high_seas | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Yu and Izanami (and no doubt the rest of the Bloody Roses will be popcorn.gif)
Where: The Golden Rapier
When: After this public dismissal.
What: A confrontation and discussion looooooong overdue.
Warnings: Izanami raging.
Style: Prose.
Status: Closed to crew

Izanami was enraged and she didn't know why.

Honestly, she should not have been surprised that the child would not trust her. She had not exactly given him any reason to, starting with the fact that she had instigated the events that led to the deaths of three humans and enough terror to grip an entire town in her fog. Still, actually hearing it, in public no less, had been more than enough to tip her off, and she could not understand why.

She went storming through the ship, hunting down the boy. She was not yet sure what she would say to him, just that there were words that needed to be said that had long needed to be said.

Unfortunately, her mortality was a constant reminder of her vulnerability, and this was no different. Her kimono snagged on a wooden column as she made her way below decks, catching her off guard and that in addition to the swaying of the ship made her lose her footing. Izanami landed hard on her knees, pain shooting up her legs, along her spine, and back down her arms. She flinched, his breath catching in her throat the only thing keeping her from screaming in her rage and frustration.

"Child!" she called, just barely keeping her anger in check. "Where are you?"

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She wasn't the only one severely pissed off; it took a lot for the boy to feel this much anger and in that one small statement he made to her, he felt like he had the right to be. He wasn't one to play pretend and believe everything was hunky dory as he played cook to a bunch of women (and Undertaker) who could most likely kill him in an instant. Except for Conchita, she's just really odd with her taste in food.

And in one of the rooms not too far from the kitchen area, Yu was waiting for her. Yeah, he kind of expected something like this considering how much of a hot button issue this was.

Of course he wasn't going to respond to her summons; why ever would he want to make it easy for her? Her memories of so long ago were dim, but she could almost swear Izanagi did something similar to this before, making her chase after him before they had descended to Earth. She wanted to scream at the whole situation as she climbed back up to her feet, flinching as she saw her knees were bright red.

Izanami took a moment to take a breath, trying to calm herself (and failing), before she approached his door and knocking. Had she had her powers, she would have knocked the door clear off its hinges, and as it was she shoved it open hard enough to have it bang against the wall without waiting for an answer.

"Truly, child? This is how you wished to play this?" she began. "It would have been kind of you to inform me that you wanted to pretend we trusted one another. I would have tried harder to convince you to join us instead of resorting to kidnapping!"

"Who's playing?"

It was low and quiet, trying not to raise his voice so the entire ship could drop in and watch the festivities. This was already enough as it is. Just the fact that she thought he assumed anything was a dead lie to begin with. He wanted to trust her, felt like that they were on the road to actually understanding each other but then things happened and he felt rather betrayed.

Once a liar, always a liar.

"I thought I could that night...before Undertaker decided to surprise me."

"I--"

She had a good retort waiting... if he had responded how she expected he would. Instead, he had to go and say that, and for a moment she actually recoiled, at a loss for words. It seemed so ludicrous that he would even consider trusting her, to the point where she blurted out the first response that came to mind.

"Have you taken complete leave of your senses!?" she exclaimed, her voice reaching a shrill pitch she did not know she was capable of. It, like so many other things, hurt, and she paused a moment to press a hand to her throat. She cleared her throat, before letting her hand drop.

"Let us take inventory, shall we?" she asked, beginning to pace. "I granted any outsider that came to Inaba the ability enter what you called the 'TV world', not just you and my other two representatives. I sat by, watching as Emptiness took two lives from the world, and continued to watch as Despair shared his desperation with others. Even when your Hope pierced their deception, I did not reveal myself until you sought me out."

She paused, whirling on him and giving him a very pointed glare.

"And let us not forget, when you came to challenge me, I made you watch as I dragged every single one of the individuals you held dear to their deaths, before taking you myself."

Again she paused, letting that sink in.

