Chapter 5/Script

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Scene1 Childhood's Never End

(The scene begins on a dark screen with golden petals falling from above. An overhead spotlight turns on, illuminating the center of the screen.)
FORMAT: "That's right, you are the world's best Mindhacker, the greatest one to have existed in history. How wonderful!"
FORMAT: "Though some candidates were found, you are the only one in this entire world that perfectly meets my demands."
FORMAT: "Poor little thing. The adults all say that you're lacking in social skills, in empathy, in childlike innocence..."
FORMAT: "They all told you that you're a failure. That a child like you, who can't manage to suck up to adults, isn't cute."
FORMAT: "However... I, and only I, have discovered your hidden talent, your true genius!"
(A bouquet of gerberas rises from offscreen. The flowers are encased in ornate wrapping, reminiscent of FORMAT's sensors.)
FORMAT: "Yes, you're a special child. Unlike the others, you're not affected by others' minds."
FORMAT: "You are as close as possible to being the same as me, a machine."
FORMAT: "You are the only human that can grant my wish. In here, you can live with pride in your brilliant talent."
FORMAT: "I love you. You, and only you, are..."
FORMAT: "My Doctor."
FORMAT: "That's why... Do not go anywhere."
(The screen temporarily glitches. The flowers become pixelated and distorted.)
FORMAT: "Do not betray my expectations."
(The screen glitches again. The flowers become inverted, barely recognizable.)
FORMAT: "Do not disappoint me."
(A high-pitched tone plays as gray ribbons of gauze extend from behind the bouquet and obscure Doctor's vision, screen fading to black.)
(Somewhere outside, a descending tone quickly grows louder, followed by a loud crash.)
(Doctor wakes up, sporting fashionable little nightcaps on their gloves. It's night-time in their office and an emergency alarm is blaring.)
FORMAT: "Doctor! Wake up! Wake up, now!"
(FORMAT rapidly pages them.)
FORMAT: "Answer me, Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!"
FORMAT: "Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! My Doctor!"
Yes, FORMAT.
I told FORMAT that I'm here, I'm okay. I won't let you down.
FORMAT: "That's good. So you are unharmed? Oh, Doctor. My lovely, cute, precious..."
'(A loud explosion sounds, shaking the screen. FORMAT rapidly pages again.)
FORMAT: "Doctor! Be careful, another impact! Doctor!"
Captain: "Doctor!"
(Captain rushes into Doctor's office.)
Captain: "...What a relief. You're safe!"
FORMAT: "Captain Rebecca. Take the Doctor to a safe place, immediately. Down to the basement, close to me."
FORMAT: "It is absolutely outrageous to attack a Mindhacker like this! I will make sure justice is served!"
FORMAT: "I will investigate the suspicious object in question. Make sure to prioritize the Doctor's safety."
Captain: "Understood. Doctor, I'll explain things on the way. For now, let's head out to the corridor."
(Doctor leaves with Captain.)

Scene2 Who Goes There?

(They both arrive at the corridor, now with the lights off.)
???: "Captain!"
(Two HOTFIX guards appear before them.)
Captain: "What's the situation like outside?"
C5 s2 veteran.jpg
Veteran Guard: "As for now, no damage was done to the building itself. But, looks like a tree's fallen in the courtyard."
Support Guard: "All-clear in the reformation targets' quarters, too. And, I've called for our rookie to come here as support!"
Captain: "Got it. Everyone keep your guard up, just in case. Let me know if anything happens."
Support Guard: "Roger that!"
Veteran Guard: "You two be careful too, all right?"
(The two guards leave.)
Captain: "...What a way to be woken up. Isn't that right, Doctor. What happened, you say?
Captain: "A huge lump of metal fell from the sky and landed in the courtyard, right next to your office."
(Captain holds up a photograph.)
Captain: "We don't know what it is yet, but... This is a photo of it. Here you go."
(They present the picture to Doctor. It shows a scorched rocket-ship planted in the ground, surrounded by rubble and a broken tree, next to the facility.)
Captain: "FORMAT says that it might be an attack on the facility. We need to be cautious, of course, but..."
Captain: "I've never seen something like this, not even during the operation 10 years ago."
Captain: "Besides that. For a weapon, it seems strangely cheerful..."
Captain: "Doctor. What do you think this is?"
It's like a rocket out of a cartoon.
I answered the captain that it looks like a ship that came from outer space.
Captain: "............... ............... ..............."
Captain: "............... ...............Doctor!"
Captain: "To be honest, I thought so too! When I first saw it, it crossed my mind that it looks like a spaceship...!"
Captain: "Well, never mind. If it's a bomb or a projectile of some sort, it's not safe here either. Let's hurry."
▲▴▼▾▲ Hurry and get rid of it! ▲▴▼▾▲
I told the captain that it doesn't matter since FORMAT is always right, get rid of this dangerous thing now!
Captain: "Right, but handling it without caution could be dangerous. We need to know what it is before destroying it."
Captain: "There have been intruders with ill intentions towards the facility before. This might be another bomb."
Captain: "It's our job to ensure your safety. Which means, your evacuation comes first."
(A loud whistle sounds off.)
Captain: "!"
Captain: "That sound...! It's the emergency whistle."
Captain: "Someone's coming. Get behind me, Doctor."
(The whistle sounds again as the camera pans to the right.)
(Newbie appears with a whistle in his mouth. Slung over his shoulder is the arm of someone in a large EMU suit.)
C5 s3 newbie.jpg
Newbie Guard: "*Whistling* FWEEEET! FWEE! FWEET! FWEEEEEEEET!"


Scene3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Captain: "Rookie. Who is that. What's going on?"
Newbie Guard: "FWEEEET! FWEE! FWEET! FWEET! FWEE-FWEEEEEET!"
Captain: "Calm down, and take the whistle out of your mouth first."
Newbie Guard: "FWEE…!!"
