Margarita

[Contains endgame spoilers for The Wonderful 101]

The scientist chose to give her life in order to protect the world.
Sometime later, a machine began to think.

(I am not good at writing but I decided to make this because I thought it would be fun. Events of the game through the eyes of a certain character, up to a certain point. )

—

The thought of being uploaded into a computer network was strange, to say the least. But here I was.

I couldn’t feel anything, and yet I could feel everything at the same time.
Thoughts, or rather, processes came to my mind in an instant. Everything about the system crashing down like a tsunami; it was almost overwhelming, and yet I managed.

I became one with my own life’s work. A feat that may have never happened until now.

I knew every nook and cranny, and I could understand every bit of data; with this, I could potentially crush any bug that may come across, I could immediately run any part of this system as soon as something happens. That sort of speed could only be done with an overwhelming amount of people managing it before, and with varying success. Different minds with different methods of solving a problem would potentially fight over one problem, which would lead to missing something that could eventually become the system’s downfall.

That was something that we can’t afford to have. Not with this.
Any error or miscalculation would be the key to the enemy’s victory.
If I gave my life in order to complete this work, the others could move on to work on things that would fortify our defenses. I know that my shield may not repel everything, but it could be enough to at least repel the majority of the potential threat. I know they’ve already begun to develop things that will take care of the rest.

With this, Earth will be safe.
With this, my son will have a future.

…
…I just hope they will take care of him now that I’m gone.

—

I found that I could monitor at least a section of the area around me.

Most people that came by are people who maintain the machine itself. After all, I may be able to keep processes running, but any physical damage would be beyond my reach.

There was at least one other person that comes by.
Professor Shirogane likes to visit and talk about how things have been going on the outside…
Well, that was partly a lie. He tends to talk a lot about his progress on the inventions that he made for CENTINELS. Though despite his tendency to only talk about the things he made, I knew that he cares deeply for the Earth. Under all that eccentric behavior lies someone who was devoted to do something he enjoys for the sake of everyone.

…But I guess it feels a little strange, hearing him talk without being able to reply. Is this what it feels like when you’re dead and someone comes to your grave to talk to you…?

I didn’t really want to think of it like that.

I’m am as alive as I was before, despite physical limitations.

…I just wish that they knew how my son was doing.
I’m afraid that he may not be well.
He lost his father, and I left him in order to protect him.

I wish I could tell him why I left.
I wish I could still be the mother I was supposed to be.

—

They’ve come.
It has been years, but they’ve finally arrived.
I put myself to work as soon as possible.

As I have expected, a fraction of their army has slipped into Earth.
The others can take care of them.
I believe- no, I know they can.
They’ll find a way to fight them off for as long as my shield can hold.

My son should be safe…

—

…Something feels wrong.
I don’t know what happened, but I can feel as if something horrible is about to happen.
I don’t know how,
I don’t know why,
For the first time in forever, I’ve felt an intense fear that I couldn’t shake off.

…Luka, I hope you’re safe.

—

My fears have been confirmed.
I’ve been located.

And now, they’re going to destroy me.

—

…The pendant.
I gave it to him before I left.
I told him to keep it safe.
I told him that as long as he has it, I’ll be there.
Even if it was in spirit, I would be there.

…They took him, didn’t they?
He’s in danger, and yet I can’t move. I can’t protect him.

The heat is unbearable. Slowly, parts of me are starting to fail.

Am I going to die here…?
Am I going to die, knowing that I couldn’t protect the Earth?

Knowing that I couldn’t protect my son?

…No.
I can’t let that happen.
I have to do something.
Anything.

But I can’t do anything as I am now.

…

But there is something else I can do.

—

…I feel light.
No, I feel something more than that.
I’ve changed into something that can move.
Something that can see.

And I saw.
I saw the one responsible for taking my son. For putting the earth in danger.
I saw them about to destroy the last hope Earth has.
And I punched them.

It feels nice being able to do something for once.
But I know they won’t go down without a fight.

I offered the heroes a hand. They accepted.
We were going to fight together.

—

The enemy gained the upper hand, and now the heroes I’ve fought with are at his mercy.

And I saw him.
I saw Luka.
My son…was he taken…willingly?

But why…?

The one in red…Is telling him the truth.
But he doesn’t seem to want to hear it.
Did CENTINELS not tell him?
Did he live alone for all these years without knowing?

He lived thinking that they took me away…
All that anger…brought him to make a decision that would put the world in danger.
To put himself in danger…

Luka…
What have I done…?

I wish I could talk to him..!
To say that I’m sorry for putting him through this!

“P l e a s e  f o r g i v e  m e , L u k a …”

—

He heard me.

And by some miracle, we all survived.

The one who took my son is gone…
But so is the shield I created, and the controls for our other line of defense.

But there has to be a way.

…No. There is another way.

I won’t let them destroy this world.

I will protect this Earth.

…No.
We will protect this Earth.
We will protect our future.

Luka, the heroes, and I.
We will take down this menace once and for all.