Fandom &nbsp; Homestuck Extended: Recursive Anthology

AiDEE-c0 · Oct 8, 2020

> Anya: Victory..?

Whether you've won anything or not, that was an admittedly morbid display. You realize you've probably unveiled the true face of the beast, whether symbolically or LITERALY. To make sure, you confirm with your new MIND TENANT.

ANYA: That was him.
ANYA: Wasn't it.
RILE: Y3s.

> ==>

With this fact settled out of court, you turn to your confused friend. You proceed to explain just enough so that you don't have to repeat yourself past the GATE.

ANYA: We are escaping.
ANYA: The devils would use us as feed. Willingly.
ANYA: Or otherwise.
ANYA: Past that gate.
ANYA: This sick game will be over.

> Anya: Ascend.

You face the swirling spirograph, exhaling deeply. Trusting that Bart will follow suit, you make your way through it as well.

Venchi1986 · Oct 8, 2020

> Bart: ??????

Did that Devil just come back to life? also what the heck was up with that giant claw? Not to mention the fact that Anya didn't really explain anything before leaving.

> Only one thing to do.

You can't just keep standing there who knows what the others are dealing with on the other side of the Gate, you have to follow them and maybe finally demand a satisfying explanation.

> Go through Gate...in style.

Since you could be facing anything on the other side being able to pick up your friends and quickly fly away might be smart.

Feeling particularly proud of that bit of rationalizing your desire to show off you take out the result of combining the FANTICASTICAR with your motorized chair and go through the Gate that way.

Orikanyo · Oct 8, 2020

> be Dann

Standing on the other side of the gate, you had a very, very interesting few seconds of watching Ciel go fae mad, see a gigantic fucking factory, and now...

Now Bart comes in with four motorized chairs, with lasers, through the portal like a guy showing off his wicked new car to his friends, looking all smug, and satisfied with his creation.

And legit it is a fucking rad idea.

All in all its a weird design decision to tied four chairs together but hey.

Fuck if you're gonna complain.

Then theres the lady of the hour and her axe murdering ways.

Dann: So.
Dann: We gonna talk about what just happened?
Dann: And why a devil with an axe in their back WOULDN'T stay dead.
Dann: Or we still keeping each other in the dark?

SpectrumCrow · Oct 8, 2020

> Ciel: Go forward

You have a promise to keep.

CIEL: Anya
CIEL: I appreciate you trying to keep us safe
CIEL: But we can trust Ebli
CIEL: I promise, I have total faith in her.
CIEL: If you don't, trust the me that trusts her.
CIEL: I promised her I'd help her
CIEL: So I have to go back, it was a faerie's promise.
CIEL: That's a promise you can never break. Ever.
CIEL: But
CIEL: This place does look important...
CIEL: Maybe I could go back through here.
CIEL: Regardless... We should all go together for now...

You're still pissed at Anya, but you try and soothe your anger by remembering her reasons. With a deep breath, you try and stay positive, feigning a fake confidence as you step forward.

CIEL: Anya can explain along the way.

AiDEE-c0 · Oct 8, 2020

> Anya: Explain.

Stepping out the other end of the GATE, your new goal-tracking power appears to be pointing to that FACTORY over there. More pressingly, your friends are quite ravenous for the answers you owe them.

Slowly walking over to the building, you start explaining.

ANYA: There is no going back anymore.
ANYA: This is the hill we conquer.
ANYA: Or die on.
ANYA: Somewhere in that building, there is a transportalizer.
ANYA: It leads to Derse.
ANYA: One of the windows we can use to escape lies there.
ANYA: Our only chance of living.

> ==>

Past the SEVENTH GATE is where the DENIZEN lives. You hope that the others brought their strongest weapons, because you're hardly in fighting condition anymore. Even if the denizen can be reasoned with, how likely is it that it's the only thing standing in your way?

You stop just outside the factory's entrance, finishing the rest of your explanation.

ANYA: Even if Ebli was helping.
ANYA: Keta is her supervisor.
ANYA: They would have you play the game.
ANYA: A game made to feed *yawn* its master's pet.
ANYA: The Corruption.
ANYA: That is what I learned. It is his doing.
ANYA: We are specks in comparison.
ANYA: I couldn't even wound Ebli.
ANYA: You have to focus on your own survival.
ANYA: Not the safety of gods.

> ==>

You enter the facility, the growling of UNDERLINGS immediately evident. They are a swarm filling entire chambers and halls, blocking your way to a central ELEVATOR. You'll need to hack through all of them.

