06-01-2016, 12:00 AM
With their work in Bilgewater completed, the trio of Cinnabar residents had quickly departed to the sea once more. Not only did they have no further business on Blue Flame Island, but the Liberation Front would certainly begin looking for them for retaliation over the Hypno’s death. The three were in agreement that they needed to keep the battle to the hidden base, instead of in city streets.
The small live-aboard boat was crowded with just one person, and three was pushing the limits to new levels. Syril had taken to sleeping on a small couch built into the wall in the obscenely small living area, while Matrix and AndrAIa crowded onto their small bed. With no sails and no autopilot, however, they were forced to simply cut power and drift in the water at night, and the first one to wake up would have to start the motor back up and continue the voyage towards the remote island.
In the dead of one night, Matrix found himself sitting on the deck at the front of the boat, relaxed into a soft cushion seat. The front part of this boat was likely used for sunbathing by its previous owners, but the wide area was useful for him as the only place he could find a little bit of space. He was holding a gigantic circular sea shell, more specifically adjusting the grip on the backside of it that would allow him to use it as a shield. He held it in his right arm, and though he did not stand immediately to fully test it, he did swing it around from his seated position to get a feel for it.
“Are you still up?”
Matrix looked over his shoulder to see AndrAIa approaching him, her facial expression sleepy yet quizzical. He smiled as he saw her, and watched as she sat down next to him. It was then that he held up the shield, and AndrAIa couldn’t help but give a wide smile. Matrix handed her the giant sea shell, and she was eager to take it and inspect it.
“Wow. I never thought I’d see this again,” AndrAIa clearly blown away by the shield.
The shield had been hers, a long time ago. It had been lost during their travels in the games, and she had actually been quite saddened by that. After all, the breastplate was one of the few things that she truly owned, and it had reminded her of her original home, the underwater game that she’d met Enzo in.
“It’s a little bigger now,” AndrAIa observed Matrix’s use of Omnilium to enhance its size.
“Well, so are we,” Matrix shrugged. “I figure it might make a good shield.”
AndrAIa nodded, then handed it back to Matrix. “You keep it.”
“Are you sure?” Matrix was surprised. He’d known how much she missed that sea shell.
“Yea. I’d rather you have something of mine close by,” AndrAIa smiled as she spoke. “Besides, I’ll use it if I need it.”
Matrix laughed, and set it down between them. “Sounds like a deal.”
He looked to AndrAIa though, and saw her smile fade. Something was heavy on her mind, that much was obvious. He studied her in silence for a moment, waiting on her to notice him doing so. She didn’t, which meant she was really focused on something.
“So, why are you still up?” Matrix expressed his concern in the easiest way he knew to transition the topic.
AndrAIa reached down and picked up the shield, looking over the details and grooves in it. She studied it closely, noting all the imperfections that she knew well about the familiar object.
“Do you think this shield is still back in the system we lost it in, and this is a duplicate?” AndrAIa asked, looking from the shield to Matrix. “Or did we pull it from our world to this one, and its gone from there?”
“I don’t really know, to be honest,” Matrix admitted. “That’s why I didn’t want to bring you and Frisket here in the first place.”
“It’s just…” AndrAIa thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “You summoned me here the same way you summoned this shield. It’s like the old sea shell I used to use, but it’s bigger. That means it’s different. Modified.”
“What are you getting at?” Matrix started to understand her train of thought, but wanted her to keep explaining where she was going with this.
“If you summoned these creations of your imagination, and shaped Omnilium into them, then am I any different?” AndrAIa asked. “Am I actually AndrAIa?”
Matrix let out a heavy sigh. It was a good question that he didn’t know the answer to. But he knew what she needed to hear.
“Of course,” Matrix said with all the confidence he could. “The only difference is that I can use this Omnilium stuff. One day, though, we’ll be back in Mainframe and everything will be as it was.”
AndrAIa nodded absentmindedly, clearly not convinced. “It’s just... I don’t know.” She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s what the Librarian AI told you, too.”
“About the different worlds?” Matrix asked, cocking an eyebrow. Now he really had no idea where she was going with this.
“Yea, all that,” AndrAIa said. “About the games being representations of other realities. Places like Tatooine and Krypton actually existing, beyond what we’ve experienced in the games. But I'm from a game. Does that mean there’s a more complete version of me out there?”
“If there’s another version of you out there, it doesn’t matter,” Matrix adamantly shook his head. “You’re AndrAIa. You’re the one I fell in love with. No matter what, no other version of you can take that away from us. Alright?”
AndrAIa smiled. She wasn’t totally satisfied, but the words had been good to hear. She was still herself.
“I know what it’s like,” Matrix reminded her. “Remember when Little Enzo showed up after the reformat?”
“I do. I’ve actually thought a lot about that, during all this,” AndrAIa nodded. She looked over to see Matrix’s worried face, and ended up giving a genuine laugh. “I’ll be alright. Thanks for the concern.”
Matrix smiled, and stood up. AndrAIa handed the shield to him once he did, but didn’t move to get up herself.
“I’m just going to think a bit longer. I’ll come to bed soon. I promise,” AndrAIa said.
