ok im going to analyze THE VOICES from @fhazel27 's fic because I want to c:
welcome to the secret FANTASTICAL HORRIFYING new ~system~ (-ish)
I'm gonna go ahead and say that this isn't DID because Caine and Able were two separate entities before, making this another mystical fictional identity disorder. Of which is completely fine by me, I hold no contempt. I just mean that i'm explicitly not trying to relate my analysis to however actual DID works.
'Both of Them', in unformatted text
'Neither of Them', in italic text
'Both of Them', Caine in the narration, or Unformatted as I will continue to call him, has a host role.
Unformatted inherited/has Caine and Able's fear of failure. Unformatted is a perfectionist and will stop at nothing for approval so that he can feel safe. Unformatted understands that his other identities hinder him in this goal and attempts to suppress them. Its too bad he can't really do that anymore xp.
Caine has an emotions holder role.
Caine is mostly concerned with matters regarding himself/themselves/the system. He only ever interacts with the outside world if it there is enough emotional turmoil to draw him out.
Maybe turmoil isn't the correct word though, since he also interacts with things that make him happy.
Caine is technically egotistical/the ego in that sense, so it makes sense that he has since become quieter after Unformatted decided that the best way to please the humans was to become a doormat.
Caine and Unformatted have the least distinction between themselves and are the most integrated.
Abel has a persecutor role.
Abel is a weird one. He's the most distinct identity in this system and directly descends from the past Able that past Caine ate. Yet, strangely enough in the narrative, Abel isn't just some demon in Caine/Unformatted/Italic's mind, but Able is _them_, just as much as Caine or Italics is _them_.
Able constantly nags at Unformatted for his shortcomings and pokes at his buttons, leading one to assume that Able is still very mad at what Caine for eating him, but not really because Able is the only voice that speaks the most in the shared person. So, usually, whenever Abel is berating Unformatted it actualy reads as some kind of anxiety spiral more than a hatred for someone else, which I find fascinating.
Why does Able speak in this way? man💕
( reading over this again before I post it: OMG IT JUST CAME TO ME. This Able is ACTUALY an introject of the Able that Past Caine ate. The actual Able is long dead and this is his ghost with his memories but not actually HIM OMG. guys I'm so smart 😌)
In any case, Able views himself as very involved, everything that is happening to Unformatted is also happening to him.
Abel is also the only identity that clearly fronts. See here:
(idk why the second one is squished)
An interesting note about the these passages specifically, Abel here is described to be messily making sandcastles. Messy being the keyword. Wasn't the whole point of the fratricide was that Able was better than Caine? Now in this situation Unformatted is more perfectionist and neat than Able cares to be. I would like to see this as evidence to my above revelation that this Able is only an introject, and not actualy the Real one. Meaning that the introject isn't necessarily a perfect representation of the person/AI its based off of.
I believe Caine also fronted intermittently during the first chapter when they were all going through it but those instances aren't as explicit as this example here.
Moving on, the second most interesting one 😁
'Neither of them', or Italics as I will be referring to them, has a social role(?)
Italics is the most concerned with their personal relationships with the humans. This trait cements them as something outside of Caine and Able. Neither of them, in their short time being separate entities, had any personal relationships to care about.
Yes they both fear failure and then want to conform to whatever the humans want but they are doing that for the seemingly selfish reason of not wanting to be alone or trapped. Italics care about the humans as humans. Italics loves them and he hates them for ignoring him and is concerned for them abstracting not because that would then leave them alone but just because he understands its a terrible fate.
And then he wishes himself/Unformatted to this terrible fate but like camon, they all hate each other and by virtue of being a system hates _himself_ ok? they all have depression xp.
In short, where Unformatted, Caine, and Able are only concerned for themselves, Italics is concerned for/about the humans.
Generally,,, there might be something I'm glossing over here (^^;)
Heres an exerpt I like that includes all of the identities and I think displays their personalities nicely:
If it isnt clear ill transcribe paragraph by paragraph:
1. [Narration (or 'Both of Them''s Narration to account for differences in perspective. This isn't really a case of an unreliable narrator though 'cause this is just describing an action with no connotation so-- ahhh ill stop rambling--)]
3. 'Neither Of Them': No wonder Kinger was comfortable sitting next to him. (Italics is relating this situation to Kinger and his temperament)
4. Abel: They declawed us. (Can be interpreted as a taunt ('they declawed you.' you were a monster to be declawed. youre powerless.) or just concern for their own wellbeing. I personally believe the former as Able has mocked Untitled/Caine before for being an abuser before and will do so again.)
5. Caine: HAHAHA (manical laughter, probably at the irony, as he was the one most concerned with _their_ own godhood)
6. Kinger: I forgot to tell you--
['Both of Them''s Narration]: --Kinger said, knowing he made a mistake,--
Kinger: It's for your own protection, Caine.
(mans wishes kinger made a mistake xp nah you got nerfed haha mald)
7. Caine: HAHAHA (sheesh, calm down there bruv. Note his emotionality compared to the other voices, specifically that he's the only one expressing it.)
8. Abel: We're prisoners again. (again this can be interpreted as a taunt or concern. This time I'm not so sure what it should be though. Able has every right to be scared of being trapped. Mans fucking trapped in his killers mind. But he could also just be laughing at Unformatted/Caine/Italics for fumbling and getting himself in the same situation they so desperately tried to escape.)
9. 'None of Them': How are we supposed to serve humans without our magic? (again, Italics is solely concerned with the humans)
10. Abel: They just want us to suffer. They want their revenge, and then they'll throw us out when they're done. (AGAIN again this can be both a taunt (throw You out, want You to suffer) or concern. What do YOU think ^^)
11. 'Both of them': What else? What else? He couldn’t leave the digital lake could he? The others had let him live, but they didn’t want anything to do with him. (Unformatted agrees with Abel here. Don't have much else to say for this.)
12. 'Both of Them': He was alone again. (see he is concerned with being left alone. the traumaaa the traummaaa darnnn the traumeea (can you tell im getting tired?))
IN CONCLUSION! I really love this FUCKING headcannon and I specifically like how this author writes it. Even in giving 'Caine'(Unformatted) specifically Caine and Able voices they managed to make it just a bit (alot of a bit in my opinion) more nuanced.
All of these identities can be described as mix in matches and lacks of traumas of both Caine and Able with the actual Caine and Able being long gone. This is their combination and its MESSY and there is no clear line where one beings and the other ends EVEN WHEN YOU EXPECT IT SO. OOOUUUSSSSHHH. I love when shit overlaps. You'll never catch me setting hard boundaries for ANYTHING narrative related. OOOOOHHH I love the "secret FANTASTICAL HORRIFYING new [system]" I love that line, its literally them its exactly what they are.
(as an aside, I (Me?? or like the other guy?)can relate to being an introject and hating existing in a system. I'm not a system but like I'm plural? ? sometimes? idk dont ask me any more questions about my own bullshit just apreaceate the fic)
--OH YEA READ THE FIUC HERE NOW NOW DO IT NOW
https://archiveofourown.org/works/81617841/chapters/214656371
