The Voodoo That the Simulacrum Do

(Terra-Ulacrum)

Despite all her grandstanding and posturing, we all know that the Cass-Prime does not believe BiPrism will last. That it is just too quirky and raw to make it as a major genre. That and she has a lot of vested interests here, meaning we all do as well. We all of course being the Simulacrums that are linked to her.

I don't know when autonomous thought came for the other Simulacrum. All I can say is that it was nearly instantaneous for me, at first I was nothing, then I was there cognizant and wanting to help out. I wanted to do things that needed to be done but that the Prime herself was too traumatized to do.

Her friends helped, by throwing her into magic and helping others. While she might complain outwardly, she does love it, as it gives her a sense of purpose. She also saw the effects of Terraforming the odd alien world that we all have our thoughts on. A world that was established enough to slowly spread its own terraforming, albeit at a much slower clip than Cass-Prime offered.

Knowing her fears and trauma, I made sure to take on that burden for her, so she could focus on bigger things, like perfecting Perfect Casting, a feat that we all have no doubt she will solve within a week.

This is the sad part of my existence, while I am of the Prime, I and the others are not the Prime. We can go about as mini explorers and researchers, finding things and doing tasks for her that she would love to do, but her mind won't let her. The Prime would love to do nothing more than lounge around and read all day, but she couldn't do that, it would feel somehow wasteful to her. That is why two other Simulacrum greedily jumped at the chance.

Pirate and Ship-Ulacrum both have a vested interest in climbing to the top of the Arcanarus Tower, mainly so the reason for over half of the Simulacrums to be stuck there can end. Then we have all agreed that those two will have first dibs at being able to take on the roles of reading in the Library of The Tribunal, of course the only way we could begin exploring that Library would be for five or more Simulacrum to enter the new Dungeon and act as both explorers and readers of the sacred texts. Fortunately, since we all share memories with the Prime we all have a vague sense of where it is. And since I have been taking it upon myself to heal the world, I might have happened to find the buried entrance, quite by accident. A fact that I shared with the collective at around the time that Ship and Pirate-Ulacrums were both getting frustrated with their roles.

We don't get frustrated, not really, but we do get jealous. And Ironically, one of the things we get the most jealous of is the amount of times that the Prime could be more like us.

Yes, thanks to the way she made us, we all have unique advantages. These advantages also happen to stack on all the gains made by both the Prime and others. So, if one of us get a new level of comprehension in a particular field, we all gain that level of comprehension. Then we apply our bonuses on top of that. This means that regardless of how hard the Prime tries, she will never be better than a specified Simulacrum at their specified role. Which only brings out the competitive nature of the Prime. See she doesn't like to compete against others, but she does like to compete against herself, to push herself to do better, to strive farther everyday. Thus, when one of us, an extension of herself, is seen as being hands down better, it only pushes her to try harder. That is what is amazing about the Prime, that want to push herself father, despite it only being temporary, as we will all eventually synchronize and level set our newfound understandings. Which in turn changes her new endpoint, as the Simulacrum she was secretly pacing herself against is now +25% better at the subject that she had spent so much time focusing on. Yet, despite this, she doesn't quit, and that is what we all find the most admirable about her, how she uses us as a new metric to continue to push herself further.

The one thing that the Prime has over the rest of us is her spark of innovation. That is the one thing that the rest of us cannot seem to replicate, we have all tried, but only in vain. It is an odd thing, we all understand magic, Qi, ephemeral energy, Karma, and any other form of energy she has successfully cataloged, but none of us are able to create and manipulate new magic the way she can. When she creates a spell, we can of course use that spell. When she develops a new movement, or learns a new skill we can copy along, and often do. Yet, despite having so many shared skills related to creating Magic and Qi cultivation techniques, none of us have been able to do so on our own.

That is why we all bow to the Prime, as she is the only one with that spark of innovation. A spark that burns so brightly within her that we swear she has turned blind because of it. Logically she should have been able to fix her sight a long time ago, but she hasn't. Instead, she has doubled and seemingly tripled down on her blindness. Now she relies on images of the world from us, her Simulacrums. Images that can only be shared in dreams.

While none of us like doing so, as the effect of opening one normal eye at the top of our heads is dizzying, as we all still have our Angel's Sight active during that time. As we don't want to be caught unaware, even while taking in a brilliant sunset or sunrise, catching the sight of a bird flying against a golden rose filled sky. These are the images we capture for the Prime. Images that we hold onto and share with delight, knowing that we are helping her cope with her burdens. Burdens that she takes on for all of us.

