Digital Waltz - Part 2

"Lei!" she says firmly, she carefully steps in placing a hand on her shoulder, "you aren't going to die... We know you are working for them... We have taken percautions for your safety." she pauses putingbher hand on her radio, "Cookie keep us updated on any unknown vehicles or weaponry approaching, if its light... Take em out, if its heavy tell us so we can bolt." she clears her throat, "we do not wish to have maddies old body back..." she looks back at maddie with a frown, "sadly... I dont believe that was an option to begin with. We wish to know what 'plume of dusk' is... We want you to dig through her memory... We want you to free yourself from their grasp."

(Angelo, Arnold)

When the vehicle rolls up, Angelo steps out, walking to the group outside.

"What's new here? Why is the spiderbot with you?"

Arnold sighs. "He's our new ally. Persumably a child, but friendly enough. What about your end?"

Angelo folds his arms, frowning. "Honestly, our end was a complete failure. Everything slipped out of our hands, plus I believe this dancing stuff is a joke played on our group."

Arnold just sat in thought.

(Oboro)

She went inside, with the dried blood, limp arm and foul mood all present. She took a hold of Rain's shoulder.
"Rain, stop. Give the woman some room to breathe. The choice should be hers, give her at least that. After all, she was never given the chance by them, we shouldn't be the same."

She then looks around the place. "Besides, for a prison, it does look pretty nice."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Everyone)
As the occupants of the car began approaching the penthouse, Tomas grimly looked at Frost and quietly said:
"A woman named Serena was traveling with us. Her appearance matched your description. I don't know if its the same person you're looking for, but..
I'm sorry, there's.. no easy way to say this..
The woman named Serena, who traveled with us, died... she was murdered, by the same people we're fighting right now...
I'm sorry. I don't know if its the same person you're looking for.."  

(Frost)
Frost was quiet seeming to be musing the information over in her mind, she spoke after a few moments "For reasons I can't say, I know we're speaking about the same person. It's a truth I didn't want to hear, but if I'm being honest it isn't surprising to me." Frosts voice turns cold, matching her appearance for the first time "I just hope these people know they've kicked the hornets' nest."

Blue, blonde and purple wrote:(Angelo, Arnold)

When the vehicle rolls up, Angelo steps out, walking to the group outside.

"What's new here? Why is the spiderbot with you?"

Arnold sighs. "He's our new ally. Persumably a child, but friendly enough. What about your end?"

Angelo folds his arms, frowning. "Honestly, our end was a complete failure. Everything slipped out of our hands, plus I believe this dancing stuff is a joke played on our group."...

(Naomi)
"Good to see someone else sees this dance hacking as bullshit" Naomi nods to Angelo

She looks to oboro, "No isn't an option here oboro..." she crosses her arms taking a step back, "you know what happened, we dont have many options here." she places her boot against the door frame just in case the doctor decided to close the door on them, "I would love to sit around and talk but we dont have that luxury..." she gets on her radio again, "cookie also scan for bugs in the house... Like cameras and microphones."

Rain Runner wrote:"Cookie keep us updated on any unknown vehicles or weaponry approaching, if its light... Take em out, if its heavy tell us so we can bolt."

"Roger!" The Spider happily called over the earpiece: "Activating my long range scanners! I'll be extra careful-cookie!"

Angelo, Arnold wrote:
"What's new here? Why is the spiderbot with you?"

Arnold sighs. "He's our new ally. Persumably a child, but friendly enough."

"Buuaaaaah! Who you calling a child!" you heard the Spider audibly click its mandibles over the radio:
"I was born 63 years ago, Cookie! I could be someones grandmaaaa" the Spider noisily stomped somewhere around the Penthouse.

Lei nervously turned in the direction of the noise, she doesn't seem to understand whats making it.

Rain Runner wrote:"we do not wish to have maddies old body back..." she looks back at maddie with a frown,
"sadly... I dont believe that was an option to begin with. We wish to know what 'plume of dusk' is...
We want you to dig through her memory... We want you to free yourself from their grasp.

Lei shivered and slightly hunched down in fear, becoming seemingly smaller:

"T-t-the Plume of Dusk.. is... is some kind of object, that stores her consciousness.. her soul, call it whatever you want"
She looked at Maddie with fear:
"...Madelyn has one. Its the center of her being. If something happens to it, if a Plume of Dusk breaks, there will be nothing left.
Only an empty shell"


Lei looked down, subconsciously trying to take a step back: "I don't know anything else.. I don't even know what it looks like!
Please, just... leave me be. You can't escape from their grasp. Cherishing a hope like that is too painful"

Frost wrote:Frost was quiet seeming to be musing the information over in her mind, she spoke after a few moments
"For reasons I can't say, I know we're speaking about the same person. It's a truth I didn't want to hear,
but if I'm being honest it isn't surprising to me." Frosts voice turns cold, matching her
appearance for the first time "I just hope these people know they've kicked the hornets' nest."

"I'm sorry" Tomas quietly said, as everyone approached the penthouse.

Naomi wrote:"Good to see someone else sees this dance hacking as bullshit" Naomi nods to Angelo

Madelyn looks extremely hurt and upset by Naomi's comment, but doesn't say anything.

