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[placation]

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[placation]

Of course it would. Why wouldn't it?

[laserhawk]

The point isn't to hurt me. It has nothing to do with who I am.

It has more to do with hurting himself.

[placation]

You're not wrong. I still don't want him using you to lash out like that. Neither of you deserve that.

He told you about his mother, didn't he?

[laserhawk]

A little, yeah.

I didn't know she was also a sex worker. Like mine.

[placation]

You told me that a long time ago. The coincidence knocked me over, but I couldn't tell you, of course. I'm glad you know now.

You two have some truly strange similarities.

[laserhawk]

Too many.

It's not a good sign.

[placation]

No. It's not.

Can I tell you something I haven't told him?

[laserhawk]

[ huh. ]

Sure. Go ahead.

[placation]

I've never been able to pin down exactly how far apart our experiences in the true reality are, but I know that I've seen more than he has. Maybe only by weeks, maybe a few months...

Either way, from my perspective his father is still alive, with more power than ever.

I don't know that there's any reality in which he succeeds.

[laserhawk]

[ his response takes a while. text is imprecise and maybe he shouldn't even do it like this.

but maybe having the words just . . . stand there. even if . . . ]

You can't succeed in revenge. Because you are destroying your reason for living. It is mutual oblivion. Always. There is no reality where it works because a reality where it does would mean it's not Akechi at all. Just some facsimile of him.

Not the one that matters to you. The way he is is why you care.

[placation]

[ Maruki's response takes a while too. He has to read and reread those words. Let them sink in.

Dolph speaks from hard-earned wisdom. Really, Maruki has no experience with revenge, none at all. It's never been a driving factor for him. It's never even been at the back of his mind. It's foreign to him, and he never would have considered it this way until it's laid out in front of him in stark black and white.

And all that before some facsimile of him makes that nausea rise up again. ]

You're right. I know you're right.

I want to believe there's a future where he could both achieve his goal and go on to live a full life. I want to believe I'd be there for all of it.

But that can't happen, can it?

[laserhawk]

It can happen.

But you can't make it happen. Akechi is the only one who can. He has to make that decision. He has to see a life beyond.

So you don't need to stop believing. For every reality you've seen, there are countless more you haven't.

[placation]

[ On the walls of the crystal alcove, he and Akechi walked together, much older than either have ever seen themselves.

In at least one reality, he lives beyond whatever is waiting for him back home.

Maruki has to cling to that. And he has to cling to Dolph's words. ]

Thank you. That really does help to hear. I can't tell you enough.

[laserhawk]

It's the truth.

[ for all their similarities, akechi is not him. and he is not akechi. and thus . . . akechi has a far better chance. because in some reality — any reality — there is someone who will try. a maruki. an akira. someone will be there.

so. it'll be fine. his fingers hover over his words. and he leaves it at that. ]

[placation]

I can still thank you for the truth, you dork.

[laserhawk]

Bold words from you.

[placation]

And I'll say them again!

[laserhawk]

You don't need to.

I hear them, loud and clear.

[placation]

I want to anyway!

All that aside... are you doing okay with the illness going around? Can I do anything for you?

[laserhawk]

I'm good. I don't really have secrets. So there isn't much this place can do to me.

[placation]

You might actually be the only one. Have you thought about giving lessons to others?

[laserhawk]

Lessons about what?

[placation]

In being honest. Not burying so much, so deep down.

[laserhawk]

I can't teach something like that because it's something I had to be.

Like most things.

And it has nothing to do with honesty. This place isn't targeting that. It's targeting vulnerability.

[placation]

Unfortunately, I think I'm more aware of that than anyone else.

Anything to exert power over us.