CYOA - W3

[afflictionmods]

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

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[undertakings]

[He narrows his eyes at this unnatural reaction, and finds himself on guard for whatever may come out of this encounter. He can't hear anything in this place, and he doesn't even know if he'd be able to detect this particular brand of strangeness, but they know Florence exists in this world. Other machines built in the the form of people wouldn't be so unusual.]

Is there a reason I shouldn't have?

[afflictionmods]

[This Xingqiu-adjacent person looks quite pleased, honestly. He's basically preening.]

All the others said I was the worst one, but you know it was me, so that means I'm perfect.

[Which isn't a reason at all, but he seems very, very pleased with himself.]

[undertakings]

[...

There's honestly a lot he could ask, but let's start out with this one.]

Who are the others?

[afflictionmods]

Well, there's you.

[Obviously.]

The you that's not you, but it's you, but is he as perfect as you? As me?

[undertakings]

[He finds himself blinking at that, taken aback. Of course, it makes sense in some twisted way. If there was a double of Xingqiu, then there's nothing to say that there couldn't be a double of himself--a double of the person called Shinei Nouzen.

And while there's something rather eerie about the thought, he shoves it out of his mind almost automatically. That isn't something he needs to think about at the moment.]

I wouldn't know. I've never met "him".

[...]

What are you, then? Are you like Luscinia?

[afflictionmods]

Who?

[He seems legitimately confused by the question about Florence, but then he nods, brushing off the question entirely.]

You'll see him. You should see him. You'll know if you're you if you see you.

[undertakings]

[...]

...Where is he, then?

[afflictionmods]

I don't know.

[He's annoyed at that question, scowling - and as he does there's a sudden gust of wind.]

He's probably with the rest of them. They think they're better, but they're no. Are they? They can't be...

[undertakings]

[He turns his head away slightly at the gust of wind, but then he looks back at "Xingqiu", examining him carefully. Is there anything unnatural about his body? Say, like the eyes seeming glassier than a normal person's or if there's anything under the skin that shouldn't be there, etc.?]

Why do you care so much about what others think of you?

[afflictionmods]

[Nothing at first glance. He seems like a perfectly human, perfectly normal Xingqiu.

Except for his behavior.]

I need to be the real one, and that's the best way to prove it!

[Obviously!]

[undertakings]

[Shin's only known Xingqiu for a couple of weeks and he can tell they're already failing step one when it comes to being real, but he's not going to be the one telling them that.

Instead, let's question their motives more:]

Why do you need to be real?

[afflictionmods]

[Don't??? Break his heart like this??]

It's for your own good! All of you.

[undertakings]

[That's precisely why he's keeping quiet!!!

That gets him to blink though.]

...How is it for our own good?

[afflictionmods]

You don't fit in here. You come and go but you don't belong.

[Obviously.

Xingqiu(?) seems very convinced this is a fact, at least.]

[undertakings]

You're not wrong. [Because yes, he doesn't belong here in this quaint little town and this entire dimension as a whole.]

But if I don't belong here, then where's "here"?

[afflictionmods]

You're inside! It can happen to anyone, but because you don't fit, it's different for you, isn't it?

[Isn't it? Of course it is.]

[undertakings]

[Is it? He's not so sure.]

I don't know... what is it like for you?

[afflictionmods]

It's the same for me as it is for everyone else.

Or it's - it's supposed to be the same.

[undertakings]

If you're saying it's supposed to be the same, then it isn't.

And if that's the case, doesn't that mean you don't belong here either?

[afflictionmods]

I was made here.

So it's different. But you not being from here is why you're wrong.

[This is clearly a logical train of thought.]

[undertakings]

[Clearly!!

Also that... is one way of wording it. The nuance is a little different compared to before.]

If me being here makes me wrong, then how do I leave this place?

[afflictionmods]

[Good question!]

If you let him replace you, you won't have to worry about that.

[undertakings]

[......]

What would happen to me if I did? Would I remain trapped here?

[afflictionmods]

Don't know! Does it matter? Wouldn't it be better like this anyways? It's so nice here!

[But is it, though?]

[undertakings]

[He doesn't even need to think on this. Accepting this would be no different from sticking your head in the sand and pretending that everything was fine as you lived out a delusion of peace.

And he didn't belong here to begin with, so it was time to go.

He'll turn on his heels on "Xingqiu" abruptly, looking over to the street. So just to orient ourselves, is the Museum District to the east or west of the Small Mall area?]