spellminders | {VOICE OTA}

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{VOICE OTA}

[Today you feel a few strange pulses in your signets before you hear anything over Qri's network. It's fairly pleasant, exactly as the signet communications tend to be, and fortunately doesn't at all resemble the strange fluctuations that plagued everyone back on days 103-105. It's more like someone poking at the network to be sure it's stable and not going to do any more of that before they speak. They seem to conclude it's safe after all.]

Hello? Oh, hi-- hi, everybody. It's Geir. If you don't know me, I'm the dragon.

[He's very matter of fact about it. He's the dragon. You're probably aware, his tone seems to say.]

Listen, I don't actually care if you know me, you should just help me and Nines out! He knows all kinds of technology things, so I asked him what we could find out about the Hub with them. But the question is really, what does everyone want to find out? There's been a lot of weird to chew on!

Chew...on? [9S echoes this thought quizzically, for an instant quite distracted. But right, right, the matter at hand—] Er, anyway, like Geir said we’re lacking data on our surroundings. And to know what we’re dealing with, gathering more would be best, so I was thinking I can probably scrape enough parts together to build a pod for that job, once we know what kind of information it should collect. I mean, unless we want everything...

[Geir's tone is still bright and interested. he loves hearing about this, even if part of him is still skeptical.]

Nines isn't even the only person who knows how to build... robots. I know a bunch of you build stuff. Who wants to help?

[9S clears his throat, quietly tacking a little disclaimer on:]

...Not that pods should be mistaken for machines or anything.

[When your kind’s fought machines for millennia certain lines get drawn. Thin, confusing grey lines. (Geir doesn’t know what to say to that, so he just lets it stand.)]

((both 9S and Geir may reply to your toplevels, and also feel free to jump each other! this is the start of a player plot to get a little more technology on the island. ♥ more details here!))

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[As much as Nike wants to ask about "pods" and chime in one the idea she had over wanting to explore a sort of dense forest to collect spider webs, she'll refrain upon listening to the dragon's words, whatever a dragon was, as his voice isn't as deep as the voices of her own world which can be even deeper and more incredible in tone, so she really.....doesn't feel much fear as she decides to spout out.]

Excuse me? Is that any way to ask for help? With such rude language and so nonchalantly like that? It makes me want to help you even less!

[She is all for the informal and blunt way of speaking, but there is a rule of etiquette when asking for help in which she has no issue pointing out.]

Chew on is a saying, Nines. It means to think about.

Was something really wrong with it? I mean, Geir's a nice guy, and the point is to help everybody...

[Unfortunately 9S has no idea what's the matter with casual. While that part wasn't directed at him, it still bears addressing]

But thanks for explaining that phrase to me. There're a lot of things people say that just don't really come up where I'm from.

There is! When you are trying to ask for help, you don't demand it. The way he said "you should just help us" didn't sound casual in the least bit, it sounded demanding, like I need to help him than doing it out of my goodness of my heart.

[The last time someone spoke to her like her, her fiance, she grabbed his cheeks and pulled the skin and yelled at him to teach him a lesson in manners; even if she ended in jail for attacking the king of her world.]

A simple "please" can go a long way in changing the wording to a request. Without sounding like he doesn't matter or we are forced to help just because.

[As for the rest, her voice will soften a bit.]

No problem. Glad to have helped in some way. Do dolls not have certain sayings at all?

[9S thinks about this]

...Are you used to people demanding things from you?

[It'd explain why it seems to be a sensitive issue. For his part, he's accustomed to being given orders, and sometimes shrugging them off verbally or complaining about just how much he's expected to do. But he hasn't been offended by it]

I guess we've got sayings, but we came up with different things.

[There may be a pause at that. How much should she say here?]

...it's kinda obvious, isn't it?

[A definite yes without having to speak horridly over the person that demands the most out of her. All for...selfish reasons, in her opinion, but she knew it wasn't that simple either.]

Like what? Can't you tell me a few?

It seemed like a distinct possibility.

