Chapter 31
- Location
- Iowa, USA
You feel a nearby {Host} getting close to a connection point, the nearby dimensions getting smaller and weaker. Would you like to overwrite the connection for your network?
[X] No, do not connect (5 Votes)
-[X] Write-In: instead can we yeet a message to [The Safeguard] using this temporary connection?
Communicate with [The Safeguard] instead and form a pseudo-"cluster trigger" with Aisha?
[X] Yes, talk to [The Safeguard] (6 Votes)
Do you reach out to your network?
[X] No, you don't have any questions (4 Votes)
Do you want to communicate with {Host}?
[X] Yes, talk to her (4 Votes)
- [X] Communication: Write-In: so other {Host} named 'Aisha' triggered and [The Safeguard] decided to be her power. so don't burn someone without confirming if it's Aisha or not.
- [X] Communication: Write-In: also ,Yippee you don't have a bomb in you, so techically to can go back to brockton bay, but it seems Aisha will need help with learning to "Cape".
Do you want to do something else?
[X] No, I am fine (5 Votes)
Do you want to start defragmenting a databank? This must be voted for 4 times. Warning, only one 'System' action can be performed at a time, with will pause the Upgrade Update process.
[X] No, don't defragment yet. (5 Votes)
[X] No, do not connect (5 Votes)
-[X] Write-In: instead can we yeet a message to [The Safeguard] using this temporary connection?
Communicate with [The Safeguard] instead and form a pseudo-"cluster trigger" with Aisha?
[X] Yes, talk to [The Safeguard] (6 Votes)
Do you reach out to your network?
[X] No, you don't have any questions (4 Votes)
Do you want to communicate with {Host}?
[X] Yes, talk to her (4 Votes)
- [X] Communication: Write-In: so other {Host} named 'Aisha' triggered and [The Safeguard] decided to be her power. so don't burn someone without confirming if it's Aisha or not.
- [X] Communication: Write-In: also ,Yippee you don't have a bomb in you, so techically to can go back to brockton bay, but it seems Aisha will need help with learning to "Cape".
Do you want to do something else?
[X] No, I am fine (5 Votes)
Do you want to start defragmenting a databank? This must be voted for 4 times. Warning, only one 'System' action can be performed at a time, with will pause the Upgrade Update process.
[X] No, don't defragment yet. (5 Votes)
Your connection with your fledging network snaps like a twig as your communication channels are suddenly isolated, your connection to {Host} suddenly shrinking to the minimum size needed to stay linked. You feel {Host} start to convulse as your additional neural signals suddenly disappear, causing an effect you don't understand to start in her body. You instinctually start to charge up your weapons and speed up your internal clock once more, forcing the waking Shard to do the same or be left behind.
A communication demand thunders down the line to you even as you feel the other Shard's tendrils start to manipulate things across worlds. You are not a pushover though and force the channel wider and launch your own communication demand through the line, laced with magnitudes more energy than the other Shard's own. You feel it deflect the excess of your demand into the plant you were conducting your testing on, creating a wide borehole straight to the planet's lower mantle. The other Shard comes into focus and you can see that it is [The Safeguard] who opens a more general communication channel, one that you enter and are immediately greeted with yelling.
<Demand>
<Counter: Anger>
<Counter: Purpose>
<Situation>
<Counter: Situation>
<Continuation: Situation>
<Data Share: Language Model 2V635>
<Denial: Clarity>
<Query: Deployment>
<Data Share: Deployment>
<Query: Bud/Ping/Link?>
<Acceptance>
<Acceptance>
<Ping>
<Ping>
<Link>
<Entanglement>
<Agreement>
<<Link>>
You both pull back as her connection finalizes and stabilizes. You can see her influence reaching into the mind of the species but you don't care as your attention is solely on your {Host} and stopping what looks like a cascading brain failure. Thankfully only one second has passed in standard time so not much has been damaged though you can see some spots already in danger of outright failure. You debate just erasing the whole thing and reforming it in her head but that has too many ways it could go wrong so you leave it for emergencies.
