Every day's great at your... Animus?

[princeofjunes]

Characters: Yosuke Hanamura and YOU! Yes, YOU!
Setting: Room 2-14 and Floor 14
Format: Action is vastly preferred, but I'll prose if you want. Just be warned - prose tags take me a lot longer.
Summary: Yosuke arrives! Derping ensues.
Warnings: Swearing!


Room 2-14

[Yosuke's never been quick to wake up - unless it's someone waking him up in the middle of class. Laying in bed an extra few minutes is normal. What's not normal is the bed, the room, or anything about this place. And then panic ensues! What we end up with is one Yosuke trying his best to keep calm as he takes in these strange surroundings in a slight panic]

What the hell?! Who's idea of a joke is this!

Floor 14

[Yosuke - now dressed in his usual threads, headphones around his neck, has found his way to the entertainment room. He doesn't feel particularly jolly though, and rather than enjoy the entertainment he's sprawled on a couch, looking up and contemplating the last few hours of his life]

[Approach?]

Comments

[princeofjunes]

[The silence sits for a while, with Yosuke quietly reflecting on himself and everything Link's told him. To be able to make that choice, to still want to do it for the right reasons - hell, for Link to have told Yosuke so much after the two had just met, when Yosuke had no right to ask and Link had no obligation to tell...]

[Some combination of respect, trust, and an odd closeness to the hylian compels Yosuke to speak]

... I can't believe I'm saying this, but I envy you. Not all the shit that you have to go through, but...

[He's trying, but the right words just aren't coming easy]

You're doing what you have to do for the right reasons. That... that wasn't me. Not at the start.

[ocariness]

[ ... She isn't honestly sure why she even said what she did. Perhaps because it wasn't in her nature to withhold the truth? Or maybe it was because when asked, she would try to answer?

Admittedly, Yosuke seemed like a nice guy, so perhaps that was it. It surprises her to hear him say that, to be honest. But...

She's also someone that believes anyone can be strong. For now, she feels like she ought to ask a simple question, because she honestly can't view herself as enviable, at any point, but she won't say that (heroes never complain!) ]

... Why is that?

[princeofjunes]

[He can't believe he's about to admit this to anyone, but then... maybe it's time. He's seen everyone else's secrets. Just this one, he can let his own come to the surface]

... my whole path started when a girl I cared about was murdered.

I told myself I was getting into things to get justice for her. To search for the truth.

[... even now, a year later, it's still hard to talk about. He swallows hard and takes a minute to compose himself, since Link is only the third ever person (beside himself) to know this. Why the hell is he trusting this stranger? Is he nuts?]

The truth is, I was doing it for myself. I was bored, and I wanted a chance to do something. A chance to be a hero and feel special. I didn't want to admit it to anyone, even myself - but... I was forced to face it. And accept it. You're not like that though. That's why I envy you.

...... oops I guess Yosuke is just special to her. /tl;drs

[ocariness]

[ She's taken aback. Link is normally not the most graceful, or best with words, but... her title was a heavy burden to bear.

It's funny, really. The more she thought of it, the more she realized... perhaps it was normal. Normal, to want what you don't have. To have an easier life.

Instead of saying anything, she just... looks him dead in the eyes. ]

... Is that what you think? That I am so selfless that I'd not make the very same mistakes as you? Well, you're wrong, then. I've lost, too. I've lied; I've done things for no one but myself. I've even cheated. I've given in to things and taken the less painful route because I was tired of hurting.

[ Oh, it hurts to admit it, but she has. She has, and in so, so very many ways. Discarding her gender? That was one way she'd lied. Lied oh so very many times. ]

We all lie to ourselves, distract ourselves from what we do wrong. Tell ourselves what we're doing will be all right, that it's for a "good" reason. Especially when we lose someone, we're not thinking very well.

[ She looks away. She knows loss, all too well. Saria. Her "father". Her real parents. Ruto, all the friends she had made... almost all of them.

