I did tell you. [ Cecil answers, though he doesn't move at first. He's out in the middle of the place, where the rubble has been cleared away and seating of some kind put in, and he stands when he hears Kida. ]
Do you sing, Masaomi? Or perform any other kind of weather at all?
[That's like performing weather, right? Well, it's performing at any rate. His uncertain gaze lands on Cecil when the man stands, the first movement in the room. They're really alone then?]
That does make for something of a challenge. What with the lack of technology around, and all.
[ He looks around also. It's pretty well deserted, anyway. Although Cecil always assumes someone is listening in Haven. But we can't all just not talk! Not all of us, anyway. He approaches Kida, pulling the folded evaluation from his coat pocket and looking at it. ]
I don't believe you lost what you are pretending to have lost, Masaomi. I don't believe you wanted it returned. I believe that what you are doing is very dangerous, and you are not the first young man I've told this to. That other young man is not going to be revived, this time.
You're very brave, if that's the case. But. So was he. [ He hands the note to Kida. ] Please be more careful than Aoi.
[That's a hefty list of accusations. Masaomi stays uncharacteristically silent throughout, snatching the paper the moment Cecil hands it over. He doesn't want to be compared to someone who's dead. If he's going to die, he needs it to matter. It can't be over some lousy evaluation, or over some cryptic old man he hardly knows. He hasn't come all this way just to leave everyone behind.
So many people have made a point of shoving his incompetency in his face, laughing at the idea that he thought he could successfully work for Yao. This feels like just another reminder that he's doomed to fail, and it pisses him off. It pisses him off because he's scared he can't prove them wrong.]
I'm not Aoi.
[He's not smarter or more skilled or any better than him either. He's just different.
[Maybe it's meant as a compliment, but Masaomi can't see it that way. He'll survive as long as he's too afraid to do anything else, but if everything goes well, that won't be forever.
He doesn't turn back around. Just before he skirts out the door, however, he has one last thing to say.]
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Do you sing, Masaomi? Or perform any other kind of weather at all?
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[That's like performing weather, right? Well, it's performing at any rate. His uncertain gaze lands on Cecil when the man stands, the first movement in the room. They're really alone then?]
But too bad, I only sing karaoke.
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[ He looks around also. It's pretty well deserted, anyway. Although Cecil always assumes someone is listening in Haven. But we can't all just not talk! Not all of us, anyway. He approaches Kida, pulling the folded evaluation from his coat pocket and looking at it. ]
I don't believe you lost what you are pretending to have lost, Masaomi. I don't believe you wanted it returned. I believe that what you are doing is very dangerous, and you are not the first young man I've told this to. That other young man is not going to be revived, this time.
You're very brave, if that's the case. But. So was he. [ He hands the note to Kida. ] Please be more careful than Aoi.
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So many people have made a point of shoving his incompetency in his face, laughing at the idea that he thought he could successfully work for Yao. This feels like just another reminder that he's doomed to fail, and it pisses him off. It pisses him off because he's scared he can't prove them wrong.]
I'm not Aoi.
[He's not smarter or more skilled or any better than him either. He's just different.
His prize retrieved, Masaomi turns to leave.]
I'm not that brave.
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...I would like to help you, if you ever need it. If there is any way I can. If there is anything you would like to know. Anything I can do for you.
I would like not to see something like that happen to one of us again.
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He doesn't turn back around. Just before he skirts out the door, however, he has one last thing to say.]
I'll think about it.