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Post by Vayle Cameo on May 5, 2019 22:21:03 GMT
Vayle stuffed her face with meringue as Estrella kept teasing her. "I am the most composed! For your information, emotions aren't even necessary for a shinigami, so I..."
And then she let off a sigh. "okay, it bothers me a little. I don't even know where that 'shinigami don't have emotions' crap started in soul society. It's violently wrong and incredibly stupid."
Vayle took a sip of her coffee as Estrella was lost in thought, before puffing up her well-earned skills. "I'll say. I'm not the most up to date on human technology, but I got to try out guns a couple decades ago... Senior of mine took us out to shoot cans. said it was a good way to appreciate what danger a human could be unintentionally." Vayle added. "Those were nothing compared to the stuff you got. I've never seen a human go toe to toe with a death god off of basic tech alone. If you could figure out how to put your spirit power to use powering stuff further..." Vayle made a twirling motion with her fork in the air. "Sky is the limit, really."
At that, as Estrella continued to more basic questions, Vayle would shake her head. "nahhh. Death gods come and go as they please. mere Pluses may only come and go as Death gods allow them. that's the whole 'god' part of the equation. At best, those were probably high spec humans with some strange powers invoking a hollow... those tend to be interested in that sort of thing, if only as a meal."
At that second question, Vayle froze up for a couple seconds, trying to think of how to answer that one. "I mean... the closest we got is the soul king. But no one knows much about him that ain't the higher ups. just that he's responsible for keepin' existence movin'." Vayle would add. "I never really worried about it, to be honest. I'm the one meant to be answerin' people's prayers for help, not the one praying. S'my job and all."
[344 words]
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Post by Lady Arcadia on May 6, 2019 9:15:45 GMT
Estrella's casual questions received Vayle's casual answers. The Shinigami once again presented amazement at how her gadgets and weaponry were strong enough to keep up with someone like her and offered to look into combining her equipment with spirit power... somehow. She stated that all the rituals and spiritual stuff connected to ghosts in human folklore does not have any impact on them and that most of them are just hoaxes. And finally that the closest thing to God with a capital G which Vayle knew of was the so-called 'Soul King', an entity which supposedly keeps existence moving, but nobody knows anything about. Sounds like God alright.
"Man, now I'm stumped," Estrella muttered to herself. "How long has this been a thing? The Soul Society and all, I mean... because if they've been around since the Big Bang or what have you, then who or what populated it from the beginning? Did souls just happen to pop into existence when life started to appear? Do all organisms have souls, or only sentient ones like humans? And if so, how did this change suddenly occur that some hominids started... not dying when they died, and instead going to a different plane of existence? And if Soul Society wasn't around since the beginning of time and was somehow constructed later down the line, then I suppose no souls were able to travel there before, so was the whole world populated by Hollows before then? I..."
"...I shouldn't expect you to know either, right?"
(255 words)
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Post by Vayle Cameo on May 6, 2019 10:08:03 GMT
Vayle smiled as she explained the wider world to Estrella. It was actually a pretty fun conversation for her - she got to explain how her world worked, as well as learn a lot more about the human world. For her, it was very different... especially since, unlike most people who crossed over after death, Vayle didn't retain any memory of that whole thing. "I think it must be kinda fun to get to believe in stuff like that, though. I can't imagine a world where I didn't understand how the whole soul thing worked." Vayle would note, sipping a bit more coffee. "For me we've had it down to a science for... as long as I can remember." As Estrella continued to ask questions, Vayle took a few seconds to answer. "...Technically, we don't know how things started. only that we're here to maintain the balance now." Vayle would add. "However... I think the truth's known to a few. For those who aren't meant to know, though..." Vayle's face would look a little irritated. "they get very gently encouraged to spend their time doing something more practical. if you get what I mean. I'm not a really big fan of the fact, but I'm not exactly in a position to complain. After all, I'm just the 20th seat of division seven. I'm not that big a deal to replace." Vayle would add. "so I guess that's something I still get to theorize about, even if it's a lot less in comparison..." And at that, Vayle would grin. "...But, seriously though, tell me a bit about how you got to the point where you wanted to shoot ghosts with big guns. From what I know, most high specs are more interested in just avoiding hollows, not fighting them. And those that do fight them... do it differently, usually." [308 words] Lady Arcadia
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Post by Lady Arcadia on May 6, 2019 15:42:12 GMT
Just as Estrella expected, Vayle didn't really know anything either. Which made sense. She even attested herself that she wasn't anything exceptional, so much like the average human probably doesn't know a lot about how their dimension came into existence, neither does the average soul, most likely. After complaining a little about things which she simply had no clue what they meant, Vayle turned the conversation towards Estrella herself, simply asking - how did it come to the point where she is shooting ghosts with big guns?
A reasonable question by any means.
