i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

[onemillion]

I'm still not following. As Mafuyu said, it seems like a lot of effort for something that doesn't benefit you in any way.

[crocodiline]

Eh, I figured I'd be a competitor in the New Rapture business. Seemed like as good an idea as any after making it through one of these. I'd just do it better.

[onemillion]

You don't sound all that enthused about it.

[...]

Why did you bring us here? It seems you were planning for a confrontation even before we went through your things, so what are you hoping to accomplish here?

[crocodiline]

Your friends already turned my computer against me. I'm no longer hooked to the Vita-Chamber network, and there's a group of annoying do-gooders who've found this dimension and are on their way to try to rescue you. And I believe in planning for the long-term, so I figured it wasn't beneficial for any of us to just hunker down while they try to break through New Rapture's defenses. If there's no killing and resetting you, we can at least talk things out like adults.

[onemillion]

So things were going to come to an end anyway, and you'd prefer to end it on your own terms.

[...Well, he supposes he can understand that.]

Very well. I appreciate the answers, at least.

[crocodiline]

And hey, don't undercut yourself, you guys can pick what you want to do with the legacy I'm leaving you. Whatever happens now is your choice. I said to myself "If they can figure it all out, I'll leave them in charge." And you all did.

[visiblepattern]

...Why would you think we'd want a legacy like this?

[crocodiline]

Oh, you can blow it up if you want. I can tell you how.

[visiblepattern]

Yes, but...

[...]

...Let us get the animals first. Before we do that.

[... ... ...]

Was it worth it? Any of it.

[onemillion]

What do you mean by that, exactly? Are you talking about what we do with this place or what we do with you?

[crocodiline]

Both.

[onemillion]

...Then I suppose we should discuss that, though...

[He hesitates for a moment, uncertain. Then he presses ahead anyway, just like he has so many trials before.]

Will you tell me what happened here? Your own experiences, not just the things we've pieced together.

[howveryglib]

The legacy of… what, exactly? A city of the dead malms beneath the ocean? That is far too florid a title for such a thing.

[crocodiline]

Oh, yes, because the empire Emet- I mean Solus is in charge of is such a different legacy.

[howveryglib]

[HACKLES RAISE… KEEP HIS EMPEROR’S NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH???]

…what are you even talking about?

[inaclearing]

...so you were going to reset our memories, like the others? What then? Return us to our own worlds as well?

[crocodiline]

If you wanted. Or you could stay and help me build.

[sastruga]

...That's pretty delusional.

[inaclearing]

[A crack in the calm interviewer façade he's been using:]

Seriously?

[sastruga]

Anything he can do, you can do better, huh?

...And what did that get you, exactly?

[crocodiline]

[ She gestures. ]

The same thing kindness did. Everything the Founders managed, outclassed by a semi-random selection of twenty-five people.

[sastruga]

That's all, then? It didn't bring you any personal satisfaction? No feelings whatsoever?

[crocodiline]

... What are you doing, being worried about my feelings all of a sudden?

[sastruga]

Not worried. I simply want to know.

This is an exchange of information, after all... right?

[crocodiline]

Hm.

[ She thinks on that. ]

I was always too big for my world. I could overthrow governments in my spare time. It was easy. I thought if I went bigger, if I kept using my abilities, that one day I'd finally have enough. Turns out, if you want to feel less empty? This ain't the fucking way.