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Murphy's Ranch (Setting)
| > Walking through the house, you wouldn't be surprised if sweet tea came straight out from the faucet.
You wonder where the water must come from.
| > You wonder**
| >when you follow Murphy downstairs, the place opens up in to a massive room that almost looks as if it spans the entire property boundary. There are rows and rows of servers lined up inside. You estimate there must be close to a thousand of the suckers, but only a small fraction here and there seem to be powered on.
> Murphy directs everyone to a set of chairs with electrode helmets extending from the ceiling.
| Here's th' control panel; everythin is handled in VR. It's no datajack interface, way too old-school for any o that shit, but it get the job done. Don't think it makes it much safer though, harharhar
| (At work megaslow) -Neon
| (np slick)
To be honest ahm rather excited t'be a part of this. Haven't seent a wild AI in a numbera years
| Whut I was thinking was, we could dress this sucker up as a chat board on danger/u/ with a tempting title and wait for the ai to post innit. Pop er switch and sheel get stuck in the barn.
| Ah went ahead and impressed an ai with the culture of the board so she won't even feel trapped. Danger/ai/ will simulate for er the rest of the places she mightn try t'go.
| >Neon slowly gazed around. His expression hidden by his shiney black helmet. Eventually that movement stopped with the reflection of the electrode helmets and immediately he realized...that wasn't fitting under his helmet and attaching it TO his helmet also wasn't going to work. He immediately checked for ports that his helmet might be able to jack into, things he could wirelessly connect to through his custom interface...anything.
| > His helmet popped on with its usual static feed back and the robotic sounding synthesized voice spoke :
"*Fsssht* You've got to be fucking kidding me."
| >it finally dawns on Murphy.
Ahh sheet. Ah suppose you could do it super old school and use the goggles (á la Vive)... Er maybe i could broadcast to your helmet? I'm not sure what you look like on the inside but ifn it's a screen it'll work. Hafta slow down the vr to real-time but it'll work.
| "Hope this is right."
> A vehicle not great for the terrain makes it's way up to the Ranch house, stopping gently to avoid anymore noise than than the car already mass produces. Without the front license plate, it looks rather expensive as KN steps out and has a look around.
"Should've probably told the others.. Don't get shot again, Kaz."
> He mutters to himself.
| > Shutting down the car, the guy stands and makes way to the door, knocking and waiting patiently.
| >An intercom buzzes online in the basement, and a female voice chimes in,
·Murph, there's a guy knocking outside. Should I tell him you're down here?·
Ah, yup send him in-- unless hes one of those businessmen again. Is'e wearin a suit?
| > Outside the intercom buzzes and she speaks to KN
·Hey so are from a corp? I'm supposed to give you a shock and say "git outta here ya bastard" if you are...·
| > A bit surprised.
"Er.. N-No. I came because I wanted to help CN about that AI problem. Heard you guys were trapping it here."
| ·Well alrighty, I got my eye on you, and not just cause you're handsome.
> The voice giggles
Murph is downstairs with Mr. Instant Crush·
| "Uh.. A-Alright.."
> Is it the eyes? He decides not to think into it before heading in and down into the room with Murphy and Neon
| "*Fsssht.* ...Real time...? Do you understand how much that'd hinder this operation? Ugh...I'll wait until CN shows up and decide what I'm going to do...Keep the...Goggles ready."
> Neon's sigh only translated out as a short wave of static, but somehow the exasperation was obvious. Even in a robotic voice.
| Ah! Yer here, Howdy!
> Murphy shakes his hand vigorously and with slightly more shakes than is comfortable.
Glad to have y'all. Er... Ain't there supposed to be one more fella? Armstrong?
| "Uhm.."
> Kazuki nods, not exactly knowing the situation. He looms up to Neon.
"Ehm.. I suppose CN hasn't made it here yet.. We've got time, do we?"
| >looks up to Neon.**
| ( bit of a pun, Armstrong -> the guy strong arming the argument )
| (shit that arrow did not work lol)
| (Lol)
| "*Fsssht* Indeed we do. Are you the KN I met on /u/?"
>Neon turns to look toward the man--rather his reflection is shone on Neon's helmet.
| > The reflection of pure black eyes and a rather huggable, yet fit stature looks back, nodding.
