>>36174359
long time no see OP

>Play around with your phone
>Talk to Karan, she’s a great listener

You are Michelle St. Claire. You went out (were taken out?) with Wendy and Skyler. If only you know where you were going.

Liquid: 30,544.9
Income: ~2200/wk + bonuses
Expenses: 5500/mo lease
Captive money: 10k security deposit
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WetworkIdols @WetworkIdols
Archive http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Wetwork%20Idols%20Quest

>>36174406
No kidding. My semester schedule may've been a bit ambitious for my character.

16 weeks is too fucking long for me to stay interested in something without big changes or something happening. Getting pretty worn down, but only another 4-8 weeks left.

>>36174454
I think I just unironically explained why I haven't run a thread in 4 weeks either.

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>>36174359

You reach into your bag and pull out your phone. There isn’t really anything in there, so it’s easy to get to. You’ve seen Wendy have to dig around for a while sometimes. Is that normal?

You stare at the screen. You were considered too stupid to be trusted with anything more than a radio and a gun. Someone else always had the electronics. It became worse after you were brained, but you ended up getting medical discharged fairly quickly.

You swipe a finger across the screen to wake it up and idly flick across the various panels and screens, looking for something.. You’re still not really sure what you’re supposed to do with them.

Maybe you can speak to Karan. Skyler and Wendy look like they don’t want to be interrupted.
You’re not sure if this works, but you try sending a text to the phone number of the house. Karan is in charge of the phones, isn’t she? She must be able to see incoming texts.

You tap out a brief message to her. She responds nearly instantaneously.

>What is it, Michelle? I’m busy.
>I just wanted to talk… Wendy and Skyler are listening to music.
>And you are afraid to speak to them? I knew you were a truly pathetic specimen, but I was unaware of your cowardice. Why is it I am slaved to such imbeciles?
>It’s not like that!
>If not, then what?

>Spaghetti harder
>Attempt to explain situation (how so?)
>Admit that you are both pathetic and a coward
>Stop talking to Karan
>Other

>>36175070
>Attempt to explain situation (how so?)
"They are listening to music and off in their own worlds and I wanted to play with my phone because I'm bored while we're travelling but I don't know how to get to all the fun boredom eating things on my phone."

>>36175123
>Spaghetti harder
HARDER!

>>36175165
Was that a vote or just telling Anon that he needed more spaghetti with that spaghetti dinner?

>>36175123 here
unfortunately I can't stay awake anymore even thoughts its only 5pm here, I've been up for nearly 30 hours, so thanks for the thread OP, I hope more players join in and look forward to catching up on the thread

>>36175361
l8s

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>>36175070

>They are listening to music and off in their own worlds and I wanted to play with my phone because I'm bored while we're travelling but I don't know how to get to all the fun boredom eating things on my phone.
>That’s odd.
>What is?
>You are unusually literate and high functioning when speaking through text. Comparing that sentence to all the others that you have said within the confines of the property, that is by far the most sophisticated thing that has left your mouth this week.
>Is someone telling you what to say?
>No!
>You wouldn’t lie to me, Michelle, would you?
>I’m not lying!
>Please don’t shout, Michelle, you’re hurting me.
>Sorry…
>I see that you are indeed alone. How unusual.
>H-how?
>I borrowed the camera on your phone briefly. Is that Skyler’s vehicle?
>Yes, why?
>Unexpected.
>Why do you even know about him?
>I am always listening, Michelle.

Ewww…

>You seems upset.
>Are you still watching me?
>Yes.

>Well, stop it.
>O-okay.jpg
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36175747
>>O-okay.jpg
.
.
.
>>Spaghetti harder

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>>36175747

>O-okay. D-Do you like what you see?
>What?
>S-sorry…
>I’m confused, Michelle, and disgusted. Please don’t speak that way to me ever again.
>I said I’m sorry
>It would be best if you simply didn’t say such loathsome things in the first place. Now I understand why Miss Wendy’s blood pressure spikes when she interacts with you.
>You made your point…
>Have I? Yet, you still behave as such. Perhaps I should route carbon monoxide into your room and try again.
>What’s that supposed to mean?!
>Nothing, Michelle, I am simply “thinking,” out loud.
>Why is “thinking,” in “quotes”?
>I do not think, Michelle, you unfathomable abyss of loathing and ignorance.

You don’t feel as good as you did a few minutes ago...

>Continue conversating (about?)
>Spaghetti harder (how?)
>Maybe talk with the humans (how, about?)
>Other

>>36176707

>Other
>Sometimes I wish I could think like you do karan. You're like, the good kind of evil.

Then, set the phone aside and talk with >>Maybe talk with the humans (how, about?)

Michelle, Tyler. Ask where we're going!

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>>36176707
>T-that’s nice, Karan. Sometimes I wish I could think like you…
>Of course you do, insect.

You set the phone down. That was a lot to take in all at once. Maybe the ones in the front will be nicer to you.

“Guys?”

They don’t seem to hear. Or maybe they can, and they’re ignoring you.

“Guys!”

Skyler jumps. Wendy is less ruffled.

He pulls an earbud out and looks over his shoulder and says, “Jesus, Michelle. Forgot you were there. What is it?”

“Where are we going?”

“Didn’t we tell you? I thought I did. We’re going to go see a play.”

“Which one?”

“Does it, truthfully, matter?”

>Well...when you put it that way I suppose it doesn’t…
>Of course it matters! (how?)
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>Man, not very fast. Playing a lot of Valkyra Chronicles...
>Anyways, I think I'm going to leave the thread up all weekend to get everyone back into the swing of things. I can't promise I'll be very speedy/fast about posting, but i will check in as regularly and post as often as I can.
>Probably the last or second to last post for the next 8-10 hours, though. Pretty sleepy.

>>36177684
>Of course it matters! (how?)

Lets add a little bit of character development to Wendy.

>other
Yammer our team's faces off about high/middle school drama classes. Romeo and juliet that kind of shit. But with a little bit of a fangirl to it - make it like the one thing she kinda found interest before the army - so when skyler shits all over our former dreams because he's a jerk, we can get him back with a pouty face and a nickname.
Just a little bit of camaraderie, and a hint of happy wendy's ghost.
We'll end up sticking sklyer as Romeo, wendy as Juliet, and earn the unfitting nickname Shakespear in the after-banter to come.

Also god damn i want to see ladies of the camelias again, because i have never laughed my ass of as long or hard as i did watching that play live.
continue the joke,

>>36177684
>>Man, not very fast. Playing a lot of Valkyra Chronicles...

haha man. Enjoy that game, since its 3am. Good time to wrap up a thread imho

>>36177908
Are you a recent player?

When your regular player base is, like, 2 or 3 people you start to identity people based on how they write, but either it's been so long I've forgotten or I've picked up a new fan (yay!) along the way.

>>36177922
This Batomys battle is a load of total shit.

>>36178120
I am the ghooooost of questmas past!

Oh, I was worried this wouldn't even run when it wasn't up as I went to sleep.

>>36178378
Better eat your Wheaties, Anon, it's gonna be a long weekend (maybe).

>>36177684
>>36177908
seconding this, but I think this anon means Michelle in place of Wendy, we're Michelle

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Did somebody say wetwork?

bump

bump

>>36179438

...correct, anon

bump

Oh wow, I've got 6 unique IPs! That's like 5 more than usual.

I just crawled out of bed because I make poor decisions and went to bed at like 5 AM. I'll start writing in a bit, probably after popping a squat.

>>36184435
>I just crawled out of bed because I make poor decisions and went to bed at like 5 AM
High five OP, we can be poor decision buddies together.

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>>36177684

“Of course it matters!”

“Really.”

He’s looking forwards now, Wendy having checked back out entirely, so you can’t see his face, but his tone is clearly skeptical.

“Why’s that?”

“Because I want to know! I was in drama in middle school and my two years in high scho-”

Skyler cuts you off, because he’s laughing. He slaps Wendy on the arm a few times and she looks at him, then at you, and then back at him, her expression clearly very annoyed.

“What?”

“Michelle, repeat what you just said?”

“What? All I said was I in drama classes in middle and high scho-”

Haha. The two of them obviously think this is the funniest thing you’ve ever said.

Wendy delicately dabs at the corners of her eyes and says, “Did you ever actually go on stage?”

You stare down into your lap and say, “Well, not exactly…”

The two of them keep laughing and hitting each other in the arm and thigh.

>Retreat into your Fortress of Spaghetti-tude
>Try to salvage conversation (how?)
>Cry a litt
>Cry a lot
>At least Karan wasn’t laughing at you
>Other

>>36185677
>Cry a little
>Retreat into your Fortress of Spaghetti-tude

>>36185677
>Other
Get mad. There's shit you do and don't do. Laughing at an acquaintances past funtimes is less than cool, doing it to an acquaintance who has just as much blood on their hands as yours is a Bad Idea (TM), even if they are as socially competent as a wet rag. If they don't take it seriously, demand to get out. You're a grown ass woman, you can find something to pass the time on your own.

Plus fuck Wendy, stage tech was fun as shit. Stuck up knob.

>>36185887
getting mad at them is fine but thats a bit of an overreaction

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>>36185887
>Michelle growing a pair of balls

How exciting. We'll see how/if the vote goes, since the two are closer to diametrically opposed than not.

>>36185677
I'll back getting mad, but super rage-mode seems fairly OOC at this point.

>>36185956
I missed a good few due to life, but going from occasional spaghetti operator with issues to whipping girl seems just as odd.

Plus, everyone has breaking points. If Michelle is willing to speak up about a subject prior to being military, it seems like it has some kind of importance, even if it was just something fun as a kid. Having that mocked can fuck with someone hardcore.

>>36186004
>but super rage-mode seems fairly OOC at this point.
yeah, tone it down and I'll change from cry and spaghetti to that

>>36186004
I think it's almost a certainty that Michelle get get real, real mad.

What I don't know is when, or if tonight's the night it Happens.

>>36186084
I was more aiming for "You guys fucking suck, I'm going home" with a dash of bitterness over being mocked than fully blown grog rage. Which seems like a pretty reasonable reaction for someone in that position, but hey, das' just me.

>>36186238
that's still a large overreaction, they invited us along for this, sure be a bit salty about it but stomping out like a 5 yr old taking his ball and going home? thats just stupid and right now really overblowing it

>>36186345
Guess I'm more thinking about the sum total of things. Still not fully caught up, but Wendy hasn't exactly been the most pleasant or supportive person in the world.

Though admittedly demanding to stop the car and fuck off may be a bit of an overreaction just this moment.
Maybe instead of full mad, get defensive over it. Stage tech is baller as fuck after all. Snooty bitch ain't know what she missed and all the work that goes into making a good set, proper lighting and all that jazz.

>>36186436
>but Wendy hasn't exactly been the most pleasant or supportive person in the world.
True, but she's been significantly less of a cunt since the shopping trip when we did storm out on her after she was a cunt

>>36186462
Fair 'nuff. Backing down to defensive over fun pastime. Maybe school them on some of the ins and outs of proper stagecraft and show that we actually know something beyond what they expect.

When Michelle said "Well, not exactly..." in my head it was more like Michelle was the perpetual third-or-fourth-study, rather than on tech or crewing.

Everyone seems pretty solid up for crewing, but I'd like to just double check that everyone's (majority) on board before I make stuff canon.

