And while she drives Lianne will do a search for mentions of active dunjes - there's apps where you can pin if you think there's an open entrance, and then mark if you got the dunj. This city doesn't have too many, and the smaller dunjes are usually handled fast, but she's able to find one a short drive out that seems to have been found by a hiker.

Remote's nice. (Remote means if they completely fuck up somehow, they're not too likely to endanger other people.)

That's always a benefit, yeah.

Lianne explains some of their own abilities as a sword - with Marian they'd mostly done enhancement, a sort of thing that made wielding like using your own body. They're uncertain if that's their usual thing, though.

Usual for them-as-a-sword, or swords-in-general?

Her stuff seems fairly lightning specific so far, but that could just be the random chance of what she's worked out so far.

The syncing thing doesn't feel very inherently their personality? And for them as a sword.

Some weapons get very consistent themes across wielders, some don't - it seems like powers are kind of a compromise between some element of personality or fit.

"So the syncing could have been as much Marian as you?"

"Possibly. Or just a weird intersection of us both..."

"Sounds complicated."

"The whole field is. Marian was... Pretty enthused about it, I think I managed to get some of the geekery and a lot of the facts."

"Could be useful. ...depending on how much of those facts are 'academic-y' and how much are practical."

"Mostly academic, but I'm good at practicals."

"That's good to hear."

"Mhm. Do you want to practice together a bit before the dunj?"

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Probably a good idea."

"Might at least help us get used to each other."

Are they almost at the site?

Pretty close. They've just driven into the entrance to the National Park the dunj is in.

"Have any ideas for plans? I think trying to wield each other might be a good idea..."

"Sounds reasonable."

She pulls over into a deserted gravel parking lot.

They'll get out once the car comes to a stop. "Here look good for the basics?"

"It's flat, it's empty. Seems good."

"Right. You in the mood to play weapon or wielder first?"

"I'll admit I've been a sword more often than I've held one, so maybe weapon?"

"That works for me."

And, hopefully with a modicum of grace--

--sword.