Why We Stay

(Mallory)

The hardest part of this whole process was the numbers, knowing that even if you somehow succeeded, if by chance BiPrism somehow survived, then you know you survived while many of the people you wanted to survive with were not around.

As a Guild Leader, Mallory took it as part of her duty to track who had moved on, voluntarily or otherwise. For those that moved on voluntarily the process was quick and simple, as many would at least stop to tell others what they had done and why.

Just making her daily walk from the housing complexes to the headquarters seemed to be ominous. There were still lush growing plants everywhere, flowering plants that Mallory didn't even know existed. Some she was fairly certain were poisonous, despite the warnings of her scientists who had taken on the habit of maintaining the plants that grew in the area.

That was the thing about World's End, out here, everything, and Mallory meant everything was built, grown, and harvested with their blood, sweat, and tears. Which meant that everyone felt a unified effort in maintaining the beauty around them.

Sure, Cass might have cast the spells that allowed the plants to grow, and for the world to not damage their lungs and bodies. But it was the people, both the regressors and the natural denizens of the world that helped make this place truly magical.

It was not out of the ordinary to see the natural denizens of this world, that is the ghostly Deolarians, the displaced citizens of the war, and sadly every child, everyone seemed to be fully willing and able to help not only maintain these lands, but to continue to enhance them wherever possible. Everything from dragging watering cans miles from the one alleged magic well, which was magical, but no more so than the others. To pruning the bushes and vines that had come to start making these lands part of their home. Everyone, well every natural citizen of this world seemed to love and understand the sacrifices and importance of maintaining these beautiful lands they were given.

What was more surprising was the way that regressors, those who this world was designed for, they too seemed to be willing to help out and garden.

Apparently one of the new pickup lines that seemed to work, at least here at World's End was, "would you want to get horticultural with me?"

Yeah, it was corny as all get out. For a moment Mallory wondered if Cass had somehow brainwashed all the natives of these lands into thinking that was somehow the idea of a great date.

But after taking a few moments, of trailing those successful dating partners, it was clear that not only did that cheesy pickup line seem to work, but it could almost be noted as being an aphrodisiac, as more often than not, the culmination of such a date would end in coitus.

There were of course reasons for this, many posed that the denizens of this world seemed to know the end was coming. Almost as if you knew an extinction level asteroid was plummeting towards the planet, and was guaranteed to wipe out the entire population of the planet. All anyone could do was sit back and wait for a handful of people to try to divert the path of the asteroid, while the rest watched on in horror.

In a way it was freeing, all those fears and concerns of the future being washed away as everyone wants to experience love, joy and passion one last time while they still can.

Some more pessimistic analysts also noted that children were not transferrable, thus an attachment to children would make it so people would be more willing to stay here and try to make things work out. Sadly, this last factor was something that analysts of all worlds were noting, an increase in birth rates and pregnancies, likely as a way to offset the number of missing users.

Speaking of missing users, it wasn't just the members of World's End that had to deal with dwindling numbers, as the numbers outside World's End were a lot higher. At this point all of Mallory's children had already abandoned ship, opting instead to go to Tier 1 Apron planets that were all but guaranteed to survive the first round of planetary cuts.

Knowing that her own family was leaving was one thing, which was why Mallory made it a point to keep track of the noted family members for others who had also gone on to different worlds, and which ones.

Sighing deeply.

Mallory held two identical letters in her hands that detailed the same set of findings. While she was hesitant to deliver these cards, she felt it part of her duty to do so. While she could and did have most of these cards denoting the states of various family members delivered by different staff, Mallory felt it important to deliver these two herself. If only so she could read the reaction of these two people, people who had become very important to her since her time here.

Thinking about the two letters in her hands, Mallory could only laugh in the way that irony could bring about. Had it been three years ago, Mallory would have easily jumped ship. Her body was dying slowly, her kids were constantly fighting with each other, and it was clear that she was nothing more than a meal ticket to her children. Yet all that changed roughly two years ago when she met Cass and then fell in love with her daughter, an exotic elf that still causes shivers to run down her spine every time she locks gazes with her.

While her walk had been productive in helping Mallory calm down enough to hand over the letters to her two intended targets, Mallory couldn't help but feel somewhat saddened by the fact that she managed to find both of them at the same place.

That place was of course the main SVC training complex. Despite building an entire set of office buildings, one that the Doctor had somehow anthropomorphized literally, Cass still all but demanded to host her classes out here in the open.

