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By the time Ashley returned to the briefing room, she had shifted back to her mundane appearance, but although she had composed herself following her minor altercation with Mika, it was clear to see that her demeanor was considerably more somber than it had been when she’d departed for the interrogation room. Sitting down in a chair near the back of the room, the bespectacled young woman focused her gaze upon the floor, her bowed head displaying a visage of mournful contemplation.

[color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Could we have done more to save her?[/i][/color] she wondered. [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Could [b]I[/b] have done more…?[/i][/color]

Over and over, she forced herself to replay the horrific scene in her mind, the desperate battle on the rooftop amidst a torrent of hail, frogs, insects, and blood. The last moments of Agent Breacher’s, of [i]Su Fang’s[/i] life. Yet despite all her efforts, she couldn’t find a course of action that would have prevented her comrade’s brutal fate. Things had just happened so fast, their foes had been several orders of magnitude above them in power. Indeed, it had been a minor miracle that no one [i]else[/i] had perished, that they had ultimately [i]won…[/i]

[color=MediumSpringGreen][i]This isn’t like a cartoon show…[/i][/color] she reflected bitterly. [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Sometimes you can’t save everyone…[/i][/color] Taking a deep breath, she refocused her gaze on the brooding Mika, the sight of the girl’s own anger filling the Knight of Tomorrow with renewed resolve. [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]But I can sure as hell [b]try[/b]…[/i][/color]

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[center][color=DarkMagenta]I SURE AM glad [@Izurich] isn't around to possibly click on this hider, since it's my professional opinion that if he read what follows, it'd have a SIGNIFICANT chance of causing his brain to [i]literally explode.[/i] So, yeah, he totally dodged a bullet.[/color]
[color=888888]-???[/color][/center]


If we were to peer into a secluded corner of a certain reality plenum, if we were to look deep within the hidden depths of a fold in the dimensional fabric, we would find a particularly intriguing pocket universe. Although its creator simply calls it The Lab, it is much more than that. Much, [i]much[/i] more… There is the expected profusion of super-scientific paraphernalia, of course, but instead of occupying a small room, or even a vast chamber, it sprawls across an entire continent, a vast, mind-boggling landscape of technorganic apparatuses, a bizarre fusion of mega city and gargantuan living organism. If we were to examine its technomantic, technorganic topography in even greater detail, we might find towering techno spires reaching to the very heavens, their ever-watchful oracular nodes crowned with menacing quantum quills, from which spew forth crackling arcs of actinic lightning. Perhaps we would observe a plethora of power accumulators of the most esoteric types as they whirred and spun, glowed, gurgled, and hummed, their multicolored rhylythian reactor spheres, poly-phasic power cores, and cross-continuua containment pods drawing forth the starkly inconceivable energies of hypercane swarms, quantum singularities, and the birth pangs of several newborn universes, all in the effort to fuel the creation of inventions too impossible to describe. 

Yet, if we wished to make an admittedly feeble attempt, we might perhaps mention the rank upon rank of pulsating cybermantic techno wombs, an artificial mountain range rivaling the Himalayas in size, and within, a legion of biomechanical titans waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting multiverse as they gestate in bubbling amniotic fluid. Or perhaps we might direct our gaze even higher, and consider the tens of thousands of transdimensional warships, the myriad hypernoughts, meganoughts, gigganoughts and omninoughts that rest in a labyrinthian latticework of repair cradles set against a yellowy-green nebulosity, even as a swarm of moon-sized, arachnoidal caretaker drones weave technorunic defensive matrices of cosmic string, and ensure that each vessel’s infinite polycyclic neutrino particle cannons and hyper aetheric transposition fields are fully charged, in anticipation of the grand day upon which their creator will make her triumphant return to the omniversal stage. 

