==== Part I ==== ==Improbable Central== [03/03 09:45pm] Merlin heads over to a nearby bench to curl up with a book. [03/03 09:52pm] Jon Bishop darts out of the Villager's Hut, holding a few bags of treats in his arms. [03/03 09:53pm] Merlin doesn't look up from her book. "Evening" [03/03 09:56pm] Jon Bishop quickly shoves them into his jacket. "Uh-Uhm, Hi! How are things?" [03/03 10:00pm] Merlin nods toward the PSK. "GERMans are getting drunk, I am reading, and you are?" she looks up at him. "What are you doing?" [03/03 10:04pm] Jon Bishop jokes. "The clan, drunk? Since when?" He hides the truth. "Ah, me?! Just checking out . . .the sights, yes!" [03/03 10:07pm] Merlin laughs. "I just asked them to keep the damage down this time. . ." she frowns, "You know, I didn't think there was much to see in the Hut" [03/03 10:09pm] Jon Bishop responds. "Well I-uh, am friends with the person that's. . er, around there sometimes." [03/03 10:11pm] Merlin snaps her book shut and stands. "You stutter when you lie." She states and starts toward the outpost gate. [03/03 10:13pm] Jon Bishop winces. "What?! Where are you going?" [03/03 10:18pm] Merlin pauses and takes a few deep breaths before turning around to face him. "Not going anywhere." [03/03 10:23pm] Jon Bishop changes the subject. "Oh, alright." He pulls out a radio. "Listen. . .a while ago I said I'd find a way, to talk to my brothers, I mean. I think-hope this thing can do it. . ." [03/03 10:25pm] Merlin looks at the device then up at Bishop. "How?" [03/03 10:30pm] Jon Bishop inquires. "I'm not exactly sure. . .It's hard to get any signals here. Everything is either static or absolutely worthless. The air is too dense here. [03/03 10:31pm] Jon Bishop continues. "But, you remember when it played a song. . .there has to be some way to get clear signals through." [03/03 10:32pm] Merlin listens, slipping the book in her hands back into her satchel. She frowns. "So. . . what can you do?" [03/03 10:36pm] Jon Bishop paces. "Well, I was thinking maybe an antennae or. . . attachment or something might make it work better. There's plenty of scraps scattered across Cyber City. Maybe something's there?" [03/03 10:39pm] Merlin nods. "Would you like to go look?" [03/03 10:43pm] Jon Bishop brightens. "Yes, please!" [03/03 10:45pm] Merlin smiles faintly, and holds out her hand. "Ok then. Off we go." [03/03 10:46pm] Jon Bishop grabs on. "We don't have to clean you do it outside!" [03/03 10:48pm] Merlin snorts. And they leave. confetti litters the ground where they just stood. ==Cyber City 404== [03/03 10:52pm] Merlin arrives with Bishop, and brushes the confetti from his jacket. "Right. . . what are we looking for?" [03/03 10:56pm] Jon Bishop happily watches some of the confetti blow away on its own. Much better than ignoring it until Merlin decides to clean it, anyway. "Wires, rods, chips? Anything that looks useful." [03/03 11:00pm] Merlin heads toward the scrapyard. "Things useful, yes." what is useful? Bishop will figure that out. [03/03 11:04pm] Jon Bishop follows. "Maybe an old computer chip could. . . react with it or something." [03/03 11:05pm] Merlin looks back. "What would that look like then?" she steps lightly into the scrapyard, and begins to scour the ground. [03/03 11:09pm] Jon Bishop sets himself a small distance away from Merlin, searching as well. "It's kind of like a square with a whole bunch of lines and bumbs on it." He pulls his hand back. "Agh! Sharp!" [03/03 11:15pm] Merlin is over to him in an instant. "are you ok? badly hurt? should I get a medkit?" [03/03 11:16pm] Jon Bishop holds his hand up. Nothing noticable. "Oh! No, just a little poke, not a big problem. Thank you." [03/03 11:18pm] Merlin takes his hand anyway. "Sorry about before.' she whispers, and then bounds over to look at an interesting pile of rubbish. [03/03 11:20pm] Jon Bishop responds weakly. "Right. . ." The search continues. "Oh! Looks like an old TV antennae. Might help a little." [03/03 11:23pm] Merlin picks out a scrap of metal from the pile. "What's this? is it helpful?" Some wires dangle from it. [03/03 11:28pm] Jon Bishop rubs his chin. "Hrm. .looks a bit shredded. Some sort of power supply, maybe? Sure, may as well try it." [03/03 11:30pm] Merlin finds a beat up box and sets the metal inside. "Perhaps . . . perhaps you should ask Callia for help? She knows a lot more about these things than I do." [03/03 11:35pm] Jon Bishop tosses the antennae in the box. "I'll be sure to ask her. . .but this is probably a little harder than simple mechanics, I think. Might just need to be a trial and error sort of thing." [03/03 11:38pm] Merlin carefully climbs up a pie of scrap, picking up pieces at random, hoping that she'll find something that's worthwhile. [03/03 11:40pm] Jon Bishop spies something of interest! It is about half the length of the average person's forearm. It contains a screen, along with a small keypad under it. It looks as if it can be worn. "What the hell?" [03/03 11:42pm] Merlin looks down from her perch. "Hmm?" [03/03 11:45pm] Jon Bishop curiously responds, prodding at the device. "Looks like a watch, or an armband, maybe. Doesn't seem to work anymore though." [03/03 11:48pm] Merlin steps down from the pile, carrying a bunch of wires, and other things. She deposits them into the box. "What . . . what would it do, if it worked?' [03/03 11:53pm] Jon Bishop struggles to slip it onto his left forearm. "I've never seen anything like it. . . probably was a portable computer of some sorts." [03/03 11:55pm] Merlin frowns. Computers? Another thing to ask later. . . "Oh. Right." [03/03 11:57pm] Jon Bishop isn't quite the expert himself. . .though not many could be in this day. [03/04 12:00am] Rattling, clanking, and otherwise unsettling noises are heard coming from the device. [03/04 12:01am] Jon Bishop holds his arm out. "Agh! It's. . .moving. Shit that hurts!" [03/04 12:01am] Merlin tilts her head. "Em. . . is it supposed to sound like that?" [03/04 12:04am] Jon Bishop cringes. "I-I don't think so. . ." It makes a BANG noise. "Ugh. . .alright, it doesn't hurt anymore." [03/04 12:06am] Merlin 's eyes widen. "Are you alright?. . .Perhaps you should take it off." [03/04 12:10am] Jon Bishop reaches for the device, but jerks back. It announces in a soothing, feminine voice: Thank you for subscribing to twitter: implant edition! Attachment to nervous system complete. Welcome! [03/04 12:13am] Merlin stares. "It. . . it talks." she takes a step closer, "Jon, take it off please." [03/04 12:17am] Jon Bishop stares. "W-what the? Alright, I'll try." He attempts to yank it off, but there is no result. "Erm, it's stuck. . ." [03/04 12:19am] Merlin says. "What do you mean it's stuck? things just don't stick." Her eyes flash green. "Here let me see it." [03/04 12:21am] Jon Bishop 's arm announces: Attention! Connection to global network failed. Functioning in offline mode. [03/04 12:21am] Jon Bishop holds his arm out. "It's stuck, I swear!" [03/04 12:25am] Merlin takes his arm, staring at it. "What is it talking about?" She gingerly touches the band until. . . "oops. I think I pressed a button. . ." [03/04 12:29am] The armband reacts: Voice command "TALKING" accepted. Automatic status updades activated. [03/04 12:30am] Jon Bishop frowns. "Status updates?" [03/04 12:30am] Merlin lets go. "Bishop. . ." [03/04 12:33am] Jon Bishop 's armband announces: Status read: I stole a few bags of treats from that hut in Improbable Central. Going to devour them later! [03/04 12:37am] Merlin looks from the armband to Bishop. "What? Visiting a friend, eh?" She bites her lip. ". . . I see." [03/04 12:39am] Jon Bishop grits his teeth, terrified. This is not good. Not good at all. "W-what?! It's just some stupid armband! It doesn't know what its talking about!" [03/04 12:41am] Jon Bishop 's arm announces: Status update detected: Lying to try to get myself out of a horrible situation! [03/04 12:44am] Merlin smiles thinly. " Very nice. You know. .. I don't think I want it off you after all." [03/04 12:47am] Jon Bishop whimpers. "No no no no, I need it off, this won't work. Get off!" He begins smashing the device against the ground. [03/04 12:48am] Merlin sits on a nearby pile of scrap. " What happened to the "No lying" part? was that a lie too?" she glares up at him. [03/04 12:49am] Earth Mage Paul Lo 's goblinoid passes around and notices some commotion comprising two familiar faces. . . It shall not approach pieces of lost technology, oh noes; instead, it quickly slithers opposite direction. [03/04 12:49am] Jon Bishop 's arm retains its pleasant voice: Warning! Vandalism! Activating defense systems. ADMINISTERING SHOCK NOW. [03/04 12:51am] Merlin 's eyes widen. "Wait, What?" [03/04 12:51am] Jon Bishop laughs. "That's the shock? I didn't feel anyth-HOLY FUCK." He kneels on the ground. [03/04 12:52am] Merlin races over. "I'm not angry really. . . oh bother, you alright?" She kneels down beside him. [03/04 12:53am] Jon Bishop takes heavy breaths. "Oww. . .that wont work, then. . .What