her_mouse_jesty | 12 (The Fire Fighters)

12 (The Fire Fighters)

[Video! Minnie is happily holding hands with Melfina to one side, and her Azumarril 'Mickey' to her other. She swings her arms, they're heading into Goldenrod! Surely nothing bad will ever happen there! And... she's singing. Which isn't so bad.... except it maaay get stuck in your head.]

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears
It's a world of hopes, it's a world of fears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small small world

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world...

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[Giggles, and starts up again, slower, so she and Nuru can have happy sing-a-long fun times.]

It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all~

[One thing Nuru has absolutely no skill in: singing. Seriously, she sounds like a cat being strangled. Kisame looks like he might be developing a headache.

See what he does for you and his Pokémon Minnie?]

[Annnnd since he's been snooping on Naruto and Minnie's conversation, Kisame will interrupt the terrible singing.]

...Still going to be stubborn, eh?

[dude, rude on both counts >3>]

... Huh?

[One of the few times he will be. ...not that he considers monitoring enemy activity rude.]

The "friendship." You haven't tried to learn more because you're afraid you'll be proven wrong.

...

I wanted to give you a fresh start to prove yourself. But if you wish to tell me about your past, then I will listen.

My past is my future, Minnie-san. Here, I have no reason to attack anyone, but when I return home, not only are there hunters after me for my crimes, but I have orders to follow. Killing will be involved, one way or another. It will be worth all of it when the world is remade into a world of truth even if I don't live long enough to see it.

But if you still think I can be your friend... I might as well start from the beginning, eh?

I will listen.

The village I was born in is the Village of Hidden Mist, in Water Country. Like all hidden villages its main commodity is producing ninja, soldiers to fight and kill at their employers' whims. That's what this identifies me as.

[He taps his metal plated headband.] Every person in one of these is a ninja, and we're all trained to fight and kill from a very young age. Even if some of us haven't...realized the killing part yet. Every village has its own mark. The one on mine is Mist's.

[Except the mark looks like someone crossed it out with a sharp object, gouging the metal. He'll get to that later.]

They called us "Bloody Mist" when I was young. Because in order to get this you had to murder one of your classmates, one of your "friends." To fail was to die yourself. There were no second chances and no exceptions. I was ten and even got the... honor of graduating early.

[He pauses there, gauging her reaction]

[Her hands are to her mouth, and those are definitely tears in her eyes. Yes, she's upset, and horrified... but it's not directed at him. No, he has her pity, her sympathy, in those eyes.]

[Very softly.] Don't pity me. I had a choice then; I could have let myself be killed instead. That's the "good" choice, isn't it?

[No mocking there. It's an honest question. After a moment he continues.]

The best had a chance of being welcomed into the elite. The Seven Swordsmen were the best of the best and any graduate that truly stood out had a chance to be picked by one of them as a subordinate. I was; and my superior wielded Samehada--the most dangerous and powerful of the seven blades.

If I had graduated a mere three years later, it might have been different. A student who hadn't even been cleared to graduate snapped and killed an entire class. Over 100 students. Strange how when every year half of the families would welcome home their children drenched in a classmate's blood while the other half dug graves, no one complained. But when an entire class died, the outcry was so great that the practice was ended completely. The one who killed 100 of his classmates was allowed to graduate, of course, and later he became one of the Seven Swordsman, as I did.

[He smiles and it's not a nice grin, but it's a little strained.] Brutality and lack of anything but devotion to the village were always rewarded, remember that.

During that time, the world was at war. There were plenty of dangerous missions, even though Mist wasn't directly involved, and I rose in rank quickly. My superior was in the intelligence corpse and I was assigned, always alone, to guard the intelligence squads while they did missions on enemy territory.

My orders were simple: protect the codes and secrets first. The lives of my squad, and my own, were secondary to the codes. Knowing that, I avoided being friendly with them. There was too much risk.

What do you think happened, Minnie-san?

[The question is mostly rhetorical.]

[And down the tears roll, hot on her cheeks. She tries to rub her eyes, but nods slowly, having a good idea what happened, and for him to continue. Sniffle sniffle.]

We were ambushed on a mission. It was perfectly planned and they even sent their head interrogator along. We were outnumbered, outpowered, and surrounded; it was clear what would happen.

I followed my orders and I killed my squad. Even to this day I can't tell you how I made it out alive myself, but somehow I did. [Faintest trace of bitterness.] Maybe they let me escape; I wouldn't be surprised if that had been part of the deal.

I was praised for my devotion, of course, but by that time I knew there was something wrong. It wasn't until I discovered the truth about my superior that I realized what it was, though. My superior was a traitor; he'd been giving the secrets I tried so hard to protect away.

The details about my mission made perfect sense then. I don't know if he intended to blame his crimes on me, or was simply using me to cover them up... It could have been either, or even both. I didn't bother asking before I killed him. Samehada became mine, and I earned a full position on the Seven Swordsmen that day. I was praised by the Mizukage himself--the leader of our village--and ordered to work under him directly from then on. But he was just a puppet, every word and action decided by someone else.

Everything had been a lie. I had spent my entire career, nearly a decade, killing more than I protected. What did that make me? Where should I have gone? Where could I have gone?

[He looks at Minnie for a moment.] It doesn't get any better, Minnie-san. Have you had enough, or do you want to hear the rest?

[By this time, she's sunk to her knees, the tears unstoppable. At least the cries are quiet, there are no loud bawls or hiccups. She just nods again, slow, her heart in pain.]

