ETERNAL QUESTIONING

[shinsengumi]

Who are you? What do you believe in? What do you stand for?

Or, this.

Comments

[raptorial]

Would you go find him, Hassan?

[costofpeace]

[Shryke, of course. Both surprising and completely expected.]

Astute as ever.

[raptorial]

[It's a small one, but it's a smile.]

Anyone who would suppose otherwise is making an error.

[raptorial]

... You'd need the peace of it.

[costofpeace]

With just one day to learn his whereabouts, reach him, and then act on the choice?

It would be senseless to try.

[raptorial]

[Bites his lower lip.]

Then... don't wait for it to reach that point.

[costofpeace]

... That's... very untraditional advice.

[raptorial]

I don't have very traditional beliefs.

[costofpeace]

Hmm.

[Equally small but equally sincere smile. Oh you, Shryke.]

[costofpeace]

[But...]

Do you believe I'd return from such a journey?

[raptorial]

... I'd want you to. I think that's enough.

[costofpeace]

I could not ask you to come with me.

[raptorial]

It wouldn't be my place to go, either.

[raptorial]

... Home is somewhere you go back to, right?

[costofpeace]

[Another silence... before a sigh that can only be described as pained.]

[costofpeace]

Home is somewhere to which I hold a great deal of responsibility. As much as certain parties might welcome my departure, this is not a task I could undertake in good conscience.

[costofpeace]

[For you, Shryke, he will relent.]

... At least, not now.

[raptorial]

Fair. But don't forget this, or ignore it. Please.