selfconcept | purgastory >> inbox

[ oh, sweet lucien... By the time he gets there, he's just sitting at the edge of the riverbank, drying off with some kind of expensive looking haori. If he saw Tobari earlier, he can recognize it came from him.

He looks like he's spacing out, but that's not really anything new. ]

[carefully approaches...]

Hien? How are you feeling?

[ Hien turns his head, his eyes of the usual weird checkerboard pattern and distorted voice with static when he speaks. ]

"Hm? Fine. It doesn't hurt anymore. You came to check up on me? Thanks."

Well, I was worried. [to be blunt.] May I ask what happened? All I know is that Lemuen helped you.

[a beat]

Though of course, if you're occupied [staring into space?] then you needn't let me distract you.

"Oh. I ate the keys that the cage people were stuck in and I think Lemuen tried to get it out of me by running me over with her wheelchair. Didn't work out, so I got dumped into the river."

[ mumbles about how he'd rather she just finish him off right there. damn. ]

Er, what? [HELLO?] Why... did you do that?

"I thought it was a fun idea at the time."

[ To spite Tobari. ]

I'm afraid I really don't follow.

[ ? ]

"It means what it means."

[ He is, in fact, not some benevolent alien. ]

[the good news is that lucien is used to eccentric so this is at least not as bizarre as it could be. this sounds almost like something mael would do if he really felt like it.]

I see that Lemuen was perhaps justified in running you over.

"No, she was definitely justified and I don't blame her for it."

[ Let's not be 'mayhaps' here. Hien fully knows what he did. Consequence facetanker... ]

"I can't cough out the keys anyway. It was gone to the void from the moment I ate it."

To the void? I take it that's literal and not a metaphor for your stomach?

[although this is clarifying some things about hien's gluttonous nature, maybe...]

"It's usually both, but this time was literal."

[ He can, in fact, have a normal human stomach. He still eats a lot anyway. ]

... Well, I suppose that means we don't have to worry about a swallowed key upsetting your stomach.

[seems like that'd be bad for digestion!]

"I ate a plate my first day here."

[ Does Lucien understand him better now regarding this. ]

[HE SEES.]

Was that a fun idea as well?

"It was fun at the time."

[ He is made of whimsy, but he ate it because his food was on it, so he just ate the whole thing in one go. He is a vore monster (derogatory)(comedy relief)(also dangerous). ]

[a pause.]

I suppose that if you're enjoying it and it's not hurting anyone, then there's nothing wrong with you doing as you please.

[even if it's. weird.]

"I would normally not like to hurt people, but if it happens, you can call me a scoundrel."

[ He won't deny his... aggression, so to say. ]

[honestly, hien saying he doesn't want to hurt people (even if it's with the implication that he might) gets him kudos from lucien, whose standards are not high here, so he smiles.]

Haha—I'll keep that in mind.

[ Oh, he will. Don't worry, Lucien. ]

"Thanks. I know I can count on you."

[ oooouuughhh lucien is soooooo cuuuuuuute

Despite everything, there's a pressure weighing on his chest--it's a similar feeling when you usually feel anxious. Have fun physically feeling that, Lucien. ]

[I SEE. he is no stranger to anxiety but this onset does not feel like it's coming from him, so.]

... Pardon, but I have to ask again—are you all right?

[ Hien pauses, considering if he should tell Lucien or not.

... ]

"Remember when I talked about the inevitable end when all my other selves die?"

... Yes.

[said unhappily not because he wishes he didn't remember but because it's still bad!!]

"There are two of them that live really, really long. Almost impossible to die. They have the desire to live... one of them isn't there anymore."

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