⊕ eleven

[neverbeenworse]

[The communicator's video feed clicks on as Enma's cat knocks the thing off the couch as it bolts from the room, startled -- rightfully so, as the audio picks up the tail end of an angry, frustrated scream. Soon Enma's shoes appear on screen as he paces, and the sound of paper ripped can be heard before dozens of little bits of paper flutter down

Comments

[Voice]

[novelvision]

[It's the first part that gets his attention. That rage...seems so uncharacteristic of Enma.]

That is a private matter. I doubt that you'd be able to find out anything useful from everyone else unless you explain why you think yours is a fake.

text;

[neverbeenworse]

Because it makes no sense.

Re: text;

[novelvision]

[Oh. It's a little clearer now; clearly, the future Enma sent something back that the present Enma doesn't like. The obvious question now is about context.]

Of course it won't make sense now. Just as a second can mean the difference between victory and defeat, ten years is a long time to remain closed off to the world even if you have spent your entire life believing in the same thing.

text;

[neverbeenworse]

But some things shouldn't change. Ever.

[He knows, in some tiny corner of his head, that he's being unreasonable but he sincerely can't wrap his head around the idea of that sort of change]

Re: text;

[novelvision]

[Katsura understands that feeling, but one thing is clear to him: People can't cling to things forever no matter how much they would want to do so. He should know; after all, it's a large part of who he is.]

Are you just going to sit down forever then, pretending that nothing will change if you simply do nothing? What's the use of doing that?

Re: text;

[neverbeenworse]

Action will be taken when the time is right.

It's difficult to explain. Don't think anyone would understand.

Re: text;

[novelvision]

And how would you know unless you explained it first? Often, people use that only as an excuse to run away, to retreat into a corner of obscurity.

[neverbeenworse]

Because no one ever does.

[novelvision]

Enma-kun, there are many reasons why people may not understand something. Perhaps the cause may be as simple as being misinformed or not having enough information, but it is more often caused by a person's unwillingness to understand.

As humans, we all have our weaknesses and we want selfishly cling to that which is ideal for us, but when the foundation is shaky, we can only make the choice to climb or to fall. [And then, almost as an afterthought:]

Were I in a position to receive such a message, I might have done the same.

[neverbeenworse]

[A pause before he replies -- he doesn't pause to delete or correct any typos, just types, almost a stream of consciousness, written out more for his own sake rather than for the purpose of replying]

Then it must be like tis: They never want to underestand because no one wants to imagine misery and pain if they've never felt it themsleves.

How selfish.

[novelvision]

I can't disagree with that, but...a refusal to let people understand is selfish too. Though you're only looking after your own interests and it is not bad to do so, where will you be in another ten years? Will you be proud because you were able to stay true to yourself, or will you regret all of the lost opportunities along the way?

Perhaps, you may find that that you were the only one imagining that you were still miserable and hurt long after you should have let it disappear with the wind.

[neverbeenworse]

In ten years I'll be back home with my family. And proud because I didn't listen to this letter.

[behind the communicator as he hits send, he stomps his foot down angrily on the remnants of the letter]

[novelvision]

...

[There's just a sigh.] As humans, we take pride in so many things that become meaningless upon reflection, yet that pride also gives our lives meaning.

[neverbeenworse]

How can pride be meaningless?

[novelvision]

Pride is never meaningless unless you have to sacrifice something more meaningful for it.