"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Greg asked, sitting down across from Narita.

Narita quickly finished slurping down the orange, mana-infused spaghetti as she nodded. "Of course!" She exclaimed after a gulp, before letting out the wettest sounding burp Greg had ever heard, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her. Narita just smirked, ignoring him as she continued. "Is it about the Multiverse? It can be pretty hard to wrap your mind around, I know."

"Actually, no, the Multiverse kinda makes sense to me…" Greg shrugged. "The idea that thoughts have power and what not. I mean, I wouldn't have expected it to be true, but learning that it is doesn't exactly surprise me. Plus it isn't all that relevant to our current situation, beyond knowing how this World works, you know?"

Narita cocked her head at him. "How very practical of you."

Greg shrugged again. "I'm a practical guy."

Narita chuckled. "Indeed. So then tell me, what is it you want to ask me?" She paused, narrowing her eyes. "It better not be about how you can use your uniqueness to get more girls." She warned.

"Eh? Is that possible?" Greg asked, cocking his head, before shaking it. "But no, it's nothing like that. Nothing meta related at all, actually. I just… Well, I can't- I can't figure out how to make the suit do anything." He finished in a low, almost embarrassed mutter.

Narita blinked. "That's it?"

"I know, it's stupid!" Greg groaned in frustration. "There's probably some simple trick I'm missing but all I can do is get it to walk around!"

Narita burst out laughing as Greg began to scowl. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She apologized, as she attempted to restrain her laughter. "It's just- you looked-" She snorted and started laughing again. "Ah, I'm sorry, but obviously you can't get the suit to do anything! You don't have an implant!"

"An implant?" Greg cocked his head. "You mean one of these?" He asked as he created one of the strange devices he kept finding in the Technocracy's soldiers.

Narita nodded. "Exactly. They're a cybernetic augmentation that lets you communicate with the suit, or anything else the Technocracy has created. It also has various features which help you develop your capabilities, in particular a learning algorithm which records everything you do, noting any inefficiencies, helping you increase your competency with a task the more you do it, which is the basis of their societies power system."

"Power system?" Greg asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The system by which an individual gains power." Narita explained.

"Yeah, I got that from power system, but isn't the Technocracy technology based? Why would they need a power system?" Greg asked, frowning.

Narita shrugged. "Because that's how this World works? Once you get beyond a certain level, the rules for technology get just as weird as the rules for magic. Pretty much at the point where chemical reactions become relevant. Like, there's a fifty-fifty chance gunpowder won't work in any given World. If people don't know about it, then the Core won't know about it, and it'll make up its own thing."

Greg paused. "But… What about atoms? I mean, they do what they do, right?"

Narita shrugged. "Sure, but who says a World needs to be made of atoms? Worlds don't need to obey physics, they just need to be internally consistent, and even then they can get away with more than you might think if the Core doesn't mind a few glitches."

Greg's expression twisted in disgust. "Ugh, the idea of reality glitching… what if there's a collision error and you get stuck in a wall?!?"

"Well, then you're stucco." Narita snickered.

Greg blinked at her. "I don't know what bothers me more, the fact you made a pun, or the fact that I don't have a good response."

Narita laughed. "Come on, be a stud. I'm sure you can pry something out of your crawlspace."

Greg shook his head. "I don't think I have a good enough foundation. I need to brace myself for a fault."

"I can give you some supports." Narita grinned. "Just wedge them in and plaster over it. No one will notice."

"I think that's a step too far." Greg sighed. "If the floorplan makes no sense, how will anyone navigate your joke?"

"You don't have to build a house for others. As long as it makes sense to you, who cares?" Narita replied with a shrug.

"That's not even a pun, that's just true." Greg pointed out.

"Touché." Narita laughed.

Greg shook his head. "We were talking about power systems, right?"

"Right, yes." Narita nodded. "Basically, the Technocracy's power system relies on one's personal skill at controlling energy. Because of how their energy sources work, normal wires would simply dissolve before the energy could get where it needs to go. No material is strong enough to handle that much energy coursing through it. So instead, the user has to manipulate the containment field to move the energy directly to the device they want to use, which instantly consumes all the energy fed to it, leaving no time for the energy to react and ruin anything. The user's power is determined by how fast they can move energy between the energy source and the device they want to power, since the more energy they feed into the device, the more powerful the effect is."

Greg frowned. "Why don't they just create a direct connection between the device and the energy source? You could simply turn it on or off then, and it'd be more powerful, right?"

