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chatonarya · 3 months

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Gnosis and Monch

Original post on reddit.

In the CN 4.5 livestream, at last was announced the next installment of the Kjerag storyline and the sequel to Break The Ice, official title as of yet unknown. With the continuation of the Kjerag storyline, we can expect to see the return of most of the major characters of BI: the Silverash siblings and the Browntails, Gnosis, Kjera, and the fan favorite and highly anticipated Black Knight.

Many people are also expecting to see the return and possible playability of not just Degenbrecher, but also Monch, another favorite, which is not an undue expectation as her plotline was open-ended at the end of BI. (In addition, the Kjerag operators are numbered JC00–JC09, with JC06 and JC07 missing, so it’s quite fair to say we’ll be getting at least two more.)

With this is mind, I wanted to put this out there before the release of Kjerag 2, just to sort of once again share my thoughts and perhaps offer an alternative perspective on a divisive character.

Perhaps Gnosis’s most contentious act in the entirety of Break The Ice was his deception of his subordinate Monch, and indeed, for many readers, this was a moral event horizon that damned his character forever in their eyes. However, I didn’t feel that way, and this is an attempt to explain why, hopefully in a reasonable fashion. Let’s go through the story.

Our first interaction between Monch and Gnosis (and our first introduction to Monch) takes place in BI-1 After, a scene some time after Gnosis is "dismissed" from his post as CTO:

Monch: Sir Gnosis. Gnosis: I've warned that we should not converse on these occasions. Monch: Yes, my apologies. Only... I received an urgent message. The train carrying Rhodes Island's delegation is almost at Karlan's foot already. You had some interest in this company. Do you want to go and meet them? Gnosis: The Snow Realm has reached a major juncture. If they're external forces that have been drawn in, then I'll naturally meet them when the time comes. No need to go out of my way. Besides... I'm merely an employee on probation now. What position do I have as pretext to meet them? Monch: ...Sir… It really was disappointing to see how Enciodes acted, ejecting you as a figurehead just to appease the other two clans. Gnosis: Appease? Enciodes's thoughts are by no means as simple as that. I've heard Rhodes Island really did succeed in slowing the exacerbation of Ensia's Oripathy? Monch: Yes... Gnosis: Hm. Then they do, in fact, have the resources to win the Silverashes' favor. But the attention of Enciodes is both a blessing and curse. No easy judgments yet. Monch: You mean... Gnosis: There is no extraneous meaning to what I said. Anyhow, presumably those in the company must have applauded and cheered, the same way those two dilettantes did just now, hearing I was gone. Monch: None of them understand your worth, Sir Gnosis. Gnosis: Using the word 'worth' to describe a person implies that person can be weighed. Monch: Sir... Gnosis: By now, Enciodes should have proposed his idea for the Saintess to lead the Tri-Clan Council. The meeting hall, at this moment, should be utter chaos. Enciodes, in the end, this is the step you took after all. Monch: You're the one who understands Enciodes the most. Only you can stand in the way of his ambitions.

Interesting how the first thing Gnosis says to her is that they shouldn't be seen together under these circumstances; Monch’s true role as Gnosis’s subordinate and not one of the Browntails’ is a secret. Monch has made a misstep from the very first, and reading the whole conversation, they really don’t discuss or exchange any important information beyond Gnosis musing aloud (expositing for us, the readers) and Monch buttering him up.

It’s the latter to which I would like to draw attention. Aside from Monch’s initial question if Gnosis would like to go and meet with Rhodes Island (which she really should have known he couldn’t at that point), almost all of her lines carry some form of praise. Monch talks about how Enciodes shouldn’t have ousted him; how nobody understands Gnosis; how Gnosis is the only one who can stop Enciodes.

This is noteworthy because it’s our introduction to Monch as a character, the first time we meet her. What impression does she give? A sycophantic subordinate who doesn’t fully grasp the true depth of the events taking place but who has an almost blind devotion to her master, though not being quite as sharp. I’m not trying to paint her in the worst light, this is just how she comes across to me at first meeting: loyal, and very devoted to the point of inexplicable adulation, but who can’t really see as far ahead as her master does, either.

Let’s move onto their next scene in BI-3:

Monch: ...... All the requirements have been met, just as Madame Sciurus expected. Enciodes sent Weiss presumably as some kind of insurance policy. But that's not nearly enough. You are to ensure that things go according to Madame Sciurus's plans once Weiss is gone. Kjerag Warriors: Yes! Monch: ...... Gnosis: You were followed. Monch: ......! What?! I didn't... Gnosis: There was only one of them, now long gone, running after the men Sciurus assigned to you. Monch: I'm very sorry for betraying your expectations, Sir Gnosis. Gnosis: No, perhaps this is for the better. Monch: I'm prepared to be your pawn and to do whatever you say. Gnosis: I'm just a researcher, Monch. Pawns are meaningless to me. What I want is a partner that I can work with. Monch: ...... Gnosis: Proceed with the plan. Don't worry. Ratatos and Sciurus won't catch you. Monch: Understood.

The standout line for me is this one: “I want a partner I can work with.” This line, on second read, hits a little different. The word "partner" is a very loaded one for Gnosis. It's the equivalent of Enciodes's "dearest friend," and notice that this is how he returns the sentiment. "You're my partner-in-crime."

At this point, he's cozying up to the Browntails, and first impression of this line is that he's looking for someone else to finance his endeavors (be his "sugar daddy" as it were), but on second read, it's quite possible that he's referring to his relationship with Enciodes. He doesn't care about having the network of people that Enciodes has, moving them around the board, all of that. He just needs someone who will work with him and let him do his thing.

