hellrisen02 | IC Contact;

Heeey, Lucina! Long time no speak, hope you're doin' alright lately!

Me, I'm doing pretty alright myself.... [Various moping over Port-outs and plot related stuff aside;]

Uh, yeah, I've heard about that stuff going around! Can't say I've been having any particular troubles recently from it, though.

[Lie]

What's up?

A...Aah. [well.] I'm--I'm afraid particular trouble with your face was afoot recently, Father. Forgive me for not alerting you directly, it was...a bit of a confusing ordeal.

[Uhhhhhhhhoh

Ah... oh, yeah? [Nervous laugh...] What was I doing, running around pullin' pranks on people?

[If only]

I rather wish it were a prank, those words coming from his mouth. [huff.] I-in any case, when...confronted, he...evaporated? Like a ghost, almost. It was jarring, to say the very least. And I almost feared a moment I had obliterated you! Had not one of the children you mind shown up and declared he'd only just seen you elsewhere... [hhh.

well. nevermind HER horror]

Father Maxwell, I only pray the sort of absurdities he spoke of are not the sort of things you believe in your own heart. If you truly believed this all meaningless, you'd hardly be inclined to help anyone, let alone yourself. Right?

[Meaningless?]

[Well. In a certain way, sure.]

[Duo's reply takes a little while to come...]

People are really multi-faceted jewels, aren't they? And everyone has a different kinda shine to 'em.

...I like people. What'd he say, this double of me?

... [THAT PAUSE MAKES HER NERVOUS. DUO, SHE'S NERVOUS!!!!

a beat of her own, to put a lid on that. blessed voice-only conversations...]

He said...all of this? Is meaningless. Living here. The efforts we make, the connections we forge...

But-- you. You can't believe that, can you? Otherwise, why would you bother at all? Just-- out of boredom? [she's gettin' a lil sassed up here -- she breathes and tones it back down again.]

...I remember what you told me before. Your advice, about how to handle this world. After all you've experienced, I know I can't...simply tell you what to believe, but...the idea that you'd think your life here without value is...a bit too much, honestly. It's objectively wrong.

Objectively, [Duo begins slowly, hearing the stubbornness in her tone] for our own parts, nothing we do here will have a lasting effect on ourselves, nor any other imPort who is pulled back from this place. It's a cold reset, once we go home. Net zero.

That's just how it is. Long proven, by generations of imPorts before and after me.

[He pauses, thoughtful.] However... that's why I'm not really interested in what we can do for ourselves here. We aren't the ones that live with the results of our actions here.

...No, it's not meaningless. Not if our efforts are to make sure that the natives here don't meet the same fate that those of the City, that entire universe, did.

.......

[she's trying to follow his logic here, but her mind so wants to jump the gun and pounce on any tiny bit she isn't keen on...there's a lot of Chrom in this girl.]

So...[she isn't confident she fully understands, but:] So you're...not a miserable shell of a man, simply going through motions out of instinct? You are aware you have meaning to others, yes?

[Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Uhhh.

Nnnnot entirely? [Wow. Damn. He hasn't been called out this hard in weeks.]

[there's a distinct, judging pause. it's like an audible frown.

then:]

...Very well. I've decided.

Yeah? What's that.

[Hopefully not his spleen being ruptured]

To be more forthright! [from her end, she's straightened up for better enunciation.] Father Maxwell, I greatly value your presence here, and what contributions you make to better it. In my own way, I'll find something that may break through whatever fog of dismay you may wear about yourself! If only for a moment. Even small moments are to be cherished, after all.

[hmm.]

...Have you dietary restrictions? [since he's AN OLD MAN she has to ask.]

Jesus Christ.

[Duo mumbles under his breath, but there's a tiny chuckle under it.]

...You don't gotta, kiddo. Like, I'm not 'bout to jump a cliff or anything, here.

And uh, no. [He's trying not to be insulted about that, WHIPPERSNAPPER.]

Nonsense! This isn't about duty, it's about what's right. I respect you, sir. Both for your time here, though it be against your will, and for the kindnesses you've done me. It'd be dishonorable not to at least try and brighten your days here.

One need not be at the brink of collapse to still need support, after all.

[He smiles to himself. What a good kid... He can't really turn her earnestness away, even if he doesn't really want to think about the reason for it.]

Jeez, alright... I guess I can't refuse you if it's like that. Just.... don't think you have to overdo it for a guy like me. There's much more deserving folks around of your time.

I think I get to be the judge of that, yes? [it's too late, Duo; you're in this now.] It's my time to give, after all.

So I think you better expect more frequent visits...with maybe a few confections now and then, depending on how well my skills progress. You can suffer that, can't you?

Okay, okay....

Hey, don't worry. I'll eat anything! [Is that supposed to be comforting?? There's a reason he's better with women for a night than longterm, mmkay.]

That's good to hear. Now--I have to go, because it's my turn to prepare dinner. But I'll be in contact soon enough, be sure of that!

Have a good evening, Father Maxwell.

Haha... You too, kiddo.

...Don't worry about the weaknesses of others. You do you, no matter what, okay?

IC Contact;

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