Of course you do. [why wouldn't he.] Then I guess the easiest way is to say it was similar to that. Zack told me the real me had died, that he'd always been alive and was working in the lab, and the tests they were doing were only being done on me because he couldn't risk them on my real body. Even if I wouldn't remember anything.
A combination of our memories, overwritten to fit in with your island to provide us with a brand new life and history, and then those memories overwritten a few times combined with a homunculus's confusing existential crisis.
Three of us. And the other three were part of the Society.
Explode is a good word for it, I think. [she says, already making an executive decision to maybe not tell scien all the details if karlach hasn't already told him.]
...were all of you investigating the serial killings originally? [trying to decide what was true to their lives and what was unique to this situation.]
[she can't even say anything about him oh so casually talking about different timelines.]
On our third night of the investigation, yes. Saying the same things I'm sure you've heard before. The need to remove the soulless monsters and protect the island from the devils in human skin. Demons who take whatever we want. Does that usually happen?
[do members of the society just do a free for all or was that a surprise to go after homunculi?]
Normally that's just the crazy shit they spouted when congregating in front of the church.
But there is, technically, only one serial killer that is used as the feral attack dog by the Society. The drug administered makes it hard for them to think and they can be convinced to attack anyone.
...I was already pretty mad when I first learned this about him. But now, seeing just how bad i is...it's even more frustrating to know how much damage was caused. The members of the Society didn't even care who we were, even if they were people close to us. [...for context:] Yuffie was among them.
[ oh boy more of lucas's terrible past. though this is getting a little further into absolute terror territory so scien doesn't share much more. what can he say that aerith didn't experience? ]
I didn't come to find you to bring up uncomfortable situations. [just as a light note, because while these are related more to lucas and mathis, of course, scien would know and have thoughts on all of this.] But you're right. Desperate people will do desperate things. It's just unfortunate.
It is not me that you have to worry about making uncomfortable. Merely... you're correct in your anger. More than you know, and more than I care to confirm since while I know what you went through, neither of these sets of memories are mine.
[ but in the end, scien eventually learns everything about his wretched little island ]
... and you suffered because I did not fix them in time. So that is my responsibility.
I get that. There are some things you know of, but it feels...weird to talk about them when it's not your personal experience. And even though I knew Mathis was a homunculus and I knew what had happened to Lucas, I haven't really discussed it with anybody else either unless they already knew these things about them. [to the point she did confirm some things about mathis's side if the other person knew about his history, but nothing about lucas as well as she could.]
I would say that you shouldn't feel responsible, but I get the feeling you'd counter that because of who you are. [being...god.] I think the most confusing part is how the fog was able to replicate it so accurately that we couldn't even tell the difference until we came back.
It is in the nature of being in Arpéchéle for memory to be.... malleable, depending on the data gathered. It's probably especially hard to shake off, given the way that one's entire identity can be formed based off of what they recall.
[ frowns ]
... so your struggle is understandable perhaps, even if it's not enviable. Do you feel more stable now?
That's exactly it, yes. [it was hard to shake it off for a while, and even now she's still remembering it.]
Now that I'm no longer questioning if I'm really a fake version of myself and seeing my ex in a corner of my room? Yeah. I would say so. [weird recovery.] At the same time, it did give me a little more understanding to try and connect further. ...I went to talk to him the day your body turned up.
He said you've been nothing but kind and patient with him, even though he still wants to kill you. [lightly.] But he also said that because of that, he wants to try and understand you. Even if it's going to take a lot of time and he'd rather keep his distance for now.
Maybe it was unfair to ask, but I wanted to make sure he would be alright knowing there was the possibility you'd run into each other more easily here.
it's probably a little bit of a surprise when scien huffs out a breath that sounds like a laugh, and his expression softens more than anything else. that's his stupid dog he's so painfully fond of. ]
What a fool...
He would've had to be alright one way or another. But he's already more untangled than he thinks he is.
[it's a little surprising, but at the same time she doesn't entirely think it's that out there, given what she's deduced about scien's relationship with lucas in the future.]
I think so, too. [and she seems pleased with it because there is so much to unpack there, and a lot of work he still needs to do and a lot more help he needs. but a little progress is still progress.] I try to check in with him to make sure he's not processing everything on his own too much. I think he's getting better at talking about how he feels and letting himself actually feel those things. So...it's a good start.
.... with select people, I imagine this is the case.
But I don't anticipate great strides against nearly a decade of brainwashing, especially when he's so skilled at misdirection.
