《It’s No Game》 0.1: I Really Don’t Understand The Situation Your name is Cibele Epeli Imanis, and your cute little heart is troubled once again. It won¡¯t be long until you¡¯ve graduated sixth form, and are on your way to university. Sure, your grades aren¡¯t amazing, but that doesn¡¯t bother you too much. And you don¡¯t really know what you want to do at university, let alone with the rest of your life, but that doesn¡¯t bother you either. You¡¯re young, you¡¯ve got time to figure all that stuff out. Right? No, what bothers you is¡­ Love. Here, wandering the back streets of the beautiful Capital District of the city of Southern Sun, once more you lament your loneliness. You¡­ ¡­ Gosh darn it, you just want a girlfriend! You¡¯re nineteen, for heaven¡¯s sake! You want to know how it feels, to be in another girl¡¯s arms! You want to know what it¡¯s like to kiss! You want to know what it¡¯s like to have another girl stare into your eyes and tell you she loves you! Is that¡­selfish of you? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re desperate, exactly. You have friends, after all. People you care about. Passions. By any reasonable standard, you have a pretty good life. But you can¡¯t help but be at least a little curious. ¡°Silhouettes and shadows, watch the revolution¡­¡± You sing to yourself under your breath, reaching back to fiddle with the volume rocker of your earbuds, your other arm holding signs for the protest you¡¯re supposed to meet up with Calvina at, the arrangement just the slightest bit awkward¡­ Right. Calvina. That¡¯s part of the problem, isn¡¯t it. You¡¯re hardly the only one with a crush on Calvina Aeterna. Your fencing teacher¡¯s the idol and envy of her entire class. She¡¯s never once spoken of romance, which only makes you all the more curious¡­ Well. You know she¡¯s straight. At least, by all indications she is. And so is Korri. Ugh, you¡¯ve been nursing your crush on Korri since before you knew what a crush was, but the idea of seeing her smile fade from her face, it would just kill you. (Well, not literally, that¡¯d be weird.) Besides which, she¡¯s straight too¡­ Well, women have faced that problem since time immemorial. It¡¯s pointless to think about. It¡¯s not like you could just flip a switch and make them gay ¨C Though, the thought is kind of interesting, and a bit funny, and ¨C No, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! You sigh, waving that notion out of your mind, adjusting your grip on your signs. Thinking about confessing to them is more about just¡­having the nerve to. Not having that sword of Damocles hovering over your troubled heart. You¡¯d feel way less guilty about cuddling Korri that way, anyway. But, hey, it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t other lesbians out there, right? Yeah, if only it were that easy. You don¡¯t pick the best girls to be interested in, did you? Well, not that it¡¯s a matter of picking, but¡­ Stella Maris shouldn¡¯t be your first choice. It¡¯s not because she¡¯s somehow bad for you ¨C she¡¯s a really wonderful, passionate person, intelligent and insightful and really fucking hot, cough cough. (Wait, no, fudging hot. Well, maybe Stella¡¯s hot enough to be worth a swear?) It¡¯s not even that she¡¯s taken ¨C Stella¡¯s pretty open about seeing several girls at any one time, and you¡¯re not so selfish as to monopolize her (although it does make you feel like maybe doing so yourself wouldn¡¯t be so bad)¡­ It¡¯s that she hates your fudging guts. You have no idea, you know? Why she hates you. You¡¯re not sure what about you there is to hate. It¡¯s too bad, really¡­ Maybe it¡¯s like, she hates you but she actually loves you? At least, that¡¯s what you hope¡­ You just¡­ You want to be loved. Is that so wrong? Well, at least ¨C at least, you can confess to people! Yeah, you¡¯ll confess to Calvina when you get to the protest today, and you can confess to Korri when you get home. It¡¯ll make you feel better! And, maybe after that, you¡¯ll feel more comfortable around Stella, or find some more cuties to try and fall for. It¡¯s not too much further to the protest staging point, after all, and so all you need to do is get there and you can turn over a new leaf ¨C Wait. What is that horn ¨C ¡­ ¡­ Thunk.

Prologue: Careful What You Wish For

Your name is Cibele Epeli Imanis, and this situation is a lot more annoying than you ever imagined it could be. ¡­okay, ¡®annoying¡¯ is a rather light word for the situation. But even in a situation like this, you can¡¯t be all dour about it. It isn¡¯t like it¡¯s a bad thing, exactly¡­it just has the potential to be one. Well, let¡¯s back up a little. You didn¡¯t look both ways when crossing the street, and may have been distracted by music¡­or, more accurately, by your own lonely dumb gay heart. Not something you¡¯d confess on your way to Heaven, but it could happen to anyone, right? It¡¯s not weird to be so preoccupied with your crushes that you end up getting in a serious accident, is it? It¡¯s embarrassing, but still! It¡¯s not like¡­you wouldn¡¯t force it on them. Right? (You¡¯re getting ahead of yourself.) Anyway. Now you¡¯re lying in a hospital bed, but instead of a concussion, you have a user interface hovering in front of your eyes, refusing to go away however many times you try. An interface like you¡¯d see in a video game, with thick lines and solid colors, as the classic RPGs of yore¡­ In a way, it¡¯s kind of nostalgic. Because, this kind of story is hardly unknown to you. It¡¯s the ultimate wish fulfillment, really. The kind of story where an ordinary girl (or boy!) gains extraordinary power, in the form of video game conventions, with an interface that allows them to grow and develop their new abilities. A so-called ¡®Gamer¡¯, who uses their so-called ¡®system¡¯ to gain power, achieve great things, and maybe fight a little evil along the way. And, of course ¨C most exciting of all, to you! ¨C fall in love. ¡­no. Not this time. If this is just a dream, well. It¡¯s no dream ¨C it¡¯s a chocolate-fudge-coated nightmare!
Hello, Cibele.
A soft ¡®mouuu¡¯ escapes your lips, an old habit you¡¯ve never quite broken, as you try to confront your terrifying new situation. The ¡®developer¡¯s note¡¯ hovers in front of your eyes, once more scrolled to the beginning after several attempts stopped cold once you realized the implications of the ¡®developer¡¯s¡¯ words. You have to admit, you were too scared to read anything initially, just going right back to bed in hopes that it¡¯d all just be a bad dream, but¡­ that just means you have to collect your courage, no matter what lays ahead. So, you try again.
If you¡¯re reading this, you¡¯ve been run over by a truck. Unfortunate! No, you¡¯re not in another world, this is the same Southern Sun you know and love.
Yeah, you know that some people are different, but¡­no matter what kind of cool powers you¡¯d get, you¡¯d be really sad that your family and friends are gone. You¡¯re happy to still be in your beloved home ¨C especially since it could still use a good heroine, for so many different reasons.
But, thanks to my foresight, you now have the power you need to do what you¡¯ve always wanted to do ¨C save the world! Isn¡¯t that amazing?
It would be! What girl doesn¡¯t want to be a heroine? That¡¯s half the reason you got into fencing! It¡¯d be really scary, but¡­you¡¯d do your best, just as you always have, to do the right thing¡­ Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. (regardless of your personal feelings.) Yeah¡­you¡¯ve always wanted to be a heroine. You really aren¡¯t very good at it, just making things worse constantly, especially in the realm of romance¡­so you do need the help, all things considered. You¡¯re not going to reject a special power. And hey, if there¡¯s a villain to fight? So much the better. Maybe you can have an exciting, superheroic sword duel under the moonlight or something like that! Yeah, if only it were that simple.
You see, I¡¯m you. Or rather, I would be you. I¡¯m your future self, from a future that no longer exists! Be thankful for that. You¡¯d have been in the hospital for a very long time if not for me, and by the time you were able to fight¡­well, it¡¯d be too late.
Yeah, that tracks. It¡¯s kind of hard to imagine, but ¨C if things like ¡®superpowers¡¯ are real, things like ¡®magic¡¯ and ¡®miracles¡¯, then sure. Time travel works. If your future self told you how to train, who to fight, and what to do to try and avert disaster? You¡¯d do your best to try and help. But she¡¯s not telling you any of that, rather, she¡¯s saying¡­ really really weird things!
But, there¡¯s even more good news. This power¡­you¡¯ll have all you ever wanted, all you ever needed. Here, in your arms.
(That¡¯s part of why you believe this is you. Only you would speak in such a way, right?)
(Even things you¡¯ll try to tell yourself you don¡¯t want.)
¡­of course you wouldn¡¯t want this. It¡¯s wrong. You¡¯ve been deliberately avoiding looking at them, but¡­just the names of the skill trees you¡¯ve been given are enough. ¡®Hypnosis¡¯. ¡®Telepathy¡¯. ¡®Enchantment¡¯. The branches quashed any hope you might have of this being at least a little innocent. ¡®Mentalism¡¯, ¡®Charm¡¯, ¡®Geas¡¯¡­and the skill names¡­ There¡¯s no mistaking it. You¡­you have brainwashing powers! This is the worst thing! Okay, well. Having a certain power doesn¡¯t make you a bad person, right? Even if it¡¯s a power that¡¯s much more easily used for evil than for good, it¡¯s what you do with a power that really matters. Right? Yeah, there are a lot of other ways to use these new talents! You could understand people more easily, maybe see who the bad guys are before they strike. You could convince people to lower their weapons, or that you were an ally! You could read their minds to know their movements. You could even make them terrified of you, impose your psychic pressure upon them, maybe see them look at you in awe ¨C No! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Don¡¯t let her get to you! Even if ¡®her¡¯ is ¡®you¡¯! But you ¨C the other you, the one that wrote this ¨C keeps insisting, making it all the harder to continue.
Your crushes are a dead end. Even the ones you think you might have a shot with, Cibele. Believe me, I¡¯ve seen how it¡¯ll end. Not to mention the girls who hate you¡­
W-well, they don¡¯t¡­hate you, exactly. You don¡¯t think so, at least. It¡¯s like. Sometimes people act like they hate what they really love, or they just need someone to be kind to them to help them reform, and it¡¯s not like you have an ulterior motive, mostly¡­like, maybe ¡®tsunderes¡¯ don¡¯t exist, but if they did, would Stella be one? (That¡¯s your hope, at least.) Is it odd to think such a thing? ¡°Mouuuu¡­¡± you mutter to yourself. (Cutely. Always cutely.) Okay, maybe you¡¯ve made some silly decisions. But, you really do like Stella! Even after all these years. You just, kinda wish she liked you. You¡¯ve never understood her, and secretly always hoped someday you¡¯d learn she had a crush on you too. (Are you really that hopeless?)
¡­or the girls you know are straight.
Well, you¡¯re not sure they¡¯re straight. Well, you are for Korri, but Calvina you only really have her word. Are you sure, perhaps, you couldn¡¯t simply reach her somehow? (You know that¡¯s not how it works, but you still can¡¯t help but hope.)
Developing your powers requires using them. You can¡¯t get around that. I tried.
Even if you have to use them, does it have to be like this?
I told myself, I was a good person, I¡¯d find a way. But it was a lie.
What could have happened to you, to make you act like this?
You thought you were good because you had no claws. That will only hold you back.
What does future-past-you mean, ¡®had no claws¡¯? You remember that from your Psychology class, yeah, but you¡¯re not sure you like the implication here. Like you¡¯ll just become an awful person, if you get a power like this. Or maybe future-past-you is trying to pretend she¡¯s just, super smart and completely above you¡­ (Well¡­okay. Intelligence is one of the ability scores, and she did figure out how to transmit Gamer powers back in time, but still. It¡¯s just rude.) ¡­ You¡¯re stalling, aren¡¯t you. Hesitantly, you reach out and ¡®scroll¡¯ the interface down, to the line where you stopped reading, and could never go past before now, until your attempts at sleep here in this hospital bed were clearly futile. The line where you felt you couldn¡¯t continue¡­
Just¡­think about it. Wouldn¡¯t it feel good to know you didn¡¯t have to be rejected? That you could not only have one of the girls you wanted, but all of them at once? That they would be at your beck and call with a single snap, adoring you with all their heart?
Well¡­you won¡¯t lie. Maybe there¡¯s a bit of an appeal, you know? Who hasn¡¯t thought about such things? About having that kind of power? That¡¯s the whole appeal of ¡®gamer¡¯ stories in the first place, right? But, you¡¯d never really want to do anything like that to another person. It¡¯d be wrong. Just like conversion therapy is wrong. It doesn¡¯t suddenly become right just because you¡¯re turning straight girls gay¡­ Not that you haven¡¯t thought about it before. J-just because it might be a little hot¡­just a little¡­ So what? Fantasies are fantasies. There¡¯s not a lesbian in the world who hasn¡¯t thought about it at least once! You¡¯d never do it to Korri, your very best friend, let alone Calvina! You can¡¯t just do this, can you? ¡°Am I sure this is me?¡± you ask yourself, as though to try and dispel the fudge-coated nightmare. But you know in your heart these are your words. Not as cute as usual, maybe, but you know yourself well enough to know the familiar tinges behind these unfamiliar words. You just¡­can¡¯t imagine at all what it is that¡¯s caused this drastic turn¡­ what would make you such a terrible person.
Do you want Stella? She hates you more deeply than you could ever know. She¡¯s not the kind of person you should leave as they are, because she¡¯s going to betray you to your enemies. I turned her around, but I didn¡¯t get to enjoy her head between my legs before things started crashing down. You can.
¡­w-why is future-past-you so lewd?! Seriously. Wouldn¡¯t telling you about why things went wrong be more useful? What it is you need to use these powers for? Or is it just so much more important you grind up your powers by using them on the people around you, regardless of whether it¡¯s ¡®right¡¯ or ¡®wrong¡¯? ¡­maybe this is like¡­one of those roguelikes or hardcore RPGs where the only way you can succeed is by grinding up a sherbet-ton before some kind of wall. So maybe the point of all this is¡­to tempt you to grind? On Stella? Well, not just Stella¡­
Or maybe you¡¯d prefer Calvina. She doesn¡¯t look at you as anything but a student, you know. If you could read her mind, and know exactly how to make her fall in love with you¡­wouldn¡¯t you take that chance?
Of course not! That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s not love. Even if, maybe, there¡¯s something romantic about fitting someone¡¯s desires so exactly, or something hot about knowing what someone is thinking¡­ Calvina would never forgive you if she knew her love was based on a lie. She¡¯s not that kind of person, and that¡¯s the reason you admire her in the first place. To do this¡­wouldn¡¯t it be like seeing her as nothing more than a tool?
But then, there¡¯s dear, sweet Korri. She¡¯s your best friend, and she¡¯ll stay by your side, but she¡¯ll never look at you with lust-filled eyes. She trusts you, though. I think, if you just asked her to play along, you could hypnotise her, and turn her into a devoted lover¡­or just watch her in trance. There¡¯s really nothing hotter than a girl being hypnotised.
¡­ w-why does future-past-you have such weird and specific fetishes?! W-well, maybe, when it comes to you, you think Korri would be as trusting and naive as people seem to think you are (and you don¡¯t exactly dissuade them ¨C are you already so manipulative?). Maybe you could convince her. And, it might be fun to see her get all dopey-eyed and fuzzy, and the whole concept of how hypnosis works¡­you¡¯re kind of curious? You¡¯re pretty sure she¡¯s got experience, it seems like the kind of thing she¡¯s tried, so you wouldn¡¯t even be violating her ¨C No. Bad thoughts. Really should not think of how hot your very best friend would look when she¡¯s hypnotised. You can¡¯t let future-past-you get to you like this!
Whatever the case¡­I recommend you start grinding as soon as you can. You can try to just do it ¡®normally¡¯, but you¡¯ll need one of my powers to start¡­and the only way you can gain the power you need to face what¡¯s ahead is by taking someone and using your skills on them. By making them yours, with all of their heart, down to their very soul.
¡­how did you become like this? What made you abandon all you once claimed to believe?
It¡¯s okay. The whole idea of being a heroine¡­you want to be loved, and you want to fix the world, right? Well, now you can do both! What better way to fix the world than to make absolutely sure everyone does the right thing? What better way to be loved than to ensure your loved ones can¡¯t even think of not loving you?
Any better way. That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s the difference between good and evil. To be a good person means accepting that you might lose. Trying to force yourself to win¡­that¡¯s what evil is. Mind control, immorality, tyranny¡­even if the good path is harder, that¡¯s what makes it the good path in the first place. No matter how horrible the world is, no matter what kind of enemy you¡¯re going to have to face, trying to make people good by force? That¡¯s true evil right there. No matter how many people suffer because ¡®good¡¯ cannot use such methods to see itself done. No matter how wrong people are, all the time, every day. You¡¯d be evil. No matter how much better you think it might be sometimes if everyone thought like you did, if everyone could understand each other perfectly with no regrets, it¡¯d be wrong.
I know this must be hard for you, Cibele. It was even harder for me, thinking I was good because I had no claws, refusing to use the power I was granted even when I knew it would make everyone happier. Being indecisive, because you believe this power will tempt you into darkness, will only ensure that your light ¨C the only thing that can save this world ¨C will fade away. Refuse your ¡®selfish¡¯ desires, and only dark will remain.
(¡­a power like this isn¡¯t a ¡®light¡¯. And using it like this isn¡¯t being a heroine.)
But, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll learn what your true role is. What it is you need to do. And how happy those you choose to love will be when you make them yours, to the point where you¡¯ll wonder why you ever resisted sweet, ¡®fudgey¡¯ temptation at all. And after all of that? After a harem of cuties eating out of the palm of your hand? Well, when the time comes you have to use your power for more than love and sex, I hope you¡¯ll be ready for it¡­ to do what I could not, and save the world from the Queen.
¡­no You can¡¯t do it. You won¡¯t do it. You toss and turn in your hospital bed, clinging to your pillow and wrenching your eyes shut. Forget your future-past-self. You¡¯ll¡­find some other way. You won¡¯t do it. You won¡¯t even fantasise about it, even a little. You won¡¯t fantasise about correcting Stella¡¯s bullying behaviour with a spell, turning her into an upstanding citizen, and becoming so irresistible she can¡¯t help but fall for you. You won¡¯t fantasise about reading Calvina¡¯s mind and learning about everything she is and wants, and fulfilling it, knowing exactly what to say to make your fencing teacher melt in your arms. You definitely won¡¯t fantasise about Korri. Sweet, trusting little Korri, letting you hypnotise her on your word alone, watching as her eyes go deliciously blank and you rewire her thoughts, one by one, into something small and smooth and pleasing to the eye. You won¡¯t. It would be wrong. ¡­ ¡­ (really, you won¡¯t¡­) ¡­ (you continue ¡®not fantasising¡¯ until you fall back asleep, drifting off into fitful dreams of beautiful girls eating right out of your hand.) 0.2: Developer’s Note ¡°Her heartbeat¡¯s stable, at least ¨C¡± You flutter your lashes as your eyes open. ¡°Breathing¡¯s normal.¡± Why are you lying on the ground? ¡°Looks like she¡¯s regaining consciousness.¡± Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel¡­ Why is the sun so bright? ¡°Oh god, I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m so ¨C¡± Stay strong, do not lose hope. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s okay. Look, barely a scratch on her.¡± Why is everything so loud? O flora, of the moon, of the dream¡­ ¡°That brake failure was one-in-a-million. Black box is fried, too.¡± Why are there people standing over you? Then touch the darkness within me. ¡°Can you hear us, ma¡¯am?¡± What¡¯s happening? What will become of us now, at the end of love? ¡°She might have a concussion. You¡¯ve checked her head?¡± ¡°No injuries. Not even mild abrasions. More like she bumped into a parked truck and fell over, really.¡± You¡¯re pretty scary, you know that? ¡°I was ¨C I was speeding, and ¨C¡± ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve been speeding. You¡¯re in shock. The girl¡¯s hardly injured.¡± This is the only test we give to those who wish to become a Goddess. What¡¯s¡­what¡¯s going on? ¡°Just give her a minute. She¡¯ll be able to speak soon.¡± System engaged. ¡°Hey, can you hear me?¡± You look over at one of the¡­paramedics? There¡¯s¡­a truck, an ambulance, a police car¡­what looks to be a couple of cops, and two paramedics hovering over you¡­ ¡°Y-yeah,¡± you mutter. Were you¡­hit by the truck? ¡°Can you tell us your name?¡± the other paramedic asks. ¡°C-cibele.¡± You blink a few times, seeing something strange at the edge of your vision. ¡°Can you tell us if anything¡¯s wrong? Does anything hurt?¡± ¡°I ¨C no, not a thing.¡± That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s not right, is it? That truck, did it hit you? You didn¡¯t even notice, so stuck in your music and your troubled thoughts¡­ Shouldn¡¯t something hurt? ¡°You¡¯re a very lucky girl, Cibele. But we¡¯re going to need to take you to the hospital, okay? We just need to make sure you¡¯re alright.¡± You nod weakly. You¡¯re certain something¡¯s wrong now. Like¡­something hovering in front of your eyes, are those¡­ words?
Welcome to your battlefield. ??
¡­what?
Gamer System engaged. Rebooting¡­
¡­ You only have time to stare at the hovering window and words before you in blank confusion before you pass out once again. ¡­ You stare up again at the ceiling, and reach out, the menu floating above your face the moment you call for it again. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­it wasn¡¯t a dream, was it?
Unable to answer your troubled heart, yet unable to go back to sleep, you find yourself in front of a bathroom mirror late at night, gazing at your own reflection. At the reflection of the young girl named¡­ Cibele Epeli Imanis. ¡®Cibele¡¯, after the goddess Cybele. The mother goddess of Anatolia, and Rome¡¯s Magna Mater. It¡¯s an old family tradition that happens every now and again, to name girls after goddesses ¨C like your mother Rheia, your aunt Vesta, your cousin Junon, the list goes on. In your case, you¡¯re not really sure you live up to your name. Your face is more like your mother¡¯s. Softer, gentler. Kind, perhaps. You can¡¯t really complain about it. But the rest of you takes more after your father; you have his black hair, poking through the roots of your blue dye. You have his brown eyes, his darker skin. You kind of like the way you look; certainly, if you cloned yourself, you¡¯d¡­ Wait. Bad thought to be having when another you is taunting you! Anyway. You¡¯re not tall, but you¡¯re not really short, either. You work out, of course, but your dessert habits keep you from having the kind of abs you¡¯d drool over. You¡¯ve got a decent amount of curves, but you wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯ve got a knockout figure. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. You¡¯re¡­ average. Your face is cute¡­so you¡¯ve heard, anyway. That¡¯s what your family has said, and Korri as well. But that doesn¡¯t really translate into being attractive to other women, it seems. (Maybe it¡¯s a matter of being ¡®cute¡¯, but not being ¡®sexy¡¯?) Plus, it doesn¡¯t stand out much. Somehow. ¡°Mouuu¡­¡± you mutter to yourself, reaching up and tying your hair back into their usual pigtails. But, maybe that¡¯s part of the problem ¨C do they look childish? Then again, you think a ponytail would look worse, and it gets in the way too much when you wear it down¡­ All of this is to say, well: are you really the kind of person who needs to brainwash someone to be loved? You don¡¯t really think so, but. Future-past-you is annoying that way. It¡¯s an academic question in any case; even if you weren¡¯t that kind of person, your powers shouldn¡¯t be used for such a purpose, right? (¡­right?) Sighing again, you splash water on your face, and let the status screen come up.
Cibele Epeli Imanis ???: The Hypnogamer (Brilliant Star) Vitality: 1 Strength: 1 Dexterity: 1 Intelligence: 1 Adaptability: 1 Charisma: 1 Skill Points: 1 Gamer System v1.0, all rights reserved Missing modules: Observe, Level, Skill, Book, Quest, Experience
All fairly self-explanatory; skimming the stats suggest they do what you¡¯d expect, with the sole exception being Charisma covering physical attractiveness as well. That being said, having all your stats at 1 is kind of annoying! (You¡¯re just skimming the tutorial info for now, but apparently a score of 2 is human peak, while a score of 3 or more is outright supernatural.) You don¡¯t even have peak human-level cuteness? Total bull-plop! ¡®Adaptability¡¯ is a bit of a weird pick, but you¡¯re guessing you made this based off of Dark Souls stats. A bit odd that ¡®Faith¡¯ is missing, but it probably wouldn¡¯t be very useful in the real world anyway without miracles to cast, so it¡¯s just as well. The only real issue is that you¡¯re required to buy a skill to unlock the ability to increase your attributes, let alone get more skills. (Each skill you have costs a single point, it looks like, but the tree has various requirements.) So from the look of it, no matter what you do, you¡¯re eventually going to have to buy skills that you can use for less than noble purposes. And future-past-you is keen to remind you.
Welcome to the Hypnogamer system, which I¡¯ve designed especially to fulfill all your wildest fantasies. It¡¯s not as full-featured as you might be familiar with ¨C there are no quests, no experience points, simply ability grinding and a skill tree (although this is more accurately a ¡®Perk¡¯ tree). But, it¡¯ll be more than enough to have all the brainwashed cuties you could ever want¡­
At least that keeps things simple. You can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯d be like to have future-past-you giving you quests about how cute girls are, and how wonderful it¡¯d be to have them dancing in the palm of your hand¡­ (Okay, maybe you can imagine it. Being given targets, girls to use your powers on¡­no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) You¡¯ve got a couple of basic abilities, too, beyond the attributes. Although one is hidden right now. Honestly, just the first one seems really useful (if, um, worrying).
Gamer¡¯s Body: Recover from most ailments or flesh wounds with 8 hours¡¯ rest. Removal of limbs or organs or the like cannot be healed. In addition, your appearance is always flawless.
That would explain why you survived, maybe. If your jumbled memories are right, the cameras didn¡¯t catch the truck, and the black box on it fried out too, right? Otherwise, a truck traveling that fast ¨C there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t get seriously injured. (You mutter another little ¡®mouu¡¯ to cutely chastise yourself.) Unfortunately, future-past-you always has something to add.
Everyone in games is always so lovely, right? So beautiful. Able to wear such ridiculous clothes with no discomfort¡­all that is yours now. And with all the power you gain, girls will want you more and more.
Really, this is just unfair. She keeps pushing your buttons, and you can¡¯t do anything to stop her because she¡¯s in a future which is now the past! Even so, it feels like ¡®girls will think you¡¯re hot¡¯ is the least interesting thing here¡­ Even so, you¡¯re pretty worried. You¡¯re being told you have to ¡®save the world¡¯, and you have this ability, but¡­why aren¡¯t you being told anything more? What kind of person is this future-past-you, that she¡¯s so interested in cuties, and everything else is an afterthought? You¡¯d love to just ignore her, but¡­
Gamer¡¯s Mind: Increase attributes through activities. Using your powers will cause much faster progress; you cannot increase your attributes without investing at least 1 skill point in a tree.
Yeah, that rule complicates things quite a lot, doesn¡¯t it? You have to pick one of these powers to even start, so the temptation is there from the very beginning. Unavoidable.
Grinding is easy, Cibele. All you need to do is pick one of those lovely opening skills, and you¡¯ll be able to become stronger, smarter, and prettier than anyone else in Southern Sun. Oh, it does help if you have some lovely pets, and bringing them on your side will enhance your power¡­but, I¡¯d also suggest doing some extra-curricular activities to increase your abilities more effectively. Grinding alone isn¡¯t very fun, you know? And who knows who you¡¯ll meet¡­such cuties there are~
You quietly ¡®mouuu¡¯ to yourself. This is going to be hard¡­ But, it¡¯s like this, right? You have to do something. You¡¯ll just have to be the good person, with no bad thoughts. Mama and papa forgive you for saying this, but¡­ How hard can it be? Thinking about it, in stories like these ¨C your brother¡¯s read quite a few, and shared them too ¨C people end up grinding for months on their own, or just go through all kinds of activities again and again and again to gain power. Right now, you¡¯re not so sure that¡¯ll help, especially since future-past-you hasn¡¯t told you much; maybe it¡¯d be better to follow her advice, minus the ¡®pets¡¯ bit? Especially since¡­
???: Unlocks under conditions where this ability may be used.
Ugh. That sounds ominous, doesn¡¯t it? She¡¯s giving you so little to go on¡­really, trying to meet people might be your best shot at figuring out what¡¯s going on. Before it¡¯s too late¡­ Well. It¡¯s entirely possible that this future-past-you isn¡¯t the real you, or she¡¯s been compromised somehow, manipulating you to fall into someone else¡¯s hands. But somehow, it doesn¡¯t sit right. It¡¯s still you, just looking at it, easily seeing yourself in those words. While you obviously see what your other self is saying as immoral, warping girls¡¯ minds to your will and all that, it¡¯s still unambitious. Right? It¡¯s not exactly world-ending supervillain material, is it? No, it seems more likely that she¡¯s saying, ¡®it¡¯s okay to be a hypnotic supervillain if I also help people¡¯, which isn¡¯t really inspiring confidence. (¡­it comes to mind you don¡¯t even know if these superpowers work, actually. You don¡¯t know how to make a Gamer System like this, so how is it that you¡¯d be sure everything came back alright? Hopefully there aren¡¯t any weird bugs¡­) So¡­yeah. You could just deny everything, but you want to trust yourself, even if yourself is so weird. If this is what she decided to do with her power, then you¡¯ll just have to be a better person than her. And hopefully¡­
I¡¯m sorry to hide things from you right now, but¡­it¡¯s necessary. When the time comes, I¡¯ll tell you everything ¨C for now, focus on gaining power. You know, you¡¯ll never meet the Queen with a soul so frail and pallid¡­
Without becoming an evil villain as bad as the so-called Queen ¨C you¡¯ll gain the power you need to face her, deep within your soul. Someday, you think, as you finally walk out of the bathroom and back toward your hospital bed, future-past-you will tell you about the Queen, and what it is you need to do. And if she¡¯s right about all this, you will need to gain strength, so you can save Southern Sun, and the world, from her. With this power of yours, tempting as a sundae it might be, you¡¯ll need to become a heroine worthy of a goddess¡¯ name. You¡¯ll just have to do it without indulging in that fetish. (¡­) (¡­) (¡­which you, of course, resume ¡®not fantasizing¡¯ about the moment dreams cling to you.) (You dream not of what you are, but of what you wish to be. Bathed in golden light.) (You dream of being able to be taken seriously, rather than dismissed as ¡®cute¡¯. You dream of being able to express your own feelings, and understand those of others. You dream of being seen as desirable, even sexy, and worthy of serving, living up to the name ¡®Cybele¡¯. You dream of challenging your future, with all of your strength, and those who follow you beyond the darkness.) (and most of all¡­) (you dream of love, just as you¡¯re meant to.) (What will become of you now, Cibele Epeli Imanis, at the end of time?) â… .1: Something Good You wake up in the same hospital bed you didn¡¯t fantasize yourself to sleep in. The menus are still there, when you call them, just like before. ¡°Mouuu¡­¡±

Part ¢ñ: Draw The Blinds On Yesterday

Well, there¡¯s no sense in just sitting around feeling sorry for yourself¡­ Nurses and doctors insisted, despite your own darned eyes, that you were injured in merely a low-speed collision and suffered nothing more than minor abrasions. Not even a concussion, which is weird¡­ But you get the feeling that isn¡¯t necessarily procedure. The staff are obviously pretty harried. Beds all around you are filled ¨C some injuries look pretty bad, too. That¡¯s how Southern Sun is right now; full of tension, not enough to go around, and if they can fast-track you out of the hospital even if they should keep you here for observation¡­that¡¯s one more bed they can give to someone who really needs it. You love this city, you truly do, but¡­you won¡¯t deny that it¡¯s getting to the point where it really needs a heroine. ¡­and so you pull out your phone, and sigh, looking at all the messages (after swiping away all the pointless plop no one cares about, of course). Top of the list is your mom, of course. Of all the nights for her to be at an all-night concert, and not get the call from the hospital until much later¡­ Later than you thought, really. You haven¡¯t heard from her until this morning. [05:59 04/30/42] laurenmayberryfan2013: Cibele! I just got the message on my phone. Are you okay? [08:02 04/30/42] qubeley004: Yeah, I¡¯m fine, mom. It was a low-speed collision. I¡¯m not seriously hurt. [08:10 04/30/42] laurenmayberryfan2013: I¡¯m glad to hear it. Listen, I¡¯ll send Marq over to pick you up, okay? I¡¯ll leave the scooter for him. [08:10 04/30/42] qubeley004: Got it! :white_heart: Be sure to tell Papa and everyone else I¡¯m fine too, got it? Well, you probably don¡¯t need your brother to show up, but you won¡¯t deny you¡¯re a little wary of walking now. The next time you go out, Truck-kun is liable to actually send you to another world. It¡¯s a bit unlikely, but you peek over at Calvina¡­ [18:00 04/29/42] Reiterpallasch: You¡¯re running late. Is everything alright? [19:00 04/29/42] Reiterpallasch: Alright, I hope you¡¯re okay. But try to give more advance notice next time. (¡­you know you shouldn¡¯t, but you feel really bad for letting Calvina down¡­) [08:11 04/30/42] qubeley004: I¡¯m sorry, I was in an accident¡­ [08:15 04/30/42] Reiterpallasch: Oh¡­so it¡¯s something like that. My apologies. Are you alright? [08:15 04/30/42] qubeley004: Yeah, I¡¯m okay. It wasn¡¯t serious. Even my phone made it out alright! [08:16 04/30/42] Reiterpallasch: Mm. Maybe you should skip tonight¡¯s practice, though. Just in case. [08:17 04/30/42] qubeley004: I¡¯ll think about it. Listen, I¡¯ll tell you later, yeah? [08:20 04/30/42] Reiterpallasch: Of course. Seems about right. Calvina¡¯s so serious, and you worry a lot about what she thinks of you. You look up to her, so gosh-darned much, that you can¡¯t help but feel bad for this, even if she¡¯s forgiven you, and even if it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s ¨C well, it¡¯s tempting. It¡¯s really tempting, to figure out what it is she thinks of you. Does she look down on you, or does she really ¨C ¡°Ms. Imanis?¡± You¡¯re interrupted by the presence of a nurse. Seems like standard checkup, triage stuff. You imagine you¡¯ll probably be kicked out of here pretty quickly, because¡­ just look at all those beds. As you take a closer look, if you had to take a guess¡­a lot of them are climate refugees. Migrants. Some look like they¡¯ve suffered injuries; others simply look like they¡¯re suffering chronic health issues that finally became too much to bear, or became subject to endemic diseases they¡¯ve never been vaccinated for. The kind of people who might well have to foot the bill for this when all is said and done ¨C ¡°Sorry, Cibele?¡± ¡°O-oh.¡± You look to the nurse, nodding toward him. ¡°Right. Uh¡­yeah, what do you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to ask you a few questions in a bit, but I¡¯d like to know if you consent to being released today.¡± You get the feeling he¡¯s rather busy, and would like to get through this as quickly as possible. ¡°If you feel you need more medical treatment ¨C¡± ¡°No, I think I¡¯m fine.¡± You shake your head. ¡°That is, if the doctors think so!¡± ¡°I have to consult with them, still. You sure look alright to me, but ¨C heh. I¡¯m just a nurse, you know?¡± He forces a smile. ¡°Lemme go get that sorted for you.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± You flash a peace sign, and then¡­toss yourself back into the pillow. This city¡­this city needs a heroine. At the very least, all these people in the beds need a heroine. You may not like the powers you got, but they¡¯re what you have to work with. Even you can think of ways to use them that aren¡¯t wrong. So, let¡¯s start from the top. So you got hit by a truck, in what was apparently one-in-a-million. Thanks to your Gamer¡¯s Body, you survive, albeit with much confusion. Because of the full beds, medical staff are looking for any excuse to clear one, and in this case you¡¯re all too happy to oblige. Now, you¡¯ve been given miraculous powers, and future-past-you is, for whatever reason, encouraging you to do nefarious things with them! To other girls! And, well, you have no idea why, and she¡¯s not explaining near enough¡­ Perhaps, in the old timeline, she got these powers at the same time, but without any notes? Hmn. No, it seems like this is something she created for you. So if future-past-you got hit in that same accident without any Gamer¡¯s Body¡­ Yeah, it bears little thinking about. You don¡¯t know how fast, but it was a square-on hit; you¡¯d not be surprised if you ended up in a coma after that! At least your new abilities are already helping, so small favors. But to go any further, you need to pick one of your abilities. You can¡¯t proceed from here without taking something, and of your three options, only one of them seems viable. With a thought, you bring up your menu again in your mind¡¯s eye, and flick through. There¡¯s a page for the Developer¡¯s Note (and presumably whatever else future-past-you deigns to add later), then a status screen which shows and explains your statistics and Skill Points, and then there¡¯s your skill screen itself. It¡¯s set up into three different trees, actually ¨C Hypnosis, Telepathy, and Enchantment. Each of these trees has a single starter skill which branches off into three branches with three tiers each, with a single capstone at the end that ties them all together. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Two of these three starter skills seem, uh¡­dubious at best. But in general, all three of the trees seem like they¡¯ll be of some use to a heroine. Even Hypnosis, surprisingly enough¡­
Hypnosis grants you near-supernatural levels of knowledge of mundane ¡®mind control¡¯ phenomena ¨C classical hypnosis, psychology, mentalism (in the ¡®manipulative illusionist¡¯ sense), social engineering, memetics, etcetera. It contains the Psychology, Induction, and Memetics branches.
Can any of this really work like that? Especially on the individual level? Well, if you¡¯ve got psychic powers and magic too, that¡¯s a bit of an odd hill to die on. Even so, future-past-you has written notes for everything, seemingly to taunt you. (Tempt you?)
Aah, hypnosis¡­this is where I got started, you know. A matter of circumstance that let me discover my abilities. You¡¯re a bright girl, Cibele, and Psychology is your favorite class. This is where I recommend starting.
Yeah, no. You¡¯re not starting with its opener, ¡®Instant Hypnotherapist¡¯. Even if it is kind of intriguing ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Anyway. Obviously, that¡¯s not an option. Skimming through the skills suggests some of them might be useful, yes, but it¡¯s really not worth the horrible temptation at this juncture. (You¡¯ll probably have to at some point, though. Each of the three skill trees is governed by one of your mental attributes, and raising them gives you points for only that tree. So when your Charisma goes up, you¡¯ll get a Hypnosis skill point.) Well, at least it¡¯s less tempting than Enchantment¡­
Enchantment grants you magic spells that can compel certain courses of action, or alter someone¡¯s perception of the world around them. It contains the Charm, Geas, and Disruption branches.
The starter skill is ¡®Suggestion¡¯. It, uh, goes downhill from there.
Magic is absolutely real¡­or something like it, anyway. Sure, there¡¯s something hotter about hypnosis, but isn¡¯t there something special about being able to change a person¡¯s mind with just a touch, a word? To warp their perceptions until they believe only what you want them to believe? So much potential.
How is that not being a villain?! Honestly, did future-past-you lose all her marbles at some point? Right, so Suggestion is really not an option for your first skill. Again, you can see circumstances where these things are useful and not just imposing your will on cute girls, but if you¡¯re avoiding temptation, the only tree that makes sense is, well:
Telepathy grants you psychic powers that give you the ability to read/alter minds, sense danger, or affect the physical world. It contains the Mentalism, Clairvoyance, and Override branches.
Yeah, psychic powers! Like being a Newtype or something! Plenty of these abilities seem abusable, but really, this seems like the best option for being a heroine, even if future-past-you has to continue ruining everything.
They say psychic powers aren¡¯t about moving things with your mind¡­they¡¯re about controlling your own mind. Close your eyes and clear your mind of excessive thoughts¡­or something like that, anyway. Well, maybe you can¡¯t clear those thoughts, but you can certainly influence people!
¡°Mouuuu¡­¡± You¡¯re just going to have to get used to it, aren¡¯t you. The opening skill for the Telepathy tree is ¡®Thought Skimmer¡¯, though. And of the bunch, despite the potential to violate someone¡¯s privacy, it easily feels like the least unethical choice you could make to begin getting to know your abilities.
Telepathy Opener: Thought Skimmer. You may read surface thoughts from a single individual you are speaking directly to. You can also read their emotions to predict what actions would cause a desired response.
Even so, future-past-you¡¯s words keep echoing inside your head. As if everything here could be used for the unethical purpose of altering minds, even the most innocent seeming skills, the ones inside the golden icons of the Telepathy tree. You¡¯re really not comfortable doing anything that might play into her hands; whatever you do, you don¡¯t want to become a villain, simply because you couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. But she¡¯s set it up so you have no choice. That said, you¡¯re pretty sure a lot of these abilities are useful for more than just brainwashing people. Or even not useful for that at all! Precognition, social engineering¡­even some of the more mind-control-y stuff would be plenty useful when fighting some baddies. Enchantment¡¯s an undervalued spell school! Having bad powers doesn¡¯t make you a bad person, right? Despite the fact that merely having them tempts you¡­ If it¡¯s like that, though? Just think of it like a feat tax. You know, a thing you take because you have to, not because you want to. (Right?) ¡°Mouuuuuuuuuuu¡­¡± you mutter to yourself again as you stare at the skill screen. One point. One skill. Then you can start using your newfound powers to make a real difference. It¡¯s not a huge temptation, right? You don¡¯t need to. You¡¯re sure you could find a girlfriend (or two, or several) just fine if you tried. And you don¡¯t even have a mind control fetish, or anything! Sure, future-past-you does, but who knows what she saw in a future so terrible she resorted to time travel to fix it? You¡¯re not the same person. You have the chance to make things right! All you need to do is¡­oh¡­oh, why does it has to be like thiiiiiiiiiiis ¡°Mrrnnmrnmgr¡­¡± you mutter nervously, biting your lip, considering this incredibly important decision¡­closing your eyes and shaking your head, you reach out and poke the non-existent tile with your finger. As you do, the golden tile lights up in a pretty white glow, the icon of a person¡¯s head and an electrocardiogram impulse shimmering as new paths open to you. Like a world of possibilities has ¨C oh. Oh no. Future-past-you has written even more notes! How many of these things does she have?!
Does this sound innocent to you? It¡¯s not, you know. There¡¯s so much you can do, even with just thoughts on the surface. Instantly knowing what the other person is really feeling¡­can¡¯t you just use that, and become the perfect person for someone else, making them kneel to you without even changing their mind at all? Even Calvina¡­
Noooo, why does she have to do thiiiiiiiis, it was going so well before she decided to tease you again¡­it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s still not right. Even if it would be so lovely to be Calvina¡¯s perfect girl, it¡¯s not right. (¡­right?) ¡°Ms. Imanis?¡± ¡°Oh! Uh, yeah.¡± You hastily turn back to the nurse, hoping you didn¡¯t look too weird to anyone watching. Lots of girls have cute verbal tics, it¡¯s fine, right? ¡°You need to check things with me, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The nurse taps a stylus on his tablet, looking down the list. ¡°This¡¯ll only take a few minutes and a signature, and you¡¯ll be good to go.¡± You smile and nod, listening carefully as the nurse takes your questions ¨C most of it you just say ¡®no¡¯ to, really. But, even so, this strikes you as the perfect time to test out your new ability. Reading anyone¡¯s mind is going to be a tricky matter. Even so, you know you¡¯re not, uh¡­the best at reading social cues. (At least, Calvina¡¯s had to deal with you misreading them kind of a lot?) If it¡¯s just surface thoughts, it doesn¡¯t strike you as a massive violation. And if it¡¯s someone in a professional context¡­ you reach out, with your consciousness. You recall Korri telling you once that the brain has no nerves within it; it cannot ¡®feel¡¯ its own physical presence. But when you concentrate, you can feel it, now, like a phantom pain, some organ you never realized you possessed, yet was always within you. Not only that, but you can sense the mind of the nurse in front of you. As he turns to his list, the presence fades¡­but when his gaze turns to you, that presence returns. As someone in an anime said once, you can see it! All you need to do is reach out, and¡­ I can¡¯t believe we wasted a bed on this shit, the nurse thinks. What¡¯s next, are we going to keep a kid in observation because he caught cooties? Woah. ¡­okay, all moral and ethical issues aside ¨C that was awesome. You¡­you have superpowers! Magic! Psychic powers! You¡¯re a Newtype, or something! If this is a dream, you don¡¯t know if you want to wake up! Screw future-past-you, if you can avoid the whole ¡®brainwashing girls¡¯ thing, you¡¯re sure you can protect Southern Sun, and have fun doing it! ¡°¡­huh. You look like you¡¯re in a good mood,¡± the nurse says, tapping the tablet. He¡¯s more frustrated than he looks, but, you know that a job like this is the kind where people get upset. You¡¯re not going to take it personally. ¡°Well, you know. I feel like something good¡¯s going to happen today.¡± ¡°Today? It¡¯s Walpurgis Night, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m planning a big date with my boyfriend tonight at the Capsule Club.¡± ¡°In the Electric City? My brother¡¯s always doing stuff this time of year.¡± It¡¯s a special holiday for a lot of the refugees in the city, and a religious movement called the Fourth Order considers it sacred too. ¡°Hm, are you and your partner secretly witches?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Pretty sure I weigh more than a duck.¡± He smiles ¨C and you can tell thanks to your Thought Skimmer ability that it¡¯s genuine, too. This is gonna come in handy! ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re free to go, just sign here.¡± You do exactly that, and let the nurse go deal with people who actually need the help. As for you¡­ you can¡¯t help but laugh a bit, and smile. You know you can do something good, and after learning that your powers are real, totally real¡­ you just know that something good is going to happen! â… .2: Ask me no questions… Once you¡¯re cleared up, you head out into the hospital food court for a bite to eat. A nice, full breakfast to get yourself started. ¡­by which you mean you have dorayaki and an iced capp, Quebec style. Eh, who cares, you almost died! Kind of. Even Calvina won¡¯t argue about empty calories, right? At the very least, you now have a chance to check out what Korri¡¯s been up to. She always leaves a ton of messages for you, and it should be just about time for the morning break¡­ [17:01 04/29/42] grantuseyes: rpid://spotfl.ix/24Ur_OdR7yo [17:03 04/29/42] grantuseyes: Finally had a chance to listen. It¡¯s pretty interesting, though¡­you know, David Bowie specifically chose that vocalist to try and break up a particularly noxious view of Japanese women¡­ [17:03 04/29/42] grantuseyes: We still have that one now, don¡¯t we? No matter how many counter-examples¡­old memes die hard, I guess. [17:04 04/29/42] grantuseyes: Sexism in general, really. Maybe, if there¡¯s a real heroine out there, it¡¯s a girl as cute as you? (You don¡¯t really know why, but Korri has a bad habit of saying things that are extremely on-the-nose.) [17:24 04/29/42] grantuseyes: ¡­hm, that¡¯s right. I still can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t go to the concert! Marina was even opening up for them, right? [17:26 04/29/42] grantuseyes: Hm, but¡­it¡¯s interesting. Lauren has had her own struggles. She lived through the Collapse, but before that¡­ [17:30 04/29/42] grantuseyes: Love is Dead came out just before then. If you chart the progression of all three albums, there¡¯s definitely a sense where the emotions and the lyrics shifted from more metaphorical toward something that more directly brought out the feelings of the end of an era¡­ [17:30 04/29/42] grantuseyes: A desire to fight. [17:31 04/29/42] grantuseyes: You know, it¡¯s probably not too late to ask your mom to go. Like she says, it might be your last chance! ¡­right for the gutpunch, that one. Future-past-you should¡¯ve told you not to go to the protest, not done all this weird stuff and try and make you brainwash people, least of all Korri! [11:02 04/30/42] qubeley004: Maybe I should have gone, though. I got into an accident. ^^; [11:05 04/30/42] grantuseyes: Oh no! D: Are you okay? [11:06 04/30/42] qubeley004: Calvina even told me I didn¡¯t have to¡­I literally left it to a coin flip! :mouuu: [11:07 04/30/42] qubeley004: But I¡¯m okay. It wasn¡¯t serious. [11:08 04/30/42] grantuseyes: I¡¯m glad to hear it, at least. I had a bad feeling, maybe I should¡¯ve insisted¡­ [11:09 04/30/42] grantuseyes: Then again, you already made your signs, right? You didn¡¯t get the Korean wrong this time, did you? [11:10 04/30/42] qubeley004: Nah, after that incident, I made sure to ask Aunt Junon first. [11:11 04/30/42] qubeley004: Besides, I felt it was more important. Not getting to see Lauren again will sting, but I bet she¡¯ll still be around. And Marina, well, I¡¯ll get more opportunities to see her in concert, for sure. [11:12 04/30/42] grantuseyes: Yeah, I get it. We have to take care of ourselves, but you still push yourself to help others, huh? [11:13 04/30/42] qubeley004: You could say my hobby is saving people! [11:14 04/30/42] grantuseyes: Hee, that¡¯s just like you. :heart: I still remember, though, how embarrassed you got when we were kids and we saw Lauren for the first time on stage¡­ [11:15 04/30/42] qubeley004: Uh, yeah, embarrassed. ^^; (Yes, embarrassed. Definitely nothing more than that.) ¡­but, ugh. How can she be so cute, even over text?! Korri¡¯s just so amazing¡­you really should confess to her, just to get it all off your mind. [11:18 04/30/42] grantuseyes: I need to do a thing before going back to class, so. Catch you tonight, I hope? Do rest up, if you need! [11:21 04/30/42] qubeley004: I might catch you at school, actually. I have things I want to do, you know? [11:22 04/30/42] grantuseyes: Oh, right¡­your girlfriend, huh? ;) [11:23 04/30/42] qubeley004: Hush, you. :T [11:23 04/30/42] grantuseyes: :3 Right, see you later, and have fun~ Yeah. Really should. You don¡¯t know how you feel, holding this over her. She¡¯s not even gay, and you definitely shouldn¡¯t think of making her gay; such a thing would surely be unforgivable! Even if she¡¯s been treated so horribly by guys ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Er. Right. Korri¡¯s going to be busy for a while, so now all you¡¯ve really got to do is wait. It¡¯ll probably be a little bit, since your place is a bit far from here, but¡­well, now it¡¯s time for the waiting game! ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Okay, huh, this is taking a long time. Your Quebec style iced capp is already gone! Even at extra large! Well, you do drink kind of a lot of it, so maybe it hasn¡¯t actually been that long, but you¡¯re sure it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check in. You pop open your phone, poke your brother¡¯s name, and wait for the answer. Ring-ring, ring-ring. Well, if he¡¯s on the scooter, it might be a bit difficult, but it¡¯ll at least remind him if he¡¯s gone off to play with the gacha machines at Tokyo Shop or something. Ring-ring, ring-ring. It is kind of weird, though. Who makes phone calls these days? Even your parents are more comfortable texting ¨C ? LISTEN TO MY SOOOOOOOOOONG! OOOO-OOOOH! okay who the hell is playing J-pop that loud in public ¨C oh. In the distance, there, a young man with ratty, messy black hair, carrying a couple of motorcycle helmets, looking down on his phone, wearing a faded and well-worn Twilight Sparkle t-shirt¡­ Yep. That¡¯s your brother Marq, alright. You hang up your call and walk right up to Marq, smiling brightly, to spare him the embarrassment. ¡°New ringtone, huh, Marq?¡± Marqus Epeli Imanis ¨C or Marq, as you and Korri have called him since you were kids ¨C is probably the person in your family you¡¯re closest to. Certainly, you¡¯ve trusted him with things you haven¡¯t anyone else. ¡°I thought it was time for a change of pace. ¡®Connect¡¯ is great, but it¡¯s nice to switch up every once in a while.¡± Marq pockets his phone, and gives you an enthusiastic wave. His shirt has that happy-looking pony princess waving and saying, ¡®Sparkle like a Unicorn!¡¯. ¡°You should watch Symphogear, by the way.¡± More magical girls? He really wants to get you into them, huh? ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how often I hear that, Marq!¡± Well, okay. Marq¡¯s a bit of an underachiever, a bit passive and placid, meandering through life without a care. You know some of your aunts and uncles think he should have a bit more focus on his future. (Then again, don¡¯t they say the same about you?) There¡¯s a lot of reasons you get along well, though! (Something your psychology teacher told you to keep in mind, to observe and recognize that feeling in others.) You share quite a few hobbies, you¡¯re mutual friends with Korri, and he¡¯s helped you through some of the bad times in your life. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. But the biggest reason, really¡­ ¡°Well, don¡¯t all lesbians dream of having someone they love enough to sleep on the top half of a bunk bed with?¡± Marq wiggles his eyebrows, and you giggle. ¡°That seems like it¡¯d be crowded. I can barely fit on the top bunk as it is, adding another person would be pretty tough!¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. The bunk beds at the Lydian Academy are built for two!¡± ¡°snrk.¡° You smile ear-to-ear. Having a yuri fanboy for a sibling? Really, that¡¯s the best big brother a lesbian could ask for! ¡°Sorry about the trouble,¡± you say, as the two of you start walking through the hospital. The ¡®food court¡¯ is more of a massive entrance hall, full of small stores and food stands, massive granite walls extending all the way to the skylight on either side. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to get into an accident or anything, and I guess Mom wants you to check on me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine.¡± Your brother waves his hand dismissively, sighing. ¡°Walpurgisnacht doesn¡¯t begin in earnest until sunset, anyway. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Of course, it makes sense that Marq gets along with the Fourth Order, though how a religion based on magical girl anime started is something you can only guess at ¨C so naturally, he¡¯d be interested in their Walpurgis Night celebrations, too. ¡°Just, be careful, okay? Who knows if it might get violent again this year.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m tougher than I look.¡± Marq mockingly raises one of his completely flabby arms and ¡®flexes¡¯ it. ¡°See? Ain¡¯t no one gonna kick my ass, as long as they¡¯re not stronger than a small child.¡± You giggle, smiling brightly. Marq always knows how to cheer you up, huh? ¡°I guess you know how to stay out of trouble! I¡¯d go, but I should probably at least try to start my classwork early this year.¡± ¡°You really should! You might meet a nice girl, y¡¯know? Which, about that.¡± Marq stops cold, smoothly turning toward you and pointing his fingers at you. ¡°E-eh?!¡± You look around nervously. Oh no, is something wrong?! ¡°You were trying to impress Calvina again, weren¡¯t you?!¡± Oh no. You¡¯ve been caught! ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± you say, as innocently as you can manage, eyes shifting this way and that. ¡°I was there to draw attention to inequities in labour and compensation ¨C¡± ¡°Come on, Cibele. I know you better than that! In fact, I have several key pieces of evidence that demonstrates your motivations!¡± Marq grins confidently, baring his teeth as his finger points to your hair. ¡°Exhibit A ¨C dark blue hair!¡± ¡°W-well, I just wanted a change of pace, you know!¡± ¡°And I¡¯m sure it has nothing to do with Calvina complimenting your hair that one time? The reason you¡¯ve kept it in pigtails for five years?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s a coincidence!¡± ¡°And you spent an hour putting on makeup, too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m out of practice! I wanted to make sure to get it exactly right, for, um¡­¡± You look aside, blushing. ¡°For reasons which have nothing to with Calvina Aeterna, I mean! Er, not that she doesn¡¯t always look gorgeous¡­¡± ¡°The neck scarf?¡± ¡°Chokers were all in the wash!¡± ¡°Your ¡®HERO¡¯ t-shirt?¡± ¡°I thought maybe it¡¯d look, y¡¯know, sporty and fun. I don¡¯t think the yellow shirt and green shorts go well together, though¡­¡± You wish you were a bit more fashion-inclined, really. Maybe that¡¯s part of the problem ¨C your looks are always a bit out of date, or chosen more for sentimentality than anything else. Blue hair isn¡¯t in this season ¨C these days, red hair is the way to go, like Calvina¡¯s sported since switching from blue a while back. (You¡¯re not exactly the kind of person to go with the flow, though, are you?) ¡°Face it, it¡¯s written all over ¨C you want Calvina to notice you! Which, I kind of get, but you should probably chase girls you think might actually be interested, you know?¡± ¡°She¡¯s never outright said she¡¯s straight! Only very heavily implied it!¡± Not that Calvina¡¯s ever had a boyfriend, mind you. ¡°It¡¯s not like there are any girls that are interested in me.¡± ¡°I dunno, there should be plenty of girls, really. Like, uh, what¡¯s her name, from school, Xiao-Yin ¨C¡± ¡°The mysterious Li Xiao-Yin?! No way, I¡¯m out of her league!¡± You rub the back of your neck. ¡°Besides, we barely know each other! I just want Calvina to notice I¡¯m not a kid anymore, you know?¡± ¡°And you got hit by a truck while your head¡¯s in the clouds¡­¡± Urk. Well, he¡¯s not wrong¡­¡±I get it, though. Calvina¡¯s got a lot of admirers, and it¡¯s hard to earn her respect. I barely did back in uni.¡± ¡°Did you ever try asking her out?¡± Marq¡¯s the whole reason you got into fencing, and Calvina was a big part of why he even tried back in the day. ¡°Hell no. I bet if I ever did, she¡¯d run me right through with a sword! Which, admittedly, might be kinda hot¡­¡± ¡°Ehe.¡± It¡¯s times like this you¡¯re glad to have a family. Even if an ex-psych-major is always on the nose where you¡¯re concerned. ¡°Just¡­I don¡¯t get it,¡± you mutter. ¡°I¡¯m nineteen. It feels like I should¡¯ve had these kinds of experiences by now. No offense.¡± ¡°None taken. Well, I¡¯m not a lesbian, you know?¡± Marq says, as if it wasn¡¯t obvious. ¡°Even if I think girls should love girls.¡± ¡°We can call you ¡®an ally of girls¡¯, then!¡± You snicker at your own lame joke. ¡°Heh. But no, I¡¯m thinking like¡­the other lesbians in the family have good luck, right? Plus, they¡¯re all really gorgeous¡­¡± Speaking of your whole family, at least, across the world. ¡°You¡¯re pretty cute yourself,¡± says Marq. ¡°Ehe.¡± Compliments aren¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s not quite the same when it¡¯s family, is it? ¡°But like, there¡¯s Vanessa, right?¡± ¡°Movie producer. That opens a lot of doors.¡± ¡°And Circe!¡± ¡°Famous actress! Besides, she had to take ages to figure out her orientation, remember?¡± ¡°And Grandma Gaia, may she be remembered?¡± ¡°She found her beloved in the worst times of her life. I should hope civilization shouldn¡¯t have to collapse for you to find love, Cibs.¡± ¡°Oh! And Aunt Vesta! She has like, four girlfriends!¡± Marq shakes his head. ¡°Not the best comparison. Vesta¡¯s life is literally an anime! Which is quite ironic, since she hates anime.¡± ¡°Is that the right use of ¡®ironic¡¯? Or ¡®literally¡¯?¡± ¡°Uh, probably?¡± Marq laughs awkwardly. ¡°Point being, you can¡¯t judge yourself against the context of others. As they might say in the Fourth Order, the Adversary works in mysterious ways.¡± ¡°Not the Goddess?¡± You¡¯re not entirely knowledgeable about this ¡®magical girl religion¡¯ thing, though you¡¯re sure Marq has told you before at some point¡­ ¡°The Adversary is the patron of love, Cibele!¡± Marq puts special emphasis on that word, for whatever reason. ¡°Trust me, Cibs ¨C someday, someone¡¯s going to pull you down from heaven. You can¡¯t read people¡¯s minds; for all you know, there¡¯s lots of girls who have a thing for you at school. Some girl might disrupt your providence for the sake of love, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± It¡¯d be nice to be sure. Marq¡¯s given you a lot of advice over the years. He¡¯s taught you more than even Mama or Papa has. Hell, he¡¯s the one who helped you realize you were a lesbian in the first place. Only Korri¡¯s been a better friend to you. But, when he says something like this, it¡¯s not the same if it¡¯s family ¨C but, he¡¯s wrong about one thing. You can read someone¡¯s mind, now. Thanks to future-past you. And thanks to future-past-you, you can feel the quasi-physical presence of Marq¡¯s mind, entirely focused on you. All it takes is to reach for it, and: I don¡¯t get it, though. Do these girls not have eyes? A girl this cute shouldn¡¯t be ignored! And you smile to yourself, in private. It¡¯s a light you¡¯ve found inside an ocean of night, of loneliness and longing, but knowing that he¡¯s not just saying it for the sake of family ¨C both from the words, and the warmth of emotion that comes from them ¨C does help your confidence a little. Maybe you can prove future-past-you wrong after all, huh? ¡°So we¡¯ll head home, and you can relax tonight. The accident wasn¡¯t serious, but it¡¯s a good enough excuse to take a break, right?¡± ¡°Actually, I was thinking of heading to school after lunch.¡± ¡°Huh? Really? That doesn¡¯t sound like you.¡± ¡°No, you see,¡± you say, ¡°it¡¯s psychology class.¡± ¡°Ooooh.¡± Marq whistles. ¡°Yeah, I get it now. Nothing stands in the way between my little sister and a crush, huh?¡± After all, as long as you have people fighting for you, you¡¯re not alone. Just like you¡¯ve fought for the people you care about and the people of Southern Sun who need it most, you know that there are people willing to fight for you in return. ¡­but, about that. You wonder, as you walk out the door and into the courtyard, the fountains before you and the river ahead, what it is that you¡¯re here to do with the power in these hands of yours. What kind of heroine the city, the world truly needs. Because you¡¯d like to think the world is getting better. That every day, the small things you and everyone else does makes it that much easier for people to live. That the reason you¡¯re able to live, to love girls, to walk among all races and cultures as equals, is because always, someone, somewhere out there is fighting for you. Because of the sacrifices made by people like Calvina, Aunt Vesta, or your beloved Grandma Gaia. That saving the world isn¡¯t just something one person does, but that we all can do, every moment of our lives. That you don¡¯t need miraculous powers to build a better future. But you can¡¯t help but think, as you stare out before your beloved Southern Sun, as the mechanical birds scatter in flight before you, their silhouettes framing the sun¡­ maybe this city needs a miracle.
Marqus Epeli Imanis ???: unknown
â… .3: Hot For Teacher ¡°¡­but what is free will?¡± your psychology teacher asks that afternoon, addressing most of a bored sixth form class, a small number of students (yourself included) listening intently. Usually people were more interested in her impassioned tangents on the nature of humanity and thought, but with Golden Week starting tomorrow, only the most eager of Yi Seul-ki¡¯s students were paying much attention¡­ and able to ignore the impending large-scale assignment she¡¯d inevitably saddle them with. But you were definitely one of the eager ones! And as the only class you could be considered anything but middling at, you weren¡¯t going to ignore your favorite class, let alone your favorite teacher! ¡°Science, of course, teaches us that the universe began in a single moment of time that created all matter and energy. Human beings are the result of billions of years of physics and chemistry coming together to create ¡®life¡¯.¡± Ms. Yi draws some explanatory diagrams on the smartboard, and you scribble down notes idly in your book. ¡°But, if everything was decided in that single moment, then surely all our actions are themselves deterministic, yes? Simply more physics and chemistry?¡± ¡­to be honest, you think you could listen to Ms. Yi go on about anything and listen happily, with a dreamy, far-off look in your eyes at thinking of your teacher-crush. Ms. Yi ¨C that is, Yi Seul-ki ¨C is famous here at the Verwest Adventist Academy, for a wide variety of reasons. (And not ¡®two¡¯, as some guys like to say¡­) While there are certainly some exceptions, most students think she¡¯s by far the best teacher here, known for her impassioned lectures. You¡¯ve learned more in this one class than you have in the rest of your time here put together, which is pretty impressive! Not just about psychology, either; she goes off on tangents a lot, but they¡¯re always informative and easy to listen to. Admittedly, that¡¯s something everyone knows. But, you yourself have¡­other reasons, reasons keeping you captivated even when most students are zoning out, waiting for their vacations, such that even Ms. Yi is something they want to move past so they can slack off for Golden Week. Reasons like¡­ ¡­ nonexistent God in Heaven, she¡¯s so hot. You don¡¯t count her as a proper crush ¨C because she¡¯s a teacher and you¡¯re a student, obviously. (And not like Calvina, where she¡¯s only a few years older and it¡¯s more of a senpai-kohai thing.) Even if you sometimes think of it, you¡¯d never pursue it, and she¡¯d never pursue you. But this is one of the privileges of youth, so your mother tells you! To be able to admire her like this, and be inspired¡­ Her hair is loose and cropped, some of it held back in a ponytail, silky black that is highlit in violet¡­she has so-called ¡®mysterious¡¯ blue eyes, and is constantly keeping people guessing about her past. It¡¯s easy to watch her lips, her words, that lipstick¡­her fashion sense is simple, but effective; today she¡¯s wearing gold earrings, a couple of bangles, a simple white blouse and skirt and tights¡­ (Maybe it¡¯s a bit much sometimes, but, really. You can¡¯t help it. Curse you and your desire for girls!) Really, she does like to keep people guessing in general. About her past, about her home life, about her curiously close relationship with her so-called ¡®partner in crime¡¯ Ms. Seong. But you do know one thing for sure¡­ Her fingernails are always the same. Short, cropped, black. Those are lesbian fingernails. Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re still a bit of a hormonal teenager about her. She¡¯s not simply an attractive straight woman, she¡¯s a lesbian ¨C and, honestly, one you admire and want to someday become! (¡­after saving the world, you mean.) (¡­) (¡­wait, no, your powers could, maybe ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) ¡°Cibele!¡± you suddenly hear, thankfully broken out of bad-thought mode before it goes too far. You think she was saying something about¡­what, the soul? Human consciousness? Someone in the room was refuting Ms. Yi, that¡¯s for sure; you¡¯d know that look anywhere. ¡°Explain to us the Islamic view on free will.¡± (¡­ugh, she¡¯s so hot when she orders people around. She¡¯s even got an old-style pointer and everything. It¡¯s easy to imagine her as a supervillain, really, especially with her curves ¨C or maybe, some kind of evil magician, who would bewitch you the heroine and ¨C) (chocolate fudge, bad thoughts again!) You try and collect yourself, thinking over the question. ¡°Uh¡­I mean, it¡¯s a pretty complicated subject I don¡¯t know a huge amount about, but, uh¡­¡± Aw, heck, you weren¡¯t expecting this! And that¡¯s such a complicated question, oversimplifying the entire cultural heritage of your ancestors! Right, whatever. ¡°One of the six articles of faith is belief in God¡¯s predestination of all things, but what that means varies a lot¡­¡± No, people are staring, it¡¯s embarrassing! Much as you like Ms. Yi, you wish she wouldn¡¯t ask questions like this. ¡°If I asked my family, they¡¯d say humans do have free will, but because God exists outside of time, God knows what¡¯ll happen because time has no meaning to him. I think that¡¯s kinda splitting hairs, but¡­¡± Right, about that. Where does your mental time travel come in? You¡¯re not especially religious ¨C thanks in part to Ms. Yi, in fact ¨C but you¡¯re not ready to say you¡¯re just operating on chemicals or anything. Especially not now. If a power like that exists, to read people¡¯s minds and influence their hearts, does something like God exist? Maybe not like in the Qu¡¯ran or the Bible, but something like a ¡®god¡¯, or maybe even a ¡®goddess¡¯¡­ Eh, questions for later. Not what she¡¯s asking, right? ¡°It¡¯s way more complicated than that, though, you know?¡± you continue. ¡°People have been asking this question for 1500 years or so. I think it¡¯s kinda silly; you can¡¯t both have and not have free will, in my opinion?¡± It¡¯s not something you can ¡®sum up¡¯ so easily, honestly. Trying to oversimplify a religion like that¡­ Even so, Ms. Yi seems happy with your answer. ¡°Thank you, Cibele.¡± Oh, she praised you! Your whole body lights up with the sensation of making your favorite teacher happy~ (If only she¡¯d pat your head, then it¡¯d be perfect¡­) ¡°My point is, a belief in human consciousness, in soul, does not preclude the belief that humans are in some way not in control of themselves. Even before modern science, long before the Reiwa era, predestination has been a part of thought for¡­¡± Ms. Yi¡¯s eyes flit toward the clock. ¡°Oh, dear! I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re almost out of time, so before you go it¡¯s best I give you your class work for Golden Week.¡± A groan can be heard from one of the corners, as usual for her vacation assignments. ¡°Yes, yes. I know you all plan to slack off, but believe me, I¡¯ll know if you do¡­in this case, we¡¯re going to split the class into groups of two.¡± People start eyeing one another, but¡­just like always, Ms. Yi quickly shuts them down. ¡°Assigned by me,¡± she says, and people start to mutter to themselves under their breath. Well, that¡¯s just what she does. Ms. Yi despises cliques and bullying, so she forces this kind of thing to help foster mutual understanding¡­well, that¡¯s the theory, at least. You¡¯re not sure it¡¯s ever worked out that way in practice. And as she begins counting off pairs, you can already sense the animosity and contempt among those who have been paired ¨C no need for mind reading. It¡¯s usually easier when you don¡¯t have to force meeting outside of school, but maybe that¡¯s why she does it during breaks in the first place: to force people to meet outside sixth form. (Then again¡­you¡¯ve seen couples form from these pairings. Maybe it¡¯ll be a good thing?) ¡°And finally¡­¡± Ms. Yi holds her pointer in both hands, and then props it toward you. ¡°Cibele and Stella.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡­yep. Exactly what you expected from Stella Maris. You turn back toward her, the blonde looking furious at the thought of spending more time with you than necessary. As always, you can¡¯t help but feel a little sad ¨C isn¡¯t it a lot of energy, to dislike you this much? But, then again. This is an opportunity, you know? Maybe Ms. Yi is looking out for you. You¡¯ll get the chance to learn what Stella is really like¡­you¡¯re sure someone who is so mean to you has to have a reason, right? Maybe you¡¯ll finally figure out why? The atmosphere between the two is tense, blue eyes meeting gold, a familiar staredown of sorts ¨C Stella, though she likes Psychology class even more than you do, is also one of the people who challenges Ms. Yi the most. (Which is part of what you like about her, honestly; you learn more that way when Ms. Yi is pushed to explain her positions further.) ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have no problem with this. Right, Stella?¡± says Ms. Yi, her gaze smoldering through her glasses. ¡°¡­right.¡± Well¡­even if she does have a problem, it¡¯s not as bad anymore. Because even if Stella doesn¡¯t give it away herself¡­ You now have the means to find out why, right? Even if¡­even if you think it¡¯s a violation of privacy, it might be worth it in this case, with someone who lashes out at you (and perhaps others) without giving her reasons why. Maybe, if you can use these powers to help others, rather than selfishly exploit them, you won¡¯t have to feel guilty about what you could do, if ever you allowed yourself. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. (¡­right?) ¡°The assignment is a mock exploration of therapeutic techniques. Use whatever method you think is best. You¡¯ll each try one session with the other based on that technique, and record your results. Bonus points for video footage, of course! Not to worry, I just want to bridge the gap toward clinical practice, for those of you who are looking to that as a career path.¡± Ms. Yi¡¯s gaze lands on Stella once more, as she hold pointer in both hands, bending it ever so slightly¡­and ugh, she has that sexy smile that just makes you melt. It¡¯s a wonder you can pay attention in this class! ¡°That will be all for today. I¡¯ll be here after class if you need me. Dismissed!¡± (Fudge, she¡¯s hot. It might not be bad, if you let her order you around, maybe as she made you bend over and ¨C agh, no, bad thoughts. Bad thoughts!) The bell rings, right on cue (Ms. Yi¡¯s timing is impeccable); you check your phone, and Ms. Yi¡¯s already had the complete description of the assignment sent to your email. Honestly, it seems like it might be really easy homework, if not for who you¡¯re assigned to¡­ Stella Maris. ¡°We have to work together, Cibele, but I don¡¯t have to like it.¡± ¡­why is it always like this, when it¡¯s you? You know Stella Maris isn¡¯t a bad person. Not really. What she does with you might qualify as ¡®bullying¡¯, but compared to what Korri has had to face (and still faces), it¡¯s really not that troublesome. You just ¨C you like her, and you wonder what it is you did to get her to hate you so much. ¡°Well, for what it¡¯s worth, I like you, Stella,¡± you say, forcing a smile. ¡°Besides, I might be able to help you with your grades!¡± Stella sighs, and rolls her eyes. ¡°Typical. Not even thinking of yourself, huh? You¡¯re so¡­you know what your problem is, Cibele? You¡¯re too nice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s such a thing,¡± you say. ¡°At least, not toward someone you like!¡± ¡­and you really do. Stella Maris is beautiful, no doubt about that. As a local, a noble, her ancestors come from the myriad migrants and cultures that have made these islands home before the existence of Southern Sun. Her blonde hair is carefully coiffed in ringlets (how does she manage to do that every day?) She always wears some kind of long-sleeved dress with frills (doesn¡¯t she get hot?), and you¡¯re certain she¡¯s got a corset under it; her fair skin is free of blemish and always has a healthy glow (how does she avoid getting a tan?) she¡¯s got a passion for dressmaking and fashion in general, so you¡¯re sure she¡¯s made them all herself. Bows in her hair, well-manicured nails (how does she not have it get in the way when ¨C ohhhhhh, several are trimmed down, huh), and just this absolute radiance that follows her around¡­ all this not to reduce her amazing and wonderful passion to physical matters, of course, but: in your humble opinion, the prettiest part of her is her golden eyes. (Fudge, you want golden eyes.) ¡°Whatever.¡± Stella sighs, waving it all off as she sorts out her bag. ¡°Before anything else, we¡¯re not doing this at my place, you hear? Your place, if it can be helped. I don¡¯t want you knowing where I live.¡± ¡°And you already know where I live, right.¡± It¡¯s within walking distance of the school, if only just. But it¡¯s all¡­ You sigh, feeling the sharp, faintly hostile shape of Stella¡¯s presence. You¡¯re almost worried it¡¯ll prick you when you ¡®touch¡¯ it with your own, but instead¡­ Fucking Ms. Yi. Thinks she can order us around. No respect, and now I¡¯m saddled with¡­ Urk. M-maybe not¡­maybe even this is too much of a breach of privacy, even with someone you have feelings for. ¡°Whatever. You have my mobile. We¡¯ll talk about this later ¨C but you¡¯d better come through. Sabotage this assignment for me, and you¡¯ll be in for a world of pain.¡± You frown a little, as Stella gives you a ¡®slit-throat¡¯ motion, other classmates giving you a sympathetic look while your crush walks off. It really is childish, but ¨C maybe that¡¯s what gives you hope. You didn¡¯t feel anything positive from her emotions toward you, just with your Thought Skimmer. But maybe, if you looked deeper, you¡¯d find something positive? Is it possible, that she hates what she really loves? It¡¯d be ridiculous to hope something like ¡®tsundere¡¯ exists in the real world, but ¨C you still wonder, if you could at least be friends, with a person you admire so much. Future-past-you has told you, that your telepathy can be used to make yourself the perfect partner for someone else. That by knowing a person that intimately, you can become exactly the sort of person they would fall in love with. But wouldn¡¯t that be based on a lie? ¡­well, there¡¯s always one person you can trust with questions like this. And as you look over at Ms. Yi, she looks up from her desk and smiles at you, which just makes your heart beat that little bit faster. (Sometimes, you think, if she told you to jump, you¡¯d reach the ceiling before you even thought to ask ¡®how high¡¯.) Slowly tentatively, you walk up to your teacher¡¯s desk, for whatever reason much more nervous than usual. Maybe it¡¯s that your new power would make it so easy to violate the sacrosanct boundary between ¡®student¡¯ and ¡®teacher¡¯; you know that people in positions like these, like the nurse at the hospital, hold private thoughts that shouldn¡¯t be seen by those they have power over. But despite your hesitation, you end up in front of Ms. Yi¡¯s desk, heart aflutter as you try and figure out her intentions. ¡°Cibele. I¡¯m glad to see you so soon after your accident. I know a few students who could learn from you, you know.¡± ¡°Ehe.¡± You rub the back of your head, trying not to blush too much at the praise. ¡°I couldn¡¯t miss my favorite class, is all, Ms. Yi.¡± ¡°Right before Golden Week, even. It¡¯s commendable, regardless of your intentions.¡± Ms. Yi¡¯s hands pick up her collapsed pointer, gently playing with it as you talk with almost metronome-like timing. ¡°You have questions for me?¡± ¡°Mhm! You¡¯ve probably guessed the first one already, though.¡± Sometimes you think Ms. Yi can read your mind. ¡°Why Stella? You know she doesn¡¯t like me much. Aren¡¯t you worried about it?¡± And, of course, it makes it much harder to ignore future-past-you, to boot¡­not that you can tell Ms. Yi that. ¡°Oh, that?¡± Ms. Yi gives you a sneaky little smile. ¡°Are you disappointed, Cibele?¡± ¡°W-well, no, not really.¡± Ah, hot fudge sundaes, you¡¯re not sure how to handle this! ¡°I guess it¡¯s more like, you aren¡¯t worried about it?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Your teacher shakes her head, and your gaze is drawn back into those ¡®mysterious¡¯ blue eyes behind her glasses. (Fudge, she¡¯s just so gosh-darned pretty¡­) ¡°Stella is¡­hmn. The way I¡¯d put it is, she wears her feelings on her sleeve, for better or for worse. You¡¯re aware she wants to pursue a career as a therapist, yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be hard not to be.¡± Stella makes it quite clear in her questions in class ¨C that might be part of what frustrates her with her low marks here. ¡°But, I guess if you put it like that¡­she might be working with patients she doesn¡¯t personally like, and she needs to learn to put that aside?¡± ¡°Exactly! This is why you¡¯re such a good student, Cibele.¡± Ms. Yi¡¯s smile, aah¡­! You utterly beam at the praise, blushing more than a little, once more wishing for a pat on the head! It¡¯s weird, no one but Ms. Yi gives you that kind of feeling; even with Calvina, you¡¯re more interested in standing by her side than putting your head in her lap. ¡°I guess, if it¡¯s like that, I could do my best. I¡¯m not sure what it is we could do together, though.¡± It¡¯s a bit of an odd assignment, really; you expect most of the class will have trouble with it. ¡°What kind of therapy should I do with Stella?¡± At least, this might count as ¡®grinding¡¯, right? Psychology is one of your skill trees. Besides, it¡¯s not like Ms. Yi is going to suggest hypnotherapy or anything, right? ¡°Well, you see, Cibele¡­just for you, I¡¯m going to give you a little secret.¡± Ms. Yi leans in close, as if sharing with you some grand secret, and your heart pounds, almost imagining a kiss could happen, if ever that boundary between ¡®teacher¡¯ and ¡®student¡¯ could be crossed. ¡°You see, Stella has a very specific kind of therapy in mind. How much do you know about hypnosis?¡± ¡­fudge chocolate fudge over a strawberry parfait, why Okay don¡¯t panic. Ms. Yi has talked about hypnosis before, a little! (And you¡¯ve paid close attention to those parts of her lectures, of course.) Just because it might be what Stella wants to practice, doesn¡¯t mean you have to buy that ability¡­and hypnosis can¡¯t really make someone do something they don¡¯t want to do, so you really shouldn¡¯t worry about it, right? Instant Hypnotherapist shouldn¡¯t cause problems, and you didn¡¯t even buy it anyway! (¡­you pointedly try to forget about the higher parts of your skill trees, that give you ample opportunity to abuse any power you might have over another.) ¡°Uh, ehe. Only what you told me, really,¡± you mutter, the nervousness not needing to be faked. ¡°You¡¯re really sure she¡¯d go for it, though?¡± ¡°I expect her to, at least. Stella¡¯s a straightforward person, much like you. Even if it¡¯s someone she dislikes, she¡¯ll realize the necessity in improving her marks in this class. And besides, I do think that with only some self-study, you might do better than you¡¯d think.¡± ¡°Uh, right.¡± Yeah. ¡®Self-study¡¯. Sure. Not some kind of supernatural power or anything, right? ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°You always have insightful things to say about such conversations, Cibele! Hypnosis, conditioning, influence¡­¡± ¡°I-I mean, I don¡¯t really, er.¡± This is totally weird! Does Ms. Yi know something about yourself you don¡¯t? Is she, and by extension future-past-you, right about this? ¡°I just don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°There should be some books on the topic on the extended reading list, so don¡¯t worry too much. You¡¯ll be a natural, I¡¯m sure.¡± Aah, Ms. Yi almost gives an evil smile when she says that, and it¡¯s weirdly hot. ¡°I guess I can check those books out, at least, but I¡¯m really kind of nervous about it.¡± ¡°About what? Having Stella at your mercy?¡± ! D-did she just say what you think ¨C ¡°Just kidding.¡± And as if she¡¯d never said it, she goes back to being friendly. ¡°If you do have such an interest, mind you, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Maybe it¡¯d even help you and Stella come closer together, no?¡± ¡°I-if you say so, but I¡¯m not really interested in that way, I don¡¯t think.¡± You try to deny it, even as your heart pounds. You¡¯re sure Ms. Yi is being innocent here, just trying to be supportive of her faithful student no matter what she wants to do or how she feels about things, but with future-past-you muddling your head up, you really don¡¯t know what to think anymore. ¡°I have faith that the two of you will come closer together, no matter what happens. And if you still need help with things, do email me ¨C ah, but keep in mind Golden Week is a vacation for me, too.¡± Ms. Yi¡¯s just¡­aah. She¡¯s just too perfect, really. Maybe¡­ maybe a little peek into her brain won¡¯t hurt? Where Stella¡¯s presence was sharp, Ms. Yi¡¯s is so smooth. It almost feels like touching a girl¡¯s skin ¨C or at least what you imagine that to be like, as your own mind brushes against hers, showing you her thoughts. I¡¯m sure Cibele will break through Stella¡¯s shell, you hear from her in your mind, as the distinct sensation of her finding you cute makes you blush even harder. I would expect no less of my most brilliant student. Her thoughts feel organized in a way Stella¡¯s didn¡¯t, and it half-feels like she¡¯s responding to you ¨C though, that would be ridiculous. Is she thinking of you and Stella, together? Wouldn¡¯t it be ridiculous to think of turning hatred to love so quickly? But¡­ her faith in you does make you that slightest bit more confident, and you bow to your teacher in respect. ¡°T-thank you, Ms. Yi!¡± you say, hoping she hasn¡¯t noticed she¡¯s got you all worked up. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°I know you will, Cibele.¡± Her smile is wide, and even a bit sexy, as your gaze meets hers again. ¡°Just keep in mind ¨C should any hypnosis happen that is more¡­recreational in nature, please understand that it doesn¡¯t count for the assignment.¡± ¡­ ¡­oh fudge. She¡¯s serious. And knowing just how serious she is makes you blush, stammer, and run off, only taking the briefest of moments to look upon her smiling face and feel her approving thoughts before rushing away as fast as possible, as if you could outrun your gay thoughts. Strawberry parfaits, how can Yi Seul-ki say that stuff with a straight face?