Narita shook her head. "No, it's more regular, not more powerful. The cannons you destroyed are like that. They have one setting, an all out burst of energy to destroy anything in their path. But that's all they can do. A soldier needs to be more versatile than that. You don't need to run your shields at full power all the time, that's just a waste of energy. You don't need to hit everything with a full power blast, because again, it's a waste of energy. You don't need the same amount of energy fed to the phasing device as you do to the levitation device. Once your energy control is good enough, you could fire a shot as powerful as a cannon blast if you wanted. You could fire one even stronger if you were really good. But you wouldn't have to, because unlike the cannon, you have control."

Greg nodded slowly. "Okay, that makes sense… but doesn't it get tiring controlling the energy like that all the time?"

"That's where the implant comes in." Narita replied, smirking lightly. "The learning algorithm remembers how you've done it before and can do it automatically later, leaving you to focus on getting better."

Greg blinked. "So you just have to do it right once, and then the implant takes care of the rest?"

"Essentially." Narita shrugged.

Greg frowned. "I feel like the Technocracy should be a lot more powerful in that case… I mean, if you only need to do it once, how hard could it be?"

Narita gave him a flat look. "Harder than you might think. Don't underestimate the difficulty of manipulating energy. One slip up and the entire thing fails, and the more energy you try to control, the harder it gets. You only need to succeed once but… well, have you ever played a game with no end, simply higher and higher scores?" Greg nodded. "The learning algorithm simply lets you hit your high score over and over. In order to get a new high score, you need to start from the beginning and build all the way back up and past your old score, all the time having to be flawless in your performance. Improving your score a little is hard enough, but doubling it? Tripling it? Even further? That takes time and practice."

Greg let out a sigh. "Of course it does. It always does."

Narita shrugged. "It wouldn't be much of a power system if it didn't. It'd just be power. Which is a thing, out there, but this is a progression type World, so it has power systems."

"Right. So, how do I set myself up with one of these implants? Just put it in? Or does it need to be set up or something?" Greg asked, playing with the device.

Narita paused. "Well, for most people it's a rather complex surgery, but… Well, I guess you could just attach it? It'd need some time to sync with your brain waves, but… I mean, why not try it? It isn't like it will kill you."

"Good point." Greg shrugged, concentrating for a moment as a portion of his head turned to smoke, before reforming with the implant. For a moment, nothing happened, Greg staring blankly off into space, before some incomprehensible goblty gook appeared in his vision. "Well that doesn't help…" He muttered, before the words began to shift, rearranging themselves until a short message was displayed.

[Syncing with new user: 4%]

"Ah, well, good. It speeka my language." Greg nodded.

"Well, that is one of the first steps." Narita grinned. "Language adjustment is one of the more important aspects of the implants, since the Technocracy doesn't have a standard language. Admittedly, they tried but phonetic drift across hundreds of planets is a bitch."

"Hundreds of planets, eh?" Greg raised an eyebrow at her as he waited for the thing to sync. "So this is just a galactic war, not an intergalactic war?"

Narita scoffed. "It's barely even that. We're at maybe a quadrant. Which, really, just leaves room for more shenanigans in the future. My guess is magic insects."

Greg blinked. "Magic insects?"

Narita nodded. "Tropes wise, there's always some insect race in space that 'swarms' taking over half the galaxy or something. The whole hive mind bullshit, you know? And they can't be technology based, obviously, so they're probably going to be magic. But not mage magic… since they're insects, they'll probably have standardized mana, where every member of this subset uses fire, and this sub-set controls earth, and so on, so they don't use spells, they just work together, because again, insects. It's either that or space elves, but given the general level of diversity I've seen, I doubt it. We already have too many spicy humanoids around for fantasy races to become a thing."

Greg stared at her for a moment, before letting out a sigh. "You're probably right, but treating my reality like some kind of… narrative just doesn't rub me the right way. I mean, I spent my first few weeks after waking up trying to get myself out of that habit. It's just hard to take everything seriously when it feels like a story."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Narita cocked her head. "Well, not to be rude, it is a story. But that doesn't mean it isn't real or that nothing matters. All these people, all your friends, they're real people, with real lives, real problems, real everything. Knowing where the story is going can help you prepare for the twists and help keep all of them safe. Ignoring that just because you don't like it is kinda irresponsible."

