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Location: Corridor of the Thumb |
Valencina |
I TOLD you, Lucio! I keep telling you time and time again! The heart! You have to aim for the heart! |
Lucio |
Agh… Valen…cina- |
| Valencina |
DON'T talk to me unless I tell you to, you waste of a Textbook! |
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The Thumb Nursefather, Valencina, and her apprentice subordinate, Lucio, had just gotten back from disrupting Limbus Company with the rest of the House of Spiders. |
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Though if one were watching this out of context, it looks more like Valencina watched her apprentice fumble the bag. |
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She decided to take her anger out on him the only way she knew how: child abuse. |
| Valencina |
You're lucky, you know that? You're lucky the others were able to carry out their ends of the plan so efficiently. |
| Valencina |
You're lucky you had me here to face The Red Gaze! |
| Lucio |
But… Valencina… I did my job- |
| Valencina |
You let Ticket wipe the floor with you after I had taught you all of her techniques to the letter, is what you did! |
| Valencina |
I swear, without me, you'd still be stuck in the Backstreets like a gutter rat. Let this be the last time I repeat myself, boy. |
| Valencina |
AIM. FOR. THE HEART! |
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Lucio was left a bleeding mess on the ground of the Thumb Corridor, not just because of the prior wounds Vergilius gave to him, but now because of the wounds from his own Nursefather. |
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And Valencina, the arrogant, vile cur, did not care for any of his wounds. |
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She turned her back to him, slowly proceeding to sit down on a lounge chair in the room. |
| Valencina |
Now, when you're done picking yourself up, go make yourself more useful than Backstreets gutter trash and get us both drinks, okay? |
| Valencina |
Yes, I said us both. You deserve one too, even if you would've most definitely died without me being here for you. |
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The ever-so-casual way Valencina had dismissed Lucio's achievements always grated on him. |
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While he did appreciate her at one point for assisting a vagrant with nothing to his name, she always made it clear from day one that he was a means to an end. |
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She never taught him everything she knew; only everything Yoshihide knew. |
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She never complimented him on what he learned; merely pointed out everything he absorbed for Yoshihide's sake. |
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Even her nickname for him, Textbook, forever gave them a degree of separation, a border between master and student. |
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He was a tool. A tool that would serve its purpose, wither, and potentially even die. |
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Lucio had been contemplating the likelihood of this for a while. That his stay here in the House of Spiders would amount to nothing more than a necessary step in the plan of bringing back the group's golden child, the one who got away. |
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He despised that possibility. |
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What did Yoshihide have that the rest of the apprentices didn't? That HE didn't? |
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Jealousy and ire had grown in his heart over someone he had never even met before today. |
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But alas… despite his feelings, he will still choose to go to the wine cabinet tucked into the Corridor of the Thumb. |
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He will still choose to pour himself and his master a glass. |
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And above all else, he will still choose to walk over to Valencina, bleeding out all the while, and hand her that glass. |
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Location: Corridor of the Thumb, Several Hours Later |
Rien |
Do be more careful next time, okay, Lucio? |
| Rien |
In a matter of moments, my darling Yoshihide will want to come back here to obtain what she has lost. |
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Rien was explaining to Lucio the next steps of the plan while Valencina was snoring on the lounge chair, knocked clean out after the alcohol. |
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Along the way, he was patching up Lucio's injuries, because… well, there was no way Valencina could. |
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Besides, it's not like she would want to in the first place. To her, the wounds were a necessity for growth—a reward for still being alive. |
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He couldn't tell if this was part of the Thumb's ideology or just her special brand of "teaching." |
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Lucio nodded to Rien as he finally put the finishing touches on the headbandage. |
| Lucio |
Do not worry too much, Master Rien. I will still be available for the next section of the plan as requested. |
| Lucio |
If I am to be… the perfect textbook for Yoshihide, I must take on her resilience as well. |
| Rien |
That's the spirit. Rest up well, now. |
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Rien gave Lucio a soft smile as he exited the Corridor, his beeper most likely giving him yet another direction to follow in the process. |
| Lucio |
… |
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Finally. All alone. |
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Lucio looked in the direction of where Valencina loudly snored. When she wasn't beating him within an inch of his life or drinking her sorrows away, the Thumb Nursefather could be… oddly peaceful. |
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But right now, peace was the farthest thing from Lucio's mind. |
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He picked up an empty wine bottle, the same one she just drunk from. |
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It would be so easy. Due to her insistence on drinking so much, there would be a window of time where she wouldn't be able to react as fast as she normally does. |
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His mind was immediately a battlefield, one overcome by two different prevailing thoughts. |
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"Maybe I can kill her now. Maybe this is my chance." |
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"Wait… Killing her? How dare I think that! She's my master!" |
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Despite his resentment of her, the fact remained that he was indebted to her. |
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It was a fact that was often able to outweigh his fury. |
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… |
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But it would not do so today. |
