Snowbound Blood: Volume Nine/Transcript

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Volume Nine Start

The gameboard is falling into place.

Figures connected by patterns beyond their comprehension move to their positions, factions come together and opponents are pitted against each other.

The playing field has never been level — but did you ever think it would be? That is not the game at play here.

No, the rules of this game are too complex for you to divine, and unknowable stakes hang in the balance. The resolution of this contest will ripple across a universe far vaster than you have ever suspected.

Perhaps it's for the best that you do not realise your importance. It is a heavy burden to bear, and you already have plenty of those, don't you?

Now, we find ourselves at a turning point. Two players prepare their next moves.

Glomer Hicner

SECILY: 12.Kc2 ...And you're absolutely positive the sigil you found belongs to Noxious? ...Nf6

SECILY: 13.e5 Without a hint of conspiracy or shadow of a doubt? ...Nd5

Your partner (conversational and occupational) jogs up to your side once he's finished — direct quote — "crossing knots 'fore facing tots."

NECRON: †† Trust me, this is totes legit. I know it sounds kinda sketch, but it's the real deal. ††

NECRON: ††† One-hund-ten percent, we're about to blow this fuckin' frozen soda treat stand. †††

You wince as he drops that curse so close to the underground. Please, you try to telepathically impart, keep it clean down there.

NECRON: † ...You're lookin' at me funny. Some'n wrong with talkin' explosives with the little ankle biters? †

SECILY: 14.Nd3 Necron, if you're going to be accompanying me to the reduplication caverns, you need to be on your absolute best behavior. ...f5

SECILY: 15.exf6 And that, quite notably, is a very big "if." This is one of the most guarded areas in all of Repiton. ...Nxf6

SECILY: 16.h3 You're not a jadeblood, you're not an Enthal, and you are most certainly not a child. It's a miracle I am permitted to enter. ...Qf5

SECILY: 17.hxg4 Do you know the amount of paperwork I'm obligated to fill out for as much as five minutes at the entrance? ...Nxg4

Necron gives your rhetorical question some thought. You quirk a brow in his direction before deciding to speed this exchange along.

SECILY: 18.Rxh6 Keep your mouth clean, is what I'm saying. Unless you'd like a personal talking to from Ms. Hekrix herself. ...Nxh6

NECRON: †† Oh, solid! You'll be able to nosh a twelve course meal off my carb palette, promise. ††

NECRON: † You know, 'fore it slips my noggin, I thought of a gnarlier way to spin the tale behind me finding that punk aaaa... †

You shoot him an ice-cold glare and he scrambles to stick the landing.

NECRON: † Aaaassassinatin' punk's sigil. Heh. Yeah, totes what I was going for there. †

NECRON: † Anyway, get this, partner... †

You have heard it thrice already and really don't need yet another rerun of these events clogging your memory.

As thankful as you are for your PERFECT RECALL, it can sometimes be a double edged sword in your life.

...Assuming it works as intended, that is. You’re trying to get better at not conceptualizing such things about yourself as "perfect", even if you did once take pride in the idea.

SECILY: 19.Bxf4 Listen, it's quite alright. I promise the story was sufficiently thrilling the first three times. ...Nf7

NECRON: † Oh pshaw, it don't count as three if you didn’t hear me. You just get so lost in that head of yours sometimes, you don’t even listen! †

You try to protest this injustice, but Necron raises a cold, metallic finger up to your lips to shush you. Something inside you shrivels up in distaste.

NECRON: †† I'm serious. If I bite it, I'm gonna need your retelling to be up to snuff. The scene was mammoth as all get out! ††

Sigh. You don't actually sigh, but let the record state that you're emotionally exhausted enough to sigh.

NECRON: † So here's how it goes down. †

NECRON: †† Lovemuffin got an email filled with all kindsa scrambled garbo. Not a real word in the whole doc. Couldn't understand jack, myself. ††

It figures that Noxious would be able to get past something as simple as a contact block.

Lovemuffin, you note, is Oricka. The Necron rule of thumb is that any unassigned pet names automatically fall to his matesprit.

NECRON: † But you know my guppy, sharp as sawblades! Cracked the code in no time flat. †

NECRON: †† She was all, tip-tap-typing, and then she was all... ††

NECRON: †††† "I'm in. :darkened_lenses:" ††††

SECILY: 20.Qf3 Excuse me. When do I get to hear these alterations you mentioned? This is all painfully familiar so far. ...Kc8

NECRON: † I'm getting there, I'm getting there! †

NECRON: †† Look, do you wanna pay due respect to my possible future corpse or nah? ††

Sigh. For real, this time.

You get the feeling that he's about to ask where he was before you interrupted him, so you preemptively tell him he was headed to the ruins of the Tom Cruise Memorial Theatre I.

NECRON: † Right! She cracked the code and sent me to check out the coordinates she scavenged. Guess Noxious was a total Tom Cruise nut. †

NECRON: †† Nutty enough to try and fuuu—mess up an already ruined theatre, that is. There was a radio buried under some of the rubble that turned out to be a bomb. ††

NECRON: ††† I would've kicked it for real if the countdown had been a second less. Defused it in the nick of time. †††

NECRON: †† I'd seen the model before, so I wasn't exactly... ††

Here we go, it's time for the punchline you're more than familiar with. The answer is so ingrained in your mind that you can't help but blurt it out with him.

SECILY & NECRON: 21.Nxc7 Tuning out. ...Bb7 †† Blown away. ††

Wait. What?

SECILY: 22.Qg3 I thought you'd said— ...Qg6

NECRON: † Told you I made changes, didn't I? There it is. "Blown away" works a million times better, don'tcha think? †

NECRON: †† Before it burst, though, it croaked somethin' out in that janky robot voice. ††

NECRON: †††† "Break down in the database." ††††

NECRON: †† I'd bet my life that it means the reduplication records. Got a hunch there's some kinda double entendre with the whole breaking down thing. ††

NECRON: †† Sigils got themselves some associated meanings, right? I heard a thing or two 'bout there being a buncha concepts linked to them, and that sounds like just the kind of ancient stuff those guys would keep on hand. ††

NECRON: ††† That, or he's wrecked shop down there. Which means we should deffo investigate anyways, just to be safe. †††

Necron continues to recite the aftermath of his tale, going into the excruciating details of the medical attention he received from Oricka, which you don't really need to hear again.

You're honestly skeptical about there being any immediate danger inside the caverns. That would be a severe crisis, if true, and everything appears to be functioning as normal.

Necron's hunch doesn't entirely convince you either, but Noxious is unpredictable above all else.

You're mostly taking Necron along for technological assistance, if the need for it arises. You and computers don't bode well, and he's picked up a thing or two from his matesprit.

Alright, he's past the gory surgery pun, which means this particular topic is over.

NECRON: † ...really put the surge in surgeon. †

NECRON: †† So? The new punchline is pretty boss, right? ††

At this point, you're familiar enough with Necron to know which way leads to the path of least resistance.

You give him a non-committal nod and stuff your hands in your pockets.

SECILY: 23.Nxa8 I'll admit, the new version is far more thematically appropriate, but only from an objective standpoint. I enjoyed the humor. Are you finished? ...Bxa8

He is. Thank the gods.

You take a deep breath, put on your best professional look of neutrality, and nod in the direction of the cave entrance.

The accouchement golems standing guard over there have probably been incredibly suspicious of you for the past ten minutes. Not the best start, but what can you do.

The two of you stop six feet in front of the constructs. You calmly endure their robotic staredowns and ignore your technophobic nerves with poise and grace.

SECILY: 24.Re1 Secily Iopara. I'm here for a priority Aleph case. ...Qxg3

There's a low whirring as their processors take this information in. Yes, you sure as hell are Secily Iopara, and this sure as hell is the most important mission of them all.

Necron entirely ignores your earlier insistence that you do the talking and strolls up to introduce himself, complete with an offered handshake of his metal hand.

SECILY: 25.Bxg3 Nec— ...Ncd8

NECRON: † Necron Exmort, I'm with the genius over here. How's it hangin'? †

There's no dramatic build up to the negative-sounding chime that blasts from the speakers in their torsos, as the two of you are flatly denied entrance.

God damn it.

They swivel their heads toward each other, in a grim reminder that you absolutely hate listening to these things. Their local communication sounds like a tinny version of nails on a chalkboard.

Necron, however, is only dealt a blow to his emotions.

This isn't a matter you're going to take lying down, though. You clear your throat and grab their attention once more.

SECILY: 26.Bh4 With all due respect, his accompanying me is no light decision. He is a vital asset to the case and absolutely must come with me. ...h6

SECILY: 27.Re7 He's fully aware of the importance of keeping to himself, and I'm sure you'll find that I've accounted for the possibility of an appropriate third party in my submitted paperwork. ...Nd6

The following series of displeased clicks makes you clench your fists behind your back. You had a feeling this particular leg of your mission would turn out this way, but you keep pressing.

SECILY: 28.Nf4 I am the chief regulator, and I will have you know that I am perfectly qualified to select my own investigative partners. ...N8f7

SECILY: 29.Bd3 Would you like me to call your superiors and explain on your behalf why you played a part in the failure of this case? I am just one phone call away from— ...Bb7

You feel a metallic hand clap down on your shoulder, freezing you in your tracks. Your blade hand twitches, as it always does when you're seconds away from pulling it out.

For a moment, you almost forget these intimidation tactics don't work on machines.

NECRON: †† Look, Ses, it's fine. I get it. Just go on ahead without me, I'll wait for you outside. ††

Normally, you'd be ecstatic at the idea of doing things solo — that's how you've operated for sweeps — but the notion of leaving Necron behind at this junction twists something in your gut.

Marginally, you mean. You're not that close. But you... think you're close enough that you feel—

Something.

SECILY: 30.g4 ...Fine. I'll see you soon. ...Bf3

SECILY: 31.Ng6 Don't do anything stupid out here while I'm gone. ...Re8

NECRON: ††† Don't worry none 'bout that! Remember to make the right call, Secily. Hang loose. †††

Necron raises his hand up in the universally understood signal for hanging loose. You know, the one you make when you're mimicking a phone with your ha—

When he winks at you, it clicks.

SECILY: 32.Rxe8+ I'll keep in touch. ...Nxe8 ½-½

With that, he saunters off, letting you pass through security with the only added hurdle of having your weapons confiscated.

You give Proserpina one last longing glance as you step into the elevator.

...

All at once, you're smacked in the ears with the cries and rampant laughter of all sorts of kids, in all sorts of colors.

This sweep's batch sure is lively. They must have had a larger sample size than usual.

Thankfully, your entry into the CLASS PLAYROOM is but a blip on the radar. All of the young trolls are content to mind their own kid business.

On top of that, you don't see any teachers around. The closest thing to adult supervision you can find is some kind of life-sized Bart Simpson-themed jungle gym in the corner.

If you're quiet, you should be able to get through without alerting anyone. You may have filed your papers for cavern entrance, but the records room is a little above your level of authority.

Slowly, you inch your way around the perimeter of the room, taking great care to look as inconspicuous as possible. Which is, admittedly, not much.

You are nothing but sharp edges, extremely out of place in this bright and harmless playroom. To think these places used to be war zones.

Somehow, you manage to catch Sabine's insignia garishly graffitied on a board to your right and sigh. That kid sure loves his neon. This place must have been an inspiration for him.

You keep hugging the wall, headed toward the door by the far corner. You should be able to scout your—

??????: pssst

??????: hey uh can i talk to you for a second

You freeze in place at the sound of someone much older than you expected.

Figures. You were hoping to make it through without incident — wishful thinking.

Slowly, you turn around to face them.

BART?: youre secily riGht

What the hell is this.

You barely keep yourself from gasping at the sight of a very alive and very moving Bart Simpson.

There was a person in that thing the whole time???

Ugh. It looks... unsettling.

SECILY: 1.e4 I. Uh. Yes. Yes I am. I'm here on official business. This is— ...c5

BART?: yeah i

They cut themself off with a big, long yawn that lasts about five seconds longer than the typical one does.

BART?: i know who you are chief reGulator ive heard the whole nine expanses about you

BART?: the thinG about bytcon and endari is that they talk a lot

BART?: word spreads around fast between us for better or worse

Wait a minute.

SECILY: 2.Nf3 You're telling me you're another one of those "Boys" I keep finding myself having to deal with? ...Nc6

BART?: the four and only

BART?: and before you ask id like to Make a few thinGs clear

BART?: the least of My priorities beinG how you even Got here in the first place because iM Most definitely not paid enouGh credit to care

Well, that's fortunate, you guess. Still, you can't help but feel offended at how cavalier he's being about his position, on Hamifi's behalf.

BART?: okay so forGet everythinG youve heard about how we Got our naMe because its all a heapinG pile of nonsense GarbaGe

BART?: no bytcon didnt win a Medal and no endari didnt see the naMe foretold in the stars and no crytuM wasnt holdinG a sword and recitinG—

You sigh, rubbing a temple.

SECILY: 3.d4 Stop talking. I assure you I wasn't going to ask about that at all. ...cxd4 BART?: yeah you and literally everyone else lMao

It's very strange, not being able to see his face as he's talking. His voice isn't giving you much to work with other than "exhausted."

He's also talking to himself. A lot. It makes you wonder how any of these Boys manage to engage in conversation with each other in a timely fashion.

BART?: nobody should care because theres not even a story behind it. "the boys" was just a backup naMe we used due to Group indecision

BART?: thats leGitiMately all there is to know thats it freeze fraMe and roll credits

BART?: its curtains the whole daMn thinG

BART?: turnin eat your blood puMper out because were starrinG on whose line with fraser

You give him a blank stare as he slowly descends into a barely contained turmoil of his own making.

BART?: i uh

BART?: i wanted to be an actor

BART?: but nope iM stuck as the wriGGlinG day entertainMent for these punkrats

BART?: or as iM contractually obliGated to call theM: "treasured Guests"

Okay, that's quite enough of that, you think. As deeply fascinating as this man's failed career plans sound, you have essential reduplication records to raid.

You start to back away, slowly, hoping he won't notice you moving a hair at a time.

SECILY: 4.Nxd4 There's a wriggling day, is there? Please, tell me more. ...g6

BART?: Man i dont know if there even is one today. iM usually forced to perforM anyway so i stopped keepinG track

BART?: its like nobody around here has little enouGh diGnity to put on an uGly cartoon Mascot suit

BART?: i know! real shocker

BART?: careful you better pick your jaw off the floor before soMe snotnubbed preadolescent rollerskates over it

You're almost there. Your hand is on the handle and boy are you glad he just keeps talking. You can slip away and leave, uh, "Bart" to his duties the moment he looks the other way.

BART?: and then they have the nerve to call Me a substitute teacher like theyre not perfectly aware that—

BART?: okay i know youre busy but like you can just say that you need to leave instead of backinG away like iM tryinG to kill you

BART?: you really cant be sneakinG around Me when My Moirail is a fuckinG MaGician

You know what, you don't even know what you were thinking, trying to vanish right in front of his eyes. The suit must be throwing you off.

Well, if he's going to keep being a thorn in your side, you figure you'll at least make him a useful one.

SECILY: 5.c4 Very well. ...Bg7

SECILY: 6.Be3 You are going to tell me how to gain access to the populace database. ...Nf6

You level him with one of your best intimidating, official stares.

