synopsychic | Fourth Wall [audio]

[ He feels partially responsible for any Assassin, though he's only been Mentor for all of a few days (and that due to extenuating circumstances). His tone is thoughtful. Even while stabbing his enemies to death, he takes the time to ponder their motives and hear their last words. ]

Why do you want to learn this thing so badly, and... what makes you think you will get far with an attitude like that? I am familiar with the frustrations of a student against his teacher. I will not deny that Malik can be an ass, but he does not do things without reason...

[After everyone else has told him no, urged him to learn something else, and just generally been discouraging, Altair's apparent neutrality is enough to both make him somewhat calmer and have him give less defensive answers. There's the sound of a frustrated sigh before Eren speaks.]

I can't tell you why. At least not why I need this kind of magic. But I swear as a member of the Survey Corps, I will use it to protect the other Travelers. But Malik made up his mind about me after one stupid mistake. I've dealt people like that and they don't change their minds.

A man asks you to hand over your knife and will not say why. Would you trust him? Swearing an oath will not change someone's mind. Actions will, I can promise you that.

[ This is said from experience, not that he will ever admit to that here. Eren reminds him painfully of the man he was just several months ago. ]

It is not enough to want to protect someone. Acting this way, it seems you have no discipline, no patience... Even if he wanted to teach you, without those things, could you even master the technique? Could you assure everyone here that you will not bring danger to them?

Yes! Because aren't Travelers supposed to help each other!?

I'm disciplined enough to not set someone on fire just because I'm mad at them! I'm patient enough to train until I'm sure I can control a spell properly! But this isn't something I can wait to learn! Things move too fast here - by the time I can "prove" whatever it is he wants me to, it might be too late!

[ His voice does not rise with Eren's, but it loses its thoughtful air and becomes the curt instructions of a combatant. ]

And if what you say is false, it will also be too late. Innocent blood will be on your hands. It is not enough. Travelers have been here for years, nothing is moving 'fast.' You speak like a soldier, ready to be a weapon at the first command. But if you want this, you must begin to think like an officer. A strategist. Why do you think they're always sitting around playing shahtranj? More power expects more wisdom. I had to learn this the hard way, and at great price. [ he finishes soberly. ]

I do not like this network. Getting the measure of a person is always easier face-to-face. A few days, maybe even a few hours with you, and I can tell you why Malik refused, and what you need to do.

[It's a tone Eren's quite familiar with. One that he matches, somewhat, albeit still at a higher volume.]

I will not attack someone without a damn good reason! I already have the memories of killing an innocent person, a friend, because the person the Trumps had turned me into overreacted. I will not make that mistake while I'm myself!

And if you really think things don't move fast here, you must be new. People have been here for years, but the situation is changing all the time! One moment everything could be as normal as it ever gets here, and the next you might find yourself on a strange world with poisonous wind where half of your friends have been made into completely different people and even different species and the other half are missing completely and you don't even know if you'll ever see them again!

[He ignores the comment about superior officers and wisdom. Mostly because while he thinks he understands what Altair is trying to get at, he can't be positive without asking what "shahtranj" is and he doesn't want to come off as even more of an idiot. He inwardly curses at the state of his world for leaving him feeling so ignorant compared to most other Travelers.]

I don't like the Network either. If you want to meet face-to-face later after I take care of some other things, fine. But I've explained on the Network why he refused and why there's nothing I can do to change his mind.

[ Unfortunately for Altaïr, some words do not automatically translate, because they do not have an exact equivalent. It would be a while before the board game crossed many borders and evolved into modern chess. Even then, not everyone from every world can be expected to know it. Altaïr needs to work harder on speaking in more general terms... Eren is right about one thing: He is new. ]

The ever-changing environment only begs for more discretion. For one with such passion, you are giving up what little faith you had before you even begin. Do not allow yourself to be limited by your own absolutes. I know Malik. He can change his mind. But you must be ready to change yours as well. It may be that, in the course of seeking knowledge, you will come out a different person. That is the way of things. Whether you will be better and wiser depends on you.

I have some business of my own I must attend to, but I will seek you out.

[Unfortunately, Eren's not the best at discretion. Never will be, although he'll get a little better later.]

Like I said, I've seen his type before. And even if I could somehow change his mind, how long would it be!? By then it might be too late! That's not a chance I'm willing to take!

And I know who I am! I'm not going to start hurting people just because I learned to use a new weapon! [Except Eren doesn't know himself as well as he thinks. It is certainly true that he'd never purposefully cause harm to an innocent, and that will not change. But things he'll learn when he goes home will cause him to return to Liminal Space a changed man. And it won't be until then that Eren will be able to understand exactly what Altair means by that last statement.]

Fourth Wall [audio]

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Altair thinks he can fix this, bless him

To be fair he might have had a chance if he'd gotten to Eren sooner

Oops he might actually bother him if it's ok. Should he try during the last mingle, or after jaunt?

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