"So why Lucky, anyway?"

"...how do you mean." It isn't a question, really.

"The name. You picked it, obviously, after the fact. I mean, right? You weren't... born with it."

"Technically, I wasn't born, in any sense of the word, but to answer your question, no. Lucky is not a name historically associated with me outside of my inner circle."

"So why? Why Lucky?"

"For the record, Kota, if this is some long-con designed for you to heckle me for choosing a canine-esque name, the rest of the evening will not be particularly pleasant for you."

"Jesus, you're still bitter about that, aren't you? Goddamn childish entity--"

"There's no deep, philosophical meaning behind it. Sorry to disappoint, I suppose, but I chose the name because I thought I needed it."

"Needed it?"

"Luck. I felt that I was, intrinsically, lacking in any sort of good fortune by virtue of simply being what I am. The name is, in and of itself, my good luck charm. Has been for the last century or so." A pause. "Although, in light of recent events, it's more ironic than anything else."

"That's... sadder than I was expecting."

But Lucky's hardly listening now.

"Perhaps I'm due for a change."

"What? You wanna change your name?"

"Strictly speaking it isn't my name. I don't have one, not the way you humans do. I am a force of the universe condensed into a corporal form; I've no need of any real label beyond that. But - I enjoy the familiarity of it. Of feeling like I exist here, in the moment, and not in some tangential, nebulous way."

"Alright... but. I dunno. I wouldn't wanna call you anything else."

"You've grown sentimental?"

"I wouldn't say that. But it'd be strange to suddenly switch to something else with you at this point."

"Sentimental, then."

"Hell. You wanna call it that, fine, whatever. Go for it. I'm used to it, I don't wanna change all of a sudden just because you're fickle."

"I'd hardly say I'm fickle when I've kept the name for the better part of a hundred years."

"Yeah, but with you a hundred years is like a blink, isn't it? You being immortal and all."

"Immortal? Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Lucky. I watched you get shot - and then walk away like it was nothing. You can't die."

"I feel somewhat insulted and in turn also flattered that you think so highly of me."

"You feeling flattered still if I tell you I wanna throw my fist into your face about now?"

"Hilarious. But you're wrong, Kota. I'm not immortal. I may have said that, before, now that I think about it, but I was likely posturing--"

"Wait, you do that?"

"--and in any case, it's wholly untrue. I can be killed. Perhaps not by any paltry, mortal means, but... well. You've seen what I can do to myself."

"Oh. I mean... you recovered, though, so I thought..."

"Yes. My ability to heal is, objectively speaking, rather extraordinary. But not infallible. There may come a day when..."

"..."

"Never mind that."

"Right. Never mind."

"You can address me however you'd like, Kota. Continue using Lucky, by all means. I find it soothing to some degree, though mostly when I'm in the company of Luke and the others."

"Did they choose their names?"

"Some. Many of them bear names I've cast off."

"Like... like Cain? As in Cain from the Bible Cain?"

"Ah, no, not quite. It's in reference to the original Cain, yes, but there was a time when Cain was merely an insult, a way to denote evil in another human being. And as I enforce chaos - and by extension, evil, though I loathe the black-and-white view on the subject - it gradually became connected to me as a whole."

"Shit. No wonder he's testy, with a name like that."

"He's fond of it, as I recall."

"'Course he his, the little bastard..."

"Luke settled on the name of his own volition. He... liked it. He'd gone centuries without one, and then suddenly decided to be Luke."

"That... sounds like him. Don't know him all that well still, but... yeah. I can see that."

Another pause. Then:

"Is that all?"

"Huh?"

"Are you satisfied with my answer? Because I'm apparently needed elsewhere."

"Apparently? What-- oh. Hey, Luke."

"I'm afraid the growling doesn't have the impact it once did, Luke. You're better off ignoring him."

"Lucky, what the hell--"

"I'll be off then, Kota; don't get yourself killed in my absence, please."

"...and he's gone. Asshole."