about the no lying? I need to sometimes, okay?" [03/04 12:56am] Merlin gingerly places her hand on his shoulder. "I didn't want you to get hurt. . ." she sighs. " But, lie to me? why?" [03/04 12:58am] Jon Bishop looks over to her. "Like I said, I just need to sometimes. . ." [03/04 01:00am] Merlin closes her eyes, and for a long minute doesn't say anything. "Fine. I won't say anything about it again. But," she glares fiercely at him. "If it's something important. . . you need to tell me." [03/04 01:00am] Jon Bishop 's armband announces: Status update detected: I may have accidentally pissed myself a little during that shock thing. .. [03/04 01:03am] Merlin chokes back a giggle. "ok. . things like that. . . I don't really need to know." [03/04 01:03am] Jon Bishop responds quickly, out of fear and out of trying to mask out the most recent update. "Yes! Yes. If it is important, no lying! Never!" [03/04 01:04am] Jon Bishop rubs his hand across his face. This is going to suck. [03/04 01:08am] Merlin helps him to his feet. "Well, do you want to keep searching or shall we head home. . . so you can change?" Don't laugh, Merlin. Will not help_ [03/04 01:10am] Jon Bishop reddens. "Y-Yes, let's head out. It's lying, by the way. I did no such thing." Status update detected: I'm lying again, maybe it will work this time? [03/04 01:14am] Merlin shakes her head. "You don't learn quickly, do you?" she grabs the box of electronics, takes his hand and they leave. ==== Part II ==== == Improbable Central == [03/04 08:25pm] Merlin looks up at her statue. "Huh. .. imagine that." She sets down on a bench with a stack of papers. [03/04 08:25pm] Accomplice Teh Dave spots a Merlin and bounces over to her. "Oh Hi Merlin." He grins and leeeeans over the stack of papers. "Whatcha doin?" [03/04 08:30pm] Merlin looks up "Hallo Dave." she holds up a paper. "Did some research in the Museum. Now I'm studying." the paper is filled with green inked scrawl on "The Google". [03/04 08:30pm] Accomplice Teh Dave yawns, stretches, then saunters eastward. [03/04 08:31pm] Accomplice Teh Dave pauses as Merlin's words catch up to him. He sprints back. "Hrm. ..interesting. .." He scans the page, head tilting. [03/04 08:33pm] Merlin nods. "Quite. .. Bishop, em.. found something." she tries to remember.. "A Twitter? I think it said.. . I know next to nothing about these sorts of things." [03/04 08:40pm] Accomplice Teh Dave blinkblinkblinks at Merlin. "He found.. .a Twitter?" Cogs start rolling, ancient memories bobbing in the murk of Dave's pre-Island life. [03/04 08:42pm] Merlin nods."That's what it said when he strapped the thing to his wrist." She looks down at the papers. "It won't come off though.. . " she looks at Dave. "Do you know what it is?" [03/04 08:44pm] Accomplice Teh Dave ponders, frowning deeply. "I.. .er.. ..Maybe. .." He blinks a few times. "I'd have to see it. .." He shakes his head. [03/04 08:46pm] Merlin sighs."Well. .. I have no idea. Only that it gives "Status Updates" she smiles wryly. "means he can't lie to me anymore. .." [03/04 08:48pm] Accomplice Teh Dave chuckles. "Aha. So that's what that was. ..Saw you guys's footprints out in CC other day." [03/04 08:50pm] Merlin sobers, "But, he's miserable, so I need to figure it out. .. somehow" [03/04 08:54pm] Accomplice Teh Dave nodnods. "I'll take a look at it. If it's what I'm thinking it is, I. ..er. ..used to. ..er. ..work on. ..similar. ..things." His ears droop embarrasedly. [03/04 08:58pm] Merlin gives Dave a smile and pats his arm. "Don't feel bad, It'll all work out." she adds. "and if you helped make something like that, well, you are a genius, Dave." [03/04 09:07pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen tips his hat. "Good evening, friends." [03/04 09:10pm] Merlin smiles at Gorbert. "Hallo! Good to see you again." [03/04 09:19pm] Merlin sits for a bit longer, studying her papers. Though, to be honest, she really doesn't understand these things at all. [03/04 09:20pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen sits next to Merlin. "What are you up to, if I may ask, milady?" [03/04 09:22pm] Merlin looks up from her papers. "Note I took from the museum.about computers, and The google. Trying to make some sense of it all. ' [03/04 09:24pm] Spandex pulls her flight goggles off her head, "You can borrow mine, Mer." she says, holding them out. [03/04 09:26pm] Merlin starts. "Dex? where did you come from?" she shakes her head. "No, not goggles. .. "The google", something different, I think." [03/04 09:27pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen waves at Spandex. "Hello, madame." [03/04 09:29pm] Spandex ohhs, and shoves the goggles back on. "Hi Gorbert." She peeks at Mer's papers, "whacha need a google for?" [03/04 09:30pm] Merlin says. "I don't need a Google. I was just trying to get more information about them." she sighs. "I thought perhaps it might help." [03/04 09:31pm] Spandex scooches up beside Mer, and sits. "I donno where I came from, but I'm shattered." She rests her forehead on her own knees. blaaaaa. She asks quietly, "help what?" [03/04 09:32pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen tilts his head. "Any way I can be of service, Lin?" [03/04 09:35pm] Merlin places her hand on Dex's back, gently rubbing. "Poor dear. .." she looks up at Gorbert. "Bishop. .. he's gotten himself into a bit of a bind. Found something in the scrapyard." [03/04 09:37pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen asks, "Anything I can do for you?" [03/04 09:38pm] Merlin shakes her head. "I don't think so.. .Not now, at least. Thank you though" [03/04 09:38pm] Spandex sighs into the backrub. What he find?" She asks her knees. [03/04 09:41pm] Merlin says. 'Ehm. .. it was this thing he put on his arm.. . and it started speaking. "A Twitter"? I think it was.. ." she shrugs. [03/04 09:41pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen gives Merlin a brief, friendly hug. "Sure, milady." [03/04 09:42pm] Merlin smiles. "Thank you Gorbert, I'll let you know though." [03/04 09:42pm] Spandex lifts her head slightly, "It's speaking? what's it saying?" [03/04 09:45pm] Merlin can't help but grin. "It says what he's doing.. . and thinking. He can't lie." [03/04 09:46pm] Spandex grimaces, "bloodyhell Mer. That's not Twitter, that's Torture." for wearer and reader both, as it were. [03/04 09:49pm] Spandex asks, "everything he's thinking?" She starts to imagine what her own Twitter would show, and snrrrks. [03/04 09:49pm] Merlin sighs. "I know, I know. .. it's not a good thing, really. So I'm trying figure out what it is, so maybe we can find a way to get it off." [03/04 09:50pm] Merlin shakes her head. "Not.. everything. But most." Quite interesting last night, actually. .. [03/04 09:50pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen stands and stretches. "I'm sorry to leave you all, but I have to go for a little while." He smiles at his friends. [03/04 09:51pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen pauses before leaving. "Perhaps a short-term solution would be to mute it somehow. If it says what he's thinking via speaker, muffle it. If it does so by screen, cover it." [03/04 09:52pm] Merlin looks at Gorbert. "Yes, we'll see if that will work. Goodbye Gorbert." [03/04 09:53pm] Spandex is so tired, but this is so curious! "Can he control what it reveals? And what do you mean you can't get it off?" [03/04 09:55pm] Merlin keeps a comforting hand on Dex's back. " I'm not sure. We just found it. .. but, Bishop tried to pull it off. But, he can't" [03/04 09:56pm] Gorbert Vanhousserhoffen smiles and heads off. [03/04 09:57pm] Spandex winces, "jeeesus. Poor Bish." She whispers, "Is he in hiding?" [03/04 09:59pm] Merlin thinks so. "I haven't seen him all day. I hope he's ok. .." [03/04 10:03pm] Spandex inhales deeply, "look Mer. Just be ready to be really patient. No one's perfect, right?" [03/04 10:04pm] Accomplice Teh Dave ponders. "Er.. .he _can_ control it, but he'd need to know how to.. .and the only owner's manual for it was probable wiped out in the EMP." [03/04 10:05pm] Spandex lifts her wrist limply as a wave, "hi dave." [03/04 10:06pm] Merlin nods at Dex. "I know. It's.. something I need to work on. " she looks over at Dave. "A manual that we can't get? Oh bother. .." [03/04 10:07pm] Accomplice Teh Dave pokepokepokes at Dex's shoulder softly. "Feelin' alright there Dex?" [03/04 10:09pm] Spandex shirks the poking "dave, poke me again and next time I'm on an Upday, I'll slug you in the face." aka: no. Not alright. [03/04 10:10pm] Accomplice Teh Dave nods, smiling. "Good, you're still in there." He grins, then turns back to Merlin. "Don't need a manual, so much. Just let me see the thing when he's around." [03/04 10:10pm] Spandex groans, "sorry. didn't mean that. I'm. .. unwell." She's thinking of something. .. and this Twitter thing. .. [03/04 10:11pm] Merlin sighs, a bit relieved. "Thank you Dave. I'll be sure to tell him." To dex, she says. "Perhaps you should head