Rain Runner wrote:she gets on her radio again, "cookie also scan for bugs in the house... Like cameras and microphones."

"Okay, gimme a sec" The Spider paused, then released a long surprised sound:
"Woooaaaah! Rain, I'm detecting 14 different objects of audio or video surveillance! This is too much for Cookieeee" The Spider released a quiet whimper.



"This is bad" Tomas grimaced: "Can you disable them?"


"Negative, negative, the devices are too small-cookie" The Spider called weakly: "If I go into the house, there won't be a house left.
And we can't just disable them either, the enemies will notice.
Someone needs to hack in and make the footage loop. Cookie isn't built for such delicate data modifications, cookieee"



"Madelyn?" Tomas called, looking at her: "Could you?.."


"No!" Madelyn suddenly said. She was visibly upset and frowning.

"Maddie?" Tomas asked in confusion.

"I don't feel like it" Madelyn crossed her arms and turned away.

"B-but, the surveillance equipment-.. we have to do something with it" Tomas quietly said, trying to read Madelyn's expression.



"Maybe someone should go inside and manually take care of it by hand." Madelyn said, frowning at Naomi: "You think I enjoy embarrasing myself, in front of everyone like this? I told you! I don't know how to dance!!!"

I'm really glad someone considered my feelings, before calling it bullshit!"




Tom stood in silence for several moments, before he quietly called: "Madelyn, please... 14 devices, it will take hours, you understand that.
Didn't you want to have your memory back? Please"


"Whatever" Madelyn said, opening her palms and projecting a pair of pale holograms. She slowly spinned in place several times, mimicing a very old dance style. Her movements were rigid and unsure, but she kept going.
For several moments, the pale green hologram ribbons envelopped her body, as she quietly danced.


After a minute, she slowly stopped and the holograms faded:
"...done." she said, frowning into space:
"The audio and video feeds are looping and I've erased the parts where we rang the doorbell. And traces of any tampering."

Oboro wrote:
She went inside, with the dried blood, limp arm and foul mood all present. She took a hold of Rain's shoulder.
"Rain, stop. Give the woman some room to breathe. The choice should be hers, give her at least that.
After all, she was never given the chance by them, we shouldn't be the same."

She then looks around the place. "Besides, for a prison, it does look pretty nice."

Rain Runner wrote:"No isn't an option here oboro..." she crosses her arms taking a step back,
"you know what happened, we dont have many options here." she places her boot against the door
frame just in case the doctor decided to close the door on them, "I would love to sit
around and talk but we dont have that luxury..." she gets on her radio again,
"cookie also scan for bugs in the house... Like cameras and microphones."

"...we're all locked in a prison.." Lei quietly sighed: "...soon, the entire world will be.

Have you heard about the 'Argus' Sattelite launch? This Sattelite allows an extremely fast internet connection, linking together whole continents.

Three of these sattelites are already orbiting above Adelheid, and five more are scheduled for launch next week.

In less than a month from now, the entire world will be connected, by a new age series of Sattelies. And our enemies grasp on the world will be complete.

A total control of information.

They'll be able to edit news, scew facts. Delete or filter information they don't like. Manipulate and push this world, into any direction they want.
We will all be in chains. We just won't be able to see them" Lei released a hopeless smile.




"...The group called the - Digital Waltz" Tomas quietly said: "They're real, aren't they"

"Don't say their name out loud!" Lei gasped, trembling: "Do you want us to die!"

"...what if we had the identities of its members?" Tomas slowly replied: "...what if Madelyn has that information, locked in her mind? Perhaps, that's why they want to kill her.
We could identify these people. Find them.
And put a stop to it"



"Stop the Digital-.." Lei looked at you with hazed eyes: "..insanity..."
She hung her head low and exhaled, then slowly moved away from the door and waved you inside.

"Come in..." she quietly said, holding the cup of tea close to her heart: "I don't believe these efforts will bear any fruit, but..
I guess I don't mind to try..."
She said, standing in front of her fireplace and emptily looking at the flames:


"... whatever you're planning... it won't work... you understand that, don't you. You can't fight these people.."
She nervously sighed and emptied her cup of tea.

(Namoi)
Naomi sighs "It's not the dancing, it's the fact that it can hack. I still have no idea what is going on. Everything happening right now from my perspective doesn't make any sense. A spider robot with a 'consciousness' in it and everyone's all. 'yeah ok, let's just accept this.' Besides, I know you have some sort of body armor but it doesn't explain how flesh and blood, the rest of you, can access technology"

(Frost)
Frost has pulled another sandwich from her bag, she's casually eating it while listening to the events going on. Her only other response to Tomas had been her drawing her finger across her neck, but either than that no words.

Now she appears for all intensive purposes to be fine with having received the news. More drawn to what is being said.

(Angelo, Arnold)

"Perhaps joke wasn't the right term." Angelo said. "I just put question marks with the explanation of "subconsious control" while dancing. Because if that's the case, once these people fall asleep, data all over the world should go haywire. Hmmm..."