Is it possible that Monch interpreted his desire for a partner as a role she could fulfill? It’s possible, as I extrapolate later, though she does continue being servile to him throughout the ensuing events. But I can’t help but notice how she goes silent when she offers to be a pawn and he says he doesn’t need that. As mentioned above, Monch has a strange, borderline adoration of Gnosis that is unexplained as of this writing. Maybe she was secretly hoping to be his partner; maybe not in a business sense, but another sense, because…

…My interpretation as I read the story was that, for whatever reason, she harbors a crush on him. It would wholly explain her peculiar behavior towards him: her flattery in BI-1; her desperation to prove herself to him; her hanging onto his every word; her almost idolization of him; her unwavering support of him; her wounded feelings when he doesn’t trust her with the entire scheme; her returning of his dagger at the end.

And this is one of the things that lends to me the opinion that (as I will elaborate more on later) Monch is easily swayed by her emotions and generally in poor control of them, which isn’t befitting of her job or her position, particularly as it’s exceedingly clear that to Gnosis, Monch is merely his subordinate.

However, we lack context for “her most prized weapon,” the dagger Gnosis made for her. We don’t know why he did this; why he saw fit to bestow upon someone he clearly sees as a mere subordinate, albeit a fine one, an object which carries a heavy meaning for him. We also do not know why this token is so valuable to Monch other than because she admires him. We lack context and reasoning, in general, for why Monch is so servile towards Gnosis. The simplest explanation I can think of is that he did her a good turn in the past (not unlike Enciodes did for Weiss), or that she has a crush on him.

Second, look at Monch’s line here: “I’m prepared to do whatever you say.”

In addition to her adulation of him in BI-1, here she’s more explicit about her willingness to follow his commands. She couldn’t have possibly predicted the chain of events which he was planning, but she nevertheless states that no matter the situation, she will obey. This is no doubt as much as he expected from her, but I want to keep it in mind going into the next scene. Note also that once again, Monch has apparently made a mistake—she was followed—yet Gnosis allows this to slide without reprimanding her as it will not affect the rest of his plans.

Next, let's move onto BI-5 After, which is the next time we Monch and Gnosis together:

Gnosis: Are all the preparations in place? Monch: Yes. ...... Sir Gnosis! May I ask you a question...? Gnosis: Now this is rare. This might be the first time you've asked me anything. Go ahead. Monch: If I may be so bold. I'm afraid that the Browntails might get caught up in the investigation that follows, if we go through with our plan. I... I'm just worried that, now that you and the Browntails have formed an alliance, wouldn't it be detrimental to your plan if anything should happen to the Browntails? Gnosis: I've considered that, but it doesn't matter. What becomes of the Browntails isn't important. This is a rare opportunity, and I do not want it to go to waste. At the same time, I hope you'll know to save your own skin. Should worst come to pass, you needn't think about the Browntails. I know Enciodes. If your testimony is useful to him, he won't harm you. At least for the time being. And when the time comes, I will send men to ensure your safety. Monch: Sir Gnosis! I... Gnosis: What's the matter? If you are having any second thoughts, we can bring others to execute this plan in your stead. Monch: No...! Please, let me do it! Whatever your orders, Sir Gnosis… Your wish is my command.

This little conversation between Gnosis and Monch is another point of interest to me.

Monch worries about the Browntails, who have treated her so well, though she attempts to conceal her concern for them by worrying about it in relation to Gnosis's plan. Gnosis tells her not to worry about them, and to focus on saving herself when the time comes. (And we know now that Gnosis wasn’t really aligned with the Browntails, which is why he dismisses Monch’s concern about them.) Note also that she refers to it as “our plan,” for a moment there, which it’s really not; again, is she hoping to be his partner? Is she hoping that by proving herself worthy, by being bold and offering this observation and considering him, she can reach a new level in their relationship?

(This is another mistake on her part, by the way: she is a double agent. She is a spy. She has always been a spy. This is the reason Gnosis rebukes her for approaching him openly in BI-1. From the very first, she infiltrated the Browntail house as a Silverash mole. Getting emotionally attached to the people she's spying on and going to eventually betray is a massive no-no. We see her leading Sciurus on in BI-4 After, playing her animosity against Ratatos to Gnosis’s plan; earning Sciurus’s trust and manipulating her is part and parcel of Monch’s job.)

As she wavers, however, Gnosis offers to have someone else do the job in her stead. She, however, insists. She, clearly, wants to prove her devotion to him. So with all that in mind, Gnosis went ahead with the plan, expecting her to be able to handle it. Which she does, of course, and even earns his praise at the end.

So on Gnosis’ end, she was ready and capable for the emotional turmoil which awaited her; capable of setting aside her personal feelings to do what needs to be done (not unlike Gnosis himself). He took her at her word when she said she was prepared to do whatever he wanted, and that his wish was her command. Notice also how he says it might be the first time she's ever asked him anything; Monch has always followed his orders without question, which is another element he doubtless took into consideration.

This is another point of interest to me, as we can see by Gnosis offering Monch a way out, he notices and recognizes that she is wavering, particularly with her unusual question, which he willingly hears out. Remember, by his file, Gnosis isn't incapable of understanding others' feelings. With this moment, it's shown that Gnosis isn't forcing Monch to carry out this task. This is a gesture of kindness on his part. She may, however, have interpreted this as Gnosis lacking faith in her ability to carry out her mission, and that is why she doesn’t back down, aware though she is what it means for her.

I highlight this because despite his deception of Monch, he's still doing what he can to be as considerate of her as possible while still keeping a clear eye on the goal and what needs to be done. Worth noting, however, that because her role is so crucial, he cannot afford to have her falter at the important moment, so that's another reason behind his offer. But I don't believe that's the sole reason.

Was what Gnosis did nice?

