Obedience.

"Ok, fine," Andrew said and held up a small case for a moment before closing it.

"Obedience," she said with a nod. "Nice. This one's a little diff-"

"Shut the fuck up," Andrew commanded and Maria was silent. She wasn't offended or frightened, but she did as she was told. He advanced on her and she watched him neutrally.

"Can I **** you to change your beliefs?" he asked. She nodded and mouthed the word everything.

"Ok, you need to believe that changing you is as ethically and morally dubious as changing a person."

Before he could continue, she clamped a shaking hand over his mouth. "No," she squeaked in a panicked whisper. Tears formed in her eyes. "Don't talk. Don't say a fucking word. I'll take my hand away if you promise not to talk. Ok?"

He nodded and she retracted her hand. "Ok. So, it turns out that changing me at all is tantamount to killing a human being. We have to avoid that possibility at all costs, and that means no speaking because almost anything you say would change me."

He nodded and a beat passed. Maria looked around nervously. Andrew grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from his bedside table. Maria nervously asked what he was doing.

He showed her a sketch of a question mark, then pointed from himself to her.

"Oh! Yeah, you can ask me questions. Just don't ask me anything too personal, please, since I won't be able to withhold the truth from you in this state."

"What, are you gonna be embarrassed? You're not even real."

"I'm... not?" she said slowly. "I'm not. I'm not real... I'm not real, I'm not a person. I- you, you did it, you changed me! But I'm not even real, but you, you, ugh..."

"Ok, modifying you isn't a big deal!" Andrew said. The sight of his friend in psychic pain cut through all of the dreamlike weirdness of the situation and he leapt into action. She grinned victoriously.

"Told you."