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Huh. [interesting...] So you gotta be born with the circuits in order to use magic?
So you're like Rynlan then. You guys can both use magic, except here.
[He's found the theater again and goes to hang out there.
The aquarium death is a bit too fresh and he'd rather not learn if that octopus is still hanging out there.
What's strange though, is what's playing on screen.]
The aquarium death is a bit too fresh and he'd rather not learn if that octopus is still hanging out there.
What's strange though, is what's playing on screen.]
[Lavi hesitates on the threshold of the theater. But he's close enough to see what's playing on the screen, and quick enough to realize just whose memory this belongs to.
After a moment, he comes in, making his footsteps loud -- so as not to startle the other boy. There's something about watching Nameless want to live, that strikes a stronger chord in Lavi now.]
...Were you always conscious? Right from the start?
After a moment, he comes in, making his footsteps loud -- so as not to startle the other boy. There's something about watching Nameless want to live, that strikes a stronger chord in Lavi now.]
...Were you always conscious? Right from the start?
[The fact is, Nameless doesn't really have anything he wants to conceal. So even as alarming or worrying as that was, watching himself crawl out of the lab, seeing all of his siblings look down on him with impassive expressions...
He doesn't really look upset to have Lavi witness all of that.
Back then, he wanted to live. He wanted to have a life worth living, even if it was a short one.
But it would always be short.
Nothing they can do about the past now.]
I don't know about right from the start. I think it was close to the beginning.
[It's hard to be that when you're just assorted elements.]
He doesn't really look upset to have Lavi witness all of that.
Back then, he wanted to live. He wanted to have a life worth living, even if it was a short one.
But it would always be short.
Nothing they can do about the past now.]
I don't know about right from the start. I think it was close to the beginning.
[It's hard to be that when you're just assorted elements.]
[...
Lavi thinks about all those other bodies lined up on either side, thinks about how Nameless called them siblings he never even knew. Were they conscious too? Was it just Nameless?
He drops into the seat next to Nameless,]
...Even before you escaped. [he's not sure if that makes it bad or good. better for nameless to have been conscious, so that he could break out on his own, right?]
Did you meet Rider right after?
Lavi thinks about all those other bodies lined up on either side, thinks about how Nameless called them siblings he never even knew. Were they conscious too? Was it just Nameless?
He drops into the seat next to Nameless,]
...Even before you escaped. [he's not sure if that makes it bad or good. better for nameless to have been conscious, so that he could break out on his own, right?]
Did you meet Rider right after?
[The thing about the homunculi, is that they're supposed to be nameless, transparent existences. They're made for whatever the mage wants them to be for, nothing more, nothing less.
And yet, here Nameless is. His body is primed to accept anything that might be added to it, but there's a consciousness there that probably shouldn't be. With all the batches of homunculi, there's every reason to believe some of them came out flawed.]
Yes. He came across me right after this cut off.
And yet, here Nameless is. His body is primed to accept anything that might be added to it, but there's a consciousness there that probably shouldn't be. With all the batches of homunculi, there's every reason to believe some of them came out flawed.]
Yes. He came across me right after this cut off.
[...Watching Nameless take those first few steps... It makes Lavi wonder how exactly he died. He tries to quench the thought right after, even though he's curious, even though he wants to know.
Knowing this place, he might end up seeing it anyway. The screen of the theater blinks and plays a new memory. This one in first person, Lavi's thoughts clearly heard as he stands besides a young girl, observing the official.
Figures that this memory would play.]
...I never saw those experiments myself. But Lenalee said she saw one once, as a kid. None of them ever survived.
Knowing this place, he might end up seeing it anyway. The screen of the theater blinks and plays a new memory. This one in first person, Lavi's thoughts clearly heard as he stands besides a young girl, observing the official.
Figures that this memory would play.]
...I never saw those experiments myself. But Lenalee said she saw one once, as a kid. None of them ever survived.
[He's going to assume that young girl with Lavi is Lenalee.
His gaze stays on the screen for a moment. How many experiments... could happen within a century? Why didn't they just give up? Aren't humans supposed to care about other human lives?]
... Why did they keep going for a century if it never worked before?
His gaze stays on the screen for a moment. How many experiments... could happen within a century? Why didn't they just give up? Aren't humans supposed to care about other human lives?]
... Why did they keep going for a century if it never worked before?
For the pursuit of knowledge?
[there's a dry edge to his voice that shows what he thinks of that,]
All those people who died are worth less compared to the world they think they're trying to save. It all comes down to numbers, in the end.
[there's a dry edge to his voice that shows what he thinks of that,]
All those people who died are worth less compared to the world they think they're trying to save. It all comes down to numbers, in the end.
[He understands this if they weren't also people, but it's somewhat difficult to accept people can do this to people.
Yes, he's been seeing people murder for a number of reasons, but it's not been for a century.]
So they weighed all these lives against the world and thought the world meant more?
Yes, he's been seeing people murder for a number of reasons, but it's not been for a century.]
So they weighed all these lives against the world and thought the world meant more?
Pretty much.
It probably helped that the humans who died in those experiments thought the same too. That their life wasn't as important compared to ending the war.
It probably helped that the humans who died in those experiments thought the same too. That their life wasn't as important compared to ending the war.
[This he full stop does not understand at all, and his face expresses it.
He wanted to live so desperately, before he knew what death looked like. He was made as a battery for a war machine, more or less. So this... Is a truly baffling conclusion.]
He wanted to live so desperately, before he knew what death looked like. He was made as a battery for a war machine, more or less. So this... Is a truly baffling conclusion.]
[yeah, he figured Nameless would think so...]
It's crazy, huh? What people can sacrifice when they're made to believe. [...] But the people I should be judging are the ones that put them there in the first place.
It's crazy, huh? What people can sacrifice when they're made to believe. [...] But the people I should be judging are the ones that put them there in the first place.
That if they die, the lives of their loved ones can at least go on living? That if they put 'em on a scale, the world obviously wins out? There's no guarantee that they'll live, but at least in death they have a chance to ensure everyone else's future?
[he slumps further in his seat]
They don't have to know that it ends in failure, if they're dead.
[he slumps further in his seat]
They don't have to know that it ends in failure, if they're dead.
...I don't know how much information they were privy to. But I'm assuming that it wasn't a lot.
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