Kairi's eyes widen and she has to make sure she doesn't jump. She does glance on the ground to see if there are any other Unversed... until she realizes that if Vanitas wanted to attack her, he'd probably just do it himself. Taking a deep breath, she shoots him an annoyed look.
"You do realize I've seen almost none of those guys, right? Nearly all of my experience is with the Heartless."
But, yeah. Now that she actually sees one of the Unversed, it makes perfect sense.
Oh, and this one... now this one is actually kind of interesting, if not something she really would want to think about in terms of Vanitas usually. She frowns in consideration.
"Okay, so... have you ever been touched by anyone in a way that wasn't them trying to kill you?"
Now Vanitas has had his fair share of dealing with Heartless, though that had usually been a part of 'training.' Once he had started to puke out Unversed, they became his opponents instead. It's almost ironic that the monster type that he has the most experience in dealing with is the one of his own making.
Back to the present, he mulls over Kairi's question. There's an internal debate over whether or not he should even answer the question. To Vanitas it's not like it's any of her business. Then again, it just goes to show how little anyone really knows about him. This is likely preferable to him in the end. Once these guys get their foot in the door, if Vanitas gives them something to go with, he might never be able to rid himself of them.
Okay, that... assuming Vanitas isn't just exaggerating or outright lying to make her uncomfortable, that's probably one of the most horrifying things she's ever heard.
"Just... constantly? You're always in pain?"
What the hell had that psychotic old monster of a man done? And if Vanitas is actually like that, what are the implications? Do the Heartless constantly hurt as well, the same way as the Nobodies have an emptiness they can' fill?
Kairi's mind reels as she considers what this one detail could mean. It's appalling, to say the least. On the other hand, it would kind of explain a lot.
"I have a fragmented heart being held together by negative energy," he scoffs. "What do you think?"
Vanitas rolls his eyes. He doesn't know if it's normal or not for someone in his position. What Vanitas does know is what the world is like for him. It's not pleasant.
"The Unversed aren't just monsters. They're a part of me. Every emotion I've felt and tried to get rid of. Every emotion I couldn't keep contained. And every time one of them is cut down they return back to me."
The process of creating them is painful. How they return back to him is painful. Imagine being able to splinter oneself only to have it forcibly rejoined later. This is what Vanitas goes through all the time. When one takes that into consideration alongside the brutal training he had to endure under Xehanort, yeah it kind of paints a complete picture of how he's had to become what he is.
Of course he'd say that. Kairi sighs, rubbing her forehead a little in exasperation.
"I realize the concepts of empathy and compassion are ones you probably don't grasp very well." And ones he probably considers pathetic weaknesses or something along those lines, on top of that. "But the immediate reaction of just about anyone on our side is going to be exactly that. It's our nature."
The game is completely forgotten in the light of this new revelation.
Vanitas doesn't really embrace the concepts of empathy and compassion. He hadn't been taught such things. There hadn't been anyone around to teach him and by now even though he knows of them... Well he can't afford to practice them. No one had ever given him any compassion when he had needed it. Besides, those ideas hadn't served him before and it's unlikely they can serve him now.
"I'm not your friend," Vanitas adds. Not really their enemy now either, but he doesn't say that. "In fact I'm fairly certain that I'm everything you loathe and despise."
So why even bother showing him any of these things at all? It doesn't benefit anyone.
"Honestly, I'm not really all that good at the whole loathing and despising thing to begin with. The old monster and the three that are basically just him in different forms pretty much have that locked up for me."
Why no, she doesn't think Xehanort's final moments were all that redemptive.
"And even then, I'm not sure I'd want them to be suffering every moment of their lives... I'm not sure I wouldn't want that either, but still."
After all, Vanitas hadn't worked for or with Xehanort because of some misguided sense of loyalty. At first the old man had made something of a promise to him. He had been told by the old far that he could regain what he had lost if he follows Xehanort's plan. Even after Vanitas had known the man's honeyed words to be a lie, he had his own reasons for being a part of the Organization. It had nothing to do with Xehanort and his goals.
"Yeah, I'm... actually completely with you there. It really does seem like he got off too easily."
Yes, she realizes she's horribly biased, there. No, she doesn't particularly care. She's got every right to be angry, and if someone wants to so much as suggest that she should forgive and forget, she'll smack them upside the head.
