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<b style="color: #20bb20; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 20px;">ACROSS THE STARS</b>
<kk style="color: #20bb20; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;">To the Edge of an Infinite Horizon</kk><<addclass "html" "titlePage">>\
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<span class="introText">RCom Beta v2.7.1 online [Public Release 1]
Connection routing through ULocal node MOC12-DESKTOP-95EQVIL
IOAPIC: v0x20 Vec64:87
ACPI: SysState [S0 S3 S4 S5] (S3)
PFM64 0xf10000000 0xf00000000
current language files used: 1 (of 715,635,987 possible)
Setup complete (running on local system)
Initialization complete
Connect to a node with command [connect """<node address>"""]
[usr]::<<linkappend "connect 4:G6:12:00MHQ9::0">>
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Outernet uplink established.
Mapping current node... Done.
Current node mapped to 04:G6:12:271817::A
RC-b Supported channels :: 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024 2048 4096 8192
Using channel 2048 [MTH w/ IS]
Chosen target node is 04:G6:S12:00MHQ9::0
Establishing Connection...
DivKey::A99461554 - stat #7ba [Link Complete]
SubKey::B58165634 - stat #8aa [Link Complete]
SecKey::P85615551 - stat #13b [Link Complete]
UniKey::Q64188546 - stat #99a [Link Complete]
Connection established.
Displaying node text:
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Welcome to MOCmHQ9-RComB-ONN1
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Connections on this line are for authorized connections only.
If you are not part of the MOC or have not received authorization, disconnect.
Type "yes" to confirm this connection.
[usr]::<<linkappend "yes">>
<<type 20ms start 0.5s skipkey "Control">>
Connection confirmed. Switching to graphical interface.
Mouse available for use.
Click [[here]] to continue.\
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<span>CHAPTER ONE: <span class="glitchy" data-text="DELIRIUM">DELIRIUM</span>
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter One" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER ONE</span></a></span>
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Starting once again from that research job gone awry. It's only natural that another extension follows the same conventions.
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<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Hey, Sam!<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Sam!?<</speech>>
The two of us are yelling but he won't respond for some reason.
I quickly walk up and grab his shoulder. He blinks a couple times before his eyes focus and he comes up with a response.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Huh, what?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Excuse me, what the hell do you mean 'what?!' You were literally just staring - completely unresponsive - at the relic, for at least two minutes.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Is this some-<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>No Sam, this is not a joke. Look at the time.<</speech>>
Nat stick out her arm, pointing her watch at Sam. He only looks at it for about half a second.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Well, shit... I planned to go ahead and do the research, but... Guess that didn't really work out.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You know, most people don't just go in with a plan and then forget literally everything and stand there-<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Look, I've really got no clue what the hell just happened. And I'm not about to pull some stunt like that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>That is fair, I guess. Why not go ahead and finish the carbon dating right now? We should keep our eyes on each other the whole time to ensure that we do not run into another incident like this.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Aye.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I mean, if your //rock// can do that? Fine by me.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I wonder who should do this part...">>
Well, I'm the researcher, so I think I should do this. After all, now that I know I should be aware of anything happening to me, I think I'd notice it. And I want to get a perspective on what this feels like that I couldn't get anywhere else.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I'll do the sampling. Hopefully the same thing doesn't happen again.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Well, you are the researcher. I suppose you need to write down how things feel.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>That was my justification.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>The two of us will be watching, but still be careful.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, I know. You don't need to baby me, Nat.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Still, I am the captain. You need my permission to do anything.<</speech>>
She says it in a weak attempt to lighten the moon.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Okay, shut up.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I look over at the table.">>
There are a couple chunks of the relic just sitting on the table, and we only really need a tiny piece of the relic. I walk up and grab one of the smaller bits off the table and start walking over to the carbon dating machine.
I wonder how just standing in front of the relic alone would be enough to actually get into your head, though... After all, telepathy isn't a real thing, it'd have to be doing something else. There's also the fact that we have no idea what this is made of and it's probably alien in origin. We're not really sure about this other than "There is writing on the front." and "It was blasting out radio signals that we could receive all the way back on Earth." Actually, now that I think about it, this is interesting in itself. What the heck is inside this rock that it can do that sort of thing? And even considering that Sam acted the way he did... Was it some sort of weird placebo effect that happened at a weird time, or is the relic actually able to do that to people? <<linkappend "And-">>
Hold on a minute.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max, you are holding a rock. I highly doubt you need to take so much care in bringing it halfway across a room.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Huh?<</speech>>
I look down at the relic in my hands.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, okay.
Wait.<</speech>>
I look back at Nat. She's standing there with one brow raised. Sam, too, if a little less focused.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, I think I see what you mean. About the... Hard to focus thing, yeah?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>See? She's feeling it too.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yes, I see that. We just need to be more careful when we work with this in the future. We have no idea where it came from, and the radio emissions we are receiving are no comfort.<</speech>>
Well, I should probably get rid of this now.
I walk up and put the piece of the relic inside the machine, this time actually staying focused on the topic at hand. I shut the machine's door and press the start button.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>How long does this machine take again?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>You are the scientist, no?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I'm a researcher, not an archaeologist.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Either way, is there a timer on it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh, yeah... The thing says about ten minutes from now.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Second Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Maybe we can just sit back and wait.</a>\
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<<cacheaudio "crash" "./PD2AUD/crash.ogg">>
<<cacheaudio "agni" "./PD2AUD/agni.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "apotropaic" "./PD2AUD/apotropaic.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "bakarlolite" "./PD2AUD/bakarlolite.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "endroll" "./PD2AUD/endroll.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "nisemono" "./PD2AUD/nisemono.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "run" "./PD2AUD/run.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "scholar" "./PD2AUD/scholar.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "lifetime" "./PD2AUD/lifetime.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "flowers" "./PD2AUD/flowers.mp3">><<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You know, I think we're better off outside of the room and away from the relic for the time being. We can wait outside.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh, now you are having good ideas?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh, //thanks//.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>You are right, though. We should leave.<</speech>>
The three of us step out of the room, waiting for the machine to do its thing.
Actually, we forgot something else.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Think we should make our daily report with Mission Control now? So that they know we're still alive and all that, yeah?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh, wow. That nearly slipped my mind. I guess it is only fair considering our recent events.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>"Well, let's get going."<</speech>>
We start walking down the hallway towards the ship's control room.
Now that I think about it... Sam's been pretty quiet since we snapped him out of that trance earlier.
Maybe it's best if I point it out so we can resolve it. Nat starts opening the door.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Sam? Are you feeling alright? You're awful quiet considering what just happened.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You haven't said a word since we left the lab room.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>She is right. Are you afraid of that rock?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>No, it's just... Maybe the rock did something?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>What might that be?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>We already know about the radio signals. But you think it does something else? Like make weak signals we can't see without special machines?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Kinda like that one movie?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Yeah, that one. With the black rectangles.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>I get it. You might be onto something with that. We are going to submit our daily report and then we can read that rock for everything we can find out about it. Remotely, of course.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Alright.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We should think about this after the report, anyways.<</speech>>
Nat sits down in her seat. She starts booting up the controls.
The screens start turning on as Nat types at a speed I could never hope to match.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Just because I can, I will be pointing us back towards home in the case they give us permission to return home after this.<</speech>>
As she says it, the view in front of us begins panning back towards the Milky Way. I reckon there's a good few billion stars out there. Pretty as ever.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Should we tell Control about everything that happened?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We are supposed to tell them everything we learn about the relic, no? That was the entire reason we have been here for the better part of the year.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Well...">>
That's an interesting thing I hadn't really thought of. I'm fairly confident that Mission Control and the rest of the team back on Earth has been hiding information from us. We might be better off if we take lessons from them until we can really figure out what we're dealing with. And the whole situation surrounded this mission. We really didn't get much of a briefing beyond 'Determine the source of the signal, bring it home if possible, and learn as much as you can.' Which is also true if you think about it: By questioning them, we're learning as much as we can.
Even still, they might know we're up to something and getting on their bad side is probably one of the worst things that we could do just because they're the ones with all the power here. I'd rather not get our permission to land back on Earth taken away. And then can enforce it, too. I've seen some of the X-Corp private military. Best not to piss them off.
Oh, but still. We don't know what we're messing with and we don't want to tell them anything that might not be true. This is a really important thing for science and history overall, so we need to be careful.
<<linkappend "We're better off keeping quiet for now.">>
Now I just have to prove it to them.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You know what? This probably sounds a bit weird, but as the head of research on board the Relegator, I propose we just avoid telling Control about the weird effect on Sam until we know exactly what we're working with here.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Really? It's weird, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Is that not my decision as captain?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Okay, but remember that Mission Control hasn't actually given us a full report on everything we should know. Why is this ship so unnecessarily big for the crew? Why are we actually collecting this? What else do they know? All we know is that it makes radio signals and apparently screws with our heads if we're nearby.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yes, and that is the exact property they are looking for with a relic found in deep space.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>And what about the possibility that this is a really weird coincidence? We want to be sure-<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I doubt that was a coincidence.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>//Entirely// sure that this isn't some weird mishap on our part.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>What?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>How adamant are you going to be about this?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I-<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Do not answer that. I already know the answer. We will tell them only the basic information we know so far.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Alright.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>I am about to turn on the camera, get ready.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "We all look towards the camera.">>
The camera light turns on and the control panel lights up telling us that we're now on camera. As per the usual, Nat begins talking first.
These reports have gotten boring enough that I almost forgot that I have one of the biggest parts in them. At least something new has happened to spice it up.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Hello! This is Captain Carter of the Relegator. Today is day 127, Friday, of our voyage to discover the source of the signal coming from the galactic edge. Research Head Algori will explain what we have learned from the relic so far.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>That's right, we've started the preliminary research on the relic. So far, we know that the relic is actually the thing emitting the signal and that it seems fairly durable, even given the small fragments that surrounded it. Based on educated guesses from the golden etchings across the front, we're pretty confident that this was made by an ancient civilization. We still have yet to actually confirm this, though. We still need to figure out what the symbols mean. Either way, our mission seems to be a success so far. Engineer Ollens, for the systems?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>All of the machines are fine.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Is that it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary anywhere in the maintenance section. All of the systems are running fine.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Alright, I think that is everything new since yesterday. Relegator crew signing off for the day.<</speech>>
Nat presses some buttons and the camera light switches off. She hits a few more buttons to send the report to Mission Control.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You think the carbon dating is done by now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>It should be. We should see the results.<</speech>>
She gets up from her chair. The three of us <<linkappend "head back towards the lab.">>
I wonder if they could have placed the lab a bit closer to the rest of the things on board the ship? Maybe it's a safety issue or something like that. I guess it's a bit late to redesign a starship when it's already in space anyways, yeah?
Nat opens the door to the room next to the lab which holds most of the remote controls for things in the actual lab room. Sam's the best at working with the remote machinery so we usually let him do the work for us, but in his current state... I think this is going to end up being Nat's job. I still think it's weird that this rock is acting like this. Heck, acting out in the first place.
Nat picks one of the helper robots stationed in the corner of the lab room. She turns it on and fiddles around with the controls for a moment before she's confident with her ability to use it. She drives it around the room a couple times before heading towards the carbon dating machine. She got the hang of it pretty quickly. After pressing a couple more buttons, the small display screen lights up with the robot's point of view. Seems like she's able to read off the results from there.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Alright, our results are in. Assuming the artifact was made by another civilization, the dust around this should be...<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Wait, so we're not alone in the Universe?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Well, we would have seen this civilization assuming we existed roughly eighteen bil- Wait, what?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>What?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Eighteen billion years. That is...<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Not possible, yeah? What the hell?<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Third Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">We're all a little shocked.</a>\
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<</linkappend>>Well, maybe Sam isn't as shocked, but that's not too surprising at this point. Either way, this really does have the possibility of revolutionizing our current understanding of history.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>How does that even work? Can you tell the robot to take part of it and check it under an electron microscope?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yes, hold on.<</speech>>
The robot moves across the room towards the rest of the machinery. She puts it inside and then boots it up, waiting for the results.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh my, that is very strange. Are you sure our microscope is running alright?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I'd imagine it kinda has to be, given that we're running top-tier technology that most //countries// couldn't afford.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Well, funny story. Besides dust, there does not seem to be any atomic structure in the relic.<</speech>>
I look over at the screen. She wasn't lying. We really can't see any atoms making it up. There's not really anything to see despite the fact that it should be working just fine. It's just... there. Solid all the way down.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>So... There's no atoms? It just exists?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>That appears to be the case. You did check the machines earlier, right, Sam?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>No.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Actually, I did. There's nothing wrong with it. And anyways, what are those signals we were receiving from it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>If Mission Control's reports are to be believed, it was just a ping trying to contact something.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh, yeah, that. Have we run scans on all the nearby systems to make sure that there aren't other artifacts or remnants of this civilization?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yes, I have. There is nothing of interest or relation in this area. Remember that it could have drifted very far in the last few billion years. It is also supposedly older than the Universe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Guess that's fair. I think we've made good progress for the day, at least. What time is it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh, it is 6:28 PM.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You know what? That's fine. I'll just go ahead and take a nap then. Seems like a good time for it at least. Goodnight.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Goodnight, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Yeah, I should sleep too.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Nat's watch dings right as I turn around to leave.">>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Good news, Mission Control says we can go home now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Nice.<</speech>>
The three of us leave the side room together, all headed to different spots. It's weird that we're able to travel some 8000 parsecs in the span of 48 hours. If I did the math right, that's somewhere in the low 100s of parsecs an hour. Absolutely wild.
I walk down the hall towards my room. I wonder what's going to happen in the coming days...
I walk into my room and shut the door behind me.
<<linkappend "Terminal shows up on the screen as I do.">>
I wonder what he has to say now?
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Welcome back Miss Algori. I noticed that you decided to withhold information from Mission Control.<</speech>>
Oh. Shit. That's not good. Maybe I can explain why?
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>A-Ah, well, you see-<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>On your part, this was a good decision.<</speech>>
Oh. Well, not like I was really going anywhere...
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>...Why's that?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>As you said earlier, Mission Control has not told you and the rest of the crew everything they should have. I was originally given instruction to do the same.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Wait, so you're telling me that a quick hunch I came up with on the spot was actually the truth?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Only partially. Mission Control had already discovered the artifact's nature before the mission had even begun. The true reason for this mission was to determine any effects it would have on human subjects. On another note, this is not the first relic that X-Corp has discovered. The original was said to have been discovered decades ago. Due to technological constraints the mission was impossible for some time.<</speech>>
Wow... That's... Goodness, a lot of information. Probably the biggest piece of news I've received since I was told about this mission in the first place. I'm just dumbfounded. To think there was another one... I wonder what they did with it?
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Wow, that's... I think you already know there's a lot for me to take in there. So, uh, excuse my responses. Umm, how does that explain the information we //haven't// gotten out of the relic so far? And why exactly have we not heard about this first relic? And where is it now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>The machinery brought onto the ship was not designed to work with the matter that makes up the artifacts, as it does not abide by the standard laws of physics. You were right, however, in that the artifact predates the birth of the Universe, that the artifact is not made up of standard matter, and that it has an effect on the human psyche. The first relic was destroyed by dropping it into the Sun. I do not know why they have not told you this.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Woah... Wait, so how exactly did they figure that out? Did you tell the others?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Telling the rest of the crew at this time risks the integrity of your new mission. The extent of my knowledge is that when the first relic was destroyed, signals were received from the galactic edge the moment that the relic should have made contact.<</speech>>
Well then.... That's a lot.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Alright, alright. I uh, I think that's enough. I planned to go to sleep for a moment, yeah? A bit harder now that you've given me so many revelations to ruminate over.<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>I apologize. Rest well.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I'll do my best.<</speech>>
Terminal disappears from the screen. I crawl into my bed and attempt to rest. <<linkappend "It works, eventually.">>
And when I wake up, I'm fairly well-rested. I sit up in my bed and look out the window. Earth really does look nice out there in the distance.
<<linkappend "Wait.">>
There's no way I just slept long enough for us to reach Earth. Forty-eight hours in one nap? Yeah, there's no way that-
Excuse me, what the fuck?
What is going on?
<<linkappend "I look at Greenland.">> The entire landmass is currently being scorched. Where is the ice?
Actually, that distracted me from the bigger matter at hand.
<<linkappend "WHY IS THE MOON SO CLOSE TO EARTH?">>
Three bright lights flash in the void of space and start rapidly growing.
They're not... Headed towards the ship, are they?
<<linkappend "Oh no, they are.">>
I get up and run towards the door.
It won't budge. The button's won't do anything.
Ehehe. this is... Bad.
<a data-passage="Fourth Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I'm not dead, am I?</a>\
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I wake up to the sound of beeping. My heart is beating pretty fast for some reason. A bad dream, maybe? Probably for the best that I don't remember it in that case. Did the computer set an alarm for me or something? I get out of my bed and walk over towards the screen.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Good morning, Miss Algori. In order to ensure that everything goes as planned, I must take it upon myself to assist you in your work.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh, uh, thanks, Terminal. Is there a reason you woke me up just now? Your clock says it's only been some three or so hours since I fell asleep.<</speech>>
Actually, that's kind of a bit longer than I intended to sleep for. I was just supposed to be taking a nap...
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Yes, it appears that rather than remaining asleep, Ollens has woken up and is currently interacting with the artifact.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh- You can't be serious. You want me to go and help him, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>If you wish to return home alive, yes.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Wait, was that a threat?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>A warning. You will not make it anywhere near Earth without military response if Mission Control becomes aware of anything major you refused to tell them. Especially issues regarding the artifact.<</speech>>
So be it. I'm fighting for our lives now, yeah?
To think that all of our problems started when we picked up a rock. I'm starting to have second thoughts about having this on board the ship. If it stops affecting us after that, X-Corp would understand, right? I'll have to work with things as they are for the time being, though...
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Alright, I'll go. Is Nat awake?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>She is asleep in the control room.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>That's fine. I'll get Sam.<</speech>>
I open up my door and start running. I can already tell this is going to hurt later. This is what I get for not exercising once in my life. I can see one of the cameras moving to follow me on the ceiling. For the best and for us all, yeah? I reach the window of Lab-02 and I peek into the window before I try opening the door.
Sam is on his hands and knees writing on paper. He's also surrounded by a lot of papers. I think it's for the best that I step inside and do something about this...
But then again... This is kind of an excuse to learn more about the relic without doing it myself, without putting myself in danger. I'm a researcher at heart and I just can't fight my own curiosity. Sorry Sam, but this is for the safety of everyone else.
I step back from the window and silently watch. I'm pretty sure he's actually attempting to translate the relic. Wow. There are two sets of symbols on two halves on the page, from what I can see here. I'm assuming that there are both sets of characters written down, and whatever they are, they aren't in English, I know that much. Actually, I just walked into the room out of my own curiosity. He didn't even notice me. Neither did I, honestly.
