Beyond The Impossible

Edo, Heaven

The Throne Room is the center of this universe, as Leiko Tanaka designed it.

Everything here is built with the sole purpose of impressing any visitors, and that includes an alternate version of Leiko herself.

The Empress, dressed in her full regalia, looks down at her doppelganger who is still wearing the simple clothes from Vesta’s world.

<You know, when my daughter informed me that she discovered new universes that could join the Empire, I hoped to find some challenge… another conqueror like me, perhaps. I would never have imagined she’d find one with my face but so radically… disappointing.> the Empress admits.

<We are more alike than either of us would admit.> Leiko replies.

<I find that hard to believe.>

<Is this going to take long?> Rei Null asks, keeping her composure but tapping her foot.

<We’ll see. I wish to gain as much information as I can from this inferior copy, and you’re going to assist me.>

<Mother, I have work to do.>

The Empress takes a deep breath. Then she turns towards her daughter, and she raises her voice while getting in her personal place.

<Oh you do? What is your ONE JOB here, Rei!?>

<To serve the Empire.> Rei answers, keeping her head down.

<More specifically, dear?>

<To obey your every command.>

<And don’t you EVER forget it, understood!?>

<Yes Mother.>

<Why do you let her boss you around?> Leiko asks, receiving a slap in the face directly from the Empress. Who then orders her daughter:

<Answer her. Truthfully.>

<I am compelled to obey her. I am physically incapable of rebelling.> Rei admits.

<See? The perfect daughter!> the Empress rejoices.

<So I was right. We are very much alike.> Leiko repeats.

<I very much doubt that. Unless you are also the undisputed ruler of your universe.>

<It’s deeper than that. We’re both aspects of the same person, the real Leiko Tanaka, and I think I’ve figured out exactly which parts we are.>

<Utter nonsense.>

<You’re her thirst for power and control. I’m her humanity… or what’s left of it anyway. We couldn’t be more different: you’re a power fantasy, and I was recreated by Noriko’s desire to have a normal mother with a boring job. But you know what we have in common?>

<Verbosity.> Rei deadpans.

<We both care about our daughter. You do it in your own twisted way, but…>

<Ridiculous. She’s just a tool for my goals. Nothing more, nothing less.> the Empress denies.

<Is it? This world literally revolves around you! You could’ve wished you had the Nexus. You could’ve wished you were the Slayer of Gods. But you couldn’t bring yourself to create a world without Noriko. Because despite your hatred, there’s still a part of you that deeply respects and admires her. A part that needs her.>

The Empress stares into the eyes of her counterpart for an uncomfortably long time, unblinking.

<Rei.>

<Yes, Mother?>

<Stop breathing.> the Empress orders, not breaking eye contact with Leiko.

Rei shows genuine fear as her body stiffens, clenching her fists as she holds her breath.

<What are you doing!?> Leiko exclaims.

<A demonstration. I don’t need anyone.> the Empress coldly states.

Leiko moves towards her daughter’s doppelganger: she didn’t even take a deep breath, so she’s already struggling to resist.

<You think relying on others is a strength? If we truly are aspects of the same person, you are my weakness.> the Empress says, approaching Rei who is starting to turn blue.

<Breathe.> she whispers to her ear.

Rei takes a panicked breath, placing her hand on her own throat.

<Thank me.>

<Thank you Mother.> Rei obeys with a raspy voice.

<Shoot her in the head.>

<Yes Mother.> Rei answer: her hand moves next to her belt, and a gun similar to the Genius Gun is teleported in her hand.

<Rei wait, you don’t have to…> Leiko tries to object: she can’t even finish her sentence before a blast of pure kinetic energy penetrates her brain, killing her on the spot.

<Good girl. Now get her out of my sight.> the Empress dismisses her, walking out of the Throne Room without a care in the world.

Rei is left there, staring at the corpse. Once her mother is out of the Throne Room, she has to wait for about thirty seconds before Leiko wakes up.

<I’m… still alive!?> she wonders herself. Rei doesn’t help her stand up.

<Of course. You’re not from Heaven, you can’t die here.> Rei reminds her.

<You knew this would happen!?>

<You’re lucky she told me to shoot you, not to kill you. If she had, I would be compelled to find a way to actually kill you.>

<Won’t she find out I’m still alive?>

<There are no cameras in the Throne Room. All she ordered me to do was to keep you out of sight, which is precisely what I’m going to do.>

<Did she say the truth? Are you really compelled to do whatever she says?>

<I don’t need your pity.>

<It’s not pity, it’s compassion.>

<Hm. So you are her weakness.> Rei comments to herself, adding as she activates the teleporter:

<Good. Let’s exploit it.>

 

Deep beneath the Imperial Palace

A sword made of Blood energy cuts through the reinforced door. It would make a tremendous sound when it falls on the floor if Kari didn’t catch it at the last second, using her 10K Rise to become strong enough to lift it.

A dozen Reibots activate, with a glowing red Ꙩ on their faceless heads shining. The light flickers for a couple of seconds before all of them collapse simultaneously.

Electricity flows out of their deactivated bodies, coalescing into a humanoid silhouette that returns to the flesh and blood body of Quantum.

<Well that was suspiciously easy.> he admits.

<They share the same recharge backdoor of my Nullbots. I specifically included that vulnerability so that you could incapacitate them; I was hoping Rei would unwillingly incorporate it.> Noriko Null explains, moving on towards what’s hidden in this secret laboratory.

Both the Heart Of The Universe and the Vial Of Destiny are floating in separate containment fields, connected to a computer unlike anything the rest of the Vanguard has ever seen.

