Amy Cassady Continued from Panic Room
At some point, after reading the manuals and clipping the saber to her pants (chargé, mes amis! Dieu attend au ciel!), she went to the rooftops. There was a good reason, she was sure of it, but right there, with a fountain of crackers-oh wait, they're Cheez-It®, nice!-piling near the door and trying to become the (most likely not) Cyber world's first cheese waterfall, she couldn't recall it.
Not that she had a real plan, or anything anyway. She should find the others, eventually. And Sunny too-her connection was shit, what happens if she-no, focus!-if Yu-Mi didn't find her first. Right now, she just held tight on her shield, hidden in her hoodie.
She found out what the relic thing did back in class, and it was, in her modest opinion, insane. She found herself gripping it more than once, but she had yet to try it.
She eyed the cheesy snack piled on the floor (and the A/C and the pipes and everywhere else, really) and picked one up. She pushed a button, and she could see her hands engulfed in hexagons all over the body. She threw the Cheez-It® back at her face.
And the snack splashed on her cheek, staining it with salt and crumbs. The shield disappeared a moment after.
"...Yeah, that's fair." She wiped her cheek, not really disappointed. She looked further at the cascade (which she dubbed the Cheezcade), spreading over the edge and falling down below. There were supposed to be railing there, but they were removed, along with the actual scenery outside the school. Everything was replaced with an ocean of grey concrete, with the occasional car (Wait, is that a tank? The fuck?) to break the monotone expanse. She stared down, not too close to the edge, for a moment.
More than enough to lower her guard.
Jigane ga deru
Open! Day 1
Moderator: SOTF: Cyber Staff
“So… whaddya think?”
If Amy turned around, she’d see what looked like a background extra in a 1990’s action movie. Standing at 5’8, the punk had dark eyes, dark clothes, and bright vibrant lines of color in the twin Mohawks going down his head. Just below the Watchmen smiley on his shirt, rested an Ak-47, lazily held, barrel pointing towards the ground right of the man.
Zorin Boddicker: Game begin
If Amy turned around, she’d see what looked like a background extra in a 1990’s action movie. Standing at 5’8, the punk had dark eyes, dark clothes, and bright vibrant lines of color in the twin Mohawks going down his head. Just below the Watchmen smiley on his shirt, rested an Ak-47, lazily held, barrel pointing towards the ground right of the man.
Zorin Boddicker: Game begin
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
[[PARIS LOWERY STARTS HERE]]
Behind Zorin, one of the roof access doors silently - but visibly - cracked open just a little, its handle visibly turned downward. From within the darkened tunnel the door led to, a faint glint of red glass could just be made out.
Behind Zorin, one of the roof access doors silently - but visibly - cracked open just a little, its handle visibly turned downward. From within the darkened tunnel the door led to, a faint glint of red glass could just be made out.
Her body locked up. Her legs moved on their own. She turned, startled, and stared Zorin down. "...hi, Zorin."
Of course the first person she met had a Kalashnikov.
Her fingers cramped on the shield in her pocket, anxious just as she was. She wasn't close to the edge, but there was nothing between her and the ground floor.
Ok, that was great. Well, not really, but she could talk and look for another exit at the same time, and that's what she'll do. "What I think? About what?"
Of course the first person she met had a Kalashnikov.
Her fingers cramped on the shield in her pocket, anxious just as she was. She wasn't close to the edge, but there was nothing between her and the ground floor.
Ok, that was great. Well, not really, but she could talk and look for another exit at the same time, and that's what she'll do. "What I think? About what?"
Probably not the best introduction. Could’ve started with hi, or anything else. Zorin didn’t quite shrug as much as he inverted his lips.
“Err- this shit. Teach is dead, and some fuckhead kid in our class turns out to be some pervert forty year old virgin who wants to watch us die.”
He glanced down at the cheezit pile. Looked back at Amy.
“I mean if you ask me, shits fucked. Can’t access none of my scripts, can’t fuck with the world around me beyond what they let me, and we’re getting watched by the whole fuckin’ world on top of that.”
“Ima put my tinfoil on and say the feds are behind this shit.”
He bent down, picked up a cracker; bit it-
“Virtual cheezits and they’re fucking stale too?!”
…
“Bleh.”
He tossed the decapitated square snack away. A grimace forming as if that lil yellow square was the last straw.
“Ima get out of here. I don’t know how but I know I’m not gonna play their bullshit. I’m gonna find a way through, I’m gonna find these guys, and I’m gonna fuck em up.”
“Err- this shit. Teach is dead, and some fuckhead kid in our class turns out to be some pervert forty year old virgin who wants to watch us die.”
He glanced down at the cheezit pile. Looked back at Amy.
