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Post by opius on Jul 2, 2024 14:48:35 GMT -5
Alastair's face flushed. For his part... there were no witty one liners or rapier's wit.
He was truly and honestly caught off guard with that one.
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Post by CautionCat on Jul 2, 2024 15:01:28 GMT -5
Konane just blinked a few times. The irony... the name... she glanced to Alastair, then back to Alain.
"You two really need to talk. You are trying to be a better man, to make up for lost time, and now you... just drop this? Casually? Awkwardly. I would go further, but I think that is enough. It is not fair for Alastair to... be surprised all the time with this information. You-" and she would point at Alain, brows furrowed.
"You need to stop acting like Kokinyu and just be up front with everything. We are to you, after all."
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Post by Ancelas on Jul 2, 2024 15:11:13 GMT -5
Alain opened his mouth, closed it, open it again. "I... I have been up front. Er... in this conversation, at least. I wasn't... what did I do?"
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Post by opius on Jul 2, 2024 16:18:42 GMT -5
Alastair just shook his head, "...No, no. It's fine, Konane. I think we asked for this." He puffed his cheeks and scratched behind his head. "It's... not a tremendous change. It's still an orphan name, just, yknow, maybe not a bastard one." He shook his head and glanced back at Alain.
"Identity crises aside- I'll deal with that later- I'm thankful to know, y'know, my past. Lineage, name and all that. I'm just- you go your whole life thinking you've got no name or title and suddenly there's something there. It's not much- and it shouldn't matter! I'm just- I just wasn't expecting it is all." Rolling his shoulders he returned to his work.
"S...so... A non zero chance that there's other beings out there that are like Kokinyu and the Forsaken. But like the Forsaken and Kokinyu if they're around, they're laying low. I suppose it's neither here nor there." He glanced up. "Your uh, party. They're... They were all pretty different. What exactly brought you all together? And how'd that lead to the entanglement with the Ghostbloods in the first place?"
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Post by CautionCat on Jul 2, 2024 16:23:57 GMT -5
Konane was maybe a little too defensive, but of all the places to finally be open... She sighed, nodding, and going back to helping.
She supposed it wasn't all bad. Alain was getting better... He needed to work on timing.
"Yes, I am curious about these folks you traveled with as well."
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Post by Ancelas on Jul 3, 2024 20:38:55 GMT -5
Alain looked between them, still uncertain, but when he focused on Alastair, his own long-forgotten resentments started creeping forth. Frowning, he stood and stepped over to Alastair, his brow furrowed, and raised a hand to set it on the young man's shoulder.
"It is important," he said softly, "and I'm sorry I let you go so long thinking that you didn't have a family name of your own. Regardless of intention, it is... difficult... to not have that connection to your past. I didn't, and I should have known better than to do the same to you. I'm sorry.
"Lily convinced me to take pride in my family name, common though it may be. It has been an omen for much of my life, but you have had your own life, your own name, to define. You were born a Kokinyu, but raised a Fields... but as with so much in our lives, you can choose to accept, reject, or create whatever name you choose, and invest it with the meaning you desire."
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Post by opius on Jul 3, 2024 21:06:31 GMT -5
Somewhat- very flummoxed actually- Alastair stared back and tried to give the words their proper pause and weight.
But the surreal nature of these drops had him feeling overwhelmed, uncomfortable in his own skin even. He averted his gaze and moved to place his hand on Alain's, not quite -pushing- him away. Not quite.
"I get it- I get it. It's... Something that's been on my mind for a long time. And the things you're apologizing for- they're the reason why I've been angry for a long time." He shook his head.
"I hope you understand that i need a little time to make sense of it. It's a lot. I'm interested, truly, but it's..." He sighed and looked back to Alain.
"This isn't how I thought this conversation would go, you know? I had this whole angry tirade I was going to go on about. Now it's... I don't know, it's not the least of my concerns, but it's definitely..." Another sigh. "Stuff I need time to figure out."
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Post by CautionCat on Jul 3, 2024 21:40:52 GMT -5
"Mmmn..." Konane looked between the two, and gently shook her head.
"Should I leave you two be? There seems to be a heart to heart, and I do not want to be an intruder to that."
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Post by Ancelas on Jul 5, 2024 8:28:26 GMT -5
"You are right to be mad at me," Alain admitted, "and if you wish to vent those feelings, I will hear them. I know you are in the midst of your work here, though, and... perhaps I have distracted you enough for now."
Alain glanced at Konane and flashed a smile. "I'm not sure if an active forge is the place for such discussions, and I think I am a distraction unto myself."
Looking back to Alastair, he inclined his head slightly. "I yield to Alastair's desire, though."
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Post by opius on Jul 5, 2024 8:43:28 GMT -5
Alastair glanced between the two of them for a long few moments, considering. He finally resigned to sigh and shake his head.
"...I can yell and rant and have my catharsis later. After tomorrow, after Kilamo or whatever. You can... Stick around, Alain. You still haven't told me about the others, and that Ramah guy sounds interesting." He turned back to his work.
"Besides, Ironfoot's forge was full of people my age. I'm -used- to background chatter. It helps me think."
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