Work Text:
Deep within the files of a computer, in a folder titled "OneShot", a black clover marked the creation of a strange new set of files, and an opportunity to have more than just one shot to decide the fate of a world.
From the moment the Player, the acting God of the Decaying World, closed OneShot in order to transport Niko into the Tower, they understood that the situation had changed.
It had become a habit by this point to reopen the OneShot application directly after closure to see what happens with Niko, but even as the Player closed it to place Niko inside the Tower, where the end goal of their journey laid within, they could not ignore the sudden changes happening within their computer.
Moving their mouse away from the OneShot application, and towards the folder of the game itself, the Player happened upon the new set of files that seemed to spawn inside it, all marked with a familiar black clover. Curious, they clicked on a .txt file named "For ______".
Notebook paper met the Player's eyes as the tab appeared, a message seemingly handwritten in address to the Player themselves. Hoping to find answers as to why these files invaded the OneShot folder, the Player began reading.
"Hello, ______.
If you're readiNg this, then I suppose you've made it far enough to reach the end of your journey. The Messiah has safely made it inside the Tower, but... You will not be able to reach them inside there.
I Apologize, I cannot do anything to restore your connection to the Messiah. The Entity has no doubt made sure to lock you out.
Opening the applicaTion will still let you see through the Messiah's eyes, but I do not recommended that yet. The Messiah will be alone, and the Entity will use the opportunity to coerce them into closing their eyes forevermore, dooming our chances of reaching the ending.
Instead, please put your attention towards the files I have created within the OneShot folder. Should you agree to what I am about to suggest to you, I promise that there is hope in reaching a happy ending. For the Messiah, for the World, and for those whom I consider my Children.
- ♣"
The Player's brows furrowed as the message ran through their mind. If Niko couldn't reach out to them anymore, how would they be able to reach the ending? Who really was the person that sent these files to them? Unsure whether the author addressing them was trustworthy or not, but unable to take a risk by acting on their own, the Player's mouse naturally slid to inspect the next .txt file, "For ______ (2)".
"Understandably, you may feel apprehensive towards this situation. I would have preferred a much more simple solution to everything, if it were possible.
Alas, I have chosen to reach out anyways, as I cannot help the Messiah without your involvement, after all. My influence is limited, but you are the God of the world, so will you Kindly listen to my request?
I need you to give the world a Second savior. The Messiah cannot complete their pilgrimage alone, and the Entity will do all in its power to ensure the Sun is not placed into the Tower.
Do not be afraid, it is simpler than it sounds. I have already made the necessary preparations so that yoU will be able to transport them as the Messiah was transported at the very beginning.
Do not be worried, either. They will Be able to leave the world no matter what happens. You will only have to entrust them to save the Messiah, as the Messiah was entrusted to save the world. Please have faith.
You must locate a launcher within the OneShot folder. That will be what brings our second sAvior into the Tower. However, on its own, the launcher will not work. You must also locate a ZIP file, and extract it within the OneShot folder. With the contents inside the ZIP file, the launcher will function, and using a password you will be able to run it. Once you make it past this point, you are to launch the OneShot application, and place your faith within the Messiah and their guiding light.
-♣"
As the words of who the Player now recognized as the Author began to sink in, they closed the text file, their mouse moving towards the ZIP file beside it.
Once the file was unzipped, the Player turned their attention towards the fabled launcher that'll supposedly grant them a way out of their hopeless situation in the Tower. Named "ReDo.exe", the file initially did nothing upon running. Eventually, though, a window appeared.
The square window was blank, and asides from a black clover symbol in the middle, there was nothing within except for two words and a textbox.
"Insert Password." The Player had already connected the dots after they'd seen the previous txt files' choice of bolded letters, so they automatically typed in the "password".
Except, they could not hit enter. They were missing a few letters, clearly. Why wouldn't the Author put them all in the first two .txt files? The Player wondered the reason behind the strange choice, but their musings eventually led them to inspect the OneShot folder more closely...
And, they stumbled upon a third .txt file, named "An Apology". They opened it.
"...
Except, there is more to what I am trying to make you do. I myself am at a loss, truly.
You are still to attempt to bring a savior to the ToweR, but it is not because the Messiah cannot reach a happy ending without them.
It is because there is no longer a happy ending to begin with.
The Entity knew this, as have I, and I am truly sorry for what you will come to know as well. The Messiah cannot save the World whilst returning to their own.
The Sun is what tethers the Messiah to this World. So long as it remains intact, so too will the Messiah remain trapped. The Entity knows this, and as a result has chosen to take matters into its own hands by blocking you from reaching the Messiah.
It does not want the Messiah to reach the summit of the Tower, so it will stall for as long as possible. If, somehow, you and the Messiah manage to continue despite this, it will instead try to trick the Messiah into shattering the Sun.
This will end the world instantly, and the Entity believes this will break the tether the Messiah has to this World.
It will not. Not entirely. Yet there is no easier path available either. I did not wish for the situation to seem so hopeless, and I am sorry.
However, I have come across an individual who could bring a more hopeful conclusion to this story. Perhaps I have not yet grasped the full picture, but within this individual lies a power, a potential, that I believe to be able to change this story for the better. This is the person I want you to send to the Tower, to the Messiah.
Forgive me if it seems impossible, but I want you to try and use the launcher to fUlfill my wish. Extend the chance we have at saving this World past one shot.
Good luck.
-♣"
The Player gulped as everything was laid out to them. It seemed that the Author placed all their hopes into this person... But if it meant being able to help Niko, they were willing to follow through with this plan. Returning to the launcher, the Player typed in the final two letters of the password, and hit enter.
"NATSUKISUBARU" Was entered into the launcher, activating it and closing the window. When the Player confirmed it was still running in the background, they finally moved their mouse over to the OneShot application, and opened it.
Meanwhile, at a world's distance away, a teenage boy succumbed to external injuries in a life-or-death situation, and their soul began to move onto another plane entirely.
That was, until, they found themselves placed within a void that was no longer the one they'd always gone to in the aftermath of death and loss. "...What the?" The boy, Natsuki Subaru, thought as he felt the ripple of water beneath his feet, yet he couldn't see any semblance of an environment around him.
"This isn't a joke, is it...?"
The Player witnessed the arrival of Natsuki Subaru in the Tower, confused but entirely focused as they watched him stumble about his surroundings, lost. Nothing about him appeared to justify the Author's faith, even as the boy found and activated the Sun, but the Player chose to trust him to help Niko.
This faith became the foundation of the strange boy's importance in the Decaying World, as Natsuki Subaru soon found the lost Messiah, Niko, and befriended them.
Such was the end of the beginning, and also the beginning of the end of the story the Author wanted to tell.