Sunsets in Paradise (Sanders Side's Simulation AU)

Have you ever heard of the man?

Virgil grabbed Roman's hand before he could go any further. "Princey," he whispered. "I don't trust this."

Roman took a step back. "It'll be fine, Fairest," Roman said, looking him in the eye. "If anything goes wrong, well, at least it was me and not you."

But Virgil wouldn't let him go.

"Hurry up," The Man said, walking swiftly past them and to an open chamber. "We don't have forever."

Virgil shifted. "I don't think you should go," he says. "This all just feels like another simulation. Look, these people don't even look alive."

Virgil did have a point. Joan and Talyn were the only people here wearing colour and the rest were rather dull looking... and grey.

"Sir," Roman said to the man. "We'd prefer a demonstration on how the machine works, first. Could you show us?"

The man cleared his throat. "No, I cannot. It only works with people that need to be in the correct timeline. Now hurry up."

Roman didn't move. "We don't trust this." He says.

And the man turns to glare at him.

"Do you think you have a choice?"

Patton grabs Talyn and Joan to add them to the group hiding behind Roman. "Hey," he says to the two. "Are you guys real?"

Joan looks at him for a moment before nodding. "Why wouldn't we be?" They say, sniffing.

Patton smiles. "Well, there's a lot of reasons," he says. "But right now, I need you to stay with us. Because I'm pretty sure that this isn't... reality."

Joan and Talyn nod. They know Thomas, they know his sides, they trust them.

"Oh no," the Man says. "Is Roman going to fight me?"

Roman stands firm. "Only if that's why it takes to get you to leave us alone."

His glasses fall down. "Do you really think I care?" He says. "Do you really think that I, creator of the simulation program, have any need for you?"

They're silent. De shifts behind them to come up front and help Roman defend. He doesn't want to loose any of them.

"All I needed was proof that the simulations weren't addicting," the man chuckles. "And did you give me that? Oh, you did."

De hisses. "You can't prove it."

"Oh, but I can," the man says. "I can and I will, when I make you exactly what you're supposed to be. Uncreative! Normal! Regular! Bland!"

Roman glances at De, noting the small
Black wire running under the group as the man walks towards its plug.

"De," Roman whispers. "Take the others and get them away from this cord. I'm going to do something."

De nods, careful shuffling the group away as Roman stands still. "You're not going to do that," he says. "Not if I can help it."

"Oh, can you? This isn't real," The Man says. "I can make it do whatever I want."

Roman hums. "Oh, but so can I!" He grabs the cord, jumping, and swings it around the mans neck as he tightens it. "You're not going to mess with us. You'll do as I say because you know if you die in a simulation there's no way to get out."

"Wha-" the Man chokes. "Where do you learn that?"

"I read it in your office," Roman says. "We passed it just now. Consider getting better blinds, if you want to keep a secret."