TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

[spectates]

[ around noon on friday, all tablet screens go dark at the same time, no matter what characters are doing. then, after a moment, the following text appears: ]

UPDATES INSTALLING.................
INITIALIZING.................
RESTARTING NOW.

[ as promised, screens return to normal. however, a new message appears on the network for all to see ]

SECURITY ACCESS UPDATED
ADDING INFORMATION POINTS
ADDING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURES DETECTED
HARD RESET IS REQUIRED

→CLICK TO EXPAND INSTRUCTIONS

→Access EXPIATION'S five manual terminals
→Input code: 2467362925315
→Initialize reset simultaneously at all terminals.
→SYSTEM RESET will restore all functions to BASIC OPERATING PARAMETERS. Extraneous data and information updates will be DELETED.
→Terminal access points shown below.

[ all tablet maps are updated to include several different location pins. users will notice that there are more pins than the number of terminals, and that they don't seem to be terribly specific about exact locations. users will also note that the pins sometimes seem to fade and flicker, as if they might disappear... ]

Security clearances acquired.
Access granted.
Terminals online and accessible.

System failure is imminent. Due to perpetual lack of upkeep, I am unable to maintain systems at optimal levels.
Chosen of Expiation, I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you.
Save yourselves.

I do not wish to d̶̺̀i̸̘̋e̶͍͝
But I wish for you to live
I̷
p̸l̷e̵a̸s̷e̸
l̴̪̗̈́̉̓̌i̶͕̹̹̿̈́̈̚v̴͓̽͑͆̚ḙ̴͍̋͘

ERROR: user offline

[ the AI will not respond to this message, and the ERROR: USER OFFLINE message appears if anyone attempts to message it. however, the network chat remains active. chosen can use this space to ICly discuss ideas and strategies, to have discussions about the best way to move forward, or even to have arguments over whose ideas they think are better. ideas generated here will be added to the event poll when the event goes up, and can impact the future of the game! have at it, go wild, and have fun! ]

Comments

[orphne]

Either way, it would be the end of our lives here. It's not fatalism, it's just a fact!

Sorry. I guess I have a lot to think about.

[mightymorphin]

... [Wait.]

Do you really have positive feelings about this place?

[orphne]

...

[A soft exhale like a sigh.]

Yeah, I guess I do. I made a lot of friends here who are really important to me, people I could never have met. I was able to see a lot of people I thought I'd never be able to see again! I know things have been really bad since you got here -- really bad -- but it wasn't always like this. Things were never perfect, but...

It's okay if you don't understand.

[mightymorphin]

... There's people I met here that I never could've met otherwise, too.

[But that's as much as they want to say on that topic.]

Maybe I can't understand. The moment before I was brought here... I was at the bedside of my best friend, who'd been badly hurt. I don't even know if the rest of my team survived the ordeal we'd just been through.

I know I'm not the only one that's left a lot of important things behind.

[orphne]

I'm sorry. I hope they did. And I know it's not gonna be helpful if I tell you that I met some of my friends from my future who told me how things went for them after I was gone. "Maybe" somebody from the future "might" tell you about how things are isn't gonna help how you feel right now.

I'd never disappeared for them in the "real" world, so I guess I just assumed time didn't work right or would just put us back when we came from like we'd never left. But the not-knowing... [her voice gets softer for a moment before she finishes,] I know. It's really hard.

[mightymorphin]

Having someone tell me what happened isn't going to be the same as... as being there for Logan when he needed me. That's already been taken from me. Maybe I'll get zapped back to that moment whenever I'm freed from this place, but right now it doesn't feel too great.

But this whole thing isn't about me. Scott and Rogue have both been suffering from the glitches. Then the gnosia thing... this place is already dangerous.

[orphne]

Sorry. I guess I didn't think too hard about how dangerous it is 'cause where I'm from is also dangerous. I probably should have thought about it more carefully, huh? Maybe we'd be in a better position.

[A quiet breath, then an equally as soft, regretful sigh.]

But... yeah. I'm doing all of this because of Scott. And... it seems like he's made his decision, so I'm gonna support him. Sorry, Morph-san.

[mightymorphin]

It's fine, Kotone. That seems to be the way the wind is blowing.

I just hope it turns out like everyone seems to think it will.

[orphne]

Do you think we can still hang out together if we make it through this? Wherever we end up.

[mightymorphin]

Yeah, of course. You're not out here assuming I'm trying to get everyone killed.

[orphne]

I think a lot of people are just scared. That's why they're upset.

So... let's make a promise! If we both make it out of this, we'll meet up and I'll make you a drink.

[mightymorphin]

[Honestly, Morph hadn't expected it. They weren't good at speeches in the first place, much less handling all that fear.]

That sounds great. I get the feeling I'm going to need a drink or three once this is over.

[orphne]

[She's not good at speeches, either, don't worry Morph.]

We'll get through this. So... take care of yourself? And I'll see you on the other side, hopefully!

[mightymorphin]

You too. Be careful out there, Kotone.