Rose: Answer John.

-- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] --

EB: rose, i have a question, and i am in a hurry!
EB: so hurry up and answer!!!
TT: Did you know your planet was on fire?
EB: oh.
EB: it is?
TT: Yes. It makes a good light for reading, actually.
EB: ok, haha, that's a confusing thing you said, but that topic will have to wait!
EB: jade is minutes away from entering, and i need to decide what to do with this kernel sprite.
EB: i really don't want to mess up and do something stupid.
EB: i was thinking about not prototyping at all, to not give the monsters any new powers.
EB: what do you think, rose?
EB: i thought i'd ask since you seem to know all the mysteries.
TT: Yes, I do seem to be shadowed by each mystery and its somber cortege of riddles, don't I?
EB: yes.
EB: that is exactly what i was going to say.
TT: First of all, I should preface this conversation by saying I know exactly what you and Jade are going to do.
EB: um...
EB: ok?
TT: The more of our future I've been allowed to see, the more I'm presented with a challenge I'm not very comfortable with.
TT: The trolls have tipped us off about what's to come without any regard for the consequences, as appears to be their nature.
TT: But maybe that's why it's worked for them.
TT: Maybe their indiscretion mingles with the cosmic noise that is the fabric of temporal uncertainty.
EB: bluhhhhhh...
EB: rose, tick tick tick!!!
TT: Sorry, John.
TT: I'm just nervous about it.
TT: About whether telling you what you definitely will or won't do will alter a predetermined outcome.
TT: The result would be a splintered timeline, and we would all be sentenced to eventual oblivion.
TT: I'm presently optimistic this has not happened yet, and this is still the alpha timeline. I'd like to keep it that way.
EB: oh, wow.
EB: you mean like when i died in another dimension, because terezi hornswoggled me?
TT: Yes, sort of.
TT: It isn't much fun, John.
EB: what's not?
TT: Living for months in an offshoot reality, waiting for the curtain to drop.
EB: oh, ok, i see.
EB: well, uh...
EB: is there anything you can tell me?
TT: Hmm.
TT: I guess I can permit myself to tell you this, somewhat definitively.
EB: what?
TT: Failing to prototype the kernel is the absolute worst thing that you could possibly do.
TT: Like, ever.
EB: oh no!
TT: We would come into possession of all the disasters.
TT: Exhaustive possession. Monopolization, in fact.
EB: then i guess i will not do that.
EB: why is it so bad?
TT: Because the battlefield will not be able to heal, and then transform.
TT: It will not reach the stage which allows it to become ready to receive our universe.
EB: but...
EB: i thought you said it wasn't going to be able to make a universe anyway?
EB: wasn't it barren or something?
TT: Yes.
EB: so why is it important?
TT: Because if it does not reach this stage, we will not be able to recover the treasure hidden in its core.
TT: Which is to say,
TT: You will not be able to recover it.
TT: When you go to sleep again.
EB: OHHHHHH.
EB: why didn't you say so, of course the answer is treasure.
TT: Yes. This is the treasure that will give us hope.
TT: But only if it comes into being in the first place.
EB: what is the treasure exactly?
TT: John, what is that sound?
EB: what sound?
TT: It seems to be a ticking noise.
EB: aaaahh!
EB: yeah, i've got to go. we can chat about treasure later.
EB: anyway, i will sort out this prototyping silliness myself.
EB: thanks rose!

-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] --

> Jade: Examine punched card.