DETERMIBENT (Text Adventure) [COMPLETE]

>PM: Go with AR.
>Jade: Attempt to make small talk. Maybe you can convince them to set you free?

>PM: Go with AR.

Of course you are! You still have a SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY to report to the Queen!

> AR: Meet with the WHITE QUEEN.

You arrive in the PROSPITIAN GRAND THRONE ROOM, which, like DERSE, is just a whole bunch of HALLWAYS intersecting together. You feel a little nervous about the LAST TIME you were in a room like this.

Here she is. The WHITE QUEEN. If you hadn't just BRUTALLY MURDERED your DERSITE LOYALTY with a PRISON BREAK, you'd be tempted to DO SOMETHING OBSCENE. But you're not. Your FAMILY would be SO VERY DISAPPOINTED.

The WHITE QUEEN hears the PARCEL MISTRESS' REPORT first and foremost. Nods are had, and a PAYMENT is RENDERED.

Then. she turns her attention to you.

You GULP, and reach up to take off your HAT. She dismisses that motion and then asks you to speak frankly, as if she were just ANY OTHER CARAPACIAN. You say of course, and struggle not to add on the YOUR MAJESTY.

She asks you what prompted your ODD ACTIONS, and you admit that you held no other reason other than to NOT DO THE PAPERWORK that you were forced to do, and that you were BORED. She laughs, then asks if you're ANY GOOD with EXPLOSIVES?

You say, YES MA'AM, you like to DABBLE HERE AND THERE. What Luck, she says, then directs you both to follow her into her PRIVATE CHAMBERS.

Oh GOSH this is so improper if your PARENTS could see you now you're certain they'd be BLOWING STEAM OUT OF THEIR EARS, as well as OTHER, UNMENTIONABLE PLACES.

>WQ: Deliver Task

Once in your room, you PRESENT the AIMLESS RENEGADE with his TASK- to BOOBY TRAP the WHITE KING'S SCEPTER and PREPARE IT TO DETONATE an UNKNOWN PAYLOAD upon activation.

The PARCEL MISTRESS asks you why you're desecrating such a PRICELESS ARTIFACT. You show her first the LETTERS from the SLAYER, and then a PAPER CORRESPONDENCE from the PLAYERS.

Upon reading over the documents, the Parcel Mistress looks up to you and asks what she can do to help.

>Jade: Attempt to make small talk.

Maybe you can convince the SLAYER to set you free if you play nice?

So you start talking about the first thing that comes to mind and that thing is...

> CHEESE-STEAKS.

What are they even? you prompt. Are they steaks cooked with cheese or are they a CHEESE PRODUCT pretending to be MEAT like a CHEESECAKE is?

The SLAYER regards you with AMUSEMENT and CONFUSION.

It occurs to you that he might not have any idea what A CHEESE-STEAK OR A CHEESECAKE are, but you STICK TO IT ANYWAYS. Also, wow, you're starting to feel HUNGRY. Your stomach GROWLS.

Talking about food will do that, you suppose.

>SS: Order food.

You get the DIGNITARY on the phone to BRING DOWN some FOOD, because come to think of it, you're getting HUNGRY yourself. You request CHEESE, and any CHEESE PRODUCT that is in the KITCHEN. You ask for some CAMEMBERT for yourself, specifically, although you aren't sure WHY you want that particular type of cheese.

The DIGNITARY accepts his task, but protests, saying that if this is just another thing to DO WITH THE GIRL, he's going to BEHEAD HER for this mission sending him into STINKY CHEESE TERRITORY. You quell his traitorous thoughts by insisting this is just a CRAVING brought on by the PROTOTYPING.

He relents, but only barely.

> SS: Remove the potential DOGGY DESTROYER.

You briefly entertain the thought of CATACLYSM-ING the DIGNITARY if he doesn't pull through with your CHEESE LUNCHEON.

>WQ: Give PM a task.
>DD: Come back with the cheese.

>SS: Send DD on a MISSION, FAR AWAY from the PUPPY.

You... think that sending him after the OTHER PLAYERS would be a worthwhile task, yes.

>WQ: Give PM a task.

You give her a task SUITABLE for the PLAN. She is to ACCOMPANY the KNIGHT when he makes his DELIVERY, and pretend to be a PLEASANT MAID sent to directly oversee the handing over of the SCEPTER, and to CONFIRM the WITCH'S RELEASE.