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Each step was as heavy as the last. He walked towards her with an icy glare, one she usually gave him upon messing up the techniques she told him to learn. |
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For the first time, fire burns in the eyes of the boy whose body is covered in bruises. The Palermitan Rapier in his hand felt just the slightest bit heavier with the added weight of what he knew he was about to do. |
| Lucio |
… |
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He knows he has to act fast. The moment he strikes her, the moment she knows what he'll do. Then, she will be able to stop his disobedience. |
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His first move was to slowly take Valencina's hat off and get her long hair away from the side of her face that she usually concealed from others. |
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And out from the shadows came one third of a Relic that kept her ahead of the majority of her opponents: the Eye of Odin. |
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Despite her wasted stupor, it was an eye that had helped Valencina many times in the past. |
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It was a secret Valencina had, even with her insistence on giving herself and Lucio a barrier, told him about one night after some particularly hands-on training the two had involved themselves in. |
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Lucio will never forget that day. The day she had decided to duel him properly. |
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He was only ever able to get one hit on her. |
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Not only did it impress her at the time, but it gave him the small seed of doubt, the confidence to be able to enact this plan. |
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With it being a prosthetic eye, naturally, Valencina was not born with it. It had to be implanted. Given to her. |
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He raised the wine bottle over his head, aiming a strike at Valencina. |
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The Eye of Odin, knowing this would come, warned Valencina to wake up using the power of precognition. |
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But the moment she did… |
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STAB! |
| Valencina |
AGH! |
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She had been caught by the Palermitan Rapier and forced to stay seated as Lucio lodged it as far into her gut as he was able to. |
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The blow would not kill her yet. This he knew. |
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But it gave him enough time to keep Valencina bound to that chair long enough for him to go for that eye. |
| Valencina |
Lucio…! T-The fuck are you doing?! |
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Valencina was working overtime, struggling as Lucio kept her stuck to the lounge chair. |
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Lucio's expression did not change throughout this struggle. He didn't even answer Valencina's desperate question. |
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He just kept the same glare he had going into the scuffle. |
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After a heated struggle, he was finally able to physically rip the Eye of Odin away from the inside of her eyesocket. |
| Valencina |
AAAAAAAAH! |
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Valencina, reliving the immediate pain of when her Ticket had slashed her the day she left the House of Spiders, held her now Relicless face in agony. |
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That was finally when Lucio let up, removing his rapier from Valencina's body and slowly backing away from her. |
| Lucio |
… |
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Valencina was heavily breathing. |
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She wasn't used to this feeling, the feeling of being the wounded animal. |
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The hole where her eye used to be is bleeding hard, the remembrance of the pain doubling from it no longer being filled by the Eye of Odin. |
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This kid, the kid she saved a long while ago, had the balls to strike her unprovoked. And now, without her Relic, she had nothing but her own skills to fight back with. |
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Skills that had become heavily reliant on the Eye to begin with. |
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While she was definitely formidable in a fight regardless, the lack of her Relic and her inebriated state have both left her in a standstill. |
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Keeping one hand over her bleeding eyesocket, she used the rest of her vision to look back at Lucio with an aggressive glare of her own. |
| Valencina |
Okay… I see what you're doing here, Textbook… |
| Valencina |
Perhaps I've given you too little credit! You're learning without me even having to teach you what to do now… |
| Valencina |
But what's the plan? Have you gotten that far? |
| Valencina |
You've got me dead to rights, but will you even dare to pull the trigger? Or is this just you having a tantrum? |
| Lucio |
… |
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When he didn't immediately answer, Valencina grew somewhat enraged and stood up, her knees wobbling. |
| Valencina |
Answer me! Are you going to finish the fucking job, or are you truly as faulty as I thought you were?! |
| Lucio |
…Let me tell you what is about to happen now, Valencina. |
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He delicately holds the Eye of Odin in his hand, showcasing it to her like a treasure he plundered. |
| Lucio |
I am going to get this installed into one of my eyes, as you had done so long ago. |
| Lucio |
Then, when I come back, you and I are going to have a long, most likely uncomfortable conversation about the way things stand around here. |
| Lucio |
And by the end of it, I will be expecting you to understand that it is not just you who is leading our subgroup anymore for the time being. |
| Valencina |
…What? |
| Valencina |
The fuck are you talking about? |
| Lucio |
You heard me. |
| Lucio |
I will be dictating how things go now within this plan from here on in with you. Not just you. |
| Lucio |
We work together. I get what I want, and you get what you want. |
| Lucio |
Then, I will leave this web. |
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Valencina's aggression almost immediately gave way to arrogance as she leaned forward. |
| Valencina |
Ohoh, really now? Says who?! |
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After that comment, he rushed over to where Valencina sat in a quick stride, holding the Palermitan Rapier up to her neck. |
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Valencina let out a gasp for a moment, her remaining eye widening as he got close so quickly. As if she still had the Eye of Odin for a moment, she instinctively backed up, falling back into the lounge chair again. |
