The group continued to fight their way forward with Twilight safe on Qwark's head. The Slorgs, it was discovered, were immune to any non-magical damage, and hits from conventional weaponry caused them to slide around on the platforms until they slid off into the water, where they dissolved when their electrical charge was lost. Twilight made a mental note of this, convinced it would be useful information later.
Qwark quickly noticed that the parts of the platforms the tentacles attacked were slightly paler than the wood around them, and allowed Alister and Nefarious to move ahead to trigger the tentacles' actions so Twilight wouldn't be upset by the proximity of such narrow tentacles.
Twilight's theory about the Slorgs was soon proven true, as they came across a device built into a depression in the platform that only activated once they'd knocked enough Slorgs into it, which promptly released a discharge that wiped out the remaining Slorgs as well as activating nearby devices.
"Seems like nearly everything we've come across this adventure is built around electrically charged creatures of some sort," Qwark commented idly. "I wonder why that is?"
"Only way we'll get answers is by moving forward," Alister pointed out, urging the group onward.
After activating a few more Slorg powered devices, the group were able to make their way across a few conveyor belts, pausing as they saw a tentacle reach out of the water to seize a giant fish hanging from a gantry, tearing all the meat off of it and leaving only the skeleton behind. "O...kay," Twilight whimpered softly. "I am no longer afraid of the tentacles doing naughty things to me. Instead I'm afraid of having all the flesh stripped from my bones to be devoured. ...I'm not certain it's an improvement..."
"Don't worry!" Qwark proclaimed proudly in an attempt at reassurance. "I won't let the tentacle monster devour you whole!"
"And even if it does, your armor interacting with your magic probably qualifies as enough cybernetic augmentation for Darkwater's curse to kick in for you, and then I can upgrade you enough to not notice the difference," Nefarious offered. "Your magical powers should really help with that."
Twilight whimpered audibly. "But I don't want to be an undead robot pirate ghost! I like being squishy!"
"I could probably manage cyborg," Nefarious suggested.
"Not. Helping," Alister chided as Twilight huddled closer to Qwark's back.
"Sorry," Nefarious apologized. "I'm not so good at the consolation thing. I'm just trying to help!"
"It's okay, Doctor," Twilight offered softly. "Just...maybe try a different approach as far as helping?"
Nefarious scratched at his chin for a time. "You mean like suggesting that Orvus is likely watching us and probably wouldn't be above turning time back six minutes or so at a time if you wound up getting killed, knowing the enhancements I gave my sensors - as well as the quantum actuator I managed to install - would let me redirect events so it doesn't happen since I'd remember the erased six minutes the same way Clank does?"
Alister and Qwark stared at Nefarious in shock. A smile slowly spread across Twilight's face. "Yes," she agreed. "That is much more comforting."
"Huh," Nefarious muttered thoughtfully. "So offers of transformation into a cybernetic indestructible immortal completely indistinguishable from a normal living being is disturbing, but the possibility of rampant quantum manipulation that runs the risk of tearing apart the fabric of the multiverse isn't. I don't understand why, but I'll keep it in mind."
"...my brain hurts," Qwark mumbled petulantly.
"What else is new?" Nefarious snapped irritably.
"I understood that..." Qwark whimpered. "That's why my brain hurts..."
"Think about it later," Alister called out as a new type of flying Minion bot approached. "We've got incoming!"
The new Minion bot was a black and orange sphere with a face and two propeller pods attached to the sides, with a bomb launcher in its mouth. It cackled as it approached, and promptly exploded from the barrage of fire the group hit it with.(1) More followed, but each went down just as easily as the first did.
"That went quick," Twilight joked happily. "Let's go!" Feeling more secure, she hopped off Qwark's back, rushing forward to open yet another path forward with Qwark's help, activating a matched pair of gadgets. Once the door was open, however, she paused before making her way through, glancing nervously back over her shoulder. "...Nefarious? If Orvus does end up having to turn back time to save me, and I'm not aware of it..."
"I won't say a word," Nefarious promised, smiling reassuringly. "I'll even try to make sure that you aren't even aware of me guiding you away from what kills you in the time that gets turned back." To give her extra reassurance, he began the motions. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye...or should I say optic?"
Twilight smiled widely. "Thanks, Doc," she said happily, racing ahead.
Nefarious' smile faded as he stared after her, taking the lead as the group moved ahead. "Not a word," he promised softly once he was sure none of them could hear, steeling himself against what might very well happen, preparing a sectioned off portion of his hard drive for the knowledge he'd eventually have to keep, even from himself if it came to pass. "No matter how many times..."
With his preparations made, he raced to keep up, accepting the duty that was now his, and the burden that went with it.
(1) A note I thought I'd make about this particular game...things actually go this quickly in the regular game if you have a full party of four via the online play. At that point, the biggest challenge this game offers is connection issues and lag.
Knowing your fics, either Nefarious's promise will never come into play and it'll be a Noodle Incident... or it's actually foreshadowing disguised as a Noodle Incident.
Sooo.... Nefarious is using save states with the help of Orvus?
...Or would you rather prefer the name of Checkpoints or save blocks?
7407741 I prefer respawns, even though its not quite correct.
7407741
7407773 I'm thinking Resets, myself. Nefarious does seem pretty DETERMINED.
Honestly, I was expecting a subtle reveal that that had already happened with the tentacles, which is why Nefarious was baiting them out. But that's clearly too simple and cynical.
7407711 we don't talk about the noodle incident!
7407913 hey, at least that turned out better than the Salamander incident....that one was a dozy and a half!