Just as you predicted.

ANYA: We must face the denizen.
ANYA: Take the window.
ANYA: And find the primes.
ANYA: Don't contact or respond to the devils anymore.
ANYA: It's still possible they don't know what our *yaaawn* goal is.

Orikanyo · Oct 8, 2020

> Dann: Uhhhhh

Dann: So.
Dann: Beautiful, keta is evil.
Dann: jury's out on the other two.
Dann: Either way, case by case scenario.
Dann: How did you figure this out if I may ask.
Dann: Time to wreck house.

Though sadly, you wont have to much time to converse, underlings approaching and spawning fast.

Big ones,

small ones,

some as big as your head.

But you got the whole squad here, and you know one thing, that drills are the best for making it past large obstacles you can't just go around.

Turn by turn, you move forward.

> Dann: transformation sequence

Putting your left hand atop of the diamond shape upon your chest you extend your right arm to your side, the diamond shines for a second as the sound of metal upon metal unfolds from it. The metal extends out from the diamond, coating your body in the plates in mere fractions of seconds, ending with covering your head, hat automatically captchalogued in the process. Within your right arm, the drill is withdrawn i9t's form is similar to your first, far stronger and definitely not broken as it was so long ago. You learned you couldn't expect plowshares to become swords over night, it was a tool...

But this...

This was a weapon.

Diamond encrusted, blades sharpened, motor oiled and fueled by a portal thorium reactor, enhanced with the best scientific mumbo jumbo you could find, the damn thing spins and rends apart foes like a god damn meat grinder, and possibly powered by spite. The Drill shined on it's own in the briefest semblance of light, seemingly capturing it in it's almost translucent bit, the problem of jamming is a thing fo the past, the components are air tight inside the machine, self oiling, self cleaning and oddly gives off a nice brisk breeze when in motion, nice for cooling off the area or yourself in tough fights.

The drill's name was THE EARTH BREAKER, it was your baby.

And was fucking expensive.

The ABALATIVE MECHANICAL EXO BOOSTER SUIT currently around you was aidea you got from a couple mecha animes, iron man and power rangers... Somehow it manages to absorb and disperse damage in a huge shower of sparks like in the power ranger shows... yea know, the effects to show off monsters and the rangers getting hit, really is neat to see. Luckily it doesn't mess with your bee wings when you got the rockets working... best you can do with the bee wings is just sorta... hover abit without the rockets.

You end off your transformation with a superhero pose, back straight, arm bent to your side and chest out. gotta let the audience see you in your splendor afterall.

Dann: Lets do this.

SpectrumCrow · Oct 8, 2020

> Be Ciel

You stop in your tracks, hearing Anya speak of Keta, your heart dropping into the pit of your stomach.

CIEL: Is
CIEL: That what he was hiding?
CIEL: Ebli was right...
CIEL: She told me he was hiding something from us, that she didn't know and wanted to help me find out.
CIEL: So then
CIEL: He was lying, truly...
CIEL: And I trusted him, even if for a bit.
CIEL: AND HE'D JUST LET US GET HURT LIKE THAT?!
CIEL: I tried to be kind to him!! To sympathize with him!!
CIEL: AND HE TURNS AROUND AND DOES THIS
CIEL: and lets Ebli get hurt in the process too!! And probably Miki!!
CIEL: WHAT! A! PRICK!!!!!

Of course, you should be used to the fact that you cry when angered, but it's still weird to feel, to yell so loudly. You hate being so upset, having to distrust someone. You hate that he's hurting your friends, people who are SUPPOSED to be his friends!!!

Now you want to save Ebli more than ever.

> Ciel: Draw staff

You are going to tear through these enemies, become god, save your friends, rescue Ebli and Miki, nothing will stop you. Not SBURB, not a Denizen, not Keta, no one. No one.

> Ciel: Prepare to fight.

Venchi1986 · Oct 9, 2020

>Bart: play support.

You could help your friends take the UNDERLINGS down directly but since you're on the top of the ECHELADDER that might deprive them from exp.

On the other hand you can't just hover and watch, so you decide that now is a good time to help indirectly, only stepping in to be of more direct support when needed though given Dann's latest weapon that probably won't be the case.

> ==>

Flying over the UNDERLINGS you start dropping your FREEZE BOMBS and SLEEP GAS BOMBS, making sure to keep an eye on your allies and the wind direction to prevent you from accidentally hindering them.

Eidolon Astronaut · Oct 9, 2020

> Anya, Bart, Ciel, Dann: Strife.

