One Foot - Another Multiverse SI
- Thread starter Ars Poetica
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy Alt. History
Ars Poetica
ULTIMA RATIO NEMO OBLIGATUR
- Location
- The Kingdom of Fiore
- Pronouns
- He / Him / His
I know I answered this in a PM you sent to me over on SB, but I figure I'll elaborate on some of those replies here since you asked.
The Ultimate Eye, in the hands of King Bradley, operated very similarly to Mind's Eye. It had the ability to discern exactly the correct sequence of actions necessary to achieve a goal, even if the odds of that goal were only one percent. King Bradley, Wrath really, was skilled enough that even without the use of that eye he had the ability to fight other homunculi on an even playing field and could easily dismantle enemy forces in the hundreds. And that was when his body was past its prime.
So naturally, having a weapon that could perform predictive calculations for him to an absurd degree could only be more useful. For Bradley, it manifested in many ways. Sometimes as math, sometimes as basic instructions. But to Poe, the Ultimate Eye manifests its instructions almost entirely as predictive math because that's how Poe perceived how it worked.
Poe thought it operated off of math, so that's how the Ultimate Eye manifested itself. It performed predictive calculations using math. Over time, by exposing the Ultimate Eye to abnormal phenomena that it previously never had to predict or counter, the Ultimate Eye began to adapt to its newer circumstances. It developed anti-memetic properties that could allow Poe to read or observe objects or materials that had been altered with some sort of thought-bomb. It also developed the ability to predict the operations of supernatural phenomena -- ghosts, SCPs, and so forth. Non-Euclidean geometries gave the Ultimate Eye an extra dimension to work with.
After Desiree joined the headcase crew, her ability to perfectly simulate the desires of others gave the Ultimate Eye yet another tool that it could take advantage of and accurately emulate... to an extent. The Ultimate Eye's ability to operate as an advanced calculator had evolved into being able to predict the physical operations of abnormal entities, and could even perfectly replicate Poe's consciousness as a back-up and as a training tool. It became an incredibly powerful supercomputer.
Regarding how the math goes into it... well, the Ultimate Eye puts numbers and variables to everything that it sees. It calculates the trajectory of objects, the physical motions of people based on how fast their observable muscles are twitching and the manner in which their bodies are positioned, the wind speed, and thousands of other details big and small in order to yield various results. At first, it manifested its findings in kind of simplistic terms for Poe to understand -- move in this way at this angle and exert this much force to yield a result. But Poe was bad at self control. It's... kind of one of the many things he's terrible at. So he had to rely on the Ultimate Eye to cover that for him, but since it couldn't do that... the Ultimate Eye had to take into account Poe's own lack of self control when it came to its calculations.
...Process that for a second. Poe was so bad at controlling himself, that the Ultimate Eye gave up on telling him how hard he had to hit something and had to rely on probabilistic calculations telling him just to hit something at all. Effectively, it had to guess how hard he'd hit something or how he would react based on what instructions were sent to him. In many ways, its synergy with a bow was a godsend to Poe because the math behind pulling a drawstring back and letting an arrow fly is just ballistics and can immediately be pumped out.
Repeatedly overworking the Ultimate Eye, at first, caused it to "overheat" and would force Poe to stop using it for a time. But flexing it as though it were muscle eventually forced it to adapt to the increasingly distressing circumstances it was being put into. When Poe just decided one day to start using it as a supercomputer, I like to imagine that the Ultimate Eye turned and stared at him like it was saying "Brah. Plz. No more."
Of course Poe didn't hear any of that because eyes can't talk. Unless it's a Sharingan. But fuck the Sharingan.
Meanwhile, on a completely unrelated note, the next chapter is currently being written. It seems that my update speed has fallen to a relatively consistent one or two updates every month. Which is... not terrible, but not great. A far cry from what it used to be, but then any update speed is slower than a daily update speed. Unless, of course, I update twice every day, but I'm not doing that because I'm not insane.
