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THIRD ORDER ♛ ANONYMOUS TEXT
[Logan has been the King of Albion for twelve years. His reign is at an end, however - his sister staged a coup and will take the throne as soon as he returns to Albion. Logan isn't upset with her - if anything, he's relieved that he no longer has to deal with everything. He's relieved that he doesn't have to face down the threat of incoming darkness - a threat he's known about for four years and hasn't been able to stop. He's confident that his sister can handle the throne, but it isn't a position he ever would have wanted to put her in. He does care about her in his own stunted way, after all.
It's been nearly eleven years since Logan's mother, the previous Queen, died. She was the one who united Albion under a monarchy and ruled for fifty years of peace and prosperity. Yes, there were issues - any country with 6.5 million people is bound to have them - but she handled them all as best she could and will most likely go down in history as a benevolent, wonderful monarch. She would be disappointed in him; Logan's positive of that much. He started his rule as a monarch dedicated to his people, but circumstances drove him to become a tyrant.
He's spent the day being far more subdued than usual, keeping to himself and occasionally examining the 'Gear, but it takes hours for Logan to finally get up the courage to actually post to the network, even anonymously. He's adapted to this world far better than he ever thought he would, and now that he has adapted, he's finding that he rather likes Johto. He doesn't have the same responsibilities and expectations placed on him. He's free. It's not something he ever would have thought he wanted back home, but it's something he's finding that he's desperately needed this entire time.]
How do you deal with failure? How do you deal with not living up to the expectations set for you?
I believe there are some monarchs or rulers here. How do you deal with the people of your nation despising you for what you've done, even if what you've done was for their own good?
[...He's kind of the most obvious anon. Just let him pretend, alright.]
It's been nearly eleven years since Logan's mother, the previous Queen, died. She was the one who united Albion under a monarchy and ruled for fifty years of peace and prosperity. Yes, there were issues - any country with 6.5 million people is bound to have them - but she handled them all as best she could and will most likely go down in history as a benevolent, wonderful monarch. She would be disappointed in him; Logan's positive of that much. He started his rule as a monarch dedicated to his people, but circumstances drove him to become a tyrant.
He's spent the day being far more subdued than usual, keeping to himself and occasionally examining the 'Gear, but it takes hours for Logan to finally get up the courage to actually post to the network, even anonymously. He's adapted to this world far better than he ever thought he would, and now that he has adapted, he's finding that he rather likes Johto. He doesn't have the same responsibilities and expectations placed on him. He's free. It's not something he ever would have thought he wanted back home, but it's something he's finding that he's desperately needed this entire time.]
How do you deal with failure? How do you deal with not living up to the expectations set for you?
I believe there are some monarchs or rulers here. How do you deal with the people of your nation despising you for what you've done, even if what you've done was for their own good?
[...He's kind of the most obvious anon. Just let him pretend, alright.]
[anonymous text]
HE WAS HOPING YOU AND REAVER WOULD LEAVE HIM ALONE
Ugh, fine, whatever, hopefully Page doesn't realize it's him.]
The expectations place on me should have been easily enough to reach. Unfortunately, circumstances forced me to take drastic measures to ensure the survival of my country. I have sunk much lower than I ever would have wanted. There is a reason that the people hate me, and I fully understand why.
[text]
....
she's better than Reaver]]
What sort of circumstances could force you to make decisions like that? That is, presuming, that you were a decent king in the past. Or at least not hated.
[[Hey, if it is you, maybe she can get some deets.]]
[anonymous text]
I wasn't hated in the past, no. The circumstances that drove me to change the way I treated the people were... troubling, of course. I found something - a creature that vowed to destroy my country in five years' time. I have spent every waking moment since that time attempting to build an army that can defeat the creature when it arrives. There is no chance of stopping it beforehand; it destroyed my entire army and nearly killed me.
[...This is probably revealing too much, but she totally doesn't know it's him, right?]
[text]
intriguing
but strange as hell]]
A 'creature'? What, like some sort of monster? That sounds a bit ridiculous.
[[So she'll just be proving you right in not...spreading that fact around, uh]]
[anonymous text]
[At least, that's what he remembers. He doesn't remember much of that battle, whoops.
And see he knew no one would believe him!!]
[text]
[[YES WELL THIS STORY IS BLOODY RIDICULOUS OKAY!!! JEEZ!!!]]
And it's coming from somewhere to destroy your country, which is why you turned into such a horrible ruler. Am I following?
[anonymous text]
[text]
[[Uh...]]
