driftfleet | Mistletoe Mingle!

Close my eyes? [He gives a gruff, amused snort.] Don't need to do anything sappy like that. There's only one person I miss back home and I know just what I'd say to her.

[He looks at the tree and pictures the person he wishes to speak to.] Rin, you need to give up your mission of revenge. It's going to get you killed or it's going to change you in ways you won't like. [There's a beat before he quickly adds on to the end.] I'm proud of the growth you've done, but let me handle the big stuff. It's what you hired me for.

And I'll make Shira pay one way or another.

[Then he waits for something to happen. Only nothing will because none of that is a secret that he would have tried to keep. Things he wants to say, yes, but nothing secret.]

[Tim waits for a while for the tree to do something, it's getting more awkward as time goes on and he looks back at Koga for help.]

I'm sorry, I don't know what else to suggest...

[He taps his fingers against his lips a moment before moving over to Manji. He doesn't need anything else but he can still say something.]

Manji, look here at me. Don't think about the tree or what will please the tree. I want you to tell me something you have never told anyone before. It can be terrible or it can be good. But something you know you have always kept inside and not shared with anyone before.

[He'll leave it more vague. That way Manji has to really think about it.]

Something I have never told anyone? [Manji stares for awhile. Trying so hard to think of something to say, but he has always been a bit of an open book. So it's making it difficult for him to think of something.

Partly as the only thing he still has is something he rarely even admits to himself. More of a regret then any real secret so he does not think to voice it. Eventually he gives up with a wave of his hand.] Tree is probably just broken or given too much away.

[Tim leaves Koga and Manji to have their one on one, himself approaching the tree.]

Who knows how a magic tree really works? I wonder if there's a psychic element to it. So it knows if what you tell is a secret or not. Is it something only you know, or a secret that only a few know? Plenty of people know my identity at home but none here so does that count?

Hmmmm... When my best friend died, I attempted to clone him and failed over one hundred times. I regret even trying, it wouldn't have been him even if I had succeeded.

[Nothing happens again for a long moment before there's a soft glow at the base of the tree and what is left behind is a.. shirt? a black T-shirt to be precise, with a red shield symbol on the front.

Tim blinks at it in surprise and then laughs, bending to pick it up.]

[He smiles a little as the boy gets the shirt.]

The tree is not broken, Manji. I think you simply fear going too deep inside yourself to admit to things closer to your heart. To real regrets and secrets you hide.

[He should be impressed by that shirt but Manji is just a bit distracted by--]

You did what!? [The implant helps him a little bit with the concept of cloning, but his mind still lingers more on the idea of "zombie."] Why would you even-- you're just a kid! [And you did WHAT!?]

[He was really hoping they were too interested in each other to pay attention to his exact words but it's said now. He tucks the shirt close to his chest, pulling the cape around to hide it from view.]

I'm not just a kid, I'm Robin, and yes I tried to clone my best friend. As I said, it didn't work.

[He blinks and looks between them both. You see, this sort of thing isn't nearly so startling or terrible or whatever to him. He's a sword. This kind of thing is the thing that...happens?

Excuse the only non-human in the room while he remains quiet to observe and see if he can figure out what the problem is here.]

Wha--What even gave you the idea to do somethin' like that!? That shit ain't possible! [He said it didn't work Manji.] Once you're dead, you're dead! [Says the immortal.]

[Tim sighs]

Kon was always a clone, he died so I tried to repeat the process, and as I said. It. Didn't. Work.

[If looks could kill Manji would have been dead back in the dojo, to be honest, but once he'd been resurrected this look would kill him again]

However, Connor is currently alive again. Don't ask how. I'm not explaining it to you.

So congratulations, everything you just said was wrong.

[Manji just scoffs and gives a wave of his hand. Honestly it was all too complicated for his 19th century mind to fully grasp the how. Implant or no implant.]

But I thought you said it didn't work. Someone else figure it out then? [HE SAID NOT TO ASK MANJI!]

Basically. He was bought back to life in the future and eventually sent back to our time, along with my other friend who had also died around the same time.

Are we done?

Are you going to try again? You've seen that it works now.

[He is very lost. What is wrong with cloning a friend who has died? Why are they discussing this?

