gregor

[discomfort]

Comments

[discomfort]

[ hmmm. the hand that is not holding the kiseru reaches out to grab gregor's-- the one that is normally the roach arm. ]

Explain it to me. How it all works.

[verminous]

[he lets him take the arm-- it's a metal prosthetic, right now.]

We've got access to... mirrors, more or less, of other worlds. Other selves of ours. This identity is me in a world where I joined the Kurokumo Clan and worked my way to Captain.

[gregor alters the simulation a little. his appearance shifts again, and the arm owner is touching is a more bare-bones prosthetic base.]

And this one's a Gregor who ended up being a Workshop Fixer, building prosthetics and weaponry. We can sort of... overwrite ourselves with them, to an extent. Take on the memories and experience they have along with their appearance, when we need 'em to fight with.

[discomfort]

Huh...

[ he blinks at the change in his appearance, listening to the explanation. ]

How many versions of you are other there? Do you know?

[verminous]

No idea. We find new ones to extract every so often, so...

[infinite, probably!]

[discomfort]

Ah... What do you think about it all? The other yous?

[verminous]

I've gotten pretty used to it, by now. Some of their memories... I'm not fond of having 'em, but I can tolerate it for as long as I need to use that identity. Rather not, unless the manager insists on it.

[discomfort]

Mm.

And the form that we are familiar with here, is that the regular you, of your specific universe?

[verminous]

...yeah.

[finally altering the simulation to change it to his actual self, roach arm and all.]

This version's-- well, I wouldn't really say any of the other Gregors aren't 'real', but I guess I'm the 'main' Gregor or something-? You'd have to ask Yi Sang for the specifics.

[discomfort]

Mm, so the others are more like... off-shoots of your reality? Different choices that you made, brought to life elsewhere?

[ just like real science fiction... ]

[verminous]

Something like that...? Though I think the mirror worlds themselves can be a little different from our reality.

[discomfort]

Got it...

I apologize for all the questions. I do not often get to learn about something so different from what I am used to.

[verminous]

-ah, if I had a problem with it, I'd just tell you I don't want to answer.

[a little shrug, there. he doesn't mind it.]

[discomfort]

Got it.

[ there's a long pause. ]

Would you prefer to be another you?

[verminous]

...sometimes, sure.

[pausing a second, before he continues.]

Some of those other Gregors-- there's one who works for an Office that specializes in protection and defense. Seems to like his work a lot, does pretty well at it. I think he's probably... one of the ones who's happiest with his life. And I use his memories, or some of the others' memories, and I wonder what things would be like if I could just be that Gregor instead. If I never had the procedure, or this arm.

It wouldn't be-- me. Not the same me. In the end, it can't be like that, anyway. But the thought's... crossed my mind.

[discomfort]

It is a normal want, I think. Even when that sort of thing isn't possible, people do like to imagine what their lives would be like if things were even just a little different.

... in any case, I am content that I was able to meet this Gregor.

[verminous]

Well, this Gregor might not be much, but.

...glad I met you too.

[discomfort]

I would not say that you are not much.

[ he returns to just smoking without chatting. ]

[verminous]

Agree to disagree, I guess.

[he lights another cigarette, himself.

owner please he just showed you like two other objectively better gregs]

[discomfort]

[ there's a pause, and he sighs.

well, since it's the simulation room, owner will roll up the sleeve of his kimono so that his whole right arm shows. almost immediately, the skin becomes covered in other body parts-- eyes, tongues, teeth, fingers. all moving on their own, blinking and twitching. ]

Now I have shown you something.

[ he covers his arm again. ]

[verminous]

[-oh. he blinks, at that; he initially startles just because he's not expecting anything to move, but he steadies himself quickly enough.

he's used to seeing sights like this. just usually on-- things trying to kill him.]

Is- that what your actual form is like...?

[discomfort]

[ the question makes him smile. ]

Everyone always asks about my actual form. It does not actually matter, I think.

[verminous]

Well, you asked if this form of me is the regular one.

[so he kinda feels like fair is fair, here, it's a reasonable question to have.]

It doesn't matter so much, I guess, you're the same Owner I've been talking to anyway, but you can't blame a guy for being curious.

[discomfort]

The questions are different.

[ gregor borrows the forms of other versions of him, and their expertise and memories, but they are not him in the sense that they stop being the same exact person because of their different circumstances within each different world. owner's situation is different, and thus the questions asked are different.

but he does not actually explain this line of thinking. he just stops his pipe from smoking any further, before tucking it into his sleeve and getting up. ]

Let us hope tomorrow is not too cruel.

[verminous]

Probably will be, but... well, we can keep our fingers crossed.

[he lets him change the subject easily enough-- he figures owner has said what he's going to say about it, opts not to press.]

If we're lucky it won't be as bad as it could be.

[discomfort]

[ he thinks about how bad trial was

makes a slight face. ]

... at this point I think that there being no surprises is the best we can hope for.