text;week 2

[p_mortem]

[ Right... The watch thing can function as a phone, is what Minato had been told, though it's been largely silence on his wrist and he hardly ever bothers with it. The lack of correspondence is normal and is fine with him, but it's times like this where he thinks it useful for reaching out to people, both who he's talked to and not. ]

Just wondering... Does anybody have a dog, or knows how to take care of dogs? Or know if it's okay for a dog to eat nothing but curry for a week...

[ The answer to his last question is obviously a "no," but it leads to the question he's implying but doesn't really want to admit. AKA he has no idea what to feed a dog, as he was the one in charge of taking his out for a walk but not of meals, and it's since dawned on him that a strict diet of curry isn't the best for either people or dogs.


For those who'd rather speak in person, Minato will most likely be found in his room, laying flat on his back on his bed, Koromaru flopped over on his stomach. Both of them seem listless— the usual, for Minato, but quite unusual for the dog who'd be the first to jump to his feet to greet you at the door. ]

Comments

[p_mortem]

[ Koromaru gets up for this, approaching Natsume at the edge of the bed and

places his paw on Natsume's open hand. A "handshake." It's good to meet you too, Natsume, he seems to be saying— Minato can tell, even without Aigis here to translate for him. ]

The two of you seem to be getting along already.

[ He's glad for them, and it also leaves him free to dig under the slices of meat and help himself to rice. Maybe the weakness and fatigue isn't because he's sick; maybe he's just hungry. But he feels a little better now, just chewing over grains of rice and watching Koromaru look up at Natsume expectantly. ]

[crystallomancy]

[ ...He can't help it, he's smiling a little genuinely. Just a bit, and he shakes Koromaru's paw lightly. ]

Good BOY. You're well-trained, aren't YOU? I'm impresSED. ♪

[ Koromaru gets some additionally scratches behind his ear, once Natsume lets go of his paw. And though Natsume's eyes are only for Koro-kun at the moment, he's hardly the type of guest to leave conversation hanging... ]

That's good to HEAR. I don't think I could take it if an animal disliked ME. [ This is a joke, probably; it's lightly said, and Natsume doesn't generally take offense to such things, even if he pointedly attempts to avoid being hated in any sense. ] They say such creatures can sense those who are good and those who are BAD... Being liked by them is a sign that one lies in the former GROUP, or so I've HEARD.

[p_mortem]

[ Koromaru's tail wags a little faster, a happy whine escaping as he leans into the scratches. Minato loves him in his own way, but pats and scratches- he misses those. ]

I believe that too. Koromaru's a great judge of character. [ Between the priest, Shinjiro, and then himself, the people Koromaru gets attached to seem to die untimely deaths... but at least they're good people, there's no disputing that.

On the other hand, he likes to believe Koromaru is much like himself in that they want to believe people are good and kind, only on the defensive when the other side appears an obvious threat. ]

If you're good to animals, they'll be good back. That's how it is, with people too, probably.

SORRY FOR THE WAIT.....

[crystallomancy]

[ Don't jinx him, Minato, he intends to live a long, successful life. ]

There are people who'd take advantage of that kindness instead of simply returning IT. [ Said a bit like a warning, but he keeps scratching Koromaru and he doesn't seem... displeased by the sentiment, though. ] But animals have no such ulterior moTIVES. ♪

[ mostly. he definitely has cats who take advantage of his willingness to give into their cute meows. but anyway, ]

...Some people don't have those eiTHER, [ he's conceding a little, on his own point, ] but they're a rare BREED.

[p_mortem]

[ Okay fine, Koromaru will love him slightly less to death.

Minato agrees with Natsume's assessment, though, if only because Koromaru seems to have so much love to give- he'd lived a tough life, but one filled with good people, and there will never be a dearth of those if Minato can help it. ]

There's rarely a need for ulterior motives, I think... You can be kind to somebody, and if you need something from them, you ask. Usually, people are happy to help.

[crystallomancy]

That doesn't mean they don't have ulterior moTIVES. [ He glances at Minato, head tilted slightly. ] It just means they're willing to HELP, and cash in on a favor later ON.

[ So it's better just to not owe anyone anything, if you can help it, really. It's a little shrewd for someone his age, maybe, but. ]

[p_mortem]

[ That's how he used to live- keep to himself, don't bother anybody and they won't bother him- but in terms of helping and doing favors... If in the end, you break even, isn't that fine as well? ]

That's not always a bad thing... Interacting with people, helping each other... Both sides benefit, in that way, and so that's how much of the world operates.

