“That was my plan, yes. To request the Admiral restore the full range of your abilities for practice here with me in my cabin and in your own cabin. Outside those areas, you will have full access for the purpose of self-defense only. Your ability to manipulate others bodies and minds will remain limited to consent only, and for now, anything that involves the plague you were working on will not be accessible.”
He allows a pause for all that to sink it.
“I’m open to other ideas on those points, but I believe it’s a fair place to start.”
"Worked on," he corrects smoothly, "the work was done. I had no real wish to work on it further. I was intending to release all strains on Elendhaven if only to confuse those who might work towards a cure. The separate versions were primarily to understand the potency properly to distribute them properly."
"I am your inmate. You have read my file. I assume you have opinions. I should like to know what you want of me given the objective and your new information."
Archer regards Florian silently for a moment. Considering.
“The file, truthfully, didn’t change my overall opinion of you. Or the thoughts I already shared with you during the flood. It filled in some gaps for me and clarified a few things - but if you’re expecting me to tell you that you were wrong to be angry about what happened to you, to your family, you will never hear me say that.”
Because Archer is also angry. His rage was the only thing that kept him going too, for a long time.
“For you to make progress, I suspect it has less to do with feeling remorse over what you’ve done and more to do with charting a path forward. Because I believe it’s fair to say you haven’t lived a truly full life - and in many ways, it is because circumstances made that exceedingly difficult.”
"Then I suppose you will be glad to hear that I do intend to graduate," he says, and the words aren't empty or pointless. He says them because he means them and he wants Archer to be aware that he will try, that he intends to try, that he is not content to stay as he was, to remain here, to waste his time.
"Though I have one other stipulation on my request: that I may defend others." A pause. "You can hardly expect me to stand there and allow Johann to be cut down over and over simply because they only aim to harm him."
“I am glad to hear it,” he says, and he means it sincerely. He is fonder of Florian than most people he’s met since coming here, and it would make Archer happy to see him living a better life.
To the other matter, he lets out a soft hum.
“A fair point. I’ll make sure my request to the Admiral includes an allowance to defend others, not just yourself.”
"...one other matter: the matter of a balance between us. Payments. Transaction." He looks at Archer and Archer may notice how his hands curl inside his gloves, how he keeps them at his side and not in his pockets or behind his back.
"Given our new arrangement, I would... propose that the balance be nullified. So as not to muddy the water between us or provide false positives in my progress. Would you agree to this?"
Archer does notice. He says nothing about it, though.
“Yes, I would. To add to that, I would also say we should proceed with lessons as we have been. I see no reason to change anything we’ve already been doing.”
"I had assumed as such, given your exceptions for my restrictions," he points out mildly, "though should you require magical energy, I would of course be willing to provide it accordingly."
He considers that, because he'd read quite a lot... but at the same time, he has no desire to ask a question out of pure curiosity, or worse, emotionality. He needs time to ruminate on all of it, to put together his feelings.
"Not at this time, Herr Archer," he says with a dip of his head. "Though I reserve the right to ask later, if you please."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He leaves the topic of the cat alone. He could say more, but it feels... unnecessary. Giving her attention, however, is necessary.
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He allows a pause for all that to sink it.
“I’m open to other ideas on those points, but I believe it’s a fair place to start.”
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“It is a precaution only.”
He expects Florian will understand the reasoning without it being explained.
“Are the terms I laid out acceptable?”
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"What do you want from me?"
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“Explain to me what you mean by that question.”
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"I am your inmate. You have read my file. I assume you have opinions. I should like to know what you want of me given the objective and your new information."
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“The file, truthfully, didn’t change my overall opinion of you. Or the thoughts I already shared with you during the flood. It filled in some gaps for me and clarified a few things - but if you’re expecting me to tell you that you were wrong to be angry about what happened to you, to your family, you will never hear me say that.”
Because Archer is also angry. His rage was the only thing that kept him going too, for a long time.
“For you to make progress, I suspect it has less to do with feeling remorse over what you’ve done and more to do with charting a path forward. Because I believe it’s fair to say you haven’t lived a truly full life - and in many ways, it is because circumstances made that exceedingly difficult.”
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"Though I have one other stipulation on my request: that I may defend others." A pause. "You can hardly expect me to stand there and allow Johann to be cut down over and over simply because they only aim to harm him."
Another pause.
"Or another I might care for."
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To the other matter, he lets out a soft hum.
“A fair point. I’ll make sure my request to the Admiral includes an allowance to defend others, not just yourself.”
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"Thank you, Herr Archer."
A pause.
"...one other matter: the matter of a balance between us. Payments. Transaction." He looks at Archer and Archer may notice how his hands curl inside his gloves, how he keeps them at his side and not in his pockets or behind his back.
"Given our new arrangement, I would... propose that the balance be nullified. So as not to muddy the water between us or provide false positives in my progress. Would you agree to this?"
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“Yes, I would. To add to that, I would also say we should proceed with lessons as we have been. I see no reason to change anything we’ve already been doing.”
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Not as a payment or a requirement but... just...
Because.
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“If such a need arises, I will consider it.”
He’s not just saying it to appease Florian, either. He understands the significance of this and genuinely appreciates it.
“Are there any other questions you have for me?”
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"Not at this time, Herr Archer," he says with a dip of his head. "Though I reserve the right to ask later, if you please."
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“That’s fine. You know how to find me if you ever have something you wish to clarify or discuss.”
He expects Florian will ask at a time of his choosing.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll make that request to the Admiral now.”
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And he'll offer a quick bow before slipping out, uninterested in any further discussion. He needs to... process.