[Heart Game]

[aberdevine]

(♫)

For a moment, there is nothingness. The black void is all-pervasive. Perhaps more worrying, though, is the fact that you seem to be unable to move. It's less a sensation of restraint than it is the horrifying sensation that your own body has gone numb and refuses to obey you.

But then there's a voice, speaking to you. "Remember," it says with a sort of vicious glee, "a bird can only fly within its cage."

And the world explodes into light and color, and you can move.

((NOTE: your scissors remain scissors, but your tape has become an emerald-green ribbon.))

Comments

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

There's a sound from the screen, and someone in a suit and labcoat walks into your field of vision. They look... holographic, as though they're meant to be on the screen, rather than in reality.

"Midori-kun is interesting, isn't he~?"

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Is he?

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

Of course. He's my precious test subject number one, you know? But he's also very naughty.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Hmm~. And I suppose that's quite terrible.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

Haha, I'm obviously not really me, so it's hard for me to say, you know? All I have to work on is his impressions of me!

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Well, there is that. But it seems as though I'm not real in this world, either, doesn't it~?

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

"Not to be pedantic, but you don't exist in the world this 'world' is based off. The layers of reality are pretty confusing. But I suppose this is what he wanted you to see... it really is pathetic."

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Hmmm~. Well, I suppose if you wanted to think more deeply about it, the only reality that matters right now is Aather. None of those worlds are the world we're in right now.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

"And after Aather...? What of those who remain in the worlds you left behind? Well, you don't have to answer that."

With a jaunty wave, he vanishes.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

A~h, what an irritating person.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

You're not wrong.

Anyway, to sum up things before that rude little interruption: you have a comatose Midori, a screen on the wall, and a door.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

[perfectly content to just stay there stroking Viridian's hair, tbh.]

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

Well.

That is a thing you could do, I guess.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Is there anything else you wanted me to see, then?

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

The screen turns on again, and text appears:

You haven't found the True Heart.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Haha, well, there is that, I suppose. Well! I'll head back, then~.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

The door swings open.

Outside, there's a huge room, filled with, well, this. Countless people sleeping in VR pods.

But right outside the doorway is a computer terminal like the ones you've been using to teleport so far.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

[glances at them, mouth tightening, then touches the terminal.]

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

And you're back.

At this point, three out of the four outer circles on the central terminal have lit up: the west, south, and east.

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[scalesfromeyes]

Well… I see.

[heads to the north terminal, then.]

Re: >> LOGIN: M͡ÍD̵̨͠Ò̶R̸̷͝I

[aberdevine]

USERNAME: BONTEN
PASSWORD: *********
LOGIN? Y/N

When you confirm, the world dissolves around you, and then reforms...