[It's unclear whether Ronnie picks up on Qubit's tone and the weight behind their words or not. But he did mention he saw himself in her... if that's the case, why would he still keep up the facade if he thinks it's bound to be uncovered?]
Is that so? How are you so certain? You might have been able to see through me, but there are much better liars than me out there, you know. Counterfeits these days are so intricate that you might not be able to tell them apart from the original until an expert watchmaker has opened them up to look at their movement. I could have very well been one of them.
[Ronnie plops down on the bed, clearly torn up over what she's saying. A smirk spreads across her face.]
My only saving grace is that I'm the only watch in this household. Most objects are completely oblivious to the most obvious signs that I'm a scam simply because they don't know the first thing about watchmaking.
[She swallows thickly, considering what they're saying about value. He's not wrong, but what's so wrong with wanting to be someone, even if it's just temporary? Nothing she has is guaranteed to last, anyways.]
But I... No. You're correct. I can't keep up this act for much longer. I fear I might not have much battery life left -- and even if I did, it would be extremely unlikely for me to outlive the human. The truth will come to light soon enough no matter what I do.
[She lets out a sad, bitter chuckle.]
Perhaps I shouldn't allow myself to plan for the future when I have so little time left. Here I am talking about my next owner when I don't know if I will still be alive by next week... It seems like I'm only setting myself up for disappointment, doesn't it?
[Her tone becomes sour as she scrunches up her face.]
What good would come out of working with it? Yes, I am fighting my own nature, but aren't you doing the same? Surely you must understand, given your curse and all.
[She sighs. She doesn't seem quite convinced by Qubit's argument about not really knowing others or being known by others.]
Call me shallow if you must, but I respectfully disagree. Sure, I may be faker than most, but everyone's fake to some degree. We all do things for others in hopes that they'll do something for us in return, c'est la vie. I don't really care either way. I wouldn't put this much effort into this facade if it weren't because I want others to perceive me this way.
[Her eyes widen when Qubit starts describing her. She can't hold back a big smile at the compliment, and she basks in it silently for a while before responding.]
Yes, that's right. I had to be shrewd enough to survive in a world that deemed me to be an affront to nature. I had no one to guide me -- only my own wits and adaptability.
[She pauses, her expression becoming pensive as her thoughts linger on the next part.]
However, you're misguided about a few things. I didn't choose to act kind out of the goodness of my heart. It's part of the role I was given. The watch I'm pretending to be was a much better person than I am -- no matter how much I try, I always seem to fall short of those expectations.
[Still, it's clear that the part about being lonely hits her the hardest. When she speaks again, it sounds like she's asking a genuine question, despite the sharp edges in her voice.]
You must be projecting onto me again. A heartless monster like me does not crave friendship -- and though I make a show of being a hopeless romantic, deep down I don't quite understand what love even is. After all, a changeling does not have the same needs as the human being it replaces, you understand that, don't you? A changeling only cares for its own survival.
[Despite her words, her tone of voice betrays a deep melancholy, maybe even pain. The more she talks to Qubit, the more it sows doubts in her mind... She might consider herself a monster, but the parts she was made of were full people. Maybe echoes of the feelings they felt live on through her... They had loved ones, partners, families, friends before they died. Of course, she can't quite remember what it felt like to trust others, because even if she holds those memories, none of that truly happened to her, but she does remember the sting of rage and betrayal she felt when those people looked at her with disgust and turned her away for being some undead thing.]
I only help others when I expect something in return. I don't know about you, but that's not exactly what I would call kindness. Make no mistake -- I will drop the act as soon as it's no longer convenient for me.
[She glances at Qubit again, becoming really quiet when they start talking about death.]
I don't understand. How could someone die due to living a lie?
[She says that, but she knows full well she would not hesitate to choose death if that was what it took to keep up the facade. Still, she's curious about where Qubit is going with this.]
[Exist for herself... Isn't that what she's already been doing? Qubit is making logical sense, but those words feel empty to Ronnie, who doesn't truly exist as an entity in her own mind. She fully sees herself as some sort of empty vessel, a shadow of her former self, a shell of the watch she used to be. How can she learn to be comfortable with herself when she's incomplete? She does want to be loved and cared for, but she really has internalized the idea that the only part of her that anyone can love and care for is the facade.]
[Rising from the bed again, she steps towards the mirror, tensing up at the sight of her reflection. She frowns, her tone becoming bitter.]
I don't know how I could care for my own existence if I couldn't convince others to care.
[She stares herself down in the mirror, and though she knows it's her, it doesn't really feel like it. All she sees when she looks at her reflection is someone who died years ago -- but it's not her. Her body feels like a costume she can't take off... but perhaps Qubit has a point. She hasn't even tried yet. But as she stands in front of the mirror, it suddenly hits her: she's afraid of what she'll find if she tries.]
[Even so, she softens up when she hears Qubit is willing to wait for her until she figures herself out. It's unexpectedly... sweet. She couldn't possibly put it into words, but somehow that was exactly what she's been needing to hear this whole time -- it breaks her a little, and it really shows in the tone of her voice. She sounds tense, yet hopeful.]
Do you genuinely mean that? You'd be willing to wait for me, even though you don't know if you'll like whoever I turn out to be?
