sirenspull | [Video]

[Joe is wearing a Portside Aces baseball cap, NV propped up on another greasy table in the Underground Mall's food court. There's the crinkle of fast food paper, the slurping noise of an oversized fountain drink, and milling-about sounds of a busy afternoon. The boy sighs glumly, unsure where to start. There's a lot of restless anger brewing in the piercing cyan of his eyes, but it's tempered down since his raging fits of last week. He seems tired, like he hasn't been getting the best sleep.]

One week we have a newcomer business convention, the next week newcomer businesses are burning down, and it feels like more and more people keep disappearing.

I really hate it, when it feel like everything's changing for the worst. Maybe they think they can keep us all down and playing by their rules when there's less of us. [A lower sigh of resolve, then-]

But I won't stop fighting.

It's really not fair these mall businesses always seem to be safe. (I mean, besides the big darkness breach that happened around this time last year, but-) Why are only some places left alone when they're not taking sides between AGI or SERO? Can somebody tell me that? The Underground Mall Clubs Association... how do you get in on something like that? Do you have to be a native with lots of munny?

[Joe reaches and tilts his NV so that it shows newest addition to the foodcourt behind him, a bustling counter service with a long line, thick hand-cut fries, and a round serving station filled with several dozen condiment pumps and bowls of relish. Sitting on his tray in front of him are five plastic cups of very different dipping sauces, ]

...and can somebody tell me why 'pomme frites' are so much more special than french fries that they're charging nine bucks for a paper cone?

[He sticks a fingertip in one of the cups in front of him, sampling a dollop with a casual shrug] The sauces are pretty delicious to try, at least.

Poutine.... [he points at the gravy on his far right, then goes right down the line of red hot, yellow, green, speckled white-] "War Sauce", Sweet Mango Chutney, Wasabi-Lime Mayo, Parmesan Peppercorn. So much for plain ketchup! (And this is just 5 of 42 they've got. It reminds me of ice cream flavors.)

[He shakes his head, giving a dry smile and a roll of his eyes.]

Everything's gotta be a good gimmick to be original, huh.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I do.

I remember what it was like, thinking I was the Real Thing.

...you thought you were original? When?

A long time ago. Before I ended up here. That was more than two years ago.

[Asch hesitated to ask, mostly because he hasn't exactly been the nicest person to ~~anyone~~ Joe, but...]

How did that go?

Riku's still Riku, obviously. So guess how that went.

Your original set you straight.

No. Namine set me straight.

I knew I was only a fake.

I just... tried to be more, and it wasn't quite enough. But that's okay. Riku's got more experience being Riku anyway.

Hn... I wish I could say it was that simple for me.

He gave you a harder time about it?

It's... complicated.

[Because, how to explain Van and who he really is to an outsider who's case he got on just for being a replica?]

Well I figure it's complicated!

Thinking you're somebody else, having all his memories, having his friends treat you like you're their friends... It's not such a blast!

Replicas aren't like that on my world. They aren't born with memories. Luke was locked up in the manor and had to learn everything at ten years old.

How to be you?

...how to be 'Luke', yes, but more than that. He had to learn to walk and everything.

I didn't need to learn that at least...

how embarrassing.

Yeah, well... despite that, he was an exact copy. No one thought to...

[He trailed off, frowning bitterly.]

Yeah.

Sora never thought to check either.

Hn...

Well, the people at the manor didn't know, so they re-raised him as 'Luke' should be. He turned into a spoiled, stupid brat that didn't have a clue about anything.

Aren't you glad to not be Luke, if you would have been spoiled and clueless?

That's not the point! He was supposed to be my replacement, and he did a piss poor job of it! He couldn't be me properly!

Because he was him.

Even if he's just made to be a copy. Your hearts are different. You probably care about different things.

It's not fair, to expect somebody else to replace you perfectly. Is that even what he wanted to be?

How should I know what he wanted? He was my replacement; the replacement 'Luke.' I didn't even see him until recently... on my world, I mean.

[Asch paused to blow out a breath.]

...he's different here. He's not the same idiot as when I left. [Another pause.] Still an idiot though.

Why did anyone decide to replace you?

[Asch fell quiet at that.]

...that's a long story. I had thought it was for the good of the world, but...

But that was a lie?

[Video]

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