That said, I'm looking forward to writing an actual update. And to those of you who came here after seeing the notification that I'd written 861 words... sorry about falsely getting your hopes up for the chapter you no doubt arrived to read. I know how much that sucks.
Rogue Gemini
Wanderer without a Twin
- Location
- Here
Honestly, I'm starting to get that now! The Eye's ability to adapt to newer and more bizarre things is wonderful, not to mention how hilariously handicapped it was dealing with Poe being his ineffectual self until he got gud. Was this process similar to his other powers too?
Ars Poetica
ULTIMA RATIO NEMO OBLIGATUR
- Location
- The Kingdom of Fiore
- Pronouns
- He / Him / His
Sort of. Centrecroix's ability to tune in to the rules of whichever world Poe drops himself into -- typically a time period or afterlife -- implies that all of his abilities adapt and change depending on where and when he is. And so far, even without Centrecroix playing a part in that, this has yet to be disproven. Generally... Poe's abilities are stretched to the breaking point and forced to adapt and overcome, or they snap entirely.
I think there's a few examples where Poe's powers just couldn't handle what Poe wanted them to do, though... and a few others where they don't work exactly as intended, thus resulting in consequences. Some bad, some good. The Knights were a happy accident, for instance. Nobody had any idea that Akuma could be turned into Knights via the power of Konso, and Poe just expected something similar to what happened with Lust to take place. Every single time. It says something for the desperation of the situation that Poe was willing to go for that type of risk, but it paid off and he can't really complain about it.
Rogue Gemini
Wanderer without a Twin
- Location
- Here
- Location
- In you're house RIGHT NOW!
So did eating the innocence do anything beside a cosmetic update to lust and green sparks?
Will he get the plant power?
RazielOfSecrets
Verified Homo Sapiens
- Location
- Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA
I was going to say something about Shade here, but then I remembered that since he became a full Moderator(congratz, edgelord snek!) his updates have gotten understandably slower.
- Location
- In you're house RIGHT NOW!
In universe probably not, as he got SI'd during like what 2015?
- Location
- Denmark
Poe what do you think about the ending of Fairy Tail.
Ars Poetica
ULTIMA RATIO NEMO OBLIGATUR
- Location
- The Kingdom of Fiore
- Pronouns
- He / Him / His
Innocence has certain similarities to Quincy powers, and to Ghost abilities. Green energy = Green energy. It's also a part of the foundation for Poe's Green Titanite, whenever he goes full rainbow. Poe... probably won't get the plant ability. There's no need for that, especially not when he can use Innocence to manifest four wings on one side to contrast one on the other. Innocence is part of how Poe has the ability to literally turn his whole body into one, giant flying fist of punching.
No. Poe doesn't know about the ending of Fairy Tail. Fact of the matter is, because of how early Poe has arrived in the Fairy Tail timeline, and because of alterations to the world of Fairy Tail as a result of all the mutliversal shenanigans going on at the moment... even if Poe knew how Fairy Tail was originally supposed to end, he'd have no way to get to that ending now.
That being said, I didn't like the ending. It didn't surprise me. It just felt... lackluster. I wanted more, but Fairy Tail always did leave me wanting more from what it offered. It was a series that was really good at making me ask for greater detail, and then consistently failed to deliver. In the end, it produced an admittedly forgettable series that wanted to be One Piece, but didn't have the story. It wanted to be about friendship, but didn't really do a good job of teaching its aesop. It wanted us to enjoy its characters, but they were all too similar.
To put it in one word? Disappointing.
I was disappointed.
Ars Poetica
ULTIMA RATIO NEMO OBLIGATUR
- Location
- The Kingdom of Fiore
- Pronouns
- He / Him / His
Next chapter is about 90-95% complete. Somewhere in that range.
Just have to hammer out a few details and it'll be done. In the meanwhile, I've got an essay to finish and classes to get through.
