GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Apr 1, 2022 15:35:23 GMT -5
Yoshi's vision was one of positive contribution. He had wide reaching ambitions, dreams, of healing the dimensions, of finding a path to peace with the Quincy, but he understood that it was not something he could just reach, so he was content with merely doing his part at making the world a better place. Quite admirable.
Maria did not really understand the Quincy conflict well - she understood that they despised the Shinigami utterly, that it was because the Shinigami destroyed them for almost collapsing the balance of souls, but why did they do it and why was no other option possible? It had happened a long time ago and several generations of Shinigami have passed since, so the Quincy war has faded from memory, at least for people in Maria's immediate vicinity. Perhaps a reconciliation really was possible, then? Though, if the Quincies threatened the balance of souls somehow, surely, that needs to be addressed somehow first...
And what after that? Yoshi's answer was to retire and finally find peace. A simple life, in a tea house just like his father, serving the beverage until he finally dies. The last thing he wanted to happen to him was dying in the heat of battle, and having his life cut short.
Maria rested her arms on the bar counter, and when Yoshi reversed the question to her, the woman remained silent for a good few seconds.
"You know... I don't actually know. I have things I want to do, of course - become stronger, finally come to balance my Fullbringer powers with my new life, become the best Shinigami I can be, but... compared to yours, my hopes don't really extend that far."
She glanced back towards her fellow Shinigami. "Whether I want to or not, I still think in terms of what I remember from my mortal life - from a life which everyone expects to be... relatively short, and so hurries to achieve as much as they can in the little time they have. But when I am expected to live for centuries, maybe even a millennium, this sort of logic breaks down, and..."
Maria sighed, trying to find a way to put her thoughts to words. "...it feels like living that long will just get boring after a while. Would you really be able to serve tea for five hundred years, without it ever turning dull and monotone, and thus forcing you to hope for more? Making you rise for another adventure? I certainly couldn't and... now that I have so many years ahead of me, I might never find how to spend them all."
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Apr 7, 2022 15:14:24 GMT -5
. "...it feels like living that long will just get boring after a while. Would you really be able to serve tea for five hundred years, without it ever turning dull and monotone, and thus forcing you to hope for more? Making you rise for another adventure? I certainly couldn't and... now that I have so many years ahead of me, I might never find how to spend them all."Yoshinori hummed in thought as he listened to Maria's words. As the bartender swept back over, the smoking Shinigami cast a lazy glance his way and as the man reached for another glass for a refill, Yoshinori stopped him. "Chamomile Tea." He directed, prompting quite the quirked brow from the bartender. Naturally, it wasn't very often that someone came to the bar to order tea. Especially after having two Apple Martinis back to back. But, the man moved to oblige. His attention slowly shifting back to Maria, Yoshinori released a quiet, smoke laden sigh, before providing his answer. "I am Two Hundred and Sixty Years Old." The silver haired man revealed, "Perhaps one hundred, maybe more, of those years were spent with the Goteijūsantai. I haven't been a Seated Officer all that time, not even close. But...you can say that I've spent more than a century doing the same thing already. You spend years upon years hunting Hollows, sneaking about as I did for the Onmitsukidō, and just generally trying to rewrite your story, you tend to start to long for something a bit simpler." He shrugged. "Time moves differently once you reach a certain age. I'm on the latter half of the two hundreds and I look what to you? Twenty? Maybe? A hundred and forty years ago, I looked like a middle schooler, and I was one hundred and twenty. Or something like that. Maybe I was eighty. I acted like one too." Yoshinori waved his hand dismissively, as if the difference was minimal. Taking a deep breath, Yoshinori released yet another drawn out exhale, "My point is...I can serve tea for a five hundred years because I've already been living a life of 'excitement', so to speak for more than a century. Trust me when I say the glamour wears off after awhile." Stealing glances towards the bartender, Yoshinori continued, "The fortunate about being a soul, is that you are around individuals of the same circumstances. I am young by soul standards. Barring a future where I am killed or run into an unfortunate illness, I won't die even when you turn one hundred. So, the sad reality of watching all your friends pass on normally while you remain isn't as striking for us. You're never truly alone." The silver haired man nodded slowly. "I am learning this slowly myself. The friends part. As for feelings of boredom or a fear of the mundane, well...I'm sure there's plenty of adventure outlets out there to suit your fancy for more than your extended lifetime. Hell, just because fighting and adventure isn't what I want to spend my life doing, doesn't mean it can't be yours. You are in the Eleventh Division." Yoshinori chuckled, "Ultimately you have centuries to figure yourself out, and it may still feel like not enough time. You'll be surprised how often new things still pop up after a couple centuries."Post Count: 9 | Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Apr 12, 2022 13:05:28 GMT -5
