Restless Souls/Fragments

RS

Raid of Hasegawa's lab

Syndicate guy: "Oh, Mr. Hasegawa, are we going out now? I see a vessel under your arm. This is a Chrysalis prototype, isn't it? Good thing you personally take care of it. Especially in these dangerous times... What if the TCTF would have showed up here and found out about you. Heaven forbid."

Hasegawa had stopped dead in his track. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead. Would they take everything he had left and kill him?

The Striker orbited him. "It was decided that your project deserve to be continued at a saver place. But therefore we require the kids as well. You know surely what the final phase is."

The Professor winced. "No! No, you can't. They are all I-"

"Yea right!" The Striker took the scientist at collar and pushed him against the wall. "You wouldn't want them to become implanted with the Chrysalis the wrong way. Would they experience an instant death or a life in eternal pain? I don't know. But we have to try if you don't. -- By the way, who's prototype is it? The boy's or the girl's?"

Hasegawa was cautiously smiling. "It's too late Kerr will reach him in a few minutes."

"Oh really? Hey, the Prof just told us that he has the boy's prototype. Team Bravo, get him."

Hasegawa's face became stone and the Striker triumphed. "We didn't reckon with you guys to split up and do this little game. But... Anyway! We will get one of them at least, it will be enough to continue. Right, Mr. Hasegawa?"

The man lowered his eyes. "How can you await..."

"Don't play dumb on me, this Chrysalis is designed for him ... to give him a new future. A future your beloved Jamie lost forever."

"You bastard, don't use her name."

"Na, na, don't be rude. You know I'm right."

Vergangenheit und Fragen

Die Existenz der GATC erscheint gegenüber WCG und Syndikat überflüssig. Also muss Konoko für den Leser fragen welche Bedeutung die Organisation hat. Bei diesem Treffen nutzt GATC die Gelegenheit auch Fragen an Konoko zu stellen...

"Wir haben die WCG mit der TCTF auf der einen Seite und Syndikat auf der Anderen. Welche Rolle spielt da die GATC?"

"Wie WCG und Syndikat haben auch wir unsere Wurzeln in der nahen Vergangenheit. Einige Bundesstaaten der ehemaligen USA wollten sich nicht in die WCG integrierten lassen. Sie gründeten eine eigenständigen Staat und die GATC als Instrument der Selbstverteidigung. Wir verloren den Krieg und auf dem Papier wurde die Auflösung der GATC beschlossen. Wir kämpfen trotzdem weiter. Für eine Heimat, die nicht der Herrschaft der WCG unterliegt. Die WCG würde das niemals zulassen. Doch gibt uns das jetzige Chaos die Möglichkeit doch noch zu erreichen was wir wollen. Das bringt mich auf Sie, Konoko. Warum haben Sie die APs zerstört? Hätte es nicht gereicht die Sendeanlage im Bergkomplex zu zerstören?"

"Hätte ich nur die Anlage im Bergkomplex zerstört, hätten sie diese später vielleicht repariert oder von wo anders das Signal an die Satelliten geschickt. Ich musste also so viel Schaden wie möglich anrichten. Und ob ich lebend davon kommen würde, wusste ich auch nicht. Ich sah es als meine einzige Chance."

„Das ist das Problem: sie wussten es nicht... Das Militär hat die Möglichkeit Satelliten vom Boden aus zu zerstören.“

„Wollen sie mir jetzt ein Strick drehen? Ich hab nach bestem Wissen und Gewissen gehandelt.“

„So weit es Ihnen möglich war... Muro's Ultimatum hätte uns wenigsten noch Zeit verschafft.“

Bevor Konoko wirklich sauer wurde, wechselte der GATC-Direktor das Thema. „Miller hat Ihnen bereits gesagt, dass Hasegawa wahrscheinlich noch am Leben ist. Wir werden Ihre Suche nach ihm unterstützen. Natürlich weil auch in unseren eigenen Interesse steht. Uns fehlen momentan die technischen Kenntnisse Daodan-Massenproduktion und das Syndikat wird uns die Daten bestimmt nicht freiwillig geben. Hasegawa könnte uns sicher helfen. Seine Spuren verlieren sich noch bevor Muro begann die Macht an sich zu reißen. Aus irgendeinem Grund wurde er woanders untergebracht oder er schaffte es zu fliehen.“

Sie musste an Muro denken, er sprach von ihren Vater als sei er schon tot oder zumindest weit weg.

[...]

„Wir wollen, dass sie über diese Informationen verfügen. Aus diesem Grund wollen Ihnen jemanden vorstellen. Das ist ihr neuer Partner. Manson's alte SLD.“

[...]

„Alles im Kasten? Ok. Transferiere es zum PR-Team.“

Wenn die wüsste...

Kojiro takes out Sayomi

Sayomi stands backwards to Kojiro.

Kojiro: "Traton wants to take you out. What do you say to this?"