<Our ticket back to reality?> Kari hopes.

<We can’t leave before learning what Rei has been doing to Heaven. I think she’s onto something big, not to mention very dangerous.> Noriko answers, working her way through the computer files.

<Hey how are we not tripping any alarms here?> Quantum wonders.

<I disabled them from the main lab. The encryption keys were the same I use for my labs.>

<Well that’s convenient. Nori, are you sure we’re not walking into a trap?> Kari says.

<We have to risk it. The work Rei is doing here is… oh no. This is bad, guys.> Noriko says, now that she’s done reading through the entire database.

<I know how she’s been able to jump through separate parts of Heaven: she used the Vial to unlock the Heart Of The Universe directly. That’s what powers her technology.>

<I thought her robots were more powerful than they should’ve been.> Vesta intervenes, slowly walking into the room: she’s accompanying the recreation of her very old husband.

<That was just the beginning. Remember that Reaper used three Hearts to get us into Heaven: they’re scattered across Heaven, but she’s created a feedback loop between them that is resonating with Heaven’s energies. It’s only a matter of time before it shatters the entire dimension.>

<Why would she do that? Didn’t she say she wants to leave?> Kari wonders.

<Theoretically speaking, shattering Heaven should open a doorway back to reality.>

<“Theoretically?”> Torn repeats, raising an eyebrow.

<This is complex math even for me, guys. I hate to admit it, but Abyss was right about one thing: I think Rei is actually smarter than me.> Noriko admits.

<So let’s just break one of the Hearts. That ought to stop the process, right?> Quantum hopes.

<I wish. Heaven is already past its point of no return: it will shatter. And when it does, it will pour enough raw energy into our universe to destroy the whole galaxy… at minimum.>

<Come on, there has to be some way to stop this right? My powers are connected to the Heart, maybe I can use my powers to contain it?> Quantum proposes.

<We’re talking three Hearts Of The Universe, Max. Nothing short of a Class-1 god can control energies of this magnitude.>

<Except one thing, if we are to believe my father. The Tablet Of Destinies.> Torn recalls.

<We don’t even know where that thing is!> Kari object.

<Actually… I think we can.> Noriko realizes, her silver eyes shining as she goes back furiously working on the computer.

<Rei’s been using the resonance of the Hearts to map Heaven, just like I did back in Kari’s dream world. Comparing the quantum signature of the sectors we’ve visited, I can isolate the remaining two that we haven’t seen. One must be where Roxiana ended up, and the other is untouched… the Tablet must be in one of those.>

<Even if you picked the right one, each sector is bigger than a galaxy right? It won’t be so easy to find it!> Kari objects.

<Yes, but I’m working on the assumption that Roxiana still has her Absolute Defense device with her. The Vial contains the last existing sample of Drylon device: if Rei’s contraption can use it to activate Drylon technology, maybe I can use it to ping both the Tablet and the Absolute Defense. And since I do know how the latter works…> Noriko explains rapidly as she works, holding her breath as the jury-rigged mechanism does it work. And her jaw drops when it does.

<I got it. Holy crap, guys, I got it… I just found where the Tablet of Destinies is.>

Her joy lasts just long enough to realize she’s being teleported.

 

Main laboratory

She’s been teleported so many times that Noriko isn’t disoriented for long: she slams her fists against the reinforced glass of her cell, facing Rei on the other side.

<You f##king idiot.> Abyss insults her from the cell next to hers.

<Inspired work.> Rei congratulates her. Much to Noriko’s surprise, Reaper is back to his Demon form and right beside her captor.

<You’re siding with her? Really? So much for your talk of being superior to us humans!>

<I have no use for the Tablet of Destinies. He’ll get to keep it.> Rei reassures her newfound ally.

<Rei, listen to me: this isn’t worth it. If you destroy Heaven, even if you do escape to the real universe there won’t be anything left for you to conquer!>

<There will be if I use the Tablet to stop it. And if that doesn’t work, I will simply find another place to rebuild. It’s a big universe from what I hear.>

<Did you really think you could get into her secret vault without her knowledge? How did I ever lose to someone like you!?> Abyss protests.

<It seems the original can always be improved. I can’t kill you, but Heaven does take a while to regenerate your bodies. Reaper, chop them into pieces: as soon as they start to heal, start cutting them up again.> Rei orders.

Reaper creates two scythes made of black Ichor, and as he approaches the cell he asks:

<Any last words?>

<I can’t do this alone. You were right.> Noriko admits, lowering her head and closing her eyes.

<That’s it? I expected something more poignant.> Reaper replies.

<Wasn’t talking to you. Abyss, now!>

<Soul Resonance!> Abyss yells.

<Soul Resonance!> Noriko echoes her.

Understanding what they’re trying to do, Reaper doesn’t waste any more time and goes for the attack: the scythes break through the glass like it wasn’t even there.

But before they can reach their target, the blades are deflected by Blood swords.

The lights suddenly go completely dark, despite the multiple redundancies in the generators.

And in the darkness, there’s only a single source of light.

Two incredibly bright silver eyes.

<Only one problem with your plan, Rei. I am Null.>

The lights come back up. Torn and Kari Zel are by Noriko’s side, Quantum leaves the laboratory’s electrical system to return human, and judging by the sound of an angry goddess flying though hundreds of feet of infrastructure Vesta isn’t far behind.

As for Abyss, her cage is now empty: the one in front of her is the real Noriko Null, feeling more alive than she’s felt in ages.

<And I have bigger guns than you can imagine. You want to mess with the Vanguard? LET’S GO.>