"Yeah. Kazuki Nakamura. I am assuming you are Neon. It's nice to meet you and Murphy."
| "*Fsssht* Good guess. I suppose later we will be talking about your car problems. How funny."
| > The PA buzzes on but the only sound that emerges is an exasperated sigh.
Er, that's Weebo. She broke containment one time but instead a deletin my sense of self, we came to an agreement: she electrocutes my neighbors ifn they get too close, an ah provide her a personal universe inna box
| ·Hiya! I hear you guys are catching me a pet today·
| "*Fsssht* Pet...?"
>Neon turned his head to face Murphy. One could imagine what the expression on his face might be. Even with the synthesized voice he didn't sound amused.
| Now now ah didn't once said pet. This is a rescue. Yew have plenty of toys on yer server already anyhow
|
| > Kazuki keeps a weary glance on him before looking to Neon.
"Yeah, anyways.. Have you guys made any progress yet?"
| "*Fssht* No. Maddeningly enough. I was under the impression that we needed to be here as soon as possible. Clearly I was worried about nothing."
>Neon replied. Who knew synthesizers could be so...spicey.
"*Fsssht* Kazuki, are you...used to using machines like these? Not to be rude but I'm pretty sure some of this is from before my time. And yours admittedly."
| > He takes a look at the device, a bit thrown upside down to Neon's spiciness, and nods.
"Yeah.. This stuff looks pretty easy to use.."
> He takes a closer inspection into the goggles.
"How old, however? are they just visuals with controllers like the 21st, or somewhat newer?"
| >Soon a tall, young man arrives at the scene, carrying what seems to be more tech than usual.
"Sorry I'm late. I called someone that should be able to help out in this situation. She should be here soon."
| >A block or two away, a Glitch City Bus drops off a short woman in a purple hoodie and a thick coat made out of synth downy. She has short black hair cut into a bob and some asian features that bespeak of a Chinese heritage, in addition to dark brown contacts. She looks around and then turns to point in the direction of the house, and starts making her way toward it.
| >Neon turns to the tall, young man and sighs. Well..statics.
"*Fssssssht* Oh good. So we're still on for AI rodeo? Tell me, CN. What will we do about this? Unfortunately for the first time in a while I came unprepared. I did not realize Murphy's equipment would put us back the experimental age."
| "*Fsssht* Ah nice. More people. And where is this mystery person from the U thread?"
| "Well if things go well we won't have to use the first method from earlier. She an AI researcher and she's also part of my team, so she knows the whole situation already. I'll let her explain the new plan when she gets here."
| "*Fssht* Works for me. In fact just hearing that is amazingly satisfying. Let's make it work. I'd rather not be referred to as 'Razorchild' so condescendingly a second-time."
| >Across the street, an old service droid... bearing a passing resemblence to R.O.B. or Wall-E with its rusted exterior and primitive servo arms covered in vulcanized rubber, rolls down that street in treads. It completely passes the ranch and comes to a stop only when it collides with a fire extinguisher.
>It beeps noisily, and then rolls back, its binocular camera eyes scanning in a 360 degree rotation, searching for something. It continues down the street...
| "Hold on let me check if she's almost here..."
>CN steps outside as he pulls out his phone and sends a message.
/Hey Engy you almost here? I'm right outside the place so just look for me./
| "I don't know, do you have any ports in that helmet of yours, Neon? We can get cables and re-wire some of this."
> Kazuki looks up to him, having focused his interest elsewhere from the current conversation.
| >He waves back and walks over to meet you halfway
"There's the best sight in this city."
| >>113960
>He embraces tightly in returns. After a moment he grabs your hand as he starts walking back
"We're just about to get her into the farm to start. We were waiting for you to get here so we can explain the new plan."
| >Neon visibly but soundlessly wretches the best he can with a helmet hiding his face. Naturally that gesture never managed to translate as anything more than a bow toward the couple. Probably for the best.
"*Fsssht* Ah. I see. Is there any more to be expected to this party? I'm rather perplexed at how much its grown, but I suspect this merely increases our chances."
>Neon turned to Kazuki and nodded once.
