Chapter 259: Chapter 259

That... was not what Ale had expected, Ale was midway to kickstart the change when she got hit with a refusal and the shift was stopped and reversed midway.

Funnily enough she felt her body shift to her more natural state with the modifications creeping in, but since she didn't feel like she was in danger she decided to refuse and just let the multiple AI Cores return to her body, but not the more extensive modifications done to her body.

That is to say, Ale only allowed the return of the extra AI Cores to her shoulders and legs. Plus the one located on her chest.

"I guess, I don't really know your schedule of who spends most time out and at what times." Miriam Eversoul said to Ale's previous question, unaware that Ale had already attempted to get Alexa to come out.

"...Usually Alexa gets the mornings, since she has school. Then in the afternoon I get some time out." Ale answered automatically to the question, "Unless there is a mission, in which case we divide the time, sometimes the mission would be time for Alexandra. Who usually had the late afternoon and early night."

That had been how it was anyway.

"Also Alexandra gets a few minutes in the morning since she prepared our breakfast." Ale added, "I guess I'll take that now... Or I was planning to."

"But that will be my job now," Miriam Eversoul nodded at Ale, "Then that means that it's your time out? Or since you spent time out in the morning then this afternoon is Alexa's time?"

That was what Ale had planned, yes, and this was more like an example; they didn't really have a decided schedule after all.

But that wasn't the issue right now, "Right..." Ale turned to look at Alexa's room, "So, mind if I check something quick?"

"Ah right, might wanna settle in. I need to make some phone calls too, to get something set up. Make sure people know where to find me and stuff like that." Miriam Eversoul said pulling out her phone, "Also I really need to finish something I was doing before you both showed up, so have fun looking and checking. Can you stay alone a couple hours?"

Who did she think she was?

"Sure, we will unpack and talk about what to do in the meantime." Ale said nodding.

"Okay," Miriam Eversoul nodded at Ale's answer, "Don't open the door to anyone, you should be safe here since all the people in the city are employees and know better than most about abuse of power. I'll bring dinner then, any allergies or things you would want to eat?"

"Anything is fine," Ale said without thinking, "I like choco-mint ice cream, as for Alexa, anything mango flavored will do."

Alexa was very easy to please after all.

"Noted," Miriam Eversoul said walking towards the exit, "The fridge should have some stuff there, but I'll get some stuff tomorrow so we have a fully stocked pantry and fridge."

Ale didn't really need that much to be honest, so long they got biomass anything would do. In case of emergency they could even survive by just going around searching for trash. Not that she expected much from that if this city wasn't settled yet.

Actually, about that.

"Then this place only has employees from the Saintsworths?" Ale decided to ask now rather than later.

"Yeah, the families and prospective citizens will arrive at a later date." Miriam Eversoul said turning her attention to her watch, "I really need to go now, have fun!"

And like that, the woman waited a few seconds before closing the door, she just stood there, looking at Ale till the girl waved goodbye at Miriam Eversoul.

"Weird..." Ale said turning to the crystal sphere in the ceiling, "So you don't watch us while we are in the bed then?"

"That is correct Lady Ale." Albireo answered.

"Okay," Ale nodded and then threw herself into Alexa's water bed, it was... okay.

Closing her eyes Ale tried to access the Mindscape space, to no avail. The doors were closed for her, which was... weird.

"What's the deal now Alexa?" Ale said opening her eyes and looking at the ceiling, "You do know that you can't remain inside there 24/7 right?"

"Alexa doesn't want to come out!" Alexa answered from within, "It's not time yet!"

"... We don't have a schedule, what do you mean by it isn't time yet?" Ale asked confused, "You don't want to play around? Look, we have all kinds of plushies!"

Ale pulled one of the nearby plushies, it was a flesh puppet, the weird program Alexa and the other kids in Haephestus' Forge watched, Magmo was it? Ale didn't see the appeal of a flesh puppet to be honest.

"It isn't time yet!" Alexa repeated, "We aren't in the right season yet!"

"What are you talking about?" Ale asked confused, "Are you play-pretending about something?"

Ale had more questions than answers.