Arnold spoke his mind. "What if the dance is more to get on the wavelength, while they move it with their fingers during the dance? Basically, they do that to get the internet connection in the first place, then the ribbons are the touch screens to move the specific targets?"

Angelo rubs his chin. "Possible, we'll have to research more once we have time."

(Oboro)

"Honestly, we're way in over our head anyway." The blue mare spoke. "We started this all by picking up a girl from the streets. But apparently we got here, can't abandon my liege now."

She looked at Lei, a bit disheartened. "We know we can't fight them. At least, this group can't fight them. My body is proof of this. Our death count confirms it... But in Madelyn is the key to make everything make sense to everyone. We must get that out, then we can start unlocking the chains the Waltz binds up in."

(Frost)
"You may be able to control what people see on a screen" Frost adds in taking a bite of her food "but good luck controlling things when the entire population is pissed off. If this gets out, it will be anarchy everywhere. And if I'm being honest with everyone here, anarchy is one of my top five favorite things"

Rain huffs, "I know a mare we can go to if we need destractions and help... Shes... Very very blunt... And kind of completely insane... But from what I know she is a pro at staying in the shadows, if she is still alive she might be an invauable asset to us."

She looks back at maddie, "your dancing was great. Dont let those insults get to you, its very very helpful." she contacts cookie, "You are doing a fantastic job dear! Keep those sensors up for incoming hostiles and any other bugs!"

Kaylee Brown wrote:"...The group called the - Digital Waltz" Tomas quietly said: "They're real, aren't they"

"Don't say their name out loud!" Lei gasped, trembling: "Do you want us to die!"

"...what if we had the identities of its members?" Tomas slowly replied: "...what if Madelyn has that information, locked in her mind? Perhaps, that's why they want to kill her.
We could identify these people. Find them.
And put a stop to it"



"Stop the Digital-.." Lei looked at you with hazed eyes: "..insanity..."
She hung her head low and exhaled, then slowly moved away from the door and waved you inside.

"Come in..." she quietly said, holding the cup of tea close to her heart: "I don't believe these efforts will bear any fruit, but..
I guess I don't mind to try..."
She said, standing in front of her fireplace and emptily looking at the flames:


"... whatever you're planning... it won't work... you understand that, don't you. You can't fight these people.."
She nervously sighed and emptied her cup of tea.

"Should have done the robot dance..." Rogue shakes his head in mock dissapointment, before turning to Lei, "These satelites, presumably the hackers that shall not be named didn't sign the things, so they must have a dummy company of some kind to officially own them as cover, right?"

"Yes, most likely" Lei nodded to Rogue: "Though, perhaps the company isn't even aware of how its really being used. They may believe they're connecting entire continents to the internet, but in reality, their work will be used to manipulate information across those continents.

Or, perhaps the Satellite company is aware, but are forced to comply due to blackmail. The possibilities are endless, and our enemies win either way"




Maddie looked at Rain and weakly smiled: "Thanks..." She quietly said, then slowly walked inside the living room, seeming less stressed.


"I'll keep a watch out!" The Spider energetically called over the earpiece: "Leave it to me!"


"Rain, who did you have in mind?" Mira asked, slowly walking inside the house: "Your friend I mean"




Lei was still standing next to the fireplace, staring into the flames. She waited for everyone to enter and close the door again, before she turned around
and looked at you:

"...I don't think you fully understand the power, in the hands of our enemies.
You're absolutely right, if word of this got out, people would riot. But that's exactly the problem. Word will never go out.

They control the flow of information. If there's something you're not meant to hear, you won't hear it.


What's worse, they plant false information.
Slowly, gradually and consistently. Over time, people start talking about it, coming to accept it as truth.

And even if they don't believe it, the idea was already planted, inside their minds.
They won't be able to help thinking about it, second guessing themselves.
Asking, what if its true?"


Lei looked at you, with a hopeless smile: "Don't believe me? They've already done it to you.



Since this morning, they've been spinning lies TV. Stuff to discredit you, make people fear you. Make them distrust you and less likely to help.


Mira Lerner was painted as an unstable drunk, a crazy conspiracy theorist.
Madelyn was accused of being a Vampire Unit member, a rasict criminal who seeks batpony dominance.
And Sergeant Tomas Kohler? He's the son of Marek himself"



Tomas visibly grimaced.


Lei carefully watched everyone's expression, until a saddened smile appeared on her face:
"..what... you actually believed that? Officer Tomas is Marek's son? Please..." she shook her head, looking back at the fireplace:

"Of all the people living in the world, the one batpony cop you meet, is immediately painted as Marek's son?
You grow suspicious of him, expecting a knife in your back, while the real threat attacks from the front. And Tomas has more difficulty doing his job.
The perfect scenario for our enemy. Strife and discord within your group"


She looked around and zeroed in on a small tea pot, then drifted to it and poured some more tea:

"The chances of running into Mareks real son, now, of all times, are a statistical improbability.
Thats.. if Marek even had a son to begin with.



That's how they influence the world. They plant ideas, slowly and gradually. And if enough people talk about it, repeat it, over and over, then it must be true, right?

This is their power. This is how they will control the world. Bending it, to their will.