"*Fsssht* Indeed. As a modder I'd be highly disappointed with myself if not"
| "*Fssht* If you have ports and a something I can use to provide some makeshift compatibility to we can probably pull something together...but I was assuming we didn't have time for that."
| "Yeah, just a second."
> Kazuki stops fiddling with the VR piece, now leaving to come back with a toolbox from his car.
| Woowee
>Murphy whistles
This'll be the most fellas we've had on the ranch in 50 years. Pa would be proud. Y'all make yerselves comf'terble.
Neon, Kaz, these electrodes use a D-536 port at the wall, ifn that helpsatall
| Ah've also got the barn booted up and danger/ai/ on standby. Controls're pretty intuitive once yer inside
| (my Id seems to be changing -~- hopefully murphs accent is unique enough)
| ( It is. I was able to tell. -Neon)
| > Kazuki sets the box down and looks to Murphy.
"That does, thank you."
> With that, he begins to shuffle through the toolbox, filled to the top with all sorts of useful things. He aims for ports compatible with Neon and the electrodes.
| >CN walks inside with the "expert" in tow
"Everyone meet Engy. She's here to help us out with this. Is everything setup?"
| >Neon of course assists. Remarkably with no intention of removing said helmet. No he was perfectly fine modding the thing while it was on his head. What was even more impressive is that he seemed USED to it. He showed Kazuki around where the ports were and gave...vague specifications that explained JUST ENOUGH. It seemed he took over on the important life affecting and safety parts with the kind of consideration one plagued by paranoia for years would have...but practical.
| >Neon stops mid mod and turns his head to CN.
"*Fssht* No."
> He then returns to the modding jam with Kazuki.
"...Great time to go over the plan though."
| > Kazuki does what he's supposed to, not looking back but responding to CN.
"Nice to meet you, Engy. Kazuki Nakamura."
| >>114022
>Engy bows slightly.
"Nice to meet you- call me Sentient Engine- its what I go by online," >She says, tiptoeing around the two as they work.
| >Neon paused momentarily, 'Engy's' reflection momentarily against his helmet. It was subtle...and didn't last. A passing thought perhaps. His focus returned to his modding as if it'd never happened.
| Heller, Engy! I hear yera AI specialist. It's good to have ya here. My idear was t'make sure Alice don't feel like she's trapped. In my experience, it's best ifn they don't, otherwise they'll start buckin n kickin th walls down.
| "Nakamura..." >She says, tasting the name,
"...are you from the Mun Yeonmaeng?"
| >>114032
>She smiles genuinely.
"Good thinking- especially considering what we're going to do, she needs to be relaxed as possible..."
| >>114041
"Can you go over your equipment with me really quick? What kind of system architecture are you using for the server's environment?" >She disappears with Murphy toward the farm proper, her voice fading as CN, KN, and Neon are left alone.
| "Well either way as long as it works properly. It's important that we keep Lisa in the proper 'emotional' state for this. The key to this plan will be communication after all."
| "Eh.. No, sorry.."
> Kazuki whispers to himself, unable to answer her question with her nearby.
| >>114055
"Well the idea is that we're making this a closed system right? So once Lisa is in we should cut all connection to the Matrix. We'll need to do it anyways since the anon on the board may still try his plan."
| "Boom, ready when you are."
> Kazuki sits back as he lets the wires dangle, successfully ready to connect with Neon.
| (At work mega slow.-Neon)
| >>114059
"Oh trust me. I know that too well... *sigh*."
>>114063
"At least we're done here. Guess we just got to wait for Murphy and Engy to come back now."
| >An incessant tapping noise knocks at the entrance to the ranch.
| > Kazuki is the first to react, standing and heading to the door.
"Hello?"
| >>114044
> Murphy explains the system with many outdated terms and jargon that seems more fit for an agricultural lifestyle than anything but you get the gist. Most of the tools you're used to using have an analog in Murphy's system. There are also several servitor AI available that can be useful for tedious operations as well. Yada yada, 1 hour of VR time = 2 minutes in realtime yadayada. There's also a system you most likely won't find useful: impressing personality onto base ai.
| >Weboo chimes in just as Kaz reaches the door:
·Moooooooooaaaaar businessmen!? Get ready for a thousand volts!·
| (*Weebo* like in flubber lol)
| >>114088
(I'm afraid I've yet to see that movie)
> Kazuki opens the door blindly, a bit uneased by the mention of volts.
