Stars Revolt: Perspective

Shepherd: "I have considered the idea that I might be mad. You know, just utterly insane."

Twilight: "Oh? You have?"

Shepherd: "Yes. For all I know, I'm lost in the woods. Dying of dehydration. Imagining all of this. A last delusion before my mind goes. Or I'm lost at sea. Under the sun, losing my mind."

He sighed and leaned back.

Shepherd: "A world like this? Has to be the fevered imaginings of a madman."

Twilight: "Well, maybe we are all figments of your imagination. Or maybe someone else's. Your world is no less fantastic, you know."

Shepherd: "I suppose. Maybe we're both dreaming one another's worlds. Or maybe... Maybe our worlds just exist thanks to believing in them."

Twilight: "Maybe... We'll never know for sure, will we?"

Shepherd: "No, I guess not."

Twilight: "Well... If you believe in me, then I'll believe in you. Okay?"

Shepherd: scoff "That is really hokey."

Twilight: "If I'm a figment of your imagination, then you came up with it."

Shepherd: "No way. I'm clearly a figment of your imagination, telling you how hokey that was."

Twilight: "No way! I'm the figment of your imagination!"

Shepherd: "No, you!"

Twilight: "You!"

They both fall into laughter. Spike comes in and rolls his eyes.

Spike: "Freaking nerds..."

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Well... If you believe in me, then I'll believe in you. Okay?

Heh. Now where have I heard that before?

[Anar Isil]

Pinkie: "Well, I'm a figment of both your imaginations!"

(Shepherd and Twilight turn to answer, and find that they're alone in the room)

Shepherd: "...never speak of this, to anyone?"

Twilight: "You read my mind. I was saving this bottle of whiskey for a special occasion, but Pinkie."

[Rokas]

Heartwarming adorkable nerdantry.

[Herald of Opera]

I think Conan of Cimmeria said it best:

I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content.

5390131
I'm reminded of the Petriculture Cycle, and anyone familiar with that series' central conceit will understand why.

[Eroraf86]

Believe in yourself. Not the me who believes in you, not the you who believes in me. Believe in you, who believes in yourself.

[A.P.O.N.I.]

5390128
Counting Crows, "Mr. Jones", I think.

[Ardashir]

5390182
Conan the Philosopher! I wish more people read the original RE Howard stories; they can be surprisingly deep at times.

[A.P.O.N.I.]

5390516
The unexpected depths are the secret to the pulp stories. They are what set the hooks deep in the minds of the readers, binding those stories tightly when they might otherwise be forgotten.