What if they complete the pocket dimension before we can stop it? What if you get trapped inside for a really long time?
Tell him you're worried that if you have to dump all your memories and commit to the role of Pillet that eventually your soul will conform to hers and you won't be yourself anymore.

Right now, him. Once he has to leave, you can study Pillet's memories more, to get a better idea of how to act like her. You also could follow his advice and get spy training, or learn what you can about the situation you're going into. Whatever they want out of this pocket dimension is going to be tightly under wraps, but the detailed history of the people involved, the reasoning behind their choice of location, and the manner in which pocket dimensions function are all worth looking into.

See if you can at least spend some of your leave with your husband. Perhaps there's even somewhere romantic the two of you could visit.

1/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096559 ID: ce93a7
File 172479524544.png - (56.84KB , 1200x1200 , 712.png )

"How do you feel about hugs and kisses?"

He answers that by picking me up and making sure Pesh and Tesh are outdone by escalating all the way to kisses.

>Why is he not plowing you repeatedly? Does he hate kids?
High ranking ones like us are often stripped of such equipment that allows this. It is especially enforced while I am simultaneously Shuzenza's coworker and significant other.
However, I am no longer in my normal body. This is Pillet's body, which has been left... evolutionarily raw. I am not accostomed to it, and so I find myself remembering some precious memories of Shuzenza and I on a bed.
I suspect Shuzenza may even have memories of mine that I no longer have, as his equipment was always rather suspicious in how perfectly tailored to my --

2/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096560 ID: ce93a7
File 172479525013.png - (223.32KB , 1200x1200 , 713.png )

-- every nerve is rubb --
-- his body taking charge ov --
-- the rhythm and pounding as --
-- wonder if he minds how thin I --
-- testing the enduran --

Oh my fucking god she just keeps on going.

3/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096561 ID: ce93a7
File 172479525207.png - (33.34KB , 1200x1200 , 714.png )

--and he will only have kids when he and I have the time to raise them ourselves.

>"You look lost in thought, dear. Care to share?"
"You taking me somewhere romantic and plowing me."
>"Oh!"
"A week to myself is a long time. Will you take that time off with me?"
>"Alas, no superiors of mine are on board to relieve me of my duty on the spot. However, should fate allow you to return from the construction zone once more, I promise that I shall arrange a week off. And I shall also be prepared to please you in bed, if you once again return to me in such a mood!"
"And if I'm too thin for your tastes, I would not mind changing back."
>"Nonsense, you know I am more concerned about what drives your body than the body itself, no matter how traitorous it looks and thin it may feel."
"It certainly is uncomfortable with how harshly this skeleton presses on everything I touch - ah, but enough of that. You sound like you are uncertain of my return?"
>"Spokesperson Varther was able give us his guarantee he could pull you out once. The next time you go, things will be much less certain."
"I see. I do have worries about that, then. It seemed like Paporron knew I wasn't Pillet."

4/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096562 ID: ce93a7
File 172479525595.png - (48.38KB , 1200x1200 , 715.png )

>"It is likely. This was an acceptable risk, as Paporron's psychiatric evaluations revealed he was susceptible to delusions and fear at losing himself as a person. And it was Pillet who kept him stable and whole for centuries. The encephalon matrix calculated he would refuse to believe that Pillet truly died, or lived and ignored his answers."
"So he is delusional? That seems oddly convenient."
>"Perhaps, though we suspect Pillet altered his memories to invoke some kind of trauma that caused a dependency on her. If there was a reason, then she took that knowledge into her afterlife."
"Then moving on, I do have questions about my role with the subdimension and what threat they hold. First of all - "
>"Hold those questions. Both of those topics will be covered in my meeting with that special guest I mentioned. Would you like to join?"
"If I may, I will. But with our spare time, tell me about these black holes and nuclear chimeras."
>"So it will be."

He only has a few minutes to share, but he talks about how the leading theory behind the black hole was that a rogue gravity influencer threw himself into the black hole. There is little way to confirm that, but there was simply no other precedence for a black hole spreading itself out into a net and absorbing entire nebulae with purposeful direction.

As for the solar system, apparently long ago, the Phenocosm had send out hijackers that would take over distant solar systems and bring them back so as to avoid all the stars and planets from getting unreasonably far from one another. One seed had malfunctioned and got its directions backwards, and so Shuzenza was sent to the outer reaches of the universe to save it from running into the void.

