Epilogue
"Hard Reset"
Everyone...I...thank you all very much. I promise I'm going to right my wrongs. And that starts here.
Ugh. Whatever. It's your funeral...so let's get right to the burial site, shall we?
"Wait!" Greenleaf called. But it was no use. Mary laughed wickedly as the classroom fell away, turning into nothing but green binary code. Anybody seated on desks or furniture would find themselves needing to stand, and fortunately there was ground to stand on here, at least.
I recognize the way the code is reconstructing itself, Monika said.
Mary is taking us to the headmaster's office. It's the heart of this entire program. Please be ready for anything, everyone. I can access the core files from there, and hopefully we can get out of here as soon as possible.
"Monika, all of you, I need you to listen to me very carefully. There's more to this than any of you realize."
What do you mean, Mother?
Greenleaf was silent for a moment, almost as if second-guessing her decision to speak up.
"I...when we get to the school, I need you all to buy me some time. Do it however you can, but give me time to take care of something."
"Um...sure thing, Miss Greenleaf." Draq scratched his head. "What do you need to do?"
"I...can't tell you."
Yun frowned, crossing his arms. "Isn't this kind of important info? We're all trying to get out of here…"
"You don't think I don't know that?! But I'm afraid I can't. And I...I'm sorry. I wish I was strong enough to risk it, but…"
"It's your tree, isn't it?" Perfuma gave Greenleaf a sympathetic look. "I remember you mentioning it's in danger…"
"They placed a curse on me, before I got here. If I were to divulge the truth...the real truth, the second it's spoken, even in the simulation, my tree goes up in flames. But I have something we can use against them all. So if I can just get a bit of time…"
Of course, Mother. Take all the time you need. If we can keep Grimm busy, then we can get out of here sooner. Everyone, make sure not to attack. If they think we're not hostile, they won't attack us.
And sure enough, the time had come. The code all around started moving rapidly, forming into a new place: the headmaster's office. As they materialized in it, Sakura and Draq both stepped in front of Greenleaf, who slipped out the door. As if deciding to do it on the spur of the moment, the twin brothers followed her out, no doubt deciding to serve as bodyguards.
The room looked pristine as always, neat and tidy. Made of marble, walls crafted into bookcases, with a large mahogany desk and a bust of an old man. But there was something off about this place. Why would Headmaster Grimm have so many photos of the Charmings? Unless…
Wait a minute...this isn't Grimm's office! This is Mr. Charming's! Why did Mary bring us here?
"Mmph!!" A muffled scream from the corner of the room alerted the group to a huddled duo: Mr. and Mrs. Charming were seated on the ground, wrists bound and mouths gagged. They had a look of pure terror in their eyes, still lost to their false memories and completely unfamiliar with the true forms of their former peers.
"I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this." From the desk, Headmaster Grimm stood. To his right was Mary, grinning smugly at the group gathered here. "But you've all left me no choice."
"No choice?" Rosso scoffed. "I certainly think you had a few options before taking hostages! But what should we expect from someone who deleted innocent people trapped here?"
"This entire situation is a tragedy," Grimm replied. "One that could have been avoided entirely, had you all just followed the story."
"This story was not yours to write." Valerie narrowed her eyes at the duo. "You brought innocent souls here against their will, away from the people they love and the homes they know...why? What do you have to gain for this?"
"In a word, my dear?" Grimm clasped his hands behind his back, walking to the window of the office. "Control. The outside world...you aren't nearly as free as you think you are. From birth, your life is restricted by your parents' social status, your birthplace, even your own physical attributes can limit what you're capable of getting out of the world. But this place? It highlights such injustice. These people are born into a world where they must follow their stories or suffer devastating consequences. But there are brave rebels who fight back! Symbols of hope in a hopeless world!" He looked back to the group. "Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't you want to be part of something more?"
"You can tell that story without us!" Shelley's hands balled into fists. "We have our own lives, and even if things aren't perfect, we've made our own way up until this point! Kidnapping us and brainwashing us...that's the exact opposite of what you're trying to accomplish! It makes no sense!"
"Sometimes things aren't meant to make sense. Another cruel reality of this world."
"I don't think reason will be what we get out of this man," Sakura said. She moved from the door to the Charmings, starting to untie them. "Not when he's still hiding the truth."
She untied Mr. Charming's hands, and he immediately removed his gag. "W-What's going on? Who are all you people?!"
"It's a long story, but hopefully one we can answer soon." Draq looks up at the ceiling. "Right, Monika?"
…………….
"...Monika?"
Mary chuckled wickedly.
"Share with the class, Monika. What have you discovered?"
I...hold on...this...can't be right…
"Monika?" Perfuma, having taken a spot by Sakura to untie Mrs. Charming, looked up in concern. "What's wrong?"
Everyone. Listen to me. You need to get out of here now! Grimm is a prisoner here just like the rest of us!
