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

[nightwild]

I asked a few times, and I keep getting a resounding silence. So... Yeah, same here.

I don't understand it, but if I break enough, maybe we can find it a computer to live in that isn't hell.

[mightymorphin]

Good luck.

I... I think I'm going to just stay out of it. It's clear enough that no one else is interested in getting out of here.

[nightwild]

I don't care what anyone else is interested in.

Even if everyone thinks this world is right, I know it's wrong. I'm not going to do nothing and let this world scoop my brain out until there's nothing left of "me".

[mightymorphin]

[That's already close to what Morph is personally worried about, and hearing it from Fauna is validating, in a way.]

It is wrong. And we shouldn't have to be stuck here. That's what it all boils down to, really.

[nightwild]

Yeah.

All I'm good for is violence and destruction. So I'm gonna put those skills to work. And wreck this whole place.

[mightymorphin]

It's not what gifts we have, but how we use them that matters. ... Well, that's the kind of thing Professor X would say.

Be careful. No one's going to be happy about what you're doing.

[nightwild]

No one's ever been happy about me in my life.

If I am the one in the wrong, then it sucks to be me. But I'm going to follow what I think is right until the end.

[mightymorphin]

... You're really brave, you know? It's not easy to do something like that.

[nightwild]

... Brave?

Isn't it just stupidity? I'm too stupid to do anything else. Too stubborn. I can't just read the room or pretend everything's fine. So I don't.

[mightymorphin]

Naaah. You're willing to stand up for your principles, and that counts for a lot. Anyone that's calling us stupid for literally never being told what's up with this place is just being an asshole, anyway.

[nightwild]

... You're not wrong, there. Thanks for that.

Hey, do you mind making a private talk? I don't know how to make things private on this thing.

private;

[mightymorphin]

Sure, we're on private now. What's on your mind?

private;

[nightwild]

Are you strong?

private;

[mightymorphin]

Well... sort of?

I can shapeshift into someone really strong, but I'm only going to be a fraction as strong as they are. My powers mean I can do a lot of different things, but I'm never going to be as good as the real thing.

private;

[nightwild]

Right.

Everyone who wants to keep this simulation reset and going should be focused pretty much entirely on me now. I'll be kicking the asses of anyone who comes for me, but...

That should give you the chance to go out there and fuck up the terminals. So they can't reset.

private;

[mightymorphin]

[It's a little while before Morph sends a reply,]

Hey, that's pretty sneaky.

I'm sorry, but... I can't help you this time. I have friends that found a way to keep the AI intact, and they want me there with them. It might not work, but it sounds like we might have a real shot at it.

Look, this sucks. It sucks a lot, but as good as you might be in a fight, there's a whole lot more Chosen that want to keep this place going. They don't have to beat you, just slow you down.

... Maybe after the reset, we'll find some other way of getting out. Strength isn't all in the muscles, right? We can be stronger than what this place will do to us.

private;

[nightwild]

I'm not a fan of sneaking around, but lives are on the line.

... All right. I won't ask for your help with this, but I'm not stopping, either. I'm going to fight anyone who gets in my way. No matter who it is.

I'm not going to sit back and let this reset happen, even if I have to fight every damn person this place has.

private;

[mightymorphin]

And I'm not going to tell you to stop. If the person that asked me wasn't practically family, it would've taken a lot more to change my mind.

... Uh, just as long as you're not at the terminal we're going to. Then we might have a teensy bit of a problem.

private;

[nightwild]

That's what I'm trying to say.

You've been one of the only smart ones in here. You're cool, and I like you.

But that doesn't mean I'm going to hold back. If that guy's 'family' to you... Then for your sake, and his, warn him to stay out of my way.

private;

[mightymorphin]

Aww, thanks! Those aren't things I hear often, believe it or not.

Then let's just hope we're going to different terminals. I get enough 'unstoppable force' problems at home when we fight the Juggernaut.

private;

[nightwild]

Even if we aren't, I'm going to be trying to get to all of the terminals. I'm going to do everything I can to stop the reset.

private;

[mightymorphin]

I know. But there's a lot of people with strange powers here. Only a handful are superheroes, but I bet you're still gonna be surprised. And if we do have to fight each other, I won't take it personally.

Whatever happens, let's have a chat again once we're on the other side of it.

private;

[nightwild]

I know. But there's only one person who can beat me.

[She says it with such unshakable confidence- In herself, and in this other person.]

... Yeah. Let's. I'll be waiting for it.