RP Log: Fuji & Rin

[designer-adore.livejournal.com]

date; 27th of Nov
rating; G
summary; Fuji and Rin talk and decide to start from the very beginning.

Fuji watched the last of his students leave the Danger Room after their daily training lesson. Granted, they weren't his students, they were Rin's -- but he'd gotten to know each of them a little better in the month that Rin had been gone, and he was starting to think he just might miss helping shape Ryuhana's next generation. He'd have to stop by every now and again ... provided Rin wouldn't mind, of course. He made a note to bring it up during their conversation ... maybe near the end, after he'd gotten all this talk of memories and other worlds out of the way.

After the last student disappeared into the cold, Fuji went to the control panel and selected a tropical program from the list of options. He wasn't sure who had programmed the setting, but he certainly wasn't going to mind the slowly rising temperature and humidity levels, nor the peaceful vista that formed to replace the cold walls of the Danger Room. It might just be holographic, but it was still nice, and he was fairly sure that Rin would appreciate it as well.

The kitten was sleeping, when Rin left for the danger room to meet with Fuji. A month or two ago, he'd be happy about it, excited even, but today it was more like something he just had to do. The time away from Ryuhana allowed him to set things straight in his head, he opened too much. Hoped for too much perhaps as well. In this particular case, he should have known that, when it came to alternative worlds, the same name and face did not mean the same person.

He pulled his hat down, to cover his ears, when the cold air brushed against the sensitive skin. The temperature in Tokyo was such a surprise. Of course the blonde knew it was winter, but he really didn't expect it'd be this cold. Okinawa's wonderful weather made him forget that Tokyo did have cool days like today. With a sigh, Rin decided to run to the other building -- where the danger room was located -- to warm up a bit. Quickly enough he was there, and couldn't help his surprise at the setting -- tropics. It was much warmer than outside, and quite warmer than the halls, and nicely reminded him of his long holidays.

Easily spotting Fuji, Rin made his way towards him, "That's a very good choice," he said with a small smile. It was warm, so he pulled the hat off, ruffling the short hair in the result.

Short hair? Fuji wondered. He found it curious that someone might cut their hair in the winter, especially someone used to heat, but he had to admit that it did look nice on Rin, if unexpected. But he stopped himself before mentioning it -- he'd been second guessing himself more and more, lately, unsure of whether what he knew of a given place or person was more in line with this world or the one he called home. "I thought you'd like it," Fuji replied. "It's certainly better than anything out there." He seated himself in the holographic sand and gestured for Rin to sit beside him. It was difficult to look at his guest; he hadn't anticipated that he'd be so nervous or that this situation would be so awkward.

"Agreed," Rin nodded, carefully flopping down in the sand. He wasn't much of a fan of the Danger Room, never being one to like having his senses and mind screwed with and the programs here certainly liked to do that. No matter how pleasant the warmth was. That wasn't something that needed mentioning though, so he kept quiet and leaned back a little, propping himself up with his arms. "So~, what did you need to talk with me about?" Better go straight to the point, and not stretch out this, somehow a little awkward, situation.

"I was hoping you could help me with something," Fuji said slowly. In the time that he'd been here he'd found that suddenly appearing from another world wasn't actually all that unusual an occurrence, but he still thought that he sounded a little crazy. He also wasn't sure how much Rin already knew about Fuji's predicament, and he shifted his feet underneath himself before continuing. "We were ... you were his friend, right? The other me? There's ... gaps." He shook his head, as if the motion could set things right in his mind. "I need to sort it all out."

Rin let his eyelids drop a little, narrowing his eyes in thought, "I liked to think so," he said, rolling his shoulders in a shrug. He actually did think of the... Fuji from his world as a friend, and it did seem that the feeling was mutual. At any rate, somehow, he was certain that Fuji trusted him. Not this one, though. The blonde looked up at the ceiling, which was now a holographic image of clear blue sky, "I can try to tell you whatever you want to know, can't promise I know everything though," he continued lazily, still not looking at the other.

Fuji traced circles in the not-sand with his fingertip (more flashes of old memory - did his other self grow up in Chiba, too?), and tried to think of how to best word the questions. He should have figured that Rin wasn't going to just start talking; he hadn't given information very willingly and he wasn't a chatterbox. Fuji almost wondered if he should have talked to Eiji-senpai instead; he'd have written records in addition to his answers ... but no, he didn't want the colorful report that Eiji would give, he wanted the truth. From what he knew, Rin wasn't going to sugar-coat things the way Fuji's other associates might. "I almost wish it stopped at memories," he admitted.

He lifted his eyes, not quite meeting Rin's, but addressing him more directly, with a curious tilt of his head. "But memories make up who we are, don't they? If this is who I am now, maybe I'm unrecognizable to anyone from my own world. I couldn't go back there ..." He chuckled to himself. "I trust Niou-san, of all people. I trust him, when I know for a fact that he's a criminal and a killer in my world, when I know I've hardly spoken to him outside the classroom. I certainly haven't talked to him enough to trust him, however much I still don't like him. And Oshitari-san..." Fuji paused, wondering if that was something he even ought to talk about. The meetings he'd had with Oshitari had been secretive, and surely there was a reason for that, but Fuji didn't know what it was. He started again, his voice turning softer. "I know you," he said. "It can't even be classified as what he knew anymore, I think...."

