I finish dusting myself off in the side alley and head towards the black cab which is parked right at the opening to the main street. After I had blown the SOPO station at Phase One up, I elected to escape on my own immediately since The Voice had confirmed that the mission had been completed. I could talk to Hernandez later once I was back in the safety of the hideout. It was a good day overall, we had managed to reap a bounty of instability from the mission itself and bloody Fate's nose at the same time by breaking that divergence point it had prepared.

The only thing marring our victory was The Voice's pronouncement that I had to hide in the cab's boot again in order to evade the lock down and be smuggled back into Six Trees. Maybe this time I really should urinate in the boot just to teach The Voice a lesson. Give it some incentive to work out a better way for me to move about.

"So what is this thing that was not supposed to happen?" I ask while squeezing myself into the boot.

"The Hero and Inspector Scott are currently engaging in sexual intercourse." The Voice states in a worried tone.

I bump my head painfully against the walls of the boot and curse. "Say again?" I grumble.

The Voice reiterates, "The Hero and 'Big Tits', as you call her, are having sex right now."

Uh. I don't really know how to respond to that. Though just thinking about it gets me a little pissed off. I risk my life and receive the privilege of stuffing myself in the boot of a cab. The Hero gets kicked in the face and receives a round of sexy time.

I should have kicked that little shit harder.

"They are having sex, in a burning building, while buried under a mound of rubble." I query, "Are they for real?"

The Voice rasps, "Most certainly. They are currently on their fifth round of intercourse. This is troubling to say the least."

Troubling? Oh, its troubling alright. Big Tits had her face thoroughly smashed in by me and she's still able to do the dirty five times? She's got insane stamina to say the least. Sour grapes aside, I don't really see what's the big deal about this whole thing. The Hero sticking it into Big Tits would mean that her position as the Hero's mentor is secure. Chance's, chances, to worm her way back as the Hero's mentor are just about nil.

Turning the matter over in my mind while I try to close the boot, I really can't see any downside from this liaison. Its natural for the Hero to have many women, and this affair keeps an Incarnate away from him. Big Tits is effectively serving as a sub-heroine, someone with no route of her own, but still eminently available for, uh, release.

"I don't see the problem." I reply while struggling with the boot, "Big Tits is welcome to join the big happy harem. The operative word being 'harem'. Why can't this bloody thing close by the way?"

"The trench coat is getting in the way. Tuck it inwards." The Voice explains, "Also, I get the impression you are selling Inspector Scott dangerously short."

Oh. That's right. I quickly pull the trench coat in and the boot shuts without any further problem. I feel the gentle movement of the cab setting off as the hot, sweaty darkness envelopes me.

"How so?" I say while trying to get comfortable, "The Hero is still on track for the harem end isn't he? Big Tits going down on the Hero is not inconsistent with that. Besides, the Heroines are way hotter. Between them and Big Tits, its really no contest. My guess is that the Hero will end up using Big Tits as a side piece."

"Ah." The Voice rumbles, "The sub-heroine. A common sight in your world's pornography."

"There you go." I confirm, "That's exactly what Big Tits is. So there is nothing to worry about."

The Voice rasps disapprovingly, "Wrong. You underestimate Inspector Scott, Transmigrator. While she may not be able to match the beauty of the Heroines, Inspector Scott is by any measure an attractive woman. More importantly, her cunning and feminine charm have been honed through experience. That makes her more than a match for the Heroines. The Hero is inexperienced in love, and is weak to the kind of emotional appeals Inspector Scott can muster, especially after a bond has been formed between them through sex."

"Furthermore," The Voice continues after taking a breath, "Inspector Scott will not be satisfied being just a member of a harem. Remember that Inspector Scott has more in terms of social prestige and accomplishments than all the Heroines combined. She is certainly capable of sidelining the Heroines if given the chance."

