[ Toge is listening, he was listening at the meeting too, it was just difficult. It's hard to believe they care about his well-being. Almost no one cares about it, they barely know him. Why?
He decides to just ask outright. ]
Why? [ He signs, brow furrowed. He's not sure what he's done to receive such a charitable outlook from others. ]
I'm not sure what your story is, and I don't need to know that information. Most people with half a brain will care about people, even complete strangers, simply because it's the right thing to do. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone here who disagrees with the notion of caring simply because they should.
[And then, more candidly, although Gnosis is not normally the type—]
I've seen how you stick your neck out there for others. I don't have to know you personally to know that you're someone who deserves the kindness you show to others.
[Take it from someone who was never shown that in his entire life.]
[ Toge is too soft-hearted for his own good. He always has been, even though he probably shouldn't be. Kind to people he shouldn't be. However his eyebrows raise a little bit. ]
Not me. [ Toge answers, sighs a little bit and gets out his phone for the ease of it. ]
I was born like this, I will die like this and everyone's afraid of me. Smart to be. I get it. But nearly everyone I've ever met wishes I was dead.
[Gnosis takes a long, contemplative look at this... and then shakes his head.]
Anecdotally, have we Terrans ever told you about Oripathy? It's a disease that is always, without fail, fatal. The infection is characterized most notably by stone-like nodules growing out of the skin in the later stages, making it extremely obvious who among us is infected and who isn't. Alongside that, as it progresses, it can come with certain "mutations". ...I know someone infected with Oripathy who, like you, possesses powerful vocal Arts, enough so that he has to wear a suppressor before he kills someone.
[Then, he shakes his head.]
Infected are persecuted and even killed on Terra, depending on what country you're in. In Ursus, for example, they're slaughtered. In Leithanien, they're forced to live in a slum. People fear them, and very few care for their plight. My partner's youngest sibling is an Infected.
All of this is to say... your story resonates with me. I don't believe in persecuting and casting out those who don't have a choice in who or what they are. Nor does anybody at Rhodes Island, frankly.
[ At the initial question, Toge gives a shake of his head as he listens to what Gnosis has to say about Oripathy. A disease, that sounds terrible. His expression is curious and a bit sympathetic. Some people are just cruel. ]
That sounds terrible.
[ He taps his thumb on the side of his phone, contemplating. ]
An ancestor of mine who had cursed speech, long before I was born did something that I'm not clear on. Our clan was prominent back then, among the others, but when they turned their back on the other clans, ours was ostrasized. They were killed, obviously, but stipulations were put in that in exchange for not killing everyone outright they would have to dilute the bloodline.
So in the Inumaki clan, they were no longer allowed to marry sorcerers, just in case they happen to produce children like me. Thing is, it's not clear cut, not everyone with potential gets found. So over the generations a kid like me would pop up, no matter how many rules were put in place.
And yet, instead of moving on and living their lives, they insist on tying themselves to the society anyway, and while some have been born with the abilities and not the inherited technique, they thought they'd finally stamped it out and then I show up. To say they were disappointed is an understatement. I don't know if they killed the babies like that outright in the past, or they just didn't live long. Doesn't matter. I get to be here because my entire life was decided in that moment for me. They sold my soul to the Elders. I do what they say, or they'll eliminate me, simple as that.
I have a million other rules I need to follow too, really stupid ones. They don't give a shit about my arm, except to kick me out of bed and tell me to get to work, and they don't have to. The only thing of value to them still works fine.
[Gnosis waits patiently while Toge types, leaning against the wall... and it's only when he reads it all cover to cover that his expression falls into something distinctly disdainful, a whistle on his lips. By Kjeragandr.]
Cruelty exists in all worlds, it seems. [He says with a note of finality.] For your sake, I'm grateful none of those Elders are here now, or I imagine I might have to resort to more deranged methods of removing people.
[Perfectly normal thing to say, right? But his gaze softens in the end anyway, sympathetic and, if nothing else, caring in that way that Gnosis usually cares: with violence and overly-clinical statements.]
You're free here, you know. I realise it's nearly impossible to mentally overcome what you've gone through, and no one in their right mind would blame you for that. Even if this place is nothing like the homes either of us ever knew, you're a person to everyone here, and not merely an object to be used.
...and, if you'd like, I can try to make an Arts suppression unit like I mentioned earlier, in case you'd like to use your voice without needing to speak in code. If not, well, that's what the sign is for, isn't it?
I don't know if it's worth it. [ He signs, but nodding his agreement that indeed, that is what it is for.
To explain he turns to text, it's just faster. ]
Something like that might suppress my cursed speech and allow me to turn it off, but I don't think it means I could start speaking. I can speak twenty words or less and most days I only speak a handful of words, one at a time.
Adding new words is a disaster in the making really. It's embarrassing to admit that sounding things out takes practice, when that's usually something a toddler struggles with but...I can't help it.
It's hardly embarrassing, given your unique circumstances. There's no need to push yourself either way. I'm glad to be able to talk with you through typing, or through sign.
[He hasn't stopped signing this entire time. It's good practice for the both of them; they say if you don't use it, you lose it, after all.]
I'll accept that you don't need a device like that, in this case, but know from here on you're allowed to come to me at any time to ask for help, be it simple or complex. Alright?
