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Post by Genesis on Apr 14, 2023 13:56:38 GMT -8
*Ensuring that the sacrifice wasn't in vain and served to mean something instead of it just flickering out all on its own was the better course of action here, of that he was certain. As for how much discourse could be bad, well, it lined up rather well with how much peace could be bad. This was why Gamma with all his power was frustrated with his situation. Why was it that someone with so much power couldn't easily set things right? Well, that was complicated. To take things from the top...*
"If a sacrifice becomes necessary, then it becomes imperative to make it a meaningful sacrifice. Peace may let us do what we want to do without any concern for ourselves, but too much peace creates complacency. That complacency would be fine if we were an isolated entity, but we have an entire universe at large. Our complacency is partly to blame for our defenses on the real-world side of things being incredibly lackluster save for a few exceptions like us. Discourse, that is to say, the worry for what becomes of us, leads us to strive to make improvements. Those improvements when applied properly leads to prosperity. But too much discourse leads to desolation with no room for growth, like how some people drove themselves to extinction by fighting each other with no end in sight. Again, too much becomes a bad thing. The line should always be drawn where it starts to become pointless for it to continue the way it has."
*Humanity had doubled down on their cybernetic advancements and had left aside their need for weapons thanks to no longer causing wars on the human front. That meant in terms of weaponry, they were largely defenseless despite all the years of progression they should have had. It was a good thing on one hand, but a bad thing on another. There weren't as many pointless deaths caused by their own innate drive for violence, but outsiders that weren't in the same bubble as the rest of them were still advancing through the ways of that self-same violence. This wasn't really Xion calling out what was wrong with the world, but more just the situation that arrived from the situation. In short, some of them having the power to be aggressive was still a good thing in the face of adversity even if they strove to have peace and be better for it. That was what created the gray aspects of black and white, something Gate had taught but not something someone so young would fully understand right away. If anything, he could respect that Gate was able to acknowledge that he was the "bad guy" in light of the world at large. People like Gate or Xion were self-aware enough to understand when they were doing the wrong thing and still doing it rather than always deeming everything they did as the only correct course. One couldn't always be "right", otherwise there was also no longer room for progression for them as well. Being "perfect" wasn't a goal that he sought for similar reasons. To be better than he was the day before was fine, but to reach perfection was the end of that growth. Of course, to give Gate further credit, being the bad guy until Gamma did his job could just mean that the people who would coin him as "bad" no longer could, thus making him the "good" guy. That was always the other way to flip the script.*
"Whether or not you're the bad guy or the good things you're doing are actually bad, well, that depends on if you're doing the right thing for the right reasons. If you do the right thing for the wrong reasons, then it still is the wrong thing to do. So, that would depend on what sort of change you're trying to do to become the good guys while you work. How were you going to change things while you did your work? If not that it could be that you were going to do the right thing, but the wrong person called it a bad thing for the wrong reasons. Like if you wanted to help someone but didn't do it because someone advised against it. Was there a good reason to not help them? These are things related to the missing black and white, or when that black and white come together to make a muddied gray."
*There was no one who always only did good or only did bad. Good people did bad things and bad people did good things. If nothing else, nothing related to humanity would ever be purely good or purely evil. This included humans or their "children", Navis, or the byproducts of those Navis. And part of why he detested that one being who arbitrarily sought to decide what was good or evil by their own standards alone. If nothing else, nothing "good" would come from only validating your own self and invalidating others.*
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 16, 2023 9:00:22 GMT -8
Gamma grows silent at Xion's explanations, seeming to become more and more distant with every passing second. He lets Xion finish, then he lets the silence hang in the air for even longer, unsure of how to respond. All that he can do is think to himself, but his thoughts quickly end up in a feedback loop that he can't quite untangle himself no matter how he tries to process it all...
Gamma: ...then... how do I know if I have the right reasons to do... wrong things? What if my right reasons are actually wrong? Does that make me wrong for doing things? And what if I do things for the wrong reason and they turn out right? Does that mean that my wrong reasons were... actually right?
