,,,,,,,,,,,,(t8n:"fade-up")[Now, only black remained. It felt as if it'd been that way forever. A few million years ago, you'd see the occasional flash of light or pass through the odd cluster of matter. But those times were gone too. Space felt like more of a vacuum than it ever had. But the adjustment was so gradual that you'd never consciously noticed. And you didn't mind, anyway. More peaceful this way. More time to think. =|= (button:)[[...->Introduce Jioni]] =|= =|= |==| ]The upload process was described as "permanent". But there was an implicit understanding that nothing man-made remains made long. Your family, your friends, humanity's cleverest and richest. They all drifted apart over the ages. Tiny stochastic irregularities weakened the bonds between their nodes, similarly to how physical brains used to decay over just a century. Each uploaded consciousness took up an area the size of a small planet - a proton here, a down quark there, all painstakingly co-opted into an inorganic fascimile of a human mind, theoretically immortal. But nothing man-made remains made long. Except for you and Jioni. You just might be all that remains of Earth. =|= (button:)[[...->Reminisce about Earth]] =|= =|= |==|It's incredible how much you can remember from your brief time on your home planet. Your artificial neurons seem to prioritise the memories from before your upload over the ones you've created since. But that's the way you like it. Life was a bit more interesting back then. =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your childhood.->earth1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your career.->earth2]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about Earth society.->earth3]] |==| "Twenty two more minutes." You allowed a warm joy to gush over each of your senses. Any thoughts you were having drowned instantly in a sticky ocean of affection. (link-reveal:"\"You are ''unbelievably'' precise.\"")[ "Well, that's how you like it." Jioni had only been wrong a handful of times in the billions of years you'd known (cycling-link: 2bind $pn2, "her", "him"). Granted, the definition of a "handful" had grown a few orders of magnitude in that time, as humanity forgot what a hand really looked like. But (live: 0.1s)[$pn1] had an incredible sense for the ethereal, so you had absolute faith in a prediction like this. (live: 0.1s)[(upperfirst: $pn1)] wouldn't make it lightly. (link-reveal:"\"And then that's it?\"")[ "Either that's it, or that's it //for now//," Jioni whipped back. It's the kind of thing (live: 0.1s)[(print:$pn1)] would've said with a wink. Back when (live: 0.1s)[(print:$pn1)] had (link-reveal:"eyes.")[ Oh, Jioni's eyes. Despite the passage of billions of years, you're lucky enough to remember what they looked like. You did lose quite a few memories when you were uploaded. But you could //never// forgot Jioni's eyes. =|= (button:)[[...->Upload exposition]] =|= =|= |==| ]]] (live: 0.1s)[ (if: $pn2 is "her")[(set: $pn1 to "she")(set: $pn3 to "her") ](else:)[(set: $pn1 to "he")(set: $pn3 to "his")]]Your early life was fine. But it didn't really get going until you met Jioni. Jioni was an artist. (upperfirst:$pn1) designed stunning spatial models with ornate stylisation. The way $pn3 models evoked emotion rather than realism reminded you of the old two-dimensional painters. You shared 2 flawless decades before you were uploaded together. Longer would've been nice. But that period felt like a whole lifetime. And you've enjoyed countless lifetimes together ever since. =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about the day you met.->jioni1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your life on Earth.->jioni2]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about being uploaded.->jioni3]] |==|"Maybe..." Jioni ambles through the word, stretching it to breaking point. (upperfirst:$pn1) takes a deep breath. "I think... our love for each other is literally keeping us alive." It's an adorable thing to say, and also quite sweet to hear. =|= (button:)[["That's charming, but love isn't an empirical force."->Love21]] =|= (button:)[["But we can't be the only lovebirds in the universe?"->Love22]] =|= (button:)[["Do you really think so? What do you mean by that?"->Love23]] |==|"Just a few more minutes." You try to focus your colossal mind. The time for thinking about the past is over. (link-reveal: "\"So, are you ready? For the end?\"")[ "We've had all the time in the universe," replies Jioni. "We've seen everything there is to see, with the best possible company. There's nothing left to do." (link-reveal: "\"But wouldn't it be nice to have... more time?