Thick green vines surround me, pulling me through the earth. I’m come over by a feeling akin to being ripped through a small tunnel in a coffin. As nausea fills my head, I try to block out the sound of my body tearing through the earth.


    I feel my mind shifting to a place it has never been before. The girls know it well, but I’ve never been there myself. I shouldn’t be able to go if Aku is there, but if he is in the dream world…


    I have to stay away. I focus on the darkness, and relax myself. The vines seem to fade away, and instead I’m surrounding by nothingness. From the nothingness springs countless doors, one for each direction I turn. The doors draw me in, and I approach one of them.


    However, instead of reaching out for the handle, I clench my fists and kick the door in. The door shatters and disappears in the dark. I turn to the next door, and kick it in. Repeating four more times, I regain the feeling of vines wrapping my hands. I grasp them as hard as I can, and thrust myself away from the darkness.


    I’m quickly pulled above the surface. Even though I’m still blanketed in vines, I feel a sense of relief and catch my breath. Gradually the vines begin to loosen until I can see my surroundings. I’ve surfaced in a vast forest with skyscraping fern trees. The vines continue to hold me captive, tied between two nearby fern trees. I try to move myself, but the vines are too strong.


    Giving up, I survey my surroundings. The vast forest stretches beyond my line of vision, though its trees are moderately spaced out. There’s no way for me to ascertain where I’m at, and the vines prevent me from turning my head in any direction.


    It’s no surprise my world has immediately thrown inescapable shackles on me from the moment I changed the world. It’s probably to prevent me from running away, to force me to face my dreams. I’m being forced to look myself in the eye, for everything that makes me who I am and which brought me here. That is the only way to make it through this victorious… according to Aku, at least. Though, to be chained down, forced out of contention while the girls have the chance to fight- it’s going to take every bit of strength I have to navigate this.


    My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of leaves being crushed underfoot. I look up to see a familiar face moving toward me. The blond-headed man, whose black suit matches his lifeless eyes, flashes an apathetic smile at me as he approaches.


    “Director?” I mutter, shocked by his sudden appearance.


    “Why, hello there, JC,” he says in a rigid voice. “You’ve met with some bad luck since I saw you last, it seems.”


    “You aren’t an NPC- you’re really the Director, aren’t you?”


    “Astute as always, my trusted subordinate,” the man replies, his lips curling with satisfaction. “While I am not exactly my true self, as you might say, I am more complex than the NPC’s you have interacted with so far.”


    “Does that mean…” I respond, eyes wide. “You’ve fulfilled the last of the Ego Redistribution objectives?”


    “Correct,” he says, finally stopping a meter away from me. “The Ego Redistribution Protocol- that is, to extract or copy the measurables of the human ego, and redistribute them elsewhere. With the ‘PC Booster’ we were able to register the ego of our subjects. We then discovered the key to moving the consciousness, the ultimate success being our ability to send you and those girls here.”


    “Right, but this isn’t your original consciousnesses,” I reply, staring narrowly at him.


    “Itt is not,” he says, grinning. “As you know, we consequently understood how to differentiate between the consciousness, personality, and memory- all of which comprise the ego. Your ego here proves that sending the consciousness will also send the subject’s other measurables, albeit imperfectly in the case of memory. Whereas, we have had success redistributing copies of the subject’s personality alone. Certainly, you have more experience in your social experiments with the manipulation of personality than the consciousness.”


    I hand my head, sighing.  “And now you’ve finally figured out how to copy and transfer memories alone, haven’t you?”


    “That is the me you see before you,” he says, grinning even broader. “Might as well be the real thing, right?”


    “Yeah,” I answer, taking up as defensive a posture as I can manage whilst confined to my knees. “But you aren’t here to help me… are you?”


    “Of course not,” he replies, waving a hand politely. “Aku would not have that, would he? He’s a shrewd one, so allowing me to stack the odds in your favor simply would not do.”


    “Right, he has a strong enough motive to oppose me, after all,” I remark, glancing to the side before gazing back at the smiling man. “But what about you? Or rather, the memories of the Director in the real world? Does he wish for my victory?”


    “JC… you’ve always been wary of me, haven’t you?” he asks, peering at me through squinted eyes. “Ever since I hired you, you never actually trusted me. Maybe that’s to do with your past, but I was always aware of your mistrust.”


    He pauses, as if waiting for a reaction. I simply stare at him with cold eyes, refusing to give him one.


