Twenty-Four Hours Remain
Maybe the Guy isn't Dead?
[Level 11]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
He was standing in an elevator. It wasn’t very big. He could touch the opposing walls just by raising his arms. Not that he would want to. The metal walls were brown with rust, and the sole fluorescent light couldn’t illuminate the floor. It flickered, sometimes cutting out entirely. There was no console for selecting what floor to go to. But there was a dot matrix display above the steel doors. It was hard to tell if he was going up or down, but the low hum of a tired motor was moving.
Then there was another sound. Bones breaking and tearing through flesh was not unknown to Finn. Blood ran out of the dot matrix display and trickled onto the door. The trickle would turn into a stream with time, and the door was painted red. It was impossible to tell if the blood pooled in the shadows or was draining out the bottom of the elevator. Something for his foot to discover later.
The light cut out. The motor followed suit. Finn was trapped in a dark metal coffin. But in that darkness Finn could read the dot matrix display. “PATR” lit up overhead. The elevator bell chimed, the lights came on full bore, and the doors slid open. By this point the blood had coagulated and was ripped apart by the opening door. The flakes of blood fell like flower pedals, and Finn’s unadjusted eyes could only see darkness ahead. But what could he do but walk into it?
Eventually the glow of the elevator disappeared behind him. He wandered in darkness, but everything had a faint glow. Bloodvessels carried bioluminescent blood along the walls, floors, and ceiling. The blood was red, but started to turn other colors the deeper in Finn walked. Soon faint yellows, blues, and other hues were present. But it was still so hard to see.
How did he get here? How long had it been? Where
was here? Did any of the others know where he was? His questions wouldn't be answered if he didn't keep moving.
Despite whatever dread he felt, he strangely didn't react to what happened in the elevator, nor the bioluminecence of the labyrinth beyond. He just had to find a way out. Finn attempted to use a bit of his magic to improve his sight in the dark.
Finn enchanted his eyes. Owls have some of the best eyesight in the animal kingdom thanks to their long, tube like eyes that catch more light. While they can’t move their eyes because of this, they compensate by having a flexible neck. Not that Finn would need it. While it was still dark, he could see that the walls were indeed made of metal with living tissue growing over them. It also explained why the ground was soft and unstable.
The tunnel of metal and flesh ended up ahead. It opened into a clearing filled with stars. Finn only needed to walk forward to approach it. But there would be an interruption.
"Finn?” Mac’s voice came through his magicoms.
"Are you alive?”"Mac?" His eyes "widened".
"Y-Yeah, but I don't know where I am. Is everyone okay??" He asked her.
"Just… Just keep moving, you’re almost out.” Forward he went. The blood vessels gave way to a hard metal floor. When he got to the mouth of the cave, he could see the stars were on the other side of a portal. The exit was in sight.
As soon as he stepped through, he fell onto a beach.
"Finn!” Mac ran up to the magical boy and helped him to his feet. Even though Finn felt more or less fine, he likely how distressed Mac looked. With time, he was able to survey the rest of his surroundings. It was hard to see much, but his eyes were able to pick out the cliff side to their backs along with the portal he had just come out of. In addition to this, Aria and P.T. were present. They stepped around a giant metal contraption and approached Finn.
”For real, my guy?” P.T. pulled open one of Finn’s hands and examined an empty vial. This was when Finn noticed that he had a vial holder strapped across his chest and all but a few pouches were empty.
”You’re gunna, like, be trippin’ balls, maaaaaaaaan. That’s like, at least, eleven levels, of irony.””He’ll live.” Aria said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
”Let me have a look at that box.” Sure enough, Finn did have a box in his other hand. He hadn’t even been aware he was carrying it until just a moment ago. But it was chained to his arm so it must have been important. Aria clapped her hands, and the cuffs transformed into a butterfly that hovered over her shoulder. She then helped herself to the box and opened it up. The smile on her face grew just a bit wider.
”Congratulations Finn.” She closed the box.
”You’ve made us far more powerful than you could possibly imagine. I’ll get to work on your reward immediately.” "W-Wait," The visibly confused boy pinched the bridge of his nose for a second.
"What's going on? The hell's with the box?? What do you mean by 'make us far more powerful' and please tell me whatever was in that vial wasn't poisonous...?" He was slowly getting more anxious. Christ, why did he feel so vulnerable?
Mac turned to Finn. There was still quite a bit of exhaustion and pain in her face.
"You don’t remember anything? I mean, it makes sense…””Eleven levels, of irony, is no joke.” P.T. nodded.
”This is going to be a long conversation, isn’t it? How bothersome.” Aria plucked the glass vial out of Finn’s hand.
”You were in the domain of a very nasty horror. The only reason why you were able to retain your sanity was because of a steady supply of ‘Irony’ as P.T. calls it. It shields your mind from mental interference, even when entering a horror’s domain directly. The drawback, or perhaps a benefit in this case, is that it causes temporary amnesia.” With a groan, Aria folded her arms.
”Now you’re going to ask me why you recovered a box for me, what's in the box, Why Rupee was disguised as a chain on your arm, Why Mac seems exhausted- Oh, you can probably recover your power now, right?” Mac pointed her monkey paw at Finn and they started to glow a blue and green aura. The light from those auras traded places before soaking into their new owner. Some of his strength left him. But that strength was never his. All of his parameters had been enhanced because he had been borrowing Mac’s might.
”If you want to know what happened, and I’m not sure you do, P.T. has some clarity incense that should restore your memories.”Finn couldn't help shooting Aria a tired, unamused look, but he also couldn't help feeling guilty for Mac's condition.
"Right. If it saves you the trouble of an explanation..." He looked over to P.T., taking off the vial holder and holding it out to her.
"Might as well give this back while I'm at it."”Thanks, my guy.” P.T.'s corner of the "camp" was a series of chairs set around a giant bong. Only the bong had several small holes at its base and middle level with a giant hole on top. Once Finn and P.T. were seated, P.T. lit a torch and set the flame in the lower most hole. After a few seconds, she pulled the torch out and set some sticks in the bottom of the contraption.
”Bro, tell me. You like, completed, your journey, my guy.” Once P.T. had filled all the holes, she pulled out a tent pitching kit and started to screw some metal rods together.
”What will, you do, after you, defeat, Penny?” "For the most part? Take over her place as the Ruler of Penrose basically. ...But y'know what? Fuck the whole "Monarchy of Penrose" bullshit. I'll probably disband the stupid idea afterwards. I'd make a joke about this not being England or whatever, but I'm not sure if it'll hit right, yeah?" Finn crossed his arms in thought.