A couple minutes pass and nothing more really seems to happen. I bend over and look at one of the papers. It sure seems like an actual translation. I start picking up his papers. This is actually really very interesting. I'll put them in order for now and then reorganize it some other time. This could be really helpful for us, yeah? We might be learning about this ancient civilization that came before us, and-
<<linkappend "And then Sam falls over.">>
He just passed out completely. I almost got entranced just like he was, too... He just fell over though. How? Nothing apparent that would realistically cause it. I think he just finished the entire translation... The entire thing. At least he's still breathing, even if he's unconscious.
Terminal shows up on a screen in the room.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>That was likely not your best decision. At the very least, it does not appear that Ollens is physically hurt in any way.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah... He seemed pretty wrapped up in what he was doing, and I didn't want to interrupt- No, that's a lie.<</speech>>
That really wasn't the most ethical thing I could have done. Oh, but... If X-Corp can use the justification that it's better for everyone to know the truth no matter the cost, then why can't I? I'm the one trying to save them from their own stupid mistakes. That's why they only sent the three of us out here, right? So they could distance themselves from the source of their big issue... That makes a lot of sense, actually. No wonder they're made up of some of the world's smartest people. I'm surprised Nat hadn't realized this before I did. Maybe I can still keep her safe from this? Even I have more exposure than her and I don't feel any particular attraction to this stupid rock beyond a passing curiosity.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I'm sorry, that was just... Really interesting. I wasn't expecting something like that to happen, and I couldn't pass up a research opportunity like that, especially if it meant I could avoid the unnecessary exposure to the relic.<</speech>>
Terminal hesitates for a moment. This might actually be the first time I've seen him do this.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Very well.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>So... What do you suggest I do about this now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Bring Ollens back to his room and take the papers to yours.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, on it.<</speech>>
I get down and start cleaning up the remaining papers. Nice and fairly neatly stacked, but still completely out of order. At least whatever the hell was controlling his mind was decent enough to make him number the pages. Eight's on the top. I place the stack down on the counter. I walk over and look at Sam.
I wasn't really planning ahead for this... I've never picked up something as heavy as him. He's not fat or anything, just a foot taller than me. I guess I can do the only thing I can think of in this situation.
I grab Sam by the arms and start slowly dragging him out of the room. I make sure not to do it too fast or hurt him, but this is still a bit silly. At least the floors are smooth enough that it's not too hard.
His room isn't too far from the labs, but still a pretty good distance by drag. At least this isn't waking him or anything.
By the time I actually make it to his room, my arms are getting tired. It takes a lot of effort to get him into his bed and yet I somehow actually manage to do it. The walk back to the lab is a bit draining.
I close the lab door behind me and look up at the screen with Terminal still there.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Terminal, are you sure you couldn't have helped me?<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>How?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>...Oh.<</speech>>
At least I've already cleaned up the stacks of papers. I'll reorder them sometime tomorrow, probably.
I leave the lab room with the papers in my arms and start heading down the halls. I probably look pretty suspicious walking down the halls with a stack of papers in my hands while everyone else is asleep, but still... At least Terminal is in on it.
<<linkappend "Wait, hold on.">>
I look around and realize where I am. Somehow I got distracted and ended up going the wrong way. I'm in the maintenance section now. I'm standing in front of some random closet. I- What?
I'm pretty sure I've never screwed up direction like this before. But I can't say I've ever seen this closet before. I might as well just check inside out of curiosity, yeah?
I set the papers down on the floor next to the doorway. My arms are tired enough as is.
Unsurprisingly, it's very dark in here.
I feel around for a light switch. I take another step while feeling across the wall.
Apparently my next step was a bad idea. I stumble over something on the ground, nearly losing balance, but I catch myself on a nearby shelf.
I find the light switch. Who the heck just dropped a broom in the middle of a closet? Actually, it probably fell down on its own with the ship moving around as often as it does. I look around on the shelves looking for what could have possibly drawn me into this room.
<<linkappend "And there it is.">>
<<linkappend "A miniature version of the relic.">>
No, not really.
There's a little yellow and orange block with a red button on top of it just sitting there in the shelf. I pick it up. There's actually some weight to this thing, like it's full of pennies or something. There's a green light next to the base of the button. I turn it over in my hand and there's actually a label on this.
"P. Lotte Device" is written in big red letters across the side. Underneath it in smaller text, it says "C0NV3N13N7 Model."
Wait, seriously? Is this some kind of weird gag item that I don't get? This thing actually has some weight to it too, there's probably something weird inside. Either that or my arms are just still tired. I press the button on top. It takes a bit of force to actually push it down all the way, but the green light shuts off.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter Two" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I stand there waiting for something to happen.</a>\
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Nothing happens. Alright then. I might as well stop standing here looking like a moron, yeah? I put the thing into my shirt pocket and- Nope, that's really heavy for a shirt pocket. I'll just carry it to my room. I shut off the light and close the door behind me. I put the device on top of the stack of papers and head over to my room with them in hand.
I head to my room for real this time.
I open my door and place the stack of papers down on my desk. The little orange block goes onto another spot. I shut the door behind me. I don't think I'm going to spend any time reading the papers tonight, though. I still doubt anything written on them is to be believed at all.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Miss Algori, why were you in the maintenance section?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I don't know. Pretty sure I just took a wrong turn while I was distracted by my own thoughts and then realized where I was afterwards. I know it happens to people sometimes.<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Very well, rest easy.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, I'll see what I can do.<</speech>>
Before I can move, <<linkappend "he asks me another question.">>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>What is that box?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Oh, this? I don't know. I found it in a closet. It's called a "P. Lotte Device." I pressed the button and a light shut off, that's about it. I think it's just some joke toy or something.<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Interesting.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Apparently.<</speech>>
I climb into my bed and <<linkappend "eventually fall asleep.">>
I wake up again. I look out of the ship's window and...
Welp, Earth is there again. Pretty sure I had this same dream last night.
Actually, wait. I completely forgot about that. Why am I remembering this now?
<<linkappend "Wait...">>
Okay, you know what? Enough of this. I'm going to dream about something else.
The area around me disappears and I'm floating around in blank white space. Maybe I'll make something neat instead.
If I'm going to have weird dreams, they're at least going to be fun.
<a data-passage="Sixth Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I think this will be enjoyable.</a>\
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I get up and stretch for a moment. I feel pretty well rested compared to the usual nights recently. Shame I can't remember anything from my dream.
Well, I guess that implies I had a dream to begin with. Probably not. Oh well.
Terminal boots up on the screen right around the same time my feet hit the floor.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Good morning, Miss Algori.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Morning, Terminal.<</speech>>
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>The others are currently waiting in the cafeteria.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>About what I expected. I'll head there now.<</speech>>
I leave my room and walk over to the cafeteria. I open up the door and the others are talking to each other about something already.
<<linkappend "Sam looks up at me.">>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Hey, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Morning.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Good morning, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>How are you feeling, Sam?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Huh? I feel fine. Why?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Do you remember what happened last night?<</speech>>
He suddenly looks shocked.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>You were in the lab room writing something in front of the relic.<</speech>>
And then the expression fades. And then comes back again when he realizes what I said.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Oh. I thought I had a dream about that. You mean that actually happened?<</speech>>
I mean, he's genuinely surprised about it, at least.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, you didn't even notice me walk into the room and start picking up your papers. I have a stack of them in my room.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>What do they say?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I don't know, I haven't read them yet. Actually, remember when you were tired yesterday?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Yeah, why?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Well, since you were so tired, did you remember to check on the ship's machinery?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Oh, shit. No, I didn't. I guess I lied on the report because I'm just so used to saying it at this point. Not like I wanted to tell Mission Control I just didn't do my job.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Fair enough, but we're using the Alcubierre drives right now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>So far, they seem fine to me. He had checked them just the day before, anyways.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, but remember that this is the first mission X-Corp has ever done that has used Alcubierre drive to actually go this far into deep space. We're kind of testing physics right now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Ah, that is true. Sometimes I forget that. We have spent so much time up here that it is easy to.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I know what you mean.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>You think we should check on it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Yeah, probably.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "He thinks to himself for a moment.">>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Well-<</speech>>
<<linkappend "The ship rumbles for a moment.">> Followed by a weird low humming that fades in and back out again. <<audio "sabotage" volume 0 fadeoverto 20 0.5 time 10>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I don't suppose that was supposed to happen?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>No, that has never happened before.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Was that the ship or the drives?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Ah... Both?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "The three of us get up">> from our seats and start running to the control room.
Nat gets there first and sits in her pilot's seat.
The keyboard sounds like a single hum as Nat starts rushing through menus trying to figure out what's going wrong.
The screens and panels are going red one by one.
<<linkappend "Nat looks up from the screen.">>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Well, I have bad news.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>What now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>The drives are not shutting off, the error logs are moving too fast to be readable, and we have just reached-<</speech>>
She glances at a number rapidly increasing on one of the panels.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>What? Fifty thousand parsecs an hour?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Wait, how the fuck is that even possible?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Great question! I have no idea.<</speech>>
She goes back to spamming buttons but nothing happens.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Y'know, I'd offer to help but... I kinda //don't// wanna go back into that room if it's doing weird shit.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>I don't blame you.<</speech>>
We watch the view in front of us compress into a single bright light directly in front of us.
If I'm right, this is some form of exaggerated Starbow where literally everything has been compressed like that. Light is only able to hit us from the front.
<<linkappend "There's a loud whirring noise as the drives">>... Do something?
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We are... Slowing down?<</speech>>
The white point in front of us rapidly expands and fills about a quarter of our view. It slows down and goes to about halfway.
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Nat, where are we pointed?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Ah... If the computer is right... Then...<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>Where?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She looks up sheepishly.">>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We are currently headed directly towards Jupiter.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max" "Maxine Algori">>What?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "And then I see it approaching.">>
As in it's in view for about half a second.
It expands.
And then everything goes black.
I think we just hit the planet.
<a data-passage="Seventh Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">The entire ship shakes violently.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER TWO: <span class="glitchy" data-text="IRRADIANT OVERTURE">IRRADIANT OVERTURE</span>
<a data-passage="Fifth Passage" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER TWO</span></a></span>
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The press of a button was all it took. And yet the storm had just started to brew.
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<<linkappend "Nat was in her chair.">>
<<linkappend "Sam was braced against the control panels.">>
<<linkappend "I had neither.">>
I'm catapulted across the room into the back wall.
There's another loud noise as the Alcubierre drives finally shut down.
I slide down from the wall for about half a second before I hit the ground.
That didn't even hurt?
Well, except for my head.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>We're 300,000 kilometers from the surface.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yeah, I se- Max! Are you oka-!<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter Three" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">And then I stop hearing things.</a>\
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I just... Sit there. New ideas start flowing through my head. After getting launched through Jupiter at a speed that shouldn't even be possible. And then I survived getting flung into the wall as it slowed down. Without dying. I can't even be bothered to turn around and look at the wall behind me to realize that I did in fact leave a pretty big dent in the wall after taking out a table.
Actually, that's not the only thing I'm aware of right now. I'm not listening to Nat or Sam but I know they're talking about something. I think they just picked me up, probably taking me to the infirmary.
But I know that there are other things that have happened. This isn't the first time we've gone faster than we should have, right? It's kind of like looking back to the memory of a half-faded dream, but every second that passes, the mirage gets a little bit clearer. This isn't the first time I've lived my 128th day on the Relegator mission. It's happened countless times. Actually, no, not countless times. Just a few. I'd say around 60 times so far. I just know there's been a few occasions where I have experienced this very day and it was different every time, even if it was only subtle.
Except I never really remembered those previous iterations. In all of them- Well, maybe, I could- No, that's for another time.
There's something more important to consider right now. I know why this is happening. This isn't even the first time I've done something like this. I remember when I thought that X-Corp was older than me by a few centuries. That's not true at all, there are a lot of zeros in my age. I lived back in the day of the good old Paulina Lotte Company. I remember that they interacted with another organization, and if I'm right, it hasn't been long enough for anything of interest to have happened to them. The Lotte Company and that one other organization. I never heard much about them. I never got hired either, I just kinda existed for a while.
But then I decided to live a little. I was born into this Universe without any concept of my true identity. And it's a bit silly, actually.
Maxine Algori. That's not my real name, it's longer and more sophisticated than that. Things are still coming back to me, though.
To think I'd remember everything that happened to me because of a P. Lotte gadget. The most infamous kind, at that... The P. Lotte Device. I heard it was invented by the CEO herself. She occasionally worked together with other people that made it possible for Universes to exist the way they do, and now the Lotte Company no longer exists.
This reminds me... Those dreams I had back on day 126. That's actually where all of this starts, interestingly enough. Someone came up to me in my dream and said something to me that felt more real than any other dream I've experienced before. I made a deal that if they could tell me my IPPIN then I'd trust them to handle things for me. Then I forgot. But I remember now. And if they're listening right now, they still haven't told me that number. Thing is, I wouldn't actually remember it unless they told me. I only really know the first twelve or so digits. I wonder how many you- Nope, this isn't the time for that yet.
And the Relic? That old thing that we picked up. We were right that it wasn't native to this Universe. If I'm right, then it's some backwater Universe nobody really cared about until the relic started existing there. A little concept that found its way out of its dying home Universe and into mine. It's a pretty big concept, too. Not for me, at least. I can see the entire thing without going insane or whatever it does to people. It actually makes a little sense to me. I'm still confident it's evil after everything it did to us in those other iterations.
Maximiliane Alligori. That's right, my full name that I gave myself after existing for a while. It gave me an identity to anchor myself to so that I could keep from just fading out of existence. I think it's fitting, at least. I'm not really native to this Universe either, not any of them actually, but still, it's the first Universe I've really had a body in. So I think I should protect it, first and foremost. Just the entire human collective unconscious is kind of small compared to the relic, it's almost cute. To think I sit higher than even that.
The P. Lotte Device. Yeah, that again. That's the thing that jostled up the laws of physics just enough that the ship would knock me against a wall hard enough to remember the fact that I'm much more than human. I'm an entire living, sentient concept with an understanding that this Universe is one of many. And yet it's still unique in its own way. I even gave myself a purpose way back when. I'm not really here to destroy the relic, since that's just too simple. And it only visited a while back. What? 500 years ago? It's really not that long. I always wanted to help clean up the naturally messy universes out there so that they could all be nice like mine. It's all part of the fun. I just wanted to get a perspective of the human race for once. Shame I got interrupted by an old business partner. And to think you're part of this, too. Well, actually, that's a bit too early for that still.
What actually is the relic? I'm thinking about it. Well, I know it represents a burning, passionate purity willing to stop at nothing to leave everything as pure as possible. It's only a physical thing because it's a fading concept that is finding it harder to exist. I'm going to stop it. It's lost so many wars in this Universe and it has won that many more. Actually, now that I think about it... I'm not really sure why it's able to persist between Universes so easily. Wait- Wait a minute. It remembered things between iterations, didn't it? There's no way it couldn't have. It acted differently in each one like it remembered its own mistakes. In the later ones, things just became more and more interesting. Maybe that's just because it's not native to the Universe, though I'm not sure why that would change anything. It's kind of interesting to think that there are time loops embedded within time loops in this world. The relic was trying to feign ignorance about what it knew, even though there would be no way to know from inside the loop anyways. I wonder what had to happen to cause all of this causality mess to happen? But I'm actually separate from all of it now. I think it's because all of the information I knew, I left behind on the outside of the Universal membrane. It's only coming back to me now because something should've weakened whatever barrier separates "Universe" from "Not Universe." I guess the relic must've done the same thing, but... That means it also knows how to breach the- Yeah, that's true. It left its own Universe. And I guess I could, too. Funny that I'm still remembering things even now. I'll just remove the relic from existence and then rewrite history so that it was like it never happened, and maybe even clean up the time loop while I'm at it. And then maybe I can get back to living my second life.
Or is it my first? Ah, that doesn't matter anyways. I have to beat it in the present first, though.
Maybe I should... Actually remember where I am, now.
<a data-passage="Ninth Passage" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">An infirmary bed.</a><<removeclass "html">>\
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max? Max? Can you hear me, Max?<</speech>>
I sit up in the bed.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I- Yeah, I can hear you, Nat.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh goodness. We were checking on you but... Nothing seemed to have happened besides you being completely unresponsive.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I thought you went into some kinda coma.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... That was a pretty nasty dent on the wall, I don't blame you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Wait, you saw that? You never even turned around.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I felt it.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>What- Did it hurt?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Not really. But there's a reason for that. It should've killed me instantly.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Wait, what reason?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>This might... Take a while to explain. And even longer to believe. I think I can prove it, though.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Looking at her, I notice a lot more about her.">> I can actually remember every other time I talked to her in other iterations. She's killed me a lot of times. Whether she killed me when I was affected or when she was affected, doesn't really matter.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Go ahead, I guess.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Okay, so last night, I found a small box on shelf in a maintenance room closet.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Why were you there and how does this relate?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I got confused and ended up taking a wrong turn. I just went into a closet. I related because of the box I found.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's a P. Lotte Device. It was designed by a company that exists outside of the Universe. They're-<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Nat, she hit her head.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Yes.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No! I mean, I did, but that doesn't change anything. It does sound kinda stupid though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>You don't say...<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>So you know amnesia? When people forget things? Well, I have the reverse of that. Something like that, at least. I think hitting my head actually made me remember this. But it only worked because of the device. It kind of undid something that separated my actual identity from me. I'm pretty sure the laws of physics have changed, too.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>And you can prove this how?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, how about this: You're carrying a gun on you right now. It's concealed pretty well and I'd have to actually have my hands in your pockets to know about it.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>What? I do not-<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Show us your left pocket.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She huffs a bit.">> She reaches into her pocket and takes out a pistol.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Don't worry, the safety is still on.<</speech>>
She looks at the gun. And then looks back at me with a glare that confirms it.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>How did you know that? I even slipped it past security when I first boarded.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You may or may not have killed me in other branches of this Universe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Why would I-<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It sure as hell wouldn't be the first time you shot somebody. You either went insane because of the relic, or I did, and then you would end up killing me for whatever reason made the most sense to you. I don't really blame you, honestly.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>But still...<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Think about it. If I was going insane and I put both of your lives on the line, as well as the rest of the human race, you wouldn't hesitate to kill me, would you?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>...<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>At least I don't have any-<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, mister "master at rock paper scissors," I do know you really like tending to the plants in the greenhouse. There's something about them that make you feel comfortable and happy.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I've been disproven.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Okay, now for the big thing: We need to get rid of the relic and soon. X-Corp collected a first one about 500 years ago in 2020. It's actually the same thing they thought they destroyed because it escaped. They had to wipe an entire city off of the map because so many people had lost their minds due to it. It affected them kinda like it affected Sam the other day, except it got a lot worse. It can't affect me anymore, at least. Except that if it gets enough people, it'll stop existing in only three dimensions and we'll have an even bigger problem on our hands, since it can only get stronger. As in, the extinction of the entire human race.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max, we cannot just get rid of it, even if you-<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I try and get out of the infirmary bed.">> Sam holds me down.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Max, we're not done with the checkup yet.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>There's nothing wrong with me, I'm fine.<</speech>>
I shrug off his arm and apparently I'm much stronger than him because it takes no effort.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>What the- When did you-<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Really, I need you to believe me. The entire Universe is actually in danger right now, we don't have time for a checkup!<</speech>>
I get out of the bed and open the infirmary door.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max, wait!<</speech>>
I start running down the hall towards the lab room. There's a weird noise coming from inside.
