005; Voice

[saintofstoic]

[The voice, recognizably Joan's to those who know her or who care to remember voices, is all business.]

I know of other clones within the city. Is there any sort of assistance set up for them? A charity or such?

[The voices pauses there a moment, then comes back in a low and soft tone. She doesn't sound like one on the verge of tears. It's a distinct note of regret, though not harsh or pronounced.]

I'm afraid I don't know much about this city still, it's newcomers or it's charities. I have been negligent and selfish in that regard.

Comments

[kryptonianclone]

Can't say I've heard of that. Must be from a different place. Is it like a school...?

[saintofstoic]

It is, yes. An exclusive academy for clones only.

[kryptonianclone]

Really? How many clones are there?

[saintofstoic]

I'm not sure of an exact count. Thousands certainly, all clones of notable individuals from history.

[kryptonianclone]

Wow, that's a lot more than what the people who created me made. What was the purpose of doing that...?

[saintofstoic]

So--

[She pauses there, her automatic speech on how clones were supposed to expand on their original's traits and deeds ground to a halt.

Instead her expression darkens.]

I'm not really sure anymore.

[kryptonianclone]

I was created to replace a guy who died but then it turned out he was still around. Found my own way instead.

[saintofstoic]

It was stated we were created to expand upon our original's accomplishments.

[Another pause. This time she's watching her NV though. The other clones she had met had spoke of being herself. She still didn't thoroughly understand where she began and her original ended.

But this one had truly found his own way, had he?]

You found your own way outside of this city? Before you arrived here perhaps?

[kryptonianclone]

Yep. We might be similar... but we're not the same. Where your genes came from doesn't make you who you are. You get to decide that, not anyone else. [He thinks about everything he's gone through with being part Lex Luthor and how he was finally able to overcome that.]

1/2

[saintofstoic]

[Here the blonde gives a smile, even if it is a touch weary.]

Others have said similar. You are only who you make yourself to be. Fate is... not something ascribed to genes, yes?

[saintofstoic]

[She laughs faintly. It's not amusement as much as it is exasperation.]

I never realized that. And I ran from fate as hard as I could, perhaps when I didn't even need to run at all.

I'm such a fool.

[kryptonianclone]

You thought you had to live the same life as the person you were cloned from?

[saintofstoic]

Some of us were led to believe that we were tied to the same fate as our originals.

[kryptonianclone]

I thought that too at first. I didn't want to be anything but like the guy I was cloned from. [Well, half of who he was cloned from.] But he's really great and encouraged me to just... be myself instead of exactly like him. I still want to be like him but now it's more in a... he's an awesome role model to strive to be like way, not be the exact same person.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

[saintofstoic]

Seventeen. Why do you ask?

[kryptonianclone]

Are you really 17? I mean, I'm 17 too but time wise, I'm really only a few years old. They aged me up in the tube until I was 16 then I broke out so I don't have any memories of being younger than that. Just wanted to know if that was the case with you or not.

[saintofstoic]

I was advanced to the age of a toddler and allowed to grow up naturally from that point.

[kryptonianclone]

That's good. Sometimes I get a little disappointed I didn't really get to grow up.

Who raised you..?

[saintofstoic]

Nannies hired by St. Kleio, from what I recall.

Clones... don't really get to grow up. At least not without the reminders of their originals.

[kryptonianclone]

I wasn't really raised by anyone but over time I found my own family.

Yeah, that's always going to be in our backgrounds.