chlorokyll | inbox (duocaeli)

[Hard not to read that and think about the Twice Upon a Time stipulations, all those doubled up memories, alternative lives. He never had that problem before now. It's pretty bullshit that he has to do it with the wildest deviation yet.

The worst part of that deviation is finding his name in places it shouldn't be. On the spine of a book in the library, in searches through these mystic mirrors they call phones and computers. He shouldn't be here, in more ways than one.]

I don't know who can see it's there. I don't want anyone knowing my name unless I tell it to them myself, and I don't want anyone to find me unless I want to be found.

You know what I mean?

The answer is that anyone who is like us - that is, brought to this world against their will - has one of these smart phones and can therefore see your information pre-loaded into the directory.

You wish to be more surreptitious. I understand. Is there someone you're hiding from?

[ Who would some little wooden puppet have to be afraid of, Knives can't help but wonder. ]

I don't know exactly? But I don't want to take any chances. Sometimes people seem totally cool at first, but then by the time you realize they're not you're in too deep and you can't get out. And some stuff came up recently and I don't want to deal with it.

I can't hide what I look like so the best I can do is come up with a fake name or something. Can you help me out?

[ Oh, if only this poor little puppet knew who he was talking to and how the very thing he's describing might happen in two-to-four business months. ]

You're quite paranoid for a child. [ Like Knives himself wasn't the most paranoid child in existence. Moving on— ] I assume this has to do with things that took place before you arrived here?

[ Meaning it might be a non-issue, but it also might not if someone from his world joins him.

Either way, this is a simple ask, so Knives proceeds to list out detailed step by step instructions for how to go into the smartphone settings and change the display username.

Does he need to bother with something like this? No, not particularly. Does he have anything better to do at the moment? Also no. He's busy grinding levels online and can easily multitask. ]

[C': oh what tangled webs we weave.]

Look man if you knew the shit I'd seen you would not blame me.

Kind of both before and after? I don't know, I just don't want to give up the power position while I've still got it.

[But lo, he asks and he receives!! Pinocchio happily follows the instructions to the letter, and yet the second he goes to type in the namefield?]

>>@ ACTUALPINOCCHIO_4ReaL

[Too fast for him to have typed, immediately reflected on Knives' phone. Pinocchio squawks and hurriedly types.]

sorry one sec

[He taps the namefield again. This time:]

>>@ LiterallytheLivingPuppetBoy111

>>@ Fromthestories.hesEscaped

>>@ SomeonecallTheAuth0rs

WHY IS IT DOING THAT?

[ The power position? While Knives has never quite heard it described that way, he can guess at what the child means, but he doubts that he possesses any such thing.

Meanwhile, Knives actually pauses in said level grinding to watch as the HUD display with the text message box changes usernames at a rapid pace, each one more interesting than the next. This is all meant to imply that this is the real, actual Pinocchio, who's escaped the story he's from?

Sometimes perhaps the simplest explanation is the true one. ]

I could not say. I did not realize that it would continue to suggest other options for you, but I suppose this is helpful information for the future.

[ He'll be leaving his username as is, thank you very much. ]

You are the boy from the fairy tale? How is that possible?

[HE COULD, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT.]

Don't ask me! I didn't ask to be brought here!

[wait hold up]

So you've actually read it? You know who I am?

Why didn't you say anything?

You ran off, and I was already in the middle of something. I assumed that I could question you about it at a later time.

[ And here they are. ]

I remember the story from long ago, and only in a vague sense. But it seems that you are entirely aware of the fact that you are a fairy tale come to life, is that correct?

[Please hold, he needs to mash his face into a cat cushion and scream.

Okay he's done. It's good, it's all gravy, he's not being presented to the Authors on a platter. Presumably. Knives is kind of intense but he doesn't seem like a snitch.]

Okay I'm gonna need you to zip it on that whole thing. I DO know that I'm supposed to be in a story, but I KNOW I shouldn't know, and now I'm stuck here and I don't know if someone can just wipe me out of existence or make me forget again, and that's gonna fuck everything up if it happens okay?

