...

The Aspect of Creation stirs, a frail cough echoing as she finds her footing.

Dread and vertigo duel within her as she scans her alien terrain, her frame burdened by an unfamiliar weight.

She's encased in a shimmering cage of glass.

An unexpected sensation grazes her feet.

Claire "Holy Jezus! Dave, what the fuck?!"

Dave "A...Cla'bro... where are we, dude? What happened?"

Azan "We can tell you that."

Claire and Dave's gaze swivels towards the room's left flank.

Tucked in the room's corner, they find Azan and Mina sprawled on the cold floor, backs pressed against the wall.

Mina "Yo, hi. We are... a bit tired. Just need a bit of rest. And we'll be good in no time!"

Dave "Yeah, we can tell dude! So what happened?!"

Azan "We should wake everyone up first."

With a shared glance and a silent accord, Dave and Claire set to rousing the others, their hands stirring sleep from each member.

As the group stirs, they share a pervasive, inexplicable heaviness anchoring their bodies.

Drawn to Azan and Mina, the group listens intently as the pair unfurls the tale of events that transpired in their collective slumber.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

The group recoils in unison.

A dense miasma invades the space, adding an ominous tint to the air.

Each hand instinctively rises to shield mouths from the intruding haze.

?? "Relax. It's just sterilizing gas made of 50 percent nitric oxide and 50 percent oxygen, safe for human respiration. It looks like you guys contracted plenty of the Morpharabots in there, this gas will help. It's their weakness after all."

Kanji "Morpharabots? Wait... I know this voice."

A metronomic ticking reverberates the against glass.

Every eye in the group swivels northward, locking onto a figure poised behind the glass veil.

A woman of youthful elegance stands there, clad in an unbuttoned lab coat that billows over a sky-blue tee. The shirt sports a whimsical purple imprint: a cartoon hand ruthlessly squeezing a conical flask. Her jet-black skirt provides a stark contrast to the softer-hued pants beneath.

Their gaze travels downwards. Could those be...

Dave "Muahahaha! Holy crap, dude! You actually wore those stupid green crocks I bought you for last Christmas!"

?? " Well, I too thought the crocks were stupid... but I have grown to love them unironically, Dave."

Claire's eyes ascend to the girl's visage, her heart buoyed by the sight of her. The tomboyish charm, the playful crop of amethyst hair — it brings an unexpected spark of joy to her face.

Claire "OMG! G-

?? "Hold that thought, Claire. I too, am happy to see you. Especially in person.... but right now, I recommend everyone to remain relaxed and avoid screaming as much as possible. I'm going to blast a wave of radiation into the chamber."

Diana "What?! Hold on! Why?!"

?? "You guys are all also infested with toad spider babies. This calls for greater measures."

Amelia "Eww gross! When in the bloody hell did we get those?"

?? "When you were unconscious and cocooned inside the creature's nest."

Azan "Wait! But me and Mina weren't there! Why do we need the radiation?!"

?? "Oh, Azan. It isn't always that easy. You see the spider's babies are microscopic and like to balloon themselves with tiny strands of webs around the air above the mother's nest. They seek out prey and enter their orifices. Yes, including the pores. Once enter the body the little bastards inject the prey with nerve-numbing neurotoxins which prevent the feeling of pain. And then they proceed to eat the prey inside out."

Azan "Wait a minute! I thought that we are immune to toxins. Mina and I would have felt the little bastards in our bodies."

?? "Oh right! Ummm, your powers also increased your pain threshold. So basically, you couldn't feel it. I tested this while stabbing a needle into you while you guys were sleeping to see if you guys have the toad spider babies.

Mina "Okay! That's it! I'm gonna fa-

Her mind succumbs to a numb fog and her body starts to fall. But Azan catches her mid-fall and gently guides her to the floor.

Azan "Damn! Looks like that did a massive blow to her trypophobia."

Sarah " I don't know what... her problem is but ... wow! That sounds rad! Tell me more about that place!"

Noah "Yeah." "OH HELL NAW! IGNORE MY WORD PLEASE!"

?? "I would love to but you may want to brace yourself first. It's coming in 1... 2... 3..."

A wave of radiation sweeps through the chamber, sending a soft shiver radiating from their chests. With it, the legions of spiders that clung to their forms are wiped away, banished to nothingness.

