Manipulating A Instance (12/9/2022)

Violet is chilling on the couch as she watches SEL

There is a knock at the door

“Hm?”

Violet walks up to the door as she opens it

Lema is standing there, accompanied by Blally.

“Oh! Hello Lema! Blally! What pleasure do I have of you two being here?”

"Uh, did you forget that we were going to start your training, or did you think we had forgotten?" She shakes her head and scoffs.

Blally pushes her way in, without speaking.

Lema remains outside, and waits for you to invite her in, like an old-school vampire

Violet gestures them to come in

“Oh! I see! Well come on in!”

Lema smirks and steps inside. She takes a look around before asking, "Where is your Powderpuff?" 

“Probably upstairs? I hope she is ok.”

When Lema walks in Lema can see a bag full of stuff and some pills on the coffee table, Violet’s laptop and notebook can be seen on the couch

"Oh, drugs! Can I have one?"

“Um No! Unless you want to forget everything and your personality changes. Which still; no.”

"maybe later"

You hear shouting coming from the bathroom.

"Violet, is someone here?"

“Yea! Lema and Blally are here!”

Violet shouts back

Violet hears a shriek.

"Give me like... 5 minutes! I'm so sorry!"

“You alright dear?!”

"I...uh...yeah..."

Lema changes the subject

"So, since neither of you are familiar with manipulating instances, I figured we could start with channeling a single instance. One we know to exist. When we arrived today!"

Blally heads for your kitchen

“Alright! How would we do that?”

Lema laughs. "This is going to be difficult, isn't it? Oh, Lavenders..."

“What is that supposed to mean? Just curious because I don’t get a Lavender hand book or anything of what I can or can not do.”

"Very true. I keep forgetting that. I suppose I'll have to explain... Oh, dear... Blally!" She looks around "Where has that silly girl gone off to?"

“I think the kitchen?”

Violet walks over to the kitchen

“Blally?”

Blally returns with a huge sandwich. She takes a bite

"Yeah?"

“Oh! Wow. Um. Lema needs you to explain some things.”

"How would you explain manipulation of instances, Dear?"

"Uh, recalling memories and then making right now the memory, I guess... It's all about perspective."

"Precisely!"

Grass emerges from the bathroom with her hair in a perm

"Sorry... I was... Trying something new."

She bows to the Licorices. They nod her toward them and look back to Violet.

“It looks amazing! You look beautiful.”

She gives Grass a smile as she turns back to the Licorices

“So it’s like time travel?”

Grass smiles shyly

"I mean, if you want to simplify it."

"It's more like sharing with all of yourself. Your existential being... From birth to death, we are one being, connected by time, like a very long centipede."

"All of you existed and already exists... You just have to switch with a part of yourself. Your consciousness, I mean."

"You have to become aware of yourself. All of yourself"

Grass looks to Violet with an eyebrow raised.

"I think that millipede fits better here, actually... think about how one moves, a set of legs at a time... You, right at this moment, are the legs that are moving."

“Hmmm I see… Would Buttons count? My R053?”

"All of you."

“So yes… hmmm alright. Where do we start? Like step 1.”

"Finding out how to move the legs that are already in motion. Right, Blally?"

Blally nods.

"This moment is a memory. Encapsulate it in your mind. Live in this moment and do not let it pass. Now, go back to the beginning of when this memory started and return. Both of you practice this five times. When we entered should be the front of it. The ending is now. Can you see it, as a visceral object? A time pocket."

“How can I see one? By imagining the memory?”

"Relive it to now, from when we entered your home. Time travel does not exist in this form, but your life does. All of it, always."

Violet closes her eyes and thinks back, thinks back the words that were said, the slights that she saw when she heard the knocking, the feelings she felt. As she try’s to ‘step into’ the memory

"Okay, now take a look at your clock and repeat this five more times."

As Violet does, the clock before Violet fades into the memory, Violet's eyes no longer seeing, as the memory overpowers you. When the five times have been completed, Violet's eyes clear to reveal that only five seconds have passed.

"Woah... Violet is it just me or did almost no time pass  when we did that?"

Blally doesn't allow Violet to respond and instead speaks over her. "Good. That means you both were living in, or nearly living in, that instant. Now... Do it again, but this time, think back to when we first arrived, and then do not allow yourself to return here. All that exists is that moment." 

As Grass and Violet do so, Lema steps forward and clasps Grass' shoulder. Blally does the same with Violet. Suddenly, the memory fades, but is are no longer within the house. Lema and Blally are standing outside again. Grass is nowhere to be seen.

"We had to pull you through that time, but in time, you will be able to focus and "snap into it" like we do."

Blally, pushes past Violet again and beelines for the kitchen, to remake the sandwich. 

"Hey, now! Blally, I'm hungry too! Why don't we all go out for Taiwanese food? I think the Lavenders have had enough for one day, let the idea sink in a bit!"