The explanations are short and summarized so that he can get on with the meeting. It will give me some time to think on what I'll do afterwards. Perhaps I will get some spy training, or get in some practice acting more like Pillet.

5/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096563 ID: ce93a7
File 172479525897.png - (237.75KB , 1200x1200 , 716.png )

The time runs out and the admiral clicks out a code. I feel us descend through the floor. The resulting bubble steadily delivers us onto the bridge, where iridescent walls show our surrounding stars. Thankfully the floors are not set to this, as it's disorienting enough watching the bridge staff become partially obstructed when walking behind layered walls.

I take a seat to the side as Shuzenza takes the center and turns. "All staff, at station. Look alert." Once the bridge looks like the image of professionalism, Shuzenza gets onto an intercom.

"Send him in." Shuzenza's voice loses its typical aloofness.

6/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096564 ID: ce93a7
File 172479526168.png - (515.70KB , 1200x1200 , 717.png )

The door opens to reveal the mystery guest.

The identifying plate over his chest signifies he's fresh out of a fleet academy. It shines well; I suspect he polished it immediately before coming here.
He delivers a snappy salute with impeccable posture. The academy has drilled and smoothed out every misaligned angle and jittery movement from him.
>"Ninth Class Spacefleet Officer Mino reporting for duty, sir!"

7/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096565 ID: ce93a7
File 172479526936.png - (317.79KB , 1200x1200 , 718.png )

Shuzenza stops and turns around as though he had not been eagerly anticipating Mino's arrival.

>"Stand closer." He booms, and remains as still as the stars around us as Mino approaches and resumes his salute. "I am Upper Admiral Shuzenza." He stares at the newcomer, seeing if Mino's posture will buckle. It does not, just as the academy would have it, though it is clear it is only the rigid training Mino is falling back on to prevent shaking. "You may refer to me..."

8/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096566 ID: ce93a7
File 172479527182.png - (253.14KB , 1200x1200 , 719.png )

Shuzenza's voice lightens.

>"As simply Upper Admiral. I am the only one around, no one in this half of the galaxy will get confused as to who you're talking about."

That's a slight drift away from protocol already, but it crashes down into freefall as Shuzenza bows towards Mino. To receive such a gesture makes the cadet look like he's found himself inside the barrel of a charging cannon. "It is the fresh ideas and newcomers entering the ranks who keep us older ones sharp and proactive during times of peace. And so the flagship Heaven's Jurisdiction is honored to have you aboard, Mino."

>"Ehr - thank you, sir?"
>"Everyone, stand and give Ninth Class Mino a round of applause! This man came out of the university in one piece, meaning he's got got a long line of successes and accolades worth praising!"

9/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096567 ID: ce93a7
File 172479527418.png - (240.47KB , 1500x738 , 720.png )

The academy is not a pleasant place to be. It is a decades long grinder to filter out those who are not self driven. By the time a recruit finally earns their plate, they have gone many years without an ounce of love or support.

Much of the staff shout things like 'great job' and 'it's all uphill from here.' The others all simply clap enthusiastically. I join in and clap as well, but I realize the fur on my hands greatly diminishes the effect.

I don't entirely get why Shuzenza does this, but I think it is in protest of how unimaginative, formulaic, and destructive of personality the academy can be. Mino's world of training never prepared him for this. Within a minute of him starting a real career he's trained ages for, his mouth begins twitching with a slowly failing attempt to hide an embarrassed smile at an entire bridge cheering him, and the lad finally can't stand it.

His officer poise shatters with a twitching smile and an unconstrained blush. I do feel bad; beneath his smile may be someone who feels like he just ruined everything, that his career is over the minute it began. I think I see a tear, and it might not be from flattery.

I hope he someday realizes that he demonstrated that he managed to keep some of his own personality intact despite the academy's best efforts, and Shuzenza could not be more pleased to have someone like that placed under his wing.

10/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096568 ID: ce93a7
File 172479527784.png - (395.26KB , 1200x1200 , 721.png )

Shuzenza grins over the broken in cadet and orders everyone back to attention. I have to nearly drag Mino back to an open seat for him to observe, and he does his best gathering his composure after he's processed the fact that he hasn't had his badge ripped off his shirt and the rest of him shot out of a cannon. Now he's trying his best not to gawk at me. No doubt he recognizes my body, and hasn't been warned of who I really am.

