So I've got to say that I went and got the notary games cuz steam had the sale and all that, deciding I'd finally try it because this story showed me that they existed in stuffed a while ago and I just finally got around to buying it. Lo and behold the next day flair decides to make a comment on this that I'm like wait I've got to reread this now I forgot that this existed!
Then I decide to start 999 up and one of the first things that happens in the second escape room, when you're doing the first number door if you choose four, is Akane making a comment about an ancient Egyptian mummy priestess of amun-rah who was frozen or casket that's cursed. According to her it's the reason why the Titanic sunk and it's probably what starts June pay on his whole investigation and I'm like wait, what, this, I, huh!? You're obsessed with this because your childhood thinks a curse was real!? And you think that Alice was that priestess!?
I groan as I woke up. My bed feels comfy, but I have a huge headache. I open my eyes and see a typical suburban bedroom, the window revealing that it is currently morning. A completely normal sight for a normal girl to see in the morning.
I am not a normal girl. I am Clover, a member of the SOIS organization and an esper.
This is not my house. Where the hell am I?
"Alice!?"
I cry out for my friend as I start racking my brain for how I could have gotten here. Last thing I remember was planning for a raid with Alice when… those guys! There were people in gas masks, they attacked us with a white smoke! They must have kidnapped us, is this the kidnappers house!?
"Alice!!!"
She must be here somewhere! Suddenly wide awake I jump out of the bed I woke up in and got moving. I stumble while rushing through the doorway, but quickly regain my footing. I briefly look in all the rooms on the floor, plus a few closets, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She must not be on this floor.
<"Light! Do you hear me!? I've been kidnapped, and Alice probably has as well!">
I try to send my brother a message through the morphogenetic field, but get no response. Damn.
Quickly finding the stairs I go down, slower now that my initial panic is starting to wear off. This is Alice, she's probably ok, she HAS to be. I couldn't accept it if something bad had happened to her.
Maybe she got out on her own? Or maybe she's still being held in a different building entirely. Either way I needed to find her as soon as possible.
"Good morning sweetie!"
I jump at the voice, quickly turning to face it. Turns out it was an older woman, now smiling at me while sitting at a table eating a sandwich. She gave a quick chuckle at my response.
"What's gotten you so riled up? It's just me!"
I've never seen this woman in my life. Could she be one of the kidnappers!?
"Who are you!? Where am I!? Where's Alice!?"
Her smile faltered for a moment, before coming back even brighter than before.
"I am lady Barbara, and I have summoned thee to my humble abode! Now would you like a sandwich for breakfast?"
That answer had to be a joke. Her tone made it obvious that she wasn't taking this seriously. How DARE she!? Here you are, kidnapped by strangers and she answers you with a JOKE!? And offers you breakfast!?!?
I stomp up to her and grab her by the collar, throwing her to the ground in her surprise.
"ANSWER ME! NOW!"
She cries out in pain as she hits the ground, her arm forced behind her back her sandwich spilled over the floor. A textbook takedown I learned during my SOIS basic training.
"Rina!? Rina! What are you doing!? It's me, your mother!"
An obvious lie. My mother looks nothing like her. I put pressure on her arm, causing her to scream some more.
"I've never seen you in my life. Now tell me where I am!?"
She gasps for several seconds.
"Y-your in our house, but… Rina, what do you mean you've never seen me!? I'm your mother! Just what has gotten into you!"
That was completely impossible but… she seemed so sincere as she spoke, and so confused. Plus when I first saw her her reaction was to smile at me and offer me breakfast. If I hadn't attacked her she might have kept doing a comedy routine she thought she was in.
"Listen Barbara, just what do you think my name is? Say it!"
"Rina! Your name is Rina!"
She just seems so convinced that I'm someone that I know I'm not. A kidnapper would have had to break into a secure facility. There's no way they'd do that without knowing who I was, meaning this isn't actually my kidnapper. Realizing my error I let go of her arm and stand up.
Stupid stupid stupid. If I wasn't too caught up in the moment I wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake. The woman.. err.. Barbara started to stand back up, panting heavily and clearly a little panicked from my attack.
"My name isn't Rina, and I have no idea who that is. I am Clover Field."
She was just staring at me after that, her eyes remaining completely wide open as I speak.
"You don't believe me, do you Barbara?"
Barbara began shaking her head.
"N-n-no, I believe you. My daughter can be silly at times, but she would never attack me like that, so you have to be someone else."
I can't believe I mistook a civilian for a kidnapper, however briefly. When I get out of this mess Alice is going to give me a huge lecture on this I'm sure. That's right Alice! I still need to find her! I turn back towards Barbara.
"Look, have you seen a tall Egyptian woman recently? Brown eyes, maybe some makeup and gold jewlery on?"
She firmly shook her head.
"I think I'd remember seeing someone like that. Just what are you anyways? How did you possess my daughter!?"
"Possess?"
For the first time since I woke up I decided to inspect myself, and really made sure to look. A sense of wrongness that I'd been ignoring suddenly came to the forefront of my attention. My body is completely wrong, my hair is the wrong color not to mention the wrong length. This is definitely NOT my body.
"oh…"
Yeah, that would do it. I faint on the spot.
~~~~~~~
Given how shifting works, if we assuming that Flairina got into Clover's body through shifting, then that means Clover would wake up in her body in the real world. And considering what happened before she woke up in VLR... well... she wouldn't be happy to say the least.
I may or may not do a follow up to this omake, but I did want to at least present this possibility.
Given how shifting works, if we assuming that Flairina got into Clover's body through shifting, then that means Clover would wake up in her body in the real world. And considering what happened before she woke up in VLR... well... she wouldn't be happy to say the least.
I may or may not do a follow up to this omake, but I did want to at least present this possibility.
I know this is an apocrypha so it can be non-canon and stuff but...
I was thinking of that that could've happened...but that implies that the world Flarina lived in is a branch of Zero Escape's timeline yet it has the events of Zero Escape as a game.
I still think it was pretty neat.
(Probably should've mentioned that from the start...)
Almost laughing aloud in relief, I pull the medicine out of the safe, smiling widely as I do.
So THIS is where it was! I knew it had to be in one of the safes! Oh, this makes things so much simpler; if we can just get Quark upstairs and inject him with this before he wakes up again-
"Clover?" Sigma says from behind me. "What's that?"
I freeze, having momentarily forgotten he was there.
"Ah... I'm not sure." I reply, showing him the tiny container. "The label says 'Axelavir', and it kind of looks like a medicine vial?"
I'd love to just tell him what this is, but we haven't scanned Quark with the ADAM yet, so Sigma doesn't know what Axelavir does or why it would be useful — ergo, I shouldn't either.
"There's also all this other stuff." I continue, hurriedly pocketing the vial before Sigma can ask any follow up questions about why I was smiling at it. "We have two moon cards, a small key, a map, and some sort of journal, apparently?"
Extracting the rest of the safe's contents, I pocket one of the moon cards before thrusting the rest of the items into Sigma's arms. This does its intended job of distracting him, as he ends up frantically bobbling the objects back and forth for a couple of seconds, trying to keep them all from falling.
"Woah, woah, one thing at a time!" Sigma protests, managing to set the items down on the table. "I've only got two hands here..."
I quash the urge to tell him that's technically not true, depending on what one qualifies as "hands", while Sigma picks the journal back up and starts flipping through it... whereupon his normal eye immediately narrows into a disbelieving squint.
"What the...? What language even is this?"
Not being able to actually see it from where I'm standing, nor really remembering what the purpose of that journal was, I just shrug.
"We can examine this stuff in more detail later." I say. "For now, let's just hurry back upstairs."
Which is even more important than when I said it the first time, since we can actually cure Quark now, and thus may be able to avoid having to wrestle him into sedation again.
Sigma nods. "Yeah. Here, you get the door."
He pockets the journal, the map, and remaining moon card, then moves to where we left Quark. Meanwhile, I take the key back and slide it into the ornate-looking lock to the right of the exit door. A simple twist of the wrist, and "LOCK" switches to "OPEN", prompting the door to slide upwards and reveal another hallway.
Nodding approvingly, I turn back around to see Sigma now holding Quark in a fireman's carry... as well as giving me a slightly unhappy look.
"Um..." I squint. "Something wrong?"
"Not really." Sigma says, though with a clear note of disappointment in his voice. "The way you opened that just felt kind of... lackluster, is all. I know we finished the room quickly, but couldn't you have at least done a countdown, or something like that?"
...seriously?
"I'm sorry if I didn't open the door with enough ceremony for you, Sigma," I reply with not a little sarcasm, "but I kind of think we have bigger concerns right now, don't you?"
Sigma at least has the grace to look a little sheepish at that, to which I just roll my eyes.
"Come on, let's go already."
Well aware that I'm likely slower than him, I step aside to let Sigma leave first, then follow him out, glancing back at the interior of the laboratory for a final time as I do. Honestly, we did end up finishing this room pretty quickly, though with Quark liable to wake up and go ballistic at any moment, I'm certainly not complaining. I suppose I'm ultimately just glad we didn't end up having to waste a ton of time messing around with either of the mysterious table machines-
I blink, squinting at one of said machines again. Huh. I didn't notice when I was looking at it from above, but from this angle, I can actually see the words "IG Replicator" engraved around the lower rim of the device.
...and IG... equals immunoglobulin...
I very nearly smack myself.
"Clover?" Sigma says, already having started down the hallway. "Aren't we going?"
I fail to move, my realization having struck me with sudden indecision. The IG Replicator — AKA the machine that can make more Axelavir — is all of ten feet away from me, probably already prepped for use. However, Sigma is also all of ten feet away from me, and I'm still not supposed to know what the Axelavir is for, let alone what the replicator is for, so I can't exactly just stroll back in and use it apropos of absolutely nothing, at least not without looking ridiculously suspicious in the process-
"Clover...?" Sigma repeats.
"S-sorry." I stutter, forcibly wrenching my gaze away from the lab as the exit door slides shut, hesitation having made my choice for me. "Spaced out for a moment... yeah, let's go."
Still looking at me a little oddly, Sigma nevertheless sets off down the hallway, moving away at a fairly brisk pace. I trail after him, doing my best to keep up without tripping over my own feet — though while my eyes stay fixed on Sigma's back, my thoughts remain focused on the tiny glass bottle now pressing rather uncomfortably into my hip, and the horrible, creeping feeling that I may have just made a massive mistake.
It's certainly true that just now wasn't a particularly good time for me to use the IG Replicator. However, I kind of suspect it may have also been the only time — once we get Quark to the infirmary and scan him with the ADAM, the machine will identify not only that he's infected with Radical-6, but that the infection can be cured via Axelavir. At which point, Sigma will most likely want to immediately use the medicine on Quark... not knowing that the IG Replicator needs a sample of said medicine in order to make more, or that the replicator in question even exists. And, without revealing I know things that only Zero is supposed to know at this point in the game, I'll have no plausible excuse to stop him from doing exactly that.
I bite the inside of my lip. Quark may be the first to show symptoms of it this timeline, but everyone in this game except Luna is infected with Radical-6, and will succumb to it eventually if it isn't treated. In the last two lines, we didn't even have the option to avoid that, because no one ever opened up the laboratory. In this one though, we do... and I'm still not taking the opportunity, for fear of Sigma becoming as suspicious of me as Phi. It's an admittedly valid concern, since I really don't need him attempting to interrogate me too — but in choosing to prioritize that, I likely just condemned everyone else in this timeline to an inevitable death by suicide.
Including Alice. Again.
Unable to stop myself from quailing at the thought, I shake my head, trying to keep things in perspective. As horrible as it is to those stuck in this timeline, I need to keep focused on the big picture — on myself, and my own, individual future, which with any luck won't be here. And hey, at least my delayed realization of the IG replicator's purpose should help with my epiphany problem...! Although, then again, does that even qualify as an epiphany? I didn't really learn anything, I just remembered something that I should have already known to begin with. I certainly don't feel very accomplished for it; in fact I mostly just feel stupid for overlooking it, like I did with the paring knife in the B. Garden two timelines ago-
My eyes widen in sudden panic. Shit, the scalpel! We just left that sitting underneath the fume hood in the laboratory, right out in the open! I didn't even try to hide it! If Dio can't find his knife and goes looking for a new weapon again, then I might as well have just handed him one on a silver platter-
"Clover, are you feeling alright?"
I snap my gaze back up to Sigma, who's paused in the middle of the hallway just to turn around and squint at me.
