What would your people do if they didn't have a leader?
[Serious question.]
You can't go pushing yourself this hard.
As far as we know Funeral Parlor's disbanded here. The only ones present are you myself and Inori. We aren't even in Tokyo anymore. Asgard is a completely different place. People can't get into contact with those they love and they get hated by others.
Without much knowledge of the situation there shouldn't be anymore need for you to push yourself so recklessly.
[Gai is actually silent for a moment, eyes distant.]
If I died, someone else would just rise to take my place. Maybe Shibungi, or maybe someone I haven't even considered. That's the way things are. It's a cycle, just like everything else.
I'm only where I am because things came together in a way for me to end up as the leader. That doesn't mean there aren't others who would be just as fitting for the job as I.
[His lips quirk up in a slight smirk.] I was just lucky. That's all there is to it.
[How can Gai talk about dying so easily? Shu's so tempted to punch him in the face right now but he'll refrain from doing so because Gai took Shu's pain earlier. ]
What about Inori and Ayase?
How would they feel if you left?
[There's some indication in his tone that he's angry, but he's doing a good job of controlling his inner turmoil. Getting mad at Gai isn't anything new to him at all. He knows he'll get over it in due time.]
Inori is a member of Funeral Parlor. All of us are prepared to accept the death of a comrade at any point. Those who can't handle the thought of losing someone they care about aren't cut out to be one of us.
From the very beginning I was never ready to join you.
Sacrifices are something I never accept. It's not normal to give up your life for a cause.
When you don't even realize who you're hurting in the process of it. Accepting death right away without even fighting or thinking of alternative strategies that'll result in less death rates. That's crazy.
Death should be prevented at all costs. Not accepted.
[First he'll give you a stare that says 'what the heck are you talking about?'. Then it stiffens a bit. Trying to get a handle on the situation but he doesn't know how to react to it.]
She was there when it happened. Now stop asking questions.
[There's a sharp edge to his voice now, a very clear indicator that he does not want to continue along this line of discussion. He's already said far more than he ever intended to and it's making him uncomfortable.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action
[Gai's been injured during Funeral Parlor operations. That was to be expected considering his position, but Shu gets the feeling it's something else.]
action
action
let him sit here and think about everything that is irrelevant and useless to the situation at hand.]
action
action
Do you even want to know what he's thinking about now, Tsutsugami Gai?]
action
[You should know that much by now, Shu.]
action
What would your people do if they didn't have a leader?
[Serious question.]
You can't go pushing yourself this hard.
As far as we know Funeral Parlor's disbanded here. The only ones present are you myself and Inori. We aren't even in Tokyo anymore. Asgard is a completely different place. People can't get into contact with those they love and they get hated by others.
Without much knowledge of the situation there shouldn't be anymore need for you to push yourself so recklessly.
Don't be stupid, Gai.
[Look who's talking.]
We're here to help too.
action
If I died, someone else would just rise to take my place. Maybe Shibungi, or maybe someone I haven't even considered. That's the way things are. It's a cycle, just like everything else.
I'm only where I am because things came together in a way for me to end up as the leader. That doesn't mean there aren't others who would be just as fitting for the job as I.
[His lips quirk up in a slight smirk.] I was just lucky. That's all there is to it.
action
What about Inori and Ayase?
How would they feel if you left?
[There's some indication in his tone that he's angry, but he's doing a good job of controlling his inner turmoil. Getting mad at Gai isn't anything new to him at all. He knows he'll get over it in due time.]
action
Inori would be fine. In the end, I wasn't the one chosen.
[So you take care of her in his place, Shu.]
action
[You better explain more, Gai.]
Inori's strong, but you're close to her. She'd be upset if you hurt yourself. You should know that better than anyone.
Being chosen or not has nothing to do with it. Your well being.
That is.
action
action
Sacrifices are something I never accept. It's not normal to give up your life for a cause.
When you don't even realize who you're hurting in the process of it. Accepting death right away without even fighting or thinking of alternative strategies that'll result in less death rates. That's crazy.
Death should be prevented at all costs. Not accepted.
action
But whether it's normal or not, it's something you're going to have to accept. There's no getting around that fact.
[This is code for 'drop it now, Shu.']
action
For him that means 'keep going'. Let's go with that.]
Someone who can fake being a lawyer and see voids definitely isn't normal.
What if I can't accept it?
[He's still pushing on it. You may have to spell it out more clearly.]
action
You don't have a choice.
[Now drop it.]
action
[Nope. Never dropping it.]
We're not even fighting anymore. Why do I have to accept it?
[Now he's just whining.]
action
Because I'm already dead.
[Yeah. Chew on that for a moment.]
action
Don't joke around.
There's no way you can be dead.
action
action
[Maybe it would help if Shu remembered how to breathe.]
action
[This is him very deliberately not answering the 'how' part.]
action
That doesn't answer my question.
You need to explain everything from the very beginning.
Does...Does Inori know?
action
[There's a sharp edge to his voice now, a very clear indicator that he does not want to continue along this line of discussion. He's already said far more than he ever intended to and it's making him uncomfortable.]
action
Something that important too.
What do you mean there when it happened?
[Asking more questions.]
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action
action HOW DO I TIMELINE
action WE JUST DON'T KNOW
1/ 2 action Bending time aw yes
2/2
action
action
action
action
action
action
action