Oh, shit.
<<linkappend "It's demanifesting.">>
I need to do something first, then. I take another turn and run to my room, quickly opening the door.
I run up and grab the P. Lotte Device from my desk. Terminal shows up on the screen.
<<speech "Ter" "Onboard Terminal">>Hello, Miss Alg-<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Sorry Terminal, no time!<</speech>>
I run out of the room. The light on the device is green again.
This thing isn't very heavy anymore. I press the button and it gives almost no resistance.
The light turns red as the device starts shaking.
It collapses in on itself and then implodes into nothingness.
Huh. Guess I won't be using it anymore. Hopefully that did something to actually help me. I feel space pulse outward, originating from where the device was. Maybe that was a good thing.
I kick open the lab room door. It immediately bends and falls inwards.
Whoops.
The relic on the table finishes fading out of three-dimensional space. It's probably trying to make its way through the Noosphere right now and start grabbing at human minds. I can't let that happen. I'm not sure what gave it the energy it needed to do this, but that's not important right yet.
I'm not really sure what the best thing to do in this situation is, but...
<<linkappend "I can always try this, right?">>
I raise the speed of light to allow sunlight to cross all the way over to the edge of the Solar System instantly. The sky is a bit brighter though, I can already tell. The more I screw around with this, the more I can feel the Universe getting a little less stable. The PD probably had something to do with that, honestly. Someone somewhere is probably getting pissed off. The probability of all these events is so close to zero, though... How did this happen? Someone out there is screwing with chance.
There's still a problem here, though.
I'm going to have to drag the relic back into 3D space where it'll be easier to fight in my current state.
I reach my hand out before me, reaching forwards in a direction that nobody else can really perceive, and fold the Universe in on itself slightly as I grab the concept of the relic even though its already embedded into the space around me.
And then I tug. Like fishing, it puts up a fight, realizing what I've just done. Too late.
I already have my hands on it. Ever grab an intangible concept? I didn't think so.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter Four" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I give a final tug.</a>\
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The relic fades back into the physical Universe in one instant, remanifesting with a new physical form. The relic ends up flying across the room, into the table it was just on a moment ago. Looks like I tugged a bit hard. Both of them hit the other side of the room really fast, nearly shattering the lab room windows and bending the wall slightly. A couple cracks. It's fine.
<<linkappend "Where the relic landed">>, a-
What.
There's a small girl here. She's wearing a... Black sundress? It contrasts starkly against her pale white skin. Her dress has golden lettering across the front. Her hair is golden blonde, right about shoulder length. A little black bow sits in her hair. The style is... Kind of edgy, honestly. Straight stands that cover her left eye. There are black boots on her feet. She's got to be about Nat's height.
<<linkappend "This is the relic?">> This little girl?<<audio "nisemono" volume 0 fadeoverto 10 0.5>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic..?">>What. What is- Why am I- What's with this dull outfit? What did you even do? And //how//?<</speech>>
Her voice is very brattish. High pitched. She's giving me incredible tomboy vibes.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Dumbass, I brought you back into three dimensional space.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic..?">>Well, obviously, you dolt. How did you even make me human?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'll be honest, I've got no idea, don't ask me. Just know I won't let you destroy humanity.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic..?">>Oh, that's it? I've got the advantage here, you spaz.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, sure you do. Are you going to give up now or are we going to do this the hard way?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic..?">>What did you even do that changed me like that? And why do you remember- Oh wait, I was war-<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Nat opens the door.">>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Max, are you seriously- What? Who is that?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>She's the Relic! She just manifested here right after I tugged her back into reality. I don't know why she ended up like... That?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Oh, it's you again. Y'know, it'd be real dandy~ if you helped //me// instead.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Seriously? Nat, get out, it's not safe.<</speech>>
She just nods her head and backs out of the room, probably to tell Sam. Or just to get away from whatever is about to ensue.
They're probably still watching through the windows. I don't notice any particular signals coming off of her, at least. Though if I look her in the eyes I can kind of notice it.
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Right, so you've caught my eyes. Wanna see what happens if you look into them?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, nothing. You do realize how much stronger than you I am, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You're wrong, but I'll keep you jazzed for now.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She uncovers her left eye">> and stares directly at me, looking me over a bit. Her uncovered eye is an amber color, but this one is a deep grey. I notice that she's actually trying to get into my head, but nothing of interest seems to happen. She recovers her eye.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Told you so.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>All you did was answer my question. So you're Seventh Density?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What does that even mean?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Oh, shoot. You wouldn't know, would you? It's fine, we can still work with this.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are we going to fight or what?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You're really cruisin' for a bruisin', huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, because I'm gonna win.<</speech>>
She turns around and grabs the cart behind her. It's slightly bent up from the first impact.
Despite her stature, she picks it up effortlessly and swings it around, towards me.
I grab the knife from my pocket, slicing at the air right as the cart gets close enough. Normally, the knife would've shattered instantly, but...
You know, conceptual modification and all that. I'm kind of a fundamental right now.
The cart is split clean in two, both halves hitting different parts of the wall, cracking some more of the explosion-resistant lab room glass.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's property damage, you know.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You're worried 'bout that? Good catch, though.<</speech>>
I pull at the blade of the knife, extending it, before I pull it in half, splitting it into two daggers.
More useful for the purposes we're about to get into, anyways. It's about time I get to use my weapon of choice. There's something nice about a sharp blade.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>We really don't have to escalate this any further.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Wouldn't it be neato to figure out how strong we are, though?<</speech>>
She points her hands at me. I defensively raise up my knives, just in case. A large, dark blue, and glowing sigil appears in front of her hands.
Uh oh. Magic circles.
<span class="pageImg">[img[setup.ImagePath+'RSig1.png']]</span>
It starts rotating slightly before the triangles shift, suddenly jolting inwards towards the central shape.
<span class="pageImg">[img[setup.ImagePath+'RSig2.png']]</span>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What are you even-<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>I'm booking it, doofus.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "There's a bright flash of light.">> I notice space bend around where she was standing. She's gone- No, wait. I know where she just went. She bent space in on itself so she could exit the ship without even using the doors. I hope I can breathe without air. Or just don't need to breathe. Actually, no, that's right. I literally do not need air anymore. Breathing is just a suggestion.
I'm going to have to make sure to act quickly before she can do anything, though. But I need to make sure the other two know where we went.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Did... Did you win?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, not yet. I'm just here to warn you that I'm leaving the ship. Try and get yourselves back into Earth orbit. If you notice anything weird happening there, hang out by Mars for a while. It's not going to be safe around here much longer.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>What? What do you mean leave? In an escape pod?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, I don't think I need to breathe anymore. I'm kind of like a deity or something now. I'll be fine, so don't worry. Get back to Earth and I'll resolve this myself. Not like there's much that two normal humans can do against a higher dimensional being, anyways.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>You know what? Fair enough. Good luck out there, Max.<</speech>>
She's a bit confused. I would be too, in her shoes.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Don't worry, I'll make it back.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I step back a bit.">> Let's see if I can't do something like the Relic. Magic circles are cool, anyways.
I raise my hands in front of me. A white pattern forms in front of my hands.
Yeah, this should be good, exactly how I imagined it.
<span class="pageImg">[img[setup.ImagePath+'MSig1.png']]</span>
I focus on the space around me. All I have to do is move forward along a fourth axis and I should be outside of the ship without ever contacting the walls. After all, a three dimensional box can't contain a four dimensional being, and I'm probably way higher than that. This should work, even though I'm not entirely sure what exactly I'm doing right now. It's been so long.
The pattern on the sigil shifts.
<span class="pageImg">[img[setup.ImagePath+'MSig2.png']]</span>
Oh. I can't believe I never noticed this- Oh, that's right. I was only seeing in three dimensions.
I can just walk out of the ship like this now. If they were watching me, it probably looked like I just walked through the wall.
I let my sigil fade and look around me. Yeah, that's right. Now I'm floating in space. I just need to figure out how to move around properly. I look off into the distance. I can't really see her since she's so far away, but the Relic is currently flying even farther out in the Solar System, for some reason. I would've expected her to head to Earth as soon as possible. I turn around to see the Relegator shoot off towards a planet closer to the center of the system. I can only see her because I've made sure that my eyes can resolve things even several billion kilometers away. Still really small though.
I'm not actually sure how to fly. I never really had to before, mostly because this is still the first body I've ever had. I mostly just shifted my location of perception as a whole concept. Time to learn, I guess.
I stumble around in zero gravity for a while before I figure out how to bend space around me so that I move. It's kind of like becoming my own Alcubierre drive by bending space around me the right way. <a data-passage="Passage Eleven" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Now I just need to tail the relic.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER THREE: <span class="glitchy" data-text="APOTHEOSIZE">APOTHEOSIZE</span>
<a data-passage="Eighth Passage" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER THREE</span></a></span>
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Jovian Impact from the galactic edge in 71 seconds. And yet they survived.
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<span>CHAPTER FOUR: <span class="glitchy" data-text="COSMIC CONTRAVENTION">COSMIC CONTRAVENTION</span>
<a data-passage="Tenth Passage" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER FOUR</span></a></span>
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And so the Relic moved back into physical existence. A war would follow soon.
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I start shooting across the stars. That sounds pretty familiar. And stupid, oh well. The relic has already made her way to the Saturnian system. Seems like she's eyeing Titan.
I enter orbit around the moon right as she lands. I touch down near her.
She turns around to look at me.
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Yikes, you learned quick.<</speech>>
Apparently we can hear things in a vacuum? I won't question it.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Not really learning, more "remembering."<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Right, get out. I've got things that need getting done.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'm not stopping until you're dead.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You can't just kill me, dumbo. I'm a concept. So are you.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She raises her left hand up to the sky.">> A massive sigil forms above her.
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>If you wanna fight that bad, I'm calling my buddies.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What friends? Thirty minutes ago you were just a rock.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Old friends. You wouldn't know.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Didn't you come from a different universe? How would they get here?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Oh. You think it's actually that simple? You're missing something huuuge, I tell you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And what am I missing?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You know, I think I'm starting to get why they called you "The Great Experiment" just a few years ago.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>The what?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>You didn't realize? Kinda surprised that you over anyone didn't remember. Anyways, I think it's time we get to the point.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What is that sigil even for?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Heh, I think you'll like this part: Stalling for time.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Got you good, though. You're just a bit slow.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She dodges out of the way of my first jab.">> The sigil begins fading.
Two bright glints show up in the sky, rapidly expand, and then slam into the ground at something faster than light.
And somehow don't destroy the moon, or... Cause any damage at all.
Oh, that's right. We're not following the laws of physics anymore. I guess they //did// stop applying a good while ago. Then again, so did the suspension of disbelief, so at this point, nothing should be a surprise anymore.
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Wait, you two also? At least you're familiar faces despite it all. Welcome to U-B271836. We finally have a job to do after all these years.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "The taller one">>It's good to be back, old friend.<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "The other one">>Why am I a girl?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Probably an effect of whatever she did.<</speech>>
She says it, pointing at me.
<<speech "Dys" "The other one">>You know what? I'm not even surprised.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "The taller one">>I think we should introduce ourselves.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter Five" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">So now two more strange girls have appeared.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER FIVE: <span class="glitchy" data-text="STARLIGHT TRIO">STARLIGHT TRIO</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 12" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER FIVE</span></a></span>
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One on three. Her life was about to get much harder in the coming moments.
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<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>I am the... Goddess Eris. You know, the Greek one, of strife and discord.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>Aren't you an astronomer?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Dwarf planets like you don't interest me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Shame. Just know that you'll be dead before you ever see me coming.<</speech>>
She's the tallest one in the bunch. She's got this awful arrogant aura surrounding her that's only multiplied by her maturity. She and the shorter one are wearing what I can only presume to be modern interpretations of the old Roman togas or whatever that you might've seen back in the day. Except the cloth is black with gold trims. Wait... They're both wielding long golden staffs. That's a pun, isn't it? Two flowers? Wait, no, that doesn't make any sense without the context that wouldn't have happened yet.
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>And I'm Dysnomia. Mostly unknown but you should know I represent lawlessness. It makes working with improbability //very// easy. Should mean that you're going to be easy to deal with.<</speech>>
Her height is in between the Relic's and Eris'. Her voice is... Well, like the Relic's but not as rough. Somehow smug though. Whatever, I can't wait to beat this lot into a pulp, yeah? I've got a Universe to protect. Did the relic personify this dwarf planet and its moon, or are they really old friends of hers, just with different names? There's probably not much time to ask. This girl seems like she's going to be a very big nuisance. Well, all of them do.
<<linkappend "I toss one of the knives into the air">>, catching it the other way around. One blade upwards, the other downwards. I might just start ignoring their conversations. We're running out of time to waste before the entire Universe starts falling apart because one person screwing with physics is enough. We don't need four. They'd probably still win in that scenario, anyways.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright, that's enough stalling. I don't care about your backstories, just die already.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>How feisty. Oh, and little one, why don't we give you a name?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "The Relic">>That ruins the point. And I'm supposed to be taller than you!<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>Relicia.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia?">>Seriously? Is that the best you could think of? And you're literally my se- I mean- Subordinate.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I think it's cute.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia?">>Yeah, but that's also not the point! Come on, let's just roll out already!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>About time.<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>Yeah, whatever you say you lil' bug.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What does that even mean?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You two still talk like that even now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, so let's recap. We, together, are the Starlight Trio! Three great goddesses bent on destruction!<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I rush up towards Dysnomia">>, trying to slash her.<<audio ":playing" fadeout>><<audio "bakarlolite" volume 0 fadeoverto 10 0.5>>
It hits.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Oh. And so it begins.<</speech>>
The other two shoot off into the sky.
I slash again, with more energy.
She goes shooting off into the distance.
Giant beams of light start crashing down from the sky.
They're both trying to attack me!
I can try lasers of my own.
I point one of my blades towards the sky. A sigil appears on the top.
Three little pulses of energy shoot out nearly instantly. Yeah, this works.
They're dodging it though, I need to practice.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>A three on one? Seriously?<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>Wait, you wanted a fair fight?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia?">>What a square.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I leap up into the air and start wildly swinging my daggers.">>
The slashes send ripples through the Universe towards them. I guess that's how most of these attacks work.
I sense something behind me.
I turn around and slash at Dysnomia again, sending her into Saturn's rings.
Rocks and ice scatter as she falls into the gas giant.
One down.
<a data-passage="Passage 13" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Relicia rushes at me.</a>\
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She's got a pretty nasty grin on her face.
She swings a black scythe at me. It's nearly her height.
Except I don't manage to dodge fast enough.
I'm shot straight back into Titan.
All of the energy is sent into the moon, shattering the ground a bit.
I'm just getting up when Eris lasers me from the side.
I'm sent away much faster than escape velocity.
I catch myself in space before falling into Saturn like Dysnomia.
And then I notice the movement.
Dysnomia is shooting off with a trail of Saturn's atmosphere behind her.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, this is neat and all, but you two should be able to deal with her. I've actually got work to do.<</speech>>
No!
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Not so fast!<</speech>>
I start chasing her.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>The two of us are going to have fun with you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>This is what you get for dragging her back!<</speech>>
She manages to smack me off course.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, so it's my fault?<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>Yep!<</speech>>
We start slashing at each other.
Her staff keeps blocking all of my attacks.
We've travelled pretty far from the Moon.
I spot an opening and send Dysnomia into Titan at nearly light speed.
The moon breaks up a bit more. Uh oh.
I start moving forward again.
Beams cross my vision. Eris is shooting me.
I place both of my knives in front of me, forming an X shape. A massive burst of energy sends her back pretty far.
Saturn's rings are even more screwed now.
I rush up to her and send another blow, straight into the planet.
There's a huge gap as she falls through the atmosphere faster than should be possible.
Everything here is displaced.
I move for Earth again. Relicia is probably past Jupiter by now.
And then she's suddenly in front of me.
Scythe in hand. With a big grin.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Thought I was gone?<</speech>>
I don't even have time to react before I'm launched back towards the edge of the Solar System, nearly hitting Pluto. Poor Charon wouldn't have liked that.
<<linkappend "I only have so much time to think">> before she's suddenly in front of me again, raising for another blow.
If they keep fighting like this, there might not be an Earth to defend much longer.
I manage to dodge Relicia's next slash.
Dysnomia comes at me from the side, leaving herself open.
I block the jab with one knife, and catch her with the other.
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>OW.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I swing her back towards the nearest large planet.">>
I aim both of my knives at her.
A huge pulse comes out towards her.
She shoots towards Uranus faster than light, hitting the planet at a sharp angle.
Atmosphere trails behind her. I think the entire planet's orbit just got corrected.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You'll never see the light of day again.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, sure.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I start rushing towards Earth again.">> This time dodging her beams.
The beams keep shooting past me.
I'm nearly hit a couple times.
I manage to get to right around Jupiter before anything big happens.
<a data-passage="Passage 14" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">The attacks stop?</a>\
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I turn around to see Eris not far behind me.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>I //will// get you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh huh.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She has a sigil in front of her">>, slowly expanding. I don't like it.
I point one of my knives towards the Sun, at an angle.
I raise the electromagnetic absorption of the blade to a stupid level.
I feel the knife warming up in my hand.
If it's warm to me, it's probably a good few thousand degrees.
Especially since the blade is already glowing white-hot.
Her sigil is still growing, collecting some sort of energy.
<<linkappend "I point the blade towards her.">>
A pitch black beam comes out of the sigil towards me.
I release the energy towards her.
A bright white beams shoots out towards her.
<<linkappend "Her beam is nullified.">>
Her sigil immediately shatters, and she's hit straight in the face.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Wh- MY EYES!<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I didn't expect her to scream in pain like that.">>
Maybe I really do have this under control.
The power of the Sun, huh? Our great lifegiver can take it away at any point.
Well, looks like she won't be a problem anymore.
<<linkappend "Relicia shoots past me.">>
How is she so fast?
I start trying to catch up to her when-
<<linkappend "Dysnomia catches me in the side">> //again//.
Are they ever going to get tired of this?
I start falling into Jupiter faster than sound.
I slow down and shoot back out of the sky into space.
Gas trails me.
<<linkappend "She actually seems surprised.">>
Before she can defend herself, I grab her by the collar and turn her back towards the largest gas giant in the Solar System.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's enough from you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>Damn. Didn't even get a chance to bully you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And you won't get one.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She's about to try something when one of my knives goes straight into her torso.">>
Her face scrunches up a bit from the pain.
I twist the blade a bit.
<<speech "Dys" "Dysnomia">>O-Okay, fuck you. Ow.<</speech>>
I press a button on the side of the grip, and a massive burst of energy goes straight into the blade.
I use the other knife and start slashing. Time slows down a little bit around me from just the speed alone.
The force of each slash combines.
<<linkappend "I release the button.">>
Dysnomia is shot straight into Jupiter much faster than light.
