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Post by Banshee on Sept 19, 2023 10:26:35 GMT -6
“Oh look, a welcoming comity!” Jasmine said as she waved her hands out towards the sides. She was used to this sort of riffraff back at the city. So seeing these lovely fellows show up when she didn’t want them to, was no real surprise. Even with her primary defense being down for the moment, she still had some tricks up her sleeves to use to protect her and the others.
“Look pals. We ain’t got anything worth swiping. So I’d just wait for another-“ Then time froze without her knowing. To Jasmine, everything was running as if nothing had happened. It felt like a mere blink of the eye and suddenly, most of the more threatening individuals as well as their weapons, were now missing.
This caused Jasmine to stop talking for a moment as she looked at the bewildered enemies. They too were confused, looking at one another and wondering where their weapons and companions went. She then glanced at Tex to see what she was doing. But Tex, was much like everyone else standing around Mark and Ikuki. Confused.
There was one thief who shook in their boots at the sudden change of air. He was once among many and now was one of the few remaining. The man wasn’t sure what happened, but he had a grave feeling that messing with this crew, was going to lead him to death in some way. So he backed up when Jasmine said; “Well, looks like you’ve all got a train to catch. I’d suggest getting a move on if you don’t want any trails being led back to you.” She narrowed her eyes and grinned. Jasmine was playing along with whatever had happened.
The guy yelped and darted off, away from the train. Screaming in fear. Behind him, a few others shadowed him. None of his friends wanted to linger around for much longer. That’s for sure. But one criminal did decide to try his luck and strike Jasmine from behind.
His blade, aimed to the base of Jasmine’s neck. He moved like a cat, diving in for the kill. The man felt like he was going to be successful in his murderous attempt. But his hand was met with someone else’s. A white metallic hand clamped down like a claw, crunching his wrist into submission. The knife fell from his hand as a surge of absolute pain traveled through him. His hand was then wrenched, twisted in a way to where he tried his best to follow with the intentions of not allowing her to snap off his wrist.
Tex held onto him tightly. Her face was shadowed by the hood over her head, but one LED eye could be seen, shining brightly from under it. “Foolish move, Organic.” She warned him as she remained in control of the thief.
“Ah, the good ol’ sneak attack. Hate to break it to you pal, but she can snap your spine like a twig. If I allow her to.” Jasmine grinned. “So why don’t you trot off with your buddies, get on that shuttle, and get lost. Because if I see you again? I’m not letting her hold back.”
“S-She a robot?”
Jasmine grinned. “No. She’s just got super human strength.” She looked to Tex. “Let go of him. He learned his lesson for today.” Jasmine then watched Tex release his broken wrist. The guy yelped and then scurried off with the others. Never once looking back.
“So...to clarify something.” She turned to Mark after he told her that he and Ikuki were going to keep wearing their armor. “As by law, robots who have sentience or some sort of abled brain to allow them to function...are reqired have the rules of robotics installed. Tex in fact, does have it installed into her AI. However, she has one important role. She is to be my protector. And if a human tries to kill me, she has the ability to override the rules of Robotics to do whatever it takes to make sure I’m going to survive. If by chance she ends up having to face the fact of killing a human to do so, then she will.”
She glanced to Tex then back to them. “It’s risky but I can assure you that Tex isn’t going to be a risk to either of you. As long as you guys don’t try to off me, you’ll be fine. And besides, no one else has my specific coding so they cannot override her systems. I have...a lot of failsafes on her. One of them, is to explode if someone tries to hack her. So there’s that too!”
“She has a backup of my AI elsewhere.” Tex said to them.
Far behind them, a creeper in a purple cloak poked his head out from behind some rusted debris. Watching the group as they handled the criminals and were making their way to the lab. He frowned and rubbed his chin. Somehow, he felt that this group was going to be far more interesting to keep close tabs on. But he wouldn’t make his appearance known to them, not until much later. As the plan was, he needed to make sure no one was going to venture too close to his “Master.”
He slipped away, going back into hiding once more.
Jasmine started to guide the group towards her lab. “Don’t worry. As I’ve said, you guys are on the friendly side. Tex will not harm you. Right?”
“You are my least disliked Organics, so far.” She said to them.
“See? Totally likes you.” Jasmine grinned.
The group quickly arrived to a dumpy little trailer with a bunch of garbage surrounding it. Jasmine explained to them that it didn’t look decent because she wanted it to be the least likely place for folks to want to investigate. So if she had useless junk laying around, then the thieves would feel less inclined to bother her and her stuff. “But on the inside, is where things are a lot neater.” She grinned as she walked over to the rusted door and pressed some buttons on a security box.
There was a beep and the door opened. She stepped in with Tex hanging at the back to make sure no one decided to jump Ikuki and Mark as they walked in. Jasmine then explained; “If a thief tries to break in, they’ll just see a dusty old trailer with junk all over it. But...know the code? And you get a completely different entrance. Nifty huh?” She smirked. “RJ and I designed it ourselves. With Tex’s assistance, of course.” She turned back and continued towards a steep declining ramp.
“Tex insisted that we installed lasers. So if someone did break in, they’d get sliced and diced because these babies can slice through metal like butter.” She patted the metallic wall as she and the others followed her down into the underground where her lab really was.
They approached another door and Jasmine opened it. Inside, was a massive garage-like room. Tools and cleaning supplies, gadgets and projects all lined the walls in a neat fashion. Boxes were stacked and labeled. Shelving was neat and tidy, with no dust. The lights overhead were nice and bright but not blinding to the eyes. And the scent? It smelled like your typical car garage. But over all, it was actually a really clean area to be in.