>"And besides our own fleet, we also have the pleasure of having command of the two subfleets, Vultura and The Larven. We shall be briefing them on recently revealed information, courtesy our own memory artificer."

He gestures at me, and he struggles to find out how much he should look at me before averting his gaze.

11/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:47 No. 1096569 ID: ce93a7
File 172479527989.png - (138.39KB , 1200x1200 , 722.png )

Shuzenza finally turns around and gets on his communicator.

>"Lower Admirals, V-0, Zanthe! Come online."
>"V-0 Reporting. Warning: Bridge revision 4 status: Incomplete."
>"This isn't an inspection, show yourself."

Two displays come online, the first I see is that of the incomplete bridge.

>"Now, introductions are in order." Shuzenza continues. "First is V-0, the autonomous conquerer of the machine star Optoc, who commands Vultura! This experimental automated fleet has a conventional support staff within its walls, but its upper command is an artificial algorithm that aims to prove its flexibility in any mission."

12/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096570 ID: ce93a7
File 172479528247.png - (291.18KB , 1200x1200 , 723.png )

Mino and I walk out into the open, so we can see the second display.

>"And next is Zanthe the Star Wizard, who once lead the Larven to fight back the great miasmic nebula!

Hm? That one looks fami -

13/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096571 ID: ce93a7
File 172479528404.png - (193.70KB , 1200x1200 , 724.png )

...

No.

14/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096572 ID: ce93a7
File 172479528751.png - (502.38KB , 1200x1200 , 725.png )

>"These are the two lower admirals who we have the pleasure and honor of commanding. Zanthe, V-0, this is 9th Officer Mino, who shall be under my wing for the foreseeable future. And finally, by him is Memory Artificer Aelsaw, not Pillet. Though Zanthe has already been told this in advance, and who I shall now thank for safely retrieving."

Hm? Oh, I understand him. Zanthe is one of the few who would have been trusted with such a direct extraction. He must have pulled me from that taxi earlier.

The meeting begins with the plain facts, which are almost entirely from my own memories.

15/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096573 ID: ce93a7
File 172479528909.png - (267.06KB , 1200x1200 , 726.png )

The meeting continues into discussing a rapid precision strike into the site, an antimatter bomb in Klivania's core, or Zanthe's worms that can mimic local wildlife and slowly burrow into Klivania until it finds the construction zone. These ideas and many more are brought up. Shuzenza shoots them all down.

>"Upper Admiral, I would like to speak plainly." says Zanthe.
>"Go ahead."
>"I have known you a long time, and never before have you acted so terrified of action. It's painfully obvious the stakes are greater than a handful of criminals making their own sandbox. If that is classified, say so. If not, explain to us what the real danger is."
>"And you, V-0? It is fair you get to share your frustrations as well."

And V-0 is frustrated, based on the agitated filter he puts over his voice.

>"My feelings are comparable. This mission is described as preventing the escape of a small list of criminals and the theft of approximately thirty thousand cubic kilometers. We have three fleets involved and have greatly risked the wellbeing of a memory artificer. I have been unable to converge these facts into a clean outline."
>"Mm. I'm pleased to say I have just gotten the clearance to discuss this with you four. And just you four. All bridge staff, exit and remain on standby. In V-0's case, compartmentalize this information under the highest confidentiality."

16/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096574 ID: ce93a7
File 172479529205.png - (223.51KB , 1200x1200 , 727.png )

The staff are given a moment to leave, then he continues.

>"This meeting will remain in all of your own heads. When this operation concludes, we will all have our memories of the following facts removed either by Aelsaw or by another artificer. As you know, the founders could not have invented a subdimension from scratch. They have stolen blueprints."

A simple display appears behind us, where we can all see.

>"This means that regardless of the intentions of the founders, the subdimension will have the same capabilities of its blueprints. If the founders are able to seal themselves off, then the subdimension already has the ability to expand itself while shrinking the space of its host - in this case, our own universe. The very purpose of subdimensions is to create a rebirth of the universe."
>"No such use case has been found. Why does this exist?"
>"That I don't know. What we do know is that the technology was made, and the phenocosm has spent many millenia working to undo it.