\"")[ "Maraj," says Jioni calmly. "We might be the last two people in the entire universe. We've had the most time out of anyone. Surely that's enough?" =|= (button:)[[I don't want it to be over. I want to stay here with you.->Decide on rebirth]] =|= (button:)[[We've made the most of our life. That's all we can ask for.->Decide on death]] |==| ] ]Stubborn passion is a curse. Everyone else - and every//thing// else - has moved on and gracefully bowed out. Why are you still stuck with the same desires you've always had - to experience more permutations of events, to bask in Jioni's brilliance, to show $pn2 you care? You're not ready. After all this time, you selfishly want more. No, you ''need'' more. "I am ''so'' relieved you said that," Jioni exclaims. It's not quite what you expected to hear, given how $pn1 was just speaking. "I've never wanted anything as little as I want this now," $pn1 continues, $pn3 voice rapidly crumbling into a weep. "I'm not ready to lose you yet." (if: $jioni3)[You haven't seen $pn2 like this since the day you were uploaded. You remember $pn3 vivid eyes, puffy and reddened, moments before you escorted $pn2 into the chamber.] You don't have time to be devastated. (print:(upperfirst:$pn1)+"'s") just said the best possible thing that $pn1 could have. Even in these final moments, $pn1 is perfect. You gather all of your fortitude. (link-reveal: "\"Then let's not call this an ending. I'll take you with me.\"")[ Jioni attempts to stabilise (print:$pn2+"self"). (upperfirst:$pn3) cosmic brain, still primitive and instinctual in so many ways, yearns to cry through rich, beautiful eyes that haven't existed for eons. "That would be nice," $pn1 manages. =|= (button:)[[...->Pre-ending]] =|= =|= |==| (set:$ending="rebirth")]"I'll see you on the other side, my love." "Here's to the next one," replies Jioni with a poignant glee. You wonder if there'd still be tears in $pn3 perfect eyes. You contort your consciousness towards Jioni's geometric centre, only to feel (if: $pn3 is "her")[hers](else:)[his] meet you halfway. There's nowhere you'd rather watch the end of the universe from. =|= (button:)[[...->Ending 1a]] =|= =|= |==|"Thank you for spending the universe with me." "A universe very well spent," $pn1 quips. You contort your consciousness towards Jioni's geometric centre, only to feel (if: $pn3 is "her")[hers](else:)[his] meet you halfway. "There's nothing this can take from us," continues Jioni with steadfast determination, perhaps detecting a hint of sorrow creep into your voice. "At the last possible moment, we still feel the same as we always have. It'll be that way forever." It's exactly what you needed to hear. (link-reveal: "\"I love you, Jioni.\"")[ "I love you too, Maraj." =|= (button:)[[...->Pause]] =|= =|= |==|]You never feel so brave as when you think about Jioni. Your body may be long gone, but your heart is as strong as ever. And there's nothing you wouldn't do for $pn2. You hope (print:$pn1+"'s") as proud of you as you are of $pn2.(if:$earth3)[ The powermongers back on Earth gave up their entire humanity for material luxury and fleeting fame. What would they give to be the two of you now? The last humans: immortal, and wholly fulfilled. All it took was tireless devotion to another person. Simple, really.] (if: $soul)[Regardless of why you're still here, you can't resist wondering whether your souls will prevail somehow in a post-physics era. While you're prepared for a true ending, the beauty of life is that you never quite know for sure.](else:)[Eons ago, physicists argued over what would happen in this moment. What they agreed is lost to time, if they ever agreed at all. The comforting thing about science is that it happens whether you can predict it or not.] =|= (button:)[[...->Pre-ending]] =|= =|= |==| (set:$ending="death")Quiet. (t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:3s)[The sky was once full of stars.] (live: 7s)[(t8n:"instant")[(go-to: "Opening 2")]](t8n:"fade-up")[One by one they faded, gently, into the ambience.] (live: 4s)[(t8n-depart: "instant")[(go-to: "Opening 3")]]The moment passes. (text-style: "buoy")[(t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:2.5s)+(t8n-time:3s)[The clock starts again.] (text-style: "sway")[(t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:5s)+(t8n-time:2s)[From the top.]]] (live: 7s)[(go-to: "Pre ending 1")](text-style: "rumble")[ (set: $1cbg to (gradient: 90, 0, #ff8000, 0.45, #ffef8a, 0.55, #ffef8a, 1, #ff8000)) (enchant: ?Page, (background: $1cbg)) ''And everything is light, heat and force.''] (live: 5s)[(go-to: "Pre end card")]Earth was a rough planet to grow up on. As a kid, you thought it was cool to be from the birthplace of the species. But Earth was a complete dump. A practice ground, where humanity learned what worked and what didn't in aid of its future conquests. You spent most of your youngest years indoors. The air wasn't safe outside and your family couldn't afford a new bodysuit every year while you were growing. It wasn't a very social existence. Your parents did their best, but they had to work too many hours to spend any meaningful time with you, and the family size restrictions meant you weren't allowed siblings. You read a lot. Historical chronicles, adventure fiction set in pre-industrial times, even encyclopedias. Anything that could give you a taste of what life on Earth used to be like. While it did feel bittersweet at times, it mostly served to keep your imagination fuelled through long days alone. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->prejioni]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your career.->earth2]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about Earth society.->earth3]] |==| (set: $earth1 to true)You worked in a museum. The Museum of Human Discovery. Your collection mostly consisted of artifacts - natural and otherwise - found in the far-flung planetary systems the Frontier Office was colonising. There were also a few historical specimens from ancient Earth to illustrate humanity's sociological journey. They weren't popular, but they were secretly your favourites. You started as an archivist. The job was mostly digitising the physical collection into models the public could download and play with. Regular people couldn't afford to travel between cities, so your work made the pieces far more accessible. Your passion led to advancement until you had some control over curation. You lived out your final corporeal years designing exhibitions celebrating the human exploratory spirit. The museum wasn't anything especially prestigious, but it did pretty well throughout your tenure. It helped that the government saw your collection as a fantastic propaganda tool to get the public onside with their perpetual expansion. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->prejioni]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your childhood.->earth1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about Earth society.->earth3]] |==| (set: $earth2 to true)Earth's political order was utterly rotten when you were physical. It //was// democratic - in theory - but any mechanisms for accountability had been methodically dismantled over previous generations. The divide between the rulers and the common people was cavernous. The oligarchs had free reign. It was a time of great innovation, and of great stagnation. Productivity continued to increase while living conditions got worse. The workers built new and wonderful things which never seemed to make it to market. Earth had been converted into an engine room to service shiny new worlds and the wealthy people that lived there. Things did get better a few centuries after you were uploaded. For a while, at least. The people rose up and took control of their labour. It was a joy to cheer them on from light years away. You didn't even feel envy. They'd earned it, and you hadn't. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->prejioni]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your childhood.->earth1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your career.->earth2]] |==| (set: $earth3 to true)You met through your role at the museum. Jioni had been commissioned by the higher-ups for a job. They wanted to make your latest exhibition look more //presentable//. (if:$earth2)[It was about the future of humanity - where it would go, how it would adapt, how long it might survive. You wanted it based on sound sociological principles. The primary sponsor - the Frontier Office - was more interested in self-aggrandising science fiction.] You first met to give Jioni $pn3 brief in a pokey meeting room near the Archives Wing. (upperfirst: $pn1) seemed withdrawn. Maybe even a little melancholic. It made sense to you. Nobody really gets excited about a corporate gig. Your eyes locked with (if:$pn3 is "his")[$pn3](else:)[hers] as you began to speak about the job. You talked of wanting to celebrate humanity. Not its achievements, but its very nature. (upperfirst:$pn3) blank look of resignation turned quickly to suspicion. Then, in a microsecond, it ignited into hopefulness. Cautiously, $pn1 began to rebut with $pn3 own ideas. You retaliated with all the creativity you could muster. (upperfirst:$pn3) deep eyes opened ever wider. =|= =|= =|= (button:)[[...