Well, no. Obviously. This is the crux of the matter. It was not considerate of him to keep her out of the loop. She plays a crucial role in his scheme, yet he kept her ignorant out of necessity, and it’s likely that keeping her informed would not have made much difference in the execution of the plan.

But it was not a risk he was willing to take. He wasn't willing to risk the plan and increase the chances of something going awry solely for the sake of her feelings, as achieving his goal in this situation is far more important to him.

But despite that, unbeknownst to her, he always had a contingency plan for her. On the subject of that contingency plan, by the way, that's another thing worth noting. In saying that Enciodes won't harm her, he's reassuring her in a roundabout way, without spilling the beans, that she'll be fine. She just needs to follow her orders, keep her mouth shut, and she'll be okay (which we see later in BI-6 when they are both "captured" and allowed to go free once more). He also says he will send men to ensure her safety, so again, he has plans for her.

However…

Gnosis' justification for his actions

However, it's worth noting that up until BI-6, on the other side, nobody else knows, either: all of Enciodes's most trusted subordinates (Weiss, Matterhorn, and Degenbrecher) were equally ignorant. We know this from their reactions when all is revealed:

Matterhorn: Gnosis, Sir Enciodes has told us everything. We owe you much. Weiss: I never thought it could all be a ruse... Degenbrecher: Convincing performance.

Finally and most importantly, the situation at this juncture is a delicate one. Despite Enciodes’s confidence, Gnosis says these two lines to Enciodes before they part ways for the final act:

I only wish I have a chance to save you before your own arrogance ends up killing you. That is, if you make it back here alive.

As I've said before, regardless of whether or not you read their relationship as romantic or platonic, Enciodes is very important to Gnosis. Gnosis' primary concern right now is executing the rest of their plan and keeping him from getting killed if things go south, as Gnosis does not share Enciodes’ confidence that they’ve clinched their victory, evidenced by the way he chastises Enciodes for enjoying a challenge he cannot afford to lose. As he says, "there is no do-over." The state of affairs is still precarious despite their success in obtaining public support, and I don't think it's much of a stretch to suggest that if anyone involved slipped up prior to BI-6, both Gnosis and Enciodes would have been publicly lynched for their power grab.

Containing on, I would also like to add, as I've mentioned previously, that Gnosis's apology to Monch reminded me of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and the occasional deception he would employ even against those he trusted deeply in order that his delicate plans would unfold as needed. In fact, it's a running theme throughout the stories that Holmes rarely reveals the true extent of his knowledge to his allies or his plans until the end when the case is resolved, lest something go awry. And in my humble opinion, it's not an inappropriate parallel as both Holmes and Gnosis are portrayed as extremely intellectual men who think with reason first and emotion second (while also being more emotional than first glance would indicate).

This is from "The Empty House", during which Holmes has reunited with Watson and recounts his escape from Reichenbach Falls and his subsequent life:

“I had only one confidant–my brother Mycroft. I owe you many apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all-important that it should be thought I was dead, and it is quite certain that you would not have written so convincing an account of my unhappy end had you not yourself thought that it was true. Several times during the last three years I have taken up my pen to write to you, but always I feared lest your affectionate regard for me should tempt you to some indiscretion which would betray my secret.”

There are also two more incidents where similar things occur (and there are probably more).

In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Holmes secretly follows Watson to Dartmoor, while allowing Watson to think he is in Baker Street attending to something else. This is so Watson can continue his investigation independently from Holmes in a different sphere without their enemies suspecting of Holmes’s presence. Here is an extract from chapter 12:

“Well, I am glad from my heart that you are here, for indeed the responsibility and the mystery were both becoming too much for my nerves. But how in the name of wonder did you come here, and what have you been doing? I thought that you were in Baker Street working out that case of blackmailing.” “That was what I wished you to think.” “Then you use me, and yet do not trust me!” I cried with some bitterness. “I think that I have deserved better at your hands, Holmes.” “My dear fellow, you have been invaluable to me in this as in many other cases, and I beg that you will forgive me if I have seemed to play a trick upon you. In truth, it was partly for your own sake that I did it, and it was my appreciation of the danger which you ran which led me to come down and examine the matter for myself. Had I been with Sir Henry and you it is confident that my point of view would have been the same as yours, and my presence would have warned our very formidable opponents to be on their guard. As it is, I have been able to get about as I could not possibly have done had I been living in the Hall, and I remain an unknown factor in the business, ready to throw in all my weight at a critical moment.” “But why keep me in the dark?” “For you to know could not have helped us and might possibly have led to my discovery. You would have wished to tell me something, or in your kindness you would have brought me out some comfort or other, and so an unnecessary risk would be run. I brought Cartwright down with me–you remember the little chap at the express office–and he has seen after my simple wants: a loaf of bread and a clean collar. What does man want more? He has given me an extra pair of eyes upon a very active pair of feet, and both have been invaluable.” “Then my reports have all been wasted!”–My voice trembled as I recalled the pains and the pride with which I had composed them. Holmes took a bundle of papers from his pocket. “Here are your reports, my dear fellow, and very well thumbed, I assure you. I made excellent arrangements, and they are only delayed one day upon their way. I must compliment you exceedingly upon the zeal and the intelligence which you have shown over an extraordinarily difficult case.” I was still rather raw over the deception which had been practised upon me, but the warmth of Holmes’s praise drove my anger from my mind. I felt also in my heart that he was right in what he said and that it was really best for our purpose that I should not have known that he was upon the moor.

