Yaha-kui zaShunina (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fractaljesus) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
nysalogs2017-10-08 11:53 am
fractaljesus) wrote in nysalogs2017-10-08 11:53 am
Sample collection [open]
Who: Yaha-kui zaShunina (fractaljesus) & You!
What: Event log and catchall
When: Varies by prompt
Where: The Market and residential district
Warning(s): None
Holed up in the sea of books that made up zaShunina's house, the anisotropic being was nowhere near the market during the attack. He could, however, hear it from the there, and so had come to investigate only to find the place in a state of absolute chaos. But even as people rushed past him in their escape, the man in white stood perfectly still, watching the scene unfold with impassivity unbefitting the situation. At the time, the Royal Guard had compelled him to leave, but that didn't stop him from returning once the cleanup effort was underway to begin an investigation of his own.
The Marketplace
A. Even now, a few days after the attack, there are wisps of gas still lingering in corners and containers where the wind couldn't carry it away. Wisps that the Institute is keen to collect and study. Yaha-kui zaShunina is also curious to know more about it, and cooperating with them to gain access to the site is the obvious solution.
If anyone happens to be there (whether helping with the cleanup effort or also collecting the residual mist), they might find the man in white standing near a collapsed stall, disembodied arms floating on either side of him. A barrel is the target of his attention--still sealed, but not for long. In the blink of an eye, the top is sliced clean off without any apparent action from zaShunina, spilling water out onto the street. It's not the water he's after, but the small wisp of purple mist that escapes. One of the floating hands "taps" the air, enveloping the gas in a floating, iridescent bubble before it can dissipate. More gas is collected in the same way, and while most of it is given to the workers from the Institute, he keeps some for himself.
B. Without a better means to analyze the gas, zaShunina is limited to the classic method of experimentation. In a corner of the market left untouched by the attack, zaShunina carries with him his bubble of purple gas floating harmlessly above the palm of a disembodied arm. For the most part, he doesn't do much apart from stare intently at the bubble without blinking, so still he could be mistaken for a statue if not for the way his hair and cloak billow softly in the breeze. When someone draws close, however, he'll turn to look at them with what he hopes looks like a reassuring smile painted on his lips--but it's the smile of a mannequin who feels nothing behind it.
"Do you know what this is?" He'll ask, holding the bubbled gas out to them, but continues before they can respond. "It is the material responsible for the outbreak of the disease designated VIOLET2710."
Residential District
C. Apart from collecting and studying samples of the gas, Yaha-kui zaShunina can later be found on the streets of the residential district, talking to a small group of natives who appear fascinated by his floating arms.
"It is not magic," He assures them, smiling. "Your perception of the world is incomplete. Where you perceive the world around you in three dimensions, there are, in truth, many more. I am merely reaching through these additional dimensions." Some respond with 'oohs' and 'ahhs,' while others just seem confused by the explanation, dismissing it as magic and wandering off.
When he sees someone who looks like a refugee, however, he dismisses the small crowd with a wave of his disembodied hand and approaches them.
"Magic is much a much easier answer for the peoples of this city to accept." He muses, the smile on his face never faltering.
Wildcard: Other places zaShunina could potentially be found include Thesa station, where he spends a good portion of his time reading books in the Stasis Unit beside a specific pod. He can also be found in Simwe Institute's library, perusing the books available there.
fractaljesus) & You!What: Event log and catchall
When: Varies by prompt
Where: The Market and residential district
Warning(s): None
Holed up in the sea of books that made up zaShunina's house, the anisotropic being was nowhere near the market during the attack. He could, however, hear it from the there, and so had come to investigate only to find the place in a state of absolute chaos. But even as people rushed past him in their escape, the man in white stood perfectly still, watching the scene unfold with impassivity unbefitting the situation. At the time, the Royal Guard had compelled him to leave, but that didn't stop him from returning once the cleanup effort was underway to begin an investigation of his own.
The Marketplace
A. Even now, a few days after the attack, there are wisps of gas still lingering in corners and containers where the wind couldn't carry it away. Wisps that the Institute is keen to collect and study. Yaha-kui zaShunina is also curious to know more about it, and cooperating with them to gain access to the site is the obvious solution.
If anyone happens to be there (whether helping with the cleanup effort or also collecting the residual mist), they might find the man in white standing near a collapsed stall, disembodied arms floating on either side of him. A barrel is the target of his attention--still sealed, but not for long. In the blink of an eye, the top is sliced clean off without any apparent action from zaShunina, spilling water out onto the street. It's not the water he's after, but the small wisp of purple mist that escapes. One of the floating hands "taps" the air, enveloping the gas in a floating, iridescent bubble before it can dissipate. More gas is collected in the same way, and while most of it is given to the workers from the Institute, he keeps some for himself.