Expect an update by tonight at the absolute latest.
Just have to hammer out a few details and it'll be done. In the meanwhile, I've got an essay to finish and classes to get through.
Expect an update by tonight at the absolute latest.
Chapter 317
Ars Poetica
ULTIMA RATIO NEMO OBLIGATUR
- Location
- The Kingdom of Fiore
- Pronouns
- He / Him / His
At least it's not the end of the month. So that's good.
-x-
Experience is an experiment in patience and accumulated knowledge. Fools are those who refuse to learn. Villains are those who learn and refuse to change. Virtuous are those who live longest and learn the most. But brilliant are the young who outshine virtue itself.
How young was I when I first heard that?
I stopped aging in any physical sense after thirty or so years. I suppose it was a natural consequence of magic, and of being a witch. I was aimless. What would I do, what would I learn? It was one of the many congregations before the rise of Death's prominence.
The twelfth century, I think.
When that absurd blade was still allowed to speak its gibberish at our meetings and when there was always someone available for it to wield. His false wisdom taught me nothing except that he would be left behind.
The world was changing. I was satisfied.
Mushi, spirits, whatever one calls them… they force a sort of nostalgia on those who see them. They are close to the universe and all lie in it while also existing both in and outside the continuum of space and time. Naval gazing in their presence is an acceptable normality.
But dwelling on the past had yet to save me. It would not be starting now.
Hollowfied Blanks were lunging after flitting shapes and forms. Some devoured their prey and fell apart into liquid light, others were set aflame on physical contact with the creatures.
Though I'd have loved nothing more than to capture some for study just to research these different interactions, I had a Quincy to gut and slay before the day was over. By eliminating any need to acquire his key and by removing any access he had to his forces, I was now open to attacking.
Forming yet another vector arrow, I pinpointed the Sternritter's location and let it fly–
–He was several feet away now. I felt exhausted. How many vector arrows had I used? He was heading in my direction, apparently unbothered by what I had done so far.
My eyes darted around. My memories were altered the first time I attacked him. Clearly that was at least part of what happened, and so… there, on a wall, I could see a message I had carved into the wood. Two letters. K– no time.
I heard the spinning of barrels and leapt from my hiding spot just as the Quincy began firing on my position. Reishi arrows in the form of bullets exploded through the wreckage and followed me as I fled. My feet pressed against vector arrows that removed friction from the ground and let me slide faster than the Sternritter could aim.
He laughed at my plight, an extra arm seemingly drawing itself out of his outfit just to grasp a knife. His lantern eyes followed me, and with a flick of his wrist he tossed the blade at my exposed back.
My foot was a blur as I kicked up a vector arrow and launched the dagger out of the way. It spun through the air before embedding itself in a tilting chimney. Still more bullets followed me.
I impacted the ground and let the force disperse itself as more arrows. They promptly jettisoned themselves towards the bullets. Sparkling explosions signified where projectiles met and detonated in the air. My back was to the light, so I spun on my heel to face the Sternritter.
At some point he had shed the top of his outfit and left behind a barely human figure. Above his waist, dozens of arms reached out at impossible angles to grasp and operate the massive, multi-barreled weapon held at chest level. His eyes continued to glow, and his lantern gaze became owlish in their attentiveness. His head twitched, and he smiled.
"My, why, hello there… will you be attacking me again? Or are you planning to be civil this time?" He asked.
I forced myself to control my breathing and smiled back at him. "Attacking you?" I said, "I'm only defending myself."
"But defending yourself from what? From me?" I could see the eyes behind his goggles spin. They were artificial, which probably meant the glowing came from some sort of implant. "Dearie," he breathed, "I'm only trying to save you."
"Hm, yes, saving me… an alternative interpretation of that could be–"
–I was tumbling across a surface. A roof caved in beneath my weight and I fell through. A gasp of pain escaped me when I hit the floor and kept going. Eventually, my body settled in the basement. I was buried under wood and stone.
