He handles new situations well. [There is some kind of hero worship going on here, he thinks.] ...if you're still trying to learn things, I guess I can help. Most of this is familiar to me.
[Sometimes swords just say things and it happens to be to a 22-year-old whose mind goes a whole other direction. It's fine.]
What exactly did he tell you about the room? [He doesn't doubt that, and someone else suggested that it was likely Higekiri told Hizamaru, but getting the information directly is always nice.]
Mmm. [His eyes lower, and then he glances up.] Elder brother wanted a bath when he returned. [Which is telling if Junpei knows what to look for. Normally, this wouldn't stand out to Hizamaru,
but he could just tell from his brother's eyes something had happened, so requesting a bath was strange.]
He said he saw another version of himself and you torn to pieces. But the woman--Beck-san?--was left. With no face, like an evil spirit.
...yeah he wanted us to shower off, too. [So he knows. But ah. That's definitely something that stood out and he nods.]
We saw it, too. [Strangely he almost? Sounds? Calm about that? Haha. More like resigned.] We think it might be ghosts or demons, but we haven't figured out how they took on our appearances and voices. Can spirits really do that?
It... may be possible. Elder brother said he saw this when he looked into the camera. Perhaps the spirits have haunted it instead?
[He shakes his head.]
I'm sorry, I don't understand enough about the things inside the room to know what might be happening. Elder brother wants to protect the rest of you--the humans. I want to protect you, too.
I didn't think about possession of the camera itself, but maybe it's because of what Beck felt. [...]
We can go look now if you want. It might help explain some things if you can see what he saw. [Please don't talk about protecting him, he's not sure what to make of that.]
[At this, he nods and draws himself fluidly up to his feet, hand rested on the hilt of the sword.]
I think I will understand better seeing things with my own eyes. If you would please lead, I will follow. Allow me to enter first, however, in case there is something waiting. I will fight it.
[And up he goes, heading to put his shoes back on. He would argue about fighting but like. It's a sword thing, Higekiri seemed to feel the same, he gets it.]
Sure. [He opens the door and onward he leads once Hizamaru's ready!] Are you used to fighting enemies you can't see?
[Likewise, Hizamaru sticks his feetsies back into the riding-looking boots he has, and then he follows Junpei out exactly like one would expect a military sword to do.
He shakes his head.]
Not exactly. Nikkari-san, however, has experience fighting spirits.
[Good sword. Into the elevator they go, but that subject interests him.]
He mentioned, but kind of kept it vague. He seems different than the rest of you. [Junpei, a dumb bitch who doesn't know Nikka's just that lewd: wow he seems pretty aware. Good for him.] What were your missions like then?
It is a difficult subject for him, I believe. [He stands just behind Junpei in the elevator, to the side. Like a bodyguard. #justswordthings] Master will summon us to him, those of us he thinks will be good on a certain mission.
When we meet him, he selects one of us to be Captain. We're deployed, and the Captain gives us orders on how to proceed according to Master's wishes.
Like an army then. [Now he's finally getting it.] And those of you who aren't summoned stay at the Citadel and train and work on the farm. Is that right?
There must be a lot of you. [The elevator opens, and he turns to lead the pair of them to the studio.]
...sounds busy. [They really are all about teamwork, jesus. But there's a nod to show he understands before he reaches the door, lingering back to let Hizamaru enter first.
No ghosts, at least! The room is as described and lucky for them it's empty.]
...all clear? [It's mostly to humor him, but also he's curious if his sword eyes would see anything different.]
[Hizamaru goes in seriously, at the ready. His posture agile and his hand on his sword without drawing it. His eyes shift, looking quickly over the room as a whole.
Everything seems fine. He relaxes and glances back.]
[He allows this but he's taking note of the poise and posture, and when Hizamaru gives him the clear he slips into the room and shuts the door halfway to give some semblance of privacy and authenticity. He looks around for a moment, taking it in.]
...it looked just like this, but it was dark at first. We needed to turn on the lights and when we did, we found the switchboard and the camera. [He walks to the switchboard, motioning for Hiza to follow.] Look at these buttons and tell me what you think they do.
[Turning, Hizamaru follows Junpei over to the switchboard. He looks it over, but it's clear he probably hasn't ever seen anything like this before. What it is doesn't register on his face.]
I don't know... But elder brother said something played when one of the "cassettes" was placed into a board with switches. It sounded like all of these strange things were connected.
[He doesn't actually touch the buttons, but a hand hovers to show him how it works.]
You're right. They're all connected and routed in different directions. [He's also using a free hand to reach into his pocket where he's keeping a cassette he stole from their adventure.] This is a cassette. It's a pretty old method of storage but it can be used to record audio. This switchboard plays it, like the announcement we heard this morning. And these buttons probably route to different parts of the hotel. This one says all, so we could hear the announcement everywhere.
...one of us pushed one of the basement buttons, so people heard things coming from the floor. Remember what I said about listening closely? What you hear isn't always what's true.
