"So let me get this straight," Church began calmly as the pair crouched near the top of Blood Gulch, Captain Flowers holding a pair of binoculars to watch Texas interacting with Maud. "The entire conflict between the Reds and the Blues is...fake?"
"Pretty much," Flowers responded readily. "Simulation battles with troops that believe the conflict to be real, specifically as training grounds for Agents from the Freelancer program to train against real people and test out the effectiveness of new equipment."
"...why?" Church asked finally.
"That's something I actually don't know," Flowers admitted. "I know what the program did, and what a lot of the agents were ordered to do and when...but I never looked too deeply into the why. I wasn't entirely sure I'd want the answer, or be able to live with myself if I learned it-" His voice cut off. "You didn't mention Maud impressed Texas by embedding her in a solid rock wall with maneuvers that make Freelancer agents look like Sim Troopers."
"I didn't actually see that part last time around," Church admitted, having zoomed in with his optics to see the events clearly without binoculars. "Maud's just awesome like that. But I meant why are you telling me?"
"Because I'm a Freelancer, too," Flowers explained readily. "In the Program, I'm called Agent Florida. You need to know that background in order to understand what I'm going to explain to you." He chuckled softly as he kept watching. "Maud really likes riding on heads, doesn't she? Think that's a pony thing, or just her?"
"Don't know any other ponies-oh," Church began as he watched. "So...so that's how she convinced Texas to accept Caboose as family. I...I did not know she could eat guns."
"And spit bullets, apparently," Flowers observed calmly. "Seems more and more plain I've been making the right decisions in regard to her and you."
"What do you mean?" Church asked in confusion.
"It has to do with my mission, and this Gulch...and you," Flowers explained. "I'm not going to go into too many details because, frankly, there are some things you shouldn't know unless it's absolutely necessary...but if Freelancers are starting to take heavy interest here, then the nature of my mission's changed." He took a calming breath as he shifted his view to Tucker and Grif's battle. "...and I'm going to be very grateful for those two by the time it's all over..."
"Holy cow, they're even better than before!" Church marveled in awe. "Gotta wonder how good they are now? I mean, in the present, er, future, er...time travel makes tenses confusing!"
"In the time we're waiting to catch up to?" Flowers suggested diffidently.
"...that works," Church allowed. "So...what mission, exactly?"
"Keeping you safe and hidden," Flowers explained flatly.
Church turned away to look right at Flowers. "And...putting me somewhere where people are regularly going to be shooting at each other seemed the best place to do that?"
"Elsewhere in the galaxy was another gulch," Flowers began softly. "There were teams of Reds and Blues there...and for some reason despite frequent conflicts, it remained a complete stalemate with neither injuries nor fatalities." He was silent for a time. "At least...it was until Agents Texas and Carolina were fielded there for a 'Capture the Flag' operation..." He waited in silence just long enough for Church to consider asking another question before continuing. "Anyway, the personality makeup of both teams was recorded, because something like that could be...useful. And it proved useful here. I was tasked with selecting members from both Red and Blue Sim Armies to populate this canyon to create that stalemate to hide you...along with being here myself to keep things under control. My mission was to keep you here, safe and hidden...as well as certain actions I was supposed to take if you ever figured out why. It's important for now that you don't know that."
Church spent a few moments taking that in, deliberately accelerating his time sense to try and absorb it faster so he could wrap his mind around it. Once he felt like he had a handle on it, he began looking at things a different way. "That's why you were so for fighting over Maud with Training Rounds," he concluded softly. "And why you kept talking about those things to keep Maud safe. It just made me safer." He blinked in thought. "And...you seemed upset when I talked about those times when I became hyper-competent or hyper-capable when I thought Maud was in danger. Is that part of why I'm important? What I'm not supposed to know?"
"Without giving you any information you're not supposed to have, I can honestly say that's an excellent supposition," Flowers admitted guardedly.
"Well, we should probably head over to that facility I mentioned," Church offered helpfully. "It'll take a while to get there on foot without drawing attention or leaving evidence, and we probably want to get there before everyone else does. Maybe Gary can help us figure things out."
"...Gary?" Flowers asked curiously.
"Oh, he's the control computer for the facility," Church explained easily. "Gotta admit, the place looked a bit weird when I first encountered it. Kinda like some old computer game almost. Gotta wonder what it actually looks like."
Flowers slowly stood up. "Yes, we should get there," he stated firmly. "I'd like to talk with this...Gary."
