ValleyShrike

This idea was inspired by V!Legundo ’s finale and a bit of Paranorman mainly the scene with Norman and Agatha as a possible lean up to an bad ending :) plus I can added a bit of Trustbites

I was thinking that is at some point that for Louis realized not only there’s a low chance that the humans would except the whole possessed doctor thing, but to fully take over Legundo needs to relinquish himself to him (whatever that means technically the doctor die or the two merging together is kinda up to interpretation)

But basically Louis came to this realization and he needs something to allow him to kill two birds with one stone without causing anyone harm.

Leading to the realization that he just needs to talk to the doctor, After all since he is possessing his body, it is important for him to get the help of the person that he’s inside of and he got access to all his memories so one day he decides to talk to the doctor and convince his point of view while they’re alone. (Prob at the place where Scott and Cleo told Legundo the plan for everyone to leave in canon.) and then went deep inside Legundo’s head

Obviously Legundo initially doesn’t trust him, hell he was upset at him! He took his life! Got Owen to turn him against his will! And now he want to talk and hear his thoughts?! After everything he had done?! But despite the anger, slowly and steadily Louis manage to dismantle each argument that Legundo got, every wall of resistance and doubts. Lowering the Doctor’s guard more and more

After being in his body for so long, Louis knew which button to pushed and each scar that he can scrape off to making Legs poor heart bleed. Use that self sacrificing nature to his advantage. Legundo view himself as something worthless but to Louis the doctor is worth something and he is worth everything to reunite with Owen.

Sure, there’s some differences between the two, and maybe there’s some things Louis could’ve done better and he apologized for the distress he cause to Legundo. But they have a lot in common after all how else did Louis end up in his body by accident! (totally not on purpose), and they both wanted things to end as peacefully as possible. After witnessing Owens massacre the last thing Louis wanted is more blood spilled!

He knows about every little thing about Legundo. He knows about his past, his family, his life before all of this and the war. He knew about the crimes he committed; that the doctor is guilty about the town that he poisoned under the orders of his commanders! All 5,500 lives that were snuff out by his hands and that’s not including the 810 soldiers who are sent back to battle after the Legs healed them. after all Owen killed 2799 people in Oakhurst but that was as a result of madness, grief caused by the loss of his sire. Any fledgling will react like that when their connection to their sire was ripped apart that violently. Legs was sane, the doctor understand the implications of what he’s doing and yet did it anyway because a group of selfish men order him to do it and he got a medal for it. Anyone else would’ve called him a monster, nothing more than an bloodthirsty soldier, but Louis doesn’t see a monster, but someone who need help like Owen ;) someone who it’s not evil deep inside, but needed a guide to be better.

(I got a fun little piece of of dialogue where Legundo got a bit aggressive and distrustful. Maybe he try to fight or escape and then Louis scolded him

“At Ease, Dr. Legundo, I know that you’re better than that. Remember your oath.”

“Do no Harm.”

The oath was also automatic as if Louis pulled out of him.

“You’re not a soldier anymore. You’re a doctor and your job is to help people in need. And we both know that there’s people out there that need us.”)

And the doctor wants to help people right? He want to atone for his sins, right? Louis don’t want him to suffer for this. He’ll give the doctor what he wanted. Rest and the reassurance that no one here is going to die that they will get to leave town whatever as a vampire or as a human they’ll be safe.

All he asked for is to be with Owen. The man Legundo want to help most of all

Louis: Please, Doctor. I’ve been separated from Owen from far too long forced to witness him fall into madness without me and massacred everyone here. The only thing that keeps him from doing it again is me and you….you’re saving people by doing this. You doing good work, doc. You’re not causing any harm to anyone. but all I ask for you is to rest, let me help you for once

Of course there’s the question of the town folks they’re not gonna accept us. What if they end up attacking the vampires and Scott is still a big threat! So Louis reveal his plan, he’ll allow the Legundo to take control for one last time to tell the people that he’s fine that this is what he wanted and that Louis will do everything in his power to get them all out of here. As for Scott… Louis will keep an eye on him after all he knows people like Scott. He can easily make sure that he’s not gonna cause too much mischief and make sure he’ll would hurt anyone

One last thing before the Doctor could forever rest knowing that everyone will be okay. Sure there’s gonna be some sadness, but everyone will understand! He just doing his duty after all

And Legundo….

The Doctor is so tired. He kept on fighting at this for so long and yet he fail again and again. At this point it’s feels selfish. Owen was happy and Louis… despite his mistakes was doing everything he can to keep everyone safe. Maybe…Maybe he’ll do a better job than him. Maybe…it’s time for him to finally rest

In the mindscape they’re in, Louis comfort Legundo, brushing his head as the Doctor rest on him (Almost reminding Louis of when he turned Owen, the last days of his life when he was taking care of his beloved before the flames took away their future). And as Legs close his eyes, accepting his fate, Louis thank him

Louis: You’re the most selfless person I met, Legundo. just saved so many lives. Thank you Doctor, despite what you think of yourself. I believe you’re a good man.