Sayomi: "How's he going to do this?"

Kojiro knocks her down and turn to the other Shinobi: "Take her and the boy to GOP. And don't forget greeting them in Traton's name."

Save the enemy of your enemy ... then wait for the right moment ...

Inspiring strawberries

Daya visited an outside area – according to a sign it was a field experiment [in Green Village]. At field’s side, there was an improvised desk, onto it strawberries in black baskets.

“Fascinating... Don’t you think?”

“Yes, Mr. Spock.”

“He rose an eyebrow.”

“Hahah, that's the expression!”

“Why do all people think scientists are trekkies?”

Daya shoulders were shrugging. “Stereotypes die hard?”

“Probably... -- All I wanted to say was that these strawberries are fascinating because of their second method of reproducing. In related jargon called layering but simplified: cloning. It may remind you to the umbilical cord between mammal mothers and their newborn - with the obvious difference that the plant's cloning is asexual reproduction. -- They are naturally able to do this. Nature provides us with wonderful ideas. -- We started working on cloning techniques 100 years ago but some day they became restricted and finally prohibited.”

“Why?”

“Because of ethics. You clone organisms for research and medical use which means to destroy them sooner or later. This was especially problematic with human embryonic stem cell. When do these live, when do they feel? With time an alternative appeared and ended the discussion in disadvantage of cloning. -- By chance, do you know the name Bertram Navarre?”

“I know... uhm … I'm not sure.”

“He discovered a method to change the type of cells.”

“Sounds like a important breakthrough. What happened?”

“Well, also this kind of research was seen with a critical eye by WCG. By the time they asked him to continue work in their 'special' facilities, he refused and became 'renegade'.”

“A scientist not under WCG's control is a dangerous scientist, huh?”

“Yea...”

“As far as a know there was a Syndicate attack before this village became bombed. Does it mean WCG wanted to sacrifices you to prevent the disclosing of research data...”

“I can't believe it myself but that's probably the reason.”

“Since Bertram was already at the Syndicate, what were they after?”

“[Who told you he went to the Syndicate?] You're asking a lot questions...”

“I lost my memories, remember?”

“The point is I don't know you.”

“Does it matter? We are in the same boat.”

“... How are you feeling?”

“I'm getting eaten. How good can I fell...”

“You must be one of the new DC test candidates.”

“DC?”

“The transformation takes time, your symbiont should be weaker than it is. But for a matter of fact, the bioc haven't much devoured of your or the DC's biomass yet. Why?”

“... Let's pick up some strawberries and go back to the others, okay?”

“Can't do that yet. Various Lepidoptera eats them.”

“Sorry?”

“... butterflies and moths alike. We need to cover the plants with these tarps for the night.”

“I haven't seen a single insect here since yesterday. I guess the chance is higher that an insane ninja sneaks by and steals them.”

“...”

“Bad joke tm... Come on.”

Saved for another death?

“Can you help me?”

“...”

“Come on.”

“In the past I was a way to selfless. -- It didn't really pay off.” Turn to side, turn face to face again.

'Strange but still...'

“Just give me a reason why I should help you.”

“I've my own problems to care about, you know.”

“No, I don't know. But if I hadn't save you there wouldn't be anymore problems for you.”

“So, you are owning my life now or what?”

“...”

“Am I now supposed to be grateful to someone who saved me for his own sake.”

“I could have used your bike without asking.”

“Are you sure? It starts only with my finger print. Biometrics...”

“Maybe I should cut it off then?”

“Okay, I guess we could continue this all day.”

“Gah...”

“You didn't know about the starter, so you really saved me for no bigger reason.”

“Is this also something bad?” 'Excuse me I did...'

“No, it's okay!”

“Heh. For now I'm glad you aren't one of those bigheaded girls.”

The two started to drive.

“Those really piss me off.”

“You don't know me...”

“Yes, actually not.” 'But I got an idea of you.'

“>Actually not< ...”
“Whatever... Shouldn't I be the one driving, you're hurt.”

“No way. It's my machine...”

“Boys and their bikes...”

“Hey! The point is, among us, I know this machine best, so I should be driving.”

“A hurt, unreasonable boy...”

“I prefer to call it stubbornness.”

“And because of this we will die both stuck in a tree.”

“Haha, don't make me laugh or we will really.”

“...”

“...”

“You didn't use that SMG for the first time, right?”

“How could you tell?”

“I'm a proud owner of two eyes ...”

“Yes, you are ...”

“...”

“So you are an opposing soldier, an agent?”

“Will you shot me when all we reached the coordinates?”

“If you don't run off at the mouth. Maybe.”

“Huh. That's twisted. You saved me to kill me later.” 'You won't do it.'

Pointing the SMG at his head.
“Well, do you have death wishes? If not stop it.”

“...”

After some more turns avoiding trees. “Back then, I had.”

“...”
“And now?”

“I think I will stay some longer and see how this is going to end.”

