voice; un: homeros

[leitstern]

Hmph! Titles here are worthless. Futile, trivial words scrawled on parchment. Merely thinking of them insults me.

[Granted, he needs little provocation to feel insulted.]

Why do you regard their distinction as an accolade worthy of merit?

It has been most instructive as to the nature of your kind that you salivate like mongrels and chase subordination and not independence.

[There is an embittered sigh.]

Do you not entertain any notion of loyalty to your native land? Your eager willingness to chase glory is abominable. Hm. It is useless. You should close your mouths and remember where you come from.

Comments

[leitstern]

How absurd. Do you not think I stew over public matters like any other man?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah but...stewing isn't really good, is it?

If anything, I'm kinda glad to see you venting.

[leitstern]

Hmph! I am merely stating my opinion.

Pouring out feelings barely factors into it.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

So...if that's the case, how do you feel about people who want to live here instead of going back to their worlds?

[leitstern]

I will give my honest opinion that any such man is a fool.

[Well, that's certainly... blunt.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

What about people who have a second chance at a life here?

People who died?

[leitstern]

Oh, they are the greatest fools of all.

[There is a tense silence. What a question.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

But...why?

They have a second chance. It's like a do-over. They can right whatever wrongs they might have made. It's practically a gift.

[leitstern]

Ha! Really? Then those fools can right the wrongs of accepting those ridiculous adventures for a start!

[It's the taskboard. THAT'S HIS ANSWER AND HE'S STICKING TO IT.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

The quests and having a second chance at life have nothing to do with one another and you know it.

You're deflecting.

[leitstern]

[A second chance at life? That sounds as meaningless as living for the future.]

One cannot deflect is there is nothing to protect, friend.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Then why is a second chance so foolish? Don't get me wrong, loyalty to country or to...anything larger than oneself is commendable but...

What's wrong with a chance for a do-over? To do things better or properly the second time around?

[leitstern]

Life never grants you a second chance. Why pretend otherwise?

[That is his opinion on the matter.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Because we're here? Both of us? Talking?

This isn't some elaborate dream or a hoax, man. So why not take the opportunity?

[leitstern]

People vanish from this kingdom as fast as they arrive. One cannot rebuild a relationship on uncertainty. What would be the point?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

You're right.

And back in our worlds we could go to bed every night not knowing if we'd wake up the next morning. That's literally how life works.

Are you telling me you spent your life in your world waxing poetic about the futility of life there too?

[leitstern]

Really, now. Do I strike you as a man who complains without taking action, Darin?

[His voice is tired. As for what those actions were, well...]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

No, you don't. Which is why I'm surprised to find you talking like this.

You've clearly got enough conviction to speak about loyalties, so why the defeatist attitude when it comes to second chances?

[leitstern]

Good grief, man. I hardly think you can demand to hear details when we are casual acquaintances. I hope you have an explanation for your curiosity.

Why does this problem interest you, even?

[ Don't dare to call him a friend! :| ]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

You know, for someone who keeps calling us 'casual acquaintances' you seem to have little trouble debating with me.

Haven't you heard that some of the strongest friendships are forged in the fires of differing opinions and ideologies?

Come on, you clearly need someone to talk to. Even I can see that.

[leitstern]

You mistake me as a man who needs a shoulder to cry on. Not only that, you are too eager to offer your shoulder to burden other people's problems.

I cannot... What would we even talk about?

[Do they even have anything in common?]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

No, I think you're a person who's too proud to admit that maybe there's more out there other than what he's decided to allot for himself.

And what's wrong with wanting to help people?

How about the state of affairs here in Camelot? You clearly have opinions on the way things are going. Why don't we put our heads together and see if something can actually be done about it?

Maybe you don't need a shoulder to cry on. Maybe you just need someone to work alongside you.

[leitstern]

[There are points well made. Then there are those entirely wrong. Jasper decides to admit neither and acknowledge nothing - but there are niggling thoughts he cannot shake loose. The thought of connecting with someone enough they want to help. The idea he might find himself able to smile. It is enough to make him rankle and he finds himself disgusted.

One friend is enough. He is hardly greedy for more.

Maybe he still struggles to connect, after all.]

You are a frustratingly curious rodent. You do realise that?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

A 'rodent' huh? Now someone's suddenly got a lofty opinion of themselves! Which tells me I struck a nerve.

Sorry, Jasper~! But if you think name-calling is all it takes to shut me down and send me packing, then you're in for a pretty jarring lesson. There's nothing you could call me that's worse than all the other horrible things I've been called by people who knew me even less than you do!

[leitstern]

Well, if a threat like that is all you can utter I am certainly going to not uncover more about you. We are too different for to be friends, Darin. We hardly share anything in common, let alone see eye to eye.

I hardly understand why you even bother.