[9S won't deny that he has gotten this impression, but he also won't pry for details when it seems clear she isn't inclined to get into it]

For example, "Cherish our resources" is a pretty important one. YoRHa like me can have our memories imported into a new body, and it's often the case that we retrieve the fallen ones so as not to waste parts.

[His first response will gain a light laugh out of her though. She can't help feel sheepish over it now. Wasn't she usually good at hiding her emotions and keeping them somewhat under control? At least, the more personal ones, that aren't suppose to be seen by those outside of her usual circle?]

...I'll learn to better hide it...

[Maybe she should stop speaking so much in her head, that telepathic message wasn't suppose to have been transmitted to him. Which she will ignore over learning of new sayings and about his world instead.]

Waste parts? Imported to a new body? What do you mean? I don't...really get it. Is it a literal thing or...?

[Because it sounds like he goes through a soul transfer? Reincarnation???]

You see, my memories are collected as data. I can upload that to the servers on the Bunker...or well, I could, before. That information is what makes me who I am. My personality, my memories, and my experiences. Even if my body were lost, those essential components could be transferred to a new body. Does that make more sense?

[Getting more technical doesn't make it any easier to understand, 9S...]

But I like you how you are, Nike. And if I could deduce something like that, doesn't it just make it easier for me to understand you? How you feel, and all?

[Not that he's the poster body for being at all honest about his emotions, when it comes to negative things. There's a lot he thinks to shield others from, for better or worse, because he thinks it will be better for them]

Kinda.... [It was a lot to take in and think about, but Nike more or less gets it, maybe.] In other words, if anything happens to you, like your body gets broken or something, then whatever memories you have will be sent to another body? Is that right?

[She has no idea what uploading, servers, or bunkers were, but she can kinda understand everything else if she simply ignores the more advance keywords. Maybe, just maybe she can understand by doing that...

But, too bad her train of thought will be replaced with Nines' next response which will leave her feeling silent once more. How can she even respond back to that without showing off her own awkward emotions in hearing all of that? How do you not yell at that? It makes her happy to learn he doesn't mind her awkwardness, but it was embarrassing to know too!]

That's just cheating, Nines. I'm the easiest person to read. Especially through this telepathy thing since you're basically connected to my head and all.

[Still though, she couldn't really argue with him about it. How many times has she scolded over Livius to be more straightforward with his emotions without making assumptions or overthinking? She really should follow her own advice, even if she still believed there were certain thoughts and feelings that should remain hidden.]

But, fine. If it helps for me to remain honest, then I will. Not that I have much to hide.

Pretty much, at least they can be. It'd require somewhere for the memories to go, since they'd need to be stored somewhere.

[No such facilities are in place now, and he knows he ought to do something about it when they've got the supplies available to them. But for the time being, they'll just have to take care that their present bodies aren't destroyed. Considering how reckless the lot of them are, that ought to be interesting.

But if the worst they have to contend with are hostile species comparable to the Uvi, then it shouldn't be a problem. Even a Scanner unit like himself can handle that much]

Everyone's got things they keep to themselves. I just think it'd be pretty tiring to try and hide too much, you know?

[Speaking, of course, from experience]

Are you saying it's possible for you to lose your memories after getting severely hurt?

[Because if he needs to store his memories somewhere before anything happens, then....the thought will have her feeling concern over Nines. Wondering if he was the type to attract trouble or rush after it? She knows he is capable of handling himself, but that was before learning he wasn't indestructible.

It may be a good thing they were speaking over telepathy and not in person, or else she'd be peering at him.]

It sounds like you're speaking out of experience than giving actual advice now.

[There will be a telepathic version of getting stared at by her, but with less of a force and more with the feelings of intrigue.]

Even you have things you keep to yourself?

I...guess that's not inaccurate. If my body were destroyed, or a virus corrupted my systems, without a backup my memories would be gone.

[It's a disquieting thing to consider, and frankly, 9S had chosen the notion of destruction over the sacrifice of his memories with 2B in the past. Faced with the same choice...well. Circumstances are different. She's here, now. And so are the humans they had been meant to defend]

Anyone with a mind of their own has thing they do and don't say, right?

