Chapter 299: Big Tibat's Split Personality Scene
"Tisong! Timi! Tixiao!"
Tibat looked at all her "sisters," calling out their names, her face beaming with a joy that even one of Aha's Elation Lollipops couldn't match.
"Tibat! We're back!"
Tisong hugged Tibat, and one by one, they all began to cry tears of joy.
They were all fragments split from Tilirisibios. Their bond was incredibly deep. During the Journey of the Fire Moths, they had died one by one, heartbroken but unable to stop it.
"This is a bit much."
Kenji exerted his power again, fusing the thousand-plus Tibats in the room back into one. Tilirisibios (Big Tibat) had returned.
"Ugh..."
"This... is my original form?"
Tilirisibios cupped her own... heavy "conscience." It had been so many years. She, too, was once a tall, "older sister" type, but she had been split into a bunch of little lolis.
"Hey, stop shouting!" Tilirisibios's brow twitched, and she couldn't help but yell inside her own mind. The one controlling the body right now was the "Tibat" personality.
Although the thousand Tibats had fused, their consciousnesses remained independent. A thousand minds were chattering away in her head, louder than a wet market.
Even Big Teacher V (Vill-V) only had a few personalities. Tilirisibios had thousands. She felt like she was about to have a mental breakdown.
"Tibat is so selfish, trying to hog the body! Everyone, rebel!"
"That's right! It should be shared equally! Tibat is too selfish!"
"Hehehe, overthrow Tibat! Lock her in the dark room!"
"You guys..."
...
Tibat was dumbfounded by the mutinous thoughts. Are you guys serious?!
They all started fighting for control of the body, causing Tilirisibios to twist and flail in a bizarre, uncoordinated dance, as if performing a shamanistic ritual.
Vill-V's words to Mei echoed: I hope you never have to experience a situation where you're arguing with yourself.
Kenji and Elysia knew exactly what was happening: she was fighting herself.
It was pretty interesting to watch. Elysia was reminded of Vill-V, though she had never seen Vill-V perform this kind of "bizarre human behavior."
"This is..."
Aglaia arrived just in time to see this spazzing-out scene, her face a mask of baffled confusion. While she was surprised by Big Tibat's return, she was more worried about her current mental state.
"It's nothing. Just a little something that happens when you get old," Kenji said calmly.
Black lines appeared on Aglaia's forehead. I suspect you're including me in that. Age is a very sensitive topic for women.
"Hurry up and separate us!"
Tibat couldn't take it anymore. If they didn't set ground rules first, the consciousnesses in her head would never coexist peacefully, and she would be the one to suffer.
Kenji shrugged helplessly. No good deed goes unpunished.
"Aglaia! x1000"
A thousand Tibats spoke in perfect, chaotic unison. Aglaia's vision went dark. What in the world is going on?
"So, my teachers, how should we arrange your living quarters?"
Aglaia had a headache. A thousand Tibats... she hadn't prepared for this. There really wasn't enough room.
"It's fine. We'll just fuse when we need to," Tibat said.
They would take the time to negotiate terms first. She really did not want to experience that split-personality scene ever again.
Although it was noisy, Tibat was overjoyed to see everyone. Back then, they had all gone their separate ways without a chance to really talk. Now, seeing them... these individuals really had character. She was almost a little disgusted with herself—especially the "selves" who kept spewing vulgar, "tiger-wolf" words, their little mouths as if "smeared with honey."
Good grief, was I always this dirty?
Back then... what in the world did you all watch?!
Aglaia turned and left. She couldn't listen anymore. Her image of her "Teacher" was shattered beyond repair. The Tibat who was "spitting fragrance" (cussing)... that must have been an auditory hallucination.
Chat Group
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Tell me, is the Infinite Tsukuyomi good or bad? I've observed the people of the ninja world. Some are just husks, living in a daze. It feels like they'd be better off dead."
Being immersed in the dream world of the Infinite Tsukuyomi... for those people, it might not be a bad thing. Even if they're turned into White Zetsu by the God Tree, it doesn't seem to matter to them.
[Galactic Baseballer]: "Hiss... just came from the 'Dream of Taiyi.' The deja vu is too strong."
[God's Tongue]: "Mr. Madara, you're not... planning to activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi, are you?"
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Of course not. I was just struck by a sudden thought."
[Star Forger]: "Putting the physical cost aside, in the world of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, you can achieve wishes that are impossible in reality. You can live out the perfect dream, with yourself as the protagonist."
Madara's idea was to bring peace to the ninja world. But unfortunately, fate played a trick on him, and he became the duped clown.
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "It sounds wonderful, but it's still just a dream. People have to do something♪."
[Crash-Test Pilot]: "Sinking into a dream... that's what cowards do, isn't it?"
[Galactic Baseballer]: "This is the time to revisit that question: 'Why does life sleep?'"
[Galactic Baseballer]: "My answer is: Because the blanket is warm."
[God of Justice]: "Because reality is cruel, perhaps? They're unwilling to face it."
[Gudako]: "Because if I don't sleep now, I'll be sleeping forever (death by overwork)."
[Naughty Xi]: "What if you have a nightmare? Wouldn't that be the perfect fear?"
[A mere mortal]: "This question is easy to answer. You're tired, so you sleep."
At the Old Master's level, this kind of question wasn't a problem. There was no need to overthink it. That's the mental state of a Daoist: no internal friction, just going with the flow. It's all about sincerity and following your heart.
[Stank]: "Those kinds of people... should be sent to dig potatoes and pick cotton."
[Tsukasa Kadoya]: "Spoken like a true capitalist. You just forgot to mention the whip."
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Makes sense."
Madara understood. Send them to a labor camp. That would surely "wake" them up.
"What do you think of the Infinite Tsukuyomi♪?" Elysia asked curiously.
Kenji didn't have to think hard. "Right now, I don't need it."
"But, as a former corporate wage slave... it definitely has its appeal."
So what if you're a coward? You're the one making the choice. As long as you don't regret it.
"Brother Sunday was facing the Nameless. If he had been facing the corporate slaves of the IPC, the effect might have been surprisingly good."
It was all about timing and luck. He had the 'when' and 'where,' but he didn't have the 'who.'
Sunday: "Nameless! Join me in the embrace of the 'Beautiful Seven-Day Holiday'!"
Hoshi: "Sounds good... Himeko, do we have 'workdays'?"
Himeko: "Um... does 'Trailblazing' count?"
March 7th: "I never even thought about that... do we have jobs?"
Hoshi: "Then it's not appealing at all. Sunday, let's get 'im!"