Gamma falters, pausing in the face of Xion's explanations...
Gamma: I... I know that most things are gray, but I don't want to be gray; I want to be good, and I want everyone to know that I'm good so that they can trust me. But if I do bad things, then how can I earn their trust?
Xion would begin to feel it all welling up within Gamma, feeling as if a small child had just been reprimanded by his favorite teacher in front of the entire class, he can't find an answer to this problem and can't work out how to take the right path for himself to make things right again.
Gamma: ...maybe my wanting everyone to just be happy and peaceful... is bad?
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Post by Genesis on Apr 16, 2023 9:35:46 GMT -8
*This was a difficult topic to approach one way or another. How was it that they knew that they were right or wrong? What ultimately determined these things? Ultimately, it was a matter of values was what the general consensus was. That usually dictated right and wrong when it was cut and dry, morality and immorality. But if they had to do something for the right reasons that was morally wrong, why then was it justified? It was a logic bomb to be certain, and one that had brought about the end of several on more than one occasion. And...*
"I've been bad again, haven't I, Xion?"
*It made him recall an unfortunate series of events. The last moments he would be spending with someone. Someone near and dear to him. One of many failures that would haunt him. A failure that solidified his stance that he took to this day and why the words of someone had resonated with him and increased the unity among their ranks. The remorse that he felt over that wasn't something that would go away, nor would he ever want it to. Because it was the proof that he had learned from those errors and strove for them to never repeat again. The bond that was forged over it despite the initial bad blood they had. Each and every person that had to be walked over even for them to get this far today.*
"If you want to earn their trust, then you have to meet them halfway. If what you desire is to do good instead of gray, then you'll have to stray away from doing the bad things. Being "good" isn't easy, no. It's far more difficult than being bad. The more power you have, the more difficult it becomes to remain as just "good". Because with that power you can force your good onto others. And that loses their trust. Sometimes, having others who have a say helps to avoid these situations. Those are the roles that some of us fulfill even now."
*If Gamma's goal was to be good in their world, it was an arduous goal. The stronger they were, the more influence they had. The more influence they had, the simpler it was for them to take an action that would undermine that good will. It could be something as simple as breaking up an argument they weren't a part of or making a decision without consulting anyone else. Though having more than one advisor was also a good thing, as more opinion still helped to avoid some more absolute ones.*
"Wanting everyone to be happy and peaceful isn't entirely bad. It's a good thing, but only if it's a choice rather than a demand. If they're forced to be good, then it is a bad thing. Against all odds, it isn't as difficult as it sounds. A vast majority are good by default and simply need a little incentive to stay on that path rather than a hard push. And it isn't too late to start trying to take steps in that direction."
*Again, being purely good wasn't an aspect that Xion believed in. But it wasn't as if he was impossible to prove wrong, and if someone sought to prove him wrong, he would be fine offering advice on how to manage that. He would try to fill in that role temporarily right now if he could. Many would argue that he had veered off course here, but that was something else he was fine with. And to do that, he had to see what Gamma's image was right now. How did the small child see the current answer to what he wanted?*
"So, what's the first step that you want to take in earning everyone's trust and making everyone happy and peaceful?"
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 22, 2023 10:51:18 GMT -8
Gamma was troubled at Xion's advice, finding deeper meaning to his desire and more nuance than he'd ever realized possible. Despite the nearly endless computing power available to him, his artificial human soul struggles with the concept and discovers a distinct lack of answers that he'd been so sure of not very long ago.
Gamma: I'm not... sure. I suppose that there's a lot more to think about than I realized. I guess that I'll just keep fighting to keep our world safe for now and try to learn from others like you until I can figure out if there's an answer to that question at all.
Resolve wells up in Gamma again, but this time far more cautious than it had been in the past.
Gamma: For now, I guess that we'd better get this taken care of before anyone else sh-!
Gamma's words are cut short as something else takes his attention, and soon Xion would feel it too; a presence that wasn't there just moments before. Around a nearby corner and lingering silently, Xion would feel Gamma's focus fully shift as the air around them tints red ever so slightly.
