FFM 2025 13: Reasons Why

Catch-up time! This is a direct continuation to FFM 2025 11: Conclusions, once again from QWERTY’s point of view.

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QWERTY set aers tablet down once Beyari returned to the loungeroom after seeing Commander Urrang off. “It turns out the next harvest from the Plucker tree is yours.”

“Yay,” Beyari deadpanned, drawing her armorplates to her body, no longer hiding her gift of Fabric-shifting now that the commander had left. “Oh well; it’s worth it. I didn’t want to win that bet anyway, no matter how convinced I was that Forager going silent must’ve meant that they got caught and executed.”

“What do you make of him? Does he live up to your preconceptions of Forager?”

“You saw the bounty posting; he’s even more than I thought he’d be. Higher-ranking than I’d imagined, and in the fucking IRS of all IR agencies to boot.” Beyari crossed her arms now that her armorplates were in place. “He definitely does have nerves of Qual when he’s in action, judging from how he matched me while sparring and how long he was able to act as Forager before he had to be extracted.”

“But he is insecure outside of it.”

“I’d be too, if I were a Bloodletter-turned-AIRF-combatant. He wouldn’t be here if the IR’s shit didn’t bother him.” Beyari drummed the armorplate on her upper arm. “Did his file say anything about family?”

“They’re all very deep in the IR military system. It’s a miracle Commander Urrang was able to extract himself from it, considering his upbringing.”

“Figures.” Beyari kept drumming the armorplate. “Can’t say I envy him. Plenty people probably look at his face and see the Bloodletter he was before they see the comrade he is now.”

“But you didn’t see he was a Bloodletter.” That was actually bugging QWERTY.

“I didn’t look at his face closely enough before today.” Beyari shrugged. “Not that I would’ve been in the condition to realize it anyway since he isn’t someone who was on Thyrif. I did think he looked like someone less relevant from the list of Bloodletters when he walked up to me before we sparred but I didn’t want to assume before he said his name.”

“‘Less relevant’,” QWERTY repeated flatly. “Many people in the AIRF would deck you for that if they didn’t realize who you are before acting. Commander Urrang was present at multiple particularly heinous atrocities, including both sieges of Folga. He was a very relevant Bloodletter outside of Eskel-Zai circles.”

Beyari cringed. “No wonder he’s insecure when socializing.”

QWERTY considered. “…You are still going to spend time with him?”

“I’m no saint compared to him. You know that.” Beyari looked at the ceiling, sighing. “I’m not going to say ‘the atrocities that don’t touch me aren’t mine to forgive’ or other relevant platitudes to you. I just… I dunno. It was nice, to be seen as just another person for once. Not an Inzin or an elite warrior or hunter or the like… just a person with their own mess called ‘life’.”

“Is that why you hid your gifts?”

“Partially. He didn’t strike me as someone who has any, so it was only fair I used none while sparring. And I can imagine he’s seen them be abused more than enough to become wary of me if he learned I’m an Inzin before he got to know me.”

QWERTY considered again. “…He could probably use someone who sees ‘just another person’ when looking at him too.”

“Yeah,” Beyari sighed. “His emotional state when he registered that I didn’t bat an eye at his name and asked to spar instead of bringing up his past… once he got over the mental whiplash, he loosened up. Brightened, even… And that was nice, you know? Making someone’s day brighter without hurting anyone.”

“You sound like you let your Mind-sense take over while sparring.”

Beyari took the bait, just like QWERTY had expected. “Not take over. If I had let it take over, I would’ve probably trounced him by the virtue of reading his moves faster enough to outmaneuver him. But the way his emotional state just… opened up, when he’d been so guarded and weighed before… I liked that.”

QWERTY suppressed the urge to sigh. Out of all the motivations to continue to associate with a defector Bloodletter, it just had to be pleasure Beyari got via the Mind-sense. Just their luck.

“It’s not just the Mind-sense this time.” Beyari looked at QWERTY. “The spar itself was fun too. It’s been a long time since anyone’s given me such a great challenge.”

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?” QWERTY did want to believe Beyari for everyone’s sakes, but ae knew how Beyari had been before.

“You wouldn’t even if I said yes. And I understand why.” Beyari scratched her head. “I know I went completely wrong and then some after I reconnected with Kassia, and with so many friends at the Guild too. And I know if I’m not mindful, I’ll repeat those mistakes with Commander Urrang.”

“Indeed.”

“I’ll be careful and rein in my Mind-sense, I promise. Commander Urrang deserves better than what he’d get if I don’t do that.”

A notion that many here would likely challenge. QWERTY nodded. “Good. I’ll keep an eye on you just in case anyway.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it. And sorry for the trouble.”

QWERTY shrugged. “That’s what friends are for, no? And even if not, it’s not like you’re not my best option as a crewmate. It would be in my best interests to ensure that you continue to function properly anyway.”

Beyari flashed a frail smile. “Thanks.”

QWERTY could only wonder what they were getting into. Ae knew that therapy had done Beyari a lot of good and could very well make things so that aers partner would not mess everything up again, but on the other hand ae had to be worried. So much could go wrong here and ae did not find Commander Urrang deserving of being caught in the crossfire of it.

Ae would have to wait and see where this would go.