"Seriously, you don't look so good." he says, sounding legitimately concerned. "You're not sick too, are you?"
...I am. But, as with everyone else... there's nothing I can do about that.
"I'm fine." I mumble. "Just worried about Quark, I guess."
"Same here." Sigma quietly replies. "Maybe we should we pick up the pace?"
I shake my head ruefully. "Sorry Sigma, but I can't really-"
"An Ambidex Gate has been opened." the intercom suddenly interrupts. "Forty-five minutes remain until Ambidex Game polling closes."
I glance up at the ceiling in astonishment. Wait a second, did Dio manage to get back first again? Sigma and I practically speedran that room; how in the world did his team finish before-
"What the hell? Who opened one of the gates?!"
Before I can actually respond to Sigma's outcry, he suddenly reaches out and grabs hold of my wrist.
"Come on, we need to get upstairs!" he urges, already starting to move again.
"Wait, Sigma I- WOAH!"
Once again I fail to finish my sentence as Sigma starts outright running down the corridor, towing me along behind him as he goes... and not seeming to realize that the shoes I'm wearing are not remotely conducive to such speeds, even were I better practiced in them. Shit-!
Desperate not to lose my balance and end up breaking an ankle or worse, I stop even attempting to balance on the back of my shoes and just put all my weight on the front, lifting the heels off the ground entirely and going from my tiptoes to very nearly en pointe as I frantically stumble after Sigma as best I can. At roughly the same time, it occurs to me that I probably could have used my difficulty with these shoes as an excuse to tell Sigma he should just go on ahead, then quietly slipped back into the laboratory to make more Axelavir as soon as he got out of sight. It would have been a perfect excuse, and a fairly innocuous one at that, but it's too late now...!
Thankfully, the hallway from the laboratory doesn't actually lead to the second floor warehouse like the one from the B. Garden did, instead looping back around to the Chromatic Doors and the elevator everyone first entered from. As soon as we make it back to the latter and step inside, Sigma hits the button to take us up, finally letting go of me as he does.
"Unbelievable..." he grumbles, readjusting his hold on Quark, "who would-"
"Are you a complete and utter moron?!"
Sigma flinches away as I glare him down. "Wha-"
"I'm wearing heels, Sigma!" I shout, hands planted on my hips. "Shoes which, if you weren't aware, aren't exactly built for running in! I was barely keeping on my feet that entire time you were dragging me down the hallway, and if I'd fallen while you were still grabbing onto my arm, I probably would have pulled you and Quark down with me!"
Seriously, what the hell was the thought process there?! Thank god Clover's shoes are at least flexible enough to have a little give in the front, because otherwise there is roughly zero chance that we, or at the very least I wouldn't have been sent sprawling!
"I realize that we're in a rush," I continue to rant, "and I'm not particularly happy with whoever opened an AB gate either, but calm the hell down! The announcement said we have forty five minutes to make it back, not forty five seconds!"
In the face of my brief tirade, Sigma visibly slumps.
"Right... wasn't really thinking about that." he admits, looking more than a little guilty. "It's just- who would even open one of the rooms before everyone else got back?"
"I have a guess." I fume, crossing my arms under my chest. "Not that I particularly care at the moment."
Of all the potential dangers contained within this facility, Sigma just being plain thoughtless isn't one I really expected I'd have to be worried about, but apparently that was my mistake.
"Sorry, Clover." Sigma says, wincing. "My bad."
I sigh as the elevator doors slide back open.
"Fine... just, please don't do that again. We'll figure out who opened a room later. Getting Quark to the infirmary still needs to be our top priority for the time being."
I look back at Sigma with an unamused expression. "Let's maybe not run this time though, if just so you don't risk accidentally hitting his head on a wall on the way?"
Sigma abashedly agrees, and we start down the hall, thankfully now moving at a more reasonable, less potentially literally-breakneck speed. Even at a much-reduced pace, it doesn't take us very long to reach the infirmary's back entrance, and a quick look around as we walk into the room is enough to know that there's no one else inside at the moment-
I cringe a little as I silently correct myself. Barring Akane's corpse, at least, which is still lying on the furthest bed behind the divider. Forgot that was here again... you wouldn't imagine a dead body could so readily slip one's mind, but between all the other things I've been worried about of late, it's a lot easier than you'd think.
"We should probably examine Quark with the ADAM before anything else, right?" Sigma asks, paying the corpse no mind.
Trying to do the same, I nod. "Stands to reason."
I've already essentially lost my chance at making more Axelavir, so I suppose I should at least endeavor to cure Quark as quickly as possible, before he wakes up and goes nuts again — and to do that without giving anything away, we'll need to actually "discover" what's wrong with him first.
Sigma moves over to the examination bed, taking a moment to remove Quark's hat and place it on the nearby desk, then another to ensure that his head is properly supported as he gently sets Quark down. Meanwhile, while Sigma is otherwise occupied, I take the scalpel from the nearby medical cart and surreptitiously slip it down the drain of the sink again. I may have forgotten about the one in the lab, but that's no reason to make it easy for Dio.
"There." Sigma says as he steps back from Quark. "I guess we'll have to wait for Luna to get back to actually use this thing, but hopefully-"
He breaks off as I walk over and pick up the wand sitting on top of the ADAM, switching the machine in question on as I do so.
"Clover?" Sigma says, his normal eye blinking at me. "You know how to operate that?"
"Not exactly," I admit, "but it didn't look all that difficult, so I'm gonna give it a shot anyways."
I mean, I'm no doctor, but all Luna did with Akane's body was briefly run the scanner over it from a short distance away. Maybe there's some sort of nuance to the process that I'm just missing, but it certainly didn't seem terribly complicated.
Sigma looks a little unsure, but ultimately shrugs and steps aside.
"Well, alright. Guess it can't hurt."
I nod, then begin slowly moving the scanner around Quark's body, gradually hovering it over each part of his prone form. Which feels more than a little absurd — between the shape of the ADAM's wand and the way that it's apparently used, I don't really feel like I'm performing a medical diagnosis, so much as I am scanning a giant, human-shaped barcode. Not that I'm questioning Luna's undoubtedly expansive medical knowledge, but this particular task could probably be handled by just about anyone who's ever worked a cash register before.
Regardless, my efforts soon bear fruit, as the screen to my right begins printing out results. Placing the wand back on top of the machine, I quickly skim through the information, while Sigma waits off to the side for me to finish. Finding essentially exactly what I'd expected to, I adopt my best solemn expression, then turn around to give Sigma the bad news.
"Well, the ADAM knows what's wrong with Quark."
"And?" Sigma asks. "What is it?"
I close my eyes for a moment, wanting this to look right.
"It... says that he's infected with Radical-6."
Sigma stumbles back a step, his mouth falling open in shock.
"Radical-6?" he repeats. "Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously." I confirm, glancing back down at Quark. "Doesn't seem like coincidence, does it? Of all the things he could possibly be sick with, for it to be that..."
I keep my wording vague, trying to make sure I don't accidentally allude to knowing more about the virus than the newspaper article implied. Phi already called me out on that once before; I don't need it happening again.
Sigma tilts his head slightly to one side, his shocked expression shifting to one of minor confusion.
"Wait... Clover, you've heard of Radical-6 before?"
I turn around and blink at him. Huh? Why would that even be in question? Even if he might have extra memories from SHIFTing, from his current perspective we both found out about the virus at the exact same ti-
I freeze.
...uh oh. I think, whilst I was busy trying to avoid repeating the way I screwed up previously, I may have just screwed up again in an entirely different way. Because right now, I'm not just supposed to not know what the specific symptoms of Radical-6 are, I'm not supposed to know about the virus at all, because in this timeline-
"When Luna mentioned the newspaper article about Radical-6 that she found in this room, you weren't at the meeting yet." Sigma elaborates, his statement mirroring my own realization. "You only showed up later with Tenmyouji and Quark. None of us there at the time had ever heard of the virus, or the plague that it implied had occurred... but you have?"
I try not to panic, or at least to not show that panic, even as I feel it starting to creep across my features.
"Clover...?" Sigma says in a low tone, frowning when I don't immediately respond.
"I- I mean, I still passed through the infirmary on the way downstairs..." I say, frantically grasping for a viable excuse, and cringing at the one I come up with.
"Okay, but the article wasn't even here by that point." Sigma replies. "I'm pretty sure Luna took it with her after her group initially escaped the infirmary."
He squints at me, and I curse internally, knowing that I'm likely only seeming increasingly suspicious with every passing second — in other words, the exact scenario that I've been trying to avoid. If I don't say something that satisfies Sigma soon, he's probably going to start thinking I'm Zero, in which case...
Damn it, can't be helped.
"...fine." I admit, sighing as I do so. "Yes, I've heard of Radical-6 before. Prior to ending up in this place, I mean."
Sigma's frown grows a little less harsh, but doesn't fully leave his face.
"How?" he asks. "And if so, why try to hide it?"
"It's... for a good reason..." I mumble, my words sounding unconvincing even to my own ears.
"And that reason is?"
"W-well..."
I don't end up getting to finish that sentence, as we're suddenly interrupted by the door at the back of the infirmary sliding up again to admit the rather frantic-looking trio of Alice, Phi, and Luna into the room. Oh thank god, a distraction!
"Clover?" Alice starts as she spots me, seeming a little out of breath. "You're already here?"
"Were you the ones who opened a gate?" Phi asks, seeming more than a little cross.
I quickly shake my head. "Wasn't us. We were still making our way back upstairs at the time."
"Figures..." Phi mutters to herself — just before her eyes land on the room's smallest occupant, and suddenly go wide. "Hang on, what happened to Quark?!"
Alice and Luna gasp in tandem as they too notice the still form of the child laid out on the examination bed behind us.
"He collapsed, not long after we all broke into teams." Sigma explains. "Clover and I had to run through our room as quickly as possible to get him back up here."
Luna swiftly moves to Quark's side, grabbing up the ADAM's wand as she does so- only to stop dead as she realizes that the screen is already displaying results.
"Oh... you've already diagnosed him?" she asks, sounding surprised. "Which one of you performed the scan?"
"I did." I admit.
Alice shoots me a subtly annoyed look, which I realize after a moment is probably because operating theoretically-complex machinery once again runs counter to playing dumb like she recommended. Once again however, I can't really bring myself to care that much, as I've kind of got bigger problems to deal with.
"The results... weren't great." I quietly add.
"This is...?" Luna whispers, now scanning over the results herself. "Oh no..."
My eyes nervously flicker over to Sigma, but he thankfully remains silent, not choosing to use the easy potential segue. I guess he's not suspicious enough of me just yet to bring up that I have preexisting knowledge of Radical-6 in front of the others, or at least is waiting to hear that "good reason" I mentioned before doing so, but I know the question is in his mind now... damn it, I should have just told him that Quark told me about the virus when I met him in the infirmary before the meeting. He was with Luna when she initially went through the room and found the news article, and while it would have been easy to disprove in the event that Quark wakes up later, Sigma likely wouldn't have had any real reason to question it... but once again, it's too little, too late for that.
A door abruptly opens again, though this time it's the infirmary's front entrance, allowing K and Tenmyouji to come walking in as well — minus one team member.
"Ah." K says, detached as always. "It seems as though everyone has already gathered again."
"Looks like it." Temyouji agrees, eyes panning around the room. "Though, why is everyone just standing around in the-"
His gaze settles on Quark, and immediately turns panicked. "Wait, what?! QUARK!"
He scrambles over to Quark's side, very nearly ramming Luna and me aside in the process. K looks on in what I assume to be concern, even as Phi turns to him.
"Dio isn't with you?"
K shakes his head. "Our group had something of an... internal disagreement. As a result, Dio declared that he had no desire to wait with us for the rest of you, and left for the time being."
...I really don't like the sound of that. Hope he doesn't find his way to the lab...
"Come on kid, say something! Anything!" Tenmyouji pleads, desperately checking Quark for a pulse before rounding on everyone else. "What happened?! What's wrong with him?!"
Luna looks down with a mournful expression. "Well..."
"He has Radical-6." Sigma rather bluntly interrupts.
Those of us who didn't already know recoil in surprise, while Tenmyouji's eyes go wide. "What...?"
Sigma quickly recaps what happened again, this time explaining in slightly more detail how, just as we were about to enter the laboratory, Quark suddenly fell to his knees and started babbling nonsensically, then just as suddenly fell unconscious. Luna jumps in mid-way to explain what little we currently know about Radical-6 to Tenmyouji, not that I imagine he personally really needed the refresher.