In "The Dying Detective," (arguably the most egregious example, in fact) Holmes feigns being fatally ill with an exotic disease in order to draw out the murderer, who uses said disease as a murder weapon. Part of his plan entails sending Watson to beg the murderer (a Mr. Culverton Smith), who claims to know how to treat the illness, to come see Holmes. Holmes says this in the end:

“It was very essential that I should impress Mrs. Hudson with the reality of my condition, since she was to convey it to you, and you in turn to him. You won’t be offended, Watson? You will realize that among your many talents dissimulation finds no place, and that if you had shared my secret you would never have been able to impress Smith with the urgent necessity of his presence, which was the vital point of the whole scheme.”

But no matter the reactions of Mrs. Hudson and Dr. Watson, it's likely that Holmes will do it again, because that's how he is. Holmes cares deeply for Watson, but aware that Watson is not a good actor, he conceals information from him as is necessary to capture criminals. His work almost always supersedes all else for him.

Obviously, Monch is nowhere near as close to Gnosis as Watson is to Holmes, but we know he gave her one of his friendship tokens (her knife), and he is visibly affected at the end when she leaves it behind. So while the analogy doesn't fully work on that front, I think the Holmes/Gnosis parallel one does, as much like Holmes, when Gnosis decides on a plan, he executes it without much input from others, and to a certain extent, Enciodes is the same way (which is probably why they understand each other so well).

It's also clear that he recognizes her pain by the way he says he'll judge for himself what he'll say. He truly goes out of his way for her in this scene from BI-6. Let’s read it again:

Monch: Sir Gnosis… (Monch takes out a dagger from her boot. It is her most prized weapon. It is a gift that Gnosis made for her between his experiments. She lightly strokes the dagger, her eyes clouded with doubt and uncertainty.) Gnosis: Don't do anything stupid, Monch. Monch: ...... It looks like you're well… Thank goodness. Gnosis: I'm fine. You've done a great job. Monch: I... I promised you. Whatever your orders, your wish is my command… ...... Gnosis: Judging by your look, I assume you've figured it all out. Right, Enciodes and I had all of this planned in advance. Monch: ...... I see, so that's really how it is… The Silverashes' Weiss was waiting below the cliff to rescue me, and I've been wondering ever since. If this was all a charade planned in advance, then what role do I play in it? And now that I find you here, I'm finally sure… Gnosis: ...... My apologies. Monch: You needn't ever apologize to me… Gnosis: Monch, you stand firm in your beliefs. I understand, but I will judge for myself what I say. Monch: ...... Gnosis: Enciodes and I had a rift, leading me to leave Karlan Trade and make contact with Ratatos. That was our plan all along. And the fewer people who knew of this plan, the better. That's why I never told you. Monch: ...... Gnosis: Both of us knew the risks. I had to make sure even the finest details were under our control. Everything had to be absolutely perfect. This isn't one of my usual maneuvers... There is no do-over. If that displeases you in any way, I must apologize. Monch: ...... No... T-That's not it… ...... Why... Gnosis: What? Monch: It doesn't matter what it is you want to do or what plans you have. I… ...I will always support you. Gnosis: ...... Monch: Why didn't you believe me? You could've trusted me. Gnosis: ...... Monch, I hope you can understand. It's because I fully trust you that I handed you such an important task under those circumstances. I trust you, my finest subordinate, to perfectly execute my plans. Monch: ...... Gnosis: Don't overthink it. You've done very well, and everything is over now. Try to relax a little. You should take the time to rest. Monch: ...... Gnosis: Looks like you're not in the mood to talk… I'll come see you again. (Gnosis leaves.) Monch: ...... Trust me...? Who trusts me? And where are they...? ...... Sir Gnosis... Can I still trust you?

This is a very significant moment to me.

Gnosis, a man that we’ve seen so far be rather callous and undeniably ruthless, goes out of his way to:

– Reject the notion that an apology is unneeded

– Apologize

– Explain his actions

– Reconfirm that he does trust her

– Praise and reassure Monch that she has done well

For Gnosis, this is big.

He not only recognizes that Monch is likely feeling upset, but also that it's his responsibility to explain himself (he doesn't dismiss it when Weiss says it'd be better for Gnosis to explain to her), and takes the initiative to do so, refusing to allow the opportunity to slip by. He specifically states that he feels the apology is necessary. He also repeatedly emphasizes the necessity of his actions, harsh though they may have been, and praises her for carrying out her difficult role with aplomb.

It'd be so easy for him to simply brush her off, to let her believe whatever she wants, to dismiss her concerns and her feelings as unimportant, to carry on with the next phase of their plan, to toss her a flippant offhand comment and move on, but he doesn't.

You can almost argue that he speaks more kindly to Monch than he does to Enciodes, his partner-in-crime! He gives Enciodes a dressing-down in response to Enciodes' casual conversation when they reunite (which Enciodes isn't bothered by at all and reconfirms that they're unshakable friends as always), saving his concerned words about Enciodes returning alive for the very end.

However… What's a significant effort for Gnosis can be said to be the bare expected minimum for anyone else. He intentionally kept her in the dark about her true role in the farce and her true fate: apologizing and explaining is the least he could do.

(Though once again, a reminder: Monch is a spy, who willingly pledged herself to do whatever he needed. Spies must not become emotionally tangled with their targets, nor allow their emotions to sway their decisions.)

But, as I just said, it's worth noting however that if Gnosis didn't care about her at all, he wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. I'm not arguing he cares a lot, but he cares enough to do this, and enough to feel a sting when she leaves and symbolically rejects his friendship by leaving her dagger (his gift). It's clear that in Gnosis's eyes, he did nothing wrong, or that he did everything he could under the circumstances and did his best to ameliorate the situation and assuage Monch's doubts and hurt feelings.

