fellden | ( video ) open to stars & moon

Entry tags:

( video ) open to stars & moon

un: Tsurumaru

( Arms crossed and hands tucked into his sleeve, Tsurumaru smiles casually as he speaks. )

I'm looking for someone with experience repairing swords.

( Yes, it's important to get right to the point. No one has time for long winded introductions and explanations! But he supposes an explanation is still needed here so he sighs, running a hand through his hair, pushing back his bangs and scowling just a little, )

I visited a local smith and they were too rough. It felt more like a punishment than care… ( Really! It makes him shudder just thinking about it and he touches a thin scratch on his cheek, ) Eugh. My face still hurts…

( If the smith was going to handle his true form like that, they might as well have just slapped this human body across the face. )

It's a delicate blade and this is a… ( Hm, he doesn't want to have to explain everything right from the get go so he tries to find the right word, ) personal request.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Marianne looks surprised, but then finally, she remembers that Tsurumaru is a spirit... with a human form, but still. a spirit. She's never tried healing non-humans before -- animals and Crest-bearers aren't the same as spirits.

So she gives him a firm nod,]

I promise.

[she's a little nervous now, but she inhales and then exhales. she can do this... she won't hurt Tsurumaru!! or do anything that might get her hurt... hopefully. there, tsurumaru, you have her promise! she can heal now, right!!]

... Yes, it is.

( He gives her a quiet smile. It's a promise and even if it seems small, it's something that he takes very seriously. Promises aren't meant to be broken, after all, ad yet... Well, he's old.

Raising his chin and turning his cheek towards he, he'll allow her to get closer if she needs to.

Whenever she begins, she might notice some of the redness fading away but the cut, for whatever reason, won't close, even if it's just a minor, seemingly insignificant and easy thing to heal. )

[Marianne's silent as she attempts her healing, but when it's clear that it isn't, she immediately stops, like Tsurumaru asked her to. She would have liked to try a little harder, but she wants to respect his wishes.]

...I'm sorry, Tsurumaru. It doesn't look like it's working.

[there's a furrow in her brow and she's clearly upset, if also apologetic. It feels bad when you can't carry out your healer duty!!!]

( He raises a hand to his cheek, his fingers tracing along the line of the cut and confirming it's still there... But he's quick to speak up, )

I feel better. ( He really does. There had been a discomfort there, mostly caused by the blacksmith's carelessness but it's still something. ) Thank you, Marianne.

( And he means it. Truly. )

I would have been surprised if it worked completely. ( So what he's saying is, he kind of expected this. For troubling her, the least he can do is explain properly now, ) Do you remember when I told you to guess my true form?

[His gratitude does help stem the tide of Sad that was about to wash over her!!! She's glad she could help him... even if was only a little. And his question helps distract her too, her gaze focusing back on him instead of down at her clasped hands.]

Yes, I guessed that you were a crane spirit, but... [tsurumaru did not confirm OR deny? He left it super vague?] I'm still not sure if I was right.

[also tsurumaru said spirits like him smother people in their sleep.........]

( He leans over, reaching for his sword and sets it down on his lap, )

In my world, it is believed that everything has a spirit or a kami. Some may regard them as many kinds of gods. Of course, humans and animals have spirits but so do natural phenomenon like the sun, the wind, the mountains, the river, even the rocks and trees… But there are other kami, like the spirits of entrances, houses, and roads. There hundreds of spirits and of those hundreds, I am part of one kind: A tsukumogami. The kami of a tool.

( He runs his fingers over the sheath of his sword as he speaks, )

When an object reaches one hundred years of age, it becomes alive and aware and are granted souls. Though, some gain souls sooner depending on how much they're revered or disregarded. ( He himself is an example of the latter but he won't explain why. ) Before I had a soul, I was only a sword.

( And if Marianne really considers it… it isn't a stretch. He always carries the sword with him and if she looks at it, she'll see the design is very similar to his own appearance. )

This is my true form. ( And carefully, he unsheathes it so as to not startle her too much. He doesn't take it out completely but he reveals just enough of the blade to show a long, thin scratch down the surface, ) I cannot be healed because I need to be repaired.

[There’s an almost rhythmic quality to Tsurumaru’s voice as he speaks – and it gets Marianne to listen closer, to straighten as she watches him with open curiosity on her face. It helps that Marianne’s spoken to so many people from different worlds, she doesn’t let herself get stuck on the idea of multiple spirits and multiple gods, instead, she just listens.

Tsurumaru… is a sword? Her eyes move toward the sword in question as he unsheathes it – it really is a beautiful blade. If she had to compare it to anything… a Wo Dao? But even then, it’s nothing like those Marianne has seen. It’s made with obvious skill and craftsmanship that even Marianne, who can only claim a passing expertise in swords, can recognize. More importantly, her eyes zero in on the scratch, and the realization flashes across her face.]