She's dismayed by her having to go back to DERSE, but the idea of seeing JACK NOIR'S Machinations blow up in his face is TOO MUCH TO RESIST.

>DD: Come back with the cheese.

You enter the QUEEN'S FORMER-now JACK'S PRIVATE CHAMBERS, a CART LOAD OF CHEESES behind you. A WORRIED CHEFF pushes said cart.

> DD: Cats are lactose intolerant! Something is up.

You don't know if LACTOSE INTOLERANCE is shared by prototyping or not, but you're pretty sure JACK never had any cravings for CHEESE. But maybe it's the CROW prototyping that's causing it? You aren't sure.

You start poking and prodding for WEAKNESSES in his MENTAL DEFENSES while he's SCARFING DOWN CHEESE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW.

How are things? You ask. GOOMPD, he replies, mouth full. Don't talk with your mouth full, you scold. YURMP PHA OME MALKIN PU MEH, he retorts.

You eye the PRISONER as the CHEFF hands her a SANDWICH. She chews on it without much fanfare. She doesn't seem TOO HUNGRY, or at least, not as hungry as JACK IS. Damn, what is that, his tenth cheese wheel in the last minute? How is he even eating them that fast???

You'd wonder about WOLVES and CHEESE ALLERGIES, but you're pretty sure DREAM SELF LOGIC overrides ALLERGY SENSIBILITIES. It's not like you could shove PEANUTS down someone's DREAM THROAT and have them die of an ALLERGIC REACTION! More than likely they'd just choke on the SHELLS.

You mean, really, whose IDEAL DREAM SELF would have a thing like a COMMON FOOD ALLERGY?? You're PRETTY SURE than anyone who suffers from an ALLERGY of that sort would KILL to have a dreamself that's IMMUNE to such things.

At least, that's what you'd think if you had a FOOD ALLERGY, which you don't.

What even started all this talk of FOOD ALLERGIES again? You wonder as you idly swipe a SMALL CHEESE CUBE and-

BLECH. Camembert.

You cue up the APPROPRIATE "BLUH" stock image and spit the cube out on the ground.

>SS: WHO DARES WASTE THE CHEESE!?

You grab DD by the JACKET COLLAR and ask him what the hell he thinks he's doing wasting PERFECTLY GOOD CHEESE LIKE THAT!??!

The CHEF predictably ABSCONDS while the DIGNITARY narrows his FIRMEST GAZE at you.

Definitely the Prototyping, he remarks, almost nonchalantly, as if he DOES NOT CARE that you're ONE STEP AWAY from DECAYING HIM INTO DUST.

>DD: Consider killing JADE'S REAL SELF.

Well now ain't THAT an idea, you think to yourself once you convince Jack to let you go. It's almost as if if were something you've been considering this ENTIRE TIME.

You already put the word out to the SOOTH SAYERS to figure out which METEOR held her EXILE TERMINAL, and which DEFENSE PORTAL it will be heading towards. They'll be sending a MUCH LARGER THAN PLANNED meteor through instead during Jack's RECKONING ATTEMPT.

Then, he'll have to watch as the girl's DREAM SELF dies a very SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH.

>Future DAVE: Deliver the SCEPTER to PROSPIT.

Already done that.

>AR: Rig the SCEPTER.

Workin' on it right now! Will be done any minute now!

>(Past?) Future DAVE: Get the SCEPTER.

See Above. It will get/has already been done. The KING was AMUSED by the plan and GLADLY gave the scepter over.

ONLY PROBLEM is that you don't know how this turns out beyond the OBVIOUS fact that Rezi will enter the game.

> DAVE + PM: Deliver the SCEPTER to JACK.

Just gotta wait for the AIMLESS RENEGADE to finish his POWDER MONKEY WORK with the DELICATE PAYLOAD.

>AR: Finish Rigging

You've FINISHED the rigging.

You present the disguised PARCEL MISTRESS with her SCEPTER.

The KNIGHT OF TIME gives you a curt NOD and SALUTE and then TIME TRAVELS himself and PM away to go complete this RATHER INTRICATE PLAN.

You have no idea what the hell is going on, but the pyromaniac inside you is just ITCHING to see the no doubt EXPLOSIVE results.

>CD: ANNOUNCE

You ANNOUNCE to the SLAYER and the DIGNITARY that the KNIGHT OF TIME and a SCEPTER BEARER have appeared via TIME TRAVEL.

