"Damn, think we missed them..."
((V-Raptor continued from The Amazing Digital Death Game!))
Vee sighed as he stood there in the schoolyard, chainsaw slung over his shoulder, squatting down to take a closer look at the ground before him like a hunter seeking tracks.
Mere moments ago, he and Xtra were steadily making their way through the school hall, exploring empty room by empty room in search of their lost teammates. Seemed a fair chunk of the east wing was completely abandoned, leading them to wonder whether or not the entire school had been stripped clean. No desks, no chairs, no distractions. There was something hauntingly liminal about it all, once familiar spaces left bare and alien. Almost certainly intentional on Zeph's part, no doubt.
Eventually, the east wing's emptiness led to him taking an idle glance out the window, at which point he spotted a curious sight in the courtyard below: Two figures out near the greenhouse, one of whom looked suspiciously like Amy. Both were long gone by the time they arrived however, leaving them back at square one with no clue as to where to head next.
Glancing down at the ground beneath his feet, Vee found himself thinking back to a little phrase his less enlightened classmates often liked to spout. In apropos of nothing, he reached down to slowly run his hand through the grass, gripping a clump of it to tug free and take a closer look.
It was coarse, and unpleasant, more yellow than green. Vee never got the appeal, personally.
"S'funny..." he says aloud, head turning slightly towards Xtra. "There was nothing stopping them from making this school perfect, really take advantage of the technology at their disposal. But instead they looked at all... This, and went - Yeah, that'll do"
Kusanagi
Day 1 - Open (but maybe wait for Xtra to join first)
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MurderWeasel
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((Xtra Zimmermann continued from The Amazing Digital Death Game!))
"They did."
Xtra stood beside Vee, considering. She had been inspecting him almost as much as she had their surroundings, but as quietly and as subtly as she could. She was still wondering what his plan was, because that would determine what their plan as a collective was. It seemed, however, that he was in no hurry to look beyond their first, most important objective: the retrieval of their missing squadmates.
"There are two ways to look at it," she continued, kneeling down herself to run her fingers through the grass. Physically, it felt like grass. Emotionally, that felt like nothing to her.
"Technologically, it's impressive. It's easier to achieve perfection than it is to fabricate authentic imperfection. In that way, whoever made it was a genius."
She pulled a handful of grass out of the ground, felt how the weight was balanced, skewing towards the bottom where the roots were still entwined with a big clump of dirt. She slapped it against her thigh three times, each hit knocking off more of the earth and making the little clump feel lighter and less densely-packed in her hands. It really was incredible how much it was like when she was a little kid and used to pull physical grass out of physical ground.
"However," she said, "philosophically, it's depressing. It's a crutch to ease people who can't imagine a better world into accepting one anyways. Oh, they'll say this and that about the importance of authenticity on socialization, but really they just mean that people are scared by anything they can't imagine, and that their imaginations are pitifully small."
She cast the fistful of grass back to the ground, watching as it spun, some of the strands coming loose. She could tear any one of them in half, and then tear that half in half, and on and on in some effort to appease Zeno, but eventually it would hit its limit, a point beyond which no further division could occur, and that would hit much sooner than it would in meatspace.
That bothered her a little.
"They did."
Xtra stood beside Vee, considering. She had been inspecting him almost as much as she had their surroundings, but as quietly and as subtly as she could. She was still wondering what his plan was, because that would determine what their plan as a collective was. It seemed, however, that he was in no hurry to look beyond their first, most important objective: the retrieval of their missing squadmates.
"There are two ways to look at it," she continued, kneeling down herself to run her fingers through the grass. Physically, it felt like grass. Emotionally, that felt like nothing to her.
"Technologically, it's impressive. It's easier to achieve perfection than it is to fabricate authentic imperfection. In that way, whoever made it was a genius."