"Well, you know how it goes - a string of events just kind of ended up tossing me into this sort of hobby, you know?" Estrella began her response. "I've always had a kind of a knack for engineering, I suppose. Anything I touch, I can figure out the inner workings of in less than a minute if you just give me the time. So, after my parents both vanished, I did what any reasonable adult would do with this talent and started my own weapons research lab. So now I'm equipped with these babies, all of those ghosts keep harassing me for God knows what reason, and I need some combat field testing for all my inventions... I suppose you can connect the dots from there."
(225 words)
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Post by Vayle Cameo on May 7, 2019 0:13:03 GMT
Vayle listened to Estrella explain her own reasoning for how she came about to where she was... although it gave Vayle more questions than answers. It totally answered all of her questions - don't get her wrong - but now she had a bunch more, like - what kinda crazy person just decides to fight hollows at the drop of a hat like that, throws herself into danger without abandon, and calmly explains her life-threatening job--
"Vayle, I hope you understand you're describing yourself right now?" Mahoutsukai chirped in her ear.
Vayle chuckled at the conversation. "So you managed to toss yourself into this sort of thing just as a way of living your life? It's just... a hobby?"
Vayle smiled. "I've never heard a purer reason to get into hollow hunting before. You are gonna make an amazing shinigami when you die." Vayle said with a chuckle.
After a few second, Vayle taps her hands on the table. "though I can at least explain the ghost thing." Vayle will say. "Pluses tend to be pretty desperate, being invisible, incapable of going to soul society on their own, and usually totally confused about what's going on, to try and talk to someone. They just look for acknowledgement by another living creature. Usually they think people who can see them might be able to magically spirit them off, but only shinigami can do that."
And at that, Vayle would flip up two fingers to make her next point. "Second, Hollows have 2 main targets to hunt:
Soon after they're born, they tend to go after the ones they loved first. this is why widows tend to die soon after their husband or wife, for instance. Secondly..."
Vayle will shrug. "They'll go after people with a lot of spiritual energy. They eat souls, but high concentrations of spirit energy is their actual nutrition. So... you smell really, really tasty to them, being how you are." Vayle will explain. "...Huh. Sounds a lot more messed up when I say it aloud."
[337 words]
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Post by Lady Arcadia on May 7, 2019 10:52:21 GMT
Estrella offered a brief shrug at Vayle's amazement that she had such a 'pure' reason to get into hollow hunting. "Well I mean, it's not like I was given much of a choice. What else am I supposed to do when scary soul-eating ghosts are going for my head? Run away and hide? From ghosts?"
Obviously, that doesn't explain the reason why should actively go and seek out more Hollows to fight and riddle with hundreds of bullet holes, but at that point, other just as equally important factors come into play. After that comment, Vayle briefly explained the reason why all the ghosts keep harassing Estrella, and not because lead is a some sort of condiment in Soul Society. Hollows go after the ones they used to love, and then after people with a lot of spiritual energy, much like her - and the Shinigami bluntly stated that this means Estrella smells really really tasty to them.
"No problem, I think I've got the idea that you're not the type for subtlety a while ago." Estrella stated calmly in response, then started thinking to herself. "Explaining early widow deaths with crazy soul-eating ghost monsters, huh... Yeah, I mean, as much as I'd love to shed some light on humanity there, I feel like I'll gather enough ridicule with this 'spirit power' thing already, even without attaching such a phenomenon under my belt.
-I mean, I'm not going to get you drawn and quartered now that you've revealed this stuff to me, right? Last I checked how fantasy books work, revealing the inner workings of some super secret supernatural society to outsiders is usually a big no-no..."
(283 words)
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Post by Vayle Cameo on May 7, 2019 12:28:11 GMT
Vayle chuckled as Estrella explained her response. "Okay, I see your logic, but still - that is what most humans decide to do upon seein' giant monsters. Most just hope they never encounter another one and hoof it." The brunette shrugged as she explained it, shaking her head. "Well, most souls do too, if there's a hollow attack in the outer districts of soul society. It takes someone different to rise above and become a soul reaper. Though latent energy also plays a part." The death god explained with a hint of cockiness in her tone. "And then it becomes our job to protect those souls who aren't ready to face the darkness head on. One I'm happy to keep doin'."
As Estrella bluntly stated that Vayle's not the subtle type, shale gave an annoyed look, opening her mouth to respond... And then realizing she had nothing. "okay, yeah, I'm not." Vayle responded. "S'not like subtlety's needed for hollow slaying in the first place." she responded. "And hey, not sayin' ya should. I don't think anyone wants to die knowing they may eat their loved ones, unfortunate as it is to happen. I just need to make sure you're informed at the end of the day. help keep you out of too much trouble borne from lack of info." Vayle would add. "I heard we had another human who could see hollows - thought he'd get stronger if he ate hollow flesh. Turns out he just became one himself. We wanna avoid that."
