Audience: Mineo Enomoto

[probe]

Comments

[sengokus]

He did? [he perks up a little bit at that, looking genuinely relieved] That's good...

Um... But I don't think you need to be more or less special than anybody else to get apologies. You're someone with feelings, right? So you should still be treated with dignity.

Well at least, that's what I think... [a beat] Thanks. For accepting mine. I'll try not to mess up again, but if I do let me know, and I'll always try to apologize.

[probe]

You will mess up again. [this is a little dry.]

You understand why I was angry. It wasn't for no reason.

[sengokus]

[aw. his shoulders slump a little but it comes with a little nod. sometimes you know you are a clumsy fool]

I'll still try...

[but]

... the rose is really important to you, right? [a beat] Can... I ask about it? Ashiya-san only talked about the feelings that they got when they touched it...

[probe]

[it's like kicking a puppy i swear

pride is unaffected by slumped shoulders but i personally feel bad, wow. anyway pride looks away for a moment, folding their arms.]

It reminds me of a woman I was going to marry.

[sengokus]

[don't feel bad mineo's an idiot and deserves this

but mineo pauses at that and just. ruffles his own hair almost in anguish]

... Ashiya-san....!! What the hell....!! That's so cruel!

[the clown is DEAD, mineo]

Ahhh, I should've hit them! Dammit! I - I'm sure you're getting tired of hearing it, but I'm really sorry, Pride-san... I'm glad you could press the rose at least. You must miss her...

[probe]

[they're quiet again for a moment.]

I am not the same without her. [they say, finally.] She would've been angry that I snapped at you.

[so.]

[sengokus]

[ . . . aw. his expression turns a little softly amused]

It's okay. I'm pretty good as a punching bag, and I should've known better too. So... I can take it.

... wanna talk about her? I never know if it's - better or worse. Talking about the people you miss.

[probe]

[do they want to? they're not sure.]

Don't tear yourself down, and maybe I will.

[sengokus]

[ . . . ? he tilts his head]

Me...? Tear myself down how?

[probe]

The - it's fine, I'm a punching bag, just walk all over me.

[that's actually a pretty good imitation of mineo's accent - which presumably is not like pride's faintly british one.]

Don't get me wrong. I don't care, other than thinking you need to grow a spine. [sniff. they raise a claw.] Don't - apologize. Either.

[sengokus]

Oohh, is that what I sound like...

[ . . . . he tilts his head a little, thoughtful.]

Mm... People have been telling me that I'm kind of a pushover... but I guess you just haven't said or done anything to me that I find worth getting angry over? [he's got a temper - he's pretty sure he's shown it in trial now and then]

If people have troubles, I'm okay with them venting at me. Otherwise they'll just keep to themselves and get all gloomy! That's all I meant.

[probe]

That's because you are one.

I'm not going to get... gloomy. [they say this, vaguely annoyed. and then they mutter something about envy.]

[sengokus]

[but pride DOES keep to themselves]

Ah - I think you're fine the way you are, for the record. Kinda stabby but so is everyone else here.

[he's adapted,,]

But I have a backbone when it matters!

[probe]

[wow don't call them out]

When does it matter? [... they sound genuinely curious, at least.]

[sengokus]

When someone's going to get seriously hurt, or if someone's spouting shit about something they don't know anything about.

[(mineo voice) say "justice" one more time]

And I just can't stand hearing people talk badly about others that I care about. That matters too.

[it just seems like his own ego rarely factors into it]

[probe]

I assume you only get angry when it's others. You seemed fine with boiling your own blood to prove evidence, if I recall correctly.

[they sound slightly amused at this.]

[sengokus]

[LOOKING AWAY]

I'm - sturdy?!

[WHY DOES HE SOUND LESS CONVINCED SUDDENLY]

[probe]

I.

[they just give him such a look.]

Sturdy. Yes, that will help when your blood boils.

[sengokus]

[wow he can't perceive bc of the hood!]

There's the medbay... it's fine... I didn't know if it was literal....

I wouldn't have died probably! [SO IT'S ALL GOOD,]

[probe]

[they sound very exasperated:]

What do you think boiling blood -- never mind. [sigh.] Sturdy.

[sengokus]

You know... when you're so mad at someone your blood boils? Thought maybe it just put someone into a blind rage or something. Metaphors and stuff.

[he's not smart enough to explain]

Well, it's gone now. You're probably right that I don't really take much offense when it comes to me, Pride-san... but I think I only recently became someone who had anything worth taking offense over.

[probe]

Hmph. [it occurs to them that mineo probably doesn't have magic in his world, so they won't argue.]

Only recently?

[sengokus]

[nodding..... though he looks a little less eager to talk about it]

... I was a pretty useless guy before I got here. That's all.

[he'll just show the back of his hand - the sloth tattoo. he always felt like it was too fitting, way too apt of a judgment]

But I won't talk about it if it'll just bore you.

[probe]

[they tilt their head slightly.]

If you don't want to talk about it, don't. [but they don't seem bored, at least.]

[sengokus]

[ . . . hmmm. well! mineo will pause for a second before nodding.]

... I don't mind. I just don't wanna talk about me too much - I wanna know about you too, you know?

Uh... Well - the reason I'm here is because I don't want to die. Before I came here... there's a case that's really important to me. A friend of mine - a guy who pretty much embodied what the idea of justice was to me - he got killed by a terrorist organization. But I... I wasn't making progress on the case, even after months. I used to solve a lot of cases - I used to be good at my job... but I think I got so -

[ . . . he shrugs.]

So rattled that I just - didn't.

Then... the same criminals who killed him killed me too. [he lets his free hand rest over his sloth tattoo, tracing the lines] .... I wasn't really a guy who was worth much before I got here - just dead weight.

I've been trying to be different here. [somebody worth something] That's all.