purrtagonist | [empatheias ic contact]

[A nod. That made sense-- to a degree. But, the way that Akira had worded his earlier sentence was peculiar to Shin-Ah's ear's.]

'Every' is more than one.

[He intoned quietly, although he could see some reason for it. After all, the person he was now was drastically different from the person he was before he left the caves.

He had a name now, after all.

But... few people had to live with the duality of something 'other' coloring their life and their fate both in a literal and metaphorical sense-- to that, Shin-Ah canted his head to the side in interest.]

That's a lot.

Most people only have one personality, or one mask with which to face the world.

I have many.

[he doesn't know why, or really, how that worked in practice, but. it did, and he didn't question it. his power of the wild card is what helped him lead his team, after all]

[That was a bit much for Shin-Ah to grasp, but he thought he understood. Nodding slowly, he elaborated.]

Borrowed space, many faces.... and, borrowed power?

[He wasn't forgetting that mask and the strange aura Akira seemed to carry while wearing it so easily. It was almost haunting to behold.]

Not exactly borrowed power. [not entirely, anyway] My power comes from within.

But I have help in making it stronger.

Persona.... power from within, but with help as well.

[He nodded, understanding this to an extent-- and, having learned something of interactions in the months since he had entered this city, took a slow breath before continuing.]

Before I was Shin-Ah... I was 'Seiryuu,' [he confessed, not knowing if that name would have any meaning for Akira or not. Legends of dragon gods were more universal than he realized, but he had yet to make a point of studying that for himself.]

Not... for me. For the dragon who gave it's power to the one who founded the village.

[. . . Seiryuu. Seiryuu had been a part of Akira's soul, once]

The Azure Dragon.

[he repeats, drawing on his knowledge of the legends]

. . . what do you mean? "For the dragon who gave its power to the one who founded the village?"

Just that.

[And he lifted his mask, showing Akira the golden gleam of his dragon-like eyes once more.]

[. . . oh]

I understand.

[so Shin-Ah was Siryuu, the dragon from legend, who loaned his power to someone who founded the village in which he used to live]

Why? Did you loan that person your power?

[Shin-Ah shook his head. His explanations were... getting confused.

More words were needed, it seemed.

Taking a deep breath, Shin-Ah elaborated.]

Many, many generations ago, to protect their brother who had become human, four dragons loaned their powers to four strangers to protect that one person. They stepped aside... time passed.

When the first dragon who had become human died, the four warriors went their separate ways, to hide so their powers could not be found and fought over by others in the future.

Villages formed over more time, but the dragons and their strength was not forgotten. Every generation someone new carries the torch, until the rest of the story is told.

I am Shin-Ah, not Seiryuu. Seiryuu is the Dragon, not me.

[But sometimes, when he closes his eyes or when he uses his powers, he can hear the dragon's voice and feel the dragon's wrath. It isn't the same... but, perhaps it is similar to what Akira goes through.]

[this is 100% the most Akira has ever heard Shin-Ah talk, and he's a bit in awe over it. but his words help put into order the things he was confusing]

[he nods]

It's a little similar to. . . [well]

My soul took the form of Seiryuu once.

[it was Kohryu now, and Kohryu was with him even here, in Empatheias. but he hasn't forgotten Seiryuu]

Mm?

[Have a blank, startled look, Akira. Seiryuu, in his experience, wasn't the most kindly of individuals to meet. Rather, the dragon was quite angry-- and his rage was all consuming if Shin-Ah let him have his way.]

Edited 2017-08-23 03:19 (UTC)

[he chuckles a bit to himself and gives Shin-Ah an apologetic look. he should probably explain]

My power. It manifests itself as different characters from myth and legend back home. I can summon them to fight by my side.

["summon," he says, as though they're just simply summons and not creatures who are a part of his very soul]

Seiryuu just so happened to be one of those characters.

[he remembers Seiryuu. Temperance arcana, ice-based skills, and minor healing and defensive abilities]

Although Seiryuu exists with in me no longer. Now, it's Kohryu.

