I was the only producer of Shimmer, and maintained every part of the network. Manufacturing, distribution. On the side I kept the Chem-Barons and their individual organizations in line as well.
[ A beat. ]
I ran the entire undercity. Well, as much as it needed running.
Getting topside to capitulate when they still have so much power is very difficult. I'd prefer we have no war at all, but it looks to be an inevitability.
[In his world, a war against the Head, the top of them all, would be unfathomable. He wonders if "topside" would have such power as well. How impossible was Silco's dream?]
And would there just be you, at the end of it all?
They have their hextech, but we have our Shimmer. We are far more evenly matched than they think we are, and the element of surprise would be used like a scalpel, to shred their defenses before they knew what was happening.
[ Clearly, he's thought about this. ]
I would prefer that they fear us, before they dive in too deep, but I do not trust that they will think with their heads. Only with their coinpurses and pride.
[Which...admittedly, he still doesn't know much about still, but its a drug, isn't it? Another sigh.]
I suppose that's a way to do it. But it would have to be a one and done thing. If your topside is this advanced, they'll come back with firepower to quash that thing they fear.
I am aware. It is why we have not attacked them yet. If I were a foolish man, or one of the Chem-Barons, perhaps that's what would have already happened.
[ poor silco, holding all of it together, isn't he? ]
They would need to take time to develop new weapons, and we have our own. They may have invented it, but, I know Jinx can make something greater with it too.
They underestimate us, Vergilius. I will ensure they do up until the moment it is too late.
[ Oh... Isn't that a question? Hell, days before he was drug down this odd journey, he would have considered that it would never happen. The organization was too well run, too ready. That Jinx was perfect, and ready to blow them out of the sky, if need be. She had finally centered herself, tossed away the past, and finally let herself emerge from the waters changed.
But then. Then the sister had gotten back, and then she had --
He'd already nearly lost her. It's by some... Chance that she is not.
Is she prepared to find his body, should something happen?
He doesn't respond right away. He considers it for longer than most responses. ]
We all know death is a possibility in Zaun. It takes us young, and violently. She has already lost so many.
If they take me from her, I cannot imagine destruction she would rain on them. There would be nothing left in the end.
[ It had always been the two of them against the rest of the world. The rest of them could have all burned, for all he cared, if it meant Jinx was safe. ]
We've only had each other. Is it so surprising?
[ Silco says this like it is a nice and healthy thing. We both know it is messy and codependent. He's delusional. ]
Our problems are... never-ending in the undercity. It's not my problems, it's our problems. I always wanted more for her than that — for all of us. I want her to thrive in a Zaun that embraces her.
[ Which is the Silco equivalent of happy, perhaps. Can he even think of being truly happy? Could Jinx? Did they understand it, or were they both far too broken for that already? He says it in a way he can contextualize, and understand. ]
[ He doesn't know, really. Does she want to be understood, or just accepted? Even Silco can't say he always understood his daughter, but... the second he would do. ]
I think what she wants is to be accepted. They aren't always mutually exclusive.
Acknowledgement of her strength. Allowing her to exist without abandon or worry.
[ A long pause. Something else... Never being abandoned or left again. Never having to worry about losing anymore. He knows these wishes because he has them too, doesn't he? He chooses his words carefully here. ]
Being respected enough that you aren't pushed out of anywhere, and nobody can take from you.
[ The sound is probably one Vergilius recognizes by now, one of those low-notes of half-thought, half a note of annoyance. Mostly because, well... ]
Doesn't everyone who's lived without it? I don't think I'm much different.
[ It's more than that, of course. It always was, with Silco. There was a broken little piece of psychology, the way people looked at them that made him so driven, and so angry. He'd spent his entire life trying for that respect. The only way to get it, was to be the biggest shark in the ocean, because otherwise... it always fell apart. Always. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ But he's got his ego on the line now, so: ]
I was the only producer of Shimmer, and maintained every part of the network. Manufacturing, distribution. On the side I kept the Chem-Barons and their individual organizations in line as well.
[ A beat. ]
I ran the entire undercity. Well, as much as it needed running.
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[:)]
[But the whole undercity, huh...he could see it.]
And why did you do that? The love of the game?
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[ He walked into this, didn't he? ]
I did it because we needed to be a well run, powerful machine, if we want our freedom. I've been working for this nearly my whole life.
