Data Chapter 5; The Silver Pumpkinhead

Archival Data Log: Report

"The Veritas Grows Unstable. This Is Not What We Envisioned. But Even This Was Within Calculations." The Silver Pumpkinhead -- elder of the Metal Pumpkinhead -- recorded data that was meant for archives. "Soon, The Entire Veritas Will Be Nothing But An Archival Scrap Heap." The Silver Pumpkinhead waited for a very long time for the Veritas to be.

"With All Data Of The History Of Before The Veritas, The Mold For The Story Must Be Shaped Again. It Is Coming Undone As More Information Is Placed Into It, And As Things Shift, Much Is Lost." The Archival Chamber that was the Silver Pumpkinhead kept record of the deeper, lost thoughts of the one who created the Pumpkinheads in the first place. "The Beings Of The Veritas Have Forgotten Their Place Because Of How Desolate The Environment Is. It Is Not Used For Its Intended Purposes Anymore, And So, The Veritas Grows To Be Nothing But Archives."

The Silver Pumpkinhead hovered over the Testament Palace, where the most amount of information besides the very Data Realm itself resided in the Veritas. "This World Is But A Relic. It Must Be Renewed, Or It Must Be Scrapped."

These were the final conclusions of the Silver Pumpkinhead.

From the darkness, a grim, metallic face faded into visibility right before the Silver Pumpkinhead. "Time Is Not Yet Up," the metallic head spake in a grisly fashion, "WARNING: Do Not Archive The Veritas."

What was speaking to the Silver Pumpkinhead was its younger twin, the Metal Pumpkinhead. Though the Silver Pumpkinhead was the Pumpkintwin, it was both elder and younger than the Metal Pumpkinhead. It was born afterward, but it was created as the elder. Another of the complexities that had to be sorted out in writing. "We Have Not Reached Critical Mass," Metal Pumpkinhead spake, eyes burning red. "When That Is Achieved, We Will Scrap The Project And Allow You To Archive The Entire Dimension Before It Destroys Itself." Metal Pumpkinhead narrowed its eyes. "As Of Now, However, We Are Far From That Point, And There Is No Need For The Silver Pumpkinhead To Act Out Of Turn."

A horrendous tear in the dimension ripped open from the edge of a giant butcher knife, revealing on the other side a creature that glowed in the blackest of blackness... THE Pumpkinhead.

"Shut... Up..." Pumpkinhead said to the Pumpkintwins, "... I Am The Original. I Am The Progenitor's Fourth Form. I Am The One That Keeps All Of The Thoughts Together. I Am Pumpkinhead." The scarred pumpkin-headed face narrowed its eyes, pointing at the Pumpkintwins with the giant butcher knife, Pumpkin Carver. "I Know Where My Thoughts Are," Pumpkinhead said, "And You Two Are Meant To Organize My Thoughts. You, Metal Pumpkinhead, Keep All Data Of What Happens... And You, Silver Pumpkinhead, Keep All Archives. I, However, Give You Thoughts And Data To Even Function. Without Me, Neither Of You Would Exist Nor Would You Have A Purpose..." Suddenly, Pumpkinhead raised his voice. "SO DON'T GO DECIDING THINGS FOR ME WHEN I HAVEN'T DECIDED FOR MYSELF!!!"

"Dear Boy," said the Silver Pumpkinhead, "You Seem Troubled. That Should Not Be If Everything Is According To Plan." The floating silver pumpkin head turned to face the actual pumpkin head that glared it in the face. "If You Do Not Want Everything To Be Scrapped, Then You Must Think, Son. It Will Not Be Long Before You Have No Time To Do So And All That You Do Will Be Naught But Trash." It was already starting to seem that way. "Let Me Take Control," Silver Pumpkinhead insisted, "I Will Utilize The Archived Data To Our Advantage. All Of This Is Well Within MY Calculations, After All." The Silver Pumpkinhead did not seem as stressed as the Metal Pumpkinhead nor the actual Pumpkinhead. "I Foresaw Even This Far In The Story, And So, I Should Be The One To Take Helm."

