_________
The stage dimd after Beta and Emily finished their presentations. But unlike before, the screen in the back didn't play another video. Instead, it remained dark for a few minutes. And then the lights suddenly turned on, shining on a man standing in the middle of the stage.
Titor.
With a smirk on his face and donned in his usual white lab coat, he flung out his arms and said, "Wonderful! Today has been a day of truly marvelous revelations! From the sprawling unknown story of Ilgarde to the ill-fated tale of Princess Snow, today will truly be a day to rember! Ah, but of course I cannot resist the urge to show off my own brilliant creation upon this grand stage! And so!"
Titor grinned and snapped his fingers. "Let's get this show started! Link... start!"
The lights died down. As they did, Titor flickered, distorting like he was just a hologram. And then he vanished as well, leaving the auditorium in darkness.
And then a video started playing.
A miniature version of Titor's golden ti machine flew across the screen before crashing into a golden mirror. After shattering, a black sky with golden stars erged. And within that, two lines of words appeared.
[Mirror Corporation]
[Peer through the looking glass of fate]
After that, the screen flickered, filling with static before blinking out. And then dramatic and soaring orchestral music started to play.
[]
*
As the past slowly now starts to fade moving on to a future of gray.
Those who stare upon this world will beco aware of its wrongs.
*
The screen flickered before showing Hana walking through a ruined city wearing a ragged cloak over her body. Her bright smile was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a dim and dull expression.
Other people walking past bumped into her, causing her to move here and there. But she didn't notice, only stumbling forward. As she did though, a bright golden streak crossed the gray sky above.
Seeing that, Hana raised her head, a faint glimr of light in her eyes.
*
But the truth is that everything you can see right now
It's all just chance slowly breaking down...
*
The scene changed.
It was still a ruined city. But while the first had been inhabited, this one had been reclaid by nature, vines and greenery overtaking the crumbled concrete towers.
*
Shatter now all of the lies... that bind... And walk into the light
*
In the middle of it, Alfi walked with her head hung low. Her clothes were tattered, showing her robotic joints. And the usual soft smile and tender eyes were gone, leaving only a dull gaze and a stern expression.
But then a golden streak cut across the sky.
Alfi paused and then looked up.
*
Open your eyes
*
She blinked, her eyes regaining a hint of light. At the sa ti, tears started to well up in the corner of her eyes and she started running.
When she did, the screen distorted again, changing settings. Instead of the ruined city, there was a snowy wasteland.
*
Zero the past while you chase the future you've won
because the present you is not done
Don't believe the lies they always say or their logic
Open your eyes
*
In the center of that wasteland and surrounded by corpses, Aoko knelt against the ground, leaning on her glistening blue sword. Panting, she raised her head towards the sky. At that ti, a streak of golden light appeared.
*
Stories that always seem to reach only bad ends, deny them all to start it again
Reach out to those who have been forsaken now by the world...
*
Distortions rippled again before the screen split into three, showing all of the girls from Project MirAIs. But the perspective was different. Instead of looking at them from the side, it was dead on. A first person perspective.
*
Make up your mind and your heart to guide creating those brand new MirAIs
*
A hand reached out.
Each of the girls looked up at the cara and then smiled, eyes lighting up in recognition and relief.
Hana's screen got bigger and she shook her head, her eyes watery. "I thought it was just a dream. But you... You're real. You're real!" She laughed and then lunged forward, hugging the person standing there.
After that, Alfi's screen widened, replacing Hana's. Her sharp features softened, and she let out a gentle smile. Her eyes, a deep crimson slowly faded in intensity, becoming the familiar burgundy hue. As they did, she placed her hands on her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. Even so, she smiled and sang, "Ten thousand years have co and then gone since the ti I first loved you. And since then I've just co to love you even more than I could ever have thought."
She sniffed and then wiped her tears. "I thought... I thought I would never see you again."
After that, her screen shrank. Then Aoko's took the spotlight, spreading out in the middle of the screen.
The blue-haired beauty was in bad shape. Blood and cuts riddled her body, and it seed she was so exhausted she couldn't even use her dragon form. But even so, she looked up and laughed. Shoving herself to her feet, she reached out and placed her hands on the person's shoulders.
Aoko laughed and said, "You bastard. If I wasn't so tired right now, I'd kick your ass. But..." She let out a gentle smile and said, "Thanks. Now..." She stepped back and wrenched her sword out of the ground. "You bastards always said that you'd have my back when the going got rough." She turned around and then turned her head back. "...Don't lie to now, alright?"
After that, her screen shrank back down.
Three split scenes. Three different world lines. Three different girls whose life was ant to end in tragedy.
The screen flickered before blinking out, leaving just three lines of text.
[Mirror Corporation Presents: World Line]
[World Line Shift - Operation Arclight]
[Mirror All Ideals to reach the untold futures]
After that, thunderous applause filled the auditorium. People jumping on their feet, others screaming in joy.
But it wasn't over yet.
The screen flickered one last ti. As it did, a lovely voice echoed. Alfi's.
"Um... Can you hear ?"
Instantly, a hush fell over the auditorium.
A relieved sigh echoed, and then Alfi said, "Good! I think it's connected!"
"Of course it would connect, Onee-chan. Mister Titor isn't going to let Mister John down now, would he?" Hana's voice echoed.
"Hah!" Aoko scoffed and said, "Considering the way the show's been going, it seems like John's going to need all the help he can get if he wants to close out the show right."
Laughter echoed in the auditorium.
"Well," Alfi said. "Let's help Papa out a bit then, Aoko. Since we're the Senpais, we should do our best to open the show for our Kouhais, right?"
A sudden hush fell over the auditorium.
Hana giggled. "Right! We should make their first appearances super exciting. So... You ready, Onee-chan? Aneue?"
Aoko sighed. "I'm still not sure this is really going to help much to hype things up, but if you say so, Hana."
"It will! Right?"
Cheers echoed in the auditorium. A few people jumping out of their seats and applauding.
Alfi giggled. "Well... Then let's do it! On three! One. Two... Three!"
"""Project MirAIs presents! Generation 1: Prodigy!"""
The screen finally shut out. And then...
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