[A question in order to answer another question, but he does pick up on the pointed nature of her interest]

A virus? You can get sick with a plague!?

[..........so pretty dolls can get sick too!? She can understand the whole getting fixed, storing stuff in other places, and the possibility of breaking, but they can get sick? That thoughtful will blow her mind!

There'll be another pause, taking the time to carefully consider his words. She wasn't the smartest cookie, but there was one thing she had confidence in: feelings and emotions.]

...not unless you have a mouth with a mind of its own.

[Spoken out of experience as well, but having said it as a way to be amusing.]

It's sort of like that. The logic virus could spread very quickly between units and the results are... [He frowns, debating whether he should truly be frank about it] Not good.

[It seems to him that it's best to leave it at that. A few people know just how bad it truly is, people like Flynn, but 9S doesn't want to visit such grim knowledge upon everyone.

Neither does he want the sorts inclined to protect others to hesitate to either get people away from him or strike him down, should the virus overtake his logical thought]

But even if you say more than you mean to, some things are important enough to keep a hold of, aren't they?

And there's no way to help you? No cure?

[She was more curious to learn about the options to help them. The thought of them getting sick didn't sit too well with her. Not when a "logic" virus acts all too quickly to boot.]

There are.

[She couldn't deny it. There are things she does keep hidden from other people; however, she does admit though...]

But, sometimes, it needs to be told too. Once the opportunity presents itself. We can't forget to rely on other people, and the best way to do it is by being honest.

I'd have to partition off my core data and purge everything else, which would mean I'd lose my memories.

[And his distaste for that prospect is impossible to overlook. When the only thing he could do was sacrifice what remained of someone precious to him, he preferred obliteration to it. Circumstances are different now, but losing his memories yet again is a disquieting thought]

And maybe that's true, but I think...some truths just hurt others.

[Which may say more about himself and his circumstances than it does about anybody else]

[There's not much she can say about that. Losing memories? She was almost afraid to ask about his opinion or his wish in what to do if the situation popped up. Good thing she wasn't a coward, huh?]

Let's just say, one day you do get this logic virus and we're able to save you, what would you like for us to do as a final wish?

[Another pause. She'll consider his words for a bit before responding.]

Those are usually the truths that absolutely need to be said! Of course only when the opportunity arrives for it to. Don't hold back when it does because you won't be here forever.

["Don't leave behind any regrets", may be what she is trying to say.]

That's...something we all need to decide. Me, 2B, and A2.

[He doesn't quite know if it'd be more cruel to live but lose all his memories of 2B or leave her alone. Or rather, he's afraid of seeking the answer. For her to be alone with all those memories and him having lost them permanently would doubtless pain her...

Would she feel more alone that way, or if he ceased to function? He's been central to so much of her pain, even asking what she would want in such a situation seems wrong.

He already knows he'd endure anything to remain by 2B's side, but...how would she feel?]

I wonder...how someone decides what they should and shouldn't say.

A2? Who's that?

[......was there another doll in the island? Did another one of their kind made an appearance? ~~How did she not this before!?~~

Nines next comment will leave Nike thoughtful for a moment, wondering the same thing.]

Don't worry. You'll just know when the times comes. It'll be an instinct or gut feeling urging you to.

[Vague, but it was the best way for her to explain without asking for the details. It was clear there was something on his mind as much as anyone else.]

Another YoRHa unit.

[A prototype model, but nevertheless, YoRHa. Nike's got to step up her doll-spotting game.

He doesn't know about instincts, being an android. Intuition, sure, but is it really the same? It worries him, the potential of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time]

I don't know about a gut feeling, but I'll keep it in mind.

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Huh-- really?

[that's the first time that anyone has pointed out anything like that to Geir. in general, when he's asked a question someone hasn't liked, it's because they didn't want him asking about that topic at all -- not because of the form in which it came.]

