All Exploding to Plan

All Exploding to Plan

• Related Event: Summertime Saviors/July 2020
• Release Date: July 13, 2020
• Featured Characters: Xiao Lei, Melody, Sinoa

Dialogue

*cough* Urgh... Another flop? I was sure I was going to open a wormhole that time.

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Sinoa
Were my calculations off? Maybe I should re-evaluate the experimental procedures...? Honestly, Sinoa, is there NOTHING you can do to avoid those explosions?

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Xiao Lei
Every time you blow something up it sends tremors through the castle—and more importantly, my abacus! I'm sorry about that, truly I am. But I'm on the verge of a breakthrough! Please, allow me one more test! Space-time physics magic is indisputably sound. ...At least, on a theoretical level. Anyway, I just know my next attempt will be successful! Something tells me you've been saying that about the last fifty attempts... Actually, would you mind if I took a look at your research thus far? Sure, it's right here. It's pretty complex stuff, though, so I doubt you'll be able to parse it at a glance. Hmm... Yes, I'm afraid you're right. These pages are teeming with symbols and diagrams unlike any I've ever seen. The equations are no trouble, mind. For example, this one here... Wait, you've made a miscalculation! Say WHAT?! There's no way I... Well, look at that. Guess that's what I get for skipping sleep before writing that part! Heh heh... It's not just there. You have made minute errors all over the place! And the calculations are complete! THIS is the correct answer. Jeez, you're a real whiz with that thing! Thanks for the assist. Now that all the numbers check out, I'm sure my next attempt will bear wormhole-shaped fruit! I just need to adjust the control valve to obtain the correct mana density based on your calculations, and... So that's your aim, is it? To open a wormhole? Nothing less! I'm on the verge of history— and you're about to have a front-row seat. If you succeed, we'll be the first to witness an as-yet unseen phenomena... Pretty exciting, huh? Well, let's get to it! Activating the space-time distortion apparatus! Internal mana density has reached target value! If I can just maintain this— Eyaaagh! *cough* *cough* Not again... Where did I go wrong...? It would seem the issue runs deeper than a few mistaken calculations. We must revisit everything: the theory, the procedures, all of it! Um, sorry. Did you just say "we"? I can't very well return to my ledgers knowing your explosions will only continue to undo my work, can I? Gaps in theory, errors in calculations, flaws in the apparatus; no deviation shall escape my discerning eyes. I promise you this: with my capacity for analytical thinking, this experiment WILL be a success! A few days later...
It's... It's perfect! Every aspect, from beginning to end! Heh. But of course. By combining your theoretical framework with my unparalleled calculatory ability, the probability of success is now 100%! A bold claim. Let's see how it holds up! Activating the space-time distortion apparatus! WHYYYYY?! We double-checked everything... The theory, the calculations, the apparatus... Everything was perfect! Eeek! What's going on?! ...Oh, it's one of Sinoa's experiments.

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Melody
This place sure is a mess. Good thing I'm here to clean up! (Oh no, not her... She's chaos personified!) (This experiment has absolutely zero margin for error, and there's certainly no room for a random variable like her!) Th-thanks, Melody, but we'll clean up right after— First I'll start with tidying up the floor and— Uwagh! Er, guys? Why's this thing making so much noise all of a sudden? Agh! You activated the apparatus! It will explode if we don't shut it down! Hurry! Leave it to me! ...But also please tell me how! See that lever right in front of you? PULL IT RIGHT NOW! Okay! This one? Not THAT lever, the one right next to it! The activation lever! Umm... This one?! Agh, no! That controls the magical fluid volume! It's going out of control! Does that mean it's gonna explode?! ...... ...Did I miss the "boom"? There WAS no boom! No wormhole either, for that matter, but not exploding is a huge step forward! The only question is, how do we recreate it? Maybe if we let Melody fiddle with the controls again... No! You cannot rely on chance alone! I hear you, Xiao Lei, but we've already tried everything you and I can think of. And since we still came up short, I think we have to take a risk on chance. I see... You mean to tap into the realm of possibility created by Melody's random actions, then? I suppose it has been said that at a certain point all one can do is let nature take its course. So... We shall wager our fortunes on Melody! Wh-WHA?! Seriously?! Oh, I'm nothing BUT serious when it comes to my experiments. Will you help us, Melody? Of course! I mean, I don't really know what's gonna happen, but... Hyah! *gasp* I'm reading unprecedented levels of mana! This might just be enough to open a wormhole! Eyaaaaagh!

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W-we thoughtlessly increased the volume of mana, which naturally increased the explosive power... I-I didn't miss the boom that time... I suppose...you can't hinge an experiment on chance, after all...