From Petra's diary
The deadline for my social studies essay is approaching, yet we haven't even started writing. The issue of sixamians disguising as humans is so messy, everyone's position seems to have some pros and cons.
Deep down I understand those sixamians who want to be free to show themselves with the appearance they prefer and that best represents them, just like we can dye our hair a different colour, or even use plastic surgery. On the other hand, however, I also understand the concerns many people expressed regarding the social security side, total freedom in the use of a disguise could be used in so many ways by criminals... How could we take a side, and discuss this topic in a sensible manner?
I'm starting to regret having chosen this topic, I would have had so many things to write if we had decided to deal with environmental ethics issues, the exploitation of resources, or energy sources, and so many other things. I don't know much about these social issues, it's Emy the one who is good at these things...
Bah, I'll think about it later. Tonight we're going out to Sim City, I don't want to be late.
Michael: So, what's the plan?
Emma: I'd like to go to the karaoke, we didn't go in ages!
Petra: Um...
I really suck at singing, I'd rather not embarrass myself in public. Especially, not in front of my friends.
Petra: I'm probably better not to sing, I don't want to break anyone's ears... But I can listen!
Emma: C'mon! I'm terrible too, but it's so much fun! At least give it a go!
Petra: ...
Michael: Okay, then it's decided! Let's hurry up, or the place will close!
Before I could think of any loophole, the others jumped on their bikes and left. Luckily we didn't teleport, so I had some time to think about a plan while riding...
Emma: Let's go, I can't wait!
Emy had tied her hair up and was rolling up her sleeves, she seemed dead serious about this karaoke thing. It looks like she really enjoys singing and, to be honest, it's nice to see her showing so much enthusiasm about something. Even though the embarrassment that awaited me was truly epic, I just couldn't say no to her.
Michael: You weren't joking, you didn't even hit a single note!
Petra: (annoyed) As if you could sing any better!
Needless to say, Michael was even worse at singing than the two of us, and soon all three were laughing out loud at a particularly catastrophic out-of-tune note.
Still giggling thinking about the last ruined song, we left the club. At that point, this scene appeared before us:
Emma: Hey, isn't that the guy who's always on the news?
Michael: Uhm... Yeah, that's right, he got interviewed a few times during the disguise protests as well!
We were still so late with the essay, we desperately needed more details about the topic. So we just had to exchange a glance before heading towards him, ready to ask him a few questions.
Emma: Hey, excuse me, sir, could we ask you a few questions? We recognized you from the news, and we have to write a school essay on your protest for the right to disguise, and so…
Emma was trying her hardest to sound convincing, but that guy seemed to be ignoring her. I don't know why, but the very moment he spotted me his expression became way more serious, and he seemed to forget about everything else. I was about to ask him to stop staring at me that way, it was making me uncomfortable, when he finally decided to speak:
???: I would be honoured to answer all your questions, I can also ask some other protesters to participate. However, I think you should ask your parents' permission first: I have the feeling that a certain someone would not be happy to know you were talking to me.
Again, I was the only one he focused on while saying those words. I'm 100% sure I've never seen him before, but then why do I have the feeling he knows perfectly well who I am, instead?
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From Gaia's diary
Alec: C'mon, mom, we're not doing so badly at school, there's no need to worry!
Nico: We'll study more for the next test, I swear!
Gaia: If you need a hand, ask me or Techna, okay?
Alec: All right...
I was distracted by that conversation with the twins, just today I got a phone call from their school telling me that they had failed the last math test, when the TV got my attention again.
TV: "... and the protests continue in Sim City, where more and more people are demanding the abolition of the restrictions on human disguises on sixamians, now considered anachronistic by many. In the evening..."
I was about to ignore the news, as I had done in the previous days, when suddenly an old video made me remember why I hated that topic so much. He had aged so much that his hair had turned completely gray, but the guy leading the protest undoubtedly looked like...
Gaia: That guy over there looks just like Matt!
Diego: What? Really?
Diego knew everything about my old relationship with Matt, and how it ended because of his lies, his being a good-for-nothing, and his stubbornness in continuing to use a disguise behind my back. That evening Diego was at our house to have some fun with us after his last trip, but at that moment he was looking at me with a worried expression.
The twins, on the other hand, seemed confused; to be fair, I had never told them anything. I dismissed the matter with a lapidary:
Gaia: He's a good-for-nothing, I used to know him a long time ago.
Having said that, I headed upstairs. The twins, increasingly perplexed, soon decided to turn on the sport channel to check the football results, while Diego hurried to follow me up the stairs. We had a lot to talk about tonight, that's for sure.
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From Petra's diary
The next morning, before going to school, I intercepted mom to ask her permission to talk to that strange guy so I could interview him and finish that damn social studies essay. Honestly, I didn't really want to see him again, but the deadline was approaching and it seemed the best way to get a good grade.