->jioni1_2]] |==| (set: $jioni1 to true)You were tempted to emigrate together to a fresh world that hadn't yet been destroyed, of course. It certainly would've been easier and safer, and probably cheaper in the long run too. But, by the time you'd worked long enough to earn some decent money, the mass exodus from Earth meant that tourism from the colonies was becoming a major industry. With that economic opportunity came infrastructure. Suddenly, Earth's citizens could travel outside of their home cities for the first time in decades. You and Jioni loved human history, and there was so much to see on Earth. Plus, the inherent danger was a little bit exciting. So you stayed behind. =|= =|= =|= (button:)[[...->jioni2_2]] |==| (set: $jioni2 to true)The first uploads happened when you were a child. They didn't go especially well, but the potential was clear, and the tech got more and more reliable as decades passed. You'd never really thought about whether you wanted one. You weren't in the right socioeconomic class. But, by some chance, the price of an upload cratered when you and Jioni were in middle age. An upload could only be done before one's 60th birthday. Something about preserving the young brain before it deteriorated naturally. When it came time to make the call, neither of you could face the idea of losing the other's company, even in an abstract sense. For the first time in human history, the afterlife was a concrete, provable phenomenon. Why pass that up? You selected some cheap plots out near Barnard's Star and, after stumping up the majority of your life's savings, embarked on one final jaunt to spend the rest of both your cash reserves and your 59th year. Your destination? The dessicated deserts of Mesopotamia. =|= =|= =|= (button:)[[...->jioni3_2]] |==| (set: $jioni3 to true)"Twenty-one more minutes". Your humble beginnings are pushed from your mind's eye by Jioni's assured voice ringing through the vacuum. They're quickly replaced by childlike adoration of $pn3 confidence, $pn3 bravery in the face of doom. (link-reveal:"\"I was just remembering how imperfect my life was before I met you.\"")[ Jioni responds with a light, flirtatious chuckle. You gave up on hiding your infatuation so, so long ago. There are times you still feel a touch cloying. But the sense of smug satisfaction you detect from Jioni makes it well worth it. =|= (button:)[[...->Reminisce about meeting Jioni]] =|= =|= |==| ]"Hey, Maraj?" You melt. Your name spoken in Jioni's voice is still one of your favourite sounds in the universe. (link-reveal: "\"Sorry, yeah. Daydreaming again.\"")[ Jioni's voice quivers slightly. It suddenly sounds as if $pn1 were holding back tears. "Why do you think it's only us left? Why have //we// survived until the end?" You'd always wavered. Could science explain why your mind was still active while everyone else's had dispersed? Or was it something more supernatural that protected you? With billions of years to think it over, you still hadn't quite reached an answer you were happy with. =|= (button:)[["Maybe our souls are stronger, or tied more closely to the physical plane?"->Soul]] =|= (button:)[["Maybe our uploads have been better sheltered from random interference?"->Science]] |==| ](t8n:"fade-up")[ nothing but me and you Written for <a href='https://itch.io/jam/shufflecomp-2024' target='_blank'>ShuffleComp 2024</a> by <a href='https://games-for-people.itch.io' target='_blank'>Nick Gelling</a>. Inspired by a random crowd-sourced playlist: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-U3SxlCMGY&t=347s'target='_blank'>El-P - Nothing But Me and You</a> <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfcWOPpmw14'target='_blank'>Magdalena Bay - Image</a> <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTcbD552d2o'target='_blank'>Hirsh Glick - Shtil, Di Nakht Iz Oysgeshternt</a> <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcWW5ZfXrxs'target='_blank'>Cults - Gilded Lily</a> <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klkaQFZicuo'target='_blank'>Mort Garson - Cathedral of Pleasure</a> (songs listed in order of influence) Thanks to Stefan, Biggus, A Villarroel, catsket and the <a href='https://www.tumblr.com/neointeractives'target='_blank'>Neo-Interactives</a> team. And thank you for reading. (link: "Restart")[(reload:)]](live: 3s)[(go-to: "End card")]"Maybe our souls are stronger, or tied more closely to the physical plane?" You've always been open-minded. Even as humanity learned more and more about the universe, mysteries always remained. In early human history, entire populations believed in supernatural forces guiding their lives and protecting their prosperity. That kind of worship had fallen well out of favour by the time you were growing up, but you'd always found the metaphysical concepts very fascinating. In a way, it's comforting to believe in a bit of magic. It keeps things more exciting after all these years. But you're not sure it can explain this particular miracle. =|= (button:)[[...