kara.

[nonbelligerent]

Comments

[unfriendliest]

[ at that, he finally looks up. ]

Why wouldn't I?

[ aside from the fact that he maybe gives out a handful of thank yous in a year - this favor means everything to him. shess has earned his thanks. ]

[nonbelligerent]

There are many people here who would've done the same, I'm sure.

[unfriendliest]

[ he'll just. go back to cleaning. there's paint left on the edge here that doesn't seem to want to come off. ]

No one else knows what our swords mean to us.

[ it wouldn't be the same if he'd asked someone who didn't know, and not everyone would protect them if they did know. it's a big deal, shess, accept his thanks already. ]

[nonbelligerent]

[fine!!]

I suppose not. Has anybody asked about that?

[unfriendliest]

Yes. I don't see any reason to tell anyone else.

[nonbelligerent]

A wise decision, perhaps. Though...

[he pauses for a while.]

Do you feel alone?

[unfriendliest]

...I don't mind being alone.

[ his voice is softer than when he usually says it, though, like he has to convince himself of this. most of the time he believes it, but today...

well. none of his friends have broken before. ]

[nonbelligerent]

Because attachments can bring one grief?

[unfriendliest]

[ it's a little alarming, how shess keeps calling him out. ]

Because I can't protect everyone.

[ so, yeah, he doesn't want to get hurt again because he wasn't strong enough. ]

[nonbelligerent]

[... he really is kind underneath that exterior, huh?]

Is that what you consider your duty?

[unfriendliest]

[ he exhales. ]

My duty as a sword warrior is to protect history, but we can't do that if we break. We have to protect each other first.

I was captain. It was my duty to make sure both of us got home safely.

[ and ookurikara just failed that one, key part of his mission. ]

[nonbelligerent]

[...]

A leader's burden is a heavy one to carry. Do you regret taking it on?

[unfriendliest]

...No.

[ just failing tsuru. ]

[nonbelligerent]

You have a strong heart, then.

[unfriendliest]

[ he doubts that, but shess can think what he wants. ]

Warriors fall on the battlefield all the time. If we let that stop us, we'd never accomplish what we came to do.

[ compartmentalization is the only way to keep going, basically. ]

[nonbelligerent]

Yes. I don't disagree with that.

[the sura way of life is pretty much the same.]

And what do you intend to do from here?

[unfriendliest]

I need to take Tsuru home.

[ that's it, that's the plan. whatever it takes, he and tsuru need to get back, and then he can figure out where to go from there. ]

[nonbelligerent]

That may not happen any time soon. What will you do in the time leading up to then?

[unfriendliest]

[ he shrugs one shoulder. ]

Keep looking for a way home - and training. Tsuru was strong, but we haven't had much time to learn this magic they gave us. I don't intend to sit around doing nothing while this... corruption is free.

[nonbelligerent]

It does seem that if anything will help us, it's meant to be these powers. Yours is fire, correct?

[unfriendliest]

[ nods. ]

...I'm still learning to control it. It won't be much use yet.

[nonbelligerent]

Did you have anything like it before here?

[unfriendliest]

No.

[ they were just swords and the guys who wield them. all of them, except... ]

Our master had magic, but nothing like what they gave us here.

[nonbelligerent]

So you're primarily a swordsman?

[unfriendliest]

Yes.

[ a time traveling swordsman, but that's still the master's magic. ookurikara and the rest of the swords... they'd never fought with magic before, or against it. it's a learning curve, for sure. ]

But a sword can't cut through magic.