lucas catchall

[florescences]

i hope someone kisses him in heaven

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[florescences]

[ if you want some unhealthy behavior, that's when you memshare. ]

I hope you won't.

[ but they both know that murderers do be influenced, and even without his divine retribution background, he could still be pushed into it.

i will give you a memory back tomorrow. ]

[faithkept]

[You are so right.

But they do know that... Lucas is not thinking of the influenced murders right now, though. He's just feeling at peace once again, glad that Elysia is understanding, even if she doesn't understand in full. don't forget to give me my memory back hits you with a brick]

[florescences]

[ don't hit me with a brick.

the images in the mirror warp.

elysia has always known she was different for as long as she could remember, but she didn't know how. it's only been recently that's starting to figure it out, starting to place what it is that makes her different. the problem is that all her friends are figuring it out at the same time.

the mirrors reflect elysia, waiting by herself or with a robotic and AI companion, as she is left behind.

the problem is that they're figuring it out by having meetings without her to talk about her, and she doesn't like being distanced that way. she doesn't want all her memories, all her bonds, or her existence to be a lie, but she is coming to terms with it.

she has to, with what her world has come to. when humanity is dying and civilization is reaching its extinction, she has to. after she has a long conversation with one of her dearest friends, eden, she thinks for a long, long time.

elysia is a herrscher. to everyone in her era, herrschers are humans turned into vessels for the honkai. they are humans that may no longer be considered humans and no longer retain any humanity left in them, and they have just destroyed the last three major cities of her world. herrschers can't help but be humanity's enemy, and humanity in elysia's era can only see them as an enemy. if this is all true, why is she the way she is?

and why is thinking of what can she do to give hope for a future?

she thinks and thinks, and she decides. (55:00 to 59:33)

she can put on makeup for the first and last time in her life. as she sits in front of her mirror in her bedroom, she talks to herself, as it to confirm what she's doing is what she wants and what is right for her.

she will hold a banquet and invite all her friends.

it will be a banquet for the thirteenth herrscher.

(it will be a crusade against the thirteenth herrscher.)

she made herself into a villain. ]

[faithkept]

[GOD THERE ARE SO MANY HUMAN-SHAPED PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE AND AREN'T TRULY HUMAN.

That part isn't exactly surprising, at least. He'd expected it, roughly, considering her absolutely insane age. Humans can't live that long. Even if Relivers could in theory, he'd be shocked if any did; it's hard to even picture, given their absolute oldest still haven't even rounded out a full century.

But to think of Elysia as being grouped in with creatures that retain no humanity, born from humans and twisted into things that only cause destruction... He can't see it in the least. She is different, but she isn't, all the same. Just a step to the left of the humanity she was willing to become a villain for.

As the memory begins to roll to a close and slide into its loop, Lucas just stares at the reflective surfaces around them for a few quiet seconds before turning to face Elysia.]

...May I ask what happened to you...?

[It's a quiet question, but he wants to know. Was this the point at which she ended, or just one mark in a long story? Did her friends get to see her again? What came of the banquet and its true intended purpose? His hands fold together, the gesture just a little anxious.]

[florescences]

[ she could deflect, but what's the point after seeing that? ]

I met my end, and I tried to give hope to a new world.... although I didn't know if I succeeded until very recently before coming here.

[ a whole 50,000 some years. but she knows what she says sounds confusing. ]

The real Elysia met her end back then, fifty thousand years ago.

[faithkept]

[A whole 50,000 some years... It does sound confusing, though - and then there's just the slightest itch in the back of his mind. The real Elysia. If that's the real Elysia, then who is this person with the same name, face, temperament, memories, feelings?

Insofar as he has known her, at least.]

...Then... who are you, if not the real Elysia?

[florescences]

I'm still Elysia.

More of a simulation, or a copy, but I am Elysia.

[ she doesn't have identity issues, but she does make a distinction. ]

[faithkept]

[Hm... A copy! A simulation. Well... It's a little closer to something else he's come to know of here, rather than Relivers, but it's still enough to make that itch a little worse for now.]

How... did you come to be?

[florescences]

[ this is where i would try to bait you to kill me if i weren't already dead. ]

Through memories, and a combination of technology and psychic abilities. I'm more of a record and a guide, more than anything else.

[faithkept]

[:BEN:

He has a lot of thoughts about this but he doesn't voice any of them. Instead:]

How is it that your life came to an end, then...?

[If she's just a record or a guide kept-- somewhere, presumably. All records are kept somewhere.]

[florescences]

[ free your thoughts, lucas.... free your mind. ]

In a way, I don't know. I only have what my friends have said. Our memories are only current to when we come to update them, and...

[ well, when you die, you can't really do that. ]

I can tell you how I died to get here, though.

[faithkept]

[He will not...... He's too busy trying not to think about how much this reminds him of Relivers.]

...If you don't mind, I would like to know.

[florescences]

[ she is reliver adjacent. (you: elysia is too healthy for him. me: ok)

it's primarily because the mirrors could reflect it that she doesn't try to deflect. ]

The Herrscher of Corruption had entered the Elysian Realm. That's the memory realm I live in. [ lived. ] I couldn't let her leave the realm to corrupt the real world, so I went to face her and ended up here in the process.

[faithkept]

[HELP MEEEEE YOU JUST THERE LIKE ARE U SURE ABOUT THAT. It's fine it's fine...

He just listens to that, though. This is like some horrific combination between Reliver tech and the technology he's heard about in someone else's world and it really does rub up against his conditioning horribly. His arms cross over his middle, the gesture a bit self-protective by look, but he's mostly just trying to keep himself grounded in a small way.]

...Were you able to keep her from leaving?

[Quietly. Even mentally agitated, he hates the idea of her having sacrificed her life for nothing.]

[florescences]

Not yet.

[ she hasn't accomplished it yet. yet is the operative term because she's confident she'll be returned.

or that with time, she can. she watches his arms, unsure what's causing this reaction but noting it. ]

But even if I can't, there are others outside who will be able to. I don't want it to come to that, though.

[faithkept]

I don't imagine you would.

[Considering she'd been trying to keep it from spilling outside in the first place.]

Then you intend to return once the trials are over so that you can defeat her? Will you be able to avoid your death...?

[florescences]

Uh-huh. I'll be able to defeat her. I'll be able to call for my friends to help.

[ she flashes a victory sign. she continues to have the confidence. ]

[faithkept]

[She and Uruha can communicate peace sign to peace sign...

His arms drop away from his middle again at that, perhaps looking like whatever momentary discomfort has passed.]

Then I'll pray for a swift success, and as little loss of life as possible.

[florescences]

I'll make sure of it.

[ ... ]

Lucas, was there something I said that made you uncomfortable?

[faithkept]

[There is a tiny little furrow of his brow, barely noticeable beneath his stupid fringe.]

What do you mean?

[florescences]

[ she crosses her arms over her middle, a mirror of what he did earlier. ]

That.

[faithkept]

Ah... [Crossing his arms over his middle again so he's mirroring her mirroring him.] No, I was only thinking. It just sounds like such a complicated, difficult situation.

[florescences]

[ ...

she's known him long enough that she thinks that's not true. ]

That might be part of it. I don't think that's all of it.

[faithkept]

[This is the problem with letting people into your house even by one step, damn... They know you too well and then call your ass out.]

There really isn't anything I'd be uncomfortable about, though.

[florescences]

[ unfortunately for him, she has spent her life observing people so she could remember them in order to keep loving them. ]

You don't have to lie to me. Just say it's not something you want to address.