After so long, I've learned that nobody else has the vision or the drive to make it a reality. Except for me, of course.
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Getting topside to capitulate when they still have so much power is very difficult. I'd prefer we have no war at all, but it looks to be an inevitability.
I will go to war with them if I must.
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[In his world, a war against the Head, the top of them all, would be unfathomable. He wonders if "topside" would have such power as well. How impossible was Silco's dream?]
And would there just be you, at the end of it all?
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They have their hextech, but we have our Shimmer. We are far more evenly matched than they think we are, and the element of surprise would be used like a scalpel, to shred their defenses before they knew what was happening.
[ Clearly, he's thought about this. ]
I would prefer that they fear us, before they dive in too deep, but I do not trust that they will think with their heads. Only with their coinpurses and pride.
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[Which...admittedly, he still doesn't know much about still, but its a drug, isn't it? Another sigh.]
I suppose that's a way to do it. But it would have to be a one and done thing. If your topside is this advanced, they'll come back with firepower to quash that thing they fear.
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[ poor silco, holding all of it together, isn't he? ]
They would need to take time to develop new weapons, and we have our own. They may have invented it, but, I know Jinx can make something greater with it too.
They underestimate us, Vergilius. I will ensure they do up until the moment it is too late.
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[Big words. Bigger goal. It feels too neat. Too well put together. The best laid plans of man go oft awry.]
What does Jinx think about it? About you being at the head?
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She understands. I've spoken to her at length about our plans. It's why she works for me. Designs weapons.
She knows what we are fighting for.
[ But it is Silco's cause, and not Jinx's cause. ]
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[A pause, and then a quieter question:]
Is she prepared for the possibility of you losing? Of losing you?
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But then. Then the sister had gotten back, and then she had --
He'd already nearly lost her. It's by some... Chance that she is not.
Is she prepared to find his body, should something happen?
He doesn't respond right away. He considers it for longer than most responses. ]
We all know death is a possibility in Zaun. It takes us young, and violently. She has already lost so many.
If they take me from her, I cannot imagine destruction she would rain on them. There would be nothing left in the end.
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[A young lady who would be willing to burn the world for her father.]
[If Garnet was returned...if Lapis got her memories back...would they do the same?]
She loves you that much.
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[ It had always been the two of them against the rest of the world. The rest of them could have all burned, for all he cared, if it meant Jinx was safe. ]
We've only had each other. Is it so surprising?
[ Silco says this like it is a nice and healthy thing. We both know it is messy and codependent. He's delusional. ]
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[But...it does make him think. How far should a parent go for their child? Should he pull her into his garden of sins?]
I hope that whatever her future is, its a happy one. The last thing I think you would want is for your problems to shackle her.
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[ He says. He believes it.
It's a lie. ]
Our problems are... never-ending in the undercity. It's not my problems, it's our problems. I always wanted more for her than that — for all of us. I want her to thrive in a Zaun that embraces her.
[ Which is the Silco equivalent of happy, perhaps. Can he even think of being truly happy? Could Jinx? Did they understand it, or were they both far too broken for that already? He says it in a way he can contextualize, and understand. ]
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[But even among her "kind"...was she loved?]
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[ It's honest, at least. ]
Jinx is... Different. Most people do not understand or... Have the patience.
[ Again, silco downplays it. ]
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[ He doesn't know, really. Does she want to be understood, or just accepted? Even Silco can't say he always understood his daughter, but... the second he would do. ]
I think what she wants is to be accepted. They aren't always mutually exclusive.
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[No, they aren't. Even he knows that.]
And what would acceptance look like in your world?
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[ A long pause. Something else... Never being abandoned or left again. Never having to worry about losing anymore. He knows these wishes because he has them too, doesn't he? He chooses his words carefully here. ]
Being respected enough that you aren't pushed out of anywhere, and nobody can take from you.
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[To which he adds:]
Do you want that for yourself?
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[ The sound is probably one Vergilius recognizes by now, one of those low-notes of half-thought, half a note of annoyance. Mostly because, well... ]
Doesn't everyone who's lived without it? I don't think I'm much different.
[ It's more than that, of course. It always was, with Silco. There was a broken little piece of psychology, the way people looked at them that made him so driven, and so angry. He'd spent his entire life trying for that respect. The only way to get it, was to be the biggest shark in the ocean, because otherwise... it always fell apart. Always. ]
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