[The book club meeting itself is a nice distraction, at least. A little normalcy feels... increasingly out of place, honestly, but he still likes going back to these moments just to feel grounded in a city he's feeling more and more out of place in.
He'll take book when it's passed over though, and flip open to the page that's detailed.]
Mm... I didn't think I'd ever be interested in stuff like this, y'know? History wasn't really my favorite subject back in Japan or here, and I wasn't really big into battles or wars like Yasu.
[But it's becoming a necessity to know these things?!]
—By the way- [A quick glance up, and a reassuring smile.] -grey's not a bad look.
I'm not a big fan of warfare or anything, it's just... [He tilts his head a little, fingers brushing along the outside of the book.] It helps me feel more connected to my mom's side of the family, if that makes sense. And there's so much history over there. People walk on it every day.
[He thumbs at another bookmark, opening to another ancient battle. The compliment takes him off guard but he returns the smile after a minute. It doesn't quite reach his eyes.]
Ah, thanks! I'm trying not to worry about it. I'm more upset about all my ruined shirts. And jeans. Jeans are just gray now, can you believe it?
[There's a family tree on this page. Sorey's eyes wander over it idly.]
... All I know about my dad is that he was American. But if I knew more about his family and where he came from, maybe I'd be looking into that, too.
Don't even remind me about the state of everyone's wardrobes right now.
[EXHAUSTING. As a designer, the only good thing about all of this is that it came after the clothing changed for the season and after his dang finals...
But for the more serious aspects of family history, of battles and looking that far back into the past, he becomes a little more somber.]
It's kind of a lot, isn't it? All of that history... [And history itself has taken on a different meaning to some of them lately, he's sure.
When he reaches out to thumb over to the next page, Utsunomiya Castle (or the reconstruction of it) stands proudly. He taps idly at the image, though his brow furrows with something close to tension.]
—I remembered that place, y'know? Like, the first one. The original. ...It's pretty weird seeing it in history books now.
Haha, yeah. Mikleo said the same thing. [It's tough being a fashionista.
He watches Kiyomitsu thumb through the book. The reconstruction of that castle is actually one that he's visited, and his expression brightens immediately.] Utsunomiya Castle!
[And then he realizes what his friend just said.]
-- Wait, seriously? You remember the original?! [Maybe he should be weirded out but, at this moment, Kiyomitsu is the coolest person around.] Oh my gosh! How much different was it? What was it like on the inside? Was there really a trap door in the ceiling? Was--
[... He seems to realize after a moment that maybe he's coming on too strong, so he makes an effort to sit back in his chair and behave. He's still very interested, though.]
S-sorry. It's just so cool to hear that one of my friends remembers it. I can't imagine what it's like to interact with history that way. All I've ever done is try to make sense of the pieces.
[It's so tough being a fashionista. Now he's gotta live in constant fear that Retrospec will steal even more colors away, a tragedy...
That said, a reaction like this goes a long way in helping him not feel like a giant weirdo, honestly. The whole "shit I'm a time traveler" thing still hasn't really sunk in yet, but it had reached a point where it had more or less become impossible to ignore that the things he's remembering are Not Normal. That always inspires a little fear of rejection, despite his best efforts to avoid exactly that.]
You think it's that cool? [There's an unspoken thanks in that smile... Bless Sorey and his good heart.] It was pretty different, yeah. Nowhere near as pristine and nice as the new one, buuut I also saw it in the middle of battle. That's pretty much the only time I remember seeing places like this...
[It's hard to feel like a giant weirdo when someone is literally praising your existence (because they are an actual Giant Weirdo).]
Of course it is! [There's no guile in the grin he gives Kiyomitsu.] If we're all going to have weird past lives and weird everything, then we should at least be able to appreciate parts of it. Or... make something good come out of it. That's important.
[He tilts his head slightly, listening attentively.]
A battle, huh... [His expression sobers at that.] ... Do you want to talk about it?
[They thought they were the book club but really they were the giant weirdos club all along...]
