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 Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:06 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:11 pm
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"Within the past 24 hours, I have helped a group of Northwesterners escape from a high-security facility, openly destroyed and stolen government property, and assaulted fellow Caretakers. They disconnected me from the network just about an hour ago, which means that I have been placed in the category of threat." He answered without looking at the man, "The primary directive to protect the simulation at all costs can only be stopped in two ways: By destroying the entire system, or by rewriting the directive in the Caretakers' server. Unfortunately, I no longer have access to the necessary server."
Genesis still watched the hulking machine and the faint outline of its pilot, "It is a creation of the Northern faction. They call them 'mecha.' It acts as a secondary body for the pilot within, both armored and armed. North is renown for its use of them in combat."
Layla merely nodded in response as the girl's presence left. The other presence was stronger despite the distance; it was more familiar to her. That energy brought to mind a color halfway between indigo and violet, a wispy flame-like light engulfing the uppermost point of a pentagram. She knew that energy and symbol very well. That was Aerilo.
She tore her attention away long enough to board her mech, its deep heartbeat and warmth a comfort to her. Everything was completely intact, restored to its former glory. The machine stood and took its first few steps under her control, noticeably less fluid in movement than before. Layla approached the two entities with caution, a full torrent of emotions swirled inside. Was it really him?
Then, she saw the Caretaker on-screen, beside a strange man she'd never seen before. Her breath released in one hard sigh, her muscles tensed. Both of them had easily seen her by now, yet the robot did nothing more than smile at the oncoming mech. Layla stopped a short distance away.
'It has been a while, Layla. I am glad to see you again.' Aerilo's voice rang out in her head, relaxed in tone. That was him. That was really him.
• • •
Raowan chuckled, "No, but we'll give you adequate supplements. Anyway. Whenever you're ready, there will be a portal where I stand now. Just walk through it and you should exit the program instantly. See you in the real world."
The Guardian started to take a step toward the city, but faded from existence mid step. In his place lingered a tall, thin oval of white light with scrolling grey digits. Just then, another disturbance crackled across the sky like lightning.
• • •
Eva heard the crack! inside her head, a very distinguished sound amidst the silence of the outside world. Something had broken. Not bone, not flesh, not her remaining sense of sanity. Something unnatural.
She straightened her posture, Odessa still ahead of her in the training room. She headed for the exit. A fuzziness occupied any thought she had of the simulation, similar to the "snowy" static of an analog TV. She wandered haphazardly through the halls, searching either for Genesis or her room. Whichever came first.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:32 pm
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((If you're trying to describe the color of Heaven, I doubt that's what it looks like. But it'll work for the RP. Even I haven't seen it.))
If Eva looked (or even bothered to care) she would have noticed the sudden activity over the stillness from before. Tension in the air, how the people moved about. They were readying some things, hiding others in niches in the natural walls where only someone searching for them would look. Some people were playing HUGE drums; a steady beat that echoed through the network like a pulsing heartbeat. Everyone was readying. Even the children, the youngest at 5, were preparing, helping, working. They were not getting out the weapons or armor... yet.
Northwest, as one, was pissed.
~~~
Lukas layed his sleeping daughter onto the ground, and started gently running his hands up and down her body. As he did this, the area around him grew warm, and his breathing got heavy. He did this for several minutes, before stopping.
~~~
I yawned stirred. I woke and rubbed my eyes and smiled at my father, who knelt over me. I reached up and hugged him, and he held me tight.
Lukas looked to Isabella, who nodded silently and headed away. Lukas stood and I rose with him, and together we walked after Genesis and the evolved human.
We came to where they waited, with Layla's Mech a distance away. We waited together, in the shade of the trees, waiting and watching. |
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:17 pm
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((I was trying to describe his own color (from when he was still living), like how Scarlet's is sapphire blue. Not heaven's color, but the color which resonates with the soul's own unique personality/traits. I doubt Layla would be able to sense heaven's color, so she recognizes his presence merely as it looked before his physical death. I imagine that heaven would be majorly confusing to look at; every single color, probably, and then some. @_@ ))
Eva did notice, and it alarmed her. Something else was obviously wrong, outside of the simulation. She thought back to that dreadful feeling she'd had prior to training. This was the mark of something massive yet to come.
She let herself get lost in the activity, just trying to stay out of peoples' ways as they shuffled past, desperate to overhear anything regarding the current situation.
• • •
The machine's chestplate fell away with a hiss, its pilot carefully navigated her way down to ground level. Layla glanced from the man to the robot, confusion evident in her expression. Both of them appeared as deadzones to her, until ever so slowly, that violet-indigo light pulsated back into the Caretaker's form. Panic quickened her pulse.