“You mean the poisoning atmosphere?” 'Right, he hasn't a Chrysalis.'

“You are not concerned about it?”

“...”
“I won't give up just because of a bit dirty air.”

'Was this really a joke?'

In an ambiguous tone: “Yeah, right.”

“You know what? I don't like people who hang their heads.”

“What?” He turned around.

“Man, keep your eyes on the track!” The bike was doing a slight turn to avoid a tree.

“Sorry. -- I guess it was some kind of reflex.”

“...”
“You were stunned because you thought I could mean you. So you had some more self-confident ... back then .. hm?”
“Maybe you are going back to normal.”

“Back to normal... At this time?”

“It might be the perfect time to start over. The world is going to change completely. Claim your place.”

“Before someone else does...”

“Is this really it?”

“What do you mean?”

“...”

“It's thought that every human has the right to live on once he comes into this world.”

“Saying >claiming your place now< looks like putting egoism on a level equal to >doing it whatever the consequence<. If everybody works together much more might be able to survive.”

“John F. Kennedy said once that they choose to fly to the moon not because it was easy, but because it was difficult.”

“That's too idealistic for the situation.”

“Maybe because you want to believe it?”

“I know it.”
“...”
“It's not the majority that matters or decides.”
“You wouldn't stand the people who want this.”

“Sick.”

“Actually I don't care much about this world, but it's still sick.”

“...”
“What where you doing in the forest.”

“...”

“Would you believe me if I say >geo caching<?”

“What that”

“An out-door adventure game. You search for caches, they can be hidden everywhere.”

“In the wilderness...”

“Before the >blow out< event in 2023, the majority of geo caches were hidden in the wilderness.”

“This doesn't explain why you were doing it ... at this time ... outside.”

“...”

"Guess, maybe you can find out."

“...”

“Not telling lies but hiding the truth is also a lie. Isn't it?”

“That's what politicians and wannabes does all the time.”

“Few days ago they still said: >don't panic<.”

“>Don't panic<, my ass.”

“...”

“Let's talk the truth. Here and now.”

“Deal?”

“Deal.”
“...”

“...”

“...”
“I'm a syndicate soldier as you suspected.”
“And I'm not really concerned about toxins or whatever because I received a genetic >upgrade< known as Chrysalis.”

“...”

“Is that's why your face look so weird?”

“...”
“No, that's something else.”
“Because of this, I was told I would die soon.”

“I couldn't believe you were telling me some truth. But since you die, it won't matter anyway?”

“No!”

“...”

“I don't believe everything I'm told, that's why I'm here, that's why I'm still alive, and that's why I will survive. Even this state of my current self.“

“Wow. That sounds optimistic. Do you think they will let use an >assembler<?”

“A what?”

“Maybe you know it as >bioprinter<. It can restore biological tissue.”

“I don't think that...”

“...”

“Don't worry. That's my problem.”

“I'm sorry.”

“What?”

“My behavior from before.”

“Forget it.”
“Spare your good sides for later. This is an all out.”
“Talking of this, you can't be for Kennedy and at the same time not care about the world.”
“Make a decision.”

“Claimed...”

[to be continued]

---

"What I wanted to say was that I want to do something important, something that doesn't die when I do."

"Are you starting again ... ?"

"Daya, we all will die. – Sooner or later. – I don't want to give up but it got difficult to endure this thought..."

"..."

They were still inside the raman micro-store. Small drizzle drops ran down the plastic shelter.
Both paused and looked into the moving crowd.

"Asking for the eternal question... – Can't you simply come to terms with this?"

"And live on because we are programmed to do so? – I don't want this to be everything."

"..."

Since I don't know the answer – what to do – Nihilism tries to invade my brain.

...

No matter how people try to distract themselves... They can deny it but it bugs them.

The one answer is missing. The understanding, the explanation to our existence that would formulate aims. – And so we don't know what to do.

That's why there's all this aimlessness. Quarreling. Injustice. Hate. War.

That's why we are restless souls.

Nishio laid tired this face in his left open hand, the elbow resting on the table.

"Let's chink glasses."

The young man turned his head towards voice's origin. Daya was really rising a glass.

"For the hope, Nishio. For the hope."
"The one thing that shall never die."

A small grin were playing in his face. She has a way that makes her words difficult to reject.

Drugged

(Coming soon enough.)

Talk with a centipede

"Why do you know so much about the Chrysalis?"

"It's my job to know much, and I'm doing my job good..."

"Hmpf..."

Mukade laughed. "I would be a bad shinobi if I tell you all my secrets."

Her words sounded bitter. "Yes, probably."

"Hey... It doesn't mean I don't help you as good as I can."

...

"But Daya, you should think about a place where to go when you are going to lose."

She clenched her fist. "It won't get to that point."

"Sometimes you need to accept your defeat or it gets even worse."

"Did your death helped to reach this understanding?"