And this may be another facet of their falling out: Gnosis's best, and Gnosis's way of doing things, wasn't enough for her. Whether what he did was wrong is up to interpretation, but to her, it was. And of course, she is entitled to feel that way. She's not required to be satisfied with his best if she feels it's lackluster, if her emotional needs are not being met (though the question arises if she ought to be having emotional needs in this relationship at all; if it wasn't a mistake on both their parts to conflate friendship with an inherently unequal relationship).

In addition, much like with Enciodes and his subordinates as I mentioned above, it's not even that Gnosis singled Monch out for deception: she says "you could have trusted me," but the fact of the matter is that he trusted nobody. If she had bowed out and someone else brought in, he wouldn't have told them either. What he did wasn't personal in the slightest. As he says, "the fewer people who knew, the better."

(And of course, it's just my personal feelings, but when I first read this scene, my kneejerk reaction was that Monch was the one being unreasonable in the face of his explanation, apology, and praise. She asked why, and he told her why, with a justification that made sense to me.)

Once again, notice this line: “I had to make sure even the finest details were under our control. Everything had to be absolutely perfect. This isn't one of my usual maneuvers... There is no do-over.”

It’s a matter of life and death. He couldn’t take the risk that Monch knowing may have thrown the plan off. Her behavior had to be absolutely genuine. She doesn't seem to grasp the severity of the situation, nor the scale of what they're attempting to do. Gnosis and Enciodes aren't merely moving some pieces around, they're executing a coup and orchestrating a power shift that will affect the entire country and its future. Yet Monch allows her emotions to cloud her head and take the forefront (perhaps on account of her crush), and focuses on Gnosis's deception of her rather than the reasons behind his actions and his praises and reassurances. By the line "my usual maneuvers," even, it's implied that he's done this before, it isn't the first time, and she might even have been part of such a “maneuver” before. What he and Enciodes are doing is of tremendous magnitude, and that is why he did what he did.

A further question can then be asked: how sincere is his apology at all? After all, while he explains himself, he stands firm in his decision to keep her ignorant, as he believes it was necessary. Personally, given the gravity of the situation, I think that's reasonable, but YMMV as it's a contentious moment (obviously). I believe, however, by his reactions both in this scene and when she leaves, that he was in earnest. As I said above, he did his best in his own way.

I'd also like to draw attention to her remark about Weiss waiting for her. Looking at BI-5 where she attacks Enciodes, the assumption made by those at the top is that it was a perilous leap, but it’s not really clear if they fully assume she’s dead. Would Enciodes really send people after her if he believed she was?

Her movement is swift as always, as though she is leaping across a river, and as though she is leaping off a tree. In an instant, her black figure springs off the ground, before falling and disappearing below the cliffs. Sharp: She leapt off... Enciodes: An unexpected choice. You didn't stop her. Sharp: That's not part of my mission. You don't seem so surprised either. Enciodes: There aren't many who can properly set up the pieces on the hunting grounds. If we search for evidence, we're bound to find some. Of course, having a witness would've saved us some trouble... Though whether the witness is alive or dead doesn't actually matter all that much. Sharp: Your underlings are absent… Enciodes: Perhaps they are tied up with the beasts running amok. [...] Arctosz: I'm only here to flush out the underhanded lowlife who dared to disrupt Kjeragandr's Grand Ceremony! They will pay for this! Enciodes: You are truly Kjeragandr's most faithful follower, Arctosz. I'm afraid you came too late, though. Arctosz: What do you mean? You would never let an assassin go. Where are you hiding him? Wait, this cliff... Don't tell me...! Enciodes: Exactly, Arctosz. My men will look for any traces of her.

“Any traces.” While this could be interpreted to mean any body parts in a literal sense, it could also mean where she’s gone.

I've seen some people say she tried to kill herself by jumping off the cliff, but I’m not completely certain on that: Gnosis talked about her testimony being useful, and said there would be people to ensure her safety and to “save herself,” i.e. not die, as I understood the situation. She had to be captured to be used against the Browntails. Weiss was there to ensure she didn't get away, but it’s not really clear if her leap was inherently suicidal. Gnosis told her he would have men for her—meaning that even if she took the radical way out or chose to run and hide, there would have been someone there. She was taken by surprise, however, that it was Weiss waiting for her, someone who ought to be on the opposite side at that point, and technically was as we know Weiss was ignorant of Gnosis’s gambit. This is obviously the moment where the pieces began to come together for her. (Interestingly enough, Matterhorn even calls Monch an "old friend" of Weiss's at the beginning of BI, even if he refers to Monch as "him" for some reason; typo, I assume.)

I admit, however, this may be simply my interpretation. But it's worth noting, as I said, that Gnosis wouldn't have mentioned testimony if the plan was never for her to be captured. It’s not really clear to me if Monch leaping off the cliff was her attempt to rebel against the plan, or following the plan; but I’m not inclined to think she was going against the plan given Gnosis’s comments as I’ve already outlined.

An additional note regarding the plan: this is pure speculation on my part, but to return to Gnosis’s comment of desiring a “partner” in BI-3, it’s possible that a part of the reason Monch felt so hurt about Gnosis’s deception is because she expected to be treated not as subordinate, but as an equal. She may have believed she was Gnosis's collaborator, which she really wasn't. She wanted to be trusted with everything; she wanted to be whatever he needed, be his “partner,” but ultimately, she was never on that level to him (which again you can add to the crush theory if you so choose).

Now, once again, I'm not saying she was wrong to feel hurt or that people were wrong to feel hurt on her behalf or sympathize with her pain. What he did would be a deal-breaker for a lot of people, and that's completely okay and understandable. After all, to go back to Sherlock Holmes, it takes a great heart to forgive such a slight. Monch is allowed to have feelings, and allowed to have those feelings hurt, and allowed to desire more consideration of those feelings.