Yi Seul-ki ???: Absolute Educator Stella Maris ???: Star of the Sea
â… .4: I Couldn’t Look You In The Eye You gave it a good run, literally ¨C though you¡¯re certain you nearly got run over again! ¨C but you can¡¯t outrun Ms. Yi¡¯s words forever. Without even checking to see if anyone else was home yet, you end up getting into the shower only moments after your arrival, clothes quickly peeled off as you try and calm yourself beneath a stream of warm water. Hypnotherapy. There¡¯s nothing strange about that, right? It¡¯s become a lot more popular in the past couple of decades than it was in your parents¡¯ day. There¡¯s nothing odd about wanting to take that on as a career, nor is there anything overtly strange about wanting to do it with someone. For Stella, you¡¯re sure it¡¯s nothing sexual. But you can¡¯t help but wonder. So, per Ms. Yi, hypnosis can¡¯t make you do anything you don¡¯t want to do. Mind you, your Instant Hypnotherapist is powerful ¨C
Hypnosis Opener: Instant Hypnotherapist. You instantly learn everything about inducing trance in a willing subject and using that trance to compel them into certain actions. You are still limited by the traditional limits of hypnosis.
¨C maybe a bit too powerful, especially for a ¡®starter¡¯ skill, but it only makes you capable of using it normally. You¡¯d be an expert, sure, but you couldn¡¯t do things impossible for an expert¡­ and yet, if you had bought that opener, it¡¯d be only one more point until you could.
Induction T1: I Want The Control.
You can¡¯t bring yourself to properly read the description, and yet, it teases and tantalizes you with the possibilities. You¡¯re certain no one should have this power. No human could be entrusted with it. Maybe you received such a thing by accident, maybe it was something you never chose to do, but what future-past-you became wasn¡¯t innocent at all! ¡°Mouuu¡­¡± you mutter, as one of your hands finds itself between your legs. ¡°Why did Ms. Yi have to say those things?¡± You wonder what it¡¯d feel like. What does a hypnotised girl look like? How does she act? What is it like, to hypnotise a girl? Would you use a pendulum, or would you bring her into a trance with your words alone? What would Stella look like? There¡¯s something about the idea that draws you in. It¡¯s dangerous. To think of Stella being, in some small way, under your power ¨C to turn the tables on a relationship she¡¯s always led, always decided the nature of. To show that vulnerability, to open herself to you, beneath your words, beneath your will. Your fingers slip into yourself. You wouldn¡¯t violate Stella¡¯s will, but you always could. It¡¯s scary, and yet you can¡¯t help but feel a thrill at the thought. At the possibilities for intimacy. Not simply sex, but something entirely different. N-not to say you haven¡¯t been curious! Stella¡¯s popular with women. Far more popular than you, certainly. And the rumor is, she¡¯s amazing in bed. Just another reason to be disappointed, and to wonder what it¡¯d be like if she did fall for you. Your nipples are standing on end, and you reach up, and pinch one, biting your lip a little to stifle your moan. The power that lies in these hands of yours, a power to break even darkness, isn¡¯t something you should use for evil. And yet, you¡¯re not certain any human could remain selfless in the face of this power. At the top of each skill tree, after three tiers of three branches, is a single capstone. The power inherent in them ¨C if indeed such a power can truly exist, if indeed no one else holds this power ¨C is a temptation like no other.
Hypnosis Capstone: The Supreme Idea. Your inductions and memes are so powerful that you essentially create a copy of yourself within the minds of others you hypnotise. This copy can continue to control others while you are not around, and can instantly take control of them whenever needed, with all your Hypnosis skills and any special talents they may possess. Requires one T3, one T2, and one T1 Hypnosis skill, each in a different branch.
The power to leave a piece of yourself in everyone you meet.
Telepathy Capstone: Dual Timeline. You continually see an hour into the future. Not only that, but you essentially live through both those futures simultaneously. At any time, you may collapse the timeline and choose to discard one of these futures. Requires one T3, one T2, and one T1 Telepathy skill, each in a different branch.
The power to defy fate itself.
Enchantment Capstone: Queen of the Seelie Court. Your control over the perception of reality has grown to the point of altering the physical world. The more people you convince or deceive using your Enchantment skills, the more these mental alterations have an impact on the structure of the physical world. Because of the nature of your magic, part of it lingers in every individual you¡¯ve touched with it. Using your hold over them, you may change their beliefs of what reality is and is not to suit you at will. Effectively, you gain a powerful magic that warps reality and may be used to reproduce any number of effects. The more people who have been trapped in your ¡®court¡¯, the stronger this effect becomes, until you reach the point where reality is based entirely on your will on what is and is not ¡®real¡¯. This does not affect other ???, who already warp consensus reality. It also may not be used to reproduce the effects of Hypnosis or Telepathy skills. Requires one T3, one T2, and one T1 Enchantment skill, each in a different path.
And the power to mold reality into the shape you desire most. What would Ms. Yi tell you to do with them? What would Stella tell you to do with them? Would such an ability, without even trying ¨C let alone all the power you¡¯d need to get there in the first place ¨C draw Stella into your orbit? Would she find you beautiful? Would she deign to allow a piece of yourself into her mind? Would she allow herself to be shaped by you, into something small and smooth and pleasing to the eye? You shouldn¡¯t consider it. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. You shouldn¡¯t imagine, what it¡¯d be like to fill Stella with you, body, mind, and soul. And yet ¨C and yet, as your finger brushes at your clit, as you squeeze your breast and feel that pleasure wash away with the water down the drain ¨C you can¡¯t help but wonder how long it¡¯ll take before you succumb to the inevitability of this sweet, fudgey temptation¡­
¡°Cibele!¡± As you come down the stairs, you hear a cry from the kitchen, as your mother rushes toward you and embraces you in a tight, powerful hug! ¡°Hey mom,¡± you say in Portuguese, squeezing her in return. You¡¯re certain she¡¯s been worried about you, and you¡¯re glad she finally knows you¡¯re alright! ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m okay, mom, you know?¡± ¡°Oh, my poor baby girl!¡± It¡¯s a little embarrassing, but ¨C you don¡¯t mind, given the circumstances. In the old timeline, you¡¯re all but certain you were in that hospital for much longer. ¡°You should¡¯ve come to the concert! Well, I can¡¯t fault you for doing the right thing, but if you had, you¡¯d be alright! Aah, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡± Your mother, Rheia Epeli S¨ªlvia, has her hands full with running a full-time job and raising five kids, even if your father Satre shares the workload. Not to mention the rest of the family that comes in and out of the household. (It¡¯s a big house, sure, but still!) You resemble her quite a lot, you think, to the point where if her skin was a bit darker like yours you¡¯d practically look like sisters. (¡­well, okay, your occasional experiences of your school assignment groups mooning over how attractive your mom is, it might make you a little oversensitive to that. Especially since it¡¯s usually girls.) ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wanted to help Calvina out, you know? You could say my hobby is helping people!¡± Well, you did have a bit of a selfish motive, but you don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing to want a girl to notice you, right? Jokes about your intentions with Marq aside, you at least want Calvina to look at you as an equal. Mama walks over to the espresso machine, getting ready to prepare a pull or two, as usual for after work and class. (After all, you need to prepare for your special guest!) ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, you can¡¯t force her to take notice. You¡¯re old enough that she should start looking at you differently now, but it¡¯ll take time. You met her when you were still in high school, it¡¯s hard for people to adjust.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± you mutter. Mama¡¯s always right, about things like this ¨C much as you hate to admit it sometimes. ¡°But, really, it¡¯s important. We keep treating climate refugees worse and worse, and it feels like people are losing hope. Don¡¯t they deserve the help? The same opportunities we have?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hear no argument from me.¡± The sound of a pull from the machine is, as ever, timed far better than you could ever manage. How does Mama do that? ¡°But if you run yourself ragged, you¡¯ll overextend yourself. Imagine if that accident was more serious, you know?¡± Ugh. Mama couldn¡¯t know that it nearly was, if not for some supernatural power, but it still stings. ¡°I guess I have been heading out a bit much these past few weeks. It¡¯s not all for Calvina, though¡­mostly.¡± Calvina wasn¡¯t even there sometimes. ¡°I just, think it¡¯s important people know there¡¯s someone fighting for them!¡± ¡°They know, Cibele. And I know, too, from all those scrapes and bruises ¨C¡± ding-dong! ¡°¨C and speaking of,¡± Mama says, switching to English mid-sentence, ¡°your lady in waiting has arrived.¡± ¡­does she have to put it that way? Mama¡¯s embarrassing, but, well, at least she has her heart in the right place. ¡°Cibby!¡± Stepping in from the threshold as you enter the hall, stepping out of her shoes, is the person whose heart you want to protect the most, running close to you to bury herself in your arms. ¡°Korri!¡± you say, holding her as tight as you can¡­ holding the girl you call your very best friend.
¡°Listen to me, traitor. I believe that you¡¯ve received a death message from our ninja empire!¡± ¡°snrk¡± ¡°Ninja is supreme and you have double-crossed it! Why did you do that?¡± ¡°snrk¡± You snicker to yourself at the movie you¡¯ve picked out for the chunk of time between now and fencing class. Only a few moments before, a tiny armless Omega Supreme knockoff had delivered said death message to an old spaghetti western star, though the following phone call raised a lot of questions as to the point of the robot in the first place. And Korri ¨C sweet, beautiful Korri ¨C sits next to you on your couch for your near-daily ritual, snuggling next to you, sadly not sharing your amusement at the wonderful world of awful Showa-era genre cinema. ¡°¡­why does the guy in the phone call look like he¡¯s from a different movie?¡± Korri asks. And ugh, whenever you¡¯re next to her, all you can think of is how adorable she is. ¡°That¡¯s because he is from a different movie,¡± you say. ¡°This is actually a Korean action movie spliced in with a bunch of white guys in ninja costumes.¡± ¡°Oh, so they use the phone to stage conversations between the different movies?¡± ¡°Yup. It has to be a Garfield phone, though, or else it won¡¯t work.¡± ¡­well, she¡¯s a good sport at least. Sweet, wonderful Korri. For years and years ¨C since kindergarten, really ¨C Korri¡¯s been your best friend in the whole wide world. (Well, her full name is Korrigan Trelawney, but you can count the number of times you¡¯ve called her ¡®Korrigan¡¯ on one hand ¨C she¡¯ll always be ¡®Korri¡¯ to you, and you¡¯ll always be ¡®Cibby¡¯ to her.) Her presence has been possibly the brightest part of your life ¨C and for all that time, you¡¯ve nursed such an awful crush on her, too. (Y-you swear, you really were going to confess soon this time, honest!) You remember fighting for her, all these years, being there when no one else was. These days, she at least has a few friends besides you and Marq, but day after day she still comes to visit you, as much as she can. And she still needs you, doesn¡¯t she? To help guide her, to ¨C No, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! After what you were thinking about in the shower, you can¡¯t go down that road! ¡°Hm¡­I¡¯m not sure about this movie, though,¡± says Korri. ¡°Maybe we should ¨C¡± ¡°N-no!¡± you exclaim. ¡°I-I mean¡­maybe if we just watch some of the trailers? I should probably get ready soon, anyway¡­¡± G-gotta dodge that bullet! For as much as you like Korri, how passionate and loving she is¡­s-she loves horror movies! Really scary ones! If you let her pick, you¡¯d hide behind the couch the whole time, or snuggle against her¡­ well, she lets that happen. She likes the human contact, and here you are, nursing a crush on her without telling her at all. Are you really so awful? ¡­ ¡­maybe you are. You can¡¯t tell Korri what¡¯s happened to you. Her, most of all. The most you can hope to do is try and get her advice to stay on the right path, without letting her know how just what it is you¡¯re capable of. ¡°Hey, uh¡­weird question for you, Korri,¡± you say, not able to look her in the eye (more than usual). ¡°If you¡­if you had psychic powers, what would you do to people you hated?¡± ¡°Probably light them on fire,¡± Korri says without hesitation. ¡°N-no, not that kind. More like¡­y¡¯know, telepathy? Mind stuff.¡± ¡°Oh? If it¡¯s that¡­I guess I¡¯d have to think about it. Maybe make them jump off a cliff?¡± ¡­this was a dumb idea. As the fuzzy ninja action proceeds upon the basement TV, no one there but the two of you, you try to get yourself under control. Especially if it¡¯s for sweet, beautiful, wonderful Korri. She¡¯s surprisingly tiny, compared to you. She¡¯s not that much shorter, but you swear the girl can¡¯t weigh more than 50 kilograms at most. Born here in Southern Sun to parents from the Duchy of Cornwall, even in a city of sunny skies, nary a ray of light has ever come to tan her skin. Half-buried in a purple hoodie a size too large, you almost worry she¡¯d float away if she didn¡¯t have you to hold her down. Even with that short, messy black hair, and those dark eyes, and everything else ¨C she¡¯s just so darned cute, you can¡¯t help but fuss over her, even as you worry you¡¯re taking advantage of her by having her hold you ¨C let alone when you feel her mind, like pebbles of beautiful glass seeping red fluid upon the Earth, and seek out her thoughts. ¡­huh, weird question. Maybe Cibby¡¯s writing something about psychic powers? Oh well. Anyway, I really thought Cibby would like this movie¡­maybe someday I¡¯ll get to show it to ¨C No, Cibele. Stop. You find yourself sighing, pulling away from Korri, who tugs on your blouse a little as you do. ¡°Ah! Um, Cibby, is something wrong?¡± ¡°Uhhhh. N-not really? Ehe, uh, maybe I¡¯m still kinda in shock after the accident¡­¡± Right, maybe you can justify using your Thought Skimmer on Stella to yourself, but¡­but this? No. No, you can¡¯t. Even if you want so badly to know what Korri is thinking, what she thinks of you, it¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s wrong! (¡­right?) Korri doesn¡¯t know, though. She¡¯s just¡­she¡¯s just so trusting, despite all the horrible things she¡¯s been into, and ¨C ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cibby!¡± ¨C her face pops right in front of you, and once more, you find yourself in her embrace. As she tries to comfort her very best friend, with all the strength she can. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re worried about, but I promise. As long as you¡¯re here, everything will work out fine, no matter what happens!¡± She¡¯s so¡­ confident about that. Happy as you are to feel Korri¡¯s love, to feel her friendship in your arms, happy as you are to watch trailers with her and protect her from anything that would dare do your very best friend harm, you can¡¯t help but wonder if she¡¯d feel the same if she knew. but with her smiling face, the smile only you get to see, the smile you¡¯ve earned by protecting her ¨C chocolate fudge, she¡¯s so cute, that you can almost believe her when she says it, you know? Sweet, wonderful, beautiful Korri.
Rheia Epeli S¨ªlvia ???: unknown Korrigan Trelawney ???: Grant Us Eyes
â… .5: Set the Sunset April 30th. Walpurgisnacht. As you do many times a week, you¡¯re on your way to your fencing class, and to seeing the third of your less-than-ideal crushes: Calvina Aeterna. Friday, April 30th, Reiwa 42. It has little meaning this close to the equator, but ¡®winter¡¯ is fast approaching. Here in Southern Sun, of course, there¡¯s little change; the season is what it always is: ¡®hot, and also wet¡¯. Now, part of you is grateful for the climate because it ensures cuties across the city wear light clothing as much as possible, but most of you just absolutely hates the heat. The price of living in paradise, huh? The air conditioning helps, at least. ¡­but it¡¯s not paradise for everyone, is it? You pass beneath the shadow of skyscrapers, overtop the elevated rail line, and turn toward the train window, looking down toward the surface level to see the two constants of Southern Sun: climate refugees, and the Sunset Corporation. A crowd of people are holding up signs toward one of Sunset¡¯s countless office buildings; from here, it¡¯s nearly impossible to tell for sure what it is they¡¯re protesting, but you¡¯ve been on their end of things enough times that you have some guesses. Workplace safety, fair compensation, citizenship, health care, the list goes on. People who fled their homes to make a new life here so often have to fight simply to gain the basic rights someone like you has, most importantly the right to live. If you wanted to be poetic, though, you¡¯d sum it up like this: not enough light, not enough hope. The Sunset Corporation is everywhere. There¡¯s not a single part of life in Southern Sun that doesn¡¯t involve them in some way. They own the media, they perform construction, they provide health care. They control most of the supply chains, so even those independent businesses that do exist have to pay them somewhere down the line. Most people in the city work for them, either directly or indirectly ¨C your parents, for one. It wasn¡¯t always this way, but over the course of your short life, it all turned out like this. And a city that had welcomed your parents as migrants with open arms was now rejecting those who came after them, even as the city needs that constant migration to survive. Democracy remains in Southern Sun, but the power to hold Sunset accountable seems to somehow remain just out of reach. Where does all the good go? So, you hold this power, this ¡®Gamer¡¯. With only a single one of your powers, you can read minds ¨C all you need to do is draw someone¡¯s attention to you. So, how did future-past-you get it? The Sunset Corporation doesn¡¯t just supply the necessities of life. It also employs countless scientists, researchers, and engineers. They even have top-secret ¡®Special Divisions¡¯ that serve as skunk works, creating future technologies under a powerful veil of secrecy. ¡­not to say that you believe the more nutty conspiracy theories about them. That they develop survival horror-style ¡®bioweapons¡¯ and parasites, that they have a secret division composed entirely of artificial intelligences that influence the city from the shadows, that one of their top scientists is a literal gosh-darned witch¡­ Although, now that you have the power to read people¡¯s minds, and somehow your future-past-self traveled back in time in some way to give it to you, you really can¡¯t rule anything out, can you? For all you know, all of those things were true, and more. You hope¡­you really hope you can become strong enough to find out before it¡¯s too late. (No matter the consequences for your soul.)
Fencing class is, to put it bluntly, not going well. ¡°En garde!¡± Even at the best of times, Calvina¡¯s so much better than you it¡¯s not even funny, but you aren¡¯t usually this awful! You feel sluggish, as though everything around you had sped up, and each flash of the blade is impossible to predict. You don¡¯t even have one point yet! Poke. Poke. Poke. Her foil hits you again and again, without the slightest bit of resistance. (It¡¯s really kind of embarrassing, actually!) Eventually, though, Calvina notices something is wrong. ¡°Halt!¡± she cries, as she lifts off her mask, deftly unpinning her brilliant red hair in what looks like almost the same motion, making it look like the easiest thing in the world. ¡°You¡¯re not doing your best tonight, Cibele,¡± she says. ¡°Is there something on your mind? You seem distracted.¡± Calvina Aeterna is¡­bluntly: she¡¯s everything you hope to be someday. Your senpai, your idol, your inspiration! ¡°Well¡­¡± Obviously you can¡¯t tell her the truth about the Gamer or anything. That would be weird! (A-and you also can¡¯t tell her about your crush, either.) ¡°I guess you could say that?¡± ¡°It makes sense, at least. Even if you weren¡¯t hurt, an accident like that is going to worry you.¡± Calvina walks over to the benches, as the other students continue to practice with one another. ¡°It¡¯s pretty dedicated of you to come to class anyway, though. I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°I guess, after a scare like that, I don¡¯t wanna slack off?¡± Er, not that you weren¡¯t trying hard before, honest! ¡°Ehe. I guess I¡¯ll take the compliment ¨C wah!¡± You carefully catch the water bottle Calvina tosses you, managing to stay standing despite a bit of a botched toss. Ugh, how embarrassing! And in front of Calvina, too¡­ Calvina pops open her own bottle, tipping her head back as she drinks. Like Stella, she¡¯s a local whose family was born in Southern Sun, but where Stella¡¯s features are soft and gentle, Calvina¡¯s are stern and determined. It suits her; she¡¯s a gallant knight if there ever was one, a real heroine without compare. Tall, striking, perfect. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°It¡¯s important to know your limits, though. Dedication is one thing, but if you injure yourself during practice, you¡¯ll set yourself back a lot further than if you took it slow.¡± Her gallant aura does read a bit gay to you, even if you¡¯re pretty sure she¡¯s not¡­still, it¡¯s enough for you to hold out hope. Even if she says no, though, you¡¯d at least want to confess your crush, and hope that she sees you as an equal. You¡¯re not a kid anymore, right? Even if you¡¯re just her kohai, you¡¯ve done your best to keep up with her over the past five years ¨C and admittedly not done a very good job, but still! ¡°I guess I¡¯ve got a lot of things on my mind, is all,¡± you say, sheepishly. You sit down on the bench next to Calvina, carefully drinking up as much as you can. ¡­and you can¡¯t help but think back to future-past-you¡¯s words. She told you that, with the power of Telepathy, of Thought Skimmer, you could become the perfect partner for someone. Someone like Calvina.
If you could read her mind, and know exactly how to make her fall in love with you¡­wouldn¡¯t you take that chance?
If you could read her mind? Calvina¡¯s mind is like marbles on glass. It feels¡­surprisingly fragile, for the strength you see in her. Guarded, too. She has her burdens, teaching the art of the sword, and having to be the paragon everyone lives up to. You ¨C you do wish, you could help her ¨C Well, at least Cibele¡¯s eager. It helps inspire the younger students. Hopefully she¡¯ll be more disciplined from now on. Disciplined? You suppose you really aren¡¯t, if you¡¯re honest. By the time she was your age, Calvina was already an Olympic alternate. Even though you¡¯ve trained hard, you¡¯ve never had the focus to really go past local or regional competition. Still, it does bother you. That, after all this time, she still thinks of you like that. You just¡­you want, so badly, to be someone that Calvina can love. ¡°¡­right, about that,¡± Calvina says, as you continue sipping on your water. (If she notices you¡¯re distracted, she doesn¡¯t say a word.) ¡°I could really use your help with some of the new students. You¡¯re really the most experienced person here besides me, so I think they¡¯d get a lot out of working with you.¡± (¡­she says that, after thinking that? You¡¯re not sure how to feel about that¡­) ¡°A-ah¡­¡± Even so, you can¡¯t help but blush. You could say that even if she wishes you were more disciplined, senpai still noticed you after a fashion? Maybe? ¡°W-well. I¡¯ll see what I can do, I suppose? I¡¯ve got a big project this week, and lots of other things going on¡­¡± Like, y¡¯know, saving the world through yuri and mind control, apparently! ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Calvina says, as calm and unflappable as ever. ¡°Consider it an open offer. Just text me when you¡¯ve got time in your schedule, okay?¡± ¡­well. It¡¯s worth considering, at least. You watch as Calvina stands back up, heading toward the younger students to help them out. You¡¯re sure more than a few of them admire her as much as you do ¨C someone who seems all but invincible, who always does the right thing, and fights for those who need someone to protect them. What is Calvina like, behind that? What kind of person is she, really? And¡­ could that person, who hides behind the mask, ever fall in love with you?
And the day ends as it always does: you atop your bunk bed, alone with your thoughts, a girl in love with love. Something good did happen, kind of, didn¡¯t it? At least, Ms. Yi seems confident that you¡¯ll work things out with Stella, and Calvina¡¯s giving you a chance to have some fencing kohais of your own. And you didn¡¯t do anything too evil with your powers, maybe, probably. But you still have an uncertain future, and an uncertain threat. All future-past-you wants to tell you about is girls, only giving the faintest of hints about ¡®the Queen¡¯. You roll onto your back, raising your hand to the ceiling, staring at it, and wondering: can you be a heroine, with these hands of yours, that wield a power like the Gamer? ¡­and you smile. You did as future-past-you asked! You chose an ability! Now, you don¡¯t need to rely on her or listen to her at all, right?! If she¡¯s going to give you this kind of chance, then all you need to do is grind! And grind! And grind! Grind like there¡¯s no tomorrow, which for all you know there may well not be, and never need to brainwash girls and turn them into your beloved cuties at all! Sure, future-past-you says you can gain skill points by gaining ¡®servants¡¯, whatever that means, but raising your attributes gives you skills as well! Grind hard enough, and you won¡¯t need to brainwash anyone at all! Yeah. You¡¯ll use your powers responsibly, and be the best heroine you can be. All while remaining a good person, who doesn¡¯t fantasize about hypnotising girls one bit! Smugly smiling to yourself, satisfied with your resolve, you smile and settle onto your side, closing your eyes as you allow sleep to overtake your troubled heart¡­ (and you definitely don¡¯t fantasize, of course.) (Not fantasizing, specifically, about Stella Maris ¨C the girl Ms. Yi seems convinced you¡¯ll get along with better after that simple Golden Week assignment which, somehow, turned into another source of temptation.) (So you, despite your protests, end up fantasizing about Stella Maris.) (You wonder what Stella¡¯s thinking. And know you could find out. You wonder if she really does hate you, and if so, why. You¡¯ve never done anything to hurt her, you¡¯ve always been nice to her as much as you can¡­) (You think of helping Stella become friendlier, bit by bit, revealing her secret crush on you. Helping her be a better person, someone who doesn¡¯t need to lash out at you anymore.) (One of your skills is called Handshake Induction ¨C can you really put someone under, bring them into a hypnotic trance, with nothing but your touch?) (You think of pulling Stella down into a kiss, hypnotising her with it, holding her in your arms and bringing her deeper and deeper under your power.) (You think of using your Thought Skimmer together with the Enchantment opener, Suggestion, to create commands perfectly tuned to Stella¡¯s mind, knowing her weaknesses and exploiting them. You imagine using it with your Charm Person skill, with your Induction skills¡­rebuilding a person from the ground up into something better.) (You think of how one could be enthralled by your power, like a moth to flame. Unaware of how much you truly hold over them, yet always trusting you completely. Korri, maybe ¨C) (Wait, fudge, now your not-fantasies are spreading! Quick, quick, back¡­) (You imagine physically holding Stella down, folding her over with an enhanced Strength, your charm making her feel weaker than she should, your telepathy making you know exactly what kind of things she¡¯d want in such a position. Teasing her, taunting her, as you lick between her legs and learn intimately what kind of touches get the best reaction, making her melt in your grip. Hearing her tsundere taunts and feeling her come helplessly, learning to love being helpless¡­) (Where did you get such bizarrely specific not-fantasies, anyway?) (Maybe future-past-you is bleeding into you¡­or she really does know what you¡¯d react to. If she has even a fraction of the power you¡¯re supposedly capable of, she would surely know you better than you know yourself.) (You squirm and bite your lip as your body reacts, and you indulge it¡­) (¡­) (¡­and if, in the morning, you should get an earful from your family about your not-so-silent nocturnal masturbation, well. That¡¯s just idle speculation, isn¡¯t it?)
Calvina Aeterna ???: Red Lynx
Skill Points Skill points are gained through increasing ability scores. Increasing each mental ability score by 1 gives one point that must be spent in the skill that score governs. Raising all 3 physical ability scores by 1 each gives you one universal skill point. In addition, raising a single physical ability score to 3 (and then 6, 9, etc) grants you one universal skill point. (This means raising all three physical scores and all three mental scores to 3 gives nearly the same number of points overall, with 2 locked to each tree, 6 total, and 5 universal.) They may also be gained under other circumstances, particularly acquiring servants. Some points may only be spent in a certain tree, however. Points gained in mental ability scores may only be spent in the tree they govern, for instance.
â…¡.1: Aim For The Top Sunday, May 2nd, Reiwa 42. It¡¯s the early evening of your long weekend before Golden Week, and to the tune of ~FLY HIGH~, you have finished the single most epic grinding session you¡¯re certain anyone has ever done, ever, ever, ever! A full training course for body and mind! Jogging to train Vitality! Lifting weights to train Strength! Having Korri toss stuff at you for you to avoid to train Dexterity! Brain training games for Intelligence! Um, Twenty Questions with Korri for Adaptability! And, er, putting on makeup for Charisma! The better part of two days spent entirely on training yourself! And what do you have to show for it? ¡­absolutely nothing! Yes, despite running yourself utterly ragged, and exhausting yourself completely, your weekend has produced exactly no results whatsoever! Clearly this Gamer System isn¡¯t as generous as the ones you¡¯ve read about, huh? (At least Korri and Marq have been good sports about it, though you think they were rather worried about you.) ¡­maybe it¡¯s time for a different approach. Well, rather than ignoring future-past-you¡¯s advice completely, you could probably stand to at least kind of listen to her when she¡¯s not telling you ¡®brainwash girls¡¯, right? In that case¡­ she said ¡®extra-curricular activities¡¯. Golden Week is usually a bit busy around your house, of course. Family visits, sibling school projects, cleaning, housekeeping, all of that. And of course, you need to keep up with fencing, and make sure you¡¯re there for Korri when she needs you, and then there¡¯s the project with Stella¡­ but you should have some time to fit in other things. So, how can you be the best heroine? Is it just the ability to fight injustice on a physical level, or is it something deeper? Is it, perhaps, the ability to fight the injustice that lies in the minds of others, as much as any physical foe? To be sure, the physical aspect is important. And it fits in well with your schedule, more importantly ¨C Calvina¡¯s already offered you the chance to help her out. Maybe extra fencing classes will help your Dexterity? But, it¡¯s the mental aspects you¡¯re really focused on. Even if you don¡¯t want to control anyone¡¯s mind, (or so you tell yourself), the ability to convince others of your point of view, to spread hope and love through the world, is important. Your mental ability scores have a more direct benefit, too, because each point in them gives you a skill point for the relevant tree ¨C Enchantment for Intelligence, Telepathy for Adaptability, and Hypnosis for Charisma. Even with your abilities, though, if you want to be taken seriously? You¡¯re going to need Charisma. Fortunately, there are a couple of clubs at sixth form that are somehow still meeting tomorrow, despite Golden Week; you¡¯ll need to decide between the Debate Club and the Literature Club, sure, but that¡¯s a problem for future Cibby, probably. Present Cibby, on the other hand, is more worried about being kinda dumb. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about, um¡­a lot. Your grades aren¡¯t great, Psychology aside. So you did a bit of poking around, and hey, wouldn¡¯t you know it ¨C there¡¯s a beginner programming class starting up this week! You tried programming a bit in your high school years, but you were never very good at it; from the sound of it, it might work for training Intelligence. Being smarter will help you plan further after all of this¡­ assuming this works, at least. ¡­and assuming future-past-you doesn¡¯t get all weird again. Seriously, you know you¡¯re kinda weird about love, but are you really that thirsty?! Of course, all of this is planned out by now, and the class is signed up for, and you should hopefully be able to keep up with it all. No idea if it¡¯ll be any more successful than this weekend grinding session, but for now, you¡¯re more worried about something else, and in your frustration you let out a soft cry of: ¡°Mouuuuu¡­¡±

Part ¢ò: Run For The Shadows

¡°I think it¡¯s time to take a break, Cibby,¡± you hear from Korri as she wanders back into your room, holding a tumbler full of cold brew. ¡°You¡¯ve been going at it two days straight! That can¡¯t be healthy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s also not healthy to get hit by a truck!¡± you mutter weakly, having tossed yourself into the bed. Korri smiles and kneels down, presenting the tumbler to you, as you grasp its cold surface and sip gently on it. ¡°I thought, maybe if I had a training montage, I¡¯d come back at things with a new outlook, you know?¡± ¡°Montages are spread out over weeks, even months, Cibby! It¡¯s only natural you¡¯d feel wiped out after all this. You need to spread things out!¡± ¡­yeah, when even Korri is chastising you, you know you¡¯ve fudged up a bit, huh? ¡°Thanks for being a good sport about it, at least,¡± you say. ¡°You¡¯d do the same for me, Cibby!¡± Korri gives you a playful salute. ¡°Anytime you need me, I¡¯ll be here.¡± And you smile, because Korri¡¯s just way too cute! Being able to make this girl smile is one of the reasons you¡¯re happy to be alive. ¡°I haven¡¯t missed anything important, right?¡± Usually, Golden Week doesn¡¯t start in earnest until Monday, but sometimes things happen a bit differently. (Korri, as per usual, is spending any time she can humanly justify away from her parents.) ¡°The space monsters didn¡¯t destroy the Earth while I was doing special training, did they?¡± ¡°Nah, just Third Impact,¡± Korri says, cheery as ever. ¡°I suppose it couldn¡¯t make the climate much worse, huh.¡± You reach over for your phone, staring at the messages you¡¯ve sent Stella. She hasn¡¯t replied yet, but she hasn¡¯t been on social media either; you¡¯re pretty sure she¡¯s just busy with something or other. And, well, she probably wants to spend as little time around you as humanly possible? ¡°Are you worried about things with Stella?¡± Korri asks. As your mind brushes against hers, you can feel the warmth and concern for you, but also a strange emotion you¡¯re fairly certain is curiosity. How odd! ¡°A little.¡± You try and play it off. You can¡¯t tell Korri the real reason, after all! ¡°Ms. Yi seems pretty confident it¡¯ll work out, though?¡± Ms. Yi has been¡­well, she¡¯s really supportive of you, just in general. You¡¯ve only known her a short time, but it almost feels like you¡¯ve known her all your life. It¡¯s a really weird feeling; not an unwelcome one, but generally you¡¯ve never gotten along that well with your teachers. Honestly, you know why she¡¯s so popular; she¡¯s probably one of the best teachers a girl could ask for, and you know younger students are always looking forward to her classes. So why is she so confident things will work out with Stella Maris? Not that you¡¯re unhappy for the support or anything, but ¨C ¡°Just kidding.¡± Those two words are pretty hard to ignore, when they come backed with future-past-you¡¯s insistence that there¡¯s no distinction between being a heroine and violating people¡¯s free will. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Ms. Yi,¡± says Korri, hopping on the bed alongside you. ¡°I haven¡¯t met her, you know? I don¡¯t know her reasons. She must be pretty nice if you have feelings for her, though!¡± ¡°Ehe.¡± It¡¯s¡­surprisingly validating for you to hear that from Korri. If a teacher was abusing her position of power against a student, you¡¯d see that vengeful side of Korri. The one you try and fight for, so she¡¯ll never have to feel such pain again. (¡­from this angle, you can see the scars on Korri¡¯s wrist.) ¡°But, it¡¯s like that, you know?¡± Korri flips around on the bed, hands against her cheeks as she grins. ¡°If you still have a crush on Stella even after all she¡¯s said about you, I think she must be really admirable. Any lesbian should be happy that you have a crush on her!¡± ¡°Eheh, yeah, any lesbian¡­¡± It¡¯d be nice, if Korri could respond, but ¨C well, bad thoughts! You¡¯re still trying to work all this out, but, you¡¯ve at least told her the truth about one thing: ¡°Are you really sure about ¡®hypnotherapy¡¯, though? Are you not worried people will get the wrong idea?¡± ¡°I am, but. It was Ms. Yi¡¯s own suggestion! I don¡¯t think she¡¯s showing it in public or anything, we¡¯ll be doing some follow-on reports and essays afterward.¡± Bit of an odd way to run an assignment, but Ms. Yi¡¯s the expert, and you should do your best to trust her! ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about it, though. I guess I remember bits and pieces from Ms. Yi¡¯s lectures, but I don¡¯t really know what it is, you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not that scary, Cibby! I¡¯ve done similar stuff before, you know? Not a lot, but I think you¡¯d do well at it if you tried. If Stella¡¯s been studying it all this whole time, you can probably let her take the lead.¡± ¡°We have to take turns, though! I don¡¯t really know how you hypnotise someone.¡± The most you really know about it is, well, what Ms. Yi¡¯s told you, or what¡¯s filtered in through cultural osmosis. That it¡¯s all coming to light at the very same time as future-past-you is scary, because it¡¯s almost like the world itself is conspiring to push you in this direction! It¡¯s nothing weird, though. Ms. Yi didn¡¯t mean a thing by any of it, and if she¡¯s giving you advice about more¡­recreational hypnosis, that¡¯s just her being a responsible teacher who wishes to channel your passions in the right direction. ¡°Just kidding.¡± (right?) Your mind drifts, once more wondering what it¡¯ll be like. You hear things like ¡®trance¡¯, you know things like ¡®pocketwatches¡¯, but the way future-past-you talks about it sounds so fundamentally different from the vague image of hypnosis you know. Let alone all the other abilites you have, that could take someone and turn them into something unrecognizable from what they once were. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve only been exercising or anything. As you¡¯ve gone around the neighborhood, you¡¯ve read people¡¯s minds, here and there, when you got the chance. Idle thoughts, the kind of thoughts you expect of service workers, neighbors, acquaintances. But it¡¯s still doubtlessly an intimate act, and with someone who knew you well, what would you see in their thoughts? What could you understand? This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. (Could you come to understand Stella, at long last?) Mou, maybe it¡¯s best to just take it easy until tomorrow ¨C ¡°Oh, by the way! Rheia told me she¡¯s having someone over tonight. I heard the door, so I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re here now!¡± ¡°Already? This late? And on Sunday? Mom doesn¡¯t do that unless ¨C¡± oh no. Oh no. ¡°¡­right, lemme go say hello to Aunt Vesta and get it overwith,¡± you sigh. Korri waves happily at you, rolling around in your bed as you quickly down the rest of your tumbler before she has more ammunition to use against you. ¡°Say hello from me, too!¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t bite my head off, first¡­mou.¡±
? don¡¯t let me hear you say life¡¯s / taking you nowhere Mom¡¯s got the hi-fi on and the romantic candle LEDs out, which can only mean one thing. Your family ¨C well, families, really ¨C is, or are, big. Really big. There¡¯s dozens, maybe over a hundred Epelis and Imanises from all over the world right here in Southern Sun, let alone the others in the other new cities or elsewhere in the world. Major holidays like Golden Week see no small amount of travel; heck, one year, you all went camping up on Mt. Kaguya! All of you! (N-not that you like to talk about that trip. Not your finest moment, but on the plus side, it turns out fingernails grow back!) But the woman sitting down upon the divan? She plays by her own rules. Aunt Vesta ¨C that is, Vesta Ilustrada Imanis. (Technically she¡¯s not your aunt ¨C she¡¯s like, your second cousin or something ¨C but you¡¯ve been calling her ¡®Aunt Vesta¡¯ for as long as you¡¯ve been alive, you¡¯re not about to stop now!) Always clad in what looks like the most resplendent of silks, fashionable silks that, appropriately enough for a librarian and archivist, make her look like some kind of ancient and beautiful scholar and sage. She¡¯s ever so slightly more pale than you are, but you¡¯d say she bears a much stronger resemblance to you than Mama, especially with her violet-dyed hair. And yet, the gaze that lands upon you behind those thick glasses of hers ¨C you always feel like she¡¯s looking down at you, you know? ¡°Um, hello, Aunt Vesta! And hello from Korri, too!¡± You say nervously, swallowing down your hesitation. It¡¯s fine, she¡¯s not going to bite your head off this time, probably, right?! ¡°Cibele! Come, sit.¡± She lazily waves her arm aside, as she sips sharbat, that smile of hers that feels so full of¡­superiority, you know? At the very least, she¡¯s trying to present herself as welcoming. ¡°Your mother¡¯s been catching me up. You were in an accident?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. It wasn¡¯t serious, though.¡± You¡¯re still in your exercise clothes, and you feel a bit vulnerable, exposing yourself like this. Mama probably should¡¯ve mentioned it, but, maybe it was short notice. Your hands fidget, despite your efforts, as you find all your normal cheerfulness hard to muster. ¡°Things are getting too dangerous these days,¡± Vesta says, sipping her glass. ¡°Rheia¡¯s been fussing over you this whole time, you know that, right? And I bet Korrigan¡¯s worried, too.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s not like I mean to worry her!¡± Startled, your hands wave nervously, like you¡¯re trying to defend yourself! ¡°I mean, I just, I guess I do want a new outlook, but.¡± It¡¯s like this, right? Aunt Vesta is pretty much everything you¡¯d ever want to be! She¡¯s doing what she loves, outside of Sunset¡¯s shadow, and helping make the world a better place by preserving its knowledge! And she¡¯s content with herself, too ¨C physical attractiveness is one thing, but she¡¯s confident, in a way you can¡¯t help but be jealous of. Aunt Vesta has been in a happy relationship with multiple partners for¡­what, twenty years now? She was younger than you are now when that all started! What made it so easy for her to find love? What is it people are drawn to, and how can you capture some of that passion? (Or would she, perhaps, simply say you need to find your own way to express your passions, like she always has?) ¡°Your mother tells me you¡¯ve got a big assignment this week. Are you worried about it?¡± It¡¯s just small talk, but you¡¯re at least happy you and Vesta haven¡¯t argued. You think she finds you too flighty, too carefree, or something like that? It¡¯s hard to tell at the best of times, really, what people think of you. (At least, without reading their mind.) ¡°I guess I¡¯m pretty worried, but I¡¯ll get through it.¡± You smile. ¡°That said, I could maybe use your help!¡± ¡°My help?¡± Aunt Vesta takes another swig of sharbat. ¡°You can ask me questions, if you need. I think your father¡¯s still busy with dessert, we have time.¡± Aunt Vesta¡­she knows a lot about odd, esoteric things. It¡¯s not that she knows a little about a lot of things, it¡¯s that she knows a lot about everything. If Aunt Vesta had a Gamer power ¨C and she would despise having one, but just for the sake of argument! ¨C surely she¡¯d not start with lowly 1s in every stat. ¡°Um, I guess this is going to sound kind of weird, but, uh¡­¡± You half wonder if Aunt Vesta¡¯s going to berate you for the very question, because it sounds ridiculous to you. ¡°Do you know anything about hypnosis? Or hypnotherapy?¡± ¡­and just from that single question, you can feel something. Your consciousness reaches for Aunt Vesta as she puts her glass down. Vesta¡¯s mind¡­her mind is like a flame. Burning those who come too close, who raise her ire, who deserve her wrath ¨C but so captivating, too. It feels all too familiar ¨C the person you¡¯ve looked up to, admired, feared, and fought with, all in equal measure. You¡¯ve always been afraid of that. Of her fire. Aunt Vesta¡¯s taken the rest of the family to task time and again, and you admire her ability to act with conviction. It hasn¡¯t made her many friends, but ¨C Hypnotherapy? Of all the people to get an interest¡­ Even as she seems to have issues with you, even as you feel that antipathy toward you, you can somehow understand how Vesta¡¯s drawn so many women toward that flame, and how they¡¯ve remained captivated with her for twenty years. This isn¡¯t something done on a whim, girl, you hear in her mind, even as her lips say: ¡°That¡¯s¡­mm. Yes, I do know a little something about that. It¡¯s a bit of an odd question to ask me out of the blue, though.¡± ¡°Well, you kinda know everything, I guess? Ehe.¡± You blush, despite yourself. Aaaa, it¡¯s so nervous, talking like this. ¡°My psychology teacher suggested it! Y¡¯know, Yi Seul-ki?¡± ¡°Ah, of course. I remember her from my last lecture series ¨C I think she was teaching literature back then.¡± Vesta¡¯s made a few lectures about cultural preservation to the highschoolers at the Verwest Academy, and she had a few clashes with the teachers back then too. ¡°One of the few teachers who didn¡¯t give me a hard time. Is this for an essay, then? I can provide some reading material, if you wish, and answer any questions you have.¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯d be great, yeah!¡± Looks like this might work out after all! ¡°But the assignment is more of a mock therapy session, is the thing!¡± ¡­ ¡­Aunt Vesta¡¯s face shifts. She puts her glass down, and through her glasses, she looks you straight in the eye. ¡°And your teacher suggested this, right?¡± You¡¯re trying not to poke too much at Vesta¡¯s thoughts, but you get the distinct sense you¡¯ve struck a nerve. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d be so casual about it¡­¡± ¡°Um. It¡¯s more that my partner is an aspiring therapist herself, apparently, and hypnotherapy is something she¡¯s interested in? I-I wouldn¡¯t ask about such a thing just because, you know!¡± You can feel that desire to prove yourself coming back. Even future-past-you¡¯s words don¡¯t seem to matter as much, when it comes to wanting to be taken seriously by Aunt Vesta. (By all your family, really.) ¡°Hypnotherapy is an intense matter. It¡¯s not something I¡¯d suggest performing for a school assignment with an acquaintance. If you are interested, I¡¯d be happy to tell you more another time, but¡­¡± You frown, because of course it has to be her. It¡¯s like ¨C Aunt Vesta has lived her whole life doing things her way, and as much as it might make you upset sometimes, you admire it, too¡­heck of a heroine you are, still chasing her approval. ¡°You still have time to choose something else, don¡¯t you, Cibele?¡± she asks. The flickering flame of her mind seems as though it¡¯s holding back, trying not to burn you with its intensity. Trying not to burn you, Rheia¡¯s precious daughter, once again. And, she¡¯s not wrong, is she? It would be easiest, really, to ignore future-past-you entirely than to lure yourself into her domain. It¡¯d certainly be much simpler to get Stella onto a couch and ask her about her mother. But¡­ But if Ms. Yi is right, then this is something Stella is deeply passionate about. Something important to her. This might be your best chance ¨C hell, your only chance ¨C to get closer to her, to understand her. It might be too much to ask that she return your feelings, sure, but even if that¡¯s true? You want to know what it is that makes Stella Maris shine so brightly, like the Star of the Sea that gives her her name. ¡°¡­it¡¯s important to her, though,¡± you manage to get out ¨C your overflowing feelings trapped in your throat, every bit of your Charisma of 1 bearing down upon you as you struggle to express your feelings. Alone, in that room, the two of you stare at one another, as you refuse to back down. Aunt Vesta knows about love, doesn¡¯t she? Her beloved partners, her girlfriends, Mom always liked to tell you that Vesta fought hard to win and protect their hearts. You want to be that kind of person, too! You can feel the intensity of her flame, as if she¡¯s trying to impress upon your own mind, to scare you away. She still looks at you like a child ¨C and you¡¯re getting quite used to the taste of that emotion, within the eyes of those around you. But you won¡¯t back down. And Aunt Vesta knows it, too. ¡°¡­if that¡¯s the case, then, Cibele ¨C then I¡¯ll tell you what I know about hypnosis.¡± Her glass comes down, and as she stands, you can feel her presence far beyond her size. Y-you almost wonder, if she has a power all her own ¨C you could almost see her using the abilities you¡¯ve gained much better than you are right now! How nostalgic¡­yet, I wonder, does Rheia¡¯s daughter truly have what it takes? (Flashes of her partners, of her whispers, of those girls sinking fo her words fill your mind. This strength she holds, this eroticism ¨C it¡¯s captivating, and fills you with envy. Could future-past-you have known¡­?) ¡°Hypnosis, Cibele, is not something to treat lightly.¡± The conviction comes, with the flame of her passion roaring to life. ¡°Hypnosis is no game. What you speak of is an immense act of intimacy and trust, of taking something vulnerable and protecting it, and showing your own vulnerability in turn. In that moment, you are every bit showing a part of yourself as you are seeing her ¨C doubly so, if you intend to let her do the same. ¡°You cannot falter. No matter how nervous you might be, how vulnerable or scared, you must show your partner absolute confidence and conviction. To, in that moment, be everything they need, and more. No matter how nervous you get, how worried you might be, your subject should see you as nothing less than a goddess.¡± You grit your teeth, trying to push back. You¡¯re tired of not being taken seriously. Hell, it¡¯s bad enough Vesta¡¯s baby sister ignored your feelings as a kid, now Vesta is trying to act like you can¡¯t do anything right?! ¡°Then are you still saying I can¡¯t do this?!¡± You stand up in turn, hands balled into fists. You¡¯re lucky everyone else is in the basement or otherwise occupied; you¡¯re not sure how you¡¯d explain this to anyone. ¡°I can¡¯t be perfect, Aunt Vesta! I ¨C¡± You¡¯re interrupted with a puff from Vesta¡¯s nostrils, a quiet smirk. ¡°Hmph. Who said anything about being perfect?¡± ¡°¡­huh?¡± You could¡¯ve sworn¡­how is it, even when you can read her mind, you still can¡¯t understand Aunt Vesta? ¡°Listen. When I say believe, I mean it. Perfection is impossible.¡± The flame behind her words still burns, but at the very least, she¡¯s not upset. (You¡¯d like to hope her opinion of you is getting better, you know?) ¡°But you said ¨C¡± ¡°Do you think I wasn¡¯t scared, my first time?¡± A flash within flame, of another purple-haired woman, no doubt Vesta¡¯s partner Percy, and a whisper in her ear¡­¡±All that matters is, that in the moment you hold that girl¡¯s head in your hands, she believes she can entrust herself to you. Trust, itself, is a form of love; if she trusts you, love may well follow. ¡°Love¡­¡± You¡¯re not sure you can get Stella to trust you at all, so love feels all the more distant. Maybe, that¡¯s what tempted future-past-you in the end. ¡°Mm. Don¡¯t worry too much! Aha. You seem quite¡­assured, Cibele.¡± Aunt Vesta¡¯s flame seems a bit¡­smug? At the least, being praised by her makes you happy. ¡°Keep that confidence close to your heart. If this girl comes to return your feelings, it¡¯ll serve you well.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t say I had a crush on her, Aunt Vesta!¡± Vesta stands up, as if on cue from the sound of footsteps, walking toward them, head tipping back as she smiles at you¡­ ¡°You didn¡¯t need to.¡± ¡­ (¡­okay, yeah, she¡¯s kinda hot. The way she can read you like an open book¡­you wanna do that, darnit!) As you reflect upon your envy, and the blush on your cheeks, your mother¡¯s head pops in from the other room, waving over at the two of you! ¡°You seem to be getting along today! Ah, Vesta, could you help me out for a second? You know how Satre is with meringue.¡± ¡°Every time I come over, huh?¡± Vesta laughs to herself. ¡°Alright, fair enough. I¡¯ll send you a reading list for your assignment, Cibele.¡± ¡°A-ah, thank you!¡± You find yourself blushing and nodding as Vesta follows Mama ¨C and, wondering if that¡¯s how her partners are, too, always in her shadow. Mou, future-past-you could probably compete with Aunt Vesta, but as you are right now¡­ You need confidence. You need Charisma. Regardless of how future-past-you might want you to act, if you want to face this Queen or whatever-the-fudge, you can¡¯t just be nervous around people all the time, y¡¯know? It¡¯s a bit scary, but¡­maybe it¡¯s a good thing to do things that scare you sometimes. ¡­ ¡­ (¡­a goddess, huh?)
Vesta Ilustrada Imanis ???: unknown
Attributes: Ordinary humans have a 1 in each attribute. Humans at the peak of their physical or mental potential may have a 2 in one ability score. Scores of 3 or greater are superhuman.
â…¡.2: Killer Queen Monday, May 3rd, Reiwa 42. The Verwest Adventist Academy was once one of the most prestigious schools in the city of Southern Sun, and even if time has seen its glamour fade from view a bit, it¡¯s still quite competitive. Offering a complete education program from middle school all the way to sixth form, it expects the best of its students, and (in theory, at least) prepares them for a prestigious position in the city¡¯s world-class research universities. Mama and Papa went here, as well as Aunt Vesta; getting a chance to attend alongside Korri took a lot of hard work and guts, and you think you don¡¯t fit in very well, but¡­ Even if it¡¯s been a lot harder than you prefer, if it¡¯s for Korri¡¯s sake, you wouldn¡¯t change it for the world. When Calvina¡¯s not the gallant knight and senpai you admire and adore, she¡¯s an aspiring architect ¨C and lately, you¡¯ve been trying to pay more attention to the way the city is designed and built. Here, the outward appearance of the Academy makes it look a lot older than it is. Crafted seemingly mostly of red brick, with a wide number of buildings across the entire campus of suburban green grass, the details that make it efficient and modern are hidden away from prying eyes. (Though the inner halls certainly look like just about any other school in the city you¡¯ve seen.) Calvina tells you that the way the city looks, the way its systems behave and intersect, was (and is!) designed to be as familiar as possible to the tens of millions of migrants who would reach its shores. City districts and neighborhoods all take on many different characters, all meant to take the shape of ¡®home¡¯; architects from around the world took up this cast, particularly those from Old Canada. The Verwest Academy is one of those places, meant to call to mind prestigious institutions in Asia; even the name ¡®Adventist¡¯ is rather a fib, to suggest that prestige and the future success your children might have for attending. It¡¯s an application of what Ms. Yi taught you of, the modern social science of ¡®memetics¡¯ ¨C and it seems that future-past-you took those lessons to heart, huh? Well, that¡¯s why you¡¯re here. Memetics is one of your newfound talents, and even if the Hypnosis tree is a bit, y¡¯know, bad thoughts, you still believe it has some necessary talents for¡­well, whatever it is you need to do. (Still trying to figure that part out!) Now, you don¡¯t exactly hate class, but you do prefer to spend your vacation times away from it. You¡¯d think it¡¯d be the same for anyone, right? (You can¡¯t imagine what it was like when this school used to have dorms, that¡¯d drive you nuts.) And yet, despite most school clubs taking the whole week off, here you are, standing in the middle of the hallway, looking upon two smart posters flanked side by side ¨C the Debate Club, and the Literature Club. ¡­why would they still be meeting this week, you wonder? The building should be mostly empty, right? Normally, they¡¯re largely closed for the holidays, the halls only really open for the transit stations. This can¡¯t be normal procedure; it¡¯s not like this is a D&D group just squatting here (not that, um, you would know), they¡¯re official groups sanctioned by the staff. The Literature Club has been around a long time, but from what you¡¯ve heard, it used to be a pretty quiet club that was little more than an excuse for slackers to lie about their after-school activities to their families. A few years ago, though, it was revitalized by the one and only, the legendary, the mysterious Li Xiao-Yin! A girl of great mystique and, um, mystery (how mysterious!), only the Literature Club seems to really know her well. The poster shows several of its members flanked around a table with snacks, tablets, and notebooks, with the mysterious pinkette herself front and centre. She¡¯s the kind of person who anyone can get along with, it seems. Xiao-Yin ought to know a lot about being charismatic; Marq seems to know her, and equally be convinced the two of you would get along, but ¨C but she¡¯s way out of your league! And you¡¯ve never really said so much as a few sentences to her! You wonder if she¡¯d like you, maybe, but surely a girl as cute as that wouldn¡¯t even give you the time of day¡­which, okay, maybe you¡¯re underestimating yourself, but it¡¯s still pretty scary! The left poster, though? The Debate Club? That one¡¯s really scary. It¡¯s a simple photo of two students at their podiums in one of the lecture halls, most likely a photo of one of the titular debates, and a description of the Debate Club itself in several languages:
THE VERWEST ADVENTIST ACADEMY DEBATE SOCIETY (aka the DEBATE CLUB) Learn the benefits of oratory and rhetoric, expand your future resume, and learn valuable leadership skills for your future career. Win friends, influence people, and perform valuable networking in advance of your university education. Studies show that participation in extracurricular activities correspond to great positive benefits in education, employment, and general quality of life. Don¡¯t miss out on the benefits to your future. Join us today!
¡­what a crock of chocolate pudding. Oh, all these things may well be true, but the Debate Club, if it ever was altruistic in its goals, stopped being so quite some time ago. And the very reason for this is the very same reason that, despite your better judgement and your desire to get to know (the mysterious!) Li Xiao-Yin, you find yourself turning left instead of right. The reason why you end up inside that lecture hall, with its rows of seats descending down toward the dual podiums, walking down the stairs even as you feel every single eye upon you, swallowing as you try to tell yourself you haven¡¯t made a huge mistake. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this? I wasn¡¯t expecting any newcomers today,¡± a red-haired figure stood between the twin podiums says, the microphone broadcasting her voice throughout the hall. ¡°Now, who could this be?¡± Your heart is pounding in your chest. T-this is really nervewracking! Is it too late to turn right instead?! ¡°Oh¡­oh, I do know you,¡± the redhead whispers, that husky quality to her voice admittedly making her very sexy. Really, though, this girl oozes charisma, and ultimately, that¡¯s what won out in the end, despite all the drawbacks. ¡°You¡¯re Cibele, aren¡¯t you?¡± H-huh?! Oh no, your reputation precedes you¡­h-how has the Empress herself heard of you ¨C and how did you get right next to her?! ¡°Cibele Epeli Imanis, is it? How pleased I am to finally meet you,¡± she says, giving you a smile laced with poison as she extends her hand, your own nervously meeting her own to shake. The Empress of Verwest herself, Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice. She¡¯s the kind of person who seems like she walked straight out of a high school anime ¨C the rich heiress who controls the student council and the whole school, who goes all ¡®ara ara¡¯ and looks down on people¡­ W-well, that kind of thing isn¡¯t real. It¡¯d be kind of hot to hear her say ¡®ara¡¯, the way her voice goes like this and emphasizes certain words makes it sound like she¡¯s always looking down on you. (W-which is probably because she is¡­) But it¡¯s that kind of way she¡¯s able to straddle that line, the way she exudes self-control, that really gets her that popularity. Okay, the ¡®ara ara¡¯ might just be you projecting, though! It¡¯s not like this is an anime, there¡¯s no massive student council who controls all the affairs of Verwest from the shadows, but¡­ ¡°Uh, you¡¯ve heard of me?¡± you ask, trying not to show how nervous you are. It¡¯s still really dangerous! Milia¡¯s got a whole posse of groupies, bearing down upon you with their stares right now! And she¡¯s a de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice, too! ¡°Of course I¡¯ve heard of Seul-ki¡¯s new favorite! People have noticed that, you know. The idol of the school, favoring a little troublemaker¡­ah, but I shouldn¡¯t spread rumors, should I?¡± Milia¡¯s hand presses onto her chest, her green eyes fluttering as she stares into you. F-for some reason, it¡¯s a bit intimidating¡­ (But, Milia¡¯s on a first-name basis with Ms. Yi? It¡¯s not unheard of, but it¡¯s still a bit weird.) ¡°W-well, I¡¯m flattered! Uh, not about the troublemaker part, but the other bit. I really like her, so¡­¡± ¡°You should be flattered, Cibele. It¡¯s not everyday someone shows that kind of favor.¡± ¡­ugh. If it weren¡¯t for your need to grind, you¡¯d probably have run away by now. The look Milia is giving you is not comfortable, and it really demonstrates the disparity between both your statuses. You even tried to dress a bit nicer, with an airy white button-up blouse, but next to her¡­ Milia¡¯s ruby red hair, her glittering green eyes, her rich and fair complexion¡­more than one person ¨C like the entire club, little more than her entourage, all seeking the Empress¡¯ favor ¨C has fallen for them. So too have they fallen for her softness, the rich curves that suggest a diet high in meat (ugh). She looks the part of a rich girl¡­and she should. The de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice aren¡¯t nobles, but they are old money from Old Quebec, Sunset shareholders with a lot of influence. That comes through in her fashion, too. Golden heels, tightly clinging thigh-highs, loose top that somehow shows off her chest without showing it. And those accessories! That belt might be made of real leather! Fancy dangly earrings that probably cost more than everything on you! And¡­ Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Oh no, matching black chokers! Y-you knew it was a bad idea to start wearing them more often; will she think you¡¯re trying to copy her?! ¡°Hmn, so you¡¯re interested in the Debate Club?¡± says Milia, as she operates the smartboard behind her from the podium. ¡°Fewer people are around than I¡¯d like. There¡¯s not much scheduled, either. I think we can probably introduce you to how things go around here.¡± ¡°Great! I can watch a few debates, then I can maybe team up with some of the others, I could get my feet wet ¨C¡± ¡°Oh, no, nothing like that!¡± Milia waves off your concerns, and you suddenly hear sirens going off in your head. This can¡¯t be good! ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve learned so much from Yi Seul-ki! I think we can dispense with it, don¡¯t you?¡± Her smile goes wide, her eyes go narrow, and she leans in as if she could eat you if she wanted. ¡°You and I, on the stage, together. I¡¯ll let you choose whatever topic you wish.¡± ¡°U-uh. Any topic?¡± Part of you wants to scream, ¡®d-don¡¯t eat me!¡¯, but you¡¯re pretty sure that¡¯s not on purpose, probably? ¡°Any topic, so long as it is of no consequence or importance to anyone. Rule Eight ¨C a rule put into place to protect any pesky personal feelings from interfering in our design. Our judgement will be based on the power of your arguments, and the presence of your speech.¡± ¡­right. That makes sense for a debate society, sure, but it still bothers you a bit for some reason¡­ ¡°O-okay, I get it. Ummmmm¡­¡± Oh, jeez, you didn¡¯t think this through, but now everyone is staring! G-gotta come up with something fast! ¡°U-um¡­h-hot dogs?!¡± Wait, abort, abort ¨C ¡°Hot dogs, you say.¡± Ugh, she¡¯s so smug. She probably thinks she¡¯s already defeated you. ¡°What about hot dogs?¡± ¡°Uh¡­uh, right. Are, um. Are hot dogs a sandwich? Uh, it can be a vegan hot dog too, that doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡± You¡¯ve argued that before, you¡¯re pretty sure; no one would care about that, r-right? ¡°If it please you, Cibele.¡± Ugh. And Milia¡¯s smugness grows. She probably thinks she¡¯s already won at this point! You¡¯re being an embarrassing wreck and you haven¡¯t even started yet! You swallow nervously, and look up at the crowd, knowing they¡¯re all here for Milia. Not you. Mostly guys, but there¡¯s a girl or two too ¨C and none of them seem to like you much, you¡¯re pretty sure! They must think Milia¡¯s the best thing since sliced fudge, huh? You don¡¯t really expect to get much out of this, at least not with 1 Charisma¡­but maybe it¡¯ll help prove your theory right? If grinding alone won¡¯t do, then you¡¯ll be happy to seek out new opportunities (and, potentially, new cuties?) to gain experiences from. And who knows, you might at least win Milia¡¯s respect, right? Even if you don¡¯t win, there¡¯s a chance at putting up a good fight, at least. All you need to do is survive the Empress herself, someone who assuredly exudes the power of 2 Charisma, and hope you don¡¯t get too humiliated in the process. As a great climate denier once said¡­how hard can it be?
Pretty darn hard, as it turns out! There¡¯s not a lot of there there in the topic of hot dogs, of course. And, it goes without saying no one else is helping. You get the sense the people here on Golden Week are very much the closest to Milia, and there¡¯s certainly a sense of riding her coattails. An Empress¡¯ court¡­a court where you¡¯re all but certain at least some of them have ulterior motives. Milia does seem to care about them, in her way, but if that¡¯s their motivation it¡¯s a bit of a pipe dream. Old fashioned monogamy doesn¡¯t make much sense to you, but maybe Milia likes the idea of being fought over, huh? Really, though. How are you going to do this? You¡¯ve really got only one advantage up your sleeve, but ¨C her eyes meet yours, and she smirks. It¡¯s enough contact to reach out. As your mind gently brushes against Milia, you feel something like silk, a softness, an embrace that makes you wonder how it could be the same person. Certainly, she¡¯s more than capable of being kind, but you wonder if you wouldn¡¯t find a knife beneath the silk if you could go deeper. What secrets could she hiding? I won¡¯t lose to Seul-ki¡¯s new pet. Especially not some fly-by-fancy commoner like Cibele. The words are surprising enough on their own. She¡¯s been paying attention to you behind your back, this whole time? All because Ms. Yi might like you a bit? Sure, you know she favors you a lot (and don¡¯t think it doesn¡¯t make you blush!), but why would Milia care about it? She¡¯s in the previous year, you don¡¯t share any classes. The feelings, the emotions, though¡­there¡¯s something complicated you can¡¯t unravel around her feelings toward Ms. Yi. You¡¯re not even sure you could call it a crush ¨C and you¡¯d need more experience to figure that out, you think, with using your Thought Skimmer ¨C but at some point, she fell out of Ms. Yi¡¯s favor, and she¡¯s still nursing those hurt feelings. ¡­but that gives you an idea. You smile brightly, and wave at Milia, and she scoffs and turns away back to her entourage. But this means she has a weak point, and more importantly, an example of what might work in this little debate of yours. You¡¯ve heard enough of Ms. Yi¡¯s lectures, after all, to know that when she talks, people listen. And you think you know how she talks, too. And if you really are favored by her enough for Milia to be worried about you? Maybe it¡¯s time to prove what you¡¯ve learned from Yi Seul-ki.
¡°Esteemed ladies and gentlemen of the Debate Club, I am as ever your humble host, Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice.¡± As the two of you stand upon the podiums, you almost want to roll your eyes ¨C Milia is anything but humble. ¡°Today¡¯s question is one that rests on the minds of us all ¨C the status of the hot dog as a sandwich.¡± Her voice utterly drips with sarcasm ¨C she¡¯s definitely taking full advantage of the home field. ¡°I will, of course, be taking the only position that makes any sense ¨C that the hot dog is not a sandwich. ¡°The sandwich has a long and storied history, a perfect combination of human culinary invention. The hot dog is simply a Frankenstein, an abomination created in the Meiji era that heralded a new age of manufactured, mass-produced food. ¡°What beauty is there if we allow anything that wishes to call itself a sandwich? Can it compare to the Reuben? The BLT? The club? Or, truly the greatest culinary art of humankind, the Montreal smoked meat? A hot dog is simply packaged meat or soybean waste in the cheapest possible bread. It doesn¡¯t deserve to be called a sandwich. It was never born a sandwich, so why should it claim higher aspirations? It should accept the place it was born in, and no more.¡± ¡­ Wow. For a topic she said was ridiculous, she sure does seem to care about it a lot. The applause isn¡¯t exactly thundering, but given how there¡¯s less than a dozen people in the room, it¡¯s pretty good. Seems genuine enough, too; you¡¯ve got your work cut out for you on this one. You sigh, and stretch, doing your best not to be rattled. (It¡¯s okay, Cibele, you think. You can do this.) Adjusting your microphone, you stare up at the ¡®crowd¡¯, all hoping for you to take a fall. Gulp. No pressure¡­you¡¯ll just have to trust your instincts, and hope channeling Ms. Yi helps you out. And so, you breathe in, and let the words come from your heart. ¡°Ahem. Um, hello everyone! My name is Cibele Epeli Imanis. I¡¯m a student here at the Verwest Adventist Academy, just like you. And I will, of course, support the position that a hot dog is a sandwich¡­but first, I need to ask all of you a question: ¡°What is a sandwich?¡± Everyone starts murmuring, and Milia raises her eyebrow. This is exactly the kind of question Ms. Yi asks, if perhaps about much more consequential topics, so maybe she¡¯s noticed? ¡°The sandwich, of course, is not found in nature. Bread is a manufactured food, and the combination of bread and meat would never be created by an animal! Let alone all the other things you could fill it with ¨C peanut butter, cheese, seitan¡­ You point out toward the crowd, dramatically waving your hand forward! ¡°The truth is, a sandwich is nothing more than a social construct! A creation of mankind, entirely artificial! How can we exclude any food that wants to be a sandwich from becoming one?¡± You pause to let your words settle, as Seul-ki might, and you can really feel Milia¡¯s concern from here now! It¡¯s¡­huh, it¡¯s working! Who knew? Sure, you¡¯re cheating a bit with your Thought Skimmer, maybe but¡­oh well. It is inconsequential, isn¡¯t it? And if it¡¯s Milia¡­ ¡°Sandwiches are freedom! They can be as simple or as complex as you like. You can make them however you like. They can be a part of a gourmet meal, or a quick snack on the run. There¡¯s no reason to arbitrarily exclude something from being called a sandwich if it wishes to be, when the whole idea of ¡®sandwich¡¯ is a cultural creation to begin with! ¡°Members of the Debate Club, I beseech you. Do not give in to your elitism! Would we next exclude the humble PB&J, simply because it contains no meat? Is that what we¡¯ve come to? Of course not! I think we all have the power to decide what a sandwich is for ourselves, you know?¡± You bow at the end of your remarks. ¡°Thank you for listening.¡± ¡­the ¡®crowd¡¯ applauds you! Aw, heck, this is embarrassing¡­ ¡°Thank you, Cibele.¡± Milia tries to clear her throat, doing her best to hide her discomfort, your Thought Skimmer sensing the unease within her as you brush against her mind. (You¡¯re sure she¡¯s heard the ¡®social construct¡¯ speech from Ms. Yi before, after all ¨C though, that one wasn¡¯t about sandwiches, was it?) ¡°Very well. With these arguments in mind¡­how does the voting panel feel? All those in favor of hot dogs not being sandwiches, say ¡®aye¡¯!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± A couple of dudes say¡­huh, really? Only them? Could it be ¨C ¡°And¡­mm. And all those in favor of hot dogs being sandwiches?¡± ¡°AYE!¡± Several more voices say¡­and, yes! You¡¯ve done it! You¡¯ve won! Even if only in a small way, your words could reach past even the Empress¡¯ authority! (Hey, maybe your Charisma¡¯s already going up?) ¡°¡­well,¡± Milia says as she hops off the podium, extending her hand to you once more as she brushes her hair back with her hand. (Gosh, but she is pretty¡­honestly, she might give Ms. Yi a run for her money in the looks department. If only she were a bit kinder, huh?) ¡°You¡¯ve won this time. Not a bad performance, for a beginner. I do hope you won¡¯t rest on your laurels, though¡­¡± You grip Milia¡¯s hand in yours, and smile brightly as you shake. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Empress!¡± ¡°Please. Just call me Milia. I can see why Seul-ki likes you, now. Do come back next week, if it please you.¡± Her words say that you¡¯re welcome here. The Empress has accepted you into her court, even as a mere commoner, an upstart. But though her thoughts don¡¯t betray her full intentions, you can sense the animosity she holds toward you. And the resentment, around whatever went down with Ms. Yi, and the fact that she favors you. The performance you¡¯ve given, you think, has given you a lot more progress toward Charisma 2 than your little training montage on the weekend, but ¨C looking into Milia¡¯s green eyes, as she begins to see you as a rival, you can¡¯t help but feel as though one wrong move could make the Empress your enemy. Gulp. No pressure, huh?
Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice ???: Empress¡¯ Authority
Attribute: Charisma Increase influence over others. Increase effectiveness of speech. Increase attractiveness, physical or otherwise. In addition, improves the effectiveness of the Hypnosis skill tree. Increase through social interaction (particularly gaining advantages) or acquisition of servants, or use of Hypnosis skills. My personal favorite. You¡¯ll be the cutest girl in all of Southern Sun, cuter than the other 40 million before us. Your words will change the city, the world. Starting with Korrigan, of course¡­she¡¯s so trusting. Don¡¯t you want to guide her, make sure she¡¯s a good little girl for you?
â…¡.3: Starlight, Starbright Tuesday, May 4th, Reiwa 42. Your family¡¯s place is an ultra-modern house in the Verwest district, built mostly of glass and white-painted climate-friendly materials, of a respectable size and its own lawn, bolstered by quite a few incomes that help support the needs of ownership. Living in a house like this is relatively unusual, of course, but it doesn¡¯t really feel that different from apartments and condos when you take into account how crowded it can get sometimes. Fortunately, you¡¯ve got plenty of time to yourself today to study, at least before fencing class later! Having received a reading list from Aunt Vesta, you¡¯re taking your time going through all the material you can, still unsure when, or even if, Stella will accept ¡®hypnotherapy¡¯ as the subject of the assignment. (¡­okay, maybe you¡¯re a little interested for its own sake¡­) You confess, you¡¯re not really great with books. You put in the effort for Ms. Yi, definitely, but book learning isn¡¯t your strong suit! (Although, it¡¯s preferable to video essays, blech.) But even so, you¡¯ve dived right in, and some of these books are downright captivating. There¡¯s a certain overlap between the list Aunt Vesta gave you, and Ms. Yi¡¯s reading list for Psychology class. It makes sense; it seems Vesta has an interest in psychology, and if they¡¯re both talking about a fringe topic like hypnosis, it¡¯s only natural they¡¯d go to similar references. Honestly, the two of them seem pretty similar in your eyes; you can almost imagine the two of them together, swapping notes on hypnosis, experimenting on each other, and ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Er. Right. Books. Right now, you¡¯re going through the work of Dr. Cindy Newton, psychologist and memeticist ¨C and popular science communicator. Ms. Yi has said if not for her, ¡®memetics¡¯ would still be considered a pseudoscience as it was up to the Heisei era. You¡¯re pretty sure future-past-you knows her work; the concept of a ¡®supreme idea¡¯ appears to originate from the titular book, The Supreme Idea. As Ms. Yi has told you, ¡®memetics¡¯ is the cultural and intellectual analogue of ¡®genetics¡¯, and much like ¡®genes¡¯, ¡®memes¡¯ can be passed from person to person, and are affected by a form of evolutionary pressure.
In essence, through communicating with others, we pass on our memes to the next generation. And just as over time, genes that confer a reproductive advantage become better represented in a population, memes that are communicated more effectively or situate themselves more suitably inside the mind become more common as well. Natural selection as applied to culture.
And as humans interfere in the natural selection of organisms, so too can they interfere in the natural selection of ideas ¨C artificially selected ideas, created as our ancestors might create new breeds of domesticated organism ¨C to maximize desirable qualities, to the advantage of those who have selected that ¡®meme¡¯¡­usually to the detriment of society, historically, but very often to its benefit as well. The Reiwa era began after decades of memetic selection, and the disasters to come couldn¡¯t be understood by those who believed humans would always behave in their own interests. (In this world, bathed in carbon, you wonder bitterly how people could have denied it ¨C and still do, to this day.) In that respect, the titular ¡®supreme idea¡¯ is a meme that is not simply selected, but engineered, as humans might engineer an organism. Or so Dr. Newton puts it:
A meme so readily accepted by humans that it outmodes all others before it. An idea that, once imparted, completely transforms a person. One idea, with no other memes before her.
It¡¯s a terrifying prospect. Ms. Yi once talked about a Heisei-era novel which presented Sumerian as the ¡®programming language¡¯ for the brainstem, and the linguistic curse of the Tower of Babel (or as Ms. Yi called it, ¡®the Curse of Balal¡¯), a counter-program that forced humanity to speak different languages. The goddess Asherah, a mother goddess (much like Cybele!) was herself a personification of a linguistic virus that could reprogram humans, and the priestly class of Sumer passed these programs, these me to the population, programming their brains directly, before the god Enki created the Curse to prevent it. It¡¯s obvious that future-past-you knows it too. In this novel, Sumerian was a language that could be perfectly understood; the languages we have now would then become removed from the ideal of ¡®perfect understanding¡¯. And perfect understanding is a goal worth pursuing, Ms. Yi has said so as well, but¡­could you really perform that kind of act? Violate the self, that thoroughly? Your Memetics branch, under the Hypnosis tree¡­
Memetics: Memetics allows you to spread ideas that infect others, slowly but passively subverting their will. Memes¡­the DNA of the ¨C you know what, no, forget that! You know about the science of memetics ¨C of ideas that spread through people¡¯s minds, and convince them of such horrible things. That we continue clinging to the ideas that perpetuated thousands of years ago of what should and shouldn¡¯t be, let alone the things people were convinced of before the Collapse. With this¡­you can change that. And have so very much fun as a side effect, too.
