[The statement stops him dead in his tracks, and simultaneously makes him want to immediately leave. He'd almost forgotten about the letter until he'd felt the insistent summons—and now, he nearly regretted it.
But Cunning was the last god he hadn't really spoken with, so...
He bows, a little stiffly, and stands, watching the deity's face, saying nothing at all.]
[Cunning seems to be sizing him up, trying to get a gauge but it's hard to say what he's thinking thanks to the mask.]
...I'm gonna guess the original conversation wasn't going to go like this, but things got complicated real fast. [There's a pause.] ...did you get a full rundown of what happened?
Sounds about right and what I'd expect in this kind of thing. [There's a thoughtful pause.] Sometimes people do things that they don't even need anybody to understand.
Of course I am! It was stupid, and selfish, and... he's supposed to know better! [It's heated, but only mildly.] But...
I forgive him. And I know he knows he messed up. I'm not going to go around holding it against him for the rest of our time together here when I know he's already doing his best to make up for it.
Who am I? I'm Luke. I'm part of the fon Fabre family. I was raised in Baticul, but I wasn't born there. I wasn't born at all. I'm a replica. That's like... a copy of another person.
When the original Luke fon Fabre turned 11, he got kidnapped, and they made me to replace him, so no one would notice he was missing. I'm only actually seven years old, but I... [he waves to his own form] ...look a lot older, and it's hard for me to think I'm anything but 17. [...] Or 18? My birthday was... anyway!
After the kidnapping, my father and uncle were worried I would be kidnapped again, and restricted me to our family's home. So I didn't leave there for my whole life, basically... and Guy raised me. He was our family's servant, so that's how I know him. He can fill you in on all that, if you ask, though.
[He wasn't about to out Guy's real purpose without him passing on the okay, in any case.]
So... I'm not the original Luke fon Fabre, but I am the original me. I used to be a huge pain in the ass to everyone, but I changed, and I'm still working on changing more. I can never make up for the pain I've caused other people, but I want to keep moving forward to do whatever I can.
[For a while Cunning just sits in silence as he processes all of this, moving things around in his head, fitting it together with what Guy's told him. A lot of things line up and he's slowly nodding to himself.]
I have a couple of questions but only if you're willing to answer them. Mostly about the whole replica and kidnapping thing. But kinda sounds like you and I have some things in common. [Hm.] Explains a little about Guy, too.
What caused the change?
[He'll come back to the dead thing probably, too.]
[...] Take it from an expert. If you keep atoning for it, eventually people get over it. Or you do something just as drastic and they'll forgive you on the spot.
[He scoffs, almost good-natured, and shakes his head.]
I have done some pretty drastic stuff, and a lot of people have forgiven me, I guess.
But I don't think that's really how it works for me. I don't think it'll ever be something I wake up and feel like I'm over. Like... it's never going to be a memory, or something distant.
Makes total sense. [It's just a shitty thing, but he seems to get that, too.] Some people would fall to despair if they had to live with their mistakes every day. Somehow you and Guy don't seem like those type of people.
I don't see why not. [Likewise, Cunning's actually a little impressed with how this is going.] Determination also takes you pretty far...and Guy's never struck me as the kind of person who'll mope around. Doesn't surprise me he raised you the same way.
We've still got some time left in this game. So what're you gonna try to do now to help out?
[There's something akin to pride in his expression at Cunning talks about Guy in a positive way. All other thoughts aside, at the end of the day, he was proud to have Guy by his side in any capacity.]
I'm going to keep trying to get more involved. During the first couple trials, I really dragged my feet—I didn't know what to do—and during Guy's, I didn't want to do anything. From now on, any help I can give... I'll be there. I don't want to be dead weight anymore.
Whatever it takes... I'm really going to start doing my best, right until the end.
[A nod. That's a very satisfactory answer, thanks.]
Good. You guys have already wasted a lot of time even if that's not exactly your fault. As long as both of you are actually working on keeping the numbers as high as possible and only voting for the guilty? We might get through the rest of this faster than you think.
