Description: Alma, upon returning from his successful mission in Taizhou to find the YFCC in shambles, has been overseeing the reconstruction efforts of the center that has become his charge; what he has not yet seen is those who struggled to defend it in his absence. A casual encounter with Shurui turns into something much more, and Alma finally sufficiently pieces together the puzzle of those he has trusted but not known well enough-- and realizes, to his own satisfaction, that the weak have grown stronger, and the homeless have found a home.
It's been too long.
The YFCC, for all the efforts of its employees and volunteers, is still something of a mess. The reconstruction efforts have been going at a strong pace thanks to the donations of many sympathetic Southtowners -- the young establishment has at least been around long enough to garner that much respect -- and even some international donors, but some time will yet be needed to restore the center to the glory it held before the attack.
"Yes, thank you, that will be fine."
The foreman currently in charge of the rebuilding efforts, a stout and sturdy looking individual, defers only to one man: a tall and slim blond, who gazes at the disruption with clear eyes and a calm, peaceful demeanor. Yet his expression is a little /too/ peaceful; the outward softness obscures something harder within. Whatever fire exists deep in this man's heart might normally be fluid enough to go unnoticed, but something has heightened and honed it to a silvery point, and something glittering within his otherwise gentle eyes hints at that-- even if his quiet words do not.
Did he do the right thing?
Anyone would ask that question, but Alma Towazu refuses to.
An odd response, perhaps, but potentially intelligible. Of course, even if he questioned himself regarding this, he could find plenty of excuses. Taking that trip to Taizhou and defeating Seishirou Ryouhara there as part of the successful aid efforts was an immense boost of prestige to the YFCC and, despite this setback, still aided in his secret overall mission: to make the YFCC more of an international effort. Furthermore, many of the international donors are actually from China, and without their help this reconstruction project would be taking much longer. Alma has plenty of tools at his disposal to justify his actions, yes-- but they are circumstantial, and he knows it. They are retroactive justifications. The real question is not a utilitarian calculation of whether, all told, things ended up being better than they might have been due to his untimely departure, but whether he acted rightly to begin with-- if he was wise or foolish, half-intended consequences aside.
This, however, is a matter of integrity.
It is a complex issue that Alma is only able to articulate with his typical flowery style, and as such tends to keep it to himself unless he finds it pertinent, but it remains his most important -- and dangerous -- philosophical premise. To him, self-respect is essential; justifying one's own continued existence is a never-ending task. To that end, he is willing to sacrifice a great deal to 'be true to himself'-- even, potentially, this center and those that depend on it.
This might be a shocking revelation to those who consider Alma to be a worker of good in the world; yet what distinguishes Alma is his approach to the matter. Most would think that here there would be a conflict between selfishness and selflessness, whether it is better to hold to one's beliefs at the expense of others or give them up in an act of altruism. Alma, however, in a way, does not believe in either-- for he has too nuanced a view of what it means to be an individual. To believe in himself is to believe in his friends, and vice versa. He cannot see this as a failure-- this was a natural consequence of all of them following their hearts. The only crime that was committed was by the one's foolish enough to justify the attack on the first place; for they, Alma is convinced, surely must have no notion of what self-respect entails.
Such is the way his mind works.
So he is not ashamed. He wonders, however, if this is what it means to confront one's darkness. His light, the strength of his convictions and the benefit it affords others, may be unquestionable. But it is only now, thanks to Ryu's words, that he truly wonders at the shadow his own light casts. Thanks to this, he was able to have a great and meaningful fight against Benimaru, something he never imagined possible.
~ To confront one's shadows... ~
Should he be stewing in guilt, second-guessing himself despite the greatness of his deeds? Or is it better to accept this, too, as a burden of responsibility for being himself, and gaze clear-eyed toward the inevitable consequences of his own identity? Is that not, however, exactly what Seishirou himself claimed? That man had a kind of integrity all his own. In simply refusing to believe that a person could have true integrity and commit such acts-- is Alma's faith in humanity just foolish? If so, then so is his faith in himself; a sense of human dignity and self-respect are intricately linked, if so too are the individual and his fellows.
Alma, for better or worse, cannot doubt himself here.
~ I suppose I might be just as crazy as he, but... ~
He knows with the shining certainty of a paragon that what he has done is right.
Perhaps this, then, is simply the price one pays.
A small wave of static appears on Alma's radar as a familiar aura approaches. The static seems to come from an aura piped down, kept tightly within a constant grasp that fights to keep it from going astray. This balance of control and chaos is slight, the battle registering as a sort of white noise that easily fades into the background of those psychically aware, while others, like a human to a dog whistle, notice nothing.
To confront one's shadows, indeed. Shurui's done a bit of *that* lately, though her soul-searching was more forced than willfully taken up. All it took was one Thai dictator who didn't want to stay dead and now the girl is questioning these powers that she, before that, considered simply different by their source.
That, and Vega forcing his aura on her broke apart a nicely compressed and organized psyche that has yet to mend. Oh, she's sane alright- Vega didn't go that far, yet. But the developing powers of telepathy have been forced to completion, making them spring all over the place if she so much as touches somebody when in a bad mood. ... So, when is Shurui in a bad mood?
Well, actually, she's doing quite well, considering. The stressful workout her boss gave her running errands for the resturant and the constant watching over K' and Whip could have meant disaster, but she's managed a borderline control on things. After all, hard work is hard-earned money, and K' and Whip seem to be slowly getting better, despite the odds being against them.
So, one *could* say she's managed to keep herself in a neutral mood, odd snaps, nightmares, and mishaps aside.
Also, because of K' and Whip being in much better physical condition, Shurui has had some free time- at least, for scenic detours. Coming by the rebuilt healthy skeleton of the YFCC on her way from school, Shurui slips off her glasses and peers at it curiously the metal rods, framed and defined against a shining blue fall sky. But what's more obvious, at least, to Shurui, is the auras of the workers there, among which is.... Hey, is that.... Alma? Shurui blinks. It is. Looking at his aura from down the sidewalk, she's almost curious as to what has changed in him in the last months since she saw him last. And yet, she decides against it. She's sure he'd notice her aura, first of all; second? The explanation is one she'd like to keep under wraps.
After all, no one wants to hear that a dead man is haunting the psyches of those alive.
An aura under wraps-- but nothing could have startled him more.
~ Shurui! ~
Of course! How could he have forgotten about her? With the defensive forces of the YFCC in disarray, unable to get the full story of the attack from anyone, Alma has devoted himself to repair work and stubbornly keeping the usual work of the YFCC at full capacity despite its crippled resources. He's had his hands full convincing the student volunteers that their jobs are not finished, and that there is still far more to do for the good of their community-- and that the YFCC remains the place to do it. He's at least managed to piece together who was involved in the attack, and can find as perhaps some small consolation that while he was wrong about the time that the attack would come, he was right about who would be making it, and his defensive preparations prevented anyone from being seriously injured. But Shurui-- wasn't she partly the target?
He had been thinking that K' is the first person who he wants to see about all this. Who is this Whip that Shurui brought up when Alma had interceded with K' and Vanessa's conflict, for starters, and what role does she play in all of this? Yet those questions fade away into obscurity when the beautiful blond detects the newly-damaged psyche coming into proximity. No, the first person he should be talking to should be--
"Shurui!"
