retrospec | 1 ★ [text]

[Sorry, Sorey, he's not even going to bother texting him back. As soon as he's got the text, Dante's headed their way, knocking on the door.]

Sorey, you there?

[Sorey opens the door after a minute. It's obviously his day off because he's gone full hipster here, complete with a beanie. Please knock that thing off his head. Please.

He's also carrying two wooden bokken against his shoulder.]

We should probably do this outside. Mikleo will kill me if we break something.

[Unfortunately, Dante can be just as bad so he won't be doing any knocking of hats anytime soon. A grin springs to his face when he sees that Sorey's already prepared. Awesome.]

That's fine by me. I just want to test something out and see if I can use one of these things.

[As he turns to head for the stairs, leaving room for Sorey to exit and lock the door, he calls back over his shoulder:]

Thanks for humoring me, by the way.

[Sorey's always ready! Swordfighting is totally one of his things. He's been a faithful kendo-goer since he was a kid, though his cousins think he's a big nerd for doing it. Whatever, they're the ones missing out.]

Anytime. Well, maybe not anytime... sometimes I have to teach in the morning, but. You know.

[He locks the door behind him, shoves the keys into his pocket. After a moment he catches up to Dante.]

Honestly? I want to get to the bottom of this, too. We keep getting memories, and... weird presents. [He holds up the white glove he received the other day, which also comes with an attached beaded bracelet and feathers.]

Mikleo and I were thinking about doing some investigating of our own. [A pause, and he drops his voice a bit.] I don't suppose you know anything about, uh, breaking in?

[Dante lifts an eyebrow as he takes in the glove, frowning slightly at the beads and feathers. That's... a little bit ostentatious, don't you think?]

That sure is something, all right. I got something from them too, but I don't know why it was sent to me or if it's significant at all... you said Mikleo has the same memories as you do, right? Does he remember the glove at all?

[And then Sorey mentions breaking in, and a wide smirk crosses Dante's face. Does he know about breaking in? Honestly, who is he even talking to?]

You're lucky you're talking to me, you know. Asking just anybody that question could get you in a world of trouble. What do you need to know?

[Sure it is, but it means a lot to him for some reason-- though he doesn't know why-- so he's wearing that thing and never taking it off.]

I knew. As soon as I looked at it, I knew it was mine. How weird is that? Mikleo said it looked familiar, so...

[He flexes his hand, then lowers it.]

What, are they gonna arrest me before I do anything? [THE SARCASM COMES OUT.] I wanted to see what's inside the Retrospec building for myself. ... Well, me and Mikleo. [They are certainly a matched pair, sorry Dante.] But the most we've ever done is jump a fence.

I'm not saying you look shady or anything, but I kinda got this feeling that you knew where to start at least.

[Dante gives a snort in response to Sorey's sarcasm.]

I'll give you that, they can't arrest you for saying something about it. But they can keep a close eye on you so that they can catch you when you do.

No offense taken. You're right, I do know a little bit about it. Breaking in somewhere's a little tougher than just jumping a fence, though. When were you planning on going?

Breaking and entering is nothing compared to tampering with someone's memories.

[He's surprised Dante knows so much about it, but maybe he shouldn't be.]

I'm not in a great big hurry right now, so probably in a week or two. I wanted to do my research before I gave it a shot.

[Dante will give him a half-shrug. Yeah, okay, he's got a point, but...]

We're not the ones messing with people's memories, though. A B&E might be nothing for someone with the ability to do that, but for us it's still a process. [A pause.] Though the first thing we'll need to find out is if the building ever shuts down at all. The last time I snuck in was during the blackout, so there was no power to anything.

[He frowns, thinking about the possibilities, then shakes his head to clear it. He can think about that later.]

Anyways, yeah. I'll help you guys out. I'm still not satisfied with what we've found there so far, so it's worth another look. Just let me know when, as long as it's not next weekend. I've got plans.

