lifenet | Farspeech stones

What is your knowledge of souls?

(They have a goal which this does not further, but this topic is important to them: the question of whether the Geth have a soul has been at the core of their struggle to be considered worthy of continued existence.)

My kind can see the souls of humans - only humans, in my world, but since I left it I have seen the souls of other species as well. I am no scientist, but I suppose they must be composed of similar substances to those of humans.

[It makes sense enough to him, at any rate. He's yet to meet another species whose bodies are made of magic like a monster. Of course other more physical species would have more powerful souls.]

There have been others I cannot perceive so clearly. But that is natural as well. Monster souls are only visible under very rare circumstances.

Are you able to perceive ours?

(It's an important question to them: the Quarian Creator's belief that Geth did not have souls was likely a large part of the motivation to destroy them.

It is why organics do not see the enslavement and destruction of synthetics as a crime.)

It is not visible like a human soul, but I can sense it to some degree. Perhaps it is a little more similar to mine? Though perhaps not, if you cannot use magic.

[You'd really have to ask Alphys. Asgore knows the old traditional soul-lore, the kinds of things taught back when monsters and humans still shared the Surface, but discoveries like determination are far more modern.

Legion's soul is quite different from anything he's encountered before. But that makes sense. He's never met another of their species, after all.]

I am not sure what would happen if I attempted to make it manifest.

We are not aware of the existence of magic in our universe of origin.

(They wonder what having a different kind of soul means. Would organics determine them to be lesser for it?)

Likeliness of harm coming to you or this platform if you tried?

I do not think that is likely....

[But he considers for another moment. This is entirely unfamiliar ground, so he supposes it's not impossible either.]

With humans, it is done by initiating a battle, but that does not mean anyone actually has to fight afterwards. Such encounters can be ended peacefully, if both parties agree. And since monster souls are less powerful, they simply do not manifest.

I never did have the opportunity to attempt it with anyone of another race, though.

We would like to try.

(It's important to them, to have concrete proof such as this.

To show that their destroyers were wrong about the Geth.)

Very well. We shall have to meet in person - I can come over to your islet, if you like.

[He will, after all, be the one to initiate the FIGHT. It's only polite to go to them.]

Affirmative.

(They'll be waiting outside their house.)

Very well.

[And he'll be along in a little bit! He lifts a hand to wave when he sees them.]

Howdy! Would you like to do this here, or inside? Since we will not truly be fighting, it does not matter much.

(They wave back.)

The temperature inside our residence is higher than desired parameters.

(They can deal with it just fine but they'd prefer to stay outside.)

Edited 2019-02-17 05:26 (UTC)

Very well.

[He stops a few paces away, unconsciously squaring up a little despite this not being a real battle.]

Now, I have been told that humans find this feeling a little odd, but it should not hurt at all. If you find it unpleasant, please let me know, and I will stop.

[Maybe he's being a little overcautious, but the unknown factors in this are making him nervous. Gosh, the known factors are making him nervous. The only fights he's been in recently were...not good ones.

But Legion wants to do this. So let's do it. Asgore doesn't do anything visible at all, but the battle begins.]

Acknowledged.

(What manifests is ... well, it's certainly something?

Legion is not one person, but a singular Geth isn't conscious. Legion is neither a singular soul nor a bunch of souls but more like a bunch of tiny pieces coordinating together together to create a singular perfect shape.

Like all Geth, they are communal to the core.)

[Asgore, for his part, manifests nothing at all. But he mentioned already that monster souls didn't do that.]

Oh, goodness. There it is.

[That's interesting! He's not quite sure what to make of it, but then, Asgore doesn't really consider it his place to make much of other peoples' souls to begin with.]

(They don't respond. If possible, however, they will approach, and stare.

The Geth wished to know if they had a soul. Their Creators believed the answer was no, and murdered them for this question.

Now, they can see it.)

[The soul seems to move a little along with them, but it can probably respond to their desire to get closer to it and allow that!

Asgore stays where he is. It's a little rude, in his mind, to approach somebody else's soul. It's still his turn - normally he wouldn't take the first one in a FIGHT, but he wanted to be able to end it quickly if needed. He can hold here for as long as Legion needs.]

When the Geth asked our Creators if we had souls, they murdered us.

(They continue to stare.)

Edited 2019-03-06 00:44 (UTC)

...oh.

[Asgore's eyes go wide, and his claws clasp together almost unconsciously. There's a lot of questions that spring to mind at that revelation, but none of them seem appropriate.]

I'm sorry.

Acknowledged.

(After a few more moments, they lose interest in staring at their soul.)

[Asgore isn't quite sure what else to say. This is the first he's realized of how meaningful this must be for Legion - he'd thought it was mostly just curiosity, like so many people have when he mentions souls.

He wishes he could offer them some tea or something, but he suspects they don't consume liquids.]

Is there anything I can do?