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.))

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[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.

I won't argue with you on that.

[Even though hiding his face behind a full helmet had apparently done nothing to hide his identity from Doctor Light, it had had an opposite effect for himself. Covering up had let him deny his former identity and made attacking his "family" easier... for a little while, at least.]

And yet we still managed to inherit many of humanity's flaws anyway.

[He shakes his head.]

Come on, it doesn't look like we'll find any answers in here. Let's check the rest of the house. The door should lead into the kitchen from here.

[He nods and gestures for Proto Man to lead on.]

You're way smaller than the robots I've seen anyway, so I'm not too worried.

[Okay, so Proto just won't mention Gamma. That mess was probably doomed from the start, to be honest.]

Right this way.

[A short flight of stairs up to the main level of the building later, and Proto and Jun are in the kitchen. Much like the lab itself, the room is as clean as a whistle, with every surface almost literally clean enough to eat off of. (Though if Roll were here, she'd probably smack you with her broom if you tried to test that. That is what dishes are for, thank you very much.)

From here, the family room is visible through an open doorway to the side. There's also a hall that leads to the entryway. The utilities room and pantry can also be accessed from the kitchen.

Is there any sign that someone (or something) else is here or has been here recently?]

[Something does feel off about the area. Mainly a small paper trail leading into the family room haphazardly on the floor.

Well, the area is mostly clean but hey, no food crumbs at least.]

... Is someone there?

[He heads into the drawers to see if he can find a knife to defend himself with. It'd be better than nothing...]

[Good thinking, Jun. In the meantime, Proto will pick up the nearest paper and look it over to see what, if anything, is written on it.]

Roll? ...Rock?

...Doctor Light?

[Nothing is written on the papers. They're all blank.

But they will hear a faint rustling noise from inside the room.]

[He has a knife. He inches behind Proto, using him for cover. He doesn't speak, not wanting to alert whatever's there.]

[Proto is having worrisome flashbacks to that creature he and the others had to shoot during their journey to Victoria's Chasm. At least this paper isn't covered in gold ink-slash-blood, so there's that?

He'll grab a heavy frying pan as an extremely makeshift weapon, since it's the closest thing he's got to his shield right now. Even though Proto and Jun are both already dead, he's not putting it past this place to try to screw them over even further.

Time to carefully enter the family room and see what else is in here with them.]

[Going into the family room, there is nothing but silence at first. Not even breathing in that same beat that's been happening. Proto will be the first to see something within the corner: a hunched figure with its back turned to them.

But there's something about that white coat Proto may recognize.]

[He's quiet, but nudges Proto forward. He has no idea who that might be, but he's guessing Proto will.]

[...No. No no nononono N--

Thankfully, Jun's nudge is enough to shake Proto Man from his horror before it gets too out of hand. The odd rhythm that they can't escape, the blank papers... this whole building has felt off somehow. Why should this be any different?

(Please, please don't be different...)]

Turn around and show yourself. Slowly.

[As if it heard Proto, the figure begins to stand slowly as it reveals fluffy like white hair in the process. It turns to face the two as the figure shows itself to be someone very familiar to Proto...after all, it would be not be hard to recognize family.

But his face shows a different side: Dr. Light's expression is surprisingly blank for this reunion and when no one bothers to make the first move, he does as he jumps and lunges for the two with palms out. As he goes for them both, the form seems to melt away and the good doctor is not among them after all. Instead, it's a rather large draconian form as its wings and claws start to smash and trash everything in its path. If you hoped to keep the room clean, fat chance on doing it. Not with this thing up and kicking.]

What the fuck is that -

[Nope. He's going to yeet the knife into the thing's wing.]

[Seeing his father here is almost enough to make Proto freeze up entirely. But he's already been clinging to the hope that something is wrong, and the blank lack of recognition on Doctor Light's face is more evidence in his favor.

Still, it's a massive relief when the thing reveals its true form and goes on the attack. Despite the fact that, you know, a fucking skeletal dragon is attacking them.]

I take it this is new to you, too?

[Proto really misses having his buster right now. He'll have to settle for grabbing Jun and moving back to get out of the thing's reach.

(He'll worry about cleaning up the inevitable mess later. Sorry, Roll.)]

[The knife connects with the wing and the dragon simply swats it away before letting out a loud roar. The roar isn't just for show as it lowers its head and out comes three decently sized red orbs, appearing in what looks like a cone-like position. But it doesn't happen once or twice...oh no, it keeps spitting them out until after the fifth.

Hope you two are good at dodging because you may need it.]

[He scrambles backwards with Proto Man as best he can, but his foot comes down on one of the papers and he slips, falling down and trying to let go of the other so he doesn't drag him down, too.]

Run!

[He starts trying to throw anything he can see - books, furniture, appliances... anything to hit the thing and try to stun it.]

[Proto is a lot more stable than he looks, so he'll just dig in his heels and try to pull Jun back up to his feet.]

I'm not leaving you behind with this thing!

[Since Jun seems to have the beginnings of an offense down for now, Proto will draw the dragon's fire as a moving target. He's probably better at jumping and dodging than Jun (no offense), so here's hoping the red vest he was given on the train can grab this thing's attention.]

[Jun's throwing anything in sight seems to pay off...somewhat. When an appliance is thrown at the dragon's head, it is stunned for a moment but the item used to stun it doesn't break, the dragon decides to use the weapon against the boy by whipping its tail around the two and smacking the item back at them in retaliation.

Yeet.]

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