"I'll still be doing what I can as a Crimson Cradle agent though, kicking the butts of our unsavory neighbor-factions and trying to get whatever Covington Industries hasn't taken yet for like, extra funds? whatever they may be? The Golden Trove's a good start, but eventually I won't be satisfied with just the Hotel alone. Gotta expand buisness at some point. The Sanctuary, I'll most likely work on making it into an official shelter. Why not make the most of your gained resources, y'know? Or I can just tear it down as a symbolic 'Fuck you' to Penny, who knows?" He shrugged.
"Whatever the case will be, I'm not gonna stop at defeating her. No rest for the wicked, as the saying goes." ”Ballin’!” By the time Finn was done explaining his plans, P.T. had erected a small, circular tent over the bong and the two chairs. She gestured for Finn to sit inside before doing so herself. The tent’s fabric was not fully opaque, but it didn’t let much light in. Onlt the outline of the incense burner or P.T. was visible in the filtered moonlight.
”It’s just, gunna take, a moment, my guy. You’ll have, your memories, soon.” Admittedly, he was a bit hesitant to stepping inside. Sure, he did smoke, at least in his transformed state as to let his regenerative ability keep his lungs from getting screwed up. But something like
this was another level.
Ugh, whatever! The sooner he can get this over with, the sooner he'd stop feeling so anxious for no reason. Finn walked inside the tent and took his seat.
The incense was strong, but the aroma was pleasant.. Finn had difficulty placing the scent, but it was somewhere between freshly cut strawberries and donut frosting. Almost enough to make one hungry.
”Mac can, transform into, anything, huh?” P.T. Inhaled as deeply as she could.
”She’s like, a roleplayer or something. Can be, whoever, she wants. That’s perfect, bro.” "Hm? Oh, I guess so." Finn simply shrugged, already distracted by the aroma. And a sudden peckishness for desert too.
The light played off a puff of smoke P.T. sorted out of her nose.
”What do, you want, to be, my guy?” "Hmm..." The boy shut his eyes in thought, taking deep breaths. After a second had passed, he spoke up again:
"A bird." P.T. Chuckled.
”I don't think, a man, can become, a bird.” P.T. Inhaled again, but this time it was quicker. A sniff.
”Like, a free bird, my guy? I, really like, that song.” She played an air guitar in silence.
Finn snorted.
"Beast magic? Remember? If I focused hard enough maybe I can like, shapeshift into a real bird. Or a Hyena. People just...don't give 'em enough credit, y'know?" He crossed his legs, looking up towards the ceiling.
"I like birds. Inteligent little guys. They can be prey and predator, nuturing or vicious, adorable...or somehow look like a crackpot hellspawn. Though I guess that all applies to animals in general. One of the many reasons I like them, I guess." He smiled.
”But you, already have, beast magic.” "...Good point. But if we're being literal, I'd say...someone better than me is what I want to be." ”For why?” The stoner leaned forward.
”Something wrong, with the Finn, we know?” "Is there?" He asked back, steadly starting to zone out.
"Is there something wrong with Finnegan Vanhorn, long-time Sinner of Wrath? Detective turned hired gun at one point in his years? The right hand man to an agent of Death? Hurt by his past relationships to the point he's afraid of being hurt again, lest he be toyed with like a broken marionette trying it's damnest to piece itself together...?" He trailed off, his expression an indecipherable indifference.
"Sorry what were you saying?"”I don’t know, my guy.” P.T. stood up and wobbled around the small enclosure.
”You sound like, you’ve been hurt, before. I bet, it was, a girl, you fancied.” She lowered herself onto the ground and looked up at the ceiling.
”Bro, lay, in the sand, with me. The stars, are beautiful.”He said nothing further on the topic. But if that next expression was anything to go by, P.T. might be on the right mark. He snapped out of it for the moment when she moved out of her seat, and at her invitation he stumbled over and onto the ground next to her with a flop.
"Woah." The donut shaped space on the floor was not big, but Finn was able to lay down and look up at the stars. He was laying down on the opposite to P.T., with her head just a few inches away from his. But the distance could have been a mile. He couldn’t see her now, only hear her voice. What he could see were the stars, which looked more vibrant than normal. The tent fabric didn’t seem to impede their shine.
”That’s us, man. That’s everyone. Just stars, floating, in darkness. Maybe it’s monsters, maybe it’s, dread, but it’s there, around everyone. But we shine out, man, that’s just, what we, do. bro.” The stars were starting to take shape. Every single one of them turned into a magical girl or boy. All of them were people he knew, even if he never met them directly.
”That makes, Penny a star, too.”Maybe at some other time Finn would've made a quip about how stars die eventually. Or suggest that it means Patrons would be the planets, or something greater that could lie farther than they'd know in such a vast universe. Instead the young man was genuinely awestruck at the shapes above them, remaining quiet in a child-like wonder. How long had it been, since he was able to enjoy a moment of peace like this? Since he had taken the time to see the stars? Ten, no, twenty years? Living for so long, sometimes the days blur into each other.
He couldn't help giggling as he watched, his lips quirking up into a grin.
”...And if, Penny’s, like, a star. That means, she, is just like, everyone.” P.T. felt around for Finn until she found his head.
”We’re all, Penny, broooooooooooooooooooooooooo…”But the anti-amnesiac was starting to kick in. What had been forgotten was surfacing as the levels of “Irony” were being peeled back.
[Level 10]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
Finn was standing in a hallway made of gore. ahead of him was an elevator. It looked rusty, but the fluorescent light inside made it far more inviting than the perpetual darkness that surrounded him. There was a button on the outside of the elevator, but nothing on the inside. It was like it had to be operated from the outside.
”Are you there, Finn!?” It was Mac’s voice, she sounded panicked.
"Mac? What's going o-"”No time to explain! You need to get in that elevator and hit that button!”Finn could hear a scream cry out from the darkness. It was calling his name, and it didn’t sound happy.
The situation was clear enough. He had done something to piss off someone that wants him dead.
Finn sprinted for the elevator, his metaphorical light in the end of the tunnel, and practically slammed his fist against the button as he hurried inside.
Come on, come on, come on!!! His head snapped back to the darkness; in the only direction that blasted scream came from, and his hand hovered over his weapon in anticipation.
The elevator shook, but it didn’t ascend. There was a faint glow in the distance. A swirl of every color Finn could think of was sloshing about in front of him, and it got bigger with every passing second.
"FINNNNNNNNN!!!" The pool of colors called out.
But it would not reach him in time. The doors slammed shut, and the elevator started to ascend, and quickly.
"Finn?" He could hear a voice call out above him. It was a woman, but not too old to be a magical girl.
