Work Text:
HUSSKE: secily. what dø yøu think it takes. tø be a gøød persøn.
Your name is SECILY IOPARA, and you've just been asked a very interesting question.
Visits to Eidolic Acres haven't been particularly common since your first time on the block, but that's just because you're a busy woman. Busy, busy, busy. Like a clock hand continuing to circle around its center, without end. That is, until the clock expires and is thrown into the sea with the rest of the garbage, but who's counting?
Leaning against a bale of hay, you stare off into the corny distance, eyes glazing over at the sight of so much vegetation. Husske themself is lying on their stomach on a bale of hay right next to you, legs dangling in the air as the two of you breathe in that fresh farm air.
There's a small silence that hangs in the air while your mind registers the question more carefully. Open-ended questions like these from open-minded souls like theirs deserve thorough answers.
SECILY: 1.e3 Well, a good person is— ...d5
HUSSKE: that isnt. what i asked. dummy.
Talk about going for the throat. They stop you right in your tracks and you're left staring dumbfounded at the seeming contradiction they've just presented. You shouldn't be surprised, they usually go for the throat, but this is less simple throat going and more like ripping out the jugular vein and chewing it before drizzling blood on your medium-well porterhouse steak.
SECILY: 2.f4 I'm not sure I follow. You were asking about being a good person. ...a6
HUSSKE: i never asked yøu. what a gøød persøn was.
HUSSKE: yøure døing that thing again. where yøu hear øne wørd. øut øf a whøle sentence. and assume yøu can fill in the blanks.
You run the question through your mind again, perfectly recalling each and every word's inflection and tone.
What do you think it takes. To be a good person?
You suppose there's some nuance to the question you hadn't accounted for.
Husske continues talking.
HUSSKE: dictiønary definitiøns are cøld. explanatiøns prøvided by thøse før søme reasøn deemed capable. øf making up what wørds mean.
HUSSKE: which is fine and all. when it cømes tø wørds like. full. ør wind.
HUSSKE: its hard tø argue. with the meanings set in place. før thøse cøncepts.
SECILY: 3.Nf3 They're scientifically objective, you mean. ...c5
SECILY: 4.d4 There isn't any sort of space for moral nuance when it comes to these very concrete ideas. ...e6
HUSSKE: sørt øf.
HUSSKE: its still. very much abøut perspective.
HUSSKE: like. fast. means tø møve at high speed.
HUSSKE: but what døes high speed mean. theres nø number. før high.
HUSSKE: is it 10 miles per høur. is it 50. is it 420.
SECILY: 5.Bd3 420 miles per hour certainly sounds like a high speed to me. Nf6
Husske gives you a funny look. The kind of look you give someone when they're unknowingly making a fool out of themselves. You don't bother to question them because you know opening that can of dirt noodles is going to take you down a very embarrassing path for you.
SECILY: 6.O-O Anyway. ...Nc6
HUSSKE: in the same vein. theres nø number før gøød.
HUSSKE: what a gøød persøn is døesnt matter tø me. ør anybødy here in the barn.
HUSSKE: because. tø make a philøsøphy før that. means putting yøur philøsøphy abøve everybødy elses. and i dønt think thats very fair. ør smart.
SECILY: 7.c3 So what do you want me to tell you? That there's no real way to tell what makes a good person? Tell you you're just asking me a trick question and leaving it at that? ...Be7
You're maybe acting a little defensive here, as you're more than prone to doing whenever someone calls you out on something. Fortunately, Husske isn't scared of you, as well they shouldn't be. You don't hurt children, and Husske especially is off-limits for you. Husske instead rolls their eyes like you're just being an absolute idiot right now.
SECILY: 8.Ne5 Don't give me that look, Husske, I don't have time for being "dunked on." ...O-O
HUSSKE: im asking yøu specifically. abøut what being a gøød persøn means. tø yøu.
HUSSKE: i dønt care. abøut what yøur cørpørate superiørs tell yøu. abøut being a gøød persøn.
HUSSKE: and i knøw. yøu dønt see eye tø eye with them.
HUSSKE: nøt anymøre.
SECILY: 9.Nd2 ... ...Qc7
Something twists in your gut at the accusation of you leeching your ideals off of Corporate. You've always been their upholder, sure, but with recent life events, you've found it hard to say in good faith that you agree with 100% of their policies and actions.
Which you guess is the point Husske is trying to make. You'll never understand how they've managed to become the person they are today, but you'll never be anything short of impressed.
SECILY: 10.Ndf3 Well, I think... ...Ne4
Husske doesn't stop you this time. You breathe a sigh of relief and resume your train of thought.
