Re: To Find a Way Home (Mamono Assault Force)
Bakan chuckled visibly, perhaps in the first genuine display of joy and amusement that some of them had seen from him when Orgrosh said they wouldn't work out. "Orgrosh, I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm not asking for some human based, deep commitment. I'm asking if you want to be yourself, as you were when I... Well, when I fucked up. I understand if you don't want to try again, to let me do right what I did wrong. The entirety of this discussion was purely on a sexual sense, not a romantic one. I don't know how things work on your end, Orgrosh. No clue. But I do know one thing. My plan to try and get humans and orcs to get along so a lot of stupidity doesn't happen will only hold water if I myself can do the same. If I can't even show that you and I can get along, then I'm worthless, aren't I?" he inquired. "I know you tried. When I thought about it, you looked so natural all the time in that armor, as if that's all you ever wear. But when you wore that dress... Well, I was a bit too flustered and dense to realize that it was for my sake. I need to make similar sacrifices." he declared.
With that, he extended his hand to her. "I'm willing to do what it takes. I'll listen to whatever you have to say. I'll disregard you no more and maintain an open mind. Will you help me create peace between our races, and establish understanding? If we both learned about each other, I'm sure relations will improve... And that goes for you and I personally as well." he said with a serious tone. And if she took his hand, he'd try to make the most warrior-like gesture he could, pulling her just a bit closer to that their arms were braced against one another and their hands squeezed each other with their faces inches apart. However, flustered was not Bakan. "I want our relationship to be as human and orc as well as social equals. I will not ask you to pretend to be what you're not, because what you are now is awesome enough already." He said, before releasing her hand with a grin.
Then, Bakan nodded at all the others, assuring there's no negative ties on his end, and they're all welcome to stay in his company as long as he'd like. In fact, he'd even say that it'd be nice if they at least lived within a certain distance of each other once this was all over. Bakan would like to have old friends as neighbors, as he'd explain.
Then, came Janne. He walked up to the nymph with newfound courage, looking to Cory as if to draw her support, before regarding the woman. "I know how much you're owed. Owed for feeding me and providing shelter by Ashloriel's request. Owed for saving me, owed for performing my foolish and selfish wishes. You have a to ask from me, and I doubt you'll let me pay it off quickly. And lucky for you, everyone's decision seems to have gone in your favor. However..." He puffed up his chest, taking in air to speak further as he leaned in, his nose almost touching her own as he gave her a confident grin. "I suddenly also have other allies to call upon when I'm in need. I'm surrounded by them in fact. So, if you want to continue to play with me, you'll have to be extra useful!" he said, his heart racing as he actually found himself sort of standing up to Janne and acting as her superior for a change, and hopefully able to pull it off this time instead of that time at the glade. "... And... And you'll also have to be nice to me from now on! No more lewd torture or making fun of me! And...!" He was about to add something, before his eyes wandered a bit. "... I'll try to remember what the third thing was later, but that's it for now!" he said, before folding his arms and nodding at Cory confidently as she left. "You think you have what it takes to impress me? I don't know about that, Janne~" Bakan cooed. "I've got Rhep, Orgrosh, Samarta, and even Sarah's currently in training, soon to become a champion like the others. Right, Sarah?" he said with a nod in her direction. "The bar's pretty high... But if I just so happen to have good enough reason to call you... I just might do so from time to time~" he said in a coy manner, enjoying this feeling, or perhaps illusion if Janne somehow doubles up on him, of being in control. Just eliminating Janne from the equation would be letting her win, and conceding to her. Like this, if she's the one who backs down, then it'll be totally his win.
To make the predator flee, instead of fleeing from the predator, that's the important difference to make this day. And if she doesn't back down... Well, then an important fact would probably come to light in that he'll probably end up calling her often just to help with things. It'd be kind of hard to ask for more of her as is, but she doesn't have to know that. He just wants to see her lose that dominant and oppressive aura she suffocates him with, even if just for a moment. So, he's hoping she'll get bothered, heck she might even just outright leave. The alternative is the nightmare, where she slips in through the tiny crack he left her to work with, and finds him in a situation tantamount to being naked in the shower after dropping the soap. He just hopes the 'wolf' in this case decides the prey isn't worth it... Or else he'll get eaten. Sort of literally.
After that moment passed, Bakan regarded the group for the second part of his speech. "Now, for the second bit I wanted to speak of. As you figured out from what I said before, I'm going to be trying to change Badaria by eliminating the bad seeds. I'm thinking that with Dove's help, leadership over various areas can be replaced with that which is more trustworthy. Artis would be good for that. Give him another job so his life isn't over. He didn't seem like that racist of a fellow either, perfect for our plan." He nodded. "But it will be dangerous. Very dangerous. Any one of you could die, I could die. I want all of you to understand the danger of following me further than this. I want to know that you're following me, knowing that I could very well be leading you to your absolute demise. We may not even be killed. We might be captured, mutilated, tortured if the racists of Badaria get one of us, and probably raped by anything else."
Heavy took a deep sigh. "To follow me now is absolute commitment. You aren't just committing yourself to this grand cause, you're also committing yourself to the source of this desire for change. Me. We may as well become the equivalent of family past that point. Or clansmen as Orgrosh perhaps knows it." He said with a look to her. "No matter what you call it... It's a bond of acceptance, knowing that the people before you are going to bleed with you, suffer with you, and die with you... And die 'for' you. Because we WILL look out for each other." he stressed. "We will leave no one behind. Ever. Not unless they are beyond anything we can do. I don't care if we need to punch a god in the face to do it, I will do it myself and suffer the consequences. Because that's 'my' commitment. I will sacrifice tooth and limb if you, my comrades, need that of me." he declared, before letting the others make their choice. "If you don't want to... If you don't think I am worth it, then I don't blame you. I'm asking to put your lives in jeopardy. That alone is absurd. Rather than think of a reason to refuse me, I want you all to think right now... Of a reason why you 'should' help me. After all, I'm not paramount to the outcome of this attempt at changing Badaria. That's merely my wish. You can easily try to find another way, if that's all you wish for. A more sane way, a slower way... This, right here." he extends his hand forth.
"This is just me. I am prepared to go alone, but my objective will not change. I will exterminate the evil roots of racism in Badaria and plant the seed of hope for a better future. I will do this within all my mortal limits."