And we haven't even takled about their options of blackmail and assassination" Lei sighed and slowly emptied her cup:



"...give me a few minutes... if Madelyn has a software block on her memory databanks, the block will need to be manually decrypted. By Madelyn.
Or someone else with a Plume of Dusk.
I have a machine that can assist with that. I have to calibrate it first, please excuse me"

She slowly drifted to one of the adjacent rooms.





Tomas chewed on his own tongue for a moment, thinking things over, then looked at Angelo:

"Data over the world wouldn't necessary go haywire, if someone falls asleep. They can be working in shifts. Someone, during the day. Others, during the night.

With someone standing at the helm, 24/7. Keeping a constant watch on the worlds data flow and editing it, as necessary.

That's.. if they even need sleep. You remember what Dr. Miller said in the Labyrinth?" he somewhat lowered his voice:

"...he scanned Madelyn, said her entire body was made of metal and Tilerium. We know she doesn't have a pulse and she doesn't breath.
She said she doens't even feel physical pain. Who can really say what they did to her? To others like her?
Human beings need sleep, its true. Not only to rest but to stay sane. But... I just don't know what they did to her.." he quietly looked at Madelyn.


Maddie was quietly standing by the tea pot and examining the small puffs of hot aroma, rising from it. Her expression was hard to read.



After some time, Lei returned and waved you back into the room, where she had disappeared to moments ago:


"Come, everyone. The machine is ready. If you want to see Madelyn's memories, step inside"

"See.. her memories?" Mira asked: "What do you mean?"

"As Madelyn will begin decrypting her memories, you'll be able to see them, as they come in" Lei said: "Come, I'll show you how it works"
She stepped back into the other room.

Rain glances at Mira, "Im suprised you haven't done a story on him yet... The anarchist named burner... You would think with all this going on the waltz would lie and cheat him... But... From what I hear most of its true. Burner is a phychopath, loves fire, and loves burning things even more. You never see his face because well... You NEVER see His face... Be it mask or other means i have no idea. You cant even track his voice because he uses a tape recorder to talk." she chuckles, "its said that one time when he was cornered by rumbas in the blink of an eye their heads were gone and their bodies red hot, "Witnesses" say he just stepped over them and pranced away. Cameras followed her for a few seconds before stopping in their tracks." Rain huffs, "if storys are true... Burner could be a fantastic asset if not an incredibly useful tool!"

Rains ears perk as she listens to the group talk. She doesn't add anything else to the conversation as she follows lei into the room.

Kaylee Brown wrote:
...That's.. if they even need sleep. You remember what Dr. Miller said in the Labyrinth?" he somewhat lowered his voice:

"...he scanned Madelyn, said her entire body was made of metal and Tilerium. We know she doesn't have a pulse and she doesn't breath.
She said she doens't even feel physical pain. Who can really say what they did to her? To others like her?
Human beings need sleep, its true. Not only to rest but to stay sane. But... I just don't know what they did to her.." he quietly looked at Madelyn...

(Naomi)
"Things are starting to make sense now," Naomi spoke "At least this answers my quesion on how Madelyn could well, do what she did"

She turns to Madelyn, giving her a look. She doesn't say anything but there is an appology in her expression. It's clear that Naomi isn't used to physically saying the words.

Rain_Runner wrote:Rain glances at Mira, "Im suprised you haven't done a story on him yet... The anarchist named burner... You would think with all this going on the waltz would lie and cheat him... But... From what I hear most of its true. Burner is a phychopath, loves fire, and loves burning things even more. You never see his face because well... You NEVER see His face... Be it mask or other means i have no idea. You cant even track his voice because he uses a tape recorder to talk." she chuckles, "its said that one time when he was cornered by rumbas in the blink of an eye their heads were gone and their bodies red hot, "Witnesses" say he just stepped over them and pranced away. Cameras followed her for a few seconds before stopping in their tracks." Rain huffs, "if storys are true... Burner could be a fantastic asset if not an incredibly useful tool!"

Rains ears perk as she listens to the group talk. She doesn't add anything else to the conversation as she follows lei into the room.

(Frost)
"Sound like my kind of person," Frost says a little too enthusiastically "Slightly unstable, no regard for authority, and willing to risk collateral damage. Well maybe the last one not so much, but my point still stands"

Madelyn appears to be deliberately avoiding looking at Naomi, as she slowly followed Lei into the other room.

As you enter, you see something akin to a mechanical workshop, mixed with a computer room. A large armchair was standing by the wall, next to a weird looking machine. Countless lights and buttons kept dimly flashing on it and a small keyboard with a monitor were built into its side.


"Maddie, take a seat please" Lei gestured to the armchair, then approached the machine and started typing something on the keyboard.
Madelyn wearily approached and stiffly sat down. She was nervously looking around back and forth, the environment clearly putting her into a level of stress.


"This machine will do most of the work" Lei said, typing in some sort of command: "You just have to guide it through your databanks" she stopped typing and looked around the machine somewhere, then pulled out some sort of bizarre looking helmet, connected to the machine by a series of very thick wires.

"Put this on" she passed the helmet to Madelyn: "Once the sequence begins, you'll be placed in a state close to sleep. The machine will run its algorithms and the memories will be decrypted in real time.
For you, the experience will be akin to dreaming.