Carefully, though. Carefully.
Alma's expression and aura exude anything but caution, however. Despite the fatigue he must be feeling from his responsibilities -- he had to miss the second round of the Strolheim exhibitions just to take care of an emergency here, though his shocking success in the first round perhaps made that for the best, dramatic tension-wise -- the young man's eyes have widened to show the warm light undaunted within him, and his smile quickly becomes a soft but sincere grin as he emerges from the newly-replaced glass doors at the front of the center. Clearly, he detected her just as she detected him, and if he's noticed anything wrong with her, any concern has obviously been subsumed by pleasure at her appearance.
"I knew China was missing someone. Finally I've found her again."
Why, Alma, that was almost-- but he's tilting his head at an angle, the mild-mannered executive grinning down at her with undisguised cheer. Sometimes it takes a moment to notice when he's teasing.
"You look like you've been busy," he comments as he walks down the steps to her level -- though he still towers over her even then -- and gazes down at her, his grin receding into an amiable smile. Speak for yourself, buddy. "Who's been working you so hard?"
A pause, that flash of cheer finally fading.
"I'm... glad that you're alright."
He never quite averts his eyes, continuing to meet her gaze, but for a moment it appears almost as though he might look away, his brow furrowing and finally showing the concern that must have been latent within him.
"I'm sorry that I... wasn't there."
Even if he believes that what he did was right--
Prices must not be paid, and sacrifices made, unflinchingly.
Whether to stay or go? No matter; Alma decides the choice for her in calling her name. To just ignore him and walk away wouldn't be fair, and, truly, would it hurt to at least say hello to a friend? ... Yes, a friend. She could definitely call Alma that, after the trouble he's gone through for her on top of all his other obligations. You at least say hi, to someone you don't hate or distrust. ... She likes him too in a way, him and his weird mannerisms made no less mundane by what she can sense and see. No, in fact, it makes it all the stranger, with psychic powers still seeming a foreign concept to her.
Perhaps it's good, too, to say hi- in the whirlwind of events that have happened since that attack on the YFCC, Shurui is struck by the realization that, well, Alma had no real clue what had happened to her afterwards. "Yeah, I'm doing fine. Got a job at the new resturant that opened in Chinatown. The one owned by Mr. Gen." Immediately, she mentally winces. God, pull the other leg, will you? Alma'd most likely be able to sense whatever's happened to her, even if she can't really put a finger on what she's like to other psychics herself.
What's worse is that he blames himself to some degree. And so, she smiles. That is, a slow, slanted smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Heh. Don't kick yourself over it. You're the one already having to deal with the mess left behind." She looks over at the YFCC, then back. "Shit happens. If you're not here, something'll happen someplace else. I knew the risks coming here. .... I just wish it didn't happen so quickly." The smile dissipates, and she lets out a sigh. "I owe you an apology for that, I bet. Thought about contributing in some way, but.... stuff happened."
.... And herein lies the reason Alma makes her nervous, though in much the same way K' would: they both seem to have their own built-in BS detector. Alma's kinder about it, yes, but he also seems to see emotional facets that the no-nonsense K' may sometimes miss. ...... K' makes up for it by being a paranoid bastard, so it weighs even in the end.
Fine, huh?
Alma can tell he's making her nervous, so he just lets her talk. Ironically enough, Shurui has little to fear from him, and not merely due to his good intentions. Yes, he can tell something unnatural has been inflicted upon her; it is vaguely similar to what he perceived in Hotaru's mind when Kurow erased her memory, but it seems to have arisen from an unsettlingly familiar source. There are only a few people in the world with that kind of technique and precision when it comes to Psycho Power-- and Alma is definitely not one of them.
Not that he's at Zach level imprecision or anything, but-- if you can't teleport with any regularity, don't expect anything like that, right?
Point is, although Alma can tell what has happened to her, he has no intention of bringing it up. If Shurui wanted to talk about what was bothering her, she wouldn't bother with such a bald-faced lie. He has the sense, also, that she knows that /he/ knows. Lest the situation get too complicated or uncomfortable, Alma simply acts as though he doesn't-- out of respect for her.
"Gen? I've heard the name," Alma murmurs, reaching up to run a hand through the back of his hair as he sometimes does when thinking. "Oh, yes, the new restaurant, right? And he's a famous fighter to boot. I wonder if any of his associates would be willing to teach a cooking class at the YFCC." He pauses for a moment, then grins again. "Ah ha ha, but you can see how I think."
Even with his passion, he is always tethered to his duty.
"It's not your responsiblity."
He has quickly grown serious again.
"Shurui," Alma murmurs, "I hope you haven't concerned yourself with these consequences." Obviously she has-- but again, it is best to pretend he cannot sense her emotions. She will know he is pretending, but-- perhaps that will finally help her to trust him? "If the YFCC cannot stand up and defend a young girl in danger, with your abilities or not, then it is worthless. Nothing has been lost."
He smiles, and clearly believes what he is saying.
"As for the cost, well..."
He grins again.
"That's why I joined the Strolheim tournament."
He makes a little flourish with his hand, an unusual touch of overt flamboyance from a man who usually leans toward a more passive poise and a subdued demeanor.
"Did you catch my match against Benimaru? He's an old rival of mine, you know, but I think I finally understand him better now." Alma seems almost chatty. "Or have you been watching?" His casual demeanor seems natural, but when he smiles softly again, his eyes betray a knowing look that thus far he has managed to keep subtle. "You've been busy with... the 'stuff' that 'happened'."
If she wants to be more clear-- the option is obviously open.
Similar, yes. But, strangely enough, in this case it is something being opened rather than sealed away, a door or two knocked ajar unintentionally. If anything, Shurui *gained* something from Vega's visit, even if it was a gift recieved too soon for her psyche to immediately handle. In time, she'd adapt as anyone would in her situation. "... Yeah. His aura was weird, but that's why I chose him. I figured if trouble came knocking, I'd have more to fear from him than anybody coming to get me."
Though, considering Gen, this may not be a good trade. Scary old Chinese men are in a class of their own.
It's just one other variable that could backlash, perhaps. But a comforting one, nonetheless. She looks over to regard the building. "One girl shouldn't blow what was a shelter for a lot of people to bits, but, I suppose it comes with the territory. People love this place; doubt you would've gotten the funds so quickly otherwise." She shrugs. "I don't let it get me down, but I did offer my help to Hotaru."
The Strolheim. She briefly considered joining that, once, but passed on it once she realized the danger she could be in. NESTS agents would bound to be there, after all. There will be other matches, perhaps. "Matches are hard for me to watch on TV. Not as exciting as when I can see the auras that go along with it," Shurui finally admits. "I heard about it, though. Heard you did well." 'Stuff', that 'happened'. Shurui is silent, then, looking up at Alma, she sets her gaze solidly on his face. "... If you see a man dressed in red with a flowing cape and an evil aura, run. Don't even bother to talk to him. He'll just bring you down with him if you stick around too long."
She looks down, her hands in her pockets. "Promise me that. Whatever he offers is something you don't need."
"Heh..."
