Calling the Old Man Out

[foolishjustice]

[Goro has barely been seen since getting back from the Fissure, only leaving his room briefly to eat a couple times a day, coffee in hand and looking half asleep. Now, though, he seems to finally be properly awake...at approximately 8PM.]

Good...erm, evening, I suppose. I’m sorry I’ve been so absent lately, that Fissure must have taken more out of me than I thought.

But, now that I’m recovered, there’s something important I need to tell everyone. The last batch of new arrivals included a man named Masayoshi Shido. He’s my father, and a truly despicable man, who has had numerous people killed for his own convenience or benefit. He even had my mother killed to cover up the scandal of my birth.

[Here he holds up a phone, showing a picture of Shido...with what looks like avocado and cheese smeared on his face and a shrimp up his nose, wearing the most tiredly Done expression as he reaches for the offending crustacean.]

I injured him in the forest in retaliation for the things he’s done to me, one of my boyfriends, and countless others, but don’t mistake him for someone who deserves your pity. He’s physically not much of a threat, but he is a skilled schemer and manipulator, and-

[ Which is the moment that the video will shake, and a very brief flash of a familiar face (spoiler: Akira’s) can be seen. Off-screen, he’s gently pressing a kiss to Goro’s cheek, whispering that he loves him. Don’t mind the view of a ceiling for a moment, guys - it’s a nice ceiling, at least?

… He’ll properly make it up to Goro, later, if he can? For now, though, he gently brushes the fingers of one hand through his boyfriend’s hair. Akira’s face can properly be seen, after he takes a quiet breath. He looks… well, how most would remember? Only with a bit more of a tiredness to it, maybe.

Though, that’s not taking away from how serious he looks as he speaks. ]

... and, while Goro is right about all of that, there is one more detail I feel should be taken into account. Shido isn’t a good person, but he’s well-aware of that now. He’s done unforgivable things, but his eyes were opened to all of it after his ass was kicked.

[ JUST SAYING… ]

Anyway, nobody has to worry about him. Besides, he knows if he tried anything, he’d have to answer to all of us from his world, and then some.

[ JUST SAYING... ]

[This is the point where Goro takes his tablet back, looking a bit huffy.]

It’s true, he isn’t likely to be a threat now. But he absolutely doesn’t deserve anyone’s kindness or sympathy.

Comments

[dragonmouth]

Astounding.

[Just. This face.]

Tell me you at least had the decency to do it with your own hands.

[makejapangreat]

[Oh, that's a rather ugly laugh.]

Why don't you take a guess?

[...and that might be the closest he's sounded to pre-Change of Heart since he got here.]

[beguiledcard]

Making someone guess? When you've been so voluntary with the information, so far?

Confess your greatest sin with your own mouth, you coward.

[dragonmouth]

When I was nine years old, a woman was brought to the capital for her execution. No one was happy about this. My mother saw her as nothing more than an obstruction. An annoying insect who dared speak the truth before her eyes.

Or so I thought.

But she untied the restraints and challenged the woman to a duel to the death anyway, though all she had to do was carve out her face. She even told the woman's daughter that when she was no longer a child, she was more than welcome to seek revenge.

Later, she told me this: "if someone stands in your way, there is no greater shame than to refuse to even look them in the eye."

I cannot forgive my mother for her mistakes.

But I don't consider having a shred of honor to be one of them.

[beguiledcard]

[ ... That's... a lot. And his expression might be tensing a lot, after hearing about this woman being set up for execution. His eyes are widened for just a moment, and then it takes a bit for him to ensure his breathing will be calm. ]

I can't imagine seeing something like that at the age of nine... I'm sorry you had to.

[ He's glancing to the side for a moment before asking: ]

Was your mother a... queen, or something?

[dragonmouth]

...yes.

I suppose my parentage matters little outside the realm.

[She's glad someone listened, at least. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ A thoughtful hum. ]

I wouldn't say it doesn't matter... Personally, I believe it should matter as much as you want it to, on some level.

[ So, with that!!! ]

At the very least, I'd love to learn more about your world, sometime.

[dragonmouth]

Then I suppose I could tell you, although I doubt this is the time or place when your lover has his own scores to settle.

[ Tali don't call Goro Akira's "lover" even if that's technically what he is, that just sounds a lot more dramatic than the situation calls for. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ That gets a soft smile from him, at least. Both him and Goro have some scores to settle with this guy. He doesn't think that this will happen anytime soon, since they're probably looking at years of whatever could amount to therapy, here. ]

Yeah, I meant after all this blows over.

[makejapangreat]

[A wry smirk and an empty gaze.]

I had my henchmen do it.

[dragonmouth]

[Just. This face.]

That's nothing to smile about.

[You don't send subordinates to kill a single target unless there's a damn good reason, Shido.]

[makejapangreat]

Indeed.

[but here is, being awful, even though his heart was changed...]

[dragonmouth]

And if your mother's tits were sacks of venom, she would have done the world a great service.

Do you truly wish to redeem yourself, or this all a ruse for your own self-flagellation?

[makejapangreat]

[...heh.]

I do wish to redeem myself. However impossible it may be.