"Well then....that happened."
"...it did." Charles looks around, unsure of just what he should be doing right now. Was there some way they could check and make sure they'd ended up back in their home, er, dimension, rather than a close parallel? That was a thing, right?
He really didn't like the idea of all this parallel world stuff at all. It upset his sense of the world under his feet being a solid, dependable thing.
Time spent in between dimensions is weird, and depends a lot on your attitude going in. Two people going on the same trip might experience it very differently. Theo might have found the ride a fast blast in his boat while someone else could lose themselves in their own head for days.
At whatever speed it happened for you, you saw light emerging from Uncanny Valerie and then the light grew and encompassed everyone. The light snakes out and grabs the boat as well. The boat shoots forward scooping several of you into it.
While Nissa is inside Uncanny Valerie at first, the rest of you are in the light around her. Perhaps, for a moment, you saw Uncanny Valerie become something different, something brighter before she transcended. In any case, when the light dissipates and you can see again, Uncanny Valerie is not around you.
You are in the Flight Deck of Boston Theoretical. The year is 2219. You're home.
A very surprised tech calls through the speakers, "Hey, uh, oh s~$%, hold on. I'll call ... Dr. Preston! They're back."
A half-dozen tiny lasers pop from the ceiling and lock on to the travelers.
"Oh no! Disarm! Hold fire! Do not engage!!" yells the lab tech. The lasers pop back up into the ceiling.
Nissa pops back into view, remaining as a mote with the Bombshell enclosed in her tiny fist.
“V… Valerie…?” she whimpers as she descends onto a table, her quivering flight like that of a dying butterfly.
Though deeply troubled by Valerie’s mysterious detour, her little heart beats in anticipation at the sound of Doctor Preston’s name.
"Did anyone see what....Lazers!" Verve screamed and rolled out of the smashed remains of the boat. She was preparing to attack the turrets when they retracted back into the ceiling.
Reaching down, she offered Charles a hand up, then did the same for Theo.
"Well, this is less fanfare than I thought we might get for breaking the laws of physics." she said while chuckling at her own joke.
Watching the lazer guns retract into the ceiling, Theo asks, "So, where the Hades are we?"
"This is, unless I'm really mistaken, the lab we left from in Boston Theoretical."
"Or a place that looks a lot like it in a parallel universe..." Charles is only half-conscious he's voiced his concern.
"I wonder how long we've been gone?" He pauses and looks around a moment. "And... what happened to Valerie?"
There is a clock on the wall of the room with a year on it.
"You're back!" says Dr. Preston's voice through the intercom. "And you brought a boat! I don't know what to say but I have so much to tell you, but first welcome home! And you brought a man! I mean, another man, besides Charles."
"After 48 hours I began to think we'd lost you ... After you disappeared, Colonel Greer tried to have Dr. Moore arrested but Dr. Moore has locked himself in his laboratory ... library ... his research space downstairs. He's got some kind of force field up and only takes it down to have pizza teleported in. He says he'll only talk to you. But, I'm not supposed to tell you that until after Colonel Greer gets here. He said to just tell you that you were quarantined while we run some scans, but we don't actually have a med-scanner here so that's BS."
She pauses for breath. "There's probably more that I'm forgetting, but, for right now, that's all I can think of to tell you. Ummm...so, how was your trip? Where did you go? Pick up any nice souvenirs?"
The lab tech informs everyone, "Colonel Greer is flying a shuttle from Fort Kaepernick now... He's 20 minutes out. He says for everyone to stay put."
Nissa changes to her halfling self, keeping her fist where her ship likely still is. Her eyes form a river of glowing tears. As valkyrian plates converge onto her, she calls out to Dr. Preston, “Why would Moore be arrested? This is all very confusing. And Valerie…”
She can’t get the question out, fearing the answer is worse than not knowing at all.