off to bed, dear?" [03/04 10:12pm] Spandex sighs and just comes out with it, "dave? if you got it off, d'ya think you could hook it up to my head to figure out what it's doing? I'm getting so tired of this." [03/04 10:17pm] Spandex wishes she'd never said that, now. "or you know, sleep. Mer's right." she gets up. [03/04 10:17pm] Merlin smiles gently at Dex. "It takes getting used to dear. .. It's always hard in the beginning. " [03/04 10:19pm] Accomplice Teh Dave blinks a bit, and raises an eyebrow at Dex. "I could try.. .not sure it's a model I'd be familiar with though." [03/04 10:20pm] Accomplice Teh Dave 's ear twitches, and he hops to his feet. "I think I hear someone calling for me." He grins and gives everyone a hug. Yes, everyone. [03/04 10:22pm] Merlin returns Dave's hug. "Have a good evening dear." [03/04 10:22pm] Accomplice Teh Dave grins and scampers off eastward. [03/04 10:26pm] Spandex stares at Mer for a moment, not believing she was like this too. [03/04 10:32pm] Spandex keeps her eyes on Mer, "it is new. and unknown, so far." [03/04 10:35pm] Merlin nods. "But the unknown, can also lead to new and better things." She tilts her head toward Dex, and raises an eyebrow. [03/04 10:41pm] Spandex nods, "I know, I know. I used to crave new, better, unknown. But. .." but what, dex? "bed calls. today was meant for resting, and I fought it, like a fool." [03/04 10:41pm] Spandex leans forward, "you were like this, really?" [03/04 10:49pm] Merlin tucks the papers into her satchel. "It was . .. different. Yet like." she looks up at Dex. " I met horatio when I needed more improbability. I had someplace to funnel it, so it wasn't as hard. [03/04 10:50pm] Merlin smiles gently. "It's not something to fight Dex. It's a strange and crazy and psychotic way to be. .. but it's good as well." [03/04 10:51pm] Spandex hangs on to the word funnel for a chat later. "I need sleep. Can I find you some other time about this?" [03/04 10:53pm] Spandex wants to tell her she's fighting for her self, but that sounds so maudlin, she can't stand saying it aloud. [03/04 10:55pm] Merlin nods, "I'm sorry. didn't mean to keep you up. Have a good night, dear" [03/04 10:56pm] Merlin smiles. "I'm here when you need me. Just ask." [03/04 10:56pm] Spandex looks at Mer warmly, "I'll find you sometime and we can talk over. .. tea. .. or something, okay? In the meantime, go easy on Bish. The mind's a very busy place." [03/04 10:58pm] Spandex shakes her head slightly, "I'd love to see this Twitter thing, but I'm sure he's feeling pretty. .. naked. Poor guy." [03/04 10:59pm] Merlin knows this, but she needs reminding. "I'll be patient.. .or try to be anyway." [03/04 11:01pm] Spandex glances at her watch, throws her arms around Mer and hugs, before shuffling towards the Halls. [03/04 11:04pm] Merlin watches Dex leave the outpost, before leaning back on the bench. She watches the stars for a minute or a millennium, before heading out of the outpost. ==== Part III ==== === Improbable Central === [03/05 11:47pm] Jon Bishop lumbers into the outpost, huffing as he sits on the ground as crosses his legs. The device on his arm speaks: Status Update Detected: Thinking, thinking, trying to but this damn thing is loud.. . [03/05 11:54pm] Merlin appears in a rain of confetti. She smiles sadly at Bishop, and comes to sit beside him, wrapping her arms round him. "Hallo there.. ." she says, quietly. [03/05 11:54pm] Jon Bishop crosses his arms. "Come on! Do you have to say everything I do?! Is that really necessary?" Status Update Detected: Whining like a little- "Fine, fine. I get it. Damn." [03/05 11:56pm] Jon Bishop sighs. "Did they figure anything out?" [03/05 11:56pm] Merlin smirks. "That bad, huh?" [03/05 11:57pm] Merlin shakes her head. "No. .. Dave said, if he could see it. .. there may be a manual.." [03/06 12:03am] Jon Bishop holds his hands up. "Fine, it reads my thoughts and announces them to the world, whatever! But it never shuts up, I can't think!" [03/06 12:05am] Merlin takes his arm, carefully so as not to touch any of the buttons. "Is there someway to cover the speaker? so you can't hear it so much, perhaps?" [03/06 12:05am] Jon Bishop `'s arm announces. Status Update Detected: Not very worried about sound updates interrupting thought. Panicked that every monster in a 5 mile radius hears the stupid thing! [03/06 12:09am] Merlin runs her fingers gently over the arm band. "Well, if we wrap it maybe? would that work?" She smiles up at him, "Don't worry .. there are plenty of rookies making lots of noise in the jungle. [03/06 12:10am] Jon Bishop mumbles, "I could try. ..maybe it would muffle it a little bit, at least." [03/06 12:12am] Questor Tor NaGoth appears out of thin air [03/06 12:13am] Merlin frowns. "It is awfully loud though. Oh Jon, I"m sorry I'm not much help with this sort of thing. Give me a book, or a bit of music, we'd be fine. but this.. ." she looks away. [03/06 12:13am] Accomplice Teh Dave wanders in via a quantity of regular air, from the north, brow furrowed. "Damnit.. .where is Dan sending me again?" His hands are stuck in his pockets. [03/06 12:14am] Questor Tor NaGoth smiles, "Hi Merlin. Hi Jon. How've you been?" [03/06 12:17am] Merlin looks up. "Tor! Hallo! Haven't seen you in ages." she waves to Dave as well. [03/06 12:19am] Questor Tor NaGoth tips hia hat and bows to Merlin, "It has been a while. I understand congratulations are in order for you two. Glad to hear it." [03/06 12:19am] Jon Bishop turns. "Tor? Uhm, yes! Thank you!" [03/06 12:21am] Merlin smiles. "Yes, thank you." [03/06 12:21am] Accomplice Teh Dave is at the door to the PSK when he spots Merlin and Bish. (and someone he's never met) He grins and waves to them, then saunters over. "Hey guys. Hear you're having an issue with some old tech." [03/06 12:22am] Questor Tor NaGoth says, ""I'll have to see if I can come up with a suitable wedding gift. In the meanwhile, have you tried looking for a volume knob on that thing." [03/06 12:24am] Questor Tor NaGoth turns, and nods politely to Dave, "Hello." [03/06 12:25am] Jon Bishop stares at it. "I haven't seen one.. .it's just a keyboard and a screen. It's as if the people using this wanted to scream every single moment of their lives out to the world.. ." [03/06 12:26am] Accomplice Teh Dave gives Tor a friendly smile and sticks his hand out. "Hullo. Name's Dave. You a friend of theirs?" A thumb points to the mismatched couple. [03/06 12:26am] Merlin has no idea about these kinds of things. She smiles to Dave, and gives a brief shrug to Tor [03/06 12:28am] Questor Tor NaGoth nods at Dave, "An old friend. Name's Tor. And you?" [03/06 12:29am] Questor Tor NaGoth peers at the device on Jon's arm and reaches toward the keyboard, asking, "May I?" [03/06 12:30am] Accomplice Teh Dave grins and pats Bish on the shoulder. "A fellow GERMan." He looks down at Bish's arm, and his eyes widen. "It's.. .I haven't seen. ..where'd you get that?" He stares at Bish. [03/06 12:30am] Questor Tor NaGoth is apparently a bit distracted. A normal state for someonewho's been around as long as he has. [03/06 12:34am] Jon Bishop mumbles, "Scrapyard in Cyber City.. .thought it was a dead watch or something. I put it on and it latches on.. ." [03/06 12:35am] Merlin adds. "And when he tries to get it off, gives him quite the nasty shock.. ." [03/06 12:37am] Accomplice Teh Dave nodnods, only half listening. He's inspecting the arm-computer curiously, muttering to himself. "Hrm.. .looks like third generation.. .early '30s.. ..civvie model?" He ponders a bit. [03/06 12:37am] Jon Bishop 's arm announces: Status Update Detected: Still hate that shock. ..swear it makes me piss myself every time. [03/06 12:38am] Jon Bishop responds, though it seems Dave already has it covered. "Uh. ..sure, you guys can look all you want." [03/06 12:39am] Questor Tor NaGoth smiles as Dave steps in, "It seems ou've found an expert. I'll leave you to it, then. If he can't help, try typing [set volume to 'M]. it might help." [03/06 12:40am] Accomplice Teh Dave sits back on his heels and props his head on his hand, elbow to knee. "Hrm. ..You say you just put it on and it latched immediately?" His ears twitch thoughtfully. [03/06 12:41am] Merlin smiles up at Tor. "Thank you. It's good seeing you again." [03/06 12:41am] Accomplice Teh Dave tilts his head to Tor. "Not a bad idea. ..I'm just trying to remember if the civilian model had a command line. .." He reaches out and twists Jon's arm slightly to get a better look at the screen. [03/06 12:42am] Jon Bishop frowns. "I-I don't know, it looked like it was broken. After it was on me it started clanking around a bit, then turned on saying something about attaching to the nervous system. .." [03/06 12:42am] Questor Tor NaGoth grins, "It's good to be seen again." and with a final nod, he makes his way to the HardwareStore [03/06 12:43am] Merlin watches Tor leave, before turning her attention back to the boys. "Can you do something Dave?" [03/06 12:44am] Accomplice Teh Dave turns to wave at Tor, then resumes his attention on the task at hand. Or arm, whatever. His eyes scan the screen, trying to dig up memories of how these damned things worked. [03/06 12:47am] Accomplice Teh Dave turns to Merlin and nods. "Something", he can do. Whether or not it's helpful is another matter entirely. He turns back and stares at the screen. "I never used the Civvie model. ..not sure." [03/06 12:49am] Accomplice Teh Dave pokes a few buttons in an attempt to find an on-screen menu. He's rewarded with a flashing "Alert, external intrusion detected!" screen. "Uh oh. ..you triggered the security system didn't you?" [03/06 12:51am] Merlin 's eyes widen. "What did he do?" [03/06 12:54am] Accomplice Teh Dave shakes his head at Merlin. "Nothing too bad, just needs to put in the password for it." He points at the blinking bar that seems to be awaiting input. [03/06 12:56am] The device is not pleased, but continues to speak calmly. Warning! Use by external user detected. Activating firewall. A very small dosage of sleeping gas is released from the device. [03/06 12:58am] Accomplice Teh Dave coughs at the sleeping gas and stumbles backwards, fanning the air in front of him. "Alright. ..THAT wasn't standard in the civvie model. ..that looks like a custom job. .." [03/06 12:59am] Merlin backs away quickly. 