The four of you engage in your largest bout of GROUP STRIFE you have ever done. You fight through ACHERONS, GICLOPSES, KRAKENS, TITACHNIDS, and MORE, all the way through the winding TUNNELS and CONVEYOR BELTS of the FACTORY FLOOR. Following a path that only Anya sees, from a voice that only Anya hears, you reach the ELEVATOR.

> Descend.

You arrive at the PLANET'S CORE, standing in a large carved out ANTECHAMBER on a tall platform. Tunnels spew molten MAGMA into the cave floor below, while a massive STONE DOOR lies on the other side of the room; Carved into the stone above it lies the symbol of a FIGURE ENGULFED IN FLAME.

Hephaestus.

As you approach, the door opens, though when you try to walk through, only BART can. Some form of FORCE FIELD prevents Anya, Ciel, or Dann from entry.

Venchi1986 · Oct 9, 2020

>Bart: adres others.

While you know that no matter you will face down here it will be dangerous, you can't help but feel relieved that you are on your own. Not only does it mean you won't have to worry about protecting the others, at the moment hanging out with Ciel would be too awkward, Dann would would just unintentionally annoy you and you're still not sure if you can trust Anya.

Of course you're not gonna move on without saying anything, after all you might not see them again.

RR: You guys should look for the window in the meantime and mark your path, so I can follow afterward.
RR: I will keep in touch with the memo but if I don't say anything for a while....you guys should keep going.
RR: Don't try to talk me out of this, this might our be our last chance to learn anything about that whole God thing. In fact if any of you feel up for it you should look into your own 7th Gate.

> ==>

Not wanting to take the risk that they'll have a good argument as to why you should stay with them you move through the door the second you're done talking.

Orikanyo · Oct 9, 2020

> Dann: Oww

Oww

Dann: oww

You walked straight into the forcefield and fall flat on your back. While it didn't hurt, you have that unconscious human need to say ouch to things that don't hurt.

The effective minor warning that "I have impacted a thing and am still okay."

Eidolon Astronaut · Oct 9, 2020

> Anya, Ciel, Dann: ...?

After Bart leaves beyond the door, there is a rumbling seemingly everywhere, as if the WHOLE PLANET was shaking. You hear what sounds to be FAINT TRUMPETS, as the MAGMA from the tunnels ceases, replaced by something else coming from the depths.

Three beasts emerge from the holes, three creatures that are very familiar.

The SAP IMP from before, hideous and glitched, laser-edged and hungry.
The TITANIUM GICLOPESES, merged into one beast double the size and terrifying.
And a NEON PINK FIGURE, humanoid in shape. Though what was once a TAIL has been replaced with LEGS, and what was once a face is now a SKULL. A skull with two large ANTLERS.

SANDLERSPRITE: 1gkE$ O%! QS0dJ*T jqZ1pa418 #=F 8 c2 r7p3@ 6#8A %=xc !ewSv
SANDLERSPRITE: 4NyA

Ruh-roh.

> Bart: Face the Denizen.

You enter the DENIZEN'S CHAMBER. A narrow walkway stretches over a vast pool of MAGMA. It is very quiet here. Or it least it would be, if not for that faint trumpeting you hear, and of course the brand new sound of the PLANET SHAKING. Rising from the magma, a JET BLACK FIGURE emerges. A GIANT enfulfed in FLAME, weilding a mighty HAMMER. They uh... They don't look too good.

JPEG ARTEFACTS riddle their features, and the FIRE around them seems more like a still image than a ragin fire. They glitch out periodically. They roar.

HEPHAESTUS: S8 EtA54 8eBDzDNZaDeEC yh0
HEPHAESTUS: HRh qW 5U &b!! 7BXh
HEPHAESTUS: z NDz 1pb KN+#D8G

Ruh-roh.

Venchi1986 · Oct 9, 2020

Bart: Inspect Chamber.

So far you spot no clues as to how the whole God thing is supposed to work, you don't like the idea of reporting that you have nothing but you really should stay in contact with the others, not like they have anything to do but worry about you after all.

Okay, that was a bit hars and undeserved.

RR: Not seeing any hints so far, gonna approach Hephaestus.

> ==>

As you get closer to the DENIZEN you notice strange things about him, but then again this whole game has been bizar so far. So you just keep on walking and... are those JPEGS? Oh crap!

RR: Guys, forget what I said about you trying your 7th gates. Hephaestus looks corrupted. The other Denizens might be as well .