"Finn! What the- I’m still here! Finn! Stop the elevator! Fi- " Eventually her shouts were cut out with a brief yelp, followed by the snapping of bones. Finn had been around enough death to tell exactly what was happening to her. She must have slid off the top of the elevator and gotten wedged in between the walls. She continued to scream as the rest of her was pulled between the elevator and shaft. Her femur, her hip, her lumbar region, her ribs, Finn could count every bone as it was snapped. He could anticipate exactly when her screams would stop.
Oh god.
Oh god, no...”Finn, you need to take a potion!” Mac sounded like she was on the verge of tears.
”It doesn’t matter what color it is, just drink something!” He didn't hesitate. He just wanted it to end.
[Level 9]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
"Before you ask, I’m Miki!" Finn was being held up by
A girl in an unusual space suit. She had short pink hair and various gadgets attached to her skin tight suit. They were standing in an arena of some sort with metal and blood vessels coating the walls. A woman was laying on her back, screaming Finn’s name over and over again as vibrant colored fluids blasted out of a hole in her chest.
Well that's not a good sign.
"We should run soon, right?" Without thinking further Finn nodded. This Miki lady seemed to be an ally of a sort, probably someone else who wound up here for some reason. He'd have to risk it and trust her. But that wounded woman, what was
her deal? How did she know his name??
There were two ways out of the room, but Miki guided Finn down the smaller, more claustrophobic of the two. He could hear his name being called, and not in a pleasant voice. The vessels on the walls started to dim as the duo ran along. But they wouldn’t get swallowed in darkness. Ahead was a white light that drew the magical children like moths.
"This must be the exit!" Once they got closer, they noticed it was a small elevator without any buttons inside.
"But there’s not enough room! My equipment will never fit in there!" "Think we'll be fast enough to go one at a time?" Finn finally spoke up, slightly nudging Miki ahead of him.
"If that woman is still alive somehow, someone's gotta stall her." "FINNNNNNNNN!!!"Miki looked over her shoulder.
"J-just let me see if there’s another way up!" She immediately walked up to the elevator and looked around it. A flash light that was mounted on her suit lit up a giant vent above the elevator shaft. It was even bigger than the elevator was.
"This looks promising!" She tossed the vent aside before stepping through.
"Hey! We can access the elevator shaft! I should be able to climb up! We can get to the top floor from here." Her voice was already becoming distant.
"I think this might work!"”Finn.” It was Mac. She sounded breathless.
”There’s… no way she’s going to climb up in time. You have a few seconds before Glexaroth’s champion gets back up. Are you going to try and stall her?”His expression cracked into a concerned frown, one he quickly shook off.
"I-I have to try. I'll be damned if neither of us can make it out." He answered, turning around to face the other direction as he unsheathed his weapon.
”Then… Then you might as well drink a potion of strength. You should have a few left.”
[Level 8]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
But he was holding a box in one hand and an empty vial in the other. The box was also chained to his wrist, so it didn’t seem like putting it down was going to be an option for him.
"Seriously?" A pink haired girl punched Finn’s arm.
"Why do you keep drinking those? You can never remember my name when you do." "Huh? Oh." Finn glanced from the girl to the empty vial.
"Sorry, I guess?" He shrugged, casually tossing the vial aside. He didn't even know what "those" were, or why he apparently kept forgetting the girl's name when he drank them.
"Not gunna ask this time?" Miki grinned before leaning up against Finn.
"It's Miki. And you can drink those potions as much as you need to. But once we get out of here that's it. We gotta get you off the bottle for good." Her eyes partially closed.
"But regardless of what you forget, you've kept your promise to me. So I guess I can't be too upset with it." After walking a bit further, the duo came across a giant hand sculpture. It was poised to reach out and grab them. All of the blood vessels that ran along the walls seemed to converge around the wrist before flowing up and around the palm and fingers. The tighter concentration of blood vessels made it glow that much brighter. It had better RGB than most modern gaming computers. There was also an opening in the palm that served as a doorway.
"If we want to get out of here, we just need to go through there. But-" She looked at Finn.
"I've never been this far before." Finn on his end merely stared at the doorway.
"Nothing we can't handle, right?" He glanced back at Miki, offering her a reassuring smile.
"Heh!" She was nervous, but that seemed to make her smile.
"That's some pretty tough talk from someone who doesn't even remember." Her hand squeezed around Finn's.
"But you're right."The hole in the hand led down a short corridor that opened up into a large room. It was pretty sparse, even considering the multicolored blood vessels running along the walls, ceiling, and floor. If there was a single remarkable feature, it would have to be the giant swivel chair at the other end of the room. It too looked like a hand, but the base of the chair made it unmistakable. It was too large to see who or if someone was seated in it. Though Miki froze in her tracks as soon as she saw it. Her legs started to tremble.
"I knew we were going to face her sooner or later."And that was all the seated individual needed to spin in their chair and reveal themselves.
"Well hello there, player!"The swivel chair contained a blond woman wearing… Hands. Just hands as black as night with vibrantly colored nails. They seemed to be coming directly out of her back, but it was hard to tell. The amazing part was that she wasn’t overexposed anywhere. Her torso was sparsely covered, but rows and rows of hands locked together from her waist down to make a skirt that reached her ankles. There were also arms coming out of her back that reached out to nothing, almost looking like a pair of black wings. This was one odd looking
magical girl, and she had a fearsome aura to boot.
"We were-""It’s cool. I’ve been watching your every move, every button press, every combo, looooooooooong before either of you got here." despite the stranger’s aura of danger, their voice was sweet and chipper. Like a mother might use when talking to their children. She turned to look at Finn.
"This has got to feel pretty special to you. You’ve been save scumming your OS just to get to me. That takes some guts." The woman stood up.
"Well? You’re standing in front of the final boss of your adventure! Any questions on that dialog wheel you feel like throwing my way?"Save scumming? Final boss? Finn didn't quite understand what she ment between the excessive video game jargon. Hm...he was supposed to kill her, right? Or at least he had to remove her from his path, whoever she was. Between all her weird quirks, he didn't even know her name.
His head tilted slightly to the side.
"Who...are you?" He asked, brows furrowed.
The strange woman hopped and landed a few feet from Finn.
"It’s so fun talking to clueless people like you! I get to introduce myself like you never finished the tutorial level!" Her eyes scanned Finn, or rather, his right hand. She had locked eyes with it.
"I’m Glex, Champion of Glexaroth: The Maker of Unreason. And before you ask, yes, that’s the name of a horror!" Miki folded her arms.
"Oh but you’ll try to get to know her…""Anyway! Finn, you are an interloper." She took a single, long step that covered half the distance between the two of them.
"I’d be fine with you leaving, but you have something that belongs to me. Can you guess what it is?" Finn blinked in confusion, then following Glex's gaze towards the box in his hand. He held it up and attempted to drop it onto the ground, but with the chain still in place all it did was tug his arm down slightly. It must be that important, even if he didn't know what it contained. Might wanna play dumb...