    “Even then, I always liked you. You’ve been a great subordinate, and I like to think we share a certain… bond,” he chuckles lightly. “Certainly, you and I are on similar wavelengths.”


    “If so…” I mutter, hardening my gaze further. “Then you really do want me to win… but you don’t actually trust me, either, do you?”


    “Bingo,” he says with a grin, holding his arms out to his sides. “Just as you have been wary of me, I’ve been wary of you and your capabilities. While it would be a good thing for our ambitions- the ambitions of Worldbeaters, if you were to gain Aku’s power, there is a certain feeling of foreboding that comes with the notion.”


    “And that means?” I ask, cautious of his every move.


    “Well, I decided while you were in here that I would make things more interesting and give you a true test to make sure you are worthy,” he answers with a grim smile. “In the real world, we have registered the egos of over one million people into the PC Booster’s system. In this dreamscape, however…”


    I let out a short gasp, realizing what he’s going to say next.


    “We have already registered over ten million.”


    My face goes white, as I am no longer able to hide my exasperation.


    “This means, of course, that we have the ability to transfer personalities, memories, and consciousnesses of the people within this dreamscape,” he continues. “As you already know, we can also transfer those measurables from those registered in the real world to the people registered in this world.”


    “I remember now,” I mutter. “Aku said before that even we existed in this world as NPC’s before our consciousnesses were transferred here. That’s why the girls had to grow through years of real time here… because their NPC selves were copies of the real thing, until they gained their original consciousnesses.”


    “Following that same vein, we have transferred memory and personality measurables from people in the real world to their NPC counterparts here- like myself,” he says, gesturing at himself with a satisfied smirk.


    “But did you really need to register the NPC’s in this dream world?” I ask.


    “Not for consciousness, but for memory and personality,” he replies, pointing at his temple. “Which is why Aku had to recreate our company to the letter, to ensure things were done properly as they were with the three of you.”


    “But what about my memories?” I demand. “And the girls? Why does the transfer of consciousness result in the imperfect transfer of memories?”


    “Who knows?” he responds, shrugging loosely. “But I did not mention the other reason for registering the NPC’s.”


    “What?”


    “Well, once I recovered my true self’s memories inside here, I decided we would transfer copies of your memories, and those of the girls, to all the people we have registered here in the dreamworld.”


    My jaw drops in horror, and I am unable to make a sound.


    “That includes a certain environmentalist group you encountered inside Mirei’s world and know from your own past, as well as the entirety of Shibuya which rebelled against Mary’s world. Oh, and I’m sure the name ‘Ireland’s Finest’ means something to you? The group of kidnapping bandits whose trail brought you to Japan in the first place.”


    “You…” I mutter, breathing labored breaths. Gradually, I curb my heavy breaths into a choppy laugh. “You certainly have made things interesting. And here I am stuck like this due to my own world’s structure. I can’t let them win while I do nothing here, but I also don’t want them to die for good before I obtain victory and tell them goodbye…”This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    “Then what will you do?” he asks, grinning broader than ever. “You’ve stacked the odds against yourself. I’ve stacked them even higher, and Aku does not want to lose to you.”


    I realize at that moment that the many cord-like vines wrapping around me and attached like leaches to my neck are twitching, along with my fatigued arms. Attempting to wake up my sleeping nerves, I flex my arms. The vines react, squirming as if they had become extensions of my arms.


    An idea comes over me, and I act on it instantly. The vines rise from the ground and strike before the man can make any movement. The ends stick like plugs into his temples with enough force to bring him to his knees. Despite the blood and clear pain, he continues smiling, while I continue thinking.


    This is a dreamworld. There are things that can be done here that simply can’t in the real world. Mary’s storm, Mirei’s ice and sun. My own world changed to something overwhelmingly normal- a world brimming with nature. If I have the ability to tune this world to a version that’s closest to the real world, then I should be able to utilize the quirks within my world, my own abilities, to normalize the world even further.


    “I’m not sure if your memories of this world will make it back to the Director in the real world,” I declare with a hardened gaze. “But I hope you’ll take this as my formal apology for acting against Worldbeaters protocol.”


    “JC, my memories are explicitly off limits, you know th-”


    His words cease as his temples and forehead pulsate. I feel something being extracted, forced from his head and through the vines, and then into my own head.


    Unable to stop the process, a feeling of fullness reaches my head and my vision blurs before going dark.