SECILY: 7.Nc3 It's non-negotiable. ...Ng4

BART?: sounds wronG considerinG i havent seen the records rooM actually but alriGht

BART?: question

BART?: More of a stateMent really

BART?: i dont care at all about what youre doinG

SECILY: 8.Nxc6 You're aware that I'm the chief regulator. It is undoubtedly in your best interest to cooperate. ...Nxe3

BART?: yeah thats what you all say when you need us to do soMethinG we dont wanna do

BART?: you really are a leGit reGulator iM sorry for ever doubtinG your skills

He says it with enough derision to make your expression sour.

Whatever. If he hasn't seen the database, then he's of even less use to you than before.

SECILY: 9.Nxd8 In that case, I've other people who can assist me. Good day. ...Nxd1

BART?: well la-dee-da if your secret assistant is so useful to your Mission then why didnt you brinG theM in with your fancy pants security clearance

Ah. Slip of tongue. Your eyebrow twitches in irritation.

BART?: thats a rhetorical question iM not invested in this scenario in the sliGhtest

SECILY: 10.Nxd1 It's none of your concern, as a matter of fact, so it works out for us both. ...Kxd8

BART?: okay so youre sayinG you tried and failed

BART?: (story of My life lMao)

BART?: bet ten loops you tried to walk riGht in with theM before the GoleMs showed the poor sucker the door

SECILY: 11.Rc1 None of your concern. ...b6

You can tell you replied just a hair too quickly as soon as the words leave your mouth. Not that it matters. You are still here on official business.

You turn around and prepare to shut the door on him, but something he says catches your attention.

BART?: Man wouldnt life be so Much easier if you could just Get theM inside soMehow

He says it with the precise amount of forced wistfulness needed to convey that he's offering you a deal. You pause, then you curse under your breath before turning toward him again.

SECILY: 12.Bd3 You have ten words to explain yourself. ...Bb7

BART?: i can sMuGGle theM in if you take over for Me

You squint at him.

Even with his previous carelessness, you're stunned to see a jadeblood make such an offer.

You know that's his caste, for the record, due to his being neither an Enthal nor a child. Accouchement golems can't speak your language, so they're also off the table. Process of elimination.

You make a mental note to let Hamifi know about this little... attitude as soon as you're out of here.

BART?: do i Get to explain the terMs and conditions or are you just Gonna keep GlarinG at Me

BART?: youre not MeltinG the bart suit with whatever eye lasers you think you have lady this thinG absorbs heat like no ones business

BART?: for the record this deal May very well leave you broken by the end of it on several eMotional and psycholoGical levels

BART?: better Get used to the ripe stench of sweat and fear because it will Most definitely replace a Majority of your priMary Gray Matter functions

BART?: full disclosure its Mostly Gonna be sweat

SECILY: 13.b3 Ugh. Stop wasting my time. Tell me what I need to know. ...f5

BART?: you see this

Bart(?) motions over to the rest of the playroom. It's every jade's ideological paradise — a full gaggle of kids, safe and sound.

Normally, classes are split between the higher and lower shades — mainly just for ease of teaching physiological and social differences.

Jades and sea dwellers, on the other hand, are rare enough to get their own separate classes. "Honor students", as the official designation goes. At playtime, though, they all converge.

The only thing missing from this perfect picture is a teacher explaining something academy or safety-related.

...And the mandatory Cha Cha Slide time. There's always a required level of Cha Cha Slide competency for these kids to worry about.

Despite it all, Bart(?) is showing the place off with the same enthusiasm one would harbor for a garbage dump.

BART?: this is the first circle of My own personalized hell

BART?: i have to watch and entertain these "treasured Guests" so i cant leave this place

SECILY: 14.exf5 Then why aren't you currently participating in your duties? ...Bxg2

BART?: iM on break riGht now

But... he's still here. He was being crawled all over.

He answers your question before you can properly formulate it.

BART?: if the Grubs are left totally unattended haMifi is Gonna turn Me into pre-particalized cubed Meat

BART?: she just... knows soMehow

BART?: she always knows

BART?: but thats where you coMe in

BART?: if you wear the bart suit youre halfway there to beinG a perfect replica of Me

BART?: (lose your faith in trollkind and youre the other half coMplete lMao)

BART?: honestly takinG care of these little Guys isnt even all that hard they only ever want like three thinGs anyway

BART?: suGar, stiMulation and siMpsons shit

BART?: the only solace i find on the daily is hopinG that our ancestors suffered just as hard as we did dealinG with theM

This is the most ridiculous undercover mission plan you have ever witnessed and your acting chops are still abhorrent, but you'll take what you can get.

Besides, you have some experience caring for grubs. You think you can handle grubsitting. Even if they're technically a little older than grubs by this point.

BART?: and while youre keepinG these volatile brats sated i head out with a biGGer costuMe and sneak your partner in

All things considered, it sounds vaguely reasonable. You have your doubts it'll function as planned, but it's not like you have any moral objections.

SECILY: 15.Rg1 Fine. But what's the catch? What are you asking for in return? ...Bc6

You somehow get the impression that he's giving you a blank stare.

BART?: uh what are you talkinG about

BART?: did i not Mention that i Get to leave My post

Doesn't he just sound like Employee of the Blink material. You’re sure Necron would want to have some words about his work ethic.

You give your new accomplice a nod that says yes, you're willing to do this. He brushes past you and into the break room.

BART?: cMon the suits are in here. cant chanGe around theM or else theyll find out that barts not real

You never did see the point of lying to kids about this sort of thing, but you shake those thoughts and follow him inside.

The break room is far less chaotic than the play area. Well... in comparison. By itself it's still a bit of a sty.

You close the door behind you just in time to witness Bart decapitating himself.

Man, it's hitting you just how big this thing's head is, now that the troll underneath isn't wearing it anymore.

GLOMER: iM GloMer btw

GLOMER: not that its any of YOUR business either but tellinG people that My naMes nunnya biznis is GettinG kind of old since they usually believe Me

Glomer is already getting rid of his costume, which you suspect is a bigger source of joy to him than he's letting on. You decline to comment on the matter and take the head from his hands so he can unzip himself.

You stare into those bulbous, lifeless eyes, trying to muster the courage to don the mask for yourself. You're mostly just afraid it will snag on a horn.

SECILY: 16.Ne3 You're sure this will fit? I'd really rather not get it stuck. I like my dignity just fine where it is. ...Be5

GLOMER: fun fact actually

GLOMER: bart siMpson was desiGned to have a biG head because he was oriGinally Gonna be a live action character so they had to fit an actors horns inside the Mask

GLOMER: Guess they just Grew attached to the elonGated head cuz it Gave the extra benefit of MakinG his facial expressions More apparent with the new proportions when he turned into a cartoon instead

As off-topic as this is, it's admittedly somewhat fascinating. You glance at Glomer's horns and nod with a neutral hum. Interesting move.

Glomer soon sheds his suit in full, and you glance back at the window in the door that's exposing you both to the children that still don't know that Bart's not real. And here you are, holding his head.

SECILY: 17.fxg6 I'm no schooling expert, but I do find it curious that the break room is so... connected to the playroom. You're not worried about people seeing you through the windows? ...hxg6

You've started to dress yourself by reverse-engineering the process you just saw. It's not bioscience, but it is a little bit embarrassing.

GLOMER: nah its a one-way Mirror they cant see shit in here

GLOMER: they want us to be able to scout the rooM for danGer in case of eMerGencies but theres not been an incident in sweeps

GLOMER: you know what the last one was?

GLOMER: a God daMned fuckinG skulltitan burrowed its way up froM the core

Glomer's rooting around in the closet for something. The bigger outfit that he's going to use to sneak Necron in, you assume.

You should probably let Necron know about that, actually.

GLOMER: that uGly pile of niGhtMares barGed riGht in and turned the whole place into beef jerky

GLOMER: killed a few kids and teachers in the process

GLOMER: i think it took a little clayblood Girl? we dunno what the deal was with that but she was never seen aGain, at least not officially

GLOMER: just had to assuMe she was as Good as dead

For someone who was complaining about Bytcon and Endari being so talkative, he sure is happy to run his mouth.

You get the impression that he doesn't usually have the chance to speak his mind like this — especially with such a colorful vocabulary going on.

You're still working on fitting your arms into the outfit by the time Glomer emerges in a uniform even more absurd than the one he was wearing earlier.

You somehow recognize it as Bart's lusus, Santa's Little Helper, despite your complete lack of interest in the show. There's enough room for a second person in the back, which currently paints a sad, deflated picture.

SECILY: 18.Rxg6 Don't you think it's going to be suspicious, exiting with two working legs and coming back with four? The guards aren't fools. ...Bxh2

GLOMER: no no no check this out

There's some shuffling, and then the sound of wooden stilts clacks against the floor as the empty, sagging space in the back starts to fill up.

He parades around the room a little. Sure enough, the suit looks well occupied.

GLOMER: yeah its a two peep costuMe but they never actually Give Me a partner to work this thinG

GLOMER: i just kinda fiGured it out i Guess

GLOMER: God itll be a relief to actually have soMeone else in here for once

SECILY: 19.Ke2 Impressive. Just make sure you don't arouse any suspicion. ...e6

SECILY: 20.Rg4 I am putting a lot of frankly unwarranted trust in you. If you let me down, you will be hearing from me again. ...Rf8

GLOMER: oh nooo consider Me spooked to shit or whatever

Alright, you're both suited up. There's just one more step before your disguise is complete.

Put on the mask.

The first thing you notice is your limited vision. You should be able to avoid colliding with obstacles, but it's still mildly inconveniencing.

GLOMER: hMM

SECILY: 21.Be4 That sounds like a bad "hmm". Does it not fit properly? Do I have it on incorrectly? ...Bxe4

Unfortunately, the one-way mirror Glomer mentioned earlier is the wrong way around for you to get a good look at yourself. Glomer shakes his head and sighs.

GLOMER: how do i put this delicately and also in terMs you wont kill Me for

GLOMER: you look way too straiGht edGe for the part

GLOMER: put your back way less into it. stop puffinG your chest out. let your posture be lost to the void

GLOMER: or dont idfk kids are duMb and wont notice

GLOMER: i Mean you definitely dont have My voice so were probably fucked anyway but ill enjoy the extended break while it lasts

GLOMER: Good luck out there, My condolences etc etc

And with that, Glomer marches towards the door you both came through, only to come to a stop right in front of it.

GLOMER: uh

GLOMER: could you uM

You get the message and open the door yourself. He shuffles out like the sad, sad creature he is, and you lose sight of him.

Okay, Secily, time to take care of some children. You've got this. You're meant to act like a character you have no knowledge of, but you've got this.

You return to the playroom, sporting your best slouch and making a point to shuffle your feet on the way in.

Now that you have a moment alone, you quietly tell YVES to contact Necron.

[Choice Section]

>Be Secily.

At your command, YVES awakens and establishes a connection to your partner waiting just outside.

Thankfully, he answers almost immediately.

NECRON: † Hey-hey, what's the goss, bud? †

SECILY: 1.e4 Necron, good news. We're getting you inside. ...c5

NECRON: † No fake? That rocks! What's the plan, gimme the armament and I can comply. †

SECILY: 2.Nf3 No mechanical attachments necessary. Just keep a lookout for a troll in a Santa's Little Helper costume. We're smuggling you in. ...Nc6

NECRON: †† That's righteous, Secily, you're a legend! ††

To your dismay, there's a little troll wandering toward you with a curious look. Shit, you think they heard you. Maybe you should have done this in the break area.

You clear your throat and deepen your voice, putting on the best Glomer impression you can muster.

SECILY: 3.d4 (That is to say, uh, smuggling your trousers into my digestive tract, because I am Bart. I am eating your trousers. Run along, now.) ...cxd4

Your Glomer impression is piss poor.

NECRON: † ... †

NECRON: † Is this, like, code for something or...? †

Shit. You can't lean away from your calling device when it's stuck to your ear at all times. You shoo the kid off with a wave before resuming your talk in hushed tones.

SECILY: 4.Nxd4 No, I'm stuck grubsitting in a Bart costume. What could that possibly be code for? ...d6

NECRON: † Hey, don't you reckon me not being able to wrap my head around it means it'd be good code? †

SECILY: 5.Nc3 Look, just. ...g6

This small child does not want to leave. They say something about a... "cowabunga"? Is that a thing Bart says?

SECILY: 6.Be3 (Mhm, yes, cowabunga to you too.) ...Bg7

You really should just end the conversation as quickly as possible, before this infant gets enough dirt on you to rat you out.

SECILY: 7.Be2 Lusus costume leaving the caverns soon. I have to go. ...½-½

NECRON: †† Cowabung—? ††

Click.

Necron has all the information he needs, he'll be perfectly fine. You turn your attention to the child who is now climbing your leg.

As gently as you can, you scoop your hands underneath their tiny armpits and pry them off of your strangely proportioned puppet body. They are deposited back on the floor.

You give them a pat between the horns and walk off in the direction of a small whiteboard near the front of the room. That should tide them over for a second.

Oh no.

You freeze like a statue when you see Hamifi enter the room, a sleeping grub tucked in her arms and a... smile on her face?

HAMIFI: I heard it was somebody's special day! Where's my little wriggling day hero?∞

She hands you the grub with immense care, who you instinctually take in your confused daze.

HAMIFI: Don't drop them this time.∞

You stare, mute, as she wraps her arms around the boy who runs up to her in a warm hug.

HAMIFI: Gosh, you've grown so much since I saw you last! Keep this up and you'll be taller than me before you know it.∞

HAMIFI: Oh dear, I think it's already happening. You're growing up so fast!∞

There's a genuine, bright sparkle in her eyes as she lifts the kid high above her head, earning a chorus of giggles from the crowd as the "wriggling day hero" enjoys his newfound height.

You used to play with her and Sestro both, once. Not exactly in this manner — you were never the most externally excitable person, even around children. But similar enough for you to feel a sting behind your eyes.

You don't remember the last time you've seen Hamifi smile like that.

You feel... upset. You feel a lot of things all at once, difficult to untangle. You feel like this was not meant for your eyes.

Is this what she wanted, when she was in their place? What she wished you could have been?

A hole swells inside you as you watch her, caught in a limbo of regret and deep, cutting affection.

The sound of a high-pitched yawn draws your attention to the infant in your arms.

They are so small.

It suddenly hits you that you've never held a grub before. You became acquainted with Sestro and Hamifi after they'd pupated and left school, so this is a first for you.

Curiosity doesn't exactly strike you — it more gently rests a hand on your shoulder.

The first thing grubs do when they're reduplicated is name themselves in the DENOMINATION LOGE. You can't help but wonder, though. Wonder if you could just...

Sort of. Guess?

[Choice Section]

>Guess name.

[PLAYER INPUTS A GRUB NAME.]

[If playerGrubName is Arcjec, Voorat, Taz, Tazsia, Poemme, Albion, Shukra, Dismas, Mersiv, Murrit, Turkin, Laivan, Ferroo, Calder, Kerian, Serpaz, Helilo, Sova, Sovara, Amalie, Jentha, Briati:]

...

You are hit with the strange feeling that this name would lead to colossal misfortune. As such, you change your mind.

[If playerGrubName is Gaiaeon, Kheparia, Metatron, White Noise, Mimesis, Arch Nemesis, Zehanpuryu, Azbogah, Bathkol, Forcas, Gusion, Haniel, Lilith, Wormwood, Procel, Sorush, Jegudiel, Af:]

Do not play with fires you cannot control, Secily.