Ironically enough, none of the students complained about the setting. While a few were afraid to walk through what was in essence the mouth, or entryway to the fully living and sentient building, most just preferred to be outside during classes. Despite the atmosphere and possibility of being distracted, no one ever seemed to get distracted. That or if they did, Dr. Spiritlight would quickly notice and ensure people didn't get distracted from the lessons again. Everything was possible, from forcing impromptu demonstrations on lessons just learned. Even creating explosives that would lose a limb or worse if careful adaptations of the lessons just taught were not followed directly.

Students were able to ask their fellow classmates for help, but apparently one or two students losing a hand during a live demonstration, made it so everyone took the matters seriously. Had it been anyone else, or had the student been forced to go without the lost limb, the teaching process would have been cut off, but the pain was seen as short lived. Lost limbs were grown back quickly, and everyone seemed to grasp the importance of the lesson. Or at least, they began to understand it was best to pretend to pay attention.

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Surprisingly enough, Cass did not mind students skipping her class, if the students had better things to do, then do them. But her mentality was, if they were there to learn, then they needed to give her everything they had, or at least 80%.

Coming to the entryway, Mallory already saw the usual suspects at the doorway. Many were students who just stayed behind to watch the mad Doctor teach other classes, noting that what they learned during their lessons seemed to be easier to grasp when they watched her teach the other classes. While everyone was allowed to do so, only the first forty students were allowed to sit, everyone else was standing room only.

Still, this was where Mallory found Jhonny, the bodyguard assigned to Cass. Next to Jhonny was Penelope, and Gwen the other person Mallory wanted to see.

Seeing Gwen right there, Mallory felt her throat tighten, but forced herself to move forward and provide the first of two envelopes to her.

Grabbing the card, Gwen was momentarily confused, before seeming to read the card's embroidered backside.

Gwendolyn Spiritlight.

On the other card was a similar one with only one different word.

Recognizing the cards, Gwen turned to lock gazes with Mallory. During that intense stare, Mallory could all but feel her amber colored eyes coming to life. They were dead husks, but the Spiritlights used them with such fluidity that it was often hard to remember that they were dead. Yet, this was not enough as Gwen chose that moment to open up her third eye on the top of her forehead. There a magnificent blue eye seemed to glow with little specs of light supposedly representing the cosmos.

Shiver.

Feeling the weight of Gwen's true gaze upon her, Mallory tried to make eye contact for a moment, but then found herself looking away, knowing the gravity of the information in the card. As if realizing the contents of the card from that one act, Gwen just nodded and stuffed the card beneath her garments and into an interior pocket to be read later.

For a moment, Mallory wanted to protest, but then felt it better not to argue. Especially not with Cass wrapping up her class. While the pixie never spoke about people listening in or even talking in the archways while class was going on, she would glare, and often times that would be enough. The one warning anyone would get. After that warning, things happened, and not just for the speaker, but for everyone that let the speaker continue to cause a disruption. Some spoke of extreme heat, others spoke of allergic reactions, while others spoke of psychological pains. While the acts of what was felt changed from person to person, everyone knew that it was a sign they were to stop talking.

Fortunately, it seemed that the class was about to come to a close, as Cass began giving her final lecture of the day.

"Therefore, I want you all to remember today's lessons and think about different ways you can use these lessons in your own future," Dr. Spiritlight stated, gesturing over to her right. At that, the class seemed to turn as one to a student who had ash and silhouette remains of what was apparently a very violent but contained explosion in front of them.

Looking closely, Mallory could all but swear that tiny drops of blood adorned the student's face as they looked embarrassed by the sudden note of attention shown their way.

Snap.

Then Dr. Spiritlight snapped her fingers, drawing everyone's attention back to her and away from the aforementioned student. The act was quick, but glancing back Mallory was impressed to see that the dirt, and bloody residue that had been visible on the student a moment ago was now gone. The area clear of all soot and ash, leaving behind a perfectly preserved spot ready for the next student to sit down.

"Dismissed," Cass declared, and with that the students all calmly and quietly began to get up from their seats. A few looked like they wanted to go up and talk to the silent professor, but then closed their mouths and made their way out past Mallory and the others who were waiting in the archways out of the classroom.

Seeing that class was over, Gwen began to speak, "Therefore, Forthwith, and Tallyho, the three ways you know you have lost an argument with mom."

Mallory looked back at Gwen, "Tallyho? When has she ever said Tallyho?"

"It's rare, but when she does, it's best to just get out of her way and do as she says."

Again, Mallory couldn't help but press on this issue. "Is she about to do something violent?"

"No, it means she thinks she is about to do something fun, which means you should get out of her way," Gwen replied.

