#but lucien is my canonical chooses evil / gives in to the urge

[wasntfaira]

❛ you stick out like a sore thumb , standing still like that ; REAL FAWN KNOW TO RUN. ❜ from him , or from people in general ? everyone was a potential hunter to wildlife -- better safe than dead. but the thoughts in his mind weren't exactly comforting to anyone but himself , even with the source unknown ; perhaps the fawn should be afraid. ❛ so. are we talking , or fighting ? ❜ ▐ @refabled / sc.

[the-sparrow-sings]

So I'm playing Fable 2 again and I'm making my new Sparrow everyone's porblem.

(Under cut so I don't clog everyone's dash)

She's essentially the same as my Classic Sparrow (murder girl raised as a living weapon, generally a Hero but becoming corrupted by the choices she feels forced to make and the weight of her responsibility), BUT with two differences.

New Sparrow was a born Villain. I've decided to headcanon that in THIS version of the Fable Universe, Archon Blooded Siblings are always a Hero and a Villain; the level of Hero/Villain each of them are varies, but that's what I decided to go with.

Now, Rose in this AU would have been a Heroic Hero, but Sparrow was a born villain - she has a darkness inside of her (inspired by the Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge) that gives her a proclivity for darker things, which is why she engages with The Temple of Shadows, but she isn't willing to go as far as to annihilate Oakfield - at least not that early in her journey. She learns after going back to Bowerstone for the first time in a decade that she has a hefty desire for praise, thus she indulges in all the pageantry of heroism, while feeding her darkest desires as privately as she can.

She met her husband in Westcliff; initially she planned to just use Lez to open the Oakfield Demon Door and then Sacrifice him to the Shadows, but he grew on her during the journey from Westcliff to Oakfield (the male Thug voice model says "Woof Woof" if you praise the dog in front of him, and for that reason he lives lol) and she decided to keep him around. They have a daughter together, Libby, who inherited Sparrow's evil and her father's aggression. She visits them often, and was a doting mother while Libby was a baby. She loved that she could come home covered in blood and he would not only not run in fear, but be incredibly attracted to her. (One of his sex lines is "Big and strong, just how I like 'em!" which is great, because I had Accuracy and Physique almost maxed out before she even went to the spire. Lez knows what he's ABOUT.)

It's actually her family that inspires Sparrow to start buying up properties and businesses to build an empire; she wants her family to want for nothing. (1000 gold upkeep!)

In The Spire, she discovers that she can indulge her sadomasochistic tendencies and be rewarded for it. Were it not for her intense drive to destroy Lucien, she may have turned on Garth to remain there - she had genuinely bonded with The Commandant (having been raised by Theresa essentially as a vengeance fueled living weapon, this Sparrow was well suited to Spire life).

After the Spire, the first thing she does is reunite with her family; obviously Libby has grown. She remains a doting mother right up until Lucien murders her family.

After defeating Lucien, Sparrow chooses to wish her family back, mostly because she cannot live without her dog...but she never visits her husband and daughter again.

She hopes the world will forget that they exist. If her enemies believe she doesn't care about them, maybe this time they will be safe. (She maintains their upkeep in secret).

This Sparrow turns to Reaver for solace and companionship in much the same way my OG Sparrow does, with the added caveat of him being one of the few people aware that her original husband and daughter are still alive. This extends to Sparrow taking up Reaver's offer to help her become immortal, like him (which "sadly", due to Theresa's interference, does not stick).

For Libby's role in the extended Lore, she grows up jaded and angry - she learns that her mother isn't dead like her father claimed; in fact, she's the queen of fucking Albion. Libby eventually becomes a Bandit Queen in her own right, a fully Villainous Hero.

Now, canonically, since Fable 3 takes place 50 years after Fable 2, Sparrow has to be between 50 and 60 years old when Logan and the HoBW are born (which is part of why I headcanon that she extended her life like Reaver did), while she was 18 when Libby was born. As such, Libby is considerably older than Logan. If Logan was 25 during the events of Fable 3, Libby is 35 years older than him, and is 60 during that timeline.

I like the idea of Logan meeting Libby shortly after Sparrow's death, fighting her as the new King of Albion VS The Bandit Queen, and not realizing that she's his sister until she's forced to use her will abilities to fight him, and she volunteers the information by way of telling him that he "is the spitting image of Mother." Covertly, Libby assists Logan in his eradication of the Trolls.