"As soon as we got back here, Clover scanned Quark with the ADAM, and... that's how we found out." Sigma solemnly concludes.
Tenmyouji stumbles, almost swaying on his feet.
"No, that- that can't be right!" he insists. "Clover must have just used the machine wrong or something!"
Luna slowly shakes her head.
"I'm afraid that the scan appears to have been performed properly. The ADAM's diagnosis is most likely correct..."
Tenmyouji's gaze sinks to the floor in despair. "No... Quark can't be..."
His breath audibly hitches, before he looks back up with what almost looks like terror in his eyes.
"There must be something we can do!" he all but screams. "How can we cure him?!"
I ready myself, expecting Luna to start explaining the virus's one potential remedy in response — but to my surprise, K suddenly steps forward instead.
"Perhaps the treatment center's cold sleep pods?" he suggests.
"Treatment center?" Alice curiously repeats.
"The room that our group visited." K elaborates. "It contained a trio of pods meant for cryogenic storage, which were additionally noted to be capable of curing illnesses and repairing injuries... supposedly, at least. None of us were capable of testing that claim at the time, but as we now have someone in need of such, I see no reason not to at least attempt to make use of them."
...oh right, those things that Alice, Phi, and my current body were stuck inside of several objective hours ago. Kind of forgot they did anything other than freeze people.
"Fine, let's try that!" Tenmyouji says frantically, not sounding particularly confident in the proposal, but clearly too panicked at the moment to really care. "I'll carry Quark!"
I barely manage to stop myself from objecting. Now that I've been reminded of their existence, I'm pretty sure there was a scene in the game proper where it was shown that those pods couldn't actually cure Radical-6, only stop it from getting worse. While that's not totally useless, we have a much better solution right now; I just need an opening to say as much without making myself look-
"There... is another option." Luna hesitantly, and to my personal relief, speaks up.
Tenmyouji pauses mid-motion. "There is?"
Luna nods.
"ADAM says there's an anti-viral serum called 'Axelavir'." she explains, nigh-identically to how I recall her doing so two timelines back. "It's the only known way to counteract Radical-6. If we can inject him with some, he should... he should be okay."
Desperate hope flickers across Tenmyouji's face. "Where is it then? In here...?"
Luna falters.
"I... don't believe the infirmary has any in stock..."
For a brief moment, Tenmyouji looks utterly crushed, before his expression twists itself into a scowl. "Why even bring it up then?! If we're truly trapped in this place, where else could we possibly find something like that?!"
Deciding that's probably my cue, I pull the small jar of medicine from my pocket and hold it out in front of me.
"Right here."
Everyone turns to me, various expressions of surprise plastered across their faces — well, minus K, since I can't see his face.
"Wha- Clover?" Tenmoyuji says, his furious distress nigh-instantly replaced by shock as he reads the tiny bottle's label.
"Sigma and I happened to find this back in the laboratory." I explain. "It was in the room's safe... a sort of secondary reward for escaping, I guess."
Sigma blinks, then gives me a rather funny look. I take it he's figured out that, in addition to the Radical-6, I already knew what Axelavir was used for as well, and thus why I was so excited about finding it in the first place. It's a pretty natural conclusion to make, based on what I ended up having to admit to him... ugh, why couldn't he be just a little denser?
"W- well what are we waiting for then?!" Tenmyouji exclaims as soon as my words have fully processed. "Luna, you know how to inject that, right?"
"I do." Luna confirms, smiling slightly as she turns to me. "May I administer the medicine, Clover?"
I nod, handing over the medicine in question. "Of course."
Not sure why she even asked, since it's not like I was going to refuse her. Unless she was asking if I wanted to administer it, but I hardly have the knowledge to do this part myself — operating the ADAM was easy enough, but that by no means makes me a medical professional, and there's no way I'd risk screwing this whole process up when we have someone I know can do it better. That dose is only enough for one person, after all.
A small spark of hope abruptly rekindles within me at the thought — isn't there a chance that Sigma will bring up the replicator himself around now? It's certainly possible that, should he have already SHIFTed to the correct times and places, he already "knows" what the IG Replicator is, and will run the Axelavir back to it on his own given proper prompting, which this very well might qualify as. True, I've seen no indication of that from him thus far, and given how much I've already unintentionally screwed with everything, I'm not certain he'll have had the opportunity to gain that information in any timeline he might have already been through, but-
...but nothing, apparently, as Sigma remains silent, merely watching along with everyone else as Luna locates the injection gun and loads it with the vial of Axelavir. No one seems to be bringing up the possibility of anyone else here having Radical-6 either, and I certainly don't want to be the one to do that given what I already accidentally revealed to Sigma, so I'm forced to stay quiet as well — leaving me to merely sigh internally as Luna quickly and efficiently injects the Axelavir into Quark's left thigh.
Well, that's that then. I guess I'd just better hope I can get out of this timeline before everyone else's infections kick in.
"Here's hoping it works." Sigma comments.
"Yeah... hopefully." Tenmyouji says quietly, no longer visibly panic-struck, but still sounding fairly uncertain. I suppose that's only reasonable, given he's currently gambling Quark's well-being on a supposed miracle cure for a virus that he's personally known for many years to not have a cure at all...
I take a quick moment to look around the room. With the immediate crisis averted, everyone mostly just seems varying degrees of relieved, which shows in their expressions — barring K's, obviously, and Phi's, who's still frowning.
"Something wrong, Phi?" Sigma asks, evidently having noticed the same thing I did.
Phi shakes her head.
"It's nothing." she says dismissively, glancing over at the medicine cabinet. "It just seems... awfully convenient."
Despite how she's currently facing almost directly away from me, her comment still manages to make me feel like she's psychically staring a hole in the back of my head. Great, she's still riding the "Clover is hella suspicious" train of thought, isn't she? And now Sigma might be boarding it as well...
"Well," Phi continues, now addressing the rest of the room, "since Quark is apparently taken care of for the moment, let's all take a few minutes to discuss our findings. Clover, you said you and Sigma went to some sort of laboratory?"
"...er, yeah." I reply, caught a little off guard. "Weird-looking place, but we didn't find much of interest there other than the Axelavir."
"Well, that's not quite true." Sigma points out. "We found a small journal in the safe as well, but it's either written in code or in some sort of foreign language."
Phi hums to herself. "Interesting... we should take a look at that later. Did you also manage to get the 'secret archive'?"
I shake my head. "Sorry, no. We prioritized getting Quark help rather than risk looking around any longer."
Phi frowns at me, but before she can say anything, K suddenly speaks up again.
"I'm afraid that our group similarly failed to obtain the treatment center's file. Assuming there was one, at least."
Alice makes a disgruntled-sounding noise. "Why's that?"
"Because-"
The door slides open for a fourth and final time.
"-Dio unlocked and left the room before we could do so." K finishes — just as the man in question steps into the room.
Well, will you look at that? It's my annual update for this fic! Wasn't an easy one to write, either — my planning for this chapter was a bit of a mess, and required a couple of rewrites along the way. Still not sure it's exactly what I wanted it to be, but hopefully it's at least sufficient. Part 2 coming soon!
A huge thanks to @Pheonix14, @Warclam, @ScorpioBot, @The Crimson King, @Dai, @BunnehWyld, Henry Branscombe, That Guy, Nubcaekz, Bertucchi, BlackEagle91, Jordan Juengel, Stays Secret, and my ten other Patrons not named here, as well as an extra special thanks to a certain generous patron who wishes to remain unnamed. Each of them receives an IG replicator of their very own, modeled after the original. Fully functional, and coming complete with two glass medicine vials, this miraculous little machine is capable of synthesizing any liquid compound in existence, so long as you provide it with a small sample thereof — and also, you know, you remember what it even is. 🧪
"It... says that he's infected with Radical-6."
Sigma stumbles back a step, his mouth falling open in shock.
"Radical-6?" he repeats. "Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously." I confirm, glancing back down at Quark. "Doesn't seem like coincidence, does it? Of all the things he could possibly be sick with, for it to be that..."
I keep my wording vague, trying to make sure I don't accidentally allude to knowing more about the virus than the newspaper article implied. Phi already called me out on that once before; I don't need it happening again.
Sigma tilts his head slightly to one side, his shocked expression shifting to one of minor confusion.
"Wait... Clover, you've heard of Radical-6 before?"
I turn around and blink at him. Huh? Why would that even be in question? Even if he might have extra memories from SHIFTing, from his current perspective we both found out about the disease at the exact same ti-
Aw man, Flover should have played it off as having no idea what the disease was, but being dramatic for no reason because Sigma apparently likes that! They did just have a conversation about that.
Although, then again, does that even qualify as an epiphany? I didn't really learn anything, I just remembered something that I should have already known to begin with. I certainly don't feel very accomplished for it; in fact I mostly just feel stupid for overlooking it, like I did with the paring knife in the B. Garden two timelines ago-
In my experience, that's how epiphanies always work.
If you hit on something new, then there's at least some uncertainty, "Maybe it's something like this..." but if you make a connection between things you already knew, then it's a lot more "that's the answer!"
But from the inside it's just "Well why didn't I think of that before?"
There is also something else very important in the Biolab that was not in the safe, a certain machine. Hopefully you mention it next chapter. However, with out a certain clue from the Bio-garden, if won't come into play here.
Ha. At this point, the sheer stress of Clover's anxiety will let her shift at will.
She'll trick herself into thinking that ANY situation is life or death.
Alternatively – or perhaps additionally – Clover!me manages to stress myself out to the point of giving myself a fatal aneurysm, triggering a SHIFT in the process. This is repeatable in any new line I make it to, thus *effectively* letting me SHIFT on demand – it's just really, incredibly unpleasant, and requires a nigh-constant state of literally lethal anxiety.
(I kid; even I'm not that mean to myself. Usually.)
I liked the beat about the replicator and heels - these kinds of outs are easy to come up with in hindsight (or when you really are just a fictional character) but for an actual person not trained to do so, and in the heat of a high-pressure scenario? Not quite!
Indeed – there are many scenarios that arguably have "best" ways to handle them, but rarely is that how they actually end up being handled, because to come up with that perfect solution, you need time to think of it. And unfortunately, with the way the Nonary Game is structured, time is in short supply in just about every possible way...
Sigma noticing Clover's Radical-6 slipup is huge, because that's outright proof Clover knows more than she should. (Especially given the implication this Sigma is early in the game, as he didn't know about the replicator.)
It is... but there may be Clover!me can still spin this. We shall see...
Also, that is the implication, but the memory loss caused by SHIFTing could also make this a mid-game, or even a late-game Sigma, who just happened to not remember the relevant information due to it not being "critical" at this moment. Who could say?
Aw man, Flover should have played it off as having no idea what the disease was, but being dramatic for no reason because Sigma apparently likes that! They did just have a conversation about that.
I'm still convinced you'll find a way to put a Clover clone in Kyle's place somehow. Whether that's Clover herself or the person in Clover's body remains to be seen.
it doesn't surprise me whatsoever that Dio is being a nuisance again, to put it gently. I wonder how many more times he's going to create an unnecessary problem before all of this ends? 🙄
Dio, AKA our resident professional problem causer and jackass for hire. He works for free, and very much enjoys his job, even as everyone else around hates him for it. (* ￣︿￣)
In my experience, that's how epiphanies always work.
If you hit on something new, then there's at least some uncertainty, "Maybe it's something like this..." but if you make a connection between things you already knew, then it's a lot more "that's the answer!"
But from the inside it's just "Well why didn't I think of that before?"
In other words, perhaps the real secret to SHIFTing is embarrassment. The realization of one's own stupidity comes down so hard that the feeling of wanting one's soul to exit their body becomes literal, as the mind flings itself away to a timeline where no one has yet borne witness to its shame.
So I've got to say that I went and got the notary games cuz steam had the sale and all that, deciding I'd finally try it because this story showed me that they existed in stuffed a while ago and I just finally got around to buying it. Lo and behold the next day flair decides to make a comment on this that I'm like wait I've got to reread this now I forgot that this existed!
Heh, even this far in, comments like these surprise me. I definitely didn't think this fic would end up serving as anyone's entry point to Zero Escape proper when I started writing it... but hey, if it's gotten more people interested in the games, I'm certainly not going to complain.
