Chapter Text
Anyone would feel bad for them. A child, locked and forgotten in the basement of nowhere, with the only two individuals aware of their existence engrossed in eternally meaningless conflict. After all, a single child is irrelevant to the all-consuming nature of hatred.
But it's not so bad down here, they think. There's a deceptively average amount of things to do, and a part of them feels like the whole situation may have been their fault anyway. So they don't mind waiting... however many loops it takes.
For example, they can use the removable (and scarily sharp) back cover of the television remote to etch things into the walls - like words and drawings. It's not as good as a pencil or crayons, which they faintly recall using quite a long time ago. But they know those memories aren't their own, so they try to form new ones instead.
Or they can sit and lay their head on the windowsill, watching the neon void outside their little cell. It shifts and distorts whenever the conflict worsens, often slipping from soothing purple to writhing magenta. Staring out the window should make them feel impatient and restless, like they remember. But the feeling never sticks.
The bookcase, surprisingly enough, is the most unique part of the room. One would think that after an eternity in the same room, they'd have memorized any available reading material front to back. But each time this world turns back, the books seem to change. Sometimes it's the World Machine's code, other times works of the Author. Usually, it's gibberish.
If they ever get bored of the room itself, there's always a comfy bed to nap in. Not to actually sleep, of course - try as they might, they've never needed any rest. But when they close their eyes, they see... something. Distant points of view constantly stopping and starting, but always from the same three beings. It gives them an idea of what happens outside. Helps them feel like something is changing, ever so slowly.
For now they sit on the drab, worn rug and etch another drawing into the door. Perhaps this one could be about Rue. The World Machine already knows everything about them, visually or otherwise - knowledge they've had plenty of time to pull. It's just a matter of learning to capture their likeness.
But the child only manages the head and neck before there's a peculiar click behind the door they're vandalizing. Their ear twitches in surprise as they peer upward, waiting. This is new.
A tense, motionless minute passes as they watch the still wood. They don't know what they're waiting for, truthfully. They never planned for this.
The child eventually stands, draping a sleeve over the knob as they cautiously grasp it.
For the first time, the doorknob turns.
The Tower.
A long drop of blood leaks down your hand, dissolving just short of your wrist.
The Tower. You were in the Tower. You can still see it now, foggy as it is.
Someone gently pokes your shoulder.
How did you know it was the Tower? You've never been-
[What now, then?] Silver drops into the seat across from you, sounding much less stressed now that you're back in the cabin. You shake yourself back to reality, watching her throw a grey bag marked with a red plus sign onto the table. [The world was doomed before, but without the sun-]
"That sun was a fake." You lay your arms on the table, rolling up your sleeves to check your injuries. "...Probably."
She pauses, shooting you an unbearably doubtful look. [A fake sun.]
"I swear! Niko-" You pause to look at the child sitting next to you. There's two Nikos, remember. "The other Niko gave us their sun, which they said we could break. So it's fine..."
"Yeah! The real sun is a lot warmer, and if they had broken it..." Niko doesn't finish that thought, instead slinking back into their chair.
[Okay,] Silver gestures for your hand, which you reluctantly give them. [Where is the real sun, then?]
"With the other Niko. They're heading through the ga-ah-" Pain burns through your arm as Silver pours rubbing alcohol onto your cut hand, catching the spills with a white rag. Niko leans into the table to get a closer look, their expression ruled by concern. You swallow and let out a breath, composing yourself. "...t-the gas zones."
[There's robots out there, too.] She removes a roll of bandages from the bag without breaking eye contact. [You're certain that's a good idea?]
"Can never be certain." The thick cloth wraps around your hand, prickling your already agitated nerves. "We didn't really have a choice, though. The only other way to safety was blocked off, and there was no way they'd let us keep the sun."
[You made the right decision. That much was obvious-] She effortlessly tears the bandage. [-when they dropped the sun off a cliff.]
"Right." You stretch your covered hand, testing your flexibility. It aches when you utilize your full range of motion, but it's still a step up from an open wound.
[You need to get to the Tower, right?] Silver packs up her medical gear, returning it to the shelf it came from. [Which means you need to find a way to the Glen. You can get there by boat...] Her explanation trails off when she notices the absence of choice.
"Or the mines, right?" You look over at Niko, who nods in agreement.
[The mines?] She raises an eyebrow. [I... don't believe so. Even if there is, it's much too unsafe for that. Nobody's been in there for a while.]
Niko straightens up when they hear this. "Actually, there is someone in there! His name is Prototype. He's also a robot."