The noise we heard...! [His eyes shift back to the switchboard.] Why would this room need to exist...? It reminds me...
It reminds me of the summoning room Master has, but... darker. How elder brother described it--it isn't as wonderful and exciting as summoning at home. Does it hold a similar purpose?
Mm. There is a room in the Citadel for summoning us into our bodies. When we're summoned, there is usually someone there to greet us and show us around. Then we meet the master.
I don't think this room has the same purpose, no. This one is meant to capture things and keep them forever. Like...like memories, but in the form of an item. The problem was that what it kept was something that wasn't so great.
[Hm...how can he make these comparisons.] Does your Captain do a report for your master when you guys finish your mission? Or anything like that?
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He handles new situations well. [There is some kind of hero worship going on here, he thinks.] ...if you're still trying to learn things, I guess I can help. Most of this is familiar to me.
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I'll learn well! Please teach me, Junpei-san! I don't have to be handled with extreme care. I can take it.
[Hm.]
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If you really want to learn, I can take you back to the studio and show you what your brother saw. Would that help?
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Yes. I should search the room you all were in to make sure nothing was missed. [A pause.] Elder brother described terrible things. What you saw.
[But he doesn't sound exactly super bothered.]
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What exactly did he tell you about the room? [He doesn't doubt that, and someone else suggested that it was likely Higekiri told Hizamaru, but getting the information directly is always nice.]
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but he could just tell from his brother's eyes something had happened, so requesting a bath was strange.]
He said he saw another version of himself and you torn to pieces. But the woman--Beck-san?--was left. With no face, like an evil spirit.
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We saw it, too. [Strangely he almost? Sounds? Calm about that? Haha. More like resigned.] We think it might be ghosts or demons, but we haven't figured out how they took on our appearances and voices. Can spirits really do that?
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[He shakes his head.]
I'm sorry, I don't understand enough about the things inside the room to know what might be happening. Elder brother wants to protect the rest of you--the humans. I want to protect you, too.
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We can go look now if you want. It might help explain some things if you can see what he saw. [Please don't talk about protecting him, he's not sure what to make of that.]
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I think I will understand better seeing things with my own eyes. If you would please lead, I will follow. Allow me to enter first, however, in case there is something waiting. I will fight it.
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Sure. [He opens the door and onward he leads once Hizamaru's ready!] Are you used to fighting enemies you can't see?
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He shakes his head.]
Not exactly. Nikkari-san, however, has experience fighting spirits.
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He mentioned, but kind of kept it vague. He seems different than the rest of you. [Junpei, a dumb bitch who doesn't know Nikka's just that lewd: wow he seems pretty aware. Good for him.] What were your missions like then?
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It is a difficult subject for him, I believe. [He stands just behind Junpei in the elevator, to the side. Like a bodyguard. #justswordthings] Master will summon us to him, those of us he thinks will be good on a certain mission.
When we meet him, he selects one of us to be Captain. We're deployed, and the Captain gives us orders on how to proceed according to Master's wishes.
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There must be a lot of you. [The elevator opens, and he turns to lead the pair of them to the studio.]
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[They are military babies. Junpei is so smart.]
Master does have a lot of us to take care of, yes. But we help Master by taking care of each other.
[Here, he moves ahead, since he is going to do what he said and go in first to protect Junpei! From ghosts!]
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No ghosts, at least! The room is as described and lucky for them it's empty.]
...all clear? [It's mostly to humor him, but also he's curious if his sword eyes would see anything different.]
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Everything seems fine. He relaxes and glances back.]
You can enter, Junpei-san. All is clear!
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...it looked just like this, but it was dark at first. We needed to turn on the lights and when we did, we found the switchboard and the camera. [He walks to the switchboard, motioning for Hiza to follow.] Look at these buttons and tell me what you think they do.
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I don't know... But elder brother said something played when one of the "cassettes" was placed into a board with switches. It sounded like all of these strange things were connected.
When one was activated, it worked something else?
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You're right. They're all connected and routed in different directions. [He's also using a free hand to reach into his pocket where he's keeping a cassette he stole from their adventure.] This is a cassette. It's a pretty old method of storage but it can be used to record audio. This switchboard plays it, like the announcement we heard this morning. And these buttons probably route to different parts of the hotel. This one says all, so we could hear the announcement everywhere.
...one of us pushed one of the basement buttons, so people heard things coming from the floor. Remember what I said about listening closely? What you hear isn't always what's true.
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The noise we heard...! [His eyes shift back to the switchboard.] Why would this room need to exist...? It reminds me...
It reminds me of the summoning room Master has, but... darker. How elder brother described it--it isn't as wonderful and exciting as summoning at home. Does it hold a similar purpose?
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Depends. What does a summoning room do? Is it just for your master to call you and give you a body for your missions?
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I don't think this room has the same purpose, no. This one is meant to capture things and keep them forever. Like...like memories, but in the form of an item. The problem was that what it kept was something that wasn't so great.
[Hm...how can he make these comparisons.] Does your Captain do a report for your master when you guys finish your mission? Or anything like that?
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