'what? Who would make something like that?" [03/06 12:59am] Jon Bishop coughs. "Agh! What the hell? I'm tired.." [03/06 01:01am] Accomplice Teh Dave blinks a few times, shaking his head to try and clear the fuzziness out of it. (Not the fur, that's not coming off) [03/06 01:02am] Jon Bishop doses off for a few seconds. Status Update Detected: Sleeping. He jerks awake at the noise. Status Update Detected: Awake! "Stupid thing. .." [03/06 01:03am] Accomplice Teh Dave thinks for a moment. "Well, we're going to need the passcode if you want me to try fiddling with it. .." [03/06 01:04am] Accomplice Teh Dave chuckles a bit at the status updates. "Yeah. ..definitely a hacker custom job. .." He ponders. "So it's been inactive for what. ..40, 50 years at least?" He ponders. "What year is it?" [03/06 01:05am] Merlin wraps her arms round her knees, hugging them to her chest. "Crazy.. stupid.." Now what are we going to do? [03/06 01:05am] Jon Bishop slowly pulls his head up from the ground. "Who in their right mind would willingly have this?! The only use I see is to help an assasin know when killing you will be the easiest!" [03/06 01:07am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods to Bishop. "Yeah. ..well back when it was a common thing,, not quite like this model though. .. People were. ..well, odd about being in constant communication. .." He shrugs. [03/06 01:09am] Accomplice Teh Dave thinks back with a bit of nostalgia. "There was this network. ..not The Network, mind, but a network of information. ..you could find anything you wanted on a whim." He pauses, shaking his head. [03/06 01:10am] Merlin looks up. "Like a library?" [03/06 01:11am] Accomplice Teh Dave tilts his head to Merlin. "Kind of. ..but the books were all stored as raw data. ..on computers, much bigger ones than this." He gestures to Bish's arm. [03/06 01:13am] Merlin tries to remember what she read about computers. "hmmm." [03/06 01:18am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods. "That's what it is, you know. ..a computer. A very specialized one though. .." He frowns at it. "The passcode. ..it might have cleared itself, then taken a new one from you subconsciously." [03/06 01:19am] Jon Bishop nods. "It always sounded worthless to me, I don't understand why there was such a panic when it was gone." [03/06 01:20am] Accomplice Teh Dave blinks to Bishop. "Because everything was on it, and most of the things you probably benefited from used it constantly. .." He shakes his head. "But that's neither here nor now. .." [03/06 01:22am] Contender Torgo wanders in from the jungle, and from what must have been a royal bloody mess, and is quickly distracted by the device being toyed with. "Making a bomb? Can I watch?" [03/06 01:23am] Jon Bishop shakes his head. "Yeah, right. I was born after it was gone. It never helped me." [03/06 01:24am] Accomplice Teh Dave ponders. "True." He shakes his head at Torgo. "Hopefully not making a bomb. ..it's stuck to his arm. That'd be rather unfortunate." Putting it lightly. [03/06 01:24am] Merlin shake her head at Torgo. "Not a bomb." [03/06 01:25am] Accomplice Teh Dave tilts his head to Bishop. "What do you think you might have set the password to?" Back to the matter at hand. Arm. Whatever. [03/06 01:26am] Contender Torgo nods - having a bomb strapped to your arm could be really neat, but just once. "Looks like one of those fancier implant doohickeys." [03/06 01:30am] Jon Bishop shrugs. "No idea what word I'd use as a password. Maybe I'll just keep trying some until it works." Status Update Detected: Hole! Holes are the answer to everything. [03/06 01:32am] Merlin looks at the armband and smirks. "That would be the password he would choose. .. that, or "shovel" or "Dig" " [03/06 01:34am] Accomplice Teh Dave shakes his head. "Did it ask for a password when it turned on?" [03/06 01:34am] Lance Corporal Ari peeks out from the tree she has been hiding in [03/06 01:36am] Jon Bishop recalls, "No, it just. ..turned on itself." [03/06 01:38am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods. "So it probably was programmed to take the first input as a password. .." He grins mischeviously. "Try "Shitshitgetitoff"" [03/06 01:43am] Merlin waves at the bit of Ari she can see. [03/06 01:43am] Lance Corporal Ari swings down out of the tree and behind Dave grinning [03/06 01:46am] Lance Corporal Ari leans back so Dave doesn't bump her [03/06 01:46am] Accomplice Teh Dave 's hat waggles its feather in greeting to Ari as Dave's fit of laughter slows to a halt. He rocks back a bit more and bumps into something. He blinks, then tilts his head back to look up. [03/06 01:46am] Jon Bishop frowns. "I. ..don't remember at all what I said. Huh, why don't I just pop out the batteries or something.. ." He holds his arm in front of him, scanning. "Bah.. .don't see a slot anywhere." [03/06 01:48am] Lance Corporal Ari did not lean back enough clearly, she grins at Dave and waves instead "Hi" [03/06 01:50am] Accomplice Teh Dave grins up to Ari and returns the wave. "Oh hey there. We're trying to figure out how to take this computer off of Bishop's arm." He gestures to the problem. At Arm. Man that's getting worn. [03/06 01:51am] Contender Torgo says, "Annd the arrrm has to stay on. I think that's an unspoken rule here. This'd be so much easier if you were one o' those robot fellows." [03/06 01:52am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods to Torgo. "Then again, I think it's bioelectric, so I'm not totally sure if it could interface properly.. ." His own robot run was purely mech/electric, no fleshy bits inside. [03/06 01:55am] Lance Corporal Ari moves in front of Dave to look at the problem closer, returning to Merlin the wave she could not earlier and waving to Bishop as well [03/06 01:56am] Merlin pulls a paper from her satchel and scribbles some notes onto it. hrmm.. [03/06 01:58am] Accomplice Teh Dave belatedly turns to Bishop with a wry smile. "It doesn't run on batteries. ..it runs on .. .well.. .you, in a way.. ." He decides not to get into the gory details. [03/06 01:58am] Jon Bishop shivers lightly. "I feel cold. I'm heading to the hall." [03/06 02:00am] Merlin looks up. "huh.. Oh. ok." she packs away the paper, and quill. [03/06 02:03am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods thoughtfully. "Don't think we want to short it out. ..Need to find a way to turn it off safely. .." He frowns. [03/06 02:07am] Merlin frowns at Bishop's departing form. "Em. .. come with if you want, Dave, Ari. .." she bounds off after Bishop. [03/06 02:07am] Lance Corporal Ari looks at Dave "shall we?" [03/06 02:08am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods to Merlin and stands, brushing himself off. He holds out an arm to Ari. "Coming, beautiful?" [03/06 02:09am] Lance Corporal Ari takes Dave's arm with a smile "You bet" [03/06 02:10am] Accomplice Teh Dave tips his hat to Torgo as they depart. === The Bingo Hall - Dunbernarding Wing === [03/06 02:05am] Jon Bishop slides inside, rubbing his arms. "Whew. ..cold. Warm in here, though." Status Update Detected: I felt cold and went inside. I'm warm now. "What the hell? No shit! I just said that!" [03/06 02:08am] Merlin steps in a few moments after. She smile faintly. "Dave seems to know a lot about it. ..I hope he can help." [03/06 02:12am] Accomplice Teh Dave wanders in, arm-in-arm with Ari. He grins to Merlin and Jon. "Oh hey guys." He waves to them. [03/06 02:13am] Lady Akitsu strolls in quietly after the happy couple, rubbing her gloved hands together as if from chill. [03/06 02:13am] Jon Bishop winces, pacing. "It would be nice. ..What did he say? It's running on me? I can't just wait for the batteries to run