    Countless memories of the Director’s life flash through the darkness, but I search for something specific. I find the point at which his memories transferred into the dreamscape, which was no more than two days ago. A quick review confirms everything he said about Worldbeaters’ activity in this world. Shortly after, I find what I’m looking for. The Director is having a conversation with Mathais, but it is not the Mathais I know. His face looks twisted, and he wears a grin even more malevolent than the Director’s.


    “This is how I will be aiding the girls once the world changes,” Mathais says. “Though of course I expect JC to discover this fact and watch my every move from somewhere.”


    I cut the memory short, and bring my vision back to darkness. I focus on something I haven’t done in years- projecting myself. I feel my vines on the outside of the darkness, and command them through the earth’s crust. They search until they find what they’re looking for, and then retreat under the ground.


    Just as they do, my consciousness shifts through the darkness. Before me stands two girls in a version of Shibuya that’s overrun with tree and plant growth, and a public in utter chaos. Countless people flee their crashed vehicles and scatter as the growth expands relentlessly over the city.


    The girls stare into the tree-filled Shibuya Crossing, and look back in shock at me- rather, the one they are looking at is Mathais, whose body is being borrowed by Aku as well as myself. I am merely peering through the eyes of the body Aku is inhabiting, something I haven’t done since I was a child.


    “This… is JC’s world?” Mary mutters in shock and awe.


    “Yes,” Mathais says. “This is the world borne of JC’s own heart.”


    “This is… what normal looks like, to him?” Mary responds in a frustrated voice.


    “Because nature is so beautiful, maybe,” Mirei says in a low voice, gazing over the expanse of trees that continue to grow thicker and taller by the second.


    “Perhaps it is the belief that the world’s natural make-up could defend itself against the incoming threat,” Mathais says, pointing at the sky. The girls turn their gazes to the distant entity, a boisterous sphere baring the visage of a shooting star.


    “What exactly is that thing?” Mary asks, clearly shaken by the image.


    “Well… to put it simply, it’s where I came from,” he says, folding his hands together.


    “Huh?” Mary responds, her breath staggered.


    “You… you’re Aku now, aren’t you?” Mirei asks calmly, gazing at the man as if seeing through him.


    “Impressive, Miss Mirei,” Aku seethes in Mathais’ voice. “I am, indeed.”


    “When?” Mary whispers, raising her guard while flickering her gaze between Aku and the chaos unfolding in the city.


    “As soon as JC left,” Mirei responds confidently. “Mathais looked different to me… he reminded me of my father.”


    “Yes, well done,” Aku answers in a satisfactory tone. “I decided to join with Mathais, much like I did with your father before, to observe you, and to guide you through this stage in lieu of JC.”


    “We really can’t see him, then…” Mary mutters, looking down.


    “You cannot- at least not currently,” Aku answers, folding his arms. “Much like the previous stages, you should make your goal to bring your wavelengths together. Certainly, JC will be working on converging all the planes of this world, so you’ll be helping him in that sense.”


    “But he clearly didn’t want to work with us… I don’t know what he’s thinking or planning, but why should we help him converge all the planes of the world?” Mary demands, her voice raised significantly.


    “So that you can fight him on an even playing field,” Aku responds calmly. “The reason he wants to work separately, aside from your natural disagreement which brought forth differing wavelengths, is that he wants a head-start once everything is converged. He knows you’ll come together once everything converges, but whoever brings about the convergence is likely to have the upper hand in retrieving my power. It’s like how you both grew much stronger in your abilities obtained in this world, only after you were able to bring the other to your side. This time as well, your goal should be to gain that upper hand by forcing your wavelengths together.”


    “I see,” Mirei mutters, eyeing Aku suspiciously, as if she’s looking directly at me through him and Mathais.


    “I should tell you, though…” Aku says, unphased by her daunting stare. “JC is watching our every move from within my vision.”


    “What?” Mirei asks with gasp. “But… how?”


    “You’ll figure out the specifics later,” he says in a low voice. “But it is a power exclusive to him and myself. You might say that we are two sides of the same coin, never touching but always near. However, more importantly… look behind you.”


    The girls turn to find hundreds of people, many armed with guns or swords, pouring toward them from the chaos. They step back toward Aku, hands trembling. Mary in particular clenches her fists, her entire body shivering with both fear and anger.


    “There has been some meddling this time around, aside from me being here,” Aku says, bringing their attention back to him. The group of bandits among them is an especially dangerous entity for you, right, Miss Mary?”


    Mary holds her left arm reflexively, tears welling up in her wincing eyes.