The only thing I can compare it to is like dropping a boulder into water.
Incalculable tons of gas are shot into space and dissipate.
The Great Red Spot is completely annihilated in the gaseous tsunamis.
<<linkappend "Oops.">><<audio ":playing" fadeout>>
It'll probably recover in a few thousand years, right?
...
Probably not, yeah?
Oh well.
Dysnomia, on the other hand? Yeah, she's gone for sure.
She left behind her golden rod. I grab it.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 6" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Now I can finally head back to Earth.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER SIX: <span class="glitchy" data-text="EXPOSITRESS' DEVIATION">EXPOSITRESS' DEVIATION</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 15" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER SIX</span></a></span>
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One down, two to go. But until the battle is done, the stakes can only rise.
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That's one of them gone for good. I highly doubt Eris is going to be a problem though. Seeing as she... Well, she can't.
This stupid 'Starlight Trio' is done for.
I finally make it to geostationary orbit around Earth. I just need to find out where she went.
<<linkappend "Where is she?">>
I turn around and notice the ominous glowing on the dark side of the Moon.
Is she... Pushing the Moon? Not towards Earth, but in front of it. Wait, is she trying to cause an eclipse?
I remember the last time I had to worry about an eclipse. We're not doing this again.
<<linkappend "I dash towards her.">>
I slam directly into her side. Foot first.
She goes sailing into space.
Apparently she had a good grip, though. The Moon is now spinning in the opposite direction pretty fast. We can fix that later.
She rushes towards me, scythe in hand.
Is she trying to be some sort of reaper?
Not happening.
She attempts to cut at me, but I block with one of my knives, and deal a powerful blow with the other.
She's launched another few million miles away.
I aim one of my knives at her.
<<linkappend "I prepare my defenses with the other hand.">>
<<linkappend "I'm not given enough time.">>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Did you forget about me?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How did you even find your way here?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Do you think we //need// eyes to see? I was bluffing.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Should've known.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She shatters my shield before it can finish forming.">>
I'm launched into the Moon incredibly fast.
Not hard enough to shatter the thing, but enough that there's a new crater.
Wait, did she land me outside of Hertzsprung?
She damaged a couple buildings. What a freak.
At least the city wasn't vaporized.
<<linkappend "No matter.">> Time to get serious.
<<linkappend "Wait-">>
Relicia and Eris are combining their attacks. They're aiming both their weapons at me, back to back.
This might be bad. I hold up a shield in front of me, dumping a lot of energy into it.
This might not be enough in my current state.
No time to change tactics now, though.
<<linkappend "The beam shoots directly into my shield.">>
The two energies clash for just a moment.
<<linkappend "My shield shatters.">>
The force punts me back into the ground so hard I bounce.
Right into deep space.
The new crater is just a bit bigger now.
Before I can even get my bearings and manage to stop spinning, I glance around and try to figure out where I am.
Ah, shit. Venus.
And then I see a glint of light rapidly approaching.
Must be Eris.
I step out of the way of her charge. She's on a course straight past me, but I stick my knife out to my right.
By the time she realizes what's happening there probably won't be enough time to slow down or change course.
<<linkappend "And then she hits">> ME.
OW.
I'm launched with so much force I hit Mercury.
I get up from the small new crater.
The Sun beats down on me.
Eris is already coming down for another shot.
She bounces off the shield I put up.
I notice that she's now wearing a blindfold.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You're getting better at this.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'm just remembering everything I can do. You aren't improving much.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Should I?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's almost boring, you know?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>I'm sorry. Let me try this again.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She floats up a bit.">> I strengthen my shield in anticipation.<<audio "scholar" volume 0 fadeoverto 10 0.5>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>What would you say the resistance of that shield is?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What do you mean?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>I mean I'm about to delete that look from your face.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "A massive electric bolt">> shoots straight into my shield.
She's forming a fucking lightning storm in the air above me.
Not air, space. Mercury has no atmosphere.
The shield cracks a bit. That much?
Lightning starts shooting out in all directions.
When it strikes the ground, the rock melts.
She points at me, all of the strikes aimed at my shields now.
<<linkappend "I have to think of something fast.">>
I have two knives.
I throw one out into the distance.
It extends a bit more, attracting the lightning.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Smart. But there's more.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're stronger than I would've liked.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>No wonder you ended up working for such a prestigious organization. Shame they won't exist much longer.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She starts firing beams at me again.">>
I have to make sure not to stray far from my improvised lightning rod.
I don't think I'll be able to use my other knife, either. Well...
I start running across the surface of the planet.
I'd have to run faster than light.
<<linkappend "I grab my other knife.">>
In the time between strikes, I stick the bottom ends of the knives together.
The metal connects between the two halves, with the grip wrapping around.
<<linkappend "Insulated.">>
The next strike hits.
The surge is directed into my blade.
It travels across the metal.
And straight out the other side into the ground.
I slow down, turn around, and start running towards Eris, making sure my knife catches the lightning before it hits me.
She sticks out her left hand to the side.
Three purple octahedrons appear, equal distance from each other.
She does the same with the other hand.
<<linkappend "Six of them on either side of her.">>
They start moving through space towards me.
I deflect one with my blade, another with a kick.
Ow, they're really hot.
<<linkappend "I'm still approaching her, but she keeps moving away.">>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Scared I'll get you?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Do I really have to tell you it's not my fault you brought a knife to a gunfight?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Fine then. Have it your way.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Oh, I have been.<</speech>>
She keeps firing beams at me. Lightning keeps striking all around her.
I aim my knife at her and fire a couple shots.
I've been collecting some of the electricity that travels through the knife.
<<linkappend "It's just that it left me open.">>
I'm knocked to the side by one of the octahedrons.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Ow, fuck.<</speech>>
I get back up.
I deflect three that come at me at the same time.
Lightning strikes.
I start running again.
Now that I think about it, I'd never get a hit on her while these things are flying around.
And I've noticed something.
They never strike when lightning is about to.
I wait for another bolt.
I immediately slash towards one of them, sending all of the electricity into the shape.
It shatters immediately.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You learn quickly.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are you trying to train me or something?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Maybe, but this is very interesting.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I repeat the attack on three more of the octahedrons.">>
You know, what's stopping me from redirecting the electric charge of the space around me?
I can just redirect her lightning into her own toys.
<<linkappend "I do it.">>
One bolt splits into two, eliminating the other two shapes before they can move in for another attack.
Eris only smiles in response.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Maybe I am getting better?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're a lot better than Dysnomia was.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>She's no fighter. Relicia and I held tournaments often. We're the best in our trades, after all.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And who won?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Relicia, of course.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're trying to train me?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>No, I don't think so. I'm just gradually increasing the strength of my attacks.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, hit your maximum already. I'm about ready to finish you off.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You make a bold request.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "The ground splits open behind her.">>
The ground starts rising.
I start running to her side instead.
The rocks float into the air. Is she going to throw them at me?
Grey mist starts floating out of them before they run out and get scrapped.
Something starts forming on the ground underneath her.
She's stopped moving around.
<<linkappend "And then I realize what she's making.">>
A cannon you might see on a battleship has formed beneath her.
More modern weaponry starts forming in the air around her.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fight a Navy?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Well, that's a shame. You won't be prepared for it.<</speech>>
The cannons start firing in some pattern.
I dodge most of the shots, but the ground is exploding quite a bit.
<<linkappend "The cannons don't let up.">>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Well, are you going to fight back?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I can't even approach you! You keep shooting.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Then you'll die here.<</speech>>
Wait, what the fuck is that?
She's making something huge.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>IS- IS THAT A FUCKING BATTLESHIP?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "A NAVY BATTLESHIP.">>
It hits the ground with a massive thud.
All cannons are aimed at me.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Yes. Now give me more data to gather.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>IS THAT WHAT THIS IS?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Maybe. I'm going to continue building more weapons while you run around in circles.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Alright.">> You know what? I've had enough of this.
I point the knife directly out in front of me.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>This ticket has been closed.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I look up.">>
She's built an entire orbital battleship in ten seconds.
I funnel more energy into the blade than I ever have before.
A beam shoots out of the tip.
A very long one.
<<linkappend "I swing it wildly, beam and all.">>
I cut up the machinery.
The cannons are gone.
Things stop exploding.
I cut the orbital battleship clean in two.
I turn around to see her building a fortress around herself.
Time to turn her weapons on her.
<<linkappend "I leap onto the navy battleship in front of me.">>
Manual override.
I aim the main cannons at her structure.
It's good damage, but not enough.
<<linkappend "Let's step it up.">>
I hop off of the ship and reach underneath.
I pick up the entire boat, holding it over my head.
Not that heavy.
<<linkappend "I throw the entire thing at her.">>
It splits in half at the top of her structure.
The entire thing explodes.
Her building is gone, but her shields are still up.
<<linkappend "There's a loud thud behind me.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Righto, I'm back. What in the blazes happened here?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>I've been winning.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, looks like it. How's Miss Authori doing?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Quite well, I would say.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Shut up already! I've had about enough of listening to you talk!<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I leap into the air">> and move towards Eris with so much force her shield instantly shatters.
My knife goes straight into her chest.
I tear the back half back off and stick that into her too.
I start moving forward into space.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Very good. Now end it with style.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>This is supposed to hurt.<</speech>>
We're moving through space much faster than light.
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>Oh, believe me, it does.<</speech>>
She's still smiling. What's with her?
<a data-passage="Passage 16" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">We arrive in Venusian orbit.</a>\
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This is the end of the line for her.
I'm done.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You lot are weird, you know that?<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>That's true. I'm just glad I got to see you go all out.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You'd like to think that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>What a shame. Maybe I'll keep watching when you fight Relicia.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, shut up. There's no point in fighting me. I'm just that much stronger.<</speech>>
<<speech "Eri" "Eris">>You are very strong, I'll give you that much.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She can't get another word out">> before I slam her back directly into the surface of Venus. The entire ground shatters.
I'm more surprised Venus didn't just explode on contact. It's still together, ignoring the massive new canyons. I shoot back out into space.
I grab her golden rod too. The other was hidden out in four dimensional space where I could easily grab it later.
I take both staffs and put them in front of me, pointing towards her.
I point out my knives as well.
<<linkappend "I have a clear view of Eris through the clouds and air I've displaced.">>
A massive version of my sigil appears in front of the weapons.
All she does is curtsy as both golden staffs are shot towards her at the same speed I hit Jupiter.
A beam follows behind the two staffs.
<<linkappend "They make contact with her head.">>
The entire planet shatters into a good dozen pieces.
There's a massive explosion befitting the death of a celestial.
The spray of molten rock and uplifted continents shoots past me.
I don't think the planet will recover. Ever.
Eris sure as hell won't.
<<linkappend "Not even a trace of her existence.">>
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 7" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">It's time to end the Starlight Trio for good.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER SEVEN: <span class="glitchy" data-text="SPECTA OMNIS">SPECTA OMNIS</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 17" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER SEVEN</span></a></span>
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Relicia's subordinates were defeated with great effort. Only their leader remained. The fate of the world was in their hands.
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Relicia is still probably around Mercury.
<<linkappend "I start heading back.">>
And then she suddenly appears in front of me.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Check check, missy. See ya back home.<</speech>>
And then she shoots back off towards Earth.
What the fuck? Why was she wearing sunglasses?
They were covering her hair, too...
<<linkappend "I rush towards Earth.">>
I'm going to get rid of her.
I show up in Earth orbit.
I stare at the planet.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Relicia, what the fuck did you do to Greenland?<</speech>>
The entire thing has been burnt to a crisp.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Looked cold. Warmed it up. Don't you think that's an improvement?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's NOTHING BUT ASH!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, real shame everyone died.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I rush towards her">>, knives aimed for her head.
<<linkappend "I bounce off her shield.">> One of my knives is actually bent.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Ain't that easy, I'm the straight numero uno here, ya dig?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What does that even mean!?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>God, you're a real drag, y'know? If we're gonna kill each other at least brighten up a touch.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're literally trying to drive humanity to extinction, and you want me to smile about it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Your first problem is that ya still don't get it. What's with all this edge, anyway? You're a researcher. Real oddball.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't think //you// get it. I'm literally the savior of humanity right now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Not the savior of Greenland, obviously. And hold that thought for a moment. You haven't 'saved' humanity yet, pal. You still gotta take me down. Your toys are all bent up anyway. Seems like you're no good up against a little girl.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And now you're rubbing that in? Overconfidence is the downfall of man.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>You're one to talk! You blitzed or something kid?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're smaller than me!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, but I'm a whole hell of a lot older.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I was around when the Lotte Company still existed. You don't even know the name!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Uh huh. Let's just get on with it. You're kinda lame.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She raises her scythe up towards me.">>
I raise my shields and block with the bent knife.
No time to bend it back into shape.
<<linkappend "She starts cutting.">>
She just keeps slashing against my shield really fast.
Nothing is happening.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Is that really the best you can do?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Man, you're a //real// ditz.<</speech>>
She stops cutting.
<<linkappend "And then she winks.">>
<a data-passage="Passage 18" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">My shield instantly shatters.</a>\
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<</linkappend>><<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>WHAT THE FUCK?<</speech>><<audio "agni" volume 0 fadeoverto 10 0.5>>
<<linkappend "She goes to strike me">> with the back end of the scythe.
The knife bends further.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Awww, am I breaking your toys?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Shut up!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Right. I'm just gonna pound you.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She kicks me in the chin so hard I shoot back towards the Moon.">>
I could almost se-
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Looking up my skirt? Real freakshow right here.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're the one who-<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She punches me in the face.">>
I go flying back even farther.
She hooks the scythe around me and starts spinning.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Look't us! On the carousel!<</speech>>
She suddenly stops.
And then hits me with the scythe like a bat.
<<linkappend "I go sailing into Martian orbit.">>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>F-Fuck! Stop hitting me so hard!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>No! Unlike Eris, I actually //want// to win. Now chill while I stomp you.<</speech>>
She chuckles as she says it.
<<linkappend "She roundhouse kicks me">> into Phobos.
The entire moon cracks a bit before it goes sailing into Mars.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Uh oh. Lucky your colonies were on the other side of the planet.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I raise my shields again">>
She just shoots right through it.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Nah, those don't work against me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I-<</speech>>
She keeps hitting me.
I can't even do anything because she's attacking me so fast.
She punches me hard enough to launch me backwards again.
And then she just teleports in front of me again and attacks differently.
<<linkappend "I can't even predict any of her moves because she has so many.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>C'mon! Ya gonna fight back or not? I wanna win but I don't wanna //flatten// you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Give me an opening!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Pfft, fine. C'mon, lay it on me.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She puts her arms to her sides">>
Still smiling.
I throw one of my knives straight towards her chest.
<<linkappend "It moves at least three times faster than light.">>
She knocks it out of the way with her scythe.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Missed your chance. Shoulda hit me before I finished the sentence.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She kicks me again">>
I fly into a passing asteroid.
We've gone that far?
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Look at all these cool rocks. I think I'm prettier than all the other stones out there, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How are you having so much fun?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Because I'm //trying// to have fun. You're just boring! Brighten up a bit! You're not responsible for anyone else!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're literally-<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Nobody asked for a moral dilemma. You're either going to die with a smile on your face, or you're just gonna die. Nobody asked you to save the Earth.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She shoots off into the distance">>
An asteroid hits me before I can react.
It breaks up into dozens of pieces on impact.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Look, you can't win if you can't have fun.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What kind of corny-<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Get it through your thick skull! Think about it!<</speech>>
<<linkappend "...">>
<<linkappend "You know what?">>
I think she's right.
She even saw the look on my face and stopped attacking.
Nobody's asking me to take this so seriously. I'm allowed to have fun.
Why was I acting like this the whole time?
Still acting like the loser I was before the mission started.
Shit happens, people change.
It's time to change things up a bit.
Think like your enemy, yeah?
<<linkappend "I start smiling for the first time since the fight started.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>See? There you go! It's so much easier to fight when you do it all in style.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Think like your enemy.">>
I rush at her.
And then I step out of the way right before she goes to block.
<<linkappend "I get her in the back">> with the bottom of my working dagger.
She almost seems surprised, but I didn't get a good shot in.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>See? Just gotta get with the times.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Bit funny, coming from you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Right? Now, try to keep up.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She starts hurling asteroids at me.">>
I start cutting them up one by one.
She's suddenly going easy on me?
And then she shows up behind me.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Really, nothin' personnel, kid.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wha-<</speech>>
She knocks me forwards into an incoming asteroid before I can react.
It shatters instantly.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Nice try, but you gotta watch your back!<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Passage 19" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">She sends out another volley of rocks.</a>\
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I cut them up with my working knife.
I've got to do something with this other one soon.
Actually, the last time she shot these at me...
<<linkappend "There were seven in the volley.">>
I can make use of this.
I cut up her next bunch.
I bend my knife back into shape.
<<linkappend "I cut up another bunch.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Got your dual wielding back? Guess it's about time I do it too.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Two scythes?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Nah.<</speech>>
She reaches out in a fourth dimension and-
<<linkappend "Wait.">>
She just took the golden staffs back!
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Y'know, you should hid these better.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hey! I earned those!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Finders keepers. Anyways, one scythe, two staffs.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She spins the two of them around">>, deflecting one of my attacks.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Try to keep up!<</speech>>
She throws one of them at me, taking her scythe and rushing towards me from another angle.
I kick one of them out of the way.
I dodge out of the way of Relicia and move to strike her with a blade.
She flashes behind me.
I catch a nearby asteroid on my knife and sling it at her.
<<linkappend "She scythes it in half.">>
Is that even a word? No matter.
She cycles between throwing her staffs and charging me with a scythe, intermittently throwing asteroids.
We continue batting at each other, neither of us getting a single hit in.
The rocks just get smaller and smaller.
I'm blocking most of her attacks because they've started to becoming predictable, with just a little bit of difference.
<<linkappend "She's attacking too fast for me to change my strategy, though.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>I'm bored.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Already?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah. Let's make it spicy.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She throws both staffs at once">>, I block them both.
But I'm left open to the scythe's back end going straight into my head.
I shoot back.
<<linkappend "Back to Martian orbit.">>
Mars is still looking a bit funny from the impact.
Relicia pops up in front of me again, launching me back farther.
<<linkappend "Back to Earth so fast...">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Alright, I've had my fill.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What do you mean?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Remember how I said you're either going to die with a smile on your face, or just die?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait-<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Yeah, you're gonna die smiling.<</speech>>
She smacks me over the head with the back of the scythe, launching me straight into the Moon.
I impact the ground hard, forming a new crater.
I ready up stronger shields this time, and keep my eye on the sky, ready for a counterattack.
<<linkappend "One of the staffs comes down.">>
It shoots straight through my shield, breaking part of it to my side.
The other staff impacts, breaking off another side.
Relicia shoots down from the sky.
<<linkappend "She flying kicks straight through my shield">> and into my face.
I'm put directly into the ground, forming another crater.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Batter up!<</speech>>
I'm just about to get up when she uses the scythe like a bat again, launching me.