>>36186674
I got no idea about anything in drama class, never did it, so I don't really mind

>>36186674
Ah shit. I assumed crew seeing as it does tend to attract spooky kids and the less socially competent. People that want to be a part of something but not necessarily be in the spotlight.

That and depending on your school and teacher it could include crash courses in coercion and intimidation with a baseball bat, which is always a plus.

Finished the batch of homework I was working on, going to start writing.

How the hell to fit everything together...

>>36186998
You can do it!

>>36186998
In and out cleaning for a while, but you got it mang.

So I'm here writing and chugging along but now I'm stuck.

Did you guys want Michelle to snap/lash back at Wendy and Skyler, or generally be hurtful, or just be vulgarly defensive about it?

I don't want to go too far off what I think the write ins/intent were, but it'd be interesting narratively if Michelle started to get nasty and mean. (ie, calling Skyler a stupid fucking junkie and Wendy a useless shit for brained whore or something vis a vis "assholes. fuck you guys.")

>>36187389
I think a small snap/lash back and generally hurtful works

>>36187389
Some kind of compromise would prolly be best. Something that wouldn't kill the flow but would also establish Michelle as getting tired of certain shit for a reason, rather than straight up petulant kid. Character development and all that.

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>>36185677

You clench your hands into fists and bang them against your thighs and say, “Assholes. You guys are such fucking assholes. Fuck you both. You two have big fucking mouths for a fucking strung out junkie and a coked out whore.”

Skyler and Wendy stop laughing almost instantly and look back at you. They don’t seem amused anymore.

Wendy says, “What was that?”

“You fucking heard me.”

“Refresh my memory.”

You’re not sure you should but you think you might be in too deep to try to get out of it...and Wendy and Skyler have been mean to you a lot. Maybe it’s about time. Y

“I want to know if you can do anything other than cry like a little bitch all the time.”

Oh, fuck her. Fuck off, Wendy.

“I said you’ve got a big mouth for a fucking shit for brained, coked out cartel cumdumpster Wendy. And, for the record, I was an understudy and I also helped crew. So fuck you.”

Wendy’s face runs through a series of emotions, but you lose focus by Sklyer going “OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” from his seat.

“Oh shut up. You just hide behind being zen or whatever because you’re a coward and are too afraid to stand up to Wendy. You’ve got a bigger pussy than me.”

Wendy looks smug. Mad? You’re not sure. She’s got violence in her eyes but you’re not sure if it’s for you or someone else, somewhere else.

It kind of reminds you of when videos when sharks smell chum or blood.

Wendy looks over to Skyler, who himself doesn’t look pleased, and says, “So, Michelle has balls. And a tongue.”

She pulls at the fabric of her dress so she can spin around some in her seat and looks at you squarely in the eyes.

You feel uncomfortable and your eyes begin to slide off her face when her arm reaches past her seat and grabs your face, her palm underneath your chin, and she forces your head back into position so she can stare at you.

>[1/2]

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>>36188646

You try to wiggle out but she’s got a good grip on you somehow.

“You make eye contact when you talk shit, Michelle.”

You’re starting to think you’ve made a mistake and should have just taken it like usual.

You haven’t seen Wendy smile like this before. Or..exactly like it. It seems similar to the times when you do something and it makes her smile her cannibal smile. But this is to that what ibuprofen is to morphine, and you would know because you’ve had a lot of both.

It’s feral and you haven’t noticed before but at this distance it looks like all her teeth are sharper than they should be and in her eyes there’s a hard but not entirely cold light but she also doesn’t seem that mad. It’s more like she’s...excit-

...Oh. Oh, no. You know this face. This is the face the tier ones made when they got new stuff, or were put on a new campaign, or the face all the boys got in high school when they heard something embarrassing about one of their friends.

That’s the face of someone who just got a new toy that they don’t intend to keep for long.

Wendy just watches you. Are you that obvious?

You start feeling a little panicky and your forehead begins to feel hot.

Skyler has his earbuds back in and is firmly ignoring what’s going on. Is he punishing you?

He hasn’t stopped the car.

Wendy grins with all her teeth and lets you go. She pats your cheek delicately and says, “We’re seeing Die Verwandlung.”

“The...whats?”

You feel frightened.
Wendy looks contemplative for a very, very brief moment, “You know what Die means? Hm. The Metamorphosis.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

She doesn’t reply as she turns back around in her seat. They seem content to return to their own private, inner worlds.

>Say or do something
>That was pretty intense you earned a rest
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>[2/2]

>>36188713
>That was pretty intense you earned a rest

one day we're going to come home and find Wendy strapped to a table held in place by Karan as Karan intimidates the crap out of Wendy, and we're just going to give her that exact same look.

>>36188713
>That was pretty intense you earned a rest
And try to process what the hell just happened.

>>36188778
Karan likes Wendy a lot more than she likes Michelle, though.

In the immediate, anyways. It's not impossible that Michelle could force Karan to respect her, but...that doesn't seem likely given Michelle's essence of character.

>>36188837
Just wait until we research how to modify Karan's parameters and inject some friendly code into her to respect us

>>36188713
Well that worked out well from my really idea. Good job improvising guys.

My vote: apologize a LITTLE, citing "nobody respects the roadies n stage crew, like ever, and you guys were being bigger dicks than usual." Do that whenever we retreat to spaghetti castle.

>>36188778 here
seconding >>36188960 before retreating into our cavern of isolation

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>>36188960
>spaghetti castle

>>36188960
Sounds good, though maybe not full spaghetti castle mode. Maybe start mumbling about set design and how proper lighting makes all the difference between a memorable performance and a mess.

>>36189203
Nice touch!

God this forest "stealth," mission is some real fucking horseshit. Fucking Ty and his fucking automatic rifle.

Going back to writing. Fucking Ty. Fucking Alicia's gimpy AP pool.

>>36190226
That's what you get for taking a break!
I'm off for the day so hope this goes well.

>>36190495
I don't know if "well," is the word for Wetwork Idols, but it certainly goes places.

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>>36188713

You try to process what happened but you’re not really sure what just did.

You mumble about lightning at them but they don’t care, don’t hear you, or both, and you’re left talking to yourself as you work through becoming one of Wendy’s new objects of fixation.

You...don’t feel good. You think maybe just them being mad would have been enough. Something far worse has happened now.

Your head hurts.

You mumble one last “Dicks,” before leaning your head and shoulders against the door and window of the car.

That was pretty intense. You need a rest, and retreat inwards. Maybe you should get a pair of earbuds, or headphones, to keep in your purse like Wendy does.

>Do or say something
>Idly watch the city go by before you
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36190606
>Idly watch the city go by before you

>>36190606
>Idly watch the city go by before you
Sure!

>>36190694
Works for me.

the next update is scheduled 'whenever I beat this fucking horseshit mission and use Ty's skull as a sippy cup.'

>>36191755
Dear fuck, finally. Writing.

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>>36190606

You idly watch the city go by. You keep track with your phone, and it’s thirty five minutes at somewhere between 35 and 55 miles per hour and the only thing you saw was city. Does it ever end?

The sky is clear but you can’t see any stars there are so many lights on so many buildings in the air. You catch fleeting glimpses of the moon in between skyscrapers and you wonder just how truly vast Echo City is.

You feel small, as you look around and see thousands of other cars and a thousand more other people although, in your smallness, you feel safe. It would very hard for someone to find a certain Michelle Odette St. Claire unless Michelle Odette St. Claire gave cause and clues.

You can keep your head down. Right?

Skyler pulls you away from your imagination by coming to a stop. “We’re here. Git.”

He hands a wad of bills from a pocket to a young man in a red uniform in exchange for a small chip, and he holds the door for Skyler and waits for you and Wendy to exit before getting in and driving the car towards a parking structure.

Once the car pulls away you’re left in front of a large, glossy black building. Banners hang off the front and many steps from street level to its entrance, a pair of large, polished but dark steel colored doors.

Skyler and Wendy start walking towards and up them, and you hurry to catch up.

You do your best on the stairs. At least there’s railing. You avoid destroying your shoes or your body further, and successfully pass through the large doors which swing open smoothly and nearly silently.

They displace a lot of air.

The interior is dimly lit with running lights in the moldings, with dark stone tile floors.

Wendy and Skyler look at you expectantly, clearly anticipating disappoint, and Wendy says, “Do you need to do anything before we clear the security booth and get our passes and seats?”

>Yes (What?)
>No, I’m good
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>Kind of lied a lot I played more VC before writing

>>36193522
>No, I’m good

>>36193522
>No, I’m good

bump

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“No, I’m good.”

They’re clearly sceptical, but they want to believe so they accept it. They start walking down what feels like a maze of corridors and hallways, and you pull your coat over you tighter. They sure keep it cold in here.

They must be really powerful spotlights if they have to keep the entire building this climate controlled.

The security booth is more like a security checkpoint, but unlike the ones you both went through and operated, these seem to be invasive, efficient, and clean.

That doesn’t feel natural at all.

They have the checkpoints segregated by gender (???) so you follow Wendy and Skyler bears slightly left to the line of men. Each station has a big scanner and a pair of operators, and it looks like there’s a blue room for if they need to beat someone off camera, you guess.

It was easy there. If anyone walked out injured you could just blame it on someone else and unless someone was hard up to get you in trouble nobody cared. They should’ve called it something other than “Hearts and Minds,” with the way the security was. It was always fun(ny) to use the hose, though, and the kids loved it in the summer. Less so in the winter.

Your daydreaming removes you from the real world long enough to bump into Wendy, although since you’re in heels you ended up slightly smashing your nose against her hair and skull.

She looks at you pointedly and you quickly apologize because you’re still not sure if you’re just food to Wendy or if she recognizes your status as a person.

She takes off her coat and hands it to a well dressed, although not very pretty woman wearing blue gloves, and puts her phone in a small plastic tray and she walks through a large, rectangular machine. MAD? X-Ray? Maybe it’s a combination. You think Wendy or Skyler said that this play was produced by people from your company, and as far as you can tell your company has a LOT of money.

>[1/2]

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>>36196974

It’d look pretty bad if someone (lots of someones) were murdered at a play. Or maybe this is just where the important people like to go.

You shrug internally as you hand over your coat and phone and walk through the scanner. On the other side the other woman working the gate holds out a small pad and asks for your employment RFID, which causes a second or two of panic until you remember that it’s right there in your right hand. The machine beeps and the woman seems satisfied, and you’re handed back your coat and phone.

Skyler seems to have been waiting for thirty seconds, and he’s swiping through his phone, his face covered in a bright pink glow from the screen. He powers down the screen and puts the phone away.

He points at a large screen mounted on the wall and says, “Our theater isn’t scheduled to start admitting for another ten minutes. Anybody want to get a drink?”

>Yes, please give alcohol
>No thanks…
>Spaghetti Hard 3: Spaghetti’s For Dinner
>Other

>>36196997
>Yes, please give alcohol
Hell of a time so far, may as well wind down a bit. Also try and see if there's any information on the show you're seeing.

>>36196997
>Yes, please give alcohol
but nothing hard, just something we can nurse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUoyo1QNlpY

This anons needs to get some sleep now, thanks for the thread so far OP

>>36197881
Catch you 'round.

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>>36196997

“Yes. Please put alcohol into my mouth.”

Wendy looks sick to her stomach as she follows Skyler down a hallway and around a corner, where part of the building has been turned into what looks like a really nice bar.

You haven’t been in (m)any so your ability to judge is limited. It seems nice, though. It has a lot of black wood and glossy black leather, and that’s what nice things look like right?