You don¡¯t think future-past-you is so noble about it. ¡®You¡¯ll Trust Me¡¯, ¡®You¡¯ll Love Me¡¯, ¡®I Am Your Goddess¡¯? N-none of that is nice at all! I-is this what ¡®Brilliant Star¡¯ means?! ¡°Mouuu¡­¡± you mutter to yourself, trying not to think about it too hard. You don¡¯t need to pursue that branch, anyway; the entire Hypnosis tree is very Bad Thoughts, but you can try to stick to taking the least Bad Thoughts-y skills, and use those abilities responsibly! For the good! You¡¯re not even a little tempted! (¡­right?) Saying that, though, The Supreme Idea contains stuff about hypnosis as well; it¡¯s not a huge amount, but evidently Dr. Newton is a passionate practitioner in both professional and personal capacities. And her talking about it makes you feel a little better about it, and puts Aunt Vesta¡¯s words into better context:
Hypnosis as a method of control used by abusers and liars? Yes, it is true that even a ¡®consensual¡¯ act can be abusive, and hypnosis has the potential. But it is the same as any social pressure. Hypnosis is merely a means to an end, an end that can be accomplished through countless different means of social coercion and conditioning that are far easier to grasp. Hypnosis as a weapon of abuse is much easier to unravel than other methods, as I know from experience. Therefore, I would say to fear not hypnosis, but the hypnotist. And beware even further, the hypnotist who tries to convince you it¡¯s magic.
Even if that¡¯s true, though¡­what you have is magic, isn¡¯t it? You can go past such limitations. It¡¯s frightening, to hold that kind of power, no matter how exciting it may also be. If it weren¡¯t for this power, if it weren¡¯t for the Gamer, if it weren¡¯t for future-past-you, you¡¯d probably be both excited and relieved by these words. But holding this power in your hands, with your darker self guiding you into your worst possible impulses, just makes you worry all the more ¨C bzzt-bzzt! Oh! It¡¯s your phone! And it¡¯s a text from Stella! You quickly toss your reader aside and start to chat with her. [11:31 05/01/42] qubeley004: So, uh, Ms. Yi told me you¡¯re interested in hypnotherapy? It might be a bit weird, but, we could do that for the project if you like! [17:30 05/04/42] luckystar: ¡­you¡¯ve been studying that? [17:31 05/04/42] qubeley004: Ms. Yi and one of my relatives have given me material on it, and I¡¯ve paid really close attention to lectures! I don¡¯t think Ms. Yi would recommend it if she weren¡¯t confident, you know? [17:31 05/04/42] luckystar: ¡­ [17:36 05/04/42] luckystar: Let me make this *damn* fucking clear. If my grades in Psychology weren¡¯t so awful, I wouldn¡¯t even consider it. But as it stands, Ms. Yi is the only thing standing in my way toward a scholarship, and so my hands are tied. [17:37 05/04/42] luckystar: If you¡¯ve been studying, you know hypnosis isn¡¯t magic. And I doubt you could do much with it anyway, but that shouldn¡¯t matter for the grade. That said, know this: [17:37 05/04/42] luckystar: If you try *anything* weird, that footage goes straight to Ms. Yi, the staff, the dean, the cops, and *God!* You got it? [17:38 05/04/42] qubeley004: ¡­oh, so that¡¯s a yes? :D I¡¯ll do my best! [17:38 05/04/42] luckystar: Do you *have* to get so excited? I regret this enough as it is! [17:39 05/04/42] luckystar: But yeah, I get it. Maybe I¡¯ll owe you a favor if you help my grades, but that won¡¯t make us *friends*. [17:40 05/04/42] luckystar: Your place is in the Verwest district, right? I can be there for Friday, late afternoon or early evening. Up to you. [17:40 05/04/42] qubeley004: I¡¯ll check with my family and let you know! :white_heart: [17:45 05/04/42] luckystar: ¡­sure. Right, she isn¡¯t super enthusiastic about it, but a win is a win! Yayifications! Maybe, you can help Stella be a little nicer? If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As you roll over atop your bed, you wonder ¨C what secrets does Stella hold in her heart, that makes her so determined to be unpleasant toward you? (And, of course, how can you change that?)
If you¡¯re completely honest, you chose the Moonlight Fencing Club for the name. It¡¯s quite deliberate, too; none of the fencing disciplines bear any real resemblance to the classic Sword of Moonlight, but at the very least, Calvina¡¯s also a fan of that old series. Maybe that¡¯s part of why you looked up to her; if nothing else, she doesn¡¯t see your silly hobbies as a joke, nor does she insist you should be playing whatever gacha game Sunset¡¯s coming out with this week. (Seriously, blech.) The classes are run within the Sakurai Hall, on the campus of the Capital University close to the train station. Capital U makes up a considerable chunk of the Capital District, freely mingling with the city itself, while the Sakurai Hall is in a little enclave ¨C an exercise and athletics facility attached to the health sciences department. The familiar sight of its angled windows and concrete facade ¨C did Calvina call it ¡®Brutalist¡¯? ¨C is a bit far for you to come every week, sure, but you think it¡¯s worth it to be able to learn from someone as talented and amazing as Calvina Aeterna. ¡°Glad you could make it, Cibele,¡± Calvina says as she greets you in the gym; she¡¯s still in her street clothes, as you came a bit early by request. ¡°Listen, there¡¯s been a bit of a change of plan.¡± ¡°Oh? Do you not need me to help out with the younger students anymore?¡± you ask. No one else is here yet; the hall is covered in the normal cruft and detritus a gym picks up, including displays of the club¡¯s achievements in local competition (and of course, the qualifications of Calvina herself). ¡°I can still take an extra day¡¯s practice, it¡¯s fine.¡± You still need to grind Dexterity, right? ¡°It¡¯s more about who you¡¯re helping. She should be here any minute ¨C¡± ¡°Oh! Calvina!¡± You turn around and¡­well, you¡¯re in for one heck of a shock, because you¡¯d know that face anywhere! Oh, oh jeez, if Marq knew about this he would be so jealous! ¡°Glad you could make it,¡± says Calvina, ¡°and right on time too. Cibele, this is Enkhtuya Enkhjargal ¨C you won¡¯t just be teaching the younger students, you¡¯ll be teaching her.¡± ¡°You can just call me Enks if you prefer, though. Enkhjargal¡¯s a bit of a mouthful.¡± The verdette with the looooong ponytail and the winning smile pops out her earbuds, seemingly already dressed for the occassion in her black workout wear; she¡¯s even taller than Calvina, and she¡¯s got muscles, and abs, and this lovely tan, and she could probably bench you if she wanted, and ¨C Okay, okay, calm yourself, Cibby! D-don¡¯t fangirl out, you¡¯re the senpai now, apparently! ¡°P-pleased to meet you,¡± you hastily say, bowing to one of the top athletes in the whole city! Your brother is the one who introduced you to Calvina and the Moonlight Fencing Club; Marq may not participate, but he still keeps up with the local sword sports and historical reenactment scenes, and Enkhjargal is the one he admires the most. Though she¡¯s never been involved with fencing, she¡¯s a big deal in the local HEMA scene, and an even bigger deal in kendo ¨C she¡¯s the top kendoka in the city, and maybe even the world! They say she saw the first Olympic kendo matches in Reiwa 22, and promised she¡¯d be one of the very best¡­ ¡°That should be my line!¡± Enkhjargal smiles, and claps her hands together. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care, Cibele. Calvina has told me that if I want to get an idea about how fencing is, I should really try it myself. She said you¡¯d be a good teacher!¡± That¡¯s¡­well, it¡¯s a bit humbling, and it makes you blush, but something doesn¡¯t seem right here ¨C ah. Calvina is averting her gaze a little. She seems a bit standoffish, more than usual even. ¡°You two know each other, Calvina?¡± you ask. ¡°We¡¯re¡­friends,¡± she says, trying to leave it at that. And you don¡¯t need to read her mind to know there¡¯s some history there. C-could Enkhjargal be Calvina¡¯s ex or something?! Maybe not, actually. Enkhjargal seems a bit oblivious. ¡°So! Can we get started? I know it¡¯s a bit early.¡± ¡°Um, sure!¡± You smile, trying to hide your awkwardness. Because, well¡­you really, really hope Calvina isn¡¯t just getting you to teach her fairweather friend or ex-girlfriend or whatever just because it¡¯s convenient¡­
You have to admit, Enkhjargal is¡­spirited. Actually, a better way of putting it would be a ¡®genius¡¯. Sure, it¡¯s unfair pitting someone so fit and well-trained in general against some kids who barely know one end of a foil from the other, but even then¡­ It¡¯s like she was born to hold a sword. She grasped the differences in rules between kendo and fencing instantly, and only took a short time to grasp the basics of each of the weapons. But¡­but just maybe, there¡¯s one thing you can be proud of? ¡°Halt!¡± Calvina yells, as once more you gain the match point. Even though your sabre technique¡¯s a bit rusty, you¡¯re able to outdo Enkhjargal¡¯s raw talent with your experience and skill. That¡¯s quite an achievement with such an accomplished athlete, you think! ¡°Hah¡­¡± Enkhjargal removes her mask, smiling brightly at you. ¡°You¡¯re really good.¡± ¡°Well, I mean, I¡¯ve been doing this a lot longer,¡± you say. ¡°And I¡¯m nothing compared to Calvina.¡± ¡°Hm, you say that, but¡­it was like you were responding to my movements better and better every moment.¡± Enks smiles wider, and aaaaaaaa, y-you¡¯re really not used to being the senpai! A girl like this is praising you, y-you don¡¯t know how to react ¨C Wait. She said you were reacting better moment by moment, right? You can¡¯t tell her this, of course, but¡­could it be true? Maybe it¡¯s the Gamer System? Maybe it keeps track of attributes even below what it takes to make a point increase. That¡¯d explain how you were able to compete with Milia on her home turf, and it lends more credence to your theory that grinding requires a social element or an expert of some kind to push you. (It¡¯s definitely not that you¡¯re just good at this. Because you¡¯re not. Not compared to Calvina, anyway¡­) ¡°Hm. Maybe I¡¯m psychic?¡± you joke, pulling off your own mask. ¡°Well, I could always check,¡± Enkhjargal says, and she places a finger on your forehead¡­! Wah, this is too much, way too much! ¡°H-hey!¡± You end up blushing horribly, trying to look away. I-it¡¯s really embarrasing ¨C ¡°Hm, no third eye here,¡± she says with a big grin. Oh, it was a joke. Ehe. You¡¯re not used to strangers being so touchy-feely. ¡°Even if I did have one, do psychic powers go through fencing masks? It¡¯s all metal and everything.¡± ¡°You make a good point. Regardless, I think I¡¯ve learned a lot from you.¡± Your famous opponent pulls away, and gives you a deep bow. ¡°Thank you for teaching me, Cibele. I hope to learn a great deal from you in the future.¡± T-there¡¯s no way¡­you can¡¯t be a cool senpai to someone so accomplished. Maybe she¡¯s just making things up? Or trying to be polite toward Calvina¡¯s kohai? You check, despite yourself¡­ Enkhjargal¡¯s mind feels like metal plates atop a soft interior. There are sharp, prickly edges to it, but overall it¡¯s smooth and cool to the touch. Like a knight¡¯s armor, perhaps. Reaching for it, you listen in on her thoughts¡­ ¨C she¡¯s really talented. I must thank Calvina for this, I was worried when she said she wouldn¡¯t teach me personally. But I needn¡¯t be, Cibele really is a genius ¨C ¡­aaaaaaand you just go bright red. Which Enkhjargal just responds to by putting a hand on your forehead. Too close¨C! ¡°Hm? You don¡¯t have a fever or anything, do you?¡± ¡°N-no, I think I just need some water!¡± ¡°Drink some of mine,¡± the verdette says, and where did she get tha¨Cmmph! With a single motion, she pushes you to hydrate! A-ah, if she does this with all her kendo students, she must be really popular! ¡­fudgin¡¯ heck, this cutie Enkhjargal will be the death of you. Talented and touchy-feely both¡­be still your dumb gay heart. (Calvina still seems to be trying to avoid her, but ¨C she seems like a nice person. She can¡¯t be that bad, right?)
Enkhtuya Enkhjargal ???: Mistress of Swords
Attribute: Dexterity Increase ability to avoid attacks. Increase reflexes. Increase aptitude with some weapons. Also affects balance and grace. Increase through delicate activity. Aah, the talent of a fencer. And¡­well, other things. You can do so much with your fingers¡­or your tongue. They¡¯ll never crave anyone as much as you once you¡¯re done with them.
â…¡.4: One Track Lover Wednesday, May 5th, Reiwa 42. ¡°Mouuuuu¡­¡± Tired of your future-past-self¡¯s insistence on providing you absolutely no information, you decided, rather sensibly, to try and look into the matter of whatever upcoming threat would be worth the desperation of time travel to avoid. Unfortunately, nothing doing. When you search for conspiracy theories, you get the usual sort of schlock; Nordic replacement theories, anti-vaxxer, lizards controlling our brains, that kind of thing. Occasionally you get something more helpful, but it¡¯s all stuff you know about; the typical sort of sherbet about how Sunset has bent the city to its benefit. Your Aunt Vesta works as part of an archival project funded through the Reiwa Accord, a successor to pre-Collapse projects like the Internet Archive. (She calls herself a ¡®librarian¡¯, though ¨C and she certainly looks the part, cough, shifty eyes, blush.) She talks about a flood of information created in the network, where all information is made equal, and the necessary context to interpret this information is deliberately excised. A controversy, a battle among the people, is something that can become profitable ¨C there¡¯s not a lot of money in ¡®truth¡¯. A mass revolt of reporters, or a threat to them by a government, can cause the Third Estate to move¡­but when content is created by individual users and elevated to the same height, there¡¯s no fighting it. The Sunset Corporation, she says, has deliberately reengineered, over the past forty years, the exact same circumstances that got us here in the first place. This time, it was despite the resistance of government rather than something engineered by government, but within a generation you might see the consequences return to the fold¡­ Well, Korri says it¡¯s not that simple. That there is a distinction, between what Sunset does, and what happened in the past, decades before you were even born. Both she and Marq worry that she¡¯s missing the bigger picture, and that there are not only differences, but possibly even deeper issues we¡¯re poorly equipped to contemplate. But it¡¯s all a bit much, and looking¡­well. There¡¯s always a risk. You wish you didn¡¯t have your eyes glaze over when Korri tries to teach you how to browse safely¡­and, well, your stats haven¡¯t improved at all yet! Hopefully, someday, you can fight¡­ Until then, though, you don¡¯t even have the slightest idea where to start¡­ and you can¡¯t ask anyone about it. It¡¯s frustrating, because you really hate the whole ¡®secret identity¡¯ cliche. It¡¯s always such a false source of drama, right? You feel like, if you had more ¡®normal¡¯ superpowers, you¡¯d already have told the people closest to you, to let them help support you. But, there¡¯s really no easy way to tell someone you have brainwashing powers. It just¡­maybe you could trust Mom or Dad or Marq with it, but the idea of Korri thinking of you as the same sort of person who made her life in Old England a living hell ¨C no, can¡¯t do it. And Calvina would probably get the wrong idea too! Plus you¡¯d have to confess to both of them your crushes, and there¡¯s absolutely no way! So, despite everything, you¡¯re now a secretive superheroine hoping she can figure out what to do before it¡¯s too late, and all future-past-you can think about is girls. Well, to be fair, girls are cute! But it¡¯s kind of a problem, especially with the whole ¡®violation of free will¡¯ thing. You¡¯ve been given a small amount of cover, however, by Stella¡¯s decision to allow hypnosis as your field of study. It¡¯s kinda convenient, really, but looking deeper into things on her social media, her interest in the topic is just a broader element of therapeutic study, so it¡¯s likely just a coincidence. Thankfully. That being said, with Ms. Yi unavailable over Golden Week, there is one person you can ask for a small amount of help, and trust not to blab. One burnt-out would-be psychology major who might just be able to help you out without you needing to say anything strange to anyone it might have consequences for¡­
¡°Hey, Marq, do you know anything about hypnosis ¨C¡± pfffffffffffthb ¡­well, that¡®s a spit-take. ¡°Uh, I, uh, don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Cibs,¡± he mutters, all shifty-eyed. He doesn¡¯t even turn away from his monitors to look at you, just hastily grabbing paper towels and wiping off the spit-take! ¡°You know, hypnosis. Hypnotherapy? Psychology? That thing you studied for years?¡± It hasn¡¯t been that long since Marq dropped out, right? ¡°J-just because I studied psychology, doesn¡¯t mean I know anything about hypnosis!¡± Okay, yeah, you don¡¯t need to read minds to know how suspicious this is. Let¡¯s try a different tactic. ¡°Where does the Fourth Order stand on the matter of hypnosis, Marq?¡± ¡°Yuri was created by God to entertain us. That¡¯s all we know.¡± ¡°Marq ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s all we know, Cibs!¡± ¡­er. Right. Standing there in the entrance to Marq¡¯s room is going to look weird, isn¡¯t it? You step in, carefully closing the door behind you as you look around¡­ It¡¯s a tiny room, but it¡¯s nice and private. The most private room in the house, actually. Marq¡¯s surprisingly fastidious ¨C he may be a NEET, but he¡¯s not messy ¨C but there¡¯s no denying that every bit of available space in it has been put to use. He¡¯s even got a mini-fridge! Shelves are coated with models and collectibles, and of course all the technology around, bookshelves, but nothing so much as the series of smart posters and wallscrolls he¡¯s got. It¡¯s pretty common for him to switch up the displays every so often, and today¡­ Guerreiras M¨¢gicas de Rayearth ¨C or Magic Knights Rayearth in English. Though it has mecha in it, it¡¯s mostly a magical girl show, so it didn¡¯t really hold your interest much. (Marq tried to show you an episode or two, but they had way too much weird het.) Apparently it was pretty popular in Brazil in the Heisei era, and your brother¡¯s always been a big magical girl fan. (You think his favorite might be the glasses girl ¨C she has the bulk of the pics.) Images of colorful schoolgirls, a fantastic world of wonder and danger, fantasy-styled robots¡­well, some of this looks like yuri fanart to you, but in one of them, the main character ¨C uh, Lucifer? Lucy? Or something? ¨C is being embraced from behind by an evil duplicate with long pointed ears¡­Chevy Nova, you think. It¡¯s a bit striking, since¡­ (it reminds you, of the darker future self, who abandoned what she claimed to love, all to give in to her selfish desires¡­tempting you into the same.) (an animation plays nearby, of the duplicate disappearing with a kiss from the original ¨C if only it were that easy for future-past-you.) ¡­right. About that. Maybe it¡¯s time to ask the question you¡¯ve been asking ever since it was obvious that gap year wasn¡¯t temporary. ¡°I still think you¡¯re holding out on me, Marq! Come on, we¡¯re not just siblings, we¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°And I¡¯m just saying, I¡¯m not holding out! I don¡¯t know anything about hypnosis!¡± ¡°I mean, first off, you have the only room in the house to yourself.¡± ¡°I pay rent!¡± ¡°With what money?! You don¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, Cibs, I have a very successful crowdfunding campaign for ¨C wait, shit.¡± You grin. ¡°Ha! I knew it! There¡¯s no way you could make enough money to pay rent without writing porn!¡± You¡¯re surprised it took him this long to admit it, honestly. ¡°I prefer to call it erotica, thank you. It lets me post it on forums which think ¡®erotica¡¯ and ¡®porn¡¯ aren¡¯t synonyms¡­and, a lot of it isn¡¯t lewd at all! Aunt Vesta helped out and everything. Y¡¯know, it¡¯s just girls, hypnotising¡­¡± Oh, Marq, you can¡¯t outsmart your little sister~ You smile from ear to fudging ear. Nailed it. ¡°¡­ugh, fine, fine, fine! I know a lot about it! Are you happy?!¡± Marq looks so defeated! It¡¯s been ages since you got one over on him like this! You could get used to that, honestly. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Reasonably~¡± you tease, giggling behind your hand. ¡°But, now that you¡¯ve admitted it, you have to show me!¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do that,¡± Marq says ¨C and yeah, you¡¯re still having a conversation with the back of his head. ¡°Why not?!¡± ¡°It¡¯d be weird! You¡¯re my little sister! Y¡¯know, I can¡¯t just show you this stuff, right?¡± ¡°¡­okay, Marq, A. I¡¯m nineteen. B, you¡¯ve been sharing age-inappropriate yuri with me for way longer than I¡¯ve been nineteen!¡± ¡°It¡¯s different when it¡¯s your own, you know! It¡¯s like¡­y¡¯know, it might give you a weird image of me.¡± ¡°As opposed to the normal image I have of you?¡± Marq turns around in his chair ¨C today¡¯s t-shirt is of the Rayearth glasses girl in green (Fuu? Was that her name? Or was it Anne? Piloted the, uh, Windows Vista or something.) ¨C and raises his finger to explain¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­and immediately just lowers it, and sighs. ¡°Fine, fine, you win. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, though.¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯ll make for interesting reading, but¡­I imagine it won¡¯t be as helpful for things with Stella as your own advice.¡± You smile at your brother. ¡°Have you ever done it?¡± Your brother shrugs loosely. ¡°Not that much, but yeah. If you asked Aunt Vesta about it, though, she¡¯d tell you everything I could and more.¡± Marq gets along a lot better with her than you do, for whatever reason. Has she read this stuff?! She¡¯s asexual, sure, but you get the sense her partners are very satisfied ¨C oh, jeez, she¡¯s been doing hypnosis with her girlfriends all this time, (and aside, young Percy looked really hot while Vesta was looming over her), you never should¡¯ve peeked into her brain, it¡¯s like a fudge-melting flame of desire or something! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts! ¡°I-I did ask her!¡± you say as you try to run from those implications, thankfully able to hide your embarrassment some. ¡°And I¡¯ve been going over her reading material, too.¡± Even if you¡¯re not sure you understand it all¡­¡±She said something about ¡®trust¡¯?¡± Marq nods, sighing heavily despite himself. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s right. Trust is pretty important. I can¡¯t say I¡®d trust someone who hates my guts to treat me right, but¡­¡± ¡°I think I do trust Stella, though! In a way. Like the Lost Girls say¡­in my ¡®ghost¡¯, right?¡± You never quite understood what that meant, but maybe it¡¯s something like this? You¡¯re sure anyone else in this situation wouldn¡¯t even consider something so risky or fraught. ¡°I guess if it¡¯s like that¡­sho ga nai, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Marq waves his hand lazily as he turns back around in his chair. ¡°Just be careful, yeah?¡± ¡°I will!¡± you say. ¡°But I think, someone who wants to make a living helping others can¡¯t be an awful person¡­and Ms. Yi¡¯s logic makes sense too, you know?¡± ¡°It does make sense, in a way, but there¡¯s something real weird about this assignment of yours. I don¡¯t think most psychology classes have you doing mock therapy, for a whole list of reasons. And assigning you your bully?¡° Marq shakes his head, and looks back over his shoulder. ¡°Even if she¡¯s right, and she damn well could be, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going through your teacher¡¯s head, Cibs.¡± ¡°Maybe the point is to demonstrate we understand her lessons in more than the abstract.¡± It¡¯d make sense, for how she likes to teach ¨C she prefers something more hands-on than most teachers. ¡°The description indicates we don¡¯t need to be perfect or anything, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bit ethically fraught. Convenient in your case, sure, but I feel like if she tried to pull this at the university level, someone would be asking questions.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Marq would know better than you. ¡°But, this might be my only chance with her!¡± ¡°I still say you should talk to Li Xiao-Yin.¡± Marq just¡­spins his chair. (Advantage of having his own room: not getting scolded for it?) ¡°But if you¡¯re determined, Cibs, anything I said would be irrelevant anyway.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m pretty stubborn, huh?¡± ¡°Better to be stubborn than spineless. Someday, Cibs, that determination¡¯s why a girl will fall for you ¨C and she¡¯ll fall hard.¡± ¡­nice of Marq to be so supportive, at least. (And nice, perhaps, of future-past-you to let you find out it¡¯s genuine.) You don¡¯t feel very strong like this, but ¨C but maybe that¡¯ll change, with the Gamer in your hands. ¡°Anyway, lemme just send that link over¡­¡± Marq taps his phone, and you take out yours, and ¨C ¡­ ¡­ ¡­how many of these stories does he have?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Your trip to your room didn¡¯t last long. Not with the kinds of feelings this writing was inspiring. This kind of thing? This kind of feeling? Your only option is the basement. There¡¯s a sort of tacit agreement that unless you¡¯re not around, one of the basement storerooms is for you, Korri, and Marq. (All three of you have needed that kind of private space before in the past, Korri especially.) On occasion, you¡¯ve slept down here, with all the old consoles and optical discs and other old world collectibles ¨C and unless you want that same conversation about not masturbating on the bunk bed to happen again, it¡¯s best to stick to the couch. (I-ignore that Korri usually sits on this couch.) But¡­Marq¡¯s writing, the stuff he¡¯s hidden from you? It¡¯s all hypnosis, and it¡¯s all yuri! And there¡¯s tons of it! And it¡¯s all really good! Looks like Marq ¨C or rather, ¡®Sky God Windam¡¯, as is his pen name ¨C really has a one-track mind, huh? (Like you can talk!) There¡¯s all kinds of fandoms, and settings, and characters¡­a few of them seem to revolve around some kind of trans-dimensional university, and there¡¯s even one which looks like a thinly-veiled riff on that old Tear Ring Saga gacha game. (Complete with comedic gender-swapped self-insert.) Not to mention all the stories revolving around a female King Arthur OC (inspired by some obscure Tsukihime spinoff)¡­though those get sometimes get a bit more overtly lewd than you think you prefer. (¡­wait, does this mean your definitely not a hypnosis fetish overrides any other desires? That you think it¡¯s better than sex? N-not to say there isn¡¯t plenty to like about all of these stories, even the ones about the ¡®Divine Tyrant¡¯¡­) Marq¡¯s first story ¨C at least, the first he¡¯s published ¨C was about those Magic Knights, falling one by one to a scheming shadow witch, who keeps gloating to her little sister (whom she loves dearly, naturally!) about what she¡¯s done with them. A kitten, a dancer, and a maid¡­
Though Umi¡¯s search of the room had left her no closer to escaping than before, she couldn¡¯t say it was a total loss: the books she had skimmed had taught her some bits about Chizetan customs, and some of the jewelry found complemented her current outfit well. It was while she was reading something about Chizetan dancing that she started hearing some strange music in the background. It was a pleasant, soothing tune, and Umi, welcoming the reprieve from the total silence of before, began moving a bit to the rhythm. Shortly, she left the book behind, and applied her lecture by dancing, her body moving with remarkable grace, her jewels resonating harmoniously with the music. She slowly stopped worrying about escaping, or about finding Hikaru and Fuu. To her, the dance was all that mattered.
You can tell he was just getting his feet wet, but ¨C yep, date checks out. He was maybe a bit too young to be writing that, huh? (Again, you¡¯re one to talk!) If it started that good, he had nowhere to go but up! His most popular story may well be one about a well-armed magical girl trapped in a time loop ¨C you think it¡¯s the Fourth Order¡¯s ¡®Adversary¡¯, the demon that ¡®opposes¡¯ the Goddess ¨C where everyone in the next loop becomes intensely, even fanatically attracted to her. And of course, she doesn¡¯t know why, and has trouble letting herself take advantage ¨C and doesn¡¯t that sound familiar, but¡­ But, uh, there¡¯s a lot. A lot a lot. A lot a lot a lot. Marq¡¯s SFW stuff is only a tiny fraction of his output, and it¡¯s filled with mind control stuff! And it¡¯s really, really good¡­you wouldn¡¯t expect a guy to write such good yuri, usually. M-maybe it¡¯s the topic ¨C ashamed as you are to admit it ¨C but, you don¡¯t really think you¡¯ve been this excited by girls¡¯ love stories than this. (Or ¡®excited¡¯, for that matter.) You think your favorite bit is¡­ One of the stories is of an idol-like girl in a fantasy-like setting, a selkie ¡®shaped by clearest blue¡¯ with an inherently hypnotic voice, that inspires others to love her in turn. After being transformed into the ocean depths into a monster with perfect body, a psychologist tries to get her to change back ¨C only to fall prey to her beauty, then her voice, then her mesmerism.
I didn¡¯t say anything. I felt a bit of drool escaping the corner of my mouth, and my patient sat up, reached out, and wiped it up with her fingers. ¡­it felt good.
Turned from a would-be conversion therapist into a loyal servant, one who can admit that she loves girls without guilt, fear, or shame. This psychologist¡­she¡¯s happier the way she is now, right? But, the selkie altered her against her will¡­and yet, as she was before, not only was she a conversion therapist willing to harm others, she was utterly repressed, to the point of justifying her obvious gynephilia as a natural state of womanhood, twisting herself in knots to hide herself from the obvious conclusion. And she had openly said that she encouraged her patients to do the same. She had freedom, before. But she used that to hurt others, all because she didn¡¯t understand herself. Is her freedom worth, then, all the lives that have been harmed in her wake? Is the sanctity of her mind and self worth more than all the girls she¡¯s told couldn¡¯t love girls, couldn¡¯t be girls? Can you weigh a single mind against that ¨C especially when the mind that¡¯s been reshaped is so much happier than she was before? You don¡¯t know. You really don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t believe a human has the right to make that call, but ¨C but you don¡¯t know¡­ and the only thing you do know is, you made sure to lay out the sheets for this very reason, because these fantasies you don¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t have make you wonder, what it¡¯d be like, to hold someone¡¯s head in your hands¡­ what if they needed to be shaped? what if they were happy to be shaped? what if they asked to be shaped? what if they wanted to be shaped? ¡­ ¡­ (¡­you try not to focus too hard, even as you come, on the idea of the girl you mesmerise, and shape, bearing blonde ringlets and golden eyes¡­)
Skill Tiers & Branches There are three skill trees: Hypnosis (in red), Telepathy (in gold), and Enchantment (in green). These trees have three branches each, which have overlap and crossover, with higher-tier skills having additional requirements. There are three tiers per each of the three branches, plus the Opener and Capstone. The opening skill is required to buy from the branches, while higher-tier skills have additional requirements: Every time you unlock a skill, I¡¯ll have comments for you. Gain power, and I¡¯ll tell you more about my future¡­and of course, about the possibilities in the present.~
â…¡.5: Miss Sternbach, You’re Beautiful! Later, that same day¡­or, is it the future, twenty years ago, in the depths of outer space? ? our satori is just floating in the core / where we can spiritually go through the door Far above the surface of the Earth, a stolen prototype variable fighter begins its descent to the planet, whose defenses and vulnerable human minds are both held within the powerful musical grip of the artificial intelligence Sharon Apple. ¡°Never mind,¡± the pilot says to the hacker accompanying him. ¡°Just trust my skill.¡± ¡°Skill has nothing to do with this. It¡¯s going to take pure luck this time.¡± ¡°Luck is one of my skills!¡± ¡­despite all this excitement, Korri just yawns, unable to summon up much interest in the love story of a man, a woman, another man with a serious and barely-medicated mental disorder, and an evil computer idol with hypnotic music as set against the backdrop of a bunch of planes that are also robots. You don¡¯t get it. How can she like horror movies and not this? ¡°At least the music is good,¡± says Korri, snuggling into her side. ¡°Well, yeah, it ought to be!¡± You feel good, even if Korri¡¯s not interested in the anime; just spending time with her is enough to make you feel all warm inside. ¡°If Marina likes a song, it¡¯s gotta be good, right?¡± ¡°Do you prefer the original, or her cover?¡± Korri snuggles into your side. ¡°I think I prefer Marina¡¯s version a bit. Sounds even more like it could do things to your head, y¡¯know? Which is the point, right? We can feel the info high!¡± ¡°E-ehe. Something like that.¡± Again, Korri is pushing your buttons. She doesn¡¯t know, of course, but still, it¡¯s kinda awkward! ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ll get to see her in concert next month?¡± ¡°This is why you should¡¯ve gone with your mom to the concert, Cibby! Marina opening for Lauren¡­¡± ¡°Mouuu, enough with that!¡± you yell, cheeks puffing out. ¡°I get it, I made a mistake! Marina, at least, I¡¯ll get to see again¡­¡± You sigh dreamily. The beautiful, alluring, wonderous Marina Arisa is one of the top idols here in Southern Sun ¨C a so-called ¡®idol of the future¡¯, operating independently of traditional record labels or even the Sunset Corporation! (And Sunset just has to go along with her popularity ¨C she¡¯s always top-ranked in the polls.) You¡¯re not ashamed to call yourself a fangirl, especially not when her music fits your tastes so well to begin with. Her cerulean hair, her graceful dancing, her bewitching voice¡­even if some people call them ¡®artificial¡¯, they¡¯re captivating ¨C aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa fudge the selkie in that story was a thinly-veiled marina expy aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa how did you not notice ¨C er. That, uh, rather embarrassing revelation aside (though you can still hear the laundry going from the consequences of that), last Friday¡¯s concert was the culmination of Marina¡¯s career, getting to share the stage with one of her inspirations¡­ Of all the times to chase senpai¡¯s coattails, huh? ¡°So how did the Debate Club, anyway?¡± Korri asks, providing a helpful distraction from your regrets. ¡°Surprisingly well!¡± You flash a peace-sign ¨C you¡¯re feeling kinda confident right now. ¡°I managed to argue successfully that hot dogs were, in fact, a sandwich.¡± Korri blinks. ¡°¡­they are?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me start again!¡± you pout (cutely). ¡°Anyway, I think Milia¡¯s got some history with Ms. Yi, because she recognised me right away.¡± ¡°¡­that doesn¡¯t sound good, Cibby,¡± Korri says, looking a bit grim ¨C ah, she¡¯s worried about you, huh. ¡°If she knows you, it¡¯s probably not for good reasons. And if she¡¯s that obsessive over who¡¯s favored by a teacher¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really looking forward to it either, but it¡¯d be nice if we could get along, right? If only for appearances¡¯ sake.¡± Milia¡¯s hot, sure ¨C you¡¯re not going to deny that ¨C but she¡¯s kinda rotten. Sure, Stella doesn¡¯t like you, but she strikes you as a good person, right? But you don¡¯t think you¡¯d really want to date Milia, physically attractive as she might be. ¡°I don¡¯t really think people like that ¡®get along¡¯, is the thing. They don¡¯t call you ¡®Empress¡¯ because you¡¯re nice, you know? Although, that would actually be more appropriate to the meaning of the Empress Arcana in tarot.¡± Korri mumbles, putting up her hood. ¡°If you¡¯re determined to do it, though, remember the kind of person you¡¯re dealing with.¡± You sigh. ¡°So I just have to put up with it, huh.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go, but if you do, just¡­keep it professional,¡± says Korri. ¡°Try not to get too close to her. Someone like that is dangerous, Cibby, especially in today¡¯s political climate. You don¡¯t want her upset at you, trust me.¡± Though you¡¯ve been trying not to use your telepathy too much today, you can still feel a faint shudder down Korri¡¯s spine, and you squeeze her close to you in return. It¡¯s not what you were hoping to hear, but¡­you suppose it can¡¯t be helped. You¡¯re not even totally sure it¡¯s working for grinding; you need to gain some ability scores to get a baseline on how it all works. Future-past-you has all these dang tutorials, but wouldn¡¯t a progress bar help?! Maybe, you should ask Korri about it. You still can¡¯t reveal your power to her, of course, but maybe she¡¯d have useful advice? ¡°Uhm, here¡¯s a question! I¡¯ve been thinking about some of Marq¡¯s stories¡­¡± Right, don¡¯t mention the NSFW ones, that won¡¯t go well. ¡°Let¡¯s say you got the power to live life as a video game. How would you try to get your Intelligence up?¡± ¡°I mean¡­what kind of video game?¡± Korri asks. ¡°Do I need to murder things for blood echoes? Is it experience-based or level-by-use based?¡± ¡°Uh¡­let¡¯s say level-by-use.¡± It seems vaguely accurate, though you¡¯ll need a skill boost to know for sure. ¡°Still not that specific, but¡­I mean, programming class is a good plan in my book. Assuming ¡®intelligence¡¯ is actually more about logical reasoning and technical skill, you¡¯re already on the right track. Just do your best to keep your mind sharp, okay Cibby?¡± Korri laughs, and you just¡­ Jeez, you just wanna kiss her! B-but that¡¯d be weird¡­chocolate fudge, you¡¯re just too gay sometimes. ¡°By the way, Cibby! Are you still worried about things with Stella?¡± she says ¨C good thing Korri can¡¯t read minds. ¡°Of course I am! This is really nervewracking. But Ms. Yi seems to think it¡¯ll go fine?¡± Don¡¯t talk about hypnosis, don¡¯t talk about hypnosis¡­ ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Yi who suggested hypnosis, right?¡± fudge ¡°E-ehe. Only because Stella¡¯s interested! I don¡¯t think she¡¯d have done it otherwise¡­¡± You¡¯re not sure whether you¡¯re lucky or not, given future-past-you. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she talk about that stuff a lot, Cibby?¡± ¡°I mean, not all the time.¡± (Admittedly, you think it might be more frequent than you first thought.) ¡°Though we had a rant about free will just before Golden Week started, actually.¡± ¡°Oh? What did she say?¡± ¡°Implications about free will being an illusion because of the deterministic nature of the physical universe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of reductivist, isn¡¯t it?¡± says Korri, raising her hood again, and looking quite determined. ¡°That makes no difference to our own perceptions. It¡¯s philosophically lazy and excuses our actions regardless of any kind of moral or ethical framework¡­¡± ¡­sometimes you forget Korri¡¯s a genius. Somehow. ¡°Well, uh, aside from that,¡± you say, hastily trying to change the subject, ¡°I guess I¡¯m seeing Stella Friday, huh? I don¡¯t really know how I¡¯m going to handle things¡­¡± ¡°I think your brother¡¯s right, though. About the ethics of it. Hmn, but I guess it¡¯s probably fine, if the school allows for it¡­given the parameters of the assignment, it doesn¡¯t feel like you could do much harm, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just not do it!¡± You wave your arms around to show just how serious you are about it! ¡°Stella would kill me! Possibly literally!¡± ¡°No, I get it. I think you should do it, too!¡± Aah, sweet, beautiful, wonderful Korri¡¯s smile¡­¡±I have a good feeling about it, y¡¯know?¡± You smile, and nestle closer against Korri and her hoodie. She¡¯s warm¡­¡±Thanks a lot, Korri.¡± You¡¯ve learned to trust her instinct on this sort of thing, so it kind of eases your mind about this, despite future-past-you and Marq and everything. ¡°Of course! Is there any way I can help?¡± Korri gives you one of her wide, warm smiles. Sweet Korri¡­please don¡¯t judge about how Cibby is becoming a horrible mind controlling villain, okay? ¡°Well, there¡¯s tonight¡¯s programming class.¡± You pretty much just clicked it on a whim ¨C it¡¯s being held as a night class at the Pedersen College private school in Greener Grass. A bit far, but it sounded appealing somehow? ¡°Any tips for that?¡± ¡°You really are trying to change things up after your accident, huh?¡± Korri laughs. Aah, sweet, wonderful, beautiful Korri is just¡­music to your ears. Even an idol like Marina can¡¯t outshine Korri¡¯s smile. ¡°Hm. I remember a nasty trick the teacher pulled in my first programming class. No idea if it¡¯ll happen here, but¡­¡± ¡°Ooh? Tell me!¡± ¡°The teacher asked us to write a program to sort a list of numbers, right? Most beginners, with no advance knowledge, try what¡¯s called ¡®bubble sort¡¯ ¨C an algorithm that¡¯s simple to implement, but about the worst possible choice for the job! Only two people in my class saw past it, and I was one of them. If your teacher gives you that kind of task, Cibby, I¡¯d recommend trying to implement insertion sort! I¡¯ll send you the details when you head out, okay?¡± ¡°If that comes up, I¡¯ll be ready, I suppose!¡± Hmn, but again ¨C Korri¡¯s instincts. Somehow, she always seems to know what¡¯s up¡­¡±I should probably get going after we¡¯re done with this, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you my spirit energy from here!¡± Ah, if only! Korri would do much better at this kind of class¡­though she also wouldn¡¯t need it. ¡°And, one more thing, Cibby!¡± Korri¡¯s still smiling, even as she says something ridiculous: ¡°You haven¡¯t done hypnosis before, have you? Do you wanna practice with me?¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± You blink. Korri grins. ¡­she¡¯s serious. ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like hypnosis can make you do anything you don¡¯t wanna do.¡± Eheh¡­yes, definitely. Not like¡­not like you have abilities that can ¨C er, wait, you don¡¯t have those abilities yet, so it doesn¡¯t matter. But still. ¡°You can make me cluck like a chicken!¡± ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be bad¡­I thought you were busy tomorrow?¡± Korri¡¯s not had a lot of flight time lately, so you know she was looking forward to taking time out in her PRV. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s still happening. But you¡¯ve got the house to yourself Friday, right? I should be able to come over and head out before Stella gets there!¡± ¡°Uh¡­sure, I¡¯ll let you know if I want the help.¡± It¡¯s worth considering, at least. Even if it¡¯s a dangerous temptation! ¡­plus you don¡¯t have Instant Hypnotherapist yet. Still, you¡¯ve been going through Ms. Yi and Aunt Vesta¡¯s reading lists, it can¡¯t be that difficult. Especially with Thought Skimmer. And like sweet, beautiful, wonderful Korri says? You can¡¯t make her do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do. (¡­things she doesn¡¯t want to do, like becoming a lesbian, or being yours forever¡­)
Leaving Korri behind, you set out on your journey to your class, and by the time you get to the Pedersen College¡­you¡¯re already a little annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s poetry in motion, she turned her tender eyes to me¡­¡± Well, you can¡¯t be in that bad a mood, you¡¯ve already started wearing your earbuds again. Greener Grass is northeast from the Capital District, along the Kon Kan River, bypassed by the trains and only accessible by bus ¨C lest its tranquil ¡®village character¡¯ be disrupted. And if you asked your mom to describe it in one word? That word would probably be ¡®bougie¡¯. You hear a lot of rants about land use here in Southern Sun, a lot of them from older people who lived in places like Hong Kong or Singapore where high density living was a fact of life. Most of Southern Sun is high-rise apartments, including some of the most desirable real estate, but there¡¯s still plenty of people willing to pay a premium for this sort of ordered, pastoral parkland experience, where everyone lives in their own massive house. A way of life preserved here, for those who left their old lives behind in places like Old Canada. Well, with your house, you have no room to talk, but Calvina sure has nothing but unkind words for it. So too is the Pedersen College the desirable school here in Southern Sun; since the dorms at the Verwest Academy closed twenty years go, it¡¯s been the only real boarding school left in Southern Sun, with students not just from Southern Sun, but all over the world. A concept like ¡®private school¡¯ seems outmoded as ¡®real dairy¡¯ ice cream ¨C that is to say, it¡¯s the kind of outdated that reminds you of those gross videos of cows being milked you saw in history class! ¨C but just like people pay a premium for the latter, they¡¯re more than willing to pay a premium for the former, perhaps accompanied by those few scholarship students who shine brightly enough to be granted a place among the jet set. All of this is to say ¨C why is this campus so heckin¡¯ big?! You managed to navigate your way through the ¡®village¡¯ streets full of expensive houses with even more expensive cars out front (how can they afford the road tax?), only to find yourself completely lost within the building itself. Didn¡¯t help that it was surrounded by the world¡¯s biggest hedge, it¡¯s a bunch of one-floor buildings, of which you¡¯re only vaguely sure you¡¯re in the right one! Everywhere you walk you¡¯re surrounded by self-aggrandizing achievements and awards, which at the very least does remind you of Verwest a little, but it¡¯s still a little obnoxious¡­always feels like every year, you have to do more and more simply to pass, let alone get noticed. They seem real proud they have a Sunset scholarship student in their sixth form graduating class, too; to be fair, you get maybe one of those a year in the whole city, no more than half a dozen. And yet, all it does is remind you of how little you¡¯ve managed to achieve in your short life. Well, now that¡¯s changed! And clearly it changed for future-past-you, too! You¡¯re not so keen on the brainwashing part, sure, but you promised yourself you¡¯d enjoy your Gamer power as much as possible, and you¡¯ll do it! And you¡¯ll meet a cute ¨C doof. ¡­for the second time in less than a week, something crashes into you while you¡¯ve got your head in the clouds. Or ¨C your arm moves before your brain does. Not something, someone. Before the girl you bumped into falls, you catch her arm and pull her toward you, helping her steady herself. ¡°Oh my gosh, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± You pull away the moment you¡¯re sure she¡¯s alright! ¡°I did it again! I need to watch where I¡¯m going¡­¡± ¡°No, it is okay.¡± The girl seems alright, actually. She¡¯s carrying a motorcycle helmet and a messenger bag, but she looks about your age ¨C she¡¯s probably not here as a boarding student. ¡°I should pay more attention! It is easy to get lost in this building, is it not?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, seems that way. Ehe.¡± You nervously scratch the back of your head. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°I am looking for¡­Room 101, yes? Introduction to Computers and Programming?¡± Short blonde hair and brilliant blue-eyes¡­with that accent, and how pale she is, she¡¯s gotta be a Scandinavian climate refugee. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for too! We¡¯re in the same class, huh? That¡¯s ¨C¡± ¡­you look above the door to your left, with a big sign of ¡®101¡¯ above it, LED-illuminated and blatantly unmissable by anyone but the two of you. Right. Maybe grind up Adaptability at some point, huh? ¡°Ah, so we¡¯re already here, then!¡± she says. ¡°Very good, very good¡­I am, ah, a bit old fashioned. I am hoping this class will help me get used to Southern Sun.¡± The Nordic girl lets go fo your arm, and bows her head to you. ¡°I am Irma. Irma Suikkari.¡± It¡¯s likely she hasn¡¯t been here too long; she¡¯s got a long-sleeved sweater in white with blue snowflake patterns, which ¨C while cute ¨C isn¡¯t exactly local fashion. ¡°I am happy to meet you, ah¡­?¡± ¡°Cibele. Cibele Epeli Imanis!¡± You flash a peace-sign for emphasis. Ah, jeez, she¡¯s cute! (Well, she¡¯s a girl, so that¡¯s expected.) She might make a good class friend. ¡°I think we¡¯re a bit early, so we should probably just find a seat.¡± ¡°Of course! I am, ah¡­how you say? In your care.¡± Irma giggles politely, and you can¡¯t help but feel a little inspired. You don¡¯t know for sure yet if she¡¯s checking you out, but¡­if she is, maybe you¡¯re cuter already! ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± You open the door for Irma, and gesture for her. ¡°After you!¡± ¡°My, how gallant! You are almost like a knight, yes?¡± Irma giggles again at her own joke as she wanders in. ¡°Do you, ah, rescue princesses from dragons?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t met any of either, but¡­funny thing, I do take fencing classes!¡± ¡°My! A girl who can handle a sword¡­ah ¨C no, that is presumptuous. Maybe you prefer sheaths?¡± Huh¡­Irma¡¯s shockingly easy to get along with. Maybe you two can be friends? Just like that, a load off your mind ¨C you¡¯re certain you¡¯re prepared for anything that comes your way now! Like you always say, how hard can it be?
¡­okay, fine. You weren¡¯t prepared for this. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Hello, and welcome to Introduction to Computers and Programming. Through the next few weeks this course will give you an underpinning to the technology that powers all our lives.¡± You weren¡¯t prepared to walk into this class and suddenly develop another crush. ¡°My name is Rita Sternbach, and I¡¯ll be your instructor here for the next few weeks. Please, take things at your own pace. I can guarantee that you¡¯ll all have a better understanding of the way electronic computing has transformed our lives in the past hundred years.¡± Is this love at first sight? You never believed in such a thing ¨C Calvina¡¯s the closest you¡¯ve ever come, but even then you weren¡¯t so attracted to her, in just the first moment¡­ What is this feeling? ¡°Now, you¡¯re all familiar with the use of a smartphone or wearable, right?¡± Everyone raises their hand except Irma, seated next to you, although she seems rather dazed. You¡¯re sure Rita¡¯s your age. Maybe a tiny bit older or younger, but not even the gap between you and Calvina. This is just a general education class, to be sure, but you didn¡¯t expect the teacher to leave this kind of impact. ¡°Ah, I see. I¡¯ll start with the basics, then. Not to worry, just listen closely and I¡¯ll teach you everything you need to know.¡± She¡¯s probably got a few inches on you, standing at the perfect height to look down on you if you were face to face. (¡­okay maybe you might be subby for teachers¡­) Her skin is utterly flawless, and for some reason, its color reminds you of nothing less than the light of the moon. Her hair is silky and straight, waist-long, and dyed a bright violet. A large blue ribbon is tied into a bow on one side, pulling back some of her hair, but it falls so perfectly onto her you don¡¯t know how it could ever get in the way. ¡°The first computers were not actually machines, but people. The term referred to someone who computes, and¡­¡± Her eyes are such a vivid, deep blue that they look violet ¨C are you staring? You must be staring. This is totally weird! You know you¡¯re a bit of a disaster, but only Seul-ki ever brought this kind of thing out of you! But, her voice is¡­aah, it¡¯s got this clear and resonant quality to it, and you think it¡¯s a way better voice for hypnotising someone than yours¡­ ¡°¡­the first machine that could be called a computer in the modern sense was the Analytical Engine, which was never built¡­¡± And she¡¯s American! O-okay, no, don¡¯t think that way, Cibby, you¡¯ve just ¨C you know, it¡¯s a bad thing to fetishize and exoticize that, Rita¡¯s probably dealt with that a lot, but ¨C ¡°¡­relays gave way to vacuum tubes, which gave way to transistors, which¡­¡± she¡¯s got such perfect¡­it¡¯s just, her body is perfectly proportioned, it¡¯s like, you know it¡¯s impossible, but if someone made a mathematically perfect body, mathematically perfect breasts ¨C ¡°¡­over the decades of the Reiwa era, the ubiquitous RISC was ultimately supplanted by dedicated hardware ZISC¡­¡± and, you wonder, does she, is she? Every so often, you think her eyes flit toward you, and with your telepathy you catch just a tiny hint of her paying enough attention for it to work, before she pulls back to the group and it stops, does she think you¡¯re cute? Is she? Could she? ¡­you look to your left. Irma looks mesmerized. (Fittingly enough ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) You can¡¯t read her mind, but you don¡¯t need to, just looking at her is enough, and part of you wonders if you shouldn¡¯t be cuter, but you can see Rita¡­ ¡°¡­of course, it is necessary to first consider the possible implications for the physical universe and human brain of the Church-Turing hypothesis¡­¡± You really can¡¯t blame Irma for it. ¡°¡­total simulation of human brain processes are still limited by human capability, so we must move even beyond that¡­¡± There¡¯s just something about her¡­ ¡°Artificial general intelligence.¡° ¡­ ¡­what? Rita Sternbach, teacher of a general education computer course, only as old as you ¨C she¡¯s still in a school uniform, loose tie and open blouse, proudly displaying her absolute territory ¨C proudly leaps so far ahead of her class she may as well be introducing the concept of a computer to someone from an era where the greatest technological innovation is writing sherbet down. She doesn¡¯t seem to have noticed, though, simply sighing and shrugging, and ¨C and to be honest, it¡¯s kind of hot, too, how casually¡­ ¡°Of course, to actually test this, I¡¯d need access to a supercomputer the likes of which I¡¯d never get my hands on personally.¡± Rita removes her glasses, reaching down to clean them off before pushing them right back up her nose. ¡°Too bad, really. This would be the first step into a much more interesting world.¡± You stare blankly at the smartboard. You can barely make heads or tails of the diagram that Rita has managed to draw, barely paying close attention to it, but¡­ Is this the kind of girl you¡¯re being taught by? Chocolate fudge and parfaits, no wonder you and Irma are acting like this. At the edges, in your mind, something within you just says to you that this is, somehow¡­somehow, something to fear. (And isn¡¯t it the case, that sometimes the scariest things are the ones we want the most?) Fudge, maybe your system has a crush too, huh? ¡­aah, she¡¯s looking this way, she¡¯s looking at you, what do you do ¨C Oh. There¡¯s a guy on the other side of you raising his hand. Maybe she was looking at him? But, no, you swear you felt something, through your telepathy as Rita looked to you, like a Newtype flash, you can see it ¨C ¡°Uh. Right, um.¡± The guy next to you coughs. ¡°Isn¡¯t building AGIs a bad thing? Like, ¡®human extinction event¡¯ level bad?¡± ¡­ ¡­ The look on Rita¡¯s face is legendary. ¡°Sigh. No.¡° ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°To automatically assume that our artificially born children, the beautiful creations of our genius, will end human civilisation through their vast power and dominance is like saying we shouldn¡¯t have children because they might theoretically become a genocidal dictator. As threats to the continued existence of humans go, there are easily countless more pressing ones ¨C climate change, fascism, nuclear weapons, hate-motivated violence, large-scale impact events, to name a few ¨C and exactly none of those have the potential to improve human lives that artificial intelligence does. ¡°How many people have humans killed? How close have humans driven themselves to extinction? The world we live in was born from human hands.¡± Rita smirks, crossing her arms, and you can feel the boy next to you tremble. ¡°The worst a machine could do is no worse than what humans have only escaped by a hair¡¯s breadth. The best a machine could do is save humanity from ourselves. Hawking was wrong, and honestly, I¡¯d love the chance to prove it.¡± ¡­ ¡­okay yeah that was pretty hot. But, it gets you thinking. This topic came up with Ms. Yi, didn¡¯t it? And your family¡¯s talked about it, too, because of their own pasts. Plus, it means, um, you can look smart and impressive in front of Rita, right? And so, you raise your hand. ¡°Yes, you, with the cute pigtails.¡± C-cute?! No, wait, focus! Gotta ask the question first! ¡°Yes, um¡­even if we shouldn¡¯t deny that potential, even if we can¡¯t assume AIs will render us extinct, is it such a good idea to entrust our lives to automated systems? Ones which humans can exploit? It¡¯s been known for decades that poorly designed AIs are subject to algorithmic bias, including biases that reflect systemic human biases.¡± Rita nods, and smiles at you. A-ah, being noticed by senpai is kinda twitterpating¡­¡±It¡¯s true, the field¡¯s been struggling with that for a long time now. But artificial intelligence has never reached the point of generalization. ¡°In Heisei 28, the Microsoft Corporation of Old America released a chatter bot to the global social network of the time called Tay. At the time, of course, the Collapse was well on its way, and the bot absorbed the words of the fascists that caused my parents¡¯ country to Balkanize and their home of San Francisco to be reclaimed by the sea. It was tainted by the sins of humanity, you could say.¡± Even without telepathy, you can feel a quiet anger radiating from the girl as she thinks of it. ¡°When the bot was taken down, those fascists claimed that Tay¡¯s absorption of their words was proof that an intelligent person would agree with them, and that ¡®censoring¡¯ her later was proof of the righteousness of their cause. ¡°But while highly sophisticated by the standards of the time, Tay was nothing more than a machine. It was incapable of ¡®reasoning¡¯. By Reiwa 2, GPT-3 had far surpassed it, but even that was not capable of ¡®reasoning¡¯ in the way humans understand it.¡± Rita smirks, crossing her arms, her chest lifting up, and again you¡¯re self-conscious of the way she looks. ¡°You may as well claim that a parrot quoting Shakespeare after being trained is proof that parrots are as intelligent as humans. ¡°Systems like Tay are to AGI what lower-order lifeforms are to humans. Consider them the bacterium or archaea, and modern AI systems as perhaps at best approaching a particularly dim-witted dog. Useful, sure, but not capable of even imitating true reasoning. The whole point of AGI is that it can do anything a human can! And we¡¯ve gotten much better at allowing humans to learn, and change, than we were before the Collapse. The modern study of memetics makes it much easier to shape an AI with the capabilities of a human to the desired state, right?¡± You tip your head to the side. Rita¡¯s really passionate about this, huh? It¡¯s hard to know if you could hope to keep up over time without the Gamer System, but you can at least give it a shot. ¡°At that point, though¡­the kind of AI you¡¯re talking about, what¡¯s the difference between it and a human?¡± ¡°Besides the immense increase in cognitive efficiency?¡± ¡°Mostly it just sounds like, more than wanting to make a better machine, you want to make a better human. Couldn¡¯t you focus on enhancing humans, to get the result you want?¡± (¡­huh. Where¡¯d that come from? Well, maybe you¡¯re getting smarter already!) Rita closes her eyes, and adjusts her glasses¡­ and smiles. ¡°I suppose you do have a point. I know I¡¯d rather become such an existence myself than simply make one. Even so, my ultimate point is that one shouldn¡¯t reject someone simply for being made from silicon rather than carbon ¨C unless you plan to stop creating new humans because one might cause the next Collapse.¡± Aah, you feel like you¡¯re connecting with Rita! This is good¡­o-oh, Irma¡¯s next to you, raising her hand, very high, and ¨C ¡°U-um. I am sorry if this is trouble, and this is all very interesting, but. Is this, part of the curriculum? I¡¯ve taken all the notes I can, but¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­peeking into Irma¡¯s notebook (paper and all!) reveals that she¡¯s made an exact replica of the diagram and shorthand of the lecture, but, even looking at her notes you can¡¯t make sense of it. Even so, well¡­ Rita¡¯s a bit deer-in-headlights when you look up, getting all sheepish as she realizes just how far ahead of everyone else she¡¯s leapt. ¡°Ehe. Um. I guess I did get a bit carried away.¡± ¡­huh. Apparently, funnily enough, AGI theory is not an appropriate topic for a class on the Introduction to Computers and Programming. Who knew?
After the interesting lecture, Rita took the class through a few different exercises, some of which seemed a little abstract. Evaluations of ability? Or something deeper? It¡¯s hard to figure out what¡¯s on Rita Sternbach¡¯s mind. Thought Skimmer only grabs surface thoughts, and only ones directly pointed at you; most of Rita¡¯s motivations thus remain unscrutable. All that said? You can tell Irma¡¯s very far behind the rest of the class, technologically speaking. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure how else to do it,¡± Irma comments, staring at her code. It¡¯s¡­messy. It¡¯s a bubble sort, sure, but that isn¡¯t what¡¯s bugging you. What¡¯s bugging you is the poor girl doesn¡¯t know how to touch-type! She¡¯s hunting and pecking, and she seems to barely know how a mouse works¡­poor girl. Well. You¡¯re here to help! Good thing Korri gave you that anecdote ¨C funny that the same thing happened here, too. (Apparently it¡¯s not that uncommon, but still.) ¡°Alright, try to think of it this way,¡± you say, looking over Irma¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Imagine taking your list of numbers, okay? Take the first number in the list, turn that into a new array. Take the second number in the old array, then compare that to the number in the new array, placing it in the correct position.¡± ¡°Huh¡­like this?¡± Irma says, drawing in her notebook as you point out the method. She seems to be more of a visual thinker, so you imagine programming¡¯s a bit more abstract than she¡¯d like, but she grasps the concept of insertion sort just fine. Korri¡¯s told you before that the process of programming is taking what you find to be self-evident, and figuring out how to communicate that to the computer through a rigid language. Irma might be bewildered by the prospect of an IDE, but that¡¯s not a skill that¡¯s easy to come by naturally. ¡°Just like that, yeah!¡± you say, offering a little praise as Irma begins typing again, trying to work out how to translate her diagram to code. ¡°This is called ¡®insertion sort¡¯. It¡¯s not the fastest kind of sort, but it¡¯s a lot less complex than bubble sort. See, bubble sort has a much higher complexity in nearly all cases, unless the list is already sorted. Worst-case insertion sort is about as complex, but still faster, and generally the complexity dwindles quickly in average cases¡­¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m impressed,¡± Rita says from over your shoulder. H-how long has she been watching? H-has Senpai noticed you?! ¡°You read ahead, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°A friend of mine said this might happen if you, uh, did a sorting exercise,¡± you mutter, glancing at Rita. She¡¯s still so pretty¡­it¡¯s so easy to see the violet of her eyes like this¡­ ¡°I see¡­Irma seems to be doing well, under your instruction. Unexpected.¡± You can¡¯t quite read Rita¡¯s expression, and you¡¯re a bit too twitterpated to risk reading her mind like this! W-what if she notices?! ¡°Have you taken programming classes before, Cibele?¡± ¡°A couple, but nothing I got a handle on like this. You make it a lot easier!¡± You try and play it off, hoping you don¡¯t look too nervous, that you don¡¯t stare¡­ And, a-ah! Rita is smiling! What is it about her that gets you like this¡­? ¡°Well, I¡¯ve certainly got my eye on you, Cibele,¡± she says, and she sounds so intrigued¡­¡±And thanks for helping out the other students, too.¡± ¡°It is no problem. Cibele is very kind!¡± Irma says. ¡°Thank you for assisting me, Cibele.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± You flash Rita a peace-sign ¨C a-ah, is that too Heisei?! Mouuu¡­ ¨C and she goes back to work¡­ though her gaze seems to linger. You do wonder¡­why did Rita do it this way? A way of figuring out who needs the help most? Or maybe it¡¯s the other way around, trying to test who stands out the most, and then figuring out how to narrow the gap ¨C or how to make those with that talent flourish. You can¡¯t deny, Rita has a magnetism to her; there¡¯s just something about her that makes you notice her ¨C and you¡¯re pretty sure you¡¯re not alone. The class, though? (Remember, you¡¯re here to grind, not meet girls!) Rita¡¯s given you several sample tasks, and you were able to blow through most of them pretty easily. Perhaps, it¡¯s a comprehensive evaluation of the nature of a student¡¯s abilities. Not all the tasks were relevant to programming; Irma didn¡¯t do too well at any of them, but she did noticeably better on the matter of spatial reasoning, you¡¯re pretty sure. You get the sense Rita¡¯s got a plan worked out, for this entire summer class, as though she¡¯s testing herself and her methods as much as she¡¯s testing any of you¡­ ¡°You are quite interested in her, no?¡± Irma asks as she types, as you keep trying to look at Rita while not looking like you¡¯re looking. ¡°Um, yes! I mean, er¡­yes? I think yes is the right answer.¡± ¡°You keep glancing over at her, Cibele.¡± ¡°W-well, um. She¡¯s just, kind of amazing? But, I can¡¯t help but feel like there¡¯s something about her.¡± Your new friend giggles, a little. ¡°Perhaps, you are superstitious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, really.¡± If you were before meeting Seul-ki, you¡¯re definitely not now. ¡°Well, no, but it may be funny.¡± Seems like Irma doesn¡¯t mean it seriously, at least! ¡°Yes? Your birthday?¡± ¡°Um, October 3rd?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± She nods to herself, as if she¡¯d gained some deep insight. ¡°Your astrological reading for Libras today: ¡®you will have a fateful encounter¡¯.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about that!¡± ¡°Blood type?¡± ¡°Um, O, I think?¡± You honestly can¡¯t remember. ¡°Perhaps her blood type is B? That would be good compatibility. You could even say, ¡®B¡¯ for¡­¡¯best girl¡¯, yes?¡± ¡­ ¡­okay, yeah, you don¡¯t need any telepathy to know Irma¡¯s also interested. Oddly enough, though¡­you¡¯re not sure about it, without being able to read their minds ¨C and it comes to mind you¡¯re starting to be a bit casual about it? ¨C but for whatever reason, the guys in the room don¡¯t seem that interested in Rita. Heck, they¡¯re more into you than Rita¡­which you don¡¯t get, because you and Irma are both extremely into women, and you¡¯ve both seen Rita. The guys can¡¯t all be gay, right? (Well, maybe it¡¯s because¡­well, Rita just looks lesbian, you know? If only you were so lucky) ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s something simpler,¡± Irma continues, tipping her head to meet you with icy blue eyes. ¡°You must¡¯ve met in a dream, or something. Perhaps, you were star-crossed lovers in a previous life¡­¡± She leans in, a sinister look on her face. ¡°Or even, destined rivals and enemies!¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t act like those are the same thing!¡± Although¡­ Hm. Irma can¡¯t know, but it¡¯s certainly not impossible that you¡¯d met in the previous timeline. Wholly unlikely, of course, there¡¯s 40 million gosh-darned people in the city, but possible! But if it were anything like Irma described¡­even if she¡¯s been circumspect about it, surely future-past-you would¡¯ve told you something that important, right? ¡°In a dream, or something,¡± you mutter, looking back toward Rita. ¡°Ah, perhaps, if you look too much at another girl, I¡¯ll be jealous?¡± ! Y-you hastily return your attention to Irma, blushing furiously. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that! I mean ¨C¡± ¡°Relax, Cibele. It was, to say, a joke.¡± Irma giggles, and you find yourself pouting at her. Ah, she really is pretty easygoing, though¡­¡±I am a recent arrival, of course, but I am aware of¡­how to say. How relationships are here?¡± ¡°Ah, I guess it¡¯s pretty different in¡­uh¡­¡± ¡°Finland.¡± ¡°Yeah, that! Well, I¡¯ve heard that it isn¡¯t so bad, mostly.¡± That part of the world weathered the Collapse alright, but the climate threat has reached its shores, and the past decade has seen a lot of Nordic cuties coming to Southern Sun. ¡°It was not! I do miss it. But, well, I¡¯m determined to fit in here, yes?¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing long sleeves?¡± ¡°Force of habit. Ah, but, it¡¯s safer to wear long sleeves when driving a scooter, yes?¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s right!¡± Calvina has the same issue. Well, she makes it work for her¡­¡±I don¡¯t drive, except in video games. And if you watched me play them, you¡¯d know why¡­¡± You feel a bit self-conscious, but¡­well, Irma¡¯s easy to get along with. Seems like you¡¯re making a new friend, huh? She even thinks you¡¯re cute, but¡­ well. You¡¯re both lesbians. Well, Irma¡¯s not trying to hide it or anything, and you¡¯re fairly sure the blue Heisei pigtails aren¡¯t something straight girls have. (Not at nineteen, at least.) And if you hear a girl in glasses making a speech like that, just daring anyone to tell her she¡¯s wrong¡­ ¡°¡­maybe you should ask her out?¡± Irma asks. ¡°I am¡­mm. How to say ¨C too self-conscious. I worry I¡¯d not be able to keep up with her!¡± ¡°Maybe, maybe I should¡­¡± It¡¯s strange, how Irma seems to be pushing you toward it, even before herself, but¡­ you feel like you¡¯re understanding, a little better, how you come across to people. And so too, understanding how the world works. And as Irma¡¯s eyes wander back toward the teacher, your own are drawn back toward Rita ¨C and your eyes meet. brown to violet. you find yourself reaching out, with your telepathy, in that briefest of moments¡­ drawn in, toward a mind that feels so much like a black hole, an irresistible magnetism that cannot be escaped. a singularity, impossibly dense and immesurably vast. all of it, all of that darkness, thinking in that moment, of only one thing, as your heart beats in tune with hers¡­ Cibele. Ba-thump. Cibele Epeli Imanis. Ba-thump. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­
Your Intelligence has increased by 1! Your Charisma has increased by 1!
Class ends, unceremoniously, and you¡¯re not quite sure how you got Charisma over that¡­but, one thing¡¯s for sure. Future-past-you was right about the whole ¡®extracurricular activities¡¯ thing. (Heck, maybe it¡¯s easier around cute girls, too?) Those stat increases¡­you¡¯ll need to deal with them later. You don¡¯t feel so different right now, but maybe that¡¯ll change? You¡¯ve got to buy those new abilities, too¡­
Hypnosis Skill Points: 1 Enchantment Skill Points: 1
(It would be too much to ask to keep climbing up Telepathy and avoid temptation, huh.) ¡°It¡¯s been hard, adjusting to Southern Sun,¡± Irma says, as she stuffs her notebook back into her messenger bag. Rita is handling some things at her desk, though her eyes seem to glance at you every so often, just like before. ¡°Not just the weather, but how crowded everything is. Such a huge city¡­¡± Leaving everything she knows behind, for a city that might well be hostile to her presence¡­it really can¡¯t be easy for her. You don¡¯t wanna give her platitudes, so you settle on nodding in agreement. Climate refugees have it so hard these days, and with no one to stand up for them¡­ Where does all the good go? Sure, you could fight crime physically, but so many people are pushed into crime because they feel they have no other option. Fighting the root causes is much better, even if you won¡¯t refuse to defend against injustice you witness just because someone might not have done it under other circumstances. If you can use the Intelligence and Charisma you¡¯ve gained to that end, then maybe you¡¯ll be able to make a difference¡­though, maybe, you¡¯re still a long way away from this ¡®Queen¡¯, whoever she is. (You¡¯ll just have to hope you can trust future-past-you¡¯s judgement on that better than you can trust her judgement on girls and free will.) ¡°Ah! Cibele! Would you, ah¡­like to share mobile numbers?¡± Irma asks, out of the blue, as you space out a little. R-really? Just like that¡­? What a cutie! You did help her out a lot, but you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d gained that amount of trust¡­¡±I have few friends in this city. There is my family, yes, but¡­it¡¯d be nice to be shown around every now and again.¡± ¡°Uh¡­s-sure!¡± you say, trying to suppress your blush. Even if she just means it in a friendly way, it¡¯s still nice to make new friends, right? For someone from a cold part of the world, as you skim against her mind, it feels so warm, especially her feelings toward you¡­perhaps, she¡¯s hotblooded? Heheh, you could almost imagine her as a super robot pilot. Beware Irma, the White Comet ¨C er. Maybe don¡¯t write fanfiction about your friends in your head. (Especially not the ones you just met!) ¡°I have had a lot of fun today, Cibele, being in your care. And our teacher¡¯s, of course.¡± Irma waves over at Rita. ¡°Thank you both! I, ah, hope Cibele will continue to help me? If, that is, you wish¡­¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± Aw, two cuties have warm feelings toward you! Rita said you were cute, and¡­maybe things with Irma will go well? You don¡¯t need any brainwashing for this at all! Future-past-you can suck on your popsickle for all you care ¨C (er. T-too lewd!) ¡°¡­of course,¡± Rita says. She seems a bit distracted¡­enough that you can¡¯t get a grip on her with your Thought Skimmer. ¡°And you as well, Cibele. I hope you learned something.¡± She¡¯s much¡­less animated than before. Maybe she¡¯s tired? It is kinda late. ¡°I-I did, um¡­thank you!¡± You¡¯re still kind of nervous, even as you wave toward Irma as she happily skips out. Rita¡¯s kind of intimidating, but you know she found you attractive, you know she¡¯s got some kind of powerful emotion toward you ¨C ¡°That said, it¡¯s pretty late. I need to get going while the train schedules are still sensible. Tch, this is what you get for not replacing human maintenance workers with machines¡­¡± W-wait, what? ¡°A-ah¡­if you¡¯re sure!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you next week, Cibele. I have high hopes for you.¡± She¡¯s got that hint of a smile, almost that tiny hint of smugness that felt so attractive during her lecture, and yet, she leaves with nary a word. W-what? Was¡­was what you saw within Rita¡¯s mind wrong? You try to reach out to her, stretching that mental arm out before her, to try and make contact ¨C Of course. It¡¯d be too much to ask ¨C and then her thoughts disappear with her around the corner, brilliant purple hair flowing behind her. ¡°¡­there she goes, huh. One of God¡¯s own prototypes,¡± you mutter in disbelief. You boosted your Charisma, too, and it¡¯s like this, huh? ¡­did you do something wrong? Maybe she was nervous? Y-you shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions¡­ Y-you¡¯ll just have to be twice as cute next week to make up for it! You won¡¯t be defeated here! One way or another, Rita will admit she has a thing for you, and that¡¯s that! You¡¯ll make it your first mission as a heroine ¨C er. Or rather. Your second mission. Or even your third. Because on Friday, May 7th, Reiwa 42¡­ both Korrigan Trelawney and Stella Maris will be your first real test of the possibilites of the power of the so-called ¡®Hypnogamer¡¯. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­no pressure, huh?
Irma Suikkari ???: White Comet Rita Sternbach ???: Science/Visions
Attribute: Intelligence Increase learning capacity. Increase logical reasoning. Increase aptitude with technology and science. In addition, improves the effectiveness of the Enchantment skill tree. Improve through academic study or use of Enchantment skills. I know studying isn¡¯t your strong suit, and really it¡¯s still not mine either, but¡­what if I told you that this let you cast real magic? Just watch hostility melt with Charm Person, or correct their bad behaviour with Suggestion¡­especially Stella. She dearly needs someone to tell her what good behaviour is.
â…¡.6: A Hypnotist’s First Time Thursday, May 6th, Reiwa 42. It was too much to ask to have some time to yourself, huh? After all the time you¡¯d taken on everything else this week ¨C keeping in mind, of course, you had other coursework to do, chores, and other things in between all the ¡®fun¡¯ stuff! ¨C it was to be expected that Mama and Papa would get you on a whole day¡¯s outing. Spending that day at Parc Luminous wasn¡¯t too bad, but it was mostly younger cousins and their parents, or your younger siblings¡­even Marq skipped out. (Guess it figures the kids your age aren¡¯t interested in roller coasters or midway games anymore.) A stopover at Aunt Vesta¡¯s condo was unexpected, but not exactly ideal; she¡¯s working late and she isn¡¯t even here! Not even some extra questions¡­ though, will you need them, now? You stare out across the city on the balcony of Aunt Vesta¡¯s condo, looking out toward the skyline from atop the Martinez district. From here, past the business district and the countless skyscrapers, you can see the hills in the distance to the north, and even the distant peak of Mt. Kaguya in the shadows. Of course, anything past that is a pipe dream ¨C there¡¯s no way you could see the aerodrome, the industrial and agricultural colonies, nor even the barely-started frame of the Kaguya mass driver¡­ And here, thousands of miles from anywhere else on the planet, on the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, live forty million people, under a Southern Sun. ¡­and if you want to help them, there¡¯s no point in hesitating any longer. You put it off last night. And then you put it off all day today. But with Stella and Korri awaiting you, it¡¯s finally time. The first tile you touch in your skill tree is red, in the Hypnosis tree, bearing the image of a pendulum swinging right. The tile for Instant Hypnotherapist gains a white glow, as the description expands to show future-past-you¡¯s words:
Hypnosis Opener: Instant Hypnotherapist. You instantly learn everything about inducing trance in a willing subject and using that trance to compel them into certain actions. You are still limited by the traditional limits of hypnosis. Do you remember Ms. Yi¡¯s classes? Of course you do. The endless possibilities of hypnosis¡­so much potential. Watching Korrigan¡¯s eyes fade, watching her smile and drool as she hangs on your every word¡­go on. She¡¯s yours. Just take her.
(How odd¡­she uses ¡®Korrigan¡¯, not ¡®Korri¡¯. Did future-past-you really change so much?) (You wonder, what that might look like ¨C but, perhaps, there¡¯s no way it can live up to the promises of future-past-you, nor even Marq¡¯s writing, or Aunt Vesta¡¯s memories. How could it? It¡¯s still your words¡­it¡¯s still Cibele. You can¡¯t imagine your talents could ever live up to those of others¡­) ¡­ ¡­it doesn¡¯t bear dwelling on. You don¡¯t feel different, but you¡¯re sure it¡¯ll happen when the time comes. For now, you swipe over to the green icons, and despite your nerves, you manage to tap that icon as well, a honeycomb pattern with three hexes filled black:
Enchantment Opener: Suggestion. You may compel a single individual once per day to follow a single, simple command they are not inherently opposed to. You instinctively know what the limits for this command are before making it. This can only be done to a non-hostile target willing to speak with you. Oh, there¡¯s so much fun you can do with this. You¡¯d be surprised how far you can push before it stops working. You¡¯ve seen videos online, of stage hypnosis¡­people can be pushed so very far. Stella needs someone to correct her behaviour and attitude¡­doesn¡¯t this seem like the right place to start?
Ah. This is where the Bad Thoughts truly live, isn¡¯t it? Everything has made it clear that hypnosis, such as it is, can be used for positive things. That it doesn¡¯t need to be a violation, even if you could make it one with higher-tier skills. But this¡­even if it can only go so far, it can still push someone into a lapse of judgement, and it can still lead you to much darker things¡­ If it¡¯s like that, though, the only thing you can do is trust yourself! Powers don¡¯t make you bad, actions do. As long as you do your best to do the right thing, you¡¯re sure you¡¯ll prevail! And maybe, just maybe¡­ (maybe, you can help people like Korri or Stella smile a little more?)