... I must hear it. We can't... stop now.

[Softly] Brave of you...

[He looks off at something offscreen for a minute.] The man controlling the Mizukage--the Fourth-- revealed himself to me. I don't know how long he'd been using the Fourth as a puppet, but I suspect the Fourth had never had a chance to lead at all. The real Mizukage told me about his plan to remake the world into a world of truth. I doubted at first--how foolish of me--but eventually I believed.

[If that smacks of manipulation, it's because it was. But only the manipulator knows how far back the manipulation started. From his voice and his face, Kisame believes with a single-minded, desperate devotion.]

For a time I stayed in Mist, following orders, killing. Then--I told you about the one that killed his class. They called him the Demon, like they called me the Monster--things changed. We had something in common, I suppose. He tried to assassinate the Mizukage. I murdered one of daimyo--the lords of a country--and was charged with trying to overthrow the government. I was finally labeled the traitor and criminal I'd been for so long.

I left Mist and I was hunted, but they were no match for me. S-class is the rank they give criminals like me and I joined a group of them--Akatsuki.

[He holds up his left hand. There's a ring there on his ring finger.] Ten members--nine now, because one left and took his ring with him--and all of them men, and one woman, as terrible and monstrous as me. We work in pairs, and I've been partnered with Itachi-san for many years now. It's a strange thing, in Akatsuki, for partners to really get along. S-class criminals don't usually play well with others.

I've committed crimes a plenty for Akatsuki, but it would take too long to list them. Not even the Leader knows that Akatsuki's goal is merely the first step towards the world of truth. I can't move as freely as I would like, but that's enough.

[He lets out a breath, finished.] And now you know the futility of befriending me.

[It's clear he expects this to drive her away and make her despise him.]

[Give her a few moments, so she can cry. Once she's able to speak, she faces the screen again, face still wet. But... there's still no hate. There is no despising, no loathing. Just a pure innocent sadness and pity. Yes, these things were terrible - some of them beyond forgivable, she's not thinking he's entirely blameless.

And yet...]

What is this... What is this world of truth, that you think you can find... with all of that blood?

[It's not an accusing tone. She honestly wants to know what he believes in, maybe so can help him see the true light. Or, even stranger... she just doesn't have the ability to hate.]

I don't know; it's not my vision. [Dry laugh] I can't even begin to imagine what a world of truth would be like, but I know he's powerful enough to change the whole world and he's promised me it will be a world of truth.

I'm only told what I need to know to help bring it about.

[That might set off a warning bell or two. He's been manipulated all this time, but he really does believe that he'll see his desperate desire come true someday.]

But... how can you follow that so blindly? Truth could mean anything! His truth and yours... they could be worlds apart in difference. Maybe his world won't even want you when you're finished being his tool.

[And she breaks down again, crying, holding her face in her hands.]

Kisame... Poor Kisame...

[That's right. Still pity, still sympathy. she even cradles the pokegear a bit, as if she could hug Kisame, she would.]

His truth, my truth... Aren't those just polite ways of saying lies?

[A little uncomfortable. He doesn't like being asked questions he can't really answer.]

There's no one else that can change the world, or even that is trying to bring about more truth. If I have to die to see it through [hesitation] then I will die.

[He is quiet for a while as she cries and then he sighs.] Don't cry for me; my life isn't even that terrible.

I... I can't help but cry... I know you have light within you, but you are being forcibly smothered... b-by darkness...

[Azumarril whimpers, worried for his master. He tries to pet her shoulder, but she can't stop crying, so deeply troubled.]

Truth... truth doesn't need blood, or pain... Your own truth is deep inside you... Only you can know what you truly want...

Not force, Minnie-san, I made the choices that made me what I am. There was always a choice.

[Quietly.] I want a world of truth. [And after a very long pause, reluctantly] Who creates it matters less, but he was the first so that's where my loyalty lies.

But you're following a blind path, no knowing where it ends! What if his truth is just putting himself in charge, and changing nothing else? What if his truth is hurting those who have done nothing? Surely... Surely you must have enough confidence in yourself, to know what you can make your own world of truth!

[Uncomfortable with the first part, but not responding to it]

It's not confidence that's needed, Minnie-san. I've just finished telling you how terrible I am; you were right that a world of truth would reject me.

[Oh no, you're not getting away that easily. She swallows, hard, rubbing away more of her tears. She then grabs the Pokegear, glaring at it. Still no hate - just anger, frustration, and a demand.]

Tell me what your truth is! Tell me what your world of truth is. Or are you still willing to work for nothing but an empty promise?

I won't give up on you, Kisame, because I know there is a chance for you to change your path. It may not happen today or tomorrow or for a long time... but I have faith in you. Tell me, Kisame, what is your world of truth!

[and... exhales deeply. as if just doing that had taken a lot out of her. she doesn't even know if she should expect an answer. but felt it had to be said.]

[He doesn't reply for a very, very long time and disappears from the screen almost immediately. When he does speak again, he sounds kind of far from his gear, which is now pointing towards the sky.]

If I had ever seen real truth, I would tell you.

[Another pause, not quite as long as the first. His voice is even quieter, possibly further away.] No need for treachery, no lies. A purpose, a reason to exist. No tools, I suppose, to be killed when they've outlived their use.

[So quiet it's probably not audible.] A place where I belong.

[Video]

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[Video]

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12 (The Fire Fighters)

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