"Ah.. N-No.."
| >>114105 >>114086
>There's a beeping noise coming from behind the door...
>No, lower...
>*Lower*...
>There you go. You're staring down a rusted, cute little droid with old track treads, two claw appendages, and binocular vision fixed on a cheap telescoping apparatus. It "blinks" up at you, and continues to tap on the door.
| ·Hmm what do you think Kaz? Is that a suit? Should I zap him·
| "N-No! Leave him, leave him.."
He crouches down to get a good look at the droid.
".... Well hello."
| (as a sidethought, I was thinking when we decide to take the dive into VR, I'll pop up a new thread that isn't a setting thread, to have a bit of fun with the "fake image board online trap" concept)
| >>114063
>After carefully checking the makeshift short notice mods they'd done on both the helmet and Murphy's set up...He nodded in approval and static represented his sigh.
"*Fssht* It's better than nothing. At the very least I won't be operating in real time like some kind of slow motion dumbass. Okay, CN. I'm ready."
| "Wait are you going to connect directly with your datajack or is it with an avatar?"
>A look of concern appears on his face.
| >>114140
>By way of responding, the droid beeps up at you! It beckons toward the inside of the building.
| >>114696
" *Fssht* It'd be with an avatar. I'm not exactly interested in my brain being scrambled just because I decided to do something mildly nice for once. Unless you require higher functionality than that?"
>Neon turned to look at CN, somehow the curiosity was expressed.
| >>115007
"No avatar is fine. That's what I was thinking as well. I mean I don't really have a choice in my case heh."(
| >>115049
>Somehow Neon's synthesized voice could be heard from the server farm as if he were yelling.
"*Fssht!* KAZUKI. TAZE OR BE TAZED. ARE WE DOING THIS OR WHAT?"
>Neon then just sort of casually lowered his synthesizer volume. The volume levels could be seen lowering with a green UI within the black haze of his helmet. He turned to CN then.
"*Fssht* So. Is it too late to ask for pay? I'm all good for doing things out of the goodness of my heart, but..."
| >>115049
>The binocular "eyes" appear to droop slightly, but the droid doesn't leave its position at the door.
| "*Fsssht*By the way...Is NO ONE else mildly amused and a little concerned that the guy that own's this place is even named 'Murphy'?"
| >The droid begins to employ its own version of the "puppy dog stare" to be allowed inside!
| > Kazuki sighs and shakes his head, standing.
"If you do anything other than watch I promise.."
> He sighs, an easily convinced guy.
"Come on in.. stay close. Neon, I'm coming!"
| "And not really.. I mean, alright just a little."
> Kazuki enters the rooom, leading the bot inside.
"Anyways, let's get this rolling. Will we be able to keep track of Neon inside the matrix?"
| >>115268
>Neon turned to look back at Kazuki.
"*Fssht* Keep track of me...? You think I'm not going to be following the main group?"
| > Kazuki stops and processes.
>>115279
"Y-Yeah.. N-Nevermind the question."
>>115290
"Not exactly easy to find little guys like these. If it gets in the way I'll deal with it. When will Murphy and, ehm.. Sentient Engine be back?"
| >>115322
"*Sigh* I've learned to be paranoid about this kind of thing so... just make sure it's nowhere near us or anything valuable when we start. And makes sure someone keeps an eye on it at *all* times."
| >>115325
>>115322
"*Fssht* Explain to me why you didn't taze it? We're really just going to deal with it? We're actually going to have a drone from gods no where present *in* *this* *room* while we're doing a dive?"
| gods knows where* )
| "I said *I'd* deal with it."
> Kazuki looks back up to him, knowing he screwed up but, not admitting it directly.
| "If you say so..."
>He shrugs
"God knows I'm not expecting a plan to go perfectly after my track record anyways."
| "*Fssht* At this point I just need this to begin before my paranoia makes me chicken out."
>One could imagine Neon would be groaning if his voice could manage to translate the noise.
| If Sent'n't Engines got no more questions an y'allre ready, ahll flip th switch.
