GS2 Data Node (346 George Street)

Metricon’s presence is strong here. You can’t see it in the building that stretches far above you, like you saw the face near the George Street Annex, but you can feel Metricon everywhere.

“Welcome! And thank you for helping me realise my plan. A traveller like yourself is important to the Nexus. As you observe these changes I have created, the Simulation accepts, remembers and strengthens my designs. We’re almost finished wiping 3-Dom from the system. Just keep watching and documenting our changes until this design is finally locked down.”

Across the road the buildings burst into brick and tile and wood. This is the first real sign of 3-Dom you’ve seen on your adventure, other than that brief swirling air.

Across the road, to your left, a ‘Grosvenor’ building and ‘Duncalfe & Co’ building are forming. To the left of ‘Duncalfe & Co’ the arches are still smooth and flat with Metricon’s influence, but it’s fading as you watch.

“Don’t look at that old rubbish,” Metricon says.

The Guidance Bot is floating above you. If you look past it the building extends black and blue into the sky. Some people call this Gotham City Tower and it certainly has a gothic feel about it.

“Metricon has configured this to be a Log Out Terminal,” the bot chirps. “You should be able to leave when its work is done.”

You feel a deep rumbling from the direction of the Brisbane Square Library.

“Thank you,” Metricon booms. “Your presence distracted 3-Dom long enough for me to extend Reddacliffe place over the top of that ridiculous Treasury Building. It’s all smooth stone, steamballs and information laneways now. No more annoying rogue programs messing the place up!”

“But I liked that building!” mopes the bot.

You glance across the road at the 3-Dom buildings but there is no more life left in those brick facades.

“I’ll clean those up myself, I don’t need you anymore. Brisbane City Simulation is going to be beautiful from now on. Thanks for visiting!”

Above you, the building begins to glow, its surface filling with motes of light that shoot up at the sky. The world starts to fade around you.

“The next time you’re back don’t forget a ruler! And none of that hyper-colour t-shirt rubbish, obviously. Fractal fireworks all year round!”

His voice fades and you’re left standing in the street. The buildings around you don’t look very different from when you were in Metricon’s simulation, though. They’re all straight lines and glass. Could this be the Realspace overflow 3-Dom mentioned when you first arrived at Reddacliff place?

Does that mean the Treasury building is gone, too?

You don’t know if you should look or if you should get on with your day. After all, sometimes reality can be more frightening than a simulation.

– END –

Take a picture of your final destination and tag it with #storycity and then either #metricon or #3dom, depending on which of the two Nexus programs you feel was most present in your final location. Or try to find evidence of where their battle spilled out into the real world while you try a new adventure.