Jack orders you to let them in.

>DAVE: Let's Make a Deal

You ENTER the PRIVATE ROOM of the FORMER BLACK QUEEN.

"GOOD EVENING, DERSE!!" You greet with a flourish of your KNIGHTLY CAPE. "JADE EGBERT COME ON OUT! You're the next contestant on the PRICE IS RIGHT!"

Jade peeks her head out from behind a CHEESE CART, her eyes WIDEN in glee. "Dave!!"

The SOVEREIGN SLAYER narrows his eyes at you. Just what the hell do you think you're doin, kid? he asks. This ain't no gameshow, he adds.

"Oh, I know that," you say, "but do you? Because from where I've been standing WHOO BOY the stench!! What is it with you Prototyped people and the smell of STINKY CHEESE??"

The Dignitary chokes a little at that.

The Slayer ignores it, preferring to snap his fingers and hold out his hand. Whatever, kid. Just hand over the scepter.

"Not so fast!" You say, "You gotta hand Jade Over First!"

Nuh Uh! I made my deal perfectly CLEAR! The Slayer activates -CATACLYSM!- Scepter First, then the Girl. CAPICHE?

"How about this, you send her three fourths of the way?" you offer instead. "That way I know you're not going to pull any funny business like trying to kill her with an explosive collar or anything."

The Dignitary face-palms, muttering what sounds like 'why didn't I think of that?'

The Slayer considers the deal for a moment, then NODS. Alright. He sends JADE forwards THREE FOURTHS of the way. Now bring me that scepter.

You nod to PM, and she steps forwards to give the SLAYER the SCEPTER.

The Dignitary eyes her warily, as if something just occurred to him.

Weight feels right, The Slayer weighs the SCEPTER in his hands. A tad heavier than I'd have expected, but maybe that's just my imagination of what we're about to do...

And then he ACTIVATES the SCEPTER.

The FOUR ORBS glow RED, and distantly, you can hear the FIRST of the METEORS hurtling towards SKAIA.

The RECKONING has BEGUN.

It's LEGIT, the Slayer snaps his FINGERS, and the SHOCK COLLAR around Jade's neck SPLITS OPEN.

Jade rushes over on all fours towards you- it'd be more adorable if not for the terrified expression on her face implying that she doesn't trust herself on two legs at the moment.

"Alright then," You say. "Guess that means we're leaving?"

NAH. The SLAYER grins. This is where you three DIE.

And then the HUNGRY BRUTE and the COURTYARD DROLL block the DOORWAY.

"Well damn, if this wasn't a stunning betrayal that nobody saw coming," you drawl sarcastically.

"Dave, don't push them!" Jade hisses to you. "He'll kill us both if you let him!"

"Who says we're gonna let him though?" you ask as the Parcel Mistress returns to your side. "See, we've already won, Jacky there even knows it."

Yes. THAT. The Slayer narrows his eager expression at you. What WAS your game plan here? He holds up the scepter. I suppose you've got some ace up your sleeve. Maybe the Black Scepter's ready to go off any second now? Well?? What is it?

You smirk. "Three words."

And what's that? The Slayer asks, pointing the SCEPTER at you like a MICROPHONE.

>"Argo: Wings Out!"

The PASS PHRASE activates the MICRO EXPLOSIVE- cracking open the orb on the SCEPTER. SMOKE FILLS THE ROOM.

A moment later, the SPRITE AMULET hidden inside the SKAIAN ORB lets loose its HIDDEN CONTENTS: A GREEN AND ORANGE FLASHING SPRITE^2'D PLAYER.

CROW WINGS spear through the SMOKE as GLOWING CLAWS coated in CATACLYSM swoop out and DELIVER UNTO OTHERS AS WOULD BE DONE UNTO THEM.

The BLACK QUEEN'S RING is DESTROYED even as JACK NOIR looses his HEAD.

Through the smoke, the Dignitary can barely do anything before he finds himself SIMILARLY removed of his HEAD as an AVIAN WINGSPAN lends an INCREDIBLE SPEED BONUS to an already FAST PLAYER.

But not to forget about our KNIGHT OF TIME- who TIME CLONES himself to dispatch the OTHER TWO Members of the MIDNIGHT CREW at the exact same time as the FIRST TWO.