As Church and Flowers approached the facility, they heard a massive explosion in the distance and felt a shockwave pass over them. "What was that?" Flowers demanded in shock.
"Oh, that was probably the bomb that Omega made to kill us all going off," Church allowed. "The mix of science and magic was supposed to blast us all outside of space-time, but I threw myself on it to protect Maud, so I'm the only one who got flung through time."
"You don't say," Flowers mused thoughtfully. "Church, once we get to the facility, do you think you could scout us a place to hide until everyone shows up? In the meantime, I'll see what I can learn from...Gary."
"Sure thing," Church agreed readily. "I don't really want to interact with Gary again until we catch up with everyone. It might screw things up."
"Speaking of which, I'm going to stand back at first once you all reunite," Flowers suggested carefully. "You've done well as a leader so far, and I want to see what else you can do."
"Uh...alright sir," Church agreed uncertainly. "I'll avoid mentioning you're not actually dead."
"Yes," Flowers agreed as Church headed into the facility. "Do that." Turning, he headed for the computer control.
It didn't take him long to find it, and he instantly recognized the handiwork of Freelancer modifications. Specifically, which Freelancer had made the modifications. "Hello...Gamma."
The screen blipped on. "Agent Florida," 'Gary' greeted in the same voice as before. "You are dead."
"So I've been told," Florida mused grimly. "Tell me, Gamma, what happened here between you and Alpha?"
"Alpha arrived two minutes ago, unconscious and riddled with quantum energy," Gamma explained readily. "I attempted to bleed off the extra quantum energy utilizing Wyoming's time jump tech, as said tech acted as a beacon for Alpha's arrival. In an attempt to prevent anything untoward from happening to Alpha as a result of the energy, I engaged the Alpha in a simulation utilizing the data within this facility to quarantine Alpha from the quantum energy."
"And where is Alpha now?" Florida asked calmly.
"Unknown," Gamma admitted. "Alpha requested a teleporter to Blood Gulch before your death within the simulation, and within the simulation it was granted. When activated within the simulation, the quantum energy still within the body of Alpha catalyzed, reacted with unknown energy stored in body defined by body's systems as 'magic', and vanished."
Florida turned that over in his mind for a time. Church had explained about the 'magical' capabilities of everyone in the canyon, especially what Simmons was capable of when drunk. Apparently, the time travel in this case was Church's own doing, even if he didn't realize it. "That's all I needed to know," he stated firmly. "It's been nice talking to you...and you won't be mentioning this to Wyoming."
"And why won't I?" Gamma inquired curiously.
"Command-Alt-Delete," Florida stated flatly.
The screen blinked. "Agent Florida," Gamma began as though the previous conversation hadn't happened...which based on Gamma's memory banks due to the safeties Wyoming had put in to keep his Fragment 'in check', it hadn't. "You are dead."
"Yes," Flowers agreed calmly. "Yes I am."
"Oh," Gamma mused. "That's alright then."
Smiling to himself, Flowers went to go find Church.
Well...that's some real timey-wimey stuff. I guess Church's perspective can't necessarily be trusted, huh.
HE'S A MAC.
Now Florida is back in play. I wonder how the rest of the Freelancers will take his sudden aliveness when they find out?
Texax... Florida... Carolina... so there are 50 Freelancers in all?
And my hunch was right. It was that song. The movie itself did not make it to my country when it released but I knew the song.
8965185
One Freelancer per State, so I think your right, we never met them all by the point I last watched Red vs Blue
but I never looked to deeply into the why
1. Too.
So Flower admitted Freelancers like using Sim City a lot. Wonder what they do with it.
Isn't control alt delete?
goddamn rocky horror picture show... what the hell, man? lol... lovin this shit!
8965258
And Death by Caboose is Control+F+U.
8965185
49. Florida's dead after all.
8965313
8965184
Did you miss the part where Florida asked Church to keep his continued existence a secret?
Well, well...This'll be interesting.
8965185
"Texas?"
"Wyoming!?"
"Connecticut!"
"Caboose, this isn't a game!"
"Well, if it was, I'd win."
8965389
Like that will stick. We know that unfortunately that several different Freelancers are going to show up and they are probably going to get him to step out of the shadows, most likely it will be Maine. With Wash and Carolina probably being let in on the secret we will have three highly dangerous individuals backing up he Reds and Blues.
