|| { 106: allegro con brio, feroce } ||

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[today, music room, skinny kid with a conductor's baton.

that recording is on at full blast. he is having a blast air-conducting the shit out of it.

where has he been for the past couple of months? hiding out in the city because of a hideously ugly loss WHO KNOWS]

[[ooc: open, feel free to pester however, he won't bite too hard :D]]

Comments

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... a nod.] Things must change, I suppose. As I said, he wouldn't want you to linger.

Dear me. I wonder how one could create an enemy everyone could happily band together to defeat, never mind the idea of its invulnerability. We have creeds from all across the spectrum and beliefs that directly contradict each other. It would have to be undefeatable, invincible, and a force that anyone would be able to band against. It's a tough call.

[bedninja]

I know that he would not. And it is not as though I spend no time with him any longer. [He just doesn't know what to do when Minato has gone back to treating him like the little boy from his dreams instead of someone important. He liked thinking that he was important to Minato.

But he's silent for a moment, as he leans forward a little and tilts his head. As if the different angle will make something more obvious.]

...You are making that face again. What are you thinking of, Joshua?

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. [/vague]

[raises his eyebrows and smiles down at him.] What do you think of power, Pharos?

[bedninja]

[Joshua you are the vaguest. He doesn't know how to translate when you get too vague.]

I cannot say that I think very much of it at all. ...But I am aware that I am "more powerful" than a number of beings here.

And I am aware that you are quite "powerful" as well.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[whups whups whups :3c]

Hmm. Out of everyone you've met here, among those who are still here, who do you think is the most powerful?

[bedninja]

[He has to consider this for a moment, to make sure that his answer is truly objective and not too entirely biased. As much as he likes Zelman and would like to say that he was the most powerful... frankly, he wasn't.]

Riful was very powerful when I encountered her larger form... But likewise, she was very stupid about the situation, and intent on nearly driving herself into the grave. I have a difficult time considering someone like that powerful.

Allen is powerful as well; and his determination plays a large factor into his strength.

...and of course, there is also you.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... crouches down until he is eye level with pharos.] What do you think, Pharos? If I took on every denizen in the castle in a united force...

[bedninja]

[He's slightly hesitant to answer; and that's mostly because he isn't sure. He can see it when he tries to - the vast potential that makes up "Joshua", just how powerful he is. All that he could do.

But there are people like Allen within this Castle; people who fight for their futures, and for the futures of other. People that Pharos admires beyond words simply because they want to live. And he doesn't know what they would be capable of if someone like Joshua were to actually become a threat.]

...It would likely be difficult. For both you and for them - and you would likely be harmed, as well as them.

But I believe it would be more difficult for them than it would you.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... grins, and reaches over to ruffle his hair.] It's an emergency maneuver, Pharos. I wouldn't do it unless I had good reason to.

[bedninja]

[Normally, hair ruffles would please him more, but at the moment he is slightly distracted.]

For all intents and purposes, this is our jurisdiction now. ...so if you decide to do such a thing at some point, I would like to help if possible.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... blink.] That won't be necessary.

[bedninja]

Of course you would say that it is not necessary. [Slight huff. You are The Most Difficult okay, he expected that.] But it is still something that I would like to do; as I said, if possible.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[:T] You have others to deal with, Pharos. Loyalty or whatever misguided notion you have for this can't stop you from leaving your friends.

[bedninja]

You seem to be forgetting that I consider you a friend of mine as well, Joshua. Regardless of the fact that you do not consider me one.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... sigh.] I don't know what the castle would do if that particular plan should fail. I'm a powerful being, yes, but I'm a small cog in a large machine in my world, granted immense power because the system that chose me knew I would use them correctly. If I fail to return to my own world, my system would rebalance and repair itself given time. I have great power, but I'm also dispensable. [a stare.] You do not have the latter luxury. None of you do.

[bedninja]

There is no such thing as a life that is dispensable.

[It's said perhaps a little too quickly - and Pharos actually looks a bit upset at the thought. But he says no more in his own defense of helping Joshua... because Joshua was right. The system in his own world wasn't set up to work without him. The world wouldn't work without him. And Joshua's would move on without a hitch if he ceased to exist.]

If you do not wish for me to interfere at that point, then I will not.

...but I enjoy our conversations immensely.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... almost gently.] I'm not alive anymore, Pharos. I haven't been for a very long time. It's all right.

[bedninja]

You are alive here. [But it's a terrible attempt at an argument, and Pharos knows it, so he doesn't offer any other.

...But it's sad. It's so sad... Pharos came to the Castle ecstatic to talk with people. To interact. To be remembered. And now so very many of them were gone, and he missed quite a number of them. He hated that part of emotions... that part of being human.

He would miss Joshua when he was gone, too.]

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

[... a smile.] It's a last resort, Pharos, as I said. I do plan on the best case scenario, wherein everyone returns to their rightful places, myself included. [let's not mention the last resort is more or less the only resort.] I do value myself, you know.

[bedninja]

I should certainly hope that you do! [Another huff. This is a prime of Act-Like-A-Big-Kid-And-Pretend-Not-To-Be-Slightly-Upset time.] I would not like you nearly as much if you did not.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

Touché. Not much for the humble, are you? [peering around to catch a glimpse of Pharos' face.] I rather think I'm very valuable, thank you.

[bedninja]

Not exceptionally. People seem much more interesting when they find themselves to be important.

[His eyes might be just slightly, slightly red, but otherwise his expression is much the same as it was the last time he got slightly huffy at Joshua. Though slightly torn. He's not very good at hiding emotions; he doesn't know how to be.]

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the former is a cause of the latter or vice versa...?

[easiest way to get a highly inquisitive kid out of the dumps - give them something else to think about! hey, whatever works. it worked for him when he was young, ok]

[bedninja]

[Sob. That's actually a pretty brilliant way of doing things when it comes to Pharos.]

...I believe it may be because interesting people find more worth in themselves or their lives than people who are not as interesting.

[mmm-paradise.livejournal.com]

And those who find little worth in their lives are the opposite, naturally. So, do you believe that their fears are justified? That they're worth less than those who do have confidence?