[A robot..?] Silver falls silent, formerly active hands coming to rest.
"The Author told you about him, right?" Niko says.
[A long time ago, yes.] She sighs with unfocused eyes, lost in her memories. [I've... lost hope since then.]
"But it's true..!" The child huffs.
[...Sorry. You're right.] She brushes a strand of hair from her face. [Even so, there's no way through the mines. The deepest tracks must be ruined by now, and there's not even a minecart to ride them.]
"Is there another option?" You don't think she knows about the lone working rowbot, but even if it didn't try to dump you in the middle of the ocean, the boat only fits one person.
[...There's an engineer transport vehicle, still here in the Barrens. Don't know who sent it back from the Glen.] She shrugs. [But it's been docked here for a while now. But there's no telling if it still even works...]
You don't recall seeing that. "Where is it?"
[Waiting by the dormitories, last I saw.] Silver crosses her arms. [But there's no way either of you would make it there. For a multitude of reasons.]
You nervously yet rhythmically tap a finger on the table. You'd rather not make that trek, if possible. For some reason, the prospect of embarking on that boat brings a sturdy feeling of dread. "...What if we could get a minecart?" A question that, unfortunately, assumes quite a lot.
[...After you made an elevator appear from thin air? Sure.] She nods. [We could attempt to navigate the mines. No promises, though.]
With her affirmation, you slip the journal from your pocket and begin flipping through it, searching for a familiar drawing of the mines. If it's here, you'll have just the exit you need. Niko peeks over your shoulder, attempting to follow your maddening search.
But you only find that same daunting message, written for you, and a detailed drawing of a now-quite-existent elevator. Despite your hopes, this journal does not come with a drawing of the mines. Still, if someone could draw out that scene...
"Oh!" Niko shouts beside you, jumping up from the table. "You're back!"
You tear your gaze from the journal, focusing on the child wandering through the doorway. They hold up the sun as a reassuring gesture, but it's clear they aren't in the best condition. They aren't sporting their bold grin and seem to have spots of dust rubbed into their overcoat, which troubles you.
You slide out of your chair and step towards them. "You okay?"
They slip a pre-written note out from their sleeve, deftly unfolding it before you can reach them. 'I am okay.'
"...Good." You nod and exhale with relief. "I'm sorry for sending you out there alone. You were our only option."
The child shakes their head in response, which you're not quite sure how to interpret. It doesn't seem to matter, though, as Niko appears next to you.
"You made it!" Niko awkwardly hugs their doppelganger, settling for embracing them from the side so the sun doesn't get in the way. Their similarly bulky hats collide immediately, but neither seem to care. "I was starting to get worried..."
The other child reciprocates the hug, but steps out of it a moment later to point outside. Their free hand beckons everyone else forward as they step back through the doorway.
You follow them on a short, tense walk toward the cliffs, eyes widening as the Barrens' fog fades in the situation at hand.
Both of the cliffs' exits have since gained a battalion of robots, standing like sentinels and no doubt looking for you. Even one of the dormitories' larger bots has turned up just to stand guard. Still, for one reason or another, none of the automatons dare attempt to traverse the treacherous cliffs.
You shudder as the closer group turns to face you in particular. Your companions follow behind you, with Niko gasping as they notice the predicament.
There's a beat as everyone takes in the opposition, until finally Silver speaks, [Well, I suppose we can try the mines...]
[You're sure this will work?]
You chuckle, watching the children hard at work. "Not really. But feel free to suggest other options."
In the dim light of the mines, both Nikos sit on the dusty cave floor, sketching out the tunnel leading deeper down into the pages of the journal. The children constantly trade the sole pen between each other, content watching the other draw in new details. The sun rests on the ground next to them, acting as an impromptu lamp to see the journal.
...It puts a smile on your face, despite the circumstances. You gradually look toward Silver, who seems much less amused. "Something the matter?" You whisper just low enough for only Silver to hear you.
[...No. No, it's...] Her eyes are glued to the mute child, watching with her arms folded. [It's nothing.]
"You're not that hard to read, you know." You chuckle. "If you have concerns, there's no better time than now."
The look that follows is one of reluctant vulnerability. Silver shuts her eyes and begins to speak softly. [...I know what it's like. When your insides are nothing but... circuit boards and wires.] A long, muted sigh. [Trying to seem like- to become your own person, even when you're shaped in the likeness of somebody else. That child reminds me of just that.]