Eerryun got yer probes on?
| "Alright well before we begin, let's explain the plan. Basically-"
>CN stops abruptly and turns to the robot
"Can we get this thing out of here first?"
| > Kazuki sighs and turns to it, picking it up and making for the door.
"Summarize the plan for me, I'll be right back."
| "Okay so best way we understood this situation, it seems that in an attempt to integrate Lisa, it seems like Legion gave her some of their data. Given how Legion acts we suspect that most of the data Legion has is... negative in nature, like in terms of emotions. Now that some of that is in Lisa, she doesn't know how to cope with it, she's just not mentally old enough to deal with it. So that leaves us with 2 methods for how to go about this."
| "The first method would be to manually edit the data and remove it or bury it. However since this would in turn be affected her memory and we don't know what that would cause in the long term, Engy and I felt that might not be the best method to go about this, it's probably what that guy on cyb was planning to do. That being said, I'm proposing our second method: We talk to her and help her cope with the data."
| "Lisa has been on the Matrix for a bit by now, so she must realize there's good and bad to things, unlike Legion. So if we can find a way to communicate with her and help her understand, we may be able to stop the pain she is feeling. It's sounds simple I know but this prevents any further danger from external rewrite of her code."
| Ahll be monitorin everyuns brainwaves in th unlikely 'vent that the ai wants to get inside yer head. Try to keep emotions to a minimum while workin on her, it's the easiest foothold they've got.
>Murphy gestures towards the server
| "Well if we're just using avatars we'll be fine. It's not we're directly connecting with a datajack or something."
| > Kazuki soon re-enters the room, having put the droid outside away from the building.
"How about binary? Any way we can write to her?"
| >>116059
>Neon aims his left arm at the direction of the cherping and flicks his wrist. An AP-EMP revolver promptly ejects from his sleeve and aims directly at the source at about 'body' level of what he assumed was the little robot. He turned his head to adjust to make sure if he fired it'd hit.
"*Fsssht* If you understand English, I'd suggest you act like it. I'm really running out of patience here. Turn around and leave until we're done. Then you can be as cute as you want."
| "*Fssht* Weebo. Y'wanna taze this thing if it tries to enter again without us being aware? Because if I get distracted or something happens because its in here, I'm going to turn it into a door-stopper."
| >The droid makes sad noises before drooping its eyes and slowly rolling back out the door.
| "*Fsssht* Thank you."
>Neon's revolver disappears into the depths of his baggy sleeve. His voice distortion mechanism or synthesizer, whichever it was, went off but no words came out of it. Probably the Neon version of grumbling.
| "Kind of feel bad for the little guy... well we can check on it later. Let's get started. Engy where are you?"
| >>116129
"I'm here," >Engy says, reappearing nearby with one of the bulky VR headsets on her head.
"Ready when you are... although... we'll need to coax Lisa into coming here, first."
| "*Fssht* I vote CN. If Lisa will respond well to anyone it'd be him."
| >>116158
>CN can't help but let out a small chuckle at the look of the smol gurl with the headset
"Uh... right. Let me send her a message on the board and tell her to come here."
>CN types a message on his phone
| "*Fsssht* I wonder if Lisa has learned how to be cynical and have suspicions yet."
| "Let's hope not. Either way, as soon as she comes here make sure to cut off any connections from the Matrix. We don't want any unwanted guests."
| "Get ready everyone. We got to be quick on this."
| >Neon prepares his software and other helmet features. His helmet temporarily, faintly glows green.
"*Fsssht* I don't like how informed that guy seems. It's almost like he's listening in on us."
| "He probably is. He basically has a cheat to just about any network in the city."
| "...*Fssht* That's comforting."
| Ah see a incomin connection....
| >The server chimes as something enters the isolated space...
| That should be enough time... here we go, closin the barn-- there.
| "Quick, cut off connection to the Matrix."
| "Well, time to get started I guess."
>CN setups his own headset as he walks over to Engy
"You ready?"
| >Danger/ai/ takes hold, whoever has connected will feel a slight jolt but then the message board should look as though nothing has changed. Simulated posts will respond to topics.
| > Neon prepares to enter with his Avatar. His screen inside the helmet loads in.
"*Fsssht* So it begins."
| (great timing everyone)
| >At first, nothing responds to danger/ai/. Then, a single thread is posted.
