Crystal Legacy: Generation 0
What should have been a peaceful last few weeks in the sleepy town of Strudelville takes a strange, strange turn for Snowflake Crystal. When a storm brings a stranger to her doorstep, she is forced to face the horrors that lay beneath her, and forced to decide what she wants to do with her life as well.
Snow: …ugh. Alright, here we go. *cough* this thing smells like musty attic.
Snow: What were they doing down here…wait. That door…
*rumble*
Snow: Holy Watcher be with us in this hour of need…protect us from the darkness in the night, guide us down the right path…and maybe cross your fingers for me, okay?
Automatic voice: Welcome, Sergeant Delta Terra. Please be aware, containment protocols are level: Omega Black. Proceed with caution.
Snow: Holy Watcher!
Rainbow: I am alright, Snow. I…you have seen it, then?
Snow: Kind of hard to miss. …Rain, you…that’s what destroyed your planet?
Rainbow: Yes. I was…perhaps twelve rotations old. It came with a fall of meteors and was not noticed until it was too late. When the first settlements fell, my mother was called to the front…she…
Rainbow: She told me, in her last message, that she was the only one who could…that she had to do what she could. She…she did not return. So when you said you had to go…
Snow: Rainbow…I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean to scare you, I just…
Rainbow: No…never apologize for defending your home. I should be the one to apologize.
Rainbow: I took this mission to destroy the creature because I had to…I need to avenge my mother, but I do not…my reasons have changed…
Snow: Hey…we’re in this together, you know. You don’t have to be afraid–well. Much.
Snow: That thing is pretty terrifying.
Rainbow: *laugh* Yes, it is…Snow? Promise that…we shall attack it together next time.
Snow: I promise.
Rainbow: Watcher…we had best hurry.
Snow: We should split up. If you can get me some samples, I need to…test some thing.
Rainbow: Be cautious, Snow.
Snow: You too.
-
Rainbow: You took one home from me. You will not take another.
??: J̘̥̼̦͍̙̠ͨ̇̀̋̉̿̇o̧i̦̽ͮ͢n̸̲̗̩̮̖̤̤̉ͨ̐̚ ͚͈̻͉͡ủ͕̏ͣ̓͑s̢̮͉̉̊ͭ!̤͍̺̭̮͓
Rainbow: Watcher–
Snow: ‘scuse me!
*splash
Rainbow: Thank you, but I do not think that inoculations work that way.
Snow: Nah, but it’s much faster this way. Come on–I got the data I need. We should hurry to the lab.
Rainbow: I wonder what Mother would think, knowing this thing has haunted two generations…
Snow: I think she’d be proud that her daughter’s doing the right thing even if she’s scared. Come on–the equipment’s downstairs.
Rainbow: Where did you learn to do this sort of thing?
Snow: Mother insisted on a…broad education. She said that no woman should be limited by her gender or color. I think she wanted to be sure I could support myself.
Rainbow: She sounds like a wonderful woman.
Snow: She was. I’m sure yours was, too.
Rainbow: Was I that obvious?
Snow: Eh, a little bit. Easier to think about your past than your future, isn’t it?
Rainbow: …to an extent, yes. I…have given very little thought to my future beyond defeating the Mother.
Snow: Just one question, then: you want to take the fight to the Mother, right?
Rainbow: …Yes? I assumed that was obvious. Do not tell me you are going to attempt to convince me otherwise.
Snow: Wouldn’t dream of it. It’s just that this is probably going to suck.
Rainbow: This? –Oh, Watcher, do not even–
Snow: Brace yourself!
Rainbow: Kaffas!! Snow!
Snow: *laugh* Sorry, sorry!
Rainbow: That is foul!
Snow: Works, though! We can get some more help before we go charging in to that fight.
Rainbow: More help? Snow…
Snow: Hey, better numbers are better odds! I’ll call Delta when we get home, she can bring someone she trusts.
Rainbow: …Ugh. Very well. I need a shower.
Snow: Are you going to stomp all the way home?
Rainbow: …Perhaps.
Snow: *laughs*
Snow: …that’s strange…Delta’s not picking up…oh! Del–oh. Sergeant, hello–yes, this is Snow Crystal. I was trying to reach Delta–what?!
Snow: What do you mean, Delta’s been compromised?!
Rainbow: ….Snow, the infection.
Sodalite: Your…friend is correct, Miss Crystal. Sergeant Terra was compromised on duty, along with most of her squad. I suppose we have you to thank for making things worse?
Snow: I opened the door, yes.
Mystic: That did increase the level of spores in the air, which definitely didn’t help matters any.
Rainbow: It…also made the Mother stronger. This is our fault. We were trying to stop it, but perhaps…
Sodalite: Perhaps you should have left well enough alone! It was under control until you started poking around!