out, then!" [03/06 02:15am] Merlin sits on a nearby chair. "Em.. I suppose not, then." she nods to Dave, Ari and Kit. [03/06 02:16am] Lady Akitsu sighs an makes her way to a chair of her own, flopping in wearily. [03/06 02:17am] Accomplice Teh Dave shakes his head to Bish. "You're the batteries. ..just have to find a way to turn it off without turning you off." He turns and smiles to Kit. "Evening, Kit. Long time no see." [03/06 02:23am] Jon Bishop lifts a hand up to Kit before continuing to pace and scan the room. S-Status Update Detected: Room desk 4 people 3 female 1 male stairs curtain floor doors. [03/06 02:25am] Lance Corporal Ari nods and smiles to everyone [03/06 02:25am] Merlin watches Bishop pace. " Calm down dear, all that fretting can't be good for it, don't you think?" [03/06 02:25am] Lady Akitsu nods to Dave and Jon before sitting back in her seat, eyes closed. "Oh, what I would do for a nice, strong cuppa tea. .." [03/06 02:26am] Accomplice Teh Dave settles in on a couch, deep in thought. He nods his agreement with Kit. [03/06 02:28am] Jon Bishop whimpers. "Calm?! How? Every thought, every single thing that goes though my skull, it can pick any of it!" [03/06 02:29am] Lance Corporal Ari takes a seat herself [03/06 02:29am] Accomplice Teh Dave 's ear twitches, and he tilts his head to Bishop. "But it isn't announcing all of them. ..just certain ones. .." [03/06 02:30am] Merlin suggests. "Well, maybe if you stopped thinking so loudly, it wouldn't pick as many things up. I don't know!" [03/06 02:34am] Lance Corporal Ari frowns sympathetically "that is no good at all" [03/06 02:36am] Lady Akitsu pricks up a curious ear and reluctantly opens an eye. "What's all this, now? What's Bishop gotten himself into now?" [03/06 02:37am] Jon Bishop twitches. "Alright. Quiet thinking." He sits on the ground and crosses his legs. "What do they call it? Meditate?" [03/06 02:39am] Merlin nods."yes,try that. maybe it will help. ' [03/06 02:41am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods tiredly, then grins at Kit. "He found a bit of pre-EMP tech out in Cyber City." He yawns a bit and settles deeper in the couch. [03/06 02:48am] Jon Bishop closes his eyes. Status Update Detected: Meditating. Never liked the idea. Doing it so I don't get yelled at. [03/06 02:49am] Lance Corporal Ari huggles Dave leaning against him with a tired smile [03/06 02:49am] Merlin sighs [03/06 02:51am] Lance Corporal Ari smiles at Merlin and Bishop "got your painting, castle is open again and its all ready" [03/06 02:52am] Merlin grins at ari. "a painting?thats exciting. Can't wait to see it. [03/06 02:54am] Lance Corporal Ari is definitly tired, she totally did not mean to say that [03/06 02:56am] Lance Corporal Ari says, "whoops, it was supposed to be a surprise" [03/06 02:57am] Accomplice Teh Dave chuckles softly and wraps Ari in a hug. "Tired, love?" [03/06 02:58am] Merlin laughs. "Well I'll be sure to forget." she looks over at Bishop, and frowns. .. [03/06 02:58am] Lance Corporal Ari nods and rests her head on his shoulder "kinda" [03/06 02:59am] Lady Akitsu frowns and gives a shrill whistle through her teeth, calling for Bruce. "Bruce, be a dear and make a nice piping pot of tea for us, please?" [03/06 03:00am] Lance Corporal Ari looks at Merlin "anyway, we could drop it off or you could come get it sometime or something" [03/06 03:02am] Jon Bishop jerks into conciousness, turning to Merlin. "Hrm? Ask something?" [03/06 03:04am] Merlin nods. "we could come by and visit. That might be nice.' She looks at Bishop, "What should I ask?" [03/06 03:04am] Lady Akitsu arches a brow and grins faintly as Bruce scampers off and returns almost immediately with a full set, complete with fresh blueberry scones and cream. Must've had it at the ready. [03/06 03:05am] Lady Akitsu nods and helps herself to a cup, pouring herself just a half. "Thank you, Bruce. Well done. You may go." [03/06 03:05am] Jon Bishop holds his hands up. "Oh! No, nothing, no. Sorry" [03/06 03:06am] Lance Corporal Ari me nods, it would be eagerly if she were not about to pass out "awss'm, 'ny time" [03/06 03:08am] Merlin frowns at Bishop. "That book I gave you to read a while back, how did you like it?" [03/06 03:08am] Lance Corporal Ari wobbles to her feet "night people" [03/06 03:08am] Accomplice Teh Dave senses Ari drifting off and slides out from under her, getting to his feet so he can carry her properly draped in his arms. He smiles tiredly to everyone. "I think it's time for sleep for us." [03/06 03:09am] Jon Bishop lifts a hand in farewell to the two. [03/06 03:09am] Merlin smiles. "Have a good evening you two. Thank you for your help. Dave" [03/06 03:10am] Accomplice Teh Dave nods tiredly to Merlin. "Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. .." He yawns, then smiles to everyone. "Feel free to drop by our place anytime. Just southeast of Kit, on the beach." With that, [03/06 03:11am] Lance Corporal Ari nods in agreement and leans into Dave [03/06 03:11am] Jon Bishop blanks. Maybe it wont read him? It only picks up on some things, after all. "Erm, I loved it! Interesting stuff." Status Update Detected: Lying about a book. I haven't even opened it. [03/06 03:12am] Merlin waves goodbye, and looks back at Bishop. "You didn't answer my question." [03/06 03:12am] Merlin 's face falls. "That's what I thought. " [03/06 03:12am] Accomplice Teh Dave carries Ari off to the Libraries wing, to find the rather comfortable spot they found for the bean bag chair by the science fiction section. [03/06 03:14am] Jon Bishop covers his mouth. "I-erm.. .sorry?" [03/06 03:17am] Merlin stands. 'I don't really care that you haven't read it. Only that you feel this incessant need to lie about it. " She smiles at Kit. "I'm going home. Good night Kit." she leaves. ==== Part IV ==== === The Bingo Hall - Dunbernarding Wing === Dunbernarding [03/08 07:31pm] Jon Bishop asks, "What do you mean, filter?" Status Update Detected: Watching people touch each other in the halls.. . [03/08 07:32pm] Lady Akitsu smiles to Dex, sitting back in her seat and crossing her legs. "Oh, mostly in the Grounds." [03/08 07:33pm] Spandex explains to Bish, "My theory was, it has a built-in filter. It's not revealing everything. So.. . how does that work? Is it your mind, or a control on the machine?" [03/08 07:33pm] Plush Jokerbot g_rock appears on Kit's shoulder, wearing a knit cap, hiking boots, dungarees, and suspenders over a hairy, shirtless, cartoonishly over-muscled torso, now with a coarse beard [03/08 07:34pm] Midshipman calliaphone bounces into halls, and spies a Bishop. "BISSSHOPPP!" she launches. HUGS INCOMING. [03/08 07:34pm] Spandex continues, "If you can figure that out, maybe you can choose what it reveals.. . somehow." [03/08 07:38pm] Jon Bishop flinches, before getting launched into. "AGH? Shit! Uh, hi!" Status Update Detected: Getting bashed into the ground by what I thought was a murderer to find it not to be. [03/08 07:39pm] Midshipman calliaphone collides, hugs, hits the ground hard. "ughh." she sits up, dizzily. "hullo Bishop. what did you say you were doing?" [03/08 07:41pm] Spandex giggles, and turns to Kit, "Kit, have you seen Bish's Twitter? It speaks most of what he's thinking. Imagine." [03/08 07:43pm] Spandex helps callia up and smooches her on the cheek. "how's hunting, skooch?" [03/08 07:43pm] Midshipman calliaphone grins, rubbing her elbow, her jaw, her ribs. She smooches back, then offers Bishop a hand up. [03/08 07:44pm] Jon Bishop mumbles as he works his way into a sitting position. "Agh, that hurts." Key Words Detected: "Shit", "That", and "Hurts". Password Accepted. Advanced Preferences Now Available. [03/08 07:44pm] Midshipman calliaphone hugs Dex, a little more gingerly now. "ouchie. hunting's .. . not getting anywhere. YET." [03/08 07:46pm] Spandex ohs! "Bish! Did you hear that?! You've fucking done it! Oooh now what?!" She's over at his arm pronto, fingers wiggling, dying to press something. [03/08 07:46pm] Midshipman calliaphone blinks at Bishop in some confusion. "eh what?" there is a scufflescufflesqueak from her backpack, but she doesn't notice. [03/08 07:49pm] Jon Bishop bites his lip. "What? What? Do not make it shock me, damnit!" [03/08 07:52pm] Spandex clenches a fist, holding her fingers in check. "Uggh. C'mon. I'll try not to! What's the screen say now?" [03/08 07:59pm] Jon Bishop cringes. "A-Alright! Careful for christ's sake!" StatusUpdate Detected: Going to die because someone is bloody obsessed with pressing buttons! [03/08 08:00pm] Midshipman calliaphone stares at Bishop again. "don'tDIE! Dex don't kill Bishop he's nice and anyway Merlin'll kill you if you do." [03/08 08:03pm] Spandex needs a moment to regroup after being doubled over laughing at G. She breathes and tries to calmly approach Jon. "Okay. What's it say on the screen? Anything new?" [03/08 08:05pm] Jon Bishop stares. "Uh, erm.. .there's something about manual entry. And a thing about favorites.. ." [03/08 08:12pm] Spandex pulls at