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[ how did they get up here. that's a mystery but jonas figures it's like this. he may as well really, really get a good look at the city, and maybe a little bit of help from his new psych gave him a boost to get enough speed to climb up and jump.
so a blimp it is. he's also not at all surprised to see buzen's here, considering the last place he found him. ]
Hey. [ polite enough. ] Holding up okay after the last few days?
so a blimp it is. he's also not at all surprised to see buzen's here, considering the last place he found him. ]
Hey. [ polite enough. ] Holding up okay after the last few days?
[ good to know buzen is chill as always. ]
Probably better than most. I can't say I'm surprised by much of what we heard today. [ well, a few things, but it's fine and irrelevant. ] Though now you've got me wondering what kind of weird you're used to.
Probably better than most. I can't say I'm surprised by much of what we heard today. [ well, a few things, but it's fine and irrelevant. ] Though now you've got me wondering what kind of weird you're used to.
[ see. he would find this even more weird if someone hadn't just told him they were supposed to be a book, or if he hadn't gotten the rundown of stuff from ylfa.
so instead, he just looks sort of curious about what that means. appreciate buzen just coming out and saying it while matsui has avoided it for days. ]
So like...the ghost of a blade? You ended up possessing somebody? [ he is trying to sound casual, but he seems vaguely wary as he says it. ] Just how many of you are there?
so instead, he just looks sort of curious about what that means. appreciate buzen just coming out and saying it while matsui has avoided it for days. ]
So like...the ghost of a blade? You ended up possessing somebody? [ he is trying to sound casual, but he seems vaguely wary as he says it. ] Just how many of you are there?
[he shakes his head at the guesses]
Ah, not quite... More like - Aruji summoned us in this form, so this body's all mine. Humans getting possessed by spirits does happen, but not by us.
[that's enemy talk right there!! but he looks thoughtful, trying to mentally count]
Uh... There's six of us Gous already, and then... [ . . . ] A lot.
Ah, not quite... More like - Aruji summoned us in this form, so this body's all mine. Humans getting possessed by spirits does happen, but not by us.
[that's enemy talk right there!! but he looks thoughtful, trying to mentally count]
Uh... There's six of us Gous already, and then... [ . . . ] A lot.
[ he kind of blanches a little to hear that human possession still happens, but at least it's not via sword. that's nice. and it's also kind of nice to know that buzen is himself through and through. ]
That's a lot of Gous, first of all. You're all sword spirits summoned by--you said Aruji? I get this is a dumb question but do you have any idea how that works? I've never really heard of a spirit from an object gaining their own sentience like that.
That's a lot of Gous, first of all. You're all sword spirits summoned by--you said Aruji? I get this is a dumb question but do you have any idea how that works? I've never really heard of a spirit from an object gaining their own sentience like that.
Fuhahaha, our Smith - Gou no Yoshihiro - was a pretty productive guy.
[just to quickly explain all the gous... but at the question, he shakes his head.]
Take it from a dumb guy like me, but that's definitely not a dumb question. Tsukumogami, spirits from objects, are a pretty common piece of folklore in Japan. That said, the object's got to be fairly old. When you really think about it, most treasures and whatnot are pretty rare, right? After all those years of existence, what's still around?
[he looks thoughtful for a moment, like enjoying a private little joke, before he grins]
Famous swords are fortunate enough to be preserved, a lot of the time. So that's what me and my comrades are. There's probably hundreds more swords that have been broken or lost without record.
[just to quickly explain all the gous... but at the question, he shakes his head.]
Take it from a dumb guy like me, but that's definitely not a dumb question. Tsukumogami, spirits from objects, are a pretty common piece of folklore in Japan. That said, the object's got to be fairly old. When you really think about it, most treasures and whatnot are pretty rare, right? After all those years of existence, what's still around?
[he looks thoughtful for a moment, like enjoying a private little joke, before he grins]
Famous swords are fortunate enough to be preserved, a lot of the time. So that's what me and my comrades are. There's probably hundreds more swords that have been broken or lost without record.
[ luckily he accepts this. actually, it's kind of fascinating to hear about it? jonas isn't entirely well-versed in this sort of thing, barely knows basic folklore of the western kind, but he can follow along easily enough. ]
Old treasures living through a lifetime of events probably means having a good structure. Like imprinting and stuff. If this is your body, are the swords still just swords hanging around somewhere else? And what about the other swords?