Nissa changes to her halfling self, keeping her fist where her ship likely still is. Her eyes form a river of glowing tears. As valkyrian plates converge onto her, she calls out to Dr. Preston, “Why would Moore be arrested? This is all very confusing. And Valerie…”
Dr. Preston babbles again, "Well, at first we were all very confused when you disappeared, but then Dr. Moore started cheering 'Yes! It worked!!' and Colonel Greer tried to question him and he ran down the hallway and locked himself in his lab-library. He's been there 63 hours. I've tried to talk to him, but he just keeps saying that you'll be back soon and to send you down."
Dr. Preston agrees with Nissa, "It is very confusing. I'm glad you're safe."
She pauses for breath. "There's probably more that I'm forgetting, but, for right now, that's all I can think of to tell you. Ummm...so, how was your trip? Where did you go? Pick up any nice souvenirs?"
Theo walks up. "They might have some souvenirs, but", the godling thumbs back to his chest of gold, "that gold is mine." The heroic warrior waves at the intercom. "My name is Theo Nephus, but you may know me as The Olympian."
"We brought home a stray. Nissa promises to take him on walks, feed him, and pick up his poop." Verve smiled as she talked, clearly relieved at not having to spend her life trapped in the world of Beowulf.
"For where we went... Beowulf. We lived Beowulf," Charles states.
You hear some muffled yelling as Colonel Greer's voice is picked-up in the background.
"Colonel Greer says to lock them in, Dr. Preston ..."
"He said his name was Theo ..." Dr. Preston realizes she may not be looking at a kidnapped Beowulf. "I haven't had much sleep since you disappeared. Dr. Moore was certain you were alive and kept saying you were coming back, but I ... I kept looking."
Charles shakes his head. "No, we lived Beowulf. Like, we killed the troll. Grendel. The chest of gold is our reward for killing Grendel. Didn't kill his mother, though. It was like we replaced Beowulf in the story or something."
He pauses, frowning. "Wasn't there something else to Beowulf, to?"
He shakes his head. "Anyway, it was strange... a couple of the people said they remembered this all happening before. Like they're trapped reliving the story over and over again."
"That's ... not ... normal," says Dr. Preston, lacking words or thoughts or the ability to process the new information.
Then, finally cluing in to what several of you had already mentioned "Wait, what happened to Valerie!? Did she ... did Grendel ..."
"No, she disappeared during the trip back. I am not sure what happened to her, but she disappeared in a burst of light."
"Also, there was evidence that PHDestruction was there; specifically we found what looks like the trappings of a genetics lab."
Dr. Preston is shocked and worried by Valerie's disappearance and eagerly devours any information you give her. She doesn't know a lot about PHDestruction, but this information is also surprising to her.
You know that Colonel Greer is on his way to question you about your trip. You can wait for him to arrive. He has asked/ordered you to do this.
You know that Dr. Moore has locked himself in a room downstairs in the building and said he would only talk to you. If you want to go see him, no one is actually going to stop you.
You know that Dr. Preston has spent the last few days trying to figure out where you went, but unsuccessfully, "All signs indicated a transdimensional gate had burst opened. We couldn't figure out where to or how to open it again. Colonel Greer wrote you all off as dead and took his soldiers home. Dr. Moore locked himself up and wouldn't help at all. I can't believe him! The jerk."
Theo yawned. "Well..if I'm gonna be here a while, can I have some coffee?"
"Has anyone told Dr. Moore we're back yet?"
Charles frowns to himself as he thinks things over. Just how much had Dr. Moore known?
"Maybe we should go talk to him," Charles suggests. "The way he's acting, it's like he knew more than he let on."
"Has anyone told Dr. Moore we're back yet?"
"Oh, no. Sorry. I can," says the assistant.
"That's okay, we'll go; if you could just point us in the right direction?"
"Be careful," says Dr. Preston. "I don't think he's been entirely honest with us. When you all disappeared he was cheering like he was hoping it would happen. We thought you were dead, but he was all like 'yes! it worked. I did it'.".
One of the techs will guide you to Dr. Moore's lab if it's agreed to go there.
Theo wanders behind the group, looking for a coffee maker on the way.
Theo wanders behind the group, looking for a coffee maker on the way.
A wall unit dispenses a powdered-fungi coffee substitute in compostable cups. It comes with or without a plant-oil based cream substitute.
