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Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jul 31, 2012 16:15:01 GMT -5
==> Reply
"Pretty much. I'm kinda surprised to see you both here, though. I'd thought you guys had returned to doin' your own thing after that..."
Yeah, now that you think about it, you and your friends had all gone back to doing your/their own things after you'd returned to your old lives... well, with the exception of you guys getting together every now and again thanks to your power. What're Arti and Aaron doing here?
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Post by gantzgun74 on Jul 31, 2012 17:51:49 GMT -5
==> Be confused as Hell
................. BE?
(It looks like Aaron's already there.)
Okay, yeah, you were embarrassed that Pieter caught you hugging Arti, which would be a weird thing for ANYONE in the old gang given what Arti's like, but what the heck was Pieter talking about?
==> Inquire
Okay, something was up.
"Back to our old thing? Dude, what are you talking about? How COULD we do that anyways? Did you not see the weird shockwave that stretched out over our worlds? I managed to get out okay, and I'm surprised, but not disappointed that Arti survived, and trust me when I say, I'm glad to see you alright too."
==>
(Aaron raised an eyebrow at Pieter.)
"But dude, something musta happened to your brain, cause you're talking crazy."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jul 31, 2012 19:03:18 GMT -5
==> Experience brain breakage.
(Too late. Arti's already there)
... Pardon? What the hell is Pieter talking about? Oh sure, you actually were seen HUGGING someone, but that doesn't seem to be what he's talking about.
==> Snap back.
(Arti shakes her head to recover)
Obviously, something's not right.
"Did you hit your head on the moon on the way over?! You remember all that energy, right?! That... /DESTRUCTIVE/ energy!!"
==>
(Arti is seen holding the Furry Skullcracker again)
"In a rare occurrence, I'm actually worried about you. Shall I restore your memory with a frying pan to the head?"
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Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Aug 1, 2012 1:52:57 GMT -5
==> Be completely and utterly perplexed.
(Way ahead of you)
==> Dissuade impending cranial injury.
(Pieter is frantically waving his hands in a 'do not want' manner)
"Thanks but no thanks, Arti; I like having my head un-panned, thank you very much. I could ask you both the same damn question. What 'destructive energy' and 'weird shockwave' are you guys talking about? The Reckoning? Don't tell me you guys don't remember! We kicked the Black King's ass! Aaron... for fuck's sake, you and I launched meteors at him with our powers! Arti... you brained him with a buzz saw frying pan; still don't know how you alchemized that... You don't remember that kickass full-team Fraymotif? Sburban Revolution?!"
==> Muse on this turn of events.
You are completely lost. They're not talking sense, or they have amnesia. Something is very not right here...
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Post by gantzgun74 on Aug 1, 2012 22:11:30 GMT -5
==> Contemplate what's going on
You pretty much already are, trying to make sense of everything that was going on.... The only problem is NOTHING about this entire thing makes ANY sense at all. Between the three of them, two different stories existed...
==> On one hand...
(Aaron looks at Pieter.)
Pieter LOOKS like he completely and utterly believes what he just told them... There doesn't seem to be any sign of head injury or other physical trauma. The only thing that's wrong with his story is the fact that it's completely and utterly wrong the way you and Arti see it...
==> On the other hand...
(Aaron looks to Arti, rubbing his chin.)
You and Arti SAW what you saw, and felt what you felt. Nothing about what you was telling Pieter was fake. It was complete and utter truth. You three were the only survivors of your session... The only one who didn't seem to know that was Pieter.
==> Mix it all together
There was no way BOTH stories could be right... And you know for SURE you saw what you saw... What could be going on here? Why does Pieter remember differently?
..........
Curiosity striking, you decide to go over a few factors Pieter revealed when he said they won the game... You DO remember Pieter contacting you about 'repurposing' the meteors of the reckoning to be used against the Black King... And you WERE vaguely aware of Arti talking about making the ultimate frying pan (Though you didn't pay her too much mind)...
Then that shockwave appeared.... You don't know what the shockwave was, but you saw it. You came damn close to feeling it...
Then a thought strikes you.
You remember talking to the mysterious God-Bird, whom told you lengthily (Reminding you of a certain owl from a certain game) something about how the game had many twists and turns....
==>
(Aaron looked between Arti and Pieter.)
Well it doesn't get any twistier or turnier then this! Though a thought strikes you a moment... If Pieter SAYS he knows what he knows...
"Pieter... You say you didn't see this shockwave, and that we won the game... But that clearly isn't the case. We three are the only survivors or our session... So here's a question. When this shockwave passed over my land, it started erasing everything. You're the Mage of Space. Does that, perchance, sound familiar to you?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Aug 2, 2012 8:44:03 GMT -5
==> Add in your thoughts.
(Arti speaks, still holding the pan)
You're absolutely positive that what you and Gantz saw was what actually happened. But somehow, Pieter doesn't remember a damn thing.
