|
Post by church on Jun 18, 2018 16:57:56 GMT -8
"Well, I could do that, but how do I know that I would escape unharmed? For that matter, what are you going to do with said valuables? Or better yet, what if I don't have anything that you would value?"
As rook spoke, he switched on the targetting program inside of his helmet.
"By my guess, even if I did give you what you wanted, you would probably just attack me anyway. So, I'll give you a choice. You can surrender yourself into my custody, or I can shoot you."
As he waited for the program to return the location of the other Navi, Rook's goal was to keep them talking.
|
|
|
Post by Gaia on Jul 4, 2018 11:53:06 GMT -8
PlagueMan.ERR
He listened to the other's suggestion, curious at his concern for how others felt of his use of bugged power. He'd always been the one to worry about the repercussions of his own abilities; very rarely did others voice their concern for his own detriment.
Still, he had a point. He glanced back at his host, Genesis, very aware of the danger he presented by maintaining his control over this assimilation of bugged data. Speaking from within his host, so that only he could hear, he explained:
"For the time being, I will continue to control the other hivemind for the artist. I plan to have it sink beneath the rubble . . . should anything assault it, prepare for the backlash. I'll do my best to terminate the connection as early as possible, should that happen.
What he didn't say to Genesis was what the onyx overlord already knew: As soon as he terminated that control, the few million byte sized navis making up the now moving red cloud would instantly be deleted by their own corrupted code. They, too, were PlagueMan. He was doing his best not to get too attached, not to think about it too much, because, he knew, that the more he connected, the more independent and alike a true collective they would become. It was far too difficult to feel them all die off the first time; he didn't want that pain, again. For the safety of the others, though, he'd do it without question.
Speaking through the collective, he referred to Slypner. "I'll do as you ask, and slip down into the ground below. I'm unsure what you hope for me to find, however; can I connect with your optics, so that you might see as I do?"
A small strand of red data coiled up from the collective, and snaked through the air towards Slypner's eyes. The slightest defense would keep them out of his systems, as PlagueMan was trying not to invade, but, should he allow access, the little strand would dissolve harmlessly into Slypner's code, allowing him to see through the collective in the same way that PlagueMan and his host could. It was only one way, though; he made careful that Slypner could only see through the collective, and not his true eyes, nor that he could see through Genesis'.
Whether rejected or allowed, PlagueMan's collective broke up and began to carefully drip in between the cracks and crevices of the destroyed earth, the small red dots connected only by the inmaterial lines of red data that PlagueMan's collective utilized to transfer information. Dripping down like rain into the rubble, the PlagueMan collective fell, casting out their unique multidirectional senses - courtesy of their hivemind - to get a full scope of their surroundings as they descended.
|
|
|
Post by Shast on Jul 10, 2018 4:51:54 GMT -8
Slypner
Rook's ultimatum was left unanswered for only an instant. His scanner plinks a pickup however! A rebuttal from the mysterious voice in the form of a small squeaker bomb motoring itself into the shop and pulsing twice before detonating. It's explosion, while not catastrophic, damaged the already weak structure of the building. A telling fact when the steel supports ached and moaned in agony.
Last chance. Try to leave and life will get worse.
The scanner continues but gets no results. Perhaps its strength is not enough to pickup through the walls.
Slypner nods in agreement and allows the link. The bits of code merging with what little coding it could find within the artist.
Down, down, down the collective went. It spread and scoured throughout the debris. Finding interesting pieces of machinery from militaristic origin amongst the sewage style rubble. In the search the one of the hive slinks over a gem of green coloration, a mystery data. While another drips itself into a large man sized space with a dented and battered door wedged partially ajar.
Ah, there, the door is of the ONB. he mumbles aloud.
|
|
|
Post by Gaia on Jul 12, 2018 11:39:13 GMT -8
PlagueMan.ERR
Parts of the collective spanned outwards, around, and spanned back inwards before they slinked further down into the rubble. As the small strand of erroneous code fell over the green mystery data, it latched on and did something that felt like second nature to PlagueMan, despite not having done it since disbanding his previous collective. The green mystery data suffused into the tiny strand of degraded code, and as the data was absorbed into the spec of red, it emerged, pixel by pixel, from the spec that remained above ground. In a matter of seconds, the green mystery data had been fully recreated on the other side, floating neatly in front of Slypner.
The collective inched towards the door, slightly ajar, as Slypner mentioned it, curious as to what the artist would want from the remains of the ONB. PlagueMan was no fan, as they had, among other organizations, attempted to terminate him, but, he knew that they possessed ultimately good intentions. Still, for the time being, they were very much incapable - whatever it was they left among the rubble, or any survivors, it was his responsibility to recover.
"Unless you have any objections, I'm going to push the collective further into the ruined base."
|
|
|
Post by church on Aug 5, 2018 20:17:12 GMT -8
"It's a shame, really. The fact that you are so unwilling to face me out in the open."
