Cass, the animé girl and her companion Lucas, angel with a sword she could not be parted from had done the impossible. They had found a hole in reality, and were now stumbling into cracks and eddies no mortal had ever seen.
Reality was as a bubble, and they had now gone beyond the space they were born within, indeed were intimately part of. Despite the changes that the sunlight had placed on their form, they were quite human. It was a humbling, yet fearful experience. Even air itself was taken for granted...
"Which way should we go first?" ASked Cass.
"I'm not sure. We're seeing different things." This was exciting, but also quite worrying. Sharing reality with another was an interwoven expectancy among the sane. Yet here, they were seeing completely different structures- though it was possibly the same result in the end. A wall was still a wall, despite the different colour perceived. A door was still a door, even if it seemed to be a portal.
Infinity was unfathomable.
The two continued, marvelling at the sight. But reality was twisting behind them, becoming different in each step.
"I see someone!" gasped Lucas. Indeed, there upon a bridge like structure made of light, stood a person.
"Do you think its friendly?" The figure seemed to be alone, dressed in a most unusual style. Yet.. human! Yes! Someone human looking was here? But then, that could be just for their own benefit. Yet Cass felt a certain familiarity to it. Perhaps from her own aspects being a work of art rather then based in their normal reality.
The two approached the figure. Lucas was relieved to see it was not a weapon she had on her hand but a pen.
"Why do you come here," Said the figure.
"Who are you?" Asked Lucus.
"I was named Shi..." the girl said with emotionless eyes. "Please answer the question. Why do you come here?"
Lucas and Cass glanced at each other. Whoever this person was, seemed to be all business.
"We wanted to explore beyond our world." said Lucas. She wondered if perhaps changing the genre of this moment would be of any use, but for some reason being in the presence of this person made changing anything very difficult. Her aura was constrained to herself.
Lucas nodded. "We have questions... we wondered if the gods were real..." the angel thought it did not demand an explanation. Humans were curious, and a door was open to this world within worlds.
Shi looked at them each, her eyes gave nothing. She brought out a piece of paper, glancing at it... then at them. "Earth is a large world... it exists as part of an immense solar system... in an even larger galaxy... and even that, is just a speck on a universe, mostly filled with... nothing," shi explained gently. "You are seeking realms that would drive you to madness..."
"Who are you exactly? Are.. you a god?" Asked Lucus.
Shi tilted her head. "I used to be a human... but that was a life ago. The sunlight did not change who I was... but it let me see more, far more then I ever could understand. How complex everything is.... However my transformation grants me a measure of sanity... but the person I used to be was taken as a price. I stand on the periphery between our world and the next. Between human and... something else."
"Will you deny us going further?" The angel asked.
"If I denied you... would you fight me with that sword of yours?" Shi asked.
Lucus blushed a bit. She didn't want to attack her... "No... this is just for defence. I can't get rid of it either."
"That is a burden. I am sorry," said Shi. "Know this... reality is subjective in this place. Often undefined, until someone sees it. You must understand the danger you place yourselves in. There exists more 'nothing' out there, then 'something'. I can not help you, if you go too far... you could fall into a crack of reality, and become nothing more then a glint in the eyes of a titan."
The image made Cass shiver. To be that small... and even smaller, the vanishing atom in a large reality.
"Is there... any way we could find a way to be safe?" Asked Lucus.
"Shi looked at them. "... ordinarily... no. All who come here, would meet fates worse then death." She stated as pure fact. "I can not be any further from reality, and remain as human as I have,."
"Then maybe we should turn back after all," said lucus.
Shi glanced between them and sighed. "There is... one way, to give you a measure of safety."
"How?" asked the anime girl.
Shi took out her pen, pointing it towards Lucus. "You... Cassandra Wilkins. "
"How do you know my name? " the anime girl said uncomfortably.
