009 | [Voice/Action]

[screwthegods]

What would you be willing to give for a second chance?

[Take the question as you will, Luceti. Homura's purposely vague, wanting not only to see what answers he receives, but how people interpret the question itself. After he poses the question, he'll be making a trip out to House 50--unannounced, of course. Ayumu has yet to contact him after the experiment, so Homura will take it upon himself to go see her. Better that than leaving the issue unresolved.]

[Afterward, he'll head to the Battle Dome to practice. It's been some time since the last draft, and he refuses to let his swordsmanship suffer during the lull. So he'll be going at it while completely limited, fighting the targets offered by the program. Unlike others he's seen, Homura moves with cool efficiency, and aims to kill with almost every blow.]

Comments

[Voice]

[consultmybooks]

I'm not sure what it would take.

Re: [Voice]

[screwthegods]

It's better not to think of the question in terms of actual possibility. More the idea of being presented and offer, and a price. How far would you be willing to go in that situation?

Re: [Voice]

[consultmybooks]

I'd need to know what constituted a price. Money, possessions, experiences, people?

...anything beyond material possessions, though, I wouldn't pay. Unless the person being demanded was particularly disgusting, and possibly not even then.

[ayu_nee]

[With all the new arrivals lately, Ayumu has had quite a bit to keep herself busy. Of course, she could have made time to contact Homura if she'd really wanted to— but she still hasn't quite decided what to do about that particular situation, so avoiding it was much easier.

When he decides to show up at the house she'll be out front, industriously sweeping off the porch and pretending she can't see him approaching. She should have realized that he wouldn't simply let things lie, but it doesn't mean she's eager for the meeting.]

[screwthegods]

[No, Homura doesn't suspect she will be looking forward to the encounter. But that he's given her this much time is actually fairly considerate on his part. While he can be patient, Homura doesn't tend to let things linger on if he can do something to resolve the situation. In his mind, at least, this is a suitable compromise.]

I know you're aware of my presence. [The few times he's seen her true face tells him that much, and Homura would hope that Ayumu realizes it.] Are we going back to this, then?

[ayu_nee]

[There was always the possibility that he was coming to the house to speak to another one of the residents — Okita, perhaps, or maybe he'd intended to finally meet Hijikata — even though Ayumu had thought it rather unlikely. And when he speaks it eliminates that chance entirely, though she doesn't even falter in her work, keeping her attention focused on the section of porch she's sweeping.]

Was there something you needed, Homura-san? I have quite a bit of work to do today.

[screwthegods]

[So is this how she intends to handle what happened? Homura watches Ayumu's back, the steady back and forth motion of her broom, and shakes his head.]

I have an idea of how long your household chores take, you realize. Do you plan on avoiding me until one of us is sent home?

[ayu_nee]

[She's hidden everything for what seems like her entire life, never showing what she truly feels about anything except in a very few, very brief moments of weakness. It seems best, then, to try to simply ignore what doesn't fit and pretend all as it had once been— even if it's been far more difficult to do than she'd expected. It's something about this place, she knows, the way it would be so easy to drop the pretense that has no reason here but for her own determination to keep it.

At his comment, though, she finally stills the steady whisk of the broom and looks over at him, showing nothing but a faint hint of exasperation.]

We have several new additions now, if you hadn't discovered that. And I was hardly avoiding you; I simply had no reason to seek you out.

[screwthegods]

Then you're avoiding the issue. [If not Homura himself, then what he represented in that life, surely. He has no doubt that Ayumu is supressing whatever she might be feeling in regards to the last experiment, in the same practiced manner that she moves through her chores and her routines.]

What good does it do to pretend nothing at all happened? Explain that to me.

[ayu_nee]

[One brow quirks just slightly in response.]

None of that was of my choice, but rather forced on me. What good does it to do pretend there was any value in it other than what amusement the Malnosso derived?

[screwthegods]

Because if something can be gained--if you can grow stronger from what you experienced, then there is something of value there. It's the only form of power we have against the Malnosso.

[And one Homura himself places great value in himself, if the seriousness of his reaction is any indication.]

Refusing to face what they forced you to go through is merely another form of bowing down to them. If you can't even face me, then your will is significantly weaker than I expected.

[ayu_nee]

I'm facing you right now, Homura-san.

[Literally, perhaps. Though she still isn't certain just what he wants. An acknowledgment that they'd spent that time together under a similar delusion? If so, that's simple enough. If he wants anything else — or is interested in discussing what he'd learned from her — she isn't terribly interested in either option.

And still she shows none of her inward thoughts, though she allows just a hint of confusion to enter her tone and shifts her hand on the broom's handle as though impatient to get back to work.]

[king-en.livejournal.com]

It depends what it is.

...but for the important things? A lot.

[screwthegods]

That could be a great deal, coming from a king. What would you give up for those things you consider most important?

[king-en.livejournal.com]

[Laughs just a little.] Many things. Anything.

Except my kingdom. Luckily for a foolish human like me, there are measures to keep me from trading my kingdom away.

[screwthegods]

[Homura too lets out a quiet laugh.]

You, of all people, consider yourself foolish?

[king-en.livejournal.com]

All humans are to a certain extent, are they not?

[There's a smile there that says there's a story to that.] Even after all these years, I would never consider myself anything but foolish.

[screwthegods]

It's a trait hardly restricted to humans, my friend.

[One that Homura wouldn't mind hearing, if Shouryuu so wishes, though perhaps when they meet in person again.]

It's a curious line you must walk then. How can you act if you truly think that way of yourself?

[king-en.livejournal.com]

I think...if I do something truly dumb, the heavens will punish me.

If Enki doesn't get to it first.

[Of course, Shouryuu doesn't really mean that. The heavens have this tendency to strike kirins rather than stupid kings first anyway.]

[screwthegods]

It's dangerous to rely on the Heavens so much.

[scarletspeedstr.livejournal.com]

I dunno, it kinda depends how the first try went, right? I mean, did she shoot me down out the starting gate or did I end up saying something stupid and ruining everything that had been great before then? You gotta give me some more details than that.

[screwthegods]

Not really. The question is meant to be taken however you wish.

[scarletspeedstr.livejournal.com]

...is this one of those psycho-thingy questions, where they see how you interpret it and figure out stuff about you from that? I hate those, I never know how I'm supposed to answer.

[screwthegods]

That's because there is no way you're supposed to answer--aside from however you think is honest.

[scarletspeedstr.livejournal.com]

Exactly! What if I end up looking dumber than usual?