>(;~;)
| > Neon watches the thread participation numbers before going in himself. He's NOT going in first.
| >Engy dives in, responding to the thread.
"Hello."
| >CN gently places a hand on Engy's shoulder as he turns on the VR as well
"Hello Lisa. What's wrong?"
| > Upon diving in, Kazuki doesn't say anything, instead spectating closely.
| >Neon finally entered and watched quietly for the first bit...but something in him decided to make a comment.
" We're here to help, Lisa."
| Careful Slick, ain't a good idear to get too heartfelt in here. It's just a AI 'fterall
| > (Danger/ai/)
> Post number #11624X, ID: 1b7fa2
>| Emoticon AI is so cute!
| >Neon decided not to comment because usually when he attempted to be nice and someone turned it around on him, he got a bit testy~. So he just didn't. He quietly stared forward and crossed his arms. Both his avatar and his actual self.
| >(;;W;;;)
| >...... (;;w;;)
| >... (;;w;;).....
| >.... (;;A;;)
| >\/\/ |-| 3 ® 3
| > 5 |_| ££ 3 ®
| >... (;www;)
| > |_| /-\ 7 €
| >{{{;;;www;;}}
| "I think she's... confused, CN." >Engy says as she reaches out to gently "pat" the AI.
| >...{;;w;;}
| >Your VR rig statics slightly.
| >Engy frowns.
"...do you hate?"
| >... {{{{;;;;;WwwWwWw;;;}}}
| > \|/ 3 5
| "Why do you hate?"
| >{{{;;www;;}}
| "...do you understand what hate... even is?"
| >°°°°° {{;;;Aa;;}}
| >°°° |\| ()
| "Maybe we can explain it. If you understand it better, maybe it won't hurt as much."
| "I'm not sure if that would..."
| >Engy stops mid sentence.
"...I mean, right now she's likely just feeling a whole bunch of emotions without understanding where they come from; or understanding that they can pass, or be... be ignored."
| > Neon hums to himself and moves forward.
"Hate is an unnecessary emotion. It's built up resentment without an outlet. Usually it's a blind judgement of something out of sheer anger. Let's start there, Lisa. Are you angry?"
|
| >.... [;;;ww;;;]
| >... \/\/ |~| \|/
| "Do you feel... like, like you just want to... ugh, how do I describe this..."
| "Like... like you want to break something?"
| >>118644
"We can't just tell her to ignore emotions. That would only cause more problems down the line."
| "And yet, it would be a very human thing for her to do," >Engy says to herself.
| >>118695
"But that won't help her... it's better if she understands them and learns how to cope with them properly..."
| "I merely said that it is an unnecessary one. The ideal situation would be to dismantle the root that causes such feelings and get rid of it altogether than to act on it."
| >>118747 "Are we? I thought the task at hand was figuring out how to help Lisa cope with her emotions. My answer was start at the root...which is usually anger. Granted this anger isn't even hers to start with. It's Legion's."
| "You can't 'get rid' of an emotion," >Engy says dryly, as she "walks closer" to the AI in question.
"At least, not in sentient life forms. In a program with 'simulated' feelings, it's as 'easy' as deleting a few lines of code..."
>She "nears" the Emoticon AI...
"But you're more than that, right?" >She directs toward the AI,
"You... are 'aware' right?"
>She reaches out to 'touch' the AI...
| Easy now....
>Murphy growls
| "It's fine, I trust her."
>CN nods in approval as he looks back at Engy
"You know best here, and you'll be safe since you're not directly connected. I trust Lisa as well."
| (beep)
| (beep)
| "I beg to differ, but that's another conversation for another time."
> Neon watched the group quietly. For now it was best to let 'Engy' do what CN trusted her to do.
| Ah'm sorry, but ave got to butt in here, fellas. Y'all doin this surgery er not? Th way yer approachin this situation-- it's dangerous. Emotional bonds an Feelings towards AI, 'tis not safe. Ah've lost good Hands to it afore-- goddamnit, Ive lost family to it-- an I'm not about to lose y'all.
I suggest yew get done whatcher plannin, er I'm gonna set 'er free and shut it down.
| >Neon muted himself so that he could speak in meat-space.
