Chapter 19 - It seeks Answers from School
Chapter 19 - It seeks Answers from School
It grants Clarity.
“What do you imagine for your future?”
Janitor: “Are you talking to me?”
“Correct.”
Janitor: “Is this a prank?”
“Incorrect.”
Janitor: “Okay, what was that you asked again?”
“It reiterates: what do you imagine for your future?”
Janitor: "...The future, huh? Well, I’ll be damned if I haven’t thought about that for a long time.”
“Incorrect. Janitor will not be Damned regardless of any duration between thoughts.”
Janitor: “Well, that's good to know. I suppose.”
“. . .”
Janitor: “I remember back when I was your age, I thought a lot of things about my future. Not many of them came true. And now, I think I wouldn’t have wanted them to anyway.”
“Understood. The future is changing and cannot be predicted.”
Janitor: “You can say that again.”
“It refuses.”
Janitor: “Nowadays, though... if I think about what I want for the future... I think I just want to retire. And have a place in a nice neighborhood. Even if it’s just rented. And I want to see all you kids running around and playing in the streets and laughing and smiling without being afraid of nothing.”
“Understood.”
Janitor: “And what do you imagine for your future?”
“It does not know.”
♢♢♢
Teacher: “Hm. What does it mean to want something? Now that I think about it, that’s a very hard question, Thia.”
“Correct.”
Teacher: "...Maybe I should give the class an extension on this assignment.”
“Incorrect. The Terms have been set. They cannot be changed.”
Teacher: “I don’t think the class would be happy if they ever found out that you’ve been turning down extensions on their behalf.”
“It reiterates.”
Teacher: “Is there anything that you want, Thia?”
“It has no Wants.”
Teacher: “What about the things you don’t have? Is there anything that you’re missing?”
“It has no need for Anything. It has received Everything from It’s summoner, Dad.”
Teacher: “Well, that’s... that’s something very precious, isn’t it?”
“Correct. The Price is enough to Task It to remain in this world until It’s summoner has departed.”
Teacher: “And there’s nothing at all that you’re missing in your life?”
“It seems to be missing Mom. But It now knows which afterlife holds Mom’s soul. It posits that Mom is thus not missing.”
Teacher: "...Oh... Thia... It’s okay. It’s okay to miss your mom. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“It does not like to be touched.”
Teacher: “Of course. I won’t overstep.”
“It reiterates: what does it mean to Want something?”
Teacher: “I guess wanting something means trying to get something that you don’t have, and trying not to lose something that you already have.”
“Understood.”
Teacher: “So with that definition, can you think of anything that you want?”
“It does not know.”
♢♢♢
“What is your perception of Self?”
Chef: “Man, I don’t get paid enough for this.”
“It does not understand the relation of payment to Self.”
Chef: “Of course you don’t. You’re just a kid.”
“It accepts the premise. Continue.”
Chef: “I’m on break. Can you go ask someone else?”
“Understood. It will ask someone else.”
Chef: “Wait.”
“It will wait.”
Chef: “Sorry. Come back. What was the question again?”
“It reiterates: what is your perception of Self?”
Chef: "...Well, currently my perception of self is being a complete and utter, gaping as—”
“It reminds that such language is forbidden by the Terms agreed upon with School.”
Chef: “Right. Well, how I think about myself changes every day. Maybe even every few minutes. Like, right now. I’m feeling like a sh—like a pretty bad guy.”
“Clarify: why does Chef feel like a bad guy?”
Chef: “Because I was just mean to a little girl who came to ask a question.”
“Understood.”
Chef: “That doesn’t bother you at all?”
“It does not.”
Chef: "...Okay. That’s something, at least.”
“It reiterates: what is your perception of Self?”
Chef: “Sometimes I feel like I’m worth something. Like I’ve made a difference. Like I’ve done things that make people smile and makes life a bit better, even just for a little bit. Days like those, I feel like a decent person, you know?”
“It accepts the premise. Continue.”
Chef: “Other days, it feels like I’m just circling the drain. Wasting my talent. Going nowhere. On days like those, I feel like I’m just any other cog in this soulless corporate hellhole.”
“Understood.”
Chef: “Did you? Cause I don’t.”
“It still does not understand It’s Self. But It now understands two states of Self described by Chef.”
Chef: "...Oh god. Don’t let me poison you, kid... there’s other kinds of selves too.”
“It listens.”
Chef: “Some people do good things and think of themselves as good people. Some people do bad things and still think of themselves as good people. And some people do good things without thinking about themselves at all. Selfless, they call that. To help other people without thinking about themselves. I think those are the real good people. Even if they don't think of themselves that way.”
“It accepts the premise. Continue.”
Chef: “So I guess... I guess it doesn’t really matter what you do. People are going to think of you whatever which way, no matter what kind of good things or bad things you do. You can’t stop them from making some kind of judgment about you. So I guess your self is just how you see yourself?”
“Understood.”
Chef: “Good that one of us did.”
“It believes that Chef’s Self is that of a good person.”
Chef: "...Well... good that one of us does..."
♢♢♢
“It will offer a Price of knowledge in return. What does Classmate wish to know?”
Classmate E: “The price? I just want to send the same questions right back. What about you? What do you want? What do you imagine for the future? What is your perception of self?”
. . . “It does not know.”
Classmate E: “Seriously? Are you seriously being serious? You approached people for the first time in your entire life. And you asked us all these questions. You turned the whole school upside down. And everyone had the goodwill to give you thought-out answers. And all you have to say is: "I don't know?"
