thefarshore | Heaven's BBS

I have no interest in doing anything to him. What I want is a solution, because the present circumstances aren't acceptable.

[To be entirely frank about the matter]

If it was about raw power...I could've killed him, like some other god did. That's within my ability, but what does that achieve?

[Hibari forgets, and maybe he just does the same thing over and over again. Not to mention, he's unsure what the side-effects are. Monad had glitches — what does this world have?]

I'm responsible for my shinki. For their safety and well-being. He doesn't respond to words, and he doesn't respond to force.

I'm not sure why you think he'll respond any better to forced servitude.

[Hakkai makes a tiny, dismissive gesture, flicking the fingers of one hand out without uncrossing his arms.]

Release his name. I'm willing to take responsibility for his behavior towards your shinki in the future.

[Like some other god did. That's news to Hakkai: he'd assumed that Hibari's earlier death was against an ayakashi, while he'd been separated from Ren during the mess in the park. Does Roxas know more than that? Had he seen something?

It's nothing he's going to bother asking until this problem is resolved, but it's something he will keep in mind.]

[It seems natural to surmise it was a god, as far as Roxas is concerned. Were it anything else, no doubt Hibari's own god would've responded to it sooner.

Thus, it comes down to a difference of immediate, raw force. To him it appears a straightforward matter, so he doesn't think he's wrong]

You know nothing about me, or my intentions. But you are good at making assumptions... If he's your friend, it's to be expected.

[But he's not letting it rest with that, folding his arms across his chest]

You call it forced servitude, but he remained in vessel form no longer than it took to eliminate the ayakashi that would've killed him. He's not my shinki, but at this time, I would intervene if his safety were concerned...and nothing more. I acknowledge I bear some responsibility until this is settled.

[Statements of simple, plain fact]

I don't change my own shinki's forms without their consent, barring cases in which they would otherwise be killed. That was discussed and agreed on. They show up to joint missions, they do their work...and some other shinki injures them. I've got no reason to believe you're going to stop him, because no one has up to this point.

[He puffs out a sigh only for the sound, looking at his shoes, and shaking his head]

Strength exists to protect... But I should be speaking to him about this, when he calms down. Right about now...

[Roxas trails off, taking a half-step back and unfolding his arms so he can pull up a sleeve. Blight's livid against his skin]

Right now doesn't seem like the time for it.

He bears the name you gave him against his will. Whether you're leaving him in his other form or not, Roxas, you're forcing him to remain your shinki, because he has no power to reject his name.

[Hakkai's gaze flicks unsympathetically to the blight on Roxas's arm, and back to the shadows of his hood.]

I don't know when or where he encountered you or your shinki. I wasn't aware they'd been attacked. Now that I know, I can respond, and I will.

Unless you'd prefer to allow him to blight himself, and you, to death, of course.

It appears from your condition that that is the other option.

I wouldn't let that happen. The shinki I was assigned to...they've got their own darkness, and I'm used to it.

[Roxas replaces his sleeve, having no need to leave his skin exposed any longer than that, and folds his arms again]

His god must've known, because I responded that first time. I healed him afterward, out of respect for the fact that his god is responsible for him, but he wasn't deterred.

[And so once more he'll visit the same ground]

As I said, I plan to talk with him, if not his god too. But if we're talking about his agency...making a choice in his absence, about his future, isn't any better.

As long as you leave the name you gave him on his skin, you are bound together, regardless of whose responsibility you believe he is or whether you use him.

It doesn't matter what you're used to if you leave him to be consumed by fear.

[Hibari had been incoherent: it will eat at him. It won't get better. How does Roxas plan to manage his blight: does he think he can just endure? Wait it out until Hibari thinks of that extra bond as normal?

Hakkai notices, with an analytical interest, that he is starting to get very angry again.]

I think I can say with confidence that if you don't revoke his name, you will die.

If you think threatening me is going to be productive, we're wasting time.

[Because what it translates to is do what this guy wants, without speaking to the other party directly involved, or else. And where Roxas is concerned, those aren't reasonable terms.

