke, he finally decides on how he'll respond. ]
From my answer, it seem like I'm against it, huh? [ Keeping up too many lies is always a pain. Responding honestly but not all together truthfully is best. It avoids getting tripped up on something said. ] I don't consider it a bad thing, but I don't always think it's good, either.
[ He lets out a sigh. ] It depends on who it benefits and who it shorts, really. If it progresses to where the same group still gets the best cut, well, then everything's actually still the same, ain't it?
[ Feeling that's touching a little too close to his true identity, he tosses out a quick, light slug onto the man's shoulder. ] 'Course, a manservant like myself is always gonna bemoan my state of things. Though, this time around... maybe I'll end up as something like a nobleman.
[ He is able to smile as he says it, even though he feels disgusted at the thought. Even though he was born into nobility, he never wants to go back to it. ]
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[ it's an understatement. kogami had been little than a leashed dog under such a system, and he'd never felt like he belonged -- but that's a story for another day. right now, he's more interested in this particular stranger than anything else.
he listens carefully, noting just how thoughtful that answer is -- startlingly so, for one who's come across as friendly and easy. he takes a long, deep drag of the cigarette before looking out, offering him a lopsided smile. ]
Don't you think it'll be a burden? You seem to be accustomed to the service of others, and not yourself. Being a nobleman would bore you.
[ y e a h he's profiling you, moran. ]
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[ He lightly scratches his chin before sliding the cigarette back between his lips. Huh. Moran feels like there's something else being said in the light ribbing that he's given, but he can't quite figure it out. ]
You might be right and I don't know how to be a nobleman. Besides, a lot of the people in that upper crust ... they ain't worth the fine silks they wrap themselves up in.
[ Tipping his chin back, he blows a stream of smoke up. ]
So, stranger, can you tell me if it's gotten better in the "future?"
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[ what a question to ask. kogami can't help but meet those eyes, quietly taking his measure. what does he say to someone who detests the class system of his world, who clearly wants to see another that's not chained by its principles? he doesn't need to be a detective to know that this man detests the upper crusts of society and to understand the sentiment. ]
In some ways, it is. [ he admits finally. ] But there will always remain those who eagerly exploit the weak. [ he's quiet for a moment. ] There is a system in my world that purports to prevent such things.
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[ Yet somehow, he doesn't sound as disappointed or disillusioned as one would think. It's because he doesn't believe the man's world is connected to his own. The world that William will make -- it will actually be one of equality. Will there still be crime? Of course; Moran isn't so idealistic as to think that there won't still be wrongdoings done. But at least, everyone will be judged. ]
That, so? We have one in ours, too, called Scotland Yard and the British government. [ He chuckles. ] ... but it only prevents justice from those that are able to game it. Sounds like yours is the same...
[ Breathing in deep, he knows if he was in a pub that these sort of complaints would be met with glasses raised and loud rallying cries of agreement. But between two people, it sounds a little more intimate and scratching too close to the surface of who he is.
But it also lets him figure out what kind of person his companion is. Because he senses there is something there... he just can't tell yet what that something is. ]
Being a good person and following a system of law, are they really the same?
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he raises his brows, however, at the next question. where does he even begin? the easy answer is no, that morality and the law are often not the same. but he finds that he wants to hear about what moran thinks, before he even offers up his own opinion on the matter. ]
That depends. What's your definition of 'good'?
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A crooked smile flashes across his face. Laughter starts to slip into his eyes at the very question. Moran isn't certain that he knows one good person. What they're doing is for a better world, but it isn't good. All the deaths that happen will be used to tear down the system around them.
It will only be later -- those that remain will be able to judge if it was truly worth it all. ]
I don't know. [ That depends, huh? ] I'm not sure if "good" exists yet. Maybe it'll get invented some day in the future.
[ Moran laughs -- it lacks any bitterness and sounds honest and clear.
Even the nobles that offered their hands to the poor, they did so as for masturbatory reasons. Just to feel good about themselves and how pious that they were. Yet the rotten state of the class that they were in -- they turned their gaze away and pretend it wasn't there. Yet they pretended they were better than those rotten people, and not part of their corruption. ]
2/2 -- then i lied 'cause i immediately had an i d e a
His smile turns self-deprecating for a second. Sorry. ]
No, that's not quite right... A good person. [ His eyes close. ] I'd say it's the sort of people that will die for the justice of the system. They believe in it so much that they want to ensure it won't fade... not so that others' crimes will be covered up, not so the filth can keep rotting the top, but because it'll protect the weak.
