Message #663010

[BlueAnnihilator]

*Meanwhile, Blue and the others continue into the temple, and arrive inside the first chamber. But unlike Kovah's group, they are immediately thrust into an illusion of a different sort before even realizing it*

~~Asroc Temple, Illusion~~

Blue: Huh? Hn?

Millie: Hey, Blue. What's wrong?

Blue: I...take it you don't feel that then?

Millie: Feel what?

Blue: That...strange pressure...

Millie: Huh!? I have no idea what you're talking about, Blue.

Blue: ...Interesting...

Millie: Maybe you're just imagining things...*rubs heads*

Blue: Hm...(This definitely isn't my imagination. There's a high amount of magical pressure in this room. But perhaps I'm the only one who can sense it...)

Penny: Hey, Millie! We need you to tell us if anything unusual happens behind us!

Millie: You can count on me! I got your back!

Jawo': What's with this place anyhow?

Blue/Penny: Hm?

*The group observes their surroundings. They soon realize that they are in a room with 4 exits to each side, all leading to a room that's the exact same as the former, and so on*

Jawo': It seems like the same room just over and over again.

Penny: But...there's no way. Judging from the temple's outside appearance, this place can't be that big.

Jawo': So...which way?

Blue: The best way out of a labyrinth is to advance with your same hand against the wall. And I suggest that we start over there.

*The group then advances through each rightmost room*

Penny: Hmm...doesn't seem like there's anything out of the ordinary...

Jawo': I just noticed something...

Blue: Hm?

Jawo': We've been moving steadily to our right. So the room directly to our right should be the room that we started in. But instead, there's another room to the right.

Blue: It's the same room...

Penny: What's going on?

Millie: Mmm, maybe we should head back the way we came.

Blue: Good idea, Millie. Let's go.

*The group heads back to the room they started in, but they soon discover that the entrance is no longer there*

Penny: Ah!!

Blue: What's wrong?

Penny: The entrance isn't there anymore!!

Jawo': That's impossible!

Penny: Millie, this is your fault!

Millie: My fault!?

Penny: Yeah! I told you to keep your eyes open!

Millie: Hmph! I'll have you know that I've been watching the entire time and there was nothing out of the ordinary!

Jawo': Mmph, I'm about ready to start kicking these walls down...*clenches fist*

Blue: No wait...

Jawo': Hm?

Blue: I don't think you'll accomplish much by doing that.

Jawo': Then what do YOU suggest we do, huh smart guy!?

Blue: I've come to the conclusion that this is in fact, the illusion that the elders warned us about.

Penny: You really think so, Blue?

Blue: I'm not entirely sure, but then again, that would explain the large amount of magical pressure I felt earlier. This is obviously some kind of puzzle meant to send us going in circles, and now it's our job to figure out how to solve it.

Penny: Puzzle?

Blue: Yeah. And just like any old puzzle, there has to be a clue around on how to solve it. If we don't think calmly about it, we haven't got a chance.

Jawo': Okay. In that case, you got any ideas, Blue?

Blue: Hmm...I do, actually.

Jawo': Hm?

*Blue reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ball of string*

Blue: Ah, here we go.

Jawo': Uh, Blue...what's that?

Blue: You don't recognize it, Jawo'? It's the string that Zeldafan gave me as "payment" for my acting in that atrocious movie.

Jawo': *facepalm* Ugh...why did you remind me?

Penny: What are you going to do with that anyway?

*Blue walks to a pillar in the room and ties the string around it*

Blue: We'll base the investigation from here. Hold this, Millie.

*Blue hands the ball of string to Millie*

Millie: And I'm stuck holding this thing, huh?

Blue: Not at all. This is an important job that only you can do. We're depending on you here.

Millie: Heehee. Well then, since you put it that way, I suppose I can help you out!

Jawo': Ugh, she'll believe anything...

Blue: We should start out by moving straight ahead.

*The group continues forward through into the uppermost room*

Jawo': Ah!

Penny: Jawo'!

Jawo': Penny, wait!

Penny: Whoa!

*Jawo' holds out his arm, barring Penny from walking right into a deep chasm in the ground*

Penny: Phew, that was close...

Jawo': The floor just suddenly disappeared.

Blue: Damn...

*The group turns around and proceeds into a different room*

Blue: This doesn't make any sense. It's like an infinite loop, but that's impossible considering the size of this building.

Penny: Well impossible or not...

Jawo': Uh!

Blue: Jawo, what's the matter?

Jawo': You guys had better take a look at this.

*The group hurries into the next room, but soon discovers that it was the room they started in*

Blue: That's the pillar I tied that ball of string to earlier! That can't be!

Penny: Hmm...

*Penny unties the string from the pillar*

Penny: Hey, Millie.

Millie: Huh?

Penny: I'd hold on tight if I were you.

Millie: Huh? But wh--

*Penny tugs on the string, jerking Millie and pulling her through all of the rooms they previously traveled*

Millie: Hey!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

*After the wild ride, Millie ends up back in the room with others, although completely worn out and in a daze*

Millie: *swirly eyes* Uungh...

Blue: Ah! It's like a Mobius Strip! This illusion...it's somehow twisted this building into an unending labyrinth!

