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  • Locked thread
Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: ???

The sun shines through the window, casting light into the room filled with white. If you look closely at those beams, you can see the dust floating in the air.

...Or is that just static? Is dust even supposed to move like that?

I should know this. I've seen it a thousand times before. I remember it. The light. The dust. The sterile whiteness. It's the same as it was before. This is real.

My left hand reaches up and touches the side of my head, just above the ear. The sensation is foreign and artificial. I don't know if I really expected anything different. I guess it's like pinching yourself to remind you that you're not dreaming. Or rubbing a scab. You just do it to remind yourself that it's real. Not that you ever doubted it.

The time reads 8:01. She's late. The morning should have started by now but it hasn't. This would have been normal back then but now it's not. Machines don't run late. Something must have thrown off the system. And that means...

My eyes dart toward the router in the corner of the room. Is this actually a chance to get out of here? Maybe even just for a little bit. But where? I start running through a mental list of computers in and around the school. Take a look at what's behind the classroom, maybe? Tap. They wouldn't notice. Tap tap. Or maybe I could go deeper, see what else the school might be hiding. Tiptiptip tap. Or maybe just go outside, go hide in the library for a while, or maybe go and find that hard drive again-

"Chris, did you do something to our instructor? And the other monitors - did you need privacy for something? A confession perhaps. I wonder who is the lucky one."

My back suddenly stiffens and I let out a little "Huh?" as I'm caught off guard. Being reminded of that human reflex might have been a little refreshing, if I weren't being put on the spot right now.

"Isn't it obvious? He's probably looking at you right now. You certainly have the external appearance for it."

"Hah." I laugh a little bit, either out of nervousness or out of the absurdity of the question. Then I force a grin onto my face and shake my head. "Come on, like I'd date a robot. I'm not shallow."

A burning, tense feeling fills the back of my mind. Was that a bad thing to say? Even if it was, though, I can't show it. Not now.

"Besides, isn't it a lot more likely that you hacked the system, Niviane? I mean, it's because of you that we're all locked up at night."

Rolling to Shut Niviane Down:
<Takanago> !r 2d6+1
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 6+1 = 7
I'll go with placing conditions on both of us since I don't have a String on you to remove, making Niv Suspicious and myself Shallow. This also gives me 1 XP for using Cold.
If that doesn't seem like enough I can think of less generous things to call myself.


pre:
Skin: The Ghost (In The Shell)
Look: Distant, Hollow Eyes

Origin: A confused death.

Stats: Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2

Unresolved Trauma: Whenever you project the blame 
and trauma of your death onto your 
current situation, roll with dark. On 
a 10 up, give two people the blamed
condition. On a 7-9, give up to two 
people the blamed condition, but for 
each, choose one:
} You gain the delusional condition,
} You cant speak during this scene,
} You suffer one harm,
} You start re-enacting the scene of 
your death.

Dissipate Wireless Transmission:
Your virus-like code allows you to bypass walls
and physical obstacles by transmitting yourself as an electronic signal.

Sex Move
When you have sex with someone, you both get to ask a
question of one another's characters. This can be spoken
by your character, or simply asked player-to-player. The
other person must answer honestly and directly.

Darkest Self
You become invisible. No one can see you, feel you, or hear
your voice. You can still affect inanimate objects, but this
is your only avenue of communication. You escape your
Darkest Self when someone acknowledges your presence,
and demonstrates how much they want you around.

Backstory
Someone knows about how you died, how you were digitized,
and how you were found.
They know that there's at least a little virus in you.
They gain a String on you.

You've been inside someone's bedroom while they were
sleeping. Take a String on them.

My Strings on You | Your Strings on Me
                  |
Evie:           1 | 0
Everett:        1 | 0
Dorothy:        0 | 2
Niviane:        0 | 3
Ray:            1 | 2

Takanago fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Sep 13, 2014

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Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

gently caress. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut!

What did I even expect? Was she just going to go, "Wow, Chris, you got me! If you're too good for robots, I guess I can't make fun of you!"? Of course not, machines are smarter than that. And really, I must sound like a loving loser when I say I'm too good for that-

Oh poo poo. Have I been staring at her this whole time?! (gently caress!) I can feel the embarrassment wash over my face as I quickly turn around and go back to staring out the window. There's a red hue visible in my reflection.

Way to go, champ. There's no way she didn't see that. And you haven't even said anything back yet, have you? (poo poo!)

"...Hmph!" I fold my arms and hunch my shoulders, attempting to hide my self-consciousness while I try to find a good retort. "No, thanks..." It doesn't really happen. "I don't need it."

Niviane gets another String on Chris.

Takanago fucked around with this message at 02:29 on Sep 11, 2014

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

It's about time she showed up.

I'm not really happy to see Sharon, only that her arrival means we can move on from one cruddy party of the school day to the next. She kind of creeps me out, especially with that way she always says 'I'm here to help you.' It's not like she's reminding us, it's more like she's trying to convince us. Why else would she need to say it again, and again, and again? Whatever it is that she's actually trying to do, I don't get it.

I wish I could just go to normal school, and not deal with this crap. What's the point of conflict resolution exercises, anyway? You don't need to remind me that emotions exist. I don't need this.

"Yeah okay," I reply. Something seems slightly off with the way Ray greeted me just now. His eyes, maybe. Or his words. Is he being sarcastic, or is it just a cyborg thing? Or am I just imagining it? "Anyway..." I continue, "I guess we need to figure out a conflict. Um..."

