 t's very cold down here in the well. Hopefully you're not expecting to be warmed up any time soon, because the icy nature of the water cuts right to the bone.
And probably soaks the new dresses or fashion you may or may not be wearing, or your new miles of locks of hair. Those are just an added inconvenience when it comes to getting out of the well -- at least there are bells installed to ring for help, and ladders too. Seems like someone was prepared for this!
Which is good, because depending on how badly affected your fellow townsfolk are, they may not exactly be in the best situation to rescue you today. Good luck, everyone!
Welcome to Awash's Twenty-second event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event!
If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you! |
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Turning his attention to where the toad came from, because what on earth would make it fly like that, he takes a double-take at the small figure among the group of creatures on the ground.]
Xie Lian-dono? Is that you?
[It's been a while, but... the man is tiny, and in a flower petal dress besides. Tonbokiri truly has doubts if he's recognizing him properly.]
Ah- that is, could I be of any help?
[Because yes, more than confirming the tiny man's identity, he should offer his assistance first. For this situation, strange though it is, seems rather unpleasant.]
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He does find time to look up at the voice though, as he backs away.]
Ah? Oh! Yes, I--if you could assist me, I'd really be quite grateful!
[If he accepts these worms will that count as accepting a proposal, please go away Sir Mole he's not into you like that--]
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[Tonbokiri steps forward, careful to not tread on any of the oddly animated creatures. Is that a bouquet of worms? And another toad is striking a pose on bent knee, long webbed fingers reaching for Xie Lian's hand...
Plucking his acquaintance from the group is no trouble at all. However it is immediately apparent how fervently infatuated the creatures are when they turn small, fierce eyes on him.
Tonbokiri had certainly underestimated this.
Curling his hand protectively around the tiny man, he says in a low voice,]
Please brace yourself. I shall have to run.
[And so, because he doesn't wish to harm them, Tonbokiri turns and flees from the mob of small creatures. (How embarrassing, but it cannot be helped...)]
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[But before he can react, it seems they've already started their escape. Small as he is, he doesn't have much choice but to go along for the ride, though he tries to catch a glimpse of the tiny horde of creatures they're escaping.
There might've been a bird or two in that group, actually--the rest are easily thrown off though. Watch out for incoming swoop attacks!]
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Another bird tries to strike his hand, its unnaturally long beak leaving a thin scrape upon his fingers. Of course, such a thing doesn't even count as a wound to him. Tonbokiki unflinchingly continues running, tucking his hand closer to his chest to make it as steady and safe as he can for Xie Lian's sake.]
If I may ask, what has happened here?
[About the man's size, about the animals, about anything, really.]
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[He can't see what's going on, tucked close to the man's chest like this, but letting himself continue to be a victim to circumstance isn't particularly appealing either...so he reaches out an arm, the bandage around it unraveling and shooting out like a tiny white flying snake to try to trip up one of their attackers.
One bird down! For now, anyway.]
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If the animals are as much victims of the town's whims as they themselves are, it feels a little unfair... But Tonbokiri cannot allow Xie Lian to be harmed.
Yes, the town is up to something again. Are you going to be all right for a week like this, though? These animals appear to be quite relentless-- [He says as he fends off bird number two with a slow swipe of his sheathed spear.]
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Ah, don't worry about me, I'll survive regardless...not that I don't appreciate your help! [A pause.] Ruo Ye, come back!
[The white silk cloth was busy trying to tangle another bird, but small as they both are at the moment, he's afraid he might end up losing it...it flies back at his call, wrapping itself loosely around his shoulders once it manages to catch up with them.
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From the corner of his eye, the tiny white shape flying towards him looks like another creature. Happily, Tonbokiri pauses his spear before he knocks the white cloth out of the air, and it returns safely to its owner.]
Your scarf-- What did you call it? Luo Ie? [Forgive him, that's not quite right is it.] It is a clever weapon. It reminds me of something...
[Give him a second when he's not being pursued by small insistent creatures and he'll sure he'll have it.]
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[He's not showing off or anything as he says that--in fact, he's petting it as he speaks, almost as if it were his pet snake. The cloth nuzzles its 'head' up against his hand as well...who's a good boy? You are!
They're still a bird or two left out there though, huh?]
I'm really sorry to put you through trouble like this...perhaps we'll be safer indoors?
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As for that suggestion-]
Ah, yes, I believe we would, as well. However so many buildings are still damaged, and I wish to avoid barging into someone's home unduly...
[A public building though, that would be no trouble, right?
He takes a sharp turn and heads for the library.]
Do not worry. This much is no trouble at all, and we shall be safe at the library soon.
[Another sharp turn, slipping as best he can through a narrow alley between houses, and there it is. Hopefully this will be enough to make the animals give up the chase.]
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Xie Lian only spends a short moment petting it before focusing back on the matter at hand. There isn't really anything he can do in this position, but he can at least offer an extra pair of eyes from his vantage point in Tonbokiri's hand. (Not that he can see anywhere but above and ahead, but.)
Pointing!] There! Hurry, before the birds catch up!
[There might be at least one thump on the door once Tonbokiri shuts it behind him....]
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He winces in apology at the small but solid sounds of things hitting the door, even one near his feet. One of the land animals was that persistent to keep up all the way here?
Anyway, with that literally behind them, Tonbokiri breathes out in relief and lowers his hand to a nearby table.]