The boy shook his chained arm around, then looked back to Glex with a risen brow.
"It's just a box, I can get you another." Glex’s smile widened.
"Oh Finn, of course you don’t know what it is! But you know that anything taken from this place must be an extraordinary treasure." She folded her arms behind her back.
"The Yaris apple was plundered from here not long ago, and I won’t let you take Hetnus’s Chest with it.""What does it do?" Miki looked at the trinket dangling from Finn’s hand.
"Have you ever heard of Pandora’s box?" Glex tipped her head.
"Hetnus’s Chest is not too different. It’s an artifact that contains great despair. Some even believe it is Pandora’s Box just with a few less contents inside. It’s harmless but contains untapped power. You could forge an entire dimension with the sort of energy in there. Though I shudder to think about what such a world would look like.” She stepped forward again and placed her hand on the box.
"But if you think you can get me another one, then why not let me hold onto this one, hmmm?” ”Finn.” Mac’s voice echoed in his head.
”While it’s important to keep an eye on your opponent, you need to make sure that box never leaves your sight. If you can’t watch it, make sure Miki can.”So he's essentially chained to Pandora's Box. Isn't that
fantastic? Finn himself wasn't that amused. After a moment of silent consideration, he yanked the box out from under Glex's hand.
"Then who says any of us are worthy of beholding it's power? Who says your word is truth here? Unless you have the right key to unchain me to this thing, there has to be a reason it's stuck to me." He narrowed his eyes at the blonde, backing away from her.
"Well aren’t you adorable, waxing philosophical about something you barely understand.” She still inched closer, even as Finn backed up.
"Why don’t you just uninstall life and let me handle the rest?”Hetnus’s Chest was just out of Glex’s reach, but several onyx hands reached past her to seize the box. Once held, Glex lifted her hand up in the air, and Finn was left dangling by his wrist. Her hands continued to clasp over the box, slowly obscuring it from sight.
"Tch! Miki, keep an eye on the box!" Finn called out to his ally, slashing away at the hands lifting him up into the air.
Of course, Miki complied with what Finn asked of her.
"O-okay." Her eyes jumped between the box and Finn. She drew her rivet gun and fired on the hands swarming the box. But it was just delaying the inevitable.
A fist slammed into Finn’s chest. It was just a single blow but it was hard enough to crack his ribs.
”You must be the tank.” Glex’s fist was still in Finn’s stomach, and more were going to join it soon.
”Or are you a training dummy?” Finn's regenerative power made quick work to mend his broken ribcage. He spat out whatever blood that rushed into his mouth, and viciously scowled at Glex.
"Are these made of titanium or something?! Jesus!" He stabbed his weapon into the fist that decided to stick to him a bit longer, activating his invulerable state in anticipation of her next move.
Which came just in time, as the next few punches were just as powerful and coming from every direction. Miki's rivet gun continued to go off but it wasn't even phasing the horror's champion.
”Turtling is a common tactic for people who don't study the game. Are you waiting for me to slip up? Maybe you'll do something more interesting if I hurt her instead?”Well that managed to get a reaction. Finn's eyes shot open wide.
"DON'T. YOU. DARE." He growled.
”Finn, I have an idea.” Despite how frantic the situation was getting, Mac sounded reasonably calm.
”You might be able to weaken her if you open the box. You just need to counter act whatever comes out of there before it affects you or Miki. Despair that deep is no joke.”Use the box? Wasn't that too much of a risk?? He didn't know little to anything about it, but if it might be enough to weaken Glex...
"You want your box back so much?! COME AND GET IT!" With both his hands occupied by, well,
hands, Finn had to take a window of opportunity to aim the box at Glex and open it with the hand it was chained to. Whatever happens next, he'd have to be ready to defend Miki.
While Finn couldn’t see what was in the box, he could see Glex’s reaction to it. The smile that had persisted the entire duration of this encounter evaporated in an instant. There were no quips, no counter attacks.
There wasn’t time for them.
With a hiss, an ethereal fog filled the air. Glex had no chance to escape it and neither did Finn. By experiencing this memory a second time Finn could only recall some of the thoughts that plagued his mind. He remembered feeling hopeless, like everything he had done, was doing, and would be doing was just a setup for a grand fall. The assault on his mind was punctuated by unbearable pain, and he couldn’t escape it by just leaving the cloud. He barely had the strength to close the chest, but this gave him no relief.
Glex and Finn sunk to the ground, screaming at the futility of their existence. This left Miki to resolve the situation.
"Ah geez! I don’t like it, but-" Miki ran up to Finn and pulled one of his potions out of his belt.
"You’ve gotta inhale sometime!" Despite his flailing, Miki was able to get the potion down his throat.
"It’s okay to forget some things, right?" She wouldn’t get an answer.
[Level 7]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
"Do you know who I am?" Miki waved her hand in front of Finn’s face.
"This is going to be a reoccurring thing, huh? I’m Miki." She pointed over her shoulder at a cave.
"You wanted to stop here?"”She’s right Finn. This is where you want to go.” Mac sighed
”But you need to do so alone. It’s important Miki doesn’t follow you. I’d explain the situation better, but there’s no time.”Miki placed a hand on Finn’s head.
"You okay?""Hm?" Finn seemed to snap out of it when Miki's hand rested on his head.
"I-I'm fine. I'm fine." He reassured her, gently grabbing her hand and pushing it away from him. He looked over to the cave entrance, then back to Miki. He didn't feel too confident about going in there alone. Who knows what might ambush either of them if they split up. Hopefully Mac's explanation will make sense for him.
"Think you can stand guard by the entrance?" Finn asked Miki.
"Just in case I have to hurry back out here, that's all." He walked to the cave as he talked.
"You want to split up?" Miki rubbed the back of her head.
"I mean, okay. But if I hear you scream, or something happens out here, I’m going in. Does that sound agreeable?"The boy nodded with a smile.
"Sounds like a plan.""Okay~!" Miki waved to Finn as he departed for the cave.
It was a lot deeper than he might have thought. The fluorescent cave zigged and zagged, humming as if the wall was filled with insects. Or perhaps the vessels that ran along the walls were the source of the noise.
The cave would open up into a valley. The squishy floor gave way to grass, which stretched up the side of a hill. It looked like there was a tiny cottage at the top. It was impossible to see what layed beyond, as the distance was covered in a veil of shadow. When Finn looked overhead, the ceiling had a single crack in it. With nowhere else to go, he approached.
”Just a reminder, but this place is an illusion. It’s designed to play with your emotions.” Mac cautioned Finn.
”Your goal is to get the chest. You’ll know what it is when you see it. I asked you to separate yourself from Miki because it increases both of your chances for survival. Having said that, I don’t know what you’re going to find there. So as a result-”Finn hadn’t even knocked before the cottage door swung open. There standing in the doorway was an elderly woman.
”Oh goodness!” She folded her hands together.
”It’s been so long since I had visitors! And not one of them was as handsome as you!” She hobbled away from the door and deeper into the one room house.
”Come in, come in!” "A-Alright then." Finn was admittedly caught off guard when the door opened, much more so at who appeared behind it. He made sure to keep in mind that none of it was real, but he couldn't help wondering. Who would willingly live in a place like this? Wherever he and Miki ended up? At the old woman's invitation, he quietly entered the cottage.
”Do you drink tea?” After guiding over to the "dining area," She stepped into the kitchen.
"I'm more of a coffee person, but yes." Finn answered, glancing around the unfamiliar interior.
The house really was just a single room. A counter divided the kitchen from the rest of the house, and the living area was split between the "dining room" that Finn was standing in and a bedroom, which was really just a mat, pillow, and candle wick. There was no visible chest that Mac had hinted at.
”I'm Gurtrude, young man. Been living on this hill for the past forty years.” She presented Finn with a cup of tea.
”What's your name? And the cookies will be done shortly.”Finn carefully grabbed the cup, and nodded in thanks.
"Finnegan. Most people just call me Finn though." He introduce himself in return, his voice taking a more softer tone. No chest yet. He'll have to go along with this for now.
"What kind of cookies?" He tilted his head as he asked.
”Raisin. I dried the grapes myself!” With a giggle, she hobbled behind the counter.
”My granddaughter would really like you. My grandson, not so much.” It didn't take her long to come back around with a plate of cookies and her own cup of tea.
"I'd have offered coffee if I had it, but the traders don't come this way anymore. It's getting harder to get these old bones outside.""I see." Finn took a sip of his drink.
"Do your grandkids visit often?"”It's been a while.” The folds on her face grew with her smile.
”They went everywhere together. Last I heard, Miki was going to college. I think Drake opted to go to a trade school. They both loved technology, you see? She wanted to be an inventor and he wanted to work on cars.” She chuckled.
”I can hardly remember what they did the last time they were here. I think we had an apple pie. It was in season for it.” Finn's brows rose when she mentioned Miki. It may have been coincidental, but now he knew why Mac wanted her to stay behind. He smiled.
"That sounds lovely. I can't imagine how lonely it must be out here, didn't even see any towns from my way up." He said, reaching over to grab one of the cookies.
”Lovely, yes. But also lonely.” She sighed.
”Oh! But my manners! What brought you to my doorstep?”"I...I got lost." Finn frowned.
"I was going to go spend the week at a friend's, but got lost on the way. Thought I could make a stop somewhere to rest, y'know?"”This old hag's shack is great for resting! Eat as many cookies as you like.” She giggled.
”If you've got nothing better to do, let me tell you a few stories...””Finn!” Mac's voice practically boomed in his head.
”Miki is waiting for you! How is listening to old wives' tales going to get you the chest?” "Well, do you have any other ideas besides waiting on the right moment?" There was a tone of sass in his retort.
"I haven't forgotten that this isn't real. I just don't wanna end up having something eldritch on my ass for ramsacking their shit. You heard what Miki said." ”For starters, I'd ask her if she had a chest. You might be a sin, but you should be able to inquire about something without inciting violence, right?” Mac returned fire with sass of her own. In any other circumstance, he'd roll his eyes.
”Barring that, I don't know. You can summon animals, right? You could make a distraction or use one to scout maybe? I don't know your powers as intimately as you do.” "I mostly use my magic to give myself physical buffs. But I think..." He trailed off, subtly calling in some mice to search for the chest with his beast magic.
This all transpired during one of the old woman's tales, which Finn was only half listening to. But that was okay, because he would hear it again before he left. Maybe even three times.
But Gurtrude would be oblivious to the mice racing through her home. There were only three of them, but that was all that was necessary to explore a single room. They came in from the doorway and went behind the counter. Finn couldn't see them, but it wasn't hard to imagine what was going on. They ran through the cupboards, found their way into the drawers, maybe even inspected the silverware. But before long, Finn could hear one of the mice squeaking loudly. Something had been found.
Finn looked toward the direction of the squeaking, and set his cup down.
"Excuse me." He walked over, and searched thoroughly for the innocuous mouse. And hopefully his real inquiry in the process.
Sure enough, the mouse had opened one of the cupboards to reveal the location of a small chest.
”That’s it.” Mac confirmed.
”Are you looking for something?” The elderly woman started to approach.
”A napkin, perhaps?”Finn glanced back at her from over his shoulder.
"Hm? Oh, no, I just thought I heard a mouse in here." As he talked, the mouse in question hurried to leave, and he tried to subtly pocket the chest.
”A mouse!” Gurtrude suddenly looked concerned.
”Oh I hope not!” *Snap*The sound drew Finn’s attention back to the chest. Now there was a handcuff attached to him and the small chest. Not that it was all that small. In fact, it was actually quite big. Maybe the length of his forearm. It wasn’t something he could just slide under his coat. That will be an issue. Where did the handcuff even come from??
”What was that?” But Finn’s animal companion got the hint. He could see the mouse huff before scrambling out into view.
”Ahhh! It is a mouse!” She hobbled over to her broom before chasing the mouse around her house.
”Shoo! Get away, ya vermin!” Of course, Finn knew his little mouse friend will be just fine. While Gurtrude pursued the mouse, he held the chest he was now chained to close to himself and hurried to the door.
And… he was in the clear.
”Think his memory will be problematic here?” Mac’s voice sounded faint. It wasn’t uncommon for people to accidentally speak into their magicoms. Communicating between agents was perhaps too easy at times.
”Alright Finn, how about you down one of those haste potions to make this go a little faster?”
[Level 6]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
But a techy girl was screaming at him while clutching her shirt shut.
"What ever!?"”Finn! Drink a potion, any of them!” "Are you drinking that to get out of this? It’s not going to work! Seriously, stop drinking that. Not again, not again! I’m sorry!”Quoth the Raven,
what the fuck.
[Level 5]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
"We’re in the belly of the beast now.” The faint glow coming from the walls would have looked more familiar if he hadn’t just had one of those potions.
"Why don’t we take a break? It’s a good spot for it.” Miki leaned up against one of the walls.
"It’s just going to get harder from here on out. I’m surprised you’re holding together so well, but maybe that has to do with your frequent amnesia episodes.” Frequent...amnesia? That's weird. He may have lived for (honestly) too long but he never had any notable problems with his memories. Sure, there could be the case of Finn repressing trauma, but he could never
erase it.