Yoshi was not moved by the idea that doing the same thing for centuries would become a slog - he had already lived for two hundred, and spent much of that time doing the same thing, day in, day out, with no end. Perhaps he was right - the perception of time that an average mortal experiences doesn't apply here at all. In retrospect, it would be weird if it did - after all, in spite of its flaws, Soul Society was still an afterlife, and an afterlife is, by definition, beyond the concept of natural death. Without death, there was nothing to regulate lives and forge the necessity for doing things in haste. So, there was no harm in taking it slow, spending centuries doing the same thing and completely refining your art, until finally retiring to something peaceful. Which Maria had been starting to internalize before, though, as she said, her mortal experience brought with it difficulty to do so. " Well, I suppose I will figure that out in time, yes..." the Shinigami woman answered. She did not request another drink when Yoshi ordered some tea, instead merely sitting by the bar and listening. Truth be told, this future of near-immortality still sounded intimidating to her. Say, Yoshi assured her that because everyone here ages as slowly as they do, they will not have to worry about losing their friends and family to unfortunate illness, and live for centuries - but can you really maintain a friendship for centuries? Every year is a chance to have a fall-out, simply because they are still human, or just end up distanced from one another for whatever reason. Lost in her thoughts, Maria overheard Yoshi's comment about how even people who live for centuries can be surprised by something new. " Oh, I'm sure. If I was two hundred years old, I'd be pretty surprised by what's happening down on Earth, and all the, uh, crazy shit that includes," she answered and pulled out her Fullbring - her smartphone. With a few swipes across the screen, she went into the files to find a picture from a few years ago. " We make jokes about it, actually. 'Cause, you know, there's immortal races in fairytales and fantasy and the other stuff, and it's fun to imagine that the ones who grew up in the eighteenth century still use Victorian lingo and clothes and so on." She showed her screen to Yoshi for a second, before pulling her phone away and pushing it back to her uniform. " How do you all grapple with the pace of the world, actually? Generations of people can live and die on Earth during a Shinigami's time of service, so they have a fundamentally different perspective of how life should work. We- I mean, mortals naturally expect change and reform to happen quick, and experience the consequence of their actions within their lifetimes, but a Shinigami could certainly work on something slowly for centuries and still see it as a brisk pace. Something that might make the world a better place, but that which only someone's great-great-grandchildren would ever see - and, so, for a mortal, it's basically the same as never happening." |
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Apr 19, 2022 15:00:54 GMT -5
Yoshinori was, in all matters, unburdened by human realities. While his advice was easily accepted by figures such as himself, who had never experienced a mortal life and its brevity (in comparison to that of a Soul's lifepsan), speaking in measures of decades and centuries were as natural as a living being measuring their age in years, or telling another living being what month it was on the calendar. Given such a fundamental difference, while Yoshinori was somewhat correct (at least to him) in his assertions, it was naturally much easier said than done. This was especially true given Maria's own unique situation, where she barely got to live her own life before it was cut tragically short. For someone who barely managed to experience the full course of a natural human lifespan, the concept of centuries spent in an unearthly realm was bound to be daunting. It was something Yoshinori never considered, even at this very moment. Sipping at his newly arrived tea, Yoshinori released a content sigh as Maria shifted into her next inquiry. An inquiry regarding how he, as a Shinigami who has lived centuries, deals with the concept of change and the pace of life. Humans, given their shorter lifespans, sought more immediate change. Something that could