⚔ 010; [video; dated to mid-Dark Hour]

[croibhristeoir]

[The video shows what appears to be Lancer in his hotel room, face mostly obscured by a book and wearing a suit he's never been seen in before. Behind the chair he sat in, a pair of lances leaned against the wall--a long crimson one and a shorter one in vivid yellow.]

'Hate'.

[Lancer's calm and collected voice had an extra layer to it today, an almost demonic echo that turned gentle tones into mocking amusement.]

'Let me tell you how much I've come to hate you since I began to live'.

[He lowered the book slightly; his eyes were the same yellow-gold as ever, but today they were ice cold and glowing faintly in the dimly lit room. Instead of his commonly seen casual smile, he wore a condescending and cruel smirk.]

Such an interesting volume to have in my small collection.

Because oh, do I hold within myself such hatred. Such spite and rage, I truly am a worthless knight. But why should I do anything but hate? Being kind and generous has gained me nothing but pain. I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand...! Why does it hurt so much? Tell me why everything I do only causes me pain!

'Please, allow me to help you.' 'What can I do for you?' 'How can I assist you?' I never asked for anything in return, I never even asked to be thanked for my efforts. If I'm not helping people, then what is the point of my existence? Have I been placed here only to feel pain in my failures?

Kayneth wished to summon a King of Conquerors--he never even wanted me. And why should he have? I am hardly a hero at all, next to people like Iskander or Ireland's precious hound. I am but a man who stole Fionn mac Cumhaill's betrothed and ran like a coward.

I have neither purpose nor right to live. My hatred is the only thing strong about me. I am Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, the man who cursed and corrupted the Holy Grail itself!

[There was a quiet sound of movement off-camera, directing Lancer to look at the floor with a cruel smirk.]

You're wrong...

[The voice offscreen was strained and shaky, but unmistakably Diarmuid's--without the demonic layer this one had. The first Lancer's smirk only grew wider at that.]

...Do you know what I hate most of all, Prospero?

[He reached off-camera, picking up the original Diarmuid by his shirt collar--slightly bruised and scratched up, wincing in obvious pain. The second one with the cruel smirk on his face calmly took off Diarmuid's glasses and put them on himself, expression not changing in the slightest.]

More than Kayneth and Kiritsugu, more than my own disgusting need to make people happy?

Arturia, please help me--

[He choked that much out in a rushed, almost desperate voice; for the first time, Diarmuid was afraid. Not of death, no, but of the fact that his other self's words seemed to ring true in a dark corner of his heart.]

[He was afraid, and he wanted her at his side.]

More than anything...I hate myself.

[The video cut out suddenly, without another word.]

Comments

[croibhristeoir]

You will have to forgive me if I am not inclined to believe you, all things considered.

Hm? If Arturia wishes me to die, then I will die. Surely it is what I deserve, if she would deliver such judgment upon me.

[profcharisma.livejournal.com]

And if I didn't carry the Archibald name, would you still be so skeptical of me?

[sigh] Diarmuid, you've made a very irritating doppelganger.

[croibhristeoir]

Of course. As Waver Velvet you are the troublesome idiot that forced Kayneth to summon a Servant he never wanted. It's your fault to begin with, isn't it...? How many Masters and Servants would have been better off if you'd just kept your mouth shut? Would poor crazed Sola have suffered so needlessly?

Would you shut up--?! It's not like this is easy on my side, you realize!

[profcharisma.livejournal.com]

If my predecessor truly didn't want you as his Servant, he wouldn't have summoned you. It's useless, anyway, to try to predict what might have been. Down that road lies madness, as they say, though it rather sounds like you've already gone well down that path.

Apologies. Are you injured at the moment, Diarmuid?

[croibhristeoir]

Oh, I'm quite sane~ Incredibly so. In fact I have the clarity and honesty this one seems to lack.

I'll live, presumably. If I don't, it'll be nothing new. At the moment I just rather wish this one would shut up and stop twisting my arm in a direction I don't believe it's meant to go.

[profcharisma.livejournal.com]

You aren't particularly acting like it. Taking someone hostage and broadcasting a rant to everyone in the city isn't exactly the behavior of a well-adjusted individual.

The Harlan Ellison was a nice touch, though.

[He's typing up a message to Saber as they speak-- cell phones make mulitasking so much easier. He figures, though, that the longer he keeps this doppelganger talking, the less focus he has on Diarmuid and thus the less damage he'll do to him.]

[croibhristeoir]

Shame, really, I was planning on reading that.

[Nope, not panicking. Just being annoyed that some nicely-dressed clone is trying to kill him.]

I don't suppose you know just what's going on, oh-so-clever one?

Didn't I tell you? I'm you. I'm your Shadow.

[profcharisma.livejournal.com]

Going by what we heard from that odd message a few days ago, I'd say that we're dealing with personifications of our neuroses and insecurities. Assuming that everyone has some sort of personal issues, we're probably going to see a lot of these doppelgangers. It's all going to be a touch... problematic, I'd imagine, and rather messy.

[Waver is clearly a master of understatement.]