Interlude: Pride (Takes Place in the Future)

Soren wrote up records and looked for requests for services. Whenever Titania or Greil were busy, he would spend more time on bookkeeping. Luckily, some of the new members that Ike met were very helpful. It seems that they wanted to follow their commander Ike all the way from this... Elibe.

It warranted some suspicion, but given some of the tomes they had, it was written with another esoteric language other than the Old Tongue. However, everyone could read and write the common language of Tellius. Some had cultures and customs that are far too removed from the continent of Tellius, some even having their religion deviating from worshipping the Goddess Ashera, having this Saint Elimine as their guide to "God", or Father Sky and Mother Earth, instead of the goddess. Not that he really cared, by all accounts, people would see him and many others like him as an abomination and affront to the goddess.

Once they see those terrifying and awful sub-humans, Soren knew that they would quickly be terrified. Their history does not line up Tellius. In any event, they gained capable new members. They all were capable, no less in terms of skill to their senior members. Somehow... he felt inadequate, just like some of the current members. The way Ike was so happy working alongside the people who helped him in Elibe. Their own group needed to improve at any rate... Maybe... he wasn't needed... Ike had all the people who could assist him, maybe there wasn't a place for him in the company, by Ike's side.

Ike even earned himself a future bride it seems. He heard footsteps coming to the study of the base. Speak of the devil...

"Oh, Soren!" Lyn carried a basket of food with her as she called out. "The others thought you were starving when you're cooped up in the study, so I thought I could bring some of it for you."

At least she was kind... She walked in with her unique exotic clothing that is native to her homeland. If only Gatrie would stop being rude by looking at her legs...

"Thank you, I'll begin as soon as I am done." Soren politely replied. She nodded happily as she glanced over the list of requests.

"These are all within Crimea, do you ever get requests from other countries?" Soren turned to look at Lyn, and shook his head.

"We primarily cater to Crimean villages and locals. Although Commander Greil and Titania have contacts in Gallia." He explained. "I... wouldn't go South to other countries if I were you."

"Ike... he met you." Soren's brows raised as she spoke. "In Gallia, right? Where these... Laguz live."

He fell silent and closed his eyes. He breathed in, not knowing what he was feeling was relief or anxiety.

"So... he told you... I did notice his memories returned... He didn't seem well-informed about the world outside of Crimea almost two years ago." Soren spoke softly. "I'm almost glad..."

Soren received an apology from Ike not too long ago for forgetting how they met. To think he finally remembered... He didn't blame Ike, given the horrifying events of that day.

Turning to her, he spoke: "I'll warn you anyways, stay away from the sub-humans. For your safety." Putting emphasis and venom behind mentioning the laguz with a slur.

She frowned, it was clear Soren sounded rather... bigoted. It was as if hearing her granduncle and Araphen again. Disparaging Laguz as a whole... is this really Ike's friend? But his tone... it sounded as though he felt desperate.

"Can you tell me... why you seem to dislike them?" Lyn asked.

Soren snorted, with a cynical smile. "They have beastly qualities, the climate they prefer is far from what humans choose." His mouth turned downwards the next moment. "I hate their conceit. If the beasts get angry over their treatment from other human countries, maybe they should be less focused acting so prideful and being in complete denial to everyone but their own."

"...Soren..." Lyn gasped out. She put her hand in horror at his statement. His attitude is completely discriminatory towards another race. To think he held such venom towards an entire group of people...

Soren smiled and thought to himself, 'Perhaps it's time?' Pointing to his forehead he opened his mouth. Ike no longer needed him he thought.

"Remember this when you see this mark... this is nothing more a mark of sin. A stigma. A sign of living proof of an unholy union between human and sub-human." Soren explained ignoring her shocked expression. "As far as Ashera and her teachings is concerned, I'm nothing more than an abomination. A mongrel of the worst kind. They display more human traits than Laguz and do not transform into beasts like they do."

Lyn only grew concerned. Why was he telling her this? At the very least, Ike didn't know what his friend was spouting and ranting about for the most part.

"At least humans will barely notice, I was lucky most considered me a spirit charmer, one who receives a similar mark after inviting spirits into their being. However, that's not the case." Holding a smile while continuing his rant, he continued: "Humans will just throw stones and attack with whatever they have on them once they find out. Why wouldn't they be terrified of an unholy spawn from the beastly folks who only wear a partial guise of a human? Sub-humans... they just scowl. They look the other way. Ignoring you as if being alive is bothersome. Like you don't exist."

Lyn held a worried and concerned expression. To think Soren held this much of a painful past... Finally, Soren then changed his expression to a more neutral one.