be experienced within their time in the living. While they acted for the benefit of their offspring at points, much of their lives were governed by actions that could provide worthwhile benefits while they still had the opportunity to experience it. Such a desire inevitably brought an arguably small window from which to bring about the changes one wanted. Yet for a Shinigami, what even was time? A soft smile crossing his features as he peered at Maria's phone, the dark skinned Shinigami finally offered his reply. "I suppose the difference is one of the reasons why spiritually aware mortals, who have an understanding of who we are, possess negative connotations of us. Well, that amongst other things most assuredly." Yoshinori started, his words accompanied by a soft shrug, "Some Shinigami view the world simply from the concept of their duty. The balance of Souls. Mortals, Souls...never allow a considerably larger number Souls be present in Rukongai during a given time window than there are living people in the Realm of the Living. We don't have to worry much about ensuring mortals die, because the laws of your natural world oftentimes accomplishes that just fine. And if not the natural world, then human conflict also suffices." The Shinigami took another sip of his tea. "Because your life is consumed in the never-ending cycle of ensuring souls make it to Soul Society, purifying Hollows and also ensuring that Souls return into the World of the Living, it becomes easy to see mortals as nothing more than a part of a whole. Measuring someone's merit as an individual becomes veiled behind simply seeing humans as part of a job to complete. A facet of our responsibility as Shinigami. It's a detached philosophy. One that I am working on trying to move past..." He admitted. "Others follow a similar pattern, but do not become truly detached as a consequence. These other Shinigami believe their advancement in years gives them a sense of intellectual superiority over the mortal. A belief that a god knows better, so to speak. This attitude can even extend to other Shinigami, who have not lived and experienced as long as them. Of course now we are measuring centuries between two Shinigami, as opposed to decades at most between humans."He placed his hand on the counter, "On one hand, I believe that the removal of immediacy creates an environment in which we can carefully measure out our actions. For a Shinigami that works on something for centuries, those centuries can be spent perfecting whatever they are working on, and thus bringing forth a result that is refined and without as many flaws. With humans absorbed in a culture of haste, are problems truly resolved in the span of twenty years? Or are the problems present in the world simply hidden by short term solutions brought about in an effort to offer immediate relief to mortal-kind?" Yoshinori posed. As if realizing the perhaps complex nature of his words, Yoshinori offered a short chuckle after. "I suppose I'm not the best person to ask." He finished. Post Count: 10 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Apr 23, 2022 3:16:01 GMT -5
It was still difficult to grapple with the experience of a death god, but, at least, Yoshinori's detailed explanation established internal logic for the way they see the world. They are creatures of duty, bound to maintain the balance of souls via whatever means necessary, and this, coupled with the far longer time that a Shinigami lives compared to any mortal, means that it is difficult for them to view of humans as more than just fodder for their job. As fleeting lives who will all eventually pass, and allow the cycle of souls to continue.
It was a cold, detached view of the world, and though Yoshi did say that he wanted Soul Society to move on from it, was it really going to be that easy? The fundamentals of this view were baked into what Shinigami are. If they truly live for centuries, and their duty remains to watch over the balance of souls, to ensure that souls pass to Soul Society... then it will be difficult to escape from this worldview.
"I see..."
For a few seconds, she mulled over Yoshi's words, including the last few sentences, answering what she had been asking him about - indeed, perhaps the calm, collected, century long response of the Shinigami to the issues of the time, unlike the short term solutions of mortals. That certainly rang a bell regarding some things back in the World of the Living. However, it also got Maria to contemplate.
"...what about something you have to answer to quickly?" she asked. "Now that there's so many more people, and so many more people with spiritual powers as well, the chance that someone would go rogue and do some irreparable damage to the world of the living is greater than ever before, right? A Fullbringer, or one of the advanced Hollow types, who uses their powers for something really villainous... like creating an empire, or starting a war, that leaves a lot of mortals dead at once. By the time that the Shinigami, with their glacial pace, realize what's happening, the damage would already be done..."
