[Hizamaru takes the invitation and steps inside, but stops out of the way so he can remove his shoes like a very good Japanese boy--and also to wait for Junpei since he "owns" the room.]
Elder brother and I... have gone by many names in the past. Because of it, he sometimes forgets names. [Sadly:] Even mine.
[There's a nod because, like, he actually understands that. He's also looking at him for a moment before sheepishly toeing off his own shoes, kicking them into a corner and leading the way. He gestures to the loveseat for Hiza to have a sit, and he'll settle on the edge of the bed.]
You've been around for a lot of decades. [Lightly. He got that impression, but...ah.] He always remembers you though. What you look like, who you are...maybe we should just start doing nametags.
[He's. Trying. But also Hige described Hiza to a T and Junpei's just going to assume this is a sword thing.]
[Why yes, thank you. He situates the sword at his side so he can sit on the edge of the loveseat without needing to take the sword completely off. Plus it keeps his posture straight and polite.]
He does...?
[Maybe the posture wasn't necessary. Hizamaru visibly swells with pride and love, and a small, shy smile comes to his face. His cheeks probably get a tad red.] Elder brother and I were made from the same core. [He touches his chest with one hand.] Even if he forgets my name, I don't think he'll ever forget my spirit.
We've spent a lot of time together, but... also a lot of time apart. Our former masters all gave us different names. Elder brother had to remember his own names as well as mine. Some people call me Usumidori. It may be why elder brother forgets I'm called Hizamaru.
[He's not going to think it's cute. Really, he's not. How dare you. But something in his face relaxes as he leans back on his hands.]
Yeah. Exactly. Even if the memories are missing, the experience still happened and still exists. [Higekiri has said a few things about his younger brother, even if he doesn't always remember the name. Junpei's at least pretty sure the emotions are real, or as real as they can be for swords.]
Why did they call you by a name that wasn't the one you were given? [Let's start there.] One name is usually enough.
[He came to learn about what happened in the room, but he's too stupid to realize he has gotten off track because he's a good boy and enjoys talking to people interested in him! Swords!]
Most of us usually only have one name, yes. But also one master. My brother and I were passed down through the Minamoto Clan. My very first name was Makuragami. It means "at the cushion" because my master kept me there.
My next name was Hizamaru. It means "knee cutter." My master performed a cutting test with me on a criminal. I cut him from the neck to the knee. My master gave my brother away to his general afterward.
And then my name was Kumokiri-maru, or "spider cutter." My master had a fever, and he took me up in the middle of the night and slashed at a shadow he saw in the room. When he and his generals followed the blood, they came across a giant spider in a hole in the ground that had been killed.
Then I was Hoemaru, "howler." My next master believed my brother and I made noise in the night. He thought I sounded like a snake. And my last master named me Usumidori--"light green," because he said I reminded him of the shining Kumano mountains.
My brother has had many more names than I have. Some were the same, then changed, then the same again, and so... he has a difficult time remembering his own name. But we aren't angry at our masters. We were special to them, and each name they have given us is special, too.
[They'll get back on track, really! Right now Junpei just has other motivations and tactics. His brain supplies the name "Watanabe no Tsuna" when Hiza mentions the general, and he's actually kind of able to follow the timeline. It's about then he realizes how old these swords really are, and though he doesn't, like, totally get it...it's a little easier to see how they could get messed up.
After all, he sometimes had trouble remembering to call her by her codename instead of the name he'd known forever.]
Your timeline would be confusing to anybody. But I think I get it. Even if they're...you know, different versions of you, they're still the same. Sort of. The same sword with a different name and different memories because of the different masters you've served.
["Different versions" gets Hizamaru to tilt his head a little. He doesn't know what Junpei means by this, not with Junpei's experience.]
It was always me. No matter what name I went by, I was still who I am now. All of the memories are mine, just like all of the names. I remember all of them, having lived them.
[He nods.]
Yes. Elder brother and I serve the same master as the rest of our comrades. He's very kind, and all of his decisions are wise even if sometimes we may be uncertain of their course.
[There's a shake of his head.] You say that as if humans understand a lot in the first place. [Humans are dumb as fuck, it's cool.] There are plenty of people here who don't understand much of what's happening either.