In this, Logan is actually the one of the siblings born to be a Heroic Hero, meanwhile his sisters, Libby and Olivia (my HoBW) are Villainous Heroes like their mother. (Libby also clocks immediately that Olivia is Reaver's daughter - Libby does not meet Olivia, but bullies Logan relentlessly about their father being fucking Reaver)

[sharinluna]

MLQC Chapter 18 Part B Translation

DO NOT COPY, QUOTE, REPOST OR REBLOG THIS ANYWHERE. Links are okay but I don’t want this post to spread too much in other communities or websites.

This is not a full translation, only some parts. It’s more like a abbreviation/summary/paraphrasing of some parts of the story. Do not ask me to translate more or reveal more plots in the story.

The translation is based on KR version text. I’m not a professional translator and get things wrong. So do not regard this as the actual canon story.

I used Yōurán as the name of MC because that is the unofficial default MC’s name in CN version.

READ THE PREVIOUS TRANSLATIONS otherwise you won’t understand a thing. Search mlqc translations and they will pop up.

**********************

According to “me”, the world would come to an end six days later.

I went upstairs to the attic. I saw Victor leaning on a dusty wall, asleep. He looked so forlorn like this. His shirt was wrinkled and he held the glass cup from yesterday. The broken pieces were patched up together. Even though he was sleeping, he was holding onto it lest it broke again.

I felt like choking up as I sat down next to him quietly. I noted that he lost so many weights. There were dark shadows under his eyes and he looked haggard. He didn’t look like Victor at all.

He said he would find my previous self, but didn’t he know that he was also losing his self? The previous Victor was always confident and austere. He would never let anything get to him like this. “Victor” was not supposed to hide in the attic like this, scrunched up and clutching a broken glass…

This was wrong. If I l weren’t such a wreck, he would never have to go through such hardships

I took hold of his hand, and then a vision came before my eyes.

I saw a single streak of tear running down his face.

I saw his trembling hands and pained eyes.

I saw pale light behind him, like the world was ending.

Victor was still asleep. Despair and hopelessness could be seen in his face, like he was afraid that his worst nightmare would come true. I turned around and bit my knuckles hard to stop from crying.

I knew right then and there what I had to do. What decisions I must face.

It’s easy to figure out what’s right and wrong when we are talking about someone else. But when it comes to oneself, selfishness gets in the way. In the end, everyone is inclined to choose themselves over the world.

Someone close to me was faced with a calamity, someone else went missing. Someone gave up their faith. And many more became lost with no place to rely on.

I cannot, and will not escape my fate. I will not excuse myself with cowardly words and weakness.

I wasn’t trying to be heroic, I just wanted to protect everyone I cared about. Sometimes, people are faced in a situation where you can’t really choose anything else. No matter how reluctant, or unwilling I felt, I cannot turn my back on this. If peace would come with my sacrifice… then that’s what I truly wanted.

Victor opened his eyes, saw me and slowly raised himself up.

Victor: How did you get in here?

Yōurán: I found my previous self again…

I smiled at him.

Yōurán: Victor, you’re right. Tomorrow is going to be a better day. I was such a mess last night, I’m sorry! I pulled myself together now. I won’t be like that again, I promise.

Victor handed me the cup and stood up.

Victor: I know what you’re worried about. Don’t underestimate yourself, and don’t underestimate me.

Standing in the sunlight, he looked so strong and majestic. This was what Victor was supposed to be like.

I mouthed the word “thank you” at his back. Victor, you have no idea that you gave me the courage to walk toward the right path. I will never regret the choice I made today. This time, I will take full responsibility and save everyone.

*****************************

There was so much to do during the last days of my life.

I came to my deserted office and stroked the plants on my desk. The post it notes next to the desktop computer seemed to urge me to get to work right away. I took them off one by one. Then I wrote the name of every colleague who worked with me.

Anna who was always with me since the beginning, Kiki, always cheerful about everything, Willow, who’s enthusiasm was admirable. Minor, clumsy but endearing… I wrote a letter to each and every one of them and looked around my office for one last time.

After I exited the office building, I went into the nearest store. As I held on to a bag of chips, I wondered if another pair of hands would grab at them too, just like that day. I would turn around and my eyes would meet a pair of eyes that held all the light in the world.

Yōurán: This time, the chips are mine, Kiro.