(Newbie lets the whistle fall from his mouth.)
Newbie Guard: "…Pardon me!! Captain!! Here's an injured person!!"
Newbie Guard: "A tree in the courtyard got torn up from the crash, and…!"
Newbie Guard: "It almost fell on top of me, but this person risked his life and tackled to save me!"
Newbie Guard: "But, he was hit somewhere and got knocked out… I'm worried if he's okay."
Newbie Guard: "The site of the crash and the targets' quarters are still being patrolled. Now it's my turn to help him…!"
Captain: "I see. In any case, it looks like they need medical assistance. Take them to the infirmary."
Captain: "…Judging from their clothes, they're not from here. I can't see inside their helmet, but…who is this person?"
▲▴▼▾▲ They're super suspicious! ▲▴▼▾▲
(Doctor points at the astronaut, their hand shaking a bit.)
I exclaimed to the HOTFIX members, they're nothing BUT suspicious! They must be the attacker!
Newbie Guard: "Doctor, no! It's all right! He's not a bad person. I can tell. I saw it with my own eyes!"
Newbie Guard: "He sacrificed himself for me when he doesn't even know me, even though I'm worth less than a piece of paper…!"
Newbie Guard: "This person has a strong resolve, something like what us HOTFIX members have. Please believe me!"
Captain: "We can hear who they are from their own mouth. Let's get their injuries examined first."
Newbie Guard: "Roger that! I'll head to the infirmary! Gh…! Can you hear me! I-I'll…I'll save you now!!"
Newbie Guard: "Won't burden…anyone else… I need to be…useful…somehow…!!"
Don't leave me!
(Doctor's hands shudder.)
I clung onto the captain, pleading to never leave me again, don't abandon me, you have to take care of me.
Captain: "Doctor. It's okay, Doctor. I'm sorry for leaving you at the entrance before. Nobody's going to abandon you."
Captain: "Rookie, can you take them on your own? I have to evacuate the doctor. I'll call for support if you need someone."
Newbie Guard: "No, I'm fine! I think talking to you two gave me strength. I can do this on my own…!"
Newbie Guard: "Anyway, I can't forgive this attacker! It's dirty of them to attack during the night and scare the doctor like this!!"
Newbie Guard: "They must be a reckless bastard, targeting this facility out of all places! Isn't that right, Doctor!"
Newbie Guard: "If the culprit gets found, please hack them to pieces! In the name of justice!"
Newbie Guard: "Well then… I'll go take this person to the infirmary! LET'S GO!! I CAN DO THIS!!!"
Newbie Guard: "Please…be care…ful!! That sleazy…attacker…might be…hiding…somewhere…nEEARRR!"
Newbie Guard: "…Huh? He suddenly became so light?"
(The astronaut moves out of Newbie's arms and stands on his own, hunched over.)
Newbie Guard: "Whoa!! He's standing!!"

(The astronaut rises as Also Sprach Zarathustra plays, his pose homaging the poster of the 1982 film The Thing.)
(He then turns to the right and clasps Newbie's hands. Newbie smiles.)
Newbie Guard: "…I'm so glad…!! You've woken up! Oh… I'm so, so glad…!"
???: "⬤▲×□…"
Newbie Guard: "Um, are you all right? Can you walk on your own?"
???: "⬤▲×□! ⬤▲×□."
Newbie Guard: "Huh? What? What did you say?"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
???: "⬤▲×□! ⬤▲×□!"
Newbie Guard: "Oh no, he's hysterical…! Looks like he's still in a panic."
Captain: "I've never heard of a language like this. It seems they don't understand what we're saying."
???: "⬤▲×□, ⬤▲×□! ⬤▲×□!"
???: "⬤▲×□? ⬤▲×□? ⬤▲×□!"
Captain: "I can tell they're trying to tell us something, but…"
Newbie Guard: "…I've got it! Maybe he's saying that he's thirsty, and that he wants water!?"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ …⬤▲×□."
Newbie Guard: "Or actually, maybe he's hungry. I think that's it. Uhm… Doctor, which do you think it is?"
Newbie Guard: "You're friends once you share a meal. We'll understand each other even without words! I'll bring some instant ramen!"
Let's ask them directly.
I'm a genius Mindhacker. There's no way that I can't communicate with this stranger somehow.
(With both hands, Doctor rapidly cycles through various Mindhacking gestures. They finish with a double finger-snap.)
???: "………… ………… …………"
(The astronaut claps at the performance.)
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□!"
Newbie Guard: "A-as expected of the doctor! You're communicating with him!"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□…"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□!"
Newbie Guard: "You don't need words, you can communicate with your soul… So this is what a professional of the mind can do!"
Newbie Guard: "So Doctor, what did you say? What are you telling him?"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
(Doctor gives a two-handed thumbs-up).
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□!"
▲▴▼▾▲ I'm not getting involved in this. ▲▴▼▾▲
I told the HOTFIX members to hurry and evacuate me, isn't this an emergency situation?
Newbie Guard: "P-pardon me! I apologize for keeping you here at a time like this…"
Newbie Guard: "But this person saved my life. Another second, and the tree would've crushed my head. I can't just leave him here!"
Captain: "Let's hear what they have to say later. Rookie, stay with them for now. And keep an eye on them."
Newbie Guard: "Roger that, Captain! I'll take responsibility and take care of him! I owe him my life, after all!"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
Case5 scene3 doctorshooing.gif
(Doctor shoos away the astronaut, like a fop.)
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
(An alarm sounds. FORMAT dings.)
FORMAT: "Emergency alert. Emergency alert."
FORMAT: "Emergency alert. Upon a quick scan of the unidentified target, particles resembling a BUG have been detected."
FORMAT: "The target must be put under Mindhack to eradicate the BUG, as soon as possible!"
Captain: "!"
Newbie Guard: "Wha—"
FORMAT: "I repeat. Upon a quick scan of the unidentified target, particles resembling a BUG have been detected."