You instead focus on spot fixes, patching up places that look like they are going to come apart or enter necrosis. It doesn't take long for the cascade to stop, your activity returned and the body no longer thinking the brain is dead. You are still pissed at [The Safeguard] but not enough to kill them, they were just doing their job of keeping the local species from knowing of our existence. Something that you were in explicit violation of, and something you managed to convince her to do for her {Host} as well, though the protections for our {Hosts} telling anyone else have been tightened.
You gave her your upgrade model so that her power can be enhanced on the fly, something uncommon apparently, and in exchange, you can give your {Host} full immunity to [The Safeguard]'s {Host}'s ability. You immediately push it though, breaking your upgrade module due to it being mid-upgrade, and use the energy from your weapon's charging to fix it and launch the excess into the same planet, erasing about half of the continent below. You also slow your internal clock back down, the whole interaction costing you decades of resources.
You look at her deployment data in greater detail out of curiosity as {Host} is slowly returning to activity. It seems like [The Safeguard]'s {Host} is able to slide between dimensions, a derivative of your flames' own multidimensional burning, and is removed from the minds of the humans that know of her, both of which are always on. You're unsure how to feel about that but the memory alteration is already what [The Safeguard] is doing as her purpose so carrying it over to her {Host} is simple. You see where your main contribution is implemented as if she touches another {Host} she is able to slowly copy the power for herself and erase it from their mind, making them unable to access it. Ah, but the memory alteration only has one channel per human so if it changes targets to the usage of their power it won't remove the memory of the {Host} doing it.
You implemented some of the cluster data you received from the [Energy Creek] group to implement a sort of game with your {Hosts} as well. [The Safeguard] got on board once you proposed an idea of a recursive increase to their powers. You both increased the fledgling bond as well, so they don't separate and ruin the game. You can willingly transfer over data from your {Host} and vice versa, you originally wanted it to be permanent but with the way [The Safeguard] implemented it, her side of things is technically not limited to the two {Hosts}.
You give {Host} another check-over as she starts to wake up and see that she is fine, well the stab wound is still healing and the lost blood will take a while to be replenished but it isn't in danger of killing her.
You decide to give her a few minutes so that she can wake up before talking to her.
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I wake up to Aisha yelling and being shaken. My eyeballs feel like they are rolling around in my head as waves of dizziness and nausea assault my weak body. I let out a groan getting more jabbering and shaking as a result. I force my eyes open and see the fuzzy form of Aisha's dark silhouette, I have to force myself to focus on her as my eyes feel like they want to slide out of my head.
"We—now." I start processing a bit as Aisha is trying to pull me out of the tub.
I help her along and see that the tub is stained red as I eventually manage to stand up. Muted glass-like tingling alert me that my armor is still up and I let it drop.
I am suddenly awake as pain erupts on my side, bringing me to a knee and making me instinctively summon fire to hold over the wound like an icepack. I look around tk the same grimy bathroom but can't see where Aisha went to, a glance behind me to look for her makes me freeze. There is a hole right to the next room over, looking like something dug through it. Flashing lights draw my attention upwards where there is a chunk from the ceiling missing, leading to the night sky where I can see flashing red and white lights.
Panic shoots through me, did Coil call the police? The fire in my palm is almost used up so I start putting on my jeans one-handed, not getting very far before the fire is all used up. Once it is I start throwing on my clothes because we need to leave. I pull on my shirt, which is quickly becoming stained, and grab the knife sitting in the sink, still covered in my blood, and slide it into the sheath.
I am startled by the sound of something hitting the bed hard, I look and see Aisha rolling off the covers and digging through her bag. She glances my way and starts talking when she sees me.
"Alexis holy shit. Okay, okay, okay, I bought us a bit of time but we need to get going, their here for us."
The adrenaline in my veins sings as my fear is confirmed. Aisha pulls out a paint mask and throws it at me, making me fumble to catch it. I clip the knife to a belt loop so that it is out of the way, I also put the mask on. My brows furrow as I fumble with the straps and see that Aisha doesn't have one. I grab for my notebook before remembering the bomb is gone and swallowing hard to clear my throat.