Alma just grins softly and listens, for the most part. He nods once when she mentions offering her help to Hotaru; that's another person he hopes to see soon. But who knows? Perhaps they will meet in Strolheim. They-- and others. There are a few familiar faces in that tournament that he hopes to be able to see before his time there ends, and there are a few things he has to say to all of them.
Particularly to one blond man, dressed in white...
The path his thoughts are taking is quickly interrupted, however, by what Shurui briefly mentions at the end. Alma's gaze flickers, and though his expression remains carefully still, his normally-consistent aura ripples in the manner of one greatly troubled.
"That man... is still alive?"
It is a small world after all.
"That's good advice."
Improbably perhaps, Alma is smiling-- if a bit wearily.
"You don't have to worry about me," he murmurs, with a certain finality. Really, Shurui, as if you'd have to tell Alma something like that. "He is very strong though, isn't he? But... not invincible."
~ I wonder how Kensou is now? ~
"If that's the case, Shurui..."
Alma has half-turned around and is looking back at the door to the YFCC, but he still speaks to her clearly. For the first time, however, his eyes no longer meet hers.
"You should speak with Rose. She will have the knowledge... and the power... to help you with whatever you may need-- even if you do not know what that is yet."
There is a brief pause before he looks back, with eyes soft again.
"Shurui."
He will not press her on her feelings; he will not press her on her past. But there are things that he needs to know, and although he will never mention it, never remind her, because deep down he does not believe it-- she does, in a way, owe him this much.
"Where is K'?"
Alma looks almost--
"I think... you will know."
Sad.
First K', then Alma. To see K' troubled was scary enough; Alma only adds to it. To be reminded of how scary this man is, Shurui stays silent, looking down, the hands hidden in her pockets shaking. "... I don't think it's a matter of strength. He's got the same power as us. If we do anything wrong, we could... we could end up like him. He swore I'd be like him. And.... I got nothing that could say that I won't be like him. I don't know. There are some things in my past I don't know at all."
She stops herself, that static aura of hers calming as she composes herself. "... Can't worry about it forever, though. I got shit to do. And I'll see if I can find Rose."
She's glad when the topic changes to K'.
Taking her hands out of her pockets and folding them as casually as she can manage, she answers, carefully, "With his sister. He went through a lot for her- she had gotten into a serious situation, and he fought tooth and nail to get her back. They're safe now, and healing." Vague, but with enough detail to possibly please Alma. "I made sure they were okay. I was going over there today, in fact, but they could have been already discharged from the hospital." She grins. ".... I'm glad they found each other."
If K' found his sister.... could she, perhaps, find her biological family? ..... Hm, no. Even if she did, she'd be a different person. The fact that they accepted each other, more or less, was a miracle, considering the differing tones in their personalities. If she found her family.... then what? What did the old Shurui look like? What was her name? Was her hair grey like it is now? Was she happy?
It's hard to decide what's easier to believe: that she's a 'fake human', with no family, or to have a family somewhere, left behind, with no possible way to make up the gap time and NESTS's manipulations had made. "I bet you can get a good idea of why this is a good thing."
"...Well..."
Alma should give her a little more credit.
"...He would say that, wouldn't he?"
Turning to face her fully again, he smiles gently.
Being dismissive of Vega is one thing, but-- Shurui has clearly been thinking quite a great deal about this. And though Alma's expression does not change significantly, gears are shifting within the back of his mind. A great deal more has happened than just the YFCC exploding into rubble and half his friends going into hiding, and many mysteries remained before he left for China and his destiny there. Fighting Ryu by Hotaru's side and the revelations spurred on by that act has distracted him from that tangled morass, perhaps for the best, but it is now that he recalls he never quite penetrated it.
Who /is/ Shurui? It is clear she does not even know. Who is /K'/? He would not have cared to ask, he with his infinite faith, but now that the two of them appear to be so deeply connected, the question has become so pertinent as to no longer be deniable? And who is--
His sister.
"Whip," the young model murmurs, seemingly without intending to until, eyes clearing and focusing on Shurui again, the soft-spoken man speaks up. "His sister. That's 'Whip', right?"
Some pieces, at least, are falling into place.
~ There's so much I don't know. It's none of my business; at least, it hasn't been. I only want them to trust me, to know that they can rely upon me, that they are already pieces of my heart. But if I cannot protect them unless I know these things, if otherwise my efforts are doomed to be half in vain-- ~
"I'm glad, too."
Whatever the beautiful youth is thinking, it is not inhibiting the warmth of his modest smile, the mild-mannered executive slipping a hand into the pockets of his tailored dress slacks as he regards Shurui with renewed affection.
"You've really been helping K' a lot, haven't you?"
She didn't say anything to that effect per se, but--
"Thank you, Shurui."
How else would she know?
"Well... I won't disrupt that."
A touch of that melancholy returns to the hazel eye left unobscured by red-tinged blond bangs, as Alma glances to the side, once more in thought.
"Even if... there's a lot I have to ask him."
~ Maybe K' will speak to me-- if I avenge him and his sister in the tournament. If I am able to face-- ~
For all his thinking, Alma continues to smile.
~ That man. ~
A smile nevertheless weighted by the burden he so gladly bears.
K' had meant to return here far earlier, if only to check on the place in the wake of the disastrous battle NESTS had brought to its very doorstep. While he was far from being a paragon of morality-- and in fact was not even all that familiar with the concepts of gratitude and reciprocity-- nonetheless he felt a certain debt to this center that had housed some of the first people to accept him unflinching.
And so, as if summoned by the fact he's being talked about, soon enough the usual herald of K''s presence starts to hit the senses of the assembled psions: the roar of a motorcycle's engine, gunning ever closer down the road at some speed that's definitely not the posted limit. Helmetless as usual, his white hair streaming wildly in the wind, K' tears along as if blissfully heedless of the fact that, not too long ago, he was pretty close to death. Perhaps it's -because- of his brush with death that he seems so manic.
He isn't alone, either. Accompanying him on his bike is his sister, convinced and cajoled to remain a passenger only because she was promised the opportunity to drive home.
He slows once they near the entry of the YFCC, killing off the engine and letting his bike meander to a stop. His hair falls back in his eyes as he leans forward, squinting at Shurui and Alma, letting his shades slide down so he can level a proper piercing stare. He acts almost as if nothing has happened and there's nothing unusual about this meeting; but then, K' was never one to be so weak and unguarded as to act out of the ordinary in uncertain situations.
"... guess repairs are coming along," he comments, completely unhelpful when it comes to satiation of the curiosity no doubt being felt by the psions. But then, they've got special senses, they can look beyond the norm: and what they'd see right now, about K', is the barest hint of an odd calm and stability that never existed in the troubled experiment before.
Far beyond simply enjoying the ride, Whip had insisted on coming alone the moment her brother implied where he was going. She's always had this thing about unfinished business.
She also needed to get out of the house. She's been cooped up ever since she returned home from the hospital.
Healing practically clean of her previous wounds, Whip hugs casually onto her brother as he guns his bike down the Southtown streets, taking in the afternoon steadily, almost serenely even as it blurred past at breakneck speeds. K''s driving, however wanting she's found it to be, doesn't bug her. Doesn't trip a single neuron. Whether it's because she's been long habituated to anything bordering reckless, or whether she merely has infinite trust in her twin's ability, she is content to half-lid her eyes and simply marvel at the way the cool air feels brushing through her hair.
