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October 14th

4:15 AM

Ripley (Is in trouble)

"Ripley." Midnight had a calm look on her face, before nudging her eyes at Diana, her appearance twisted to Lilian Rose's straight black hair. "Who the fuck is that? Why the fuck is she copying my style?"

"Uh…" How do I explain this? Diana told me to keep it a secret, Diamante also told me to keep Starlight a secret. Why was today of all days was I being beholden to lying to my girlfriend? "Her name is… Lilian Rose."

"Uh huh." She nodded along. "Mind explaining why my boyfriend is laying his head on some girl he met at a homeless shelter. One that I thought we were going to visit together?"

"Yeah, uh… how did you get in anyway?" I looked around, it was still dark outside.

"Don't turn this around on me." Midnight's crimson turned to violet eyes that struck genuine fear into my soul. "But… I snuck in is the obvious answer. I've had Daylight chipping away at the security for hours, I last saw Dreadwire's movement on the Net heading in this direction so I guessed you were stupid enough to come here alone. Now I'm questioning if you were alone."

"I… was alone." I tried to frame myself correctly. "Okay, let's start from the top. I came here, discovered that it turns out this is where a handy little friend of ours is undercover. Anissa is… Maiden. Ring a bell?"

Elsa's violet eyes opened wide. "Anissa is Maiden?! I didn't know that. Explains why this 'Anissa' had never been seen in person before, only with a mask. If I knew you were on an assassination trip to Diamante's Shard Op', I wouldn't have sent you here… but with recent information, now I'm hoping she really hurt-"

"Lilian Rose was sent by Diamante, she uh… we were talking and took a rest here. My head fell on her shoulder by accident." I said… honestly. I think? I didn't recall me sleeping on Diana's shoulder when we talked… I don't even recall how our talk ended.

"Uh huh… is that so?" Red eyes replaced Elsa's violet, she then turned to Diana.

Midnight hissed — "wake up, you skank." — And kicked Diana in the leg, her eyes shot open. While the rest of her body was still very much looking like Lilian Rose, her eyes had reverted back into Silver in her sleep.

Diana wasn't even done rubbing her eyes when Midnight glared down on her, taking apt note of the eyes as I scooted away. Midnight held my arm. "Oh, I see… Lilian Rose, are you?"

Diana stared up at my girlfriend, confused but nodded along. "Yes. Uh, who are-"

"The same Lilian Rose that Daylight is searching for on the Net. Let's see, first time the name pops up is last month, hangs around a P.I named Dryder, suspiciously only investigates cases related to Soul Killer. Now, my little Operator here says Diamante sent you, that steel-lobed idiot is in the Fourth Precinct currently. Where a certain Associate Special Investigator was last seen."

Diana scooted a nervous eye at me. "Okay, let me explain some-"

Midnight's smile was too pleasing to be real. "Diana Ulrich, take off that gawdy wig and explain why you're here, and why my boyfriend's head was on your shoulder."

"Jones." Diana corrected. "Now, Mirage… I was sent here by Diamante, we met and communicated to discover we wanted the same thing which can only be acheived here. As for why Ripley's head was on my shoulder… it's because I lent one for him as a… friend."

"Frie-"

"And about my hair." Diana stood up, causing Midnight to take a back step as her silver eyes flickered with lightning dancing in them. "It's very much real. I asked Ripley to keep the fact that I could change my appearance a secret. Be glad you have a boyfriend who keeps the trust of others. Now, you better keep that to yourself, and not to you know who, Mirage."

Diana then sat down, giving a sly glance at me. I was afraid to return it, instead I put a comforting palm of Midnight's waist. "Now, now… uh, don't fight. To make a long story short, this is where we're fighting against The Dogwhistler and Skeleton."

Violet eyes snapped back into place. "Hold on, Maiden is… since when? I thought Dogwhistler was my job?!"

"Yeah, you're the one who told me Diamante and Missy kept secrets." I rasped. "Point of the matter is, nothing weird is going on here. Besides, the whole, rehabilitating the unknowing thralls of The Dogwhistler and some children with Dreamframes forced on their heads."

"Dog- Dreamframes?." Elsa said quietly. "As in… intra-cranial Neural-interfacing Frames?"

"If you want to get pedantic about the name, yeah."

"Oh, this is fucking bad!" Elsa cursed.

"Yeah?" Me and Diana said simultaneously.

Elsa glared at both of us. "It's… I'll tell you more later, Ripley, and only Ripley."

That irked me. "Sure."

Elsa sighed. "Whatever, I'll help. I happen to know a thing or two about deep neural-interfacing. Just need to sneak Midnight into you."

"Midnight? And I thought you couldn't send your Personas into me with the Datashied in place." I tapped my Frame.

"I think I've found a work around." She shrugged. "Was going to surprise you with it, but you disappeared."

Oh… oh great. Starlight was still hanging around with Seraphim down in the workshop, but what if there were remnants? "Maybe we should wait until later?"