"No matter how he tried to justify his actions, he did everything he did of his own accord. No one pushed, manipulated, or forced him into it. He just thought he knew how to run the worlds better than anyone else."
Vanitas' hand hovers over the 'neck' panel, regarding Kairi for a moment. Honestly he had been expecting something along the lines of forgiveness for the old man. Or at least trying to be more positive about that parting. Hearing that it's not the case for Kairi is unexpected. Then again there are quite a few things that have been said here that are surprising and, dare he admit it, refreshing.
She's might've earned a small amount of Vanitas' respect from all of this. It's not something he is outright going to tell her.
"Apparently he didn't though. He did fail and it's in no small part the fault of you and your friends," he shrugs. "Good riddance. I had my own reasons for wanting that stupid blade and in the end none of that mattered."
"Well, mostly the others." She doesn't want to delve too far into that, but she also doesn't feel right taking credit for what was mostly down to the actions of... basically everyone else.
Oh hey, he responded. After a moment of consideration, she presses chest, since that's where his heart is.
The buzzer sound makes her wince even harder for having gotten the last few right.
"Gaaaaaah. Okay, no more going with gut instinct, got it."
"Just because you can't fight like them doesn't mean you're not as important or troublesome," Vanitas offers.
He enjoys his backhanded complements. From what he's been able to observe there's not much power to the girl. She's too new to her power and to her weapon to really have been any help. Though that's really not what makes Kairi a valuable piece, now is it? It's definitely the emotional attachments others have to her.
Honestly, that is the very definition of annoying to Vanitas.
"That's... oddly nice of you to say." Though in her experience, what that tends to mean from people on the opposite side of her is "how quickly can we kidnap her and use her against Sora and Riku?"
Regardless, he probably didn't mean it as a full compliment anyway. But she'll take it.
That part is true. Usually for people it would mean she is the best choice to kidnap and whatnot. Though something like that isn't really how Vanitas operates. It's just silly of him to dismiss the motivation that she seems to give to some of the others. No one has to kidnap or grievously injure the princess for that one.
"I know you mean that to be insulting, but given that just about everyone you consider annoying is either a friend of mine or someone I admire, it's basically a compliment."
Well, okay, he probably doesn't think the one on his side are not annoying, but presumably less so.
Okay laughing when he hadn't really meant to be complementary isn't very nice. Vanitas makes a little irritated noise in the back of his throat, but really that's all he does. Truthfully, she's half right. Vanitas finds just about everyone irritating. Life is irritating.
A screen pops up, a digital display showing three digit places. The hundreds digit pops up at first, cycling rapidly through all possible numbers... before settling on zero.
"... The highest possible score is a hundred, right?"
The tens digit is next, running through the cycle a few times before stopping on four. Kairi winces, knowing that means they came in under fifty. Probably not a winning score. The last digit cycles through... and ends up at a two.
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"You do realize I've seen almost none of those guys, right? Nearly all of my experience is with the Heartless."
But, yeah. Now that she actually sees one of the Unversed, it makes perfect sense.
Oh, and this one... now this one is actually kind of interesting, if not something she really would want to think about in terms of Vanitas usually. She frowns in consideration.
"Okay, so... have you ever been touched by anyone in a way that wasn't them trying to kill you?"
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Now Vanitas has had his fair share of dealing with Heartless, though that had usually been a part of 'training.' Once he had started to puke out Unversed, they became his opponents instead. It's almost ironic that the monster type that he has the most experience in dealing with is the one of his own making.
Back to the present, he mulls over Kairi's question. There's an internal debate over whether or not he should even answer the question. To Vanitas it's not like it's any of her business. Then again, it just goes to show how little anyone really knows about him. This is likely preferable to him in the end. Once these guys get their foot in the door, if Vanitas gives them something to go with, he might never be able to rid himself of them.
And yet...
"No. Everything hurts, princess. All the time."
Might as well put it out there.
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"Just... constantly? You're always in pain?"
What the hell had that psychotic old monster of a man done? And if Vanitas is actually like that, what are the implications? Do the Heartless constantly hurt as well, the same way as the Nobodies have an emptiness they can' fill?