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Lucio followed, still holding the rapier against her neck. |
| Lucio |
… |
| Valencina |
… |
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She wondered… if she had taught him that, or if he had picked it up on his own. |
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Regardless of how it was picked up, the fact remains that if he had wanted to, twice now he could have ensured her death. But he did not. |
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Lucio backed off slowly, turning her back to her and beginning to leave with the Eye of Odin in his possession. |
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All the while, Valencina stared at his retreating figure and silently met him not with anger, but with… slight respect. |
| Valencina |
I suppose even a master can learn from her very own apprentice sometimes. |
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She shrugs, picking up her hat from the floor and putting her hair back over her eye hole. |
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For a Textbook, that certainly wasn't meant to be part of the pages. |
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Location: Corridor of the Thumb, The Next Day |
| Valencina |
Ha! Do you feel it? The rush that Relic gives you, Textbook? |
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After their conversation, the next day, Valencina decided she'd test Lucio again personally. |
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This time, with him having the Eye of Odin in his right eyesocket, the results should be more interesting. |
| Valencina |
With that thing on you, even if you lose the initial struggle, you should be able to slip away before anyone hits you! |
| Valencina |
Here. Try it now. I'm gonna be coming straight at you. |
Lucio |
Okay… |
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Sure enough, Valencina's attack felt way more telegraphed than normal. Lucio was able to evade it with ease and even gave her a strike as a counter. |
| Lucio |
…Wow. Interesting. |
| Valencina |
Damn straight it is! But don't let that convenience make you forget about the techniques I taught ya, Textbook. |
| Lucio |
Don't call me that name. |
| Valencina |
Hmm? |
| Lucio |
That name. Textbook. Stop calling me that. |
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Lucio walks over to her, pointing at himself with his thumb after he gets in her face. |
| Lucio |
If we're going to be doing this, you have to say my name properly. It's Lucio, Valencina. Lucio. |
| Lucio |
I am no longer your Textbook. I am your equal. Your fellow Capo. |
| Valencina |
Sottocapo. |
| Lucio |
Capo. We both know you were demoted after three days. |
| Lucio |
So respect me as Lucio, your equal. |
| Valencina |
Pfffft… Hahahahaha! |
| Valencina |
Fine. If it makes your wounded pride feel better, I suppose I could try to use your name more often, Lucio. |
| Lucio |
Remind me again who had you dead to rights? |
| Valencina |
…Point taken. |
| Valencina |
But note this. Even if I call you by your given birthname… you will always be a Textbook to me. |
| Valencina |
You'll have to do something REALLY impressive for that title of yours to go away, y'hear me? |
| Lucio |
…Heard. |
| Lucio |
I suppose today is a good day to start, then, no? |
| Valencina |
Already trying to please me again, kid? Thought you got that out of your system when you almost killed me! |
| Lucio |
Some habits… die hard. |
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And with that, they were back to their training as if nothing had happened. |
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But both know something did. And both know they could never come back from it. |
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The landscape of the House of Spiders has now silently changed. |
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Location: Corridor of the Index, A Few Days Later |
| Rien |
…I have absolutely no idea why Lucio and Valencina are not here, but regardless, I need you all to know this. |
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On the eve of Operation: Spider Pyre, Rien called a meeting for everyone within the House of Spiders to discuss Phase Two of the plan. |
Matthias |
Do you finally have news on our darling babygirl? |
| Rien |
Indeed, I do. |
| Rien |
The Prescript has alerted me that Yoshihide and her group will be coming here within one to three days. |
| Rien |
When that occurs, I want you all to be able to prepare yourselves accordingly within your Corridors. Remember that the goal is to bring her back home. |
| Rien |
Do not kill Yoshihide. If it is absolutely necessary, incapacitate or kill her closest allies. Everyone else there will be a liability. |
Kira |
So we can slaughter them without consequence?! |
| Rien |
Yes, yes, Kira, you may. |
| Kira |
Hell yeah! I'll be able to showcase all those awesome moves Papa taught me. |
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Matthias chuckles and ruffles Kira's hair despite her wearing a hood. |
Callisto |
I do hope that the visitors who will end up seeing my exhibit will be able to understand the genius that is my art. |
| Callisto |
To be able to share my love of Corporism with guests again is… such an underrated thrill, one I will cherish for as long as they live. |
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Ren goes from somewhat scowling in recognition of where his twisted "glorified executioner" apprentice counterpart gets her violence from to… grimacing slightly upon seeing the state of the late Lucio and Valencina as they walked into the Corridor. |
| Rien |
Ah. It would seem that we are finally being joined by Valencina and Lucio now. |
Sora |
M-M-Miss Valencina? Why d-do you look w-worse for wear…? |
| Sora |
…A-At least you and L-Lucio have matching b-bandages now… |
| Valencina |
Shut u-... Just… just be quiet, alright, kid? |
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The other Nursefathers and apprentices hadn't seen Lucio or Valencina since that day, so seeing them now in the state they were both in felt like a shock. |
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Valencina, slightly bandaged up like Lucio was, looks like she was just put through the training session of her life. |
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And Lucio kept a bored expression on his face as if this meeting was beneath him… while he was actively bleeding out from his head. |
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In all but official recognition, temporarily, it felt like he had invaded the space Valencina coveted as the Thumb Nursefather, ruling with her rather than struggling beneath her. They were just waiting for the rest of the House of Spiders to keep up. |
Ren |
…Lucio has certainly been busy. |
| Lucio |
Did I miss much? |
Dihui Star |
When did he…? |
| Matthias |
The Eye of Odin. He's not supposed to have that. |
| Lucio |
Ah, but I do have it. |
| Matthias |
Kid, what the hell did you do to- |
| Valencina |
Save it. |
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Valencina quickly comes to the defense of her apprentice, sighing as she does so. |
| Valencina |
Lucio… has made me proud recently. So I let him keep it. That's all it is. |