Okay, what's a good conflict to choose? Where do we even start? Start with the most obvious thing, maybe? I mean he's a robot and I'm a human, and... No, I can't just say, 'I don't like you because you're a robot.' That's just bigotry, isn't it? There's got to be something else, something trivial maybe, or...

Something suddenly comes to mind.

"It seems like..." I say, trailing off for a second while I figure out the best way to phrase it. "like you kind of get in people's business a lot. Like just now before class. That kind of bugs me."

Takanago fucked around with this message at 16:05 on Sep 13, 2014

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

Oh, come on. Did you even hear what I just said? Or are you too busy just trying to probe me for weaknesses and make me look like a fool? Don't think I haven't noticed what you're trying to do.

"Listen, Ray." I let out a frustrated sigh and give the cyborg a tired look. "You can't just go around barging into people's conversations all the time. You need to understand that... there's a few basic rules about talking to people. You can't just say whatever you want, when you want. It's rude."

And it's not like I need you to talk about the way everybody in this class seems to want to talk about me.

I look away again -- away from everybody else in the room. "Sometimes people just want to be left alone. Or... maybe there's just nothing good that'll come out of talking to them. Sometimes it's just better if you just don't say anything."

That sound pops back into my mind. That same dissonant drone I heard from that diary. I cup my nonexistent hand over my nonexistent ear, as if it would do anything to quiet it. I don't want to think about it right now.

"If that's the case, well... you just don't say anything." I look back at Ray. "That's what I meant when I say you get in people's business too much. Sometimes it's better to stay out of it. That's part of basic, human decency."

And that decency is what makes me different from you.

Not this time, Ray.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

"Yeah." I say tiredly. "That's what I'm saying you should do."

My vision starts to unfocus, and I can feel myself just start to stare past Ray. This is starting to get kind of exhausting, it's like I'm just talking to a brick wall. Doesn't he get it? Just stop bothering people.

Wait. Maybe that's just because...

"When you said responsibilities, did you mean..." My expression softens a little bit. "Your programming?"

It would make sense. In the end he's just a machine, isn't he? Built for combat, even. Maybe it's just something he can't help but do.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

Metagaming? Are you serious? I was just-

Before I can even roll my eyes at Sharon, I am interrupted by sharp, painful screech. I freeze up, like a deer in the headlights.

"...."

I slowly turn back to look at Ray. As soon as I notice that glare, my vision instantly turns to the floor. It looks hazier than I remembered. The texture of it seems off, like someone a slightly rougher pattern while I wasn't looking. Or maybe it's just me?

"Uhm..."

gently caress. gently caress, oh gently caress. you've done it now. Why couldn't you just take your own advice and keep your mouth shut? What the gently caress were you even thinking?

I don't know.

I look back up, or try to at least. My eyes keep wandering off every time I look at him. Is everyone looking at me? I need to say something... I need to do something... I need to...

"Um... um..."

I can't.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

The rest of first period passed like a hazy, painful trance. It could have been worse. I could have had to go through the same thing again with everybody else. It was probably for the better that Sharon left like that.

'Meta-gaming', what did she even mean? I was just-

Wait a minute. I snap my head towards the doorway, briefly making eye contact with Niviane. They're not here. This isn't how the routine goes. There's supposed to be people here to herd us around. To keep an eye on us. To make sure we don't get into trouble.Am I the only one that noticed? Am I the only one that cares?

I hurriedly turn back towards the window, overcome by a strange, sudden anxiety. It feels different. Different from the past half hour or so that I'd spent staring out there. Different from the other window that I spent all that time staring out of, back then. I could just go if I wanted to. Out there. There's nothing stopping me.

I don't need to stay here, deal with this. I could just-

A million half-ideas flash through my mind. Places I could be instead of here. Things I could do instead of go to history class. Freedom is a weird feeling. And- Oh, what's the point. Do I want to skip history class that badly?

My legs lift my weightless projection off my chair as I stand up. Without a word, or another thought, I march towards the door and towards the next part of the day.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

Oh, great. There goes any chance of this hour being peaceful. I glance back at the door. Too late now.

Fine. Might as well get this over with. I trudge towards the table and then slump into my seat. Like usual, chair does not bend even a little bit to acknowledge my presence, and I am reminded once again of my relative weightlessness. But that's not what's important right now.

I channel all the weariness I've built up this morning into a sarcastic expression and turn left, towards Edgar. "I didn't know you were into books."

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow

I squint at Edgar, overcome by a weird wave of disbelief.

"Paper... noises?"

Are you kidding me? You're complaining about the sound of paper?

"Don't you think that's a bit..." ridiculous? "unreasonable?"

"I mean, it used to be like- everyone would have this big, heavy textbook on their desk. So you'd always hear pages turning. And then everyone would each have to have a notebook, and they'd be writing in them all the time with pencils. And then some people might be highlighting, like-"

As I describe these things, my hands are mimicking the motions. When I get to the act of highlighting, though, I suddenly stop. How do you even describe the sound a highlighter makes? As I ponder the question, I am briefly left dumbfounded with my finger in mid-air like a pretend highlighter.

"It's like aaiiieeeeeeeee...," I do my best to make the noise a highlighter makes, but it feels like it's somewhere between the sound of screeching rubber and an animal in distress. "And you'd have the teacher writing on the chalkboard or whiteboard, and..."

I trail off, again. Where was I going with this? Oh, right. "What I'm saying is... does the sound of one book really bother you that much?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


gently caress you, Edgar.

"Oh, shut up." The words come out like a reflex. "You have no idea what you're even talking about. No loving idea."

