The Art of Survival [Taro x Root]

Root let out a half-chuckle when Taro connected the dots, a sort of bitter-sweet sort of remembering his mother causing him to actually smile a little bit. Those were the days, when he was a nice little boy running around with his sister, without a care in the world. He was so… happy before his mother died. He could pin point the moment his life went downhill and that was when she died. Before that, while he wanted to be something he wasn't, he was also happy with being a scientist, because his mom told him that science wasn't all that different from being an author. Instead of creating a world, he studied the world someone, or something else created.

"Yeah, she, uh, started before she was married, so she just kept her maiden name. Uncle Phil, her brother, put a good work in at the publishing company he worked at and she got the first Verity Jones published when she was 17 years old. Eventually she moved onto a different publisher, but… heh, Uncle Phil believed in her and gave her a chance. After she passed, he was depressed and nearly killed himself. I brought him that pain, because if I didn't… exist then she would still be alive." Why was he opening up to Taro in the first place? Oh right, it was nice to get it off his chest and of course no one would believe Taro if he tried to tell anyone what he was saying right now. Not that Root would reveal most of this to anyone, because it was showing his weaknesses, it was showing what exactly he thought of himself.

"Ha. Yeah right. I'm pretty sure if you had to choose to kill someone, it'd be me. That's probably what this was all for. To find my weaknesses in order to kill me easier. Just… when you do it, leave Mariko out of it. And make it quick. I'd rather not be able to dwell on just how badly I fucked up my life."

Root shook his head and stared at his hands again. The pain was the punishment he had to bear for the physical release he had given into. Taro was laughing at his suggestion that he was going to kill him. It was a logical conclusion from the questioning Taro insisted on. It wasn't like it would change much, revealing the stuff to Taro, seeing as if Taro tried to kill him, Root had a better idea what Taro would target, and could at least prepare for it. Plus… it didn't help that Taro had pissed him off when he had gone about two days with no sleep and his emotions had run rampant and his mouth had a hard time controlling itself.

"That's what I say too, but who knows what the bear will pull on us next. You might not think you'll kill now, but maybe you'll go insane after enough time without sleep. Or maybe whatever your greatest weakness is, the bear will target it. He seems to know more about us, than maybe even we know about ourselves. But if you were to ever kill? It'd be me. And don't worry, I'll return the favor. If I ever kill anyone, you'll be the first one to come to mind." Root scoffed at the thought that he would kill someone. Of course, he was… tempted with that first motive, but he knew he had to be strong, for Mariko. He had to make sure that he stayed around and took care of her, and made sure that even if he didn't get out… she did. His work wouldn't be complete. Wendy would continue to suffer. But… at least she was alive, and some other scientist would figure out how to help her.

"Hold on. Just a moment ago you said it was stupid for me to fall in love with her. That there was a one in four chance that she was a traitor. And now you're saying you want to get her out. What the fuck is wrong with you? By your own logic, you could be hoping a traitor gets out. I don't fucking get it. Are you stupid? You're not even consistent with your logic."

Root scoffed and stood up, lowering his hands to his side. He looked ahead of him and then up at the giant squid. He'd have to find a way to study the squid when Taro wasn’t here, and maybe he could spend more time here to keep awake due to his fear of water, though it was a justified fear somewhat, and a slightly irrational fear as well, he knew well enough. He wasn't completely blinded by fear to not see how irrational the fear could be at times. Like in the aquarium where the glass would probably not end up breaking. And it would take a lot of time for the glass to actually break. But his mind made up scenarios that were illogical to make the fear seem more logical to his mind that at least believed the illogical scenario for a moment because it came up the scenario itself.

"You should know better than to give a generalized picture that could have Mariko imprisoned forever for setting up a game like this. If that's what it would be when we get out, I'd rather stay here in Monoworld forever." When Root cared for someone, his protectiveness could be a little intense in intense situations (normal situations he wouldn't be quite so adamant about keeping her safe, it was just the situation that brought this out in him, but it wasn't like he was going to restrict her freedom, just protect her from getting killed or imprisoned by the authorities after everything). However, it wasn't like Mariko was a traitor anyways. She was too nice and timid and innocent and cute to be someone who could even conceive of such a horrid game. She was too affected by the deaths, she was too emotional, she was too hopeful, she had the most adorable smile... no, there was no way. "She's not a traitor. There is no way. But there's nearly a ten percent chance you are. No matter what happens, Mariko is my priority. To protect her. No matter what happens. And if you get in my way… well… you know."

Root shot Taro a bitter smile before he started to walk off towards the exit of the aquarium. Might as well make a dramatic exit, after all, right? This was where that epic sort of music with guitars and stuff starting to play or something, if he was in a movie. Well, provided Taro wasn't an idiot and ruined his exit. Which was always possible, especially if Taro wasn't finished with him.