01 { feb 13: mid-morning } { video+text }

[comradery]

[The video starts with the camera shaking around. Through the shakiness, one can make out Hughes' knees and feet and possibly the floor.]

Here we go!

[The feed suddenly jerks up and the floor can be seen clearly, but the video starts moving around again soon after. The communicator is being waved.]

Record this! Record this!

[A hand takes the device, and it stops shaking excessively. Bakura replies.]

Okay!

[The communicator gets turned around and positioned properly. One can see Hughes is bandaged up and sitting in a wheelchair. Behind him is Amaterasu who is standing on her hind legs with her front paws set against the handles of the wheelchair. Bakura talks to the two of them.]

Everybody wave!

[Amaterasu grins and raises a paw to motion a wave. Her tail is wagging hard. Hughes grins and waves too.]

Look at what Ammy can do!

[Hughes jabs his thumb in her direction. Bakura speaks up and positions the camera so it's easier to see Amaterasu.]

Pretty impressive, ne?

[Amaterasu barks a couple times and pushes the wheelchair forward. Hughes starts laughing really excitedly and jokes between his laughter.]

Don't mind us! Just out for a stroll!

[Bakura laughs from behind the communicator and follows after as they move along. After a few more seconds, Hughes turns and waves his arm at Bakura for the communicator. He chuckles as he speaks.]

Okay, okay, that's enough of that. I think we all can see how talented Ammy here is now.

[He grins at Amaterasu. The camera shakes a little before the video feed is cut off. There is a text note beneath the video.]



Whoops.
Sorry! I was so distracted after that I forgot to post it up on the network yesterday. Thanks so much for helping me out, Bakura and Ammy!

[It seems the video was recorded some time in the afternoon the day before.]

Comments

{ audio }

[comradery]

Is that really so surprising?

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

Frankly? Yes, it is.

{ audio }

[comradery]

Really? How so?

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

The negative aspects of a human's life are the most immediately threatening to him, and therefore, what he thinks and worries about most.

The possibility of a tiger eating one, or of the bills not getting paid, are more relevant than being content in a happy relationship or enjoying a good meal. It's about survival.

When immediately jarring things... like finding oneself in a completely different city... do not overly change one's bearing at least for a short time... it is strange.

{ audio }

[comradery]

Heh. Well, there's nothing immediately threatening me. Certainly there's the war, but the city isn't doing anything to me aside from providing me with a place to stay. Sure, it's different and not what I necessarily want, but a gun isn't being held to my head over any of this.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

Maybe not at this moment, but it is a war. It was attacked very recently. People died. Others are still traumatized.

{ audio }

[comradery]

I've been in war before, so I understand. But lingering on the negativity tends to make things worse for a lot of people. The easiest way for most to get over trauma is if they aren't surrounded by constant gloom and depression. Sure, the situation is nothing to belittle, but there's no point in clinging to the past and forgetting about the present or the future.

[dead_black_eyes]

That sounds like a very logical way to conquer emotion.

[L actually approves.]

{ audio }

[comradery]

Yeah, it would be. Of course, it doesn't erase emotions entirely, so it's not a permanent solution, but it would at least start people on moving on. If you just leave them to think over the past and let those emotions fester, they won't really get anywhere otherwise.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

[Maes, L wants you to talk to Mello. And Near.

And to keep talking to him, since he's essentially a combination of the two who is unfortunate enough to exist in one person.]

I definitely agree.

Was there a situation where that rang especially true to you? AN emotion that you were able to move on from by rationalizing it that way?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Hm. Well, I've never been too heavily affected by most things. I suppose the war that I was in was a bit of that though. There are some things that people are just better off never witnessing in that sort of situation, after all.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

Yes? Such as?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Death. Seeing people dying. Stuff like that. I wasn't really affected by it though. Not compared to other people anyway. I was already prepared for it to happen, so it hadn't bothered me as much as it had for most others.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

So... essentially, you can't be said to really feel much about finding yourself in a place that is called "Death City." Simply because you know it affects others more?

{ audio }

[comradery]

I suppose that's one way to put it...

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

That implies there are more.

What is another way?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Well, I don't think words can capture that sort of thing very well. So there will always be other ways to phrase it.

I suppose the gist is mostly that I don't feel the need to worry too much since I know I can adapt well. And for others, I would much rather spend time helping them adjust rather than not since they'll probably need it. It's similar enough to what you've just said though, I guess.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

That's fair.

Who is it that you know from your own world, in Death City?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Mustang, Hawkeye, and Edward Elric.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

Is that so...?

You're very different from Mustang. Is your relationship with him amicable, nevertheless?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Yeah. Actually, he's my best friend.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

For how long?

{ audio }

[comradery]

Several years.

[Audio]

[dead_black_eyes]

How did you meet?

{ audio }

[comradery]

We went to the same Military Academy.