fabrecation | 017 [Voice]

[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.]

[Luke does indeed notice the light after a little while. Curious, he goes to open the door - only to squint and hold his hand out to shield the light from his eyes. He has messy hair, too, a testament to the fact that he was sleeping.

Once his eyes get used to the brighter light (he had a lamp on, but it was rather soft compared to this), he steps up behind the couch and leans over it on the opposite side of where Asch is sitting.]

Hey... What're you reading? ["Again?" goes unsaid. Asch has been reading a lot lately...]

[Asch barely glances over when Luke approaches, though his gaze flits to Luke's briefly at the question.]

It's a series of short stories from the Dawn Age. I found it in Daath as a kid.

[Though from the cover and the slight blush that crosses Asch's cheeks, it's probably not a stretch to assume that "short stories" actually means "kid's stories and fairy tales".]

[... Well, that makes him raise his head in interest. Short stories? Luke can see the cover from here, and... well, he still doesn't really put it together. Probably best for Asch that Luke doesn't really pick up on these things, nor is he capable of reading the cover.

So instead of teasing, he moves around to sit on the cushion beside him and pulls one leg up, letting his arm rest across the knee.]

Think you could read one or two out loud? [The request is quiet; he's not sure if Asch heard him while he had the nightmare, but he's sure he let out a short cry or two.]

[Asch shoots Luke another sidelong glance - somewhat critical, somewhat judging, and, curiously, somewhat understanding - before he turns back to his book, flipping back a number of pages to start at a different chapter. If Luke happens to look at the book, he might notice a couple of things: one, that it's written in Ancient Ispanian, and two, it has pictures.]

"Long ago, there were two brothers, golden haired and strong of heart. They were men of action, heroes of their time, and kindly rulers over their territory. Though they fought often, like siblings are known to do, they never bore one another any true ill will, each devoting his life to protecting the other. After centuries of chaos and strife, peace and balance had been granted to the islands on which they lived, and in time became rich, prosperous, and the safest in the land with the two brothers always watching over them.

All, however, was not well. The Great Sage, beloved priestess of the elder brother, was in great danger, her life in peril by the very people she had once upon a time saved from death. The elder brother wished with all his heart to save her, but she was held in a prison believed to be impenetrable. He couldn't save her alone."

[No wonder he couldn't read the cover... But Luke can't help scooting a little closer, just to try and see the pictures. He pulls up his other leg once he can and wraps his arms around both legs, holding his wrist as he looks at the pages and listens to Asch. Asch can read Ancient Ispanian? Ah... that's right. Practically everyone could. They never taught Luke that...

He listens, and he lifts his head as the story takes a slightly darker turn. What will happen? The two brothers are going to work together... right? Luke wants to ask all of these things, but instead, he merely leans over to try and read the writing and look at the pictures more closely. He's pretty sure Asch wouldn't like it if he interrupted.]

[Not so, apparently. Asch flips the page, and a new picture is visible- one of the blond men again, standing angrily over a cowering older man.]

"With the time of the fair Priestess's execution merely weeks away, the elder brother fell into despair, unable to find a way to reach her. He pleaded for the help of everyone he knew, but even his brother refused- because to the younger brother, his elder's life was worth far more than the life of his beloved, and the thought of his brother sharing her fate was unbearable to him.

Then, a man came to their home one day, cloaked and bent with shame. He revealed himself to be the Traitor, the Cursed One, the very man who had betrayed the Priestess and handed her over to the enemy. The elder brother was enraged, sword drawn, ready to kill him on sight. 'You will die with her,' he told the Traitor. 'You should not have come here.'

The Traitor pleaded with the elder brother to spare his life, but not, as the brother expected, for his own sake. 'I cannot live with my guilt,' he cried. 'This is my fault. Let me make it right.' He explained how he had found a way to reach the Priestess, and that a rescue was possible. With the help of the brothers, her life could be spared."

[Luke, by now, can tell that this is a kids' book. Awfully dark for one... He has a few picture books of his own in his room, though not even Xion knows about them. It's embarrassing, even though he likes them a lot. They have good stories, the art is great, and it's something he was attached to as a kid.

The Traitor character seems to resonate in him... 'This is my fault'. He purses his lips, glancing up at Asch's face briefly.]

