Spark 03: Video:

[realmenknitplushies]

Yo. So I've kinda got a question for people who've done this whole [waving a hand] "hero thing" before, or gotten involved in these sorta fights. What do you tell your family 'n all that about - this whole mess? Do ya tell them anything? 'Cause ma came to the big city for New Year's, an' we were talkin' about things... I just wasn't sure what to say.

I don't wanna go scarin' her, or get her involved in this mess. But I don't wanna lie.

Any thoughts?

[Locked to his team:]

And by the way, ma brought a hamper of stuff to share with friends. Shit, you'd think she was trying to make me explode: I've got enough here to keep me goin' for weeks. So... I wanna split this with you guys. You up for it?

Comments

[video; locked]

[psykick]

That's really sweet of your mom, sending you treats. She must really care for you. But I'd be happy to help!

[That's Rinka. Never one to turn down free food.]

As for your question about the whole 'hero thing'... I told my father I was joining a training team. He was okay with it, though probably because he knew even if he told me not to, I'd do it anyway. I was already going some hero-ish stuff in Tokyo before I came here, and he tried to stop me at first, but then I reminded him that he was the one who taught me how to fight.

[And then she'd kneed her dad in the face, but let's not talk about that.]

He's not very happy the school got attacked or that I got in a fight at the mall, but he understands that his is important to me. I think your mom will understand too. She's already a little involved anyway, just because she's your mom.

[realmenknitplushies]

Yeah. [He sighs slightly, thinking about the situation.] I mean, she brought me to this country to stay safe, she got me into the school when, uh, things happened... she's done a hell of a lot for me.

I just ... don't think she'd wanna hear that I was fightin'.

[psykick]

It's not like we're running about looking for fights. We're just... preparing for the worst.

[Still, she knows how hard it was for her father to let her go out there and fight.]

What do you think would upset her more? Knowing that you were fighting to protect others or knowing that you kept a secret from her?

[realmenknitplushies]

Ngh. I dunno. [He scratches his head.] I get what you're sayin', but I don't think she'd want to hear either. I shouldn't be puttin' myself into danger, she'd probably say.

[psykick]

[Rinka almost says that it's not like they have any choice about the danger... but to some extent they do. She could have avoided that fight at the mall, if she'd really wanted to. She could have left it up to her father to rescue Murasaki. She could have stayed home and left Azuma to his own hairbrained devices. But she hadn't.]

Well, you know your mom better than we do. I just hope she knows what a good person she's raised.

[realmenknitplushies]

[Owch. That gets him right in the heart. Kanji looks down, away, aside, still rubbing the back of his neck-]

Nah. She tried to raise a good person. She got a dumb punk who doesn't know when to stop.

[psykick]

[Dumb punk? Rinka is so confused. Kanji's seemed like a pretty nice person to her so far. Sure, the whole leather thing was a little intimidating at first, but she's gotten good vibes off Kanji every since their first team training session. Did he mean the street fights he'd mentioned at that time?]

But you're not...

[realmenknitplushies]

[He doesn't know what to say. There's the slightest hint of a smile, perhaps.]

Heh. Thanks. But you guys ain't seen my bad side.

[psykick]

It doesn't mean we'll think any less of you if we do. Everyone can have a bad side, just like everyone can have a good side.

[She grins.]

One of my friends back home, she used to be involved with some really rough people, and I'll probably never be able to convince her to not steel things. But she's still a good person, and I'm glad we're friends.

[realmenknitplushies]

Well... I ain't been stealin' stuff, anyway.

[A bit of an awkward laugh, there.]

But thanks. I'll... I'll explain things to ya guys one day soon. I hope. It's just kinda difficult to talk about.

[psykick]

Take your time. It's your story, not ours.