“Another thing about my robot here. She’s got to have things clean. So...a lot of this organization and cleanliness is from her and RJ working together. So...” She stopped short and turned. “To the right here, is the main living room. It branches off to a couple of other rooms with beds and other necessities. I don’t get visitors often but once in a while we do get RJ’s cousin. Speaking of which.” She turned and screamed RJs name.
There was a clatter as her voice broke him from whatever he was working on. The group could hear a mumble as someone walked closer to them. Turning around the corner, he stopped short and noticed that Tex and Jasmine had folks with him. He choked on air, as it was a surprise. “O-Oh goodness. Jasmine...I uh...didn’t know you had made more friends?”
“They’re cool. Tex, go into the repair room and I’ll fix you up. RJ. This is Ikuki and Mark. They’re smart as hell and Tex hates them the least.”
“Uh-“ He coughed out of amusement over Jasmine’s introduction to them. “Nice to meet you...I uh...” He wasn’t sure on how else to introduce himself. “...The name’s RJ, I’m a gradutate from Rex City’s Spark Robotics. It’s um...nice to meet you?” RJ was still caught off guard by the visitors and merely struggled to speak to them normally. “Oh! Uh...please, make yourself a home. If...If you need anything, don’t be shy... Excuse the mess in the next room, a group of our Scavengers came back with some interesting technology and I haven’t had a chance to sort them yet. Though...if I don’t watch it, Tex will beat me to it.” He sighed.
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Post by Moe on Sept 19, 2023 21:53:03 GMT -6
The outside of Jasmine's base made Mark cringe; he couldn't stand messes, and his lab had to be neat and organized at all times. Of course, as they ventured inside, it was much nicer. Mark breathed a sigh of relief, glad it was all a ruse.
Mark gave RJ a genuine smile, as he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, RJ." he said, extending his hand to him.
"We're from Kaiser City, nothing special about it." he shrugged.
"Actually," Ikuki interjected. "There's a high ratio of mutants in the city, and there's a lot of action happening there! Lots of superheroes and villains, it's like living in a comic book!" she said with a smile. "A good one, I mean. Not a lot of bad guys wanna mess with him." She pointed a thumb at Mark.
"I'm not that special, either." Mark blushed. "And uh, thanks for the hospitality. All I need is a few energy drinks and a better computer than a laptop. I brought my own hard drives, but it's a little more than a portable system can handle." he said, holding up his suitcase. "And..." he stopped to think for a moment. He'd already shared his face and name with these people, meaning he put his full trust in them. "Actually, I promised my family I'd call every day. I think they'd like to meet you. I feel like you and my sister would get along." he said to Jasmine, with a laugh.
"So, while you repair Tex, I can try and figure out the best way to transfer magic to Apollo." he said, setting the case full of notes, hard drives and laptop onto a table. He wobbled a bit before yawning, the lack of sleep obviously catching up to him.
"I think first, you need to rest." Ikuki set a hand on his shoulder. "You're using too much of your powers without any rest period. If it's alright with you two, is there a guest bedroom he can use?"
"I'm fine." Mark insisted. "I don't need sleep or food, I just need to figure this out. The sooner we can get to Apollo, the sooner this will all be over with." he said, though he could barely keep his eyes open. He took his helmet off and set it on the table as well; "On second thought, I think I'm about to pass out." he said, blood beginning to drip from his nose just before he began to fall over before being caught by Ikuki. She was much more petite than him, and was barely able to catch him.
"Nobody panic, this happens a lot." she said, nervously. "His body just needs to catch up with the amount of power he's been using." she said, gently setting him down before she hurt both of them. "I guess this will give you both time to recharge, before we work on a plan." she said, referring to Tex.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 20, 2023 5:26:58 GMT -6
“Ah yes, we have our fair share of mutants too. Some are really extreme while others, are as normal looking as they can be.” RJ pointed to himself. “Being part fairy, you’d think I have wings or be a lot smaller. But...I mostly take after my Father who had the human portion. I uh...can do magic though.” He rubbed the back of his messy green hair.
Then RJ silenced himself as he watched Mark talk about not needing food or sleep. The guy looked way more exhausted than needed and RJ wondered if he had a fear of resting. If that was the case, then he wondered if melatonin would’ve worked wonders on the guy? But he wasn’t the one to ask or try, as he had just met the guy and knew practically nothing about him.
“Uh...” Jasmine noticed how tired he was too. “Okay, yeah. You can go do that.” But before she started to walk away, she heard Mark change his mind. Then when she turned to see what he was about to do, he started to fall. Jasmine flinched, wanting to go and help him, but she was much too small for the man’s massive weight to do anything about it. RJ however, rushed over to Ikuki’s side to help her prevent Mark from smacking his head against the concrete flooring.
“Um, yes. We have spare rooms.” He nodded to Ikuki as he helped her lay Mark down. “Here. Let me uh, grab one of our other robots to come and help. He’s a lot bigger than Tex is, so lifting a full grown man isn’t going to be a challenge. Actually, he was a construction robot at one point...” He pulled out a device and pressed some buttons. RJ was summoning the robot without the need for screaming his name.
Shortly after, a bulky looking robot came walking out. In comparison to Tex, he was about two heads taller than her. In the center of his chest rested a large speaker. Equipped with broad shoulders and a frame that looked like he could take a beating, Boombox came in with a grin. “Boombox here for assistance, sir.”
“Boombox is...an odd design choice for a construction robot.” RJ explained to Ikuki. “I’m not sure why they designed him the way they did, unless one of their workers modified him. But we found him in the trash heap here, all busted up. However, unlike Tex, he doesn’t have sentience. So we have to command him with everything we need him to do. Unless it’s an action that’s already set in his coding.” He shrugged. “Boombox, carefully lift Mark up and bring him into one of the spare rooms.”
“Roger.” He said as he walked over to lift up Mark as carefully as he could. Then he carried Mark over to the bedroom to place him in the bed.
