week 6, post trial

[robitussin]

[Their numbers keep falling. Three people have died already this week, with two more on the way tomorrow. With the outburst the townspeople gave them once the results came through... If anyone were feeling downhearted, it's to be expected at this point. Things continuing at their current pace is a frightening thought, after all. Like last week, the offer to spend time together or meet in a central location doesn't come.

Hawks and Dabi wait for the morning in their cells, but the rest of the tourists are free to wander about the town as they please; free to rest, to talk with each other, and to try to gather strength wherever they can. So, where does the evening find you, Cartesio?]

Comments

[marmoron]

[Kino pls. He's already having a goddamn headache from having to lecture another person on friendship crap, don't make it worse.]

Have you seriously never had a friend before?

[quickpersuader]

[Kino tilts her head a bit in thought before shaking it.]

There's people I grew fond of in the countries I visited, but I only ever got to know them for the three days. Even in my original country, most of the other kids preferred to tease me over my name.

[marmoron]

[Perhaps getting sidetracked here, but...]

What's wrong with your name?

[quickpersuader]

It's not Kino, but... the name I was given when I was born. It's the name of a flower, but if you changed the pronunciation slightly, it became an insult.

[She actually looks... thoughtful.]

For a long time, I actually forgot what the name itself was. It wasn't until I got here that they reminded me what it was.

[marmoron]

"They" ...?

[quickpersuader]

The Sergeant, really. Unless someone else wrote out the secrets.

[marmoron]

Probably the Sergeant then.

[A beat.]

So what was your given name and how'd you end up picking Kino as the name you go by now?

[quickpersuader]

..."Sakura."

[A beautiful flower, indeed. But then, she looks away. Picking "Kino," huh...?]

The reason I left my country... is because a traveler named Kino came by. He stayed for three days and two nights, and taught me that adults weren't just people who underwent the operation to remove the "child" from their brains, and that it was possible to grow into one without being forced into a job you'd have to smile through. He told me he didn't really have a job or anything, but he still had fun, even though he was an adult. After hearing me sing, he even told me he thought I should become a singer.

It was all... unthinkable, in my country.

[She was the daughter of innkeepers. Becoming an innkeeper was her only path.]

When I decided to decline the operation to become an adult, my parents blamed him for interfering. They were going to let him go, as "reasonable adults," but I was going to be disposed of as my parents' failure. But before they could, he jumped in the way and took the knife meant for me.

Hermes was the one who convinced me to leave. I was so sure I would die like Kino did, but I felt a little proud that at least I would die as myself. Hermes, though... he had just been repaired by Kino that morning so they could leave. He saw what happened and told me that if I stayed, I would die... but that if I kicked away the stand and hopped on, I could survive.

I think you can guess which I chose.

[marmoron]

[Holy fucking shit, Kino. What is this infodump and why is it so Like This?

Keith takes a moment to take all of that in. A lot of it catches him off guard because it's as extreme as it is, but after the initial shock of it all starts to wear off a bit, he's left with a lot of concern for her. He doubts she'd appreciate it much, doubts she really needs it at this point. But whether she cares for it or not, its there.]

You know, Kino.

[Soft, contemplative. His earlier annoyance with the friend thing seems to have toned down significantly.]

You say that travelers aren't supposed to intervene in the lives of others. But where would you be if one hadn't intervened for you? You think this Kino was wrong?

[quickpersuader]

...I don't think he was wrong.

[It's not so much reluctant as it is thoughtful.]

It's just that... because of him, I made my decision. No matter what, I had to make sure I don't die.

I never want to just stand there while someone kills me again.

[It hadn't been an immediate resolution. Time passed, and she learned things, learned to fight. And once again someone tried to kill her, and at that moment-

That was when she stopped being Sakura for good. That was when she became Kino.]