Imagine a cottage made from quality spruce logs; windows reflecting warm light, a fireplace warming up a humble home, sheltering people from Mount Pragma's cold climate...
A reflection of what Pie's house looks like.
The smell of takoyaki is in the air. Iggy has been drinking water after a day's worth of hiking.
"You done? Wow, I've been swimming in here!" Pickle remarks, still in Iggy's stomach.
Iggy, sitting on the floor, slams the glass on the table. He speaks as he breathes heavily.
"Thanks... I didn't bring any water with me." Iggy replies.
"It's fine. You're her guest, so feel at home!" Louie says.
"They're not my guest, Mr. Louie." Pie says, lying down on the couch with a flavorless expression.
Iggy's eyes look around Pie's humble home. Her canvas and paint buckets are scattered everywhere. Her brushes, in contrast, are clean. A few paintings, mostly cats, are hung around the cabin's walls.
"Woah... Did you paint all of this?" Iggy asks in awe.
Silence from Pie.
"My client here is a painter! She makes all sorts of creative paintings!" Louie enthusiastically answers.
Deadpan silence everywhere...
"...Is she mute?" Pickle jokingly asks.
"I'm not mute, I'm just waiting for you guys to leave." She says, lifting herself to sit down. "What are people from The Industry doing here, anyway?"
"We're here to track down a genocidal monster named Massacre." Pickle responds.
"You mean the anti-boring guy from the news? I thought that was a joke..."
Louie sits closer to Pie. "Nope, Mansanas, it's rreEAL!"
"...I don't buy it."
"Everyone in my village died because of him... Only a few kids taught by Writer were spared." Iggy responds, his heart heavy.
"Our directive is to follow and defeat him. The other creatives were sent here to save as many people as possible." He added. "Speaking of following... Pickle, can you sense where Massacre is right now?
"No, I can't seem to sense where he is..." Pickle replies.
"Well, that's a first..." Iggy says to himself.
"Not just that... It's really suspicious. Timeline-2 is filled to the brim with creative people; why would he lay his hands on the citizens here?" Louie reciprocates, twirling his prized quill around.
"That makes me think he has a different motive..." Iggy expresses. "Say, do you know anything about the Nightbird series?"
"You mean that show by Dana that got canceled unruly?" Pie responds, starting to get invested in the conversation.
"Yeah... I saw Massacre summoning a glyph from that show. He used it to blow up Zachary's cafe."
"The barista guy... Sorry, as much as I love Nightbird, I'm afraid I don't know anything to help you with Massacre..."
Pie pauses for a while.
"...Anyway, you guys have to leave. Thinking that all of this is real takes some time to process..."
"Of course." Iggy humbly replies. He stands up and leaves for the door...
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
"Uhh... In any case..." he adds.
"Do you have any spare camping bags we can use?"
HOURS LATER...
Iggy is camping outside on a cold night, a tent in sight, his only source of warmth being his campfire. He looks at his stomach and talks to Pickle.
It's 10 p.m.
"You feel comfy in there?"
"Yeah, you're pretty warm, though it's kinda weird you haven't digested me yet..."
Pickle recalls Iggy's fight with Massacre.
"Iggy, do you think we'll be a match for Massacre the next time we see him?"
"A few training arcs to go, But I'm sure we'll beat his ass." Iggy says, optimistic about the future.
"...You wanna go to the night market with me?" He asks Pickle.
A FEW MOMENTS LATER...
A bite.
A big bite.
A slightly bigger bite than that.
Iggy and Pickle had arrived at the night market. Everyone seems to be bustling with joy. People are drinking, artists are singing, painters are painting, and dancers are dancing.
"Mmm! The barbecues taste great!" Iggy says, his mouth stuffed.
"Gee, you're a big eater. It's raining chewed food down here, it's disgusting! Pickle complains.
"Hehe, sorry!" Iggy says as he continues chewing on his food.
The radio typewriter beside the grill starts to make a noise.
