CYOA - W3

[afflictionmods]

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

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[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.

[fabulation]

Alright.

[ He says this, while being like :unsure: inside, but you know what, this is fine. ]

Well, no. This place isn't our home.

But my next question is, right now? Where are we, exactly?

[afflictionmods]

[Of course it's fine. Hasn't this entire circus been fine?]

You're inside.

[Which is a very helpful answer!]

But I don't - I don't - I don't know if you'll be inside for long. Or will you fall out?

[fabulation]

[ This has been a disorienting, strange experience.

So there is a moment where he goes quiet, but fortunately despite his time over at the museum, Xingqiu is a relatively calm person—more patient than most people can be, in certain circumstances. ]

I don't know either. It's hard to tell, isn't it?

[ ... ]

What is your purpose? What is the meaning behind all of this—being inside, that is?

[afflictionmods]

[It is. It is hard. She nods jerkily, but Xingqiu's calmness seems to be helping her relax.]

I'm... We're here to help you fit in.

[She takes a breath.]

You don't work the way this world works.

[fabulation]

[ That's...something. At the very least, Xingqiu will count it as progress (?) of some sort.

Though, the words are strange nonetheless and the way this conversation is going doesn't follow a linear kind of logic. ]

No, we don't. Though, the easiest answer for that is because we don't come from here. But, I imagine you might understand that.

[ He can't truly tell what she does or doesn't understand at times. ]

How are you to help us fit in this world, exactly?

[afflictionmods]

[Does she? Does she not?]

We can replace you. With the right version.

[:worry:]

[fabulation]

[ Debatable, from where HE'S standing, or perhaps not so much. ]

That's your idea of making us fit in? If you ask me, I'd have to say your idea isn't very...original.

[ Hah. Original.

That was a good one. ]

[afflictionmods]

[:worry:]

It's not my idea! I think. I don't know... All I know is it has to be true.

[fabulation]

[ Look, that was a good pun. No one can judge him for it!!

It is just too bad she could not see the humor in it. Alas, anyway... ]

So you're just certain this is a fact? Well, what else do you know is 'true'? As in...how this world works, exactly?

[afflictionmods]

[Everyone can judge him for it!]

You don't know? Can't you...

Can't you feel it? Everything going on around you?