I fear that even if Twilight dies and Orvus resets time by 6 minutes Twilight would still be able to remember it. due to her using her magic to control time to the point where she completely exhausts her reserves and making causality her bitch. that kind of thing would bound to have some side effects
Quark was actually able to follow the bad Doctor's rant. Faust help us all.
...
weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/well-that-escalated-quickly-memes.jpg
please no...if your gunna do that please dont make us watch
Shouldn't it be:
?
7408010 twilight used her magic to think in the 4th, 5th, and 6th dimension at the time of said incident and her mental capacity was that of a galafraian (i will nod and bow to anyone who got that one the first time)
7408321 lust call in the doctor and get it over with already!
Doctor Nefarious is going to be furious with the big bad when they finally encounter him/her/it, isn't he?
7407711
Twilight Sparkle: "I swear, it's like the last year of my life has been crammed full of ten years worth of noodle incidents!"
Doctor Boyfriend Nefarious: "Oh, you have no idea..."
Twilight Sparkle: "Tell me!"
Doctor Nefarious: "No."
Twilight Sparkle: "What!? Why not?"
Doctor Nefarious: "You specifically said not to tell you."
Twilight Sparkle:
7408526 ...Okay, now I really want to see that in the story.
Considering the party is entirely too OP, I'm pretty sure they won't ever have to resort to reloading the universe. But, even if something did happen, their Vac-U's have healing mechanisms that revive downed heroes. Don't worry, Twi!
7407810 Undertale memes will be around until the end of time, won't they?
7408704 Probably
Well, when you say it like that, it does sound kinda silly.
Went a bit dark there... but let's face it. Twilight is OP so it's doubtful that it will ever come into play.
So many odd images in my head...
All brought on by this segment of the fic...
I need a cold soda and a trip outside.
7407913 uh link plz my attention has been grabbed
7409143 then grab your pokemon and go (pokemon go joke ther)
7409233 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NoodleIncident
wow i just got a bad feeling the evil docs been keeping hes promise alot to keep twilight safe
7408515 Will the Big Bad still try to possess Qwark or Twilight?
WARNING: RANT MODE ACTIVATED
COMMENCING
Honestly, I got chills reading those particular lines. It wasn't the lines, or even the implications of said lines. It was because I was reminded of a rather similar occurrence in another wave-based shooter, Black Ops Three Zombies. Now, I know what you're thinking (especially those of you without the Season Pass); 'How the fuck did you draw parallels from two things so vastly different?' Well, you ignorant, impatient twit, if you'd give me a moment...
*ahem*
In the second map to be released, there are four... Main characters. These consist of 'Tank' Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, Takeo, and Dr. Edward Richtoften. Now, we are going to ignore all other characters save for Richtoften. In the original work, COD: World At War, Edward was a monster. His bio stated as such, 'He saw no difference in natural death and murder.' Now, let it not be said that I know the whole story behind him. I do know, however, in BO3, if you are playing solo with Richtoften, he will say certain things with eerie similarities to the above work.
"MAXIS! No... wait... Compose yourself, Edward. Mission... accomplished. Temporal disruption achieved. The future is changed!"
"I must work quickly! There is so much to do; the vessel for Maxis, the radios, the opening of the gateway. Nein! I'm getting confused! Curse these 115-induced illusions!"
"Mein Gott... what have I done?! (pants) Stop it Edward. Breathe. (pants) It's okay... it's okay. This is important. This is what you have to do. Even if another part of you dies, each and every time. Argh! How am I meant to work when all around me, I am beset by the voices of the damned und the doomed!"
Two parts here.
See anything yet? Anything at all?
Yes, I know that these situations are very, very different, yet very similar as well.
Edward changed the future. Nefarious is said to change it at an unknown later date (which, knowing Tat's seeming aversion to violence pertaining his characters, it's unlikely we will see these deaths).
Edward is having his mind messed with by 115. Nefarious has to deal with the confusion and pain that comes from seeing things that should not be.
Edward is slowly dying, every single time he goes and tries to fix everything permanently. Nefarious isn't exactly dying, but the trauma of having a loved one violently killed, over and over again has to kill the mind a little bit every time it happens.
Edward can hear echoes through time. That line is also meant in the literal sense, as zombies and Hellhounds are quite loud and distracting. Nefarious is a machine. He will hear and see (in excruciating scientific clarity) Twilight being bodily ripped apart, time and time again. Every 'jump' he makes to change the future, he will have to relive those horrific moments in detail as to better protect Twi.
COMMENTER'S NOTE:
Now, all of these conclusions were made at 2:30 AM on a Microsoft Word document while running on Monster and Mountain Dew. I trimmed it up some, corrected some logical mistakes, and then transferred it to FIMFiction's comment section the following day. Not all of this makes perfect sense, but I had to get it out there. I severely doubt Tat took anything from BO3, but, the similarities remain.
I hope you enjoyed the ramblings of a midnight madman.
7412863 And suddenly I get the feeling that CoD can be deeper than a toilet paper roll.
7643287
That's what i want to know as well.
And now games respawn function if you get killed have a solid background
7643287 At this point either a lot or zero and he is simply anticipating it gonna happen at one point one way or another and preparing for possible inevitables if any. Like expect the unexpected or something, expect some kind of Murphy's Law deal and counter it BEFORE it starts to happen.
Oh well that's ominous.
Now I'm expecting a brutal death.
Did you just set it up so Twi has responds?
I see.
Ha ha is that a Futurama game reference I see
This just makes me think that if it DOES actually happen (off screen technically) that Nefarious would end up living through a situation similar to the movie "Edge Of Tomorrow" a.k.a. "Live Die Repeat".