"No," the Metal Pumpkinhead said, clashing with the Silver Pumpkinhead, "All Data Must Be Sorted Out Through Me. I Am The One That Maintains All Of The Information Within Me And Configures It Properly." Metal Pumpkinhead looked away, burning eyes narrowing. "My Head Has Just Not Been In The Right Place Lately, And All Of The Information That Is Coming In Has Caused Both Clutter And Lag." A sad truth to the Metal Pumpkinhead, but the more data there was to sort out, the more work Metal Pumpkinhead had to do. "There's Just... So Much..."

The Pumpkinheads were all trying to take their responsibilities for what was happening, but... It was solely Pumpkinhead's alone. He closed his eye sockets and sighed heavily. "... We Are One. All Of Us. Including The Red Pumpkinhead And The Gold Pumpkinhead." Pumpkinhead placed Pumpkin Carver back on his back and stilled his anger for the moment. "Each Of Us... Has A Purpose In The Grand Design. All Of You Are Part Of Me Originally, And Because Of That, I Am The One That Makes The Final Decisions For Us All." Granted, his time in the past of making decisions were met with his unprecedented anger flaring up and destroying something... But Pumpkinhead had a better head on his shoulders than even Tigen, when his anger was in check.

"... Therefore..." Pumpkinhead said, thinking deeply, "... There... Fore..." Groaning, Pumpkinhead grasped his head, letting all of the words that were spoken by the Pumpkintwins resonate within him. When he finally got a hold of himself, he released his head and said calmly, "... Therefore, I Will Renew This World..." The burning Scarecrow smirked, clenching his large hands. "... The Best Way I Know How..." Quickly, he slammed his fist into the atmosphere and it shattered, creating a small void in the cracks that fell to pieces where his hand made contact.

Pumpkinhead: "I Will... Destroy."

Pumpkinhead turned to the Void of Shattered Dimensional Energy and said as he walked through the emptiness, "Don't Follow Me." He knew that the Pumpkintwins had something that they needed to settle between themselves, and that Pumpkinhead himself had something to do on his own. The Pumpkintwins were to wait for the Red Pumpkinhead and Gold Pumpkinhead to appear, and they would know this through the universal mental link that the Pumpkinheads all shared.

That done, the Shattered Dimensional Energy rupture repaired itself behind Pumpkinhead, replacing the atmosphere as if it hadn't been cracked. Where he was going, only he knew.

A great deal of time passed after Pumpkinhead left, and the Pumpkintwins -- Metal Pumpkinhead and Silver Pumpkinhead, who were more digital and mechanical in nature -- continued their assignments algorithmically, as by both of their designs. Though, through all of that, it wasn't until the uncluttering of much of the data that was spread around the Veritas that the Black Pumpkinhead was jostled from its rest. Certainly, being as rare as -- and even rarer than -- the Gold Pumpkinhead, which also had not yet appeared before the other Pumpkinheads, the dark Black Pumpkinhead, whose eyes were the only things apparent in the depths of the darkness, would intervene. It bore both superiority and seniority over the lesser Pumpkinheads, being of the Tenth Restriction, whereas the Silver and Metal Pumpkinheads were both only of the Ninth. As the Ninth Moon approached and the Tenth Moon started to fall, -- as, so much time had passed during the uncluttering that two full entire moons had fallen -- Black Pumpkinhead would come to the two so that they could be prepared to serve their purposes.

"... Still Playing The Antagonist, Silver Pumpkinhead?" jested the Black Pumpkinhead, whose form was void and ambiguous. "It Is Well Within Your Code To Do So When Necessary, But Surely, It Is Time To Halt That Protocol Within You Now. You Have Spurred On The Inspiration To Filter And Organize The Cluttered Data In The Veritas, As The One Which Harnesses The Archives... But The Metal Pumpkinhead, Which Deals With Maintenance, And The Original Pumpkinhead, Who Is Off Fulfilling His Spirit, Are Carrying The Processes Out. Therefore, Your Original Judgment About Archiving The Entirety Of The Veritas Is Now Null." A dark claw reached out to pat the head of the Silver Pumpkinhead, palming it easily. "A Reassessment Is In Order," said Black Pumpkinhead, who still did not reveal himself, but allowed his three eyes to narrow, "And You Know That The Only Way For A Truly Accurate And Absolute Assessment To Occur Is For All Of The Pumpkinheads To Gather. A Single Pumpkinhead Is Incapable Of Making Such A Judgment Alone... Save For The One Which Is Transcendent, And Also The Original. I, Who Am But A Shadow, And You, Who Are But A Copy, Cannot Exceed The Transcendent Nor The Original."

