[ He's quiet for a long while, like maybe he's trying to come up with the best way to hedge, or maybe he's not going to answer at all. But he does neither, possibly because of all those conversations they've had about mutuality and frankness. ]

... When we were young - younger - Knives and I were still traveling together. I left him one day, to go with a bunch of men back to their village. It was a scam, of course, and I should've known better. [ His voice goes a little flat, like maybe he's chafing at reconciling humanity's ongoing shittiness for once ] They took what I had and chained me up. I wasn't the first person they'd done that to; it's how they made their living.

[ A pause ]

Knives came for me, and I'm sure you can guess what happened. I tried to reason with him, but... [ lol knives ] I lost my arm for my trouble.