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"Huh? Why? You look normal."

[ kicks feet in the air... ]

And you don't?

Regress me far enough, and you'll probably get a giant, mindless bird. I wouldn't know for sure since we try not to make a habit of just sticking anyone in that thing.

"... You lost me. Of course people would become like that when they regress."

[ ??? ]

Why were people freaking out over the rat, then…? I got the sense that isn't usually normal?

[ he is under the assumption that people are scared of furries ]

[ Hien sits there, quiet. ]

"Elysium, I dunno what you're talking about. Can you start from the beginning?"

—No, that's missing the point.

The point's that monsters are subjective. Even without regressing me to my form as an ancient, there're still people out there who'd call me a monster for my condition. It's moot.

[ He'd roll his shoulders if Hien weren't sitting on his shoulder, but there is the twitch of muscle. ]

"An ancient?"

[ He tilts his head. ]

"Are you saying that I can peel you to your little birdie core?"

What all Terrans originated from. People here… are a little different from us, I think.

[ He feels the movement and tilts his head back. There is so much going on with his hair and feathers that Hien is probably fighting for his life just sitting on Elysium's shoulder. ]

But is that what you want to do? Bully me? I thought yesterday would've been enough for you to get out all your aggression.

"Yeah, since you guys seem to have extra features."

[ Feathers and all. ]

"Sorry. All your references were giving me aggression."

[ grats on unlocking his tsun side... Hien reaches over to keep his balance by holding onto Elysium's neck. His feathers... It reminds him.

He leans in to nip below his ear on the jawline. ]

[ WHY HAVE THEY BOTH JUST UNLOCKED EACH OTHER'S TSUN SIDES!!!!!!!

Hien is lucky Elysium doesn't immediately fling him off for that. His hands shoot up instinctively to cup the area—and by virtue, Hien himself. Once the initial sensation subsides, he grabs Hien by the scruff of his collar, pinching it between his thumb and index finger.

With Hien held directly in front of him, ]

Yeah? So you want to incite mine too, huh?

[ He dangles like a cat, nya. ]

"Yeah. I wanna see your aggression. Show me."

[

Okay. He gently presses Hien to his cheek, lets his mouth brush softly over the top of his head, and then… just smiles. A smile Hien can both see and feel. ]

Mhm. [ Like gently chiding a child. ] Back you go.

[ onto his shoulder… ]

[ ........ ]

"Oi."

[ this expression is so funny. ]

Yes? There are nicer ways to get my attention.

"I—"

[ ...

He stops himself. Hien may be small, but his thoughts sound... noisy. Does Elysium want to focus? ]

"Never mind."

[ He hums in acknowledgement, just continuing on in the direction he was already headed.

But focusing on the things around him is just another day—and so is the thoughtsharing mechanic. So, sure. ]

[ Hien quietly sighs as Elysium walks. Hien's thoughts sound like a cacophony of similar voices just blending together. They don't sound like Hien exactly, but...

"I wish he would love me back, but... it's fine if he doesn't."
"Oh my god my phone just died. My login bonus..."
"Will I ever get better?"
"I miss Sophie..."
"If I had all the time in the world, I would want to know everything about you. I love you."
"Did Michelle pick up the baby...?" ]

[ Huh.

Is there one that sounds exactly like Hien's? He's going to ignore everything else in favour of honing in on that. ]

[ They all sound very similar to Hien, but not quite like him. It's hard to weed Hien's specific thoughts in the midst of all this noise, but Elysium will eventually hear something that sounds exactly like Hien:

"People here are so kind, but it's starting to feel like I'm being gaslit." ]

[ They've probably been walking in enough silence that it isn't that strange for Elysium to pipe up with what he does. Eventually: ]

What's on your mind? This ride doesn't come free, just so you know.

[ If Hien doesn't want to talk about it, Hien doesn't want to talk about it. Simple as. He isn't going to force it beyond this. ]

"Huh? Oh."

[ Hien is usually forthright, straightforward, and honest, so it doesn't take much to say what's on his mind. ]

"Why are you interested in me?"

[ It's just that his thoughts either move fast, jump miles ahead without context, or doesn't exist at all. ]

[ That's fine. He'll only address whatever Hien chooses to say, just like how he hadn't acknowledged any of his memories unless he did so first.

He chooses to answer Hien's question with one of his own: ]

Do you think we're similar, Hien?

"I think... we share some similarities."

[ Particularly about the possibility of either of them dying or "leaving" soon.

Yes, that thought is being projected. Didn't Hien say that he didn't die? Yeah. ]

No, it was something else.

[ There's an amused sound all the same, with something like a "Really? That's what he thought of first?" as his hand comes up again to poke at Hien's side. ]

I would've done the same as you. If I had the power to save the people who matter to me… I would try, and try, and try again, no matter how many times it took. I guess I felt something like a camaraderie with you. In that court of law, I could've been as equally guilty.

[ "I don't even remember those times, but my body feels it all the same."

Hien is poked and tries to keep his balance on the shoulder. ]

"No matter how many times they kept dying?"

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