Fragment 105 Insight

I’ve been looking forward to writing this fragment for a long while, so much so that the early plants setup were first laid around Shinjuku singularity. I wanted to have a few key actors in place before I could spin this turning point fragment, and it wound up becoming the longest one to date. Funny how the avengers ones usually wind up being on the longer end, but I didn’t want to jip Lobo of the development course I envisioned.

He may be an animal, but his legend spoke of a proud and cunning wolf. He was also a king, so that nobility should remain. Couple that with memories of Shinjuku, plus the avenger class, and there’s a curious balance that needed to be struck, and a serious tone/stance that couldn’t give so easily. He hates humans, and has been jaded with nearly every interaction with them. Thus, his development of coming to tolerate them wouldn’t be so easy. It needed plenty of setup and time just to get to this point.

After that, it was just a matter of picking the right actors that benefit both ways. Geronimo was a clear cut example of a human he’d appreciate. Kintoki would be one he’d tolerate but still roughly accept. Then there’s the rescued dog who played a serious role in stopping him in Shinjuku, whether he knew it or not. Add in a saber who hates him just as much in turn, and a soldier who throws him for a loop, and that’s plenty of variety even without having Fou being present to talk. With that, there should have been many tones and shades of the wolf king despite his current state of angry, jaded irritation.

From there, it was a matter of making sure it all fit the theme: That the hardest part is learning to move on. A little poetic for a nomadic pack of wolves, and more so when all the actors and pieces come into place. To further that end, while I could’ve placed a descended pack, that would’ve dampened the melancholy mood. As much as Lobo needed it, he also needs to truly accept what is before he can start seeing what else is possible, such as making sure these new inheritors are actually approvable.

Just like I took liberty with giving him limited communication, I took a bit of leeway with the animals too. I could’ve definitely gone with the standardized “animal dialogue is mainly inferring their intent to each other”. It would’ve involved a lot of beautiful descriptions and likely wound up roughly like Wall-E in terms of painting words without voicing one, but I ultimately decided against it. Partly out of convenience, partly to give it the stereotypical cartoon feel with talking animals. Mostly it was because I wanted to personify them so their stances and tones were clearly contrasted, yet remained wild and animalistic.

Finally, though this fragment served as a turning point for Lobo, it wasn’t just for him alone. It marks the beginning of the journey and full confirmation of master candidate four, who begins his long path on a strange note compared to the other three masters. As proven with this fragment, how he handles things from here will not be the most conventional paths, but that may be exactly what some unorthodox  servants would appreciate.

And speaking of unorthodox ones… I’ll try to get the next one out in a timely manner, but I’ll be without connection and computers for a fair amount of time.

Teaser: Knowledge is everything. With it, there is little justification to feel. Why cry when you know what is to come. Why struggle, fight, work, or move to change what is already guaranteed? The quantum timelocks don’t move. The course of the world and human history is set across the many iterations, so doing nothing or anything matters not. So much that has been witnessed is useless sentiment… Pointless gestures and acts… Knowledge is everything, yet it could not give her an answer as to why she has been adding to such meaningless notions.