Huh?

[a_gentle_boy]

[phone]
[Oh OK so.  That just happened.  ...Lucas listens a little blankly to the announcement before blinking a few times to himself.]

So, um.  I'm... kind of... still here... So don't worry!  ...I mean, not that it's really that important, and there are probably a lot of other people who are really gone, but.  ...Is there someone else named Lucas here?

[action]
[Today is a normal day.  Lucas delivers the mail, takes his rounds making sure his friends are alright, stops by at the malt shop... And yet, everywhere he goes, he gets nothing but dirty glances.  It's more than mildly confusing, and so it is that he ends up sitting on his front porch frowning to himself.  It's been a long time since he's done so, but eventually, he'll get out the yo-yo and begin to quietly practice some tricks by himself.

The rhythmicity of the movements makes him feel a bit better.]

((Lucas was wiped, so please respond as if he were fake!))

Comments

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

What kind of joke is this?

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

It's Karkat. You're making my skin crawl, so I'm assuming it's really you.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I-It's not a joke. I'm serious.

...Um. I'm sorry, who... is this? It's not Aaron, is it?

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

[ Rika flinches when she hears the call. Because how dare that imposter do something like this? It tears at her sadness more to have the fake try to fool her. It tears the cute little mask of Furude Rika right off of her face, leaving nothing but the low-voiced Frederica Bernkastel. ]

Shut up!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

What? [Sadly, Lucas isn't anywhere near as quick to pick up on things.] Is it about the apologizing thing? I don't think I actually apologized this time.

[Short pause.]

This is Karkat? As in... the person who made the housing lists? [sounding... dubious.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

W-What?!

[Holy crap that's the first time anyone's ever said that to him. Lucas stares stunned at the phone for a few moments before recovering himself.]

Who... Who is this? Why would you say that?

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

It's enough that they're all gone... it's enough to know they would do this! We don't need you pretending to be him! I don't need a fake Lucas, I won't replace my friends like this!

[ I'm sorry, she's being kinda mean... ]

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

This is Aaron.

Are you punishing us?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

What do you mean? Why would you say that?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I'm not pretending; it's not --

Is this about the pods from before? I promise, nothing like that happened at all! They just got the list wrong, I think.

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

Yes, that asshole.

No one is going to believe it's you. It's happening to all of us.

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

Shut up, shut up! If people are going to disappear then let them be gone! Don't send fakes, don't tease us like this..! I'm sick of your games, Mayfield, I'm sick of it! I'm sick of this...

[ Her yelling begins to fade into a sob. Rika begins crying like Furude Rika would, unable to speak anymore under the weight of her sobs. ]

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

Just stop.

You're not fooling anyone. This is a sick joke.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That's -- What?

[confused spluttering is all he can really manage for a few moments as he tries to figure out what's going on.]

You do think I'm gone. Um. Lucas... is gone. Is that what's going on?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

So...

[great effort]

Since you don't believe it's me, you... believe it's me. And since I'm not believing it's you... I should believe in you?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Something about that crying seems vaguely... familiar. Lucas isn't psychic that way, but he has a great empathy for his friends, and he knows whoever this is, despite the voice being unfamiliar, is someone he cares for.

Except this time, he has no idea what he can say.]

I... don't understand.

But if it's that talking to me is hurting you somehow, then... please stop. Please stop crying.

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

You've phrased it in the most convoluted way possible, but yes, essentially.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

Don't play stupid, I'm not playing this game with you.

Lucas is gone, yes, he volunteered and the rest of us didn't.

You took him and now we all get to know the price was paid.

Are you happy now!?

1/2

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

Nngh... Lucas...

It's not you. You don't upset me at all. I don't care about you. Just give him back. Give my friends back, you... you...

[ Her voice trails off again. It's pointless. Why would the fake listen to her pleading anyway? ]

2/2

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

[ She breaths in... regaining her self control long enough to bury her sadness. ]

You're right. Talking to you is painful and annoying.

Just give up. You're only making a fool of yourself.

action

[hintcoinplz.livejournal.com]

[Luke was also erased, and his response is to sit on the front porch of his house and pout like a mature adult.

If he was supposed to be erased, then why was he still here?]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Gosh. I didn't know you liked me that much. ...Um. I mean. Lu...cas.

This is really very strange.

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

Just shut up!

[[It sounds to Aaron like the fake is mocking him.

It's not like a drone, it has it's own personality.]]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Um. I would ask you something only the two of us knew, but I don't actually think we have anything like that.

...Oh, wait, I know! OK. So if you're really Karkat, you should know what he was mad at me... about... oh, no, I just said that earlier.

I guess I'll have to take your word for it.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I think I do that a lot, but it's nice to hear it in person from someone.

[Lucas will very slowly move to put the phone back before he has a final thought.]

O-Oh, um. If I'm really gone... I mean. If your friends are really all gone... They'll be back soon, right? Mayfield doesn't do things permanently.