A tsukumogami… [Marianne says the word slowly so as not to stumble over it, taking this revelation in and letting it absorb in her mind. It makes sense why her magic couldn’t have helped them, if Tsurumaru is a sword spirit…] That’s why you were asking on the Compass earlier – for someone who’s familiar with swords… And that’s what you meant by not being able to eat…

[and by ‘carrying myself in battle’. Marianne pauses for a moment, thinking back on the few occasions she's spoken to Tsurumaru, but mostly one thing stands out to her now as she looks at him and nods.]

Thank you, Tsurumaru, for telling me.

[for all of tsurumaru's love for surprises, the fact that he was willing to give her the answer instead of keeping it to himself... She’s grateful!!]

I wish I knew more about how to repair swords for your sake... but I'll at least try to find someone who can help you, if you like.

( It's a lot of information to take in and he's aware of that much. So he only sits patiently as Marianne pieces together old information with new information. She's a smart girl so even if she has to walk herself through the steps, she's right on track and he only smiles calmly in return-- a sort of quiet encouragement.

Yes, that's what he meant when he was looking for someone familiar with swords and why he couldn't eat for so long.

Because he's a casual spirit, he reaches out to pat her on the head. He's an old man! Everyone is a child to him. )

You have a skill greater than any smith. ( Being able to fix a person is a much greater skill than being able to repair a blade, at least, that's what he thinks. ) I'll accept your help, Marianne.

[A HEADPAT FROM TSURU-JIJI....!!! Marianne is completely caught off-guard by this... you might even say that she's SURPRISED!!!

Tsurumaru: 10
Marianne: 0!!!!

look not many people are so familiar!! especially in a family kind of way... she did get to hold hands with a few people, but this is something like her father might do for her... anyway she feels very SOFT. and also flustered of course... and surprised... is it fun to see Marianne like this when it's so easy to surprise her!!]

[and then he COMPLIMENTS HER!!! Marianne's sad and constantly self-doubting heart cannot take this...]

I'll... I'll do my best!

[She was definitely going to help before, but now?? NOW??? SHE'S READY!! She will Find A Great Smith for Tsurumaru!!!]

And um, I'll learn how to take care of my weapons better too...!

[maybe she should learn how to do blacksmithing... or at least how to repair minor damage from swords!!! YEAH!! SHE'LL DO IT FOR TSURUMARU, HER SWORD SPIRIT COMRADE!!]

( What a curious reaction to something so small. He makes a note of it, tucking it away as something that might be worth recalling later. She seemed so invigorated by the praise, it's really quite adorable. Even the way she seems to take his words to heart... He doesn't doubt her words. At least, he's willing to give a benefit of a doubt.

... And he can't really let that show! So instead, he stretches and rises to his feet, going over to her desk and beginning to re-arrange some of her things. It isn't much-- just vaguely separating some of the feathers from the bones and clearing away some of the extra clutter. She has exactly one (1) semi-clean corner on her desk now. )

It's really just common sense. ( A vague comment, ) A sword that is cared for is a sword in good condition-- sharper and less likely to break. If you put some effort into it, then it'll pay off.

It sounds so simple when you put it that way.

[She's not used to putting in effort... And she's also not used to having it pay off, but it's fine. She can try this time! She looks on, a little curious when Tsurumaru starts rearranging, then she stands up and approaches when she realizes -- ]

Oh, you don't have to tidy up, Tsurumaru! I can do it --

[Marianne says, sweeping a hand across the table in an attempt to get at the other corner of the desk but she

ends up just making a mess of that semi-clean corner Tsurumaru just nicely cleaned for her........... oops]

...S-sorry! Um, let me --

[Marianne hurriedly sweeps her hand back and makes the resulting mess even bigger..... hm, perhaps this is a power move of her own!!!]

( Marianne, how...

Look at him, Marianne. LOOK AT HIM. Do you see this face? Do you see his eyes? Keep looking at them because he's definitely not going to break his eye contact with her. He doesn't say anything... but really, his face is enough to let her know to not move while he's looking at her.

And he vaguely starts to clear things around a little more. It involves working off of touch instead of sight so it isn't as neat as the first time but he can more or less figure it out based on what he saw before he had to KEEP HIS EYES ON HER. )

[Marianne is sweating!! She feels Guilt!! She is also not causing any more chaos at the moment, so this stare down with Tsurumaru is Extremely Effective.]

S-sorry, Tsurumaru... I'm not very good at tidying up...

[as he PROBABLY SAW!!! Still...]

You're really skilled though! It's impressive...

[that he's cleaning everything without even using his EYES!!]

It's easier if you look at what you're doing. ( Instead of just knocking hands out of the way, Marianne! But if only Tsurumaru knew how messy she really was.... ) You should tidy up. If you leave it alone, it will only get bigger.

( It's just general advice! He hates messes and prefers for things to be clean and organized. OH, but he didn't come her eto scold her so he sighs and touches his cheek, )

Thank you, Marianne.

( And he'll leave her alone! He has a sword to fix. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( video ) open to stars & moon

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject