cartesianism | Epilogue

Welcome to Cartesio!

You open your eyes and see the ceiling of the lodge. There is no real sensation of having slept, but you're still feeling rested. Sitting up, you can see that the building around you is in ruins. Dust and dirt dominate your environment. Around you, there are familiar people - some of them you've been with up until now, some of them you have been brutally forced to part with weeks ago. They all look alright, a little confusion aside.

From a corner of the room, you can hear the soft whirring of a machine. Upon examination, you can see that it's 3D-printing more gelatinous bodies like you've seen earlier today. Every body that is dispensed from the machine is a safe haven for another mind from the simulation, another mind to join your ranks as real people.

After you've adjusted to the new situation and left the lodge, you find yourself greeted with perfect sunshine. There's a town welcoming you, friendly and peaceful. Though it is more modern than what you are used to, there is no mistaking it.

Cartesio, Nevada, welcomes you.

You're new people, in a new world. Every chance it has to offer is open for you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Is that a golf clap from somewhere to the side?

That is a golf clap.]

[Well, that was nice for about five seconds. Now she's pretty hurriedly pushing herself away from him immediately, going red.]

—Shut up!

[Natalie, she didn't say anything??]

[Cue acting like he just touched a fucking electric fence.]

Have you just been watching this entire time?!

[Now Kino's just

laughing at the both of them. It's a sound of delight, the kinds you hear when she's petting Cosmo.]

Long enough. Congratulations, you two.

[Kino. Kino please. Please stop being delighted. This is weird.]

There's nothing to be congratulating alright.

Why not?

You've both been through a lot and you stuck together through it all - and despite everything that's happened, you've found a new kind of happiness.

I think it's worth congratulating.

Ugh, you're making it all weird!

[Save Them]

I had to tease you at least one more time.

[Sorry not sorry.]

[TIME TO CHANGE THE FUCKING SUBJECT.]

Wait, are you leaving now then?

Not yet. I'm waiting on Hermes, and he'll probably whine about not getting his three days, so...

I'll probably stay for three days and two nights before I go. It'll give me time to get oriented to the new world, too.

Right.

[A beat. Color gradually leaving his cheeks and recovering from extreme embarrassment.]

Well I want to go look for this rabbit thing anyway, so I'll head out with you when you do.

Gonna try to nip it in the bud?

If I can.

[Feels like the right thing to do. Even if he is a clone, the world he thought he was from still means something to him. What else is he gonna do with all these powers anyway?]

I see... Good luck with that.

[Her voice is solemn at least.]

So both of you are just going to focus on hunting him down?

[Speaking up:]

It's not like I have anything else pressing going on.

[She regards Natalie for a moment. And then:]

Do you want me to teach you anything before we part ways?

[Combat training, survival - there's a lot of things she could try to learn.]

...It doesn't have to be for a while, does it? The whole parting ways thing. I mean, we don't know where he is. The three of us could stick together while we look.

[That gets a look of surprise for sure.]

...You mean like traveling together?

[Keith and Natalie sticking together was a given, but...]

Unless you’re opposed for some reason.

[There's a very, very long period of silence.]

Is this world... similar to yours?

[Not sure he's liking this long period of silence, Kino, but...]

Similar, yeah. The tech's outdated.

[A lot outdated. What the fuck year is Voltron set anway.]

But if the simulation is anything like the world it was trying to emulate, it sure felt like home.

[There's another pregnant pause as she considers this very seriously. But eventually, she seems to make up her mind.]

If you really don't mind traveling at my pace and helping me with the technology and things here...

We could... probably travel together.

[Alright let's put it another way.]

Do you want to?

...I've just never traveled with people outside of specific arrangements before.

[It's something that requires a lot of thought.]

I've been hired as a guard and things like that, but this is different.

Traveling with friends isn't so bad.

[In his experience? Memory?]

Besides. Getting places is gonna be a lot easier if you can teleport.

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