Just voice testing

[that_can_happen]

-1-

[You've heard from the brother of a friend of a coworker or something that there's this guy who hangs out at the local diner, and that people who do things for him get wishes. Or something. Apparently, if you tell him that you heard the pastrami sandwich here is good, he'll know that you want to talk about wishes.

Everyone has something they want. Maybe you should talk to him.]

-2-

[He gave you a task. It could be anything. From "Make 5 people cry" to "Become pregnant" to "Find someone with no family and kill them". They're not all morally repugnant, but unless you asked for something stupid like a sandwich, they will not be easy. Part of the deal was that you had to periodically come back and report your progress. Which is what you're doing today.]

Ah. How's it going?

Comments

[that_can_happen]

Is that so?

[phantom_envoy]

Yup.

Might wanna think about changing up locales.

[Phantom Girl shrugs.]

Look, from what I've been hearing, what you're doing isn't wrong. If people want to throw their lives away because they're too lazy to chase their own dreams, that's up to them. You're not the one committing crimes here.

But we're not completely convinced this is a good idea. So I'm here to ask a few questions.

[that_can_happen]

You may be disappointed.

[phantom_envoy]

Maybe. But since I have to see how it works myself, I don't think you'll be.

Do you know what I want to ask or do I have to tell you before it works?

[that_can_happen]

You have to tell me.

[phantom_envoy]

And asking the question won't enslave my soul or anything horrible along those lines?

[that_can_happen]

Anything that happens in this booth is caused by you. If you don't give anyone your soul, your soul won't go anywhere.

[phantom_envoy]

Just to make it clear in advance, no matter what I say that might sound like 'here take my soul I totally don't need it anymore', I'd really rather hold on to it.

[Phantom Girl crosses her arms and leans back.]

I'm sure you're used to hearing all kinds of wacky things, so try not to look too surprised.

Here's the thing. My mom's basically president of the universe; not even joking. I could wish for intergalactic peace, but I think that's the kind of thing that requires a couple thousand souls.

All I really want is for her to let me be my own person. I don't want to be the Mini-Ambassador-in-Training or to marry a nice guy and give her grandkids or whatever it is she thinks is right for me to do. I need her to let me grow up on my own terms. Whether that means I'm the next President or the head of the Legion or just a... I don't know, pastry chef.

You know what I mean?

[that_can_happen]

Who does your mother want you to be?

[phantom_envoy]

Who knows? She's badgering me to get married one minute and sending me off to be diplomat to Rimbor the next.

[that_can_happen]

[He starts writing in an old, leather bound notebook.]

And you want her to, what? Leave you alone? Forget about you? Never issue an order to you again?

[phantom_envoy]

What?! No, of course not!

I just... want her to understand that it's OK to give me some space.

.......Wait, no, that's not my wish; you'll probably interpret that as sending her on a rocket to the other side of the galaxy. Are you sure you're qualified for this?

[that_can_happen]

I'm not trying to misinterpret what it is you want to ruin your life. I just need to know specifically what it is you want. Simply put, in your own words.

[phantom_envoy]

...I probably should have written something down in advance. I hate it when Brainy's right.

Hold on.

[She bobs down and phases through the floor of the booth, reappearing about five minutes later.]

'I wish for my mother, Winema Wazzo, to allow me, Tinya Wazzo, to make my own decisions of her own accord absence the usage of mind control or alteration of any core facets of her personality. Decisions of extreme importance which I fail to fully grasp with my limited knowledge will still be firmly insisted upon with the vigor that the President of the United Planets must bring to all such considerations. Phantom Girl are you sure it's OK to be involving your mother in this what if you somehow turn her into a toad or something she's our President too.'

...

It still counts if someone else wrote it for me, right?

[that_can_happen]

If you insist, but are you sure you want to use someone else's words to describe what you want?

Also you might want to clean up that last bit.

[phantom_envoy]

...You get the picture, right? I don't want you to do anything weird to her except to help her understand that I have to be my own person. ...It's hard to express in words.

[that_can_happen]

So what you want, then, is for your mother to spend less of her time trying to control your life.

[phantom_envoy]

...That works.

But let's not make 'less of her time' equal one second or anything. And, the other way around, let's not make that into not caring about me at all, either.

[that_can_happen]

[He takes some more notes in the notebook.]

That can happen.

[phantom_envoy]

The kicker being...?

[that_can_happen]

[He reads out of his notebook.]

In order for you to have the amount of freedom from your mother's controlling urges that you want, you have to find someone who is keeping a secret to stop someone else from being hurt. Then you need to reveal it.

[phantom_envoy]

[Phantom Girl's brows furrow in confusion as she processes this for a few moments.]

...Hurt how? Like, Triplicate Girl lying to Bouncing Boy that his costume looks good on him when he's the poster boy for bad Earth fashion?

[that_can_happen]

Something like that, yes.

Although for a wish like this, the secret is going to have to be bigger. Also the person who was keeping the secret has to know it was you.

[phantom_envoy]

Are we talking physical injury? Grounds for breaking up a friendship? Reducing someone to tears?

[that_can_happen]

Any of those would do, yes.