Nissa glances at the powdered fungi coffee. “Gag me with a spork.”
You follow the assistant through the concrete stairs and corridors of Boston Theoretical down one flight and come to a locked glass door.
"Bullet-proof, laser-refractive glass," the assistant explains. "Four inches thick."
A screen inside the four-inch thick glass door lights up and you see the bearded Dr. Moore looking even more poorly groomed than the last time you saw him. He's still wearing the white lab coat but is currently shirtless and eating a slice of pizza. When he sees you he drops the pizza and shouts, "You're back! Ha! I was 80% sure that was going to work!"
The door unlocks with a loud click.
"Come on in!" you hear Dr. Moore shout. "I'll put some clothes on."
The assistant tells you that Dr. Moore's library is just down the corridor beyond the glass doors. When you get there you find a room full of books. A large chalk board is covered in what appear to be complex mathematical equations. A highly detailed map of Middle Earth graces the wall opposite the chalkboard. A large globe sits beneath the map. There are papers everywhere.
Dr. Moore is sitting in a very comfortable reading chair. It is the only chair in the place. "I'm guessing you have some questions."
"Yes, I do." Verve appears to have more to say, but wants to let the others speak first.
Nissa says, “Does this board explain what you think happened?
“And I have a ton of questions about how we ended up, like, in the Beowulf story.” …which Nissa would gladly ask if she even knew where to start.
Nissa says, “Does this board explain what you think happened?
“And I have a ton of questions about how we ended up, like, in the Beowulf story.” …which Nissa would gladly ask if she even knew where to start.
Dr. Moore is sitting on the only chair in the room while you stand. "I have so much to tell you and I am sorry for not being straightforward with you from the beginning, but I didn't think you'd believe me and, as I mentioned, there was only an 80% chance you were going to survive, so I felt I shouldn't burden you with facts."
"But first," says Dr. Moore, standing. "Congratulations to this world's first Fictionauts!"
He stands there clappoing long, hard, and alone until it becomes awkward. Then, he claps more. Then, he sits again, "I can hear you wondering 'What are fictionauts?', well, I am one of the greats. My reality has thousands of fictionauts, thousands of transdimensional daytrippers who sink into the pocket-dimensions that contain the stories that shape our imaginations. They dive into the living, breathing stories that provide meaning to our lives and, then, come back to share those stories with the rest of the world. I do it better than most and was one of the first. The closest thing you have had in your reality, until now, have been college literature professors and believe me they are a poor substitute for fictionauts."
"Now, I can hear you wondering, "Did he say MY reality?' Well, yes I-"
He cuts himself off suddenly when he sees Theo. He looks around the room and doesn't see Valerie. He says to Theo "Wow! Gender-flipped body-switching on re-entry, Valerie?! That doesn't usually happen with Beowulf. This is very cool! It should wear off; if it doesn't, it will usually fix itself when we go back. If not, you're pretty hot now, so it's not a big deal, right?"
He continues where he left off in his soliloquy, "Now, I can hear you wondering, 'Did he say my reality?' Well, yes I did. You see, I'm not from here!"
He pauses waiting for a reaction of surprise or amazement. Seeing none, he continues, less pompously.
"Fine, I'm a Fictionaut. I ride mythos for a living. I was tripping in Beowulf about five years ago and this weird dude shows up, drops a pair of photon grenades in Grendel's cave, and then scoops up the monster's guck into DNA stasis jars. It was totally brutal; showed no respect for storyline. His grenades also damaged my TD-gate generator, so I had no ride home. I tried to stop him, but he gated. I jumped his bubble just for the ride home, but this is where he came. I didn't even know Beowulf was a shared storyline, but it must have connected more than one reality."
"I've been stuck in this reality full of dullards ever since. He went by the name PHDestruction, Charles, so, when I heard your story on the ethernet, I reached out to you. I thought you might be able to help me find him and, hopefully, recover the gate device he used so I can get the frack home. You weren't much help, but Valerie's Head-Cannon was a pretty brilliant substitute, you must admit. Now that we know it works, I'd really like to go home."
