[Shirasu, why...? He gives the usual (⭐ー_ー💧) look, reaching up to brush the water away with the back of a hand. At least Shirasu gets a bop in the head. It's all he can be thankful for.]
[ Minato twists his wrist so the ball can swing around and bop Hisoka on the chest. He really has no idea what this is and why Hisoka handed it to him, but it's sort of fun. ]
You sound like you're getting along. It's a first step to being used to others.
[Both brows raise in return, but he doesn't say anything in response. Instead, he reaches up to finagle Minato's hands around to hold the scooped toy up. He puts the ball on the spike on the top.
There.
And then he holds Minato's hand to show how it's done without speaking over Shirasu. Minato has to catch the ball on one of the sides without letting it fall, and then back on the spiked top. Hisoka is good at it; of course he is.]
Minato keeps his eyes trained on how to use the toy, which looks simple enough to do if he can get the timing right; it's probably one of those hand-eye coordination exercises that'd be useful for him to learn, whether it's for juggling or whatever. But he can pay attention to this and talk with Shirasu at the same time, casual conversations that don't really need that much thought because he's pretty open and honest about anything he says anyways. ]
Everybody's been good to me. I get yelled at a lot, but they're always understandable reasons. Which is weird, 'cause there's people who don't seem to get along with either of you. But it's easy to get along with you two. So it's weird.
It's because they're weak. They know they aren't strong enough to save you. That's their own problem.
[Once it seems like Minato gets the hang of the toy, Hisoka leans back and folds his hands behind his head. While it's not mottled purple or anything, there's a darker red line around the middle of his neck, the edges spotted similarly. Hm.
[ What happened, Hisoka... Minato may or may not notice that, playing with his new toy, but he has no idea what it'd mean anyways so it's easy to not mind it. ]
You think they avoid you because they're scared of you?
[ Which is again, weird, to Minato just sitting here in the murder corner. People aren't scared of him at all, huh. They're probably more scared for him, than anything. He glances up at the both of them in turn, ball slipping out of its cup and falling onto his lap. ]
Does it bother you? Or are you fine letting people think and do whatever?
[No, they avoid him because he's grossly creepy, and no one has figured out he is repelled by return fire or lack of interesting reaction.]
It doesn't bother me. What people think is their own downfall.
[Leaning forward, he drapes an arm over Minato's shoulder and leans on the boy's back conspiratorially. He doesn't whisper by Minato's ear because the fun is in Shirasu hearing whatever he's saying.]
What a funny thing to say, he's use to it. It sounds like he has a lot of secrets, too, doesn't he? I wonder what they are...
[ Teej... what does that mean... also I love/hate that Hisoka's considering yeeting Minato back to the living because of return fire.
Minato leans back to consider Hisoka first, and then Shirasu. There are probably plenty of secrets between them, aren't there? On Minato's part, nobody asks and therefore he doesn't offer, and he can imagine the same sort of situation with either of them.
"Minato, Hisoka lied to you" is something he's been told time and time again too, each time with him responding "So?" because he didn't care. He cares very little for Shirasu's secrets too, unless they actively harm others. ]
Shirasu... is a good person. A good teacher. He's calm and agreeable and reliable. He went out of his way to take care of me. And he appreciates texture over flavor. These aren't really secrets, but... they're things people don't always realize, I think.
[hisoka gets an annoyed look at his prompting, but... minato's answer is thoroughly distracting, because he just doesn't know what to do with something like that.
to focus on those things, instead of anything else he's done or what he said before about not wanting to bother helping...]
You do remember I killed your partner, don't you, Minato-kun?
[he's had memory loss before this is a valid question
but it's also hard to reconcile that with minato then calling him a good person.]
Hmm. That's cute. Shirasu does make a good partner.
[Hisoka just smiles at Shirasu. Minato thinks you're a good person, dawg.]
Ah. We did do that. [Since Minato already knows about his end. Without any hesitation, Hisoka picks the ball right out of Minato's lap and puts it back onto the spiked top of the toy.] But we did it for a good reason, right? Because she was dangerous.
That's what matters. So you can still be a good person who appreciates texture over flavor.
[ Minato nods slowly, going back to playing with the toy because Hisoka's kind enough to explain all of that for him. ]
I dunno about dangerous, but you had a reason, right? Killing is a lot of effort... it's not worth it without a good reason. Will you tell me why, now? Shirasu. Hisoka.
[ Even if it's just a number's game, he thinks he'll understand. People who appreciate texture can't be all bad; they're the ones who understand there's more to things than what's readily apparent, that things are layered and overlap and influence things indirectly and unconsciously. ]
Ah, no one who asked me saw fit to tell you? That's a shame-- but all right.
[first of all-- shirasu shakes his head.]