So why now? And frankly, how?
"...I guess so." With a shrug, Finn quietly leaned against the wall next to Miki.
"What about you?" He couldn't help asking.
"Only amnesia episode I can remember was when you found me.” She smiled, but cleared her throat afterwards.
"I mean, I’ve been doing fine! I’ve been trapped here long enough that it doesn’t bother me anymore. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not. But um, thanks for asking.” She smiled again, but it was a bit sheepish.
"I’m glad we’re getting out of here though. Got anyone you’d like to see again?”Finn glanced back at her with a sympathetic look, but didn't let it linger for too long.
"Well, my patron might be wondering where I dissapeared off to. Oliver and the others might be worried sick too, especially him." He answered, crossing his arms.
"Maybe I can introduce you to everyone when we get out of here."”I’d like that.” Miki pressed her back into the wall and it started to swing backwards, like it was a massive door.
”Who’s Oliver? Is he a brother, friend?” "My best friend." Finn smiled.
"We go a long way back, way before either of us became magical boys. He's a bit protective of me, but he's a real sweetheart." He told her. His eye was then drawn to the section of wall that seemed to be...sinking in?
"Uh, is the wall supposed to do that?" ”Yea, I know most of this place’s secrets.” she tapped the wall with her knuckle.
”There’s a pond back here. Good place to wash up. But your friend!” Miki locked her hands together.
”He sounds like perfect older brother material! It’s been a while since I’ve seen mine.” Oh, she had a brother?
Finn couldn't really know if he was still around or not, or if he'd even remember her for however long she's been here. But they had to get out of here so they could be reunited. Or at least so she could find some closure.
"He actually had a younger brother, if I remember correctly. So I guess his mental mutation was a natural thing. But by now our old families have passed centuries ago, unless something happened that we weren't aware of." He explained.
”We’ll have to talk sometime!” Beyond the doorway was a forest oasis. A perfectly normal pond surrounded by rows of trees. If one listened closely, they might even be able to hear the sound of distant wildlife.
”Um, yea.” Miki eyes scanned Finn’s body.
”If you don’t mind, I think I’ll rinse off first. So um, no peeking.” She pulled her head into the room and partially closed the door.
”He’s going to run out at this rate.” A tired sigh came over the magicoms.
”It’s a little dark there Finn. There should be a darkvision potion to help you spot incoming threats. It should be a dull red color.”
[Level 4]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
Miki said something about her brother again. Was it the first time? Neither the Finn remembering or the Finn in the moment could be sure. But he was asked to drink another potion. Or was it his first potion? It was hard to keep track.
[Level 3]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
Miki was on top of him. She was growling through her teeth as her shoulder mounted cannons tried to burn a hole through Finn’s head. The only thing that was keeping him alive was a pair of metal arms attached to his back, batting away the incoming blasts.
The fact alone that he was being pinned down by someone was enough to make him panic. For a split second, she probably could've seen his face contort in
fear.
"GET OFF ME!!" Whoever got him the metal limbs, he really owed them one. Finn instinctively began struggling himself free from under his pink-haired assailant, shoving and kicking her until he was able to scramble away as quick as he could.
The kick was strong enough to throw Miki half way across the…prison? While the walls were all made up of flesh and steel, he appeared to be in a hallway with barred off rooms.
”It’s okay Finn, you’re stronger than her.” Mac’s voice came through.
”There’s no need to kill her. You should have a few potions on you. Just get her to ingest a red one and-””You animal!” Miki didn’t need to be right on top of Finn to hurt him. She had drawn a rivet gun and was firing glowing-hot rivets in Finn’s direction.
A frightened shriek escaped Finn's throat. He quickly moved out of the line of fire and grabbed one of the potions he apparently had on his person. What the
hell did he do to make this chick angry? ...He couldn't remember. But hopefully Mac's idea would calm her down somehow! With a grimace, he popped the cork off the vial and went into his invincible state.
"I'm so sorry for this!!" The boy sprinted at her, tackling her back down so he could force the potion down her throat.
The rivets did negligible damage to Finn, and despite her attempts to resist, she might as well have cooperated for all the good it did her. Mac was right, he was far stronger than she was.
She raised a hand to stop him, but he was able to force the potion into her mouth. She tried to turn away, but that was when Finn’s mechanical arms locked around her head. One hand held her head steady, while the other teased her throat into opening. She gurgled and coughed, but the contents of the bottle were going down. And with every drop she consumed, she seemed to relax just a bit more. Her eyelids fluttered, and her gaze was unfocused.
”Get rid of that bottle, now!”Finn whipped the bottle into one of the cells as Miki’s eyes rolled in their sockets.
”Mmmmm…” She looked at Finn, and her eyes went wide.
”H-hey!” She flailed her arms.
”Who are you, and why are you looming over me?” It didn't feel right.
It didn't feel right, but it worked. But
it didn't feel right. But there wasn't a point in thinking over "what ifs" that could make him feel less guilty. What's done is done. And he hated it. Finn mentally shoved the feeling back to the dark corner of his mind.
"S-Sorry, just trying to see if you weren't...y'know...dead." He stuttered, moving to the side so Miki could sit up. That was technically half-true, right?
"My name's Finn. I...don't know how I got here." ”Oh!” Miki looked around.
”...Oh! I thought you were… Well it doesn’t matter!” She pulled her knees up to her chest and kicked. The force was enough to carry her through the air and onto her feet.
”I’m Miki! Thanks for checking up on me.” She placed a hand on her hip.
”I’ve been here for what feels like centuries! Me and my brother are usually together. I’m honestly a little nervous that he’s not here.” She folded her hands together.
”What’s the last thing you remember?” "The...last thing?" He stood back up as well, looking a bit lost. He tried to think back to the last thing he did, area he was in, last person he was interacting with,
anything before he ended up here
, stuck under someone who wanted to hurt him. Nothing. Finn frowned.
"I don't know." ”But you remember your name, at least? This is bad…” ”You need to escape, Finn.” Mac sighed.
”You need to tell her something to get her on your side. She doesn’t seem like the discerning type, so just speak from the heart.” "I-I mean, I remember the important stuff! But I don't know how I ended up in here specifically." Finn clarified. He glanced around.
"And I really don't like that this looks like a jailhouse. I know I'm not the greatest person in the world, but something like this is the last place I want to be in. For me, or anyone else." He looked back to Miki.
"Assuming we won't turn on each other while our backs are turned, we should stick together and find a way out of here." Miki blinked once, then smiled.
”Well that’s good! I don’t think you’d do anything to hurt me. I mean, you would have done it already.” She turned her back to Finn.
”We’ll have to go over what you do know, but just follow me for now. If we get out, maybe we can find my brother.””Good job. Just-” Mac paused.
