#endings tcf

[readerattheend]

Cale, explaining why Lock looks unimpressive but is strong: "Yah those with pure blood who are extremely powerful look weak on the outside."

Everyone, looking at Cale's outwardly weak body that houses numerous powers and abilities: "I see."

Bonus: Cale: Why are they looking at me? We are talking about beastmen.

[readerattheend]

Cale: I'm a trash. I'm so great at being trash. Look at me, responding with one-word replies, ignoring status, and basically doing whatever I want even if it's a bit inconvenient or confusing for others. Pure trash. Cale if the confused people around him actually told him what they expected him to be doing, like yelling and insulting them, going out of his way to be demeaning of those with low status, and specifically doing highly inconvenient things for the sake of causing discomfort to others: *horror* I'm a trash, not the worst scum on the planet. Who do you take me for? Venion Stan?

[readerattheend]

Cale has that thing. That introvert thing.

That thing that signals to all extroverts in the area and some people who are interested in social interaction without being extroverted: "Adopt Me!! I Cannot Stop You!!!"

Bonus: I think Slacker Life-Nim is like Cale, in that extremely introverted way, and struggles to enter a space that is full of people (and thus is unable to approach Cale).

[readerattheend]

So, imagine this.

Imagine continually losing everything you begin to love and being so completely isolated with abilities that are pretty much built to perpetuate a state of anguish unless you choose to live in a state of dissociation, and then you get a chance at a new life.

And then you meet the guy whose fault it is.

And then you find out that he's an utter loser.

And then you find out he can't even love anything himself so it's not like he even has a sympathetic motivation.

AND he's trying to take away everything good in your new life, too.

[readerattheend]

Cale during the Indignity Test, by design, was the embodiment of the cornerstone quote from the 2005 movie Nanny McPhee:

"There is something you should understand about the way I work. When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go. It's rather sad, really, but there it is."

Explanation:

For both Dodam and Alberu, Cale appears as someone they instantly reject.

The Terrible Bastard for Dodam was immediately a representation of three years of pain and despair. Dodam did NOT want him, but he needed his salvation and ended up intrigued enough to kidnap him.

The clueless servant for Alberu, who I believe goes unnamed, was immediately a representation of Alberu's fallen status, the lack of regard others held for him, that he would be sent someone who at first glance seemed so utterly useless. Alberu did NOT want him, but he needed someone so 'clueless' that he could turn the first prince's palace upside down.

So...

Once Cale finished with Dodam by providing for all of his needs, from material, to social, to psychological, he was truly wanted, but by nature, not needed.

Once Cale finished with Alberu by changing his material circumstances and fanning the spark in his eyes so that it became a blaze, he was truly wanted, but by nature, not needed.

Very Nanny McPhee.

So...

Now, I've gone into detail here even though this is quite literally just the way the rules of the Indignity Test work because I want to set the foundation (although not complete the construction) for the following statements:

While this is not always the case, I think Cale's mindset and expressed preference is to do exactly this. He wants to provide what is needed for others to be fully capable of living without him, and then he wants to move on. However, he often doesn't expected the wanted part of wanted but not needed to grab him by the ankle and drag him back.

[readerattheend]

TCF and SCTIR focus a lot on good looks, but there's a slight difference. See if you can spot it...

Cale, seeing someone good looking (including himself): *whistles* "Nice."

Yoojin, seeing someone good looking:

Option A: *whistles* "Nice."

Option B: *gritting his teeth* "Absolutely disgusting. Horrendous. I should be compensated for putting up with this crap."

[readerattheend]

When his face and hair are 10s but his nickname is White Radish and he has a god complex...

[readerattheend]

Cale on Witira's fighting style when facing mermaids: "Fighting covered with blood from self-inflicted wounds to combat mermaid poison blood is a fantastic way to inspire your team, but it's also insane. What kind of person does that?"

Also Cale: Not only coughs up blood after using Ancient Powers, but in his previous life he was carpeted in scars from using Instant, an ability that involves being covered in blood from self-inflicted wounds.

**Yet again, Cale scares himself silly by over-motivating his troops. So vicious?? And for why??