[Kashuu's always been an idiot of duality. As much as he dislikes looking at himself as a sword instead of a person, as often as he avoids so much as talking about it, something close to pride still settles in his chest when he hears that. Even though Baren doesn't remember him, he's still willing to keep him at his side.
Of course it's not bad, part of him wants to say, because I'm a great sword.
But instead of putting those words out into the Great Big World where they REALLY DON'T NEED TO EXIST, he just huffs like he's vaguely miffed to hide how secretly pleased he is. Truly an idiot, a stupid bag of trail mix.]
Good! Then that's settled. [HUFF PUFF HUFF.] Hooopefully we won't be dealing with monsters dropping out of the sky like before, but you can count on me if something stupid like that does happen, okay?
[Oh, right--]
You have another sword too, but he doesn't remember anything either so he's like, functionally useless.
[HOO BOY he sure doesn't want to be the one to break the news to Baren about his sister, stuck perpetually in an NPC-like state... (Though he's not at all surprised to see that somehow, his memory of Okuni is still intact when little else is.)
So instead, he just nods.]
Yeah. I don't think he would've gone for it at all if you hadn't asked me first. You two huff at each other a lot.
[Less often, lately... And it's not like it had ever been very serious to begin with.]
[His answer is SNAPPISH AND IMMEDIATE. Somehow, he seems more offended by that than anything else so far?!]
You think I'd do any of this for money? No one could pay me enough to put up with how much of a headache you are! D'you just like, not understand the definition of friendship or something?
[Baren with his Recollé memories understands to some extent that he has to at least feign an interest in having friends because in the modern world it's pretty damn effective for getting information, and not having friends just might make you a sociopath.]
I don't need friends, I have Okuni.
[lmao]
Relying on shit like that sounds like an easy way to get betrayed.
He's still not touching that with a 10 foot pole.]
Yeah, see, this? This is why I wouldn't hang out with you for pay. [Even if, to be fair to Recolle Baren, this is like ten times worse than he's ever seen Baren be. In terms of being a semi-normal, sociable person, anyway...]
You don't have to worry about me betraying you or whatever, but you're probably too weird and paranoid to believe it. That's why I gave you that. [A nod toward the sword at his side.] I'm not gonna ask you to believe me either since you're way too hardheaded for talking to be enough. Just, like, try not to make things super hard for me out of spite.
[ - well, it's not like he's wrong. Baren continues to turn the words over in his head and then he huffs faintly.]
You're my sword? By being a tsukumogami, and you agreed to it, and you gave me your own vessel so - you don't have to worry about me making things harder for you on purpose. I can believe you if I have this.
[If he has something tangible. Collateral. But there's a shake of his head and he looks irritated.]
But the me that you know - because that's what this is, right? Whatever that swamp witch took from me is stuff that involves you, and holds more about me.... The me that you know actually believes in shit like having friends?
[It's hard to process if only because - ]
What kind of time is this?
[modern era sure is hard to process for a sengoku man]
[God, Baren is struggling and Kashuu is struggling because Baren is struggling and it's just a circle of STRUGGLE and he's tired. But on the plus side, that's one hurdle down if he doesn't have to worry about things getting worse. As long as his sword is with Baren and as long as Baren is tending to it carefully, that's fine.
As for the rest? He can remember some of the things Baren had told him about as far as his memories went. The courtesans, the old buildings... If he's anything like Yasusada, then Kashuu can imagine exactly why being in a place (or time, more specifically) like this would throw him off so badly. Why hearing things about this "other" self would be hard to believe.
So he starts at the simplest place, gesturing outward toward the street and its passing cars.]
Well, it's 2018, to start. You're a pretty prickly guy and I don't know what kinda stuff you remember now, but it's not like you're gonna get stabbed on your way to school.
[No murder or ye olde assassinations or pretending to blow people up for the giggles.]
It lacks a prefix - it's not Keicho 2018, which isn't possible because no emperor will live that long. Even the conventional time system makes no sense to Baren, but he can at least understand that this is the Future. Whatever that means. How far in the future? He's not sure! But he'll listen and... huff.]
That's probably why you'd skip to do things like steal chocobos and stuff.
[RAISING HIS ARMS... He's honestly not sure why Baren does what Baren does outside of the vague and generally accepted "because he's Baren". He doesn't particularly want to take the time out now to dissect possible motives, either... But that's about the best he can spitball on a whim.]
[ - which is a vague answer, but also the truest one that he has to offer? Baren tilts his head, confused at the idea of settling in with studies and staying in one place for a long time.]
But I guess if other people are happy with it, that's fine.
Most people prefer it to what our lives have become, anyway. They're not really like that anymore.
