Scene #8937: Aidan's Worst Day

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	<Q-Conversation> Ru Li Cheng says, "This is important, and not a question I can allow you to leave floating until you have decided at a latter date. I must know now." <Q-Conversation> Aidan Proudpick pause. It's a long pause as he thinks. "I don't know exactly the difference here. The point was just... independence from the Gale Empire. Proof we could stand on our own. Without them stealing from us again." <Q-Conversation> Ru Li Cheng, wearily, says, "The difference is whether your people are free under the rule of another and able to live happy lives, or independent and without assistance and forced to scramble, and whether you will fight if the answer is independence." <Q-Conversation> Aidan Proudpick says, "But it's not my choice. It's theirs. I'm not some King, Of course I'll fight! But I can't force that decision on anyone. A lotta people won't want a King again. A lotta people will want protection. I can't decide that for them." <Q-Conversation> Ru Li Cheng, wearily, says, "So you will fight. Understood." <Q-Conversation> Aidan Proudpick says, "Every breezing day if I have to." <Q-Conversation> Ru Li Cheng says, "That is...unfortunate. I am sorry that it is very likely that we will be at odds." <Q-Conversation> Aidan Proudpick says, "I hope I'm a worthy fight, Ru Li." <Q-Conversation> Ru Li Cheng, wearily, says, "I doubt it. Thank you for your answer." <Q-Conversation> Aidan Proudpick makes a grunt of contrite acceptance. Kale calls Aidan to... actually, out of Quicknest. Out of the Windswept Continent entirely. It's another random warpgate corridor. Essentially an airport terminal, with a bit more shopping and restaurant variety. It's as good as neutral ground gets. "Proudpick." Kale's in the food court, at a table. He doesn't have any food in front of him. "First of all, thank you for your assistance in dealing with Petra. You kept to your word. Mostly."
Aidan Proudpick	You'd be surprised how many medical supplies you can get at a thrift store, as people with dead loved ones tend to hand over everything. Old crutches, knee braces. A dressing on his head, an extremely loose tunic. "Kale." Aidan sits down with a grunt, too tired to be mopey, but not too tired to be contrite. "Lemme take responsibilty for the East Wind. I don't know how I can make it up, but, it's my fault."
Kale Hearthward	"You're about to take responsibility for a lot more than that." Kale folds his hands together on the table, but otherwise doesn't shift posture. He looks tired. "Is it true you've been calling Hazelthistle your girlfriend?"
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan takes his time to run through his head. "I said I was trying to court her. And I love listening to her talk. Then everyone started mocking me for it, so I stopped. But not for a while, I uh..." He waves his hand towards himself, "I'm kinda a mess. Emotionally." He frowns, "Why, did she say something?"
Kale Hearthward	"You've been giving people a lot more of an impression than that you're simply courting her. It's news to me." Kale's hands tighten together. "News to her, too."
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan grimaces, letting out a sigh, "I..." He pushes his hand into his face. "Kill me, Kale. Just kill me. I AM too needy, alright. I just- I don't know. Needed to pretend someone cares."
Kale Hearthward	"No denials. No claims of a misunderstanding. I was prepared to accept that, even if the misunderstanding was clearly one way." "The only thing stopping me from taking you up on your request, is that Petra and Lilian have a prior claim." "This is... loser behavior of an entire other order. Fabricating a relationship, out of desperation. Were you going to tell Hazelthistle at any point?" "No - actually, that doesn't matter." Kale unfolds his hands, reaches into a pocket, and pulls out his phone. "I will be glad to call Petra for you, right here and now. We'll end things. I'll make sure it's as painless a kill as I can negotiate for you."
Aidan Proudpick	NOW Aidan has the energy to sink down into himself. "Fuckless," he mutters to himself, repeating the words that Petra had said to him. "No. I still got shit I gotta do." He tries to come up with something to defend himself, 'I was going to ask her out during the medical training, alright.' 'I always felt I wasn't good enough.' "Hurricanes, this is why I can only do one night stands." He drops his head into his arms. Gently, so as not to hurt his head wound.
Kale Hearthward	"You're disgusting." Kale sets his phone down. "I'm going to get right to the other point, then." "You're exiled."
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan shrinks further into himself. A particular self-loathing he hasn't felt for himself for a good half a year. He doesn't refute it. He just accepts it as another thing he forced onto himself. Hurricanes, he's going to die alone. He's never going to find anyone. He blinks out of his downward spiral, "Exiled from what?"
Kale Hearthward	"Quicknest." "You're exiled." Kale's hands fold again. "You set off this entire chain of events, accomplished little to fix it, and at many times you were a liability to efforts to resolve things." "For the good of the people who we saved, you are to no longer step foot there."
Aidan Proudpick	He slowly leans back in his chair, staring at Kale. Exiled from Quicknest. Even his last home is now gone. He's... homeless. Literally. He will never be able to see his father again. Will his friends even support him at this point. Aidan nods. "Yea. Okay." Another weight for the pile. The will to climb is waning as the top of the hole keeps getting higher. And he has no one to blame but himself.
Kale Hearthward	"... Yeah, okay?" Kale leans forward slightly. "... No argument? No debate? No yelling?" He leans back. "Think of this... as a kindness. As we free people, there will be questions as to how this all happened." "There'll be many people blaming you for the events in their entirety." "This way - your punishment is already dealt with. Exile, instead of imprisonment or worse." "And you've got plenty else to focus on right now, don't you?"
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan lifts his head, some of his energy back. "Don't get me wrong. If something happens to Quicknest, I'll fight. Like I said to Ru Li. I'll do it right this time. Words mean something, right? If it's being alone, homeless, friendless, then I did it to myself." He shakes his head, clearing the cobwebs away. He can't do this. Not again. One foothold at a time. Focus on the next thing. Then the next. It's not a race to the top. He nods, feeling resolve creeping back in. "I'll wake up tomorrow, do my stretches, and get ready to free the rest of Quicknest."
Kale Hearthward	"Good. Hibiki was talking about getting you training - get with her. Focus on yourself first. Otherwise you actually will die." Kale gets up, and... ... no goodbyes are said. He simply leaves.
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan hobbles himself back up to his crutch. All of his possessions are gone again. He doesn't even have his flag. The only place he can sleep is a stiff bed out in the Gale Empire. And if they close down the shelters because Quicknest is relocating, then it's park benches somewhere for him. "Suffocate me, I'm going to hafta do the medical training with them both." He pushes himself back to the Warpgate. He's just going to keep picking himself back up. It's all he can give the Multiverse.