Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Mirrored World[Closed]

Jackie glanced at Blake as Atlas explained where they would go, before doing as he did. She didn't even have a chance to finish her thinking before the surroundings were suddenly different. "H-Holy crap!" She yelped jumping slightly. Her eyes darted around the room they were in.

"H-How did we-We were just-" Jackie stammered as she looked around. "Could this day get any weirder?!" She concluded.

"I shall do my best to explain the situation." Atlas says as he heads off down the hall. Blake follows closer behind taking in the area. The walls were smooth and metallic with lines along the top that were various colours and seemed to flow like streams of light. They looked like someone took three fingers and ran them along the wall. Perfectly spaced. The walls were dark, not quiet black but too dark for grey. After walking about en meters they came to a massive room that stretched to the right and left. On the walls in front of them were large two meter tall ovals that seemed like windows and showed various random points in the world. But the weird thing was they were drastically different. The one in front of them showed a city street but the one to the left was a river surrounded by old, barren trees. To the right was a suburban suburb as a couple in their mid twenties walked by with a dog. Along the wall there were dozens of these points each way on the wall facing them. Beside each one was a small terminal panel about 10 inches.

"What is this?" Blake asks.
"Call it the Nexus. These are all points that link our worlds." Atlas says gesturing his hand to the strange windows. This mention of worlds got a raised eyebrow from Blake.
"Worlds?" Atlas nods.
"You see this world is separate to the one your from. Our worlds run parallel and where yours is run by beings of your physics ours is different. It's like a mirror reality. A reflection of your own where most life is those imitations you tried speaking to but couldn't interact with. They act the same as in your world but only interact with each other." He explains giving as much as he could without too much detail. Blake was shocked to hear this. He was basically in another reality and didn't know how to take it.
"But what about you and those things?" He says referring to the Shades. Atlas nods.
"We're a different kind of entity. I am what can be called an Observer. I monitor these gaps between our worlds. These weak points in reality you see here. As our worlds run parallel they don't quiet mix but sometimes small tears occur and life forms fall between the worlds. Your life can survive in our world. However, sustenance is something we cannot give here. Though our kind, those Shades included only last in a semi temporal form and die shortly after entering." He then looks to the ground. "The Shades that you saw are like spawn of some other Observer's. Ideologies don't always get along, lets just say." Atlas seemed rather uncomfortable going into details on that. Blake just looked on wide eyed and highly interested as he took it all in.

Jackie plopped to the floor. She was in some other mirror reality. That explains the weird fortress thing in her neighborhood. She paused. No it didn't. As Atlas said, this world was a reflection of her and Blake's world. "How come my neighborhoods got a giant fortress in it?" Jackie questioned, getting back to her feet. "And how do we get out of here? If we can't sustain ourselves here we'll starve to death or die of dehydration or something." Jackie said.

"An anomaly." Atlas says. "You see this world is a reflection of your own. But it's not a perfect one. In this realm the emotions and ambitions of yourselves in your world are made present. See as there are breaches between our worlds you can see with these portals there are many more tiny fractures. Enough to allow essence of this realm to attach itself to someone in your own world." Atlas sighs as he realizes this won't be easy for them to understand. "Like an infection. It attaches to someone in your world and survives. More like a parasite really. That in turns leads to their ambitions and personality traits being amplified. With that connection between our worlds their 'persona' in this realm changes to one that is a twisted exaggeration of those traits. Then their form can create those Shades you saw."

Blake looked to Atlas and Jackie who seemed to be taking it well enough.
"What does it do to our world?" He asks.
"Nothing of real substance. The individual would likely be more amplified in their vices but other than this faint personality change all remains the same. Your realm isn't as effected by the emotional impulses of others as this one.
"Do these fractures go away?"
"Yes. Usually the things that slip through are closer to mindless animals. No real direction and opportunists. In your world they may be seen as faint, ghostly representations of people of things they're trying to imitate."
"Ghosts?" Blake blinks.
"Yes. They tend to simply die in your realm after a few moments unless they flee back through the fracture or find a host. Though the fractures themselves are natural. Usually small and harmless to both our worlds though in recent times I've noticed more forming."

Jackie was quiet as Atlas explained everything. She htought to herself. Who theh ell would wanna live in a giant fortress like that and have rent-a-cops as shades, whatever thos're supposed to be? She paused as her eyes widened. "Does that giant fortress thing belong to a guy named Stevens?" Jackie asked. "Wait, never mind, who cares, how do we get back home?" Jackie asked.

The notion of getting back home was something Blake didn't quiet think of. He looked to the windows to their world and at Atlas. He nods.
"You are correct. They will take you back to your realm. However specifically back to your town will take some time to find. You will both be restored as you were when you came here." Blake sighs.
"So we're stuck here temporarily?"
"Correct. Though you can't consume nutrients here you won't starve for some time. You will both be fine and within an hour we should have you both a way home from this. Incident." He says reluctantly at the last part.

Jackie nodded. "So what do we do til then?" She asked. Being there for an hour wasn't so bad. So longas they kept away from those shades or whatever Atlas mentioned.

