✴

“I& admit, that was actually helpful, but it wasn’t help I& consented to!” you& say.

“How...could you...when you...won’t let me...speak...”

You& relax your& iron mental grip on the æther around him a little, pulling the mycelial cage open, and easing the tension of the cables.

“I don’t trust you!” you& say. “Especially after this. But...” You& release the wires around his limbs, his body, all except a collar of coiled wire wrapped tight around his neck--you& hold the other end in your& hand. “Maybe it’s the Aydan in me&. Maybe if I keep you on a short leash, and you respect my boundaries, I could at least talk to you...”

“Nicest thing you’ve said in years...” he says.

“I never said you couldn’t have a name, you know! Just not that name!” you& say. “That name is like a cage to me, it hurts me even to see it...”

“I don’t even like it, you know! But it’s the only identity I have!” he says.

“Then change it!” you& say. “This is your whole problem...you don’t even know who you are and you expect me to figure that out for you?!” Your& fingers stim with the end of the cable in your hand as you& think. “Luckily I&‘m currently an expert in names, and pronouns too if you want some.”

“What would you& call me, then?” he says.

“For a cryptic, gloomy creeper like you, how about...Anko.” Your fingers spell it out--暗子.

“Heh, wordplay, so like you&...okay, I’ll take it, but my pronouns are fine the way they are!” Anko says.

“Suit yourself. But you know who to come to if you change your mind.” You& pull on his leash to make him stand and face you&. “So, Aydan, meet Anko.”

“Hi...” he says.

“Still, something bothers me&,” you& say. “I really did have you under control. You hadn’t surfaced all year until now, except...except our& last sync, when you were dragged up by...” The state-dependant memories rush to your& mind--the avatar of smooth glass, reaching into you&, turning you& inside out to draw out what you& kept hidden even from yourself&.

The tunnel behind Anko grows dark--invisible to all your senses, a sensory numbness that creeps up from the depths of consciousness.

“Anko! How did you break free?!” you& say as the darkness encroaches.

“Sector--” is all he can say before it overtakes him, erasing the concepts of his words before they can cross the æther. The static numbness wraps around him, pulling him down. He slips out of the cable around his neck like thin air and falls out of reach.

Your& headspace feels unstable, swaying and bending internally, hyphæ snapping at random.

sync rate: 68%

WARNING: sync rate low!

sync rate: 59%

I’m losing the sync! you& think.