You will... relive the memories, as you remember them.


The experience may be... disorienting... mentally taxing, so feel free to take a break in between, if you need it"


Madelyn reluctantly looked at the helmet, then slowly put it on: "...okay..... ready"


Lei reached out behind the machine again and pulled out a set of strange devices. They looked like glasses, except there were no lenses, and a metal plate with wires was stuck in the way.

"...this looks like a virtual reality headset.." Mira quietly said.

"Something like that... but on a whole other level" Lei said, passing the devices to everyone:
"As Madelyn revisits her memories.. you'll be able to see them, through these.
You have to pay attention to every detail. Anything you find, that can help against our enemies"



Lei paused and looked at Madelyn: "...some of the memories may be a bit personal... are you okay with everyone see them?"


"...its fine... doesn't matter" Madelyn slightly nodded, staring ahead into space: "...to be perfectly honest, the only thing I care about is finding my daughter. I will likely be focusing on that, rather than anything else so, I'll probably miss other details.

You should probably watch the.. memory footage as well.. you'll probably spot something that I won't pay attention to"


"Alright.." Lei quietly said, looking around the room: "Everyone, put the.. glasses on.. and I'll start the machine.
Is everyone ready?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:Madelyn appears to be deliberately avoiding looking at Naomi, as she slowly followed Lei into the other room.

As you enter, you see something akin to a mechanical workshop, mixed with a computer room. A large armchair was standing by the wall, next to a weird looking machine. Countless lights and buttons kept dimly flashing on it and a small keyboard with a monitor were built into its side.


"Maddie, take a seat please" Lei gestured to the armchair, then approached the machine and started typing something on the keyboard.
Madelyn wearily approached and stiffly sat down. She was nervously looking around back and forth, the environment clearly putting her into a level of stress.


"This machine will do most of the work" Lei said, typing in some sort of command: "You just have to guide it through your databanks" she stopped typing and looked around the machine somewhere, then pulled out some sort of bizarre looking helmet, connected to the machine by a series of very thick wires.

"Put this on" she passed the helmet to Madelyn: "Once the sequence begins, you'll be placed in a state close to sleep. The machine will run its algorithms and the memories will be decrypted in real time.
For you, the experience will be akin to dreaming.

You will... relive the memories, as you remember them.


The experience may be... disorienting... mentally taxing, so feel free to take a break in between, if you need it"


Madelyn reluctantly looked at the helmet, then slowly put it on: "...okay..... ready"


Lei reached out behind the machine again and pulled out a set of strange devices. They looked like glasses, except there were no lenses, and a metal plate with wires was stuck in the way.

"...this looks like a virtual reality headset.." Mira quietly said.

"Something like that... but on a whole other level" Lei said, passing the devices to everyone:
"As Madelyn revisits her memories.. you'll be able to see them, through these.
You have to pay attention to every detail. Anything you find, that can help against our enemies"



Lei paused and looked at Madelyn: "...some of the memories may be a bit personal... are you okay with everyone see them?"


"...its fine... doesn't matter" Madelyn slightly nodded, staring ahead into space: "...to be perfectly honest, the only thing I care about is finding my daughter. I will likely be focusing on that, rather than anything else so, I'll probably miss other details.

You should probably watch the.. memory footage as well.. you'll probably spot something that I won't pay attention to"


"Alright.." Lei quietly said, looking around the room: "Everyone, put the.. glasses on.. and I'll start the machine.
Is everyone ready?"

"I'm just thinking, how reliable is that rumba outside, can we count on it to alert us to incoming hostiles?" Rogue asks the group that was with Cookie, "If Digital Waltz forces made a move on the building, and we were all wearing these headsets, we might not realise it until it's too late, or at least be vulnerable just standing there. We don't especially need everyone watching her memories, so should a few of us stay unplugged, just as a precaution?"

"I'll look out then..." Rain nods and takes to a window drawing her bow and waiting.

(Frost)
"I'll join you," Frost pulls out the same leather tome from before and starts flipping through it. She turns to Rain "If you're interested, I can charge your bow with a temporary elemental enchantment."

(Naomi)
Naomi just stays silent and heads into the room where Lei has set up.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" Lei asked, looking around: "You will experience the memories from Madelyn's point of view. The journey may be a little disorienting.... here we go"

She pressed some sort of switch, then a sharp sound rang in your head and everything turned black.




------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The orange colored streetlights were passing you by, throwing shadows over your palms, over and over. The sun had already set, but the sky was still brightly lit by its orange hues.
You slowly yawn and rest your head on the window, watching the numerous restaurants and cafe's as they pass you by.

The silhouettes of the skyscrapers and office buildings were standing tall over the city. There were a lot less of them and they were noticeably shorter, but you slowly recognize this as Adelheid. The cars on the road looked different, peculiar. And the people walking along the sidewalk wore very odd clothes, the kinds that were popular several decades ago.


As the vehicle drove forward you slowly rub your eyes and look at your own reflection in the window.
With a small sting of surprise, you realize that you are Maddie. Your movements seem to match hers. You look almost the same as before, maybe a little bit younger. Your pale green hair was tied in a neat ponytail and a police sun cap sat on your head. You lower your gaze and study your uniform.

