Open Post

[bussounoshima]

☀ Open post for the 28th of Arhat, Sharak Sanzo (bussounoshima) from Saiyuki Reload Blast. Feel free to tag with any scenarios; canon relevant, meme-inspired or just two characters being thrown together. ☀

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[bussounoshima]

[Look, Ukoku, if you don't want a snarky back-and-forth, there's only one alternative.]

But fine, you don't like him. We don't have to talk about him. [Even though Ukoku keeps bringing him up.] We can talk about someone else. Who do you like?

[An honest discussion about Ukoku's feelings.]

[existentialcrisis]

Let me out of here and I'll find someone.

[ Ha ha. ]

How is everything? The state of the world.

[ He makes a grand, sleepy gesture. ]

[bussounoshima]

A cow got into the front hall the other day, somehow, so that's been occupying my attention lately. [If he was wondering what that shouting was about. Country living!]

Otherwise... It's harvest season, which encouraged a few people to go running back to normal life. [Amazing how quickly that happened for some, while the rest of the world still reeled from the damage done over the past few years.] I'm expecting some visitors soon. What do you want to know?

[existentialcrisis]

[ He expected something like her answer to moon phases: why does it matter, imagine something, you can't go outside anyway. He thinks for a second, not smiling. ]

What kind of visitors?

[bussounoshima]

[Maybe it's some of that kindness coming through.]

No one who'll want to see you, I think.

[existentialcrisis]

[ And there it is, a little delayed. His eyes slide away from her. ]

That's a big category.

[ He pauses, unable to get a request to be shot now off the tip of his tongue. ]

What are you doing down here?

[bussounoshima]

[Sharak keeps looks down at him as he drifts away, before stepping away from the wall.]

Checking in on you, I suppose. [She walks down to the foot of his bed and sits down on the edge of it, resting her palms on the mattress.] You sounded a little upset during our last talk.

[There's a touch of warmth and sympathy in her voice, more obvious than it is usually when she speaks to Ukoku.]

[existentialcrisis]

[ He laughs, almost disbelieving. ]

Did I?

[ He's just trapped in eternal boredom hell with the occasional company of someone who mostly comes down to dangle information and better circumstances out of reach, it's all good. ]

What am I doing down here?

[ Like at least say it's for sadism and giggles. ]

[bussounoshima]

... Would you rather die?

[A stupid question, maybe.]

I could let you, I suppose. Get it over with. [She tilts her head back to stare at the ceiling.] But I don't like a wasted life.

[existentialcrisis]

[ Ukoku is suddenly and visibly more interested. Could this really be a discussion about philosophy?

He sits up a little straighter, edges a little closer. ]

Isn't it wasted anyway? It's not like I'm doing anything.

[bussounoshima]

[Yes, Ukoku, it's finally philosophy time. It's also morality time, which are probably less fun.]

For you, that's an improvement. [An active Ukoku is a bad Ukoku.] But you won't be here forever.

You've earned a lot of bad karma over the years. You could die here and carry it on to your next life- honestly, you'll probably do that anyway- or you can try and work on it now. Put some good out into the world.

[existentialcrisis]

[ He doesn't even mind this kind of moralizing, though it takes him a second to make himself believe she's really suggesting this ("you won't be here forever," in the context of most of their conversations up to now, initially sounded like "isolation first death later"). He tilts his head. ]

Heavily supervised good?

[bussounoshima]

[She shrugs.] Depends on how much I like you by then.

[Interpret that how you want.]

If it ever comes about. Do you want to leave?

[existentialcrisis]

[ By then. There's a moment where tension visible grips him, impatience, disappointment. He looks away. ]

Of course I do. [ It's a little sharp; he pauses a second to take his voice back to a place of wry humor, which is suddenly harder than it's ever been. He's not in a position to bargain. ] If you told me to peel potatoes while Hassan stared at me all day, I think I'd be very happy to.

[bussounoshima]

As much as he'd enjoy that, I don't think you've earned sharp blade privileges yet. But helping out with the chores isn't a bad idea.

[She picks at a loose thread from the blanket, sharp nails playing with tiny threads.] Is that what you want then? To help out around the house with Hassan all day?

[existentialcrisis]

I want to do something that requires thinking. I can beg, if that's something you're into.

[ Can he stop himself from being a dick even in this situation? No, ]

If you wanted to have me do the most good, optimal good, that would probably be through medicine.

[ Presumably they don't do a whole hell of a lot of high-level research here. ]

[bussounoshima]

It's not. [Something she's into, that is.]

Are you actually that kind of doctor? Your lab seemed to have a bit of everything going on.

[existentialcrisis]

Well, no. Bioengineering. [ Does he need to explain that? It's probably better to attempt not to condescend........ ]

And if there's anything you actually need research on, I'd be glad to do it, but I'm assuming practical skills would be more, um, useful here.

[bussounoshima]

[She knows what it is, don't be a dick.]

Probably. What would you be interested in researching?

[existentialcrisis]

[ The tilt of his head is openly skeptical. She must be asking just for information; almost nothing he could say would be viable here. After a moment he looks down at his hands. They're steady. ]

Do you know what's happened with the effects of the minus wave? Have you seen anything revert?