Reversal

Chapter Twelve

Summary

Exhausted, alone and inconsolable, Zoë goes home. As soon as she gets in, she gets a call from her father, demanding to know where she's been. He knows she hasn't been at home; he's checked with Wonkers, and he's angry that she lied to him. Zoë says she can't talk over the phone, and asks him to come home soon. Gabriel relents, but he can't get back for a few days. He'll do what he can. Zoë goes upstairs and lies down on her bed, and starts to cry.

If Zoë chose to fix Wonkers earlier, he jumps up on the bed beside her, asks if he can help, and says she has a visitor. Otherwise, Zoë realises on her own that Helena Chang is on the terrace outside. Chang greets her, but Zoë is having none of it. She knows the truth now, about Faith. She won't listen to excuses: the child was JIVA's creation, and therefore Chang's responsibility. Chang admits she is responsible, but says she needs Zoë's help to try and make things right. Chang's nemesis is Alvin Peats. He is the one who has caused all this pain, who is now putting so many people at risk. Chang wants to stop the Static, and she wants to stop the Dreamer Console from being released. To do that, Zoë must help Faith.

Zoë doesn't understand - Faith is dead. Chang explains that when she died, Faith was inside DreamNet, dreaming a very powerful dream, and when she died her soul - her essence, her imprint, whatever - was somehow trapped inside. Faith is still in that dream, and she's still suffering. Her pain is causing the Static and people are dying because of it. Chang wants Zoë to use a Dreamer Console, and convince Faith to "let go". Once that happens, DreamNet will shut down, and Eingana will disconnect from the Wire. Zoë asks, why her? Chang says that she, and others, have made attempts to find Faith inside the Wire, but all have been unsuccessful. On the other hand, Faith has actively reached out to Zoë, connected with her. She's the best person to do this - maybe the only one who can.

Zoë finds Chang despicable. But she has little choice, and nothing left to lose. Besides, this is her last and final chance to stop WATI. She agrees.

A time cut brings us to Zoë, lying on her bed beside a Dreamer Console, as Chang gives her an injection. She tells Zoë this is highly concentrated Morpheus, a dose strong enough to help Zoë control her environment so Faith won't be able to push her away again. Zoë asks how she can convince Faith - Chang doesn't know. She offers a wish for good luck, then activates the Dreamer. The flower-like appendage emerges, gropes across the pillow, and settles on Zoë's face.

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Themes & References

This chapter shares its title with the third episode of the animated series created by Ragnar for Anarchy Online.

As it is optional for the player to return Wonkers' brain, in one outcome it should have been impossible for Gabriel to "check in" with him if they didn't. This happens regardless of the player's actions, however.