Chapter 1 Part 21 - Alter-Ego
After our encounter with Natsuki, Monika and I walk towards Elizabeth.
I should probably check on her.
We walk to the living room, where Elizabeth is working on banners.
"Hey, Elizabeth." I say casually.
"Elizabeth?" She replies questionably.
"Yeah, you. How are the banners coming along?"
"Wait. Who is Elizabeth?"
Monika puts her hand to her chin. "Yuri." She says inquisitively.
"Yes?" She replies calmly.
"You really have no idea who Elizabeth is."
"No. I've never heard of her! I swear!" Her cheeks begin to redden.
"It's fine, Yuri." I say, calmly. But on the inside, utter confusion flows through my head.
Where did Elizabeth go? If this is really Yuri, then where did she go while Elizabeth was here?
"Do you remember what you did yesterday?" I ask.
Yuri has trouble with her reply. "Ahhhh…" She stares into blank space.
After a few seconds of silence on Yuri's part, she responds in a panicky tone. "I'm sorry! I don't remember anything from the last few days! I swear!" Yuri panics apologetically.
"Yuri, it's fine." Monika replies reassuringly.
"We just kind of didn't expect you to be…" I stumble.
"Well, it's complicated…" I grunt.
"What are you hiding from me?" Yuri is surprisingly direct in her inquiry.
Then, of course, she once again collapses into apology. "I'm sorry! That was too forward of me! You don't have to answer my question if you-"
"It's fine, Yuri." Monika interjects. "We'll tell you."
Yuri nods, as to imply she's ready for whatever we tell her.
"Yuri, we have reason to believe you're being possessed," Monika says.
I guess that's kinda true… In a way…
"Possessed?" Yuri is clearly startled. "What… What do you mean?"
I decide to pitch in. "We mean, in the last few days, someone else has been operating your body. In your place."
Yuri gasps.
"That's been happening for the last few days?" She asks in partial fear.
"Yes." I say bluntly.
Yuri goes into a deep train of thought. Meanwhile, in my head, the only thing I can think of is whatever happened to Elizabeth.
"So then…" I question. "What did it feel like in these last two days, then? I mean, when Eliz- When you were being possessed?"
After thinking about it, Yuri gives a reply. "Well, come to think of it, I still have memories of the last few days, but…"
"But what?"
"They're kind of hazy. I can't really make out any specifics. But they're definitely there."
I pursue. "Does the name 'Elizabeth' ring any bells to you.
As if a light bulb flashes over her head, Yuri's awareness broadens.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I heard the name in a dream. It's the last thing I can remember clearly."
I respond. "Well? What happened in the dream?"
And so, Yuri's story begins. "I was in a cylindrical room with another girl. It felt so real, as if it wasn't really a dream. She looked like she was in a panic. She was desperately asking where she was and what happened to her, and if it was a dream. I wanted to answer her questions, but I didn't know how. Then, she asked for you, and I was startled. I finally managed to ask her who she was, and she said she was Elizabeth. Eventually, we began to chat idly. She explained that she was your girlfriend…"
"Well, not anymore." Monika says amorously. We exchange a sweet look at each other.
Yuri continues. "Eventually, the cylinder we were in lit up, and it told us that Elizabeth was going to… Um… Sorry, that's all I can remember. Then, I guess, I blacked out? I'm not really sure what happened after that. That's it."
I sigh in relief. If Yuri turned out fine after all that, I'm sure Elizabeth will, too.
Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. "Monika, can you look in the files really quick?"
"Why can't you do it?"
"Oh, I dunno, because you put admin permissions on every single game file but mine!" I say in a sarcastic tone.
"Riiiiiiiiiight."
I realize we're talking code right in front of Yuri, who is staring at us quizzically.
I begin to walk away, and gesture to Monika to do the same.
"So, Monika." I whisper. "Is there anything in Yuri or Elizabeth's file saying, like, 'Elizabeth:False or Yuri:True?'"
Monika's mouth curls into a smile as she chuckles. "Xavier, I don't think you know how programming works."
I grimace. "Nope, I have no idea what I'm talking about." I was hoping that if I made a hasty conclusion from my nonexistent coding knowledge it would make sense somehow.
"Cute." Monika smiles.
"Yeah, whatever. Anything similar to that at all?
"Yeah, actually." Monika states. "Here, I'll toggle it and see if anything changes."
Suddenly, we both turn to hear grisly, painstaking screams from the room Yuri was just in.
We both turn and run back to Yuri.