"How do you know ... ?"

"Such things get around, Mukade." The man buries his face in his hand. Daya couldn't resist mocking him. "Do you grieve about your face as invincible phantom? The Shadow became a shadow of himself, haha."

"You have no idea about the scope but thanks for reminding me. -- I have to go now. Continue your training."

"Hey Mukade. What interest do you actually have in my survival?"

"When you would die by a takeover of your Chrysalis from the Bioc ... an even more powerful pattern could have evolved from the struggle. And when it finds its way back to the main mass located in GV... then we do have a real problem. That's why your survival is in my interest."

"Wouldn't it be easier to eliminate me and the risk of fail?"

"... Yes, that's right..." Mukade leaves.

"Shinobi... Am I only a new weapon to him?"

Mukade and Nishio

Mukade: „You're running after her. You love her.“ „You surely know the term lovesick. But also drug addicts are thought to be sick. „A lover is high on body-own drugs. Endorphines and whatever they are called.“ „If my sick state is a product of chemicals I would prefer to not call it love.“ „...“ „I know, it's a sad way to see because it's depressing. Love, a self-invented lie...“ „You have a really materialistic world view. If you accept your mind created from a physical origin then you should also accept simple chemicals being part of it which then of course also form emotion including love. Then it's a natural ... effect ... and not a lie. „How do you know?“ „What's true, what's wrong. Eventually this is up to each one's interpretaion of reality. -- We cannot objectively sense realily. Our human perception and our mind are imperfect. Hence we need interpretation. We always picture reality in our heads but that never the real world.“ Mukade neared Nishio standing then only one step away. His opposite was attepted to dodge him. „Hey... !“ „Hold still, I want to give you an example.“ Mukade covered on of Nishio's eyes with his left hand and placed the thumb of the other hand somewhat before his right shoulder. „Focus my eyes but try also to recognize the thumb. -- As you see ... you cannot see it.“ Mukade was grinning. „For us humans something of the picture is always missing.“ Nishio noticed that the thumb wasn't blurred but really gone. When he focused something else the thumb appeared again in his perception. After a moment he stepped back to regain distance towarts the black armored man. „Ok, fine... Is this the thought we go now?“ Nishio waited for an answer, Mukade was only lifting his Hands for a „I-don't-know.-Surprise-me“. „What if ...“ „Yes?“ „I could void your statememt by going so far saying that there isn't an own free will.“ „Because all our decision and emotions can be explained ... by what we already experienced, building our mind, we are driven by latest events triggering some algorithms made of biological substances and their interactions.“ „So, it doesn't even matter if it's a lie or not, it doesn't matter if it's subjective or objective because in sum we aren't the ones that are making decisions. We are just pupets, watching our own actions. „I'm reminded to extrem conclusions some people make when they come to know about the Libet experiment. I'm impressed you didn't killed yourself yet.“ „For the hope.“ „...“ „That's what she said. And when it was her saying this I felt like being able to believe in this.“ „If I die too soon I would never know.“ „That why they say hope dies last. How cynical. Ha!“ „...“ „I'm just kidding you.“ „But I've a question: what are you fighting for besides trying to solve madhouse questions? Can you actually still fight for something. Or have your thoughts already imprisioned you?“ [to be continued] <div class="NavFrame collapsed" style="width: Mukade: „Du rennst ihr doch nach. Du liebst sie.“ „Du kennst sicherlich den Begriff liebeskrank. Auch Drogenabhängige werden als krank angesehen. „Ein Liebender ist high auf körpereigenen Drogen. Endorphine und wie auch immer diese genannt werden.“ „Also: wenn mein kranker Zustand das Produkt von Chemikalien ist, würde ich es vorziehen nicht von Liebe sprechen.“ „...“ „Vielleicht eine deprimierende Sichtweise: Liebe, eine selbsterfundenen Lüge...“ „Du hast wirklich ein sehr materialistisches Weltbild. Aber wenn du dein Bewusstsein mit physischem Ursprung akzeptierst, dann solltest du auch akzeptieren, dass einfache Chemikalien ein Teil dieses Bewusstseins sind und dadurch Emotionen erzeugen einschließlich Liebe. Es ist demnach ein natürlicher ... Effekt ... und keine Lüge." „Wie willst du das wissen.“ „Was ist wahr, was ist falsch. Das obliegt wohl wirklich jedem seiner Interpretation von der Wirklichkeit. -- Natürlich können wir die Realität nicht objektiv wahrnehmen. Unsere menschliche Wahrnehmung und unser Geist ist nicht perfekt. Daher ist Interpretation gefragt. Wir stellen uns immer nur die Realität in unseren Köpfen vor aber das ist niemals die echte Welt." Mukade stellte sich einen Schritt vor. Dieser wich ihm fast aus. "Hey ... !" "Beweg dich nicht, ich will dir ein Beispiel geben." Mukade streckte seien Arm aus um Nishio's Auge mit der Hand abzudecken. Er hob den freien Daumen in Höhe seiner Schulter. "Konzentriere dich auf meine Augen, versuche dabei aber auch den Daumen wahrzunehmen. -- Wie du siest, siehst du nichts." Mukade grinst. „Bei uns Menschen fehlt immer etwas vom Bild.“ Nishio bemerkte, dass der Daumen nicht einfach verschwommen war sondern im Blickfeld gänzlich fehlte. Nach einem Moment trat er zurück um den Abstand zwischen ihm und dem Mann in seiner dunklen Kampfmontur wiederherzustellen. "Okay, fein... Soll's auf der Schiene weitergehen?" Nishio wartete auf eine Anwort aber Mukade hob nur leicht die Hände für ein Ich-weiß-nicht.-Überrasch-mich. "Was wenn..." "Ja?" "Ich könnte dein Argument auflösen indem ich soweit gehe und sage, dass es keine freien Willen und nicht mal eine eigene - also subjektive - Wahrnehmung gibt weil alle Wahrnehmung, Entscheidungen und Gefühle erklärt werden können durch was eine Person bisher erlebt hat, und so das Bewusstsein erzeugt, (dass nur automatisch abläuft). Wir werden durch die neuesten Reize gesteuert. Sie treten Algorithmen los, die ihrerseits in biologischer Materie und dessen Interaktion manifestiert sind." "Deshalb ist es nicht einmal wichtig ob es eine selbsterfundenen Lüge ist oder nicht. Es ist egal ob subjektiv oder objektiv. Denn wir sind nicht diejenigen, die eine Entscheidung fällen. Wir sind nur Marionetten, die sich selbst beim leben zugucken." "Erinnert mich an extreme Schlussfolgerungen, die Mache machen wenn sie über das Libet-Experiment lesen. Ich bin beeindruckt, dass du dich nicht schon selbst umgebracht hast." „...“ „Für die Hoffnung.“ „...“ „Das waren ihre Worte. -- Ich mag ein halber Nihilist sein aber als sie es sagte, hatte ich das Gefühl daran glauben zu können.“ „Wenn ich zu früh sterbe, werde ich es wohl kaum herausfinden. Oder?“ „Darum sagen die Leute wohl die Hoffnung sterbe zuletzt. Wie zynisch. Ha!“ „...“ „Das war nur ein Scherz.“ „Aber ich würde gern etwas wissen.“ Mukade beugte sich vor, sein Stimme wurde sehr ernst. "Für was kämpfst du außer diese Irrenhaus-Fragen zu lösen? Kannst du noch für etwas kämpfen? Oder haben dich deine Gedanken schon so sehr gefangen genommen?“">            German translation ...

