Catch-All for Namine

[specialdog]

Comments

[whitewalls]

[ she nods. ]

What's your favorite kind of food?

[specialdog]

I'm not picky. I like stuff with strong flavors, though, whether it's sweet or savory.

What about you?

[whitewalls]

I'm the same.

But sweet stuff is really good. I've been trying a lot of different things here.

[specialdog]

Really? I feel like I get less variety here since I can't just go to a restaurant or order delivery.

Do you not usually branch out much?

[whitewalls]

No, it's just that where I was before, I didn't really have access to a variety... but now I do.

[specialdog]

Oh, that's right. You never told me about where you're from!

[ As if it just never came up, rather than Namine avoiding it? As if Akane has told Namine anything about her own home?? ]

[whitewalls]

[ akane, why. ]

It's... a little difficult to explain.

[specialdog]

Oh... You think it's too complicated for me to understand...?

[ She's so disappointed... That her dear friend thinks so lowly of her... ]

[whitewalls]

[ why does akane keep getting her this way ]

No, it's just... have you seen how my age is listed on my scroll?

[specialdog]

Mmm, it says "or 1" right? So what, are you a clone? Of that girl who looks like you?

[ that's her first guess ]

[whitewalls]

Not exactly... I'm something called a Nobody. Where I'm from, you're able to lose your heart. I guess it's... easier to describe it as something magical than the organ in your body?

But the body and soul that's left over turns into a Nobody. Usually, they look like monsters, I suppose, but if the person had a really strong heart then their Nobody will have a human form.

[specialdog]

... Huh? So you lose your heart and keep your body, but become a "Nobody"?

[ welcome to 2005 era discourse, akane ]

And I get that a heart is a metaphorical thing or whatever, but it's different from a soul? Usually the heart and soul are the same concept, right?

[whitewalls]

In this case, yes. A heart is... I'm not sure how to really describe how important it is where I'm from.

The way I was born was... special, so I'm a little different from other Nobodies.

[specialdog]

How? The memory powers?

[whitewalls]

That's part of it.

The way I was created was... different, compared to other Nobodies. So I think that's why I ended up with the powers that I have.

[specialdog]

What made it special? Like it happened during an eclipse with a once-every-thousand-years planetary alignment?

[whitewalls]

... mostly the people involved. The girl I was born from has a pure heart. Most people have both light and darkness in their hearts, but she's one of the only ones who has no darkness at all.

And... other things happened, but it's kind of a long story.

[specialdog]

[ Akane stares for a minute and then just


bursts out laughing ]

T-that kind of thing again? A heart with no darkness, huh? [ ahahaha ]

[whitewalls]

... it's a really popular topic back home.

[specialdog]

Even in a world with metaphorical hearts or whatever, isn't it kind of ridiculous to think anyone is that pure and good?

[whitewalls]

... it's not thinking.

It's just how it is. There's eight-- ah, nine, I suppose-- people with hearts of just light.

[specialdog]

[ And now she's just treating this whole thing like a made-up joke. She still believes Namine...? But, listen... ]

Ohh, do you have to gather them all up in one place for something special to happen?

[whitewalls]

[ .... YES THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENS BUT SHE KNOWS IT'LL SOUND STUPID IF SHE SAYS THAT ]

Ah. Maybe! Who knows?

[specialdog]

What about people with only dark in their hearts? Or does the scale only go from neutral to perfect?

[whitewalls]

... I know of someone.

I never met him personally though.