017 [Voice]

[cakeblocked]

[It's rather late at night when the journal clicks on. Luke had waited until he had calmed down from the nightmare he had to make the post, and good thing, too. Otherwise it'd catch the tremor he surely had in his voice.

Instead, he merely sounds subdued, and maybe a little hesitant.]Does anyone have any good stories to tell

Comments

[Action] not a placeholder because to hell with sleep

[mirrorbirth]

[If Luke happens to look over at his door, he might notice a little sliver of light shining from beneath it; there's obviously a light on in the apartment.

Venturing out would earn him the following visual: Asch sitting on one seat of the couch, nose deep in one of those Dawn Age books he's always poking at, though for once he's reading a smaller, tattered-looking paperback rather than the big, complicated textbooks. A clumsy but colourful drawing of two blond boys decorate the cover, each holding a sword.

On one of Asch's feet, a little furry kitten butt is visible; someone couldn't even make it onto the couch before dozing off.]

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[mirrorbirth]

[Ha... there's a predictable answer. Well, he can at least give a nod at that- if the replica had agreed, he'd have lost a huge chunk of Asch's respect. And it's not like he has loads of respect to spare.]

Stories end like this all the time. It's called real life.

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[Luke rests his fingers on the text of the book, trying to read it... But he can't. It all just looks like a bunch of foreign letters to him, and it makes him let out a quiet, frustrated sound and duck his head.]

But... stories aren't like real life. That's why they're called stories, or fairy tales.

[He sits back again, and he stares up at the ceiling, legs pulled up and arms wrapped loosely around his ankles again.]

... Maybe I should make up my own ending for that story.

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[mirrorbirth]

[Asch lifts a brow skeptically, slowly shutting the book. He briefly considers mentioning something, but... maybe not yet. Maybe it can wait. He's almost curious, now.]

How would you have written it, then?

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[Luke stays silent in thought for a moment, trying to work out an ending of his own in his head. An idea starts to form, too... Enough that his eyebrows lift, and he slowly gets out of the ball he curled up in to push himself off of the couch.]

Wait here, okay?

[And head back to his room to get something.]

[Action] hi I sort of redid this icon before I could tag this rofl (and then picked the wrong one)

[mirrorbirth]

[Asch lifts a brow, visibly puzzled, but doesn't move. He flips ahead a few pages, perusing the next story. Just how does the dreck plan on rewriting what's already been written, huh?]

[Action] ... lol you loser <3

[cakeblocked]

[Several minutes later, Luke wanders back in, holding a book in his hand as he writes in it with the other one. It's one of the journals he collected, a blank one that he had planned to use once the others filled up. Now, though... he's using it to write another ending to that story.

Once he sits, he writes a little more... then starts to read out loud.]

"With a renewed strength of bond, the two brothers returned to their kingdom with the priestess at their side. All was not well, however, for the Traitor still had lingering guilt in his heart. He felt that he could not be forgiven for what he had done... But he didn't want to die with the burden still heavy on his shoulders. Not yet.

And so, he threw away his title as a Traitor, and he became the Atoner. He decided not to return to the kingdom that would surely welcome him with jeers, or even an order for execution. Instead, he became a wanderer, and he set out on a quest to right his wrongs, to seek out whatever evil may threaten the land and vanquish it."

[He starts to

[Action] shush you love it

[mirrorbirth]

[Asch listens quietly while Luke describes the new ending, his expression a mixture of scorn and amusement. Is he just naive, or trying to give his own story a happy ending? It's laughable, really. His stupid replica, trying to save the world again, even if it's just a child's storybook.

That's not real life. That's a fairy tale. And these aren't fairy tales.]

What is it with you and rewriting history?

[It's admirable, in a way. Stupidly admirable. Still wrong, but. Well.

...It's something, anyway.]

[Action] yes I do. /me gusta

[cakeblocked]

[Luke isn't sure if that's a compliment, considering how the world is reformed, or an insult, since Luke was the one who nearly destroyed the world in the first place. He pauses for a moment and turns his head towards Asch slightly, though he doesn't look away from the page... Then he continues writing, as if he decided clarifying the comment wasn't really necessary.]

Who knows? [It's not something he likes thinking about... But at least it's not affecting him nearly as much as it would have months ago.]"He did services for people for many years across the world, slaying dragons and rescuing whoever may have needed it. But still, the darkness in his heart never lifted. When all hope seemed lost for him, the Atoner heard word that the priestess had been captured again, this time by someone seeking control of the kingdom she was a part of

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[mirrorbirth]

A dragon? What kind of story is this now? [The skepticism is clear in Asch's voice, but - barely perceptible - there's also a slight smirk. His replica really is so stupid.

He can't really imagine it any other way.]

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It's a hell of a lot better than yours, that's for sure.

[But there's no disdain in his voice; in fact, there's a visible smirk on his face, and laughter in his tone. It's as if he knows that this story isn't true, and it more of a fantasy compared to the one Asch told... But he's liking the way it's turning out.

He writes more, his smile fading in favor of concentration, and after a moment, he speaks again.]"The three warriors wouldn't allow the evil one to enslave their kingdom, nor the world. They fought hard and valiantly, and the battle lasted for hours. When the dust settled, the head of the dragon lay on the floor, the evil rising off of it and disappearing in the sky like smoke from a fire

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[mirrorbirth]

[Asch is quiet for a long moment, mulling that one over. Just a simple story? Or a self-fulfilling prophecy, perhaps? Atonement was such a huge part of the replica's way of thinking, these days. Which is to be expected, after Akzeriuth- only someone like Van could just brush that aside. And there's no one really like Van, least of all Luke. Dying without regrets, after atoning for one's sins... it sounds so grand and noble on paper, doesn't it? To be remembered by everyone as a hero and not as a sinner.

...Even so... well. Asch can't say he's impressed by that, either.]

That's still a stupid ending.

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[... And he had just gone back to put some finishing touches on the dragon, though his shoulders remained hunched as he waited for Asch's judgment. The comment makes him stop and raise his shoulders a little more before he looks at Asch with a scowl.]

What's so stupid about it?

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[mirrorbirth]

There's nothing great or noble about dying. You can't atone for your sins just by losing your life. Is that what you think, replica? If your death were to have some meaning, it would even the scores? Don't make me laugh. True atonement is living with that pain.

[His thoughts flicker briefly to the Tower of Rem- Luke's resolve to die, his decision to take Asch's place and sacrifice himself to cure the world of the miasma. This Luke has no idea, which means that such thoughts are still potentially prominent in his mind.

It disgusts him, the very idea that-

"I don't want to die-"

...But... no. He remembers that, too. The replica's thoughts had been so loud it's a wonder the entire tower hadn't heard them. Death wasn't the answer; maybe he needs to be closer to death to truly realize that.]

...You're the one who said it was supposed to be a kid's story. Even a martyr's death is still dying.