Eine neue Symbiose

Daya's linke Auge war ausgestochen. Der Biok kroch in die Aushöhlung und drangt ins Hirn ein. Daya: „Wenn wir nicht zusammenarbeiten, werden wir hier alle sterben.“

Sie erinnerte sich an Mukade's Beispiel der Drei-Wege-Symbiose: Nur alle drei Organismen könnten gemeinsam überleben. Nun war es an Daya, ihrer Chrysalis und dem Biok zu entscheiden das gleiche zu tun oder gemeinsam unterzugehen.

[...]

In einem Sturm von Rache zerstörte sie das ganze Gebäude. Der Biok in ihrem Auge leuchtete, er war gerade dabei eines seiner ersten Gefühle zu lernen: Wut.

[...]

About Oni and Daimon

Pensatore: "Daya is a good example of an unleashed Oni. Fully unleashed! Indeed she show a very strong manifestation of it but without a guidance. The Oni, this guardian of the physio, is not enough. That's what I told you guys long before. She needs now a Daimon too."

Mukade: "The ghost is nothing more than the body's toy. Eh?"

Pensatore: "Heck no! The pyhsio provides a framework for the psyche but it doesn't fully determine it. Daya experienced many new automatisms; her body is now hyper-evolved but her mind rans more behind than before - the distance of this straggler increased. -- And if it's only "more than the sum of it's part", well, then let's take it, it will be enough. Our lives aren't self-running things!"

Mukade: "I'm not too sure about this anymore." He looked into void as if he would appear there. "That damn boy..." -- "Whatever." -- "We will need to eliminate her."

Pensatore: "What are you talking about?"

Mukade: "As you put it she will become a pure Oni soon. The hyperevolution of the body is faster than her mind's... The special nature of the bioc will make it necessary."

Pensatore: "Really?"

Mukade: "If you know a better solution let me know."

An unexpected visitor

Muro swam on the river Phlegethon. He was stuck in molten stone up to the hip. Flames climbed up his body, eating his skin away. His blood was starting to boil. Panic and insane pain made him move every muscle to escape but the blazing stream hold him. He drifted into a bay where a man stood, in his hands a long iron paddle. He hand the end to him, Muro grabbed it and drew himself to land – still screaming, then rolling in the dust, bursting blisters releasing streams of blood. Red glowing rock spiked his flesh. He ripped it out crying, his face twisted by desperation and pain. The ferryman stood silently and waiting.

