The First Fight(Garnet)

[Fargo]

Fargo led Garnet away from the group. Something had been troubling him still from yesterday, and he wanted some assurance.

He looked up at the mercenary, and began to speak. "Hey, eh, Garnet, I've been meaning to talk to you about something. It's mostly about, well, the fight from yesterday. It was, like, my first time hurting someone, and, well, I wanted to know what it was like for you. 'Cause, like, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to be like, you know?"

The archer looked straight into Garnet's eyes, pleadingly. Fear and confusion was shown in his deep blue eyes. Fargo was also hoping that he understood how he felt. He needed to know that he was able to go on, to live without so much guilt of assisting of taking a human life.

[Garnet]

Garnet listened to Fargo. He saw the pain in the young man's eyes. Garnet could recall similar feelings when he had joined the guards of his home.

Garnet considered his feelings. His purpose was what kept him going. His belief that his goals were worth achieving. "It's a sad thing when someone has to turn a weapon on another man. I wish I didn't have to do such things...."

After a brief pause, Garnet continued. He supposed a discussion on motivation may be in order. "Fargo, have you got a purpose that you strive after." The Merc supposed that, if asked, he would even discuss his own purposes some. He couldn't stay aloof forever.

[Fargo]

Fargo had to think on the matter. Sure, he did have a reason why he became an archer, but it became harder to say it without doubting himself. For this, he paused, to think of a way to say it without having to put himself down, emotionally.

The young archer then said, after a few seconds contemplating the matter, "Well, I mean, my goal is to, like, become the greatest bowman in the land, and to help those who need to be helped. I usually think of how great it was to be, like, known to everyone, but after that battle... I don't know."

Fargo's gaze wandered down to the floor, feeling a bit ashamed. Then he looked up, and asked, "What about you? Did you become a mercenary to, like, help others?" He knew it was a silly question, but the archer had to ask. He needed to know something, anything, just to feel a bit more adult than childish on the topic.

[Garnet]

Garnet responded to Fargo's question. Why was Garnet a mercenary? "I'm afraid not. I was displaced from my position as a town guard a few months ago. Since then I've been a very bad mercenary. Mercs are supposed to care only about their pay, but so far I'm not doing well abandoning my old habits."

Garnet paused for a few moments, remembering his home of the past. "There was a time that I fought to help people, but now I fight for a much less wholesome reason: retribution to be delivered....Whatever the case, your purpose sounds alot more noble than the bandits' purpose, and I think the survivors of the caravan the other day would agree."

[Fargo]

The archer listened to the mercenaries comments on how he was more 'noble' than the bandits, but it still was hard. It was very difficult to accept that he could keep killing. Fargo had no idea where to find the strength. But the survivors at the caravan, as Garnet had said, were thankful.

He then began again, saying in a confused voice, "Yeah, but, like, even when we helped those guys at the caravan, it was still so hard to hurt the bandit. I mean, I liked helping the survivors, but it was so hard. How do you keep, well, living after that?"

Fargo hadn't raised his voice at the man, but it seemed that he was on the brink of tears. The archer did his best to hold back such feelings, and succeeded. No tears came to his eyes; only the sadness in his voice.

[Garnet]

Garnet sighed. A real greenhorn.... Sometimes I wish I still had some of his empathy. Garnet often enjoyed a good sparring match, but he disliked having to turn his blade for blood. Never-the-less, he had little sympathy towards people who chose a life of pillaging and raiding instead of honest, hard work.

Garnet laid a hand on Fargo's shoulder, trying to gather the attention of the upset archer. "Fargo, listen to me. I don't have all the answers. I'm just a man, but I do know a few things. It's been a long time since I started fighting, and I still don't enjoy injuring others. I -hold onto the pain that comes after I take a life... It lets me know I haven't lost all compassion..."

Garnet hoped he could help this young man. Combat had broken even strong men before. Not in his guard militia, but in armies, where people gathered for the purpose of honing their skills at taking lives. Armies were necessary to have for the safety of the nations, but it was hard on the men to be dedicated to fight and kill others, even if only against threats.

The merc sighed again, feeling very old as he turned away.. "Ultimately, When I fight, it comes down to this. Do I believe in my cause more than my enemy's. My cause has always been to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Even now, though my own goal is also personal, I am fighting to unseat a tyrant."

Garnet thought to himself for a moment. Was this prophet a tyrant just because his followers had fallen into anarchy? They had gone on to destroy towns and churches, yes, but that wasn't quite the same as blatantly killing his people. Garnet would have to search out more information on this prophet.

[Fargo]

As Garnet gently put his hand upon the young man's shoulder, it was comforting. His words were also very helpful. They were, at the very least, noble. Fargo looked up at the mercenary with his blue and slightly watery eyes. The archer, in a sense, felt that it was the strongest thing a man could do; to keep that pain. To know that if you still had the pain, you still had compassion.

Fargo listened to what he had to say, and was quiet for a moment. Then, slowly, the archer nodded. He understood what Garnet was fighting for, and it gave him hope. The mercenary, like Fargo, was fighting for the weak, to uphold true justice. Even though Garnet fought for other reasons, he still cared. That was what truly made Fargo believe in him.

Again, the young man looked up at the mercenary. This time, the sadness in his blue eyes was replaced with hope. Fargo then said, still a tad upset, "Yeah... Yeah, you're right. You do care, and I'm glad you do. 'Cause, like, if you didn't, then you couldn't have made feel better. So, Garnet, I know we, like, have different lives, and stuff, but I'm gonna look up to you, because, you're a good person." There was a slight smile on the archer's face. It seemed that even though it still hurt Fargo to kill, he understood that the pain wasn't necessarily bad. He could keep it to stay strong, to fight for the weak. To do what was right.

[Garnet]

OoC: Sorry this took so long. I kinda forgot about this thread, but when I found it again, it seemed like it needed one more closing comment from Garnet.

BiC

At first Garnet was a little upset when Fargo said he would look up to him. Who was he, a broken and vengeful man, to be aspired after. He was about to tell Fargo that he shouldn't look up to people like himself, when he realized that to say that would be like saying not to trust in the advice he had just given. He had, whats more, given the strength, a way to find purpose in accomplishing one's goals to this young man.

Perhaps Garnet wasn't completely broken after all, there was a chance to mend. He would still chase the Prophet, but now he had another goal as well: To have his heart healed. The archer had given him hope.

"...Thankyou Fargo, that means alot to me."