Part 100: Day 45 - Gameplay

Day 45: Gameplay

Music: neutral 4






Time itself, huh… I guess he stays on brand.

Indeed. Not even I can predict what will happen next, A. Please be careful. I will be looking forward to your imminent success.

Of course. Leave it to me. Oh, and Angela..?

Yes, manager?

After this one I'll have some wine. We'll probably need it.

I shall prepare accordingly.

...Alright then, Hokma. Let's do this.

DAY 45 CHALLENGE: IN A TIMELY MANNER

Rules: Suppress Hokma's Core. All Agents must survive. All Meltdowns must be worked.



Music: Second Trumpet


Can't say I ever thought I'd see this room…

Talow, right? Bishop's mentioned you.

...Did he?

Yeah. Said I could trust you. Also that you were a pain in the ass.

Can't say he's wrong in either case. Still, can't say I don't like being here. I've been meaning to give Hokma a talking to anyways.

We're on the same page, then. Let's see what we're up against.



Good day to you, A. Have you decided to turn back, yet?

I have not. If you're in my way, I'm going to go through you. Since you're not broken, there's no problem. Right?

There is one problem. You will not be able to pass by me. This egg shall remain intact, and you shall not leave me.

Stars of the City, Hokma. I knew you were avoiding work just to stalk the Manager, but this is just pathetic.

A meaningless peon like you has no right to speak.

Funny, coming from an obsessive superfan with no redeeming qualities.

Hey, hey, hey, both of you cut that out. We've got work to do.

Ah yes, so we do. So it has been. So it shall be. Work. Sleep. Work. The cycle continues, unbroken.





Before we do anything else, I need to show off Hokma's idle animation.



It is my second favorite animation in the entire game, beating out even Mountain's QC1 dance.

So, what's the plan?

Clear a workday while I prove that I'm just fine to continue. Something about making peace with the past, probably.

That sounds good enough for me. Let's give it a shot.

Right. Let me just speed things up like always.



...oh no.

Oh, yes. Time shall flow precisely as it is meant to, no faster and no slower.

Hokma's first trick is stopping our ability to speed time up. This is hugely frustrating to me because I'm so used to playing at 2x speed that it makes his day feel incredibly slow-and also because if we die to a Midnight we have to take the loooong way back afterwards. He has a second quote when we try to alter the speed of time as well:


Hm. Well then, let's see what happens when we pause.

Manager, that's got to be a-!




...trap.

The clock never stops moving, A. Each moment of silence has its price. With a wave of my hand, your employees shall pay the cost.

Pausing, meanwhile, will exact a price each time we do it. The first time we pause, an Agent either dies or panics instantly. The next time, two Agents are affected, three the third time, and so on. While deaths are listed in the lower-left tracker, panics are not-we can tell if anyone has panicked by scanning through the workers list at any Abnormality.



Here, we can see that Mizu got the penalty. We can spend as long as we want on pause, but when we unpause…



No muss, no fuss, just dead.

She has been removed. The next time, it will be two of them.





Wait, what are you do-

Music: neutral 4


Hokma doesn't block the escape button, though, so if we ever really need to take a break or start over we can do it through the retry menu.

Manager? You've been forced to rewind so quickly?

Not the time!



Music: Second Trumpet


That was bullshit and I do not approve, Hokma.

The man I admire wouldn't have even cared.

Ugh… Manager, could you not do that again? This room locks down when you go back and it's a pain in the ass to kill myself in here.

Yeah, I know… wait, what?

I remember things from every life I've had around here, and I'm quite tired of hiding it right now. Don't ask me, he did it.

Hokma?

It was a tweak to the standard Records department systems. I did it in order to better keep track of you when you weren't here before me.

That's not creepy at all! Okay! Moving beyond that, let's just take a second to mess with the Deterrence and then we can move on.

The Deterrence? Manager, I don't have the ability to alter that.

So Information's still completely down?

That is correct, A…



Good morning, o wise fools.

That's never good.

Bishop! We need your voodoo computer magic now!



You mean 'basic IT work?' Alright, hold on.

It's no good. We're locked out from the Suppression-have been all morning.

You heard the man. I can't see anything in the system.

Great. Well, the Doctor's awake. Hope you're happy, Hokma.

I fail to see how one Abnormality could possibly be an issue.

The Doctor? That thing from Information yesterday…

That's your thinking face. What's the plan, boss?

There is no plan. We're getting the hell out of here. Now.

Oh, uh, yes sir!

I'll just save and-

No time. Move.



Hm? Oh, Sephiroth, you have a work order again.

Who shall taste my wrath? The Bee or the Star?

HAHAHA! Neither! It's an Abnormality in Control!



I cannot believe this. Ten minutes into the day, and we're already dealing with that thing.

I can hear thee, thou knowest.

Cool. Don't care.