RJ helped Ikuki organize any papers or items that Mark may have dropped during his spell. “If there’s anything you need, food, water, supplies. I’ve got the feeling that you guys are genuinely good people. So please, do what you need to do... It’s rare that Jasmine finds people she likes, let alone will bring to the lab. So...you guys must’ve done one heck of an impression on her. Though, I cannot help but notice something. You guys had a helmet with you. But it doesn’t look like an ordinary one like...a motorcyclist would wear or anything. So you guys must be tech-junkies too? And where are you guys heading off to?”
Jasmine gathered some supplies that she needed to repair Tex and left Ikuki with RJ. It wasn’t often to see RJ being so talkative to a stranger, so she figured to let him have his glory for once. All the while she performed some quick repairs on Tex. The major ones will have to wait until later. Due to her needing to be fully recharged.
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Post by Moe on Sept 20, 2023 9:51:01 GMT -6
Ikuki was silent during the event, having watched this happen to him too many times. She sighed as she helped RJ organize the table Mark had just set up. "Thank you, but he's going to keep refusing everything. He hasn't slept in over a week, I don't think he's eaten in even longer. He thinks he can handle..this power of his...but he can't. Not without taking a deal from his father." she said, a touch of anger in her voice. "I know what he's trying to do, but Fate won't let him." she said, anger turning to sadness.
She turned her attention to RJ, as he talked about the helmet. "Mark is the genius." she said, feigning a smile. "I was just sent to him, to help him cope with," she paused, thinking of her words as she didn't want to out him. "Something his father left him, that he doesn't want. I guess Chronos thought I was the best person to explain the world of magic, to his son. I've spent my whole life studying magic and wizardry, but I'm not very good at actually casting spells. So I guess that would make me knowledgeable, without being too shocking?" she shrugged.
She was silent for a moment, deep in thought about a lot of things. "He said we're here to rescue our friend, which is true. We haven't heard from him in a few days. Now it's escalated from finding our friend, to infiltrating Apollo's core and destroying him. I understand the fear of a looming threat, but he hasn't figured out how to cross the Expanse in 1,500 years. I don't understand why Mark feels he's a threat, now." she said. "I'm going along with his plan, but I can't help but feel he isn't telling me everything."
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Thoughts swirled through Mark's head, within a dense, black fog. He could not only hear them, but see them.
"You're not good enough."
"You're going to fail."
"You can't save anybody."
"Everyone you love is going to die, while you watch."
Mark sat in the midst of the fog, burying his head in his knees and accepting all the negativity that bombarded him. He's been through this before, and was one of the reasons he refused to sleep. "I know." he said, fighting back tears. "I know, damn it. But can't I try?" he whimpered.
"Ugh," a booming voice rang out through the fog. "So much negativity." he said, waving back all the negative sentences, causing letters and words to scramble and fade.
"Oh, no." Mark looked up, depression quickly turning to absolute anger. "No, please, not now. I already told you to leave me alone." he hissed.
"Come on, now." the mysterious figure said, as he clapped his hands and turned the black fog into a sunny beach resort. "You can't always be so negative. There's a lot of positives to this whole thing!" the figure grinned. In the newly lit dream, he looked almost exactly like Mark, except his headwings were gray with just a tiny tint of purple, and he sported a neatly-trimmed and close-shaven beard. "Okay, real talk. I know what you're up to." Chronos said, sitting in a lounge chair that had spawned. He snapped his fingers, and Mark found himself lying on a couch, like the two of them were in a therapy session.
"And you and I both know that isn't going to happen. So, we're coming to a crossroads, soon." he said, tone getting more serious. "In three days, I'm going to give up my title. No more waiting around. You're going to have to make a decision. Now, I don't like being this harsh, but you're either going to keep living exactly as you are and end up being miserable and depressed for eternity, or you can accept my title and tap into your full power without freaking hurting yourself all the time!" he scolded.
"No!" Mark exclaimed. "I don't accept your offer, and if you give up your title, then that's your problem! You're the one who chose this, not me! I never wanted this, and I'm not just going to accept it because you say I don't have a choice! I do have a choice, because this is my life and my fate, not some destiny you threw at me!" he yelled, sitting up.
"I didn't have a choice, either!" Chronos yelled back. "But I accepted it, because the world was at stake! And you know what? I like the world! I live in it!" he continued. "You were supposed to accept the title at 18, like I did. But I begged the others to extend the time until you were ready! But guess what?? Time is up! And I'm losing my power! So you're either going to have to suck it up for the sake of all of freaking reality, or be responsible for destroying the fabric of time, beyond repair!"
Mark opened his mouth to protest, but didn't say anything. His expression turned from anger back to despair, as Chronos' words echoed through his mind. "You're the worst father in history, you know that?" he scowled.
"Yeah, you've told me plenty of times." Chronos shrugged. "But there are some things I can't take back. You, however, can be better than me. The world needs you to." he said, setting a hand on Mark's head. "Now, wake up." he said, shoving him backwards into the dream couch, causing him to startle himself awake in one of Jasmine's spare rooms.
He looked around the darkened room in a panic, making sure he was back in reality. He breathed a sigh of relief, before collapsing back into the bed, and staring up at the ceiling as tears started to well in his eyes. He grabbed the pillow next to him and threw it over his face, before screaming muffled obscenities into it.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 20, 2023 18:57:03 GMT -6
RJ fell silent as he listened to her explain Mark to him. How someone could go for so long, using their powers, and still was able to function; was absolutely insane to him. Whenever he over-used his abilities like that, he crashed himself hard and gets extremely ill. So how Mark was able to do this?