My hands reached out for something stable to grasp onto so I could pull my way out. I checked the sun. I was facing west. The positioning of it would indicate that… around twenty minutes had passed. Give or take. Erring on the optimistic side, at least six minutes of time had vanished in between each of those blank spots in my memory.
"That was a dirty trick you pulled!" I heard the whine of the Sternritter's gun just before it started firing down at me. Rocks and timber were tossed away from me as I formed a pair of vector arrows. One would remove friction in a given direction, the other would imply force in that same direction.
"Nake-nake, Cobu-cobu-rah…!" The street above the basement level exploded outwards and the rest of the house collapsed behind me. I stumbled but my pace only quickened. Deep breaths, deep breaths… I needed to assess this situation. I carved something into that wall. I had a limited amount of time.
What was it? Two letters, just two letters and I would know what this man's ability was – the spinning of barrels, and he was firing again. This time he wasn't following me. Instead, he took cover behind the wall of brick and stone that I had left behind for him.
No doubt it was to avoid the counter-attacking arrows that flew through the air in a desperate bid to impale him. He shot at them and they detonated. But from this distance, it was inevitable that some would get through. Likewise there was no avoiding some of the bullets that raced on by.
One struck my shoulder and exploded into spiritual particles that sent me flying off my vector arrows and into the middle of the street. I forced myself to stop by reaching out and pushing my momentum away as arrows into the ground. A crater formed in the cobblestone road and I leered in the Sternritter's direction.
Looking towards the edge of the city, I'd found that most of the people had fled. Some still remained as occasional stragglers to watch the fight unfold, but most had the bright idea of escaping while they still could.
Damn it. That meant Ivan would know someone was after him, and that just made for another clock I'd need to outpace. Just another… just another clock… My hair stood on end.
"Interrupting me while I'm speaking? That's not very sporting~" The Sternritter chimed as his gun spun. I checked the sky. The sun was setting, and clouds were forming. It would be a grey night. "How rude~ Truly, how rude indeed~!"
His smile was empty, as usual. Cold and vacant, it seemed to be his default expression more than anything else. There was nothing to read into there. This was just an empty, hollow man.
"And how am I to know if I'm interrupting you?" I replied with a smile of my own. "Surely I'd remember that… unless you fall into the camp of having nothing important to say and being forgettable." I shook my head, "Tut-tut. At least learn to leave an impression."
"That sounds like an invitation~" His arms unfurled, and so too did the immense multi-barreled gun. In fourteen arms, he held seven rifles that pointed in every direction from his body. Bayonets of light formed at their ends and burnt the air. "But aren't all invitations just cries for help? In that sense, I feel quite welcome~!"
He jumped into the air, turned, and let his feet press against gathered particles to throw himself in my direction. His laser bayonets spun and tore through the street in a spiral of destruction, but I waited for him to begin firing.
The Sternritter did not disappoint.
Bullets, impossibly more than I'd seen before, blotted out what remained of the sunset. They were so bright and multitudinous that I found myself forced to hide in the shade of a single arrow. I threw my arms down, an arrow plunging out of the space behind me and into the ground.
Directed reishi impacted the arrow and went to ground in front of me. A trench was forming and steadily growing larger, but the Quincy could not see me in the dust and debris. He was still on his linear charge. All I had to do was–
–A wide cut formed along my abdomen. My back impacted a wall of stone and I fell to my knees. Blood poured out of my body in copious amounts and every breath I took had become pain.
Left lung, bruised. Right lung, damaged. Bleeding. I forced a cough – red spattered the ground – definitely internal bleeding. Heart, fine. Stomach… fine. Definitely bruised. Ribs – floating ribs broken. Two on right side, broken. I forced myself to move – they were stabbing into my lung… I see… intestines are fine, no immediate risk of internal bacterial infection. A sterile environment would be required.