As Rook said this, he removed his helmet and placed it on the ground. This is when one might notice his soft, yet spiky blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes.
"You must be either weak, or scared. Funny thing is, I'm not that strong myself."
Imediately following this line, he set his rifle on the floor next to his weapon. As he rose, however, he spoke one more line.
"Difference is, I actually have the guts to face my enemies."
As he stood there, practically defenseless, Rook felt as though nothing could really harm him. Perhaps he had convinced himself that he still had the upper hand. Or, perhaps he had another trick up his sleeve.
"I don't have any money on me, so what you see on the floor is all I have. If you don't believe me, you can search me yourself."
|
|
|
Post by Shast on Aug 17, 2018 5:52:14 GMT -8
Slypner
The soldier stands there palms open in a gesture of peace yet mouthing off in an attempt to goad this hostile into the open. *Fwiiish!* The hooping sound preceded the large boomerang of its namesake chip. It whips into the front door from the right side and ricochets off several support columns before collapsing onto the ground beside the door in the back of the room. Each support struck cripples the dilapidated building even more... Anymore damage and...
You're lying. Ya got programs installed and some zenny. I've got you scanned kid. I see it all! Pull 'em out and lay 'em by the rifle. The voices patience was running out.
Where did that explosion come from? Another voice, barely audible to Rook, joins the fray! It sounds much farther than away than the other.
Tch, counta 3 kid. 3... 2...
Slypner set the data down by his feet, keeping it safe as token for the one who found it.
Do so.
Above the city scape the sky stirs slightly. Its crystal clear orange dimming, and clouds churning into existence from nothing. A possible emulation of the natural weather cycle? Perhaps rain, or more?
|
|
|
Post by church on Aug 17, 2018 6:02:40 GMT -8
Hearing the other voice, Rook quickly recovered his helmet and rifle.
"I'd love to stay and keep playing whatever game this is, but I've got people to save."
With that, Rook took off in the direction of the other voice, hoping to get to them before someone more dangerous did.
|
|
|
Post by xoDeathy on Aug 20, 2018 10:03:35 GMT -8
...
"Should I follow its.. collective? Regardless of the minimal chances of being others still being alive within, I'd rather safe guard its journey than be a sitting duck out here if something goes wrong."
She was speaking to Slypner, but she had spoken as if she was asking any of them because she was just staring off into the distance to their right. Noting of particular interest was on that horizon, but she was distracted by it none the less.
|
|
|
Post by Shast on Aug 21, 2018 16:30:36 GMT -8
Slypner
Seemingly unaware of his confined space Rook quickly grabs his gear and makes for the only exit he knew of, the front door. The place that he been assaulted from twice and that also hung the corpse of a sad navi.
Yet he speeds onward, so confident in his ability to get way from this situation unscathed that he brashly pushes the lifeless body to the side in order to run past. *BOOOM* As he makes contact with the body it explodes! The resulting blast putting a hold on Rooks plans sending him face first into the street. The hanging body there no more as parts fly in all directions.
*krkrkrkrkrrr.... The rumbling noisee gets worse, as that final nail was the last thing the already wracking building needed. It begins toppling forward, piece by ever varying piece. It rains down upon Rook and the entire street.
If you can dive beneath the wall of destruction under us. He gestures to the rather dense layer of collapsed rubble and machine parts the group found themselves on. Still, the treasures must be many here. He once again gestures to the stadium sized sinkhole. It's true, directly above this had been the ONB's floating fortress. If anything had endured it's likely it would have dropped here.
Plagueman slips in to the ajar door. Its liquid form having no issues and makes no disturbances. They enter a large circular chamber. Despite the collapse it retains almost half of its previous open space, allowing for easy movement from Plagueman. A good foot of water coats the floor. The walls are constructed from what appears to be a type of steel, although even in this lightless area they glow with a strange sheen. What remains of the roof is also made from this glowing steel yet at its center is a large hole from some force breaking in. Glancing about again there are a large number of scorch marks and signs of battle all around.
Near the base of the wall, 2ft up, the room widens slightly onto a platform that encircles the previous ring allowing dry passage. Peppered throughout this outer ring there are several off computers and beside each a powerful looking generator and a tall tesla coil.
Taking a minute to survey the room reveals there was once 12 of these setups, but now only 4 remain in an intact state.
The clouds form a little more and a small, but still audible, ring of thunder rings out.
|
|
|
Post by church on Aug 21, 2018 20:01:39 GMT -8
"So, this is it, huh."
As the building collapsed on to Rook, he could have let go, could have let himself be deleted, but something kept him going.
"So I'm just expected to die here, without ever having done anything with my life...or even having regained a single memory, is that it?!"
