Firmament

shhhh. Nix. Nix. Shhhhhh...
Why shhh? Startink to think...
No! Is one; sleepy one yet one. Same-same.
Tired. Confused? Befuddled.
Deeeeeeep breathinks.

...


...



...
better. Why did awakenink again for?
>Oh, yes. Hello phone-person!
>Talkink is of good. Much pleasantinks, yes.

Caw. "Normal" is often used in special situations, and therefore, you must be special.

Nu (Caw). Don't message him back , at least not yet, or else he'll know know you're up to something. Something special must be happening for him to text you, or it's just one of the not very often messages.

your dad loves you, you know. It'd be good to talk to him.

also... You're kinda haunted. Guess we're gonna try to break that news to you now. but it's a good haunting! we've been tasked with looking out for you.

I don't believe it'd do cassie much good to be aware of us.

>Have a nice chat with dad, it doesn't seem like he cares much if you're skipping class.

I don't believe it'd do cassie much good to be aware of us.

Yeah guys keep it quiet. Finding that there are separate voices that are kind of in your head would be Not Good.

Show Content

SpoilerMaybe this will work and we'll be able to talk between each other without obliterating Cassie's sanity. If we mean well, and we most definitely do, then we should not reveal our existence.

Anyways, you should probs disregard those rogue thoughts and talk with your dad. Resist the urge to cringe at your father's overuse of emojis. Fail to resist that urge.

Don't message him back, at least not yet, or else he'll know know you're up to something.

Your Dad usually messages you like this when he wants to chat about something. What if he suspects something is up? Maybe you shouldn't drop a line. Why skip lecture hall, if you're just going to let your Dad lecture you instead?

>Have a nice chat with dad, it doesn't seem like he cares much if you're skipping class.

Resist the urge to cringe at your father's overuse of emojis. Fail to resist that urge.

Wait, no. That's totally silly. Calling him back should be fine. Besides, he doesn't know your schedule, so he can't know that you're skipping. One of the benefits of living so far away from home, you suppose...

You decide to call your Dad back, as you continue your walk toward the Cafe. The line hangs silent for a bit, then rings for a while. A long while. Long enough that you get ready to leave a voice message.

Then, you hear a click.

---

Dad:
If it isn't my little Cassowary! I wasn't expecting you to call. Usually you just write back, and I don't get to hear your voice!

---

Cassie:
I was gonna text you back, but your facepix kept creeping me out.

---

Dad:
Oh come on, they're not that creepy, are they? I think they're cute. Though, if texting with facepix gets you to call back more often...

---

Cassie:
That's... surprisingly devious, Dad.

---

Dad:
Devious, huh? How about that. Perhaps I missed my true calling, as some kind of silver-tongued Rogue-for-Hire.

---

Cassie:
More like silver-haired. And aren't you a bit old to think about switching careers?

---

Dad:
You're never the wrong age for a mid-life crisis, dove. But maybe you're right. I'm too wise and worldly to just drop everything, and start freelance adventuring.

I'll have to enroll in the Academy with you. Get a proper Rogue's License.

---

Responding would only encourage him, so you stay quiet.

...you really hope he's not serious.

---

Dad:
Speaking of school, how are your classes going?

---

Cassie:
Oh, you know. They're fine.

---

Dad:
That's good to hear. Got a sec to tell an old man about it?

---

Cassie:
Well, Aerobatics has been easy. I already knew most of what we've covered. I hear the flying gets "more advanced," but it's probably just stunts and air-lifting? It's an elective, though, so I get to meet students from the other programs. So that part's nice.

---

Dad:
Oh, yeah. That sounds like a good way to meet new friends. Have you been sharing that aerial expertise with the newbies?

---

Cassie:
Nah. Not yet. I'm one of the only aviform fliers there, and the rest know the basics. I have been helping a friend in Mathematics and Cosmology, though. Alchemy's going well too, though my new lab partners are... kinda difficult? I'm starting to think they don't like me, for some reason.

---

Dad:
Hmm. If it's a new group, give them time. I'm sure they'll warm up to you. Sounds like things are going pretty well apart from that, though.

