audience: naminé

[cyclists]

Comments

[whitewalls]

... me too.

He likes you a lot, you know. He really looks up to you.

[cyclists]

[a brief little pause at that

and then a short laugh]

The young one gives an old man such as myself far too much credit. If he were to have as many years as I have to learn and watch, he would be twice as capable.

Of that much, I am sure.

[whitewalls]

You're probably right. But he doesn't, so... it's good to have people you look up to.

[ she'll finally try some of the tea. ]

Especially in a situation where you feel kind of hopeless.

[cyclists]

Mm... there are times where he is downtrodden and frustrated... but I believe it only adds to his willingness to help.

[just reflecting on things, with a curious little hum]

Is that not what we owe to all of you?

[whitewalls]

I think you're both doing what you can. I understand, wanting to... help out more, but your hands are tied.

[ ... ]

So you're doing okay despite that.

[cyclists]

... your patience is very sweet.

Or perhaps... something closer to empathy? Have you been in a position similar to ours?

[whitewalls]

... not exactly the same, no.

But... I've had to do a lot of waiting in order to make sure something important was done right. And it gets frustrating.

[cyclists]

Ah...

Could that be where your patience stems from?

Even so, diligence is also seen as a virtue, is it not?

[whitewalls]

You tell me.

[ she takes another sip of the tea. ]

Why do you think you were chosen for this?

[cyclists]

Hmm...

For all who are said to possess darkness and light in their hearts... I suppose that I have witnessed plenty of that in my time. It is difficult to pass judgment on others, when one sees how many ways history might be able to turn with simple differences in choices.

[but that's a pretty lofty topic]

Or perhaps because I am even-tempered?

[lune laughs as their own joke]

[whitewalls]

[ it wasn't very funny but she'll nod anyway. ]

Sol said something similar.

The part about light and darkness, I mean.

[cyclists]

Indeed.

It's a complicated relationship, is it not? As tempting as it might be to call it black and white, I think the two are far more intermingled than that.

[whitewalls]

Mm. Every heart is filled with both darkness and light. It's just when it starts to tip more in one direction where it starts being troublesome.

[ that's one word for it. ]

It's sort of a hot topic back home, too.

[cyclists]

Is it?

How did it become troublesome?

[whitewalls]

There's just some people who are trying to... [ how to summarize the plot of kingdom hearts ] use the darkness for their own goals.

[cyclists]

Ah...

Yes, I have seen that before as well - though perhaps not as literally as it happens here.

[whitewalls]

It's pretty literal where I'm from, too.

[ it's why she accepted their explanation so easily, honestly. ]

But they're... different darknesses.

[cyclists]

Ahh... Even so, I believe your insight will be very helpful moving forward, if you would like to share it with everyone.

[whitewalls]

Axel and Xion would be helpful as well.

[ ... ]

And Saix, I guess.

[cyclists]

[oh my god

that makes lune laugh]

If I may...

What is it that [makes saix so unpalatable] opens the divide between Saix and the rest of your companions?

[whitewalls]

He is... or, was, on the side I was telling you about. Axel's further ahead of us, and he told me that Saix ends up helping us in the end.

[ ... ]

It's just going to be a little difficult to get used to. I don't have any kind memories of him.

[cyclists]

... is that so...

[ . . . ]

It is alright, if you cannot forgive him immediately.

[whitewalls]

I can deal with it. It's not the first time I had to work with someone I wasn't fond of.

[ this list consists of. almost everyone she has ever worked with. ]

I'm more concerned about Xion.

[cyclists]

Oh? Why so?

[whitewalls]

Their relationship was... rather bad.

[ ... ]

So it might be harder for her to adjust.