//------------------------------// // XL // Story: The Influence // by GMBlackjack //------------------------------// So much... Information. He started from the top and scrolled down. They were trying to drive him mad. That was an amusing thought - he was already mad by the standards of the world, and none of this was particularly bothersome anyway. It was all absolutely fascinating. What culture must they have to produce this drivel? What was the surrounding political situation where such mindless stupidity was allowed to form? And get popular enough that they share in it? So curious. He could perform a case-study on all this. Probably would, actually, given enough time. What he did not realize was that it was doing something to him. It was distracting him, like all pointless things on the Internet are meant to do. He forgot all about the version of Vriska heading right for him and became lost in the tunnels of what was shared. He wanted to absorb all he could - though even he couldn't stand sitting through the entire bee movie script being shouted. Seriously, what even was that. Why. Why would they subject themselves to that horror? Lore Thirst looked down at the Eye. "Are you questioning what you are showing me?" The Eye has no mind of its own. "Then what are these responses?" The flow of ka carries with it words and stories, fragments. "Very peculiar..." Look up. He did so. Twilence was gone. He raised an eyebrow - now where did she get off to? If only an alliance was struck. Why on earth would he strike an alliance with Twilence? Not even the Influence had suggested something that crazy. They just wanted to drive him mad... Even after the 'Sonic' one had realized he was already mad, they kept going. And going. Producing more fascinating aspects of their society. He found Ponygood's comments most illuminating. How depraved they were. They really were not worth his consideration... And then Zen suggested he give the Eye back to Twilence. Suddenly he felt a part of his mind nagging him to do so. He recalled them calling him the antagonist - but he wasn't really the antagonist, he was just a part of the world. Twilence's antagonist was Siron - or Corot, perhaps both. Maybe even the antagonist was herself, in the end, an emotional component that needed to be taken over. Correct. The Eye confirmed. He wasn't the antagonist. Was it the Eye confirming though? Or some other force? What a mystery. What an interesting mystery. He came to the end of the messages. Multiples - in a row - telling him, demanding that he return the Eye to Twilence. He twitched. Had they provided a logical reason, he knew he would have given it back. He would not have been able to resist. But being rid of them was not logical, nor was being the antagonist. He took in a sharp breath - it took strength to resist what they asked. What they demanded. They truly were the Influence. They had powerful control over how he thought. It would take training to get used to what came through, to sift through it, to ignore... To think up his own courses of action. What was he planning to do before this happened? Oh, right. He needed to get out of here before- A hand grabbed him around the neck. "You really are a fucking idiot." Lore kept his composure despite the crushing force around his windpipe. "Vriska." "Did it occur to you that, after betraying the deal with Siron, you should, I don't know, run maybe? Or lay an ambush? Or something?" "That was one of the ideas. The Influence had unexpected consequences." Vriska sighed. "Good for Siron, bad for us I guess. Come one, we're going to the altar right now and you're keeping up your end of the deal." It won't work. "What's that look for?" Vriska asked. You're a dead man. "Nothing," Lore Thirst said. They could have kept you alive. You could have been more reasonable. "It's not nothing," Vriska said. "That Eye's telling you things." She's far too lucky and perceptive to just brush off. "It's telling me too much." Wrong answer. "Wrong answer," Vriska muttered. "Siron wants to know." What's in the sack? "What's in the sack?" Lore Thirst asked. Vriska raised an eyebrow, glancing at the sack she had slung over her shoulder. "...I think it's best I keep that hidden for now." "Then excuse me," Lore Thirst said. "I don't think so. Come. We're moving. Now." You're dead. Lore Thirst shook his head. That couldn't be determined. You're dead. Their choices matter now. Matter more than they could ever realize. Even the smallest idea could change the course of everything. Why do you think there were nineteen different endings? Am I thinking this or are you? There is no 'you' or 'me' here. Just the wind. Are you GM? That which I am 'slave' to? Again, there is no 'you' or 'me.' Then why is there a conversation here? Because that is how you understand it. A conversation. A logical series of events. Twilence sees it, for now, as moments of almost divine inspiration. Feelings. Why am I dead? Because it won't work. It was never intended to work. You were never the hero. You cheated. You were the Hacker. What does that mean? Means that ending's impossible now since you're dead. Shame, some people really wanted it. I'm not dead yet! Notice how your logical demeanor is falling. Maybe there is a 'me' now - it's you. That doesn't make any sense. There was your first mistake. You expected this to make sense. "Are you having a mental breakdown or something?" Yes. "Yes..." Lore Thirst said. Funny, the Influence got what it wanted, even if they weren't the cause of the madness. They Influence more than they realize. "Would you shut up?" Vriska facepalmed. "Oh boy. Let's just get this over with." She held out her hand, using the light of Vester to navigate the catacombs unhindered. They were HIS catacombs, after all. "Should have gone with plan B from the start, Siron. You knew Twilence would be easier to work with, but no, you needed to stick with alpha-timeline nonsense." "How is it that you can speak that way to Siron?" "He has complete control over my every action. My only freedom is being able to say whatever the fuck I want. It makes it easier for both of us." She tossed him forward, into the central room of the catacombs. There was, in fact, an altar there. "Do it. Summon Corot already with your connection to that Eye." It won't work. Shut up. Lore Thirst walked up to the altar and cleared his throat. He may have had no intention of summoning the dark star to this world before, but his life was on the line here, and he was rather attached to that. Not to mention rather paranoid at this point. "I wish to meet with Corot." Nothing happened. The altar didn't even respond to him. "Siron, you owe me five minutes of free time," Vriska smirked. "What's wrong, you mad? I told you it wouldn't work! TOLD you!" Lore Thirst blinked. "You... You have bets with him?" "He's literally my only conversation partner most of the time. I think we have what could best be described as a kismesis that's only 'stable' because I'm incapable of murdering his stupid ass." "What?" Do not attempt to understand troll romance you fool. "What!?" Vriska shrugged. "Not bothering to explain. I would say I'm sorry, but you're an ass. So I won't." "Huh?" Goodbye. And then Lore Thirst's head was cut off with a roll of the dice and the summoning of a perfectly-sized guillotine. "Appropriate..." Vriska said. "All right, Twilence, chances are you're here, just invisible or something. That Eye is calling out to you, I know it. Put it on, let's talk summoning Corot directly, hmm?" The Eye disappeared in a flash of purple magic. "Yeah, definitely here. Trying to run now though, get out before I can catch her. Hey, Twilence, bad idea. You should see what I have in the sack." She reached in and pulled out an unconscious Fluttershy. "You have thirty seconds to reveal yourself and summon Corot or I slit her neck. I don't want to, but I really don't have a choice in the matter. There's no way he's letting me have my five minutes right now." Twilence froze. She was invisible - the Eye was back in her chest, automatically returning to its home. She didn't have time to think. She needed to act... Luckily the Influence could think for her. They'd have time. Please find a way to save Fluttershy, she thought. What can we summon? Just before the Influence came in, she became aware of the Possible Endings file. [POSSIBLE ENDINGS] Pristine Bittersweet Warmonger Dethroned Steam Rebuilder Forgotten Adrift Coward Earned Tattletale Supernova Predetermined Insanity Servant Grimdark LOST ENDINGS: Singularity Lattice Hacker Then Twilence got the full import...