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*Sigh*

Letting out a sigh, Es closed the book she had just finished reading with a gentle thump and settled it down on her table gently.

Using her arms to support her head she stared at the wooden door that led outside of her sanctuary and thought.

It's been sometime since Jack had left now.

When will he be back I wonder?

Loathe as I admit it, I am missing that poor excuse of a man.

Well... he is the first person I had met for a very long time, so it can't be helped that I would miss him a little.

Humans are social creatures after all.

I also want more of the food that he brought, even though I do not need any nutrition to maintain myself, the taste of the snack was still a welcome feeling for me.

But sometimes I question those sensations I felt.

We're they real? Was what I felt really there or we're they an illusion? 

Even now I can barely recall what they tasted like.

Yes I can say that they were sweet and tasty but that is all.

Those were my thoughts at the time…

I can't re-create the actual taste only the words I had said and thought at the time.

It scares me.

This complex feeling as if I'm just a bunch of words that doesn't feel anything, like I'm just reading out a script that was prepared for me.

It truly scares me.

"Why? Why am I feeling like this now?!"

She unknowingly screamed out as she began to fall into a state of turmoil.

As she realized what was happening, she began to calm herself and think things through.

I- I'll push these thoughts for later.

For now I should read a book to distract myself from these thoughts.

Just as she was picking a book to distract herself with a new and welcome sound resounded out from beyond the door.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Knock, Knock! Guess who?" A playful, familiar voice she recognized sounded out from behind the door.

"..." 

Still a bit moody from the depressive thoughts she just had, she didn't bother to answer the question and instead started organizing herself and began to picking up  another book to read.

"I said Knock, Knock!?" The voice continued to playfully yell out, not realizing that Es wouldn't answer him, no matter how much he yelled.

"...."

"...."

After a bit of waiting the voice behind the door let out a muffled sigh before opening the door and revealing himself to Es.

"Wassup Es." Giving a small wave from the door, Jack greeted the stoic Es.

"..." 

"Uhhhhh, ok? Mind if I sit down." Feeling a bit awkward that he wasn't answered, Jack walked over to a seat adjacent to Es.

"...."

"...."

It was an awkward silence as Jack's head darted around looking for anything entertaining and Es reading her book.

Deciding to break the silence, Jack opened his mouth.

"Soooo, uhhh, anything happened while I was gone?"

"I had a strange and sudden thought."

"Hmmm?" Perking up to her words, Jack attentively listened to Es.

"That my words and deeds and private thoughts, Were following a script someone prepared for me."

"Oh," Not knowing how to respond to that Jack continued to listen.

"Do I even have a will of my own I wonder? Perhaps I am someone else's mindless puppet? Perhaps I am the only one who doesn't know it?"

Hearing her words I tried to open my mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by her.

"Its just a thought, I don't really believe it, so you needn't take it seriously."

"It was inspired by something I read in a book and stuck with me for some reason."

"Thats good then." Jack gave a small reply and kept his silence soon after.

"But could I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Are my words really my own?"

(That-Thats a very complicated question…. I should think over my answer for this since she seems like she needs it.

Are her words really her own?

Maybe? Heck I don't know even I don't  think my words are my own.

I'm probably someone's entertainment to alleviate their boredom, I mean it's not that far-fetched with everything that's happened to me, all the events that transpired seemed to be so fantastical… like I was a character of a bad novel or fanfic… 

And if I was then… then…. Wait.

Why am I stressing over this?

It doesn't matter if I'm someone's puppet or just some lucky guy that got isekaide.

What matters is here and now.

Everything that's happened and will happen can wait.

For now we focus on the present… the now.

Yes, that's it.

Wait… wasn't I supposed to be answering Es's question?)

Realizing that he had been silent for over the past minute sorting out his internal thoughts.

Jack opened his mouth to answer Es's question.

"Sorry about that Es, I was having an internal monologue for a minute..

But to answer your question. Yes, They are I'm sure of it."

Hearing my words Es seemed to have comprehended something as she spoke.

"Yes, Yes, they are. I'm Es, I am Es, I'm…

You strip away all my security, you do…"

Oh… well ummmm, I don't know how to- ummmm yeah, I'll just pretend I didn't hear that.

"The more you come to know yourself the less I seem to know myself, that I see now.

You're like my shadow, as my shadow grows longer I end up…. No, that's not right.

If anything I must be your…

…"

She ended up not finishing her sentence and merely focusing back on her book.

