dataBURST: IC Inbox

[breakaleginhalf]

Hey, it's Gil. Either I haven't got my phone on me, OR I'm actively ignoring you. Text me if it's important, try harder if you're dying. TEXT | VOICE | VIDEO | ACTION

Comments

[breakaleginhalf]

Correct. But self loathing can make you think that all people want you for is to fix you. It's complicated.



Is it okay if I ask you something too?

[soulbonder]

Yes, that's fine. It is only fair.

[breakaleginhalf]

How do you control the empathy stuff? I haven't really get the hang of it yet, I could use some advice.

[soulbonder]

That is not the question I expected.

I suggest practicing your awareness of where your heart ends and others' begin. If you know the intricacies of your own heart and how you feel, it's much easier to pick them through the undercurrent of what isn't. Your experiences influence your emotions, and everyone experiences life differently.

Admittedly, I'm uncertain how it works for someone born with emotions. I was created with an impartial perspective, and was fortunate enough to meet someone who taught me how to feel.

[breakaleginhalf]

[...well, time to be candid. It was the only way to get usable replies out of this.]

It's really hard not to be, like. Completely overwhelmed by them, to be honest. Feeling other peoples' emotions makes your body think it's feeling them too, and you react the same even when you know better. If someone's panicking, it's hard to breathe, even if I'm not in danger. If someone's sad I'll cry. It's impossible for me to be impartial or rational.

And it happens literally every time I touch someone - the how doesn't matter, it's just skin contact. And coming into summer, completely covering myself up in clothing isn't an option.

[soulbonder]

It's activated through touch? That is fascinating. Perhaps an adaption from the arcade well aware that you weren't born to possess such an ability?

[There's a moment before there's another response.]

If you show me how to feel hatred so I may better understand Coda, I'm more than willing to help you practice. I'm able to clear my heart if I'm not feeling anything too strongly. Theoretically, if you were to touch me in such a state, you'd feel nothing but yourself.

[breakaleginhalf]

Yeah, that seems about right.

I can clear people's minds too, actually, I kind of found it by accident. But I can turn off whatever people are feeling for as long as I'm touching them still. Is that, like. A normal empathy thing??

But yeah, I'd be happy to teach you hate, for all of that. [That was going to be. Wild.]

[soulbonder]

I'm familiar with empathy being used for emotional manipulation. However, it isn't used to turn emotions 'off,' but rather increase what is already present to overwhelm someone and make them easier to control.

It's not something I can do.

[breakaleginhalf]

I mean, if I can do one I can probably do the other, right? It's manipulation either way. And then practising that to make you feel hate works out for both of us.

[soulbonder]

Yes.

Thank you.