dissonates | [Voice / Action]

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[Voice / Action]

Natalia's gone back.

[And he's... not sure how he even feels about that, especially since it's the second time now. He's not the sort to broadcast his feelings on the matter anyway, so he'll leave it at that.]

[Locked to Dist - 75% Unhackable]

If you've prepared everything you need, it's about time we meet.

[Asch won't be around the house much today; he'll probably be home late. His main haunts today will be the Battle Dome, the library, (maybe a quick bite to eat in the plaza |D) and finally Good Spirits to ~~sulk~~ read a book in a tucked-away corner of the bar. ...Though the amount of reading may decrease depending on what he's drinking over the course of the evening...

Oddly enough, Star the cheagle will be tagging along with him over the course of the day.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What the hell am I supposed to tell him, then? What's happening to me is none of his business! He shouldn't need to know!

It's because he cares and worries about you that he asks. Not just because you're his original and he feels guilty, but because he cares.

So cut him a little slack.

[....Ugh. He really doesn't want more people worrying about him. At all.]

Just... tell him you don't know. You're good at lying. If it gets more serious I'll think of something.

All right.

[They walk in silence for a bit before Guy pipes up again.]

You know, Luke's the only one to have ever seen you just for you. Natalia thought of you as Luke, I thought of you as Fabre's son. Van thought of you as the Scion of Lorelei.

But not Luke.

To him, you've always just been Asch.

[Asch goes still at that, lips pursing. It's true enough- he's always been Asch, because Luke would never have known him as anything else. Even when he tried to give the name back, Asch was Asch. Guy has a good point.

But it's not enough.]

He and I are in a different situation altogether. To me, he's never been Luke.

That doesn't matter. Not to him.

He knows you as Asch, and he cares about you as Asch. Isn't that what you've always wanted?

It's what I've forced myself to accept because I don't have another choice!

[Guy opens his mouth before shutting it with a click, holding up a hand more to stop himself than Asch.]

Never mind. Whatever goes on with the two of you is none of my business.

Damn right it isn't.

[No argument here. Much as he hates the sour note of this conversation, the day so far as sucked and he's tired of people having expectations about how he's supposed to treat Luke, or his own identity.]

But I still want you to tell me when you're in pain. At least that way I can cover for you.

[Guy's definitely not budging on this one.]

[Asch blinks at the sudden shift of the subject, brows furrowing. Guy wanted to know? Well... he'd probably worry overmuch if he didn't.]

...This is the first time it's happened. [It's kind of astonishing- this is the longest he's gone without feeling that weakness for years.]

I know. But you were worried about it before, and now that it's happening again I want to help.

[Another pause, and then Asch nods.]

Dist said the degradation is slower, now. It could take years. He's going to look for a way to stop it.

If it happens again, Luke will get your hyperresonance and you'll be revived without it? Or...

[Or would they merge into one person again? Was that just an experiment?

Either way, Guy doesn't want it. Does not.]

I wish I knew. When I told Dist what had happened last time, he couldn't believe it. [Which reminds him-] Did you know Star is the original of his set?

[Guy blinks.] Star was the original?

Yeah. I didn't expect that, either. He said he died, and his replica was sacrificed to revive him.

[Guy's steps falter just slightly before he catches himself and smooths his stride.]

I see. I didn't know that.

[Asch is silent for a while, his own steps slowing, falling behind. This is the part he hasn't really wanted to think about, but... with it out, now, he can't help but dwell on it. Is this what his life has been leading up to all along? Is he doomed to be nothing more than Luke's back-up life?

Is his replica going to steal his existence from him again someday? And if it's here, he'll be revived, only for it to happen again and again...

What kind of life is that?]

[Yeah, noticing Asch doing that. Eventually Guy will stop and reach out to take hold of his arm.]

Asch.

[What can he say? He can't promise he'll fix things, or promise they'll find a cure for whatever this condition is. He can't promise anything except...

Guy slides his hand down to Asch's and laces their fingers together.]

I'll be right here the whole time.

[Asch doesn't resist, but he averts his eyes, visibly uncomfortable.]

I don't... want to make you go through that again. Once was enough.

Hah! Can't get rid of me with a weak excuse like that.

[Guy swings their arms a bit and takes a step, tugging Asch to goad him along.]

C'mon.

[A moment of hesitation - a brief one, at that - and then Asch relents, moving to walk beside Guy once again. He doesn't respond, but his grip on Guy's hand does tighten a little.]

[Guy will even take his book since he seems to be juggling Star, his tabard and the book in one arm now that Guy's commandeered the other for his own nefarious purposes.]

Hmm...what's this? ...is this fonic theory?

[Asch glances over to spot him checking at the book, and nods.]

It's a complimentary of one of the books from Daath that I got during that Christmas holiday. I found it at the library.

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