”You fed her the red potion, right? You should have a green potion on you too. If you drink that, it should help you recover your memories.”
[Level 2]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
But he was standing in a jail house. A woman with pink hair was behind bars, and before her was a boy trying desperately to pull the doors open. A stylish trench coat like that had to belong to a magical boy.
”Finn! Are you awake?” Mac sounded urgent.
”If you don’t do something soon, he’s going to kill her, hurry!”"O-Okay!" Maybe in different circumstances, he would've proded Mac for details, a reason to go through with this. He didn't know better. But he trusted Mac, right? He trusted her. Drawing his sword from its sheath, he rushed in to strike the other boy.
He didn’t even see it coming.
Finn may have been uncertain, but his target was preoccupied trying to get into the cage. Moreover, Finn was surging with power that wasn’t his own. Even if the attack was only intended to wound his target, it would be far more grievous than anticipated.
His sword entered the boy’s red coat, and he slid all the way up to the hilt. Blood as red as his vestments trickled out of his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground.
”Drake! No!” Miki tried to reach for her brother, but it was too late. Finn’s strike had killed him almost instantly.
”Drake…” her voice cracked.
"Watch out Finn, she’s been brainwashed!"Wait. They...knew each other...?
If the girl was brainwashed (Most likely by this Drake fellow he just killed, he rationalized) like Mac apparently knew, then it'd be best to leave her there, wouldn't it? And yet...
Maybe if he went into his Avatar state real quick, he could use psychic magic to break whatever's affected her. Finn's attention turned from the cadaver to the cell door. He held up his weapon, and swung it at the lock.
"Finn!"The lock was broken, its prisoner freed. But she was anything but happy. An assortment of metal arms with gadgets attached to them crept out from behind her back and loomed in the air.
"Okay, let’s fix this!" Mac somehow sounded even more frantic now.
"We can save her, but you need to drink one of your, um, blue potions. Yes, the blue one. That should do it!"
[Level 1]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He had no recollection.
The scenery hadn’t changed for the past five minutes. Just walking down these dark, glowing catacombs that seemed to go on forever.
"Whoa!" A boy in a red trenchcoat stumbled out of a building.
"Don’t think I’ve seen you around these parts. What are you doing here?""Hm?" Finn glanced at the stranger. He simply shrugged in response to his question.
He scoffed.
"Whatever, if you’re not here to fight, I don’t care what you do." With a wave of his hand, Drake ran further into the catacombs.
"...Well, that was...rude." Finn watched Drake run off in dumbfoundment, and after a moment, continued walking forward himself.
Finn’s walk took him deeper into the catacombs. It wasn’t like there were a lot of forking paths, and he soon found himself encountering Drake a second time. Only now he was trying to free someone from a cage.
"Hold on Finn." Mac’s voice came over his coms.
"The green potion can enhance your hearing. Maybe you can figure out who he’s talking to before you get too close."
[Level 0]
What had Finn done?
How did he end up here?
He remembered now.
He had come to this space between realities to complete his final test, which involved Aria. While everyone else got set up, He and Aria had some time to talk.
”I’d say something about your resolve, but anyone who’s willing to speak with Nykannis and Oros in the same week is madder than both.” She reclined against a palm tree.
”Got anything to say before I explain things?”Finn shook his head.
”Exactly what I’d expect out of a tool.” The corners of her lips curled into a smile. Finn didn't exactly like being called a tool, but he kept that thought to himself.
”You’re going to go spelunking for treasure in the realm of unreason. Once in there, you’re going to do a job for me. The issue is that just being in that place messes with your mind. No one who goes in ever comes out the same. Since you’re not exactly expendable, P.T. has worked on a solution.” She presented Finn with the flask holder.
”Each of these potions will cause you to have a stroke of amnesia. This will rid your addled mind of those intrusive thoughts, and then some.” She pointed over her shoulder at Mac.
”That’s why we have Mac here. If you suddenly lost your memory you might hesitate to do anything I say, but a fellow Cradle agent should be different, right?” A butterfly glided over to Finn’s side and landed on his shoulder.
”Rupee here will also be with you, just for some added firepower. Mac’s even going to use her artifact so that you can share her might. That should synergize well with the rest of your abilities.”He nodded along as she explained their plan, strapping the flask holder over his shoulder.
"Do I have to worry about long term effects?" He had to ask.
”If you survive? No, there should be no long term effects so long as you keep chugging potions.”At the mention of Mac, he looked over to the wolf girl.
"Are you sure you want to get involved in this? I know the other agents aren't aware of what I've been up to, but..." The boy looked slightly worried.
Mac just gave him a nod and tipped her hat.
"I serve Maura, and she wants me to help you to the best of my ability." She grinned.
"You just need to tell me if you prefer speaking with me or iron mouse more." He quietly chuckled.
"Save Iron Mouse for picking on Oliver, will you?" Admittedly, he felt bad for leaving his friend in the dark like this. Oliver would probably want in on it so they could be stronger together, but as long as he got through this alive, neither of them would have to worry. The ghost was bound to him, after all. Seeking out any means of getting stronger would ensure Oliver would be practically unkillable.
"Feels odd not having Miss Wagner around for this though." ”She’s probably busy, if she’s not watching from some dark corner of space.” Aria pointed into the portal.
”No one’s stopping you.”"Aria Rizzo." Mac’s expression became firm.
"I’m going to tell Finn exactly what you want me to tell him. That is within my ability. But only if you can guarantee me that you won’t have me do something that would put his life in danger."Aria scoffed.
”If he doesn’t do everything I say, he may not get out of there alive.” Her smile, while already quite broad, seemed to grow just a bit more as she said this.
”Well Finn? We haven’t got all day. Drink your first position as soon as you enter the portal. Shouldn’t matter which one.”
When Finn came to, he was still in the hut with PT. But by the looks of it, she looked like she was on the verge of passing out. Perhaps the incense onlynow was causing her to trip out, while Finn had already recovered from it. Did that make sense? Did any of this make sense?
Aria was looking down at him with her arms crossed. He couldn’t make out her face, but it was hard to picture her doing anything but smiling at him.
"..." With widened eyes, Finn silently stared back at Aria. Or was he staring past her? Whatever the case was, it felt like the stars from before had blinked out. He was staring at nothing. Or maybe it was just in his head, who knows? He sat back up, trying to sort through the torrent of emotions he was feeling. Disgust at himself? Anger at the others? Remorse for murdering Miki and Drake?
He didn't know. He chose to remain silent. Finn glanced back to Aria, awaiting whatever she was going to say or do next.
But the only thing she did in the time she was given was ask Finn a question.
