Into, Across and Beyond! Scripting: Soffio di Vita
WARNING!: This post will assume that you've played, or at least seen, the entirely of the .EXE Saga by Oldum77 and/or read the accompanying story written with help from me and RockyBro10. If you haven't, there will be MAJOR spoilers for the aftermath of both of those, as well as a massive secret found in TS.EXE Remastered, here, so please do not proceed unless you've done that. If you wish to go forward anyway, please proceed with caution. You have been warned!
As a reminder, none of the scenes presented are canon to the original pieces, which includes the .EXE Saga.
Dimension TNL-2015 - Quill Society HQ -Two weeks following More than One Universe-
After getting a meeting call from Tekno, EV!Sonic, EV!Tails and LM!Sonic headed to the meeting chamber where Tekno was.
EV!Sonic: What's the issue, Tek?
Tekno: Very bad news, I'm afraid.
EV!Tails: What happened?
Tekno: I was monitoring Dimension OLD-2014, and... the monster causing trouble there pretty much wiped everything clean.
E-21 was trying to scan for anything remaining there.
EV!Sonic: Is there anything left of that set of dimensions, Elise?
E-21: Very barely. Respiro's destruction erased almost every fragment of them, and all that's left is some kind of fusion landscape.
EV!Sonic: Not good. I knew LM was adamant on letting things flow as they're intended to, but we need to see if there's any survivors left in that mess aside from the three warriors.
LM!Sonic: Honestly... I agree with you there, EV. Respiro deserved his destruction and erasure. Urgh, I hate that scourge...
Tekno: I'm detecting something. A couple of barely identifiable signals within what's left of OLD-2014. One of them sounds similar to OMT Mina, while the other...
EV!Sonic: We may need a small group to investigate what's left of the space and try to get whoever's still stuck there back out to safety.
Tekno: Right.
EV!Tails: Why don't we go together, Sonic? We could bring Cosmo along as well.
EV!Sonic: Buddy, I like the way you think. You sure you've got enough stamina for once we get in there?
EV!Tails: You got it!
LM!Sonic: I'll come, too. If anything, I want to make up for failing to save those from my own dimension.
EV!Sonic: Very well, LM.
Dimension OLD-2014 - ???????????????????????
A little later, the team arrived in the dimension, seeing how it was flat-out an amalgamation of various assets in its remaining state.
EV!Cosmo: Gosh... This place really does look a mess.
Zonic: Toy box components, furniture, Arabian architecture... Is this all floating here what's left of the dimensions?
EV!Tails: Sure looks like it, after what Respiro did. Doesn't really explain the whole object floating thingy, though. These don't even have a stable state to keep them bound, and there sure doesn't look like there's much safe ground here, considering how the collision's constantly shifting.
LM!Sonic: Are you detecting any survivors around here, Tails?
EV!Tails: I've picked up six signals, but... not all together. Three of them seem to be... corrupted. Good thing I brought my Data Restorer device on me.
EV!Sonic: Let's go check on the corrupted bunch first. They're gonna need our help.
EV!Tails and Zonic carried them down to where the broken data was, noticing some familiar silhouettes around where the data was trying to reconnect.
EV!Tails: Is that Amy there?
EV!Sonic: And Jasmine and Abu, too. Is this what became of them after Respiro's universal wipe?
LM!Sonic: Well, we'd better restore their data quickly.
EV!Tails: I'm on it!
Tails aimed his device at them, the flash rebuilding their code and restoring them to their old selves.
O77!Amy: H-Huh? Where...?
O77!Jasmine: What is this place?
EV!Sonic: You okay there?
O77!Amy (noticing EV!Sonic): Sonic!
She quickly ran into EV!Sonic's arms and hugged him close, quietly sobbing.
EV!Sonic: H-Hey. What's wrong?
O77!Amy: I... I wasn't strong enough, Sonic... I thought I could stop the t-thing possessing you, but...
EV!Tails: Easy there, Amy. You're safe now. Well, kinda.
She loosened the hug after a moment, wiping her tears and taking a moment to look at the Sonic before her.
O77!Amy: You're... not my Sonic, are you?
EV!Sonic: I'm afraid not, but we have come here to get you, Jasmine and Abu to safety.
O77!Amy (genuinely curious): Huh? Jasmine and Abu?
She looked back at the two foreigners.
O77!Jasmine: That's us!
O77!Abu: Hello!
O77!Amy: Oh! Nice to meet you two!
O77!Jasmine: How did we get into this... magical dimension, though? Last thing I remember, I got crushed under some debris from the palace.
EV!Sonic: Part of Respiro's act, guys.
O77!Amy: You... know the monster that corrupted my Sonic?
EV!Tails: Afraid so, Amy.
EV!Sonic: Your dimension was the last one he attacked, Amy, and after turning you into his servant after preying on your insecurities, he sent his new slaves to attack Jasmine's world, alongside the world where all the modern-day furniture's from.