"Are you alright?" Genesis asked, genuine concern in his tone and posture. She saw a flicker of the same color enter his eyes.
"How...?" Layla asked, ignoring the robot's question, "How...is this possible?"
She was drowning in years' worth of questions and thoughts, overwhelmed. Yet she could barely vocalize any of them. This robot wasn't just a robot, was it? Had he been "alive" all this time? Was this intentional? Had Northwest known?
She noticed Lukas and Scarlet standing back a distance, and her incredulous look shot over to them. Especially Lukas.
Genesis's smile faded. She was greatly upset. He shook his head, "Not even I really know. I was...unaware until just very recent. But I had dreams while in this body, a physical impossibility, and I know who you are, Layla."
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:44 pm
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((Ok. But from what my mentor has told me, even in life his color would be the Color of Heaven... xp As for what it looks like, I've never seen it. It's something unable to be re-created with pigment or light, apparently. Maybe that's just how it appeared to Layla.))
Some spoke in words Eva could understand, others spoke in Northwest's ancient language. The gist of what Eva could understand was this; Southeast had tried to destroy West.... Among West's members had been friends and family to Northwest, who had died in that scuffle. And Northwest was pissed off about it-- that and their betrayal to the revolution. They were waiting for a reason, for something, anything... to punish Southeast... Any normal work that was being done was of the type that could be quickly and easily packed away and hidden... The only work still in full swing was the men at the forge, making armor and weapons... The caves, while packed with people, looked barren.
~~~
Lukas watched Layla and noticed her disbelieving stare. I had noticed it too, and I was rocking side to side, humming to myself. Lukas patted my shoulder and gave me a one armed hug, and we both stepped forward to join the little group.
Ah, Miss Layla! Said Lukas in his normal deep and booming voice. How nice of you to visit us! Have you met Genesis? He gave Layla the traditional shallow Northwest bow, palm over fist. I did the same, before going back to rocking side to side, singing quietly to myself some old song. Though I seemed distracted, my eyes still held sharp focus. I was alert and watching.
If Layla noticed, my voice would be eerily familiar.
~~~
As Eva wandered through, trying to figure out what was going on, she saw Isabella. The woman was telling her people to set up their things, and prepare for 'The Reminding festival.' The Northwesteners looked slightly confused by this, but ever so slowly, her calming words as she wound her way through through relaxed the tension in the cave system, and things started to go back to normal. Infact, excitement took the tension's place as people started set their things up once again and start crafting fine works of art, or machinery, or pieces of music. However, the armorsmith's and the weapon-makers continued to work their asses off...
Isabella passed Eva once she had finished unwinding the tension like a spring, heading for the Video chat screen. She sat down in-front of it and first dialed West's number, though she doubted anyone would still be there. |
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:57 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:21 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:41 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:25 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:22 pm
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:49 pm
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She twitched. It was a small motion that seemed to affect her whole body, then ceased abruptly back to stillness. Her eyes remained closed, though she could distantly see the world around her. It was dark, cold, and obscured by a strange green tint. There was a figure beyond the greenness.
She thrashed. Just once, her shoulder met with an invisible barrier. There was a crack now where she had struck, sprawling ever further across the unseen surface. She could feel the vibration of fluid all around her. The figure stepped backward.
The glass collapsed.
Alena fell forward with all of the liquid, catching herself in a crouched position as her feet contacted the floor. The sudden rush of oxygen filled her lungs and every pore of her skin. A prickly sensation danced across her body as her skin changed; slowly, the cells condensed and hardened into grey, armor-like scales. Her long, brown hair hung heavy around her shoulders and back. She opened her eyes.
Before her stood the fembot Nemesis, an all-too-familiar foe. The robot was smirking. Alena's muscles tensed, a feral growl escaped her lips. She pounced upon her enemy, clawed fingers digging into metal limbs. But the robot's strength was superior, and Alena was tossed into the opposing wall. She stood up again fast, but Nemesis was already gone.
She saw not only the physical room, but an overlying image of energies and light. Her curious fingers strayed to her face, to a portion of hard material at the center of her forehead. It was her glassy third eye. From it, she saw the network of darkness tracing down her arm and throughout her body. A total absence of light.
Alena gave the other experiments a passing glance, then searched for the exit.