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Though she masks it with a clever excuse, allowing herself to save face. |
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Lucio doesn't mind the blatant lie. He's been too used to those for many months of his training. |
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…Plus, it allows him to pretend that they're still somewhat on good terms at least. For now. |
| Rien |
Well, as long as you two are able to fight when the time comes, I suppose I will not question it further. |
| Kira |
Hey, do you think I can hold onto Lævateinn for you when they come over, Papa? |
| Matthias |
Haha, not a fat chance, kiddo! But one day, I might just be able to snag ya somethin' cooler. |
| Callisto |
Ah! That reminds me. Would you like a gift for Fascia soon, Albina? I cannot remember the last time we were able to enhance it with my techniques… |
Albina |
Fascia will tell me when the best time for a gift will be, but I appreciate the thought. |
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The others stop pressing the two when she speaks up. |
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But there is at least… one Nursefather and apprentice duo who can tell something is wrong. |
| Dihui Star |
(…Ren. Stick close to me.) |
| Dihui Star |
(There's something different about those two today. Can't you see it?) |
| Dihui Star |
(What they're doing. It has… a different echo to it.) |
| Ren |
(Hmm…) |
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Truthfully, Lucio couldn't care less about Yoshihide's counterattack on the House of Spiders. |
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But he figured if he at least did this one last favor, he would be able to finally leave this part of his life behind for good. |
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Before that, though, he was definitely going to continue relishing in the newfound power he had with his master's help. |
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Location: Corridor of the Thumb, The Day of Operation: Spider Pyre |
Gregor |
This is the place, yeah? Judging by the stuff in here, we look like we got taken to… the Corridor of the Thumb? |
Heathcliff |
Sure looks like it… |
| Heathcliff |
Glad we got spat out here. I'm ready to give that Thumb lass the what for after what she and her boy did to us. |
Rodion |
Saude… I hope the replacement arm she's gettin' will do her some good. |
| Rodion |
And they so easily had Charon in harm's way, too… We gotta get our payback, guys. |
| Gregor |
…Hang on. |
| Gregor |
That's the kid who kidnapped Charon. |
| Rodion |
Y-Yeah, wait! It is! |
| Rodion |
But his eye… And… |
| Lucio |
Hey. You all appear to be late. |
|
| Rodion |
Is he... Is he smoking right now? |
Vergilius |
Those who are falling apart tend to rely on the very thing that's breaking them. |
| Gregor |
… |
| Lucio |
Mmm. You all seem to have brought the Red Gaze as well. |
| Lucio |
You appear to be holding a grudge… That bus driver means a lot to you, doesn't she? |
| Vergilius |
…I'm just here to make sure a certain someone gets hers. |
| Lucio |
Yeah, well, get in line. She's made quite a number of enemies over the years, I imagine… |
| Lucio |
And if I'm part of that repayment, you must give me a moment… This flame won't end itself. |
| Lucio |
Quite the quality brand, too. I did not truly realize the appeal of such a vice like this until mere days before this fated arrival. |
| Vergilius |
Lucky Strike… |
| Vergilius |
I don't know about quality, but the name certainly suits you, given that new addition on your face. |
| Lucio |
…A fair assessment. |
| Valencina |
Tch… Not even going to trade barbs with them back, Lucio? |
| Valencina |
You absolute brat… Daring to go against your own master and then not even giving me the satisfaction of seeing your potential in full. |
| Vergilius |
There she is… Holding a bottle of Old Parr. Quite fitting. |
| Valencina |
…Ha ha. You know what? |
| Valencina |
I was like you once. Bold... proud... feeling like I could take on the whole City all on my own. Back in my day… little shits like you wouldn't even have dared to talk to me. |
| Heathcliff |
Yeah, well, we certainly aren't back in your day anymore, are we? |
| Heathcliff |
Only been a few days. Your subordinate's got a fancy new trinket, and you look like dogshit. Think we can all put two and two together, lass. |
| Valencina |
This is why greenhorns who haven't had a taste of the War... don't understand... |
| Valencina |
A mere mention of my name, "Valencina of Famiglia Bognatelli," would summon all kinds of high-and-mighty Fixers and Syndicate officers outta their trenches just to grovel at my feet. You know that? |
| Valencina |
I lived up to my family name... I was in the front lines, cuttin' 'em all down with nothing but a rifle and a bayonet. |
| Valencina |
Whatever famous fuck the opposing Corporation sent out, I met 'em all in the field of battle, dueled them, bored a new hole through their heads, tore 'em apart...! |
| Gregor |
... All that glory and honor... worth a whole lot of nothing now, aren't they? Look at you. Going so low as to take a kid hostage to stop just one man. |
| Valencina |
Fuck you! I wouldn't have had to pull that stunt with the kid if I didn't have to get so up-close to Ticket. |
| Valencina |
If I gave Red a fair fight with a fucked-up eye, he would've slaughtered the shit out of me… |
| Heathcliff |
Heh. Gotta love that she's honest about that, at least. |
| Valencina |
Haaah… Lucio. Gimme another drink. |
| Lucio |
Hand me my lighter first. |
| Valencina |
… |
| Valencina |
Fine. |
| Rodion |
Eh?! He's… ordering her back? |
| Heathcliff |
Blimey… Was just saying that shit to rile her up. I didn't know they actually… |
| Valencina |
I just need to get through this... And they'll reinstate me. |
| Vergilius |
Valencina. |
| Valencina |
I've... hah. I've been waiting for decades at this point. I used to order those low-ranking fodder to grovel at my feet like dogs with a wave of my hand... |
| Valencina |
And now that they outrank me, now that my own student equals me, they think they're some hot shit...? Motherfuckers, looking at me like I'm beneath them... Impudent little shit… |
| Vergilius |
Have you really... never concerned yourself with this question? The question of what the House of Spiders is really trying to make? |
| Vergilius |
…You. Lucio. You've been here for less time than she has, and yet, you clearly have the tools capable of marking your own destiny out of here. |
| Vergilius |
Perhaps you would know. |
| Valencina |
The audacity to phase me out of the conversation so easily…! |
| Lucio |
…Frankly, I don't care about what the House of Spiders is doing here. |
| Lucio |
Whatever tie my master has to Yoshihide is not something I personally share. |
| Vergilius |
Fair enough. |
| Valencina |
I think it's obvious. A killer. The House is making the best assassin on the market... for all Fingers to use... a blade that can cut through anyone, anything... probably. |
| Vergilius |
Don't you find something amiss listening to yourself? You've dedicated decades of your life to it, but you don't even know what it was all for. |
| Valencina |
I don't know... Fucking hell, why... do I have to bother knowing shit like that...? Ticket... Ticket's all I need to get it all back… My rank, in the shitter… All those decades wasted in this shithole... |
