*yep, we're reaching this point. Let's see what Mark has in store for everyone, shall we? Enjoy, and let me know what you think. Also, it's about damn time I thank everyone once again for the support. We've passed the 550 collections mark, reached way over 100k views, and I've seen a lot more faces around, reading and interacting. I'm more than thankful to all of you, and I dedicate this work of mine to you all, people who are willing to read and enjoy what I do. Thank God for giving me strength to keep writing even in my worst days.
Stay safe, everyone. Peace out and Deus vult.*
Mark set foot on the Space Station, walking out carefully. As a gesture of chivalry and more of an excuse to hold her hand, he helped Himeko off.
"What a gentleman."
Her smile was enough to make him forget all about his worries. The soft touch of her skin on his numbed any pain. Even as she walked off, he kept holding on to it unconsciously.
"You can let go now, you know?" teased Himeko, jabbing playfully with her words.
As he finally let go, a soft rosy color dusted his cheeks.
"Sorry, sorry, I was out of it. Let's just go find the big boss in here or something."
He walked off, with Himeko moving graciously by his side. The people present there were quick to greet her, smiling and gathering around to chat. In that moment, he remembered that she's quite the prominent figure, with fans in all sorts of places. As everyone went ahead to chat with her, he found himself lagging behind, staring at her back as if it were universes away.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
He shook his head, letting her talk away about whatever topics. Scientists just kept chatting about the most intricate topics, and Mark was listening, even if at some point he lost track of the discussion. Some things he just comprehended on the go from the name, while others were completely new words he had no clue about.
"I feel like a background character," he mumbled to himself. He was close to just walking off on his own, but something didn't let him. So, just like his pipe would usually rest at his side, he stood there in silence.
"I should have taken my pipe at least. No sword, no pipe on me, nothing... damn, I miss my comfort items..."
It felt like an eternity, but soon the masses were scattered, leaving just him and Himeko.
"Damn, I sometimes forget you're quite the scientist yourself, a well-known figure."
She smiled warmly at him, noticing how something about him felt off. It was his speech, even his subtle mannerism, the way his eyes kept wandering around, as if expecting someone else to just come in and steal her away.
"Feeling a little jealous that others are taking up my attention?"
He scoffed, arms crossed, as he kept walking. No way in hell he would ever admit that.
"Yeah, surely. Let's keep going, alright? I need to test these crazy stunts I have in mind."
She chuckled, finding his behavior to be a perfect fit for him.
"If you wish to discuss with Herta, we should first let Asta know so she could get her for us."
He sighed, tired of meeting more people over and over. Still, he chose to just go along with the flow. While she handled the chatter, he took a seat somewhere, staring off blankly. His thoughts were twirling around, the idea of pushing the limits feeling somewhat eerie now that he was close to doing it. Still, he had a lot to protect and a duty to strive for.
"Let my selfishness be worth something in the end. I might hurt those around me one way or another, but I only hope to actually make something out of it in the end—something for them as much as for me. My perfect ending..."
Himeko pointed over to him, which he noticed in the corner of his eye. Asta looked his way, but he simply threw them both a quick glance before returning to his solitude.
Steps clanked softly against the floor as they got closer. With a deep breath, he stood up, looking down right at Asta. For a split second, a hint of something akin to fear sparked in her eyes. He somehow caught it, but it only made him feel worse.
"I'm Mark, nice to finally meet you, Lady Asta."
He reached out for a handshake, trying his best to offer a tiny smile that displayed his sincerity. She shook his hand, studying him with a now friendly gaze.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Miss Himeko told me plenty about you and your special ability. Is it true? Can you actually...?"
He nodded, crossing his arms. He could only think that Himeko trusted the girl if she told her that sort of thing.
"Please keep it a secret, alright? I'm sure Himeko must trust you if she disclosed this bit of information. She must have also said that I wish to discuss with Herta, right?"
She nodded, checking her phone.
"I've sent a message, yet I'm unsure of when we will get an answer."
Mark scoffed subtly, moving the gears in his min. A tiny smirk appeared on his face, and Himeko could only think of trouble incoming.