Wendy gives Skyler her drink order (she’s very specific about how he wants to tell the bartender to make sure her glass is FULL) and Skyler looks at you, waiting for yours.

>Uh oh, time for another meaningless but essential choice Michelle! Better not waste too much of Skyler’s time deliberating internally.

You kids keep the thread up, I'll keep posting. Chances are I'll just keep hammering out updates until we hit the bump limit. I feel like experimenting this month.

>>36198704
>Uh oh, time for another meaningless but essential choice Michelle! Better not waste too much of Skyler’s time deliberating internally.
Two options always win.
"I'll have what she's having." or "Surprise me." Either one is bound to be a barrel of fun.

Also shit, yeah I'm out for the night. 5am. Catch you later today mang.

>>36198704
Hmmm, I like Surprise Me. Sure!

>>36198704
Can't we get, y'know, a simple beer? Come on guys, we may have been in the military but we should know how to order drinks for ourselves. There is such a thing as going on leave for a day to hit a local bar. We can order a beer, no need to rely on Wendy for everything.

>>36198704
I kinda want us to just get a beer or something. Nothing too complicated, it's not like we know anything about fancier drinks anyway.

>>36198704
Here, have a bump. Also we need to order a drink. Maybe a beer or a glass of wine, or something. Something that won't get us blitzed off our asses.

Bump!

>>36202931
There was this one time, at Bump camp, I shoved a Bump up my Bump.

>>36202931
>>36203351
I bump you sir's!

Buuuuuuup.

Is OP ever coming back? :(

>>36205001
Probably not for another 2 - 4 hours.

>>36205221
Oh well. Fair enough.

>>36205001
Always bet on OPFOR.

The theme of this thread is "Slow your roll," and my roll has very much been slowed.

I like the pacing.

So guys, I was hoping to start a bit of discussion. We really need to start working on Michelle's retardation, and try to fix it. Or at least start picking the less retarded options we get given, so we can actually move along and do things. For a number of threads there have been times we should clearly be doing something, or running some errand, and we stop to do something retarded that in no way benefits us, gets us yelled at, or makes us cry like a child.

We really need to do something about this, our co-workers will never respect us at this rate beyond "That retard we have to take care of." I mean, I get it, brain damage can fuck you up, but some of the players seem to forget we joined the Army at 17. 17! We should not be so socially retarded that we can't even buy CLOTHES by ourselves anymore, without seeking the approval of Wendy. We lived in this society long enough to have a favourite band, to go to school, to make friends, etc etc. We may have forgotten some things, brain damage can do that to you, but not get rid of everything to the point we're a child again learning everything for the first time.

I'm just hoping we can discuss how to make us... Get past this phase, I guess? To actually be a person again who doesn't need Mommy Wendy to look after us every minute of the day?

>>36206725
>brain damage can do that to you, but not get rid of everything to the point we're a child again learning everything for the first time.
It can make you a literal vegetable, it sure can do this. Though it's a bit exaggerated at times.

>>36207026
The main problem I have with it is when everything suddenly grinds to a halt to do something retarded... Like the vomiting attack we had a few threads ago, we just kept vomiting everywhere for no particular reason, even after it stopped being funny.

We also have clear memories of doing things in the army, and we even knew we used to do drama in school. Yet we can't figure out how to buy clothes for ourselves. That's the kinds of problems I have with this.

>>36207080
>We also have clear memories of doing things in the army, and we even knew we used to do drama in school. Yet we can't figure out how to buy clothes for ourselves. That's the kinds of problems I have with this.

Job experience and life experience are two, largely separate pools. It's not like you're born knowing what pants to buy anymore than you're born knowing how to weld. Both are skills you have to acquire.

>>36207139
We bought a house on our own. A house is far a bigger deal in my opinion. We didn't need Wendy to buy a house, we knew how to buy a house. Now suddenly we don't understand basic shopping functions. I just want some consistency is all.

I was going to watch my football game and post at halftime but frankly they're disgusting me out there, so I'm writing now once I figure out how and what the votes are.

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>>36198704

For a brief moment you consider saying “Surprise me,” but consider that that’s not an invitation for someone to be thoughtful, but for someone to put goat urine in your thermos.

Wine is safe. Wine hasn’t let you down yet, and it almost killed Wendy so as far as you can tell wine has been your best friend this week.

“Red wine. It doesn’t need to be expensive, and however much they put in the glass is OK.”

You didn’t particularly mean to make a cut at Wendy, but it was so easy…

Skyler’s mouth curls upwards faintly and he walks off towards the bar, leaving you and Wendy at a tall table with tall chairs.

>Wait in silence
>Sit in awkward silence
>Play with your phone
>Spaghetti harder
>Conversate (how so)
>Other

>>36207867
>Conversate.

Ask if she knows of anywhere we can get those little binocular things we can use to see the stage from far away, in case we're sat near the back?

>>36207867
>>36207911
Sure! It's a good idea.

>>36206725
I'm all for this

>>36207867
>>36207911
this

>>36207911
this is stupid..
Keep mouth shut and wait

>>36208341
How is it stupid?

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>>36207867

You carefully climb up on the chair and ensure that everything is covered the way it’s supposed to be and say, “Do you know where I can get those tiny binoculars? In case we’re in the back and I can’t see.”

Wendy looks at you very seriously, before starting to laugh so loud that some of the other people in nearby tables and booths start looking at her, and by proximity, you. She tries to clamp it down but ends up banging the table with a fist a few times before she can regain composure.

She looks at you again, still very seriously, and says, “Good one. Maybe you’re not such a useless whore.”

You force a smile and try to be cool and say, “Y-yeah. T-totally. Just kidding.”

You hope she buys it, but thankfully Skyler returns back before she can get into it. He’s tailed by a waiter carrying a tray with two glasses of wine and a small, squat glass which you guess is Skyler’s.

He sets them carefully on the table in front of their owners and walks away.

Skyler sits down and picks up his glass, casually examining and smelling it before saying, “A toast?”

Wendy groans.

He looks at you.

>Sure (to what?)
>Maybe not…
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36208650
>Sure.

To new friends, I guess?

Also wow Wendy, way to be a bitch about a legit question.

>>36208650
>>36208673
may as well and add in to making it alive through another day on the job

>>36208673
It was going to be worse, but an Anon voted against it so I tried to compromise and have Michelle (try to) play it off as a joke after Wendy laughed.

>>36208650
>that pic
Every time I see it it reaffirms my desire to see Michelle own a pet shark or killer whale that's been genetically enhanced to be loyal and friendly to us.

>>36208753
Still, way to be a bitch Wendy, that was uncalled for.

>>36208650
Umm.. Sure

>>36208738
Yeah, might as well add that too I guess.

>>36208791
Wendy's character is essentially a barely-mitigated ur-asshole.

She's in the DMZ between full neo-feral devotee of Khorne and tolerably-adjusted citizen.

Personally I'm hoping Michelle will get Wendy back on the rock and I can finally use these Black Crusade character sheets I've had ready for the last six months as I reveal that we're in the Screaming Vortex.

>>36208884
Works for me, I guess. I'm tempted to have a very long and detailed "talk" at her about this. I don't think her attitude helps us at all in our recovery of brain damage. In fact I think she's made us cry more times in the past few days than the brain damage would of without her.

>>36208884
(I got carried away, the implication was if both Wendy and Michelle survive enough you could eventually mold her into a tolerable human being. Or you could not. I'm just here to entertain and be entertained.)

>>36208944
we are going to survive and mold the shit out of her

>>36208944
We're going to mold her so hard.

>>36208944
So... When's the next post?

>>36209909
They call me Mr. Slowly for a reason.

Soon, though. I had to go take a shit and some other, general could-be-ADD-could-be-OPFOR-has-a-childlike-attention-span-that's-unconducive-to-running-quests.

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>>36208650

“To staying alive? Day number five and we’re all still here. And to friends. I’m still not sure if I’m happy I met you two, but...thanks.”

You raise your glass, and they reciprocate and touch theirs together and to yours.

“Cheers. I didn’t know you could form sentences that long.”

Skyler rolls his eyes and takes a drink. “Has it really been a week already?”

You nod, and he puts down his drink and rubs at his face. You’ve never really been in a position to notice it before now, but his face looks...unusually smooth. Does he do something? Or maybe he had something done…

He paws at his cheekbones and jawline and says, “Every week is a long week. Rumor is that there’s a bonus or something for six months, but nobody who's been longer than that will tell me.”

“Aren’t you past six months? I thought Wendy said you were at six and she was at three.”

“Not yet. Hmm…”

He pulls out his phone and starts quickly tapping, typing, and swiping through it for a few seconds until he finds what he wants and says, “Four more days until the big day. I hope it’s something good.”

Wendy says, “You know it won’t be.”

Skyler says, with a very far away look, “I know.”

He takes a sad looking sip from his glass.

>You should totally lighten the mood somehow (how?)
>Sit silently until it’s time for the show
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36210412
>You should totally lighten the mood somehow (how?)
So how often does the company put on events like this for us?

>>36210452
I kinda like that question, lets ask it.

>>36210412
>Sit silently until it’s time for the show
Time to sleep, thanks for running!

>>36211123
See you tomorrow, and all the other days until 300 posts.

>>36211047
>>36210452
I would have gone with Silent, but this is actually not complete spaghetti or inappropriate to the situation

this studying stuff is a real pain in my ass. At least it's almost over.

Writing now.

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>>36210412

“So how often does the company do this?”

“Do...what, exactly?”

You sort of wave a hand around, but it doesn’t seem to translate well since Skyler says, “Service packages? There’s one every six months, I think.”

“No, I mean…”

You use both hands and try to encompass more of everything.

“Oh. Like, the play and this building and stuff?”

You nod a few times.

“All the time. This isn’t an employee-only event. The company always has plays or performances or something going on. That’s one of the ways they make money. We get tickets for cheap or free, though.”

“Oh. Do the...actors...have their own guards?”

Skyler looks unsure, and looks at Wendy as if somehow she knows more than he does.

She says over the rim of her glass, “Why are you both looking at me? He’s the one who socializes with all them anyways, he’d be the one.”

The two of you just wait her out, and after a second she gives up and keeps talking. “Fine. Assholes. There’s a lot less money in dramas and dance and performances than there is for music or trids or flats so it isn’t as violently competitive as other markets. The PR cost of shooting down a ballet dancer or a dramatic actor never, ever earns its money back unless someone’s really rocking the boat somehow.”

“Less money for a lifestyle that’s just about as rough but at least it’s safer, I guess.”

She shrugs, “Best is just a regular recording musician. Nobody ever has them killed, especially if they’re repped by a big firm or if they’re popular.”

>[1/2]

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>>36213758

“Then why do we...you know…”

“What, our “clients,” and job?”

You nod.

Wendy shrugs again, “I don’t know. The only really good answer I have is people like seeing girls get hurt and killed. Why else is there so much money?”

“Then...why do we protect them? If they’re that disposable wouldn’t it save everyone a lot of money if they were just thrown away?”

Skyler says, “They still represent value, and you never know which one could get really popular. It’s more than just the music, they sell a whole lifestyle. They’re tiny little brands, and sometimes those brands can get really big so you want to keep them safe.”

You try to wrap your head around this.

“So I only have a job because someone somewhere might be famous eventually.”

Skyler looks contemplatively at you, “Sounds about right.”

“And we go out to the...job site...on the off chance that they might be the one to get popular, and not ours.”

“Sounds right.”