Need for surgery… recommended. Not immediate. Not for me. But necessary.
Arms, legs, unbroken. Spine… mostly undamaged. Head injuries – few, negligible. Shoulder is damaged, movement of left arm partially impeded. Passable range of motion. I clenched my hands – fingers, undamaged. Ankles? Undamaged. I can walk, and I can throw a punch.
Thunder boomed. The skies were darkening. Six more minutes had passed and a storm was rolling in. Additional damage to the environment was clear and apparent – there were fewer buildings still standing.
I could conclude that the six minute intervals were not without events. My memories were definitely being altered. But something else was happening, wasn't it? A time effect?
…The letters on the wall. K… and C.
I coughed up blood again and looked up at the Sternritter. His many arms had moved on to casually twirling the seven rifles. His smile had yet to fade as he began stepping closer.
My eyes narrowed. "Crimson." I managed to say aloud.
His twirling didn't stop. "Hmm?" He looked at me with what I could assume was a raised eyebrow. "Say again?"
"King Crimson." I glared at him, "That… That is the name of your ability, isn't it? Sternritter K."
"Well…" The rifles stopped spinning, and then began spinning the opposite way. "You're clever, aren't you? But I'm afraid that's not all correct. You came to that conclusion three times, too… and I never even said anything! Am I getting sloppy in my rescuing? I hope not~"
At that moment, I began forming arrows beneath my knees. I would need to hide them where he couldn't possibly see them, all beneath my body. Then they would need to be layered… interlaced. I needed to move quickly.
"I see we're finally at the point you're willing to hear an introduction~ It's about time, I say!" He giggled. "I am BG-X. Also called Sternritter "K", the King Starless~ And what you have been facing so far has been the power granted to me by master Yhwach…"
My lips were moving as he ranted. I formed the syllables, no matter how much pain it caused me. Each word felt violating. It was as though I were speaking in tongues beneath my breath. My mind and soul were retreating to a pit of taboo and sin, and it felt warm and welcoming.
It was an old home. Exactly the sort of place I'd frequented in my earliest days, back when I would steal the images of wizards and saints, when I made myself closer to those who would not suspect knives to appear in their backs. I trembled beneath the weight of absence – an absence of mass, and form, and morality.
They were familiar steps that could so easily be taken.
I'd seen where that road would lead me.
But change is constant, it is the only constant. What you wished for was to change a world already rife with change. You wished to remove stagnation by removing change all together! The ultimate change would be the erasure of all change!
…No.
Not again.
If I was going to do this, then I would do it with a clear mind. Madness had its time and place, and I had abused it for far too long. So I let out a breath, and offered a warm smile.
The Sternritter's head tilted and it was only then that I noticed he hadn't finished speaking. His blazing bayonet was only inches away from my exposed throat, and his head – BG-X's head – it twitched again, his eyes began to spin.
"Offering yourself to be saved~? I'll hardly complain~"
I spoke the words aloud, and blood fell from my lips. Everything hurt, but it felt good to watch the Sternritter's goggles crack. He stumbled back–
And I opened my eyes.
-x-
One Foot on the Platform
OR: One Foot on the Train
End-317
-x-
Medusa's Story
Experience is an experiment in patience and accumulated knowledge. Fools are those who refuse to learn. Villains are those who learn and refuse to change. Virtuous are those who live longest and learn the most. But brilliant are the young who outshine virtue itself.
How young was I when I first heard that?
I stopped aging in any physical sense after thirty or so years. I suppose it was a natural consequence of magic, and of being a witch. I was aimless. What would I do, what would I learn? It was one of the many congregations before the rise of Death's prominence.
The twelfth century, I think.
When that absurd blade was still allowed to speak its gibberish at our meetings and when there was always someone available for it to wield. His false wisdom taught me nothing except that he would be left behind.
The world was changing. I was satisfied.
