villainy commenced [[1x1 w/ the-nug-king & hexspecs!]]

[grey matter]

Well, now Lucas knew that he was definitely staying at the Academy unless Three betrayed him, which didn't seem like a very Three thing to do. "Hmmm. Well, in general, it might be better for you if she isn't present, so dead would be a good thing I think... but by your own hand... I never liked the idea of family killing family but I've started to warm up to it... oddly enough. Besides, if you want DarkBoard safe... you're probably gonna have to. So, in the end, it's a yes. Do you think you should?"

[the-nug-king]

They sighed. "I do, yes. Do you think she deserves to die?"

[grey matter]

"I don't know everything about her. I mean... I've always been bad with death thoughts, like... I don't know if I have the right to say? I barely know her, and... well... I mean, if I had more information I'd have more of an opinion, but at this point, I don't even think I'm allowed to know. Gut tells me it's a maybe, since... I get similar vibes from her and my parents... And the thing about my parents is I want them to be proud of me, but I also know they... they aren't good people? I mean, they're villains, of course they aren't good but... I think you might know what I mean? Maybe? It's another one of those things that's hard to explain," he said, his inner thoughts jumbling about. "What about you? Do you think she deserves to? Are you ready for when she does?"

[the-nug-king]

"I don't know. I've never thought too much about what people deserve. As I told you, I am a tool. I kill when instructed. I don't know if anyone truly deserves death. I do know that Maedryn has killed billions, and is in no way finished, and the multiverse would likely be better off without her. I believe myself able to kill her, and I doubt I am ready for the consequences. What will you do after this?"

[grey matter]

"Stick with you. I refuse to abandon my... companion? Sure, I'm going with that for now. Oh, and I've gotten an epiphany on plants and it finally seems like I've found something that really, really, really interests me. But I won't be binge-working on it because I need a decent work-life balance or whatever and that means you're part of that life part. Anyways, I'm gonna grow, breed, and learn to use poisonous plants, with the help of my robotics knowledge, and make drinks that sing the song of death... or death soup. Something. Either that or I am going to cause mild organ failure or general stomach aches. Something. But mad botany has called to me... despite how stupid it sounds. If I can't kill anyone directly... I've ought to learn how to do it somehow for when it's necessary. Hmm... are you going to like... I dunno, try to explore what you like? What you want?"

[the-nug-king]

"Oh. Well. Thank you. I don't wish to be anything more than I am, only to choose who I serve. Besides, I still have my security duties and my summer reading list to get through. I don't have time to explore anything else. Do you want to be a villain? Or would you rather grow, I don't know, some kind of good plants?"

[grey matter]

"Want... hmmm. I dunno still. I'm... considering it. I've already got full-on fantasies of dinner parties where I manage to kill the entire crowd then fake my own disappearance and then just keep doing that... but that's saying I even have a motive to kill. I think I'm too... too... too... something, to be a full-on villain. Maybe an anti-villain of sorts at my most evil, bad intentions but relatively ethical methods, and friendships on the side of darkness, and not to mention the fact that I will undoubtedly get attached to my plants. At my least evil, I'm just a science nerd who is loyal to his friends and his plants and his obligations and mayyybe his parents but that is growing less and less likely the longer I have to hide myself from them. Really, I can't be 'good' in the typical sense because I'm already darkened and there are many things on the side of evil I enjoy, somehow, but I can't be full-on evil because I'm far too nice to those I care about, not to mention too trusting, and- I've gone on far too long about this. Sorry." He shook his head. "Uh...Who- who would you be quote-unquote serving after all this? Yourself?"

[the-nug-king]

"It's fine. I believe you could make an excellent anti-villain. Although you certainly are too trusting. I'll continue to serve DarkBoard and Professor Ulik. Why would I serve myself? That's not your question, unless you really want it to be. Hmm. If you were offered the absolute best resources and mentorship from a passionate and incredible botanist, given the ability to work with the rarest of plants, but all at a price, how much would you sacrifice to do that?"

[grey matter]

"Thaaaaaat is a very hard question. Hoo boy. Uh. Lemme answer the former first, just because... Well, for one, you could be more of your own person, define yourself a bit more, y'know? But... I suppose you could do both, in a sense. ANyways. Uhhhhh. Uhhhh. I really don't want to sacrifice contact with you... and I think I'd be able to sacrifice my parents' proudness of me in those moments, because, at least to keep contact with you, I would keep on the anti-villainy path on the side... even if my intentions are discovered... If I could play my cards and my pieces and my words right, it could work out perfectly if I orchestrate it all. I could have everything I desire... but plants are really cool... and, despite it being, y'know, villainy, somehow, in a strange sense, it's... been nurturing? At least, to certain elements, like learning. It's allowed me to think outside the typical boxes and into new ones and everything. Thank goodness this is rhetorical, because I do not think my abilities or passion could manage to get me into that kind of situation. You're really good at making me think, Three. What kind of person do you aim to be, if you aim at all and you don't just aimlessly shoot with the winds of change?"

[the-nug-king]

"I don't aim to be any kind of person. Only to protect and serve the people I care about, and make them the happiest I can." They paused in their work at the access panel. "My last question was not, in fact, quite that rhetorical. As for the next... Were you aware that Maedryn is a renowned botanist? Her fortress' gardens and groves stretch for miles."