Maria folded her arms. "Yeah, I'm not going to argue that a whole lot of the crap that goes down on Earth happens because mortals are short-sighted and don't think things through. But, on the other hand, if one of 'em does figure out a brilliant plan, good or evil, they can accomplish it in what would seem like a blink of an eye for the Gotei."
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Apr 26, 2022 17:56:32 GMT -5
Yoshinori took a moment to consider Maria's commentary. Coming from one who had spent her entire life, albeit a shortened one, in the World of the Living, it was an understandably hard concept to grasp, the concept of eternity and everlasting time. With the removal of time as a limiting factor, the mental state of the Shinigami was undeniably different. But... "Complacency and a lack of immediacy is a problem within the Goteijūsantai. I was not mistaken in that regard. As there are boons to patience and to analytical observation, there are just as many detriments when every action is accompanied by too long spent dragging your feet. How many threats could have been avoided early had we been more vigilant, I wonder. More quick to jump on matters. The same could be said for vice versa but that is the burden of defending souls. Of being guides to lost souls. The burden of responsibility." Yoshinori waved his hand dismissively, "However...I do believe that is a question you yourself can answer, as to whether the Gotei can act quickly and decisively in the first place. You were with me on Osaka. You've seen this Demon business unfold even more than I have up until this point. I heard you were quite active when the Demons took action against us in Soul Society." He sipped his cup of tea, "And yet...how much time has passed between this point and the demons' first emergence? Even though their threat has certainly not passed, the Goteijūsantai certainly hasn't been dragging their feet in responding to their threats. The only question now is what we shall do to ensure that we are not constantly on the defensive, yes?"Beginning the arduous process of disposing of his smoking pipe's burnt waste, Yoshinori's eyes were directed downwards as he continued to speak, "So to that, you have evidence that the Gotei can work quickly if push comes to shove. I guess the question is just to determine if it takes a pressing matter on the Gotei's doorstep to spur along that action. I personally haven't seen much groundbreaking activity in my career besides the Demon Invasions, so I suppose that you and I will both discover something new by the end of this." Tapping his pipe against the ground, the Shinigami soon began to rise from the bar counter. "I suppose that makes us fortunate to have someone like you around. Someone with a change in perspective. Souls brought into being within Soul Society can never truly understand the plights of Humans. But you, a human with a connection to your old life in the manner that you do? That's fresh perspective. Now, I'm not asking you to give into illusions of grandeur and seek a leadership position that you may not want...but you have a voice." A smile tugged upon his features, "You should use it as often as you possibly can."Post Count: 11 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 6, 2022 5:39:12 GMT -5
Yoshi agreed with Maria's contemplations - indeed, as beneficial as a long term view towards problems may be, sometimes those problems require quick, decisive action, which the Gotei 13 was not geared towards. Their massive difference from mortals in perspective towards life could cause issues, the Shinigami agreed with her. Of course, on the other hand, the Demon invasion provided an example where, in times of duress, the Gotei 13 could respond very quickly and respond to the rising threat - Yoshi brought that example to the table right after his concession. It did not satisfy Maria, however.
"Because the Demons directly threatened us, I imagine. I too would be a bit more active if this threat from two thousand years ago was trying to overthrow us and take our place," she answered, with a faint frown on her face. That wasn't the case with the little things on the world of the living. A Fullbringer supervillain who leaves a few thousand dead, but doesn't threaten the balance of souls in any way, might as well just fly under the radar completely.
In the end, after summing up his thoughts, Yoshi addressed her personally, stating that her more mortal-like worldview was fortunate to have around in the Gotei 13 - she would be able to provide a fresh perspective and perhaps help the rest of the Shinigami to cover up for their weaknesses. As long as she speaks up and aims for the leadership, that is.
"Jeez..." Maria glanced away, with a somewhat embarrassed smile. "Putting me on such a pedestal..."