Take heart. Were it not for thine unfortunate happenstance in the first attempt, this would have occurred before thou had even noticed. Now thou can await the appointed time with proper awe.

Boss, I've seen a lot of things in my time, and none of them have ever been like this. You may want to brace yourself.

I do not feel fear from a simple Abnormality, least of all a ZAYIN.

And I don't call sentient blobs of clockwork boss, so I wasn't talking to you.

You impertinent little-

Both of you shut up! I'm trying to think. If we just retry...

I am not returning to Information. My victory is inevitable.

It seems you are determined to stop it… and the only way you can is by allowing Chesed to move the Deterrence. This means you cannot suppress any more cores. The seed shall not grow, and you cannot hope to break free. How lucky for me.

_{…dammit… what do I do?}



What do you ask of me?

The time for reunion, that which thou hast hoped for, is nigh. Let us join and become as one.

And what might this entail?

I shalt give to thee mine blessing.

Turn back the clock, Manager. Cease this foolishness, and seal that which you fear.

But then...

Shut the hell up, you rusted pile of bolts.

How dare you!

I've been stuck in this damn cycle for longer than I can remember. I don't even really remember what it's like outside of these walls anymore, but I can tell you this much. If there's any way out of here? No matter the risk, I'm in. Even if it's going through whatever that thing's doing.

I see that I should reconsider my choice in captain.

Yeah, go ahead and try wiping me out. I won't have to remember all this crap anymore, and you'll actually have to do your job for a few eons instead of follow this loser everywhere. I win either way.



This… this is just a waste of time! Rewind now, A, and stop this before you lose the chance!

...No.

What? But-why not?

I'll give you three reasons. One: I promised Angela that we'd break this cycle.

You promised that AI?

Two: A friend of mine is looking for someone, and they're not here. If we're stuck in this loop forever I can't help them with that, either.

Who are you referring to…?

I guess there's a downside to only paying attention to employee files, huh Hokma?

And three: Our motto.

Our motto?



Face the fear, build the future.

...It is alright not to move forward. We can endure here forever!

Not happening. I made this place-all of this place. I made that motto. That means more than anything, A always wanted to move forward! So I'm going to pick up my own will, and carry it into the future!

You… you damned fool! That's nothing like what A would have wanted!

Don't care! I've decided! It's time we build the future!



The time of reunion is upon us! I am reborn, bolstered by thine belief in mine cause!



Rise, my servants. Rise and serve me.

The camera! Manager what did you do?!

I don't know, I'm not the one controlling it!

Lo, I have named each of thee anew. Become what thou wert meant to become.

There's a dramatic clock chime as the camera moves to each of the blessed, one at a time.



Ashley, the fertile meadow upon which My ashen tree of salvation shalt grow.



Acacia, whose thorn'd grove shalt protect My magnificence.



Noah, who shalt comfort My flock against the waters of My wrath.



Paul, the humble child who has been oft overlooked. My eye shall never miss thee.



Alyssa, whose rationality is a flower keeping My field from growing barren.



Juliet, the father of the skies over which I shall rule.



Knox, thine existence is a hill on the plains. Thou shalt ensure My continued amusement.



Ray, the wise protector of My paradise.



Owen, untested warrior from the nest-thy sword arm shall be My sword arm.



Dia, as befits a creature from the heavens. In My service thou shalt be loved.



Joshua, a reminder that I am thy salvation.



Mason, who shalt shape the stone of the earth to bring forth my creation.

My name is not…



…

Manager, it's a third trumpet!

Wow. I am immediately regretting this decision. That's a new record.

It's changed its classification number. Fascinating.



All agents, get the hell away from that thing!

Plague Doctor's second form -46 spawns in the main room of the department it was in, and changes its blessed employees into Apostles. They begin wandering the facility to attack anything they come across, while -46 remains in its main room.

Ugh, this is bad.

Ohhh… I don't think we're out of it yet.

You think this is going to get worse? How?!

Well… I've got three reasons. One: We're past a Second Trumpet so Big Bird's out. Two: Multiple people just panicked from the release so Punishing Bird's out too.



And three: Tenebrais was wearing the Twilight gear when she turned into… that.

I see what you mean. That is worse.

I'm sure you understand your place now, A. Let's just retry and forget all of this happened. We can go back. Escape.

This has all clearly spun out of control. It's a redo, but this isn't over yet Hokma. Let's go back.



...I said let's go back! Gooooo back! Retry! Menu! Anything!

...Oh, that isn't good.

What isn't good?

It seems that my functions have been… somewhat compromised by that new Abnormality.

Is that why I can't pause anymore?!

I'm afraid so.

Wait, you were just going to let more people die?

To be fair they're all probably dead anyways.

...yeah, point.