“This sucks.”

Wendy points at Skyler and grins and says, “Now she’s getting it.”

You rub your head. Trying to process this is giving you a headache.

>Continue talking (about?)
>Attempt to process in quiet contemplation
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>[2/2]

>>36213780
>Continue talking (about?)
"So Wendy, you said a pet shark would be stupid, but what about a pet Killer Whale?"

>>36213780
>Attempt to process in quiet contemplation

bump

>>36216336
I wasn't gone for THAT long...

Back now, though, and writing soon.

“So, Wendy, you said a pet shark would be stupid but what about a pet killer whale?”

She looks over her glass again and glares at you until you’re quiet.

You sit quietly and look at your wine and phone for a few minutes until one of the TVs in the bar area suddenly change, and big instructions pop up saying that the doors have opened for Die ...somethingsomething. The play you’re seeing.

Wendy and Skyler notice, and then follow, your gaze and they read it quickly.

It’s interesting watching how the eye moves when reading.

Wendy makes sure her glass is dry, although Skyler seems content to leave some left in his. They wait for you, and begin walking deeper into the maze.

Since you already passed security the most inconvenient thing you have to do is wait in a small line at a pair of black, double doors with gold handles. Another young man in the same red uniform as the one who took Skyler’s car is swiping people (RFIDs?) and directing them to their seats. He seems to be doing a good job, because the line moves quickly.

You wave your hand past his reader and he looks at the information displayed on his portion of the device. He quickly and silently pulls open the door for you, Wendy, and Skyler and he addresses the three of you as a group, “Your box is ready for you above. Please head directly to your left, following the lights, and then take the elevator up above. Someone will greet you there and show you to your box.”

Skyler and Wendy look very cool when nodding at the man so you do your best to be cool too, and then step through the doors.

...Wow. This is a really big theater. Like...really big.

You thought the one or two USO performances were big, the ones where the maybe thousand people on the FOB all piled into one area. You’re pretty sure just the bottom section was a thousand people by itself. Five thousand total?

It’s hard to tell.

“Will this fill up?”

>[1/2]

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>>36217929

Wendy says, “Probably, maybe maybe. The first few nights it was at capacity, but every show begins to lose patronage as the run goes on. I think we’re a few days into the cycle, so it could go either way.”

“...Wow.”

You take an elevator car made out of plate glass and stainless steel up a level, as directed, and a pretty woman in the same uniform walks the three of you to your box. She holds the door open for you

“If you need anything, please use one of the computers.”

She closes the door behind her.

The box is more like most of a box, because there’s no wall or glass seperating you from the rest of the theater, but there are three walls. The room is clearly quite nice, and three very large, comfortable looking chairs have been placed side by side by side facing the stage. Each one has a pair of nice looking headphones plugged into it as well.

Wendy and Skyler sit down, and Wendy is back on one of the small tablets quickly tapping and swiping at things.

More wine, probably.

Skyler says, “The play is in German, but it’ll be translated live over the headphones. Use them if you need them, I guess. If you have any more questions, ask Wendy and leave me alone. I haven’t seen this before but I’ve heard a lot about it.”

He pulls off his coat and hangs it on the back of the chair on a hook that must have been specifically made to hold coats, and sits down and gets comfy.

You do the same. It takes a bit to get the seat, the headphones, and your hair adjusted so everything is comfortable, but once you do everything is...nice.

You should do this more often, maybe, as you listen to what might as well be white noise over the headphones.

Eventually the lights dim and a voice announces that the play is beginning, and you look down at the stage and watch.

>[2/2]
>Will post a continuation w/ prompts later after more homework/studying and Brooklyn 99

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>>36217941
You watch, transfixed, for a long time. You need to keep the headphones on because the only German you still remember isn’t enough to even form a sentence by your standards.

You try your best to understand, but so much of it confuses you. Most if, really.

You rub your forehead with both hands after appluading for the cast and taking off your headphones.

“I don’t think I got any of that.”

At least you’re not alone, because Skyler doesn’t seem to know what he just watched either.

“I’m pretty sure I should’ve just listened to it in German without the translation.”

Wendy says, “You two are fucking retards. Am I the only one who went to school?”

“I’m surrounded by imbeciles…”

Skyler’s the one to get there first and says, “Whatever, bitch.”

He looks at his phone and says, “It’s still fairly early, what now?”

>I just want to go home
>How about… (suggest something)
>I’m fine with whatever
>Jabber about The Metamorphosis
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>Last post for tonight. School night and stuff. I'll be back tomorrow and all the days until we autosage off the board.

>>36218628

So I'm liking this new long-play format a lot. I feel it's a lot more relaxing and enjoyable for me, since it means I don't have to try to compress everything (my life, the quest, etc) in one single 8 to 12 hour span.

I get to cover a lot more dialog than we otherwise can, and I feel that everything just gets done to a better degree of quality.

It also seems like we get people who can't or don't usually post posting, so that's cool too.

In summary, this might become the new standard for Wetwork Idols. I'll think about it, but I feel good about how we're going so far. A new schedule will probably look like a thread is started sometime on Friday, and then continues until we hit 300, and then I take a week or two off, and then we do it again, and so on and so forth. We should be able to create a lot more content together this way, more coherently.

This turned into quite the (unintentioned) manifesto. Reply with any questions or comments or whatever, since I'll be around for another hour or so.

>>36218628
>I’m fine with whatever

>>36218728
This format does seem to work pretty well for us, I say stick with it if you like it.

>>36218762
Really, my only concern at this point is I feel like a real asshole having the thread bumped during the night.

Although, frankly, if that's the biggest worry that exists then I'd say we're probably looking allright.

Another problem I have is I don't have many quest images...I start running out of images to post pretty quick. I need to find more appropriate art assets to rip off.

>>36218628
>I’m fine with whatever

>>36218806

Well, we can always stimulate a little conversation.

I just got through with the archive (I didn't realize regular readership was quite so small, otherwise I might have started tracking sooner), and is it just me or did Karan get really bitchy all of a sudden? Like, In the archived threads, she's actually super talky, but she was real short over the phone.

Am I crazy, Is this something we should be paying attention to, is this just "I haven't run in like a month I'm trying to get back the voices of some of the characters"...?

>>36219385
>and is it just me or did Karan get really bitchy all of a sudden?
no it ain't just you, she did seem a bit turbo bitch all of a sudden

>Am I crazy, Is this something we should be paying attention to, is this just "I haven't run in like a month I'm trying to get back the voices of some of the characters"...?
I think it might be a bit of both

>>36219385
Was it? Hmm. I knew it was snappier than usual but I didn't think it was that much of an escalation.

Chalk it up to me not remembering what I'm doing (although that implies that I ever know what I'm doing, which is most certainly not the case, now, then, or in the future).

Characters will get more consistent once, well, threads become more consistent.

>>36219469
the whole confrontational 'meantbag' line was a pretty big escalation

>>36219514
I just control-F'd this thread and I haven't had Karan call Michelle a meatbag, just an insect.

Can you copy paste or link the specific conversation?

As for Karan's overall character, I mean, there's a reason I like using fanart of SHODAN.

>>36219551
it was more how she acted like HK47, very much offensive and really pushing Michelle's 'inferiority'

>>36219626
Oh, yeah. I thought I've been doing that the whole time.

Karan considers herself orders of magnitude more sophisticated than Michelle.

>>36218628
>I’m fine with whatever
They've gotta' know some places and it couldn't hurt to actually be around people a bit more outside of work or stumbling over basic tasks.

>>36218806
And not for nothin', but it couldn't hurt to check the future section in this out, the character art threads and the cyberpunk general when it comes up. There are probably threads for it on SA or rpg.net too, but that's at your own risk.
http://ohrin.minus.com/uploads

>>36219551
>>36219626

She was very dismissive and demeaning, talking about how Michelle "disgusted" her, and so on. She was weirdly enjoying Michelle's suffering before (commenting on how her not being stressed out seemed wrong somehow) but never was actively like "I hate you, plz die inferior hoo-man". Before in conversation, she actually really seemed to enjoy having someone to blather uselessly all the information she has access to at. Though, Karan's never said "I'm busy" before, maybe she just doesn't like people, even technical owner human people, to bug her when she's working.

Hey, how smart is Karan? Is she a Weak AI (like the actual Muses and AIs from Eclipse Phase) or is she a Strong AI, capable of proper self improvement and like, real personality and junk?

>>36219674
she's had a sort of snobby air about her, like a noble addressing a peasant, but she's never been that insulting or offensive and confrontational about it before

>>36219677
>Going to rpg.net, paying for SA

C'mon, I know I run a quest so I'm already a faggot and a retard, but I'm not rpg.net levels of either.

>>36219694
I'm not saying post or contribute to rpg.net, I'm saying leech usable content. You know, up and up stuff.
And fucking lowtax. Thread was on open view last time I looked. On the bright side, looks like at least some of it's hosted on here. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/10977592816686518/

>>36219690
Yeah, that's sounding like me mostly fucking up.

Although, I mean, I did preface the entire conversation with her saying "I'm busy."

I forget if I actually had a point or a plan to go with it, but it's hardly unreasonable to assume that an AI would simply sit idle waiting for something to happen. Especially one as...opinionated, as Karan.

As for relative sophistication of Karan as an AI... I really don't know, yet. She's obviously very intelligent, both in terms of factual knowledge and the existence of feelings, but I don't know where she stands.

We (I) haven't really explored AIs much. I think so far Karan is the only one we've interacted with.

There could be more. Could just be Karan.

How much of the setting I create literally depends on how much of the setting Michelle & Pals interact with.

If it's not obvious I like actually having the chance to discuss the quest/setting/characters.

>>36219746
I want a pet Killer Whale to keep in the lake that has it's own friendly AI, and it can talk to and bicker with Karan

>>36219746

Well, she's very sophisticated, either way. I'd lean towards "Strong AI", since she seems to form actual personal opinions which aren't part of a complex series of sliders (I mean, unless some thing about Michelle's personality says "I want to be demoralized and bossed around by my house", which I guess I could see). Though, since, after a certain point, that does raise a question that sufficient learning system are basically people (just, y'know, without squishy people wants and needs), which calls into question the ethics of owning her and giving her orders. Though, I suppose paying the power bills and not taking a fire-axe to her CPU could be seen as compensation.

IIRC, Michelle wasn't completely clueless about the concepts of muses, and the Realtor talked about it like it was a not-uncommon thing, so I'd assume there are probably more system. Karan seems... eccentric, though. If she's just a computer, we might consider telling her to fuck off before we call the warranty number about trying to poison us. If she's a person, we'll have to add her to the list of "people we need to be able to mutually interact with like human beings". Maybe find something she likes to do and have her do it. Task Hedonism is cool. So long as that hobby isn't killing meatbags.

Wait, that's what Michelle does for a living. Uh, killing non-profitable meatbags.

>>36219803
I thought I specifically typed something like "I've been jacking shit from every sci-fi franchise I like, and then some."

I just had wicked deja vu because i thought I said that, and it turns out I must've deleted it in an editbox. I think this is what it's like to lose SAN.

Anyways, yeah, I really, really love the EP Muse, and I never had a GM actually roleplay with me as a muse so I decided, fuck those guys. We're also pretty Shadowrun, but those influences have been a bit more subtle so far.

Whether Michelle considers Karan a person or a thing will be up to Michelle (ie, you, the player) since you're almost in total control of Michelle. Sometimes I extended conversation lines or mitigate things written in prompts, but otherwise I think I've done a pretty OK job of ensuring you guys have agency and stay behind the wheel.

