ж. ii --- [ video ]

[bcuzofmiasma]

[ Naraku is clad in a white cloak of sorts, the hood down. The lighting in the room is extremely dim, and thus impossible to tell where he actually is. Naraku is facing away from the camera, one of his arms resting on his knee, and his back is up against a wall. He's sitting on the floor. He didn't seem to acknowledge the camera is on, until he turned to face it almost ten seconds after the feed began. Perhaps he activated it without actually touching it? ]

I am curious. What is the nature of the Animus' study?

[ It's becoming apparent that he is learning far more than what is safe for a man like Naraku to know. ]

Comments

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I do not require a 'heart' to gain strength.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[It's not a taunt so much as underscoring the importance - and that her view comes from experience:]

Everyone I've heard say that ended up defeated because they didn't understand the heart's importance.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I removed my own heart. I have since become more powerful than I ever had been before.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Power isn't strength. [She's taken on enemies staggeringly more powerful than her, and won because of the drive of her heart, for her friends and the world she loves and wants to protect.]

And I think... trying to remove your heart is sad. You're losing who you are.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I am losing who I was. And I welcome the change.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[She doesn't believe it's about power; power comes from the heart. So she only knows one other reason someone would want to throw it away.]

You must have been hurt badly before.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

[ He has a suspicion of what she's referring to. He shakes his head. ]

Such feelings would have only served to weaken me.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[She's not referring to anything; it's just that she can't understand wanting to throw away feelings unless those feelings had been painful.]

So you did feel them. But trying to cut them out won't solve it, either. You'll just bring yourself more pain. And everyone around you, too.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I am more than capable of dealing with pain. I have endured the destruction of my own body countless times. I am stronger for it.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

That's not the pain I mean. If you want to throw away your heart, isn't the pain you felt a pain of the heart?

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I rid myself of a weakness. A way to kill me. It required no decision.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Naraku. She never said it did.]

It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself of that.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I have already accomplished that.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[Doesn't sound it, the way you keep saying it over and over, like trying to convince yourself.]

It's alright to be hurt. It's normal, whether you're a human or demon, to have feelings; and sometimes painful things happen.

That's why we rely on our friends.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I am curious as to why you insist on pressing this topic.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[It's a good question, and makes her pause.]

I'm worried about everyone here. If you keep going like this, I'm worried you'd hurt them. [Normally she wouldn't say this so plainly, but he's made it pretty clear himself that he considers this a possibility if he decides to.]

And I've seen people destroyed this way before. I don't want you to end up like that.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

It is not me that you should be worried about.

[ That said, her choice of words was interesting, and gave him pause. She cares far too much about him. Why? ]

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[To her, it's natural, caring she'd extend to anyone.

It won't stop her from stopping him if she has to.]

As long as you keep doing these things, you're destroying yourself. Isn't that worrisome?

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

A phoenix is not reborn until it dies first.

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Don't let your heart die.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

I will not.

[ Because he would die if that happened. 8| ]

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Then I think you'll hold on to those feelings, somewhere inside you.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

[ He does have those feelings, and Naraku is aware of this. He's just very, very good at suppressing them. But... he felt the need to ask something. ]

You show far more interest in my 'feelings' than what is warranted. Why is this?

[video]

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Because everyone deserves to be thought about. I can't pretend I know you or have a special reason. It's just that.

[video]

[bcuzofmiasma.livejournal.com]

[ He is unsure of how to respond. For a few seconds, he simply stares at her through the camera, examining her. She seemed to be telling the truth. ]

You are naive.

[ It was really all that he could say. ]