Speaking of which, there's a party next weekend for all the college students that are on the network. That way everyone can meet, learn who's who, figure out how many of us are there... you should plan on being there if you can.

[Sure, there may be a hint of illegality to it, but hey. Sorey can consider it practice for the real deal when they break in!]

At the same time, having power to things like metal doors would let us get further in. There might be surveillance-- [He feels a bit like he's planning a Hollywood heist.] -- but we could probably wear something over our faces...

[He's surprised that Dante's offering to help so openly. Maybe the grump from math class isn't so grumpy after all.] Thanks. [He smiles, and it's a real one.] It's important to work together on this kind of thing.

[A party invite, though? Sorey looks like he's thinking about it. He is very aware that he's kind of a huge nerd, even with multiple helix piercings, and he's not sure they'd want him there. But at the same time, they're all on the network. They're going through the same thing he and Mikleo are-- so it's not like he's being asked to hang out with football players or something.]

I'll see if I can get the night off.

[They approach one of those vague grassy areas they have in apartment complexes that are good for collecting mud and little kids.]

I think here's probably fine.

Edited 2017-03-19 21:19 (UTC)

[Dante's not entirely sure it'll matter. After all, the last time he went in, they wound up receiving electrical shocks from the doors when they tried picking the locks--and that was without any power to all of the city. Doors don't just hold onto electric charges like that...

But that's not his worry for now. If Sorey wants to get into the building and see things for himself, Dante's willing to help make that happen. Just telling him what he saw won't be enough to satiate that curiosity, not if he's already reached the point of deciding to break in.]

Yeah. No clothing with logos, nothing conspicuous. Something with a hood or a baseball cap is good; you can angle your face so that the cameras can't see you. Ski masks aren't a great idea unless you're fully inside, otherwise you're just asking for people to notice you.

[As they approach the open area, Dante doesn't mind Sorey's silence. He doesn't realize that the other boy is thinking about whether or not he'll even go; in his mind once the invite's been made, it's a done deal. So he just nods when Sorey says he'll try to get the night off and, once they've stepped onto the grass, looks at Sorey expectantly.]

All right. So let me see one of those, if you don't mind, and we'll see what happens. Maybe try out a couple passes?

I can do hoodies. I'll make sure to find one I don't wear often. [Not that it's a problem-- he has a lot of clothes he just... forgets about. And he dresses a different way when he's teaching, too. Sorey isn't quite as isolated as the boy in his memories, but he's still somewhat separated from other people by his interests and his occupation. None of that matters with Recollé changing so quickly, though.

He holds out one of the wooden swords for Dante to take, handle first.]

Just do what comes naturally. If that means holding it like a baseball bat or something-- then do it.

[He walks back about fifteen paces and bows. Then he assumes a ready stance, light on the balls of his feet, both hands secure around the grip of his bokken.]

[Sorey will be left waiting a moment while Dante fiddles with the bokken. First he tests its weight and how it feels when he swings it, looking contemplative as he tries to remember what the weapon he'd held in his dream felt like in his hand. Is the bokken a lighter weight? Does it feel right to hold it in his hands? In spite of his hopes, there's no immediate sense of memory, no innate comfort in holding the wooden sword.

Looks like this'll be a little tougher than that.

Next he'll test out a couple different ways of standing, different methods of holding the sword: he mimics Sorey's stance first, sword out before him, both hands wrapped around the hilt... it feels right for what little he knows of kendo, but is it right for him? He isn't sure. He'll switch between a couple other stances (he does try holding it like a baseball bat, but that only makes him feel like an idiot; like a fencer; arm cocked back and up), but nothing feels quite right and so finally he settles back into a mimicry of Sorey's stance. He's not really sure if that's his "natural," but it's a bokken. It begs to be held in a certain way.]

I think I'll try it like this for now. What next?

