test drive 1

[brain_empty]

[Ryoko Otonashi, Ultimate Forgetful Girl (maybe?) was walking through Hope's Peak Academy open square. Dorms, class buildings, and cafeteria and convenience store all accessible. She didn't particularly stand out at all except...]

...Why am I walking here?

[She checked her notebook, nodded, then kept going, for about another minute before...]

...Why am I walking here?

[She peeked down again. Some students nearby tried to wave, but they were ignored. She had a problem and any distractions would delay her more than what was already happening.

Unfortunately for Ryoko, it was a terrible problem that was stopping the traffic more than it reasonably should've, and soon people learned just not to walk behind her or around her at all.]

Comments

[lieindespair]

[ The level of observation she has in their surroundings is frankly astounding. There were a number of those things he might have picked up on, but few of them actually captured his notice. He does his best not to be noticed as he glances around to confirm her thoughts. ]

I see. Well, I figured you'd notice them sooner or later. My organization has eyes and ears everywhere, you know. How very perceptive of you. And how convenient it is that information won't be here tomorrow. You should forget what you've seen. It'll only hurt you in the end.

[ Whether or not that's true isn't really his concern. ]

[brain_empty]

Well... it has nothing to do with me.

That's how I know I'm safe. I'd be worthless to your organization!

[lieindespair]

Worthless? Or priceless? Let's be real, sweetheart, if I need a message delivered quickly, I'd be stupid not to tape it to your hand and send you to the destination. By the time you got back, you'd forgotten where you were, who you met, and what you did.

I mean, it wouldn't be the first time, would it?

[brain_empty]

...I don't know.

[she didn't even bother to look at her notebook.]

If I ever have... it had nothing to do with me.

[lieindespair]

Exactly, which is what makes you so perfect for it. You're innocent. Sweet, like a dove. You just go where you're supposed to, but innocuous, innocent and sweet. You deliver your message or package and go on your merry way.

[brain_empty]

I also stand out like a sore thumb to anyone who knows me or talks to me for more than a minute.

[lieindespair]

And your point? What are you gonna tell them? Nothing, obviously. When did your memory lapse? Was it before or after you left? Before when you gave the note away or after? What a mystery... Weeeeeridd.. It's almost like that's such a predictable thought process or something...

[brain_empty]

...Jeez, Kokichi. If you really did that, I'd have to re-evaluate my whole "You treat me as a human being who exists," impression of you.

[she's writing notes...]

[lieindespair]

Who's to say I can't do both?

[ He pauses, craning his neck to try to read her notepad. ]

...Did you really think that about me?

[brain_empty]

Hey, don't try to read it. Do I try to slice open your head, put your brain up to some machine, and look over all of your memories?

...Anyway, I wrote it, and I don't write fake things. Ever.

[lieindespair]

You saying you wouldn't if you had the chance?

[ Ooh, a moral quandry... ]

Oh really? Not a single one? How do you determine what's fake and what's not?

[brain_empty]

Just like that. I don't write fake things. If I'm not sure what I'm writing is one-hundred percent, then I keep trying until I get it right.

[she sighs]

Would you want to give yourself a false identity?

[lieindespair]

A false identity? For what purpose? [ As if that hasn't been his entire personality since he enrolled. ] That's stupid. Wouldn't a person wanna be well-known?

[brain_empty]

--I don't know about being well-known, but exactly. You want to be 'you'. If you don't have a history that gives you an identity then you can't be 'you'. So... do you get it now?

[lieindespair]

Hm....

[ He appears to spend a moment in thought before grinning and leaning back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the table. ]

Nope! Not even a bit. Y'know, now that I think about it, a false identity could be really useful, you know. What if you're a criminal? Or someone famous who just wants to be common folk for a little while!

[brain_empty]

Well, that's the thing though. You wouldn't know. You wouldn't even know what being a criminal was like.

[lieindespair]

Or would you? Who's to say you're not just faking it? Keeping all those notes so you don't mix up your story, huh? After all, once lies get too big, you tend to forget who you've told what and how much some people know. It's tricky business, I can tell you that much.

[brain_empty]

...Wait, you mean me? Me personally? Me, me?

[lieindespair]

You see any other weirdos with notebooks and no memory running around?

[brain_empty]

You want to ask Yasuke if I'm faking it?

[lieindespair]

No thanks. Sheesh, lighten up, can't you tell when someone's just fucking with you?

[brain_empty]

No, I just thought... it might be a fair question. I can't explain what's inside my own brain, can I? I myself don't remember not remembering things, until I realize there's some sort of discrepancy in what's happening around me from what I'm doing. But, from your point of view, it might look like I'm just a big liar who's... constantly keeping track of things.

But... that's not true, right? You were just fucking with me, right?

[she looks down, to her notebook.]

Am I a fraud...? No... if I was a fraud, then what happened to the rest of my memories...?

[lieindespair]

[ He considers for a moment on how to answer. Sure enough, he gives her a big grin. ]

Duh. It's so easy to fuck with the naive, you know. And a LOT of fun, too!

[As to whether or not he actually believes this truly... is a mystery. ]

1/2

[brain_empty]

[Despite his admission she looks down, as if she's having a true existential crisis. Her face a twisted expression of shock, horror, and... anger. Slowly growing more intense...]

[brain_empty]

[...until it disappears utterly when she looks up again.]

Um. [She flips back.] ...Yes, I guess I really do think that, Kokichi. That you treat me like just another human being.

[She smiles back.]