She pulled a handful of grass out of the ground, felt how the weight was balanced, skewing towards the bottom where the roots were still entwined with a big clump of dirt. She slapped it against her thigh three times, each hit knocking off more of the earth and making the little clump feel lighter and less densely-packed in her hands. It really was incredible how much it was like when she was a little kid and used to pull physical grass out of physical ground.
"However," she said, "philosophically, it's depressing. It's a crutch to ease people who can't imagine a better world into accepting one anyways. Oh, they'll say this and that about the importance of authenticity on socialization, but really they just mean that people are scared by anything they can't imagine, and that their imaginations are pitifully small."
She cast the fistful of grass back to the ground, watching as it spun, some of the strands coming loose. She could tear any one of them in half, and then tear that half in half, and on and on in some effort to appease Zeno, but eventually it would hit its limit, a point beyond which no further division could occur, and that would hit much sooner than it would in meatspace.
That bothered her a little.
"Ain't that the truth" Vee scoffed, letting the clump of grass slip from his fingers. "You tell people that the sky's the limit, and they feel a need to add a ceiling anyway."
He wiped his hand on his knee, standing up straight as he creaked his neck. "I mean... Take a look at our school lunches. Tasteless garbage, right? Why is that? Because that's what people expect? Its not like they have limited ingredients, or whatever... Its all data. Ones and zeroes. Someone out there had to INTENTIONALLY code this shit to taste bad!"
Vee turned to Xtra, looking her in the eyes from behind that plastic mask. "Remember those dragon burgers we tried out? All they did was tweak a couple stats, adjust the texture and flavour, and bam! Delicious, unique, and impossible to replicate in meatspace! Why else would you ever eat CR food, unless it was better than the real deal? Nobody eats school lunches because they're hungry, not like it actually sustains you or anything. What sense does it make for them to be worse than anything you'd find in your own fridge?"
He continued like this for a while, ranting away as he idly made his way through the school courtyard. It wasn't unknown for him to go off like this at times, unprompted or otherwise. Indeed, the last time he ranted about the school dinners was back in January, not long after the results for their mock exams came in. Results he proved to be particularly evasive about discussing.
He wiped his hand on his knee, standing up straight as he creaked his neck. "I mean... Take a look at our school lunches. Tasteless garbage, right? Why is that? Because that's what people expect? Its not like they have limited ingredients, or whatever... Its all data. Ones and zeroes. Someone out there had to INTENTIONALLY code this shit to taste bad!"
Vee turned to Xtra, looking her in the eyes from behind that plastic mask. "Remember those dragon burgers we tried out? All they did was tweak a couple stats, adjust the texture and flavour, and bam! Delicious, unique, and impossible to replicate in meatspace! Why else would you ever eat CR food, unless it was better than the real deal? Nobody eats school lunches because they're hungry, not like it actually sustains you or anything. What sense does it make for them to be worse than anything you'd find in your own fridge?"
He continued like this for a while, ranting away as he idly made his way through the school courtyard. It wasn't unknown for him to go off like this at times, unprompted or otherwise. Indeed, the last time he ranted about the school dinners was back in January, not long after the results for their mock exams came in. Results he proved to be particularly evasive about discussing.
Kicking Akamatsu in the face since 2010
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MurderWeasel
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"Indeed," Xtra said.
She rarely ate in CR unless she was with others and it was an expected part of their social interaction. By and large, if she wanted to experience a sensation in CR, she would simply boot up a private sandbox and experience it, absent all the pomp of circumstance of biological relics such as, say, chewing. But that was a little bit off the deep end even for her friends. She was simply happy to have companions who would go as far as the dragon steaks. It was more than many would bother with.
She paced Vee, following in his wake, paying attention to each footfall, to the terrain and how it felt compared to what she was used to. The schoolyard all seemed stock, but that didn't guarantee it'd stay that way. Their captors had proven willing to play fast and loose with realism. It would be foolish to assume that they wouldn't change other aspects as time went on. If they decided to halve gravity, for example, Xtra intended to have considered the implications in advance.
Speaking of, wasn't it time to properly broach the subject she'd been dancing around?
