Part 74: Carlos's Promise

Part 74: Carlos's Promise



I didn't really need to ask again, did I?



Ok, let's head back and see what our post-yellow door, post-ward collapse shenanigans we can get up to here.



Looks like we're in for a short ride, just one scene?



I'm surprised there's a fragment title screen on this thing.

Music: CQD Ward BGM 3



Okay, I get the whole location and time part.





Time, on the other hand, was the reverse. We weren't awake and moving all at the same time, but at separate times.





That just means I doubt you even more now.



With this, your alibis are completely gone.



If we were in the same places but at different times, then anyone could've done it.



Yes. Exactly.



The most suspicious are...





Though I guess alibis aren't necessary for you guys.



Please stop!





We transported to this timeline via that device over there.



Well...

Yeah, this excuse isn't going to sound very good to Eric, I think...



Missing Lip Animations: 56

And why not?!



After the transporter has been used once, it won't work for a while.

It takes at least ten months for the energy to fully charge again.

Guess that applies to both the sending transporter and the receiving transporter?



Wait...





So if it's never been used, it'll definitely run, right?

Carlos is starting to get a plan together. Remember this version of Carlos SHIFTed in from the Rec Room fragment, where some dark copy of Sean was wreaking havoc on C-Team in the Lounge. Carlos SHIFTed out to get a plan together to get them out of there.





Hey. This doesn't change the fact the you're still among the suspects.



Well, there's no question with you. We all know you killed Akane. We saw the video footage of you doing it.











It seems like Akane and I found Junpei's body in the Pantry in this history. Junpei's killer was unknown. But Akane assumed it was me...







A series of still shots for flashing back to / morphogentically learning about this scene yet again.





Please don't.



You attacked Akane because she was about to kill you...

If only someone would attack Eric...



Hey, isn't that enough, Eric?





He's different from how he was in the other history...



There was something off about him then, but...





Fine.





Missing Lip Animations: 57



I'd like to check something before I do though.





I know.







Well, there are these slots...



You need to put the cards in the right order. The nucleus will turn on.



Fade to black as we skip the rest of the explanation, having already heard it before...

Music: Ustulate Pathos

















But they're still alive in the other one.



So I'm going back to save them.















I told you earlier, didn't I? Our lives have to be in danger for our SHIFT ability to manifest.

At least Carlos isn't murdering everyone to get out of here.



Yeah, just the version of Carlos that killed Akane will die. He probably had it coming.



Bang! Flash to white. And a body falls.



Can someone please tackle Eric or something now?



C-Carlos...

No. No...



I'm going to guess he made it out of there successfully.



Let's see what we got out of that.



Ah, we're on rails again.



I suppose I'll keep going.

Music: Strain 2nd Mix





When last we left off here, Carlos was backed up against the wall and murder-robot was flying through the air about to strike at him.





Junpei and Akane are both down, moving slowly but unable to help.



So what will Carlos do?



There goes the flying leap...



The music stops...





Carlos SHIFTs out, and immediately SHIFTs back in with his new knowledge. The Akane-killer effectively just got booted forward to a shotgun blast from Eric. Anyway, there's a loud crashing sound.



It looks like Carlos dove out of the way?



He gets up to his elbows and looks at what happened.



That's going to leave a mark.



Of course, we've seen this effect before.





Music: Quantum Computer Dome (Q)



It's been awhile since we've heard Junpei's voice. Ten updates.







We should get going before he starts moving.





Missing Lip Animations: 58



There's a device on the other side. It can get us out of this mess. Let's go.







Music: CQD Ward BGM 3

The game is really a fan of these last two tracks in the latter parts of the game. Anyway, fade to black and we are now somewhere else!



Ah, I get it now.



The three wards all overlapped each other. Who knew.



And I think I've figured out the transporter more or less...



Hmm...



Good thing we can take all the time we need to think about it, because the only copy of that robot in the facility has been disabled!



Some kind of sound. Almost like the TV coming on, but not quite?



Well, that's different.











I no longer exist in this world.



Okay, let's piece that one together. We're in the Rec Room framgent, which takes place in the history where Q-Team is executed, C-Team goes through the Infirmary, and D-Team loses Diana and Sigma in the Trash Disposal Room. If we'd thought to show Carlos the Pod Room, maybe he could've gone and waken up Phi, because she's the only other one left here.





He's still able to predict C-Team somehow getting into the Transporter Room in this history, however. He could probably also predict their questions and have answers ready for them, too.



You are speaking to a recording.



If you are desperate for answers, I suggest finding me where I am alive.



Unfortunately, in that history our positions are reversed, and the three of you are dead.

We just left the history where D-Team was executed, and Carlos, the last living member of C-Team, was just killed there. The other histories are ones where C-Team was executed. Well, almost...





I'll be waiting to meet with you...

So, Zero throws down the challenge.



The holographic recording shuts off.



Damn it. Where is that?!

Could it be...









Carlos gets a morphogenetic flash of C-Team's execution.



I know.









We can't SHIFT there if our bodies are already dead...





Oh, so that's it! We're going to transport!



There's one problem with this plan.



If we pull this lever...

The door slides open.

Music: Trepidation 2nd Mix



Look who's back!











Huh...?!





It only works with one person in each! At least that's what Diana told me!







Flash of white, and the sound of something going flying and crashing.







I promise! Trust me!





We'll hold you to it!

I promise!























Same crazy effects as before, just with an audience now.

Music: Consternation 2nd Mix



Missing Lip Animations: 59



More noises as Carlos appears to be finally thrown aside.





Now what?



Time to get the hell outta here, I think.









Music: Ustulate Pathos



[Maria:] Don't give up on me, Carlos!

Maria?! Is that you...?!

[Maria:] I heard you calling out so I...

Maria... Maria...!

[Maria:] You know I'll be waiting for you... I'll never stop waiting... So...

Yeah, you're right. There's no way I'm going to die here! I can't... I can't die here!

I think that was the real Maria reaching out to Carlos through the morphogenetic field. Her Reverie Syndrome was theorized as basically wildly uncontrolled access to it, remember.





A loud grunt from Carlos. I thought the sound was him trying to SHIFT, but...



He somehow throws murder-robot across the room, instead.



Loud crash. Anyone remember what happened in the game over where the input pods were destroyed?

Music: Solitary Snail







I don't think you want to be sticking around there anymore, Carlos.















Music: Extreme Urgency (What Will You Decide?)









This is actually--







The whole room blows up again, and we're left to wonder if Carlos made it out this time. I guess we don't have to wonder about the versions of Akane and Junpei that got left behind when they transported. I like to think that Phi survived the explosion in her pod and woke up later to find eight X-Passes and waltzed out the X-Door.



Well, the Rec Room fragment is finally completed.



Let's see where we're getting sent next.



Oh, we're off the rails. One new C-Team fragment, with just a picture of the moon. Pretty easy hint that I'll leave you to figure out.



There's also a new Q-Team fragment, in the Transporter Room. Taking over from where we left off, maybe?



Nothing new for D-Team, but I did notice one thing. Each team only has one locked fragment remaining. And there aren't any locks left on the global flowchart, either. We're really in the home stretch, now.



The first set of scenes we saw was "Get Back", per the fragment title at the beginning.



The last set was "Carlos's Promise", completing the Rec Room fragment.



Anyway, should we continue with C-Team, or Q-Team? Or detour entirely with one of the Force Quit fragments? Select the story fragment.




Extras:



One file, with an explanation of what Gab was really doing when we thought he was going between the wards.