bluescreenwhitedragon

No no no, to be clear, his existence specifically is an outlier among outliers. He's definitely the most unique and unprecedented of us all, and everyone else is more like Rider or myself in terms of coherence.

Besides that, Avenger was only one of many Holy Grails. Rather, that term is used specifically in regards to a certain kind of large energy reservoir that has the programming of a Grail, and the one that he had become part of was the one in Fuyuki. My own Grail in my world has no trace of his corruption.

[Sorry, Lucifel. You definitely said words. Words that had meaning individually but Intensity is going to have to sit and think about what they mean when they are strung together.

For now, his only retort is:]

This is why it's always a cup metaphor with all of you, isn't it?

I can't believe I didn't see this coming.

For him at least . . . Like I said, he's an outlier among outliers.

What's his excuse?

Yours was your former Master trying to cheat summoning rules, wasn't it?

Right. For myself, I'm someone capable of being summoned even if my own legend isn't powerful. I'd just be a weak Servant, in regards to my parameters. However, he isn't a "hero" - he isn't "a person who brought about good in the world by doing good things", but "a person who brought about good in the world by doing evil things".

Ordinarily, the Holy Grail does not allow for this "Anti-Hero" type of Heroic Spirit to manifest. However . . .

[ shifting in his spot, tilting his head up ]

My former Master is the one responsible for his existence as well.

With the state of this place, this world that exists in-between worlds, you surely don't need an explanation on what parallel worlds are, right?

No. I do not need an explanation of the multiverse.

But I do need one of how being the Holy Grail works with what you told me earlier. About his existence starting by taking someone else's existence and personality as a base. If what you're telling me now seems to indicate he does have his own character. Or at least did once before.

. . . Are you familiar with Zoroastrianism, and the figure Ahriman - Angra Mainyu?

[Seeing how much interest Intensity has in history and that he hasn't taken enough memories to remember the breadth of his education]

No.

Enlighten me.

Then, to put it briefly, it's the oldest practiced religion known to man: moreover, it's the oldest with the premise of a Heaven and Hell, a duality of good and evil, and one God. You could say it's a prototype to the Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Ahura Mazda, the lord of wisdom, and all that is good. Angra Mainyu, the destructive spirit, and all that is evil.

. . . Back in the time before technology and science could explain the world, humans needed answers for phenomena that were out of their control. Why the crops didn't flourish that year, or why the winter was harsher than usual - things like that. All that could be considered negative, all that could be considered evil, was blamed upon the evil spirits - for those devoted to the Avesta, it would be Angra Mainyu.

In many places, it wasn't uncommon for there to be some sort of sacrifice to the gods in order to bring prosperity. ... In some places, it wasn't uncommon for there to be some sort of sacrifice that was blamed for the lack of that prosperity.

Regardless, a sacrifice isn't something for the gods. It's for humans, for them to be able to gain some feeling of control over an uncontrollable situation.

"If we sacrifice enough, the rain will come back." Eventually the rain will come back, of course, but this sort of mentality brings about relief and self-satisfaction. Comfort is afforded with that control.

Edited 2019-10-15 07:19 (UTC)

[His right eye twitches. Did you have to hit the control freak right where it stings? Anyway. It's super effective.]

Yes.

I'm beginning to understand that gods of all kinds don't actually give too much of a damn about what we mortals do.

Outside of us being entertaining anyway.

[ listen he's just saying it like it is

frowning a little more, as though that were a sore spot of his own, though he continues ]

There are gods that would listen, just as there are gods that would not. Regardless of the response, though, it's still a measure of comfort; it still brings peace and happiness to people.

. . . It isn't just the gods the people would sacrifice to. There are demons, too - one could say that Angra Mainyu was the predecessor of the Christian devil. So . . .

[ hums, softly ]

Avenger's True Name is Angra Mainyu. Do you suppose he is the devil himself?

Anything is possible, isn't it?

But now I see the irony in bringing the two of you in as a bonded pair. What's a little more saint versus devil drama on a personal scale?

I bet the fans love it.

[ pausing - he gives a soft chuckle, amused ]

Well, I'm not a saint, though.

The irony isn't lost on me regardless. He's everything that I hate - everything that I swore to destroy. He is all that is evil, and I seek all that is good. We are, and will always be, enemies.

And that is him in his purest form, isn't it? The one you bemoan changing into something else. Something unworthy of being your enemy. Your rival.

So tell me.

Is this new version of him "all evil"? Will you be able to destroy him?

. . . Let's correct this first. He could not be anyone with a personality without the template to host it. That unerring evil, taking shape of that boy - that would be the form he held from the very beginning of this city. But before, it was perhaps . . .

Seventy-five percent Angra Mainyu, with about ten percent of his template personality.

[ drawing the pieces of percentages on the table with his finger ]

Fifteen percent, therefore, is unaccounted for - that is the adolescent being known as "D☆☆dl☆m☆n", an existence entirely unique to this place alone. An identity and personality that was formed from the experience of living.

[ with a circle to that imaginary piece ]

This is the aspect that "I" planned to cultivate, until he could live without being "All the World's Evil". He has the capability of stopping me every time without end, if this "Angra Mainyu" side persists - so this is what "my" battle is; "I" planned to encourage to grow, so that the "Angra Mainyu" aspect would slowly, steadily, dissolve into mist.