The diagram shows fog increasing at a slow rate.

>"It expands based on its present size. Due to their need to sneak this under our eyes, it is currently being made at it's absolute smallest size possible. Because of this, it will take a few hundred years to expand enough for its fog to break the planet's surface. Its continued rate of expansion will become more and more alarming. The entire phenocosm could be swallowed from the inside out within 14,000 years."

The fog quickly starts expanding, taking up more and more of the screen until it turns grey.

17/17 Aelsaw 2024/08/27(Tue)14:48 No. 1096575 ID: ce93a7
File 172479529648.png - (322.25KB , 1200x1200 , 728.png )

>"And that is why I will not just throw bombs at them with anything short of a 100% chance of success. It is also why I have made the unprecedented act of sending in a memory artificer on such a dangerous mission. Should we fail, it will be up to Aelsaw to stop them from the inside. As Aelsaw will be in space outside of the phenocosm, she will no longer be held to phenocosm law. She may accomplish her mission by any means and any cost."

The display changes to show the people of interest involved.

>"Understand that many critical machines were never perfected in the blueprints. Even if the founders follow the blueprints perfectly, they require maintenance. Destroying the memories of how to perform this upkeep will slowly create instability and cause an inability to grow and may lead to an eventual collapse even if you cannot directly sabotage critical infrastructure. Even modifying their personalities to remain as small as possible to try and remain hidden would work as a temporary solution. I'm sure there are many more options, but you will have to find and exploit them on your own."

I still feel this would have been important to know during my first visit, but it's too late for that. At least I understand more about my mission now.


>"But remember, this is plan B. You will have to worry about none if this if I succeed in plan A. If you have no further questions, you may now take your leave for the week."

Yeah if this is meant to be the new universe, it sucks pretty bad. Damn. Wonder how much is sabotage and how much just sucked already.

mmm, one moment as current pillet, about how long is the minimum time that has passed? though that's something you'd have to ask someone else about perhaps.
but as for Memory Aelsaw: Which machines are imperfect/which memories should be prioritized

Looking closely at the display, Engineer Fisheye is greyed out, why?

>>1096575
Here is possibly the most important question we can ask:
What happens to what was swallowed by the fog? Does any matter from the original universe wind up inside the subdimension when the fog swallows it? What about afterwards, if/when the dimension collapses? Will it be restored to how it was before the fog expanded?
...the fog is visible from outside the subdimension? Odd that we can perceive it but not affect it in any way, and the boundary cannot be crossed (or at least not safely). ...then again, we thought that about black holes. Maybe someone skilled enough in dimensional manipulation could cross over?

Oh, let's not spend all our vacation on training. Find some good food, and see what entertainment there is around here. Virtual reality stuff? Physical activities like zero-g obstacle courses?

>>1096574
Oh damn.
This explains the obsession. Whether or not the rebels just wish to live independent from an all-consuming empire, their experimental exponential technology risks the entire universe turning into their all-consuming purgatory.

But what is the worst-case scenario of sabotage going horribly wrong? We can't risk spilling this universe into another or causing an eldritch outbreak.

Hmm, maybe this technology was developed in case something irreversibly terrible happened to the universe at large. Like, a doomsday shelter that would one day become the new world.

...wait, Aumstail read these memories. She should know how fucking terrible the expanding fog is. The only valid reason to keep the fog going, if this is true, would be if it's already far too late for the original universe and the fog has already subsumed everything.

something else that deserves mention, this reality includes matterialised power, like what Deli took, it doesn't seem as though this existed outside of this fog, is seems like the universe outside works on something different entirely, and who's to say this machine wasn't used to make THAT power system, too?
A thought probably entirely for present Pillet though

>>1096575

What's "Plan A", if Plan B is to send us in and attempt to minimize the expansion of the sub-dimension? Or did I miss something?

1/4 Aelsaw 2024/08/31(Sat)17:45 No. 1096735 ID: e7ca6d
File 172515154351.png - (418.35KB , 1200x1200 , 729.png )

>Why is Fisheye greyed out?
While I saw everyone else at least once in true space, I only met Fisheye within the subdimension and its bare environment.