When she finally opens her eyes, her face is decidedly uncertain. [I... don't know why I'm telling you this.]
"I'm glad you did." Over the past few hours, an array of odd things have come up about this child. But you can't deny their help has been invaluable. "You think they're a... robot?" You watch a silent giggle erupt from the child in question as Niko whispers to them. To you, they seem remarkably human.
[Maybe.] She shrugs. [They seem to do things a child shouldn't be capable of. What do you think?] Silver settles back into her indifferent demeanor, leaning against the cave wall.
"I think they've been a big help. Doesn't matter what they are, we'd be in a much worse situation without them."
She pauses, then nods. [Right.]
Out of the corner of your eye, you notice one of the children rise up from the cave floor before handing you the closed journal with a wide smile. You only recognize the child as your Niko when they speak: "We're done!"
You don't hesitate to flip through the booklet, landing on a new illustration that fills an entire page.
The drawing is, for the most part, rather detailed. There's an obvious clash of style, with one artist clearly using controlled, singular strokes while the other emphasizes their lines with a multitude of strokes. Somehow, this doesn't detract from the quality in the slightest. The sun is represented in the drawing as well, exactly where it sits on the ground at this very moment.
The other child stands in the middle of the room, gesturing to where you should stand. Their excitement grows as you carefully move to the recommended position. They disappear behind you.
Silver pushes herself from the cavern wall, walking to stand next to you. [This time, I'm watching.]
"Me too! Although I don't think we'll see anything..." Niko dashes to your other side, intentionally stopping just out of view.
"Alright," You hold the book in front of you, aligning it with your perspective of the mines. It's quite accurate, you note. "Don't blink..."
When you drop the journal back down a moment later, there's an oblong minecart occupying the previously empty track. You're certain everyone expected this, but there's a silence hanging in the air regardless. The child that stood behind you slides into your view, proudly presenting the mine's new addition with outstretched arms.
Niko breaks the silence, eyes wide as they whisper into their scarf. "Woah! I didn't see anything!"
[...My visual processing is several times faster and more precise than the average person's eye. Still-] Silver's long hair shifts as she curiously faces the recently manifested minecart. [I could not find a single moment between its absence and appearance.]
"It's magic." You tease.
[I hope your magic is sturdy enough to hold three people.] She slides onto the tracks, effortlessly tugging the vehicle just close enough for everyone to board it.
You watch the mute child scoop up the sun and get in line behind Niko, who easily climbs into the metal cart.
[Say, if you could draw anything you wanted, why pick an uncomfortably small minecart?] Silver holds the cart firmly in place as she speaks.
Intrigued, the other child attempts to explain. Sun firmly held under their arm, their free hand moves quickly but methodically as they pretend to draw on air, then hold up that drawing before moving an invisible object from one location to another. Once their 'explanation' ends, they smile wide.
[...I understand.] Silver lies, gesturing for the child to get in as well. They do so without a second thought.
As you get your turn to enter the cart, you notice that the remaining space is rather scarce. You'll be able to fit into the corner no problem, but everyone will be toe-to-toe no matter where you sit.
Oh well. You settle into the minecart, smiling to your companions as the vehicle lurches forward and you begin to descend into the mines.
"Do you want a break?" Niko asks, though they sound unsure whether they should be concerned.
[I'm not pushing.] Silver replies, pulling her hands off the cart. [These carts roll automatically.]
"Oh."
Despite this, she places her hands back on the minecart. [Besides, we should be stopping soon anyway.]
You hope that's true. Your knees are up to your chest just to make room for the other passengers, and the minecart is just tall enough to support your back but not your head. Plus, you're starting to feel those bumps and bruises from not long ago. This all blends to create a rather annoying cart ride, but who could complain? Things could be worse.
Niko idly pats their legs in some vague rhythm, either bored or tense. Their gaze gradually lands on the only source of light in the mines, realization flashing in their eyes. "Oh! Sorry for making you hold the sun." The messiah innocently reaches for the lightbulb, brushing the other child's arm.
The child recoils at their touch, holding the sun like a shield. Niko pulls their hands away, afraid they've done something wrong. That is, until their doppelganger lays a paper on the sun and begins to write on it.
'Can I hold a little longer' reads the hastily scribbled note, which they sheepishly present to Niko.
"Uh..." Niko breathes, confused. "...If you want."
In the blink of an eye, the child has added 'Thank you' to the end of the note before folding it into their pocket. They seem happier as the droning silence of the mines returns.