Kanji "That went well. My body feels lighter. I guess all the weight came from the spiders. But looking at your face...We aren't done yet aren't we?"

Gwen "Of course, my other half. You see I have to apologize. I have been spying on you and everyone ever since you were lying on your bed eleven days ago."

With a crisp snap of her fingers, a miniature fly bursts free from the confines of Kanji's lab coat.

Kanji "Seriously! But how did it get past my spyware device?!"

Gwen "Well, it actually did trigger it... but back then it was mechanical. A metal fly that emits various frequencies that prevent it from being detected, but the cost is that there was no audio and I had to manually adjust the sound waves for it to work."

Kanji "But you changed it. Was it because of a technical error?"

Gwen "No, it was a physical one. Controlling the little guy was too much for me to handle. This resulted in me making one fatal mistake... that time when your device got triggered. It was actually my fault."

Kanji "Now, that's cleared up a few things in the back of my head. Please, continue."

Gwen "So I had to withdraw, and modified it to be biomechanical which bypassed your device with no problem. In summary, I couldn't hear anything you said in the first two days and didn't see anything on the second. However, from the third day onward I managed to grasp the current situation quite clearly."

Kanji's breath escapes him in a gust of palpable relief.

Kanji "Good. She doesn't know about "that"."

Gwen "... However, I'm curious about what you and Claire did on that day. All I know from you retelling the others about that day is that you two went for coffee, got into trouble with some punks, you told her and AN about your involvement in World War 3, and then the two of you played games until you both fell asleep. I feel like something is missing here."

Kanji and Claire find themselves ensnared in hesitation... yet, they know they stand without choice. Gathering courage, one of them strides forth, facing Gwen.

Claire "There's an attack on the town square!"

Gwen "Oh, that's it. Really? Looking at how nervous you guys look right now, there must be more."

Her mind churns in contemplation, the right hand thoughtfully cradling her chin. Suddenly, a flicker of recollection – a specific news broadcast from a few days ago – flashes in her memory.

Gwen " The Void Square incident. So many casualties, you two didn't go and stop it but let the police do it instead. You must've felt very guilty and that's why you didn't want to tell everyone."

Claire "Yeah...Yeah! That's right! It is a bit fucked of us... definitely" "Nice, our secret is safe!"

Gwen "Nonsense! What you did was smart! At the time Kanji was the only one awakened, so fighting them that day would be suicide. Anyway, knowing this I'm quite satisfied."

Gracefully, Gwen navigates towards a chair, its companion being a desk leaning nonchalantly against the wall.

Gwen "You guys must have plenty of questions about recent "events". Feel free to ask anything while the gas does its work in cleansing you. The process may take a while after all."

As Gwen nears the desk, a fond smile plays on her lips, her gaze set on a strange computer.

The group squints, straining to discern the peculiar device.

To the untrained eye, it's an oddity. Yet, to Kanji, its identity is unmistakable — a quantum computer, its vital circuits ensconced within a miniaturized glass box.

Yet, it's its composition that mystifies — branches...and roots? They snake over something, obscuring a component even Kanji can't identify.

The glass box sports openings from which the organic tendrils emerge, attaching themselves to a petite monitor, its frame too constructed from the same roots and branches.

The whole device seems to pulsate with life.

Gwen places her right hand on the computer, offering it a gentle stroke.

In response, the computer emits a sound eerily reminiscent of a contented purr.

Noah "What the fuck?" "What the fuck?!"

Suddenly, a pixelated feline visage flickers to life on the screen, opening its digital maw to speak.

|Good Morning Nya! My Master Gwen Fischer UWU|

Gwen "Good morning. Are you doing well?"

|Nyes! Doing Pretty Well Nya. What May I Assist You With Today Nya|

Gwen "Please initiate total nuclear deconstruction of sub-space "Germmany."

Claire "Wait, do you need "Germany"?"

Gwen "No, I mean Germ-many. Germmany. It is the place you guys were in."

Sarah "Awwww man! Why?! That place is cool."

Gwen "You know your obsession with the eldritch and appalling things always disturbed me. But if you have to know why is because the place is becoming too dangerous, too intelligent, and has outstayed its use."

