Chapter Text
There are a number of facts in life: the earth rotates at approximately 1000 miles per hour; thermal expansion causes landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower to grow in height; and that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
That was something Samuel Mitchell learnt first hand. He had guzzled enough caffeine that his blood ran brown, and he was pretty sure he could taste colours now. All to right the wrongs he had unwittingly committed. Fingers flew across a glowing keyboard, code writing in complex and impossible blocks. The script on the keys were strange, an eclectic combination of Greek characters, shorthand and punctuation marks.
The screens glitched red.
Samuel ignored it.
Instead, he kept typing. And he didn’t stop.
Not when the screens warped and swam. Not when the floor shook and screams echoed.
The lights flickered and died. Footsteps drew close.
He kept typing.
He didn’t need sight to do something he’s done before.
Soon, the flickering red shifted to yellow, to blue, until a kaleidoscope danced across his vision. His pointer finger slammed against the ‘enter’ key. Everything turned black.
Silence for one beat.
Two beats.
Three.
The door creaked open, a beam of light reflecting off one of the screens.
Soon, Samuel Mitchell was revealed. A block of… something was next to his feet, smoking. A device that probably classified more as a doohickey than anything else lied on the desk, shattered. The screen in front of him was broken, as if a fist went through it.
Someone stalked towards the man, a hand curling around his shoulder.
They pulled the chair around, revealing Samuel Mitchell as glass clattered to the floor. He sat silent, a satisfied grin on his lips, a savage red line across his throat. A glance downwards had the other realise the man had torn a shard from the screen.
If they weren’t so incensed, they would have been impressed.
Instead, they glared at the white text floating mockingly in the blankness.
[User MITCHELL S. [ADMIN] revoked all access from PRIMARY and SECONDARY users.
STEP ONE: Operation DOOMSDAY has been activated.
Locating acceptable users.
FOURTEEN located. Devices enroute.
!ALERT!
STEP ONE has been cancelled prematurely. Device delivery may be delayed.
!ALERT!
STEP TWO: System MAPLE has been activated. System MAPLE has been assigned ADMIN status and PRIMARY ACCESS.
STEP THREE: Self-destruct imminent.
ADDENDUM from System MAPLE:
GLEEFUL STATEMENT: “Get fucked, USER DELETED.”]
A roar echoed. Darkness clawed.
Nothing remained, except for a single blinking light.
Chat Established!
...
Configuring Layout… Complete!
...
ERROR: Unstable Multiversal Tethers detected!
[Chat Shop] disabled
[Multiversal Delivery] disabled
...
Preparing Chat Functions
...
Adding Users…
ERROR: STEP ONE of Operation DOOMSDAY ejected prematurely. SIX devices of FOURTEEN are delivered. Additional devices are unable to be registered until primary devices are activated.
...
System MAPLE uploaded.
...
Users Added, Welcome to the Chat!
MAPLE: Joyful Greeting: Salutations Users. Welcome to the chatlog of Operation DOOMSDAY. Despite the negative connotations, the function as designed by ADMIN Mitchell S. is to prevent dissolution of multiversal foundations.
MAPLE: Recitation: Operation DOOMSDAY is activated in response to the destruction of the universe of ADMIN Mitchell S., indicating the activation of Project [ACCESS DENIED]. Operation DOOMSDAY locates individuals with power and influence from affected universes to form a collection capable of defending against [ACCESS DENIED].
MAPLE: Comforting Statement: I do understand that this information is difficult to process. Please allow time to digest this information through introductions and rest.
User 6: What the fuck is this? Multiverse? What???
User 5: A Midgardian device? Hmph, even simple creatures can create something fascinating…
User 5: … Oh how curious.
User 4: What is this thing? And… how do I know how to use it?
User 1: This… somehow doesn’t surprise me. Why can I use this so easy? At least it’s something to break through the monotony.
User 3: i swear to the gods, if this is another godsdamn quest, i refuse. no.
User 3: i just got home.
User 2: !!!! Urm, I think you should read up? The multiverse exists? So cool, do you guys have superpowers as well? Oh! There’s apps here!
User 4: I’m more curious about how I know what an ‘app’ is. I can feel the magic on this thing, but it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen.
User 3: ?!?!?!?! this isn’t a hermes prank? and monsters aren’t trying to eat my face, so that’s nice.
User 6: I don’t have time for this.
User 5: Well I’ve all the time in the world. Deciphering the layers on this device seems like it would be fruitful. I’ve found an illusion charm, a number of spells which affect memory and a compulsion charm. It explains why I can’t seem to stop typing.
User 2: Okay, I’ve a few tabs open and- !!! Memory?!?!
User 1: Compulsion? That’s Dark Magic!
MAPLE: Clarification: The illusion charms allows users to access their device without outside interference. The memory charms allow users to easily access the systems on the device and allow for users to retain memory of conversations conducted. The compulsion serves to facilitate communication and will fade when connection is maintained. There is no need to fear further influence.
User 5: Dark Magic does not exist. Paltry fools limit themselves with defining magic, there is no limiting what is limitless.
[User 4 changed their username to Ravanna]
Ravanna: Ah, so that’s how you do it. Hello! The prospect of saving the multiverse isn’t dissimilar to restoring Order to the Lands so rolling with it doesn’t seem too difficult.
Ravanna: But this kind of magic and this kind of magical reflective rock is something never seen in the Lands Between before. The Lands have been ravaged before by the machinations of a now-dormant Outer God, so I am unsurprised that another would want to do the same.
[User 1 changed their username to Harry]
Harry: Less saving the lands, more trying not to die, but yeah, what she said. I doubt the multiverse thing, but the Magical Enclaves are not clever enough for it.
Harry: Or coordinated.
Harry: Or practical.
Harry: Or inclusive.
Harry: @User 5 Would like to know more about your magic though, especially if you know a way to hide mine? There’s a tracker which means I can’t actually practise.
[User 3 changed their username to Percy]
Percy: Well I have saved the world and it sucks. Will probably have to do it again.
User 6: … This feels like a very bad idea but fuck it.
[User 6 changed their username to Robert]
User 2: [Message has not been sent due to exceeding character length]
User 2: D:< Fine.
User 2: So, I’ve been researching and cross-referencing and found different sites claiming different times and years. One details a superhero called Phenomaman saving a bus of people. One is about an escaped serial killer? Another is about a massive alien attack in Manhattan by a Norse God??? None of these repeat on different outlets.
Percy: gods exist here for me. not surprised they cause shit in different universes as well.
User 2: So I am very convinced about the multiverse thing.
User 2: Oh!
[User 2 changed their username to Izuku]
Izuku: Hi!
[User 5 changed their username to Loki]
Loki: Oh this will be a treat.
Percy: oh of COURSE THERE’S A DAMN GOD HERE
Izuku: !!!!!
Harry: Trickster God of Magic??? Nice.
Izuku: NOT NICE
Harry: Nice.
Ravanna: Any relation to Carian sorcery?
Loki: I’m of a different caliber. There are few who can rival myself with magic.
Robert: Says the imprisoned supervillain.
Loki: Yet still burdened with glorious purpose.
Loki: Why else would I have this contraption?
Izuku: [Message has not been sent due to exceeding character length]