fabrecation | 014 [Voice/Action]

[It's well into the night by the time Luke makes his way back to the apartment where he lives, a small bag with the belongings he brought with him being carried by his side. Unfortunately, it had rained while Luke was out there, so the mattress he brought along was ruined by the time he decided to head back. Thanks to the rain, his hair is also a mess, so he's not particularly happy.

He is, at least, much calmer than he was a few days ago. After his talk with Ion, Luke's had quite some time to think. Maybe he was being selfish... Maybe it would've been best to never know about any of it. But at the same time, he's glad to know. It feels like the wool's been pulled away from his eyes, and now he knows that he has to go back. Even if... he'd have to face Ion's death... there was still much to do. And here Luke thought everything was peaceful again...

He'd been thinking about the experiment, too. One that gave him a real life, a real family... He'd have to contact Paprika sometime. And how did Asch feel about it? Should he have stayed away? Well... There was only one way to find out.

That thought, though, makes him stop on the bridge by his community building. He has to wonder whether anyone else felt the way he did about some parts of the experiment... So, on a whim, he takes out his journal and pushes the voice option.]

Hey, does anyone else wish that some of that experiment was...

[Real? ...]

... Never mind, forget that. Uh... has... anyone gone camping before?

[... Stupid question. Luke shakes his head and shuts his journal with a light, frustrated little sound, then continues on his way to the apartment. If Asch was upset with him for that experiment, he'd soon find out about it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But... is blood really that important?

[Emil doesn't have any real blood relatives, and he never will. He's a summon spirit. Do they even have relatives at all? He isn't sure.]

Of course it is, if it wasn't then why -

[Was he treated like some kind of outsider in his own home?

But then he thinks about Natalia and his uncle. How he had shouted that whether they were related or not didn't matter; it was the memories of each other that made them father and daughter.

They were also normal human beings. Maybe... A replica like him really did need to be real to experience such things. Maybe...]

... Never mind. You're right... I'm sorry for yelling at you, Emil.

No, it's okay... I understand how you feel. I used to feel the same way myself. I thought I could never have a real family because of what I am, but Doctor McCoy and Gem don't care about any of that. They still want to be my family anyway, so... I'm going to believe them.

Yeah. It shouldn't matter if you're not really related - it's those memories and feelings you have that count.

[It shouldn't matter... But it does when applied to him. It's so unfair... But Luke just wants to make Emil feel better.]

Right. And even if you don't have those memories, you can make new ones with the people you care about. Just being here as yourself is enough.

Right...

[... It should be enough. That's what he has to tell himself. It should be enough.]

... isn't it?

Of course it is! You're right about all of that, Emil. [Dodging the issue, avoid avoid...]

Wait, I am? I mean, of course I am!

[DOES NOT COMPUTE. Emil is not used to being right about things.]

Maybe not everyone can believe it... [Like him.] But that doesn't make you wrong.

Do you believe it?

... I think memories are important. New ones or old ones.

... sometimes I wonder what it would've been like to have a childhood like a normal person. But... just wondering isn't going to make it happen. Nothing is. And I know I don't want to spend the rest of my life thinking about something I can't change.

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