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[Oh, hey X. You're looking... kinda different? He's actually in his armor, for one, and he seems to have... invested in new contacts? Jeez, X, red's a pretty sinister eye color. Might wanna reconsider that one.

He doesn't appear to be in his room, either. People who know the school reallly well might recognize the truancy office. ~~Or recognize Resetti's holes in the ceiling.~~]

I guess I'd better introduce myself sooner rather than later. My name is X. I'm what you might call a reploid, if any of you are familiar with the term. If you're not, I suppose it'd be simplest to just call me a robot. I'll be joining this school's truancy staff. I expect, of course, that I won't be all that busy. You're all dedicated students here, I hope?

[Is there an implied "or else" in there? No, of course not. Nice reploids like X would never do something like that.]

There's... something a little unusual that I'd like cleared up, actually. I was familiarizing myself with the school's records, and I was more than a little surprised to note that I'm apparently already here; there's an X listed in the enrollment records. Is this some sort of filing error?

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[...Yeah, Just look at yourself staring back at you Copy X. Just with green eyes. And no armor (though his armor is clearly in the shot, sitting in a neat stack near the diagnostics console).

And with a wired connection.

...Though what the hell, this is like looking into the uncanny valley. Seriously, X finds himself in absolute shock for a few minutes before replying, his expression of surprise making it in the beginning of his feed:]

No, it's not.

[But what were the odds of another machine who looked just like him (but in...rather strange armor) going to the same school?) It was simultaneously exciting and...somehow a little uncomfortable, in a weird way.

Maybe his aesthetic design was based on his? Yeah, that had to be it! After all, why else would they have the same name, and strikingly similar features? Though wow, small world.

Still, this was awkward. But at least he'd try looking pleasant.]

Um...hello, sir. I'm the X that's listed in the records. It's...nice to meet you.

[It's nice to meet you, Mr. Robot who looks just like him in weird armor.]

Edited 2012-10-16 18:25 (UTC)

[HOLY PISS IT'S THE REAL X.]

[It seems impossible -- this is a solid, subtantial, living X, here, right here -- but it has to be. Their faces are identical, except for the eyes. (His are green. The color they should be.) The armor's a little hard to see, stacked off in the corner somewhere, but it looks to be accurate for sometime in the Maverick War era. Why isn't he wearing it? Is he embarrassed about it...?

More importantly... because he isn't wearing it, it's even more obvious this one's real. There aren't a lot of records of X out of armor -- you'd have to be special to know little things like what color his hair is supposed to be.

This has to be the real thing. It has to.]

[So the obvious thing to do, then, is correct this misunderstanding before he lands himself in trouble. Just explain that he's not actually X, he's just a replica -- if he'd known that somehow, the real X was actually here, then... well, he just has to tell the truth, right?]

[But then...

X calls him sir.

The original X calls him, the imitation, sir.

Like he's somebody important. More important than X himself. Like... like even he believes that Copy is actually X. How backwards is that? An imitation will never be above the original, right?

But... if this X had armor from the Maverick Wars era -- if this X wasn't a Cyber Elf -- then... he wouldn't know, would he? It's just a small little word, probably said unthinkingly, but it hits him like a bolt of lightning. Some part of him had obviously always wanted to outshine the reploid whose shadow he'd been stuck in all his life, but he'd never actually dreamed the original would...

And just like that, a thought pops into his mind: a perfect copy is indistinguishable from the real thing, right? What if... what if...?]

[There was no need to fake the look of surprise and awe on his face, of course -- that was genuine. He did, however, modify it juust a little: add in a very deliberate note of confusion.]

Unbelievable... you look just like I did centuries ago.

[X, after all, was the only familiar name in the school's records. Zero, Ciel, Weil... none of them had popped up. Even if someone from Copy X's own time were here, the general public had never actually known of his existence.

He... had a once in a lifetime chance, here. Nobody knew what he really was. And if nobody knew he was a fake X... what was stopping him from being the real X, as far as everyone here was concerned?]

You're... you're really me, aren't you?

[Wait.

What.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a cotton-pickin' minute!]

[X had seen some strange things here. Some rather strange things. Magic, anthropomorphic hedgehogs, pokemon, and even a strange item that allows inhuman beings to become human.

But time travel?

It was true that there were various means of time travel, and many theories attached to it, though nothing was conclusive. And say that someone several hundred years in the future could invent time travel just to go back in time to a strange place between worlds to work as a truancy officer; that was all well and good, and could be probable, X supposed.

But what about the whole fact that what he was proposing was that they were, in fact the same person? Sure, there was the Novikov Self-consistency principle (IE: everything a time traveler did was meant to happen anyway, and caused history to go through *because* of his time travel), but wouldn't that have been too farfetched?

Then again, all time travel concepts were pretty farfetched, whether it was the Multiple Universe or Multiple Timeline hypotheses, but it had to be something.