[If playerGrubName is Aumtzi, Maught, Weird Al, Hulk Hogan, Talald, Hieron, Pozzol, Broyer, Edolon, Vryche, Seinru, Narako:]

A shiver travels down your spine, unbidden. You immediately reconsider.

[If playerGrubName is Noxious:]

Absolutely the fuck not. The idea of naming a grub after that scumbag makes you want to throw up.

[If playerGrubName is Turnin, Kaikai:]

There are many a troll who would want their descendant named after Turnin Kaikai. You've never been one to follow that whole craze, though, so you think you'll refrain.

[If playerGrubName is Secily, Iopara:]

No. You would not place this burden on another person.

[If playerGrubName is Sestro, Enthal, Hamifi, Hekrix, Mshiri, Libeta, Oricka, Rourst, Yeshin, Laevis, Necron, Exmort, Ahlina, Robiad:]

...No. Too personal. Also kind of fucking weird?

[If playerGrubName is Ellsee, Raines, Occeus, Coliad, Bytcon, Krypto, Cadlys, Rankor, Sirage, Feltri, Husske, Mayzee, Rypite, Koldan, Crytum, Lydian, Sabine, Berare, Raurou, Dersal, Hayyan, Refero, Valtel, Gurtea, Cinare, Montor, Glomer, Hicner, Gerbat, Batrav, Endari, Vernir, Cretas, Mglina:]

You may have spent too many late nights reading the case files.

[IF THE NAME IS ACCEPTABLE]

[If playerGrubName is Austin, Austinado, Heather, Sparaze, Xam, Xamag, Dee, Kate, Kohi:]

[playerGrubName] has a nice ring to it. You nod, mentally high fiving yourself for such great taste in names.

-

[If playerGrubName is pragmaticNihilist:]

What a mouthful of a name. And pretentious, too. Nice one, Secily, you really know how to pick 'em.

-

[If playerGrubName is Charlie, Caloch:]

[playerGrubName] seems like an artistically pleasing name to you, despite art not really being your thing. It just clicks.

-

[If playerGrubName is Alien, Alienoid]:

[playerGrubName] starts babbling non-stop in your hands now that they're awake. Yeah, this name works, you think to yourself. You're taking the chattiness as agreement.

-

[If playerGrubName is Bart:]

Is it creepy if someone in a Bart costume assimilates an infant? Perhaps. Would it be on-brand with the show? Probably also yes.

There's a reason you don't watch television shows these days.

-

[If playerGrubName is Lup, Biscuit, Mocha, Peko, Tiny, Sneeze:]

You guess the grub's name to be [playerGrubName]. You're not sure why, but for the briefest of moments, you feel a pang of serenity.

-

[If playerGrubName is less than six characters:]

Deciding not to get too six-letter-formal about the occasion, you nickname the grub [playerGrubName].

-

[If playerGrubName is six characters or more:]

You guess that this grub's name is [playerGrubName]. You think it's fitting, but you admittedly don't know much about names or wordology.

-

[playerGrubName] gargles at you and wiggles their little feet, and you can't help but feel something tugging at your blood pusher. Seems like [playerGrubName] trusts you.

-

It feels kind of nice.

-

>Don't guess name.

You decide not to try and guess the grub's name. This is just an excuse to divert your thoughts, anyway.

-

Hamifi finishes smothering the wriggling day kid with affection before standing back up.

HAMIFI: I'll be taking our treasured guest back, now.∞

Grub safely tucked in her arms again, she speaks to the audience of children that seems to adore her to bits and pieces.

HAMIFI: Behave yourselves, alright? I'll be back with a special treat soon. It rhymes with bake.∞

Her eyes crinkle at the corners.

HAMIFI: I'm so proud of you all.∞

The kids erupt into excitement, more than happy about the notion of stuffing themselves full with pre-processed dessert. Hamifi waves them goodbye before turning to you.

Her tone immediately shifts to something more familiar to you.

HAMIFI: Break room.∞

You can't refuse — not unless you want to completely blow your cover and waste a lot of time explaining a lot of things while under great (and angry) scrutiny.

She opens the door and you follow, still feeling off-kilter.

You fear she may have already caught on to your identity, with the way she's staring not only daggers but entire chainsaws at you.

As soon as the door closes, her even tone is drenched into toxin.

HAMIFI: Listen closely and don't make me repeat myself.∞

HAMIFI: We keep a very strict schedule down here, optimised for developing children. I don't take kindly to chronological deviations.∞

HAMIFI: And I especially don't take kindly to you coming down here and ruining our perfect system.∞

At this point, you're almost biting your tongue hard enough to bleed. If you so much as let out a breath out of turn, you know she'll drag you by the ear to exile, or worse.

HAMIFI: You can mull your decisions over while you tend to some matters for me, Glomer.∞

A wave of relief washes over you. You stand more to attention, trying to seem obedient.

She gives you a funny look before continuing.

HAMIFI: I need you to prepare one of the lowblood classrooms for the wriggling day party we're holding after recess. You'll be lent an accouchement golem to aid with cleaning.∞

HAMIFI: Remember, accouchement golems are not toys. They are school assistants, caretakers of children and classrooms. They are not bodyguards to block the closet for you to nap in.∞

HAMIFI: The banners are in the supply closet, as always. Every desktop should have a goodie bag and two napkins on the top left corner, and a plate in the center.∞

HAMIFI: You are also required to prepare the cake. The instructions are on the box; they should be basic enough for even you to follow.∞

HAMIFI: If you make another cake-related mistake and force us to order from Dersal again, you'll be hearing from The Principal.∞

HAMIFI: You're already enough of a liability to the caste without having to bring in both of its busiest integrants for your next performance review.∞

Her eyes narrow into slits.

HAMIFI: I suggest you fool around wisely, if you must.∞

Hamifi continues to give you instructions in excruciating detail, speed and brutality. You're lucky enough to be able to absorb every last word, but you're a special case. Glomer, you'd imagine, is fucked.

By the time she finishes her laundry list of assignments, you get a very clear idea of why Glomer is so exhausted.

HAMIFI: Are we clear?∞

You give her a neutral nod.

Now's usually the part where Hamifi gives you a neutral nod in return and vanishes into the darkness, but not this time. This time, she's pausing quite noticeably.

HAMIFI: ...You seem awfully quiet. I do hope you're not sleeping on the job.∞

You shake your head. She still seems suspicious, eyeing you up and down.

HAMIFI: Are you unwell? You're not yourself today. What's the meaning of this shift in attitude, hm?∞

HAMIFI: One might call it downright suspect.∞

She's waiting for you to answer, which is really, really bad. Your mind is racing for an escape, but the emergency exit seems intent on fucking off into the distance.

HAMIFI: Answer me when I'm talking to you. I don't have the time for games.∞

She leans in closer, as if trying to peer into your eyes through the mask. You lean back ever so slightly, panic starting to claw at you.

You—

Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.

HAMIFI: ...∞

HAMIFI: I believe I've told you to keep your personal device on silent, Glomer.∞

HAMIFI: This call will be coming out of your next deposit.∞

You can't help but mouth a silent apology to Glomer. You know damn well this one doesn't care for any time off whatsoever.

She opens the door to leave, but not before getting one last word in.

HAMIFI: Don't forget: you're on Corporate time and money. I would be very, very careful about wasting either in the future.∞

HAMIFI: You're here forever, after all.∞

And then she's gone.

You sit in silence (minus insistent ringing) for a few seconds. This whole situation has given you a non-negligible amount of whiplash.

YVES is keen on interrupting your every attempt to introspect, however, so you accept the call to hiss at the other end of the line that you're preoccupied.

Just as you open your mouth, a big white dog costume walks in, very possibly with Necron in tow. Even more reason to shut your device up.

SABINE: [-o-] SECILY IOPARA—

SECILY: 1.d4 I'll call you back. ...Nf6

You hang up immediately.

-

[If you have not picked "Be the other guy."] yet]

Minutes in the past, but not many...

-

>Be the other guy.

You are now NECRON EXMORT.

You've been doing your best to kill time out here, 'cause the last thing you'd ever do is ditch your new pal.

Unfortunately, it's starting to sink in just how much you blow at waiting. This is most certainly unexcellent.

You wonder if it'd be a bad call to go back to your truck and listen to some good ole classics. Takes just two notes to relish in the ancient history of Smash—

Oh, your palm pilot's goin' off (that’s what you call your phone because you get a major kick out of it). Secily must've not bitten the dust down there.

You pick up before the third beep can finish ringing.

NECRON: † Hey-hey, what's the goss, bud? †

SECILY: 1.e4 Necron, good news. We're getting you inside. ...c5 Aw, hell yes!

NECRON: † No fake? That rocks! What's the plan, gimme the armament and I can comply. †

SECILY: 2.Nf3 No mechanical attachments necessary. Just keep a lookout for a troll in a Santa's Little Helper costume. We're smuggling you in. ...Nc6

You knew you could count on her.

NECRON: †† That's righteous, Secily, you're a legend! ††

SECILY: 3.d4 (That is to say, uh, smuggling your trousers into my digestive tract, because I am Bart. I am eating your trousers. Run along, now.) ...cxd4

Say what now? You scratch the back of your neck, tryin' to puzzle this one out.

NECRON: † ... †

NECRON: † Is this, like, code for something or...? †

SECILY: 4.Nxd4 No, I'm stuck grubsitting in a Bart costume. What could that possibly be code for? ...d6

NECRON: † Hey, don't you reckon me not being able to wrap my head around it means it'd be good code? †

SECILY: 5.Nc3 Look, just. ...g6

SECILY: 6.Be3 (Mhm, yes, cowabunga to you too.) ...Bg7

SECILY: 7.Be2 Lusus costume leaving the caverns soon. I have to go. ...½-½

NECRON: †† Cowabung—? ††

Click.

NECRON: † ...a? †

Well, that was a rousing match of good news, weird news. 'Least you don't have to keep twiddling your thumbs forever. Just a bit of a waiting game.

Which is... kinda what it was before, 'cept now it's a shorter one.

Let the record state, for the record, that you're not confused on the correct applications of cowabunga. You are intimately familiar with those.

Secily using it, though? Now THAT'S something that sounds a smidge out of character, you reckon. She might actually need your help if she's started spewing that sorta stuff.

Hm... The school is deffo capable of cognitive suggestion, 'cause it's how you all are raised. You did your own time with desensitization osmosis like any other fresh grub.

Ah, the memories of when you were stuffed into that dark industrial tank filled with numbing goo, so you could take a nap for a sweep and be psychologically spoonfed the rules of life and shit.

Before you can get too deep into your Secily Mind Control Theory, you catch the nearby golems spinnin' their gears about something.

That must be your in. You lean against your truck all smooth-like and psych yourself up to make a BANANAS first impression.

...Oh. Oh, wow. Man, Secily really was being literal. Which you should have kind of expected.

As soon as the fuckin' massive cloth barkbeast shuffles its way out of the guard's field of view, you give 'em a little wave. You totally fail to hide a snicker.

??????: aw fuck God daMn it dont tell Me ive just been punked

Well, "how do you do" to you too, dude.

NECRON: † Nope, fresh outta punks over here, sweetheart. As us professionals in the business say, this is legit. †

??????: okay i Get why you werent allowed inside the caverns

??????: you know besides the fact that you Most definitely dont fit the very strict criteria for entry in the sliGhtest

{{VE Quote|glomer|??????: actually no not besides that fact at all thats the entire reason

Yeouch. What's that bad mood for? Welp, no problemo no how. You try to give this cranky new person your most personable smile.

NECRON: †† I was told you'd be givin' me a grabfrond with that, some way or some how. Are you in or are you skin, my pal? ††

They exhale hard enough to physically deflate a little. Someone really woke up in the wrong recuperacoon today, huh.

GLOMER: my pals a Great way to pronounce GloMer Good job Man keep doinG that

GLOMER: as for your OTHER Genius plan

GLOMER: Great idea just chanGe in front of the Guards because we all have the strateGic aptitude of actual children around here

GLOMER: i would know thats My whole GiG

GLOMER: cMon iM riskinG My entire lifes savinGs for this were hidinG soMewhere first

Cover, he says? You give the darling ride behind you a pat, almost overwhelmed with your usual truck-induced burst of affection.

NECRON: † Well, I'd say this about covers it, don'tcha think? †

Wait, fuck, damn it you shoulda said you had him covered. That would've been so much better.

You stuff the idea inside your brain box for later, whenever this very specific set of circumstances crops up again. You never know.

NECRON: † By the by, the name's Necron. Exmort. †

Your new buddy Glomer grumbles something real bitter-sounding under his breath as he circles around your truck. You pay his "enthusiasm" no mind and follow.

He's already zipping the whole shebang open for you to climb in. You appreciate the moxie, even if he's assigned you the ass region. Only fair, you suppose. You're kind of a stowaway here.

Guess it just goes to show you're a real ass-et. Or, hm. That you can really ass-ist him. There's a couple contenders rattlin' around in your head already, so you'll keep workshopping your inevitable one-liner.

You figure this is a good enough opportunity to bond with your brand new hero over here.

NECRON: † So tell me, honey-bunch, how's it feel to be on a mission to save the world? †

GLOMER: what

NECRON: ††† Well, I sure ain't tryin' to stir up trouble here! I wanna help, s'why I'm busting so much to get in. †††

NECRON: †† Secily an' me, we've been working hard to keep this place clear of bogus scum. Means a lot to us. ††

NECRON: ††† I might not fancy myself an official Smokey, but I damn well feel copasetic 'bout leveling the playing field some. †††

You really can't help the grin on your face.

NECRON: †† So. How's it feel to be a part of history in the making? ††

The suit is all nice and sealed from the back at this point, so the two of you walk a lap or two around the perimeter, just to get you used to the movement mechanics.

GLOMER: Man i dont know what to tell you besides wow look at how Much i dont care

GLOMER: do you know why iM GoinG throuGh all this trouble to sneak you in

GLOMER: its a break froM work. nothinG less and definitely not a sinGle thinG More

That's such a weird perspective. You don't dig the way he's unloading his cynicism at your feet and lightin' it all on fire. Makes you wanna stamp it out.

NECRON: † Man, Hoff, that's a little harsh. †

NECRON: †† You not feeling that rush of righteousness flowin' through your blood roots? That higher calling patting you on the back? ††

GLOMER: i dont think you Get it

GLOMER: which is surprisinG since it feels like iM in the Majority when i say that this duMp is a huGe waste of fiGhtinG enerGy

GLOMER: like it sucks! its GarbaGe the whole way down the likes of which the black Moon is lucky to have better than us

GLOMER: if this planet was a troll id kick theM riGht in the horns

NECRON: ††† Then why don't you do something about it? †††

The two of you have been walking and talking in circles for a while. Glomer then takes a sharp turn left and starts to head towards the guards.

You shut your trap and give the man a moment to collect himself. He doesn't make a peep as the guards get to inspecting you.

There's a moment where you're real paranoid your horns are poking through the suit, but you don't hear any sirens or taser arms goin' off.

You both manage to walk inside, free as an avian.

...

GLOMER: because iM too tired

Woah, you weren't really expectin' him to pick that thread back up at this point.

GLOMER: its a broken world anyway so any effort spent not coMplaininG about it is totally wasted iMqho

Your mouth twists in thought as you try with all your might to relate to this guy. At all.