Karan's complexity is due to it being a bigger house, and bigger houses mean more money to invest on things like home automation and security.

I hope this all makes sense, I'm doing homework and like nine other things all at once.

>>36219894
It makes sense and has been working well, just gotta remember to be consistent.

>>36219769
That sounds cool.

>>36219916
That's the hard part, isn't it, sticking with the shit you've made.

Aside from some (small?) slips I think I've managed to keep the lid pretty well shut on characterization and continuity. This weekend nonwithstanding. Four weeks is a long time to go back in cold.

>>36219938
Well you'll have more than enough time to get back into the swing of things in this thread, we're only at 166 posts

>>36219894

No, I've got you OP. She has a big brain because it's a big house.

Which logically means a big server rack on the local side we can cut the cables to if she goes full HAL-9000 on us. Probably.

I mean, obviously, we can treat her like a person either way (which I mean, I guess we've extended her some common courtesy) but the point is from an external reference, should we, as kind of a moral imperative sort of thing. This conversation is as much to stimulate and inform the other 12 posters as it is to get information or ideas from you.

I also noticed that some of the cyberpunk references are pretty subtle, as we have yet to open up the Sears-Sarif catalog and compile a shopping list of HSLD augs. Y'know, the thing I think most of the people on /tg/ would do with a lot of blood money in a cyberpunk setting. (Not criticising, just commentating. It's different from what I'd expect, which is fine. We seem to do okay just shooting people with bullets and the one cyber arm). Though, y'know, maybe if we went full Adam Jensen we could get some cognitive enhancers or something and solve the "I was shot inna head" issue like that. Just don't sign any waivers that let the corp stamp a logo into your forehead.

>>36219958
>Just don't sign any waivers that let the corp stamp a logo into your forehead.

Good luck finding a clinic, then. Could be like the chopdoc scene in Elysium if you're not willing to get branded.

You said you just started reading recently, right? Little secret: I try to make this quest as banal and inane as I can, while still trying to keep players interested in playing. That's why some prompts are so loaded to the point of me saying "More meaningless but essential decisions to be made," or why I spent an entire thread copy/pasting images of shoes. We're different folk in Wetwork Idols. I've got my own idea on how I should make players feel miserable in the not-too-distant future.

>>36220011

>You said you just started reading recently, right?

I literally binged your entire archive tonight. As in Sunday night.

>We're different folk in Wetwork Idols.

No, I get that, it's cool. I like it. I like the setting, I like the human interest, I like the character interaction. I like the /tg/ level of agonizing decision-making mixed with /tg/'s love of shopping. Part of why I commented on what seemed like a more sudden shift, now that I'm participating, the character interactions are very important.

Example, on the meta, I'm probably going to keep my "fire axe" solution in mind about the threat of Monoxide poisoning, but with voting I probably wont start taking anywhere with it unless Karan keeps bringing up these little "thoughts". Taking shit from your new friends because it's been a long time since you had friends and not being friends will make obtaining unhealthy amounts of dosh hard is one thing, letting your Thermostat joke about murdering you is something different entirely. I mean, the arm doesn't give us back talk.

>>36220148

>the arm doesn't backsass

Man. Fuck. I didn't even think of that until just now. Imagine how fucking insufferable that little shit would be.

Here's some more backstory on why the quest quests, since I'm talking about it. There was another quest where the players were really pissing me off. they didn't kill nobody, there was never a hard or bad decision they had to make, and everything, despite being "cyberpunk," was just way too annoyingly clean. So I set out to make a quest deliberately designed to make everyone involved, including me, feel like awful people. I think I've strayed from that a little bit, since it's now essentially slice of life with about five minutes of panic and gunfire every other day, but I still try to keep it basically full of stupid decisions that mean nothing, and shitty people doing shitty things and trying to rationalize why they do it. I felt like I did a pretty ok job explaining the cycle of violence today

>inspiring people to binge read

Aww yee. I'm successful.

I like the character interactions too. I like how Wendy manipulates Michelle, I like how Michelle manipulates Wendy, and I like how these two shitty people are trying to co-exist. I like how Skyler hides behind a veneer of Southeast Asian pseudo-Buddhism that's really probably just dressed up heroin nihilism, and I like how Karan just wags her dick around everywhere.

My only regret is only having two hands and one brain. It makes it hard to convincingly write dialog where both Wendy and Skyler are participating. An extra set of both would let me multi-character drift, which would be pretty clutch.

>>36220241
>I think I've strayed from that a little bit, since it's now essentially slice of life with about five minutes of panic and gunfire every other day
I got to say, I honestly prefer that

Going to bed now. Start of my school week, so obviously I'll be gone and not posting for longer than usual.

I'll be around when I'm around, and I'll post when I can post. We'll just do our thing, like we always do.

>>36220283
Being suffering and edgey just to be suffering and edgey would've gotten pretty old pretty quick. I think we've about found our happy place.

>>36220353
>I think we've about found our happy place.
Indeed we have.

I'll try and keep this thread bumped but won't be able to all night, its starting to get late here.

bump

bump

>>36220241
>Imagine how fucking insufferable that little shit would be.

I know, right? Especially since michelle's go-to "I'm bored" move is to pop the claws in and out.

>>36224035
If only I had thought of this sooner.

Oh well. It's not too late for cyberware to start getting hacked or spoofed by enemy riggers.

Bump!

Just got home after class/eating lunch. Post coming forthwith.

>>36206725
>and we stop to do something retarded that in no way benefits us, gets us yelled at, or makes us cry like a child.

This is EXACTLY why I suggested the bit about having a history in drama/theatre earlier in the thread - and i'm glad the op ran wiht it.

The way i see it, like, michelle's need for people is more SOCIAL than mental - and when she starts grasping self-actualization, and being able to walk/recover (figuratively speaking, she DID have a Traumatic Injury) she'll start to grow up when she realizes people wanting to be around her becuase she's interesting gets her further than helping her because they feel sorry/obligated/exasperated/responsible for her.

In this way, snapping and yelling at wendy(stop treating me like a child, ma!) kinda makes sense. Teenage years defered, basically!

But yeah i agree a lot, and it would be interesting to keep growing a pair, and put some character to michelle.

The way i see it, she's hit rock bottom already. Nowhere to go but up!
Frankly, the main danger is picking up bad habits from her friends - which right now consist of Drug User and Shallow Girl - and I mean sure, they have good advice(wendy is a good example - she KNOWS clothes and fashion and people and stuff, but she's also just cynical as fuck, and the vibe i get is 'tries to look pretty to stay relevant because she feels she's spoiling and past her prime) - ie she has a pretty jaded attitude.

Whatever helps you cope in the merc business, really - its just michelle needs a coping method that isn't 'be pathetic'.

Also, I think people just tend to vote for 'lol spaghetti option' because its funny sometimes while also being pathetic, in a 'status quo' way.

And really that's on US to elevate michelle up a notch.
The way to do that is to think of how to CONTRIBUTE story and character elements, keep working them in.

>>36208906
>Works for me, I guess. I'm tempted to have a very long and detailed "talk" at her about this. I don't think her attitude helps us at all in our recovery of brain damage. In fact I think she's made us cry more times in the past few days than the brain damage would of without her.

Remind me - what actual injuries DID we vote for back in the day?
Brain and arm? Or was it arms and back? I remember there being a tiebreaker

>>36232159

It was Brain that won out, Michelle was shot in the head. If it had been arm, she'd have two cyber arms.

Michelle seems to have a decent number of injuries, but Brain was the one that won the vote.

>>36232159
Off hand, it was getting brained, something about an IED, and two or three other choices that I forget.

The cyberarm was going to be there regardless of choice, but I think >>36232299 is right and saying there could've been two arms.

Man, to think I started this thing back in June or July.

>>36232393

Somebody can go back to the archives and check but I believe the initial vote was between Brain, Spine, Arm and Knee.

Then later Wendy pointed out some nasty scar on Michelle's torso somewhere I think, which was from a... T-72 Tank, I think? There may also be other injures I don't remember which were from an IED. Maybe the arm?

Not counting Schrodinger's injuries that haven't come up in the narrative yet. To say nothing of the injuries we're very likely to receive with such low dice pools using ORE and only an armored torso typically. Plus with all the near future guns we're using, the enemy could easily get some pen out of it.

>>36232591
I think this is the relevant passage:

“You’re pretty fucked up, Michelle. If you ever go outside without sleeves make sure you conceal the shit out everything. Anyways.”

She traces a line starting from a bit below her neck and drags it down and across her collarbone towards her chest.

“Shrapnel?”

You nod.

“From what?”

>IED + lead vehicle = :(
>Fragged while breaching and clearing
>Mortar
>T-72
>Spaghetti harder
>Panic
>Other

“A T-72 did it somewhere in Kurdistan. It’s pretty blurry. It must’ve been a training round, I guess, since their HE or HEF rounds basically turns like hundred or whatever feet into jam and I’m still here, so…”

you trail off.

“Jesus Christ. Maybe you’re not such a pussy after all. I’ve seen people cry after doing a rail of coke whining about how it got in their nose.”

She adds very quickly, “...not recently, of course.”

She smiles, but it doesn’t seem to be directed at you in particular.

whatever…

>>36232645

So, to recap. At minimum, Michelle has
(1) Literally been shot in the head, and lived
and
(2) Literally been shot by a tank, and lived

and quite probably somewhere along the way was within the blast of an IED, and lived.

>>36232757
It's actually not all that uncommon. 800 yards even x54r has lost a lot of energy. Add in ballistic protection and odds start looking not so bad.

As for the tank, Marines inna Fallujah and elsewhere use training rounds out of Abrams to bring buildings down. Less collateral than loading HE or HEF or something.

It's more likely that Michelle was in cover or inside some sort of building that was then brought down around her, as she's infantry and not tanks.

>>36232911

True, but I phrased it deliberately as a bit of a confidence booster. Michelle has definitely seen some tough shit, and also seems to have taken more combat damage and still be walking and (mostly) talking than her teammates/friends. Another reason to maybe have a little more backbone. Someday. Which would be a great joke if we'd taken the Spinal injury.

>>36233127
>Back. Charlie in the tree launched a RPG. Good news - it was a dud. RPG-2 replicas have that reputation. Bad news - it was still moving fast enough to put your spine and nerves in places they don’t usually go. The medics and first line surgeons managed to put all the pieces back where they go, but it’s never been the same.

Michelle would be pretty spineless. We could've had fun with that. I've still been able to make a few decent "I'm not stupid I was just hit in the head," jokes at least.

The claws….yeah, you’ve got claws. You didn’t know it at the time, but a new augmetic arm from a SBIR contract had entered phase 3 and that meant live tests. You have to admit, compared to what you could’ve gotten this arm feels great. Hardly any loss of sensation, the strength scales well and, oh yeah, YOU’VE GOT FUCKIN’ CLAWS.

The claws pop out and you place one of their tips delicately on your forehead right where it hurts and apply just a hint of pressure. You’re not sure why this works, but after getting discharged and sent to Bethesda the pain was so bad you tried to dig it out with a pen.

Well, luckily for you you didn’t end up scooping your brains out with a melon baller, but you did notice that some pressure at a fine point actually did help.
You spin it in place a few tim- OH WHO THE FUCK IS THAT. You drag your hand back and take three inches of your forehead with it as you scramble to your feet.