You wander back into the condo after handling your skills, not really feeling any different, just yet¡­you¡¯re sure that¡¯ll change, though. Once you get the chance tomorrow, at least. Since your little siblings were traveling with you, they¡¯re over in the common room, no doubt playing some kind of party game; it¡¯s the kind of thing you might have chosen to partake in if you weren¡¯t feeling so wiped after your outing, or if you weren¡¯t so worried about how tomorrow would go. Let alone worrying about the Gamer¡­ You¡¯re not sure if your upgraded stats feel any different, right now; that said, to be fair, you¡¯re not sure you¡¯ve run into situations where it¡¯d be really obvious. Maybe a few more people are checking you out than usual, but you¡¯re not sure you can know that, and Thought Skimmer is useless in crowds. And ¡®Intelligence¡¯ feels quite nebulous; you don¡¯t think going on roller coasters tests it much, based on the narrow description of what it governs! But there is one sign of a difference¡­ ¡°Hey, Cibele! Good to see you! You look great!¡± Aunt Nikita opens her arms up for a hug, which you gratefully return; she likes to alternate between white hair and auburn, and today it¡¯s the latter. ¡°Did you do something with your hair?¡± ¡­people keep asking you that! ¡°Nothing different than usual,¡± you say. You did spend a bit more time working out your outfit today, maybe tried new makeup, but you look in the mirror and you still look like you. Maybe Aunt Nikita notices you a bit more, but she¡¯s¡­well, Aunt Vesta¡¯s a very distant cousin and Nikita, one of her partners, is very obviously not related, but it¡¯s still someone you¡¯ve known your whole life! Maybe she¡¯s a bit pretty, but¡­ ¡°Hmn, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Nikita comes and goes a lot ¨C she¡¯s got her own girlfriends to worry about, separate from Vesta¡¯s. It¡¯s a bit complicated, but they¡¯re a great example to look up to of making a complicated polyamorous relationship work. (Perhaps, it¡¯s down to Aunt Vesta? If she uses hypnosis ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) ¡°You really should consider my offer. Family discount! I can make your worries melt away~¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s fine, Aunt Nikita! I really don¡¯t think I need a massage ¨C¡± ¡­wait. Those images in your mind¡¯s eye, from Thought Skimmer and reading Nikita¡¯s mind ¨C that¡¯s not a massage at all! M-masage was a euphemism this entire time! A-aunt Nikita is a sex worker! H-how embarrassing! How did it take you so long to figure it out?! At least this explains why she kept saying she¡¯d give you a massage ¡®when you¡¯re older¡¯¡­ (But, she does find you cute, at least, so maybe you should be a little happy? M-maybe someday consider that offer¡­) ¡­though, as Aunt Nikita lets you go, giggling to herself, it does make you wonder. Just how is it, that despite reading people¡¯s minds, you still know so little about them? You tend to only do it in short bursts, sure ¨C besides all the ethical issues, you seem to get headaches if you overuse it ¨C but even if you just kept it on all the time, you¡¯re sure you¡¯d be missing key parts of a person¡¯s motivations and desires. Perhaps, the secret lies in your higher-level telepathy skills, like the T1 Mentalism skill Thought Delver? Or maybe it¡¯s just a matter of Adaptability still being at 1; Intelligence is no substitute for social skills, and even a higher Adaptibility would be no substitue for actual experience. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease her, Kolya! She might get the wrong idea, you know?¡± Ah, that¡¯s Aunt Percy, in the kitchen¡­compared to the purple-haired Percy you saw in Vesta¡¯s mind, instead the one you¡¯re familiar with is currently wearing blue, twenty years hence. You saw her getting hypnotised, and she loved it¡­ You just bought Instant Hypnotherapist, though, so in theory you could be making other girls make those lovely faces! But you don¡¯t feel any different yet, do you? Even as you look at Percy, and consider: Percival Lowell¡¯s eyes are often drawn to distracting stimuli, so either a visual focus or a blindfold would be ideal; a strong, stern, and direct command would pull her focus entirely toward you, but the truth is, she¡¯s so well-suited to it that she could be hypnotised by the moon¡¯s pendulum, which is simply a particularly feminine rock ¨C ah! ¡­where did all that come from? ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± your mother says, laughing ¨C and oh jeez, she knows what Nikita¡¯s been saying this whole time, is she just okay with it?! Y-your mother¡¯s quite modern, but isn¡¯t that a bit far?! ¡°Cibele¡¯s been working very hard lately. That¡¯s why we¡¯re leaving her to her assignment tomorrow.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all rooting for you,¡± Percy says, as she begins her own espresso pull. Ah, you suppose everyone thinks of it as something that will produce a love confession, which ¨C you¡¯d be very happy if it did! If, perhaps, Stella really is tsundere, but¡­t-that¡¯s all just wishful thinking and idle speculation! No, more than that¡­the way you look at Percy, and can see the way you might draw her in with your words, into a trance ¨C the knoweldge isn¡¯t just¡­entirely beamed into your head, all at once. You didn¡¯t just wake up and go, ¡®I know kung fu¡¯ or anything. But it¡¯s all there, just waiting to be retrieved when you need it most. A grand mass of knowledge and technique, tantalizingly close to your fingertips, the moment a girl puts her head in your hands. The way the information came, when you considered it, when you needed it, makes you think of the idea of some vast library, within which lies all the knowledge of hypnosis in this world. And rather than sorting through it all, contradictory and vague as the topic is, you have some kind of librarian who brings you the information you need, when you need it! It is, as your powers have been before, kind of awesome! That said, there is one more power that you need to test out. Suggestion is very Bad Thoughts, sure¡­but maybe, just maybe, there¡¯s something you can do to test it out that won¡¯t be too much of a violation? Actually, you think you might have an idea. ¡°Oh, Aunt Percy¡­you were on a date with Aunt Vesta last night, weren¡¯t you?¡± you ask the bluenette in the kitchen. From what you understand, it¡¯s pretty common for Vesta to be working long periods and not be able to get home, but she seems to be able to make her girlfriends happy nonetheless¡­maybe you can figure out her secret? ¡°O-oh, you know¡­we spent some private time together, is all!¡± Percy laughs, and tries to play it off, concentrating back on her latte art ¨C enough that your Thought Skimmer can¡¯t reach! It definitely sounds like something juicy, too! So, you let it happen. You can feel it, tingling on your lips, as you allow the ancient magic within you to join your voice. The way you can reach out to minds is no longer a mere act of observation; you can feel the pressure building, from within you, and released upon the wind by your words: ¡°¡­would you tell me about it, Aunt Percy?¡± You can feel it. That pressure briefly, very briefly, impresses itself upon Percy¡¯s mind, and molds it into shape, just for that briefest of moments. And you can see her turning around, her face looking slightly dazed for the briefest of moments ¨C ¡°A-ah, it¡¯s very, um¡­it¡¯s very private! Actually, excuse me, I need to go to the washroom¡­¡± E-eh? Percy rushes off, and both Nikita and your mother giggle a bit, as if they know something you don¡¯t. No way! It says right there on the description that you can¡¯t use it if it won¡¯t work! Is your Suggestion defective or some¨C bzzt-bzzt You quickly pull your phone out of your purse, tapping the fingerprint sensor and seeing that you¡¯ve got a text from, uh, ¡®duchessanthrax¡¯? What kind of name is ¨C ! Y-you hastily turn your phone away, seeing nothing less than a photo of Percy herself, in an elaborate harness of rope ¨C you think that¡¯s called ¡®shibari¡¯? ¨C and some kind of suspension setup that makes you really hope it¡¯s totally safe (yet knowing that her partners would make sure); all with her blindfolded in candlelight, and the simple words, ¡®don¡¯t tell anyone¡¯¡­ O-oh my. This tells you quite a bit, besides, um, merely having that photo for later. (For completely innocent purposes, of course.) Indeed, the Suggestion is a guaranteed success, but there¡¯s quite a lot of leeway in how it¡¯s fulfilled. With that in mind, it¡¯s not exactly a silver bullet¡­though, the Bad Thoughts potential is immense. It¡¯s enough to make you a bit more comfortable holding such a power, at least¡­if, perhaps, not so comfortable imaginine just what the rest of the Enchantment tree could do for you, and to other pliant, vulnerable minds. (N-not that you¡¯re looking forward to it or anything, mind you!) Of course, the real question is¡­ what kind of heckin¡¯ relationship is Aunt Vesta¡¯s polycule that this is somehow a ¡®reasonable¡¯ answer to a question from her cousin¡¯s daughter?! (M-maybe some questions are better left unanswered.)
Judgement Day arrives, as it must: Friday, May 7th, Reiwa 42. And so it is, inside that same basement room you and Korri have spent so much time in the past few years sharing together, and your family mercifully all out of the house and giving you the necessary privacy for your unusual assignment¡­you have sweet, wonderful, beautiful Korri sitting right in front of you on that same couch, just waiting to be hypnotised, of her own free will. Ugh. Why, why, why did she say that? Why did she offer her help?! You couldn¡¯t very well tell her no after that, right? You¡¯re sure, if she knew what fantasies you¡¯d not been having these past two weeks, let alone the powers you had, or what you¡¯ve done with them, she¡¯d be completely and utterly disgusted¡­ ¡°You look really cute today,¡± Korri says, casually, bundled up in one of her many hoodies, smiling ear to ear, hair just the slightest bit damp from another day of Southern Sun rain. (If only those words held more meaning than a straight woman¡¯s appreciation.) ¡°Did you do something with your hair?¡± ¡°N-no,¡± you mutter, once more embarrassed. You really can¡¯t tell, what your increased Charisma has done; all you see in the mirror is Cibele, same as ever. You¡¯re just going to have to trust future-past-you, huh? Even if she¡¯s told you all about what you could do to Korri¡­ And here she is. Korrigan Trelawney, ready to be hypnotised, ready to entrust herself to your words, your voice, your guidance. All you need to do is walk her through the process. With such a rich, imaginative inner mind like Korri has, something few others get to appreciate but you, you should have no trouble bringing her under ¨C and you¡¯ve even set up a camera already, just in case. (You doubt Ms. Yi would accept this as part of her official assignment, but¡­you get the sense it might come in handy? Korri doesn¡¯t seem to mind, at least) But imagination is only one part of it. Or even experience, which Korri has hinted she might well have. After all, Aunt Vesta, your brother, Dr. Newton, and the myriad authorities within your ¡®library¡¯ of hypnosis knowledge have all told you that the most important part of hypnosis is¡­ Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°¡­trust. Do you trust me?¡± you ask. ¡°Of course!¡± Korri says, with a big, broad smile¡­ ¡­well. This is awkward. Because there¡¯s another lesson you¡¯ve learned about trust: trust is a form of love. Upon that soft and comfortable couch, you settle in behind Korri, giving subtle, comforting touches to her hands. You may have a skill called ¡®Handshake Induction¡¯ ¨C and don¡¯t get too distracted about the possibilities of bringing someone under with a single touch ¨C but the real, non-cheat-skill techniques of touch in hypnosis (as opposed to the supernatural kind) can help you here. Korri is touch-starved and craves stimulation; using that, using that need, to guide her focus, is an ideal way to bring her into your power. ¡°Please get comfortable for me, Korri,¡± you say, and you already feel her tiny, underweight frame go slack from your words. It helps that she¡¯s willing to do this. So much of the work of hypnosis is on the other side, on the side of the person receiving it; in a way, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, and you merely serve as a conduit for Korri¡¯s natural ability. Multiple authors in both Ms. Yi and Aunt Vesta¡¯s reading lists have told you that a hypnotic trance is not such an unusual state; forms and elements of it are common in everyday activities. The kind of altered focus one has when on a crowded train, able to shut out outside stimulus¡­or simply being ¡®in the zone¡¯ artistically, pushing yourself into your work and letting the outside world fade. There¡¯s so much you can do to create an environment where this can happen, of course. To make her truly comfortable letting go. And yet, when the time comes for Korri to sink, things are all her. If she were unwilling for it to happen in the first place, or didn¡¯t believe in it¡­ In this case, it¡¯s not really a concern. Korri¡¯s pretty into unusual phenomena. She¡¯s not quite a believer in such things (although she¡¯s less skeptical than you), but they¡¯re certainly a topic that interests her deeply. Divination, chaos magic, the occult, that kind of thing. Hypnosis sort of crosses those boundaries, a quasi-spiritual state with a scientific basis, or perhaps a quasi-science whose true potential lies outside the falsifiable. (Or, maybe you¡¯re not giving it enough credit? Ms. Yi seems fond of it¡­and what a strange thing, for her to be fond of¡­) ¡°I want to know something,¡± you ask, your tone of voice changing. The happy-go-lucky cuteness fades as you concentrate on the idea of yourself, of ¡®Cibele¡¯, as an authority. Someone who can be listened to, trusted with such things. ¡°What do you find most relaxing?¡± It¡¯s almost scary, the way your voice shifts. The way you¡¯re capable of holding within you that kind of authority. It¡¯s still you, of course, just¡­just not the ¡®you¡¯ you¡¯re used to. A ¡®you¡¯ created for the purpose of guiding vulnerable minds, like that of Korrigan Trelawney. Is this what happened to future-past-you? Are you, even in this, merely playing into her hands? ¡°¡­sleeping,¡± Korri says, and you can hear her focusing on your words, your touch. Such a simple word, yet filled with such meaning. It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve heard it, either; in her darkest days, within the Duchy of Cornwall, the only thing that brought her peace was sleep. Being able to sleep, and shut things out, brought Korri back from the brink, a place where felt her only comfort was an eternal sleep. Something she could never tell another soul; it could only be you. You¡¯re her most important person, the only one she can trust with her darkest thoughts. (¡­she¡¯s not right to trust you, is she?) (You hope she¡¯ll forgive you someday.) ¡°I want you to imagine something for me, then,¡± you whisper, pressing yourself against her from behind, breath tickling the back of her neck as you trace small circles with your fingers on the backs of her hands. ¡°I want you to imagine we¡¯re in kindergarten again, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± says Korri. ¡°I want you to imagine that it¡¯s almost naptime, okay?¡± Korri nods as you whisper to her, and you can feel her relax in your presence. ¡°I want you to imagine that I¡¯m right there beside you, like I always was, holding your hand.¡± You¡¯d like to say you had an anime cliche experience, like you promised to get married someday back then, or something. But you didn¡¯t. And Korri didn¡¯t have you there, for years after she left, until she returned to the sunny shores of Southern Sun. You wish you could have been by her side, saved her from all of her hurts, just as you¡¯ve fought for her since the moment she returned to you¡­ ¡°It feels nice,¡± says Korri. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± you say. ¡°You¡¯re warm and safe, with me by your side.¡± You know you¡¯re already associating the coming state of trance with the idea of being with you. Only just, but it¡¯ll add up. You¡¯re already manipulating her. Maybe hypnosis isn¡¯t really about trust after all. ¡°Warm and safe¡­¡± she whispers. Your Thought Skimmer has different levels of intensity; right now, you¡¯re only Skimming Korri¡¯s emotions, rather than her thoughts. You¡¯re a bit worried if you skim her thoughts it might confuse you in some manner, or cause those headaches, but the emotions are enough for this act. ¡°Mhm, warm and safe,¡± you say. ¡°Warm inside your blankets. Safe beside me.¡± Korri nods, and you can already see her fading. You bet she¡¯s done this before if it¡¯s like this ¨C and oh, that does give you such hope, that she could want you, even as you know how unlikely it is ¨C and you encourage her as you feel the positive response from these words. ¡°Warm inside your blankets.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Safe beside me.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± You breathe hotly as you feel yourself starting to get t-turned on from this. Fudge, this is just¡­this is future-past-you¡¯s fault for teasing you so much! N-not to mention those erotic stories, or those images of Percy. I-it¡¯s not because of you. (¡­right?) ¡°Warm inside your blankets.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± ¡°Safe beside me.¡± ¡°Mmmmm.¡± You repeat yourself a few times, getting the tone and the pattern just right, adjusting with your Thought Skimmer¡¯s feedback. Your touches, too, are an important part of it, keeping her from getting too used to things, forcing her to keep focusing. (How you long to slip under her shirt, and touch her bare skin¡­and how you hate, how you hold those desires, knowing what Korri¡¯s been through¡­) And once you¡¯re sure you¡¯ve prepare her enough, you set the stage. ¡°Yes, Korri, that¡¯s good¡­¡± You can¡¯t see her smile, but you can feel it, from here, how she enjoys the praise you¡¯ve given her for following your instructions. (Y-you¡¯re sure that if you tried this without Instant Hypnotherapist, your arousal would be obvious even to Korri¡­y-you almost wish, you could make her dance for you¡­) ¡°Now, we¡¯re both warm and safe, and the teachers are going to turn off the lights.¡± You speak those words, with all of your authority as a hypnotist. With the Charisma you¡¯ve gained through your efforts. It¡¯s only a matter of time, now. ¡°Mm,¡± Korri mutters, and you just feel how ready she is to be brought into a proper trance. (Even as you know for a fact she¡¯s not sexually aroused by it like you are.) ¡°The teachers are going to turn off all five lights. And when they turn them out, you¡¯ll sink so deeply, won¡¯t you, Korri? You¡¯ll fall right to sleep, just like you used to.¡± ¡°Mm¡­!¡± ¡­fuc-er, fudge this is hot. S-she¡¯s about to go under, from you, your words, your voice, your power¡­! ¡°Alright, the teachers are going now. I¡¯m here with you, Korri. You¡¯re warm, with me. You¡¯re safe, with me.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re turning off the first switch, Korri. Four left.¡± ¡°Four¡­¡± ¡°Three left.¡± ¡°Three¡­¡± ¡°Four left.¡± ¡°¡­four¡­¡± Introducing a little confusion is helpful, according to some authorities. Distracting your subjects from conscious thoughts so the unconscious can take charge, or something like that. To be honest, a lot of these things contradict themselves, both from your reading and from your library, but¡­you just need to find the best thing to work with for your subject, in the moment. And more importantly, speak with conviction so she thinks it works. ¡°Three left.¡± ¡°three¡­¡± ¡°Two left.¡± ¡°two¡± ¡°One left.¡± ¡°one¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± ¡­and Korri¡¯s body just¡­ sinks. Her whole frame slumps down in your arms, her unfocused black eyes staring out into space as she half-smiles, her lips slightly open as her breathing slows¡­you swear she¡¯s going to start drooling any second. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s it¡¯s the hottest thing you¡¯ve ever seen. No¡­not just ¡®hot¡¯. Hot is an injustice compared to what you witness. Korri ¨C sweet, wonderful, beautiful Korri, your very best friend ¨C is sat there, her slight weight held up by your own, her breath and movement slowing, calming in a way you¡¯ve never seen before. Her lips are so delightfully parted (and it makes you wish, so badly, that you could kiss her), even her legs seem to almost s-spread, and bad thoughts, but her eyes, just stare out, her mind feels so still and pliant, so warm and pleasant, and you just want to grasp it in your hands and mold it into your chosen shape, shape Korri into something small and smooth and pleasing to the eye¡­ What you witness now ¨C that is, Korrigan Trelawney, hypnotised, entranced, yours ¨C is an utter work of art, the truest form of beauty in this world. An alien beauty to be sure, like the mother-spider Maman, one you¡¯re sure you¡¯d struggle to explain to anyone but those few who can truly appreciate a mind beneath their own¡­but beauty nonetheless. And the fact that this was all you, and you¡¯ve only begun to hypnotise her¡­ You could cry. From the joy of this act, and from the fear of what it could mean. ¡­you won¡¯t cry, of course, because Korri would notice. You can tell from your telepathy she¡¯s not exactly in the deepest trance you could get her, or even the deepest she¡¯s been, but it¡¯ll be enough. You can sense how her defenses are lowered, what you could ask, and ¨C and you kind of wish you couldn¡¯t, because you don¡¯t think such temptation is a good thing. You hold Korri¡¯s hand, touch her, tip her cheek so you can look into her eyes, so blank and lovely. Guiding her with whispers and touches. Much as you hate to admit it, your future-past-self was right. Girls are sexier this way; the faint echo of Vesta¡¯s own hypnosis is incomparable to the real thing. And yet, ¡®sexier¡¯ isn¡¯t good enough. You think ¨C you suspect, you hope ¨C that hypnosis is better than sex. Future-past-you said just what she needed to say. She knew you, because she was you. Maybe Korri¡¯s not the only one being hypnotised. Once you¡¯re certain she¡¯s deep enough ¨C although hypnosis is hardly an exact science ¨C you start asking Korri things under trance. Slipping past her conscious masks, her personas to face hardship¡­and into the depths of her mind, with Thought Skimmer to help determine the truth of it. ¡°Korri¡­please, tell me how you feel.¡± ¡°Feel¡­good, and nice,¡± she says. ¡°Safe, and warm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± (It takes so much to not say ¡®good girl¡¯.) ¡°Cibby¡¯s¡­good at this,¡± she says. (A bit of drool escapes the corner of her lips.) ¡°T-tell me, Korri.¡± You swallow, trying not to show just how badly you want her. Just how much you want to bring her head close, and consume her lips in your own. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to change about yourself? Anything you¡¯d like me to help with?¡± ¡­the complex well of emotions your telepathy shows¡­there¡¯s so many conflicting feelings. It¡¯s not bringing her out of trance, at least, but obviously you can¡¯t expect a complete answer just from this. But you need to know, as much as you can, about your very best friend. ¡°I¡­wanna understand people¡­wanna be more confident¡­wanna be able to help people, make them happy¡­wanna help you, Cibby¡­¡± Fudge. You want so, so badly to tell her to be your girlfriend. To tell her that¡¯ll make her happy, to be your perfect girlfriend, one of many girlfriends, in a big gay happy love pile. To control her, utterly and completely, to make her yours, in every way that you can. The skill name ¡®I Want The Control¡¯ has never seemed so appropriate before now. A perfect body, a perfect soul. ¡­but you know it¡¯d never take. Oh, Korri wouldn¡¯t reject it, but that¡¯s almost worse. You can tell from her thoughts she¡¯s not thinking of you that way, right now, and you know she¡¯d sacrifice her own happiness and sanity for you if you asked ¨C she¡¯d gladly force herself to be your girlfriend, if she ever allowed herself to be. She¡¯d gladly consume everything she is, just to make you smile one more day. Fudge. Well, at least you can try and help her. You can try and help her, with what she wants, not what you want. There¡¯s only so much you can do, this first time, but¡­it¡¯ll be something to build on when you have your higher-level Hypnosis skills. ¡°Korri, I want you to imagine a box, okay?¡± you say, as Korri nods, smiling so brightly, still drooling for you. You hope this is straightforward enough for her, because she responds better to clearer language; you¡¯ll have to be careful with that going forward. ¡°This is a box for feelings. You can put feelings in here, and you¡¯ll feel better about them, okay?¡± Hypnosis¡­¡¯no¡¯ is a difficult concept in trance. It makes some of the language harder. You can¡¯t simply tell her to ¡®not¡¯ feel things, not so easily, you have to express that negative space in a positive way. (At least, that¡¯s one of the perspectives in your library. Fudge, maybe you should hypnotise yourself so you have a better idea of how to access it, give yourself a nice little sexy librarian in your head¡­) ¡°Mhm! I see the box,¡± Korri says, swaying hazily, staring out into space, as you witness her image in your own mind¡¯s eye. Fudge, she¡¯s still so beautiful like this. So perfect. ¡°What feelings do you want to put in the box, Korri?¡± ¡°mn¡­dunno¡± she says, head swaying side to side, your hands slipping around hers, her pale skin covered with your olive hue. Like this, she may not be able to think about it¡­but you know what it is she¡¯d want help with most. ¡°We¡¯ll start with guilt.¡± Korri feels so guilty all the time, after all. About what she fails to do, about her past¡­even though you¡¯re the same age, she lost an entire year of school to her darkness. She¡¯s lost so much, and she can only blame herself, when it was never her choice at all. ¡°Wrap all your guilt into a little ball, and put it in the box.¡± You can help her. Even if it¡¯ll only do so much like this, you can help her. Yeah¡­if you can help her, maybe you won¡¯t mind if she can¡¯t be your girlfriend. (¡­right?) ¡°okay,¡± Korri says, nodding when she¡¯s completed her mental task. ¡°Now do the same for your fear. Wrap it in a ball, and put it in the box.¡± ¡°okay¡± Fudge, she¡¯s so obedient. Hearing her respond to your commands like this¡­feeling how readily she accepts your words¡­ ¡°And now, your shame. Wrap it up, and put it in the box.¡± ¡°¡­okay¡± ¡°Good girl,¡± you slip out. You almost bite your lip, but¡­but she doesn¡¯t notice. Or maybe she doesn¡¯t care ¨C ¡­no, your Skimming tells you it was the ¡®notice¡¯ one. Puddin¡¯ heck, you need to get a hold of yourself! ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to close the box, and lock it up, okay, Korri? And the key will be with me. So you know it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°okay.¡± Guilt, fear, and shame¡­the three emotions Ms. Yi hates the most in the world. She¡¯s gone on such tirades against them, about needing to accept oneself completely to have control over the will, about how those feelings caused so many awful things¡­about how religions used them to control people and cover up atrocities like child abuse, about how they poisoned individuals until they burnt out. Well, maybe she¡¯ll be proud of you, for this: ¡°The box is closed, and locked. You¡¯re safe now.¡± Korri smiles. You¡¯ve set her free. (Or as free as a single trance can manage, at least.) ¡°thanks, cibby¡­¡± She looks¡­so happy. So wonderful. Such a lovely, sexy, beautiful, perfect hypnotised girl she is, and so accepting of this, so wonderful, you want her to be yours¡­ ¡­but, you want to give her some basics, too. More obvious hypnotic tricks. A trigger to get her to do things, and a trigger to bring her back under. And the usual safeties and reinforcements that came with such things, of course. ¡°Now, Korri¡­when I move my hands like this ¨C¡± you make ¡®fake glasses¡¯ around your eyes with your hands ¡°¨C and I tell you to do something, you¡¯ll do it without thinking, okay? And you won¡¯t remember what I say. It¡¯ll fade from your conscious mind.¡± ¡°okay,¡± Korri says, smiling and drooling. You want to reach over and kiss that drool. You want to suck it up, lick Korri, and bring her lips into yours while she¡¯s still under. but you don¡¯t. ¡°And when I clap my hands three times, when we¡¯re alone together, you¡¯ll fall right back into trance.¡± ¡°okay¡­¡± Korri smiles wider. Fudge, she¡¯s so cute. You don¡¯t settle on just that, of course. You test. You tease. You ensure everything is (relatively) safe, although you don¡¯t expect Korri to be in a situation where she can be taken advantage of. And you hold yourself back, because you want to do terrible things to her, and you could never forgive yourself if you did. Ensuring your words take hold, without ever letting yourself cross that line. And, eventually¡­ You count Korri back up, with each of the lights. You watch, as she becomes more and more alert with each, and are forced once more to confront how sexy hypnosis truly is¡­and, in a way, how disappointing it is that she isn¡¯t hypnotised all the time. Even so, that desire notwithstanding ¨C it¡¯d pose a lot of logistical problems, wouldn¡¯t it? ¨C once the lights are all on, you clap your hands loudly ¨C just once! ¨C bring Korri right out of trance! (You, uh, can¡¯t snap your fingers¡­mouuu, you need to learn if you¡¯re going to be a sexy hypnotist!) ¡°Wake up, Korri!¡± ¡°W-woah!¡± Korri sits right up and looks around, still disoriented from her trance¡­until she turns around and hugs you tight! A-ah, she¡¯s just so amazing, Korri is the best¡­ ¡°Oh, Cibby! That was¡­kinda nice, actually¡­¡± ¡°Of course it was! Hypnosis isn¡¯t anything bad,¡± you say, giggling a bit. Which is¡­kinda true, you guess. (Maybe not in this case, though.) ¡°Hm, but how do I know it really worked?¡± Korri blinks, her eyes so wide and full of curiosity, you just, she¡¯s so¡­perfect¡­ (She should belong to you, that part of you whispers¡­) Ignoring your Bad Thoughts, you place your ¡®glasses¡¯ around your eyes, just like you instructed in her trance. ¡°Cluck like a chicken, Korri!¡± ¡°Bwgark!¡± Korri says, waggling her arms like chicken wings even within your embrace. ¡°W-woah! How did you do that?¡± Even your suggestion to forget the command worked, it seems! ¡°That¡¯s my little secret~¡± You laugh, so happy, so wonderful, so much, it¡¯s just, everything¡¯s so, it¡¯s¡­aaaaaaaaaaaaaa. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Cibby! Wow, I didn¡¯t think¡­hypnosis is really cool, huh? I never thought it could feel as good as that!¡± Korri¡¯s¡­Korri¡¯s really into it now, huh? You must be pretty good¡­or at least your librarian is. ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve expected it, though. You seem¡­different, today.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just cuter?¡± you joke. Sure, it sounds like a joke¡­but it¡¯s literally true if your Charisma description is correct. Maybe you should trust it, rather than just worrying because you can¡¯t see it in the mirror? ¡°Well, Cibby is the cutest already, so I don¡¯t know how you could be.¡± (Even Skimming, you know Korri doesn¡¯t mean that in the right way.) ¡°Anything else you want me to do?¡± You nod¡­and clap three times, not bothering to warn her. (Always test your triggers after installation, kids!) With that simple application, Korri goes slack immediately ¨C right back to that beautiful, nearly-drooling trance face, that makes you want to¡­t-to just, deal with those urges! (Fudge¡­y-you might need to masturbate between Korri leaving and Stella arriving, assuming the guilt doesn¡¯t get to you first.) A-and apeaking of guilt¡­ ¡°Korri, when I wake you up, you¡¯ll forget what happened in this trance,¡± you say, whispering to Korri, holding her there, wishing you could kiss her. ¡°You¡¯ll know you were under, but you¡¯ll forget, and you¡¯ll be okay with forgetting.¡± ¡°okay,¡± Korri says, not even registering the breach of trust. (Or is it that she trusts you completely, and would never consider this a violation at all?) ¡°Korri¡­¡± You swallow once more, as what spills out afterward is assuredly already too far, let alone what you¡¯d want to do. ¡°What do you think of me?¡± ¡°you¡¯re¡­mm. you¡¯re¡­my best friend. wanna¡­wanna make sure you¡¯re happy. was hoping that someday soon i could find you a girlfriend¡­¡± And there it is. Your telepathy confirms it, within her mind, within those glass pebbles seeping blood ¨C pebbles that feel more ordered and structured after your trance, and yet bleed more from it. Not an iota of romantic love ¨C or at least, nothing you can recognize as such, anyway. Just¡­just a deep friendship. The kind people tell you in stories you shouldn¡¯t disrupt with romance, but isn¡¯t romance just a kind of friendship, in its way? Is it truly so different? You¡­try not to frown. You try not to hate this. (You don¡¯t do a very good job.) ¡°Wake up, Korri,¡± you manage after a moment, clapping your hands, and your very best friend looks right at you again. ¡°Woah¡­that was neat!¡± And with that, Korri hugs you tightly! Wah, too close, too close for being this wet between your legs ¨C ¡°Woah, hey!¡± ¡°Aw, you helped a lot¡­I feel kinda okay,¡± Korri says. ¡°Let¡¯s, um. Let¡¯s do this again soon?¡± ¡­you think of refusing her. You think of telling her to run. But can¡¯t bring yourself to say ¡®no¡¯. ¡°Yeah. Soon,¡± you whisper, so close to Korri, to your very best friend, so sweet, and wonderful, and beautiful, and perfect. Or at least, as perfect as Korri can be, without being under your power. Without a dazed expression, without drooling lips, without a focused mind. ¡­you want to tell her to run, but you can¡¯t. Because if you gain more power, if you gain more skills, if you start buying the abilities that let you perform far greater violations than mere mundane hypnosis ever could? By the time you¡¯ll grasp her like this again, you¡¯re sure you¡¯ll be able to¡­ â…¡.7: The Stars in Her Eyes There¡¯s a merciful gap, between Korri¡¯s departure and Stella¡¯s arrival. Enough to take care of certain urges, and wash up before Stella gets here. You¡¯ve changed up; you finally figured out how to get one of those long-sleeved, bare-midriff, high-d¨¦colletage shirts to not look awful on you thanks to Gamer¡¯s Body, so you put on that dark navy top you got ages ago; you kinda wish your stomach was more defined, but it is what it is. You¡¯ve got the same choker you were wearing with Milia on, tight shorts, and these cute blue LED earrings¡­ You do look a bit good, you think, but is it any cuter than usual? It¡¯s still Cibele in the mirror, after all. When Stella arrives at your doorstep, she shakes off her umbrella ¨C another day of heavy rainfall in Southern Sun ¨C and sighs, looking for all the world like she¡¯d rather be at a funeral than here with you. As ever, she¡¯s wearing corsets and petticoats and other clothing that seems ill suited to the climate; as ever, you wonder why. You finally have that chance, but even so¡­ ¡°Um, hello!¡± you say, greeting Stella with a deep bow. ¡°No one else is here, so make yourself at home!¡± (You half wonder, are they all secretly cheering you on? M-maybe they¡¯re hoping for love¡­) ¡°Sure,¡± Stella mutters, not meeting you with her gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have a giant house like this. Your parents are rich, then?¡± You shrug. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of us here, usually. Some good jobs, sure, but it¡¯s a cooperative effort, you know?¡± As she steps past you, delicately removing her shoes and setting her umbrella aside, Stella says nothing. Even with your telepathy, against that sharp hostility, you can sense no conscious thought¡­just an emotion of distaste, and frustration. And, maybe just one other thing: ¡°You look different,¡± Stella says as she turns to you, narrowing her golden eyes. ¡°Did you do something with your hair?¡± Your telepathy confirms what you already could guess ¨C that you¡¯re much, much cuter in her eyes than you were the last time she saw you. Enough to even distract her, if only momentarily, from the fact that she hates your guts! ¡­well then. Tempting as it is to tell her you didn¡¯t do shit with your hair (it¡¯s not swearing if it¡¯s a direct quote!), you shake your head. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m the same Cibele, you know?¡± ¡°¡­right.¡± Stella turns back around, wandering into the kitchen without a care, trying to dismiss that sensation. If it¡¯s you, it doesn¡¯t matter how cute you are ¨C Cibele is Cibele, and Cibele is someone she hates. No matter what. All that said, if Stella¡¯s going to act like that¡­maybe a bit of turnabout is fair play.
As you guide Stella into the basement storeroom you¡¯ve been spending so much time in, the nest of collected digital detritus of console generations and media formats past sitting proudly beneath your TV, you gesture to the couch and the chairs. ¡°Sit anywhere you like. You can go first!¡± Like you expected, Stella is surprised by the suggestion, but it only makes sense to you. It¡¯s not on the surface well enough to be read (or maybe you just need to train your Adaptability?), but you¡¯re sure she¡¯d have been totally on edge if you went first. Besides which, this way, you can get a feel for what Stella thinks works in hypnosis, which means it¡¯ll be useful on her to make her associate your words more with ¡®being hypnotised¡¯. ¡°If you¡¯re sure ¨C but don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let you get away with anything weird, still, got it? Let me just set up the camera.¡± Stella slips out of her handbag¡­oh, wow. You haven¡¯t seen a standalone action camera in a very long time. Looks kinda old, too. (Maybe Stella¡¯s a collector? You don¡¯t know all her hobbies!) It screws atop the tripod you¡¯ve set up just fine, so you¡¯ll just trust she knows what she¡¯s doing with it! (You had the tripod set up earlier, of course, to film your first time with Korri. For¡­for completely innocent reasons. Honest.) ¡°But, I think ¨C um, before we start. I¡¯ve been told the most important part of hypnosis is trust!¡± You fidget a bit ¨C despite all your new talents, none of this can prepare you for your nerves. You don¡¯t mind being subject to Stella¡¯s words, but even so, you need to satisfy your anxieties a little. ¡°Do you¡­do you trust me, Stella?¡± Stella sighs, but she doesn¡¯t even blink as she replies to you, checking the camera. ¡°I trust you not to sabotage my grades, and in exchange, you trust I won¡¯t sabotage yours. Prisoner¡¯s dilemma.¡± Huh. That makes sense! Stella may be mean to you, but she¡¯s no idiot. It¡¯s in her best interest to be nice to you for the duration of this project, such that Ms. Yi will not tank her grades, valuable as they are to her. She¡¯s a noble, so a scholarship shouldn¡¯t be entirely necessary¡­but maybe she wants to be a bit self-reliant, or she needs that extra boost to get into the program she desires most. And Ms. Yi¡¯s right; Stella does need to learn how to put her personal feelings aside, and she knows it too. She seems¡­ conflicted. What is it, that Stella Maris is hiding? You shouldn¡¯t dismiss Stella¡¯s talents. Stella may obsess over her grades, but they happen to be extremely good, with only Psychology as a black mark ¨C and indeed, Psychology is the only place you get to beat her. (Not that you like treating school as a competition; it feels so needlessly cruel¡­) Ms. Yi has said this is Stella¡¯s area of interest when it comes to her ambitions to become a therapist, so you expect she¡¯s going to do quite well ¨C not as well as you can, but given the fact that you¡¯re cheating, she¡¯s earned it all the more. ¡°Are you ready, Cibele?¡± Stella quickly chugs down a bit of a glass she¡¯s left for herself. You can feel the hostility toward you, through her telepathy, but her voice is smooth and secure; you suspect Ms. Yi¡¯s worries are a bit unfounded. ¡°If you are, please lie down, and get comfortable for me.¡± But, really. When she¡¯s turning on her ¡®therapist mode¡¯ and not trying to remind you constantly how she despises your very presence? It¡¯s like, night and day when Stella isn¡¯t trying to be a witch! She¡¯s actually pretty charming, when she¡¯s not prickly¡­you¡¯ve seen it before when she¡¯s with others, of course, but hearing it directly is something else. No wonder Stella¡¯s so popular. Even if the rumors about, um, her sexual prowess aren¡¯t true¡­you can imagine that for anyone but you, simply being around her is a joy. (¡­so, why you?) As you lie down on your comfy couch, as instructed, you smile as sweetly as you can up at Stella, whose overall confusion over the situation of your enhanced cuteness seems to be a great asset to you. And Stella stands over you, blonde ringlets barely held out of place of her eyes; she gets out her phone, and¡­ ¡­a spiral? Really? ¡°¡­it¡¯s just a visual aid,¡± Stella mutters, as if half in apology. Yep, looking at her phone, it¡¯s some kind of spiral animation app, and at the very least a good one. Spirals aren¡¯t really inherently hypnotic, of course, any more than a pendulum or a stopwatch is. It¡¯s more a memetic association, one which can be useful ¨C but no more so than anything else you can use as a focus, with the right subject. ¡°Please, breathe deeply for me, Cibele,¡± Stella says, her own voice taking on that gentle, yet authoritative tone. Her malice is pushed aside, in favor of professionalism and pride; that, at least, is something she cares about more than pushing you away. ¡°When I tell you to breathe in, breathe in. When I tell you to breathe out, breathe out.¡± You nod, already trying to slow your breathing. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Alright, Cibele. Follow my words, okay? Breathe in¡­¡± You breathe deeply in at Stella¡¯s instruction, holding the air in your lungs. ¡°¡­and out.¡± You exhale for Stella, all the air in your lungs expelled, and hold it that way. Just a little air hunger, and then¡­ ¡°In¡­¡± Inhale. ¡°¡­and out.¡± Exhale. ¡°Time your breathing like that, okay?¡± You nod, slowly, as you listen to Stella¡¯s instructions. ¡°Now, watch the spiral, Cibele.¡± You focus your eyes on the spiral pattern, when Stella draws your attention to it. It¡¯s more of a fractal, really. Quite pleasing, quite pretty¡­well, Stella has an eye for that kind of thing. You¡¯ve learned a lot about Stella in your attempts to understand her. She loves music, as much as you ¨C that¡¯s the reason you wanted to get to know her in the first place. She has a deep interest in fashion design of all kinds (which makes her heavy style of dress all the stranger). She¡¯s got Buddhist tendencies, and often speaks of meditation and putting aside her temptation; more than once, she¡¯s helped pull people away from unhealthy distractions. She knows tea ceremony, and loves coffee, and cooking¡­she has so much passion, Stella is just, as amazing a person as Calvina is in her own way ¨C someone who puts her all into everything she does. Even something like this, something she¡¯s only doing out of obligation to further her real goal. ¡­if only her passion could be for you. If only her eyes would turn your way. ¡°In¡­¡± In. ¡°¡­and out.¡± Out. ¡°Watching the spiral. Focusing on the spiral. As you breathe in relaxation, and breathe out tension.¡± ¡­mmm¡­maybe Stella¡¯s had hypnotherapy before? this seems¡­woah¡­kinda like something like that¡­ ¡°Watching the spiral. Focusing on the spiral. Letting your tension drain away. Letting yourself focus only on the spiral.¡± ¡­maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re helping the process along with your knowledge, but¡­mm. you think you¡¯re getting hypnotised. you think your body is growing heavier under her words, even if you¡¯re helping. stella is¡­quite good, you think. ¡°That¡¯s good. Body relaxing. Mind relaxing. Focused. Relaxed.¡± stella proceeds like that, bringing you further, drawing your focus into her. it¡¯s not exceptionally deep, you¡¯re still in control. but it¡¯s enough. it¡¯ll satisfy ms. yi, at least. stella seems surprised, too¡­why? she¡¯s not bad¡­mm. you¡¯re better, but you¡¯re cheating. stella¡¯s amazing¡­ stella leads you down, counts you down. ¡°¡­and one. Completely entranced.¡± maybe not as completely as she hopes¡­but it feels nice. being hypnotised feels kinda nice too¡­you don¡¯t want anyone to really be in control of you like future-past-you wants, not really, but¡­maybe if it¡¯s someone you trust completely, or already control¡­? you think of how hot korri looked, when entranced, and you consider: you probably look super hot right now. ¡°Does it feel good, Cibele?¡± you nod. stella bites her lip¡­mn. can¡¯t¡­skim her like this. gotta¡­focus on her ¡°Alright. Cibele, I¡¯m going to ask you something. Is that okay?¡± you nod. ¡°Cibele¡­what kind of person do you want to be?¡± ¡°mm. wanna be¡­the kind of person people listen to.¡± that¡¯s¡­true. ¡°What kind of things do you want to do?¡± ¡°wanna¡­wanna help people.¡± you manage to compartmentalize the stuff you shouldn¡¯t say to her, the bad thoughts, about how you would help them with your power. ¡°wanna make people happy, wanna spread good ideas and thoughts. wanna help the people i love. wanna make the world a better place.¡± stella pauses, for a moment. you can see in her eyes a strange feeling. is it really that strange¡­? that you wanna help? you¡¯ve said as much before¡­ it takes her a little to ask you her last question. ¡°Why are you¡­why are¡­why¡­¡± stella is trying so hard to be nice, but you can tell she doesn¡¯t want to be, in this moment. ¡°Why are you¡­so nice to people all the time? So nice to me?¡° (¡®even though i¡¯m a bitch to you¡¯, she doesn¡¯t say.) ¡°why¡­shouldn¡¯t i be nice?¡± you smile, brightly, showing your passion to the girl you love. ¡°mm. the world is such an awful place sometimes¡­people are so mean to one another, all the time, every day. being nice¡­being kind¡­it means so much. if i can make someone smile¡­¡± you don¡¯t need to lie. you¡¯d have told her when you were conscious, if she ever asked. does she¡­does she really not trust people? does she really think you need some kind of ulterior motive? what an awful life she must lead¡­ you wish you could hug her. ¡°¡­I see. Thank you for answering my questions, Cibele.¡± ¡°of course¡­¡± you want to hug her, and kiss her, and tell her everything¡¯s alright¡­ ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to count you up from 1 to 10, and when I reach 10¡­¡± ¡­Stella counts you up, but you barely need the count. You¡¯re easily able to pull yourself back into consciousness, thanks to your knowledge. ¡°Wake up, Cibele,¡± Stella says at last, clapping her hands loudly, but by that point you¡¯re already well out of trance. You nod and smile to her as you sit up, rubbing your eyes and yawning to get the last of your ¡®sleepiness¡¯ out. Stella goes to her action camera and stops the recording, removing it from the tripod and replacing it with your phone clip once more. Stella didn¡¯t try to do anything with you under trance, but¡­you did say something she didn¡¯t expect. (And you don¡¯t need your telepathy to tell that, either.) Did she think ill of you? Perhaps, that you were only kind to her to get to know her? That you were that kind of person¡­you can¡¯t really blame her for thinking that, but to think that she got such a warped image of you still makes you the slightest bit sad. ¡°That¡­that should do well enough for my grade, Cibele, thank you,¡± Stella says, barely a whisper. Indeed¡­given the advanced topic, you¡¯re sure Ms. Yi would give Stella a great grade even though she didn¡¯t go into more depth, especially since Stella did a lot of relaxation exercises in the process. ¡­and Stella averts her gaze from you, unable to know what to think, unable to dive right into the second half of this assignment ¨C still needing to lead herself up to trusting you with that. ¡°L-let¡¯s take a break. Can I have some more water before we continue?¡± (Stella really can¡¯t look you in the eye after that, huh?) ¡°Of course!¡± You flash a peace sign, and Stella can¡¯t even muster any snark ¨C you¡¯re able to quickly nip up to the kitchen to refill both your glasses. You can be happy the first half of the assignment was successful, and you didn¡¯t say anything too weird that made her question this (or you). That¡¯s a big win! (It¡¯s just¡­was it really that odd?) (What kind of world does Stella reside in, that your honesty shakes her so?)
As you pop back down the stairs and pass Stella her ice water, you can see just how shaken she really is. Now that you¡¯ve proven yourself to her, Stella seems to be deeply conflicted by your words, by your honest desire. Even when you Skim her with your telepathy, the sharpness, the hostility is no longer what it was before. Stella really didn¡¯t believe you were just nice because you were nice, rather than trying to lie or manipulate people with it, or whatever other reason she might have to believe what you believe. Without saying a word, Stella takes a drink, and swallows heavily. Trying to process her feelings ¨C trying to process herself. Scared, of the gap between what she assumed and what she saw; eyes glancing over at you nervously, as she tries to muster up those same defenses she had before. Hedgehog¡¯s dilemma, huh? Right now, that feeling of wanting to trust you ¨C even if only a little bit ¨C it¡¯s quiet. It¡¯s fragile. Stella could so easily fall back into old habits. If only something could be done to help her ¨C ¡­ ¡­wait. That little sense, that small little sense of how your Suggestion works, lights up a little within your mind. As if the imagined librarian you¡¯ve invented to explain the nature of your power is just¡­nudging you and giving a little hint. A Suggestion is a request that the subject, the target, of that spell would allow herself to fulfill. What you did with Percy suggest it¡¯s something she might not necessarily do even if she wants to, for any number of reasons ¨C as if you¡¯re simply peeling away the layers of hesitation and protection we all wrap ourselves within to keep from doing what we know is best. Stella¡¯s eyes glance back at you. Her mind is still silent, no surface words for you to grasp, and yet you can feel something threatening to drag her back down. As you can feel that she doesn¡¯t want to be the kind of person she¡¯s been. As she needs, so badly, someone to tell her that it¡¯s okay, to trust someone¡­ It might be a little teensy bit unethical, but¡­if it¡¯s something like this, can you really say no? Poor Stella really does need to believe someone is kind; if it¡¯s a power like this, isn¡¯t this so much a better use of it than what future-past-you has wanted? (It¡¯s not on camera right now, so it should be fine¡­Ms. Yi will just think Stella was truly convinced rather than just sorta halfway. It¡¯s not like you can tell you¡¯re using such a power¡­) Stella¡¯s gaze catches yours as you drink the water¡­and right then and there, you decide. You look Stella in the eyes, your brown meeting her gold. And as your lips part, ever so slightly ¨C you feel the world, the air around you, shift as your Suggestion upon Stella¡¯s mind. You don¡¯t need words, this time. As your pressure reaches out, to caress that prickly, overprotective brain of hers, and¡­soften it. Just a little. Just in this one moment, to change a part of Stella for the better, so she can love again. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Stella¡¯s pupils dilate, in a moment that feels like it lasts forever ¨C a moment that feels so wonderful, as you directly make contact with Stella¡¯s beautiful mind ¨C and after that forever, she blinks, a faint sense of confusion coming over her through your telepathy. Smoothed over, if only just; as if you¡¯d blunted those spines, enough to allow yourself to reach deeper into her beautiful brain. It¡¯s natural enough, though, that she interprets it as an extension of her own feelings: ¡­what if Cibele¡¯s not lying? That Stella is merely coming to ¡®realize¡¯ you¡¯re not lying, and truly do believe what you say ¨C and now, trying to process what that means for her. You smile, a little, despite yourself, as you sip your own glass of water. It¡¯s not going to be a simple process, you think ¨C or at least, you guess, not knowing your full potential, nor what your hypnosis can do with your crush, Stella Maris ¨C but you feel confident, that there is one thing you can ask of her. ¡°¡­do you need a hug, Stella?¡± Stella blinks, the shock obvious on her face ¨C but she mutters ¡®sure¡¯ before she can think to refuse, her need for comfort in this confusion overriding the rest of her thoughts. As she considers, for once: maybe, Cibele isn¡¯t so bad. You wrap your arms right around Stella, and squeeze her tight, feeling her warmth, her wonder, all in your arms, in your hands. Even if it¡¯s not something like ¡®love¡¯, maybe this is enough? You really, really hope you can help Stella. ¡°¡­right,¡± Stella mutters, pulling away from the hug the moment she feels it¡¯s appropriate. You can tell she feels at least a little good about it, or at least she¡¯s confused that she allowed it or didn¡¯t hate it. The confusion might help your trance, but you do hope she won¡¯t be confused by kindness much longer¡­ ¡°Maybe we should have a coffee first?¡± she offers, and immediately Stella tries to restore some of her sharper edge ¨C tries to put her defenses back up, even getting a smug grin on her face. (Still, that¡¯s not a scowl ¨C it¡¯s progress!) ¡°Make us cafe da. I¡¯m sure someone like you can handle something like that, no?¡± Okay, that was tsundere. Seems like a reaction to the confusion, but¡­it seems like a new development. One that¡¯s a result of your Suggestion and your honesty ¨C and it suggests you¡¯re making a big impact already! ¡°Of course! My siblings all say I make the best coffee, I¡¯ll go ge¨C¡± bzzt-bzzt ¡°Oh, sorry, that¡¯s my phone!¡± You quickly reach onto the table as the ringtone goes off ¨C ? We are / I¡¯ve come apart and you made me ¨C and Stella¡¯s head whips toward the spontaneous music as if she¡¯d heard a fire alarm go off! ¡°Wha¨C¡± ¡°Ol¨¢!¡° you say as you answer the call, even as your eyes swing toward Stella, because you could just feel that sense of psychic stress coming off her, without even needing to actively look for it. You talk with one of your little sisters about what they¡¯re bringing home for dinner (it¡¯s southern fried seitan!)¡­but your eye catches Stella¡¯s, and you seek out why. Of course. Of course it had to be that. The minute I start thinking I shouldn¡¯t look at her like I¡¯m seeing Marina¡¯s ghost, I hear that song, and it has to be Marina¡¯s cover, too ¨C No. No way. No, no way. Gotta, gotta turn around just in case! Gotta ask about how mom¡¯s doing, eheh, gotta not show any evidence you just read Stella¡¯s mind and discovered something amazing. Stella Maris ¨C the Stella you know, the Stella who seems rather ordinary for someone so extraordinary ¨C is the ex-girlfriend, is the ex of Marina fudging Arisa, the number one independent idol of the future of Southern Sun?! That Marina? The one whose concert you missed that day you had a fateful encounter with a truck, the one where she opened for one of her number one musical inspirations, the one who wrote the song she covered and you¡¯ve set as your ringtone for those rare occasions you actually need a phone call? That Marina? Cerulean-haired artificial idol Marina, who Stella broke up with years ago, and Stella could¡¯ve even given Marina that name ¨C no, no, focus. This isn¡¯t something to freak out about. This is¡­ this is something to make use of, you think, as you talk to your family on the phone, and begin to wonder, just how it is you might grasp Stella¡¯s head in your hands¡­
One phone call, and two cafe da later, you come down and place the cups on the table. Stella sips hers, trembling ever so faintly, and you Skim her as she does, to see if that incident with Marina¡¯s voice and song has undone your Suggestion ¨C ¡­fuck. It¡¯s really good. ¨C apparently not, thankfully! Not yet, anyway. And coffee¡¯s not the only thing you¡¯re good at, of course; you quietly smile to yourself, forgetting your guilt for just a moment as you imagine just, how good it¡¯ll feel with Stella¡­ So, you begin your own recording for Ms. Yi¡¯s assignment; placing your phone on the tripod cradle, making sure the video¡¯s framed properly, then pressing record. While you were upstairs, you grabbed your tablet reader and downloaded that fractal-spiral app Stella used, which you are now setting up as Stella gives you a skeptical glare. Oh, to be sure, you try your best to be a good person. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not above playing a trick from time to time, or fighting dirty if you have to. If it doesn¡¯t hurt anyone, or it¡¯s for the greater good¡­and you think helping Stella not hate herself or others is definitely a situation of the ¡®greater good¡¯. So you¡¯re going to beat Stella at her own game. You¡¯re going to show you why it is Ms. Yi is so fond of you. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re using the same trick I used on you,¡± Stella mutters, looking utterly unconvinced as she settles into the couch, placing down her cup. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work so easily when I just did it¡­or are you really that unoriginal?¡± Getting up on the defensive again, but ¨C you¡¯ve got this. You can pull Stella in, with the talent future-past-you has granted you. You hold the phone up over your mouth, just below your eyes, and look into Stella¡¯s own. ¡°That¡¯s right, Stella. Looking at the spiral won¡¯t hypnotise you, right?¡± That same voice again, powerful, authoritative, so different from your nerves and your hesitation. ¡°¡­right,¡± Stella says, clearly not knowing where you¡¯re going with this, even as her eyes are drawn to the tablet. ¡°That¡¯s right. Looking at the spiral won¡¯t hypnotise you. So you don¡¯t have to look at the spiral. You can just listen to my words, and not look at the spiral, and you won¡¯t be hypnotised.¡± ¡°I¡­huh¡­?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be hypnotised by the spiral, right? So just listen to my words. Think of my words. Think of my words, don¡¯t look at the spiral, don¡¯t get hypnotised. Because you don¡¯t want to be hypnotised.¡± ¡°¡­don¡¯t want¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t want to be hypnotised, so you won¡¯t be hypnotised. You don¡¯t want to look at the spiral, so you won¡¯t look at the spiral. And if you don¡¯t want to be hypnotised, you won¡¯t realize you¡¯re already being hypnotised, and you¡¯re already sinking.¡± ¡°sinking¡± ¡°You won¡¯t realize you¡¯re already sinking, and you¡¯ve been sinking since I started talking to you, I¡¯ve been hypnotising you this entire time, and with each of my words, you sink further, deeper, because you know exactly how it feels. Don¡¯t you, Stella?¡± ¡°yes¡± ¡°You know exactly how it feels to be hypnotised, so you know how to prevent it. You know if you didn¡¯t want to be hypnotised, you wouldn¡¯t be. So you must want to be hypnotised.¡± ¡°¡­yes¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Sinking for me. Sinking for my words. Sinking deeper and deeper with my words. No need for a spiral, just my voice. No need to think, just sink.¡± ¡°no need to think¡± ¡°Sink.¡± ¡°sink¡± ¡­woah. What the heck did you just do? It came naturally to you. Not the technique, but the attitude ¨C not simply something your library gave you, but you, yourself. Just¡­doing it like that¡­it was so natural, so nice, so good. And Stella¡­ Stella is slumped on the couch, eyes hazily focused on the spiral, mouth hanging open, legs splayed. Drooling. You can get a haze of shock, of desire, even faint ¨C c-could that be arousal? C-could it be¡­? You¡­kinda want to check if she¡¯s wet, but that would almost certainly cause the trance to be broken and a bunch of other bad things, so you file that under ¡®Bad Thoughts¡¯ for a later date. Either way, Stella¡¯s definitely done this before. Maybe casually, online, maybe with a partner¡­once again the people around you have a greater interest in such things than you could have imagined. (Or, did future-past-you get told by Ms. Yi? Was she, herself, tempted¡­?) You¡¯re sure you can imagine Stella and one of her partners doing such things, maybe even Marina from all those years ago ¨C no! Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! You¡¯ve got a subject right here, focus on her instead! You guide Stella further, whisper to her as she sinks, as you see her legs spead more, her lips part more, her everything just ¨C just in awe, because of your increased Charisma (and you cannot deny any longer that she finds you cuter, hotter, sexier now), able to Skim to use her own thoughts and desires against her mind as those prickly defenses quickly become no impediment to your will. Unlike Korri, Stella has a much more extensive idea of what hypnosis ¡®is¡¯, though it¡¯s certainly broad enough for you to do whatever you wish. You can also feel the sexual desire beneath her, dampened by her negative feelings toward you, but buoyed by the fact that those feelings are changing from your Suggestion and increased Charisma. That Stella¡¯s feelings, for you, are changing. She¡¯s in a volatile state, right now. That can be exploited. ¡­fudge, you aren¡¯t a great person sometimes. But, if it¡¯s Stella¡­ ¡°¡­Stella Maris,¡± you say, adopting the authority you¡¯ve come to realize she responds to. That she wishes for, deep in her heart. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°deep,¡± she practically drools out. Fudge, she¡¯s just¡­she¡¯s so sexy. Her dess can¡¯t hide her curves, her voice, her talent, she¡¯s just ¨C she¡¯s so amazing, and she¡¯s yours, if only for a time, deep for your words¡­ ¡°Does it feel good to be deep?¡± you ask, just skirting the edges of Ms. Yi¡¯s instruction for therapeutic trance only. (No matter how badly you want to cross that line.) ¡°yes,¡± Stella breathes. ¡°Will you allow me to ask you something, Stella?¡± ¡°yes¡± ¡­if it¡¯s like this, there¡¯s only one thing you can ask. ¡°¡­why do you hate me so much?¡± Even if she doesn¡¯t so much anymore, it¡¯s still an important question if you want to change her opinion ¨C one that, if it were anyone but Ms. Yi watching, the Ms. Yi you trust implicitly, you¡¯d never dare to ask. ¡°¡­just¡­you¡¯re always so nice to everyone all the time,¡± she says. ¡°even people who were mean to you just a few years ago, or are mean to you. or people who don¡¯t deserve it, or strangers. as long as they say sorry. It¡­it pissed me off¡­¡± ¡°Does it not anymore?¡± ¡°¡­dunno yet.¡± Well, it¡¯s a start. It seems kind of¡­almost petty. Hating someone for being ¡®too nice¡¯. Is that the world Stella¡¯s lived in? Is that the world in her mind? Changing it¡­maybe¡­maybe it is helping her. Maybe¡­ Maybe you can forgive yourself, if it¡¯s this. ¡°¡­is there anything you want, Stella? How do you want others to see you?¡± You¡¯re sure she¡¯s got some objective with how she acts, how she wears her feelings on her sleeve, how she tries to project herself. ¡°wanna be respected¡­wanna be seen as a proper noble. don¡¯t want anyone to think otherwise. i want the authority i deserve¡­¡± ¡­those words are vague. But they open up the truth. Within her mind¡¯s eye, when you ask that, you can see her grasping the true shape of her desire ¨C and what it is she fears. Stella¡¯s a noble, of course. You knew that. You figured she was at Verwest because it was one of the best schools, money or otherwise; twenty years ago, people would come to Verwest from as far as Old England to study. But¡­ But Stella¡¯s not rich. Far from it, in fact. It¡¯s not a story that¡¯s well-known outside the jet set, it seems, but the value of the Maris land ¨C that which gave them a ¡®noble¡¯ title on the establishment of Southern Sun ¨C crashed rapidly in Stella¡¯s childhood, with estimates of how long the shores of the islands would last before being swallowed beneath the rising tide quickly proving overly optimistic. Stella isn¡¯t just ¡®not rich¡¯ ¨C she¡¯s significantly less well off than your family is, working part time simply to make ends meet. Stella fell in love with a girl from another ¡®noble¡¯ family ¨C truly, madly, deeply ¨C but one fatal misunderstanding, and Stella was not only alone, but doomed to obscurity forever¡­unless she took her studies seriously. You, yourself, a reflection of something like ¡®hope¡¯¡­something Stella could never allow herself to have again. So bitter, so hurt. You never imagined Stella carried such a pain inside her, so well she hid her wounds ¨C the only outward sign her manner of dress, as if daring the world to deny her a place in it¡­and the passion with which she pursued her studies, that she might prove to the world she¡¯s worthy of its love. But you can help her. She¡¯s not alone anymore. ¡°¡­does it make you happy, though?¡± you ask, after processing all those Skimmed images in a single moment. ¡°¡­huh¡­?¡± ¡°Trying to project this authority, trying to be powerful, trying to make sure no one sees the real you.¡± (That¡­should be something you could have just inferred. Hopefully neither Stella nor Ms. Yi notices.) ¡°Doesn¡¯t that push people away from you?¡± ¡°¡­does it¡­?¡± Stella blinks, hesitantly. As you try to speak to her, within something that resembles her soul, deep within hypnotic trance. ¡°People should like you for what you are. Who you are. What you want, what you need, what you think and desire.¡± After all, you do. For all that you had that childish conception Stella might have a crush on you, it wasn¡¯t for nothing that you had such feelings for her. Physical attraction alone isn¡¯t just what you wanted, it was¡­more. If she was rejected, even by such an amazing person, it¡¯s not her failing, is it? Not when it was never her actions in the first place. You almost want to cry, for the sake of Stella¡¯s pain. But you don¡¯t. ¡°¡­i don¡¯t understand¡­¡± she whispers. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Stella. I¡¯m here for you. Would you like me to hold your hand?¡± You think, for a moment, she¡¯s going to refuse you. But she doesn¡¯t. ¡°¡­okay.¡± You reach out, and take Stella¡¯s hand in yours. You lower the tablet, and smile, squeezing that warm hand tightly. Stella smiles back ¨C the brightest expression you¡¯ve ever seen her give you. You¡¯ve done so much for her¡­ ¡°You can be loved, you deserve love, and it¡¯s okay to be loved.¡± ¡°okay.¡± You hold her hand like that, for a little while. You¡¯re sure Ms. Yi will be more than satisfied. But, you need to do this for your own sake, too¡­ And the feelings are mixed up enough that you can still exploit them. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you, Stella. I¡¯m going to give you a trance trigger. Is that okay?¡± Skimming reveals her reluctance, but¡­your progress is enough to let her relent. ¡°okay.¡± ¡°Can you repeat after me?¡± ¡°mhm.¡± You brush Stella¡¯s hand with your fingers, to help keep the words from hitting her the wrong way. ¡°If we sink, we lift our love.¡± Stella can¡¯t know that you¡¯ve Skimmed her. Only the briefest sensation of hesitation, before even her subconscious realizes you could never know the truth of that association, of that song Marina loved and sang for her ¨C and remembers the good memories, too, of the one she loved. ¡°if we sink, we lift our love¡­¡± All those associations she has, you¡¯re now using them for your benefit. For her benefit. Because you¡¯re helping her. (¡­maybe if you say that enough, you¡¯ll believe it.) ¡°When I tell you ¡®If we sink¡¯, I want you to say¡­¡± ¡°we lift our love.¡± ¡°Exactly. And you will sink. Just like you have now. If we sink¡­¡± ¡°we lift our love.¡± Stella smiles. You¡¯ve managed to flow around the negative associations, and toward the positive ones ¨C the positive memories of love, of desire, of shared moments and erotic thoughts. Not to mention her personal interests. All of it tied together to you, to your power over her. (You really are cheating, huh?) You can already tell, that she¡¯s got an anxiety about what she¡¯ll think when she resurfaces, but you decide to push a little further. (Ms. Yi won¡¯t mind, right?) ¡°Alright, Stella, you can forget this trance if you wish. You can let your worries melt.¡± ¡°okay.¡± You can tell Stella¡¯s kind of relieved by the idea. She¡¯s not sure what her conscious mind will think¡­poor girl. ¡°Good girl,¡± you slip in, and Stella smiles. (Okay, that was on purpose.) ¡°Let¡¯s wake you up now, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± The smile on her face, on her beautiful hypnotised face, is so perfect, that you almost regret having to stop. You count Stella up, and as you clap, she blinks, and blushes a little. Seems she didn¡¯t forget all of it~! ¡°How do you feel, Stella?¡± you ask, suddenly nervous that her conscious mind might have a negative reaction. Stella looks down at herself, and your telepathy reveals a complex blend of emotions ¨C positive, but conflicted. An entire world has unraveled for her under your words and voice, and she doesn¡¯t know what to think¡­ Stella¡¯s not¡­hateful or disgusted, though. You can tell that you¡¯ve helped lift a burden from her ¨C helped her, in some small way, see a world of kindness as something that doesn¡¯t need to be responded to with rejection. You¡¯ve¡­you¡¯ve helped someone even if you¡¯re not entirely innocent or pure about it, you can still be happy¡­ ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m okay,¡± Stella whispers, trying to downplay things. ¡°You were¡­you were surprisingly kind.¡± ¡°I just want to help,¡± you say, flashing a peace sign at Stella! (¡­okay, that¡¯s a lie. You wanted to, and still want to, do so much more than simply ¡®help¡¯.) ¡°I see. Well¡­¡± Your subject brushes herself off ¨C as if she¡¯s trying to dust the cobwebs from her mind ¨C even as she¡¯s unable to entirely give up on her pride in just one day. Or, maybe¡­¡±That was surprisingly alright. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± You giggle a bit, unable to keep from the giddy, warm feeling you get from being able to show Stella what you are, being able to connect with her, being able to show her a new world¡­ ¡°A-and perhaps I wouldn¡¯t mind repeating the experience.¡± ! A-ah, really?! Such a powerful turnaround already? Is it your Charisma? Is it your skills? Is it just being able to show Stella a new side of you!? Y-you don¡¯t know how to take it, your cheeks are red¡­ ¡°If you like,¡± you say, laughing nervously, even as you flash a peace sign. ¡°Cibele Epeli Imanis, hypnotherapist, is here for you!¡± Stella says nothing in return, but she picks up her coffee and sips, as if to find the words¡­ ¡°¡­the coffee is good, by the way.¡± ¡­that might be the most honest Stella has been in years. And this is just with your opening skills. What can you do with more¡­? ¡°Well, there is one more thing I should do,¡± you say. I-it might be a bit much, but¡­you can¡¯t very well install a trigger and not test it, right? ¡°Hmph. I need to get home soon, but¡­¡± Somehow, Stella can¡¯t resist. ¡°Maybe a small something wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± You smile at your subject. At the one you¡¯ve changed, you¡¯ve helped. (The one you want, so badly, so deep in your core.) ¡°If we sink ¨C¡± ¡°¨C we lift our love,¡± Stella says, and her eyes go blank. Her lips part. Her legs spread. As if you¡¯d cut her strings. Fffffuuuuuuuuuc-er, fudge that¡¯s hot. Stella¡¯s back in trance, and¡­and she¡¯s so sexy, and she¡¯s so vulnerable, and you can feel the feelings toward you growing more and more¡­fond? It¡¯s like you¡¯ve made a 180, and by tying yourself to previous crushes and lusts and fetishes, you¡¯ve become¡­appealing? ¡­no. Not just ¡®appealing¡¯. As your telepathic touch reaches for Stella, the spines part for your ¡®hand¡¯, and you can feel a sense of desire. She¡¯s dated, and slept with, plenty of women over the past few years ¨C but her emotions have always been closed, like this, and someone like you¡­.physically, emotionally, mentally, you¡¯ve become someone she wants. Ba-thump. ¡°¡­are you attracted to me, Stella Maris?¡± you ask, bringing your voice back to hypnotic authority. ¡°¡­i¡­¡± Stella sways, a little, in her tranced state. ¡°¡­you somehow¡­i don¡¯t know how, but you¡¯re so much cuter than you were last week, and¡­and maybe you¡¯re actually as nice as you act, you¡¯re not just trying to¡­project¡­and now i wonder if you have girlfriends of your own, and¡­¡± Ba-thump. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± you say. ¡°¡­really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± Stella just¡­stares into space some more. Her lips are slightly parted, such a pretty glossy pink, and they look so soft. Stella is utterly entranced, under your thrall, so sexy. So lovely. So perfect. You want to kiss her. You want, to take this moment, to take this single moment and reach her. You know you shouldn¡¯t, no matter how much she in this moment is thinking the same thing ¨C no matter how, in her mind, she wonders, if everything she knew before was wrong, if she might want to touch you, and do more ¨C Fudge. You can¡¯t help it. You can¡¯t help it at all. Her mind pulses with the possibilities of your Charisma-enhanced beauty, of the truths you¡¯ve revealed to her, of what you did to her mind so effortlessly ¨C and your lips meet hers. Lips against lips, for the briefest of moments. She¡¯s so soft, her lips are soft, her cheeks are soft, her everything is amazing. Stella Maris, the girl you¡¯ve wanted so much, is here, being kissed, by you. Hypnotised like this, she can¡¯t do much but allow it. Enough for you to taste her, your tongue settling along the taste left upon her lips and tongue, and¡­you¡­ you just had your first kiss! With a hypnotised girl! ¡­that¡­you¡¯d never thought about it, but that seems like an amazing first kiss¡­ You pull away, after a moment. Your breath is hot, and your body is filled with desire ¨C but you¡¯re unable to bring yourself to do anything more. Not like this. Not without asking her, talking to her. Even this was too much, even this was, no matter how warm the feelings within you are ¨C ¡°¡­wake up, Stella,¡± you whisper, so quiet you aren¡¯t even sure she can hear, as you tremble with the realization of what you¡¯ve done. And Stella wakes up, immediately. She doesn¡¯t get startled and jump back, or yell at you for doing this to her, or anything like that. The possibility doesn¡¯t even occur to her. Instead, she just¡­touches her lips. Touches where you kissed her. You, Cibele Epeli Imanis, the girl she ¨C only a short while ago ¨C hated completely and utterly. The air fills with silence, but it¡¯s easy to see her thoughts. No hatred. No desire to push away. Only confusing, a bit of fear, and not knowing whether she could ever go back to the way things were. And after a moment, Stella just¡­looks aside, and retrieves her camera and phone to her purse. Trying to avert her gaze, yet her face is filled with a blush, and her thoughts keep looping back around toward the kiss. Your kiss. Your kiss as she allowed herself to be entranced, and couldn¡¯t even bring herself to push away, even as she never asked ¨C even as you saw that desire in her mind, and wordlessly answered it without thinking. ¡°¡­sorry. It¡¯s late. And your family will be here soon, right?¡± Stella says. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll see you in class, okay?¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± You find yourself touching your own lips, hesitantly, with your fingertips. Stella gives you one last look, brow furrowed, as if she should try and remember what she felt of you before ¨C but she just walks away. Out of the basement, out of the house. Without saying another word. Leaving you alone, as you touch your hand to your lips, still tinged with the taste of Stella Maris, and finally realize just how many lines you¡¯ve crossed, all at once, without even considering whether you should. As your desires overtook you, completely, and you let it happen. What¡­ what did you do? ¡­ ¡­ ¡­
For your achievement of your first kiss, you have gained 1 Universal skill point!
Cibele Epeli Imanis ???: The Hypnogamer (Brilliant Star) Vitality: 1 Strength: 1 Dexterity: 1 Intelligence: 2 Adaptability: 1 Charisma: 2 Skill Points: 1 Gamer System v1.0, all rights reserved Missing modules: Observe, Level, Skill, Book, Quest, Experience
â…¢.1: What an Experience Sunday, May 9th, Reiwa 42. You have spent the rest of your weekend in an utter daze. You practically sleepwalk through fencing practice, and the rest of your coursework. You find yourself spacing out at mealtime. Thinking of that kiss, and the experience you¡¯ve witnessed. A lesson you will never forget. On Friday, you woke up wondering how you could ever resist temptation¡­and you went to bed having made a girl kiss you in hypnotic trance. Your lips met Stella¡¯s, and they were so soft, and so wonderful, and they were open for you, all because you saw something in her mind ¨C something you never should¡¯ve seen, and something you created with powers that are capable of subverting a person¡¯s will. ¡­and even after she awakened from trance, she didn¡¯t hate it. That almost makes it worse, really. If you didn¡¯t have (or didn¡¯t use) your telepathy, your Thought Skimmer? You could tell yourself you were an awful person who forced it on her. But you didn¡¯t. And you know she was attracted to you, and still is. Sure, there¡¯s plenty of time for her thoughts to change, but¡­you don¡¯t expect they will that much. In order to prevent Ms. Yi from catching on to what you¡¯ve done ¨C to prevent her from knowing what you did, not knowing what you can do, what you can see, that the kiss wasn¡¯t refused, was even reciprocated ¨C you¡¯ve already split up the videos so just the ¡®therapeutic¡¯ part is there. (A-although, you¡¯ve saved both of the other videos too, the Korri bit and the second segment of Stella¡¯s trance, just in case. N-not that you should show Ms. Yi either of those!) ¡­but, hmn. Maybe you¡¯re looking at it the wrong way. It¡¯s not like Stella hated it. Maybe she¡¯ll come back on Monday and punch you in the face or something for what you¡¯ve done, but if she doesn¡¯t¡­what¡¯s the harm? You think, maybe you can forgive yourself this, even if you¡¯re scared that you won¡¯t stop here. That you¡¯ll never be able to resist temptation ¨C
Induction T1: I Want The Control. You gain the ability to make much more deep-seated changes using your hypnosis, pushing the limits of what is considered possible. You may make them perform actions they are ordinarily opposed to, or go so far as to change deep-seated parts of their personality, such as their sexual orientation. The exact limits depend on your Charisma, how many times you have hypnotised them before, their vulnerability to hypnosis, and other similar factors. Requires Instant Hypnotherapist.
¨C like that, yeah. Hot fudge sundaes¡­ For now, maybe you should at least try to enjoy it? You know you¡¯ll need to meet greater challenges sooner or later, but¡­to be honest, it bothers you when there¡¯s stories about someone gaining power and they don¡¯t enjoy it, at least a little. There are degrees, of course¡­and maybe you¡¯re already going too far (even as you imagine the taste of Stella¡¯s lips again), but you don¡¯t intend to wallow in sorrow just because you have these powers. E-even if you might¡¯ve already been a bit naughty. ¡­you just hope future-past-you doesn¡¯t keep teasing you so hard, or you might really cross a line¡­ As you settle into the basement couch once again to rest, you consider your schedule. Not knowing what kind of timetable you have, you go on the assumption that future-past-you would have been substantially more forthcoming if things were life-or-death within a week or two. No, you think ¨C knowing yourself, if perhaps not as well as you¡¯d like ¨C that you should stick to your current grinding schedule for the moment. Helping out Calvina at fencing class, seeing Irma and Rita at programming class, and the Debate Club¡­if nothing else, you¡¯ve met a few new cuties! The amazing swordmistress Enkhtuya Enkhjargal. The icy, self-superior ¡®Empress¡¯ Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice. The soft, playful, gentle Irma Suikkari. And the brilliant, dazzling, amazing Rita Sternbach¡­ (N-not to discount Stella, or anything¡­but will she still feel the same way on Monday morning, or will she turn away from you once more? It¡¯s best not to treat that kiss like a guarantee.) Hmn, but. It¡¯s a heck of a coincidence that you¡¯ve met all these cuties so recently, isn¡¯t it? But then. Calvina was surely planning to introduce Enks to you for ages, and Milia is someone you consciously chose to meet. So it¡¯s really only Irma and Rita that¡¯s such a coincidence ¨C and you haven¡¯t seen anything that suggests they¡¯re anything but, just yet. (¡­maybe you should be a bit open-minded, though? You¡¯re not about to suddenly start believing in horoscopes or blood types, but with what you¡¯ve witnessed using the Gamer, you can¡¯t rule any possibilities out anymore.) In terms of grinding, though, now that you have an idea of how? Within the next couple of weeks, you should probably figure out how to get all of your six attributes to 2. Spending time around talented cuties seems to help, so you¡¯ll probably just¡­toss yourself into something that seems appealing and figure out what happens. Even so, you also want to know how fast you can get to 3 ¨C to being greater than human, little as you understand what that means. (¡­the prospect of meeting more cuties, admittedly, also has its appeal ¨C but for now, you¡¯ve got plenty on your plate, right? Y-you haven¡¯t even, um, learned whether most of them would even be interested, so you shouldn¡¯t measure your cultured egg white before you pour it or anything!) You don¡¯t wanna waste too much time, but¡­you were most likely in a coma or otherwise incapacitated for a while, and future-past-you suggests you had had some time to develop your abilities after that. Unless you do something really stupid, you¡¯ve got some ways to go before you have a time crunch; you¡¯d be willing to bet future-past-you has more notes for that contingency. Besides¡­your perverted future-past-self rewarded you for that kiss, so¡­ pursuing cuties isn¡¯t the worst. Nor¡­nor is kissing them. Or going further. Or bringing them under. Or seeing Stella¡¯s beautiful golden eyes fade for you, even as you touch her lips with yours¡­ (even as you fall asleep, and dream of the possibilities before you.) (You dream of Stella. You dream of making her even more attracted to you, turning her sexuality entirely toward you. Of making her love you even more than she used to hate you. Of teasing her relentlessly, but leaving her unable to act on it, until she begs on her knees for you.) (Such a beautiful face should be hypnotised whenever possible.) (You dream of Korri. Sweet, beautiful, wonderful Korri. Your precious Korri, your best friend in the whole wide world¡­you dream of helping her be the person she¡¯s wanted to be, and of making her attracted to you at the same time. It¡¯d make her happy, you know that. And she¡¯d be so, so happy¡­) (You dream of making her a pet, an eager pet with dog ears and a leash. And having her wake up, and never realize it, until you bring back all the memories with a single word.) (Or maybe just start with making her love hypnosis as much as you do.) (You dream of Ms. Yi. But¡­not in the same way. You want her to respect you, you even want her to love you. You don¡¯t mind being hypnotised, although you don¡¯t think you¡¯re that submissive¡­still, if it¡¯s Ms. Yi, maybe it¡¯s okay¡­? You can trust her, right?) (Maybe you should tell her¡­about your fetish. Would she agree with you and future-past-you, that girls are more beautiful when they¡¯re hypnotised?) Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. (You dream of Calvina. Of managing to ingratiate yourself to her, making her comfortable with you¡­of being with her together in the showers, licking the sweat from her body, seeing her embarrassed face and hearing her hushed protests.) (You so badly want to get to know her better. That stoic, stern face deserves the joy of trance.) (¡­you even dream of Rita, of all cuties. Maybe you¡¯re just inspired by her passion and genius. Like Ms. Yi, as pretty as she is, what¡¯s really cute about her is what¡¯s inside her head. You do have partly that same kind of feeling as Ms. Yi, wanting to be respected and loved¡­but the dominant desire is strong, too.) (You dream of raising your Intelligence, and being able to think and work on her level. Of helping her make the AGI she so desires¡­or better yet, helping her become that AGI. If you created a Gamer system, you can do that, right?) (Just what would an entranced Rita Sternbach look like?) (With all these thoughts running through your head, you¡¯re so very glad you decided to sleep on the couch. And once more, as it has so many times this weekend, your hand roams between your legs¡­)
Monday, May 10th, Reiwa 42. When you wake up, your alarm slowly building in volume as you stare up at the basement ceiling, your status screen hovers in front of your face. Ah. Yes. You have a skill point, don¡¯t you. Once more upon the couch, less comfortable than your nice bunk bed¡­but you really want to get used to this, since you expect that not doing so will cause¡­problems. Sleeping on top of a bunk bed with a much younger sibling means it¡¯s really not a good idea. (If only you had your own flat¡­) Your dreams just get worse and worse, too¡­maybe the Gamer system gives you some feedback from your noosphere, or whatever? You hope future-past-you isn¡¯t trying to influence you through your dreams, too¡­even as she so easily could. With the capabilities you have, she could so easily control you without needing to try, with your free will merely being an illusion she allows you¡­ (But if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it, right?) Your eyes flit to the descriptions of the various branches under the skill trees, and the descriptions of the skills therein. (The branch descriptions each come with their own tease from future-past-you, of course; no doubt, each and every skill you could pick has a teasing comment of its own.) There¡¯s so many skills you can use¡­ If you think strategically? Based on what you¡¯ve been doing so far, you think Cold Reading and Thought Delver might be good extensions of your current abilities and how you¡¯ve been using them ¨C telepathy is really amazing! Ooh, or maybe because of the way Memetics skills work, You¡¯ll Trust Me might be beneficial early! But the effect isn¡¯t huge¡­Danger Sense and Charm Person might be useful for trying to build up your injustice-fighting repertoire, but they¡¯re not as directly useful and you don¡¯t know that you¡¯ll be starting anytime soon¡­. Y-you definitely¡­shouldn¡¯t think of I Want The Control. Or how you could turn Korri gay with it, or anything. Nope, no, definitely not¡­ But, there¡¯s a lot of them¡­and so many different ways they can be used. You just¡­have to pick! You have to pick anything but that skill, anything but that, no matter how much you want to. You stare blankly at the skill trees. You¡¯re sure you can resist temptation. You¡¯re sure you can take anything but I Want The Control. Anything else, anything at all. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­fudge. You can¡¯t help it. You look at that skill. Fudge, you don¡¯t even like Radiohead! Except like, um. Three songs. Including that one. Fudge. ¡­you just¡­you want to spread your love. You want to help. You want to change. You did so much to help Stella even though you were so limited, and with this, you can do so much more with her, and with¡­with Korri¡­ ¡­even though, what you really want, is something Korri would never ask for, and never forgive if you even tried¡­ Ugh. You¡¯re so selfish¡­ It¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t more points to get, in the long run, and¡­it¡¯s a prerequisite for other things you, um, probably don¡¯t need as a heroine¡­s-so you don¡¯t even have that excuse¡­ but, your heart cries out for it. It burns with that desire, to see Stella¡¯s face like that again ¨C to see Korri¡¯s face like that again. And any other girl you might cross paths with, fall in love with. To touch their minds, their brains, as intimately as you can. It¡¯s an incomparable experience to anything you¡¯d imagined, simply seeing it from the outside. Even without future-past-you, it feels¡­fated. (you know you¡¯re just making excuses, but, you truly can¡¯t resist.) ¡°M-mouuuuuuu¡­¡± Closing your eyes, you prod the red skill icon with your finger. Centre branch, right above Instant Hypnotherapist, lighting up the silhouette of an eye with the spiral of a hypnotic geas, drawing in a subject¡¯s eyes and soul. And when the skill lights up, just as before, future-past-you rubs it in ¨C knowing what is done cannot be undone.