"I do have further questions. What happens to matter overtaken by the fog?"
>"Matter is broken down into raw components and placed into the subdimension at a one to one ratio. As far as we on the outside are concerned, our matter gets completely destroyed. Space is not taken one to one, rather it's a mix of absolute size and shrinking existing space. A universe that is reborn in this way ends up smaller, more condensed."

>Plan A vs Plan B?
Plan A is destroying it from the outside, but if that fails, plan B is for me to go destroy or disable it from the inside.

I glance at Zanthe and V-0. I am under the impression that Zanthe is simply waiting for me to finish so he can go back to hatching plans for destroying the subdimension from the outside. V-0 appears to be frozen while re-calculating this new information.

"And when the subdimension collapses, will any matter it took be restored as it was?"
>"No. The matter and space within the subdimension will merge back with ours, with whatever structure it took in the subdimension. For example, if the subdimension absorbed a plate of glass and turned it into an hourglass before it collapsed, it would come back into our dimension as an hourglass."
"Hmm. It's odd we can see the fog, but can't interact with it."
>"What we have been calling the fog is not conventional matter. It's something we simply cannot interpret meaningfully."
"Interesting. I think that is all my questions for now. Thank you, Upper Admiral Shuzenza, I will be on my way."
>"Do make the most of your week, Memory Artificer Aelsaw. It may even be longer if Spokesperson Varther can manage it."

2/4 Aelsaw 2024/08/31(Sat)17:45 No. 1096736 ID: e7ca6d
File 172515154683.png - (207.14KB , 1200x1200 , 730.png )

I'm taking a second to think about this one.

>About how long is the minimum time that has passed?
Roughly 4,000 years have passed since my memories were wiped. I don't know how long it took between sealing the subdimention and wiping my memories, but faint, broken impressions of memories beforehand make me think it wasn't nearly as long.

>Aumstail read those memories?
She couldn't. A non-memory artificer can only poorly read a memory by absorbing it like an energy cluster, and doing so destroys it. Aumstail most likely just told me what memory to extract, had me narrate it, and wrote it down. And in my state, I probably did a shit job. That idiot of an energy blocker probably only has enough of an idea of what this memory is to label it as 'the records of a traitor'.

As for if the fog is expanding... nope, or at least not much. Based on what Shuzenza said, then this place would be at least the size of an entire planet, if not solar systems' worth of space if it were on maximum growth. I do remember the town being just a tiny bit smaller than it is now, and now I know it wasn't just my imagination. So that's nice. More importantly, this subdimension certainly never reached its supposed potential.

I was just starting to wonder about how Aelsaw never ran into energy clusters or people absorbing others, but both the phenocosm and Klivania control people's energy levels based on social or military standing. They sure as hell wouldn't tolerate running around stabbing each other to absorb each others' energy either. I think Aelsaw just hasn't ran into it.

I get the sense that it's going to be addressed pretty soon.

3/4 Aelsaw 2024/08/31(Sat)17:45 No. 1096737 ID: e7ca6d
File 172515154911.png - (94.41KB , 1200x1200 , 731.png )

I leave them to their discussion, and go test Pillet's body a little more with a game of VR combat with guns and no energy.

My ranking goes up every round. I realize my original body was ideal for long term resting stamina and stable mental performance. Pillet's body requires much more upkeep, but is also much more suited to combat. It is harder to strike my smaller profile with guns, and as uncomfortable as this skeleton is, it's got to be much more uncomfortable for the person I manage to elbow strike. On the other hand, this individual reminded me that a slash I could shrug off in my normal body is a more severe wound in Pillet's.

I end up in the top 4% of today's rankings. I'm surprised, but I suppose my training usually focuses on me being outmatched.

And it is just a game, after all. I doubt people are taking it too seriously.

4/4 Aelsaw 2024/08/31(Sat)17:45 No. 1096738 ID: e7ca6d
File 172515155468.png - (168.88KB , 1200x1200 , 732.png )

I certainly don't want to spend the whole week doing that, so I check my permissions. There is full allowance for any foods and recreation with no limit.

I just don't know what Shuzenza wants me to get out of this. I have cakes, engage in 0-g obstacle courses with medical personnel on standby, and watch a drama.