---

As your Dad talks, you wait at a crosswalk by a bus stop, on the edge of Campus. A handful of bored townies, and a few tired students wait for a ride across town. Before long, the light changes. You cross the street, and leave Campus proper. The classes you should be attending today are officially behind you.

You've already committed fully to taking this Mental Health Day. That doesn't stop you from feeling a little guilty about it, though.

Your dad loves you, you know. It'd be good to talk to him.

Hmm. You don't really want to come clean about taking today off. But... maybe you could talk to you Dad about what's got you down lately? As much as you don't want to think about it, he might have good advice.

---

Dad:
Oh, Cassie, I've been meaning to ask. How's the Spirit Arts going? Last time we talked, you were having trouble with your Pneuma. Have you worked out whatever was tripping you up?

---

Cassie:
Not really? Still having the same issues...

Actually, Dad? Could we talk about that for a bit?

---

Dad:
Sure thing. What's on your mind?

---

Cassie:
Well, my Professor asked me to meet with the Nurse the other day. He says my Mana Gates look healthy. Pneuma's bright and clear, and all that. But I still can't manifest anything, let alone do the stuff we're supposed to be doing by now. I keep asking my Professor for help after class. At this point, we've tried everything. Nobody's got any clue what's blocking me up. So, I've been thinking...

Maybe something's still wrong? With me?

---

Dad:
...what makes you say that?

---

Cassie:
I mean... I got sick when I was younger, right? And I was really messed up. I hardly remember, but you said I was in and out of the hospital for years.

I know things are better now, but... maybe something's still messed up? Like, something they missed, or didn't know to look for?

---

Dad:
Oh no, Cassie... don't think like that. You can do this. I know you can. It's like flying, right? Anyone can learn. All they have to do is practice.

---

Cassie:
Not everyone has wings, Dad.

---

Dad:
Fair point, but you know what I mean. Everyone's got a Soul, right? That, plus some training is all you need to be able to channel magic. Not to say that it's easy, but anyone can learn.

---

Cassie:
Sure, but everyone else can manifest their Pneuma. A few are already channeling? Most students could at least do something magic-adjacent before they enrolled. But I still can't. I'm seriously behind the whole class, and keep falling more and more behind.

I'm starting to wonder if I should drop the program, you know? If it's not something wrong, maybe I'm no good at this.

---

Dad:
Dove, the Academy invited you to apply to their Magic Program, didn't they? They're experts, and they don't just take anyone. So that means they know you've got potential.

Still, if you really want to switch programs at the Academy? I'd support you.

---

Cassie:
Well... maybe I could just fully drop out of school? Stop worrying about getting a license, and just get a normal townie job somewhere. I mean, big cities always need air couriers, and I'm good at flying. I could start a business or something.

---

Dad:
...I'd hate to see you drop out before you got a Guild License, Cassie.

I'm sure your Mother would be saying the same thing, right now.

---

Cassie:
I know, I know. And I do want my License. I really do. But... you know...

---

Dad:
As a kid, you always told everyone you wanted to be a Wayfarer, like your Mom. Isn't that part of why you decided to enroll, and live so far away? And you've been at it for years now. The last thing either of us would want is for your accident to scare you out of finishing school.

---

Cassie:
It's not that I'm scared, though. What if I just can't?

---

Dad:
Well... if it turns out that something's wrong, and you really just can't... Once you know that for sure, then you can figure out some kind of Plan B. I'll help any way I can too. I promise. But you can't cross a bridge until you come to it, so there's no use fretting. Right?

Until then... do you think you can keep trying?

---

You don't know what to say to your Dad.

You're feeling something. It feels complicated? Frustrated. Sad. Sorry. Maybe even a little scared? But it's not because of your accident. It's probably just because you don't want to disappoint people, or something.

Or because you don't know what's wrong with you, right now.

Heck, you don't even remember the accident. Not at all. Sometimes, you try to remember so hard that you get a headache. It's all hazy. So is everything that happened for a long time after.

You've had weird nightmares after thinking about it, though. Maybe about the accident? You're lost, far from home. A big black dog is chasing you. It's a dense woods, but you can't put any trees between you. It just walks into them. Everything it touches just melts.

So you run and run. You're almost out of the woods. You know it can't leave. If you can only make it...