[anonymous text]
[At least, that's what he believed at the time. Now he's not so sure. Maybe if his sister had taken over earlier, things wouldn't have come to this. She certainly seems to be a miracle-worker.]
[text]
....didn't....Logan head off on an expedition with an army a few years back, and the only one to return was him...?
This is getting creepier and creepier.]]
You were the only survivor of the encounter with this creature, then?
[anonymous text]
[...well, not anymore, since his sister and the rebels were out there in the desert, they probably saw it as well.]
And before you ask, the people who had seen the creature refused to leave their home unprotected. Even with their word I doubt my subjects would have believed me. I certainly would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.
[text]
Something was going on, here, and Page didn't like to be left out of the loop.
....]]
Is that you, Logan?
[anonymous text -> text]
Yes. It is. My apologies for remaining anonymous for so long.
[text]
It's alright. Can I open a video feed? I don't like communicating with this 'text' function.
[text]
[...Not that he's going to open it first because he needs a moment to compose himself. This is gonna suck, Page.]
[text] -> [video]
You sound like you have quite the story to tell.
[video]
I suppose the best place to start would be the beginning.
[There's almost a touch of sarcasm there. Almost.]
Four years ago I went on an expedition to Aurora. Prior to that I had explored the majority of Albion - both because I wanted to see more of the country and because I wanted to get to know the people - but the land across the sea was an area we didn't have very much information on. I took a large group of my Elite Guards with me. What little information we had to go off of put us quite a good distance from Aurora itself, leaving us closer to a temple-like place in the Shifting Sands.
My men and I decided to examine the area to see if there was anything useful there. They...
[Logan hesitates, glancing away. He's been doing well so far, but this is a bit difficult to recount. He hasn't properly told this story to anyone.]
...They said it would be best if they went ahead. Some of the men weren't too keen on the idea of exploring the place at all. They said it didn't feel right. But I was reckless and pushed them onward. We entered this place - Shadelight - and found shadows that moved of their own accord. They attacked us.
[He pauses again, this time to run a hand through his hair, stopping at the ends and clenching them for a moment before resettling. He still doesn't look at the 'Gear.]
The shadows led us deeper in, sealing up the entrance and leaving us no choice but to follow them. They were easy to defeat for the most part, but as we progressed we started hearing something speaking to us. It... it didn't say anything out loud, however, it was all within our heads. It taunted us, told us things it had no way of knowing. It called the shadows its "Children" and demanded to know why we were here, harming them. It alternated between blaming us and tormenting us, all until we actually found it.
It is called the Crawler. It is a being of shadows that is nearly impossible to describe. I don't... I don't remember what exactly happened down there, but I do know that the Crawler turned my men against one another and taunted us the entire time. It said it would come for Albion next, that it would destroy Albion and then proceed to cover the world in darkness.
[He falls silent there for a moment. Logan finally continues, shifting a bit and glancing elsewhere, still not meeting eye contact. He's doing a decent job of telling it without terrifying himself, at least.]
I woke up in the village of Aurora with no idea how I had gotten there. There people there helped me recover and gave me a ship to return home. They could not leave their home - they had to fight against the Crawler to protect Aurora. It was as I was returning home that I was visited by the Seer of the Spire.
Have you heard the stories about the Spire? The Hero Queen fought alongside the Heroes of Strength, Skill, and Will in order to defeat Lucien and prevent him from using the Spire to create a new world. Theresa, my mother's guide, took control of the Spire afterwards. She appeared to me in a vision and told me what would happen if the Crawler was not defeated. It would indeed cover Albion in darkness and kill all of our countrymen. I was told it would arrive in five years. I had to come up with a way to stop it when it did arrive, for there was no way to defeat it beforehand.
I returned home with no way of keeping my promise to protect Aurora. I couldn't even keep the promises to my own people. What we needed was money to fund an army large enough to take out the Children and the Crawler. Physical attacks work well against the Children, so logically they should work on the Crawler as well. I couldn't inform the country of this, however, because who would believe me? So few have seen Hollow Men - that is the closest I can come up with to describe what the Children were like - and I would most likely have been declared insane and removed from power. I couldn't...
[And for a split second his voice breaks. Logan shakes his head quickly and recovers.]
I couldn't put my sister through that. I had to handle this on my own.
[Logan falls silent again, finally returning his gaze to the 'Gear.]
I am not saying what I did was right. If there had been any other way to raise money for the army I would have taken it. I could think of no other way. If a few had to suffer, it was a build an army. If a few had to die, it was to save a country. It is inexcusable and it is my sin to bear, but perhaps this will explain just why I've done these dreadful things.