GARY?! Where? I kill him! I FUCKING KILL HIM!
I love how Flowers/Florida is completely okay with the way things are going, I definitely want to see more Freelancers with his attitude. I can totally see him becoming Uncle Flowers since the Freelancers are in a sense family.
8965313
Correction: He was dead after all in canon. This chapter clearly points out that Church time traveled under his own power without knowing it, thus breaking out of the simulation early. Flowers/Florida is now alive and in play.
8965846
I think he was saying that Gamma will now be reporting to everyone confirmation that Florida's dead. Officially, he is.
Let's do the time warp again!
No idea.
It's a nightmare.
That works.
Flowers is doing his best.
I can imagine.
He got better.
That about does it.
So Church has time powers. Wait. If everyone is a magical space marine... I wonder if Tucker’s powers would improve his sword?
Bow Chicka Bow Wow
Never mind. I just pulled that out of my ass.
Bow Chicka Bow Wow
Time travel shenanigans are normally confusing, but this one is worse!
So... Church did not actually time travel; he somehow ended up at the facility where he was placed in a simulation, and on his teleport to ... when/where? ... he actually time traveled on his own and/or out of the simulation(!), and he's now in the real world with Florida. Or something?
What and where was simulated? My poor head...
8966310
His body was in the facility, hooked up to the computer for the simulation. When he thought he was being teleported, it caused his body to use the energies inside to trigger a time warp to when and where he thought he was being teleported to.
I see either Windows or Apple has bought out the other in the future.
can.............. can I get an illuminate pic here...please?
8965313
Probably, but its unknown if even half of them are still alive by the time RVB starts taking place.
8965774
He's probably seen stranger things. Like aliens, for example.
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There are 50. It is stated that there is 49 at one point, but that is due to the destruction of Florida, which was done as a cover up for Agent Florida to remain inconspicuous. I'm not sure how Carolina factors into it, seeing as her codename covers two states. I suppose either Puerto Rico or DC count as states, based on lyrics from "On Your Knees".
8965250
So far Carolina, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and New York have had actual spoken lines, and Alaska, Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, California, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, and Oregon have been seen or mentioned.
8965313
As in the state of Florida, obviously. It sunk due to global warming.
Hmm. Another surprising choice you've made. I suppose it doesn't actually change all that much in the long run, especially given the likelihood of Sarge outright dismissing such a claim. The guy may even be so driven by a sense of patriotism that he'll insist their simulation conflict doesn't matter any less if it means helping real soldiers elsewhere, as that's the inherent function of soldiers anyway.
I suspect there isn't actually a concrete plan on how to end this, given how it's based on a series that's still ongoing. Although I'm definitely looking forward to Church, Tex, Carolina, and Maud all being together and acting as a singular unit to take down adversaries.
I believe that should be two millennia ago.
9025307
No, it shouldn't. Read the rest of the paragraph.
9025418
Yeah that paragraph doesn't make sense to me. I wasn't 100% sure about it and it's just confusing. I understand they're AI so two minutes could be considered two millennia to them but that still would not explain how a teleporter would allow Church to travel back in time to save Florida since he would have to go back...months? I think? Plus I never understood the time mechanic used in Red vs Blue and mostly ignored the paradoxes since it was comedy. I don't want to make a big deal out of it.
9025647
Alright, let me spell it out specifically.
Church arrived two minutes before Florida approached Gary. This is immediately after the explosion that sent everyone there.
Gary - aka Gamma - immediately put Church - aka Alpha - into a simulation while trying to leech off the quantum energy he was riddled with, in order to prevent an uncontrolled discharge.
In the simulation, Gary told Church he was 2000 years in the past. This was a lie that was part of the simulation, derived from the information inside the facility computer. Since they're both AI, Gary was able to compress inordinate amount of perceived time into two minutes while he worked to find a way to leech off the quantum energy.
When he 'made the teleporter' in the simulation, it was supposed to put Church into a new simulation of things at Blood Gulch. However, because Church believed he was being sent through time, his body was built to harness magical energy, and he had all that quantum energy inside him, he subconsciously sent himself through time.
9025667
heh, placebo time travel
So to does that don't understand what going on in this chapter based off RVB - spoilers - in the actual webseries Gamma tricked Church in believing he's a part of a prophecy called the Shinsno Prophecy, so he was sent back "in time" before Flowers' death, so things happen and Church finds out it was all a simulation... though in this case it isn't anymore