PHASE I [ ?? ?? ] It's impossible to tell time in this place, and everything looks the same, but it won't be long before you're probably sick of the tower. Time to get down -- unless you have magical powers or can fly or something, it'll probably be pretty tough, too. You could try to climb down, but the walls look pretty slick, and -- oh god, your arm just went through the wall, what the hell.
Whatever you do, don't fall.
If you fall, you'll be stuck falling forever. And ever. And ever. Looks like they didn't put a failsafe into ViViD for falling, so now you're stuck. You might see some other people stuck in the same glitch, falling forever a la Alice in Wonderland, but honestly? You're stuck that way until your game resets itself.
PHASE II [ ???? ] Either way, you've made it to the ground (somehow). The ground looks like... a half-finished city, really. There are streets, and houses... but some of the houses are unfinished, just four walls and no roof, or only three walls, or nothing inside, and a lot of the NPCs are completely faceless, or only have one line they repeat over and over again.
It's honestly pretty unnerving, especially since there's no soundtrack at all. You can just traverse this creepy hellscape in complete and utter silence.
And then the cars start to fly away.
That's definitely normal (is there anything about this game that isn't faulty?).
PHASE III [ ???? ] It's not safe.
You could be anywhere in this level, wandering, searching -- and then suddenly, it's there. As it appears, a battle theme starts, but it's distorted, eerie and off-pitch. There's something very wrong about this enemy, that's for sure. It can't be defeated, either. Attacks can harm it, and it can be tossed aside or fought, but it just gets right back up, bloodied and beaten, as if unstopped by anything it's feeling.
Over and over and over again.
Just don't let it touch you.
Because it will start to absorb you, code bit by code bit, until there's nothing left of you. It's a cannibalistic distorted monster, wonderful.
PHASE IV [ ???? ] If it wasn't apparent already, physics is a little weird here. One second you're walking along, and the next there's basically no gravity; you could jump wherever you want, clearing buildings in a single bound like the superman you were always meant to be. One second you're your normal amount of strength, and the next you could life cars (if you so chose), for no apparent good reason.
Sometimes the world just tilts, making the ceiling the floor very suddenly, and sometimes the floor drops out from under you entirely.
Anything that could go wrong with the physics here does go wrong.
Just try not to get caught halfway through a now-solid floor. That sounds really, really uncomfortable.
BONUS [ ???? ] Of course, it wouldn't be glitch central without something weird happening to you. And it could be anything -- one second you're fine, and the next your arm is twice as long as it should be, and totally noodly. Suddenly you have a mermaid tail or animal ears, or your head has rotated upside down (how is that even happening?). You're suddenly able to walk through walls, or drag objects to you by pointing at them.
If this was a video game (it is), it would be the faultiest game to ever exist, that's for sure.
(Still, teleporting from one side of the world to the other by jumping on a single spot on a flowerbed is kind of entertaining, if nothing else.)
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
When he says his name like that, it's because really, Kondo was known for his Kotetsu that he sought after with quite the effort. Ah, that isn't quite accurate though; he may be the most well-known of them (to Hachisuka's ire), but as for his actual authenticity... ]
Er, just call me Nagasone, Chihiro, I'm a counterfeit after all. But, tying these back would be a help, really!
[ Rather then dwell on the matter after the correction, he sets down his vessel and tucks back the sleeves to help out Chihiro. It's humbling, and he knows how to tie back kimono sleeves for work (though he prefers modern clothes more for that kind of thing). But it's hard to say no, and perhaps with the glitch, he's rather easygoing, despite everything. ]
Smart girl, you're right on both guesses. I'd rather they not see me like this though... I'm normally much taller, not a wakizashi size? Or a long tantou, I guess.
no subject
She doesn't really understand what he's saying so much, stepping in closer and working on tying his sleeves back as she'd offered once he's holding them back and making it easier on her. She makes a thoughtful sound, shaking her head (in spite of the fact she's standing behind him). As she ties the fabric into a bow, securing his sleeves out of the way and making sure it's knotted behind him, she announces: ]
Nagasone-san, then.
[ She lays a gentle hand on his upper arm rather than his shoulder, a brief pat as she steps back and around to his side. It's a nonverbal "all done!" as well. ]
You're the original you to me.
[ Literally. He's the one and only him she's met, or is likely to meet. Counterfeit might matter on a scale of relevance she doesn't subscribe to, but on the ones that do? Well.
In one sense, right now they might all be "counterfeits" of who they were. She doesn't put much stock in singular originality. She moves as quickly past it, more or less canting her head to the side because up until now, no one's actually talked to her about the different types of swords. She smiles, eyes falling for a moment, shaking her head as an acknowledgement of her own ignorance. Her smile turns into a more solemn expression as she admits: ]
I'm sorry, I don't really know what those differences are. I just recently learned which part of a sword is called the hilt. [ LOOK... she'd never even seen a real sword until here... on knives you just talk about handles? ] No one's told me about the different kinds of swords there are, but... I guess I hadn't thought to ask. Are you supposed to be really big because you are really big?
[ The second you is accompanied by a nod of her head toward his vessel. Is that what the relationship is? She hadn't even thought about it before. ]
no subject
If you see it that way, it makes my life a little easier. Thanks.
