pokebox | LOCKED TO preybeforemeals

LOCKED TO preybeforemeals

[One would think that Kureo Mado would be ill-suited for a peaceful place like Johto. He's a fighter, and a pretty damn good one for a man his age. Being stuck in a world without quinques - without ghouls - probably should have been enough to drive him crazy (or crazier).

But Mado always rose to the challenge, and this was no different than anything else he'd done in his life. The investigator is currently seated in the Olivine library, surrounded by books. The piles are fairly neat but the books open in front of him certainly aren't. He has two notebooks open in front of him and flips back and forth between them, writing notes and reading passages in the books he has out. This is the sort of care and dedication that would go into any of his research back home, but what exactly is the former ghoul investigator looking at?

...Pokémon type matchups. To be more specific, he's studying dual-type Pokémon and what sort of strategies work best against them. He seems perfectly content to scribble away in the notebooks, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.]

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[Mado's expression doesn't change, though he does study Tsukiyama for a long moment before shifting his gaze to the stacks of books surrounding him.]

I take it you've studied this before?

[If that's the case then he really is slipping.]

Some, but not much - I've always preferred to learn via experience, you see. Reading is something else entirely for me.

[He pauses for a moment, briefly, turning over the next thought in his head for a moment before he continues.]

I know someone, however, who absorbs knowledge via books. I think they would appreciate some of what you have.

[It's vague, intentionally so, but it's something, anyway.]

[Again, Mado's expression doesn't shift as he files that piece of information away. Even if this particular ghoul isn't the sort to study these sorts of things, one of his acquaintances is. Interesting. It's almost like they're human!]

They've been interesting reads so far.

[He'll just say that because he has no idea how he should respond to Tsukiyama's... that.]

[Oh, ew. Don't even start putting him on your level.

People, yes. Humans, no.]

Is this what you consider interesting, then, indagatore?

Naturally. A large part of my job involves research and I wouldn't bother doing it if I had no interest in that aspect.

[...Does this seriously not interest you at all?]

Well, of course - most of us do try to not make things too easy for you.

[And then there are the raging morons like Naki who don't even try.

...if he's going to be honest, he sort of wonders where on earth Naki disappeared off to once in a while.]

That would be boring.

[There's always the thrill of the chase to look forward to, after all!]

And you claim we're uncivilized?

[There's nothing harsh behind the words, however; if anything he sounds more amused than he should.]

[He laughs at that before shifting to rest his chin against his other hand, tapping his fingers of his free hand against the desk. He's not agitated, the gesture is an idle one.]

I never claimed to be a representative of the best of humanity.

Oh, none of you are.

[Tsukiyama.]

Your sort has always amused me, indagatore. Always.

[Now isn't the time or place to get into it, and Mado doesn't feel like attempting to explain things to a ghoul.]

I suppose you find it fun to watch us chase your trail, is that it?

[He just laughs a bit at that.]

Can you blame me? You make such a display of it when one of us catches your attention.

Ah, but I'm not going to say I enjoy watching you chase mine, per se - that implies I've drawn your eye, n'est-ce pas? I haven't done anything to warrant it.

Ah, but of course not.

[He seriously doubts that, since they have notes on as many different ghouls as they can find through the details. It's possible this one isn't a big name, but isn't it also possible that he's just trying to cover for it? Either way, it doesn't really matter here, and it's not like it would matter if Mado were to return home.]

Mm.

[He traces his fingertips lightly over the spine of one of those books as he thinks.]

No, what amuses me about the likes of you is the logic that goes into your work. Human logic has always struck me as a bit of a funny thing, actually - it's interesting, but horribly flawed.

Oh, and I suppose your logic is completely without flaws?

[No really, do go on.]

Well, last I checked, we hunt for our own survival.

Oh, don't get me wrong, there are exceptions like the Binge Eater who hunt for fun. But even we want them gone simply because they draw too much attention to our hunting grounds, and the Binge Eater still doesn't claim any moral reasons for why they are as they are - they hunt because they enjoy eating, that's all.

So we hunt for food, and sometimes we hunt for sport but that always comes back to hunting for food in the end anyway, whereas you...what?

