003 × Chug Along We're Almost There

fate leads the way deeper into the tower
marching past, brother follows as I, too, do so
the hallways wind in weirdly lit hues and saturation
as if a choir of rainbows cracked their voice

chug along! we're almost there!
fate affirms, standing right next to an elevator door
wait, this place has elevators?
creator questions as fate
presses the singular button
on the lift, answering with a smirk

well— we can get to the garden via stairs
but... this becomes more convenient
you'll see in a second as to why
I bow toward the machine,
signaling them to enter
going inside, I follow behind
the doors shut outward, imploding
as the machine ascends upward

and an excruciatingly long session of elevator music later—

the… well… everything comes to a halt
with a shock, and the gates open
to a giant room filled with piles upon piles
of books and shelves—shelves floating,
and shelves stacked on each other
creatia steps upfront to comment
correct me if I'm wrong, but
this does not look like a garden
she muses, looking around

fate pulls out a map of the tower
from his pocket as I look past his hand
with a curious face, I question him
whatcha got there?

a map of the Gamble Tower, it is
fate returns, searching for the specific floor

I think we're on floor
six hundred eight point nine
creator's jaw drops as he's overcome
with the structure's enormity
fate, dude, bruh
you think!?!

creator maniacally hunches
down then stands up
as he clutches his hands
don't tell me by
tour of the tower

you gonna show us the rest of the
six hundred eight point fifty-eight floo—
fate interrupts creator to a halt

there's actually an infinite number of floors

what even…?
and I just stare
at his face
damn you!

ah, yes— many have
fate replies, also why does
that sound familiar?
I give a tired frown, turning back
but to nobody's surprise I see
creatia running up to me
with a stack of books

bookworm

me and fate comment in unison
but someone notices and takes offense
and suddenly stops their steps
sistah', sto—
the momentum too great
books come crashing down
on an unsuspecting creator

ting!

the bell rings and the lift moves
I... I think I'll go insane—
creator sits in the middle-corner of the lift
oh, yeah, if I forgot to mention, the lift takes
you to a random floor every time
fate mentions

creator rubbing his temples exclaims
but stops his protest halfway through
fate steps in front as the lift stops
welcome to the tower and its tour
creatia facepalms, responding
no, for damn sake you're not gonna—

yes I'm gonna
and you're gonna have to
fate replies, chuckling

ting!

this is the floor of reality breaking stuff!
why do I have these, I have the freedom
to not elaborate, that is,

ting

this is where I store my typewriters

why do you have a room
full of those things, like what do you eve-
creatia asks fate, who then proceeds to give a response
typewriters? you never know when need comes, am I right?

or am I right?

ting!
ting!
ting!
ting!
ting!
ting!

creator, staying silent until now, snaps
tin- can you sToP PR ES SI NG T H E B U T T O -
his voice breaking the sound barrier comes to a halt
as a concerned creatia confronts creator

bruh, you alright? and on a more important note san—
ting!

...fate? what the actual fuc—
but before creator can exclaim swears
we're here, luck or a rigged game, we are!
creators eyes shine brighter than a star
what...? I'm finally— free of the elevator music!
creatia and creator come out of the lift
as fate examines the floor,
stopping to a realization

hold on a second... this isn't—
he checks the map once again
searching, searching,
both of you get in
pointing to the lift, what naw?
just why,

creator until now turns around frowning
to an extremely smug-faced fate
who then proceeds to give
an explanation
and an alternative

first of all, the crystal garden is supposed
to have crystals— and second of all
the real garden is a few floors and steps
from here, by the stairways... hey! don't leave us!
fate shouts towards creators
walking to the stairs

just so you know
it's only two hundred-ish steps
a couple thousand turns, but you'll eventually get there
without me— convenient, yes, possible probably
says fate, enough to stop a pair of two siblings
from heading upstairs

can we— have the map...?
creatia questions

not if you leave me behind
fate replies back, grinning
dude, really?
creator dismays

and then—

step
step
step

the trio of mentor and disciples
climb the tower of luck and lux
walking past rooms of the unknown and impossible
floors of the ineffable and indescribable
creatia walks reading a book
finishing said book, tossing it
and starting another
fate carries an asleep creator
my urge to die is immense
and the rest of eternity is ruined

is what I would say, if I were a little bitch

it's all a plan, fate,
so don't screw up the last steps
fate murmurs, opening doors
holding the map with one hand
and creator over the other shoulder
okay, you might not believe this...
he opens one last door, stepping in—
turning back to a skeptic-faced creatia

I am not joking, really
fate throws a now half-asleep creator
on the nearest couch, proceeding to elaborate

honestly, I don't really live up to the name
i, from this point— maybe till the far future, don't and won't
the last thing in that someone's plan... is to teach you a few very minute
little things, really minor ones at that, and then for a long time
I'm useless, so sit down

creatia rests next to a half-awake creator, curious

this is it...
I take steady steps, walking in a circle
you are oversears, false ones at that

creator, taking
interest, questions
the heck are those?
you see, I— was getting to that
beings made of ink and imagination
and that's all that important, moving on
now, someone here has already skimmed
all of the books so, I'd reckon to recommend you share
said knowledge with mister sleepyhead here, but in short

the world is yours, kinda
you can make anything
the tutorial level is ov-

so— I can make anything?

yes, you can
fate grants an answer as I, listening to him,
stand up, moving my hands
the books don't lie

hovering them as if trying to create
because I am, alone and slightly bold
creator slides a little forward
fate leans on a wall
don't make a mess
he quietly mumbles

uh, I sure won't
reality bends around...
nothing? and something forms

cookie?

anticlimactic as fuck in my opinion
fate exclaims with a deadpanned face
creatia turns her head to the side towards fate
hey, at least it'll taste good! I'm sure of it!
taking a bite, she goes through it
creatia scoffs

her teeth gnashing come to a halt

what happened
creator asks her
while he too tries his hand at it
creatia replies, spitting out the cookie
it's made of glass!? my teeth hurt!
should have thought about
its material more briefly
suggests fate

but also, is it supposed to do that...?

creatia looks in her hand
not to be cookie racist or anything
but why the heck! is it turning into chocolate dough?
the cookie falls down— through her hand, hitting the floor
its landing creates an anomalous vibration
like a broken, forgotten instrument

a slight, ǝʇᴉuᴉɟuᴉ hind
ssǝlʇᴉɯᴉl amount of binds
the seal uǝʞoɹq you will find

sistuh', not to be rude but, what in the broken pencil tips is that?!

t h i s i s i n t h e i r m i n d s

continue
004 × Welcome To Where We Are

previously
002 × What's A Godesa Anyway's