Before the smoke can disperse and reveal to Jade just EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, the KNIGHT grabs everyone and TIME TRAVELS the FUCK out of there.

>DERSE: FADE TO BLACK.

At Derse's CENTRAL CORE, the FREAKY CAT appears, powers up its DEVASTATING POWERS, and UNLEASHES IT upon the entire PLANET.

To the outside perspective, DERSE disappears with a FLASH OF GREEN LIGHT, never to be seen again.

>Everyone: CELEBRATE!

> REZI: Where is your DREAM SELF?
> JADE: Wake up.
> JADE'S DAD: Watch the news, sky.
> ARGO + DAVE + PM + DREAM JADE: Return to PROSPIT.
> MS. PAINT: Wow, this mural just gets more and more complicated.
> SOMEONE: SURVEY the damage to the BATTLE FIELD caused by the IMPACT of the MOON OF PROSPIT.
> BRO: Continue being awesome.
> TIKKI: Continue being cute.
> DD'S GHOST: Quickly! Punch JACK'S GHOST before the HORRORTERRORS eat you!

I ALMOST FINISHED FORMATTING THE COLORS >_< AND THEN. I HIT BACKSPACE AND THE POST RESET.

--

> JOHN: Evacuate the VEIL.

At some indeterminate point in John's timeline, he EVACUATES the METEORS in the VEIL of PROSPITIANS AND DERSITES who were caught offguard by a SUDDEN RECKONING. Still, some get EXILED.

> PS + PI + AD: Be EXILED.

The EXILE TERMINAL hurtles into SKAIA's defense portals.

These three are EXILED, and their terminal CRASHES DOWN into a LARGE OCEAN.

> Various minor POINT OF VIEW DERSITES: REACT.

Across the MEDIUM two cries are cried, beginning with the same utterance of The SLAYER is SLAIN!

For those left in the session the second half reads: His Greed Became Our Downfall.

For those left on DERSE, where it was RELOCATED so far outside the session itself that SKAIA appears as a tiny speck of light in the far distance, the cry is...

We Wish His Greed had Finished Us Off As Well.

> MS. PAINT: Wow, this mural just gets more and more complicated.

Indeed it does, she nods as she finishes the final touches on the X4 HEADS ROLL COMBO part of the mural, and starts work on the DISAPPEARANCE OF DERSE.

> DD'S GHOST: Quickly! Punch JACK'S GHOST before the HORRORTERRORS eat you!

You do so, with a side order of "I TOLD YOU SO!"

> ARGO + DAVE + PM + DREAM JADE: Return to PROSPIT.

The heroes return TRIUMPHANT. PROSPITIANS everywhere begin to CELEBRATE the defeat of DERSE and the RESCUE of their PRINCESS.

Although, as some SURVEY the damage to the BATTLE FIELD caused by the IMPACT of the MOON OF PROSPIT, finding it to be MINIMAL in overall impact, the RECKONING will cause more damage long term- at least, until the THIRD PROTOTYPING reshapes the BATTLEFIELD.

> BRO: Continue being awesome.

You continue to be AWESOME, leaning up against a wall even as TIME TRAVEL is used by your LITTLE BRO to prototype ARGOSPRITE with the CROWSPRITE.

You don't know what good this will do, but you suppose it will get explained eventually (if not already).

> TIKKI: Continue being cute.

Mew Mew Mew! Mewmewmewmewmew! Meeeeewwwwww!

MEW!!!

> REZI: Where is your DREAM SELF?

You decide to CHECK IN with your FRIENDS by GOING DIRECTLY DREAMSELF, rather than checking PESTERCHUM, because you'd rather see their reactions face to face and--

What.

Why the hell are you in the LOHAC STOCK EXCHANGE???

What the hell happened while you were OUT searching for PRIME PROTOTYPING MATERIAL?

> JADE'S DAD: Watch the news, sky

You're going to spend the NEXT SEVERAL HOURS doing this instead of GETTING SOME SLEEP like your daughter is.

>AR: Where will you go now that you've abandoned Derse?

You're not sure, you think as the Parcel Mistress sits down beside you. But you're beginning to suspect it will be beside this girl.

Besides the QUEEN and the PLAYERS, she's the only one not giving you weird looks.