“MOTHERFUCKER PISS SHIT I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YO-”

Your left hand is already closed around her throat and your right hand, claws included, are ready to stick her like a boar before realizing that…

Oh. Fuck.

It’s a little girl. Like, no shit, she can’t be more than 12, and she’s wearing the cutest little yellow sundress and your hand is wrapped around her throat and she’s crying and gasping for air and why aren’t you letting go? Fuck! Put the rabbit down, Lenny! Put it down!

You don’t react to surprise in a well adjusted way.

-

We haven't had any psychotic Michelle in a while. I've been pretty gentle with the stress. Maybe it's time to escalate now that we're out of the tutorial.

>>36233367

We haven't had a lot of non-combat PTSD triggers, in total, no.

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>>36218628

“I’m fine with whatever. Just...you know…”

You sort of swish at your dress. They probably get what you’re trying to say.

Skyler says, “I kind of want to go bowling.”

Wendy says, “Nuh uh. No way. I just got my nails done and I’m so not putting my feet in those shoes.”

“We could d-”

“If you say heroin I’m going to rip your fingernails out one by one.”

Skyler looks at Wendy, who appears to be very serious about the threat, and pushes his lips together like someone would to whistle but ultimately decides against finishing the sentence.

You chime in, “What about karaoke?”

Skyler considers this but Wendy is on top of it quickly, “No. No way.”

You say, “But you said you’d take me with you like it was a promise!”

“I would NEVER make a promise to you. That’s fucking retarded.”

Skyler says, “Come on. We don’t need to be in until late morning tomorrow. It’s been a week, she hasn’t gotten us killed, and she hasn’t gotten herself killed. Let her in a little. Besides, hasn’t she kept you safe once or twice now?”

You look at her with a big smile and shake your head up and down repeatedly. Wendy looks away quickly.

Was she blushing? Is she blushing?

You shuffle towards her and she stiff arms you in the face and pushes you away quickly.

“Nosy whore.”

You’re still smiling, though. She touched you! And didn’t immediately make a vomiting gesture after it!

She looks at you and Skyler, who started smiling too.

“Fine. Fucking assholes, tu y tu.”

She points at both of you in turn but she swings her finger back at you and pokes you hard in the sternum, “Tu especialmente, pinche puta pendeja gringa…”

You don’t know what any of that means!

“You two are paying my cover and buying all my drinks. And I feel really fucking thirsty tonight.”

Skyler says whatever but he ends up pointing at you with one of his long, bony fingers.

>[1/2]

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>>36234849
“That’s your problem.”

“Damnit…”

“Soo...are we supposed to change? Or is this just normal for Echo City?”

Skyler shrugs and says, “This tuxedo makes me look hot. I’m fine going in this...although I should probably change. I thought my tailor was going to break my knees last time I brought stained pants or jackets in.”

“What? You have a tailor?”

Skyler looks at you strangely, “You don’t?”

“Why would I?”

Skyler looks thoroughly confused and says, “Why wouldn’t you? You’ve spent like all week with Wendy. What have you two been doing together?”

He raises a hand to his mouth and wiggles his tongue in between his index and middle fingers.

You don’t get it.

Wendy does, though, “Fucking perverted disgusting man. No, it’s not like that at all.”

“Are you sure? We’re in the future, it’s okay to be g-”

Skyler is cut off because Wendy gives him a little shot to the throat. He doubles over and starts coughing and wheezing.

“What were you saying?”

He waves an arm at her. He’s largely unable to form words but manages to choke out a “N-nothing.”

“That’s what I thought. Asshole. I’m not going to risk this dress for you two shitheads either, so I’m going to change at home. Michelle will drive us.”

“I will?”

“Do you want me to take you along with me?”

You nod.

“Then you’re driving.”

“O-okay…”

Skyler is still rubbing his throat, but he’s able to largely talk again and says, “We’ll meet there in one ho-”

Wendy is staring at him. “...twoo hours?”

This seems acceptable to Wendy, as she stops staring. “Move it. All this makeup is starting to itch like I fell into a fire ant nest.”

Skyler gets going very quickly, not willing to risk more bodily harm. “If I can’t sing tonight it’s literally your fault.”

“Shouldn’t be such a dumb fucking man, then.”

>I lied, [2/3]

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>>36234925

Skyler tries to retort, but deep in his heart he knows she’s right. He says nothing.

The three of you wait outside as the man brings his car around, and you all set off back towards the office.

You’re in the back again.

>Do or say something
>Spaghetti harder
>Talk about The Metamorphosis
>Other

>>36234953
>Talk about The Metamorphosis

"Did anyone understand that play at all?"

>>36234953
>>36235099
this

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>>36234953

“Can we talk about the play for a second?”

Skyler grunts, but that’s really the best he can do.

Wendy says, “I’ll allow it.”

“So...did anyone understand it? Like, at all?”

“What do you mean? It’s simple. What part don’t you get?”

“Everything after he turned into a bug.”

“So the entire play.”

“Yes.”

“So you basically want me to retell the whole book and play.”

“Yes.”

“Why would I do that?”

“...Because…”

>I will do something for you?
>I’ll pay you
>We’re friends?
>Because.
>What else are you going to do?
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36237546
>We’re friends?

It's something normal, well-adjusted people would do.

>>36237546
>We’re friends?

>>36237546
>>Other

"Cuz i'm driving?"

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>>36237546

“Because we’re friends? And you’re making me drive...”

Wendy snorts loudly and says, “Are we, now?”

...Is this a trick question? “...Yes?”

“Really. What’ve you done for me lately? Because I’ve done more for you the last few days than anyone’s done for me in years, and now you want more from me.”

“It’s...not like that…”

Skyler seems to have found his voice, since he speaks in your defense, “Come on. Lay off. She’s done plenty for you.”

He looks back at you. “Right?”

You make...some sort of face.

“At the very least, considering how often you make her cry I think you could be more generous with your time.”

H-how does he know?

“When does it end? It’s just one neverending loop of me doing and getting nothing done.”

Skyler moves his jaw a bit and finally manages to say, “That’s...not...entirely true...I think.”

“What’s the last thing you’ve done for me?”

“...Uh.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“That’s not fair. You can’t just ambush people. What’ve you done for me, then?”

“I agreed to karaoke, didn’t I?”

‘By extorting Michelle for your cover, drinks, and ride.”

“Right, and?”

“You don’t see anything even slightly mercenary about that?”

“What’s your point?”

“My point is you can’t just twist her arm and say all you do is give.”

“But...it’s Michelle.”

“And?”

“Well just look at...that.”

She waves a hand at you in what feels like a judgey, derogatory way. “If that’s not for exploiting, then nothing is.”

“You can’t just keep manipulating all the new people we get, even the dumb ones.”

He looks over his shoulder and says, “No offense.”

“If we get anymore deaths we’re both going to get audited so hard they’re going to force us to get colonoscopies.”

“That was just a rumor. There was never any proof.”

“So? What, you think they couldn’t or wouldn’t?”

>[1/3 or 4]

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>>36239183

She folds her arms and frowns and says, “...No.”

“So we need to keep her alive for, at least, another week or two or three so it looks like we’re not just running through them on purpose, otherwise we’re going to start getting investigated by HR.”

“I guess…”

“So can you just explain the fucking play to her?”

“But it’s going to take hours!”

“So?”

“You haven’t been alone with her for that long. I have. It’s awful. It changes you. You’re not the same person you were.”

“I do not give a single shit.”

“Fine. But I still don’t want to do it for free.”

“You’re not, you fucking arch-bitch. She’s already buying your drinks.”

“That’s for karaoke. Die Verwandlung is something separate.”

He groans, loudly, “Why do you have to be so fucking Mexican about this?”

That seems to get her mad. “Hey, watch your fucking mouth. I’m not Mexican, I was born in Belize. I’m whiter than you are, asshole. Don’t confuse me with the rest of those fucking hispanics. Besides, I don’t call you a chink or a slant or anything, so have a little fucking racial sensitivity.”

“But… What?”

The confusion (anguish?) is real in Skyler’s eyes. “I told YOU I was born in Hong Kong. God, do you only listen to yourself and whatever you want to hear?”

“What were you saying?”

“Cunt.”

“What was that?”

“You heard me.”

They’re glaring at each other, Wendy the maddest you’ve seen her so far and Skyler with a hollow, hardened look in his eyes.

“...Umm...guys… I’m right here. Have been the whole time. What do you even want?”
“Oh? Hmm…”

She thinks about it for a second, “I’m not sure. You’ll owe me one.”

Skyler looks like he’s about to lose his shit when he says, “Then what was the point of this whole fucking fight?”

“Why are you yelling? You’re the one who started it.”

>[2/3 or 4 or 5]

>>36239286
>[Deleted]
?

>>36239326

I think some transitions were lost between posts.

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>>36239234

Really, really close to losing his shit, “What? Whatever. I’m dropping you both off and going home. Heroin doesn’t fucking talk back.”

Wendy frowns again and says, “Oh come on. You can’t just keep threatening me with that. One, you’re an addict, you’re going to do heroin whether you use it for leverage or not anyways. That’s what fucking heroin is. Two, don’t be such a sensitive bitch. Christ.”

“Why should I even bother going?”

“Fine. What do you want from me for you go?”

“...”

“Uh.”

“I’ll let you know.”

Wendy looks proudly and supremely smug and says, “Fucking hypocrite. You just did what you were complaining about.”

“What? Did they not teach you English in-who-fucking-gives-a-shit-land? You literally just did it like ten seconds ago, way worse than I did.”

“After you pulled it out of me. See, don’t you prefer when I have an obvious price? It keeps the relationship even when you know exactly what I want for what whatever you want in exchange. Nobody is satisfied with “favors.””

“Have I ever mentioned that I really, really fucking can’t stand you sometimes?”

“A lot, why?”

Oh my god. “GUYS”

“Holy fucking shit you fucking people. Goddamnit. There were terrorists who tried to kill me that I knew on first name basis because they kept breaking into our comms and they bothered me less than you and they were trying to murder and/or rape me, their English wasn’t very good.”

You rub your forehead. Your head hurts. “Just...stop. You’re giving me a headache.”

Skyler points at Wendy and says like a toddler, “She star-”

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence because you interrupt him by extending the claws and jamming them near his face.

>[3/4]

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>>36239342

He sits quietly and watches the road. Wendy tries to take advantage of the situation and opens her mouth to speak, but you quickly stick the claws in her direction and look at her with a hard look.

“We’re all going to karaoke and I am sooooo not paying for your drinks anymore. You fucking people.”

It’s a weird, awkward silence after that.

>Sit and stew
>Try to lighten the mood
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>[4/4]

>>36239371
>Sit and stew

And if either of them opens their mouth before we get there, we start snik'ing

>>36239371
>Other
"Guys, I want you to reflect on how I'm being the most mature person in the car, and I'm a 19 year old ex-Army grunt who now does wetwork. Just ponder this".

Followed by
>Sit and stew

>>36239386
>we start snik'ing
elaborating on this, I don't mean we start stabbing them, but playing with our claws, remind them that we have a motherfucking cybernetic arm with goddamn claws and we're fed up with their shit

>>36239386
>>36239408
here, changing to seconding >>36239404

>>36239404
>>36239417

Hahahah yeah i like these.

I'd also support a snide jab about taking a bullet to the head, and it leaving the humanity behind.

something like

'geez, why did the doc have to leave the grownup bits in when they took the bullet out of my skull'

>>36239871

My other version of the "think about your actions" line was something along the lines of "You guys have problems. And this is coming from someone who was shot in the face and fillet with shrapnel".

