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31_days2009-01-20 08:41 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2009-01-20 08:41 pm
[Jan. 20][Suikoden III] Why Should I Fight?
Title: Why Should I Fight?
Day/Theme: Jan. 20, 2009 "all wars are useless to the dead"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Sasarai, Nika
Rating: PG
Continuing from 'Fire Damage'.
Sasarai looked very intent as he slowly turned the page of the large book on the table before him. Several other volumes lay off to the side. "Umm, Sasarai?" Nika spoke up, setting aside the dust rag in her hand. He turned his head slightly, but kept his hand on the page to hold his place. "Doing some research?" she asked with a smile. It seemed like ages since she had last seen him so involved with books. He certainly read often, but not with this intensity. It was usually escapism, or something necessary to do his job. Not personal research.
"Um, yeah," he replied, touching his face in a manner that appeared thoughtful, because it made him seem distracted. "The other day when the Counsel met... We were discussing a problem in the Northeast," he explained, "A town called Viela's been put under involuntary quarantine."
So that was what had made everyone look so somber that day. It was unusual for all the Counsel members to seem so down at once. No matter what blow had been dealt the nation, most of the time at least one of them seemed to derive some personal satisfaction (however perverse) from the matter.
"I have to do something," the bishop finished. His brow was creased with worry, and the corners of his mouth sloped down into a frown, but he sounded sure of himself.
"Like what?" Nika ventured, rubbing her arm.
He spread out his hands, palms up, as he gave an example. "Bring them supplies and give them aid in fighting the disease." He hadn't figured out all the details of the matter yet. "There must be something I can do," he assumed optimistically. When he really wanted to accomplish something, he usually managed something, even if it didn't entirely fulfill his expectations.
"So you're gonna get your friends in the black market business in on this?" the blond woman mused on the situation. She wasn't sure she would really call all the shady characters Sasarai knew his friends, but that was a more convenient term than, "your loose acquaintances who would do anything for a price." "...I'm sure they'll sell, but will they deliver to a place like that?"
"Even if no one else would, I would go," Sasarai smiled awkwardly.
His sincerity was endearing, but it wasn't exactly comforting, considering the situation he was talking about just walking into without batting an eye. "Please don't go, Sasarai," Nika reached out to place her hands on his shoulders, "I...it makes me worried," she told him, slowing drawing her fingers away as she shivered, fear setting in, "I just think about it...and you... It scares me." She had watched him struggle more than once with little more than a cold. Such a virulent disease would be the death of him. Morbid images of the funerals of other bishops she had attended wormed their way to the front of her mind.
"And you're all light-hearted about it!" her worry turned to frustration, "Think about your health! You'd be taking your life in your hands!" she continued, trying to force him to change his mind, "Think about your duties! Think about the people who," she faltered for a moment, swallowing hard, "l-love you, the people who rely on you!" She hadn't been thinking of anyone in particular when she started her tirade, but as she continued to focus on the scenario, she realized she had no idea what she would do if anything happened to Sasarai. After all these years, she couldn't exactly go home to her father and siblings as if nothing had happened. There was no guarantee anyone other than Sasarai would have the inclination to keep her around the Temple. ...Nika might be the only one who would suffer materially without Sasarai, but she was far from the only one who would suffer emotionally.
Sasarai's optimism had taken a beating from her strong words, but even after all that, he was still smiling, if somewhat more tentatively. "These people are my duty," he finally answered, turning her words around calmly. The way he used her words showed a glimpse of the politician in him, but his meaning was indisputably of the self-sacrificing sort. "They don't realize it, but they are relying on me, Nika."
Nika slumped down, finding herself the one whose resolve had been significantly eroded by their exchange. "...I understand what you're saying, but why does it always have to be you?" It was about time that some other bishop or influential person stepped up and did something kind so she didn't have to suffer through watching Sasarai do it.
"It's not always me," he answered, seeming a bit confused at the very idea of it. Why, what about the efforts of poor Ryuichi, or Fuko, or gentle Lord Gavelle?
"Oh, it's definitely always you," she shot back. Nika couldn't think of a single time Sasarai had stumbled across a problem he had to amend or a cause he had to fight for that some other person had stepped in to fix before he had a chance to. It was ridiculous. But he didn't seem to be getting the picture, no matter what she said. Nika sighed. She would just have to give up on this too.
"Well, if anyone can talk you out of this, it's almost certainly not me," she paused to allow her tumultuous whirlwind of emotions to settle, "...So what can I do to help?"
"Help me think up a cover story for going away for a while and send a message to Sir Stephen!" the bishop replied promptly. He had probably been expecting her to agree to be involved at any minute.
