Since Sin and I joined all those years ago, I have time and again encountered the idea of friendship. Never, though, could I accept it fully. How could I? In my wandering youth, I befriended and healed countless humans, D-bees, and even once a Splugorth Fiend. In each instance (Save, ironically, the Splugorth) that healing and friendship was rewarded with betrayal. Humans maintained friendships only so long as they thought I was aware of them. When my back was turned, orphaned children stole from my medical case. Frail old men sold my name to the armies that raged around me, in hopes of cashing in on the conscription bounty. Beautiful women... Well, let us not talk of women.
Did not He say "Love thy neighbour?"
Did He not martyr himself as I thought I was, countless times, in countless dimensions and aeons?
I have spoken with devout D-bees who have heard the whisper of God in even their far flung spaces. I have met men and women from my own time and place who scorn the light and embrace wickedness and Sin. They embrace what you too long to embrace, Damian. They embrace what we always knew the truth was. And yet... In the face of such unpredictability How can our words be doubted? In the face of such a history of betrayal
What room have we for "friends?!!!"
Certainly not abreast of synthetics and children. Certainly not with terrifying beauty, or even with that well meaning ugliness that has come to endear himself to me...
Certainly not with Mechs and Mercenaries.
And yet...
What if, in this moment, their words are genuine?
What if friendship is something that can again find its way to my weary, world hardened mind?
It cannot. You do not need friends, Damian.
Yet... what I once was calls to me, Sin. The children and the yokel... they remind me of innocence.
Your innocence died long ago. Sin is all that is left, our dearest Damian.
We have us. That is all we will ever need in this world... Or the next.
Did not He say "Love thy neighbour?"
Did He not martyr himself as I thought I was, countless times, in countless dimensions and aeons?
I have spoken with devout D-bees who have heard the whisper of God in even their far flung spaces. I have met men and women from my own time and place who scorn the light and embrace wickedness and Sin. They embrace what you too long to embrace, Damian. They embrace what we always knew the truth was. And yet... In the face of such unpredictability How can our words be doubted? In the face of such a history of betrayal
What room have we for "friends?!!!"
Certainly not abreast of synthetics and children. Certainly not with terrifying beauty, or even with that well meaning ugliness that has come to endear himself to me...
Certainly not with Mechs and Mercenaries.
And yet...
What if, in this moment, their words are genuine?
What if friendship is something that can again find its way to my weary, world hardened mind?
It cannot. You do not need friends, Damian.
Yet... what I once was calls to me, Sin. The children and the yokel... they remind me of innocence.
Your innocence died long ago. Sin is all that is left, our dearest Damian.
We have us. That is all we will ever need in this world... Or the next.