ellipsanet | ( video | un: revanche )

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( video | un: revanche )

[ there is a man with very pale hair and red eyes, addressing the network stiffly. ]

Greetings. I am a new arrival to this world. I will assist to the best of my ability.

However, I must ask . . . is it true that we must be . . . touching? What does that mean? What level of touch is acceptable?

Are there tiers of touch? Surely, someone must have worked out a system.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Alcryst understands that his father loved him and was proud of him, no matter what Alcryst thought of himself. If his father was someone like Sombron... he would have turned out to be a different person, if he survived in the first place.]

I see. ...I'm sorry.

What are you sorry for? Didn't you hear what I said before?

No, I heard you, and I won't excuse your actions. But I also know how Sombron treats his children.

My father has nothing to do with my actions.

If I had your father, I would be a very different person. [Probably a dead person, for one thing, but even if he survived he wouldn't have turned out this way.]

[ rafal's expression tightens for a moment. ]

I am my own person. I am not like Veyle and Alear. No one, not even Sombron made me do anything.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that...

[And he is definitely not the right person to talk about how upbringing affects people even if they're not literally forced? Especially not to Rafal, who could definitely kick his ass.]

Then what did you mean to imply?

Because I will not brook any softness towards my actions. I know what I did.

I - that is, um - I think-

[Can he just run. He would like to just run away now if there's any avenue of escape.]

Spit it out. What was it?

I just think that people are impacted by the environment they grow up in and I would probably be a much worse person if I was in your situation not that it takes away any of your agency but it's hard not to be at least a little sympathetic!!

[in one breath.]

[ hm. rafal seems to relax a little. ]

I suppose there is that. Many of my siblings died in such a place. Alone, unwanted. Killing each other or being killed. It made no difference.

It doesn't excuse what you did later. But you didn't deserve to grow up like that. No one would.

No one deserves anything. We make do with what we get.

Is it wrong to sympathize with people who've had to make do with difficult things?

No.

But I want nothing to do with it. I don't want anyone's kindness or pity or sorrow.

Every time I say that, I'm reminded that it isn't my decision to make.

Who else would it be?

I recognize that people may wish to uphold you. Perhaps soothe your anxieties. That is not a bad thing.

But at the end of the day, only you can see to yourself.

...Has telling other people how they should feel about you worked?

[Because if it did, please let him know what he's doing wrong.]

To some degree, but I am more intimidating than you.

Feelings like yours are more complicated than "self-esteem", I imagine, but rarely will people see it that way. You are a prince of a kingdom. There is more on your shoulders than people realize.

I don't think I can become intimidating even if I try... So people will probably just continue to tell me I shouldn't talk about myself the way I do.

[Which sucks, but there's nothing he can really do about it.]