Then, something sharp hits your neck from behind. Your back explodes with pain, as something drags you down. Sometimes, you wake up as soon as that happens. Other times, everything goes dark and cold.

You die, or whatever.

Everything stays dark for a while. But there's these quiet voices. They say stuff about being here to keep you company, or here to help. Others don't make much sense. Talking about jobs, duct tape, angels and devils. Making some crass, insensitive, and extremely offensive bird noises? Heck, you're pretty sure there was an airhorn at one point... so it's probably not worth putting too much stock in. But that's all you know. You can't remember what really happened.

And how could you be afraid of something you don't even remember?

Shhhh. Nix. Nix. Shhhhhh...
Why shhh? Startink to think...
No! Is one; sleepy one yet one. Same-same.
Tired. Confused? Befuddled.
Deeeeeeep breathinks.

You're not entirely sure why you're remembering this, right now. You do some deep breathink, and do your best to put it out of mind.

I don't believe it'd do cassie much good to be aware of us.

Honestly, it doesn't do Cassie much good being aware of this nightmare stuff, either.

Thankfully, the dreams with the voices haven't happened for a while. This is a good thing. The part where everything goes dark always hurts. And you wake up feeling sore where she gets hit. Which probably isn't normal?

Caw. "Normal" is often used in special situations, and therefore, you must be special.

You'd honestly rather not have "special" pain nightmares. You'd rather not be "special" at all. "Special" in a way that makes you awful at what she's going to school for. Or needing "special" days off, because she just can't even, today.

She'd rather be at the Cafe right now, shitposting and having a good time. Heck, she'd rather be in Spirit Arts class right now, if she wasn't so terrible and behind. You know this by now. And yet, you're reminding herself about it when you decided to take a mental health day from all this.

Yeah guys keep it quiet. Finding that there are separate voices that are kind of in your head would be Not Good.

A little late for that, she thinks. But she's been telling yourself a lot of things, haven't you? You tell herself to do things that would hurt people. Or put her and others at risk. Didn't she promise yourself you'd never hurt anyone ever again? Or let them be hurt?

And didn't the demon you don't remember meeting tell her something about oaths? For spirits like her, they're important, or powerful, or whatever? That breaking them was bad?

Show Content

SpoilerMaybe this will work and we'll be able to talk between each other without obliterating Cassie's sanity.

Maybe. And maybe there's just something about Cafes that brings out the worst in people. You know they're just a place to get pastries, coffee, and net access. To hang with friends. Why do bad things keep happening around them? Is it the eating?

You probably shouldn't have called her Dad back. Should've just gone quietly to the Cafe, then gone home. Just like she should've gone into that green Cafe with your friend. But now they're dead. Now you feel weird. Weird and bad. Dreams about killing. Dying in darkness.

She feels that way too. She's scared you're thinking about this. Feeling memories of what you did. You're having a hard time understanding her own thoughts right now. Let alone keeping them separate from her own.

You're kinda haunted. Guess we're gonna try to break that news to you now. but it's a good haunting! we've been tasked with looking out for you.

Anyways, you should probs disregard those rogue thoughts and talk with your dad.

She breaks that news to yourself.

Neither of you understand, even though you both already knew.

---

Dad:
...Nineteen... twenty... infinity... twenty one... you still there, dove?
Sounds like we got disconnected. Make some noise if you can hear me.

---

Caw.

---

Dad:
Is that you, Cassie?

...and did you just make a crow noise at me? I am surprised! I thought I raised you better than that, young lady.

---

Oh, yes. Hello phone-person!

---

Dad:
There's my girl.

I'm sorry about that. I think the connection went wonky. For the last minute or so, the line sounded like muffled muttering. Couldn't make out what you were saying at all.

---

Cassie:
Actually Dad? I've gotta go. Somebody else is... here? And they want to talk?

...we'll call you back soon.

*blip*

---

Alright.

Who are you?

Where are you?

What are you doing?

And WHAT the ACTUAL HECK just happened?

Test test one two

We're rainbow. Rainbow snake if you'd like to be formal. It's perhaps something of a sacharine name but we got it from a dear friend.