That's a pretty nice way of looking at it... Positive, you know? Probably more positive than most of the other stuff I've heard.
[Or said himself, since he can be a Gloomy Gus sometimes despite how often he slaps that label onto his roommate instead.
As for the question--]
Mm... Well, it's all kinda gross. [Especially the parts with humans.] And also kinda weird? I'm pretty sure I used to, uh... kill monsters through time for a living or something.
[THAT SURE IS a thing he's trying to come to terms with.]
People need to love themselves a little. It's easy to forget that.
[Sorey knows this firsthand. He's so nervous about who he used to be-- about what he was expected to do. He barely knows anything...]
I'm sorry. War is never pret--
[... Time traveling monster killer. That's pretty new.]
... huh. Was there a DeLorean involved? Sorry, sorry! Seriously, though-- that actually sounds like a really important job.
I was some kind of country kid who decided to run away from home to warn someone... and I used to run around the inside of old ruins like Pitfall or something. With a sword.
[There's a little hum of agreement, though he lets the topic trail off there. Sorey's right, though - that's a reminder he thinks the entire dang city could use at this rate.]
Hah, there might as well have been something like that. [IT ALL SOUNDS FAKE.] I dunno about important either, but it was definitely a thing... They would cluster around outside of buildings like Utsunomiya castle and we'd hunt 'em down, but the fighting - like, the actual people fighting? That'd still be happening at the same time. It was pretty chaotic... People'd get cut down, stuff was set on fire.
[The wild life and times of ye olde battles.]
Seems like a lot of us spent our time running around with swords though, huh? [A beat, and then:] Did you ever use it?
That sounds rough. Not just to remember, but to experience...
[He knows if he was faced with that kind of violence, he wouldn't be able to stomach it. It goes against Sorey's very nature.
He blinks.]
I don't remember using it exactly, but I know how? I fought Dante because he was trying to remember, and then my hands and feet started doing their own thing! It was a total surprise. Sometimes I slip into it during kendo and then I get yelled at by sensei.
[TO SAY THE LEAST. Even ignoring the bloodshed, he's almost come to expect remembering things like that now, and they're bothering him less and less even if it's all still disturbing. He doesn't know if that's better or worse than the visions themselves.
As far as spooky remembrances of skills go:]
You too, huh? [It hasn't happened to him personally, but...] That happened to Yasu, too. Like he was possessed or something, his body just did the move on its own. It freaked him out pretty bad... Was it like that for you?
[Sorey tries not to dwell on the subject. He wouldn't want to have visions about warfare either, and even if Kashuu is getting accustomed to them-- that's not pleasant.]
Yeah... It was muscle memory at that point. [His mouth forms a line.] I like to think I handled it pretty well, but maybe Dante saw through me. He asked to stop not long after that.
...It's kind of suspicious, isn't it? That so many of us are remembering things about fighting or wars or battles.
[Jumping to the worst conclusion and dealing with the particular neuroticisms of his roommate means he's definitely considered "maybe Retrospec is building some kind of army" more than once. He doesn't directly state it this time, but the source of that suspicion is probably pretty clear.]
Were you guys okay, at least? I'm surprised no one's gotten hurt with this stuff yet.
It's definitely suspicious. After having to fight off bugs and stuff last month, it's easy to think about where that might go.
[Sorey doesn't look pleased about it either, his lips forming a line.]
Oh, yeah, we were fine! I only brought the bokken and it wasn't like we were swinging hard. The worst thing is that it was kinda muddy? But neither of us twisted our ankles or anything.
It'd be a lot safer if we had actual sword lessons, don't you think?
At this rate? That's probably something we'll all need.
[Because damn if he doesn't want to just bury his head in the sand, but if that's going to get people injured because they're running around accidentally mcstabbing others, he can't get on board...]
I mean, ignoring it at this point isn't gonna make it go away. It makes me kinda angry, though. Feels a little like we're playing into their hands or something.
[He brushes his hand over the book, over the account of some other war between shogunates.]