>Kids: Discourse

ARGOSPRITE^2: You know.
ARGOSPRITE^2: when the plan said to double prototype me
ARGOSPRITE^2: i was kinda expecting all my old past life memories to come surging back.
ARGOSPRITE^2: and it did, but...
ARGOSPRITE^2: it's all the ARGOS that im remembering, not any of the daves or nepetas or davepetas.
ARGOSPRITE^2: is that weird??
DAVE: i think we should just count our blessings that everything went off without a hitch
DAVE: and that we got jade back safe and sound
DAVE: oh and speaking of safe and sound i gotta go get rezi before the nakodiles try to cook her beearrbee!
JADE: ...cus?
ARGOSPRITE^2: yeah jade?
JADE: ...why are you flashing two colors?
ARGOSPRITE^2: thats a complicated question, jade.
ARGOSPRITE^2: the long and short of it is
ARGOSPRITE^2: i half died, then didn't and became half cat
ARGOSPRITE^2: then i became half crow
ARGOSPRITE^2: but that's just this me, i've got another body stashed away somewhere that's just fine
JADE: ...uh, okay?
JADE: this is a really weird dream i'm having ._.;
ARGOSPRITE^2: well, it is your Dream Self, but no this is all happening
JADE: it is???
ARGOSPRITE^2: remember sburb?
JADE: that game rezi was talking about the other day?
ARGOSPRITE^2: yeah, that game
ARGOSPRITE^2: its... well, pretty weird to say the least!
REZI: W31RD 1S PUTT1NG 1T M1LDLY.
DAVE: and were back, a time travelers story
JADE: ... Rezi... why do you have black hair???
DAVE: really that's the thing she focuses on, the hair?
REZI: 1 KINOW R1GHT? NOT 3V3N MY HORNS OR MY SK1N B31NG GR3Y?
JADE: i'm pretty sure i'm dreaming so... yeah not the weirdest thing
REZI: J4D3, TH1S 1S NOT 4 DR34M.
REZI: WH3N YOU W4K3 UP YOU N33D TO TURN ON YOUR COMPUT3R 4ND 1NST4LL SBURB SO YOU C4N G3T M3 1NTO TH3 G4M3 N3XT.
JADE: why?
DAVE: because paradoxes, jade
DAVE: rezi needs to enter inorder for us to get that scepter that we already put argos sprite pendant into so we can save you from jack noir
JADE: okay dreams have logic sometimes so i guess if the dream says i have to 'wake up' and get rezi into the 'game' then i'll do it
ARGOSPRITE^2: wait, you need to-
JADE: i'll talk to you in a bit, rezi!

> JADE: Wake up.

Jade's Dreamself falls asleep as she wakes up as her normal self, possibly still under the delusion that it's all just a dream.

Rezi faceplams, and does the same a few moments later so she's ready for when Jade finally messages her.

> FUTURE DAVE: Have you got those DERSE SLABS?

Yeah, you made sure to make a SIDE TRIP to pick them up before delivering the SCEPTER.

> ARGO: Call JADE'S DAD.

You don't want to wake him up.

> FUTURE DAVE: Appear in front of JADE'S DAD.

? Why would you go through the trouble of making a time loop just to do that? You've got no idea how to set up a loop to do that anyways. And HITCHHIKING on a METEOR seems like a dangerous idea.

> JADE: Get to your computer.

You're pretty sure you're still dreaming, because you can remember *everything that just happened* as if it really just happened.

You boot up your computer and find a bunch of MESSAGES to your ALT ACCOUNT. You briefly consider swapping back to your OLD ACCOUNT because it's a dream but MEH. You're DREAM TIRED still and too unmotivated to do the LOG OUT LOG BACK IN THING.

> JADE: Install SBURB.

You do that- the SERVER DISK is the only one you can find off hand. You vaugely remember doing something stupid with the CLIENT DISK during one of your earlier crying fits. You'll look for it later.

> JADE: PESTER REZI.

