✵ 002; [text/anonymous x2] | future dated to the 23rd

[jumyouboshi]

[Today, the network is greeted by yet another anonymous text message. Or rather, anonymous text messages, plural. At first, the memory merging wasn't too bad, but when the 21st happened, it was as if a switch had been flipped for the floodgates to be opened, except instead of water, it was memories. Emotionally engaging and possibly traumatic memories, at that. By then, it was much more painful for the both of them, and very clear that something was wrong.]

Greetings, Hinoto-Ri. Though I understand this may be a confusing time, we have questions we wish to ask of you humans. Or rather, it is because it is confusing that we wish to ask you all.

[There's a pause, and the typing style completely changes to one more rough and commanding. It's as if the COMP...was handed off to someone?]

Refrain from using "human", fool, you're being too obvious.

[And back again. ...Yes. Surely nobody can tell that it's those two. Surely.]

My apologies. But, does it truly matter?

[And again.]

That's irrelevant.

Hinoto-Ri, to be frank: my associate and I have observed an unusual peculiarity relating to memories within this city, and are asking if any others have noticed this as well. How many of you suffer from memories that do not belong to you? Are you aware of the cause?

Comments

[jumyouboshi]

[Well, he has a point.]

I see. But, skills can learned from another's memories as well? Interesting. How proficient are you in your newfound skill?

[otakuro]

I don't really have a good gauge, but... maybe lower intermediate? I can do better than Twinkle, Twinkle.

[jumyouboshi]

"Twinkle, Twinkle"?

[Scarily enough, it's hard to tell if his confusion is from the memory merge, or him being...himself.]

[otakuro]

How I wonder how you are.

[Because even Japanese music started off with that classical favorite.]

...It's a human song.

[jumyouboshi]

I understand. And you had no experience prior to this, at all. ...Is your skill solely based on muscle memory? Or do you have memories of practicing, and draw upon those?

[Normally, he'd be gushing about the whole ~human culture~ and ~music~ thing, but for some reason, he just isn't feeling it. Instead, he's much more businesslike and straight-to-the-point.]

[otakuro]

No... I mean, I've played with a piano before. But never anything like normal lessons.

I remember practicing, but... isn't the point of practice to build up muscle memory? A little of both, probably...

[jumyouboshi]

[...Hm.]

Then, do you think you would be able to retain your skill when this ends?

[He's assuming it'll end. At least, it better.]

[otakuro]

I don't know... It depends on what exactly this is, doesn't it? If it's just some kind of... 'magical memory swap', to be crude, then everything should swap back the way it was. But if we're actually integrating these memories into our neural circuits somehow...

[A short pause.]

Actually, it can't just be as simple as swapping back. The act of obtaining these memories will mean that we'll have memories about these memories, right? Even if they weren't ours in the first place, we've been able to dwell on them long enough that we've formed new connections about them... They might just be with us for good.

[jumyouboshi]

When put that way...you have a point. Admittedly, I am rather unfamiliar with the workings of the human mind. Unless our memories of this entire time are wiped as well, then yes, the memories we have formed about the memories of others will remain as well.

It seems that the strings are related to this phenomenon.

[otakuro]

The strings?

[Because heck if he remembers a plot point that came up all of once ever back when they were first introduced to this place.]

What do you mean, strings?

[jumyouboshi]

[Ah, right. Their conversation with Fumi had been locked. First to Yamato, who told him the details, and then to Alcor himself.]

The strings which only those with a support Persona can see have been tangled, supposedly.

[otakuro]

............The strings that connect us back to our world. Those strings?

[jumyouboshi]

Reportedly.

[In other words, yes.]

[otakuro]

...Why would that cause our memories to be mixed up? It's a tether to our homes, not some sort of projection of data that can get 'tangled'.

...................
............
......
...

Well crap.

[jumyouboshi]

[At least, he can get behind the idea of thinking of the world in terms of data.]

It seems it is.

[Captain Obvious, but...he has a tendency to let others come to their own conclusions, just like the person he swapped with.]

[otakuro]

You'd think they'd have mentioned a piece of information like that...!

[Atsuro is clearly upset, but luckily, a part of his personality right now belongs to someone who almost never loses her temper.]

This has huge ramifications on... everything. The Strings aren't just a lifeline; they must be channeling information from our worlds to direct the state of our existence here. If they get messed up, they change us fundamentally. And they can get tangled?

[jumyouboshi]

According to a description I received, yes, which is most likely the cause of the pain and data exchange we are undergoing. I cannot confirm it for myself, for I do not possess a support Persona.

[otakuro]

...Does anyone know how to untangle them? Is there a Persona skill - Untangle Mysterious Fibers of Reality?

[jumyouboshi]

Not to my knowledge. Though those with support Personae can see them, they are unable to manipulate them.

[According to Fumi.]

[otakuro]

...If it's beyond even the realm of Persona, what could have caused something like this in the first place...?

[jumyouboshi]

The ones capable of granting or manipulating them, perhaps.

[Or something. His normal answer would probably be "aliens Admins did it." But, this seemed to be the natural conclusion to come to. He doesn't trust either Philemon or Nyarlathotep, after all, putting humanity on a game board like that...]

[otakuro]

What would Philemon have to gain from this? Messing around with our memories...

[jumyouboshi]

Who knows? Then again, the same could be asked of all his machinations.

[He gets testing humanity and all that, he really does, perhaps more than anyone, but even he's a bit irked at the implication that Philemon just tosses around humanity's fate on a gameboard with Nyarlathotep. Thank you for enlightening him, Tatsuya.]

[otakuro]

His machinations? You mean never talking to us once except telling us to protect the city?

[Some of us weren't quite so enlightened, Anguished One.]

[jumyouboshi]

[At that, Alcor directs Atsuro to this network post.

Granted, it's only technically witness testimony, that post, but since Saiduq seems to trust him and his words (judging from what he's seen of other network posts), Alcor has little reason to doubt him, even if he does harbor a few doubts about it thanks to a certain someone's paranoid and distrustful tendencies lingering within him.]