If X had a stomach, it would have clenched. As it stood, his body heat was rising and his fans were audibly trying to cool him off as his insides sparked with excitement.

Was he really looking at himself, or was it an uncanny facsimile with a different eye color?

Either way...he clearly looked just like he did hundreds of years ago (hundreds? Was X really going to live that long?), and they had the same name...]

[Still, if it was him from the future...

Or even an alternate timeline...

His tone was almost a bit giddy, even if the clear confusion was in his voice, surprise, shock, and a thousand other things shining in his eyes.]

I...I don't know, sir. I could be. I might be.

[...Was it really that easy? X was accepting it that quickly? That... wasn't what he expected of the legendary oh-so-wise founder of Neo Arcadia. Somehow, some part of his mind had maybe built the real X up to be infalliable just by virtue of being X. To think he might actually be so easy to fool...

Copy's... actually kind of getting a rush out of this. He may actually outsmart the original! He's not in the clear yet, of course -- he still needs to tread carefully. He keeps his demeanor calm, maintaining a look of composed but interested contemplation.]

You definitely look the part. This obviously isn't 23XX, so I suppose I can't say it's impossible that my past self might be around... or maybe calling you my present self makes more sense?

...If you don't mind my asking, what has your life been like up until now? If your experience lines up with my memory, then I'd say we're one and the same.

Edited (TYPOS EVERYWHERE...) 2012-10-16 23:01 (UTC)

That, or you're me from another timeline. That's just as credible, isn't it? Some theorists say that time travelers meeting their past selves already create a separate timeline just in that act alone, after all.

[He can't believe it. Is he really talking to himself? Or an alternate-self? Either way it's still him, or at least someone who looked like him.

Though why would someone who looked like him keep insisting that they were the same, even when they weren't?

Well, maybe telling him a bit about himself would clear things up.]

Either way...Until recently, I was working as a lab assistant to Dr. Cain in Abel City. I was discovered and activated several years before that.

[Assistant to Dr. Cain...? No mention of Maverick Hunting? My god, this X was a clueless little baby. No wonder he lapped Copy's story up without so much as batting an eyelash. The thought had almost never occurred to him -- X had been around for so long and held in such high public regard that it was easy to think of him as just having always existed as some sort of patient, wise saviour, but... well, he must have been clueless and new at some point, right?

This...

This couldn't be any more perfect. Suddenly, Copy X was the more qualified, experienced one. How could anyone possibly dare to call him naive when the real thing was this clueless? More importantly... how could anyone use X as a measuring stick when he was already so far ahead of the original thing?

There was no way Copy X was letting this slip through his fingers. Oh, no, he was gonna make the most out of this.]

Then... Reploid Independence Day hasn't even happened yet? Ah... maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Dr. Cain has already begun production of reploids, I presume? Or are they still in development?

Reploid Independence Day?

[Is that some sort of holiday? Obviously, it's an important event...

The confusion on X's face is clear, anyway. I hope you're satisfied with yourself and the questions you're stirring in his head right now, Copy X]

Reploids are in development, and have been out for some time, but...I don't know anything about that.

If it hasn't happened yet, then there's no need to worry about it.

[Wow, he really is green. Forget joining the Hunters, they probably don't even exist yet for him. No crisis experience whatsoever, no combat training, no leadership skills, nothing. This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?]

I'd explain, but... well, it's a lot to put on somebody all at once. You'll be ready for it when it comes, I can promise you that.

[A shroud of worry flits over X's features at those words.

Really, Copy? No need to worry? You're talking about the Reploid who's known for being a deep thinker and worrywart, of course he's going to worry.

'Ready for it when it comes'...huh.

...

Maybe he needed to keep a close eye on things back home, maybe call Dr. Cain, see if everything was all right...

That look of determination he's so known for falls over his face, eyes lowering as he gives his 'Other Self' a nod.]

...All right. I'll take your word for it.

Thanks, Other Me.

[That name hadn't meant to be derogatory in any way, mind. Almost a joke, teasing and ironic in nature. Surely his Other Self would get what he was trying to say?]

Edited 2012-10-18 02:38 (UTC)

[Other Me...?

Any other individual, and it might have seemed a little dismissive, maybe, but this individual... wasn't really an individual. This was how Copy X defined himself, after all. Hearing the original say it was like the ultimate vindication. This was exactly what he wanted. There really wasn't any difference between the two of them!

At the same time... it'd be a lie to claim there wasn't a vague little stir of dissatisfaction, too formless and elusive for Copy to want to acknowledge. There... really wasn't any difference between the two of them?

...No need to go showing that off, of course. He just leans back in his chair and laughs a little.]

Other Me, huh...? Is that what you're going to call me?

Unless you'd rather go by something else? Or I go by something else, instead. I'm okay with either.