And the presence wouldn't linger for long. Slowly and quietly, a green eye peers around the corner apprehensively, and then someone would begin to shyly make her way into full sight.
Standing not an inch over four feet tall is a small girl with long, auburn hair. It's pinned away from her green eyes by a pair of butterfly hairpins of green and pink that draw her hair to the sides where it covers her shoulders. She wears a simple, pink dress that's dark pink on top and bright, airy pink at the bottom, and tied above her waist with a bow. She steps into the light with her hands folded on the front of her dress and looks to Xion, then looks behind him into nothing in particular before finally returning her gaze to Xion as she breaks the fallen silence that she had brought about just moments before.
?: ...I'm sorry, I need to ask you to please not hurt this network...
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Post by Genesis on Apr 22, 2023 16:17:40 GMT -8
*It looked like Gamma had some nice food for thought that he would consider later. On how to be good instead of just occasionally good when it fit your interests. He would shelve for now that Gamma did make certain to steer clear of directly answering what his plan was to work on getting others to think that they were good now instead of later, which probably was a conflicting interest and meant that there wasn't any need to try poking into that subject further. Before they could see to dealing with the network however, he felt the presence too as Gamma's focus likewise shifted. They weren't alone any longer and it appeared out of nowhere, which at first was going to cause him to enter red alert. The only thing that halted him from doing so is that he was aware of the presence at all, which meant he could lessen his guard only a bit. Still, this was curious... perhaps it was caused because they had paused their deeds for once instead of simply pulling the trigger as they always did? They certainly were conditioned for immediate violence, that much was true.*
"I take it you're related to the sentience of this network then?"
*It would be a curious request on the surface for anyone. They might think it was just someone who was willing to be conscious of what could be warranted as unnecessary destruction. The signs of her sudden appearance as well as her request together with his knowledge led him to believe that while she might not be connected explicitly to Sharo, she was connected to the network in some facet or another. There being a sentient mind being that wasn't a foreign concept, as they even possessed several that could be attributed to such factors. He might not be fully correct, but he imagined it was something along those lines if he harkened back to some of the older knowledge in his possession. Still...*
"Are you making the request so that your job is easier or because there's a reason we shouldn't do so?"
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 22, 2023 16:48:19 GMT -8
In response to Xion's questions, he would feel a bit of surprise rise from Gamma, as if he was asking the identity of a globally famous person, but he remains quiet, turning his attention back to the little girl before them.
The young lady looks on with expressionless yet slightly sad eyes, moving her hands to fold them in front of her dress as she takes another step forward, now about 8 feet from Xion and looking up to him in silence for a moment.
...my name is Iris, I repair damage to the net wherever I can...
The girl pauses again, obviously shy, yet still pushing herself to continue this conversation with Xion and Gamma.
Iris: ....I don't want to make my job easier. Something is wrong with Sharo, and I'm afraid that deleting this network could cause something bad to happen to our world...
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Post by Genesis on Apr 22, 2023 17:14:02 GMT -8
*Ah, that name rung the bells. He had made a number of assumptions about her that were proven false now that her presence was here. In light of everything, it made more sense that she existed than for this much work that happened on such a regular basis to be off-loaded to someone who was just constantly aware of the happenings that they were doing on this side of things. And even further, she offered him information that he was hoping to hear. Not that it was good news, it obviously was very bad news. But it was a confirmation of his suspicions that he otherwise couldn't actually confirm without any way to look deeper into Sharo. And given that it had been turned into swiss cheese, he couldn't exactly use a magnifying glass to identify it without knowing what of the many problems he would need to be looking for.*
"Thanks for being forthright about it. If there's something wrong with Sharo, that's a bigger problem."