"That's where I'm not sure. You see usually when beings go from one plane to another it's different." He looks over Jackie and Blake. "You both seem essentially whole. Yet something's off. In the same way we can't exist physically in your world. You shouldn't be able to properly here." He says this not so much directed to the two but more of to himself. As he ponders this Blake goes to speak but a voice comes from down the hall as a small glowing figure flies up.
"Atlas there has been another anomaly." Says the small figure. It looked like a drone the size of a small plate. Rounded and with a elongated camera for an eye. It hovered up to them and spoke in a slightly more effeminate voice. Atlas immediately starts walking down the hall.
"Follow." He says waving his hand.

"So... we shouldn't exist here?" Jackie questioned, wide-eyed. "But we do...." She said as she tried to process the information she just got. "This really doesn't make much sense." She grumbled before pausing. "Uh... what's that?" Jackie asked, indicating the drone as it hovered towards them, before following after Atlas.

"Consider them my assistants. As for this issue. The same anomaly which brought you here occurred again. It shouldn't have happened again so soon." As they spoke Blake followed along in shock about the current situation. The group came into a large room with numerous drones and computer terminals about, covered in various displays showing readings and charts.
"A control room?" Blake asks. Atlas didn't respond and went to a large terminal. He began to look over it with a scowl on his lips.
"How long since it happened?"
"Approximately six minutes." A drone replies.

Jackie looked around the control room. "Dude where'd you get all this stuff?" Jackie asked, before the topic of the anomaly came up. Jackie darted over to Atlas and the drone. "Who cares how long it's been open?" She asked. "That's our way home right? Where is it?" She questioned impatiently.

Atlas seemed more interested in the data than Jackie at this point. He barely seemed to here her. After a moment he responds.
"Within a mile of the last opening. Around that fortress you both saw." Atlas says without detail.
"So can that get us home?" Blake asks. Atlas looks to the two.
"Possibly though the stability and duration comes into question. These usually open for a few short moments. About three seconds most times. To get you through one of these would require perfect timing to make sure you aren't spread between our worlds and incomplete in both." Blake looked horrified. The concept would leave him not really existing in either world.
"Though if we stimulate a rift it could open long enough for you two to get through. Though to do that..." Atlas goes to a separate terminal that has several small images and details next to them. Little words saying 'Stasis' are beside each small image.

She slumped slightly when Atlas explained it was near that fortress. Not only would that mean going back to possibly those shades, and those weird police dudes, but it was also probably a long ways from where they were. She slumped even more when Atlas mentioned how short the times most of those rifts are open for. "So we've gotta wait for one to open near us then, huh?" She questioned, looking at the floor. This talk of being split into parts if things don't work out wasn't making things any better. She looked up when Atlas mentioned stimulating the rifts. "Wait, you can open your own portal thingies to get us home then?" Jackie asked.

"In theory. These fractures tend to occur where the boarders are weakest even for a short period. But are usually quiet the time apart. Days at least. This one was hours at most and doesn't add up." Blake nervously looked at the drones as they flew by. He was taking long breaths to remain calm while he listened. "Though with these constantly occurring a rift could be made to open for a short time to let you both through. Though it may only add to the problem it's your only chance to return home directly." Atlas looked conflicted.

"Well then let's get us out of here!" Jackie said. She didn't seem to notice, or care about, the conflict Atlas felt. At this point, all she wanted was to get home, and the only way to do that was to get lucky and find a portal and hope it's open long enough to go through, or to make one and keep it open long enough for them to get through.

Atlas gave a refrained but assured nod.
"That is only fair." He looks to the drones. "Find the centre most point between the first rift that brought them here and the latest. Keep monitoring other activities from them and inform me immediately should they try again." The drones in unison reply.
"Yes Atlas." They say and begin running calculations. Atlas turns to them.
"You'll need to move fast. When I give the command leap into the rift. No delays. Understood?" Blake nods.
"Yea. No delays." He says reassuring it to himself.

Jackie nodded. "Yeah got it. So where's the middle of where we came in, and the one that just opened?" Jackie asked. At least they were making progress. Maybe once they got back home she'd be able to wake up from this freaky dream, or whatever it is.

"We shall know shortly. Patience now." He says placing a hand on Jackie's shoulder. "Once you two return I suggest you take note of your world. This experience may not leave you so easily."

"Dude, we're in an alternate reality and this is our only way home! It's kinda hard to be patient!" Jackie said. It was abundantly clear she had no interest in remaining in this mirror world.

"Acting rashly won't help, besides we don't even know where the breach point is at this time. It won't be long." Atlas looks to Blake who was quiet but his eyes showed his stress. Atlas put his hand on the boys shoulder. "Your worry is misplaced. Relax and you'll both be home soon." Blake nods.
"You're probably right." He says putting on a forced smile. Several minutes later a drone flies back.
"The point is found and should be easy to access if you leave now." Atlas nods.
"Perfect, Jackie. Blake. Come here." He says holding out his palms. Blake puts his hand on one and waits for Jackie.