"What nonsense is she speaking of now?" Grimm turned to Mary. "Do you have any idea what she's saying?" He was met with silence from the AI, who merely continued to give a wicked grin.
The core files are connected to this office, not Grimm's! And here are his false memories...and Kitty's...the only one not here is--
"Guh--!!!" Sakura was suddenly knocked back, groaning on the ground halfway across the room from where she'd been. Perfuma followed seconds later, and standing before them was none other than Mr. Charming himself.
"How unfortunate that it's had to come to this…" He cracked his knuckles, an emotionless look on his face.
"I never wanted to hurt anyone, but I'm afraid you've all forced my hand."
"What is this?!" Draq and Rosso made a move to subdue the man, only to find an invisible wall blocking their way. In fact, the entire group was surrounded by an invisible barrier, unable to move at all. Draq tried to punch it down. "Let us out of here!"
"Terrence, what's going on?" Kitty stood, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You...don't tell me you had a part in this?"
Charming turned to his wife, frowning apologetically.
"Forgive me, dearest," he said.
"I swear I didn't want it to come to this."
"Come to what?!" Grimm was still completely baffled. "Explain yourself, Terrence! What's going on here?!"
"I've had to finally use my administrator powers. Fortunately Greenleaf's little spy was distracted long enough for me to lock her out...and lock the rest of you in." Charming turned to Mary.
"We'll need to do a hard reset, I believe. Greenleaf and those twins are unaccounted for, but they can easily be transferred somewhere else."
"YOU'RE the one behind this?!" Rosso hit his own hand against the barrier. "What do you possibly have to gain?"
"You could never understand! None of you could! Everything I've done...this new life...you don't know what I've been through to get to this point! This was supposed to be my second chance!"
"But why drag us into it?!"
"You were all placed here by chance. Save for a few of you that I had brought in myself. But the rest of you had already been abducted by the Zin and used to fill in the empty spaces. But this simulation, we could have been perfectly happy! All of us, together...this simulation is a mercy compared to others!"
Shelley shakes her head. "But we never wanted any part of this! You have to let us go!"
"I wish I could," 'Charming' said.
"But you are all under the control of a third party. I'm sorry, but my hands are tied on that front. But if you would all just give up on this foolish escape attempt, maybe they'll let you return to this illusion with no troubles. If I can prove that I can stop this rebellion, then I--"
CRASH!!
"SCREEEAAWW!!!"
The window shattered and a black mass swooped in, aiming straight at Charming. He cried out, trying to get the thing away from him as soon as he could. Upon closer look, the black mass was none other than Thorn, Greenleaf's raven.
"What the--" Distracted by the scene before her, Mary had no time to react as she received a hard kick to the head, knocking her down and out.
Quickly recovering after his attack, Yun turned his attention to Grimm. "Okay, now it's YOUR turn to--"
"Wait!" Greenleaf climbed into the window then, aided by Yang.
"He's got no part in this!"
"What?!"
I can explain everything in just a few moments. Just give me a second…
Mary.exe has been deleted.
"No!!" Charming cried out in vain as Mary's body vanished into code.
"How did you--"
Fortunately you were distracted long enough for me to slip back in! Now, everyone, strap in! I'm about to take us home!
"S-Stop! Please!" Charming attempted to plead with her while still trying to fight off Thorn.
"Why...why isn't this bird--"
"Why isn't he affected by your administrator role?" Greenleaf smirked.
"His file isn't connected to this simulation, but to me. You can't do anything to him. Now, Monika!"
You got it, Mother! Time to finally end this!
The world changes once more. No code, no changing scenery, nothing but bright endless blue...and a message.
The simulation has encountered a problem and needs to close. We apologize for the inconvenience.
---
When the blue fades away, you find yourself in an empty room. Outside the windows are an empty void, and the only things around are other people. That included Monika, and four new faces where the Charmings, Grimm, and Thorn had been.
"Ugh…my head…"
"Goodness! Why...where are we? Does anyone know?"
"No...no!"
A third, an old man who looked just like the bust from the office, tried to flee, but was quickly apprehended by the fourth member of their group.
"........"
"Jack!" Rosso lit up. "Am I glad to see you, old friend!"
Monika let out a long sigh.
"Okay. I think...I think we're all finally free now. Let's...try to process all of this, shall we?"
---
Cast List
@Lucky as Elphaba Thropp [Wicked]
@Takumi as Morgan [Fire Emblem: Awakening]
@Gummi Bunnies as Rin Tohsaka [Fate/Stay Night]
@Jeremi as Haru Okumura [Persona 5]
@York as Eren Yaeger [Attack on Titan]
@Sark as Vega [Street Fighter]
@Alex Azure as Mason Moretti [Convergence Series]
@Jackythejack as Adeleine [Kirby]