An all-too-plausible scenario... the real Clover's mind must have gone somewhere, after all. Though I wonder if my nightwear is actually similar enough to Clover's usual outfit that she'd have not noticed something was up a little sooner. Either way, threadmarked!... four months ago, but still! ^^;
I know this is an apocrypha so it can be non-canon and stuff but...
I was thinking of that that could've happened...but that implies that the world Flarina lived in is a branch of Zero Escape's timeline yet it has the events of Zero Escape as a game.
In other words, perhaps the real secret to SHIFTing is embarrassment. The realization of one's own stupidity comes down so hard that the feeling of wanting one's soul to exit their body becomes literal, as the mind flings itself away to a timeline where no one has yet borne witness to its shame.
Or alternatively realize that this is a facility for training time travelers and thus knowing things you shouldn't isn't as suspicious as it normally would be
"Not really." Sigma says, though with a clear note of disappointment in his voice. "The way you opened that just felt kind of... lackluster, is all. I know we finished the room quickly, but couldn't you have at least done a countdown, or something like that?"
...seriously?
"I'm sorry if I didn't open the door with enough ceremony for you, Sigma,"
This was a very Sigma line, it could easily have been directly from the game...it might actually be from the game, I don't remember every line...well, if it isn't good job on emulating tone.
I fail to move, my realization having struck me with sudden indecision. The IG Replicator – AKA the machine that can make more Axelavir – is all of ten feet away from me, probably already prepped for use. However, Sigma is also all of ten feet away from me, and I'm still not supposed to know what the Axelavir is for, let alone what the replicator is for, so I can't exactly just stroll back in and use it apropos of absolutely nothing, at least not without looking ridiculously suspicious in the process-
Heeeeey another chapter! Aaaand...yeaaah not in that much of an "in depth reviewing" mood right now...but that don't mean I don't have anything to say about the chapter!
One: oh boy Clover!you going in circles/going nuts about what to do and how to behave and which info you "should" know during each "run"... It's clear you're not er...I'm not sure how to say this except: it's clear you're not the "mastermind" type. Though, well, there is also the fact that you're being stressed and stuff, but still, the fact that you're slipping info you shouldn't know at that point when you're doing your best to just reminds me how much of an effin mastermind Zero of 999, Zero of VLR and Zero of ZTD (I was tempted to just outright say their names but knowing that people who are getting into Zero Escape are reading this fic, I'mma refrain from at least revealing their names) were and just how much they accounted for, with (well in my eyes anyway) ZTD!Zero being the biggest chessmaster of all.
Two: OH MY GOSH SIGMA WANTING MORE "FANFARE" FOR ESCAPING THE ROOM. It feels so Sigma...but I can't help but wonder if that's a joke on the fanfare (aka "You found the exit/solution!") that does happen when you play the game as opposed to what actually happens.
Three: aaaand now Sigma maaaay be on board with "Clover!Flarina is the Imposter sus" train. Gosh dang it NO PLEASE SIGMA. LET YOUR [REDACTED]--ER GOOD FRIEND BE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S SUS ABOUT CLOVERINA PLEASE. Ugh.
Four: Oh right. The heels. That...never came to mind, but that is certainly something. ...i don't know what i'm trying to say MOVING ON!
Five: ah fuck, dio... here we go again. Le'see if he kills anyone this time!
Oooor maybe you could set a schedule of, say, "Monday and Tuesday one fic, Wednesday and Thursday a different fic, Friday and Saturday yet another fic, and Sunday freeday", so that you can slowly work on it?
(I'm kidding of course; it's important to do whatever feels comfortable for you to get yourself writing, even if the schedule is erratic)
Also, that is the implication, but the memory loss caused by SHIFTing could also make this a mid-game, or even a late-game Sigma, who just happened to not remember the relevant information due to it not being information due to it not being "critical" at this moment. Who could say?
...oh that's just great. If it is a late game Sigma who just hasn't remembered everything yet, that just means he'll be even MORE suspicious as now Clover is obviously acting a bit differently than before...in the form of making choices none of the other timelines have done.
Heh, even this far in, comments like these surprise me. I definitely didn't think this fic would end up serving as anyone's entry point to Zero Escape proper when I started writing it... but hey, if it's gotten more people interested in the games, I'm certainly not going to complain.
I certainly wouldn't think of that either and am also not complaining.
MORE TO THE FUNYARIPA CLAN.
Though it makes me curious on how they're gonna react to the plot when having some of the plot twists of VLR have been spoiled by reading this fic.
Also, Zero Escape is a series where the plot of the games involve a mastermind that has taken as many possiblities in account, if not all of them, into their plan, meaning if one piece is "out of order", it could make the whole thing fall apart. The fact that Cloverina/Clover!Flarina is in the plot of one means that one wrong thing could result in death (which, you know, isn't pleasant say the least), which it did. And it isn't pleasant. If she decided to just, as you say, break the plot, that could easily lead to near instant death just as much as fixing things. There's also the facr that Phi and Sigma might, if not will, remember anything Cloverina does, and that, at the moment, has 50/50 chance of working to Cloverina's advantage...or detriment.
Tl;dr: being in a complicated house of cards-like plot means breaking it could be either a bad or good thing
Or alternatively realize that this is a facility for training time travelers and thus knowing things you shouldn't isn't as suspicious as it normally would be
This was a very Sigma line, it could easily have been directly from the game...it might actually be from the game, I don't remember every line...well, if it isn't good job on emulating tone.
Two: OH MY GOSH SIGMA WANTING MORE "FANFARE" FOR ESCAPING THE ROOM. It feels so Sigma...but I can't help but wonder if that's a joke on the fanfare (aka "You found the exit/solution!") that does happen when you play the game as opposed to what actually happens.
Nope, it's not a directly lifted line! Nor is it specifically a reference to the jingle that plays upon escaping — it's actually a reference to the fact that when Sigma opens the door himself, he does do a countdown. For turning a key in a lock. Not that I'd necessarily fault him for it normally, but at that particular moment, it was just a tad exasperating.
Zero Escape is a series where the plot of the games involve a mastermind that has taken as many possiblities in account, if not all of them, into their plan, meaning if one piece is "out of order", it could make the whole thing fall apart. The fact that Cloverina/Clover!Flarina is in the plot of one means that one wrong thing could result in death (which, you know, isn't pleasant say the least), which it did. And it isn't pleasant. If she decided to just, as you say, break the plot, that could easily lead to near instant death just as much as fixing things. There's also the facr that Phi and Sigma might, if not will, remember anything Cloverina does, and that, at the moment, has 50/50 chance of working to Cloverina's advantage...or detriment.
Tl;dr: being in a complicated house of cards-like plot means breaking it could be either a bad or good thing
...yeah, this is probably more relevant to Clover!me's headspace. I learned my lesson in oversharing last timeline; I'm not doing that again if I can help it. Plus, like mentioned in the chapter proper, so long as I make it out of this timeline, "saving" the other people in it doesn't really matter. Horrid as it sounds, this entire game was designed to lead to the death of everyone playing it, except for in one, single shining timeline where everything goes right, because the right people have the right knowledge from the right other timelines. Otherwise? If the virus is cured, everyone dies anyways when Dio murders them, or when his bombs go off, or just from being trapped in the facility for forever with a limited supply of food and water. Clover!me certainly wants to help cure the virus in this line, having seen a very clear opportunity to do so, but logically? I probably shouldn't be concerned about it.
One: oh boy Clover!you going in circles/going nuts about what to do and how to behave and which info you "should" know during each "run"... It's clear you're not er...I'm not sure how to say this except: it's clear you're not the "mastermind" type. Though, well, there is also the fact that you're being stressed and stuff, but still, the fact that you're slipping info you shouldn't know at that point when you're doing your best to just reminds me how much of an effin mastermind Zero of 999, Zero of VLR and Zero of ZTD (I was tempted to just outright say their names but knowing that people who are getting into Zero Escape are reading this fic, I'mma refrain from at least revealing their names) were and just how much they accounted for, with (well in my eyes anyway) ZTD!Zero being the biggest chessmaster of all.
Hey! I... yeah, I'm definitely not. ^^; Come on though, give me a little credit; it's harder to plan or keep things straight when you're doing it all on the fly, whereas the Zeros all had years, even decades to prepare for the games ahead of time. Not to mention, the Zeros of 999 and VLR arguably kind of cheated in that regard, due to having foreknowledge of the circumstances they would eventually have to set up, and the Zeros of VLR and ZTD made it so they were literally unable to give the game away ahead of time with information they shouldn't know. Given that Clover!me is doing this all, I actually think I'm doing pretty well, all told!
Three: aaaand now Sigma maaaay be on board with "Clover!Flarina is the Imposter sus" train. Gosh dang it NO PLEASE SIGMA. LET YOUR [REDACTED]--ER GOOD FRIEND BE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S SUS ABOUT CLOVERINA PLEASE. Ugh.
Nine people are set loose on a moon base and tasked with accomplishing miscellaneous objectives to leave, while in the background one or more of their number plots to kill the rest, and at least one other runs around pretending to be the person they're currently "disguised" as...
Hmm, has this actually been an Among Us fanfic this whole time?
They didn't come to mind for you, but I assure you, Clover!me can't forget them. I swear, had Clover's SOIS "disguise" been just about anything else, I would almost certainly have been warmer, steadier, and overall more capable throughout this game thus far than I currently am. Cursed fanservice...
Oooor maybe you could set a schedule of, say, "Monday and Tuesday one fic, Wednesday and Thursday a different fic, Friday and Saturday yet another fic, and Sunday freeday", so that you can slowly work on it?
(I'm kidding of course; it's important to do whatever feels comfortable for you to get yourself writing, even if the schedule is erratic)
That wouldn't be a bad plan, except I've got like six theoretically active fics right now, with two more in the works and a sidestory thing I get sidetracked by on occasion, which makes the scheduling a bit of an issue. Not to mention, roving from fic to fic means little actually gets done, because I have to essentially remind myself of what I was doing every time I switch + get back in the groove of it, which is often rather frustrating. I'd know, that's essentially how I've been doing things for quite a while now, despite knowing I shouldn't. ^^;
Actually I'd say it might be the way most stories go, especially SI.
Think about it, how often have you seen a character embarrassed?
How often have you seen them embarrassed by their own actions?
How often have you seen them risk their lives?
How often have you seen them risk their lives to avoid embarrassment?
Peer pressure is lethal.
I'm unable to stop myself from tensing, even as I hide a scowl.
Well of course it's Dio's fault. What isn't, in this game?
Dio blinks as the door closes behind him, seeming momentarily surprised to find so many people in here, before smiling widely and tipping his hat at everyone.
"Heh, I just stumble into a party or something?" he asks, tone light.
Not trusting myself not to say something snide and end up drawing his attention to me, I keep quiet and settle for silently glaring daggers at Dio from behind K's back, privately noting that he somehow looks even more exceedingly smug than usual. Unfortunately, I can't actually tell if it's any greater than his normal smugness, meaning he has something to actually feel smug about, or if I'm just imagining it because my tolerance for him has dropped to next to nothing after how the last two timelines ended.
"If by 'party' you mean 'dealing with a medical emergency', then I suppose you could say that." Alice dryly replies.
Dio squints. "Huh?"
Everyone other than myself jointly summarizes the events of the last however many minutes or so to him. It doesn't take long, but by the end of it, Dio has actually managed to make himself look convincingly worried.
"Wow, seriously?" he remarks. "Poor kid... glad you got him all fixed up. I miss anything else?"
Phi crosses her arms. "We were just discussing what we all found in our respective rooms' safes."
"That so?" Dio casually replies. "Well, I can tell you there wasn't anything good in ours. Basically just the same shit we found in the last one, plus some pretty pointless 'extra rules'."
"I would hardly describe those extra rules as 'pointless'." K interrupts. "The knowledge that at least one person of from each group must vote each round to prevent all three from being penalized is rather valuable information, whether you see it that way or not."
"And why would I?" Dio asks, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, what kind of moron would give up their vote in a game like this one in the first place?"
"Maybe the ones who weren't here, because you opened an AB Gate the second we got back." Tenmyouji retorts, some of his previous ire returning.
Dio sighs in a put-upon-sounding way. "Man, you're still bitching about that? Look around! Everyone's fine, and now we won't be stuck waiting any longer than we have to for the next round to start. If you two want to spend the rest of your lives wasting away in this place, it's no skin off my back, but I'd kind of like to get out of this dump as soon as possible."
I stifle a snort. So, same excuse he used last time, just delivered even more flippantly. Quite a feat, that.