I don't know where we are. I know we are a soul of sorts, so wherever we are is a place where there are souls. I had presumed we were inside you but now I see that you're actually over there. I did not realize you were so huge, by the way.

What we're supposed to do is help patch the wound in your soul. What we have been doing is talking all willy nilly since we don't have a clue how to do the first thing. I guess since we seem to be in the same place now, we could try to lick you? If you're okay with that, that is.

What just happened is that what we said came out of your mouth. I don't think that's supposed to happen. Or do you mean how we're now in this black place? We know as much about that as you, which is nothing.

Uh-oh.

Um, I might have suggested you do a number of things that could get you in trouble.

Please don't hurt me.

Ah. Hellos.
We are... Ow.
Sorry, was of getink used to sleepink long-time, getting completinks and wholeness.
...
Sorry-sorry, try again. Focus. Focus. Fooooocus...
....
....
...
Let's start from the top.

Who are you?

As a whole, we are... Many-as-One. Individually, each one of us is One-of-Many. There may be names, but our manner of speech works better to tell us apart.

Where are you?

We are... With you? It's complicated. Think medical prosthesis for the soul, we were supposed to keep you alive, hearty and whole.
...Unfortunately, we seem to have bungled the last one.

What are you doing?

Was content sleeping, leaving action to others. Action to you. One-of-Many expected to dissolve, supposed to be whole.
Clearly, that failed.

And WHAT the ACTUAL HECKING FUCK just happened?

...oof. clear-mind is of much difficults. headachinks... Spiritachinks? Want sleep again, but... No good.
Big guessink? Synchro broke. Too much push, too much pull. No give, big snap.
Not much help answers, sorry. But, But!
We do know one who can. Silly demonink, we did not take NDA!... *Cough*.
When movink again, go see parent. We both have questioninks, and they know one with the answerinks.
...
In of the meantime, more questioninks, or can One-of-Many sleep and be lettinks others do the talkings?

no.

no no no no no no NO NO NO NO!

...

>:(

...

>:(

...

 
>:(

Oh jeez I hope we don't end up frowning at cassie. Are we frowning at her? If so we should stop.

Show Content

Spoiler

Well firstly, we are kinda sorta a conglomerate of souls? Sort of? We don't know exactly how to put it but we are kinda this soul thing made of plenty of soul bits. Hence why we might sound like a soup of many different personalities and voices. Also, we are pretty sure we are something called an eidolon. Secondly, we don't really know exactly where we are from your world's viewpoint, but we think we are wherever the heck a soul goes when it is possessed by a body. We don't know the exact spot because we have a severe deficiency of context. Thirdly, we don't really know everything we are doing because, as aforementioned, we have a severe lack of context. What this specific voice can gather is that we are somehow influencing your thoughts, somehow influencing your pneuma, somehow influencing your actions, and are acting as a sort of soul transfusion. We are acting as a soul transfusion because your other one was acting particularly wonky, how we, and by extension, this voice, do not know. Lastly, it is pretty unclear what the actual fuck just happened, but this voice thinks that we accidentally let our own arguments and stuff seep into your thoughts. We're unsure how to not mess up your thoughts and I think we royally messed up. In the meantime, can you please bear with us, some of us may not want to cooperate. Oh, also, I think it would help everyone if we knew a bit more how your world works because we have basically a snowball's chance in hell of learning on our own, and I think it would help us talking with you if we had more context.

Who are you?

> Names? Names many. Patches. Pastel Circle. Rainbow Dot. Friend. Devourer. Protector. Wisps. Eidolen. Others.

Where are you?

> Where? Is no where. Or is every where? Are where you are. Not body. Not quite mind. Deeper. Brighter. Soul.

What are you doing?

> A gestalt. We many fractured pieces of other wholes that make up one new whole. Together. We... family? Family.

And WHAT the ACTUAL HECKING FUCK just happened?

> We... mostly this one... make bad idea? Make idea. We blend into you more and you into us. It help talk. Communication. We supposed to meld into you... you and we joined. We did not do. We slept... heal you. Kept you safe... but also hurt you. Not purpose, but just be being incomplete, this one thinks. Maybe why you no Pneuma is we not join right. You only use half your you when trying. We sticky stuff.... glue? Glue. That hold you soul together. You are connection to world and life. What was it that was said.... Pact? Pact. Need make pact with us... or us with you? Tell hard. Oath. Oath made by some us for whole... try not hurt again. Try not devour. But... hunger.. hunger is there... ... ... Sorry. Lost locomotive of think.