[video]
Could he be lying? The thought does strike her, but at the same time she dashes it; everything lines up too perfectly with what Ben said about Aurora, about what Walter and the Princess had to face, and unless Logan is a fantastic actor (which she doubts, somehow), the grief plaguing his face and words as he tells his tale feel very real. Perhaps he has been acting this whole time, however; acting the part of a tyrant to try and get what he needed to fight off this....this Crawler.]]
...I have heard the tale of the Spire and the Heroes, yes. Everyone has.
[[Her voice is soft, and she knows she's not saying anything of value, but she needed to break the silence somehow. She's propped the Gear up on a nearby stump, bringing her knees up to her chest so she can listen properly. At present, she's looking down at her hands, wrapped around her legs. Really, she's not quite sure what to say.]]
....I understand why you acted as you did.
[[That seems to be a good place to start. Flicking her eyes back to the camera, Page hardens her gaze, although it remains somewhat quizzical.]]
But that doesn't excuse most of your actions. You....you've hurt many people. Too many people.
[[Lowering her eyes again, Page falls deep into thought. This explains why he took that question to the network, at least. She wonders what others here in Johto have said to him, and realises that she's the only person who could possibly give him an answer, speaking as a citizen of Albion.
....well, apart from-]]
...is that why you put Reaver in charge of the industrial sector of Bowerstone, even though he's as much a tyrant as you?
[[It's a segway away from the main topic, and she knows it; however, this will give her time to build her thoughts up properly regarding Logan and his failed Kingship.]]
[video]
[He pauses for a moment at Page's question, finally nodding. There's no reason to go into detail about Faraday, so he simply leaves that part out.]
Yes, that is correct. Reaver could easily raise money even though his methods are dreadful. He... has been helpful in his own way.
[He also understands at least somewhat - he visited Aurora as well and faced the Children, at least. But it's not Logan's place to tell Page that.]
[video]
It's nice to know you acknowledge the way Reaver runs Bowerstone Industrial is terrible, though it's not like you have room to talk.
[[Sighing, Page curls her arms tighter around her legs and rests her chin against her knees. This will take some time to get used to.]]
I still don't agree with how you went about it, but...I can imagine that was a difficult situation to be in. But don't underestimate your sister. I believe in her, and you should to.
She has greatness within her.
[video]
[Logan's voice is softer there; he's torn between wanting to see her thrive in battle and wanting to keep her safe. Look how well the latter turned out. But she shouldn't have to face the Crawler - he should have been able to handle it on his own. Theresa had entrusted him with the information he needed to create a plan to defend Albion against the attack. His sister will only have a year to prepare and she'll have to forgive him, but Logan isn't optimistic about it.]
She is her mother's daughter, after all.
[That's a bit louder and despite the words, Logan doesn't sound bitter at all. His sister really does take after their mother.]
I've been told that when we return home we won't remember anything that has happened here. It's unfortunate; I feel that I've learned a lot about how I could have handled things. I don't know what I will do when I return home, but while I am here in Johto, you have my word I will not repeat any of my past mistakes.
[...Not that he's in a position of power to begin with, but it's the thought that counts?]
[video]
you're starting to sound genuinely endearing, what with all that talk about your family
clearly this place is doing something to her head!]]
Well, I still think it's fortunate that no-one is clamoring to make you King of Johto, but it's nice to know you're trying.
[[...that
may have been said with a hint of a smile, Logan
you're just....you're kind of endearing, alright. It's weird.]]
....for what it's worth, if you're truly, legitimately determined to atone....I believe you could. You just need to be given the opportunity.
[video]
I wouldn't accept such a position anyway.
[Because only care about Albion. But that smile is actually a good look for you, Page! You should try it more often! Her next words catch him off guard and Logan immediately flusters, running a hand through his hair and glancing away.]
I... Thank you. It's... good to know you believe that.
[...j-just. Have the most awkward kind-of-smile in the world, okay.]
Re: [video]
....shush]]
That's implying I'd allow it, anyway.
[[But that was more teasing rather than malicious and wow okay
she thought she might have been able to get things back on track but then you had to do that....stupid smile
oh no
you're.....you're cute.....]]
I do believe it. It won't be easy and it will take time, but there are plenty of things that can be done, if you use your imagination. So use your time in Johto to think about it, even if people say we won't remember our time here. They could be wrong, after all.
[video]
...just ignore the moe and move on, okay.]
Thank you very much, Page. I won't disappoint you.
[Smiling is so awkward omg, but he's trying! No seriously, this is actually the most hopeful he's felt about his prospects back in Albion for quite some time. Thanks, he really needed it.]
[video]