Shi ignored the question. "You are in control of your story, to a certain extent. Select a genre that does not end in death... and perhaps, you may survive the experience. But I warn you. There are beings out there, that can change your abilities.." Shi looked to them a bit sadly. "If you are set upon this... I will open the door for you. I urge you though, to reconsider."
Cass had to think hard about this. What genre could she use that wont end in themselves dying? If that was the only form of protection she had, they had to stick to that genre while they were doing this. Not only that, but the genre had to protect Lucus as well.
"What about the way back?" Asked Lucus.
"I can aid your return... from a certain point," said Shi. "Beyond that... you are on your own. I do not think, you can ever return if you get lost. Though there are powers on Earth that can let you return. if you are alive. You retain free will... it is your choice."
Shi glanced a little more sadly, as she stared once more to the infinite eddies beyond the bridge, looking back the way they came with an uncertain... longing?
Lucus sighed and glanced back to Cass, who seemed to be in deep concentration. She was obviously thinking of a safe genre she could access... but could she really access one that would keep them safe? Would it really hold up?
Adam started to wonder more about her grandmother, and how she came across the air bubble. She remembered her mother did a lot of work for a lot of people around the world. She assisted archaeologists mainly in digging up artefacts though was not an archaeologist herself. It was quite obvious to her, that her grandmother must have come across it in some dig-
but that made a worry form in her mind. Was the air bubble... stolen?
Adam shook her head. There is no way her grandmother would 'steal' an artefact. She wasn't like that. She always gave anything she found to those in charge of the expeditions. So... perhaps it was a gift? dDd she know the power it had? Why didn't she make any wishes... but what if she did?
Adam still wanted to help, but she wasn't sure how any of her wishes would work. They didn't seem to affect anything directly. Could that be the key? But if that was the case, then maybe the air bubble could not be used to wish things to return back as they were.
Was there any wish she could do to make things 'easier'?
She glanced about the food court, seeing all kinds of people. Adam had to smile a little... a lot of them were interesting. She recalled how in the past, she would just look at people as blank faces. How many times had she stooped and looked at other people? (but they were doing the same thing to her right?)
Her lunch break was over soon and she had to get back into the store. The alligator man was there covering her shift.
"You okay Adam?" he asked concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said taking her position back around the counter.
"Business seems to be slow. I guess a lot of people have more to worry about then games," he said with a dry chuckle.
"I noticed," she said softly. During the night, there just seemed to be less and less humans coming in. She guessed they were all transformed. But seeing things now in the day, she was surprised to see there were so few entering their store.
"Management is remaining hopeful things will pick up soon. We have to be a little more innovative though in the mean time. Maybe show controllers that don't need hands. I'm also thinking of pitching underwater consoles."
"Underwater?" Blinked Adam.
"Yeah. Basicly an air tight box, is where the console sits. Power is still a thorny question. It might be good in that new town."
Adam was starting to get dizzy. "New town? What's going on?"
"Haven't you heard the news? A lot of the aquatic transformed are building a town underwater."
Adam gasped. "Really?"
Her boss nodded. "It's not much at the moment, but they have a thriving industry going on there. At the moment they are looking to bring some of the comforts of the city," He said grinning. "As far as I know, they haven't thought about computers and stuff down there. If we get the right equipment, we could bring all this stuff down there and sell in the bucket loads."
Adam had to think about it. That was a huge undertaking... could they really sell their wares underwater? They would need portable devices and ways of bringing electricity underwater... how in the world was that going to work!
The aligator man chuckled. "One small thing at at a time Adam. But I do think its an opportunity for us."
Adam nodded. "I guess. But electricity... underwater?"
"There's technology out there to do just that. They are already creating wired systems down there. It's keeping it all water proof that's the challenge. but it can be done... I'd like you to look into how feesable our wares could be down there. A lot of people miss their home comforts..."
"I'll get on it sir. I might have to research more about this town. What are they calling it?"
"Atlantis," he said grinning.
