Chapter 382

  A SIM-Tervention

  (Penelope)

  “There you go, how does that feel?” Penelope asked Ship and Pirate-Ulacrums, the Guinea pigs for her prototype soul bound space suits. These suits had the same pattern layout that Cass’s would have, but are made in different colors, to help others differentiate the Simulacrums from the original.

  It should be noted that each of Cass’s Simulacrums are all unique, despite mostly looking alike and having similar quirks, they all have their distinct personalities. Yet, each one was a refraction of the original Cass, which is likely why Penelope found her interactions with all of them to be enjoyable, as if she was learning about different sides to Cass, without actually pestering the normally suber busy and easily flustered Cass.

  Yet, for marketing and for helping others differentiate the main Cass from the other Simulacrums, Penelope decided to take one for the team and make each space suit individualized. By color if by nothing else.

  This was why Pirate-Ulacrum’s space suit was black with white accents, while Ship’s was the mirror opposite white with black accents. The darker colors for Pirate, were so she could go out and explore more easily without being spotted. While Ship’s was easier for people to see if she was at the helm.

  At her question both Pirate and Ship gave their opposite thumbs up in approval. The reason for the overly open gestures was of course due to the Simulacrum’s need for silence while dealing with a person that is apparently not Penelope nearby.

  A game of silence that they all instinctively play and all seem to relish. Of course, it wasn’t until after Penelope unlocked their approval settings that they would actually talk to her. Which was her notice that she had achieved yet another step closer to completing her personal quest. A quest that Mallory had hounded her for details relentlessly.

  The fact that she could get a Trait was amazing, as she always thought those were myths. Or only available to first life characters. It wasn’t until she met Dr. Spiritlight that she found out Traits could be easily obtained from Class progressions or other means. Now with this oddly personalized quest, Penelope was curious as to what the Trait she would get would be. Would it be something that would turn her into a pixie as well, so she could fly with Cass? Would it be a love Spell she could cast on her? Would it be a nap spell for those times when she spirals and gets about two seconds away from destroying something by being bored, tired, and a bit cranky? These were all things that Penelope wondered, and couldn’t wait to find out.

  Actually, so for the quest itself was worth every second of effort it had taken to this point as it let her realize more about Cass, by finding out about the different quirks of the Simulacrums. Example, they are all compulsive, but Terra is the most compulsive, which is why she is mostly ostracized by the others. Heal-Ulacrum is the most caring and will never turn away a patient. Dragon-Ulacrum is the third most daring, right behind Espy and Pirate. Ship-Ulacrum is like a mother and maintainer in one. Penelope was also fairly certain that she would be a better mechanoid pilot than Cass would be. But right now, they were all busy trying to get to the top of the Arcanarus Tower as quickly as possible. Trying to meet a few goals before the end of the world.

  And it would be the end of the world.

  The news that had managed to get to her here had all basically said the same thing. Budgets were getting sliced and overly bloated government subsidized retirement programs were the first thing on the chopping block.

  But rather than panic and leave as most have, the Simulacrums seem to be pushing themselves even further.

  “And how is yours, random stranger?” Penelope found herself asking the third crew member, the one that Penelope was not aware of, and had to make an extra suit from her remaining stash of parts.

  “Trober, please call me Trober,” the random stranger replied, while extending his hand and giving a thousand mega-watt smile. Seeing his grace and effortless charm, Penelope felt something come alive in her. Something that she didn’t think existed. Reaching out to clasp his hand, she felt a faint surge of energy in the contact.

  Not the sparking zing that she felt when she first met Dr. Spiritlight, but rather a surge letting her know that she was around someone truly charismatic.

  “As for the suit, this is easily the best feeling and highest-grade piece of gear I have ever worn. You are truly a master of your craft,” Trober exclaimed as he shook her hand, then proceeded to showcase the third suit that had been quickly sewn together with remaining parts. Hearing his words, Penelope felt almost sad that he only got her Cass Simulacrum’s hand-me-downs in terms of parts and effort. But he still seemed to be just as enthusiastic as all of the Simulacrums were.

  “Well good, glad you approve,” Penelope replied as she gave a faint curtsy. An act that almost seemed out of place, almost as if her body and mind were telling her to treat this random stranger with kindness and keep on his good side. She didn’t quite know why, other than the Simulacrums had taken this person into their care, and since they cared about him, she should care about him as well. At least, that is what she told herself at first, but the more she got to know this apparent tree-found hitchhiker, the more she realized he was a great person.

