Irregular Pulse

"No," you mutter softly. "It's not n-normal."

Salty shakes his head slowly. "Well, t'oughta make it easier t'get on up, yeh?

You clasp his arm. In your other hand, you hold a coin-- an old coin you've always had. You don't know where it came from, but you know you never needed to go upstairs, you never needed to climb the tower, or meet Civilian, or any of the terrible things that happen.

CYCLESShow

"They'll have to stay within the nickel," Civvie says. "They can communicate outside of it, but..."

You try and reach out, but there is no 'you' left. Had to take it away. You were drained. This electronic form gives you new life. These inputs in your head fill the cognition that deteriorated. You try and reach out, and your nothing falters.

He stays silent a moment, before continuing. "I just don't... have the authority to print ghosts for anybody that comes by, as much as I might like to. But..." He leans forth, picking you up a moment. "...I can make you feel as if they're by you, if only for a moment."

That's all you ever wanted.

To be wanted.

"L-Let's not go up there," you rasp. "...I know wh-where that goes. It's n-not where I'm... s-supposed to be. Caught in n-nostalgia."

He looks confused. "Nostalgia?"

Tighter, tighter, you hold onto him. "Take me wh-where we're really supposed to be."

CYCLESShow

"...Laren?" trive says slowly. "I bit the plum, and I'm... er. I'm seeing something very strange."

Drinkmaster Greene leans forth, intrigued. Stax chuckles behind the bar. "Evil twin?" the starman asks, facetious.

Triver hand quivers, and trive drops the plum onto the counter. The words pour out of triv. "No," Klaxon says, "just a lot of... blue blood. He's s-sitting in front of me, and... a-and..."

Salty begins to move you back outside. The vast openness of the foundry, in constant flux, sparks and metal flying, has halted. Pure quiet, silence. Empty.

WhȻʽÂFτ̳ͯnjͷȟťɼcere does SÿȒƁĄ̧̑̍gΥ·̢alty take you?