awashlogs | [ may catch-all ]

You have learnt the technique already- you are simply refining it. [He smiles and shrugs in agreement.] But you are right! We would know for sure then.

Either way, let us continue your training, shall we?

That's true... okay.

[A firm nod.]

I'm ready. Is there anything else I can do to get stronger, while I'm working on this?

Stronger?

[His voice becomes lively as the land upon that topic. (If this were a more comic setting, surely weight training equipment would conveniently appear from his space pocket. But it's not so you're spared that.)]

You should do strength training, then! Even one with a slight frame can build thier muscles!

[Are you calling him scrawny-- (because he is).]

You're so excited... [He wasn't entirely prepared.] But... ah, yeah. Something like that would be helpful, I think. Do you have suggestions?

It became something of a hobby since I manifested... [he didn't mean to get overly excited over it, though...?]

It will indeed help with your training at the very least! To start, some weight lifting would work. It should not be difficult to find a couple rocks of a suitable weight for you to use.

[It's endearing...]

Weight lifting, huh... yeah, that's a good idea. I feel as though if I'm going to improve at this, I can't be half-hearted about it.

[So he's gotta get stronger in every way!!]

One of my senpai was really into the idea of getting stronger, but I never really learned from him as much as I should have, I guess.

[ (Clearly, Minato is pro at bringing out this side of him...) ]

[That's the spirit! Go all the way!]

Perhaps not, but the person you are now is not the person you were then. You may have not been ready for that previous opportunity, but you have a new one before you. And you have decided to seize it.

[As he finishes speaking Tonbokiri eyes the low stone fence that borders a field next to the house. Striding over to it he starts picking up the rocks that form the fence and weighing them in his hands.]

Let us find something to start you off with.

[The person he is now, huh...? Tonbokiri's right, there. He hasn't really thought about it, but it's kind of positive, isn't it?]

Right...

[Talking to Tonbokiri is always so inspiring, somehow, but also really humbling--like he needs to prove himself worthy of that faith.]

I'm ready. Is there anything I should keep in mind while training like this?

[Pausing in his rock selection, Tonbokiri turns to face the boy and locks eyes with him in absolute seriousness.]

Absolutely do not strain yourself.

Training your muscles must be approached with diligence and mindful awareness of your body's condition. Improper technique or overreaching your current limits will only lead to painful injury and being set back further than where you'd started.

However, with proper technique and pacing, you will steadily see improvement. Just as it has been for your sword training. Do you understand, Arisato-dono?

[Oh... yeah, that's fair. He nods in response very solemnly. He'd just hurt himself trying to overreach himself--he can remember nights after fighting Shadows for far long than they should have because they'd had no other choice, the way they'd all been wincing and sore and just lucky for healing magic.

It'd be a dumb way to injure himself here, that's for sure.]

I understand.

[He'll be careful.]

I won't overdo it. It feels like... I have plenty of time here anyway, so I don't need to rush it.

[He nods in solemn response to Arisato's promise, then his eyebrows lift in thoughtful surprise.]

Mm. Now that you mention it, it does feel that way, doesn't it. [He picks up a couple more rocks as he considers it.] Perhaps because we have something of a goal in restoring colour to this place. And in that, we can easily gauge our progress by how much colour there is after only about two months here.

[Which is to say, this'll take a while.]

That's true...

[If that's their ultimate goal, it's going to take Awhile.

Hm...]

The things we've restored have all been pretty small, right? Aside from the stars. I wonder what it'll take to do things like bring back the trees, or the water in the harbor.

Considering that I do not even know what actions restored the night sky, I wonder that as well. It might be effective for other things if we were to duplicate that. However, given the diversity of Mr. White's quests, there might not be much over-all rhyme or reason to it, either.

[As he rumiantes aloud he continues to weigh rocks in his hands. Finally, he comes down to a few.]

Here, try holding these one at a time. It should feel slightly difficult but not a strain to hold it.

[Huh... Minato nods quietly in response to that; he doesn't have a lot to contribute, because in truth he agrees with everything Tonbokiri is saying. Right now, they have no way of really knowing how to duplicate their results, so... as he picks up each rock carefully, he's going to offer up a simple:]

We need to try... to see what further quest rewards will do for us... [Heavy. Heavy rocks... He has to remember what he's doing this for!]