->Love]] =|= =|= |==| (set: $soul to true)"Maybe our uploads have been better sheltered from random interference?" Reality has laws. It's boring, but it's true. You don't understand them all because you're not a scientist, but that's totally fine. You don't need to rely on mythology to dumb it down. In ancient times, mysticism bore too much of humanity's burden, and it led to stagnation and conflict. You've always believed there's a better way. Now, probabilities, they exist. Luck is a belief system too, in a way. But somehow, it still doesn't explain to your satisfaction why you're still here. =|= (button:)[[...->Love]] =|= =|= |==|Hours passed and your shift ended. You took the conversation to the closest restaurant. Grand schemes bounced back and forth. Enormous murals plastering entire museum wings. Immersive simulated tours of distant worlds. Jioni dragged you to $pn3 apartment to start designing prototypes. There was only one workstation - you'd left yours at the office - but you were so happy just watching $pn2 create magic, and stoking $pn3 fire when you saw an opportunity. (upperfirst:$pn1) fell asleep just before sunrise, hunched over dozens of blueprints and diagrams, the melancholy erased from $pn3 velvet-smooth face. You let yourself out. You never started dating, exactly. You both just wanted to maximise the time you spent together. It quickly became clear that the easiest way to do that was to stay in the same apartment. None of the prototypes from that night were ever developed, of course. You'd never convince your boss to dedicate enough budget to art. But the ideas were as good as real in you and Jioni's minds. And that was enough. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->Why are you still here]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your life on Earth.->jioni2]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about being uploaded.->jioni3]] |==|You settled into a delightful rhythm - catching some boat or plane ride with a legion of tourists, then travelling on foot for a week or two to get to the really interesting places. It was very risky - if any of your equipment for air filtration, temperature regulation or predator repulsion failed, you were as good as dead. But it was a risk worth taking. (if:$earth1)[Plus, all those encyclopedias and historical novels you read as a child made it a lot easier. You'd always been a student of the world - now, it was finally opening up to you.] Your dive suits were the best purchase you ever made - they let you swim through the toxic waters of once-thriving streets. Singapore, Manhattan, Tokyo. They were a beautiful reminder of the fragility of life. On each trip, Jioni would reimagine the scenery in awe-inspiring pieces of art for sale in the city. You'd sniff out rare treasures that could be taken back and sold to collectors. With your talents combined, the trip almost paid for itself. Almost. It was the perfect life for both of you. But then, the time since has been just as perfect, in a lot of ways. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->Why are you still here]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about the day you met.->jioni1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about being uploaded.->jioni3]] |==|When the day came, you relished the physical contact of one final hug, one final caress of the hair, one final stare into each other's eyes. You wept in Jioni's arms. You're not sure why, looking back. But it felt right at the time. Jioni was uploaded first. You held $pn3 hand through the entire procedure, feeling $pn2 twitch and jolt as $pn3 consciousness was meticulously transcribed. (upperfirst:$pn3) body was still alive when the doctor stepped into the room to lead you away. (upperfirst:$pn1) was in a sort of coma, exhausted from the upload. (upperfirst:$pn1) would be euthanised before $pn1 woke up. And then it was your turn. There was no pain, nor any need for anaesthetic. It tickled, really. Like your brain was a harp being elegantly plucked. You tried to delay the inevitable sleep, but it was far too enticing. And then you woke up. Hundreds of kilometers from Jioni, but cosmically, right nextdoor. And you picked up where you left off. =|= (button:)[[Continue...->Why are you still here]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about the day you met.->jioni1]] =|= (button:)[[Reminisce about your life on Earth.