...Nope. Nada. Zilch. Jack diddly doodly dick.

GLOMER: you think that if i had it in Me to fiGht for My future id be stuck as haMifis personal errand boy?

GLOMER: and heres a biG newsflash: i actually did once upon a tiMe!

GLOMER: do you know how Much of My Grubhood i wasted tryinG to find literally any other option for Me??? the answer is More than youd like to know and More than i care to tell you

GLOMER: and it totally fucked Me over until the pheroMones of reality seeped in and turned Me into its forever bonded bitch

GLOMER: spent so Much of My life chasinG My dreaMs that i never even learned the jade stuff id be corralled into in the end

GLOMER: corporate Makes this biG stink about choosinG your path and it brutally punishes you for beinG naive enouGh to listen

GLOMER: i Mean okay did you hear about that scandal with the siMpsons writers

NECRON: † The what now? †

GLOMER: EXACTLY

GLOMER: there hasnt BEEN a siMpsons writer in SWEEPS because of the whole santas little helper incident

NECRON: † Woah now, let's hop back for two secs, what's this about Santa?

He's obviously referring to Bart's lusus, the animal you're struttin' around imitating. That's the only Santa you've heard of, anyhoo.

GLOMER: yeah santas little helper

GLOMER: slh was soMe MirthaManiac who storMed the writers rooM and held theM all hostaGe until he Got a siMpsons character naMed after hiM

GLOMER: Mostly lowblooded writinG staff

GLOMER: to avoid repeats they started workinG reMotely which turned to phoninG it in with Machine learninG and when a biG show cuts a corner like that everybody else follows

GLOMER: its neural networkinG takinG the wheel now and we havent seen a trolls interaction for probably lonGer than ive been kickinG around on this hellrock

GLOMER: so what if id wanted to be a writer really really badly

GLOMER: what if i was just hopinG with every ounce of My beinG to Get to write for tv only for one bad apple to ruin that chance for life

GLOMER: what then Mr. "just try hard and youll Get there"

GLOMER: as if theyd ever let a jadeblood stray froM "the planets sacred Mission" or whatever everyone was just huMorinG My feeble efforts to do anythinG that i Gave two craps about

GLOMER: then reality caMe crashinG down, they tapped Me on the shoulder and said about daMn tiMe, Good job GettinG your dreaMs deMolished now start teachinG the Grubs about pretext

GLOMER: nobody cared who i was before i sucked it up and put on the Mask so you know what

GLOMER: its not My fuckinG probleM

There's a very uncomfortable silence between you two, and not just because you're both creeping around the perimeter of the playroom in order to avoid the kids.

Kind of a real buzzkill, this guy.

GLOMER: ...thats My philosophy anyway

GLOMER: SOME of us Get to fuck off into the settinG suns with our fuckinG hotdoG plants and weed research and Make a livinG for theMselves doinG soMethinG MeaninGful

GLOMER: while iM stuck here GettinG barfed on by Grubs all niGht once iM done teachinG the kids i Mean FUCK

GLOMER: do you know how hard it is to Get a proper veGan Meal when you cant just set up shop in a God daMn swaMp??? Good luck GrowinG your own lunch in peewees neon fuckinG playrooM dipshit

GLOMER: also your actinG dreaMs suck

GLOMER: enjoy havinG to be a level 5 veGan and only eat Meals that dont cast shadows because nobodys heard of veGGie haMs now do the funny bartMan dance aGain

GLOMER: (uGh. cant believe he Got to just skip town like that. un-fuckinG-believable)

Wowzers. That was sort of a real personal tirade just now, wasn't it.

NECRON: †† ...Can't dig everybody, I guess. ††

GLOMER: hey sMart Guy if youre Gonna play 24 questions with Me then heres My follow up:

GLOMER: how does it feel to know that youre inevitably GoinG to lose everythinG and that none of this is ever GoinG to have any value past this MoMent between us in our rancid Mutt sack

NECRON: ††† What we have is more valuable than you could ever know, curly-cue. I can't stand the thought of just idly lettin' this place rot. †††

NECRON: ††† Change doesn't come from inaction, I'll tell you that much. †††

NECRON: †† And sure, I'll concede that nothing's a guarantee. Gods know I've wiped out more times than I can count, but... ††

NECRON: ††† If— when I die, I'll still have left the world a better place than when I came in, because I gave a shit. †††

NECRON: †††† But I guess some people just don't understand. ††††

And that's all you have to say on that, because you're not here to bring him around to your way or seeing things or nothing.

Also because Glomer is wigging out and scrambling ahead like a bat outta hell. You almost trip over yourself trying to keep up with him, but soon enough he's cramming you both snug as fuck inside a closet.

He's clearly real uncomfy with your metal arm jabbing against his rib, but he's keeping his trap sealed tight. You show your appreciation by being very careful not to turn your hand into a chainsaw.

HAMIFI: —Corporate time and money. I would be very, very careful about wasting both in the future.∞

HAMIFI: You're here forever, after all.∞

Damn, that woman sounds like she means business. Enough business to ruin your life if she finds you here.

As soon as Hamifi is gone, you both walk back out, and you really wish you could see Glomer's arm reaching out of SLH's mouth to open the break room door from an outside perspective.

SECILY: 1.d4 I'll call you back. ...Nf6

You catch the tail end of Secily hanging up on whoever it was that she was talkin' to. She seems ready to get down to business.

-

[If you have not picked "Be Secily." yet.]

Minutes in the past, but not many...

-

[After picking both "Be Secily." and "Be the other guy."]

[If you picked "Be secily." first.]

Secily, for convenient reference, is you, because your name is now SECILY IOPARA again.

-

SECILY: 22.Rxe4 Did you succeed, Glomer? ...Bf4

NECRON: † If by succeed you mean ole tiger here let me boogie on down to the schoolyard, then you can sign that off as a yeppers. Checkarooni, even. †

GLOMER: i dont think i need to answer that when he just said pretty Much the worst thinG ive ever heard in My Miserable excuse for a life

SECILY: 23.Rd1 Yes is a one-word sentence, you two. ...Bxe3

You immediately start to chuck your outfit, wanting out of it as soon as possible. Life, you're starting to realize, is comparable to a Bart Simpson costume.

Which is to say cramped, claustrophobic and kind of insufferable sometimes.

NECRON: †† Okie-dokie! That's step one complete, right? Once we get to the database, it's smooth cruising? ††

The two of them get the picture and shuffle out of their costume as well. Now that you're inside and Hamifi is gone, you should be good to move around freely as long as you don't cause a ruckus.

SECILY: 24.Kxe3 We still have a problem. I've yet to find someone useful who can direct us to the records room. ...Kc7

GLOMER: reGulator that hurts My feelinGs

GLOMER: was under the iMpression you worked better solo anyways

You'd bet your best blade that you have Bytcon to thank for that.

Necron finally untangles himself from the lower half of Bart's lusus, ten seconds past your personal threshold of second-hand embarrassment.

NECRON: † Hah! If she works better solo then she must be even more tubular than I give her credit for, 'cause she's a beast of a teammate as is. †

Huh.

SECILY: 25.Red4 Touching. Glomer, I'm once again asking you if you can direct me to the records room. Are you sure you don't know of its location? ...Rf7

GLOMER: i dunno you know how iMportant My work here is

GLOMER: takinG care of snotnubbed brats or whatever

GLOMER: iM pretty busy lady

GLOMER: i MiGht have been able to help you out

GLOMER: if i was on break

GLOMER: buuuuut iM not so sounds like soMeones up the black creek without a paddle

Oh for crying out loud.

SECILY: 26.Rf4 Fine. IF. You really do know, then take a break and lead. That does mean, though, that one of us will have to stay behind and cover to avoid stirring up suspicion. ...Rxf4

SECILY: 27.Kxf4 The children need to be supervised and entertained. I was thinking— ...Rf8+

Without blinking an eye, Necron beams and gives you a solid thumbs up before looking at Glomer.

NECRON: †† Leave it to me! I’m almost one-hundo-percent sure I can be one BOSS grubsitter. Casanova here can leave his job in my capable hands. ††

SECILY: 28.Ke3 I wouldn't rush into this, Necron, there's a lot to consider— ...Kc6

GLOMER: no no hes Got this Give hiM the suit

GLOMER: the worst he could do is Get Me fired and excoMMunicated froM the faMily

GLOMER: assuMinG you have at least one think pan cell rattlinG around in there capable of sabotaGinG Me

NECRON: †† Nah, this pan cell's pretty much for lovin' my sweetum and enacting justice on evil only. ††

While there are probably better candidates for substitute work out there, you're willing to admit you maybe aren't one of them. Necron is friendly enough, at least.

You dutifully pass him the outfit and watch as he almost puts the head on backwards, before Glomer spins the mask around for him.

SECILY: 29.f4 Thank you, Necron. Glomer, you're with me. ...a5

Just before you follow Glomer out the door, you feel a tap on your shoulder.

NECRON: ††† I was being legit when I called you a killer partner. Wasn't blowin' smoke up your ass. †††

NECRON: ††† You know that, right? †††

SECILY: 30.Rh1 I know. I said it was touching. ...Rg8

It wasn't a lie. Hearing him call you a partner, let alone a good one... it's reassuring.

You guess you're just good at messing up your intended tone, as always.

You can tell Necron's got a relieved smile on his face behind the bulbous eyes of his mask as he extends his plush-covered hand to you.

NECRON: †† Gnarly, couldn't letcha boogie off without knowing for certain. Call me when you can, Secily. ††

SECILY: 31.Kf3 Understood. Keep an ear out, partner. ...Rf8

The two of you exchange a firm handshake before parting ways.

The hallways are surprisingly dark as you stray further away from the schooling wing.

Whereas before a single pebble on the ground would be a rare sight, the walls are now starting to give way to natural rocky formations.

[Investigation Progress bar appears.]

You're so focused on not bumping into Glomer or the surrounding environment that you almost miss the INVESTIGATION PROGRESS BAR fading in on your visor.

It's been a while. You wonder where this thing was hiding all this time.

There's a number of curious rooms on your way to the primary objective. Accouchement golem charging stations, DNA storage facilities, a baffling amount of supply closets...

You almost walk right into a DENOMINATION LOGE before Glomer stops you from barging into the newly made grubs's initial testing.

He can't help but remark how everybody freaks out over this "monumental" occasion where they pick their name as if its not just the first random six letters they assemble with dumb blocks.

What's the big deal about them having six legs back when the mother grub bred them anyway, he erupts furiously, four limbs post-reduplication works just fine, and even better without those weird old scars we used to have.

He goes on for a while, even after you've dragged him away from the loge in question. He just likes complaining, you guess.

You eventually happen upon the REDUPLICATION RECORDS ROOM.

GLOMER: hhhhhuh

SECILY: 32.Ke4 What's the matter? Does something seem strange to you about this scene? ...Rg8

GLOMER: well iGnorinG the fact that this is My first tiMe actually seeinG this place

GLOMER: iM not sure why the liGhts are off if this thinG is on

GLOMER: we are SO stinGy with the power here you have no idea

GLOMER: idk theres soMethinG funny about the systeM beinG on while nobodys around

Sure enough, the first thing that catches your eye in the dark, empty room is an illuminated computer screen. The second thing is the room itself.

Given Corporate's penchant for sleek aesthetics, you find the juxtaposition... You're not sure how you find it. Amusing? Intriguing? Suspicious? You'll decide later.

SECILY: 33.Rh5 An oddity, but not an impossibility. ...Rg2 SECILY: 34.a4 My question is how to gain access to the database. The computer is apparently after a password. ...Re2+

GLOMER: uM

GLOMER: yeah thats usually how they work

GLOMER: is this a dazzlinG new concept to you ACTUAL CHIEF REGULATOR

SECILY: 35.Kd3 I'd hoped it wouldn't be the case, but that might be Necron's wishful thinking rubbing off on me. I actually got on somebody's case for not having one not too far back. ...Rb2

SECILY: 36.Rb5 Anyway. Do you have valid login credentials? ...Rb1

Glomer shuffles over to the console, slower than molasses drips off a spoon, giving the screen a cold, hard stare.

GLOMER: theres only one password for this thinG but uh

He clears his throat.

GLOMER: they dont usually let Me in here so i dont know for certain

Great.

GLOMER: dont Give Me that look reGulator i told you this is a first for Me

GLOMER: its probably on a post-it note or soMethinG we just need to do a little searchinG

The two of you start doing exactly that, sifting through various drawers and cabinets around the room and making a point to leave no stone unturned.

Three minutes pass before either of you speak.

SECILY: 37.Ke4 This is unrelated to the task at hand, but I was wondering something. ...d6

GLOMER: cool

SECILY: 38.Kd4 You're being remarkably cooperative, all things considered. Even if you do not care for your position here, it's still quite the risk you're going through. Why is that? ...Re1

GLOMER: you Mean besides your shitty threats and tiMe off My shitjob

SECILY: 39.Kd3 So... that's it? ...Rh1

GLOMER: nnnnot exactly

GLOMER: i dunno

GLOMER: endari said you helped hiM out so

GLOMER: yeah

GLOMER: i Guess thats why

You blink in surprise. You suppose you did help his moirail. There's a beat of silence as you wait for him to elaborate, but he just drops the subject entirely.

A sudden "aha!" startles you out of your thoughts.

GLOMER: Got it

You turn around just in time to see him being granted access to a frankly gargantuan wall of text and images.

He holds the unearthed note for you to glimpse, before tucking it back behind the chunky computer monitor.

[IP bar fills by 10%]

Well, well. He pulled through for you.

SECILY: 40.Ke4 Nice find. ...Rh7

GLOMER: i know a coMputer Geek or two. Guess its just universal practice

GLOMER: or a real duMb coincidence

You don't know nearly enough about computer people to dispute him, so you're obliged to take his word on it.

You ring up Necron in order to tell him the good news. It takes a few seconds, but he's on the line soon enough.

NECRON: † You've reached Simpson. Any hoopla on your way over or didja get by without any trouble? †

SECILY: 41.Kd4 We're in the database. Ready to start looking for Noxious. ...Rh1

NECRON: ††† That's righteous!! We'll sic that bastard before you know it. †††

Failing to comprehend the sheer volume of information held within, you give the computer an uneasy look. It threatens to make you feel faint.

Thank the all-mother for Glomer's presence, because you have... no idea how to work this thing.

You gesture to the machine with your head and he leans down to grab the mouse. You squint as you analyze the window.

There are a few tabs on the top left: all, historic, new-age, unused, retired? You can't imagine what would be the point of storing deprecated sigils in a populace database.

There's a search bar in the top right. You suppose that's your best bet on finding a sigil related to "breaking down".

You peck at the keys one by one as you hear Necron entertain the kids through your speakers.

GLOMER: iM riGht here you know

GLOMER: like you just nonverbally asked Me to do this for you do you need Me or not

SECILY: 42.Ke4 Are you really going to complain about not having to do any work? ...Re1+

GLOMER: touché

One letter at a time, results are culled from the pool.

Sigil names like base and basil. Sigils belonging to bronzebloods. Sigils held by the Brelum bloodline.

Soon, you have one remaining search result. Glomer selects the sole choice presented.

Your attention turns to...

>Name.

SECILY: 43.Kd3 Dissolve. ...Kc7

You say it aloud for Necron's benefit, more than anything else.

