Chapter 82: The Minute of Mutiny
At exactly 11:00 Cycles, the Giant Silver Stopwatch materialized in the center of the Lobby. It didn't tick; it hummed with a low, predatory frequency. When the hand hit the 60-second mark, the world stopped—mostly.
The Muse froze mid-laugh, her neon hair hanging in the air like a solid sculpture of light. Architect Ao Bing was suspended in mid-air, a 100% realistic expression of panic etched into his face. Assistant Yue was locked in a silent steam-vent. Only Ne Job, protected by the Semicolon's 7.5% temporal immunity, could move.
But he wasn't alone.
"Freedom!" a raspy voice squeaked from his desk. Ne Job turned to see his In-Box—a sturdy wire mesh tray—sprouting spindly metal legs and scurrying toward the exit. "No more filings! No more trajectories! We shall rule the desk! We shall be the Primary Documents!"
The Revolt of the Requisites
The "Minute of Mutiny" was a localized temporal glitch where inanimate objects gained 100% sentience and 0% discipline.
The Silver Stapler was hopping across the floor, snapping its jaws at Pip's frozen ankles.
A Stack of Memos had formed a flying, paper serpent that was currently trying to "Redact" the ceiling.
Ne Job's Favorite Pen was scrawling "DOWN WITH ORDER" across the walls in permanent ink.
"Get back here, you disobedient stationery!" Ne Job bellowed, lunging for his In-Box. But the wire tray was nimble. It dodged his grasp and signaled to the Department of Supplies.
A wave of sentient paperclips—thousands of them—swarmed the floor like a metallic tide.
The 7.5% Deadline
Ne Job looked at the Stopwatch: 45 Seconds Remaining.
If he didn't restore order before the minute ended, the objects would remain sentient, and the Bureau would become a chaotic jungle of living furniture.
"Junior!" Ne Job called out. To his surprise, the Junior Archivist was also moving. Being a "Clone of Potential," he existed in the gaps between seconds. "Get the 'Industrial-Strength Magnet'! We need to ground the rebellion!"
Junior grabbed a magnet the size of a bowling ball. "On it, Boss! I'll pin 'em down!"
The Semicolon Snare
The Stopwatch hit 20 Seconds. The In-Box had reached the Mainframe of Logic, preparing to "Delete All Context." If it succeeded, the Bureau would lose its memory of why it even existed.
Ne Job realized he couldn't catch them all by hand. He pulled out the Semicolon. He didn't use it to staple; he used it to Expand the Minute. By touching the Semicolon to the Stopwatch, he created a 7.5% Temporal Anchor.
The "Semicolon Energy" didn't stop the clock, but it linked the objects back to their Function. He fired a burst of violet light that hit the In-Box.
"You aren't a king!" Ne Job shouted. "You are a Receptacle! Your purpose isn't to rule; it's to Hold!"
The Return to Stillness
The Semicolon's logic was undeniable. The In-Box's legs retracted. The paper serpent collapsed into a neat pile of memos. The paperclips lost their hive-mind and fell to the floor with a collective clatter.
05... 04... 03...
Ne Job dove for his desk, shoving the In-Box back into its proper place just as the Stopwatch hit zero.
The "Minute" ended. The Muse finished her laugh. Ao Bing landed on the floor with a soft thud. Assistant Yue let out a long, confused hiss of steam.
The Archivist's Log
Ne Job sat back, breathing hard. He looked at his In-Box. It sat perfectly still, but he could have sworn it let out a tiny, metallic sigh of disappointment.
LOG: CHAPTER 82 SUMMARY.
STATUS: Mutiny suppressed. Stationery returned to inanimate state.
NOTE: I need to find a 7.5% more secure way to store the memos. They have 'Revolutionary Tendencies.'
OBSERVATION: Even a paperclip wants to be the hero of the story sometimes.
P.S.: My favorite pen ran out of ink during the rebellion. I've retired it with full honors (a velvet-lined drawer).
The Muse blinked, looking around at the scattered paperclips. "Did I miss something? It feels like the room just moved 7.5% to the left."
Ne Job straightened his hat. "Just a bit of routine maintenance, Muse."
He looked at the Semicolon. It was glowing with a calm, authoritative violet.
"Everything is back in its place," Ne Job said. "Now, why is Assistant Yue sounding a 7.5% alarm and why has a Giant Silver Door appeared in the back wall where the 'Department of Forbidden Puns' used to be, and why is it currently Leaking Laughter?"