I whispered as I bought all chips that was left on the shelf, except one bag of chips with a picture of batman on the cover.

Yōurán: But I will leave this one especially for you. Don’t try to take mine when you come back.

Then I went to the orphanage. Despite the world being in turmoil, the children’s smiles were still innocent and carefree. I handed out the chips to them.

Yōurán: Your favorite superstar Kiro asked me to give you these. Keep this a secret between us, but he told me to tell you that everything will soon get better. That there’s no need to be afraid.

The children put their fingers to their lips with wide eyes and vowed to keep the secret. When I was about to leave, a girl grabbed onto my clothes shyly.

Girl: Will you come back soon? No one has visited us for a long time…

I stroked the girl’s head gently, plastering a smile to keep the tears from falling.

Yōurán: When everything becomes normal again, I will come and see you, I promise.

After that lie, I went to Loveland High school. There was no one on the campus. I went to the familiar piano room.

I opened the piano cover and played a melody that connected me and Gavin. If I looked up, maybe I would see gingko leaves dancing in the winds outside the window.

But all melodies, no matter how sweet, must come to an end.

Yōurán: Gavin, it seems that this time, I’m the one who’s leaving you for a change. I hope this is the last farewell between us…

After that, my footsteps took me to the park.

“You know, even if the end of the world did come, it would never come in summer.”

How wrong I was back then…

I walked around the park until I saw a stand selling kites. An old man was drawing pictures on them.

Old man: What picture do you want, Miss?

Yōurán: Not pictures… but I’d like the words “All goes well.” written on them.

Old man: Very well. A simple but powerful wish.

He wrote the worlds with graceful calligraphy.

I took the kite and went to that place underneath the camphor tree. I saw a boy sitting alone under the tree. He looked like the loneliest boy in the world. I sat down next to him.

Yōurán: Were you talking to that cat that just passed by?

Boy: Cats can’t understand people.

He spoke with his head down. I smiled.

Yōurán: Here. Take this.

Boy: Why?

Yōurán: For… telling me that animals can’t talk with people.

He slowly took the kite from my hands and muttered a thank you. I stood up and said goodbye to him.

Boy: Aren’t you going to fly the kite?

Yōurán: It’s not spring anymore. I’ll fly it next spring.

I walked away. Lucien and I promised each other that we would fly kites next spring. It saddened me a little that I would never see another spring in my life.

Lastly, I went to the place where I used to live with my dad. On the walls I could see the marks showing how much I grew every year. I stroked then gingerly.

Yōurán: Dad, we will meet again soon…

Nothing can last forever. But at this moment I felt like I had everything. I felt free, brave and confident.

Yes, it was time to say goodbye to my past and move on. To keep walking forward without turning back…

***********************************

Victor and I watched helplessly as all the people infected with the virus turned into thoughtless mobs and slaughtered each other on instinct.

??: This is the true face of humanity. Everyone will deceive you and betray you, but not me.

Yōurán: Who the hell are you?!

??: Like I’ve been saying, I am you. There’s no need to be afraid. I won’t hurt you, because you are me. We are one and the same.

??: I know you made your choice. I’m proud of you. But you don’t really want to die for them, don’t you? I will erase them and claim you on my side again. If they are all gone and we are alone, no one will hurt us ever again. You agree with me, right?

Yōurán: What do you mean?

??: I’m not going to hurt you. I already experienced all the pains that you’ve gone through. At first, I chose to sacrifice myself like you. But no one thanked me or remembered me. They even took my sacrifice as granted. The human race continued to slaughter each other for greed.

Her face revealed endless sorrow, and I could feel her emotions as if it were mine.

??: That’s when I realized that love and trust is nothing more than a delusion. This world doesn’t deserve to be saved. Humankind is evil. I know you don’t believe me. But I wanted you to know that killing them off is they only way to end your pain.

Victor suddenly smirked and looked at her, the another me.

Victor: You are not her. And you can never be her. You may look the same, but your eyes are so different.

??: It doesn’t matter. We will be the same now.

The soldiers started to fire their guns at her. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest like I was shot too. I could feel her pain and hurt as if it were mine as well.

When they seized fire, she stood up. The bullets did nothing to stop her.

??: It quite hurt a lot back there, right? Now do you see that we are one and the same?