Kogarasumaru steps forward.]

Might I have an explanation for why this matter is so important and startling? I feel as though something has slipped by me.

It's startling because he tried to resurrect the dead. Like that ship we came across where even after the dead were killed they got up and were going around biting other people! I get missin' your loved ones and wantin' them back more than anything. I really do, but that's not how the world works. What happened on that ship? That wasn't natural and those people should have stayed dead!

That's not quite what cloning is Manji. It wasn't reanimating his body. It was trying to recreate it from scratch.

You're talking zombies, or necromancy I suppose. That would be to reanimate a corpse.

Koga-san, it's important and startling because the idea of bringing people back from the dead is generally considered to be taboo and unnatural. It's generally believed that what you're bringing back won't be what was lost. That there might be a loss of soul or perhaps that something else will inhabit the body instead. Others may simply go insane from the process.

Either way, I shouldn't have done it. People on my world do and have come back from death before but it's not something I should have attempted and it never would have worked the way I was doing it. I just was not seeing clearly at the time.

[He looks first to Manji to listen to him. Somehow he has a feeling that's not what this is at all and that Manji has no idea what he's talking about. That seems to happen a great deal.

So he looks to Robin next to listen to him. What he has to say makes more sense. He can see why it would be taboo based on what he knows of ancient stories and such. Yet, cloning almost doesn't seem so terrible.

Then again, he knows that should he fall in battle one would need to only reforge him to bring him back again. Much like cloning.]

I think perhaps it can be harder for an object to understand the suffering of the mortal world sometimes. But your explanation helps, Robin. Thank you.

Humans don't do well with coming back to life. Trust me; it's not easy on us. [He at least is still himself when he comes back to life. It doesn't change how much it hurts or that awful feeling of getting a taste of that sweet final release only for it to be taken away.] I've met another immortal back home and after enough dying and coming back he had gone just a little more than a bit nuts if you ask me.

[He shakes his head.] At least you learned your lesson I suppose. And you got your gift. [He nods his head at the shirt.] I'm assuming that's pretty important to you. [He didn't miss the way Tim had quickly scooped it up.]

[Tim will simply nod, he feels like he's shared enough about himself today and he still holds Kon's shirt against his chest, hidden under the cape.]

Are you going to try again?

[Kogarasumaru comes over to rest a hand on Robin's arm. A gesture of comfort. Then he looks to Manji to wait for his answer.]

I dunno. I don't really have any regrets I could or would have done differently. [But he seems to be trying to think of something. Going through his life in his mind and it won't be hard to pinpoint the moment that what he regrets dawns on him. Expression finally softening a bit as he let's out a sigh.]

Alright. If this doesn't work then I doubt anything else will. [Manji moves to face the tree because if he's going to say it out loud he's going to do it right.] I regret being the cause of Machi losing her mind and her life.

[For a moment nothing happens, but it is enough and then the tree gives up a scarred left arm. Fully healed at the part near where the shoulder should be as Manji snatches it up as if he might be afraid the tree will change it's mind.]

[Tim doesn't understand the context of Manji's secret but he really did not expect to see an actual arm turn up at the bottom of the tree. I mean he encouraged him to try, though maybe he'd get some catharsis or something from it at the least. He turns to Koga a little surprised]

Did you see that coming?

[He smiles as he watches Manji put real effort in, to give an actual confession. It's a quiet smile, like he's known all along the man had it in him. And he's proud of him. He knows it's not easy for this child to be vulnerable like this.

The boy next to him asks if he saw it coming and he just gives him that same smile before delicately moving over the ice to go and take a look at the arm Manji has managed to get back.

Yes. He's been quite sure all along this would happen.]

[Manji is too busy looking over his newly returned arm to even notice what the other two are doing. Turing it in his hand as it flops a bit creepily with no one controlling the muscles in it. Finally, apparently satisfied he unceremoniously shoves it into the belt of his pants. Like some sort of horrific weapon or trophy.] Well, I got what I came for here.

[He seems rather pleased for a man with one of his arms dangling uselessly from his belt.]

[Manji is getting some very confused, concerned and vaguely grossed out looks from Tim]

Perhaps you should try and hide that when we get closer to the village?

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