Finally, the ride ends, and K' can feel Whip stirring peacefully against his back, stretching out kinks in her still-sore muscles. She's distracted momentarily to watch the YFCC, letting its building stir up memories of one fateful night ago, while he busies himself with slowing the motorcycle to a seamless stop by the curb.
Then K' just introduces himself in his usual jerk way. It seems to be working out for him, too. That is, until someone appears and pretty much ruins his big, intimidating entrance. A brunette girl peeks her smiling face over the rise of his shoulder, and she tosses one hand up in a cheerful wave. "Hi!" she says, since he never will.
At a distance, Whip doesn't seem to carry much physical resemblance to her brother. While pretty in her own rights, she certainly doesn't cut the striking figure he does; on the contrary, she seems to exist only to be his living dichotomy. For all his perpetual tension, guarded facelessness, and the curt way he likes to stare the world down, she's softly-featured with bright, kind eyes and a face dominated by her widely-smiling mouth.
Dressed down in jeans, a simple white blouse, and an old, weathered brown suede coat that looks like it's seen better days, she disengages from K' with a simple, imparting squeeze on his shoulder, before swivelling off of the motorcycle to stand. Bikes are nice, but she really needs to stretch her legs.
"Y-yeah. He would." She rubs her nose with her forearm. It's not smart to dismiss danger, but Shurui can't afford to worry about it constantly, either. She has to live her life before it's taken from her by chance or a physical force. Her father taught her that much in his passing. That is to say: shit happens. Better to accept those happy moments while they last, and remember them when you come upon tougher times, even if the things or people that were there are no longer around.
Unfortunately, this does make Shurui a little *too* accepting of the idea that she may never have a solid base in life, but she's only learned to at least *try* to accept someone's affection, whether vague and careful like a scary old Chinese professor's, or warm like the spine-breaking hugs of Whip. The modest smiles and figurative open arms of Alma. Or, well. K''s grumbling nuggets of concern. .... Well, *she* takes those as a weird form of affection, anyway, whether it's inspired by duty or not.
And well, speak of the devil(s) and he(they) will come. On a motorcycle. Now Alma can see what Shurui's gotten a chance to see for herself: brother and sister, as different as moon and sun. "Oh hey." Shurui turns to greet the duo on their motorcycle, tension dropping from her aura like water off a duck's back. She's.... happy, whether or not she knows it.
They all are. Alma's fears were well-founded, but there was some light at the end of that tunnel. His sacrifice in going to China was not in vain; at least a few parts of the world as he knew it kept trucking on. The voice that comes out of Shurui's mouth is business-like, masking the happiness Alma can readily sense. "Whip, I forgot to ask- did you want me to use up the chicken for tonight's dinner or are you feeling like something else?"
This is almost too much of a plot twist for Alma to handle.
Alma blinks, a more boyish side emerging in his bemusement as he is forced to register a multitude of emotions almost simulaneously. He was not sure how Shurui would respond to his comments; for the moment, he was not really thinking in those terms, merely unable to be anything but sincere about his feelings. Yet it would take more than a psychic to expect the roguish K' himself to show up at this very time, and Alma feels what he has come to now associate with the man-- a rush of affection and frustration. Here is the man that he has such faith in; here too is the man to which he can never convincing express that faith. Some things, surely, must remind him of his beloved oath-brother Jiro, but-- Jiro's a better listener, for one.
All that emotion, however, is choked off immediately.
~ This woman... ~
For all the difference between the man driving the motorcycle and the young woman who emerges from behind him, Alma feels as though he knows who she is immediately. Not because such a sun-moon contrast is all too appropriate, or even because K' and his aura have both obviously changed in subtle but significant ways due to her influence, but rather--
~ Such a glorious radiance. ~
Because he understands, now, what Shurui sees in them.
The missing piece of the puzzle is finally here.
Alma has his own reasons for believing in K', a philosophy he does not expect others to share even as he firmly believes in its underlying shared truth. And he knows that there exists some enigmatic connection between Shurui and K', one darkened with secrets perhaps better left untold. But even given the secretive nature of that connection, something about Shurui's devotion did not add up; something confused Alma about their relationship. Something about Shurui's connection seemed-- unhealthy, given K''s behavior. Now he understands; now he is at peace with it.
This is her family.
~ And what a beautiful family it is. ~
Alma is smiling again before he even realizes it, the warm expression sweetening his refined and elegantly androgynous features. He seems to swell slightly as he takes in the energy around him; he shakes his head softly, taken with the fine ending this particular puzzle has, and runs a hand through his tousled hair again, temporarily uncovering both eyes to gaze at Whip.
"Well, now," he murmurs gently, "I always knew K' had an important secret, but I never imagined it was a charming woman." Chuckling softly, shoulders shaking, the tall model steps towards the two of them, casting a sidelong glance at his erstwhile employee before meeting his sister's eyes again. "Good afternoon. It's an honor to finally meet you... Miss Whip."
He cannot help but glance back at K' again soon, however, and now that he is closer to them, Whip may be able to more clearly see the troubled look that passes through the eyes of this otherwise quite mellow community leader, a hint of conflict and emotions not yet expressed. Alma is usually better at subduing his emotions-- but he is also usually able to express them clearly and sincerely. With K', nothing is ever that easy, and it shows in Alma's eyes. "It's good to see you again, K'," he continues, voice clearer now. "I was... worried something had happened. But you seem to be in very good shape."
~ I wish you had... at least... ~
"Everything's going quite well. We've managed to raise enough money to keep the repairs going at the expected rate, and barring any unexpected mishaps, we should be finished in record time." Alma seems quite satisfied with the results, as well he should be. "I've had to devote most of my time to overseeing the efforts here, but fortunately I'm able to fundraise as well--" He grins, tilting his head. "We really need it."
'Fundraising' -- as in, the Strolheim tournament.
Suddenly realizing, however, that he's made himself seem a bit too busy, Alma reaches up and runs his hand through the back of his hair, glancing back toward Whip again, doubtless the more sympathetic party in this conversation. "Er, but-- we're coming along well enough, so-- if there's anything I can do for the two of you, please ask."
She'd be willing to, even if K' wouldn't.
"I'd even pay K''s wages-- if he'd start working again."
And that one was delivered completely straight-faced.
K''s shades-shrouded, imposing countenance hasn't changed in the slightest. It still glowers in its usual way, yellow eyes narrow and sharp over the rims of too-expensive sunglasses. What's changed about it is not something intrinsic to it, but rather the addition of something else accompanying it. Said addition happens to be a pretty, gentle-looking young woman: as unlike her twin brother as one can get.
She peeks out from over his shoulder like a sunrise, her cheerfulness standing in stark contrast to his frown. Said frown doesn't abate when she gives his arm that little squeeze, but something about his aura does coil in a mollified, more contented way: curling like a purring cat.
Hooking a leg out from over the quieting machine, K' steps off it and puts down the kickstand, securing it by the curb before slouching in a grumpy prowl around it. He casts Shurui a brief glance, the neutral look holding her eyes in a return greeting, before he lets the girl off the hook of his gaze so she can address his sister. His own gaze turns next to Alma, K' facing off with the young man in a posturing, guarded way that arises more out of force of habit than out of feeling defensive around the model.