Perhaps we could ruminate upon the monolithic mobile fortresses guided by soultech AIs, and capable of unleashing multiple megatons of destructive power every second, or the tri-plenumic perpetual motion machines, polyphasic transdimensional techno-wraiths, technomystic teleporters, tetra-tachyonic time machines, hyper-quantum infinity colliders, vita-voltaic resurrection wells, poly-harmonic trans-planar psionic pulse conductor choirs, technorganic mezomorphazoids, technomantic cybermagimechanical dragon-chimera bioweapon beasts, and the staggering variety of death rays too numerous to count. And of course, we could always consider the obligatory galaxy-shattering doomsday devices and seemingly endless vat clusters, within which Apex Pageless, S-Class Voids, Mega Miseria, and genetically enhanced cyborg dinosaurs hang suspended in glowing ectoenchantech fluid.

However, since knowledge of all the aforementioned wonders and horrors of super-scientific supremacy would utterly and irreparably shatter a certain individual’s oh-so-fragile sense of calm, we shall refrain from doing so. Instead, we shall focus our attention upon the Wise Scientist, the creator and master of this stupendous realm, as she and a very lucky guest observe the recent happenings in Pax Septimus and provide their most insightful and enlightening thoughts on said matters…

[color=DarkMagenta]“Nyahahahaha! What a fucking dumbass!”[/color] the Wise Scientist cackled as she watched the results of Kira’s diplomacy attempt play out in gruesome detail upon a panoramic holodisplay. [color=DarkMagenta]“I mean, trying to parlay over common experiences is one thing,”[/color] she conceded. [color=DarkMagenta]“But leaving yourself completely open to attack in the admittedly likely event things don’t work out? That’s right up there with what’s-her-tits trying to use [i]logic[/i] and [i]common sense[/i] on someone as inherently irrational as MDP! Seriously, did [i]you[/i] see that turning out any different?”[/color] she asked her guest.

[Color=8c5673]"Hmm..."[/color] Jennifer focused her attention on the holodisplay, furrowing her brows in thought. The whole operation was a right mess itself with none of the players having proper coordination, and even when [i]he[/i] hurried over to help. That being said: [Color=8c5673]"Nah, she's a lost cause no matter what. Soon as they secure the truck she's gonna delete Shimr and skip town as quick as possible."[/color] Jen explained. [Color=8c5673]"First job in Pax and she runs with her tail between her legs ‘cause her [i]Esper[/i] form lost her arm? Compared to the shit the other all-stars endure? Girl's performative, [i]and I don't mean it as wordplay[/i]."[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Yeah, she definitely seems like a drama queen,”[/color] the Wise Scientist agreed. [color=DarkMagenta]“But then, what [i]other[/i] kinda of person would voluntarily choose to become a street performer? Anyways, I can’t really fault someone for noping out of a total shithole like Pax Septimus,”[/color] she continued. [color=DarkMagenta]“It shows they’ve still got a least [i]some[/i] braincells left. Your pet masochist on the other hand…”[/color]

By this point, Oros had revealed herself and begun charging towards Finn, while ranting about how [i]this[/i] time, she’d kill him [i]for real[/i].

[color=DarkMagenta]“Oh wow, the Aigorost-worshiping cultist who looked vaguely like Oros actually [i]was[/i] Oros,”[/color] the Wise Scientist deadpanned. [color=DarkMagenta]“What an unexpected plot twist. Though she’s really starting to sound like a broken record with all this ‘I’ll kill you for hurting Betty!’ crap,”[/color] she noted. [color=DarkMagenta]“Pretty ironic, too, all things considered.”[/color]

[color=8c5673]"At least he knows he can't beat her. [i]Buuuut....[/i]"[/color] The Exodus trailed off.

[color=DarkMagenta]“That knowledge ain’t gonna help him if he keeps putting himself in these kinda situations,”[/color] the Wise Scientist finished, even as she watched a feeble attempt to save the boy fail miserably. [color=DarkMagenta]“And now he’s missing more body parts,”[/color] she noted dispassionately as Finn’s legs were unceremoniously sliced off.

