wtssts/src/mute/copy/complex/mistress/01.twee

I'm very nervous. All of them more or less have an idea of my character by now,
\ but I wouldn't expect them to just nod at what I have to tell them sooner
\ or later. I look at Em.

"I'm not talking." -- she's sitting on a bed, keeping a poker face.

The rest of us just sit on the floor, because I was loo lazy to organize
\ any of this properly. I don't think it matters that much, floor is fine.
\ Before me are Old Man, Bunny and Foxy, and there is no one else who can have
\ an informed-- well, -ish opinion whether I've finally gotten off my rocker
\ or not. I'm hesitant, I'm still not sure I'll be able to do it.

"Alright, I'll set the stage." -- Em looks bored already -- "Mute is going
\ to ask me of something unusual. The three of you need to understand the request
\ and approve of it before I'll do the same, because I need a second opinion.
\ Go on." -- and the puck is with me again.

I sigh. Then I sigh again.

> I want agent Mistress to become my

I can't. This is what I want, but how can I tell them? Pulling the trigger was so,
\ so much more easy than this. I type the word and press the button and close my eyes.

"I want agent Mistress to become my owner."

There, no turning back now. I'm off the map, I've never been to such a place before.
\ I look at them, no real surprise on their faces somehow. The jury is silent
\ for a while, then Old Man speaks with calm.

"You don't mean in legal sense, do you? It's just a roleplay like we did back
\ in the bunker, right?"

"Not exactly like that, deeper. I want this roleplay to be as real as it can be.
\ I don't want to feel that I can stop this at will. I want to feel owned,
\ if it makes sense. If there is a way to make it legal I want to do it too."

"Man, I can't approve of that." -- yeah, I didn't expect him to. I did wish him to,
\ but that would be a miracle -- "You are a person Mute, you should stay a person.
\ A free person."

I went all in and I lost, there's nothing more for me to add I guess. What did
\ I say about no turning back? Yes I can, watch me. I turn around and hug my knees.
\ I want them to leave now.

"We don't know you very well, mam," -- judging by the sound direction
\ it's Bunny. -- "but we know Em, to some extent. She can be... really into it..."

~~"I approve."~~

What? Foxy? How? If they are not suprised, I definitely am.

"Please hear me out, I have good reasons."

I can hear her getting up and moving towards me. She stands behind me, between me and them.

"Miss Classified obviously can't talk. I mean besides her being mute, she can't find
\ the strength to defend her position. I think I understand what's going on here
\ so I'll talk on her behalf. If I get anything wrong, please correct me, mam."

I nod. Agent Foxy, I did not expect this from you.

"The three of us are here because this is the closest she can get to a family.
\ Sir, you are clearly a father figure, me and Bunny she considers sisters,
\ not exactly, but to some degree. Just a moment ago she came out before us,
\ confessing something extremely intimate, looking for our approval, literally.
\ To turn her down would be devastating to her, maybe life-changing, maybe even
\ life-destroying. This is really as grave as I make it sound, it's no joking matter.
\ We have to be supportive of her personality, like her life depends on it."

This is not a good reason, agent. You can't do it because you fear for my life, come on.

"This is not a good enough reason by itself, but please listen on. I assume
\ your argument against is a principled one, like slavery is unacceptable, period.
\ This is completely understandable and hard to argue against, but I will try anyway."

She's silent for a moment, others too.

"I did not consider that assignment done. I thought long and hard, I had to really reflect
\ like never before and I understood a couple of things. This is not a surprise for me,
\ I anticipated this situation, that's why I'm not improvising here, I had my decision ready.
\ So, the things. First, miss Classified will never be happy alone, she needs a partner,
\ and not just any partner. Second, my most basic principle is to do good by people.
\ What's bad about slavery is that it's done without consent, and at the same time
\ is miss Classified really free now if she can't give her consent for the only thing
\ that she's certain will make her happy? Who are we really to say no? On what grounds?
\ Is it her life or not? Of course if she was forced or coerced or otherwise pushed
\ that would be a different conversation, but we do indeed know Em to some extent,
\ and I don't believe that she'd do any of that."

Yeah, are you free to give your freedom away, a classic paradox.

"If I deny miss Classified's wish, what can I offer her instead? A life of anti-depressants?
\ A hope that it's a phase that will pass? Myself as her owner instead of Em? None of this
\ is fair trade. Finally, I have one more thing to talk about, Em herself. Like you've said
\ Bunny, she can be really into it, but I don't think it's something bad. She takes these
\ things absolutely seriously, she'd sooner chew her leg off than allow anything bad to happen
\ to those who gave her permission to decide for them. She won't stand for a minute
\ for any breach of the imaginary contract, like you give me your freedom, and I give you
\ whatever it is that makes you happy. And now I come to the most important part. I think
\ Em is not ready to accept miss Classified's offer for whatever reasons, but being
\ a little coward that she is and we all like, she wants to avoid the heavy burden
\ of rejecting you, mam. She wants us to frame for her own faults and I personally
\ do not appreciate it, fuck you Em."

I hear Foxy returning to her place and sitting back down.

"Well fuck you right back." -- Em gets up from the bed and walks towards me -- "I have
\ nothing to say for myself, you are spot on. Don't bother, I don't need your approval
\ anymore." -- she stops near me -- "I'm sorry, Mute. It's not that I'm not ready,
\ it's that you're not ready yet, but I really did want to avoid having to tell you this."

You know what sucks? Being given hope only for it to crumble in your hands.
\ Oooh I'm gonna be very miserable very soon. Please leave. All of you.

"You'll have to prove to me that you are ready and then I won't need any second,
\ third or fourth opinions. Until then I have plans to keep you entertained,
\ I won't just leave you here alone, come on."

I uh...

"And by come on I mean come on, let's go. You live with me now. You want legal?
\ I can make it legal, soon-to-be-private. Up, up, up."

I get up.

"I was worried about you, Foxy." -- Em turns to her -- "It's good to see you're back
\ in shape, I won't be this sloppy next time I need to fool you. Take care guys,
\ make sure to visit often."

[[I follow Em outside.|next]]

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