video → four

[treasurehunts]

[The feed clicks on to a pirate sitting cross-legged with a child on his lap. Surely neither of those two looks familiar. Nope. Not at all.

But the lunateclock is quiet, hands in his lap and peering up at the treasurehunted instead of paying any attention to the camera at the moment.

Motochika, on the other hand, is... actually not that attentive as he looks to the camera with a slight frown. Tilting his head, he almost yawns--]

Alright, I'm gonna say my piece once and once alone. Somebody went and thought it'd be a bright idea to abduct the Little Demon of Shikoku. I'll go ahead and applaud ya for gettin' this far, but there's hell t'pay for it! Bring me back home before I get real angry! Tch. I'm pretty pissed as is.

How 'bout you, Minato? 'cept yer not allowed to use the word I just used. [and he spares the time to glance down at Minato

The child's insta-reaction is to nod! But then he pauses mid nod and thinks about it for a moment. Angry...? No, he's not really angry. So have a quiet shake of his head instead. :O]

You're not helping me at all, kiddo. [sigh. he's cracking his neck once before wrapping an arm around Minato to keep a hold on him before changing the angle of the SFC.]  By the way, I found 'im by the mutated coral- ... which you should probably get looked at before it turns into a problem, y'know.

Anyway. Let me know if he's yours? I mean, I won't give him up to anyone - what kind of ass treats a child so lightly like that? But if ya can help me find his guardians, I'd appreciate it. 'til then, he's in the custody of Chosokabe Motochika and I'll keep 'im safe 'til his folks claim him. [Resting his chin on top of Minato's head-] Is that cool with you, Minato?

[Oh. There's a chin on his head. guess that means he has to talk. It's quiet, but hey, the kid has a voice!]

...Kay.

Hah! [His arm retracts as he ruffles Minato's hair with a big grin. Then he nods at the SFC.] There! Ya heard it yerself. I've got dibs until one of ya proves yerself to me, alright? Or you can just hand over the map to the exit and we'll be on our way and I'll find his home myself. Up to you!

[ooc: Motochika & Minato have both been aged down to 17 and 6, respectively! teeniki & hideallnoise might be used to do some tagging, too. You'll get separate threads with them but Motochika might choose to intervene to be over-protective. (Also chances of Motochika letting go of Minato are slim. Like. So slim they're non-existent. Be careful, he's not against biting.)]

Comments

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

[ . . . ]

Alright.

But guess who might be a little stupider for denyin' help when it's being offered to him? C'mon kid, we're in the same boat. If I harm ya, yer free to do the same thing back, alright?

No need to be so suspicious.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

I'm not falling for that. You—you people are all the same!

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

... What're you then?

Are you the same as everyone like you?

I've got a brain and a heartbeat.

We could be the same by those standards too.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

I'm not a stupid human like you. I'm... a monster.

[... That's what everyone calls him, after all. Monster. Abomination. Demon. Devil child.

He doesn't know what he is, so he has nothing to call himself but those names.]

B-But if you plan on hunting me down, don't even try. I'll kill you first!

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

... you ain't no monster, kiddo. I think I fit that title better than a runt like yourself.

[a small grin]

But alright, alright. I have no plans to hunt ya down or be killed. But stupid human's gonna go get lunch. Have you managed to feed yourself yet?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

... That's not what everyone else says.

[LINEFACE]

That's none of your—

[... Whoops, stomach growling.

He lives on the streets, okay. He doesn't exactly eat (in the conventional sense) properly.]

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

Then everyone else needs to re-evaluate the situation.

... [that gets him to laugh]

Alright then. How 'bout lunch between two not-really-monsters? And a truce so we don't kill each other over our meal. Sounds alright?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

But it's always been like that.

[...]

How do I know you won't try to poison me?

[... Yes, he's still convinced that you're going to kill him.]

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

So? It's never right to call a kid a monster.

[a laugh]

I ain't got anythin' on me, kid. We'll look for food together. You can even catch it yourself if I can get my hands on a fishin' rod. Just so long as you don't mind I bring along Minato. But he's too young to know how to kill anything. And I'll keep it that way.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

But you're a human.

[He can't wrap his head around this sob.]

I don't know how to fish. And what does age have to do with anything?

[Minato doesn't seem much younger than him, after all, and he's killed plenty.]

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

But I've been called a monster. Just like you. Where's your argument about differences now?

... fine. Then I'll catch you a fish. Fresh from whatever sea they've got here. And you can make sure I don't poison it. You're free to kick my ass at any sign of suspicious nature and I doubt you even need my permission for that.

But understand something: touch the kid and you're dead. Otherwise, there's no reason why we can't get along.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

Then why are you called a monster?

[...]

As long as he doesn't throw rocks at me or tell me I should die. And if you try anything, I'll eat you.

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

[ . . . heh.] Because I stay alive and protect the people important to me. No matter what. And sometimes you gotta do harsh things to do that.

I think we're good. [a laugh] But I'd rather we both eat some fish instead.

What's yer name anyway, kid?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

Then we're different. You're not like me.

[Still so much linefacing—

... He pauses, obviously reluctant, before he answers.]

... Tiir.

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

Then do you know why you're called a monster?

Nice to meet'cha, Tiir. Where are you right now? Minato and I'll go to get'cha.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

... Because I ate a woman from the inside, I think. That's how I was born. And I don't think humans hear the things that I do. My eyes glow red sometimes too.

[His thoughts are a bit disorganized, because... he doesn't really know. No one's ever explained why, so he's just had to piece things together himself.]

And I've always been a lot stronger than everyone else, but I didn't know that until they tried to kill me. But none of them could beat me.

[He just. Glances around.]

I don't know.

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

[ . . . oh. He blinks once. Before nodding faintly.]

... then I'm sorry, Tiir. You're right. That's different. We aren't the same. But you're not a monster for any of those reasons.

[Admittedly he was initially repulsed by the idea of eating a woman from the inside - thinking that's probably Tiir's mother - but at the same time... it wasn't intentional, from the looks of things. He hears things, but it's not like he's making the effort for it. And if his eyes glow red, that probably wasn't his own intention either, right?

If he's stronger... then he's feared. If he does off things, then he's feared. And if he's feared, then he's a threat and people try to remove him - Motochika can understand that much from the flicks of blood dotting his person.

But that's no reason to call him a monster when he doesn't know any better. It's a rude kind of misunderstanding and it repulses him to some degree. But all he can do is just shake his head slightly.]

It's just too bad that others don't understand... but hey, if we can get along, then that just goes to show it's possible, right? Let's show 'em that you ain't no monster.

[but there's just a chuckle after that]

Move the thing in your hands around a bit. I'll try to find ya from yer surroundings.

[predivine.livejournal.com]

... You mean it?

[All right, doing what he says and moving it around.]

Like this...?

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

I don't lie. I've got a policy against underhandedness.

[weirdest pirate code ever but just roll with it-

and he nods]

Yep. Alright, Minato and I'll be there in a sec. Stay on the line, will ya?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

... I'll still kill you if you try anything.

[But he doesn't sound as sure as he was moments ago.]

On the line? You mean... keep talking to this thing?

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

That's fair.

But yeah. In case I need to check where ya are again. And this should go without saying but... stay in the same place, alright?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

I'll try to, if nothing happens.

[teeniki.livejournal.com]

Alright. Then we'll be over in a bit.

You doin' alright by yerself?

[predivine.livejournal.com]

[A nod]

I'm used to it.