Ultimately, I know that you will keep speaking with him and supporting him—but I don't think you'll need to concern yourself with us. He's still mine, beneath all the lies that were fed to him.
Overstepping. [she says this a little cheerfully because she knows she gets a little too involved in things. and also potentially entirely misinterpreting "I don't think you'll need to concern yourself with us."] He is still yours, and in the end only the two of you can really make those strides. Most likely when we all get out of here in the first place.
We only have another week or two before the cult decides to perform the ritual anyway, don't we?
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Of course you do. [why wouldn't he.] Then I guess the easiest way is to say it was similar to that. Zack told me the real me had died, that he'd always been alive and was working in the lab, and the tests they were doing were only being done on me because he couldn't risk them on my real body. Even if I wouldn't remember anything.
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Ah.
[ just ah. ]
A combination of your memories and the already complex conglomeration of a homunculus's confusing existential crisis.
[ sounds like a bad combo,, ]
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Three of us. And the other three were part of the Society.
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[ he nods, understanding ]
A mix that's bound to explode if exposed to each other.
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...were all of you investigating the serial killings originally? [trying to decide what was true to their lives and what was unique to this situation.]
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[ their lil serial killer hunt... ]
Did those from the Society attack those of you who were homunculi?
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On our third night of the investigation, yes. Saying the same things I'm sure you've heard before. The need to remove the soulless monsters and protect the island from the devils in human skin. Demons who take whatever we want. Does that usually happen?
[do members of the society just do a free for all or was that a surprise to go after homunculi?]
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Normally that's just the crazy shit they spouted when congregating in front of the church.
But there is, technically, only one serial killer that is used as the feral attack dog by the Society. The drug administered makes it hard for them to think and they can be convinced to attack anyone.
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anyway she tilts her head.]
Someone who's not Lucas?
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it's just lucas ]
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...I was already pretty mad when I first learned this about him. But now, seeing just how bad i is...it's even more frustrating to know how much damage was caused. The members of the Society didn't even care who we were, even if they were people close to us. [...for context:] Yuffie was among them.
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.... desperate people will do cruel things.
Moreso when their minds are not their own.
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I didn't come to find you to bring up uncomfortable situations. [just as a light note, because while these are related more to lucas and mathis, of course, scien would know and have thoughts on all of this.] But you're right. Desperate people will do desperate things. It's just unfortunate.
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It is not me that you have to worry about making uncomfortable. Merely... you're correct in your anger. More than you know, and more than I care to confirm since while I know what you went through, neither of these sets of memories are mine.
[ but in the end, scien eventually learns everything about his wretched little island ]
... and you suffered because I did not fix them in time. So that is my responsibility.
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I would say that you shouldn't feel responsible, but I get the feeling you'd counter that because of who you are. [being...god.] I think the most confusing part is how the fog was able to replicate it so accurately that we couldn't even tell the difference until we came back.
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[ frowns ]
... so your struggle is understandable perhaps, even if it's not enviable. Do you feel more stable now?
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Now that I'm no longer questioning if I'm really a fake version of myself and seeing my ex in a corner of my room? Yeah. I would say so. [weird recovery.] At the same time, it did give me a little more understanding to try and connect further. ...I went to talk to him the day your body turned up.
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And?
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Maybe it was unfair to ask, but I wanted to make sure he would be alright knowing there was the possibility you'd run into each other more easily here.
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it's probably a little bit of a surprise when scien huffs out a breath that sounds like a laugh, and his expression softens more than anything else. that's his stupid dog he's so painfully fond of. ]
What a fool...
He would've had to be alright one way or another. But he's already more untangled than he thinks he is.
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I think so, too. [and she seems pleased with it because there is so much to unpack there, and a lot of work he still needs to do and a lot more help he needs. but a little progress is still progress.] I try to check in with him to make sure he's not processing everything on his own too much. I think he's getting better at talking about how he feels and letting himself actually feel those things. So...it's a good start.
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.... with select people, I imagine this is the case.
But I don't anticipate great strides against nearly a decade of brainwashing, especially when he's so skilled at misdirection.
Ultimately, I know that you will keep speaking with him and supporting him—but I don't think you'll need to concern yourself with us. He's still mine, beneath all the lies that were fed to him.
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Right. Of course. [ultimately it is up to them to figure things out. and scien knows the end result anyway, so.] Sorry. I understand.
[so long as the end results are the same and what's desired, the method maybe doesn't matter as much.]
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? ]
What are you apologizing for...
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We only have another week or two before the cult decides to perform the ritual anyway, don't we?
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