Before I can even hit the ground she grabs me by the hair and pushes me straight into it.
Face first.
<<linkappend "She keeps dragging me across the ground.">>
A ridge has formed.
She lets off right as I smash through some structure.
X-Corp Site-L03.
Ancient Lunar fighters start swarming the skies.
They're actually trying to defend me?
They start raining down hellfire on her.
These fighters are old, but they still work.
A battleship sails overhead.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Look! They're helping you. Ain't that just peachy.<</speech>>
I get up while she shrugs off the missile fire bouncing off her shields.
<<linkappend "I run up towards her.">>
She's about to strike me when I suddenly move behind her in four dimensional space.
<<linkappend "I deal a kick straight to her back.">>
Except she predicted it.
She grabs me by the leg and starts spinning.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>H-Hey wai-<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She flings me back into orbit.">>
And then teleports behind me, kicking me back into the Moon, taking out a fighter on the way down.
Right as I land, she appears on the ground.
She delivers a stomp to my stomach right as a missile hits the ground.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Alright, the fuzz is here now, let's book it.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She stomps the ground.">>
The entire chunk of land I'm lying on is shot into space.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>How about a solemn speech for ya?<</speech>>
As I enter orbit again, she kicks the back of the rock.
It shatters instantly, pushing me back even farther.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>So, by what great providence did you think you might escape my grasp, huh?<</speech>>
I'm shooting towards Mars at a good few times faster than light.
I crash straight through Deimos, destroying it instantly.
<<linkappend "I catch myself before I hit the atmosphere.">>
She catches up.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Do you know the extents I traversed to secure your fate in my pure hands?<</speech>>
Relicia bashes me over the head again.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Purity is all that awaits this Universe.<</speech>>
And then she keeps hitting me with the scythe.
Not even using the sharp part.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Do you realize just how paramount I stand here? With a proper form?<</speech>>
She throws her scythe upwards.
And then slaps me in the face with a staff.
She shoots up and kicks the scythe into me.
<<linkappend "Hits me right in the top of the head.">>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>F-Fuck! Stop!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>What'd I tell ya? I'm the livin' end!<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She raises her scythe up.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>I could make your whole concept tangible right here.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "This might be the final blow.">>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>But that might just be overkill.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She's gathering something in the blade of the scythe.">>
<<linkappend "I ready up a half-baked shield in a feeble attempt to save my life.">>
<<linkappend "But then I see a faint glint in the distance.">> I don't look at it, so I don't alert her.
I grin a little bit.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>There's something you should know.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>These are your last words, flake. Make 'em count.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Passage 20" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">And then it happens.</a>\
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The Relegator shoots straight into her side, impaling her on the front of the ship.
At half the speed we hit Jupiter.
Time almost slows as I watch it happen.
Right as it passes me, something shoots out of the side of the ship, slowing as it nears me.
This is... Nat's pistol.
I take it.
I've got a good idea.
<<linkappend "Relicia is launched far into space.">>
I take a moment for a deep breath.
<<linkappend "I recover a bit and follow her.">>
She still hasn't moved, still floating around in space. Probably dazed from the attack.
I don't think she had her shield up. She was using all of her energy in that final attack.
<a data-passage="Passage 21" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">It's time for a beatdown.</a>\
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<</linkappend>>Relicia's scythe is floating next to her, spinning slightly.
I notice the faint glow of the Relegator slow down as they park back in Martian orbit.
Park? Whatever.
<<linkappend "I grab the scythe.">>
My hand feels a bit funny when I do. There's so much power in this that it's almost hard to hold.
This is made out of the same thing the relic was.
Technically what //she// was made of just a while ago.
I put my knives into my pockets.
I start beating Relicia down with her own scythe.
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>R-Really? You fink.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I honestly can't even understand you half the time. So shut up already, I've got you now!<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>'Least gimmie some last words!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I think that speech was good enough.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Aww.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Now. I refuse to leave even a trace of your existence.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Y'know, they're gonna love you back there. You won't get a moment of rest, you know that?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Who?<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>Oh, you'll see 'em.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>We won't be seeing each other again.<</speech>>
<<speech "Rel" "Relicia">>You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?<</speech>>
I kick her in the chin just like she did with me.
I throw the scythe at her.
It hits her right in the head.
I catch up to her again and kick her in the face again.
I grab the scythe.
She's shooting straight towards the Sun.
<<linkappend "This gun...">>
<a data-passage="Passage 22" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I've got plans for it.</a>\
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<</linkappend>>I make a couple conceptual modifications to the gun.
I'm going to make this count.
It's a rifle now.
A special rifle.
<<linkappend "Looks a bit strange, but I've got my reasons for that.">>
<<linkappend "The stock on the back of the rifle actually houses the fuel source for the rifle.">> That fuel source? A specialized spatial containment field with its own little miniaturized version of my closest approximation to whatever the manifold that makes up a Universal membrane is made of. They hold miniature black holes, which are all suspended in a plasma of neutral material. This stock-fuel source hybrid acts as a sort of bellows. Because of this feature, the weapon must be held so that it is squeezed by the armpit of the user to force one of these black holes into the chamber of the rifle. From here, the user must then twist the forward valve (also functions as a sort of grip for stability) so that my own personalized magical sigils inside focus the inward spatial energy of the black holes into a quantum anti-standard time field. I had some help from the Universal stability drop caused by the previous battles and the two uses of the Paulina Lotte Device to make sure that it could work. I've really got no understanding of how causality works on any scale higher than linear time, but it ended up working by pure chance. Once again, I'm fairly certain that there is someone out there actively manipulating chance in my favor. Seeing as I've looked directly at the laws of physics, it sure as hell seems that way.
<<linkappend "Looking through the scope of the rifle">> is simultaneously looking forwards towards where the target should be a few moments in the future based on the way the quantum spin of all particles visible inside the scope appears (And from there calculating how they will interact with each other, predicting the future with roughly 99.761% accuracy.), and looking into the box of Schrodinger's Cat so that you can determine if it really is dead, all without actually observing it, since the box is still closed, after all. The scope just knows due to a special combination of both being able to perceive in four spatial dimensions (The gun has been modified with certain special sensors of my design, I can use it to see through walls! Or just see through walls normally.) and also quantum tunneling.
<<linkappend "The trigger mechanism">> of the rifle actually just locks the black hole into place, and the extreme strain on the fabric of spacetime itself is enough to interact with the sigils in the stock and the flow of spacetime around my person (I'm a deity, remember?). After the black hole is locked into the barrel, the newly-generated time-warp spell (Due to the way spacetime is constantly being dragged into the center of a black hole, its singularity) is funneled through the barrel and the glowing purple filter at the front of the gun. Upon the trigger being reset and the bellows being released, the miniature black hole is then shunted through a secondary bypass in a section of the gun just underneath the barrel and then back to the stock so that it may recover its exhausted timewarp capabilities. The black holes generally do a lot of damage to begin with (Mostly just the resulting gravitational pulse that could rip most small objects to bits.), and the rifle itself fires out a shot that either immediately hits the target in the case that it is within the center of the scope's reticle, or hits the target before the rifle is ever fired if the target is near the center of the reticle (And has been selected by the user.). Alternatively, the causality setting of the weapon can be changed to either the described functionality, allow missing with the weapon (A normal rifle, but really strong.), or, always hit the target no matter what ("No matter what" isn't actually true. Like I said, 99.761% accuracy.).
<<linkappend "Based on my estimations">> (mental math, basically), I would say it takes about ten minutes ago to recover from a single shot. And based on the size of the stock that I created, I'd reckon there are maybe about 20/0 black holes still available for me to use in the chamber.
<<linkappend "Nah, I'm kidding.">> It's a stupid giant laser cannon that fits in one hand.
I don't need an elaborate description or cool-sounding weapon. Just a cool weapon.
<<linkappend "As Relicia shoots towards the Sun">>, I throw her scythe towards her even faster.
It'll hit her pretty quick.
I aim the gun at her.
All I did was replace the bullet with my own little thing.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 8" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I pull the trigger.</a>\
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My sigil flickers into place at the end of the pistol's barrel.
The sigil suddenly compresses, spinning rapidly.
<<linkappend "Time almost seems to stop for a moment.">>
A bright purple beam shoots out of it, taking up the entire diameter of the sigil, at least two kilometers, travelling faster than the speed of light.
Relicia is impacted by the beam almost immediately.
She's sent directly into the Sun even faster.
I squeeze the trigger down even harder.
The beam nearly doubles in width.
She's forced back even harder.
<<linkappend "Relicia collides directly with the Solar Surface.">>
I keep the trigger down.
I'm going to cleanse her from Reality itself if I have to.
Purity will be brought to justice.
<<linkappend "I finally let off the trigger.">>
The entire beam dissipates at once.
The Sun glows a bit brighter for a few seconds before returning to its usual luminosity.
I shoot over to the Sun to look at my work.
There's nothing left of her.
//This// is the power of the Sun.
I notice her scythe floating in empty space.
Must've been missed by the laser.
You know... I'm not too opposed to the idea of having it.
I grab it. Most of the power is gone. It's not releasing any of that signal anymore. She really is dead.
I spin it around a bit before sticking it on my back if I decide to use it later.
<a data-passage="Passage 24" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Time to survey the damage.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER EIGHT: <span class="glitchy" data-text="SUPERLUMINAL IMPINGEMENT">SUPERLUMINAL IMPINGEMENT</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 23" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER EIGHT</span></a></span>
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It was finally over. As the dying relic was sent into the Sun for the second and final time, Maximiliane smiled.
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I head to Mercury.
The entire thing is a bit damaged, and there are huge craters and new mountains where I fought Eris.
She had a pretty huge mining operation going to build all that machinery.
I walk into the rubble that remained after I battleshipped the entire building into oblivion.
Apparently there was an entire server room operating in here.
Maybe that was telling all the guns when to fire.
That's almost neat.
<<linkappend "I make my way to Venus.">>
Well, what's left of it.
A lot of the larger chunks of the planet have moved back together, but most of the mass is gone and...
Well, there's not a whole lot of atmosphere left.
I'm almost surprised the entire thing wasn't completely annihilated, but here it is.
Planets are a bit harder to destroy, I guess.
<<linkappend "I travel to Earth.">>
The Moon is in a different place in its orbit.
It's still spinning the wrong way.
I correct the orbit.
More gently, this time.
I shift the Moon back to where it should be.
I look back at Earth.
Greenland is still a bit scorched, but other than that, Relicia didn't get much of an opportunity to do anything.
But what was she doing while I was fighting Eris?
She could've destroyed the entire planet during that time, so she must've been doing something else...
Oh well, at least it's almost fine.
<<linkappend "I head to Mars.">>
There's something different about it.
Actually, it seems like the planet is warmer.
That must be because of us knocking Phobos into the planet.
I fly over the colonies.
They actually seem alright.
Space seems to be different near it...
Wait, did the magnetic field light back up?
Relicia was in orbit when I fired the laser.
All the weird shit we did must've jostled up the iron core of the planet.
Mars is more habitable than ever!
<<linkappend "To Jupiter next.">>
I skip the asteroid belt because, well...
All we did was move around some rocks.
Jupiter looks quite a bit smaller, though.
Oops.
I guess that might be really bad if it lost that much mass.
It's recovered somewhat, but all the gaseous stripes are screwed up.
Its grasp on the Solar System might be a bit weaker though...
<<linkappend "I check out Saturn.">>
The rings are still a pretty big mess, and it's not hard to tell something huge hit the planet.
That's from when Dysnomia was shot through it.
Titan is... Well, it's not looking its best, sadly.
<<linkappend "I head to Uranus">>
Ha. Very funny.
We somehow managed to not do a whole lot to the planet.
The spin of the planet has been corrected though, other than that, the gas hasn't been bothered too much.
I guess that's everything.
Neptune was basically skipped, and Pluto got out without any damage.
I think I could probably fix all of this over the course of a couple years, even with all my power.
I head back to Martian orbit to look for the Relegator.
They're probably wondering what happened after I shot a giant laser into the Sun.
<<linkappend "I find the ship nearby.">>
I shift back into the hallway and walk towards the control room.
I quietly open the door to see if I can hear their conversation.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>The beam was Max's, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Purple is her favorite color.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I mean, she seemed okay after punting the other girl into the Sun. That was the bad guy, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>I think so, yes. The sensors lost track of her after she fired the laser, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Did she head to another planet?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Every time she got launched or flew to another planet the sensors lost track of her.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>She was moving faster than light, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Obviously.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I step into the room.">>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'm back.<</speech>>
They turn around.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Oh! Welcome back, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Heyo. Did you... Did you win?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>If you couldn't tell after the giant laser thing? Yes, I won.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Was the gun a good idea?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's what I did the laser thing with. You can have it back now.<</speech>>
I hand her pistol back to her.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Thanks.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>The fuck is that on your back?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, this? The scythe Relicia was using.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Who?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>The little girl I killed. Wait, that soun-<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Nice.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, she was more than just a little girl, you know that. I think I'll just... Put this away.<</speech>>
I take the scythe off my back and place it in the same spot I placed the staffs.
Oh. Relicia put them back before she died. Nice.
I take my two knives and merge them back into the old pocket knife I had before.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Wait, you had a knife?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I always had it with me even before the mission. You're not the only one who carries around a weapon.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Y'know, this is the same wrench I used while putting together an airplane.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And I imagine it would make a great weapon.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Yeah, it would.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>So what did I miss?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We were mostly trying to keep up with you. It took a moment, but we realized you only really moved one planet at a time.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, that sounds about right. Did you move at all?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We went straight to Mars after you left. And then we only moved again near the end, where we hit her.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That was perfect timing. If you waited any longer, I think I would've lost. Thanks for that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>I was more surprised we even had that opening in the first place. It was too dangerous to involve ourselves in any of the other fights.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah. I guess that's how gods fight or something. I'm not really used to it yet.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Congratulations, either way.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Thanks.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>So you blew up Venus?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh, yeah. I guess. I didn't really mean to.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Wait, that was an //accident//?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>... Um. Yes?<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Well... I guess it is not really that surprising when everything stopped working right.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... Physics is a bit broken right now. Fixing the Moon's orbit was odd enough, and I don't think I could fix the entire Universe just like that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Mission Control has directed us to land at Site-19.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Any reason why?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>When you were getting beat up on the Moon, X-Corp started pinging us like crazy.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh yeah, the Lunar government actually stepped in and started trying to help.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>They asked us lots of questions. Mostly about you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>We explained what happened. We were told to wait until you returned and then head to Site-19.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright. We can head there now. I imagine they really just want to talk to me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Right.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She starts pressing buttons.">> The view in front of us starts shifting back to where Earth should be.
Nat engages the Alcubierre drive and we arrive in Earth orbit fairly quickly.
I could probably get there even faster. Might've even landed by then.
The ship starts descending towards the Floridian peninsula.
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>There's something different about you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What is it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I dunno, you seem more confident?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I guess I did learn a thing or two while fighting.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Huh.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Do you think we can still be friends?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What? Of course! I wouldn't let this break our friendship for the life of me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>That is good to hear.<</speech>>
We descend through the atmosphere.
<a data-passage="Passage 25" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Eventually Nat maneuvers the ship over a landing pad.</a>\
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<</linkappend>>There's a couple //clunk//s as the ship touches down on the pad. The support arms connect with the base of the ship and Nat opens the cargo bays.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Welcome back to Earth.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's good to be back.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>Sure is.<</speech>>
We all get up and head towards the left side cargo bay.
Sam opens the door and we step into the bay.
There are already guards awaiting us at the bottom of the cargo ramp.
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>Is the relic still on board?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, she was killed in the laser.<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>The relic?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yes, that girl was the relic.<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>You know what? Maybe I'll let the research guys handle this for once.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>Probably for the best, I imagine.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>So was there any damage to the ship?<</speech>>
We look at the front of the Relegator.
There's a pretty big dent on the front of the ship.
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>It looks pretty bad.<</speech>>
<<speech "Sam" "Samuel Ollens">>I dunno, we could probably buff it out.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Shut the fuck up Sam.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>The rest of the damage was in the lab room and the back control room wall.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, sorry about that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Nat" "Natalie Carter">>I think the repairs are free, at least.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's good.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "We're escorted into Site-19.">>
We're brought down a few hallways.
Some of the people walking past look by in confusion at us.
Other people recognize me, probably from cameras that were watching the fights.
Observatory staff probably had a field day watching me work.
We're brought into a large cargo elevator and we start going down.
I watch the counter tick into the negatives.
<a data-passage="Passage 26" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">We stop at floor B-12.</a>\
<</linkappend>><<removeclass "html">>\
This floor is much fancier than I was expecting from an X-Corp site.
I guess this is the administration section.
Well, judging by one of the signs I walked past, that seems to be the case.
There's a large room with three hallways in different directions.
We're sent down the central one.
We pass by many offices and whatnot before arriving in another large room.
It would seem that The Administrator really was a real person.
There is a large sign over the secretary's desk with that title.
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>You two sit there. Miss Algori is going to see the Administrator.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Ah, should've known. Is there anything you think I should know?<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>Uh... I dunno. I've never met the guy.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh.<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "The Administrator's Secretary">>The Administrator is ready to see you, Algori.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright.<</speech>>
I'm directed towards a large set of double doors.
I walk inside.
<<linkappend "And I get ready for an interview.">>
The Administrator, huh?
<<linkappend "Not what I was expecting, really.">>
The interview was better than expected though.
Fairly swift, I'd say. The Martian colonies even gave their thanks in the middle of the interview.
I was asked questions about how much I knew about the relic. Frankly, I know more than they do, which makes sense.
I killed her myself, after all. And any weird "cognitohazard" sort of thing can't spread anymore.
The concept itself no longer exists, inside the Universe or otherwise.
I answered all of his questions calmly and confidently, which might've surprised him a bit.
He offered me a much higher position in the corporation, a non-researcher one, but I had to respectfully decline. I've just got a few more priorities now. I'll go home and take a rest first, probably. And then I should go and fix up what I can from the other planets that were damaged, especially making sure to help the Lunar citizens repair their city. And then un-burn Greenland somehow. And then after that maybe start a garden in some rural area that nobody lives in.
I might be a deity and probably a world celebrity at this point. Probably setting off anime fans everywhere, too. I just don't want the attention. I was a bit quiet even when I was a concept before I had a body. This is the most action I've had in my entire life, whether you ask about the original one or my life in this Universe.
I think I'd like to visit Nat and Sam occasionally, though. They were given very nice positions in the corporation, too. I hope it goes well for them.
The memory will always be there. For me, for them, and for you.
I decided that I wanted to cut formal ties with X-Corp, though. I don't feel like working for a research company. Chances are, I'd probably do something silly and break something. Looking at Venus and Jupiter... There's good evidence for that. There'd probably be a billion experiments on me, too. I think they'd ask for my permission first, in at least half of the cases, but still... I'm immortal too, now. So they could just keep doing weird things and I don't care to think about it.
I was told that my personal car is actually waiting outside of the building.
Nice of them to get it for me. Weird that they actually went and towed my car here. I assume they towed it, at least, and didn't just own a copy of my car keys.