But we can't keep ourselves from remembering things. And if we do end up being attacked by something, I'd rather protect myself than hide and make someone else take care of it.
[As he watches Sorey's hand move over the page, his expression shifts to something that might be a little difficult to read. It doesn't last long, though; he's smiling soon after.]
That sounds exactly like something you'd say.
[It's not a sentiment he disagrees with, either... That's the reason he's picked up with training again - a little, anyway - after so many years of avoiding it.]
Y'know, we're pretty lucky no one got seriously hurt back when everyone got shrunk down. But there's no guarantee it's gonna be like that forever, yeah? That's the worst part.
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gmail is trying to stop them from becoming dramatic history nerds!!
He'll take book when it's passed over though, and flip open to the page that's detailed.]
Mm... I didn't think I'd ever be interested in stuff like this, y'know? History wasn't really my favorite subject back in Japan or here, and I wasn't really big into battles or wars like Yasu.
[But it's becoming a necessity to know these things?!]
—By the way- [A quick glance up, and a reassuring smile.] -grey's not a bad look.
p l s SOREY'S NERDERY CANNOT BE STOPPED
[He thumbs at another bookmark, opening to another ancient battle. The compliment takes him off guard but he returns the smile after a minute. It doesn't quite reach his eyes.]
Ah, thanks! I'm trying not to worry about it. I'm more upset about all my ruined shirts. And jeans. Jeans are just gray now, can you believe it?
[There's a family tree on this page. Sorey's eyes wander over it idly.]
... All I know about my dad is that he was American. But if I knew more about his family and where he came from, maybe I'd be looking into that, too.
100% BULLDOZER
[EXHAUSTING. As a designer, the only good thing about all of this is that it came after the clothing changed for the season and after his dang finals...
But for the more serious aspects of family history, of battles and looking that far back into the past, he becomes a little more somber.]
It's kind of a lot, isn't it? All of that history... [And history itself has taken on a different meaning to some of them lately, he's sure.
When he reaches out to thumb over to the next page, Utsunomiya Castle (or the reconstruction of it) stands proudly. He taps idly at the image, though his brow furrows with something close to tension.]
—I remembered that place, y'know? Like, the first one. The original. ...It's pretty weird seeing it in history books now.
no subject
He watches Kiyomitsu thumb through the book. The reconstruction of that castle is actually one that he's visited, and his expression brightens immediately.] Utsunomiya Castle!
[And then he realizes what his friend just said.]
-- Wait, seriously? You remember the original?! [Maybe he should be weirded out but, at this moment, Kiyomitsu is the coolest person around.] Oh my gosh! How much different was it? What was it like on the inside? Was there really a trap door in the ceiling? Was--
[... He seems to realize after a moment that maybe he's coming on too strong, so he makes an effort to sit back in his chair and behave. He's still very interested, though.]
S-sorry. It's just so cool to hear that one of my friends remembers it. I can't imagine what it's like to interact with history that way. All I've ever done is try to make sense of the pieces.
no subject
That said, a reaction like this goes a long way in helping him not feel like a giant weirdo, honestly. The whole "shit I'm a time traveler" thing still hasn't really sunk in yet, but it had reached a point where it had more or less become impossible to ignore that the things he's remembering are Not Normal. That always inspires a little fear of rejection, despite his best efforts to avoid exactly that.]
You think it's that cool? [There's an unspoken thanks in that smile... Bless Sorey and his good heart.] It was pretty different, yeah. Nowhere near as pristine and nice as the new one, buuut I also saw it in the middle of battle. That's pretty much the only time I remember seeing places like this...
no subject
Of course it is! [There's no guile in the grin he gives Kiyomitsu.] If we're all going to have weird past lives and weird everything, then we should at least be able to appreciate parts of it. Or... make something good come out of it. That's important.
[He tilts his head slightly, listening attentively.]
A battle, huh... [His expression sobers at that.] ... Do you want to talk about it?
no subject
That's a pretty nice way of looking at it... Positive, you know? Probably more positive than most of the other stuff I've heard.