Mushi, spirits, whatever one calls them… they force a sort of nostalgia on those who see them. They are close to the universe and all lie in it while also existing both in and outside the continuum of space and time. Naval gazing in their presence is an acceptable normality.
But dwelling on the past had yet to save me. It would not be starting now.
Hollowfied Blanks were lunging after flitting shapes and forms. Some devoured their prey and fell apart into liquid light, others were set aflame on physical contact with the creatures.
Though I'd have loved nothing more than to capture some for study just to research these different interactions, I had a Quincy to gut and slay before the day was over. By eliminating any need to acquire his key and by removing any access he had to his forces, I was now open to attacking.
Forming yet another vector arrow, I pinpointed the Sternritter's location and let it fly–
–He was several feet away now. I felt exhausted. How many vector arrows had I used? He was heading in my direction, apparently unbothered by what I had done so far.
My eyes darted around. My memories were altered the first time I attacked him. Clearly that was at least part of what happened, and so… there, on a wall, I could see a message I had carved into the wood. Two letters. K– no time.
I heard the spinning of barrels and leapt from my hiding spot just as the Quincy began firing on my position. Reishi arrows in the form of bullets exploded through the wreckage and followed me as I fled. My feet pressed against vector arrows that removed friction from the ground and let me slide faster than the Sternritter could aim.
He laughed at my plight, an extra arm seemingly drawing itself out of his outfit just to grasp a knife. His lantern eyes followed me, and with a flick of his wrist he tossed the blade at my exposed back.
My foot was a blur as I kicked up a vector arrow and launched the dagger out of the way. It spun through the air before embedding itself in a tilting chimney. Still more bullets followed me.
I impacted the ground and let the force disperse itself as more arrows. They promptly jettisoned themselves towards the bullets. Sparkling explosions signified where projectiles met and detonated in the air. My back was to the light, so I spun on my heel to face the Sternritter.
At some point he had shed the top of his outfit and left behind a barely human figure. Above his waist, dozens of arms reached out at impossible angles to grasp and operate the massive, multi-barreled weapon held at chest level. His eyes continued to glow, and his lantern gaze became owlish in their attentiveness. His head twitched, and he smiled.
"My, why, hello there… will you be attacking me again? Or are you planning to be civil this time?" He asked.
I forced myself to control my breathing and smiled back at him. "Attacking you?" I said, "I'm only defending myself."
"But defending yourself from what? From me?" I could see the eyes behind his goggles spin. They were artificial, which probably meant the glowing came from some sort of implant. "Dearie," he breathed, "I'm only trying to save you."
"Hm, yes, saving me… an alternative interpretation of that could be–"
–I was tumbling across a surface. A roof caved in beneath my weight and I fell through. A gasp of pain escaped me when I hit the floor and kept going. Eventually, my body settled in the basement. I was buried under wood and stone.
My hands reached out for something stable to grasp onto so I could pull my way out. I checked the sun. I was facing west. The positioning of it would indicate that… around twenty minutes had passed. Give or take. Erring on the optimistic side, at least six minutes of time had vanished in between each of those blank spots in my memory.
"That was a dirty trick you pulled!" I heard the whine of the Sternritter's gun just before it started firing down at me. Rocks and timber were tossed away from me as I formed a pair of vector arrows. One would remove friction in a given direction, the other would imply force in that same direction.
"Nake-nake, Cobu-cobu-rah…!" The street above the basement level exploded outwards and the rest of the house collapsed behind me. I stumbled but my pace only quickened. Deep breaths, deep breaths… I needed to assess this situation. I carved something into that wall. I had a limited amount of time.
What was it? Two letters, just two letters and I would know what this man's ability was – the spinning of barrels, and he was firing again. This time he wasn't following me. Instead, he took cover behind the wall of brick and stone that I had left behind for him.
No doubt it was to avoid the counter-attacking arrows that flew through the air in a desperate bid to impale him. He shot at them and they detonated. But from this distance, it was inevitable that some would get through. Likewise there was no avoiding some of the bullets that raced on by.