It's a nice modern pickup truck that I got for fairly cheap before getting hired by X-Corp. It still works just fine. Looks alright, too. Even has all the modern self-driving stuff even though it's off-brand. I prefer to drive myself.
Well, not anymore, I guess. I can just fly.
Then again, if I wanted to go somewhere I should probably do it the normal way just to blend in.
And then maybe obscure my identity. The news is going to be tailing me anywhere I go if I get caught. I kind of want to solve more world issues, but that also means drawing even more attention. And also builds a reliance on me to do things for them, and there's nothing in particular that really ties me to this Universe.
I wave goodbye to my friends, hug them, and whatnot.
<<linkappend "I step out of the front doors of Site-19.">>
I look at my truck.
I walk towards it.
<a data-passage="Passage 27" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">This was fun.</a>\
<</linkappend>>\
<</linkappend>>\
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<span>THE END - BUT YOU KNOW WHAT COMES <span class="glitchy" data-text="NEXT">NEXT</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 28" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">CONTINUE</span></a></span>
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And so it was over. And so it wasn't. Someone decided it would not be so, and it was not.
@@<<removeclass "html">><<audio ":playing" stop>><<audio "lifetime" volume 0 fadeoverto 10 0.5>>\
Three jet black cars pull up in the parking lot in front of me. The one in the middle is a large limousine. There are two SUVs on either side of it.
A man opens the back door of the limo.
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Hey hey, lady! You're not done here yet. We've got a couple more things left for you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, what? Who are you?<</speech>>
I overhear the guards talking.
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>How did they know we were-<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>Wait, that's the Presidential limousine!<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>Oh shit, what's the government doing here?<</speech>>
<<speech "Xco" "X-Corp Guard">>What do they want with the godkiller?<</speech>>
Wait, that's the nickname they gave me?
Please tell me that's not something the rest of the public has decided on too...
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>What? You don't recognize me? I'm the President, Miss Alligori! I got a whooole lot to say, too. Get in.<</speech>>
He opens up the door again, motioning for me to get in.
I quietly make sure the scythe is on my person in a different dimension.
Not because I'm worried, but because I expect to be going somewhere.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I- What?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Oh, just listen for a sec. It's a Presidential order. That's how this works, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't think so, but... Well, why the hell not?<</speech>>
Even if this is something weird, I'm literally a deity. I could do whatever.
I mean, he //is// the actual President, too. I remember the elections.
I get into the limo and slide over to the other side of the car.
He gets in and sits next to me.
The cars pull out of the lot and start driving somewhere immediately.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Mr. President, why exactly have you picked me up just now?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Right, so... Relicia, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You know her?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>I can explain in a moment, probably. Not sure how much the others wanted to tell you anyways, lady.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Okay, who are 'they?'<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>We'll be over at the office soon enough. Anyways, I'm not from this Universe. Bet you could tell, huh?<</speech>>
Wait. He's right.
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... Something about the way the Universe exists around you. You exist differently from everything else here so far. Kinda like Relicia did, actually. So did her two buddies.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Yeah, you got it, girl. I'm assuming when you got launched through Jupiter earlier, you remembered a few digits.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, I don't think so.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Oh. Well, how about U-B271836.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, I've never- Actually, I think Relicia said that when we started fighting.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>It's the classification number given to your Universe here. Neat, huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait a minute...<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're the guys who do that? I heard about another organization that worked with Lotte.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Wait, hold on. You know Lotte?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, not the CEO. But I know about the company. I played with a couple of their products way back when.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Oh... That's actually surprising.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Why?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>I think the others will explain that to you, girlie.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Really, who are these others?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>We're almost there, don't worry.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Where are we going?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Look out the window.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I do.">>
Right as I do, I notice we are literally shooting through space way faster than even the Relegator did when we flew through Jupiter.
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Ride gets bumpy right around this part.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What part?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>When we drive through the good 'ol Calabi-Yau manifold right here.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, the edge of the-<</speech>>
The car shakes a bit as the view in the windows distorts.
Suddenly, a solid white background takes the place of the darkness of space.
If I look through the rear window, I can see the entire Universe behind us.
So he really //is// another deity like me.
The other two SUVs are still following us.
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Sick, right? I always love travelling between the Universes. I get to watch all these weird bubbly thingies go past. Most of them have laws of physics so screwed up that nothing happens. We usually just recycle those.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. You just get rid of them?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Yeah. Think of it like a crappy story that has no plot and nothing interesting happens.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Sounds familiar. Glad we're past that now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Yeah, well, nobody ever wants to see that or cares. So we just get rid of them and let something actually interesting take their place. Pretty fun, huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Anyways, are we there yet?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Almost. I don't own this office. But I work there.<</speech>>
I watch the trillions of little black dots move across the sky.
They're all separate Universes.
I can't believe it's been so long since I've seen these things.
A familiar sight but still... This is the first time I've seen it with human eyes.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 9" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">The car lurches a bit as we slow down.</a>\
<</linkappend>><<removeclass "html">><<addclass "html" "chapterText">>\
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<span>CHAPTER NINE: <span class="glitchy" data-text="MULTIVERSE OVERSEER">MULTIVERSE OVERSEER</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 29" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER NINE</span></a></span>
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And so they returned to the MOC. Things were going to be fun.
@@<<removeclass "html">>\
We stop in a parking lot outside a large complex floating around in multiversal space.
There's an interesting octagonal symbol above what seems to be their main entrance.
The President opens up his door and holds it for me.
I get out and we start walking towards the entrance.
The two SUVs have pulled over, and I see two people talking. A man and woman. The guy is wearing Victorian clothes, while the girl is in some futuristic tracksuit or something.
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>I think I've stalled about enough. Welcome to the MOC main office.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>MOC?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>It stands for 'Multiverse Overseer Council' or something weird and pretentious like that. It's true though. This is that other organization you were talking about, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah. I never heard of you guys until now. I was more interested in playing with Lotte's toys.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Yeah, they're neat. Speaking of those. Did you enjoy the one you had back home?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You know about the Lotte Device?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Right. That's the thing that let you remember everything about yourself.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. So it wasn't just coincidence.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Riddle me this: How would any X-Corp ever get their hands on a P. Lotte Device accidentally? Especially one that wasn't moved out of their home Universe yet.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, hold on. X-Corp exists in multiple universes? And some have moved out?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>You've been out for that long? damn that is crazy<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What? W- Whatever. Apparently. I missed the founding of a multiversal organization?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Don't worry, they're not making that much progress. They're pretty far behind us. And we're pretty far behind Lotte tech even nowadays. Not much has really changed. Actually, yeah, a lot has changed. Lotte stopped existing.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Huh...<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Yeah... My actual name is MOC22 dash COM. The three letters stand for something. I'll let you figure that part out. Just use your pretty little head to figure that out. Well, not little. I know that much.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Good on you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Anyways, Number Twelve had these places set up because he thought it would be a good way to show off by negating the zero fine structure constant out here. It makes it so that things can exist without disappearing or whatever. I dunno, Thirteen would probably want to explain it to you. Also good for organization, I guess.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Who are those people?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>MOC12-LAW. That one's easy. He's the main incident resolution specialist in our organization. MOC13-CAU is Causality. She works with him often. They do most of the field work. This is the first job I've been given in a long time. That tell you how serious this is?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I mean, I beat them singlehandedly. I can see why you wouldn't be sent out, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Except for that last bit. It usually never gets that bad though. Usually just a funky time loop or something in some weird backwater universe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Huh. So you mean I got stuck in the crossfire between two big groups of people and ended up becoming a deity in the process?<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Well, you didn't become one, you just remembered. And that other group? Not really a big organization. Just a weird fluke of universes, I guess.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I mean, yeah, obviously. But that second part is neat.<</speech>>
<<speech "Pre" "United States President">>Actually, I've got to prepare for another job. Go wait in the lobby, they actually wanted an appointment with you. I was just told to bring you here. You wouldn't have seen me otherwise.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I walk into the building.">>
<<audio ":playing" fadeout>>
This building is really spacious. There's even more interesting architecture here than I saw back in the old X-Corp building. It's like an interesting and more modern take on ancient Roman architecture, combined with a touch of futurism. I sit down in one of the many chairs in the building and, well, I sit back and relax.
This is... All very weird, honestly. The day I remember everything about myself, the entire Universe nearly goes crazy and then I get pulled out of it to go meet some huge organization that manages the Universes. I wonder why I never interacted with them back in the day? Guess I was a bit more naïve back then. I've grown since, at least.
<<linkappend "I look around the room.">> Everyone here is wearing different outfits. I see some people in Victorian-era clothes, modern day stuff, stuff that looks like futuristic armor from some games I've seen... It's weird. One of them is just walking in medieval armor outright. Another is just... Not even human. Looks like a... I don't even know, squid... Thing? Whatever. I overhear a conversation from a couple people just standing around near one of the pillars.
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>I heard Causality ask if we could have the entire thing shut down.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>I mean, if it gets any worse, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Didn't they just resolve it, though?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Not all the way. She usually asks about shutting them down when they start spreading.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Oh, that actually makes sense.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Aren't all the B-Series ones always chaotic like that? I think it'd be less effort if we just let it happen.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Nah, they said this one was some sort of weird anomaly.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>I overheard someone say 'Cascade.' You think it's related?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Oh man, I never want to see another cascade in my life. Working here for stability is so stressful, you know?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Why'd you take the job then, moron?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>It's either that or do nothing for a billion years until something neat happens.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>You get some pretty good protections here, at least.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Yeah... Guess that's part of the reason why I took it.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Who's that girl?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Pretty sure she's straight from the problem zone. I think they wanted to ask her some questions about it.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Maybe.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "A voice on the intercom starts talking.">>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Maximiliane Alligori, please report to the front desk.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>That's a name if I've ever heard one.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>I think it's neat.<</speech>>
Heh, nice.
I get up and walk towards the front desk. There's a normal looking woman standing here.
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Alligori?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yes, that's me.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Here's your visitor's pass. You're headed for room 271.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh-<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Oh, my bad. That's the 32nd door to the left after you take a right down this hall. In order: Go down there, take a right, and count to 32 on your left.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright, got it.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Good luck.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Any particular reason why?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>No, sorry.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. See you.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>Right.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Passage 30" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">I walk down the hallway.</a>\
<</linkappend>>\
<</linkappend>>\
<</linkappend>>The halls here are nice too. Heck, the entire building is air conditioned despite how large it is. It's a nice cool feeling to walk through the halls. The carpet is probably really soft, too. It's a purple carpet. I wonder how often they have to clean it? Or... At all? It's not like you really need to worry about menial jobs like that on this level of existence. The purples are used to accent the bright grayscale of the rest of the building's architecture, though there is some wood mixed in as well. I bet they take good care of these places.
I eventually make it to room 271.
I knock on the door.
<<linkappend "A woman's voice answers.">>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Council Member">>Come in.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I open the door.">> I take a step inside.
There's a woman in a fancy brown overcoat and... A boater hat? Not sure. Either way, she's sitting there, leaning back at her desk with a paper in front of her face. I close the door behind me.
There's a nameplate on her desk. "MOC13-CAU." There's a little symbol next to it. I assume the Council members get their own symbols. Neat.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Goodness, if it's more papers, just put them down already. I've honestly had enough of Starlight Pr-<</speech>>
She glances up at me, unamused.
And then her eyes go wide.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. You're Maximiliane Alligori, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yes, that's me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Please take a seat. Make yourself at home. Look, I've kind of been waiting all day for this appointment. Good job back there.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, thanks. You actually saw it?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Your old governments aren't the only people with cameras in weird places.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. So... What is all this?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Alright, you've got a bit of learning to do. Well, not just a bit, I'm afraid. More... A stupid crazy amount? So, I'm MOC13-CAU. It's funny, right? Anyways, that means Causality. I guess Twenty-Two already told you that part. You think he's funny too, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Me too. Well, sometimes. Other times it's just out of place and weird, but not too often. Anyways, you probably heard this part already, but welcome to the MOC! We're the Multiverse Overseer Council. We handle creation, management, recycling, and repairing of just about every universe as they live their lives. That's been true for many years. There are a lot of zeros in that number, let me tell you!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>So this was a huge mess, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yeah, yeah, like that. Anyways, you saw it all. She was a bit of a mess of ours that got out of hand. Started up in U-D400777 and then found her way out before we even realized what happened. You wouldn't believe how many sensors and cameras and whatever other observational things we had on her.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... That's not surprising from what I saw her do.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>You're familiar with the Paulina Lotte Company, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, I worked directly with them back in the day. Good engineering company. I hear something happened to them, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yes, that one. Well, for starters: After the Sector Two cascade here in Division Four? That event is unrelated, but they just mysteriously disappeared over two years around the same time period. Classified papers call it the 'Lotte Disappearance Incident.' I'm not allowed to read more than the titles of those papers.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You have secrets like that here, too?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh, the higher up you go, the more secrets there are. There are more secrets in the MOC than there are employees. Probably, I'm just making things up because they sound right. So, your next question is 'What about the P. Lotte Device?'<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, that's... That's how I was going to word it, too...<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Get used to it. Anyways, one of our council members actually stepped in and put that in the closet there for you. We just kinda stepped in, placed it there, and then waited for things to happen. It //was// meant for you, so don't worry. I think the same thing would've happened if someone else pressed the button. You were the only other concept there, after all.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, yeah.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Well, lucky you, right?<</speech>>
She chuckles a bit.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Anyways, that was our last one. The company shut down forever ago and everyone is too lazy to make more. I'm kidding, literally nobody in all of Reality has any idea how to make them. Shame that Lotte disappeared like that. They can only work so many times if you don't recalibrate them with the hidden underside panel. Eventually the universe changes so much that the device just collapses in on itself.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How do they work?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I'm a timekeeper, not a multiverse engineer, sorry. Oh, and before you ask: Nobody anywhere has any clue. We can't even open them without them deleting themselves.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Can't you just look through in a higher dimension?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>No, they thought of everything. You just... Can't see inside. They really wanted to hide it from people, I guess. Proprietary tech, I guess. And now it's //limited edition.//<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, that's fair. So what happened back there?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Well, thank you very much for cleaning up our mess, hehe. You killed her off completely. Even made her into a nice cutie. The fight was action-packed, too!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, that's not the full story, is it?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>We have no idea how the other two girls appeared. They were cute too, at least. Shame there were no guys or anything, that would've been cool, I think.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What about Sam?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yeah, but he's just a normal guy. Well, cool guy. And an engineer... Well, I guess you're right. But he still didn't fight.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, you like him?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Nah, I'm interested in another person anyways. Let's... Not touch that topic anymore.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't blame you.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Good. So, I~ am going to be giving you your promotion! Well, if you accept, of course. Hehe, I've always wanted to say that... So, you know what? I bet this sounds incredibly weird to you, but I think you'll get used to all this eventually.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, what are you doing?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>So the Council really likes you. You're also very useful overall. Your ability to write out things you don't like that way and the fact that you're basically a living embodiment of the concept of narratives in general is better than we could have ever asked for. I'll tell you what: You're basically on the same level as the rest of the Council. So that's why I talked with some of the other members and decided that you were going to be our newest member. Well, if you so choose.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, you really want me to join you?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Well, you can leave at any point. You can also deny this request, we won't blame you. We //did// just pull you out before you could even relax after returning to your conceptual form. If you do decide to leave, the job offer will always be open for you. Anyways, time for the benefits. You'll like this part, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You've predicted me again. Go ahead.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Right. You'll get a lot of admin permissions, you'll get your own office in this very building, all the normal employees will respect and be nice to you, aaand, you can even create your own universe to play around with if you like. As long as they don't start spreading like some sort of weird Reality cancer. We'll give you the instruction manuals. Just know that it's written in a language that can only be interpreted if you think about it in six dimensions. Which you're capable of.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Sounds complicated.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>It's easier than it sounds. Just needs a lot of resources. Anyways, time for the big question.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hit me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>You know, if you're into that~<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No! I meant to ask the question.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yeah, I'm kidding. Would you like to join the MOC as one of the council members?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yes. I'll gladly take it.<</speech>>
Easy question.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Good choice. Sign here, please.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She hands me a clipboard and a pen.">> I skim over the page. It's just an acceptance form for me working under the MOC. It basically just details everything Causality just told me. I wonder if that's her actual name?
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Is there any fine print I should be concerned about?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I don't blame you for asking. Especially since contracts in the multiverse sound scarier. I basically told you everything you need to know. We like it simple, especially since literally everything we work with is so complex, it's just to take the stress off. Read through if you'd like.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'm not-<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>No, your soul is fine.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max2" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Okay...<</speech>>
I sign my name on the page. Full name.
I hand the clipboard back to her.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Is your name actually Causality?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>No. Only a few people know my real name, actually.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Can I?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Hmmm. Maybe later.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Fair enough.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Anyways, thank you very much. Your first assignment will be beginning shortly. Would you like me to brief you, or would you prefer to just read the job description off the page?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'd like you to read it.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>You like my voice?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, I- Wait, shut up.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Hehe, okay. You'll be travelling back in time to right after the old you should've collected the relic. You are going to be the President's assistant and help make sure that everything runs right. We want to close the loop once and for all. We are going to remove every iteration from that Universe except for the one you just came from.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I won't forget, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Of course not, we're just ending those branches so they no longer happen. It's to keep things stable.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, okay.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Don't worry about the time loop, either. You won't get trapped or anything. We really just need a couple corrective pushes in the right direction for this to work, and then your Universe can exist nice and stable, and you can come and go as you please. Your power should help with that, too.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>And for your new MOC designation: You are MOC25-AUT. Author. I did not just come up with it, we decided it a few weeks ago.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. Can you at least-<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Let you ask the question before I answer? Hmmm... Maybe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Man...<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Well, welcome to the MOC. U-uh...<</speech>>
She blushes for a moment.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>M-Maxie.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I've been working here for five minutes. Please don't call me that.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Sorry... I just heard that you wouldn't like such a cute name. I wanted to try it.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Happy?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>A little...<</speech>>
She hasn't made eye contact with me since she said it.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are you... Y'know-<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Nope. Never was, never will be. I feel no romantic attraction to you whatsoever.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, okay. That's actually comforting.<</speech>>
And she's back to acting like it never happened.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How did you even know?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>A certain lawful resolver told me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're referring to-<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yes. Don't you think it's about time you got to work? We're kind of risking it, right now. I'd love to talk longer, but... We can worry about that after your Universe is safe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Just remember that you're going to have to make sure that when you return home, you return to iteration MA, the one you just came from. Iteration NR is the one you're going to be setting up so that you can have the rest of your normal life. You'll remember it like usual as it happens and it might be a bit strange at first.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Actually, that's the entire reason I picked that Universe to start existing in. I wanted to know everything that would happen to a normal person throughout their life. This is really great for me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Good to hear. Have fun out there.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I think I will. Thank you for your time.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I leave her office.">>
I walk back out into the main parking lot. The other two are sitting on the hood of an SUV.
The President is leaning against his limo still, watching something on his phone.
Is there internet out here?
He looks up from it.