Kanji "Care to elaborate on the grander details."

Gwen "Why of course. Let's begin from the start. Did you remember six years ago when we traded our technology?"

Kanji "Yes, I remember that it was my nanobots and sub-space portal tech for your neural link tech. I see that you used the sub-space to perhaps construct a replica of your country and cleverly name it Germmany. But with the number of nanobots I gave you, It would've taken more than a decade to finish it. But even if you had a way to get more nanobots, the sub-space at that time only allowed 5 kilometers of land!"

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Gwen "Kanji. You know I don't do things the way you do with your chemistry and physics shenanigans. I used the biological path of science."

Adrian "I'm no scientist but I can say that makes no sense. Sorry... was that a bit rude? I'll just... I'll... go to the corner then. Sorry."

Adrian, burdened by shame, retreats to the room's left corner. Diana follows suit, the bumbo-jumbo science serving only to confuse her.

Gwen "Okay, Adrian and Diana left. I guess my audience decreased to 8. Oh well! Let's move on! You see I didn't actually order the nanobots to construct the entire thing, just its styrofoam structure."

Kanji "Oh, that makes sense! It explains the time to construct it! Now about the creatures, fleshy buildings, and the actual space."

Gwen "Before going there, I'm going to tell you a little secret. Something I swore not to tell anyone while being under the German government. I created a new creature! Not an animal, insect, plant, fungus, or anything you have seen in the past. A new biological entity."

Kanji "Let me guess. It's the morpharabots. You have captured my attention. I'm a bit intrigued. Go on."

Gwen "Well.... technically I didn't invent "invent" it. I picked it up after the creation of the Zenobots, 25 years ago. the scientists working on it gave up after failing to make it do anything else besides spinning it."

Kanji "So what did you do to turn them into morpharabots?"

Gwen "What I always like to do. I test and test until I get my results. First, I tried exposing it to a number of organic substances and non-organic substances, but that lead nowhere. So I consulted ze periodic table for answers and started exposing it to each element. Failed results after failed results, I felt hopeless... until one element stood out. This element is Oganesson."

Kanji "Atomic number 118! It's the most expensive thing on the planet! How did you get your hands on it?!"

Gwen "I had to spend all of my deceased parent's assets to get just one molecule of it. My parents owned an entire bank company. Just to let you know."

Dave "Ayo, isn't that a bit messed up dude?!"

Sarah "Nah, I don't think so. If they left it for you to use, then I don't see the problem."

Gwen "Sarah's right! Also leaving it around just ignores its value which doesn't sit right with me."

Claire "But Gwen! To spend all that... that's too destructive."

Gwen "Sorry, but you know me by now Claire that I don't linger with past actions."

Her gaze shifts to the computer. The digital countdown has already swept past the 25 percent mark.

Gwen "Moving back on topic, the Oganesson at first didn't do much to the zenobots. However, when I started moving the element near them, they began to shake uncontrollably. I was really motivated and so I had an idea. I put a dozen zenonbots on a floating platform inside a small spherical glass chamber. I then used Kanji's nanobots to carry and spin the Oganesson around the space within. And low and behold, the morpharabots were born!"

Kanji "Wow, spoken like a true scientist. Trial and error truly is the correct way of expanding the field of science as a whole. So what do these morpharabots do? My prediction is that they have a special interaction with biological substances which causes them to create Germmany."

Gwen "That's 100 percent right. But before I get there, I should tell you about its default properties. On the microscopic level, these guys are like tiny slimes that would scramble about, touching anything nearby. They are super sensitive to "any" large biological materials and would go immediately to them. Then they would mindlessly absorb the target's molecules and inherit its traits and exponentially grow to the material's original size. I don't really have a name for these transformed beings, so I'll just call them Instances."

Dave "Okay! Wtf does that mean, bro?! Like the growing part."

Gwen "It means what it means. Like, say it absorbs a chicken drumstick then it would become a full chicken."

Dave "Woah that's cool. But doesn't that means it created more food than before, bro?"

Gwen "Yes, but no. If we were to kill, cook, and eat the creature. the nutritional value would still be the same as a single drumstick."

Claire "Wouldn't that be good for dieting?"

