Twas the night after Christmas -

[bloodyashes]

Characters: Asch and open; later, he goes to see Jade about things [closed]
Setting: A nicely hidden corner of the upper lounge and/or media floor; hassling Jade in the library
Format: What have you, bro
Summary: Feelings about regains, headaches about replicas, yelling at Jade
Warnings: Fon Fabre temper tantrums incoming.

[There's a redhead in a beanbag chair in the corner, heels tucked in, with an old framed photo in his lap. Asch's attention is pretty much entirely on the picture, which is tilted up so that it can't be seen from any other angle. Want to see? Better come lean around his shoulder and be obnoxious.]

[He puts a hand to his forehead very suddenly, as though taken by an unexpected headache. Uh-oh, isn't the flu epidemic over? Maybe you'd better go see what's wrong with him.]

Library -

[It's as good a place to start looking as any. Asch is very pointedly not hurrying through the shelves, because it's not like it really matters anyway. If Jade can't fix this, then no one can, and at least death in the Tower isn't going to stick.

Luckily, it seems that right there is the teal uniform he's looking for.]

Jade.

[All the greeting you get. No beating around the bush today.]

Is there any way to halt fonon separation once it's begun? Failing that, is there a way to slow it?

Comments

[scorchedchivalry]

A person cannot erase their own existence. That is beyond human capacity. [Saber knows that well.] It requires a magic beyond greatness to accomplish.

Did you hate your life that much?

[bloodyashes]

Whether I hate it or not doesn't matter. I can't just step back into being that person after seven years.

And if I had been Luke those seven years, then I would be dead. I doubt we'd be discussing this now, if that was the case.

[scorchedchivalry]

And yet Luke survived those years. How could he do so and you die? He is, after all, an idiot. [As Asch referred to him.]

[bloodyashes]

It's because he was born that either of us was able to survive. Because he had replaced me, I wasn't located after my kidnapping. Thus, I wasn't in the manor to follow the Score to my death at Akzeriuth.

...He escaped, I suppose, out of sheer dumb luck. Replicas are not accounted for in the Score; his fate was never set.

[scorchedchivalry]

So he was created to be a sacrifice? [That did not sit well with her at all.]

[bloodyashes]

Essentially. Van desired my power, so he kidnapped me and left Luke to ensure that no one would go looking. He lived in my place for seven years, and would have met the death intended for me if he'd been left on his own.

[scorchedchivalry]

Then his life gave you yours. Treat him with more respect, Asch. He deserves it.

[bloodyashes]

I'll respect him when he earns it for himself, instead of through the actions of others.

[A pause.]

So far, he hasn't been a complete waste of effort.

[scorchedchivalry]

And surviving where you would have died is not worthy of respect?

[bloodyashes]

Not when it's due to the actions of others. He survived because Tear was there to cast a barrier, no other reason.

And this Luke never made it to Akzeriuth, so it's a moot point, anyway.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber just hummed at that, deciding to change the subject.]

And what is this ability of yours?

[bloodyashes]

[The look on his face says that he's not particularly interested in telling you that, Saber.]

Why don't you talk about yourself, first, since you seem to think you know everything about me already.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Then she'll just ask Luke about it.]

I do not know everything about you. I am just capable of inferring a lot from my conversations with Luke and what I know about the human nature.

As for myself, I am a seasoned knight of Britain.

[bloodyashes]

[GL with that. Note to self - teach replica to keep secrets later.]

Is that all?

[He doubts it.]

[scorchedchivalry]

That is all that matters. I, too, have lived more than one life.

[bloodyashes]

Is that so? You seemed pretty intent on shoving me into who I used to be.

[Yeah who's calling whose shit now Saber]

[scorchedchivalry]

I do not deny my true name. Saber is to me as Asch is to you. But it was my choice to take the second life I did as I was not ready to die.

I am who I am. Changed, yes, but still the knight.

[bloodyashes]

If you're so hung up on me being Luke, then it's only fair that you share the name you left behind as well.

[It's not as though it means anything to him besides stubbornness.]

[scorchedchivalry]

Arturia Pendragon, King of the Britons.

[bloodyashes]

...No wonder you know so much of royalty.

[With that, Asch folds up his knees again, glancing at the picture in his lap.]

[scorchedchivalry]

Indeed. Is that picture of the family you have forsaken?

[She can't help but be curious.]

[bloodyashes]

[Glare. He hasn't forsaken them, but he grudgingly tips the picture in her direction anyway, just enough to let her see.]

[scorchedchivalry]

[She responds to the glare with stoicism. He has given her no reason to not believe he has forsaken them. But she kneels down next to him to look at the picture.]

[bloodyashes]

[It's a tiny Asch, about eight years old, holding hands with a blond girl about two years older. Behind them, a woman with red hair - darker than Asch's, which is still darker than Luke's, but it's not hard to guess that she's his mother.]

[Asch doesn't respond to Saber coming closer, just rubbing one thumb along the frame.]

[scorchedchivalry]

It seems Jason is fond of making us recall our past lives this season. My crown was returned to me.