As long as -46 is breaching, we can't speed up or slow down time, and we can't pause with the spacebar. When it breaches during Hokma's suppression, Hokma's lines will still play when we try to speed up time, but nothing happens at all when we try to pause, and the escape key is now equally nonfunctional. This means we can't leave.

The control of time is Mine, as all things are. You need not worry any longer.

What the hell does this have to do with curing a disease?!

We seek to cure the same disease, you and I. Thy scientific contraption here is naught but the hubris of man. The correct answer is to bless those who listen to thee, and put the rest to the sword. Such is My plan, and it is true and righteous.

Ahh… so you're insane. Why didn't you just lead with that?



You dare question My magnificence? A demonstration, then.



In My name, be purged!

This red ring fires out from -46 through the facility at regular intervals, ~once per minute. While it does fade out eventually, in practice it hits everywhere.

Talow, status report!

We're fresh out of clerks-that thing deals Pale damage.

Our agents?

No idea. We're getting interference everywhere.



I've determined that the compromised agents use three types of weapons, A. At this time their characteristics are unknown.

Wait, you're helping me? Why?

My sole concern is the continuation of this endless cycle. While I cannot allow you to break it… this Abormality's usurpation of my systems has proven a more immediate threat.

So it's a truce. Alright, let's see what we can figure out.

Hey, boss, you may want to hurry.



The birds just hit the door.

Maybe that walking apocalypse will solve our problems for us.



Unlikely.

The mooks deal Pale, too? And a ton of it.

That would be enough Pale damage to kill an Agent instantly in all but the most resilient gear.

Yeah… wait. Hey, Sephiroth's tag is still showing normally.

As 'Mason,' but-yeah, close enough.

...I wonder why.

There's no time to worry about a mere Agent! We have larger problems at hand!



O Lord, My name is not 'Mason.'

Thy name has been given by Me, that we may do Mother's will to purge the world of this disease of the mind. This is the Reunion thou hast waited for, and as one of the Numbered it is thy place to do My will.

...No. I shall not.

Accept thy place in the cycle and purge this world of its filth, Mason! Thy old life matters not-let it fade into thy memory!



When -46 breaches, One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds's work types all change to Confession work. Selecting it shows that only Sephiroth can perform this work.



I will never... be a memory.



What the-who ordered a work on old Onesy?

No idea. I was busy watching Apocalypse Bird rip the faces off of some Agents.

What on earth… Manager, there's a massive Enkephalin reaction coming from One Sin! It's focused on… Control's main room?!



That light… That accursed, unholy light! My body faileth Me… I must recover for a time. Think not that thou hast prevented My glory... Thou hast only... delayed… thine fate...



Whatever that light was, it got rid of the Abnormality. It appears that its minions have begun to impale themselves upon their weapons.

So it's over, then.



For now. No telling how long it lasts with that thing, though.

Right… time to get the hell out of here, and try to fix this.

I shall see you this morning, then.

...no.



There's no telling how long this will take, and Angela made it sound like tomorrow would be too late to deal with it. We're going back to the start of the week.

That far, huh..?

Talow.

What are you after now, Hokma?



I am granting you an opportunity. I shall remove the Records department safeties as we leave. I expect a full briefing on our next meeting. In exchange I will reconsider your replacement.

I had a feeling it was that… Whatever. I'll see what I can do. Not like I won't find out eventually anyways.

Very well. The SB process password is 'Carmen.' When you are done, I expect you to use it.

SB process…?

Nothing that you need concern yourself with, A. It will never happen so long as you exist in this building.

Right… I only sort of follow what's going on, so I'll just say thanks for the hard work. I've got a bottle of wine stashed under the console if you need it.

I know, but thanks.



The Memory Repository takes a snapshot of all the gear we have in hand at the moment we use it, so if we Repositoried without first selecting Retry, we'd lose out on all the gear of the people who died. Because this included Twilight, I went ahead and hit Retry before doing this. Make sure not to forget if you're playing along!

Let's get the hell out of here.

Agreed. I'll requisition one of my spare shells when we return.

Music: neutral 1


I'll allow it, but don't think this is over yet.

I wouldn't dream of it, A. Until I've convinced you to stay, I will not stop fighting. I care too much about you to do otherwise.



_{Ahh hell, I did just unset all of them right before this. I have to assign them all back again?}

Manager, your rewind has been completed successfully. I trust you've had a pleasant experience?

I'm gonna' go with 'hell no.' Get me some coffee, and have someone get to work on the lights. They're still out in here.

Of course, Manager.

Let's get down to business…



Wait... I don't remember having an unknown Abnormality in Welfare…



GAH!

O arrogant worm… I shall not be denied. Run through time or space as thou like, it is all meaningless before Me. End thy slumber that the day may begin, and with it My ascension.

This is bad. ...Very bad.

Next time, on Lobotomy Corporation: We quantify a God.