With that, Blally returns and places a hand on Violet and Lema's shoulders. They all vanish in a burst of distortion. Grass emerges a moment later, having been left behind. Grass sighs. Suddenly, Lema appears in the bathroom behind her. Grass shrieks and stumbles forward, tripping over nothing. She spins around and looks up at the Licorice, embarrassed for haven fallen. Lema grabs ahold of her hand, seeming to aid her in standing, but the two vanish on contact. 

“Wha-?!”

We went to a restaurant. Blally wanted food. - Violet

Violet and the gang appear here in a flash of distortion

"I mean, if you give us $1 level service, you get $1 tip. It's that simple."

Blally looks around 

"Wait, why did you bring us here?"

Violet looks around

“I guess it is somewhere I remember. Used to be a second home for me for a while and were I met Grass.”

Some time pasted and I needed some time to myself - Violet

Violet find a place to sit by herself as she collects her thoughts as she starts to research on simulations and reality as a whole

There's a slight creak amongst the trees. It's something subtle, but still there.

Violet looks around, unsure of the noise but pays no attention for now

The small creak starts to become a rustle. There's a sudden feeling of being watched.

Violet gets up as she looks around towards the rustling

"Hello?" 

Nothing seems to reply, but the eyes still seem to be metaphorically there, including a steady feeling of dread settling in.

Violet goes back to her notes and sitting down, but keeping her guard up with the uneasiness she is feeling, looking up now and then to make sure nothing might appear

Whatever it is, is playing the long con. Just a simple gaze, from no real direction. A continuous stare that you can't see. It worsens the dread, just a little.

Violet try's to just distract herself from the dread and unseeing gazing eyes by research and taking notes in her notebook. Trying to over come this sense of panic of the unknown from these feelings

The feeling is still there, and remains. It's getting a bit overbearing, but not by much.

Violet decides it's not going away as she try's to sleep, thinking that sleeping it off might help and make it go away

The feeling of being watched IMMEDIATELY GETS WORSE the second Violet closes her eyes, following such, there's the sound of something approaching, fast.

Violet immediately opens her eyes in a a panic of being watched and with the approaching sound as she stands with a vine whip at the ready

There are eyes peering down at Violet from amongst the trees. Bright, yellow ones, following a low rumbling growl. No other features can be made out, but all of the feelings prior have been peaked just by the sight of it.

Violet look towards the eyes as she backs up against a tree

"H-Hello? Who are you."

It says nothing. It's gaze is fixated on Violet, and it seems to be slowly and steadily circling the area around her, amongst the trees.

Somehow, as she looks at it, the forest around you seems darker. Pitch black, almost, with only the moon above providing any light.

Violet think for a moment before making the decision

She is booking it! She is getting away and far from the creature!

The pair of eyes leave from sight, but Violet can hear heavy footsteps chasing behind her.

She keeps running! Running as fast as she can!

Violet eventually slows down and try’s to fly up, hoping whatever was chasing her can’t fly

Seems that Violet's hopes are true. In fact, the dark woodlands prior seems to dissipate as well! Including all the feelings prior, except for the dread of such a thing returning. The dread of being hunted like an animal.

Violet takes a sigh of relief as looks around for the creature, seeing if she can get a look at it while in the air 

Gone, vanished into thin air without a trace

Violet lands back on the ground with her guard up as she walks back to the area where the group is

Suddenly, Grass, Blally and Lema reappear. Where they were before is unclear.

"Where the hell did you go?"

"So, I told Opal to get in line, like they stood a chance anyway..."

Grass hugs you, suddenly. She seemed concerned for you.

Violet hugs back

“I’m fine. Everything alright?”

"You just disappeared yesterday... We camped out here waiting for you... Where did you go? I was so worried"

“I took a walk and then got chased by some creature… it had yellow eyes. I feel like I was getting hunted, but I’m fine right now.”

Grass looks around.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should head back..."

"No, it's fine... Whatever it is is not to be feared. I can take it."

"Was anyone even listening to my story?" Lema places her fists on her hips and scowls.

Violet looks to Lema

“What happened with Opal?”

"Like you care... She gets excited. That jerk asked me out! Can you believe it?! A Blanco with a Licorice! I mean, they are high ranking among the Blanco, but still." She starts laughing

"Yeah... Anyway, I think we need to head home... Blally, care to do the honors?"

"No."

"What?"

"No. You two need the practice. You two bring us home."

“Alright!”

Violet focuses as she does what Blally taught them, remembering the home Grass and Violet have spent these past couple of months at, the smell, the sights, the touch. Hoping she can get it down perfectly this time 

Violet's eye starts to burn, as the world begins to distort. Suddenly, they are all at the house again. All of them, including the other two Licorice and the Blanco.

"Fucking shit! The bitch can shit bricks!"

"Hey, just the people we were looking for! We drew something together for you all!"

Angie is wearing an orange bikini with hot pink stars printed on them. She jumps up from the floor and quickly hands Violet a stack of papers.

"Huh... That was unexpected... Your familiarity with this place must have made things easier."

“Oh wow that was… easy? Oh! Hello guys! What is this?”

