canon is 7th dragon iii

[dragonamalgam]

Mundane, there is absolutely zero reason for you to be upset. While I agree that the idea is a little upsetting, I can assure you I have no bar code tattooed at the back of my neck.

[Sigh.]

I may have been artificially created, but I was raised as a human.

[...] Yes, I know Commander Akutsu treated me as though I were an item rather than a person, but I assure you he was in the minority, even within ISDF.

[Another sigh.]

Yes, I know the other ISDF soldiers shot at me after the specimens for Haze and Hypnos were installed in me. And that they saw me as a monster. But honestly, I am a draconic humanoid abomination, so what were you expecting? Humans judge by what they see most of the time. I'm sure I must've appeared frightening to them, and I had just struck their Commander down.

I don't blame them and you shouldn't either.

But, back to the topic at hand- The only items I have on me as an identifier are my dog tags and my military issued ID. No bar code. I promise.

Comments

[warriorscribe]

It sounds as if you were born into it and knew little else, from our earlier conversations. It's symbolic because you'll say things such as "I wasn't a person". They called you a Yuma "unit" - it may not be a symbol of ownership, but I've never seen one of those things [he means barcodes] on a person.

[dragonamalgam]

I was grown in a laboratory, not born. [Yeah, he feels the need to correct him on that.] Even if I wasn't a person though, I could've left ISDF at any time. They would simply have created another one of me.

[Akutsu probably wouldn't have let him... But Yuma has no way of knowing that for sure.]

Though... I wouldn't wish my fate on anyone else. Being obsessed with power and little else is a very solitary existence.

... As for the bar code thing... Well, I don't have one, so it doesn't matter. They're handy for registering items, but to date, only one complete Yuma model has been created. No need to categorize if I'm the only one.

[warriorscribe]

You seem to be...misunderstanding the point.

You may be the only one at the moment, but you were told there can be others if so needed. It is-...an upsetting idea. That you have one isn't the message the art is trying to convey. That is. That you are one of many, and will be disposed of if found faulty - like an item to be registered.

It isn't normal, and it isn't right, [his voice is breaking] and the art in question seeks to portray that.

[dragonamalgam]

I see... But if I'm not-

... Enoch?

[Yeah, he noticed the breaking voice and he is worried.]

Are you alright?

[warriorscribe]

[He's just upset, Yuma. Like any human being with a functioning sense of empathy, let alone his own hyperactive one.]

The way you were treated, it wasn't right...

[dragonamalgam]

There are people who are treated way worse than I was in the world, so I don't feel like I have much right to complain.

[...]

I'm sorry you're upset. Is there anything I can do, dad?

[....... Wait. What on earth just came out of his mouth. Yuma is frozen for a moment, before blushing. What the hell, Enoch is not his dad... Though he certainly reminds Yuma of one.]

... I... I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that.

[warriorscribe]

[The moment of shock doesn't last long before it's replaced with a warm smile. Yuma's been denied a real father, and he's been denied watching any child of his grow to apprenticing age. There's nothing about this telling little slip of the tongue that isn't heartwarming.]

Don't apologize. I'm flattered.

[He pauses a moment, trying to come up with something else to say.]

Don't apologize. You didn't ask for any of this. You aren't truly the cause.