Superego

>Cherry: Totally beef it.









"So, is everything down here administrative stuff?"
"Er, or, everything that's SUPPOSED to be--"
"Not everything. But a lot of it, yes."

God, small talk is so awkward. What do you even say to him? He doesn't make it easy. Why did you agree to work with such a weirdo in the first place??

>Just say whatever. Who cares if you say something weird to him? After you get out of here you're gonna try to never see him again, after all.



OKAY HERE GOES

>"So what else is supposed to be down here?"



"Oh, just a cafeteria, a records room, staff rooms, you know...for believability's sake. Sorry, I bet you expected something exciting."

>"What are your thoughts about the state of this run?"



"It's been quite interesting."
"Interesting...?"
"I mean, of course it's gone too far at this point. Why else are we down here? But I'm going to get some valuable data out of this, no doubt about it."
"If this thing even survives, you mean!"

>"So, what do we do if there's something in the way?"



"What if the switch is all bugged out? Huh?"
"I...suppose we'll have to call everyone down here and we can all try to brute force our way out, possibly using the remaining administrative controls."
"You have other controls? Why don't you use them?"
"They're strictly last resort. It's too dangerous to try and edit a simulation while it's live and people are inside it. I'd rather try all other options first."
"And what if THOSE are unusable??"
"I...don't know."
"Gee, thanks, doc!"

>Sam: "What do these letters here stand for?"



"IPS stands for 'Integrated Psychological System.' That's the full name of the virtual reality program."
"There's also PTP, which is 'Personalized Test Piece,' a.k.a. your individual rooms."
"Finally, SRU is 'Subconscious Retainment Unit.' Below this room is where the shadows were supposed to be housed at the beginning of the sim."



"But you and they were very much out and about when I awoke...That's perhaps the biggest discrepancy between this session and how it was supposed to go."
"Oh, I, er, uhhhh..."
"Ideally, I would've woken first, come down here, made sure everything was set, and then let them out, waiting for everyone to wake up after me."

>ask if grey has one of those other versions like everyone else



Instead of voicing your newfound fears that you perhaps ruined everything, you ask this instead:

"So, do you have a shadow?"



"No. Why would I? I'm the therapist in this scenario, not a client."
"I guess it was a silly question..."



"Let's see here..."

>Be suspicious of Grey. These answers seem a little off.



You've never trusted himt3o*B^eG0(&+in((03*1#-1=!=0&w$$!$(#+IIii-@#$@@=+0!HH







"I still don't know what to do."

>"How AM I supposed to leave? What's this solution you think I'm missing?"



-i

There is a pause.

-i dont know for sure
-you dont know for sure
-we need to
-cooperate
"Yes, that's the 'goal' here, right?"
"But everything feels so impossible...Oh, listen to me! When did I get to be so defeatist?"

>Didn't Percy come along to be dragged into this mess? There are people here who can help! Who want to help!



"I suppose I could start with the people who would potentially want to help...Ah, I just feel so ashamed talking about it. I can just hear them now...'I had no idea! You seem so happy; are you sure you aren't just exaggerating?'"
".......?"
"Doesn't that seem possible?"
-only one way to find out
"..............?!"
"Mr. O'Neil seemed nice enough. But he's here to help himself too. Should I really impose on that?"
"...........H...........n...........!!"



"Where did he go, anyway?"
"......Helen.....!!..."
-down there
"What?"



"Percival?!"
"Oh, thank goodness! I was beginning to think you'd never hear me!"

>Give her a hug. It seems like she really need it.
>awwww! percy give her a hug
>There's times where hugs are what is necessary... this is one of them.



>There, there...



So you talk. And talk. And talk. About various things. But mostly him and all the things he says.



Can you abuse someone with words and actions, not violence? Of course, says Mr. O'Neil. You had never really thought about it until now.

But you guess it makes sense.

He says he can relate. He feels he's been too cruel to his wife. You tell him to work on that, and he says he intends to try as hard as he can as soon as he wakes up in the real world.

He also tells you to call him Percy.



You need to come to a decision, but it's so hard.

Your children...you wanted them to grow up having a loving family that could give them anything. And you suppose they are grown now, but...shattering that illusion feels painful.

But you have to, right?

You can't keep surviving every day with him and feeling like you're worth nothing for all the hard work you do.

You're not stupid. You've been through a lot. You've learned a lot. Just because you don't have a job or a driver's license doesn't mean you're worthless.

But it's so hard. He can give you anything.



You need to come to a decision.

You need to get out of there. For your sake.

For the first time in your life, you need to put yourself before anyone else.

But what do you do? What can you do?