Maruki stalled for a moment, Hamuko’s careful words lingering in the air between them.
Despair. Pain. And yet—humanity’s will to fight, to persevere.
His expression dimmed slightly as he considered her perspective. Considered the sheer defiance of the people here, their refusal to be shaped by suffering, their rejection of his ideals—the ones he had built to save them from it.
And yet…
“I don’t disagree that hope can shape people,” he said at last, his voice quieter, measured. “I’ve seen it here. The strength people gain from one another, the way they lift each other up. It’s remarkable.”
His fingers tightened slightly around his clipboard.
“But...” His eyes flickered downward, toward the pavement. “The collective consciousness, the general world, the common man- doesn’t always reflect that.”
The wind carried his sigh, soft but heavy. “Not everyone makes it to the surface. Some fall too deep into despair to even see a way out. When someone has spent so long drowning, do we truly expect them to survive a relentless storm?”
Maruki exhaled lightly, shaking his head. “...In a perfect world, I would love to believe that everyone has the strength to fight. That making it through pain to find something beautiful is always an option.” His lips pressed together, and when he spoke again, it was almost to himself.
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Despair. Pain. And yet—humanity’s will to fight, to persevere.
His expression dimmed slightly as he considered her perspective. Considered the sheer defiance of the people here, their refusal to be shaped by suffering, their rejection of his ideals—the ones he had built to save them from it.
And yet…
“I don’t disagree that hope can shape people,” he said at last, his voice quieter, measured. “I’ve seen it here. The strength people gain from one another, the way they lift each other up. It’s remarkable.”
His fingers tightened slightly around his clipboard.
“But...” His eyes flickered downward, toward the pavement. “The collective consciousness, the general world, the common man- doesn’t always reflect that.”
The wind carried his sigh, soft but heavy. “Not everyone makes it to the surface. Some fall too deep into despair to even see a way out. When someone has spent so long drowning, do we truly expect them to survive a relentless storm?”
Maruki exhaled lightly, shaking his head. “...In a perfect world, I would love to believe that everyone has the strength to fight. That making it through pain to find something beautiful is always an option.” His lips pressed together, and when he spoke again, it was almost to himself.
“But not everyone gets that chance.”