Audience: Mahito

[probe]

Comments

[touchups]

Ah...

[He may not really understand in a human way, or care, but he at least listens when people talk to him and explain things. Unfortunate, honestly.

Also unfortunate: humans in general. Imagine not being able to just fix your body any time it breaks, can't relate.]

It's true in that way, yeah - some things are pretty unavoidable for humans. But it's saddest when people restrain themselves in mental ways, you know? Like not wanting to do this or that because it'd go against what you're known for, or whatever. Oh - we've talked about this before, haven't we?

[probe]

We have, yeah. And I know how you feel about that, but...what if...what if your brain wasn't really your own? What if there was something you would do, but the person you look like doesn't match those thoughts?

[what in the fuck.]

[touchups]

[the sound of aki hysterically sobbing PERFECT BLUE??? ANIMORPHS???? in the distance in confusion, throwing spaghetti noodles at the wall and collapsing onto the floor

Mahito just looks vaguely intrigued, though. Unfortunately.]

What, like, you're a brain hijacking someone else's body and you gotta act like them to blend in?

[probe]

[dumps your noodles back in your lap.]

Yeah. Like...let's say...switching bodies with somebody else. You keep your own memories, but you have access to that person's memories and stuff, too, so you know how to behave like them while still being you.

[touchups]

[PICKS THEM UP WITH MY FISTS AND YELLS AT THE HEAVENS]

Is that what you're dealing with? Something like it? Mmm... [As he taps a finger against his chin, he seems like he's giving this some genuine thought.] I guess I can see what you mean, then. I know someone in that kinda situation, but it's not totally the same.

[Then, with a curious lilt:] Seems kinda easy to start blurring lines, if you have all of someone else's memories, too.

[probe]

Not me, exactly! But it was happening to someone very important to me. He didn't even know it at first, but the guy who was in his body did.

But yeah. For a long time, I guess he didn't even have memories of the other guy either. Like amnesia...so then he made even more memories that didn't fit.

[touchups]

Huh. I didn't even think of that...

[Of things from that perspective, he means - of the person whose body is being piloted around like a gundam.]

I wonder what a soul in that sort of situation would look like. I know another person who hosts a separate soul, but he doesn't, like... black out when the guy takes the wheel, you know? Though I bet they're probably capable of hiding some things from each other, if they wanted.

[probe]

I never really got to ask. He swapped six years ago, and we didn't know until really recently.

[...but now they're curious.] What happened to that person's original soul? Or is it like he just has two of them, too?

[touchups]

Wow! That long? That must have been crazy to find out about, huh?

[To put it lightly, surely...

But, for that:] Yep! That's why he's my natural enemy. [HE KEEPS HAVING NATURAL ENEMIES.] Both of the souls reside in the same body together, with each one separate and contained on its own. I'm pretty sure they don't share memories, either, but I could be wrong.

[probe]

It was pretty insane! Especially since he was someone I was looking for for a long time, but because he was in a different body and he didn't have his old memories, we didn't know.

[stop having natural enemies GOD.] Can you touch both of those souls? What'll happen to him if one of the souls dies or leaves or whatever?

[touchups]

Huh. How'd you end up finding him anyway, then? If you couldn't recognize him by look or memory, he'd have been a total stranger at the time, yeah?

[no he will not stop having natural enemies, in fact he will collect MORE!!

But he just smiles a little, kind of amused-looking smile at that.]

I can only touch one. [Because the other one is a lil binch. Technically he can touch both but it's bad news bears.] But he'd be fine if the other was removed or died or something. Vice versa, too.

[probe]

Yeah. He's a detective, so when he started looking into a series of murders that's when we met. He...felt familiar to me the first time, but I couldn't be sure where we met. And I didn't learn about everything for a while after that, too, when his partner told us what happened to him.

[hm. bad news for those souls then.] Where would the soul go if it was removed? Do you, like, eat it...?

[touchups]

[ME JUST CRYING WILDLY I HATE IT HERE]

Huh... Strange how you still picked up on the familiarity even with all that. [By strange he means interesting...] How're things with the two of you now, then?

[He looks like he might want to ask More, but he's temporarily distracted by that... Oh no, he's laughing. DOES HE LOOK LIKE SEBASTIAN.]

Ahaha—! Eat them? No, no--! [WAVING A HAND.] I don't remove them, either! I just shape them, that's all! Whatever happens to them after the body dies isn't any of my business; it's not like they stick around or do anything interesting on their own.

[probe]

[lmfao have fun.]

Yeah. [but they consider this.] ...they're better. I was actually looking for him for six years, too. So I'm really glad I found him!

[but also look, sometimes you just have to ask.]

But can't shaping them be what causes the body to die in the first place...? The souls just die after that, too?

[touchups]

Mm, it's good that you did!

[Though he just kind of says that in a way that implies it's what he knows normal people would say in this situation. Unfortunately, as the weeks go on, he will only get better at emulating Real Human Emotion.

Anyway, he just shrugs like this isn't a terrible topic.]

Kind of? Souls are just another part of the body. Sometimes remnants of strong emotion or memory will linger as a curse, and there are cases of reincarnation, but it usually all goes together - the body and the soul.

[probe]

Yeah...guess so.

[but they move on from that topic! time to not linger on it!]

Sounds complicated...but not, all the same. I think I get it. I haven't met anyone who really works with the soul before so it's kind of weird to hear about it from you.

[touchups]

[The flea is filing this answer away for later use.]

Yeah, it's kind of hard to explain, too. Only one other person where I'm from can perceive a soul in any way at all... Hard to talk about something with no reference point, right? You can just think of it like an invisible second stomach or something!

[IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.]

[probe]

Hm...I don't think stomachs and souls are even close to the same thing, Mahito. But if you say so.

[touchups]

Yeah, maybe not where you come from.

[Said with a little shrug. HE SEES HIS OWN WORLD'S SOULS THOUGH, and they are just another organ that produces things.]

You guys probably wouldn't like being able to see them.

[probe]

Probably not. I barely like seeing some of the things I see here.

[touchups]

Somehow I get the feeling you're wording that as nicely as possible.

[Said in a little jesting tone, because yeah, "SOMEHOW" HE GETS THE FEELING...]

[probe]

Maybe just a little. [equally jesting but also damn you bitches keep ruining so much.]

But even with everything happening here it's still not all bad. I get cool powers here so that's a plus.

[touchups]

[THEY'RE ALL MIDAS!! With a golden touch of destruction and sometimes murder.]

True, I guess! But you'd still go home right away if you could, right?

[probe]

Well...wouldn't you?

[that is not an answer.]

[touchups]

Probably!

[P...probably. But since he notices that is indeed not an answer:] Is it a probably for you? Or a maybe?