#the analyst

About a fic where Sang-woo is kept alive in secret and hired by the Games, where he works alongside In-ho sometimes in the financial and legal sector of the operation -

AND, meanwhile, Gi-hun has been hard at work infiltrating the staff by way of making friends with a new-money VIP who's just naive and self-centered enough to enjoy the idea of playing The Good Guy with Gi-hun just for funsies.

And so Gi-hun gets himself hired onto the island too, in a new bullshit high-up position that the "nice" VIP makes up for him - and Gi-hun ends up working as the head of the Pink Soldier department, dressed in a white jumpsuit with pink zippers and a white mask (heh).

In this way, all three of Sanginhun have a surprise coming for them.

Gi-hun doesn’t know that Sang-woo is alive and underneath that Manager's mask.

In-ho and Sang-woo don't know that the Pink Lieutenant is Seong Gi-hun, 2021 Winner and local pain in their asses.

And all three of them have crushes on each other (much like in canon tbh), whether they know it or not.

Imagine the shenanigans...

Gi-hun gets SUPER jealous of the camaraderie that the Front Man and The Analyst have, because he's been desperately trying to get inside the Front Man’s head and hates that this punk-ass glorified calculator gets all his attention.

Meanwhile In-ho is jealous of Sang-woo for all the shared history and personal knowledge Sang-woo has about Gi-hun.

And MEANWHILE meanwhile, Sang-woo is jealous that his new bestie (the Front Man) is starting to get all buddy-buddy with the Lieutenant, while developing a crush on the Lieutenant himself -

And In-ho and Sang-woo are like "by the way where the FUCK is Gi-hun??" because Gi-hun has disappeared to secretly be the Lieutenant, so he's having to live a double life to keep up the illusion. This has Drawbacks.

And the DRAMA potential of the reveals and the layers of who knows what? MWAH

Him :› I missed drawing my silly employer

<Tape recorder click noise>

The Analyst: "As great grateful as I am of your interest in my story, Miss Caspi, are you sure you wouldn't want anyone else's first?-"

The Archivist: "Sit. Down."

<The sound of a chair being pulled out can be heard as The Analyst takes a seat>

The Analyst: "O-okay! Alright. There. Now what? What may this... all be for?"

The Archivist: "To just... have it on log. I assume there will be more of us that'll come at some point. Assuming we die."

The Analyst: "You believe we can die?"

The Archivist: "Why wouldn't we? The Timekeeper isn't just... absent. We have to eat now, and all that, we weren't supposed to before, you can't sense him and-... The Narrator... is, as far as I'm aware, unable to see him."

The Analyst: "...That's... fair. Anyways-"

The Archivist: "Speak into the recorder-"

<A very loud thud is heard as The Archivist taps the microphone>

The Analyst: "Okay... sooooo..."

The Archivist: "Let's start with your name. Tell me about yourself. Who were you before getting stuck here with us."

The Analyst: "Well-- I wouldn't say stuck here but... my name-... ...My name is Aster Tristan Rider. I was a journalist."

The Archivist: "Journalist?"

The Analyst: "Yes. Before I came to the Parable, I was a News Journalist for the... Daily Mirror. It was-... nice. Though a few people in London- whe-where I worked, people weren't the uh... the nicest. Some were very, very sweet but..."

The Archivist: "...but?"

The Analyst: "But quite a few were just... so rude at times. No matter, that doesn't really matter anymore. Considering what... happened."

The Archivist: "The Change got them?"

The Analyst: "...Yes."

<Silence for a few minutes.>

The Archivist: "How about before then? What about before your job?"

The Analyst: "Oh! Before- haha... before my job I lived in Cardiff. I'm Welsh, actually. Quite a few say they don't-.. don't notice my accent but it's-"

The Archivist: "Yes. I could tell."

The Analyst: "--- wh... you could?"

The Archivist: "Yes. It's not too hard. Not for me at least. Noticing small details is sort of my entire thing? Remembering things? ...sorting things.?"

The Analyst: "That's right. Yeah. *Ahem!* Pardon my ramblings... Oh dear heh... I-I think Nero is starting to rub off on me."

The Archivist: "Aaaanyways. What about your time in Cardiff? Bullied? Parents fighting? Crime...?"

The Analyst: "Oh no! No no no no! Nothing of the sorts! My childhood, interestingly, was rather quiet. Very peaceful. My mother had passed away though. She unfortunately, wasn't around to see me grow up. My father would take my little brother and I to the cemetery every year on her birthday though. Which was... sad but. Nice."

The Archivist: "...You had a younger brother?"

The Analyst: "Indeed! His name was Stanley. Stanley Rider. He was such a lovely boy, always dreamed of being a musician... -there was actually a piano at the school we went to when we were young. The teachers enjoyed listening to him play. Though they always seemed to be confused that he'd never sing. I myself never did but-..."

<The Archivist remained silent, a subtle crackling can be heard in the background...>

The Analyst: "Alimanc... hey... are- are you okay? Hey- look at me."

<Crackling suddenly stops just before The Archivist speaks>

The Archivist: "Was Stanley mute?"

The Analyst: "Y----... yes. Actually. Wait...- You aren't-"

The Archivist: "Brown hair? Brown eyes? Caucasian?"

The Analyst: "...Yes..."

The Archivist: "Did he at ANY point work for Office.Co?"

The Analyst: "..."

The Archivist: "...I... think he's gone. Aster."

<Static returns, though this time as more of a buzzing hum>

The Archivist: "Aster- uhh... what the fuck are you--"

<The static increases...>

The Archivist: "ASTER! Aster you're gonna cause a collapse, bloody hell- GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! ---N-NERO!"

<The static continues steadily yet violently for several minutes before distant shouting can be heard, The Narrator sounding slightly muffled>

The Narrator: "What on earth is it that you're dragging me in for--- Oh... oh my god..."

The Archivist: "PLEASE can you calm your boyfriend down before he voids out my archives?!"

<The Narrator's voice gets clearer as he draws closer>

The Narrator: "Aster- dear please-- oh crap... you're really not-..."

<The Narrator goes quiet for a moment, likely having seen the tape recorder still running before reaching out. A click noise is heard>

Statement Ends.

The Therapy section with "The Analyst" has been my favourite so far. I'm still unsure whether or not we're playing as a character, or if we are still the player for itself. Either way, its a very effective scene for me because of how deeply personal it is. I answered honestly and found myself surprised by some of the outcomes, but some I could have predicted. Still, seeing cockroaches and a jar of gore sitting on that desk was a surprise nonetheless. Its very dramatic but effective in my mind. I definitely feared the gore more just because I found myself questioning "where the hell did you get that?" and I just have so many questions about the Analyst now.

The contents of the jars changing based on your fears is such a lovely, and personal, display of choice. Reminds me of "manifesting" in a way. You spoke your fears into existence.

I also definitely need to replay the game as I feel I missed a significant section. There was this jump where the Analyst got up, walked away, then suddenly came back. I picked loyalty over honesty, and charity over loyalty andgot called "good and kind." It felt patronizing. Like I was being judged. I was also asked about lonliness I'm pretty sure and whether or not I was afraid of it, but when I said yes, he said that wasnt reflected in my playstyle.