cartesianism | Final Trial

Final Trial

It takes a few minutes after everyone talks with the generic mannequin. The easygoing conversation, the bragging from Gant, Keith's exasperation, it all stops when a very heavy and ominous presence fills the room.

"I think it's about time this circus stopped"

It's the Sergeant. He's standing on the doorway, arms crossed. The shadows on his face wriggle, he seems to be rather furious, but is restraining himself from lashing out

"I should have guessed you bunch would take advantage of all that noise and ruckus to sneak in here. I was careless, I admit. 'Oh, this is over in like four hours, it will be okay if I step away to deal with that'. Careless."

Slowly the Sergeant enters the workshop. Behind him, the door slowly disappears, fading away, until where the door was now there's only a smooth wall. The Sergeant raises an arm, the entire room shakes.

All the mannequins fly up to the ceiling, the one that was now Damon Gant turned back into the empty husk the mannequin was before. The one with a t-pose has the same fate. Once all the mannequins are up on the ceiling, the operation tables are uprooted, bolts and screws flying around. The tables are twisted in the air, formed into knots, disassembled and assembled all over again, until several rustic podiums are formed and deposited on the ground.

Seven podiums, with him at the center. The Sergeant crosses his arms and speaks:

"Get on those spots. Tell me... ...how much do you know?"

Is it a rhetorical question? Who knows. You still have to answer, though

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Are... are you trying to say... you did all this to help us?

In some way, yes.

[May be good to know his definition of "helping" is way twisted]

You were going to need all the help possible to be able to do whatever you want out there.

[YEAH... way twisted...]

Out where? What was gonna come after this?

The world outside. You'll live the rest of your lives and do whatever you want, following your desires and striving to reach the satisfaction you'll crave no matter what.

It just so happens it'll be at the cost of the lives of many people, getting rid of social stability, and most likely causing a domino effect that will end in the progressive destruction of the world.

No big deal.

Um. If you think that's what's gonna happen, you're wrong. There's no way I would help destroy the world.

It already has happened. [One of the screen clears, the percentage of completion appear] See that big, nice 80% on your name?

The corruption you'll receive the moment you exit the simulation is very strong. What you don't want right now will become instinctual to you. You already showed you can do certain actions. With the right push, those actions will become everyday for you.

Don't worry, I have the utmost faith on you. You'll do a great job.

[his brows furrow. Osomatsu is probably one of the most selfish people out there. so what the Sergeant is saying could be possible, especially if he had a push, especially if he was given corruption. he grits his teeth]

I don't want that kind of praise from you! [he wants to throw something at him, but he doesn't have a Certain Object. just those papers. they don't go very far when he throws them]

I'm afraid you already got my praise and much more. You have a medal, don't you?

You're getting out this simulation in matter of hours, and then...welcome to the rest of your life.

You're so sure that your plan's gonna work! But I don't think it is. I think we're all gonna get outta here. [somehow. now he's mostly stalling, probably, listening to the others around him] And we're not gonna be enriched, or doing whatever you want us to do. Sure, we'll be changed because of this experience, but that doesn't mean we're gonna be corrupt.

Right. As if.

[That doesn't sound as biting as Sergeant would have preferred. Maybe he's aware of that]

Did you really change in any other manner?

[a pause as he takes a moment to calm down. deep breaths, don't lose your cool in front of the Sergeant. that happened already]

...I think so. I made. Friends. I discovered that people like me, and that made me... feel better about myself. These people here... [he gestures with his arm to the others] I care about them, they're like a new family.

That's...rather sappy. Almost too much.

[Doesn't sound like he's really intent in mocking that, though. Sarge is at a loss for a moment before deciding to do something:]

What about your past family, Osomatsu?

[One of the screen show a lot of names. It's indeed all of Osomatsu's brothers]

You want them back? I can give them back to you. I do have their minds stashed away, after all.

[yeah, it was pretty sappy for a guy like him. but he means it, at least]

...Are they just copies, too? The real ones are still in my world, aren't they?

Copies or not, they're the real deal. A copy family for a copy like you.

[He shows an image of them all together]

How about it? Leave the simulation, and I'll give them to you. Intact, no corruption. All brothers gathered back together, in the real world, living real lives.

[he's a copy... so the real him is out there somewhere, and his family is, too. maybe they're safe! he hopes, at least.

he's quiet for a few seconds, hands gripping the podium]

...If I'm just a copy then... It doesn't matter if I exist, or not. It doesn't matter if I get out. It doesn't matter if I don't get to see my brothers.

Come on! You'll get the chance to have a real existence. The moment you leave this simulation, Osomatsu Matsuno will exist. Your entire family can exist too. It's an easy choice, isn't it?

Having a body, being out there, that's what makes you real. You'll exist.

[he closes his eyes briefly, then looks up again at the Sergeant]

What's the point of existing if we're doing what you want? If I go out there, I'll be a ticking time-bomb!

[ That gives a pause. ]

You'll be working towards a real goal with your now-real loved ones by your side. Isn't that meaning in itself?

[ The question seems genuine. ]

[HM]

Now we're just goin' in circles. Because what it all comes back to is that you created us for a purpose. If I go out there, I'll still kind of be working for you, 'cause I'll be full of corruption. And I'd rather be my own boss, you know? Besides, what's the point of living out in that world if I'm supposed to help destroy it? If I'm corrupted... I'll hurt them. I'll hurt my brothers.

It's not going to be that bad. Think of it like this:

[In Osomatsu's mind, images appear. They're supposed to be tempting, but Sarge isn't the best at familial relationships, it seems]

You, your brothers, working together. They'd want to help you, wouldn't they? You heard what Karamatsu said. They look up to you, they'd want to be by your side while you do your thing.

So what if it's causing the downfall of a world? Isn't what you want more important than that?

[those images... make him laugh lightly. maybe they're supposed to be heartwarming, but the Matsuno's family dynamic is... weird...]

What I want is for them is... to be safe, most of all. Also, they wouldn't follow me like you say they would. If they found out I was trying to destroy the world... they'd beat the shit outta me, without hesitation. My influence over them isn't that strong.

[Sarge seems to try to hide how disappointed he is at that, but he recovers quickly]

...it's possible if I force things a little bit. [He pats the screen] Most of what's going to twist your mind is leadership and encouraging others to do what you want. Not so much as a leader, more like a...a bad influence on other people.

[More than Osomatsu already is. Gotta amplify those bad traits]

Ahhh! Wouldn't it be nice to be a cool leader? [he's already manipulative as is, so he'd be extra manipulative, it seems] To not be so lazy, to have all those people lookin' up to me. I could get 'em to do what I wanted, maybe I could even get Totoko-chan to myself.

[he laughs, to show he's not serious, then rubs under his nose]

It's too bad that I know I'm a clone. 'cause, right now, I know I'm not real. And that means that I don't wanna do anything. In fact, you could destroy me right now, and I wouldn't give a shit. It doesn't matter!

You're really going to let your existence vanish like that?!

[He sounds actually kind of horrified]

[why are you scared, Sarge? all your hard work, going up in flames]

Is something wrong with that?

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cartesio - 2018-11-24 19:53 (UTC) - Expand

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relieable - 2018-11-24 19:57 (UTC) - Expand

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