da realerest roomies

[uraniumnumnum]

I suspect our little game will be coming to an end soon. Don't you?

[ this is, presumably, direct towards his roommate, and not the "dead," curled-up copy of himself on the floor that he's currently kneeled in front of, seeing as that isn't going to respond. Probably. He doesn't turn to look towards Noctis. After all, he's surely going to be in another terrible mood after the day's events. ]

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[elemancy]

[at this point, noct's out of energy to even make a fuss about the robocorpse in the room.

aside from forever wondering "why."]

Not like it could go much longer. Not many of us left now. [he is, in fact, in a terrible mood. noct's not looking at him either, though he doesn't seem particularly hostile like he'd been last week.]

[uraniumnumnum]

[ that gets an amused "hmph" out of Ash, sounding as cynical as ever. ]

And yet you've somehow managed to cling to life this entire time. You're a lucky boy, aren't you?

[ unlike himself, who clearly survived via pure skill. He reaches out towards his copy, tilting its chin up as he speaks. ]

[elemancy]

Lucky, or maybe you need to learn to give me a little more credit.

[it's said pretty flatly; there's really not much bite to it like there normally would have been in the past.

even if that's obviously the intent.

but he's tired, and while his will to live is there... he wants a nap.

or 50.]

[uraniumnumnum]

You wish.

[ dumb human!! when have you ever done anything good!! never.

Ash is quiet for a few more moments, prying open the copy's mouth and apparently looking for something briefly. However, he pauses; it's obvious he's thinking about something, and before long, he retracts his hand, standing up slowly. ]

Noctis. It's very likely that I'll be accused tomorrow.

[elemancy]

[well.

that is not at all what he was expecting to hear ash say. it's the opposite, really... and it's strangely alarming to hear an admission like that.

and definitely enough to get him to actually look at ash.]

Just... a hunch you have, or is there a reason to back that up?

[uraniumnumnum]

I spoke to Milla last week of those I suspected. I told her it was the time to act. I had three suspects. Two of those suspects are now dead. And I don't trust her not to assume the simplest answer is the correct one.

[ He glances over his shoulder, one golden eye looking at Noctis sidelong for his reaction. It was unfortunate, but he should have known better. He's kicking himself for trying to ally with her simply for being inhuman when she was clearly anchored by her sympathy for them - by her own humanlike emotions. Worst of all, it was the fault of his own foolish hope to find someone like himself. Stupid. Stupid. ]

[elemancy]

[it's tough, because he trusts milla a lot, and his expression falls a bit at the notion that she'd be that rash about it.

but all the same—the fact that ash is even telling him at all gives him reason to want to believe a bit in ash.]

I don't think she's that simple-minded. [from his talks with her, she's learned pretty well that things aren't always like they may seem.]

But I'm also gonna guess you're not telling me this now just because you think I'm soft enough to believe in you unconditionally.

[because for all that noct gives him the benefit of the doubt, he's always been forthcoming about the fact that ash invites trouble—and that he'd only stick up for ash for as long as he was innocent.]

[uraniumnumnum]

I can tell you that it wasn't me, but I doubt that you'll believe me. Humans rarely do. But your opinion doesn't matter. If she turns them against me tomorrow, then I'll almost certainly be killed. There's no one in the world that would stand up for someone like me.

[ The comment is bitter and sardonic. Still, he continues. ]

But you're right. I'm not asking you to believe in me. I'm telling you this because I have a contingency plan. [ a pause. ] You said you wanted to keep people alive. Including... me.

[ that is very hard for him to say, because he's still confused. ]

[elemancy]

I believe you more than you probably think.

[which is not to say it's 100%. it can't be, not when other people he trusted far more had also bloodied their hands for the sake of this stupid game.

but there's so much circumstance that would ride on that, especially at a time like this.]

But... I do want to keep people alive. [he draws in a breath—honestly, it makes him a bit wary for a couple of reasons. the first is that he really doesn't think milla is going to spin the blame on him... but the second is that he's concerned about what kind of contingency plan ash actually has.]

I'm not making any promises yet. But... I'll hear you out.

[uraniumnumnum]

Good. [ is it?? He thinks it is. Whatever - Noctis is listening to him, and that's what matters. He ignores whatever implications Noctis wanting to keep him alive might have, squishing them down into some part of his consciousness he can easily ignore, and turns to face him. ]

Have you heard of mind-body dualism? It's the idea that your brain and your body are separate entities. For humans, it's a philosophy... but for me, it's reality. I'm a being of digital data - my "mind" is everything that I am, and my "body" is simply a mechanical vessel that contains that data. They're separate. My body can be destroyed, but that body is not me. And, unlike a human, I can move my mind from one body to another. I am eternal.

[ a beat. ]

They will destroy this body tomorrow. But I intend to survive it. Until now, I hadn't been able to find any other body to inhabit... however, that's changed. [ he gestures vaguely towards the "corpse" near his bed. ] Tonight, I'm going to copy my data into this duplicate.

[elemancy]

Stop talking like you know for sure what's going to happen, first of all.

[a lot of this only makes sense because he understands enough about how computers work to grasp that moving and copying data isn't that difficult.

but he doesn't seem to be balking at the whole idea, at least. he's exasperated, he's tired, and he thinks it's ridiculous if only because he doesn't think this will be necessary.]

What happens with this if they don't destroy that body? And... even if they did, don't you think the Sheriff would try to stop that because of the rules, or whatever?

[it's not out of dismissive judgment—it's actually from legitimate concern about the consequences that he asks.]

[uraniumnumnum]

[ Ash shakes his head. Also, he's way too pessimistic to assume things aren't about to turn to shit for him?! HE'S GOING TO DIE HE KNOWS IT. ]

Let's see him try and stop me, then. I'm not afraid of a little risk when the alternative is laying down and accepting my fate. That's not who I am.

[ as he continues to speak, he walks up to Noctis. ]

That machine currently has no power. Even once I've finished transferring most of my critical data onto it, it'll remain nothing but a hunk of useless garbage until it has an energy source. In other words, if I do manage to survive, there's no reason to ever wake it up. But if I don't... [ he pauses; uncharacteristically for a computer program, he hesitates. This is somewhat risky information to share - it's essentially showing Noctis what his weak point is. He doesn't run on sunlight and willpower. This frail body of his could be snuffed out so easily - not like the reactor, impenetrable to humans and viruses alike. And Noctis is a human.

("But I'll hear you out.")

He reaches out, wrapping his thin fingers around Noctis's wrist, and drags his hand towards his chest - where a blood-red "A" is emblazoned. ]

My power core is here. Almost pure Uranium-235. Break apart this body after it's destroyed and extract it. If you put that inside the new body, I'll live again.

[elemancy]

[noct is quiet and probably more compliant than he's ever been, even as ash grabs his wrist and guides his hand to that spot on his chest.

but noct hears the hesitation—of course he does. he is human, so he doesn't miss those cues that feel very distinctly human. it does give him enough pause to look at ash curiously...

for someone who hates them so much, ash is strangely human at times, and trusting a human with this information, he knows—it's not something to be taken lightly. so without drawing back in the least, his eyes meet with ash's, the hints of his own conviction undoubtedly present. he's changed a bit over the weeks, and it probably shows in how he responds.]

I'll probably get killed for it myself if I do that. [he quips, but with his gaze unmoving, he nods.] But if you end up right—

[he draws in a breath, he can hardly believe himself for this.] Then I'll do what you're asking of me.