After a breath, she calmed down, and continued:
"Thanks, that's very sweet. Don't worry, even if I did give in to illusions of grandeur, it'd be a long time before I could climb up to leadership. 'Cause, you know, I'd have to beat Kenpachi, and that ain't gonna happen for a good thousand years. And I'm not going to change Divisions, either..."
She doubted that Kenpachi would ever accept a Vice-Captain, either. Not after what happened with his last one.
"Have you ever considered aiming for becoming a Captain, yourself? Or at least a Vice? Or, does that not track with your retirement plan?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on May 11, 2022 12:26:17 GMT -5
As Maria spoke, Yoshinori found himself nodding along. As the silver haired Shinigami brought up the Demon Invasion, his drinking companion for the evening immediately countered with an undeniable truth: The Demons acted in direct opposition to the Goteijūsantai. They were not a threat that lurked in the shadows. They were not an up incoming villain that was ignored until it was too late to act against them. The Demons came hard and fast, assaulting the Gotei's territory before they could even be registered as a force to be reckoned with. It was a situation that was impossible to ignore, and given its direct threat, could only be dealt with quickly. As Maria pointed out, it was an entirely different situation. "A fair point." Yoshinori conceded, "You are right. The Demons were on the Gotei's doorstep in Osaka, and were within Soul Society the second time. There was no ignoring their threat. Any response besides a swift one would have ensured the destruction of numerous living souls and our own property. We are undeniably quick to defend our own. An admirable quality on its own...but indeed it is not enough."His right hand instinctively rising to grab at his smoking pipe, it wasn't until his fingers touched his lips did he realize that he finished smoking mere moments ago. With a gentle sigh escaping him, Yoshinori continued, "Complacency is always a byproduct of routine and inaction. The Quincy War was our last major dimensions shaking event. On one hand, our inability to respond creates situations like the Quincy War. On the other hand, what must we endure to maintain constant vigilance and swift, decisive action. What must our culture become?" Leaving the question in air, Yoshinori moved right onto the next topic. "You're in a Division where the loudest voice...and the hardest fist often gets heard. You might not even need to climb the ladder in order to speak your mind. And I'm sure when push comes to shove, you can be pretty loud." Yoshinori chuckled, "As for me, anything can fit within my track to retirement. I just happen to value myself just enough to leave whatever I'm doing behind when it's my time to step back. When you look at it like that, anything fits." He shrugged. "But it just so happens that I have, for the time being, chosen to connect myself to Hyakuji's dream. While we might not share every ideology and approach, he is a good man with the desire, vision and temperament to serve as the Captain-Commander someday. It is my desire to meet him there, as his First Division Vice-Captain. Not out of any desire to simply shackle myself to his dreams, mind you. In fact, it is to keep him balanced, and knock him off his high horse should he choose to saddle up on one. Power is corrupting, and comes in many forms. Even the noblest of men can find themselves tempted by power, and can see their dreams and aspirations morph into schemes and self-betterment in a matter of moments. In a place of power where allies are few and friends are even fewer, one needs another who can remind them of their path, of their conviction." Yoshinori closed his eyes, dipping his head forward as he spoke. "That is the role I will seek to serve in time. A balance. A balance that will do all he can to keep power from upsetting the scale. Hopefully, in me doing so, my own balances can keep me from toppling into temptation as well. I am just as susceptible. Maybe more, because of my conviction." He chuckled, "Saying it out loud makes it sound like quite the precarious situation. Perhaps that is how Katsumoto feels. But that is it. My lofty goals, laid bare."Post Count: 12 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 15, 2022 9:55:55 GMT -5
"Oh, god..." Maria muttered and briefly covered her face when Yoshi suddenly declared that "when push comes to shove, she can be pretty loud". Sure, she can take that as a compliment. Bit of a weird one, but still. After that brief bout of awkwardness, she continued to listen to Yoshi. To her surprise, he suddenly brought up Hyakuji, and explained that the Vice-Captain of the First Division is following a dream that he has decided to connect with.