He smiles at Theo when he says this, still thinking that Theo is some gender-flipped body-switched version of Valerie.
Theo steps forward. "I. Am. Not. A genger-flipped android. I'm an godling son of Zeus. The Olympian. My name is Theo Nephus. And I believe, Dionysus, if not all the Gods of Olympus, send me to that Beowulf reality!"
Theo steps forward. "I. Am. Not. A genger-flipped android. I'm an godling son of Zeus. The Olympian. My name is Theo Nephus. And I believe, Dionysus, if not all the Gods of Olympus, send me to that Beowulf reality!"
[dice=Intimidate]1d20 + 5
For the first time since you met him, Dr. Moore looks baffled. He picks up a book titled The Fardwellers by Seamus Heaney and riffles the pages. "You're not mentioned in here at all ... but, wow, the rest of you were epic! Did you really sleep with Hrothgar?"
He's looking at the book when he says this, so it isn't clear who he is asking. He hands you the book.
"And talking Grendel's mom down! Great twist. You've got about an hour or two to read this, if you'd like, before Beowulf resets and it disappears forever. There's even an old TV show about twin shieldmaidens with white horses. I don't know how they're connected but Nissa is mentioned in it a lot. It will be gone too. We could see a severe Mandela Effect though. You guys really mucked with the story!! Years from now, some people, a minority probably, will still remember a story called The Fardwellers and have no idea who Beowulf is and no one will know why."
“So those people we saved are, like, not even real?! So the only people in real danger were the real people—namely us?!”
Nissa’s eyes start to redden and narrow—but suddenly they widen and twinkle like white stars.
“Oh! I should be pissed,” she says giddily, “but the twins got their own show! And they mention me in it! Oh, they’re so cute! How do we make that Mandela Effect work? I really wanna see that! Screw Beowulf. He was no help!”
For the first time since you met him, Dr. Moore looks baffled. He picks up a book titled The Fardwellers by Seamus Heaney and riffles the pages. "You're not mentioned in here at all ... but, wow, the rest of you were epic! Did you really sleep with Hrothgar?"
"No", the godling firmly states. "I don't sleep with married women! That's my dad's thing", Joe said more to himself.
For the first time since you met him, Dr. Moore looks baffled. He picks up a book titled The Fardwellers by Seamus Heaney and riffles the pages. "You're not mentioned in here at all ... but, wow, the rest of you were epic! Did you really sleep with Hrothgar?""No", the godling firmly states. "I don't sleep with married women! That's my dad's thing", Joe said more to himself.
"Oh, wait, I know who you are. The one who the Queen flirts with and Hrothgar gets jealous. I didn't really get that when I read it the first time. So, you came from a world where the Greek gods are real? That's totally wild. How many realities connect to Beowulf!?"
Apparently, Dr. Moore has not seen the Olympian on the news.
“So those people we saved are, like, not even real?! So the only people in real danger were the real people—namely us?!”
"I'm not sure what you mean by 'real people.' They were certainly real ... they just don't seem to be in a spatially or temporally continuous type of reality. Just because someone lives on a tiny island doesn't mean they aren't living. Just because their island is contained within a bubble doesn't mean it isn't also theirs."
He hands Nissa a pad on which a video plays showing two very blonde armored shield maidens braiding each other's hair while sitting in a field of flowers. Smoke rises in the distance and one of them points. The show is in Dutch and there is no translation. It looks like something from the late television era, before quality video recording was possible.
"Anyhow, it doesn't matter how 'real' they are. Let's fire up the head-cannon so that I can ... "
He stops talking and stands there looking at Theo as if something horrible is slowly occurring to him.
"No." Theo spoke again. "I am from this world, and The Greek Gods are totally real..they're just not as active as they once where in the Ancient Days. Do you watch television at all?!"
"No." Theo spoke again. "I am from this world, and The Greek Gods are totally real..they're just not as active as they once where in the Ancient Days. Do you watch television at all?!"