There. Please take a rest here, Xie Lian-dono.
[And, as he suspected, now that he's not preoccupied Tonbokiri remembers what had been in the corner of his mind.]
If I may say so, your Ruo Ye reminded me of another interesting Chinese weapon I've seen. Have you happened to have met Wei Wuxian-dono? It was only an illusion of it, but his sword Suibian also had astounding ability.
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Thank you very much for the help! I don't know how I could have escaped on my own.
[And a smile, at that comment.]
I do know him, yes! Though I don't believe I've had the opportunity to meet his sword...what sort of abilities did it have, may I ask?
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Wei Wuxian-dono said that it was the most quick and agile sword. How did he put it... 'Throw a melon into the air and cut it into eight perfect pieces'. Something like that.
So seeing Ruo Ye flying on its own, I was wondering, perhaps your world has the idea of 'spirits within the weapon' as well?
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[The cloth wriggles happily at that, but doesn't do much else. It's well-trained!]
You would be right about that, though--weapons with a spirit are very much real where I come from. Creating one can take some effort, so true living weapons aren't something one would normally find in the mortal realm, but it is possible to achieve....do such things exist in your world as well? I'm sure they must be fascinating!
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His thoughts are brought back about at the man's question.]
I think that there are many points about it that would be different, however yes, in a way.
In my world, a saniwa can grant the spirit of a blade human form. I myself am one such spirit.
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[That definitely gets his attention. Xie Lian immediately lights up, the way a kid might at the sound of the ice cream truck.]
Do you mean to say that you are the weapon you wield, or that you are a different entity from it? Are there many such weapons in your world? Is a saniwa the only person who can manage such a thing? I wonder what Ruo Ye would look like as a human!
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That's an overwhelming wave of questions he's got there, though.]
Ah- Yes, I am the spear. I am the human-form tsukumogami spirit of this very spear, Tonbokiri. [He holds it out proudly and unsheathes it. (At last, doing so when the person he's showing it to isn't at risk of spontaneously reaching out to touch the blade!)]
There are other citadels and other saniwa, however it is still a rare and special power.
Aruji has been able to call many of us out of our blades. I believe we number well over 70 by now.
[His yukata is covering the symbols on his chest that match the ones on the blade, so he shifts the collar so that part of one is revealed.]
When we are granted our human form, we seem to take on some traits of our weapon, and some of our former master. You can see the markings on my blade match these on my chest, and I take after my former master in many ways.
I am certain that Ruo Ye would become an elegant and noble tsukumogami.
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All those foreign-sounding terms are strange, yet fascinating....anything sword-related is automatically fascinating to him, really. The little god stares curiously at the symbols on Tonbokiri's chest, marveling at the idea of a whole 70 living swords in a single citadel--just imagine! Having that many swords you could talk to and befriend!! Gosh he misses his old sword collection.]
This Aruji must certainly be someone with great spiritual power, to be able to summon so many of you! As for Ruo Ye...if it does take after me, I hope it inherits more good traits than bad.
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[Tonbokiri nods and smiles encouragingly.]
Aruji is a splendid master. And yes, Ruo Ye would have many good traits! I am curious, too, what it would be like to meet a tsukumogami that came from such a weapon as that cloth.
If there is ever anything you wish to know about my nature, though, you have but ask. We usually keep our nature secret because humans do not understand it, however here in Chroma, there is no reason to hide.
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While weapons in my world have gained human form before, they're most likely to be ghosts born of resentful feelings...but if it is possible to change in a more positive way, as I assume you must have, then I certainly wouldn't mind such an outcome in the future.
[The cloth in question wriggles again, snaking itself around Xie Lian's wrist and rubbing its "head" against his cheek...he laughs a bit at that, scritching it with a finger.]
...Sir Tonbokiri, I'm curious to know whether you were capable of movement before you gained human form, or if you only awakened after coming to own this body. You could ask me about my own nature as well, if you like--though admittedly I'm not nearly as interesting, haha.
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He shakes his head slightly at the question, amused.]
No, we were all truly just blades before becoming as we are now.
Although, granted, some blades have mysterious stories surrounding them. [He chuckles, but his expression shifts. Tonbokiri looks a touch abashed, but thankful, at that invitation.]
I have been somewhat curious since that time the town put me inside your heart's world...
You gave your title as a 'god of scrap', and implied that you are, or were, a prince...
Would you tell me more about your story, Xie Lian-dono?
I know, I am still not a close acquaintance to you, but if you allow, I would like to know a little more about you.
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His smile dampens only slightly at the mention of his past--it was a long time ago, after all, and in the safety of reality there isn't anything around that could bring back that pain.]
My story is...well, you know I was a prince once. A prince of a country, and then its patron god. But that country was on its last legs, and naive as I was, I sacrificed my godhood trying to save it.
...I'd regained my position as a god shortly before I came here, actually--though I suppose "god of scrap" still suits me as a title, all things considered. [Aha...hahaha...]
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A prince, or at least, an emperor, becoming deified is not unheard of in Japan either, although it makes him wonder briefly if Xie Lian-dono is much older than he appears.
Given what they'd experienced in his heart's world, Tonbokiri was not expecting a glad story. And this, abbreviated as it was, certainly is sombre. But his eyebrows raise in curiosity at the end.]
Is that so? Did you return to being god of the country you were protecting before?
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