Let's just say things went really wrong and a bunch of us are trying to fix it. Cool?

[ Knives is intense, but he also knows nothing about any Authors, so it's fine. Probably. ]

In other words, you are a creation that has stumbled into its own free will.

[ A tale as old as time, it seems. ]

And in your belief, what would constitute "fixing it"?

[Wow we have so much in common Mister Knives!!!!!!!]

Honestly man we just want a shot at a good life.

Like why does Red's grandma have to get eaten alive just because she strayed from the path a little bit? And why does Rosamund have to fall asleep for a hundred years and get a bunch of nasty ass briars growing out of her just to find a boyfriend?

And that's all stuff that's supposed to be normal for us. The shit we're in now is way worse, and because of that some people wanna erase all stories forever so they don't have to go through it anymore. And there's people who want things back the way they were, even if that means we don't get to choose anything or get punished for bullshit reasons. And I guess there's people who just want to hurt everyone because fuck it, if you can't pick what you are and you're stuck being a loser or a villain, what's the point of being alive?

It's not fair. And it's not right.

[ This is a lot to be sent by a boy he barely knows, the messages streaming in one after the other. It seems that he's already learned plenty about how to use that phone of his, then.

Knives doesn't have context for most of this, yet the child acts as if he does. There are bits and pieces that sound familiar, but his memories of those stories are quite faded by now. ]

Then you have all become aware that your stories are predetermined rather than weaved by your own decisions or will and are aiming to break free from that yoke? Is that correct?

[ What a predicament to be in. For all that Knives might be opposed at every turn, at least he still feels like he has some say over what the future holds. ]

That's right on the money yeah

[Perhaps this isn't such a wild concept to a...god?

Is he in the land of gods or something? What is he compared to everyone else here? What are they to him?

H e l p this is so much philosophy and he literally has no brain]

[ For all that Knives has built himself up to be worshipped like a god, it's not quite the same. He is deciding the fate of others, but not in such a direct way as this Pinocchio has implied. He's not literally writing out the details of people's lives, so much as conspiring to bring an end to them.

He's never heard of such an ability, and he's tempted to brush it all off as absurdity. This boy is making it up so that he doesn't have to speak to the truth of his situation.

By why create such an elaborate lie? Usually one would opt for something more believable. ]

It is entirely possible that I will not be the only one to recognize you. Even if you do successfully change your display name.

yeah i kinda figured. Can't hide being a goddamn puppet, even in the Ahn world. Or Avisle? I don't get what we're supposed to call it.

You think I should just own it then?

"On" world, you mean. As in online.

[ This puppet knows nothing. ]

Own it? As in cease trying to hide what you are? Yes, I believe you should, but I have also never seen any need to obscure my true nature.

[That's why you gotta learn him something.]

You were born as Millions Knives?

[KINDA WEIRD BUT OKAY.]

[ That's a more loaded question than this little puppet boy could ever guess. And at first it seems like Knives might not even respond at all, like he's had his fill of putting up with Pinocchio for one day. ]

No.
But it more accurately embodies who I am. If you feel that you will also be your truer self by picking your own name, then far be it from me to stop you.

Really? I didn't see any knives. Do you collect them?

I guess. I mean I've already told people my name before I realized they had my book here. I'd probably sound like an asshole trying to go by something else.

Unless you think I could pull off "Dasani?"

I create them.

Dasani? What is that?

[ Is this supposed to mean something to him, puppet boy. ]

Right on.

[He does not get it but you do you man.]

I don't know. I saw it on a water bottle. I thought it sounded cool.

If that is the only criteria you require for a new name for yourself, then do as you wish.

Now, I have a boss enemy to fight.

[ If any more messages come in, he won't reply to them. Bye! ]

inbox (duocaeli)

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Is he grinding levels or grinding for gacha waifus

LEVELS OBVIOUSLY!!!!

uh huh

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neverafter spoilers ig

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