Keep that in mind? You'll get there. It's when everybody starts losing their sense of self and their morals that the whole game gets screwed up. [Not that he can talk about morals considering he initially backed this game, but...whatever.]
I've been getting that a lot. [He sounds a little exasperated but simultaneously a little curious.] I'm not really sure what most people were expecting from me without talking to me, but figured you'd all eventually get it. [...though...] What makes you say that though?
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But Cunning was the last god he hadn't really spoken with, so...
He bows, a little stiffly, and stands, watching the deity's face, saying nothing at all.]
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...I'm gonna guess the original conversation wasn't going to go like this, but things got complicated real fast. [There's a pause.] ...did you get a full rundown of what happened?
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...From start to finish.
[every last detail.]
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I don't agree with what he did. I can't, and I won't.
But... I don't regret asking for the truth. I think I... I think it helps me understand things a little better.
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...still mad at him?
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I forgive him. And I know he knows he messed up. I'm not going to go around holding it against him for the rest of our time together here when I know he's already doing his best to make up for it.
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I've only heard a little about you from him, so I'm curious about who you are. So. Who is Luke fon Fabre? What kind of person are you?
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...What a question.
Who am I? I'm Luke. I'm part of the fon Fabre family. I was raised in Baticul, but I wasn't born there. I wasn't born at all. I'm a replica. That's like... a copy of another person.
When the original Luke fon Fabre turned 11, he got kidnapped, and they made me to replace him, so no one would notice he was missing. I'm only actually seven years old, but I... [he waves to his own form] ...look a lot older, and it's hard for me to think I'm anything but 17. [...] Or 18? My birthday was... anyway!
After the kidnapping, my father and uncle were worried I would be kidnapped again, and restricted me to our family's home. So I didn't leave there for my whole life, basically... and Guy raised me. He was our family's servant, so that's how I know him. He can fill you in on all that, if you ask, though.
[He wasn't about to out Guy's real purpose without him passing on the okay, in any case.]
So... I'm not the original Luke fon Fabre, but I am the original me. I used to be a huge pain in the ass to everyone, but I changed, and I'm still working on changing more. I can never make up for the pain I've caused other people, but I want to keep moving forward to do whatever I can.
Oh, and I'm... kind of dead.
[kind of?????
...]
...I guess that's me?
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I have a couple of questions but only if you're willing to answer them. Mostly about the whole replica and kidnapping thing. But kinda sounds like you and I have some things in common. [Hm.] Explains a little about Guy, too.
What caused the change?
[He'll come back to the dead thing probably, too.]
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I...
[He struggles for a minute.]
I... made a big mistake. Something unforgivable.
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All I can do is spend the rest of my life trying to do better for people.
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But your way works, too.
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I have done some pretty drastic stuff, and a lot of people have forgiven me, I guess.
But I don't think that's really how it works for me. I don't think it'll ever be something I wake up and feel like I'm over. Like... it's never going to be a memory, or something distant.
Does that make sense?
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Makes it even better.
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[He's already feeling a little bit better about Cunning.]
Guess I'm hoping we can both keep it up in the future, too.
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We've still got some time left in this game. So what're you gonna try to do now to help out?
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I'm going to keep trying to get more involved. During the first couple trials, I really dragged my feet—I didn't know what to do—and during Guy's, I didn't want to do anything. From now on, any help I can give... I'll be there. I don't want to be dead weight anymore.
Whatever it takes... I'm really going to start doing my best, right until the end.
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Good. You guys have already wasted a lot of time even if that's not exactly your fault. As long as both of you are actually working on keeping the numbers as high as possible and only voting for the guilty? We might get through the rest of this faster than you think.
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I hope so. No matter what, I just really want to see this all end for the best—for everyone, the players, and the gods.
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But I'm glad to hear it.
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I will. Keep it in mind, I mean.
[...]
...You know, you're kind of different to what I was imagining... I think I understand a little better why you and Guy get along.
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