"Yes, Sir," Nika saluted, resigned to do her best to aid him.
Day/Theme: Jan. 20, 2009 "all wars are useless to the dead"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Sasarai, Nika
Rating: PG
Continuing from 'Fire Damage'.
Sasarai looked very intent as he slowly turned the page of the large book on the table before him. Several other volumes lay off to the side. "Umm, Sasarai?" Nika spoke up, setting aside the dust rag in her hand. He turned his head slightly, but kept his hand on the page to hold his place. "Doing some research?" she asked with a smile. It seemed like ages since she had last seen him so involved with books. He certainly read often, but not with this intensity. It was usually escapism, or something necessary to do his job. Not personal research.
"Um, yeah," he replied, touching his face in a manner that appeared thoughtful, because it made him seem distracted. "The other day when the Counsel met... We were discussing a problem in the Northeast," he explained, "A town called Viela's been put under involuntary quarantine."
So that was what had made everyone look so somber that day. It was unusual for all the Counsel members to seem so down at once. No matter what blow had been dealt the nation, most of the time at least one of them seemed to derive some personal satisfaction (however perverse) from the matter.
"I have to do something," the bishop finished. His brow was creased with worry, and the corners of his mouth sloped down into a frown, but he sounded sure of himself.
"Like what?" Nika ventured, rubbing her arm.
He spread out his hands, palms up, as he gave an example. "Bring them supplies and give them aid in fighting the disease." He hadn't figured out all the details of the matter yet. "There must be something I can do," he assumed optimistically. When he really wanted to accomplish something, he usually managed something, even if it didn't entirely fulfill his expectations.
"So you're gonna get your friends in the black market business in on this?" the blond woman mused on the situation. She wasn't sure she would really call all the shady characters Sasarai knew his friends, but that was a more convenient term than, "your loose acquaintances who would do anything for a price." "...I'm sure they'll sell, but will they deliver to a place like that?"
"Even if no one else would, I would go," Sasarai smiled awkwardly.
His sincerity was endearing, but it wasn't exactly comforting, considering the situation he was talking about just walking into without batting an eye. "Please don't go, Sasarai," Nika reached out to place her hands on his shoulders, "I...it makes me worried," she told him, slowing drawing her fingers away as she shivered, fear setting in, "I just think about it...and you... It scares me." She had watched him struggle more than once with little more than a cold. Such a virulent disease would be the death of him. Morbid images of the funerals of other bishops she had attended wormed their way to the front of her mind.
"And you're all light-hearted about it!" her worry turned to frustration, "Think about your health! You'd be taking your life in your hands!" she continued, trying to force him to change his mind, "Think about your duties! Think about the people who," she faltered for a moment, swallowing hard, "l-love you, the people who rely on you!" She hadn't been thinking of anyone in particular when she started her tirade, but as she continued to focus on the scenario, she realized she had no idea what she would do if anything happened to Sasarai. After all these years, she couldn't exactly go home to her father and siblings as if nothing had happened. There was no guarantee anyone other than Sasarai would have the inclination to keep her around the Temple. ...Nika might be the only one who would suffer materially without Sasarai, but she was far from the only one who would suffer emotionally.
Sasarai's optimism had taken a beating from her strong words, but even after all that, he was still smiling, if somewhat more tentatively. "These people are my duty," he finally answered, turning her words around calmly. The way he used her words showed a glimpse of the politician in him, but his meaning was indisputably of the self-sacrificing sort. "They don't realize it, but they are relying on me, Nika."
Nika slumped down, finding herself the one whose resolve had been significantly eroded by their exchange. "...I understand what you're saying, but why does it always have to be you?" It was about time that some other bishop or influential person stepped up and did something kind so she didn't have to suffer through watching Sasarai do it.
"It's not always me," he answered, seeming a bit confused at the very idea of it. Why, what about the efforts of poor Ryuichi, or Fuko, or gentle Lord Gavelle?
"Oh, it's definitely always you," she shot back. Nika couldn't think of a single time Sasarai had stumbled across a problem he had to amend or a cause he had to fight for that some other person had stepped in to fix before he had a chance to. It was ridiculous. But he didn't seem to be getting the picture, no matter what she said. Nika sighed. She would just have to give up on this too.
"Well, if anyone can talk you out of this, it's almost certainly not me," she paused to allow her tumultuous whirlwind of emotions to settle, "...So what can I do to help?"
"Help me think up a cover story for going away for a while and send a message to Sir Stephen!" the bishop replied promptly. He had probably been expecting her to agree to be involved at any minute.
"Yes, Sir," Nika saluted, resigned to do her best to aid him.