tvklogs | Facing Myself and Myself and...

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Facing Myself and Myself and...

WHO: Luke. All four of them.
WHAT: Nothing like finding out your replica is in town then running headlong into his Shadow.
WHEN: Beginning of the Shadows in the Dark Hour event.
WHERE: Streets of Prospero
RATING: Rating pending, but there will be violence.
NOTES: Log is split into three parts; see below.

Going out that night probably wasn't in Asch's best interests, not that this would have stopped him even if he had known what was really going on. The video posts going up all over the place were keeping him up, not to mention that people were obviously in trouble... and it was bothering the hell out of that "nice guy" side of him that he wished would just get the hell out already.

Still, being new to Prospero, he had no idea just how dangerous it was during the Dark Hour. Still with no knowledge of how Personas worked or the fact that he even had one, weaponless, and he found out the hard way his fonic artes were not working; it wasn't turning out to be a very good night. Things turned around when he found a discarded pipe that was an adequate enough substitute for a sword, but it wasn't enough to keep him from cursing every time he whacked a monster with it, only to have his arms shaking from the effort.

Of course, things were going to get worse, as proven true when he looped a corner...

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Asch let out a sound of protest as he was grabbed, his face and his chest throbbing. Still, he wasn't about to object (at least, at the moment), unconsciously holding onto Luke's hand tight as he was dragged to his feet. He stumbled after the replica, ignorant of the death glare that was being aimed at him by his Shadow.

The darker half let out an irate noise, rubbing the spot he had been pegged at with the pipe, before letting his hand drop. He took his replica's hand, letting out a scoff.

"It doesn't matter. Our time is almost up," he sneered, his yellow eyes gleaming as they watched the real Luke and Asch bolt down the street, slowly fading away as the Dark Hour came to a close.

Luke noticed that the blood and the coffins were beginning to disappear. As well as the moon turning into a lighter shade so it looked somewhat normal. That didn't stop Luke from running. Not until he ran out of breath, and knew that they were far away. It wasn't likely that those two... weirdos were following them. Hopefully.

"We should be safe... I think." Stopping to catch his breath. He looks exhausted, but he's more worried about Asch at this point. "You okay, Asch? I think you're bleeding." A pause. "Let me take a look."

Asch practically doubled over once the dreck stopped dragging him, holding onto his knees as he fought for breath back. His face, his chest, and his back ached in protest to the abuse, and to top it all off, the idiot next to him was still talking. He smacked Luke's hands away, stumbling back until his backside hit wall. He flinched in pain, but fought down the cry that wanted to rip through his throat while he was at it.

"Don't touch me, dreck," he growled out, glaring back down the way they came. "What the hell was that?"

Oh good. Asch was okay. Or fairly okay, if he could keep up the insults. Knowing this, Luke's look of concerned dropped, but he stayed close to Asch in case his stupid original tried to do anything foolish. ... Not like he was the one to talk, but uh, Asch was the one that clearly looked beat up.

"Don't know." Luke's gaze also fell back to the path with a sigh. Obviously relieved that they made it out of death. "Whatever it was... They were strong." Actually, they had the powers that Luke had before he came here. Which was bad. Very, very bad.

"Annddd they kicked your butt, it looks like."

Like he needed Luke to tell him that those idiots were strong. Seriously, when the hell had the dreck learned a Mystic Arte? Or maybe it was just his Shadow that knew it; he couldn't picture the pathetic creature before him actually managing to learn an arte that complicated.

...speaking of. Asch shot the idiot an irate look, and he probably would have hit him if he had the strength to do so.

"You didn't exactly come out of it unscathed, idiot!" he snapped, nodding to the cut on Luke's side.

Asch, you have no idea what this Replica can do now. Well, could do, because he can't do any of his tacky Mystic Artes here. Never the less, Luke just sighs at Asch's over-all well being. Remembering suddenly, how stubborn he was, and how irritating he is.

"This is a scratch compared to your wound though, Asch." Ah well. "Let me take a look at it, already."

Sorry, dreck, but you're asking for it. When Luke whines about checking out his wounds, Asch manages to pull together enough strength to backhand him across the face. Not that it had much power behind it, given his current state, and he ends up leaning back heavily against the wall as a result. The pain he's in doesn't keep the rage off his face though.

"I said, don't touch me!" he snapped. "After everything I heard from your 'Shadow', I don't want your damn hands on me!"

"Hey! What is your problem?!" That was completely uncalled for! Then again, it really wasn't since it was Asch. But still. Luke looked a bit irritated at the other one, until he mentioned that last part. Oh. Right. Their shadows. The reason why they were injured and running in the first place.

"... What did it say?" Luke's expression drops completely. If it was anything like what Asch's was spewing, then...

"You're being clingy, you idiot!" he snapped at Luke. "We're not so damn close that you can just--!"

The world suddenly decided to do backflips on Asch at that moment, and he groaned softly, sliding down to sit on the ground. Blood loss was such a wonderful thing, after all, and it's not like the dreck could do anything about it. What, had he suddenly become a useful Seventh Fonist in the weeks he was gone from Auldrant?

He cracked an eye open, shooting Luke a miserable Luke, "Aside from your self pity-party, he said you were responsible for killing me."

Oh.

Oh.

Well then. For some odd reason, the Asch standing in front of him didn't seem to know he died. What an awkward conversation this would prove to be. Considering it had happened not too long ago, and the words -- The memory was still fresh. He didn't want to talk about it, but now was better than never. Even if the context of that situation made Luke frown at Asch. A bit hesitant, before he sighs.