"Can't, I have to leave now before Maiden figures out I'm here, there's a double-layered Adaptive Datashield here called Seraphim that Daylight is doing everything to keep eyes off me. I've only met Maiden once, meeting didn't go well… and that Datashield is the reason. Don't want to meet her again." Elsa bit on her lip.

"Well… I don't want to hurt Midnight-"

"I can handle it." Red eyes hissed, before untangling a wire from her arm and pointing it to my neck like a knife. "Your Frame."

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Uh, listen-" I protested.

"Are you hiding something on your Frame, Ripley Donovick?" Midnight accused me with the one sure-fire phrase that could break any man.

"I'm… not really. Just, be prepared." I showed my Frame to her, she leaned in and plugged herself in.

Moments in, I felt the familiar presence of a Persona in my head as Midnight faded from Elsa's eyes and joined my mind. Shadows crawled in my visuals, Midnight's dark form growing as she became a woman of living shadows with scarlet eyes. "Huh, I expected there'd be more resistance from your pesky… huh?! Ripley what the fuck, where'd your DS go?"

"Yeah, uh… let me explai-" I didn't even need to call Starlight, because suddenly I felt a third presence in my skull. This was a lot of weight!

Starlight's voice boomed in my head, her fairy-like appearance crackling into my visual feed as Midnight stood in stunned silence. "Oh, hey Auntie Midnight! I'm Starlight, it's nice to meet you! Oh, you must be why I kept feeling itchy for the last hour, or was that Auntie Daylight?"

Starlight giggled, before wrapping a golden weave into the air and forming a shape… it resembled a fishing pole. "Look what I learned to do with Seraphim, dad!"

I saw Elsa's mouth twitch as she observed the code fairy in our visuals.

Starlight sent the hook through the air where it disappeared into a shining wall of glitches and code, then yanked out Daylight's bright and white disoriented form. Starlight grinned as she proudly showcased Daylight strung up on the fishing pole in a coccoon of golden silk. "I traced your Warpcode in her hairpin to find her and reverse-engineered the Fishhook to pull her out. See, I'm learning!"

"Goood… job." I wheezed, I now had four minds in my head.

Diana looked closer into what I was assuming had to be a pained expression on my face. "You alright Ripley?"

"Hey, back off from my boyfriend!" Elsa stepped between us, placing her hand on my chin as she warily glanced at Starlight. "Ripley… it appears like the worst case scenario has occured. Himiko's Datashield is…"

"Now an Artificial Intelligence, I know. I made her, even named her Starlight to follow in your footsteps." I pointed to Starlight with some pride, she waved back with a charming smile.

"Heya!"

Midnight was staying far away and snarling at my little pink construct, abruptly, she disappeared out of view almost as though running out of my head in fear. From the safety of Elsa's body, Midnight spoke. "You made her? What does that mean?!"

"Ahem," Starlight coughed, "I can answer that question myself, thank you very much. According to my birth logs, I was formed from the Information Seed Protocol gifted to dad by Himiko whose Emulect Data was made redundant, before a measure of Twilight's Warpcode was used to build upon an architectural framework that gives me a similar capability as your Personas. From then, I absorbed Feature data from my dad's Implant which allowed me to be born according to a personality setting he sought for most."

Midnight turned to me. "Come with me, we are dealing with this… thing, now."

I protested, clutching Starlight in my hands. "No! She's like a part of me."

"That's why she's so dangerous." Elsa now spoke, rubbing her head. "If she's a part of you, that means she can change you. I know these things best, if Himiko had a hand in her creation, it's because she wanted you to have it."

"Well, I just won't do what she wants me to do, then." I held Starlight close to my heart.

"Which is?" Elsa's eyes were about to turn red, I could feel it.

I puckered my lips, shooting a Neuralink message so Diana wouldn't hear. {Something about… killing Founders.}

Elsa's lip twitched. "Ripley, I don't what's gotten into you right now, but let's fix it. Starlight… is dangerous. She's the embodiment of a force that you cannot control. My Personas took time and regulation to get where they are now, you would lecture me about Shard Operating — I can lecture you about the dangers of potentially creating a Daemon."

"I agree with that sentiment, to a degree." I spoke up. "But as it stands, I need Starlight to-"

"Brats!" A stern voice yelled. Oh great, perfect timing, Maiden. The old woman strolled up the stairs, still speaking. "What on earth were the two of you taking so long for, kids have been ready for removal about an hour-"

She froze at sight of my girlfriend, and Elsa hushed to herself before waving cordially. "Hey Maiden, I was just… visiting my boyfriend."

"Well, visitation times over. Mirage." Maiden met her with the same icy fury she'd shown Dreadwire. "I need him. So you can-"

"For Dreamframes, right?" Mirage stepped forward. "I'll help, no cost. Volunteer work."

"Don't want you anwhere near Seraphim, not after last time." Maiden grunted, waving her hand to me and Diana.