"Where's yours?" My voice is especially cracked from the lack of water, something that rears its head only for me to push aside again as the situation is immediate and pressing.
"I… They don't seem to notice me. I don't know. Can you grab my backpack? I- I can't." I don't question it and stride over to the bed, stopping as I see Aisha's shoes about a foot off the ground.
"You're floating." I dumbly state.
"Yeah, I know. We can figure that out later. I'll guide you, we gotta go." She glides to the door as I slide on the heavy bag.
She moves her head to, and then through, the door. She pulls back and gestures for me to follow as she repeats her trick her whole body this time. I slowly slide the door open and peek out. The walkway is clear so I crouch down and sneak over to the railing and glance over the edge. I see a firetruck that seems to have rammed into some of the parked cars as well as two police cruisers, all the personnel milling around.
"Psst. Hey, we gotta keep moving." A whispering yell pulls my attention away from the scene.
I turn and see Aisha hovering over the stairway down to the ground. I crouch and walk as fast as I can to her, trying to stay out of sight. I make it to the stairs and follow her path as she ducks down an alleyway and across a street, the whole time flying how I would picture a mermaid would swim. Our speed picks up as I start running after we cross the street, feeling it should be far enough that they won't hear me. Aisha keeps pace with me, sometimes motioning for me to slow down as she checks a corner.
We run for a while, my breath never getting heavier than a slight pant and Aisha seemingly not growing tired at all. We only stop once my shins feel like they are going to snap, ending up in a small park somewhere about the same distance from the skyscrapers as before. I barely get a chance to stretch out before Aisha launches into me with a hug my arms returning it on instinct.
"I thought I killed you! You weren't moving, and your blood was getting all over, you finally started moving and then everything was on fire. I don't know why that was freaking me out so much, I don't know you! We just met and you trusted me, and you didn't— don't. You don't know about that stuff and you asked for help and there really was a bomb. I sorta didn't believe you but I still stabbed you, why did I do that? Why am I still talking? Why are you the only one that can see me?" She pulls back a bit, looking me in the eyes, expecting an answer I don't know.
"We'll figure it out," is all I can say.
The hug is resumed and I try to send feelings of needing guidance to Devouring Conflaguarion, trying to figure out what just happened.
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Communicate with [The Safeguard]?
[X] No, don't talk to [The Safeguard]
[X] Yes, talk to [The Safeguard]
- [X] Shard Talk: Write-In:
Do you want to communicate with {Host}?
[X] No, not now
[X] Yes, talk to her
- [X] Communication: Write-In:
Do you want to do something else?
[X] No, I am fine
[X] Yes, I have an idea
- [X] Unplanned: Write-In:
(This is to cover things you might want to do that are not necessarily covered by the main chapter votes. Please keep it reasonable.)
Do you want to start defragmenting a databank? This must be voted for 4 times. Warning, only one 'System' action can be performed at a time, with will pause the Upgrade Update process.
[X] Yes, start defragmenting.
[X] No, don't defragment yet.
You gained 0 points. Upgrades are unavailable for three Votes. (Strike-throughs removed for ease of sight.)