Muro was still on the ground, groaning. “You! I’m hurt. Help me!” “I’m not the one will or can recoup your losses,” responded the ferryman. “And now you let me die?” “... Nor I am the one who will judge over you. – But I wonder. I haven’t seen many coming down the Phlegethon. But you seem different ... or do you not? (Only monsters. But you seem human.) Did I do a mistake fishing you out? Tell me.”

“I don’t know ... who I am. How could I answer you?” “Ha, why do they always want to trade one pain for another pain.” “What?!“ “Go. Go and drink from Cocytus.” “Where?” The ferryman kept silent. Muro looked around, discovering another river. “Is it this?” asked Muro pointing to a boat. “No, but you can find it behind. This will take a while…” The Ferryman turned back heading for the boat. Muro followed in struggle placing feet by feet and dropped into the boat as the ferryman already pushed it into the black water. “Hey, I’ve already passengers, get out.” “I can’t. Please...” “You can! You already made it to this point.” Muro’s evil eyes met the ones of the passenger’s next to him. “Why don’t you wait here then?!” Muro grabbed him at the collar. Suddenly he flight trough the air and landed in the dust again. The ferryman had swung his paddle and smashed him out. “Don’t dare to break my rules!” Muro writhed, unable to respond anything. The ferryman threw a few words over his shoulder. “Meet me again when you realized yourself!” Then he swam away.

Some shadows reached the Cocytus and dived their heads into the waves, then started to wail. Muro looked at this strange scene. “Will this be the only effect? Does the old man try to trick me? Why should I drink when I will end like these?”

Muro drunk from Cocytus’ water. Pain filled his mind. “I died already, haven’t I?”

He roamed back in hope to meet the ferryman but he wasn’t there. He went on, reaching another river. The boat was coming and the ferryman stopped in front of him. He asked: “So, what do you do here?” “Obviously all here are dead...” “I don’t know. You still can feel physical pain. Did you forget the river of molten stone already?” “No. But my wounds aren’t closing either.” “Oh, is this your only concern?” “I’m special, you don’t know who-“ The ferryman cut him off. “I don’t know what’s up over there in the world of the living, but I hope they don’t send more of your sort to us. Maybe they threw you in the Phlegethon for very good reasons. Ha, you seem to be of vary bad character. Do you were such of those brats in the early days?” “I’m not … a brat.” Muro pause. “What’s up big mouth? “I can’t remember … the early days.” “The Cocytos should had done its purpose. It never fails. What a dumb claim. Even the ones who deny themselves … realize.” “So I fucking lost my brain somewhere or what?!” “Hey, nice thought…” “Cut the crap!” The ferryman was laughing “How do they say: Seek and you shall find. Hahahahaha.”

Shadows roamed slowly along the rivers, going for the Acheron. Suddenly one of them grabbed Muro by the arm. “You… I know you. Muro … Hasegawa!” His voice twisted in wailing and pain. “What have you done? What have you done TO ME?! TO US! Muro!” Muro pushed him back. “Barabas. Stop it. You couldn’t take her, you weakling. Don’t bother me. If you would have done better you wouldn’t be dead.” He went on. Barabas cried behind him. “You demon!” He fell into another shadow. “You cannot hide.” It was grabbing him at the leg. Suddenly more shadow crawled into his direction. “We are here... Yes, we are here. Dead. Because you you! All the people you belied, betrayed, tortured, left for dead. Killed.” Muro break away, running further.

The river seemed endless. He was running to … nowhere. He decided to sit down and taking a break. Kerr stepped to his left. “See how far you came … Was it worth?” Muro jumped up. “Old man, where do you come from?” “Sometimes I wonder where YOU come from.” Muro realized that a boy stood there with Kerr. “And he?” “It’s you!” “This weak figure? He doesn’t make a healthy impression nor anything else I would like to be. See his fears in his eyes.” Kerr looked at the boy. “Indeed … he is afraid of you. What he had become.” “Bah, I must come away from these.” Kerr watched him going back, but the boy looked at Kerr, who finally said: “His mind was formed in life. Of course death can’t cure it.” Then he and the boy broke apart as black smock and disappeared.

“You again?” “Yeah, I think I can stay without what’s missing... But I found obolus. I heard you carry people to the core when paid with an this.” The ferryman pointed to the right. A soul was hunting the boat. Muro waved with a hand. “You weakling again, disappear!” The ferryman turned towards Muro. “Just say you stole it from him?” “Of cause. I don’t want to wait hundred years.” “Get out of my boat!” “No way!” “Get lost, I should had let you in the Phlegethon!” Charon swung his iron paddle again and threw Muro into the Acheron. Muro cursed behind him. Charon stabbed his paddle into the river. A huge wave caught Muro and put him back to Lethe. He went under, swallowing up water. He tried to stand up but shadows hold him down. “Forget us, forget your sins, forget yourself. ” In the corner of his eye he saw a little boy standing at the river side. The boy also looked at him. Muro recognized it as his face in a split-second. The man’s eyes went black.