"I've lived the greatest adventures ever written; why would I watch this reality's television ... but enough about you, god-boy, where the f~*$ is Valerie? Verve, I thought I told you to bring everyone back alive. Did she die? How can I use my head-cannon to get back home without a head? ... Or, do you have her head?"
He says the last part hopefully.
"She vanished on our way back. Kind of like she went somewhere else."
Charles eyes Dr. Moore warily. He'd thought he was a bit crazy before... now, he was certain of it. Oh, he didn't doubt he was telling the truth, but deliberately going and mucking about with stories like this for the thrill of it?
Yeah, definitely crazy.
"So what happens to things that come out of these story worlds? What happens if you bring back a person from one of them?"
"Back? You didn't bring someone back did you?"
Verve begins to talk, then stops herself. It's clear she's trying to compose herself.
Meanwhile, every loose object with 15' of her begins to float in the air of their own volition.
Closing her eyes, she takes a couple of quick breaths then opens them again and starts to talk, but it just comes out as a shout "SO, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY TO JUST PLAY WITH OUR LIVES?"
Realizing she's yelling, she manages to get the inferno that is currently her temper subdued enough to speak loudly though not at a roar "I understanding wanting to get home, I do, but that you think so little of the people around you that you just assume that it's a) okay to risk their lives and b) we'd just be fine with it staggers my imagination. By all rights, I should just give you the beating you so richly deserve, but..."
Verve finally realizes that things are floating around her when something gentlely brushes into her. It takes a couple more breaths, but she gets control of her power and it's like invisible strings are cut, causing everything that was floating to instantly fall where it was.
"I expect a real apology when I get back, and it better be believable."
Not waiting for a response, Verve storms out of the man's lab, slamming the door out of her way with her power before she exits the room.
"Wow!" says Dr. Moore. "She's clearly displacing her guilt over losing Valerie. One of you should probably go see if she's okay."
Nissa can’t get a read on Moore’s expression.
Looking back at the screen, she says, “But they repeat their lives, which means they’ll forget me. Oh, but I’ll never forget them. Or Valerie.
“You think she just went somewhere else? I was inside her brain. I told her how amazing it was inside her… I don’t think she heard me.” The thought saddens Nissa, but Charles’ take on what happened gives her comfort. “It doesn’t matter if she heard me. As long as she’s alive… and safe. That’s what matters.”
Theo looks to the other two and shrugs. "I'll give it a try." Pointing to Dr. Moore, The Olympian poses a course of action. "I'll see to Verve, you two get some more info from the interdimensional couch potato." The godling leaves the room and shuts the door behind him.
Verve's path is not hard to find; displaced objects and cracked walls lead back to the teleportation room where Verve is currently repeatedly smashing the remains of the Theo's boat into the wall while screaming at what remains.
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"Hey! Hey! HEY!" The Olympian barks at the kineticist. The godling walks over to where his chest of gold is hopefully still in one piece. "Careful! You make too much of a mess, they won't invite you back."
"No, I think she's being pretty reasonable." Charles says. He briefly considers shifting to chimera form, but... well, he can't quite bring himself to be angry with Dr. Moore. It'd be like... he didn't know. Getting mad at an Aztec priest for cutting people's hearts out, maybe. Sure, it was a horrific thing to do, but if you shouted at them about it they'd just stare at you blankly like *you* were the insane one.
"We didn't bring anyone back with us, no. Plenty of stuff, though, which you didn't answer about. And maybe you should start thinking now about what you're going to do without Valerie."
...So that we can make sure you're not about to play games with someone *else's* lives, he mentally added.
"We didn't bring anyone back with us, no. Plenty of stuff, though, which you didn't answer about. And maybe you should start thinking now about what you're going to do without Valerie."
"Stuff? Cool. Well, there's only one other person I know of in this reality who has ever opened a transdimensional gate. You know him too."
Meanwhile, upstairs, Colonel Greer arrives in the viewing area of the Flight Deck. His face appears on the large screens in the room.
"That's pretty impressive and if you'd like something to hit, I can provide you with some decommissioned tanks I'd like to see you pound away at. However, as appropriate and understandable as your anger may be, you're scaring this young man here so I will respectfully ask you to stop."