Twenty-Second Shooting Star - voice;

[risingwinds]

[Ven's had a lot on his mind these past few weeks. Between the draft, Terra's departure, and... recent events with Fuuko, he's been hit hard and fast.

And what better way to deal with issues than to talk about it? It's for this reason that Ven's pulled open his journal today.

Deep breaths, now. He can do this!]

Say, um. Let's say you just recently started... Well, I mean, if you were--

[He pauses. Gosh, why is this so awkward to ask? COMPOSURE, Ventus.]

Okay, how 'bout this? If you just got together with somebody, and... [...aaand freezing up again.

...aw, heck. He'll just get to the point.]

What kinda things are boyfriends supposed to do? [That came out kinda fast. But... there. At least he said it. And now that that's outta the way, it's time for a more somber subject... He'll get on that after a short pause.]

Also, that last draft really got me thinking. We weren't able to just tag people like before. In order to survive, everybody had to, well... kill. And for me, that's really scary. I can't just... take someone's life, even if they're the enemy.

So I guess what I wanna know is... how do you guys feel about that? And the drafts in general.

I know that's a really weird thing to tackle after that last question, but... well. Any answers are definitely appreciated!

Comments

[voice]

[fellpool]

[You know, that serious topic right there is relevant to his own experiences, but...]

You've got a girlfriend? [Yeah. Let's just say that's a lot more surprising right there.]

[voice]

[risingwinds]

...Yeah.

[Pardon his sheepish laughter here.]

Still kinda hard to believe, though.

[Voice]

[antivanleather]

You require instruction in the art of romance and coping with the aftermath of combat? Just so I am clear on what it is you wish to discuss.

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

A little of both, yeah. I know it's kinda a weird combo, but I figured that most people here oughta know how to handle at least one of 'em.

[savedtheworld]

[Yeah, Aang is going to latch onto the relatively happier question, at least for now.]

Ventus! Are you a boyfriend?

[risingwinds]

Yep! It happened about a week ago.

[And he's still having those giddy, dorky feelings that come with it. Eeee.]

[Voice]

[geniustheveil]

[It's Mercury who answers, because as much as she knows what the answer had to be in her world... she knows it's sad.]

Sometimes, it can't be avoided. Sometimes something bigger is at stake. [Like a friend's life - or a world.]

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

That's true. I guess, if I had to, I'd kill somebody if it meant protecting my friends, but I'd still feel bad. It's just... such a huge thing to do. And outside of Luceti, it's not something you can take back later on.

[voice]

[fortuneprince]

[Naoto is just as unsettled about what they were forced to do on the last draft. Even now it still haunts her and makes her sick to her stomach when she thinks about it.

She's never had to raise her gun to a person's forehead and pull the trigger before. Granted she once thought of throwing a man into the TV where he would later die out of pure rage but she was stopped and came back to her senses. So that draft... did her no good. It doesn't help that she was forced to resort to using a sword instead of a gun most of the time. It feels worse in that close of a range.

But she knows that if she hadn't raised her sword or her gun, she would've been one of the ones who had died out there.] It was unjustified. As it all is. [Bringing children and noncombatants to war... ]

Though... necessary for survival.

Re: [voice]

[risingwinds]

[Necessary... Heh.

Maybe.

When Vanitas kept on attacking everybody, that was the only option, wasn't it? Even if he wasn't the one to do it. Maybe... there really are cases where there's no other route.

Those zombies weren't even people anymore. Not really... And that alone is horrible to think about.]

That virus... It was the real problem. And they couldn't find a cure until it was already too late.

[Too late to save those who'd already died, anyway.]

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Wait, does this mean you and Fuuko actually...

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

...Yes? Is that a bad thing?

[perplexme]

[The draft isn't something Roxas wants to think about. No, that's still way, way too fresh in his mind and he doesn't want to think about it even if he had no trouble killing when he had to. Survival, right?

So instead he replays Ventus's message...and starts cracking up. Sorry, Ven, all you're going to hear is Roxas laughing for a few moments.]