[He's keeping his gaze shot low, focusing on the books rather than Mado's face, but he's smiling softly as he speaks; he's also remaining aware of the situation, regardless of whether he's maintaining eye contact or not.]

Humans claim all sorts of interesting lofty ideals when trying to explain why they hunt us. Heroism is a large one. Wanting to "rid the world of the scourge." Revenge for fallen comrades and loved ones. Things like that.

Things would be so much easier to understand if you would simply admit that you dislike being prey and want to strike back against your predators. Don't you realize how interesting that is? It's a relationship not seen in any other creatures in the world! Humans have the means to upset the natural balance of the world itself, and yet they waste their intentions on declarations of love and revenge and world peace. Noioso. It's boring. Not to mention dishonest.

[...]

You're one of the few who hasn't lied to me about it, actually. You make it clear that you hunt me simply because you've decided my life is worth less than yours - it's almost refreshing, that sort of honesty. I appreciate it very much, indagatore.

[...Ghouls are weird.]

It's interesting that you say that; that ghouls only hunt for their survival. Oh no, not all ghouls - I'm sure you're aware that there are many ghouls like the Binge Eater - but if it were just a matter of survival, the methods of killing used could be better. You have the power to snap a human's neck and be done with it, yet most of the bodies I've seen haven't ended the human's life that quickly. Why is that?

[It's not really a question he needs answered and Mado presses on.]

Humans don't have to hunt to kill their food. I suppose that's the biggest difference between us, isn't it? We have access to food at any given time because of how things have progressed through time. Hunting isn't something most of us do anymore, and the ones who do hunt don't always do it for food and they certainly don't rely on it to survive.

In that regard, you could say humanity is weaker than ghouls. We've changed to adapt to our luxurious lifestyles while you've adapted to hunt us. It's an interesting balance this world has created, isn't it?

[He shifts to lean back in his chair, drumming all his fingers on the table for a moment while he thinks.]

There are plenty who fight ghouls because they're motivated by what's right. From a human's perspective, that's as good a reason to fight as any. Perhaps you're right and it ultimately comes down to wanting to strike back against predators, but I find that ultimately the reason doesn't matter. An investigator can join us for whatever reason they want, but as long as they're hunting the ghouls, they're an ally and their reasoning doesn't matter. We're not like ghouls - we're not built to be able to fight one another, though of course plenty of humans do that anyway.

In the end, maybe there is no moral high ground to stand on for either of us, but what does it matter? You're going to continue being a ghoul, I'm going to continue hunting you.

Ahh, dolce! I knew there was a reason I kept talking to you.

[TSUKIYAMA, YOU ARE IN A LIBRARY, PLEASE SHUT UP OR KEEP IT DOWN.]

See, that's just it, though, that sort of thing is what most humans fail to comprehend - it has nothing to do with who has the moral high ground, because there simply isn't any. It's all a matter of predation in the end.

If you were more to my liking, I might have wanted to keep you.

[Feel free to be as loud as you want! If you get kicked out first then he wins!!]

"Keep" me? As what, a pet?

[He doesn't seem bothered by that any though. The idea is actually kind of amusing. Just imagine, ghouls keeping people as pets!]

It was a good point, I'll give you that. Most people don't bother thinking about it.

Well, fortunately for both of us, I'm not "most people."

[...]

As for the entire..."pet" thing, I wouldn't be the first, if I were to decide to do it. I've never really been interested in it, though.

Is it really keeping people as pets or is it something resembling friendship?

[...Hang on, there has to be a better way to describe what he's talking about.]

Is this something that ghouls decide and force the human into, or is it something that the human participates in as well?

[...Look, he's trying.]

[.............................................]

We do have friends, you know.

[you

you tried, um]

Interesting, so it isn't every ghoul for themselves. So you actually befriend humans, even knowing that most humans would turn their backs on your kind if they knew what you are? That's almost depressing.

Some do, but I don't bother with it. Humans are charming from time to time, but it's just asking for someone to get killed.

We do make friends with one another, though, and we understand alliances and all that. So there's no reason to assume that we don't.

Oh, I'm aware that you ally with one another from time to time. It just hadn't crossed my mind that you might hold genuine affection for humans.

[It makes sense, he supposes. There are plenty of humans who care deeply about animals, after all.]

LOCKED TO preybeforemeals

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