Not to mention, he sees no reason why this guy thinks it's going to work that way. Shame he doesn't know threats aren't going to be effective, with something like him]

I've told you, more than once, that I'll talk to him or his god. But I won't make arrangements around those who are impacted by this. Not with you.

[Sigh! Audible, disappointed-sounding sigh.]

Roxas, I assure you, you would know if I were threatening you! I'm just explaining to you what will happen if you ignore a blighted shinki.

[It's something he's been terrified he'll do to Elsa for weeks now. There's no doubt in his mind about those consequences.]

You will die. So will he, and most likely Ren as well, unless Ren chooses to revoke his name before it's too late.

[Which he might: he's let Hibari slide over more problem behavior than Hakkai would have expected, but meaningless self-sacrifice may well be going too far.]

You're welcome to try to discuss this with Hibari instead, but I doubt he'll want to speak to you. Or, for that matter, be anywhere near you, ever again.

[He's silent for a time, as he weighs this. As much as a great amount of human behavior is either abstract or curious to Roxas, for one of a number of reasons, he knows what fear and anger are. His original had felt these, processed these.

Perhaps, ironically, Hibari is less capable of that than his original... Despite the real Roxas' relative youth. A difference in the nature of their darknesses, he supposes.

But efficiency is at the forefront of his considerations. He straightens his posture]

Even for his own well-being, huh... [Moving right along] Do you have contact information for Ren? If not Hibari himself...his god should be involved. I should...confirm his condition, as well.

[As a direct consequence of his actions, even if he's originally not intended these circumstances.

Even if that god has, so far as he's seen, regarded Hibari's behavior as some sort of charming quirk rather than something to be perhaps moderated, steered in more focused or productive directions]

I'm not taking his shinki from him. But if you're suggesting that you'll look after him, Ren is entitled to be aware of that.

Ren is well aware that I look after Hibari.

[Ren asked him to himself, in fact. It'd be different if Hibari were better at putting up with closeness, even for his own god, but since he's not, and Hakkai at least understands him...

Hakkai uncrosses his arms and reaches into his pocket for his phone, bringing up the contact list with a quick swipe of his thumb. He reads out Ren's phone number aloud.]

Allow me to be direct. I don't care if you want to blight yourself to death, but I won't allow you to destroy Hibari for that purpose. I expect you to revoke his name today.

[If the words are of any consequence to him, it doesn't show. All Roxas does is note the number and type a message out, and send it. He doesn't pocket his phone afterward, simply waiting with the device in-hand]

I have responsibilities that necessitate my continued existence. That's something I owed to my shinki.

[He doesn't care if his existence is seen as being of little value, after all, he considers it of little value, himself. The reason he continues to be, and the reason he exercises the degree of caution he does, is because it affects his shinki. His death would collaterally harm them.

And that's all]

I've got no interest in causing pain for no good reason, and I'll operate with my responsibilities in mind. In return, I'll be direct with you too - you're neither my maker, nor my master. The ones I answer to are the ones my actions are causing pain to now, and no others.

[Hakkai tucks his phone neatly back into his pocket and moves with abrupt, vicious speed to snatch for Roxas's coat collar and lift him off his feet.]

[Roxas is swift enough that he could avoid it, but he doesn't.

He just teleports away as soon as he's hauled off of the ground. Unfortunately for him, it's an abrupt enough move that he loses his phone in the process, hitting the pavement with a sharp clack.

And there, onscreen, is Roxas' message to Ren, having kept the page open in wait for a reply.

He'll be back when he realizes his phone's MIA, because how else is he going to confirm that someone else being blighted right now is on-board otherwise? Meanwhile, the phone's simply there]

[Hakkai takes a deep breath, opens his clenched hand slowly in midair, and puts it over his face.

Well, he should have seen that coming. If he does have to kill Roxas he'll need to do it before the man can teleport away.

Another deep breath, and he kneels to pick up Roxas's phone from the ground, scanning the message.

Oh. Oh. That's -- interesting. Isn't it. Roxas really doesn't have any clue whatsoever. Hasn't he asked anyone? Has he just been muddling his way through?