Suddenly he was set in the middle of a hall, gasping for air and covered with something that looked like mud. It dried and pearled off of him. He calmed down. His fears and memories faded away, nothing was left in his mind.

(Not sure whether I use this.)

Mukade vs. an Imago

Mukade: "Imagos. You are such a young kind. You don't even know yourself. How do you think you can win - just by a physical advantage? There's a reason why human became the dominant lifeform on earth. I'll show you the power of mind."

This fits even more because he's a Shinobi, knowing psychological warfare.

The genius of human is a double-edged sword. Good and evil can be presented in one person at same time.

Griffin about the past

Griffin: "We had no reason to trust the story. In fact, we thought it was a bad joke at the first moment. But after the investigation, we were worrying that there could be some truth. Hasegawa had disappeared without any trace and also his son was kidnapped from elementary school. Our scientists said that some remains from the lab had been indeed devices for genetic engineering. So, implanting the Daodan-Chrysalis into Mai wasn’t just an insurance against possible Daodan soldiers from their side, it was also the final prove for Kerr’s story."

The sabotage of Kali

Notes:

BGI and other forces tried to sabotage Syndicate's ability to use TITAN. Actually Traton didn’t need it any longer after the success of Operation Proteus, whereas he took also AVATARA under his control.

Green Village has its own link to Silver Village which provided a big enough Quantum server farm for a cyber attack on AVATARA.

That made Traton use TITAN to reroute Kali. But TITAN wasn’t forgotten, indeed it was secretly modified to serve Konoko’s fraction. Kali and Traton became tricked.

GATC and Syndicate have used TITAN in 2032 for similar reason: to sabotage WCG’s NCW.

Silver Village's AI took full control over its complex area. After cyber attack, military arrived and destroyed the AI. A massive data stream left the complex. There are rumors which interpreted this event as the AI fleeing into the "cloud". The AI wasn't designed to work in distributed parts. It seems lost in the chaos of internet. Much later that AI appeared again. Ter described Silver Dawn's unleashing, covering whole earth, as a reset to chaos, forming a silver egg which contains: Gaia, Nyx, and all the other Greek original gods.

---

"Why you name them after Greek legends?"

"We know almost nothing about them but these few similarities. So why not?"

"Because one day you could fall for their name, awaiting properties, behaviours same to their legends."

"Do you really think I'm that simple? The whole reason about Mind Seal is to prevent making old mistakes again, I believe history can be rewritten whatever name a person has. 'What does a name mean anyway' is a rhetoric question. People are defined by their doings and by nothing else."

Daya

Infected. "See! I'm a monster. It's war. And only for the time of war I will have a place in this world. Child of war..."

The occurring paradox of her mind. Kami-Daya: "You can’t go kill someone and then right next apologize to his friends. It’s pure provocation. They won’t have any compassion for your tragic mistake. You nihil my name’s very idea. This forces me to hate you."

Phönix

Wherever crime appears, resistance rises. Wherever justice is burnt, we will rise from the ashes.

Ter Hasegawa

Ter Hasegawa stood in a museum and looked at holograms of war history. A voice sounded through the room.

Hiroshima. 6 august 1945. Little Boy started to fall. 43 seconds, then it exploded. The nuclear chainreaction bursted into a white flash grilling every piece of unprotected skin from even 6 kilometer away. The fireball waved flames of 4000°C against obstacles and humans, burning their shadows into the ground. Everybody under the fireball of 300 meters was either vaporized or carbonized. The shockwave moved with speed of sound, ripping walls into shrapnel-like pieces. It even rolled over the near mountains. More than 90000 people died in matter of seconds. Some people were buried alive in burning ruins. Those who survived and got outside then roamed through the streets covered by dead bodies. Searching for water, they floated together at rivers and ponds. They crawled powerless and drowned because others came from behind and pressed them down with their weight. Suddenly black rain fell. It was smoke and ash sucked in the atmosphere from the nuclear mushroom cloud. It met cold wet air and create rain drops. What they didn't knew: it was highly radioactive and poised them.
A few days later after Hiroshima's destruction, doctors found that their patients were rotting alive. When they touched the head then hair fell out. It was "radiation sickness".

A memorial stands right to the hologram area.
Dear people, remember the end
The knowledge flees over the border
He and I, we stay behind.
Now guard science' light
Use and don't misuse it
Thus that it won't, a fireball
Consumes us all
Yes, us all.

Last cursive text refers to Bertolt Brecht's Life of Galileo (written 1937-1939). There's also said that doctors are bound to a codex: the Hippocratic Oath. They shall not use their knowledge to hurt any human whatever reason. He's sad about that scientists haven't such oath.