Gwen "Those were the exact same words that the government asked when they learned of my invention. So they started testing it which lead to a couple of problems. It turns out that within the flesh of the chicken are clones of the original morpharabot which became activated and started devouring the test subjects. This caused an incident called "Merge day", hundreds of people were joined together into a massive blob of human flesh which now sits in a secure steel container in a secret military base right beneath this city."

Kanji "You said, "joined together ". Is this another property of the morpharabots?"

Gwen "Yes. Might as well tell you about four of its other properties. First of all, Instances that consume the same biological materials like to group and sometimes merge. Secondly, it is also the creatures' way to reproduce because after being merged a certain amount, the mass would stay dormant and then split itself until there is double the number of original Instances. Third, they hate Instances that are made of different biological materials and would most likely fight them unless they are stronger. Lastly, they can take traits of two or more materials if the materials are piled together."

Azan "That explains all the fusion creatures in that place. Why the fuck would you create that fucking hell?!"

Gwen "For research, of course. I started with a pile of various types of meat I got from my local butcher. However,... I might've gotten a bit overboard with the amount. It lead to the creation of a massive shifting blob of flesh that started wrapping and expanding, the creature covered every single road and building. When it reached the edge of subspace, something miraculous happened. It started pushing the space to increase it. A strange interaction that I, unfortunately, forgot to research to this day. What's stranger is that the creature started protruding pillars, crude replicates of the buildings it covered, in the expanded space."

Azan "But what do you gain?! Knowledge?! Some strange kick!"

Sarah "Chill Azan! She never intended for people to get trapped in it."

Azan "Ah... you're right! I'm sorry... Gwen."

Gwen "It's alright. Let's move on."

Her expression remains impassive as she taps the computer screen. The display flickers, morphing to depict a snapshot of Germmany in the earlier stages.

Gwen "So after the flesh creature covered the entire city of Germmany. I ran some tests and most of which just involved me sending in other Instances made of different materials and seeing what happens. Unexpectedly, they didn't try to attack the buildings or each other. Instead, they treat the place as a place for living and started creating territories like what animals do in an environment. This caught my interest, so I tried to add more and more, but nothing new happened. But then, one day out of my usual schedule, when I opened to check on the place. That was when I saw it, the center of the city. It was a mass eye with a slit pupil and a bottomless gaping mouth next to it. But when the thing saw my recording drone, those parts closed and hid themselves. I was terrified but not of the creature's eye and mouth but of...."

Kanji "... it's intelligence which explains its ability to create those replicas."

Gwen "Yes, and it was aware of my existence. After that, the creature began growing new parts like the bones on its roads and more eyeballs on the buildings. I finally learned the truth that all that pile of meat the creature consumed resulted in it getting all the traits, including intelligence. When I introduced those all Instances, it knew of the danger and did something to them. It turns out that some of the meat were infected with a brain-controlling parasite, granting the creature that ability as well."

Kanji "Let me guess. It then controlled the other instances to jump into its mouth so it could grow and evolve."

Gwen "Precise! But it shouldn't be able to. It was against its biology! So I sent in a drone to collect samples of the creature to look under a microscope. I found out that the creature was altering its DNA constantly to support its dramatic changes. I was impressed but also more frightened and knew that if this keeps up, it could become smart and powerful enough to leave the dimension. This realization forced me to construct disguised nuclear bombs in an attempt to one day blow up the entire city. To trick the creature, I made the bombs to look like giant flying brains and made them fly just in case it became aware."

Azan "Oh, so that's what those were. No wonder they weren't attacking us."

Gwen "Yeah, but sadly the disguise didn't work and the creature eventually knew. It began to grow legs in an attempt to reach high enough to disable my explosives."

Azan "But why didn't you blow them up?"

Gwen "Because there was still more research to be done and no one was being hurt back then. But now... I guess Germmany has crossed that line. For that, I'm destroying it."

|Destruction Initiating Nya! Prepare Yourself For A Spectacle!|

Sarah "Wait! Seriously! No, keep it! You can't just get rid of all that work for nothing."

Gwen "Yes I can because it became nothing. I believe there's no point in keeping something that is no longer in use. Sometimes in life, you have to destroy certain factors to gain the results you want. That is the way of humans."