Abu was in a thinking pose, trying to process what was going on.
O77!Jasmine: That must explain Aladdin's seeming "dream" before.
LM!Sonic: No wonder. That was when Respiro attempted to possess him, though he fought the scourge off the first time.
EV!Cosmo: Hang on... There's you guys from two of the affected dimensions, but... there's nobody present from the last of those three worlds.
O77!Amy: What was the other one? From what I recall hearing in my sealed mind, Respiro mentioned the first who opposed him was from plains of scorching sand, which is where Jasmine and Abu are from, while the other "adorned old western garb". But if the other's from Western heritage, I don't see much stuff related to it around here, except... maybe that cardboard box styled like a Western bank.
EV!Tails: Well, that's because he's a sentient toy, who, like those from the room where all this furniture came from, only came to life when humans weren't looking. He ended up being the second host of Respiro and used to slay the toys as a result of Woody's past jealousy against Buzz Lightyear.
O77!Amy: I still don't get it. How could Respiro even kill toys when they're not made of flesh and bone compared to us?
Zonic: It's because Respiro altered their reality to cheat that fundamental rule and allow him to gain power from the kills.
O77!Amy: Ah, right.
EV!Tails: Oh! Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but I've picked up the other three signals close by. They must be the three who stopped Respiro!
O77!Jasmine: Then we don't have much time to lose. Let's go find them!
Zonic shot a beam to the ground that formed a light bridge for the non-fliers to safely navigate together.
Zonic: That's our safe route through this realm. Everyone, let's get moving!
During their walk, EV!Tails was having a chat with O77!Amy about what had happened.
EV!Tails: Being under Respiro's grasp must've been scary, huh?
O77!Amy: Yeah... I guess it explains Sonic suddenly declaring that he hated me, which... was what drove me into depression...
EV!Tails: Hey, I know your Sonic would never have really hated you. I mean, he had your back the whole way before the disappearances started happening, right?
O77!Amy: Yeah, I guess so... Even after I died, I could still hear what was going on, and... I c-could hear myself trying to hurt Cream... I w-wanted to stop so badly, but I wasn't in c-control of myself...
EV!Tails: I can relate there, Amy...
O77!Amy: Y-You can?
EV!Tails: My dimension had to put up with facing three entities akin to Respiro. It felt like we were well and truly done for when... T-Toxinfect struck. He could've w-wiped out our entire universe if it wasn't f-for one of my best friends being a part of s-stopping him...
She comfortingly put her hand on EV!Tails's shoulder.
O77!Amy: Hey... What matters is that you managed to make it, and you found a way to bring us back, so it wasn't really all for nothing.
EV!Tails: Heh, I guess so.
O77!Amy: You know, since you and the other Sonics are from other dimensions... Did I get to be with Sonic in one of them?
EV!Tails: Well, I'd say so. I've seen quite a few where you and Sonic managed to tie the knot!
O77!Amy: Yes! Oh, that's made me feel better knowing my dreams still became a reality at least somewhere in the multiverse.
EV!Sonic: I can see them really close by. Let's pick up the pace!
At one area of the sub-world, the three warriors were having a small break.
O77!Woody: Alright, let's face the facts, guys! We're never getting out of here! The sanctuary Rovina provided us was all we had left, and now it's gone!
O77!Aladdin: T-There's gotta be a way back out, right?
O77!Woody: We've been trying to escape for what feels like years, and there's literally no concept of time here.
O77!Blaze: We'll figure it out one way or another, boys, even if we have to find a breach into a completely different universe to do it.
O77!Woody: How? All this? This is what's left of the "creator's" work! *sigh* Let's just close up shop. All we can do now is pray something happens, something good...
Blaze sighed glumly, sitting down on one of the huge drawers. However, she soon heard voices nearby.
EV!Cosmo: I can see them! This way!
O77!Blaze: Huh? Those voices...
O77!Aladdin: Could that be...?
Jasmine saw her lover there, and with Abu, she ran towards him.
O77!Jasmine: Aladdin!
O77!Aladdin: Jasmine! You're okay!
The two held each other in a longing embrace, with Abu joining in, happy to see his best friend again.
O77!Abu: Aladdin!
O77!Aladdin: Heh, it's great to see you too, Abu.
The others arrived, Amy noticing Blaze sitting down while despondant.
O77!Amy: Blaze? Is something wrong?
O77!Blaze: O-Oh! Amy! Are you alright? You look... different?
O77!Amy: I do?
EV!Sonic: Yeah, now that you mention it, your clothes and eye colour are different. Same with you, Blaze.
O77!Blaze: Oh, right.
EV!Tails: On the bright side, it's a good way to tell you two apart from others.
O77!Blaze: I just...
O77!Blaze: I feel like I wasn't doing enough before. I failed everybody, all because we couldn't stop Respiro before he erased everything. The sanctuary Rovina made for us was all we had left, and when we abandoned it to try and fix things... well, that's why we're stuck here.