"A dream...?" It wouldn't be beyond Hyakuji to have a some sort of grand aspiration for Soul Society. He fit the part of a heroic aspirant who would rise to the fight to reform Soul Society from within. Here, from Yoshi's lips, she was first informed that he was planning to become the Captain-Commander of Soul Society himself - and Yoshi's goal was to become his Vice-Captain. There, as his second in command, he could temper Hyakuji, keep him balanced, and ensure that he remains on the same path he's always been, instead of being tempted by power, glory or anything else.
"I... see," Maria commented, surprised. "I... didn't know you and Hya have been doing such planning, actually," she then explained. It sounded nice, at least. An alliance of two Shinigami who had the best interests of not just Soul Society, but all of the dimensions at heart - she certainly knew that Hyakuji was heroic, so if Yoshi has chosen to follow the same path, then the same can be said about him, too.
Smiling, the woman answered:
"That sounds great. And if you're going to encourage me to make my voice heard as high up as possible, then I'll do the same for you." She punctuated that with a grin. "I'm sure both you and Hyakuji can figure it out and get your way up to the top - and if you can actually cover each other's weaknesses, that's even better. If Soul Society needs someone knew at the top who can fight back against this complacency, then I'm sure you two can fulfill that job."
After a sigh, Maria leaned back on her chair, folding her arms behind the back of her head. Her eyes shifted towards the exit from the bar, and, after having almost forgotten what they had originally come here for, she called out:
"Alright, when are we going to get to losing all our money in the games?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on May 31, 2022 14:14:56 GMT -5
Completely oblivious as to the other implication of his initial compliment to Maria, Yoshinori did not register Maria's exclamation to a "God" as something to be concerned about, or even something noteworthy at all. The stretch of silence that initiated between them ever-widening, it was only when he spoke of his intentions to follow Muimina for the time being that Maria permitted the conversation to resume. Emerald eyes focusing on the woman, he took note of her mild surprise, and the briefest of smiles graced his countenance. He understood it, or at least he believed he did. To Yoshinori, the subject of him becoming anyone's Vice-Captain was surprising, if downright laughable. He certainly never considered it as a career move for himself. In fact, when he first became a Shinigami, he considered it a dream of his to never be recognized as a Seated Officer at all. When that promise to himself was shattered by the Second Division, he swore to never move past that. And here he was. Yoshinori was beginning to make a liar out of himself. "If Soul Society needs someone knew at the top who can fight back against this complacency, then I'm sure you two can fulfill that job." Maria's words cut through his internal chatter, snapping him back to reality in an instant. She had faith in them to restore some sense of balance to the dimensions. The thought brought a smile back upon his features, this one now here to stay. "The development was admittedly recent." The silver haired Shinigami explained, beginning to make his way towards the door, "We have a long way to go...and I have to be sure that the investment is worthwhile, and with the right person. I'm still figuring Hyakuji out, even to this day. I must be sure..." He trailed off, his hand drifting once more to his robes. Maybe he will have another smoke today. "But enough about work, you're right. What say we try and come away with a few earnings? I'm going to maintain a positive outlook on tonight. We won't lose all our money unless we believe we'll lose all our money." Yoshinori smirked, turning fully to push the door outwards. Maria...Hyakuji...Valentina. What have I become entangled into?Post Count: 12 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Jun 4, 2022 9:00:09 GMT -5
"All right!" Maria exclaimed as soon as Yoshi joined her in finally going down to the fun parts of the Briar Patch. Speaking their heart out and talking about their past, future and vision for said future was great and all, but they came to the cruise ship to have fun, so they better go and have fun.
The trademark activity of the Briar Patch, as of the Southern family which ran the enterprise, were card games - and an entire floor was dedicated to every possible variety of those, some a bit more skillful, others just straight up luck, fuel for the gambling addicts who still believe that they're going to pull the winning combo with next draw. Before Maria and Yoshi could reach those, however, she led her partner through another corridor, adorned with statues and carvings of the Br'er Rabbit, the folk creature after whom the vessel was styled. Through there, they arrived at the slot machines.
