Midare shakes his head, unable - or perhaps just unwilling - to accept the truth of Mitsutada's words. Willful ignorance isn't an attractive trait, and he knows that, but this is his friend and comrade. They've fought together for too long for him to be able to take him at his word and leave him to end things on his own.
"I don't believe that." His voice is a little strained and brittle. "Even if that form isn't your first, you're still you."
He reaches over to put a hand on Mitsutada's vessel. "You remember all the things you experienced then, right? The first time around..." Shattered or no, he's still carrying everything from that time with him. (He doesn't allow his thoughts to dwell on what "you still remember everything so you're alive" might mean for Namazuo and Honebami; that's a different case, and right now, he's just trying to convince Mitsutada.) "You have all of those old experiences and you're still making new ones, so you're still alive!"
He doesn't think he can kill him, either; in fact, he knows he can't. If this comes to a fight he'll be shattered. But this is Mitsutada, who he knows doesn't want to hurt him. If he can just - delay things - long enough for the saniwa to find that trail of blood and make his way out here... If he can keep Mitsutada from giving in...
"You're strong, aren't you? You can fight back against whatever's doing all this. If you're injured, we can take you back to the forge for repairs and the master can do something about it...! Don't tell me to go and don't say you'll end things, that isn't way this has to be!"
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"I don't believe that." His voice is a little strained and brittle. "Even if that form isn't your first, you're still you."
He reaches over to put a hand on Mitsutada's vessel. "You remember all the things you experienced then, right? The first time around..." Shattered or no, he's still carrying everything from that time with him. (He doesn't allow his thoughts to dwell on what "you still remember everything so you're alive" might mean for Namazuo and Honebami; that's a different case, and right now, he's just trying to convince Mitsutada.) "You have all of those old experiences and you're still making new ones, so you're still alive!"
He doesn't think he can kill him, either; in fact, he knows he can't. If this comes to a fight he'll be shattered. But this is Mitsutada, who he knows doesn't want to hurt him. If he can just - delay things - long enough for the saniwa to find that trail of blood and make his way out here... If he can keep Mitsutada from giving in...
"You're strong, aren't you? You can fight back against whatever's doing all this. If you're injured, we can take you back to the forge for repairs and the master can do something about it...! Don't tell me to go and don't say you'll end things, that isn't way this has to be!"