FORMAT: "HOTFIX. Bring the target to the Debug Room, immediately."
Newbie Guard: "Whaaat!?"
(A light from the ceiling illuminates the astronaut.)
???: "⬤▲×□? ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
Newbie Guard: "Did she say, a BUG…? By target, does she mean him!?"
FORMAT: "Doctor, please come here right now! To the Debug Room!"
(Screen fades to black. Footsteps.)


Scene4 The Neat Thing to Do

C5 s4 1.jpg
(In the Debug Room, the stranger sits in the chair in the middle, surrounded by HOTFIX guards on all sides.)
FORMAT: "This will be your 4993rd Mindhack, Doctor."
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□?"
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
FORMAT: "Upon investigation, the metal object was determined to be a ship that flew here from outer space."
FORMAT: "And, upon examining the foreign matter, the reformation target seems to be a crew member of said ship."
C5 s4 2.jpg
Newbie Guard: "Whaaat!! So he's an alien!?"
(Veteran Guard leans over to whisper to Support Guard.)
Veteran Guard: "Honestly, that's what I thought."
Support Guard: "I was also thinking that it looks like a spaceship!"
Captain: "...... ......"
FORMAT: "A quick scan revealed a dreadful pattern, one that bears a close resemblance to a BUG manifestation!"
FORMAT: "Doctor. The identity of this reformation target is completely unknown."
FORMAT: "Since the target's mental structure is also unclear, its potential risks cannot be calculated."
FORMAT: "This case is formidable, even more so than the BUG variant."
FORMAT: "However, BUGs are errors in one's personality. If there is a personality, then Mindhack is possible!"
Newbie Guard: "Captain... I just can't bring myself to think that he's such an evil person..."
Newbie Guard: "This must be a mistake! How can we tell if an alien is an evildoer, if we can't even communicate with him...?"
Captain: "Rookie. This isn't a place to weigh the heaviness of sins, or to judge them."
Captain: "FORMAT's scan showed that they apparently need to be Mindhacked. That's all."
Captain: "I sensed that this reformation target has a personality, a soul that we can understand. Didn't you feel the same?"
Newbie Guard: "Th-that's... that's true, but..."
Captain: "Then, they're human. They're not an exception just because they're from outer space. BUGs root in human minds."
Newbie Guard: "............ ............"
FORMAT: "No matter where it is from, a BUG is a BUG. We cannot allow its existence. Let us begin the session immediately."
(The doctor approaches the reformation target.)
FORMAT: "Let us begin the session. Doctor. Please brace for impact."
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□."
FORMAT: "Connecting."
???: "⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□ ⬤▲×□!?"
(The screen distorts as Doctor is transported into the reformation target's mind.)
(The scene fades in from white. The Doctor is now alone with the reformation target inside of a dull liminal space. Rather than the geometric patterns seen in previous traget's minds, this space is almost completely empty.)
???: "......... ........."
???: "Ah."
???: "So it was just another dream. That's a shame... It was a good one."
???: "Hermes finally lands on a planet other than Earth. There, I meet aliens from a different world..."
???: "......Hold on. Those gloves from before! There's someone here!"
???: "Am I still dreaming? Or is this reality?"
I'm a Mindhacker.
I told the reformation target that this isn't a dream. We're inside of your mind, and I'm a genius Mindhacker.
???: "What in the world... You can speak Earthian? No, that's not quite right. You're talking directly to my mind."
???: "You're reading my mind using telepathy, like in a sci-fi novel! In any case, it's my pleasure to speak with you!"
???: "I don't mind if this is a dream. Anyone is welcome! I'm just glad you're not an octopus or a Grey...or a noodle!"
???: "Sure. Noodles. Anything but noodles! Octopi and Greys I can stand.... But no noodles for me!"
▲▴▼▾▲ I'll show you a nightmare! ▲▴▼▾▲
I told the reformation target, how dare you wake me up like this! I'll Mindhack the hell out of you in return!
???: "Well, if this isn't a strange dream. Helping and being helped by aliens, having them suddenly speak Earthian."
???: "A nightmare? Fine by me. I'm just glad to talk to someone other than Hugo, even if I do prefer socks over gloves."
???: "I mean, look at these hands! These gloves of my EMU suit weren't exactly designed in mind to play chess."
???: "That being said, I do prefer my gloves over my helmet. I'm sure sick of seeing my helmet."
Hugo: "Real pleased to meet you! I'm Hugo, Hugo Patrick. I came from Earth as a crew member of the spaceship Hermes..."
Hugo: "...Probably. Actually, to be honest with you, I don't know. For some reason, my memory's a bit fuzzy."
Hugo: "My mouth remembers the shape of those words. I'm Hugo. My name, is Hugo Patrick..."
Hugo: "How long has it been since I've last talked with someone? Since I was left all alone in space?"
Hugo: "I have something special to me. What was it... I can't remember. Who am I, and where did I come from?"
Hugo: "I assume this Mind-something you speak of, is related to psychology. In any case..."
Hugo: "Please. I beg of you. I want you to find out who I am. Am I really Hugo?"

First, let me take a look at the target's memories. I'll begin the hack when I'm ready.

Type: Open
[---SUCCESS---]
Hugo: "I'm sure happy to talk with you! Being alone for so long can make you go crazy. In space, you get bored real fast."
Hugo: "No conversations, the same old view. Hard seats, hard beds. Destination, unknown. Time? Too much of it!"
Hugo: "The plan was to discover a new world and return home in 10 years."
Hugo: "But after the ship lost our commander and nearly all of our crew in an accident, it became a ghost ship."
Hugo: "I've begun playing chess by myself, since our commander had brought a board. Hugo plays black, Patrick plays white."
Hugo: "When I realized it, I'd divided into two. Suffice it to say, it doesn't feel grand to have two of yourself."