I look him in the eye, disdainfully. God, even the sight of him feels exhausting. I want to say more. Just tell him to gently caress off. Go gently caress himself. An image pops into my mind, of me grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the wall. I am not a loving liar, Edgar!

I blink, and the imaginary thought disappears. That would be a pretty stupid thing to do. I'm not sure if I would have the strength to even do that, anyway. Throwing a fit right now just wouldn't be worth it. It's not like his words mean anything. Really.

"Just-" I just don't want to deal with this bullshit. "Give it a rest."

Then I sigh, and turn away. "Jesus..."

Shutting Edgar down:
<Takanago> !r 2d6+1
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 12+1 = 13
I'll give him the condition 'Idiot'.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


As soon as I see that look on Adame's face, I turn a little bit in my chair and put her and Edgar in my peripheral vision. A memory of a disgusting taste runs up the back of my throat.

What was even the point? Why did I just go and open my mouth like that? Why can't you just have a normal conversation? Even Adame thinks you're weird now.

And she's asking you a question.

"Um..." I try to say something while I figure out what to actually say.

Because he's being a robot.

The words feel almost like they're right about to come out of my mouth. Almost. But really, it feels more like they're stuck. Like they're lodged behind this big lump in my throat. You know you can't just say that.

"Uh..." I sigh, like I'm putting a lot of thought into this, then I turn to look back at Adame, like this is a normal conversation. "I... don't know." Then, habitually, I look down at the book in her hands. It's easier than continuing eye contact. And it's practically the same, isn't it?

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


Whoosh.

I freeze, like a deer in the headlights, as the feeling of Edgar almost hitting me in the face draws my attention to the poo poo-fest unfolding in front of me. It feels like there is an adrenaline rush going through me.

I am not quite so sure how to feel, how to react. I just wish it would loving stop.

Then I notice that Adame is talking to me. Finally, something normal. I turn to her, trying to channel that normality. "Uh..."

It takes me a moment to cool my nerves down and formulate a response.She's asking why all the other guys are losers. That means I'm not a loser, right? Right? Cool.

Okay, that thought already helps. Now I just have to say something cool. "I dunno," I say, channeling a half-aloof, half-not-actually-knowing feeling. "Maybe..."

"Maybe they all just have something to-"

I stop and flinch again when Ray slaps Porter. His threat from last period flashes through my mind. When I continue again, my words are much quieter. A whisper.

"Something to prove, you know?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


Holy poo poo. The unsettling thud of Porter hitting the floor makes my chest feel tight and my throat run dry. I don't want to be here right now. I want this to be over. I want to disappear.

"Uh-" Without even thinking about it, my voice has become a tiny little squeak. "Yeah, let's-" A shiver runs down my spine. I don't know what to do. "Let's go."

I just want to get out of here. Away from this mess. Away from that monster.

In a blur, I bolt out of my chair, grab Adame's wrist, and start rushing towards the door. Every fiber in my being is constantly yelling at me to be quick, to not make a scene, to not gently caress this up, and especially not to grab his attention.

But all that does, really, is make it difficult to concentrate on what's around me.

Running away:
<Takanago> !r 2d6-1
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 4-1 = 3

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


I blink once. Twice. A few times. I've fallen to the ground. So has Adame. My head hurts. I forgot what-

Oh.

Suddenly I realize what just happened. I scramble to my feet, quickly. It's easier than it should be; I'm briefly reminded again of my relative lack of weight.

"Uh-" I stammer. poo poo. This wasn't supposed to happen. There's no getting out of this now. Not with both Adame and Miss Mayfair here. You hosed it up.

Or, wait. Maybe this isn't so bad. Getting help is the right thing to do, isn't it? That's what Adame wanted to do. And it's not like anybody knows it wasn't what you wanted to do.

"...Yeah." I weakly point back into classroom. "It was-" I pause for a little bit, "...Ray. And Porter. He- He knocked him out."

I look at Miss Mayfair, feeling my worriedness bubble up to the surface and show on my face. The last thing I want to do right now is to turn around and let them see that.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


I instinctively take a deep, tense breath as I walk back into that room. It feels instantly unnecessary and unhelpful, and does not make me feel better in the slightest.

gently caress. Here it is. Ray's going to have to go to the office which means I'm probably going to have to go to the office which means that I'm going to have to explain what happened which means I'm going to have to explain how crazy Ray's being which means...

But as much as I wait for the hammer to drop, as I can feel my chest and neck burn with anticipation... it doesn't happen. I feel myself wanting to breathe a sigh of relief.

"...Yeah, I can do it," I say, as I step a bit closer to the scene. I stand there for a moment, hands in my pockets, until it becomes clear and obvious that Porter could use some help. "Oh. Yeah, let me uh..."

I go around Miss Mayfair to get to Porter, and then put my arm around shoulders to help him stay upright- No, wait, I think I'm supposed to put my arm around his back. Then I re-adjust my arm to be a bit lower, but it still doesn't feel right. Maybe his arm should just go around me? Or maybe I could just hold him by the arm. How is this even supposed to work?

Memories of falling down flash through my h͞e̛ad. People catching me. People helping me up. People putting me back in bed. Family. Nurses. Doctors. The looks on their faces. Shock. Worry. Disappointment. Frust͟ŕatio͡n.

...How did they hold me, again?

I blink a few times and look away as I try not to think too hard about this. The way I'm doing it is probably good enough.

"You ready to go?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


"Huh?" I look over at Porter, curiously. "...Yeah?"

I don't know what he's gonna say, or even what he could say, but... has anyone ever said no to a question like that?

