expiationnet | TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

[ 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! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm willing to bet this is all some experiment, which means anything related to the simulation is definitely lying to us. It'd have to be to keep its experiment going.

It's been lying to us! — My crime according to it is that I failed to save our people in Genosha, and like hell I didn't give it my all to help and save everyone during the massacre...!

If folks wanna believe in all this hogwash, and don't wanna drink water after we lead 'em to the river, then we can't force it. But I'm not settlin'.

Edited 2024-09-13 19:58 (UTC)

That's what it's accusing you of? But that's - it's terrible.

[And alarming, too. It's pretty much the worst accusation you could sling at someone.]

I'm with you, Rogue. Even if escaping the simulation doesn't get us closer to home, at least it won't be a fake world.

Right. And who knows what's happenin' with the Professor, Jubes, Logan, Hank, and the rest of 'em right now while we're sittin' here living like we ain't got no troubles. — Hell, they could be looking for us.

The folks here can go on and on 'till they're blue on the face, but you and I? We can't stay here. We gotta get out and get back to our team.

Yeah. Not knowing what condition Logan's in... it's been rough.

And it's not like being here is a vacation. I've been told that the brainwashing thing just happens every so often. For different reasons, with different effects. I'm pretty sure that staying here means we're going to keep getting subjected to whatever experiments this simulation is running on us.

[ there's a slight pause on her side of the receiver as she takes that information in. ]

... So why in the Sam Hill is everyone so hunky dorky with stayin' here or fixing this place when you can get brainwashed at any time?

[ humans!! what drugs are you on?! ]

Startin' to think everyone's elevators stopped mid-way and quit reachin' to the top.

I don't know. Some of them are just afraid of what might happen. Maybe the rest have gotten used to living in this place no matter what else goes on here.

... I find it hard to believe anyone would be okay with livin' in a place where somebody messes with them and their loved ones to the point they're killin' each other. — If they are, then they're nuttier than a fruitcake.

I find it pretty hard to believe, too. But no one's been bringing that whole ordeal up. I guess it's already in the past for them.

Well, it ain't in the past for me.

[ there's another pause until morph will hear her fiddling with the device. and soon, their conversation gets switched to private. ]

And it pisses me off more how everyone can just sweep what happened under the rug. Like it's no big deal.

— I'm really tryin' to give these folks the benefit of the doubt, Morph. Especially when Scott's been tellin' me they're all good people. But how can I care for these people when they're okay with picking each other off?

Edited 2024-09-14 01:57 (UTC)

... I wish I knew.

[They're starting to sound a little tired, only now letting it creep into their voice.]

Death isn't permanent here. That might have something to do with it. Trying to get out of the simulation means there's permanent consequences again, that we can screw it all up...

If they don't think an attempt at leaving is worth it, nothing we can say is going to change their minds.

Then we'll hafta do it without them. [...] What other choice do we have?

If no one else is willing to take the risk, we can't force it on them.

I know. [ a beat. ] — Looks like you've been takin' a beaten from all of this, Sugah. I've been listening and reading along to everyone who's been replyin' to ya.

... You alright there? 'Cuz you're soundin' pretty weary. Take a break from talkin' to folks if you gotta.

Edited 2024-09-14 05:18 (UTC)

I didn't expect those kind of responses. Who immediately jumps to thinking that trying to escape will kill us? Did something happen here that freaked everyone out?

Ain't no tellin'. Could also be this place never had heroes like us 'till now. I could be all kinds of wrong, but I haven't heard anyone else doin' what we do.

We have two Spiderpeople running around already, but I'm not sure how long they've been here.

I've talked to people who don't superheroes on their worlds. I don't know who else that's true for, but if it's most of them? They don't have any reason to trust a couple of strangers in spandex.

Well, they can keep on with that, 'cuz I love my spandex. It's tuckin' in everything I want it to be tucked.

... Now about these spideys, I only know of one. She's a sweet dumpling from the short talk I had with her.

Spiderman is here too, but he's pretty young. And he's from a world where mutants don't exist, so there's no X-Men.

[That one was pretty disturbing for Morph to hear, honestly.]

A young Spiderman? Dang, there goes my hero crush.

[ she's halfway joking about that. it's her way of trying to lighten up the mood of this whole discussion. ]

— I dunno if I should be grateful or disappointed. Hearin' there might be another me in another universe had always made me feel a lil' funny, no matter how many times I've seen it with my own eyes.

Tell me about it! I always wanted to meet him, but he didn't know we existed. Kind of a bummer.

I'd love to know what other Morphs are doing, but no one from any of these other timelines has met me yet. I know I joined the team a little late, but it's still kind of... strange.

Well, I bet they're just a lovely enough it'll make anyone pinch their cheeks. Which reminds me, you are overdue for yours.

Wait! Not with super strength!!

Oh, quit being a baby! Ya know I can control myself.

Aw fine, as long as you don't get distracted and pull my cheek off.

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