... So the brothers are going to save her now, right? [He can't help it. Even as a kid, he'd interrupt the story to ask questions or exclaim various things. It was hard to keep still and quiet.]

[Asch snorts quietly, lifting his brow in Luke's direction, the faintest flicker of a smile crossing his lips before it fades.]

You can't just sit and listen, can you? Like a little kid.

[Luke raises both eyebrows, and an indignant blush crosses his face as he turns his head away with an embarrassed scowl. AUUGH.]

I-I'm not a kid... [Sure he's not.] I'll be quiet. [... And a glance.] So... What does happen?

[lolol such a kid. He doubts Luke will really stay quiet anyway. Asch shrugs and turns back to the book again, flipping the page. The text is too damn big, what a waste. (Though it is a kid's book...)]

"With newfound hope, the elder brother decided to give the Traitor a chance to redeem himself. He asked his brother for help, and though it was with reluctance - he still did not wish to see his family's lives in danger - the younger brother finally agreed. The three of them set off for the island prison at once, and with the help of the Traitor, the impenetrable prison wall was at last breached, and the Priestess was precisely where the Traitor had said she would be. The elder brother and his beloved were reunited, and amidst their happy tears, the younger brother understood that her death would surely have killed his precious family just as surely as a failed escape attempt would. He vowed that he would spend the rest of his life, from that moment onwards, devoted entirely to the protection of the elder brother and his love."

[The picture on the page is more detailed than the rest, though marginally- a blond man kneeling before a beautiful brunette, her hand resting in his hair as he wept, while the younger blond and a dark haired man stood guard.]

[... So the Traitor redeemed himself after all. And the brothers got over their disagreement and worked together... It's a nice story. Luke might have to borrow it later, maybe to try to work on Ancient Ispanian. Sure, it looks boring and hard... but it might help.

Luke smiles a little, and he leans his head to the side to rest his cheek against his knees.]

So... they lived happily ever after like that, right?

[Oh Luke, you poor disillusioned bastard. Asch shrugs, flipping ahead a few pages to return to his original place in the book, the chapter he was reading before Luke interrupted.]

Not exactly. "The Traitor" committed suicide after they escaped.

[... WAY TO RUIN THE STORY, ASCH.]

What?! But... But why?! Why did he...

[HE LIVES TO RUIN YOUR DREAMS, REPLICA.]

Supposedly he couldn't live with the shame. How would you feel, if something you did wound up getting the Fon Master killed? It's the same thing.

I wouldn't have just... given up! You have to do what you can... You have to keep going.

[He frowns, and he puts his hands on the cushions to lean over and looks at the book.]

B-Besides, this is a kids' book! Stories don't just... end like that! [Not in all the ones he's read, anyway.]

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.]

[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?]

Edited 2011-09-02 06:12 (UTC)

[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 write a little more, and even draw a picture on the side, though his art skills could certainly use some work. It looks like it's supposed to be a man holding his sword up in the air, though.]

[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.]

[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.

When he arrived at the castle the evil one was in, he met with the brothers, who recognized him. They were wary, but they allowed him to fight at their side once more. Though there were many trials, they persevered, and they finally reached the evil one.

'It's too late!', he gloated as he began to transform, changing into a fearsome dragon. 'With this, and your priestess, I will surely rule your kingdom!'"

[Now to draw a dragon with flames, and three figures in front of it. ... So the figures are actually stick figures and the dragon looks a little odd, but what can you do when you're drawing as you go.]

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.]

017 [Voice]

[Action] not a placeholder because to hell with sleep

[Action] sleep is for the weak anyway

[Action] INDEED and we are powerful

[Action] oh we are the most powerful our power levels are like over two millon

[Action] and we have the power to go super hyperresonance

[Action] everyone else can't do it 'cause they're normal and balding

[Action] it would be nice if auldrant had dragonballs

[Action] asch and luke could be wished back to life

[Action] but only once apparently. unless they went to namek.

[Action] then they revive them over and over again

[Action] and the party is like COME ON can we wish for immortality

[Action] and namco's like NOPE that'd mean less angst

[Action] and then the group revolted and staged a coup

[Action] and it fails and luke and asch die again

[Action] their lives are so full of shit

[Action] this is canon

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

[Action] ... lol you loser <3

[Action] shush you love it

[Action] yes I do. /me gusta

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