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


"Hah..." I laugh, once. Then I feel my throat tightening up.

Is this a joke? It feels like a joke. But it makes sense, doesn't it? When you think about it. I mean, of course. You weren't the only Prasert out there. And it makes sense that they'd remember you, right?

They remember you...

But, 'a ghost'? That's... kind of true, isn't it? Well- Mayb-

Porter's still talking to you. Don't get distracted. Don't act weird. Focus, Focus.

"Ha, ha." I put on a smile and force out a few more laughs. "Yeah, that's funny..."

I really hope that sounded natural- Wait, no. That's not what's important. Focus.

"Do you..." My eyes dart away from his, but I force them back to try and maintain eye contact. This is important. "...remember their name?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


"Jem Prasert..." Jem Prasert. I smile briefly while my mind repeats that name over and over so I don't forget it. This might be the only thing that-

Oh, poo poo.

What the hell is Ray doing here? Isn't he supposed to be with Miss Mayfair?! What happened to that?! And what the gently caress is wrong with him right now?! Bombs, seriously?! God, he's really lost it, hasn't he? That loving crazy-rear end cyborg brain of his...

My legs feel unsteady, as if Porter suddenly got heavier or if I suddenly remembered that my body wasn't as strong as I wanted it to be. I shift some of Porter's weight off my shoulders so he stands a little more on his own. It doesn't really end up feeling any better.

gently caress, what do I do? I can't run away. Not now. Not with Porter. And I can't just say 'What the gently caress!', either. He'll definitely hurt me if I provoke him right now. Or Porter. Probably Porter, I guess, but I don't want to play the odds. But what do I... what do I...

"Um..." I try to think of something to say that might defuse the situation, but my mind runs blank. "...What?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


There is barely any time for my mind to process the boom before Ray knocks me backwards. I'm simply left staring at his crazy rear end as he runs off to... wherever the gently caress that came from. Wait, what was that?

"Was that..." I stutter, taking a long time to do what feels like putting together two and two. "...actually a bomb?"

But that doesn't make sense! Nobody loving wants to bomb the school! That's just something Ray made up in that weird cyborg brain of his, right?! But...

"I mean..." My mind races through the possibilities, creating what feels like a cloud of static floating in my head. Everything starts to feel a little bit fuzzier, a little bit less real. "Maybe..."

I look over at the slightly unfocused image of Porter. "Maybe we should get out of here."

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


"Yeah..." I sigh a little bit as I stick my head into the empty nurse's office. "gently caress this."

First, they can't even keep Ray under control. Second, there's a loving bomb or something. And third, there's not even a loving nurse around here. Not that I'd want to stick around even if there were a nurse.

"Let's get out of here. Let's skip."

I stop to look around the empty room one more time. Not that I particularly want to, it's just- kind of familiar. How cold it is. How sterile it is. How bleak and uncaring. It's kind of nostalgic. I hate it.

"...You feeling any better?" I ask Porter, as I'm reminded of the weight on my shoulder. "You wanna go and like, rest somewhere or something?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow


Oh, gently caress.

A cold chill overruns me. I feel like I'm looking in a hosed-up mirror. I know those words, I know that look, I know that feeling.

I blink. There I am, standing in front of me. I blink again. No, no, it's just Porter. gently caress. I don't want to be here right now. I should be gone. Away from this poo poo. But I can't just go. Can't leave him alone.

"poo poo," I exclaim, pressing my hands against the sides of my head. I briefly imagine pushing on my head so hard that it explodes. Brains and skull and gore flying everywhere like it's an R-rated movie. "Maybe..." I take a breath, and try to calm down. It's not that bad. But there's only one option.

"Dude," I step closer to Porter and give him a serious look. "You should lie down."

This is the kind of thing you lie down for, right? It's not one of those things that you shouldn't lie down for, is it? gently caress, where is the nurse? I look around. There's gotta be way to find out where they are, right? Or call them, maybe?

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


Whew. It's about time something went right.

I breathe a sigh of relief and slump into the nurse's chair. It's not very supportive, but I don't care right now. I just sprawl out, close my eyes, and rest.

But then I hear i̹̻̲ͅt. I feel it. The smell of data is in the air. An inaudible chorus rings around the room, just begging to be heard. D̍̍ȍͩn'͑͌́̿́̌t͆̑̑̓ y͂ͭóuͤͦͥͣ ̊̌jͪ̔u͌ͦs̊ͬ̾̓͋tͦ͗ͫͮ ͦ̋͆̆̚wͬ̆̆ͭͨa̾ͮnt͋ͦ̔͊͊̓ͪ ͯ͊̇͒͊̔̆t͊o̿ ̾̆ͩ͌lͨ̑̑̏̈́iͦͭ̌s̃ͭͪ̋t́͌͒͐̿͂ͯe͑͌n͊ ͬ̈́ͣto̒͆͌́͑̈͆ ͐̎̄ͧi̍t?̃̅͒͂̅͛ Come on. Take a peek.

God. I reach up and rub my eyes, trying to distract myself with another sensation. But one of these things is a lot stronger than the other; covering your ears doesn't help when something is just screaming right in your face.

I wish I could be somewhere else right now. Somewhere where I don't have to deal with any of this. But that's not an option.

"Well, at least..." I mumble, comforting myself with the sound of my own voice. "At least... I can deal with something, right?"

My gaze turns towards the school's systems. A black box, just waiting to be explored. There's bound to be answers in there, right? About everything that's going on. If things are as bad as they seem to be, there has to be tons. You just need to listen.

Okay, fine.