[color=8c5673]"He'll be fine."[/color] Barring the extra trauma he'd gain from THAT. [color=8c5673]"His [i]luck[/i] is another story. He has well intentions, but the way things go isn't exactly in his favor, is it?"[/color] Jen explained. It never was. The kid had the worst luck... [color=8c5673]"But he still keeps goin'."[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Which is a significant improvement over the OTHER one,”[/color] the Wise Scientist observed. [color=DarkMagenta]“And speaking of [i]others[/i], I gotta say, Miss ‘I’m So Obsessed With Money I’d Eat My Own Shit For A Shiny Object’ was probably the [i]last[/i] person I expected to have knowledge of the multiverse,”[/color] she added, pointing to Himiko as the gold-clad esper boldly approached and began chatting with Oros. [color=DarkMagenta]“It doesn’t really change anything, of course,”[/color] she clarified. [color=DarkMagenta]“‘Oros the Greedy’s’ still nothing more than a cheap knock-off at best, and I won’t be legitimizing that title by adding her to my little collection, either.”[/color]

Jen shrugged. [color=8c5673]"Perhaps Aigorost has a fan."[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Speaking of insane fans, what the hell was up with that palemancer nutjob? I mean, how desperate and/or delusional do you have to be to pin all your feeble hopes on the most cowardly and pathetic dragon in the multiversal cluster?”[/color]


[color=8c5673]"Something something [i]golden dragons representing fortune and power in culture?[/i] I dunno, I think it was just a fake out. Or people are just weird."[/color] She shook her head. [color=8c5673]"Soooo, how's the other shithole goin'? Still going at a snail's pace?"[/color]


[color=DarkMagenta]“How’d you guess?”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied with a wry smirk. [color=DarkMagenta]“They’re preparing to launch a preemptive strike on storybook land, but you know how indecisive they all are when it comes to committing to a major course of action. I mean, just look at everyone’s favorite failure. Even after setting [i]everything[/i] up for him, even after [i]all[/i] the gifts I bestowed upon his unworthy, angsty ass, he [i]still[/i] ultimately runs away like a pathetic little pussy! With [i]your[/i] help, I might add,”[/color] she clarified, while casting an annoyed glare at her guest. [color=DarkMagenta]“I just hope you’ll be a [i]bit[/i] less of an enabler to [i]this[/i] one when [i]his[/i] pitiful little mind inevitably snaps like a fucking twig,”[/color] she added, gesturing to where Finn was looking about a gothic-themed room like the confused child he was.


[color=8c5673]"Still hung up on that, huh...?"[/color] Jen slowly looked back at her host as she ranted on. [color=8c5673]"If it helps, I still have his data set aside so you can just, like, refund everything for the next one or yourself. But you know, things [i]change[/i], stuff comes up, and suddenly you're disposing a few corpses under the pretense of mercy cause they've been rendered [i]defectives[/i]."[/color] She lightly tapped a familiar scythe she had been holding against her shoulder. [color=8c5673]"Sucks I had to take [i]that[/i] Oliver down with, but what can ya' do? There's more than plenty of the two of them you can torment to your heart's content."[/color]


After a moment, Jen added: [color=8c5673]"Well except for [i]one[/i] branch."[/color] Her brows rose.


[color=DarkMagenta]“Oh, I don’t care about tormenting them,”[/color] the Wise Scientist corrected with a dismissive wave of her hand. [color=DarkMagenta]“I’m completely [i]done[/i] with them. I [i]hate[/i] wasting time on ultimately pointless endeavors,”[/color] she went on. [color=DarkMagenta]“Thankfully, my little Ashley has yet to disappoint me,”[/color] she added with a pleased grin.


[color=8c5673][sub][i]All things being considered, that's probably a good thing.[/i][/sub][/color] Jennifer mentally sighed in relief. [color=8c5673][sub][i]Don't wanna draw anyone's ire to [b]this[/b] side of the multiverse, the people behind Project Bronze OR otherwise. Especially not [b]that one.[/b][/i][/sub][/color] Even if the result [i]would[/i] be entertaining to watch, [i]that[/i] side quickly turned wary of her soon as they noticed something amiss about her presence. If they knew the full extent of it all? 


It wouldn't end well.


