In my defense, we were thirteen. And I am pretty sure I liked her like you'd like a girl when you want to date them. [Homestuck's wild y'all.] Sixteen year old me was assertive enough to decide to go back and rewrite an entire timeline to stop the destruction of the new universe though, so...there's that.
[He laughs at that.] Other John was something, sure. Anyway I'm not exactly sure how, I just know that I think I did. I said I was going to, Dave confirmed some stuff about what he remembers, I remember hopping around the timeline...it was all very confusing.
[There's a pause though.] What sort of power are we talking about here? Does this have to do with your eyes?
What happened to the timeline that caused you to need to fix it, anyway? It was that bad, huh?
[She'll sit up to address his question though. Actually, she'll materialize a bag of chips from a mysterious location next to the couch and pop it open.]
Yeah, it activates along with my eyes. My...power is really terrifying, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I could do some really awful things with it if I were a worse person.
[She'll take a potato chip...and eat it.]
I'm remiss to even reveal what exactly I can do, just because...I don't want you to become suspicious of me at any point.
I'm actually not sure what happened. I just know the whole thing was a huge mess. [Broken planets, dead friends, the usual. Still, he's more interested in this now.]
You're not though. A worse person, that is. [He gives her a skeptical look though.] I just told you I had a crush on someone who definitely got me killed and then was fine with it. Do you really think I'd be suspicious of...whatever it is?
[He just watchs for a bit, listening as she explains and only remaining thoughtful all the same. ] That is pretty scary, yes. If you use it that way. There are plenty of other good ways to use it. Did something happen or did you remember it?
I figured it out the old-fashioned way. One of my many wonderful detective friends helped me figure it out...We did some trial and error.
[Paaaaause.]
Although, even if I used it for kindness...To put love into people's hearts or...whatever. I'm still manipulating them. It's wrong on any level, isn't it?
Kyouko, actually. I guess she's not really a detective in the professional sense, but she has detective sensibilities, or something...Although I wouldn't mind Naoto taking a look at me too...
[blinkblinkblink]
Are you saying I should open an...emotion store, or something?
Oh. I didn't know you guys knew each other. [...he can't help but snicker under his breath because yeah, he's sure you wouldn't, Ayano. Anyway.]
It's a thought? That one girl on the network offered to put people to sleep when nightmares were a huge problem. I'm sure some people might find it helpful. I'm just curious how it works exactly.
How does anything work in this world? Maybe my eyes establish some kind of...connection? To my mind and theirs...[Or there's an evil, magical snake living inside of you.]
...I bet I could relax people who are stressed out, or cheer up people who are struggling... The power of love...
[Nodding along because yeah he knows how Kyouko works, she barely tolerates him sometimes.]
You could, maybe. It would be kind of an awesome ability to have. [...on the other hand.] Can you only imprint on people? Or can you like feel their stress or worry and know what they're thinking and stuff too? I know you said it was reverse empathy but I wasn't sure.
So far, I think it's just a one way street. I can imprint feelings on other people, but I don't feel anything back.
Which...I'm kind of glad for. I think it would be really emotionally taxing to have other people's feelings thrust upon me all the time.
[Chomps a few more chips.]
Maybe I should make a network post and like...ask for advice? Or offer to help people...
I think...I can finally be useful. If you think about it, I'm pretty powerful. If someone tried to attack me, I could just give them the sensation of being horrified until they run away. [She says this in an unsettlingly matter-of-fact way.]
It sounds like it would be draining. I feel bad for anybody who ever has to deal with something like that. I can barely deal with my own shit sometimes. [He's wiggling up on the couch to get closer...and take a few chips for himself.]
You could. Have you met Elliot? He asked people for help when he got some of his magic back. I can imagine at least a few people would be okay volunteering if they knew exactly what they were getting into. And while you could do that, that's also not really your style, I think. But you could definitely help people. It's a lot of power and responsibility and bluhbluhbluh.
[Get your own, Egbert. She'll retaliate by grabbing at his coke.]
"Barely" is giving you a lot of credit. [And a playful shove.]
I think I might do that, if I can help people...well, I want to.
I'd do it...if my life depended on it. It's kind of interesting...Having a power that others can't really fight back against. I have so much power over everyone, even now.
. . .
. . .
And so much...responsibility. [She's careful to say this as dramatically as possible.]
[Wow rude? But also fair. She's helping herself to his coke and he'll take a few more chips, so there.]
Thanks a lot. [Sticking his tongue out! But also yeah...he knows.] Does that actually bother you? Power and responsibility. I can't think of a lot of people who could handle it very well and would mostly try to help people.
Okay, okay. I definitely believe you, but serious, find people to practice with before you do that. Powers take time, especially big ones like yours. But it is a pretty cool destiny, I have to hand it to you. I find it hard to believe you'd ever really be a selfish person anyway.
I think it's probably possible between you and me. Emotions are usually easily influenced and stuff, so if you thought about it enough you could probably tip someone into liking you. That's the whole thing about being careful.
Have you had any memories of the other you using the powers before?
That is incredibly mysterious. I remember all of my powers because I've seen myself using them in memories. [But hm. Interesting...]
