15corpses | A Reckoning...

A Reckoning...

[You are dead.

Where you awaken is not of your cabin on the train but rather firm earth, the skies above you being nothing but an inky blackness as for as you can see. And yet throughout the darkness, you are surrounded by soft lighting and peculiar music playing all around you. When your senses become less muddled, you will notice that the music playing is upbeat and joyful almost. But let's face it, you are probably thinking this is some sort of creepy hell that you got yourself into after biting the bullet.

It all depends if you find circuses to be such a place because that is where you find yourself. The setting feels more antique than what you may assume a circus to look like, more Victorian themed than what one can be called. First the sound picks up and then you can smell something delectable in the air, catching popped corn and fried sweets and maybe something to drink? It's more than likely here.

Going down the main way, you can see some classic carnival games such as skee ball, ring toss, balloon popping if you are inclined to try and take your mind of the fact that you didn't have a choice in coming here. But despite the joyous air of the circus, there are not many people here that can help you out...or are there?

Lost souls just like yourself who met with the same horrible fate...perhaps an accord can be struck. After all, it looks like you will be here for awhile.]

((OOC: Map for reference.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's great!! Let's just hope they can keep it together and do just that.

[ Well would you look at that! She turned her gaze up to the lab, but nor had she missed the look that had crossed Proto's face beforehand. So that's why she ended up hesitating before speaking up. ]

...Okay! Whenever you're ready, we can head in. No rush or anything, alright?

[Jun heads up to the edge and hops out onto sand, grabbing one of the ropes to pull the raft onto shore. Lead the way, Proto.]

[Proto just disembarks and offers Akko a hand to help her out if she needs it. No sense in dawdling now when he had been so adamant about getting out here to search as quickly as possible earlier.

Assuming no monsters leap out and attack them along the way, it's an uneventful stroll to the front door. Thomas Light had always been friendly and trusting to a fault, so security wouldn't be an issue.

The keypad at the entrance still looks the same. Proto hesitates only for a moment before punching in his old access codes. They should still work... right?]]

Edited 2019-08-11 02:49 (UTC)

[When Proto enters his access codes, the doors do indeed open for him. Upon first glance, everything seems to be the same as he remembered; just more clean.

But the group will be able to take note of any kind of noise that happens inside...no matter what kind it is, they all sync as one.]

...Heh. He really did keep them active...

[He looks oddly wistful for a moment before turning back toward Jun and Akko.]

Well... Follow me, then.

[Proto Man steps inside and takes a look around. The cleanliness doesn't surprise him; he's learned that Roll is nothing if not fastidious when it comes to keeping her domain neat and tidy.

The lab itself manages to combine cutting edge sci-fi technology with a warm, homey atmosphere. Where there aren't computer banks lining the walls, there are framed accolades, newspaper clippings, and family photos. There's an examination table in the middle of the main lab, but all the tools and scanners have been put away.]

Doctor Light?

...Mega Man? Roll?

[Oddly, Jun seems to shy away from the technology, but...]

It seems... nice in here...

Like... a home, really.

[ Thankful for the help getting out of the boat, she'd quietly followed the other two in and mostly quiet because of her actual awe of the place as they entered. Only remembering to nod when Proto turned to them and told them to follow him.

Her expression softened when noting the light, almost soothing atmosphere that this place had on the inside. Moreso than she'd expected it would be. ]

I agree! It's very welcoming and comfortable!

Jun, is something wrong?

[His odd aversion to the tech aside, something else feels... off, somehow. Proto can't put his finger on it just yet, but it's setting him on edge.]

Well, when you work from home and want to raise a family, it happens.

[...Is it just him, or have everyone's words taken on an unusually steady cadence? Their footsteps, too...]

... I didn't exactly have the happiest of families. And the first time I died, I was piloting a giant robot.

[Maybe he shouldn't have come. This isn't his area of science, anyway... but Proto Man seems okay...]

Do you think anything from here would be helpful to take back?

[ As soon as Jun was addressed, immediately Akko looked over to him with a bit of concern on her face. She'd also kinda noticed the odd way things seem to sound here but initially thought maybe she was the only one hearing everything that way.

Then Jun'd said that, which just made her frown a bit deeper. ]

T-That... would explain your aversion to all of that, but... maybe you and I should step out for a bit if it's bothering you that much?

[ Just putting the offer out there, because Akko didn't want him to be alone after she'd heard that. ]

Possibly, but right now I don't know how much use it would have.

Heh. My family wasn't exactly ideal, either.

