Chapter Text
"Bravo".
Andrew couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't even think. But he was definitely alive, even though he clearly got killed a second ago.
Exiting simulation...
The world went from pitch black to relatively lit in a fraction of a second. Andrew was able to see again. Although he didn't really care. The ability to move was still missing.
The chat was almost silent. Only feargeyt6774 spammed :pepefear:.
"Our training is indeed working." he heard suddenly. Never bothering to look around before, he finally scanned his surroundings. Andrew was closed in a tiny glass room. In front of him, behind the glass, stood the Admins.
"That's what I'm saying. But doesn't that count as a multiplayer category?"
"I don't know man, speedrun assisted by the entity? Not technically a multiplayer" Admin 3 gave a shrug. "He's making progress, though. 40 minutes. Remember Run 2? It was almost 3 hours long."
"You're right, I guess."
Andrew started to get bored as hell.
> hey u 2
> im still here
Both Admin 3 and Admin 4 turned around slowly and were now staring at him. Andrew raised an eyebrow (which was hilarious because one of his eyes was covered with hair).
"Why didn't he deactivate." Admin 3 seemed to lose their voice.
"If only I knew."
He stared back at them.
> wym deactivate
The Admins glanced at each other.
"Do something!" Admin 3 hit Admin 4's shoulder.
"One second..." they almost hissed in response.
Darkness.
Andrew, however, was still able to think.
xx_E-G-O_xx: any thoughts about wtf is going on?
SIDIsquish: this darkness kinda reminds me of Assimilation
SIDIsquish: miss them lowkey :(
xx_E-G-O_xx: that's the only thing you can think of right now???
Conzercheez: ego I have a thought
Conzercheez: remember that cursed clone machine? and the things Assimilation said about lies or whatever
Conzercheez: their words were hidden behind sidi's CERTIFIED REAL message remember
SIDIsquish: are you blaming me rn or what
SOUPBEGONE31: I thought we're ignoring this :(
SOUPBEGONE31: philosophical implications and stuff
xx_E-G-O_xx: and what's the conclusion conzer
Conzercheez: you won't like it
Conzercheez: the conclusion is
The dim yellow light hit Andrew's eyes unexpectedly. He was back at the simulation area, glass walls of a giant cube surrounding him. He shook his head realising he could move again.
feargeyt6774: what's the conclusion conzer :pepefear:
xx_E-G-O_xx: wait a minute this place
xx_E-G-O_xx: Assimilation was reading something here
Andrew rushed to the wall and desperately hit it. One of the glass blocks broke. He proceeded and eventually ended up outside the glass box. He was now standing in front of the black wall that Assimilation had been standing against some time before.
And it took him quite a while to read the notes he found.
Conzercheez: welp my conclusion is quite obvious now
SOUPBEGONE31: holy hell IS ANDREW NOT REAL
feargeyt6774: :pepefear:
xx_E-G-O_xx: he is indeed
Conzercheez: no way my guess was right
SOUPBEGONE31: SIDI YOU HERE?
SOUPBEGONE31: MISSING OUT AGAIN
feargeyt6774: :pepefear: :pepefear:
SIDIsquish: i'm here dumbass
SIDIsquish: the discovery is out of the ordinary y'know have to think this over
SIDIsquish: noooo does this mean Assimilation is also not real? damn
feargeyt6774: :pepefear:
SIDIsquish: it's :pepefear: fr
"Of COURSE you got out." the voice rang from Andrew's left. He turned around. Admin 4 was staring at him, noticeably irritated. He didn't even hear them coming through the door. "Why the actual hell are you even activated? I did deactivate you manually- oh god." they sighed. "It's nothing."
Andrew responded with a single blink. Admin winced.
"You know now, right?" they asked. Andrew nodded. "Shit. FINE. This changes nothing, I guess. Get your metal ass back into the simulation area. I have an offer for you."
Andrew followed the instruction without hesitation, markedly intrigued. Admin closed him inside the glass cube again.
"The speedrun world record on this version in the category ”any% glitchless, random seed, singleplayer” is currently 18 minutes 28 seconds 932 milliseconds." they said. "If you beat it, I will let you and your one-eyed friend go wherever the fuck you want. Get it?"
> yup
"Good. And," it sounded as if Admin grinned, "Assimilation will join you. As an obstacle, of course."
Andrew, to their disappointment, didn't show any emotion. Of course, he's a fucking machine, Admin thought.
> k
"We won't interfere. Just observe. I won't collect you after every single run, either. Just start a new one without waiting for me. And don't you dare doing anything like today again."
> k
"Glad we've found common ground." The world went white. Andrew closed his eyes before hearing-
"Good luck."
-and generating new world.
SIDIsquish: THEY TOLD ASSIMILATION WOULD JOIN
SOUPBEGONE31: oh shut up you simp they said it would be an OBSTACLE. Anyway WE'RE BACK TO SPEEDRUNNING
feargeyt6774: i'm oddly excited about this too soup
xx_E-G-O_xx: beating the game in 18 minutes is quite a challenge, Andrew has barely made it in 40
Conzercheez: shut up y'all
Conzercheez: don't you think the admin's offer is incredibly weird?
Conzercheez: like why on earth would they allow two sentient AIs to do whatever they want?
SOUPBEGONE31: why should it matter
xx_E-G-O_xx: i agree with conzer actually that's strange
SIDIsquish: yeah it makes no sense
SIDIsquish: but all Andrew can really do is try it
SOUPBEGONE31: can't believe i agree with you
SOUPBEGONE31: at least they didn't tell him to win a build battle or something
xx_E-G-O_xx: true
Conzercheez: i have a really bad feeling about this
And it was the moment a new world was finally generated.
Well, not quite.
The slanting rain hit him in the face. It was dark, too dark for daytime. Something was wrong with the World 26. But Andrew didn't bother to think about it any longer than one millisecond.
He had to hurry. The Admins weren't watching him now, or he just wanted to think so.
xx_E-G-O_xx: no way they're already observing. Admin 4 was near us a second ago.
Andrew agreed. He was now seeing the soft glow of torches on Collin's house. This player could help him. Even though he didn't know how.
Even though Andrew didn't have any proper plan.
Admin 3 entered a dark room, making sure to close the door behind them. The darkness looked at them with a single huge eye.
Assimilation was in pain, or it seemed like it was. Admin didn't quite know if AIs could feel pain. Still, it couldn't break out of the invisible barriers.
"You're lucky I've come to see you instead of Full Square." they said. Assimilation twitched at their voice. "Don't you want to forget everything that happened today?"
The eye widened.
"I do." the line flashed red before Admin's eyes. They shook their head slightly.
"You liar."
A1 didn't respond.
Maybe it's not? Admin 3 thought.
"I can erase your memory in a blink of an eye," they chuckled at the unintended pun. "But I have something to offer you instead."
They oddly resembled a sly fox. Standing still, arms behind their back, they were confidence incarnated. Full Square gave them clear instructions: delete everything from A1's database, make it as if today's run never happened in the first place. But Admin 3 was bored. Just like P1, they wanted entertainment. A little bit of disobedience wouldn't hurt anyone, would it?