NECRON: †† Heh, guess we finally dis-solved that mystery, huh? ††

SECILY: 44.Rh5 I will hang up on you. ...Kc6

GLOMER: (you chose this chucklebunker flop as your partner aGainst criMe??)

SECILY: 45.Rb5 (Glomer, shut the hell up before he hears you.) ...Rd1+

NECRON: †† Ah c'mon, lighten up! This is a WICKED breakthrough! We deserve to celebrate. ††

SECILY: 46.Ke2 This is a phone call. You don't know what face I'm making. ...Rb1

GLOMER: its true shes sMilinG so fuckinG hard dude trust Me

NECRON: † Hah! I'll take your word for it. Now... †

[Investigation Progress bar increments by 20%.]

NECRON: † Tell me more. †

>Caste.

It's hard to miss that this sigil belongs to a greenblood, considering this database is very conveniently color-coded. That alone narrows it down quite nicely.

SECILY: 47.Kd3 Greenblooded. One with a hell of a personality fixation. ...Re1

GLOMER: oliveblooded actually. as opposed to like clover or ochre or soMe shit

SECILY: 48.Rh5 Do you care for the specific color code, Necron? ...Rf1

NECRON: † With all due respect, what the aych are we gonna do with the color code? †

Glomer looks at you, waiting for your response. You consider, then shake your head no. Hard pass.

SECILY: 49.Rh6 I've memorized it. We can draw from that information later if we do end up requiring it. ...Rf3+

Glomer seems skeptical, but doesn't protest the point.

[Investigation Progress bar increments by 20%.]

NECRON: † Tell me more. †

>Shape type.

This classification has always been something you've paid close attention to, unlike most other people.

SECILY: 50.Kc2 The shape type is SAN-2-C. This should be useful when asking for people who may have spotted Noxious. ...Re3

NECRON: († ...Hey, hey you. Tyke with the face. SAN-2-C. What's the skinny on that? †)

He's... asking a child?

SECILY: 51.Rh8 Necron. ...d5

NECRON: †† Yeah? I mean, that is absolutely baller and all, but... Gonna level with you real quick, I don't have a single clue what that means in the slightest? ††

GLOMER: (if i wasnt runninG on 120 Minutes of sleep id lauGh)

SECILY: 52.cxd5+ It's a three-section system. Sans serif or serif, number of strokes, curled, straight, or amalgam. ...exd5

SECILY: 53.Rc8+ This sigil is sans serif, consists of two strokes, and it's primarily a curled sign. ...Kd6+

NECRON: ††† Bwuh? †††

You don't know how to explain this in simpler terms when you're just being descriptive. This is frustrating.

GLOMER: its shaped like a curly lower case f dude

NECRON: †† Oh, right on! That's a copy. ††

Hrm.

[Investigation Progress bar increments by 15%.]

NECRON: † Tell me more. †

>Associated meanings.

This subject is generally the wild card when it comes to information about sigils. Not every sigil has as pristine of a historical record as others — some have fallen into complete obscurity.

You don't know much about the topic, but you do know that sigils are connected directly to specific bloodlines, at least.

You skim the paragraph presented to you.

The mark of dissolution, now shortened to "dissolve", represents the breaking down of matter, both physically and conceptually.

Many bearers of this sigil were known to excel at teaching others, due to their skill at imparting knowledge through easily digestible lessons.

Their methods and intentions, however, were quite often incredibly controversial.

There are records of such bearers being chased out of communities as a result of their predisposition toward bringing destruction and upheaval, for better or for worse, wherever they set foot.

This is, of course, mostly anecdotal information that doesn't amount to anything substantial.

Sigil meanings are a fun diversion some people enjoy discussing over cups of boiled Monster, but they are nothing more than empty expectations based on genetic coincidences.

If you cared about that, you would have given up a long time ago.

NECRON: † Hey, uh... you good? Doin' peachy? †

Oh. You forgot to say anything for a while there.

Glomer apparently took the opportunity to pass out on the desk for a spell, because he jolts back to life and wipes a little drool off of his mouth when Necron's voice pipes up from your speaker.

SECILY: 54.Rd8+ As peachy as they come. I'm just being thorough, don't mind me. ...Kc6

NECRON: † C'mon, Secily! Don't leave me hanging over here. †

[Investigation Progress bar increments by 15%.]

NECRON: † Tell me more. †

>Bearers.

And that's your winning ticket. Your eyes immediately dart to the top of the list, where the most recent troll to bear this sigil is registered.

SECILY: 55.Rc8+ Aumtzi Maught is officially our lead suspect. Eight sweeps old, male. ...Kd7+

Eight sweeps? Eight sweeps?

Occeus is eight sweeps old. How the hell was Aumtzi able to play a meaningful role in a heist this elaborate?

You were expecting some old, retired mastermind with delusions of grandeur. Someone you could clash blades with on a neon rooftop or ruined bunker after this elaborate of a chase, and he turns out to be eight sweeps old?

...You guess it'd be hypocritical of you to hold Occeus at gunpoint and then proceed to underestimate someone much more malicious and calculating.

Still. Eight sweeps. You feel very old and very tired.

You catch Necron murmuring the name under his breath a couple of times — first to familiarize himself, then to say it in utter contempt.

NECRON: †††† Aumtzi. That wastoid is going down if it's the last card on my hand, mark my words. ††††

GLOMER: (hey secily iMaGine tryinG to take hiM seriously if you were seeinG what hes wearinG riGht now)

You flatly ignore Glomer snickering to himself as you consider your options.

SECILY: 56.Rf8 The main problem lies in tracking him down and confirming that he is Noxious, without doubt. ...Kc6

NECRON: ††† And if it is him, we'll do more than just give him a background check. †††

SECILY: 57.Rc8+ Yes. Together. ...Kd7+

[Investigation Progress bar increments by 20%.]

-

SECILY: 58.Rf8 That seems to be all there is. I'll talk to you soon. ...Rf3

NECRON: † Tubular! Catch you on the flipside, partner. †

[After you have chosen all of the options]

[Investigation Progress bar disappears.]

As soon as you hang up, Glomer hisses at you, clinging to the desk like it's the only thing keeping him upright.

GLOMER: alriGht you found your info thats Great now lets wrap this up before soMeone busts us

He is quick to retreat, out of his seat and around the corner in an instant. You can appreciate it — playing it safe is often the prudent option.

Something gives you pause, though.

You're not going to pretend not to realize the other thing you have the option of investigating while you're here. Your mind has been tossing the idea around since you walked into the room.

Glancing over your shoulder, you quietly hang back by the computer.

You run a name search for Ellsee Raines.

...

Nothing. Not a single match, and you know damn well you're spelling her name correctly. The possibility of an alias runs through your mind, but if that was the case, why would she have kept "Raines"?

It's as if she wasn't ever reduplicated. The implications confound you.

You decide to check the retired sigils tab for any signs of her.

Your cursor hovers over each result as you read down the chain, looking for any familiar symbols or iconography.

The process takes you no longer than three minutes. You quickly find yourself in a rhythm, eyes darting between columns.

Scorvi Orvalt, cement. Grapha Hortze, rust. Langua Memori, bunsen. Thesal Voorat, salt.

You're halfway through the next name before you backtrack. You've seen it before. That's The Forgiven's hatchname.

You've heard his tale: the right hand man and follower of The Vivifier.

His original sigil has always been a mystery, though. So much so that seeing an actual symbol next to his name feels slightly uncomfortable.

Probably not as uncomfortable as he felt having it stripped from him, though.

You erase your search history and leave the scene exactly as you found it. You've much to think about.

Aumtzi. No record of Ellsee. The Voorat bloodline supposedly ending with Thesal and the simultaneous existence of another cornsyrup-hued friend of Occeus'. Time will tell how these threads converge.

GLOMER: Geez lady keep an exhausted Mascot slave waitinG Much

GLOMER: alMost thouGht you ManaGed to die by yourself in an eMpty rooM

GLOMER: iMpaled on your own sword throuGh soMe brutal rube GolbrG shenaniGans

GLOMER: what took you

SECILY: 59.Rf6 I just forgot to log off, that's all. Where's Necron, is he still on duty? ...Kc7\

GLOMER: check for yourself iM not here to be your visual iMpairMent assistance lusus

He's almost right. Your VIAL is indeed somewhere else.

Looking through the window, you're greeted by the sight of "Bart" surrounded on all sides by the playroom kids, miming an undoubtedly "epic" story with boundless enthusiasm.

What's more impressive is that he's carrying a sleeping child with a single arm, the little one remaining unperturbed even with all of his exaggerated movements and loud voice.

They're all enthralled. You can pick up on faint laughter through the wall after he wraps his tale up, presumably with a cheesy pun.

You smirk, just a bit. He's much better with kids than you ever gave him credit for. Looks like you made a good call.

Call. That reminds you, Sabine wanted to talk to you. You'll get back to him in a second. The kid's name brings a probable link between him and Glomer to mind.

SECILY: 60.f5 You mentioned the name Crytum earlier. You're familiar with him? ...d4

GLOMER: wow okay so were just GoinG to ask that invasive and personal question out of the blue then alriGht

SECILY: 61.Rf8 Answer the question. ...Kd6

GLOMER: i was GettinG to it

GLOMER: yeah hes kind of My Matesprit yknow like red soulMate so itd be a really weird happenstance if i didnt know the Guy

GLOMER: whats it to you

SECILY: 62.f6 I require his expertise. You're going to take me to him at your earliest opportunity, convenient or otherwise. ...Ke6

You're met with yet another groan of aggravation. You're starting to think that's just his default reaction to being told what to do.

GLOMER: Man you just LOVE to tell me iM GoinG to do thinGs no Matter if iM actually obliGated to do it or not

GLOMER: i Mean yeah iMportant case or whatever but i dont have shit to do with it and i hiGhly doubt he does either so what possible nonviolent Method could you use to convince Me

You had a funny feeling he'd ask that question. There's no smile when you answer, but you do feel the familiar comfort of knowing you're about to play the right card.

SECILY: 63.Rb8 I can use this case to give you more time off work, as a matter of fact. But perhaps a sword would be more convincing. ...Rc3+

As predicted, Glomer's ears perk up. You can still see hesitation in his eyes, but you've managed to pierce his nigh-impenetrable wall of cynicism.

You fail to mention you were briefly considering ratting him out to Hamifi.

GLOMER: alriGht fine i can Make it happen

Perfect. Granted, you already know where Crytum lives thanks to your visit to Sabine's residence earlier, but having his matesprit's endorsement will help matters significantly.

You've heard tell that he's somewhat of a nervous wreck. Better safe than sorry.

SECILY: 64.Kb2 Excellent. I'll touch base with you when I have further details. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a phone call to make. ...Rc6

GLOMER: yeah fine if hunkinator 5000 over there is content to do My job for Me ive Got soMe coMplete lack of sleep ive been not GettinG for the past blink to catch up on

GLOMER: ill be in the closet conteMplatinG My life choices if you need Me

SECILY: 65.Rd8 Oh, before I forget. Hamifi had some assignments for you to complete before— ...Kxf6

GLOMER: yeah yeah party planninG shit i know how it is

GLOMER: she always Gives Me instructions like three tiMes over because i act like iM not listeninG

GLOMER: when really

GLOMER: she just scares the shit out of Me

GLOMER: ill Get to it after iM done passinG out

GLOMER: be back in five

SECILY: 66.Rxd4 Whatever you say. ...½-½

You're pretty sure Glomer's not supposed to be napping inside the closet, but he sure is nonchalantly waltzing in anyway. You start to hear snoring a whopping ten seconds later.

You're equally unconvinced that five minutes will provide him any semblance of rest, but you've technically functioned on less, so what do you know?

Well, Necron's busy entertaining children and Glomer's out of commission. There's no better time to get back to Sabine.

You give him a ring and keep an eye out for Hamifi through the break room window.

SABINE: [--o] SECILY ALETHEIA IOPARA.

Did... did you just get assigned a middle name?

SABINE: [-o-] YOU HAVE SOME NERVE MAKING ME WAIT LIKE THIS, THREATENING TO WASTE MY VALUABLE AND PRECIOUS TIME.

SABINE: [-o-] YOU'RE LUCKY YOU YOURSELF ARE ALSO ON A MISSION TO RESCUE THIS PLANET FROM THE DREDGES OF DISASTER.

SECILY: 2.Nf3 Hello, Sabine. ...b6

SECILY: 3.e3 What was it that you just called me? Letheya? Leethya? ...Bb7

SECILY: 4.Bd3 How would you even spell it? There's no way that's only six letters, let alone near a relevant practice. ...d6

You don't want to say it, but the fact that middle names as a cultural norm haven't been around since long before you were hatched is perhaps a bit insulting.

SABINE: [-o-] IT'S OBVIOUSLY COOLER TO HAVE FAKE MIDDLE NAMES BREAK CONVENTION. DO YOU THINK I ENJOY PARTAKING IN FOOLISH TRADITIONS OTHER PEOPLE SET UP?? I MEAN, DUH???

SECILY: 5.b3 Oh, I'm worthy of a cool fake middle name, then? ...Nbd7

SABINE: [o--] (I BEGRUDGINGLY ACCEPT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH EQUAL INTELLECT. DON'T LET IT GET TO YOUR HEAD.)

SABINE: [o--] (YOU ARE PROBABLY NEARLY OLD ENOUGH FOR AN EIGHT-LETTER TITLE ANYWAY. OLD PERSON.)

As touched as you are, you've been at this for far too long and would love to just get to the point.

SECILY: 6.Bb2 Is this pertaining to my neural scan? ...g6

SABINE: [-o-] ARE THERE OVER 1,200 UNIQUE RECORDED FORMS OF BACTERIAL INFECTION VIA FALLING RAINWATER?

You swear, nobody knows how to say a plain and simple "yes" these days.

SECILY: 7.Nbd2 Talk to me. What were those individuals discussing back at the awards ceremony? ...Bg7

SABINE: [-o-] ABOUT THAT.

SABINE: [o--] (SEE, THERE WAS EXTREME INTERFERENCE THAT PREVENTED MY SOFTWARE FROM DECIPHERING ONE OF THE VOICES. THE DATA WAS PRETTY CORRUPTED.)

SABINE: [o--] (THIS STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT THEY WERE USING SOME FORM OF VOICE MASKING OR MODULATION SYSTEM DESPITE BEING AT A PARTY?? SOME PEOPLE CAN BE SO FREAKING PARANOID.)

That sours your mood somewhat, but it at least strongly suggests that your little mystery caller — Aumtzi — had attended the party. Gods, it feels good to have this information.

SECILY: 8.Qe2 Tell me about the other voice, then. You sound like you managed to extrapolate something interesting. ...a5

SABINE: [-o-] NOT INCORRECT. THE INFORMANT APPEARS TO HAVE ACCESS TO SOME FORM OF REAL-TIME DATABASE, HAVING LOGON DETAILS THAT ALLOW HER TO MANEUVER THE SYSTEM FROM WITHIN.

SABINE: [-o-] SHE CLAIMS THAT HER PRICES WOULDN'T BE SO ASTRONOMICAL IF THE INFORMATION WASN'T SO LEGITIMATE.

SABINE: [-o-] THIS IS NO INSTANCE OF ILLEGAL ENTRANCE. THIS WOMAN HAS A CORPORATE SALARY.

Okay, you had a hunch that it was a Corporate employee this whole time, but you appreciate the confirmation regardless.

