"..."

"..."

"..."

Shit, he's alive.

You cannot erase what does not exist.

"You're still here."

"..."

"It's the trousers. We caught them off guard."

"..."

There's nobody in there.

Please stop.

"Bye."

"..."

"Don't go anywhere."

"..."

"Cool, cool."

"..."

"Don't try stealing the spotlight. This was my gig."

"..."

"We did it, man!"

"..."

"Stop that now. We won."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

PSEUDOPOD's body, motionless.

PSEUDOPOD stares at the ceiling, glassy eyed.

Whatever happens has already happened.

"I'm sorry, man."

He breathes.

You're not sorry. You wouldn't have done this if you were.

Leave.

You turn from your double's body.

"It's better this way."

There's a leaf stuck to the sleeve of his pelota sweater.

You know this isn't better, that's why you didn't choose it for yourself.

"..."

"..."

Still nothing. This is who you chose to save.

"A beetle saved you."

"..."

"Sick."

"..."

"He was a good beetle, but still."

"..."

"We did it, man!"

"..."

"It's the trousers. We caught them off guard."

"..."

There's nobody in there.

Please stop.

"Bye."

"..."

"Don't go anywhere."

"..."

"Cool, cool."

"..."

"Don't try stealing the spotlight. This was my gig."

"..."

"Stop that now. We won."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Almost there."

"We're... alive."

He shows you a quick smile. Relieved but anxious.

"There was a... beetle?"

"Asset MYRMEX, yes."

Alternative wording

"Asset BOTTLEGREEN, yes."

Alternative wording

"Asset ANTLERS, yes."

Alternative wording

"Asset CARAPACE, yes."

"He was with us? That explains it then. Yeah." He looks off into the sky. "Pretty sick."

Alternative wording

"It was with us? Hrrm... that would explain it." He looks off into the sky. "I suppose he wears six tiny socks."

He taps his cleated shoes on the ground a few times.

"What do we do now?"

"Not going to ask if I'm okay or anything?"

"You seem fine."

"So... Mel will be worried..."

"Don't try stealing the spotlight. This was my gig."

"I won't! I just... want to be there." He looks by you. "I can see the city already."

"Let me try make myself look presentable at least..." He turns away from you to pat uselessly at his sweater.

"I'm telling her you had to be rescued."

"CASCADE, you treacherous fuck." He whines. "Let's just... get there. And then we'll see."

"We did it, it'll be fine."

"Yeah." He relaxes. "Yeah."

He's trying his best to trust you.

The danger isn't over for him. He's still waiting to see what you'll do.

"Yana's dead."

"I'm sorry." He clacks his shoe on the floor. "Very sorry."

"Yana's wanged."

"KAL's dead."

"Oh. Sorry." He clacks his shoe on the floor. "He knew the risks."

Callous... but KALEIDOSCOPE did murder him.

"KAL's wanged."

"We get out of here. That's what."

"Right. Mel will be worried." He coughs.

"It saved you."

"It did, yeah. I hope it's flown off somewhere nice."

"I activated my beetle powers."

"You... yeah. Sick. I would've done that too."

Hershel... Now he's going to lose his mind trying to activate nonexistent beetle powers.