"By the way, Vee—" she began, but then she was cut off, as both of their walkie talkies sounded off in tandem.
"This is Spooks, over," the message began. Xtra was already grabbing her device when the words continued: "I can see you two touching the fake grass. You see the two of us at the bridge?"
She turned and squinted up at the bridge. Yes, there were two figures on it, though from the angle she was at and with the lighting and cover as it was, it was harder to identify them than it would be for them to see what was going on in the yard.
"Read you loud and clear," she replied, holding down the send button on her orange walkie talkie. "I can see you."
She gave a wave.
"By the way, you only say 'over' when you're done talking. It means it's clear for the other side to talk. Over."
She rarely ate in CR unless she was with others and it was an expected part of their social interaction. By and large, if she wanted to experience a sensation in CR, she would simply boot up a private sandbox and experience it, absent all the pomp of circumstance of biological relics such as, say, chewing. But that was a little bit off the deep end even for her friends. She was simply happy to have companions who would go as far as the dragon steaks. It was more than many would bother with.
She paced Vee, following in his wake, paying attention to each footfall, to the terrain and how it felt compared to what she was used to. The schoolyard all seemed stock, but that didn't guarantee it'd stay that way. Their captors had proven willing to play fast and loose with realism. It would be foolish to assume that they wouldn't change other aspects as time went on. If they decided to halve gravity, for example, Xtra intended to have considered the implications in advance.
Speaking of, wasn't it time to properly broach the subject she'd been dancing around?
"By the way, Vee—" she began, but then she was cut off, as both of their walkie talkies sounded off in tandem.
"This is Spooks, over," the message began. Xtra was already grabbing her device when the words continued: "I can see you two touching the fake grass. You see the two of us at the bridge?"
She turned and squinted up at the bridge. Yes, there were two figures on it, though from the angle she was at and with the lighting and cover as it was, it was harder to identify them than it would be for them to see what was going on in the yard.
"Read you loud and clear," she replied, holding down the send button on her orange walkie talkie. "I can see you."
She gave a wave.
"By the way, you only say 'over' when you're done talking. It means it's clear for the other side to talk. Over."
"Hmm?"
Vee turned to Xtra, his brow raised behind his mask. His curiosity would have to wait however, as moments later their walkie talkies buzzed as Kenton called them from above.
He looks up at the glass bridge, a bemused smirk on his face as he gave his teammates a quick wave. Yet another reason why their team had a unique advantage over their classmates, who likely lacked any means of remaining in contact with one another.
"Are you and Vee able to see what's happening at the rooftop and the bridge above us? There seems to be some sort of spill. I'm unable to confirm the situation, but since we still have communication with you guys, we shouldn't have any other issues with getting to the anime club, over."
Vee tilted his head, taking a few steps back to scope out the roof above. It was difficult to make out any details, other than a hint of orange near Kenton and Hareraiser's position.
"Hard to tell from down here, I'm afraid. What kinda spill are we talking about here, Spooks?" he asked, hoping for some clarification.
"Over..." he added at the end, before turning his head to Xtra. "You were saying?"
Vee turned to Xtra, his brow raised behind his mask. His curiosity would have to wait however, as moments later their walkie talkies buzzed as Kenton called them from above.
He looks up at the glass bridge, a bemused smirk on his face as he gave his teammates a quick wave. Yet another reason why their team had a unique advantage over their classmates, who likely lacked any means of remaining in contact with one another.
"Are you and Vee able to see what's happening at the rooftop and the bridge above us? There seems to be some sort of spill. I'm unable to confirm the situation, but since we still have communication with you guys, we shouldn't have any other issues with getting to the anime club, over."
Vee tilted his head, taking a few steps back to scope out the roof above. It was difficult to make out any details, other than a hint of orange near Kenton and Hareraiser's position.
"Hard to tell from down here, I'm afraid. What kinda spill are we talking about here, Spooks?" he asked, hoping for some clarification.
