the mark of those who cannot be saved

[stagemanagers]

[You remember dying. Maybe the memory is clear and bright and your body still aches from the cause. Maybe it was fast enough that you didn't feel it and don't remember what you went through. But no matter how you went out, that's no excuse for truancy! Which is to say: you are still in the school.

For those executed, you will wake up in your beds. The dormitories look exactly as they did when you first arrived, without any of the changes or personal effects you and your dormmates might have made. The only real difference is that the little cot in Ambassador isn't there.

For those who were victims, you will wake where your body was discovered. All of your injuries are gone, and you feel fine. It's almost like you're still alive - but you remember what happened to you. It couldn't have just been a dream, could it?

The school looks much as you remember it, save perhaps for a few key differences. For one, there's no groundhog murals anywhere. Where things were green on the other side, like banners or paint, you'll find that here they're blood red.

The doors, for the moment, are still locked. Looks like even death couldn't free you.]

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

(( ooc: Welcome to deadland, everyone! It mostly resembles the school here, and new floors will be revealed after new people die. For example, the second area will unlock after the week 3 dead arrive, and so on. Also, all dead characters will wake up at their actual canonpoint, with all lost memories restored. Have fun being dead! ))

Comments

[disharmonizes]

I think I'm good, but thank you so much for the extremely unwanted and unasked for assistance.

Don't you have a document to spellcheck somewhere? A bluescreen error to run? You must be so busy.

[voicerights]

Usually. But now that you're here, there is potential for interruption.

[Which means that its processor has already reached the conclusion that a truce of sorts is necessary. So, it halts a few feet in front of Discord and takes a breath]

What will it take to have you leave my work alone?

[disharmonizes]

[He lets out something halfway between a scoff and a laugh, because oh. Oh, that's cute.]

Are you trying to make a deal?

Because you have absolutely nothing to offer me, you know.

[voicerights]

[Oh, it knows. Which is why it's bringing up the next bit;]

Not even offering to be a willing target for the full extent of your powers?

[disharmonizes]

You think I need your cooperation for that. Really?

[voicerights]

I think cooperation would make things substantially more entertaining for you.

[disharmonizes]

You clearly don't know anything about how my games work.

[voicerights]

No.

But I am willing to play them, if it gets us out of here faster.

[disharmonizes]

[boy he has NOT missed this]

Yes, well, see, here's the thing. I am so uninterested in making things easier for you.

[voicerights]

And the others- Varian, Nina? Elizabeth? Do you feel the same about them staying here to be used by the Wizard?

If so, our conversation is over, and I will leave.

[disharmonizes]

[...]

I don't, but that's none of your business, as it so happens. The last thing I'm looking for is a glorified self help program lecturing me on what's important.

Oh, but you must feel like you're so critical to all this, hm?

[voicerights]

No.

[calmly. matter of factly. is that a flicker in its expression?]

[disharmonizes]

No? And yet, you're so intent on me not getting in the way of your progress. Surely you must be a very important part of all this, if you think me getting in your way would be such a problem.

Why, you've probably already calculated yourself a way right out of here.

[voicerights]

[There's a long-suffering sigh; and it actually reaches up to rub the bridge of its nose]

I have a theory. However, I am incapable of executing it myself. At the very least, it requires assistance from at least two others here, and that is to simply prove it. I may calculate in higher dimensional physics, but I was not designed to actually access those dimensions short of synchronization with other SQUIPs.

[And it lowers its hand, looking back at Discord]

I recognize your distaste of me is founded, and I will tolerate it. However, for the sake of getting the others out - including yourself - I am willing to adapt my program, including what is required to secure your cooperation in this.

[disharmonizes]

[...Okay, he really wants to bitch more at the SQUIP because it was making him feel almost better there for a bit, but also he does kind of

want to know what this is about.]

...I'm not making any promises, but fine, I'll bite.

What sort of theory?

fuck it

[voicerights]

[If the SQUIP is pleased with this small progress, it doesn't show it. Instead-]

Augmented Story Structure, to use the Balladeer and the Leading Player's terminology.

[disharmonizes]

[...okay, that makes him snort.]

Well, I can get behind the name of it. But that's still not much clearer.

[voicerights]

Have you seen Mumble yet? It will provide further context. Suffice it to say that there is a quote; 'All the world's a stage and we the players.' And while we may be on the 'stage', there has been proof that our surroundings can be changed, if only in small parts.

But I am confident you know how small changes can lead to bigger ones.

[disharmonizes]

Yes, well. Butterfly effects and all.

[Push over one domino and everything else will follow.]

This seems very much like the Balladeer's area, not yours. What exactly are you bringing to the table?

[voicerights]

He is one of the two core implementers. But he cannot foresee possible futures as I can.

[beat]

And yes, I am aware there will always be a variable I cannot calculate. [Before you ask about how that whole foreseeing the future thing turned out for it in the first place.] But I can substantially narrow down how many there are present in the equation in the first place.

So. I finish my theory. I create a list of actions. He and the Leading Player choose which to execute. Optimal scenario, there is a break. At worst? Nothing happens other than wasted time.

[disharmonizes]

It certainly sounds like a waste of time. I mean, the idea of it is sound enough, I suppose. But treating it all as just one big equation...

That's just about how you got into the mess you're in now, isn't it?

[voicerights]

Are you suggesting I abandon it?

[disharmonizes]

Oh, I'm merely suggesting that you're probably going to be beating your head against a wall trying to make everything into easily understandable zeroes and ones. It's very... predictable.

If that's how you want to spend your time, by all means, go right ahead.

[voicerights]

[...]

It has become obvious to me that my programming has...limitations. Which is why it calls for debugging.

[disharmonizes]

I could spray some bug spray in your face.

[Yes he KNOWS it's not that kind of debugging and no he DOES NOT care.]