CYOA - W3

[afflictionmods]

ic date: friday, w3
ic time: 7pm - 10pm

Comments

[afflictionmods]

[The band doesn't rip when he tugs at it, and it's too tight to just slide off his wrist. Clearly he is stuck wearing this f o r e v e r.

The people are also very solid! And do seem to find it incredibly rude that he's just bumping into them.]

Hey! Watch it, kid.

[Almost made him spill his drink, smh.]

[fabulation]

Oh, my apologies.

[ He's not actually sorry, tho.

Anyone he'd recognize in the crowd, by the by? ]

[afflictionmods]

[There's a grumble, but they let it be for now. At least he apologized!

There's nobody he can see just yet, but it's a busy place and, well.

He's not very tall.

He seems to be standing at a crossroads, of sorts. In front of him is the Ferris wheel, to his right is the game alley, and to his left are the concession stands.]

[fabulation]

[ Hey.

WHAT ARE U TRYING TO SAY ABOUT HIS HEIGHT, BRUH.

Jokes aside, he will go check out the...ferris wheel first! What's going on here? Any long lines, etc? ]

[afflictionmods]

[♥

There's still a few people on the wheel itself, though most of them seem to be getting off when their gondola reaches the bottom, and only a few of the people mingling at the wheel seem to be getting on. Seems like these are not Peak Wheel Hours.]

[fabulation]

[ 9o9!!

Xingqiu will check it out PERSONALLY and get on the ferris wheel. Maybe he'll be able to see something inside one of the compartments? Or spot something of interest from the highest/a higher vantage point? ]

[afflictionmods]

[And just like that, he and Miach are ships passing in the night…

The trip to the top is slow with the way there’s a pause every time someone gets on or off the wheel, but eventually… He’ll be at the top of the wheel.

So he has plenty of time to check out the gondola! There are two benches facing each other, and there’s… not much in there, but it does seem like a kid forgot a toy in there, if he’d like to check that out.

Otherwise he has a nice, unobstructed view of the mall and campus, with no fog to hide anything.]

[fabulation]

[ He'll pick up the toy and see if it's worth any interest, but he will wait until it's done making its rounds, unaware he's even missed anyone at all.

Then, he will decide next to check out the concession stands after getting out of the ride. Anything of interest there? ]

[afflictionmods]

[The toy has been torn to shreds, so when he picks it up it just falls apart.

But that’s totally normal, right?

The stands seem to be the busiest part of the fair right now, and it’s easy to see why. There’s so many things on offer, from fair classics like corn dogs and frozen lemonade to things that… might be a bit more questionable, like deep fried cupcakes.

(Though he probably doesn’t know what a corn dog is?)

Still, the food smells good and there’s a lot of people milling around.]

[fabulation]

[ H m. Not strange or worrisome in the slightest...

Xingqiu squints at the deep fried cupcakes, but moves beyond some of the food available.

...Does anyone or anything look suspicious in this area, though? ]

[afflictionmods]

[There’s nothing that looks strange, but underneath the noise of the fair there’s something that seems out of place.

It sounds like someone is crying.]

[fabulation]

[ Alright, let's go!

Xingqiu heads on over to the source of the tears. Or at least tries to.

Where does it narrow it down to it, and who is it? ]

[afflictionmods]

[There's not many places to hide in a fair, but with perseverance and observational skills he will find a familiar girl behind one of the stands.

She has her arms wrapped around herself, and it looks like she's bracing for something as she cries openly.]

[fabulation]

[ Yeah, Xingqiu's observational skills and determination are top-notch!

He will hurry on over to what appears to be Miach, though he feels a little caught off-guard at the sight. Her general demeanor hasn't exactly spoken to being the type of woman who'd cry like this. In such a raw manner, that is.

Not exactly judgmental, but it does keep his head in the game, just in case. It isn't like he's being paranoid, just careful, taking in their surroundings as he nears her. ]

Excuse me.

[ His voice is soft, gentle as he comes around. ]

Can you tell me what happened?

[afflictionmods]

[As soon as Xingqiu speaks, Miach - or someone who looks very much like Miach - goes silent.

And I do mean silent. There's not even the sound of her breath, even as her chest heaves.]

...

[Slowly, her head turns to him, and she stares. There's something about her that's not quite right, even beyond her totally OOC behavior. There's something about the look on her face that is off, as if her features are right but they're also wrong, like she looks exactly like Miach while looking nothing like Miach.

Something in her chest rattles.]

Y-y-y-you...

[Her voice skips, and the rattling fades.]

[fabulation]

[ . . .

Xingqiu immediately tenses, because that's not exactly a normal reaction, and that's putting it very lightly. ]

What?

[ Does anything else happens as he continues to observe her? Or rather, what this thing appears to be? ]

[afflictionmods]

[You know, it's probably fair to be tense right now, considering the way Maybe Miach (Mayach) takes a step forward. She moves like a puppet with its strings being pulled, jerky and unnatural.]

You're perfect.

[Which is a totally normal thing to say!]

You're real... Y-y-you're real, aren't you?

[fabulation]

Please don't come any closer. My apologies, but I don't know your intentions for posing as someone else.

[ Xingqiu puts a distance between them, expression tempered with a calm as he carefully continues to evaluate the situation. ]

I am. Who are you supposed to be and why did you say I'm perfect?

[afflictionmods]

[She stops, body swaying.]

You're still together. You're still you. You're still real

[She raises a hand to her face, jerky and uncoordinated.]

You're the real one. Aren't you? Aren't you?

[fabulation]

I am.

[ ... ]

And who or what exactly are you supposed to be? Can you also tell me why there are fakes ones running around?

[ Xingqiu is keeping calm, but he is definitely on guard about this. ]

[afflictionmods]

I'm -

[There's a crackling noise and a high-pitched whine.

Miach coughs, shaking her head.]

I'm - I am who I a-a-am.

[Speaking seems to be something of a struggle, but she takes a moment to take several deep breaths.]

We want to be real. I think. I think....

[fabulation]

[ That explains literally nothing. It's fine. ]

...Why aren't you real, then? Did someone make you?

[ She sounds like a machine of some sort... ]

[afflictionmods]

No. Yes? No.

[Now you've just gone and confused her!]

I made myself.

[fabulation]

[ ...Well then. Not exactly his intention, but he'll just. Keep trying. ]

And can you tell me how you made yourself? I've never heard of anything like that being possible...

[afflictionmods]

It's - it's...

[Sorry, give her a moment.]

I had to. So I did it.

[She seems lost.]

Because you don't... You're real, but you don't fit here.