LM!Sonic: Gosh...
LM really couldn't help but feel sorry for their predicament, knowing this kind of fate really wasn't what the three warriors deserved.
EV!Sonic: Hey. We'll help you guys get back out of this world to a safer place to let you have a breather.
O77!Aladdin: You can actually do that?
O77!Woody: Did you see any fragments of my friends, or at least one of them, out there?
Zonic: Not in our initial search, but we'll continue checking to see if we can find any survivors from your world, Sheriff.
O77!Woody: Thanks, Space Hedgehog. That's the least I can ask for.
Zonic: Er, the name's "Zonic"? Z at the start.
O77!Aladdin: The variants of you guys have different names?
EV!Sonic: Well, some of us, anyway. You eventually get used to it.
LM!Sonic: Well, we don't have much time to lose. I'm not sure how much longer the remains of this place will hold for, so we'd better get you guys to safety.
O77!Blaze: A-Alright.
O77!Amy: It'll be okay, Blaze. Don't worry.
She stood up.
O77!Blaze: Okay. Twigs, Dusty, you ready?
O77!Aladdin: I'm ready!
O77!Woody: Well, copy that, partner.
EV!Tails: Alright. Let's open a portal back to the HQ!
EV!Cosmo: Do what you need to, Tails!
Tails opened the portal.
O77!Aladdin: That's definitely a lot of, er... what's the term?
EV!Tails: Technology? Yeah, I understand it's pretty foreign. There's plenty of nature about at the place, though.
O77!Woody: Okay, let's not waste another second and get moving! Ride like the wind, guys!
They headed through the portal back to the HQ, with Blaze looking back at the old world one last time before leaving it behind.
O77!Amy: So, what next?
EV!Sonic: I'll go get you to our therapists, Amy. From what you told Tails, you don't really seem in the best state mentally right now.
O77!Amy: Yeah... I honestly really appreciate the gesture, Sonic. Thank you.
EV!Sonic: Anytime!
O77!Amy: Heh, wow. There's so many people here.
O77!Woody: You said it. I'd get lost memorising everyone compared to Andy's room. I still really appreciate the change in scenery, though. Being stuck in an amalgamation of your home and others can really ruin your hopes.
O77!Aladdin: Yeah.
EV!Tails: We'll get a room sorted for you, Jasmine and Abu shortly, Aladdin. Same for the rest of you.
O77!Jasmine (smiling): That's really appreciated, young one.
EV!Tails: You're welcome! Well, I'm gonna go see Tekno and get things sorted!
EV!Cosmo: I'll come with you!
EV!Tails: Sweet!
He and EV!Cosmo headed out.
Zonic: EV? Before you go, there's something I uncovered during our time back there. Some log connected to some other entity that must've been holding everything together back there. It mentioned about some... "Rovescio"?
EV!Sonic: Rovescio? O77!Blaze: Rovescio? I might have to look into that later.
Zonic: Fine with me, Blaze. I'll go store it in the library for you to look through later.
O77!Blaze: Much appreciated, Zonic.
EV!Sonic: Alright. I'll look into this Rovescio later, too. Whoever or whatever they are, we've got research to do. Alright, let's go, Amy.
O77!Amy: Oh! Coming!
She followed him to the therapy sector.
Post-er... POST, Trivia
The palette I went for for O77!Amy is based on this art Oldum had made in the past during his Amy craze. And yeah, she got the blue jacket later on to help her further stand out.
You might have noticed that LM!Sonic is still sympathetic at this point in time. In this sense, it's because this is the second case of a universal wipe he's had to see happen, and as such, he's got a direct hatred for Respiro for being the one to cause it. It's after what Dr. Finitevus did to the Superstars universe when he started going off the deep end with his ideals and personality, though I'll explain the cause in a later post. Just know it's got something to do with "MD-X".
Zonic is upright here, since collision is out-of-whack in what's left of the three worlds, and he already saw the endless abyss in the amalgamated world, so opted to look upright so as not to get further unnerved.
O77!Amy was able to quickly identify Errorverse Sonic and Tails as not being her own thanks to the lack of eye colour on both of them (due to both adapting the Mod.Gen sprite style).
For anyone out of the loop at this point, the "Rovescio" mentioned was uncovered as part of a complex string of actions performed outside the TS.EXER itself and in the files. Think DDLC's method of hiding secrets, and you'll see what I mean.
The conclusion to the saga had happened 5 years prior to the Quill Society picking up the trails of the survivors, meaning Aladdin, Woody and Blaze were stranded in the glitch level for that long before salvation came. No wonder the poor cowboy was giving up hope by that point, and thank god aging is vastly limited in the SEGAVerse and connected territories.
Want to see the glitch level happen for yourself in TS.EXE Remastered? If so, delete the "Data.sys" file in the game's files and THEN attempt to play the game without it. To get it back, simply re-install the game. You'll need it to uncover a remaining secret.
