MARIE CATCHALL

[fleshedout]

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[fleshedout]

Oh.

[Well, here's a face she knows. Though...which one could it be?]

They've got a bunch of stuff here. Nothing grabs you?

[classmate]

[ She can recognize the woman by her voice alone, not even giving her a glance. ]

Don't have shit to make bombs or music, so I've got nothing to do.

[fleshedout]

[..............Ah.]

[Her.]

[Well, she's not going to beat her up. She's not going to kiss her, either.]

Are those the only two things you're interested in? What kind of music?

[classmate]

[ BRO!!!!!!! NO KISSING!!!!! ]

Why do you care?

You wanted to beat my ass, didn't you? That's what you and me agreed on.

[fleshedout]

You remember that?

[Just tilting her head.]

[classmate]

All of you think it's just "Marie" and "Other Marie", huh?

I guess it doesn't help that she's fuckin' pathetic and doesn't know shit.

[fleshedout]

Then what's the truth, then, if you're not an "other Marie"? Someone else?

[classmate]

Marie Mizuguchi. Wicked, a member of the Ostinato Musicians.

But, if you're wondering, there's no "real" one. I'm the Marie who lived her actual life, whereas that tramp is the one who lived the life of a normal girl.

μ put a lock on her memories, but now that I'm here it seems like it's shaken me awake... too bad!

[fleshedout]

[Huh.]

So that Marie is the fake one, and you were the one suppressed under the brainwashing. Is there a reason why you can't gain full control?

[classmate]

Didn't you hear me?

There's no "real" one, so there's no "fake" one either.

[fleshedout]

So you're a big hot mess.

[Said deadpan.]

[classmate]

Yep!

Fuckin' sucks, but y'all got two options: kill me or deal with it.

[fleshedout]

[STARES AT HER]

Do you want to die?

[classmate]

You're gonna care about my answer after your first response is to knock me out?

[fleshedout]

Have I knocked you out so far?

[classmate]

You want to, don't you?

You don't have to lie.

[fleshedout]

[She tilts her head at that.]

It's an option. That's the truth. But it's hardly the only one.

[classmate]

...

You wanna know something fucked up?

[fleshedout]

...

Sure.

cw for domestic abuse

[classmate]

Haha, of course. Normally if someone wanted to know about me I’d have them come torture a few people… see if they’re as fucked up as I am. [ She sighs. ] But I’m tired.

My dad used to beat me all the time when I was little. Then he went and got arrested for burglary, so my mom just turned around and started beating me like it was my fault.

My mom ran out on me one day after screaming about how much she hated my face… never figured out what the hell she meant, but I guess it doesn’t matter. My grandfather was forced to take me in after that, though, and he just did the same thing they did — but he’d at least hit me where no one would see.

[ I’m scared… I’m lonely…

Why did she ever agree to help a virtual doll who could feel everything she refused to say? ]

Just when I thought all those memories were wiped clean they come tumblin’ back. And then to make matters worse — you remember me talkin’ about that virtual world, yeah? Turns out that the easiest solution is just killing me.

I’ve been kicking and screaming my whole life, but it didn’t matter if I was a saint or a sinner. At this point I’m convinced that I was just born to die a painful death.

[fleshedout]

[She listens - not impassively, not at all, even if her expression only shifts into a slightly deeper frown throughout it all. When "Marie" finishes, Hot Pants is silent for a moment.]

You've been treated like trash your whole life, and then buried because that's what people thought you deserved. [She doesn't know computers. She doesn't know things like "deleted" or "purged" at all, but in her mind...the brainwashing she got, it was just to "erase" her in a sense, wasn't it? To make her play a perfect part.] Speaking as a sinner myself...even if people treated you like that, it doesn't mean that's what you are, or meant to be.

[She pauses for a moment.]

You...you just weren't given a chance. Nobody gave you that.

[classmate]

Yup, and I’m never gonna get one. So I think that warrants being pissed off at the rest of the world, right?

[ She tosses the deck of cards onto the table, scattering them before leaning back in her seat. She releases a long sigh. ]

I feel stupid talking about it. Forget I said all that.

You all like Marie, right? I’ll give you a hint — until something “fun” comes around I’ll just sit back and watch, otherwise you guys can have her.

[fleshedout]

[She glances at the scattered cards, before walking over, taking a seat nearby, reaching for the cards to put them back in a pile.]

...I don't know. I find you more interesting than "Marie", if you want me to be honest. [A huff.] I think it's hypocritical to think that we should accept a rose but ignore its thorns.

[classmate]

Makes sense. Ask and she’ll tell you she doesn’t think she’s all that interesting, either.

[ Like it’s a legitimate thing she tells the protag it’s so funny. ]

Well that’s all they wanna do. Your friends, I mean.

[fleshedout]

Guess we're in the same boat of not interesting, then.

[She's shuffling the cards, now.]

As if they're all my friends. [(hot pants voice) I HAVE NO FRIENDS except Buzen since I admitted that] It's easy for people to make kneejerk first impressions. That's human nature. But its their folly for not digging deeper.