[Sorey, meanwhile, has no idea if his previous incarnation can even fight. He can't really imagine himself as a hero even if Mikleo insists he's got all the recognition and outfitting of one. He's a student teacher, not a hero. Sure, he has the soul of an adventurer... but there's a difference between digging up pottery shards and fighting dragons.

He watches Dante quietly, mildly, waiting to see if he needs help. They don't have to adhere to kendo stances, here. Dante said he wanted to test out swordfighting, not brush up on his Samurai Shampoo impression.]

You want to try attacking? Or should I come at you first? Obviously I'm not out to hurt you, but sometimes it's easier for people to learn by going on the offensive. Maybe that'll trigger something.

Edited 2017-03-20 23:29 (UTC)

[There's a wry smile that comes to Dante's face. He never said straight-out that he wanted to see if he could trigger anything by swordfighting, but it's not like he was exactly subtle about it either. It's not surprising that Sorey's figured it out already.]

How about you try attacking me? In the flash that made me want to try this, I was on the defensive a lot.

[Sorey might look like a dork who rarely ever thinks outside the box, but he is a scholar too. If anything, he's driven even more to understand the meaning of the memories given to him. He is easygoing, content to roll with most things-- but that doesn't mean he'll sit by idly either.

The fact that the flashbacks might be triggered by something isn't totally new to him. He's sure Mikleo mentioned that before. Still, purposely seeking the memories is something he hasn't done before. He's fine with taking a proactive role in this though.]

Okay!

[He charges forward, sword swinging. It's not so fast that Dante can't block it, and it's not too hard if it hits. In fact, Sorey's yelling hints?]

Left side! [And if that one gets parried--] Above!

[Even if it's not at full speed, it's still more than Dante was expecting. He was expecting a single strike! But instinctively he shifts the sword to follow Sorey's shouted hints, the two swords meeting with a clack as they hit. There's a part of him that wants to stand his ground and strike back, but he can't help the step back he takes, retreating even as he shifts the sword up to block Sorey's next attack.

Can he attack too? Is there an opening? How does he spot an opening? But he can't just stand and defend over and over and over, right? He needs to take a shot of his own!

So after he blocks Sorey's strike from above, he's trying to swing his sword around toward Sorey's left side. It's not quite a wild swing, but it's certainly not a controlled one, easy to deflect for someone with a little bit of experience.

He's also leaving the rest of his body wide open.]

[Sorey is obviously holding back, but he has quite a few reasons to. This isn't like a real spar, and Dante has no idea what he's doing. It'd be unfair. Even so, Dante gives it his all and Sorey's actually impressed. His blond classmate gives off the air of a guy who really doesn't bother helping unless he has some personal stake in it. Sorey kinda figured he'd complain or whine or something after a minute, but so far he's doing pretty well.

Sorey grins a bit as he blocks that swing toward his left side.]

Not bad! Left side!

[If he succeeds with this next swing-- towards Dante's left shoulder-- it's more like a tap, not much worse than being poked.]

Edited 2017-03-23 04:07 (UTC)

[Apparently Sorey's got Dante down pat. He does have a personal stake in this, and so he's not about to half-ass it. If he's going to chase after this possibility, he's going to give it the effort it deserves.

Unfortunately, so far there's nothing coming back to him, and while Sorey announces his intent Dante's not fast enough to get the sword back to protect his left side. Too late he realizes he could have jumped back and disengaged, but the sword taps against his left shoulder. It's not painful, but there's definitely enough contact that Dante knows he's been bested.]

Damn.

[But he's not going to let that rattle him! So what if he missed one block? Surely his counterpart missed blocking every once in a while, right? It doesn't mean anything.

Except if his counterpart had stopped when he missed a block, like he has, he would've been in a lot more trouble. Dante's arm snaps back up to guard, just in case he's wrong and their practice hasn't halted with the first good attack, glancing at Sorey.]

Let's keep going.

[Sorey isn't the kind of person to jump on someone when it's obvious they're defenseless. Dante pauses in a very telling way and Sorey stops for a minute, letting his sword down. He's grinning, obviously enjoying this even if Dante... maybe... isn't...]

