It’s different for each of us. We were all summoned at different times, for one thing. Missions can take years, depending on what we need to do. I don’t know about the others here, but my last mission took about five years or so, and that puts me at about... six or seven years fighting the History Revisionists?
[ he shrugs ]
Most of the time, we aren’t supposed to associate with humans. We do our job from a distance, so we don’t affect history.
You're timetravelers. [NOBODY HAS EVER FLAT-OUT SAID WHAT THESE SWORDS DO.] You go back in your timelines and fix things that are threatening it. Is that it?
That's right. The History Revisionists try to change key events in history for their own purposes. Our job is to stop them, and protect history from changing as much as possible.
[ kanesan’s expression turns grave at this question, and he turns away for just a second before looking back at junpei. ]
That’s not our choice to make. History happened the way it did for a reason, and even if it’s difficult, we have to protect it. There’s no telling what will happen if something changes. Taking that decision into our own hands...
[ he shakes his head. ]
That would make us no better than the Revisionists.
[ his voice is quiet, like he hates to admit it, but... ]
I can't say that it's never happened before. There have been plenty of times where our teammates have decided fallen to the temptation and tried to stop us from carrying out history as it should be. But we are swords, and we will do our jobs, whatever it takes.
I think I understand. Sometimes you have to do what you think is best for the outcome you want. I get the feeling it'll be like that here, too, whether we want it to be or not.
You saw what happened with Polly. We had to pick one of our own to sacrifice because she changed everything and killed people. If the rules are true...this probably won't be the last time.
We're not the first ones to be here and go through this, but we don't have answers about what happened to that group. Some might think this is fake, but...I've never felt that. It's almost a little too real, even before demons came into the picture.
A time loop would make sense though. Something to fix before we can break out of it.
The question, then, is what it is that we’re meant to fix to escape. From the sound of it, we have to trust each other, but all the same… that can’t be all it is, right? There must be something that triggers the time loop.
I dunno. [And that's what bothers him, too.] If there's something someone among us is doing to make sure the loop continues that's one thing, but...how do you pinpoint that and find the person responsible? If this is a game of trust, something like that ensures we won't always trust each other.
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[ he shrugs ]
Most of the time, we aren’t supposed to associate with humans. We do our job from a distance, so we don’t affect history.
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You're timetravelers. [NOBODY HAS EVER FLAT-OUT SAID WHAT THESE SWORDS DO.] You go back in your timelines and fix things that are threatening it. Is that it?
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What about if the history you're preventing from change would be better with a change? Has that ever happened?
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That’s not our choice to make. History happened the way it did for a reason, and even if it’s difficult, we have to protect it. There’s no telling what will happen if something changes. Taking that decision into our own hands...
[ he shakes his head. ]
That would make us no better than the Revisionists.
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Then you must really be good at your jobs. That's a pretty tempting thing to deal with.
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I can't say that it's never happened before. There have been plenty of times where our teammates have decided fallen to the temptation and tried to stop us from carrying out history as it should be. But we are swords, and we will do our jobs, whatever it takes.
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It’s not like any of us want to see our old masters die, but... Yes, that’s about right.
...What is it you think we'll have to do, exactly?
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[ and then demonic possession happens and complicates things. cool! ]
The rules, the broadcasts… What do you think of them? It’s like it’s happened before, like some kind of time loop.
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A time loop would make sense though. Something to fix before we can break out of it.
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[ HE UH
REALLY DOESN'T LIKE THAT ]
Then we have to find a way to trust one another despite that. It won't be easy, but I believe it's something we can do regardless.
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...I'll see what I can learn about others and report back if anything seems out of line.