"You think that makes it okay that you were willing to risk the lives of six other people?" Tenmyouji growls. "Not to mention that stunt you pulled back in the treatment center."
"Sorry, 'stunt'?" Dio scoffs. "Remind me, who was the one that actually opened the safe while you two were busy screwing around with those weird-ass pods and yammering on about ice mummies? I basically soloed that room for you ungrateful bastards, and this is the thanks I get?"
"Our problem lies not in the fact that you completed the final puzzle, but that you unilaterally chose to exit the room before we could conduct any further investigation." K replies, hunching over in anger. "Thus locking us out of the safe's second solution."
"Hold on." Phi interrupts, narrowing her eyes at Dio. "You're saying you left without the archive because you were in a hurry? Even though you were the one that opened an AB Gate, and put a timer on everyone else?"
Dio shrugs. "Yeah, sounds about right. Again, who cares? Looks like you all got out with plenty of time to spare."
"I care." Alice says, glaring.
"So do I." Phi agrees, leaning forward with a similar expression and spreading her hands to her sides. "Setting aside that you apparently could have killed us, that archive might have held important clues about our situation."
While I'm still doing my best to hold my tongue for the time being, I can't stop myself from shooting Phi a slightly incredulous glance at that. Seriously? You're willing to overlook that in favor of the folder topic?
"Yeah? Like what?" Dio sarcastically demands. "The only things those files have had in them so far are useless bits of trivia, pointless personal anecdotes, and rules we get told all of ten minutes later anyways. What makes you think another one would be any different?"
In response, Phi pulls a slip of paper out of her jacket pocket and carefully unfolds it.
"This does."
...well, looks like at least one of our groups ended up grabbing our respective room's secret archive. I wonder if that was at Phi's insistence, or Alice's? Probably both, if I'm honest.
Dio smirks. "Heh, I see... alright then, enlighten me. What's this one got on it?"
Phi stares daggers at him, but proceeds anyways.
"First of all, it contains the exact same information about the dead woman's wounds that the ADAM displayed when Luna scanned her earlier." she says. "Given that these files seem to have been put in place ahead of time, that would seem to indicate that whoever killed the woman either did so in a very specific way, or her body was planted in the AB room after the killer used the ADAM on it... which in turn would exonerate any of us here of the murder, since none of us had any opportunity to do that between first leaving and returning to the AB rooms."
I squint. That... seems like slightly shakier reasoning than usual for Phi. I can see the logic, but I'm pretty sure I could also poke at least two or three holes in it.
"After that, there are a couple of extraneous entries defining what a coroner and an autopsy are." Alice chimes in, evidently having read over this file as well. "Then there's one explaining the uses of a chemical mixture called luminol, which we found a bunch of bottles of in the rec room."
Right right, that glow-in-the-dark liquid spray this series likes to use to hide codes in plain sight. I'm... pretty sure it was used for something outside of the room it came from in this game in particular, but I don't recall exactly what off the top of my head.
"And those uses are?" K questions.
"Well, it's apparently most commonly used at crime scenes." Alice replies. "...typically to locate blood stains that have been scrubbed off a surface and the like."
Sigma makes a face. "Oh... hopefully we won't end up needing to use that."
Phi nods in agreement. "Hopefully."
"Still not hearing what's so fucking important about this piece of paper." Dio says, loudly and obnoxiously reminding us of his existence.
"We're getting to it." Phi grits out as she swivels to face K. "The last two entries are related to you."
"...me?" K says, surprised.
"Yes, you." Phi deadpans. "The first one just explains that despite how it may look, your bracelet isn't actually part of your suit, and functions identically to everyone else's."
I blink. Wait, it's not built in? That's... good to know, actually. Guess that means the foil might work to remove it after all, if push comes to shove.
"As for the second entry..." Phi pauses, lending a sense of weight to her next words, "it's a short breakdown of the topic of generalized amnesia, singling out your situation as a specific example of it."
"Oh- was my earlier explanation of the concept not enough?" Luna asks, looking ever-so-slightly put out.
"No, your explanation was fine." Phi replies. "It was a lot more detailed than this file's version, honestly. The fact that the definition is listed on it at all is still important though, because that in turn implies that K's memory issues were known about in advance..."
She pauses, her expression turning grave.
"...and were possibly even deliberately induced."
There's silence for a couple moments, before Dio abruptly snorts.
"What, that's it?" he asks. "We already knew the bastard that abducted us has the resources to make a cure for a virus no one's ever even heard of, so how's it some big surprise if he has a way to screw with people's memories too? And, just a thought, but isn't it a lot more likely that garbage was written up and put in the safe after both those things already happened?"
Much as I loathe to agree with Dio on literally anything, he has a point. That's a considerably more reasonable conclusion to come to than the alternative, since it would explain the file both mentioning Akane's wounds and mentioning K's amnesia without resorting to time travel or precognition — even if the latter is in fact significantly more likely in this particular case.
"That's certainly possible," Phi starts to retort, "but-"
"But nothing." Dio rolls his eyes. "We don't know that we're alone in here just because that little turd of a rabbit said we are. In fact, we don't know that anything these 'archives' say is even true! Let's not forget that they were planted by that Zero fucker, and the only information they have to offer is stuff he probably wants us to know, given that he's strewn them all around this place like trash. All you've really proved about these files is that you're just as full of shit as they are-"
"Don't you get it?!" Phi snaps. "If Zero has the ability to cause amnesia in people at will, that means we can't even necessarily trust our own memories! For all we know, Zero could be knocking us out every hour, on the hour, and then just erasing all knowledge of it from our minds! This might not even be the first time we've done this!"
"Ten minutes remain until Ambidex Game polling closes." the intercom abruptly announces. "All players, please enter your votes. If no vote is recorded before the deadline has passed, any non-voting parties will automatically ally."
The disruption is just as well — Dio doesn't seem terribly interested in continuing this discussion any longer, evidently feeling he's made his point, and Phi has gone quiet as well, now visibly attempting to dial her anger back. Glancing at the latter, I can't help but think that outburst of hers was actually rather prescient, even if her theory doesn't apply to this particular game, nor this particular time. Wonder if the MGF was involved in that deduction, or if it was just natural intuition...
"Huh?"
Necks snap towards the examination bed, all prior conversation seemingly swept away in the span of an instant.
Quark's eyes are open.
"Quark!" Tenmyouji exclaims. "Oh, thank god..."
"Grandpa...?" Quark confusedly replies as the man kneels down by his bed. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Quark... nothing at all." Tenmyouji says with clear relief, wrapping his adopted son in a tight embrace. "Are you feeling alright? How much do you remember?"
"I... remember Miss Clover pulling a lever, which opened a door, I think?" Quark says, looking over at me. "It gets kinda fuzzy from there though... what happened? Is this the infirmary?"
Glances are exchanged around the room.
"You were sick." Tenmyouji whispers. "Very sick."
"So much so that you fell unconscious just before we could enter the next room." Sigma adds. "Clover and I had to complete the puzzles without you, then rush you back up here."
"Luckily, that room had exactly what we needed to treat you." I chime in, trying for a more cheerful tone. "You should be all better now."
...or at least, he will be, hopefully. I don't think injections just in general usually work that fast, so I doubt the virus is fully out of his system — though, the fact that he isn't going crazy right now is obviously a good sign.
"Um, I don't know if I really get it?" Quark says, still seeming a bit confused. "I don't remember feeling sick. Just kinda tired. If Grandpa says so though, then I believe you, so... thanks!"
"Yeah... thank you, Clover." Tenmyouji concurs, standing up and looking over at me with the most honest smile I think I've seen from him yet. "Looks like I owe you another one. You too, Sigma."
"It was nothing." Sigma easily replies.
I smile back and nod in agreement. "Yeah, don't mention it. Anyone would have done the same."
...though a small, dark part of me now wonders if perhaps I shouldn't have. If I'd held back the Axelavir for just a little while longer, Quark would presumably have been taken to the treatment pods for the time being, and thus defaulted to ally in the upcoming AB round — meaning, I could in turn have easily justified voting the same to Alice after the fact. Now though, I'm probably going to have to follow through on that promise I made to her in the crew quarters, even though that's seeming like less and less of a good idea by the minute...
My stomach churns, but I silently remind myself that there's nothing I really could have done about this. Luna announced the name of the medicine to everyone in the room, and Sigma knew about the Axelavir as well, so he'd most certainly have pointed out we had it even if I hadn't done so myself. Besides, Quark was likely "scheduled" to wake up around now one way or the other, and even if we managed to sedate him again... well, I can't say I particularly wanted to watch a ten-year-old desperately attempt to commit suicide a second time.
"As touching as this is, we should probably start heading to the AB rooms." Alice suddenly says, speaking up for the first time in a while. "We all heard that announcement, and if those 'extra rules' mean anything at all, then I'd rather not still be here when time runs out."
"Indeed." K concurs. "It would be best that none of us risk being penalized."
"Obviously." Dio and Phi say simultaneously, prompting them to briefly turn and glower at each other again before looking away again.
Luna nods in wordless agreement with the direction of the conversation, at which point roughly half the group starts filing out the infirmary's front door. Since my partner isn't part of that half, I linger behind with him, waiting and watching as Quark slowly slides off the bed, looking just a little unsteady as he gets to his feet.
"Wow, it's already time for the next round?" he asks. "I must have been asleep for a while..."
He grabs his hat from the nearby desk and sets it back onto his head, smiling at its return... only for it to drop into a frown a moment later.
"Uh... wait. I'm still a solo, right Grandpa?"
"Sure are." Tenmyouji replies.
"Don't I need one of those key cards to get into a room by myself then?" Quark asks. "I don't have one..."
In response, Sigma fishes the moon card I gave him back in the laboratory out of one of his jumpsuit pockets, and holds it out to Quark.
"Don't worry, we've got an extra."
Quark blinks, then gratefully takes the card, smiling up at Sigma as he does so.
"Phew. Thanks Mister Sigma!"
Sigma grins and rubs the back of his head, while I resist the urge to start tapping my foot. Thankfully however, the conversation ends there, and so the four of us make our way into the adjoining hallway as well, heading towards the first floor warehouse. As we walk, I try to get a handle on my roiling thoughts, feeling increasingly conflicted about what I was "instructed" to do this round.
Alice told me to betray whoever Sigma and I were partnered with no matter what, so as to ensure our, or at least my survival, regardless of the other party's choice. We then intentionally maneuvered the teams to get me paired up with Quark, since he's currently the only solo option that betraying has no chance of killing... except, now that the time has come to actually do so, I'm having serious second thoughts. Barring the possibility of Tenmyouji instructing him otherwise when Sigma and I aren't looking, I don't see Quark picking anything but ally here, and while I suppose the former scenario is technically possible, it seems exceedingly unlikely, especially right now. Not only did we just kinda-sorta save Quark's life, but even as worn down by the world as he is, I'm fairly sure Junpei isn't the kind of person who would knowingly murder two people just to improve Quark's chances of leaving this place, and Quark strikes me as too nice of a kid to really even consider doing something like that.
But if I decide to ally...
I softly bite the inside of my lip. The odds this round are as stacked in favor of my survival as we could make them, but Alice is correct that betraying is technically the only way to absolutely guarantee that. Sure, Quark is almost certainly going to choose ally, but "almost certain" isn't the same as certain — in the game proper, Sigma at one point chooses to ally with Alice while she's supposed to be unconscious, yet still ultimately ends up getting betrayed, resulting in his bracelet euthanizing him shortly after. Can I really trust that something similar couldn't somehow happen with Quark? Like, what if he suddenly relapses into his Radical-6 mindset while alone in the AB room? I still don't trust that the injection worked that fast, and given the kind of things he said during his suicidal fugues, he'd likely see killing any of us as a kindness in that state...
My thoughts drift down to my back pocket. I do have my emergency option, I suppose — if I end up hitting 0 BP, I can still use the aluminum foil to release my bracelet and save myself. I've already exposed way too much this round to Sigma alone though, and Phi is apparently just as wary of me as ever — meaning, I'm currently in the crosshairs of both of the SHIFTers ultimately driving the plot, and this might just be the worst possible time to pull a stunt like that, given that publicly displaying inside knowledge about the death bands wrapped around our wrists will definitely just cement in their minds that I had something to do with them. Given that, I... don't really think I can justify relying on the foil in these circumstances.
Not when I have another out available, at least.
