Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

"Can I get one more thing quick? Want to get a bit of guidance."

"I can do a reading for you, just a moment and.."

The entity slides you a tarot card.

"No name or number?"

"You know what it is in your gut, no?"

The World, one where you can't tell up from down.

"This really is the end.."

"For now but.. not forever. I'll say this while I still have the chance though, you're the client that makes me wish I understood people more."

"Nothing says you can't, right?"

"I don't know if its possible but.. for a friend? I'll try. Now then, time to step up to the plate."


[image description: A abstracted humanoid creature, the lower half of a person both up and down. A corruption of the Tarot Major Arcana, "The World" ]
 

---

 

The dream ends, you feel yourself lumped in the sand underneath you.

You're in the physical world, conversation around you.

Bucket: Need you to do me a favor, take a quick look at him for me..

Manzana makes her way over to you quickly, examining your face careful.

[image description: First half of imagine. Styx wakes up in Charon's body, look on his face panicked. Reverse shot showing the focus of his attention, Manzana with her hair a mess and her eyes obscured by glasses. ]

The sight of the rabbit makes your chest hurt immediately.

For a moment you thought it was him but..

Styx: I'm sorry...

The rabbit recoils at the realization.

Manzana: Who are you?

Styx: Styx, it's a long story-

Bucket: A guest so long as he stays in line. You're a bit of a expert on the nature of entities, aren't you?

Manzana: I know a bit but.. where's Charon? What went own in there?

Bucket: That's something I cannot say for sure. He'll return soon..

The dog gives you a mean look.

Bucket: Won't he?

Styx: Safe, off handling some business for awhile. What exactly I'm not entirely sure but... introspective in nature... the castle operates as such.

Bucket: Mm.. and he better return perfectly intact. Manzana?

Manzana: Mm, I'll gauge as best I can. Don't really got the tools on me to be thorough right now but-

Bucket: We can worry about that later, just need a current status.

Manzana: Feel like a mess.. how do I look?

Bucket: More like a Judge than anyone else right now\

The rabbit gives you a apologetic look before placing a hand on the side of your head. You give her a shrug in return and tilt your head to give her a better look at your eyes.

You sneak a glance over her shoulder, Opera and Geezer whispering amongst themselves. Fenton seems to be doing his best to try to listen in.

Styx: I assure you I don't want to be the one here right now but I do owe him quite a bit..

Bucket: You owe him everything for not smothering you a second time.

Styx: Would you?

Bucket: Without hesitation, but for his sake I'm at least giving your offer a chance. Don't need to give him more reason to distrust me..

Styx: Then we're in the same boat, he's spared us both.

Bucket: Spared you? Perhaps. Given me a chance, one that I wish not to test-

Styx: Spared, a chance, in our context both of those are the same. I've seen the boy while he's mad and I assure you Mr. Hero could've cut you down at anytime.

Bucket: I don't think he's reached that point yet-

Styx: Compared to me you're not much more than a summer ant. He bested me ten years less wise and you would not fare better.

Bucket: ...You're the one who taught him to talk like this.

Styx: Have to grow a spine to keep up with me, anything less is asking for trouble...

Bucket: Don't start-

Manzana: Excuse me, all wrapped up. Caught a few interesting details.

The rabbit gets back to her feet and looks over at Bucket.

Bucket:  So?

Manzana: Superorganism. Charon, Styx, every proxy, the hammerspace those guys share.

Bucket:.... No.

Manzana: Can't really force one out of the equation, they've got a symbiotic relationship keeping each other healthy.

Bucket: The entity-

Manzana: Styx.

Bucket: Styx is a invader.

Manzana: Not really? For all intents and purposes he's a proxy with extra steps.

Bucket:...No.

Manzana: Happens sometimes, whether you like it or not he's your kid too.

Styx:.. I'm hundreds of years old-

Manzana: The original Styx? Probably. You're like... a weird mix of parts of the original and Charon's version of you. Just like our current Charon and the other proxies are parts of the same original person.

Your body starts to ache, your chest pounds, you feel like curling up.

The rabbit immediately squats down and puts a hand down on your shoulder.

Manzana: Hey, you're okay....

Styx: I'm... not real?

Manzana: You are! Just.. not exactly what was there before. Like..

Manzana: You think a 10 year old and that same kid 30 years later are the same person? A lot changes, bunch of your cells get hit by the ship of the theseus, but you're just as much that person as you aren't. Like layers on a sedimentary rock...

Styx: I've already lost myself so many times, how would you even begin to understand-

Manzana: Cause me and Plat are in the same boat. Try to think back, remember something.

Styx:  I've been a serpent, a dragon, a bird, a rabbit...

Styx:.. Still cling onto the rabbit thing a bit admittedly..

Manzana: Yeah? Dopple?

Styx: Different kind, lopping ears but from much further out-

Manzana: Ah, Conedic.

Styx: Oh? You know?

Manzana: Yeah, been abroad a lot. Ali used to take me everywhere but now it's just us two..

Styx: Mm..

She looks over at Bucket. The dog's expression strongly dampened by guilt.

Manzana: Go fill in the others, wanna talk in private with him a bit. Sure you could use time to process things too.

Bucket: No kidding..

Manzana: You uh.. going to be okay?

Bucket: I've a lot to atone for...

Manzana stretches out her arm to you.

Styx: A fool to offer a hand to one like myself you know..

Manzana: Consider this a contract then. I'm gonna take you out for breakfast, you talk to me for a bit.

Styx:...That benefits me more than it does you.

Manzana: Relationship building, I've got plenty clients of my own.

Styx: Does pay off in the long run..

Manzana: So?

Styx:... Fine. I'll allow it.

Manzana: Good. Plat will meet us there.