the back of her neck, thinking. "Manual entry may be just the thing. But Favourites sounds.. . interesting." Hence, she knows what she'd choose. [03/08 08:37pm] Spandex obsesses with the Twitter again, for now, though. "Okay Bish. I've decided. Add Faves, for sure. " Her fingers waggle at her sides like she's about to draw pistols. [03/08 08:37pm] Midshipman calliaphone laughs and hugs Dex. then she yawwns. "i should go crash out. knackered." [03/08 08:38pm] Jon Bishop jerks back. "No touching! Back off button lady!" He darts out the door. Status Update Detected: Running to not die! [03/08 08:39pm] Midshipman calliaphone looks on, startled. "wow, what's going on with him suddenly. i thought he'd accepted us a friends now." ==== Part V ==== === Darnell === [03/10 02:57pm] Merlin appears in a flutter of confetti, with a large wrapped package. She leans the package against a shelf and, after sweeping up the confetti, heads back out of the hall. [03/10 09:34pm] Merlin arrives with Bishop. She leads him over to largish package. "Open!" [03/10 09:38pm] Jon Bishop smirks. "Alright, gotcha!" He slowly pulls if from the wall, and begins ripping it open. "What do we have here? Oh.. ." [03/10 09:39pm] Merlin sucks in a breath. "OH. Awesome.. ." [03/10 09:42pm] Merlin looks carefully at the painting, then up at Bishop. "So that's how it happened?" [03/10 09:43pm] Jon Bishop smirks. "Oh? Is this when you were a.. .harp?" [03/10 09:44pm] Jon Bishop laughs. "Yeah. That's what I did.. ." [03/10 09:45pm] Merlin wraps her arms round him, still looking at the painting. "I imagine so, I don't really recall much of it. But.. .It looks quite memorable." she grins at him. "Thank again." [03/10 09:47pm] Merlin ignores the typo gremlin. [03/10 09:49pm] Jon Bishop smiles back. "You're welcome. Don't think I'd leave you as an instrument, would you?" [03/10 09:53pm] Merlin shakes her head. "Of course not. I had faith you'd save me. "she laughs. "Though dancing around a hole filled with water and paint was an added dramatic touch." [03/10 09:56pm] Jon Bishop snorts. "I figure you need to go all the way on something like that!" [03/10 09:58pm] Merlin grins. "Good thinking." she looks back to the painting. "Now, where shall we put it?" [03/10 09:59pm] Jon Bishop looks around. "Ah.. .erm. Over the fireplace?" [03/10 10:02pm] Merlin nods. "Very good" she rummages through the shelves until she comes up with a hammer and nail. She hands these to Bishop. "Right, you do the honors?" [03/10 10:04pm] Jon Bishop nods, grabbing the equipment. He pads over to the fireplace. "Ok! You hold up the painting." [03/10 10:07pm] Merlin takes the painting and holds it up against the wall. "How's that? Does that look straight?" [03/10 10:10pm] Jon Bishop comments, "A little left.. .yeah, there! Okay, let me get this in. .." He sets the nail against the wall and hammers. "OUCH! Ah! That's ok." He hammers again. "There!" [03/10 10:12pm] Merlin steps back, admiring. "That's great. I'll have to thank Ari and.. Dave." [03/10 10:17pm] Jon Bishop stares at it. "Wow.. .huh. We'll have to, yes." Status Update Detected: Error! Translation failed. [03/10 10:19pm] Merlin blinks, "Huh? When did it start doing that?" [03/10 10:22pm] Jon Bishop frowns. "Erm? It's never failed before.. .that's strange. I certainly wish it would shut up, though." [03/10 10:25pm] Merlin hrms. "Well, Hopefully for the best, yes?" [03/10 10:27pm] Jon Bishop shrugs. "I guess it's better than reading my mind.. .but it's still really loud." Status Update Detected: Complaining about something without doing anything about it. "Oh.. ." [03/10 10:30pm] Merlin sighs. 'Ah well." She frowns at the armband. "Still can't find a volume.. or, something?" [03/10 10:31pm] Merlin smiles faintly. "Just.. .been a bit hard sleeping the past few days, what with the updates.. ." [03/10 10:31pm] Jon Bishop bites his lip. "I'm afriad to mess with it.. .all the shocking.. ." [03/10 10:34pm] Merlin says. "There is that.. . but, if you have the password, can't be hacking into it, can it?" [03/10 10:38pm] Jon Bishop nods. "Right. Okay.. .I guess I should try. Can't get it off doing nothing at all. Okay.. .what was it? Shit. That. Hurts." Password Accepted. Advanced Preferences Now Available. [03/10 10:40pm] Merlin holds back a giggle. "Good password." She steps a bit closer to peer at the armband. "em, now what?" [03/10 10:44pm] Jon Bishop holds his arm out as he taps at a few buttons. "Alright.. .uhm. There's favorites, manual updates, options. Options?" He clicks that. [03/10 10:47pm] Merlin watches, a bit wary. [03/10 10:51pm] Jon Bishop frowns. "Huh.. .I don't see anything on sound.. .audio. Oh! Automatics Updates. I'll just disable that.. ." He taps away at a few more keys. "Erm.. .I hope that did it." [03/10 10:57pm] Merlin hopes so too. "Well, lets test it, shall we?" she wraps her arms around him and kisses him thoroughly. [03/10 11:00pm] Jon Bishop questions, "A tes-oh!" As he kisses back, nothing is heard from the device. [03/10 11:04pm] Merlin grins, "well, there we go then. Much better, I think. Don't you?" [03/10 11:07pm] Jon Bishop brightens. "Yes, yes. Quiet! I didn't know tests could be fun." A short pause. "Quiet.. ." [03/10 11:10pm] Merlin looks up at him. "Hmm?" [03/10 11:14pm] Jon Bishop lightly jerks up."Oh, it's quiet now. That is good. It's good. That's all." [03/10 11:18pm] Merlin yawns. "well, in that case, let's get some sleep while we can." She takes a last look at the picture, smiling, before heading into the bedroom. ==== Part VI ==== === Improbable Central === [03/11 06:14pm] Jon Bishop pads into the outpost. Silence."Hrm.. .quiet without updates.. ." He stares at the device on his arm. [03/11 06:15pm] Apprentice JokerMorph Jamesb runs in, and pokes Jon! He runs back out. [03/11 06:19pm] Jon Bishop flinches. "Agh! What the hell?! People these days.. ." [03/11 06:34pm] Jon Bishop huffs, then looks back to the device, and beginning to tap away at the keys. "Hrm.. .what was it? Manual?" [03/11 06:36pm] Jon Bishop taps the keyboard one last time. The device sweetly announces: Manual Update Detected: I am making a manual update? [03/11 06:37pm] Jon Bishop laughs, lowering his arm. "Well, that's pretty much worthless.. ." [03/11 06:40pm] Jon Bishop wanders over near The Prancing Spiderkitty, and pulls his shovel from his back. Digging ensues. He pauses, dropping the shovel. After an awkward glance around the outpost,he looks back to the device. [03/11 06:44pm] Jon Bishop snorts, turning his head away. "Whatever.. .stupid." A short moment later and he's typing away at the keyboard again. Manual Update Detected: Making another manual update. Digging this time! [03/11 06:52pm] Jon Bishop hesitantly laughs as he continues to dig. "Why would anyone?.. .I mean, I guess it isn't that bad.. ." [03/11 06:58pm] Jon Bishop climbs out of the hole and dusts his hands off. "There we go." He grabs his shovel and wanders off. ==== Part VII ==== === The Bingo Hall - Dunbernarding Wing === [03/15 08:29pm] Jon Bishop pads in, typing away at the keyboard on his arm. Manual Update Detected: Walking into a building. Left Foot, Right foot, Left foot, Right foot, Left foot. .. [03/15 08:35pm] Jon Bishop jerks up. "Agh, hell. What was I doing?" He aimlessly wanders off to the kitchen. [03/15 08:51pm] Jon Bishop slouches down in a chair. He types away at his arm again. [03/15 08:56pm] Merlin pokes her head out of the stage curtains. Hallo!!" she bounds of the stage and stops in front of Bishop. "How are you?" [03/15 08:59pm] Jon Bishop jumps up, giving her a hug. "Oh, uhm, hi! I'm good. Yes, pretty good!" His eyes slowly creep towards the twitter, then jerk back over to her. [03/15 09:02pm] Merlin smiles, hugging back tightly. "That's good to hear." She takes his hand, looking at the Twitter, "Figure out how to take it off yet? [03/15 09:05pm] Jon Bishop stutters, "Ah, that might not be necessary. I.. .I mean it isn't too bad. Just uh, give me a minute." He taps away at the keyboard of the device. Manual Update Detected: Talking to Merlin. [03/15 09:08pm] Merlin lets go of his hand as he types. "Em.. . Why are you doing that? You hate that thing." [03/15 09:11pm] Jon Bishop bites his lip. "Doing what? I'm not doing anything wrong. Hate this? No no, I-I love it." [03/15 09:14pm] Merlin raises an eyebrow," right.. . ok then. OH!" she heads over to the reception desk. "Have you seen my bagpipe reeds? Cant' find them" She ducks behind the desk, rifling through the shelves. [03/15 09:17pm] Jon Bishop looks over. "I'm uh, not sure. That's the thing you blow on?" [03/15 09:19pm] Merlin 's voice floats up from behind the desk. "No. They go inside the drones and the mouthpiece. small little things.. . they were in a box. Thought Althea, the new girl, took them. .. but she didn't.." [03/15 09:25pm] Jon Bishop twitches. "A new one is stealing are stuff? We shouldn't let her stay in. .." [03/15 09:29pm] Merlin appears from behind the desk, empty handed. "No no. .. it was a game. She hid my mouthpiece, there were clues. It was quite fun." She shakes her head, "no, I guess I must have misplaced them." [03/15 09:33pm] Jon Bishop isn't quite sure what he is looking for, but he wanders the room, lightly pushing chairs to the side. "Huh. That's a strange game. .." [03/15 09:35pm] Merlin isn't sure whether paul is here. .. or not. So she does a general wave of the hall. "It's a scavenger hunt, Jon. It's fun!" [03/15 09:36pm] Merlin shuffles through the papers on the desk. 