[Text] (Voice replies are also fine!) (A day or so after Jayce's post)

[constantvrunning]

If you touched anything in the shrines - why?

[Sure, the messages were informative - in terms of explaining how some of the people from this world think, if nothing else - but:]

We've run into how many traps, now? Of course the shrines themselves are rigged.

I do have pictures of the contents of one of them, though. And another of those strange messages, besides.

[They'd have shared with Jayce by this point, but they do want to know if Jayce intends on sharing the results first. In the meantime, V has their own two cents to offer.]

Comments

voice

[bufudine]

[There really isn't that much to do while driving, sooo...]

...So you also touched a shrine?

[ :| ]

Re: voice

[constantvrunning]

[V's knee-jerk reaction is to talk, this time, not text:]

Touch, no. Was inside, yes. But not to move anything.

I was able to take pictures with M-Bot from standing outside as well, though those are blurry.

[Probably some sort of magical-filter effect.]

[bufudine]

How did you obtain the message?

[The message that may be, perhaps, burned into your arm, V?]

[constantvrunning]

It appeared as I was leaving.

[And they hadn't heard anything fall.]

I was- rather startled.

[Hence running the heck away from there!]

[bufudine]

[Maybe knocked something over in the process of fleeing? He could see it; his own burn had come from merely picking up one of the objects placed on a shrine.]

What was your message?

[constantvrunning]

[V switches to text, sending the same secure message they have to John Doe and Jack: I will not be constrained by family, nations, or even the material world. I shall look to the moon, and understand how far that reach truly extends. I can become so much more, if I do not tie myself down.]

The way of thinking expressed seems strange, to me. Not completely alien, but still very different.

[And, in light of other conversations, very concerning.]

[bufudine]

[Serph stays on voice; it's easier for him to talk and drive than to type and drive. Strange, though. It's the first message he's seen that hasn't mentioned aspects at all.]

What's a nation?

[constantvrunning]

A... union of people.

[V has to think hard on the most basic, non-accidentally-circular definition.]

Usually in the same geographic area, where they clearly define their own borders.

[bufudine]

[...So a tribe? But he had been talking to Apollo about Nirvana, or at least his understanding of Nirvana. Although Serph had been bothered by a lot of their conversation, it did provide some insight, maybe, on the Nirvana that they might be heading towards.]

I'm told Nirvana is a concept, not a location.

[At least, in other worlds. Maybe.]

You cut yourself from attachments to escape the cycle of rebirth.

[V's message sounds a little like that.]

[constantvrunning]

I haven't found a place called Nirvana on a map - though back on Tamaris, maps of the entire world were hard to find.

[So V can't just disparage the notion of Nirvana also being a place, let alone on someone else's planet.]

... Escaping the cycle of rebirth to do what, exactly?

[bufudine]

The false Nirvana I know is another world beyond my original one.

[Serph has many Opinions about Nirvana, though when he says his next words in the exact same flat tone as usual, it cloaks his less than stellar feelings about his next set of words.]

Non-existence.

[constantvrunning]

[V sounds distinctly alarmed. Sure, Serph did tell them he was from an artificial world, but this...!]

Clarify? Do you mean to escape non-existence, or embracing it?

[bufudine]

Embrace it.

[Despite all that he's been through...]

I can't see why someone would choose it.

[constantvrunning]

[V sighs, in no small part relieved.]

I don't see it, either.

[To them, existence is worth fighting and caring for. To see right done by people, ones the Red Empire has wronged and otherwise.]

Why rush to push out of our lives?

[Not that they're great right now, exactly; V doesn't want to come across as saying that.]

Or away from others, for that matter. They're what make life... enjoyable. Interesting.

[bufudine]

[Serph makes a noise that could be construed as assent. You can't be a comrade alone. And yet here he is.]

Yours is the first message I've seen without ties to an Aspect.

[Philosophical, rather than descriptive.]

[constantvrunning]

[V immediately starts reviewing what snippets are available of the other conversations.]

Does there seem to be a maximum number of aspects? Or... tenets, I suppose these numbered ones should be called.

oop sorry for all the edits, timelines yay

[bufudine]

I don't know yet.

[Jayce is compiling data, so... may as well wait before reviewing it all.]

I'll ask for a report from Jayce when he's collected more information.

Mood. |D

[constantvrunning]

[Somehow, V hasn't crossed paths with him yet. And from his network post, he seemed... distinctly unwell.]

Let me know if he needs help compiling or transferring it - there is a space for data storage in the Convoy itself.

[Thank you, Akihiko!]

[bufudine]

[There is? That's good to know.]

Show me when we stop for the day.

[constantvrunning]

I can certainly do that.

... Good day, Serph.

[Until evening, then.]