voice; un: taka

[retsuden]

[ Sasuke thought about asking this through text. He likely should have, because his emotions have been strong lately, a lot stronger than he wants them to be, and his anger has been nearly as quick and hot as it was when he was on his path of revenge. But it feels cheap somehow to ask such an important question via text. He can't do video due to his eyes, so he tries to keep his voice even to conceal just how much this question means to him.

The feed is silent for a little longer than is probably natural, but he's still figuring out how to us his omni, so. Y'know. Be gentle here.

Finally, it picks up a sigh that almost sounds annoyed. ]

How did the world treat orphans where you're from? Was there an age where someone was considered a child versus an adult? Were there children who were considered unworthy of help or were the rules in place blanketed towards all children?

[ There's a pause where he realizes he should make it seem like this is less about, y'know, him, and more about curiosity on how to help kids here maybe. Uhhhh... ]

... Would there be things from your world that you would want to see offered to the children in this one?

Comments

[retsuden]

[ .......... He probably should have seen that coming. ]

No. You aren't the first person to tell me that things were different.

...I want to know if Konoha is the odd one out.

[natzoom]

[If there's a way for Natsume to make his perception of himself even worse he's gonna take it.

But then he pauses, thoughtful.] I see. Is it?

[retsuden]

It's... not. Some places are similar. Some slightly worse. Some tried to do better, but it didn't help anything.

[natzoom]

...so it's a problem everywhere. [Natsume sounds...thoughtful about this. Thoughtful and resigned.]

[retsuden]

Humans are imperfect even in their best intentions, I suppose.

[natzoom]

I suppose that sums it up. Does it...is it comforting? To know that it's the same?

[retsuden]

I... don't know. Comfort may not be the right word.

[ He tries to think of what might be a better one, but it's not coming to him. Dammit. He bites his lip, before figuring maybe he can explain it more than one word somehow. ]

One of my biggest flaws is envy. I guess it's more of a ... relief? If I were the only one, it would be easier to be angry that my world was broken where others weren't.

[natzoom]

...that makes sense. Being relieved. [In a sort of...backwards way.] I suppose there's something to the notion that people are the same in all their failings.

[retsuden]

Mm. I suppose maybe that should also give me hope that maybe my world will actually be able to better if there are other worlds that have tried, but I'm not very naturally optimistic. [ A shock, he's sure. ]

[natzoom]

Are you not? [It comes out...much flatter than Natsume means, whoops.] I've never really seen the benefit to being optimistic, I have to admit. About some things, at least.

[retsuden]

[ Thankfully he's talking to King of the flat voice and he probably barely even notices. ] Neither have I. My friend back home says I'd be a happier person if I just looked on the bright side once in a while, but I've always preferred to just be realistic.

[natzoom]

I think if you're realistic, you can see both the good things and the bad things. So...it ends up being better in the long run. [A couple of rays of sunshine, right here.]