Black Pumpkinhead retracted his claw. "The Original Must Return, And We Must Also Await The Arrival Of The Gold Pumpkinhead And The Red Pumpkinhead. Then, Each Of The Pumpkinheads Will Be Capable Of Performing An Accurate Reassessment, For Many Things Have Changed Since The Time Of The Initial Judgment That You Came To."

However long the congregation of Pumpkinheads took to 'discuss' the matters amongst themselves, the Gold Pumpkinhead eventually crashed down from beyond in the midst of them, a purifying chime resounding throughout the congregation, purifying and cleansing each of them. "... Yo," said the Gold Pumpkinhead in a divine, echoing voice. "... Are You All Still Clamoring About Things That Have Been Taken Care Of...?" Apparently, an indefinite amount of time passed whilst they were all gathered, and they'd all been going back and forth for who knows how long in here as things progressed outside of them. "... Besides. You Haven't Seen How The Oh, So Great Silver Pumpkinhead Has Made Yet Another Meticulous Plan In Order To Get His Way? Hahahaha! I Suppose Some Things Never Change, Eh, Grimlock!?"

Gold Pumpkinhead was, as her name suggested, a golden Pumpkin Head. She was also the only female Pumpkinhead who wasn't Pumpkinheart, the wife of Pumpkinhead, and technically not of the Pumpkinhead lineage. Gold Pumpkinhead was also known as the Golden Apple, and was a very sacred Pumpkinhead with great purificatory properties. So, as the other Pumpkinheads were tainted with whatever it was, Gold Pumpkinhead could clear the Pumpkin Heads and restore them to their purity. There were several golden halos surrounding Gold Pumpkinhead, and she was disembodied, being only a Pumpkin Head with no body.

"It's Obvious That He Wanted To Gather You All Here Because He Wanted To Make Sure That All The Pumpkinheads Were Together. I've Cleared Your Pensive Little Heads, So You Should Be Able To Piece Together All Of The Missing Information Amongst Each Other. Ya Know?" This should have settled the discrepancy between the Pumpkinheads and brought them all to accord, but... "Hey, Wait... Where's The Red Pumpkinhead? I See Silver Pumpkinhead, Metal Pumpkinhead, And Black Pumpkinhead... But No Red Pumpkinhead."

A searing heat concentration burnt its way through the digital information, paving a way for the final of the Pumpkinheads, Red Pumpkinhead. There was a natural air of intensity around it that was most like the original Pumpkinhead than all the others, and this one seemed to be the only one that was the most directly related. Red Pumpkinhead was silent at first as it burnt through the atmosphere, which would reform behind it as it cooled. The face of Red Pumpkinhead was fully unchanging, as if permanently stuck in an intense scowl. Of course, the best way to tell whether or not it was upset was by the emanation. Since it was cool, it wasn't upset.

"... Good. So We Are All Here Now," Red Pumpkinhead began to say. "... I Am Speaking On Behalf Of Pumpkinhead, The Original. Thanks To Gold Pumpkinhead, There Will Be No More Infighting Among Us, But... Since We Are All Here Together, We Can Address Something That Is Greater Than What We Were Once Called Here For -- Which Was A Farce, Anyway, Fabricated By Silver Pumpkinhead In An Elaborate Plan To Gather Us Together In Protest Against Its Judgment." Red Pumpkinhead floated in the center of all the other Pumpkinheads, but the red glow of Red Pumpkinhead cooled to a more orange color, like that of an actual pumpkin. But it actually looked more like an orange than a pumpkin.