"Over..." he added at the end, before turning his head to Xtra. "You were saying?"
Kicking Akamatsu in the face since 2010
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MurderWeasel
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Xtra's focus had been thoroughly diverted by the walkie talkie call, and so it took her a moment to recalibrate when their long distance conversation reached its seeming conclusion. She paused for a moment that would have been punctuated by a deep breath if this was meatspace, but she'd long trained herself out of such unnecessary habits in CR. The pause was just a pause.
"What are your intentions?" she finally said.
She turned her gaze back to the bridge, watching their friends traversing it in the distance. This was not the optimal way to have this conversation, since at any moment they were liable to again be interrupted, but if she continued to wait for the perfect time it became ever more likely that they would find themselves in a situation in which their lack of prior communication on the matter became a deep liability. Better to do what they could now.
"Overall," she clarified. "When it comes to..."
She held her right hand up, index finger pointed upward, and twirled her wrist, making a circle in the air that encompassed the world around them.
"...all of this?"
"What are your intentions?" she finally said.
She turned her gaze back to the bridge, watching their friends traversing it in the distance. This was not the optimal way to have this conversation, since at any moment they were liable to again be interrupted, but if she continued to wait for the perfect time it became ever more likely that they would find themselves in a situation in which their lack of prior communication on the matter became a deep liability. Better to do what they could now.
"Overall," she clarified. "When it comes to..."
She held her right hand up, index finger pointed upward, and twirled her wrist, making a circle in the air that encompassed the world around them.
"...all of this?"
"My... Intentions?" Vee replied, blinking from behind those yellowed eye slits.
He then forced out a chuckle, his arms spread wide. "Isn't it obvious?"
His words lingered in the air for a moment, his expression hidden behind that mask. "I intend on surviving... On ensuring we make it through to the end of this thing. Thats why we gotta focus on getting the gang back together, make sure we're united against whatever this game has in store for us..."
He then forced out a chuckle, his arms spread wide. "Isn't it obvious?"
His words lingered in the air for a moment, his expression hidden behind that mask. "I intend on surviving... On ensuring we make it through to the end of this thing. Thats why we gotta focus on getting the gang back together, make sure we're united against whatever this game has in store for us..."
Kicking Akamatsu in the face since 2010
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MurderWeasel
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"That much I could surmise, yes," Xtra said.
She raised an eyebrow as she spoke, watching Vee. There were two possibilities here. Perhaps he had not considered the plan beyond what he had just explained. In that case, it fell to Xtra to bring their long-term prospects into the conversation. However, it was also possible that he was being intentionally evasive. It wasn't even necessarily a bad call to do so. Xtra couldn't say how the others would feel, depending on what the result was. She did not begrudge him some tactical ambiguity.
She was not one to be calmed by ignoring inconvenient details, though.
"I mean," she continued, "what are we willing to do in service of that goal?"
Her tone was casual, free of judgement. There was, of course, ethical significance attached to the query. But she was not currently dwelling on that, either in the conversation or in her own mind. There would be time to reckon with that later.
"What are our limits?" she asked.
She raised an eyebrow as she spoke, watching Vee. There were two possibilities here. Perhaps he had not considered the plan beyond what he had just explained. In that case, it fell to Xtra to bring their long-term prospects into the conversation. However, it was also possible that he was being intentionally evasive. It wasn't even necessarily a bad call to do so. Xtra couldn't say how the others would feel, depending on what the result was. She did not begrudge him some tactical ambiguity.
She was not one to be calmed by ignoring inconvenient details, though.
"I mean," she continued, "what are we willing to do in service of that goal?"
Her tone was casual, free of judgement. There was, of course, ethical significance attached to the query. But she was not currently dwelling on that, either in the conversation or in her own mind. There would be time to reckon with that later.
"What are our limits?" she asked.
"Hmm, good question... Very, very good question..."