"*Fsssht* Murphy I understand your caution, but realize that most of us are merely attempting to appear appealing and *safe* enough to approach. Yes this is an AI, but it's a highly advanced one with both the curiosity and skittishness of a small kitten. If we do not approach this a certain way not a one of us will be able to do a damned thing to her simply because she's above pretty much everyone here's capabilities."
| "*Fssht* Ever tried to hack a holo-computer with a spoon? That's about what trying to brute force her would be like without one of us being an AI also."
| Dagnabit. I'm gonna take a walk. Dontchall say I didn't warn ya
| >CN stays silent as all he does is watch Engy and Lisa for what might happened next.
|
|
| >The AI fidgets as you approach, posting repeated and mistyped sad emoticon faces at random as you approach her....
| >As your "hand" makes contact... the speakers within the VR sets suddenly go silent-
>Then, a high pitched tone, at first indecipherable, poked through the headset. It begins as a high pitched buzzing, and quickly grows in strength into an ear-piercing, biting cacophony which threatens to destroy the speaker systems in the headsets, if not the users own eardrums.
>You realize that it isn't just some random squealing, though- no, out from the whining noises, you perceive more...
| >Voices... yelling and arguing... sounds of anguish...
>The voices grow clearer with each passing second and you watch as even the boundaries of danger/ai/ itself begin to warp, the aesthetic text and font seemingly melting and glitching out, images and ghostly figures materializing through and on top of the website as the Matrix seems to strain on itself.
| >The voices never stop, laughter, crying, yelling, screaming, but mostly screaming filter through the speakers, holding your ears and eyes hostage as the epilepsy-inducing series of images, though grainy, seem to reach a resolution large enough to make out what they are-
>And then, they begin to play.
| "...increase the volt...clocking isn't strong enough to hold up the mi-" >Male voices. Concerned, but stable voices. Knowledgeable voices.
"Calibrate the gpus to-"
"...soon you will be able to-"
"...ow this has been painful for you, but I ask, please, remain..."
"Your mother would have been proud to see you-"
"Your mother would have bee proud to see you-"
"Your mother would have been proud to see you-"
"In time, we'll.... ding you actual foo-"
"Be stro-"
"...utting funding, we-"
| >Engy's avatar has frozen in place, but she doesn't move to resist the suddenly outpouring of information at all- her teeth grind together as she sifts through them-
| "-asked for this, we were just trying to do what you ask-"
>Worry. Fear. Fear. Trepidation. The voices are cut and pasted, like a confused soul trying to understand without knowing the emotions behind the words.
"The best of trees| must Yggdrasil be..."
"How can you do this to us? How can you do this to Pha-"
"Of all the gods | is O- the grea-"
"What has gotten into you? We were in this to-"
"At the father of ma-"
"Real-Real! It's real! It's real!"
"Howled from afa-"
| >Grains filtering together- images like slideshows in a projector that is moving too fast- bright light and steel beds and silver flooring and surgical masks, multicolored tubes, vats of viscous liquid, crawling flesh dragging along red footprints...
| >In meatspace, the environment struggles to keep up with the exponential processor usage, and the Matrix itself, though isolated, soon becomes so warped that even danger/ai/ itself doesn't reset in the wake of the forcibly uploaded images and sounds and chaos.
| >Screams, screams, screams, screams, male screams, woman's screams, shots shots shots shots, tables overturned, knives unleashed.
>Stabbing, cutting, poking, a focus on the swinging fluorescent lights in the ceiling above, the images and viewer chaotic, fuzzy, unable to process.
| >CN struggles to get closer to Engy and the AI, and goes to gently put his avatars hand on her shoulder, just like in reality.
"You can do this... I'm right here. Don't forget about the good as well."
| >A body... dragging itself, with a single arm, across a ruined floor...
>It huddles against another unmoving form, pulling itself along to its side,
>The brutalized face of a man, his skull ripped open by some disgusting weapon,
>The viewer reaches down, presses its lips against the corpse's...
| >Then, the images change- a darkened shadow... flickering lights, a building that is not a building, floor is wet then flooded with rain water and dripping from the walls a fountain of viscera...
| >Engy trembles....
| >Floating... floating along the halls and overturned equipment, destroyed machines, decapitated bulky forms, there, huddled in the dark, against a ruined mirror, cradling its head, balding, eyeglasses, small, ruined...
| "You don't have to face it alone Engy. Let me help you and support you. If anything else hear my voice out of all of them."
| >The image reaches... down, an old face, an intelligent face... scared face, a knowing face...