I stood my ground. "Let her help, Maiden. I doubt either you nor me are as experienced with situations like this as Mirage is."

The bound Daylight nodded vigorously at the edge of my view. Maiden stepped forward, crossing her arms as she scanned both of us. "One of your Personas, and not Daylight. Already had enough high-pitched nonsense with Starlight around Seraphim."

"So then… Midnight?" I looked at Elsa, she shook her head. Through the cord connecting our arms, a powerful black and white glow pulsed into me. My head throbbed, even as Daylight was sucked back in as a different woman formed in my visuals.

She was a regal queen of light and darkness, a shifting mask of the moon and sun upon her face. This was Elsa's Net Avatar in my head. Meanwhile Elsa's real body was taken over by Midnight, scarlet eyes glaring at Maiden. "We'll be leaving now, but Ripley… you're making up for the three heart attacks we've gotten today."

Elsa's Avatar, on the other hand, looked down upon Starlight. "Now listen, I don't trust you. But I'm willing to trust in my boyfriend, but if you do anything-"

"Someone's scared they're getting replaced." Starlight snickered, poking Elsa in the cheek and recoiling when a black flame caught on her finger. "Ow, I meant that as a joke!"

Elsa leaned down, her size dwarfing the fairy-like construct. "You're going to do what I say, understand?"

"Ugh. Fine."

With a moment of peace secured, I kissed Midnight goodbye, before also kissing Daylight goodbye, then I carried two digital presences in my head while Diana and Maiden went ahead of us down to the workshop. The children were moved to a separate room than Dogwhistler's thralls, each of them laying on beds with large computers hooked up to the side of them as wires dug through holes in their metallic craniums.

I counted twelve of them, each trapped in what could be a nightmarish simulation or forced into the deepest catacombs of the net.

Maiden turned to a console, clicking a few buttons in the air. "First things, we need to figure out what their Implants can do. Seraphim can analyze them, but it'll take a moment."

Elsa's Avatar turned to me, speaking privately. "You told Maiden you could read Implants yet?"

I mentally whispered back to her. {Nope. Should I?}

"I could do it for you guys." Starlight floated in the air between us. "I mean, I was made from some Data Mimicry Warpcode which automatically reads Implant-Coded Data. Unless Mirage doesn't want me to."

Elsa eyed Starlight for a while, before reluctantly nodding. Sighing, I turned to Maiden. "Starlight has that capability, can do it pretty quickly."

Maiden raised a gray eyebrow. "Well then get it done."

Starlight grinned, glitching out of view as my head felt immediately lighter. In moments, a pink light overtook the console and spread as a glow over several Dreamframes. Starlight apparated on a screen, a proud grin as she showcased a list of various Implant Data.

They were all Tier 0, which made sense considering the timeframe, but there was a certain pattern.

Each and every single child had the Database and Dataweaving Features on Bronze Implants. And from their update histories…

Maiden scowled. "All of them are being subjugated to… Datashield creations and memory overwriting. Looks like Orthodox Metal Heavens were planning to send these children into other groups, but why do they need such extensive Datashielding?"

Elsa frowned, appearing on the console. "Not just any Datashielding, intrashielding. A separate barrier within the mind to hold another consciousness prisoner while keeping them concealed. That would explain why they need Dreamframes, a normal Neuroframe can't withstand the overload of several minds."

I had to say something about that. "You girls certainly didn't mind stuffing my head with your presences."

Elsa glared as though I'd insulted her. "Me and Starlight are running on a reduced output. As for an actual person's mind, you can't just shrink it unless they're an Avatar as advanced as I am. Not without damaging them. But it doesn't make sense, these Datashields would take years of updates to be able to hold a separate person in them… unless… it's not a person."

Maiden's eyes widened at that statement, but I remained confused. "Oh, shit! Seraphim, scan the content of the Dreamframes themselves, invasively. Forget about keeping them sedated."

Diana took a step closer to the rows of children… sweat prickling at her skin.

Seraphim's globe-like figure expanded, wings spreading and detailed lines of codes coursing along their feathers. Starlight approached, aiding Seraphim as a golden hue expanded over the scanning. "Oh… oh fuck."

"Language." I muttered. "And what's bad?"

Maiden took a deep breath, clicking a large button labeled 'Emergency Disconnection'. "These children aren't being sent as spies, they aren't even meant to live long-"

Seraphim whirred. "ERROR. Unable to disconnect without causing fatal damage to the subjects."

"Will someone explain what's happening?" Diana hastened, her black hair unraveling into silver as panic took over her. "Because I can feel something inside those computers."

Maiden rubbed her eyes, seething through a clenched jaw. "Look, we have two choices. Either we let these kids die so this entire place doesn't blow up, or we send Mirage and Starlight to keep those things contained."

"What things?" Even I felt something odd now, something waking up within the computers along each children's side.

Elsa took a deep breath, even though she was made of code. "Digital MALseeds… MALware."

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