*If they defaulted to haphazardly destroying their problems, they invited the potential of a larger crisis as a result. It was often why he as of late would encourage somewhat less drastic options when presented them on the table. It was even why he had elected to destroy less of Sharo than the original plan would suggest. But it looked like things had already escalated to the point where the lighter touch would still have drastic consequences and be doing the job of the new forces for them. ...In that case, he supposed a change in plans wasn't all that bad. In that case he would look between Iris and Gamma, at least the place he was looking to Gamma this whole time since the presence revealed itself to speak of the adjustments to the plan moving forward.*
"It's agreeable for us to not delete this network. Part of that was to leave and the other part was to send a message, but if the exit is already secured then all that's left is sending the message. We can still do that by sending the broadcast that I originally asked for, just without the missing network to go with it. It should still serve to get the desired response from the people. Is that good with both of you?"
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 22, 2023 18:37:35 GMT -8
Gamma seems distracted as Xion and Iris speak with one another, almost confused at something as he notes the young girl's presence. But he snaps out of it as soon as Xion brings him into the conversation, which results in an agreeable feeling rising.
Gamma: Yeah, I think that's for the best right now.
Iris, meanwhile, just nods her head slowly in response to Xion, still holding her hands crossed in front of her dress.
Iris: Yes... but you may need to stop Sharo's suffering someday soon. I'm... afraid that it's harboring something, like an egg. And I don't know if I can stop it from hatching....
Iris' eyes fall as she releases a breath, seeming very bothered by what's going on in the depths of the network far below...
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Post by Genesis on Apr 22, 2023 19:17:20 GMT -8
"An egg?"
*There was something harbored in the depths of the network, far below the surface. Was it to elude the eye until it was ready to hatch or another purpose entirely? ...It made sense for it to be buried in light of recent events that took place that he had a front row seat to viewing. They didn't have days of time to spare, or at least they wouldn't have that much time for much longer. The axis for time inside the Cyber World had already been shifted to a notable degree, and while that would normally be a boon in terms of time consumption that applied in both directions. A way to release Sharo but without destroying the network... they would have to confront the egg that was hatching underneath it. One that was nestled without the knowledge of anyone else.*
"In that case, give me some time. There's a few other pressing matters that I need to see to. After that, I'll start working on a plan to confront the beast that's about to hatch."
*He had the first idea already, namely that he didn't want it to rise over Sharo. If Sharo was already on pins and needles, the goal should be to face it elsewhere. And since Sharo, while silent, was one of the shareholders of the Undernet, it stood to reason that he could aim to drag the egg deeper instead. That way, instead of rising, it would make its stand in the depths below where they would confront it. And then come what may, they would have to deal with it since they were the ones doing the provocation. For now, it was time to depart. Gamma seemed distracted, which might have related with Iris herself more directly given her nature. There may have been something off about her that was troubling him, but for now there was a lot to be done, and getting this sample ready to be further studied was one of them.*
"Stay safe in the meantime, Iris. I understand that our world has just about reached rock bottom in terms of how much could be destroyed, but you do perform an invaluable service for us all. I'm ready to head out whenever you're ready to send me, Gamma."
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 22, 2023 19:58:25 GMT -8
Gamma's distraction deepens, as if he's not fully present for the conversation in some manner; entirely occupied elsewhere. That is, of course, until Xion says his name. At that moment, it's as if this abstract net-being comes fully back and if fully caught up, addressing Xion's concerns as Xion looks on.
Gamma: Don't worry, I'll make sure that Iris stays safe no matter what happens....Iris averts her eyes, looking as if she already understands exactly what Gamma's saying.Gamma then pauses for a moment, obviously occupied again before speaking up.
Gamma: Hold on... before we make any decisions, let me run a diagnostic on the network to see what we're dealing with...
Gamma goes silent again, his presence seeming to outright leave the area for several moments. At this, Iris just stands quietly and averts her eyes from Xion, taking a step back as she does so. But it doesn't take long for him to return, and this time a new feeling rises.... panic.
Gamma: We need to get to Electopia, NOW!!
Before Iris and Xion could say a word, Gamma sweeps them both away, forcibly teleporting them away from the network, and from Sharo as a whole.
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