un: sieglindesullivan / video

[grunehexe]

Greetings, Audentes. It is I, Sieglinde Sullivan- also known as the Green Witch. I am sure you are occupied with your own matters during this valuable personal time, but I must interrupt for three announcements, if you might lend me your ear.

The first is that Date Masamune, one lord of Oushuu, has been transferred to a different team. I know that not many of you have been with us since Chantes, but he was a valuable team member, and he will surely be missed.

[By her, perhaps most of all, but she manages to keep a straight face, hastily moving on.]

The second is that it has come to my attention some of our members come from worlds where literacy is not as prominent. Access to book learning is one of the most important aspects of an education, so I shall be using some of my time here in Oska to improve this situation. I am able to instruct in multiple languages, but I shall be focusing primarily on what many worlds call English, as I found it the most useful for communication during the period when our translators were defective. You may join open sessions in the castle library each day from an hour past noon.

On that note, thirdly, I need your assistance with one of those new pupils. As much as I prefer to work alone, I am afraid this issue deals with a delicate combination of spellcraft and science, and so I shall be opening up this project to others of like intellect hopefully differing experience. Graham, if you would like to say a few words?

[She reaches forward to turn her magitech brooch. revealing a certain rugged Huntsman. Said huntsman, for his part, was listening. Which explains why his first word seems more relevant to her second announcement than her third.] ...Pupil? [He's aware that means student, and feels as if he might have to explain to Sieglinde he can indeed read and write... though perhaps his handwriting leaves something to be desired...

That can be a conversation for another time, however. There's more important matters at hand to discuss now.]

Those of you present in Perdition's Rest might recall, I have been heartless for a long time. I've asked Sieglinde to help me try and find some kind of solution, though it occurred to me the secrecy didn't aide in finding a solution. [Talking to Koltira had reminded him of how much more he could do. He owed it to himself, and perhaps those who cared about him and wanted to connect to him better, to do all he could instead of asking Sieglinde to do it for him.] If you think you might be able to lend aide, or have any questions about my condition, I'm here to answer them. Even if there's no perfect solution, I'd ... I'd like to feel things, again.

[Feel things properly is perhaps the better way of putting it, but considering this is a great deal more than Graham tends to talk already, he nods and indicates that's all he has to say, and Sieglinde takes back the video.]

How anyone capable of lending a productive hand could deny such a sincere appeal I do not know. I have seen we have new recruits among us, so we look forward to hearing from you if you have experience with medical surgery, curses, or other magics.

Thank you.

Comments

video; un: reika

[p66]

[ The feed is turned on by a young lady who looks no older than twenty. Sieglinde might also recognize the uniform she's wearing; it's the same one that Julius uses in lieu of the Audentes uniform. ]

Could I ask if he's a human, or one of another race?

[ Being heartless is probably something she means in the literal term, but Reika isn't quite understanding how Graham would be alive if he didn't have such an important organ. ]

[grunehexe]

[that looks familiar........]

He is a human.

[p66]

[ A human without a heart? ]

Then... what did you mean by him being heartless?

[grunehexe]

I meant in both the physical and metaphorical sense.

Graham does not possess the organ within his body, though the enchantment keeps him physically alive. This loss has also rendered him somewhat emotionally stunted, however.

[p66]

[ That's... completely out of her field, unfortunately. God Eaters like her have regenerative capabilities, but the last thing she wants to do is to turn someone into an Aragami. ]

I see... I don't have any immediate solutions to offer, but I would like to help nevertheless. [ Sieglinde might also notice that her English has a Japanese accent to it. ] Is the reduced emotional capability a side effect of not having a heart, or of the enchantment?

[grunehexe]

I am led to believe it is due to the heart.

[Complicated though that issue is...]

If you are alright with menial tasks, there could be some use for your services?

[p66]

[ Well, she still has her own obligations, but it can't hurt. ]

I can give time. My skills lie mostly in the realm of fighting, though I understand that's not quite required right now. [ Pause. ] Forgive me if I have the wrong person, but - might you be the person teaching Julius about herbs and medicines?

[grunehexe]

To be honest, what I require is expertise, but your sentiment is appreciated.

[Well, that explains her uniform deja vu]

That is I, yes. I assume you are... his comrade?

[p66]

Yes. We served under the same unit back home.

[ It's unusual for a small child to be so knowledgeable. She reminds her just a little of Rachel, but that's something best left unsaid. ]

Thank you for teaching him. He's quite passionate about greenery.

[grunehexe]

I see- he must be glad to have a comrade here.

[In reality, she's a bit jealous, even though she knows she shouldn't be.]

That passion is what makes him an admirable student.

[p66]

[ It hasn't been easy catching up with someone who had been put a year forward in time. That being said, she wouldn't even think of going home now that he's here and needs her help. ]

Would you consider letting me sit in when you teach him?

[grunehexe]

Of course- I have no problem taking on other students, no matter the subject.