Yōurán: No, you can never be me, and I can never be you. Maybe some people are so evil that they don’t deserve to be saved, but you have no right to decide that. We have the law for that.

Yōurán: Yes, I feel hurt and betrayal, but that’s because I love them. The love that came from the people you hate. You are not me, so you can never understand that. You should atone for what you did.

??: Really, and you think my atonement has nothing to do with you? Well, then I’ll start now. It’s going to hurt, but bear with me.

I felt excruciating pain taking all over my body. I could feel her triumph seeping inside my head.

??: I’m going to make you return back inside me now, then I’m going to kill every single human on this earth.

I felt her pain, her cries when we were strapped to the med table, when we experienced the car crash, when we bled together…

She was me. Everything I went through, she did too, and vice versa. Her pain and thoughts were mine as well.

I grabbed on to Victor’s hand.

Yōurán: Victor. I have an idea. It will save everyone. You have to kill me.

Victor: No!

Yōurán: She’s trying to take control of my body. When she does that, nothing can stop her!

I tried to smile reassuringly.

Yōurán: Don’t worry. I’ll survive. You know how stubborn my life is. I faced death many times but I outlived all of them. I will do it this time too. Don’t make me turn into her, please?

Victor: Don’t even think about it!

Yōurán: But this is the future I saw! You can’t change that now!

I finally spoke out what I saw in my vision on the attic that day. In my visions Victor was the one who was ending my life. And my visions always came true.

Please do it, Victor, so that the beautiful future can come, so that the people I love can go on living…

Yōurán: All your life, you were always the winner, right? Well, this time you have to lose. You always told me I was a fool, but I don’t want to be one anymore. I’m going to win this time.

I forced myself to say this as I felt fire burning inside my heart.

Yōurán: Victor, promise me that you won’t be alone. The pain is becoming too much. Please kill me before it’s too late…

Soon, everything will go back to normal. She won’t be able to kill everyone on earth. They will keep on living. I would meet my dad again.

I finally understood that this was a cycle that I couldn’t break out of. There was a reason everything felt so familiar. I have went through this countless times already.

I saw Victor crossing the timelines repeatedly. I saw him throw the pocket watch to the ground and turn back time again.

I saw white light spreading behind him.

Victor: Yōurán, I will never admit that I lost. I am always going to be the one who wins in the end. And I will do what I said I would without fail.

With trembling hands he held a knife. A streak of tear flowed from his eye.

Yōurán: Victor, please don’t forget me…

It wasn’t death that was so painful after all…

As I let go of my life, I thought I heard him say these words.

Victor: I will find you, wherever you are in time and space.

****************************

Happiness was in everyone’s faces. The theme park opened again, and the schools resumed their semester. It was a beautiful world without me.

I turned around and saw another me in another world.

“If I were still a little kid, I definitely wouldn’t let you have the last bag of chips.”

“You should watch yourself. Someone can’t come to your rescue every time.”

“Lucien? What do you want with him?”

“Surprised? You probably thought I would be in a jail rather than a police station, right?”

A single drop of tear fell from my eyes.

*****************************

It’s revealed in this chapter that the story thus far is a time loop. MC chose to die for the world many times and after her death another MC is born in a parallel world and repeats the cycle of chapters 1-18.

The dark MC (aka Black Queen) is MC from a parallel world who sacrificed herself to save the world just like this MC did. But according to her, everyone forgot her and took her sacrifice for granted. Feeling betrayed, she plans to kill everyone except MC as a revenge.

Meanwhile, Victor vows that he will find her, turning back time again.

Whenever I read chapter 18 I am reminded of a quote from Harry Potter book 6.

It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world.

How you choose is just as important as what you choose. Yōurán chose sacrifice, but she didn’t do it because she was pushed into it out of despair or as a suicide attempt. Her choice is based on her belief and her love for the humanity. That makes her a hero in my eyes rather than a scapegoat.

Thank you all for reading my translations. I skipped out a lot of parts and paraphrased the sentences quite a lot. So I recommend that you regard the official EN translated chapters when they are updated as canon. I just wanted to let you get a glimpse of what’s to come.

I will continue to make more analysis posts, various translations, and miscellaneous others, but chapter translations are going to be on hiatus. When Elex updates chapters 15-18 on EN server, I will continue the future chapter translations starting from chapter 19.

I will end this post with chapters 19+ PV.

Brace yourself for the cold everyone, for winter is coming.