| Valencina |
It'll... It'll all be worth it in the end… |
| Vergilius |
... Huh. Once you've spent too long hanging from the web… the sky will seem to grow closer and closer, deluding you into thinking that you can soar into the sky with your own wings. |
| Vergilius |
But you will realize... |
| Valencina |
You have any idea how I honed that Ticket of mine, day after day...? |
| Vergilius |
…that you're not flying, but grasping at the empty air. |
| Vergilius |
Don't overestimate the significance of your conditional affection. |
| Valencina |
Bring me Ticket. Now. Ungrateful little bitch. She doesn't even know what sort of shit her own Nursefather's going through… |
| Valencina |
Fuck… Karma has a sick sense of humor, huh? |
| Lucio |
Enough. I believe it is time for us to stop lazing about like this. |
| Lucio |
Where has the fire gone from your eyes, hmm? |
| Lucio |
Stop limping. That wound of yours is nothing serious. |
| Valencina |
…Even talking like me now, huh…? |
| Valencina |
That's… my student. |
| Lucio |
…I learned from the best. |
| Heathcliff |
The fuck type of symbiotic bullshit is this…? |
| Gregor |
I don't get it either. …If he has enough power to cause her these wounds, the hell is he doing standing next to her still? |
| Heathcliff |
Lemme ask him. |
| Heathcliff |
Oi! Why do you even hang around someone like that boozehound anyway? |
| Heathcliff |
She beats you all the time, probably talked down to ya before… whatever the hell type of agreement you two came to… |
| Heathcliff |
I doubt she even sees you as a person. |
| Lucio |
Watch your words. |
| Lucio |
Even with the recognition that she has not treated me well all the time, my master was generous enough to take me, a vagrant with nothing to my name, under her wing. She fed me warm food and put a roof over my head. I would've ended up in a corpse pile somewhere in the Backstreets without her help. |
| Lucio |
That is why… even with my hatred, I will give her this one favor before I fully depart from this web. |
| Heathcliff |
Huh… Wow. They're one fucked up toxic cycle, huh? |
| Rodion |
That right there is some intense child grooming. |
| Gregor |
Haaah… |
| Vergilius |
The sins of the mother… |
| Valencina |
…Ha. Haha! See?! Even with me at my lowest, he still understands the chain of command. |
| Lucio |
Whatever way you have to justify it to yourself… |
| Lucio |
Cover me. I will fight the stragglers. Take care of the Red Gaze. |
| Valencina |
With pleasure. |
|
Without much room for argument, Lucio rushes at Gregor, Heathcliff, and Rodion. |
|
All the while, Valencina gets her rematch with Vergilius, one-on-one, with no Charon or Textbook to speak of. |
|
Without the Eye of Odin, Valencina has to rely solely on her wartime instincts, battling like the opponent in front of her was a bug to squish. |
|
She was still very much talented, sure, but the Eye of Odin made her complacent. |
|
The ability to predict your opponent's next move was something she most definitely took for granted… and the training sessions she had with Lucio did not help. |
|
Compared to the one meant to be Yoshihide's Textbook, Valencina was not doing nearly as well. Vergilius was having a not-that-difficult time mopping the floor with her. |
| Vergilius |
Come on… This is not the fight I expected out of someone like you. |
| Valencina |
Fuck off! If my brat hadn't done what he did, I'd be giving you hell! |
|
Meanwhile, on the other side of the glass… |
| Rodion |
Ugh! How is fighting him so difficult all of a sudden? |
| Rodion |
He was good, but he wasn't like this back at the transporter truck! |
|
Lucio was evading hit after hit with ease, to the ire of the Sinners. |
| Heathcliff |
Why can't this bloody bastard just… stand still??? |
| Lucio |
Precognition. It is foreknowledge of an event, especially foreknowledge of a paranormal kind. |
| Lucio |
Unless you find a way around it, this battle has a foregone conclusion. |
| Heathcliff |
And now he's lecturin' us?! |
| Heathcliff |
Right, that's it. I ain't playin' nice no more. |
| Rodion |
You were before?! |
|
Instead of trying to map out where Lucio was, Heathcliff would try to swing at where he thought Lucio would be after Rodion and Gregor attempted to hit him. |
|
This proved futile. Using the power of precognition, he would still evade and strike back cleanly. |
| Heathcliff |
Ghk! |
| Lucio |
If you plan to step up to Il Cacciatore, you'd better not miss. |
| Gregor |
He's fighting like he's three men at once… |
| Gregor |
He's taking advantage of us trying to go one at a time. I'll suggest a new plan, buds. |
| Gregor |
Rodion, cover the left flank. Heathcliff, cover the right. I will go center. |
| Gregor |
If he's going to try to predict where we'll strike him next, it's best to leave him with no options at all. |
| Rodion |
Right. Let's go! |
| Lucio |
You will not be able to strike me so easily. Not unless you- |
|
SMACK! |
| Lucio |
What…? |
|
With their new plan laid out, Gregor, Heathcliff, and Rodion found themselves better able to withstand Lucio's onslaught. |
|
Even with him stealing Valencina's Relic, there was still the small problem of him being guided by emotions rather than experience. |
|
It would seem that both halves are struggling now. The apprentice and Nursefather simultaneously. |
|
It promptly gets worse for both when Valencina is kicked through the glass by Vergilius and forced to interrupt the other fight. |
| Valencina |
Haaah… Lucio, back me up a little bit here?! |
| Lucio |
Not done disposing of the Color? …Hah. Figured as much. |
| Valencina |
You're faring no better with the fodder, idiot! |
| Lucio |
And whose fault would that lie with? |
| Valencina |
You- Aaargh! …We'll settle our matters later, boy. |
|
Despite their growing resentment for each other, a fact remains. There are four enemies in front of them. |
|
It would be better to assist each other than let their hatred consume them fully. |
|
After all, they're both using each other to escape this web. |
| Vergilius |
Sinners, take on Valencina for now. |
| Gregor |
You sure…? |
| Vergilius |
That eye has been a hindrance, has it not? But the wielder of it… is not the one who should truly be having it. That's the advantage we have. |
| Vergilius |
As long as you hold off Valencina, I should be able to take out Lucio. |
| Valencina |
Holding out on me, Red Gaze? Hah… I knew you were scared. |
| Vergilius |
No. I'm just giving you the exact type of threat you deserve in your pitiful state. |
| Valencina |
W-What?! |
| Valencina |
…Fine. Fine then! Lucio! |
| Valencina |
If you're feelin' too much pressure over there, feel free to tag out at aaaaany time! |
| Lucio |
I don't think that'll be needed. |
|
With his confidence growing, Lucio looks to tackle the challenge of the Red Gaze with gusto. |
|
Valencina, at the same time, attempts to regain her broken pride against the Sinners. |
|
No matter how hard either of them tried, though… |
| Lucio |
My power of precognition will allow me to- ACK! |
| Valencina |
Stupid brats… Do you really think you can match the power of- AGH! |
|
In a matter of minutes, both were spent and close to being finished. |
| Lucio |
... |
| Vergilius |
Surely, even you must see that there is no point in continuing this fight now. |
