sparsity | INBOX

...I can't say you're wrong. Anyone who steps onto a battlefield knows they're risking their life. Anyone with a weapon in their hand has made that choice. And anyone who goes so far as to take a life... Sometimes, there's no other way to stop them. Sometimes, what they've done can't be forgiven.

[ He knows that all too well. For all that he wishes for a world at peace, for all that he doesn't want to see anyone die, he's still a soldier. He knows that the things he wishes for aren't so easy to grasp in the world, that reality won't allow everything to work out so easily. ]

But just killing those men doesn't stop more men from taking their place. It just throws fuel on the fire. They have to be stopped, but we can't ignore the reasons why they were doing all of this in the first place, or it'll all happen again, to the people we care about again.

It'll happen again even if you do understand. [ They don't stop, so he won't stop. That's how people are, as far as he sees it. If he had the emotional wherewithal to look beyond that at any point in his short life, it was burned clean of him long before the Storm. ] You can do whatever you want.

If they appear in front of me again, I'll crush them.

[ He's quiet a moment. That's... sad, isn't it? That something's happened to make Mika like this. But he barely knows Mika, what right does he have to judge when he doesn't even know why Mika thinks this way? So Cain forces a smile into his voice. ]

Then I'll do what I want, too. But before they show up again, what are you going to do? Won't you help me out a little in the meantime?

[ Mikazuki isn't the most emotionally complex, but something contrary hooks into him at the sound of a smile. In a way, he's at ease knowing Cain will do what he believes is right, even if that's standing opposite of him.

It's not the first time his respect for someone has been troublesome.

Or exasperated. ]

Help with what?

At least figure out if there's anything we can do to keep more people from ending up like them.

[ At least Mika's listening. That's more than Cain had thought he might be able to get. ]

If you're going to crush them, it'd be better if there aren't others to take their place afterwards, right?

I don't know. What they do beforehand doesn't concern me.

[ Not that he's curious, or anything — ]

What are you planning?

[ Honest. ]

[ Uh huh. He believes you. Not interested at aaaaall. ]

First, investigating. I bet there's all sorts of things we can find out if we just go talk to the right people.

You're putting yourself in the same position as before.

Ah... [ A sheepish sort of pause. ] Am I? How's that?

Did they tell you why you got taken?

[ A slight pause before he answers, and his voice turns just the faintest bit wary. ]

Just because a bunch of terrorists didn't like it doesn't mean I should stop doing it.