| Generated by Google Gemini Pro text-to-video AI software, powered by Veo 3.1 |
Over the last eleven months, Ravensgate Rescuer, Blue Wave, and Cardinal
Virtue have become—hands down—the most popular superhero team in town.
Seemingly in response to this, the gamemakers have upped their game,
introducing more advanced opponents to battle. They called the simulation
Underbelly because it was originally only meant to involve street level
conflict. Narratively, it would be nothing world-altering. They’re still not
at the point where aliens are descending from the heavens, but they do
supposedly come from other dimensions, and in massive numbers. The heroes
have proven more capable than expected. While the Flying Femmes are the
vanguard force, the team-up leaders, and the most celebrated, there are
plenty of others contributing in their own ways. Some of them die, but it’s
so much fun that the majority of them come back as new characters, or as the
same character, using some in-universe magical twist. This happens all the
time in the inspirational source material.
Reagan and Grover staged a highly scripted battle with each other around ten
months ago. It was televised, and not only in this dome. People all over the
world reportedly watched the events, and there are rumors that the “film”
has reached beyond Castlebourne, to other colonies and Earth. Wave Function
was looking for revenge for the second Ravensgate Rescuer’s death, even
though she came back. In the end, after some gruelingly emotional dialogue,
Velvet Thunder redeemed himself by sacrificing his own life to save Wave
Function, along with a handful of innocent bystanders. Wave Function
survived, but was permanently injured. The story goes that he retired to a
cabin in the middle of the woods, as per comic book movie protocol. In
reality, Reagan exited the simulation, and returned as a new character. He
now serves as the man in the chair for the Flying Femmes, servicing their
advanced wing technology, unseen by the public. He needs to hone his
mechanical skills with modern tech. Grover, on the other hand, left the dome
entirely, and is now shredding gnar in Winterbourne Park.
The universe has expanded. Elysia headlines a new immersive superhero story
set under a new dome. Seagate is an oceanside city, which has its own series
of beaches, but also butts up against Polar Tropica. While you can’t
actually pass from Seagate to the gigantic dome that covers the south pole
ocean, it’s out there, and visitors who have nothing to do with Underbelly
can come right up to the transparent barrier between them. The girls have
visited their friend several times, but the Flying Femmes have not yet
fought alongside Elysia’s new character, Seagate Savior. They’re planning a
huge crossover event for the end of the month, though. They might have done
it sooner, but the gamemakers wanted Seagate to stand on its own for a few
months before they introduced a more complex story structure. Incidentally,
Elysia didn’t name herself. She elected to go out there with an oceanic
theme, and the press came up with the moniker. Behind the scenes, since the
public are AIs, it was likely the developers’ idea.
Morgana has been quiet. Mandica’s theory is that she orchestrated the whole
thing with the jewelry store and the stone. There were a few too many
coincidences. On the day of the attack, she used a different sword than she
typically wielded. The real Philosopher’s Stone just happened to be on
display there. They weren’t even going to go there in the first place, but a
salesman encouraged them as they walked by. Did Vanore want her to somehow
become the Ravensgate Rescuer? Has this been her twisted way of fulfilling
what Mandica now believes were her parents’ wishes? She wants to ask her,
but she would have to find her first. They know she has shapeshifting
technology, so she could be anyone. She could be watching them up close
every single day, holding her agenda close to the chest. They try not to
worry about it too much, because until she makes a move, there’s really
nothing they can do about it.
Today, they’re concerned with something else. Despite knowing that Mandica
came to this planet illegally, the executive administrative authority has
never said a word. The apparent owner mentioned something to Elysia
before, but nothing has happened yet. That has recently changed. A man named
Hrockas Steward has entered the simulation, and set up a meeting with
Mandica, as well as any friends she would like to bring. Blue Wave is on
patrol, but her other two team members are with her, dressed in civilian
clothing. They’re in the elevator, heading up to the penthouse. “Do you
wanna run? Jaidia asks. “We can run. We’ll find a way out of this dome, and
hide somewhere.”
“They’ll find me,” Mandica replies. “It’s okay. If it turns out they want to
punish me, or send me back to Earth, it will be on them.”
“I don’t think they’re gonna do that,” Reagan determines. “They don’t care
about Earthan laws, and it would cost resources to ship you all the way back
there. Before you ask, it’s illegal to digitize someone without their
consent, so they would need a ship.”
The doors open. Only one security guard is waiting for them in the
antechamber. He’s wearing armor, but has poor posture. He’s not nervous,
which he shouldn’t be. They have no plans to harm Mr Steward. They didn’t
even bring their wings. “Good afternoon, visitors. My name is Dominus Azad
Petit. Miss Kolar, he would like to speak with you alone at first. The
others can wait out here with me. I assure you, it’s safe.”
“It’s fine,” Mandica says when the others look like they’re about to
protest, particularly Reagan. She goes in alone.
A man is standing at the window, looking out at the skyline. This is the
best view in town, but if he owns the whole planet, he probably has better
ones. He turns to face her. “Miss Kolar. Thank you for coming. I figured it
was time we met.”
“Are you kicking me out?” Mandica asks, deciding to be bold.
“Quite the opposite,” he says. “If you had come here legally, and followed
proper procedure, you would know that it is also against the law to exit a
simulation in any substrate constructed for the purposes of inhabiting and
taking action in that simulation. When your friends leave, they do so in
their original bodies, or rather, whatever they were wearing on the outside
before. Since you are undigitized, that is not possible for you. You are
walking around in an incredibly powerful substrate that is outside my
purview. I am here partially to ask that you remain here, or digitize. I
cannot have it getting out that I made any exception. Your situation is too
complicated to explain to the other visitors, or the citizens. I cannot
force you, I can only ask.”
“Yeah,” I can do that,” Mandica agrees. “For now. But I might live forever,
and I won’t want to live forever here.”
“I understand. If you would like to leave in the future, please reach out to
me first so we can discuss. But that’s not really why I wanted to talk. I’ve
decided to divulge to you that you are not the only stray under the dome.
One other breached our defenses.”
“Who? Who else would come to such a dangerous place unprotected?” she asked.
“I never said that she was unprotected. She is actually more powerful than
you. I can’t seem to track Morgana, and was hoping to employ your services
towards that end.”