[Or said himself, since he can be a Gloomy Gus sometimes despite how often he slaps that label onto his roommate instead.
As for the question--]
Mm... Well, it's all kinda gross. [Especially the parts with humans.] And also kinda weird? I'm pretty sure I used to, uh... kill monsters through time for a living or something.
[THAT SURE IS a thing he's trying to come to terms with.]
no subject
[Sorey knows this firsthand. He's so nervous about who he used to be-- about what he was expected to do. He barely knows anything...]
I'm sorry. War is never pret--
[... Time traveling monster killer. That's pretty new.]
... huh. Was there a DeLorean involved? Sorry, sorry! Seriously, though-- that actually sounds like a really important job.
I was some kind of country kid who decided to run away from home to warn someone... and I used to run around the inside of old ruins like Pitfall or something. With a sword.
no subject
Hah, there might as well have been something like that. [IT ALL SOUNDS FAKE.] I dunno about important either, but it was definitely a thing... They would cluster around outside of buildings like Utsunomiya castle and we'd hunt 'em down, but the fighting - like, the actual people fighting? That'd still be happening at the same time. It was pretty chaotic... People'd get cut down, stuff was set on fire.
[The wild life and times of ye olde battles.]
Seems like a lot of us spent our time running around with swords though, huh? [A beat, and then:] Did you ever use it?
no subject
That sounds rough. Not just to remember, but to experience...
[He knows if he was faced with that kind of violence, he wouldn't be able to stomach it. It goes against Sorey's very nature.
He blinks.]
I don't remember using it exactly, but I know how? I fought Dante because he was trying to remember, and then my hands and feet started doing their own thing! It was a total surprise. Sometimes I slip into it during kendo and then I get yelled at by sensei.
no subject
[TO SAY THE LEAST. Even ignoring the bloodshed, he's almost come to expect remembering things like that now, and they're bothering him less and less even if it's all still disturbing. He doesn't know if that's better or worse than the visions themselves.
As far as spooky remembrances of skills go:]
You too, huh? [It hasn't happened to him personally, but...] That happened to Yasu, too. Like he was possessed or something, his body just did the move on its own. It freaked him out pretty bad... Was it like that for you?
no subject
Yeah... It was muscle memory at that point. [His mouth forms a line.] I like to think I handled it pretty well, but maybe Dante saw through me. He asked to stop not long after that.
[He rubs at the back of his head.]
He was going through the same thing I was.
no subject
[Jumping to the worst conclusion and dealing with the particular neuroticisms of his roommate means he's definitely considered "maybe Retrospec is building some kind of army" more than once. He doesn't directly state it this time, but the source of that suspicion is probably pretty clear.]
Were you guys okay, at least? I'm surprised no one's gotten hurt with this stuff yet.
[HE'S PROBABLY CURSED THEM ALL NOW.]
no subject
[Sorey doesn't look pleased about it either, his lips forming a line.]
Oh, yeah, we were fine! I only brought the bokken and it wasn't like we were swinging hard. The worst thing is that it was kinda muddy? But neither of us twisted our ankles or anything.
It'd be a lot safer if we had actual sword lessons, don't you think?
no subject
[Because damn if he doesn't want to just bury his head in the sand, but if that's going to get people injured because they're running around accidentally mcstabbing others, he can't get on board...]
I mean, ignoring it at this point isn't gonna make it go away. It makes me kinda angry, though. Feels a little like we're playing into their hands or something.
no subject
[He brushes his hand over the book, over the account of some other war between shogunates.]
But we can't keep ourselves from remembering things. And if we do end up being attacked by something, I'd rather protect myself than hide and make someone else take care of it.
[A pause, and he adds:]
Even if I can't do that much... I have to try.
no subject
That sounds exactly like something you'd say.
[It's not a sentiment he disagrees with, either... That's the reason he's picked up with training again - a little, anyway - after so many years of avoiding it.]
Y'know, we're pretty lucky no one got seriously hurt back when everyone got shrunk down. But there's no guarantee it's gonna be like that forever, yeah? That's the worst part.