[Video]

[oncedevil]

Saaaay, I know I've been pretty quiet lately but with all the garbage between the doppelgangers and everything I kinda needed a break, you know? Anyway, has anyone seen a sword wandering around?

Y'know, big, metal, sharp, has skulls on the handle?

[He holds up a rough sketch of this for the camera.]

Darn thing just up and left, who would've thought? And I already checked the refrigerator so don't even ask. Apparently that's where we're keeping swords these days.

[He puts on a slightly disapproving frown, but at this point it's fruitless to argue it.]

Comments

[stefanged]

Not religious, huh? [Stefan's expression suddenly turns sympathetic.] I can't blame you. Hell, I'm not actually Christian myself.

I just... I do a lot of interfaith work, so I kinda work at a bunch of religious spots. The church, one of the synagogues, even a couple of mosques. [He pauses, as if thinking about something] Though I guess our actual office is "neutral."

[oncedevil]

[Oh-oh! An out, yes good.] Yeah, that's right. You're not?

[That's actually a relief.]

Interfaith? Can't say I'm too familiar with that kind of thing. What d'you mean 'neutral'?

[Maybe it would be safe after all.]

[stefanged]

Nah, I'm Muslim.

[A few months ago, he would've hesitated, because a] hate crimes and b] Islamophobia, but compared to the Numbered crap he's experienced, it's... not as bad as it used to be.]

So, interfaith's about celebrating religious diversity and "coming together." We collaborate on charity events and just general awareness of different faiths, so our main office isn't devoted to God. It can't, because that'd leave out a lot of people.

[oncedevil]

Really? That's cool, never actually met anyone who's Muslim before. That I know of anyway.

[Because yes, Islamophobia is a thing even though Tony doesn't get it in the least. Don't feel too bad, dude, he's been part of one of the other hated groups in the country: Homeless and poor.

That's not the case anymore thankfully but still.]

Hey, that sounds pretty awesome actually. Not what I imagined when you first mentioned church, sorry to say.

[stefanged]

[He laughs a little - mostly because he's not surprised. America's about 78% Christian.]

Most people don't, really. But, uh, thanks. Even if I don't find your sword right away, you're always welcome to drop by. There's always something going on.

[oncedevil]

[Very true, and of those who aren't particularly religious themselves it's unlikely they'll hear much about any other religions unless they go looking for it.]

I might check it out sometime, sure. What kinda things?

[stefanged]

It depends. Most of the time, it's free food, but there's religious services, weddings, speeches, talks... anything the community wants us to do, really.

[He's gotten scary good at planning vigils. Some perks of the job are great. Others, not so much.]

[oncedevil]

Free food you say?

[Though he doesn't need it as much anymore, the promise of food is often an effective way to entice Tony into... pretty much anything, really. First homeless, and now simply a bottomless pit due to an unnatural surge in his metabolism, kid's always going to be food motivated.

With all the trouble that's been happening lately, that's really not surprise.]

Huh, so you guys just provide services for the community. That's pretty cool. I'm curious though, what's their general standpoint on all this numbered business?

[stefanged]

Yeah.

[Stefan tenses a little, and he even avoids the camera, instead staring down at his feet.] It... it kind of depends on the place. My interfaith group's been really supportive, as well as the church I sometimes volunteer at, but you've got some fire and brimstone churches who think we're all going to Hell.

With my groups, I think their acceptance mostly comes from knowing me, and knowing that I'm Numbered. [Thanks, doppel-Stefan. He really wanted that cat out of the bag.]

[oncedevil]

Relax, I'm just curious. Can't hold other people's opinions against you even if they did hate us.

[It's just strange, to see the divide the Numbered cause among people. It's a strange and new thing, as Tony had never been a part of a "group" of any sort until all of this happened. He'd resisted for a while, but now... Now they were family, even if he didn't know them all.

Gotta stick together, right?] Pfeh, too late for that. [What does he mean by that? Moving on.] Besides, there's always someone ready to damn you to the fiery pits, what else is new?

They know? Really? You're brave.

[Color him impressed.]

[stefanged]

[Stefan has to chuckle at "too late." He's not sure what Tony means, but he's guessing something like fantasy books are sins or something.]

Not exactly "brave." My doppelganger, last month, tried to quit my job a lot. No one took him seriously, either.

[He sighs, rubbing his temple at the mere thought of this.] But since I'd never do that - or roast a pig in my front lawn - my co-workers got curious. So I had to tell them the truth.

[Or else he would've been branded The Worst Muslim Ever^TM.]

[oncedevil]

[Yes, absolutely, fantasy books. We'll go with that.]

...Shit. More doppelganger trouble? Those guys really know how to ruin things. What's their angle, anyway? It's like they go out of their way to ruin our lives.

[He does kind of snort a laugh at that though, worst Muslim ever indeed.]

Why... in your front lawn? Who does that?

[stefanged]

Wish I knew. With my doppelganger, he thought he was the "original." [A laughable thought, considering Stefan's a doppelganger himself. There really IS no Original, in this case.] It could be unconscious, since some of them think we stole their lives or something similar.

Frat boys, apparently. Frat boys and my doppelganger.

[oncedevil]

Y'know that's starting to seem like a common trend. [Hah, now talk about irony there.] Hm, maybe, even so. Right pain in the ass.

...Frat boys, of course.

[Welp. Inconvenient.]

[stefanged]

He's got it worse than me, I think. Hard to be a doppelganger of a doppelganger.

[Just a bit inconvenient, really.]

[oncedevil]

Wait, so you're a doppelganger to start?

[Huh.]

[stefanged]

Yeah. My "original's" name was Silas. [Silas was also a douchebag who drowned him, but details.]

As far as I know, though, I think I'm the only Numbered like this.

[oncedevil]

So... how did that work, was he a clone, or something else?

[How weird. Tony's had no indication to believe his own was a copy of any kind, but who knows at this rate.}

[stefanged]

Beats me. From what I remember, there's only supposed to be a doppelganger every 500 years, so maybe they just sped up the process for me.

[oncedevil]

Uh, why every 500 years? How would they even do that?

[There are so many questions he has and not nearly sufficient enough answers. Hold on maybe he should be taking notes?]

[stefanged]

Price for immortality, I think. Silas wanted to live forever, so he had to create a "shadow self" with a normal lifespan. There were potions involved?

My Other wasn't exactly around for the full story. [Theoretically, that should mean way more doppelgangers, but Stefan only knows of him and the "original."]

[oncedevil]

Alright... that doesn't make a bit of sense but I'll take your word for it.

[Too much to try to wrap his head around thanks.]

Right, makes sense I guess. Sorta... naw none of it makes sense sorry, dude.