diff --git a/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex b/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex index 13635dd..4428888 100644 --- a/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex +++ b/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex @@ -63,5 +63,153 @@ though. Its unlikely that she'd appear here. \textbf{Manafed:} No, she's just incredibly tricksy and a bit of a pain in the ass. -Deities. Figured they'd be problematic with their own set of rules. +Deities. Figured they'd be problematic with their own set of rules and shit. + +I focussed on my mind for a moment before disappearing into a completely void +'scape. I saw my thoughts as they bubbled into existence before disappearing +again just an instant later. The implant must enable some weird types of +self-introspection. + +"Yes, it does," someone said from behind me. The entire environment blinked +pink then red as I snapped around ready to attack. I saw a young looking +blonde floating upside down. + +"Anna, I presume," I offered as I forced myself to relax. "You could warn a +girl before just barging into her head-space." + +"But where would the fun in that be?" she asked, sticking her tongue out in a +playful manner. + +"What's with the corporate love?" I asked, frankly. + +"No love," she giggled, "just trying to throw a wrench in the other deities' +plans so I can go back to my set of universes." + +"Your set of universes?" I asked, confused. There were other universes? But +why? I mean, science said it might be possible, but we were nowhere near +exploring what that might mean. + +"Yes," she said, her playful tone vanishing instantly, "I miss my home and I +miss my power. Omnipotence doesn't work in this universe due to some weird +limitations." Her face turned sour. "It means I can't just alter timelines to +get what I want and instead I have to keep powerful players in power. Why do +you think the free states exist at all? If it weren't for me, corporations +would rule every inch of this hellscape." + +"Alter timelines?" I asked, alarm radiating through every ounce of my voice. + +"Yes," she replied, "but alas, I can't just say 'no more technomage dragon god' +in this universe. By the way, I haven't taken care of that issue, but at least +she doesn't control every aspect of technomancy here. In fact, killing her in +this universe could cause a massive schism that would end all life. Fucked +that one up one too many times in my own timeline." + +"There's a dragon somewhere that can control all 'technomancy'?" I asked, +bewildered, "what the hell even \emph{is} technomancy?" + +"Oh my young fledgling," she cooed, "you'll hopefully never meet one. They +exist far beyond the stars at this moment. Due to the expansion of your +universe, its hopeful your entire species will never have to meet them." + +"There's life beyond the stars?" I asked, I didn't think I could be any more +alarmed, but it seemed my patron deity was just dropping bombshell after +bombshell on my fragile psyche. + +"Gods yes," she laughed, "you thought you were all alone here in this big ol' +universe? Pah. The Kirtischians would wipe this sorry excuse for humanity +into oblivion. If they could ever figure out how to tear a hole through +space-time, that is. Luckily, every other deity also appears to take the +stance on them that I do: don't let them touch anything they already haven't." + +"So humanity is better where you're from?" I asked, suddenly relieved that +humanity was at least doing better in some other universe. + +"Yes and no," she began to explain, "gods above, I haven't talked about my own +origins in this much detail since the first mage I made." She materialized a +chair next to me and lounged in it. + +"In my universe, the one I was able to cultivate from its very inception, +humanity wouldn't 'just happen'. I tried so many things, but from the +beginning to the end, humanity never showed up. So I caused a few malfunctions +on Kirtiscian spacecraft and crash-landed them on Earth to finally jumpstart +humanity. After that, I was able to gently nudge the right people into power +and Earth, by the time it all ended, was finally populated by humans that had +setup a true utopia. + +"How many timelines did you shave off into oblivion to get that to work?" I +asked. My lack of trust in people clearly showing through. + +"More than you could count, but less than infinity," she laughed, "of course, +that's a lot less than I thought, too." + +"Why the special care for humanity?" I asked, curiosity finally boiling over. + +"Why not? I am, after all, human," she admitted, "or at least I was, +originally." She pointed to a weird little tattoo she had on her shoulder. A +grid of spaces, some filled with dots, others not. "My hacker emblem. Someone +who found a bug in the universe was awarded with one. Mine? Ascension. I was +able to um, without making it sound too much like an RPG, level up my +abilities. Until I was omniscient." + +"You played a lot of strategy games, then?" I asked, a smile cracking across my +face. + +"Not as many as you'd think," she dismissed, "I was more of a hacker. A lot +like you, actually. Just, a lot more into maths. That was so many years ago, +though. Many universes worth of time ago, actually." + +That was a lot. A lot to take in. A lot to process. That was a lot. I mean, +the fact that I was sitting there talking to an actual goddess was also a lot, +so I suppose my idea of 'a lot' was suddenly very broken. + +My mind wandered back around to why I wanted to talk to her in the first place, +not wanting to unpack all of the information that was just dumped on me. "So +why don't we split from the corp now that we are clearly big enough?" + +"Oh," she laughed, "quite the topic change. Um, currently we're actually in +the process, but really it comes down to ensuring that the Free State here +still exists. Eastern Hills is under constant pressure from Tamaki, under my +direction mind you, to keep other corps in the area in check. We leave and the +entire area will be 'up for grabs' in the eyes of the corps." + +"So a bit of a catch-22, then?" I asked, pondering the politics that corps play +with eachother. + +"Yeah," she replied, "I'd opt for an all out revolution from the people living +here, but that would cost more blood and life than its worth." + +"So living in a Free State, despite the massive corps exerting their power +anyway, is preferable to letting the citizens decide?" + +"No," she laughed, "but they wouldn't get a say in any case. The corps have +more power, money, and resources. They would simply wipe any opposition out. +Or, as is tried and true, and much much cheaper, run psyops until other +citizens removed the opposition for them. Takes a little longer, but they +already control the media, so ultimately it cuts the cost by a lot." + +So she was saying its better to live in a facade of equality than to live in an +open tyrany. I wasn't sure I agreed, but I'd think on it more later. I sighed +and slumped down as I realized I had an absolute tonne of information to unpack +and process later. + +"Looks like I gave you too much at once," Anna said laxidasically. "Maybe you +should head back to the party and be with others. You have definitely been +winning friends." + +"No winning about friendship," I stated, "friendships are bonds that are +forged. They aren't won. Competition in this context simply doesn't make +sense." + +"Fair, but my point still stands," she giggled playfully. Again, treating me +like I was a pawn in a game. I didn't like it. + +"We're people," I said, "we all have feelings, and we shouldn't be played +with." + +She gave me a puzzled look before realizing that my mindspace was becoming more +violent in its shifting thoughts. She nodded and was gone in an instant. + +Some goddess. Using people for playthings to enact her will in the world. At +least she was a lot more limited here than wherever the hell she came from. +And to be using us to get home was simply shameful.