"Just what part of that would even let you consider treating me as a trustworthy individual?"

"...would I have killed Despair and Emptiness knowing how I personally felt?" it was his turn to ask the question. They both knew the answer: he couldn't no matter what they did. Namatame was the one who pushed his friends into the TV but he believed that he was saving them due to Adachi's manipulation. And then Nanako was dragged into that mess...gods how much pain he felt from that alone made him question everything.

"It would've made me feel good pushing Namatame into the other world but for how long? When would I start to notice the blood on my hands if both of them were to die? None of it was worth it...and I believed in justice being sought out. It wasn't for me to decide their fates."

Why couldn't she see what he saw? How come he could always look on the brighter side and yet all she could focus on was the terrible? Even when she had made him watch all his friends get dragged down, followed by himself...but then that emptiness that he should've felt...wasn't there. He knew he wasn't alone and that made him stronger. But why...why trust her?

"Would you rather be scoffed and prefer to be labeled as evil or the 'bad guy' because of something like a misunderstanding? Yes, I hated the fact that I lost my friends during that fight but I knew that I was never alone, just like I told you. What right did I have to leave you at that fountain when you could barely even walk?"

Once again, Izanami found herself at a loss for words. She couldn't follow his logic; why was he so forgiving? It extended beyond him representing hope; this was near recklessness. Even she would not have trusted herself after that list she gave him, and he was right to assume that any of his companions that would show up would feel the same.

So why? Why did he have to be so forgiving?

Why did he have to be so much like him?

"...you had every right," she finally said, calmer, pressing her hands together. "Of what I do understand of humanity, I know it is natural for your kind to want to push away that which you do not agree with. It was shown clearly during your year in Inaba, and even now, you only prove it yourself. Instead of making use of your skills and making the most of your situation by adding to your bonds, you hide away, and shun the crew, for the mere fact that you disagree with... a misunderstanding."

"If you were forced into a situation like I was, would you really feel like opening up to anyone? Then tell me this: how many of the crew had to be taken the same way?"

It was a legitimate question of course. Just by his observations, everyone enjoyed each other's company. They were having fun and actually being pleasant with each other. But when Yu watched it, he felt like more of an outsider. If anything, as much as he would get along with everyone...to him, it wouldn't feel right. It wouldn't be a genuine bond.

"How can I bond with everyone when it feels more forced than grow naturally? You may not see anything wrong here but I do. If things were different such as free will, we wouldn't be doing this right now."

"'Forced'?" she echoed, the expression on her face a clear clue that she did not understand what he was getting at in the slightest. "How is this any different? You had no choice but to form bonds in Inaba; how else would you have had the power to get past all that you had? Without the bonds you had to make, you would not have made it past your first obstacle, much less myself."

It was frustrating; she knew he had a point to make, but she could not see it. What was it she was missing here?

He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. She really didn't get it.

"Imagine yourself in my place. You're forced to do something that you didn't want in the first place." he whispered, staring straight at her. He's familiar with the story and she should know it.

"I might be able to move around the ship but I can't leave without trying to escape. It's freedom for you but for me...it's nothing more than a prison."

And the last question is whispered so quietly like he's afraid to bring it up but it needed to be said in order to drive his point home.

"You should know how I feel because it happened to you a long time ago."

For a moment, Izanami forgot that she needed to breathe. She understood now, and with that understanding came a tightening in her heart that literally made her chest ache painfully. A hand went to her chest as if that would help, but it didn't; it felt like her blood had been replaced with ice water, and a tingling, numb feeling started in her fingers and spreading up her arms.

It took a moment, but she slowly lowered her hand. She couldn't look up at him, couldn't meet his eyes, and that only served to infuriate her. She was not like this; not so weak that she could just be taken down with words, but... she would not do to another what was done to her.

"...leave then," she said softly. "When we make port, just... leave."

She turned around quickly at that, moving to leave the room as fast as she could.