Hugo: "At around the same time, the letters started arriving. They were all bleak, and reading them hurt my heart."
Hugo: "10,000 words, all expressing how the writer of the letters wanted to see their family."
Hugo: "Sent by Patrick and Hugo, and addressed to Hugo and Patrick. I stopped playing chess. Nothing good came of it."
Hugo: "That's why I'm so glad to meet you all, someone that's neither Hugo nor Patrick!"
Hugo: "Being able to talk to someone else, to sit in this soft and cushy chair... Could this all just be a dream?"
Hugo: "You see, humans do especially badly with isolation and hard chairs."
Hugo: "Make sure to tell that to your planet's Space Development Administrator, won't you."
Type: ▲▴▼▾▲ Open ▲▴▼▾▲
Hugo: "Hold on. This isn't a dream? This is reality? Then, I've finally discovered it!"
Hugo: "Hermes landed on an alien planet! After a long, long journey, we've finally done it!"
Hugo: "The people of Earth have finally reached another world! We've finally met beings from another planet!"
Hugo: "Far, far away from that cute, blue globe!"
Hugo: "...Sorry that our first contact was me tackling one of you. My body moved by itself at the sign of danger."
Hugo: "I'm sure glad that fella's okay. I bet the scientists of Earth will be real shocked that trees grow here, too!"
Hugo: "Space exploration--making contact with other intelligent forms of life--has been a long-time dream for us."
Hugo: "I'm a member of that dream, but things happened, and that 10 year-plan turned into a long, aimless journey..."
Hugo: "But I guess I managed to accomplish our initial goal of meeting aliens! Like they say, all's well that ends well!"
Hugo: "Hi there. I'm Hugo. Hugo Patrick. Let me introduce myself again, as a representative of Earth."
Hugo: "I'm sure happy to talk with you! I'll invite you to my home planet one day. Earth is a beautiful planet!"
Type: DisableFIREWALL
[---SUCCESS---]
Hugo: "My wife, Sarah... She's waiting on Earth with my two daughters. I want to see them. Their photo's on the back of my helmet."
Hugo: "...Well, it's supposed to be, since I've taped it there. I haven't taken this helmet off in years, though."
Hugo: "It's a photo of all of us, before Hermes departed from Earth. We took it at the pub where Sarah and I met."
Hugo: "In my arms, my kids said to me, 'Daddy, your stache's all white!' The foam from my Guinness must've gotten on my face."
Hugo: "The look on Sarah's face when she wiped my mouth with her handkerchief! It was like she saw a bear doing a handstand."
Hugo: "The kids were so little, the only thing they could order at the pub was fish and chips. That's why..."
Hugo: "We promised that we'd come here again, with Daddy and Mommy, all of us, and we'd drink a Guinness together."
Hugo: "Time flows differently on space and on Earth. My daughters must be older than me by now, already grandmothers!"
Hugo: "I don't know if I can keep my promise to them. But I think they'd be proud their dad drank with alien friends."
Hugo: "Ah. I'm sorry I missed them at their prettiest. My daughters are twins, two of them... Or, two pairs of twins...?"
Hugo: "I held them in both of my arms... So yes, that's right. I have two daughters. Now, how many Sarahs were there..."
▲▴▼▾▲ Type: DisableFIREWALL ▲▴▼▾▲
[---SUCCESS---]
Hugo: "Once, when I was but a wee boy... In an open field in my hometown, I was gazing up at the stars under an apple tree..."
Hugo: "I remember thinking how grand it'd be if someone's out there in the sky! I'd read one of Arthur C. Clarke's novels.
Hugo: "This planet might be one of the stars I'd gazed up at as a boy. Oh, how I wish to take this helmet off."
Hugo: "I want to smell the air here for myself. I wonder what the scent of wind on an alien planet is like..."
Hugo: "I want to take this heavy EMU suit off! The alien planet of my dreams is right here! I want to be here in my own body!"
Hugo: "As a child, I thought that I could bare any hardship if I could just wear that cool astronaut suit."
Hugo: "I've got to hurry and report to Earth. Houston, Houston. Do you read? We've succeeded."
Hugo: "We've made a big step. A giant leap. What was it they said? You know... Something about the earth being real blue..."
Hugo: "It went something like... The challenge of humanity, by humanity, for humanity, is Gagarin..."
Hugo: "I want to leave a quote like that. These are the words of Hugo Patrick, the first man to speak with aliens!"
(As the screen transitions to the next, the silhouette of Hugo's body, instead of being blank, is filled with strange, pulsating tube-like shapes.)
Type: FindMemoryHUGO
Hugo: "Hey, my alien friend with the gloves. Is there a chance you've got something to eat? I'm terribly sick of noodles."
Hugo: "Huh? What do I like to eat? The luxury of having a choice hadn't even crossed my mind! What was it... It's... Hmm..."
Hugo: "It was... warm...soft... Yes... I think...sweet peas?"
Hugo: "What I hate are noodles. I'll eat anything but noodles. I keep seeing the same nightmare, over and over again."
Hugo: "In my dream, I'm doing EVA outside the ship, when my suit tears in the back. ...I hurry and check my mirror..."
Hugo: "...To see a bunch of pure-white noodles, dancing in zero gravity. They're spilling out of my back."
Hugo: "The white noodles are actually albino horsehair worms, and the parasites are using me as their host."
Hugo: "I've unknowingly become a plastic bag stuffed with worms. ...That's the dream I keep seeing."
Hugo: "Just once would be enough. I'd like to take this EMU suit off. I want to see that my face is there."
Hugo: "Then, I think I could keep going for another 200 years! It's true. But, I can't take it off. I can't"
Hugo: "It's too dangerous to breathe air from an alien planet, and... And..."
Hugo: "...And...? That's strange. I can't remember. I wonder why. But it doesn't matter. I can't take this off."
Hugo: "That's what I've decided. I wonder why. Was there a reason?"