Petra: Listen, mom, do you remember that social studies essay we always talk about?
Gaia: ... The one about the disguises, right?
Petra: Exactly that one. You see, yesterday in Sim City we met one of the protesters, one of those who always gets interviewed on the news channel, and we tried to ask him a few questions. But he told us that we had to ask our parents' permission first. So, do you think I can go?
Gaia: Well, it depends, I don't even know who he is. Did he at least tell you his name?
Petra: He said his name was Matt.
I don't know why, but just hearing that name made my mother go pale and instinctively clench her fists. It didn't look like a good sign.
Petra: (perplexed) By chance, do you know him?
Mom looked extremely reluctant, when she eventually answered:
Gaia: … I recognized him last night on the news channel. (Taking a deep breath) Matt was my boyfriend when I moved here, I hadn't heard his name since I dumped him.
Petra: What, you were dating him? Yuck, he looks like an old creep!
Gaia: (shaking her head) I was young and dumb, okay?
Mom seemed undecided, given how much she disliked that guy I think she was very tempted to say no. On the other hand, she's never been good at saying no to me or my brothers, so I wasn't totally surprised when she ended up compromising instead:
Gaia: … If you really care about it, fine. But I want to be there too, just to keep an eye on the situation.
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From Gaia's diary
So I ended up accompanying Petra and her friends to Sim City. Asking their questions directly to the protesters was probably going to help them with their school assignment, but I also wanted to avoid a certain someone to put any weird idea in their heads.
Matt: (whispering) Well, little squirrel, she looks just like you, how could I not recognize her? And, guess what, I had the feeling that you wouldn't be happy if you knew I had spoken to her.
Gaia: (whispering) Can you stop with that stupid nickname?
Matt: (whispering) Whatever.
I really didn't want to see Matt ever again. Petra was right, he seems so old by now... Was I really that stupid when I was younger?
We haven't said much to each other, I don't care about what kind of life he's leading, or how he ended up in that group of protesters, or why he's still wearing a disguise, or how he hasn't been arrested for it yet. What I feel for him is absolute indifference, combined with a hint of distrust.
Not that he seems to care about my current life anyway, he didn't even try to ask me any questions.
For me, this was an overall unpleasant evening, but at least Petra and her friends had time to ask all the questions they wanted. School is really important to them, and if I can help, I don't want to back out.
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From Petra's diary
With only one day to go until the essay deadline, we couldn't postpone any longer. We had collected a lot of information, but how could we use it? I still wasn't sure which side of the argument to take, it was such a multifaceted and complicated issue…
Where to start from? On the one hand, logic told me that continuing to ban the sixamian disguise was probably the most practical and safe solution. After all, there are so few people who can and may want to use a disguise, and all those safety concerns seemed quite reasonable. How could the police ensure people weren't using it to conceal their identity or, even worse, to pretend to be someone else? The topic was so complex that disguises were strictly regulated even in New Sixam, it wasn't just a Sim City issue.
On the other hand, though…
Michael: At this point, I propose to just list the pros and cons of both sides, and then comment them a bit. We don't necessarily have to take a side, do we?
Petra: Uhm, yeah, it may be a bit bland, but I don't see many alternatives...
I was about to start writing the outline, when Emy decided to have her say.
Emma: Honestly, after listening to what those protesters had to say, I think I agree with them!
Michael: What about all those concerns about public safety, though?
Emma: I don't care, I'm sure the police can find some other solutions.
Petra: I don't know, wouldn't it be easier to just ask the sixamians to behave like everyone else?
Emma: We're not all the same, what's is "behave like everyone else" supposed to mean? For some sixamians, using a disguise is a way to express the person they feel to be within, how unfair would it be to ask them to repress it? Actually, I don't even see why keeping calling it a "disguise", when they are just doing what they can to look like they prefer!
Michael: I see... If you want to take this side in the essay, then, I guess we also have to write down some possible solutions to the complaints that the other side could raise.
Emma: I actually liked the proposition of one of the protesters, she said that a picture of the appearance they decide to use may be added to their IDs. It sounds quite practical, doesn't it?
Michael: Indeed. (surprised) You've really studied the topic well... How come you care so much? It's all about that story about your great-grandma?
Emma: Also, I guess... But it's also that it seems so unfair, everyone should be able to be themselves!
I remained still with the pen at a few centimetres from the page for way too long, that conversation stuck with me more than I was expecting. That last sentence in particular hit quite hard: sometimes it seems so easy to follow the crowd and behave like everyone else, but hearing someone say "Everyone should be able to be themselves" was surprisingly motivating.
I replied to Emy with a smile, she seems even prettier when she gets caught up in a conversation like that. Then I finally started writing the outline, we've been postponing this essay for far too long now.
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