At Estrella's next question, Vayle waved a hand. "I mean, it's unusual, but it's not actually illegal. Maybe a little frowned upon, at best. Keeping humans knowledgeable doesn't matter much, 'specially since you'll probably be one of us in a few decades, anyways. There's really only a couple things I can do to get punishment concerning a human..."
Vayle held up a finger. "First, we're not really supposed to kill humans unless they get in the way of our work. though some jackasses learn to toe the line there, most of the time there's some hefty fines."
Vayle held up another finger as she continued. "Second, if I give anyone Death God Powers, it's a court martial that's often punished by death." Vayle explained. "it's an emergency technique I doubt is ever gonna come up, anyways. but that's it. Anything else, I can do for ya."
[398 words]
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Post by Lady Arcadia on May 7, 2019 17:27:14 GMT
Vayle's explanation for why informing humanity about the nature of Hollows and how they eat their widows was maybe not a good idea did not resonate with Estrella much. "I mean, nobody wanted to hear that smoking causes cancer, either. But science didn't really care about what people wanted to know, and look where we ended up. Besides, if humanity got more of a clue on how their souls work, maybe... I don't know, it could prevent souls turning into Hollows? Just throwing stuff at a wall here..."
According to Vayle, there wasn't much of a problem with relaying information to humans, if unusual and a little frowned upon, although there were a few things which she or other Shinigami were unable to do. The first was kill a human, and the second was give anyone the powers of a Death God, through something which Vayle described as an emergency technique.
"Can't kill humans?" Estrella raised a question. "I mean, of course. That's a dick move, don't do that, please. But... I didn't figure that your types would care about a human life much when they know that it's just going to become a ghost which they can guide to Soul Society."
The Marquise leaned back, wrapping her hands behind her head. Her newfound curiosity had yet to be satiated. "Oh! I know that this is probably breaking quite a few dimensional barriers, but can I go visit that Soul Society of yours one day? I mean - while I'm still alive?"
(258 words)
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Post by Vayle Cameo on May 8, 2019 1:44:37 GMT
"'problem is, the mass panic that might come first. along with the fact that humans knowing about soul reapers makes it, honestly, a hell of a lot harder for us to do our jobs. Besides..."
Vayle shrugged. "Like you said, hard for people to believe ya. as for turning into hollows... You basically have to be completely sinless to avoid it, at the end of the day. Don't think humans can really manage it at the end of the day. From what I've heard, at least."
Not that Shinigami were any better, as much as they pretended otherwise. Being purified might stop you from becoming a hollow, but spiritual sin was still very doable.
"Well, at the very least, I am sure some egghead in the 12th division is working on stopping hollowfication, despite that. If this is what you can do with human equipment, I'm pretty sure you'd be able to turn those bozos division upside down." Vayle would add with a smile. "I wouldn't even be that surprised if you ended up the next captain of the 12th, with the fire you have."
As Estrella asked about ghosts and humans, Vayle shrugged. "part of it is due to the balance between worlds. If there's too many people alive vs. people dead, or vice versa..."
Vayle gave an uneasy grimace. "It'd be the end of everything. literally."
At that, She'd shrug. "Death Gods are also called 'balancers', for that reason, and in the name of keeping that balance we have to fulfill our duties exactly as is proper." Vayle explained.
As for the Marquise's second request. "It's doable, but we'd need to do something special. See..."
Vayle thought about how to explain it for a moment. "In the human world, things are made of matter and atoms and stuff, right? In the soul society, everything's made up of it's equivalent in Spiritrons. So... You coming through would cause your atoms to not exist anymore. There's ways to make matter/spiritron conversion portals, but..."
Vayle shrugged. "I don't think I can get my hands on one at the moment. It's technically doable, though."
[353 words]
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Post by Lady Arcadia on May 8, 2019 7:30:58 GMT
Estrella mostly just nodded along or filtered out all of Vayle's flattery - she'd be a good cheerleader if she was not, you know, a magic ghost reaper - and instead focused on what she spoke about entering Soul Society. Apparently, Soul Society does not operate by the same matter composition rules as the normal universe. She mentioned something about Spiritrons, which apparently were complete equivalents of normal atoms, but could not coexist in the same realm or something like that, because Vayle informed her that she'd stop existing if she stepped into Soul Society.
"Guess that's one more thing left to figure out. What in the world are 'Spiritrons'?" Estrella muttered to herself, placing her finger on her chin while typing away at her holo pad. Off the top of her head, this seemed like a possible answer to the quiz on how to scientifically codify Vayle's Reishi concept - but, well, she didn't know anything about them besides the name and that really wasn't all that helpful in the end. "At least that's a hint leading somewhere, I suppose. So..."
Estrella leaned back, finishing off the last drops of cappuccino from her cup and placing it down on the table. "So... I don't know, what movies do you like?"
(215 words)
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