Each one were beautiful to look at, of course, and offered various games to test your luck against, anything from the old classic jackpot slots and pachinko machines to more sophisticated games that resembled arcades somewhat. A bar was installed in the corner of the area and waiters rushed all around the machines, offering refreshments.
"Hey, Yoshi, over here!" Maria yelled, with a mischievous smirk, as she waved from behind one of the slot machines. She had a devious plan in her mind, one which she immediately revealed to him:
"Heyy, so... do you think it would count as cheating if I were to, say, "touch" these machines a little with my Fullbringer powers to wire them into behaving the way I want? I mean, none of the staff would think it was my doing, they'd see a short circuit or something, sooo..."
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Jun 8, 2022 12:45:32 GMT -5
Okay, sentimental time was officially over. Not that Yoshinori was complaining about such a prospect. He had originally invited her to the Briar Patch for a night of revelry and hedonistic indulgence. It wasn't until they reached the venue itself that the pair drifted towards the bar, deciding instead to spill their guts regarding their own backgrounds and personal philosophies. It was a nice conversation, but who comes to a casino to talk about their feelings? Fully stepping out of the bar, Yoshinori found himself thrust back into the hustle and bustle of the ship's interior. Now fully occupied with eager patrons ready to spend their hard earned coin, the Shinigami pair were going to be in for a much more occupied main floor than if they had gone straight there when they first entered. But where was the fun in that? Gambling was much more fun when your actions were validated by dozens of other patrons either winning more than you, or losing more than you. Lighting his smoking pipe once more, Yoshinori allowed Maria to take lead as he took in a deep puff of tobacco smoke, allowing it to filter from his nostrils a moment later. Led past statues and adornments that reflected the theme material that the cruise liner's interior was decorated after, the silver haired man eventually came to a stop in front of Maria's chosen gambling vice for the moment. A small smile tugging at his lips, Yoshinori's emerald eyes calmly slid over to his partner in crime as she laid out her plot to tamper with the machine. His smile widening somewhat, Yoshinori hid much of the evidence behind his smoking pipe, a long stream of smoke filtering out of his nostrils to aid in his efforts. A low hum rumbling deep in his throat, Yoshinori began to slide ever so slightly to his left, partially masking Maria from the eyes of any patrons who had it within themselves to take an unhealthy interest. An unnecessary gesture, given that it was unlikely that any human could correctly guess that a machine's decision to act outside of how its programmed was connected to Maria simply placing her hand on it. But rather be safe than sorry. If Yoshinori's decision to provide cover for the former Fullbringer wasn't enough of a green light for her to go ahead, the silver haired Shinigami offered his own verbal permission, "What's life without a little risk?" He inquired. Post Count: 13 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Jun 10, 2022 11:32:55 GMT -5
Yoshi gave the green light to give rigging a go, first by briefly covering Maria up from the staff of the gaming room, then offering her to try it. Alright. Maria pulled out a coin and loaded it into the slot machine, then pulled the lever to initiate the roll. A whole bunch of numbers and pictures spun on three rolls on the other side of the screen, inviting the player to try to match them to receive a prize. Maria had a plan, however. Instead of pulling the lever to stop the roll, she focused on the machine itself and narrowed her eyes.
A member of the Eleventh Division wasn't expected to know much of Kido, and Maria was no different. She still knew some of the basics, however - and Sai could work to restrain a machine much like it could a person's arms. She cast the spell without an incantation, weaker, but still effective - and, soon, each of the three rolls began to slow. When they each reached 7, she focused harder to get them to stay in the position - then, pulled the lever.
"Wait-"
The lever got pulled without any resistance, as if something was stuck.
