Day 51: Sun Room [Second Shift]

[perfectrecord]

[From here]

Of course. Yet another of his suggestions unheeded. The instant that von Karma entered the Sun Room, he nearly tripped over one of those blasted cats that tried to knead its head against his leg. Since the nurse's watchful eye was upon him, he nudged his foot against the furry nuisance to move it aside so that he could make his way

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[itneverwas]

Kibitoshin had been so fixated upon the man he was hiding for, he had utterly failed to notice all else that occurred around him. A common mistake for a resident of the light, to be so consumed by fear, by emotion, to forget the existence of all else.

But this man part of an existence had been hiding from von Karma, the prosecutor that was defined by ignorance and foolishly clung to old habits and believes that were no long applicable. But the Nobody could understand the eldery man's flaw; it was a weakness provided by the heart, something that was difficult to ignore when you still were in possession of one. It was the case with many, though hearts did not always choose the right path. More often than not, the path would lead to oblivion. Either way, the elderly man in question was seated at a more secluded table, the Superior noticed, conversing with a young blond man bearing a facial scar.

"It depends on whether he wants to see," Xemnas merely responded before he took the free space upon the sofa without so much as an invitation. His orange eyes scanned the sun room as he continued to speak, slowly but calmly: "However, sudden, odd behavior would most likely be noticed by those who do not even possess the interest."

[bitpartgod]

Kibitoshin was, admittedly, only barely listening to whatever it was Xemnas had to say in response. But it wasn't his fault, really! He couldn't help it that, for every attempt he made to refocus his attention on the man's face, he found himself wondering if that twitch in the corner of his vision was Mr. von Karma looking over at him or, worse still, getting up and heading over.

"Ah... I guess so." He swallowed anxiously and dropped his stare back again. Xemnas had taken the opportunity to sit down next to him on the sofa (which was, the benefit of hindsight allowed, not the best choice for a makeshift fault), and he shuffled up a little more so that he wouldn't end up squashed down on one side. Unnerving though the other man was, it was probably good to have someone who was so calm and reasonable around to be a positive influence. Even if he did still feel like he had to be on his best behaviour. "It's just that Mr. von Karma always criticises me whenever he gets the- ah!"

As if prompted by some malevolent force, it was at that moment that Kibitoshin had decided to let his glance wander again- only for it to fall directly into the path of a particularly cold stare from the man himself. "S-see?! He really doesn't like me..."

[itneverwas]

It was remarkable, how there were those that still retained their very existence cared about the approval (or, disapproval in this case) of a man unlikely to provide it. Those who had a heart chased after illusions- even some of the nonexistent chased after illusions of emotions they no longer possessed. Was it a creature's nature to do so? To chase after things that did not possibly exist?

Though, the case of this man...perhaps it was mere insecurity. Those who lacked in confidence often needed confirmation, approval. Approval, to perhaps be allowed to exist.

"Even among those who retain an existence, there are those who are incapable of liking."

[bitpartgod]

"You can say that again," Kibitoshin answered flatly, sinking down the sofa cushion wearing a look of utter despair. "I just don't understand how I manage to run into them so often. I mean, I'm only so many thousands of years old. There can't be that many of them, can there?"

Admittedly, Mr. von Karma's bad moods were hardly on par with someone like Majin Buu, but... but the principle still stood, right? Was he really just that unlucky?

After a moment he glanced back across to Xemnas, shifting awkwardly in his seat. "You know," he started hesitantly, "I... still don't understand what you mean about not existing." Asking after it was always going to be a path frought with intellectual perils as far as he was concerned, but there was only so much nodding and smiling he could do before he confused himself.

[itneverwas]

"There are many that are about to be consumed by darkness," Xemnas commented. Though, the other man's answer had raised the Nobody's interest. Thousands of years old, hmm? Kibitoshin was hardly the first resident of the light that had lived for such a long time without aging, something many of those retaining their essence would chase after due to mere fear of death.

For a hollow shell, there was not even such a thing as death. No corpse, no proof of existence. After all, how could a nonexistent man hope to leave proof of something that never was?

The Superior did not answer the question right away, as if he was pondering something. But eventually, he spoke: "I am but a hollow shell," a pause, "A hollow shell cannot truly exist, as there is no existence to be contained within."

He glanced back at the other patient, as if the answer had completely answered the question. Unfortunately, Xemnas was not a man of straight answers. "But it is of no importance. What about you? You've mentioned you are several thousands of years old."

[bitpartgod]

And that was equally true. Kibitoshin couldn't even begin to think of the number of people he'd met who'd succumbed to evil; people seemed to warp so easily, sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if his own involvement was ever going to be worth it, or if it was even doing anything at all. So why was it he kept going, anyway?

"But you can always bring them back," he said quietly, after a pause. Because... because it was job. Because people needed help. Because someone had to do it. And not everyone was like that- for every bad guy there was a Goku or a Vegeta, and the latter had more than proved that there was a way back.

Even if Xemnas didn't answer his next question straight away, Kibitoshin was happy to use the silence to think about that a little more. Did that mean that he just had to endure Mr. von Karma's bad moods and try and bring him around, or that he was so far gone that there was nothing he could do? Maybe he was too old to help.

Or maybe he was just being chicken. Both worked.

When Xemnas spoke again, Kibitoshin gave the man a start and frowned a little- a hollow shell...? He couldn't think of any race that sort of description could apply to- but before he could think about it any more he found himself with a little explaining of his own to do. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't explain myself. My race usually lives for a long, long time. I'm still pretty young, for a Kaioshin."