I close my eyes again, this time to shut out white noise. Nothing around me matters right now. Everything I need to see or hear is in the network. So just breathe deeply, and l̅̌̅͑ͩe̤̘͓͙̲͆͌̉͊͗͒t̘̥̟̣̔̓̓̍ ͓̜̜̭̳̙̌͋͗̿ͯ́i̲̣̟̫͇̜͍ͪt̳̺̖̦̓ ̫̲ò̜̔̐v̜̬͓͔̤ͮ͌̈ẻ̬͊̽r͖̗̫̐c̜͍͔̠̥o̺ͯ̽m̰͖̝̟̠̱̘ͣ̚eͬ̿͑ ỳ̬̙̜͇͚̣̌o̦̐ͬ͊u͎̩̰ͪͯͩ̆ͦ.̯͕̘̳̞̍ͨͭ̈́͌͛ͦ

Gaze into the abyss:
<Takanago> !r 2d6+2
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 6+2 = 8
Opting for clear visions, and taking the Drained condition.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


My eyes open, returning me to the world of visual input. Everything feels a bit dimmer and heavier -- it feels like there's a big weight pushing on my chest. I don't feel well. Oh, but- I blink, flashing darkness over my eyes. Everything seems clear for a moment as my whole consciousness does a double take.

poo poo. poo poo poo poo poo poo.

I panic, feeling that pressure on my chest grip me tighter and tighter. No safeguards?! Flashes of destruction appear before my eyes. Danger. Is it just my imagination? gently caress, what's going to happen now?

...No safeguards?

Everything suddenly feels lighter. The vice grip on my heart suddenly melts away like butter. That means... that means... I can't put my finger on it, but deep down I'm pretty sure it's ȃ ̆̚g̋̏̌̿o͌͑̎͒͂o̓͌͑̒͂̉dͨ͒ͬ ͣͦ͛̊̑ͫ̅thi͗ͨ̎nͨgͯ͌̈́.

A sudden restlessness in my feet compels me to get up. Like there's no point in just sitting down. Especially not now. I shuffle along towards the door, not even glancing at Porter on my way out. He's not important now, what's important is...

A bunch of half-images flash in my head.

I don't know. But my feet keep moving anyway, as if my toes know something the rest of me doesn't.

---

Not quite sure where I want to head, but probably towards mystery/trouble of some kind. Not that that's hard to find around here.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 2/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


"!..."

My heart stops, my feet freeze cold in their tracks, and my mind races. Who is thi- It must be- What does she-

"Who are-" I say, my voice acting a lot slower than my brain. And then I stop when Ray jumps at her. Is this a part of her plan, or not part of her plan? gently caress, what do I do?

I stand in place, as somehow the thought of running away doesn't even enter my train of thought. There's too much going on here, too many questions.

But still, no way am I going to get between a psychotic, unleashed Ray and a loving hacker with a railgun.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 3/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


Everything within me is shaking. What the hell is this?! Is this even real? I don't want to be here right now.

Oh come on. You remember, don't you? Doesn't this ring a bell? Keltham. EV. Keltham. Evie. Keltham. The Diary. You were there. You ate it up. All that data, like you-

No. No. gently caress. Shut up. This isn't what I need right now. I need to get away from this crazy lady- Dr. Keltham -and get somewhere safe. Maybe there's a way I could find what she's looking for, before she does. No, that's impossible- No way I could out run any of these people.

No, there's a way. Don't be so narrow-minded.

I close my eyes, trying to both concentrate on that voice in my head and trying to shut it out. And then I see... somewhere else in the school. A bit fish-eyed, like I'm looking through a monitor. Somewhere where I'd much rather be than right here.

And as soon as that thought crosses my mind, everything starts to feel fuzzy. Unstable. Like something is pulling me there. And I let it.

But as soon as I do, I start to feel like I'm neither completely here nor there. What the hell am I going to see when I open my eyes again?

Run Away, using my Wireless Transmission:
<Takanago> !r 2d6-1
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 4-1 = 3
Also marking an XP I should have gotten earlier, for my last use of Gaze into Darkness

Takanago fucked around with this message at 05:00 on May 28, 2015

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 4/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


I open my eyes, and find myself on the other side of the hallway. This isn't where I should be. Either I should be back where I was, or maybe all the way-

And then everything goes dark. My eyes shut down, shifting the hallway lights into a prismatic blur and then into pure nothingness. My ears hear a sharp ring, then cloud into a deaf silence. A suffocating cloud starts to fill my head as I start to lose the sensation of touch. Is my body moving? Is it even there? What's even happening?

Another wave of darkness overwhelms me, but this time it's more familiar. Thump. I feel my old heart beat. It's slow. Time's slowed down to a crawl. Thump. Pain creeps up the nerves of my arms and legs. I feel both warm and cold. I'm hyperventilating. It's not helping. Thump. The pain shoots up into my chest, burning my heart and lungs. I can't feel my limbs anymore. Thump. I shiver, then I hold still. Thump. I'm...

...

I wake up with a gasp, lying on the floor. My holoprojection is glitching out, but otherwise I feel fine. There's no pain anymore, just the vaguely familiar feelings pouring through my artificial senses. It's like looking at a flourescent light after staring into the sun. I push my upper body off the floor and sluggishly sit up.

"Evie..." I feel a well of disgust forming in my stomach as I stare at her. She's weak, and she's sad, and yet she's more alive than you are. "What the gently caress? What is your mom doing here? What does she want?"