[He makes a vague, sweeping gesture toward the area around himself, as if to indicate the Entirety Of Everything™ that seems to be happening 24/7. Baren in particular included.]
It's kind of a hard shift for looots of people to make. Sometimes the memories help when they come back, but sometimes they don't. Depends on how lucky you are.
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Of course it's not bad, part of him wants to say, because I'm a great sword.
But instead of putting those words out into the Great Big World where they REALLY DON'T NEED TO EXIST, he just huffs like he's vaguely miffed to hide how secretly pleased he is. Truly an idiot, a stupid bag of trail mix.]
Good! Then that's settled. [HUFF PUFF HUFF.] Hooopefully we won't be dealing with monsters dropping out of the sky like before, but you can count on me if something stupid like that does happen, okay?
[Oh, right--]
You have another sword too, but he doesn't remember anything either so he's like, functionally useless.
[Such a sweet and kind soul.]
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[He tilts his head at that information if only because - ] And he's with me, not with Okuni?
[because that's how the kumou family swords work. there's two of them. they come in a set. but they're always separated to be with one twin at a time.
what an odd concept.]
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So instead, he just nods.]
Yeah. I don't think he would've gone for it at all if you hadn't asked me first. You two huff at each other a lot.
[Less often, lately... And it's not like it had ever been very serious to begin with.]
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[ - it's sort of like Kiheita? He remembers how the shinobi would pick him up when he called, protect him when he needed. Which prompts the question:]
How much am I paying you anyway?
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[His answer is SNAPPISH AND IMMEDIATE. Somehow, he seems more offended by that than anything else so far?!]
You think I'd do any of this for money? No one could pay me enough to put up with how much of a headache you are! D'you just like, not understand the definition of friendship or something?
[At least that hasn't... changed........]
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I don't need friends, I have Okuni.
[lmao]
Relying on shit like that sounds like an easy way to get betrayed.
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He's still not touching that with a 10 foot pole.]
Yeah, see, this? This is why I wouldn't hang out with you for pay. [Even if, to be fair to Recolle Baren, this is like ten times worse than he's ever seen Baren be. In terms of being a semi-normal, sociable person, anyway...]
You don't have to worry about me betraying you or whatever, but you're probably too weird and paranoid to believe it. That's why I gave you that. [A nod toward the sword at his side.] I'm not gonna ask you to believe me either since you're way too hardheaded for talking to be enough. Just, like, try not to make things super hard for me out of spite.
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You're my sword? By being a tsukumogami, and you agreed to it, and you gave me your own vessel so - you don't have to worry about me making things harder for you on purpose. I can believe you if I have this.
[If he has something tangible. Collateral. But there's a shake of his head and he looks irritated.]
But the me that you know - because that's what this is, right? Whatever that swamp witch took from me is stuff that involves you, and holds more about me.... The me that you know actually believes in shit like having friends?
[It's hard to process if only because - ]
What kind of time is this?
[modern era sure is hard to process for a sengoku man]
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As for the rest? He can remember some of the things Baren had told him about as far as his memories went. The courtesans, the old buildings... If he's anything like Yasusada, then Kashuu can imagine exactly why being in a place (or time, more specifically) like this would throw him off so badly. Why hearing things about this "other" self would be hard to believe.
So he starts at the simplest place, gesturing outward toward the street and its passing cars.]
Well, it's 2018, to start. You're a pretty prickly guy and I don't know what kinda stuff you remember now, but it's not like you're gonna get stabbed on your way to school.
[No murder or ye olde assassinations or pretending to blow people up for the giggles.]
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It lacks a prefix - it's not Keicho 2018, which isn't possible because no emperor will live that long. Even the conventional time system makes no sense to Baren, but he can at least understand that this is the Future. Whatever that means. How far in the future? He's not sure! But he'll listen and... huff.]
School...? Like - for lessons and learning?
[he didn't even have that lmao]
That sounds....
[peaceful. nice.]
Dull.
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[RAISING HIS ARMS... He's honestly not sure why Baren does what Baren does outside of the vague and generally accepted "because he's Baren". He doesn't particularly want to take the time out now to dissect possible motives, either... But that's about the best he can spitball on a whim.]
What, does that kinda thing bother you?
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[ - which is a vague answer, but also the truest one that he has to offer? Baren tilts his head, confused at the idea of settling in with studies and staying in one place for a long time.]
But I guess if other people are happy with it, that's fine.
[It just sounds.
Slow, for him.]
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[He makes a vague, sweeping gesture toward the area around himself, as if to indicate the Entirety Of Everything™ that seems to be happening 24/7. Baren in particular included.]
It's kind of a hard shift for looots of people to make. Sometimes the memories help when they come back, but sometimes they don't. Depends on how lucky you are.