One struck my shoulder and exploded into spiritual particles that sent me flying off my vector arrows and into the middle of the street. I forced myself to stop by reaching out and pushing my momentum away as arrows into the ground. A crater formed in the cobblestone road and I leered in the Sternritter's direction.
Looking towards the edge of the city, I'd found that most of the people had fled. Some still remained as occasional stragglers to watch the fight unfold, but most had the bright idea of escaping while they still could.
Damn it. That meant Ivan would know someone was after him, and that just made for another clock I'd need to outpace. Just another… just another clock… My hair stood on end.
"Interrupting me while I'm speaking? That's not very sporting~" The Sternritter chimed as his gun spun. I checked the sky. The sun was setting, and clouds were forming. It would be a grey night. "How rude~ Truly, how rude indeed~!"
His smile was empty, as usual. Cold and vacant, it seemed to be his default expression more than anything else. There was nothing to read into there. This was just an empty, hollow man.
"And how am I to know if I'm interrupting you?" I replied with a smile of my own. "Surely I'd remember that… unless you fall into the camp of having nothing important to say and being forgettable." I shook my head, "Tut-tut. At least learn to leave an impression."
"That sounds like an invitation~" His arms unfurled, and so too did the immense multi-barreled gun. In fourteen arms, he held seven rifles that pointed in every direction from his body. Bayonets of light formed at their ends and burnt the air. "But aren't all invitations just cries for help? In that sense, I feel quite welcome~!"
He jumped into the air, turned, and let his feet press against gathered particles to throw himself in my direction. His laser bayonets spun and tore through the street in a spiral of destruction, but I waited for him to begin firing.
The Sternritter did not disappoint.
Bullets, impossibly more than I'd seen before, blotted out what remained of the sunset. They were so bright and multitudinous that I found myself forced to hide in the shade of a single arrow. I threw my arms down, an arrow plunging out of the space behind me and into the ground.
Directed reishi impacted the arrow and went to ground in front of me. A trench was forming and steadily growing larger, but the Quincy could not see me in the dust and debris. He was still on his linear charge. All I had to do was–
–A wide cut formed along my abdomen. My back impacted a wall of stone and I fell to my knees. Blood poured out of my body in copious amounts and every breath I took had become pain.
Left lung, bruised. Right lung, damaged. Bleeding. I forced a cough – red spattered the ground – definitely internal bleeding. Heart, fine. Stomach… fine. Definitely bruised. Ribs – floating ribs broken. Two on right side, broken. I forced myself to move – they were stabbing into my lung… I see… intestines are fine, no immediate risk of internal bacterial infection. A sterile environment would be required.
Need for surgery… recommended. Not immediate. Not for me. But necessary.
Arms, legs, unbroken. Spine… mostly undamaged. Head injuries – few, negligible. Shoulder is damaged, movement of left arm partially impeded. Passable range of motion. I clenched my hands – fingers, undamaged. Ankles? Undamaged. I can walk, and I can throw a punch.
Thunder boomed. The skies were darkening. Six more minutes had passed and a storm was rolling in. Additional damage to the environment was clear and apparent – there were fewer buildings still standing.
I could conclude that the six minute intervals were not without events. My memories were definitely being altered. But something else was happening, wasn't it? A time effect?
…The letters on the wall. K… and C.
I coughed up blood again and looked up at the Sternritter. His many arms had moved on to casually twirling the seven rifles. His smile had yet to fade as he began stepping closer.
My eyes narrowed. "Crimson." I managed to say aloud.
His twirling didn't stop. "Hmm?" He looked at me with what I could assume was a raised eyebrow. "Say again?"
"King Crimson." I glared at him, "That… That is the name of your ability, isn't it? Sternritter K."