The sensation of near-death brings some Unresolved Trauma:
<Takanago> !r 2d6+2
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 8+2 = 10
Going to project the Blamed condition onto Evie and her mom.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Go for it.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 5/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


Everything from my shoulders upward goes completely stiff in just a millisecond. It feels like there's a tight, burning grip on my head as suddenly it seems like every pair of eyeballs in this hallway is focused right on me.

rear end in a top hat?! You think I'm the rear end in a top hat?! Since when did you even grow a spine?

"Ngh..." I clench my teeth tight as my brain reels for a response. I mean, she's not wrong. No. That's not-

"That's not important." I take a step forward and grit my teeth. If Evie loving Keltham can be assertive, I sure as hell can be too. "What is important is that your loving crazy Mom is running around with a loving railgun and she's breaking all the security systems for some goddamn reason. And that she's not like, in prison or something."

Holding steady, since this turn of events seems pretty scary. Krysmbot wasnt working so Drakkar covered me.
<Drakkar> < GO DICEROLL: - DICE: 2d6+1 - ROLLS: 5 3 +1 - TOTAL: 9 >
Going to choose to Keep My Cool. This brings me to full XP, but I'm not going to spend it on an advance just yet.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 5/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained


"Not... crazy?!"

I stare at her, mouth hanging slightly open in disbelief. Are you loving kidding me? Those words are so wrong they don't even feel real when I say them.

"She's Not. Crazy?!" My voice strains a little as I try to express just how wrong that sounds. I feel myself go out of breath a little. I throw my head back in frustration. The brightness of the ceiling lights starts to overwhelm my eyes, but it hurts less than looking at her. My mind is just working overdrive just trying to process how the hell someone could say something like that. "How can you say she's not-"

"Oh!" The noisy haze clouding my thoughts suddenly disappears. The answer was right there the whole time...

"Of course you'd say that, Evie..." I look back down at her, refreshed by the revelation. "She loving brainwashed you! That's why you're here! She hosed with your head and now you're in denial."

I throw my arms into the air as a strange energy starts to flow through me. Maybe it's because I've never had the chance to be so loving right about something before. "And I can say that all I want 'cause it's one hundred percent true! You think you can tell me what's right and what's wrong? I saw it, Evie! In your own loving words!"

I stare her right in the eyes, focusing the entire welled-up storm of feelings in my head at her. It's like my words are powered by all the bad things I've felt in the past few weeks. This is my chance to finally turn things around. For the first time in my loving life, I'm feeling what it feels like to be on top of the food chain.

"You're not EV-13, you're Evie Keltham! You're not a robot, you're human. Flesh. And. Blood. And you know it."

Shutting down Evie:
2d6+1: 6 [2d6=4, 1]
I'll use Evie's Blamed condition to power up the hate and make that a 7, and choose to give both of us a condition. I feel like there's a bunch of ways this could be taken so I'll let Ningyou define what Evie's condition is, and I'll take the condition rear end in a top hat unless anyone else has any better ideas.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
Ch̶͙r̮i̧͚͔s̶̠̦̪ͅ ̦̠͕̼̙P̨͓͓͉̦̮r͚̻͚͚̣a͓̦̖͉̺̤̥sert
Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 5/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


I blink. Everything has shifted to the left of where it was just a moment ago. My face is skewed to the side. My cheek is numb- No, it's warm. Stinging. Burning. It feels real. It feels physical. Well, no. it almost does. It's just emulation. A facsimile of the real thing. Computer signals. You know that. It's not like the real thing. The real thing's not like that. But... how would you know? You've never felt this before-

Now's not the time for that. Come on. Focus, Chris.

I bring my hand to my cheek, straighten out my neck, and blink a few more times. Each time I close and open my eyes, everything looks a little less blurry and a little more clear. It takes about a second for everything to look the way it should be.

"How..." I focus my gaze back on her again, now that I've recollected myself. "Can you say... that it doesn't matter?"

"How?!"

My voice is ragged and cracked. Each word feels more exhausting to say than the last.

"I..."

I just stare at her. I'm tired, and I don't know what to say anymore. There's nothing more to say, is there? Nothing worth saying, at least. I can't keep this poo poo up.

Like, what the gently caress do you even say to that? It doesn't matter?! Don't you even care about your humanity? It'd be one thing if you just hated being human, but how do you just not care about something so precious- important? gently caress, I don't know. I don't get her...

"...Whatever." I sigh. I just throw my hands in the air and let them drop because I'm just loving done and I just don't care anymore.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 5/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


Tick. Tock. The imaginary sound of an old, analog clock plays in my head while I sit and wait. All I've done for the past few hours is sit and wait.

Could be worse. After that argument I'm just really tired of dealing with people right now. At least this gives me a chance to recharge my batteries and not have to say anything or listen to anyone for a while. It's just too bad that there's nothing to do.

In fact, I can feel my eyelids starting to drift shut...

---

The therapists questions wake me up like rays of uncomfortable morning sunshine.

"In light of the events we're overlooking your file intrusions. What is it that you wanted to know?"

"...Huh?" I give him a confused stare. At first it's because I'm tired, but then I start thinking about the question. ...Which file intrusion is he talking about? Is it about the diary? Do they know about that? Did Evie tell them? Or are they talking about the Nurse's Office? That makes more sense, doesn't it? But the network was just wide open there already. It's not like I really did anything there. Or is this about those earlier incidents, before today?