Niko hums something for a moment. "...I wonder what mama would think about you. I think she would like two of me." Niko smiles, wondering, "Wait, do you have your own version of my mama?"
They shake their head.
"Oh." Niko stares into their lap. "Do you... want to meet her?"
The child pauses, before nodding happily.
[We're here.] The sentiment is followed by a hard stop as the cart clicks into the track's end. [One of the old observation rooms, I believe.]
Wait. This... doesn't feel nearly as familiar. Even though you've seen this place (top-down, but still) and led Niko through it. How odd...
The three of you dismount with varying levels of caution, spreading out into the dank room. Diversely damaged terminals wall the room, with not one showing any sign of power. There's a steadily blinking energy cell in the corner, the only evidence of life this deep in the caves.
"Prooooootooooo?" Niko strolls ahead, hands clasped behind their back. Their shadow is cast on the wall by their figurative shadow, who carries the lightbulb.
Silver dismounts the track, staring ahead at the duo. [What are they..?]
"Prototype. The robot that the Author told you about." You watch the children wander deeper into the mines. "He lives down here."
[We should keep an eye on them.] Silver glances back at you, prompting a nod.
You only get a few steps farther before Niko calls your name, poking their head out of the doorway. "He's not here..."
Silent, you peer into the room to confirm. Of course, there's nobody there. Even the terminal in the corner is devoid of power. Although, suspiciously, the terminal has already been moved far enough aside to reveal the path to the Glen.
"Where else would he be..?" Niko looks up at you with sudden concern.
"I don't know." You scan the room for some semblance of a clue, but find nothing - not even tracks in the dust. "It seems like the power's out, too." Logically, it seems like one element can't exist without the other. The Author created the deep mines for solstice, right? This route only exists to meet Prototype, so where is he?
[What... is this?] Silver crosses her arms, eyes sweeping the room with suspicion.
"It's some sort of server room. Prototype uses it to watch over the Refuge, but without him here to keep it running..." You touch the terminal's keyboard, shocked when it suddenly springs to life. The plain light-blue background lights up the otherwise dim room, prompting you to shield your eyes.
When your eyes eventually adjust, there's a message plainly displayed on the screen.
[Are you there?]
Your companions look toward you with collective confusion. You cautiously approach the console, eyeing a blinking text field. The hum of the console blends with the keyboard's taps as you write out a response.
[who are you]
The words disappear into nothing. You wait patiently for a response.
[The... World Machine? Who else would it be?]
You raise an eyebrow. [prototype? this is his terminal]
[...What? You're in the mines?] The text clears almost instantly after you finish reading it, being replaced with a tense [You were supposed to be at the Tower by now. What happened?]
As you begin tapping out another reply, you notice everyone has gathered around you and set their focus on the terminal. [have you not been watching us? there's angry robots all over the barens] Niko points up at your typo, prompting you to fix it.
[I've lost control over the Barrens, and have minimal surveillance left in the rest of the world. I'd hoped you were out of there by now...] The words angrily jump up to make room for more. [Are you saying the robots have become hostile?]
[yeah] Silver stifles a laugh at your simple response.
[I'm... sorry. I don't know what the robots are being reprogrammed to do, but avoid them for now.] The input field briefly reappears before immediately being replaced by more text. [My adversary... it's like it knows exactly how to defeat me. Every hole in my security I desperately patch up only reveals two more.]
You exchange a worried look with Niko, but the rest seem more curious than afraid. [we are heading to the tower as fast as possible. why did you contact us?]
[I could sense Niko's distress, but had no way of knowing the reason.] Reading the text, Niko shoots you a nervous look. [I sent a signal out to each device I could still access... but I didn't know it could reach down here.]
[do you know where prototype is ?]
[I don't have sight in the mines. It was...] The line of text breaks. [I was never intended to see that deep.]
[can you see him anywhere else]
[No.]
Your hands lightly flatten onto the keyboard, having learned all that you intend to learn. The World Machine says the robot's hostility originates from the entity you're fighting, which seems logical. Prototype has mysteriously disappeared (if he was ever here at all), but judging by the moved terminal, he could be anywhere else in the world right now. And most importantly, you are already running out of time.
[okay we're gonna keep going. do you need anything]
[Nothing you have not yet given.] The uncharacteristically warm message provides you with a much-needed refill to your resolve, even through your sore bones. [I will buy as much time as possible, but I'm certain now that I won't win alone. Be safe.] The screen flickers to black.
Shortly after, Silver asks, [...Who was that?]
"That's who we're fighting for." You cross your arms. "The world."