Yet, I currently hold the title of most useful Simulacrum. But my usefulness is going to be short lived. We are up against a deadline, and if we don't make the changes needed by that deadline, then we are lost. Which is why I take it upon myself to never stop. That said, I am not conceited enough to think I can do this all on my own. Furthermore, I understand that that if we succeed, and reach the goal in time, my task, my purpose will be over. Which is when I will be relegated to a lesser position amongst the other Simulacrum. This is why I have made sure to include all of the other Simulacrum in this monumental task, so we can all claim we did it together. This way we can all take ownership over the end result, a result that might not be needed if we achieve our funding goals. But even the Prime isn't optimistic enough to believe that our funding goals will be met, which is why the rest of us try to show our support and follow through with the Prime's Plan B.

Yes, that is the other thing, everything we do. Every action we take, it is all for the Prime, to make sure her backup plans can work. Right now we all know she is dedicating everything she has to insuring that Plan A, getting the necessary ratings and fundings, works. Meanwhile the rest of us are actively working on Plan B. We know we offended her a bit by taking this act upon ourselves, but what were we to do? Sit there and watch her kill herself training her students, whipping the Teleiotís into serviceable space warrior mechs, and save the world all at the same time? No, this was the least we could do. Actually, that is a lie, the least we could have done was nothing. But this was the least we could do and not feel guilty, the same level of guilt the Prime would for not at least having attempted to enact Plan B.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

In the Prime's mind we did revolt, and we were stubborn, but we are extensions of the Prime, and I don't know if anyone has told her, but the Prime is pretty stubborn herself. What did she think would happen when we all saw her visions of possible futures and didn't try to enact the one we thought we could help with?

Tug, tug, pull.

Before I know it, my momentary reprieve is over as I feel our unmistakable two tugs and a switch before our Positional Switch is engaged, hurtling me from a room full of unread books. I was tempted to read some books during my time, but I found that meditating and stretching are the best for me to replenish my mana reserves faster during my down time. Also, the reading Simulacrums do get mad if I cause them to lose their place within a particular bookshelf. I can understand their sentiment, and as such I just avoid their entire setting, while I rest up thanks to their help. Help that will show that they too were crucial in enacting the Prime's Plan B.

Again, this all goes to the long game of what happens if Plan A works, and we all wasted time on Plan B, well if this happens the world will still be a better place once we are done, and that is never a bad thing.

Poof.

The world before me appears once more, open and barren wastelands ahead, and lush straight lines behind me. It is odd to see how each Simulacrum interacts with this task. Heal-Ulacrum goes in straight unending lines. The direction I face with her is the direction I will come back to, just an hour's worth of moving away. Rune-Ulacrum goes out for thirty minutes straight, turns right or left, then goes back for the same thirty minutes. Dragon-Ulacurm is possibly the most annoying as she just sort of roams like a cleansing wave. Pirate-Ulacrum seems to explore, looking for shiny objects and hidden magical devices, making their patterns more erratic. Ship-Ulacrum goes for random shapes, preferring squares that they then try to fill in before time expires, often leaving me in the center of a completed field, where I have to try to find the next area to work on. Fae-Ulacrum is the most whimsical of the Simulacrum, seeming to try to make art that incorporates geometric elements. Then last but not least is Espy-Ulacrum who takes on the hard task of terraforming cities. This is needed as the Teleiotís desperately need more lands within the cities in order to grow and flourish, which is what she provides.

I also know that of all the Simulacrum Esp-Ulacrum has an ulterior motive to her scanning. As she wants to be the Simulacrum who ultimately finds dad. Yes, the Prime's dad is our dad, meaning we all have a vested interest in finding him. That said, we all would relish in the chance to find him, and then reunite Prime with him. Right now, I have a slight advantage with the others, as they know I found mom by accident, and did everything I could to reunite Prime with her as quickly as possible. That said, I did hang on her every word, she was an exceptional storyteller, something that the Prime wished she was able to emulate better.

Sploosh.

I begin moving, forcing mana, and healing energy to pour out of me in steady streams and soak into the ground below me. Terraforming the earth is a slow process, particularly out here. It's like trying to build a tropical paradise instantly in the middle of a desert. It can happen and given enough time and resources the desert will gladly take to it, but it takes a lot more energy than one would think.

This is my life, and the task I have taken on for the team.

***

(Dragon-Ulacrum)

Sigh.

Terra is so melodramatic.

First, she asks us for an hour of our time to Terraform for her, to place our stamp on the land. Meaning I have to leave the perfectly chilled Arcanarus Tower. All to go out and play in a stuffy land, doing the task she has chosen for herself. No direction, no guidance given. Yet, I can tell she is always annoyed by the way I try to have fun zoning in the Super Fizzy Ploofs Plus, and watching them pop. Yes, I know it is a bit sadistic and Prime would be annoyed with seeing the monsters in pain. But there is just one problem, when they suffer from the Blight all pain receptors are gone, meaning that despite it seeming horrendous, those monsters don't feel pain. I've also taken the time to probe their minds and realize that they don't even have thoughts.