I took it as a sign of that conversation ending.

Still I am a bit worried on what she said last.

I don't know if I should put it off for later or address it now?

"Hmmmm,"

Humming to himself, Jack glanced at the ceiling in thought.

"Hey Es, Can we do one of those assessment of yours?"

Perking up to his words Es looked up at his mask, closed her book and spoke.

"Very well then,"

As she finished her words, she fished out a story book from one of the books pile on her desk and began.

"Good and evil can't be defined in black and white, that's why ones interpretation becomes so important…

I'm fascinated to see, how you will interpret this story."

Leaning closer to Es, Jack could see the contents of the story book from her shoulders.

"This story is about two little girls who obtained some poison. The nature of the story depends on how you interpret it.

Are you ready to answer a few questions?"

"Yes."

"Lets hear it then, what's your story?"

She flipped the book to it's first page to reveal two little girls holding each others hand with one of them holding a bottle of poison.

"Who did they get the poison from?"

She asked her first question and patiently waited for Jack to think over it.

"Hmmmm, they made it themselves?"

Despite his questioning tone, Es paid it no heed and simply continued the test.

"Why did they want the poison?"

Her second question.

"They're simply curious about it."

This time Jack seemed to have no questioning tone to his answer and sounded sure of himself.

"What us the relationship between the twins like?"

Her third question.

"They're partners in crime?" 

"How will it end?"

Her fourth and last question.

Jack seemed confused for a second before re-composing himself and thought of an answer to her question.

"One twin will be killed by the poison."

The last page began to change as the drawings and lines on the page shifted and showed only one twin standing and the other lying on the ground with a bottle of poison next to them.

(Ok…. I'm not gonna question that.) Jack wisely thought as he decided not to question what had just transpired.(I mean I've seen weirder crap.)

"I see, whether by murder or by suicide only one twin lives on." She spoke as she closed the story book in her hands. "That was quite the story."

"Sometimes it takes fiction, to reveal the truths of reality, allow me to interpret your story next."

"Now let me take a moment to analyze this." She spoke as she closed her eyes and fell deep in thought.

(It probably won't be anything interesting if it's coming from me…. But Es makes anything interesting since she's way better than me.)

"Your hidden contempt is...

'Deny stable values'

Pure self-denial"

Es opened her eyes and stared directly at Jack.

"You must truly hate yourself. With the ability for deep self-analysis, it's so easy to find things to loathe about yourself."

"Oh.."

"You're very pure and connected to your own inquisitive nature. You've never forgotten what it is to be a child, and you tend to thoroughly investigate whatever catches your fancy."

"..."

"Youre both incredibly pure and awfully dangerous. Never fear there's a place for you here."

She spoke the last line in a reassuring tone as she figured that Jack would be feeling a bit of unease from her words.

"I see." Jack slowly spoke as if he already had an idea about his own hatred for himself.

"Yes, As that facade appears evil to me, So to must I appear evil to them."

"If you are okay now, Might I ask?"

"Yeah, im okay so go ahead and shoot."

"Which of us is evil in your eyes?"

"Wel- Ummmmm, uhhhh," Jack was stumped as he didn't know the answer to this question, should he side with Es even though the Facade was the one who brought him to her? Or should he side with the Facade since he is the voice of reason?

"My apologies, that was an awful question to put on you."

"After all, im the one who said there's no definitive answer…

Just forget I asked."

"Hmmmmm,"

"Really, put it out of your mind.

I'm afraid of the answer."

Deciding to heed her words Jack hesitantly nodded and spoke.

"Alright Es."

"We shall talk later." Es plainly spoke as she ended the conversation here and there.

"Wha- not even gonna ask me where I've been?"

"Not that interested."

"Oh come onnnnnnnn! Do you have any idea the trouble I went through?"

"Tough luck for you then, now let me read in peace." 

"Awww shucks, but then who do I give this cool storybook titled Alter Ego to then?"

Hearing the words story book, Es suddenly gained a bit of interest to his words.

"Hmmmmm, well if you insist on telling your journey then tell, so long as you give that to me to read later."

"Awesome!! Alright so it started when-"

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A/N: Hello there, youre probably wondering why im late? Well you see power got shut off for a few days also we had no internet as well so uhhhh that's that. Also hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to leave some power stones Es_simp signing out.

p.s.: do not worry I will not drop, I plan on proving Soul_calibur wrong and finish this fanfic.