The warehouse door slides up, and as the four of us step into the wide open space, I come to a decision — I've been wrong too many times already to trust that I can account for every possible variable in this game, no matter how set in stone I think they might be. So, as much as I dislike it, I think I'm just going to do as Alice said. I certainly won't feel good about it, but Quark has plenty of BP to spare, so the only thing it should actually hurt is his trust in me... as well as Tenmyouji's. The latter of which I only just managed to get back.
I do my best to swallow down my regret as Sigma and I scan our moon card and step into a room. Nothing for it though. For the time being, I'm just going to have to be selfish — no matter how scummy this is undoubtedly going to make me feel.
As the doors of the AB gate slide shut behind us, Sigma suddenly turns to me and frowns.
"I haven't forgotten about what happened before everyone else arrived at the infirmary, Clover."
I curse internally, not really having expected him to, but having quietly been hoping that he at least wouldn't bring it back up just yet. I still haven't fully thought out how to deal with this...
"Seriously, I don't get it." Sigma continues. "If you already knew what Radical-6 was, and probably what was needed to cure it as well, then why-"
"Five minutes remain until Ambidex Game polling closes."
As seems to largely be its raison d'etre, the announcement interrupts Sigma mid-sentence — conveniently giving me an excellent opportunity to jump in and interrupt him as well.
"Sigma, I know you have questions for me, but can we please just focus on getting through this first?" I ask. "This isn't exactly the best time for an interrogation."
Sigma raises an eyebrow at me. "It's not an interrogation unless you have something to hide."
I groan. "You know what I mean. I guess I can't really say I'm not hiding anything at this point, but I swear it's for a good reason. I'm on your side here-"
"Then I really don't see why you can't just tell me here and now."
"Sigma, for-! Ugh..." I nearly whine. "Look, if you're willing to wait just a little bit longer, I promise I'll explain after this round. Could you please just, trust me on this? Please...?"
Whether it's due to my words, my pleading tone, or just the fact that the clock is still ticking down, Sigma's gaze finally softens.
"...fine." He sighs. "After this round then."
Relief flows through me... though not all that much, as I've not actually resolved the issue, I've just kicked it a little further into the future. Not that I could realistically avoid it entirely at this point anyways — the longer it takes for me to tell Sigma what he wants to know, the more suspicious and distrustful he'll become of me, and as one of the two SHIFTers this whole plot revolves around, I don't dare risk that continuing into other timelines. Even if he hadn't brought the subject up again, I would have needed to make it a priority once this AB round was over.
...speaking of which.
"Anyways, Clover." Sigma starts. "We haven't actually talked about what we were going to vote this round, but I think we should al-"
"Wait." I say, holding up a hand and cutting him off. "Before you say anything else, let me just remind you that both of us only have 1 BP right now. Our lives quite literally hang in the balance of this decision... so don't be too hasty."
Sigma pauses, then enters a more thoughtful pose, lifting a hand to his chin and staring back at the screen. I can see his gaze still lingering on 'ally' however, and based on what he just almost said, its pretty clear he's leaning towards that option... and he's the one standing in front of the screen. Damn, on to Plan B then.
...wait, I don't have a Plan B! I didn't really think about what I was going to do if Sigma wasn't convinced by my very basic "save our skins" logic; I've been too busy being concerned about Quark, Dio, and my own screw up until now to even consider it!
I frantically wrack my brain for options. Should I try to dodge around Sigma and just hit betray before he can stop me? I'm smaller than he is, and if I slip these shoes off I'm likely more nimble, so that could potentially work. I don't think I trust my reflexes enough for that though — despite his age, Sigma moves like a much younger man, and I'm still not completely used to Clover's body yet. He'd probably be able to stop me, and then he'd just press ally anyways.
Should I get physical with Sigma, like Dio did? Sucker punch him and then dart for the button?... no way, not happening. Even as old as he is, I don't think I'd actually come out on top in a fight with Sigma, considering he's got robotic arms and more than half a foot of height on me, and that wouldn't be remotely worth the scrutiny it would draw to me anyways. Plus the idea of deliberately imitating Dio's contemptible ploy is, quite frankly, an utterly vile thought to begin with.
Should I attempt to simply convince Sigma? I've already reminded him that choosing ally is risking both our lives, so maybe I could push that angle further? If he was swayed by that logic though, then he probably would have already chosen... and if the fact that he's demonstrably willing to make either choice in this kind of situation against literally anyone he's pitted against in VLR translates to his actual decision-making process, that might not make any real difference anyways. Which means...
Alice's words from two timelines over echo in my mind.
...god, why does this have to be my best option...?
"Yeah, I'm decided." Sigma says aloud, nodding to himself. "You're right that there's an inherent risk to it Clover, but I still think we should al...ly...?"
Sigma's sentence dribbles to a stop as I press myself to his side and start slowly sliding my hand up the front of his chest. Sigma stiffens in surprise and tilts his head down towards mine, while I look back up at him in turn with half-lidded eyes and a languid smile.
"Sigma...?" I say breathily, already practically dying of embarrassment. "I'd be so very thankful if you chose betray..."
Sigma's expression flickers between multiple levels of confusion. "Huh? Clover, what are you-"
"So thankful, in fact, that I might just be willing to do you a sort of... favor, shall we say." I tumble on, too committed at this point to stop, even as every word makes me shrivel up a little more inside. "The kind I'm absolutely sure you'd like..."
"The kind I'd... like...?" Sigma repeats, color rapidly rising to his cheeks. "Wha- what do you mean by that...?"
"Isn't it obvious?" I reply in a husky whisper, almost wishing that he would punch me in the face if just to stop the torrent of word vomit still pouring out of my mouth. "I'm sure you can think of something you might want from me... something you might just ~desire~, perhaps..."
"I- I don't-" Sigma stutters, flustered now. "Y-you can't just-"
"Come onnnnn, Sigma." I purr. "It's just one little press of a button... pick betray, and I'll press your buttons... all... over..."
Go on and press it already so I can stop this! PLEASE!!!
"Thirty seconds remain until Ambidex Game polling closes."
Sigma's eyes refocus, and his expression firms.
"No, Clover, that's enough." he says, pulling away from me. "Quark's a good kid, and there's no way he's going to pick betray when he knows that it could kill us, especially after we just helped him. I'm choosing-"
*plink*
Drawing back my outstretched hand from around Sigma's torso, I let go of him and step away, allowing him to turn around and see that the vote has already been recorded.
"Sorry, Sigma." I say, reverting to my normal tone of voice with exceptional relief. "Had to do it."
Sigma turns back around and glares, clearly not happy with me, though he looks more frustrated than truly mad.
"That was a dirty trick..." he mutters.
Yeah, it felt pretty dirty too, in more ways than one. Be grateful that you, however, only have to live with the memory of it happening to you. I have to live with the knowledge that I actually did that. I feel unclean in ways you can't even imagine — hell, it'll be a wonder if I don't develop a semi-permanent blush from the sheer mortification I'll undoubtedly feel every single time I remember this event from here on out.
Once the expected countdown finishes, the room opens back up, and I walk outside with everyone else, all too happy to try and put what just happened out of mind. Sigma follows, clearly still disgruntled, and we join up with the others back at the now-familiar wall.
"Results from round two of the Ambidex Game will now be displayed. Please direct your attention to the results screen."
"Points have been assigned or subtracted accordingly. Please check your bracelet to see your updated Bracelet Points."
Seems the most likely outcome was the correct one after all. Which is good, because nothing went horribly wrong, but also bad, because...
Knowing full well what's coming, I glance over at Quark, who seems a little stunned. As the others start talking, he turns towards me, eyes wide.
"Miss Clover...?"
"Sorry, Quark." I say, looking down regretfully. "We just couldn't risk it. I didn't think for a moment you were actually likely to betray us, but the existence of the possibility, when we were both at only 1 BP, was just... we couldn't."
"You couldn't." Sigma quietly mutters from behind me.
"I... thought we were friends..." Quark mumbles.
"So did I."
I turn to my left as Tenmyouji abruptly cuts into the conversation, his face frozen in an expression of quiet fury.
"That's it then, huh?" he says through grit teeth. "I offer you my gratitude, my trust, and you immediately turn around and throw it in both my face and Quark's?"
"Tenmyouji-" I start.
"I should have known." he continues, utterly ignoring me. "I was a fool to think that I could-"
"I didn't WANT to betray him!" I shout, vehemently enough that Tenmyouji stops for a moment, and everyone even remotely near me jumps a little. "Put yourself in my place for a second, would you?! Quark had 6 BP, so it's not like he was in danger of dying like we were! Hell, it barely even delays him!"
I bring my left arm up in front of me, angrily displaying the 4 BP my bracelet now shows.
"Now Sigma and I aren't stuck walking a tightrope anymore, and the points are a more even spread, which means we all have a better shot at getting out of here together." I continue. "You know, like we're supposed to, assuming we're not planning on leaving anyone behind in this wretched place? I didn't really think you were, but if this is such a problem, maybe I was putting too much trust in you!"
My declaration leaves Tenmyouji stunned for a brief instant, but he rallies fairly quickly. "Don't try and turn this around on me! You knew perfectly well what you were doing!"
"Yeah, I did." I bitterly reply. "And if you really want to hate me for making the only decision I could, then fine... just remember that you're the one who put me in that position to begin with."
That seems to bring Tenmyouji some actual pause — leaving him silent long enough for Quark to speak up again.
"I... get it, Miss Clover." he says, albeit rather hesitantly. "I wish that you'd trusted me enough to choose ally, but... I can understand why you wouldn't. I forgive you."
I let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, Quark."
With his momentum stolen by the "victim's" own words, Tenmyouji seems to deflate, anger draining out of his posture until he's left with nothing but an unhappy grimace.
"...fine." he mutters, not quite looking at me anymore. "You're right, I did put you in that position, so I guess it would be pretty hypocritical of me to judge you for it. Quark seems to forgive you, so I suppose we'll call it even... but this had better not ever happen again."
I nod. "It won't."
I mean it, too — in fact, if I have my way, I will never wind up in a position like this again to begin with.
As Quark and Tenmyouji turn away, I spot Alice giving me a small, relieved smile from off to my left. I try to smile back, but don't quite manage it, my mood still too low from what just happened. Ugh, yep, feeling pretty scummy... maybe I really should have just hoped for the best, let Sigma hit ally, and told Alice that I couldn't stop him afterwards. Or- hell, I could have just told Quark that we were going to pick betray in advance! Sure, Sigma might have protested, since I didn't exactly discuss it with him ahead of time, but it's not like anyone can really leave this place anyways, so it wouldn't exactly have mattered if we'd all just stayed at the same BP! Gah, might as well just call me Miss Hindsight at this point, since I sure do seem to be on a streak of missing better options until after it's too late to take any of them!
I glance over at the others again, feeling even guiltier now. I don't think my reasoning was actually wrong, but I can't share most of it, and Sigma rightfully pushed all the blame for betraying Quark onto me, so I still just ended up looking like a distrustful jackass in the end. I don't know if it'll impact any other timelines like my outburst in the last one did, but was this really worth it, just to guarantee an outcome that might have been guaranteed to begin with...?
I close my eyes and slump as much as my heels will allow. There's no way of knowing — or, well, technically there is, but even if I manage to learn to control my SHIFT destination, I'm not going back to this choice just to check, so that's basically the same thing. Realistically, there's nothing left to be done now but to move forward, and deal with the consequences of my choices as best I can.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts by the sudden sound of grinding metal, which echoes through the warehouse as the AB rooms all start closing at once.
"The Ambidex Gates have closed." the intercom announces as the doors finish sliding shut. "Round three of the Ambidex Game will be the Star Round.Star keys are required to open the gates. There is no set limit on usage of the star keys. The Ambidex Gates can be opened as many times as the players wish to open them."
"As many times as we want, huh...?" Sigma mutters.
A short conversation ensues about how that should let us all play the AB Game repeatedly, if not continuously, until Luna ends up prompting Sigma to bring up the new bracelet and pair assignments. I listen closely as the others list theirs off, checking my own as I do — seems I'm back to being a solo, as are Sigma and Alice, with our respective colors being red, green, and blue. Meanwhile, Tenmyouji and K are apparently now a cyan pair, while Quark and Phi are the magenta one, and Luna is yellow. This prompts a brief discussion of what the new mix of all six colors might imply, as well as some internal confusion and a brief scan of the room from me, as I abruptly realize we seem to be missing someone.
"Let's get along, Miss Phi!" Quark says brightly.
