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Kaegan grunted. "He choked you?" He tilted his head to look at Tsurai's neck for the tell tale signs of strangulation- fingermarks and bruising. But he couldn't see the line that Tsurai's dogtags had made underneath his collar.

He paused, trying to find the best, most delicate way of answering Tsurai's questions. This.. was going to be difficult.

Kaegan had heard from the townsfolk why Tsurai and Isiah were so infamous when they had arrived here. Killing a drug dealer and stealing his wares was not something that made someone else seem trustworthy, or approachable. It made them seem.. opportunistic, like vultures or hyenas.

In addition to the reputation they had gained, Tsurai.. had been noted as a loose cannon, someone who would go off on anyone, friend or foe- Braeden has been there to attest to that, and in short, pained bits and pieces, Isiah had told Kaegan of the pain he'd gone through trying to raise Tsurai to normalcy. It's hard to ditch a violent past. No, not hard. Nearly impossible.

"Tsurai... People don't remember good things these days. I don't think they ever did. What we remember- what we are genetically programmed to remember- are instances where we were in pain, or in danger. When people see you, they don't see you as you are now, they see you as you were then, and it makes them nervous." Kaegan felt like he was ill equipped to try to pass judgement on Tsurai. He hadn't been there for the indiscretions. "And you shouldn't trust everybody. Some people aren't trustworthy. And they'll hurt you if you make the mistake of thinking they are.." Tangent. "But you need to understand that it is going to take time, lots of time, before people are able to forget the old you and recognize who you are today. Accept that. Make it a point to prove everyone's beliefs about you wrong, and it'll happen. Trust me."

Kaegan frowned, advancing on Tsurai, pulling a buck knife from it's sheath on his belt before turning the blade toward himself. He took Tsurai's shoulder gently, pulling him forward, pushing the dull side of the knife up Tusrai's neck, pulling the knife toward himself to snap the chain, the tags falling down onto the ground.

"Braeden didn't kill anybody. At least, nobody knows if he did. Tsurai, you're young. You've got a lot more time."

Kaegan shook his head back and forth. "What you need to think about.. is whether what people you don't know think about you is important or not." He shrugged nonchalantly. "If it is, then you have to wait until your old reputation and image dies. If not.. then you can start being happy now."

He tucked the knife back to where it belonged, smiling weakly. "Your choice."

Kaegan shook his head minutely. "Tsurai, Isiah's not stupid. He knows you for you, and not for what family you came out of. Blood doesn't mean much to any denzien worth his weight." He pat his arm gently.

Kaegan sighed. "Tsurai, you're too old to act like this. I think you know that." He paused, wondering why Tsurai was still standing there uncomfortably. "You can go now. You don't need my permission."

Kaegan wagged his head wearily. He didn't think Tsurai was all that young...

Braeden was sleeping when Tsurai arrived, snoring lightly, face down into his cot. His fingers twitched every few seconds or so as if he were having a brief dream during REM.

Braeden grunted and twitched, instintually raising his fist within milimeters of Tsurai's face in a quick upward movement before coming into conciousness. He lowered his hand, groaning in his chest. "What?"

Braeden turned his face back into the cot, shutting his eyes tightly and groaning. "I don't know, kid! How the hell would I know?!" He turned his face back sideways before sitting up, releasing a deep sigh. "You wanna ******** men?"