"Remember my place, the Land of Waves and Sunburns? Y'know, the one with all the crabs that tried to sell you overpriced umbrellas? Yeah, it's all gone. I only went back to save my still-living cat... Pretty sure that the trollcat-Jolteon mix is wandering around somewhere..."
==>
"Did you, say, pass by Horrorterrors on the way over? I'm sure I did. Those things can mess up your brain, hell Aaron here would know."
Even though you know you're all Derse dreamers (or rather, were), the mere sight or sound of one of them is still creepy. Or at least, for you it is.
==> Recall.
(Arti once again raises the pan)
You did succeed in slaying Cetus and obtaining its grist hoard. However, you didn't find what you needed to alchemize the ultimate frying pan.
"And you said I brained the Black King with a buzzsaw frying pan? Please. I might have defeated my denizen, but I couldn't find the saws and the chainsaw I needed. So I had to settle for this, the Furry Skullcracker, or as it was called, the Fluffy Skullcracker."
==> Offer memory restoration again.
(Arti has a giant smile)
"Again, are you sure you don't need some help? I'm happy to assist..."
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Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Aug 2, 2012 11:54:01 GMT -5
==> Enter deep thought
You do not respond to Arti's offer, thinking and trying to remember the details...
==>
(Pieter's eyes are closed and he has a hand to his chin)
"Hmm... I'm a little surprised you don't remember... but I'm beginning to wonder... I gave you the code I'd found scrawled into a tree on my Land; the one that got you the chainsaw you alchemized... that was right before we fought the Black King..."
"...And Aaron, while my class is an Active one, I do have some spatial awareness... and no. I don't remember feeling anything being erased. I doubt the Horrorterrors did anything to me because when I gap travel, I do it through something not unlike your void space, Aaron. Even on Derse, I never really heard what they had to say to me 'cause Derse's music drowned them out for me."
"Still... there's something here that doesn't add up."
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Post by gantzgun74 on Aug 2, 2012 16:06:15 GMT -5
==> Admonish Arti
(Aaron is seen giving Arti the stink eye and pushing the Frying pan aside.)
"Arti, physically hurting someone isn't going to help anything, so can you PLEASE stop suggesting it?" After all, the puzzle before them is indeterminable as it is currently. Concussions isn't going to help anything...
==>
Perhaps the most confusing piece of this puzzle however was that Pieter TRUELY believed he was right. To him, there was no shockwave, there was no erasure. To him, they apparently did something to win the game... The only thing is how was this possible? And if this was possible...
What did he do differently?
==>
(Aaron's eyes widen.)
Wait a second... Your thoughts turn to another member of your gang. Manda, the sylph of time... Then you recall something Rulett told you once during the game.
Maybe....
==> Make sure
"Pieter, I think I have it. You are aware of Manda's powers of time right? Didn't she say once she had to go back in time to prevent bad things from happening?"
You snap your fingers. OF COURSE!
"That's IT! Now I know what's going on!" You look to Pieter with a wide-eyed look. "Yeah. Rulett and one of her friends mentioned something like this... You're not the Pieter we know! You're from an alternate timeline!"
==>
You must sound insane right now... But hey, you've heard and done far crazier things. Sure you never BELIEVED alternate timelines existed, but the proof was literally standing right before him. Pieter was obviously not suffering from shifted memories or a concussion, he BELEIVED what he said... Because he HAD seen it!
.....................................
==>
Oh... Suddenly a fit of depression starts creeping in...
This Pieter was from an alternate timeline where they had won the game.......
Oh my god...
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Aug 2, 2012 16:15:11 GMT -5
==> Glare at Aaron.
(Arti does exactly that)
He just had to ruin your fun. And you were merely offering to refresh Pieter's memory.
==> Enough of that.
(Arti looks like she's actually thinking)
Pieter honestly believes what he's saying, no signs of mind control or anything similiar.
So... what happened?
==>
The hero of Time (who was not you) had powers to time-travel, and if what Manda said was true, alternate timelines existed.
!!!!!
==> Speak.
(Arti is about to speak, but quickly stops)
Looks like Aaron beat you to the punch. And you were about to propose the exact same thing!
==>
...
==>
(Arti is bug-eyed)
==> Realization dawns.
(Arti flips)
"WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!!?!?!?!?!"
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Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Aug 2, 2012 17:36:56 GMT -5
==> Be struck with a few emotions.
(Pieter's eyes widen a bit)
"Ahh... but that brings up a whole bunch of other questions... yes, I remember Amanda saying something like that... she called in a bunch of herself to help us fight the Black King... but..." He thought of something one of the trolls had said. "This brings up a whole lot of other questions... like... which of our timelines is the Alpha timeline, the true one? I know a little bit about Paradox Space... y'know, Space being my Aspect and all... There are any number of alternate existences... but only one true one. ...Which of ours is the true one? Hell, for that matter... What if neither of our timelines is the Alpha one?"
