68
You give Steve one last wonderful kiss before pulling out the Illustrator’s Interface.
-- intenseImpressionist [II] began badgering audaciousArchitect [AA] --
II: okay Im ready II: did james tell you where were going? AA: Yes. It will take only a moment. II: okay
-- intenseImpressionist [II] ceased badgering audaciousArchitect [AA] --
Steve gives a longing look as you disappear.
JAMES: Yo.
You’re standing in a room full of machinery, punctuated by the enormous viewscreen and console at the center.
Also, James is wearing tights.
STEPHANIE: Uh… JAMES: Yeah, it’s fucking stupid. Let’s just do this so I can change.
He hands out the white voodoo doll and starts fiddling with the machine. The screen springs to life, displaying the two of you standing in the room you’re in now. You glance around for a camera before realizing that there probably isn’t one. At this point, you just have to accept this weird shit.
While James dicks around, you step over to the nearby window. The rest of the Veil is clearly visible outside your little meteor lab. Very soon the Reckoning will start, and your session will come to a close. Tiffany and Greg had better have that frog finished. You came this far and finally got Steve, and you’re not going to lose all of it because they couldn’t keep it in their pants until later.
The screen jumps between the rooms in the towers on Prospit and Derse. You glance at the one you woke up in, and you’re confused.
STEPHANIE: Wait. What was that on the walls? JAMES: Part of the code. JAMES: We all sleepwalked or something and wrote it on our walls, and we don’t remember it. STEPHANIE: What? JAMES: Beats the fuck out of me. That’s what the giant snake monster said. STEPHANIE: …
After scanning each room, the screen returns to showing the lab.
JAMES: Okay, done. STEPHANIE: Now what? STEPHANIE: What exactly are we doing, anyway? JAMES: Creating the white text douche.
You cock your head as your jaw drops.
STEPHANIE: …What? JAMES: The code gives him his god-vision and teleportation bullshit, but we have to give him a body too. STEPHANIE: How about we don’t? JAMES: Tiffany said it’s some predetermined shit. We have to create him because he’s already here or whatever. STEPHANIE: …How does that work? JAMES: Shenanigans. JAMES: Fuck if I understand it. I’m the luck guy.
You shake your head and sigh.
STEPHANIE: Okay, so that’s what this doll is for? JAMES: Yeah. We make him out of it, and it fucks him up. Perfect bad luck. STEPHANIE: …That’s not reassuring. JAMES: Hey, a giant snake monster told me to do it, and I wasn’t going to argue. JAMES: You could say I was kind of rattled.
Pointedly ignoring him, you turn the doll over in your hands. Something doesn’t feel right. You’re missing something.
STEPHANIE: …There’s something else we have to do. JAMES: Like what? JAMES: Hephaestus just said to bring you here and use the doll to make Vanilla Milkshake. STEPHANIE: …That is a stupid name. JAMES: You have a better one? STEPHANIE: So why did you need me? JAMES: I guess ‘cause you can hide us doing this? JAMES: If he saw us, it would fuck up the whole thing.
-- anonymousAdvsior [AA] began badgering intenseImpressionist [II] --
AA: Your time is up, Miss Nestore. AA: I have been far too patient with you. AA: I know not where you are, but I can see the Atomic Cymbal, which means you are not there. AA: I offered you the chance to save Mister Garrison’s life. AA: You have clearly made your choice. AA: I am going to seize control of your display, and you will watch as he suffers.
--
James looks at you.
JAMES: Well? Stop standing there and let’s do this. STEPHANIE: …No. I’ve got it.
You whip out the Chromatic Cleaver, dial to black, and draw on the face of the doll.
黒
Kuro – black.
STEPHANIE: Okay, do it.
James aims the ectobiology apparatus at the doll. A green paradox clone momentarily appears on the pad before vanishing.
JAMES: … JAMES: That’s it? JAMES: I thought something would happen! JAMES: I’m supposed to be the one who fucks up his plans! JAMES: Destroy his chances or some shit! STEPHANIE: You did. Now it’s my turn.
You close your eyes. In your mind, you can feel the trigger. It’s always been there, but you haven’t been able to reach it until now.
--
II: youre done AA: No, Miss Nestore, I am merely beginning. AA: I will butcher every one of you until you perform the scratch. AA: I no longer tolerate you deviating from my plan. II: your plan is fucked AA: I am omniscient. AA: I am omnipresent. AA: I am omnipotent. AA: I am beyond the miserable machinations of a teenage-
--
With your mind, you reach through the void and pull the trigger.
--
AA: I am- AA: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AA: BLIND AA: BLIND AA: WHAT DID YOU DO AA: NO AA: NONONONONONO AA: HOW II: knight of void AA: THIS ISN’T POSSIBLE AA: I CAN’T SEE AA: I CAN’T MOVE AA: WHAT DID YOU DO II: bye asshole
-- intenseImpressionist [II] blocked anonymousAdvisor [AA] --