[ are they just screwed. ]
Old treasures living through a lifetime of events probably means having a good structure. Like imprinting and stuff. If this is your body, are the swords still just swords hanging around somewhere else? And what about the other swords?
[ are they just screwed. ]
[he'll just make a gesture to the sword sitting at his hip - ] We wield ourselves. I don't think I'd ever part from myself if I had the option.
[the amount of anxiety he'd have, dang,]
Other swords... well, if they break, they're gone. If they aren't old enough, they never develop their own spirits to begin with.
So I guess it's a lot of luck, and the whims of history.
[the amount of anxiety he'd have, dang,]
Other swords... well, if they break, they're gone. If they aren't old enough, they never develop their own spirits to begin with.
So I guess it's a lot of luck, and the whims of history.
[ weird concept but also just going to accept this as he looks at the sword. jonas's philosophy is truly just "let's not think about this too hard." ]
I mean...why would you? It's still you. It'd be like losing a whole limb or something. [ off-balanced. but the rest of that sounds kind of "up to the hands of fate"ish and he's not sure how to feel about that. ]
And now the whims say you're here. All the more reason to find a way back, right? [ if it was an off-chance that buzen was summoned, it sucks to be dead and not have the chance to keep existing. ]
I mean...why would you? It's still you. It'd be like losing a whole limb or something. [ off-balanced. but the rest of that sounds kind of "up to the hands of fate"ish and he's not sure how to feel about that. ]
And now the whims say you're here. All the more reason to find a way back, right? [ if it was an off-chance that buzen was summoned, it sucks to be dead and not have the chance to keep existing. ]
[he hums faintly at that, nodding along]
Sure. Of course I wanna go back, I think that's true of everyone else here - but I'm worried people are gonna start taking it pretty seriously soon...
Maybe too seriously.
[seven weeks is so much time for murder.]
I'd rather we figure out ways to look out for each other instead...
Sure. Of course I wanna go back, I think that's true of everyone else here - but I'm worried people are gonna start taking it pretty seriously soon...
Maybe too seriously.
[seven weeks is so much time for murder.]
I'd rather we figure out ways to look out for each other instead...
...ideally, sure, that'd be nice to figure out. [ he doesn't disagree. he doesn't disagree that people are probably going to start taking things seriously and people are going to do what it takes to win. ] If people would be willing to watch each other's backs and figure out a way to play without erasing each other, that could work.
But we know certain things gain more points, and more points means closer to winning. Even after this many days, we're all still kind of strangers. Some people won't feel obligated to care about anybody outside of their own team once everything starts.
[ and those are the people to watch. he's not necessarily against working with people and he thinks looking out for each other at least from the start is a good idea. but. ]
How do you convince someone to look out for other people?
But we know certain things gain more points, and more points means closer to winning. Even after this many days, we're all still kind of strangers. Some people won't feel obligated to care about anybody outside of their own team once everything starts.
[ and those are the people to watch. he's not necessarily against working with people and he thinks looking out for each other at least from the start is a good idea. but. ]
How do you convince someone to look out for other people?
Well, I'm probably going to threaten Rang-san with a definite loss if he acts out and hurts people.
[help,]
He's the one a lot of people are worried about, right? So hopefully it won't come to that, but I at least won't let him win.
For the others who are quieter, less loud about their interest in violence... I don't know. That's a big question, Jo-san.
[help,]
He's the one a lot of people are worried about, right? So hopefully it won't come to that, but I at least won't let him win.
For the others who are quieter, less loud about their interest in violence... I don't know. That's a big question, Jo-san.
[ ah yes this tracks. this is from me, ty, not jonas. jonas looks mildly alarmed for all of three seconds because sometimes, yeah, you bully the shit out of the people you're working with to get them to behave. ]
That's...definitely one way of making sure he behaves himself. [ but that's a more complicated question. he also seems a little surprised by the name buzen uses for him, but he rolls with it. ]
On the one hand, it's probably good to know where he stands. On the other, just because he said it out loud doesn't mean it's necessarily true either. Not the way he presented it. [ it's something jonas has been thinking about a little since it happened. he'd said to someone else that it was possible rang did these things as a strategy to get people to back off, or just to lure people out and see what their reactions were. jonas himself isn't sure which it is. ]
I want to say that we'll get to know each other better and be able to get a better idea of who might go for something like that, but...that's not realistic either. Maybe it's less about their interest in violence and more about their motivations to get back.