"A group of oracle knights killed you."

The same story as the other dreck. Asch let out an annoyed noise, closing his eyes as he fought against a wave of dizziness that threatened to send him into unconsciousness.

"How is that even possible? Did the knights show up after your friends dragged you off?" he demanded, before daring to crack an eye open. "And what the hell did you do with your hair, anyway?"

For now, Luke wasn't going to say anything to Asch fighting against dizzy spells. Instead, he'd just finish up this little conversation that sent him in an awkward, yet sad state of mind.

"The Knights showed up after I beat you." A sigh. "You gave me the Key of Lorelei, and made me leave to finish off Master Van."

He can probably guess the rest. Only not really.

Asch let out a scoff. "Ha! As if a dreck like you could ever hope to beat me."

He gave him a hard look at the rest of what he said, eyes narrowing. None of that made sense... The Key? The Key was just a myth. And finish off Van? Him? He still referred to Van as his master; how could he ever hope to finish him off!

"You're not making any sense! Nothing like that was going on last time I saw you!" he snapped, grinding his teeth. "Or are you trying to deal with the fact that you just dropped Akzeriuth by making up crap?!"

"I'm not making up anything, Asch." Luke looks dead serious at this. Countering Asch's look with his own. That being said, Luke had to give him proof. The only proof he had, or ever needed to show this Asch. Because, from what he was hearing, it didn't seem like they were from the same times. Sure, same events, but this Asch definitely seemed further back, because to this Replica? Akzeriuth had been quite some time ago.

Luckily, Luke had the proof he needed. Without a word, the "sword" that he had used earlier to guard himself against the shadow was indeed, The Key of Lorelei, which he threw at Asch's feet. The jewel, however, he had hid in his pocket. Therefore, after much scrambling, the jewel rested on the palm of his hand.

"See? This is the Jewel of Lorelei, and that is the key."

Luke had certainly just done the impossible: Asch was stuck speechless. His mouth hung opening in a small o, having difficulty believing that he was staring at the real Sword and Jewel of Lorelei.

"Is... that...?" he began, trying to move, only to let out a faint groan. Goddamn drecks and their goddamn Mystic Artes.

"Asch--" Apparently seeing Asch in pain stimulated some pain inside Luke's head that surged throughout his body, nearly causing him to double over. It didn't help that his head felt like it was splitting into two, and his body was starting to feel strangely numb. He would have panicked right then and there, if a single voice didn't echo out to him through all the distortion and pain.

Thou art I and I am thou...
I am Messiah.
From this day forth, I shall be with you....

That voice definitely wasn't Lorelei, much less Van's. No-- This voice actually gave him... Strength? Strength that he couldn't feel, but before he could make any protest or WTFFFFF statement, the Persona revealed itself. Hovering over the pair and granting the two with a small Dia to heal their wounds.

Mostly Asch's though. Since he got Radiant Howl'd in the face.

How do you think it felt for Asch, Luke? One minute, Luke started doubling over in pain, and he was about to mock him for his injury being worse than he initially proclaimed. The next, there was this vissage of some heavenly figure appearing behind Luke, bathed entirely in white, before healing power suddenly washed over him, chasing away the dizziness. He stared until the thing disappeared, before checking himself for injury, finding that most of his wounds had closed up.

"Luke..." he began, at a loss for words. He couldn't even ask what the hell that was supposed to be, because there was no way that the dreck would even know.

His head was still throbbing by the time the Dia hit, but he got one good look at the white figure hovering over them before it vanished. What... was that? And why the hell did his head just feel like it was about to split open for a moment? Not sure what to think, Luke glances up at the original. To find him at a loss of words.

"What the heck was that?" He felt his cut heal almost instantly, plus Asch was looking better as well.

WHAT.

Asch just stared, at a loss for words, or even how to properly respond to this situation. After a long, deafening silence, he stood up, feeling a lot better than he was before. Without a word, he moved away from his replica, though he hesitated at the street. After a moment, he let out an irritated breath, turning toward Luke.

"Hey, get over here. They have rooms for people like us."

Well. That was a new attitude. One that he was sure surprised to see, but really made no effort to show his surprise. Not after all this weird crap happening. So instead, without mocking Asch, he gets up and follows right behind him.

"Hey, wait! There's no way to leave?"

"Not from what I've heard from other people," Asch replied, making his way back toward the hotel. "I haven't been here long enough to find out otherwise."

He paused at the corner, waiting for Luke to catch up with him.

"... That's not good." Luke follows right behind Asch. Expression looking far too serious. This was bad. This was really bad, if he was stuck here, and not able to go back.

Asch glanced back at him, before turning his gaze toward the hotel. He was quiet for a moment, trying to process everything he had heard, as well as everything that had just happened.

"...I wouldn't worry," he murmured. "If your memories include me doing things after Akzerith, then obviously what's supposed to happen on Auldrant will happen."

It's going to be awhile for Luke to get over the fact that Asch is standing right beside him. Alive and well. However, he'd smile, of course. Getting friendly with Asch was going to be a job of it's own, but he was willing to work at it. Especially because he knew the Asch back home had accepted him, so, what could be different about this one.

"... Thanks, Asch."

Of course, Luke wasn't going to be able to thank Asch and get away with it. The original let out a disgruntled noise, turning his head away from Luke -- was he blushing? Pointing it out would probably not lead to good things, though.

"Forget it, dreck," he grumbled, crossing the street to get to the hotel.

Facing Myself and Myself and...

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