When he comes back, Owen was worried for him, wondering if the doctor took over and made him run away, but he reassured him that it’s fine. He had a little chat with the doctor and they left with a compromise. He’ll take over one last time to talk to his friends, and after that no one will ever be in the way of their happily ever after again.

"The first fledgling, the lost cause."

He says he would rather be turned by Owen or Scott - this seems to come from a place of strategy more than anything (he worries a vampire's entire line all the way back to the primary sire would need to be taken out in order to be cured - if Cleo turns him, then Scott -> Pyro -> Cleo would all need to die for him to be cured, which we know isn't the case, but he didn't know that at the time)

This implies the Doc was open to the idea of being cured if he had become a vampire at some point earlier in the series, meaning there was a point at which the Doc was... less suicidal than he was in the later episodes. It's an oddly hopeful Doc, all things considered.

Cleo indicates that they are fully willing to die if Legs eventually wishes to be cured, and the Doc reiterates that he doesn't want to take that risk.

1. The FBI's Famous Cases & Criminals archive (fbi.gov/history/famous-cases) has detailed breakdowns of real fraud cases, Ponzi schemes, and confidence operations. The language they use is clinical and precise, which is perfect for getting the procedural details right.

2. The FTC Consumer Sentinel Network publishes annual reports on the most common fraud tactics in the US. Great for understanding how modern scams actually work and what makes people fall for them.

3. The Smithsonian's American Art Museum has a free digital collection of forgery case studies. If your character forges documents or art, this is gold.

4. Court Listener (courtlistener.com) is a free legal database where you can read actual court transcripts from fraud trials. Want to know how a real con artist talks under oath? This is where you find out.

5. The Internet Archive's collection of old newspaper crime sections. Search for "confidence man" or "swindle" in papers from the 1920s through 1960s and you'll find incredible real stories that would feel too dramatic for fiction.

Bonus: The Psychology of Fraud section on the Association for Psychological Science website has accessible articles about why people trust, how deception works cognitively, and what makes someone a convincing liar. Essential reading if you want your con artist characters to feel psychologically real.

This probably leads to Legs death as while Cleo was going to sacrifice themselves, letting legs take her place is an equivalent exchange of one monster for another. She mentions in her letter that his sacrifice makes her realise she can also be better.

It also should be pointed out both want to live, even if Legs has his weird self sacrifice stuff. His need to be useful often overules any attempt on his life, if he dies for no reason ( even by his own hand) then he has wasted his ability to be good. He needs to do as much good as possible, that even his death must be helpful. (Though this is legs, who needs to die for a cause, this potential could be cause of being a soldier as that's kinda the job, dying for home and country ect)

Cleo likewise really wants to live, she has just had the free agency for the first time in almost a century and the first thing she does is go find a vampire so she doesn't die from thrall withdrawal. She is also a person who throughout will do anything to make sure she lives, even to the cost of others. This is I'm direct contrast with legs who will do anything to help at the cost of himself( but never others, honestly Apo and Cleo share this self centered whatever it takes survival at the end but that is another topic)

The one thing they both share is being so assuredly convinced they are in the right/know best when it comes to town/other vampires even when they do not have all the info. One core fact of Cleo is they have like 0 interpersonal skills after a certain point (hence their absolute inability to see certain people's points of view) instead she lives in a very black and white world view due to her clinging to the code. She has been given free agency for the first time and is clinging to what she knows like a life raft.

Similarly legs kinda sees himself as above falling for the supposed vampire beliefs to begin with. He ignores evidence that contradicts his opinion/beliefs to begin with and only accepts when he has solid evidence. Even when he has been told Owen is violent and he has been attacked before he still tries to talk with him even when it's a danger to himself and one the dwindling town could take, he has it in his head that he can help Owen even when the man himself has told him he doesn't want it.

also,,,,, ok drift and avid aren't underappreciated but also people should appreciate them even more. because I love them. merp manor my merp manor.

goddddddddd drift and cleo…. I loved them so much in episode 5 back in the day and I think there’s so much to their dynamic….. the way cleo pushes drift towards the castle and then both trying to turn pearl and drift never acknowledging cleo laughing when she heard how avid died (iirc)…. there’s so much to chew on with them esp the stuff you mentioned

A few years, maybe a decade after the events of Oakhurst, when Pearl and Cleo had finally gotten the castle all set up and filled in the way they wanted…Pearl came back from a bat flight and asked Cleo if the castle and bridge would perhaps look better on the other side of the island.

Oh my god, no 😭