"Well…" The rifles stopped spinning, and then began spinning the opposite way. "You're clever, aren't you? But I'm afraid that's not all correct. You came to that conclusion three times, too… and I never even said anything! Am I getting sloppy in my rescuing? I hope not~"
At that moment, I began forming arrows beneath my knees. I would need to hide them where he couldn't possibly see them, all beneath my body. Then they would need to be layered… interlaced. I needed to move quickly.
"I see we're finally at the point you're willing to hear an introduction~ It's about time, I say!" He giggled. "I am BG-X. Also called Sternritter "K", the King Starless~ And what you have been facing so far has been the power granted to me by master Yhwach…"
My lips were moving as he ranted. I formed the syllables, no matter how much pain it caused me. Each word felt violating. It was as though I were speaking in tongues beneath my breath. My mind and soul were retreating to a pit of taboo and sin, and it felt warm and welcoming.
It was an old home. Exactly the sort of place I'd frequented in my earliest days, back when I would steal the images of wizards and saints, when I made myself closer to those who would not suspect knives to appear in their backs. I trembled beneath the weight of absence – an absence of mass, and form, and morality.
They were familiar steps that could so easily be taken.
I'd seen where that road would lead me.
But change is constant, it is the only constant. What you wished for was to change a world already rife with change. You wished to remove stagnation by removing change all together! The ultimate change would be the erasure of all change!
…No.
Not again.
If I was going to do this, then I would do it with a clear mind. Madness had its time and place, and I had abused it for far too long. So I let out a breath, and offered a warm smile.
The Sternritter's head tilted and it was only then that I noticed he hadn't finished speaking. His blazing bayonet was only inches away from my exposed throat, and his head – BG-X's head – it twitched again, his eyes began to spin.
"Offering yourself to be saved~? I'll hardly complain~"
I spoke the words aloud, and blood fell from my lips. Everything hurt, but it felt good to watch the Sternritter's goggles crack. He stumbled back–
And I opened my eyes.
-x-
One Foot on the Platform
OR: One Foot on the Train
End-317
spencer1519
(Verified Heretic)
- Location
- Oregon, USA
God this world is a mess.
And that Quincy with a Stand is just... unfair.
And that Quincy with a Stand is just... unfair.
nmWarden
Webcomic Glutton
- Location
- Texas
What a beautiful update! Not a fan of that song though. I'm pulling this theory out of thin air, but here's what I think happened: the Mushi did not fail. Medusa utilized the Mushi's connection with Inuyasha yokai/spirits. Either she made an attack or that invisitext at the end is a sign that she has connected/created something like Soul Evans' Little Ogre to handle one of BG-X's powers. And just like Lust now has a mix of powers, Medusa's Little Ogre isn't mere madness. It is genius forged by pain!
I wonder if any of that is right... whatever the case "taboo and sin" are critical words for connecting the dots.
I wonder if any of that is right... whatever the case "taboo and sin" are critical words for connecting the dots.
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Mizu
Software Developer
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
I'd argue anyone with the ability to erase people's memories is a tough foe to fight, let alone one who can do it constantly and for pretty long time periods - twenty odd minutes is ancient in battle length. The fact Meds has survived vs him till now is a real credit to her skill.
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Invisitext:
Heavy READER
Book Devourer/Speed Reader
- Location
- Fitchburg, MA
Ummmm, Madness overload I'm thinking. Just a guess, probably a bad guess.
- Location
- The Z-Cave
So BG-X is a version of Diavalo that was made into a cyborg and given a Schrift that gave him the same or similar powers to what became his canon Stand.
He's definitely not sane, so maybe this one was hit by Gold Experiance Requiem and the Quincy needed to make him a cyborg to save him?
I find it very suspicious that a Sternritter is referring to Yhwach by name. They never do that.
- Location
- United States
Finally got all caught up. Great story, but sad to have to wait for chapters now.
nmWarden
Webcomic Glutton
- Location
- Texas
Got any questions or predictions for us?