On his mun's reaction to the fact that he's getting a you-know-what next season

[numbersnfigures]

I think it's possible that you're more excited about this than I am.

What you're feeling is called transference. You're viewing this woman as a proxy that you can live vicariously through during our courtship. Unfortunately, this sets nearly astronomical standards for her to live up to. If she's not "good enough", you'll be incredibly disappointed and come to dislike her.

... W-Wait, why exactly are you wanting to live vicariously through this woman?

Comments

[leftinbasketforfbi]

Probably the same reason my mun wants to live vicariously through her too.

[And Reid likes his mun even less than you probably like yours.]

[numbersnfigures]

Which is?

[Maybe this is the mun projecting onto the muse, but Reid thinks his mun is generally pretty good to him. He doesn't have many complaints, considering the situation.]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[He scrunches up his face in a way that implies he doesn't entirely understand and he's really trying to.] She says we're 'pretty.' And 'sweet.' And 'smart.' I think they want to live through a love interest because they think we're the ideal love interest for them.

[This Reid does not like his mun. His mun put him in a post-apocalyptic game where he's already killed a man with a crowbar and he doesn't remember a damn thing about himself. He's calling himself 'Seshat' in there, for Christ's sake.]

I... really don't know what they see in us that isn't in other geniuses?

[numbersnfigures]

Oh.

[Pause. Scrunched up confused look.]

Really?

That.. explains a lot, actually.

[This Reid's mun is very careful about the places she puts him. In one place, he's actually incredibly happy and about to propose to his girlfriend. In the other... well, he just got there and is being held captive and forced into some kind of weird arranged marriage, but it's more awkward than torturous. Plus he has a thriving musebox relationship that includes a growing family. It's clear what kinds of things his mun wants to play out for him. He's not complaining too much because he knows how much worse it could be. But, different strokes.]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

It does, doesn't it?

It also raises a lot of questions, but I'm not sure we'll get answers for those. This roleplaying and torture, they're are very strange ways of expressing their... uh, their attraction [It feels so weird to say it like that. Why are these people attracted to him?] It can't possibly be indicative of a completely healthy mindset.

[Reid gets whiplash from his mun. On one hand, she consistently plays out perfectly healthy and enjoyable relationships with a woman and with Rossi (which he still doesn't get in the metaverse, but it's nice when he's actually in that universe without the memories of a mun, he'll admit) as well as a healthy, close friendship with a felon (it works), and on the other hand, she's made him succumb to schizophrenia, forget all memories, die more than once (how does that even work), become a slave (four times), got him addicted to Dilaudid all over again, and so on and so forth. He doesn't know what to think of it all.]

[numbersnfigures]

No. Though mine doesn't torture me. She just puts me in relationships with different women - none of whom have been insufferable. It's a vicarious thing, though the interesting part is that she's chosen to play me, not the woman that I'm with.

[As his mun said, different strokes. His mun's extremely protective of him.]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[Reid can't help but blush a little.] My mun has tried playing the opposite partner before, but apparently, those 'threads' have never lasted. Maybe this way, they have more control over the fantasy?

[numbersnfigures]

You (I?) could be right. Something like a sexual fantasy can be incredibly specific. They would want to be able to control how it's played out.

[Maybe if he acts like this isn't him they're talking about, he can maintain a clinical composure.]

[leftinbasketforfbi]

[This Reid is trying to detach himself from this. Why can't they ever have any normal fans?!]

Exactly. So it's either be in control of us, or discuss the fantasy with another mun without using us as a go-between. Considering how socially awkward many muns are, the latter option would be extremely uncomfortable for them.

[numbersnfigures]

I concur. I suppose that they could always write "fanfiction" though. So why have they chosen to RP instead?

It feels like a more real experience to them?

[leftinbasketforfbi]

I would suppose so. It gives it an illusion of their being a participant instead of a voyeur.

[...Oh God, he can't do this.

Give him a second to rub the bridge of his nose. WHY THEM?]

[numbersnfigures]

Y-Yeah..

[His facade is cracking. This is insane.]

I think we're supposed to be flattered, b-but this is.. it's weird.

[leftinbasketforfbi]

Normally, I'd consider some kind of interest to be a compliment, but this? [He suddenly knows what all the stalking victims they come across feel like. He is thoroughly creeped out, and his speech comes faster and more jumbled.] I-I can't exactly--I mean, I-I've tried to find a way out from here, but all my headmates just keep telling me that the only hope we really have is for our muns to lose interest because there doesn't seem to be a way out--they control us utterly. What, what can you do when someone else has control over everything you do?

[numbersnfigures]

[Spencer shakes his head.]

It should bother me more than it does... shouldn't it?