With a deep breath and some steel to her eyes, Link looks back to Yosuke. She's bad at this and it shows--she's very obviously not even sure of what she's saying, of if it helps or hurts. She doesn't know. But she's trying. ]

You don't give yourself very much credit. ... You have courage. Because courage is not about being fearless, Yosuke Hanamura. Courage is about facing the things we hate most, even about ourselves, and having the strength to work through them. To get past them. To own up to them and to realize we are flawed, and to make that our strength.

... That is why you were chosen, I believe. You may call it a test, if you like, but living itself is like that. ... Not everyone has the strength of heart to decide to move forward after facing something like that. I know I almost didn't, myself.

[ Too many times, she had cried. Too many times, she'd screamed and wanted to give up or throw herself into the enemy's forces and let the pain be over. She KNOWS. Somehow, you can tell. There's sincerity there. ]

this thread. it's too amazing.

[princeofjunes]

[It's his turn to be taken aback - by several things]

[For a second there? He'd swear he's talking to Souji]

[There's something about not just the words, but the delivery - the sincerity he's only heard from a handful of people. Like Souji. The way where he's feeling not judged, but accepted for who he is, the good and the bad. Whatever possessed him to talk about his shadow, Yosuke at least picked the right person to talk to. His heart skips a beat, and he doesn't have a clue what to say. What can he even say? Hell, he 'thanked' Souji for everything with a brawl, and somehow that doesn't feel too terribly appropriate here]

[Somewhere in his hesitation and indecision? All he can do is laugh]

Sorry, I-

You just- you sort of sound like my best friend, back home. He's the one that got me through all that to begin with - facing my shadow and everything.

[He pats Link on the back, blushing and smiling]

Thanks. I really needed to hear that, Link. I owe you one.

IT'S ADORABLE IS WHAT IT IS.

[ocariness]

[ ... She looks relieved. W-way too much for her, she's not used to this. You know, she's just gonna flop down next to you, Brosuke. That couch looks inviting, anyway. ]

... I fought my own reflection once. It was--strange.

[ Heh. She just--removes her hat, messing with her blonde hair a bit. She really does hate these collars, they're so... restricting. She feels uncomfortable, and admittedly it's just odd not to have Navi resting on top of her head or something, so she's doing it for... something to do. ]

Did something like that... happen to you?

[princeofjunes]

[He casts an eye over at Link's equally impressive mess of hair with the hat off - blond huh? The messy style's a good look on him]

Kind of sort of not really?

When I said I was forced to face myself, I mean it in the most literal way you can think of. There was a copy of myself - voice, clothes, looks, everything. Except he started saying my deepest secrets, the things I didn't even want to admit to myself. Every horrible thing I tried to keep hidden.

If you can accept your other self as part of you? You can draw out it's power in really cool ways. And if you can't, it turns into a giant monster and tries to kill everyone around.

[ocariness]

[ Pausing to consider this vaguely. Imagining it is... bad enough. She can't particularly help but wonder if she could ever face something like that. ]

... You know, you're braver than you say. I honestly don't think I could face something like that.

[ The image to her is an ironic one, to be sure. Big courageous hero, afraid of people finding out one small little detail? Afraid of being alone or bullied or being left behind?

... Well, she'd said it herself. She's not enviable, not really. There were ways she was imperfect, too. ]

[princeofjunes]

[Yes you could, Link. You so could. You remind him so much of Souji in some ways it's frightening. He doesn't say that though, and instead only gives a sigh]

It was the worst experience of my life. Well, top three at least. But getting through that's one of the things that made me who I am today - and I kinda like who I am.

... plus, the extra power doesn't hurt.

[ocariness]

[ A small laugh escapes her. ]

... I'm sorry. I...

[ She shakes her head. ]

I am not normally very... good, with people. But it makes me happy to hear someone happy with themselves.

[ Maybe she's a little odd? But it's nice. ]

[princeofjunes]

[Not good with people? It's his turn to laugh and shake his head]

You're kidding, right?

Look, as much as I hate being stuck in this weird place, it might not be too terrible if I can keep meeting people like you. And to make me think that, you've got to be at least a little good with people.