==> Sit down a bit.
God, was this a hell of a mindfuck...
"Well, hell... I did some dimension-hopping to try and help others... and I got myself into this. *sigh* Guess there's a reason I ran into you guys..."
==>
(Pieter offers a hand to Aaron and another to Arti)
"Just like old times, eh? Arti, I still have the code for that chainsaw if you want to alchemize it... well, provided we can find an Alchemiter."
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Post by gantzgun74 on Aug 2, 2012 19:39:59 GMT -5
==> Facepalm Aaron noticed Arti's face at the suggestion, however, he was well aware the code would be useless without an Alchemiter. That was a technology limited only to the game of Sburb... Then came Pieter's question... Truely, truely that was a distressing thought. Which continuity WAS the true one? ............................... ==> No... that question wasn't important... What was important, at least to him, was a completely different question. "There may be no real way of telling which one's the alpha timeline and which one isn't... But Pieter... I want to know something. You're from a timeline where we win the game..." He lowered his head. "It's... Kinda depressing really... Wondering what it was that we could've done different..."==>  ?; Close in.... ....................................
As the melodramatic mortal gets on his soapbox, you cautiously approach the scene, doing your best to mask you're presence as you do as such... Three distinct possibilities... Each one more powerful then the last...
It seemed the only question now was... Which one to use?"Tell me... What is it you did differently? What did... We do differently?"==> Show and tell (As Aaron says this, he shows Arti and Pieter the grave marker he made for the other members of the group.) Really it doesn't strike you as plainly as it likely is with Arti. The fact that you all succeed in another timeline, and yet fail in the one you're familiar with... The reality is setting in, and really, it's starting to hit you hard... "I know, I should be happy that we're all here... We're all okay... In some fashion anyways... But still, I just can't help but wonder..." |
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Aug 2, 2012 19:53:09 GMT -5
==> Cut to the chase.
(Arti sort of cuts Aaron off)
You could never stand the soap operas on TVs, so it stands to reason that you'd hate them in real life.
"Obviously, Aaron has been here longer than me."
==>
(Arti continues to talk)
"We obviously came from two very different timelines. For starters, I never got that chainsaw code, though I'd love to have it."
==>
(Arti places her hand over Aaron's mouth)
Just to make sure he doesn't try interrupting.
"Long story in a much shorter form, everybody's dead except for the two of us, the two stealers. Figures, right?"
==>
(Arti shrugs)
"Coulda given me that code much earlier. Than maybe we'd all be in the same timeline."
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Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Aug 2, 2012 20:01:27 GMT -5
==>
"Eh, maybe. I don't know... Amanda did always say that there was a lot of timey-wimey bullshit involved with this kinda stuff. Anyway, here."
(Pieter pulls out a card from a gap, with the chainsaw (which looked a lot like Kanaya's ultimate chainsaw) in it and the code on the back)
==>
"Here's the chainsaw. Dunno if we'll find an Alchemiter, but if we do, you'll have it."
(He thinks a bit more)
"...I just had a kinda chilling thought... what if neither of our timelines are the Alpha one?"
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Post by gantzgun74 on Aug 2, 2012 20:22:45 GMT -5
==> Take this in
It was a rather chilling thought to be sure... But... "I don't think it matters honestly. Alpha Timeline, alternate timelines... For us in the possible timelines, what we experience is very real. I don't think whether or not it's an alpha timeline or not matters."
A very astute observation for someone who was close to mental collapse.
"I think what truely matters is what we've done in the timelines. Not the timelines themselves... In all likelyhood though Pieter... I can't imagine how your timeline could be anything BUT Alpha. You're timeline is the happy ending... And isn't that what some stories strive for?"
==> Look back
(Aaron looks to Pieter with a sad smile.)
"I'm sorry about earlier... I guess I should be happy that you guys are still alive somewhere out there. Not just me and Arti."
You shake your head as you sigh, and put your hands behind your head. There was just so much to consider... You were still upset that you lost in your timeline... And maybe you still wanted to know what had been done to fuck everything up... But...
Maybe it didn't matter anymore.
==>
(As all of this goes on, no-one takes notice of a dark glob hiding in the shadows along the gravestones.)
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Aug 2, 2012 20:29:59 GMT -5
==> Realize something else.
(Arti looks half angry, half sad)
"Aaron, this isn't the same Pieter we knew. Likewise, we're not the Aaron and Arti he knew."
==>
(Arti continues)
"Obviously, something went wrong. Or completely haywire."
Way to go, captain obvious.
==> Sigh.
(Arti does so)
"Not sure how long we're gonna last, if we really are from a doomed timeline."
==> Luck. You have it.
(Arti produces a small ball of light)
The luck you could have given your teammates. Instead you had to be the complete bitch that hoarded it all to herself.
"If only I had given you this. Then maybe..."
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?; Close in....