• • •
Virgil would awaken in a large, circular room. He would be standing amidst a line of many other unconscious people, clothed in the same grey simulation suit as them. Black Caretakers aligned the opposite wall, looking onward with coldly observant orange eyes. Two men waited for all of the guardians to wake; the older one was the real world Raowan, and the other was another Administrator. The second man seemed to be in his mid-twenties, with a rather fit physique, a handsome face, and a confident posture. His hair was short, black, and combed neatly back. His eyes were very near black and almond shaped. He wore a slick business suit, with an identification card labeled "Shane" clipped to his tie.
Raowan's expression was hazy for a while, as if he were conscious yet not aware. Eventually, he blinked hard and rubbed his forehead, then examined the line of guardians. His tired gaze settled on Virgil.
• • •
Layla hesitated, at a total loss for words. She returned the bow with reluctance, swaying slightly as she stood straight once more. Fatigue and pain riddled her limbs. She tried to fake a smile, "This wasn't exactly my original plan, but I guess fate found it appropriate for me to end up here." Her eyes strayed to the Caretaker warily, "I suppose I have."
She noticed the girl beside Lukas, who seemed so carefree and content. Layla wondered if this was his daughter whom West had housed temporarily. Something ached inside of her as she considered this. They had both been students of the same man, both had been around the same age. Yet, their lives were now polar opposites. While Lukas had a contented family and safe home, Layla was completely alone. Even amongst her own faction, surrounded by familiar people, not a single one of them mattered to her. It was as if she had died in place of Aerilo; her livelihood had been stolen away years ago. She deeply envied the happiness which Lukas possessed.
She leaned against her mech's leg for support as a fresh wave of fatigue washed over her, "So... Southeast is a traitor. They have robots and hovercrafts, both of which are strictly government property. I wonder how long this has gone on for..."
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 9:38 pm
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Southeast, once, had my people within to help with the farming and the care of the plants and animals. That was two to three years ago-- they would not let our people rest so I had to withdraw them, and our allied status with Southeast.
We may be tough, but not indestructible.
Lukas smiled warmly and ruffled my long hair.
We do not know if any other factions visited Southeast since. But my people reported no standard caretakers and hovercrafts while there or upon returning to our faction. Them becoming allied with the government may have occurred within the last two to three years... maybe sooner, but our people are... observant. If they saw something unusual they would attempt to subtly report it to the Council.
As my father talked, I looked up at Layla's Mech, and looked at Layla herself; I saw her fatigue and pain. Knowing my father he would have noticed this too. We shared a glanced and nodded to each other, before returning our attention to the North Leader before us.
After this meeting, Miss Layla, would you like to stay and rest?
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 9:45 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:12 pm
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"This discovery could prove to be very problematic, for many factions. Southeast was one of the few which could provide supplies for all of the others, and many still rely on them." She grimaced, "I have no idea how we'll manage after this war, considering that Northeast still refuses open trade with us. Wouldn't be surprised if Southeast attempts to sabotage our next shipment. I'm not looking forward to dealing with that mess." Layla sighed and shut her eyes. Her face was paler than usual, except for the massive dark circles just under her eyebrows. The monarch's armor was tattered and dirty, halfway covered in stained bandages. Overall, she looked sick and worn out.
She glanced back to the girl, then to the forest ahead. Honestly, she never wanted to return to North ever again. Not as a leader, anyway. The past years had been easier; politics were simple, alliances were valued, the goal was straight-forward. But now... it was far too much to handle. She couldn't keep up her strong facade any longer.
"I would like to, but..." Layla paused as she reconsidered the offer, "I don't know if I can. Things are probably hectic at home." She concluded. She stepped away from the mech, trying to fully support her own weight. Her knees gave in, and Layla started to collapse...
...only to be caught by Genesis. The robot helped her back onto her feet, keeping an arm around her shoulders. She looked to him with confusion.
"You should rest, Layla." He insisted in a soft tone, "You cannot be strong forever. No one can."
• • •
Raowan was about to speak, but it was Shane who responded, "You and the others will be taken on a tour, and then shall undergo some physical testing." He spoke rather sharp and concisely, "You're Virgil, correct? If so, Raowan is the one who'll direct your group."
The other Admin nodded, then pointed for two other guardians to come join him and Virgil. They were the first group to leave, heading down the hall to a series of large double doors. Raowan handed each guardian an identification card while they walked, "If a robot stops to scan you, hold up this card. None of you have been input as authorized officials yet, so they may attempt to give you the simulation serum." He proceeded to the terminal next to the doors, unlocking them with the numbered code. "First, this group will enter the testing phase. You will each enter separate spaces and be given a task. Depending on how well you completed the previous trials, the difficulty of the next may raise or lower. Some will be strictly physical, others will involve mental assessments. Upon completion of all the trials, you will be released and treated as necessary. Are you ready?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:33 pm
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