<<speech "M22" "President">>Oh, heyo. Welcome back girlie. Ready to go back in time?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>As I'll ever be.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Sick. Come on in, I'll drive.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, who was driving before?<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Uh... The car? It's 2520 in your Universe, so I just did the usual thing.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. Right.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Passage 31" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me, huh?</a>\
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The time we spend together is only a few days, since it's an easy job. We work on things like managing politics, well, actually, I basically do all of the work while he just throws out strange orders and occasionally eats whatever he finds in the White House's refrigerator. Somehow he gets away with it. I genuinely have no idea how.
There was one highlight where he excommunicated someone from a church because he disagreed with them. He's not religious in any way, mind you.
The two of us manage to - entirely legitimately - get his approval ratings from 100% to 169%. Don't ask how it was at 100% before. I honestly do not know, it probably involves asking other countries. Pretty comedic, though. Oh, and we preemptively won him a second term in office afterwards.
<<speech "M22" "President">>Lmao, nice job Max. You've achieved the funny number.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, yeah. Probably some of that outlandish charisma that is actually radiating off you. I genuinely do not know how you survive.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Shut up based woman lol.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh huh.<</speech>>
He's basically speaking another language.
I have no idea what he means half the time, I just do whatever I interpret it as and it still works. He honestly reminds me of Relicia.
And before you ask, no they're not the same. I can tell they're from different Universes.
And then there was the one time I got to write about his previous job experience.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How do you like this list? Previous job experience: Three minutes of babysitting, two-time exterminator, factory worker, dirt tester, dirt //taster//, winner. It's in all caps, of course.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Sounds hot. Post it. Or whatever you do. How do you like that kind of experience, girlie?<</speech>>
This is the only person in the entire Multiverse who can talk to me like this and get away with it. Only because his humor is so utterly apeshit that it'd probably come off as some sort of weird meta-ironic joke if I killed him.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, looks great.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "There's really not that much work.">> I actually got to look at a map of my region of the Multiverse. Division Four. I left a little note there. I wonder who'll see it.
I just made sure another iteration of me got to see that list of job experience just because I could. <<linkappend "I think it'd be funny.">>
<<linkappend "Especially if somebody was watching...">>
<a data-passage="Passage 32" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">LIKE YOU!</a>\
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<span>THE END (OF ITERATION MA) - <span class="glitchy" data-text="MOTIF APPARATUS">MOTIF APPARATUS</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 33" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">CONTINUE</span></a></span>
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And so Iteration NR was created. Maximiliane's Universe was saved. And the MOC carried on.
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Personally, I think that this was a much better idea of what actually happened in Iteration PD. After all, MA actually showed off the fights and whatnot. And you have to realize that what you're reading here is just an approximation of what really happened. It's obviously not a recording of what really happened way back when, so some things change.
Let's be real here: This is more accurate, more realistic, and more interesting than the old PD ever was. Before this happened, it had been a long time since I had last messed with my powers. Even though I was supposed to only have been gone for twenty-seven years, my age in that universe at the time, it sure seems like I was gone for more. And this is especially true because the entire Lotte company stopped existing in that timespan. Maybe the time loop that I got stuck in has something to do with that? There's a blank in my memory between entering that universe and intentionally forgetting everything, and then being reminded of everything after using the PD. Maybe the time loop had gone on longer than I thought? That's certainly possible, yeah?
I guess this story is some kind of a self-insert sort of thing, but that's fine, isn't it? After all, these events did actually happen to me, and I did need to get a good idea of how much I could still do after all that time. To think that 27 years lasted so long. The Paulina Lotte Company still existed when I went into that Universe, and now... Well, another organization has taken its place. A research company taking over the spot of an engineering company, huh? I wonder how that makes you feel?
About the P. Lotte Device, though. That didn't just give me all of those powers, we already know that. That's out of the scope even for something the Lotte Company made. Realistically, it just weakened the membrane enough for me to remember everything about myself, including those other iterations of that Universe that I lived through. They should've all happened simultaneously, branching off more and more as the time loop became more convoluted. I'm not really sure what it means, either. Causality might, though.
As a concept, death isn't permanent. At least, not with a physical body. I can die as many times as I want. Although... If I was completely forgotten by everyone ever and removed every anchor I use for my identity, I might fade out of existence. You can stave off that fading with anchors, though. That's one of the reasons I decided to live a normal life, so many anchors. And now I have a whole world of people who remember me, so it's not all bad. And as my first Universe, that really is my home world. Everything there really did happen, it was all genuine. So I will treat it as such. It's a bit of a shame that everything got interrupted midway through, but I can always go through the memories of Iteration NR. They're always coming to me, since things still happen there.
Just like the last time, I really do hope you appreciate this.
And I hope you think it's better, because I do.
It's kind of a shame that conversations like this are almost always one-sided, but that's just expected when you worry about all these barriers between Universes.
The limits of Reality are always disappointing.
<<linkappend "As the Author, I hereby declare that MA shall take the place of PD in the catalogues.">>
Alright, now that that's out of the way:
There's just a little bit more!
But it's new stuff, okay?
I mean, of course there was more to come!
How about a story from just yesterday?
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 10" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Long after the events that happened here... By a couple months.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER TEN: <span class="glitchy" data-text="FAUX-TERMINATION">FAUX-TERMINATION</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 34" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER TEN</span></a></span>
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It's about time we learned something new. We've been looking back at the past for so long it's almost easy to forget the future!
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I lock my computer after working for a good few hours. These computers here are better than anything I ever used back in my Universe, unless we're talking about supercomputers or something like that, but even still, I think this bests that. I've never seen them lag and they basically open whatever you want instantly. I don't think I've seen a loading screen once since I joined. I'll never get used to waiting again. I've been spoiled rotten! Nah, I'm kidding, it's fine. I wonder who manages IT or data security or whatever around here? I've not heard of a single incident with viruses or anything despite how interconnected the MOC's internal services are.
I turn around and look at the scythe hung up on my wall. A little trophy of my victory and anniversary of me becoming the savior of my Universe. I wonder if I'll ever have to use it again? I certainly hope not.
I had just spent the last four hours doing nothing but writing nonstop. Mostly just reports on some incidents that were resolved not too long ago. They're hardly interesting. Mostly just the standard Class-A time loop that gets resolved when one event in the past is changed. Do we really have to resolve those every single time they happen? Most of the time it seems like the Universe could easily just resolve itself without any outside help. Then again... There's also the fact that the universes always seem to naturally tend towards instability. I wonder why that is? I guess that's just another mystery of Reality that we'll solve in a trillion years. Oh well.
I head out of my office and start walking down the halls. I know Twelve and Thirteen work on the second floor in this very building, so I get to talk to them fairly often. I'll stop by and see what they're doing. The last few days have at least been interesting, since I actually did get to update the logs for iterations P/SHS and PD/MA. Not that the old versions were necessarily bad in themselves, but the were terribly inaccurate to the real events. At least now they're //good// and //interesting.// I even took some time to write a second version of SHS that showed another way that things could have gone if just a few events had been different. Amazing how a few seconds is all it takes to change the fate of the world. Reality is full of things like that, interestingly enough. One might call it... A matter of chance?
Nah, it's mostly just Causality to blame for that sort of thing.
<<linkappend "I walk up to the break room when I hear Twelve talking.">>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>It was kind of a shame, wasn't it? We could've handled it so much better.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. We're doing the best we can.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah, I guess you're right. I just hate how limiting this all is.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Don't we all?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I walk into the room.">>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hey guys. What're you talking about?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh, nothing interesting. Just the incident from your Universe.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I mean, I think you did a pretty good job at it.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>You mean you did a pretty good job. Most of that entire thing was you. All we really did was stop it from getting worse before that point.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, but couldn't things have been way worse?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>They almost were.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Fair enough. But things are fine now, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah, that's true.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I think you're concerned about our image, anyways. The only other opinion that really matters is that of X-Corp. Do we know anyone else that matters?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>I kind of wanted to be a good example.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Aren't we already?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah, I guess. It's a shame that there's so much we can't say to anyone.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>That's just the nature of protecting Reality.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Sure wish it was easier.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Isn't that what we're working towards?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>We are?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Well, always. Lotte made a lot of things easier back in the day, but they're gone now. It's up to us.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... I wish I could talk to them again.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Yeah...<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I notice a document on a laptop on the counter.">>
The device falls asleep before I can figure out what's actually written on screen.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Is that yours?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah, why?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I was just wondering. What were you working on?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Reports. What else?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>About what?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Stop asking questions I'm not allowed to answer.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Wait, really?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>No. Mostly just getting things ready for 02's return.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, that's right. She's supposed to arrive today, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>And we're taking this break while we can. All of our paperwork is done right now. The moment she returns, she's going to triple the workload.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You should've told me!<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Nope. That's your problem.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Pfft, fine. What does she even do on vacation?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>I don't know, never thought to ask. You probably could. She enjoys new council members.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>In what way?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>She likes getting to know people, Max. What else?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Were you thinking of something else?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, really, I was just curious.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Fair enough.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>If I waited in the lobby, do you think I might see her?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>She changes her outfit every time she comes back.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Tough luck, I guess.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Does she arrive soon?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Might even be there now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I want to meet her first.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Get going, then.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I leave the room and head back down the hallway.">> I guess I shouldn't have expected a whole lot of conversation today. It's been a really slow day so far. Ever since that incident died down, the amount of interesting things went with it. I guess the MOCnet and some of the writing was neat, but there's not a whole lot more to do right now.
Boring isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. I just want something interesting to happen. We don't need such high stakes as last time though, yeah?
I walk into the big lobby room. It's actually been a good length of time since I last walked through here. I haven't needed to be out much, anyways. Most of my work is just on the computers writing or transcribing or reading or editing and whatever other menial tasks. I don't get a whole lot, at least, since we're all sharing the workload. The others get to go out for incident resolutions more often, though. I wonder why I'm being kept here?
<<linkappend "I see some people at the secretary's desk.">> Three people, to be specific.
One of them is a woman in a business suit and white sunhat. The hat has a purple ribbon around it, with a bow on the side. She has silver hair, but she's not actually looking at me so I can't see her face. I think she might be taller than Twelve, actually. She's very pale.
Second in line is a large man wearing a wizard's robes and hat. Beard and everything, seems pretty happy right now. But I don't think that's MOC02.
Then there's a very tall, thin woman with a white buttoned shirt and black pants. Red hair and glasses. Her shirt has a strange insignia on it, with a little flame symbol. I wonder why she looks so confident? Like she had just captured her greatest enemy or something. But also like some edgy protagonist at the same time.
I wonder which of those two is the one I'm looking for? If any of them are...
<<linkappend "The President walks into the lobby.">>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Hiyo, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hey.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>What do you think we did that made NR work?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't know, I thought you did.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Nah, I was just doing whatever I thought of. I guess it just worked out in the end.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Fair enough.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Passage 35" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">It's probably best that I just check how much more work I have.</a>\
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I head back to my office. Twelve did say that the workload was probably going to increase pretty soon, and he was backed up by Causality. I'm just going to assume that everything they tell me is a fact. It's worked for me pretty well so far, at least. Man, I kind of wish that the next job I get is something that requires me to be at the location instead of just writing about it in post.
I'm about to open my door when someone walks up behind me.
<<linkappend "I turn around.">>
It's the woman in the hat again. She has red eyes and a completely blank expression.
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>You are Twenty Five, correct?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Her voice is quiet and soft.">>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, you need me for something?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>No. I was only curious who our new council member was. It is nice to meet you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, you too. I really like your hat.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Thank you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Your expression hasn't changed at all?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Ah, is that problematic?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, not really. I was just curious.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Oh, very well then.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are you a new employee?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>No. I have worked here since just a few years after the founding date.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, sorry. I didn't know. What's your name?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "Aesphema">>Aesphema. What is yours?<</speech>>
She pronounces it... What? Ay - Es - Phee - Ma.
Something like that, at least.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's a nice name. I'm Maximiliane.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "Aesphema">>As is yours. Besides your joining the council, do you suppose there is anything I missed while on vacation?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>W-Wait, hold on. You're 02?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "That's... Actually kind of surprising.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I apologize. Have I forgotten to introduce myself by title?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You, uh, might've.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>My apologies. 29,451 years have passed since I last walked these halls.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That long?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Many of us have worked here longer than most existing Universes have existed.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, I still have to get used to it. I need to get back to work though. It was nice to meet you.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>As it was for me. I look forward to working with you in the future.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Me too.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She walks away.">> I wonder why her nails are so sharp?
She doesn't seem like a bad person though, so I wonder why I feel a little bit unsettled around her?
Maybe it's because she's completely expressionless. She did seem excited to talk to me, but... Certainly didn't look like it.
I walk back into my office.
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 11" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">Time to get back to work.</a>\
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<span>CHAPTER ELEVEN: <span class="glitchy" data-text="REINSTITUTION">REINSTITUTON</span>
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The returning council member was very strange. I wonder what secrets she holds compared to the rest?
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About an hour had passed since I checked through every single document that I had written in the previous days, proofreading them for errors the spellcheckers couldn't catch. I wonder why we don't have this automated by now? Or maybe the "human" touch of a council member themselves working on it is just special. Or maybe letting AIs work on it is too vulnerable to outside attacks. Or... They just don't want lower level employees fiddling with classified documents. I have no idea.
I had just finished that before I checked how many assignments were left under my name.
None. Let's go!
<<linkappend "Well">>, looks like-
I hear the secretary's voice on the intercom.
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Secretary">>The next MOC meeting will begin in one hour. The train has arrived outside, all Council members please board soon.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Huh.">> I lock my computer and get up from my seat. I leave my office and walk down the hall.
I enter the lobby and see the secretary standing on a box directing people towards the train that has... Pulled up in front of the HQ.
I hear some of the employees talking.
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>You saw 02, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Yeah, what about her?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Kinda cute, y'think?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Is it okay to say that?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>I mean, look at her. What is she gonna do about a compliment?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>My guy, she's literally a Council member.<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>Okay?<</speech>>
<<speech "MOC" "MOC Employee">>She'd just straight up delete you or something.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I walk up to the train.">> There's something odd about using trains out here, but I won't question it. It seems really fancy just looking at the outside. This is the fifth car, reserved for the Council.
<<linkappend "I step through the open door.">>
This train is even fancier on the inside, with seats that you can move on both sides of the lavish tables. There are curtains on the windows and golden trims along the walls and the purple accents even found their way into the trains used by the Council.
The rest of the council is in here as well, excluding Creation. Maybe he's in a different car?
There are four tables, with four chairs each.
I sit across from Twelve and Causality.
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Hey, Max.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hi.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>If you're looking for classified information, we wouldn't be discussing it on public transport.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, I know. I just wanted to sit here.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I know, you're fine.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I sit back as the train starts moving.">>
The train moves incredibly fast, and the universes are already whizzing by fast. It's not long before the view goes completely white as we end up outside of Division 4. The space between Divisions is incalculably greater than the space between universes, too.
Twelve is on his laptop again.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What are you working on, Twelve?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Finishing up more classified stuff.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Same as always.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Do you really find that surprising?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>No, honestly.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>This is just as I remember it.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>You weren't even gone all that long.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Man, I can't even remember the last time I rode this thing.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>It's a really nice train.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I don't know what the MOC buildings looked like before you, but you're the best architect the MOC has ever seen, believe me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Thank you kindly. I do my best.<</speech>>
The thanks actually sounded genuine, but her voice didn't change one bit. Just as blank as before.
I wonder why she's so monotone?
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>How many other people are on the train?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Several other employees from HQ9 and other places we run.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Where are we headed?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Division 5 next. After that it's straight to Division 0.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>We only need Creation now, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>He actually got on back over in Division Ten. He's in Car Three.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Where does he usually work?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Division Ten.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Makes sense. What's it like over there?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Boring.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>He means it's very quiet.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What about zero?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>I don't really know, I don't go there unless there's a meeting.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>I actually missed the last major meeting they had there.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Wasn't that the meeting for your return?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Council members are meant to attend any meeting that starts as long as they are currently active. You realize this, yes?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Somehow, you missing your own meeting sounds about right.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Doesn't it?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I believe that is a breach of regulation, but perhaps I am not one to talk.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I forget that you were always so cold. Well, not always.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Not always?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh, you'll see.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Do you really expect her to believe that?<</speech>>
I won't question it.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Tch, can't believe I of all people let that happen.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Nice going.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Shut up, silly.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Isn't this Twenty-Five's first meeting?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>No, we have meetings after a new member joins. Her's was just after the first assignment.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>Oh yeah, I remember now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah. The meeting room is actually really nice. I was kind of excited when I realized I was going to see it again.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Aesphema designed the entire thing herself.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Did she? It's amazing!<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Thank you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Twelve, can't Causality see your screen?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Remember how I still have a higher access level than you?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>You two did not always work together.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Things have changed recently.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>May I get up and see?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Sorry, it's one of the Edicts.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Last I checked, I had access to every Edict.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>It's the newest one, B-07.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>When was that created?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Two years ago. I had an access promotion recently.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I presume you had something to do with that?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Obviously. Eventually the amount of information got so large that I needed someone else to help me manage it all.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>It is better than outsourcing, at the very least.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Bold of you to assume that me of all people would stoop so low as to outsource our data.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>You do handle data well, I will give you that.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Why do you think I run all the servers?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Don't you guys have a more general IT guy?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah. There's this squid thingy that manages all of the servers. He can't read or anything, he just knows how to repair the servers and alerts me if there's anything out of his scope.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Smart.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Ah, that thing. Does he have a name?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Quill.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Odd.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>That's the name he told me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I didn't know this.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>You don't know many of the non-Council members to begin with. You're off in your own little Universe most of the time anyways.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>That's true.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What do you even do, Twenty Two?<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>President stuff.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Like?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Funnily enough, I never wrote that down in any of our documents.<</speech>>
<<speech "M22" "President">>I get secrets too, girlie!<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Don't we all?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>On that note, don't tell me that your experience with Lotte is a secret.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Not unless you can bribe me somehow.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Right, I'll keep that in mind.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>How many people would you tell?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Only one. It's a secret, obviously.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Maybe Twelve will have some competition?<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>You'd compete with me?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I hear things have gotten stale here.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>This is going to be interesting. Don't rope me into this, okay? Unless you've got something for me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>What if it's a stack of paperwork?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hush. How far away is Division 0 from Division 4?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>About thirty minutes by train.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What about distance?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>At a certain size, numbers stop meaning things once you get them high enough. We just use time. All of the vehicles move at a specific speed, which is much faster than we can usually travel alone.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I guess it does take me a while to fly from one universe to another as is.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>That's why.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "After a while, the train finally stops.">>
The train only lurches a slight bit, just enough for me to be able to tell.
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>And we're finally here.<</speech>>
Everyone gets up and starts making their way out of the train.