As much as he was willing to hear Fuji out, he still wasn't sure, at this point, what did the other expect him to say. What did Fuji expect Rin to tell him? He was quiet for a moment, staring at the fake sky and trying to gather his thoughts together, "I'm still not sure what you want me to say... you're not him, and never will be, neither are you the person you used to be in your own world, and never will be again." Rin let out a soft sigh, finally dropping his head to look at Fuji, "A lot happened between then and now," his eyes started drifting again, focusing elsewhere, and he shrugged again, "Perhaps it'd be the best if you tried to... separate yourself from those memories, not let them affect you. Forget them and make your own..."

"I just... really don't know," Rin pulled his legs to himself, settling his hands in his lap, "I guess I can't be of any help with this."

Had it been happening to anyone else, Fuji might have called it tragic. But it was happening quite completely to himself, and he certainly didn't know how to progress, either. "I'm sorry to drag you into this," he apologized quietly. On some level, Rin was right -- if he couldn't be who he was originally, or the boy that had been here in his place, then the only real solution was to continue to be who he was now. It was terribly frustrating, though; he'd never been one to struggle with identity. When he hadn't been told outright who he was, either by his family or by the Tomihana staff, it was easy enough to develop his own quirky style. And even then, he had continued to meet -- or exceed -- everyone's expectations.

Well. If he was going to put it all behind him and charge headlong into the future, whatever it might be, then he was going to have to reacquaint himself with everyone, as they were now, as he was now. "Can we start over, maybe?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lips and coloring his question with hope.

Start over? That did give Rin a bit of a start and he looked up, eyes widening slightly. Whether he expected that or not wasn't an issue, the issue was that he had no idea how to answer. Did he want to start over? Right now he trusted Fuji as far as he could throw him, then again, that was probably a wrong metaphor since... it was probably far. Too far. He watched Fuji for a while, searching for something... for malice? For sincerity? Either one or the other... something that'd tell him if agreeing to this was a good idea.

"Sure, we could try," he said in the end, still looking the other in the eye. "From the very start?" He quirked an eyebrow in question.

Fuji nodded. "From the very start," he repeated in confirmation. Maybe if this worked, he could treat other relationships this way -- well, to an extent, he already had, with Shishido, but Shishido was far less savvy in the way he dealt with others (no matter what he might say to the contrary). Fuji also knew that this could backfire miserably on him, especially if Rin was prepared to dislike him for whatever he might have done in the past -- either version of him.

He settled himself more comfortably on the sand, cross-legged and facing Rin with his eyes open and clear. "It's nice to meet you."

Rin gave a small smile, "Nice to meet you too~," perhaps this was for the best. He felt as if a heavy load was lifted off his shoulders, even if he still wasn't sure where all of this would go, this was certainly better than before. And... it'd certainly be easier on him, or even both of them. Rin wasn't sure how Fuji felt about this all, but a little part of him hoped that he somehow managed to help the other. "I'm Rin, and I'm supposed to be a trainer here." A wink, and another small grin.

"Fuji Shuusuke," he introduced himself. "My brother takes classes here at Ryuhana. I'm just a volunteer right now, but I'm looking into doing a little more." And there was the perfect opportunity to ask the question he'd had on his mind before Rin had showed up: "You wouldn't mind if I sat in on one of your training sessions, would you? I'll have to learn how to run a class properly, and rumor has it you're quite good at what you do. I've heard."

A short laugh escaped Rin's throat at that, "There's such a rumor~? I never heard of it," probably not really true, but it was a funny thought. "But no, I wouldn't mind. You're free to do so if you wish~," he shrugged. It wasn't a big deal after all. "The more the merrier after all~." He ran a hand through the short locks, still unused to the length, but unlike almost a year ago, this time he didn't want to cry over the fact. Actually quite the opposite, he was very pleased. "I used to teach English at the school, but~ that wasn't really fun," he shrugged, "What's your mutation, if you don't mind me asking~?"

"I teleport," Fuji explained. The small smile on his face was growing, just a bit, though only time and experimentation would tell if just ignoring everything he'd known before would actually help. For now, it was alright. "With portals," he added, "so you can see what's on the other side before stepping through." As a demonstration, he gathered enough of the warm pink energy in his hands, then pulled them apart to reveal a small window -- just to the other side of campus, it wasn't necessary to strain himself to go farther. "Like that. What about yourself?"

Rin didn't let his mind wander to what the other Fuji's power was, just took in the fact, genuinely interested, "Nothing nearly as flashy," he smiled, wondering if there was a way to show his mutation without involving the claws. "You'll have to believe my word on this one, since I can't see how I could demonstrate it right now." Well, there was a way, but his claws were not something that he liked to show off. "I have enhanced senses, and I'm stronger and faster than humans... as well as rapid healing." He finally finished, rubbing the knuckles of one hand. "Kinda useless, kinda annoying sometimes, if you ask me."

"I wouldn't say useless," Fuji said, closing the window with a quick motion. "I'm sure there's all sorts of benefits to that ... though if it's something you can't control," he added, "I suppose it would be annoying. Most powers are, at first...." Fuji remembered how his had manifested, with a brilliant light enveloping him in the middle of his classroom, nearly three years ago ... whether it had swallowed him whole and deposited him unflatteringly on the front lawn of the school, or whether he'd managed to tame the light into condensed ribbons of pure energy, he couldn't say. Both seemed equally likely....

And, he realized, both versions of that day were true. It didn't matter which had actually taken place in this world when both contributed to defining himself now. Maybe, he thought, he might even be able to harness his portal energy in the same manner his counterpart had. Maybe, like any aspect of one's power, there was a way to turn small hindrances into positive things instead.