In conclusion:

Fundamentally, Gnosis and Monch are extremely different people, who treat the people around them in extremely different ways, making them very ill-suited to each other. Gnosis is a cold and ruthless person who prioritizes goals above emotions, committing to the best route regardless of any wounded feelings it may generate. Monch is open with her emotions, wearing her heart on her sleeve and bonding quickly with others and easily caring about them, thriving under warmth and sincerity.

In addition, this makes Monch ill-suited to her job as double agent. This is not a strike against her or a bad thing, so much as I'm pointing out she should not be doing that job, and it likely led her into further emotional turmoil as the subordinate of someone essentially her polar opposite.

In fact, I'm almost inclined to contrast her with Weiss, who was also technically a double agent within RI: at the end of BI (and during), he apologizes to the Doctor for being on the opposite side, but makes it clear where his true loyalties lie and those loyalties will not change for him regardless of how fond he is of Rhodes Island. He would prefer not to raise his blade against his RI comrades, but he doesn’t waver in his sworn duty if it means he has to do so. (And funny enough, both Doc and Sharp understand this when they acknowledge it's nothing personal and hold no hard feelings against Weiss or Matterhorn for supporting their sworn master Enciodes Silverash.)

Contrast this with how Monch grew too attached to the Browntails—though one can’t really say “too attached for her good” because perhaps what she really needed was a more normal relationship than the one she had as Gnosis’s subordinate, and being with them gave her a new and different perspective that allowed her to break away from a position in which she was unhappy—the warmth and sincerity offered to Monch by Sciurus clearly fulfilled a need which she had been hitherto unaware of, and was a catalyst for her character development, giving her the strength to break away in the end (though she does the honorable thing and remains with Gnosis to finish executing their plans alongside Matterhorn and Weiss and only departs when all is over). This act was a significant character development for her, representing her recognition of her own desire to be fully and completely trusted by others, and her justified feelings that she desired and deserved a better treatment, and her willingness to pursue it.

As a final note, please be aware that I don't deny for a moment that Gnosis is a callous person. He cares little for the feelings of others, and he makes this point clear. Under the circumstances, though, his actions and explanations were sufficient justification for his behavior for me, and I was left slightly baffled by the outcry against his actions towards Monch when it appeared to me that he was as kind to her as the situation and his personality allowed. (I'm not trying to say he did nothing wrong; I'm trying to say that his motivations were understandable.)

However, obviously, YMMV, and one thing is clear: they are quite incompatible as people, and I believe it was for the best that they parted ways at the end of Break The Ice. I hope that Monch is able to move on from him and find new and better relationships where she has her emotional needs met, and that Gnosis will learn something from her departure.

TL;DR:

Gnosis did his best for Monch under the circumstances and as someone emotionally distant. His best wasn't good enough for her, so she rightfully left him. Their personalities and needs are so radically different that their fall-out in hindsight isn't surprising.

#arknights #arknights essay #my essays #gnosis #monch

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all-hail-the-witcher · 5 years

Text

are you drunk, high, or sober

so kids

today is,,,,mikeys birthday!! my lil bean boi is growing up awww

anyway though, so, obviously we did not go to high school together cause fuck distance so for this Special Occasion I decided to combine my freshman bio class, my senior English teacher, and a bunch of mikeys 1 am bullshit together to create what I think could be an accurate rendition of how we would have met if we had gone to high school together.

really it’s just a crack fic about evolution and hot cheetos.

_____

ship: platonic (bro) ralbert

genre: straight crack

words: 2529

editing: I was about to say no but I actually did !!

warnings: Race is a raging bromosexual, hot cheetos, danny devito, conspiracy theories, fish are untrustworthy monsters, yaks, lactaid, bros bein bros, albert just wants his pencil back okay

_____

Albert fidgeted in his seat slightly, highly uncomfortable in his priest clothes. Well, okay, they weren’t priest clothes, they were his graduation robes. Except he had bought them a size too big accidentally and they now looked like priest clothes. Race had made fun of him endlessly, even commenting that they should cosplay as priests sometime. Obviously, Albert had flat out refused, but that didn’t stop Race from sending him the occasional Psalm or slightly incorrect Bible passage.

But enough about Albert’s priest clothes. Let’s get back to the matter at hand: graduation.

It was a daunting day for both of them: a relief that they had finally made it and yet also sad because they wouldn’t get to pelt each other with spitballs during psych anymore. High school was where Albert had met Race, all because of a particularly cursed biology lesson during freshman year. It had never been established if Race had been entirely sober during that first exchange. Albert had always claimed that he was hungover at the least. Whatever the case though, Albert felt a smile stretch slowly across his face as the voice of the valedictorian faded into oblivion and he recalled the events of that day…

•••

“-in fact there was a time when people thought that giraffes were just horses who decided they wanted to eat leaves.”

Albert tuned back into the biology lecture he had effectively been ignoring when the blonde kid next to him with the dead fish hair swatted the pencil he was sketching with out of his hand.

“Dude!” Albert whisper screamed. “Give me that back!”

The kid, who was an asshole for stealing his pencil, instead twirled Albert’s pencil thoughtfully. “Nah, you're missing the best part of the lecture! I’m doing you a service!”

Albert rolled his eyes. “Look, people were dumb. It’s not my fault that some idiot 500 years ago thought that a giraffe was a horse in disguise.”

Asshole glared at him sideways in a manner that Albert could only describe as disappointed.

“What?”

Asshole sighed heavily. “Some people don't appreciate the cryptid animals of the world.”

Now it was Albert’s turn to stare disappointedly.

“Okay so like,” asshole’s eyes lit up and he threw Albert’s pencil with such force it landed two rows away from him before bending forward to stare into Albert’s soul, “you know about fish right?”

