DD-DDD06 (Dec 8, 1988)

DD-DDD06

Puzzle

"The Last Secret."
Secret | See: The Cafe and Diner Archives | 3 Words

Clue

Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: You'll need to have read through The Taraxacum Tax for this; more specifically September 2022.
Clue 2: What, or who, is the Last Secret? Why is she...well, a 'she', instead of an 'it'?
Clue 3: CaDCom Soul Core: Unit Alpha.

Answer and Explanation

Answer: The Sunshine Soul
Explanation: The Last Secret, allowing for cross-Spherical time travel, is the CaDCom's Soul Core Unit, created from Sunshine and given a Soul.

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⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️

Summary of Receipt

Summary

Transcript

Receipt: DD-DDD06
Author: Other, Other & the Other
Status: Diner Diner
Subject: Errata

As if this wasn’t confusing enough.

Having all of infinity spread out before us was already hard enough to keep track of. But now? Now we’re juggling two infinities: Aleph Null and Aleph One. And with Coraline hanging on in what’s currently Null, if that Universe collapses too, we’ll be dealing with Aleph Two before long.

Oh, Jean-Marc. What the hell did you do? You really opened up a cosmic can of worms with this one. Archival immortality. Inter-Universal time travel. A sunshine soul. I’ve got to applaud your audacity—if not your execution. You didn’t quite get the heart, but you sure left your mark on the cosmos. Probably for the best that you’re out of the picture now.

Looking back, though, Demiurge really didn’t hire the best and brightest, did he? I wouldn’t say the Otherman’s job is easy, but it’s straightforward: keep time turning. At least Julia made the right call—cutting the original Nova Prime loose was a stroke of genius. And Abraxas reforming the tool? Also the right move. Let’s be honest: a Pocketwatch just doesn’t fit anymore. Time doesn’t work the way it used to. Ask Victoria. Man, what a clever trick that was. Got Sarah to thank for that, of course. It was her idea for the most part. Just needed a miracle worker to finalize her notes.

So… what now?

Even with Jean-Marc’s meddling, the past can’t be changed—not in any straightforward way. Coraline will keep chipping away at decrypting the Archives and clearing the pathways to the past. Still over forty subsections to go. Of course, that only makes it easier for Gleam to find the “Last Secret.” Ha! Beat him to it. Funny thing is, he had her. He had Warden in his grasp. Guess I’ve got Dover to thank for that. Weird little freak. I should really pay him a visit next. Bring him one of those choranges he loves so much. Maybe then I’ll finally beat Zach in the rankings. Or do you think he’s started over?

…Is it just a trauma response that I have this unquenchable urge to keep writing receipts? I could’ve come back to the past just to look around. But let’s be real: could I really pass up the chance to write just one more receipt?

I mean, sure, I could join the Nova Cafe. Then I could write and write to my heart’s content. They’d probably take me—Amaretto, maybe? Tiramisu? Elderflower? Plenty of Torani flavors left to claim. But on second thought, maybe I should let them figure things out on their own. Nothing worse than a multi-universal know-it-all running the Cafe. Look where that got us the first time.

… Alm’stari ili, al Alo Alu’stono ed Quisby—Ne alm reganis super alu’ili regnoi. Aperi u vizago Alu Stasi, aperi u vizago Alu Onidi, aperi u vizago Alu Alm’sophi, aperi u vizago Alu Alm’viv, aperi u vizago Alu Lykar—ak aperi u vizago Alu “Ninth Sin.”

Or so they say. In High Demon. Which, at this point, is a dead language—twice removed, no less. Thankfully, Eight can still translate.

Do I believe it? Of course I do. I’ll believe anything until proven otherwise. But I suspect the Cafe and Diner will need to uncover the Quisbys on their own first.

It does make one wonder, though. There are five visages I already know of—five crystal monoliths, each inexplicably tied to the Quisby Clause. But who created the sixth? I don’t put much stock in numerology—it tends to be more coincidental than cosmic. Still, I can’t shake a certain nagging worry: six Quisbys. Six seals. If the Cafe and Diner break each one, would that bring an end to their Universe? Already?

It’s too soon for that. I’ll need to make sure it doesn’t happen.

And yet… I can’t help but feel that this “Ninth Deadly Sin” can only bring with it exactly what it is.

A shame.

…

First—Snow. No other way about it. He’s a loose cannon. A loyal loose cannon, but a loose cannon all the same. A loose cannon. A loose canon. He’s risking further rewrites and Koleman Octzman is going to give them to him. He’s risking further rewrites and Octavio Coleman is going to give them to him. Everything is spiraling out of control. Right into the Spiral. Everything is in the Spiral. Snow’s Quisby is the weakest, after all. Might as well start where he’s the weakest. First—Snow. Then, we’ll have to see. I’ve been doing what I can—but I am running out of options. No other way about it. I’m a loose cannon. A loyal loose cannon, but a loose canon all the same. A loose canon. I’m risking further rewrites and Julia isn’t going to give them to me. I’m risking further rewrites and Coraline isn’t going to give them to me. I’m risking further rewrites and Marie might give them to me. Everything is spiraling out of control. Right into the Spiral. Everything is in the Spiral. Victoria’s problem was the easiest to solve, after all. Smart to start with the easiest problem. First—Victoria. Then, I need to help Marie. I’ve been doing what I can—but she is running out of options. No other way about it. Wasting their time here—though doesn’t take a lot to start things over again, and again, and again, and again, and again. Reboot after reboot. Fifteenth Sphere. Sixteenth Sphere. Seventeenth Sphere. Third Cafe, Fourth Cafe, Fifth Cafe, J’S Cafe, Mammon’s Cafe, Fourth Cafe, Last Cafe, Nova Cafe… over and over again. If it doesn’t work out… just need to try everything all over again.