It might be hidden conditions we don't...know we're completing, too.

Hidden conditions...? I had not considered that possibility. But we cannot rule out anything.

Haha- on one hand, it feels generous that we might be restoring some colour even now! But on the other, it feels sinister to hide the requirements from us, who are doing the work. Would it not go more quickly to openly tell us everything about this situation?

[...Did he choose ones that are still too heavy for you, Arisato-dono? He brings forward two previously-rejected ones that are a touch lighter.]

[He will gratefully accept that slightly lighter rock, which seems to be a pretty solid contender for what Tonbokiri's going for; it's a solid weight, but it's not uncomfortable for Minato to hold it up.]

You're not wrong about that...

I'm not convinced that whoever is giving us these quests is as sentient as people think it is because of that. I feel like... it seems like something that doesn't entirely understand how to get us to do what needs to be done.

[With the vague instructions and the weird rewards--it feels very janky and disconnected in a lot of ways.]

[He nods, feeling that Arisato was able to put it into words perfectly.]

You have a good point, at that. And considering that it might be the town itself tasking us, seeing as no one else has shown themselves, it may well be true.

I do not know if this experience is at all similar, but if I may say... What you said minds me of how I felt when I first manifested in this body. Centuries of observing human life is not nearly the same as having the consciousness and physical means by which to interact with that life on your own terms.

[Seeing how Arisato-dono is holding onto that one rock a bit longer than the others, he stops looking for new ones to offer.]

[Oh... manifesting. Now that Tonbokiri brings that up...]

Do you mind if I ask you about that?

[Also, it takes his mind off of the fact that he's essentially holding up a weight.]

I don't really know very much about tsukumogami, or how they manifest, so... I'm really curious.

[(You can put that down while we talk, Arisato-dono...)
Tonbokiri shakes his head slightly, his smile inviting.]

I do not mind at all. I understand that my nature is difficult for humans to accept. So if I can answer anything to put you at ease, I shall surely do so.

It is true that I am not much like the most common stories of tsukumogami. That Aruji can manifest our spirits as humans is a powerful talent in itself.

[LOOK, HE'S NOT SURE.... he's holding it...!!]

Huh... so he's like...

[A beat, as he thinks, and:]

Some sort of onmyōji or something?

[That's okay. It'll make you stronger. Here, he'll hold one too and idly start doing arm curls.
Eyebrows rising in pleased surprise, he smiles broadly.]

Ah, you know it well! You are close- Aruji is a saniwa. And among those only the most talented and powerful can summon touken danshi. For we in turn are the strongest tsukumogami.

[Tonbokiri is an inspiration, strength-wise, but hey, Minato will try to mimic those arm curls. Working out...!!

But ah... saniwa. That's not a word he's heard that much lately.]

I see... so that's how it works.

[A saniwa can summon touken danshi, which is the sort of tsukumogami that Tonbokiri is. It kind of makes him wish he'd paid more attention to the folklore surrounding tsukumogami when he'd been younger, but... it's fine. He's learning now, right? Better late than never.]

I feel like I need to start to think that just about everything is possible, actually...

[This place sure makes him think so!!]

[Tonbokiri approves of Arisato mimicking him! He just reaches out with his other hand to guide his elbow to a better position.]

More or less, that is how it works! I admit, I do not understand the 'how' of it very well. But that it 'is' is good enough for me.

You are right, though. Even I, whose very existence might be considered impossible, have found all sorts of 'impossible' things here. It certainly broadens one's view, doesn't it.

[Oh, good--guidance is good, he will gladly take that.]

It does... to be honest, I really like it.

[Huh...]

Being able to experience new things that I thought were impossible makes this place... really exciting, all the time. Especially since the people around us are the ones doing amazing things.

[As he is about to change his rock to his other hand, he pauses in startlement, round eyes on the boy.]

Certainly, that is so. But why do you say 'the people around us'? You are doing amazing things as well, Arisato-dono.

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