tvk | Chapter 1, Verse 4 - I|hear..sou/n.ds--♫

Chapter 1, Verse 4 - I|hear..sou/n.ds--♫

[Audio - The Dark Hour]

[An audio call with plenty of reverb in the speaker's voice, during the dark hour?]

[...Well. Frankly, it's pretty commonplace as of late, isn't it? Even if you don't recognize the speaker's voice the underlying echo within it speaks as to their nature, while the speaker herself asks a simple question.]

Duty, or desire?

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[There's a small 'heh' -- seems like that's something she'd wanted to hear.]

And what if the emotions weren't natural, like a Grim Angel who'd lost access to their own?

And if the duty damns you to a fate no one would deserve, Garviel?

...Even despite these emotions that I have now, I do not hate my duties. I still believe that carrying out the will of the gods is the right thing to do.

Right. That was more or less my intent. Hope you don't mind that I recorded this conversation; figure it'll give her something to think about.

[A beat.] Hm. That's probably the sort of thing I should declare at the start, isn't it...

It already has.

I don't mind but...'give her something to think about'? A shadow? [Surprise colors his voice.]

Settle down, it was just an example you'd understand without added exposition. I wasn't trying to rub salt in any wounds of yours.

In that case... I am not the one to ask about emotions. I can only tell you what I feel. I can't explain any of yours.

Yes, something like that -- we're the same, and neither of us are the type to attack a problem head-on at first. A bit of subtlety goes a long way.

And you feel no anger, no resentment for those who cursed you to such an existence?

Subtlety can get you quite far, that's for sure. Where is your counterpart anyways? Is she alright?

Of course I do. Horus Lupercal's betrayal was a foul thing, and to think that he used my loyalty as a trap for me and my brothers was even... more unthinkable. But that doesn't mean I was wrong to hew to honor.

What if we have a desire to do our duty?

We-e-e-ll, for the sake of the question I was hoping to imply that they weren't mutually exclusive!

Oh, I know what I feel. I guess I should redefine my question: what precisely makes natural emotions 'natural'?

Honor doesn't define duty, you realize. It's simply a code, a cluster of self-imposed rules. Duty can be things far less pleasant than 'honor'.

Dunno. For my purposes right now, it really doesn't matter. We'll have a heart to heart later, probably.

So you aren't with her then.

We never really had that chat we'd talked about yet, did we? Let's say I'm used to the acts of subterfuge that can go with administrative work and leave it at that for now.

[There's a smile in her voice when she continues.] You can inquire further when we do have that chat.

I will keep that in mind.

[He thinks.] That no one else has placed them within you.

That suits me just fine, honestly. Feel free to give me a ring later on. Ta~

[Click. Weirdo gets a weird shadow, apparently.]

And if the container for them was never meant to hold them in the first place?

That does not make them any less real.

Duty, unless you have a really good reason to abandon it.

Like being the runt of the litter?

Shut up.

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Chapter 1, Verse 4 - I|hear..sou/n.ds--♫

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Audio yes and italics are his Shadow.