Albert’s disappointment was beginning to morph into annoyance. Plus he really just wanted his pencil back. “...yes?”

“Okay so essentially, fish aren’t real.”

“Wrong. I have three.”

“They’re government spies!”

“No they’re not! I bought them myself from petco!” Albert considered for a moment. “And besides, one of them is paralyzed.”

“He’s malfunctioning!” Asshole slapped the table so hard that the people in front of him looked back slightly to see what was going on. “It’s a glitch in the system!”

“What? No. He’s just...dying? I guess?” That was actually kind of sad now that Albert thought about it. Maybe he should just euthanize Rudolph…

“No, dude, I’m telling you. Fish aren’t real!”

“And I’m telling you that you're wrong!”

“Look,” asshole was starting to sound exasperated now. “Have you seen a fish since the government shut down?”

“Yes, I literally just said that I have three at home!” Albert leaned down to grab another pencil out of his bag so he could continue drawing. He was about done with this conversation.

Asshole sighed heavily. “You're a horrible person. A non-believer. When your robot fish report you to the government for hoarding all the lactaid for yourself in your basement then I will say I Told You So.”

“First, they’re not robots. Second, I’m not even lactose intolerant?”

“Well.” Asshole paused to pull a bag of hot cheetos out of his bag. “I am. And I fully intend to hoard all the lactaid myself when I take over the world with my seven yaks so you better have a good security system.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Albert paused looking for a pencil to stare at the asshole next to him.

“My master plan to take over the world with seven yaks,” asshole said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“And what does that have to do with fish?”

Asshole considered for a moment before pulling off one of his white converse high tops and pointing to his socks that were covered in- wait were those cryptids?

“You see my toes?” Asshole said, wiggling his foot around for emphasis. It was then that Albert began to question whether or not this kid was entirely sober.

“Yes…?”

“They can fuck them. Honestly. Fuck fish and fuck everything they stand for fuck them.”

“Okay.” Albert gave up searching for a pencil, deciding that talking to a potentially high person was more entertaining than doodling shitty flowers in the margins of his notes. “Do you have any other opinions about animals that I should know about?”

Asshole considered for a moment while crunching loudly on his hot cheetos, effectively getting orange spicy dust all over the table and Albert’s notes.

“So, whales,” he said finally.

“What about them?” Albert almost regretted asking.

“They sLap. But also, they’re BIG,” He turned to face Albert, his eyes wide, “and they don't need to be.”

“I mean, they do eat a lot of fish, they have to store it somewhere.”

“They could just, like, shit it out.”

“That would be a lot of shit.” Albert tore a piece of paper out of his notebook and began to fold it into a paper airplane. “Also I’m pretty sure that they already shit, so that doesn’t solve the problem.”

“But they could shit like, POOF!” He threw a small handful of cheetos in the air for emphasis.

Albert stared in confusion at the pile of orange crap now littering the lab table. “You want…..whales…….to have explosive diarrhea…..so that they can be smaller?”

“Yes,” asshole said confidently, beginning to eat the cheetos off of the table.

“That's...interesting.”

Asshole threw a cheeto into his mouth casually. “You know if you made out with a whale technically it would be brushing your teeth.”

Albert turned his head slowly to face the asshole seated next to him. “I’m sorry. What?”

“You heard me.”

“Doesn’t mean I wanted to,” Albert muttered under his breath.

“Also-”

“Oh no.” Albert put his head in his hands.

“Hey! You asked for my animal opinions!”

“That was before I knew they included making out with whales who have explosive diarrhea!”

Asshole threw a hot cheeto at him.

“Fine, fine,” Albert sighed, brushing hot cheeto dust off of his shirt, “let’s hear it.”

“Well, no offense to anyone who actually likes them but kiwi birds are weird and why did they need a fruit named after them and why are they fuzzy and who gave fruits the right to be fuzzy like what the fuck- WAIT-” he flung out his arm so that is wacked Albert in the chest and stared into oblivion as if he had just seen the ghost of shrek, “WHICH CAME FIRST THE BIRD OR THE FRUIT?”

“I don't know?” Albert said unhelpfully.

“God they’re as cryptic as whales,” asshole groaned, all but slamming his head into the table.

Albert chose to ignore the mess of a person next to him and pretend like he was still taking notes, as the teacher had grown suspicious of what was happening in the back of the room and was beginning to eye them. But, Albert still didn't have a pencil so it didn't really work.

“What does a kiwi bird look like anyway?” He asked once the teacher’s eyes were off them.

“Your worst nightmare.” Asshole turned his face on the table so that he was looking at Albert.

“Alright then.”

Albert decided that if he was going to pass this class he better take out a pencil and at least pretend to take some notes. However, after digging a pencil from the very depths of his bag, he discovered that the asshole was still intently staring at him.

“Aren’t you going to take notes?”

“Notes and my brain don't mix well,” asshole said, eating another hot cheeto. Albert wasn't quite sure how there were that many in the bag considering he had thrown at least half of them on the desk. Maybe he was a wizard. “Ask me more questions about animals.”

“Can’t you tell me your name first?”

“You've sat next to me for two months and you don't know my name?” Asshole clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Tisk tisk Albie.”

“Oh no, you are not allowed to call me that,” Albert groaned. He hated that nickname more than anything. Well, he potentially hated kale more, but only cause it tasted like unwanted veiny leaves.

“I’ll call you whatever I want until your sorry ass learns my name, Albie.” Asshole smirked. “Now, ask me about animals.”

“Alright, uhhh…” Albert’s eyes wandered across the doodle-filled pages of his notebook until they landed on a drawing of a shittly looking smiley face sheep. “Opinions on sheep?”