Greg frowned for a moment, before letting out another sigh. "Again, you're probably right. I get it. It's just hard. I mean, I spent the large majority of my childhood geeking out over shit like this! To learn that it's actually real? That I can interact with it, have fun with it… it's hard not to get caught up in it all. I mean, when I first woke up, I did get caught up in it all! Running around, fighting monsters, saving people… it was a blast! Even though I knew there were issues to solve, I pretty much had to be forced into a solution because… well, it felt like a game to me, and I was enjoying the game. Not that what I was doing wasn't helpful, it just wasn't about being helpful. The Republic showed up before we could really resolve things but… it was looking to turn into a political mess and I'm kinda glad I didn't have to deal with it."

"You mean you haven't had to deal with it yet." Narita replied.

Greg paused. "Okay, what is that supposed to mean?!?"

Narita chuckled, leaning forward. "Let me lay it out for you. You were all kidnapped by aliens and forced to work together. Old grudges and issues were forced down, because the aliens wouldn't tolerate them. Additionally, the aliens created a hierarchy based on power, which left young, ineffectual leaders in charge. Obviously so that they could guide you more easily, since young people are more easily manipulated, in general. However, the aliens are gone now, which means you all have to govern yourselves. The Generals obviously have no idea what they're doing, but low and behold, there are several old leaders from before you left ready to step in and take charge! But the question is, which one should you choose? Suddenly all those old grudges will resurge, infighting will abound, and blah blah blah, because nothing was actually fixed, it was just pushed down and ignored. Once the pressure is gone… pop."

"So… the only reason it seems like everyone is getting along right now is because of the Republic and the Technocracy?" Greg asked.

Narita nodded. "Precisely."

Greg blinked. "Well shit… the fuck am I supposed to do about that?!?"

"Obviously you need to rise up and become the true leader of your people." Narita replied with a smirk. "Classic growth arc, setting up something you need to 'protect' to force you to get more and more involved in the World's issues."

"Fuck that." Greg cursed. "I am not a leader. You want me to fight something? Sure, whatever. I could even help plan a raid or something, though I wouldn't say I'm great at that. But being a leader? Being in charge?!? I don't have the patience for that. Not one bit."

Narita shrugged. "I don't think you'll have much of a choice. Someone as unique as you only has two options when a power struggle erupts: become someone else's pawn or take charge yourself. With everything you've done, people are already paying attention to you, so there's no way they'll leave you alone. And I assume leaving isn't an option, yes?" Greg hesitated before nodding. "Then you're going to have to deal with this. I mean, even if the World didn't push you towards things because of your uniqueness, do you really think anyone could ignore the things you've done recently? You revealed the Republic's secret and almost single-handedly destroyed the cannons threatening the ship. You've already put yourself in a place of importance. It's just a matter of when people will recognize it."

Greg let out a frustrated groan. "But I hate politics! It's so stupid! Everyone is always at least a little wrong and completely unwilling to listen to anyone else, so it's just a stupid back and forth between different bad decisions without anyone just sitting down and figuring out what's right! I mean, seriously, what is so hard about actually talking to another person to figure out their side of the story? Even if you still disagree, at least you get it so you don't have to hate the other person."

"You do realize that if you're the one in charge, you don't actually have to deal with any of that, right?" Narita asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "That's kind of the point… you get to say how things are, and everyone else has to listen."

Greg's expression twisted. "Sure, but I don't want to be a dick about it… I think things should be a certain way, but I'm not arrogant enough to think I'm right. I mean, not completely. Particularly since my perspective is absolutely off because my way of looking at the world is way different than a lot of other people's. Things that just seems stupid to me are incredibly important to others, and who am I to say they're wrong?"

"If you have the power, you can say whatever you want." Narita chuckled. "But I see your point, I suppose. No one person ever has all the answers. However, it's still important to recognize when someone does have the answers, instead of forcing them to kneel before the mob. The mob is rarely well informed."

"You aren't wrong…" Greg muttered. "Ugh, see, this is why I hate politics! How are you supposed to make sure everyone is heard without letting the mob take control and run you off a cliff?!?"

"The problem is that not everyone is capable of understanding that they don't have all the answers." Narita replied. "Why do you think the Multiverse is so obsessed with unique individuals? It's because everyone believes themselves to be unique in some way, that somehow they are the only ones who can see clearly enough to decide what is right for everyone else. They believe that the world either does or should revolve around them in some way, and it twists the Multiverse to think in the same way, that the world should revolve around unique individuals. There are exceptions, I'm sure, but they are few and far between."

Greg paused, before nodding. "I can see that. I mean, even when I know I might be wrong, I still think I'm right. I mean, obviously, right? I wouldn't think something I thought was wrong. I guess it's just easier to recognize my own fallibility when I know I'm wrong in certain areas. Like, I enjoy hurting people… kinda hard to think you're infallible when you're struggling with something like that."