[color=8c5673]"What's your end goal with her, anyways? Forgot whether or not you've elaborated on it."[/color]


[color=DarkMagenta]“Well, I was initially going to use her to exact my revenge on a certain butterfly-loving smug bitch, but now I just want to see how strong she can get,”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied. [color=DarkMagenta]“The Vessel’s very [i]existence[/i] is so insanely improbable that it pretty much [i]begs[/i] to be studied in the greatest possible detail, and out of all the potential bearers I could have gifted it to, [i]she[/i] was the best candidate by far,”[/color] she explained. [color=DarkMagenta]“If [i]anyone’s[/i] going to make the most out of its staggeringly vast potential, it’s [i]her.[/i] In fact, she’s been doing so well recently, I think it might be time to unlock another facet of The Vessel’s abilities for her…”[/color]




[color=8c5673]”Cool, cool.”[/color] Jen nodded along. Ashley and Esper Finn were due to get their gold upgrades soon, finally. Hopefully a new weapon will help the latter fight better than he did with a [i]fencing[/i] rapier. [color=8c5673]”You sure we won’t cause a paradox by watching these guys? I mean it’d probably be worse if we were there in person, but still, the boss might notice us prying.”[/color] She asked, pointing up when she mentioned the Grand Magistrate of Pax Septimus.

[color=DarkMagenta]“Y’know, that’s a [i]very[/i] good point,”[/color] the Wise Scientist conceded. [color=DarkMagenta]“This particular reality plenum has all sorts of markers that all seem to indicate its relationship to the wider multiverse isn’t nearly as cut and dried as it might initially appear.”[/color] An instant later, a tray piled high with food materialized atop the Wise Scientist’s hovering command throne, while a glass filled to the brim with a glowing, yellowy green beverage appeared in a cup holder on one of the armrests. [color=DarkMagenta]“Want something to eat?”[/color] she asked her guest, before digging into her meal. [color=DarkMagenta]“I conducted a little [i]field test[/i] just before you arrived, and that always works up quite the appetite. Plus, this stuff’ll serve as a nice visual aid.”[/color]

The Exodus shrugged. [color=8c5673]”Hadn’t had lunch yet, what’cha got?”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Anything and everything,”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied. [color=DarkMagenta]“Just say what you want, and it’ll be created for you, utensils and all.”[/color]

[color=8c5673]”Theeeeeeeeen… Fuck it, ya’ got any Chinese food? Takeout? This one place I used to go to had some good chicken.”[/color]

No sooner had Jen finished speaking, then a large tray, full of Chinese takeout packs materialized in front of her.

[color=DarkMagenta]“Now, back to what I was saying,”[/color] the Wise Scientist continued as she grabbed a rectangular slice of something that might have been a Sicilian pizza (if Sicilian pizza was covered in french fries, macaroni noodles, and strips of bacon), dipped it into a large bowl of gravy, and took a massive bite. [color=DarkMagenta]“The first major problem is all the temporal issues. I mean, take Mika.”[/color] At this, she used her free hand to retrieve a small piece of cheesy bread from a tray piled high with them, and placed it in front of her. [color=DarkMagenta]“At first, I thought she was the same iteration as the one from the reality plenum [i]this[/i] one ‘spun off’ from, since she said as much when she went through that portal at the beach,”[/color] at this, she moved the cheesy bread to a plate full of massive baked potatoes with copious amounts of butter, gravy, sour cream, cheese, noodles, and bacon bits piled atop them, tapping its short end on the tray to simulate it “walking” over to the new “universe”, before swiftly bringing it back to the original cheesy bread plate. [color=DarkMagenta]“But [i]then[/i] she shows up again in fucking [i]Ethiopia,[/i] of all places. Is that one an alternate? A copy? A future version of [i]this[/i] Mika who went [i]back[/i] for whatever fucking reason? Something even [i]more[/i] convoluted?! Then there’s the edgier iteration of our favorite failure,”[/color] she continued, taking hold of another piece of cheesy bread with considerably more force. [color=DarkMagenta]“Y’know, the one who does nothing but brood, whine, and stare moodily into the middle distance with his one good eye, because the other one is all bandaged up like some total fucking chuuni?”[/color] she asked, the nail of one finger elongating into a fiendishly sharp talon, which she promptly plunged into the unfortunate visual aid, gouging out a hole near the top of the cheesy bread’s “head”. Then, a set of five injectors materialized next to “The Failure”, filled with cheese, gravy, sour cream, butter, and chocolate, respectively. One by one, the Wise Scientist took each injector and stabbed it into her helpless victim, filling it to bursting with their contents. [color=DarkMagenta]“The one I gave SO. MANY. FUCKING. UPGRADES. TO. Only for him to nope out of all our grand plans like a TOTAL FUCKING [i]PUSSY!!![/i]”[/color] 