'Well.. it was fun. Though, not being able to find my reeds. .. is not so much fun." [03/15 09:37pm] Jon Bishop lifts up some papers from the reception desk. "I don't get it. Why hide one of your own things on purpose?" [03/15 09:42pm] Merlin is pretty sure it's not on the desk. She takes his hand. "Because, then other people search for it. And you leave clues. .." her finger hovers over the Twitter. "so. .. can I write stuff too?" [03/15 09:45pm] Jon Bishop still doesn't completely understand. "Huh. ..alright. I can try to help. .." A pause. "I'm not really sure, it shocked me before, but that's when it was locked. You can try." [03/15 09:48pm] Merlin withdraws her hand. "oh. .. shocking, yes. Never mind then." [03/15 09:50pm] Jon Bishop shakes his head. "No. Go right ahead. I. ..trust you with it." [03/15 10:03pm] Merlin looks at the Twitter, then pokes a button. No shocking, so she fiddles a bit until she finds Favorites? she types in Merlin, before letting go of his arm and grinning at him."There we are." [03/15 10:10pm] The device announces: Favorite "Merlin" Accepted. Scanning. External Device Not Found. Firing Alternative Favorites Monitor. The device rumbles, and then fires a small dart at Merlin. [03/15 10:12pm] Jon Bishop smirks back at her. "Huh, alright. I'm not sure what that does- what the?!" [03/15 10:14pm] Merlin yelps. 'What? OW!" She looks down at her upper arm to find a dart sticking from it. "What was that??" [03/15 10:17pm] Attempting Link To Nervous System With Target "Merlin". Connection Successful. [03/15 10:18pm] Jon Bishop winces, staring at her arm. "Ah! I don't know! Are you alright?!" [03/15 10:19pm] Merlin steps back a pace. "Oh no. .. that doesn't mean. ..? [03/15 10:28pm] Jon Bishop hides a smile. "It's.. .going to check you now." New Update Detected From "Merlin". [03/15 10:31pm] Merlin 's eyes widen. "I saw that smile! it's not funny. .. " she peers at the Twitter. "What's it doing?" [03/15 10:34pm] Jon Bishop tries not to laugh, holding his arm up. "Looks like it isn't automatically announced." He types away at the keys. "It collects the updates. ..I can choose when to look at them" [03/15 10:38pm] Merlin makes a grab for his typing hand. "Don't need to look at anything! Stop typing!" New Update Detected From "Merlin". "No! not that one either!" [03/15 10:43pm] Jon Bishop snorts, slowly moving his finger towards the enter key. "Oh now? After all of those updates of mine you heard? I have to do at least one or two. ..or nine." He slams the enter key. [03/15 10:45pm] "Merlin" Update: @Bishop: I've got a stupid dart in my arm. Thanks HUSBAND." [03/15 10:48pm] Merlin shakes her head. "Not fair!" [03/15 10:50pm] Jon Bishop laughs in her direction. "Oh? A little more harsh under the shell, huh? I wonder what the second one is. .." [03/15 10:53pm] Merlin grabs for his hand, but is too late. "Merlin"Update: @Bishop: Don't be stupid . .. Again. she gasps. "No! I didn't mean that!" [03/15 10:57pm] Jon Bishop lifts a brow. "You didn't? I don't recall the thing lying when it updated me. Again?! You made it shoot the dart!" [03/15 11:01pm] Merlin says, "I didn't know it would do THAT! you found the thing in the first place!" she reaches for the dart, then thinks better of it. who knows what it could do? [03/15 11:04pm] Jon Bishop mumbles. "We need to get these stupid things off!" He pads over to the front door, and opens it. He holds the device outward. "Slam the door on it!" [03/15 11:06pm] Merlin hurries after him. "Wait what? You'll break your arm!" New Update Detected From "Merlin". Shush you!" [03/15 11:08pm] Jon Bishop grunts. "My arm will heal! Just get the damn thing off!" He taps the enter key a few times for curiosity's sake. [03/15 11:11pm] "Merlin"Update: He's so cute when he's like this." Merlin grins sheepishly. "Well.. you are. .." she mumbles [03/15 11:15pm] Jon Bishop awkwardly pauses. "Well. ..I-just. I mean. Slam the door?" [03/15 11:18pm] Merlin shakes her head. "You'll get hurt." [03/15 11:20pm] Jon Bishop frowns. "Any suggestions, then?" [03/15 11:22pm] Merlin begins to speak, but is interrupted by New update detected from "Merlin". She blushes. "em. Don't look at that one. please. .." [03/15 11:28pm] Jon Bishop looks back. "Oh, alright. ..I'll let that one slip." Nevertheless, he finds the tempation too powerful. As he steps back over to her, he nonchalantly taps the enter key against a chair. [03/15 11:32pm] "Merlin" Update: Can we go to bed now? It's been a while and I want toRIGHT RIGHT WELL THAT'S JUST GREAT!" she shouts. the blush creeps farther, turning her face bright red. [03/15 11:33pm] Merlin frowns at him. "That wasn't very funny." alright. .. it was , a trifle. A small smile escapes. [03/15 11:37pm] Jon Bishop laughs. "I slipped, is all." He holds out a hand. "I take it that means you want to head out." [03/15 11:40pm] Merlin nods, taking his hand. "Yes please." they leave but not before another New update detected from "Merlin" is heard. Confetti falls down in the empty hall. ==== Part VIII ==== [03/18 11:18pm] Merlin stifles a yawn, before heading over to the reception desk to speak to Lilith on a few matters. "Have you seen my reeds? for the pipes?" [03/18 11:19pm] Jaunty Fedora Teh spots a Merlin as they depart down the hall, and waggles its feather to her. [03/18 11:20pm] Musical Alisen Small pauses. No, fourth. Fourth from the left. She goes that way. [03/18 11:21pm] Merlin looks up . "Huh? Teh?" she waves, trying to decide whether to follow. .. and get lost in the blossoming hall. way too many rooms to handle. [03/18 11:29pm] Merlin shrugs and starts up the stairs to the mezzanine. [03/18 11:43pm] Jon Bishop pads into the halls, shivering. He pads over to the corner of the room and sits, shaking. Manual Update Detected: Sitting in the corner. Still sitting in the corner. Still in the corner! [03/18 11:48pm] Merlin steps down the stairs from the mezzanine, unsuccessful in her search. Ah well, five thousand more rooms to go. .. "Oh, Hallo dear." she smiles and heads over to bishop. "How are things going?" [03/18 11:51pm] Jon Bishop flinches, looking upward. "Ah! Erm. H-hold on." Manual Update Detected: Merlin in front of me, we are about to talk I think. "Hi." [03/18 11:53pm] Musical Alisen Small slips back out from the hallway, clutching her black leather violin case, Teh appearing as any ordinary hat on her head. She gently lifts the hat from her head and sets him on the front desk. [03/18 11:54pm] Merlin settles down on the floor beside him. "Hi. I missed you." she says, "You are well?" [03/18 11:54pm] Merlin looks over, and smiles at Alisen, before turning back to her husband. "Jon?" [03/18 11:55pm] Musical Alisen Small pats the sleeping hat gently, and then turns to head out, when she sees Merlin and Jon. "Oh. Hi. Sorry." [03/18 11:56pm] Musical Alisen Small waves a little, and slips out, still smiling. [03/18 11:57pm] Jon Bishop holds up a finger. "Merlin. Another second." He taps away at the device. Manual Update Detected: Another person at the door, not sure I recognize her. [03/18 11:59pm] Merlin takes his hand when he finishes typing. She stares at him, thinking hard. Update detected from "Merlin". [03/19 12:00am] Jon Bishop mumbles. "Status. ..need to see. [03/19 12:01am] Jon Bishop taps the enter key. [03/19 12:02am] Merlin waits, while the Twitter says calmly.@Bishop: pay attention, please! I'm asking a question. [03/19 12:03am] Jon Bishop rubs his face, grumbling. "Hrm. ..What?" [03/19 12:06am] Merlin takes both his hands, and looks at him, a flicker of worry on her face. "Did you have a good day? you aren't answering." [03/19 12:08am] Jon Bishop weakly tries to pull his hands back to the twitter. "Good. Yes. L-let go." [03/19 12:10am] Merlin holds on. "What? why?" she looks from his face to the twitter, and back. "Have you found a way to get it off now?" [03/19 12:12am] Jon Bishop pulls harder. "No. No need. Twitter is good." [03/19 12:14am] Merlin shakes her head, as Jon pulls his hands out of hers. "No, not good. .. not good at all. remember?" [03/19 12:17am] Jon Bishop enters: Manual Update Detected: Talking about the twitter, how it is good. "Was wrong before. The twitter is good. Needed to learn it to know." [03/19 12:19am] Merlin 's hands fall in her lap. "oh." she tries again. "Jon. .. have you eaten today? at all?" [03/19 12:23am] Jon Bishop mumbles, tapping away. "Eat. ..Old Updates." Previous Update: Hungry. Looking for food but didn't find. Not important anyway. [03/19 12:24am] Merlin stands, absently brushing off her skirts. 