Edited 2017-08-24 04:17 (UTC)

[Ice-based skills were certainly fitting, given the ominous chill of Shin-Ah's anger the few times it's been sparked since he entered Verens. Ironic as well, considering his low tolerance for the cold...

He canted his head to the side at the explanation, recalling something he had observed once with another, during a task board job that had taken them monster hunting underneath the city.]

Call to your side... like Shinji?

[He hadn't connected 'Persona' and whatever it was that Shinjiro had done that day. All he knew was that it was something beyond his reckoning, and that it had worn Shinjiro out quite a bit during that job.]

[. . . ah!]

Exactly like him, actually. Only since I wear many masks, my soul can take many forms.

It's called the wild card ability.

[????

He had no idea what that meant-- but, that was okay. There were more important matters.]

So Seiryuu... and Kohryuu...?

Genbu, Suzaku and Byakko, too.

[all at different points at time. he didn't have any of them with him anymore, but they were all still there, nestled snugly in his Persona Compendium, ready for him to re-summon should he find a need]

[They way Akira said those names sounded as if he should know them... but he didn't. Instead, he simply shook his head and stated the names he did know:]

Hakuryuu, Ryokuryuu, and Ouryuu.

[White, Green, and Yellow, to his Blue.]

They all gave part of themselves when Hiryuu became human.

[Hiryuu, whose hair as a human was as read as the crimson flames of dawn.]

[aha. so it was different. of course, that made sense. no two worlds were the same]

[he shakes his head]

Just Seiryuu, then. That's the only part that overlaps.

[The stunned look of disbelief was plain in his eerie, inhuman eyes as Shin-Ah processed this information.]

But... but...

[But his was the legacy that was forgotten by time, even by the ones entrusted to remember it. His was the legacy that wasn't worth recalling, for it was rife with pain of the sort that a more sensitive soul would be brought to tears upon hearing it. His wasn't an honorable tale of waiting for the reincarnated king, his wasn't a struggle for freedom to fly, his wasn't a destiny doomed to bear witness to eternity.

His legacy was lost to time-- as it should be.]

But... why?

["why" is a very good question that Akira can't answer]

I don't know. But if I were to guess?

Seiryuu just so happened to be the most accurate reflection of my soul at the time.

[He can't see it.

There were a great many things that Shin-Ah could see in this world, from the tiniest feathers on a butterfly's wings to the occassional wandering ghost who happened to cross his path, but never in ten thousand years could he see how this innocuou young man could ever be associated with the same dragon whose rage threatened to swallow him every time he dared to use the powers that were his birthright. It was a terrible, all consuming anguish at being imprisoned and forgotten by time itself, he knew-- but, that didn't make keeping his self any easier.

Shin-Ah lowered his gaze instead of immediately replying, unsure of how to broach this subject.]

Seiryuu... swallows all who crosses him, [He said softly after what felt like eternity, subtly shaking his head as he carefully picked out his words.] Foe... friend... even the one whose body he uses.

[He inhaled deeply, unsure if he should continue.]

He is a double edged blade. Not kind, not simple to wield.

[he tilts his head towards Shin-Ah, smile soft]

Have you figured out how to wield such a blade?

[he can't comment on Seiryuu's anger, his rage, his difficulty to control. Seiryuu was, after all, a part of his soul, however temporary. utilizing him in battle. . . well. that had been instinct]

[Shin-Ah lowered his head, and offered a small shake in a negative reply.]

Not... not without a price.

[For Seiryuu was still a separate entity for him, the power a fraction of the great Dragon's and only borrowed for the time he was in this body-- however long or short it was.]

Edited 2017-09-04 21:10 (UTC)

[this is. . . a personal question, and Akira knows it. but he feels like their confidant relationship is high enough for him to ask. and so]

What is the price?

[They've both known 'Seiryuu' in some way. In a small sense, it's talking shop.]

What is done to others is done to me-- for a time.

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farseen - 2017-09-23 22:25 (UTC) - Expand