By this point, the previously scrawny piece of cheesy bread had nearly quadrupled in size, its horrifically bloated form barely holding together, even as cheese, sour cream, chocolate, butter, and gravy had begun leaking out of its nearly ruptured sides. Thus it almost seemed like an act of cruel mercy when, at the height of her enraged rant, the Wise Scientist flung the hapless visual aid to the far side of the chamber, where it smashed against a glowing power tube with a wet splat, its engorged form detonating like an overinflated balloon. 


For several seconds, the Wise Scientist glared at the cheesy bread’s messy remains, before returning her attention to her guest. [color=DarkMagenta]“Where was I? Ah, yes, the two failures (I know there are more, but for now only these two matter).”[/color] With the snap of her finger, a localized chronological reversal took place, rewinding the unfortunate piece of cheesy bread’s personal timeline to the point just before it was “injected”. Then, placing it between her spread thumb and forefinger, she pulled away a perfect duplicate to rest beside it, although it wouldn’t remain perfect for long. Compressing her fingers, she shrank the copy until it was about half the size of the original, before hovering her thumb over its gouged out “eye” and restoring it to its former state. [color=DarkMagenta]“Anyway, the simple explanation is that this [i]substantially[/i] less annoying version is just a separate iteration, but there’s still the possibility that some insanely powerful being, or beings, managed to snatch the [i]other[/i] one away, right before you could mercy kill his worthless ass, and turned him into [i]this[/i] one.”[/color] As she spoke, the Wise Scientist applied the same procedure to the first piece of cheesy bread, until it appeared identical to the copy. [color=DarkMagenta]“Or maybe they just made a perfect copy of him and used [i]that[/i] instead. Regardless, I’m sure you’ve discovered that there’s more than the standard metaphysical link between the two of them, right?”[/color]

It took a bit for Jennifer to follow the…[i]colorful[/i] explanation, up to where the host brought up the implications from her recent findings. She perked up in response. [color=8c5673]”There [i]is[/i] more. [i]A lot more.[/i] Even I lost count of how many branches there are, and that includes [i]dead[/i] plenums and ones [i]yet[/i] to form. The kid’s an anomaly in himself!”[/color] She explained. [color=8c5673]”Still don’t know exactly why though! There [i]are[/i] theories, including yours about them all being the same one in different points in time via reincarnation or whatever, maybe that whoever or whatever’s behind the puppet’s strings so to speak was personally close to him in the past, maybe he’s some sort of [i]horrorspawn[/i] or something or-”[/color] Jen cut herself off with a shake of her head. [color=8c5673]”Basically what I’m saying is, [i][b]there’s a lot.[/b][/i]”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“You can say that again,”[/color] the Wise Scientist agreed, finishing the remainder of her pizza slice, before taking a few gulps of her glowing drink, which instantly refilled itself. [color=DarkMagenta]“But even [i]he’s[/i] got nothing on Oros,”[/color] she added, grabbing a “normal” slice of pizza topped with Oreos and chocolate icing. [color=DarkMagenta]“There's obviously a multitude of variants, but this one’s ostensibly the same iteration as the one that appeared in the [i]other[/i] universe and then left because she’s a fucking coward who can’t handle a little adversity. To her credit, though, she [i]did[/i] come back a few times, culminating in the one-eyed reject ‘killing her’ in a fucking grocery store,”[/color] she continued, an extra set of limbs forming to provide air quotes, while her original pair began twisting the Oreo pizza as if she were wringing a wet towel, before ultimately tearing it apart, the Oreos having long-since crumbled into grainy bits. [color=DarkMagenta]“Now, the simple explanation here is that she just faked her death, or instantly resurrected herself, but there’s also another possibility,”[/color] she noted, swarms of shimmering nanites cleaning her hands even as the damage inflicted on the Oreo pizza completely reversed itself. [color=DarkMagenta]“The Oros that died could have been a future version of the one that’s currently making the population of Pax Septimus hate their lives, or maybe [i]this[/i] Oros is a future version of [i]that[/i] one,”[/color] she went on, before shoving the Oreo pizza into the mouth of a small tentacled creature that emerged from a just-opened portal on the far side of her food tray. [color=DarkMagenta]“Regardless, [i]any[/i] Oros is guaranteed to be an S-rank shit magnet, so the fact that [i]this[/i] one has made Pax Septimus her own personal playground means all the idiots living there are in for some [i]very[/i] interesting times.”[/color] As she spoke, several additional portals opened, disgorging several more bizarre creatures, which all began tearing the first apart in an effort to get at the Oreo pizza.