Kairi's mind reels as she considers what this one detail could mean. It's appalling, to say the least. On the other hand, it would kind of explain a lot.
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Vanitas rolls his eyes. He doesn't know if it's normal or not for someone in his position. What Vanitas does know is what the world is like for him. It's not pleasant.
"The Unversed aren't just monsters. They're a part of me. Every emotion I've felt and tried to get rid of. Every emotion I couldn't keep contained. And every time one of them is cut down they return back to me."
The process of creating them is painful. How they return back to him is painful. Imagine being able to splinter oneself only to have it forcibly rejoined later. This is what Vanitas goes through all the time. When one takes that into consideration alongside the brutal training he had to endure under Xehanort, yeah it kind of paints a complete picture of how he's had to become what he is.
"And I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me."
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"I realize the concepts of empathy and compassion are ones you probably don't grasp very well." And ones he probably considers pathetic weaknesses or something along those lines, on top of that. "But the immediate reaction of just about anyone on our side is going to be exactly that. It's our nature."
The game is completely forgotten in the light of this new revelation.
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Vanitas doesn't really embrace the concepts of empathy and compassion. He hadn't been taught such things. There hadn't been anyone around to teach him and by now even though he knows of them... Well he can't afford to practice them. No one had ever given him any compassion when he had needed it. Besides, those ideas hadn't served him before and it's unlikely they can serve him now.
"I'm not your friend," Vanitas adds. Not really their enemy now either, but he doesn't say that. "In fact I'm fairly certain that I'm everything you loathe and despise."
So why even bother showing him any of these things at all? It doesn't benefit anyone.
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Why no, she doesn't think Xehanort's final moments were all that redemptive.
"And even then, I'm not sure I'd want them to be suffering every moment of their lives... I'm not sure I wouldn't want that either, but still."
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After all, Vanitas hadn't worked for or with Xehanort because of some misguided sense of loyalty. At first the old man had made something of a promise to him. He had been told by the old far that he could regain what he had lost if he follows Xehanort's plan. Even after Vanitas had known the man's honeyed words to be a lie, he had his own reasons for being a part of the Organization. It had nothing to do with Xehanort and his goals.
Vanitas doesn't even like him. At all.
"I wish he could have actually suffered."
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Yes, she realizes she's horribly biased, there. No, she doesn't particularly care. She's got every right to be angry, and if someone wants to so much as suggest that she should forgive and forget, she'll smack them upside the head.
"No matter how he tried to justify his actions, he did everything he did of his own accord. No one pushed, manipulated, or forced him into it. He just thought he knew how to run the worlds better than anyone else."
Time shenanigans notwithstanding.
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She's might've earned a small amount of Vanitas' respect from all of this. It's not something he is outright going to tell her.
"Apparently he didn't though. He did fail and it's in no small part the fault of you and your friends," he shrugs. "Good riddance. I had my own reasons for wanting that stupid blade and in the end none of that mattered."
Definitely hitting neck.
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Oh hey, he responded. After a moment of consideration, she presses chest, since that's where his heart is.
The buzzer sound makes her wince even harder for having gotten the last few right.
"Gaaaaaah. Okay, no more going with gut instinct, got it."
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He enjoys his backhanded complements. From what he's been able to observe there's not much power to the girl. She's too new to her power and to her weapon to really have been any help. Though that's really not what makes Kairi a valuable piece, now is it? It's definitely the emotional attachments others have to her.
Honestly, that is the very definition of annoying to Vanitas.
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Regardless, he probably didn't mean it as a full compliment anyway. But she'll take it.
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"Or annoying."
Ah, there it is.
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"I know you mean that to be insulting, but given that just about everyone you consider annoying is either a friend of mine or someone I admire, it's basically a compliment."
Well, okay, he probably doesn't think the one on his side are not annoying, but presumably less so.
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"I think that one was the last."
So now they can be free of each other, right?
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A screen pops up, a digital display showing three digit places. The hundreds digit pops up at first, cycling rapidly through all possible numbers... before settling on zero.
"... The highest possible score is a hundred, right?"
The tens digit is next, running through the cycle a few times before stopping on four. Kairi winces, knowing that means they came in under fifty. Probably not a winning score. The last digit cycles through... and ends up at a two.
"So... we got forty-two?"