    “Then…” MIrei mutters, a fierce look in her eyes. “I’d like to declare to JC, if he’s listening right now, that I will be the one to reach Aku’s power first, and just as he suggested- I’ll use it to save Mary!”


    Mary gasps, looking at Mirei in surprise, before looking down and letting out a short breath while her left arm trembles. “On the contrary,” she says, taking a step toward Aku. “I’ll do whatever it takes to bring JC down and win… and give the power to the girl who truly deserves it- the one who already met the requirements to win.”


    She clutches at her chest, slowly looking up at Aku- rather, at me. “You helped her take the rest of my heart, so let’s make her the one who is saved!”


    She lunges toward Aku, withdrawing something from within her suit.


    “Mary, no!” Mirei cries, reaching for Aku’s arm. “It won’t work! We need Aku right now!”


    “Mirei will be the one to live on!” Mary declares, thrusting the knife toward Aku.


    “No, it’s going to be Mary who lives!” Mirei shouts desperately, pulling Aku away from the incoming attack. Before the knife can find its home, a blur of static comes over the three. From within the static, vines swarm over them, and tear them away from each other.


    I return to the black world I entered while surveying the Director’s memories. Regaining my wits while simultaneously blocking myself from entering the deep dream world, I focus once more on projecting myself.


    Aku stares across a patch of grass in front of a small, moss-covered building, at Mirei- who sits on her knees, holding her head in pain.


    “That was rather quick thinking from the both of you,” Aku declares. “Changing wavelengths forcibly to get out of trouble like that...”


    “It was going to have to happen eventually, anyway,” Mirei answers in a labored voice. “We don’t see eye to eye on something crucial, after all.”


    “Certainly,” Aku replies. “You will have to settle that disagreement, if you wish to gain the upper hand by being the ones to force the convergence of planes.”


    “We’ll have to fight each other one last time before we can work together to stop JC, huh?” Mirei mutters in response, holding her knees instead of her head. “But what comes next? How do we reach each other in order to settle things?”


    “Well, that will coincide with the structure of this world,” Aku answers, casually taking a seat in the grass. “Currently, JC is attempting to hide himself from the deep dream world. He thinks he can simply control things from afar, keeping you both at bay, and ultimately stop the coming threat which would win him my power. However, we have taken measures against that.”


    “Oh?” Mirei asks, head tilted in curiosity. Aku flashes a grin on Mathais’ face, and I feel my fists clench on the other side at the muffled sound of the Director’s chuckle in front of me.


    “These vines all over the place are like ley lines, serving as transmitters for the power of this world,” Aku says, folding his hands together. “This means the deep dream world itself resides in these vines. While JC is running away from the dream world, he is also using these vines to his advantage, manipulating things remotely while in a safe place. The more he uses these vines, the more vulnerable he will leave himself to the deep dream world lying within them. He will have to face his deepest dreams despite his insistence on avoiding them… after all, it is just as necessary for him to overcome them as it was for you and Miss Mary.”


    “Then why are you telling him your plan?” Mirei asks. “He’s watching us through you, right?”


    “Oh, I’m sure he is,” Aku responds, winking an eye. “But don’t worry, he will be compelled to continue using the vines. That is, in order to keep an eye on you two. In doing so, he’ll inevitably run into the vehicles we manufactured for the sake of forcing him into the deep dream world.”


    “What is… that?” Mirei asks, her gaze narrowed.


    “Myself and the Director have set up three theaters, each holding a section of JC’s memories. The key to bringing the planes together will be for the two of you to search through these memories and understand the root of JC’s dreams- to locate the means to force all of your wavelengths together. Of course, the same is true for him.”


    “So that’s why he’ll be compelled to go there,” Mirei says in a mumble.


    “Right, since he is insistent on normalizing the world in every way- which includes bringing all the planes together, cutting out the distortional structure of this dream world which stems from the deep dream world.”


    “That’s how he plans… on winning?” Mirei says through choppy breaths, watching anxiously as Aku rises and walks several paces away to stand over a puddle of water littered with green leaves. “That’s why, in our rounds, he insisted on us bringing our wavelengths together- it was all for this. It was to strengthen our bonds in order to make it easier this time around.”


    “Most likely,” Aku answers, looking down at the puddle until his reflection becomes clear through the rippling water. “He has to bring everything together… normalize everything… eliminate the distortion that I caused and which I am given life from… that’s the only way…”


    He pauses, curling his lips as he stares dauntingly at his reflection- as if looking at me, to challenge me.


    “To eliminate my existence from this world, as well as the real world. That’s the only way for him… to truly take my power."