“It did not lie.”
Classmate E: "Jesus Christ, Thia. Can't you put even a little more thought into it?"
“It has spent every moment of the past three days and two nights Seeking out the Answer to this Truth.”
Classmate E: “Seriously?”
“It clarifies: It has never been Tasked to question It’s Self. So It has never had reason to seek out what It Wants, what It imagines for the future, or the Truth of It’s Self. It has since fully allocated It's Time to Seeking the Truth of It’s Self and finding an Answer. Currently, It's best Answer is: ‘It does not know.’”
Classmate F: “Hey. You know... it's not like we have all the answers figured out either. Most of us probably just spouted some random bullsh—”
“It reminds that such language is forbidden by the Terms agreed upon with School.”
Classmate F: “Anyway. If you don't know, you don't know. But I appreciate you asking, and I appreciate you telling the truth.”
“Understood.”
Classmate G: “Yeah, I was shocked out of my mind when I saw Thia standing in front of me. I thought, ‘for sure this is when she mindbreaks and finally goes on a killing spree.’ But then she just wanted to talk.”
Classmate H: “Really? you thought Thia was going to be the next school shooter?”
Classmate G: “Well. Shooter? No. Stabber... maybe? She kinda has that Wednesday 'I'd stab you just because it would be interesting' vibe. Same haircut, too, minus the braids. Look, I'm just saying. She looks like she could stab someone.”
Classmate H: “I've never seen her even swat at a mosquito.”
Classmate C: “Yeah, Thia is really nice. She just lets the mosquitos go back outside.”
Classmate I: “That's not nice, that's like, bioterrorism. I think even Buddha would kill a mosquito.”
“Buddha would not. It has asked.”
Classmate I: “Pfft. Yeah, alright. If you say so. But 100% of Earth's population thinks that the only good mozzy is a dead mozzy.”
Class: [General murmurs of agreement]
Classmate A: “No, wait. Everyone wait. Wasn't that a joke? I think Thia actually just said something funny.”
Classmate F: “Oh wait, you're right. Ian totally laughed.”
Classmate I: “Yeah. Cause she’s funny. Look mate, if you just think of Thia like the straightest straight man to ever exist in comedy, it turns out she’s actually pretty goddamn funny.”
Classmate G: “I told you she was like Wednesday.”
Classmate A: “Thia, say something funny.”
“It refuses.”
Classmate I: “Barking comedy gold.”
“It lacks the necessary biology to bark.”
Classmate I: “Guys. What’d I tell you?”
Classmate H: “I think Thia’s more like a hamster. One time I gave her a strawberry and she threw a spider out the window for me.”
“It clarifies: the Task was to remove a spider from the classroom. The Price was one strawberry.”
Classmate A: “Who said Thia wouldn’t hurt a fly? Come out. Show yourself. She threw a spider out the window.”
“It clarifies: the spider was unharmed and lived out the remainder of its natural life.”
Classmate H: “Well... actually... I remember it got eaten by a bird like 30 seconds later?”
“It posits: death from one's natural predator constitutes the end of one's natural life.”
Classmate H: “Pfft. So it wasn't your fault? Not even a little?”
“Correct. It did not compel the bird. It is blameless.”
Classmate I: “I’m dying, guys.”
Classmate C: “She really is like our class’ Wednesday. It's kind of wholesome.”
Classmate G: “Right?”
Classmate E: “So if you give Thia strawberries she'll actually do things?”
“Correct. If the Ask is small enough, strawberries will suffice.”
Amy: “Hey, hey, hey don't go getting funny ideas, okay? She's a person, not some kind of strawberry golem. Also: hi, Thia.”
“It greets Amy. It clarifies: a strawberry golem requires written instructions on the strawberry. It has no such limitation.”
Classmate E: “Pfft. Seriously? So you'll actually do things. But people have to feed you strawberries first?”
“It clarifies: a sufficient Price includes, but is not limited to, strawberries.”
Classmate A: “Oh my god, she’s just a straight up merc. The Strawberry Mercenary of Class A.”
“Correct.”
Classmate I: “I’m seriously going to roll. What was I saying? The straightest. Of. Straight. Men.”
Amy: “So what's everyone all gathered around Thia for?”
Classmate C: “Thia was just asking us all questions.”
“It confirms.”
Amy: “Oh okay. Y'all have fun, then. Don't let me get in the way. I'll just... find something to do until you're ready to go home.”
“Understood.”
Classmate C: “Thia... you're not going to stop her?”
“Correct.”
Classmate C: “Thia, I think Amy's jealous that you're with us and not her today.”
“It does not understand.”
Classmate E: Seriously! Don't you have any heart for romance?! Normally when the girl is jealous and storms off like that, the guy will run after her and pull her into an embrace. ‘Saranghae. Amy-ssi, you're my number one.’ Like that.”
“It refuses.”
Classmate I: “Pfft.”
“Clarify: jealousy is the fear that that which belongs to you will be stolen by others?”
Classmate G: “Wait, is that what jealousy means?”
Classmate I: “Are you serious? Read a book, you moron.”
Classmate H: “Yeah, that's what jealousy means. But also, Gabe, you should read more. It's good for you.”
“Understood. Then Amy cannot be jealous, because It cannot be stolen from Amy.”
Classmate C: “Oh my.”
Classmate I: “Flockin' eels, she's an ice cold flirt too.”
“It retracts Clarity.”