[ Objectively speaking, as Natsume seems to be the sort of person who'd appreciate things objectively spoken, the win-win situation is always the most appealing. ]

[crystallomancy]

[ He is the kind of person who appreciates that, yeah, not a bad assertion to make, though... He thinks, or can't help but think, that's a pretty optimistic look on things.

...Well, it isn't like that's a bad thing. As someone whose unit is founded on the idea of "delivering happiness through magic" he can't. Really. Super judge that. ]

You're right, in a WAY. ♪ [ It's not enough to really fuss over right now anyway, with sick still being a thing and a cute puppy to pet. ] Are you fond of peoPLE? Most people are, so that seems a silly quesTION, but I'd like to ask it anyWAY.

[p_mortem]

[ Is he fond of people? It's a simple yes or no question that is met with silence, because yes, he is deeply fond of people- of everything they've done and all the things they're capable of doing and... it's those same things that makes him less fond of them too, recognizing too well the struggles of day to day life, the frustration and resentment and spite that people are so capable of, the ugliness of human nature that drives them, the ugliness that makes them stop trying, he knows and is and understands all of these.

And yet- ]

I'm very fond of them. I'd like it if people could come to enjoy life... and I'd like to do what I can to make that happen.

[crystallomancy]

[ It's Natsume's turn to fall silent, watching Minato curiously, before he turns his attention back to Koromaru, gaze dipping with the slight fall of his head. ]

You're full of interesting anSWERS. [ He likes that, actually. It's interesting in a different way than he's experienced so far. Less monologuing involved. ] ...It reminds me, a litTLE, of someone I admired very MUCH.

[ Wataru, he's sure, would like Minato. Whether Minato would like him back is another question, given how Wataru is, but... Anyway. ]

[p_mortem]

[ He's full of words cobbled together to form some semblance of an answer, but he's glad his intentions come across despite how long it takes for him to piece them together. ]

If you admire somebody like that... you must think the same way? You like people?

[crystallomancy]

[ ...This probably isn't a question that requires thought—it's yes or no after all—but Natsume tucks his longer piece of hair behind his ear idly and doesn't answer immediately, anyway. ...Does he think the same? Does he like people?

He has to, a little, if he wishes to bring them happiness, he supposes, so he gives a small shrug. ]

In some WAYS. [ He's not a child anymore like last year, but he isn't... It's hard to like people when you sat among the audience, listening to them vilify a senior you respected, just because they heard baseless rumors, that their group was to blame for this or that. How heartless, humans can be. How hateful. How... ] I wouldn't offer my services if I did NOT.

[p_mortem]

[ Sometimes yes or no questions are the hardest to answer. But he thinks Natsume answered it well enough, very fairly liking people in only some ways. They're similar in that respect, he thinks, wanting to do what they can for the world so it'll be a less shitty place. ]

How are your services going, by the way? Have you made a lot of people smile?

[crystallomancy]

As well as you might as exPECT. [ So: not terribly well, but not a complete dead-end, either? ] I've certainly lent aid to several peoPLE... Sore THROATS, finding missing perSONS, soothing worRIES, calming those on the edge of TEARS.

[ That he, uh, inadvertently caused, but anyway. ]

...I say "finding missing perSONS," but I've only agreed to aid HER. I have no idea where to beGIN, or if her brother is even HERE. [ Huff. ] I highly doubt he would have let her go on like this for so long if he WERE, but I gave my WORD... And I ever back down on THAT. Her payment is of interest to me as WELL, so I'm not keen on backing off this JOB.

[p_mortem]

[ He... had no idea people were so distressed around here. But it's a good thing they had somebody around to help them, who isn't Minato who swears by the cure-all for anything and everything being getting enough sleep. ]

I have some experience finding missing people.

[ who he encouraged to run away from home in the first place, but that's besides the point ]

I can help look too?

[crystallomancy]

[ Sleep isn't a bad cure-all though, so.

Natsume hmms, thinking it over. The extra help wouldn't hurt any, though he doesn't exactly like asking for help if he doesn't need it, either... But it isn't asking; Minato's offering. A big difference, surely. ]

Very WELL. I'll compensate you for the trouble TOO. [ The least he can do. ]

[p_mortem]

Deal. I'll let you decide on the compensation.

[ It'll be like P3P where what he receives for tracking down the Lost is always a nice surprise. Will he get a creepy doll? a treasure chest full of gems? chewing souls and snuff souls that I just now realize are supposed to be the equivalent of smokeless tobacco, why is this a thing? ]

Whatever information you have already, I'll listen.