Overtaken - a BFB/II2 fanfic (very slow updates)

Mind Machine

It took a while for everybody to get caught up again. Everything that the objects in Goiky just learned had to be re-explained to Fanny, and in turn, she updated them with the most recent events from the IIverse.

"This is very concerning," was the first thing Pencil said after Fanny concluded.

Fanny rolled her eyes. "No duh."

"And also... very strange," added Test Tube. "I'm finding it a smidge difficult to believe that the reason you're still in control of yourself is because you have more hatred than someone who literally has the word 'Evil' in their name."

"I hate the explanation, too. But it's the only one I can think of, unless you sciencey folk have a better idea..."

"There's a perfectly logical explanation behind everything. We just need to find it!"

Fan cut in. "As much as I'd love to learn more about this 'corruption' stuff — and I really do wanna know more — shouldn't we put our focus elsewhere? Such as trying to figure out how to stop Evil Leafy?"

"I may have a plan."

All nearby eyes turned to Golf Ball. "The beginnings of one, at least."

"Really?" Ruby was a little skeptical. "That fast?"

"My brain works faster than yours. Now, from what we know about the dead zone, we can't conceivably destroy it. The best thing we can do to get rid of it would be to sever its connections to our world again, more permanently this time."

She spotted Fan with his hand in the air. "Disabling the... uh..." He struggled to remember. "...the void machine. That worked last time, right? What if we just completely destroy it for good?"

GB wasn't sure whether to nod or shake her head. "Theoretically, yes. But, like we were discussing earlier, the Shimmer youth is an unpredictable factor in this equation. Now that the dead zone's connection has been reforged by the void machine, there is a chance that the youth's connection to any living infected objects could keep the dead zone attached to our dimension, even if the void machine is destroyed."

"That mostly sounds like conjecture," Pencil argued.

Tired, Golf Ball closed her eyes. "I know, Pencil. I know. But Evil Leafy almost got the best of everyone once. I don't want to take any chances this time."

"What are you suggesting we do, then?" wondered Fanny.

"We use you, of course."

"Pardon?"

"With Evil Leafy in control of the dead zone, she's infecting any objects that pass through it when jumping across universes, by whatever means. So what if we enter the dead zone from a completely different angle?" She nodded at Fanny's glowing red eyes. "You're directly connected to EL, and — by extension — the dead zone. My old mind machine that I used on Rocky is still down in my factory. I'm certain that Test Tube and I can tweak it to exploit Fanny's connection with the dead zone, and possibly let someone inside uninfected. Once there..." She spread her arms wide. "They pull the plug."

Fan blinked. "Mind machine?"

"Later," Test Tube promised.

GB noticed Pencil staring at her with a strange look. "What?"

"You... you still have that machine?"

"That is what I said, yes."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Three years... I had over three years' worth of audio diary entries from our time in Yoyle City, and then another year's worth of video entries on top of that. And you had me destroy it all. You had ALL of us destroy ANYTHING related to IDFB, so that nobody else could ever find out what almost happened." Slowly, she took two steps forward. "And now you're telling me, that despite everything the rest of us did to respect those wishes, you went and actually KEPT something from that time."