Some sort of tactical vest and police fatigues. A shiny golden badge on your chest.


You quietly yawn again and look at your phone, checking the time.
It was 20:31 in the evening. 21 of September, 1987.

You quickly run the numbers in your head.
It seems these events are taking place roughly 48 years ago.


Rubbing your eyes and putting the phone away, you look at the driver next to you and smile:

"Thanx for the lift Maxie, you didn't have to.. I know its a bit out of the way"


"No worries" An energetic girl in a police uniform grinned, looking at the road and slowly turning the steering wheel: "We've kept you away from the little one, long enough as it is Captain"

"You don't have to keep calling me that Max, we're off the clock you know" you say shyly, looking at her: "Besides, titles make my skin crawl"

"Whatever you say Captain" the girl smiled, looking at the road ahead: "Naw I'm just teasing you, Maddie. Been a long time since I had a partner like you, the others were just so stiff all the time"

"I know what you mean" you smile, as the car pulls to a stop, next to a small two floored house with  a small lawn: "Thanx again Max" you wave goodbye, climbing out of the car.


"See you tomorrow Maddie" Max called, waving with a silly face.





As the police squad car slowly pulls away and merges with the traffic, you put a bag over your shoulders and happily walk toward the front door of the house.

You're about to ring the doorbell, then reconsider. The others may be sleeping, its best not to wake them up by accident.
You pull out your keys and quietly unlock the door, then enter.


A simple wooden yet cozy hallway opens before you. You take off your shoes and put the bag on the floor. Your tactical vest goes into the wardrobe, together with some regular jackets and a tiny raincoat for a child.



As you slowly tiptoe into the living room, you find a young man with graying hair, sitting behind a laptop and excitedly typing something on it. He's so engrossed with his work, he doesn't see you enter.


You smile and begin to circle around the table. The floor creeks under your foot and the man jolts slightly:
"Oh Maddie, jeez I didn't hear you ent-" you hug him tightly from behind and give him a kiss on the back of his head.


"Evening honey, wacha up to?" you say gently, resting your chin atop his head and looking at the laptops monitor.



"This is so exciting Maddie, we're really on a verge of a breakthrough!" the man looked at the monitor, showing different blueprints of complex machinery.




"We decided to call it - the 'Anti Terrorist Suppression Project'.

The purpose of the project, is to rehabilitate injured soldiers and police officers, fitting them with new age cybernetics. It will allowing them to get a significant advantage in combat, when facing terrorist threats.


We already know that Tilerium can be a bridge between man and machine, allowing the prosthetics to be controlled with our mind. But now, the others want to go one step further.


They want to try inserting a persons consciousness, into a piece of Tilerium.



Using a complicated procedure, involving technology and magic, we can save people who would otherwise die.
Spine fractures, brain trauma, multiple organ failure, injuries that were considered fatal.


If successful, the process will allow soldiers to survive grievous injury. Continue living a normal life, in a prosthetic body.
What's more, they'll have the option to continue their service, fighting terror threats, even more effectively than before.

The prosthetic bodies will make them stronger, faster, smarter. Surpassing human limits on every level.


We're on the verge of something great Maddie! We can save lives!" the man looked away from the monitor. His eyes were glowing with excitement as he smiled to you.

On the monitor, you could see schematics of a human looking, robot body.

At the top corner, a small text was lit up:  

"Logged in as: Doctor Christof Vauclair."



A series of tiny footsteps suddenly attract your attention and a girl with a yellow pelt suddenly ran down the stairs and sprinted right into you you:

"MOMMY MOMMY! MOMMY'S BACK! MOMMY BACK!" the girl tightly hugged you, pressing her head in your stomach.
She was so small, barely 8 years old. Her dark hair was a mess, falling over her eyes. A pair of pegasi wings on her back.

She looks up at you with brightly lit eyes and releases the most heart warming smile you've ever seen in your life.


You crouch down and tightly lock her in a warm hug. A trace of tears appear in your eyes. You were crying.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




With a sudden jolt, you wake up in Lei's room. The memory cut in the middle, abruptly.

As you look to the side, you notice Madelyn curled up in her chair.
She was crying.

After the scene stops, she goes over and pats Madelyn's back. "I'm sorry..."

Angelo looks a bit more serious. "Christof Vaulclair... Can we look him up? Or would that be too risky?"

"Its alright, I can tell you about him" Lei said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She was watching the memory as well, and now placed one of the viewing devices back on the desk:


"Doctor Christof Vauclair was one of the more prominent robotics scientists of that time. A lot of my work is based on his findings. He was well known to the scientific community" Lei sighed, covering her eyes with a palm of her hand:

"...I can't believe you were married to him. You're Madelyn Vauclair... you were his wife..
Your name sounded familiar but I never made the connection until now.."



"What happened to him?" Tomas quietly asked.


"Christof Vauclair and his daughter were reported missing, 44 years ago" Lei quietly said: "They were never found.
And... Madelyn Vauclair... she... was found dead.
Her body found in an alley. Cause of death was blunt trauma to the side of her head. She was a high ranking police officer, so the case was wrote up as gang violence. Some sort of criminal vendetta.