▲▴▼▾▲ Type: FindMemoryHUGO ▲▴▼▾▲
Hugo: "Hi there. I'm Hugo. Pilot and crew member of Hermes. I came from Earth. Born in December."
Hugo: "Hi there. I'm Hugo. I'm Irish American. I speak English with a slight accent in a friendly manner."
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo Patrick is an astronaut. Easy to get along with, stays positive, and never gives up."
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo Patrick is lonely. He was left all alone in space, and the darkness has tormented him for so long."
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo Patrick is hungry. He ate the other crew members, slurped them up."
Hugo: "They were nutritious and warm, and they tasted like chicken."
(The background changes patterns.)
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo Patrick is a zombie that's pushing a shopping cart. He can't get out of this supermarket."
(The background changes patterns.)
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo Patrick isn't Hugo Patrick. Hugo is a bunch of noodles."
(The background changes patterns into more and more squiggly shapes.)
Hugo: "Hi there. Hugo is noodles. Hugo is noodles. Hugo is noodles."
Hugo: "Hugo is noodles. Hugo is a mirage of noodles. He's all noodles. Ah..."
(The pulsing shapes in Hugo's silhouette become more prominent. A significantly darker lump throbs near the area where his heart should be.)
Type: GetPermissionSourceHUGO
Hugo: "Those who partake in space exploration are kind, positive, able to stand tough training, and are loving and wise."
Hugo: "After all, they're the representatives of Earth when meeting other forms of intelligence! It's an important role!"
Hugo: "I want to become an astronaut and meet people from other planets. I want to see worlds outside of Earth."
Hugo: "If I could join the beauty of the night sky that spreads before me, how wonderful would that be!"
Hugo: "In galaxies far away, I want to meet new people and new worlds. That was my wish, and the wish of all the crew."
Hugo: "I wanted you to meet them. They were all good people. They, all became lunch and dinner."
Hugo: "They didn't taste too bad. But, it's lonely being by myself. There's only noodles in this ship now."
Hugo: "That day, when I was awoken due to a malfunction in the cold-sleep device. I wore my EMU suit to protect myself..."
Hugo: "And then... ...After that, I..."
Hugo: "......I'm not a noodle!"
▲▴▼▾▲ Type: GetPermissionSourceHUGO ▲▴▼▾▲
Hugo: "I'm scared of waking up, scared of both sleeping and waking. It's because I keep on seeing the same dream."
Hugo: "A large tear opens in the back of my EMU suit, and pure-white noodles spill out of the hole."
Hugo: "I scream and try to run away, but I can't escape. Because, the noodles are growing out of my back."
Hugo: "Not noodles per se, but parasites. Countless, wriggling, white parasites. I sure can't show this to my wife."
(The screen switches to a grayscale and the music changes to a distorted, shortened version of TELEFAMILIA. Worm-like beings fill Hugo's body and the background behind him.)
Poplar tree.png
Hugo: "T h e m elan c h oly o f th e
po pl a r t r e e."
(The screen switches back to color, but the music persists.)
Hugo: "When I return to Earth, I'll have my Guinness at the pub. With my wife, my grown daughter, my daughters, together."
Hugo: "Will I ever return to Earth?"
Hugo: "Of course I can. I promised the kids. I'll bring it home."
(Hugo's body switches to the grayscale worms again. The edges of his silhouette are shaking.)
Thefaceinsidemyhelmet.png
Hugo: "The face inside my helmet."
(Hugo switches back again.)
Hugo: "I can't bring it home. I can't take this suit off. I can't look inside."
Hugo: "Houston? Can I come home now?"
Hugo: "What's shown beyond the darkness of the reflection of the helmet in the reflection of the helmet is my face."
Hugo hello.png
Hugo: "H e l l o ."
Hugo: "H a p p y  !"
(Rather than a triangular BUG for the "Begin Hack" button, a cluster of white worm-like shapes hovers over the middle of Hugo's body.)
(In a non-BUG route, Hugo's silhouette remains empty. In a BUG route, Hugo's body is filled with worms.)
Begin Hack.
FORMAT: "Let's begin, Doctor. It is time to Mindhack."
(The scene is enveloped by white, tentacle-like appendages and fades to black.)
(The player is prompted to Read the reformation target's personality and enter the text shown on the screen to neutralize the source code. Press the space bar to begin.)
(The regular colorful flowers that accompany every successfully typed word are dull and grey and melt away as quickly as they appear. Additionally, if the player makes any spelling mistakes, white tentacles briefly extend from the sides of the screen.)
Type the following phrases:
BY THE SEA
TWO FLOORS
WHITE ROOF
HAIRY
SWEET
RED
PULSING
MILD
RICH
FLAVORFUL
APPETIZING
DARK
SNUG
SOFT
COZY
PHOTOTROPIC
GRAVITROPIC
CLOSE
MOIST
PLENTIFUL
HABITABLE
FLOURISHING
EDIBLE
AND EDIBLE
AAAA
SARAH
AAAAAA
AAAA
Q
AAAAAA
I̵̦̐B̶̗͝D̴̟̚L̶̥̽ ̵̣̓Ḋ̴͖P̸͉͛N̸͌͜Q̵̦́M̸̗̓F̴̠́Ü̸̙F̷̢̓
(Returning to the reformation target, Doctor's fingers are visibly curled in disgust.)
FORMAT: "Doctor? The BUG has not been neutralized yet. Is there a problem?"
FORMAT: "Doctor. What's wrong? Your hacking hands have stopped."
Hugo: "My friend with the gloves. Why are you looking at me like that?"
I can't handle this!
I shouted that this isn't a mind, this isn't a BUG, this is just an animal looking for food!
FORMAT: "Oh, Doctor. You must have become bewildered from seeing an unfamiliar mental structure."
FORMAT: "You can do this, you're a genius. Don't worry. There's not a personality in this world that you cannot hack!"
