6/16: nico

[randori]

[ The moment votes were cast, Natsuo had left. He didn't want to hear the results. He didn't want to be a part of it at all. So he picked himself off and left— slow, staggering, blood seeping through the bandages around his stomach that dots a trail from the garden back inside the castle.

He probably wouldn't be able to get very far, but the path he takes is directly up the stairs to his room, and he can be intercepted at any point between the garden and there. ]

Comments

[resumed]

[?!]

Is there a reason why he stabbed you?

[randori]

Because I got in the way?

[ IT'S HIS FAULT..... ]

[resumed]

I'm not sure that's a great excuse, Natsuo. [There's a light, curious look.] ...but I don't feel like you're going to die either. If anyone's going to die from getting in the way on accident it'll probably be Varian.

[randori]

Yeah, I got stabbed in the stomach, but if it's Varian, he's short so they'd get his neck.

[resumed]

You're not that much taller than him, are you? [And he's become thoroughly distracted, thanks.]

[randori]

I'm taller!! [ By an inch, yeah. And it would have been another inch over that, if Dazai hadn't confiscated his platform shoes last week. ]

[resumed]

Not enough for a stabbing height difference! Never mind, that's not important. Should we be more worried about Shirasu stabbing someone else?

[randori]

[ An inch makes or breaks hitting a vital organ, you know? But Natsuo doesn't seem concerned about either point. ]

Nah, it's fine! I'll tell Sanji that Shirasu's got one of his knives, and he'll confiscate it!

[ Is it a kitchen knife? I actually don't know, but that'll be Sanji's job to investigate. ]

[resumed]

[??? Hilariously I actually don't know either. Knives are knives!!]

You trust Sanji that much enough to do that?

[randori]

Have you ever gotten in the way of Sanji and one of his knives? Trust has nothing to do with it.

[resumed]

No, I usually try to avoid people with knives as much as possible.

[randori]

But not Sanji! You don't have to be scared of Sanji!

[ Because fear is the problem here, right? Well, there's no need ]

I'd trust Sanji with my life!

[resumed]

[That's interesting.] I haven't really gotten to speak to him all that much. What's he really like that's made you say that?

[randori]

[ It takes very little for Natsuo to trust somebody with his life, but if he has to think of one specific reason... ]

He believes in nakama. Friends- a team- family. That's what we're all supposed to be.

[resumed]

[He grows quiet.]

Family? [That's...a little bit of a strong word here.] ...the idea is nice, in theory, but how do you get other people to agree with working as a team?

[randori]

I dunno.

[ There's no textbook method of getting to that point, right? So Natsuo can only speak from his own experiences. ]

A team has a leader, and there's different sorts of leaders. The rest of the team supports that person or the idea behind that person, or maybe they just want to be protected by that person. But what matters is that people all want the same thing- and then they'll work together!

[ Easy, naturally, teams form out of similar goals, is what he thinks, and still believes can be done here. ]

[resumed]

[A slow nod.] Sousei and I were sort of speaking about the same thing. Getting people to follow someone's lead to try and stop this game. But we don't know each other well enough yet to appoint a leader who's going to keep all of us safe.

The idea's not a bad one though. We have to take care of ourselves, first, and then work on teamwork. [And there's another pointed look at Natsuo's wounds. Just saying, bro.]

[randori]

[ Teamwork and leadership could not have prevented this wound. Natsuo doesn't think it's as hard as Nico's making it out to be too; with all Natsuo's proclamations about protecting people and fighting for their stead, this is a topic that's naturally come up a handful of times, so he has a solution ready to propose: ]

What do you think about a competition? Strongest person's appointed leader— that's how we always did it.

[ When you're a middle/high school delinquent, that's really all that mattered, though. Pure, physical strength. ]

[resumed]

[Teamwork is hard, Natsuo. It's hard and no one understands.]

...a competition? [Oh no.] That's not really such a bad idea. It would at least outline everybody's strengths for us so we know who can help where.

[randori]

[ Teamwork is easy if everybody just shuts up and does what he says! But unfortunately, not many agree to the idea as Natsuo would like. ]

That's the sorta thing people should say upfront, what they can help with. I'm talking about who's the strongest- the one person nobody would speak back against, 'cause everybody loves and respects and fears 'em!

[resumed]

[...squinting.] Wouldn't that be kind of the same thing as bullying people into listening?

[randori]

Nuh uh, 'cause they're still choosing to follow that person.

[ It's coercion, thinly disguised as choice. ] How else would you do it?

[resumed]

Usually based on how many years of experience someone has, or sometimes how many successful quests they've led? In this place...I'm not sure. There are too many unpredictable people.

[randori]

I dunno about quests, but I have ten years on me. Probably the one with most experience is Fane? He's so old, he's dead.

[resumed]

[Hm.] I'm not sure that's really how that works, but you have a point. But ten years of doing what?

[randori]

Fighting, and stuff? But mostly I just watched fights when I was a kid. They were scary!

[ He was six or something idk his childhood was messed up ]

[resumed]

[Natsuo.......]

...guess you fit right in here. [He looks at the castle, seemingly thinking of something.] Think you'll be okay from here?

[randori]

I'll be okay! I'm made to survive, after all!

[ Surviving this long is a miracle and he'll keep at it. ]

I'll talk to you later, then?

[resumed]

Sounds good. I'll catch up with you later. [And just like that he turns to disappear.]