After he placed the final item onto the table, he couldn't help but feel bad for Mark. “You know...I think I figured out why Jasmine likes Mark and you so much.” He glanced to Ikuki and added; “Jasmine can't remember her parents very well. They were killed when she was only seven. Then she was raised by her Aunt who did nothing but insult her and treat her poorly, all the while her sisters got all the pleasantries and compliments. They lived in nicely decorated rooms and Jasmine had a tiny basement with little to no light. I can see where she sort of links with him. He may have a horrible Father, but her Aunt was terrible as well.”
He rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I may be part fairy, but I'm really not all that amazing at magic either. I mean, I can do stuff but when it comes to highly complicated situations, I sort of struggle. But the good thing is, I do have friends who are extremely smart with magic. I always go to them for help.” He laughed. “Maybe one day you should meet them and you guys can talk magic?”
Then when she mentioned Olympus, his frown became apparent. “Apollo...” He repeated the monster's name as he looked upwards to the ceiling. “Jasmine had studied history books about him when we were in school. All of the successes, the power, the knowledge...anything that was written in those books, she took it all in like a sponge. It's...kind of why Tex actually exists.” He turned to Ikuki once more.
“Tex is an inspiration story but...Apollo and Jasmine's own Mother are huge inspirations to why Tex exists in the first place. However, her portal ability...it was more of a fluke than anything. But Jasmine figured it out eventually and managed to get it to work...for the most part. There's a lot of issues she faces...like the insane power draw, Tex's frame not exactly being all that reliable, and a bunch of other stuff. But Jasmine really thinks she can figure it out. And to be honest? Finding you guys? I think she'll have the proper guidance to achieve just that. And to add to it?” He paused.
“Jasmine doesn't seem like it but she really does have a heart. Her goal is to help others out, rather than fight and destroy. If she can manage this portal ability, she feels that she could use it to transport medical supplies or wounded patients to appropriate hospitals. Money isn't anything she cares about. Never did and probably never will...” He then smiled at her. “So, hearing that you guys are looking for someone. I think she's going to go all in with helping you locate your friend. And I'll be behind her, rooting for her and you two. Just...” He frowned a little, showing worry. “Just be careful out there. Olympus and the Expanse are horrible places to be. And to get there, we're really going to smack brains together to figure out how to travel. The radiation and toxicity of the Expanse is deadly. It can even destroy a robot if it's not prepared.”
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Leaning over the screaming man, Tex tilted her head and scanned him for any wounds. No. He wasn't hurt. Maybe emotionally, but not physically. So his screaming was a bit unnatural for her to bear witness to. This, as well as witnessing him smashing the pillow into his face, simply confused her.
“Mark. Your delusional thoughts are incorrect as this is a pillow that you're eating and not a hamburger. If you desire sustenance then I would suggest relocating yourself to the kitchen and eat something a bit more nutritional in value.” She pulled the pillow away from him and placed it to his side.
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Post by Moe on Sept 20, 2023 19:29:11 GMT -6
"That's awful!" Ikuki said, upon hearing of Jasmine's aunt. "I can't imagine someone doing that to their own family." she said, solemnly. "I guess I can see why they connected. Though I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. Apollo has ruled over this place for so long, without any sort of threat to his reign. Nathan made it into the underground, but that's the easy part. Wanting to go barging into Apollo's core...that's certain death." she said, worried.
"And we're all still human. Ish." she said, referring to the robots in the lab.
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"Gosh," Mark said, muffled through the pillow. "I had no idea!" he said, as she lifted it off his face. "Thank you for telling me, or I would've eaten the whole darn thing! No matter, I'm still full of that lasagna somebody left in here. Or now are you going to tell me that was actually a blanket?" he said, sarcastically.
He sat up in the bed, actually feeling a bit more like himself after the rest. "Seeing as you're repaired now, I'm guessing I was out for a while. Don't tell me how long, I'd rather not know." he sighed. "Thank you for the directions to the kitchen, but I'll let you in on a secret. I don't actually need to eat. Or sleep. I don't normally go around telling everybody this, but my dad is the literal god of time! You know, creator of the universe. In three days, I have to take his title. Which I don't want, because that means outliving everyone I've ever known and cared about. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue screaming into that hamburger." he pointed at the pillow.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 20, 2023 19:56:19 GMT -6
“Yes...indeed she is a vile woman...She...did a lot to Jasmine.” He glanced to the direction of the room Jasmine was in. “But...it built character.” He laughed. “She doesn't stop at anything. Especially when someone tells her no.”
She then brought up Apollo again and he frowned. This was what was going to worry him to death. “Yeah...That is pretty much walking into Death's embrace. I don't know how durable Mark is, but Jasmine? I know she's pretty tough...but she has her limits and I've seen her reach them a number of times. I just...fear that one day? I'm going to wake up and realize...she's not going to be there.”
There was a heavy sigh as he looked down at the pile of papers laying before him. He looked over some of the notes that Mark did. “...It's something that I know I'll have to face one day. Jasmine seriously doesn't stop...or listen. One could say she's selfish but...” He shook his head. “No matter. I'm not going to dwell on possibilities. What's important now is...we need to figure out everything we can to help prevent those fatal turns from happening.”
He scratched his head. “I'm going to have to rattle some brains on this one. But I'm more than positive that we can figure this one out. Traveling there is an issue but so is infiltrating his base. He's bound to have heavy hitters there and we're going to need to prepare for them. Whatever they are. Lasers. Bombs. Massive robots with several layers of thick metals.”
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Tex tilted her head to the side as he continued to go on with his hallucinations over the pillow being a hamburger. Unfortunately, she couldn't understand if he was being sarcastic or serious. So, she continued to play along with the game and add; “No. That was actually dirty laundry left behind from the Scavengers that arrived her a few days ago.”