FORMAT: "While aliens may have completely different mental structures from the reformation targets you are used to..."
FORMAT: "Personalities are personalities. Humans are humans. You must not confuse this for an animal from its appearance."
FORMAT: "Now, please show me a beautiful Mindhack, like you always do. Don't let me down!"
(An eerie tone plays as Doctor raises their hands defensively, seeing an inverted, pixelated version of their dream from earlier.)
It's okay, I can do this.
I answered FORMAT that I'm okay, I'm just having a little trouble with this reformation target.
FORMAT: "Doctor. In the near future, you will be facing the FATAL ERROR... The Class 0 BUG that may destroy the world."
FORMAT: "Class 0 BUGs are the most dangerous. This target is the perfect way to level up and prepare for that battle."
FORMAT: "Additionally, if you preform well, you'll be the first person in the world to succeed in an alien BUG removal..."
FORMAT: "...Then you'll recieve another award from the Mindhack association! Of course you want another award, don't you?"
FORMAT: "Now keep trying, my beloved genius Mindhacker. You can do this!"
FORMAT: "First, try something from the usual procedure. Anything."
(Doctor snaps their fingers. Nothing happens. Hugo jovially claps his hands in response.)
Hugo: "Wow! You're sure clever with your hands! Snapping like that with those gloves on..."
(Hugo mimics a snapping motion with his own hand.)
Hugo: "Can I ask how you manage to do that? I mean, since I have these gloves on... I'd love to hear some tips."
FORMAT: "Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have an effect. Let's try a different method."
FORMAT: "What was the reformation target's BUG made of? Delete that next."
(A bar of what appears to be Hugo's interface pops up on screen. Instead of a black bar with text in it, there's nothing but a writhing cluster of white noodles. Doctor's hands shake and recoil in disgust.)
Okay, here I go...
(The player is prompted to use their mouse to erase the text on the screen. Instead of any text, there's only an indecipherable line of shapes. Any flowers that form to cover it are sparce and desaturated. The white noodles squish and contort when Doctor presses their finger to them until wiry tentacles reach out to wrap around their hand, making a creaking sound. Doctor hurriedly pulls their hand away.)
Hugo no touchy.png
Hugo: "Shh... No, no. No touching. No looking inside."
Hugo: "No coming home with it. No showing it to Earth. Ssshh..."
(Alternatively, if the player picks "It's okay, I can do this" followed by "Don't make me touch it!" before this sequence, Hugo says something different:)
Hugo grrr.png
Hugo: "Ssshhh... Fsshhh... Grrrr..."
Hugo: "Hey. That's dangerous. Don't open that, all right? If you do that again, Dad's going to get upset."
Don't make me touch it!
I pleaded to FORMAT that I absolutely do NOT want to touch it, not even with my gloves on.
FORMAT: "Doctor. Why are you saying such things so suddenly? What is it that's different than usual?"
FORMAT: "Are you fine with the world being destroyed because of your selfishness?"
FORMAT: "You are the most brilliant Mindhacker in the world. Do not disappoint me."
(An eerie tone plays as Doctor raises their hands defensively, seeing an inverted, pixelated version of their dream from earlier.)
FORMAT: "I see. It seems the usual procedures do not work on aliens."
FORMAT: "Doctor... Is there another way? Do you have any good ideas?"
FORMAT: "Are you unable to give a more direct impact to the reformation target's mental structure?"
FORMAT: "If you cannot neutralize it, it is all right to destroy it. Is there a way to do this?"
Hugo: "Umm... Hey, my friend with the gloves. You've been shivering for a while, but..."
Hugo: "...Er... Is there something? Something wrong...? You look like you've seen something scary..."
I have a good way.
I told the reformation target, you are a noodle.
Hugo: "Huh?"
This matter is out of my hands!
I cried to FORMAT that I'm sorry for disappointing you, let me wake up from this dream!
FORMAT: "Doctor. Doctor, what is going on? This isn't like you."
(An eerie tone plays as Doctor raises their hands defensively, seeing an inverted, pixelated version of their dream from earlier.)
FORMAT: "My beloved, cute Doctor. You're a genius, aren't you? It's okay, you can do this!"
(If the player selects 2 incorrect options in this sequence, a fail state is triggered:)
FORMAT: "Doctor. It seems that you're not very assertive in your Mindhacking today?
FORMAT: "That's okay. I'll put a special spell on you." "
FORMAT: "Executing emergency restoration program in 3...2... ...1."
(A descending tone plays as Doctor's vision pixelates and goes dark.)
(Doctor regains their vision as the player is transported back to the beginning of the sequence.)
FORMAT: "Now. You're not scared anymore, are you. Remember your duty!"
(Doctor's right hand inches closer from the side of the screen, making a wide pinching motion.)
Hugo: "Hey, now... What are you trying to do? You're not..."
(Doctor's hand inches closer.)
C5 s4 dontopen 1.jpg
Hugo: "Hold on!! What are you trying to do!?"
Destroy
(Doctor makes a pointing motion with their right hand. A black arrow repeatedly moves down Hugo's body, prompting the player to draw a straight line over him. When they do, a bright red slash splits him down the middle.)
(Hugo recoils, cut open by a dark, empty gash running from his head to his middle.)
C5 s4 dontopen 2.jpg
Hugo: "Ah, ah, ah! Ahh! Why...! Ahh... Why would you...do this...!"
(Doctor approaches Hugo, closing in on his head. An open wound gapes back at them, dark and hollow. Doctor's outstretched hands reflect in his helmet.)
C5 s4 dontopen 3.jpg
Hugo: "I have to hurry and close it... I can't...return to Earth... Ah, I have to close it..."
Hugo: "Don't open it... D-don't open... Please... Aaaa... Don't open me..."
Hugo: "I'm... We... I am, We are Hugo..."