Jen hummed in agreement. [color=8c5673]”That or, if Kate’s recent adventure is anything to go off of, Oros of Pax Septimus and Oros of Penrose are separate entities, albeit related in name only.”[/color] The case of Luana Roycroft was something to note. [color=8c5673]”So while one let herself die, another can easily take her place so to speak.”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“That’s certainly a possibility,”[/color] the Wise Scientist agreed, even as a portal opened beneath the newly-arrived creatures to facilitate their equally swift departure. [color=DarkMagenta]“Although both seem to have the same metaphysical trans-plenumic signature, so if they [i]are[/i] alternates, they’re virtually identical ones. As for the ‘others’, I’m glad you’ve been enjoying following along with Kate’s little quest as much as I have. The place I’m thinking of sending her next is particularly interesting. It’s a universe in constant flux, completely bereft of a stable rules framework, making it pretty much the utter antithesis of Esper World. Needless to say, such a place is literally overflowing with possibility particles, so naturally I’ve set up a series of techno-arcane quantum syphons and poly-phasic power accumulators to harness them for my [i]own[/i] purposes,”[/color] she added with a maniacal grin.

[color=8c5673]”Oh really? What’s it called?”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“The World With No Name,”[/color] The Wise Scientist deadpanned. [color=DarkMagenta]“And no, I’m not making that up. But on the subject of universal peculiarities, the last point of note regarding the oddness of Esper World is the very makeup of the reality plenum itself. On a trans-plenumic level, it’s uniquely detached from the surrounding multiversal cluster.”[/color] In an effort to illustrate this, she took a slice of the overloaded Sicilian pizza and placed it in the space between three of the piled-up food plates. [color=DarkMagenta]“That said, it still has a rather strong link to our favorite magical girl-centric shithole. Obviously, there are a lot of possible reasons for this, but I think the most interesting possibility is that Esper World IS that universe (or a copy/alternate that’s such a perfect replica as to be utterly indistinguishable), only an indeterminate time in its future and altered to a state that’s [i]almost[/i] beyond recognition.”[/color] As she spoke, a spray can of cheese whiz materialized in her hand amidst a swirling of yellowy-green techno-mystic energy, which was promptly employed to inundate the pizza slice in multiple layers of thick, goopy cheese. [color=DarkMagenta]“Y’know, someone’s idea of an ‘upgrade’ to improve all the myriad fucked up bits, just like how I improved this slice of pizza here with all this extra cheesy goodness,”[/color] she explained, before taking a large bite out of her bizarre culinary creation. [color=DarkMagenta]“It has a completely different facade,”[/color] she went on after gulping down her first mouthful. [color=DarkMagenta]“But there are still some vaguely familiar landmarks, like the contours of these noodles and bacon strips,”[/color] she noted, pointing to the cheese-coated items in question. [color=DarkMagenta]“Of course, it could also be someone’s dream (or nightmare), and if that [i]does[/i] turn out to be the case, I can think of two [i]very[/i] likely candidates. Speaking of,”[/color] she added, pointing to the scene playing out on the panoramic holodisplay. [color=DarkMagenta]“I gotta say, I was almost certain Esper Amanda was The Pounder, but instead, she’s some slutty vampire goth chick.”[/color]