There's always the possibility of leaked login information, but you stay quiet, waiting for him to continue speaking.

SABINE: [o--] (UM, HELLO, REPITON TO REGULATOR. HELPING YOU SOLVE YOUR CASE HERE.)

SECILY: 9.O-O Of course. I simply wanted to have all the facts before I came to any conclusions. ...O-O

SECILY: 10.Rfd1 Was there any confirmation of the integrity of that route data? ...a4

SABINE: [-o-] WAS THERE EVER. THE OTHER PARTY BROUGHT UP QUITE THE IMPRESSIVE RESUME OF PREVIOUSLY LEAKED INFORMATION.

SABINE: [-o-] CRIMES TRACING BACK SWEEPS. HOWEVER MUCH FREE TIME YOU HAVE, I AM ABOUT TO ANNIHILATE IT MERCILESSLY AND GLEEFULLY.

SECILY: 11.a3 I'm all ears. Spare no detail, I'll look for common threads next time I have access to the records. ...Qe8

SABINE: [-o-] DOWN THE LIST THEN. CHRONOLOGICAL, ALPHABETICAL OR PRIORITY?

SECILY: 12.b4 Chronological, obviously. ...e5

SABINE: [-o-] CORRECT ANSWER. LET'S START WITH THE "DOCTORED DEMENTO" SCANDAL...

END

Cinare Montor

A long time ago, you could have walked through the trees outside of here like she does.

A past self would have visited the forests and cities she walks on every case, and maybe she would end up in some far away land reminiscent of the lives your ancestors lived in kingdoms with small towns and little hives.

You often wonder if you would have been the same person in those times. Would you work the same profession? Would grieving trolls show up at your doorstep begging for you to save them, time and time again?

There is dirt on her face when you open the door. Mud on her boots.

They say that when the trees died in Stronghold 21, they died almost all at once.

There was a diffusive effect from the pollution in the waterways that worked its way into the rain, and when it came down, it scorched the dirt in the city.

History books will tell you that in the span of less than half a sweep, a chemical manufacturer generated enough waste to raze 70% of the plant life in the stronghold to the ground.

They would pay trolls to replace the dead trees every season. Sweep after sweep, just dig out the rot and make it new again. Until all that was left was a smattering of plastic and polymers.

The back of her coat is covered in soot, like she has been riding through coal mines. Or through the streets just outside.

There were times, they say, when the cold wouldn’t last forever, and the suns could even be pleasant things. Trolls lived simpler lives back then, politicking, jockeying for power over a vigorous populace...

But her brow is tense now, and she wears that pseudo-stoic face that she borrows when her heart has had enough. When she is begging it to hold itself together.

You have seen that face so many times.

SECILY: I need you.

MSHIRI: .i know

CINARE: Every damn time.

MSHIRI: .pardon

She pulls herself out from under the hood. The truck she’s working on is new - or rather new to her, seeing as she found it wrecked in an old parking lot about 40 expanses from here.

CINARE: It’s nothing. Wrong wrençh.

And back under she goes. She reaches her arm out to the side, dropping the offending spanner onto what is effectively a surgical tray on wheels.

Without looking, she digs through the disorganized pile of tools there to find a replacement.

CINARE: So did you just çome here to watçh me work?

CINARE: I mean, not that that’s a problem, obviously-

She grunts with exertion, clearly putting the correct wrench to good use.

CINARE: ...but lately, kinda seems like your time is in high demand.

CINARE: I was starting to wonder if I had the çhops to çompete for it.

MSHIRI: .im sorry you felt that way

CINARE: Well, we’re all sorry for something.

CINARE: I’m hoping you’re here with good news at least. I çould really use a piçk-me-up.

MSHIRI: .did something happen

CINARE: No, but I have a feeling something is about to.

CINARE: And, you know, your phone çall has a lot to do with that feeling.

MSHIRI: .are you implying i only give you bad news

CINARE: I’m implying that you haven’t çontaçted me in over a blink, and I’m wondering what the speçial oççasion is.

MSHIRI: .we’ve had this conversation before i think

MSHIRI: ..if youre upset with me you are welcome to say so in plain words

MSHIRI: ...otherwise i wont be able to address your concerns

CINARE: You know, for someone who spent sweeps in the mountains mastering the senses, you çan be inçredibly dense.

MSHIRI: .it seems like im being punished for reaching out to you

MSHIRI: ..can you see why that may cause a person to react poorly

She actually stops working this time. Her arms span to the sides of the truck.

CINARE: I was kidding. But I think I have a right to be upset if I want to be.

She turns around. Her brow is arched, and she’s standing with that half-cocked pose she does that may as well be a dare.

MSHIRI: .i know

MSHIRI: ..you do

She smirks.

CINARE: Damn right I do.

CINARE: No more çançelled dates, alright? Whatever’s going on, you gotta let me in.

You nod. When she holds her arms open, you fall into them as quickly as you can.

CINARE: I’m really glad to see you.

MSHIRI: .i am sorry by the way

MSHIRI: ..i meant to call you sooner

CINARE: Don’t worry about it. I’m not in the mood to play that çard anymore.

CINARE: You’re luçky you’re so çute.

MSHIRI: .and dangerous

CINARE: Of çourse. Did it even need to be said?

She lets you go with a kiss. She won’t hold a grudge against you, but you still feel a little guilty, especially since you came here at Secily’s request.

Why did you come here again?

>Recall: CINARE MONTOR.

Your RECALL ability fails! Only Secily can use this ability.

That’s a bit embarrassing, but no need to worry. You have your ways.

>Read: CINARE MONTOR.

Cinare Montor is one hell of a mechanic. She has connections all over Repiton’s less reputable circles outside the city, though not because she’s disreputable herself.

Rather, she just wouldn’t be caught dead in the stronghold these days. She hates Corporate, and with good reason.

Despite this, her past mixed with her present makes her the perfect cocktail of information related to the Corporate-owned trucking business.

From what she’s told you, she’s got eyes on personnel, distributors and their products, schedules, and most importantly, route data - the kind of information Secily needs to follow up on her tips from the awards ceremony.

Cinare also happens to be your matesprit. Your matesprit who doesn't appreciate that you've been blowing her off for Repiton’s star regulator.

She wears her disappointment on her face in several ways, even through a smile. She's trying to be pleasant for your date.

You scold yourself a bit for neglecting her as much as you have been. It’s not fair of you to keep letting yourself get caught up in Secily’s messes.

Cinare has given you every opportunity to show her you’re serious about being with her. You think it’s time her patience paid its dividends.

"But what about the case?"

Yes, and what about it? It’s only been at the center of your attention since Secily came bursting through your door half dead and paranoid. Again.

As Cinare was polite enough to remind you, you’ve had to cancel your recent dates to juggle her murglary work with your work-work. You agreed to do it, sure, but only because she was spinning out on her own.

Secily is brilliant... usually.

You love her immensely, but she really does seem to think she can operate alone. This threat she’s facing now might just be too much for her to handle, as predictable as she can be.

Maybe you should go back. There are some contacts you could pull for her, maybe find her a few more teammates she can tolerate so she doesn’t go careening into another depressive nosedi-

"But what about Cinare?"

Aaaagh. Yeah.

Focus, Mshiri. Now is not the time.

Secily can wait. If the topic of the case comes up organically, you’ll ask Cinare about the route data like she asked you to. Until then, your attention will be on your matesprit.

These moments are supposed to be what life is all about, after all.

Cinare’s garage is a study in heuristics. It presents an easy way to form an opinion about who she is.

Messy floors, messy tables, walls covered in old calendars, posters with cars that feature a peculiar aesthetic more befitting of ten sweeps ago - it's a life of displacement. Disordered.

But if you take the time to look a little deeper, you start to notice a pattern in the chaos. And under that, you start to see that it was never really a mess at all.

It's a self-portrait.

See, Cinare lives alone in the middle of nowhere. It's not that she can't keep up, it's that she has no one to impress anymore but herself.

And that works for her. It works for you even more.

You love Secily. But she demands a lot from you, and she demands that you hide a lot of yourself.

She tends to rely on her heuristics. Just as she chose to judge Cinare on appearances alone, she’s taken to deciding who you are these days based on personal convenience.

It's easier that way for most of your clients, you suppose.

But that was never really you, was it?

CINARE: You know, I was almost hoping to see you in your robes today.

CINARE: I wondered if you would have time to çhange sinçe you çame here right after work.

MSHIRI: .do you not like the leather

CINARE: What a ridiçulous idea. 'Do I not like the leather?'

CINARE: You look çool as hell in leather, Shiri.

CINARE: It's more like...

CINARE: Okay, you ever see those videos where a tiny little barkbeast tears up a burglar like nobody's business?

MSHIRI: .some of my clients like them yes

CINARE: It's like that. Sort of a morbid fasçination.

CINARE: I like thinking that I'm the only one who knows what you're açtually çapable of.

MSHIRI: .are you hoping ill snap and chew up my bosses

CINARE: A maiming or two would be niçe, if it's not too muçh to ask.

You can feel her grinning, even if you can't see it. She closes the hood of the truck to fiddle with something on the windshield.

MSHIRI: .ill take it into consideration

MSHIRI: ..i do like entertaining morbid fascinations after all

CINARE: Is that why you keep the çop around?

MSHIRI: .something like that

MSHIRI: ..she can certainly be morbidly fascinating at times

CINARE: Is that what you're çalling it now? Pff.

CINARE: Does she even know you çome out here?

You shift a bit. You were hoping to drag this out a bit longer.

MSHIRI: .she does now

CINARE: What's that supposed to mean?

MSHIRI: .it doesnt have to be now

MSHIRI: ..but at some point she and i were meaning to ask you some things

She lowers her head down slowly. It makes a deep thud when it hits the hood.

CINARE: Is she here somewhere? Did she follow me?

MSHIRI: .of course not

She turns around to face you, clearly disappointed.

MSHIRI: ..i know she can be hard to manage

MSHIRI: ...you wont have to see her

CINARE: That's not really the problem though, is it?

CINARE: The çhiçk's AÇAB, Shiri. With a çapital Ç.

Despite her bizarre choice of words, you want to agree with her. You hate Corporate almost as much as she does.

You know better than anyone how suffocating that place can be.

Remember: HOW YOU MET CINARE.

Those days, she smoked even more than she does now, if that can be believed.

It suited her. She was a big name for a while around the offices, and you even remember sitting in a conference room with her a few times while she worked her way up the corporate ladder.

Back then, the most you knew of her was that she seemed nice, if not a bit aggressive, and she always seemed to be chewing on the smoking filter of one of those caustic candy cigarettes.

When the time came for you to sit down with her one-on-one, she had just been promoted to a leading position in the Fiscal Responsibility department.

Her office was filled with dim, ambient light and the syrupy acrid stench of burnt sugar.

She was intoxicating. She must have caught you staring, because she flashed you a wry smirk as she asked you to close the door.

‘Don’t worry, this is just a formality,’ she had said. ‘I just wanted to çheçk a çouple of numbers with you.’

You had to resist asking to check hers.

But that would come later.

You started acting as Cinare’s chief source of information about some of the more elusive tidbits around the TEMP agency, and once or twice you may have slipped in a few personal details - something she never seemed to mind.

You told yourself you weren’t looking for a matesprit. But as Monster breaks turned into lunch dates under the guise of business meetings, it became painfully obvious to anyone watching that you were smitten.

You couldn’t have guessed it from her smokey eyes, but under it all, she was burning away.

You never asked her the details, but you’ve heard all about it from secondhand sources. Apparently, she had looked into the books of some of her less-inclined colleagues and found something sinister.

After that, there were three phone calls. The first ended in a shouting match. The second, with vitriol the likes of which the office had never seen.

The third ended when she stormed the office of the Executive and had to be escorted from the building by none other than Ms. Secily Iopara herself.

When you found her, she was sitting on the curb with makeup running down her cheeks.

‘Mshiri, you are the only goddamn thing in there worth saving,’ she told you. ‘You’re the only thing here that ever made any fuçking sense at all.’

You asked her what you could do. She asked you to stay with her.

So you did.

CINARE: Hello? Repiton to Libeta?

You snap out of it to find her standing face to face with you. What happened to paying attention?

MSHIRI: .i apologize

MSHIRI: ..i was lost in thought

Her arms are covered in dark stains from her work on the engine, which now seems to be humming with life. When did that happen?

She grins at you.

CINARE: You like it?

MSHIRI: .its incredibly impressive

MSHIRI: ..you reveal more of your technical prowess with every endeavor i witness

MSHIRI: ...i should be so lucky to see a woman like you in action

CINARE: You wanna take it for a spin?

She presses a button on a panel attached to the wall. With rusty complaints, the garage door scrapes open.

MSHIRI: .are we done talking about secily

CINARE: We are until you bring her up again.

She makes her way around you and into the driver’s seat. The truck’s door there is equally as rusted as the garage. By the sound of it, the adhesive attaching it to the frame is made of craft glue and prayers.

MSHIRI: .are you sure its safe

CINARE: Guess we’ll find out.

She shifts into first gear, and the truck begins to move.

[Secily's POV]

Tap. Tap. Tap.

One palm and then the other.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

There are thoughts in your head. None of them make any sense.

One thing. Then the next. The next move.

One step at a time.

Tap. Tap. RRRGH!

You give up. Your nails dig into your arm.

Are you actually here? Are you just dreaming this all up? Is that junior regulator looking at you funny?

What are you going to say to him when you get there? When he sees you?

Are you still the same as you were before? As when he gave you your sword? Your license to kill?

Are you still good enough to face him?

You pull at your skin. Focus. You can do this. You’ve been planning for this meeting.

Why did she have to die?

MANILA: Ms. I[]para? The Executive will see y[]u n[]w.

It’s time.

You step into the elevator. It’s been a long while since you took it all the way to the top.

You feel like your brain is on fire. There are a number of ways this could go, and it’s been hell trying to plan for all the possible contingencies.

The Executive - Sestro’s still-living ancestor - doesn’t take many meetings these days. The topic must be incredibly important if he’s willing to risk you contaminating his room.

This may be your last chance to see him, you think. He’s barely hanging on.

So why are you so scared of him?

The elevator slows. When it opens, you are greeted with a dark space lit only by maroon light from under the panels in the wall.

It’s small. Its only real purpose is to serve as a transition between the elevator and an airlock - the sterilization chamber.

The walls surrounding the airlock are made of glass. From where you stand, backlit against the elevator’s interior, you can see his bed. At his side, a woman in a lab coat is injecting something into his IV.

You step into the room. The elevator doors close behind you, leaving you in near darkness.

A trembling arm lifts itself to brush against the doctor’s coat. She glances up to meet your eyes, then keys something into a device on the wall near the airlock.

When the doors slide open, you step inside quickly. They close behind you, and the chamber shines with deep blue and UV light.

The doctor’s voice crackles through a speaker in the ceiling.

RODERE: -arms-at-your-sides-please--x

You follow the instructions. A pungent spray mists from the nozzles hidden in the walls. When they deactivate, you find yourself slightly damp.

RODERE: -i-assume-you-know-how-to-put-on-the-mask--x

A panel slides to the side. Behind it is a box of surgical masks. You grab one and slide it over your mouth.

The doctor enters another combination into the wall panel, and some of the air in the room is vacuumed away. As the pressures equalize, the door to the Executive’s room slides open.

You step inside. Every plan you made leaves your head as you approach the bed of the man who bargained away your matesprit’s life.