You have things backwards. Killing is easy-- it's far simpler to remove a problem than it is to solve it, and there's nothing hard about ending a life. The difficult thing is leaving troublesome people alive.
[there's a hum, there, as he leans back and gets comfortable.]
Kazuaki wasn't troublesome, though. Your partner died for precisely that reason: he was your partner. If framing Four was successful, I didn't intend to leave it all up to chance-- I chose someone I wanted to be an available partner.
[Likewise, Hisoka unravels himself from Minato's shoulder and leans back, folding his arms over his chest. He doesn't look disgruntled or pleased; a kind of Mona Lisa-sort of thing. Somewhere between indifferent and amused maybe.]
No one believed Four did it, however. Mission failed. Funny.
This whole time, she was doing what no one thought she would do. Her role was "protective," Lune said. Not in the way everyone believed.
[ Listening to Shirasu speak, for the first time since he's arrived here, Minato looks shaken, holding his breath with his fists clenched in his lap because
Kazuaki died because of him
Somebody else died because of him, in a way that he couldn't have known or have done anything to change it but it's still his fault. Because he... probably because people liked him, they wouldn't kill him, and maybe that's why Shirasu thought he was the safest person to partner with? But everybody liked Kazuaki too? Shirasu could have just killed Minato and been done with it. Besides, how safe a partner could Minato be if he would just die on his own, if you leave him be? Maybe it was too early for Shirasu to realize that.
But, whatever... There's no use guessing why. Minato takes a breath and flops back, regardless of whoever's legs or torso is in the way, they're obligated to be his pillow now. ]
You really didn't get along with Four, huh... Sorry all your efforts went to waste. Both your efforts.
[ Also, hey, why did it take two people to kill one bird, what the heck ]
[it's probably hisoka who's a pillow now, I hope anna regrets saying he was behind minato
but at that, he exhales a slightly more annoyed sigh.]
I meant to try to work with her, after that failed, but-- they certainly threw everything into disarray, exposing me. They even went and made the task I was working on impossible to finish... but at least they found out a bit about how unpleasant she truly is.
[he's a little salty! but that's Fine.]
But here we all are now, I suppose. We'll see how well the others whittle down their numbers without people like us to do it for them.
It'll be easier to blindly guess with less people... I guess... Is the task you were working on something that last person can help with, or is it all for naught?
I feel it may be more frustration than entertainment, but we'll see. Perhaps there will be some entertainment in watching a failure as well?
[he has... so little faith.
but he shakes his head in response to minato.]
I meant it was one I took on here-- my exposure made the conditions impossible to fulfill. But I doubt most of them would bother to help with my business at home, either.
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Hi, Shirasu. Hisoka.
[ He has no idea how to play with the toy, so he lets the ball drop to lightly bop Shirasu on the forehead. ]
Being shy is okay... You can take your time becoming comfortable with others.
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shirasu pushes himself to sit up with a sigh, then, but minato at least doesn't get the same treatment for bopping his head.]
Don't bother listening to him, Minato-kun. I'm quite used to others.
[calling him cute... he is going to end hisoka]
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He's right. You can take your time with others.
[He smiles shittily from behind Minato.]
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You sound like you're getting along. It's a first step to being used to others.
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[he raises a brow at hisoka, there. binch. but clearly they're just like, being friendly, and he quickly turns his attention back to minato.]
Have you been getting along with everyone else here, so far, or has anyone given you trouble?
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There.
And then he holds Minato's hand to show how it's done without speaking over Shirasu. Minato has to catch the ball on one of the sides without letting it fall, and then back on the spiked top. Hisoka is good at it; of course he is.]
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Minato keeps his eyes trained on how to use the toy, which looks simple enough to do if he can get the timing right; it's probably one of those hand-eye coordination exercises that'd be useful for him to learn, whether it's for juggling or whatever. But he can pay attention to this and talk with Shirasu at the same time, casual conversations that don't really need that much thought because he's pretty open and honest about anything he says anyways. ]
Everybody's been good to me. I get yelled at a lot, but they're always understandable reasons. Which is weird, 'cause there's people who don't seem to get along with either of you. But it's easy to get along with you two. So it's weird.
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[that comes with a brief sigh, there. why is minato.]
Most aren't quite as interested in getting along with those who would kill willingly.
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[Once it seems like Minato gets the hang of the toy, Hisoka leans back and folds his hands behind his head. While it's not mottled purple or anything, there's a darker red line around the middle of his neck, the edges spotted similarly. Hm.
It's fine, don't mind it.]
Or themselves.
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You think they avoid you because they're scared of you?
[ Which is again, weird, to Minato just sitting here in the murder corner. People aren't scared of him at all, huh. They're probably more scared for him, than anything. He glances up at the both of them in turn, ball slipping out of its cup and falling onto his lap. ]
Does it bother you? Or are you fine letting people think and do whatever?