Hakkai puts Roxas's phone back in his other pants pocket, crosses his arms, and waits. He'll have to come back for it. Likely, soon. Hakkai would rather not give him the chance to grab it and run again.]

[It's no more than five minutes before Roxas returns, very nearly to the same spot. He doesn't make an attempt to engage Hakkai, instead looking about the pavement for his lost phone.

If he doesn't have that, he can hardly get Ren's confirmation that he's fine with this plan. And at least one person dealing with blight as a result of his actions really should weigh-in. Due to default...that'd be Ren.

Unfortunately he's not seeing his phone, bringing a hand in front of his hood approximately where his chin should be.

Did he drop it where he'd moved to, then...?

And if he can't find it, he'll need to get to a computer. At least the alternative exists, he supposes]

I assume you want your phone?

[Hakkai makes no move to take it out; in fact, he doesn't move. It's just much easier to keep his temper under control if he doesn't, and scaring the god off again would be annoying.]

By the way, what gave you the idea that having shinki assigned by the Heavens was the normal method?

[Roxas lets his hand drop to his side, turning to look up at Hakkai again. For his part, he's stark still, not even breathing.

But then, data-turned-corporeal doesn't have a need to]

If I can find it. [He suspects Hakkai wouldn't ask if he didn't have it, but he's not acting on that] If not, I'll find other means.

[Time is an issue, particularly with the awareness that Hibari won't calm down. He may have no fondness in him for the shinki, but causing collateral suffering when he was trying to stop it is a problem]

For those of us new to this system, assignment is the default course. Based on what I've read, that's not true of those who preceded us... [A pause. That nagging feeling that something will be calamitously wrong if he speaks doesn't get to him now... Perhaps it's because it's a theory?] but then, that'd make sense if it's not our world.

Edited 2016-07-30 10:45 (UTC)

No, it's not true of those who preceded us. It seems it's a way to handle having new shinki appear with no bonds. However, naming a shinki is the normal, accepted way of acquiring one.

To do so with a shinki who belongs to another god makes that shinki a stray. They are looked down upon, and most gods with strays use them for dirty and dangerous work, to avoid polluting their original shinki.

If you want to remove a name you'll have to revoke it actively.

[He moves at last to pull Roxas's cell phone out of his pocket and toss it Roxas's way with a gentle underhand. He's not getting too close: again, it's just easier to keep himself under control if he doesn't. His voice has stayed even and chilly throughout, and that's as calm as he's going to be.]

Don't do things if you don't know the implications, Roxas.

[He catches his phone and checks it promptly. No reply yet...]

I know those of this world look down on it, for reasons that aren't well-defined. I don't see a problem with working within a system, so I never had an interest in naming any shinki who wasn't assigned to me.

[And this much he can say with the same strange calm he's had for much of his exchange with Hakkai. It's less that he feels nothing about it, knowing now that Hibari won't calm down and the urgency that introduces to the equation, but he's tired. More so than he expected.

A side-effect of this ailment, he supposes]

But he's died once. Where I had no other way to prevent it, that was the only option. I've seen enough pointless death...and he was afraid.

[Monad had far, far too much death that served no purpose at all, only damaging those who died over and over again]

But that's the case now too, isn't it. [Roxas doesn't have to ask, not right now. He pockets his phone, shakes his head] While I wait for Ren's reply, I've got some information to find.

[Since actively revoke is...not exactly specific enough, for him. Does he just will it away, or is it a specific process?]

Edited (typos...) 2016-07-31 05:53 (UTC)

I meant that it's permanent, Roxas, not that it's looked down upon.

[But at least he seems willing to work with Hakkai now -- or with Ren, at least. As long as he's working with someone, Hakkai doesn't particularly care which of them it is.

He tilts his head slightly toward the courtyard gates.]

Don't let me keep you, then.

Unless it's information I might be able to help you with, of course.

I've taken up enough of your time.

[He checks his phone once more, even though it hasn't buzzed to indicate a new message yet, and closes it again. As he pockets it, he glances toward the gates as though he expects Hakkai might be looking at something of interest, but of course, there's nothing there]

Better get started.

[And without further ado, he vanishes]

Heaven's BBS | Text

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