"Damn it-"
Maria pulled the lever a few more times, growing increasingly frustrated with each pull - until, suddenly, something inside of the machine popped and cracked. Immediately, coins started pouring into the deposit at the bottom of the machine - that it clearly got broken started Maria briefly, but, at least, she got exactly what she came here for. "Victory~" she muttered and bent down to scoop up a pile of coins she "won", with a wide smirk on her face. They didn't get very far with their victory, however - a worker of the Briar Patch immediately approached Maria and Yoshi, speaking:
"Sorry, I'll have to ask you to give those back. The machine broke, so these aren't your winnings." After some hesitation, Maria finally sighed and handed the coins over - they were, technically, caught in the act, so she didn't bother trying to wrangle out of this one.
"...wanna go play cards instead?" she asked her peer.
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Jul 23, 2022 16:43:28 GMT -5
Yoshinori didn't often indulge in cheating. Sure, there may have been a minor attempt here and there as a result of having a bit too much human alcohol to drink, but never something as grand as using his abilities to rig a machine. Yoshinori was a gambling addict, afterall, and guaranteeing a payoff took all the thrill out of a game of chance. Even if doing so would warrant Yoshinori more riches than his usual mix of wins and losses. As Maria set herself in front of the slot machine, Yoshinori too solidified his stance. He did not face away from her, but instead watched the slots too as she worked. Facing away would mimic the position of a lookout too closely afterall, a rather unnatural position in a setting as casual of a casino...that is, unless they were up to something nefarious. Which they most certainly were. Watching the all too familiar visage of the slots spinning across the visor, Yoshinori detected a subtle shift in the air as Maria cast her weakened Kido upon the slot machine, the arcane energies seeping into the device as it sought to manually slow down the slots. Taking the hands of Lady Luck into her own hands, Maria gradually grinded the slots down to a halt just as the jackpot sevens lined up across the row. All that was needed was to pull the lever. Unfortunately, where Lady Luck was defied prior, she made her reappearance in this instance. Faced with a nonresponsive lever, Maria took it upon herself to solve the problem with more force than originally dedicated, a solution that not only failed to bear fruit, but drew attention as the machine's inner mechanisms popped and cracked, resulting in a dramatic overflow of coins that usually was only founded in family sitcoms. In mere moments, what was sure to be the score of the century was cleaned up and confiscated by a Briar Patch employee, leaving the pair no better off than they were to begin with. And with a broken machine to boot. Tendrils of smoke wafting up from his pipe, Yoshinori glanced across the greater casino floor before his eyes settled upon one table in particular. A deep hum rumbling in his throat, he raised a lazy hand in the direction of the game floor. "Tell me, oh worldly traveled one who only just arrived from the World of the Living: Would you like to play Blackjack? It's one of the few games here that manages to hold my attention. That is...it is one of the few games that never fails to give me a thrill. Plus, I'm sure we can get away with some legitimate gambling this time. Something makes me not want to tip our luck any further with cheating, don't you agree?" A soft chuckle escaping him at that, the disguised Shinigami turned to glance at his casino partner curiously, awaiting her opinion before he made the advance towards the Blackjack table. Post Count: 14 | Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Jul 28, 2022 9:52:28 GMT -5
After taking another crack at his pipe, Yoshi put on an act, offering Maria to play a game of blackjack in the most flowery faux language he could possibly come up with. It caught her surprised, and she briefly paused, baffled, before finally realizing what was going on and striking a smile.
"Well, oh long-lived gray-headed one who has arrived here to accompany me from the world of the dead, I would be up for it," Maria answered. Presumably, Yoshi's hair wasn't actually white because of his age, but who cares? After grinning, the Shinigami followed her peer and sat down on the other side of the table.
"So, uh..." Maria briefly muttered, considering how to say what just popped into her mind - knowing with what confidence she and Yoshi had strode to this table, it was actually kind of embarrassing to say. After taking a breath, the woman continued. "Well I have heard of blackjack because it used to be mentioned in movies me and my sister were watching every once in a while, but aside from that, uh... I don't actually know how to play it."
Maria paused for a second. "Or uh, not that much about how it even looks like, actually. So... I'll need you to explain what I have to do."
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