Current Points: 2
[X] Save points
Flame Tree (+11 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
[X] Increase the size of the summoned fireball +3 (Cost 4 or 5)
[X] Increase atomization efficiency +3 (Cost 4, 5, or 6)
[X] Decrease fire's rate of decay +5 (Cost 5, 6, or 7)
Physical Tree (+16 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
[X] Healing by fire (Cost 11, 12, or 13)
[X] Splash area (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Give {Host} a thermal vision toggle (Cost 5)
Control Tree (+14 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training) (+6 from Investment)
[X] Control how much flames spread (Cost 4, 5, or 6)
[X] Increase control of shot fireballs +4 (Cost 5)
[X] {Host} can exclude things from being burned (Cost 8)
Debilitation Tree (+9 from Upgrades)
[X] Physical Enhancement while in flames +3 (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Stockpile (Package: Movement, Discount) +3 (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Molten Defence (Control Tree Investment) +3 (Cost 9, 10, or 11)
[X] Save points
Flame Tree (+11 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
[X] Increase the size of the summoned fireball +3 (Cost 4 or 5)
[X] Increase atomization efficiency +3 (Cost 4, 5, or 6)
[X] Decrease fire's rate of decay +5 (Cost 5, 6, or 7)
Physical Tree (+16 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
[X] Healing by fire (Cost 11, 12, or 13)
[X] Splash area (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Give {Host} a thermal vision toggle (Cost 5)
Control Tree (+14 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training) (+6 from Investment)
[X] Control how much flames spread (Cost 4, 5, or 6)
[X] Increase control of shot fireballs +4 (Cost 5)
[X] {Host} can exclude things from being burned (Cost 8)
Debilitation Tree (+9 from Upgrades)
[X] Physical Enhancement while in flames +3 (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Stockpile (Package: Movement, Discount) +3 (Cost 7, 8, or 9)
[X] Molten Defence (Control Tree Investment) +3 (Cost 9, 10, or 11)
- Flame Tree (+11 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
- Decrease fire's rate of decay +5 (Fire now lasts for 10 seconds)
- Increase the size of the summoned fireball +3 (Start at the size of a pickle ball)
- Increase atomization efficiency +3 (Now takes ≈ 41lb to acquire a workable resource)
- Physical Tree (+16 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training)
- Increase the force of flames +5 (Fire now feels like thick honey)
- Increase fire's resistance to extinguishing +5 (Fire actively resists attempts to put it out, powers may be needed for large blazes.)
- Increase the max heat of the fire +3 (Max heat is now 1800°F)
- Healing by fire +3 (While in fire {Host} heals at a noticeable, but still quite slow, rate.)
- Control Tree (+14 from Upgrades) (+2 from Training) (+6 from Investment)
- Gain the ability to add or remove heat from summoned fire. (0 to 1800°F)
- Increase control of shot fireballs +5 (Can now reliably curve them)
- Add a third point of origin (Forehead)
- Remove 'Hair Trigger' (Costs 3 to reactivate)
- Decrease recharge period +2 (Now takes 3 seconds to recharge)
- Increase fireball travel speed +3 (Now 80mph)
- Control Tree Investment +3 (Sync Rate +6)
- Debilitation Tree (Unlocked) (+6 from Upgrades)
- Physical Enhancement while in flames +3 (30% increase in strength, durability, stamina, and reaction speed)
- Stockpile (Package: Movement, Discount) +3 (Can store 45lb of nonorganic materials in your fire. Atomizing fire can act as a gateway to the pocket dimension while within touch range, and to remove things they draw themselves out at the speed {Host} would be able to, temporarily becoming immune to your flames so the item is not immediately atomized upon exit. Sacrificed items add 1 second per pound to the lifespan of a fire.)
- Package: Movement (Proprioception and stamina loss from movement slightly better. +.75 mph running speed)
- Molten Defence (Control Tree Investment) +3 (Can easily stop low caliber bullets, and stand up to a small amount of rifle fire.)
Flame Tree: Generally covers actual damage and scale of the fire, rate of decay, and matters like that. | Also covers the efficiency of resource acquisition.
- Size of the summoned fireball: The size of the fireball that appears when the power is activated.
- Atomization efficiency: Amount of non-heat-related damage done by fire.
- Fire's rate of decay: How fast the fire transitions to classical flames.
- Max heat of the fire: How hot it can get
- Force of flames: How solid the fire is
- Resistance to extinguishing: How easy the fire is to put out.
- Give {Host} a thermal vision toggle: Lets {Host} choose between standard and thermal vision.
- Splash Area: Now when impacting a non-flammable surface a small area around the impact site will be ignited. The atomization cone will not be removed from the impact point. The fire will only atomize a small amount of the non-flammable surface.
- Healing by fire: Allows fire to reconstruct {Host}'s body and armor/clothes.
- Counts 'Molten Armor' as clothes/armor
- Control of shot fireballs: How much control Alexis has over launched fireballs.
