Porrim returned to LOBAF with Kankri, the two of them thinking that their crisis with Rufioh was over.

"Kanny, thanks fo+r saving me fro+m go+ing insane back there. I do+n't think I'll ever understand what go+ into+ me in the first place. Kissmeses certainly are strange."

"Indeed. In the future, h9wever, it is imperative that y9u maintain a rati9nal mind and a s9nd thinkpan, t9 prevent 9r at least diminish further instances in which y9u act 9n 6lack feelings. Alternatively, I w9uld suggest that y9u seri9usly c9nsider celi6acy. It has given me many 6enefits."

"No, Kankri, I couldn't do that. Yo+u'd understand if yo+u were me."

"W9uld I? Such a n9ti9n—the idea 9f 9ne individual swapping lives with an9ther—is actually quite c9mm9n in vari9us w9rks 9f literature and film. In s9me cases, such a situati9n can be an er9tic experience f9r 9ne 9r 69th participants when…"

"O+k, that's eno+ugh. So+, no+w what?" Porrim asked.

"My sincerest ap9l9gies if I triggered y9u with my discussion 9f such a t9pic as 69dy-swapping. As f9r 9ur next task, I w9uld suggest 6eginning t9 arrange a meeting with Damara. It is necessary f9r 9ur sessi9n t9 pr9duce what Aranea referred t9 as a 'Genesis fr9g. She claimed that such a thing was necessary t9 pr9duce a universe alternate fr9m 9urs. What she meant 6y that I have little understanding."

"O+k, then, I'll just go+ tro+ll Damara," Porrim declared. Kankri followed her into her hive to see if Damara would agree to come over.

Gender=Advocate (GA) began trolling Armegido Associate (AA)

GA: Hey Damara, I need yo+ur help with so+mething. It's a tad co+mplicated, but I can explain it all o+nce if yo+u co+me o+ver to my wo+rld. It requires a Time player and a Space player.

AA: (offline)

GA: I'll just leave this fo+r yo+u to+ see, then.

Gender=Advocate ceased trolling Armegido Assoicate

"S9 she's n9t h9me? Perhaps the 9r6 9f c9nflict can tell us where she is—8ut 9nly if she is at the site 9f a c9nflict," Kankri suggested. So he took out his orb from his sylladex and used it. He and Porrim could see Rufioh flying in the air as a figure chased after him from the floor of a forest. They saw Rufioh crash into a pond, and the figure—clearly Damra now—dive in after him. They watched as she pulled him out, and, after some strange affection, decapitate Rufioh. At least Porrim did. Kankri was too triggered by the scene and threw up.

"Did this already happen, o+r has it happened already?!" Porrim asked Kankri.

"I'm n9t sure. It c9uld 6e n9w, have already 9curred in the past, 9r will 9ccur in the future. The visi9ns in the 9r6 never specify a time," Kankri told her nervously.

"We have t9 get 9ver there! That's Rufioh's w9rld, right?"

"It w9uld l99k t9 6e s9. And t9 think I th9ught we were finished with him. But may I ask s9mething?"

"What?" Porrim turned to face Kankri before heading out of the door to her hive again.

"What motivation do you have to rescue the matesprit of your kismesis? Why would you want to help someone that fought with you and hindered you from indulging in your black feelings? While I am a strong advocate for social justice, as you know, I see little reason to help unless you wish to be triggered by the gruesome death that has, will, or is happening. Of course, if you enjoy seeing such things, I apologize if I triggered you while discussing the idea that you should refrain from doing so."

"He saved me fro+m letting my emo+io+ns take co+ntro+l o+f me, Kankri. If he hadn't been there, Ho+russ co+uld have died. I o+we it to+ him to+ save him. Besides, mo+st o+f o+ur lusii are go+ne! All we have left no+w to+ help o+urselves is each o+her." Kankri realized that he had no choice but to follow her. It wasn't like he had much else to do, anyway. Or…

. . . . .

Damara watched as Fidusprite, having taken a long nap in Rufioh's coat pocket, finally woke up to the horror that its troll was dead. Damara frowned at it in pity. "(You should have taken better care of your troll)", she said mournfully as she tried to stab Fidusprite. The sprite flew away to try and seek help, instinctively heading back to LOTAS, Horuss' world. Damara smiled, amused by what she saw as the futility of the sprite's journey. She followed it into Horuss' world, upon which she found one of the towers near Horuss' hive and hid there. Her revenge was not yet complete. Sure, she could simply kill Horuss, but to watch him try in vain to revive Rufioh, only for her to crush their hope should he succeed, was a more enjoyable option in her mind.

. . . . .

Before Cronus could tell his hipster friends goodbye, he found himself suddenly heading into the jade mines. They were a series of vast caves stretching deep underground, contrasting with the otherwise urban landscape of LOJAP. True to their name they were filled with green crystals, most of them jade but a few of them more likely being kryptonite. But since Cronus wasn't superman he was fine.

Ivan had told him about this place, saying that it was full of things like imps and maybe even a few ogres. Cronus had never seen one before (really tells you how insulated he is from all this—everyone else has been doing cool stuff and he's done nothing!) so he had no idea what to think when he saw a strange creature little black creature in purple shorts, a gray t-shirt, with a cape, helmet, and a plasma pistol.

"What weapons do you have?" Aranea asked him.

"Vweapons? I don't hawve any vweapons!" he cried nervously as the imp charged up a plasma shot. Aranea made Cronus jump, realizing that this would be difficult, getting through a cave with no weapons.

"No weapons? What have even 8een doing your whole game?"

"Chillin' vwith my newv friends," Cronus replied as he just barely ran past the fist of an ogre.

"Oh. Looks like I wasn't interrupting much."

"I guess not," Cronus said weakly as a basilisk swooped down at him. "Vwhy are you controlling me and leading me through here, anyvway?"

"I suppose I should tell you, instead of just making you do it," Aranea admitted as she made Cronus grab a crystal and use it as a weapon to fight off the imps. "Meenah has gotten too powerful, I fear. She has the 8lack Queen's ring and tried to assassin8 two other players. I think she's dangerous. She could 8e a wildcard in this game, and we don't need one of those. I fear taking the ring from Jack could cause more trou8le than it's worth."

"Hold on, vwho's Jack?" Cronus asked as he involuntarily used his crystal to slash at an imp. "And hovw do you knovw exactly vhwere the portal to Meenah's vworld is?"

"The reason you have to do it," Aranea went on, "Is 8ecause Meenah's world is underwater. I'd do it myself, 8ut I want to see if I can at least teach her a lesson 8y having you rough her up a 8it."

"Did you evwen think this through?" Cronus asked as he finally approached the end of the cave.

"I just have to get her to come to her senses, and see that her actions aren't 8enefitting anyone 8ut herself," Aranea said, making Cronus jump into the portal.