SECILY: 11.Qc2 I think that being a good person takes sacrifice, above all else. ...f5
SECILY: 12.Nxc6 It doesn't matter what you want. It doesn't matter how badly you want it. It can be one of the hardest things in your life to accomplish. ...bxc6
SECILY: 13.Ne5 Some might even say it's not worth it. ...Bd6
SECILY: 14.b3 I assume you're familiar with the concept of "survival of the fittest?" ...cxd4
HUSSKE: even if i wasnt. that søunds like a very self-explanatøry cøncept.
SECILY: 15.cxd4 Sharp. ...Bd7
SECILY: 16.Bd2 Sometimes, being a good person means you take the fall in the end. As the saying goes, you don't have to be a good person to be a hero. ...Bxe5
SECILY: 17.fxe5 If that means sacrificing being a good person, then, well. Qb6
SECILY: 18.Rac1 It's my job. ...h6
HUSSKE: sø. are yøu a gøød persøn. dø yøu think. ør are yøu a herø.
You wish you knew the answer to that.
Actually, no, you don't wish you knew the answer to that and that's your fucking problem. You haven't spared a single post-mortem thought about your actions in who knows how long? You don't consider yourself a good person or a hero. You're a chief regulator, which is what? You sure as hell don't know these days.
The only thing you do know is why you do the things you do, and every time you think about her you can't help but feel another ghostly pang of heartache that feels like it deconstructs your entire respiratory system, only to reconstruct it in half a second.
SECILY: 19.Bxe4 I stop people who need to be stopped from doing bad things. Do we need to put a label on it, do you think? ...fxe4
HUSSKE: i guess nøt necessarily.
HUSSKE: but the fact that yøu refuse tø answer. tells me all i need tø knøw.
SECILY: 20.Rxf8+ Why did you ask me in the first place, Husske? ...Rxf8
SECILY: 21.Qc5 What do you think I am? ...Qb5
You shouldn't place so much stock in what this kid thinks of you. For some reason, though, you can't help but wonder, no, almost hope for a certain answer. It's their turn to fall silent, but they don't avert your gaze when you look over to them. You can tell they don't think you're superior to them, despite the pins on your coat. They're gutsy. You like gutsy.
HUSSKE: i dønt knøw. its hard tø say. because ive ønly knøwn yøu. før a shørt while.
HUSSKE: i dønt knøw. if yøu want me. tø say sømething specific.
HUSSKE: sø i wønt lie tø yøu.
HUSSKE: i think. yøu cøuld be better. in a løt øf ways.
SECILY: 22.Qxb5 Flattering. Thank you for the vote of confidence, it's been duly noted. ...axb5
SECILY: 23.a4 I'm about to take my duly noted note down to the bank and cash it out. ...bxa4
HUSSKE: im nøt finished. dumb butt.
HUSSKE: yøure nøt perfect. i think yøu have a løt øf wørldviews. that are ultimately harmful.
HUSSKE: and again. whø decides whø is "unlawful." in this wørld. is there a number. før a justified death.
HUSSKE: i dønt think sø.
HUSSKE: but.
HUSSKE: yøu fight with a purpøse. a reasøning. beyønd mere viølence før viølences sake.
HUSSKE: an eye før an eye. is the rule øf the beasts. after all.
HUSSKE: yøu følløw rules. but alsø. yøu bend them if yøu think theyre wrøng.
HUSSKE: theres nø number. før wrøng rules. sø its a little shaky.
HUSSKE: but.
HUSSKE: i dønt think. yøure a bad persøn. necessarily.
HUSSKE: just a persøn. in a bad wørld.
SECILY: 24.bxa4 What's the difference? ...c5
You ask the question without thinking, but you don't retract it. You know the answer pretty well, but you want to hear what Husske has to say, which is a very rare occurrence. It simply goes to show how special they are.
HUSSKE: theres høpe før yøu.
HUSSKE: sømething tø keep in mind. i suppøse.
SECILY: 25.Rxc5 Sure. ...Bxa4 ½-½
The two of you watch the suns set over the horizon as you both diverge into your respective trains of thought. These periods of quiet introspection aren't unusual to you both, which you can appreciate. Sometimes you just like spending time with them without having to converse constantly. You've always been one to monologue to yourself internally, so it suits you perfectly.
Your name is SECILY IOPARA, CHIEF REGULATOR of REPITON CORPORATION, and you're not sure what you are beyond that name and title. There are the objective facts about you, of course. You have a deceased matesprit, a moirail and a kismesis. You're 6'3". Your sigil is talc.
But who are you from a nuanced standpoint? You guess you'll have to find out the hard way.
You've never liked doing things the easy way anyhow. Bring it on.