Jawo': And that's why we always end up at the same place?

Penny: But wait...that's physically impossible!

Blue: It's the only answer I can come up with. And if we're going to get out of here, we've got to find out how it works.

*Blue reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small notebook and pen. He then begins to draw in it*

Blue: I'm drawing the path we've taken so far. It's like this...

Jawo'/Penny/Millie: ?

Blue: We're ran into traps in this room, and this room here.

Penny: So according to this, if we go in the room ahead of us, there's going to be a trap.

Blue: But if we move in a "L" formation, we shouldn't hit any traps.

Jawo': You've solved the puzzle. Good work, Blue! Now we can end this stupid illusion and get back to more important things, like finding our friends.

Penny: Yeah.

Blue: *to himself* If only it were that easy...

*And so the group proceeds to travel in the proposed "L" formation. As Blue said, they run into no traps, but they advance nowhere as well*

Penny: This sucks!

Blue: We'll find it. The answer must be in here someplace.

*Blue pulls various foreign objects out of his pockets. Among them being an accordion (O_O)?*

Millie: Geez, Blue, how much stuff can you fit in those pockets of yours!? *sweatdrop*

Jawo': I can't take it anymore! We're going in circles and we can't do anything about it!

Penny: Stop running your mouth and start using your head to figure this out! I find it hard to believe that Blue's friends with someone like you.

Jawo': What did you say!?

Blue: Stop it! Both of you!

Penny: Not to mention that you've done nothing but complain and get your butt kicked during this whole journey! We've be better off with Millie than a loser like you!

Jawo': Hah, you're one to talk! You should be thankful that we even let you travel with us in the first place! If it wasn't for us, you'd still be back home scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush!

Penny: Tsch. When are you going to see that this is pointless unless we can solve this puzzle?

Jawo': If you're so smart, why haven't YOU solved it!?

Penny: Why don't you shut up!?

Blue: Stop it, you two! We're all just tired and frustrated right now! We need to calm down!

Jawo': Stay out of this! I'm done! From here on out, I can handle this myself!

Penny: Oh yeah? Well good riddance! Because we're tired of picking up after your dumbass mistakes!

Jawo'/Penny: Kch! Hmph!!

*The two turn and walk away from eachother*

Blue: *sigh* Give me a break...

Millie: You know, friends shouldn't fight like that...

Jawo'/Penny: I wouldn't be her/his friend if she/he was the last girl/guy on Earth!!!

Blue: *annoyed* Whatever. ....Aah?

*Blue begins to see distortions in the illusion*

Blue: What's happening? The space is...twisting...

Millie: Uh...Blue?

Blue: Hm?

Millie: Is he crazy or something? According to your drawing, there should be trap in that room he's going into.

Blue: Ah! Hmm... (Advancing in an "L" shaped route... Mobius Strip... Traps that block our way... This magical pressure when we entered here... It feels like...I've got it!!!)

Millie: Huh?

Blue: Penny!!

Penny: Hm?

Blue: Jawo'!!

Jawo': Eh?

Blue: I've figured out the secret.

*Jawo' and Penny come running back*

Penny: Are you sure!?

Jawo': Really!?

Blue: Listen closely.

*Blue begins to whisper to the group*

Penny: Huh!? Could it really be as simple as that!?

Jawo': You sure you wanna take that chance?

Blue: I'm willing to take that risk. Here I go!

*Blue runs headlong into a room with a trap in it. Once he enters, the floor collapses below him*

Penny: Blue!!!

*But despite this, he doesn't fall into the chasm, but still remains on solid ground*

Blue: (I knew it!)

*With the illusion solved, the scenery begins to crack. And like a pane of glass, it shatters. Sending the group back to the real first chamber of the temple*

Penny: Ah, Blue! Y-you did it! The illusion...it's gone!

Jawo': But how did you figure it out?

Blue: I pieced together the hints. Once I wrote it down, I figured it out. It's like a game that children play. There are nine rooms placed in a 3x3 format. Except that they just looped infinitely. If we were to go three spaces either foward or horizontally, we would win. So whenever it felt that were getting too close to that third room, the illusion created a trap to divert us.

Jawo': Like an illusion within an illusion, right?

Blue: Exactly. We would've never have known the difference. Because it used our fear and insecurity as a way of leading us in the wrong direction. It was all a psychological trick of the mind.

Penny: But how did you figure out that traps weren't real?

Blue: When you and Jawo' had your bout and split apart like that, we took up three spaces simultaneously. When those two were nine spaces apart, that's when the twist in space appeared. So all in all, finding out that clue was just a lucky break.

Millie: Heehee. I guess their pig-headed stubborness was good for something afterall!

Blue: Heh, you can say that again, Millie.

Jawo'/Penny: Hmph! *crosses arms*

Blue: Anyway, we've beaten the illusion, so it's time to move on. Are you ready, guys?

Millie: I am!

Blue: Well, you two?

Jawo': ...Yeah. Let's go save our friends.

Penny: Right.

Blue: Then let's move!

Author's Note: Fans of the Bleach Anime should find this chapter very familiar... ^_^