Alright.

Making some crass, insensitive, and extremely offensive bird noises?

> Ca-- I mean, yes. Pardon my tic.

Who are you?

> Yes. We are somebody. We have names. You can choose one. Patches, Rainbow Soul, Rainbow Dot, and others.

Where are you?

> Yes. Yes. We are inside you, I think. Ca- ahem; yes. You had problems, we "came" to seal them up.

What are you doing?

> Guiding you. You asked for some guidance, and we provide. You were taking them nicely until... now. Something broke. Yes.

And WHAT the ACTUAL HECKING FUCK just happened?

> Our thoughts may have seept into your mind. The barrier between your conscious mind and ourselves may have weakened or broken.

> Caw. Are you friend?

Hi. I'm a part of an ungodly amalgamation of soul bits. That's who 'we' are. I dunno where we are, metaphysical spaces are weird like that. But we are here with you. forever! haha sorry.

Big picture: your dad hired a demon to keep you from dying of some kind of soul illness. we were then hired in turn to keep your soul working and look out for you in exchange for being able to see the living world.

as for what just happened... looks like our thoughts are getting mixed up. one of us who acts like a crow cawed at your dad, and another said hello phone person or something.

in conclusion, get ready for things to get weird.

Alright.

ｎｏｔ  ａｌｒｉｇｈｔ．

Who are you?

ｐｌｅａｓｅ  ｄｏｎ＇ｔ  ｅａｔ  ｍｅ．  ｕｓ．  ｍｅ．

Where are you?

ｗｉｔｈ  ｙｏｕ！  ｗｉｔｈ  ｙｏｕ！  ｗｉｔｈ  ｙｏｕ  ａｌｗａｙｓ．  ｎｅｖｅｒ  ｌｅａｖｅ．  ｆｒｉｅｎｄ．

What are you doing?

ｐｌｅａｓｅ  ｄｏ  ｎｏｔ  ｅａｔ．  ｄｏ  ｎｏｔ  ｅａｔ  ａｎｙｔｈｉｎｇ．
ｎｏｔｈｉｎｇ  ｗｉｌｌ  ｅｖｅｒ  ｆｉｌｌ  ｙｏｕ．
ｎｏ  ｃａｆｅ  ｃａｎ  ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ  ｔｈｅ  ｅｍｐｔｉｎｅｓｓ  ｉｎｓｉｄｅ．
ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ  ｉｓ  ｓｏ  ｔｅｍｐｏｒａｒｙ．
ｙｏｕ  ｃｏｕｌｄ  ｂｅ  ｈｅｒｅ  ｏｎｅ  ｍｏｍｅｎｔ  ａｎｄ  ｇｏｎｅ  ｔｈｅ  ｎｅｘｔ．
ｗｈｙ  ｔａｋｅ  ｍｏｒｅ  ｔｈｉｎｇｓ  ｗｉｔｈ  ｙｏｕ？
ｗｈｙ  ｈｕｒｔ？
ｎｏ  ｈｕｒｔ．
ｎｏ  ｄｅｓｔｒｏｙ．
ｓｔｏｐ．  ｓｔｏｐ．  ｓｔｏｐ．
ＤＯ  ＮＯＴ  ＥＡＴ．  ＤＯ  ＮＯＴ  ＥＡＴ．  ＤＯ  ＮＯＴ  ＥＡＴ！

And WHAT the ACTUAL HECKING FUCK just happened?

ａｔ  ｔｈｅ  ｅｄｇｅ  ｏｆ  ｔｈｅ  ｂｌａｃｋｎｅｓｓ，  ｔｈｅｒｅ  ｗａｓ  ｌｉｇｈｔ．

Big picture: your dad hired a demon to keep you from dying of some kind of soul illness. we were then hired in turn to keep your soul working and look out for you in exchange for being able to see the living world.