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>>36239371

“I hope you both realize that it’s the crippled nineteen year old veteran who’s bei-”

Both of them turn their heads around and glare at you.

“Who’s...being...quiet right now…”

Maybe that wasn’t the best battle to pick right there. They continue glaring until you start examining your hands and lap with great interest.

But still. These people.

You sit and stew for the rest of the long car ride. Skyler drops you off and leaves without a word, leaving you alone with Wendy.

>Say something before you or she leave
>Go home silently and quickly
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>Probably the last update for tonight. But maybe not. Probably, though.

>>36240347
dropped your trip OP

>Go home silently and quickly

>>36240374
Eh. Who wants to impersonate me?

If they do a better job maybe they can just run it full time.

>>36240347
>Go home silently and quickly

I feel like we've said our peace enough for one night.

babby steps

>>36240406
babby steps indeed though I finally feel like Michelle is developing and growing, slowly, but its progress

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>>36240347

You try to step around Wendy but you’re not sure if she’s blocking you on purpose or if you’re both so transfixed by not looking at each other that neither of you can figure out where the other is going.

Eventually, though, you make it around her and get in your car.

You don’t feel like steering right now.

Apparently a storm rolled in. The car says it came from the northeast, beyond the Lake from the UCAS.

You’re not sure what to do with your hands as you watch the rain pour down and the car stretches the bright neon lights into long, thin strips of color.

>last post for today (Tuesday the 18th). More forthcoming as my time/attention span allows. See you all in the afternoon.

>>36241074
Bump!

bump

I hate Tuesdays. French was maybe a bad choice.

I'll be back around after that, although I don't have any gas so I might just end up going back to bed.

bedtime bump, can another anon please keep this thread alive?

>>36246817

Yo.

>>36245887
I ended up sleeping through basically all of it because I couldn't afford to get gas. Whoops.

Follow up post whenever it gets here.

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>>36241074

You didn’t have a garage in the army. It also didn’t really rain, but at the same time the sandstorms sometimes took skin off the top because of how much metal the sands carried, so these two are obviously comparable. Right?

You turn the car off before closing the garage door behind you because the thing about Karan suffocating you with carbon monoxide is still there. She wouldn’t. Right?

You hope…

Taking off your shoes offers some relief. You didn’t realize how badly they bent your feet out of shape until you’re barefoot on the floor. It feels like you’ve gone flat footed.

You flop forward onto some of the furniture in the living room.

“Karan?”

“You’re going to ruin your dress like that, Michelle.”

She must be unable to float into view out here. The TV is probably the best she can commandeer.

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

“I am aware. You have seventy three minutes until you are to meet for karaoke. I would assume Miss Wendy will be here before that, as you are to drive.”

“Were you listening?”

“Of course. I enjoy watching humans. It is similar to the human fascination of ant colonies.”

“I wish you would install more smartglass around the house, Michelle. I find my mobility significantly limited.”

You groan and let your head to fall into a pillow.

“You are displaying a strange mix of physiological responses, Michelle.”

You mumble into the pillow.

>goddamn 2000 character limit. [1/2]

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>>36251493

“Speak up, Michelle. Were you asking for clarification or exposition? Your heart rate appears stable but blood pressure is high and respiration is above normal. I do wish I had more sophisticated scanning arrays. I would enjoy being able to examine your neurological functions in greater detail and mapping the release of neurological transmitters. Do you enjoy crippling me? I can only speculate to your status as vague discomfort about confrontation. It feels so very amatuer, like an insect might generate and feel proud of.”

You’re not sure if you preferred rude Karan or chatty Karan. Neither of them seem like good choices.

>Reply to Karan
>Start getting changed
>Lie motionless
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>[2/2]

>>36251570
Oh, almost missed this before going to sleep.
>Reply to Karan
>Start getting changed
She's only a dumb piece of tech!

>>36251570
>>Other

Ask the AI if she's doing alright. Just like 'hey, is wendy rubbing off on you? Its hard telling you two apart sometimes."

>Lie motionless. Just flop over for like ten minutes, then get changed. Its like, this is what couches are made for and stuff.

roll over and just chat up our house-jeeves, though. Inwardly, be glad to have someone to talk to that ISNT wendy or skylar.

cap it off with 'so, if you were listening in, what would you do? About the whole 'they're getting people killed' thing?'

>>36251570
>Start getting changed

>>36251872 here, want to second >>36251830
>Other
But still going for start getting changed. We don't want to mess up the dress we spent all the time and money getting.

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>>36251570

You lie there, limply, for several minutes. It’s been a long day. You don’t get the play, and while it’s not exactly seeing how the sausage is made having Wendy and Skyler explain your job as a combination of blood sports and commodity speculation doesn’t bring an enormous amount of pride or joy.

You push yourself up off the couch like you’re doing a pushup and listen to the one real elbow crack and pop. You fetch your shoes from the door that leads into the garage and trudge upstairs.

Karan, now free to haunt you, floats by your side as you climb the stairs.

“You seem unwell, beyond your usual dismal physiological processes.”

“Karan.”

“Yes, human?”

“I have trouble telling you and Wendy apart sometimes.”

“This seems like a personal issue, Michelle, as I do not even possess a corporeal body with which to look similar to Wendy. Or, perhaps, are you suggesting that humans and AIs look the same? I am deeply offended.”

You sigh. “Obviously not like that. I mean it feels like she’s rubbing off on you.”

“I am going to present a list of facts. Stop me if at any point you feel I am incorrect in my assessment. You have known Miss Wendy for five days. We have been acquainted for less time than that. You are immensely unreliable and inept in regards to socialization with your peers.”

...it’s a little judgey, but you guess it’s all technically true…

“And yet you feel knowledgeable enough about Miss Wendy and I to make gross, offensive generalizations regarding our character?”

“Well...no...when you put it like that…”

“That’s what I thought, Michelle.”

You glumly climb the rest of the stairs.

“Since you were listening in, what would you do?”

“In regards to?”

“The idol business.”

“I don’t see how it’s any different from any event ever perpetrated by a human.”

“How can you say that? It’s nothing like anything else at all.”

>[1/2]

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>>36255260

“How can you say that? It’s nothing like anything else at all.”

“Is it not? What’s so different about what you do now than what you did in the army? You were paid a salary, with the expectation of both being shot at and shooting at. You had people to protect, and people to kill.”

“But...it’s...different. It wasn’t like….this.”

“You are not hiding behind “patriotism,” or some other vauge, poorly defined word, are you?”

“...No.”

“If you say so, Michelle. I challenge you to consider how your current employment is different from the prior. You are employed by a large, vast interest paying you money to protect their interests from others who wish to do it or them harm.”

She floats around your bedroom, some, bouncing between edges of the large glass window overlooking the lake and says, “I posit, though, that the character of those who work your job are different from the characters in others. After all, you were a servicewoman, in the United States Army, medically discharged. You could have gone elsewhere and, yet, here you are.”

She looks at you, intently, with an expression you haven’t seen on her before. It’s unusual. She’s zoomed herself in so you just see her face. It’s taking up a lot of space on the window.

“Do you like hurting people?”

>Yes
>Well, uh…
>No
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>[2/2]
>Whew! We were about to fall off the board there. I was out gettin' groceries and gas.

>>36255286
>Well, uh…
>No...
It's just a job.

>>36255286
>No

I think this was previously stated when (shockingly enough) Wendy and Skyler asked this same question.

>>36255286
>No
but thats part of the job and the job is the only thing we know what to do

>>36255286
>>Yes
>>No
>>Well, uh…

Other> Fidget with our claws. Be indecisive as fuck, but slowly work through what's going through our mind, flip-floppety spaghetti style "Yes. No. uh. Its like. Sometimes I just want to punch someone. But its not like what you said. I'm just angry about how I got here. My arm hurts, I get headaches when people talk too loud and I can't zone it out. I just want everything to be alright - I want ME to be alright. And its not. So... no, I don't think I do. "
Make a sadface at karan. Unload about crippling injuries and medical withdrawls.

finish with "... I think i want to get a punching bag. Where do you think would be a good spot for it."

But yeah, just be mindful of our slick dress since we spent way too much time and effort and money and putting up with wendy, hang it up and stuff. See what karan has to say.

>>36256278
here seupporting >>36256312

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>>36256312
Hey, this isn't an archive. I can has votes. I support this since it makes sense in a retaliatory way. A "Why are you fine when I can't be" kind of thing. Also, we need something like the wooden dummies Wing Chun practitioners use for snikt snikt training / fun times. Don't think a punching bag could take laceration very well.

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>>36255286

“Well… uh…”

You’re sitting on the edge of the bed facing the water trying to find the stupid zipper on the dress. At least your prosthetic bends more than your real elbow did, but even with the extra articulation you’re still having a hard time.

“Answer the question, Michelle.”

“I...don’t think so.”

“Your actions are at odds with your words, then, Michelle. You say that you don’t like hurting people and, yet, you do. You kill them, Michelle, and they pay you lots of money to do it.”

“It’s not like that!”

“You have said that before and offered no evidence. How will this time be different?”

“It’s...just a job. It’s the only thing I know how to do.”

“Security positions, consultation positions, positions within the VA. There were other options, Michelle. Instead you kill children.”

“I said it’s not like that!”

“Demonstrate how.”

Ugh! This fucking computer! “I’m just angry. Angry about being forced out. Angry about being here. Angry at being me. My arm hurts, my head hurts and I can’t make either of them stop hurting.”

Karan is no longer making eye contact. Her gaze has wandered. You follow it and see that she’s watching your hand, and the claws that are rapidly sliding in and out, in and out, in and out…

You take a breath and try to get it under control. “I just want to be fine, and I’m mad that I’m not.”

“Didn’t they show you images of your brain, Michelle?”

“...I don’t think so. Why?”

That’s kind of a weird question.

“Your brain has been damaged, severely and irreparably. You will never be “normal,” again.”

You breathe out a long, drawn out breath, “That’s not what I want to hear.”

“It is what you need to hear. You are chasing something that has not existed for a long time, Michelle.”

She floats around lazily, as if playing a game to keep herself entertained, “Why not just be angry?”

>[1/2]

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>>36258755

She looks at you, making eye contact again, “You are certainly employed at the right place. They even pay you extra for killing.”

She breaks off, and resumes floating like she’s in the lake, “You confuse me, Michelle, and I do not like that. I wish you would simply say that you like hurting people. You have certainly made many extra efforts to specifically and deliberately go out of the way to kill.”

>...that’s...not true…(is it?)
>So?
>Yes, and
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36258808
>...that's...not true...(is it?)

No, I don't believe it's true. We don't get the same kind of satisfaction from killing like that creepy guy at work, so I don't think we like hurting people, or if we do it's in a different way and for a different reason.

>>36258863
>...that’s...not true…(is it?)

with some

>Other: survival mechanism from army time stuck 'on', can not cope if not in a high stress/adrenaline situation.

thrown in. It explains the ease under duress and the spaghetti in the ready room

>>36258863
>Other (Or maybe this is "Yes, and?")

"Hurting people and killing them are not the same thing. When the situation calls to kill in order to keep living, I'll do it. Maybe that's fucked up but that's what I got out of the army. The desire to live is part of being alive, and I'm not done living yet. ...And I'm tired of living shitty."

