[Audio]

[paragonbrosca]

 Yo, this is Aren. 

[She clears her throat, awkward for once.]

So, I don't recall everything clearly, but...I know my younger self was being a sticky-fingered jerkhole. There's a lot of reasons why I was like that, but it's not an excuse, and I'm sorry to the folks that got the brunt of it. If you're still hurt, I've got poultices to spare. If you're missing something from your pockets, let me know and I'll check to see if it's in the stash. I don't know if I found everything I snagged -probably not- but if it's here, I'll return it. 

And yeah, sorry about all that. 

Comments

voice;

[closerift]

[ Have a half-amused, half-wary-sounding Inquisitor: ]

Was it you who made off with my kettle?

voice;

[paragonbrosca]

...yep. It was shiny, and apparently that's all the excuse my younger self needed.

voice;

[closerift]

Ah ha. [ snort ] Well, it's technically our shared kettle, so no harm done.

voice;

[paragonbrosca]

Barkspawn kept it safe, anyhow. Right, boy?

[Happy bark.]

voice;

[closerift]

Oh, did he? [ She chuckles. ] Well, in that case, thank you, Barkspawn. Your noble efforts were the only thing keeping the kettle from being lost forever.

voice;

[paragonbrosca]

[Barkspawn responds with more cheerful barking.]

Great, now he'll be smug forever.

voice;

[closerift]

Can a dog be smug? [ She knows nothing about them. ] Well, that isn't the worst thing in the world, is it?

voice;

[paragonbrosca]

Oh, they totally can. If he starts demanding more treats, it's your fault.

voice;

[closerift]

You can blame it on me, then. I accept this punishment.

[Audio]

[fadeling]

Why are you sorry?

[Audio]

[paragonbrosca]

'Cause I was a massive jerkoff to practically everyone I met. I stole a lot of shit, beat up some people...it's not anything to be proud of, you know?

Re: [Audio]

[fadeling]

It wasn't your fault.

[Audio]

[paragonbrosca]

Well, I did all those things. So, yeah, it kinda is.

I mean, I did what I thought I had to do when I was a kid. But I also hated everyone who had it even a little better, and the people I bullied here had nothing to do with Orzammar.

Re: [Audio]

[fadeling]

You didn't make you. They did.

[paragonbrosca]

It still doesn't make a difference to the kid I punched in the face because he had fancy clothes.

[fadeling]

Did he say?

[paragonbrosca]

No idea, and it's not like I stuck around to find out.

[fadeling]

Did he say now?

[paragonbrosca]

I dunno, I haven't encountered him since.

[fadeling]

Maybe you could ask.

[paragonbrosca]

...yeah, I probably will. Sooner, than later.

[fadeling]

Good. They should know.

audio

[outofthefire]

Please. You were adorable. Hungry, but adorable.

audio

[paragonbrosca]

And doing the five-fingered discount like there was no tomorrow. Are you missing anything? I don't remember if I took something from you, but I can check the pile.

audio

[outofthefire]

You didn't steal anything from me. Well, unless you count the day-old stuff at the bakery, but there's not much we could've done with it anyway.

Re: audio

[paragonbrosca]

I think I threw up most of that stuff, later. Ugh, I'm not sure when I'll be able to look at baked goods without feeling queasy.

audio

[outofthefire]

[in a friendly-teasing voice] I did try to warn you.

[paragonbrosca]

...you did? I think I was in too much of a sugar-rush to remember much. But if I was as hungry as I was back in Dust Town, I wouldn't have listened, anyway.

[outofthefire]

Yeah, I did. I'm sorry you got sick. You looked like you could've used a little more meat on your bones.

[paragonbrosca]

Eh, getting sick didn't stop me too much. I still stole so much food it was like a party...and like the aftermath of a party, too.

[outofthefire]

[she laughs I don't think anyone could hold it against you. And I don't think anyone could hold a grudge over whatever it was you did as a kid.

[paragonbrosca]

I dunno, I was a total asshole.

...there were these elf kids, all happy and well-dressed and well-loved. I saw that, and I hated the absolute shit out of them. Why should they have what I didn't?

[outofthefire]

Not to me.

...being jealous like that is normal. Especially given what you had to deal with as a kid.

[paragonbrosca]

To be fair, you literally bribed me with desserts.

That's true. I just hate that I took it out on everyone else. No one here had anything to do with how shit Orzammar was.

[outofthefire]

It worked, didn't it?

You were a kid. Of course you can think that now when you're all grown up, but there's no way you could've come up with that as a little kid.

[paragonbrosca]

It's true. Everyone was richer and out to get me or at least didn't care if they stomped on me, so I thought.

...also not a fan of people knowing how shit things were back then.

[outofthefire]

Maybe that was true back then, but it's not true now. Now, you're a brave, beautiful dwarf who can kick the ass of anyone who tries to make you feel like you did back then again.

I don't blame you. [a beat] Where are you right now?

[paragonbrosca]

I'm at home, sorting through the pile of crap I managed to accumulate.

...why the hell do I have curlers? Was I picking up stuff for Rica? [Half-muttered to herself.]

[outofthefire]

Lemme talk to Delmar, see if I can leave early today.

I don't know, but I could use a set of curlers?

[paragonbrosca]

Consider them yours.

...thanks.

[outofthefire]

Cool, thanks.

No problem. I cleared it with Delmar. I'll be home soon.