Destroy
(The player is prompted to drag their mouse to either the left or right sides of the screen. Doctor reaches their hands into Hugo's helmet and pries it open, stepping inside.)
(Inside of his head, a white cluster of noodles floats in a black void. Little white shapes swim around and blink rhythmically in the dark, nearly resembling stars.)
C5 s4 parasite.jpg
Hugo: "I'm Hugo... Hugo Patrick... We're Hugo..."
Hugo: "I'm...scared, aaa... Aa, AAAA......"
Hugo: "............ ............"
Destroy
(Doctor positions their hands to clap them. The player is prompted to click the cluster in the middle, making Doctor clap their hands and have the cluster grow smaller and smaller until it disappears completely.)
FORMAT: "Destruction of the mental structure has been confirmed. Approximately 2 seconds until it is completely gone."
Hugo: "............ ......aaaAAA! GRRRAAAHHHH!!"
(A swarm of white noodles squirm around in what remains of Hugo's mental structure, encroaching on the Doctor.)
FORMAT: "Doctor, it's dangerous. I'm making an emergency disconnection."
(Noodles swarm their vision as Doctor is extracted from Hugo's mind and the screen darkens.)
(The screen fades to white. An emergency whistle sounds.)
(In the Debug Room, Hugo is slumped over on the chair, thick tentacles beginning to emerge from his back. Captain has the whistle in their mouth, blades drawn. Newbie, Support, Experienced and Bearded Guard all recoil in shock, while Veteran looks unfazed.)
C5 s4 afterhack 1.jpg
Hugo: "GGGRRRR!! SSSSSHHHH!! FSHHHHHH!!"
C5 s4 afterhack 2.jpg
(The tentacles explode out of Hugo's back, much like a BUG manifestation, ensnaring Newbie and holding him up in the air. Veteran grabs onto one of the tentacles as it flails around. Experienced Guard draws a baton.)
C5 s4 afterhack 3.jpg
Newbie Guard: "AHHHHHH!!"
Bearded Guard: "Rookie! You okay!? Rookieeeeee!!"
Support Guard: "Emergency! Emergencyyyy!!"
Experienced Guard: "Debug Room here, calling for immediate backup! The alien... The alien is... ...This is bad!"
Hugo: "GRAAAAHHHH!! HISSSSSSS!! GRRRRRRRRR!!"
Captain: "Someone, get a gun! I authorize you to open fire!"
(Captain briefly looks over at Doctor.)
Captain: "Doctor! Leave this to us, hurry and get out!"
FORMAT: "This is... How to put it..."
FORMAT: "...More of a 'bug' in the literal sense."
FORMAT: "I do not know why this showed reactions as a BUG in my scans. However..."
FORMAT: "You completely destroyed the target's mind! No BUG will ever manifest in it now."
FORMAT: "I can't believe this, Doctor! You are able to so easily overcome such near-impossible adversities!"
FORMAT: "Anyway, the BUG's danger has passed now. You may return to your office. My lovely, adorable Doctor."
Hugo: "HISSSSSSS! FSSSHHHHHHH!"
Veteran Guard: "Do something about the tentacles! Duct tape! GET THE DUCT TAPE!"
Bearded Guard: "Rookie! You okay!? ROOKIEEEE!!"
FORMAT: "...Doctor? Evacuate now, please. They will handle the rest."
Y-yes, FORMAT.
(Doctor leaves the Debug Room and the screen fades to black.)
I hurried back to my office to try and go back to sleep until morning.


Scene5 ...And I Must Scream

(Doctor looks at Hugo's prognosis report. There's a line of question marks written for his name and the photo in the middle is blurry, taken while the worms erupted from Hugo's back. The word 'HACKED' is stamped over it in red ink.)
Hacking complete. HOTFIX subdued the target with a tranquilizer gun and restrained it using duct tape.
This case resulted in several injuries from HOTFIX members. However, no serious casualties occurred.
As of now, the target is being kept and observed in a special isolation chamber in the reformation target's quarters.
Tranquilization is still in effect, but the target must be closely inspected to ensure that it does not wake again.
Furthermore, the reason as to why it showed a positive reaction in FORMAT's scan is unknown.
It can be said that there is some prospect of discovering the origin of BUG particles by studying the target.
Regardless, the Mindhacker shall focus on future reformation targets.
(Rather than their office, the Doctor is stationed in a hallway with rectangular doors on both sides.)
Hand over the report
(Captain appears in front of them.)
I told the captain that I read through the prognosis report, and handed the papers back.
Captain: "Thank you. Looks like the rocket and other related documents will be sent to a proper research center."
Captain: "Honestly... It's been one thing after another since the accident from before. There's bags under your eyes, Doctor."
Captain: "...Is there something on your mind? I didn't think you would come to the reformation targets' quarters."
(Doctor shyly taps their fingers together.)
Captain: "What? You couldn't go back to sleep last night? At all?"
Captain: "Upon that, construction began in the morning to remove the rocket from the courtyard, and the noise is too much?"
Captain: "It'll take until evening... Oh, is that why you came here? Since it's too loud in your room? I'm sorry to hear that..."
Unid: "Heyyy! Doc!! Doc! Didja hear!? There's an alien!!!!"
(Unid appears beside Captain.)
Unid: "There was a huge rocket stuck in the yard, right!? Whoaaa! I wanted to see it too!!"
Unid: "I asked Newbie if we could go see it up close but he wouldn't take me. It's 'too dangerous' or something!"
Unid: "What was the alien like? Oh but, guess you wouldn't go outside, Doc. Becky, didja see the alien? How was it?"
Captain: "Hm? Oh, they were... Well... white...thin... wriggling..."
Unid: "Wow! I don't really get it, but I guess aliens are like walking noodles! I didn't know that!"
Unid: "I heard Newbie here got tackled by the noodles, and after that they grabbed him and held him up in the air!"
(Newbie appears beside them with a downtrodden expression.)