“I want a sheep,” Asshole whispered wistfully. “They seem fluffy. And precious. Like clouds.”

“Good to know.” Albert doodled a sheep jumping on a cloud. “What about, uh, crickets?”

“Hmmmm. They’re kinda scary.”

“Are they now?”

“Yeah. One time one got stuck in my brother’s dorm room and he was so scared he sent me a snapchat video of him screaming.” He paused to monch another cheeto. “Yeah. Crickets are scary but rubbing your legs together under a blanket as such is nice so crickets make some points I guess.”

“Rubbing your legs together under a blanket?” Albert asked incredulously.

“Yeah like, when it’s 4am and you can't sleep? Have you never done that before?”

“No…?”

“Oh.” Asshole looked disappointed for a minute. “Well, you're missing out bro.”

“Oh so now I’m your bro?”

“Of course, bro. You’re my bro, bro.”

Albert scribbled down a line about Darwin from the board. “Stop saying the word bro.”

“No bro. I gotta let everyone know we’re bros, bro.”

“No bro.” Albrt sighed loudly. “Fuck, now you got me doing it!”

“Isn’t it great bro?” Asshole used his finger to draw a heart in the cheeto dust that was still sitting on his desk. “Bro, look that's us!”

Albert glanced briefly at the cheeto dust. “Isn’t that kinda gay?” he asked, returning to his notes.

“It’s not gay if you have socks on,” Asshole said quickly. “And I definitely have socks on, so we’re good bro.”

Albert stared long and hard at his seatmate.

“Got somethin’ to say, bro?” Asshole smirked.

“Are you high?” Albert finally asked.

“Nah bro. My body is a temple. I only do-” he paused to wink “-brocaine.”

“Okay, that’s it,” Albert said definatively. “Never talk to me again.”

Asshole shrugged and went back to eating his hot cheetos. Albert went back to taking notes, pausing every few minutes to flick cheeto dust off of his paper.

Eventually, the teacher said something about cheetahs and the asshole next to him sighed deeply.

“I wish I could be a cheetah,” he said wistfully. Then he looked down at his bag of cheetos. “Or a cheeto.” Carefully, he pulled one out and inspected it. “Danny DeCheeto.” he decided, popping the cheeto into his mouth and crunching loudly.

Albert burst out laughing. He just couldn’t help himself. There was something about the way that he has said it so bluntly that made him have to laugh at the terrible pun.

“DASILVA!” The teacher, Jeff, who Albert lovingly referred to using his first name because he was a crappy teacher and didn’t deserve formalities, yelled.

“Oh now you’ve don’t it,” asshole whispered excitedly.

Albert elbowed him in the ribs.

“Stop interrupting my lesson with your absolute idiocy! I’d give you detention if I didn’t run it!” Jeff yelled halfheartedly. Albert didn’t particularly care.

“It wasn’t my fault!” he called back. “This kid’s been talking all through your lesson and it’s really distracting!” He pointed at the asshole next to him. “I was really enjoying your lesson on cheetahs!” he added just to be a kiss up. Albert always made it a point to kiss up to teachers who hated him because it just made them hate him more.

“HIGGINS!” Jeff yelled again, this time at his seatmate.

“I’m not on a sports team so that’s not my naaaameee!” he singsoned back, also just to annoy Jeff.

“RACE!” Jeff yelled instead.

“Yeeees?”

“Stop distracting my students who actually want to learn!” Jeff gestures wildly with his hands. “It’s rude! There are some people in here who want to actually hear about cheetahs, not about whatever you’re doing back there with cheeto dust!”

“Terribly sorry!” Asshole, or, Race, called back in a way that was clearly not sorry at all before Jeff returned to his lesson.

“So,” Albert whispered, “Race, huh? I thought I wasn’t allowed to know your name.”

“Oh be quiet Albie.” Race scowled, licking cheeto dust off of his fingers.

“Hey! I told you not to call me that!”

Race pointed a cheeto dust covered finger at him menacingly. “One more word out of you and I’ll have my yaks come lick your eyeballs.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Albert gasped in fake horror.

“I would,” Race said just as the bell rang.

Albert watched as he swiftly brushed all of his cheeto dust into the floor, scooped up his bag, and gave him a mock salute. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“If you bring cheetos I’ll have to steal your socks!” Albert called after him.

As he scrambled to put his stuff away, Albert couldn’t help but think that this was the start of a really good, yet definitely weird, friendship.

•••

Albert was pulled out of his memory by the crowd clapping wildly for the valedictorian. Soon after the student council President was announcing that it was time to move their tassels and then everyone was filing out of the rows back out to behind the field.

From somewhere in the crowd, Race materialized, attacking him in a giant hung.

“WE DID IT BRO!” Race yelled, jumping up and down.

“YEAH BRO!” Albert yelled back.

After a few minutes of celebrating, Albert reached into his pants pocket for the bag of hot cheetos he had stashed there, handing them to Race, who immediately started laughing.

“Do you remember the first time we met in Jeff’s class?” Albert asked. “You were being an asshole and got cheeto dust all over my notes.”

“I remember,” Race smirked. “I was literally talking out of my ass to try and get you to laugh.”

“Well, it worked.”

“Oh yeah, he got so mad at you.” He picked up the bag of cheetos, smirking. “You know, the funny thing is, I don’t even like hot cheetos. They’re too spicy and they make my mouth burn.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Albert chortled.

“But, since they’re a gift from you bro, I’ll cherish them forever.” Race made awkward kissy faces at Albert who shook his head in response.

“That’s gay bro,” he said mock seriously.

“It’s alright,” Race reassures him, winking. “I have socks on.”

________

see I told you it was cursed

hbd b r o (o no I don’t have soccs on :o)

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