The cakes are expectedly among the best things I have tasted, the obstacle course is a great trial of physical prowess and puzzle solving that I'm told I do very well in, and the drama leaves me on the edge of my seat every minute.

As expected, the phenocosm's amenities are just perfect. It's the calculated culmination of thousands of people's works, built on machines and previous works of millions, built on that of billions and so on.

If I were among the normal workers, I think I would appreciate having perfection available. But me being who I am, I find myself thinking of that airport vendor's donuts and Vix's brush baths, knowing there's a lifetime that led to their personalities filling in the blanks and the imperfections of their training and protocols.

It feels pointless remembering the phenocosm's pastries and movies when the blueprints and execution accounts for every variable and comes out perfect every time. My memories of those are redundant, but the donuts, the brush bath, the bus trips and many elements of my ski trip all had chaotic little elements that won't be replicated exactly ever again. It's an honor to record those.

But it also leads to me thinking a little too much. Perhaps I should train more. There are more obstacle courses and exercise programs. I finally have the clearance and time for reading spy memories. I could also get a cosmetic change and go back to Klivania. I don't know if that would help at all in the subdimension's underground site, but it would make me much less naive on the surface.

There are other options, I'm sure. My emotions simply want something to focus on so I can pass the week as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

Spending a week on the planet in an incognito body sounds like a good idea. You could get a third perspective on life below the perfection line.

Information is cool but naivete makes it hard to use it effectively. Can you bring any memories to Klivania? If not, oh well, best head there anyway.

>>1096736
>absorbed matter is reformed into a similar state
Hmm, so it's *possible* that the star wizard dove into the fog from the outside and reincarnated as Delli? Ah crap I forgot to ask what happens to SOULS that enter the fog.
>4000 years, fog not expanding much
Oh thank goodness, that means the universe outside is mostly untouched. Nevertheless, the fog needs to be stopped eventually, and the sooner it's stopped the more merciful those outside will be. Actually, now that you have more of Aelsaw's memories, what do you expect the phenocosm to do when the subdimension collapses? Will they arrest the central group and simply treat everyone else as refugees? What will happen to you, will you wind up retrieving more of Aelsaw's memories and... become her again?
...hmm, you should be able to get a rough estimate of the fog's minimum size based on the longest deep fog route you know. Simply multiply the travel time by your average speed while running it, and reduce it a bit based on how squiggly or circuitous the route is.

>>1096738
Hmm, probably get some spy "training" done by viewing some records, then head down to the surface in a different body so you can get more familiar with how things work there, so you won't stand out as much. ...actually, hmm, you're probably going to have to practice behaving like Pillet in the different body as well.
Do you have any idea what the motives of the rebels are? Does the phenocosm treat certain groups badly and they want to escape that treatment? Is it possible that they don't like the afterlife out here, and want to make a new one in there? Or is it simply the selfish ambition to have their own private world where they're in charge?

The whole point of this is to shave off the telltale signs of military life that an expert can spot. You'll lose your overall strength, but the point is to draw as little suspicion as possible.

Train in things that go against military procedure. Learn to shoot first and ask questions never. Spontaneously break formation and flank. Demand answers when you have questions, and do crazy hijinks that make you so embarrassed that you wish they could be restricted by red tape.

Buy a porn shooter and stream it.

There's going to be more time to train and learn on the field, so to say. Shoot, depending on how things go you might even be able to train with the targets and learn from them.

Take this time and head back down in a different body, experience more of those rough around the edge-things Klivania has to offer.

You could maybe take up a hobby? Something you can get better at little by little without relying on the phenocosm’s mass produced perfection. Baking seems tempting even if no one but you will appreciate it here.
Regardless, visiting Klivania undercover seems like a good opportunity to appreciate all the little things and maybe you could visit a hobby shop or similar thing to see what hobbies they take up there to find inspiration for yourself.

perfection without variation, just like the academy, I wonder if Shuzenza also feels unsatisfied, like you now do. You'll have to see if he has any free time this week

>>1096741
Souls seem to stay mostly intact, and they reform their bodies based on how they see and remember themselves.
I wonder if Mino always wanted to be rebel little goat guy.

At any rate, let's peruse some people's memories of Klivania living, and of espionage tactics, and of espionage tactics in Klivania!
It'll come un useful if we back there before the week is up.