Okay, wait, hold on. [Dante should be having fun. Sorey steps forward, free hand hovering in the air.] Do you mind if I-- uh, correct you a little bit? You're having trouble swinging and it's because your balance is off.

You totally have potential. I got like ten bruises the first time I did this.

[Don't get him wrong; in spite of his very serious expression, Dante isn't not having fun! He's just very Focused on what he's trying to do, and that focus tends to manifest itself in frowns and scowls of determination. When Sorey steps forward, hand outstretched, Dante gives a nod, keeping his arm up.]

Yeah, do what you think will help.

Potential's nice, but I'm hoping I can skip over that part. If these flashes we're having are memories, then I think I used to fight a lot. If I can remember how to fight too, then we know that these aren't visions from our future, like Yuuko suggested, and we've got reason to believe this isn't just Retrospec trying to mess with our heads. It means there's a reason behind all of this.

[He doesn't know what that reason might be. Hell, maybe it's just to give them the memories of their "past lives." But it won't be a memory that they're getting at random.]

[Sorey will learn that soon enough. He doesn't have very much experience with the stoic type. Mikleo is tsundere, sure, but Sorey can always tell when he's smiling. It's something in the crinkle of his eyes.]

So you'll need practice. You know Luke, right? The bartender? He's a good teacher. [He gently nudges Dante's foot back, then begins adjusting his stance with the slightest bit of pressure from his free hand. Elbow down, back straight, shoulders back...] Mikleo and I have already talked about it, and we're both pretty sure they're memories. But Mikleo thinks he wasn't human. You can't say it's a past life if you were something that doesn't exist, right?

[When he's done, he pulls his hand back.] ... Okay, that looks better. The number one thing you don't wanna do is put all your weight on one foot. The second thing is putting your weight on your heels. That's why I pushed your leg in a bit.

Take a practice swing. [Sorey holds up his sword in a defensive position.]

Edited 2017-03-26 02:26 (UTC)

He thinks he wasn't human? [Unfortunately, that comment gets Dante to twist a tiny bit, looking at Sorey to see his expression. A moment later he remembers what he's doing and turns back, trying to go back to the stance he'd been holding before.] But if he wasn't human, then what was he?

Okay. [Now that Sorey's adjusted his stance, Dante takes a moment to settle into it, testing how it feels. Weight slightly more forward on the balls of his feet, a little bit more upright... yeah, this feels better than before. Maybe still not quite right, but he'll develop the feel for it, right?] Got it.

[And once Sorey's back in position as well, Dante will take that practice swing, swords clacking together again.]

I see what you mean. That helps, thanks.

[His brow furrows.] I don't know. In the memory, we were talking about me leaving the village to be with humans. Mikleo looked pretty human to me, so the difference must've been something I couldn't see. Or it's just something to do with eye and hair color...

[Dante's new swing is definitely better. Sorey almost has to work to block it.]

Much better. Wanna try coming at me this time?

It seems like a lot of people had strange hair or eye colors. That doesn't mean they weren't human.

[Why would strange physical characteristics mark you out as not being human? He could understand if it was something like pointed elf ears, but something as plain as hair or eye color...? That's just dumb.]

All right, here goes.

[Dante starts slowly, mimicking Sorey's movements when he attacked just a couple minutes ago. He tries a strike from above first, still at that slow practice speed, then takes the momentum from the block to curve around for an attack on Sorey's right side. But here he diverges from the forms they've been working in, as his left hand comes off the hilt. He holds it in his right hand, whipping the sword around Sorey's wrist to free his blade, then continuing the swing in a circle so that the next attack is coming up from below.

It's almost instinctive, though his motions are still telling enough that Sorey can probably block it if he tries. But it's obvious on Dante's face that this move isn't one he'd thought about, and that he's not entirely certain where it came from.]

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