THE END

[mayfield_mods]

You've walked for what feels like ages down the highway as a group- all those who chose uncertain freedom over certain death. Within an hour, Mayfield became a distant speck on the horizon before ultimately fading into the hills and trees. The only sign of the place you've escaped is the sky, which remains an eerie brown even after night falls and you've put Mayfield hours behind you.

Try as you might, it's impossible not to imagine that you've been led into a trap. What if this is all part of some new sick game of Johnson's- or even Zemekis'? It certainly wouldn't be the first time. What if the events of the past few months- saving Annie, Gray's "ghost", Zemekis' apparent death -what if it's all been nothing but the latest in a long tradition of Mayfield's-

These thoughts fade when you see the first sunbeam.

This road isn't like the ones before: the roads that looped endlessly into themselves, inevitably leading back to where they began. This road has an end.

Keep walking forward and you'll find yourself in a new town, both similar to Mayfield and utterly unlike it. The buildings here are crude and unfinished- the streets little better than paved paths of dirt. There are no drones here, no hazmats, no one in sight other than you and your companions. But all of these things are nothing more than trivial details, when compared to what you feel the moment you enter its boundaries.

There's power here- you can feel it in your fingertips. Each and every one of you can, from the most godlike seraph to the most ordinary human: power, faint but unmistakable. The power to build a world, and to destroy it. The same power that's been lorded over you for four years... but now, it's yours to command.

You can create a new life here. It isn't the home you remember- the home you remember, after all, was never yours to begin with. For some of you, that's a blessing. For others, it's a hard truth you'll have to live with. But even though you can't go home, with the power you've been given, it might just be possible to bring home to you. Bits and pieces of it- locations you remember, small creatures from your world- no people, though. That's one power Annie decided not to give you.

The place you've found isn't perfect- there will be work, hard work, and pain. The place you've found is your own: there are no overseers here, no Zemekis, no Johnson. The place you've found may not be paradise- but it's the nearest thing you're going to get.

You've found, at last, a better place to live.

Comments

[imjustpicky]

[Picky hesitates too, but only for a moment. Then he's trailing right behind Pokey, holding his breath.]

[tenderoblivion]

[Yuki, on her part, simply stands back silently and allows the others to enter. This world was for humanity to seek and discover on their own. A data copy of a data entity... With this conclusion, her duty was complete.]

[perfectsymmetry]

[Crowe's still on edge, and the last thing he'll do is let a bunch of kids get hurt on his watch. He quietly and quickly makes his way inside.]

[mayfield_mods]

Inside, the room looks like a bunker intended to live out the end of the world. There are no windows, and the walls are thick. The humming actually seems to be from the giant fan on the ceiling, which is keeping the building at room temperature.

However, the room, although it clearly used to be intended for use as a bunker, is now almost entirely filled with a massive machine. The machine sort of looks like a 1950s computer, but anyone familiar with computers will be able to spot parts of the structure that appear to be significantly more advanced. There are also strange parts, such as what appear to be vats of boiling water, but also awful smelling vats filled with other types of liquids attached to parts of the machine.

In the center of the room, there is a control panel.

[hintcoinplz]

[Luke approaches the control panel cautiously. What exactly is this place? Some kind of control room?]

What's this?

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey has to look at the machine for a moment. The 1950s computer bit confuses him at first - he's of the mindset that computers were a recent invention, not understanding the odd sight in front of him - but as he see how much more advanced the machine gets, he realizes what it is.

And advances. He's come this far. Nothing is stopping him.

He stops though, for a moment, and motions for everyone else to come on. They might as well all observe. And it's not his alone to observe, but all of theirs.

Even if he had wanted to say something, he couldn't right now. He's filled with a single purpose, and that's to check the control panel.]

[strike_you_out]

[Briefly, the visual of the vats return Slugger to that day when a group of residents had broke into the Dairy to find a vat of souls suffering in immense pain.

But the memory is is gone as quickly as it came. Slugger squeezes in beside Pokey and squints quizzically at the panel.]

What's it do?

[He nudges Pokey. Come on, smart guy. You're supposed to be the genius here.]

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey nudges back, slightly annoyed. But still with good humor. He keeps alternating between a frown and a smirk.]

Hey. You think you could do better?

Feel free to try.

[imjustpicky]

Woah...

[Picky doesn't dare actually touch anything, but his eyes are roving all about taking it in. It's like something from a movie, with aliens and scientists and... stuff.]

Maybe it's... maybe it's the controls for this whole place?

...right, Pokey?

[Pokey knew lots about machines. Pokey could figure something out, right?]

[magicalrealist]

(As technologically confusing as Equestria is, it somehow has technology and Twilight is fully capable of using them. Although others here may be much more capable than she is, she feels she should at least take a look and figure that out herself.

The control panel is the first thing she approaches, eying it with caution just as she did with the exterior of the building.)

It's an operating mechanism. As to what it operates, I have no idea.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa slips in behind the crowd here. Tall as she is, she can see over most to the control panel. ]

Part storage, part power, you think?

[ceasetoexist]

Probably.

Won't know all the details until we go through it.

[strike_you_out]

[In an act of curiosity (and perhaps stupidity), Slugger reaches hesitantly toward the panel. Perhaps someone should slap away his hand before he pushes some kind of lethal mass destruct button.]

[hintcoinplz]

[Luke doesn't slap his hand away, but he does gently pull his hand back.]

Hold on, Slugger. We don't know what that thing does yet.

[strike_you_out]

[Okay, fine. He won't press any buttons but his hand still hovers near the panel.]

But how do we find out?

[shallbeavenged]

[Pulls his hand away. But keeps hold of it.]

[strike_you_out]

[This technique actually works wonders. His hand finds something else to do by interlocking his fingers with hers.

The world is safe.]

[ceasetoexist]

[Just smacking you upside the head.]

Don't be stupid.

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger just smirks.]

I wasn't really going to do it. [But this isn't to say he doesn't want to press that button...]

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

What do you think they'll do here?

[ Shana asks her quietly. ]

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey stops for a moment, before shaking his head.]

No clue.

But we're going to find out.

[tenderoblivion]

They will create a world.

[Yuki speaks without glancing towards Shana.]

A world which they will believe to be ideal. ...Informed by the knowledge of the mistakes of the past, there is a high probability of success.

........I was unable to achieve success with this endeavor previously. Rather, the data entity that is 'Yuki Nagato' was unable to achieve success. Therefore, my further intervention will not be required.

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

No. We want you here.

[tenderoblivion]

..........I understand.

[Yuki turns her head with a nod.]

However, this creation is a copy of an imperfect being. It requires a purpose and duty to continue operation.

My purpose here is done.

...................I am content.

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

So..... so... what will you do? [ Shana's eyes fill with tears. ]