More than that I.. do not know.."



Madelyn quietly sobbed, covering her face with her hands: "...I'm... I'm okay.. Oboro... it was just, so vivid... I just need a minute before we continue.." she slowly tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, taking quick shallow breaths.




"..I feel we're getting close to the truth" Lei quietly said: "The next memory may be more crucial. If anyone wants to plug in now, it would be the best time. We need as many eyes on this as possible."

"What did you find?" Rain looks back at the group, "Anything?!" she says urgently turning her gaze back outside.

Her ears perk at the names, "Frost! Keep guard!" she pushes her bow into him and makes her way to the machine, grabbing a headset.

// Hey guys, just a quick update, they finally found the problem in my pc, said it should be fixed within the week, so we'll be back in full swing shorty <.< Maybe some Team Fortress 2 finally ^^



(Everyone)


The area around the penthouse remains quiet. You don't seem to notice any suspicious activity outside.

"Nothing urgent to report" The Spiders voice echoed in your earpiece: "I'll maintain careful watch.... muuuuuu... trust Cookie more.." she said with a saddened voice. You can hear her legs softly stomping around the perimeter.


"It seems Madelyn's husband was somehow involved in creating these.. Anti Terrorist Suppression Weapons.." Tomas quietly said, looking at Rain: "They wanted to store people's consciousness in Tilerium..... gods.."


"..I'm going back in" Madelyn stiffly said, wiping her tears and pulling on the headset again.

Before you realized what happened, another sharp jolt of noise and everything turned dark.




--------------------------------------------------------------------



"Maddie, you dropping over my place for karaoke this weekend? The usual suspects should be there" Max's cheerful voice rings in your ear and you turn away from the window:


"You mean half our office?" you smile, looking at the energetic girl in police uniform. She was driving the car again, slowly making her way through the evening streets of the city.


"Damn straight. Its not every day you get to hear your CO butcher the Fireworks clip" Maxie said, slowly releasing a smile.


"Shut up" you release a high pitched giggle, despite yourself: "Hang on, I need to check if the schedules free"
You open up your cellphone and look at the calendar.
The current date read - 19:49, 21rst of March, 1989.

The events are taking place 46 years ago this time.


"You better be there, I swear to god" Max said, pulling to a stop next to a familiar, two floored little house.

"I'll see you tomorrow Maxie" you lean over and lock Max in a tight hug. She giggles softly and pats your back.


You get out of the car and turn around to wave, just in time to catch your bag. Max apparently hurled it right at you.
"Don't forget your bag Capt'n" Max called, giggling: "A policeman's gear is his life line"

"Goodbye Maxie" you wave, smiling, pulling the bag over your shoulder and starting to head towards the house.



You can't stop smiling at the thoughts of singing with your unit again. Its not every night everyone can get together these days.
You smile at the anticipation of walking into your warm home again, seeing Christof and your little daughter, eagerly waiting for you.


You unlock the door on autopilot, enter without taking note of surroundings. The only thing on your mind is seeing the smiling faces of your family again.

The anticipation shatters quickly and abruptly, as you suddenly notice Christof sitting behind the laptop in the kitchen. One look at him tells you that something is wrong.


Bloodshot eyes. Unkept hair. A glass of something strong in his arm. Was he crying? I've never seen him so shaken in the 10 years of our marriage.



"Chris! Christof what happened!" You call in alarm, your bag dropping to the floor as you rush towards him, placing your hand over his shoulders and trying to comfort him.
He's not answering, just staring blankly at the screen.


You look at the laptop as well, trying to grasp what he's looking at. You can't make heads or tails of what you're seeing. Some sort blueprint, of a teal colored microchip. Pure Tilerium. Very small. Shining. The label read:

'Plume of Dusk'.



"...I hurt them Maddie" Christof stiffly replied: "I ruined their lives.."

"Chris, what are you-" you desperately plead.

He closes his eyes:




"The project was a disaster" Christof quietly says, covering his face with both hands:
"23 patients. Soldiers of various injury.
Grievous, horrible wounds. They would not have survived.

We initiated the project. We thought we were saving them, but..


Everyone we transferred into a prosthetic body, suffered insanity without fail.
A complete 100% fail rate.

The minds of the patients recognized that the body wasn't their own and rejected it, almost immediately.

They're calling it.. "The Phantom Body Syndrome"


Every patient, without fail, suffered various forms of mental illnesses and became unable to function. Schizophrenia, paranoia, depression... Maddie... what have I done? What have I done to these poor people?"


Chris started crying, quietly and hopelessly, covering his face with both hands. It was unbearable to listen.

You press your head into his shoulder, trying to lock him in a tight hug. He leans away. Ashamed. Broken:


"...I'm shutting the project down" he quietly said: "..I have to take responsibility for this. Investors and colleagues be damned... I'm not ruining another life... its not worth the risk.
Not at this cost...


I'm going to call a press conference in the morning, make a public announcement... god forgive me" he buried his head in your shoulder, quietly crying.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The memory ended.