[ To be honest, it does. Like, he says it in a mild tone that's like "you probably wouldn't get it but I'll take the comment in stride like I should," but really, it's refreshing. Younger people aren't as fussy about those details; his younger brother Urashima didn't care either, and adores him like he was the genuine article. Chihiro might also have a point there about counterfeit people, since everything's code (he wouldn't know it but they say that to the actual arrivals of Cerealia, that they're recovered data)? ]
Hahaha, knowing where the hilt is, that's a start! As for the sizes, it might have to do with summoning method by Saniwa sages. But the main idea is, the body should be able to wield their original forms naturally and reflect their experiences from when they were still swords. The swords that Saniwa Kure Haru kept are tantou, wakizashi, uchigatana, tachi, oodachi, yari, and naginata. Roughly, that's smallest to largest.
[ He hopes that this isn't too intimidating of a gesture (he doubts it is when he's about her age in appearance), unsheathing his vessel several inches. He makes it a point to try it traditionally, then in front of him to show it being easier, if less practical for a fight. ]
See? It's not easy.
no subject
She can't work up any indignation at having someone look her age, but act in ways she attributes to someone older. It simply makes sense that they'd be testing her skills. She's ten.
It's not like she expected she'd have many. She's just taken up learning and doing what she must, and what she can. ]
You're welcome.
[ A small smile, followed by a small, polite bow of her head. No big, spontaneous grins right now, but she's not quite in the mood. This whole distorted level has her feeling uneasy; enough so that when he's showing her some of his vessel, she's moving closer out of misplaced sense of security (... with anyone baring steel might be a bad idea, Chihiro) from associations with those she trusts, not further away.
Like other sword spirits, other sword wielders, and other wielders of weaponry that's by and large considered part of archaic warfare. She's also peering closely, watching his movements. She doesn't nod until she thinks she has a sense of what she saw, and what he means. ]
I think I do. It's different from how Kashuu moves when he's striking.
[ At full size, she means, but she leaves the clarification out considering what they've already said. To be fair, Kashuu's also the only sword she's seen in action, despite having, well, carted around one sword and picked another up when Tsurumaru was making an elegant escape out the window.
With the window frame. ]
When you're bigger, you must move with as much confidence and grace.
[ That said with a small nod to herself. In her mind, it makes complete sense that any sword is going to know a great deal about wielding themselves... even if the duality of their presented natures (one vessel, one projected-real spirit-based-self to interact with the world) has her not quite sure which self she's more protective over.
(Hint: it ends up being their vessels. The part that can actually hurt them, though when she's ten and handling a sword she's mostly trying to use her body to shield the sword. She's... not very good at logic-ing through this.)
... Belatedly, she realises that maybe he doesn't want to be called (potentially) graceful. It's kind of like accidentally saying Karl could be cute. WHO KNOWS WHAT PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR? Not Chihiro, she says too much of what she's thinking at the time in the words that come to mind. ]
Mm, it's only bad when your vessel is damaged, right? You don't feel the sheath in the same way, do you?
no subject
Kondo worked with children as students and had a daughter of his own. Kids aren't exactly up this sword's alley, but he tries to not be condescending toward them or act like they don't know much compared to him. He has a grown brother who is frankly a jerk to him amd treats him lower than dirt, he knows the pain, even if it's a different circumstance. But Chihiro why are you walking closer to his blade, don't do that with other strangers, kiddo. ]
I wouldn't consider myself graceful, and it definitely takes certain swords to appreciate that. But confidence is important, and can even save your life.
[ He nods with affirmation. When he sheaths his vessel, he realizes that the way that the tied strip for his crosses in the back quite nicely. Two birds and one stone, he sticks his vessel behind him under the strips. Likena... Ninja? Or another sword hes acquainted with, but that is the only way that can carry it practically. ]
Not really, the scabbard's something separate after all. But it's also like a coat of sorts against the elements, or maybe a tent. Damage to it wouldn't hurt me, but i would be uneasy staying in it after a while, like a broken tent.
no subject
You have to be confident in what you do. Or act like it. Hesitation doesn't help.
[ Hesitation hasn't saved her important people when it comes down to a moment of do or don't. She has a pretty tunnel vision approach to handling things, but she doesn't hesitate over handling them.
Either way, his explanation soothes something in her mind she hadn't been aware was bothered. Perhaps it's the reassurance of knowing there's a consistency; she won't mention why it was a concern, considering it's not her business to do so. His simile is enough to make sense for her. Coat of armour her mind might sub in; not felt, but worn, and better when well maintained. Protection.
It's what she already thought, but it makes her feel a whole lot better verifying outside of the context where she'd worried. (She also appreciates how he ends up carrying himself. It's what she'd had to do with Kousetsu-san. MORE VALID IF A SWORD DOES THIS FOR THEMSELVES?) ]
Good. As long as it's not the same, that's good.
[ She straightens her shirt, for want of something to occupy her hands, looking away and down the alley. Chihiro shifts gears, thinking about out. ]
Did you want to keep looking for the exit? I don't know how long we're going to be in this level.
[ Not so far away from them is a patch of bedraggled flowers, dandelions reaching for the sun that glitches in and out of existence. Stepping on it will teleport them across the city... not that there's any helpful sign pointing this out. (Or any sensible reason why this would be true.) ]