[p66]

That's lovely. I'll come along with him, then.

[ Sieglinde is an interesting person, too. She could possibly be befriended. ]

[grunehexe]

I shall look forward to that meeting, then.

[She always had preferred meeting in person to these networks, as useful as they were.]

[p66]

Till then. Thank you, again.

[ There just wasn't that true measure of sincerity, was it? ]

VIDEO | un: huntsman

[dishearten]

I was told that without it, it was impossible to truly feel. I suppose the disconnect is what leaves me unfeeling. Many people consider the heart to be more than just an organ, and while that idea is rather whimsical, in my world it is quite true.

( he doesn't recognize the girl that's speaking, but at this point his condition is far from a secret. he'll talk to whoever might be able to help. )

[p66]

Good afternoon. [ She gives Graham a nod, as per courtesy. ] I come from a world where magic doesn't exist, so I'm afraid I don't have much prior knowledge to offer.

However... could I ask if you were born with a heart and had it removed, or never had one in the first place?

[dishearten]

( he doesn't offer a word in greeting, though he does incline his head in return. )

I understand. The world I was in before this one was not meant to have magic — I remember well what it was like.

I had one, yes. When I was young it was taken.

[p66]

[ There's a long pause before she considers offering what she knows - it certainly is a workable solution if it just affected regenerating the heart, but the similar process had created a person who had almost ruined her world.

And yet... maybe, with the technology here, it could work. ]

In my world, there is a certain type of technology that can vastly increase the regenerative capability of humans. It rescued a person from brain death before, but... it's exceedingly dangerous. The serum used could implant certain destructive thoughts into the person... It was considered too risky to be used outside of top-secret projects before, but if there is someone here who can remove that impulse from the process, then it could possibly restore your heart.

[ Two people received it that she knew of. One became a monster, the other did not. ]

[dishearten]

My body would grow itself another heart?

( quite an unbelievable suggestion, and yet he doesn't doubt it somehow. organs could grow back, some animals could restore entire limbs. the idea of it being put to humans is past the science of the Maine he'd left behind, yet believable at the very least. )

Was this technology from your world? ( he's not sure they'll have access to such things here, but it's a thought. ) it seems a risk, but it would be foolish to not consider.

[p66]

Yes, it's a possibility. I'm not the most expert on this technology, but I'll give what I know. It was developed and given to soldiers. I receive a version of it myself.

[ Unbelieveable, yes, but it all falls into place once one considers the reason it was developed. ]

Decades ago in my world, a scourge of beasts named Aragami appeared out of the blue. They are incredibly powerful and could destroy almost everything they touch, thus we had to develop a technology to combat them. This involved taking a type of substance that was native to them and giving it to humans. [ She isn't sure how much science Graham knows, so best to paraphrase it for now. ] It allows us humans to have more of a level playing ground against them, since they are much stronger and faster than a normal human. The more of this substance a human receives, the stronger they become; but at the risk of losing one's mind. Several control systems were developed to keep the chance it happening at bay, but at the same time it also limits how strong our regenerative powers are.

The main issue with giving someone the serum is that it also carries the will of the Aragami within it. The doses that us God Eaters receives are too low to have any effect on our minds, but there were instances of it being used to save lives. Not all of them come out with their mind intact. If we can cross that hurdle, then it could restore your heart.

[dishearten]

( it's certainly true that he's not a scientific mind. he knows the basics, but they're curse implanted. superficial at best. science was always Whale's territory, Graham has never had a particular interest. at least he knows enough to follow along. )

You have some of this serum here with you?

It's quite a proposition. I don't know if it's possible to alter it, as you say. I could consider it if it was, but it does seem to involve a great deal of risk.

( is it worth it to have a heart if his mind would be gone? )

[p66]

[ It has its risks. She would have thought it impossible to remove the bias factor's malevolent influence, but not anymore. ]

I do. I need constant doses of it to preserve my augmented strength.

[ Her voice is serious, with conviction. Even if he deigned not to go with this path, there's much that can still be done about her own situation. ]

The will of the beasts is carried by the serum. In my world, a place with no magic, it was considered impossible to separate this will from the serum itself. Might you know someone who can divine the soul of an object, or something similar?

[dishearten]

And that strength is worth the risk?

( that could sound judgmental, coming from anyone else. Graham lacks the inflection, he only sounds curious. )

I don't, though that doesn't mean such a person does not exist. I can look into it.

[p66]

[ As long as the inflection isn't there, there won't be any offense taken. ]

We had no choice. It was either adapt or die. I'm a soldier, so fighting is my only skill of note. I don't want to lose that edge, it would be useful even here.

[ Truly, a bleak situation. But even then, despite the risks, it was the bonds between people that overcame what danger it posed. ]

I'll look into it on my end as well. The tech here is a lot more advanced than my homeworld. They could yield more insights to what I use.