"...sure, kid." Phi replies without much inflection.
Tenmyouji and K don't seem to have much to say to each other regarding their new pairing, simply giving each other silent nods of acknowledgement.
As for the remaining "team"...
"Um, pardon me, but... did anyone see where Dio went?" Luna asks.
"I did." Alice replies. "He stayed just long enough to get a look at the results, then stormed out the magenta door while the rest of us were busy talking."
I wince, my thoughts flashing back to the laboratory again. I really need to go hide that scalpel before Dio stumbles across it...
Sigma shoots a meaningful look my way, his gaze locking with my own.
...but first, it seems I have some "explaining" to do.
There is a certain detail in this chapter that may appear to be a plot hole. I promise you, it is not. Now, if you see two plot holes... well, then we'll talk.
A huge thanks to @Pheonix14, @Warclam, @ScorpioBot, @The Crimson King, @Dai, @BunnehWyld, Henry Branscombe, Leaf, Bertucchi, BlackEagle91, Jordan Juengel, Stays Secret, Alxariam, and my nine other Patrons not named here, as well as an extra special thanks to a certain generous patron who wishes to remain unnamed. Each of them receives an abbreviated archive folder, containing information on a certain secret. These are personalized to the individual, and are intended to answer the one question (with an actual answer) that the person is most curious about. Where did I get this information? How do I know the things you want to know? Well... don't worry about it~ 📁
Wow, that's a quick update rebound for a fic you started more than two years ago...I said before I looked to see that the last two chapters have also been multi-part.
The constant feel of "mistakes were made, and I can't fix them" is an essential characteristic of this story, along with "overthink everything". It definitely sets your writing apart from most self-insert stories, where the characters don't think of five better ways to do what they just flubbed.
Wow, that's a quick update rebound for a fic you started more than two years ago...I said before I looked to see that the last two chapters have also been multi-part.
Yeah; sorry if you got the impression otherwise. ^^; Happily however, next chapter is already half done - though I'm not sure when the remaining half will end up getting written just yet. We shall see...
The constant feel of "mistakes were made, and I can't fix them" is an essential characteristic of this story, along with "overthink everything". It definitely sets your writing apart from most self-insert stories, where the characters don't think of five better ways to do what they just flubbed.
Both of those seem to be habits of my SIs just in general, it's just probably most pronounced in this story. ^^; Is this a more likely outcome than having a perfect plan for everything, and getting it all right on the first go? Absolutely. Is it also the cause of much self-flagellation from an in-character perspective? Double absolutely.
I agree. Picking betray was smart and worked out well, but knowing myself I would've wanted to take it on faith and pick ally. On the other hand, imagine if they did pick ally and Quark picked betray… 😥
Good to know my internal reasoning still made sense from an outside perspective. o(^u^)o Clover!me hasn't noticed it just yet, but there was actually an additional reason to be worried about the possibility of Quark picking betray, or at least a detail that would have made me even more certain that the possibility existed. You may even have spotted it, if you noticed the "plot hole" I referenced in the AN.
I mean, it could be she really just made that conclusion based off the available evidence and nothing else, right? It is awfully strange that the secret archive could mention K's amnesia, and have seemingly been placed in the safe long before anyone even knew about it. Though, that would also be quite the coincidence, now wouldn't it...
VLR has a five minute warning when the chromatic doors open, a 45 minute warning when an AB gate is opened, and a 9 second warning when the number nine door is opened. The first two have successive countdown announcements at set intervals after the initial one, with announcements at 3 minutes/1 minute/10 seconds, and 10 minutes/5 minutes/2 minutes/1 minute/30 seconds/10 seconds respectively. The bracelets also track how long until the next set of chromatic doors open after an AB round. Otherwise, no time announcements are made in the game, at least to my recollection.
Oh? Not going to spoil what my actual intent is, but I can think at least one reason she might be considering something like this beyond what's noted in chapter, and that doesn't involve ZTD.
Final thought is that this is related somehow to the final ending of ZTD. Considering how powerful SHIFTing got at that point, practically anything could be done.
Yeah, it actually got a bit ridiculous, at least if you ask me. In fairness, that was probably the time period wherein the population of the world at large had the strongest connection to the MGF, due to the oncoming apocalypse causing widespread Reverie Syndrome, but still; by the end of ZTD, SHIFTing felt perhaps a tad TOO easy.
It was a tactical persuasion maneuver, and that's the exact phrasing I'm sticking to from here on out, because anything else will leave me writhing on the floor in utter mortification. <(＿＿)> Which, hey, if we combine that with the "what really causes SHIFTing is embarrassment" idea, perhaps Clover!me has found exactly what I need to be doing!
Your so mean to the alternate universe versions of your self (self inserts). I mean one gets to literally to become an immortal god and the other gets put through death simulator 9990.
Alice thankfully doesn't give me any indication she needs to talk this time, and everyone else goes their separate ways within a minute or so, allowing Sigma and I to walk off together with neither fanfare or notice.
"Alright, so-" Sigma starts as we pass through the front door of the lounge.
"Not here." I cut him off. "If we're really going to talk about this, it needs to be somewhere more private, where we're less likely to be interrupted. Like I said, there's a reason I haven't told everyone else about this already."
Sigma raises an eyebrow at me. "Well, if you really think it's that important that no one else hear us, the crew quarters has doors with-"
"No." I refuse before he can even finish, holding back a shudder. "...anywhere but there."
Sigma squints at me in apparent confusion, but doesn't question my reaction, at least not aloud. "Where would you suggest then?"
I think about it for a moment, honestly not entirely sure where would make for a better alternative, before abruptly realizing that I can probably kill two birds with one stone.
"How about we head back downstairs?" I suggest. "The laboratory should work."
That's where I want to go after this anyways, and if Dio happens to already be there... well, at least I'll have back up.
"Fine." Sigma mutters, matching my stride as we step back into the hallway leading to the elevator. "This better not just be some sort of ploy to waste time before the doors open."
I turn my head and blink at him. "Huh? Why would I do that?"
"No idea," Sigma flatly replies, "but after that act you put on in the AB room, I kind of have to wonder if I can even trust anything you have to say."
I wince, actually a little hurt. Not that I don't understand why he'd see things that way, but I didn't really expect that plan to hurt my relationship with Sigma as well.
"I wouldn't have done it if I felt I had any other choice." I ultimately say as we step back into the elevator. "I promise I'm not going to be repeating that performance... and I am sorry about that."
Sigma grunts. "If you say so."
I sigh under my breath. Don't think I'm going to be making up for that one for a while...
The good news is, I have managed to come up with a plan for how to deal with the coming conversation. One that I feel is even a fairly decent one, in that it mostly just boils down to being honest... in a sense, at least.
Once the elevator releases us, it doesn't take us too long to retrace our previous steps to the laboratory. Intense trepidation fills me as the door slides up, leaving me ready to spring away in the event that Dio comes charging out with the scalpel in hand — but nothing of the sort happens, and all that's revealed is an empty room.
I step into the lab and quickly look around. No one else here, and the scalpel is still sitting under the fume hood, right where we left it.
My body relaxes. Dio hasn't been through here yet. I made it in time.
...now I just have to make it through this conversation.
"Alright, we're here." Sigma says as he follows me inside, the door sliding shut again behind him. "Ready to talk?"
I nod. "I suppose I can manage that."
I take a moment to lean back against the table before continuing, knowing that this might take a while.
"So, you want to know how I know about Radical-6, right?"
Sigma silently nods.
"Well... let's just say I learned about it through my job."
Sigma squints at me with his one normal eye. "That... doesn't explain anything. Especially not why it would be some sort of big secret like you were implying."
"It does, actually." I reply. "See, my job grants me access to certain information that most people aren't privy to. I'm not really supposed to let anyone know about it, but... since you've already figured this much out, I suppose I might as well just tell you."
Sigma frowns. "So what is your job then?"
I smile.
"I'm a member of a government intelligence service. One whose existence isn't actually known to the public at large."
My blunt statement seems to rather thoroughly confuse Sigma, to the point it takes him a few seconds to actually parse what I just said. I can tell once he has though, as his expression rapidly shifts from mere confusion to something verging on utter bafflement.
"Wait a second..." he eventually says, the words slow to emerge from his mouth. "Are you telling me that you're a secret agent?"
My smile becomes a full-on smirk as I straighten up and cross my arms.
"That's exactly what I'm telling you. Guess I should reintroduce myself — Clover Field, field agent of the Special Office of Internal Security."
Sigma boggles, his mouth falling open as I barrel on ahead.
"We're in charge of tracking down and investigating various elements that could potentially pose a wide-scale threat to the nation. Terrorists, political splinter cells, extremist religious organizations, you name it."
Lucky I read that entry about them in the file from the B. Garden's safe two timelines ago, else I don't think I'd actually have remembered pretty much any of that mission statement.
Sigma's brow visibly furrows.
"O... kaaaaay..." he sounds out, not sounding particularly convinced. "Let's say I take you at your word about this. What does that have to do with you knowing about the existence of Radical-6?"
And here we come to the reason I'm telling you any of this to begin with.
"I know about Radical-6 because it isn't just a virus." I state in as serious a tone as I can manage. "It's a bioweapon, created by the terrorist organization Free The Soul."
"Free the Soul?"
"An underground religious cult led by a man known as Brother." I elaborate. "They're dedicated to creating a 'new, purer world' by wiping out everyone who doesn't share their views."
"And they're planning on using Radical-6 to do that?" Sigma asks.
I nod, ignoring his still rather skeptical tone. "Hit the nail on the head. SOIS hasn't uncovered all the details yet, but we do know that the virus was intentionally designed to be as lethal and contagious as possible. If it's unleashed on the world, it could easily cause a global pandemic, and leave utter catastrophe in its wake."
"If it's unleashed?" Sigma repeats. "You're saying that hasn't already happened. So why was there a newspaper article reporting on the virus in the infirmary?"
"...I don't know." I reply in a low, frustrated tone. "I just know that it can't mean anything good. Either the article was fabricated, in which case whoever kidnapped us knows about the virus too, and is probably in deep with Free the Soul... or Free The Soul has already released the virus, and we've been asleep for a lot longer than we thought."
"Or both, seeing as they also provided us with a counter-agent for the virus." Sigma points out.
I nod. "That's also possible, yes."
Sigma hums. "I don't suppose you know anything else about Radical-6?"
I shake my head. "Like I said, we don't have all the details yet. Free the Soul isn't really possible to infiltrate, so our knowledge of them beyond the broad strokes is limited. I was actually in the process of investigating them personally, before I ended up... here."
With that, I fall quiet. Sigma does the same, seemingly occupied with simply trying to process and evaluate the excess of information I just dumped directly in his lap. I try not to fidget under his gaze, my doubts returning in force as silence lingers over the room.
...god, what was I thinking telling him any of that?! What a stupid idea! Even though none of that was actually false, save for my not truly being Clover and the fact that SOIS probably didn't know about Radical-6 specifically until it was already too late, if I were in Sigma's place I would absolutely think that was one big lie, and a pretty terrible one at that! Clover's backstory is just too ridiculous to be taken at face value, especially after I just established myself as moderately untrustworthy. What possessed me to come up with this asinine idea-
"Alright." Sigma finally says. "I believe you."
I struggle to keep my own mouth from falling open, honestly kind of astounded he bought that, for all that it's mostly technically true. I rally as quickly as I can however, determined not to waste the out I've bought for myself.
"Glad to hear." I say, trying to match Sigma's now-serious tone. "Listen though, you can't tell anyone else about this, alright? I know that might sound like an excuse, but I'm really, really not supposed to let my cover be blown. So just... keep it quiet, okay?"
Sigma nods, looking almost excited now- then suddenly pauses.
"Wait a second. Alice said that you two are coworkers, right? So does that mean she's also-?"
"Ssshhhhh!" I frantically hush him, barely restraining myself from outright putting my hand over his mouth as I half-fakingly, half-seriously look around to make sure Alice didn't somehow step into the room when neither of us were looking. Once I've confirmed that, I look back at Sigma, glaring a little.
"Do not finish that sentence." I whisper. "And what I just said about keeping this quiet? That goes double, if not triple, for Alice."
Sure, my "cover" may not matter in the ultimate scheme of things, since SOIS has already long since failed by this point in the future, but I still really, really do not want to try and explain to Alice why I spilled not only the organization's existence, but also a bunch of other confidential information about it, "myself", and her to a guy that she doesn't know from Bob, all because I lost track of which pieces of information I was supposed to know in this particular timeline.