Patrick forced out another chuckle, one with a hint of nervousness about it, before clearing his voice and adjusting his mask. "Well..." Vee continued, drawing the word out with an extended pause.
Fortunately - mercifully, even - it was at that point that Hareraiser chimed in with an update, giving him a few more precious seconds to come up with an appropriate response.
"It looks like someone fired a weirdass gun that sprayed Cheez-Its everywhere! Like, Cheez-its falling from the roof, falling from the cracks, literally everywhere. It's a fucking Cheez-it party! I swear, why Cheez-its? Why not better food? So yeah, watch out for shitty orange crackers, I guess... Over."
Vee glanced at Xtra, a confused look in his eyes, before slowly lifting the walkie talkie to his ear. "Rooooger that... Well, like I said earlier, expect the unexpected. Who knows what else Zeph's done to spice things up around here... Over."
Checking to make sure that the walkie talkie wasn't transmitting any audio, he turned back to Xtra with a shrug. "Cheez-Its... Really?" he scoffed, a slight slouch to his posture. "I mean, what next? Mountain Dew fountains?"
Chuckling some more, Vee then sighed as he lowered his chainsaw, reaching up to pry his mask off. "Look... I think it's important right now that we work things out one step at a time. Avoid making any... Hasty decisions."
He maintained eye contact with Xtra, doing his darndest to feign confidence. "Obviously, if we gotta defend ourselves, then so be it. But before we decide on our... Approach, as it were, we need to figure out our options. No good leaping without knowing where we're landing first, right?"
Patrick forced out another chuckle, one with a hint of nervousness about it, before clearing his voice and adjusting his mask. "Well..." Vee continued, drawing the word out with an extended pause.
Fortunately - mercifully, even - it was at that point that Hareraiser chimed in with an update, giving him a few more precious seconds to come up with an appropriate response.
"It looks like someone fired a weirdass gun that sprayed Cheez-Its everywhere! Like, Cheez-its falling from the roof, falling from the cracks, literally everywhere. It's a fucking Cheez-it party! I swear, why Cheez-its? Why not better food? So yeah, watch out for shitty orange crackers, I guess... Over."
Vee glanced at Xtra, a confused look in his eyes, before slowly lifting the walkie talkie to his ear. "Rooooger that... Well, like I said earlier, expect the unexpected. Who knows what else Zeph's done to spice things up around here... Over."
Checking to make sure that the walkie talkie wasn't transmitting any audio, he turned back to Xtra with a shrug. "Cheez-Its... Really?" he scoffed, a slight slouch to his posture. "I mean, what next? Mountain Dew fountains?"
Chuckling some more, Vee then sighed as he lowered his chainsaw, reaching up to pry his mask off. "Look... I think it's important right now that we work things out one step at a time. Avoid making any... Hasty decisions."
He maintained eye contact with Xtra, doing his darndest to feign confidence. "Obviously, if we gotta defend ourselves, then so be it. But before we decide on our... Approach, as it were, we need to figure out our options. No good leaping without knowing where we're landing first, right?"
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MurderWeasel
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"Right."
Xtra didn't comment on the Cheez-It situation, though she did briefly glance back at the bridge. Cheez-Its were not among the food she had found in her bag, and she couldn't figure out why anyone would have bothered to code them in. CR was about overcoming the limits of meatspace, and Cheez-Its were among the most underwhelming foodstuffs Xtra had ever had the displeasure to experience.
She was beginning to suspect that this was all more cobbled together than she'd initially thought. The assets ranged widely, and it would explain quite a bit about their varied gear and their environment. Maybe someone just had a block of promotional code from Cheez-Its and slapped it in there.
But that was beside the point, distractions from what really mattered: her conversation with Vee. His answer was... not ideal, but not terrible either.
"I'm not concerned about your decisions," she said, holding his now-unmasked gaze, "but I am a little worried about the others."
Xtra had always been the sort to run cold, which made her stand out some even in her friend group. She was composed, rational. Some of the others, though? They could very quickly get in over their heads.