->jioni2]] |==|"Only one more minute." For just a fraction of a second, a flicker of doubt enters your mind. Jioni never has a scientific basis for $pn3 intuitions. How can $pn1 be so sure of the exact timing? You direct your attention to the spaces between the nodes of your consciousness. Where you'd expect to feel the odd pang of gravity from a morsel of matter, or detect one or two photons of light, there is nothing. You can feel Jioni's presence, and the rest is a complete void. Sure enough, you're fairly certain the end has come. Time and space is dead. (if:$ending is "rebirth")[[["I'll see you on the other side, my love."->Ending 1: big bang]]](else:)[[["Thank you for spending the universe with me."->Ending 2: universe ends]]](live: 2s)[(go-to: "Ending 1c")](t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-time:2s)[Quiet.] (t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:3s)+(t8n-time:2s)[The sky is devoid of stars.] (t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:6s)+(t8n-time:2s)[The sky is devoid of all it once encompassed.] (t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:9s)+(t8n-time:2s)[(text-style: "blur")[Entropy is victorious. The experiment is over, never to be repeated.]] (t8n:"fade-up")+(t8n-delay:12s)+(t8n-time:3s)[(text-style: "blur")[(text-style:"expand")[There is no grand finale.]]] (t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:15s)+(t8n-time:3s)[(text-style: "blurrier")[(text-style:"expand")[There is only ''black''.]]] (live: 24s)[(go-to: "Pre end card")] (set: $opac=1) (after: 18s)[(live: 0.1s)[(if: $opac>0)[(set:$opac to $opac-0.003)](enchant: ?Passage, (opacity: $opac))]]"We've never grown bored, or taken each other for granted. We're always challenging each other. So our minds have stayed focused and sharp." You pause, stunned. You've gone through periods, in the time since everything wound down and the sky became dark, where you've been tempted to hibernate and rest your mind. But you never gave in, because you didn't want to waste a moment with Jioni. And you especially didn't want $pn2 to feel alone - even for a single year. Is it self-indulgent to even //consider// that $pn3 theory makes sense? =|= (button:)[["I... think you might be on to something."->Love31]] =|= (button:)[["You really do come up with some unbelievable ideas."->Love32]] |==|"That's charming, but love isn't an empirical force." "I don't mean love as a force of nature. I mean love as a state of mind." There's a slight lull in the conversation. Jioni leaps to fill it, perhaps anticipating another snide dismissal. (display: "Love common")"But we can't be the only lovebirds in the universe?" "Maybe our love is stronger than anyone else's," $pn1 continues earnestly. "I'd certainly believe it. Wouldn't you?" It tickles you to hear such a grandiose romantic gesture delivered in such an unromantic way. (display: "Love common")"Do you think so? What do you mean by that?" You've learned a million times over that doubting Jioni tends to end in embarassment. (upperfirst:$pn3) theory sounds sappy and sentimental, but it's worth listening to. Jioni, for $pn3 part, seems momentarily thrown-off. Maybe $pn1 was braced for a bit more cynicism than $pn1 got. (display: "Love common")"I... think you might be on to something." Jioni lets out a small, self-satisfied hum. "Of course I am," $pn1 boasts. "That's why I said it!" As if you could love $pn2 any more. =|= (button:)[[...->Discussion about your wishes]] =|= =|= |==|"You really do come up with some unbelievable ideas." "Yeah, okay, Maraj," purrs Jioni playfully. "That's exactly what you say when you want to agree with me but can't bring yourself to admit it." You reach for a reply but quickly recognise the futility. (print:(upperfirst:$pn1)+"'s") absolutely skewered you with that one, and you both know it. =|= (button:)[[...->Discussion about your wishes]] =|= =|= |==|(set: $pn1 to "she")(set: $pn2 to "her")(set: $pn3 to "her")(set:$earth1 to false)(set:$earth2 to false)(set:$earth3 to false)(set:$jioni1 to false)(set:$jioni2 to false)(set:$jioni3 to false)(set:$soul to false)The silence rings. It's the loudest silence you could ever imagine. For just a moment, you swear your mind merges with Jioni's. You can remember $pn3 memories: of (if:$jioni1)[how close $pn1 was to giving up art before the day you reignited $pn3 passion](else:)[$pn3 family], of (if:$jioni2)[swimming through the endless ruins of Tokyo City](else:)[Earth], of the entire journey you've been on together. (upperfirst: $pn3) recollections swirl around your own, flicking through your mind's eye with incomprehensible speed. It's strange to feel such tender, passionate thoughts for yourself. They fold elegantly into your own, which you hope desparately that Jioni can feel in return. =|= (button:)[[...->Pause]] =|= =|= |==|(live: 2s)[ (if:$ending is "rebirth")[(go-to: "Ending 1b")](else:)[(go-to: "Ending 2b")] ](t8n:"fade-up")[Clusters became singletons. Singletons became dust.] (live: 4s)[(t8n-depart: "instant")[(go-to: "Opening 4")]]