The Exodus turned her focus back on the scene. [color=8c5673]”Makes sense she’d appear in a dream. But I get why you’d think it’d be Pounder. Parallels and all that, connection to MDP being carried on to other iterations. Not always guaranteed.”[/color] Jen furrowed her brows. [color=8c5673]”That’d have to be a pretty strong dream if your theory’s right. Like, [i]cosmic horrors[/i] level of dreams. Who would ever have that kind of power…?”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Uh, [i]cosmic horrors?[/i] Things beyond even them? There’s really no upper limit when it comes to power levels,”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied as she took another bite of her meal. [color=DarkMagenta]“But since we’re on the subject, [i]mine’s[/i] certainly high enough to break through pretty much any barrier that might feebly attempt to inhibit my passage. You of all people should be familiar enough with chronological manipulation and paradox circumvention,”[/color] she continued after taking a few sips of her drink. [color=DarkMagenta]“In this case, just a simple Contrivance Engine was all I really needed to break through Esper World’s plenumic barrier and do some sight seeing, although that’s about all I plan on doing, as I’d like to take a hands-off approach when it comes to this particular experiment I’ve got going on here.”[/color] At this point, the image on the screen shifted to Ashley overseeing the conclusion of the casino operation. [color=DarkMagenta]“She’s certainly progressing rather nicely, wouldn’t you say? Aside from that minor breakdown she had a while back, I think she’s shown some excellent improvement. Yes, I think she really [i]was[/i] the perfect choice to serve as The Vessel’s bearer, as well as the instrument via which I can explore this universe’s myriad intriguing peculiarities in greater detail,”[/color] the Wise Scientist observed with a satisfied nod, as she grabbed the two cheesy bread Finns and chomped both of their “heads” off.

[color=8c5673][i]Ooookay, don’t elaborate then.[/i][/color]
Jen silently furrowed her brows at the execution of the faux Finnegans. Then went back to eating her own [s]less heart attack inducing[/s] food. [color=8c5673]”So what are you gonna do until then? Keep trying to salvage Penrose?”[/color] She asked.

[color=DarkMagenta]“Why would I give a fuck about what happens to [i]that[/i] shithole?”[/color] the Wise Scientist asked, her voice filled with incredulity as she grabbed another massive pizza slice. [color=DarkMagenta]“Aside from preparing some entertaining surprises for the big ‘final battle’, I’m basically [i]done[/i] with those idiots, although it looks like the same can’t be said for a certain smug bitch,”[/color] she added as the scene on the holodisplay shifted to Finn conversing with Dr. Webber. [color=DarkMagenta]“Talk about stubbornly clinging to an idea… And people call [i]you[/i] pathetic,”[/color] she noted, glancing over to her guest. 

Jen narrowed her eyes at Sharr. [color=8c5673]”Thank fuck I got a copy of that little creation of her’s before this. And hopefully if he’s lucky enough, [i]he’ll[/i] never need to resort to that.”[/color] She frowned at the thought. [color=8c5673]”Ifrit was one thing, but Fable’s still just a kid.”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Yeah, and [i]far[/i] less taxing to observe,”[/color] the Wise Scientist agreed. [color=DarkMagenta]“Hopefully [i]he[/i] won’t snap like a twig before he can achieve his full potential. Honestly, though, I’m surprised Parr’s little visit had such a big impact on him. Needless to say, I’m VERY interested in following his journey to full mastery of interdimensional travel.”[/color]

[color=8c5673]”He will. Even if they don’t think his ideas have any weight, he’ll find a way soon enough.”[/color] 

[i]If the others are anything to go by.[/i]

[color=8c5673]”You got any drinks? Need to wash this down somehow.”[/color]


[color=DarkMagenta]“Of course,”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied, taking a swig of her own instantly-refilling beverage. [color=DarkMagenta]“Just think of something and the nanoscopic energy to matter replicators’ll make it for ya. But back to Time Boy, you’re not thinking of lending a helping hand are you?”[/color] she inquired with a knowing smirk.