Maybe K''s behavior does seem an unlikely candidate for devotion. Perhaps such connections could be seen as unhealthy. But ultimately, K' is not, in this context, a destructive presence. He is severe, he is uncompromising and harsh, and he is sometimes cruel-- but ultimately, it is all mere varnish for the protective and free-willed nature beneath.
It is K''s nature to affect competence and strength at the cost of warmth, and that is how others must relate to him. There is little room for kindness in his demeanor.
And when Alma turns his eyes and his charming words to Whip, for a few moments her twin brother's watchful eyes on their interaction are utterly hawklike in their intensity. Finally grunting a noncommittal, gruff sound, he steps forward on the tail of it, cutting it off from further forward movement, and looks straight at Alma. "Something -did- happen. But it's over. No point thinking about it now."
He glances towards the center as Alma speaks of it. His hooded gaze retains its sharpness, but now its intensity has moderated to a mere austerity. "Looks like you got enough on -your- mind, without thinking about doing shit for us. At this rate you'd probably need -me- to keep people from knocking the place over before you get it back up again." A heavy pause. "Though I'm not gonna go back on your payroll. No need for that anymore."
"Shurui," Whip says next, greeting the younger girl with transparent affection. As guarded as her twin brother is, his demeanour facelessly mirroring the world back at itself the way his sunglasses do any meaningful glances at his eyes, she seems to have no problem in revealing herself. There is an undercurrent of seriousness that belies the light in her eyes and the untroubled line of her smile, something readily sensed by either psion, but all of the young woman's kind, good-humour is utterly genuine.
She pauses momentarily, listening, when Shurui mentions their dinner plans. Faint apology is the first thing to touch the Ikari soldier's face (but nothing new where the younger girl is concerned; Whip always seems vaguely guilty to have Shurui doing anything for either herself or her brother, delicious meals included) and she bites momentarily on the corner of her mouth. "Whatever's easiest for you?" she replies deferringly. "I don't want to make work for you. If there's anything I can do -- need me to make a run to the store later?"
Immediately, Whip seems to like this idea. Infused with that everpresent need to be useful, she brightens visibly, turning back on Shurui to relay this idea--
--that never quite makes it.
Alma steps forward and K''s sister seems to forget about food entirely. Her pupils shrink to pinpoints.
Whip is used to tough, callous men. She bunked, trained, and served alongside the roughest, most coarse of them, and to be part of the Ikari Warriors is to be constantly surrounded in muscles and sweat, with a blanket of machismo so thick could practically taste the masculinity in the air. That's all she's ever known.
She didn't realize they could be so beautiful.
Whip stops, going stiller and stiffer than corpses, as Alma proceeds with his most cordial of greetings. It's unsure whether it's the compliment or the way he smiles that makes her fluster, but either way she does, a visible flush rising to her cheeks. Her dark eyes gaze helplessly forward, simply struck dumb by his sheer aesthetic marvel, unable to think of doing anything but stare at something you've just never seen before. Her blush deepens, darkens when she is suddenly referred to a 'Miss.'
Looking like a deer caught in the headlights of an utter gorgeous mack truck, Whip stammers, "I -- um -- th--" before K' roughly steps in, cutting off her already-derailed track of thought with his insistence that neither of them need help.
For the moment, she certainly looks like she does. Oh god she can't look away it's just too pretty.
It would be easy to see why K' could be a bad influence, all until one realizes the context. He's been one of the few that has went through the trouble of helping Shurui out, and while this could easily be out of how it benefits him in getting revenge on NESTS, a strong and stubborn ally like him is still a very useful ally indeed. Keeping him well-fed and in full mental health could only help him keep sharp. That's how Shurui could theorize her behavior in far more rational terms.
.... Liking him just makes it a whole lot easier. Underneath the rough exterior and distant apathy is... well, still a jerk, but a jerk who grabs you and jumps off roofs and mooches food. A jerk who wakes up groggy and stumbling like a sleep-drunk cat who'd vault to wakefulness at a moment's notice at the first instance of suspucion. That's the way Shurui sees it, anyway. He's an ass, but he's a charismatic ass. ....Don't ask her how that works. It just does. And she's become stronger for it, indirectly.
But indeed, the core piece of this puzzle was, and is, Whip. She brings out a side of K' that had been rudely shoved down, and Shurui finds her an easy person to talk to, with all the benefits of talking to someone like K', sans the grumpy apathy. She knows what it's like to not have a childhood, and her dealings with NESTS exceeds the severity of Shurui's own. The psychic abilities are better talked with with people like Alma, Stasya, and Rose, but that's a part of her world too.
It just keeps expanding.
She's ready to complain at Whip at the first clue that Whip was going to apologize, but Alma unintentionally stops it for her. .... It surprises her, really, to see Whip so surprised at Alma's voice- did she see his aura or something? Shurui looks between the two confusedly, then, to K', as if he'd have some sort of answer. Her shoulders slump. "... This is Alma. He's one of the staff at the YFCC. Gave me a place to stay for a while when things got hectic, though that made the YFCC a target in the end." Or did it? Igniz didn't seem *too* readily interested in her once the battle started. Could it just have been an excuse for him to attack?
Once again, Alma's empathy makes his life more complicated.
Gracefully behaving as though he were less aware of Shurui's predicament is one thing; risk builds trust, and her wary knowledge of her own vulnerability in his presence can only improve their relationship as she comes to better understand that the beautiful blond will never seize advantage of it. This, at least, is what he hopes and believes. But his awareness here has nothing to do with psychic powers, and this situation holds a lot more risk than it does opportunity for trust-building-- because this is /K'/'s sister we are talking about here.
There's no way Alma doesn't notice Whip. He has fan-girls.
Admittedly, those fan-girls are usually about 7 years younger than Whip is, but it doesn't take a socialite to recognize awed eyes and flushed cheeks for what they are. He's never been proud of inspiring these reactions, and neither has he ever been flattered by comments about his beauty, but while he remains oddly naive in some ways due to the particular way in which he experiences the world, this is not one of them. He didn't earn it. He didn't strive for it. It defines him, so he embraces it and attempts to make the most of it, and modeling was a good way to make money once he realized it was a possibility-- but seeing as he tends to fixate on auras as a source of beauty over physical appearance, it's his disinterested attitude toward the whole phenomenon that defines both his style and demeanor and thereby distinguishes his approach and image from fellow models like Drake or Benimaru.
So even in the best of circumstances, Alma would just smile mildly and continue on as normal, aware of the situation but more interested in getting to know a receptive acquaintance than, well, anything else. And smile he does at Whip, as he waits for a response that never comes, patiently looking into the eyes of this exceptional woman. These are his priorities at work, and his alternative options don't even ever really cross his mind-- except in the rare cases where they do abruptly and inevitably with comic results.
But it is K''s interruption that snaps him back to reality.
No, it doesn't take a psychic to know Whip likes what she sees-- and neither are Alma's psychic abilities in any way responsible for the tremorous chill that then runs all the way up his spine as he sees her expression.
DANGER DANGER.
As quickly as he can, Alma looks back to K''s face, the normally relaxed youth suddenly a little tenser than usual. Partly this is to half-listen to what K' is saying; mostly it is to engage K' and distract him, to make sure he doesn't notice his sister's reaction. He must not notice. At any cost.