I'm not that worried about it, it's just never come up before that I could in theory talk, but I think I would still be limited. It's always difficult. [ It's a lot less to sign now so he does so comfortably. It was too long a story to convey in a reasonable amount of time. ]
Thanks Gnosis, I'll try and remember that. [ Toge smiles, he says try because well, he's mostly self-sufficient because he has to be. The injury has been a blow to that, but he's trying to adapt as best he can. ]
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regna
(no subject)
Date: 2023-11-10 10:16 pm (UTC)He decides to just ask outright. ]
Why? [ He signs, brow furrowed. He's not sure what he's done to receive such a charitable outlook from others. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2023-11-12 09:31 pm (UTC)[Gnosis breathes out a sigh.]
I'm not sure what your story is, and I don't need to know that information. Most people with half a brain will care about people, even complete strangers, simply because it's the right thing to do. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone here who disagrees with the notion of caring simply because they should.
[And then, more candidly, although Gnosis is not normally the type—]
I've seen how you stick your neck out there for others. I don't have to know you personally to know that you're someone who deserves the kindness you show to others.
[Take it from someone who was never shown that in his entire life.]
(no subject)
Date: 2023-11-12 11:57 pm (UTC)Not me. [ Toge answers, sighs a little bit and gets out his phone for the ease of it. ]
I was born like this, I will die like this and everyone's afraid of me. Smart to be. I get it. But nearly everyone I've ever met wishes I was dead.
[ He's never really been shown kindness. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-02 08:07 pm (UTC)Anecdotally, have we Terrans ever told you about Oripathy? It's a disease that is always, without fail, fatal. The infection is characterized most notably by stone-like nodules growing out of the skin in the later stages, making it extremely obvious who among us is infected and who isn't. Alongside that, as it progresses, it can come with certain "mutations". ...I know someone infected with Oripathy who, like you, possesses powerful vocal Arts, enough so that he has to wear a suppressor before he kills someone.
[Then, he shakes his head.]
Infected are persecuted and even killed on Terra, depending on what country you're in. In Ursus, for example, they're slaughtered. In Leithanien, they're forced to live in a slum. People fear them, and very few care for their plight. My partner's youngest sibling is an Infected.
All of this is to say... your story resonates with me. I don't believe in persecuting and casting out those who don't have a choice in who or what they are. Nor does anybody at Rhodes Island, frankly.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-03 03:14 pm (UTC)That sounds terrible.
[ He taps his thumb on the side of his phone, contemplating. ]
An ancestor of mine who had cursed speech, long before I was born did something that I'm not clear on. Our clan was prominent back then, among the others, but when they turned their back on the other clans, ours was ostrasized. They were killed, obviously, but stipulations were put in that in exchange for not killing everyone outright they would have to dilute the bloodline.
So in the Inumaki clan, they were no longer allowed to marry sorcerers, just in case they happen to produce children like me. Thing is, it's not clear cut, not everyone with potential gets found. So over the generations a kid like me would pop up, no matter how many rules were put in place.
And yet, instead of moving on and living their lives, they insist on tying themselves to the society anyway, and while some have been born with the abilities and not the inherited technique, they thought they'd finally stamped it out and then I show up. To say they were disappointed is an understatement. I don't know if they killed the babies like that outright in the past, or they just didn't live long. Doesn't matter. I get to be here because my entire life was decided in that moment for me. They sold my soul to the Elders. I do what they say, or they'll eliminate me, simple as that.
I have a million other rules I need to follow too, really stupid ones. They don't give a shit about my arm, except to kick me out of bed and tell me to get to work, and they don't have to. The only thing of value to them still works fine.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-04 11:37 pm (UTC)Cruelty exists in all worlds, it seems. [He says with a note of finality.] For your sake, I'm grateful none of those Elders are here now, or I imagine I might have to resort to more deranged methods of removing people.
[Perfectly normal thing to say, right? But his gaze softens in the end anyway, sympathetic and, if nothing else, caring in that way that Gnosis usually cares: with violence and overly-clinical statements.]
You're free here, you know. I realise it's nearly impossible to mentally overcome what you've gone through, and no one in their right mind would blame you for that. Even if this place is nothing like the homes either of us ever knew, you're a person to everyone here, and not merely an object to be used.
...and, if you'd like, I can try to make an Arts suppression unit like I mentioned earlier, in case you'd like to use your voice without needing to speak in code. If not, well, that's what the sign is for, isn't it?
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-05 03:04 am (UTC)To explain he turns to text, it's just faster. ]
Something like that might suppress my cursed speech and allow me to turn it off, but I don't think it means I could start speaking. I can speak twenty words or less and most days I only speak a handful of words, one at a time.
Adding new words is a disaster in the making really. It's embarrassing to admit that sounding things out takes practice, when that's usually something a toddler struggles with but...I can't help it.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-07 04:19 am (UTC)[He hasn't stopped signing this entire time. It's good practice for the both of them; they say if you don't use it, you lose it, after all.]
I'll accept that you don't need a device like that, in this case, but know from here on you're allowed to come to me at any time to ask for help, be it simple or complex. Alright?
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-07 04:18 pm (UTC)Thanks Gnosis, I'll try and remember that. [ Toge smiles, he says try because well, he's mostly self-sufficient because he has to be. The injury has been a blow to that, but he's trying to adapt as best he can. ]