You want to run but if you know anything about videogames your passage through that FORCE FIELD was one way and unless the Devils come to your rescue you have only one way out.

You take a deep breath and prepare for what may very well be your last strife.

>Approach Hephaestus.

Orikanyo · Oct 9, 2020

> Dann: Look up

You look up from your prone position, creening your head towards the noise.

You then take a moment to consider just how bad your luck truly is.

Fucken f minus rank luck brother.

Like seriously what the fucken hell.

Not one.

not two.

But three.

Three bad news bears lookin motherfuckers.

You stand up and about face towards them, eyeing your armor, your friends, the barrier, the god damn jumblefuck of monsters infront of you and the.... Thing that used to be Sandlersprite, as you guessed from the dialoguelog...

You could only really say one thing...

Dann: Sorry Skeletor I don't speak italian

AiDEE-c0 · Oct 9, 2020

> Anya: Fall back.

You tiredly watch as three CORRUPTED ABOMINATIONS crawl out of tunnels previously filled with magma, one of them bearing and uncanny resemblance to your previous SPRITE. It is a sad fate that has befallen Adam Sandler, american actor, comedian, and filmmaker, but you have no time to waste mourning.

You signal to your friends, knowing full well what would happen if they decided to fight. You start falling back to the elevator, calling out for the others to do the same.

ANYA: Don't fight them.
ANYA: They *yawn* will absorb your weapons.
ANYA: Grow stronger.
ANYA: *yawn*
ANYA: ...
ANYA: Let's use the elevator up and try to lose them.
ANYA: ...draw them away from Bart.

> ==>

Your state is worsening at an alarming rate. With the golden trail leading you inside the barricaded chamber, the best you can do is buy Bart time before the beasts attempt to claw their way through. Feeling you'll be more of a burden than a help soon, you at least contact Rile again.

ANYA: What now.
ANYA: Have I chosen the wrong path?
ANYA: It cannot be time yet.
ANYA: It must not be.

SpectrumCrow · Oct 9, 2020

> Ciel: Well

Fuck. Now you can't go run really OR help Bart. You've tangoed with this before... You can if you have to again.

]bg=lightgray]CIEL: Come on, we can't.[/bg]

You grab Dann's hand, following Anya.

RA: Ebli, are you okay?

CIEL: If we have to... Leave me behind, I can distract them and hold the line

As you ready yourself for the sickest game of chicken in your life, you remember something, more specifically, someone. Mask.

You're running out of options, truly. Thus, you try and harness whatever connection to the aspect of hope you have, using your own hope to try and reach Mask, to ask for help.

You have no clue what you're doing, though. This is all in your mind and heart. You just hope this works.

Orikanyo · Oct 9, 2020

> Dann: Bonk

Dann: No.
Dann: bad Ciel.

With a swift flick you take your hand back from Ciel, and bop her lightly on the head.

Dann: No stupid sacrifices.
Dann: All or nothing.
Dann: Don't matter what you lot want I'm not letting you idiots have some worthy sacrifice bullshit.
Dann: Not even if you say please.

SpectrumCrow · Oct 9, 2020

> ==>

CIEL: ...
CIEL: Please?

Orikanyo · Oct 9, 2020

==>

Dann: Don't make me turn this car around young lady

Eidolon Astronaut · Oct 10, 2020

> Ciel and Dann.

-- ecclesiologistReturned [ER] is offline! --

While the two of you bicker about sacrifice, a DEVELOPMENT OCCURS. Which is to say that the DUOGIGLOPS has begun attacking you two.

> Be Anya.

RILE: No.
RILE: Th3r3 are many situations in whi<h you will di3.
RILE: But I <an mak3 sur3 that this isnt on3 of th3m.
RILE: This might b3 a littl3...
RILE: Odd.

Suddenly, you feel your MIND EXPAND. Ghostly visions appear as afterimages, spectral ANYAs, CIELs, and DANNs appear and disappear. Rile has passed on his ability to see POSSIBLE FUTURE DEATHS, in an attempt to give you the edge in NOT DYING.

You'll need it, too, as the SAP IMP has blocked your path to the ELEVATOR.

> Be Bart.

The Denizen HEPHAESTUS initiates STRIFE! by flinging a bunch of MAGMA towards you, which you narrowly evade. The MAGMA glitches out a little and collides with the DOOR.

> Meanwhile...

The MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT begins to swell as a full ORCHESTRA joins in. Is... is that the William Tell Overture's Finale? As more notes are played, the SHAKING OF LODAS become more fervent.