When he explained to her that he didn't need food or anything that a normal organic needed, she simply stared at him. Processing it. There was no judgment to his claim, just her trying to understand how someone of his status could simply function without anything helping him. Then when he said that his Father was literally the God of Time, she merely noted that in her data bank. Mark was either a God or an alien. She was leaning towards the first bit. Aliens were absurd.
Finally she said; “Ah, so perhaps I will be traveling a similar path as you. Though, without Gods. But there may become a time that my own creators will fall and I will continue carrying on with their wishes without them.” Her eyes narrowed. “Such a sad outcome for organics as they simply cannot prolong their lives without heavy manipulation and the risk of losing their...humanity.”
She glanced at the pillow again and stiffly held it out to him. “I sense a decrease within your mental state and so, I shall give you two options. Scream nonsensical words into an inanimate object and feel no better than before. Or... I may not be an organic and will not completely understand the logical reasoning behind emotions but I've gathered that organics sometimes feel better after discussing their problems to another. So I shall offer you an ear, as one says.”
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Post by Moe on Sept 20, 2023 21:05:02 GMT -6
Mark snatched the pillow and stared at it, for some time. Probably an awkwardly long time for Tex, but he didn't notice. He sighed a long, drawn-out sigh, as he set the pillow down. "I wouldn't say a similar path. You can still be hurt, or killed. You don't have the emotional capacity to love, the way organics do. But...y'know what? Screw it. I'm so sick of keeping things bottled up. And you're right. That's exactly what I'm terrified of. The longer I live...the more friends and family I watch grow old and die while I stay the same...the more humanity I lose. And that scares me, more than anything. I don't want to end up like my father." he said, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I don't want this. I feel like I'm not in control of my own life, and I never was. Like everything was laid out for me, as part of my dad's stupid retirement plan." he said, clinging tightly onto the pillow. "The worst part is, I'm terrified that I'll do to my daughter exactly what my dad did to me. He left me when I was a kid, and the next time I see him, he turns out to be this chaotic shell of a human. I don't want her to see me become that."
He sniffled as he hugged tightly onto the pillow, before completely breaking down and leaning on Tex's shoulder; "I'd rather die before I become like that." he said through tears.
"Am I...interrupting something?" Ikuki said quietly, as she cracked open the door.
"Nuh-uh." Mark sniffled.
"Oh. Good, because I brought you some food. And I'm not letting you leave this room, until you eat it." she said, handing him a sandwich.
He took the plate and simply stared at the sandwich. "How long was I out, this time?"
"This was the longest one, so far." Ikuki said, concern in her voice. "You need to stop using so much power."
Mark looked down at the sandwich, then to Tex and back up at Ikuki. "I talked to him again. In my dream. That's why I don't want to sleep." he said, trying to take a small bite of the sandwich. He winced a bit as the taste of actual food hit his mouth, something he hadn't experienced in a while. He set the plate aside, hoping the one bite was enough. "He gave me three days to decide, or he's going to decide, for me."
"Well," Ikuki said, kneeling in front of him and shoving the plate of sandwich back in his hands. "That gives us three days to figure out how we're going to defeat Apollo. And maybe three days to decide this could be an advantage. You're not going to end up like your father. You're more human than he is. You're the most empathetic person I know, and the fact that you're worried about losing that part of yourself, tells me you never will." she smiled, sweetly.
Mark held her hand and smiled back, but it only lasted a brief moment as he realized something. "Wait. If I've been out, have you been in contact with Apollo??"
"No? He doesn't know me, just that I exist. I don't know your whole plan and didn't want to mess it up." Ikuki said.
"Crap!" Mark exclaimed. "Oh, right." he turned to Tex. "So uh, I've been talking to Apollo directly and making him think that I'm a robot wanting sanctuary. I know his plan is to just use me as scrap parts, but y'know it was an easy way into the city." he shrugged and grinned, nervously.
"Okay, so, new plan." he said, turning to Ikuki. "You get in touch with the person who was going to pick us up. Let her know there's been a change of plan, and that we're going to tell Apollo that scavengers ambushed us. That's you and Jasmine." he said to Tex. "That's why we went dark. Jasmine stole tech from Olympus and we're bringing it back to him, as a sign of good faith. That's you." he pointed to Tex. "Bam. Easy route into the city. We'll have our guide meet us at a rendezvous spot to get us into the underground colonies, before Apollo's goons have time to figure out what's really going on. He may be smart, but I know he made them dumber than him."
"Um," Ikuki blinked. "I think you need to run this by Jasmine, first."
"Of course, I'll do that right now while you make the call-" he started to get up, but Ikuki very quickly caught him and made him sit back down.
"Nope. Sandwich. I told you I wasn't going to let you leave, until you finish it." she said, sternly. "I'll go make the call. Tex, if he doesn't eat that, portal him into a wall." she said. "Um, please." she added, as she walked out.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 21, 2023 6:28:40 GMT -6
This was highly unusual for Tex to offer an ear to a stranger. But she could tell that he needed someone to speak to. Someone outside of his normal friend circle that could provide any sort of assistance without hinderance on their knowledge of him. And so, she sat there, watching him sob into the pillow and spill out words that some how formed understandable sentences to Tex.
“I apologize if I am not quite understanding your situation. But please keep in mind that I am still in the learning phase of how Organics interact with one another. I may not ever truly understand the situation you’re in, love, compassion, or even sadness. But I am attempting to help in any way possible. As it is within my programming to aid others, rather than destroy. But I do have one suggestion in mind that I am willing to share. Regardless of how relatable this is.”
She already understood that she wasn’t quite on the same level as him but she still tried to offer advice. “Fear is often a controlling substance that manipulates Organics into doing things they dislike or force them into fleeing and self loathing. If fear is what is controlling you currently, then your Father-Unit has already won against you.”