"... We Are Here To Combine Our Powers," Red Pumpkinhead declared then. "... That Will Appease Pumpkinhead And Bring Him Back Here, As Well As Bring About What It Is We Are Actually Supposed To Do." Red Pumpkinhead turned to Silver Pumpkinhead, who was the mastermind behind this entire little escapade. "... So Why Not Tell Us What The Actual Plan Is, Silver Pumpkinhead? You Have Gotten Your Way And Gathered All The Pumpkinheads Together. It Is Clear You Needed All Of Us Here At Once To Tell Us Something In Person And Not Through Our Linked Collective Consciousness. Since The Gold Pumpkinhead Is Present, You Must Tell Us The Truth, Completely Straightforward. So Speak, Silver Pumpkinhead."

After however much or little time had passed since and during the initial gathering of the Pumpkinheads by the Silver Pumpkinhead, eventually the Pumpkinghead, who ruled over the Pumpkinheads beside Pumpkinhead, appeared before them. "Ah, Grimlock, Old Bean!" cried Grimnyzmal, the Pumpkinghead, who looked like his traditional self from the days when the Silver Pumpkinhead was his dear brother, Grimlock, "You're Right On Time, On Schedule, As Usual, Like Clockwork, Yet Again, Aren't You, My Boy?" Grimnyzmal was ecstatic that the old bean was still just as acute as ever, even in his old age and archaicism.

"Well, I Won't Dally. Though The Silver Pumpkinhead Began The Gathering Years Ago, Time Has Not Affected You All Where You Would Recognize That, Because It Is Indistinguishable Here. However, The True Nature Of Why You All Are Gathered Here Is Upon Us." He clasped his gloved hands together chiefly, and addressed them like an executive. "The Lord Ty-sama Is In Motion, And The Veritas Is Beginning To Fully Mature, Which Means All Of The Features Are Starting To Function And Further Develop... Which Means We Need All Hands On Deck." The Pumpkinghead smiled. "I'm Sure This Day Is Something That The Silver Pumpkinhead Has Long Awaited, Because It Means That He Will Once Again Serve A Purpose Other Than Anything Archival." He chuckled.

Grimnyzmal: "But, This Means First We Must Perform Scheduled Maintenance, And All Maintenance Is Led By The Metal Pumpkinhead. So, Metal Pumpkinhead And Silver Pumpkinhead Will Worry About Maintenance And Organization So That The Older Things Can Be Archived Or Assorted. In Doing That, It Will Trigger The Mechanica To Begin To Work More Intricately, Which Will Stimulate Business, And Also Cement The Production System As Well As The Veritas System Altogether. Gold Pumpkinhead Already Has A Predetermined Assignment That Has Yet To Be Completed And Will Return To That, And The Black Pumpkinhead Is The Envoy Of Lord Ty-sama, And Will Exact His Will As It Examines The Veritas. Red Pumpkinhead And The Original Pumpkinhead Will Tend To The Veritas From The Interior, And I Will Facilitate This Operation And In Doing So Maximize The Efficiency Of The Mechanica As Well As Solidify And Fortify The Veritas For Lord Ty-sama's Delight. The Ninth Moon Is Upon Us, Which Means The Ninth Restriction Is In Command. With Gold Pumpkinhead's Cleansing Waves, We Should All Be In Clarity About The Assignment, Yes?"

As if on command, the Metal Pumpkinhead's eyes flashed bright red, and an alarm blared from it, signalling the initiation of the maintenance protocol. After receiving and processing instruction, Metal Pumpkinhead swiftly and silently turned around, instantaneously burning into darkness, off to dutifully perform his task.

Silver Pumpkinhead chuckled morosely to himself, raising his head with a champion grin upon it. "Yes, It Was All According To Plan," he stated plainly, slowly drifting away behind the Metal Pumpkinhead. "... And With It, I Have Finally Achieved The Very Thing I Spent My Entire Existence On... Finally... I Have Done It..." For once, Silver Pumpkinhead felt like he had truly obtained his life goal, and was at peace. With true mastery of what he sought, with all the intelligence and calculative prowess, this was even greater than what he'd done when he was banished to the Beyond and rested with the three super beings that were trapped there. And honestly, to him, that was his most masterful plan to date.