  Seeing that all three of them agreed to the suits, Penelope realized it was time to give these newest version to Dr. Spiritlight.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  The reason she had asked to give these new prototypes to Ship and Pirate-Ulacrums was that they were both in the highest altitude, and therefore the closest conditions to space that Dr. Spiritlight herself might face while in her combat exercises. Thus, they would be the best ones to test out the quailtiy of the air generating and cleansing runes that were established, along with the new dragon scale infusions she was able to make thanks to Dragon-Ulacrum’s assistance.

  In fact, it could be said that every Simulacrum had a part in helping create these, as Rune-Ulacrum checked and then double checked her enchantments. Heal-Ulacrum verified the healing properties of the suit, Espy-Ulacrum provided random Tier V materials that were allegedly just lying around the streets in some unspecified Legrand controlled territory. After hearing that, Penelope decided to end that line of questioning right there, before she too could be implicated in a crime.

  The only Simulacrum that did not have a direct impact in this creation was Terra-Ulacrum who was out doing something else entirely. Out of precaution, Penelope had a suit made for Terra-Ulacrum as well, which she would hand to the obsessive Simulacrum the first time that Cass actually made contact with her missing self.

  Realizing she was just wasting time at this point, she turned to Pirate and Ship-Ulacrum to see if they were now ready for the second stage of this operation.

  “So, we agree that the suits are ready?” I ask again.

  Ship and Pirate-Ulacrum both give the thumbs up. At that I nod.

  “And you are sure she is out of combat?” I ask.

  With that they pause and give a brief one way view, allowing us to observe, but not fully connect with Dr. Spiritlight. At which point I am subjected to what has to be one of the strangest mid-conversation interruptions. Dr. Spiritlight is still within Raygunnr, and they two are now waiting outside of the queue, waiting for their next match. That’s when they speak and Penelope hears what has to be a conversation that is clearly taken out of context.

  “Oh come on, you can’t say this is the first time you ever heard of a Mechanoid Harem, or a Mechrem for short?” Raygunnr spoke in his crude Mana Language, somehow made cruder by the fact that he knew only a few people could hear him. Seeing him talk in such a way, Penelope wondered if this was a cry for attention. As he didn’t always seem to be like this, but the sudden restrictions of who could talk to him must have had a deep psychological impact on him and his wellbeing. Hearing his crude words, perhaps it was only justified that Cass could respond in likely the most dignified way possible. She stuck her fingers in her ears and started making loud off-tune singing sounds.

  “La-la-lah-la-la-lah!”

  It was odd, watching the great Dr. Spiritlight, someone who seemed to intrinsically understand any and all forms of magic and energy use, resort to such childish behavior. Sometimes Penelope wondered if it was just her small size and bloodline changes that gave her this more childlike and mischievous quality.

  Also of note, was that she was apparently so engrossed in her conversation with Raygunnr that she failed to notice the viewing portal that had been created by Pirate and Ship-Ulacrum that was right over her. Then again, she likely felt the sting of hundreds of sets of eyes on her all day and was likely numb to the effect.

  That said, her distraction was perfect for her and the other Simulacrums, as it gave them a chance to get ready and act as one.

  “Looks like this is as good of a time as any, you ready for the real operation Distracting Call?” Penelope asked.

  Ship and Pirate both looked at each other, then nodded. With that they both began working. The first thing that happened was the image viewer over Raygunner and Dr. Spiritlight was momentarily cut off as two separate portals were created. Pirate apparently called the Simulacrums that were outside of the Arcanarus Tower, while Ship called everyone inside the tower.

  Each window opened showing the various Simulacrums busily doing their own tasks.

  Rune was working in Kujo Caverns, Heal-Ulacrum was busy reading a book that she quickly hid under her desk. Fae-Ularcum was working with the other Faes, but with a hand they all quieted down and focused. Espy was apparently in the middle of a factory somewhere with parts laying around. Seeing the connection, Espy gave a one moment gesture by raising her pointer finger into the air, before cutting the connection. Then she called back and established a permanent portal to the main chambers of the Prankenstein, just like everyone else did.

  In next to no time at all, all seven Simulacrums were either called up and had a permanent portal created, or were present.

  “That was quick,” Trober noted impressed, as he began looking at the different portals and even going so far as to hide his hand behind one, only to see that he could not see his hand on the other side. Then commenting on the discovery of his now missing hand, he added, “that is wild.”