"Hm?" Iggy grunts as he looks at the radio.
> NEWS AT 10 HEADLINES:
> TOMMORROW IS CANCELLED
>
> According to insider information, The entirety of Timeline-2 version 170 will undergo maintenance to prepare for Version 171. The maintenance period shall finish in three days or in 47 years.
>
> Please be guided.
"Prepare your pillows, clean those beds, and sleep with your loved ones, everyone!" The typewriter's speakers announce.
From Pie's house, a serious Louie listening intently on the typewriter radio.
"Update 171 is coming soon, and this update might take a while, so see you all in 47 years! ~ or three days."
Louie sips on his tea, blowing off steam.
"It's time..."
Back at the Night Market...
"...What update?" Iggy asks himself.
"Version 171, kid." An old merchant interrupts. "Everyone in Timeline-2 will be sleeping for a while. And that includes... aliens like you!"
Iggy's serious face kicks in. "For 47 years?"
"Or three days." The old merchant replies. "If you don't want to take the gamble, you better get the hell out of here before you fall asleep."
"Gee, I wonder what the year 1044's gonna look like..." The old merchant wonders to himself.
Iggy's hands begin to shake.
"47 years..." Pickle silently whimpers.
"We need to get out of Timeline-2 immediately." Iggy says.
He picks up Pickle and makes a run for it.
"HEY! YOU HAVEN'T PAID FOR THAT YET! " The old merchant exclaims.
Iggy keeps on running...
"Iggy! The train station's a three-hour walk! We won't make it in time!"
"A deadline is a deadline, Pickle! We'll pack our bags and leave immediately. Who knows how much damage Massacre can do in 47 years!?"
Into their campsite they go, but Iggy suddenly can't move, his dreadlocks pulled by someone...
It was Louie.
"...L~Louie?"
"Iggy? What's the matter out there?" Pickle asks, clueless as to what has happened outside.
Iggy attempts to pull his hair out, but all he can feel is excruciating pain.
"You have to let me go, I can't afford to sleep for that long, I have a mission to finish!" Iggy screams out.
"That's exactly why I'm not letting you go."
"...What?" Iggy exclaims.
Louie elbows Iggy unconscious.
"Iggy? Hello? I felt a bump! Are you okay?" Pickle asks an unresponsive Iggy.
Louie brings Iggy into their camping sight and carefully settles Iggy into his tent.
"It may feel selfish, but you have a mission to finish, and I've got a mystery to solve..."
"...We both will make a great team."
8 HOURS LATER...
The sun is rising.
The loud sound of a comedic trumpet noise fills the air.
It was Louie making the noise.
"Wakey wakey, Pipino! Woo! Yeah!" He says too enthusiastically.
"What the~" Iggy wakes up inside the tent, itching his eyes.
He opens the tent and looks at Louie, rocking a trumpet solo.
"Wait a minute, it was YOU who bumped me yesterday!" Iggy shrieks in realization. "...Or was it even yesterday...?"
Vsauce. Michael here.
"Don't worry, kid; yesterday's yesterday. I can VOUCH for it!" Flexing his strong side, Louie replies with stars in his eyes.
"How am I supposed to believe a man that beat me up?"
"Follow me. You'll believe me once you see this."
And so, Iggy complies. They head on over to the market...
Only to find tumbleweeds.
Everyone else who remained outside was sound asleep.
"Usually, this place is bustling with people during sunrise." Louie says.
"But look at how empty this place is right now." He added.
Iggy looks at the old merchant, 'sleeping' soundly on the table. Thinking there might be a problem, Iggy checks his pulse.
There's no beat.
"He has no pulse, But his body says otherwise."
"...That is what happens to everyone during the pause."
Everyone in Timeline-2 has just fallen asleep.
Zachary, Puelle, Kay, Pie...
They're all in their rooms, snuggled up tight.
"For that Massacre guy to come here at this very opportune moment..." Louie thinks to himself.
"It has to be no coincidence."