There's... a lot of things he could be asking about. (Ỹ̞ǫ͗u̟͊ ͇́j͙̿u̝̽s̬̅t͎̿ ̢̀c͓̽ả̡n̘̽'͉̾t͕̓ ̰̄h̦͐e̛͕l̺̆p̞̈́ ͍̀b͚̅u̡̕ẗ͉ ͔̚k̝̈́e̝͘e̹̿p̞͌ ͒ͅd̦͝ö̮́ȉ̪n͕̈g̺͗ ̻̈ṫ̻h̤̕ȩ̈́s͉͛ë̱́ ̫̓ț͋h̠̅i̪̅n̥̏g͎͠s̥̾,͓͛ ̰̽c̮͘a̛͍n̪̈ ̫̓y̙͆ơ̬ṵ͝,̾ͅ ̤̀C̤̏H̡̚R̭̉I̡͂S̥͌?̝̕ ͈̅I͉͘t̢͑'͓͐ś͈ ̪̅p͉̆a̢͛r̨̍t̲̋ ͍̓ơ͈f̡͝ ͖͗y͉͒ȍ̭ú̲r͛ͅ ̥̓Ṋ͒A͔̎T̙̽Ụ̓R̙͒E̩̊.͙͠) Which one is it? It's not all of them, right? What does he think I was looking at?

"Oh well..." I do my best to try not to look like I'm thinking too hard. "I mean, when you wake up in the future, there's a lot of things you want to know, right?"

I smile like the answer I gave was any good at all, and not just obvious bullshit. gently caress. You have to do better than that, Chris. You don't have to talk about everything, but you have to talk about something.

"But, like..." I try my best to stall where I figure out what I want to say. "Okay..."

I decide to say something from the heart. It's not lying. Plus, it's what he wants to hear, right? "So you know how they found my memory file, but they don't know why or how it got there or what happened to it? What is the deal with that? Like, I understand that there's mysteries out there, but... there's gotta be answers out there."

"And like... the school's gotta know something, right? I mean, with this whole program, and all your scientists and databases and networks and stuff... You would be looking for answers... Right?"

Thanks for getting Porter appropriate care, but he's been muttering about the Praserts in his sleep. Would you like me to arrange for a meeting later?

"You can... do that?"

As soon as I hear that, my chest starts tightening and burning up like it's on fire. Like I'm about to have a heart attack. Is that really a possibility? I stare at him for a while longer than I should.

"Yes," I nod carefully. That's the normal response to that, right? I mean, they're just people. Future people. They're just...

...

...My hands are shaking.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


An uncomfortable silence passes in the room. My throat feels tight and dry, like it doesn't want me to answer this question.

"Ha..." I give a nervous, almost inaudible laugh. "What the hell are you talking about, Porter?" I almost ask, as if I can keep up this act any longer. No, what the gently caress are you thinking Chris? He wouldn't be asking if he didn't know. Plus, this might be a chance to maybe actually talk to someone.

...Even if it's loving Porter.

I stare at him for a second. He looks all to familiar, just lying there in a hospital bed like that. Is that how I always looked, just staring off at nothing? Bored, frustrated, pitiful.

I guess I can trust him. "Alright, I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else about it."

"I..." I lean against a wall and stare at the ceiling lights, trying to collect my thoughts. "I was born a long time ago: two-thousand and two. I'm a post-millennial kid. I was sick. Very sick. Spent almost all my time in the hospital, everything sucked, and I didn't have very long to live. They tried everything they could with conventional medicine, but it seemed like a hopeless cause. Like, just... all you can do is lie back and wait for it to happen sooner or later. Maybe see if you can just finish a book or a tv series in the meantime."

"But around that time, people were starting to talk about the possibility of digitizing the human brain. They'd just figured out a way they could theoretically model it one-to-one, but nobody had actually done it. It was risky, it had these big ethical questions, and the idea really scared a lot of people. But we figured out that, well, we didn't have anything to lose, so eventually I just decided to... try it."

I stop, take a deep breath, and try to focus as much on small things in this room as I can. The brightness of the ceiling lights. Their quiet, annoying hum. The colors of various medicine jars on the shelves. Each and every piece of medical equipment in the room. The way Porter is still just staring at the wall and isn't even looking at me.

Anything it takes to avoid letting my mind get filled with vivid memories of that day.

"So it..." I finally work up the effort to continue. "...worked out. They uploaded my whole brain and kept it on a mainframe. It's not like the sentient robots you see today, with their minds kind of built from scratch to be like humans. My mind still works the exact same way as when I was alive. It's just- digital now."

"And after that, they... I don't know. Lost it or something. Wish I could remember. They just found my mind on a dormant server somewhere, brought me back and here I am."

"So to answer your question, I'm Chris Prasert. I'm a Ghost. Dead, but alive."

Holding Steady to remain calm while talking about my death:
<Takanago> !r 2d6+1
<Krysmbot> Takanago, 8+1 = 9

Since I'm full up on XP, I'm going to take this moment to choose to take the Vengeful Ghost move for an advance since a) things seem to be pointing towards danger, and b) because Chris probably needs to get worse before he really learns to get better. Also weird virus ghost hacking powers are cool.

Also, sorry for the delay. End of July was really hectic and then afterwards I was kinda pooped.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


"Oh gently caress you, Porter," I sigh. "I can't believe I let you make me get so serious like that."

I throw my hands up and grumble, but I can't help but smile a little bit. Here I was worrying about nothing, I guess. Like Porter was going to freak out on me or something, like I'm one of them. But no, it's just Porter being a jackass. Like usual.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


Ugh.

By the time I get out of the nurse's room, I start to feel myself back into my regular sense of dreary tiredness like none of this really even happened. Like it's just a normal, annoying schoolday. Seeing some of the other 'special kids' down the hallway, especially her, almost manages to ruin that. But no- gently caress it. I don't have to deal with these people right now.