I tut and rebut, "You're looking at it from the wrong angle. After doing the hot and heavy with the Hero, would you say that Big Tits is committed to the Hero's success?"

"Yes." The Voice confirms.

I grin and continue my argument, "And once the Hero succeeds, he's going to be prince of Europe. A cop can't hold a candle to that. If the Hero wants a harem, he's going to get it, no matter what Big Tits says. The Hero and the Heroines are hardwired to physically desire one another right?"

"That is correct." The Voice muses.

"So its only a matter of time before the Hero decides to expand his horizons, so to speak." I assert, "All we need to do is make sure the Hero stays in regular contact with the Heroines and Fate does not mess up his progress. Nature will deal with the rest. When the time comes, Big Tits will have to settle for being a concubine or minor consort or whatever and like it. The end."

"In fact," I press on as an idea comes to me, "If Big Tits births a kid for the Hero, wouldn't it be beneficial for your plan? More claimants for the throne means more chaos, right?"

The Voice is silent for awhile, turning the idea over in its head. It finally responds, "There is still a problem though, that being the termination of the Hero. Inspector Scott introduces a variable that I cannot control. You saw how committed she is to the Hero's safety today. Her presence would inevitably make Heroine Majima's mission much harder."

"Would you rather Chance get close to the Hero instead?" I challenge, "Because that is what's waiting in the wings if we get rid of Big Tits. Can you trust the Hero not to stick his little brother into Chance?"

"Unfortunately no." The Voice sighs, "The Hero was constructed to be irresistible to women and to ultimately impregnate them. A nascent romantic relationship was already forming between the Hero and Master Chance before you even entered into the picture. Thanks to the injuries Master Chance suffered at your hands, she has been unable to pursue this relationship any further."

"So really, you lucked out here." I say while squirming about in an attempt to scratch my back, "Big Tits is pretty much the lesser of the two evils."

"Mhm. If you say so." The Voice concedes unhappily, "Nevertheless, I fear that Inspector Scott's presence will cause unforeseen complications in the future. Its similar to how the brick you threw at the Squat was the ultimate cause of this current scenario. Inspector Scott brings with her a huge amount of instability. While she will undoubtedly speed the destruction of the death route we are on, the real problems regarding her will only surface much later. Perhaps even affecting the harem route the Hero needs to walk to completion."

"Then enjoy the benefits while you can." I suggest, "Its not as if either Fate or you can control the future right? Big Tits will usher in whatever future that will be. Que sera, as they say."

"What will be, will be." The Voice mumbles, "I dislike that sentiment. It is an admission that our destiny is beyond our control."

"Its true though." I shoot back, "Look at the locals, you think they are in control of anything? You and Fate have got fingers in every pie."

"An oversimplification." The Voice denies, "The locals control their lives on a day to day basis. Most of their decisions are made based on their own free will. My influence may be pervasive, but it is distant. You could go an entire lifetime without ever interacting with me."

"What about the guys who lost their money in the URI thanks to today's rampage?" I query, "Isn't that something beyond their control?"

The Voice remains silent, considering my words.

"Fate messing with you is also something beyond your control." I say, "Our entire plan revolves around generating instability, causing destiny itself to spiral out of control. You still want to deny the sentiment?"

"You are oddly philosophical today." The Voice finally responds.

I shrug, "I'm in a good mood."

"A man of letters indeed." The Voice rumbles, "Then why do you act the way you do? When I researched your background, I imagined someone more urbane."

An uncomfortable feeling creeps over my heart as I reply, "Life happened."

The Voice presses on, "You are not a stupid man, Transmigrator. Our time together has proved that. Why play the fool? Someone brought up in your environment would not talk as crassly as you do."

"People change." I say vaguely, "You're telling me that there was never any change in your life?"

"No, Transmigrator." The Voice responds, "Change is inevitable, and I have experienced the kind of change that you could never even imagine."

"Just remember this," The Voice concludes, "Change is not an excuse to run away."