That's...definitely one way of making sure he behaves himself. [ but that's a more complicated question. he also seems a little surprised by the name buzen uses for him, but he rolls with it. ]
On the one hand, it's probably good to know where he stands. On the other, just because he said it out loud doesn't mean it's necessarily true either. Not the way he presented it. [ it's something jonas has been thinking about a little since it happened. he'd said to someone else that it was possible rang did these things as a strategy to get people to back off, or just to lure people out and see what their reactions were. jonas himself isn't sure which it is. ]
I want to say that we'll get to know each other better and be able to get a better idea of who might go for something like that, but...that's not realistic either. Maybe it's less about their interest in violence and more about their motivations to get back.
[stop!
nodding along at that though, laughing faintly]
Mm... I'm going to be honest - I don't dislike Rang-san. Though I also think it might be because I'm a spirit, and it's easier for me to understand him. I still hope people try, because I don't want anyone to feel lonely... but it's probably something better to find out from him, than from me when I'm also just guessing.
[but at least buzen's opinion is overall not a bad one. that doesn't say much. he doesn't dislike anybody. but he's sharing it, for some reason,]
Desperation, you mean? It's true that people will do some pretty extreme things if they feel pushed to it.
nodding along at that though, laughing faintly]
Mm... I'm going to be honest - I don't dislike Rang-san. Though I also think it might be because I'm a spirit, and it's easier for me to understand him. I still hope people try, because I don't want anyone to feel lonely... but it's probably something better to find out from him, than from me when I'm also just guessing.
[but at least buzen's opinion is overall not a bad one. that doesn't say much. he doesn't dislike anybody. but he's sharing it, for some reason,]
Desperation, you mean? It's true that people will do some pretty extreme things if they feel pushed to it.
[ his immediate first question is "is rang not human?" but decides it's not his place to ask, or is it his place to make buzen tell him. he'll just...have to figure out how to ask rang himself later. as it is, that makes sense. ]
I think...the next several weeks are going to see a lot of people shape a lot of feelings about a lot of other people. It's not a bad thing to want to make sure people aren't lonely. This whole thing can be, uh, isolating? Yeah, we're all dead, but a lot of people showed up by themselves. [ so he thinks it's an okay thing for someone to do. jonas himself has tried to keep up with people and make sure they were able to start finding people so nobody was left without a team, but he's not great at that kind of comfort or communication. it's better left to other people. ]
Anyway. Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. Being told what's at stake ahead of time was a really purposeful move to make sure people were going to take this seriously. I just kind of wonder how much it'll take to push some of the people here.
I think...the next several weeks are going to see a lot of people shape a lot of feelings about a lot of other people. It's not a bad thing to want to make sure people aren't lonely. This whole thing can be, uh, isolating? Yeah, we're all dead, but a lot of people showed up by themselves. [ so he thinks it's an okay thing for someone to do. jonas himself has tried to keep up with people and make sure they were able to start finding people so nobody was left without a team, but he's not great at that kind of comfort or communication. it's better left to other people. ]
Anyway. Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. Being told what's at stake ahead of time was a really purposeful move to make sure people were going to take this seriously. I just kind of wonder how much it'll take to push some of the people here.
[if libby enters the cathedral - there is buzen!
he's standing in the center of it all, looking upward at all the imagery and the stained glass. the light filters in through and paints him in all the fragmented colors. he raises his hand upward, as if trying to catch them - or maybe trying to reach one of the religious portraits above.
the expression on his face can only be called contemplative. maybe just a bit rueful.
though when the doors open, he looks toward it - and smiles when he sees who it is]
Jo-san. Yo.
he's standing in the center of it all, looking upward at all the imagery and the stained glass. the light filters in through and paints him in all the fragmented colors. he raises his hand upward, as if trying to catch them - or maybe trying to reach one of the religious portraits above.
the expression on his face can only be called contemplative. maybe just a bit rueful.
though when the doors open, he looks toward it - and smiles when he sees who it is]
Jo-san. Yo.
[ me imagining libby in the background now.
but of course, it's hard to miss someone standing in the middle of a cathedral. jonas had wandered here without much thought, and for a few moments he's just watching buzen curiously.
and then he's noticed and he jumps like he wasn't expecting to be seen. at least there's a grin back and he starts to walk forward to join him in the center. ]
Hey. [ glancing up at the stained glass. ] It's...kind of weirdly pretty, right?
but of course, it's hard to miss someone standing in the middle of a cathedral. jonas had wandered here without much thought, and for a few moments he's just watching buzen curiously.
and then he's noticed and he jumps like he wasn't expecting to be seen. at least there's a grin back and he starts to walk forward to join him in the center. ]
Hey. [ glancing up at the stained glass. ] It's...kind of weirdly pretty, right?
