harley [spacecoast]

[verminous]

there are two kinds of 35 year old people

Comments

[verminous]

I'm fine. Uncomfortable, but it's not painful.

[messy]

... If you're sure. But don't be afraid to switch over if it stops bein' uncomfortable and starts being painful.

So, I gotta ask. What the hell happened to you?

[verminous]

We were-- living a couple different lives. Believed they were real, while we were in 'em. In one we were just... regular students, or something-- at least I think we were normal ones, I never went to school when I was that age-- but then in the other one...

I don't know where Arthur was. Never saw him in that life. But I ended up thinking I was a soldier of some country I've never been to.

[messy]

[she frowns profusely.]

Is it me, or does everyone end up getting brainwashed when they get stuck in one of these anomalies?

[verminous]

Apparently-! I keep thinking I'm in school like I was back there, too, we're supposed to better at separating ourselves than this...

[this sucks, dude.]

[messy]

Supposed—? Oh, right. Rodya said the whole alternate universe self thing is pretty standard for you two...?

[verminous]

Yeah. I've been plenty of other Gregors, but this feels like it's... a different kind of thing.

[messy]

Less like alternate lives, more like straight up brainwashing?

[verminous]

Like that, yeah. It's... a little unsettling.

[messy]

No, no, yeah, I bet. I really don't like that it's happened to almost everyone who ends up in one of these.