"If Alexa comes out she will kickstart the plot of the wrong season!" Alexa carried on with her weird talk, "Ale doesn't see it, but Alexa can! We are dancing too close to the wrong season! We need to go back home!"

"Alexandra sent us here, so this is our [Home]... At least for now," Ale sat down with her feet to the ground, "I want to at least find out why she sent us here."

"That's because the mom person is here," Alexa answered without waiting for a second, "But she wasn't supposed to be here! She was supposed to be in the Antartic Circle!"

The Antartic Circle? What the hell was Miriam Eversoul supposed to be doing there?

"Why the Antarctic Circle? Don't you mean the Arctic Circle?" Ale asked baffled, her time as a variety streamer had her play stupid games and silly things, one was GeoGuesser. So she was somewhat knowledgeable about those two spots.

The Arctic Circle was at the north pole of Terra Nova, it was accessible and somewhat more forgiving, even if it didn't have that much landmass. Compared to the Antarctic Circle, which is located at the South Pole. It had landmass... and it was also a frozen hell.

There was hardly any human activity, and the advent of the megafauna did not make it better, it made it so much worse.

"Because Alexa's haven was supposed to be constructed there!" Alexa carried on, "That's the original script!"

...Script? Wait a goddamned second..

"Alexa... have you been checking on The Theater Master shenanigans?" Ale asked, baffled. For a second, she had thought this was something else; perhaps Alexa had seen something about the Theater Master and decided to fuel her delusions with that?

But then again, what if this was something else? But how could it be?

Alexa and Ale had access to the same degree of information, if anything Ale had more information than Alexa, since Ale sometimes restricted the amount of data that Alexa could see from her time outside. Unlike Alexa, which had all the data freely available 24/7.

So there was no way that Alexa knew something that Ale didn't. Meaning, this was more than likely something like that.

"Say we return to Ohio then," Ale decided to try this approach then, "What am I supposed to do then? You heard the same as I did, if I return there and the mana poisoning is still in the area there, I will be unable to remain outside for more than ten minutes."

That was the main issue that Ale had been trying to resolve till Miriam Eversoul offered her to live together anyway.

"...But... Then the plot..." Alexa grumbled, "It will get all tingly... Gnnu...."

Ale could feel Alexa's reluctance tremble.

"But Ale... " Alexa continued grumbling within the Mindscape, even though Ale couldn't access it (And that kind of scared her to be honest), she could imagine Alexa sitting on their couch hugging her legs and puffing her cheeks, "... Fine... We can stay a few days, but Alexa will have her comeuppance!"

"That you will have," Ale said nodding, "Then what is the plan? Do you want to have the mornings? Or the afternoons?"

"Hmm... Alexa... is not sure, she hasn't planned for how the time in the city will look like yet, she thought we would have more time!" Alexa complained, "Ale can have today though, Ale needs time to deflate!"

"...Ah to let out my feelings you mean?" Ale said closing her eyes, "I... let out most of it already, when we saw Alexandra's coffin."

Ale had let out most of her grievances yes, and the ones she hadn't let out... weren't quite the things she would willingly show Alexa, that was not the kind of thing a little girl should see.

"Alexa will go to the back to file a complaint, so Ale can let it all out." Alexa sent the impression of a emote of herself nodding seriously to Ale, was it because Ale was a streamer? That was why Alexa was using her emotes? "But don't play with Alexa's toys! You have your own toys, and if you play with mine we will confuse them with the plotlines getting all tangly!"

And like that, Ale felt Alexa's presence diminish. The door to the Mindscape was finally open, but Ale got the impression that she wasn't able to quite get past the threshold.

She could take a peek inside, but not let her consciousness fall fully there. How was... why was Alexa even doing this? Ale and Alexandra knew that Alexa was capable of that of course. This was her body after all.

"Will do, then you must also not play with my things." Ale said to the presence of Alexa as it slowly disappeared from her awareness.

It was... terrifying to be honest, Alexa and Ale were the last presences that still inhabited that shared Mindscape. Main Core wasn't able to look there anymore, Alexandra was... gone.

And now that Alexa had gone god knows where, Ale was the only one remaining.

Same as it was in the apartment right now, she was alone in a place that had held more people before.

