illusional | 5th l o s t s o u l ~ [Action]

[It was Sunday today. That meant today was the day Cheyenne had to do something she hated doing more than anything else in Luceti.]

[Grocery shopping.]

[She can be found walking around inside the grocery store, holding an empty bag at her side. Every so often she picks something up, frowns at it, and then puts it back. Occassionally she might shake something, maybe even peek under her blindfold in the hopes of getting a better look at it, but so far that bag looks pretty empty. She'll keep this up for about an hour until she's filled the bag, most of it either produce or something microwavable, and then make her way back to CH 6 to drop her things off. Unfortunately, all the snow from the day before was still covering most of the paths, so she'll probably trip once or twice on her way there.]

[That out of the way, Cheyenne moves on to how she usually spends her day: finding various places to relax and perhaps listen to the spirits passing by throughout the village. More often than not, that place is a bridge; the running water of the river underneath is one of the few things she's always able to see, after all. It's much more comforting than the stillness of her apartment, even if it is chillier sitting near the water.]

[And in the evening, after a failed cooking attempt that she won't be in the mood to talk about, she heads to Seventh Heaven to get something to eat there. All in all, a rather normal day for this illusionist.]

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Really? You haven't had ramen before?

[... Well, he didn't have much of it before he got the recipe for it, so he can sort of relate. He glances at how much of the stuff she's putting in there and raises an eyebrow - even he knows that you shouldn't have too much of it, what with everyone telling him every time it's made for the rest of the party like he needs to be reminded all the time. ... That's probably an exaggeration, but still!]

The chicken's the best kind, anyway. I don't really like the others...

Ramen? [She tilts her head and looks back at the boxes on the shelf.] Is that what this is called in your world? I have only heard it referred to as noodles...

[A pause. And then turning to Luke. This is a very serious question.]

...you mean to say there are more flavors other than chicken?

[He looks up at the boxes again - the ramen in his world didn't come in boxes like this. Instead, they'd make it all themselves. Rather tedious, compared to what you can do with these... But he thinks the ones from his world taste better the way they are.]

Yeah. I don't know about this place, but- ... Oh, here. [He reaches up to take the boxes down, naming them off as he goes along.] Shrimp, pork, beef... You want any?

[Not just a new flavor: three new flavors. Whereas her smile from before had probably been a bit stiff, if not forced, the one on her face now looked a bit more natural.]

I suppose trying one of each for now would be best. I can only hope their flavor exceeds that of the cheese variety. [She holds her bag open so Luke could just drop them in.]

[Seeing her smile makes him do so, too. Ah, to get excited over food... What a good feeling. Luke might not like these flavors as much as chicken (seriously, shrimp? ew.), but he still drops them in the bag and puts his hands on his hips afterward.]

If you liked the chicken, then you'll probably like these, too!

[Oh hey, now that he's helping her out and all...]

I'm Luke.

I do hope that is the case. There are only so many foods here I am capable of making and the same flavor becomes tiresome after awhile...

[When he introduces himself, she rests her bag back on her shoulder and gives a small curtsy.] I am Cheyenne. You are most kind for assisting me, Luke. Shopping is rather difficult for me, given I am unable to see most of I am shopping for.

[It's been a while since he's seen an actual curtsy directed to him. Luke feels a little hesitant to try and ask, but...]

Is it more than just the blindfold?

As a matter of fact, this blindfold is more out of convenience than necessity. My eyes are not designed for seeing. Rather, I see by sensing the souls of the creatures around me.

[Looking up at him.] Such as yourself.

[And that... makes Luke feel like all the air sucked out of his lungs. Sensing souls... But he's a replica; he's man-made, so he shouldn't even have a soul... right?]

... Me?

[Cheyenne doesn't notice his shock right away, merely tilting her head to the side.] Of course. Were I unable to sense you, I would not have noticed when you entered the store, nor would I know where it is you are standing.

But... I'm a replica. How could I have a soul?

[But he still presses his palm against his chest. This is a fake body, just a copy of someone else's. It... really houses a soul?]

A replica? [Oh, she's heard this term before. And the same reaction, it seems.]

I know not what you mean by that statement, but I can see quite plainly that your soul is human. I would be unable to see you as I do now if that were not the case.

[This is- way too overwhelming. Luke's fist clenches and twists in his shirt, and he tears his attention away from Cheyenne to stare down at it. How is that... possible? For a replica to have a human's soul? Maybe... Maybe it was Asch's? Was his very soul replicated?

He bites and tugs on his lip before he answer her.]

I'm... not a real person. I'm just a copy of one...

If you are a copy of a real person, that would still imply that you are a real person as well, would it not?

[He may have looked away, but she hasn't. She tilts her head again.] Although I suppose that would explain why it is your soul appears so young. Am I correct in assuming you are younger than you look?

[It almost hurts to hear her say that, to imply that he's a real person. No, that's not what it means. He wouldn't be treated like a wild animal back at home if they thought of him that way.

He looks up at her again once she mentions the ages... Well, there goes his theory on his soul being Asch's replicated.]

Y... Yeah. I'm seven. [Normally he'd hate to admit that, and even now, it leaves a bad taste in his mouth. But this is important.]

I see. [She's looking him over, watching the subtle changes within him as his mood falls even farther. She frowns.]

My apologies. I did not mean to upset you. Would you have rather not known about the existence of your soul?

N-No, no! I mean... I'm glad you told me. If I didn't know, I... [He looks down at his hand again, still twisted in his coat.] I would've kept thinking I was just an empty shell.

An empty shell...? [Cheyenne had seen her fair share of empty shells. Luke was by no means empty. She shakes her head.]

I am uncertain what sort of world you come from where you might get an idea like that, but it could not be farther from the truth. I can see your soul quite clearly... a soft green light, with such a rich color...

Green...? [He was expecting something like red, or fire, or... something. But green? That... actually sounds kind of nice.

His hand relaxes within his coat.]

Green, huh...

Yes. The particular shade of green is what distinguishes your soul as unique. I have never seen two souls of identical shade before.

[Tilting her head to the side.] There was another creature here who was similarly disbelieving of my words when I told her she possessed a soul. I was not aware a thing such as a soul was uncommon in other worlds.