Tex paused for a moment, allowing him to simmer down just enough so that she could easily talk with him more. “I’ve once heard a wise Organic say to his companion; it doesn’t matter who or what brought you into this world. It’s what you do with your life, that matters. I only bring this up because I feel that it would be beneficial for you to hear it as well. What you do with said quote is up to you.” She shrugged. “I do understand that you will outlive your Organic companions and that it will be most hurtful for you to bear witness. But if it’s the path you are forced to walk upon, then perhaps start with trying to control your fears and think about what you can possibly do with the powers bestowed upon you.”
Tex shrugged again. “I do not know if any of that helped, but that is all I have to say currently and-“ She went to talk to him more but Ikuki stepped into the room with food. Tex merely seized her discussion and gave Ikuki a nod, greeting her as she walked over to Mark.
Then Mark started on about his planning. An idea sprung in the back of his mind and Tex could see that he was more than eager to share. A sudden switch from the emotional turmoil, Tex wasn’t sure on how one could manage such a mood swing. But she didn’t question him and merely listened to his idea.
At first, she didn’t quite understand the point of her being Apollo’s technology. As what she can remember Jasmine and RJ telling her, she was purely made through hundreds of mishaps and accidents. But she refrained from correcting him and continued to listen to his idea. And the more she did, the more likable it became.
Then he went to make a move to inform Jasmine about his plans but was quickly slapped down by Ikuki as she demanded him to finish his food. Ikuki then asked Tex to portal him into a wall if he tried to sneak out. She gave the woman a curt nod, indicating that she would most certainly do such a thing. “Roger.” Tex responded.
Tex thought; It is most interesting watching Organics interact with one another. It seems as if there is much to learn about them than originally thought. If their emotions are the primary drive for their actions, then how possible is it for me to completely understand them? Organics are certainly a curious creature.
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Post by Moe on Sept 21, 2023 9:41:37 GMT -6
Mark poked at his sandwich, and huffed. "Y'know, I feel like this situation is a lot more important than lunch." he mumbled, glancing over at Tex. "Actually, yeah. I'm not taking a chance." he said, finally caving in and eating the sandwich.
"Hey, I'm sorry if I offended you. About the whole emotions thing." he said to her. "I've never met a robot, like you. The only sentient one I know, is Apollo. And you're a lot less evil than he is." he said, attempting humor. "Thanks for talking with me, though. It helps to have someone unbiased to talk to. I can't say anything to Ikuki or my sister, because they both think I should take the title without thinking about the downsides. Maybe you're right, though. About fear. I used to be great at this whole hero thing. No fear, no worries. I just want to be who I used to be, again."
"Um, could I ask you to keep the whole 'I'm a god' thing between us? I just want to be normal, it's not something I want to throw out there to everyone." he asked. "I don't even know what's going to happen in three days, if I don't accept the title." he said, staring at the last bit of sandwich before forcing it down. "Ugh. I've gone so long without eating, I think I forgot how to enjoy it." he said with his tongue sticking out.
"Okay, I've fulfilled the agreement. That means I can leave the room." he said to Tex, as he stood to leave. "And uh, sorry for not telling you and Jasmine that I've been talking to Apollo. I didn't want to freak anyone out. Chances are he's on to my shenanigans, and is playing along. I'm just banking on him not knowing that I know." he said, before walking out to take his plate into the kitchen, meeting Ikuki along the way.
"Contact has been contacted." she nodded to him. "I know it's all in code, but I swear I could feel her laughing behind her message." she shuddered. "Where did you find her?"
"Behind a dumpster." Mark said. "She just hopped out one day, handed me a business card, and I never saw her again. In hindsight, I put way too much trust in a crazy dumpster person." he said with a moment of realization. "Did you tell Jasmine anything, yet?"
"No, I'm leaving that to you. There are parts of your plan that are still new to me, so I think it's time for you to be fully honest with all of us." she said, crossing her arms and looking up at him, sternly.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 21, 2023 17:13:19 GMT -6
It was a kind gesture for Mark to apologize for his comments from earlier. Tex appreciated this and gave him a slow nod. “It’s fine. I wasn’t offended over the truth.” To her, it really wasn’t a big deal. There was a lot for her to learn and grow. Would she ever fully grasp the concept of human interaction and emotional feelings? She had her doubts but it would be a question that she’d find out in due time.
To his comment about her being lesser evil than Apollo; she attempted to smirk but realized that her facial features within her frame were far too restricting. All she could manage was the same stern look she gave everyone else. So, she let out an amused snort instead and said, “Evil is all based on perspective. I am positive someone somewhere thinks that I’m the most diabolical thing to be walking on two legs.” This, was her attempt of being funny.
She watched him eat his food and comment. Tex gave him a small shrug and said; “I wouldn’t know what food tastes like. But I’m sure it’s not as bad as it all seems. I’d imagine there are some good recipes out there...that are more advanced than a mere sandwich.” She said as she examined the crumbs on his plate.
Then Mark apologized about not informing her or Jasmine about his plans with tricking Apollo. And as usual, Tex didn’t seem to be the slightest bit offended over this surprise. “It’s fine. Some information is best keep in secrecy to prevent others from botching it. I’m positive that Jasmine will understand this, if and when she discovers the truth. As she’s not exactly all heroic either.” Tex didn’t continue on with what she was speaking about, but it was a good indication that Jasmine had some skeletons in her closet as well. However, she did add; “I feel that this sort of predicament is common to those who are trying to make change in a world that hates it or needs it.”
Tex then followed Mark out of the room and met Ikuki. The two conversed with one another about their plan of contacting their contact. Then when Jasmine’s name came up in conversation, Tex said to them; “She is located within the lab, working on one of my weapons.”
