Talks

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Last chapter on The Foundation:

Iris confronts Hoya, who resents her mother, Ji-Hu, over past atrocities. Drawing parallels to Cain's redemptive journey, Iris urges Hoya to consider reconciliation. At the anomaly-infested Ryugyong Hotel, Iris leads a team against SCP-031, whose consuming mass traps victims' consciousness. When Ji-Hu succumbs to SCP-031's manipulation, Hoya intervenes, saving her mother despite personal turmoil. After weeks of grueling efforts, the team destroys SCP-031 with a high-risk incineration spell, supported by reinforcements like Meda and SCP-2273, Alexei, achieving a hard-fought victory. The team then investigates an anomalous signal from an alternate reality, crossing into a parallel Ryugyong Hotel. There, they face a tense standoff with an alternate Psi-7 team, but Meda's leadership averts conflict, setting the stage for deeper exploration.





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The moment Commander Leon Ledford's alternate lowered his weapon, I knew this wasn't going to be easy

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The moment Commander Leon Ledford's alternate lowered his weapon, I knew this wasn't going to be easy. His sharp gaze flicked between me and my team, assessing, calculating. His squad mirrored his tension, fingers hovering near triggers, their stances ready for combat. I met his gaze and stepped forward deliberately, the weight of Makoto at my side steadying me. Confidence wasn't an option here—it was a necessity. "Let's start simple," I said, my voice steady. "We're here because we detected an anomaly emitting Foundation-registered frequencies from this location. Not your usual 'local trouble,' but a cross-dimensional signal. Care to explain?" Alt-Ledford—my mental shorthand for this alternate version of the Commander—studied me for a moment before speaking. "We don't owe you any explanations. For all we know, you're the anomaly."

I gave him a tight smile. "Touché. But if we were here to start trouble, you'd already know. We're here to help. If you're running an op this sensitive, I'd bet my blade you could use it." I rested my hand lightly on Makoto's hilt, its weight a silent reassurance. His frown deepened, and I caught the faint flicker of unease in his stance. Good—he wasn't dismissing me outright. Yet. "This is bigger than us," I continued. "Your signal isn't just a blip on our radar. It's destabilizing the local fabric of reality. That's not just your problem—it's everyone's."

"You talk a lot for someone standing on our turf," Alt-Ledford said sharply, though his weapon remained lowered. "What exactly do you think you can do that we can't?" I let the silence linger for a moment, the atmosphere thick with tension. Slowly, deliberately, I drew Makoto halfway from its sheath, the blade gleaming faintly with its unique alloy of Vibranium and Uru. The katana sang softly as it moved, a harmonic resonance that filled the room, subtle yet commanding. "For starters," I said, the blade catching the dim light, "I've got tools you don't. And experience with cross-dimensional incursions that would make your head spin." Though the transdimensional thingy is a lie. This is my first time too. I didn't know this was possible.

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