“I mean if you ask me, shits fucked. Can’t access none of my scripts, can’t fuck with the world around me beyond what they let me, and we’re getting watched by the whole fuckin’ world on top of that.”
“Ima put my tinfoil on and say the feds are behind this shit.”
He bent down, picked up a cracker; bit it-
“Virtual cheezits and they’re fucking stale too?!”
…
“Bleh.”
He tossed the decapitated square snack away. A grimace forming as if that lil yellow square was the last straw.
“Ima get out of here. I don’t know how but I know I’m not gonna play their bullshit. I’m gonna find a way through, I’m gonna find these guys, and I’m gonna fuck em up.”
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
First: Hyperventilation, sweating, blood pressure elevated to levels never reached in this little body before. Vomit threatened to flood its mouth.
Then: Fear. Betrayal. Animalistic frustration, instinct. There is knowing how everybody has a shell on the outside projecting what it wants to be see, and then there is seeing it, haing Zeph melt away and seeing a stranger underneath.
A few things of note, by the way: Initiative Earth is a terrible name. Completely non-indicative of its actual goals and values. No sense of intimidation or presence. Second of all, it is very, very believable that this is some odd prank. C even angrier at himself. Being fooled like a child on the wrong end of the peek-a-boo. Barely any special effects needed; a capsule of spirit halloween fake blood and a pair of convincing actors was all it takes to pull this off.
Anyhow.
"Wait," he said. "Lemme try." C willed his avatar to pick up a cheez-it. "They said *rations.* Like anything we eat here means a damn. Personally, I don't think that feds are stupid enough to make this mistake. Who needs rations in Cyberspace?"
It really was stale.
"By the way, it's kind of fucked that he mentioned a gay hacktivist. Like, specifically a gay one. Is he homophobic, too?"
Then: Fear. Betrayal. Animalistic frustration, instinct. There is knowing how everybody has a shell on the outside projecting what it wants to be see, and then there is seeing it, haing Zeph melt away and seeing a stranger underneath.
A few things of note, by the way: Initiative Earth is a terrible name. Completely non-indicative of its actual goals and values. No sense of intimidation or presence. Second of all, it is very, very believable that this is some odd prank. C even angrier at himself. Being fooled like a child on the wrong end of the peek-a-boo. Barely any special effects needed; a capsule of spirit halloween fake blood and a pair of convincing actors was all it takes to pull this off.
Anyhow.
"Wait," he said. "Lemme try." C willed his avatar to pick up a cheez-it. "They said *rations.* Like anything we eat here means a damn. Personally, I don't think that feds are stupid enough to make this mistake. Who needs rations in Cyberspace?"
It really was stale.
"By the way, it's kind of fucked that he mentioned a gay hacktivist. Like, specifically a gay one. Is he homophobic, too?"
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
The door quietly shut. The knob turned back to its resting state. Extremely low, muffled muttering could be heard from behind the door.
"God fucking dammit."
"God fucking dammit."
Well, shit, good fucking luck on that. You see what happened to the professor? That could be us, just with a little more fanfare. Or you think it's a coincidence they'll streaming us? They're making a show out of this! We're fucking clowns in a circus for them, and the moment we'll stop being funny we'll die! All of us! S-So can you just, I-I don't know, stop threatening the ones with a kill switch on us?!
The words were there, right at the tip of her tongue. What came out next was anything but. "...I'm not sure we can do much right now." She started. "I don't think he was bluffing on anything. If you want to try, though, be my guest. Let me know if you find a way out, or something."
She frowned slightly, looking away from him. Long enough to notice the new arrival. There were three of them now, standing near a mountain of stale crackers, a still running Cheezcade, and an unprotected A/C unit without any protection.
OSHA would have a field day with this.
She took a moment to look at Ce-C. They weren't friends, admittedly, but they were kinda friendly to each other. The lack of a weapon in their hands helped her mood. But otherwise? What does she know about them? What can she take for certain?
"Hey C!"
The words were there, right at the tip of her tongue. What came out next was anything but. "...I'm not sure we can do much right now." She started. "I don't think he was bluffing on anything. If you want to try, though, be my guest. Let me know if you find a way out, or something."
She frowned slightly, looking away from him. Long enough to notice the new arrival. There were three of them now, standing near a mountain of stale crackers, a still running Cheezcade, and an unprotected A/C unit without any protection.
OSHA would have a field day with this.
She took a moment to look at Ce-C. They weren't friends, admittedly, but they were kinda friendly to each other. The lack of a weapon in their hands helped her mood. But otherwise? What does she know about them? What can she take for certain?
"Hey C!"
“I know they’re not bluffing.”