Kind of a funny question, don't you think?

[risingwinds]

Hey!

[Roxas, you meanie. Ven huffs, and he's totally pouting at least a little bit.]

What's so funny about it?

voice;

[etudes]

[ Yeah, Kotomi is (as she always is about everything) completely oblivious to her housemate's romance with this guy. So when she answers, it's just randomly.. ]

Ah, I've actually read a little about those kind of things a while ago.. But I guess that was more about relationships in general, not just the boyfriends side.

voice;

[risingwinds]

Aw, that's okay! Any bit of help you can offer's good enough for me.

[Because he's a doof when it comes to romance, okay.]

[Voice]

[mischiefbreeder]

[Gold is just... going to deliberately ignore that last question. Yep.]

Oh, so you went after that girl you talked about likin', huh?!

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

Well, sorta. More like she wound up asking if I had feelings for her after Masaomi sorta... tried to set us up.

[voice]

[ja_janken]

Enemies or friends... I don't know about that. But you were just trying to survive, right? I think that's the important part. How you feel when you want to survive.

[voice]

[risingwinds]

I know survival's important. It's just... well, even if death's only temporary here, I'm sure it's still awful to go through, no matter what side you're on.

[ voice ]

[gohon]

Kill or be killed - it's not pretty, but that's ultimately how life works. It seems obvious, at least to me. [ snerk ] Well, it was my job after all. That can't be helped.

[ voice ]

[risingwinds]

I've never been in situations like that before I came here, though. Sure, I'm supposed to fight-- it's my job as a Keyblade wielder, but the only things I've ever destroyed were the Unversed, and they were just someone's emotions given form.

All the other people I've fought I usually just roughed up a little-- enough to stop 'em in their tracks.

[voice] I am so late sob

[seleniahymn]

[Ignoring that question about boyfriends for now, because all the experience she has had both here and at home was awkward at best.]

Sometimes, you may have no choice but to take a life. You don't have to like it, nor should you be expected to. But the thing you must remember the most is that in killing, you have robbed someone of their life, thus you should honor it to the best of your ability.

[voice] /throws confetti!

[risingwinds]

But... how can you honor a life if you're taking it away? I'm not sure I follow.

[Voice] Before I forget... 8|

[the_tv_is_a_lie]

They spend time together with their loved ones.

[It's usually that simple, with someone like Yukiko...but he doesn't know who Ventus is going out with. :|a]

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

But isn't there more to it? Like, what's the best way to spend that time?

[Voice]

[winds_voice]

...boyfriend? I am afraid I cannot help you understand what to do. I... would not know myself. Though I would be interested in finding out.

As for killing, I am a peaceful Spirit by nature. However, I have found that anger has caused me to lash out in the past... to kill. Now I try to disable assailants rather than end their lives. Still, I do understand that sometimes people will kill to protect themselves or others. Perhaps I can see some sense in that, as much as I dislike it.

[Voice]

[risingwinds]

Well, I could always share what I do learn, if it helps!

[He knows Eley was trying to learn more about human activites, after all.]

And, yeah, I guess there are times where killing's completely necessary, but it still makes me uncomfortable unless there's really no other choice. There's only one time I can think of where killing somebody here helped, and that was only because his penalty made it so he wasn't dangerous anymore.

[Not here]

[starfishlovesyou]

[Awwh, this is really cute. Don't worry Ven, Fuuko will be happy with whatever you decide to do! She starts looking over the replies and smiling. Some of those suggestions are just what she would expect a boyfriend and girlfriend to do together! ... Wait, hold on a minute. Why are you- The baby thing again?! Ven. Ven. She loves you, really, but please don't go telling everyone about the 'making babies' part of Masaomi's plan!

She can see it now. Soon people will only be recognising her as 'that girl who was told to make babies with that Ven guy'. Her name won't even be relevant anymore. It'll turn it a joke, a joke she will never live down. Everyone in the enclosure will know and she'll have to move to the beach and live with the starfish!

... But what if the starfish found out too? This is too much. Waaah.]