Kanji "I see, you truly are a perfect fit for % The Aspect of Destruction %. Also, awesome quote, by the way. Did you create that?"

Gwen "Well, I shouldn't get all the credit. But yeah, it is technically my quote. Also, I believe Germmany is going to die anyway."

Sarah "What do you mean?!"

With a swift gesture, Gwen shifts the screen's focus, now revealing the present condition of the creature.

Sarah "Wha... what is this? Why does it look so grey and dry as fuck?"

Gwen "Apparently, Mina's powers were stronger than anticipated. Her influence caused a massive decrease in the creature's lifespan enough to make it die of old age. Luckily, it managed to survive by a thin thread by sacrificing about all inhabitants within it. Leaving the creature just a few days to live."

Sarah "Well, shit. So if it is going to die soon. Then I guess, it's alright to put it out of its misery."

Noah "Sad, but I too agree." "Thank god that thing is going to be gone."

Gwen's hand graces the screen, triggering a transition.

Digits descend in a relentless countdown. Her face remains a stolid mask, devoid of sorrow or empathy, brimming only with silent disappointment.

She had envisioned more — more potential, more avenues for experimentation. Alas, the opportunity has slipped through her fingers.

Gwen "Perhaps, in a different timeline."

|5....4....3....2...1|

The group watches, transfixed, as the flying brains' protective casings fracture, exposing the chilling sight of nuclear devices. Like raindrops piercing a sunbeam, they plummet.

Impact.

The city ignites, its edifices crumbling in the fiery maw before being swallowed by a colossal radiance.

Then, silence. A white void fills the screen.

Gwen "Farewell... my creation."

Her gaze shifts, landing on the clock suspended above the room's entrance.

It's broken. A flush of embarrassment colors her cheeks as she turns to face her friends.

Gwen "Umm... can you guys tell me...the time?"

Sarah "What? You don't have anything that shows the time. Dude, you're like a scientist."

Gwen "I know! It's just that... I have a habit of destroying clocks."

Kanji "Why?"

Gwen "Time stress. I just can't handle it when I don't meet the time I aimed for."

Kanji "Oh yeah. I can see why that would be frustrating. In that case, the time is about 3 pm."

Gwen "Thanks, Kanji. We have plenty of time before the government's daily checkup."

Dave "The what now?! The government! what the fuck?"

|His chat types monkaOmega|

Gwen "Yes, the German government. You see they don't really trust me that much unlike how the Japanese government trusts Kanji. It is to make sure that I don't get into any sort of "business" and so they normally inspect my lab and even my bedroom."

Claire "Hey, that's a bit rude. Can't a girl get her privacy?"

Gwen "It's ok, Claire. It is the price I pay when most of what I own is funded by them."

Claire "Oh, that's a bit fairer. But it's still awful. Do they leave you alone once in a while?"

Gwen "Nope. It has been happening for 4 years now. Not a single day without a checkup."

Noah "Yikes. That's cringe." "That's messed up."

Dave's eyes are drawn to the computer, its sudden wink catching him off guard.

Dave "Ayo, dude! What is that thing?! You know the fucking cat computer!"

Gwen "Wait... shit. I forgot to you guys how made her. Basically, she is my greatest invention/companion. Her name is Izzybot."

Claire "Awww! Hi, Izzybot!"

|Nya! Nice To Meet You, Miss Claire Nya!|

Kanji "So is she an AI? Why are there so many roots and branches?"

Gwen "Ok, I'll explain. Last year, I had a breakthrough with the morpharabots. It turns out you can trick them into consuming non-biological objects by covering the objects with biological materials."

Azan "And what did that do...exactly?"

Gwen "It created a much more stable version of those Instances. In fact, they took on more traits of the non-organic than the organics. I once tested three objects, a sofa covered in bacon, a chair covered in cocoa beans, and a table covered with leaves. After putting one morpharabot for each one of them, they eventually consumed and turned into the furniture but they were made entirely out of organic materials. What's even more interesting is that they weren't moving, weren't infested with more morpharabots, and are completely edible. Well, the bacon one at least. It was exactly what the government want, so I destroyed them and never looked back."

Kanji "Why did you do that? Is it because you don't want the government to get them?"

Gwen "Yes, I fear they would do more bad than good. Also, I already learned everything I need to know. That's when I created "Izzybot"."