Snow: You’ve got a giant alien plant tied up in your basement, Sergeant! I don’t think you can call that under control!
Rainbow: Kaffas! Enough, both of you! Fault is irrelevant at this point in time and we have to stop the monster first!
Snow: Rain…
Rainbow: …I apologize. It has been a trying few weeks.
Mystic: For all of us, sugar. Fact is, even if we could get close to the thing, we don’t have anything that’ll work on it. Half my team’s gone down and we don’t have a cure.
Sodalite: Perhaps Miss Crystal has something? You would not have called the Sergeant if you did not.
Snow: …Yes, sir, I do. And with Delta gone, I’m going to have to ask you both for your help. I have an inoculation against the infection, so if I dose you both, the four of us can take what’s left of the serum to the Mother and kill it.
Rainbow: It is not pleasant. It is actually quite foul.
Mystic: More foul than losing your own head? I’m for it. Sergeant?
Sodalite: …We don’t have any other options at this point. Very well, Miss Crystal. I suppose I can hold my nose on this one.
Rainbow: *laughter*
–
Snow: I think we traumatized them both. Did you have to laugh so hard?
Rainbow: The Sergeant had it coming. He wanted to run off when you pulled out the serum–honestly, nikan, that was the most fun I have had in moon cycles.
Rainbow: Do you think they will join us in the morning?
Snow: Well, yeah? This is their home, too, and they’ll want to protect it from…Watcher. We’re really doing this aren’t we?
Rainbow: …we are. It…would be best if you set your affairs in order, Snow. Tomorrow will be the hardest part of all of this.
Snow: I’ve included all my files on what happened here, just in case I don’t make it back. Do me one last favor and blow this wide open, okay? Don’t let this happen somewhere else. I’m trusting you to do what’s right, and…please don’t worry about me, okay? Whatever happened, I wasn’t alone.
Snow: Rain?
Rainbow: I never noticed how beautiful your stars are…perhaps I was not looking. It seems I have missed many things in the course of my mission.
Snow: About that…once the Mother’s been taken out, what are you going to do? Go back to space?
Rainbow: I…do not think so. Truthfully, I have given no thought to life beyond my mission. Perhaps I will be assigned to defeat another Mother on some other planet, perhaps I will be given ship duty. It is…difficult to be certain.
Snow: …Can you choose what to do?
Rainbow: We are allowed some degree of freedom in our missions, yes.
Snow: Then…could you take another mission here? And. Stay with me?
Rainbow: You—what?
Snow: I…I know this is pretty forward of me, but I–I like you, Rainbow, like…really like you.
Rainbow: Even with how difficult I can be?
Snow: Heh, not like I’m not stubborn, so…yeah. Even with that. I know it hasn’t been that long, but…
Snow: I’d…really like it if you stayed here. I know it’s small, and really hot, but…
Rainbow: Cassini V was a desert planet. Heat does not bother me. And I…
Snow: Which one is Sixam?
Rainbow: You cannot see it from here, nikan. Its orbit puts it behind the sun at this time of your year. When the snows come, you will be able to see it then.
Snow: Nikan. You’ve called me that before. What does it mean?
Rainbow: It is…difficult to translate. It is more of a concept than a word. The closest word to it would be…love.
Snow: That’s a little more than like, Rain.
Rainbow: *laugh* I suppose it is. Forgive me for being so forward?
Snow: Who said I didn’t like it?
Snow: Rain?
Rainbow: Hm?
Snow: …be with me tonight.
Mystic: You can’t even see the sun anymore…
Rainbow: The rest of your planet will look much the same if we do not put an end to this. We must hurry.
Sodalite: …Is that Sergeant Terra’s access card?
Snow: Uhm. Yeeeeesss?
Sodalite: *sigh* I’m going to need that back when we’re done here, Miss Crystal.
Snow: Yes, sir. *sneeze* Ugh.
Mystic: Watcher, it’s creepy down here…
Sodalite: Calling the creature a monster wasn’t being dramatic, was it?
Rainbow: No. It was not.
Snow: …Those plants in the containers…they’ve grown.
Rainbow: It is growing stronger. These will escape containment and spread more spores through to other cities.
Mystic: They…should die off if we kill the main plant, I think. It should be nearby.
Snow: It is.
Snow: Just…brace yourselves. It’s pretty bad.
Sodalite: Oh, Watcher…
Mystic: Holy–
Rainbow: Kaffas…watch out!
Snow: Come on! We have to take it down!
Rainbow: Split up! Come at it from all angles!
Mystic: I can do better than that! Start tossing the vials!
*Mother roars*
Rainbow: You damnable creature–you will not take another world! Not while I am here!
Sodalite: Watch out!
Snow: Keep throwing! It’s getting slower!
*Mother roars*
Snow: Chew on this, you overgrown weed!
Snow: Ha! We got it!
