Archer’s raises an eyebrow at that first comment, but otherwise doesn’t react much. It makes him very curious about the circumstances that would have led to such a choice. There’s usually quite a lot beneath the surface that leads that that kind of self-destructive behavior, after all.
“I can imagine you had reasons for that.”
Archer also had reasons for wanting to reach an end, but he’s not going to pick at that right now.
“I won’t ask about that unless you want to talk about it. I’m not going to be offended by your questions, though, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to ask.”
"At the time they seemed like very good ones." Now? The jury was still out, save that he's certain had his mind been clear he'd have handled it himself. "In the short term.. is that something temporary pairings are meant to get into? Avalon and I got along well, but we didn't really get into personal matters much."
The impression he'd been left with was that temp Wardens were more or less tehre to keep someone out of trouble, not actually work on improvements. Angeal did not cause trouble most times. "...What's your background? Before this place. You run things like I'd expect someone of my line of work to, not a civilian."
“As far as I can tell, temporary pairings exist for two reasons - to make sure each Inmate has someone responsible for them and for the Admiral to see if two people mesh well enough to pair them permanently. I don’t have very much personal experience with the temp circuit, to be quite honest with you, for the simple fact that I was paired with my first Inmate early in my tenure here, and my second was assigned to me almost immediately after the first had graduated. They’re usually hit or miss from what I can tell, and it’s impossible to predict how they’ll go until they actually happen.”
He was never paired with Florian temporarily, ironically, but they had gotten along very well beforehand. So he’s sure that factored into the Admiral’s decision there. Among other things.
“As for my background…that’s somewhat complicated. But you’re right - I’m not a civilian. I spent most of my youth in battles or war zones. Fighting, yes, but not under any one specific banner. If there was somewhere I thought could benefit from my skills, such as they were, that’s where I would go.”
He snorts, amused. "I suppose since I'm already working in the kitchen then you'd already had the responsibility part, in a way."
So far, two-zero on whether or not he'd been assigned someone he felt was reasonably acceptable to be around. Avalon was distant but ultimately seemed like a perfectly decent person, no clashes to really be had. None with Archer as yet either, Angeal knew better than to challenge a king in his kingdom. Especially over food. "What led you to choosing one side or another in such freelance work? Or were you more oriented to the populace?" Almost mercenary ... almost, except nothing had been said about a highest bidder. There might not be one.
“Only in the sense that I’m responsible for what happens here. But things can get messy when those duties conflict with the priorities of other Wardens.”
It’s happened before. And it’s his least favorite part of this job sometimes.
“And I made my decisions based on my own sense of justice. Or injustice, as the case might have been. I can’t give much in the way of specifics since that was such a long time ago, but I cared more about the result than anything I could get personally in return.”
"It counts. It's just a little extended. It should be an easy month for you, at least. I don't really see me deciding to go on a rampage or anything this month." Some inmates were ... absolutely the sort who needed to be locked in a prison. How much they'd gain from all of this he didn't know.
That's an interesting way to put what Archer was up to, and Angeal pauses, rolling it around in his mind. He remembered every major battle he'd been in, and Archer honestly didn't look THAT much older than he was. "I see. Better than going to the highest bidder, if you don't mind me saying so. How long ago was that? You can't be older than thirty, thirty five."
Archer hums at that. Neither of the Inmates he was paired with in the past were prone to rampages. That didn't mean things were easy. Just challenging in a different way.
"There are some things that happen on this ship - and off it - that none of us can predict. Though I do appreciate that."
To the other points, well...
"There were benefits and drawbacks. I did what I felt was right, but ultimately, that sort of lifestyle is confusing - and terrifying - even to the people you're trying to help. It's much easier to understand someone who has a price - especially when they have abilities that you don't."
The path of the superhero always leads to an unpleasant end.
"And appearances can be deceiving. I lived to be in my late 20's or early 30's - but it's quite impossible to measure the period of time that came after. Millenia, I would say, but I can only estimate."
He crosses his arms over his chest, leaning back a little against the counter. Whether or not this sort of exchange is strictly necessary, it's still interesting to find out about. Archer had not really discussed who he was or where he was from, that hadn't been needed in order for htem to do their jobs onboard the ship.
"...I can understand that one. But you did it anyway, that takes honor." People who would be afraid of something much stronger than them, and the mysteries of unknown motivations. As many people were afraid of SOLDIER as adored them, after all. One black eyebrow rises at the idea that he's possibly a thousand years old or more. "You don't look that old. Tell me your skin care routine."