“Alright. Don’t take too long,” Matrix responded. “We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
AndrAIa nodded as Matrix disappeared below deck, and took a calming breath. She gazed out over the endless sea, finding some comfort in the familiar terrain. Her worries were still there, but they would have to be shelved for the time being. They had work to do, and it’s not like they were getting answers any time soon, regardless.
The small live-aboard boat was crowded with just one person, and three was pushing the limits to new levels. Syril had taken to sleeping on a small couch built into the wall in the obscenely small living area, while Matrix and AndrAIa crowded onto their small bed. With no sails and no autopilot, however, they were forced to simply cut power and drift in the water at night, and the first one to wake up would have to start the motor back up and continue the voyage towards the remote island.
In the dead of one night, Matrix found himself sitting on the deck at the front of the boat, relaxed into a soft cushion seat. The front part of this boat was likely used for sunbathing by its previous owners, but the wide area was useful for him as the only place he could find a little bit of space. He was holding a gigantic circular sea shell, more specifically adjusting the grip on the backside of it that would allow him to use it as a shield. He held it in his right arm, and though he did not stand immediately to fully test it, he did swing it around from his seated position to get a feel for it.
“Are you still up?”
Matrix looked over his shoulder to see AndrAIa approaching him, her facial expression sleepy yet quizzical. He smiled as he saw her, and watched as she sat down next to him. It was then that he held up the shield, and AndrAIa couldn’t help but give a wide smile. Matrix handed her the giant sea shell, and she was eager to take it and inspect it.
“Wow. I never thought I’d see this again,” AndrAIa clearly blown away by the shield.
The shield had been hers, a long time ago. It had been lost during their travels in the games, and she had actually been quite saddened by that. After all, the breastplate was one of the few things that she truly owned, and it had reminded her of her original home, the underwater game that she’d met Enzo in.
“It’s a little bigger now,” AndrAIa observed Matrix’s use of Omnilium to enhance its size.
“Well, so are we,” Matrix shrugged. “I figure it might make a good shield.”
AndrAIa nodded, then handed it back to Matrix. “You keep it.”
“Are you sure?” Matrix was surprised. He’d known how much she missed that sea shell.
“Yea. I’d rather you have something of mine close by,” AndrAIa smiled as she spoke. “Besides, I’ll use it if I need it.”
Matrix laughed, and set it down between them. “Sounds like a deal.”
He looked to AndrAIa though, and saw her smile fade. Something was heavy on her mind, that much was obvious. He studied her in silence for a moment, waiting on her to notice him doing so. She didn’t, which meant she was really focused on something.
“So, why are you still up?” Matrix expressed his concern in the easiest way he knew to transition the topic.
AndrAIa reached down and picked up the shield, looking over the details and grooves in it. She studied it closely, noting all the imperfections that she knew well about the familiar object.
“Do you think this shield is still back in the system we lost it in, and this is a duplicate?” AndrAIa asked, looking from the shield to Matrix. “Or did we pull it from our world to this one, and its gone from there?”
“I don’t really know, to be honest,” Matrix admitted. “That’s why I didn’t want to bring you and Frisket here in the first place.”
“It’s just…” AndrAIa thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “You summoned me here the same way you summoned this shield. It’s like the old sea shell I used to use, but it’s bigger. That means it’s different. Modified.”
“What are you getting at?” Matrix started to understand her train of thought, but wanted her to keep explaining where she was going with this.
“If you summoned these creations of your imagination, and shaped Omnilium into them, then am I any different?” AndrAIa asked. “Am I actually AndrAIa?”
Matrix let out a heavy sigh. It was a good question that he didn’t know the answer to. But he knew what she needed to hear.
“Of course,” Matrix said with all the confidence he could. “The only difference is that I can use this Omnilium stuff. One day, though, we’ll be back in Mainframe and everything will be as it was.”
AndrAIa nodded absentmindedly, clearly not convinced. “It’s just... I don’t know.” She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s what the Librarian AI told you, too.”
“About the different worlds?” Matrix asked, cocking an eyebrow. Now he really had no idea where she was going with this.
“Yea, all that,” AndrAIa said. “About the games being representations of other realities. Places like Tatooine and Krypton actually existing, beyond what we’ve experienced in the games. But I'm from a game. Does that mean there’s a more complete version of me out there?”
“If there’s another version of you out there, it doesn’t matter,” Matrix adamantly shook his head. “You’re AndrAIa. You’re the one I fell in love with. No matter what, no other version of you can take that away from us. Alright?”
AndrAIa smiled. She wasn’t totally satisfied, but the words had been good to hear. She was still herself.
“I know what it’s like,” Matrix reminded her. “Remember when Little Enzo showed up after the reformat?”
“I do. I’ve actually thought a lot about that, during all this,” AndrAIa nodded. She looked over to see Matrix’s worried face, and ended up giving a genuine laugh. “I’ll be alright. Thanks for the concern.”
Matrix smiled, and stood up. AndrAIa handed the shield to him once he did, but didn’t move to get up herself.
“I’m just going to think a bit longer. I’ll come to bed soon. I promise,” AndrAIa said.
“Alright. Don’t take too long,” Matrix responded. “We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
AndrAIa nodded as Matrix disappeared below deck, and took a calming breath. She gazed out over the endless sea, finding some comfort in the familiar terrain. Her worries were still there, but they would have to be shelved for the time being. They had work to do, and it’s not like they were getting answers any time soon, regardless.