text; anon

[unknowntodeath]

[Archer is well aware that some people will definitely recognize who this is, but he would still rather stay behind the mask of anonymity with this particular subject.

He's been thinking about his name. What people should call him. What his real name is now.]

Hypothetically, if you had thrown away your name for any reason and picked up a new one, would you still consider your previous one yours?

Especially if you lost your reason to hide behind the other name and don't need to hide who you are anymore.

Would you return to your previous name?

Comments

voice; un: rokumon

[garyoutensei]

[ There's the sound of a match being struck, and the slow puffs of someone preparing to smoke a pipe, before she speaks. ]

I dunno where it comes from, but there's this saying that goes like "what's in a name?" where this girl in this play goes on about how her feelings about this guy wouldn't change, and the name even seems to get in the way.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

Suggesting a name doesn't hold any real meaning; that it's just a name?

[menphina]

[ This is anon so she doesn't mind answering. She doesn't like talking about her tribal name openly. ]

Most tales I read talk about discarding names like discarding their very person. My name is still a part of me.

I wouldn't go back to it... only because I've not used it in so very long except to conceal my presence.

But... I wasn't a different person when I had it. So perhaps- I could allow it to exist again as mine, at least between those I am close to.

Is that a good enough response?

[unknowntodeath]

It is.

The me who the name belonged to disappeared a long time ago. Yet, a part of him will most likely be with me forever.

Then there is also the possibility of the past version of me arriving to this place once again. Having two with the same name sounds confusing.

text | un: gawainknightoftheroundtable

[loyalbreed]

A person who hides behind names and cannot own up to the titles or namesake. The entire burdens of it, is someone I could not find myself talking to frankly.

Wear your names with pride, even if it is full of grievances that you wish you could live without.

Who it is you are now is what matters, stand tall friend. You are among good people within this Avalon.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

[The funny thing is, you already are speaking to someone like that, Gawain.]

The problem here is that I'm not sure if I can call it my true name anymore. The one who the name belonged to and the me now are very different.

Then again, I'm not sure if I would be ready to give myself a new name either.

text | un: octavinelle

[dottedline]

If this is a matter of legality, that's incredibly complicated and probably differs world-to-world.

If it's a matter of preference, I don't think you can really get an opinion on that.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

I don't think legal issues come in play with this mess.

I was mostly looking at my options, seeing if more would arise with others replying. I know that in the end it's mostly my own decision.

text; anonymous

[theleadingman]

The reason to conceal a given identity may be gone, but I'm no longer who I was when I cast the old name aside. It represents a person who no longer exists.

Let history lie. You have the opportunity to choose who you are moving forward. Why choose to go back?

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

That's what I've been thinking for the longest time. Yet I know a part of my past self still exists in me so it's not as easy as it should be to just permanently cast aside.

Also anon text.

[souls_of_roles]

[Oh look, Kyoko has recalled she has a phone. Happens every once in a while.]


"I threw away my past. Or tried to. Everything that reminded me of that past nearly destroyed me. But I became someone new." [Many someones, in fact.]

"And I learned along the way that" [she wrote several things and erased them before settling on] "every step I took was leading me to where I wound up. That all the good things in my life were rooted in the bad. There might even come a day I could be grateful to those who hurt me, to the one I hate. Because if not for him I'd never have taken the steps I took to get to where I am. Or where I was at home, anyway." [She wrote a long thing about Faeries, came to, deleted it, and moved on.]

"I am coming to accept my past. I was told that everything we experience can help us, that we can learn from even the worst pain and use it to grow. I don't know if I'll ever be all that good at it," [she texted, sheepishly] "But if I had never reinvented myself, I don't think I ever would have been able to look back at my past with anything other than bitterness and hate. Not sure if that helps."

[unknowntodeath]

So you're no longer the person you used to be, but still keep the past in mind as a reminder of how far you have come. That makes sense.

text; un: crimsonflame

[crimsongirl]

[Fortunately, Homura couldn't tell it was him; didn't have nearly enough info on Archer to figure him out beyond his role in the war. Regardless, the post has her interest.]

In my world, most shinobi went under two names. One for regular people, the other being our shinobi name for the job. Over time though, that second name became our only identity. I don't even remember what my old name was. Given who I was before...No, I wouldn't return to it.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

In a sense, I suppose that happened for me as well. I received a new name when I became someone new and the name stayed while the other faded into the background and stayed there.

I suppose without the certain events in life I wouldn't even consider my old name.

[Though had he not been summoned by Rin into the War, he wouldn't even be "Archer". He'd just be some nameless counter guardian.]

@rose_of_gloucester

[silky_bearing]

[The master of jumping to conclusions is here to assume he knows who this is.]

Personally, I should think being able to take up the name you "threw away" would be freeing. Maybe worrisome at first, of course, strange to grow accustomed to but allowing the people around you to learn who you really are perhaps would also let you get closer to them. If you're even considering it then I'm guessing you don't want to continue keeping people at a distance...

Who knows, maybe they'll even surprise you.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

The people who are close to me and who I want to keep close know who I truly am. To others the name wouldn't tell them anything.

It's really got nothing to do with keeping my distance.

text | un: G★pa

[saxum]

This is quite the circumstantial question. An answer would be dependent on the purpose of why one sought to hide that which they did not wish to be.

I am sure you wish for specific examples, yes?

Hypothetically, then. One would be unable to return to a name they formerly held if that individual were no longer intended to exist.

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

Well, let's say it's a case of changing a past mistake. Going back to a time where you once existed to right what was wrong and change the course of the future. A version of you exists there already so you have to assume a new name.

Mission was abandoned and now you could become you again, but you're no longer the person you were before.


[If people who know him didn't know who this was before, they sure do now.]

Text; anon

[corpsewarblade]

I'm working as an undercover operative so using a different name is part of my work. If my mission was no longer relevant, I'd probably go back to using my real name.

...Sorry, that probably isn't what you're asking though, is it? For starters the name isn't 'new', it belongs to an actual person. It isn't mine.

I guess I can trick myself into thinking it is mine when I'm on duty. Something I need to work on.

🔪

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

That's a bit different from what I'm experiencing, but still rather useful insight. The name I am thinking about still exists with a past version of myself and the name I have now is used for many others as well.

You still work undercover even in this place?

video; un: RiverofHeaven

[kokuryuu]

[Souma is just staring at the screen, SO confused. He scratches his head, which is a mop of thick tousled black hair.]

The... what now?

perma anon text

[unknowntodeath]

Your name. The thing you call yourself. You can change it.

Text : Un; Caster

[colchismagecraft]

[Hey Archer, guess who wants to resume stabbing you- just with words this time rather than Rule Breaker.

...Not that she'd admit it, but her name and how it tied to her identity was something she'd been wrestling with as well- Should she just go back to calling herself 'Medea', now that the war was over?

Archer didn't have to know that, though.]

i hope you didnt think you were being subtle

emiya

anon still

[unknowntodeath]

I'm afraid you have the wrong person.

[Worth a try, right.]

text | un: damselfish

[notcethleann]

[Ah! What an incredibly relevant topic to Flayn's life. She sees no reason to go anonymous here, as anyone to whom her story would mean anything already knows about it.]

I am quite taken aback by how accurately you have described my own situation, Anonymous Person! This has all in fact happened to me as well.

I do still consider Cethleann my name, but I do not wish to use it anymore in everyday interactions, as I am attempting to move past that portion of my life and start anew. I have made many friends using my new name and wish for them to continue to see me the way I am.

If I may ask, what is the reason that you chose a new name?