Mallory found herself nodding, but after a second the full depth of what she said began to settle into her mind, making Mallory suddenly wonder what exactly a Pixie that was the equivalent of a mobile miniature nuke of magical energies would consider to be fun? Then found herself mentally locking away that word as a definite sign to get away. Maybe try to find a way to add it to the mandatory Dr. Spiritlight safety briefs?

Then just before Mallory could get too lost along that train of thought, Cass began to come over.

"Another great class," Penelope chimed in excitedly, the first to greet Cass.

"Oh thank you," Cass said, giving a warm hug to Penelope. "I needed that after this last class," Cass stated as she then turned to look at the now perfectly renewed and spotless place where an explosion had clearly happened earlier.

"They will get the importance eventually," Jhonny replied confidently.

Hearing that Cass could only nod in agreement, before turning to face Mallory. A note of confusion crossed her face for a moment, until her eyes seemed to involuntarily stop at the closed envelope in her hand. The one that clearly had the name Cassiopia Spiritlight stenciled on its side.

Recognizing that Cass already saw the card, Mallory could only feel a bit of apprehension as she pulled the card up in an attempt to give it to the hovering pixie.

For her part Cass just held up a hand, clearly not wanting to receive the news. Perhaps she somehow already knew? That or maybe she just didn't like hearing bad news. Regardless of the reasons, Mallory paused as she lowered the card.

There was an awkward tension that seemed to manifest after that awkward exchange, which was when Mallory tried to change the subject by focusing on the good things in life.

"So, when this is over and we receive our stay of execution for doing so well in this tournament of earnings, what are you going to do?" Mallory found herself asking.

Hearing the question, everyone that had been lost in their own side conversations suddenly went quiet as they all turned to face Cass, waiting for her reply.

"Well a few things, but I think the one I am looking forward to the most is writing the great BiPrism novel," Cass stated proudly.

"A novel?" Mallory asked, remembering that Cass did love to read, but so far had been wildly disappointed by the SLWC members that had become refugees after the Legrand War. So far despite investing a lot of resources, only three novels had been created, all of which were by the same author, which was ironic as it was one of Gwen's favorite authors, while her mother could not stand the writer. Personally, Mallory thought the depiction of a pixie falling in love with a charismatic male protagonist was quite well done, but she made sure to keep her opinion quiet. At least, she didn't make her opinion known around Cass.

"Yes, I'm going to write the great BiPrism novel," Cass stated proudly. Then without missing a beat, she continued to explain her story idea, "a Cliffhanger themed story with an unassuming MC named Fingers McPurchase. The story of an MC who fights against the family destiny of falling to their deaths, only to be roped into to the dangerous world of competitive free climbing."

Hearing the story idea, Mallory found herself biting her lower lip, trying hard not to say the first thing that came to mind. For there were a lot of things she could say about the story idea, but she didn't want to offend her friend.

Fortunately for Mallory, she didn't have to say a word as Gwen proceeded to summarize her exact thoughts, without her having to say a word.

"Mom, I hope this is a joke? Also, did you purposefully use the words 'roped into' as a joke?" Gwen began. "Also, I'm hoping Fingers is a nickname, though it might be best for a thief or a por…"

"Oh that's a great idea, Fingers McPurchase is a thief who gets caught robbing the wrong building. And then hides his stollen goods on a sheer cliff face, that only he can climb to."

"Will the tag line be, 'if only he purchased those goods, he wouldn't have to almost die'?"

"Oh, that's good, working with the purchased versus McPurchase, but we might need to work it a bit," Cass replied.

"You know those are terrible names," Gwen replied.

"I'm the best at names," Cass replied.

Gwen just stared and a moment later, Cass looking a bit contrived at having to admit her failure just sighed, "well I name a lot of things."

"Yeah, and they are all terribly named," Gwen responded.

Cass looked like she wanted to protest, but then changed the subject back to her original topic. "Look, I think the gripping story of Fingers McPurchase would be one we could all cling to in times of need."

Groan.

At that Gwen just groaned at the multiple bad puns in a row. There was a long moment of silence as everyone looked at the two who both seemed to be perfectly serious.

Snicker.

Then fortunately for everyone, Gwen was the first to break.

Chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I almost got it," Gwen cried out, at which point Cass tried to hold on for a moment longer, but then she too broke and began laughing.

"Wait, that was a joke?" Mallory asked.

"Of course it was," Gwen replied, wiping away glowing mana tears of joy.

Only to then realize the one thing Mallory had, Cass couldn't lie, it was part of her curse as a Pixie.

As they remembered this, everyone turned back to face Cass who just looked sheepish for a moment, then replied, "so what does the card say?"

At that Mallory just held up the card that all but confirmed the bad news that had suspected for a while.

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