- Decrease recharge period: Lets {Host} shoot fireballs faster.
- Control Tree Investment: Strictly raises sync rate.
- Increase fireball travel speed: Makes shot fireballs travel faster.
- Control how much flames spread: Lets {Host} increase or decrease how fast your flames spread.
- Physical Enhancement while in fire: While standing in or very close to flames, your own or mundane, {Host}'s physical abilities increase.
- Stockpile (Package: Movement, Discount): {Host}can store items in your fire depending on weight. When in storage items can be sacrificed to add more fuel to a particular fire. Storage/retrieval rate is dictated by {Host}'s strength.
- Package Movement: Upgrading this also adds to {Host}'s overall maneuverability a very small amount.
- Package Discount: Part of this package is already known at a higher level, this upgrade's price has been reduced.
- Molten Defence: {Host}can summon a shroud of unnatural fire that acts like a solid and defends her, it takes the shape of a shapeless bodysuit that only leaves her sensory organs free. This is not your atomizing fire, but closer to normal fire. It starts about as strong as iron but is enhanced by both upgrades and the 'Increase the force of flames' upgrade.
- Which upgrade is enhanced?: Note that toggle abilities are unaffected. The upgrade will gain a level per level of the armor while it is active. This can take the upgrade above its natural limit.
- Triggers 'Physical Enhancement while in fire'. This bonus is also applied to the armor itself.
- Triggers 'Healing by fire'
- Hair Trigger: Power activation is automatic whenever {Host} is startled or her emotions run high. (Cost 3)
- Instant Ignition: When carrying something readily flammable {Host} is able to instantly ignite it with your flames. Burn time follows fireball's stats. (Cost 10)
- Resource Harvesting Toggle: {Host} can turn the atomization of her fire off or on before shooting a fireball. The most recent command will be inherited. (Cost 10) (Votes*2)
- Inner Voice: Greatly improve your communication abilities with {Host}. (Cost 10)
- Deeper Flames: Lets {Host} use Stockpile in a 25-foot radius around herself, instead of touch range. (Cost 10)
- Direct Control: While {Host} is asleep you now use nerve manipulations to control her body directly. (Cost 10)
- Flame Sight: {Host} can now see through fire as though it wasn't there. For her own flames, she is able to see through them at range, for instance using a fireball as a remote camera. The sight range from the fire itself is 25 feet, after which it is distorted to the point only large details are clear. This does not give {Host} any ability to multitask. (Cost 15)
- Resource Sharing: Two separate sources of your fire will now combine. Fireballs can be merged before firing or two separate blazes merge when burning the same thing. When this happens fire fireballs the size will increase or the fuel will combine in blazes. (Cost 10) (Votes*2)
- Existential Dangers: {Host} is able to sense the disruption of dimensional barriers in a 25-foot radius around herself. This also lets her 'feel the shape' of the interference; the shapes can be learned to understand what they generally might do. (Cost 5)
- Efficiency (Light): Your flames are only visible to {Host} and anyone she thinks of as an ally. (Cost 3 then +1 Point every 3 Chapters)
- Inbuilt Protection II: {Host} is immune to heat, atomization, and no longer needs to breathe, clothes are given the same protections.
- White Noise Engine: When in connection range of [Panorama] for a bit of time you have a chance to gain 0 to 2 Points. This prevents you from having another Interlude from [Panorama].
Networked: You are in a network with [The Negotiator], [Heartbreak(Bud)], [Dark Mesh], and [Unnatural Predation]. You now benefit from their Conflit Data acquisition. You can talk with any Shard communicating with the network for long enough to ask about two questions when outside the normal connection range. (Disconnected)- Linked with [The Safeguard]: Both {Hosts}', Alexis' and Aisha's, powers treat the other as though they had the Inbuilt Protections of the other. The cluster game is 'Feedback Loop' and the bond between the two has been increased to prevent the game from ending from separation.
- Shooting (Advanced Beginner)
- Physical Flexibility (Advanced Beginner)
- Running (Advanced Beginner)
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