Whether or not they wanted to follow Tex, she headed off towards the room where Jasmine was, in fact, working on a weapon. She wore protective goggles over her eyes and hands, blasting fire onto the metal and welding it together. Behind her, RJ was working on another project, which was most likely armor pieces that were to replace the busted up ones on Tex’s frame.
“Ah! About time you woke up. It felt like an eternity.” Jasmine snickered when she noticed them standing within the room. “Been working away on some minor projects. Also, don’t mind some of the other strangers here. They’re helping me do some quick repairs on Tex’s weaponry so that she has a way to protect herself from danger when we’re out.” She pointed with a wrench at a pair of quiet individuals who were looking over some schematics. The two spoke in another language to one another as it was much easier for them to converse.
Jasmine then asked; “So, you have a good lunch and sleep there?”
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Post by Moe on Sept 21, 2023 20:04:06 GMT -6
"Slept like a baby." Mark lied. "Which I never understood. Babies sleep terribly." he said, lightening the tension Ikuki was definitely feeling, when she heard the lie.
She gave him a scowl, not fully understanding why he wouldn't tell Jasmine the truth, or at least enough of it. "I am terribly sorry, but we've had a change in plans. We're going to have to leave for Olympus, as soon as possible. Mark can explain the plan, better than me." she said, shooting him another annoyed look as she elbowed him in the ribs.
"Oof," he winced, having the breath knocked out of him. "Yeah. So, I haven't been telling you the whole story. All of you." he confessed, looking to Ikuki. "Apollo's already figured out how to reach beyond the Expanse. Only by communication, for now. But if he can manage that, then he's most likely already figured out everything else. I figure he's got dozens of robot scouts, spread across both the Expanse and our side of the world. I've been able to intercept one of his messages to his scouts, and reverse dial, in a manner of speaking. As far as he knows, Ikuki and I are robots seeking refuge in Olympus. But since I blacked out, I haven't been able to contact him to give any updates. So if you and Tex are okay with it..." he said.
"We can suit up and act like you're our prisoner. We can tell him you built Tex using stolen technology you scavenged from the city. That part is entirely up to you, though. But it would be the easiest way into the city, and then our contact can meet us to take us into the underground."
"Truth is," he said, unsure of how everyone was going to take things. "Our contact is part of Nathan's group of underground rebels. Apollo's been picking off the rebels one by one, but not killing them. Nathan was one of the ones taken, most likely because he was able to connect him to me. He knows who I am, but I don't think he knows that I know. It was never supposed to escalate this far, but if there's an opportunity to take him out, I'm going to take it. There's...something about me that I haven't told anyone." he took a long, deep breath, before exhaling slowly.
"If you've read the history of Apollo and how he was created, I'm sure you'd recognize the name of one of the lead scientists on the project. Dr. Jason Allen. He's the one who came up with Apollo, and is solely responsible for overseeing the Apollo project. That was...my dad." he finally confessed.
"Wait. What?" Ikuki said, as this was news to her as well.
"Yeah. There's more than a few reasons I don't want to end up like him." Mark said, angrily. "So, you're all more than welcome to back out, knowing that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all the truth from the start. Trust doesn't really come easily, for me. Being the son of the creator of the robot who destroyed half the planet, I figure there's a pretty high chance of people wanting to murder me, out here."
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Post by Banshee on Sept 21, 2023 21:07:09 GMT -6
Jasmine tapped her chin as he explained what was going on and who he was related to. At that point, RJ had lowered his tools and silently listened in on the conversation. The two of them exchanged glances but never once said a word that would interrupt Mark and his explanation of everything happening.
Then the idea of pretending she and Tex were prisoners came into play. Jasmine never pretended to surrender herself to someone before. Normally, she was just captured and Tex would blast her way through walls in a frightful manner. But going in as a fake prisoner? This was going to be quite interesting.
“So...if we go through with this...” Jasmine started to say but was quickly interrupted by RJ who wasn’t so on board with the idea.
“Nah-nah-nah.” He wagged his finger at them. “Wait just a moment. I have a few problems with this. One. Jasmine is not going to go in as a prisoner. She has no connection to him and isn’t just some trading card. Two. If Apollo sees through your plans, do you have a backup plan in store? Three. If he gets a hold of the technology that Jasmine created, he could claim ownership and then really control the planet. He’d just teleport his troops to different parts of the planet and just....destroy it faster than he currently is.”
“RJ...”
“I just don’t want my world, the only person that matters most in it, to vanish before my eyes.” He frowned. “Jasmine, you know you mean everything to me. You’ve been my friend for years. A companion. Someone I can trust and love. I...I just cannot let you do this. This...this is just too much to process at once.”
“RJ...Regardless of whether or not I go, Apollo will eventually take over the planet and put us into ruin again anyways. I just want to help prevent this from happening. Mark and Ikuki have someone they care for that’s stuck under his hypothetical claws. Right now, they’re trying to rescue him as well as save our planet from destruction. I...I have to help them. I need to help them. I have the skills and ability to create a robot who is nearly completely sentient to the point where she could-“
“If he gets a hold of your brain or gets a hold of that portal ability, he’s going to kill us all.” RJ said to them.
“As programmed, I am not to let any harm be done to Jasmine.” Tex spoke up as she could see Jasmine grasping at straws to convince RJ to let her go. “Apollo will not get my blueprints. I can ensure you on that.”
“Dang it, Jasmine you have a kid to care for.” RJ slapped his hands on the desk he was at. “How am I going to explain to Tonka that you just...waltzed right into the devil’s mouth and died? Hm?”
“Then you tell him his Mother was a crazed failure at that point.” She frowned and was suddenly remaining firm on her opinion. Telling Ikuki and Mark about her son, wasn’t something she had been able to tell them. “RJ, you and Tonka are my world. Just like Tex is. But I cannot stand on the sidelines and just let these two down. They’re smart and cunning on their own. But they need more man-power to take down an AI that can seriously make our son’s future? Bleak.”