Trial and error isn't bad, Ayano. It's the only way to make it work. [On the other hand, he pauses because that's a whole other thing.] ...I won't lie and say I'm not curious about it, but are you sure? How'd it go with Kyouko?
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[folds her arms.]
You don't think...Hmmmmmmm....
Other Johnathan should've been more assertive too.
Not that I know him very well, I guess...
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[Homestuck is definitely wild. Too wild for this girl to parse.]
I...take it back? Other Johnathan is pretty great, I guess. [Raises up her hand with a thumbs up.]
Good job.
How exactly did you rewrite time? That's a pretty cool power to have, dude.
[Which reminds her...]
Way cooler than mine.
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[There's a pause though.] What sort of power are we talking about here? Does this have to do with your eyes?
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[She'll sit up to address his question though. Actually, she'll materialize a bag of chips from a mysterious location next to the couch and pop it open.]
Yeah, it activates along with my eyes.
My...power is really terrifying, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I could do some really awful things with it if I were a worse person.
[She'll take a potato chip...and eat it.]
I'm remiss to even reveal what exactly I can do, just because...I don't want you to become suspicious of me at any point.
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You're not though. A worse person, that is. [He gives her a skeptical look though.] I just told you I had a crush on someone who definitely got me killed and then was fine with it. Do you really think I'd be suspicious of...whatever it is?
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[Points her index finger at his chest.]
Reverse empathy? [Slowly draws circles with her finger.]
Or...I'm a monster that can live inside your heart.
Fear, anger, sadness...I'm not...great at it, but in theory, I could make you feel anything that I wanted you to feel.
I can take control of other people's emotions. I can think of the scariest time in my life, and fill you with that same sense of fear in an instant.
[Quirks an eyebrow.]
Scary, huh?
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[Paaaaause.]
Although, even if I used it for kindness...To put love into people's hearts or...whatever. I'm still manipulating them. It's wrong on any level, isn't it?
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I think if you call it manipulating, yes, it's wrong...but what about if a person asked for it? Would you still consider that manipulating?
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[blinkblinkblink]
Are you saying I should open an...emotion store, or something?
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It's a thought? That one girl on the network offered to put people to sleep when nightmares were a huge problem. I'm sure some people might find it helpful. I'm just curious how it works exactly.
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I'm basically her assistant. [She's not.]
How does anything work in this world? Maybe my eyes establish some kind of...connection? To my mind and theirs...[Or there's an evil, magical snake living inside of you.]
...I bet I could relax people who are stressed out, or cheer up people who are struggling...
The power of love...
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You could, maybe. It would be kind of an awesome ability to have. [...on the other hand.] Can you only imprint on people? Or can you like feel their stress or worry and know what they're thinking and stuff too? I know you said it was reverse empathy but I wasn't sure.
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Which...I'm kind of glad for. I think it would be really emotionally taxing to have other people's feelings thrust upon me all the time.
[Chomps a few more chips.]
Maybe I should make a network post and like...ask for advice? Or offer to help people...
I think...I can finally be useful. If you think about it, I'm pretty powerful. If someone tried to attack me, I could just give them the sensation of being horrified until they run away. [She says this in an unsettlingly matter-of-fact way.]
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You could. Have you met Elliot? He asked people for help when he got some of his magic back. I can imagine at least a few people would be okay volunteering if they knew exactly what they were getting into. And while you could do that, that's also not really your style, I think. But you could definitely help people. It's a lot of power and responsibility and bluhbluhbluh.
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"Barely" is giving you a lot of credit. [And a playful shove.]
I think I might do that, if I can help people...well, I want to.
I'd do it...if my life depended on it. It's kind of interesting...Having a power that others can't really fight back against. I have so much power over everyone, even now.
. . .
. . .
And so much...responsibility. [She's careful to say this as dramatically as possible.]
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Thanks a lot. [Sticking his tongue out! But also yeah...he knows.] Does that actually bother you? Power and responsibility. I can't think of a lot of people who could handle it very well and would mostly try to help people.
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John, this power is my destiny. Sometime, somehow, I'm gonna use it to do something that only I can do, and solve something that only I can solve.
[That...didn't exactly answer his question, but she pumps her fists as if it does.]
I promise not to use it selfishly!
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[Hummmmms]
...I can't help but wonder if I'd be able to make someone like me, though.
[Scratches her cheek with her index finger]
Not that I want to try, or that I'm going to, but...Kind of an interesting thought. Maybe that's more power than anything else.
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Have you had any memories of the other you using the powers before?
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[Tugs on her scarf. Yikes.]
None. Not yet, at least. I can't even tell if I have them in my memories or not. It's all very mysterious.
Like I said...it's all trial and error. [An inquisitive look.]
You know...I could practice on you, if you wanted...
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Trial and error isn't bad, Ayano. It's the only way to make it work. [On the other hand, he pauses because that's a whole other thing.] ...I won't lie and say I'm not curious about it, but are you sure? How'd it go with Kyouko?
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[Ayano sits up straight and proper with her hands on her knees, giving the blankest expression she can muster without cracking.]
"Hm. Interesting."
[SNERK.]
She was fine, so...you probably would be too.
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