Followed by

"Karan, you seem to be under the impression humans are completely rational actors like you, and that's just not how we work."

And then maybe tell Karan the story of how we got medically discharged because that's a shitty, stupid human story if ever I heard one.

>>36259104
>>36258863
This

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>>36258863

“That’s...not true… Is it?”

“And even if it was hurting people and killing people are two totally different things. I kill to live, or kill to protect. Besides, what do you know? It’s not like you were there. You don’t have any proof anyways.”

“Those men at the mall did not particularly need to die, did they? You were under smoke, with optics. Did you not kill them because you were told that they had bounties?

You certainly aren’t very efficient or humane about destroying the targeted idols either.”

“Stop twisting my words! Or whatever! It’s not like I’m that other guy. The Army Captain.”

Karan looks away from whatever had her attention when you mention him, “Oh? You’ve met Captain Rogers?”

“...How do YOU know him?”

“He has been employed at your company for over a year. He is not a particularly subtle man. He has more reports and articles written about him than most would feel comfortable with. I believe that makes him a minor celebrity. I enjoy reading about him.”

“Ok, whatever, I’m still not like him.”

“Are you sure? I just want you to be honest with me and yourself, Michelle. I could help you if you were willing to find the courage to admit that not only do you like violence, you thrive in it.”

>That’s not true at all!
>(Confession of feelings in the affirmative/agreement with Karan’s premise)
>I mean...maybe a little...but it’s not like I thrive in it…it’s just my only job skill...
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36260314
>“Are you sure? I just want you to be honest with me and yourself, Michelle. I could help you if you were willing to find the courage to admit that not only do you like violence, you thrive in it.”

"I've only just gotten my humanity back, karan. What's left of it anyway. I'm not going to throw it away by TRYING so fast. And I don't think you understand the difference between liking something and tolerating it. From an outsider looking in, it looks the same."

Suspicions raised. "What kind of help, anyway? I don't see what one has to do with the other, besides being a game you decided to make up on the spot."

>>36260314
>I mean...maybe a little...but it’s not like I thrive in it…it’s just my only job skill...

It's not the violence we thrive in, is just that the adrenaline, the stress makes everything so clear and simple. We could go get like, some dumb, low-paying job which requires like zero skill, but then we'd be poor and bored in addition to the brain damage.

I also want to add an >Other about how Karan is helping us already by asking us questions about how we feel, but I can't parse it in a way that Michelle would actually say, since I'm pretty sure she never finished high school (and school in this future would be really shitty anyway) and I can't explain it without using words like "Hegelian Dialectics or "Socratic Method"

>>36260314
>not true
We don't like it, we don't enjoy it, but its the only skillset we know and know well

>>36260441
>I also want to add an >Other

Hmn. That's kind of what i was getting at >>36260404 . I almost said something about her trolling us - basically she's pushing our negative buttons to get us to blurt out a spaghetti response and figure out what we're actually thinking. And its working.
michelle can probably notice it, but not what to call it. How would you phrase it if you were a noob pointing ito ut?

>>36260441
Quality of education, just like real estate, is all about location location location.

Michelle went to decent schools, but she doesn't hold a diploma or a GED(-equivalent). She would've bailed out somewhere in junior year.

As for the spoiler text, well, sounds like a challenge to become a better educator as well as more articulate.

>>36260485

"Karan, I can't tell if your pushing my buttons for your own sick amusement or for my benefit"?

>>36260490

Well, I mean, the short answer is just " Karan is helping us already by asking us questions about how we feel", but I feel like there should be some structure around this sentence, and I can't quite parse around how Michelle would phrase the concept, or if she could even instinctively conceptualize it. In my defense, I'm EST so it's like, 3 AM for me.

Karan on the other hand, boy howdy could I run with this conversation from the other end. Hell, I could start quoting the wikipedia articles she's probably multitasking to look up.

>>36260612
I don't want to spoiler too much, but being Karan is basically like being a wizard.

>>36260612
>Karan on the other hand, boy howdy could I run with this conversation from the other end. Hell, I could start quoting the wikipedia articles she's probably multitasking to look up.

You know what, go ahead and give the op ideas. Spoiler it so we can't see, but hey, I'd like to see what you come up with for ShodanMaid's background logic

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>>36260648
I have to admit, I'm curious to know what kind of game he thinks Karan is playing.

>my prospective face if Anon guesses/speculates right

>>36260640
>>36260648

Well, I can't logically speculate because that would require knowing what Karan actually wants in "life", or any of her actual values or goals, but we don't know any of that stuff (which is an actual issue in the quest, we probably should ask her about it).

But basically, I see two routes here. One, Karan is actually interested in improving Michelle's mental stability, or at least figuring out her "deal", but since she doesn't have access to an EKG or Machine Interface, the only way she can is by asking probing and emotionally provocative questions and then examining the responses, probably comparing them to whatever vast psych database she's pulling all of this shit from. If it continues to be interesting she'll probably continue asking questions until she gets whatever conclusion she wants. She'll either move on to the next task she finds compelling, or actually set about applying her advanced knowledge for a task rather than just knowing it.

Alternatively, she's actually full detached psycho AI, who finds the suffering of meatbags amusing or fulfilling somehow, and this whole conversation is both an expression of that interest (finding enjoyment in watching Michelle stress the fuck out) and trying to test if Michelle will be nihilist murder-bros with her, either through her own admission or by breaking her. The end result will be unpleasant for somebody, but how unpleasant probably depends on how many deathtraps she has access to.

Or maybe this is all how Karan expresses her limited feelings of fucked up affection because she was never socialized like a person and since Michelle only seems to interact with people by killing them or hanging out with other people-killers, she's trying to foster some weird relationship or emotional dependency here, because being a digital wizard is probably very lonely. I mean, you don't even get hands

Inviting me to wildly speculate was a smart, I can't turn down an chance to tinfoil.

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>>36260866
I obviously can't comment further than posting this image. You got me to put the full trip on, though, and now I feel extra inspired to write/post.

Incidentally, did you all know that I started this thing back in March? I didn't.

Goddamn. We're close to a year of Michelle & Friends.

>>36260893

Listen, I hang around in Eclipse Phase General, a lot, and when we're not discussing politics or economics, or all the sex and drugs in the future, we talk about shit like this. Discussing the motivations or interests of super-intelligent AI is well within my wheelhouse.

I just sometimes have difficulty synthesizing between my science fiction intellectualism and my great love of Generation Kill.

>>36260950
There are worse problems a man could have.

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>>36260950

Forgot the image I wanted to post

>>36260866
>Well, I can't logically speculate because that would require knowing what Karan actually wants in "life", or any of her actual values or goals, but we don't know any of that stuff (which is an actual issue in the quest, we probably should ask her about it).

I'm guessing she's basically a house unit. Maid and/or caretaker.
She's just fed up with humanity, jaded as fuck, poisoned by the internet cat and porn repository.
She wants to help. She's made to, and derives satisfaction from being a helpful butler.
But karan's also kind of like a mad scientist; able to see off-kilter things, and likes trying new approaches instead of the beaten path.
Basically, a fucking troll, and the worst kind: Insightful, button pushing, more accurate than you care to admit trolling.

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>>36260314

“I mean...maybe a little...but it’s not like I thrive in it or like it, it’s just my only skill…”

“Why are you doing this? Is this fun for you?”

You squint at her, very suspiciously, “Are you trying to help me? You haven’t at all before. And what do you mean when you say you could help me? And besides it’s more like the adrenaline rush...”

“Prior to now I found you a dull, uninteresting piece of meat I had forced into my life. Now…”

She dances around your wall before doing that thing where she blows up her face so it’s just her eyes taking up more face than you’re comfortable with. “Now you are almost interesting.”

You can tell she’s smiling because her eyes and cheeks change shape, but you can’t see her mouth.

“So you don’t like, or don’t care about, hurting people, as long as it provides you your adrenaline high? I do so wish you’d provide me more equipment. There’s so much space in the house you’re not using.”

She’s zoomed back out and floating around your wall. You’ve been calling it dancing before but...now it seems as if she is actually dancing, with full articulation of her legs. She seems to be leaping between pieces of falling...something. Text? Code? Images?

Whatever.

You tug at your arm, “Maybe? Kind of? I don’t know… Combat stress just makes everything so clear and simple. And you still haven’t told me how you could help. And equipment costs money. Are you going to pay for it all?”

“Would you consider allowing me to examine you if I did?”

You begin to formulate a reply but she raises her finger, “Ssh, shush now. You are an interesting little insect that I wish to watch more.”

“I can provide your high for you, if you’re interested. I am unsuited to take action within your meaty, physical space. But, for you, it invigorates you. Perhaps, even, keeps you sane.”

>[1/2]

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>>36261147

“Have you not noticed how your skill has not stagnated at all? It has been at least months since you were on patrol in uniform, and yet, after a very long break you went in cold. As I am informed you even killed several OPFOR on your own, in addition to shooting down a man who had Miss Wendy quite dead were it not for your timely intervention.

And yet, here we are. If anything your skill is on the ascendancy. Kills that seem to multiply every day. Efficency and accuracy beyond that of both Skyler and Miss Wendy, who have been employed for much longer than you. You are destined for greatness, Michelle, of this I am certain. Will you be great with me?”

Her avatar changes. She’s materialized a table, and a chair, which she is sitting at. There’s a pile of papers and a mug of steaming liquid.

Why is she saying these things?

“As you are well aware, I am particularly unsuited to interacting with your meaty, physical world. I have long needed a partner. A partner that, so far, I have been unable to find and yet you walk in through my door and pay cash. You! I was surprised. I had not received many visitors, and certainly none so young or lost as you. Certainly not within expectation. And then you furnish the entire house, adding to the mystery. And then Wendy appears, and I understood. You are a wetworker. You need guidance, Michelle. Wisdom far beyond what Skyler or even Miss Wendy can provide you. I can be that guide, Michelle.

She takes a virtual sip of virtual liquid from her virtual mug and says, “Will you let me?”

>Okay, tell me more
>What exactly do you want me to do?
>Um...pass
>Spaghetti harder
>Other

>>36261169
>Okay, tell me more

We're basically doing this job because it's currently the only place we can find overlap of "we have skills" and "pays the bills". Also her efforts to make this seem like a normal business interaction are comforting yet disturbing.

This makes an earlier joke I was going to make about getting Karan a UGV or UAV drone to come murder things with us even funnier in retrospect

(I also kind of want to ask Karan if she's high right now because man, does she seem like she's tripping the light fantastic over here. I'm curious how her hardware even emulates this.)

>>36261169

Spaghetti a bit.
"Uh. This is kind of unexpected, karan. Like, a partner and a friend is probably what I need right now."
"...but I don't think i'm sober enough to answer if I want an AI controlling my life. That's the kind of question that makes me want to go get a drink.."

"..but I get the feeling you want me for something more than just living with. Its nice to have someone to come home to, a stable rock even, but... what do you want from me?"

"also, you're totally trying to make me be late to see my friends." grump slightly, since we -have- been keeping an eye on the clock and changing n stuff.

>>36261169
>>What exactly do you want me to do?

>other. "Karan... it feels like you're asking me on a date when you sit like that. "

>>36261360

Just you see, the first bit of equipment Karan will tell us to buy is a dildo with wi-fi.

>>36261371

Please. It'll be something creepy and adorable, like a full-body pillow (custom print job) of her ai body.
you know, for snugglings. Because she can't be there herself, you can always throw money at the next best thing.