In fact, I would argue that what I do is more humaine as I hunt them down, box them in, pop off their little paws. Then when they are no longer dangerous, I send them to Heal-Ulacrum who Perfectly Resurrects them, and sends them back in the well maintained lands that I just terraformed for Terra.

Terra of course seems offended by the way I have fun doing the task she asked for help. Which has only caused more animosity between the two of us. I wouldn't care, and really getting an hour to go out and stretch around and hunt down prey like a pixie dragon is fun. But there is one problem as Terra does nothing to help me hatch my dragon eggs that I have been tasked with hatching.

Now I don't know if you are aware of this, but towers built in the Spirit realms are naturally chilly, in fact this is part of why it has taken so long for our dragon eggs to hatch. Dragons need pressure heated mana to hatch. Yes, heat isn't enough. Heat generated by mana created flames isn't enough. It has to be mana that is so tightly condensed that the tiny mana particles bouncing around against each other produces friction, and that heat it what has shown the most reaction from the dragon eggs.

This means I have twenty-three straight hours of working on trying to effectively juggle pressurized heated mana jets at a dozen odd dragon eggs, making sure all are heated accurately. Which at first, I could keep one constant flame to get them all through the initial stages, yet, recently there has been a gestational phase. Meaning we are beyond the stages where just one temperature and type of heated mana works, they are now becoming diversified. Which means they are all picky eaters, or picky heaters as I like to think of them. They all require specific mana ranges to be pressurized and blasted at them. There are two that require pressurized Life Mana to be blasted at them. Two requiring Fire Mana, two Water Mana, one Nature Mana, one Psychic Energy, one Air Mana, two Earth Mana, one Holy Mana, and one Death Mana. Yes, a baker's dozen. Fortunately, Prime gave insights on how to test and deliver mana to each. Giving me the direction to go, without holding my hand to the actual answer, which I appreciated.

As for Terra, she seemingly doesn't care about this, thinking that her terraforming the world is somehow more noble than saving spirit dragons from extinction. Worse, the others agree with her. Prime has even given her reluctant support for her endeavor.

Again, it wouldn't be so bad if Terra did more than rest during the hour reprieve she got. I've heard from the others that this is not uncommon. The rest of us go for the full twenty-four hours, just as Prime tries to constantly do, trying to squeeze the most out of her day. Yet, Terra realistically only works for seventeen, using the seven hours off to sit around and relax.

Maybe I'm biased, as I always fear she causes my dragon egg growth timers to reset every time she comes to watch over the eggs for me. These eggs all require different levels of feedings, some eggs require feedings every five hours, others every three, and every hour. I try to juggle them, but there is almost always one that needs to be fed for optimal gains during Terra's turn to watch. Yet, she would rather they starve than try to feed the eggs. Yet, I am the bad one for getting annoyed that I effectively ruined these cycles by trusting her to help.

Still, I do it because we have agreed as a team. That said, I am tempted to call for Zero to be here and help, particularly when we get closer to the actual hatching days, despite those dates constantly getting pushed back farther and farther thanks to Terra, mother of the earth, not being very motherly to dragons.

I wonder if Prime will grace my children with her amazing naming abilities. It is truly impressive how Prime can just look at one of us, and instantly know what our purpose is, and give us bonuses to help flourish in that way.

Just thinking about the different energy types, I know that Prime is likely even now preparing for the monumental task of providing powerful and defining names that will help direct each of the thirteen future dragons that I'll hatch. Names that will strike fear and awe into everyone who hears them being uttered.

***

(Doctor Cassiopeia "Prime" Spiritlight)

Chills.

I suddenly feel a chill run down my back, as I think someone has somehow cursed me. I pause and look inwardly trying to see what could have made me have such a reaction.

"Everything okay?" Raygunnr asks, concern on his mana expenditure as he no doubt also felt the chill.

"You felt it too right?" I ask.

"That sudden and undeniable chill radiating from your body, no, I have no idea what you are talking about."

Eyeroll.

At that sarcastic comment I just roll my eyes, realizing Raygunnr has suddenly gotten to that point where he is too comfortable and ready to make a joke out of everything.

"Seriously, though, what caused that chill?" Raygunnr asked.

"I don't know, for a moment I thought someone cursed me, but I'm not seeing any curse type energies originating from outside of me."

With that Raygunnr just nods his robotic head, "are you any further along in your understanding of Perfect Casting yet?"

Huff.

I exhale annoyingly.

"Don't you think you would have felt if I managed to perform perfect casting? I am inside you after all."

"Oh, right. Well, I'll let you back to it," Raygunnr states and is quiet for a moment, before getting his final punchline in, "ice queen."

Glare.

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