Symbiote 0326: Earth-68403D (2/2)

[This planet works on a universal currency. Chaos chips and crystals. Chips are mass-produced solidified energy, similar to coins, and have a standardized value here. They even have denominations depending on the concentration of energy within the chip. I haven't yet gauged anything about crystals beyond their existence and that they possess a ridiculously high value.]

[Convinent. But isn't that highly inefficient? Why would she not try to set up a system similar to your whole bracelet thing with everything being digital?]

[Because these chips are beyond just currency. They run their entire society. That guy, for example. He isn't someone with an affinity for Chaos. He is simply using an artifact that runs on Chaos energy. Those chips are the battery for his food cart. Looking at the output, a single chip should be able to create ten plates before requiring replacement.]

[And he had the gall to ask me for five? He should be selling those for half a chip.]

[Capitalism.]

[It's depressing that even a small street vendor is so susceptible to capitalism. Anyway, there has to be some kind of source for those chips. I doubt that planetary overlord has the kind of time or energy necessary to generate trillions of chips to serve as not only the replacement for electricity but also as their currency. How did the world even transition so drastically? I don't see a single person around considering this system as weird or alien.]

[There are two possibilities for that: either this reality was already one based on Chaos magic and energy, or that variant of Scarlet Witch used the Reality Stone to modify this planet's culture by force.]

[Can she even do that?] Laura made a weird face. [I see you hesitant to use the Mind Stone to read even a single person's memories while that woman is using the Reality Stone to modify reality on a planetary scale. Are you using the stone wrong?]

[No, I'm just doing my best to make sure that I don't accidentally kill all my hosts by channeling too much energy. Using an Infinity Stone without the necessary capabilities or the correct medium will violently pressure the user's very life force, very quickly killing them.]

[So she is using an artifact?]

[Maybe … But I have another more likely guess. What I usually do to augment the damage to mine and, by extension, my hosts' life force, is to use EP to take the brunt of that impact. I believe that she is doing something similar to that. Whether it is through the use of Chaos energy, or something else is yet to be determined.]

[If it is Chaos energy, then this trip might just be extremely fruitful. It would mean that you can use the Infinity Stones you collect consistently without any problems.]

[It's a big what if. I've explored that avenue without any success. Chaos energy is too volatile to serve that purpose. Unless the user is the literal embodiment of Chaos … Someone like a Dimensional Ruler.]

[Maybe she is already that powerful …]

[Maybe, but I doubt it. Forget it. There's no need to waste our time thinking about what-ifs. I'm curious to see what else is different on this planet.]

…

Since Alex could simply produce as many chips as he wanted to, he had Laura look for a relatively upscale resort without any restraints regarding money. For once, they didn't have to commit any major crimes like hypnotizing people and modifying their memories and took care of everything with some minor currency fraud. Which wasn't really currency fraud since there weren't any bank markings on Chaos chips.

After some investigation, they found out that there was indeed a Central Reserve Bank that manufactured and kept track of the Chaos chips throughout the entire world. Since their currency also doubled as a power source for everything in the world, that meant the chips without energy rapidly lost their value, which made the manufacturing aspect of Chaos chips far more prominent. To keep the chips in circulation, the Central Reserve Bank would provide every living human a certain allowance every month that could be used for the exchange of goods and services as required.

"This is a weird system …" Laura mumbled while inside the resort's bedroom, lying on the bed with her head in Alex's lap as he massaged her scalp.

"This system is flawed in so many ways, yet it is currently working like a well-oiled machine as if having gone through countless iterations throughout history."

"She is a dangerous character," Laura said. "To be able to use the fragmented Infinity Stones to such an extent …"

"You know, the amount of chips that are allotted to each person is different," Alex said. "It depends on the person's social impact, standing, and more. Not only that, certain people receive a load of chips simply because they possess a slight affinity toward either magic or Chaos."

"Yeah, without the stone's influence, this kind of a society would crumble within months."

"Maybe …" Alex said. "Though I still don't understand the benefit of going so far as to modify reality to establish such a system. Unless it benefits her in some way, this is a waste of time."

"You think there's more to it?" Laura asked.

"Maybe," Alex said. "I've heard that they also consider how many emptied-out chips have been returned to the Central Bank when allocating the monthly chip quota."

"Could those empty chips take something from the holders that we can't detect? Why else would they put extra value on people who possess an affinity for magic or Chaos?"

"I've examined the read chips deeply when I created my fakes," Alex said. "I can't see the emptied crystals taking anything from humans … Though it is possible that they are taking something ethereal like faith that I can't detect with my current abilities."

"Faith?" Laura asked, confused.

"Keep in mind, I'm just speculating wildly at the moment," Alex said. "But Wanda, the variant I'm bonded with, has an innate ability to establish a territory in her surroundings when certain conditions are met — conditions that I'm not completely sure about. She is empowered within her territory. I believe that these chips are probably a way for her to expand this so-called territory to multiple planets."

"Sounds like a stretch," Laura said.

"That's why I said that this is just speculation. Those chips could just be a compromise required when she established the new rules of reality when using the Reality Stone."

"Maybe we just need to break into the Bank and ask them what the deal is with collecting the empty chips," Laura suggested. "No need to form so many conjectures."

"No," Alex shook his head. "It's too early to get into Wanda's crosshairs. It's better if we continue to lay low for now. Our next order of business should be Kamar Taj. I've already found their base. When the sun rises, we will leave for their recruitment drive."

"Won't Kamar Taj also uncover our identities? It's not every day a mysterious tourist enters their ranks."

"That would be the case, but they are publically recruiting potential sorcerers. That's why I said we will be joining the recruitment drive tomorrow. It's a weekly thing where they allow anyone to walk in, test their affinity, and train under their sorcerers."

"That doesn't sound like a trap," Laura said sarcastically.

"It's most definitely a trap," Alex confirmed. "Not a single one of the applicants has returned to normalcy since the past few months that this has been going on. I have noticed traces of absorption magic, which points to a certain character that I'm curious about."

"Well, I still get to learn mystic arts, right?" Laura asked.

"Of course. Not only that, we might just be able to dabble in witchcraft as well. There is a fine line between them, but it exists." Alex explained before Laura could ask for clarification.

Laura suddenly sighed. "Do you mind taking me home after we're done here, Alex?" She asked. "I want closure. Regarding Logan, Xavier … everyone. You have the Mind Stone. Xavier's abilities shouldn't affect you, right?"

"We'll be fine," Alex nodded, caressing the side of her face. "Even if he tries to use that big amplifier of his to read our minds, it won't be any use."

"It's only been a few months, but it feels like a lifetime ago that I left that facility," she said. "You changed everything."

"Don't give me all the credit," Alex said with a laugh. "You have some moments as well."

"Yeah, right," Laura suddenly jumped up at Alex and straddled him. "We still have a couple of hours until sunrise, right?"

Laura's suggestive tone wasn't lost on Alex and he decided to respond with his actions instead of his words as he captured Laura's lips in a heated kiss.

Moments later, the duo had lost all items of clothing on their bodies and were passionately indulging in the pleasures of each other's flesh.