Zorin sighed. “Best case scenario, this is some Stanley prison experiment shit, and they’re trying to see how we react. We die, we wake up just fine with some government egghead telling us we gotta stay silent and we’re not getting compensated for this shit on threat of imprisonment, but that’s the best case.
Most likely, some psychos got us and want to watch kids die.”
He glanced at the cheezits pile. The open ac unit with the suspiciously large fan inside.
“Don’t care why they’re doing it, and anyone could get past the school’s security system with a basic bitch YouTube tutorial, but it doesn’t change that these guys came somewhat prepared. Shutting down our equipment, forcing us to be here. Can’t even disconnect. I don’t know how, but I’m gonna find a way out of here without getting our brains microwaved.”
Zorin glanced over at the new join. C questioned the hunger and rations. Sure you didn’t need it but; “It’s just another layer of suffering. Make it easier for us to follow their rules. And these guys just seem to get off on pain regardless, so… Iunno. Fuck em.”
C mentioned the ‘gay hacktivist’ spiel.
“You might have a point there. Fed boys are all about pretend inclusivity as they shoot your dog in a no-knock raid. Equal opportunity suffering for everyone at the expense of your tax dollars. Still; I think they came too prepared for anything else. Most terrorists would’ve just fried us all then and there. Though the attention grabbing of this shit and the audacity of expecting us to do their work for them means they’re not too worried about retaliation.
Who knows? Fuck it who cares?
I’m still gonna get out of here and fuck their shit up.”
Zorin sighed. “Best case scenario, this is some Stanley prison experiment shit, and they’re trying to see how we react. We die, we wake up just fine with some government egghead telling us we gotta stay silent and we’re not getting compensated for this shit on threat of imprisonment, but that’s the best case.
Most likely, some psychos got us and want to watch kids die.”
He glanced at the cheezits pile. The open ac unit with the suspiciously large fan inside.
“Don’t care why they’re doing it, and anyone could get past the school’s security system with a basic bitch YouTube tutorial, but it doesn’t change that these guys came somewhat prepared. Shutting down our equipment, forcing us to be here. Can’t even disconnect. I don’t know how, but I’m gonna find a way out of here without getting our brains microwaved.”
Zorin glanced over at the new join. C questioned the hunger and rations. Sure you didn’t need it but; “It’s just another layer of suffering. Make it easier for us to follow their rules. And these guys just seem to get off on pain regardless, so… Iunno. Fuck em.”
C mentioned the ‘gay hacktivist’ spiel.
“You might have a point there. Fed boys are all about pretend inclusivity as they shoot your dog in a no-knock raid. Equal opportunity suffering for everyone at the expense of your tax dollars. Still; I think they came too prepared for anything else. Most terrorists would’ve just fried us all then and there. Though the attention grabbing of this shit and the audacity of expecting us to do their work for them means they’re not too worried about retaliation.
Who knows? Fuck it who cares?
I’m still gonna get out of here and fuck their shit up.”
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
"Hey," C said, and then turned back to Zorin.
"It isn't equal oppertunity. They PRETEND it's equal oppertunity but the moment you turn around they're going to, I dunno, plant crack on black people again. But I digress."
His fingers twirled around a nonexistant rattail, tugging absently. His neurons still fired at the stimulation.
"Anyways. D'you think they can read our thoughts?"
"It isn't equal oppertunity. They PRETEND it's equal oppertunity but the moment you turn around they're going to, I dunno, plant crack on black people again. But I digress."
His fingers twirled around a nonexistant rattail, tugging absently. His neurons still fired at the stimulation.
"Anyways. D'you think they can read our thoughts?"
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
"... oh, fuck this.
The door swung open. Before anyone could see the masked figure in the doorway, blade in hand and ready to swing, they uttered a single word.
"Jump."
As the watch warped them across the rooftop, they swung the katana, aiming for Amy's neck. Paris had wanted to challenge the girl to a duel, given that she had a sword of her own, but the arrival of these other two assholes (especially the one with a gun) had made that impossible. So one clean cut would have to do.
Or it would have, if they'd teleported to the right spot. Instead, they were several feet away from where they'd expected, their katana swinging out to greet nothing but empty air where they'd expected her head to be.
Fuck.
The door swung open. Before anyone could see the masked figure in the doorway, blade in hand and ready to swing, they uttered a single word.
"Jump."
As the watch warped them across the rooftop, they swung the katana, aiming for Amy's neck. Paris had wanted to challenge the girl to a duel, given that she had a sword of her own, but the arrival of these other two assholes (especially the one with a gun) had made that impossible. So one clean cut would have to do.