-goawayGetlost [GG] began pestering gratingCheese [GC] @ 12:08 A.M.-

GG: so im installing the sburb server thing
GG: is that right?
GC: y3s! y3s 1t 1s!
GC: you 4lso n33d to 1nst4ll th3 cl13nt d1sk.
GG: oh... i don't remember what i did with that.
GC: .... . ...
GC: ok4y w3'll worry 4bout th4t l4t3r.
GG: so what do i need to do once its booted up?
GC: ok4y, l1st3n clos3ly...
GC: you n33d to put down thr33 d3v1c3s.
GC: 4long w1th 4 punch c4rd
GC: th3n you n33d to f1nd your cl13nt d1sk 4nd 1nst4ll 1t.
GG: kk!
GC: btw, "dr34m" or not, 1ts n1c3 to s33 you t4lk1ng to us 4g41n.
GG: aww
GG: also, can i just say that my dreams have some pretty good music composers?
GC: h4t3 to br34k 1t to you, but th4t 1nst4ll tr4ck w4s l3g1t1m4t3ly compos3d 1rl, j4d3.
GG: i guess im dream remembering it then?
GC: J4D3, TH1S 1S NOT 4 DR34M.
GC: but, 1 w1ll not 4rgu3 th3 po1nt 1f th4t 1s wh4t g3ts us 1nto th3 g4m3.
GG: ._.;
GG: k

>Freaky Cat + Horrorterrors: NOBODY NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

What are you- mad??! There's a reason I've left the implications UNSAID and OFF SCREEN.

Today is not THE RIGHT DAY to be dealing with gratuitous violence like this. So can we please not try to revisit this perspective until the narrative drifts there for a good reason?

EDIT:


> JADE: Deploy the PHERNALIA.

You DEPLOY the items in the PHERNALIA, feeling somewhat disappointed in how mundane and pedestrian this is for a dream. In fact, it feels like the only thing you were told to do. You were KIND OF EXPECTING MORE at this point.

You start to feel a sense of FREE WILL unlike any you've felt before.

You... You...

You completely ignore your computer to try to find the SBURB CLIENT DISK.

Let's see now, you got the DISKS on your BIRTHDAY a few days ago and... you... were so upset about Bec that you....

You went and did something so completely stupid you're having a hard time believing it, even in a dream.

You went and you BURIED THE DISK.

You'll have to SNEAK OUT and get the SHOVEL in order to dig it up.

>REZI: throw crystal into KERNEL SPRITE.

You do that first thing after opening the CRUXTRUDER, completely unaware of your sudden lack of supervision.

The SPRITE accepts the CRYSTAL although it does so in a FUNNY WAY.

It's incredibly FLASHY and looks kind of UNSTABLE. It's letting off ARCS of GREEN LIGHTNING despite the sprite being colored TEAL.

You may have just prototyped something INCREDIBLY STUPID.

>Jade: Sneak Out

You peer out from your room into the hallway. No sign of DAD on this floor! You make your way to the stairs and- You see the flicker of the TELEVISION. Your DAD is watching a muted LATE NIGHT NEWS SHOW with the SUBTITLES ON. They're talking about some kind of explosing wiping out A City??

You're no psychologist, but you suppose VIOLENT DREAMS are the norm after losing a LOVED ONE.

Your father appears to be DRINKING. Whatever news he's watching appears to have made him VERY SAD. But then again, you're no psychologist.

You'd start to try to figure out what this entire dream means, but, once more, with feeling:

YOU ARE NO PSYCHOLOGIST.

You leave that stuff to the professionals.

> JADE: Sneak by.

You slip down the stairs and then behind the couch. You can hear your dad SNIFFLING slightly. If this were not a dream, you'd hug him right now.

You slip into the kitchen without incident, and then out into the LAUNDRY ROOM. Just like a dream, it was all too easy.

You grab the SHOVEL from off the wall, right next to the SLEDGE HAMMER, and then unlock the DOOR.

Your father doesn't react when you open it and head out into the yard.

Dream Easy as Dream Pie!

> REZI: Get a CRUXITE DOWEL from the CRUXTRUDER.

You grab one, careful not to get ZAPPED by the RESONANCESPRITE.

>JADE: Unearth BECQUEREL.

You don't need to go that DEEP into the earth, which was really stupid of you, come to think of it.

You really hope you don't hit the disk by accident when you dig it up.

> REZI: Use the PRE-PUNCHED CARD and the CRUXITE DOWEL on the TOTEM LAYTHE to get a CRUXITE TOTEM.

You get all that done, though you have to wonder WHAT THE HELL the entry item is just going by the picture alone.

>JADE: Retrieve DISK

You dig up just enough of the top layer to find the SBURB CLIENT DISK BOX.

You open it to check the disk, and frown upon finding that some DIRT had gotten inside when you'd burried it.

Oh well, that should be easy enough to clean off. Some running water and some soap should do the trick!