Why would the way that someone asks make you not want to help them? Isn't that really stingy?

[on one hand, it's an honest question: Geir would like this idea explained to him. on the other hand, that doesn't help, Geir.]

Edited 2017-11-05 06:03 (UTC)

Yes, really.

[Although she is still speaking with some attitude, her voice does soften a tiny bit, it may be easy to miss though...]

Because you're taking away someone's right to decide to help or not. Stripping them of their free will. No one will respond to someone demanding to be helped. It kinda defeats the whole purpose of it being known as that.

[She was the queen of sting though. Reason she doesn't respond to that part of his question. It wouldn't be the first time someone calls her a moral absolutist or worse, really.]

Honestly, it just comes off as condescending.

[if there's one thing that Geir is familiar with, it's whether someone has free will in any situation or not, and whether or not they have the power to make a decision. he's spent most of his life without power over what he'll ultimately do or where his life was going except in the most minor details, and really, his last few months in the coven have been one long headache of trying to figure out whether he has the power to make any decision for himself at all. the heartache of it is familiar to him. but even more than that, he has a keen sense of the power dynamics of a situation -- and how throwing power over others around works.

he may have been forthright, but he knows that's not what he did, and he's both hurt and confused by the accusation. even more than that, he's wary; this unknown coven member is jumping on an innocent request in a dramatic way that's designed to make him back down and search his soul for something he hasn't done, and he doesn't know what motive she has for deliberately throwing him off his balance like that. his voice, previously friendly and interested, chills to something cooler.]

Uh, no. You heard my voice over Qri's thing, saying you really should help. You should! We're trying to do something cool. I'm not threatening you. I'm not saying you have to. I'm not taking away your ability to decide at all. If I had, you'd be helping already, and we wouldn't be talking about this.

If I said it in a way you didn't like, I'll apologize, maybe! But I'm not going to pretend I did something I didn't.

Edited 2017-11-05 07:20 (UTC)

I never denied about Nines' ideas being cool or not because I bet they are.

[His apology will help placate her initial irritation. Only a tiny bit. It was clear they were sincere about their words.]

I'm simply pointing out that your wording in asking for help needs work. Never mentioned about there being a threat neither or else this conversation would be a whole lot worse.

[The moment he said the word "should", the tone of the message changed to a pretty demanding one. She had expected that type of language from her captures, but other coven members -- it was a surprise. That isn't a proper way to rally people to help out. Not to mention it reminds her of the way a certain world king demanded her to make it rain and forcefully had her leave her country for it in the name of marriage. His tone doesn't scare her in the least bit. His voice doesn't hold much in comparison to the voice of the sky when it unleashes its fury through powerful storms.]

I doubt it. Scare tactics don't do much for me in way of motivation.

[Nor do they get her to back down, even if her life is at stake. Too bad none of the religious assassins of her world were around to vouch for her. Or her fiance. Or her family. Or Neil. Or the palace soldiers. Or the thieves of the city in the Sun Kingdom. Or other princesses. Or Bardwin.]

[there's been no threat in Geir's tone throughout the conversation, so it would be very strange for Nike to be frightened by it. now that she's continuing to explain herself, his voice is mildly suspicious and simply unimpressed with her strategy for, apparently, telling him that he was being rude. he's had too many problems developing a sense of agency to even begin to see an offputting tone and agency's removal as the same thing. without even a little implied force being brought to the discussion, one can simply say no to a request, however it's phrased.]

Using wrong words and taking away someone's free will are two different things. Condescending to someone and taking away their power aren't the same at all. If you're mad about one, don't make it about the other.

[he sighs slightly, bemused, exasperated, and puzzled by the conversation all at once, but certain after Nike's response that he's not going to understand whatever her take is on this more by pursuing it. instead, he just moves on. when he speaks again, his tone is mostly tired. he's trying not to let this make his head hurt.]

I'm not making you help. Do you want to? Is that better...? I wasn't trying to do whatever this is.

Edited 2017-11-05 09:08 (UTC)

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