Or it would have, if they'd teleported to the right spot. Instead, they were several feet away from where they'd expected, their katana swinging out to greet nothing but empty air where they'd expected her head to be.
Fuck.
Amy looked back at Zorin. "Why not both?"
Something like this wasn't-couldn't be-just some sick fantasy made to life. It was prepared, and Zeph was only the tip of the iceberg.
After all, they brought them on school. The map was close enough to the original that she had to wonder which was more likely between this place being an actual copy of it, with some changes, or if it was made from scratch. Both were possible, but it needed time and people all the same. How long were they preparing?
How many people she knew were actually with them?
She didn't want to think about it. "I mean, uh, they said they're streaming this. So-" She shrugged helplessly. "-could be, but why showing it to the world then, if not to let everyone watch?" Was dad watching too?
"A-and yeah, they were. I can't access anything too-"
The air sung. Something was behind her. She spun back shocked, and looked at the fourth arrival. She was wielding a sword.
Her hands went to the saber, all thought gone.
Something like this wasn't-couldn't be-just some sick fantasy made to life. It was prepared, and Zeph was only the tip of the iceberg.
After all, they brought them on school. The map was close enough to the original that she had to wonder which was more likely between this place being an actual copy of it, with some changes, or if it was made from scratch. Both were possible, but it needed time and people all the same. How long were they preparing?
How many people she knew were actually with them?
She didn't want to think about it. "I mean, uh, they said they're streaming this. So-" She shrugged helplessly. "-could be, but why showing it to the world then, if not to let everyone watch?" Was dad watching too?
"A-and yeah, they were. I can't access anything too-"
The air sung. Something was behind her. She spun back shocked, and looked at the fourth arrival. She was wielding a sword.
Her hands went to the saber, all thought gone.
"What da fuck!?"
There was an audible click clack of the AK's lever being racked back.
"Hey, let's chill the fuck out for a second!"
There was an audible click clack of the AK's lever being racked back.
"Hey, let's chill the fuck out for a second!"
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
C's weapon was still in his backpack. He opted for adopting a relatively defensive stance instead, feet apart, hands in the front.
Two steps back, behind the boy with the gun.
Two steps back, behind the boy with the gun.
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
Shit. Shit! Shit!
This was bad. Real fuckin' bad. Paris had meant to blink in, take Amy out, and blink down off the roof too fast for anyone to stop them. Now they were squarely in the sights of a gun, the element of surprise lost and everyone aware of exactly what they'd tried to pull. This was the sort of shit they'd been hoping to avoid. The only thing left to do was bail.
They sheathed their blade and flung themselves off the roof. Half a second later, facing the ground below, they shouted.
"Jump!"
Immediately, they were on the ground, landed gently on their hands and knees in the surreal parking lot outside the school. A queasy knot formed in their stomach; bile rose in their throat, though they swallowed it back. They knew about that little side-effect already, but it'd been that or risk getting shot. The nausea was an acceptable sacrifice to avoid dying outright. Staring up at the edge of the roof above, they wondered if their little fuckup was gonna get passed around. Hopefully the fact they'd failed so utterly meant, at the very least, it could only pass through word of mouth from the trio they'd just escaped. It'd give them time to try another ambush on someone else, someone who wasn't yet ready for what now lay in front of all of them. Someone who wasn't ready the way Paris was.
The way Dusk was.
They got to their feet and stumbled back inside. They'd do better next time.
((Paris Lowery Dusk continued in while you were having premarital cybersex, i studied the blade))
This was bad. Real fuckin' bad. Paris had meant to blink in, take Amy out, and blink down off the roof too fast for anyone to stop them. Now they were squarely in the sights of a gun, the element of surprise lost and everyone aware of exactly what they'd tried to pull. This was the sort of shit they'd been hoping to avoid. The only thing left to do was bail.
They sheathed their blade and flung themselves off the roof. Half a second later, facing the ground below, they shouted.
"Jump!"
Immediately, they were on the ground, landed gently on their hands and knees in the surreal parking lot outside the school. A queasy knot formed in their stomach; bile rose in their throat, though they swallowed it back. They knew about that little side-effect already, but it'd been that or risk getting shot. The nausea was an acceptable sacrifice to avoid dying outright. Staring up at the edge of the roof above, they wondered if their little fuckup was gonna get passed around. Hopefully the fact they'd failed so utterly meant, at the very least, it could only pass through word of mouth from the trio they'd just escaped. It'd give them time to try another ambush on someone else, someone who wasn't yet ready for what now lay in front of all of them. Someone who wasn't ready the way Paris was.
The way Dusk was.
They got to their feet and stumbled back inside. They'd do better next time.
((Paris Lowery Dusk continued in while you were having premarital cybersex, i studied the blade))