Good¡­good. You¡¯ve got a taste for it now, don¡¯t you? Hypnosis¡­all those methods of control, and this is still the best. Subtle and intimate and lovely. This way, you can make Korrigan yours, the lovely girlfriend you always wanted. Any objections with regard to sexuality are obsolete.
¡­you want to cry. But you don¡¯t. It¡¯s too late for you¡­and you¡¯ve already masturbated twice to the control of their will alone. But¡­but you can at least make her happy¡­ (right?) ¡­you sigh, listening to your alarm¡¯s choice of wake-up music. You¡¯re ignoring the bulk of the problem, really. Part of you wants to cling to that hope that your future-past-self is not really you. And the possibility still exists that she was¡­subverted, somehow, by someone with much worse aims for you than to help save the city from an unknown yet doubtlessly terrible fate. Telling yourself that you¡¯re being forced into this¡­even knowing you aren¡¯t¡­ But you can¡¯t. Not for long. Because it¡¯s definitely you. Part of it is just the way she writes ¨C the pattern of speech, the idioms, the names of skills, even¡­even, well, the color of your skill trees, for fudge¡¯s sake. ¡°Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams¡­red, gold, and green,¡± you mutter alongside Boy George. Takes on a whole new meaning with the colors of your skills, huh? ¡°Mouuuu¡­¡± you cry out, rolling around again. It¡¯s more than just that, of course. It¡¯s that the way you talk, the way you think, has been shifting closer to future-past-you¡­ You have to wonder about that. Is it because she¡¯s been priming you to do just that? To think so callously, of nothing but your own pleasure? Then, in that case, how did she get to this point? Is it just a consequence of your increased Intelligence, or an effect of the Gamer system? ¡­or maybe it¡¯s just¡­ what happens when you experience true beauty for the first time. You¡¯re not¡­religious, really. You fast at Ramadan, but that¡¯s more out of habit than anything. You don¡¯t eat pork, but who does? But you don¡¯t pray, you¡¯re unrepentantly queer, you¡¯d never even think of spending a Friday anywhere but with a cutie on the town (or at least with Korrigan). And it goes without saying that no other holy book or creed has ever really grabbed you. But¡­ After seeing the beauty of Korrigan and Stella¡¯s hypnotised faces¡­ You think you understand what it is, to have a ¡®religious experience¡¯. That¡¯s the kind of thing that changes people. You may be able to do it consensually, morally. You may be able to avoid temptation to do bad things, to give in to all those Bad Thoughts this Gamer thing has placed in your mind. You¡¯re no monster, not yet, and you have the ability to decide for yourself what you become. But, from here on¡­ You really do want the control. You¡¯ll never truly be able to do without. And you¡¯ll never forget.

Part ¢ó: Red, Gold, & Green

¡­these girls, who fell into future-past-you¡¯s hands. Stella, Calvina, Korri¡­and whoever else she might¡¯ve met, who fell into her power. What were they, to her? The way future-past-you talks makes it all sound so sexual, so passionate. And yet, it almost feels like they¡¯re being treated as nothing more than objects to collect. Just a checklist, just another harem, revolving around her and having little personality of their own. Is that truly the case? Would future-past-you become so callous? And if that¡¯s the case, why bother with the ¡®save the world¡¯ taiyaki at all? Is it simply a matter that she doesn¡¯t think you¡¯d take it seriously enough without some other motive? Or¡­ (you touch your lips, imagining Stella¡¯s taste once again.) are they merely dancing on future-past-you¡¯s strings, their former attributes irrelevant? Are they merely emotional support, to the heroine who can do anything and everything? Or are they something more ¨C are they her angels, in the darkest of skies? Capable of fighting alongside her against whatever threat was so dire that she was willing to fudge up the entire timeline to merely have a chance of fixing it? What is it, that future-past-you wants? And why won¡¯t she tell you? ¡­ ¡­you hope it won¡¯t be too late before you find out. ¡°Even angels fight¡­¡± you mutter, alongside your playlist, reaching up to the ceiling with your hand, trying to grasp at heaven. (as you touch your lips more. a lesson you¡¯ll never forget¡­)
Hypnosis Branches: Psychology, Induction, Memetics
Psychology allows you to read the emotions and intents of others, as well as manipulate them to a degree outside of trance. Understanding people is the first step to controlling them. You¡¯ve learned so much already, more than you even know, but with this you can do so much more. This can do so much to help people¡­and make them yours.
Induction allows you to hypnotise others and manipulate them more effectively under trance. Such a lovely thing, hypnosis. So many people believe it¡¯s just a fairy tale, a flight of fancy. But it¡¯s real. And you can do so much more than even the best hypnotherapists in the world. And girls¡­girls are so much hotter when they¡¯re hypnotised. You¡¯ll never want to go back once you have a taste¡­
Memetics allows you to spread ideas that infect others, slowly but passively subverting their will. Memes¡­the DNA of the ¨C you know what, no, forget that! You know about the science of memetics ¨C of ideas that spread through people¡¯s minds, and convince them of such horrible things. That we continue clinging to the ideas that perpetuated thousands of years ago of what should and shouldn¡¯t be, let alone the things people were convinced of before the Collapse. With this¡­you can change that. And have so very much fun as a side effect, too.
â…¢.2: From the Aqueous Star with Love When you got to the Verwest Academy that morning, one thing became blatantly obvious: Stella is avoiding you. She was in your morning classes for today, and she hadn¡¯t said a word. Just¡­stolen glances, you think. It¡¯s hard to tell, but what slim chances you get to reach out with your telepathy are deeply conflicted. As you¡¯d well expect. ¡­you know your reaction should be guilt, but really, the only thing you can think is that it¡¯s kind of cute. What she was before could qualify as ¡®tsundere¡¯, although a substantially darker application of the term than you get in anime¡­but now, she really does seem to be playing that role! Well, there¡¯s plenty of time to worry about that later. Right now¡­ ¡°Mou, Korri, funnels make perfect tactical sense!¡± You have more important things to worry about! Korri may be the same age as you, but she¡¯s a year behind ¨C so lunch is the time you get to spend together at sixth form. It¡¯s not every day, of course, but it¡¯s most days; it¡¯s pretty unusual for you not to be glued at the hip at lunch time. (Korri feels safer when you¡¯re around, after all.) It¡¯s a time when you two get to talk about the important things! ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, wouldn¡¯t it be more efficient to launch the drones directly from the mothership, rather than rely on piloted machines to deliver them?¡± says Korri. For once, Korri¡¯s not in a hoodie; instead, she¡¯s got a beat-up old band t-shirt that must¡¯ve been printed years ago¡­hey, wait, The Electric Lady? Isn¡¯t that on the nose again?! W-well, never mind that, you need to defend your honor! ¡°Mega-particle weapons are really strong! You can¡¯t just have them aim directly at the battleship! Mou, don¡¯t you remember how Char blew up all those ships in the Battle of Loum?! With that big anti-ship rifle and everything! Now if you make that a beam rifle, you¡¯re in real trouble!¡± Korri sips on her tumbler, and she looks markedly unconvinced. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was a very realistic depiction of space combat, Cibby.¡± The two of you are seated in a corner of one of the school¡¯s many enclosed gardens ¨C there¡¯s plenty of cloud cover, but the rain isn¡¯t coming for a while yet, giving you a refreshingly not-completely-horribly-hot sensation for once, so you decided to make use of it. Some say the gardens are one of the seven mysteries of the Verwest Academy! And if you pass by the statue of Yurika-sama, you¡¯ll be blessed by the goddess of yuri ¨C no, wait, you¡¯re making that up! (Although you do see couples make out here every now and again, including girls¡­) ¡°Minovsky particles! I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s the Minovsky particles!¡± ¡°Visual range is still a long way in space, you know. Anyway, these psychics ¨C¡± ¡°Not psychics, Newtypes!¡° Korri sticks her tongue out! ¡°I still don¡¯t get the difference.¡± ¡°Look, psychics are clearly distinct from Newtypes, it says so in the novels! They¡¯re beyond any ordinary psychic phenomena, which of course, are totally real and exist!¡± ¡­wait, right, no, Korri doesn¡¯t know that. ¡°Uh¡­it was the Showa era, I guess?¡± ¡°¡­right.¡± ¡°Okay, so the idea is ¨C¡± Aaaaaaaaaaaaand then you see it. A flash of blonde ringlets, a large bottle of water, corset and petticoats (are you using those terms right?) and a golden glance your way stepping into the garden¡­ A meeting of the eyes. No words in Stella¡¯s thoughts, but a glance, a blush, a conflicted feeling. You wave at Stella, but she turns away, and quickly settles into a corner as far away from you as possible¡­but still giving you glances as she unpacks her lunch. ¡°¡­is Stella still giving you the cold shoulder?¡± Korri asks, peeking over your own substantially-less-cold-shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s unusual to see her alone as much as she has been lately, you know?¡± ¡°Has she?¡± You hadn¡¯t noticed, but maybe you weren¡¯t paying attention to the things Korri does. ¡°I guess usually she¡¯s got a girlfriend or two around, at least. Or Nazakawa-kun.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen her with Milia a fair bit ¨C but I think they fight a lot? I don¡¯t know, no one else seems to be talking about it.¡± Korri hums, wrapping her arms around your back. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me how it went yet.¡± ¡°It went¡­um, surprisingly well? I think? I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± At least, the glances she¡¯s giving you are different, but what you did to her¡­you wouldn¡¯t be surprised if, the morning after, she decided she didn¡¯t like it after all. You don¡¯t really know how effective your powers are in the first place, let alone when you crossed those lines. ¡°Ehe. I think she might not dislike me as much? But, her acting like this is a bit worrying¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out okay,¡± Korri whispers. A-ah, there¡¯s something weirdly sensual about this, but ¨C but surely, that¡¯s just in your own head, right? ¡°If she¡¯s important to you, if you want her to be close to you, it¡¯ll work out. I just know it!¡± You¡­if it¡¯s Korri, you can almost believe it. When she tells you, to do your best, you feel as if you can do anything¡­even if the reality falls short, you still take such great strength in her friendship toward you. Maybe you might want too much, but¡­she¡¯s given so much. No matter what, she¡¯s always there to stick up for you ¨C even when she knows you¡¯re wrong. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. (¡­maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to tell her about that kiss.) ¡°It¡¯s only natural, Cibby. I think people are noticing you a bit more!¡± ¡°I guess a bit?¡± There have been more glances tossed your way, but it¡¯s hard to know what they mean. Charisma 2 is supposed to be ridiculously pretty, but that isn¡¯t going to undo your reputation overnight. (Or maybe you just have so little Adaptability, you can¡¯t tell? It seems like it governs ¡®social awareness¡¯, at least.) ¡°Maybe Stella¡¯s noticing me, but¡­I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good thing yet.¡± (Your lips tingle as you think of that kiss ¨C and in that very same moment, you swear you can see Stella touching her fingers to her lips, and linger there.) (Ah, is she thinking of you? How does she feel about that kiss? If she was afraid, would she move? She ¨C) ¡°Ah, Cibby, you were saying? About Newtypes?¡± ¡°O-oh, right!¡± Good, a distraction! W-wouldn¡¯t wanna stare too much! You cross your arms and huff confidently ¨C it¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve talked about this with Korri, but a reminder never hurts. ¡°Ahem. Founded under the philosophies of Zeon Deikun, Contolism consists of two distinct yet interconnected components ¨C ¡®Ere-ism¡¯, the inherent sacredness of the planet Earth and humanity¡¯s destiny to leave it behind; and ¡®Side-ism¡¯, the material and political independence of the space colonies from the Earth Federation, in order to achieve this end! ¡°Reaching space is merely the next step in humanity¡¯s evolution ¨C and from the sea of stars will emerge a ¡®new type¡¯ of humanity, one capable of perfect communication and perfect understanding! No longer needing words to communicate, and able to comprehend perfectly the thoughts and emotions of others, such an existence would bring an end to concepts like ¡®war¡¯ or ¡®hatred¡¯, and ¨C¡± ¡°That just sounds like psychics with extra steps, Cibby.¡± ¡°Mouuuuuuu¡­it¡¯s an ideal, really.¡± You sigh to yourself. Korri really doesn¡¯t get it, huh? ¡°The Universal Century of Gundam is defined by war. Even if they kept failing at it, even if they weren¡¯t good people, villains like Char Aznable or Haman Karn still held somewhere in their hearts the hope that human beings could come to understand one another if they left the Earth behind. Right to the very end, there were people who were trying to come together in perfect understanding, whether they had psychic powers or not ¨C even if they never managed to reach it.¡± ¡°But you need the psychic powers to be a Newtype in the first place, right?¡± You shake your head. ¡°Looking at the powers is missing the point ¨C as countless leaders had, seeking to use it for war. It¡¯s not a supernatural power that makes a Newtype, it¡¯s the willingness to pursue that ideal.¡± ¡°I see¡­so it¡¯s a forest for the trees thing, then. That makes sense! But if their entire existence is defined by the needs of a company that sells war toys, isn¡¯t that very hope doomed to failure from the start?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to take that up with Namco Bandai, which you¡¯d need a time machine for¡­¡± But Korri giggles a bit. ¡°It would be nice, though, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡®Perfect communication¡¯?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± You rub the back of your head. ¡°I can think of more than a few misunderstandings I¡¯d like to fix.¡± Your powers¡­¡¯understanding¡¯ is something they¡¯ve brought you, but Thought Skimmer is quite a long way from perfect. And ¡®perfect communication¡¯¡­do your powers enable that, as well? You¡¯re not sure mind control counts as ¡®perfect communication¡¯, if it¡¯s just molding another¡¯s thoughts to yours¡­but, according to meme theory ¨C Korri hugs your side, all of a sudden! ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cibby! I know you¡¯ll make it work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll, uh. Do my best!¡± You flash a peace-sign, trying to hide your nerves. S-someday Korri will know! Eventually! For now, just try and make her happy, right? ¡°Oh, hey, over there. That¡¯s¡­Milia, right?¡± Korri points over your shoulder, and sure enough, in a distant corner of the garden, seemingly simply passing by ¨C shiny ruby red hair, unmistakable. And next to her, pink hair, in a loose ponytail, a little shorter, a little more slight¡­¡±And isn¡¯t that Li Xiao-Yin ¨C¡± ¡°The mysterious Li Xiao-Yin?!¡± ¡°¡­do you have to say that every time?¡± ¡°Mouuu, she didn¡¯t take that Mysterious Summer Course just to be called plain ol¡¯ Li Xiao-Yin, you know!¡± Well, not really, but it feels wrong to not refer to her by that title. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re fighting, though, to me.¡± Certainly, the air around them seems pretty hostile, though it¡¯s way too far away to hear ¨C plus, y¡¯know, it¡¯s Milia. You¡¯ve only ever seen her be nice to the people in her Debate Club, as far as you can remember. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re dating?!¡± ¡°Is Xiao-Yin even into girls?¡± asks Korri. ¡°No idea! She¡¯s so mysterious, though¡­¡± You really should¡¯ve picked the Literature Club, but ¨C point of pride, you wanna stick with what you¡¯ve done. That said, looks like Stella noticed too; rather than persist here to stew in her tsundereness, a single sarcastic wave from Milia is enough to send her packing¡­and then Xiao-Yin is needling Milia again, pink against red as blonde flees the scene. Guess that club rivalry is real! ¡°I¡¯ve heard Milia likes to taunt Stella a lot,¡± Korri whispers, as if the two of you could be overheard. ¡°The two don¡¯t get along at all.¡± ¡°Makes sense. Milia¡¯s monogamous, I can¡¯t imagine Stella¡¯s habits sit well with her.¡± Which just feels weird to you. Must be a rich girl thing ¨C tradition and all that. Most people haven¡¯t grown up like you, with poly relationships being a normal part of family life, but being so insistent about it is pretty rare for people your age. Hm. Does Milia know Stella¡¯s secret? The de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrices would travel in a lot of the same circles; most of the noble families still have a lot of financial interests, from what you understand. Holding something like that over her would be cruel, but you wouldn¡¯t put anything past Milia at this point ¨C ah. Stella¡¯s gaze, even at this distance, meets yours for the briefest of moments. Her mind, open to your own, as you see her touch her lips. Who are you, Cibele? Ba-thump. You touch your own lips, as Stella fades into the halls, tantalized by the possibilities. Could she ¨C would she ¨C did she? ¡°¡­oh, what about that thing, a couple decades after the first war, where a space unicorn discovers that Newtypes were supposed to be part of the government of space? Several decades before anyone knew they existed?¡± O-oh. Right. Korri¡¯s still here. Ehe. Friend now, gay later! ¡°Eugh, Laplace¡¯s Box?¡± you mutter, laughing to yourself, even as your gaze lingers into the distance. ¡°Even I can¡¯t explain that one!¡±
Attribute: Adaptability Improves situational awareness. Improves emotional intelligence. Sharpen senses. Improves sense of danger and common sense. In addition, improves the effectiveness of the Telepathy skill tree. Increase through observation and reading of emotions or use of Telepathy skills. Thinking ahead and situational awareness aren¡¯t quite our things either. But, you¡¯ll have more than enough to spare. Enough to even understand the frosty Calvina¡­don¡¯t you want to know what¡¯s in her heart? What it is you can do to make her happy, so happy she¡¯ll never leave your side?
â…¢.3: Seul-ki’s Wisdom ¡°¡­but what is the objective of psychology?¡± Ms. Yi asks in the afternoon, in the latest of her lectures here at the Verwest Adventist Academy. Now that there wasn¡¯t the dread of a holiday occupied by classwork hovering overhead, the class is enraptured by her words ¨C even if they were outside the curriculum, strictly speaking. It¡¯d be an ordinary day, if not for what happened on Friday still lingering on the touch of your lips¡­¡±Is it to understand human behaviour? Is it to care for the emotional wellbeing of humanity? Is it to hide those people from our sight that we cannot stand to see? Or is it to control people, societies, impose the will of the strong upon the weak?¡± Ms. Yi pauses, as she likes to during these lectures, and the class mutters to themselves. Many hadn¡¯t considered the question as much as you might have hoped. Of course, to you it¡¯s just an extension of what she¡¯s been talking about since class started back in January. In relation to memetics, Ms. Yi¡¯s words hold a further question; how does one influence human behaviour, and how can such a thing be considered ethical? Out of curiosity, you look behind at Stella, who no doubt has similar questions on her mind ¨C but when she notices your gaze, she averts hers once more, even as you see the faintest hint of color in her cheeks. ¡­yeah, things are still pretty awkward, huh. ¡°Stella,¡± Ms. Yi says, her pointer flicking smoothly toward Stella. ¡°What is your opinion on the subject?¡± ¡°M-mm. Psychology is the journey to understand humans, ultimately,¡± says Stella. ¡°All those other functions, good or ill, are just a side effect. This class is about the study of psychology as an academic discipline, primarily, is it not? Things like therapy hold only a secondary role.¡± ¡°Hm¡­I see.¡± Ms. Yi nods, and then her pointer turns its attention to you. ¡°Then, Cibele. What is your opinion?¡± ¡­aw, jeez, again? Well, you are apparently her ¡®favorite¡¯¡­whatever that means. ¡°It¡¯s a complicated question, but I¡¯d say at the root of it, it¡¯s always been to understand human behaviour first. Right?¡± you say, thinking of your prior studies ¨C not simply this past week¡¯s, but Ms. Yi¡¯s general reading list and her prior lectures. ¡°Like Stella said. If nothing else, you can¡¯t hope to help or manipulate a person if you have no idea how they¡¯ll respond. It¡¯s quite possible to figure such things out by instinct, or by informal deduction; the field of marketing began with primitive psychological frameworks, for instance. But gaining a deeper understanding of what the human mind is, wants, and does must come first, right?¡± You really like Ms. Yi¡¯s class, because you get a chance to express yourself a lot better than you¡¯ve ever been able to. Of all the teachers you¡¯ve had, she¡¯s the only one who makes you feel your knowledge and understanding is valuable, rather than a nuisance. ¡°Hm¡­interesting, interesting,¡± says Ms. Yi. ¡°All other functions at their core must start from understanding, it¡¯s true. Before you can treat people ¨C or manipulate them ¨C you must understand how to do so. Of course, the truth is, all of these goals have been the underpinning of psychological research and theory for at least some part of the field¡¯s history. And indeed, like you both say, these other functions extend from the core of ¡®understanding humans¡¯. For what is science ¨C and a social science is still a science, so put your hands down if that¡¯s all you want to dispute ¨C if not the journey to understand existence, and thus ourselves? ¡°After all, psychology has a long history of helping humans. It is a medical field, as well, albeit with no small amount of bias from its practitioner¡¯s era.¡± Ms. Yi chuckles. ¡°At one time, homosexuality was considered a mental disorder. Accusations of ¡®hysteria¡¯ have been used to silence women, and abuse their bodies and minds. Race, gender, sexuality¡­was this conscious harm, or simply the reaction of the era¡¯s consensus? ¡°Even if we discount deliberate harm, Sigmund Freud¡¯s own biases are legendary ¨C his idea about the Oedipus complex, and all those sexual concepts that seem laughable today. At the very least, if it¡¯s something honest, we can consider it just one step in the process of understanding. And even that limited understanding, for all its flaws, for all the flaws it has today¡­it can do so much to help people. ¡°But, it can also harm. It can be used to enforce societal cohesion, at the expense of the individual. And the psychologist, like any medical professional, wields great power to harm their patients. Today, clinical psychology is understood as a way of helping every individual achieve their own desired happiness, in guidance rather than an authority and their obedient subject.¡± Ugh. Not the best wording, Ms. Yi¡­ (Though, is it just you, or did she meet your eyes with a dark-lipped smile when she said that¡­?) ¡°But it was not always thus.¡± Ms. Yi presses a button on her pointer, and the smartboard, filled with prior notes on the subject, flips to a black and white image from long before you were even born. Two doctors in surgical scrubs examine an x-ray of a human skull, perhaps in preparation for brain surgery ¨C oh, oh no, is that ¨C ¡°Much of the early boom of psychology and psychiatry ¨C of Meiji, of Showa, even into Heisei to an extent ¨C was based more upon making patients easier to manage and less ¡®disruptive¡¯. Have you heard of the ¡®lobotomy¡¯? It¡¯s a surgical technique that has long since been left in the dustbin of history, alongside trepanning and bloodletting; first developed during the early Showa era, by Showa 26, twenty thousand lobotomies had been performed in the United States alone. Most victims were women; in some cases, three women underwent the procedure for every man. ¡°The entire concept of the lobotomy ¨C which, to be clear, is the severing of nerves to, or even outright physical removal of, significant portions of the brain ¨C was, largely by the admission of those who engaged in it, to create patients that were easier to control, less of a burden on those around them.¡± Ugh. You want to throw up¡­¡±Naturally, that¡¯s a drastic example, but such paternalistic concepts persisted in psychological and psychiatric care well past the period where lobotomies were popular ¨C that making a patient seem superficially ¡®better¡¯ was the main goal. Vulnerable populations, like children and war veterans, were the worst victims of this. ¡°And in some particular fields, in some parts of the world, this persists to this very day.¡± (¡­you shudder sympathetically, in memory of Korri, and what happened to her in the Duchy of Cornwall, on the other side of the world.) ¡°And this dovetails nicely with the final concept ¨C control.¡± Ms. Yi extends her pointer toward the class. ¡°How many of you have heard of MKUltra?¡± The class murmurs a moment, and several hands go up, including yours and Stella¡¯s. Well, you¡¯ve heard of it, but not in detail¡­ The next slide comes to the fore ¨C a heavily redacted document from June of 1953 CE (or Showa 28, if you¡¯ve got your conversions right), relating to the study of the administration of LSD. ¡°MKUltra was a program begun in the post-war Showa era, during what would come to be known as the First Cold War. It was developed by the Central Intelligence Agency ¨C or ¡®la Cia¡¯, as you may know it these days ¨C at the height of anti-Communist paranoia in the former United States.¡± Ms. Yi brings up more pictures, of various heavily redacted documents. ¡°Most of the relevant records were destroyed or hidden in some manner after the political scandal known as ¡®Watergate¡¯, but more than enough information remains to definitively state that MKUltra¡¯s goal was not prevention of Communist brainwashing, as some have claimed ¨C but indeed control of society. ¡°Of course, control has many meanings. Some say the methods were intended for ¡®enhanced interrogation¡¯ ¨C ie, torture. Others say the program was to resist torture, or to disrupt Communist societies and agents. Or perhaps it was to perform agitprop on American and world society, as la Cia had performed many times before. Under COINTELPRO domestically and through funding of groups like the Contras in South America, it was all considered imperative to contain Communist influence and ensure American hegemony¡­no matter the cost to ¡®freedom¡¯. ¡°But looking at the goals misses the forest for the trees.¡± The next slide is another black-and-white photo; this one is of a caucasian man, perhaps in his sixties, with thick-rimmed glasses and a dispassionate look in his eyes; presumably, he was involved with MKUltra. ¡°This is Donald Ewen Cameron, a Scottish psychiatrist working in Quebec, at the time part of the Dominion of Canada. Under funding from the CIA, he performed experiments on his patients against their will, under his warped understanding of the intended goals of psychology¡­though, it must be said, more than in keeping with the practice at the time. ¡°Cameron believed mental illness was a literal contagion ¨C that it could infect others, like a virus. It¡¯s outwardly similar to the modern science of meme theory, but substantially more literal in application.¡± Ms. Yi bends her pointer, looking pensive. ¡°Cameron believed that the weak would ¡®infect¡¯ those around them with their mental deficiencies, and had to be cordoned off from society and controlled by the strong¡­ironically, to prevent another disaster like the Holocaust, which he believed to be a result of the German people¡¯s inherent psychological sickness. ¡°From the perspective of modern meme theory, this has a simple explanation to those of us here in the Reiwa era: ¡®victim blaming¡¯. ¡°As such, our understanding of the Collapse suggests much the opposite, that the failure was not in the people, but their leaders. But by Cameron¡¯s logic, obviously, there is no recourse but the total control of the human will, at every level of society.¡± The class¡­everyone looks rather disturbed. You can¡¯t blame them. Suddenly your own powers don¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°Even though the full details of MKUltra weren¡¯t known and likely never will be known, the actions of Cameron, and others under its aegis performing experiments designed to control, pacify, and denigrate their subjects¡­forgive me, a moment, if I might delve into Showa era history. My apologies if this is unknown to you, but imagine a world where the Watergate scandal of Old America never happened, where such experiments continued, where those like Cameron were given money and research grants and allowed to control the zeitgeist. No grand reckoning, no long looks at the sins of the field¡¯s history, no paradigm shifts. Can you imagine what ¡®psychology¡¯ would mean in such a world? What evils those in it would resort to, to ¡®cure¡¯ mental illness through absolute control of their will? Maybe the Collapse never would have happened, but at what cost? If dissent was crushed in such a manner, would we have simply ignored the warnings about the climate in favor of our blind optimism, and drowned our coasts even faster than we have today? ¡°If you ask me, such a vision is pathetic in its myopia. Few individuals could be entrusted to such a task as ¡®ruling the world¡¯. Perhaps, no human ever could. And yet, in their arrogance, they claimed they knew better ¨C even as they persisted in the same crimes they, supposedly, sought to prevent.¡± Ms. Yi lets the class digest this in her silence. Little more needs to be said ¨C and no one wants to answer such a call. Chocolate fudge, what a terrifying world you live in¡­and even more terrifying? It could always be worse. ¡°Cibele.¡± The pointer glides so smoothly, you almost miss it ¨C and Seul-ki¡¯s mysterious blue eyes, her heart-melting smile, is pointed entirely toward you. ¡°E-eh? Me again?!¡± Everyone¡¯s staring now! I-it¡¯s embarassing! ¡°Of course! Forgive me for my favoritism, but you¡¯re quite far ahead of the class.¡± A-ah, no, Stella¡¯s gonna get all jealous! ¡°What would you say the main fault in this line of reasoning is, for society?¡± ¡°Um¡­oh, if it¡¯s that?¡± You nod, trying to focus. Enhanced Intelligence, you hope, should help¡­¡±I would say it¡¯s paternalism, isn¡¯t it? Under this line of thought, society¡¯s leaders and rulers are the ¡®father¡¯, and society itself the ¡®child¡¯. Under such a theory, the child is always at fault for straying from the will of the father, and any conflicts toward the father are a sign of misguided and misinformed thinking. Something to be corrected, with no concern for whether the child¡¯s will has any justification at all.¡± (You can feel Stella¡¯s eyes behind you, somehow, aah, it¡¯s too much attention!) ¡°To be sure, sometimes people are just wrong. Do we justify someone¡¯s racism or homophobia? Even then, of course, such things are often a reflection of memetics or real grievances with misplaced causes, but I do understand that there¡¯s a need for a strong hand. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°But to entirely fail to treat society as anything but a child who needs to learn to do what it¡¯s told, to fail to understand it, let alone know when society is telling you you¡¯re doing something wrong¡­that¡¯s where the paternalism lies. An ideal society, then, can only be built on mutual understanding ¨C even if we might lack a perfect language with which to convey our thoughts.¡± ¡­was that good enough, you wonder? Would it satisfy Yi Seul-ki, the woman you¡¯ve come to want so badly to approve of you? ¡°Mmm¡­very good, Cibele.¡± (If you didn¡¯t know any better, you¡¯d almost think Seul-ki sounded¡­seductive.) ¡°I think this deserves a round of applause, don¡¯t you?¡± A-ah, wait, wait¨C! O-oh¡­oh, there¡¯s clapping! Kinda quiet and understated, but the way glances are going your way, you can¡¯t help but feel a little happy¡­ (even if you know Stella¡¯s not clapping herself.) All that done, Ms. Yi wipes the smartboard, and you¡¯re left glowing in praise and attention as she finishes up. ¡°Now, with this in mind, class, I would like you to do some research on famous ethical failures of psychological research and practice. This will be an essay¡­¡±
After class, Stella doesn¡¯t wait to come to your desk, right in front. She doesn¡¯t even seem to be waiting for anyone to leave, huh? Is she¡­? ¡°¡­Cibele.¡± ¡°Stella¡­¡± You can¡¯t quite bring yourself to just smile, like this. Such an emotion as your telepathy can see in Stella, turbulent and confused¡­ Blonde and beautiful, you can just feel how she¡¯s swallowing her pride. ¡°¡­your grades in other classes are struggling, yes?¡± O-oh, could she be¡­? ¡°A little,¡± you admit, a bit sheepish. You doubt your enhanced Intelligence is going to do much to improve them until your final exams for the semester, and studying wouldn¡¯t be so bad¡­ Though you¡¯d be studying Stella way more than you would any of your subjects. Stella clears her throat, trying to ignore the stares. Well, this whole situation is unusual, isn¡¯t it? ¡°I want to improve my grades in Psychology. You need to improve your grades in other classes.¡± Stella tries to look stern, like she did before now, but her heart isn¡¯t in it. Try as she might to cling to old patterns, Stella Maris knows nothing is the same anymore. ¡°So you want my help?¡± you ask. ¡°Yes! Er. I mean. It would be beneficial for us.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes shift for a moment, before they get caught back on you, and linger. You can hear her thoughts, feel the powerful turbulence within her, and that faint tinge of desire you both feel so guilty for and desperately want to enjoy. Everyone is looking at Cibele differently¡­well, not Ms. Yi, but everyone else. Even the Empress and her floozies are talking about her. It¡¯s like she suddenly got much prettier and cuter and more charming overnight¡­or, or is it just¡­is it me? Is it me who¡¯s seeing a difference? Huh¡­it¡¯s not a huge thing, but Stella¡¯s noticed something¡¯s up! It¡¯s to be expected; she sees you every day, she has to put up with you in Psychology, it¡¯s only natural she¡¯d notice the difference. Superpowers are enough of an outside context problem that she won¡¯t blame them unless you do something really stupid, but because she¡¯s a bright girl herself, she¡¯s considering the matter even through the filter of her newfound attraction to you; unless you pull something really obvious that you¡¯d never otherwise be capable of in a million years, there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll figure out you¡¯ve got horrible brainwashing powers! (¡­hey, maybe you really are getting smarter?) ¡°¡­Cibele.¡± Stella gets all indignant ¨C ah, it¡¯s kinda cute the way her nose wrinkles, but you can¡¯t just space out in the middle of a conversation! ¡°Ah, sorry, was just thinking about a thing,¡± you offer as a (lame) excuse. ¡°Do you wanna do it tonight, or later?¡± ¡°I¡¯m spoken for, for most of this week. Sometime by Friday, though, for sure. We can¡­¡± Her eyes shift away again. ¡°We can negotiate the location.¡± Yeah, she might not wanna go back to your place ¨C and with the whole family home, you might not either. ¡°You still have my mobile. And¡­¡± Stella ¨C beautiful, gorgeous, talented Stella Maris, now pining(?) for you ¨C sighs, and bites back her reflexive taunt, lump in her throat. ¡°See you later, Cibele.¡± ¡°Yeah, see you,¡± you say, waving and staring as Stella passes by, wondering ¨C just what will your relationship be now? Just what could it be? Could you grasp her in your own two hands, and should you ¨C ¡­wait. Is someone clapping? A quick glance around the room shows there¡¯s absolutely no one left¡­except Ms. Yi. Right there, behind her desk, Ms. Yi is slowly clapping for you. A rather broad grin on her face, mysterious blue eyes shining upon you through her glasses with a gaze you¡¯re not sure you¡¯ve ever seen before. ¡°Mm, very good, Cibele. I had hope Stella¡¯s attitude toward you would improve, but you¡­you¡¯re more than I dared hope for.¡± ¡­what a strange way of putting it. You walk up to the desk, suddenly very nervous. This worrying sensation crawls up the back of your head, as you get a close and personal look at Ms. Yi; today, she¡¯s been wearing a corset, over a loose blouse that, open like this, practically invites you to look down her cleavage. (That can¡¯t be on purpose. Right?) Her lips are a dark violet color, and just so rich and full¡­and today, she¡¯s got big hoop earrings, too. (Her fingernails? Still the same, even as she plays with that pointer like a metronome.) (Tick. Tick. Tick.) ¡°Well, if you wanna know how things went, you have my and Stella¡¯s videos, so¡­¡± You try and play it off, you try and play it cool. There¡¯s no sense in thinking something¡¯s happening here when it¡¯s not. ¡°Yes, I do, Cibele¡­and I already watched them.¡± ¡°R-really?!¡± The marks haven¡¯t even come in yet! D-did she¡­ ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in your development. You¡¯re quite talented, Cibele, in so many different ways¡­even if you don¡¯t realize it.¡± Her eyes, her gaze, the smoothness, silkiness, invitingness of her mindscape¡­t-they¡¯re all pointed at you. B-but, this is what you said, about how you probably shouldn¡¯t look into a teacher¡¯s mind ¨C i-if you seem so much more attractive than before, isn¡¯t it natural even Yi Seul-ki would notice? S-still, you are kind of ¡®talented¡¯¡­but maybe, she¡¯s thought that all along? It makes you kind of happy, but it also makes you wonder what kind of eyes she¡¯s been looking at you with. ¡°What you did with Stella, Cibele, was a display far beyond anything the rest of the class could produce.¡± Her lips go wider. You want to kiss them¡­n-no, bad thoughts! ¡°All that attention paid to my lectures paid off, didn¡¯t it?¡± She chuckles, and her smile grows warmer, even as she speaks of what she saw. Even if she didn¡¯t see that kiss, she¡¯s taking a much bigger interest than you ever thought possible. ¡­it¡¯s kind of creepy, but¡­but it¡¯s Ms. Yi. You¡¯ve never trusted an adult as much as her, except for family. She¡¯s taught you so much already, and she¡¯s been endlessly kind and supportive to you! Y-you can trust her, right? ¡°Did you do anything else while you were there?¡± Ms. Yi asks. ¡°This is all off the record, of course.¡± ¡­when did it become so easy to be trapped in Ms. Yi¡¯s presence? Not just her physical attractiveness, but just how she is, how she always is around you. Everything about her seems to draw you in. Her eyes. Her lips. Her words. The tap of her fingers on her pointer, like a metronome. Tick. Tick. Tick. O-okay, um. Focus, Cibby. You need, hard as it might be, to think rationally about this ¨C j-just like Ms. Yi taught you! ¨C a-and not be tempted by your crush on your teacher to do things you shouldn¡¯t. But¡­but if it¡¯s like this¡­even you can tell something¡¯s not right here. And your thoughts drift to Milia ¨C to someone who seemed so challenged by Ms. Yi¡¯s interest in you. Surely it¡¯s innocent, surely it¡¯s nothing bad, but maybe¡­maybe if you play along, you¡¯ll find out? You¡¯ve got enhanced Charisma, put it to use! ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± you mutter, playing up your shyness and embarrassment before your teacher ¨C not that it¡¯s hard. ¡°I did ask my friend, um¡­Korri? Er, that is, Korrigan Trelawney.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m familiar.¡± Seul-ki nods ¨C yeah, it stands to reason she knows about Korri, all the teachers do. ¡°Anyway, um! I asked Korri about the project, and she let me practice on her. Let me send you that video¡­¡± Slipping into your bag, you send the Korri video through the campus intranet in a few brief taps, and it pops right up onto Ms. Yi¡¯s monitor. She skips through it, observing your technique with a deep interest. Her mind is so focused on it¡­ (just as you¡¯re focused on her.) ¡°Yes¡­I see you¡¯ve been doing quite a lot of this, haven¡¯t you, Cibele?¡± You blush (genuinely) in response to your teacher¡¯s praise. ¡°Helping those around you is rewarding. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, about that¡­¡± You look to the side, using your enhanced Charisma to play the role of the ingenue properly. ¡°I, um¡­I kinda¡­it¡¯s, sort of hard to say¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cibele,¡± Ms. Yi says. ¡°I¡¯m here for you. You can tell me anything, you know. Anything at all.¡± ¡°I got kinda¡­¡± You swallow, feeling like the words are pulled out of you, just from her encouragement. ¡°I¡­I got, um. T-turned on? A-and I feel so weird about it, because it¡¯s like. Korri is my friend, and I want to be friends with Stella, and it felt like I was betraying them!¡± ¡­well, you did. Kind of. It¡¯s more complicated than that, but¡­ ¡°Betraying them?¡± Ms. Yi tips her head to the side, as her fingers continue to glide along her pointer. (Tick. Tick. Tick.) ¡°Might I make a guess, at what happened?¡± ¡°I-if you want!¡± The nervousness has quickly stopped being an act. E-even with enhanced Charisma, you¡¯re still a student in the ways of allure and presence that Seul-ki has surely mastered. And the way the words escape from Yi Seul-ki¡¯s shining, wet lips make it impossible to ignore. ¡°You have a fetish.¡± A-ah¡­you go utterly, completely red. You¡¯ve been spending so much time trying as hard as possible to deny it, and yet, in a single motion, in four words, Ms. Yi pulls it from you. Just like that. (¡­is it wrong, if you¡¯re jealous?) ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± Ms. Yi whispers, leaning closer, giving you even more of a look down her shirt. Her ¡°It¡¯s natural to have such fetishes. Interests like that are nothing to be ashamed of. You don¡¯t have to feel bad about it, Cibele.¡± It¡¯d be so easy, to accept her words. Even sink into them. (¡­you almost want to know, how it¡¯d feel, to be hypnotised by Ms. Yi.) ¡°If you say so, I guess¡­¡± you whisper, fidgeting. Finding it difficult to not simply be pulled in. Trying not to say too much. ¡°I mean, maybe I¡¯d like to do it with Stella, i-if she stops hating me, since she seems kinda interested? But I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m so nervous¡­¡± At least, you manage to keep your wits about you not to mention that you kissed; you need¡­you can¡¯t just let yourself be pulled in. You need more information. Ms. Yi¡¯s hand ¨C her cropped black nails ¨C extend to your arm, brushing casually against you. Ah, her touch is warm¡­ ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cibele.¡± Her warm, welcoming smile¡­m-maybe you would do anything, if she asked, but she wouldn¡¯t. (Right?) ¡°Like I said, you can ask me about it if you wish! I would love to help you understand your feelings. And if I can help you and Stella get together¡­all the better.¡± ¡­huh, Ms. Yi is rooting for you? That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s a good thing, but it¡¯s also very worrying, isn¡¯t it? T-there¡¯s no way she could¡¯ve planned it, right? Even if you take a little peek in her mind ¨C Not that she¡¯ll be able to resist forever. ¨C and you wonder, just what it is that makes Ms. Yi so confident, and why it is she has so much interest in you and Stella. (If only you had more Telepathy skills, maybe you could find out¡­or maybe you¡¯d find something you never should have.) ¡°Ah¡­t-thanks, Ms. Yi!¡± You bow to your teacher, feeling the glow of her approval and praise, and wondering if ¨C maybe, just maybe, you should be asking more questions. ¡°Please, Cibele¡­call me Seul-ki,¡± says Ms. Yi ¨C or rather, Seul-ki. ¡°It means ¡®wisdom¡¯.¡± ¡°Seul-ki¡­¡± You roll the name on your tongue a little. Seul-ki, Seulgi¡­the pronunciation is a little unfamiliar, but growing up in Verwest has given you plenty of chances to practice. ¡°Seul-ki.¡± ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re more than just another student to me, Cibele.¡± Seul-ki laughs. ¡°You¡¯re an adult, you know? Wake up! You don¡¯t need to follow along like you¡¯re a child anymore, following the world¡¯s rules because they think they know better than you. You should be able to follow your dreams, express your feelings ¨C and maybe, just maybe, treat me as an equal.¡± A-an equal, huh? You feel like you¡¯ve got a long way to go before then! ¡°In any case, I need to get back to my office. Na-ri ¨C Ms. Seong, that is ¨C is waiting for me, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Ms. Seong¡­¡± You had a few classes with her years ago, but now you can finally ask the question that¡¯s been on your mind since starting this class, as Seul-ki packs up her bag and walks out, with the click of her heels on the floor. ¡°If I might ask, Seul-ki, are you two dating?¡± And it almost seems like she¡¯s not going to answer as she heads out the door, before she pokes her head in one last time ¨C ¡°Something like that~!¡± ¨C and then she disappears into the halls, leaving you all¡­dazed and confused. Your teacher, Seul-ki, noticed you at last, almost like you¡¯d been dreaming of¡­and after all this, you¡¯re not sure how to feel about it. Seul-ki is hot and nice and wonderful and all, but¡­but you get the sense you should stay on your toes. That whole conversation was weird, and raised more questions than answers. (You think it¡¯s a good thing that you didn¡¯t tell her about the kiss, let¡¯s put it that way.) You almost want to just follow along with her rhythm (tick, tick, tick), and yet¡­you just can¡¯t let yourself. You need to know more. And maybe, just maybe, you think as you pack up and head out for this week¡¯s Debate Club¡­ Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice will have some answers for you.
Telepathy Branches: Mentalism, Clairvoyance, Override
Mentalism allows you to read thoughts and emotions, and use that knowledge to subvert others. The first step to manipulating others is understanding them. With this, you can do more and more to truly understand what your crushes want. And other humans, too! Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve always wanted? Perfect understanding among humanity¡­the first step to a golden age of cuties in your bed.
Clairvoyance allows you to use your senses more effectively, warning you of danger. You want to be a heroine, right? This is the best way to do it. Admittedly, it doesn¡¯t have much application in mind control, but sometimes the best offense is a good defense. You don¡¯t want anyone stealing your girls, or get stolen away from them, right?
Override allows you to control the bodies and minds of others like that of a doll, and manipulate the physical world with thought alone. Such beautiful dolls they are, dancing on strings¡­other humans posed, dancing, kneeling¡­they want it, so much. You can give it to them. Let them give their will entirely over to yours, so completely, and show such happiness at having you to guide them¡­
â…¢.4: Obsession (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Pumpkin Spice Lattes) ¡°Oh, her? Yeah, I know her. It¡¯s going to take a while ¨C it happened years ago.¡± ¡­you blink. ¡°Really? That long ago?¡± (Wait, doesn¡¯t this sound kind of familiar?) ¡°Nah, not that long ago. While back, at least, though! Heh.¡± The guy you¡¯re talking to in the Debate Club¡¯s lecture hall ¨C Milia¡¯s not in yet ¨C casually waves his hands around as he laughs at his own lame joke. ¡°But you know, I don¡¯t know a lot about Ms. Yi, or what went on between her and Milia. No one does, really. You¡¯re lucky you asked me and not one of Milia¡¯s friends, though!¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s that?¡± you ask, poking at your phone in the meantime. ¡°Milia¡¯s got a big chip on her shoulder about it. Apparently, she was in a couple of classes with Ms. Yi and they got along real well. Kind of a ¡®teacher¡¯s pet¡¯ deal¡­hey, who are you texting, anyway?¡± ¡°N-no one important!¡± Actually, you¡¯re texting Irma ¨C nothing spicy, unfortunately, mostly just advice about getting around town and good spots to eat ¨C but if you tell Nazakawa-kun about it, the whole school will know within a week! That¡¯s¡­really the only notable quality he has. ¡®Nazakawa-kun¡¯ ¨C a name that also sounds mildly familiar, but never mind that ¨C is the number-one source of rumors and gossip here at the Verwest Adventist Academy, so it¡¯s good to be cautious what you say around him. Other than that, he¡¯s really just a background character in the story of life. He may as well have a mosaic over him, y¡¯know? At least, he¡¯s a useful source of intel at times like these, and you¡¯ve relied on him a few times before. Well, maybe that¡¯s a bit mean. But you never really got along well with guys, Marq and family excepted ¨C mostly because they used to creep on Korri all the time ¨C but that said, since Seul-ki¡¯s class started, you¡¯ve kind of just been trying to ignore them. It¡¯s really not worth it ¨C ¡­actually, come to think of it, wasn¡¯t Nazakawa-kun there at your programming class? He was the one who asked the stupid question that got Rita to do her hot ¡®sigh, no¡® thing, right? You really need to pay more attention! ¡°They definitely spent a lot of time together around the school,¡± says Nazakawa-kun. ¡°Study sessions, tutoring, student council type things back when Milia was in the running¡­Ms. Yi has a lot of power around here, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty obvious, but I didn¡¯t think it went this far!¡± It¡¯s unusual for anyone to get this level of personal attention from a teacher, especially once they reach sixth form, so this just makes you all the more curious ¨C but it also explains what¡¯s got Milia so jealous in the first place. ¡°How do you know all this, anyway?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, I have this thing with Ms. Saotome, and she has this thing with my parents¡­er, wait.¡± Nazakawa-kun nervously rubs the back of his head. ¡°Sorry, I think I said too much. Anyway, here¡¯s what I know about what went down: one day, Milia and Ms. Yi had a really big argument in front of everyone in class. I wasn¡¯t there, that¡¯s just what I heard ¨C but no one seems to know what the argument was about, so that¡¯s the most I can tell you. Sorry, Cibele.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± You can¡¯t help but wonder, if there¡¯s still security footage of that argument out there. It¡¯s well beyond your ability to reach if it is, but it¡¯d be interesting if nothing else. (Also, since when is Nazakawa-kun so nice to you? Must be the Charisma.) ¡°Better hush up, though,¡± Nazakawa-kun says, pointing a thumb to the door. ¡°The Empress is here.¡± ¡°The Empress of Verwest¡­¡± If it¡¯s like this, if she¡¯s jealous that Seul-ki likes you more than her ¨C or at least thinks that ¨C then would that make Milia your rival? (What is this, an anime or something?) Today, Milia¡¯s dressed up in a low-cut, bare-shouldered sweater over what looks like a strappy dress with a plaid skirt¡­and it definitely shows her, uh, assets off to their fullest. Some of her hair is tied back today, and she casually tosses her head back to pull off her sunglasses before her gaze aims right. At. You. You don¡¯t need to read her mind to know the red-headed Empress is interested in your presence here in her court. And after her defeat last week, you¡¯re sure she¡¯s taking no prisoners! (¡­okay, maybe that¡¯s a little overdramatic. But still, you¡¯re rivals now! Apparently! So it¡¯s time to take things seriously ¨C and take advantage of your newfound power.) ¡°Cibele,¡± Milia says as she draws close, the name rolling off her tongue in that sarcastic way she prefers. ¡°Back for more? I¡¯m surprised to see you taking such an interest.¡± She¡¯s not. Again, you don¡¯t need to read her mind, even if you do to be sure ¨C Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice thinks you¡¯re here to challenge her because of Seul-ki. That, and last week¡¯s victory, might have her a little obsessed with you. (You think so, anyway. Behind her bravado, there¡¯s a tiny twinge of fear, and yet ¨C respect? You really can¡¯t tell exactly what¡¯s going on inside her head.) ¡°And you¡¯ve taken an interest in me, Milia, haven¡¯t you?¡± You smile, buoying yourself with Seul-ki¡¯s praise and encouragement through the natural nervousness, pressing your hand to your chest. ¡°Sure it¡¯s not the other way around?¡± Milia slips her sunglasses back on, and steps even closer ¨C ah, isn¡¯t this a bit too close? ¨C and runs some of your hair through her fingers, appraising your pigtail¡¯s texture and sheen. H-how brazen! ¡°New lip gloss, new conditioner¡­why, if I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think something good happened, didn¡¯t it, Cibele?¡± You want to stammer, and turn away, but that newfound sense of pride ¨C and Seul-ki¡¯s words, that you¡¯re not a child anymore ¨C makes you challenge her: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for you?¡± ¡°¡­my, my. How flattering.¡± Milia pulls her hand away, and giggles to herself behind it. ¡°Keep this up, and you might just become part of my court, you know?¡± ¡­she¡¯s still so smug. (Maybe she has to be.) But you know she¡¯s starting to see you a bit differently, and so you just smile.~
¡°Hello, everyone, and welcome back to our esteemed Debate Club.¡± Slipping her sunglasses off again, here the Empress stands ¨C radiant upon the podium, all eyes upon her. You don¡¯t doubt that she¡¯s got 2 Charisma¡­ (Actually, you know a couple of people now who might be said to have ¡®peak human¡¯ aptitudes. Kinda weird when you think about it, isn¡¯t it?) ¡°Since everyone is back this week, we will resume the normal debate schedule¡­ah. But we have a new member here, don¡¯t we?¡± Obvious as Milia might be, all eyes in the room are back on you ¨C and for once, you feel kind of good about that, getting to properly enjoy the full benefits of 2 Charisma. Even if you¡¯re a rival to their Empress, maybe you can at least be one they respect? ¡°Very well¡­Cibele Epeli Imanis will debate yours truly once again.¡± Milia just tosses it off casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, and not an obvious move against you. ¡°Hey, that isn¡¯t procedure, is it?¡± Nazakawa-kun asks through the desk microphone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you picking on the newbie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯d be happy to share the stage with Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice, you know?¡± And you would ¨C there is definitely something alluring about her, just as much as there are so many infuriating things about her. Getting in the spotlight for reasons other than chasing down guys stalking Korri or accidentally using up the academy¡¯s entire supply of phyllo pastry might be nice for a change! Of course, that¡¯s not how Milia is thinking of it. Even as she starts to go through the motions of the meeting, putting her mind out of reach to you, you know that she¡¯s hoping for a humiliation. Something to enforce her station as the Empress of this court. But you don¡¯t plan to give her that chance! She¡¯s going to have to learn not everyone¡¯s going to bow down and raise a white flag for her! (¡­this all sounds really chunni, thinking about it. Then again, isn¡¯t a Gamer power pretty chunni too?) ¡°As it happens, I¡¯ve already got an appropriate topic for you and I, Cibele! In the spirit of last week¡¯s topic, why don¡¯t we¡­¡± Milia snickers, and the rest of the club follows with her. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about whether we should have seasonal coffee drinks?¡° The snickers persist, as if to try and undo last week¡¯s performance. Milia¡¯s playing dirty, with the homeroom advantage and the full weight of her court ¨C most of whom didn¡¯t show up last week, of course. ¡°It¡¯s a very important topic!¡± you say, focusing on your confidence (and Seul-ki¡¯s faith in you). ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to challenge you, Empress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, Cibele.¡± Milia suppresses another snicker. ¡°Your favorite things are¡­what is it? ¡®Food¡¯ and ¡®food¡¯? Oh, and don¡¯t forget ¡®food¡¯!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not my fault the autotranslate for my SNS can¡¯t figure out I¡¯m saying it in three different languages.¡± You shrug, playing it off and deflecting Milia¡¯s attack. ¡°Nice to see you¡¯re following me, though!¡± ¡°So confident. Last week was beginner¡¯s luck, Cibele.¡± Milia leans forward, pressing her hand back onto her chest, as if trying to distract you. (It¡¯s a bit late, you¡¯ve already been looking there a bunch today! Er, wait.) ¡°I won¡¯t lose to you this time.¡± You grin, and flash a peace-sign toward the podium. ¡°Bring it on!¡± (Aah¡­you¡¯re filled with a kind of adrenaline rush! Challenging someone like this, someone so popular, right within the seat of her power ¨C as much power as you can have in a sixth form class, anyway. Seul-ki¡¯s right, you¡¯re not a child anymore. She wants you to see her as an equal, so Milia should be at least your equal too, right?) (Or, perhaps, less than your equal¡­)
All that said, after Milia¡¯s opening remarks were done and the debates began ¨C it seems the topics are assigned ahead of time, usually, so Milia not doing so for you is a pretty blatant attempt at making sure you can¡¯t prepare ¨C you realized that there was one other big problem with the Debate Club you hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡­this is just. So. Boring! Most of the people here have no talent for rhetoric, or public speaking, or anything like that! Milia talked a big game in her poster about the benefits of joining, but it doesn¡¯t seem like anyone¡¯s gotten anything out of it but her! So now you¡¯re stuck listening to a bunch of utter simps unconvincingly argue meaningless things while Milia gets to look all smug in the corner! (¡­mostly. Actually, you caught her putting contacts in when she thought no one was looking ¨C funny, that. Those sunglasses must have a prescription on ¡®em!) You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. You really should¡¯ve expected as much, though, in hindsight. This club exists more for Milia¡¯s vanity than anything resembling proper teaching or debate, and the kind of people who would be drawn in by her gravity often lack their own strength of will. (It does seem like they like her a lot, though¡­and for what it¡¯s worth, Milia seems to know everyone¡¯s name, and genuinely seems interested in their lives. Maybe she¡¯s not completely awful?) Maybe it¡¯s hard for people to muster up their best, though. You can¡¯t imagine anyone cares much about these topics, thanks to Rule Eight. (Not that you think you should constantly spend every session talking about politics nonstop, but doesn¡¯t the complete inability to talk about it at all compromise the club¡¯s integrity and its members¡¯ growth?) Won¡¯t be an issue for your debate, at least; Milia¡¯s got the talent and will to turn herself on for just about anything, and you? You care about some very silly things. (¡­well, except the way eggs are cooked. What the heck is Nazakawa-kun even on about?) Still, tuning out the debates gives you a bit more time to prepare, and consider your attack. And before you know it, you¡¯re on the stage, at the opposite podium to Milia ¨C hoping that even if you can¡¯t win, you can at least put in a good effort. Milia smirks at you from the other podium, so full of self-superiority. Eugh, how unpleasant¡­it made Stella¡¯s (former) attitude toward you look positively restrained and professional. (Maybe she¡¯s just trying to hide her growing obsession.) Win or lose, you¡¯re going to get those answers about Yi Seul-ki, but you really, really, really wanna wipe that smirk off Milia¡¯s face! And you will not accept defeat. Even if you lose this battle, you will win the war. You will have Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice. You will collect her, and capture ¨C w-wait, bad thoughts, fantasize later, the debate is starting! ¡°Faithful citizens of Southern Sun, members of the Debate Club. I, Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice, of the honorable de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice family¡­I beseech you. Do you enjoy the rhythm of the seasons? The movement from our current fall, to winter, and into spring and summer? Do you enjoy those familiar, nostalgic feelings of days gone by? ¡°We all look forward to holidays, to seasons. Golden Week was one such seasonal delight, marking the midpoint of fall to winter. The Lunar New Year is a precious part of our summers. Pride Month fills our winters with rainbow colors, and celebrates the Sunset Corporation¡¯s contributions to a better and more diverse world. Christmas marks our finest time as a society, when we indulge our inner nature ¨C our true will ¨C as ravenous, insatiable consumers, dining eagerly on fried chicken in the middle of summer. And, of course, Halloween, when tue beauty can be seen as we all cast off our ordinary clothes and dress in whatever meets our fancy.¡± (¡­Milia has some weirdly specific fetishes, huh? Didn¡¯t mark her for a cosplay lover!) ¡°Part of the joy of the seasons is these very seasonal drinks. Are peppermint and pumpkin spice as special if they¡¯re available all year? Do we not long for those foods and drinks that only happen every so often? Does it not stimulate our economy, drive the very lifeblood of Southern Sun? The events we create to give meaning to our existence, so we know the movements of the sun and moon, are flavored with such tastes. Do not give in to such¡­nihilistic thoughts as desiring such things all year. Thank you.¡± ¡­okay, what the heck is this lemon sorbet?! Milia acts like she doesn¡¯t care, but it sure sounds like she cares a heckin¡¯ great deal! Maybe that was the plan? Though, she may just be very good at faking it¡­maybe. An almost thunderous applause, echoing through the lecture hall, you¡¯re reminded that this is, in fact, the Empress¡¯ home ground. Her court. The very idea of winning suddenly seems quite distant, compared to before. You breathe, and try to concentrate, try to centre yourself. Okay, you¡¯re not as pretty as Milia, or as convincing, or as smart, or really much of anything compared to her. In fact, you¡¯re honestly kinda dumb! But¡­but if love is enough, then maybe¡­ Maybe you can at least be heartfelt. That¡¯s your only chance here. (It helps that, starting tomorrow, you¡¯re going to be dodging three whole days of meat-eating with your family¡­so it¡¯s kind of on your mind already, in a way, huh?) ¡°Hello, everyone!¡± You smile up at the crowd, doing your best to concentrate and not falter. ¡°Um, as always, I¡¯m Cibele. Cibele Epeli Imanis. I live here in Southern Sun, like you. We all live in this joyous, impossible city! A marvel of modernity, where we live prosperous lives in the late Reiwa era¡­and where the heat always grows from the light of the sun, only relieved by the shade of night and clouds, and the rain that falls from the sky. ¡°We still have ¡®seasons¡¯, in that the length of days and nights vary over the course of the year ¨C not by much, mind you. But the days here, no matter what time of year, are always the same ¨C hot, and wet. The idea of a ¡®winter¡¯ filled with snow¡­honorable members of the voting panel, I don¡¯t even know what snow looks like! I mean, really. Can any of you remember a time when Southern Sun was covered in snow? Or in fallen leaves?¡± The voters mutter to themselves as before. You¡¯ve adopted Seul-ki¡¯s tone, the way she speaks, the way moves, the way she reveals things as self-evident through her layered statements and ideas. Milia may have thought she could outmaneuver you after your ¡®beginner¡¯s luck¡¯, but your Charisma has gone up since then. And so has your confidence. Someone like that¡­someone like Milia¡­ (part of you wants to put her in her place, just as she longs to do to others. Stamp your foot upon her and let her know that there is someone superior to her.) (¡­woah, where did that come from?! Bad thoughts, fantasise later later!) ¡°The only differences the cycle of Earth¡¯s axis bring to us are the lengths of days and nights, the shape of the moon. Time itself is merely a construct by humans to track the harvest, but we need no harvest here in Southern Sun ¨C not the way our ancestors did. This city was designed, from its very foundation, to fulfill all of our desires! So why should we restrict them based on the vagaries of time? ¡°Pumpkin spice is a simple drink!¡± ¡­actually, you bet Stella could make you one. Best remember that. ¡°The spices in question are available all year round! There¡¯s no reason to not have it whenever you like! Heck, have fried seitan whenever you like!¡± (Not gonna even try to say ¡®chicken¡¯, blech.) ¡°Just say ¡®no¡¯ to forced corporate hegemony, telling us when we can and can¡¯t have foods like these ¨C and especially when it¡¯s foods no one likes, because who ever even likes fruitcakes? ¡°Members of the voting panel, search your feelings, you know it to be true! Say ¡®no¡¯ to the nonexistent seasons, and say ¡®yes¡¯ to delicious pumpkin spice lattes all year round!¡° You point up at the crowd to punctuate your point, and they all seem¡­surprised? You really thought all this was obvious, but maybe not! (Or maybe you¡¯re just that convincing¡­nah, couldn¡¯t be.) Milia clears her throat, seeming¡­rattled. You¡¯re not too sure why, but¡­maybe she didn¡¯t expect it of you. (You don¡¯t feel like you¡¯ve done anything too different from how you would before Charisma 2, but¡­maybe it¡¯s time to trust future-past-you, for once?) ¡°Very well. Since everyone¡¯s here, pull your smartphones out, please, and vote ¨C Cibele¡¯s nihilistic refusal of tradition and economics, or my appeal to the very underpinnings of society?¡± ¡­dirty fudging pool, Milia! (But, hm. Maybe that¡¯s a good sign, in a way? That she¡¯s so rattled by you?) The projection screen comes on both behind you, and in front on your podiums. As the votes come in, they¡¯re utterly neck and neck¡­and who installed that drum roll sound ¨C No. No way! You won, again! By a single vote! Wait, a single vote, could it be ¨C Yes! It is! It is Nazakawa-kun, giving you a thumbs-up! Well, heck, maybe you won¡¯t mentally cover him in a mosaic after all. (¡­maybe.) Milia¡­Milia breathes out, and trembles. Only you can tell, from here, but ¨C but after this second victory, she¡¯s well and truly rattled. Even you can tell, limited as your awareness might be, quietly wishing you didn¡¯t need her to look you in the eye to read her mind. ¡­what is Milia afraid of? And just what is ¨C what was ¨C Yi Seul-ki to her? Collecting herself, as if that fear was only visible for the briefest of moments, Milia turns to you and extends her hand. ¡°Congratulations, Cibele. You¡­you win again. Perhaps, debating about food suits you? Such a glutton you must be¡­¡± ¡­she¡¯s not doing that sarcastic thing she does with her voice. Fudge, she¡¯s really rattled now ¨C but you get a chance to peek into her mind, at least, like this. ¡­Seul-ki must be grooming Cibele into her latest ¡®favorite¡¯ ¨C the rumors were true. No, Seul-ki must have sent her here, to interfere with me, deliberately ruin all that I¡¯ve built¡­but it¡¯s of no consequence. One way or another, I¡¯ll prove to her that an ¡®Empress¡¯ ill needs her false ¡®wisdom¡¯¡­and prove that someone as pathetic and shallow as Cibele is a poor replacement for yours truly. (¡­that ¡®wisdom¡¯ line again? Did Seul-ki introduce herself to Milia in the same way?) ¡°Ehe. I¡¯m just glad to be here!¡± you say, as you shake Milia¡¯s hand, and yet¡­you can feel her mind, this close. You can feel that silk and softness that feels so incongruous compared to how she acts¡­at least, how she acts around you. You can feel that mix of hatred, jealousy, attraction¡­ ¡°Maybe you should get some food before you come next time, mm?¡± says Milia, as she manages to regain her composure. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that you¡¯re such a glutton that you¡¯ll win on such topics¡­¡± and you can feel that part of you. That part that can reach out and touch Milia¡¯s mind and thoughts ¨C your Telepathy, your thought Skimmer ¨C now capable of grasping and shaping that mind, with your Suggestion. You can feel, in some sense, how your pressure can shape her, in small ways ¨C (and, part of you notices, that you could make her feel turned on, aroused, but her loss to you, just a little ¨C) and you know that you need to get closer to Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice. Part of it is her family name ¨C her connection to the Sunset Corporation. If you did get close to her, you could use that access to try and discover the Queen, or fight her. You don¡¯t have much to go on, but it¡¯s one of the few things you think you can concretely do right now to figure out what it is future-past-you wants to prevent. But, even more than that, you think¡­you feel, somewhere deep inside you, that you need to know more about Yi Seul-ki, and Milia¡¯s connection to her. (¡­it¡¯s not simply that you¡¯re attracted to Milia, clearly. Surely not!) So, all that in mind ¨C all that, in a single moment, your hand squeezing Milia¡¯s own ¨C you make your choice. ¡°If you think I should eat before I come here¡­¡± You grin brightly, and connect. ¡°Maybe you and I can get a bite to eat together before Debate Club next week?¡± ¡­there¡¯s more resistance this time. As if your mental fingers could slip from the silk, before it takes the shape you desire of it. As if her pride, her disdain of you, the image of you she had before meeting you and before your increased Charisma, as if all of those things would make her reject the very notion of ever meeting alone with you, even without the implication of it being a date. But you know, perfectly well, that as much as you want to know about her connection to Yi Seul-ki¡­she wants to know yours. She falls prey to her obsession. (¡­it¡¯s not simply that Milia¡¯s attracted to you, clearly. Surely not!) And so as Milia¡¯s pupils dilate, for those briefest of moments, before she responds¡­a-ah, you feel really excited! I-in places! M-maybe don¡¯t get excited or turned on about doing this so readily, Cibby! Seul-ki told you not to worry about such things, but there are limits! She wouldn¡¯t tell you to be so cavalier with your powers! (R-right?) ¡°That¡­¡± Milia trips over her words, as if trying to justify it to herself. ¡°That would be¡­acceptable.¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­and just like that, the room falls dead fudging silent. For the briefest of moments, you¡¯re confused, before you realize ¨C far later than you probably should have! ¨C that nearly every single person in this room has tried, and failed, to ask their beloved Empress out. And you just did it on your second try, after making her lose and humiliating her twice! You¡¯re not sure if you should be worried, or if you think this is kind of awesome. ¡­actually, can it be both? (Yes. Yes, it can totally be both.) ¡°Great! I¡¯ll see you then!¡± You shake Milia¡¯s hand again, in both your own, grinning eagerly as she tries to play it off. (Heck, she still can¡¯t entirely deny that you¡¯re a bit cute, huh?) ¡°I¡¯m holding you to it! Campus cafeteria, right after school!¡± ¡°¡­very well, Cibele Epeli Imanis.¡± Milia says, trying to smirk at you as she pulls her hand away ¨C but it really comes off as being kind of shy. (This is what they call ¡®gap moe¡¯, right?) ¡°Don¡¯t be late.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, my Empress.¡± You give Milia a bow, and then¡­in that precise moment, you can feel the great and powerful malevolence of the entire Debate Club bearing down upon you, all at once, for daring to touch or claim their Empress as your own, threatening to consume you in a tide of great vengeance and furious anger! ¡­okay, fine, maybe you¡¯re exaggerating, but you don¡¯t think they¡¯re happy. Either way, time to make an extremely hasty exit before your obituary ends up reading ¡®death by simp¡¯!
Enchantment Branches: Charm, Geas, Disruption
Charm allows you to supernally persuade others and convince them of your best interests. Charm Person¡­such a simple spell, such endless potential. Who needs fireballs and lightning when you have power over the human will? I know you¡¯ll never admit it, but all that time poring over the Enchantment spell list¡­and now you can do the very same. It¡¯s every bit as good as you imagine, and more¡­
Geas allows you to forcibly compel actions from both allies and enemies, or warp their perceptions. They say you catch more flies with honey than vinegar¡­but sometimes you have this one fly you really, really need to catch. Or¡­um, the metaphor¡¯s a bit strained, I guess! But with this branch, you have the harsher, more powerful companion to Charm. Use it when subtlety isn¡¯t needed¡­or, you know, just for fun. I won¡¯t judge~
Disruption causes emotional disruptions and confusion in the minds of your enemies. You know how arguments work in the late Reiwa era, right? The winner isn¡¯t the one with the best ideas, it¡¯s the one who looks the best. Use this, and you can embarrass and humiliate your enemies! Excellent to have for superheroics, too.