| Vergilius |
Even with that Relic you've coveted from your master, your strength is not enough to take me head-on. Yield, and we will treat you fairly in questioning. |
| Lucio |
Please... tell me what you think. Would Yoshihide have forfeited the battle by this point? Or do you think… she wouldn't have put herself in this situation to begin with...? |
| Valencina |
Aaagh! Even with you doing all that bullshit a few days ago, you STILL disappoint me! |
| Valencina |
How many times do I have to remind you? Forget all the useless flourishing and just go for the heart! The heart! |
| Valencina |
I've given you plenty of demonstrations, haven't I?! Are you really gonna make me watch that Red Clown mop the floor with you?! |
| Heathcliff |
Bloody hell, she sure is a gasbag. Tell 'er to shut up, won't you? |
| Lucio |
…I've always known that this day would come. |
| Lucio |
Part of me hoped that… it would be in front of her. In front of Yoshihide. |
| Lucio |
I wish I were fighting her… so that I could get one good shot in on my master's Ticket… |
| Lucio |
Maybe I would be able to… rip her to pieces and truly dash my master's hopes of ever leaving this place. But… I suppose gutter trash like me cannot be afforded that luxury… |
| Gregor |
Hey, wait— |
| Valencina |
Stab the heart in front of you! Stab that bastard's heart! Now! |
| Gregor |
I cut apples in half |
| Gregor |
Hngh... Stop... |
| Valencina |
This right here is why you still haven't graduated, do you hear me?! |
| Gregor |
Some were hard some crumbly some were soft some sappy |
| Lucio |
…Valencina, stop talking. |
| Lucio |
His breathing. It has gone irregular. |
| Valencina |
Oh, and now you're gonna try and change the subject on me?! |
| Valencina |
You know, when you ripped that damn eye out of me, I thought you really did graduate from being a Textbook, but no! Despite every single opportunity to prove me wrong, you still are a complete and utter disappointment. |
| Gregor |
The sugary smell... makes me... |
| Valencina |
Did it feel good? Your momentary lapse of self-preservation? |
| Valencina |
Because we're both staring down the barrel of a gun right now, and I'll tell you this, it's NOT gonna be you who comes out of it alive! |
| Lucio |
Valencina… please listen to me… |
|
Valencina turns her attention to Gregor, slowly walking up to him. |
| Valencina |
You and that damn old-fashioned bio-prosthetic… You think you're tough? I've squished threats like you a dime a dozen! |
| Valencina |
Not only that, but I watched them squirm with a smile on my face. I remember this very particular story about a bug I met during the Smoke War. |
| Gregor |
… |
| Lucio |
Valencina, don't- |
| Valencina |
There was this little guy who managed to dodge last minute to the side. The shot missed its heart, but was still a hit. Guess even bugs have survival instincts. |
| Valencina |
Anyway, the vermin fell to the ground from the shock and curled up into a ball, all frozen up. A sight more pathetic than roadkill. Took my sweet time and broke its legs one by one with the butt of my rifle. |
| Valencina |
Then, one by one… I broke all of its creepy, disgusting legs until it couldn't run. |
| Valencina |
It just... goes still and waits. And that's my favorite moment, really. The state of complete capitulation, having discarded even its will to live. Letting me do whatever I want to its body… |
| Valencina |
…So. That being said, vermin, I wonder how you'll react once I- |
|
STAB! |
| Rodion |
!!! |
| Heathcliff |
Bloody hell… |
|
In an instant, Gregor's roach arm extended, reached out, and pierced Valencina so fast that it has almost immediately killed her. |
| Vergilius |
…Well. It looks like… someone took her words to heart. |
|
The moment Valencina slumped down to the floor after having her heart brutally ripped out by Gregor's arm, Lucio could do nothing but watch. |
| Lucio |
… |
| Vergilius |
Well? Do you not feel a sense of liberation after watching your tormentor bite the dust? |
| Lucio |
…What? Are you saying Valencina died? |
| Vergilius |
Had her heart stabbed right out of her. Which, conveniently, is exactly what she wanted. |
| Vergilius |
Just… not to her, I imagine. |
| Lucio |
…Shut up. You're lying. Stop it. |
| Lucio |
Hey, Valencina! |
| Lucio |
…Fuck, what would she say in this situation…? |
| Lucio |
Get the hell up! This isn't the time for one of your alcoholic hangovers, you lazy sack of shit! Who said you could lie down there like you're done?! |
| Gregor |
… |
| Rodion |
He's been… feigning that confidence this whole time, hasn't he? Replicating her… because of the scars she left on him. |
| Rodion |
And yet, even throughout all that, he's still… still wishing for her guidance. |
| Heathcliff |
Can't help but feel pity for the lad. And Stubbles… |
| Lucio |
Valencina? |
|
Sure enough, no response would come. Death was near instantaneous. |
|
…Valencina was gone. Just as Vergilius had said. |
|
Almost as if in shock, Lucio kneels down to the ground, both knees touching the floor of the Corridor as he looks at her dead body. |
|
Soon, his upper body begins giving out, and he needs to use his arms to support himself. |
| Lucio |
It… It should have… been me. |
| Lucio |
It should have been ME, goddamn it! |
|
He hits the ground with his fist. |
| Lucio |
Now, how will I be able to show you I'm more than just your damn Textbook…? |
| Lucio |
… |
|
Not having any more anger left to turn on her, his gaze turns to her killer, Gregor, who had been shaking and trying to hold his hatched arm. |
|
Lucio slowly stands up, looking right at Gregor now. |
| Lucio |
You… YOU! |
|
He rushes at him fast, holding the rapier to his throat like he had done to Valencina mere days ago. |
| Gregor |
Nngh… |
| Lucio |
You've ruined everything! |
| Rodion |
Greg—! |
| Lucio |
Do you have any idea how long I've prepared for this moment?! I was supposed to be the one who did it! It was supposed to be me! |
| Gregor |
Gah...! |
| Lucio |
You- Ngggh… |
|
Feeling a headache coming on, Lucio backs away from Gregor, holding his head. |
| Lucio |
Fuck… Damn it… |
|
The Eye of Odin, much like it had done when Valencina was close to Ryōshū, starts to bleed heavily. |
| Lucio |
…Day after day after day, I dreamed. Despite what the Thumb taught me, I still dreamed. |
| Lucio |
Despite what she had done for me, because of what she had done to me, I still dreamed. |
| Lucio |
And now, it is… it is gone. Truly gone. |
| Lucio |
I will never, ever be able to show her… that she should've respected me from the beginning as an equal. That she didn't… |
| Lucio |
That she didn't know what she was doing, marking me as a Textbook for another. |
| Lucio |
I just wanted… I just wanted her to see me. |
| Gregor |
…Bud, I-... I-I… I didn't… mean to… |
| Lucio |
… |
|
Heathcliff acts fast, restraining Lucio from acting by grabbing his arms from behind. |
| Lucio |
H-Hey! Let go of me! |
|
Rodion does the same to Gregor, holding onto him from behind. |
| Gregor |
Ah! Rodya?! |
| Rodion |
It's okay, Greg! I gotcha! Calm down… It's gonna be okay… |
| Lucio |
I-I'm serious! Let go! |
| Heathcliff |
Nah, no can do, lad. Could tell the two of ya were about to get into somethin' you were NOT ready for. |
| Lucio |
Not ready for?! |
| Lucio |
I-I almost killed my own superior for her Relic! I made her treat me as an equal! And you think I wouldn't be ready for the man who killed her?! |
