Superhell: Lin Jingheng

[pathopen]

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Week 0: Monday

[pathopen]

[He's quietly sitting in their room, a black ribbon tied around his wrist. He's also changed into the attire in the closet.]

Are you alright with sharing a room with me?

[awol]

[ oh hey there. jingheng leaves the door barely ajar, glancing towards his roommate and then towards the mechanical arm that is laying very still on the flat pillow. but he just quietly sits down next to it, picking up and looking it over. he speaks: ]

Have you already been kicked out of a room?

[pathopen]

No.

[He does look at the mechanical arm, but he's not very sure what to make of it.]

My key opened this door.

[awol]

Then this is your room. I have no issues.

[ glancing at the ribbon briefly, then to his eyes.




mmmmmm. ]

What is your name?

[pathopen]

I don't have one.

[awol]

[ oh. ]

Mm. Is there a word you prefer to be called?

[pathopen]

Miss Eto calls me Cosmos.

[awol]

Like the stars?

It's a good name. Do you like it?

[pathopen]

Like the stars and the flower.

I do.

[awol]

Then Cosmos it will be as long as you like it.

You can call me Lin.

[ he then glances to the arm in his lap and lifts it up unceremoniously. ]

This is Zhanlu.

[pathopen]

Alright. I'll remember.

Is Zhanlu your friend?

[Your robo-arm buddy?]

[awol]

Zhanlu is...

[ hm ]

I've known him for a long time.

[ he's not around to hear and be all gross and sweet so. yeah. out of earshot now. ]

Unfortunately, he's asleep it seems.

[pathopen]

[A long time with his arm friend...]

Does he need to sleep a lot?

[awol]

He does need to recharge... but normally he can respond even then.

[ as he taps around a bit on the surface, as though searching for something, the arm suddenly speaks: ]

Reptiles are naturally good at playing the piano because they really know their scales.

[ he snorts ]

... That's something.

[pathopen]

He can speak!

[And tell jokes, but the speaking part is so surprising!]

[awol]

Normally he doesn't know when to shut up.

Must be a holdover, [ turning his hand over. ] He's what we call an AI... an artificial intelligence.

[pathopen]

AI... are AI common?

[awol]

They're an important part of our society where I come from. Very smart andd capable.

Some drive cars, others assist with controlling mechs, and others do very basic tasks. Zhanlu does all of this.

[pathopen]

All of it? He must be one of the smartest.

[awol]

[ a small nod ]

Smartest in the entire galaxy.

[ a beat ]

He does do just one more thing in this state.

[pathopen]

Really? What else does he do?

[He can't help being curious and interested. There's so much he's never gotten to see.]

Week 0: Saturday

[pathopen]

[Hello roomie, he goes straight to his bed and flops his whole body onto it.

He's so tired...

This was such a long day.]

[awol]

[ hello roomie, he is already here and flopped in his bunk so when the door opens he is lifting his head.

jingheng watches and then eases back down again. ]

Hm. Hanging in there?

[pathopen]

[It has been a very long day and he only has so much energy normally anyway.

Not that he did very much during trial, but he was Observing.]

I'm still here.

[awol]

That you are.

What did you think about everything today...?