During the mission prior to your arrival, we were in a city where both magic and technology were... very common. That was where I found that excellent tea set, and a few other useful items- including a bag that could hold far more than its physical size would indicate- an entire closet's worth of space.
[Which has its uses, in terms of bringing in larger items... or carrying them with her.]
I've still got some room to spare, so... I suppose I should pack weapons, because three out of four missions have ended in battles, and people often forget to pack one, and then wish they did.
I was thinking spears and guns, for those less... trained in combat.
[Weapons that are easy to use, and let you keep some distance between you and whoever- or whatever- is trying to kill you. Sabriel's issues with technology aside, she has to admit guns are useful against non-supernatural foes.]
Guns are the easiest — however, we should not be forcing everyone to take up arms in every circumstance. It is causing mental and emotional torment among those who are not proficient in combat.
๏ผ he's seen it firsthand — clara's desire to be useful, overriding her natural instinct to be gentle. ๏ผ
Those that can fight will fight. Those that won't will be more liability than help with weapons of any sort.
It is better to avoid combat than to seek it out, especially against stronger foes. But not all fights can be avoided, and not all opponents can be talked down.
[Sabriel thinks of the Dead, hungry for life. Of the sudden assault by the Bouldersnakes, and how sometimes, there isn't anywhere to run to, just danger everywhere you turn.]
But... You have a point. It isn't fair to force people to fight, if they lack the capacity, and they have a path to stay out of the fight.
That is not our choice to make. Not all positions are chosen out of naivety.
๏ผ he thinks of his father, on his knees. i will not fight my son. ๏ผ
Guns would be easiest for a non-combatant. Spears would require proximity to an enemy that likely outclasses them, and firearms are simple enough they can be taught to anyone.
The others here are not your responsibility, Sabriel. Whether it is protecting them or helping them to do so for themselves. You can only do so much.
๏ผ it is the first time he has not appended an honourific to her name, save those times their cover in scorpion's bend required the familiarity of him. but it is clearly not a slip. ๏ผ
I understand that life has asked much of you, and that you have borne up under considerable responsibility. But everyone who is here has come by choice. I am not saying do not help them — that is what makes us a community rather than an assemblage of strangers — only that you are, perhaps, trying too hard to make every preparation when that is not something that falls to you alone.
Let people choose how to prepare- I can help them, but I can't do it for them?
[Sabriel notices the lack of an honorific, although she has no idea what it means.]
You have a point. I don't want any of us to die. Not like in Scorpion's bend. But also... we're all here because we chose to be. And what we do during missions is also our own choice.
[But trying to apply that to her classmates, to say that they chose to help, and thus, their deaths are not her fault... feels like a lie.]
Doing everything for someone else will only impede them later. You may not always be here, and if others are accustomed to your being the one to prepare and plan for everything, they will have little notion of how to do it on their own.
๏ผ it is for this same reason that he will not seal immeasurable amounts of items into scrolls for others. he could — but what then? ๏ผ
Death is an inevitable part of life. Our mission will claim more lives than Blue's as we continue. Thinking you alone can hold back that tide is naรฏve.
I know. Everything and everyone has a time to die. Altering that is not my choice to make.
[That had been her father's last lesson. Sabriel hadn't fully understood it at the time- isn't sure she fully understands it now- but more than she did before, at least.]
๏ผ he would be loathe to betray blue's confidence if such a thing were on the table, but if she needs to speak on the matter, he will listen just the same. ๏ผ
Now that we know the orbs can impact our abilities like this, there is nothing that will prevent such changes in the future. Viveca-san has mentioned that the orbs we have seen up to now have been the 'nice' ones.
๏ผ and sabriel, as near as he can tell, made no deal. ๏ผ
Except the orbs are restricted to operating through bargains... So I either entered into one somehow, or violated the one bargain we've all made with the orbs.
[Viveca had been clear on that. The orbs operate on bargains, rather than autonomously- and they are bound to the deals, as much as the other party is.]
