To Perceive an Image

Nineteen: Images of Brainwashed Duplicates

Maryanland, September 18, 2040, 3:00 PM

What I thought Flynn meant by 'paying them a visit' included us paying said visit days from now, not the next fucking day.

Like the lost fools we've been, we allowed our access to the mysterious third address to be the tool used to steer our ship.

And where did it lead us? Well, to quite a gorgeous house, I have to be honest. My diary for this month will be full of 'I saw a beautiful house today' as an opening line.

Part of me cannot help but compare this house to the house in the Image World. Although this one looks more like a well-loved and lived-in home, the other looks... not taken care of at all. Something about the resemblance in colors and residents of the home drives me to pinpoint different things to compare and contrast. The white exterior walls, the brown steps, heck, even the greenery surrounding both houses.

After spending a few moments ogling at the intricate wooden designs of the door, the cobblestone steps beneath my feet, and the beautiful array of plants, I turn to look at Flynn. Words can't describe how thankful I am to the neighbors for having a tree large enough to cover us as a hiding spot. It's our den for now. "Say I knock on the door, and a lady resembling khalto greets me. What then?" I ask because words cannot describe the lack of ideas in my head about what to say.

Crossing his arms, he stares at the house on the opposite side of the road as he thinks.

"Advertise therapy," he suggests, as a matter of fact.

My eyebrows shoot to the sky, "huh?"

"Say you're here to advertise your clinic. All I want is for you to hold a long enough conversation to have the person blurt out something we can use to help us. You'll get more clients, and we'll get clues, win-win." If the shock of hearing his suggestion didn't freeze all of my senses, I would laugh my mind off at his words. What would make me cackle the most would be his determined expression.

"Ah, the underlying meaning of your words says you want me to manipulate them into saying something useful, right?"

"Smart, as usual, aren't you?" he marveled, pinching my cheek. Pushing his hand away from attacking my face, I glare at him. But he finds my anger funny because he leans forward, clutching his stomach as a laugh shakes his shoulders.

"Don't do that again, or I'll shave my name in your beard. Best believe Malak will help me," I threaten.

I'm joking, duh, but for the sake of fun, I show him my sternest face. And upon seeing my narrowed eyes and scowling mouth, his laughter ceases. Returning to his usual resting expression, he says, "I hate that she actually would." It's now my turn to shake my shoulders as I laugh. I love when girls support girls.

"Fine, I'll do what you said. But if my exquisite communication skills don't get us anywhere, the fault will not be my own."

Kind of joking, kind of not. The fear of him blaming me for doing something wrong clouds my judgment.

"Fine," he reassures before full-on grabbing my hand in his. Not holding it, as in connecting fingers, but wrapping his whole fist around my hand. I don't get to say anything because he takes a few looks at each side of the road before dragging me with him to cross it. My usual self would look side to side, up and down, when crossing the road, but Flynn's actions distracted me enough to have me not care about safety precautions. We must look funny to any passerby, a tall man dragging around a woman who is staring at him in awe.

We hide behind a tree in the neighboring house. This neighborhood must love itself some trees. Not complaining, they're helping the environment and acting as a hiding spot (again), so win-win. Reminds me of Totally Spies when Jerry explains their mission to them before they do it. Although I'm a one-woman team, I'd never let Sapphire or Lyaly put themselves in dangerous situations.