He probably doesn't want to know Archer's skin care routine.
"Honor wasn't the driving force that pushed me to do what I did."
He doesn't sound annoyed, but it's a very firm correction. The reason he'd thrown himself into conflicts was more foolish than simple adopting a set of principles. He just couldn't stand to see people sad. It was entirely childish and largely based in trauma he'd experienced early in life. A broken man striving to fix a world that was even more shattered than he'd ever been.
He doesn't see a reason to share any of that right now, but...maybe one day.
"As for my skin care routine," he says in a very matter of fact tone," I hope you believe in ghosts and spirits. Because that's essentially what I am."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-09-29 10:41 pm (UTC)“I can imagine you had reasons for that.”
Archer also had reasons for wanting to reach an end, but he’s not going to pick at that right now.
“I won’t ask about that unless you want to talk about it. I’m not going to be offended by your questions, though, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to ask.”
no subject
Date: 2024-09-29 10:49 pm (UTC)The impression he'd been left with was that temp Wardens were more or less tehre to keep someone out of trouble, not actually work on improvements. Angeal did not cause trouble most times. "...What's your background? Before this place. You run things like I'd expect someone of my line of work to, not a civilian."
no subject
Date: 2024-09-29 11:11 pm (UTC)He was never paired with Florian temporarily, ironically, but they had gotten along very well beforehand. So he’s sure that factored into the Admiral’s decision there. Among other things.
“As for my background…that’s somewhat complicated. But you’re right - I’m not a civilian. I spent most of my youth in battles or war zones. Fighting, yes, but not under any one specific banner. If there was somewhere I thought could benefit from my skills, such as they were, that’s where I would go.”
no subject
Date: 2024-09-30 06:09 pm (UTC)So far, two-zero on whether or not he'd been assigned someone he felt was reasonably acceptable to be around. Avalon was distant but ultimately seemed like a perfectly decent person, no clashes to really be had. None with Archer as yet either, Angeal knew better than to challenge a king in his kingdom. Especially over food. "What led you to choosing one side or another in such freelance work? Or were you more oriented to the populace?" Almost mercenary ... almost, except nothing had been said about a highest bidder. There might not be one.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-30 07:20 pm (UTC)It’s happened before. And it’s his least favorite part of this job sometimes.
“And I made my decisions based on my own sense of justice. Or injustice, as the case might have been. I can’t give much in the way of specifics since that was such a long time ago, but I cared more about the result than anything I could get personally in return.”
no subject
Date: 2024-10-01 12:29 am (UTC)That's an interesting way to put what Archer was up to, and Angeal pauses, rolling it around in his mind. He remembered every major battle he'd been in, and Archer honestly didn't look THAT much older than he was. "I see. Better than going to the highest bidder, if you don't mind me saying so. How long ago was that? You can't be older than thirty, thirty five."
He has no idea how Servants work.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-01 02:06 am (UTC)"There are some things that happen on this ship - and off it - that none of us can predict. Though I do appreciate that."
To the other points, well...
"There were benefits and drawbacks. I did what I felt was right, but ultimately, that sort of lifestyle is confusing - and terrifying - even to the people you're trying to help. It's much easier to understand someone who has a price - especially when they have abilities that you don't."
The path of the superhero always leads to an unpleasant end.
"And appearances can be deceiving. I lived to be in my late 20's or early 30's - but it's quite impossible to measure the period of time that came after. Millenia, I would say, but I can only estimate."
no subject
Date: 2024-10-04 08:48 pm (UTC)"...I can understand that one. But you did it anyway, that takes honor." People who would be afraid of something much stronger than them, and the mysteries of unknown motivations. As many people were afraid of SOLDIER as adored them, after all. One black eyebrow rises at the idea that he's possibly a thousand years old or more. "You don't look that old. Tell me your skin care routine."
He probably doesn't want to know Archer's skin care routine.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-06 04:20 am (UTC)He doesn't sound annoyed, but it's a very firm correction. The reason he'd thrown himself into conflicts was more foolish than simple adopting a set of principles. He just couldn't stand to see people sad. It was entirely childish and largely based in trauma he'd experienced early in life. A broken man striving to fix a world that was even more shattered than he'd ever been.
He doesn't see a reason to share any of that right now, but...maybe one day.
"As for my skin care routine," he says in a very matter of fact tone," I hope you believe in ghosts and spirits. Because that's essentially what I am."