"Anyways, we should get going." I say, stepping back from Sigma. "I'm sure I'm not the only one you wanted to speak to before the next round."
"You're not wrong." Sigma replies, glancing over at the door. "Uh... thanks for trusting me with this, Clover."
I raise an eyebrow at him. "You didn't exactly give me much choice in the matter, but you're welcome."
Sigma scratches at the side of his head in embarrassment, even as he wordlessly opens the door we came in from and steps back out of the room. I don't immediately follow, instead waiting until it shuts again before turning to the scalpel.
Time to take care of this thing.
Gingerly picking up the medical blade, I glance around for a moment, then move over to the shelves at the back of the room. Once in front of them, I lever myself up onto my tiptoes, then toss the blade as far back as I can onto the highest shelf I can reach. It lands behind half a dozen glass jars, completely out of my line of sight.
There. It's not necessarily the best hiding place, but the scalpel shouldn't be visible just from a casual once over of the room anymore, which is what I was truly worried about. I highly doubt Dio is going to literally climb the shelving unit just in case there's a potential weapon on top of it, so that's probably good enough.
Dusting off my hands, I walk back around the table, giving the IG replicator another once over as I do. Which... damn. Now that I give this thing a second look, there's even another empty medicine vial already plugged into the thing, presumably to serve as a receptacle for synthesized fluid. I just didn't see it initially because it's inside one of the glass tubes crowning the replicator, and is also made of glass itself, so it kind of just looked like the room's lighting was distorting the interior. If I'd been even slightly more observant, or remembered this thing's purpose just a little sooner...
I shake my head and look away. No use dwelling on it — what's done is done.
In any event, now that Sigma's gone, time to refocus on my larger scope goal. Which, at least for the remainder of this timeline, is really just to stick around long enough to learn something, solve something, and in turn hopefully make SHIFTing easier and/or controllable for myself in the process. In which case...
My gaze drifts up to the ceiling. Alice is probably my best bet. So far as my mental list of mysteries goes, she's the person with the most questions still surrounding her that I'd wager I have a decent chance of "puzzling out", and likely the easiest person here for me to get a private talk with to boot. Thanks to my choosing to betray Quark, she should also at least trust me for the immediate future, which makes now the best time to try and ferret some answers out of her and up my epiphany levels.
Nodding to myself, I open the door and step out of the lab. I wonder if she's still upstairs, or if she came down here? I'd assume the latter, since it would make sense to check out the newly-opened rooms. She's not in here though, so maybe the rec room, or the treatment center?
As it turns out, no, Alice is not in the rec room or the treatment center, neither of which presently appear to hold anything of much interest. In fact, I end up fruitlessly traversing the entirety of the second floor of the base — what's currently open of it, at least — before finally giving up and heading back upstairs, figuring she must be in one of the earlier rooms.
My second guess turns out to be correct. Passing through the back hall, I finally find Alice in the lounge, sitting on one of the barstools with a mostly-full cocktail glass in one perfectly-manicured hand.
"So what's- oh, Clover." she greets, seeming a bit surprised to see me.
"Phew, there you are." I say as I sit down next to her, glad to be off my feet again for at least a little while. "Was starting to think I'd never find you again. I figured you'd be investigating the new rooms downstairs."
Alice rolls her eyes. "Well, that was the plan, but Tenmyouji waylaid me before I could even leave the warehouse."
I glance down at the glass in her hand. "What, for drinks?"
Alice laughs.
"No, something far stupider, unfortunately." she says, sounding rather exasperated. "He was annoyingly persistent about it too. Wouldn't drop it even when I refused to indulge him, and was too fixated on the subject for me to even probe him for more information. He only left once Quark suddenly started speaking gibberish."
I blink. "Quark? Gibberish?"
"Yeah, the kid was here too." Alice replies, idly sipping at her cocktail. "It was weird. He just sort of started... babbling? It was like someone hit fast forward on his mouth; even sounded higher-pitched. I figured it was just a side effect of that serum you gave him, but Tenmyouji got worried and took Quark to the infirmary to look him over."
Wait, then she must mean-
Oh.
A smile ghosts over my lips. Well, I feel a little better about my earlier choices now — though I failed to specifically realize it at the time, at least one symptom of Radical-6 most definitely was still present at the time Quark entered the AB room, meaning the virus indeed hadn't fully abated yet. Guess the mental time dilation is wearing off for him now... not sure how we're going to handle or explain that in the round to come.
"Anyways," Alice moves on, "Sigma didn't look too happy about the outcome of the AB round earlier, so I assume you had to work around him to pick betray? If so, well executed."
My expression droops.
"Thanks, but... in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have." I quietly reply. "Sigma and I had just saved Quark from that virus, and even before that, the chances of him betraying us were pretty minimal."
My gaze drops to the floor. "Honestly, I feel sort of terrible about it."
Even with this recent revelation, I can't really think of what I did as anything but a bad move anymore, now that I know the outcome.
Alice leans over and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"I get where you're coming from, Clover, but think about it for a moment." she says consolingly. "Even if you were willing to bet your life on Quark not choosing betray, if he gets out of here on his own, he can't realistically do anything to help the rest of us escape. He's just a kid, and we still don't know exactly where this place even is."
She looks me in the eyes. "On the other hand, we have the authority to not only call in a rescue for the others, but to have SOIS and any related branches of the government come down on whoever it is that kidnapped us. It may sound egotistical, but it truly is more important that one of us gets out than anyone else here."
"...yeah. I guess." I say, averting my gaze.
Her logic makes sense... or at least, it would if this situation even remotely resembled Alice's current perception of it. Hell, SOIS probably doesn't even exist anymore. Unless I suddenly decide to come clean about an awful lot of things though — again — there's not much I can do but stay quiet and silently accept her logic.
"Besides, from what I saw, you got away with betraying without really making any enemies anyways." Alice continues, smiling down at me. "Nicely done with that speech. That was clever of you."
"I wasn't trying to be clever." I deny, frowning at her as I pull away. "I really meant all that."
"I'm sure you did," Alice replies, still smiling, "but that doesn't mean it wasn't clever anyways. You played Tenmyouji's own guilt against him well enough to stop him in his tracks, got Quark to forgive you outright, and even managed to justify yourself to everyone else well enough that they'll likely still trust you later. All told, that was nearly a best-case scenario. So like I said, nicely done."
Not really knowing how to feel about Alice complimenting my supposed talent at manipulating people, I just nod, choosing not to reply to that. I didn't seek her out to talk about the last AB round anyways; I have other things to discuss.
"Can I ask you something, Alice?"
"Of course." Alice easily replies. "What is it, Clover?"
...er. Come to think of it, how exactly do I bring this subject up in a way that won't seem like a complete non sequitur? Any of the subjects I have in mind, for that matter? I can't really ask Alice about her apparent fear of sedation, since she didn't have that freakout in this timeline, and while I still want to know maybe if she noticed anything odd getting out of her room, I'm not exactly sure exactly how to naturally bring that up... but I have to at least try.
"Do you feel... off, at all?" I ask, tentatively.
Alice squints at me a little. "What do you mean?"
"It's just- when I got out of the AB room, I noticed I felt kind of strange?" I continue, slowly working out my words as I go. "It's... as if there's something's weird about the air here. My movements don't feel right, and it's throwing me off. I was just wondering if you'd noticed anything similar?"
Alice leans back and thinks for a moment. "Hmm... now that you mention it, I have been feeling a little disoriented. Probably has something to do with how long we were kept unconscious for. If anything though, getting out my own AB room was a little easier than I thought it would be."
"Just a little easier?" I hazard.
"Uh, yeah?" Alice says, waving me off. "I mean, it's not like I couldn't have climbed out of that hatch pretty easily even on a normal day."
I give her a quick once over.
...seriously?
"Yes, seriously." Alice replies, at which point I realize I said that out loud. "We both went through the same training, you know."
She pauses for a moment, considering. "Well, maybe not the exact same training. The esper division of SOIS tends to be hyper-focused on the information-gathering aspect of your skillset, which I still think is a mistake..."
She trails off into a grumble for a moment before resuming. "Regardless, I know we both had the same basic physical and combat training. That was made a requirement for all agents a while back, just to make sure no one would be left totally helpless in the event of disarmament or capture."
...wait, so her seeming lack of athleticism is an act? Really? That's...
Just like the "airhead" suggestion she's been encouraging me to put on, come to think of it. Okay, wow, this probably should have occurred to me a bit sooner.
Alice frowns. "Did you really not remember that?"
"Ah- no, I did!" I hastily reply, nervously fiddling with my hair. "I... guess I just forgot exactly how much stronger you are than you look, is all. Told you I felt off."
Alice's frown lightens, but doesn't disappear. I'm thinking that perhaps I shouldn't linger on this topic any longer.
"Er, another thing... this is a bit embarrassing to ask, but, how come you're not cold right now?" I ask, hastily switching topics. "You're wearing almost as little as I am, and I'm freezing."
If I weren't specifically watching for her reaction, I'd have missed it. Alice's eyes widen fractionally, and she stiffens for the briefest of moments- then I blink, and it's gone, her composure instantly reasserted as she smiles.
"Come on Clover. You should know better than anyone that I'm simply too hot to be cold."
Alice strikes a pose and winks at me in exaggerated fashion, and I laugh as I think I'm expected to, even as I silently note that she didn't actually answer the question. She just turned it into a joke, allowing her to ignore the actual substance of it. So she is hiding something...
I wonder for a moment if the real Clover knows the secret already, but why would Alice be so cagey about it in that case? It's not like there's anyone else around, and we've not been acting like we're worried about this base having hidden cameras or the like.
It can't... really be related to Tenmyouji's theory, can it...?
"Hey, why don't we walk and talk?" Alice suddenly suggests as she stands up from the barstool, setting her drink down on the counter. "Now that I think about it, Quark's babbling could actually have been something more serious, like the first sign of a stroke. Let's go see if they've at least figured out what's wrong."
I'm not terribly thrilled by the suggestion, as I know that isn't it, and I can't exactly probe Alice for more info in front of other people, but she's already heading out the door. Hurrying out into the hallway after her, I privately note that I'm ironically getting kind of sick of the infirmary — I don't really feel the need to say hi to Akane's corpse again. But, if Alice is heading there...
Sighing, I content myself with simply dogging Alice's footsteps back down the hall for the moment, trying to figure out exactly what she could be hiding. The infirmary isn't far, so we reach it within less half than a minute, the door sliding up as we both step forward.
...and are greeted by the sight of Quark and Tenmyouji's blood-covered bodies.
I questioned for a time how fast Sigma would be to believe the "Clover is a secret agent" information, or if he'd even believe it at all, but he does get on board with it fairly quickly in the game proper. Granted, Clover goes a bit more in depth with her backstory than Clover!me did, but if Sigma had any doubts about her, he certainly wasn't displaying them externally. Honestly, I think that in his heart Sigma still just wants to believe in stuff like that... which is honestly to his benefit, because in this universe full of secret agents, time-traveling psychics, clones, robots, and random soul exchanges, all that stuff is, in fact, real.
A huge thanks to @Pheonix14, @Warclam, @ScorpioBot, Henry Branscombe, Leaf, Bertucchi, BlackEagle91, Jordan Juengel, Stays Secret, Alxariam, Nubcaekz, and my eight other Patrons not named here, as well as an extra special thanks to a certain generous patron who wishes to remain unnamed. Each of them receives a pass for one (1) week of the same secret agent training Clover and Alice went through. If you happen to have the potential, you can even enter the esper division!... though, be careful. Those lessons didn't help Clover much, after all... 🕴️
The impression I get of Sigma is that he's...very in tune with his inner child. I don't want to call them a man-child as that's a bit too belittling and insulting, Just that I'd totally think he'd believe in, or at least think of Magic as being a possible explanation among more logical hypothesis.
Mind, I've played none of the Nonary games, this is all impressions I've gotten from this thread talking about the nonary games in general and what was written.
Sighing, I content myself with simply dogging Alice's footsteps back down the hall for the moment, trying to figure out exactly what she could be hiding. The infirmary isn't far, so we reach it within less half than a minute, the door sliding up as we both step forward.
...and are greeted by the sight of Quark and Tenmyouji's blood-covered bodies.
Oh dear. I imagine this is related to Quark having the time-dilation of the plague wearing off, but how that translated to both of them getting badly injured is a mystery.