B. Without a better means to analyze the gas, zaShunina is limited to the classic method of experimentation. In a corner of the market left untouched by the attack, zaShunina carries with him his bubble of purple gas floating harmlessly above the palm of a disembodied arm. For the most part, he doesn't do much apart from stare intently at the bubble without blinking, so still he could be mistaken for a statue if not for the way his hair and cloak billow softly in the breeze. When someone draws close, however, he'll turn to look at them with what he hopes looks like a reassuring smile painted on his lips--but it's the smile of a mannequin who feels nothing behind it.
"Do you know what this is?" He'll ask, holding the bubbled gas out to them, but continues before they can respond. "It is the material responsible for the outbreak of the disease designated VIOLET2710."
Residential District
C. Apart from collecting and studying samples of the gas, Yaha-kui zaShunina can later be found on the streets of the residential district, talking to a small group of natives who appear fascinated by his floating arms.
"It is not magic," He assures them, smiling. "Your perception of the world is incomplete. Where you perceive the world around you in three dimensions, there are, in truth, many more. I am merely reaching through these additional dimensions." Some respond with 'oohs' and 'ahhs,' while others just seem confused by the explanation, dismissing it as magic and wandering off.
When he sees someone who looks like a refugee, however, he dismisses the small crowd with a wave of his disembodied hand and approaches them.
"Magic is much a much easier answer for the peoples of this city to accept." He muses, the smile on his face never faltering.
Wildcard: Other places zaShunina could potentially be found include Thesa station, where he spends a good portion of his time reading books in the Stasis Unit beside a specific pod. He can also be found in Simwe Institute's library, perusing the books available there.
no subject
"You think it is not so simple as one country against another, but that a third party might be manipulating events." He observes, but does not judge.
"If this supposition proves to be correct, what will you do?" Again, as before, his tone is only curious, not challenging. A man who simply wants to know, but would not make a judgment upon his answer regardless--like a scientist who watches a mouse in a maze and wonders what direction it will take at the next fork.
no subject
And right now, the way he is...the way things are, he can't prove any of it. Still, if it really was the case, then...
"...I...want to find the reason behind it all. Why they felt it was necessary to instigate something like this..."
There could be a myriad of motivations, Yusei thinks. Especially in this world which he only has barely come to understand, there could be a story here he doesn't know-no, there's definitely a story here he doesn't know.
"I want to understand...if I can, then maybe..."
Then maybe, he could find a way to prevent such a thing from happening again. Foolishly optimistic, but...that's how he's learned to duel. It's not a habit that'll go away now.
no subject
"There will always be conflict," he reiterates. "and it is in overcoming these conflicts that a species evolves. If you understand the motivations of the ones who instigated the attack, you may be able to prevent something similar from recurring." He pauses, turning to look directly at Yusei with a completely blank expression.
"But there is another possibility, as well. If you find their motivations to align with your own--if their reason proves to be agreeable. That is what concerns you, is it not?"
no subject
Yusei glances out of the corner of his eye to listen to this strange man's words, his brow crinkling at the implication.
"It takes more than having the same motivation, I'd think. Even if we had the same views...I couldn't condone methods that would hurt innocents."
When he had his own rebellions, his own fights, he kept the risk narrowed to himself and whomever he was going against at the time. Targeting multiple people for his purposes...it makes his stomach turn, remembering the antics of Godwin, of the Dark Signers. They hadn't cared who was in their way, or who they needed to use...
He'd never be like that. He couldn't. He wouldn't.
"Even if I agreed with them...I still can't let them bring others into this. That would cause more needless conflict, wouldn't it?"
no subject
The white-haired man glances away, lost in thought but only for a moment.
"You are idealistic." He observes, returning his red-eyed gaze to the young man. "You do not believe that the ends justify the means if those you designate as 'innocent' are harmed. That appears to be a common ideology among humans."
no subject
For someone who looks as serious as he does, it's kind of hard to imagine such a guy being called innocent. And yet in some ways, he kind of is. After all, what kind of person would think that martyrdom could save anyone?
"It's something I like to think is a natural facet of humanity. People...we can't exist without bonds. Betraying such a thing, breaking them up...it goes against ourselves, I think."
