INCEPTION MAKES EVERYTHING INTENSE

[usurpers]

Beta#0901185204

The things that we did during the last few months aside, I’m pretty sure that Zee being killed is the same for everyone’s memories. I didn’t get a chance to say this before, but now is better than later. I spoke to him before he went offline and pieced some memories together to make more sense of everything:

— When we shared dreams in July, we fell in between layers and disappeared from Retrospec’s radar, someplace Zee didn’t have access to.
— They’re suspecting this was caused by Clarence Vanderweele (or something allied with him). And if that’s true, it’s what’s been causing all the problems we’ve been having related to Retrospec since February and until now, maybe even farther back.
— He’s a master at creating illusions, which is why we “disappeared” every night, just like the nonapp users in June. They feel like tests to make us disappear from Retrospec’s sights.
— Zee said that he was going to try his best to fix things while we most likely had to “deep dive” to fix the other ends he couldn’t reach; I saw someone on the app before it went down say that he was going to try something called a counter wave. If anyone shared dreams again, it was this.
— The puzzles were also a call for is to remember ourselves, if anyone else did them. [ with comment is a photo attachment of the puzzle completed on a library table; eren’s is a picture of his silhouette from behind, opening a door with the quote: "Turn him to any cause of policy, the Gordian Knot of it he will unloose, familiar as his garter." ]
— Speaking in riddles and not being direct is also an industry standard. I wish I could’ve had the time to punch him just a little bit, but. There would be a lot more people freaking out or at their throats than understanding and ready to help.

I have a post with its comments copied on a gdoc here before the app went down, I always save these. It’s got information about the layers and the Retrospec founders, including why Vanderweele was kicked off the program and should be dead when he isn’t.

I don’t know how many others noticed what was wrong in the castle by the beach— the resort getup completely deteriorated, just like an illusion, and someone on the phone said something in this flash drive. [ he uploads the file, and the voice says: “You have to get out of here. Please. Get us out of here.” ]

Not counting the carnival we all just got shepherded to and the blocked off Retrospec rooms. Everything just feels completely off, and I’m not going to play around with stall games while something really wrong could be happening. Is Happening. Our lives aren’t toys and we’re being played, I trust Wall Maria appearing more than I trust getting led to Rainbowland right now.

Calling Retrospec our enemy or a pain in the ass for “taking” color and taste away is superficial and petty when vengeance is targeting us to get to them. And with another app user killing criminals, including Zee off when these are all things that’re happening makes us farther from united than we already were. I don’t know about you guys, but this reality I was born in now is the only home I want, so I’ll do whatever I have to to fight for it.

Getting rid of people you think don’t matter, for whatever reason, is worth jack shit too if you’re dead right along with us.

[ YEAH MYSTERY USER HE JUST CALLED YOU OUT ]

Comments

[usurpers]

I’m sure he had more reasons than the ones we know about, but he’s not giving me much of a choice right now. If it’s my life or his, I’m choosing mine.

What do mean, rerouted soul energy for the more deserving?

[manufactured]

It's something that Mr. Vanderweele seemed interested in, and part of the reason he was thrown off the project. At least, according to that document you mentioned. It's not something I would have stated so bluntly in front of God and everyone, but I can't say it isn't a valid idea in some cases, either.

[usurpers]

There was a letter to him that made it sound like he was doing something for his own gain, but how much that’s actually official is up in the air if things can get tampered with, from both sides. Did Zee mention anything else?

[manufactured]

Mr. Carlisle and I never discussed it as a serious option, largely because the person I would request such a thing be done for isn't present. Before any awkward questions are asked, I would want such a thing done to my own energy, not the third party's - I consider them more deserving of the second chance than I am, and as such I would prefer that any resources being wasted on keeping me alive be shunted toward them instead.

[usurpers]

Wouldn’t you still be considered alive regardless?

[manufactured]

Perhaps, perhaps not. I actually don't know how nicely being removed from the network or having my soul played around with would play with the little gifts Retrospec has given me. I'd certainly hope so, but finding out would be a bit of an interesting process.

[usurpers]

I think they’d . . . Be wiped out? Or taken back.

They never said anything about how they work with souls beyond keeping them in vials. I remember some people finding one in Feburary, but Retrospec didn’t know why it was around in the first place.

[manufactured]

...I am actually impressed at how that manages to be simultaneously better and worse than anything I was envisioning.

[usurpers]

Souls in vials? I get worse, but why better?

[manufactured]

It's less anything I believe Retrospec itself is capable of, and more the thought that if the resident megacorporation that secretly ran the world had any concept of soul energy, they'd be doing something horrible with it within the year. Storing them is better than actually trying to do something for its own sake.