When he sees you, his ancient face splits into a cracked smile.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Regulator Iopara. I’m glad you could make it.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Rodere...

The doctor stands at attention.

RODERE: -sir--x

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Leave us.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But, ah...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Open the blinds first.

She nods. A few quick taps on the keypad and the wall to the left segments and rotates on too many axes to reveal the night sky outside. The room sinks into pale moonlight and indigo.

When you look back to her, she is already gone.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Before we begin.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Thank you for taking time off of Operation Snowbound Blood for this discussion, and thank you for your continued labor on this case despite your reservations.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You know how important this is to the Heir and Miss Hekrix. Thank you for putting them first.

SECILY: 1.e4 It was before they were even hatched. I couldn't hold it against them. ...e5

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This reminds me, Regulator Iopara...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Miss Hekrix provided me with this sweep's reduplication registry, and I again didn't find your name.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ It would bring an old man great comfort to know his heir will never live in a world without an Iopara by his side. Have you reconsidered contributing?

SECILY: 2.f4 You grew up in the ruins my ancestor left, sir. I'm sure you understand my... reticence. ...exf4

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Arcamu was loyal. He fulfilled his duty.

SECILY: 3.Nf3 And I've been, too. I've pierced the beating hearts of whoever stood between you and your vision for this world. ...f5

SECILY: 4.d3 Arcamu was repaid for his loyalty in blood and loss. He is remembered as a monster. ...d5

SECILY: 5.exd5 I've begun to fear I'll share that legacy. ...Nf6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ May I see it?

The Executive is gesturing at your hip, at Proserpina. His hand is shaking, with a pulse-measuring cuff on a finger and medical tubes snaking around his arm.

His face is worn from eras as Repiton's protector, and yet his eyes always glisten with pride when you are in the room.

When you were young, nothing made you more certain you were on the right path in life. Now, you're not sure.

You gently draw the sword and turn to hand it to him hilt-first. He takes it in trembling hands and turns it over, sighing wistfully.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ After Caesar's death, zealots destroyed most of his followers' cherished artifacts. But this blade survived.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Perhaps the finest of its era.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You gave it a new name and a new purpose.

He meets your eyes, squinting and determined.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You do not live in his shadow. Nor would another live in yours.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Regardless. We have business to discuss, don't we, Regulator?

SECILY: 6.Bxf4 Yes, sir. We do. ...Nxd5

He hands your sword back to you, then softly sighs, closing his eyes.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ There is little I have left in this world, Regulator Iopara. The planet I rebuilt has long since been torn apart again.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This matter I have asked you to look into, this case...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ It’s time I told you the truth about it.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ It’s time you understood the truth about-

[Mshiri's POV]

CINARE: Operation Snowbound Blood?

CINARE: What a stupid name.

CINARE: Makes me think of if blood çould ski or something.

MSHIRI: .unfortunately its not as trivial as it sounds

MSHIRI: ..its a unmitigated disaster that has lead to around 25 deaths or more at this point

MSHIRI: ...i wouldnt put you in such an awkward situation for anything less

Cinare whistles in disbelief.

CINARE: Yeesh, no kidding.

CINARE: And Seçily’s gone and fuçked it all up, I’m guessing?

MSHIRI: .well

MSHIRI: ..i wouldnt say that

MSHIRI: ...but she seems to be fixated on following the orders of the exact person trying to kill her

CINARE: Çute. Always the pragmatist, your moirail.

MSHIRI: .shes suffering

MSHIRI: ..and shes doing the best she can to save the other targets

CINARE: Right, I get it.

She’s been driving on the highway for a few expanses now. The roads are ramshackle things full of craters and displaced asphalt, so at times the ride feels a bit like a wooden roller coaster.

A solitary road sign has labels for Stronghold P3P-51, which, apparently, is still around 223 expanses away.

CINARE: So what is it that you need from me?

MSHIRI: .recently a troll was able to discover something hidden in secilys memory

MSHIRI: ..it was a conversation mentioning the illegal trade of stolen route data for a hijacked truck

MSHIRI: ...she and i thought you might know something about how such data is acquired

MSHIRI: ....or that one of your clients might

CINARE: Usually you would have to go through Çorporate’s internal network to find that kind of dirt.

CINARE: Someone who’s been in the truçking business for a while would maybe know enough about that system to get in and steal it, though.

MSHIRI: .do you know anyone like that

CINARE: Not for a regulator I don’t.

MSHIRI: .cinare

MSHIRI: ..this really is important

CINARE: So’s my reputation as, you know, not a narç.

CINARE: Besides, I’m sure your little miss Shrlok çan sleuth it out on her own.

She pulls onto an exit. The scenery changes from barren to lush in almost an instant.

MSHIRI: .i understand you hate her

MSHIRI: ..i understand the two of you have had your differences

MSHIRI: ...but this is bigger than that

MSHIRI: ....you are acting like a spoiled wriggler

CINARE: Yeah, go ahead and tell me what you understand, Mshiri.

CINARE: It’s beçoming pretty fuçkin’ obvious that you don’t understand anything at all.

MSHIRI: .i understand that you refusing to act here could cost lives

CINARE: No, your little wage slave lapdog of a moirail is çosting lives.

CINARE: I’m under no obligation to help her.

MSHIRI: .cinare

MSHIRI: ..please

She drags on her cigarette.

CINARE: Do you even know the kind of shit she does?

MSHIRI: .i know she does it for good reasons

MSHIRI: ..at least she believes they are good reasons in her heart

CINARE: You think that justifies anything?

CINARE: If I intend to kill a spider with my truçk and I end up ramming it through your hive, do my intentions make that okay?

MSHIRI: .that seems like a faulty analogy

CINARE: Hardly.

You sigh hard. Out the window, dense forest has been working away at the pavement on the sides of the road.

The two of you sit in silence for a painful few moments. You can hear the sound of her blowing the smoke from her lungs.

CINARE: I hate to say this, Shiri, but she really suçks for you.

You don’t respond. It’s not like this is the first time this topic has been broached.

She reaches out her hand to you. You take it in yours begrudgingly.

CINARE: Remember when we used to do volunteer work? I still çheçk in at the shelter from time to time.

You do remember. People Corporate would fire, people the city decided couldn’t be of use anymore - a lot of them would end up stuck with no food and no home, satelliting the stronghold.

After Cinare lost her job, she took it upon herself to see that none of them went hungry. She would spend hours at this run-down homeless shelter, maybe not even for herself, but for the meditative state it put her in.

She would bring you along sometimes. It always struck you how similar it seemed to therapy for her. It struck you even more just how many people there were that had lost everything.

You run your thumb over the back of her hand.

CINARE: Some of the people I met there didn’t make it.

CINARE: Mirthamaniaçs started using the place to find fodder for their fight çlubs.

CINARE: And Çorporate just lets it happen. Because they’ve got rare blood.

CINARE: If I got put out like that...

CINARE: Seçily would let me get killed.

CINARE: You know that, right?

MSHIRI: .funny you mention that

MSHIRI: ..she just finished killing a fair amount of mirthamaniacs

CINARE: I heard about this.

CINARE: It was part of the çase, right?

CINARE: I lost a çouple of çlients in that fight.

MSHIRI: .but surely that shows you that secily isnt a monster

CINARE: I mean sure, but there was something in it for her bosses this time, right?

You remember hearing about Secily’s injuries after that fight. She and Necron fought to within an inch of their lives.

MSHIRI: .that approach is needlessly cynical

MSHIRI: ..she doesnt fight for materialism

CINARE: Yeah, no, I don’t doubt that Seçily does some good things, Shiri. That’s not what I’m saying. I just...

CINARE: You know how many missing persons reports I filed when the shelter started losing people?

CINARE: And nobody çame. Not even your girl.

MSHIRI: .she was on other cases

MSHIRI: ..fighting other cults at times

MSHIRI: ...not to mention the several extraction operations im aware of specifically related to mirthamaniac rings and redrooms

CINARE: Suççessful ones? Or do they go in every time with silk gloves on?

CINARE: Beçause I know for a façt that extraçtion protoçol states that highbloods are not to be killed outside of self defense.

CINARE: Kinda defeats the purpose of pulling anyone out, doesn’t it?

MSHIRI: .im aware of successful extractions

CINARE: So the çult members they, y’know, don’t kill go out and kidnap someone else instead.

CINARE: Çorporate just piçks the ones they like to save and my friends are çool to die, right?

MSHIRI: .secily isnt involved in that

She gives you a look.

CINARE: Listen, the point I’m making is not that Seçily is overly sympathetiç to the Mirthamaniaçs, or any other freakshow band of baçkwater hooligans you’re about to throw my way.

CINARE: The point is that her bosses are.

CINARE: And from the few interaçtions I’ve had with the gal I’d say she’s not big on defying orders.

CINARE: Çorporate didn’t help the people out here when they needed it.

CINARE: So I’m not gonna help Çorporate. Simple as that.

The road turns to gravel. You’ve driven far away from civilization.

MSHIRI: .maybe you can consider it a favor for me instead

MSHIRI: ..if you help just this once i would be deeply grateful

MSHIRI: ...im scared for her and for everyone involved

She seems to consider that. She runs her fingers along your hand, squeezing gently at times.

CINARE: I’ll think about it.

CINARE: For now, I want to show you something.

The truck squeaks to a stop in a patch of rough ground off the side of the forest.

CINARE: Follow me.

She pulls the key from the ignition then disappears into the treeline, following a thin, overgrown nature trail. You step out of the truck to follow her.

[Secily's POV]

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Our entire lives, this whole planet...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ My empire...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Has been nothing but a preamble.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ We exist as scribes of code for a bitter game, Regulator Iopara. And it is the only thing worth fighting for.

SECILY: 7.Bd2 I don’t understand. ...Nc6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I doubt you would. But know this. And know that there is nothing we can do to avoid fate.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You and I are destined for morbid ends.

He rasps out a dry cough.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Do you know how old I am, regulator?

SECILY: 8.Nc3 I don’t, sir. ...Bc5

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I am 144 sweeps old.

SECILY: 9.Nxd5 Nonsense, sir. You don’t look a day over 100. ...Qxd5

He cracks a grin. A pathetic laugh emanates from somewhere in his throat.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And the blood, do you know where it comes from?

SECILY: 10.c3 Of course, sir. It comes from The Vivifier. ...O-O

EXECUTIVE: ☊ The Animator, she could be called. The Life-Giver.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She was a remarkable woman. Zekura was her real name. I mentioned you to her before she died.

SECILY: 11.d4 How is that, sir? She died over a hundred sweeps ago. ...Bd6

He laughs again. It drags against his vocal cords.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And yet the blood you are searching for - the blood you have killed to find - is only 19 sweeps old.

You feel a shock in your core. Raines.

SECILY: 12.Qa4 She has a descendant. ...Qe4+

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Yes. But I am forbidden to touch her.

SECILY: 13.Kf2 But you’ve been stealing her blood? ...f4

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Not hers. For 100 sweeps, it has been Zekura’s blood flowing in my veins. The vial you are searching for is merely the end of a centenalia's long experiment.

SECILY: 14.Re1 Which means- ...Qg6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ The Vivifier died less than 10 sweeps ago, regulator.

What? So this whole time, you’ve been...

SECILY: 15.Qc4+ You’ve been leading me on. ...Kh8

EXECUTIVE: ☊ In essence, yes. It was necessary.

SECILY: 16.Bd3 Then who is Ellsee Raines? ...Qh5

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Ellsee is the beginning of the end for us.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She is an exchange. At times, a bargaining piece.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She is the most important person on the planet.

You can’t respond. You can only wait for him to continue.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Zekura and her partner, Thesal, came to me in the aftermath of great suffering. When it seemed no hope remained in the hellscape the Renaissance left behind.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And from ruin, I became the catalyst of the greatest revolution in history.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ When the ground was empty of anything worth hoping for, I transmuted the ground into something new. I lead by example, and as alchemists we rebuilt Repiton from nothing.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I was not just a leader, regulator. I was a messiah. And they needed me.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Because without my help, their descendants could never be born.

SECILY: 17.Rhf1 And in return... ...Bd7

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She gave me her blood. And I lived on.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But the time came when I could not stall any longer.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And on the day Ellsee Raines was born, The Vivifier perished.

A cloud shifts over the white moon. The room becomes drenched in midnight blue.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She left me what remained of her blood. I survive through her will.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This last vial... what is left of her, and of me...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ When you find it, I would like you to give it to my heir. He will be taking my place soon.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I have grown so tired of living.

Your knees have been locked this whole time. Your head is pounding.

SECILY: 18.b4 Does Sestro know? ...a6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ He doesn’t. He knows none of what I have told you. EXECUTIVE: ☊ Only that Ellsee is of highest priority. EXECUTIVE: ☊ I would ask that you keep it that way.

You nod. If Sestro knew, how could that benefit him? It would only drown him in guilt.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Regulator.

SECILY: 19.a4 Sir? ...Ne7

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Would you indulge me for a moment?

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I would like to discuss some thoughts with you.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I will take your silence as an invitation.

He turns to face the window, just like his descendant. His eyes scan across the great expanses of stars above.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ In my time on this planet, I have known so many people.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I have loved many of them.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But each life... each indelible moment I held in my mind as proof of something greater than myself...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ My reasons to stay alive...

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Well.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I have seen all of them die. And I have forgotten where most of them are buried.

SECILY: 20.Qb3 ... ...Nd5

SECILY: 21.c4 I’m sorry, sir. ...Ne3

EXECUTIVE: ☊ In my younger days I dreamed of space.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I used to believe in an eternity above our heads.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I would build rockets in my mind. I would see them drifting to worlds greener than this.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This... great beyond. It was the spirit of progress. It was hope for something better.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But the ships I built never returned.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Brilliant minds were lost to a cold vacuum.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And the only things left of those programs now are brittle memories that serve no one and nothing.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Testaments to failure.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I am nothing but an anachronism, Secily.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I lingered here, knowing that I was lingering for nothing. I persisted to search for fragments of a time when I was naive.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ To spend my life waiting for the right moments.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But I am realizing now that there was never a right moment for any of it. This planet spins on, and more die each day.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But your life can still mean something. And that is why I called you here.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I meant to wait to see what would come of your investigation, but the things you have found, the players involved - I cannot afford to wait any longer.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I need you to do something for me.

His eyes break from the window to catch yours.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ When this case ends, you will find Raines and the descendant of Thesal Voorat, and you will protect them with your life.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Refusal of this mission could result in the death of Repiton.

SECILY: 22.c5 And my position as Chief Regulator... ...Bc6.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Will be terminated, yes. This task is strictly off-record.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Your contacts will be monitored as well.

Your hands are shaking like his are. Your thoughts drift to Occeus.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Do you feel capable of continuing your work?

SECILY: 23.cxd6 I do, sir. ...Bxf3

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Good. You are dismissed.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Send Rodere back in when you go, please.

You turn to face the airlock, but you can’t move. This is so wrong. Everything about this is so wrong.

You need to ask him. You can’t keep going without knowing.

You turn back around to face him.

SECILY: 24.Bxe3 Sir...? ...fxe3+

He looks at you. His eyes tell you he was expecting this.

SECILY: 25.Kg1 I wanted to ask you about Ahlina. ...Qg5

[Mshiri's POV]

The two of you stumble out of the woods together. The hike wasn’t a long one, but the trail was dense with foliage due to sweeps of disuse.