~ I... I can't die here. ~
Oh please, don't notice her blushing.
Fortunately, what K' says gives Alma plenty of reason to pay attention, and plenty of reason to draw K''s own as well. His eyes brighten when K' mentions how he might be needed to prevent the YFCC from being knocked down again. Of course, this is said in the context of dismissing Alma's offer of help, but when have those slights ever bothered Alma? "That's exactly what--" And then K' continues, only to dash his hopes. Alma, who tends to be unruffled by most events but already somewhat unbalanced by the distraction of Whip's stammering in the background, can't help but reveal his dismay, even if only in his usual subdued way.
"...No need for that...?"
His disappointment is indeed obvious, but it soon recedes into his more typical mellow, clear-eyed expression, searching those yellow orbs of K''s for answers. The two men stare eye to eye, a mysterious tension between people who do not themselves seem remotely tense.
"...I understand."
Does he really?
"I'd never hold you back, K'."
He's smiling now, softly, eyes thoughtful.
"But I want you to know... you, too, have a home here, if you ever need it. And your help is always welcome; it always had been." Briefly he pauses, before adding, softer, "I always trusted you, and that hasn't changed."
The silence extends for a few moments more before, risking everything, Alma dares to make eye contact with Whip again-- his smile warms, and in his gentle voice he continues, "And you, of course, are welcome too, Miss Whip."
K''s head tilts downwards, his shades slipping down such that the glint of his yellow eyes becomes visible. He watches his sister very carefully as she dithers at Alma, unpromisingly silent, suspicion starting to leech into his gaze in a most foreboding manner. His eyes narrow visibly, the ambient danger building like a thundercloud. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that K' is fanatically overprotective where his sister is concerned. Things could go very poorly in the next few seconds...
...but Alma, with his characteristic awareness, swiftly defuses the potential bomb by snaring K''s attention away. The young man reengages him in conversation, and K' looks back as expected: momentarily forgetting about Whip when Alma shows his obvious disappointment.
Disquieted-- and irritable to find himself feeling that way-- he lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "I know all that." Gruffy, he retreats from Alma's earnestness, as always: seeming to draw back defensively, as if to protect himself against something to which he is not accustomed. Something he cannot be sure is true-- something he is not sure will endure. And, perhaps misinterpreting Alma's disappointment as a mistaken belief K' won't come around anymore, K' feels it somewhat necessary to point out, "No point you paying me for something I'd do myself anyway."
Funny that Alma and Seishirou both have expressed their faith in K' now... especially considering the conflict of ideals that transpired when the two met. Some things, it seems, are universal. Even if K' cannot fathom why -either- man seems to believe in him.
As the falling nuke that is her twin brother is skillfully redirected, it is either through sheer luck or the good grace of someone above, Whip seems to realize her own fluster. Partially sobered by Shurui's interjected introduction, the Ikari soldier ducks her head, diverts her eyes, purses her mouth, and composes herself quickly in those few, precious moments. Her face cools of its nervous flushing. Later, she'll be rather embarrassed over her own first impression; right now, she's mentally tallying her memories of that night when she, her brother, and many others stood this ground against Igniz's attack... and realizing Shurui's possible implication in all of that.
As K' and Alma speak, Whip eventually lapses into silence, her dark eyes finally turned off the blindingly distracting sight that is Alma to gaze thoughtfully up at the YFCC. The building stands for something she hadn't even realized...
"--You have my help," she speaks up without warning, replying Alma's extension of generousity with her own promised assistance, given directly as her brother employs his far more subtle methods. Whip smiles faintly, almost shyly, but the look in her brown eyes is fierce and earnest. "If there's anything I can do, don't ever be afraid of ask."
Empathy makes everything complicated. Shurui's lucky that the closest thing to that that she's developed thus far is a bad knack for projecting her own emotions, and, well, recieving any emotions sent via a mental link. However, to simply view a person's emotions directly with no previous connection made is an ability Shurui does not possess beyond mere intuition and reading cues in posture, aura, and tone of voice.
She itches her head idly, mumbling, "... I'll... probably come here once things are done. Need to talk to Rose anyway, right? And fighting against Gedo people all the time gets me too used to the sorts there." She still needs the YFCC to be there. One never knows when something will end and another will begin, and, besides, with her living at K's and Whip's, they're (K', that is) are bound to get annoyed from time to time by her presence. ... Or, well, the presence of her in the way or grumbling that they need to eat/sleep/shower/take care of themselves.
Shurui's not sure how they managed without her. Tabasco eggs, anyone?!
She looks over at Alma. "I'll probably have to challenge you to spar or something, too. Need to fight more psychic people. Get a sense of how people work that way."
Well, now.
Things aren't as bad as they seem.
Alma finds himself confronted with new emotions at every turn, and the resignation he had cultivated in the face of K''s apparent need to attend to his own personal needs -- and the realization that Shurui does, indeed, have her own very suitable support group -- is quickly replaced by a much sunnier feeling. For K' is not leaving; far from it, his commitment to the YFCC has gone beyond a mere job held in the face of a lack of other options. Whip's shy but earnest smile and words surprise Alma briefly, until it occurs to him that he should not be surprised; it's only natural she would be more expressive about the debt that they are all cognizant of. He blinks once as he adjusts to both these revelations, before grinning back widely, the calm youth looking a bit younger than before; about as young as he actually is, really. It's hard to tell sometimes with that ethereal androgynous beauty. "I'm grateful, Miss Whip," he murmurs in response, a sincere light warm in his hazel eyes. "K' has been an irreplacable aid to us; I feel even safer knowing that you are with us as well. We may someday again need your assistance-- to defend someone in a similar predicament."
Definitely safer, yes-- if only because K' will improve with her presence.
"Nothing can dissuade me," he continues, turning away briefly to look, as Whip has been, toward the edifice again under construction. "There is an inherent rightness in a task that gives the powerful the opportunity to develop self-respect-- the self-respect necessary to acquire a sense of responsibility. Strength, talent, ability-- alone they mean nothing, whoever wields them. Yet the greater the strength, the more crucial that its wielder find a meaningful use for it, lest it be misused. Everyone deserves a chance to forge their own integrity, but-- we are all better off when the powerful do. That is the purpose of the YFCC, and the service it provides."
Even though he looks away, his smile can be felt.
"To help those who need it most understand the meaning and value of /dignity/... to give them a reason to live and the faith to see themselves through... my passion for this task cannot be denied."
He does not turn, but he listens to what Shurui has to say-- and that, more so even than what K' and Whip have told him, brightens his mood all the way. Not only are K' and Whip here to stay, but so too, despite all she has gained, is Shurui-- and she wants to /challenge him/? What more could he ask? Alma used to unhesitatingly challenge everyone in his path, regardless of their strength, purely out of love of his much-vaunted clash of souls. He is not so careless with others' feelings now, even if he does not quite comprehend the attachment to victory or defeat that his fellows possess. Yet that love has not faded, and for her to ask him--
"Of course!"
A rare hint of overt enthusiasm is expressed.
"Any time you like, Shurui. I would be happy to share my style with you." He tilts his head to the side briefly, grinning. "Haven't you had some success in the Neo League recently? You've been practicing while I've been away."