Rainbow: It is…dead…
Rainbow: Snow…nikan, you did it…thank you.
Snow: We did it, Rainbow. It’s over.
Rainbow: Yes…it is.
Sodalite: Hey! Save the smooching for another time! We have to go, now!
Snow: So, what happens now? I mean–how do you get to stay?
Rainbow: I will have to contact my commanding officer and apply for an on-world mission, but given what we just accomplished it will not take long.
Snow: How long does that usually take? I mean, it’s paperwork, right?
Rainbow: Yes, but it does not…wait…who…?
Rainbow: –! Snow, stop!
Snow: *gasp*
Snow: General Whisper…
Whisper: Ladies. Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss.
Rainbow: …kaffas…
Snow: I’m sensing a “but” coming, sir.
Whisper: Yes, well, as it turns out Sixam is…not very fond of our military shooting down scout craft. Or of…experiments run on extraterrestrial life.
Rainbow: They have punished this world, have they not?
Whisper: I’m afraid so. There’s a moratorium on all Sixamites staying on this planet, be they like you or other beings.
Rainbow: They are calling us all home.
Whisper: Yes.
Rainbow: How long?
Whisper: I’m afraid that’s above my paygrade, Agent. It could be a few months, or a few years. That’s for the talking heads to work out.
Snow: You have to be kidding! If it wasn’t for Rainbow, that stupid plant would have taken over everyone in the city! She has to be able to stay!
Whisper: I’m sorry, Miss Crystal, but this is above our heads. All Sixamites are to leave Maxis, effective immediately.
Snow: This can’t be happening. Rain, there has to be something–
Rainbow: There is not. If my leaders have called for us to leave, then…we must leave. I am sorry, nikan. This is…not how I wished for things to go.
Whisper: Agents Fireball and Shadow will escort you to your ship, Agent Prism. Please, leave nothing behind.
Snow: …this is it, then…
Rainbow: I…yes. I am sorry, nikan…this was not how I intended things to end. I thought we would have more time.
Snow: We still can! I can go with you–we could–
Rainbow: Snow, you cannot. This is your home–your place is here. My life…the world as I know it…it is too dangerous for you. You must stay here.
Snow: I don’t want to! I want to go with you–we should have–we can still–
Rainbow: Snow…*sigh* Nikan, please. You must live a good life, even if it is without me. That is all I ask of you now.
Snow: Rain…
Rainbow: There is a saying on Sixam. “My heart will remain with you, even should the stars be between us.” I know it will be difficult, but please…knowing you are safe…that will bring me peace.
Snow: I….alright…I will…I’ll try and…I’ll try and be good. For you.
Rainbow: Thank you. I am grateful that we met, Snow Crystal. Thank you for caring for me.
Snow: Just promise you won’t forget me.
Rainbow: As if I ever could. I love you, nikan. Keep that with you and we shall see one another again someday.
Agent Fireball: This way, ma’am. Your ship is in the canyon.
Whisper: Again, Miss Crystal, Strudelville thanks you. I understand this is difficult–
Snow: With all due respect, General, you don’t. Please leave.
Whisper: Of course. Good day, ma’am.
-
Agent Fireball: Just follow the road, ma’am. It leads to–
Rainbow: I know the way. Thank you.
Snow: Del–oh, you’re alright!
Delta: Thanks to you. You did good, kid–hey…hey now…what’s wrong? Tell me what happened.
*some time later….*
Del: Watcher…it’s been one fudgebuster of a month, hasn’t it? You gonna be okay, sweetheart?
Snow: I don’t know…it feels like…it feels like someone took my heart out of my chest. It hurts, Del…
Delta: Oh, honey…that’s normal. You loved her and she’s gone now. It’s just like with your mother. You have to let it hurt.
Snow: She wanted me to live a good life, but I don’t ….I don’t know I can without her…
Delta: One foot in front of the other, kiddo. That’s the best any of us can do.
Snow: …I hope so…
*computer chimes*
Snow: Ugh…I need to delete that…*sigh*
Snow: Delete…oh. Salt got back to me…
Salt: Dearest Snow. Apologies for such a delay in response. It turns out that finding a steady connection in this swamp of a town is more difficult than I anticipated. The mine is putting out well, so Father would be proud…though I will admit, it is odd without him barking orders. Far too quiet sometimes.
Salt: On that note, I have included tickets and the rental agreement for a home in Wineburg, near to the University. Everything has been arranged for the next six years of your education, dearest, so you do not have to worry about selling your Mother’s home. Get that degree you’ve talked about, and when I am done here, we will move to San Marshmallow. The skyline will be ours.
With deepest regards, Salt.
Snow: ….a fresh start, huh? Okay. Okay.
Snow: ….so long, Strudelville. Take care of yourself for me.
[End Gen 0]
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