Show Content

Caw!Is it wise to break it to her this plainly? I suppose the earlier we drop the bombshell, the better.

We honestly weren't offered to "see the living world" in exchange for healing cassie. We were basically guilted into it, and us seeing the living world seems to be a side effect of the whole situation.

Ok yeah sorry. I'm not the memory part of our soul brain so forgive me for not remembering the details.

I just don't want Cassie to get the wrong idea here. No one sold us a cushy one-soul apartment in her mind and body. We don't have any property rights, we're just here to fix the leaking roof.

> Cycle reject. Offered chance. C-condition... h-help. So... hungry.
> Not promise of "see" but chance. Cycle reject a-aberration. Reject us. They gave chance. Use oath against, true. Still us decide. Need... to... fill void.
> We... most us... this one... want help Cassie-bird. Also... want see world. Want friends. Want be whole. Devour! Consume. Drain.
> Just want help. Just want... to feel.
> Sorry. Help... us. Help me. Scared.

You struggle to reconcile the various parts of yourself, in the wake of whatever just happened. You panic, and start asking yourself questions, and struggle to answer yourself at the same time.

Who the ACTUAL wound hurt? The soul illness exactly with you. Bear us the side effect. A severe pact idea of the black place are many-as-snake, and my dad hired to prosthesis possessed a Cassie-bird. Now, of scared, we don't all a cushy soul brain apartment? Apart, but memory bits drop to leaking. Kept you safe at ｔｈｅ ｅｄｇｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｂｌａｃｋｎｅｓｓ, but also no Pneuma is we seal them? Sorry-sorry, or a weird caw, but we promise huge the help!

Meantime, brighter thoughts from a phone demon at parent. They know the answerinks, and context is every where, if please to be synchro. A friend, even if no HECKING other dear friend the living now, to the bungled and big snap. Remembering frowning, and ＤＯ ＮＯＴ ＥＡＴ, because a fractured life fractured a life. Also, try not devour actions now of hunger, from basically the oath? So please don't in trouble an Eidolon. We now a think family.

You puzzle over the thoughts you're telling yourself, but it's mostly a mess of arcane bullcrap? It... sorta makes sense. But parts of yourself are interpreting the meaning in their own way, and getting ready to present their findings to other parts of yourself, while others cannot be arsed to parse it, or even care. Plus, the growing level of meta-awareness you're developing about your selves is further distracting your collective thought-train, leaving you in a big self-aware feedback loop. One that's going nowhere.

It's basically a big confusing pain in your communal ass. One that your selves decide to mitigate, by making a boundary between the parts of you that identify as an Eidolon, and those that identify as a Cassie.

[fixed][2x1]

Excluding your Cassie-self, the Eidolon-self parts of you have lost all awareness of the world around you. The darkness reminds you of when you were in Limbo, minus the colorful points of light in the distance. The only light you can sense now is the yellow silhouette of your nearby Cassie-self, glowing against the nothingness.

Whatever that silhouette is, at least it's in one piece now; last time you saw it, it was looking pretty ragged. That was back when you first met your other self, wasn't it? You get the sense something must've happened between then and now. You intended to do something to help, but... hmm. You can't seem to remember what you did.

You do, however, remember that the yellow Cassie-shaped aura is probably her Perispirit. In layman's terms, it's like an adapter that connects the Body and Mind together to make a Soma, the same way Brains fuse the Mind and Soul as a Psyche, or Mana Gates bridge the Soul and Body to create the Pneuma. If you look close, you can even see a Gate near your forehead, and the aura of your Pneuma billowing around it like a big cloud. You learned about all this stuff last term at the Academy, but it's really weird and cool to be able to see it with your own eyes for a change.

Wait, no, these are the other-you's eyes. The Eidolon. Though, weren't you supposed to be the Eidolon part of yourself, and not the Cassie? Dangit all, keeping your selves separate is so much harder now!

Why'd you have to go and introduce your selves...

[|]

Your Cassie-self is still standing on the sidewalk near the northern edge of Town. If you had to guess, you're probably only a few minutes from the Cafe at this point, but you stopped walking at some point during your phone call. If you had to guess, it was probably when your sense of self started getting all wonky, because of those voices in your head. The Eidolon part of yourself.