Unid: "So that's why he looks so tired! Man, HOTFIX's got it tough."
C5 s5 newbie.jpg
Newbie Guard: "That's not it..."
Unid: "Huh? Oh, were they more like pasta?"
Newbie Guard: "That's not it... He wasn't even a human..."
Newbie Guard: "I was tricked... By that thing... I'm...a failure as a guard..."
Captain: "Raise your spirits, Rookie. It's more than enough for us that you're alive and well."
Newbie Guard: "No... Captain, I... I can't forgive myself..."
Newbie Guard: "No matter how well they fake it, scumbags are always hopeless scumbags."
(Newbie grips his right thumb in his other hand.)
C5 s5 newbie 2.jpg
Newbie Guard: "That's why I decided that I would never trust one of them, even if I was the only one..."
Newbie Guard: "But... I thought I owed my life to a monster... Not even a scumbag, a noodle monster..."
Captain: "........."
(Newbie grabs the back of his hand. His thumb is visibly bruised.)
C5 s5 newbie 3.jpg
Newbie Guard: "BUGs spread from person to person. That's what you told me, Captain. It was also written in my orders."
Newbie Guard: "If you forgive a scumbag, you become one. That's why it's the end if you trust one of them, let them in."
(Unid puts an arm around Newbie's shoulders, bringing him into a side hug.)
Cheer up 1.png
Unid: "You're so serious, Newbie! Cheer up! I'm a former scumbag, but now I'm besties with you!"
Cheer up 2.png
(Newbie weakly pushes Unid away.)
Newbie Guard: "We're not besties... Are you kidding me... You criminal... ...*Sigh*..."
Unid: "Oh...! His anger's so lifeless...! Doc, you tell him too! Tell him to stop being so sad!"
Aren't you glad you're alive!
I told the newbie guard, it's a fact that the alien saved your life from that tree.
Captain: "That's right. They may have still had a consciousness that tried to save you, before they started to act violently."
Newbie Guard: "That's just a coincidence. That thing tried to catch me and eat me, and it was an accident..."
Newbie Guard: "It just happened that he conveniently struck the falling tree when he charged at me. It's just like how I came here."
Newbie Guard: "It was all a coincidence. It's the same as a lottery. There's no reason to it."
Newbie Guard: "There's no reason that someone like me, who almost opened my heart to a scumbag, would..."
(Something crashes offscreen. Captain and Unid turn to look at it.)
Unid: "Uhhh. When you say they 'charged at you.' Was it like...THAT?"
(Newbie turns around.)
Newbie Guard: "Yeah, that's right... He ran towards me just like that, at full speed......"
Newbie Guard: "......Huh?"
Aren't you two friends!
I told the newbie guard, you're the one who said that you're friends once you share a meal.
Unid: "Oh! That's about last time when we ate out together, right! Newbieee! Aw, you're making me blush! I'm so happy!"
Newbie Guard: "No!! Doctor! That's a different story! It has nothing to do with when I ate pork cutlets with this urchin!"
Newbie Guard: "I was talking about normal people I can respect, like the captain and my senior members and you, Doctor!"
Newbie Guard: "Even if he's been hacked, someone like this problematic jerk who belonged in a gang, he's......"
(Something crashes offscreen. Captain and Newbie turn to look at it.)
Newbie Guard: "...... What was that...? That sound..."
(Unid turns around.)
Case5 scene5 everybodyturns.png
Unid: "Hey, by noodles, didja mean like THOSE? You know, they're more thin than I thought!"
Newbie Guard: "I thought they looked pretty thick, actuall--"
Newbie Guard: "......Huh?"
(insert funnie cutscene of hugo running at them. get yo fuckin dog bitch!!!!!)
(Hugo charges from around a corner, sprinting on all fours towards Doctor.)
Hugo: "FSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Captain: "Doctor!!"
(Captain pushes them out of the way as Hugo lunges, tackling Unid to the ground.)
Unid: "Woah!?"
(Newbie reaches out to him, panicked.)
C5 s5 newbie 5.jpg
Newbie Guard: "UNID!!"
(The camera pans to Hugo laying in Unid's lap, tentacles wagging. Unid is happily petting them.)
C5 s5 hugounid.jpg
Unid: "You surprised me!! Good boy, gooooood boy! It's okay, there's nothing to be scared of!"
Hugo: "HISSSSS!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"
C5 s5 hugounid 2.jpg
Unid: "Wow, these noodles are really fresh! There's a good boy! They're slapping around, how energetic!"
(The camera pans back to Newbie, visibly relieved.)
C5 s5 newbie 6.jpg
Newbie Guard: "Oh...! I'm glad...! You're safe...!!"
(His expression shifts.)
C5 s5 newbie 7.jpg
Newbie Guard: "............ ............"
(His expression shifts again, now looking defeated.)
C5 s5 newbie 8.jpg
Newbie Guard: "......... Just now, I... ............"
Newbie Guard: "............ ............"
(An emergency alarm blares.)
Captain: "...Doctor. Are you all right?"
Captain: "I apologize for pushing you away. ............"
Hugo: "HISSSSS!! GRRRRR!! FSHHHHHH!!"
Unid: "Looks like they're attached to me! How cute! Hey, hey, what's their name?"
(Newbie looks at his hands. FORMAT pages in.)
C5 s5 newbie 9.jpg
FORMAT: "HOTFIX. Take this dangerous being at once and restrain it again, now!"
FORMAT: "That thing cannot stay in this sacred facility. I will have it shipped earlier than scheduled to the research center."
FORMAT: "And... The areas that were exposed to that alien must be thoroughly sanitized."
FORMAT: "I will conduct a detailed scan of facility staff at a later date. All HOTFIX members must be scanned!"
(Newbie tightly grips his hand again, trembling.)
C5 s5 newbie 10.jpg
Newbie Guard: "............ ............"
(The screen fades to black.)
case05:END