[ He opens his eyes. ]
I'd say good are those willing to look injustice in the face and not turn away from it. Someone who wants to change it even if there is no benefit to themselves in doing so.
[ Sorry, William... In my heart, I really do think that you're good. He thinks that William would laugh at him if he heard him say that after all that has been done, but. Someone had to save us all... and you're the one that's doing it. So, let me brag about and praise you to a stranger. ]
OMG I LOVE THIS
Maybe some day.
[ he's seen more than his fair share of evil, but he supposes one day it'll really be invented. surprisingly enough, it's the rest of the man's answer that captures his attention. ]
This seems personal to you.
:D
That person is someone I greatly respect. He'd hate it if he knew I was calling him a good person, though. [ Moran's tone shifts back to a warmer cheery one. ] I'm sure that he doesn't think what he's doing is good, but just necessary.
[ A necessary evil but you're willing to carry it out, William. ]
Well, I told you what I consider 'good.' Can you answer my question now?
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[ kogami's brows are raised, because 'necessary' means a lot of things, mostly not great, especially in the context of blurred lines and how the world is made up of shades of grey. but the world this man lives in is not his own, and kogami can't help but notice how the person he respects seems to mean the world to him.
and also, fair enough -- ]
It depends on who makes the laws and why. [ he takes a long, deep drag of his cigarette, and continues neutrally. ] In my world, they found a way to round up everyone with the potential of committing crimes. Even those who haven't committed it yet. It was a system that could read your brain wave patterns, and judged you accordingly. Of course, they did it in the name of law and order. Those who scored higher on their crime coefficients were either put down, put away in facilities, or leashed as hunting dogs.
[ he glances at him. ] Imagine a society controlled by a system like that.
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He's a humble man. What most people would call "doing good," he'd say was "necessary work."
[ Moran pauses, as he actually attempts to imagine a society like the one that. His jaw involuntarily bunches. ] But, there's no telling that they would actually do anything, right? A person should only be tried if they've done something. Is your system really so perfect that innocent people don't suffer because of false readings?
[ He steps back so that he can flick his cigarette off over the side of the railing. ]
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Mm. [ he agrees. after all, that's been the longest argument against sibyl, even if the system's managed to quash it out of existence. he takes a drag of his cigarettes. ] They do. [ straight up, right there. he thinks of kagari, of yayoi, of the many nameless others who didn't fit into society.
he continues, more bleakly, ]
And there were also people who suffered because the ones who killed others got away with it. Something in their brains made them invisible to the system.
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His fist clenches for a brief second, before he loosens his hand. ]
People invisible to the system...
[ He lets that sink in, too. ]
Well... what do you do about those kind of people? If they can't be judged by your system, what do you do?
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[ kogami says simply as he takes in the briefly clenched fist, after a few moments. a military man like moran isn't prone to squeamishness, not in that era, and kogami takes another long, deep drag. the side of his mouth tightens briefly. the weight of killing someone is heavy, not to mention the body count that's been racked up over the years.
his next words are grim. ]
I used to be a detective within the system. [ detective, he says, like pops would say it, once upon a time. ]
What would you do?
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Moran isn't able to hide his tells -- he stills at the man's reply and stops breathing for a few seconds. He resumes breathing a beat later, and loosens his posture as he realizes he involuntarily stiffened.
A detective that hunts down and kills criminals? Is that the position that system gave detectives now? He can't see the other relaying such information in order to entrap him. Then, perhaps, he's trying to see if I'm someone that he has to one day hunt down?
He turns a little away with a sharper smile. Scary. Yet the tone in his head is filled with warm admiration. If the person next to him is willing to remain committed to his goals, to his sense of justice, even here; Moran can't help but accept him. ]
Me too. It's the only thing that they deserve.
[ A beat as he turns back towards him with a smile. ] Moran. [ And he holds his hand out to shake his companion's. ]
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he reaches out to take his hand as well in a handshake, noting the prosthetic underneath the fabric of the glove. interesting. ]
Kogami. [ he pauses, regarding him with interest. ] Was it Crimea or India?
[ the war he was involved in, he means. ]
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[ He brings his hand back. The GemSci people were nice enough to fit him with a better prosthetic than what he had back home. Flexing the fingers, he fixes his stare on the artificial hand. ]
I was formally discharged, afterward.
[ As much as he already likes Kogami, he doesn't quite trust him enough to tell him the real story. And, well, it isn't a lie. He was formally discharged -- just as KIA. ]
It's unfortunate to think that wars are still going on. What about your system -- it can't do anything about stopping those?