"I'm worried that someone will do something... hasty, if we don't talk about this. Even if what we tell them is just that we have nothing to tell them."
Xtra didn't comment on the Cheez-It situation, though she did briefly glance back at the bridge. Cheez-Its were not among the food she had found in her bag, and she couldn't figure out why anyone would have bothered to code them in. CR was about overcoming the limits of meatspace, and Cheez-Its were among the most underwhelming foodstuffs Xtra had ever had the displeasure to experience.
She was beginning to suspect that this was all more cobbled together than she'd initially thought. The assets ranged widely, and it would explain quite a bit about their varied gear and their environment. Maybe someone just had a block of promotional code from Cheez-Its and slapped it in there.
But that was beside the point, distractions from what really mattered: her conversation with Vee. His answer was... not ideal, but not terrible either.
"I'm not concerned about your decisions," she said, holding his now-unmasked gaze, "but I am a little worried about the others."
Xtra had always been the sort to run cold, which made her stand out some even in her friend group. She was composed, rational. Some of the others, though? They could very quickly get in over their heads.
"I'm worried that someone will do something... hasty, if we don't talk about this. Even if what we tell them is just that we have nothing to tell them."
Vee opened his mouth to say something, before shutting it and glancing aside, brow furrowed as he mulled over Xtra's advice.
The walkie talkie buzzed again before he had a chance to reply, Kenton interjecting with another quick update. "We're going to head off west. No sign of anyone up here, over."
"Roger that, we'll complete our sweep and move out momentarily..." he responded, before glancing back at Xtra. After a moment's silence, he lifted the walkie talkie back up again. "Remember to exercise caution. Don't want either of you taking any unnecessary risks, got it? Over..."
Tucking the walkie talkie away, he returned his attention to Xtra once more. "We'll have a proper group discussion about this once we find Angel and Amy. No point setting a course before all hands are on deck..."
He put the mask back on, hoisting the chainsaw over his shoulder. "Any other questions?"
The walkie talkie buzzed again before he had a chance to reply, Kenton interjecting with another quick update. "We're going to head off west. No sign of anyone up here, over."
"Roger that, we'll complete our sweep and move out momentarily..." he responded, before glancing back at Xtra. After a moment's silence, he lifted the walkie talkie back up again. "Remember to exercise caution. Don't want either of you taking any unnecessary risks, got it? Over..."
Tucking the walkie talkie away, he returned his attention to Xtra once more. "We'll have a proper group discussion about this once we find Angel and Amy. No point setting a course before all hands are on deck..."
He put the mask back on, hoisting the chainsaw over his shoulder. "Any other questions?"
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MurderWeasel
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Xtra shook her head.
"I read you loud and clear," she said, already turning back to the task at hand, giving the area one more quick sweep with her eyes. No sign of the others.
"Let's find them, then."
She hoped it would be that simple: gather the party, then decide what they were doing once they were all together. But in truth, there was still that slight apprehension in the back of her mind.
After all, prudence and patience were often the disguises worn by indecision.
((Xtra Zimmermann continued in Now there's problems here))
"I read you loud and clear," she said, already turning back to the task at hand, giving the area one more quick sweep with her eyes. No sign of the others.
"Let's find them, then."
She hoped it would be that simple: gather the party, then decide what they were doing once they were all together. But in truth, there was still that slight apprehension in the back of her mind.
After all, prudence and patience were often the disguises worn by indecision.
((Xtra Zimmermann continued in Now there's problems here))
Vee nodded his head, stepping aside to let Xtra take point.
Once he was certain she was looking elsewhere, Patrick let out a sigh of relief. Taking a moment to compose himself and readjust his mask before quickly following suit.
((V-Raptor continued in Now there's problems here))
Once he was certain she was looking elsewhere, Patrick let out a sigh of relief. Taking a moment to compose himself and readjust his mask before quickly following suit.
((V-Raptor continued in Now there's problems here))
Kicking Akamatsu in the face since 2010