[Well, at least he seemed to get the joke. Still, calling him 'Other Me' all the time would be rather...strange? X couldn't seem him doing that forever.

But what could he call him? What was the appropriate thing to call him?]

[Funnily enough, Copy X was having the opposite problem. He was strangely reluctant to make up some other name to assign to himself -- his reason for existing had always been simply to be X. Given how fragile that illusion was in this new place, he clung more tenaciously than ever to that frail little thread that defined him.

As wary as he was, though... he could see that something would have to be worked out eventually. Copy X glanced away, putting on a casual air. No big deal, right? Right.]

Well... it's just a name, isn't it? I see no need for you to change on my behalf. You can just call me whatever you feel like calling me.

'A rose by any other name', huh?

[Still, that did seem a little...odd. Names were important, X had always believed that; the way someone referred to themselves was one of the ways they showed their individuality, showed themselves in the ocean of faces that made up the world (and with Reploids, many of whom were 'born' on assembly lines, that was one of the only surface things that differentiated themselves from others of their make and series).

Even if he himself was lax on which of them had a specific moniker to differentiate themselves, he still felt that one of them should have a specific name.

Maybe something happened to him in the future (whether his direct or an indirect, alternate one) that caused him to change his view on that.

Though still...mildly strange.]

Still...I'd feel weird calling you something like 'Other Me' all the time. Even if you are me from the future, we're still different now. I'm sure you understand.

[He ponders for a moment. Really, something felt wrong about X...'naming' himself.]

But...I guess I'll just...call you...

[He pauses, pondering for a moment.]

How about 'big brother'?

[Quickly, almost by reflex:] We not that different, are we?

[A perfect copy in every way, after all. Still... is the original serious? Big brother? He's calling some eight-year-old knockoff his big brother? It wouldn't quite fit if Copy really had been the future X, and it completely doesn't fit a reploid who doesn't actually have any relation to the real X besides an outward resemblance.

...What a naive kid.

He almost wants to laugh, to tell X not to be that absurdly trusting. He just met the guy and already they're apparently siblings? It's like he actually wants someone to take advantage of that wide-open oblivious attitude. Think for yourself, little legend, or somebody's gonna spoonfeed you mouthful after mouthful of rat poison! Trust him, he's been there before!

But, well... anything that makes Copy's job easier, right? The original's trust is exactly what he wants, after all. Who is he to question an undeniably good thing?]

If that's how you want to see me, then that's what I'll be, X.

[...Wait. Wouldn't calling him that make things more confusing? ABORT. ABORT.

Have an awkward laugh, Copy.]

Actually, okay, maybe that is a bit ridiculous. I guess 'Other Me' will have to do until something gives, even if I don't like using that. Calling you my brother might just make things more confusing, in hindsight.

[Though his response...he didn't respond to the nickname, but he responded to...

...Huh.

His surprise by said question was clear on his face, too; he hadn't expected that sort of reaction.]

But, yeah. I'd say we'd be pretty different. You're several hundred years older than me, so obviously we'd be pretty different, just in experience alone.

I can't expect that I would have stayed exactly the same for several hundred years, after all.

That's certainly true, but we're still the same person, aren't we? It seems to me we'd have far more in common than not.

[Forget all the rest. This is clearly the most important point, here. CLEARLY.]

[Oh yes, Copy, clearly.

Honestly, why did his older self care so much about something like this?

This was just perplexing, and a bit...strange. Yes. He'd stick with that word for now.]

Well, yeah, I guess that's true.

[Seriously man, what's his beef?]

[Good. Okay. Original X is in agreement, all is right with the world.]

That doesn't mean I'm not interested in the differences, of course.

[It's important to know what he needs to change, after all. Seems like step one is going to be acquiring some human clothing. An entirely unnecessary step in his eyes, but it's the original setting the precedent here.]

For example... you don't seem to care much for your armor. Are human clothes more comfortable for you?

[Well, looks like he was interested in them, after all. Did X misunderstand?

...

And....huh. Strange. Wouldn't he know this himself? Shouldn't it be him from the past asking him from the future about the changes? Not the other way around?

Well...maybe he had hiccups with his memory.

But wouldn't he have gotten proper maintenance to prevent that over the years?

Maybe something happened to prevent him from getting proper maintenance, or maybe it just slipped his mind.

Either way...another thing to add to the quirks and curiosities about his Other Self.]

Well, yeah. Aren't human clothes comfortable for you, too?

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[aaaand done]

[1/??] (And now it's Jen's turn to TL;DR)

[2/3] I actually did research for this tag.

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For all your trying to rationalize it, X, you're still trusting as all hell ._.

WELL COPY SURE AIN'T COMPLAINING...

SOB. Poor X.

HE BROUGHT THIS ON HIMSELF

THIS IS VERY TRUE.

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This tag took me way longer than it should have. @_@