Though he continues to smile, he exhales a quiet sigh, glancing up to the sky to gaze up at the sun, obscured by clouds and the red-tinged blond bangs that have half-fallen over his eyes again, persistent as always in imbuing him with an enigmatic -- though harmless -- character.
"Tournaments..."
His smile does not lessen, but his eyes are not smiling.
"...the man who was responsible for this..."
They are simply thoughtful.
"...I wonder if I'll meet him there... in Strolheim."
K''s attention gets attracted instantly back to his sister when she speaks. The young man seems exceptionally attuned to her, devoted to an almost uncomfortable degree. But it's to be expected, really, that he would be this way. She's all he has to link him to his previous life, and she is a tangible representation of all he's worked to reclaim for himself ever since he decided he had had enough with the Cartel.
And for now, K' lets her talk for the both of them. She is far more articulate and able to say what is on both their minds, after all. Words of gratitude and earnest offers of help don't find themselves easily expressed by her taciturn brother. Shoving his hands in his pockets, K' withdraws slightly.
He has little to add, especially when Alma begins to talk. He simply grunts a noncommittal sound-- something that would almost be dismissive, if it didn't carry the faintest hint of tolerant amusement. Oddly, he finds himself reminded of Seishirou, to hear Alma go on and on. Just replace the word 'passion' with 'ideals,' and maybe 'help' with 'forge,' and you'd have the Ryouhara himself.
There is one thing, however, he feels it worth noting, and which Alma will probably understand even though K' is as brusque and oblique as ever: "This isn't about idealism, Towazu. It's about a personal debt."
But of course, then Igniz comes up. Whatever amusement or complacency might have entered K''s demeanor is gone instantly, his eyes narrowing in the one moment they're visible before his shades are slid back up. His entire expression gets just that much colder when his eyes go unseen. He had not paid much attention to Strolheim, but now that he thinks about it... it would be an ideal venue for NESTS to gather data for their neverending experiments. "...You might," he admits finally. "Which is why I should be there."
He clearly still wants his revenge.
Whip's dark eyes turn on Shurui when the girl, rather innocuously, implies that the newly-built YFCC may be her new home. Despite having to sleep on the couch ever since the younger girl was dragged home to their doorstep by K', the Ikari soldier has a look on her face like she was considering Shurui to be a permanent fixture.
She has a look on her face like she's not quite sure how to feel about that. In the end, she just flares Shurui a quiet smile, her hands finding their way into her coat pockets. Soon enough, her attention finds itself stolen again by Alma, when the youth launches into an impassioned speech -- and she finds herself liking him immediately. Profoundly. He speaks of every person having the chance to forge themselves -- their own integrity -- and that simple statement wins her full attention. She couldn't agree more. She couldn't agree on how that single point was the entire basis of her own person, when she stopped working enough for the Cartel to think for herself, to wonder why she did what she did, to wonder... if she even liked it. Whip learned she did not, and from that moment on she was her own person.
Every person out there deserves that chance, that single moment of epiphany to build their entire person. It suddenly warms her to realize that K' has known, been allied with, possibly even befriended these kinds of people far before she ever learned he was her brother. It warms her to realize that he's had his own life far beyond her inclusion into it, with people like Alma, like Shurui, that will always be there for him.
It's all because of the YFCC. It's done more good to her life, to the people in it, than she realizes. Whip knows now that the building, all that it serves to represent, deserves her total loyalty. From this moment on, it has her commitment.
Even as her brother speaks of other things. Whip's mood turns at the indirect mention of Igniz, but even worse than that, when K' seems to return to his familiar ways -- his desire for revenge. His spoken intent to be elsewhere draws an unreadable look from his twin sister. She almost looks pained. But she says nothing, her hands shifting inside her coat pockets as she looks away.
Shurui feels those eyes on her, and she turns back towards Whip. She then flashes a weirdly innocent smile, unaware of the inner turmoil occuring in Whip's heart. "Something wrong? Didn't mean to imply you guys freely kick me out all the time." She hehs. "I'm surprised you two aren't sick of me yet. Eating my cooking all the time, stealing your bed, asking you two where you've been- you're used to being by yourselves." The smile goes underground, yet gains in visible warmth to Alma's gaze. Yes, if Alma could sense it, that's a sisterly warmth, an innocent shine to someone older who is of the same gender. "But I'll stay as long as you guys are willing to put up with me."
Alma mentions Shurui's Neoleague matches, and the girl seems surprised. "You saw them?" .... That's right, she's... had a rather nice string of successes in the few times she's entered. Vega sort of made her forget her last match, despite the surprising results. "... Y-yeah." She rubs the back of her head, embarrassed. "I guess I've gotten better, lately. That Shirunai person- she's got a following, right? She didn't take me seriously- if she did, I think I probably would've lost. She called my powers crazy." Psycho, in fact. A really weird choice of words, considering the context. "I guess I could be considered psycho, for not minding when my opponent's stronger than me when it comes to Neoleague." She doesn't seem to use this as a bragging point- more a matter of fact. Oswald ran her ass into the ground, but was a gentleman in the end.
She's been lucky to find opponents like that. People who didn't mind allowing her to learn from their example. To get better. Perhaps she shouldn't feel alarmed at Alma's enthusiasm popping up out of nowhere. ... No, he'd be a good opponent, weird psychic powers aside. No, not weird. They're from the same source as hers. She can't be scared now, now that she knows an example of what to truly be scared of. "Then you got yourself a match, sometime. .... Maybe after Strolheim? You seem busy now."
K''s darker tone of voice takes her focus away from Alma, soft concern vaulted deep within her core lending a sharp bend to her questions. "There? At Strolheim? You better not mean by yourself. Take somebody with you, at *least*." Well, technically, he *could* say Alma's with him, but Shurui can't quite picture that coming out of K''s mouth. .... Then again, he's surprised her before. Shurui, no longer in the accomodating mood that she was when K' was lying weak in a hospital bed, leaves a sideways look at the ex-assassin. As if questioning him made his will bend instantly like a limp noodle. "... And what would you do when you got there?"
"Heh heh..."
Alma tilts his head, grinning at K'.
"I understand. ...Though, for my part..."
He regards his erstwhile employee with his soft, thoughtful gaze.
"...I tend not to distinguish between the two."
What is more personal to Alma, after all, than his ideals-- and what more potently invokes the sense of duty, the commitment to a self so intertwined with his friends and allies, than that very idealism?
The warmth emanating from Whip's aura distracts Alma briefly, even as Shurui continues with her explanation of her League endeavors. Alma is certainly interested in what the girl has to say, but it is the silent sister that attracts the majority of his attention. The purity of her spirit then startles him; it reminds him of something that for quite some time he cannot put his finger on. The sincerity of the devotion he detects there takes him aback. Generally, those that don't merely tolerate his expositions simply go starry-eyed without quite grasping what he is attempting to say; Alma, for his part, sees his own tendency to justify or explain his beliefs aloud as more of a minor flaw than anything else. But Whip seems to have keyed into what he attempted to express, which is surprising enough in and of itself-- let alone the familiarity of the bright light shining within her now. Who is that he is reminded of? Hotaru, perhaps, but her spirit is more subtle, her emotions less direct.