Violet looks to the papers

Before you are various depictions of well... Violet and Grass getting swallowed whole by Angie. In some of the pictures, Violet and Grass both are peeking your heads out and smiling. In some, Violet's feet or an arm are sticking out of her mouth. Sugar has crudely drawn similar pictures with exaggerated smiles.

A booming voice speaks in Violet's mind

"This is what you need."

“Ummm thank you? What is this for?”

"Mother informed me of your mission. She temporarily linked to me this morning. You need to go into the Tower underground. This is how you do it. Our bodies are radiation proof... You simply have to allow Blally and I to eat you. Sorry, Sugar, but you are too small."

Grass peers over your shoulder to look at the drawings. She blushes. 

“Would that be safe to do? I’m all for it if so!”

Sugar stomps away with her arms crossed. She pouts in the corner mumbling profanities.

Blanco follows closely behind, mumbling the same things.

"Yes. It would be the same as it was with... Strawberry. We have storage units that we can reroute our mouths to, instead of our stomachs." 

”I see. Thank you. When shall we enact this plan?”

"Soon. You were able to manipulate instances once, but you need to have it down pat before entering a place like that... I can't instant shift with you in there. I will be able to lend you my functionality, so you may fight using my limbs, but I will merely be a mech suit until you are ejected. Many things will be left up to you and Grass."

”Understandable, I will try my best when the time comes.”

Grass is getting weirded out by you two staring at each other silently, using telepathy to speak.

"Uh... Everything alright?"

This stacked with the "vore" pics has Grass super freaked out.

"Yep. Everything is alright. Just planning."

Violet try's to teleport around the room as fast as she can to see if she can get it down faster

"Planning for what?" Grass' eyes widen

Violet is not able to do so. The memories aren't solid enough.

"Our first steps into defeating Raga."

Grass looks very confused. 

"I'll fill you in later. For now, is anything else needed?" 

"Can you fight?"

Violet summons a vine whip with very sharp thorns around it

"I can try my best."

"Show me. Outside."

Violet walks outside, getting in a fighting position

The Licorices notice there is a giant mech outside

Blally ignores it, her arms inflating as they open to reveal long, sword-like appendages. 

Violet does not waste a second as she try's to strike but not hurt badly at Blally's arms, trying to dismantle the weapons

Blally disassembles into two pieces, they slither to the sides and then strike at Violet from either side 

Violet rolls on the ground to dodge, trying to make the two parts attack each other at the last second as she dodges

They repel from each other, as if by magnets, turning back toward you. They strike again.

Violet takes the whip as she spins in a circle, trying to slice what she can with the thorns at the sides of the whip

It connects and the body splits into 8 pieces, they make a quick circle and attack from all directions. 

They aren't bleeding, but it did seem to affect them a bit.

Violet can see scratches

Violet shields herself with her wings, trying to figure out a weak spot

One of the pieces gets inside and wraps around your neck.

Violet keeps her wing up as she try to screams in fury as she try's to pull off the piece with her hands

The piece tightens its grip. 

The pieces outside, thrash to try to get inside too.

Violet try's to take her wing and try's to cut the piece on her neck as she starts to choke

Needles emerge from the end of the piece around your neck, it suddenly retracts them and then releases, slithering over your shoulder.

Violet turns to see where it is slithering to

As you do, another piece slips through your wings and wraps around your legs, tripping you. 

Violet falls to the ground as she try's to incase herself with her wings, trying to keep the pieces out, wondering where the needle piece went

You can feel the pieces striking at your wings, wriggling around you, trying to get in.

Violet try's to burst them anyway by opening her wings with a lot of force. Seeing no other option of what to do.

They are tossed away from you, slither away once they land and culminating back into Blally.

She charges at you with her sword hands

Violet try's to dodge under their legs as she turns around trying to impale them with her vine whip 

Blally dodges by jumping to the side, kicking your back as you pass under them. 

Violet goes face forward into the ground as she turns around on the ground to face the sky and Blally as she try's to block any coming attack with her wings

Apparently, her arms had separated again. There is one posed to strike at your face from either side, with needles sticking out from under their nails. Blally walks up to you and stands at your feet. She is smiling smugly. 

"Good fight! Hope I did good?"

Violet is kind of nervous with needles near her face but knowing that she wont harm her hard makes her not as worried

The needles retract, then the arms slither back to Blally, quickly reattaching themselves to her. She offers you a hand.

"Not bad at all, little Lavender." 

She takes the hand, pulling herself up to stand

"Thanks!"

"You still require further training of course, but I can work with this."

She looks to the house.

"You mind if I make that sandwich again when we get inside? I'm starving after all that."

"Of course! Go right ahead!"

A pizza delivery truck pulls up to the house. He unloads 5 large pies and heads for the front door.

"Nevermind... Looks like Lema ordered in."

"Well I guess we got food now."

Plumb lands beside the man, holding a huge chocolate cake. He angrily glares at the man, jealousy pulsing through every fiber of his body. He pushes past him, and delivers the cake before the pizza. He sticks his tongue out at the pizza guy and then flies off.

This was the start of a heated rivalry. A rivalry that would last for many years. Blood would be shed, lives would be lost, but for Plumb it would all be worth it in the end.