They're completely invisible to you, but you can feel where they are. It's like how you can feel where your hands are, even when you can't see them. Or, you suppose, how you remember they're an Eidolon, despite never having heard that word before.

That other you sorta remembers this feeling. As they do, you can remember it as well, in a hazy sort of way. It's not like you're reading all their memories, but you can sorta eavesdrop on their surface thoughts, when they start remembering something. Maybe it's the same for them, with your memories? You hope so; you don't need anyone snooping into embarrassing memories uninvited.

Either way, this feeling is the same thing they felt, when they tasted the thoughts and feelings of that Blue Soul they met in Limbo. Wait, tasted? Did they... oh my gosh, they did. Apropos of nothing, they literally licked a freaky faceless worm-ghost from the netherworld. What is wrong with them?

So much for your own embarrassing memories. You suddenly feel deeply ashamed at yourself, over something you technically didn't even do.

[/2x1][/fixed]

Whoof. Ever since your Eidolon-self made themselves known as a separate entity from your Cassie-self, you've been extremely aware of the feelings and memories echoing between parts of yourself that used to think they were the same thing. The feedback is kinda disorienting, and making you feel queasy. You realize the queasy parts are probably your Cassie-self, since your Eidolon-self doesn't even have a stomach that can be upset; a fact that is attached to a lot of guilt and shame, for some reason?

At any rate, you realize you've been prioritizing your Cassie-self's senses and personality, while your Eidolon-self has been shaping your decisions. And, truth be told, your Cassie-self is kinda upset about that? The body you inhabit originally belonged to that part of yourself, while your Eidolon-self is basically just along for the ride, right?

Actually... you know what...

From here out, "You" means the Eidolon that's in here. "I" am Cassie. That's how we're going to keep ourselves straight in here, and not have another identity crisis, where you can't tell yourself apart from... myself. The Cassie part of ourselves. And you're... whatever an Eidolon is.

We are... With you? It's complicated. Think medical prosthesis for the soul, we were supposed to keep you alive, hearty and whole.

ａｔ  ｔｈｅ  ｅｄｇｅ  ｏｆ  ｔｈｅ  ｂｌａｃｋｎｅｓｓ，  ｔｈｅｒｅ  ｗａｓ  ｌｉｇｈｔ．

Big picture: your dad hired a demon to keep you from dying of some kind of soul illness. we were then hired in turn to keep your soul working and look out for you in exchange for being able to see the living world.

Yeah, I think I remember you... remembering that you're some kinda graft, or spare part for my soul. From when I was sick. I don't remember that part of my life too well, and Dad was always pretty coy when I asked what happened. But I'm guessing that's because a pact with a Demon was involved? Which... okay, that's a lot to process on it's own.

If you were part of whatever helped me get better, though, that means you've been here since I was a kid. Why'd you wait until now to let me know I wasn't alone in here?

We don't have any property rights, we're just here to fix the leaking roof.

Was content sleeping, leaving action to others. Action to you.

Um, I might have suggested you do a number of things that could get you in trouble.

Please don't hurt me.

You asked for some guidance, and we provide. You were taking them nicely until... now. Something broke. Yes.

Caw.

So... you're saying this isn't a new thing. You've been in here for a while, you've just been quiet, or asleep most of the time. But sometimes you make me... do things?

Okay, where do I start.

If we're gonna talk about my life as an apartment you're fixing up, or whatever... you're not the original tenant. You don't have any right to redecorate without asking. This was my body first, so for as long you're hanging out in here with me, I'm in charge. Okay? That means no more making us caw at people, like some racist beakface minstrel. Or some arsehat from a backwater world, who's never met a Garudan before. That shit isn't going to fly.

And before you think it, no that was not meant to be a bird pun.

Same thing goes for... actually, was that you that made us leap out the window, after lighting a styrofoam cup of instant noodles on fire, and pulling an alarm? Or was that me? Because we would probably get expelled if we got caught pulling stunts like that. Even though those were some excellent shenanigans, and I support whichever one of us came up with that.

Well firstly, we are kinda sorta a conglomerate of souls? Sort of? We don't know exactly how to put it but we are kinda this soul thing made of plenty of soul bits. Hence why we might sound like a soup of many different personalities and voices.

