[It's such a losing battle...her determination really does do her a lot of credit though. Even if Leon won't ever admit that either.]
Do not attempt to tell me what a knight should be focused on. [Though he seems almost amused more than irritated at that. Honestly, Rise, you're an idol. He's hardly the best of knights, but please.]
My rank is one of the reasons people seek me out for those less than genuine purposes. I have the right to protect myself and my reputation.
[And just like that, Leon gets another almost playful smile. She really should be more bothered by him but it's easier these days to let things roll off her back.] Well I wouldn't really know. I've never met a knight before. Maybe the rules are different.
[But she gives him a mildly perplexed look.] Of course you have the right to protect yourself. But like I said, if people are still trying? They're most likely the ones who won't be there to take advantage of you. [A shrug.] Stahn seems nice enough.
Except for an example of being foolish? [Leon, you're not making your case well. She doesn't think Stahn's foolish at all.] He hasn't run into real trouble with you has he?
... Except. Well. Rise's probably going to regret asking that question because... well, it could be argued that Stahn has run into nothing but trouble since meeting Leon. Aside from the fact that Leon was the one to capture and imprison him in the first place, Stahn has only ever been hurt for Leon's sake. Pushing him aside to protect him from basilisks when he'd done nothing to deserve that sort of loyalty, putting his fate into Leon's hands when....well, Leon had never made it anything but clear that the only thing that mattered was the mission...
... But most of all, once they had finally begun to get along, once they had finally maybe actually become-- well, friends, not that Leon could ever admit that... that had been when Leon had done the worst of all, and had betrayed them all. He'd betrayed Stahn, he'd tried to kill Stahn, and the fact that he'd known he couldn't possibly have won against the entire party didn't count for anything. He'd still tried.
If anything, meeting Leon had to have been one of the worst things to ever happen to Stahn. His breath hitches despite himself, though he just ducks his head to hide his face.]
... You don't know anything. Stop making assumptions as though you do. He--
[He, like Marian, like Chaltier, like all of the others, would have been so much better off if he'd never met Leon at all.]
--he is a fool who doesn't realize that opening himself up to the worst of people [to people like Leon] will only hurt him in the end.
[…oh. Oh no…what the hell did she just do? She's not sure what she's said or what Leon's thinking but she can recognize that as something almost like defeat, or at the very least that she needs to let this go.
She doesn't try to get him to look up but she does take a step back to give him some space, hands folding behind her back as her lips turn down in a small frown.]
…maybe I don't know anything. [She doesn't know what the hell happened, that's for sure.] But I do know that maybe you should still leave that choice up to him. You can't change how people think of you, Leon…you can only try to be better.
[But she's not forcing advice on him. Not when he's…well, Leon. So instead she bows her own head.] Thank you for telling off the vendor. We should keep going so we're not crowding the area, don't you think?
[Try to be better... it's almost laughable, really. Lili had said something like that too, if harsher. Why don't you try to be better. Why don't you improve.
He's dead.
There's no improving left for him. It's just a bitter murmur at that.]
It's too late for that.
[... But, well. She changes the subject, and he'll roll with that--it's less emotionally charged, and a way for both of them to recover.]
... Yes, this way. [May as well go...SOMEWHERE. Whatever is this way, Leon doesn't know, he's just trying to be anywhere but here, talking about this.]
[...she wants to argue. She wants to tell him it's not too late since he's here and there's always room to be better for people and for himself, but she knows she has to try another day. She doesn't think Leon would do more than snarl at her, but she also wouldn't entirely bet on it just yet. They still don't know each other that well.
What more can she say? So instead...she wordlessly follows in the same direction to walk off and leave the conversation behind. She can give him that much.]
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Do not attempt to tell me what a knight should be focused on. [Though he seems almost amused more than irritated at that. Honestly, Rise, you're an idol. He's hardly the best of knights, but please.]
My rank is one of the reasons people seek me out for those less than genuine purposes. I have the right to protect myself and my reputation.
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[But she gives him a mildly perplexed look.] Of course you have the right to protect yourself. But like I said, if people are still trying? They're most likely the ones who won't be there to take advantage of you. [A shrug.] Stahn seems nice enough.
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Why.
Leon immediately tenses, scoffing.]
He is a buffoon who does not realize that being so open and friendly is only asking for trouble. He should not be used as an example of anything.
[Because Leon's pretty sure he's one of a kind.]
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Except for an example of being foolish? [Leon, you're not making your case well. She doesn't think Stahn's foolish at all.] He hasn't run into real trouble with you has he?
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... Except. Well. Rise's probably going to regret asking that question because... well, it could be argued that Stahn has run into nothing but trouble since meeting Leon. Aside from the fact that Leon was the one to capture and imprison him in the first place, Stahn has only ever been hurt for Leon's sake. Pushing him aside to protect him from basilisks when he'd done nothing to deserve that sort of loyalty, putting his fate into Leon's hands when....well, Leon had never made it anything but clear that the only thing that mattered was the mission...
... But most of all, once they had finally begun to get along, once they had finally maybe actually become-- well, friends, not that Leon could ever admit that... that had been when Leon had done the worst of all, and had betrayed them all. He'd betrayed Stahn, he'd tried to kill Stahn, and the fact that he'd known he couldn't possibly have won against the entire party didn't count for anything. He'd still tried.
If anything, meeting Leon had to have been one of the worst things to ever happen to Stahn. His breath hitches despite himself, though he just ducks his head to hide his face.]
... You don't know anything. Stop making assumptions as though you do. He--
[He, like Marian, like Chaltier, like all of the others, would have been so much better off if he'd never met Leon at all.]
--he is a fool who doesn't realize that opening himself up to the worst of people [to people like Leon] will only hurt him in the end.
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She doesn't try to get him to look up but she does take a step back to give him some space, hands folding behind her back as her lips turn down in a small frown.]
…maybe I don't know anything. [She doesn't know what the hell happened, that's for sure.] But I do know that maybe you should still leave that choice up to him. You can't change how people think of you, Leon…you can only try to be better.
[But she's not forcing advice on him. Not when he's…well, Leon. So instead she bows her own head.] Thank you for telling off the vendor. We should keep going so we're not crowding the area, don't you think?
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He's dead.
There's no improving left for him. It's just a bitter murmur at that.]
It's too late for that.
[... But, well. She changes the subject, and he'll roll with that--it's less emotionally charged, and a way for both of them to recover.]
... Yes, this way. [May as well go...SOMEWHERE. Whatever is this way, Leon doesn't know, he's just trying to be anywhere but here, talking about this.]
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What more can she say? So instead...she wordlessly follows in the same direction to walk off and leave the conversation behind. She can give him that much.]