That bright light of conviction.
It is only just as Shurui finishes with her mention of Strolheim that the answer, suddenly obvious, occurs to him. Of course. Her aura reminds him...
Of himself.
"Y, yes," he manages, strangely seeming slightly taken aback, though not by anything Shurui has said as he turns again to the girl, smiling again. "After the tournament, then. I look forward to it. ...Hey, cheer me on, alright?" The young blond is grinning again good-naturedly, casting a relaxed glance over toward Whip, having apparently promptly regained his composure from whatever briefly distracted him. "You too, hey?"
And it all seems warm and fuzzy then-- until K' makes his dark remark. The smile fades from Alma's features, and he shifts his gaze sidelong to regard K' carefully, silent as Shurui asks her question. Secretly, he is grateful for her. Were she not there, he would have to ask that question-- and K' would be less likely to tolerate it from him than from her, he is sure. But Whip suddenly seems more withdrawn. He thinks he understands.
~ How difficult it is, to know whether it is better to let a loved one go or attempt to save them from themselves... how difficult it is, to know what is truly an act of love. ~
Alma turns away again, and this time, begins to ascend the stairs.
"...If you do come to Strolheim, K'," he finally says, "I'll appreciate having your support. Anything could happen. But--" And here, half-ascended to the doors again, he glances back at the dark-skinned man. "Unless that man does something to disrupt the proceedings himself-- let us put our personal desires by the wayside. For the sake of the tournament-- and the center."
'And our own dignity', is what he does not add. I mean, would K' care?
Prize money, on the other hand, everyone can understand.
He'll leave K' to answer the question posed by Shurui himself. If anyone can restrain him, or teach him to restrain himself, it is Whip and Shurui. But even if K' comes and makes a mess of the whole situation, even if it means losing out on the purse-- Alma will be by his side. After all, it's one thing to sacrifice for the sake of integrity-- and another to sacrifice one's integrity itself.
"I'm afraid the center needs my attention," he continues gently, still softly smiling as he looks in turn toward each of his friends. "But... I'm glad I was able to see you again. And to meet you, Miss Whip," he adds, smile widening as he shifts his weight, slipping one hand into his pocket. "I hope you'll visit again soon. We can discuss K''s numerous failings over tea--" He tilts his head and waves his other hand in elegant dismissal. "--but I suppose you know all of them already."
Deadpan jokes aside-- he would very much like to see her again.
~ A remarkable woman. ~
He should be surprised that K' has a sister such as this, but-- perhaps he is simply just too familiar now with the ironic workings of destiny. It is all too appropriate.
"Take care, you three."
Somehow, he cannot help but feel as though it is /all/ appropriate. Destiny will have more surprises in store for him, he is sure, but with this mentality none of them will shake him. The absurdity of the world-- it grants the sense of urgency to his life that keeps an otherwise easily-satisfied and patient young man moving on. He is passionate, yes, and idealistic-- but also, in his way, excited for what is to come, for every burden and trial will be only a proof of his integrity, and evidence of his sincerity.
Stepping past the glass doors, he leaves them without regrets.
For all his attunement to his sister, K' still remains, at heart, an emotionally-stunted boy. He notices real fast when she talks, but he's not so quick on the uptake when she fails to do so. Whip's sudden silence thus doesn't draw his attention much, K' so absorbed in sudden thoughts of how best to corner and kill Igniz that he doesn't even notice her stricken quiet.
He's equally oblivious to Whip's gladness over the fact he's had a life outside her. She's right-- it -is- healthy for K' to know others-- but the young man himself still hasn't seen the value, instead stubbornly and codependently believing that now he has his sister, she's all he needs.
But for all those things he doesn't see, he at least does see it when Whip sends him that last look. He does notice Alma's implication that-- for the sake of the center's funding-- he should not disrupt the tournament.
Shurui ends up being the most direct about it. His sharp gaze cuts to her, unseen due to the shades... but still keenly felt. He watches her in silence a few moments, weighing with displeasure all the negative responses to what he'd thought to be an innocuous statement of intent, before he replies. "...We'll see." The remark encapsulates a lot of things at the same time it reveals nearly nothing.
Months ago, he would never have given up a chance at revenge for the sake of other people. He simply would not have cared enough about the needs of anyone outside of himself. Now? It's still asking a great deal of him, to request that he stand idly by, but at the least there is a slim chance he can be convinced. Especially if it can be shown striking at such a time would be tactically unwise.
Unfortunately, Alma does not help his case with the mild tease he shares with Whip, at K''s expense, as he takes his leave. But for the time being, K''s eyes simply narrow: the young man saying nothing, but -palpably- radiating disapproval of such a meeting between Whip and Alma. Watching Towazu go, he neither moves to stop him nor lifts his voice to say any goodbyes: but of course, this is hardly unusual where K' is concerned.
There is a remarkable change in K''s sister, even if she knows well to hide it from her expressive face. Even her aura itself, usually so radiant with her perpetual hope, has dimmed around the edges. Her brother states his intention on finding Igniz, on taking out his revenge, and it's nothing new where she's concerned. It's nothing she hasn't felt, herself, at one time or another. But somehow, when K' says it the only thing her mind can fix on is the image of him in that hospital bed, broken and vulnerable. Helpless. Even if the recent interactions and talks with her brother have absolved her of much of her previous guilt, Whip can't make that thought go away. She's so afraid of ever seeing it again.
Thankfully, it's first Shurui's familiar voice that pulls Whip from that dark place her mind is headed, and meets her affectionate, self-deprecating teasing with a look so deeply genuine it hurts. "I'll never be sick of you," she tells her with blunt, direct seriousness, smiling a little sadly.
But she says little more, lingering back as Shurui continues on to chatter happily with Alma, Whip listening on a little half-heartedly through the slow, eventual return of her own thoughts. She's only disturbed back into alertness when Alma eventually announces his retreat back into the YFCC to oversee the hundreds of everythings that must be going on inside. Her smile widens briefly when he implies a later chance for them to talk. Ignorant of K''s total disapproval, Whip seems to cheer at the idea. "We'll definitely talk soon," she promises, a lingering note of her original fluster couched in her voice. "Oh -- and please just call me Whip."
Being referred to as a 'Miss' is just going to make her blush again.
Bidding Alma good-bye with a slight wave, Whip swiftly feels the loss of his company as she looks aside Shurui and K'. K' she's having trouble looking at. Her mood has turned, her thoughts are troubled, and she needs some time to collect herself. And fast.
Drawing one hand from her coat pocket, Whip moves the familiar shape of her cell phone inside her fingers. She suddenly entreats, a little apologetically, "I need to take off for a little while... I should go take a couple calls." The tone of her voice implies that it has something to do with work. Her brown eyes fix on Shurui. "I'll stop off at the grocery store on the way back. I'll pick some good stuff up for you, OK?"
And Whip will. She's got about seven of Shurui's recipes stored to memory simply from having watched the young girl cook. Still smiling, the Ikari soldier is backstepping to eventually split her up from the two. "I'll meet you two hope soon," she promises with a short wave, quickly turning back on them to walk away. She needs time to think.
Log created on 21:38:21 10/24/2008 by Alma, and last modified on 20:37:25 10/26/2008.