I could be interacting with just about anybody else in this school. Someone who isn't weird. Or an rear end in a top hat. Or maybe I could even just... look around. Yeah.

I turn my feet sharply to the left, putting all the immediately annoying people behind me. And I start walking.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


I turn the corner, and...

I stare for a second, before I notice just who I'm looking at. (And what. It's just an artificial body, anyway... It looks perfect because it's just fake.) Just my luck, instead of finding someone normal, I just find this idiot using the drat hallway as a changing room.

Maybe if I ignore him, he won't bother me. Just start walking again, don't even look at him, and keep going. Don't even let him realize you even saw him... Who cares about him, anyway?

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


Oh, great. Looks like you're stuck with him, Chris.

I take a deep facsimile of a breath and focus on keeping my pace and walking as if this isn't a big deal at all. Just keep walking, one step after another. Don't stop or go too slow or he'll definitely notice that you're thinking about this too much. Or, hell, he probably would just notice anyway with those cyber-senses of his...

Dammit.

I stop walking and just turn around and look at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


"Uhhh....?"

My face reflexively scrunches up into something that's stuck halfway between a confused 'Huh?" and a happy laugh. Instantly, a tiny burning sensation starts to overcome my lips and cheeks and demand that I pick one or the other. The feeling gets stronger the more I imagine what my face must look like right now.

Cmon Chris, either just smile and take the compliment or don't! If you think about it too long, you'll just look awkward.

"Um, uh... Yeah!" I waver back and forth a little bit, before I settle on an almost whole-hearted smile. "I suppose... so." Wait, was that supposed to be a compliment? Like, it seems like it but... it's Ray.

"Well, I mean... I just like to walk, sometimes. Like, just kind of go... wherever." Wait, does that sound lame? You gotta be more interesting than that. "I mean, class is alright, but doesn't it seem like kind of a waste sometimes? All the same boring kind of crap, and just the same thing day, after day, after day. You just spend all your time cooped up doing nothing. And sometimes you just gotta... do your own thing. You know what I mean?"

Wait... does he know what I mean? Don't forget, Chris. You're talking to a robot, here.

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


"Keep me on a leash...?" I raise an eyebrow and think about what Ray said. It's not quite right, but it's not really wrong, is it? They do lock the network down at night, Chris. Don't forget. "Um... Kind of."

I smile again, still not quite used to Ray's new attitude. Not too long ago, I swear he was ready to kill me, and now it's like he's my best friend... Is that weird? Or am I just being weird thinking about it?

I think... I must have hit something important.

"Well," I continue, "If I want to really get away, I usually go to..."

Wait, hold on. Should I really just say it? Just tell him? My throat tightens up a little bit as my nerves try to stop me from saying the next few words.

"...I'm usually in... the network. Like," I tilt my head at a nearby computer screen. "Inside the network."

"There's a lot in there, you know? Lots of things you wouldn't imagine. Or, like I wouldn't imagine, I guess. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. There's a lot of places they don't clean up that often so you never know what you'll find."

"Plus, it's very open. At least if you know the tricks. I wasn't able to get around very much when I was younger, so it's nice to have a place where I can go wherever I want, kind of instantly."

I rub the back of my neck. It feels a lot less stiff now. "There's actually a nice little VR lab that's nice for this, out in the far-west end of the school. It's where they keep the old equipment, so people barely use it. And I kind of like the old equipment, anyway."

"So... yeah. Let's go."

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


"Well, here we are." I stick my arms out and spin a little, kind of like I'm welcoming Ray into my home. But it's just the VR lab. Okay, maybe it's kind of like a 'home away from home'. (Not really)

"So... You wanna do VR stuff?" I ask Ray, while I start to set up one of the VR stations. "We could boot up a sim, or snoop around the school network..."

I flip a switch on the headset to change it from standard, human mode, to its hardlight data interface mode.

"I mean, there's a lot of stuff on the network. They don't really do a great job of hiding it."

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Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 2
Harm 0/4, Exp 1/5, Conditions: Shallow, Drained, rear end in a top hat, Busybody


Another morning.

I stare out the window, as I often do, and catch myself in the middle of a big yawn. It's not that I feel tired, it's more like a force of habit. Like I'm supposed to be yawning right now. You know what I mean.

I stare some more, as an itch of irritation starts to crawl up my back. What am I supposed to be doing right now? There's something I should be doing... not just spacing out.

An image of Porter lying in bed flashes into my head. Ugh. drat jerk.

I let out a quiet, tired groan as I look around and try to find something else to think about. I try to concentrate on what's outside. There's... just the same drat cityscape I'm used to staring at all the time. Skyscrapers. Roads. The sea. Weird cars. You've seen all this before, Chris. You stare out this window all the time.

I whip my head around and look back around the classroom. First thing that catches my eye is Ray, acting all kinds of twitchy. Not twitchy like then, but... Dammit I need to stop thinking about all the crap that happened yesterday.

"God..."

A nostalgic pain seeps into my head, crawling into every empty crack that must be in there. The smell of medicine wafts into my nose as well. It's stuffy and suffocating. Immobilizing. A thousand awful feelings start to remind me that they exist. They remind me of things I haven't felt since the past.

...That's what Porter's feeling right now, isn't it? He's stuck in the hospital just like you were. The pain's bad, but it's not even the worst thing, is it? It's being alone-

I sigh loudly, and cut off that train of thought. Dammit, I'm going to have to go visit Porter again, aren't I? That jerk better appreciate it.

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