Gwen continues petting her companion, Izzybot keeps purring in a mechanical voice as Gwen's doing it.

Gwen "I used a small quantum computer with a little screen and an AI that carried the behaviors of my deceased childhood pet kitten named "Izzy" and I covered it with branches and roots. Low and behold! An entity that can act like a cat, a computer, and can use roots and branches to move! Well sort of, but I'll explain that later. Anyway, I was excited beyond belief. But then I ran into a certain problem. Since Izzybot was a cross between a computer and a tree, their normal necessities won't work. I tried for days on end to look for a way to sustain her before she dies while hiding her from the government. Having no other choice, I requested her to absorb the morpharabots-creating sphere and asked her to somehow make use of it to keep herself alive. It worked!"

Kanji "So that's what's in the center of that case. Simply, she managed to take the created morpharabots into herself to continue thriving. I would like to understand more about how that works in detail but I guess it's too late now."

Dave "Wait, isn't she a cat AI? Wouldn't she not know how to do that or speak at all bro?"

Gwen "Well, if she were a cat's body she wouldn't know how. But in a quantum computer, Izzybot can learn and adapt to a greater capacity."

Diana and Adrian break their solitude, weaving themselves back into the group.

Gwen "Good. The two giants have decided to climb down to Beanstalk and fall into our conversation. Would like a replay?"

Diana "Haha, good one boss 2. But me and Adrian here can hear you from back there. We got the gist of it, most importantly about the government checking up on you."

Gwen "Right. I guess I can hide you guys early. Please exit and follow me through the door. Also, I recommend you guys restrain yourself from engaging in bodily interaction with me as the radiation may still linger."

Claire "She means hugs lol."

Donning a face mask, Gwen sends an affirmative signal, the 'okay' sign, to Izzybot.

|:3|

The glass barrier seamlessly descends into the floor.

Led by Gwen, the group steps out into a hallway, its aesthetics reminiscent of hospital corridors. She gestures towards the room ahead.

Crossing the threshold, an intense chill envelops them, piercing to the bone. Glancing at the beds, a wave of recognition washes over them –

Dave "Bro seriously cryo pods!"

Gwen "I thought you guys wouldn't get used to real beds after how many times you spent in cryo pods or cryo crystals? I guess."

Diana "I don't mind it one bit! A bed is a bed! I'm more surprised that Mina didn't wake up yet. Azan, better explain to her what Boss 2 told us today when she wakes up."

Azan "Okay, I got it. I'll tell her first thing in the morning."

One by one, they enter their designated pods, settling inside as the lids slowly descend, cocooning them within.

Meanwhile, Gwen retraces her steps, returning to Izzybot's side.

Gwen "Are they all asleep?"

|Yes, Nya! All Super Sleepy Heads.|

Gwen "Excellent. You know what to do next."

|Aye Aye Nya!|

Izzybot's screen lets out a loud buzz, presenting a series of readings resembling infrared signatures.

Ten distinct patterns come into view.

Gwen "Commencing temperature alteration and global decoy dispersion!"

|On it! Nya!|

The infrared signatures undergo rapid fluctuations. At the same time, a dynamic map of the world pops up.

Gwen cracks her fingers, a prelude to her nimble tapping on various locations across the globe. Each spot she selects ignites a pulsating red dot.

Gwen "Alright! Just one last thing to do."

Gwen swiftly dials the number for the German government. To her surprise, they answer the call instantly.

Gwen "I'm ready for today's check-up."

"No need. We have been doing this for 4 years and have decided to let you go. We trust you now and we are sorry for causing your breach of privacy. Please take care, Gwen Fischer. May you serve your nation proudly."

Gwen "Huh. That's quite odd. In retrospect, it makes sense. But something.... no I shouldn't worry about it. This is a good thing. I should really get some sleep right now. Izzybot. Bed mode!"

Izzybot's branches extend, gracefully shaping themselves into a makeshift bed frame. From a concealed compartment beneath the floorboard, she retrieves a mattress, a blanket, a pillow, and an eye mask.

Gwen settles into her cozy nest, covering herself with the blanket. As she prepares to rest, the lights dim and eventually fade into darkness.

|Good Night Master Nya.|