[ It's a good thing they're not together in person, because that self-pity and despair would be enough to make Kitty slap Kanaya right across the face. A little bit of that maybe shows in her face; by the end of Kanaya's speech, Kitty's gained a decidedly bullish, dangerous look, like she's spoiling for a fight. She keeps it civil, though.
Mostly.
...Partly. ]
I've never seen the other side of it, have I? Never mind that a friend of mine has been a slave for over five thousand years. Five thousand years of being tortured, of living under the constant threat of death from master after master after master, with only one of them ever showing him real kindness - and he maintains his hope. Not in any sort of naive way, not in any sort of ignorant or foolish way, but because he's been shown that people can be good. And that hope sustains him. It keeps him funny and brave and decent. It keeps him showing kindness where he hasn't got to. While his comrades who give into despair, who gave up hope, are horrid, wicked, and gluttonous monsters who tear innocent people limb from limb and eat their flesh for fun.
[ She can't suppress a small shudder at the memory of Honorius. That poor, mad creature. Even though she hates that spirit, who killed all her friends and laughed as he did so, she also feels such keen pity for his horrible lot.
Anyway - Temper continues to make Kitty plainspoken, though her intent to injure fades away. This next part is frank, but not cruel. ]
And honestly, Kanaya - I don't want to be unkind to you; truly I don't. You've endured so much. But you're holding up your way of doing things as a model. You're saying that you're an example of getting by just fine without any sort of hope. But are you actually getting by at all? [ Kitty shakes her head - ] I think you might be the unhappiest woman I've ever met. Are you really saying more people should be like that?
video
Mostly.
...Partly. ]
I've never seen the other side of it, have I? Never mind that a friend of mine has been a slave for over five thousand years. Five thousand years of being tortured, of living under the constant threat of death from master after master after master, with only one of them ever showing him real kindness - and he maintains his hope. Not in any sort of naive way, not in any sort of ignorant or foolish way, but because he's been shown that people can be good. And that hope sustains him. It keeps him funny and brave and decent. It keeps him showing kindness where he hasn't got to. While his comrades who give into despair, who gave up hope, are horrid, wicked, and gluttonous monsters who tear innocent people limb from limb and eat their flesh for fun.
[ She can't suppress a small shudder at the memory of Honorius. That poor, mad creature. Even though she hates that spirit, who killed all her friends and laughed as he did so, she also feels such keen pity for his horrible lot.
Anyway - Temper continues to make Kitty plainspoken, though her intent to injure fades away. This next part is frank, but not cruel. ]
And honestly, Kanaya - I don't want to be unkind to you; truly I don't. You've endured so much. But you're holding up your way of doing things as a model. You're saying that you're an example of getting by just fine without any sort of hope. But are you actually getting by at all? [ Kitty shakes her head - ] I think you might be the unhappiest woman I've ever met. Are you really saying more people should be like that?