"Could you tell her that there's a man here who wishes to try and push her Simulated Universe to the limits? Do state that I'm acting smug about it and calling it a 'pitiful attempt at replicating reality into a virtual environment, flawed by the limits of her understanding' or something along those lines. I have a feeling she's more likely to answer if we do this."
Her eyes widened for a moment, but she complied. With great dexterity, she wrote the message in a flash and sent it. Mark was counting the seconds on his fingers, reaching up to five before she got an answer.
"She said she'll come meet you in half an hour."
Mark smirked, chuckling to himself.
"Took her long enough. Five seconds seems much for her annoyance to flare up. If you want to get through to a supposed genius, you have to strike where it hurts: their research."
Himeko studied him, a tiny bit surprised by how he handled the situation.
"It seems that you like getting on the bad side of people, don't you?"
Mark waved a dismissive hand, unbothered. In his own way of seeing things, such a tiny bicker had no harm.
"She'll easily get over it. I'm sure she's more curious about the 'pushing to the limits' part of it. She's curious about what I have in mind."
The rest of the time passed smoothly as Asta and Himeko kept discussing various topics. Mark listened quietly, feeling like an idiot. At some point in his life, he'd found himself surrounded by smart people who made him feel like an idiot just by existing.
The room went quiet as everyone focused on working attentively, whispering only as the short puppet came into the room, walking in with an irritated look on her face. She stormed over to Asta and Himeko, looking dead set on something.
"Where's the idiot who dared mock my Simulated Universe?"
Mark waved from his spot on the chair, legs crossed, demeanor as casual as possible.
"Yo, I'm here, number 83."
He stood up, looking down at her as he walked closer. He scratched the back of his head, spending no time with pleasantries.
"Push it to the limits. I have a deal for you, Herta."
She rose a brow, which did spook Mark since the puppet looked so human it could easily give someone nightmares.
"Speak and don't waste my time. If your inquiry isn't worth being tested, make sure to see yourself out."
Cheeky things. Still, she had some minor flaws that did show themselves at times. Talk smack about someone's life work, and you might get a taste of their fist.
"Sure, it's easy. I want to use it and live in there for a 'Simulated 100 Years'."
Himeko's eyes widened, while Asta was left speechless.
"Mark, are you insane?"
Herta brought a hand up, motioning for her to remain silent.
"So, I'm pretty much aware of how it works, to a certain degree. Mimicked reality so well, even the Aeons inside are self-aware about being inside some unreal space."
She studied him with a cold expression, finally looking more like a machine than a living being.
"You seem to know a few fine details that haven't made it to the public yet. Did Stelle inform you?"
He smirked, shaking his head.
"That's next on our list of interesting things and reasons why you should work with me. I currently have three Stellarons inside my body."
She scoffed, deeming him insane from the get-go.
"Did you hit your head before coming here? Stelle is enough of an exception, and she only has one. What you're claiming is pure aberration."
The smirk didn't leave his face even as she told him off.
"Oh, is Herta not going to snatch away a possible unique case in the universe? What a shame, and here I was, ready to try and test harvesting the power from all three of them inside the Simulated Universe where my body won't straight up disintegrate before I could even try. Shame, really."
Asta watched as Himeko's eyes flickered from one to the other, watching the subtle game of words that he was running. One thing said here, another insane idea there, yet it seemed to fuel a genius' desire for knowledge quite well.
"Harvest the power of three Stellarons at once in the body of a human?"
He smirked. She was hooked, even if she didn't let it show.
"Indeed, that was my plan. Plus, the idea of using the 100 years was to train different things and have you use whatever technology inputs my consciousness in the virtual world limit my mental ability. Basically, screw my time perception and delete my memories on the go."
She pondered his words, mulling them over with rapidity. Both of them were rapid-firing words between one another.
"What do you hope to achieve through that?"
"Easy: carve movements in my muscle memory. That's how the best warriors fight. They move without thinking. I need to reach the same level. My body is damaged, so trying to use it in reality with my powers is pure suffering. Thus, I've decided to try this. I'll be your guinea pig, and you'll assist me with the tech needed. Also, information about my powers shouldn't be made publicly available, got it?"
