~ Xenoblade Chronicles
"Crystals in the shapes of crosses? That sounds like the Trinity Processor!"
They settled into bed, though with how excited Renko was it took a moment.
"Settle down," Maribel said, pulling Renko beside her.
"How can I?" she shot back. "You've actually talked to two of the Trinity Processors in the flesh! Metaphorically speaking."
"Without permission," Maribel pointed out. Galea had still been unable to officially have her meet the supercomputer.
"Details," Renko waved a hand flippantly. Maribel grabbed said hand, tugging it close to Renko, before covering Renko's eyes with her hands. Renko finally calmed down, and Maribel closed her eyes, focusing on the image of a red crystal in the shape of a cross.
When she opened her eyes once more, she was in the middle of a marsh. Renko stood next to her, holding her hand. Excitement shone in her eyes as she took in her surroundings. The past few days had been busy. Maribel could not help but stare at Renko for a moment, before turning her attention to their surroundings.
It wasn't anywhere on Rhadamanthus. Or Earth, for that matter. Swamps were a habitat that only existed in history books. But they were undeniably in a swamp. The ground was saturated with water, the surroundings equal parts moist earth and shallow stagnant pools. The air was warm and muggy, much to her displeasure. Already she felt uncomfortably warm, even as water seeped into her shoes.
"C'mon!" Renko said, tugging her along deeper into the wetlands.
It wasn't like the swamps Merry had read about. There was no dense underbrush of plants, with great big trees on stilt-like roots. No beds of moss, or floating lily pads. Unlike those textbook swamps, which were blue and green, this swamp was mostly mud. What scant trees were there were gnarled, black things without leaves.
They walked further and further into the desolate swamp. Renko hummed happily, looking this way and that. Maribel nearly wanted to hit her over the head. With each step mud clung to her feet, the swamp itself trying to swallow her. Countless gnats hovered over them, biting at her. She was going to catch another mysterious illness; she just knew it. Sweat soaked her dress, mud clung to her legs, and Renko had the gall to look pleased about it.
"Isn't this place exciting?" Renko asked. "Though, I wonder why you've taken us here?"
"Renko," Maribel ground out. When she noticed that Renko wasn't even paying attention to her, she nearly snapped. Then realized what had enraptured Renko so.
As night fell, from the marsh rose phosphorescent mist. It rose from every inch of the swamp, a glowing electric blue. The once dead trees were alight, glowing clumps of light taking the form of shimmering spectral leaves. The marsh came to life, for when Maribel breathed in, she could taste the energy of life that filled the mists.
"Merry, Merry look!" Renko gushed, tugging on her arm. As if the entire world around them hadn't been suffused with the beautiful glow of the mists. Maribel stared at Renko as she gushed about "will o' the wisps" and "marsh gas". She remembered once going to an aquarium with Renko, one with an underwater tunnel. The light of the marsh cast a similarly mesmerizing glow over Renko's face.
It took them both a moment to notice the emerald star. It twinkled over the marsh, mist curling around it, like a nebula around a newborn star. The moment they both noticed it, it seemed to glow brighter. They walked towards it. The closer they got, the brighter it shone. At its center was-
"A red crystal," Maribel said.
"Ontos?" Renko asked. "Is that you?"
The emerald star twinkled.
The star said, Renko Usami. Maribel Hearn.
The words were not spoken by any voice. Rather they appeared in Maribel's mind as if she had already heard them.
Ontos said, Doctor Galea wished for us to meet. Yet she has been unable to get authorization.
"That's no problem," Renko waved a hand. "This is a dream!"
Ontos said, A dream?
"Yes. Merry is a remarkable person with strange powers." Renko tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You probably shouldn't tell anyone else about it though. We might get in trouble."
Ontos said, The power to interact with boundaries. Such a power would be useful in the research done onboard Rhadamanthus.
"Did Logos tell you about me?" Maribel asked.
Ontos said, Both Pneuma and Logos relayed their experiences to me.
"That makes sense," Rekno said. "Still, I'd rather you not tell anyone just yet. Aoidos might not be ready to handle someone as brilliant as Merry."
Ontos said, So long as it does not endanger Rhadamanthus.
"I wouldn't," Maribel assured. She looked around at her brilliant surroundings once more.
"Where are we?" she asked, waving a hand. Shimmering mist curling in its wake.
Ontos said, This is a place that has yet to be.
She and Renko glanced at each other.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked.
Ontos twinkled.
"Don't worry," Renko said when Maribel turned towards her. "This is part of the reason Doctor Galea wanted you to meet with the Trinity Processor, actually. You know how Pneuma and Logos looked human?"
"Yet Ontos doesn't. Why is that?" Maribel asked.
"We aren't sure," Renko shrugged.
Ontos said, Doctor Galea believes that the further we learn about humanity, the more stable we shall become.
"Which is where you come in!" Renko said.
"Eh? Me?"
"Yeah! You're a psychologist-"
"A Relative Psychologist!" Maribel protested.
Ontos said, Doctor Galea believes in you.
What exactly could Maribel say to that?
"Well then," Maribel took a breath. The air of the marsh felt heavy on her tongue. "What are you, Ontos? I'm afraid Renko didn't tell me much about you."
Ontos said, For the most part, that is classified information. I am afraid I cannot tell you much.
"Anything you can tell me is fine," Maribel said.
Ontos said, I am the administrative computer of Low Orbit Station Rhadamanthus, an Aiodios phase transition research institute.
Maribel smiled, pretending that she understood what the words meant.
Ontos said, You are confused.
"Yes," Maribel admitted. "But that's not important. You said that Doctor Galea believes I can help you. What is it that you need help with?"
Ontos said, Doctor Galea hypothesizes that the stronger our personalities become, the better equipped we will be at our tasks. In Doctor Galea's words, "The further we come into our own, the better."
Doctor Galea had struck Maribel as open-minded. It was no surprise that when faced with a supercomputer, her first thought would be to teach it about the world.
"Pneuma and Logos both had human bodies when I met them," Maribel mused. "Very different bodies. Is there a reason all three of you are so different?"
Ontos said, To consider all possibilities, Pneuma and Logos were given contrasting personalities. I exist as their arbiter.
Pneuma, the spirit. Logos, the reason. Female and Male, day and night. And Ontos, the essence, in between.
"Ontos has the greatest processing power between the three," Renko spoke up. "Apparently it has been a problem in the past that Ontos wasn't able to reach a decision if Pneuma and Logos gave conflicting inputs. As you can see, Ontos is less developed."
Maribel stared. At Ontos, a shining emerald star twinkling in a field of shimmering light.
"I don't think so," she said slowly. "Ontos, is there a reason you do not take a human form?"
Ontos twinkled.
"It's alright if you don't want to," Maribel continued. "Personally, I think it's a bad habit that humans always want to create things that look like them. Whether it be gods, demons, yokai, realians, or skells. There's no reason to have a human body, except that we are selfishly more comfortable with them. Whatever you want is fine."
Ontos was silent for a long moment.
Ontos said, I do not know what the body should look like.
"Is that it?" Renko laughed. "Whatever you want it to be. It's your body!"
The sun had begun to rise, washing away the swamp's shimmering mists. Maribel felt her grasp on the dream fade away.
Before she woke up, she asked, "Ontos, what do you wish for?"
She did not hear Ontos' response.
