theafflicted | 🎉🎉🎉

[Probably exactly what he should have assumed there, huh.]

I can see where that would be effective. Is a dog the only thing you can turn into?

No.

[ But. ]

It's your turn. What does your nickname mean?

[ ripa. ]

[Phantom's expression sours for a second. It shouldn't be surprising that someone would manage to hit one of the actual sore points from his profile.]

Nothing in particular. It's simply the name Phil... that mage I mentioned chose when he created me. [...] I won't answer to it, if you're considering it.

Hm. Well, alright.

[ He doesn't seem put off by it, as he continues to pat his head. Phantom can't escape from his hand... ]

You can choose what sort of information to divulge next time. As for what else I can turn into, I can change into what I will inevitably be in the future, a monster that eats worlds.

[ That sure is heavy. Phantom better have some good info as a trade. ]

But I can turn back, as you can see now. I'm as me as I can be.

[Trying to escape and failing would have the opposite effect on his dignity, so he'll just have to live with it. Even if it's increasingly difficult to channel any villain energy like this.]

What sort of-

[There are a lot of questions that opens up, actually. But they do have a deal. Phantom pauses for a moment, but he can only think of one piece of information of equivalent weight. And why not be direct with it? He doubts Marcus would keep it a secret.]

Immediately before being brought here, I was in the process of unmaking my own world.

[Somewhere, Marcus is hopefully enjoying the complicated tide of anger wound with contempt seasoned with guilt. It's not reflected on Phantom's face, at least. He's gotten that much control over it in the last week.]

Now, will you expand on that? Why is it inevitable?

[ Unmaking his own world. That's interesting. He wonders if that was the reason why Phantom was an experiment. ]

I'm the metaphysical concept of the Self. What keeps me alive is that variations of me in other worlds are alive. It's also a requirement for me to gain access to that world.

[ A little bonus info for good boy Phantom. ]

Death is an inevitability, so they'll eventually die, whether by natural causes or accidents or whatever else. When that time comes, I turn into a monster that only wants to eat, and it finds worlds very delicious.

[ Though he'll add something, also for free. ]

Two of my variants are similar to me, but in a much lesser fashion. They can't die of natural causes, but they can choose to pass away, if they want to. They'll be the ones who are keeping me in my current state.

[ Which, you know, is a good thing. ]

[That's... a lot to digest. Phantom might be one of the worst or one of the best people to process this particular information, actually. But from the complicated look on his face he's still deciding what to make of it.]

So as long as they persist you remain... 'as you as can be.' And your other selves form a feedback of a sorts. I wonder what they think of the situation.

It's your turn.

[ Pay up, Phantom!! Then he'll tell you. ]

You've almost exhausted my supply. There's very little to know about me.

[It's almost true, in a sense.

...Well, he supposes maybe that counts. So he'll volunteer it.]

Despite my age, I've only existed for a few years.

[ Young one. ]

That's not true. It doesn't have to be secrets, so tell me what you do in your every day life.

[ Does he want to get to know Phantom better? Yeah. ]

As for my other selves, the two that I talked about... one of them really hates me, but it's justified. The other is too nice to hate someone. Each of them controls the concept of Memory and Life in their respective worlds.

You're rather unaffected by it. I suppose even humans are familiar with the concept of hating themselves. Let alone a concept of the Self.

[It's not a question, yet. Phantom is still thinking aloud as he's trying to process all of this... everything. But since Hien started he owes the answer to that fairly benign question. Which is actually still slightly difficult for him.]

...I don't know what constitutes "everyday life." If you mean here, I mostly read. There's very little else to do.

[He needs enrichment so badly.]

Just tell me what you do in your home world.

[ And. Well. ]

Humans are very familiar with the concept of hating themselves.

[Is it luck or just the 'it's complicated' that kept Phantom from appearing on his own list of dislikes? He loses the battle of self-control to a bitter little smile at that. But, the question:]

I run a militia group that operates in opposition to the prime minister. Well, Marcus handles the physical labor. Most of what I do is magical research. If you're so curious to hear the details of mirristry at length, then...

[He tries to pitch it to sound like a threat, but, honestly. He would keep going. Indefinitely.]

Yeah.

[ Hien says without hesitation. Let it all out, Phantom. Hien will keep petting his head too. ]

[He probably should have expected Hien to say yes to that? Hien is the type to go along with anything. But it still takes him a second to rally.

...He should probably protest the petting at some point.]

I intend to count this towards the balance of information shared. [...] It would take too much time to explain from the beginning. My research was mostly on the fundamental energy that makes up life and our world, as well as... applications of energy pulled from other worlds. I did a great deal of field study.

Another world study... that sounds interesting. And yeah, it can count.

[ That's some good info. His curiosity has been sated for now. ]

What else would you like to ask me?

The last question, then.

[Because even Phantom's running up against too many things that are more sore to talk about than he expected. By his count, one more will make them even.

He knows what he wants to ask. But at the same time, he's too tired to put himself on that train of thought.]

The same to you in return. What do you do in your everyday life?

That depends on what world I'm in.

[ The question is unfortunately too broad for Hien to answer... ]

Wanna specify or reword that?

[Geh. Still calibrating for beings of countless age and infinite worlds.]

...The most recent one will do, then. Or the one of the most interest to you.

[ Hien's hand finally pauses on the petting. His expression seems neutral as usual, but there's some sort of cold, deep, void-like h▓llo▓▓es▓ ]

[ It's gone in the blink of an eye. His hand resumes petting Phantom as if nothing happened. ]

The most interest to me, huh? There was a fun world once. There was a school a little like this and I was the only person there and everyone were small animals. I encountered a version of myself that was a small pomeranian and chihuahua mix. That's where the "as a dog" comes from in my profile.

[Oh. Hm. Whether it's the familiarity or just because that that's very deeply unsettling, Phantom goes completely still for a moment. He's still frozen for a little longer after petting resumes.]

I see. So that's why you can transform into one.

[Normal... conversation...]

[ Yup... totally normal. ]

Yeah. People are much willing to interact with me if I'm cute.

[ ☆ ]

That explains your present form as well. People everywhere are simple. They like things that seem cute or safe, largely.

[Does Phantom agree? A mystery. Anyway, he finally collects his dignity enough to step away from the patting and smooth his ponytail back over his shoulder.

Ugh, hairspray.]

[ Hien finally withdraws his hand. It has worked hard for all the petting it did. ]

Are you calling me cute?

[ If he wants to run away, he can... ]

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