At her instructions, the Exodus formed a bottle of cola in her hand. [color=8c5673]”Nah.”[/color] She cracked open the cap and took a swing as if it was whiskey. [color=8c5673]”Oros and Aria are enough for that place, I think it’d explode if I stepped in. Barring that, I fear my interventions will have to be a [i]bit[/i] more limited. Timekeeper’s off limits.”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Good choice,”[/color] the Wise Scientist commended with a nod. [color=DarkMagenta]“Why do you think I just stick to passive observations and the rare pep talk? Hmm… Let’s fast forward a bit,”[/color] she suggested, even as the display sped past Finn’s bookshop meeting with a certain bespectacled bookworm, Ashley and Not Vampire Justin’s admittedly anticlimactic goblin cleanup, and Mika’s encounter with Himiko, before stopping at Ashley’s hallway conversation with Olivia. [color=DarkMagenta]“Now [i]here’s[/i] someone who never ceases to be entertaining to watch,”[/color] the Wise Scientist noted, pointing at the shorter and considerably more verbose of the two bespectacled girls. [color=DarkMagenta]“I can’t say for sure exactly [i]why[/i] Wisdom decided to send her to Pax, but if she’s hoping to break her innocent little mind with all of this plenum’s assorted fuckery, then she’s in for some [i]major[/i] disappointment. Olivia might seem like nothing more than a harmless moe blob at first glance, but she’s a LOT stronger than she looks, and that’s before even getting into the fact that she’s completely batshit…”[/color]

[color=8c5673]”She still has that horror with her, yeah? That’s gonna be hard to explain without her looking like another cog in the current cult craze.”[/color] Jennifer looked back at the host, her brows raised. 

[color=DarkMagenta]“Only if he actually makes an appearance in the Grand Magistrate’s Incident Chronicle,”[/color] the Wise Scientist clarified, holding up a cheese-covered finger for emphasis. [color=DarkMagenta]“And he’s also officially classified as a behemoth, so it’s not [i]quite[/i] as OP as you might think.”[/color]

[color=8c5673]”Aren’t behemoths named after music?”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Only ones G.E.M.I.N.I. learns of and assigns codenames to,”[/color] the Wise Scientist replied. [color=DarkMagenta]“And I think it’d be more accurate to say he’s only [i]equivalent[/i] to a behemoth, as opposed to an actual behemoth as this universe defines them.”[/color]

[color=8c5673]”Oh. Fair enough.”[/color]

[color=DarkMagenta]“Back to Olivia, though, I guess it shouldn’t be all that surprising she somehow got Finn of all people to be her tour guide,”[/color] The Wise Scientist quipped.

[color=8c5673]”Eh, not really. Besides his interest in the multiverse, he’s still personally researching everything esper-related, and that still includes the monsters they face. So [i]he[/i] gets an excuse for further research and [i]she[/i] gets to see supernatural phenomena up close.”[/color] The Exodus surmised with a shrug.

[color=DarkMagenta]“I suppose when you put it that way it makes sense,”[/color] the Wise Scientist conceded. [color=DarkMagenta]“But what’s [i]this?[/i]”[/color] she inquired as Finn was shown tentatively interacting with the now-cured Betty. [color=DarkMagenta]“Are the two of them actually becoming an item?!”[/color]

Jen grinned once the scientist pointed out Betty asking Finn out, even if it was just to see if they were compatible, it was nice to see the two finally making proper amends. [color=8c5673]”Awww, he’s red in the face! Hopefully they’ll hit it off when they’re free for their date. …[i]Or that the demon won’t make him accidentally fuck it up somehow.[/i]”[/color] Another swig of her drink.

[color=DarkMagenta]“Yeah, his little ‘demon problem’ is quite the intriguing turn of events, to be sure,”[/color] the Wise Scientist agreed. [color=DarkMagenta]“But then, so is Rule 63 Rachel’s recent interest in ‘Totally Not Crystal, Honest!’,”[/color] she added with a wry smirk. [color=DarkMagenta]“Yes, things are really starting to heat up in Esper World, and I can’t [i]wait[/i] to see what happens next…”[/color][/hider]