Rain pulls the headset off and blinks, "well... I'm slowly seeing why clopin wants her..." she clears her throat, "speaking of whom i wonder what he is doing currently..."

(Frost)
-Before/just as second memory is starting-
"Cookie, I'm going to need a few minutes to prepare something. You're our only eyes at the moment."

-Just after the second memory-
Frost has placed the bow beside her. It's neatly leaning against the window sill, but now with a faint electrical glow to it. Frost is nealing in a clear space in the room. Her book opened in front of her, but her eyes are closed. She's muttering something under her breath, preparing some sort of spell.

"Clopin is probably still locked in the Safe Room" Tom quietly said: "Together with the hostages. They should have 10 more hours of oxygen left. No reason for him to get out"



"Christof wanted to go public with his findings?.." Mira asked: "...but... that press conference never happened.
Today was the first I heard about... soldiers in prosthetic bodies..." she grimaced:
"Christof mentioned the possible displeasure of his colleagues and investors... did they.. pressure him somehow? Stopped him from talking to the media?"


"Lets keep going" Madelyn said, plugging into the machine again. Her expression was becoming hardened over time.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"They... solved it" Chris quietly says, leaning over the kitchen table. He sends a hand through his rapidly graying hair. His expression torn, conflicted:
"The Phantom Body Syndrome. They solved it, somehow.."


"Chris, what the hell is going on in that lab? And.. the press conference.. you said you decided to cancel it, out of the blue. Why?" I ask, leaning closer and trying to catch his eye contact. He avoids looking at me. I don't understand why. I can only see something gnawing at him.


"...I.. don't know.. how they fixed it.." he reluctantly says, avoiding my second question: "I've visited the patients again. They were.. fine.. they talked to me, but... something about the way they spoke... it sounded... off.. somehow...
The mental illnesses were gone over night. Doesn't make sense. And my colleagues refuse to say what they did.. they don't trust me.." he looks away.

I know that look in his eye. He gets it, just before he decides to do something dangerous.



"Do you know what they started calling themselves?" Chris says with a bitter smile:

"The Opera Eight.
They still count me among them. The Eight scientists who spearheaded the project. The Opera Eight... what a joke. Where did they even get the idea?.."



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




One memory ended and another began shortly after



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"Maddie.. listen" Christof looks at me with a haunted stare. But there's also determination in his eyes.
He leans over the kitchen table again and sighs:

"I need to talk to you. Not as my wife. But as an officer of the Adelheid Police Force"


"Alright" I collected myself and nod. I change my mindset. I'm not a mother or his wife right now. I am an officer of the law. I'm not standing inside my own kitchen right now, talking to my husband.
I am working a case.




Christof pulls something out of his pocket and places it on the table:

"This... is a Neurochip.

They designed it. Specifically to achieve Mind Control over their patients. Slaving them, forcing them to follow orders.
Whether the patients are insane or not, doesn't matter. They have advanced robotic hardware and they are told how to use it.


Whats more, the Opera Seven decided to use the patients augmented minds, to filter and edit information on the internet and the media.
They did a test run last week. Had one of the patients hack into the TV network, edit a few lines of transcript. Minor things, but nobody noticed. It aired on national television.
They started editing the news, Maddie!



What's worse... the Opera Seven want to expand. They're not just taking injured soldiers for their project now.
They are actively kidnapping people from the street! Civilians! Innocent people!

They're kidnapping them and shoving them inside prosthetic bodies! And once they go insane, they insert a Neurochip and slave them to their will.


They're experimenting on them! Forcefully inserting martial arts training into their minds, to see if a civilian can be as effective as a trained soldier, if they were both shoved inside prosthetic bodies and given the same virtual training.


They're.. succeeding... I've seen the numbers... they had records of at least 500 kidnappings in Adelheid.. and they're just getting started... these number will grow, exponentially.


They want to expand their hacking network. Hundreds of patients, hooked up to the internet.

Mind controlled. Forced to edit and skew information on a global scale. We are talking, global dominance, Maddie.
These people... the Opera Seven want to turn the world into their puppet, dancing on strings, as they pull at it from the shadows.

We can't let this happen"



He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small USB drive:

"I have copied all of the evidence, into this drive. Everything.


We have to go public with this. Transmit it live, on national television, before this gets out of hand. People need to know, its the only way to stop this"



"Alright. I'm coming with you" you firmly nod, looking at him.

"No, Maddie, they already suspect me" Chris looks at me, scared: "Our family may be targeted. Our daughter-"


"You think I'm gonna let you do this alone!?" You say harshly: "...you're right. I am an officer of the law. Its my job to see it through and make sure we succeed.
Tomorrow evening, you and me are busting into the UNN TV station. Transmitting this data worldwide, together"


"What about our daughter?" Chris asks, frightened.


"Max will watch over her. Take her out of the country somewhere. Equestria maybe. I'll tell them to sit tight, hide.
Once this whole mess blows over, Max will return with our daughter to us, and everything will be fine.

Christof, this ends tomorrow" I firmly say, looking at him. My eyes wander to the calendar on the fridge. The date read, 1991.
44 Years ago.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The memory ended.