auroraexpress | (no subject)

Who: anyone
When: day 38, after noon
Where: in and around the train

[A gentle breeze keeps the afternoon cool. It seems peaceful around now, with the malice pushed back so far, unless you're heading to the island of concentrated malice of course.

It's a good day to relax and daydream.

Distantly you might sometimes hear the tick ticking of clockwork? Or it might be your imagination.

Speaking of imagination, if you think about things too hard you may find your thoughts and feelings shared with those nearby. Or even if you don't think hard at all.

At the mildest this might simply be like your thoughts and emotions being understood by others next to you, either in a vague or explicitly detailed way, but at the most extreme you might project shared delusions. Something like others getting to watch your own memories. Or fantasy sequences. Or inner monologues. Or maybe even blending you delusions with another's.

Whether it goes that far or remains a more telepathic/empathic thing is very random.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A smile that does not quite reach her eyes. It's not like she had a horribly traumatic even a couple days ago, or that horribly traumatic things happen every few days in ways that reopen all sorts of old psychological wounds!

You're just imagining things, Dusk!]

I don't know what you mean? Are you feeling okay?

[That]

[Sure is a thing]

I just suddenly felt those things and they're not mine. [He knows. He knows he knows, how does]

[Oh. Maybe the AI? That would let him become familiar with two minds, one space feeling.]

We all have a lot to worry about.

No, I mean....it's an outside source. [He looks around.] I know when it's me and that's not me. It's. It's hard to subscribe. Kind of like hearing it through the door.

Something else is making those feelings.

Hm. How curious.

[He will feel annoyance, irritation, and not a small amount of shame and amplified self-loathing. Why can't she keep herself under control?]

[He's very confused and concern on his head and he focuses on her because.]

....are those your feelings?

[And watching her very intently.]

What does it matter to you?

[So yes.]

...because that's a lot to deal with? Especially if its on your own?

...I'll participate in all of this "bonding" that they'll have us do. I want to stave off my own demise and all.

But I never asked to have my mind invaded and broadcast to strangers. I don't need your pity.

And I didn't ask for it to happen, but it is.

Who said anything about pity?

Well, you seem to think I have to much to deal with on my own.

And that's pity...how?

[More bitterness. Irritation. Shame and self-hatred.]

I prefer not to talk about these things.

You probably should. Talk about them, I mean.

People aren't meant to hold onto those feelings alone longterm. Only when it's necessary to survive. But something has to give someday and the only way it doesn't end badly is with others.

Maybe I have.

[To one or two people. Once.]

Vague isn't terribly reassuring combined with how you called concern pity a minute ago.

Still, I am the one who chooses what I wish to speak about and to whom. Not you.

I wasn't deciding anything.

I'm expressing concern and offering to be a person you speak to and why it's not pity.

Well. Right now I'm reading my book. As you can see.

What's your book about?

[He's willing to let the subject change.]

[But she's now on the watch list.]

...Recipes.

What kind?

A variety of different kinds. I'm just trying to see what options are available.

What kind of things do you usually make?