Chapter 9

...noted that after the events of February 17th 2029, the number of instances of dissociative identity disorder have skyrocketed. Many people endured incredible trauma far beyond what was possible before the advent of shapeshifting powers. Loved ones changed before their very eyes in ways no one was prepared to witness. Law enforcement panicked. People were shot. Governments were shaken. Buildings were destroyed when persons with powers became giant.

And yet, there have been no recorded instances of a Child of Loki with DID.

Why????

- Personal Notes of Doctor Rose Hailu [June 14, 2030]

We're back in Hailu's office. She has me sitting in the chair across from her desk while she stays on her feet, pacing.

"I need you to get to the bottom of this," she says. "Find out if they're lying or not."

"Again, I don't think they're lying," I admit. "But I can look into it to be sure."

Doctor Hailu stops walking.

"And make sure they know the depth of the ramifications if they are telling the truth. I know they said they understand but I'm not sure they really do. You're in the best position to do that given your own circumstances."

"Sudden fame sucks," I say. "Even if I was half-famous before."

"The idea of you was infamous. That pseudonym was a double edged sword that way. People could pretend you were a myth and you could pretend you weren't...well, you. The idea of a CoL System has been a hotly contested possibility for years. You know where I've stood on it; they have to exist somewhere but are simply difficult to find given their powers. I haven't been the most popular person in my field for that belief, but it's fucking absurd to think it's impossible for someone with DID to also be a CoL," Doctor Hailu says hotly.

She's really worked up about this. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, counting off the seconds with her fingers tapping against her leg. After a few moments she opens her eyes.

"Now that people know you're real, Page, you can explain to Lock or Sienna or both of them, if they're really a System, what it's like to go from what people consider a conspiracy theory to fact in the eyes of the public. Once word gets out, it may actually be worse for them than it has been for you."

"I got shot in December by a client who was into conspiracy theories about me. I don't think Lock and Sienna would become a target like that, right? Shit, they might," I hiss.

"They might," she says. "Acceptance of people with Dissociative Disorders is at an all time high but there is still lingering distrust and fear from hundreds of years of bad fiction."

"There sure is."

"You said you've worked with a System before?"

"Yeah," I reply. "I won’t go into the details because it's not my personal health stuff to disclose but I have worked with a System. Last year, in fact."

"Then get on this. Use your skills to figure out if Sienna and Lock are legit or not," Doctor Hailu says.

"After I eat?"

"If they're still in the cafeteria, while you eat."

"Right."

***

My plate is piled high with roast beef, mashed potatoes, spicy tofu, steamed broccoli, mac and cheese, and turkey. It's all still warm thanks to the heated buffet line. It smells excellent. Stewart scoffs at me from the kitchen.

"You still eat like a horse," he says. "You know she's just bustin' your balls to make the others follow her orders after you go home, right?"

"Of course. I got that," I reply.

"And that young buck punched you to try to prove he's tough. Like he's fresh meat in a prison yard. Walking up to the toughest motherfucker and knocking his lights out to establish dominance."

"Got that too."

"You got him good with that rubber band thing," he says. "Thought he'd piss himself when your head was bouncing around like that."

"Yeah."

"There a reason you just standing here with your food instead of sitting at the table with the cute lady you brought?" Stewart asks.

Thousands.

"No, thanks for the insight, Stewart," I reply before grabbing a bottled sports drink and leaving the buffet area.

Neoni waves at me to join her, Tali, and Lock at their table. They've all finished eating but haven't put away their plates beyond stacking them in a pile at one end of the table. I take a seat next to Tali and across from Lock.

"Neoni was telling me all about your exploits in Austin, Page," Tali says.

"Oh dear gods," I whisper.

"You sent me notes about how your clothing functioned through it all and texts when you were worried about that thing at the mall but didn't go into detail about some of what happened," Tali says with a smirk. "Did you really drink a draft beer? The whole thing?"

"It was disgusting," I say between bites of food.

"I hated that stout too," Neoni admits. She notices me eating. “You seriously eat like this all the time, don’t you?”

"Oh, no, no, no. Page has always been a glutton as long as I've known them. Bottomless stomach and all. We thought it was because they're a class S but Ash wasn't a pig," Tali says.

"Book is still cute, even if he eats like a monster," Neoni says.

"My gods there are two of you now," I moan. "As if it wasn't bad enough with everyone I don't know thinking I'm a freak. You're not helping at all."

Everyone gets quiet. I eat in silence for a while before looking up. Neoni avoids eye contact with me. Tali narrows her eyes before punching me in the shoulder as hard as she can without making it evident she's used her powers.

She absolutely used them.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I don't have any excuse."

"No, I get it," Lock says, breaking his silence. "It has to be stressful to be in the position you're in, right?"

"Beyond stressful. It was bad enough when people talked about Book this or Book that. 'Book's gonna eat your kidneys if you don't behave, kids.' 'Don't do that or Book will get you.' 'Book is a monster who scares other CoLs.' 'Book is a demon.' 'Book is a freak.' Now, every knows I'm Book and while there're some people who seem to like that about me, all the years of hearing I'm a walking terror really outweigh the positive stuff," I say. "I'm sorry Neoni. I'm used to Tali picking at me and all but I'm still adjusting to people outside of the study knowing I'm Book...the monster."

"You're not a monster," Tali says before hitting me again just as hard as before. If I was a cinder block wall I'd have a couple holes from her punches. "All that shit about you being a monster is made up and you know it better than anyone else."

I stare at her.

"You of all people know what I'm capable of, Tali. You've seen it first hand, stuff we never made public."

"I have and it is my professional opinion as a doctor that you're not a monster, Page. You're Class S and too creative is what you are. If you were less interesting you wouldn't be you and we wouldn't have a lot of the data we do. I wouldn't have figured out shift-ready clothing at all without your help," she says.

"I'm so sorry I called you a monster," Neoni apologizes.

"It's okay," I say before starting on my dinner again.

"No, it's not," Neoni says. "I knew you were self-conscious about it and I keep joking about it. I thought it was funny but didn't consider how you really felt. You seem so strong and put together and amazing that I forget you're a pers-"

She doesn't finish the word because she realizes what she's saying. She's only serving to prove my point.

Many people don't see me as a person at all.

I finish eating my meal then grab my unopened drink, slip it into a newly formed pocket in the side of my pants, and get up. No one tries to stop me as I take my plate to the kitchen to drop it off. I don't hear a single voice from the cafeteria as I leave the building to walk down the long trail to unit 60.