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

[brain_empty]

Of course he does. But, if I understand, I'm a rare case.

[lieindespair]

How does that make sense? That seems... kinda fucked up, doesn't it? Doesn't wanna cure you just so he can keep poking around in your head?

[brain_empty]

...Hm.

[she flips through her notebook and settles on a page.]

What I have isn't amnesia. Or at least, it doesn't fit a profile of either know amnesiac types. There's anterograde amnesia. This is a type where a person can't form new memories, and is more common. There's also retrograde amnesia. This is where a person can form new memories, but can't remember old memories, which is more popular in fiction but less so in reality. My condition includes the definition of both types.

But, the anomaly is that amnesia has an external cause. Trauma from a concussion or spinal injury. Lack of oxygen to the brain. Drug use. Dementia. A stroke. Brain tumor. I have no history of any of this. So, I can't really be said to have 'amnesia'.

Since I"m outside the scope of traditional medical procedures, no doctor or specialist wants to touch me. Especially when I am already functioning in society like a normal person instead of being comatose or otherwise a burden. And it'd be unethical to dig around in my brain with a scalpel for research, so there'd be no way to dissect me for science until I die. Only the Ultimate Neurologist has the ability, skill, and need for research material with specialized tools, has the willingness to examine me. Of course, he'd have to understand my condition before he could cure me, which he doesn't, entirely.

...The rest I forgot.

[lieindespair]

[ He listens intently to how she describes her amnesia or... whatever it is her condition really is. It seems odd considering that if she has a brand new condition, most doctors would jump on the chance to fix it and name it after themselves for posterity and fame. But if anyone can do it, the Ultimate Neurologist probably would be the one to do it. ]

So you spend a lot of time with him, it sounds like. Well no wonder you seem to like him so much. I mean, when you get to know someone like that, it's really only a matter of time, isn't it?

[brain_empty]

It's more than that! We've known each other since childhood. That makes us childhood friends. It's practically destiny.

[She started to grin at the thought. Ryoko and the boy she liked more than anything being destined lovers... it was so... nice.

She had to record the feeling, and it went with her other notes of how she liked Yasuke.]

[lieindespair]

Childhood friends, huh?

[ Talk about cliché. But if it makes her happy, who's he to step on that? ... No matter how fun it sounds. There was something in the way she spoke earlier that made it feel like a distinctly bad idea to piss her off. ]

What do you think you'd do if he started dating someone?

[brain_empty]

That would never happen! I imagine any girlfriend would be jealous of all the time he spends with me. The little nice things he does for me...

Plus, they'd have to deal with his sharper sides.

[lieindespair]

sharper... sides? What's that supposed to mean?

[ She does have a point about the time he spends with her possibly making other girls jealous, but who can tell? Is he the type to be married to his work instead? Does he even like other people at all? ]

So if you're childhood friends, he can't... tell you things you're missing from your memory?

[brain_empty]

...He could... but... They're too special? That must be it.

[She nods.]

He's got a sharp tongue! ...I don't remember the details, and I think he's just testing my memory by provoking my emotions, but he says things that would be mean if others said them to me.

[lieindespair]

[ Weird. Shouldn't he want to help her as much as possible? From all she's told him he kind of sounds like a jerk. ]

And that's... okay with you?

[brain_empty]

Of course it is! Because he's the most important boy in the whole world to me!

[lieindespair]

Really? Because... to me it just kind of sounds like he's being mean. And you... like that? He must be really, really cute or something.

[brain_empty]

...I dunno. I kinda forget.

Oh! But he looks like this!

[She immediately flips the notebook to a set of pages, turns, and shows it to Kokichi. It's full of sketches of a man. Long hair. Feminine lashes. Soft almond-eyes. Pointed jaw. Small pale lips. Long fingers. An open white shirt with dirt marks on it. No footwear, not even socks. It's surrounded by hearts and hearts and hearts.]

[lieindespair]

[ Well, if there's one good thing about having amnesia, it's forgetting the bullying that happens to you, he supposes.

When she shows him the page, he leans in to study it. The page seems well-loved. ]

Huh. You drew that? Not half bad.

[brain_empty]

It should! I spent hours on it!

...I think.

[lieindespair]

Cute. I guess I can see why you like him, then. I hope for your sake he isn't gay or anything. That would be tragic for you.

[brain_empty]

...Well, even if he told me he hated me and never wanted to see me again. I'd probably forget it and keep loving him.

You wouldn't understand, but I can't help it. I forget a lot of circumstances and events... but not what's in my heart.

[lieindespair]

[ She's right, he doesn't understand. He's not sure he can understand at all, how can she really love someone like that without actually knowing anything about them, or having any formative memories at all? It makes no sense but... She seems happy. ]

If you say so. If that's what turns on the waterworks down there, that's none of my business.

[brain_empty]

Yes! Definitely.

[adding to Kokichi's page. "Dirty joke. Bluffing him right back."]

I mean, I'd probably forget what I was doing otherwise. That'd be embarrassing!

[lieindespair]

That's true. It'd be inconvenient for sure and you'd be completely helpless. Like a little baby or something, and I don't know about you but that sounds like the least appealing thing imaginable in a partner

[brain_empty]

...I am not a baby! Especially in that department!

[lieindespair]

[ He makes a face. ]

I... I didn't say you were. I mean, God, look at you. I'm pretty sure you could smother a toddler in your cleavage.

I meant like, basically braindead and needing to rely on someone for everything. Nooo Thank you.

[brain_empty]

I don't need that either! I don't need someone to tie my shoes. My procedural memory works just fine.

[writing: "Is he messing with me? Well... only one way to find out."]

[lieindespair]

Well, you managed to put your shirt on the right way, so that much is obvious.

[ He sighs. ]

So does he ever do anything nice for you? Or is it strictly business with you two?

[brain_empty]

He's gonna improve my condition and cure me once he gets his research fully understood! ...I think.

But even if he didn't, I wouldn't care!