[i'm still laughing help me my recycled starter - anyway buzen will just smile wider then when jonas comes to join him]
Right! I don't know... Christianity always has some pretty intense images. But I can't deny that it all looks nice.
It's funny to see it here, that's for sure.
Right! I don't know... Christianity always has some pretty intense images. But I can't deny that it all looks nice.
It's funny to see it here, that's for sure.
With everything we're up against it almost feels...really out of place. [ sometimes you all are supposed to murder each other for points and yet here's the house of god i guess. ] It's been a while since I've really been in a church but they all kind of look like this. Sort of like...untouchable in places.
[ which, privately, he thinks means someone will probably try to erase someone here. but he does not say that. ]
I guess it also just feels out of place from the other places in this district. Have you done a lot of exploring yet? Or was this your first stop? [ do swords have some attachment to christianity, he doesn't know. ]
[ which, privately, he thinks means someone will probably try to erase someone here. but he does not say that. ]
I guess it also just feels out of place from the other places in this district. Have you done a lot of exploring yet? Or was this your first stop? [ do swords have some attachment to christianity, he doesn't know. ]
I've looked around at just about everything else - but I try to be thorough in my scouting, you know? So I figured I'd come here.... Matsu will probably be spending a lot of time here anyway, so I'll be back eventually for sure.
[not all swords have an attachment to christianity, but these two do. still though, he smiles a little bit knowingly.]
Pretty interesting to me that even with all these mixing worlds... something like this is here. Though maybe it's early and we'll get a Shinto shrine next... I guess we'll only be able to tell later.
[but it's still kinda funny, to have this specific godly imagery here. he does have a sense of humor.]
[not all swords have an attachment to christianity, but these two do. still though, he smiles a little bit knowingly.]
Pretty interesting to me that even with all these mixing worlds... something like this is here. Though maybe it's early and we'll get a Shinto shrine next... I guess we'll only be able to tell later.
[but it's still kinda funny, to have this specific godly imagery here. he does have a sense of humor.]
Yeah, I remember. [ or he got the sense from before, and it doesn't surprise him. i have to think about the gous being catholic or whatever and question swords all over again. jonas does not know that though, so he just nods along to accept this. ]
I've been thinking the same thing. A lot of what has shown up is more like...modern world stuff, but there are still things people recognize and still things that are just a little off. [ he says, staring mother peter directly in the eyes. there are many questions and he wants to ask a few of them but immediately gets derailed by that. ]
Can't say I know anything about Shinto though so...maybe? [ they started in a place called japanifornia so. it's possible. ]
I've been thinking the same thing. A lot of what has shown up is more like...modern world stuff, but there are still things people recognize and still things that are just a little off. [ he says, staring mother peter directly in the eyes. there are many questions and he wants to ask a few of them but immediately gets derailed by that. ]
Can't say I know anything about Shinto though so...maybe? [ they started in a place called japanifornia so. it's possible. ]
We'll see.... I just can't say I imagined the afterlife to look like any of this, but I also don't think I expected to see an afterlife by any stretch of the imagination.
[do all swords go to heaven? well, he had a talk about this recently, but still.]
Is it comforting to you to have some things recognizable, Jo-san...? Or is it just even weirder?
[do all swords go to heaven? well, he had a talk about this recently, but still.]
Is it comforting to you to have some things recognizable, Jo-san...? Or is it just even weirder?
That makes two of us. I mean the...not imagining it'd look like this. [ he's human, he definitely assumed he would die at some point. but he knows buzen's a sword and has enough context about what that means that he doesn't question it. ]
You'd think maybe it would be comforting because it's stuff I'm used to, but I think that makes it even weirder. I always thought if there was an afterlife the point would be that it was unlike what we'd ever seen. But...there're a lot of people here who aren't familiar with any of it at all. So I guess I'm better off than they are.
You'd think maybe it would be comforting because it's stuff I'm used to, but I think that makes it even weirder. I always thought if there was an afterlife the point would be that it was unlike what we'd ever seen. But...there're a lot of people here who aren't familiar with any of it at all. So I guess I'm better off than they are.
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