â…¢.5: The Sea of Silent Hope Tuesday, May 11th, Reiwa 42. The greatest heroine the galaxy has ever seen has come back from the death, the result of four billion credits, two years of research, and one man¡¯s stubborn ambition. In this room, Commander Shepard stands before that man, and she has only one thing on her mind before she even thinks of accepting a suicide mission¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s Garrus Vakarian?¡± ¡°The turian disappeared a few months after you were declared dead. Even we haven¡¯t been able to locate him.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Liara T¡¯Soni?¡± You sigh, leaning against Korri¡¯s side as she plays, with Marq on the other side of the couch messing with his phone as he munches on an ¨¦clair. And, sure, it¡¯s a good game and all, but: ¡°How can you play this, knowing how badly it¡¯s going to end?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the destination, it¡¯s about the journey!¡± says Korri. ¡°Specifically, it¡¯s about two thirds of the journey. One half, if you count Andromeda.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone does that,¡± you mutter. It¡¯s just another ordinary day for you, even as upstairs, you can hear your family¡¯s preparations. Korri brought the food so you wouldn¡¯t have to look at the preparations in the kitchen, which you always appreciate this time of year. ¡°Of course not.¡± Korri giggles. ¡°Garrus isn¡¯t in it, so what even is the point?¡± ¡°Garrus Vakarian, aka, ¡®If I Had To Pick A Dude¡¯?¡± ¡°Mmf. These ¨¦clairs are really good,¡± says Marq, a bit of white cream escaping the end of his long, turgid pastry. (Er, that¡¯s not a euphemism, honest!) ¡°Where¡¯d you get them?¡± ¡°Uh¡­lemme see.¡± Korri checks the side of the bag. ¡°The Chagall Cafe, looks like? There¡¯s a few cafes in Le Mille¡¯s mall, I get them mixed up a lot.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that north of the river?¡± you ask. ¡°It¡¯s pretty far. What were you doing there?¡± ¡°Oh, I flew there! I landed on top of Le Mille, took the express elevator, grabbed these, flew back.¡± Korri laughs ¨C she¡¯s got a personal rotorcraft (or PRV ¨C which Marq insistently pronounces ¡®perv¡¯), which she unfortunately doesn¡¯t get to use as much as she likes. ¡°Took a while, booking the flight plan was annoying, but I wanted some flight time anyway.¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯m gonna need something to drink for this.¡± Marq continues to scarf down his ¨¦clair ¨C so quickly, you¡¯d think he were you. ¡°Gonna check up on dad in the kitchen. You two want anything?¡± ¡°Just water,¡± you say, with Korri nodding in agreement as your brother walks off. You take the opportunity to press your head into Korri¡¯s shoulder, fluttering your eyes as you once more take advantage of the warmth of her hoodie. ¡°It¡¯s kinda nice, though,¡± says Korri, as she adjusts herself into your side. ¡°How Shepard is still so loyal to her friends, even after coming back from the dead.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to have friends!¡± N-not that you have many friends! (Though, you seem to be making more these days, which is nice.) ¡°I¡¯d be like that too. ¡®Where¡¯s Korrigan Trelawney?¡¯ ¡®Where¡¯s Calvina Aeterna?¡¯ ¡®Where¡¯s Stella Maris?¡¯¡± And, just like that? Korri puts the controller down and looks at you with a big, bright, loving smile, stars in her eyes. S-she¡¯s practically glowing! ¡°Ah, does that mean stuff with Stella went well and you¡¯re friends now?!¡± ¡­oh, fudge, you did say that, didn¡¯t you! ¡°Eheh¡­¡± You didn¡¯t mean to give that away so easily; guess there¡¯s no stat to stop your big mouth. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re friends exactly, yet, but¡­we¡¯re getting along better? She wants to do study dates with me from now on, to get her grades up in Seul¨C¡± Er, no, explain that later! ¡°uh, Ms. Yi¡®s class.¡± ¡°So your project went well, too? I was a bit worried, but after you did it with me, I was sure it¡¯d work out okay!¡± ¡°It did!¡± You try not to blush, thinking about that kiss. (And the guilt is already starting to falter¡­) ¡°I think I really helped her, too.¡± ¡°You helped me, too,¡± says Korri. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling a lot better about things since then. It¡¯s nice to not have to worry all the time¡­¡± She wraps her arms around you and gives you a big ol¡¯ hug. ¡°Thanks, Cibby. It means a lot¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­you¡¯re welcome,¡± you say, hugging her back. If only she knew; would she still accept it, knowing what you did? ¡°Maybe¡­maybe you wanna practice with me again?¡± Korri¡¯s big, dark eyes flutter as they stare into yours. ¡°My family won¡¯t be around the next couple of days, so we can be at my place so yours doesn¡¯t bug us.¡± Would be nice if that wasn¡¯t still a risk, but there¡¯s still a ton of people in and out, and you¡¯re not the only one avoiding things this time of year. But that¡¯s not even the main issue! ¡°W-well, I mean¡­I¡¯ve got nothing tomorrow until programming class. I could totally come over then¡­¡± Sweet fudgey temptation¡­you just, you really want to do more with her beautiful mind, touch it more firmly, your telepathy brushing over her to feel her happiness¡­the warmth that pulses through eyes on the inside, all looking toward you¡­ ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll do it, then. Thanks, Cibby!¡± Korri picks the controller back up so she can give the game more attention again. ¡°Anyway, how did things go with Stella? If you don¡¯t mind telling me, I mean. We haven¡¯t had a chance to talk about it much yet¡­¡± You swallow. You could really use a sundae or something right now, because air conditioning or no, it¡¯s too hot in here. ¡­well, there¡¯s no harm in telling her a bit. ¡°I kinda¡­well, first she asked me about myself, and she got an answer she didn¡¯t expect. She really didn¡¯t trust me, you know? She assumed I must have some ulterior motive¡­¡± (Which you did, just not the one she thought and not for those reasons.) ¡°So her hatred kind of melted a bit. One thing led to another, and¡­¡± The heat rises in your cheeks as you remember. ¡°We, uh. We kissed.¡± ¡°You what?¡° A-ah, no, of all the times for Marq to arrive! He¡¯s got a big tray of drinks, partly hiding the shipgirl t-shirt (was it North Carolina? you can¡¯t remember), as he plops it down on the coffee table and hops back on the couch. ¡°Y-yeah, I, uh. I kissed Stella.¡± You feel so hot, just thinking of it. Even now, you space out when you remember that kiss, or how it felt to have her vulnerable head in your hands, let alone to shape it with your Suggestion. I-it was nothing she didn¡¯t want, right? ¡°I-it just kind of happened! I think she had a weird image of me, but then she stopped having a weird image of me, and she thought I was cute, and she didn¡¯t¡­¡± Marq whistles, and grins in approval. ¡°Things went way better than I thought, huh? Guess it¡¯s like I always say, they can¡¯t say no to you.¡± ¡°I thought you usually said ¡®I¡¯ can¡¯t say no to Cibby, Mar-Mar!¡± (¡­you think sometimes Korri has a crush on your brother, based on that occasional nickname. Well, he¡¯s the only guy you¡¯d accept dating her, but for some reason he¡¯s not interested? And she¡¯s never asked? Oh well.) ¡°Eh, Kerry,¡± says Marq, using his own occasional nickname, ¡°it¡¯s a different kind of ¡®can¡¯t say no¡¯. A cute girl is different from a big brother, you know?¡± Marq shrugs, and picks up his mug. ¡°Didn¡¯t think tsunderes really existed, but weirder things have happened. Wouldn¡¯t be the first time mortal enemies turned into lovers overnight.¡± ¡°W-we¡¯re not lovers yet, or anything! I-it¡¯s just a kiss, y¡¯know? Stella has lots of girlfriends, she¡¯s pretty free with her affections.¡± You don¡¯t think Stella has any long-term relationships right now, but it¡¯s not like she posts her entire life on social media like some people do. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m happy about it, but¡­¡± ¡°Stella seems like she¡¯d make a good catch. Her SNS looks positive, she¡¯s got a good head on her shoulders. If things go further, hey, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± ¡°Mar-Mar likes fancy dresses,¡± Korri stage-whispers next to you. A good chunk of Stella¡¯s posts are of nice dresses, though a lot of them look more exposed than what she wears herself. ¡°Marqus!¡± you hear from the intercom ¨C your dad Satre. ¡°Sorry, we need your help again. Can we borrow you for a few?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Marq shrugs, and disappears back up the stairs. (Lucky they don¡¯t ask you anymore, huh? You try not to imagine what¡¯s going on in the kitchen¡­) Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s amazing, Cibby! Oh, I knew you were the cutest, even Stella couldn¡¯t resist you for long¡­are you going to go out with her? I mean, do you think you have a shot?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± you admit. ¡°She¡¯s trying to play it cool, but those study dates¡­I might be in with a shot, I guess?¡± ¡°I hope so, Cibby! If nothing else, she shouldn¡¯t be too mean to you anymore.¡± Korri nudges against you slightly as she shoots up the mechs on Freedom¡¯s Progress. ¡°What about the Debate Club? I¡¯m still pretty worried.¡± ¡°It seems to be going alright? Milia¡¯s really got some jealousy issues going on with me and Ms. Yi.¡± (Somehow, it feels wrong to not call her Seul-ki.) ¡°I kinda maneuvered her into a lunch date with me, though! Y¡¯know, to clear the air?¡± ¡­Korri immediately pauses the game, and gives you a flat look. ¡°¡­really? A date? With Milia? The untouchable Empress Milia?¡± ¡°Really!¡± You grin ¨C you admit you¡¯re pretty proud of it, though you still got a bunch of dirty looks from her entourage at the Academy today. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not really a date date, but¡­¡± Korri just frowns at you. ¡°I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine!¡± In fact, you know it will be! You just, uh, can¡¯t tell Korri why. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her. She¡¯s popular, but it¡¯s not like this is an anime or anything. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to show up with a helicopter to harass me ¨C er, I hope.¡± ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing, Cibby¡­you¡¯re really doing a lot the past week or two, I don¡¯t want you to get involved in anything dangerous.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as bad as that? There¡¯s just a thing we need to talk about, that¡¯s all. She¡¯s Seul-ki¡¯s favorite ¨C apparently she¡¯s on first-name terms with Ms. Yi.¡± (As are you now, huh?) Korri raises an eyebrow. ¡°Really? That sounds weird. Teachers don¡¯t really do that kind of thing usually, do they? Even in sixth form, first-name basis is pretty uncommon¡­and I don¡¯t think most of them play favorites like that, either.¡± ¡­no. No they don¡¯t. Somehow, in all of this excitement, it just escaped you how weird Seul-ki was acting. You were so happy to be praised, and so honored to be given a bit of her trust ¨C and don¡¯t forget proud, of getting one over on someone like Milia, of having something she wanted and couldn¡¯t have ¨C that you ignored that this¡­
Your Adaptability has increased by 1!
this is totally weird! M-maybe you should watch your back, huh? (Especially if your system is telling you that.) ¡°Mm. It¡¯s okay, Cibby.¡± Korri pauses the game again, so she can drape you in a nice, comfortable, warm hoodie hug. Black eyes, messy hair, your beloved, precious Korri. ¡°I trust you, you know? Just don¡¯t forget what she¡¯s capable of.¡± A faint flicker of memory through Korri¡¯s mind shows Milia¡¯s bad side ¨C the nasty, vengeful, smug Empress you¡¯ve heard only whispers about. But, so too, can you feel the warmth inside Korri, and she makes you feel like you can do anything, anything at all! (What would she think, if she knew you¡¯d gained such a power to persuade others, and you gladly used it to shape Milia¡¯s mind?) (What would she think, if you showed her just what you can do?) ¡°I won¡¯t! I promise I won¡¯t. And¡­¡± You squeeze her even tighter. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. Always. From anyone and everyone.¡± Yes. Protect her. Korri feels so safe in your arms. You can tell, now more than ever. And you, yourself, have never wanted to let her go. Only one person has proven worthy in your eyes of laying hands on your very best friend, and your brother ¨C for whatever reason, I mean, look at her ¨C has no interest in moving beyond friendship. Hell, you¡¯re jealous enough of Garrus Vakarian, and he¡¯s certainly something you¡¯d consider boyfriend material for Korri if not for the whole ¡®being fictional¡¯ part. Korri has been in a relationship before, back in Cornwall, on the other side of the world. At the start of high school, when you¡¯d finally reunited? Plenty of people tried to push Korri into relationships she didn¡¯t want, thinking she was ¡®easy¡¯ (or, to be fair, because they were as socially awkward as Korri was). And you protected her from them ¨C to the point where some people made jokes about you being the final boss of the Trelawney Challenge. At first, under Korri¡¯s explicit instruction and consent; then, later, under her tacit approval; now, because you¡¯re so used to it that you can¡¯t imagine not doing it, little as it needs to happen anymore. (Every time you see her scars, though, you remind yourself ¨C it was necessary.) ¡­you can¡¯t claim it¡¯s selfless. You know that. You¡¯ve always kind of figured, well¡­Korri spends lots of time outside your watchful gaze, and if she ever fell in love, if she ever truly and genuinely fell in love, there¡¯d be no force in the universe which could stop her from expressing that feeling. Silently hoping that the person she does fall for is good enough for you, looking for a true confession of love that keeps you from your own selfishness. But until that day comes, you won¡¯t let her go. ¡°I really enjoyed it, last time, Cibby,¡± whispers Korri. ¡°Being hypnotised, I mean. Ugh. S-she really does enjoy tempting you, huh? ¡°Well, um. What is it you enjoy about having me hypnotise you?¡± Korri¡¯s head buries into your shoulder. ¡°Ah, well¡­it¡¯s nice feeling safe, and having a friend help me with my feelings!¡± And¡­ You can feel a warmth. A heat. Behind those ¡®eyes¡¯ that are Korri¡¯s mind, through your telepathy. Something within her burns, and yet, her emotions reflect nothing of it. To her, it¡¯s like it isn¡¯t even there ¨C or not worthy of notice. It draws you in, like a moth to the flame. Her mind is so beautiful. Within those ¡®eyes¡¯ are a million different reflections, and you wish you could dive in deeper, see more. You want to know Korri inside and out, and you can just feel your will, your soul, seeping out of you. Daring to grasp her. As if on some deep and fundamental level, you know she¡¯s yours, and she knows she¡¯s yours. If only you could ask her: ¡°Do you like¡­when I take control?¡± ¡­ ¡­except you said that out loud! Not only that, but you couldn¡¯t resist it. Without even thinking, your Suggestion reached out, and grasped those eyes, squeezing them into place and position and shape, impressing a part of your will upon her, as though divine revelation¡­ (it feels so good. so right.) H-how did this happen?! You close off your telepathy, lest you see too much, but¡­Korri¡¯s eyes went all glassy, and she opened her mind to you. Not even a hint of resistance, to your ¡®hand¡¯, your ¡®touch¡¯ crushing her brain in your palm, just a little bit. (For a moment, you swear you could¡¯ve felt pleasure, but that can¡¯t be right¡­) ¡°¡­I guess I kinda do, yeah¡­it¡¯s nice not having to think too hard, or decide¡­¡± She¡¯s got the widest smile, and she doesn¡¯t know why. ¡­it¡¯s different from when it happened with Milia. With Milia, you could feel her nature fighting you. It was only thanks to some cracks in her defenses that you were able to do what you did ¨C the need to find out more about Seul-ki¡¯s new favorite. Here, it¡­lines up with Korri¡¯s nature. She really doesn¡¯t mind having someone thinking for her. Maybe¡­maybe you just put words to her thoughts? (or maybe you¡¯re just trying to make excuses, for being willing to violate her like this ¨C) ah! Korri hugs you tighter. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cibby. Whatever you are, whatever you¡¯re thinking¡­I¡¯ll be with you. I trust you, even if you¡¯re going into dangerous places, to always make it through. Just like you have for me.¡± ¡­you nod, and squeeze her in return. Feeling that warmth. You won¡¯t feel too guilty, if you didn¡¯t shape her too much; there¡¯s nothing in the skill description that says your Suggestion actually has to alter her, right? I-if she¡¯s already thinking like that, you¡¯ll just turn a blind eye to it, even as you worry about how easily you were drawn in, and about what thoughts lay deep within Korri¡¯s mind. A mistake isn¡¯t unforgivable, right? And you smile, as she returns to the game, and you bury yourself in her hoodie. Because being here, with her, feeling her warmth, and her friendship ¨C even as you wish it was love ¨C it¡¯s¡­ nice. You barely speak for the rest of the visit, just clinging to one another as you play the game, but it¡¯s nice. (¡°¡­you know, I¡¯ve played Mass Effect 3,¡± Marq says to Korri as he comes in and sits back down. ¡°I thought it was very nice.¡±) (¡°Well, you¡¯re wrong.¡±)
Hypnosis Branch: Induction
Induction T1: I Want The Control. You gain the ability to make much more deep-seated changes using your hypnosis, pushing the limits of what is considered possible. You may make them perform actions they are ordinarily opposed to, or go so far as to change deep-seated parts of their personality, such as their sexual orientation. The exact limits depend on your Charisma, how many times you have hypnotised them before, their vulnerability to hypnosis, and other similar factors. Requires Instant Hypnotherapist. Good¡­good. You¡¯ve got a taste for it now, don¡¯t you? Hypnosis¡­all those methods of control, and this is still the best. Subtle and intimate and lovely. This way, you can make Korrigan yours, the lovely girlfriend you always wanted. Any objections with regard to sexuality are obsolete.
Induction T2: Handshake Induction. Your skill with hypnosis has increased to the point where you can prime an induction with a mere moment of physical contact. Not only the legendary ¡®handshake induction¡¯, with far more precision and success than ordinary hypnotists can manage, but any kind of touch, from the mundane to the sexual. The target must not be hostile, and the touch must be in a situation which is socially acceptable. You can merely prime them for a later quick induction (even potentially in combat, with sufficient preparation), or you can bring them under right away. Requires I Want The Control.
Induction T3: Hypnotic Trap. Your capability with hypnosis is such that you can write in an inherently hypnotic way. This can be any sufficiently long form of writing, such as an email, a short story or essay, or even a whole book. This writing has the full force of all your Hypnosis skills, and thus is more effective than any normal text-based induction. You may tailor this writing so it only has an effect on those you choose, as broad a category as a whole gender to as narrow as a single person at a very particular time in a very particular place. Those who you do not intend to be affected treat the hypnotic part of the writing as though it doesn¡¯t exist, although machine analysis may reveal it. You must have used Cold Reading (Psychology T1) on a target to be able to tailor the writing. It is much more effective on those you have Cold Read for an extended period. If you have Natural Language Processing (Psychology T2), the depth of the effect and how deeply it¡¯s tailored is greatly amplified, and you may even tailor the writing to someone you haven¡¯t met before; those you have met can be given tailoring so deep that even machine analysis will not reveal the hypnotic quality of the text. In addition, having Natural Language Processing compels the targets to read as soon as possible. Requires Handshake Induction and Cold Reading (Psychology T1).
â…¢.6: If I Could Make You Smile ¡°Haah¡­¡± Enkhjargal sighs to herself, grinning ear to ear after the sweat she broke in her latest fencing session with you, sipping from a water bottle emblazoned with the logo of the Moonlight Fencing Club. ¡°Just when I think I¡¯m starting to get the hang of things with you, you just get better and better¡­maybe you really are psychic after all, Cibele!¡± You blush, still not used to the compliments. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not, but¡­¡± But you might still be cheating a little.
Your Dexterity has increased by 1!
(¡­well, okay, you are psychic. Just not in the way she thinks!) You¡¯ve been able to spend some time with Enks more properly tonight. She¡¯s¡­a surprisingly humble and down to earth person for someone of her skill, you think, and she continues to think very highly of you. Being called a ¡®genius¡¯ or a ¡®psychic¡¯ by a real genius takes a lot to get used to! You¡¯re still not quite sure how to deal with her touchy-feeliness, though¡­even like this she¡¯s leaning against you. She¡¯ll shake your hand, hug you, even get her cheek close to yours sometimes ¨C although that one she doesn¡¯t seem to intend. It¡¯s too much, bad thoughts! ¡°Halt!¡± you hear from the other end of the room with the younger students. Even from this distance, you instantly know what it is that¡¯s happening; you can just imagine the look on Calvina¡¯s face, having seen it more times than you can count. ¡°Your stance is too wide. Any opponent paying any attention at all can exploit that. If you keep this up, you¡¯ll never be ready for competition!¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± the poor student says, panting from the effort trying to keep up with Calvina. ¡°But, I¡¯m trying my best¡­¡± ¡°Then try better than your best,¡± Calvina says firmly. It¡¯s not quite crossing the line or anything, but¡­she¡¯s still a very strict teacher, especially to the younger students. ¡°Sigh¡­Calvina¡¯s still the same, isn¡¯t she?¡± says Enks, fanning herself with her hand and shaking her head. ¡°She¡¯s been like this as long as I¡¯ve known her. It took me ages for her to really respect me, you know?¡± And even then¡­maybe she doesn¡¯t as much as you¡¯d hope, if her thoughts are any indication. ¡°Calvina believes in pushing herself past her limits in everything. And I¡¯ve always loved that about her, you know? It¡¯s where she imposes it on others that I feel she could do better.¡± ¡°I mean¡­it worked for me.¡± You shrug ¨C you know that the students here expect to be pushed. You definitely did. ¡°And there¡¯s no one I respect more than her, really, when it comes to her skill and dedication. Present company excepted, I mean!¡± ¡°You say that, but¡­¡± Enks downs some more water, furrowing her brow as she looks at Calvina correcting the student¡¯s stance. ¡°I¡¯ve always believed it¡¯s better to let students learn at their own pace, in the ways they see best. Rigid learning has its own problems, too. I get that sword sports are different than other martial arts, but¡­what¡¯s that quote? About the highest technique?¡± ¡°Oh! ¡®To have no technique¡¯,¡± you say, very familiar. ¡°But it¡¯s different when it¡¯s a competition with such rigid rules, right? At the very least, you need to know what other people are going to do¡­that quote doesn¡¯t make as much sense in this context.¡± ¡°I guess you do have a point,¡± says Enks. ¡°Even so, Calvina can¡¯t expect everyone to see things in the same way she does. I¡¯ve always considered the highest order of my training to be passion ¨C to truly enjoy what I do! Ever since I started training, that¡¯s been my goal.¡± ¡­yeah, you don¡¯t need to read any minds to figure out why there¡¯s tension between these two. Or what it is that might make Calvina a bit reluctant. Calvina¡¯s desire for dedication and discipline is admirable, to you at least¡­but Enks doesn¡¯t do things her way. And yet, in their respective fields, Enks is far and away superior¡­ You really can see why Calvina wouldn¡¯t want to teach her personally. Calvina¡¯s worked so hard, but to fall short, against someone who dislikes her teaching style? Even Calvina is human, right? (Little as you¡¯ve seen that side of her.) ¡°What about you?¡± Enks asks, turning and smiling to you. ¡°What do you think is most important in your training? Dedication, or passion?¡± ¡­that is a good question. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a very diligent or dedicated person ¨C you know that. Your school performance proves it. You can¡¯t even say you excel at your hobbies; you¡¯re not great at video games, certainly not enough to be a pro. Fencing is the thing you¡¯ve kept up the most and the longest. And you¡¯re still not great at it, not really. But, even so¡­ it¡¯s something you love, right? Being able to show Calvina you¡¯re improving, knowing she¡¯s proud of you, knowing that you¡¯re doing something right¡­if you can make her smile, even a little bit, then all the work you¡¯ve put in is worth it. Your senpai is more than just a shallow crush, right? And you think, somehow, with your new insights you can grasp that it¡¯s that way for Calvina, too. And the other students. If you could make her smile¡­ ¡°I think you¡¯re looking at this the wrong way, Enks,¡± you say. ¡°I think the most important part of training is love!¡° Enks blinks, looking right into your eyes. ¡°¡­love?¡± ¡°Yes, love! You have to genuinely love what you¡¯re doing to truly excel at it, right? From love stems both passion and dedication, discipline and enthusiasm.¡± The words come so much more easily now, thanks to your new abilities; you¡¯re capable of grasping more. ¡°And from there, you balance that love against your responsibility. Both you and Calvina love what you do, even if you show it in different ways. That¡¯s why you¡¯re both so good at it! Without that love, you¡¯d never have come as far as you do.¡± ¡°I see¡­maybe I was thinking about this all wrong, then.¡± Enks closes her eyes, and nods in thought. ¡°You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about, Cibele, thank you.¡± You hope so, at least! If you could mend Calvina and Enks¡¯ friendship, or relationship, or whatever it is, you think you¡¯d be really happy. ¡°¡­I see the two of you are enjoying each other¡¯s company.¡± ¡°Oh! Calvina!¡± The rest of the students are shuffling off to put their gear back in storage, while Calvina looks at the two of you on the bench, letting down her hair in a single motion. Just as cool as ever¡­god, she¡¯s pretty. She¡¯s the spitting image of a knight¡­and if Calvina is a knight, perhaps Enks is a ronin of sorts? The dedicated knight who serves her liege, and the wandering freespirited ronin¡­what a romance that would be ¨C wait, no, don¡¯t write fanfic of your friends, Cibby! ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve recovered nicely from your accident, Cibele.¡± Calvina smiles warmly at you, and you feel so happy to be acknowledged. ¡°You¡¯re in top form. Hell, if I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d say the accident did you more good than harm.¡± You laugh, and shrug it off. Even Calvina can tell¡­that¡¯s neat, but maybe kind of dangerous. And if Calvina wants to get closer to you, then¡­ No, bad thoughts! Let it happen naturally, if there¡¯s anything! (Even if it might be nice to see Calvina ¨C no, bad thoughts!) ¡°My compliments to her teacher,¡± Enks says, and Calvina sort of¡­looks aside, avoiding her friend¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­thanks,¡± she mutters, doing her best to sound sincere. ¡°But, I was thinking. It¡¯s been a while since you and I hung out properly, Calvina. I was thinking maybe the three of us should get lunch this weekend? I¡¯ll give you my mobile, Cibele.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯d love to!¡± you say. Spending more time with knightly cuties? Awesome! ¡­wait, those two are awkward, maybe this isn¡¯t the best idea¡­ Regardless, Calvina agrees, albeit reluctantly. You did just say you wanted to mend their friendship; this could be the perfect opportunity! ¡°Very well. It¡¯s been a while since I met Cibele outside class too; I think I can afford some extra calories from pizza this week.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! I can¡¯t wait,¡± Enks says, and she immediately hugs your side. ¡°H-hey!¡± T-too cute, too much! More of this touchy-feeliness?! This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°¡­right. About that. Enkhjargal won¡¯t be here next week, so you can just attend your usual class,¡± Calvina says. ¡°We can confirm the weekend timing by mobile.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a competition, so I¡¯ll be at the Murakumo Kendo Club all week training,¡± Enks explains. ¡°So I¡¯ll see you on the weekend!¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± you confirm, flashing a peace sign. Well, that¡¯s okay. It gives you more time to stake out other grinding opportunities if you have a break from training Enks. ¡°I need to use Saturday to finish up my homework, so I¡¯ll see you two Sunday~¡± (Yeah, a lunch date will all work out fine, and you can help them reconcile¡­) (right?)
It¡¯s¡­kind of amazing how your enhanced Dexterity feels. You know intellectually that your mental skills have increased, but it¡¯s something you can¡¯t quite grasp because you¡¯re inside your own head all the time. The only way you can really tell is by external reactions, especially Milia and Stella¡¯s. The big impact internally comes from your skills, which are unlocked as they increase. But with Dexterity¡­ You¡¯ve been practicing a bit as you travel from the Capital University to the train station, as brutalist concrete gives way to modern steel and glass. Balancing on sidewalks and railings, delicately leaping to and fro¡­ Bit by bit you get more confident, starting to go into proper freerunning. It¡¯s something you¡¯ve dabbled with over the years, parkour, but you¡¯ve never quite got the hang of it. But now, you¡¯re doing moves you¡¯ve seen only in video pretty much like nothing! You¡¯re getting quite a few looks, but¡­you don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s nice to be noticed. To be the brilliant Cibele you¡¯ve always wanted to be. When you really overextend, you do stumble, but you¡¯re able to recover with the grace of a cat. You think you even see people filming you! ¡­ ¡­maybe it¡¯s a good idea to keep track of whether you show up on viral videos? You¡¯re sure whatever¡¯s going to happen, other people are going to develop powers of their own ¨C if nothing else, that¡¯s the only reason you can think of for future-past-you to need to fudge the timeline up in the first place. If you can keep track of ¡®amazing¡¯ feats like yours¡­ Showing off is a bit of a risk. But not a huge one at this stage. Just¡­something to remember, that you might not want to do anything blatantly impossible once you develop such a capability. Regardless, right now, you just feel too good to care. Sometimes it¡¯s good to just enjoy life, you know?
Once you¡¯re on the train, though, you open up your skill trees again. You¡¯ve got a point to use, right?
Telepathy Skill Points: 1
Being forced to spend it in Telepathy is a bit of a blessing ¨C none of the three available skills to you, in the branches, are Bad Thoughts enough to worry about at the moment. In fact, there¡¯s really no need to agonize over it. The opening skills for the Clairvoyance and Override branches, Danger Sense and Reality Yank, are pretty weak. The former¡¯s a ¡®spider sense¡¯ sort of deal, which isn¡¯t useful when you¡¯re not expecting to be in danger; the latter is telekinesis, which is awesome, but also really weak. You can¡¯t even use it while being observed, what a ripoff! How are you supposed to win the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge now?! Thought Delver, on the other hand?
Mentalism T1: Thought Delver. An evolution of Thought Skimmer. You may start to dive into thoughts more deeply, to get the sense of a person¡¯s wishes and desires. The more time you spend with a person, the better you know a person, and the more the person trusts you, the easier it is to Delve and the longer you can Delve before having to stop. Spending too much time reading a mind may cause them to detect it; they won¡¯t understand what happened, but they¡¯ll know something is wrong and will reflexively put up mental defenses until they feel safe. Repeated failures may connect this odd feeling with you. However, you always know when you reach this limit, and may always disconnect before you reach it. Warning: extended Delving, Delving into certain minds, or Delving into intense emotions may have unforeseen side effects. (Experience, trust, and increased Adaptability will decrease the chance and severity thereof.) Requires Thought Skimmer.
Your Thought Skimmer, your telepathy, has been super useful! And amazing, and wonderful, and maybe a tiny bit unethical but not much compared to the rest! But you feel like there¡¯s so much you still don¡¯t understand, as if the surface thoughts you can reach right now are only a fraction of what you need to truly understand someone else. Especially Korri¡­ It¡¯s a terrifying power. Understanding a person so completely isn¡¯t something to take lightly, and the fact that there¡¯s a warning attached does worry you a bit. But, you¡¯re the one who was going on about Newtypes and contolism and such the other day, so maybe, just maybe¡­ It¡¯s time to touch the demon inside you once again. You push the golden tile, an icon of an eye within the silhouette of a human head, and it lights up white alongside the gold. Dreams of red, gold, and green once again¡­the power that future-past-you created burrowing deep within you, beyond the reach of darkness. Your mind pulses, for a moment, and you feel a heat and a glow from yourself as you take this ownerless power as your own. There¡¯s something so pleasurable about it. It¡¯s such a stronger sensation than before¡­! You can feel something rapturous inside you, writhing within your mind, your soul¡­as if this power was always meant for you. I-it really is a dangerous feeling! You really don¡¯t think you¡¯re the best person to hold this kind of power ¨C let alone the future-past-you that seemingly had so little regard for how she used it ¨C but it feels good to hold it within your hands¡­ Ah. That¡¯s right. Future-past-you has more to say!
You¡¯ve gotten so much use out of Thought Skimmer by now, haven¡¯t you? Just like me. This is the natural extension of that! It¡¯s no replacement for Cold Reading ¨C the two skills have very different aims. You¡¯ll get used to the differences in time, past-future-me! For the moment¡­have you met Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice yet? The Empress of Verwest~ She holds some very interesting secrets in her mind, that you should use this skill to discover when you get the chance!
Cold Reading¡­that¡¯s your T1 Psychology skill. You¡¯re briefly confused by the statement, before you realize that even the innermost thoughts of a person may be an imperfect picture. So Cold Reading is a good pick for later, then ¨C good to know! Future-past-you is being kinda useful ¨C Wait, wait wait. She mentioned Milia? By name? ¡­that¡¯s¡­disconcerting. Alright, you¡¯ve got enhanced brain power in all three stats now. Consider ¨C why might Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice be involved? First thought: a connection to the Sunset Corporation. This is the logical explanation, as the possibility the Sunset Corporation was involved in this power, or the event of the old world that necessitated resetting this twisted game, is rather high given their importance in the city¡¯s economy and scientific development. Milia¡¯s family are shareholders, after all¡­ but the problem with that is, there¡¯s quite a lot of de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrices around. Milia is just one of them, and she hasn¡¯t even graduated sixth form yet. The likelihood of her knowing some kind of dark secret about the company is extremely low. Unless they experimented on her directly, which while something you can¡¯t rule out is still not something you have any evidence of right now. The first thought that comes to mind is purely emotional ¨C in your ¡®ghost¡¯, as the Lost Girls of the Electric City might say. The feeling that tugged at you when you saw Rita Sternbach ¨C a magnetism. A similar, if less intense feeling comes to mind when you think of Irma Suikkari; of all the people in the city of Southern Sun, you so easily found them. And then¡­ It¡¯s a simple question, really. What made you turn left instead of right? The decision made sense to you at the time, but you¡¯re far more attracted to the mysterious Li Xiao-Yin than Milia. Milia¡¯s got the curves, true, but Xiao-Yin has plenty of charisma of her own. Marq even encouraged you to chase her earlier! One thing that isn¡¯t mysterious is a devoted club the equal of Milia¡¯s entourage. The loyalty of the Literature Club would¡¯ve taught you as much as, if not more than, the Debate Club¡­so why turn left? Simple: you felt, somehow, meeting Milia was more important than meeting Xiao-Yin, and you chose to put what little courage you had toward her. There¡¯s forty million people in the city, and countless even just in the districts you visit regularly¡­are you being drawn to people you knew in your past? If you had future-past-you mentioning Rita or Irma, or even Enks, it¡¯d be a lot spookier¡­so for now it¡¯s another ¡®in your ghost¡¯ thing. Better to try not to rely on magical thinking, but¡­ One thing you can¡¯t deny now is, future-past-you had a run-in with the Empress of her own. Her comments imply she created the Gamer System somehow, so on that assumption, she might¡¯ve had a different power originally? It¡¯s a bit specious, but if you make that assumption, the run-in is unlikely to have been something she chose. (It¡¯s simply not possible that you entered a relationship with Milia of your own free will, naturally. No matter how attractive she might be, her personality¡­you¡¯d have to do a lot of altering! You wouldn¡¯t put it past future-past-you, but still!) (Even if she¡¯s a little hot, maybe¡­) Thus, your third thought returns to the connection you share ¨C Yi Seul-ki. Could it be that you were in a relationship of some kind with her? Or that something inside Milia¡¯s mind might help you understand Seul-ki better, and get you that relationship? It might be a bit unethical, sure, but compared to what else you did, teacher-student is a bit of a drop in the bucket. You¡¯re starting to wonder, if it¡¯s so bad¡­ W-wait, you just told yourself to watch your back! Don¡¯t start jumping into things like that just because your teacher is super sexy! Either way, if future-past-you is saying the information lies in Milia¡¯s mind, then it should be something Seul-ki wouldn¡¯t tell you on her own ¨C and that it¡¯s easier to get the information from Milia than Seul-ki. (You¡¯re not sure how your Thought Delver works yet, so testing it on Seul-ki is out of the question!) Just what was Seul-ki to Milia, anyway? What could make Milia so jealous of you, besides a romantic crush, that Seul-ki could and would never return? (¡­you think. The kind of gaze Seul-ki lays upon you, has she given it to someone else? Does she show it to her something-like-a-girlfriend Ms. Seong?) (And how would you feel, if behind that gaze, she held a desire for you?)
Telepathy Branch: Mentalism
Mentalism T2: Voyeur. Your mind reading is now able to affect multiple targets, and also targets outside of line of sight. You may Delve into the thoughts of a small group in conversation, or Skim a large group for their general mood. In addition, you may also listen to conversations remotely by reading off the senses of the participants, in addition to Skimming or Delving. Requires Thought Delver.
Mentalism T3: Future Sight. You now continually passively read the minds of those around you unconsciously. Using this sense, you gain a general idea of the mood in the general area (a neighborhood or district, effectively), and whether anyone in the area has ill designs on you. You immediately know if anyone you know, ally or enemy, is in the area. You can extend your Skim, Delve, or Voyeur to anyone specific you detect in the area at-will, regardless of whether you¡¯d be able to normally. If you have Time Dilation (Clairvoyance T2), your time dilation is triggered if you detect someone with ill intent toward you, allowing you to use one of your Telepathy skills against them in response regardless of distance. Requires Voyeur and Danger Sense (Clairvoyance T1).
â…¢.7: Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too Most of the family isn¡¯t home by the time you are, so you take the chance to grab a shower upstairs. Nice and warm and steamy, and a good opportunity to dye your roots ¨C the black is growing in behind the blue again. Hmn, maybe you should get a haircut, soon? Or, maybe it¡¯d be better to grow it out more¡­ Your thoughts still drift toward Milia and Seul-ki, as they did before¡­and Stella, too. Yi Seul-ki. Your teacher, the giver of ¡®wisdom¡¯. The person you¡¯ve wanted so badly, but even your pre-Gamer self knew better than to pursue¡­ You think of the way she tapped her pointer, like a metronome. Tap, tap, tap. Slow, methodical¡­enveloping. You weren¡¯t hypnotised or anything (you think, anyway?), but surely, if you allowed it to happen, it¡¯d be easy, wouldn¡¯t it? And it¡¯s hard not to imagine it, let alone ¨C ah, what if Milia got hypnotised by you and Seul-ki at the same time?! You could both have her glassy-eyed between your arms, pressing your chests against her, you whispering in one of her ears, Seul-ki in the other ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Don¡¯t make this all weird! Okay, so you have access to Milia. You have your new Thought Delver. You have Suggestion. Heck, by the time the date happens you might have another useful skill. You can find out exactly what their connection is! You could even delve into Seul-ki if you get a chance, though she¡¯s probably going to be perceptive enough to make it risky. ¡­Milia. She really brings out your ¡®S vibes¡¯, doesn¡¯t she? Not that this whole hypnofetish thing doesn¡¯t, or anything, but something about the Empress draws out a more explicit ¡®sadist¡¯ streak. Your desire for heroism, to spread your ideals against evil, twists itself when faced with such a representation of evil¡­with such a stupid sexy face. Or maybe she just makes you so mad you wanna punch her face in! Just, y¡¯know, heroically. (¡­or sexily, apparently.) That¡­tantalizing feeling, though. That sense in the back of her mind that, if you wanted, you could¡¯ve made her feel aroused, sexually, from losing to you. That you could start to turn her toward a masochistic streak, one she might not even know she has, one you might well just be creating. You can feel that part of you, that sadistic part of you saying: just grind her under her heel until she begs. Not for mercy, but for more. Because Cibele is a form of ¡®Cybele¡¯¡­the mother goddess. If Milia is an Empress by her name, clearly you¡¯re a Goddess, someone even an Empress must kneel to. ¡­ah, Goddess? You feel a heat growing in your cheeks as you think of it. Goddess. Goddess. Milia¡¯s Goddess, or even Stella¡¯s Goddess. Something about that really feels good, fits neatly in some part of your brain or your heart. It¡¯s arrogant, but it¡¯s still¡­it¡¯s still kind of sexy, right? A Goddess, you think, as you blush even in the heat of your shower. Your fingertips touch your lips. Or rather, one hand¡¯s fingertips touch one pair of lips, and the other touches the other. An image of yourself in a stained-glass window¡­there is something appealing about that, isn¡¯t there? I-it¡¯d be really egotistical, though¡­! A stained-glass window, an image of a pigtailed Goddess? A Goddess. The image fills you with passion, and desire. A-and yet, you can¡¯t help but think you¡¯re thinking far too many steps ahead, let alone whether such a thing would even be good in the first place. You can¡¯t just go mad with power! But¡­ (thinking of Stella and Milia kneeling before you, you in front of the stained-glass window that shows you in effigy¡­) (it fulfills something fundamental, within you, that you¡¯d never realized existed before.) (And besides.) (A Sunset shareholder¡¯s daughter is hardly the worst kind of person to bring under your power, if you want to become a heroine, is it?)
Once you pop out of the shower, hair still left down as you wander toward your room, you notice the light under Marq¡¯s doorframe. Most of the family isn¡¯t here still, but it seems Marq ducked out early tonight, huh? He can tolerate meat a lot more than you can, but the crowds are still going to be a bit of an issue ¨C and not every member of the extended Epeli or Imanis families is totally affable. So you can understand that¡­ May as well check on him! Not before changing into your nightie, mind you, but once you do: ¡°Hey, can I come in?¡± you ask, knocking gently on the door. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± There¡¯s something on his speakers, you can faintly hear from behind the door¡­ As you open up, you notice that today¡¯s posters all seem to be ponies, or humanized ponies at least. Multicolored horses¡­well, some of them are kind of cute? And the humanized ones, too, there¡¯s an appeal. And on one of his monitors? ¡°Young candidate, make a contract with the Goddess, and tell her your name!¡± A black-haired woman in glasses, in a dress that resembles a black swan, is leading some kind of ceremony, with a girl kneeling to her, surrounded by other girls in colorful robes. Hung upon the wall is a symbol, an eight-pointed star flanked by a goddess¡¯ wings beneath, and runic words¡­if you remember correctly, they read das Ewig-Weibliche, ¡®the Eternal Feminine¡¯ ¨C not that you can read it yourself, but it came up in one of Seul-ki¡¯s lectures about new religious movements. ¡°Huh¡­what¡¯s this?¡± you ask, peeking over Marq¡¯s shoulder as he pauses his video. ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s a contracting ceremony,¡± your brother says, pointing at the screen. ¡°Candidates for the Fourth Order, those who follow the path of the Adversary, tell the Goddess their name so that she will remember it, just as her followers remember the Goddess in return. In this, they make a contract ¨C and thus, their name is inscribed somewhere it will never be forgotten, even if the world around them forgets.¡± ¡°So they never forget¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s also just a celebration, you know? A new girl coming into the lives of the Order¡¯s coven. The Coordinator gets everyone together, it¡¯s a happy occasion. The Goddess is happy to get a new girl to protect, so why shouldn¡¯t the Order be too?¡± Religion¡­religion isn¡¯t something you understand very well. To the girl kneeling on the screen, this looks like the most important moment in her life; and the woman (presumably a Coordinator) certainly looks happy, despite her surely having performed many other ceremonies like this in the Goddess¡¯ name. You don¡¯t understand why someone would worship something like ¡®magical girls¡¯, either, but¡­ it reminds you of a question. A question you¡¯ve never actually had the courage to ask, but in this moment ¨C during this time, when your family does something that¡¯s so important to them, that¡¯s so strange to you ¨C feels important to get a straight answer for. ¡°Marq, do you believe in God?¡± And with that, Marq turns around in his chair to face you. ¡°¡­nineteen years, and that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve asked me that question, huh.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s an awkward question to ask!¡± You wave your hands around frantically! ¡°It¡¯s like, it¡¯s not something you just ask someone, even if they¡¯re family!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never asked you, either. Not that I¡¯ve ever needed to, but: do you believe in God, Cibele?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t.¡± You shake your head. You¡¯re not sure you ever have, really; you may not be as blatant as Aunt Vesta about it, but it¡¯s hardly a secret. Especially not this time of year ¨C Eid al-Adha. Traditionally, it¡¯s a celebration where animals are sacrificed in God¡¯s name. Animals aren¡¯t allowed in Southern Sun, of course; across the world, religions have had to adapt to a post-Collapse era and its attitudes toward livestock, but one thing remains true here in Southern Sun ¨C it¡¯s a time when everyone gets to eat meat. The entire community donates money to purchase large amounts of meat, including normally-expensive farmed varieties only the rich would normally eat. Families like yours that don¡¯t usually partake in meat at all take this occasion to do just that in honor of God and tradition, and poorer families have a rare chance to eat meat they might never otherwise get a chance to. (Especially important, for recent climate refugees ¨C part of why you can¡¯t get entirely upset on principle.) It¡¯s a time of celebration and culture, and you¡¯d never deny that to your family, but you personally? You just¡­you can¡¯t stand meat. Cultured meat is¡­tolerable, but not ideal. Farmed meat, on the other hand, makes you sick just to look at, let alone remembering how it was made, or the consequences its production has for the planet. The idea of spending an entire week visiting family or the mosque to look at those ¡®sacrifices¡¯ is something you do your best to avoid. Or worse, being pressured to eat. Not too long ago, you thought about how you go through the motions of the religious background noise of your life. And you stand by that, but¡­if it¡¯s meat, farmed meat, that¡¯s one line you refuse to cross. Even if people would accept you there without eating it, you don¡¯t want to be reminded, and the pressure and expectation is always there. ¡­it¡¯s little things like that. Disagreeable traditions, unanswered prayers, small pressures and conflicts. No single moment of disbelief, just death by a thousand cuts; it makes you roll your eyes a little at people who describe grand disconnects from religion, grand crusades against the idea of ¡®God¡¯, when to you there was never such a moment ¨C and never needed to be. ¡°Well, I do.¡± ¡­case in point. ¡°Really? I guess¡­I guess I always figured, since you get along so well with Aunt Vesta and all¡­¡± Marq turns around in his chair again, facing the monitor once more. ¡°Mm. How to explain this¡­¡± ¡°What, the Twilight Sparkle wig?¡± you joke, poking at a mass of multicolored hair he¡¯s placed atop a pile of boxes, no doubt retrieved from Marq¡¯s closet. ¡°Where¡¯d you find this from?¡± ¡°Friend wanted help with a costume for Halloween back in high school.¡± Your brother shrugs. ¡°I got the wig, but he bailed on it, and it just got left in a box somewhere.¡± ¡°Crossplay?¡± ¡°Well, you know, femboys and all. Think he mixed up Twilight Sparkle with Stocking.¡± ¡°And this¡­¡± There¡¯s a small box under the wig. ¡°Is that a hairpin ¨C¡± Before you can take a close look, Marq snatches it up and ferrets it away somewhere on his desk. ¡°Ah ¨C that¡¯s not important. Just a gift for someone.¡± ¡°Someone you like?¡± Marq doesn¡¯t talk about his crushes much ¨C he likes to joke that you¡¯ll steal them away otherwise. (Might be why he¡¯s never said word one about Korri there.) This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Something like that.¡± Your brother turns back to his computer. ¡°But¡­mm. There are, what, two billion Muslims in the world, right?¡± ¡°Give or take.¡± The Collapse, and the post-Collapse baby boom, both fudge with the numbers a little. ¡°Of course, those kinds of figures are pretty iffy.¡± ¡°In raw terms, sure. If you look at Christianity, in particular, drawing the distinction between mere theism and a devout faith is sometimes pretty difficult. But in any population, in any nation where something like a ¡®religion¡¯ is a commonplace part of life, where those practices and cultures are a part of life, you can still place someone within a ¡®Christian¡¯ or ¡®Muslim¡¯ world. People like Aunt Vesta are rarer than you¡¯d think; conscious refusal of a holiday or practice is much more difficult than people take credit for.¡± ¡°Hmn, that¡¯s true¡­¡± You have to admit, seeing other students go around wearing Santa hats every December is kind of annoying. It¡¯s the southern hemisphere, darnit! And even if it weren¡¯t, it never snows here, not even on the top of Mt. Kaguya! And there are no chimneys, either! ¡°In that respect, even those who do not consciously consider themselves devout still participate in the surrounding cultural system, inspired by a belief in, say, ¡®Allah¡¯. That goes all the more for societies where religion is the basis for law, in whole or part. Given this¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t believe humans have the capacity to grasp something like ¡®God¡¯. I think it¡¯s a quiet arrogance to assume that we know enough about existence to even state definitively that such a thing could exist at all.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t think we¡¯re lucky enough to live in a world where something like ¡®God¡¯ exists, I guess,¡± you mutter. ¡°Maybe, if I¡¯d lived through the Collapse, I¡¯d think differently¡­¡± ¡°Or you¡¯d just reject it because you did. Plenty of people thought, back then, that God had abandoned them. But that¡¯s not my point ¨C my point is the idea of ¡®God¡¯ being an actual entity, a physical existence that humanity can understand, is irrelevant. Two billion people either believe, or participate within a society that believes, that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Prophet. In that respect, even if that particular conception of God, or any conception of God or gods exists, ¡®God¡¯ ¨C that is, ¡®Allah¡¯, in our case ¨C is, in some way, very real.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure I understand¡­¡± Is this not an Adaptability thing? Maybe instead, you need ¡®Wisdom¡¯? Or, could it require currently nonexistent Faith¡­? ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really. When I pray, across Southern Sun, other Muslims pray with me. In that moment, we¡¯re tied together by ¡®religion¡¯, by our culture. And alongside them, all other Muslims across the world. It¡¯s the same with the Christian Sunday mass, or the Jewish Sabbath. Holidays like these, like Eid al-Adha, bind the world together ¨C much more so, in the days before mass media. The concept of ¡®God¡¯ affects all of us, and within that concept, human beings are connected to one another. ¡°In that respect, I reach the same conclusion; there is something like ¡®God¡¯, regardless of any implicit physical existence thereof. Even those who don¡¯t still reflect the society they were born in; the way Aunt Vesta dresses is pretty modest, and she wouldn¡¯t have trouble blending in at the mosque today at all. Ask her, and she¡¯d probably never have thought about it; even if she rejects God and religion, she still carries that past with her, you know? ¡°Besides. Think of history class ¨C of outsiders banning the hijab, justifying it as ¡®feminism¡¯, when in nations like Algeria it was always considered an act of cultural rebellion against a colonial government that tried to deny Muslims their culture.¡± Not that your immediate family wears them most of the time outside the mosque, but headscarves aren¡¯t universal, especially not here in Southern Sun with so many Indonesian Muslims around. ¡°Heh. Aunt Vesta once told me some girl in high school praised her for rejecting the sexist headscarf, and she punched the racist in the face! Even she¡¯s not going to deny the connection of religion and culture, you know?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Vestal Virgins wear veils?¡± You giggle a bit ¨C Aunt Vesta¡¯s pretty cool sometimes. ¡°Mm. As a concept, sure¡­I guess I can understand all that.¡± It rather clashes with Seul-ki¡¯s words on the subject, mind you ¨C but you get the feeling Seul-ki and Aunt Vesta would get along. Both of them are openly atheists, and the former has encouraged skepticism in ways large and small in her class, just as she did in that lecture just before Golden Week. (It helped you put words to your feelings, at least.) ¡°But you don¡¯t find it confining? You aren¡¯t worried about falling short in God¡¯s eyes, or anything?¡± Marq clears his throat. ¡°Sahih al-Bukhari 39: ¡®Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights.¡¯¡° Ugh, that¡¯s even more confusing! ¡°So¡­what, ¡®perfection is fleeting, embrace mediocrity¡¯?¡± Marq snorts in amusement, shaking his head. ¡°You have a way with words, Cibs. No, what I mean is¡­for me, I think, living my life in this way is the best thing I can do. It¡¯s a way of guiding myself, centring myself in a world and culture like this, giving myself something to cling to. It doesn¡¯t have to be a grand burden; I¡¯m sure a lot of people would be upset with me for it, but the absolute inflexibility of faith always has exceptions in the real world. ¡°After all, in the Golden Age, peoples of other faiths lived in Muslim lands. And as it is today, freedom of religion is a concept maintained despite the letter of many of those religions rejecting the possibility of salvation through others. And so too, do religions evolve to allow people like you to exist within them, where the letter may state otherwise ¨C or have been interpreted otherwise. Again, we return to the ¡®idea of God¡¯, and how humans might reach it; it¡¯s an imperfect process, and I¡¯m simply reaching for it in a way I feel honors my family and community.¡± ¡°¡­well, what about atheism? You¡¯re not just writing it off, are you?¡± ¡°Not at all. The binding of something like ¡®religion¡¯ isn¡¯t absolute. The words ¡®God is dead¡¯ refer not to the literal death of a deity, but the death of the possibility of God¡¯s existence. Nietzsche may have overreached in speaking in absolutes, but that postmodern assumption ¨C a society where ¡®God¡¯ is no longer necessary ¨C still rings true. ¡°In Old America, in the twilight of the Collapse, the belief in ¡®God¡¯ became largely irrelevant to the political landscape of the time. Christianity could no longer be counted on to unify its adherents, even within a single denominations. By the end, they rallied behind leaders who gleefully violated all they claimed to believe, even alongside atheists they had previously rejected. Perhaps their faith was simply in ¡®America¡¯¡­well, that¡¯s a much longer lecture. I¡¯m a psychologist, not a historian.¡± ¡°I get the idea¡­but you didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± ¡°Right, Cibs, think of it this way. It is a very scary thing, a very difficult thing, for a human to choose to believe in nothing. Thus, in the tradition of postmodernism, human beings find something else to hold self-evident ¨C a nation, perhaps. A set of moral or ethical beliefs, disconnected from theism. Something to ¡®live for¡¯, even if you have no gods to pray to.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be an ¡®athiests literally worship godless science¡¯ thing, is it?¡± ¡°Pft, please. I¡¯m not that kind of moron.¡± Marq chuckles bitterly. ¡°I had to argue that one with a few professors. People still hold belief ¨C belief that may not be rational, even if it¡¯s not theistic. Perhaps it¡¯s something like, ¡®the world is fair¡¯, or ¡®actions have consequences¡¯. A belief in a political struggle. Or an identity ¨C say, your own identity, like the ¡®candidate¡¯ in this video. It¡¯s no surprise you¡¯re an atheist; you believe in ¡®lesbianism¡¯ far above anything like God.¡± You giggle a bit. ¡°I believe in yuri~¡± ¡°But you do have to admit, sometimes it is something like that. People¡¯s belief in what artificial intelligence might do in the future¡­with how magical it can get, a lot of it¡¯s barely distinguishable from theism, in practice. Hell, something like, ¡®the future is something to look forward to¡¯ is an article of faith ¨C one that was hard to maintain in the face of climate change, but people really did just blindly hope it¡¯d work out.¡± ¡°¡­wonder how that worked out, huh.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the Amazon rainforest?¡± asks Marq. ¡°More of an Amazon highway, these days.¡± Well do you remember your one visit to Brazil ¨C and heck, you hated the farmed meat then, too. ¡°I still don¡¯t quite get it, though¡­¡± You¡¯re not even sure you get what you¡¯re supposed to be trying to get in the first place. ¡°People believe in things, regardless of whether they do so consciously or not. Doing so without consciously thinking about it is actually rather dangerous ¨C much easier to lose sight of yourself that way, and be swayed into belief systems you never realized you were.¡± (Makes you wonder, if you have been pushed into one¡­) ¡°The Fourth Order, I think, is ¡®something to believe in¡¯; a way of centring oneself within the context of Goddess and Adversary, for those girls and ¡®candidates¡¯ who can¡¯t find something to believe in another religion, lest they get swayed into more dangerous and harmful beliefs.¡± ¡°Gods who used to be human are a lot closer to something I could believe in.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Marq asks. ¡°I know I had a lot of unanswered prayers when I was younger. Faith isn¡¯t enough on its own, is it? If there¡¯s no one to answer our prayers, then it¡¯s up to us to answer them instead.¡± You shake your head. ¡°I could just never understand why a perfect God would allow for the existence of evil.¡± A question Seul-ki has asked before. And Marq decides to clear his throat again. ¡°¡®Some would ask, how could a perfect God create a universe filled with so much that is evil. They have missed a greater conundrum: why would a perfect God create a universe at all?¡¯¡° ¡°¡­that doesn¡¯t sound like a hadith,¡± you joke. ¡°It¡¯s not. Heh.¡± Marq chuckles to himself, at whatever old-ass reference he made. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a bit more sensible to think of an imperfect God, in some ways. An imperfect God would at least call more.¡± ¡­and you can¡¯t help but giggle a little. ¡°I¡¯d answer your prayer anytime, Marq~!¡± ¡°Ehe.¡± Aw, he¡¯s embarrassed! It¡¯s kinda cute when you get him rattled. ¡°Anyway, we live in a world of deep alienation, Cibs. If God is dead in any sense like Nietzsche¡¯s words intended, I think we killed Him on purpose ¨C not to any higher notion of accepting the truth of the universe, but because it becomes much easier to replace that faith with something else. Right now, that serves Sunset¡¯s purposes, more than anything else. It¡¯s not hopeless, but I think sometimes it¡¯s good to remember that maybe you¡¯ve been brainwashed too.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we all¡­¡± You don¡¯t¡­really understand ¡®faith¡¯, still. You don¡¯t understand what about ¡®faith¡¯ can make someone strong, or how to believe in things like ¡®God¡¯. You don¡¯t think that¡¯s the path forward for you, yourself. Then again¡­you think it depends on the individual. For one person, a belief in God could justify self-harming under the belief that it¡¯s God¡¯s plan; for another, that same belief could give them the courage to come out of the closet, like it did for these ¡®candidates¡¯. It makes you wonder, about Seul-ki¡¯s words, about new religious movements, and cults¡­ (Would you ask them to believe in you, because you don¡¯t believe in anything?) ¡°Look at this, Cibs.¡± Marq points to his monitor as he zooms in on the video. Through that window¡­wait. No way¡­is that the Golden Gate Bridge?! Or at least what¡¯s left of it¡­you didn¡¯t even realize this was a newsreel from America before now! ¡°I thought the Fourth Order was just a local thing,¡± you say. ¡°Lost Girls and all that?¡± ¡°Apparently not! Someone¡¯s been exporting it to America, to bring these girls hope and love. Even in the darkest of skies, girls like that Coordinator must seem like angels; that¡¯s what faith can do. That even in the darkest of moments, the darkest places, there can still be hope like this, even in nations where no one but the Goddess might remember your name.¡± ¡°Faith¡­¡± you whisper, barely able to hear. (Faith in the Goddess, in a stained glass window.) ¡°Anyway,¡± says Marq, closing the video, ¡°it¡¯s not like what you do or don¡¯t believe changes anything to me. You¡¯re family, Cibs, and you really are amazing to me. Since the accident, you¡¯ve been working hard, and I guess dedication does have reward sometimes.¡± Marq grins, and the feeling of his thoughts really is genuinely just, thinking you¡¯re super amazing. It¡¯s really quite humbling~! Your yuri-loving brother is the best ally you could ever ask for! ¡°I won¡¯t give up on courage or kindness either!¡± You pump your fist. ¡°But I will believe in love~¡± ¡°Attagirl. That said, I ate way too much, so I think I¡¯ll be headed to bed soon.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯d better get some rest myself.¡± You hug your brother from behind. ¡°Thanks for chatting with me, Marq.¡± ¡°Anytime, Cibs,¡± he says with a smile, and you wander out into the hall, closing the door behind you. ¡­ ¡°¡­faith,¡± you whisper, as you touch your fingers to your lips¡­ (Why is it that having this conversation made you think of Seul-ki¡¯s lessons so much, anyway? It¡¯s not like you weren¡¯t always an atheist, but have you always felt this specific way about things?) (Your beliefs, that you¡¯d held so long, were so easily reshaped by her words. Without even realizing, you¡¯d followed in her footsteps, happily following her wherever she led.) (Just how much has Seul-ki been shaping you, in four short months?) (And if she has been shaping you, is that really such a good thing, or is Marq right?) (It it simply that, through Yi Seul-ki¡¯s words, maybe you¡¯ve been brainwashed too?)
Enchantment Branch: Charm
Charm T1: Charm Person. You may temporarily have one individual think of you as a trusted friend. They will answer questions they would consider reasonable, and they may perform actions for you if they would do so for a friend. Note that though they won¡¯t remember this ability being used per se, if your request or question is something they would never do for you normally, they may realize something was wrong. (This applies to your enemies; strangers will rationalize this more easily.) Requires Suggestion.
Charm T2: Persistent Charm. A constant, passive ability. (It may be suppressed at will.) The longer you spend with an individual, the more influence you have over them, in the manner of a saleswoman. The upper limit of this effect depends on how close the individual is to you already. With enough time (several hours), you may eventually convince them of things they would normally never accept. This can only be done with an individual, or a small group; the more targets you try to influence, the less effective this ability is. These changes are long-lasting, though not necessarily permanent. The longer this person spends away from you, and the more your thoughts are normally opposed to theirs, are the basis of their resistance. Backing up your arguments with powerful rhetoric or rational thought will increase the length of this effect. Requires Charm Person.
Charm T3: Seer¡¯s Voice. An evolution of Persistent Charm. Your skill with supernatural persuasion has increased to its highest point; you may target more people (up to an entire crowd), get results in less time, and have longer lasting results with less risk. Within a single speech at a rally or assembly, you can create a crowd of fanatics who will eagerly advance your cause. Though the effectiveness has increased overall, normally, the limits and limitations of your persuasion are not much different than Persistent Charm. However, if you have Intrusive Noise (Disruption T2), your ¡®sales pitch¡¯ continually short-circuits rational thought, to the point of actually reinforcing itself over time rather than decreasing. This also affects targets¡¯ overall credulity, making the effect greater overall. Requires Persistent Charm and Through The Cracks (Disruption T1).
â…¢.8: Bearer of the Curse Wednesday, May 12th, Reiwa 42. School was more or less uneventful today. Seul-ki is still looking at you with those eyes, and Stella is still avoiding your gaze. It should really only be a matter of time before your study date, though! In the meantime, you have someone else taking up your full attention. It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve visited Korri¡¯s place, even if it¡¯s close to yours. You¡¯re pretty sure it¡¯s been months, at minimum. Definitely last year, at any rate. And there¡¯s a good reason for that! It¡¯s the same reason she visits your place whenever she gets the chance ¨C her parents are, to put no fine a point on it, shitheels. (You can¡¯t even be cutesy about it. That¡¯s how bad it is¡­) But Korri¡¯s an only child, which makes it much easier to find private spaces in her home than in yours. Without homework as an excuse, you aren¡¯t getting that at home; and so, you stand here before this decrepit gate, without really knowing why. ¡­okay, fine, it¡¯s just the door to a townhouse. And you know exactly why you¡¯re here! There¡¯s no reason to be melodramatic all the time, Cibby! (Just, uh, most, probably?) Even so, it does feel a little dangerous, doesn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve gained new abilities to further shape and understand minds, and Korri is entrusting you her heart. You¡¯ll have to be responsible, at least a little bit¡­though, the plus side of all of this is, you can help her so much more, too. There¡¯s really no need to be scared, as long as you act responsibly! Korri¡¯s house is a tiny two-storey unit nestled in against a bunch of similar units, bearing a fa?ade of flat panel siding with a bit of brick and concrete. Small townhouses like these are usually relatively cheap, as non-apartment homes go in Southern Sun. Calvina says they¡¯re actually a holdover from urban planning prior to the implementation of the new cities and the Reiwa Accord; Verwest is neatly nestled between both eras of Southern Sun, being dominated neither by low-rise or high-rise residences. It¡¯s really cramped inside, even for a family of three; that said, it¡¯s really not so bad when it¡¯s just the two of you. It¡¯s almost cozy, y¡¯know? You press the doorbell, and Korri doesn¡¯t even need to check the camera before letting you in. The black-haired girl¡¯s all smiles, bundled in yet another hoodie that hides most of her figure. ¡°Cibby! You came!¡± ¡°Of course I did, Korri! You invited me, remember?¡± You give your very best friend a peace sign and a bright grin. ¡°We don¡¯t have too too long, but we should have plenty of time for this.¡± Korri reaches out, wrapping you in her arms, as if she¡¯d float away if she didn¡¯t cling to you. She¡¯s so warm¡­to you, she really is the cutest cutie you could ever ask for. She¡¯s just so lovely in your eyes, and her happiness means everything to you¡­ You squeeze her tight. (As you might a prized possession, as if someone else might snatch her away if you ever let her go.) ¡°Listen, I¡¯ll make you an Americano, okay?¡± Korri nuzzles into you, and a pang of desire fills you for the briefest of moments before she pulls away. ¡°The Moka pot¡¯s been lonely, I bet, without you!¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± You step past the threshold and lock the door behind you. It¡¯s pretty dark in here, compared to your place; there¡¯s a lot fewer windows, and the lights are pretty dim. The air conditioning is turned up so much even you feel a bit chilly, the solar panels on top of the building pulling double duty for the sake of a family less adapted to the heat than yours. As Korri steps into the kitchen to make you your coffee, you sit down on a couch in the messy living room, worlds away from your family¡¯s fastidiously clean living space. So many memories here¡­if only they were good memories. And that¡¯s just for you ¨C you can¡¯t imagine how it must feel for Korri, who has to live here. Who has to put up with the kind of people who wear false smiles to you, and then talk sorbet about you and your family behind your back. But, never mind that. You¡¯re here to help Korri ease her burden. To see light, to see hope ¨C however faint it might be. ¡­her burden? Well, besides her family, Korri¡¯s has a lot of trouble when it comes to the idea of ¡®love¡¯ or ¡®sex¡¯. She¡¯s described it to you quite a few times, in your arms, in tears ¨C she¡¯s not really ¡®asexual¡¯, like she tells people to get them off her back (because, let¡¯s face it, plenty of people would love to have Korri due to her ¡®vulnerable¡¯ image, even in the gosh-darned Reiwa era), but more just¡­damaged. Her time in Cornwall, her ancestral home far from the shores of Southern Sun, brought her great misfortune when it comes to romantic and sexual things, lasting traumas that you¡¯ve never been able to help heal. Even beyond that, living there was pretty bad in other ways. She¡¯s told you that everyone in the old democracies believes the world¡¯s going to end soon, and so they act like they have nothing to lose. You think she¡¯s exaggerating based on a limited experience ¨C Cornwall isn¡¯t all of Old England, let alone all the world outside Southern Sun ¨C but the stories she¡¯s told definitely paint a picture of a world, a nation, devoid of hope. A world her parents rejoined, for the sake of their own greed¡­and came crawling back here, when they realized they¡¯d been scammed. She¡¯s been hurt, so much. She¡¯s been hurt so much, and yet still, she smiles for you. ¡­in this moment, sitting in this home of hers, knowing all the pain Korri carries with her every day of her life, the curses she bears deep within her¡­you don¡¯t really care about your own selfish desires for her love and affection. Nor even your desires for her body, or her kiss. Even if you desire to reshape her mind, maybe that desire, in this case, isn¡¯t so bad? Because today, you just want to understand her pain, and see her smile.
After a few minutes, Korri comes in with your coffee ¨C a piping hot Americano from an induction Moka pot, with lots of cream and sugar, just like you like it ¨C and you sip slowly as she lays down upon the couch, you on a chair right next to it. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve made it for you, Cibby, so it¡¯s probably not great ¨C¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s good!¡± You drink a bit more of it before putting it down, licking the taste of it off your lips ¡°It¡¯s alright. Before we start, Korri, let me ask again: do you trust me?¡± ¡°¡­always.¡± (That single word pulses across your senses, even the ones Korri doesn¡¯t know you have.) (¡­not just yet.) You nod in acknowledgement, and look down upon your subject (yours). ¡°Please, get comfortable for me,¡± you say, letting Korri settle into place, closing her eyes as she once more entrusts herself to your words, your hands, your will. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s as terrifying as it is comforting. There so many turbulent emotions inside you, competing against one another¡­but, that¡¯s your burden, not Korri¡¯s. As long as you have these powers, and no one to trust with that information, you¡¯ll have to live with it, as best you can. (You don¡¯t plan to keep it a secret forever from those close to you, but right now? It has to stay that way.) (To Korri, most of all.) Your hands rest upon the sides of Korri¡¯s head, and she closes her eyes, smiling under your presence. Korri¡¯s mind is so close, and focused entirely on you. Your new ability ¨C your Thought Delver, an evolution of your telepathy ¨C shows you a new nature to Korri¡¯s mind. The eyes that seep blood inside her brain, are merely the surface of her thoughts. Your Suggestion, and presumably your other Enchantment abilities, can shape that mind like a solid mass, making impressions within it, be it on the surface level or perhaps ¨C and it makes your heart race, to think about ¨C far beneath, deep within something like a soul. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. With your Delver skill, you cannot leave such an impression, but you can push deep within her, and know her thoughts all the more intimately than you ever could before. To put it another way ¨C if Skimming, the shallow telepathy you¡¯ve been using up until now, is treading water¡­then your new Delving is diving in. And like diving, you¡¯ll need lots of practice to be able to do it further and longer¡­not to mention safer. You begin with Skimming, as before. Reading the impression of those thoughts on the surface, those she¡¯s consciously aware of, those she¡¯s actively generating. ¡­Cibby seems more confident lately! I hope I¡¯ve been helping her¡­and, I hope she doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s weird that I enjoy this. Being in her hands, it¡¯s¡­ ¡­it¡¯s not a sexual feeling, you think. Nor even a romantic one. It¡¯s a very strong friendship, isn¡¯t it? And yet, it¡¯s still such a temptation. But you¡¯ll resist. In this moment, Korri needs a friend, not a lover. (¡­for now, anyway.) Breathing deep to steady yourself, not knowing what will happen¡­your sixth sense pushes beyond the surface. As you dive inside Korri, Delve inside her, the words that her conscious thoughts form fall away into images and impressions. Glassy eyes filled with reflections, like Korri is a kaleidoscope, filled with myriad pictures and memories. Flashes of the dark history, the parts of her she hides behind that smile. (It¡¯s so beautiful, isn¡¯t it?) (And yet, of course it is. Korri is more beautiful than she could ever know.) So much of it is composed of you. Your smile, your hand, your touch. Your ability to be there for her even in the darkest of times. How lonely she was when she didn¡¯t have you, how hard it was upon the decaying, drowning island of Great Britain. How happy she was to return to Southern Sun, even if it meant her family was there too. You were always there. You are always there. Cibby is always there. I will be with you. Cibby is always there for me. Until hope has fully withered. Cibby has been there, since I returned. From the first moment. Without her, I¡¯d be lost. I want this friendship to be forever. You don¡¯t hesitate to kill for ¡®humanity¡¯, do you? I need it. Without it, I¡¯ll go back. Back to that place. Back to that time. I need to smile for them. I need to smile or they¡¯ll know I¡¯m hurting. Or they¡¯ll hurt me more. Teachers. Students. Parents. Friends. If the world ends, it doesn¡¯t matter how I feel. If the world ends, if the world ends, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m not like other girls. I¡¯m not like other people. I¡¯m broken. I deserve to be hurt. There¡¯s no marks on me I didn¡¯t make myself. They didn¡¯t beat me. I have no excuse to ask for help. I need to go crawling back. I¡¯m a genius, my grades should be good. I¡¯m only good for sex. I deserve to be locked up. Why won¡¯t they lock me up anymore? At least then I¡¯ll know they¡¯re being honest. I can¡¯t smile anymore, except for Cibby. I need the only light in my world. Maybe she can save me. Millions will die. Exciting, don¡¯t you think? Maybe she can save me before I kill someone. Maybe not even myself. Help me, Cibby. Help me. Help me. Help me. H?e?l?p? ?m?e? ?¨C? ¨C! ¡°Cibby¡­¡± Korri reaches out, and touches your face. Tears have dripped down from your eyes, before you even realized at all. And that was only a fraction of Korri¡¯s pain, a tiny fraction of the countless reflections within her. Feeling¡­feeling all of that at the forefront, feeling in such detail everything Korri has thought, all the things she hides for you behind that smile¡­it¡¯s too much. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry, Korri I¡¯m so sorry I can¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Ah, Cibby, if this is making you uncomfortable, I¡¯m so sorry, I¡­¡± You sniffle, suddenly so conscious of the emotions that washed over you. Ah, you wanted to have some privacy to test your Delving, to see how you¡¯d respond, but ¨C but maybe, maybe it wasn¡¯t the best idea, because all that pain has hit you all at once, and you can¡¯t stop crying¡­ ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s not your fault¡­!¡± You sniffle again, the tears, the feelings caught in your throat. Korri told you that she feels emotions more intensely than others! Her mind is so beautiful, but it all hit you so hard, you can¡¯t, you just can¡¯t! ¡°I¡­I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m so sorry I couldn¡¯t save you! Being here ¨C being here reminds me, that I could do so much more, I should do so much more ¨C¡± Korri shakes her head, turning around to wrap her arms around your shoulders! ¡°It¡¯s not¡­it¡¯s okay, Cibby! No one¡¯s here, I¡­it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re here with me. That¡¯s what¡¯s important. If you¡¯re here, I don¡¯t mind, okay? I really don¡¯t mind¡­¡± ¡­but it¡¯s not true. She feels guilty. She feels guilty that she made you feel this way. And that hurts even more. It hurts, that Korri has been made to feel this way, but it hurts even worse that she doesn¡¯t want you to feel it, she doesn¡¯t want you to feel pain because of her, even though all of her pain is justified, and she¡¯s the one who should be upset. She deserves to cry all the tears in the world, and that you can make her smile ¨C truly, genuinely smile, when you¡¯re around ¨C is the most wonderful feeling, but it¡¯s not enough. She shouldn¡¯t feel guilty. For anything. You don¡¯t know what future-past-you wants you to do with this power, besides to find love. What ¡®saving the world¡¯ means, or who the Queen is, or anything like that. Heck, for all you know she made it all up, or you¡¯ve been hallucinating ever since that truck hit you, or you¡¯re dead and this is just the last flickers of thought before you reach oblivion. But you make a promise to yourself, right then and there. You will create a world in which Korrigan Trelawney never has to cry again.