It's easy to learn together why we're here. To work together to figure it out.
But other things... We don't understand... some of the things you do because we are old swords. Cameras and elevators... those things. The store near the Citadel occasionally will have interesting things from our master's time, but not always.
Higekiri didn't really know what we were working with when we were in the room. Beck and I had to tell him about the buttons, but he still learned pretty fast. You want to learn, right?
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?
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I've noticed that. Is he always that way? [Or did something happen?]
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[Hizamaru takes the invitation and steps inside, but stops out of the way so he can remove his shoes like a very good Japanese boy--and also to wait for Junpei since he "owns" the room.]
Elder brother and I... have gone by many names in the past. Because of it, he sometimes forgets names. [Sadly:] Even mine.
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You've been around for a lot of decades. [Lightly. He got that impression, but...ah.] He always remembers you though. What you look like, who you are...maybe we should just start doing nametags.
[He's. Trying. But also Hige described Hiza to a T and Junpei's just going to assume this is a sword thing.]
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He does...?
[Maybe the posture wasn't necessary. Hizamaru visibly swells with pride and love, and a small, shy smile comes to his face. His cheeks probably get a tad red.] Elder brother and I were made from the same core. [He touches his chest with one hand.] Even if he forgets my name, I don't think he'll ever forget my spirit.
We've spent a lot of time together, but... also a lot of time apart. Our former masters all gave us different names. Elder brother had to remember his own names as well as mine. Some people call me Usumidori. It may be why elder brother forgets I'm called Hizamaru.
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Yeah. Exactly. Even if the memories are missing, the experience still happened and still exists. [Higekiri has said a few things about his younger brother, even if he doesn't always remember the name. Junpei's at least pretty sure the emotions are real, or as real as they can be for swords.]
Why did they call you by a name that wasn't the one you were given? [Let's start there.] One name is usually enough.
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Most of us usually only have one name, yes. But also one master. My brother and I were passed down through the Minamoto Clan. My very first name was Makuragami. It means "at the cushion" because my master kept me there.
My next name was Hizamaru. It means "knee cutter." My master performed a cutting test with me on a criminal. I cut him from the neck to the knee. My master gave my brother away to his general afterward.
And then my name was Kumokiri-maru, or "spider cutter." My master had a fever, and he took me up in the middle of the night and slashed at a shadow he saw in the room. When he and his generals followed the blood, they came across a giant spider in a hole in the ground that had been killed.
Then I was Hoemaru, "howler." My next master believed my brother and I made noise in the night. He thought I sounded like a snake. And my last master named me Usumidori--"light green," because he said I reminded him of the shining Kumano mountains.
My brother has had many more names than I have. Some were the same, then changed, then the same again, and so... he has a difficult time remembering his own name. But we aren't angry at our masters. We were special to them, and each name they have given us is special, too.
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After all, he sometimes had trouble remembering to call her by her codename instead of the name he'd known forever.]
Your timeline would be confusing to anybody. But I think I get it. Even if they're...you know, different versions of you, they're still the same. Sort of. The same sword with a different name and different memories because of the different masters you've served.
Are you both under the same master now?
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It was always me. No matter what name I went by, I was still who I am now. All of the memories are mine, just like all of the names. I remember all of them, having lived them.
[He nods.]
Yes. Elder brother and I serve the same master as the rest of our comrades. He's very kind, and all of his decisions are wise even if sometimes we may be uncertain of their course.
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But it also doesn't surprise me why Higekiri is the way he is. [Or why you're all like this, swords. All of you.]
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I know... we must seem very strange to you and other humans. There is still very much we do not understand.
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But other things... We don't understand... some of the things you do because we are old swords. Cameras and elevators... those things. The store near the Citadel occasionally will have interesting things from our master's time, but not always.
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Higekiri didn't really know what we were working with when we were in the room. Beck and I had to tell him about the buttons, but he still learned pretty fast. You want to learn, right?
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[Excuse him while he.... sparkles, metaphorically.]
Ahh. I knew elder brother would be able to learn quickly! He's amazing.
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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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