"Hate... I can understand, but this was denial. I felt in some way, colder and alone than if they'd just attack me. At least they would have acknowledged me with such an action, but all they did was give the same look of dismissal." His face turned into a scowl in the next moment. "People fear the unnatural, but at least it's understandable. I was just gifted in the magical arts. Sub-humans treat you like you don't exist. They're a bit sharper on finding out who's a branded."

"I hate them." He growled out. "I hate how they treated me. And I hate the blood that courses through my veins."

He looked at Lyn's saddened expression, who only stood silent at Soren, hearing every word he spoke. Self-deprecation, lack of self-confidence, and sorrow. His prejudice came from somewhere, now she knew.

"Why are you telling me this, what are you planning to do, Soren?" Lyn asked of him, continuing to give him a sympathetic gaze.

"I don't need your pity. Go ahead and tell Ike. Announce to everyone that I'm an unholy spawn if you must. I'll be sending in my resignation anyways." Lyn only shook her head.

"No... I won't need to. I don't care about what you are." Soren remained shrugging off her words and stood to leave until he heard her next words: "I care that you're Ike's friend. Again, why do you want to leave?"

Soren closed his eyes and opened his mouth to respond: "Because you are here, and so are alot of his new friends. He doesn't need me, a half-breed... I don't want to see his reaction to me being an abomination and turn on me. I don't belong anywhere in the first place."

So that's why. He felt insecure over everyone from Elibe. What spurred this on was likely jealousy to some extent, losing his friend to others.

"Ike wouldn't care." Soren resumed heading out the door. "I'm disappointed in you for thinking like that..." He halted upon hearing Lyn's words.

Soren turned to glare at Lyn. Lyn remained steadfast and continued: "Even if you deny your heritage, why do you deny the life of a staff officer of the Greil Mercenaries? Why do you want to deny being a proud mercenary and friend to Ike?"

"Don't you see? I'm nothing." Soren spat out. His voice cracking with every word he spoke. "You and the others may be foreigners and clueless to our values, but not for the people here in Tellius. I'm considered repugnant. It's because he's my only friend... that I don't want to burden him with my existence."

Lyn only shook her head, "Ike wouldn't care... he told me once that he doesn't want the people he knows to feel shame over their lives. He only cares that you and everyone can stand proud of the lives you live. He's proud of his family, the Greil Mercenaries. He's proud of you, Soren. He talked the world about every one of you."

Seeing her smile, she was being honest. His red eyes looked in her green eyes. There wasn't a sign of malice or deceit. Rather, it was empathy.

"I once felt ashamed of my own blood for a moment in my life, I come from Sacae, and my heritage didn't suit the life of a noble. I didn't want to shame my grandfather, who couldn't attend gatherings." She explained. "So I can understand, you feel like you don't want to weigh Ike down."

Soren remembered the bit about Lyn being the granddaughter of a marquess. Her mother left to be with her father, where they resided in the plains of Sacae in this Elibe. Although, he considered this more of a culture issue rather than race. But that was beside the point.

"Then Ike told me, my grandfather already accepted me. And it would only be disparaging to my heritage, to my parents, to my fellow nomads, my grandfather, and... to myself." Lyn remembered that night so vividly as she spoke. "I'm thought I was used to prejudice, and before I knew it, I became a hypocrite when I faltered in my way of life at the time."

Giving a smile towards Soren as she spoke, reassuring him that he wasn't alone. When it comes to twisted irony or hypocrisy, they were both guilty. Even then, Ike would tell them to stop focusing on such things and just live their lives.

"That's why I need to take pride in the life I live. With Father Sky and Mother Earth as my witness... I have to stand proud if I want to stand beside Ike." Looking at Soren as she spoke. "That's why I'm proud of Ike, and I'm proud of you, Soren, for being a capable and smart friend." Soren was left unsure by her words, but it resonated with him.

"I can't convince you to end your hatred and prejudice. All that hatred doesn't go away and what you experienced I wouldn't wish onto anyone. You have that right to hate if you wish. But... please remain a good friend to Ike, at the very least, remain the one he's already proud of." Lyn stated with a heartfelt expression. Her pleas to ensure he stays made him worked its way into his heart. He pondered on what he really wants to do for his only friend...

Just as Lyn headed out the door, she made one final remark: "Some of our friends are even dragons. Even... the ones who had a human father. His blood courses through their veins. Not exactly like the laguz and branded."

Soren then frowned. What on earth did that mean? How were they not branded or still be considered dragon laguz? Just before he could inquire more, Lyn left. Leaving Soren to his own thoughts.

"Hm... Pride..." Soren whispered to himself. Could he hold that for himself? For his wretched existence?