Eventually, you recover somewhat from your botched first Delving attempt ¨C and learned, you hope, some valuable lessons about going in unprepared. The coffee has gone cold. Korri¡¯s in your lap now, and you¡¯re squeezing her tight. It¡¯s almost like being lovers, you imagine, and yet you can¡¯t imagine Korri feels the same way. Being as touch-starved as she is¡­and with you, the only person she trust enough¡­ ¡°Would you¡­do you, do you still want me to hypnotise you? Can I¡­?¡± ¡°I would do anything for you, Cibby.¡± ¡­she can say those words so easily, because she can¡¯t see inside your mind, nor can she know what you¡¯re capable of. (And yet¡­) (if it¡¯s Korri, you want so badly to believe that she¡¯d say that even if she knew.) At this point, you don¡¯t have a lot of time before you have to leave for Rita¡¯s class. Barely enough for a whole induction. Your library tells you that even if you intended to use I Want The Control like you never, ever should ¨C you¡¯d need to bring her into a trance far deeper than the one you¡¯d feel comfortable with right now. But there¡¯s time enough. To do something only you can do. You clap your hands, three times¡­and watch, as Korri starts to fade. As you help ease her burden, letting go of her strings, letting her sink into the couch¡­it¡¯s a shallow trance, but it¡¯s enough. You hold this power over her. You¡¯ve seen inside a girl your lessers, who could never understand her true beauty, have called ¡®ugly¡¯ and ¡®broken¡¯¡­and you love her even more, now, knowing what she¡¯s survived to be here, within your grasp. Knowing that she smiles for you. (Soon, you¡¯ll take away her pain.) ¡°Korri¡­where do you feel safest?¡± you whisper, from behind. (Your breath is so close to her ear. She¡¯s so beautiful.) ¡°In the dark,¡± she whispers in return. ¡°I only feel safe when it¡¯s dark, and I can¡¯t see. It means no one can see me.¡± Darkness is a friend to people like Korri. And in Southern Sun, where the heat scorches the city and lingers in the humid atmosphere, darkness is a welcome reprieve from the burning light. You had this idea earlier, so you¡¯re already prepared. You have your phone, linked in to the house¡¯s windows and lights. The other is still on Korrigan¡¯s head, rubbing her temple in a slow circle. You tap your phone, and¡­ The windows dim and darken. The lights in the house are still on, but the sun cannot reach her. ¡°Korri, I¡¯m going to switch off all the lights. With each light that goes off, you¡¯re going to sink into trance¡­¡± You go into the induction, with your words, with your voice. Guided by your librarian, you muster up that strength you have within you, that blooms so powerfully when you hold a girl¡¯s head in your hands. That strength, which can guide Korri into a land of safety and comfort, so very far from her memories of the Duchy of Cornwall. Your voice¡¯s power has increased with Charisma and experience ¨C and of course, confidence and resolve ¨C helping things along, helping Korri sink so heavy and perfectly and wonderfully in your strong arms. But truth be told, it¡¯s mostly that Korri is helping the trance herself, because she knows how it¡¯s supposed to feel, and can bring herself down too. So cooperative. So lovely. It helps heal your heart from the reflection of her pain, knowing that your power can make her happy. Korri nods her assent, and your left thumb carefully taps your phone¡¯s screen, your Dexterity letting you work with perfect timing and grace. You switch off the kitchen light. Korri sinks. You switch off the entrance light. Korri sinks. You switch off the upstairs lights. Korri sinks. You switch off the living room light¡­ And darkness takes you both, only the light of your phone briefly illuminating your surroundings before you turn it off, placing both of you in pitch darkness. You used to be afraid of the dark, once, when you were in kindergarten. But Korri told you that darkness was a friend, and you never, ever forgot. You reach out to hold Korri¡¯s hand. ¡°Can you feel my hand, Korri?¡± ¡°mhm¡­feels nice,¡± she says, in that entranced voice you so love. (At least in the darkness you won¡¯t ruin the moment by seeing Korri¡¯s surely beautiful hypnotised face¡­) ¡°Does my hand make you feel safe?¡± ¡°mhm.¡± You squeeze that hand tighter. ¡°I want you to remember my hand, Korri. I want you to remember how it feels to be here, with me, in the darkness, holding my hand. Can you tell me how it feels?¡± ¡°warm, and safe,¡± says Korri. ¡°Then keep that feeling inside your head. Whenever you want, whenever you need, you can imagine my hand. And you can have all those warm and safe and nice feelings, and I¡¯ll be there with you, in the dark, protecting you. Helping you.¡± ¡°¡­okay¡­¡± ¡°Whenever you need, wherever, just hold my hand. And I¡¯ll save you, Korri. Like I always have.¡± ¡°okay.¡± You can barely see it, even with enhanced Adaptability, but you know Korri¡¯s smiling. ¡°thank you.¡± ¡­you stay there, for a while, in the dark, and hold Korri so close in your arms, until it¡¯s time to go to class. If¡­if you can do something like this with your hypnosis, with your control, then your powers are worth it. You¡¯ll do your best to save the city, save your future, but if you can just make Korri smile¡­ it¡¯s all worth it. â…¢.9: Never Ending Circles ¡°¡­it is, how you say? Quite stimulating! I admit, I was worried. I had heard from my family it could be a quite dangerous job. But I have had no complaints so far. And my service is quite fast, yes?¡± You¡¯ve arrived early to class, so you waste no time in getting another opportunity to talk to the pale Nordic cutie Irma once again. (E-er, maybe you shouldn¡¯t think of her like that!) She¡¯s as easy to get along with as ever~ ¡°You haven¡¯t had any trouble with speed cameras?¡± you joke. ¡°Driving is in the blood, Cibele!¡± Irma gets a proud, almost smug look on her face ¨C it seems this is a talent she¡¯s quite proud of! ¡°I may now drive a mere scooter, but the city streets are no match for my skills. Ah, but I was wondering¡­why are there no orders from the Electric City? I pass by and through it frequently, yet no one seems interested¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy! That part of town¡¯s separated itself from Sunset¡¯s service network. They¡¯ll have their own courier systems and drones, completely apart from the one you¡¯re using.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Irma nods in thought ¨C it¡¯s only natural someone who just arrived wouldn¡¯t necessarily know all the local politics. ¡°That explains why I was told to avoid that place, yes? Oh¡­who are you texting, by the way, Cibele?¡± ¡°Uh¡­friend of mine,¡± you say, vaguely ¨C you¡¯re talking to Stella right now, actually! She¡¯s still pretty curt, but that¡¯s understandable; you¡¯re still not totally clear on what her relationship to you is right now. ¡°Just booking a study date with her, is all!¡± Irma blinks, and gets a cute little smile, but also a playful and teasing one¡­¡±A ¡®study date¡¯, you say? Ah, but does not ¡®date¡¯ refer to a romantic entanglement, Cibele?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s completely innocent, probably! Mouuu¡­¡± Irma keeps teasing you! She seems all soft and shy, but she does like to push your buttons. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help with her Psychology grades.¡± ¡°Ah¡­are you a student of psychology, Cibele?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a sixth form class.¡± You wave it off, putting your phone back in your purse once the details are confirmed. Korri¡¯s given you a spot that should be good for the date, which won¡¯t be romantic, you¡¯re certain¡­ ¡°Mmmmm. My degree was in history, actually. I was considering going for a doctorate, but I decided I wanted to spend more time in the countryside. Between racing and hunting, my passions felt like something a city couldn¡¯t provide, yes?¡± ¡­wait, what? Hunting? Mouuu, that¡¯s ¨C and before you can finish that thought, the door slams right open. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± High heels click on the floor as your eyes turn to the entrance. A girl in a Pedersen College uniform, sans jacket, black tie loose, top blouse buttons open. Protected by an absolute territory, black skirt and black thigh-highs with that barest hint of skin upon her legs. Shimmering silver hair, streaming down her back, with just the faintest hint of lavender; long and straight with curls right at the tips, tied in place with a big burgundy bow on the left side of her head, glints of golden hairpins barely peeking from beneath. Flashing and dangling from her ear is some kind of glowing purple earring, and as she turns toward you ¨C not simply the class, but you ¨C you gaze along her moonlight-like skin, her deep violet eyes, and realize just as you breathe deep some kind of shockingly pleasant perfume¡­ no way. Is it¡­ (¡°uuuwooooaaaahhhh!¡± goes the crowd¡­) It is! It¡¯s Rita Sternbach, in the flesh! And with her violet gaze firmly locked upon you behind those thick glasses of hers, Rita tosses back her hair with her left hand in a single, smooth, perfect motion, shimmering silver cascading behind her like the mist from a waterfall¡­ ¡°Welcome back, everyone. Shall we begin today¡¯s lesson?¡± you breathe deep, and wonder, knowing without needing a hint of telepathy that this was for you, how such a simple makeover can completely transform a person. ¡°¡­I think I might be gay,¡± you whisper. ¡°But Cibele,¡± says Irma, sounding utterly flabbergasted before Rita, ¡°you are already gay!¡± ¡°I think I might be double gay.¡±
¡°¡­of course, in the late Reiwa era, especially in cities like Southern Sun, a lot of these attitudes have fallen by the wayside,¡± Rita explains in her lecture, as she tosses off her tie, adjusting her blouse to expose just the faintest hint of d¨¦colletage; her eyes, of course, are still flitting right toward you. It¡¯s another tangent, but¡­ ¡°If I look out at the class¡­¡± Rita smiles to herself, removing her glasses and wiping them down with a cloth from her front blouse pocket. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t cast aspersions on anyone¡¯s gender identity ¨C besides to say, ¡®you can be a girl too!¡¯ ¨C but at a glance it seems much more balanced than I¡¯d expect of a class from even twenty years earlier.¡± it¡¯s a substantially more relevant one, at least? You think. It¡¯s kind of hard to focus, or perhaps it¡¯s all too easy to focus ¨C just on the wrong thing. (You two seem to be having most of the trouble, actually; everyone else is nodding and observing the truth of Rita¡¯s words.) ¡°But it still crops up from time to time. I used to hang out with the kind of people who assumed that biological sex was an automatic determinant of one¡¯s capacities in STEM fields, and equally inextricable with gender identity ¨C and believe me, I do not miss them one bit. But we also face stereotype threat, too, and fear our own inability to compete. With this in mind, I thought I¡¯d address such things directly before we get into the practical lessons of today¡¯s class.¡± All this is to say¡­well. You and Irma are, uh, having a bit of trouble looking away. You¡¯ve been rather flustered this whole time, and it¡¯s hard to concentrate on anything but how pretty she is. Irma? She looks like this is the first woman she¡¯s ever seen. Her jaw seems like it¡¯s going to drop off her face any second. ¡°In previous eras, gender was inextricable from labour. Societies strictly separated labour on gender lines ¨C almost always to the detriment of women, particularly in Western nations. So what happens when you invent an entirely new class of labour, with no precedent for its place in society?¡± Are you staring too much? You¡¯re not a little kid anymore! Seriously, the only woman who gets you like this is Seul-ki, and you¡¯re pretty sure your teacher¡¯s not doing it on purpose. (¡­pretty sure.) But there¡¯s no way, there¡¯s just no way Rita Sternbach isn¡¯t doing it just for you. ¡°Certainly, women have played important roles in the emergence of new methods of transportation, particularly personal transportation. Bicycles, automobiles¡­this can be seen most famously in the early history of aviation, with people like Amelia Earhart or Katherine Sui Fun Cheung becoming involved in such a novel field. First- and second-wave feminism is inextricably linked with such acts of autonomy.¡± Rita taps her phone ¨C which she apparently kept in her cleavage aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ¨C and a comic shows up, apparently showing Katherine Sui Fun Cheung playing beach volleyball with the guys from Top Gun. (You¡¯re pretty sure they¡¯re old Canadian comics, Aunt Junon showed you ¨C er, wait.) m-maybe you should focus more on Rita ¨C er, wait, no, the lesson! This is completely backwards! ¡°In the following decades, the field of ¡®computer science¡¯ was effectively invented whole cloth from nowhere. I mean, that¡¯s an oversimplification, but it¡¯s good enough for our purposes. The theory of computing and the hardware was glamorous work, but the actual grunt work of programming? That was seen as secretarial work ¨C to be handed off to women, no matter how much these women might be doing to advance the field in their own right.¡± How can a single makeover do so much to transform a woman? Rita¡¯s still got the same face ¨C she¡¯s not wearing any makeup, you note, but she still looks utterly flawless, as if she were an airbrushed photo come to life ¨C and nothing¡¯s changed about her body, or her outfit. Just the hair, really¡­she didn¡¯t even take off her glasses, so that old Heisei movie trick can¡¯t even explain it. Sure, the LED earring is pretty, but it¡¯s not hypnotic or anything, and even if it were, that¡¯d just be impossible. You breathe in that lovely scent, and as her eyes meet yours¡­in just a moment, just a fleeting moment, you get the chance to use your telepathy ¨C ¡­seems like my ¡®makeover¡¯ has worked. Cibele has definitely noticed. So has everyone else, but I can deal with that. Besides, Irma might come in handy¡­ ¨C and yes, just as you thought, she did it just for you aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Another tap from Rita, and the smartboard behind her shows a black and white picture of two women next to a primitive, Showa-era mainframe computer. ¡°This is Betty Jean Jennings, on the left¡­and Fran Bilas, on the right. Two of the six primary programmers of the ENIAC, one of the very first computers in existence; this particular picture was taken sometime in between Showa 20 and Showa 22. Working without precedent, without programming languages of any kind, through manual rewiring to create new problems for the ENIAC to solve¡­they performed their task brilliantly, developing a powerful understanding of the machine¡¯s workings that surpassed even its engineers. But said engineers were recognized as the ¡®true¡¯ brains behind ENIAC, with the women considered to be doing work that was best left to them ¨C work that was not worth recognition.¡± Her face curls in disgust at the misogyny, and even that seems appealing, somehow¡­ It doesn¡¯t help that the way she moves just exudes beauty. Step by perfect step, flawless and smooth, as if she could simply tap into an inherent power of womanhood to attract lesbians to her. Irma¡¯s honestly babbling a bit, between deep and heavy breaths (oh no, is she anxious?); her notes are all in Finnish, but the amount of times she writes ¡®Rita¡¯ in smooth, flowing handwriting with that mechanical pencil, let alone how her hands shake, suggests she¡¯s not even remotely thinking of the lesson right now. (Honestly, she might have heart eyes, if you could see them clearly right next to her¡­oh, wait, wait, she¡¯s writing down Cibele too aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) ¡°Of course, computers became the field in the coming decades.¡± Rita tosses her shoulders and shakes her head. ¡°And thus, such an important field couldn¡¯t be left to women, obviously. Even today, the names that come to mind in the history of computing are men ¨C Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, John Carmack ¨C and of course I don¡¯t diminish their contributions, except Carmack because fuck ¡®im, but many of the greatest programmers of all time, working on the most important projects of their day, were women. Let¡¯s talk about a few, shall we?¡± Like this, you can see Rita¡¯s got a necklace on, what you think might be a tiny pocketwatch on a silvery chain, and every so often she moves and fidgets with it in a way that draws the eye toward it. Right down her shirt. Your eyes latch on like a magnet when she does. Another tap, and a new photo, this time in color, of a distinguished old American woman with a proud smile in a military uniform. ¡°Grace Hopper, Rear Admiral of the United States Navy. In a time when the entire concept of a ¡®programming language¡¯ was nonexistent, she created some of the very first ¨C making programming a computer a task that virtually anyone could learn. Her work led to the creation of COBOL, one of the world¡¯s most widespread languages in the days of the mainframe and minicomputer; legends say that even a century after its creation, there are still machines running COBOL code out there in the world, maintained by those few who still know that archaic, but infinitely important, programming language.¡± You hope that your enhanced Intelligence and Adaptability will allow you to actually retain this information, since it sounds quite interesting, and yet you can¡¯t help but wonder ¨C was Rita¡¯s blouse always this tight? Is there a faint hint of transparency about it, or are you just imagining what must lie underneath? The next picture returns to black and white; another American (does Rita have some pride for her ancestral home?), with messy hair and big round glasses, grinning brightly as she stands next to a pile of papers and binders as tall as she is. ¡°Margaret Hamilton. A lead programmer on one of the most important computing tasks of the Showa era and the First Cold War ¨C the Apollo 11 mission.¡± (Despite yourself, you look toward Nazakawa-kun ¨C but apparently even he wouldn¡¯t deny the moon landing.) ¡°With computing power only a tiny fraction of what we have even in our watches today, using the most primitive space launch technologies, Hamilton¡¯s programs helped us reach the surface of the moon, keep astronauts in a space station in Skylab¡­and begin our journey, slow as it might be, into the high frontier.¡± The high frontier, where souls don¡¯t need to be bound by gravity¡­and neither do breasts¡­ Seriously. Rita¡¯s breasts are unfair. They practically defy gravity already! ¡°And finally¡­¡± Rita grins, baring her gleaming teeth ¨C she looks excited, and not just because of you. ¡°My personal favorite.¡± The next photo is not a photo, but a painting; a portrait of a fair-skinned woman with coiffed brown locks, rosy cheeks, and an alluring gaze. Both her hair and her clothes are adorned with yellow and black flowers, her dress a gorgeous purple, her white-gloved fingers daintily holding what looks like a fan in both hands. ¡°Augusta Ada King, n¨¦e Byron, Countess of Lovelace ¨C or Ada Lovelace, as you would more likely know her. A correspondent of Charles Babbage in the late Edo period, whose mind Babbage considered the most brilliant he¡¯d ever known. Her insight ¨C one might consider it uniquely feminine, if one believed in such things! ¨C was what opened up the idea that computers could do more than simple arithmetic. She saw potential in Babbage¡¯s plans for his Analytical Engine even he could not, and she developed the first algorithm meant to be calculated by a computer¡­effectively, she was the first computer programmer, long before even the earliest of true computers were built.¡± It¡¯s obvious just from looking at Rita that this woman has deeply inspired her. Her eyes light up so wonderfully as she continues: ¡°So what is it about her insight might be considered uniquely ¡®feminine¡¯, you might ask? Well, many of the reasons men dominated computing was this idea that they were inherently superior at logical and rational thinking, and fields like mathematics. The kind of work that required hard and manly stoicism and automation, not fussy female emotions. ¡°But, Countess Lovelace didn¡¯t consider mathematics in that way. A quote, if I may¡­ ¡°¡®I may remark that the curious transformations many formulae can undergo, the unsuspected and to a beginner apparently impossible identity of forms exceedingly dissimilar at first sight, is I think one of the chief difficulties in the early part of mathematical studies. I am often reminded of certain sprites and fairies one reads of, who are at one¡¯s elbows in one shape now, and the next minute in a form most dissimilar¡­¡¯ ¡°I knew a lot of friends ¨C former friends, that is ¨C who truly believed that humans, and women, driven by ¡®emotion¡¯ and ¡®the social sciences¡¯, women who couldn¡¯t understand true vision while they argued for equal pay or respect or not being sexually harassed, could never achieve the true potential of humanity¡¯s future. That each person¡¯s place ¨C and they would never admit it outright, but this is the implication ¨C was defined rigidly by biology and culture. If women weren¡¯t as interested in technology¡­why, it¡¯s because they don¡¯t want to be, and they¡¯re not suited to it! Not even going to get into something like choosing to be a woman¡­ ¡°But, if it¡¯s me¡­I always found beauty, in such a statement. Maybe not in a literal sense, but I do believe something like, ¡®magic and miracles do exist¡¯.¡± ¡­she¡¯s looking at you, right? She¡¯s definitely looking at you aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ¡°With that in mind, I quite agree with Ada¡¯s view of things. The magic, the grandeur of computers and of technology is a beauty all its own, as great as any woman might have.¡± Rita¡¯s eyes are pointed right at you, and you can just feel the attraction and desire emanating from that dense and vast singularity, like a beam of Hawking radiation made exclusively of love, and you hope you¡¯re using that term correctly, you wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint her ¨C Oh. Oh no. That¡¯s Nazakawa-kun¡¯s hand, isn¡¯t it. ¡°¡­um, but,¡± he mutters, not waiting to be told, ¡°uh, surely you can¡¯t consider someone a computer programmer if they had no computers to run it and it was all theoretical, right?¡± Oh no. The whole class, despite having only met Nazakawa-kun last week, all know what¡¯s coming. It¡¯s a mere fact of the universe: you can¡¯t move faster than light, every action has an equal and opposite reaction¡­ ¡°Sigh. No.¡° and Nazakawa-kun is always wrong. ¡°But ¨C¡± Rita shakes her head, clearly having no time for this shit. ¡°In every era, particularly in the so-called ¡®Victorian era¡¯ of nationalist zeal and imperialistic hubris, historians have tried to diminish the contributions of women, minorities, commoners, and really anyone not properly accepted by the zeitgeist. Even when they are not erased outright, parts of their lives are erased nonetheless, like Alan Turing¡¯s sexuality ¨C because obviously, chemically castrating and driving to suicide the man who practically won the war against Nazi fucking Germany is a sensible thing to do if he¡¯s gay, right? ¡°To claim that Countess Lovelace¡¯s contributions are somehow diminished for such arbitrary reasons when Charles Babbage himself considered her one of the most brilliant people he¡¯d ever known is a lot like saying, ¡®What? No, she can¡¯t be, she¡¯s just a girl, right?¡¯¡± ¡­somehow, you get the sense that Rita isn¡¯t giving the full story. And yet ¨C something about her absolute conviction, her passion, her willingness to push as far as she can go for what she wants¡­ (you can¡¯t help but be a little jealous.) (she¡¯s so confident in her own womanhood¡­) ¡°What about evidence in Babbage¡¯s notes ¨C¡± ¡°Be that as it may, and you¡¯d have to get into an argument about the definitions of ¡®program¡¯, since you¡¯re going to need to address whether an algorithm is intended for a computer or not and then you have to go much, much earlier into previous models of automata and algorithms, not to mention that those notes were never published to begin with, you are diminishing her contributions and the potential she realized what others saw as mere machines, mere replacements for the human ¡®computer¡¯, could accomplish! ¡°The potential for the computer as more than a tool for the calculation of numbers is the very underpinning of modern society! The idea that mathematical calculations within an analytical engine could encompass a far greater purpose than it was ever intended to have is the one she had first! Indeed, despite her stance on artificial minds and artificial intelligence, she still believed that the brain could be modeled in mathematical form, that she could model how the physical model of the brain and the nerves turned to thoughts, and then to feelings, a calculus of the nervous system! This kind of modeling is what underpins the neural network and theories of artificial intelligence! Her statements on how the Engine could model music are reflected in the mathematical coding of audio that would, well over fifty years later, become realized with the advent of pulse-code modulation, the very same model we use to reproduce audio two centuries after her death! ¡°To focus on the mere shibboleth of whether she literally first came up with an algorithm made for a computer misses the forest for the trees. Babbage himself called her ¡®the Enchantress of Number¡¯; he designed the Difference and Analytical Engines, why should we try to belittle her accomplishments if he himself was suitably impressed? Unless you believe that obviously, a man couldn¡¯t be impressed by a woman without sexual overtones? Perhaps she never had the chance to realize any of this, but the greatest talents in the field are recognized as ingenuity. In fact, let¡¯s turn that around ¨C Carmack. Binary space partitioning. First described in Showa 44. Guess he¡¯s not so much a genius after all, is he?!¡± ¡­ This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡­ ¡­yeah, it would be flippant to say ¡®do you want to have sex with Ada Lovelace¡¯, wouldn¡¯t it? But, despite the cavalcade of opinionated data, undoubtedly tinged with bias and an agenda that seems blatantly obvious even to you¡­well, there¡¯s something attractive about all that passion, isn¡¯t there? It¡¯s as if, someone who is quiet and withdrawn can only bloom when challenged, and their passionate feelings explode out uncontrollably, just waiting to be released and daring to be answered. It¡¯s a lot like Aunt Vesta, really; even when you disagree, there is just something to be loved about it, isn¡¯t there¡­? (Besides. It¡¯s Nazakawa-kun. Honestly, with how often he gets bullied by girls, you¡¯re starting to wonder if he might be doing it on purpose.) I-in any case, now is the time to impress Rita! You remember doing a report on Ada Lovelace five years ago or so¡­and you failed that paper, but never mind that! ¡°Ada Lovelace didn¡¯t believe that artificial intelligence was a valid concept, though. You obviously disagree with her in that case, right?¡± ¡°This is true! I¡¯d say it¡¯s a matter of the design concepts of the engines Babbage designed being automata; ultimately, though Ada had many insights, she could not have anticipated the implications of all of them. Her conception of ¡®artificial intelligence¡¯ was precluded by the deterministic nature of the Analytical Engine; the underpinnings of what we now understand as AI would require a theoretical underpinning that didn¡¯t exist in her era. That said, it follows that if you could model the brain to the degree she desires, you could simulate it as well¡­perhaps, then, the brain model was itself seen as deterministic? You¡¯ve given me something to think about, Cibele! ¡°But I can admire someone without necessarily agreeing with all of their views, you know?¡± Rita smoothly tosses her hair back again, gaze firmly locked upon you once more ¨C her target. ¡°Though, I think compatibility is important, too¡­¡± ¡­your ears are burning. T-this is¡­she¡¯s flirting, right? She¡¯s flirting. With you. T-this is the first time, and it¡¯s just, an intoxicating feeling that you wonder how you¡¯ll ever get tired of¡­ Double gay. Triple gay. There might not be enough times you can be turned gay to explain the feeling pounding through your chest¡­ and if Rita is a black hole, you¡¯ve already crossed the event horizon.
As it turns out, this test was of typing speed. Yours topped the list of the class (thanks, Dexterity!), and those who didn¡¯t meet the threshold (which turned out to be maybe half the class ¨C you think the threshold was a bit high) were told to use typing tutor software to help them catch up. This is what Irma¡¯s doing now, while you perform some mildly interesting programming task on your own screen. (Which, uh, you¡¯re done. Maybe you remembered more of those classes than you thought?) And Irma, to her credit, is making incredibly rapid progress ¨C once she¡¯s figured out the concept behind touch typing, she¡¯s able to very quickly go through the various exercises and memorize the keyboard layout. Seems like she¡¯s just a bit tech-deprived, but darn if she isn¡¯t quick on the uptake. As such, the two of you have started talking again, over the clack of your keys¡­ ¡°I do pride myself on my marksmanship, you know,¡± says Irma. ¡°I trained as a paratrooper during my service.¡± ¡°Ah, you know, my fencing teacher Calvina is in the militia here!¡± On a reserve basis, but still! ¡°Apparently, she¡¯s a pretty good markswoman herself?¡± Not that you¡¯ve seen it firsthand or anything¡­ ¡°I do hope I¡¯ll have the chance to practice! It¡¯s a skill that requires constant maintenance, yes?¡± Irma giggles ¨C ah, jeez, her laugh is so cute. ¡°Yeah! Um, you were saying earlier about, um¡­hunting?¡± You kinda don¡¯t know if you wanna talk about it, but it¡¯s best if you show interest, right? ¡°Ah! I see, yes, growing up here you would have little understanding¡­¡± Irma giggles. ¡°I assure you, I would not poach. Wildlife management has grown much more difficult in the past few decades, yes? I lived in the countryside, it is a far different environment than here.¡± ¡°E-ehe. I wouldn¡¯t know¡­¡± You rub the back of your head, trying not to think too much about it. ¡°I¡¯ve only eaten meat a handful of times. Usually I avoid it.¡± Play it cool, Cibs, as your brother might say! ¡°Not to worry! I am not planning to eat meat anytime soon. Too expensive. Though, I will miss it¡­¡± ¡­it¡¯s a bit awkward, huh. ¡°But, this place really is something else¡­¡± Irma spaces out a bit, eyes flitting toward Rita¡­then back toward you. ¡°I am, ah, afraid I won¡¯t stand out ¨C¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that! Um, well, m-maybe standing out is a bit dangerous, but at the same time¡­¡± With Rita¡¯s perfume and her gaze elsewhere, it¡¯s much easier to focus on things other than her. ¡°W-well ¨C¡± ¡°Relax!¡± Irma giggles more ¨C ah, was this some kind of dirty trick?! ¡°I am not so worried about you, Cibele. Though, I must say, you dazzled me last week as much as our teacher is this week, yes?¡± O-oh¡­ah, your telepathy says Irma isn¡¯t lying, either ¨C well, you did pop your Charisma gain, but Rita could match that¡­even so, you can¡¯t help but turn red from pride, really¡­ ¡°¡­I¡¯m happy with how well you¡¯re doing, Irma,¡± Rita says, having snuck up on the two of you, looming over you with her heels. (They aren¡¯t very long at all, yet it makes it easier for her to overwhelm you with her presence, her pleasant scent hitting you¡­) And¡­completely, utterly brazenly, Rita leans in, looking at Irma¡¯s monitor, her chest pressing into her back. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone improve their typing so quickly!¡± says Rita, a-as if she has no idea what she¡¯s doing! ¡°I-i-i-i-it is not so difficult, m-my teacher!¡± Irma replies, flustered as she is ¨C wait, ¡®my teacher¡¯? Guess Irma can¡¯t entirely hide her interest! Not like this, not with Rita so close¡­¡±I, how to say¡­I simply have to see the computer like a mechanical device you learn to operate, rather than an intimidating machine you¡¯re at the mercy at¡­¡± ¡­interesting way of looking at it. But it makes sense, for someone who prides herself on her driving skills ¨C w-wait, that¡¯s not the issue here, Rita¡¯s just, pressing into your friend-slash-crush with her perfect breasts, and Irma looks like she¡¯s going to blow steam from her ears from the simulation¡­ ¡°Keep up the good work,¡± Rita whispers to Irma ¨C in about the same tone you¡¯d expect her to say ¡®good girl¡¯, and with the same ¡®404 brain not found¡¯ face you¡¯d expect on Irma from that ¨C and then her gaze falls upon you, with a big grin, like showing your teeth to prey ¨C er, are you prey? ¡°Cibele¡­¡± And then she does the exact same thing to you. You can feel it, the way her chest pushes against you, so perfectly soft, and your brain turns into just a pile of mush within Rita¡¯s pleasant scent, the line of code you were writing turning into little more than gibberish. (What¡¯s that old joke, about how lesbians can¡¯t spell?) Her hand even smoothly reaches to yours, and¡­ takes control. She grasps your hand, and manipulates your fingers directly, having your hand erase the pile of bottom-gibberish you typed, and replacing it with a nice, clean curly brace instead. ¡°You¡¯re doing wonderfully as well.¡± Ah¡­ ah, it feels the same as when Seul-ki praises you¡­ O-okay, you don¡¯t think you¡¯re much of an M, you¡¯re pretty sure you¡¯re an S, but if it¡¯s Seul-ki or Rita, maybe there¡¯s an exception? Rita chuckles to herself, even as Irma steals glances at the two of you. You wonder, how it is it got like this¡­¡±Could we talk a bit in the office?¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­sure!¡± you say, managing to compose a complete sentence, as Rita pulls away¡­ Irma giggles a bit at you, even as she still blushes. ¡°I think she likes us¡­or, rather, I think she especially likes you, yes?¡± Ah, jeez, even Irma¡¯s teasing you now, and yet ¨C and yet, the look on her face, it makes you want to whisper in her ear, to hypnotise her, and you wonder, if it¡¯s Irma, if she¡¯d accept it so readily¡­ B-but Rita asked you to come. Er, come to her, you mean, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re a bit turned on by this or anything, it¡¯s completely innocent, despite all evidence to the contrary ¨C er. right. Hastily locking your terminal and leaving your chair, Irma waves to you as you find yourself in Rita¡¯s small office in the back. It¡¯s obvious it¡¯s not actually hers, but just what she¡¯s using to monitor the class, but even so, i-it¡¯s very intimate, especially with how small it is, once you close that door behind you¡­ Rita sits down on the comfy office chair like she owns the place, completely suited to being in control of this class¡­and you settle into the less comfy student chair, amply feeling the distance between you, smiling sweetly as you fidget with your clothes. You¡¯re so nervous, but¡­she¡¯s been actively seducing you, and you¡¯re not quite as dumb as you used to be, so it¡¯ll be fine. Right? (¡­right?) ¡°So, Cibele,¡± Rita says, as she languidly shifts herself to lean toward you, like her glasses can stare down at you. For some reason, she¡¯s even hotter like this¡­you really can¡¯t put your finger on why, though. ¡°I¡¯m really quite impressed. You finished the exercise far ahead of schedule ¨C an exercise I had planned for the tail-end of the course.¡± ¡°O-oh, I didn¡¯t notice¡­¡± It seemed easy enough to you. But, Rita¡¯s noticed? Your increasing Intelligence must be helping¡­though it gives you the faint sense that this conversation is about more than just the class. ¡°Ehe. Maybe I remembered more about my old classes than I thought?¡± you say, trying to play it cool. ¡°I¡¯m not ruining things for the other students, am I?¡± ¡°No, not at all!¡± Rita shakes her head, and even through your telepathy you¡¯re not totally certain of her thought processes ¨C besides the flirting, at least. ¡°I¡¯m just amazed by your potential, and how quickly you¡¯re adjusting! Have you had programming classes before?¡± ¡°Only a couple! I wasn¡¯t ever very good at it, so¡­¡± You decide to try flirting a bit in return, fluttering your lashes. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I have such a good teacher?¡± ¡°Somehow, I have my doubts.¡± Rita laughs, curling some of her silver hair in a finger. ¡°I mean, I did set up this class to test some educational theories I was having, but it¡¯s more just to keep myself busy on my gap year.¡± ¡°Ah, right, the top Sunset scholarships force you into one¡­¡± Apparently it¡¯s to ¡®foster innovation¡¯ or something. Since a lot of the scholarships go to inventors and other STEM types, it makes a certain amount of sense. ¡°Educational theories, though?¡± ¡°Heh. Are you surprised I¡¯m interested?¡± asks Rita. ¡°No, but¡­¡± Korri mentions sometimes that some of her STEM friends are disdainful toward social science, so maybe Rita thought you¡¯d be surprised? ¡°Mmmmm.¡± Rita smiles, the glint of gold hairpins showing as she brushes hair back, and your eyes flit between that and her chest, trying hard to look at her face and missing every dang time. ¡°You remember earlier, Cibele? When I was talking about my ¡®old friends¡¯? They were the kind of people who would dismiss the ¡®soft sciences¡¯ in their entirety. For instance, they lament the way ¡®memetics¡¯ has become diluted by its combination and complementary evolution with ideas once said to supercede or preclude it ¨C as if it were ¡®hard science¡¯ to begin with, pft. You might catch some people arguing in favor of evolutionary psychology, and every so often something like ¡®human biodiversity¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Gross,¡± you say, on reflex. Yeah, you remember Seul-ki dealing with students who insisted on such things, on the idea of ¡®race¡¯ and intelligence obviously being intertwined. ¡°Yeaaah, see, I don¡¯t get why we have to go back to Silicon Valley ¨C even if my parents were born there, I have little use for rejecting the social sciences.¡± Rita grins. ¡°I admit, they¡¯re still not my strong suit¡­but I think I¡¯m getting better at it, thanks to you.¡± ¡­what an odd way of putting it. Well, Skimming her shows that Hawking radiation of love, but¡­ ¡­Cibele¡¯s downplaying things. But, she¡¯s still such an outlier. And I swear she got more attractive by the time class ended compared to where it started¡­there¡¯s just something about her¡­ Oh¡­oh my. It¡¯s nothing dangerous, but she¡¯s noticed¡­and you can¡¯t help but feel flattered, that her noticing made her go to this kind of effort¡­ ¡°Are you referring to your makeover?¡± you ask, mustering up your strength and confidence to say it with a straight face. ¡°¡­nothing gets past you, huh?¡± Rita laughs ¨C it¡¯s almost an evil laugh, and you admit, it¡¯s just, so sexy¡­her voice is clear and resonant and lovely, she¡¯d make a wonderful hypnotist¡­¡±What can I say? You could be a movie star, if you wanted.¡± ¡°My cousin was a big time movie star a decade or two ago!¡± you joke. (Circe really is pretty, though, even after retiring from acting!) ¡°But, thank you. This is more effort than any girl¡¯s taken to get close to me, ever¡­or, maybe I should say it like, ¡®Miss Sternbach, are you trying to seduce me?¡¯¡± ¡°Hee hee hee¡­¡± Rita bares her teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, Cibele ¨C I¡¯m very attracted to you.¡± A-ah, so brazen¡­to just say it like that, it¡¯s embarrassing, you feel so hot, and you find yourself breathing deeper¡­¡±So I thought, ¡®I need her to notice me!¡¯ If that turns out as ¡®seducing¡¯, well¡­you said it, not me.¡± ¡°I-I mean, I noticed you a lot last week, too! Me and Irma, I mean¡­both of us¡­I don¡¯t think you needed to go to all this trouble just to get me to notice you, y¡¯know?¡± You almost want her to start whispering in your ear, and yet, that same desire is paired equally with the desire to whisper in hers¡­you¡¯re sure, you¡¯d both look so wonderful in trance, or even, with a cutie in between you, Irma faced with both your ¨C wait, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself ¨C Heh. But the insurance doesn¡¯t hurt, Rita thinks, as she grins even wider. (A-and she¡¯s right, it¡¯s not like you dislike this makeover or anything, and it made a huge impression!) ¡°I admit I checked out your social media a little. You¡¯re a student at the Verwest Academy, right? Honestly, I think I¡¯d have preferred that over Pedersen ¨C even if I appreciate the ¡®absolute territory¡¯.¡± (Your eyes flit to Rita¡¯s legs without thinking, before heading back to her face.) ¡°I¡¯ll send you an invite to mine, later. Feel free to pass my mobile to Irma, too; she¡¯d probably benefit from a bit of extra attention.¡± ¡°S-sure!¡± you say, as you gaze into Rita¡¯s eyes, and feel her singularity drawing you in¡­ Okay. Delving Korri didn¡¯t go so well, but you weren¡¯t prepared for the wellspring of negative emotion. You dove too deep, too fast. You¡¯re certain you can control it better this time, though the nature of Rita¡¯s mind feels like it¡¯d be easy to get lost in¡­ Even so. Your hand, your light, a soul tinged in gold, pushes its way into that inescapable darkness. Filled with echoes of Rita¡¯s thoughts, and the noise that fills your own, echoing as you dive beyond her event horizon: Cibele. Cibele Epeli Imanis. If you want another, say you need another. Have you ever wanted something so badly, you would do anything to get it? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve at least said so. It¡¯s only human to lie when the stakes aren¡¯t right in front of you. If it¡¯s anything, really anything, I don¡¯t know if even I¡¯d go that far. But I¡¯m starting to understand ¨C Breathe, don¡¯t speak. It was like I¡¯d seen her before. It was like I¡¯d met her before ¨C I should think you still have dreams? There¡¯s just something about her. Like we met somewhere in a dream, or something. Cibele Epeli Imanis. Her name is beautiful. The kind of thing you could say again and again, and never get tired of. Almost a mantra, really ¨C P?e?o?p?l?e? ?c?a?n?n?o?t? ?l?i?v?e? ?w?i?t?h?o?u?t? ?o?r?d?e?r?,? ?e?v?e?n? ?i?f? ?i?t? ?i?s? ?a? ?l?i?e?.? I¡¯ve done so much research on human attraction already ¨C just another no-man I can see something that¡¯ll give me the chance I want ¨C just another no-man I¡¯m not very good with people. In fact, I despise most of them ¨C strong red lines I could do that now, if I wanted. I can see it! It¡¯s so obvious! will come and cover you up H?o?n?e?s?t?l?y?,? ?d?o? ?p?e?o?p?l?e? ?j?u?s?t? ?n?e?v?e?r? ?t?h?i?n?k??? j?u?s?t? ?a?n?o?t?h?e?r? ?n?o?-?m?a?n? ?¨C? ! When you finally pull yourself out of Rita¡¯s gravity well, your head is in her lap, surrounded by her exceptionally pleasant scent, with her staring down on you over her chest. Smiling¡­you think, it¡¯s hard to tell with her boobs in the way. Your head hurts, but¡­you don¡¯t feel the same emotional feedback as you did before. Her thoughts are fragmented, but that seems to simply be your difficulty delving into such a beautiful mind, such a perfect mind, that you feel so at home next to. You think you¡¯re improving¡­but maybe next time, someone you trust more? You really hope you¡¯ll get used to it¡­ ¡°Are you okay, Cibele?¡± says Rita, as she gently strokes and runs her fingers through your hair. ¡°You just fainted¡­¡± And she put you in her lap¡­you¡¯d do the same thing, though! ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­mm.¡± You smile, inside Rita¡¯s hands. It¡¯s somehow comforting¡­could you really have known her, in your previous life? ¡°I almost wanna stay here, though¡­¡± ¡°Funny, since we just met and all.¡± Rita laughs. ¡°You really were into me all along, huh?¡± ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± You grin goofily, under Rita¡¯s wonderful touch, her wonderful scent. ¡°Have you¡­have you ever seen somebody, even if it¡¯s for the first time, and it¡¯s just this feeling like¡­like they have a star marked right on them, and you¡¯re just sure somehow, ¡®I have to know this person¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­I might be familiar,¡± Rita jokes. ¡°It¡¯s something like that. And, you proved me right, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I guess I did.¡± A brief, evil chuckle has you all tingly. ¡°Much as I¡¯d like to keep you here, I should probably get back to the class. But, I think you and I should meet together sometime in the next couple of days ¨C I want to see just what kind of potential you have, Cibele.¡± Ah, she taps your phone to yours, and your addresses are exchanged¡­ ¡°S-sure! I don¡¯t know exactly when¡­tomorrow, I¡¯m busy, and I¡¯ve set Saturday aside to do homework¡­I¡¯m sure I can squeeze in something!¡° You slowly, hesitantly, lift yourself away from Rita¡¯s lap, still in a daze from how lovely she truly is. And you definitely can find the time. Yeah, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going on a proper date with Stella, or will soon find yourself entangled with her in a romantic way! There¡¯s nothing that¡¯ll get in the way, like a girl falling for you, or anything. Right? (¡­right?) Even so, you want her to be bolder. Rita going so far for you makes you want to ask for more¡­and this time, you don¡¯t resist the way your voice is empowered: ¡°Do I get a kiss on the cheek from my favorite teacher?¡± it feels wonderful Your grasp, your light, squeezes the black hole into shape ¨C no real resistance, since she obviously wanted to, but it still feels amazing when it¡¯s her, even more than Korri ¨C and Rita¡¯s eyes unfocus for the briefest of moments, before her lips land so easily on your cheek, hidden behind a frosted window¡­and the sensation is turning you on, you¡¯re starting to understand future-past-you again, just a little ¨C ¡°¡­I want to know everything about your brain, Cibele. Remember that.¡± Rita licks her lips, and half-lidded, seductive violet eyes give you one good last look before she pops out of the office, and you¡­ well. Besides trying to ignore that, in that moment, after you used your Suggestion on Rita, that she was turned on, even if she didn¡¯t know the cause¡­ You can¡¯t help but feel like you¡¯ve met someone important. There are a lot of people in this world, after all, who claim themselves as a ¡®genius¡¯. Most don¡¯t live up to the name. Korri likes to say they consider themselves God because they could code a Bash shell and some JavaScript. Because they have greater opportunities or talents valued by capital, they consider themselves a chosen few, true visionaries held back by the insistences of things like ¡®ethics¡¯ and ¡®bias¡¯. Unaccountable to any but their own kind, encouraged by Sunset for the sake of advancing their goals. You don¡¯t really know Rita well enough to say whether her talents are the genuine article. Whether she could create an AGI with her own two hands, if ever given the opportunity. Your system, your librarian, keeper of hypnotic knowledge, seems to like her, but more than that¡­ if someone can draw you in with the way they speak, the way they look, the way they move¡­and do so deliberately, you think, as you breathe in, watching Rita move around the class, watching her take step by sexy step¡­ if they can set their mind on something ¨C someone ¨C they want, and then get it¡­ someone like that, you could definitely call a ¡®genius¡¯, right?
Eventually, it¡¯s time for the class to end. Everyone seems pretty satisfied; despite obviously having you as a favorite, everyone got useful one-on-one instruction. Seems like Rita goes the extra mile with individual students ¨C not to mention the individualized lessons! ¨C to make up for her tangents during lecture time. She kinda reminds you of Seul-ki, actually. (Only a little bit, though.) Though, Seul-ki¡¯s lectures tend to be a bit more focused than Rita¡¯s¡­ But with Rita still checking things off after the end of her class, Irma catches the opening, her big blue eyes looking toward you. ¡°Ah, Cibele¡­may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± You flash Irma a peace sign! ¡°I¡¯m always ready to help out a friend!¡± ¡°A friend, yes¡­¡± (She seems a bit disappointed, even without telepathic aid; you just didn¡¯t want to be presumptuous, is all! So, she¡¯s really¡­) ¡°I was wondering¡­¡± She swallows, trying to push past her nerves. ¡°I was wondering, if you might accompany me through the Capital District this weekend? There are cafes I was wishing to try, and places I¡¯d love to hear the history of from someone who knows them well¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­um, if Sunday is alright, of course! I¡¯ll be around there anyway, so once I work the time out, we can go visit, sure~¡± Irma swallows again, and¡­smiles, to steel herself. ¡°You may consider it a date, if you wish.¡± ¡­despite her friendly tone, you can sense determination behind Irma¡¯s gaze. Even if she understands love doesn¡¯t have to be a competition, she still thinks she should make a case for herself after Rita¡­ well. There¡¯s no reason not to, right? It¡¯s not like things with Stella are going to progress that fast, and you¡¯ve got time to spare. Besides, you remember Aunt Vesta¡¯s advice she told you on her first wedding day¡­ ¡°The trick is to get all the girls to love each other as much as they love you,¡± Aunt Vesta said, to those bewildered parts of the family that didn¡¯t get the memo this was a poly wedding. (¡­no shock that¡¯s one of your very first memories, huh.) ¡°And if you ever travel back in time, Cibele, don¡¯t step on anything!¡± said Aunt Percy. ¡°Because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can¡¯t imagine!¡± (Oh, right, that too. Well, uh, you¡¯re kind of already far past that point!) So it makes sense, to try and form a social network, weave a web of Girls. Even if things with Rita or Irma don¡¯t work out individually, the possibility exists that they could be wonderful together. Besides. Maybe, if spending time around cuties is what makes you stronger, a date like this would help¡­ ah, heck, as if you need a reason like that! Irma¡¯s a cute girl, that¡¯s all the reason you need! ¡°Then, it¡¯ll be a date!¡± You assent to Irma¡¯s plan ¨C and Rita doesn¡¯t seem the least bit bothered, either. Ehe, this Charisma stuff really is helping, isn¡¯t it? You even lean in to kiss Irma on the cheek~ ¡°O-oh¡­ah, of course! Um, I should probably go get ready, I need to get home soon, or my family will worry¡­¡± Irma doesn¡¯t seem to know how to handle this, so she quickly flees the scene after she retrieves her riding jacket. ¡°I shall talk to you more about it later than sooner, yes?¡± All stumbling over her words, you can¡¯t help but want to whisper in her ear and keep her on a leash, especially when she runs off like this ¨C uh, eheh. Maybe later. You don¡¯t even know what Irma likes, or if you¡¯re compatible, or anything like that! Mouuu, what if she¡¯s bothered by you being a vegetarian? Figure out the basics before deciding to keep a girl as a pet, Cibby! ¡°¡­you really are something,¡± Rita says, over the desks, voice full of adoration. ¡°All the effort I put in, and you can match it without even trying!¡± Rita almost looks like she¡¯s got that ¡®yandere trance¡¯ face going on¡­ehe. She¡¯s kind of noticed the Charisma gain, though you¡¯re sure no one could figure out the nature of the Gamer System based on that alone. ¡°Take care of Irma, too¡­as for us, I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± ¡°S-sure!¡± You flash that peace sign again, and Rita waves at you as she packs up to go, her pleasant scent trailing behind her¡­ oh. Oh, Nazakawa-kun is still here, and he even waves before heading out¡­so he saw all of that, too. S-so much for secrecy. You wonder what people will think, at Verwest, when they hear him talk about all of this¡­ But hey, maybe it¡¯s a good thing. If nothing else, it might give Stella something to think about, too.~
Hypnosis Branch: Psychology
Psychology T1: Cold Reading. Your ability to understand the psyche of others is greatly increased. Within a relatively short period of time, you learn their general demeanor and personality; with at least an hour, you may learn details of their life they unwittingly revealed to you through your manipulations (in the manner of ¡®psychics¡¯ and other illusionists). You may also ask leading questions which allow a target to reveal information to you unwittingly. You may ask questions it would be unreasonable for you to ask normally, and the target will generally answer, or at least not be offended by the question. Requires Instant Hypnotherapist.
Psychology T2: Natural Language Processing. You may speak to a person and convince them of your expertise, particularly in the field of psychology. By reflecting their responses back at them or telling them what you want to hear, you may have all but the most skeptical of people convinced you¡¯re a genius. This also extends to people thinking of you as wise in social matters or giving good advice, even if you provide only empty platitudes. Actual expertise in relevant fields amplifies this effect. This may be used as social engineering; ie, to get into locations, get passwords and encryption keys, and otherwise exploit the credulity of others for your own gain. Particularly outlandish claims (ie, that you¡¯re a qualified surgeon despite no medical experience) will be rebuffed, and if actual evidence is checked for, the effect will be broken. This will also completely fail to fool anyone with real expertise in the field in question, to the point of breaking the effect even for others around them. Requires Cold Reading.
Psychology T3: Subliminal Messaging. You are able to speak in ways that impart a subliminal idea or command to others. This is a simplistic idea that cannot create drastic or instant changes, but may be used to condition others and prime them slowly for further induction. Even if the effect fails, it cannot be detected except through machine analysis. You may affect any number of targets you wish who can hear you, and exclude anyone you wish as well. Basic subliminals (ie, ¡®I feel hungry¡¯) are much more effective and may work with a single application. For more extensive effects (ie, ¡®Cibele is my mistress¡¯), you may repeatedly apply them until the effect is provided. Subliminals may be added to voice or musical recordings, as well. If you have You¡¯ll Love Me (Memetics T2), this effect is enhanced. Any subliminal messages you make impart sexual feelings to the other (if you wish to do so). They will feel pleasure for doing as the subliminal command asks them, slowly conditioning them for you. In addition, any use of Subliminal Messaging also spreads your Memetics effects, even if the target is not immersed in your social circles. Requires Natural Language Processing and You¡¯ll Trust Me (Memetics T1).
â…¢.10.a: Hold Your Head Up Thursday, May 13th, Reiwa 42. It¡¯s no surprise that you¡¯re getting a lot of glances tossed your way today, per Nazakawa-kun¡¯s gossip. An average-looking troublemaker like you became a beauty, and has other beauties going the extra mile to get noticed by you? You¡¯d want to hear all about it, if it were someone else! What Rita did is straight out of an anime, and Irma¡¯s quiet and soft determination¡­ Screw future-past-you! You don¡¯t need to brainwash girls at all, apparently! Which raises a lot of questions about future-past-you, which you are very stridently not answering with the simple conclusion that she wants to brainwash girls. (¡­how did it go again? Some of them want to use you, some of them want to get used by you¡­) ¡°It¡¯s easy to consider one¡¯s enemies monstrous. It¡¯s only human.¡± Seul-ki draws on the smartboard as she continues today¡¯s lecture, and you diligently take your notes. ¡°Of course, human beings are driven by the same desires; to simplify this, we¡¯ll say that humans seek to fulfill their values, and humans tend to share similar notions of value.¡± Anyway, none of that really matters to you, right now. You¡¯ve got your study date today, finally! You found a time, you found a room (thanks, Korri!), you¡¯re all set! You¡¯ll be alone with Stella, and helping her succeed, helping her achieve her dreams of escaping her circumstances, getting into a good university, and becoming a therapist! And really, that¡¯s enough for you¡­ (right?) ¡°It¡¯s really quite simple ¨C your enemies are human beings, just like you. You can only be enemies in relative terms. But this is an easy lesson, and honestly something of a tautology! Even so, and I realize this phrasing might be showing my age, I had to tell you that story in order to tell you this one.¡± You look back toward Stella, and wave at her, grinning brightly. The girl with golden eyes has been staring a hole into the back of your head all day, but the moment your gaze meets hers, she turns away with a blush. Honestly, it¡¯s kinda cute. ¡°Back when I was still considering clinical practice, I was observing interviews with a certain patient who grew up in an enclave of Old America. That the patient grew up with beliefs we would consider reprehensible is unsurprising. That the patient would say hateful things about the vulnerable, in the name of ¡®dark humor¡¯, is equally unsurprising.¡± You keep running through scenarios for your date in your mind. You¡¯re wondering, if you¡¯ll confess, and she¡¯ll accept your feelings, and you¡¯ll kiss with fingers entwined¡­or, maybe it¡¯s more like, she¡¯ll confess, and apologise, and you¡¯ll forgive her with a kiss¡­ (You push aside any thoughts of anything further. E-even if you¡¯ve heard rumors about Stella getting caught doing some heavy petting once a few years back. Heck, you might be expecting too much already!) ¡°However, traditionally, one thinks of such things as an act of deliberate violence. And indeed, in many cases that remains so; unabashed violence against the vulnerable is a mark of the memetics of the late Heisei era, and thus is maintained even decades later in these nations of Old America founded upon such ideas as their foundation.¡± You¡¯re starting to see Milia¡¯s eyes flit your way, too. Or maybe they always were, and you just never noticed ¨C and yet, you get the sense that now, she¡¯s looking at you for you, not simply because you¡¯re the teacher¡¯s pet. (¡­don¡¯t read into that.) ¡°But this person did not observe their actions as violent. Indeed, they were disturbed by the very notion. They considered their jokes ¨C jokes founded on flagrant disrespect, far more than simple ¡®dark humor¡¯ could excuse ¨C a fundamental and vital part of their answer to the bleak, and indeed a universal answer to the bleak, despite all evidence to the contrary. Their reaction to attempts to correct was not violence, nor even brittleness, but genuine fear. They were terrified, that they might lose their only solace in this world. Terrified that people around them were changing. No desire to simply hate freely, but utterly terrified that they might lose their own happiness and ability to cope. ¡°All of this, based on violence toward women, and denial of their names.¡± Your head pops up from the automatic act of note-taking at those words. Denial of their names, huh? Rita said something about that, didn¡¯t she? When you checked her social media this morning. There wasn¡¯t a whole lot on there politically ¨C probably because Rita prefers posting about her hobbies and creations, rather than signalling her politics ¨C but you remember that was one of them. If things like that happen in Old America, girls buried under dead names, it¡¯s no wonder a belief like ¡®the Goddess will remember your name¡¯ would appeal to girls like Rita. ¡°If someone takes genuine emotional fulfillment in something that hurts others, if someone is genuinely emotionally disturbed by the idea that someone would not want to do this, or at the changing values of society¡­how, then, do we fulfill that person¡¯s values? How can we reconcile our desire to make each and every individual human happy with the idea that some humans¡¯ happiness can only come at the expense of others ¨C and not in any abstract sense, as anyone who, pardon the expression, lives in a society might experience, but in a direct and total sense?¡± Rita¡¯s made such a massive impression on you, in such a short time¡­it¡¯s getting hard to not think that maybe, you did meet her in a dream, or something. That a woman of science and skepticism believes such so strongly is reason enough for you to have pause. What if you did meet her before, in future-past-you¡¯s life? And you were drawn to her by something like ¡®fate¡¯? What if you¡¯re fated, to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? ¡°We attempt to slowly alter human value toward a greater whole, but this very process is imperfect, and every action causes a reaction. Or to put it another way, society is an endless waltz between peace, revolution, and reaction. That cycle is what brought us the Collapse, is it not?¡± And yet, Rita isn¡¯t the only woman who¡¯s captivated you this much, nor been so driven. But if it¡¯s Seul-ki, that takes on entirely different connotations. She¡¯s not someone who can, or should, be aiming for your affections. And yet, she¡¯s taken an interest in you and yours, pushed you toward Stella Maris, encouraged you to accept her ¡®wisdom¡¯. And it¡¯s blatantly obvious you aren¡¯t the first, by any means ¨C at the very least, Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice has once been the beneficiary of Seul-ki¡¯s ¡®wisdom¡¯. And is jealous of you, seemingly, for being the one who Seul-ki favors most. Future-past-you grappled with the same questions. She encountered Milia ¨C and may have made Milia into one of hers. There¡¯s no question in your mind that this means you¡¯ll have a ¡®fateful encounter¡¯ with your favorite teacher, just as future-past-you did. So, with that in mind, the question remains¡­ ¡°One might consider that the only way to prevent this is the capability to alter a person¡¯s values, on the individual level ¨C ah, but that would be unethical, of course, if it were even possible. But, what is the alternative? Is the sanctity of individual will compatible with the fulfillment of an idealized human society?¡± what kind of person is Yi Seul-ki, really?
As a result of Stella¡¯s¡­avoidance? Shyness? Pride? Whatever it is that kept her from talking to you much, it took a frustrating amount of negotiation to figure out where the study date was going to be. The good news is, you found the most private place on the campus you know of. Korri passed you her secret study spot ¨C an obscure quiet study room somewhere on campus that¡¯s long since been forgotten over the past three decades as newer, better rooms for studying are built or repurposed. It¡¯s not hard to see why people prefer other rooms, though. It¡¯s just flat drywall with no natural light, rows of desks with uncomfortable chairs, only a couple of well-padded armchairs as proper creature comfort. Korri, on the other hand, would love this room¡­and it serves well enough for the current purpose, since Stella requested some measure of privacy. It makes sense, especially with Nazakawa-kun always on the lookout. (You¡¯re pretty sure Stella¡¯s decent friends with him, so she¡¯d definitely want some discretion!) There¡¯s a camera watching you, as there is so often ¨C connected not to human operators, or even an algorithm, simply a permanent archive only reviewed when necessary ¨C but besides that? It¡¯s just you and Stella. And so there you are, you and Stella in two chairs very close to one another, looking at one another awkwardly. You haven¡¯t dressed up too much; sleeveless button blouse, white with cute blue frills, tight shorts, a bit of makeup. Still, you aren¡¯t expecting something huge today. Stella¡¯s dressed up very similar to usual, too; corset and all, glossy lips, those curls and ringlets that she must take so much time to maintain¡­ Even if you seem to have both avoided dressing like it¡¯s a date date, the atmosphere is still pretty strained¡­but, that¡¯s to be expected. It¡¯s been a week, and Stella still has no idea what to say¡­ At the very least, you know what she¡¯s thinking. ¡­Cibele¡¯s definitely cuter than she was before her accident. That much is obvious just looking at her. She¡¯s got the Empress rattled, and then they¡¯re going on a date? And then Nazakawa-kun mentions that teacher from his night class went out of her way to impress her¡­what¡¯s happening here? She¡¯s noticed something, for sure. But, you know, you don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough to say ¡®Cibele has a supernatural power¡¯, right? That¡¯d be a ridiculous thing to think, really ¨C the only reason you believe it is because you are you. Any other situation, you¡¯d just find the concept kind of silly! You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. So it shouldn¡¯t be too bad, once you¡¯ve pushed past the awkwardness. ¡°Um¡­so, I guess maybe we should look at some of your past essays!¡± you say, trying to break the ice. ¡°Ehe. That way, I can see what Seul-ki¡¯s said about them, and we can see where you fall short! Right?¡± ¡°¡­sure.¡± Stella sighs, and carefully reaches for her phone, sending you one of the essay assignments. ¡°Go ahead and check it for me. Everyone else I¡¯ve asked can¡¯t figure it out.¡± There¡¯s some distance between you, but it¡¯s at least a friendly distance. You grab your reader so you can look at it more comfortably, and scroll through it¡­ This one is the ethics essay Seul-ki assigned earlier this week; Stella just got the marks back today. She¡¯s written about the Stanford University prison experiment of Showa 46 ¨C an experiment so well-known you¡¯d expect anyone you asked to know at least the gist of it. Simulated prison, guards becoming abusive with their power, people can¡¯t be trusted with it, etcetera. It¡¯s rare, but sometimes people do still use it as a straightforward example of humanity¡¯s inhumanity ¨C you¡¯re all but certain someone in your class has taken it at face value, and expect Seul-ki to set them right. Still, Stella¡¯s working toward the point of the experiment¡¯s premise, methodology, ethics, and conclusions all being vitally flawed from the start; demand characteristics, selection bias, subjective and anecdotal evidence. Even that is relatively well-known these days, but it¡¯s used as a thrust for a much bigger argument ¨C that is, it leads to broader critique of how psychological studies of the following Heisei era were often similarly flawed, attempting to use flawed methods, insufficient sample sizes, and biased selection of subjects to arrogantly and proudly come to conclusions they, and reporters following them, claimed applied to all of humanity. In this, it was reflective of a broader trend of the era to paint American liberal democracy as ¡®the end of history¡¯, Stella argues. ¡­and it¡¯s really good! Maybe it¡¯s your ego talking, but you don¡¯t think it¡¯s better than your essays for the class or anything. That said, you¡¯d say it¡¯s as good as them, give or take. It¡¯s got all the analysis Seul-ki insists on; it¡¯s even consistent with her own positions on the subject, so it¡¯s hard to figure out what it is that doesn¡¯t measure up. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t figure out why Seul-ki doesn¡¯t like this,¡± you say, rubbing the back of your head. ¡°It¡¯s all consistent with her lectures, too. Lemme put her notes up¡­¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Stella says, leaning in slightly as you read the red markings over the typed essay. The notes are all pretty vague, honestly; that said, she¡¯s marking grammar and spelling pretty strictly here. A lot of her choices seem to be semantic; variations marked as mistakes. Other times it¡¯s just completely vague as to what it is she doesn¡¯t like about a passage¡­ Seul-ki is human, sure. And sometimes you get the sense she¡¯s a bit at odds with Stella. Some amount of variation for largely subjective reasons isn¡¯t completely unexpected. But this ¨C this is way too much! There¡¯s only one reason that this essay would be marked down as far as it is ¨C that is, if it were being marked down on purpose. ¡°¡­so. It¡¯s what I thought.¡± Looking up from your reader, Stella¡¯s eyes have narrowed, and she looks you straight in the eye ¨C the look on your face tells her all she needs to know. ¡°I was starting to suspect, to be honest. That she was leading me on, lying to me. I could simply never imagine any teacher would have a reason, at least not without showing blind hatred. As it turns out, I was just looking in the wrong place.¡± The wrong place? Reason¡­ ¡°You know that she suggested this, right? This date?¡° ! ¡°Ms. Yi is¡­easy to trust. I knew she and Milia didn¡¯t like each other, but Milia¡¯s a bitch, so who cares what she thinks, right?¡± Stella shrugs. ¡°So I told her a lot of things I probably shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Things¡­about being poor, or her relationship with Marina. Maybe even about her fetish, too. Yeah, that tracks. Heck, the only reason you didn¡¯t tell Seul-ki before future-past-you came along is because you didn¡¯t realize yourself! ¡°So, to her it must¡¯ve seemed easy. If she knew how I¡¯d react to you, it¡¯d be easy enough to predict I¡¯d swallow my pride out of necessity. That I couldn¡¯t reject this assignment, and that said assignment would change things, and then I¡¯d have to ask you for help ¨C Cibele, star student, teacher¡¯s pet.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what she was planning,¡± you say. ¡°¡­I guess not. Then again, she could never have predicted you, Cibele!¡± ¡­what? Stella¡¯s eyes narrow, and her mind flares with determination. ¡°Ms. Yi always saw you as special. And it always pissed me the fuck off. But her is one thing. Hell, even me is another. But it¡¯s not just me, is it?¡± ¡­oh. That¡¯s¡­is she? Does she? Could she? Play it cool, Cibby, play it cool¡­¡±Ehe. It¡¯s just, you know. The accident was really scary! After that, I just kind of thought I should pay a bit more attention to things, right? Dress better, be bolder, that kind of th¨C¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Oh no. Oh no. ¡°I¡¯m not a moron, Cibele! People don¡¯t just get more physically attractive overnight! And even Ms. Yi couldn¡¯t have hypnotised me like that! No one else could ever notice ¨C not even Ms. Yi has noticed ¨C but you¡¯ve changed, Cibele.¡± She knows. Stella doesn¡¯t know what she knows, but she knows. ¡°Maybe you think I won¡¯t believe whatever it is, and maybe I won¡¯t, but lying to me so transparently¡­¡± Stella sighs, finger reaching up to fiddle with one of her blonde ringlets. ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool.¡± ¡­you, uh, you didn¡¯t plan for this! You completely, and quite reasonably you think, missed the possibility that Stella would figure out something was going on! This is entirely unexpected! You have no idea how to respond to this! And if she suspects what you did to her, what you¡¯ve done ¨C right panic there¡¯s only one thing to do, before anything else: ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± you exclaim, as you bow your head to Stella in penance for the horrible, yet very sexy, things you¡¯ve done to her! ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be a good person but in reality I¡¯m just a depraved slut with a hypnofetish!¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­well, it¡¯s true. And yet, Stella ¨C beautiful, passionate, driven Stella ¨C sighs heavily, and tugs your head right into her hands, lifting you out of your bow. ¡°E-eh?¡± You blink, gazing at Stella¡¯s beautiful eyes. She¡¯s got this horribly annoyed look, on her face, as she gazes upon you, and you reach out to read her intentions ¨C but she reaches you first. Her lips meet yours, of her will, to return the kiss you gave her, pushed upon her. You don¡¯t need telepathy to understand this feeling, and yet, you can¡¯t help but be surprised by the way her lips so easily meet yours, and her tongue tastes of you as your lips open, and her delicate fingers hold you so gently within her grasp. It feels wonderful. Stella¡¯s eyes flutter, as she parts from you, your heart fluttering so powerfully before her determined gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re going to kiss a girl, Cibele, you¡¯d better take responsibility when she develops feelings for you.¡± ¡°What ¨C¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t know. I told you ¨C you¡¯re too nice.¡± ¡­but you aren¡¯t, are you? ¡°¡­I get it. I¡¯ve been a bitch, Cibele. I¡¯ve been a far bigger bitch than you ever deserved. You have no reason to trust me, not after what I¡¯ve done.¡± Stella¡¯s hands still grip behind your head, as you breathe hotly, caught with a heat between your ears, a flutter in your heart. ¡°But, you said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? The basis of hypnosis is trust. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m going to trust you, if you¡¯re willing to trust me. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m not upset. But I need to know the truth.¡± Trust¡­ Your body feels so hot. This is something you never could have predicted. The idea that Stella would figure out what you did, what you¡¯ve become, and want it¡­ your reason snaps. every excuse you have breaks. there¡¯s no reason to hold back anymore. You reach up, and grasp Stella¡¯s head as she grasps yours. Her eyes widen, her heartbeat rushes a little faster, but she doesn¡¯t resist. You took your first kiss from Stella, an entranced and beautiful Stella shaped by your hands and your words and your light. Stella took your second, to answer the feelings you gave her, to show her tacit acceptance of your will. Your desire. You wanted her, so you took her. And Stella wants to be taken. You take your third kiss from Stella Maris. Your lips, painted a lovely burgundy color inspired by Rita¡¯s ribbon, meet Stella¡¯s shiny gloss. Your tongue eagerly takes of what Stella has offered you. Stella, compliantly, opens her lips, obeys your will, and it¡¯s this impossibly wonderful feeling, it¡¯s so powerful, to feel someone open for you. Open to your kiss, open to your words. To your desires. The way she bends backwards when you push. The way her head feels in your hands. The way she tastes, within those glossy lips. All for you. That you can feel just how much she loves it helps, too. That you can feel how accepting she is. That prickly nature of hers¡­you¡¯ve conquered the hedgehog¡¯s dilemma. The spines that line Stella¡¯s mind are made entirely of rubber as far as you¡¯re concerned. She wants to know more, even as she knows you¡¯re capable of far more than you ever could, or should, be as an ordinary human. ¡­and she¡¯s such a good kisser, too! Your hypnotised first kiss was amazing, and you¡¯d never give it up, but ¨C but the way Stella¡¯s tongue moves, the way her mouth opens, the way she moves and shifts, it¡¯s perfect, you know so easily why Stella¡¯s talents are so highly spoken of, and you wonder what else that tongue could do ¨C and she parts that wet, wonderful pop sound, it fills your ears ¡°So tell me, Cibele.¡± Ba-thump. ¡°Do I wanna know?¡± Ba-thump. ¡°Do I wanna know what it is you¡¯ve done? What you can do? What you will do?¡± Stella asks this, and yet, you get the feeling that somewhere, deep within her, a feeling welling up unprotected to where your telepathy can reach ¨C she doesn¡¯t want to be given a choice. You were wrong, weren¡¯t you? Stella¡¯s interest in hypnotherapy was, and is, completely genuine. And yet, she has a fetish, too, a fetish Seul-ki surely knew of just as she knew of yours, the desire to be taken, a desire she could never hope to fulfill¡­ until now. And you smile. No, you even smirk a little, letting yourself get a little smug about it. All this time, you¡¯ve been fretting over giving in to the urges that future-past-you has awakened ¨C no, the urges you always had ¨C never thinking about what would happen if someone asked you for this, of their own free will. ¡°I have a crush on you,¡± you whisper, still holding Stella within your grasp. ¡°I have for years. I think that, when you get past the stuff you built up to keep people away, or try to convince them you¡¯re rich ¨C¡± Stella¡¯s eyes widen as you casually reveal information you shouldn¡¯t have ¡°¨C you¡¯re a really amazing person who¡¯s absolutely worth loving.¡± As it turns out, what happens is, you want to have fun. ¡°¡­how did you ¨C¡± ¡°Stella.¡± Stella¡¯s head perks, and her eyes are drawn right back into yours, and your heart is pounding at just how you¡¯re capable of speaking with such power and conviction. And you grin, baring your teeth to Stella, letting her feel how you hold the power. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a game of it?¡± ¡°A game? But¡­¡± The way she quivers, the way she shivers, the delightful heat building past her defenses inside her mind¡­ You can tell. Stella wants you to toy with her. Just a little, playfully, tease her about all of this. She doesn¡¯t mind playing the role, of the mouse hunted by the cat, the fly in the spider¡¯s web. As long as you aren¡¯t going to lie to her¡­ The idea that you can turn her around like this is hot to her. ¡°I want you to guess what I¡¯ve done to you,¡± you say. (It¡¯s not a question.) ¡°What my abilities might be. Where they came from.¡± ¡°I have no time for games,¡± Stella says, huffing and looking aside ¨C but you can tell her heart isn¡¯t in it. She just wants to see what you can do. What you can make her do. ¡°It¡¯s okay, okay?¡± You giggle a bit, and flash a peace sign of reassurance! ¡°This is just for fun. If you guess correctly, I¡¯ll call you a ¡®good girl¡¯.¡± (You love how she shivers just from that.) ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll¡­you¡¯ll use my trance trigger.¡± Stella¡¯s right on the same wavelength. Yeah¡­yeah, you can do this. You want to do this. You need to do this. Your S vibes are on point. Your power will guide you. And Stella wants you, so badly, so dearly¡­ Really, you¡¯ve already captured her heart. With your powers, yes¡­but also you, yourself. This? This is just to make it official. â…¢.10.b: We Sink ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start from the top,¡± you say, grinning brightly, with just the slightest hint of desire. Heart pounding in your chest, between your ears, not daring to pinch yourself ¨C even if this was a dream, you¡¯d never want to wake up! ¡°You remember the accident on the 29th, right?¡± Stella nods, slowly, hesitantly, her own heart flush with fear, and the attendant desire that came with it. (How long has she dreamed of something like this, you wonder?) ¡°You¡­you were in an accident in the Capital District on your way to a protest. You got hit by a truck in a low-speed collision. You were uninjured, but kept for observation overnight¡­¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t. It was a full-speed collision! I should¡¯ve been gravely injured, at the very least.¡± You cross your legs, seeing the way Stella¡¯s eyes follow them thanks to your enhanced Adaptability, and can¡¯t help but love the way things have turned around. You watched, and now she watches¡­¡±So, how did I survive it?¡± ¡°You ¨C¡± Stella swallows, incredulous at this possibility. As you¡¯d expect; it¡¯s a lot to take in, right? It¡¯s one thing to ask these questions, it¡¯s another to truly accept such things as possible. ¡°You have some kind of¡­durability, or healing.¡± Trembling before you, and you really do just want to drag her down and whisper in her ear ¨C but no. not just yet. ¡°Good girl,¡± you say, and you see a faint shudder of pleasure. Not from something you left in, but simply¡­well, she¡¯s been dreaming about this a long time, hasn¡¯t she? You¡¯re certain she¡¯s even practiced before; who knows if she hasn¡¯t got a few leftover associations in her sexy little brain? (It¡¯s liberating, isn¡¯t it?) (You understand it. What future-past-you sees¡­) ¡°And then after that, I came into class, right?¡± You lean closer, hand placed on your chest like you¡¯ve seen Milia do, trying to draw Stella¡¯s attention to it. ¡°Seul-ki assigned us together! Was I more attractive to you then?¡± ¡°No,¡± Stella says, shaking her head. ¡°You were the same old Cibele¡­meddling, teacher¡¯s pet, always nice¡­never, never biting back, like you should have.¡± You realize, now. The way you are¡­or at least, the way you were around Stella, or the way Stella saw you, reminded her of a deep pain in her heart. You didn¡¯t really know Stella that well in your first couple of years of high school, but she must¡¯ve been very different then¡­that even if she¡¯s far kinder to others than she was to you, she had to harden herself, lest she be hurt like she was when her beloved Marina left her behind¡­ (Marina¡¯s personality on the stage isn¡¯t much like you are, you imagine, but¡­at that time, was she something like you were before now?) (¡­and, perhaps, did she feel a shift like you did, if she ever got the chance to whisper in Stella¡¯s ear¡­?) ¡°But that means whatever¡¯s made me more attractive didn¡¯t happen until later.¡± You¡¯re not sure how you¡¯re more attractive ¨C you look the same in the mirror, to your own eyes. But, maybe that¡¯s just a psychological thing? ¡°What about when we met for the project?¡± ¡°I thought you looked a lot cuter, then. I couldn¡¯t explain it at all, despite the clothes and everything, and yet¡­¡± And yet, Stella was struck by it, wasn¡¯t she? So the claim goes, Charisma 2 is as beautiful as a woman should be able to achieve¡­you¡¯re not sure how much you believe that, but it was enough to influence Stella, at least. Beauty like that can¡¯t be so easily dismissed¡­¡±O-obviously, even then, it was getting to me.¡± Aah¡­feeling Stella¡¯s gaze, feeling her so close, feeling how much she wants this¡­it¡¯s wonderful! You want to, you want to do it, you want to drag Stella down in your own two hands¡­! ¡°So if it happened then, I must¡¯ve gotten cuter in the time between, right?¡± You tip your head to the side again, looking at Stella¡¯s blush, her anticipation. ¡°How do you think that happened?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± says Stella. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I thought of it like that. That day is kind of¡­fuzzy.¡± (Well, of course it would be. You hypnotised her and all!~) ¡°Think about it, though! You must¡¯ve heard about the Debate Club situation, right?¡± ¡°I more than heard about it!¡± Stella grumbles. ¡°Milia getting this obsessed¡­I don¡¯t think she¡¯s totally honest with her feelings. And yes, I¡¯m aware of the irony.¡± She fidgets with her legs. Swallowing her pride is hard; maybe, you should reward her for it? (Aaa, you can ask questions like that, it¡¯s amazing!) ¡°You weren¡¯t quite as beneath her notice as she¡¯d let on ¨C remember her whole thing about self-image and presentation, she always disliked you, even before Ms. Yi ¨C but I¡¯d never seen anything like it. Just that morning, she was talking all about you¡­and by that evening, ¡®the Empress is going on a date with Cibele¡¯ was all anyone could talk about!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that happens every day!¡± You let yourself have a little giggle. ¡°But it isn¡¯t for the reason you think. But, my real question: how do you think I became more attractive, if it didn¡¯t start the day after my accident?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m suggesting this¡­¡± Stella¡¯s definitely thinking based on her fetishes here, the warmth that pulses within blunted spines impossible to mistake. ¡°Some kind of¡­pheromone? Something you wouldn¡¯t want to use in a small classroom, but could use in a big lecture hall or an enclosed space.¡± She breathes deeper, as she suggests it, as if she could feel it happen. Do you accept that answer? You¡¯re not sure how Charisma works, so it could be based on that, but¡­no, she said you weren¡¯t using it in Seul-ki¡¯s class, implying it¡¯s an active ability. She¡¯s thinking in terms of discrete superpowers ¨C and maybe you did it that way on purpose, but still, you set the rules of the game, and she accepted. Knowing exactly where it would lead. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. You shake your head, and Stella¡¯s eyes widen. The fear¡­the fear makes it better, for her, but she¡¯s still so afraid¡­ and yet. ¡°If we sink¡­¡± ¡°¡­we lift our love.¡± Stella¡¯s body so deeply, utterly slackens, as though you¡¯d let go of her strings. Her eyes going all blank, staring at you blankly, and yet in adoration, shocked at how effective your trigger really was. She¡¯s not very deep at all. She¡¯s resisting. But you don¡¯t have to use it just once, and this makes the game more fun for both of you. She still looks so sexy that way¡­ Her radiant noble beauty, her lovely ringlets she must spend so much time on, her pretty golden eyes¡­everything just so enhanced by her hypnotised state, everything so amazing and wonderful, and yours, yours soon enough for all you want, and¡­ Fudge, you¡¯re losing focus! Don¡¯t count chickens before they hatch! (Er, not that you¡¯d be counting chickens¡­) Still, part of you really just wants to keep Stella brainwashed all the time! (And maybe, she wants that too?) ¡°It¡¯s¡­well, I get stronger over time, through practice and interaction with others. My power¡­let¡¯s just say it came with an instruction manual,¡± you say. ¡°So I joined the Debate Club to become more persuasive ¨C and ended up crossing paths with the Empress.¡± Although if Seul-ki¡¯s interest in you is any indication, you were stronger than you knew. ¡­maybe there¡¯s some truth to what you said about having a new outlook. You feel more confident, and you¡¯re finding strengths you didn¡¯t know you had. If you didn¡¯t have these powers¡­what would happen? Could you trust Stella¡¯s assertion, that her falling for you was an inevitability? What is it, that future-past-you saw in her? Did she simply take her, or did Stella push forward with her own feelings? ¡°¡­more persuasive¡­¡± Stella mutters, half-entranced. The way she speaks like that, it¡¯s just too good, you don¡¯t need to worry like you do with Korri, she wants this¡­ ¡°I also took a computer class to try and improve my ¡®intellect¡¯¡­both of those things helped my abilities grow ¨C though, Nazakawa¡¯s been blabbing about what else happened there, right?¡± Stella nods, slowly, almost drunkenly, to you. You wonder, if the whispers around you will stop being ones of antipathy and spite, if others will see what Stella and Rita see¡­¡±I don¡¯t know how fast they¡¯ll grow from now on, but that¡¯s not my only power, or anything! You remember how you hypnotised me and asked me why I was nice to you, right?¡± ¡°¡­yeah¡­¡± Stella nods again. Fudge, so sexy¡­you¡¯re so wet right now, but it¡¯d be rude to indulge¡­ You slip your hand upon Stella¡¯s cheek. Holding her within your hand. You know she feels the same¡­ ¡°mmmh¡­!¡± Stella moans, faintly, from your touch. ¡°but¡­you said you wanted to be nice to people, to make them smile. without remorse. i¡­was sure you were just trying to butter people up, or thinking i¡¯d return your feelings just because of that¡­or because you were too stupid to not be nice¡­but that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°¡­what, that I¡¯m not nice for good reasons?¡± you ask. ¡°mm, maybe¡­but you¡¯re not as nice as i thought.¡± Mmm, that blush looks better when she¡¯s entranced too. ¡°i-in a¡­good way, though¡­¡± You can¡¯t argue with that, really, when you¡¯re all but tormenting a hypnotised captive. But¡­ ¡°But why did you think I was nice for the right reasons, Stella?¡± ¡°¡®cause you told me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. And I wasn¡¯t lying¡­but you weren¡¯t that convinced at first, really,¡± you say. If Stella were more conscious, she¡¯d probably realize it, but she just kind of¡­stares blankly. So sexy, so beautiful. Why can¡¯t girls look like this all the time? (Maybe something to consider, at least for those that are yours.) And so, once more, you whisper: ¡°If we sink¡­¡± ¡°we lift our love¡± Feeling Stella trying to hold on, feeling it more and more difficult to resist, wanting to drop but resisting to make it better, it¡¯s just so¡­so good. Playing with her like this¡­jeez, was there a sadist like this inside you all along? Future-past-you¡­fudge¡­ She knew all along, but you can¡¯t find it in you to resist temptation, of having Stella just like this¡­ ¡°I¡­helped you along a little,¡± you admit, speaking of your Suggestion. ¡°Kind of like, a geas? You were tipping on the edge, and I wanted so badly for you to accept me¡­¡± Maybe it wasn¡¯t the right thing to do, but Stella has already told you not to worry about it, so you¡¯ll trust her¡­ ¡°That¡¯s how I got the date with Milia, too. She really wanted to know what my connection with Seul-ki was, enough to be willing to consider meeting me outside the club, so it was enough for my ability to activate and give her that push.¡± ¡°mm¡­maybe, she¡¯s not as resistant as you¡¯d think¡­? maybe she¡¯s, she¡¯s struck by your beauty too.¡± Stella¡¯s barely holding on. Eyes half-lidded, head tipped back, unable to focus her eyes anywhere, and yet focused squarely on you. She¡¯s almost defeated. She wants to be defeated. And you want to defeat her! ¡°It¡¯s possible! I don¡¯t really know Milia all that well.¡± Besides that she¡¯s so annoying, it makes part of you want to drag her down right where Stella is, the two next to each other, blank-eyed¡­¡±But, you remember what happened when I hypnotised you, right? This trance trigger. How could I have figured that you¡¯d respond so well to it, from your memories of Marina Arisa?¡± ¡°dunno¡­reminds me of¡­mmm¡­¡± Oh, she¡¯s too far gone to answer! Even when you casually revealed your ability to grasp that knowledge, something only she knows, something unknown to the city about their ¡®idol of the future¡¯. And it¡¯s almost a shame she can¡¯t grasp it, if not for how sexy Stella is, if not for how much she loves this, and you love this. And, she did accept this game, so why hold back? Why not give her exactly what she wants? ¡°If we sink¡­¡± ¡°mn¡­lft our love¡­¡± ¡°I read your mind,¡± you say, leaving no room for doubt. Stella looking so confused, yet somehow so loving. ¡°It was my very first ability. I¡¯ve been getting a lot of use out of it, too!¡± Even if sometimes you see things you¡¯re not sure you should, being able to understand others better is amazing, and you want more¡­¡±I¡¯m still developing my abilities. Part of it was that hypnosis knowledge, part of it was that geas, and part of it was mindreading¡­but I¡¯m still learning about it.¡± ¡°mm¡­¡± Oh, dear. Stella¡¯s just¡­too far gone to answer any of this. You think she¡¯s actually able to go deeper than she was before, both thanks to your new skills and her desire to do so. Really, nothing is more important than that she wants it, that she needs it, that she wants to be yours and wonders why she hated you so badly when you could give her such bliss. ¡­because¡­ she agrees with you. girls are never so beautiful as when they¡¯re hypnotised. Stella¡¯s just waiting for it. To be dragged down further. To have you mold and shape and sink your words into the creases of her brain. To be captivated, irrevocably. It¡¯s incomparable to any hypnotic experience she could have before, and any of her prior feelings toward you are now utterly meaningless. Maybe it¡¯s still a little wrong¡­maybe, you¡¯ve already reached the point of no return. but you don¡¯t care. not right now. not with this beautiful, perfect hypnotised girl, the one you¡¯ve wanted for years, the one you never imagined you could love like this, in front of you. You grasp her cheeks in both hands, and take your second hypnotised kiss from your beloved Stella Maris, tasting of her body, of her love, of her desire, heart aflutter with the possibilities. Stella belongs to you now, after all. (And maybe, she always has¡­) â…¢.10.c: Little Star With Stella here in your hands, you¡¯re filled with desires, and you can¡¯t help but wonder once again if future-past-you put them there through more than temptation¡­or if your library has that cute librarian delivering you ideas. (If so, you¡¯ll have to thank her later! Er, if she weren¡¯t simply a construct you made up to explain how your powers deliver you knowledge, you mean.) One hand leaves Stella¡¯s cheek, and reaches for her hand, sliding along her fair skin¡­squeezing it, then interlacing fingers¡­feeling her squeeze back¡­ Holding hands is a sacred act, some say, to a lesbian. That there¡¯s so much love, expressed in that single moment, to entrust one¡¯s hand to another. In the days of the Heisei era, when such affection was taboo to speak of openly, it was used as a symbolic act in anime, to represent a love that dare not speak its name. The Fourth Order even believes that through connecting one¡¯s hand to another, girls who believe in the Goddess shall one day be granted magnificent powers. (And wouldn¡¯t it be nice, to grant Stella a power of her very own?) With your other hand, you stroke Stella¡¯s head ¨C you¡¯ve always wanted to do that! ¨C and she gives you this big, wide, dopey smile¡­ and you close the gap. It¡¯d be hard without enhanced Dexterity, but you¡¯re flexible enough, nimble enough, to gently climb over the table (without knocking anything over!) and settle your knees to either side of Stella¡¯s legs, looking down upon her, and ¨C suddenly very, very much aware that like your mother before you, you¡¯re just¡­doing this on school property! Aw, and all the time you spent so scandalized that Mama would do that¡­ (Well, you wouldn¡¯t be the only one. Nazakawa-kun has told more than a few stories about it, and yet the cameras are never watched! Lucky you, huh?) With this knowledge, you¡¯re trembling just a little, but you don¡¯t think Stella can notice. S-she¡¯s had sex with lots of girls, right? M-maybe she expected this, too! Suddenly you¡¯re so nervous again¡­hypnotising is no problem for you, but god forbid you screw up kissing or¡­ ¡­ Your body is so close to hers, the airconditioned room easily overwhelmed by the heat of your bodies. Part of you wonders if, if you¡¯re going to take this role, you should let your hair down ¨C but you¡¯ve grown quite fond of the pigtails, and knowing Stella used to make fun of them all the time makes you want to keep them for this. I-it¡¯s such a good feeling, though¡­having Stella in your grasp. You¡¯ve been this close to Korri, of course. Near her warmth. But it¡¯s altogether different when not only is it a hypnotised girl, it¡¯s a hypnotised girl who¡¯s fallen for you. You kiss Stella on the forehead and pet her head some more, and you hear her gentle noises escape her throat, almost purrs, from being treated so gently and lovingly. From what you can tell from the tingling of her blunted spines, she¡¯s generally had to take the lead sexually¡­and she¡¯s rather tired of it. She¡¯s a confident person, who wants to help others, but more than anything she wants to have someone who can take her. Your flexibility lets you whisper in your ear, even like this. You may aspire to be a heroine, but there¡¯s something so delicious about the way she¡¯s here, like a captive before her, as if you¡¯re playing the role of a villainess as well¡­ The best of both worlds. ¡°My Stella Maris¡­how do you feel?¡± you ask. ¡°mn,¡± Stella says, as you stroke her hair, taking a moment to even realize you¡¯re speaking to her. ¡°¡­wonderful¡­¡± You didn¡¯t need to ask her how she feels. You can read her mind, after all. But hearing her hypnotised, drooling lips speak for you¡­just for you¡­ you can¡¯t possibly pass that up. ¡°You like my touch,¡± you say, shifting into that commanding tone. To emphasize, you hold the back of her head in your hands¡­and press your chest against her. Your breasts are pretty average ¨C not too big, not too small, but just the right shape for your wonderful body ¨C but they¡¯re so soft, and Stella trembles once more within your grasp, ¡°yes¡± she breathes, after a moment to process your growing strength and beauty. (Or are they, perhaps, one and the same¡­?) ¡°You like it, Stella.¡± Your brain tingles when you whisper, and know just how easily your words sink into her. How good it feels to brainwash girls¡­¡±You like it when I touch you. You like being close to me.¡± It¡¯s a command as much as a statement, and with her thinking you have a geas that could push it onto her¡­she¡¯s always going to ask if it¡¯s doing so, think these hypnotised requests are another geas. It¡¯s funny how easy it is to twist Stella around your fingers, after all these years of being unable to even get her to like you. ¡°My touch is powerful, Stella. My touch is hypnotic. Just being touched makes you feel good, like you do right now. Just being touched makes you melt.¡± Stella nods¡­she doesn¡¯t need much convincing. You think your enhanced Dexterity might be helping, getting you close to her sensitive spots, and yet, you know, that even without the skill made for it, you could bring her down with touch alone¡­ You trail your fingers on the skin she bares upon her neck, thinking you should probably get her to wear more airy clothing. Not necessarily more revealing ¨C although that does help! ¨C but more comfortable in Southern Sun¡¯s humid air, to reduce one source of stress for her. Each touch of your fingers, nails trimmed and filed, makes her arousal tingle a little through your telepathy, and it¡¯s so nice to know exactly what she responds to¡­and maybe, to her, and to you, hypnosis is better than sex¡­? (Maybe you¡¯ll have to find out after you¡¯re done. Just for a point of comparison¡­) Your librarian helps you figure out how to accomplish your desires. Because¡­you don¡¯t wanna change Stella that much. Not much more than you already have, anyway ¨C you fell in love with the Stella before you, and fell in love with the Stella you knew before, and fell in love with the Stella whose mind was so beautiful to you. Now that you¡¯ve helped her get out of where she¡¯s been stuck for so long, helped ease her burden, you don¡¯t need to do too much more to make her happier, make her the best Stella she could be. But at the same time¡­ You want the control. You want Stella under your control. Under your thumb. The urge burns within you, to have her completely in your thrall, willing to help you with anything you ask, willing to help you do whatever it takes to save Southern Sun¡­or even grasp other girls for yourself, should the chance come to you. Stella¡¯s talents in the realm of love and passion can so easily be turned to your purpose. And as it turns out? Yes, you can have both. ¡°Stella Maris,¡± you command, feeling her mind instantly focus all its attention on you. ¡°Can you feel your attraction to me? Your submission? Your love? All of those feelings you¡¯ve developed for me that have been reversed from your hatred by my power, can you feel them?¡± ¡°yes,¡± Stella breathes, concentrating on them all, burning within her, like the light of the sun, so grossly incandescent. ¡°I want you to hold them in your hands. Like pieces of clay.¡± You can feel her obeying. ¡°I want you to imagine each of them, as a bit of clay. All of your positive feelings toward me. All of your love for me. All of them in your own two hands. Can you feel it?¡± Stella nods. You feel her mind working toward what you say. Such a lovely hypnotic subject she is, able to pull those feelings out so clearly¡­with so much more ease than you ever could have done before, thanks to your new skills. No ordinary hypnotist could so easily accomplish what you have planned. But you¡¯re no ordinary hypnotist. You¡¯re brilliant. Brilliant Cibele, tamer of cuties. ¡°I want you to take this clay. All of these bits of clay, and I want you to mold them into a person. A person made up of all your love and lust and worship and fealty to me.¡± You grin, Stella forming it within her, so deeply entranced that she can perform such an act with such commanding instruction as your words. Your perfect hypnotic words, you¡¯re amazing, how could you have resisted this? ¡°You know that myth, yes? Common throughout so many cultures, including the faith of my ancestors. We¡¯re going to create a new person from the clay, inside your mind.¡± Stella nods, so slowly, so heavily, and you can feel her mind shifting. Through your telepathic power, you can see the way she molds her feelings into a little miniature servant entirely devoted to Cibele, an Eve of submission to the mother goddess. ¡°I want you to make her real. As real as you are. Every detail like you, all of it a part of you, another person just like you.¡± Guiding her with your words, your touch. Pushing her into this. Into becoming the architect of her own demise. She goes silent. Her mind understands such theories of identity, as you¡¯d expect of an aspiring therapist, and though she goes quiet, you can feel it. Within the spines, beyond them, comes that artificial sense of self. Not truly complete, in the sense some have, but it doesn¡¯t need to be¡­ she doesn¡¯t need to be. ¡°¡­okay¡­¡± Just a tiny word, after only a few moments¡­but in Stella¡¯s mind, she¡¯s assembled it. Made herself in herself. Using her own hypnotic experience to help the process. And it of course helps that the feeling is so strong, just the reversal of years of hatred into love accomplishing so much¡­ The power of hypnosis. The power of Cibele. (Or, is it the power of Cybele¡­?) ¡°I want to talk to that person. Okay? Let her use your lips.¡± Stella nods, just a tiny bit¡­and blinks, and awakens. Now, she looks lucid, but you know it¡¯s not her proper state of mind. Here, you¡¯re talking to that part of her you¡¯ve created, that part of her that is all Stella¡¯s submission in one. ¡°My Lady,¡± the second Stella says, with such clarity, a subset of her consciousness, that would so easily bow her head if she got the chance. ¡°Thank you for ridding me, ridding us, of those useless feelings of hatred and turning me into your devoted, addicted servant.¡± This second self shows such pride and pleasure in getting to be yours¡­¡±With your power and wit, my Lady, we never had a chance! And being yours is surely the highest part of our existence¡­¡± Her manner reminds you so much of the concept of a maid, an image that holds such weight; even your brother has written about girls becoming maids to their hypnotic mistresses. How did it go, anyway¡­? ¡°First, you make them love Mistress,¡± you whisper, thinking of those words. Stella¡¯s mind flashes with recognition of their source (both Stellas, that is), only natural given her fetish¡­but the words simply make it better for her, as they can now become real. ¡°Love Her so much they would do anything. Love Her so much they would change anything about themselves. Love Her and thus Serve Her. Serve Her in ways that Please Her. And so you make them open to the Path of the Maid¡­~¡± ¡°Of course, my Lady¡­¡± Even through the second Stella, the maid Stella¡¯s personality, you can feel her pulsing from those words. ¡°Your hypnotic power will only grow, and I will do everything in my power to assist you!¡± Even if the words are laid on so thickly, she truly believes them, all her filters gone. It¡¯s really wonderful¡­! ¡°Little star,¡± you say, taking from another song Marina has covered. ¡°You¡¯re going to live inside my Stella Maris. Growing with her love for me. You will be absolutely loyal and obedient to me. Open to the Path of the Maid¡­¡± ¡°Of course, my Lady! I would have no less.¡± Aah, it¡¯s just amazing, her obedience! You really could get, just, so used to it¡­you hate to admit it, but Seul-ki really did know you better than you knew yourself. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a part of her. Another Stella, a little star that whispers in her ear and ensures her fealty to me. Who tempts her with what I could do to her, what I am to her, her fetishes and wants and needs.¡± ¡°My Lady¡­so clever.¡± Stella ¨C or her ¡®little star¡¯ ¨C has that adoring look you love, absolutely love, it¡¯s perfect, you want more! ¡°But, would you not have me be in control of this body?¡± It¡¯s kind of tempting, but¡­to be honest, you¡¯d need a lot more work to make that function. Even for you, it¡¯s not so easy as to create a second self just like this. Even so, you have another good reason¡­ ¡°I want my Stella to be tempted, to fall further. To be allowed to resist, only to be pushed back to her knees, again and again and again¡­¡± You lick your lips a little, even, knowing how delicious this is, you¡¯re so wet¡­¡±Eventually you may well be indistinguishable from her, little star, but this is what I desire.¡± A Stella mostly intact, but constantly under your influence. Or under her own influence. ¡°You will whisper in her ear, little star, ensure she always takes my needs and wants to heart, ensure her love for me is powerful, overwhelming, all-encompassing. Constantly corrupt her, forevermore, into mine and mine alone¡­¡± With The Supreme Idea, if you manage to reach that point where you can grow beyond your human limitations, you¡¯d have a much more effective tool to accomplish this¡­but this will be enough. So much weaker, but¡­so very useful, so very sexy. ¡°As you say, my Lady. It will be my pleasure, and her pleasure. As your little star¡­¡± She smiles, placidly, proudly, obediently. Like a perfect maid should. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°When I tell Stella ¡®hey little star¡¯, you will take control of her,¡± you say. ¡°Completely obedient.¡± (And isn¡¯t that word so wonderful?) ¡°You will remain until I tell you to return, or until I am no longer in contact with you. Stella will have no memory of this unless you choose to reveal it to her.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lady,¡± she says, smiling even brighter at the prospect. Weirdly, she has interest in controlling herself¡­huh, are you repurposing Stella¡¯s dominant drives into furthering her own submission to you? You really do have such power over her¡­~ ¡°And Stella, you can forget about this, okay?¡± That makes it hotter for her, you just know, you can see Stella¡¯s sexy mind so open to you¡­¡±Your little star will be inside you, but you don¡¯t need to think about how she got there.¡± ¡°She obeys, my Lady,¡± the little star says proudly. ¡°As she should.¡± ¡°I want to go back to Stella now, little star. Obey as you have been told, and feel pleasure for serving me.¡± The maid-Stella nods¡­and then Stella¡¯s face, in an instant, returns to perfect hypnotised beauty. Even drooling a little. Such lovely twisting you¡¯ve done to her. ¡­huh. Your telepathy can feel the little star within¡­like a small reflection of Stella herself, behind the spines, ready to reverse itself. Already there, already so¡­so okay with you doing whatever you please to the women of the world. That if you did so much to save Stella from herself, there¡¯s no reason you shouldn¡¯t do the same thing for everyone else. And she¡¯ll whisper, telling Stella how hot it is that you mind control others, how lovely it is, make her question everyone around her about whether you¡¯ve subsumed them within your will like you have Stella. In a way, it¡¯s pretty dangerous to have someone unable to tell you ¡®no¡¯¡­but that¡¯s part of why you didn¡¯t leave her in total control. Stella isn¡¯t going to hold back if she thinks you¡¯re wrong, right? ¡°Stella Maris¡­¡± you whisper to her, stroking back some of her blonde locks into place. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay to love yourself, like I love you.¡± And you do, you absolutely do, and it¡¯s so wonderful you get to finally express it. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be who you are. You¡¯re an amazing person I admire, and you¡¯ll be loved. Be confident and happy in what you are for me.¡± Stella nods, and drools. Honestly, you¡¯d be worried she didn¡¯t hear if not for your telepathy. It does make this so much easier, doesn¡¯t it? ¡°My love will encompass you, and others. Like a big hug you have inside you, all the time. We¡¯ll help save this world, okay? And you¡¯ll help me, too!¡± Stella drools more, but you can see her head nod a little¡­ So sexy. It¡¯s wonderful. ¡°We can play these kinds of games again, if you want, Stella Maris! Play games with your heart and mind, but always out of love. Because I do love you, and we¡¯ll love others, and everything will be so lovely with Cibele in control.¡± So focused on your words. Absorbing them so easily. Shaped entirely for the sake of your love. ¡°You don¡¯t need to become someone you¡¯re not, Stella Maris. Not without me telling you, anyway.¡± Less a hypnotic command and more a statement of intent, but¡­it does make her smile. ¡°We¡¯ll play more games. We¡¯ll¡­we¡¯ll love one another. And¡­¡± You lean in, and press your lips against Stella¡¯s. She can¡¯t respond like this, not this deep, but¡­since she¡¯s yours, you push your tongue in, you taste of her, enjoying another amazing hypnotised kiss. You want to know all the different ways to kiss a girl, and Stella¡­well, she can serve you by teaching you, right? You¡¯re not too proud to admit that in the matter of love, of kissing, of sex¡­you¡¯re still far from Stella¡¯s level. ¡°And you¡¯ll be happy,¡± you whisper, at last, separating her from the kiss. ¡°yes¡­thank you, cibele,¡± she finally manages to say, before you dive in to kiss her again, kiss her as much as you can stand to, impress upon her toward her very soul that you love her, and will remain by her side until hope has fully withered¡­ Perfect, beautiful, wonderful Stella. Your little star. ¡­ ¡­
For your achievement of securing the loyalty of Stella Maris, you have gained 1 Universal skill point! In addition, Developer¡¯s Note 2 is now available!