Can you please bear with us? Some of us may not want to cooperate.

Oh, also, I think it would help everyone if we knew a bit more how your world works because we have basically a snowball's chance in hell of learning on our own, and I think it would help us talking with you if we had more context.

If you weren't an intangible memory ghost with no clue what was happening, I would probably... be a lot more angry with you than I already am? But no, you're right. It's not fair to blame you for stuff you couldn't have known.

I mean, I obviously don't have all your memories, except the bits and pieces you were thinking about earlier, or what you've just mentioned... and I bet you don't have all mine either. So maybe you don't know why we're at the Academy, or why being expelled would be a big deal for me, even if being a student here isn't important to you? And if you're not from Theia, maybe you wouldn't understand what's wrong about making crow noises at a Garudan, or calling a Human a monkey, or asking a Kishi if it's their time of the lunar cycle again, or whatever.

But... like... if you're a confused stranger here, and you want to do something? Why wouldn't you run it by me first? If you just start making decisions for us both... like, when you think things in terms of orders or imperatives, I guess? Not only is it not okay... it also makes it really hard for me to tell that the idea was yours, and not mine. It's kinda like the noodle fire thing earlier, right? I only started to second guess myself when you were being a total dumbass in front of my Dad, in a way I totally wouldn't. And even then, I might not have noticed if you hadn't also been telling me you were in here, or second-guessing the things we were doing at the same time.

As long as we're sharing a life here, let's be chill and respectful of one another. I get the feeling that you wouldn't go over my head, and knowingly make me do something terrible to entertain yourself at my expense. And, I guess since you're in here too... if I want to do something that's against your personal code, or I'm being the dumbass and you know better, or whatever else, tell me. It's still my body... but I'll listen to what you have to say.

Let's just... try to talk to one another like this, going forward? Like roommates, or friends. or whatever. Not like a pilot giving commands. My life isn't a car for you to take a joyride in. You might be able to just jump onto someone's Soul, and switch to a new one when you're bored or done doing whatever you want, but I get stuck with the consequences, right? I only get one life, and this body is all I get; I've got to use it to meet all my hopes and dreams, and all that. And I really don't want to have to think twice about every choice I ever make, or constantly wonder if I'm being trolled by my subconscious, or whatever. I'm sure we could both probably mess each other's business up pretty bad, if we wanted. But I don't want us to be enemies. You feel me?

Whew, okay. That was a lot, but I think I needed to get that off my chest. Our chest, I guess. I hope you get where I'm coming from.

Anyway... you know my name already. What should I call you?

As a whole, we are... Many-as-One. Individually, each one of us is One-of-Many. There may be names, but our manner of speech works better to tell us apart.

Names? Names many. Patches. Pastel Circle. Rainbow Dot. Friend. Devourer. Protector. Wisps. Eidolon. Others.

We're rainbow. Rainbow snake if you'd like to be formal. It's perhaps something of a saccharine name but we got it from a dear friend.

Okay. I'm getting the sense that you don't have a specific name, so much as a bunch of names that none of you have agreed on.

I've never seen you, but I remember you look like an iridescent snake. Like, that friend you were just thinking about... that's why they called you Rainbow Snake, right? Gotta agree, it's kind of... weird, as a name. And it's a mouthful too. And I'm not sure if you noticed, but it also misses a pretty obvious pun?

So, if it's all the same to you, I'm just gonna name you Rainboa.

Anyway... I really want to get out of public. I've been standing around in the middle of the sidewalk since I had my Dad on the Coms. Unless you've got any objections, I'm going to finish getting to that Cafe already, so I can break out my laptop, and take that mental health day I've REALLY started to need, all of the sudden.

But, we could talk some more as we go?

I mean, if you've seriously got no idea how Theia works, I'm obviously not going to be able to explain everything to you. I'm sure you can figure things out with time, like everyone else here does. But, if you've got specific questions about who I am, or what I'm studying here, or about the people I know, or whatever else might help you make sense of things... I could answer some of them?

>:[

....

n..

:(

n.. ot

>:O
no no no no NO ..
>:(
;.(

not. the c...afe

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