So that, eventually, he could no longer stand in "my" way.

. . . That would be . . . Well, it's what "I" planned to do - bemoaning it in and of itself . . . I really shouldn't complain. In any case, the person that I'm attached to - the one that I have come to love - is that meager fifteen percent of a person.

So it's fine. Whatever happens, that would be . . .

[ frowns ]

Well, it's irrelevant for now. Those feelings could be dealt with, if that were the situation - if it was a battle between these two aspects, the adolescent new life and the ageless evil, then that would be well within "my" calculations. But -

The present issue is the template personality.

As it stands here, in this city, he can't fulfill his purpose as "Avenger". Of course that was already the case - even without "my" meddling, he'd come to such a dilemma regardless. However.

It would be fine if it was just those two. "Angra Mainyu, Avenger, All the World's Evil" versus "D☆☆dl☆m☆n". If the template could remain as such - as a frame and nothing more - then it would be fine, but the frame is bleeding into the picture, and at an alarming rate, as well. Any time he takes a memory, it's a roulette of strengthening that host personality or rejuvenating that "Avenger" side of his. Moreover, things like -

. . . Things like, "I want to be reliable" and "I want someone to be able to trust me" - honest feelings like that . . . They can be attributed to the host personality. So that seventy five percent starts to dwindle, and that fifteen percent should grow - but it's being stifled by that ten percent that's growing rapidly, uncontrollably.

. . . And he, that person - I said it before, right? He's troublingly lacking in ideals. "Ideals" would be something he'd have to attribute to that template.

Even if it's something he can independently want, even if it's what "D☆☆dl☆m☆n" wants, it's hard for him to navigate those murky waters. And - that's enough. That man, who is easily discouraged, will find doubt in everything that he does - because he is still trying to be "Avenger", because that is who he always was - something antithetical to "Avenger", like wanting to be respectable to any degree, he'll see as a thread to that host personality. Even if it's not - even if it is his own, Avenger is -

[ WITH A SIGH ]

. . . Laughably weak, mentally speaking. Laughably weak, physically speaking too, but I and I alone am weaker than him, in this place. Haaah . . . Well, that's why I started it in this way in the first place, but.

In any case - "Will I be able to destroy him"?

[ with a cold expression, voice low and smooth and just as cold, ]

. . . Naturally, "I" can. I will. If he would stand in "my" way, then his fate is sealed -

Or rather, that's already happened. All "I" need to do is wait, and passively watch as he eats himself alive. To ensure that it is done thoroughly, all "I" need to do is be by his side and gently nudge him into doing good, little by little. And, with this new condition of his, something like that just got easier. Quietly, without struggling, he will die, and all "I" need to do is watch over him.

Edited (This distinction is important) 2019-10-28 18:20 (UTC)

[That's... that's so much to take in, Lucifel. Give Intensity a few seconds to absorb all that]

So he's also a triplet.

And in your efforts to destroy his "evil" self, you'd hope his amnesiac self would flourish. But in fact, what you thought was an insignificant "binding" -- template, you called it -- is gaining more and more prevalence.

And Lucifel, idol of Imeeji, would just rather happily settle down with his multiple love interests.

While Ruler - re-arranger of human identity and ideals - wants his a worthy rival that he can crush under his heel before he can fully enjoy his victory.

And neither parts of you give a shit about this template.

Am I understanding this correctly?

[ pausing, his gaze downcast - it's hard for him to articulate what he wants and it's easily shown on his face, ]

. . . Lucifel, idol of Imeeji, wants Avenger to be the rival that can stop Ruler.

Ruler wants nothing more than for Avenger to settle down quietly, and live a fulfilling and happy life - and thus, be rendered useless, incapable of standing in Ruler's way.

. . . It isn't as though that child is one to be discarded - however, that child already has his own life to live. The template personality is not the host body - rather, like the original that was used to make a mold used for mass production, that person exists separately, living elsewhere. So -

[ with a strained tone, ]

It isn't fair, that he should take over Avenger's life too. ... It's his own, so - regardless of my own . . . What Lucifel or Ruler want out of him, he should be allowed to exist, you know . . . ?

Have you talked about this to any of the timeshares?

You know we have many running around here. And my world appears to be fucking full of them.

Maybe they can provide you with some alternative option that you're not considering.

. . . Ahh, you mean - like Silence-san and Song-san?

[ honestly what is a timeshare ]

If it was a matter of something like Silence-san and Song-san's situation, then it might be easier to consider this. But - well . . .

[ hm ]

It isn't quite the same. For one, there aren't quite three "people", but rather, facets . . . You wouldn't call "Lucifel" and "Ruler" two people in one body, right? Though his situation is more difficult . . .

Erm . . . Do you recall - the house, and the inherited memories of the person that died?

[That's the thing about timeshares. They come in all flavors! So surely one of them would be relateable to Lucifel.

But that is neither here nor there, so---]

Ah yes.

The "ghosts".

[He does not sound particularly pleased by that term.]

. . . Did you experience it yourself? Taking in that memory . . . ?

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1/? It's always like this.

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5/5 I got tired so I cut it short.

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