  With the team all assembled, I nodded to Ship-Ulacrum who once again created a rift to Dr. Spiritlight, but this time rather than it being a one-way viewing method, this was a completed gate that apparently took up less energy overall.

  “Come on, you have to think it is funny,” Raygunnr spoke in Mana Language, apparently having said something else that would cause Dr. Spiritlight to shudder in revulsion.

  “Oh, that’s cool, he looks like a moveable Christmas tree,” Trober exclaimed excitedly at Raygunnr’s flashing burst of mana that constituted the Mana Language that he used to communicate.

  Hearing the unknown voice from outside both Raygunnr and Dr. Spiritlight stopped to stare out the open window. At first she seemed annoyed by both the prior conversation and the apparent distraction, but soon changed to a more excited stance as she realized Penelope was on the other end.

  “Hey there,” Dr. Spiritlight stated, her face going bright with joy at seeing Penelope. Then she paused as she realized, “wait, weren’t you just here?”

  With that Dr. Spiritlight turned her head, a completely pointless gesture given her 360 degree vision, but one that she did so naturally to fit in that it almost felt like she could see.

  “I was, but Rune got me,” Penelope stated and pointed to her right at the doorway showing Rune-Ulacrum. “Who reviewed my patters, who then sent me to Heal, then to Dragon and Fae, and finally to Pirate and Ship for the prototype testing.”

  As she spoke, Penelope pointed out each Simulacrum easily from the different portals as if they were easily distinguishable.

  “Wait, you can tell the others apart?” Trober added, squinting as he tried to look through each open portal to see if there were any differences with the other Simulacrums.

  “Okay, and who is this guy?” Dr. Spiritlight asked, pointing to Trober. The apparent stranger who apparently felt the need to interject himself into their conversation.

  “Oh, me, I’m Trober. A simple explorer who got lost and found by these two wonderful ladies here,” Trober stated while gesturing towards Ship and Pirate-Ulacrum.

  Dr. Spiritlight just glared, it was clear that she didn’t want to like Trober, but was quickly fading the more time she spent listening to him speak.

  “Okay, so you are there because you were found. But why are you there?” Dr. Spiritlight switched targets and changed back to Penelope.

  “Me? I’m here to give you this, your field tested and finalized version of your space suit,” Penelope declared, handing yet another space suit to Dr. Spiritlight.

  “Oh, okay,” Dr. Spiritlight stated, while looking down at the fact that she was already wearing a spacesuit made by Penelope. Seeing her confusion, Penelope cut in.

  “I wanted to field test it further, and also we got a few more ingredients that helped make it that much better,” Penelope added.

  “Well thank you,” Dr. Spiritlight stated, grabbing the space suit and putting it on to reveal her dark base pattern, with hot pink accents that made the Doctor look so cute, that Penelope could barely contain herself from squeaking in excitement.

  “Thank you, it feels very nice,” Dr. Spiritlight said honestly, as she patted herself down and showed off just how cute she could be.

  There was an awkward silence as all of the Simulacrums chose that moment to stare at Penelope. For her part, Penelope suddenly felt very nervous as this was something that she promised to do, but now found herself wondering if agreeing to play intermediary for this next part was worthwhile.

  Still, it needed to be done and Penelope knew that these types of thoughts had deep crippling effects on Dr. Spiritlight, and could ultimately affect her in the matches if left unchecked.

  Taking a deep breath, Penelope centered herself as she began her next part. Dr. Spiritlight as aware as always, saw Penelope preparing so much for these next few words decided to cut to the chase.

  “I take it you were asked to come here as a representative for the Simulacrums?” Dr. Spiritlight asked.

  Hearing her get called out so blatantly, Penelope could only nod in agreement.

  “Yes,” Penelope paused, then began what would likely be the toughest conversation she needed to have with Dr. Spiritlight, one that might forever ruin any chance at a possible future they had together. Still, it needed to be done, which was why Penelope pushed forward.

  “I have been asked to act as the host for a Sim-tervention.”

  “A Sim-tervention?” Raygunnr asked, echoing her statement.

  “Yes, a Simulacrum intervention, we are here to help you. . .” Penelope began, and like that it had been started and history would only declare how things played out.

  Happy Three Year Anniversary! Hard to believe that three years ago today, this story began.

  Sadly this will be the last Anniversary that we can enjoy together, but thank you all for joining me and helping this story be as great as it has been.

  Gentle reminder the next Scheduled* release will be January 15th 2026! (This time for real).

  Again, thank you and thank you for reading.