[Jun and Akko may notice that while there are some photos of Proto Man and an older human with a white beard, there are more of that same human with a blonde robot girl and a dark haired robot boy... and no photos that feature them all together.]

...If it helps, none of the robots built here were designed to be piloted by humans. But if this place is making you uneasy, I won't blame you if you want to go back outside.

[Jun's suggestion about bringing back anything useful does remind Proto that his buster is still missing a part. Maybe if he rummages through the drawers, he can find a replacement.

...Even as he searches, it all sounds too regular, too patterned. Proto casts a quick glance at Jun and Akko before he speaks next.]

Akko has a point. I'm not sure what use these tools c--

[And then he abruptly slams the open drawer shut. Does that interrupt the rhythm, or does it continue to follow the beat?]

[It does not interrupt the rhythm at all. But the beat goes on.

~~Hush, I know it's bad but it was right there!~~

It still follows the beat, yes.]

It's fine.

[He jumps back as the drawer is slammed, going and searching to see if there are any books around. He's been really bored, and if he can get something to read, that would be a lot better than skipping rocks all day.]

Is there something you're trying to find in particular?

[Any books in this part of the lab will most likely be scientific journals. Actual literature would be found in the more home-like portion of the building, a little further in.]

A particular computer chip. I've been missing it ever since I woke up on the train, and without it, my buster can't fire.

[The next drawer Proto opens does contain a likely candidate... but when he tries inserting it, all he gets is an error message flashing across his visuals. No dice. He bites back a frustrated groan and shuts the drawer with more force than necessary again.]

[ Still a little concerned about Jun, she almost pressed it but let it go. Mostly due to her jumping a little when the drawer was slammed shut without warning... and again shortly after. ]

Right! Let's see if we can find it, then!

[ With that, she goes to start looking through things as carefully as she can in hopes maybe they can find this thing and help him out. ]

Doubt they'd just have it lying around, though. It'd be WAY too easy.

[Still gonna grab one and flip through, almost missing what the others are talking about.]

Does it look like the one you just grabbed?

Yeah. This one should have worked, but something won't let my systems read it properly.

...Is anyone else noticing something off here? Like there's a beat we're all keeping time with?

[ After a moment of checking through some various drawers with no success, she stopped briefly to look at the two of them with a small huff. ]

I wonder if it's just in here that it's doing that.

[ She looks back towards the door. ]

You guys mind if I go check outside for a bit? If you find something, you can always come and get me.

Yeah. Just be careful. Come get us if something goes wrong.

[He nods at Proto's question.]

I'm not musical, but even I can tell. I'm guessing that's not normal here?

[Proto nods in agreement with Jun's cautionary words to Akko.]

If there's anything dangerous, it won't have come from here. Keep an eye out, though.

[He has to resist the urge to tap his fingers to the beat. He's always had a love for music, but this just feels... wrong, somehow.]

No, it isn't. I've been trying to throw it off, but everything I do just stays in rhythm. Has anything like this happened to you before around here?

No. This is the only place I've experienced this.

[Carefully he runs his fingers along some of the smoother metal bits.]

I'm not like... scared of robots, for the record. I just don't want to be in one again.

This is... [Proto makes a small sound of frustration.] Music has always been a theme around names here, but it's never been like this before.

Maybe we'll find the source of it further inside.

[He appreciates Jun's honesty, at least. Not all humans where he came from were this forthright about their issues with robots.]

Unless things have gone really off the rails from what I remember, there shouldn't be any robots like that around here. It would kind of defeat the purpose of our advanced AI if we needed a human pilot, after all.

... None of them are war machines... right? I mean, unmanned weapons and drones are banned in my version of Earth, but...

[Proto looks vaguely uncomfortable at Jun's question. This is going to be awkward, but no sense in trying to lie about it in a misguided attempt at assuaging his concerns.]

Our original purpose is to help humanity in various ways, like working in industrial zones or by doing ecological research in areas what would be too hazardous for humans alone.

Unfortunately, there is a man who would rather use us as soldiers in his personal war, whether through forcibly reprogramming normally peaceful Robot Masters or through... other means. He's been defeated every time so far, if it helps.

[He has to credit his "little brother" for that much, at the very least.]

... Good. People are stupid... they fight too much. It's too easy to kill when you don't see your enemy's face. Hesitation in a fight can mess you up, like it did for me... but it's important to know you're killing an actual person.

So robots don't belong in a battle... large-scale war is a human invention. Let the humans mess it up for themselves.

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