>>1096736

> Not expanding much
Then I get the sense that, between the relatively stable state of the town and the ruined state of the Fog Islands, we were actually MOSTLY successful at Plan-B.

However, it looks like a lot of stuff was lost and the fog may have actually RECEDED in some way, resulting in a reabsorption of a lot of matter that wasn't in a stable pocket.

>>1096738

> Those donuts and that brush bath
Pillet, while this does look like an absolute blast, I imagine we've finally begun to comprehend WHY Paporron and the others would even want to make a subdimension to escape the Phenocosm.

Those experiences, all the little bits of chaos -- they're what make life worth living. Perfection is the pinnacle of achievement, but it starts to become hollow when every experience will be exactly the same.

While certainly dangerous to ... sympathize with these individuals, it would help to reflect on this, as it may make our own reintegration with them more believable.

After all, that's our aim, is it not? To prepare for working alongside (and sabotaging) them.

Relax on planet. Don't train just enjoy the culture and have genuine experiences you will enjoy.

1/2 Aelsaw 2024/09/18(Wed)13:42 No. 1097520 ID: ce93a7
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Hmmm. I consult a few spy memories. They're dry, but they contextualize how to simply fit in inside of unfamiliar environments. Once I express my desire to go to Klivania, I am directed towards Ruflaka.

I contemplate new hobbies as I walk. Maybe I can use my cover to do very un-phenocosm like protocols to practice being someone who isn't from the phenocosm. I will seriously consider my options once I am on the planet. For now, I'm wondering if Paporron and the other founders truly prefer the unstructured chaotic mess of Klivanian culture, thus motivating them to permanently escape from the phenocosm's control.

>What will the phenocosm do when the subdimension collapses?
I sense this gets addressed in the other memory I have here.

>Get an idea of the size of the fog's minimum size based on the longest deep fog route you know.
The routes to fog bubbles are most likely non-euclidean. It doesn't matter anyway; the founder's memory vault was here right at the start. I've never found any fog pocket that was farther than that one.

2/2 Aelsaw 2024/09/18(Wed)13:42 No. 1097521 ID: ce93a7
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Ruflaka appears to have been waiting for me.

>"I have been briefed. You are here for a new identity, correct?"
"That's right."
>"It is recommended you take the role of Reneila. This individual never existed, but she does exist within Klivanian records. Voting fraud, I'm told. This identity is recommended because up until now, she has no visual records whatsoever. This means that there is no exact requirement to what you look like."
"Interesting, but I can't just head down looking like this, can I?"
>"You cannot. A full body transformation takes over a day. Simple cosmetic changes can take as little as 10 minutes. There is small possibility you must swap with your body double on short notice, therefore you will be undergoing minimal changes that will still satisfactorily convince anyone you are unrelated to Pillet."

He hands me some of Reneila's documentation for my future perusal.

>"The only skeletal change will be squashing your neck to be less atypical. Beyond this, I can change your fur color and length, shift your weight distribution, alter your ears and snout, and so on easily enough."
"Will cosmetic changes be enough?"
>"Of the 270 million Klivanians, there are already 4 known individuals that already look remarkably similar to Pillet. It will be fine. You may have input on your looks, both in flesh and with a new set of clothes. Do you have any cosmetic changes would you prefer? If not, I will use my own discretion."

Let's see the checklist. Bigger ears, fangs, tits, dick, hips/thigh/ass, muscles as appropriate. Otherwise perhaps some sort of mega cyborg godzilla creature. The sort that would be really complicated to draw by hand especially if you had to do it over and over for many panels. Alternatively, blue fur and/or a general cat-rabbit sort of look.

Enhance knockers. We need somewhere for those donuts to go.

Hm. Gotta wonder if this is how you end up looking like your current self. You now and memory you look similar, but with the sub-dimension lacking colour, you could have completely different fur colouration and we wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Unrelated thought, there's gonna be some identity issues to untangle after all's said and done, who you are, who other people think you are, who you want to be, etc.

>>1097521

Keeping it minimal makes the most sense. Lose the darker patches and add a little weight at the center (for comfort, of course) and we're already a completely different person.

Taller neck! Huge fluffy ears with extra fluff! Extra fabulous booty! Fluffier tail!

>>1097521
Suggestion:
>>/questdis/142680