The idea was sound, in its own right. The way his mind would be implanted in the Simulated Universe would basically copy his entire being and work as if it were his true body. Since his mind would be active nonetheless, neuronal networks should be able to form, leading to creating what he needed: built-in skills that required no conscious thought.
"You have quite the vision and idea, I'll give you that. I won't miss witnessing this. However, I expect you to allow me to study your body while your mind is in the virtual space. We need to keep close watch over everything."
He nodded, smirking subtly.
"Jackpot. Got it. You check my body for the Stellarons and how they act inside while I do my thing. Make sure to keep deleting my memories on the go, tho. I only plan on doing the same thing over and over. I only need to recall like one action in a thousand or something. I don't want to fill my mind with too much useless information."
She scoffed, as if the extra instructions were given to her like to a child who couldn't think things through.
"I know what has to be done. Come with me, both you and Himeko."
He nodded, following. Himeko was worried, Mark's reckless idea sounded extreme. She was worried that too much outside interference on his psyche could have detrimental effects, unlike anything else he's been through.
"Mark, are you completely sure about this?"
He kept walking, nodding as he went.
"I'm dead sure."
Something about the way he said it didn't sit right with her. It felt forced, somewhat twisted into a strong farce that covered his real feelings. She grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at her.
"Mark... be honest with me... are you entirely sure?"
He held her gaze, the sparkle in her golden vision enough to force a wedge in his soul, the fear that somehow his mind would get damaged and he'd never be able to see her in the same way, weighing down more and more.
"I'm sure," he repeated, playing off his role even better now. He was good at lying when needed, even if he didn't like it. Still, the worry she showed was breaking his heart. Was he even worth so much care?
"Don't worry about me. If something goes wrong, I trust that you're here and can stop Herta before she does some crazy thing to me."
She looked over her shoulder, meeting them both.
"I can hear you, you know?"
He chuckled, following along. Her touch lingered on his shoulders, the subtle warmth giving him strength while tearing him down.
"I know what must be done."
Silence veiled them all, their steps reaching the room where the entrance point to the Simulated Universe was located. Mark stared at the bizarre machinery, which seemed to differ slightly from the design he knew. A white helmet-like thing was placed there, more cables going into it than Mark dared to count.
"Wait here. I will have somebody bring in the rest of what we need."
Both he and Himeko studied the machine carefully. Mark simply tried to envision what everything would feel like and what would happen to him as a human. Would his mind actually hold?
Behind them, a small team came in, bringing in a weird capsule-like device, similar to an MRI machine, just not as bulky and more advanced in both looks and functionality.
"You'll have to lie down there, in that machine. Take off your clothes."
The sudden order, coming in such a serious manner, rattled him to the core. His cheeks were dusted red as he shouted.
"WHAT?!"
She stared blankly at him, the team of scientists laughing among themselves. Herta was serious. Mark glanced at Himeko, blushing even more.
"Cursed be the day... damn it..."
She sighed, smiling at him, seeming unbothered by the situation.
"Don't worry, Mark. It's all to ensure that no more harm comes to you, and also for Herta to study you."
"If you say so," he sighed, taking off his shirt. His body came into view—nothing too impressive. His muscles were somewhat defined, lacking a solid base. Somehow, despite all his injuries, there were no visible traces on his body. One by one, his clothes flew off, until he was barefoot, his briefs the last barrier that held his dignity.
"This should suffice. Now, come here and lie down. Meanwhile, I told Screwllum to prepare himself and code in what data we'll send."
He lied down, and the machine closed around his body, his head the only thing visible. Inside, thousands of sensors pressed against him from all sides, molding to his shape.
"Just prepare yourself, alright? I'll let him know about your special requests and the training environment."
Mark nodded, the motion strained. He glanced over at Himeko, who stood by his side. She ran her fingers through his hair, silently feeling the anxiety that weighed him down.
"Don't worry, it will all be fine in the end. Right?"
He smiled, thankful like never before.
"Yeah, it'll be fine."
The helmet he saw earlier was slowly placed on his head, covering half of his face, letting the mouth breathe.
"Are you ready?"
Mark let out a sigh.
"I'm ready. Launch it."