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shirasu shrugs at the question, though, waving a hand dismissively.]
Would he act the way he does if it bothered him?
[clowns are going to creep, apparently. it's just how he is.]
I'm quite used to that sort of treatment, myself. It hasn't bothered me here.
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It doesn't bother me. What people think is their own downfall.
[Leaning forward, he drapes an arm over Minato's shoulder and leans on the boy's back conspiratorially. He doesn't whisper by Minato's ear because the fun is in Shirasu hearing whatever he's saying.]
What a funny thing to say, he's use to it. It sounds like he has a lot of secrets, too, doesn't he? I wonder what they are...
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Minato leans back to consider Hisoka first, and then Shirasu. There are probably plenty of secrets between them, aren't there? On Minato's part, nobody asks and therefore he doesn't offer, and he can imagine the same sort of situation with either of them.
"Minato, Hisoka lied to you" is something he's been told time and time again too, each time with him responding "So?" because he didn't care. He cares very little for Shirasu's secrets too, unless they actively harm others. ]
Shirasu... is a good person. A good teacher. He's calm and agreeable and reliable. He went out of his way to take care of me. And he appreciates texture over flavor. These aren't really secrets, but... they're things people don't always realize, I think.
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to focus on those things, instead of anything else he's done or what he said before about not wanting to bother helping...]
You do remember I killed your partner, don't you, Minato-kun?
[he's had memory loss before this is a valid question
but it's also hard to reconcile that with minato then calling him a good person.]
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[Hisoka just smiles at Shirasu. Minato thinks you're a good person, dawg.]
Ah. We did do that. [Since Minato already knows about his end. Without any hesitation, Hisoka picks the ball right out of Minato's lap and puts it back onto the spiked top of the toy.] But we did it for a good reason, right? Because she was dangerous.
That's what matters. So you can still be a good person who appreciates texture over flavor.
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I dunno about dangerous, but you had a reason, right? Killing is a lot of effort... it's not worth it without a good reason. Will you tell me why, now? Shirasu. Hisoka.
[ Even if it's just a number's game, he thinks he'll understand. People who appreciate texture can't be all bad; they're the ones who understand there's more to things than what's readily apparent, that things are layered and overlap and influence things indirectly and unconsciously. ]
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[first of all-- shirasu shakes his head.]
You have things backwards. Killing is easy-- it's far simpler to remove a problem than it is to solve it, and there's nothing hard about ending a life. The difficult thing is leaving troublesome people alive.
[there's a hum, there, as he leans back and gets comfortable.]
Kazuaki wasn't troublesome, though. Your partner died for precisely that reason: he was your partner. If framing Four was successful, I didn't intend to leave it all up to chance-- I chose someone I wanted to be an available partner.
So, of course, yours had to go.
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No one believed Four did it, however. Mission failed. Funny.
This whole time, she was doing what no one thought she would do. Her role was "protective," Lune said. Not in the way everyone believed.
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Kazuaki died because of him
Somebody else died because of him, in a way that he couldn't have known or have done anything to change it but it's still his fault. Because he... probably because people liked him, they wouldn't kill him, and maybe that's why Shirasu thought he was the safest person to partner with? But everybody liked Kazuaki too? Shirasu could have just killed Minato and been done with it. Besides, how safe a partner could Minato be if he would just die on his own, if you leave him be? Maybe it was too early for Shirasu to realize that.
But, whatever... There's no use guessing why. Minato takes a breath and flops back, regardless of whoever's legs or torso is in the way, they're obligated to be his pillow now. ]
You really didn't get along with Four, huh... Sorry all your efforts went to waste. Both your efforts.
[ Also, hey, why did it take two people to kill one bird, what the heck ]
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but at that, he exhales a slightly more annoyed sigh.]
I meant to try to work with her, after that failed, but-- they certainly threw everything into disarray, exposing me. They even went and made the task I was working on impossible to finish... but at least they found out a bit about how unpleasant she truly is.
[he's a little salty! but that's Fine.]
But here we all are now, I suppose. We'll see how well the others whittle down their numbers without people like us to do it for them.
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It will be entertaining to watch. I'll be very angry if they mess up.
[Which will... maybe be the case considering. It's not even a 50/50 chance probably. More like 70/30. It's fine.]
Ah well. We're all supposed to be here except for one. Good luck.
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It'll be easier to blindly guess with less people... I guess... Is the task you were working on something that last person can help with, or is it all for naught?
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[he has... so little faith.
but he shakes his head in response to minato.]
I meant it was one I took on here-- my exposure made the conditions impossible to fulfill. But I doubt most of them would bother to help with my business at home, either.
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What kind of business did you have at home...?
[He's looks horrifically curious and maybe pretty amused. Since, you know, he likes pushing Shirasu's buttons most of the time.]
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Yeah, what were you doing at home? I'll help.
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