| Heathcliff |
Not while his arm's one wrong move away from decapitatin' you, lad! None of us ever saw that shite before! |
| Lucio |
…None of you ever…? |
|
Lucio looks over at Gregor in slight fear. |
|
He was just… he was just about to jump straight into what could've been certain death. All for the master he thought he hated so much. |
|
Like before, those same conflicting voices are at war with each other. |
|
"This fate is what she deserved. My only regret is that I could not do it myself." |
|
"Why… Why did this have to happen? I'll forever regret that it could not be myself." |
|
And in an instant, at the thought of that blatant paradox, the Eye of Odin begins bleeding again. |
| Heathcliff |
O-Oi, lad, hey! Stay still! |
|
Lucio falls to his knees a second time, causing Heathcliff to lose his grip. |
| Lucio |
…Was any of what I did worth it? |
| Lucio |
I couldn't commit to killing you myself, and I couldn't commit to showing you why you should respect me. |
| Lucio |
What does that make me, other than a failure of a student…? |
| Gregor |
Rodya… |
| Gregor |
Rodya, let me go for a second. |
| Rodion |
Greg, I really think that's a bad idea. Your arm's still- |
| Gregor |
I know. |
| Rodion |
…Are you sure? |
| Gregor |
Not entirely, but… I've been where he is. |
| Gregor |
I want to help. |
| Rodion |
O-...Okay. I'll trust you. |
|
Rodion slowly lets go of Gregor as well. |
| Rodion |
Please be careful, though. |
| Gregor |
Yeah. I get it. |
| Gregor |
Hey… Hey, Lucio. |
|
Gregor then begins slowly walking towards Lucio, holding his right arm still as he does, as if trying to prevent it from acting up. |
| Gregor |
I don't… I don't know how much time I'll have for this, kid, so the moment I'm done, I'll need you to get the hell out of the way. |
| Gregor |
When you… When you let Valencina take you away from the Backstreets, what were you hoping to get out of it? |
|
Lucio looks up at Gregor in slight confusion, perhaps mild irritation. |
| Lucio |
Are you trying to mess with me? |
| Gregor |
No. I'm asking you honestly. |
| Gregor |
When she brought you here, what was… what was the life you were hoping for? Beyond basic things like a roof over your head and food. |
| Lucio |
I… |
|
Since day one, he had always had that goal. The goal of being the perfect textbook for Yoshihide to relearn her skills when she came back to the House of Spiders. |
|
But that was never his wish. That was the wish of his master. |
|
So apart from the basic needs every human should have… Food, water, and shelter… What could he have ever wanted…? |
| Lucio |
I-I… I'm not… |
| Lucio |
I'm not sure if I can tell you. |
| Lucio |
My master… my master was the reason I got here. S-So I think whatever her will was, it was always subconsciously going to be the will I had as well. |
| Gregor |
Okay. That makes sense… |
| Gregor |
What made you go against her? |
| Gregor |
That Relic. You're pretty good with it, but I think we can all tell it wasn't originally yours. |
| Gregor |
You fought your own master for that. If you didn't have any needs before, what made you want that eye? |
| Lucio |
…I… I wanted to prove to her that I could… be more. More than what she saw in me. |
| Gregor |
Why do you think you haven't already achieved that? |
| Gregor |
With the fight you gave us and the fact that you had the guts to stand up to her, I bet she was already really proud of you… in her own way, at least. |
| Gregor |
She never would've admitted it because she's a prideful windbag who can never keep her mouth shut. |
| Lucio |
That… That may be true… |
| Lucio |
But she was still my master. |
| Gregor |
Was. |
| Gregor |
I've been where you are. Heat of war, bodies all around me… chained by my responsibilities. |
| Gregor |
Back during the Smoke War, there used to be… there used to be these weapons my Corporation had. Did she ever tell you? |
| Gregor |
The Maggot Prince... the Moth Princess... and the Lord of Flies. |
| Gregor |
But there was a rumor. A widespread rumor. |
| Gregor |
G Corp. had one more, yet-to-be-seen fourth weapon. The one who got stuck mid-hatch. Never broke out of its husk… |
| Gregor |
That… That's me. |
| Lucio |
…So you're… |
| Lucio |
The Roach Emperor. |
| Gregor |
Yes. That was who I was meant to be. |
| Gregor |
But before I could ever properly activate, I ran. From the war, from G Corp., from… from my mother. |
| Gregor |
I'm still chained. Even now, I'm still chained by her expectations of me and the aftermath of a war I couldn't bear to see to the end. |
| Gregor |
I'll have to face her again someday, when the smoke in my head clears. |
| Gregor |
But you… You're free. She's gone. |
| Gregor |
Your chain has been cut. |
| Gregor |
You've been able to make a decision for yourself before when you took that eye. What is your plan now? |
| Lucio |
My plan…? |
| Lucio |
…I've never been trusted to make one before. Even now, I was just… co-piloting the one my master was following for our portion. |
| Gregor |
In life, you're not going to have anyone to lead you into the battlefield all the time. |
| Gregor |
Think of a plan now, before… before the smoke swallows you whole, too. |
| Gregor |
Ah… fuck, my heart… |
| Rodion |
Greg?! Greg, stay with me. It's fine. You're fine. |
|
Rodion moves to support Gregor on one side, keeping him standing. Heathcliff quickly does the same on the other side. |
| Lucio |
… |
|
Lucio slowly stands once more, coming face-to-face with Vergilius, the very same Color Fixer he had antagonized for the initial raid's completion. |
|
With a hesitant gait, he walks over, putting Heathcliff on edge. |
| Heathcliff |
Lad, if your plan is a second round right now, you better hope that bleedin' eye of yours hasn't run out of gas. |
| Lucio |
It's overheating, but that is not what my next step is, regardless. |
| Lucio |
Mr. Vergilius. You had previously mentioned the possibility of there being an interrogation for me. |
| Lucio |
I would like to come with you all willingly. |
| Heathcliff |
Eh? Just like that? |
| Vergilius |
… |
| Vergilius |
Hold still for a moment, then. |
|
Vergilius takes out one of the K Corp. Ampules that Limbus Company had brought for this trip in case of emergencies, poking Lucio with it on his bandaged shoulder. |
| Vergilius |
I will put in a word with the Department of LCC. They would be glad to know that someone is alive and coming in willingly, at least. |
| Rodion |
We're just… going along with this, guide? |
| Vergilius |
From a logical standpoint, he does not have the capability to strike back against us at this current moment. His master has been compromised to a permanent end, and a four-on-one fight is tantamount to suicide. |
| Vergilius |
In other words, yes. We're going along with this. |
| Lucio |
…Grazie. |
| Lucio |
I will answer any and all questions they may have for me about the operation surrounding the House of Spiders. Though do note that my answers may not exactly be as… insightful… as the ones from a Nursefather. |
| Vergilius |
Answers are still answers, even from someone seen as lesser. We should move. Sinner #13 looks to be hanging on by his own thread. |
|
Five days later… |
|
Location: LCE Research Team Lab. Sector |
Hohenheim |
…And that's the basic rundown of how everything works around here. Do you happen to have any questions, new assistant? |