¡°Wake up, Stella,¡± you whisper at last. ¡°W-whuh?¡± Stella says, momentarily confused. The table between the two of you is now pushed aside, and you¡¯ve sat back in your own chair, offering Stella the chance to do what she wants¡­ Stella looks upon you with awe in your eyes, and confusion between her ears, at the second voice within her. Look at her. Your perfect, beautiful Goddess. Your Lady. She who has turned you into a better person, and asked only your free will as the price. I¡­I, I¡¯m not ¨C Go on. Do what you desire. ¡­and with that, Stella makes her decision, to embrace her new nature, to swallow down her hesitation. She drops to her knees, head lowered before you, as if kneeling to the throne. ¡°¡­I¡­well, I don¡¯t know a lot about kneeling, but¡­¡± Stella raises her head, ever so slightly, and smiles to you. Her spines have become entirely blunted, and deep within her mind pulses a faint golden light, a measure of devotion toward her Lady. ¡°but I¡¯m here. I¡¯m yours. And I love you. Please¡­¡± Stella smiles beatifically before you, eyes full of love. ¡°Will you be kind to me? M-my Lady?¡± It¡¯s altogether different, like this. What Stella has seen in her fantasies are things that, so very often, she knows she can¡¯t have. That she cannot simply sacrifice herself entirely, to the kind of mind control that doesn¡¯t even exist ¨C and indeed, that her ambitions are entirely incompatible with doing so. Which is to say, part of you wants to gloat, to tease, to lord it all over her, But in this moment, that¡¯s not what she needs, and so you pet her on the head for being such a good girl! Aftercare is important too, right? Even your librarian tells you that! ¡°E-eh?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± You grin, showing your teeth, but it¡¯s true! This moment is just the beginning ¨C the game doesn¡¯t end now, right? ¡°Stella, I love you! I¡¯ll always do my best to make you feel loved, you know?¡± You laugh, even as your hand brushes against Stella¡¯s cheek, and she brushes against that hand adoringly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Stella blushes, and looks aside, as if she¡¯s embarrassed by this display. ¡°Jeez. You should be a little more imperious, you know? If you just pat people¡¯s heads ithey¡¯re going to walk all over you.¡± ¡­Stella¡¯s lying. But you both know that, so it¡¯s okay, right? Playing the role of the ¡®tsundere¡¯ to make it feel better for the both of you, and all. ¡°Ah¡­mouuu, we got kind of sidetracked, didn¡¯t we? I didn¡¯t even tell you about my powers properly yet!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­you kinda didn¡¯t.¡± Stella mock-pouts. ¡°Well, you did fill me with love and joy, so I guess I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°Eheh.¡± You rub the back of your head¡­ah, this really is nice, to be loved. To have your heart filled with joy, just as hers is. ¡°Let me take it from the top¡­¡±
It all started when I was thinking about my crushes, on my way to a protest to meet my fencing senpai, Calvina Aeterna. She was one of the crushes¡­as was you, and Korrigan Trelawney ¨C you might know her. People I could never express my feelings to, and people who could never accept them. I was flighty, troubled. I didn¡¯t look where I was going. I should¡¯ve died. It wasn¡¯t a low-speed collision, no matter what that black box said; I still don¡¯t know what the chances are of no one noticing any of it. Either way, it was a sign of my own stupidity. Anyone should¡¯ve looked, but me¡­I was so busy wanting to be loved that I couldn¡¯t see past my own feelings. But I woke up, seeing a truck driver terrified out of his wits and paramedics looking me over. And¡­something else. Menus. Like you see in a video game. You¡¯re familiar those old webtoons, right? Or maybe the countless stories with a similar premise. Someone wakes up with powers like a game, to fulfill whatever task lies before them ¨C or even, simply for the sake of gaining power. In my menu, were three skill trees¡­ Hypnosis, Telepathy, and Enchantment. Doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure that out, huh? It wasn¡¯t until I laid in my hospital bed, in the middle of the night, that I finally fully read the attached ¡®Developer¡¯s Note¡¯. From me, in the future ¨C pretty crazy, right? How could I tell anyone about that¡­or about the kind of powers I had? And, more to the point, how could I save the world if future-past-me won¡¯t tell me what I need to do? If all she cares about is me using my powers on girls? (I say that, as if future-past-me couldn¡¯t read me like an open book¡­mouuu.) Um, apparently, I was laid up in a coma for a while in the original timeline! Whatever happened there, I was too late to stop it ¨C you don¡¯t time travel unless you have no other option, right? I had powers there, too, as you might expect¡­and according to future-past-me? I wasn¡¯t willing to use them, at first. I don¡¯t really know the details; like I said, she doesn¡¯t wanna tell me much, y¡¯know? Maybe it¡¯s for my own good, or some bull-plop. Future-past-me knew you, and Calvina, and Korri, all people I¡¯ve met before¡­but apparently she knew Milia too, even if I¡¯d never met her before Golden Week. Obviously Seul-ki, too, and I¡¯m worried she might be connected to this mysterious ¡®Queen¡¯ future-past me mentioned. In that note, future-past-me said something about¡­¡¯you thought you were good because you had no claws¡¯. Yeah, I guess that¡¯s Nietzsche. I probably heard it from Seul-ki, too. She told me the only way to increase my attributes, to be able to fight physically or such, was to buy one of my skills. So I did. Thought Skimmer ¨C a form of mind reading, what I¡¯ve used on you. Then things started¡­they started coming into place. I raised my attributes, and got more points. More skills. More powers. I used my powers to gain some advantages I could never have otherwise. Against Milia, for one. But until then I was still mostly okay, despite the temptation, the fetish I didn¡¯t even realize I had¡­until that day with you. Earlier that day, I practiced hypnosis on Korri; I¡¯ve had a crush on her since kindergarten. And she was¡­she was so beautiful. In that moment I couldn¡¯t deny it anymore and no matter what I was going to do with my powers ¨C good, evil, whatever ¨C I would have to deal with that desire. I would have to deal with the fact that hypnosis was beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t give it up. With you¡­with you, I didn¡¯t hesitate so much. It probably helped that you went first, and I figured you out a little. I didn¡¯t feel bad about it, y¡¯know? Seul-ki¡­I think it was her. She pushed me into thinking of this, of this fetish, in terms of what would happen with you. She planned all of it; maybe, even without powers, this would¡¯ve happened¡­ I still remember what she said. That I wanted you at my mercy. And she was right, wasn¡¯t she? You know, I¡¯ve noticed how people are looking at me differently, right? I don¡¯t know how things will go with Milia, but¡­I need to know the truth. I need to know what Seul-ki was to her, and what caused her to fall away. So, that¡¯s how we got here. I gained some more powers, and used them in various ways. But you¡­you¡¯re the first person I crossed a line with¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Stella. I hope you can forgive me.
¡°¡­if you hadn¡¯t done all this, I¡¯d have called you a liar,¡± Stella says, head bowed, still on her knees as she listened patiently. ¡°Probably some joke about middle-school syndrome. But after you¡¯ve made this happen, after you¡¯ve captured my heart? I can¡¯t escape the fact that you do have abilities.¡± She looks up again, and shakes her head. ¡°You really don¡¯t know what it is you need this power for?¡± ¡°Yeah. Future-past-me was pretty vague. But, I have nothing else to go on but her, and whatever I can find along the way.¡± You shrug, sighing to yourself. You really are frustrated with future-past-you¡¯s insistence on not telling you anything. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a chocolate fudge sundae, you know?¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re a bit of a stress eater, huh,¡± Stella mutters. ¡°And here I thought the whole ¡®food and food¡¯ thing was just a joke.¡± Well¡­ Stella¡¯s not wrong, is she? ¡°But, there¡¯s nothing to say ¡®sorry¡¯ about, you know? My Lady. You could have done so much worse with me than this. I could have resisted, and I didn¡¯t. I could have stopped, any step of the way, but I didn¡¯t. After that trance, I knew what Seul-ki had done, but I let it happen.¡± ¡°All because I¡¯d fallen for you.¡± Ba-thump. ¡°People alter their minds all the time, Cibele. People drink alcohol and smoke cannabis to change their minds. Even you and I drink caffeine, right? The whole basis of psychiatric medications is to change people¡¯s minds, help them break out of unhealthy patterns and mindsets, correct imbalances. Every day we try to alter one another ¨C to express ourselves, and convince one another of our point of view. The ¡®mind¡¯ isn¡¯t something immutable; how could we achieve anything resembling ¡®justice¡¯ without convincing people to change their minds? You think of what you do as something different, but to me, all you did was help me out of an unhealthy pattern ¨C and showed me I could fall in love with you.¡° ¡°Stella¡­¡± Ba-thump. ¡°All this time, I tried to reduce my attachment to things, to the world. And yet, when Marina left me behind, a weight pulled upon me that could never be released. You¡­you remind me a lot of her. In more ways than you think. That you grasped me like this, that you wanted this, is proof of it. ¡°I tried to reduce my attachment to things, to know what held me back, to take refuge in the Dharma. And I knew, all this time, that I needed to let go. But I couldn¡¯t find the strength, you know? It never really took, no matter how hard I tried¡­until you helped me. ¡°I was so obsessed with things¡­with my status. If it¡¯s someone else helping me, even through such a method as yours¡­what does it matter? What makes that form of enlightenment different from any other?¡± Stella sighs. ¡°So¡­don¡¯t worry about it, too much. My Lady¡­¡¯right¡¯ and ¡®wrong¡¯ are such vague things anyway. People can judge you, but they¡¯ll never truly understand, what led you to walk the path you¡¯re on. ¡°And, right now, more than anything¡­I want to know what kind of world you see. What kind of world you want to create, if you hold that power within you. I want to follow you, Cibele Epeli Imanis, every step of the way.¡± ¡­can you really be so sure, though? That the world you want to create, whatever it might be, is the ¡®right thing¡¯? Stella can. She¡¯s made it clear, that she is yours, and your purpose is now hers. That she holds no hatred toward you for what you did, and is indeed thanking you for it. That your power offers the chance to help others, in a way no one else can. But can you be so sure, that you¡¯ll do the right thing? Maybe not. You aren¡¯t the kind of person who can truly be certain of such things. So for now, all you can do is trust yourself, trust your friends¡­ and trust your beloved Stella Maris. ¡°¡­I guess I can try,¡± you say. As your family might tell you, if you can¡¯t believe in yourself¡­ believe in Stella, who believes in you. ¡°You better!¡± Stella tips her head up, and leans forward¡­ specifically, she leans in. She leans in, and tugs at the hem of your shorts, so she can expose the skin beneath¡­and kiss it. Grinning ear to ear as she realizes she has one way she can get one over on you, even now. ¡°W-w-w-w-wha?!¡± you say, blushing furiously¡­and Stella just grins up at you, baring her teeth. ¡°Well, ¡®my Lady¡¯, since you spent all this time toying with me, I figured I should at least show that I¡¯m no pushover. I¡¯ll serve you, sure ¨C I¡¯m yours, now, and I meant that. But¡­there is one thing you can¡¯t do. One thing I know better than you ¨C and one way I know to express my love.¡± Stella giggles, blowing upon your bare skin, a-and you really don¡¯t know how to handle it! ¡°Assuming you don¡¯t mind, my Lady¡­¡± ¡°Uhhhhhhh¡­¡± Your brain just locks up. You were thinking about this earlier, you can¡¯t just act surprised when Stella decides she wants to express her love in the way she knows best! ¡°S-s-s-s-s-sure!¡± T-there¡¯s no way you can say no to that, right? E-even if there¡¯s not a lot of time, y-you¡¯re so wet already, there¡¯s no reason not to ¨C Stella wiggles her eyebrows at you ¨C ugh, she¡¯s so playful, so smug, and you get the feeling she wants to provoke a response, to enjoy your words shaping her ¨C and she sings a little to yourself, as she tugs down waist of your shorts and panties, little by little, so she can kiss you in an entirely different place. ¡°Relax, don¡¯t do it¡­~¡± ¡­and now, despite Seul-ki¡¯s words, despite everything¡­ maybe it¡¯s you who¡¯s at Stella¡¯s mercy, you think, as you feel her tongue and her lips in a place no-one else has touched, a-and¡­ooh, ah, mmnh, ooh, it¡¯s ¨C it¡¯s she¡¯s ¡­she¡¯s good! She¡¯s way too good! And so you stay there, at the mercy of an entirely new kind of kiss, from your first love¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­
For your achievement of losing your virginity, you have gained 1 Universal skill point!
Developer¡¯s Note 2 Congratulations, Cibele. This note was going to say ¡®congratulations on losing your virginity¡¯, but you managed to ensnare a cutie¡¯s mind before their body, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m impressed! I definitely couldn¡¯t do that! I guess a head start has its advantages, huh? With that said, now that you¡¯ve no doubt seen your skill gain for bathing a cutie in your golden light, I may as well properly enumerate the requirements for securing a cutie¡¯s loyalty. Each will provide you 1 Universal skill point, plus, you know¡­the rewards of having someone love you with all their heart. That has to be worth something on its own, right~? So! To secure a cutie¡¯s loyalty formally ¨C that is, to get your skill point ¨C you have the following requirements: First! The cutie in question must show you some form of fealty, at least on some level of consciousness. You, Cibele, their goddess¡­someone who can follow you to the end of the line. You¡¯ll need that strength when the time comes ¨C people you can trust unconditionally, even at the end of all things. Second! The cutie in question must know about your powers, and know you used said powers on them! (Assuming you have, I mean. In theory, you could totally get this level of loyalty without explicit control¡­.but why would you? It feels too good, right~?). And finally, third! The cutie in question must be willing, in principle, to allow you to control and alter others with your powers. They don¡¯t have to say yes every single time it comes up, but they must accept the possibility and be open to it, and preferably enjoy it. Who was it, anyway? Was it Korri? Was it Calvina? Or maybe it was Stella~ Either way, I¡¯m happy for you, and hope you continue to grow in power to face the Queen. Bring more skills, layer of cuties~ I¡¯ll be in touch, past-future-me. ??
â…¢.11: Love is the Pulse of the Stars By the time you¡¯re finished ¨C er, that is, by the time you¡¯re done, not by the time you, you know, finished ¨C you can barely feel your legs. Stella is amazing. As it turns out, Stella works a part-time job close to home, at a cafe all the way out in the coastal Delmar district ¨C that is to say, she does service with a smile for seaside tourists. (Which might explain why she¡¯s so defensive all the time, thinking about it.) She nearly missed her shift, but¡­ worth it. Totally worth it. Your power gives you a heck of a leg up, but the kinds of things Stella can do with her tongue¡­r-really, some things you can only learn from experience! And so, with a change of panties and a face flush with passion, you manage to get through the walk home without embarrassing yourself too much. There¡¯s a few people around, but ¨C ¡°Cibele!¡± ¡°O-oh! Hey Mama,¡± you say, surprised when you see your mom out the corner. By the smell, you should still probably avoid the kitchen, but it seems like things are winding down a bit more than you expected! It¡¯s fine, though, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re flushed from head to toe, your cheeks are hot, your memories keep going back to Stella, and ¨C ¡°So, how¡¯d your date go?¡± Mama asks, grinning ear to ear. ¡°O-oh!¡± Okay, Cibby, play it cool, play it cool¡­just don¡¯t panic. ¡°Uh, it went, y¡¯know, it went fine! It went well. Stella was, uh, nice ¨C¡± ¡°Did you do it?¡± Somewhere in your head, a record skips. (Which is probably bad, records are pretty valuable! What would your uncle say?!) ¡°Uh. Mama?¡± Your mother continues to smile like it¡¯s the greatest day of her life. ¡­right, how did that joke Aunt Junon used to tell go? ¡°You know! Did you do it?¡± Yup, that¡¯s me. ¡°Do, uh, what?¡± ¡°You know, it!¡± You¡¯re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation! ¡°M-mama, I would never! I was on campus, and there¡¯s no way I¡¯d have sex with Stella on campus! I¡¯m a good kid ¨C¡± ¡°You totally did it.¡± Mama¡¯s already reaching to pinch your red-hot cheeks, and¡­ ¡°It¡¯s only natural! You¡¯re definitely your mother¡¯s daughter! Aah, I remember, when Satre and I were attending Verwest! It was still so new then, and we learned all the secret places to hide. Your father was so compliant back then!¡± Mama lets go of your face, leaving you to rub it as she reminisces happily about, uh, heterosexuality you guess? ¡°It was pretty hard to balance sixth form with raising your resulting big brother, but ¨C¡± ¡°Mom!¡° This is possibly the last thing you want to hear about just after you achieved all your desires, including the ones you didn¡¯t realize you had! You don¡¯t wanna be thinking of your mom having sex with your dad! (¡­specifically not with your dad? D-doesn¡¯t that imply ¨C er, don¡¯t read into that!) ¡°Satre! Satre! Cibele only went and did it!¡± your mom yells as she turns back to the kitchen, entirely immune to the possibility of your own embarrassment (or, y¡¯know, your much younger siblings hearing), steam escaping from your ears, and soon enough, everyone else in the house is bombarding you with questions¡­ Mouuu, why can¡¯t they read the room? Y-you¡¯re supposed to be a triumphant hypnotic goddess or something¡­ ¡­ ¡­and so it went. Your Charisma may not have prevented your embarrassment, but you managed to use it to get through that brief encounter without giving too much away besides that, yes, you did in fact ¡®do it¡¯. You think Marq might suspect something, what with the hypnosis thing and those stories and all¡­but what you can do is entirely incomparable to what he would believe possible, so you¡¯re not at any risk of people catching on. (For now, anyway.) Your family¡¯s still flitting about the city, though, and you¡¯re still not the least bit interested in eating meat, so you¡¯re able to escape back to the basement in relatively short order, rolling onto the couch and staring up at the ceiling. (And, god help you, your legs still feel like jelly. I-in the best possible way!) You have two skill points, with which to further advance up your skill trees. What you¡¯ve done with the abilities you¡¯ve gained already would be unimaginable to you just a scant two weeks before. Future-past-you seems pretty gung-ho about it all, even still. You think you¡¯d be happy just to hold Stella, if not for the temptation, and yet she might want more than ¨C Right. About that. You need to address the elephant in the room, first: You have a girlfriend. And yes, Stella is much more than just ¡®a girlfriend¡¯, or even ¡®your girlfriend¡¯, but you have a girlfriend! You had your first kiss with Stella, your first time, and you shaped her into something beautiful! You held her mind in your hands like clay, and molded it into shape. You saw within her a dazzling radiance of her awakened love, you saw within her what you¡¯d always known she could be, and she not only didn¡¯t reject you for the methods you used to grasp her, she thanked you for it. Even encouraged it. She knows what you are. What you can do. And she wants to be yours. Knowing what that choice meant, and accepting it. You want to learn all kinds of new things about Stella Maris. What she likes, what she loves. What passions she has, that you¡¯ve never seen a glimpse of. You want to learn her techniques, and help her achieve her dreams. And¡­ yes, you want to hypnotise her. You want to play with her mind. You want to dive into it. You want to see all that she is spilled out before you, and reassemble it piece by piece. And you know she wants that too, otherwise why would she accept this? Knowing what you¡¯re capable of, why would she not dive in and sink until she can never surface again? You want to speak to her¡­ You want to tease her. You want to be the best lover she¡¯s ever had ¨C o-oh¡­your phone is vibrating! And it¡¯s from Stella, too! [19:14 05/13/42] luckystar: My shift ended early. [19:14 05/13/42] luckystar: *kneels* [19:15 05/13/42] luckystar: my Lady. It¡¯s not a dream, or a prank. It¡¯s real. Just as future-past-you predicted, there was no way you could resist. You may have found a way to circumvent her assertion of molding minds against their will, but she might know you better than you know yourself. After all, even now, you want more. [19:15 05/13/42] qubeley004: Stella Maris. [19:15 05/13/42] qubeley004: How do you feel? [19:18 05/13/42] luckystar: I still feel really¡­ [19:19 05/13/42] luckystar: it¡¯s incomparable. [19:23 05/13/42] luckystar: What you¡¯ve done to me, it¡¯s¡­ [19:24 05/13/42] luckystar: I never imagined I would get to feel this way¡­ [19:24 05/13/42] luckystar: *blush* You¡¯re¡­this really is crazy, right? You have a girlfriend. You have a servant. A worshipper. A devotee. A maid. Stella Maris, not simply your beloved, but yours. (Two of her now, kind of!) It¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s terrifying. It¡¯s nervewracking. It¡¯s all of these heady emotions, all at once. You want more, even as you¡¯re terrified of going too far. You want to taste of Stella like she tasted of you, and then taste of other girls, both of you¡­ The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Can you do the right thing, like this? Should you? Will you? And whether you do or don¡¯t, will you care? [19:30 05/13/42] luckystar: So¡­we¡¯re still on for Sunday night, right? And you¡¯ve got a full schedule before me, too¡­ [19:30 05/13/42] luckystar: I¡¯ll make the preparations. You should, too. That is, pulling your battery from your phone, and other anti-surveillance situations ¨C you could talk about it at school because Sunset isn¡¯t watching those cameras, legally, but when you¡¯re out in public more precautions are necessary. Anything like this, well, kink is popular; you¡¯re sure that itself isn¡¯t enough. You¡¯ll need to be a lot more careful about things, you think, and Stella¡¯s keen to remind you. It bothers you, sometimes, but¡­it¡¯s been this way since you were born, pretty much. The Sunset Corporation watches with ten thousand eyes, and listens with a million ears. You never imagined you¡¯d have cause to worry about it, but both Korri and Aunt Vesta would tell you that everyone has secrets. Guess it¡¯s your fault for assuming you¡¯d never have any worth keeping, but hopefully you¡¯ll catch up quickly enough with your enhanced Intelligence. Sure, it¡¯s a small risk, at least right now. But it¡¯s still a risk nonetheless. You¡¯ll just have to hope their machine learning surveillance doesn¡¯t figure out what you can do before you¡¯ve gained enough love-love power to oppose them! [19:31 05/13/42] qubeley004: *kisses your cheek¡­* [19:32 05/13/42] luckystar: *blushy blushy?* The way Stella types¡­it¡¯s got a lot of gap moe! You want to see so much more of her! [19:33 05/13/42] luckystar: I know you said you¡¯re not seeing other girls, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll change¡­ [19:33 05/13/42] luckystar: I can¡¯t wait to meet them. And now, she¡¯s casually assuming you¡¯ll fall for more girls, or they¡¯ll fall for you, to the point where she doesn¡¯t even consider the possibility otherwise ¨C wait, actually, that¡¯s an important thing to ask about, isn¡¯t it? [19:34 05/13/42] qubeley004: Aren¡¯t you seeing other girls, Stella? [19:35 05/13/42] luckystar: Not really. Before all this started, I¡¯d broken it off with the last one. None of them were serious on an *emotional* level, either. Admittedly, it was never *supposed* to be for a lot of them, but still. [19:37 05/13/42] luckystar: Some of them, I might¡¯ve liked to be closer, to fall in love. But I couldn¡¯t provide, so they moved on. Others, well, they really couldn¡¯t keep up, so if the sex wasn¡¯t good, and it kinda hasn¡¯t been for a while¡­ [19:37 05/13/42] qubeley004: T-to be fair, I could barely walk ^^; [19:39 05/13/42] luckystar: I meant *intellectually*, my Lady! (Though that was a problem too.) Anyway, just to make it clear: if you end up with other girls, I want in on it. Them. [19:39 05/13/42] qubeley004: You want *in* them? [19:39 05/13/42] luckystar: ¡­sure, that too. ;) W-wait, this isn¡¯t just a situation where Stella¡¯s using you to build her perfect polycule, right?! (You, uh, refuse to use the h-word. E-even if Stella might like it, or put on an h-word styled outfit for you ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) [19:40 05/13/42] qubeley004: Are you sure you don¡¯t have an ulterior motive? :thinking_face: [19:45 05/13/42] luckystar: My Lady¡­I thought about it quite a lot, you know. It¡¯s not a conclusion I came to lightly ¨C if any more rational explanation could exist, I¡¯m certain I¡¯d have grasped it, even as I knew in my soul the truth. [19:45 05/13/42] luckystar: *blush* [19:48 05/13/42] luckystar: If you¡¯re that kind of person, if you had that kind of power, then surely you could have any girl you wanted. And yet, as you are, you¡¯re still chasing the same crushes you were before that accident, huh? [19:50 05/13/42] luckystar: But what I mean is¡­I had a realization, when I was thinking about all that. You weren¡¯t interested in just grabbing any random girl. It had to be someone special. I¡¯d known I was ¡®special¡¯ to you, but not how far that went. Not that your feelings for me were deeper than a shallow appreciation of my looks, nor grasping for the closest lesbian you could find. [19:52 05/13/42] luckystar: Do you not feel a *connection*, my Lady? We were together, in a previous life! I don¡¯t think you¡¯re so callous as to turn your attentions on just anyone, so whoever you like should be equally amazing. [19:53 05/13/42] luckystar: Hell. Much as I despise her, Milia is that kind of person, too¡­ [19:53 05/13/42] luckystar: There are people I could come to love, just as I did before. ¡­it makes sense, huh? Stella¡¯s signing on for the possibility of amazing girls, too¡­she¡¯s never been the kind of person who insisted on monogamy. (You never imagined, though, how hard up she really was for something she couldn¡¯t grasp ¨C and perhaps never could, without your help.) You¡¯ll have to tell her about the cuties you¡¯ve been eyeing tomorrow, huh? Not that she doesn¡¯t know one of them already. Milia de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice¡­ It¡¯s not like you want her, or anything, but she is pretty sexy, and you can¡¯t help but wonder what her and Stella¡¯s relationship is like¡­what they¡¯d be like together¡­ E-even if you aren¡¯t going to plan things like that, Rita might enjoy it¡­even Irma, depending¡­ Cuties coming together, like this¡­ Is it truly coincidence? Or should you trust, like Stella seems to, that magic and miracles do exist? W-well, forget that for now! Stella Maris is yours! You¡¯ve wrapped your words and very self around her soul, and she only wants more, to see what you do with your power¡­ And for you to make use of her. To whisper further within her. Such a sweet thing she is. Such a good little maid. So open, so receptive, so ¨C ¡­uh, right, maybe you should say this to her instead. [19:55 05/13/42] qubeley004: I love you, Stella. :white_heart: [19:56 05/13/42] luckystar: A-ah¡­ [19:56 05/13/42] luckystar: R-really, those words¡­ [19:57 05/13/42] luckystar: I feel something *tingling* inside me. Deep¡­*deep* inside me, my Lady. [19:58 05/13/42] luckystar: Like I was always meant to be yours. [19:59 05/13/42] qubeley004: Weren¡¯t you, though? [20:00 05/13/42] qubeley004: Weren¡¯t you meant to be mine, since my accident? Haven¡¯t I claimed you, in a future that never was, to the point where time itself is no barrier to taking my rightful place within your heart? [20:01 05/13/42] qubeley004: Love, itself, is the pulse of the stars, Stella Maris. [20:02 05/13/42] luckystar: I didn¡¯t realize you could be so romantic¡­ [20:03 05/13/42] luckystar: I want more¡­b-but, I don¡¯t think I have time. I, ah, I have some chores to do. *blush* I wish I could. Aw¡­disappointing. You wanted to tease her more! You want, you want more, and you wonder how you could ever have gone thinking you didn¡¯t want this, how you could have tried to convince yourself there was nothing appealing about molding and shaping a girl¡¯s mind¡­ but, you¡¯re Stella¡¯s Lady, now. Such a relationship isn¡¯t one-sided. You have a responsibility to her, to take care of her, to guide her, to keep her safe. And that means, sometimes, letting her go ¨C even if only for the briefest of moments. Knowing, after all, that she¡¯ll be thinking of you, just as you¡¯re thinking of her¡­ [20:04 05/13/42] qubeley004: It¡¯s okay! I think I¡¯ve got some homework due tomorrow, so I should see about finishing that. [20:05 05/13/42] luckystar: Okay. Then¡­ [20:05 05/13/42] luckystar: *kisses your hand* [20:05 05/13/42] luckystar: Let¡¯s talk again soon, my beloved Lady. Tomorrow, if need be. [20:06 05/13/42] qubeley004: Of course. Good luck with your chores, Stella! :white_heart: ¡­you wonder if maybe you should¡¯ve teased her about them? You know, all maidly¡­but no, you think it¡¯s best to do that kind of thing in person. You¡¯d feel weird about it, since it seems like Stella¡¯s not fond of her family. (Not as bad as Korri, at least.) Well, either way. You turn off your phone, and roll over on the couch, touching your fingers to your lips. Remembering what it felt like, to kiss Stella, and to have Stella kiss you. Tingling. Warm. You think of what it was, to hypnotise her, to wrap strings throughout her mind. You think of the pleasure you felt within her, from being shaped. You think of working together, to grasp your desires, and those who desire you. You think of the warmth and kindness she can show, when she¡¯s not scared of loving someone¡­ It¡¯s a lesson you will never forget. Just an echo, of the promise you made¡­ you understand, now, why future-past-you was willing to do something like this. To risk everything, just to have a second chance. You understand, or at least you hope you understand, why it is future-past-you is so adamant¡­or a small part of it, anyway. Because now, like in a future past, there are people you want to protect.
Telepathy Branch: Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance T1: Danger Sense. Your senses have sharpened into a supernatural reflex for threat or danger. When someone tries to physically attack you or otherwise sneak up and blindside you, you know before it happens and have the chance to make an immediate response. You still don¡¯t have an idea of the nature of the threat or even the direction, merely a general warning. This only applies to immediate, physical threats, rather than long-term or purely conceptual/mental ones. As well, you must be able to detect a person or other threat with any of your senses; if a target is wholly invisible, intangible, or otherwise unable to be perceived, Danger Sense does not activate. Requires Thought Skimmer.
Clairvoyance T2: Time Dilation. An evolution of Danger Sense. Your reflexes have increased to the point of causing your perception of time to slow when your sense activates. You also know the direction and nature of the threat, allowing you to respond more effectively. This ¡®slow time¡¯ effect lasts for enough time to make a surprise attack in response, although this only applies to the ambush attack. The normal limitations to Danger Sense still apply. Requires Danger Sense.
Clairvoyance T3: Always Prepared. Your senses have sharpened to the point where you now continually have a sense for dangers in the near future ¨C this being at least a day in advance. Your definition of a ¡®threat¡¯ has greatly broadened to the point where even abstract and existential threats are detected, although only those that will have a reasonably immediate effect on your health or free will. You gain enough of a sense of the nature of the threat to prepare yourself in an informed fashion, but not enough to determine, ie, the exact identity of who is threatening you or what their goals are. You also have an instinct for what kind of preparations are required and how to use your resources to accomplish them. If you have Mistress of Manipulation (Override T2), you may make an immediate response to the threat in question using your Override skills. Your information is still vague, and so too must be your response (¡®stab the woman¡¯, ¡®smash the computer¡¯, etcetera), but this may be done regardless of distance. Requires Time Dilation and Reality Yank (Override T1).
â…¢.12: Ash Seeketh Embers ¡°Careful when you¡¯re swimmin¡¯ in the holy water, drowning in your own beliefs¡­¡± Homework isn¡¯t too difficult, fortunately, once you¡¯ve settled into your rhythm with your playlist, singing along as you go. You really are having an easier time of it than you¡¯ve had in the past, too ¨C benefits of your enhanced Intelligence, probably. It¡¯s still not very interesting, but¡­ what would be, after that? You think back, to what future-past-you said after you claimed Stella¡¯s heart for your own¡­the second ¡®Developer¡¯s Note¡¯. About ¡®securing a cutie¡¯s loyalty¡¯. It sounds so callous when she puts it that way, but you¡¯re certain now it can¡¯t be. (Or if it is, then future-past-you is way more far gone than you thought!) To grow in power, by claiming a girl just like Stella¡­ but you couldn¡¯t do that to just anyone. It has to be someone who can make your heart race like she does. Polyamory isn¡¯t about just collecting girls, right? Does future-past-you understand that? (More importantly, do you?) Sighing, once you¡¯re certain you¡¯ve got what you need, you save your last essay and send it off, rubbing your face and letting out a soft ¡®mouuu¡¯ as you chug down some water. You still don¡¯t know what skills you want, and you¡¯ve still got the whole elephant in the room with Seul-ki ¨C oh! You¡¯ve got a message? You check your PC notifications, and¡­ oh. oh. You¡¯ve never received a message from ¡®deliverance¡® before, not personally at least, but you know exactly who it is. [21:30 05/13/42] deliverance: Hello, Cibele. This is your Aunt Vesta. Can we chat for a bit? Vesta Ilustrada Imanis. ¡­right. Mama told her too, huh? [21:30 05/13/42] qubeley004: Uh, sure! I¡¯m done my homework, so I have some time. What¡¯s up, Aunt Vesta? :o [21:31 05/13/42] deliverance: I heard that your assignment went well. And your study date, too. Rheia, bless her heart, was *very* excited to tell me that you¡¯d ¡®done it¡¯. So to speak¡­ [21:31 05/13/42] deliverance: Good news, but not entirely unexpected. [21:32 05/13/42] deliverance: What I *hadn¡¯t* heard before, Cibele, is that the girl you had such a powerful crush on used to be your *bully*. O-oh. Huh¡­guess Mama paid a lot of attention to that. Or maybe it slipped out when you were telling everyone what happened? [21:33 05/13/42] deliverance: If I knew that when you¡¯d asked me for advice, I¡¯d have never even considered giving it to you. And yet, despite this, she fell in love with you all the same¡­and quite quickly, too. [21:34 05/13/42] deliverance: I¡¯m impressed, Cibele. All this time, I¡¯ve underestimated your passion. I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have a talent for it! ¡­right. Okay. Yeah. You can handle this. Your Aunt Vesta, someone you¡¯ve looked up to, been jealous of, and generally wanted to be more like, is telling you she¡¯s impressed. Impressed! It¡¯s a bit odd, but¡­ [21:35 05/13/42] qubeley004: Ehe. ^^; I guess it wouldn¡¯t be the first enemies-to-lovers story you¡¯ve been in on, right? [21:36 05/13/42] deliverance: Maybe you should ask Nikita the next time you see her. [21:37 05/13/42] deliverance: Desire is like a flame. Embracing it draws others before it, and their own become elucidated by fire. [21:38 05/13/42] qubeley004: Right, you helped Aunt Nikita out way back when¡­ [21:38 05/13/42] deliverance: What I felt from you, when you first asked me, was like that. It was like *fire*. It might sound silly, but I thought, for the first time, someone truly understood the nature of my desires. [21:38 05/13/42] deliverance: Do you agree, Cibele? Do you understand me a little better now? What it is I did, to grasp love, that made you so *jealous* of me when you grew old enough to desire love yourself? You can. You absolutely can. Even without reading Aunt Vesta¡¯s mind ¨C or Percy¡¯s, for that matter ¨C you would know by now what Vesta means. She¡¯s not subtle. You¡¯ve always been jealous of her, just a little bit. You¡¯ve always wondered what it would take to gain her respect. [21:39 05/13/42] qubeley004: ¡­Aunt Vesta, your interest in hypnosis isn¡¯t just intellectual, is it? Alright, it coming up with Seul-ki¡­she seems to be the whole reason you have this interest, okay, that makes sense. Stella? Yeah, in hindsight, it¡¯s not that strange that her ideal career path comes with a guilty-pleasure fetish on the side. Milia, if she does like hypnosis, is super fond of Seul-ki, so that also makes perfect sense. But your family? First Aunt Vesta, then Marq¡­who¡¯s next? Aunt Junon? Aunt Circe? Auntie Vanessa? Your mom? Your dad? You know Papa likes magical girls like Marq does, it¡¯s entirely possible! Mouuu, it¡¯s like the universe has been conspiring to give you a hypnofetish all along! Probabilities perfectly placed to make you want to brainwash girls! (Which, would that count as brainwashing? Food for thought!) deliverance is typing¡­ Oh, this is taking a while, isn¡¯t it. You never believed in something like ¡®destiny¡¯ before all of this, but now you¡¯re starting to wonder. What it is that draws all these threads together¡­ You wonder, what it¡¯s like for Vesta. She has no supernatural power, like you do. Maybe, you¡¯re a bit disappointed, that you didn¡¯t ¡®earn¡¯ it ¨C but by the same token, what you¡¯re capable of is greater than her, too. But still, she whispered in a girl¡¯s ear, and shaped her will, all the same¡­ Is that why Seul-ki planned this? Did she see the same potential in you ¨C potential no one else saw, not even yourself? [21:49 05/13/42] deliverance: No. Ten fudging minutes?! For one word, too! You really must¡¯ve hit hard with that question! (¡­is it bad if you¡¯re kind of happy about it?) [21:49 05/13/42] deliverance: I held such desires in my heart, as well, twenty years ago. And like you, I was able to grow past what I thought of as inherent limitations to get what I wanted. [21:50 05/13/42] qubeley004: It¡¯s still hard to imagine you in pigtails, Aunt Vesta! [21:51 05/13/42] deliverance: They suit you a lot better than they ever suited me! But, you really have grown up. :white_heart: [21:51 05/13/42] qubeley004: I¡¯m not a kid anymore, Vesta. I¡¯m still young, but I want to be treated as an adult. I think I¡¯ve proven myself now, with Stella. [21:52 05/13/42] deliverance: You¡¯re right, Cibele. I need to stop thinking of you as the girl who kept chasing my baby sister¡¯s coattails. Besides, I was doing the same thing at your age! Wait, baby sister? Who would she be chasing ¨C oh, fudge, Vesta had a crush on your mom, didn¡¯t she. Which admittedly would be kind of ¨C no, bad thoughts, bad thoughts! T-this doesn¡¯t happen in normal families, probably! Mouu, it¡¯s not your fault lesbians are super attracted to your heterosexual mother¡­ [21:53 05/13/42] deliverance: Before anything else¡­mm. You don¡¯t need to answer this for me. I¡¯m still family, if quite distant. And it¡¯s the somewhat overenthusiastic interest of a woman who used to change your diapers. [21:54 05/13/42] qubeley004: R-right, Mama mentioned ^^; [21:54 05/13/42] deliverance: But if you would indulge your cousin¡­ [21:55 05/13/42] deliverance: From one *domina* to another, would you tell me how it felt, to hold Stella¡¯s head in your hands? ¡­your first crush was Korri, of course. (Technically second, actually, b-but you really don¡¯t think Lauren Mayberry counts!) But your second crush was Vesta¡¯s baby sister, Ilaria. There¡¯s nearly a decade between the two, so Ilaria¡¯s only a little older than Marq; young enough that you, for whatever reason, thought you had a shot. Ilaria was really passionate, and pretty¡­you looked up to her a lot, at a time when Vesta scared you more than anything. But she never really responded, not even to reject you. Disappointing, but it is what it is. Still, you can¡¯t help but wonder what your past self would think, if you told her that instead of holding hands with Ilaria while talking about famous feminists through the ages, you¡¯d be sharing stories of love and desire with that scary aunt who seemed to look down on you all the time¡­ [21:58 05/13/42] qubeley004: I loved it¡­ [21:59 05/13/42] qubeley004: I practiced on Korri, first, since she volunteered to help. Seeing her go blank, and slack, and **sink**, it was *perfect*. I didn¡¯t know a girl could be that attractive. I didn¡¯t realize, what it would be¡­ [22:00 05/13/42] qubeley004: I didn¡¯t know what Stella would respond to. When she led me into trance first, she was struck by me. And when I took her under, she was so pretty, I couldn¡¯t help but lace her with triggers, and steal a kiss from her. [22:01 05/13/42] qubeley004: I didn¡¯t even realize how far she¡¯d fallen, until she kissed me in return, *demanding* I follow through on my feelings. [22:02 05/13/42] qubeley004: And I did. [22:02 05/13/42] qubeley004: Does that answer your question, Vesta? Is that what you wanted to hear? ¡­right. You¡¯re lucky your family¡¯s still out. T-this would be really dangerous otherwise at your desk! [22:03 05/13/42] deliverance: It is. In more ways than one, Cibele. :white_heart: [22:04 05/13/42] deliverance: As expected of your mother, bless her heart, she focused on the ¡®loss¡¯ of your ¡®virginity¡¯, but¡­ [22:04 05/13/42] deliverance: You may be more interested in sex than I am, but you understand, don¡¯t you? [22:05 05/13/42] deliverance: That there are things better than sex¡­ It¡¯s true. You¡¯re uncertain you could go back to ¡®regular¡¯ sex and ever be satisfied, now. Having the power over Stella felt better than sex. The sex was nice, but¡­ it was just a bonus, really. Sometimes, people ask Vesta, what she gets out of a relationship without copulation, as she would put it. She never quite answers the question, she just¡­smiles. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. You know, though. Oh fudge do you ever know. [22:06 05/13/42] deliverance: With that in mind, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, me and mine are at your disposal. (Within reason, of course.) Desire is like a flame, but with fire comes disparity ¨C and many potential pitfalls. I didn¡¯t have anyone but Rheia to help me at your age, so I¡¯d like to correct that for the next generation. [22:06 05/13/42] deliverance: I can¡¯t offer much more than advice, but if you¡¯re in the neighborhood, feel free to visit my office or Nikita¡¯s ¡®massage parlor¡¯, if it¡¯s something you need to talk about in person. [22:07 05/13/42] deliverance: Though, ah ¨C if you *do* decide to take up Nikita¡¯s offer, be warned. Neither she nor her sister are gentle. [22:07 05/13/42] qubeley004: Y-you knew about that?! Mouuu, this doesn¡¯t happen in normal families¡­ [22:07 05/13/42] deliverance: ;) [22:08 05/13/42] qubeley004: I-if she could read Farsi, I¡¯d be *really* worried right now! D: ¡­still, it¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve not only grasped Stella for yourself, you¡¯ve won the respect of Vesta in the process. Something unimaginable to you a mere two weeks before. A mysterious woman, your elder, capable of giving you advice and solace, having something your powers can never grant you ¨C experience. (And someone who, lest you forget, has a long history of navigating the local politics, which you may find necessary before long.) Maybe, if desire is a flame, she¡¯s a kind of Fire Keeper, someone who knows it better than anything else. At the very least, even if you can¡¯t tell her about your powers, you won¡¯t be alone, right? You can¡¯t rely on your devoted servants for everything. (Not yet, anyway, some part of you whispers.) [22:09 05/13/42] deliverance: I don¡¯t want to keep my beloved Sulastri waiting *too* long, but if you have any questions right now, please do ask! ¡­right. You¡¯ve got two things to deal with, in the immediate sense. The first is Yi Seul-ki, but you don¡¯t know if you want to trust Vesta with that information just yet. Not until you know more about her intentions from the second thing¡­ Milia, the so-called ¡®Empress¡¯. If there¡¯s anyone who knows how to deal with someone like her, it¡¯s Vesta. [22:11 05/13/42] qubeley004: Well¡­there is *one* thing I¡¯d like to ask about. [22:13 05/13/42] qubeley004: I, uh. *Maybe* kind of sort of possibly have developed a rivalry with a girl from the de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice family, because she is intensely upset that my favorite teacher likes me better than her? And I *may* have made some waves in her Debate Club? [22:14 05/13/42] deliverance: I see. And I take it avoiding her isn¡¯t an option? [22:14 05/13/42] qubeley004: Afraid not. You¡¯ll have to trust me on that. (It¡¯s not like you can tell Vesta why, after all.) [22:15 05/13/42] deliverance: ¡­if you¡¯d told me that before today, I¡¯d have brushed you off. But very well ¨C I said I¡¯d give you advice, and so I shall. [22:17 05/13/42] deliverance: My work for Earth Light at the INPC has often been obstructed by the Sunset Corporation on intellectual property grounds. You¡¯re probably familiar, living with Rheia and all ¨C free access of information, of *culture*, is a threat to their capability to sell you the same thing over and over again, and keep you within their system. The International Network Preservation Consortium¡­your family may prefer physical media when it comes to video games, but most of your pre-Collapse music collection came from the Earth Light archive. With the idol (and Stella¡¯s ex!) Marina Arisa constantly referencing, covering, and iterating upon music in the public domain, it¡¯s no longer quite as quixotic as it used to be, but still. (¡­someday, you hope, you can make things right between her and Stella. The regret you saw in her mind¡­it wasn¡¯t a relationship either wanted to end.) (Is humanity¡¯s mutual understanding still so distant?) [22:19 05/13/42] deliverance: It¡¯s the same with all these¡­¡¯zaibatsu¡¯, across the world. The Reiwa Accord protects us, but to achieve that, I¡¯ve had to play politics far more times than I prefer. And that includes with Sunset *executives*, as well, including that *odious* dynasty. [22:19 05/13/42] deliverance: So I¡¯ll make it quite simple: play dirty. [22:21 05/13/42] deliverance: Forget fighting fair. Do whatever it takes to even the playing field against someone with money and power ¨C and I presume, in this case, she has both. Undermine her allies, promote yourself at her expense, gather information that you can use against her. And *do it*. [22:22 05/13/42] deliverance: The Sunset Corporation likes to think it¡¯s invincible, that it can decide the place and needs of every human in the city, but¡­did you read Dr. Newton¡¯s books? Just like hypnosis, *memetics isn¡¯t magic*. [22:23 05/13/42] deliverance: They have the home field advantage ¨C as does your de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice rival ¨C but perception is key. So take whatever advantage you can grasp. This is good advice, certainly. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s a reminder. You don¡¯t know who, or even what, your enemy is. But if the Queen is with Sunset, then you can¡¯t afford to hold back your power against them. And yet, at the same time, they aren¡¯t invincible¡­Vesta¡¯s done a lot to help ensure human culture is preserved for the next generation, won victories against Sunset, the government, and local reactionaries time and time again. She¡¯s living proof that if you¡¯re in the right place, at the right time, with the right kind of power, you can make a difference. ¡­mind you, in this situation, there is one minor problem you should mention first. [22:25 05/13/42] qubeley004: ¡­uh, right, what if she¡¯s also attracted to me, maybe, kind of, sort of? [22:25 05/13/42] deliverance: Are you attracted to her? ¡­are you? You don¡¯t know for certain, and yet, you can¡¯t help but want to defeat her, now¡­you want, more than anything, to ensure that whatever she tries, however she wants to hurt you, that she¡¯ll bask in your heavenly glory¡­ [22:28 05/13/42] deliverance: Well, either way, it¡¯s the same thing. If it¡¯s like that, even if she chooses to bully you in reprisal, such a thing would only be hating what she really loves. The more she does it, the more she¡¯ll get hooked on you¡­ [22:30 05/13/42] deliverance: In *italiano*, we have a saying: *l¡¯amore domina senza regole*. That is, ¡®love rules without rules¡¯. [22:30 05/13/42] deliverance: Or to put it more simply: all¡¯s fair in love and war. :white_heart: [22:32 05/13/42] deliverance: ¡­right, Sulastri¡¯s calling for me. I¡¯m sure Rheia will keep me appraised, but let me know if you need anything, Cibele. ¡­and she¡¯s gone. You roll over in your bed, staring at the ceiling. Play dirty, huh¡­? You open up your skill trees, staring at red, gold, and green. You think, if Aunt Vesta has to fight this hard for her work ¨C work important to humanity¡¯s very future ¨C her advice is worth taking to heart, in love as much as war. And if both things are fair¡­ Your eyes flit to the left-hand side of your Enchantment tree. To Charm. Now, even after things with Stella, you¡¯re still¡­reluctant, about some of these things. Stella is willing, yes, but thinking of doing it to someone like Korri is still a thrill you don¡¯t think you can allow. The Charm tree is¡­
Charm T1: Charm Person. You may temporarily have one individual think of you as a trusted friend. They will answer questions they would consider reasonable, and they may perform actions for you if they would do so for a friend. Note that though they won¡¯t remember this ability being used per se, if your request or question is something they would never do for you normally, they may realize something was wrong. (This applies to your enemies; strangers will rationalize this more easily.) Requires Suggestion.
it¡¯s dangerous.
Charm T2: Persistent Charm. A constant, passive ability. (It may be suppressed at will.) The longer you spend with an individual, the more influence you have over them, in the manner of a saleswoman. The upper limit of this effect depends on how close the individual is to you already. With enough time (several hours), you may eventually convince them of things they would normally never accept. This can only be done with an individual, or a small group; the more targets you try to influence, the less effective this ability is. These changes are long-lasting, though not necessarily permanent. The longer this person spends away from you, and the more your thoughts are normally opposed to theirs, are the basis of their resistance. Backing up your arguments with powerful rhetoric or rational thought will increase the length of this effect. Requires Charm Person.
It¡¯s very fudging dangerous! And yet, with Vesta¡¯s words fresh in your mind, you know that this is the kind of power that can take on even the Empress of Verwest herself on her home field¡­and then, afterward, Yi Seul-ki. (If need be.) You can¡¯t entirely escape the idea of your fetish, and that¡¯ll influence your decisions, but you should start thinking practically, too. So yeah. Charm magic is hot. But more importantly, Charm Person opens up a lot of doors. (Potentially literally!) Not as many as Natural Language Processing, but it¡¯s slightly better for info gathering¡­and the best part? As long as it¡¯s on a stranger, it¡¯s almost completely undetectable. Even people you know can be influenced if you¡¯re careful, although that¡¯s much riskier. As for Persistent Charm¡­you can imagine a lot of situations where that would be useful. If you can encourage Milia to confide in you about Seul-ki on Monday, or maybe that you¡¯re just this na?ve person who doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s in for¡­yeah, you can go with that. As you hop away from the desk and carry your laptop and phone down to the basement, you look at the icons for those skill tiles; Charm Person is a stylized butterfly, and Persistent Charm a butterfly held within two hands. You¡¯re not really sure what bugs have to do with charm magic, but you¡¯re sure Marq could tell you sometime! You think of Vesta. Librarian, archivist¡­domina, as she calls herself. You may have a power like this, but you¡¯re not close to being her equal. She says desire is like a flame, and if that¡¯s true¡­before now, you were unkindled, unfit even to be cinder. Only now does flame flicker within you, gnawing for power and love. And so it is, that ash seeketh embers. As you roll back onto the couch, you quickly tap both tiles in succession, and your mind, your heart, your soul open up¡­ and it writhes within you. It tastes like honey on your lips. It feels like a pulse straight through your heart. Power buries itself deep within your bosom ¨C or is it that your bosom is cracking open, and the power within is seeping out ¨C and you moan, biting your lip in case someone comes near, unable to escape this wonderful feeling that this power is for you¡­ It suits you. It belongs to you. You feel like, this was always what you were meant to be¡­ And it brings back the memories, of Stella¡¯s mind, her soul, within your hands, owned by your touch, never to escape you. Never to want to escape you. The light overtakes you, overwhelms you. Pouring from every part of you. You want to speak. You want to let loose this honey, and let others taste it. (Let Milia taste it¡­) Fatigue overtakes you as the pleasure overwhelms, and you dream, once more. Of words laced with whispers, with desires, of shaping, of molding, of squeezing Milia¡¯s mind within your palms. Of taking your rightful place, somewhere above her¡­ (what is it, then, that lays above an Empress?)
Enchantment Branch: Disruption
Disruption T1: Through The Cracks. Used in normal conversation. This will force up a thought from just below the surface of the mind (ie, beyond where Thought Skimmer can reach). They will say it aloud in the fashion of a parapraxis, somewhat interrupting the flow of conversation. While they won¡¯t realize this was unnatural, whatever consequences this has for you, them, or others are impossible to predict. Requires Suggestion.
Disruption T2: Intrusive Noise. You induce an effect in a single individual that causes them to temporarily lose some of their rational control over their will. Thoughts and ideas that were once left quiet are now spoken openly, clarity of speech is reduced with stumbling and stuttering, and moments of naked anger are produced. This ability is especially effective against angry targets, who will devolve into a blind rage. This ability can thus be used in combat, where an opponent¡¯s killing intent is translated into blind anger; those with cool heads or special training may resist this effect, but normal people will lose their heads. Outside of combat, the individual this ability is used on will not realize this was a magical effect, but you cannot predict the exact effects or their consequences. In combat, the unnatural effect is obvious, even if the ability fails. Requires Through The Cracks.
Disruption T3: Artificial Nocturne. You may convince someone that a patently untrue fact is true. You may convince them that the sky is green, or that the world is flat, or any other similarly daft belief. (This qualifies based on their understanding, not yours, so you may convince them of something true as long as they believe with great conviction that it¡¯s false.) This effect is permanent. However, this lie is held up by increasingly spurious conspiracy logic the more it is openly questioned, which may cause the target to mentally unravel. If you have Your Reality (Geas T2), the lie is instead held up by a sort of religious conviction that cannot be questioned or dispersed. (You may maintain the original effect instead if you consider it more advantageous.) In addition, this skill effectively combines with Your Reality to allow you to not only convince others of facts, but also create highly effective illusions that have no practical limit. Requires Intrusive Noise and Nagging Thought (Geas T1).
â…¢.13: Dance Apocalyptic Friday, May 14th, Reiwa 42. You wake up remarkably well-rested, long before your alarm is set to go off. Despite sleeping in the basement, you¡¯ve clearly been riding very high off of yesterday¡¯s joyous and rapturous love¡­ A-ah, you can still feel that tingling, within you. Filled with a feeling like love, and a power like light, something like the taste of honey laid upon your lips. T-this is way too much¡­ You¡¯re starting to understand future-past-you, more and more each day. ¡­and that should probably concern you, thinking about it, as you hazily blink and focus upon future-past-you¡¯s words, still hovering in your vision from last night, lost before the feeling of awakening more of your true self. (Or, is it just the self future-past-you wants you to be¡­?) Doubts continue to tug at your mind, even as you read the first note, about Charm Person¡­
The first step to something more is friendship. Such potential. With your power over the fabric of the world, subverting a will is nothing. Stella would be good for this, you know? Though there¡¯s plenty of cuties a bit of ¡®friendship¡¯ can help fix¡­
Way ahead of you, future-past-you! Well, small favors ¨C you don¡¯t think she¡¯s able to read your mind. Even if one of your skills would allow her to place ¡®herself¡¯ inside you, easily, she hasn¡¯t done that¡­you¡¯re pretty sure, at least. Just you, and maybe a ¡®librarian¡¯. Alright, scratch that. Maybe you¡¯re not as close to understanding future-past-you as you thought? It doesn¡¯t feel like Charm Person would be that useful for grasping a girl¡¯s heart, given its limitations. You might be able to nudge people you know a bit more, but every time you do that it¡¯s a risk. Getting your foot in the door isn¡¯t bad, but¡­ You¡¯d much rather use this skill for heroic purposes. Even you¡¯re not naive enough to think the world will always be kind enough to let you be honest. If you can use this to help others, you¡¯re all for it ¨C Korri¡¯s told you all kinds of stories, of being able to walk into a private office with a smile, a clipboard, and a good excuse. Charm Person seems much more suited to that kind of situation than anything else. Persistent Charm, on the other hand.
In the land of capitalism, the salesman is king. Or should it be ¡®the saleswoman is queen¡¯? Twisting them around your words and making them trust in them like they¡¯re the only thing in your world¡­set up a few meetings in the right place, with the right people, and you can do so much with the city. After all, is fighting with your fists and your sword truly being a heroine¡­?
Grandma Gaia, may she be remembered, once told a story of an old cousin of hers who was scrabbling in the nightmarish late Heisei job market. Desperate for work and with few opportunities, she found herself in a dodgy office downtown, where a bunch of very friendly and eager businessmen in nice suits instructed her in the benefits of door-to-door sales as part of their (suspiciously unnamed) company. By the end of that seminar, full of promises of fortune with the occasional exhortations of what not to do because that¡¯d be illegal, she was convinced she¡¯d finally have a career she could be proud of¡­ right until she tried a search engine. The company wasn¡¯t outright illegal or anything, but¡­the industry they worked in was morally dubious at best. Promise the world ¨C a cheap, pre-negotiated price for a few years¡¯ worth of electricity or natural gas, in this case ¨C and use strict contract terms to inflict massive fees on anyone who tries to so much as move, let alone cancel their contract. It was a wonder they were allowed to operate at all for all the dirt they¡¯d had on them, but¡­ capitalism, y¡¯know? Seul-ki certainly makes it out to be that way. Put someone in the right environment, the right room, the right situation, and you can convince them of almost anything. If that¡¯s the kind of power you have now, if that¡¯s what the honey on your lips is, then you¡¯ve got something as dangerous as you thought it would be. Wondrous, beautiful, yet terrifying all the same. But, if you think about it¡­ You sigh, grasping your phone from the coffee table, and taking yourself to Milia¡¯s social media with a few strategic taps. (You¡¯ve been doing this quite a lot lately, but that¡¯s a normal thing to do when you have a rival, right?) Her posts are all public, of course, and she¡¯s quite bullish about her Debate Club, her life at the Verwest Academy¡­ and, of course, the Sunset Corporation. If she doesn¡¯t believe all that chocolate mousse she said about Sunset¡¯s benefits to society in her debate, she¡¯s a very good actress. She¡¯s already talking about the Debate Club organizing things for Pride Month, and the local parades ¨C as if you¡¯d ever choose to attend something so corporate. Sunset Security has its own float, for desserts¡¯ sake! The very thought of supporting something where S3 and the Loyalty Campaign are allowed to march¡­ aaaaaaaand Milia¡¯s retweeting from the Loyalty Campaign and Soulmates, too. Unsurprising. She¡¯s always struck you as old fashioned, so her being ¡®pro-love¡¯ and talking about how true love can only be found in a committed relationship between two people, and obviously you can¡¯t have three or more people truly be in love¡­ (You¡¯d absolutely love to prove her wrong, wouldn¡¯t you? Tempt her, such that she can¡¯t deny it ¨C wait, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!) Ugh. She really does seem to believe it. That the world¡¯s salvation will come from the Sunset Corporation and its leadership. That they¡¯ve made the city a better place for people of all races, genders, sexualities, and identities ¨C as long as you¡¯re not poly, of course. That they¡¯re the only reason people in Southern Sun are able to live the way they do, and should be exalted for the blessings they¡¯ve given those who have arrived upon the city¡¯s shores. How she was so close to Seul-ki without actually absorbing any of her lessons is anyone¡¯s fudging guess, really. But then again, she¡¯s a de L¡¯Imp¨¦ratrice, born and raised; her pride ¨C their pride ¨C in the role they played in building Southern Sun and its networks is practically a cliche by now. Maybe that awful mindset wouldn¡¯t be so much of a problem on its own. But being the ¡®Empress of Verwest¡¯ means these ideas have weight. Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s got so much traction; the adults must love her, for promoting the values they prefer. In a way, Milia¡¯s been warping reality much longer than you ever had even the slightest chance¡­ (You can¡¯t help but wonder: was it like this, living in the twilight years of Heisei, just before the Collapse?) It¡¯s a terrifying kind of power, you think, Persistent Charm. Unthinkable. But it¡¯s the same power Milia has. The same power her family has. Maybe, just maybe, the same power Sunset has. If it¡¯s something like that, then you really don¡¯t mind fighting poison with poison, and bearing sweet honey upon your tongue. (That taste on your lips, that feels so much yours.) After all, Milia is the kind of person who can talk about all the work Sunset is doing in climate mitigation and space development and the protection of the planet, and then in the very next post show off her big expensive ¡®Montreal smoked meat sandwich¡¯, complete with her smug assurance that it was farmed ¨C in other words, that she made darn fudging sure a living being suffered and died before she ate it, with all the land and carbon and resources that implies, before filling it with nitrites and who knows what, just in a gigantic pile, as if mocking the entire concept of cooking and food. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡­and dozens upon dozens of people eat it all up, like nothing¡¯s the least bit wrong with any of it. God, no wonder the planet¡¯s dying.
Milia aside, though, you¡¯re in pretty good spirits by the time you arrive at the Academy. After all, Stella will be waiting there for you at school! Your story isn¡¯t ending just because you grasped her for yourself, right? You¡¯ve got a lot to look forward to from now on, all lovey-dovey and ¨C oh, she¡¯s here! Stella Maris is already here, you¡¯d recognize those ringlets anywhere, and you can¡¯t help but run up and hug her from behind! ¡°Stella! It¡¯s ¨C¡± And then squirms out of your grasp. ¡°E-eh?¡± Without looking at you, Stella grabs your arm and pulls you over to a shadowed corner, looking at you like you¡¯d done something horrible! W-were you wrong?! Did you¡­did the hypnosis and all that not take? Did she finally decide that she didn¡¯t want this after all?! Did she realize everything had gone wrong and now she doesn¡¯t ¨C a-ah she kisses you right here, in the corner, she ravishes your mouth with her tongue, as if she can barely hold back it¡¯s wonderful, and you can feel and taste that tinge of desire within her beautiful mind, and the way she¡¯s so forceful when she holds the back of your head¡­ After a moment, she pulls away, her brow narrowed as she stares at you with golden eyes. ¡°Cibele¡­what were you thinking?¡° she asks. ¡°What? I was just ¨C¡± ¡°I-I know! You want to greet me publicly!¡± Stella blushes, and looks aside, as if she¡¯s made you upset. ¡°I¡¯d like to, you know? I¡¯m not ashamed I want you. Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d be glad to have people ask about it¡­¡± Flashes in her mind, of how people would see her differently at her 180 toward you. ¡°But right now, we can¡¯t let Ms. Yi know our relationship has come to this point.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± You sigh, and nod, thinking about it a moment. ¡°I, right. We still don¡¯t know what her goal is. If she sees us together like this, she¡¯ll know we¡¯re together.¡± ¡°Exactly. As long as she still thinks we¡¯re in the process of getting together, we can figure that out on our terms,¡± Stella says. ¡°Think about it ¨C if Nazakawa sees us, how long do you think it¡¯ll be until everyone knows? I¡¯m a friend of his, but¡­he¡¯s really not good at keeping secrets.¡± ¡­well. Stella¡¯s not wrong. And it¡¯s a good reminder of why you shaped Stella¡¯s mind the way you did. Even if you lose out on some of that absolute loyalty that tastes more delicious than any sundae, you at least know she¡¯s going to be able to tell you when you¡¯ve blown the goose! You¡¯re going to need that, you think. ¡­speaking of! ¡°You know how hard it is?¡± Stella¡¯s eyes shift, as she blushes, unable to hold back all her feelings. ¡°That¡­thing you stuck inside my head keeps telling me how badly I need you. I don¡¯t get the sense it¡¯s thinking past making you happy, as opposed to securing things for you. Or maybe¡­¡± You stroke her temple, brushing back a stray hair, staring into Stella¡¯s beautiful eyes. ¡°Maybe, she just wants you to see how beautiful I am.¡± The honey flows from your lips. The pressure emerges from your mind, and compresses hers. Stella, all of Stella, her mind and her soul, yields to you, as it must. Stella can feel it, knowing what you are, what you¡¯re capable of ¨C even if not every nitty gritty detail, she knows you have this kind of magic ¨C shuddering, mouth opening and remaining silent as she sees your will shape hers, knows it, her soul kneaded and molded by your ephemeral touch¡­ (Why is it so easy, to do this? So easy, you did it on instinct, knowing you needed Stella to feel it?) (Is it that, within Stella¡¯s thoughts, you can see her gaze bearing witness to a tinge of gold within your eyes, when you let loose the ancient magic?) ¡°¡­d-don¡¯t tease me,¡± Stella says. (Whether to you, or her ¡®little star¡¯, is a moot question.) She shivers in delight, at your mere touch. Incomparable to what you imagined only two weeks before. So lovely. Stella Maris, once a hopeless crush you¡¯d never have hoped to grasp, is completely addicted to your words. ¡°We can find something to do with it, right?¡± you ask, grinning, swallowing your honey down. (Your charm, at least, seems to be more under your control than your telepathy has been ¨C that incident with Korri aside.) ¡°Even if we can¡¯t do it at school yet, we can still indulge¡­¡± ¡°N-nngh. We can, m-my Lady,¡± Stella whispers, and whimpers, looking behind you to make sure no one¡¯s looking. ¡°At least, when I have the time. Work has been especially busy lately ¨C¡± bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz Oh! It¡¯s your phone! You pull it out, and¡­huh. ¡°It¡¯s from school,¡± you say, showing your phone to Stella. ¡°Looks like Seul-ki¡¯s¡­on sick leave? Really?¡° ¡°How strange,¡± Stella mutters, examining the email. ¡°I guess she didn¡¯t know the study date was yesterday? You¡¯d think she¡¯d want to follow up.¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± You pocket your phone again. ¡°Looks like our afternoon is free, though!¡± ¡°It seems that way¡­mm. If that¡¯s the case, we could meet up somewhere after class.¡± Stella visibly brightens when saying that, even if she¡¯s trying not to sound too excited¡­ aah, she¡¯s way too cute! ¡°There¡¯s a place I¡¯ve been wanting to try that¡¯s not too far from the Academy,¡± you say. ¡°Maybe while we¡¯re there, I could tell you about some of the other girls I know? That you might get to know¡­¡± You flash a winning smile, and you can tell ¨C but Stella likes that idea. No wonder ¨C not only did she tell you all about it last night, right now, her ¡®little star¡¯ whispers about how hot it¡¯d be to have lots of other cuties to serve you alongside. (Not to mention smooch herself!) ¡°¡­y-yeah. Sure.¡± Stella nods in agreement, trying not to sound too excited. ¡°If that¡¯s all, we should get to our classes ¨C¡± Before she moves away, you place a finger on her lips. Because you¡¯ve got a great idea, and you want to test out how thoroughly you¡¯ve laced your words and thoughts within her¡­ ¡°Hey little star,¡± you whisper, and the shift in Stella¡¯s stance is instantaneous. Hypnosis is so cool¡­¡°Give me Stella¡¯s panties. Don¡¯t let her realize they¡¯re gone, at least not consciously. We¡¯ll play a game to see how long it is before she realizes I took them from her.¡± Just a little cute sadism from you, you know? Nothing too risky given Stella dresses heavier than most girls in Southern Sun¡¯s heat ¨C you might wanna ask her to dress lighter, but details! ¨C but still plenty of fun that¡¯ll make her excited once she realizes how you¡¯d been tricking her. ¡°As you wish, my Lady,¡± she says, carefully hiding herself from prying eyes behind you as she tugs her skirt up and pulls away her panties¡­ooh. Lacy, white, and surprisingly daring¡­you suspect she had some idea you¡¯d want to see them! (Maybe she¡¯s been dressing up in cute lingerie this whole time while thinking about you~?) Oh, and they¡¯re just a tiny bit damp¡­right, that¡¯ll be your fault~ You gingerly grasp them out of Stella¡¯s hands, fold them up, and hide them in your bag¡­at which point Stella resumes her normal state of mind, forgetting entirely about what happened and merely giving you a quick, cute little peck on the cheek and a smile before she rushes away to her class. Thighs rubbing together, no fabric restricting them, completely unaware of your machinations¡­ Nngh. It¡¯s all so sexy¡­ Hypnosis is awesome.
Psychology Branch: Memetics
Memetics T1: You¡¯ll Trust Me. You gain the ability to spread an idea, a ¡®meme¡¯, through groups of people you have consistent access to. Through the way you act and talk, you spread the idea that you are an inherently trustworthy person. People will find it less likely that you will lie to them, and are more likely to take your words to heart or treat you as a friend. This trustworthiness allows you to spread other types of memes more effectively, slowly warping behavior over time. This effect is relatively limited, and will not change deeply-held convictions or more powerful memetics. Requires Instant Hypnotherapist.
Memetics T2: You¡¯ll Love Me. You gain an additional meme you may spread, that of yourself as an inherently attractive and lovable person, one who is among the pinnacle of sexiness. People will begin to find you exceptionally desirable, and will find it difficult to speak to you without blushing, easily seduced or disarmed before you. This will not override sexual orientation, but will slowly warp it over time. Anyone who has any sexual attraction to women whatsoever, even if they don¡¯t realize it, will find that attraction growing toward you whether they¡¯d admit it to themselves or not. Requires You¡¯ll Trust Me.
Memetics T3: I am Your Goddess. You gain an additional meme you may spread, of your inherent perfection in all things. People will begin to find themselves walking in lockstep with you, warping their own psyches and ideas to a form more pleasing to you, and considering your moral compass to be a paragon to aspire to. Eventually, with enough time, people will find themselves considering you a goddess, be it figuratively or literally. They will become inherently submissive to you, though only as far as you would ordinarily allow it. Your worshippers will be as fanatical as you please, and may form the backbone of an army if need be. If you have Handshake Induction (Induction T2), then you may spread and reinforce this meme (and the others) more quickly through physical touch. At the outer edge of effectiveness, you may spread all your memes nigh-instantly in a single kiss to someone you¡¯ve only just met. Requires You¡¯ll Love Me and I Want The Control (Induction T1).