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[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

[Today, Alleria is seeking refuge among the branches in the courtyard. Ordinarily, she finds pleasure in being outdoors, of course, but the mountains of leaves are not very conducive to taking thoughtful walks.

Instead, she sits high up in a tree, legs hanging off the edge of the limb, taking a whetstone to her sword. The journal lies open next to her, and it may pick up a few minutes of rhythmic scraping as she sharpens the blade in silence, mulling her words over before she speaks them aloud.

Tender emotions were not a thing that came easily to a Windrunner, after all.]

I have been here over a year, trapped in this place. I have seen allies and enemies alike come and go, and still others have stayed here, as I have.

I am sure this is a question that is asked frequently, but I still wonder: what is it that keeps some here, while others are expelled? Does the castle grow bored of us after a time? Does it give and take our loved ones so freely so as to make us hurt? Is it even capable of such sentience?

[A pause, and the scraping sound stops as she examines her blade.]

Will we ever get answers to these questions, or at the very least find someone who can give them to us?

Comments

[hyuuga]

[Having been here for almost a year as well, those are questions Hinata has thought about too.]

Maybe one day we'll find those answers... Or so I'd like to think. Though I-I do hope we...that the castle doesn't give and take people freely just to cause us pain. I...I don't think it's quite that cruel.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure which is more preferable. If it simply grows bored of us and discards us, then it does not think of us as having feelings. At least if it tries to cause us pain, it thinks of us as more than playthings.

[hyuuga]

Mm, I know.. Either way it isn't good for us. Toys, or as creatures here for a study in emotions instead of as people... So I-I guess neither is really preferable.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

It could always be worse, however. It could be overtly malicious towards us.

[hyuuga]

Right. It can always be worse here, I-I suppose. But sometimes...sometimes it would be better if it was overtly malicious. If just because it would be easier to figure out.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

At least we would know where we stand, this is true. And we could more readily focus on combating this place than bickering amongst ourselves. [Though that seems to be done for the time being ...]

[hyuuga]

If I've learned anything here, I...I think even if we were focused on combating this place that we would still bicker with each other. But on how to deal with everything that happens. There are always differing opinions here, it seems.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

[A soft 'hum' as she thinks that over.]

True ... it would be unnatural for everyone to agree on everything, of course. It is our disagreements and bickering that makes us stronger, I think, that pushes us toward a better conclusion than if we all were of the same opinions.

[hyuuga]

Right.. Such things can make us stronger. But sometimes-- [She kind of cuts herself off as something occurs to her.] --ah, maybe...maybe that's part of what the castle wants. For us to learn how to work together better, and...and be stronger for it.

...Or maybe I'm being a little optimistic there.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

Hmm. It is an interesting theory.

I just think there are better ways to go about doing it. Ways that do not involve kidnap and grievous danger.

ahah, what is html

[hyuuga]

There most likely are... I-I suppose it might want the lesson to stick?

shhhh /pets

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

It is possible. [There's a bit of dry humor in her tone as she continues.] I've had instructors like that, of course. The more difficult the lesson, the more likely you are to remember it, they think.

/purrs

[hyuuga]

Mm, I've had similar...instructors. [Read: her father] It's not the best way, but...I-I think it's the only way they know how to teach something.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

Such teaching methods seem to be a constant, then. Even in terms of magical castles.

[hyuuga]

I think it might be a constant every world has. It's...nice in a way. Um, or I-I should say, it's nice to look at it that way. It makes things a little bit easier to deal with.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

Yes. Though this place is far from pleasant, the idea that some things stay the same in the myriad of worlds represented -- it is somewhat comforting, I suppose. At the very least we've yet to run across anything supremely alien.

[hyuuga]

Universal enough that it appears even here is...comforting too. It makes some things easier to deal with. [Even if that was a terrifying thought. Because it meant getting used to the castle.]

And, um, it is nice that there really hasn't been anything really strange or alien here yet. Because then no one might know how to deal with it.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

True enough. Which reminds me of what we'd discussed in the, ah ... prison, I suppose. Not to dredge up bad memories.

It is still important that we not allow ourselves to become placated. Though as to how we'd instruct others in being prepared for something we'd not yet experienced ...

[hyuuga]

You aren't bringing up bad memories...just a-a slightly embarrassing learning experience.

It is hard to know how to do that, though.. Maybe if we kept it to the basics, something flexible so it can be easily adapted..?

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

A sort of emergency plan, perhaps? In case of attack, where to assemble and whom to defer to, that sort of thing?

[hyuuga]

Yes, like that. It certainly would help out quite a bit if even a couple people read it...or even new arrivals.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

[She sounds thoughtful now, hmmm] Yes ... I find it hard to imagine this wasn't thought of sooner.

Do you know of anyone else we should include in these discussions? I am not extremely experienced in civilian maneuvers, and input from others would be helpful, I think.

[hyuuga]

To be honest, I'm...not entirely either. Um, the only ones I can think of would be Ino and Sakura. They know a little bit more about such things than I do.

[arrowonthewind.livejournal.com]

Hmm, yes. Ino is a good choice, I think, and I have had a fruitful discussion with Sakura in the past.

[hyuuga]

Mm. From what I remember of them back home, they...are intelligent when it comes to such things. And will probably think of things we wouldn't.