Push it further, try a mental copy next

Then again, if you held back from exploring your powers anytime anyone became the least bit uncomfortable, you'd never have used your powers at all. So, while you appreciate Yu's concern, you need to keep pushing the envelope to discover what else is possible.

"We've barely pushed it at all, Yu," you point out, with a sigh. "You worry too much. We've got everything under control, don't we?"

Yu fidgets nervously. "Ai and Gho are at their limit. I'm not sure keeping them like this is a good idea..."

You meet her eye, giving her a reassuring look. "You said I need practice sketching, yeah? Well, this is how I sketch." You point to the two distressed Georgias. "I can roll back anything that gets too crazy - the same way Indy erases any lines she doesn't like. My power is the biggest undo button known to man, so, what's the harm?"

Yu struggles to come up with a good answer.

You let out a breath, relieved. Looks like she's back on board with the plan. Eager to keep moving, you pick your next test. It's incredible that you can reshape a human body with a few well-chosen words, but if that's the case... how does that power transfer to minds? If matter itself is yours to command, how far can you really bend the human mind? What is the limit?

"If physical copying works, mental copying should work too," you say, wondering if what you're considering is truly possible. There's one way to find out. "Yu, mind if I get your help? I want to get the perspective of somebody on the receiving end."

Yu, despite her reservations, resigns herself to the request. "You already have my help with whatever you need."

Oh, duh. Thanks, past you. Good claim. "Then, okay. I claim your mental self. Only for a few minutes, though - when I'm done with it it'll go back to you. Is that all right?"

Yu sways dizzily. "If it helps you with your powers, I... I don't think I can say no," she says, sounding worried.

"That's okay, this will be quick." You turn to Aiden (in Georgia's body), who freezes like a deer in the headlights. Geeze, Yu has some cute cousins. Maybe you can make something happen with Georgia or Lina when you're done here.

Aiden chuckles nervously, eyes darting left and right for an avenue of escape. She's pale as a sheet. "S-so we're all done testing for now?" She jerks a thumb over her shoulder and begins inching away. "Maybe I should just head out?"

"In a minute. But I still own your mind, correct?"

Aiden swallows. "Yeah, but -"

"Then I command Yu's mental self - that is, Yu's personality, memories, and mind - to copy itself over yours, till I say the words fully reverse to Aiden now. I command your mind to retain its knowledge and memories, but in all other ways, become Yu's mental twin."

Yu seizes your arm, fingers digging painfully into your skin. "Chase, no!"

But it's too late. Aiden's eyes roll back into her head and her body, Georgia's body, trembles all over. "Oh ffffuuuu-"

Yu's cousin recovers instantly, a look of horror on her face. "Chase, no!"

Georgia and Yu gape at each other, eyes wide in disbelief.

"You copied me?!" Yu gasps at you, while Georgia gasps at you, "You copied me?!"

"Oh... oh no," says Yu, covering her mouth and backing away.

Georgia-Yu covers her mouth and, eyes wide, gawks down at herself. She stumbles backward in shock. "Oh no. No-no-no-no-no. I'm the copy?"

Yu slaps your shoulder. "Chase, you have to bring Aiden back!"

Georgia-Yu throws out her arms. "Chase, w-wait, don't do it! You, um, you don't have to do anything yet!" The 'other' Yu halts at the unfamiliarity of her cousin's voice coming out of her mouth, but she grits her teeth and forges forward. "Listen to me, Ai's memories are safe. I, I think I know his IT stuff. I can fix a server now. So it's okay. He's okay."

Yu winces at her rewritten cousin."This isn't right. We know this isn't right."

"It's not like you think. Just, listen, you have to listen to me, okay?" scrambles the copied Yu, holding Georgia's hands out low and placating. "Yutong, you didn't lose your extra Switch controller during the Seattle trip. Aiden stole it. He broke his and didn't want to tell Aunt Jia. Aiden's fine, it's all - he's still in here, okay?" She's sweating bullets - Yu always gets nervous when she's caught in a lie, and even in her cousin's older, taller, more commercially beautiful body, the signs are painfully obvious. "A-And I'm not Aiden anyway, remember? This is Georgia's body. That's Aiden." She points frantically to the other Georgia - what used to be Aiden's body, since transformed to match Georgia's, and now hosting Georgiaa's mind.

Georgia herself isn't paying attention to what's happened to Aiden. She's taken to checking behind bushes, under pool chairs, and peeking into the poolhouse looking for her brother. "Where did he go...?" she muses, stumped.

Yu gives you a pained look. "Chase, why did you do this? I've played Soma!"

The video game title triggers the barest flicker of recognition. "Soma? You mean that Amnesia clone?"

Georgia-Yu's expression is equally pained, but much more frantic. "I got it for you for your birthday! You didn't play it?"

You rub the back of your neck and evade both girls' gazes. "I mean, I started it, I just didn't have the time to finish it," you mumble. "What's the big deal?"

"Making a temporary disposable copy of a person is the definition of taking things too far!" exclaims Yu, jabbing her finger downward. "Turn everything back, right now!"

"Stop! There's a better way!" yells Georgia-Yu.

Confused, you turn to her.

Georgia-Yu becomes immediately less resolute under your direct attention. "W-we can, um, we can figure something out," she stammers. "Two heads are better than one. Three heads! I'm sorry, I just got here - don't, don't do anything you'll regret!"

You groan, turning back to the real Yutong. "The whole point of these tests is letting me make mistakes, knowing I can erase them later if something like this happens," you say, pointing at Yu's Yutong-ified cousin. "And that you is on board with this, so why aren't you? I own your help, don't I?"

Yu moves between you and Georgia, blocking her from view. "If I found out I was a copy, I'd say anything not to be erased. She's terrified." Yutong is dead serious. "I'm telling you now, you made a mistake. Change everything back, now. "

You're hurt by her harsh tone. "You're supposed to be helping me."

“Chase, I am helping you. There are lines we shouldn't cross, and we're crossing them right now."

"Shouldn't I get a vote too?" asks Georgia-Yu, her voice trembling and her face white as a sheet.

"No! You shouldn't even exist!" Yu shouts, stomping her foot. "You're supposed to be Aiden, not me!"

Whatever it is you've done, you don't quite understand what, Yutong is convinced that it's wrong. And more importantly, it's clearly hurting both Yu and Georgia-Yu.

Fuck, this is a Pearl situation all over again. You said you'd be smarter, more careful going forward. You have to fix it, now. But how?

(Commissioned chapter)