neverjoinyou | lastvoyages IC Inbox

Can I ask why whoever it was erased Stan's mind?

[Ignoring, for now, the absurdity that doing so erases people.]

BECAUSE I WAS IN IT.

LOOK, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN MY FILE. I WENT INTO HIS MIND BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS STANFORD'S. I NEEDED SOMETHING. THE REAL FORD ERASED HIS BROTHER JUST TO CATCH ME IN THE BLAST AND IT WORKED.

[Maybe now is not the time for Luke to admit that he doesn't really understand a lot of what's in Bill's file. But he does remember some of it.]

That's not what I read, though. We're not talking about borrowing a spoon or something. Look, I'm not backing Ford's actions but I keep hoping you think better of me than to think I don't remember you were trying to take over the world.

WELL, WHAT DID YOU READ?

LOOK, I JUST WANT TO BE ALIVE! EVERYTHING WANTS TO BE ALIVE, EVEN SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISMS THAT DON'T KNOW HOW TO WANT STUFF. I'M DOING IT.

That you had trapped the Pines family so you could... well, I don't know exactly what you wanted to do, but it involved a lot of people getting hurt. I'm willing to hear your side of that story, but I'm not willing to be party to you hurting people to get your way.

Even if I do agree that you have a right to be alive and want to be alive. It can't be at the expense of others.

FORD HAD SOMETHING I NEEDED IN HIS HEAD, I JUST TOOK THE KIDS TO MOTIVATE HIM.

... EVERYTHING COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMEONE ELSE! THAT'S LIFE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ME OUT OF THIS!

That's something we're going to have to talk about, at some point. Sure. I eat food--obviously that costs... something. To something. But what I mean is, your existence isn't more worthy than theirs. Your freedom isn't, either.

WORTHY AND UNWORTHY DON'T MEAN ANYTHING! I FIGHT FOR ME, THEY FIGHT FOR THEM, AND WE SEE WHO WINS! THAT'S IT!

But why?

I don't mean why should you fight for you--that's fair. I mean why does your winning mean there has to be a loser?

THAT'S JUST THE WAY LIFE IS!

No, actually, it isn't.

I get that you're older than me, and smarter. That doesn't mean you've got everything right.

NO, BUT IT DOES MEAN I GOT THIS ONE RIGHT!

EVEN WHEN YOU ACT IN GOOD FAITH - WHICH I DON'T DO - ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES THERE'S NO WAY TO EVER FORESEE! SOMEONE ALWAYS LOSES, INDIRECTLY AND WAY DOWN THE LINE!

Fine. I'm not saying bad things never happen--but I am saying that entering into actions when you know the consequences hurt others is not okay.

WHY?

[This isn't a naive question, unsurprisingly: he's just wondering why he has to give a shit about that.]

It's part of being alive--being part of a community. I know you haven't really had that. But there's a... I think if everyone acted only out of their own interest, it wouldn't be long before there wasn't anything left to enjoy. I know we've talked about this before, but it's true.

EVERYBODY DOES ACT OUT OF THEIR OWN INTEREST! THEY JUST FRAME IT DIFFERENT WAYS. I GET WHAT YOU MEAN, THOUGH. IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE! JUST ME.

[well believe it or not that's progress.]

That's why I said 'only.'

[Sigh]

So you're different.

YEAH! I LIKE BEING DIFFERENT.

Do you like being alone?

NAH. TOO BORING! BUT IF IT'S WHAT I GOTTA DO, I DON'T MIND.

You do realize I'm implying those are connected.

YEAH!

IT'S LIKE I SAID: I DON'T MIND BEING ALONE IF THAT'S THE JOB. IN FACT, I KINDA GET ANTSY IF TOO MANY PEOPLE AGREE WITH ME! MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I MISSED SOMETHING.

LOOK, PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE WHETHER INDEPENDENCE IS WORTH THE PRICE OF NOT BEING POPULAR. EVERYBODY MAKES THEIR OWN CALL THERE! FOR ME IT'S WORTH IT!

Edited 2018-05-18 05:38 (UTC)

[Oh good, they've gotten to the part where his head starts to throb.]

What I'm trying to say is that if you always value your own freedom and wants over everyone else's, you've going to have no place to enjoy them in. There won't be any choice. It's not a matter of popularity. It's a matter of... sacrificing others for no reason.

THEY JUST GOTTA PUSH BACK! THAT'S HOW YOU GET A DEAL! COMPROMISE!

Okay. How have you gone about, ah, negotiating this compromise?

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