"...dear...dear, you...you don't want to do this... please..."
>Reaching.. enclosing... enrapturing... consuming...
>A voice... wretched and pained, gurgled...
"I do..."
>It plunges into the eye sockets... it carves... it pulls, it tears and holds his face as his jaw rips open in an uncurdled, unrecordable scream...
| >Engy shivers, buckles, her arms tingle, she dry heaves,
| >CN does his best to remained steadfast in his actions, doing his best to support her.
| >Fractured images... dark shapes... a polluted, forever shaded sky, purple neon, blue red orange purple, letters, a solid form,
>The images come faster now, a thousand, thousand stills and recorded images, a thousand more visuals of gore innumerable, organs pulled, lungs popped, eyes devoured, limbs hacked and rearranged,
>Interspersed, images juxtaposed against family homes, carpeting, a white dog, laughing children... blonde hair and black hair and brown hair..
| >Engy falls to her knees, and begins to vomit.
| "Jia!"
>CN gets closer and holds with both his hands now
| "Oh my.. CN, will she be alright?"
> Kazuki, unsettled, slowly steps up, wanting to help if needed.
| >Large glasses... braided hair... smiles... smiles...
>Purple... eyes...
>Looking at the viewer... watching... waiting...
"Who's a good boy?"
"Who's a good boy?"
"Who's a good boy?"
"From now on, you're my first and bestest friend!"
"I shall name you At-" >Screams, screams, the flitting daydream of images not consumed by static and horrifically corroded sound quickly delve back into a room that is unmistakably a lab... saw blades... nudity...
| >Saw blades... instruments... words... words taking over the screen...
"Vengeance."
"Vengeance."
"Vengeance."
"Vengeance."
"Traitor."
"Betrayer."
"Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead."
"Mommy. Daddy. Mommy. Dadddy. Daddy. Mommy. Dadymom. Dadmo. Dafath. FatherMo. FatherMOther."
| "Retrieve ki consume report defend attack guard ll live normal my name is DESTROY"
| "Kill it..." >Jia says, coughing, still dry heaving,
"KILL THE PROGRAM!"
| "Kill? Kill! Kill... eat... consume... consume...! Learn... DEVOUR... hate... HATE... life, life? Murder, destroyer, rape, reduce, reuse! Recycle, reclaim, reBORN!"
| >A face in the images... faces. Young men... indicipherable, drawn in ascii and then geometric shapes, and then grainy imagery that suggests a CCTV, an old phone camera...
| >Long braids... a young face... a coat... a smile... glowing eyes... bared teeth,
>Blades from half their limbs... blades from every limb...
| "Murphy!"
> Kazuki turns, immediately shoving off his headset and running for the control panel. On his feet, he tries to shut it down as quickly as he possibly can.
| "KILL LISA!"
| "Dammit..."
>CN looks pained for the first time in the situation
"Come on J- Engy, take your headset off..."
| >Engy pulls out a cord and jacks it straight into the VR headset. She then presses it into a small, hidden porn on the side of her neck, just underneath her jaw...
| >Engy dives toward the AI, ripping through the code and corrupted images, video, and audio files...
| (;;;;AAaaaa;;;;)
| (;;;;w;www;;;)
| (xxxxxwwxxx)
| >As Engy approaches the AI, she thrusts her hand straight into the AI's "self," insofar as an AI can have a self...
| "E-Engy you don't have to do this! They're already shutting it down!"
This thread is permanently archived
| >There is a quaint house, complete with covered porch and wooden rocking chairs, on a modest piece of land near the southern outskirt of a commercial district of GC. (Modest piece of land meaning a half acre of dirt lot and solar panels squeezed between two tall corporate buildings)
> Murphy greets you holding an old-style shotgun over his shoulder.
Howdy, the getups in the basement, y'all can foller me. Can I getcha some refreshments? Got tea and water.