”Are we going to have a problem?” Nevermind then. "Is that a reference to something?" ”You seem upset.” Aria swung her small form away from the tent opening.
”Are you going to tell me they didn't have to die? Do you hate Mac for leading you along? It's important I know where you stand before I give you your reward.”He had to take another moment to think.
Yes, a guilt-ridden part of him thought the two didn't have to die. Even if his actions technically freed them from that place in some grim sense, he didn't like the fact that he strung Miki along with lies. If they do end up reincarnating years later, he hoped they could forgive him.
...Unless...
"They were just part of the Horror's realm, weren't they?" His tone lacked any emotion.
"They weren't real?" ”Depends who you ask. Oros would tell you they didn’t exist. But I think all humans are real. Well, barring those made with illusionary magic. But them? Yea, I think they were about as ‘real’ as we are.” Finn shuddered.
"I...see." Guess he'll have this eating away at him for a while. Great.
Then there was the other thing.
"...Why would I hate Mac? She was only acting as your mouthpiece. If there's anyone I should hate, wouldn't it be you?" He tilted his head.
With Aria standing out in the open, the moonlight was enough to reveal the smile creeping across her face.
”Who you choose to assign responsibility to is not my concern. I got what I wanted, and soon you’ll get what you want. But before we do that, maybe I will speak my peace on something.” She turned to look at the moon hanging in the sky.
”Miki and Drake’s deaths were completely avoidable. I knew you wouldn’t like killing them in the long term, which is exactly why I had you do it.” She turned to look at Finn.
”Because this is supposed to be a lesson, right? Something to prepare you for the trial ahead. So here’s the takeaway from this, but first, an observation.” She spread her arms.
”Most kids these days want a million followers. Few will actually get them. But some people will put in the work to do it. They’ll make sure their content is as good as it can possibly be, answer boring fan mail, and really go through hell to make sure they have those fans. And then by the time they get their million followers, well, they’re also married. Maybe they have a few kids, working a job that they hate, and they wasted their youth. Sure, lots of people are married and hate their lives, but I’d argue that these people have it even worse than them. They’ve made themselves into slaves.” She bared her teeth.
”They wanted those followers, convinced themselves they needed them. It took them a lot of time to get that kind of following, and they can’t let it slip out of their hands now. It’s more insidious than your average sunken cost fallacy.” She folded her arms behind her back.
”Look at the lengths you’re willing to go through to get power. Entering a horror’s domain to recover a powerful artifact for a magical girl with questionable moral standards… to beat Penny?” She giggled.
”We are slaves to our desires, Finn. Having more power doesn’t grant more freedom.” Finn couldn't find the words to respond.
Was this really worth it? He could've stopped any time he wanted, but he didn't. He was just going along with others' plans.
Their wants. Right? He just wanted to help fix Penrose. For what?
Guess no matter how hard he tried, he'll always be a
killer puppet freak. One way or another.
His gaze turned downcast.
"I...I don't..." He gulped down the lump forming in his throat.
"...There's no turning back from here, is there?" He asked in a small voice.
”Why are you sniveling like that? This was a lesson, Finn. So long as you took it to heart, their deaths weren’t in vain. But how about that reward, huh?” She pulled her hands out from behind her back and clapped them together.
”I have prepared two gifts for you, of which you can only pick one.” She opened her left hand, and a pocket watch appeared in it.
”You were able to witness esper Elroy’s Keijo match against Sakura, so you must be aware of the existence of espers. What you may not know is that they get their powers from an artifact known as grimoires, and I can make them. You may point out that Elroy lost his match as proof that espers are weaker than magical girls. Normally I would agree with you, but I’m capable of making artifacts far, far stronger than that one. Not only that, but esper magic is very potent towards monsters and abortions, and Penny is both. It’s difficult to overstate how important this is for your quest.” She opened her right hand, revealing a marble. It had a neon green glow. While the glow was soft, the center was too bright to make out what was inside.
”Your second choice is pseudo resurrection. I can’t bring people back to life, but I can accelerate Miki and Drake’s recovery speed so that it more or less happens instantly. As an added bonus I can bring them into Penrose so that they don’t have to live in that nasty world anymore.” She curled her hands closed.
”Now, before you go picking the salvation of two people you barely know, do remember that they aren’t going to be dead permanently. After a decade or so they will be together again and can go back to suffering under that horror again. If you believe in your quest, saving the thousands of people in Penrose should take priority over two magical fools.” Aria opened her hands again.
”But it’s your choice in the end, Finn. I don’t have a horse in the race. But if there’s something else you want, let me know.”And here he was reconsidering his actions.
Ugh, whatever. There wasn't a point in breaking down right now. Suck it up and listen, stupid. Aria presented him with his options; a "Grimore", or what was basically Miki and Drake's freedom. As if expecting him to pick the later, she reminded him that the two would get revived naturally, but would remain trapped in the Realm of Unreason. A choice between being selfish, or being selfless. But which was what?
Would it be unreasonable to pick the marble regardless? Lesson or not, anyone would if they went through what he did, right? Even if it was ridiculous; A small act of kindness for a pair of strangers that may hate him,
It was a weakness he was aware of. He cared, he couldn't help it.
The pocketwatch on the other hand, gave him a strong sense of Deja Vu. He felt uneasy, looking at it, but at the same time he felt that this was something that belonged to him, something he was
supposed to take. If he miraculously succeeded in this endeavor, would he really save thousands?
The Needs of Many, or the Needs of Few?
...
Finn grabbed the pocketwatch.
”So that’s your choice?” She held up her other hand with the marble.
”I don’t know what I expected. Suppose that’s why left it up to you.” The marble shattered between her fingers.
”I’m sure you know the drill by now. That watch is only to be used when fighting Penny. Just a fun fact for you, that watch was partially made out of Penny’s own steel. Well, her from a different reality. I really outdid myself this time.”Ah, no wonder it made him feel uneasy. He solemnly nodded, pocketing his new trinket.
"Guess this is the part where I ask what it does?" The mention of a Penny from a different reality seemed to catch his interest.
”When I said it was only to be used on Penny, I did not mean you couldn't practice with it. But knowing what the core ingredient is should give you some idea of what it does.""Right." Seeing no further reason to stick around, he glanced over Aria's shoulder, trying to look for Mac.
"...Tonya?" He called out.
Mac had been recovering her strength, and only just realized her name had been called.
"I’m not use to people using my real name.” "S-Sorry." Finn quickly apologized.
With a sigh. She rose to her feet.
"Mission accomplished?”He walked over to her, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"I'm just...ready to head back now." "Alright, lets go.”
Crimson Flame
Sunny Suzuki
Festive
Massasauga
ERode
Rockette
LadyAdiraa
EchoWolff
Hornet