'Come on, lets go home. I'll make you some dinner." she holds out her hand. [03/19 12:27am] Jon Bishop whispers, grabbing her hand. "Dinner. ..ok." [03/19 12:28am] Merlin nods, and they leave. ==== Part IX ==== === Improbable Central === [03/19 11:23pm] Jon Bishop heads in as he stares down at the device on his arm. Manual Update Detected: Walked into tree on the way to IC but that's ok. The nosebleed only lasted a minute or two. [03/19 11:27pm] Merlin exits eboys, where she's spent the past half hour arguing over prices and such things. She tucks away her purchases in her satchel. New Update Detected from "Merlin". She looks up at the sound. [03/19 11:28pm] Merlin smiles faintly. "Evening dear. .." He doesn't seem to see her, so she heads over toward him. "Bishop?" [03/19 11:30pm] Jon Bishop jerks upward, but continues looking downward. "Ah! Update update update! What is it?" He taps at the enter key. [03/19 11:34pm] Merlin 's update rings out: "Why can't eboy have reeds? How am I going to play the pipes without them?" she shakes her head. "wonder if i can just pull this blasted thing out." she touches the dart [03/19 11:38pm] Jon Bishop slowly turns upward, then panicks. "NO! Not necessary. The dart is good, very good." [03/19 11:44pm] Merlin shakes her head. " No, if you want to know what I'm thinking you can always ask." She looks down at the dart, trying to find the right angle to pull it out from. [03/19 11:48pm] Jon Bishop frowns, trying away at his twitter. Manual Update Detected: Merlin trying to quit! "B-but! It helps. It lets other people know. It doesn't matter unless other people know." [03/19 11:52pm] Merlin looks at him. "What does that mean? Things still matter, whether I tell people or not. Besides, I"m not the one with all these secrets everywhere." she gives the dart a light tug and winces. [03/19 11:55pm] Jon Bishop taps. Manual Update Detected: Talking, maybe arguing. Not exactly sure yet. "Secrets irrelevant. Don't mater. Everything else? Goes away forever if people don't know." [03/19 11:58pm] Merlin frowns. "Whatever. This thing is coming out. And that twitter thing is next."Update Detected from "Merlin" she glares at him. "Don't do it Bishop, Don't touch that button." [03/20 12:02am] Jon Bishop tries to hold back. "I can't. ..not. Need to. ..can't let it vanish." He presses it. [03/20 12:06am] Merlin cringes as the calm female voice says: @Bishop: Idiot! Just take the Damn thing off. [03/20 12:08am] Jon Bishop gapes. "Why?! I need it. Doesn't need to be off." [03/20 12:12am] Merlin takes a deep breath, and pulls the dart from her arm, tosses it to the ground and grinds it into the dust. A trickle of blood stains her sleeve. [03/20 12:12am] Merlin looks up at him, eyes flashing green. "It's either me. .. or that thing." she stabs a finger at it. "Make your choice Bishop." [03/20 12:18am] Jon Bishop breathes heavily. "B-but. ..I can't! I mean, it. ..you. Help." [03/20 12:23am] Merlin blinks. Her eyes fade back to their normal colour. "I want to help. Tell me what to do! But I can't do this anymore. It's not good for either of us." [03/20 12:28am] Jon Bishop doesn't calm. "Don't know, don't know. In my head!" He bashes the twitter against the ground. Warning! Vandalism: ADMINISTERING SHOCK NOW. "I don't give a fu-ghhh!" [03/20 12:32am] Merlin grabs at his wrist. "Stop that! It doesn't help!" She catches him as he slumps to the ground. "I've got you. Oh Bishop. .. ." [03/20 12:37am] Jon Bishop grunts as he pulls himself free from her grip. "Not. Done yet!" He smashes it against the ground again. W-Warning. Vandalism: AD-ADMINISTERING SHOCK NOW. "Keep it coming, damm-iyyyt. ..!" [03/20 12:41am] Merlin watches in horror. "BISHOP STOP!" she tackles him, and holds on to his arm tightly. "please. .. Calm down!" [03/20 12:45am] Jon Bishop tumbles to the ground. "Can't be calm, in my head! Listening. Shoot it. Shoot it please. Crossbow on back." [03/20 12:47am] Merlin 's eyes widen. "Shoot it? I can't! Your arm!" [03/20 12:48am] Rookie Chip looks up from pressing a shiny, red button. "Ooops. Me stop now." [03/20 12:53am] Jon Bishop frowns. "Don't care. Hit it with shovel, smash it, something." [03/20 12:58am] Merlin shakes her head. "I. .. I can't. .." She lets go. 'there has to be another way." she whispers. [03/20 01:03am] Jon Bishop pulls a crossbow bolt from his quiver. "Smash bolt into it, then. No gun." [03/20 01:06am] Merlin takes the bolt, hands shaking. "But. .. are you sure?" she bites her lip, looking from the twitter to Bishop. [03/20 01:11am] Jon Bishop anxiously nods. "Yes come on!" [03/20 01:14am] Merlin squeezes her eyes shut. right. .. for Bishop. She opens them, and nods once at him, before taking the bolt and driving it into the Twitter. [03/20 01:19am] The bolt is wedged into The Twitter. It did not completely penetrate the entire device, but has obviously caused some damage. [03/20 01:22am] Merlin looks up. "did it work? what happened? are you ok?" [03/20 01:23am] Jon Bishop smirks. "You did it?! It can come off now?!" W-W-Warning. V-Vital Systems Dam-Damaged. Thought Filtration and Translation Units Require Repair-airs. [03/20 01:25am] Merlin glares at the Twitter. "Shut up." [03/20 01:25am] WARNING! Emergency Automatic Repair Systems Activated: Draining extra energy required for repairs. [03/20 01:28am] Jon Bishop grabs his head. "Erm. ..I think I'll just. ..lay down a second. .." Repairs on Thought Filtration and Translation Units Beginning. Power Usage at 500 percent. [03/20 01:29am] Merlin blinks. "What does that. .. Oh.. oh no, no! Bishop!" she grabs for another bolt and drives it down next to the first. "STOP THAT!" [03/20 01:31am] Merlin shakes him. "No, Bishop. Wake up! you need to tell me what to do!" [03/20 01:31am] Jon Bishop is out cold. S-S-Status Up-Update Detected: And the fire burns, it burns BURNING. No, not burning, just higher than the desired average temperature. And then the sky was beautiful! [03/20 01:32am] . ..Until the clouds grew dark and rained the happy to the ground, but eventually it went away and it was sunny again, and all were pleased. The running of the bull is unsure of the coin. .. [03/20 01:34am] Flipping. ..flipping and flipping until the fate is decided. There were three sides: the producer, and the two conflicting consumers. .. [03/20 01:35am] Merlin grabs the bolt and pushes it deeper into the Twitter. 'come on. .. come on. .. please." tears begin to fall. "Don't do this. .." [03/20 01:36am] W-warning! Major Systems Failure. Upd-date Detectyd: The ineptitude of persistence created a line of paralysis that was incurred over the span of the years that pursued. .. [03/20 01:37am] THE BOMBS, THE FUCKING BOMBS. The dirt, it is raised from the ground from the tool of the gods. Shovel, shovel, shovel. Safety, there it is. They cant get me here. [03/20 01:38am] Trapped in the strings of the device. Sand sour substance .. .solution! Singing. The note. Note music note verb note letter it awaits to be read. [03/20 01:38am] Merlin grabs a third bolt, twisting it deep into the keyboard. "Leave him ALONE!" [03/20 01:40am] Re-Repayrs Fahlinh. Updhty Detuct: Gtrhuhubnonlob. Koblob gtrgtrghuitliy. Hair confabulating to the ground! Pound. Sound. Mound. The The guidance, they were gone. [03/20 01:41am] A new one stands in backup until he is gone as well, and then I will be the replacement. Where the rain gets in, and stops my mind from wandering! [03/20 01:42am] Merlin pulls the bolt out and stabs again. Sparks fly. please please [03/20 01:42am] Math: One one four nine eight two two two eleventeen fourtytunth four zero. [03/20 01:45am] Waahgn Sythgn Fjlhn Upghty Dtedtf: And so it read. ..God despises a coward who runs while others stand and suffer. [03/20 01:47am] Merlin blinks back tears. "You are not a coward Bishop. .. you're not! please. .." [03/20 01:48am] Syfhgitn. Hreghklm. Hrrrrhhfgjfkm. Ergtrthyhskkakkdmdjhhhskapqofd. [03/20 01:51am] The chaos slowly quiets into nothingness. The device crumbles. [03/20 01:53am] Merlin swipes away the remains of the Twitter and takes Bishop's hand. It's cold to the touch. "Come on, wake up now. It's ok." She whispers. "We're fine. .. I'm not leaving. .." [03/20 01:56am] Jon Bishop mumbles quietly. "Ehrm. ..Damn. .." [03/20 01:59am] Merlin breathes a huge sigh. "Oh thank the Master. .." A smile breaks through. " Jon?" [03/20 02:01am] Jon Bishop keeps his eyes closed. "Yeh?. .." [03/20 02:03am] Merlin bends over him and kisses him gently. "I missed you." she says, "I'm glad your back." [03/20 02:09am] Jon Bishop does what he can to nod. "Yeh. Happy to. ..thank. Can I sleep here?" [03/20 02:10am] Merlin shakes her head. "No, you can't. I'll take you home." she holds tightly to his hand and they leave. confetti falls on the remains of the Twitter. ((And that was the end of it, wasn't it? ..Ep ..UpA ..uPdaTe dE-de-DetEc..))((Yes, yes, Reverb stole the twitter. That doesn't really matter though. I mean, what's the worst.. that.. could.. oh dear.))