[Guess they're doing this. Jae-ha puts his book away, and moves to rest along the side of the window, shrugging idly. It seems like he might not answer but.
He told Sousei to ask questions about him when he's curious, didn't he?
And oddly enough, it feels like something he can trust him with.]
I tried to escape, but you've seen what the Green Dragon's leg can do. Until that day I got out, Garou had more strength in his than I did in mine. He could catch me every time I ran away.
... well, it didn't stop me from trying.
[It's just - in Jae-ha's nature to run away from his fate.]
[That one he answers easily:] It's in the Green Dragon's nature to pursue freedom, and to never stay in the same place.
[It's what happens, when he has a leg that gives him such power. Never remaining in one spot, forever traveling, seeking more - until he finds something that catches his attention (and more accurately, his heart).]
... but there will always be a new dragon born, meant to serve King Hiryuu. Normally after the new Green Dragon is born, the former one dies within three or four years. I don't know how Garou managed to make it to twelve - stubbornness, maybe.
[He wanted to live.
Jae-ha knew that.
Unconsciously, his hand moves to cover his own heart, where he remembers his blood screaming in pain. In anguish. In fear.]
Dragons never make it to 30.
[ - it's why he offered to take Sousei's spot, that first week. Even if he wants to live, to defy everything that tells him he's going to die - he will, in the end. And likely far sooner than any human here.]
[It explains more than it doesn't. A new dragon is born, and the old one dies. What a pitiful cycle. There's no reason for it to be that way, nothing but "that is simply how it is", and he loathes that sort of thing most of all.
He frowns to himself.]
For what it is worth, even now knowing that, I still would not have agreed to you taking my place.
[It doesn't matter how many years Jae-ha has left.
.... I know you wouldn't have. Or - well, now I do.
[Some part of him knew it back then - realizing that there would've been no point in arguing with Sousei about trading places, about whether or not one of them deserved to live more than the other. Jae-ha doesn't particularly regret offering, and is of course mostly glad that for now, they're both still alive.]
... my life has been good. Whenever I do go, I don't intend for it to be with regrets. What I want, I chase.
And anything... is better than where I used to be.
[... It's impressive. Impressive and something that resonates with him. Take what you want while you're living. Follow your heart, and do what needs to be done. Don't shirk back from what truly matters.
...]
You are very impressive, sometimes.
[These are words he Will Not Repeat, but there you have it.]
Jae-ha raises a brow at that, apparently interested very much in this strange turn of events that has Sousei praising him. Really? He could get used to that.]
Murder by memory. Naturally, Jae-ha's getting that memory of Sousei as a child, Tenka telling him they could be heroes, that they could protect the country from the shadows--
You know the one, I'm not pulling up the pages for you.
but also Jae-ha is absolutely just barely alive, having caught onto a ledge, looking up at Sousei in confusion, still trying to blink away a memory that wasn't his]
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[ . . . because well, that's just how Sousei is.
For better or worse, Jae-ha does like him.]
... but - fine. About the memory then...
[ . . . ]
It's where I was before I met my Captain. I was twelve, by the time I got out.
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[They talked about their similarities in that way, after all.]
... You endured that for twelve years?
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He told Sousei to ask questions about him when he's curious, didn't he?
And oddly enough, it feels like something he can trust him with.]
I tried to escape, but you've seen what the Green Dragon's leg can do. Until that day I got out, Garou had more strength in his than I did in mine. He could catch me every time I ran away.
... well, it didn't stop me from trying.
[It's just - in Jae-ha's nature to run away from his fate.]
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[In that, Jae-ha was far more impressive than Sousei, he can't help but think--
But he just nods.]
I think I understand you a little better now. Though...
[...]
The power is transferred, then? From one person to another?
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[It's what happens, when he has a leg that gives him such power. Never remaining in one spot, forever traveling, seeking more - until he finds something that catches his attention (and more accurately, his heart).]
... but there will always be a new dragon born, meant to serve King Hiryuu. Normally after the new Green Dragon is born, the former one dies within three or four years. I don't know how Garou managed to make it to twelve - stubbornness, maybe.
[He wanted to live.
Jae-ha knew that.
Unconsciously, his hand moves to cover his own heart, where he remembers his blood screaming in pain. In anguish. In fear.]
Dragons never make it to 30.
[ - it's why he offered to take Sousei's spot, that first week. Even if he wants to live, to defy everything that tells him he's going to die - he will, in the end. And likely far sooner than any human here.]
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[It explains more than it doesn't. A new dragon is born, and the old one dies. What a pitiful cycle. There's no reason for it to be that way, nothing but "that is simply how it is", and he loathes that sort of thing most of all.
He frowns to himself.]
For what it is worth, even now knowing that, I still would not have agreed to you taking my place.
[It doesn't matter how many years Jae-ha has left.
He deserves to live all of them.]
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[Some part of him knew it back then - realizing that there would've been no point in arguing with Sousei about trading places, about whether or not one of them deserved to live more than the other. Jae-ha doesn't particularly regret offering, and is of course mostly glad that for now, they're both still alive.]
... my life has been good. Whenever I do go, I don't intend for it to be with regrets. What I want, I chase.
And anything... is better than where I used to be.
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[... It's impressive. Impressive and something that resonates with him. Take what you want while you're living. Follow your heart, and do what needs to be done. Don't shirk back from what truly matters.
...]
You are very impressive, sometimes.
[These are words he Will Not Repeat, but there you have it.]
[1/2]
Jae-ha raises a brow at that, apparently interested very much in this strange turn of events that has Sousei praising him. Really? He could get used to that.]
Mm? Do you think? Well—
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and the suddenness of it manages to throw him off entirely, including off balance as he's going to just
tip out the window]
Ah?
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Murder by memory. Naturally, Jae-ha's getting that memory of Sousei as a child, Tenka telling him they could be heroes, that they could protect the country from the shadows--
You know the one, I'm not pulling up the pages for you.
Sousei just kind of... peers out the window. Hm.]
Are you alive?
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but also Jae-ha is absolutely just barely alive, having caught onto a ledge, looking up at Sousei in confusion, still trying to blink away a memory that wasn't his]
... I think?
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Ah.
Here.
[He'll at least offer Jae-ha a hand. It'd be really inconvenient if Jae-ha died like this.]
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And he looks at Sousei for a long second.
And then he just ends up laughing.]
I think... I saw your childhood promise?
It was - really cute.
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Sousei just looks at Jae-ha for a long, flat moment in return--and then he yanks him into the room and promptly lets go of his hand. Ugh.....]
It was not. Stop it.
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Whoa!
[he nearly ends up on the floor]
Why does no one I know talk at all fondly about their best friend....
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[Huff!!!
He hates that! He hates that he misses Tenka!! Fucker!!!]
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[ . . . ]
You really must like him a lot.
Though.... I think I can see why.
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You did not listen to a word I said, did you?
[He doesn't want to think that Jae-ha knows him this...well... already...]
If he was here, he would have already been a disaster of some sort.
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[ . . . ]
Well, it might be for the better that he's not here. But I hope you get to see him again. You might need the breath of fresh air.
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I am certain there are people we all need to see again. That is...the purpose behind trying to get as many people as possible back home safely.
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I wonder - what will we tell them all once we return? How many people will go grey with worry once they realize what we've been through?
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[He's... he's kind of surprised.
Sousei is telling Kiiko and Tenka and the Yamainu jackshit of this.]
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So your friends and family do find you just as impossible to speak to back home.
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[So!! Tartly!!]
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