The Nexus

Lucia Sophia nods. "That sounds like a fair decision. One question, though, before you go: what will you do about dear Nemo here?" She gestures towards the clone. "It was his sincere wish to not have his memory erased anymore. He wishes to remember and retain his identity. So?" T...

[Butterfly bay - on the phone] "Huh. That doesn't sound good. That doesn't sound good at all" , the girl says, "Especially these beasts. Why would there be any beasts? Can you be a little more specific?" Codebreaker may be exaggerating how interested those creatures were in him ...

[On the phone]

"I will. I wish I could say soon, but my return to the city keeps getting delayed. In the meantime, don't go and get over your head in anything, Mister Detective." The swordsman ends the call, once again leaving Michalson to wait.

[Butterfly bay - on the phone] "You are? It is? Hey, sis! We finally found the right one!" It sounds like the girl is talking to someone else on her end. "When you say 'that place', you are talking about a pyramid-like structure, yes? Or at least it would look like that on the surfac...

[Somewhere in the desert] The swordsman weighs his options. He cannot really blame them for leaving them. But they are his best bet to find his way to civilization as quick as possible. So, he breaks into a run. He caught up to their vehicle before, he can do it again. He isn't even in a hurry. He ...

[On the phone] "I take it you refer to the synthetic soul in your possession. So she was not in that clay doll when she first came here?" Hoshiki pauses to consider the meaning of this. "Hmmm. I take it she thinks that because that body was the likeness of someone from my world. Very...

"If it was simply up to me, you wouldn't have to trade. My purpose is to provide information to others, and doing so is a reward all on its own" , the lady says with a smile, "in any case, to answer your question, the building of this structure began in 2080 AD, using old Earth calen...

[On the phone]

"What is it, then? Since you left no mention on the guestbook?", the swordsman asks, "Or did one of my tenants scare? I assure you, they are normal law-abiding citizens, they're just not from the city."

[Butterfly bay] If Codebreaker happens to have a phone with him, sometime around his discussion with Atreyu, he receives a call. It's not anyone who's previously called him, but the number is registered to VIGIL organization and possibly to Dr. Eun Jung-Bu. If he picks it up, an over-excited, high-...

[Hoshiki's home] "No, I'm afraid what I've got to say and show to him is confidential." Michalson really isn't sure if writing down something vague would hurt, but he'd rather play it safe. It's been enough of a mess already. "Have a good day, miss." The detective leaves the bem...

[Somewhere in the desert] The swordsman is indeed quite deep. It takes a while for him to dig himself out. His ride home might've given up hope and fled by then. Nonetheless, after some time, there is a burst of sand and flesh as he emerges from the downed beast's belly, covered in blood and dirt a...

"A calculated risk from your part? Very well. I hope you calculated well", the lady answers. "What is the first thing you wish to know, then?"

[Somewhere in the desert] The swordsman could flee. Indeed, it would be easy. But, it does not feel necessary to him. He is confident he is just as able to cut this creature from within as from without. So, he lets the massive beast swallow himself. Then, inside its gullet, where no-one else is the...

Here, in this artificial environment, Lucia Sophia is the source of light, while the Encyclopedes are mere shadows. She has her ways of keeping track of who is who, as the they quickly find out. Each suddenly finds themselves wearing a distinctly colored party hat - purple for the Secondary Research...

[Hoshiki's home] "Oh, okay" , the girl says and relaxes a bit. "No clue what private matter he could have with someone like you. I'll tell hin you passed by. But are you sure you don't want to write in the guestbook?" She beckons at the book once more. She's clearly hoping Micha...

[Somewhere in the Desert] "Why aren't you helping me? I'm hurt, and lost, and scared. Please help me." The figure begins to cry, sobbing disconsolately. There's not much movement beneath the sands. A faint shift as something vast breathes, but hard to notice. It notices Hoshiki's movement...

The digital camera is still present. It takes a photograph of the ground without issue, or at least seems to. If the Encyclopede can check the camera's memory right now, the picture taken shows a rug and wooden floorboards of the imaginary cafeteria. "You're welcome" , the elderly lady ans...

[Hoshiki's Home] Seaside visitors? Is this berk doing sight-seeing tours now? Never mind. Michalson makes his way as directed, then encounters an unfamiliar person. "Uh... hello. I've got business with the owner of this place," he says. [Hoshiki's home] The girl freezes, mouth wide open, ...

[Hoshiki's home] The girl freezes, mouth wide open, spoon halfway there, spooked by another person barging in. She takes a moment to relax and recover herself. "You're out of luck" , she says, continuing her meal between words. *crunch* *crunch* *gulp* "Ah. The man comes and goes. So...

[Somewhere in the Desert] A bear trap, in these conditions, would also cause a debilitating or even lethal wound, yet previously the swordsman sensed no immediate threat to this creature's life. A very big life, hidden in the sand. It's quite apparent to him now that he is dealing with some kind of...

[Hoshiki's Home] Michalson is back here, against his better judgement, with the photo of Bunny's old body in his pocket. Will he walk away from here with his brain-box still attached to his neck? Perhaps. Michalson can see the Arkham Street mansion has seen some repairs since his last visit. Not ve...

[Somewhere in the Desert] "Sure, go for it. Good luck. Hey, Arkibald. Our visitor's gonna go check it out. Slow down so he can get off, yeah?" The bondvagn does slow down after that, coming to a stop a good distance away from the figure. As Hoshiki approaches, something will slowly try to...

"Well, if you think you should talk to them, there is no point in dawdling, is there?" , Lucia asks. What happens next may be less confusing to Nemo than it is to the Encyclopedes. The table Nemo is sitting at expands, more chairs appearing to accommodate more guests. A second later, the ...

[Somewhere in the Desert] The 'contact' is the driver of the bandvagn, sitting in the cab with larger windows and keeping an eye out for threats and dangers. "Said they're callin' for it. But it could be a trap. What's your thinkin'?" Harry's grabbed his rifle and is staring down the barr...

The staircase is descending into what can best be described as a maintenance space - it's definitely not meant to be traversed while it is down. Due to this, the drone gets trapped under the archive floor. But from there, it has a reasonably good view of the mechanisms that create and move around th...

[Somewhere on the desert] Hoshiki furrows his brow as he listens to the radio. He doesn't have full context, but something about it doesn't add up. When Harry, or Harald, moves to peek outside, the swordsman moves to see what's going on. Hoshiki can, indeed, sense life - that is, after all, how he ...

Lucia gives Nemo an sympathetic tap on the shoulder. "I understand." She watches him turn the crank of the mill. "No need to be so nervous" , she comments as the sugar cube is slowly ground to powder, "you're doing just fine. Leave your worries for a moment and focus on the ...

Lucia falls silent for a moment, considering Nemo's request. "I... that kind of thing is not what I was made to do, but I can do it. I have to warn you: I cannot foretell when they will next try to make you forget, or why. If, for whatever reason, you come to change your mind, the work cannot b...

[Somewhere in the Desert]

"I hope I'll remember all that if I come across one", Hoshiki notes with a smile, "I apologize for not having anything useful to tell in exchange. These parts are still alien to me."

[Inside Khafir's Lab] The entity does as requested, vanishing into some dark corner of the doctor's brain. It still sees what she sees, though. Silently, it wonders if these new intruders are more of a threat or an opportunity. Did they happen on the structure by chance, or are they perhaps some ol...