imaginarynetwork | MINI EPISODE. OPEN RECORDING?

In KV’s lab, multiple holograms of Greg have appeared on the computers there as well. One of them appears before Niely, who’s come to investigate the goings-on. Oddly, a window pops up on the bracers of the other reclaimers, allowing them to view a screen-capture of Niely’s screen and the coming conversation.

Niely is clutching the glass orb that the Variously-Named goldfish The Hammer/Mango/Bo Didley has been living in, watching this all unfold in awe. Like KV, they are newly inoculated, and quite struck by the revelation of their creation. Despite the clear worry on Niely’s face and their tail tucking between their legs a bit, Greg looks at Niely with kind and warm eyes. For the other reclaimers, it appears as though Greg’s hologram looks away from them and instead at the screen Niely is on.

“Niely,”

Greg smiles, arms open.

“One of my favorite creations. It’s amazing to meet you like this! You’re a very special Animalian.”

Niely points at themself.

“Me?” They ask. “Why am I different?”

“Because you’re made out of a bond itself,” Greg explains. “And given a whole new chance. You are magic from the past, made a part of Baisla’s future.”

Niely’s bean-brows furrow and Greg holds up a hand, becoming a bit more sheepish.

“Let me explain. Yes, you and every other animalian were made here for the Reclaimers. You helped me create a safe place where I could stitch together magic and hold back the passage of time. But I never had any intent of letting you go when the work was done.

See, we can save the world, but why stop there? Why not make this universe better? We could do that, if there were enough of us who wanted to. So I wanted Baisla to become a part of the new, better universe.

The only way to make that happen, though, was through the magic I was working on fixing. And there’s no stronger magic than a bond.”

A red line, also a hologram, shoots out suddenly to connect to Niely. That line extends to a hologram projection of the reclaimers that encountered Niel in Wonderland; a hologram representation of Honoka, Izuku, Kokichi, and Mia. The line divides to connect to each of them individually, and then those lines extend past them.

A projection of Niel himself appears between Niely and the aforementioned reclaimers. He doesn’t look the way he did in Wonderland at its end, wasting away and tired. He is healthy, like he was before.

“And the strongest magic in the universe lies in the bond between people. In their love, their joy, even their hatred. But especially in their love.

So I made your information out of that bond. That way, you’d be part of that one more chance Angus asked for— a chance for the reclaimers, for the universe, and for Niel, too.”

Niely remains quiet for the time being, watching Greg speak, tail shifting slowly behind their back. Greg carries on with his demonstration.

“And it was a good thing, too! You made bonds with the reclaimers. You and KV!”

To punctuate his point, red lines connect between a projection of KV and between Sans, Sayori, and Church, as well.

“And even through losing their memories, the Reclaimers made bonds with each other.”

More red lines appear, this time between all the remaining reclaimers themselves.

“Those bonds are all magic. They’re all strengths that you, Animalian and human and orc and elf alike, everyone, everyone ever can draw from that magic.

And that magic is what already make you and the rest of this island just as real as everything else in Faerun.”

But Niely’s worries don’t seem assuaged. Tail still tucked, they point their nose at the projection of Niel and ask—

“But what does that mean? Do I have to be… him?”

Greg shakes his head.

“No. You may be made up of Niel’s hopes and dreams and bonds, but you, Niely, you’re you. You’re brand new. Just like that hat of yours— how KV made it for you out of one of their old shirts.

It’s not that shirt anymore. It’s a hat.

And you, Niely, are you. Brand new. Your bonds, the ones between you and the reclaimers—”

Projections of Alex and Angus appear next to Niely, connected to them by a red line again.

“— those bonds are brand new too, and all yours. And the future they’re fighting for, their future, it’s… your future, too.”

Niely looks at the little orb in their paws, then ahead at Greg. Greg gives Niely that same smile from before.

“Isn’t there a future you’d like to fight for?”

Niely is quiet, but nods, eyes focused.

Greg’s smile widens.

“Now we’re talking! Let’s help these Reclaimers get their hands on that Relic, shall we?”