Lucio |
… |
|
After his interrogation, Lucio quickly found himself in a new home, absorbed in the inner workings of the LCE while assisting with their recovery efforts. |
| Lucio |
Where are those other assistants of yours? |
| Lucio |
The intel given to me about your section of the company mentioned a "Marton" and "Alyssa" would also be here. |
| Hohenheim |
…I would've assumed this was common knowledge by now. |
| Hohenheim |
Due to the efforts of your prior employers, Alyssa is still recovering, and Marton is unfortunately deceased. I would not like to talk about it beyond that. |
| Hohenheim |
We must move forward, as we always have. |
| Lucio |
Noted… |
| Lucio |
…I had brought them up because I heard about their efforts in trying to fell Callisto from the grapevine. |
| Hohenheim |
I thought I had told you I do not want to talk about it. |
| Lucio |
What they did was brave. |
| Lucio |
Putting their lives on the line for their superior… They would've made for excellent Soldatos in another life. |
| Hohenheim |
…There is something deeply wrong with you if you believe what they did was simply out of loyalty. |
| Lucio |
Am I not correct, in some fashion? Would you not be the superior they put their lives on the line for? |
| Hohenheim |
Lucio. |
|
Hohenheim takes his glasses off, staring face-to-face with his new assistant. |
| Hohenheim |
I understand that from where you come from, if it were to happen with your group, that's what it would've looked like. But it wasn't… it wasn't like that for us. |
| Hohenheim |
Now, if we're done with this unnecessary dive into my private life, there is restoration to be had. This headquarters won't rebuild itself. |
| Hohenheim |
Thankfully, like they have been the past few days now, the Sinners will also be assisting us, so you won't be alone. |
|
Lucio looks down for a moment, the subtle reminder of his current situation stinging slightly. |
|
Aside from himself, no one else had survived the raid on the House of Spiders. |
|
All the Nursefathers were killed. The only other apprentices, Kira and Albina, were killed as well. |
|
Albina was killed by LCB, and Kira by her own father. |
|
For better or for worse, the step in Lucio's "plan" to allow Limbus Company to interrogate him had been paying dividends. |
|
Hohenheim led his new assistant over to a hallway where some of the other LCE employees were already working hard on the rebuilding efforts. |
| Hohenheim |
We won't be doing this for too long. I'll need you in a few hours so that I can teach you the proper protocol for managing the Abnormalities and Distortions we pick up. |
| Lucio |
Alright. |
|
With that, Hohenheim heads back to his office for the time being. |
|
…It's a little awkward for Lucio in this new environment. |
|
Back at the House of Spiders, there was a clear and easy command chain. He was the student, and he reported to Valencina, his master. That's all there was. |
|
Valencina reported to the other Nursefathers or the Thumb at large sometimes, but that's as complex as it ever got. |
|
Now, with him being part of Limbus Company, not only does he have to worry about his role in his specific department, but also his role in relation to the other departments. |
|
He tried mentally calculating how it all worked as he started picking up supplies to fix a broken wall. |
|
As part of LCE, he naturally deferred to Hohenheim. Alyssa would be his equal. |
|
As Hohenheim's replacement right-hand man, he would be higher in influence than the other assistants at the very least. |
|
LCE is lower on the totem pole than other branches, such as LCC and LCD. LCA is the top branch. |
|
All of that feels remarkably simple so far, even with the multiple branches. The problem area is with LCB. |
|
LCB, or more accurately, The Sinners, are said to be near the bottom of Limbus Company's totem pole. It should make sense from a logical standpoint. |
|
But… he doesn't see them that way. |
|
In fact, he feels indebted to them. |
|
Which is odd, because… they're Sinners. The company doesn't see them as anything but tools. Shouldn't he as well? |
|
But their war veteran, the Brit, the woman they had with them carrying the axe, and the Color Fixer are the only reasons why he's alive. |
|
In that sense, LCB served a similar role to… to Valencina. |
|
The woman he wanted to escape. |
|
Is there something wrong with- |
| Heathcliff |
Whoa! Oi, lad, be careful with where you walk. Don't wanna accidentally swing the hammer on the new employee, eh? |
| Heathcliff |
Wait a minute. I feel like I should… know you. |
| Heathcliff |
You're that Thumb lad, aren't ya? From a few days ago? |
| Lucio |
…Lucio. |
| Heathcliff |
Right. Yeah, Lucio. |
| Heathcliff |
Wanna help me hold down this side of the wall for a sec so I can hammer it in? |
| Lucio |
Sure thing… |
|
Lucio does so without question. All the while, Rodion passes by with some food in boxes. |
| Heathcliff |
Lass, I swear you're gonna wear your arm out liftin' all that alone. |
| Rodion |
What's that? Can't hear ya over me savin' everyone's empty stomachs. |
| Rodion |
Want somethin', buddy? There's some good snacks in here~! |
| Lucio |
Um… Are you referring to me? |
| Rodion |
Well, who else would I be talking to? You're the one with the fancy eye, yeah? |
| Rodion |
Lucky you got to keep that, by the way. Would kill for one of those things. |
| Lucio |
… |
| Rodion |
I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I know that's still a… a sensitive subject. |
| Heathcliff |
Yeah, way to kill the mood. |
| Rodion |
Okay, okay, my bad~ |
| Heathcliff |
…Hey, so, Lucio. The lass and I were gonna visit Stubbles in his recovery room later. |
| Heathcliff |
After the guide got ya situated with LCA, there was a whole, er… situation. Somethin' to do with bad memories cropping up. |
| Heathcliff |
He's fine now, just a bit unresponsive. Restin' up in a recovery unit. |
| Heathcliff |
Do you wanna, uh, come with? See how he's doin' with us, if you've got the time? |
| Lucio |
You'd… let me? |
| Heathcliff |
Yeah. Don't see why not. |
| Rodion |
Only if you've got time, though! We visit him, like, every evening just to make sure he's okay, so it's no pressure if you miss this one. |
| Lucio |
Are you sure he would not feel awkward about it? |
| Rodion |
Awkward? Pfffft, nonsense~ |
| Rodion |
I think he'll be completely okay with it! |
| Lucio |
If… If that is the case, then I can make time. |
| Lucio |
I will be dealing with more of Hohenheim's training, but beyond that, my schedule seems to be free later. |
| Rodion |
Cool, cool. Again, no pressure if not~ |
|
Rodion then proceeded to continue passing out food to everyone. |
|
In that moment, with Lucio helping Heathcliff hammer down nails, he finally understood why he didn't have that same resentment that came with the respect of being with Valencina. |
|
LCB, Limbus Company as a whole… They weren't asking the world of him. |
|
They didn't tell him he had to impress them. |
|
They didn't set expectations for him to be useful for others beyond just generally helping the people around him. |
|
They just asked him to be… present. To be Lucio. |
|
He thought he had forgotten how to do that. All his mind knew for a while was how to be a Textbook. |
|
But now, the book's pages are clear. The first author has passed. |
|
And the sequel looks a lot more like an autobiography. |