"What am I supposed to do then?" Ale couldn't help but complain as she stood up and walked out of Alexa's room, as soon as she exited the room she heard behind her the lock engaging.

"[In accord with the regulations and rules set up, the room was locked as the owner has left.]" Albireo spoke before Ale could ask.

"But... we are still here." Ale said pointing at herself, and then, to make sure of it. She walked to Miriam Eversoul's room and tried to open the door, only to find it locked too.

"[Lady Alexa's presence can't be detected, as such she was deemed as 'left'.]" So Albireo could detect Alexa? That was worrying, "[Miriam Eversoul is currently en route to the Lab 4, as such her room is also locked.]"

Lab 4? Wasn't she the head of Lab 2? Why was she going to Lab 4?

Not that Ale could do anything with that info, "Right...Well imma go to my room then," Ale said walking to her room, it was at the start of the corridor, "Say... do you know when our stuff is arriving?"

"[Transport of luggage is scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning, as all slots were already filled the Transport of it was delayed. Vulcanus is rearranging the Transport as we speak.]" Albireo answered promptly and provided even a number to track the Transport within the internal transportation network.

"... Why does it have an ant emblem?" Ale asked pointing to the logo on the tracking page, "Aren't eagles or hawks the emblem of the Saintsworths?"

"[The Ant is a logistic species, so that was deemed as the more appropiate logo for the delivery branch of the Saintsworths.]" Albireo answered showed a video feed of Vulcanus directing people and setting up a singular vehicle to transport all their belongings.

"Good enough I guess." Ale said walking to her bedroom, "I'm saying this just in case, but you aren't allowed to record anything about me for the remaining of this day and this night."

And with that Ale walked into the room letting the door close behind her. Albireo didn't answer, and Ale didn't question to see if that order would stick, she didn't have the pressence of mind for that.

Now that they were finally in a normal and more calm setting, everything was slowing down. The first thing that Ale noticed was the silence, both internal and external.

Ale let herself fall into the bed, unlike how it had been with Alexa's water bed, this one didn't change its form to accommodate Ale, so while it was comfortable and somewhat fluffy for some reason? It also made Ale turn her head to the side.

She did need air to breathe, even if she could get it by using the nanites to feed O2 into her bloodstream manually, there was something about breathing using one's mouth that made it more relaxing.

The fact that was the only sound in the room did not have anything to do with her decision of breathing with her mouth of course.

"Hahahah..." The silence did not disappear, not the one in the room and not the one inside her head.

Unlike most of the time there was no hidden program running at the back checking for things around them, there was no hidden agenda, no Alexandra at the back guiding her, no Alexa playing or running around.

Only Ale in a bed, in a room, in an apartment, in a building, in a city(?)... In an island.

"What is even the deal with this goddamned island, or facility, or program?" Ale couldn't help but complain aloud as she turned her body upwards, looking straight at the ceiling, "And what is the deal with Alexandra... And what is the deal with Miriam Eversoul, with Vivian Kellet... With Alexa... With Alexanders... With that purple woman Sapphire... With Albireo... What is the deal... with me...?"

"I don't get it, no matter how much I try to not think about it." Ale spoke to the ceiling, "Why did you do that? Really, there was no reason. It was my mistake after all... And yet..."

Ale couldn't help it, she had cried already yes, but even so. She couldn't get fully away from the issue, was she just repeating it again?

"...Oh god..." Ale's eyes reflected shock and dread all at the same time as the thought had bloomed innocently in her mind, "Maintenance will be a horror..."

And followed by that Ale couldn't help but burst out in laughter.

"... Wonder if I can convince Alexa to help me do it... Before we used to do it together, a bonding experience and whatnot, you said..." Ale said closing her eyes and covering them with one of her arms as she tried to not think about it, "... So now I will need to bond with Alexa huh... I mean, we didn't had that much things to fix in the last maintenance, and the time between each is stretching further and further... Perhaps soon we will not need it?"

That was something they were supposed to check on too, why was the maintenance cycle shortening, at first it was every other night. Then every other week...

And now Ale could feel that the next one was coming yes, but she couldn't feel the one after that, before they were aware of the next one after the one coming right at them.

So... what was the deal with that?