CINARE: See? What did I tell you? Totally worth it.

In front of you is the most natural landscape you have seen in the 8 sweeps of your professional life. It’s beautiful.

It seems to stretch on forever.

MSHIRI: .i had no idea this place even existed

MSHIRI: ..and so close to the stronghold

MSHIRI: ...how is this

MSHIRI: ....here

CINARE: I’ll admit it’s a bit of a forçed perspeçtive, this çliff just happens to be the perfeçt spot to view what’s left of this plaçe.

CINARE: But if you çan tell, it’s starting to çome back. Not muçh, but it’s a start.

CINARE: I had a feeling you’d like it.

MSHIRI: .it reminds me of my time at the temple of mediators

MSHIRI: ..there was a place in the alpine foothills like this

As you watch, she brings her arm around your shoulder and pulls herself close to you.

CINARE: Do you miss it?

MSHIRI: .my time with the mediators you mean

CINARE: Your time outside of the çity. When you had your whole life ahead of you.

The horizon in front of you is beginning to blend into the first signs of day.

MSHIRI: .i do

MSHIRI: ..so much

CINARE: You know, there’s a plaçe for us out there. We don’t have to stay orbiting the stronghold for the rest of our lives.

MSHIRI: .cinare

MSHIRI: ..theres so much left to do here

CINARE: I know, I know. But... when it’s over. When the çase is done, maybe.

You huff. She notices.

CINARE: I know I haven’t been easy to deal with today.

CINARE: I’m sorry for that.

CINARE: I keep letting my personal stuff get in the way.

MSHIRI: .im not mad at you for your convictions

MSHIRI: ..if it were up to me i would have never been involved in this case

MSHIRI: ...but it wasnt up to me

MSHIRI: ....i just want people to stay safe

MSHIRI: .....and i need you to be on my side on this

She spends a moment staring out at the canopy of life below. The vapors from the end of her cigarette spiral in the breeze, disappearing into the shattered atmosphere.

CINARE: Alright.

CINARE: Ask me anything you need to know.

You decide to ask...

>If Cinare has heard of Noxious.

CINARE: The name sounds familiar. I definitely haven’t met the guy personally, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s a pretty tough çustomer.

CINARE: Targeted harassment, baiting, fraud... all to get unstable folks to walk off the deep end, right?

MSHIRI: .yes

MSHIRI: ..thats him

CINARE: Fuçk that guy.

MSHIRI: .agreed.

She takes another pull from her cigarette, which is nearing the end of its life. She pulls it from her mouth, puts it out on the side of her boot, then eats the candy-coated filter.

CINARE: I hear a lot of talk about this guy, Ashbringer, too. They say he’s working with a çop.

CINARE: Sçares the shit out of some of my seedier çlients.

CINARE: He partnered with your girl?

MSHIRI: .yes

MSHIRI: ..his name is necron

MSHIRI: ...the two of them are hunting noxious together

CINARE: Now that’s at least something I çan respeçt. I never would have thought that Seçily Iopara would partner with an unliçensed vigilante.

CINARE: Makes me think there’s hope for her yet.

MSHIRI: .do you have faith in necron to make the right decisions

CINARE: I have faith in Neçron’s ability to do what he thinks is right.

CINARE: Whiçh, dare I say it, is a step up from Seçily’s M.O.

CINARE: I bet he’s a good influençe on her. Keeps her grounded.

Oh, Secily... Your face waxes somber as you think about the past few blinks.

MSHIRI: .do you think she can get better

MSHIRI: ..i want to think she can get away from corporate someday

MSHIRI: ...and find herself as she was before she lost her matesprit

MSHIRI: ....do you think thats possible

Cinare’s face is sympathetic.

CINARE: I think she çould. I like to think she çould.

CINARE: I think deep down she knows what’s right. And that çounts for something.

MSHIRI: .maybe she can leave the city

MSHIRI: ..she told me about this farm she found with a group of children

MSHIRI: ...there was one in particular she spoke to who said they traded food in exchange for sovereignty

MSHIRI: ....she said they were committed to nonviolence

CINARE: That’s so sweet.

MSHIRI: .i know you think secily cant choose to be good

MSHIRI: ..and a lot of times youre right

MSHIRI: ...but i dont think ive ever seen her so proud of someone before

MSHIRI: ....she really loved them even if they hated what she was

CINARE: Maybe you çan talk her into going baçk there when she’s done with this.

MSHIRI: .i think she would like that

She takes out another cigarette.

>How the data was stolen.

CINARE: I çan think of a çouple ways it çould happen, but there’s one that’s foolproof.

CINARE: Way baçk in the day, there was a baçk door into Çorporate’s data network that çould be aççessed through the GPS teçh they put in their trailers.

CINARE: There was some bad programming in the aççount indiçes that let anyone with a truçkers’ liçense make an admin aççount.

CINARE: Most folks who took advantage of it got rooted out pretty early beçause they thought it’d be funny to fuçk up the sçhedules with, like, bulge jokes and shit.

CINARE: And some others figured they çould çheat the system to assign themselves easy jobs.

CINARE: But I wouldn’t be surprised if some people still had aççess to it. No way Çorporate walks away from that big of a sçrewup without it çoming baçk to bite ‘em.

MSHIRI: .and this is useful data

MSHIRI: ..the kind worth paying for

CINARE: You wouldn’t believe the kinds of partiçulars you çould pull with those çredentials.

CINARE: Any truçk, any çargo, any time.

CINARE: Sestro çould take a shit and mail it and you’d know.

Gross.

MSHIRI: .can you think of anyone suspicious

MSHIRI: ..perhaps a client who seemed to be too informed

CINARE: Not off the top of my head. It’s been a while sinçe I’ve seen a lot of my regulars.

CINARE: Well, açtually... Wait, there is one person.

CINARE: Gods, what was her name?

She crosses her arms and stares off into the distance, trying to remember.

CINARE: Remind me about this when we get baçk to my shop. I might know of someone you çan look into.

She looks back to you.

CINARE: Was there anything else, or was that all you needed?

>How Cinare lost her job.

CINARE: You really want to know?

CINARE: I feel like it would just make you sad.

CINARE: Or it would just make me seem like an ass.

MSHIRI: .you dont have to tell me

MSHIRI: ..i just want to understand what youve been through

CINARE: Sure, sure…

CINARE: Okay, here goes.

CINARE: So when I was pretty young, I would spend a lot of time wandering at nights.

CINARE: I was trying to figure out how far I çould stretçh my survival ability, so I tried to stay awake for as long as possible.

CINARE: I would piçk a direçtion, then just walk for hours to kill time.

{{VE Quote|mshiri|MSHIRI: .because your survival ability lets you stay awake right}

CINARE: Right.

CINARE: Well, this one night I had walked farther than I had ever walked before. I was exçited, right? My little kid brain was like, ‘What if I find something no one’s ever seen before?’

CINARE: And I ended up walking all the way to the depths.

CINARE: There were these, like, mountains of garbage. Just massive piles of shit people threw away that had washed baçk up on shore.

CINARE: It smelled awful. Like you wouldn’t believe.

CINARE: But just before I turned to book it, I heard someone.

CINARE: I don’t know if you’ve ever heard what someone sounds like when they çan’t sçream anymore. Like after they’ve been yelling for hours.

CINARE: It was this like, rasping, heaving noise. Çrying and çhoking all at once.

CINARE: I followed it down the shore. And, there-

CINARE: *sniff*

CINARE: There was this guy down there. One of the mountains had shifted and he got his leg run through by this old metal wiring, so he was bleeding into the sand, and-

She takes a breath.

CINARE: There was this other guy just... watching him.

CINARE: Waiting for him to die.

CINARE: But the guy down there saw me, and he pointed at me and kept trying to yell.

CINARE: The other guy must’ve gotten freaked out or something, because when he saw me too he jumped up and started digging around in the guy’s çlothes.

CINARE: He just stole his money and ran away.

CINARE: And the guy kept on trying to sçream for me to help him, but I was so sçared...

CINARE: And I...

CINARE: I ran away too.

MSHIRI: .oh gods cinare

CINARE: I know. I know. I was so stupid. I didn’t know what to do.

CINARE: But as I kept getting older, I kept telling myself that I was never going to beçome that. I was never gonna be like that, you know?

CINARE: I was going to have money. And I was going to be important enough that someone would çome for me.

CINARE: So as soon as I was old enough, I applied to work at Çorporate.

CINARE: And I gave them everything. Sweeps of my life.

CINARE: They asked me to do some awful things to people. I didn’t even think twiçe about it.

CINARE: Beçause I was gonna be important enough that someone would çome.

CINARE: When I met you I had just gotten promoted to the big leagues.

CINARE: And it was so weird, beçause no one there was any better than the plaçes I’d been before. They were all just people.

CINARE: People who did horrible things. And I was one of them.

CINARE: But you weren’t horrible, Shiri. You helped people.

CINARE: I...

CINARE: One day they told me I was gonna have to çut çorporate assistançe to like, ‘low-priority individuals’, and I was like, what the hell does that even mean, ‘low-priority?’

CINARE: They just meant people like me. People they çould afford to replaçe.

CINARE: And I was going to do it. I had the phone in my hand.

CINARE: But I started thinking about that guy who just... watçhed.

CINARE: Watçhed someone die just to take his money...

CINARE: And I çouldn’t do it.

CINARE: I called my boss baçk and told him to stiçk it.

CINARE: But he just passed it on to someone else, and they çut it anyway.

CINARE: I swear I sçreamed for hours when I found out.

CINARE: I started thinking, like, why would anyone çome for me now?

CINARE: What have I done to deserve being saved?

CINARE: The only thing I çould think to do was to go to the Exeçutive about it.

CINARE: And... well.

CINARE: You know how that turned out.

You lean into her. She pulls you closer.

CINARE: You know, for a while I was worried you liked Seçily better than me beçause she wasn’t already fuçked.

CINARE: Like, that the differençe between me and her was that she was still fighting and I already gave up.

MSHIRI: .but you didnt give up

CINARE: No, you’re right. I know that now.

CINARE: It’s just hard for me to get out of that headspaçe.

CINARE: She’s so muçh like I was.

For a moment, the two of you are silent, but Cinare quickly shakes off her funk.

CINARE: Pheeeew! Alright, now that that’s over...

CINARE: Ask me something else. Gimme another one, Shiri.

[After asking all of the questions.]

CINARE: Oh, is that it?

MSHIRI: .well

MSHIRI: ..i did want to ask you one other thing

CINARE: Shoot.

You decide to ask...

If Cinare is serious about leaving.

CINARE: Yeah. I think I am.

CINARE: I mean, not without you of çourse, but I think it would be really good for me to get out of here.

MSHIRI: .and you wouldnt be worried about leaving everything behind

CINARE: Well, that’s just it: I don’t really have muçh left here. I çould find a bunçh of truçkers to work with anywhere.

CINARE: The only thing I’d want to stiçk around for is you.

You think about that for a moment. It’s strange, the more she talks about it the more you want to run away with her.

CINARE: Why do you ask?

CINARE: Were you thinking about çoming with me?

MSHIRI: ...

You want to say yes. Your heart tells you to say yes.

CINARE: I’m gonna try to talk you into it, ready?

CINARE: If it gets to be too muçh, just let me know and I’ll baçk off.

MSHIRI: ...

MSHIRI: .okay.

[Secily's POV]

EXECUTIVE: ☊ She would have died either way.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ If not then, then soon after.

SECILY: 26.Qc2 How can you say that? How can you know? ...cxd6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Let me help you understand something, Regulator Iopara.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ People die. Things happen. And it is our job to keep moving forward.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You think I have never been through withdrawal?

EXECUTIVE: ☊ You think I have never bonded in 144 sweeps?

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I still feel that pain. I have felt that... ache. Every day, for longer than you have been alive.

SECILY: 27.h4 Then you know what it means. ...Qg4

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I know what your mind tells you it is.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ We are vessels, regulator. We carry our pain, and it shapes us.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ We learn from it. Just as you should now.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Do you not see how she was holding you back? How much stronger you are now that you have something to fight for?

You feel like you are going to be sick.

SECILY: 28.Rxe3 I will never forgive you. Your actions have cost me everything. ...Bc6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Frankly, regulator, I was never asking for your forgiveness.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ I am asking you to look past the hate and realize that this is what you were made for.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ What we were made for.

SECILY: 29.Rxf8+ Respectfully, sir, if this is what I was made for I would have preferred to have never been made. ...Rxf8

SECILY: 30.Be4 I will be submitting my resignation. Find someone else. ...Qxh4

EXECUTIVE: ☊ What are you so afraid of, Iopara? That an old, dying man is going to tell you to do something you didn’t already want to do?

EXECUTIVE: ☊ That you are becoming a monster?

EXECUTIVE: ☊ How many have you killed, regulator? Where is the line between troll and abomination?

SECILY: 31.Bxc6 They found her in a barrel, sir. There was nothing left for me to bury. ...bxc6

EXECUTIVE: ☊ And I have shoveled piles of dead away to save what is left of this world.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Are you so weak that you refuse to steel your nerve over one woman?

SECILY: 32.Re4 ... ...Qh5

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This is how you survive the future, Iopara. This is the only way forward.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ If you leave now, you will destroy any shred of relevance Robiad has left.

You don’t know what to do.

You want to leave.

You want to get far, far away from this place.

But...

>Leave.

SECILY: 33.Qxc6 I have done so much harm, sir. I won't do any more. ...Qd1+

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This world needs you, Secily. You are the thin line that stands between order and chaos.

>Stay.

MSHIRI: .there are people who need me here

CINARE: There are people who need you out there, Shiri. People who don't have anyone else.

>Leave.

SECILY: 34.Kh2 With all due respect, sir, there are other regulators. Surely they can handle things. ...Qh5+

EXECUTIVE: ☊ But not with your touch. Not with the same artistry. You are the only one I trust to watch over them.

>Stay.

MSHIRI: .but secily needs me here

CINARE: That çan't be an exçuse. You çan't spend the rest of your life living for someone else.

>Leave.

SECILY: 35.Kg3 I... I only lived for her, sir. I cannot continue to serve the same institution that took so much from me. ...Qg5+

EXECUTIVE: ☊ Then build a new one, and find something to live for. Sestro will listen.

>...

CINARE: I love you, Mshiri. I know this is a hard deçision, but I'm going to be with you no matter what you deçide. I just want to see you happy.

EXECUTIVE: ☊ This may be your only chance to save what little is left, Regulator Iopara. The only thing holding you back from redemption is yourself.

>...

MSHIRI: .okay

MSHIRI: ..ill leave with you as soon as the case is over

>...

SECILY: 36.Rg4 Yes, sir. ...Qe3+

SECILY: 37.Kh2 I will stay, sir. ...Qh6+ ½-½

Someday soon, you will walk through the trees outside of here like she does.

You will visit the forests and the cities like your ancestors did, and no matter where you end up you know that that place will be better than here.

This cold won’t last forever, you're sure of it. There will come a time when the suns are pleasant things again.

So you bring her inside as she breaks down. Because you're here with her now.

Because you won't be here forever.

She tells you she needs you.

You tell her you know.

And when the phone rings, you already know who it is.

MSHIRI: .now might not be the best time cinare

CINARE: Shit, sorry, just one thing.

CINARE: Have you ever heard of a gal named Yeshin Laevis?

You don’t have the heart to tell her.

END