Sorry for the delay, there was a convention yesterday.
"Adaptive and creative," zaShunina smiles, taking a few steps closer to Yusei without crossing the border of his personal space. "Relying on the strengths of others to make up for the shortcomings of the individual." But then he pauses, tilting his head slightly. "But bonds are based in familiarity, yet you feel anger for those harmed in the attack even if you don't know them."
The unspoken 'why?' is writ in the way his eyebrows furrow and his tone edges slightly upward at the end.
not a problem
It's unnerving. Even if zaShunina doesn't intrude on his personal space, he still can't help but feel a little prickly.
"...That's...another thing about people. If someone else is hurt, we feel it like if it was our own selves that got attacked...we empathize with others' pain. It doesn't matter whether we know them or not."
no subject
"The ones who instigated the attack knew those who were affected no less than you did, yet they proceeded regardless. Under the supposition that they were fully aware of the potential effects of their actions, would you say the factor of 'empathy' was absent?"
no subject
"Something like that. That, or they choose to ignore it for their own reasons...or perhaps, they feel it, but that doesn't outweigh what they feel is the benefit. Or, perhaps, they actually enjoy such a thing...there are multiple possibilities, as many as there are people."
no subject
His head quirks to an even greater angle when Yusei explains. For zaShunina, who views humanity as a whole and has difficulty seeing them as individuals, the idea that each is different and unique is something of a novel concept. He's aware of the individuality of people, but apart from those few who catch his interest, the rest tend to blur together. He only corrects the cant of his head and straightens up when the human finishes speaking.
"I see." He gives a single nod, as if confirming something to himself. "Empathy is a factor that can be disregarded if it would interfere with an objective." He 'hmm's softly--a tic he's picked up in his prolonged exposure to humans, and takes a step back, granting Yusei more space. "That objective is what you wish to know--the reason they would act against empathy to harm innocents.
I do hope you discover the answer you desire."
no subject
He seems to stop himself from answering, then shakes his head. Some things can't really be understood with just definitions, they have to be experienced for themselves. This man(?) is at least making an effort, but that can only go so far...and somehow, Yusei doesn't think he'll really get what he's trying to say. Something like empathy...trying to make someone feel it, or be aware of it...that wouldn't really work.
"It's like that. Some people do it on purpose, to make their jobs easier. Others, they lose it through trauma...and there are some who were just never able to understand it."
He smiles wanly. "It's somewhat funny. Empathy's not something we need to live, per se, but to live as a person...? It's essential. It all comes down to how you want to live, I think...but thank you. Knowing the answer...it might not immediately lead to a solution, and it might create more doubts, but it'll clear my mind of at least a few questions."
no subject
"To lack empathy is to lack that which makes a person? I do not understand."
no subject
"Humanity is a strange concept in and of itself. It's difficult for us to define, too, but that's probably why we all have our own way of living." He shrugs helplessly.
"The closest thing I can say is...there's a difference from what we call 'surviving,' and what we call 'living.' It's the difference that makes us 'people.'"
no subject
"I see." Again, as a theoretical only. "Humans are incomprehensible yet fascinating entities." His arms, once hidden beneath his cloak, again appear from thin air, spread slightly on either side of his body. "You have given me much to think about." Information to process, concepts to analyze and unravel. Perhaps unfortunately, however, the inherent differences between their perspectives will result in this information being put through a filter of anisotropy and emerge distorted.
"I wish to express gratitude for this experience. Thank you."
no subject
"..."
He doesn't exactly welcome the thanks, because he's not sure if he's actually given anything. He'd just talked, you know. If anything, Yusei's got a new puzzling encounter to think over himself. Still, he inclines his head in an approximation of an acknowledgement.
"...I hope we can talk again, some time."
no subject
"I, too, harbor this desire." He nods, placing one of those disembodied hands over his chest. They will talk again, but for now, he wants to think about the information Yusei has given him so that he might have a more enlightened perspective when next they speak.
"I am Yaha-kui zaShunina." He finally introduces himself, and extends the other floating hand toward Yusei. "What is your name?"
no subject
The answer is short and abrupt, much like some of his earlier answers. Still, it doesn't seem to be done out of rudeness, as he extends his own hand to take the offered handshake a few moments later. His grip is steady and firm.
"...zaShunina, is it?" An odd name, even by the standards he's loosened by coming to a new place like this. Huh. "I'm sure we'll meet again."
End thread?
"It is inevitable." Even in a big city like this, zaShunina is certain this won't be their last meeting.
sounds good to me!