Narita began to nod, before freezing and giving Greg a weird look. "You enjoy hurting people?"

"Oh yeah." Greg chuckled. "I mean, obviously I try not to indulge in it, but it's definitely a thing."

Narita blinked at him. "Huh… I never would have guessed."

"Well, I have a good handle on it." Greg shrugged. "I mean, I know it's wrong, so I don't do it. Even when I was killing assholes, while I did enjoy it, I didn't revel in it. I did what it took to get rid of them because it was necessary, in my opinion at least. I at least tried not to extend their suffering for my own enjoyment. Otherwise I wouldn't be much better than them."

Narita didn't seem to quite know how to respond to that, so they sat in silence for a moment as Greg watched the implant's sync percentage slowly increase. "I can't help but wonder what the World was thinking when it made you." Narita suddenly announced.

Greg paused, giving her a weird look. "The World did what?"

"It made you. Obviously. It makes everyone. That's how it works. It doesn't control you, but it does set the innate influences on a person, such as your enjoyment in the suffering of others. I almost wonder if you were meant to be a villain, but that begs the question of where's the hero?" Narita muttered. "Maybe you're supposed to be a dark lord that the hero must defeat after you've grown your empire? It would fit with the black smoke… but then there's the strangeness of your ability to consider. It doesn't quite seem to fit in this World, now does it? It isn't magic. It isn't technology. So what brought it about? Are there more like you out there? Are you a part of some hidden alien race? Or possibly the remnant of an ancient god?"

Greg frowned at her. "I think you're getting a bit too caught up in the meta here."

Narita raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

Greg nodded. "See, what the World wants or planned doesn't really matter, now does it? Sure it gives us certain traits, but we get to decide what we do with them, right?" He glanced at Narita, who nodded slowly. "Right. It's the same with the situations it throws at us. Even if they're predictable or contrived, we still have to deal with them our way. Whether it's the World or people forcing things on us, it's up to us to handle it in the best way we can. So even if my ability is weird, even if the World wants me to be evil, I don't have to care, because all that matters is what I choose to do with what's in front of me."

"Oh, absolutely." Narita nodded. "Despite the World's interference, people are still responsible for their own actions, just like getting drunk doesn't absolve you of murder. But the World doesn't simply add random elements to itself for no reason, and that's what confuses me about you. Obviously the World has plans for you in some fashion, which I know doesn't mean you have to follow them, but being aware of them helps you determine what path you wish to take. Simply walking blind can trap you into decisions you never wanted to make."

Greg frowned. "I guess, but it isn't like I'm going to avoid doing the right thing just because it seems like something the World wants me to do…"

Narita shook her head. "I'm not saying you should. I'm saying be aware of the consequences and try to get ahead of them, instead of letting them blindside you once it's already too late. For example, once this battle with the Technocracy is over, you know tensions are going to erupt, so why not work on easing those tensions now, while everyone still has a reason to work together, rather than wait until they're free to get as angry with each other as they like."

Greg froze, before coughing awkwardly. "That's a good idea… but I think it might be a bit too late for that."

Narita frowned at him. "How so? The Technocracy won't give up just because they lost their cannons. They can still assault the walls. It's more violent, but they only care about getting the job done. All of them came prepared to lose their lives."

"Well… a certain someone may have convinced them that fighting any further was pointless due to a certain new trick he learned. Apparently an immortal ball of lightning running around killing your men makes fighting any further a really unattractive option. Who knew?" Greg explained in a vaguely sheepish tone.

Narita blinked at him. "You- you can turn into a ball of lightning?"

Greg nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's just negative and positive charges interacting, right? I'm honestly surprised I didn't figure it out sooner. I have been pretty bad about practicing with my ability though… something to work on."

Narita frowned. "That might hurt their shields, but the suits are grounded…"

"True, but once I'm through the shields, my smoke can just eat the rest." Greg explained.

Narita stared at him for a second. "So let me get this straight. You, a man who enjoys causing pain, turned into lightning, broke their shields, and then turned into a black smoke which devoured them whole. Is that right?" Greg nodded hesitantly, wondering what her point was. "You do understand that all that is classic villain behavior, yes?" She continued, raising an eyebrow at him.

Greg hesitated. "I guess, but what's your point?"

"It means that when you inevitably find yourself ruling over a vast, intergalactic empire, be on the lookout for someone made of white smoke." Narita sighed.