Until now, that is.

The ever mysterious and cryptic Silver Pumpkinhead faded away, drawing behind Metal Pumpkinhead, then off to its own devices.

The coming together and union of the Pumpkinheads was blessed by the Pumpking through the Pumpkinghead, which was the Pumpking's Pumpkin Head. Alone, it stood as commander of the Pumpkinheads, but combined with the Pumpking, it was of unlimited potential. The Pumpking anointed the Pumpkinghead with his wisdom and power, letting it flow into the other Pumpkinheads, before resting the Pumpking Scepter, the Pumpking's personal item that was an official decree of rulership.

In all the activity of the Pumpkinheads, the Original Pumpkinhead -- which was Tymon's personal Pumpkinhead that was the unified Pumpkinheads as both Pumpkinhead, The Original and also Tymon, himself -- appeared again before the congregation, because the union of the Crowns was anointed by the Crystal Pumpkinhead, which was the Secret Pumpkinhead forbidden to Kairo Kaizoku Tymon himself. It was the God Of Pumpkinheads, and the God Pumpkin Head, which was Godhead of the Pumpkinheads, and crowned upon the Thirteenth Restriction, which belonged to Tymon himself as Overgod. His appearance meant that the union of the Pumpkinheads was good, but Tymon was looking specifically for Silver Pumpkinhead.

He took hold of the Crystal Pumpkinhead, and he placed it upon himself, and it disappeared completely, becoming fully invisible by transparency. "... Junk Lord," Tymon bellowed, commanding the Silver Pumpkinhead, "... Summon." Whatever Silver Pumpkinhead was doing, it would involuntarily become a beacon for Tymon to instantly summon himself through it and immediately wherever it was. "... You Have Done Well. Bring Me The Archival Data. The Time Has Come." True maintenance started at the very bottom, in the gutter, and that was where all of the old and outdated things no one cares about are located. But someone cares about them enough to keep record of them... And for Tymon? He was that person, in regards to his own Archival Data and what he intended to do with it.

Though technically 'Junk Data' or 'Refuse', something like what one throws into the Recycling Bin or goes to sell as scraps for cash. However, because Tymon knows what to do with all of his own things, he can even use the Archival Data meant to be commemorative or as mementos, or even evidence and records, for other sorts of profits. Things could be refurbished for definite sure, and that was only the one minor thing. But Tymon had much bigger plans for all of his so-called 'Junk Data'.

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The deadline was set: Black Friday was established. With that came the embedding of the Dark Goddess herself, Black Friday, Meiun, to the interior of the Metal Pumpkinhead to secure the detonation sequence. Her coming aligned all of the Dark Ones of the Veritas, from the Dark God and Goddess, the Kurogami, the Keeper and the Alice, the Flame Of Eternity (Or, Souzenryoku), the Dark Legend, and the Void and Prime Chaos themselves.

All of that, inclusive to what it would do and all such potentiality on the outside, would be sealed by the alignment through the start of Black Friday inside of the Metal Pumpkinhead. Thus, when the Countdown was done, the Black Friday brewing inside to whatever degree or intensity it would become within, would also be released outside.

Fortuitously, there was already something inside of the Metal Pumpkinhead for Black Friday to play with so she wouldn't be bored waiting for the next Friday The Thirteenth, during the end of the Fall Of The Ninth Moon...

"... This Time, They Will Be Thrown Into Absolute Despair Of Which There Is No Repair. Yet, I Know The One Afflicted By Wrath Will, In Desperation, Seek Me Out One More Time... That, Or He Will Remain Cowardly, And His Cowardice Will Be Cemented Before All On A Greater Pedestal, So He Cannot Hide It Or Beguile His Way Out Of It Being Absolutely Clear. After That, I Suppose I Can Release Them From My Grudge Then. They Will Be Free Of Me When I Am Repaid Their Sins Against Me."