I step out onto the platform.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Hey wait, there aren't any tracks here?.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Why would we build tracks? There's no ground that we need to go over.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Well, I guess... But there wasn't even a platform in front of HQ9 before the train.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>It lifts out of the ground when the train is approaching.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. That's convenient.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Right?.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "I look around at the building before me.">> I know that MOCmHQ9 was a really huge building, but this... It's such a grand structure that it's almost like I'm seeing it for the first time again. There are entire gardens on either side of the entrance to the building, and a giant clock face on the front of the building above the MOC's logo.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I'm still proud of suggesting that clock.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>It does look very nice.<</speech>>
There are a lot of people walking around outside.
I don't see Creation in the ground though, but I have been lagging behind everyone.
I catch up to the rest of the crowd as the front gates open. This building is much fancier than the last site, and that was cool. This is almost exactly what I'd expect from this kind of organization, one for which resources are of no concern to anyone involved. Things are just able to be made, and it works like so.
I put things together eloquently occasionally. I wonder how much effort it would take to speak in prose all the time? My speech has changed somewhat, even. I've found myself ending my sentences with "yeah?" less often. I wonder if that's a good thing?
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Aesphema, did you design this entire place yourself?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Because this is our main building, I had taken some suggestions given during the construction process. Other than that, I laid down every single structure you see before you with merely my hands.<</speech>>
I know I've seen this place before from my last meeting, but nothing beats actually being here in person. It's almost overwhelming to approach it. Just like the first time. It's going to be a very long time before I actually get used to this.
Down a very large central hallway is another large set of doors.
All of the council members are headed that way, while everyone else travels down other halls.
<<linkappend "I follow the rest of the Council.">>
I see Creation at the edge of the hall. He's always so... Grayscale. His hair is black, his suit is black, his tie is black. And then his shirt is white and so is he. That's basically it. I guess it's less grayscale and more just black and white in general. He always keep to himself, too... But he always seems to know what he's doing. Same as always, I imagine.
Creation opens up the meeting room doors and waits for everyone to enter. The room is cylindrical.
As we do, he shuts the door and we carry on.
There's a large semicircular table in the center of the room. At the center of it, there's a large podium, raised off the ground.
We all take random seats, as Creation walks up to the podium, clears his throat, and begins talking. <<linkappend "Just like always.">>
<<speech "M01" "Creation">>Welcome back to the MOC meeting hall, Council.<</speech>>
His voice is fairly deep. Except also monotone. I guess he's just edgy like that or some such reasoning, but he actually has smiled on occasion, and shows other emotions, so he's not expressionless and //always// monotone like Aesphema.
<<speech "M01" "Creation">>We are here today to reintroduce MOC Zero Two back to our Council. To reiterate, the MOC is an institution that prides itself on its ability to keep all universes under control and stable. No matter the incident, it shall be solved in due time. We keep our secrets in order to prevent dangerous information from entering the outside world and the hands of those who wish to see Reality crumble.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Everyone claps.">>
<<speech "M01" "Creation">>Now, Zero Two, it is time for your speech.<</speech>>
Creation steps down from the podium and returns to his seat.
Aesphema gets up and walks over to it.
<a data-passage="Passage 37" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">She takes a breath.</a>\
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Why are all of her teeth so sharp?
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What?
WHAT?
<<linkappend "And then she starts unbuttoning her suit.">>
Underneath, she's wearing a long sleeved grey shirt.
She takes off her pants as well.
This is... New...
The shirt is on top of a white dress. She's wearing stockings.
And tights. What?
Her eyes sharpen a bit as she looks around at everyone.
<<linkappend "I am completely and utterly dumbfounded.">>
She pauses at me and starts laughing.
I'm so confused...
Her voice is much rougher and deeper than when she was talking before.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>It's simply delightful to be back with the MOC. I'm //very// excited to get back to work.<</speech>>
Huh???
The President is sitting near me. He looks over and chuckles a bit.
He quietly says something.
<<speech "M22" "President">>Surprising, eh?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Today, I'll be officially returning to the MOC after my vacation. As the director of the Visionary Bureau, the organization's top engineer, and proponent of General Multiversal stability, I hope you all will remember your duties.<</speech>>
She hasn't stopped smiling at any point since her demeanor changed.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Now that I've returned, I hope your active incidents logs are empty, because in the coming days, I'll be raising the minimum allowable stability. If I've read our reports correctly so far, the occurrence of incidents has been on the rise recently, and one in particular has caught my eye. Directly involving our newest member, Twenty Five.<</speech>>
She sees my expression change.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Oh, don't worry. It's nothing of concern for you. That incident, on the other hand... It's quite regrettable that I must say this...<</speech>>
<<linkappend "This is kind of unsettling.">>
But... Also a little exciting?
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>You guys fucking //suck// at your jobs! I can't bring myself to believe you really let something get so far out of hand. And for what? A little bitch running around?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She bursts out laughing.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I implore you all to not make us look so bad next time, okay? We're really lucky that there's nobody else who knows about us, or our reputation would henceforth be shattered.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She glares at Twelve.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>And you resorted to using Lotte technology? For that? This isn't our first Omicron, if your memory still works right. In most any case it would never have progressed to this point. I have a feeling that your growing complacency is the cause of that. Now, I'm not particularly mad at any of you, but I do hope we can work on solving this together. I expect all of you to put your best efforts forth. I don't want to see universes or the people within them suffer any more than necessary. It's not our fault that nature is as harsh as it is, but it certainly is our fault if we let the opportunity to protect them slip.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She sighs, still smiling.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Though I don't often involve myself in incidents, I will be doing so for the foreseeable future. I want this cleaned up. //Especially// Division Four. Our most prized, most stable Universe is there and it's there that the most incidents happen. If we lose our baseline, I'll never forgive any of you. Remember, I am primarily the Visionary Bureau Director. If any of our lovely creations were to disappear, I'd be devastated. With our power to create and manage universes, we hold one of the greatest responsibilities in all of Reality. By joining the MOC, you promised to tend to that responsibility.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "Her smile widens.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I believe that is all that must be said. We may all return to our posts now. The train will be leaving soon, after all.<</speech>>
Everyone claps. I'm not sure if that's odd or not.
I do too.
I'm... Still taking all of this in.
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Creation opens the doors again and we start leaving.
When I turn around, Aesphema is already back in her suit, behind me.
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<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You're back to before?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Of course. Only the other Council members know my secret.<</speech>>
Her voice is also soft again. It's almost as if she never changed.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh. And nobody else has found out so far?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I never walk among the public like that. The others happily keep my secret, will you?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't see why I wouldn't.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Very good. I do have my ways of keeping people quiet. If you would like to talk more, please feel free to ask for a private meeting sometime.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I think I will.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I look forward to talking tomorrow.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Alright. In your office?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Yours.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh, okay.<</speech>>
<a data-passage="Begin Chapter 12" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">We all get back on the train.</a>\<<removeclass "html">><<addclass "html" "chapterText">>\
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<span>CHAPTER TWELVE: <span class="glitchy" data-text="CIRCUMVENTION">CIRCUMVENTION</span>
<a data-passage="Passage 39" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">BEGIN CHAPTER TWELVE</span></a></span>
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Aesphema was even stranger than I had expected. Though... That's no surprise, is it? Knowing the Council...
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<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>This was really weird for me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Believe me, I have surprised everyone so far.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Yeah, but you know my reaction was the least extreme.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>You have worked with non-human concepts before, after all.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>More than most of the Council.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>As evidenced by your IT worker.<</speech>>
<<speech "M12" "MOC12-LAW">>Maybe.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Remember, Alligori. Tomorrow.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh? What've you got with her?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh...<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I will be giving her a direct introduction to the MOC and a more defined list of her responsibilities.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Oh. But I already introduced her.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I cover things differently.<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>Huh. Fair enough.<</speech>>
Causality looks back at Twelve's screen.
Aesphema winks at me. <<linkappend "Her expression still didn't change, though.">>
The ride is mostly quiet until we return to MOCmHQ9.
We all get up and walk out of the train onto the platform.
Causality stretches a bit.
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>This was more action than I've gotten in a long time.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What about the incident?<</speech>>
<<speech "M13" "Causality">>I was working remotely during that. Twelve did more of the fieldwork.<</speech>>
We carry on back to our offices and whatnot.
I imagine there will be some extra work waiting for me when I get back to the computer.
<a data-passage="Passage 40" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">It's always like that, anyways.</a>\
<</linkappend>>Another day had passed. I ended up with a little bit more work, but in the end it was less than I had thought.
<<linkappend "I open up the last document I need to go through for the day.">>
There's a knock at the door.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Come in.<</speech>>
The door opens and Aesphema steps in.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Good morning.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You too. Is it actually morning?<</speech>>
She shuts the door behind her.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Does it matter?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I don't think so. Are you going to stay in that outfit?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Would you like to talk to me this way, or that?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Uh... I... Kind of want to see you the other way again.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She grins.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Right.<</speech>>
She takes off her suit and is in the same outfit as yesterday.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I love when I can break character. So, what would you like to talk about?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Man, it really surprises me just how much you change.<</speech>>
Her smile only widens.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Same for everyone. Can I make myself at home?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Sure.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Thanks, I needed that.<</speech>>
She leans back in the chair, feet on my desk.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>My shoes are clean, if you're at all concerned.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's fine. Not like it's hard for people like us to clean things.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Exactly. I think you should know that I myself built this very desk way back in the day. Used to be my old one.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Really? I've liked it a lot so far.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Good times, I know. I hear you've been around since the good old days of Lotte.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, but that's far in the past now. There's also this big blank where they just happened to disappear that I can't remember.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Yes, that's a shame. You're quite lucky nothing interesting has happened since the great disappearance. There was not much to miss out on.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Actually, I don't really know much about it. The documents I've seen don't really explain much to me.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Relying on the documentation is no way to go! Don't you know that Twelve keeps everything under wrap?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's true. Can you tell me what happened?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Long ago, in the glory days of our MOC, the Lotte company worked on many interesting products.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I think I've heard of them. It was the KB3k Incident, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Spot on. That and some other products on the same line. If you know, the KB3k incident is an isolated thing. It's never been referred to in reference to their disappearance or the Sector-02 Cascade.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>And there's a reason for that, right?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Certainly! Everything at our level happens for a reason. It's because they //are// directly involved. So keep your mouth shut out about this next bit: I'm not supposed to know any of this, but I know my way through the Outernet. Unless you've put it offline or encrypted it to hell and back, you're not going to hide anything from me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Have you ever been on Twelve's account?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I have. There's nothing there of any concern to me. All of the important documents are locked away behind walls I can't break down. I imagine he knows the passwords, but I don't want him to know I've been prowling recently, and so soon after my return.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... That would be weird.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Funnily enough, I saw the connection logs on the MOCnet. You've been there too, so I know everything that you do. //And more.//<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Do you?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>That the entire thing was specifically made to show you in particular information that nobody was actually supposed to see? Yes, I am very much learning too. Mostly, I just want to figure out what he's hiding because I want to know why it's all hidden. Secrets get me //real// excited. You can't keep them from me.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Huh. Back to the topic of the KB3k incident, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Right, right. All three of those incidents are directly connected. There's no data on the subject in our databases to my knowledge, and all of the Lotte's archives disappeared along with the company. It's a very real shame that all of it happened, but there's nothing that can be done now but attempt to learn the truth of what caused it, so we may avoid the same fate.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's fair.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>It's all in the past now. We're slowly learning more about the machines that we managed to get from them.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What else did they do before they disappeared?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Are you striving to compare my story with others?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You knew?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Like I said. But you're right. Lotte had some nice toys. I've had my fair share of direct experience with them. One in particular that I like is that little disappearing box. It's so beautifully useless. Only a company like theirs could afford to waste time and money like that.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's one way to put it.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I once spoke with the CEO herself. She's not a bad lady. Always seemed to love everything in the world. That's exactly what I love to see.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>What does she look like?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Hm? It's been too long. I forget some things.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah... There's a lot of zeros in that number.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>The MOCnet has the wrong numbers.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It does?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I'll see if I'm not able to give you a real list. It's all to obfuscate the truth.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>This just keeps happening.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Get used to the MOC onion. Anyways, right around the invention of the Lotte's Realitillia, she became much quieter, as did the rest of the organization. We still don't know why. Then the products took a turn for the abstract. And after the KB3k, they up and disappeared over two more years. We sent in our fair share of search parties, but they've found nothing in the old buildings.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>There's so many mysteries that have happened since. I can't believe I've missed so much.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Sorry to say it, but that just sucks to be you. You stepped into the midst of our investigations. We're only just getting clues on what they did, and even then nothing lines up. There's just not enough to look at for the full picture. The Lotte's Disappearance is a terrible mosaic.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Why do you think Twelve likes to hide everything?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>It's probably all just a game to him. Though it does make things quite interesting, I'll give him that. It's much more entertaining than just reading things off of a document. You've got to work for your info.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Do you think-<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Oh, I do. There's an ulterior motive to every single word he says. The game is just the cherry on top. I'm still working it out. You'll help me to uncover all of this, won't you?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I mean, I've always wanted to know how everything works.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Then we're both in the same boat here. I can't wait to uncover secrets with you, my faithful partner.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah, that wouldn't be bad.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Info classifications are a //real// bitch, eh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Do you think I could have a higher access level?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Oh sure. I'll ask around. I wouldn't count on it, but I'll see if I can't just do it myself. I do rank fairly high. I am a bureau director, after all.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Who could you ask?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Twelve and Thirteen. I'll just give Twelve a recommendation. If that doesn't work, I'll ask Thirteen. She's a bit easier to order around.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Do you know this from experience?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Nah, I'm kidding. They're both tight lipped about everything. Nothing they reveal is an accident, no matter how convincing it may seem. They've got this whole plan here. I'm just disappointed I missed the start of it.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>So you know //that// from experience.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Hell yes I do! Just by returning from my vacation in the first place I'm already playing into his game. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least somewhat excited, though.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Yeah. I've always wondered why everything is the way it is.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>That's too general of a question to ask. You'll never get anywhere like that. You should be asking which one of us is behind it all.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>It's one of us?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I've got a feeling that someone in the MOC is the ringleader of this all. And even Twelve could be a small cog in the whole mechanism. Who knows, maybe those "X-Corp" fellows I've heard so much about recently are playing into it.<</speech>>
I don't think I should tell her.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>A council member, or one of our more general employees?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Another question I can't answer. I haven't any good leads. But it could easily be either. A council member has all the authority they need to hide anything, even if they live to a high standard and interact often. But the basic employees are always looked over, so they could probably hide something from us and we wouldn't question it even if we looked it straight in the face.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>That's true... I hadn't thought of that. Actually, I've been wondering... What did you do during your vacation?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I went fishing.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Fishing?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I love fishing.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Really?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Yeah.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>For 29,451 years?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>You know it.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I like fish.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Y'know...<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She closes one eye.">>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Heh, I wouldn't mind getting more intimate with you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>W-What?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Nah, I'm just messing with you. Unless you'd actually like that, then don't hesitate to ask.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>O-Oh. I'll, uh... Keep that in mind...<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Goodie.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are you... Even human? At all?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Well, I certainly look the part, no?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I mean yeah, but some parts...<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Would you like to see my tongue?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>U-Uh... Okay?<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She opens her mouth wide.">>
Her tongue rolls out, hanging down to around her neck.
It looks like something straight out of a dragon...
She pulls it back into her mouth.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Neat, huh?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Y-Yeah...<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I hear that I'm the least human in the council.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Is there anything else different about you?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Hmmm... I'll keep that one a secret for now.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Oh.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Ahhh... Look at the time. It's a bit late, isn't it?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Are you going?<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I think I will. It's been nice talking with you.<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>Thanks for stopping by, I guess.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Thanks for having me! I can't wait to talk again. In fact, you can even call me Aesa from now on. And if I ever make you uncomfortable, just tell me.<</speech>>
She pronounces it Aye - Sa.
She starts putting her usual outfit back on.
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>I'll... Keep that in mind.<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Just not in public, alright, Maxine?<</speech>>
<<speech "Max3" "Maximiliane Alligori">>You-<</speech>>
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>Remember what I said.<</speech>>
<<linkappend "She does the top button on her suit.">>
She shifts her expression back to the blank one from before.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>I shall patiently await our next meeting. Thank you warmly for you services to the MOC.<</speech>>
Her voice almost sounds cute now?
<<linkappend "She winks at me again and walks out of the door.">>
Sometimes I forget how strange the life I live is when compared to a normal human life.
I guess that's just life in the MOC, yeah?
<<linkappend "I receive a message.">>
It's from Aesphema.
<<speech "M02" "Aesphema">>When I said I wanted to get more intimate with you, I meant that I'd love to take you fishing sometime. Sorry for any confusion ;)<</speech>>
She... Sent me a winky face.
In a fishing invite.
<a data-passage="END" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">What a world...</a>\
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<span>MOTIF APPARATUS - THE END - THANK YOU</span>
<a data-passage="Credits" class="link-internal2" tabindex="0"><span class="mainlink">CREDITS</span></a>
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RCom Beta v2.7.1 online [Public Release 1]
Connection routing through ULocal node MOC12-DESKTOP-95EQVIL
Node connection lost.
Error Code: A99461554B58165634P85615551Q64188546
Connection dropped by remote host. You may attempt to reconnect.
Graphical interface disabled.
Note from system:
MOTIF APPARATUS: THE END
Connect to a node with command """[connect <node address>]"""
[usr]::<<linkappend "connect 4:G6:12:00MHQ9::0">>
<<type 40ms start 0.5s skipkey "Control">>
Outernet uplink established.
Mapping current node... Done.
Current node mapped to 04:G6:12:271817::A
RC-b Supported channels :: 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024 2048 4096 8192
Using channel 2048 [MTH w/ IS]
Chosen target node is 04:G6:S12:00MHQ9::0
Establishing Connection...
DivKey::A99461554 - stat #7ba [Link Complete]
SubKey::B58165634 - stat #8aa [Link Complete]
SecKey::P85615551 - stat #13b [Link Complete]
UniKey::Q64188546 - stat #99a [Link Complete]
Connection established.
Warning: Connections to this node require verification.
Beginning manual verification...
An Administrator is now reviewing your connection.
[m02]Welcome back.
[m02]Heh, thank you kindly for reading, our little voyeur.
[m02]Twelve has let something new slip, and I'm going to learn what exactly the RCom system is.
[m02]I do hope we'll meet in the future.
[m02]::cat Credits.txt
"""-------- -------- -------- -------- --------"""
Maximiliane Alligori :: Author
Jonathan Manz :: Essentially Everything
Ignacio Polleri :: Assistant & Proofreader & Crash Test Dummy & Obnoxiously Long Description
"""-------- -------- -------- -------- --------"""
BBB County
And You.
Thanks for reading.
<<type 40ms start 3s skipkey "Control">>
<<type 40ms start 1s skipkey "Control">>[m02]Can't wait till next time.<</type>>\
<<type 40ms start 1s skipkey "Control">>[m02]If you get out fast enough, I won't be able to trace you.<</type>>\
<<type 40ms start 1s skipkey "Control">>[m02]Go ahead, reboot. It'll make things challenging for me.<</type>>\
<<type 40ms start 1s skipkey "Control">>[usr]::<a data-passage="Title" class="link-internal" tabindex="0">reboot</a><</type>>\
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