> REZI: Use the CRUXITE TOTEM on the ALCHEMITER.

You get an CRUXITE HAND-HELD ANTI-MASS SPECTROMETER!

This thing looks INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS!!

You feel like you should be wearing a METAL SUIT before you put this thing to use.

Maybe if your GRANDFATHER had left behind one of his IRONMAN SUITS you'd be in a better position for that.

Oh well.

>JADE: ENTER

You enter the house, quietly closing the door behind you and LOCKING it secure.

That's when you hear a CRASH from the TV ROOM, and the sound of a LIGHT blowing out and ELECTRICITY ZAPPING SOMETHING.

> REZI: ENTER.

You turn on the ANTI-MASS SPECTROMETER.

Nothing seems to happen at first, but then the RESONANCESPRITE leaps head()first into the glowing mouth of the scanner!!

You get the feeling that you should seek LOWER GROUND immediately!

You run for a transportalizer and zip down to the GROUND FLOOR just in time to avoid the EXPLOSION that sends your house flying into the Medium!!

>Jade: Examine Damage

You enter your TV ROOM, and find your FATHER lying face first on the floor, with the TELEVISION lying on top of his back and that FREAKING CAT standing on top of THAT.

You snarl, you clench your hands, nearly forgetting about the PRECIOUS CARGO. You then let loose an enraged BARK that sends the CAT scampering away with a flash of LIGHT.

You hurry over to your DAD, and pull the TV off of him.

This is a mistake that almost ELECTROCUTES YOU to the point of death, instead, merely knocking you UNCONSCIOUS and sending you back to your DREAM SELF, who looks upwards at SKAIA just in time to watch the results of REZI's ENTRY.

>Everyone: Watch the BATTLEFIELD

It begins to transform, going from SQUARE to SPHERICAL.

The TOWER for the THIRD PROTOTYPING begins to GLOW as it accepts a KERNEL of DATA.

>PAST-FUTURE-DAVE: Get the WHITE KING off the BATTLEFIELD

You time travel to SKAIA, and ask the KING to follow you to PROSPIT so that the QUEEN might explain to him a SITUATION that developed.

He deactivates his PROTOTYPINGS, and allows you to take him to PROSPIT, where the QUEEN tells him of the plan with the SCEPTER.

Curiously, you notice that the THIRD PROTOTYPING never affected him the entire time you talked.

>PAST-FUTURE-DAVE: Get the WHITE KING'S SCEPTER from the WHITE KING.

He relinquishes it to you, and you TIME TRAVEL INTO THE PAST to do a BUNCH OF STUFF that we've already seen.

> REZI: Is your SPRITE still alive?

You dare to look into the RUINS of the ATRIUM, hunting for signs of the SPRITE.

Alas, it seems that the RESONANCE SPRITE had suffered a CASCADING FAILURE and has DIED.

> DERSE: Receive 3rd PROTOTYPING.

Our view briefly focuses on DERSE as a KERNEL reaches the third tower after navigating the short distance of TEMPORAL CHAOS between DERSE and the EDGE OF THE SESSION.

The TOWER accepts the prototyping, and then--

The FREAKY CAT leaps onto the TOWER as the data begins to TRANSMIT skaia wards. It then RIDES the DATA WAVE forwards, and rockets towards SKAIA like a METEOR.

> BLACK KING: REACT.

You are the BLACK KING, and despite the BATTLEFIELD having become it's THIRD FORM, it seems that you have YET TO RECEIVE your THIRD PROTOTYPING CORE.

Strange, this, you muse as you look upon a QUAINT FARM. Something must have happened to DERSE's TOWER.

You're about to ask a SUBORDINATE for A RADIO, when you hear the strangest sounding meteor EVER.

>Freaky Cat: COLLIDE

The CAT hurtles past PROSPIT, crashing into the FOURTH, UNUSED TOWER and blowing a HOLE through it as it triggers a defense portal and SLIPS THROUGH to earth.

Well, there was THAT time loop closed.

Still, the FOURTH TOWER now seems INOPERABLE. Probably for the best since the RING and SCEPTER are both destroyed.

>BK: Receive Prototyping

Your SCEPTER glows as it receives the data. Finally! You were beginning to wonder whe--GRK.

Your body seizes up as the ENERGY from the CRYSTAL enters your body.

This... This is not right.

> WV: REACT.

