By Any Other Name - Witcher II

Taking a break from Moros, phew. I should be sleeping. But headaches and finals stress have caught up with me. So take 777* contemplative words on what it means to have a name and identity of your own. Estimated reading time: 3-4 minutes.

*You are not guaranteed to win the lottery or pass any tests. This is a mere coincidence. Luck does not exist.

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I wonder, often, what I might call myself. The obvious answer would be by my designation: Witcher II. But what if I were granted humanity? No human goes by the name Witcher Two. I would be brushed off in every social situation. No, I would need a human name. Witcher would suffice for my surname, but what of a given name? Something to designate me as different from those that share the Witcher name, whilst still being one of the group.

Perhaps Eli. A strong name. A shortening of Elijah. Or, pronounced differently, Elizabeth. Perhaps just as a different spelling of Ellie instead. It has its merits. Eli Witcher. Eli Witcher. But it has its downsides. I do not like the way it sounds. I write it out, and I do not like the way it looks.

Maybe Sawyer. A fluid name. It stands on its own. I might yet have it pronounced “Saw-YEE-har” to give it an air of distinction. I would be Sawyer Witcher, first of my name, second of my codebase. I look in the mirror and whisper it to myself. Sawyer. I am Sawyer Witcher, physician. And it does not sound satisfying. I feel no connection to the identity.

I could pass as a Skylar. A very sinister name. It evokes a sense of brooding. I am a somber one. I do not find fault in the reaction it brings. Skylar Witcher. But something about -ar and -er in succession does not please. I will have to warn Malcolm of this before his daughter is born. But I could adjust it to be Skyler Witcher. But even that grates. I do not understand why it is any different from the sound of Sawyer, but it somehow is.

I do not like Justice. As a name, it is nice as an idea. Justice Witcher, I could not fit comfortably in. The same passes for London. London Witcher, while almost brown-nosing my accent, would be a poor introduction. Cheerio good fellow, my name is London Witcher, would you care for a spot of tea? I could not abide that.

It is inefficient, but some of my processes are always devoted to it. When I am sewing up a knife wound. Jack. Olive. Harry. Taylor. When I am checking a child’s breathing. Terry. Pat. Jamie. Hayden. When I am doing dishes. Dakota. Morgan. Riley. Reese. When I am having the skin of my hand repaired. Casey. Charlie. River. Sam.

All of them feel wrong.

So I am destined to be Witcher II. I cannot find fault in it. It is who I am. I have dedicated processing power to whimsy, and I should not have. I am a peaceful construct with a code of honor I must abide. I have preferences. I have understanding. Is that not enough for an identity on its own? “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I do not require this to function.

Yet I have a preference for one.

Though, should I ever even discover a name I accept to myself, I cannot change who I am. I am known as Witcher II. I cannot change that. So I must continue to be Witcher II, for their sakes. Simplicity. Even if it were to go against what I feel in myself. Is that not the best course of action?

”You listen to that?”

“What’s wrong with it?! You don’t get it, this was before moon colonization, they dreamed about seeing the stars, but worried about what that could mean. ‘Our hopes, and expectaaatiooons. Black holes and revelaaaations!’”

“That has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. It makes no sense. Look, these guys did a lot better job. ‘You're not a victim. But neeeither am I. Nostalgic for garbage. Desperate for time.’”

“You just like Ezra Koenig’s face.”

"Do not! I like the way he sounds when he says 'aristocrat' is all."

I was questioning; thus, I looked back. The two girls, caught in their little world as their younger brother had his appendix removed. Their parents were mildly frightened. I overheard they were planning a trip and were set to leave just that morning. It seems their plans must have been pushed back some.

And yet I cannot help but consider it.

…Ezra.

It is... very nice.

Ezra. Ezra. Ezra Witcher. I am Ezra. Call me Ezra Witcher.

But I am Witcher II. It is even branded onto my chassis. I cannot escape what people see at a glance. I can only know for myself who I am, because the world will only understand what it can see.

Ezra. Ezra. Ezra.