Suddenly, Rook wasn't in the building's rubble anymore. He was standing in the middle of element city, watching as a Navi faced off against three others. One, a purple suit of armor with a shoulder mounted gun. The next, something that looked like a clown of sorts. The third was a girl who seemed to be confused. Rook watched as the first two left, while the third, the confused girl, deleted this Navi. And, he saw the message engraved on that navi's blade. This was why Rook had woken in Element City. He had originally been a virus, residing in the weapon of a Navi named Jin. But Rook wasn't his name anymore. Or, to be more specific, it never had been.
"No, I'm not going to just lay down and die here. I wouldn't be able to live up to my name if I just accepted death so easily."
A golden flash of light began to emerge from the rubble, creating more flashes of light before the Navi formerly known as Rook emerged, with the metallic parts of his ensemble having taken on a golden coloration. He himself had taken serious damage, but it wasn't anything that he couldn't recover from, given some time, and rest. But first, he still needed to figure out where that second voice from earlier had come from. He called out to them as he limped away from the rubble.
"Hello? Is anyone there? My name is Guts, and I'd like to assist anyone requiring aid."
|
|
|
Post by Trinitrotoluene Monomania on Aug 22, 2018 3:32:33 GMT -8
Piano.EXE Yet another Navi arrived at the ruins that were once a city. He had no idea what this place was or its name, nor he had any idea how he ended up here. This instantaneous method of travel was still completely out of his control.
As far as his 'eyes' saw, he was seemingly alone, discounting the few corpses that he could spot. Naive as he was, he could at least differentiate between something dead and something alive... Although, this would be the first time he saw something dead and persist being dead. There didn't seem to be an indication of any of them regrowing or dissolving either. He thought it odd.
For a few more seconds, he stood there silently. His eyes twitched every now and then, glancing at a different direction at random intervals. It was until his emblem-eye caught sight of debris collapsing from a distance, followed by a glint of golden light, that he turned his head the slightest bit for the first time in a while. Since there was nothing else in sight, he began to walk towards its direction, while his eyes continually searched for anything remotely of value.
|
|
|
Post by xoDeathy on Aug 22, 2018 6:05:36 GMT -8
... Mary: "I suppose the problem does come forth that I do not have the same capabilities, nor the strength, to make such a dive. But if there's something specific you came here for, who knows where it could be, correct? I'll look further down on the surface."
Mary raises her good arm and summons a singular saber, clasping it. She begins a trek downward into the crevasse, treading carefully and using her saber to poke into debris to help give her leverage or to move debrid as she went down.
|
|
|
Post by Shast on Aug 26, 2018 4:03:30 GMT -8
Slypner
Limping away, still paying no mind to the assaulter whos battered him so, Rook is unaware of the massive BLKbomb lobbed at him. As it touches the ground a plethora of mini-bombs tink and clatter on the ground around him. Detonating both themselves, each other, and the BLKbomb... Engulfing the wounded warrior in a cascade of small, large, and everything in between explosions.
I'll loot 'em off your corpse then. Thank Duo for no more deletion! The voice, still raspy, cries out in elated joy.
His slow meanderings leading him towards the action, Piano easily sees off in the slowly enlarging distance the series of explosions.
The truth of the matter is, not even Slypner knows the shape of the contraption he seeks. He simply knows what it does. A device capable of subjugation, suppression. What would something like that look like? Chains? Manacles? As Mary lifts the scraps and debris she flicks aside with some effort a rather large plate of metal that was once latched to New Life. Underneath she finds a door, surprisingly intact. The room its anchored to is as well. *clink* A noise? *clink* It appears to come from inside.
From within the underground chamber Plague hears a light whirring noise and begins to feel somewhat groggy and sluggish. Glancing around it seems one of the intact pylons kicked on. It powers up for a few moments before shutting itself off from lack of power. Then turns on again a half minute later as if its battery is constantly recharging itself. Plagues energy returning and waning with the ebb and flow of this endless cycle.
|
|
|
Post by Trinitrotoluene Monomania on Aug 26, 2018 23:09:18 GMT -8
Piano.EXE The closer he got to the source of explosions, the more he began to worry. Not for whoever or whatever was victim of it, but the damage done to an already obliterated Net location such as this. He opened his real eyes and looked around for the nearest viruses he could find...
There was a scattered handful of Ratties scurrying around, scavenging much as anyone else in this location would do. At the corner of his eye, there was a Handy pulling scrap from under the rubble. He caught one of the Ratties' attention and then they seemingly just stared at each other's eyes for a while...
Suddenly, the Ratty bolted with determination towards the source of explosions. One by one, the rest followed suit, while he walked at around one-third of their pace.
|
|
|
Post by xoDeathy on Aug 30, 2018 11:14:36 GMT -8
"Oh..?"
Mary bends slightly to observe the door a little closer. She calls back up to the others.
"Might have found another entry. Anybody with?"
She taps the door a few times to with her saber, attempting to find a way to open it. Perhaps what's inside would open for her, or maybe she'd have to force it open for herself.
|
|