She shook her head. “If I stand back and do nothing, and things fail? I’d never forgive myself for not trying to help. So if I die out there, trying to make the future not so...dead? Then so be it. I’m doing it for our son. You. And everyone else on this damned planet.” She threw her hands in the air. “Tex is going to be beside me, every step of the way as well. And I’d be damned if he gets a hold of her coding and uses it for something I have no desire for. RJ...I’m sorry. But I have to do this.”
RJ looked down at the table in silence for a moment. He felt singled out because he knew that Tex would defend Jasmine until the very end. But she had a point. He knew that she wouldn’t let herself live with the idea of not doing anything to help, when she could. It’s just, he’s never seen her be this firm on something before. It was alarming.
“Fine...” He heaved an extremely heavy sigh. “But you better make it back here.” He pointed a finger at her. “You better. I’m going to...figure out a way to equip Boombox or Beatbox with a portal gun and just...zap you here.”
“It’s not going to be needed.” She smirked. “Because I’m not going to die out there and neither will they.” Jasmine pointed to Mark, Ikuki, and Tex. “We’re here now to come up with a plan. And right now? We have a starting of one.” She turned to the others. “So, if we go in as prisoners. Are we planning on rotting him from the inside and out? How are we going to go about this?”
“Well, we could always equip Tex with a corrupt file...or something.” He mumbled. “So if he gets her, she can scramble him and you all can sweep in and do whatever...”
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Post by Moe on Sept 21, 2023 21:59:19 GMT -6
Mark stood and listened as the two bickered back and forth, suddenly feeling very awkward. "I didn't mean to start a fight..." he said quietly, as the two continued.
"If I may interject..." he said, awkwardly. "Look, I understand how you feel, RJ." He said a bit louder. "My sister would've done the same thing, that's why I didn't tell her everything. At least Jasmine is honest, with you. Not a jerk, like me."
"But I do understand. I have family, too. I keep telling myself the same thing, that if I can make this world better for my daughter, I absolutely will. Whatever it takes. And I can personally promise that I wont let anything happen to Jasmine or Tex. But," he added with a grin. "I think they're more than capable of taking care of themselves."
"He does bring up a good point, though." Ikuki intervened. "We can't let Apollo get Tex's technology. The idea sounds good on paper, but we're risking too much."
"Apollo has existed for over a thousand years. If he wanted to invent portal technology, he's smart enough to have done it." Mark said. "It's her brain I'm more concerned about. He would never make a robot with full sentience, that could end up questioning him. If he knows there's another robot out there who has free will...that could be a problem."
"This whole operation is going to have risks. And it's completely okay if you want to back out. RJ is right, this is dangerous and we're all risking our lives by doing this. But, it was my stupid idea to go after Apollo himself. You guys are amazing. What you've built here is incredible, and I do think you could help take him down. But I don't want to make it sound like anyone has to come with me, into the city. Especially now that you know this is kind of personal." He said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Whatever we decide to do, we need to do it quickly. Nobody can tell me what Apollo foes with the rebels he captures, but I don't want to subject Nate to anymore torment. He's tough, but if anything happens to him just because Apollo wants to get to me or my dad...well, I guess I'll have to give up the whole pacifist thing." He said, narrowing his eyes into a serious expression.
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Post by Banshee on Sept 21, 2023 22:34:52 GMT -6
RJ nodded with regards of the comment Mark made about Tex’s kind of AI. “I didn’t think about that. If he gets a hold of Tex’s AI programming, who knows what he could do with it. AI sentience is a frightening thing to behold. He could either abuse this or try to eradicate everything about it.” He looked to Tex and frowned. “Wow, didn’t think you’d become a threat to someone, so suddenly. And you’re not even designed to battle.”
Tex shrugged but had nothing important to say about it. If Apollo feared her, then so be it. Let him be scared, mess up, and allow them to sneak in and do what they need.
He let out another deep sigh. “Well, I guess we should get to the planning part then.” he stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked to the others. “First off, how exactly are you planning on getting there again? We’re going to have to find a way to create some form of armor or shield that can protect you lot from the dangers of the Expanse. Then, when you’re there...we’re going to need to equip Tex with some weapons. Which...we have some laying around here...”
“Give me something sharp. I do not need a gun.” Tex frowned.
“You’re going to have something, Tex.” Jasmine said to her. “Not everyone is going to be willing enough to get close to you. You’re...not exactly the most friendliest of faces at times.”
Tex dully said; “It is due to the restrictions of my facial structure. It cannot be helped.”
“So...we’re going to need to make at least one long ranged weapon for Tex.” RJ said as he waved over the two Scavengers within the room. Once they walked over RJ said to them; “You two, I know you’re skilled with weaponry. So I’d like you to design and build one for Tex. Most likely powered by the energy that she can use from her own core. The place is incredibly bright, so obtaining light to empower her isn’t going to be a problem. But can you do it in two days?”
“We have some trial weapons at hand. I am sure we can manage to make one of them work for her. Just need some adjustments and a way to program her AI to understand it.” The one Scavenger said. “But I think we can do it.”
“Alright.” He nodded.
“AS for us.” Jasmine said as she cracked her knuckles. “Mark, Ikuki? We’re going to have a little fun with our armor building and figuring out the best way of tackling this behemoth. If you have a way in, then we’re going to need to prepare for anything possible. Which I’m assuming are going to be traps, robots attacking, and probably lasers... Yes, most definitely lasers. Otherwise I’d be very disappointed with the lack of them.”
“I don’t know how well I can manage this one. But... I can try to create a virus that can probably glitch him out. Maybe stun him long enough to give you time...” RJ rubbed the back of his head.
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