This scene is considered to be Ter's moment of enlightenment, the trigger of sealing world's knowledge. He sees his plan as duty because of what his father had done.

When Ter lost his power

Ter: "It appears to me that this 'plan' developed its own spirit with Daimon Program as super-ego, Silver Dawn as ego, and Deep Streams as Id, ...connecting everything to becoming together a greater entity. ... How should we call us now?"

Wheels Of Time

Bonus chapter: Soul fusion

(Part I – One after millions)

After millions of iterations there was finally a match. (Describe briefly the navigation map: supercluster, cluster, local group, Milky Way, and solar system.)

[…]

The ship was coming back to life.

The guardian himself was only half awake but to no point on this long journey he has slept. “How do the humans say?” After all time that has passed even he hardly remembered the expression. He was a hyper-AI but memories were stuffed with Nishio’s brain copies, all possible databases and the myriads of experiences he had made over the aeons. “Ah.” He was grinning. “How could I forget? – It’s the right place and it’s the right time. – Well, sorta.”

Black void. Ha! As if that would be anything new in the life of nihilist. But then in little flashes it was all back. The sensory inputs. His senses. The reanimation process drove electric waves through his body and the will to life took over again. A strong breath. Another one. Nishio was wrestling for air. “Oh my god, what is this? – What the hell is happening?”

“Don’t worry.” The guardian was checking him. “You are doing well. You just need to get used to it again.”

Nishio was pressing the hand against his chest. The heart. A heart! It was beating. He had a biological body. After ages. “Why? What’s the purpose of this?” “Don’t make such a shocking face. – Calm down. – I have to show you something.” Nishio stood there against a wall, the black sand was still falling off. His previous bodies were technological so much more advanced and now he was a mere human. He was afraid as if he could die again any moment.

He straightened his stand, one hand still that wall. “What? – What is it?”

“Earth. The year is 2056.”

PART II – Soul fusions

[...]

Green Village.

They were once again in that consuming fire storm, literally melting. The bioc under their shoes began to boil too. Heavy smoke spread over the battle field and grew dense. The energy cells of Nishio's modified graphene shield exploded under the heat and pushed a discharge through the highly conducting-made gases. Light. Everywhere. It took massive amounts of energy out of this mess. In a shock reaction the materials turned into a blue-colored aerogel imprisoning all combatants. Except for the core. A felt eternity - just a minute for the outside world - after changing the aggregate phase Mukade, Daya and Nishio managed to break free. Their bioc aerogel had a more glass-like strength, giving in to their combined force. Daya: "It's over Mukade, I have it under control now. The bioc will do no more harm."

[...]

Epilog

After finding this perfect reincarnated universe, the guardian knew he would had to put the journey to an end. It would take awful a lot of time but eventually history will repeat over and over. As a consequence time capsules of Nishio or other people would accumulate until they prevented the universe from getting reborn properly since they hold back to much energy for the necessary life-supporting physically constants. The guardian wasn't really afraid of that scenario, he was an artificial being after all. But he was programmed to protect Nishio. Nishio's own instinct of survival, that he never managed to give up, would have eventually killed him. The guardian couldn't let his creator get stranded in that thermodynamical wasteland and getting stuck between Big Rip and Big Bang.

Comment

Originally my intention was to let Nishio travel eternally with no chance finding true soul peace. But after millions of iterations, things should start to repeat somewhat. In a physical finite universe possibilities are limited. Astronomical huge, yes. But still, limited. Given enough time there should emerge universes that look similar to former ones. So in the end, this was just logical.

I feel somewhat relieved now that I know how to end this whole cycle. Sure, there's still a lot of work to do. But the pressure is partially gone.

For those who wonder why I mix Big Rip and Big Bang together. In this fiction the universe has a 4-dimensional donut shape where as matter is accelerated when being sucked in (Big Rip) and ejected (Big Bang). We are just lucky for living between those two extreme phases. Imo, such an shape can really make sense, especially if think about a few basic physical laws.

This is a block that I came up with 4 years ago but I couldn't image using it for Oni since it looked totally unrelated. That has changed with the other sequals after Mind Seal.

The ultimate question: how came our universe into existence?

"Ex nihilo nihil fit." It means "from nothing comes nothing." In science this thought is manifested in the "law of conservation of mass" and in the "law of conservation of energy" and they turn out to be true day by day. Matter can be converted into other forms of matter and energy, and energy can be converted into other forms of energy or matter, but during these conversions no piece of matter or energy ever fades to nothing.

So, it wasn't "creatio ex nihilo" - creation out of nothing. But still, we exist, ergo: our universe always existed. It's a closed system after all.

Well, even if this explains how the universe is functioning, it doesn't explain why. :D

--paradox-01 (talk) 23:56, 14 September 2015 (CEST)