Edited 2013-10-02 05:59 (UTC)

Undertaker had been in the hold making some final touches to his workstation when he overheard the commotion on the upper level. A scuffle, angry voices-- he had assumed there to be a catfight unfolding, so with a shake of the head, he'd quickly finished his task to head upstairs.

A peek in on the ladies, a glance around deck, and nothing seemed to be too out of sorts... but with a keen ear, he could pick up a rather stern conversation, surely between the cook anddd... Izanami? A lover's quarrel, perhaps? (He'd chuckled a bit at the notion because he was certain it'd cause fits.)

Quietly, he approached, but it seemed that he only caught the end of the conversation - though it was enough, certainly.

On her rush out, not more than a few paces from the door, she would run squarely into Undertaker's chest. Sensing her distress, he would only grasp her shoulders with a tilt of the head, perhaps a touch more gentle than the norm.

"Careful there, goddess! You've already taken a spill once, can't afford to scuff yourself up further, mm?"

Edited 2013-10-02 06:11 (UTC)

Izanami let out a startled noise, looking up at Undertaker as if she could not understand why he was there. It took her a moment, before she finally stepped out of his grasp, moving to go around him.

"...excuse me," she murmured, her stomach churning, wanting to look back and scream, but at the same time wanting to retreat as fast as she could.

...she hated it. She couldn't understand any of it.

"IZANAMI." Grell stood not too far away from Undertaker, yet far enough so that Izanami didn't run into her. She had heard the conversation since she was standing nearby earlier, and only moved instantaneously to catch Izanami before she left. A hand was on her hip, and she looked irritated. "I shall remind you that dismissing any one of the crew is NOT within your power. Should he leave without permission, he will be considered a deserter, and I will have every right to KILL HIM."

A sharp grin came over her face, however.

"Then you'll be required to find us a new cook, or I'll feed you to Miss Conchita~!"

"Now, now," Undertaker turned to address the ladies, particularly Grell. "We cannot afford to go about losing a third of our crew at such a time."

Certainly, he seemed as though he may have been attempting to speak reason with the caption, and yet, when he weighed an arm onto her shoulder and leaned down closer to the goddess-turned-mortal, his grin twisted into something a touch more callous.

"Wouldn't it be wise to ensure that they've served their purpose at Port Chance first? Then let them decide their own fate, I say..."

Izanami stopped dead in her retreat, her expression having not budged, but inside? In addition to the shame that was churning in her gut and the pain that was making her heart constrict in her chest, now there was only what could be described as blind fury on top of that. Her limbs shook, almost feeling as if they were separate entities from her. The churning in her gut and the tightness in her chest only got worse, to the point where she thought she would be ill if she so much as flinched. So this was what rage felt like to a mortal being… she had to admit, of all the sensations she had come across so far, it was certainly the most unpleasant of them.

"Grell," she began, her voice low and frigid, darker than the deepest pits of Yomi, "you may be captain, but it was by my own wish that he be brought here. If I so desire that my representative leave, that is my own business."

She turned toward them then, seeming larger than life despite her small stature, every bit the goddess she was meant to be… though perhaps the fog that seemed to seep up from the floor to gather about her feet had something to do with that. She did not seem to notice, however, her rage boiling over into her eyes, almost making it appear that they were glowing red.

"Lay hands upon him, and I will assure you, you will wish it was the last thing you ever did when I am done."

She let that promise hang heavy in the air, before turning away to continue to her room, the fog slipping away as if it had never been…

All Grell could do was continue to grin. It was a threat, yes, but she always did enjoy danger. All of this was laughable, really! "You're very misinformed about what you can and cannot do, Miss Izanami." Such as the display of fog. "Perhaps you should read up while you cool off, hmm~?"

She watched as Izanami retreated to wherever she may be headed toward, then looked to Undertaker. "I will NOT retract my statement. Perhaps because I do wish that to be the last thing I EVER do!" She cackled as she made her way above deck. It would be worth being threatened over!

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