Realizations in a Land of Purified Sugar

In a Reality of Sorts

     Guiding the Batter along the same hallway a second time was not enjoyable. The familiar static was crescendoing in waves; it just grated along my ears. I kept to the sides along the walls, desperately hoping that another recurrent Elsen wouldn’t be around the corner. The silence of the Batter was mocking me, it felt as though he would never understand my apprehension. I scoffed and took him down another path, walking past the monorail station and back to the other side of the disgusting bright green known as Area 2. The slow, echoing footsteps reached past me, a telltale Elsen lumbering towards us. I groaned in exasperation. I literally just defeated this guy five minutes ago. Just how fast do they respawn...!? The Elsen contorted, clearly in some sort of psychosis.

         “Su..gar... need.....sug-”

          It’s movements jerked as it started to burn and shift into a large blackened monster, the kind I’d already dealt with at least six times in the past hour. Inspecting it with Wide Angle, it described the spectre as a Pastel Incendio. The unsettling static continued on as the confrontation began- the Batter raised the Michael Bat as the Add-Ons floated protectively around him. I set him off on Auto- he doesn’t need me controlling his every move. He probably knows it as well, that he is powerful. I could hear the crack of the Michael Bat slamming against the pastel incendio. The glow of the rounded Add-Ons flared as they held off the enemy long enough for the purifier to recharge. The Batter ended it with one last crack, the burnt scientist fading into dust on the plastic ground.

    -Adversaries purified-

       I led him back to the floating yellow box sitting in front of the monorail tracks, saving our progress of the day. Letting out a sigh, I found it easier to breathe when I shut the computer off.

    I stared at the black screen, wondering if I could complete the area tomorrow. Sleep was calling, though. My legs seemed to move on their own towards my bed, and I relaxed into the mattress. Once I finished setting the alarm on my phone for 5:55, I closed my eyes and tried to think of better days.

<-><-><-><->

    I felt a cold sweat down my back. I just went to sleep, didn’t I? My thoughts were interrupted as I witnessed the Batter head onto the Monorail back to Area 2. How? How is he moving? I’m not controlling him, so who...?

    I attempted to materialize myself into the train car, surprised that it actually worked. The Batter was sitting calmly on the red seats, however his body was rigid. I walked over and stood in front of him, waving my hand in front of his face. No reaction. I was starting to feel irritated that he was simply ignoring me, until the realization that he just can’t see me entered my thoughts. Well, it’s certainly plausible. I don’t even think he knew of my existence until he talked to me directly in the cafeteria. The Batter kept his focus out the window, looking only forward for his mission. ...His mission?

    He should still be in Area 4 if he wanted to progress, not traveling back to Area 2. What is he doing? I believed all he cared about was purification. The monorail groaned to a stop in Area 2, the Batter jumping off the car and running north.

    Why is he doing this...!?
    I followed him as fast as I could. He was heading towards ...Zacharie’s booth. I mean, I guess we might need supplies from the merchant, the last few battles depleted some luck/fortune tickets... wait, this isn’t okay. He needs to wait for me to make the purchases, not be wasting our credits. I followed him in and attempted to stay out of sight, just in case Zacharie could still sense me in this. Dream? I’m not sure what it is anymore. I peeked around the corner and strained my ears, trying to understand.