So I was playing an old game past midnight and I died during the game. Normally, I would’ve been screwed, but because I have a parallel game (think: Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, Sword/Shield, Blue/Red Rescue Team—hint hint), I can cheat my way by saving and reviving myself.
Also, the title is based on a scene from Bioshock Infinite. Lastly, think of the Phantom Thieves Guild function in P5(R), which is only accessible via internet access.
Some time near 3 am, a certain mudfish is defeated by a quick attack from the enemy. This could’ve been avoidable if only she hadn’t attempted to dig her way out of it. Maybe then, she would’ve received a health-restoring berry from her flying flame dragon of a partner. Maybe then, her partner wouldn’t have thrown said berry at the enemy.
How the hell was she supposed to know that she ran out of revival seeds? How was she supposed to know that the new recruit—a clairvoyant bird—consumed them all, when they were specifically for her and her partner? She didn’t, because she was too busy chucking rocks at her enemies.
She could’ve just called it quits. Normally, she should’ve…had she not been carrying a divine item. As a reward for saving a former enemy, she was given a Wish Stone. Apparently, had she traversed all 99 floors of the mystery dungeon they were in WITH the stone still in her inventory, a god was supposed to appear and grant her any wish that she desired. While being immune to the coronavirus is one wish, all she wanted to do was test her limits. If things got too out of control, she’d use an orb and escape from there. But she didn’t, and now, all she can do is wait and be rescued by another team.
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Some time past 3 am, and Maaron is in her room face-palming herself for several minutes. Meanwhile, her teammates—a mix of veterans and trainees—are staring at her in shock.
“For a veteran explorer, you sure didn’t last long.”
“Didn’t even make it to the 50th floor.”
“Well, there are 99 floors total, and she’s only completed one dungeon with the same amount of floors, though, mind you, it was an entirely different dungeon with entirely different restrictions.”
“So what do we do now?”
It took a long while before Maaron found the solution. Once she did, she searched for a couple of items before preparing them, “‘I’ am going to save myself.”
As soon as she said that, everyone was at a loss for words, completely confused as to what she meant by that. Though she replies from their reactions, it was more of a monologue than a reply:
“‘Dead is dead,’ they say. If this was a decade ago, I would’ve remained dead, or rather, lose all my money and half of my items, X-Ray Specs and Wish Stone included. I’d lose my only chance of seeing the wish-making god forever. I’d have to start over from scratch.
“However, with these items, I can save myself. In one world, I am near death’s door…but in another world, I am alive. A parallel world with almost parallel fates. In one world, I am Diamond Rank…but in another world, I am Lucario Rank.
“‘Dead, alive. Heads, tails. It’s all a matter of perspective.’”
Maaron ponders a bit before she decides, “I’d have to do this solo in the alternate world. Fine by me.”
“Uh, explain?”
“How exactly can you save yourself?”
“There’s no such thing as alternate worlds.”
“Oh, but they do exist. You just gotta have an open mind about them.”
“As explorers, that is one lesson to keep in mind: there are numerous worlds out there. In fact, way too many to keep track of.”
“Same setting, different fates. Or same fate, different settings.”
“It’s basically the what-ifs becoming the what-nows.”
“Sonic and Blaze. Chaos and Sol. Minato and Minako. Maaron and Jace. You should get the idea by now.”
“Ok, but philosophy lessons aside,” Maaron says to signal that they should stop their conversations, “that’ll have to wait for the next day, or the day after tomorrow. I’m pooped, and I still gotta eat and get ready for bed. You all are dismissed for the night, now get out of my room and just relax.”
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Some time near 7 am, and Maaron is lying on her bed finishing tonight’s story. As soon as she posts this, she’s going to set her timer for eight hours and out. Tomorrow, she’s planning on recording her conversations with her friend, and she’ll do double the work for neglecting to do it earlier.
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