You are now a WARWARRY VILLAGER. You are just a SIMPLE DERSITE FARMER, and you are WARY of the BLACK KING who has been hovering around looking like he's missing his THIRD PROTOTYPING. It's weird, but as long as he doesn't do anything too brash you suppose you could tollerate his presence and-

NOPE. Now he's started spewing out GREEN LIGHTNING. Oh SHIT that is NOT GOOD.

The LIGHTNING starts striking parts of your FARMLAND, and RANDOMLY either INCINERATES or DECAYS the crops!!

You RUN LIKE HELL and GET OUT OF THERE as FAST as you possibly CAN.

>==>

You run.

>==>

And Run.

>==>

It never seems like you get far enough away.

>==][

You feel like you're being chased.

>='+D

You run past WAR TORN FIELDS and CONFUSED CARAPACIANS.

>%6&*3##>

Others start RUNNING with you.

The GLOWING BURST of ENERGY from the BLACK KING continues to GROW.

>=---***!!#$+=}

You find a TRANSPORTALIZER, and start shepperding your fellow CARAPACIANS, Prospitian and Dersite alike, through it, watching as the WAVE OF ENERGY comes CLOSER and CLOSER.

Finally, the last of those who followed you for sheer common sense escape, and you step on the pad.

>\/\/\/: 35(4|*3

One moment, you're facing a WALL OF GREEN FIRE, the next, you're being pulled off the pad by a PARCEL MISTRESS and an AUTHORITY REGULATOR, just in time, too, because the pad EXPLODES.

A moment later, you hear an ECHOING BOOM, much more distant, and UPWARDS.

You look up.

>8|<: =_><\*|_|)_=

YOU CANNOT CONTAIN THE POWER.

>84++|_3|=13|_|): |)3+0|\|4\+3

Everyone on PROSPIT watches in HORROR as the BATTLEFIELD EXPLODES like a STAR, before suddenly collapsing inwards and becoming A SWIRLING RIFT IN SPACE.

SKAIA around the BATTLEFIELDS REMAINS begin to become PULLED INWARDS.

>Dave: Summarize

Well.

FUCK.

You guess your hopes that Rezi's prototyping wasn't stupid were false ones.

No wonder the TROLLS were having problems seeing what was going on in this session after this point.

>WQ: Order Evacuation

You ORDER Prospit's evacuation towards the TWO HABITABLE WORLDS, The LAND OF LIGHT AND FORESTS, and the newly entered LAND OF FROST AND FROGS.

>JADE: Wake Up!

As you're carried away by ARGOSPRITE^2, you faint, and wake up once more in your HOUSE, with....

OH NO! Your DAD!!!

> JADE'S DAD: Are you still alive?

You check on your DAD, reaching to his throat for a PULSE...

You can't find one! But that's probably because you don't know where to look.

You quickly begin checking his wrists. But you can't FIND A PULSE there either.

Finally, last resort choice.

You ROLL your dad onto his back and place your hands over his CHEST, where you KNOW his heart is...

...

...

...And...

You can't feel his heart.

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God OH GOD.

You climb to your feet and stumble towards the KITCHEN, hoping to find the PHONE. But the damned thing is missing off the hook! The CORD dangles, severed in the middle as if it had been CUT by something.

NO. NO. NO NO. NOOOONONONONONONONO this cannot be happening this is just a really terrifying dream but even so you gotta do something--

>Jade: Check Dad's Room.

You hurry for your dad's BEDROOM, stumbling up the stairs as your heart HURTS for reasons that probably have more to do with the ELECTRICAL SHOCK you took more than the pain of possibly losing your dad.

You check the room for his PDA, but you can't find it. You check for the OTHER landline phone in here as well...

But even the PHONE CRADLE is missing!!

No.NO.NO.THIS STUPID CAT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER PERSON YOU CARE ABOUT FROM YOU!!!

> ARGO: The contents of the SAFE, DESTROY THEM.

The DREAM YOU that's remained in your house while ALL OF THE ABOVE HAS GONE ON sets fire to the PUPPET REMAINS out in the safety of a SMALL SUGAR FREE CLEARING of ground.

Don't want to start a SUGAR FIRE, after all.

The PUPPET REMAINS burn with a VENGEANCE, and when the flames go out, all that's left is a SLAGGED PILE OF MOLTEN METAL.

Good Riddance.