And apparently, Blue violated it to. Even though he didn't do anything, it took something from him.
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I think you have most things covered adequately.
๏ผ there's a note of amusement threading through his tone — ๏ผ
Though I do wonder how you intend to carry it all.
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[Which has its uses, in terms of bringing in larger items... or carrying them with her.]
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Then I imagine you will be fine. It is a fair list. Enough to manage, and make do if anything unexpected arises.
๏ผ he's used to making do with very, very little, so he always packs quite lightly. this mission will not be an exception in that regard. ๏ผ
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I was thinking spears and guns, for those less... trained in combat.
[Weapons that are easy to use, and let you keep some distance between you and whoever- or whatever- is trying to kill you. Sabriel's issues with technology aside, she has to admit guns are useful against non-supernatural foes.]
Unless you have other suggestions?
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๏ผ he's seen it firsthand — clara's desire to be useful, overriding her natural instinct to be gentle. ๏ผ
Those that can fight will fight. Those that won't will be more liability than help with weapons of any sort.
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[Sabriel thinks of the Dead, hungry for life. Of the sudden assault by the Bouldersnakes, and how sometimes, there isn't anywhere to run to, just danger everywhere you turn.]
But... You have a point. It isn't fair to force people to fight, if they lack the capacity, and they have a path to stay out of the fight.
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๏ผ he thinks of his father, on his knees. i will not fight my son. ๏ผ
Guns would be easiest for a non-combatant. Spears would require proximity to an enemy that likely outclasses them, and firearms are simple enough they can be taught to anyone.
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True. I'm probably projecting a bit from my experience in my own world, where the supernatural renders guns... unreliable.
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The others here are not your responsibility, Sabriel. Whether it is protecting them or helping them to do so for themselves. You can only do so much.
๏ผ it is the first time he has not appended an honourific to her name, save those times their cover in scorpion's bend required the familiarity of him. but it is clearly not a slip. ๏ผ
I understand that life has asked much of you, and that you have borne up under considerable responsibility. But everyone who is here has come by choice. I am not saying do not help them — that is what makes us a community rather than an assemblage of strangers — only that you are, perhaps, trying too hard to make every preparation when that is not something that falls to you alone.
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[Sabriel notices the lack of an honorific, although she has no idea what it means.]
You have a point. I don't want any of us to die. Not like in Scorpion's bend. But also... we're all here because we chose to be. And what we do during missions is also our own choice.
[But trying to apply that to her classmates, to say that they chose to help, and thus, their deaths are not her fault... feels like a lie.]
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๏ผ it is for this same reason that he will not seal immeasurable amounts of items into scrolls for others. he could — but what then? ๏ผ
Death is an inevitable part of life. Our mission will claim more lives than Blue's as we continue. Thinking you alone can hold back that tide is naรฏve.
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[That had been her father's last lesson. Sabriel hadn't fully understood it at the time- isn't sure she fully understands it now- but more than she did before, at least.]
I talked to Blue, like you asked.
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๏ผ he would be loathe to betray blue's confidence if such a thing were on the table, but if she needs to speak on the matter, he will listen just the same. ๏ผ
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[Blue hadn't asked her, to do what she did. To pay the price she ended up paying.
And even with what she did, Blue is still dying. All she gave him is the chance of a gentler end.]
And I'm not going to bring anyone else back. But I don't regret what I did either.
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๏ผ he doesn't say it to be cruel, or rub it in — it's just how he thinks, reasons out his own decisions. ๏ผ
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[If it did, she'd probably have attacked some of the crew by now, Sabriel thinks, but doesn't say.]
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๏ผ and sabriel, as near as he can tell, made no deal. ๏ผ
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[Viveca had been clear on that. The orbs operate on bargains, rather than autonomously- and they are bound to the deals, as much as the other party is.]
And apparently, Blue violated it to. Even though he didn't do anything, it took something from him.