⇨ MAINFRAME

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE.
When: Day 92 - Day 105
Where: Mainframe, the city inside a computer.
What: The carnival stops at its next location, a computer world full of computer people. Except, this time it's not the Matrix, don't worry.
Warnings: Nothing inherently suspect here.

THIS PLACE, MAINFRAME↴ After the Nightrunners have done their search, you will be welcome to enter the tree portal into Mainframe. There is no loading room this time - instead, any alternations will occur as you pass through the portal. Remember to wear your icon buttons! If you aren't wearing one, you won't be able to pass through the portal, and during your stay you will not be able to remove it. The portal is currently opening into a forested area of Mainframe, filled with a bunch of sort of low res trees. A large section of a residential area has just been nullified by a Game Cube. A large quantity of former sprites and binomes are now wandering the city in the form of null worms, and the rest of the city is generally in a panic. You'll be able to learn about the details of what happened if you ask the locals, though they will act incredulous if you behave as if you don't know what a Game is. Just tell them you and the others just arrived from a different "system" in the "Net." Yeah, that seems to allay their suspicion. Nailed it. Here is a convenient map of the Mainframe from the original cartoon, which this setting is more or less based on. This Mainframe is larger and lacking areas dedicated to specific characters (no Megabyte or Dot's Diner), but is laid out basically the same, for reference's sake. ► LOW RES: Your glamour will come into affect as soon as you cross through the portal, and while you are here your body will function like a weird mixture of its original self and the formatting of a program. You can eat their food and use their amenities, but if one of them were to look at your coding it would be obviously foreign to them. Also, maybe your skin has turned blue, or green, and your clothes are suddenly way more 90's scifi? Maybe you look like a giant number 7 to other people. This place is weird, aesthetically speaking. ► RELIEF EFFORTS: For the altruist out there, you can offer help to the locals that are trying to recover from the recent Game loss. The buildings that were caught within the Cube's range are twisted and burnt out, as if the energy has been sucked right out of them, and it sounds like all the losers were transfigured into slugs. You might want to avoid Game Cubes if any show up. Just an FYI. (As if that will happen.) In the meantime, you can console the programs whose family members are now works, or help try to clean up the buildings that are now falling apart. Or, you can ignore all of this. That's cool, too. ► VIBRANT CULTURE: Despite being weird computer program people made of boxes and spheres, the people of Mainframe seem to live their lives much the same ways humans do. They have TV programs, restaurants, and other shops that you can buy weird 90's computer world bullshit from. There's even a Hollywood inspired area, where you can go to shows. They also have some neato hoverboard things you can fly around on. As usual, the Ringmaster will be giving people an allowance to buy any modest souvenirs or necessities during their stay. Feel free to be creative about fleshing out sections of the city! The mods barely remember the details of this show, either.

Comments

[disorder_heaven]

Knock on wood or whatever, but something tells me you'll probably never reach this level of glitch again. At least not outside of this place.

When I meet you there, you could have octopus legs and three rabbit ears and I probably wouldn't care.

[betheman]

Indeed, I, the man Gongenzaka, have found that testing fate is unwise here...

[They thought the Celebration would be great AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED.] Th-

Though I most certainly do not have either of those things!!

[disorder_heaven]

Then what the hell are you worrying about? My boss man has goat legs and giant horns. ...Well, giant horn, long story. But if you're even remotely humanoid, it probably won't even make me blink.

[ This from the guy whose most obnoxious coworker is quite literally a walking skeleton. ]

[betheman]

....

[Well.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, do however have four legs....

[disorder_heaven]

Only four? [ Lucifer's expression doesn't change. ] See? Totally manageable.

[otoko]

You yourself seemed to think that just two odd legs were odd enough, did you not?

[disorder_heaven]

I'm more used to humanoids. I didn't say multiple legs would freak me out. Unless they're all different kinds of legs, I'm kind of used to it. [ He continues to stare, his pupils glinting strangely, not quite black anymore. He hates to admit it to himself, but he's curious about this strange man.

The man. Whatever. ]

No offense, but what exactly are you? Besides "the man Gongenzaka."

[betheman]

JUST Gongenzaka... [he notes with a grimace.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, have been told that certain parts of my native language are...misheard under Carnival magic...

[It sucks it sucks a lot- anyway.] ...It is a result of my changes, however. Upon beginning here, I, the man Gongenzaka, appeared quite human.

[disorder_heaven]

Yeah, been there, dude.

[ He still hasn't even tried to master kanji. ]

I don't mind the changes I'm going through since crash-landing into the carnival, but this? [ Again he tries to stretch his wings, but the triangles are static. It doesn't cause him any pain, but it's unnerving. ] This is bull.

[otoko]

[Well, as long as the other Gets It then-there is an empathetic nod, though Gongenzaka raises his eyebrows at the complaint regarding wings.] Well...at the least, you could wait out the remainder of our visit from within the carnival grounds if you wish-so we need not remain in a location that brings discomfort, for the most part.

['Most Part' meaning no one liked the Celebration, RM!!]

[disorder_heaven]

I'm a pro at ducking out of drama.

[ And danger. And responsibility. And generally any kind of work or agreement that doesn't benefit him directly. ]

But hey, this is new. New is good.

[betheman]

Hmnnnn... ....Well, as long as that does not include what you may be responsible for, I, the man Gongenzaka, think you will do just fine!

[disorder_heaven]

[ Especially at what he's responsible for. Luckily, he doesn't intend to be responsible for much.

Yet. ]

I hope so. I heard a rumor that troublemakers get turned into newts. Ain't doin' it.

[otoko]

Newts, or other animals, you would be correct...

I, the man Gongenzaka, briefly had a chameleon as a roommate...

[disorder_heaven]

Dude, harsh. What did he do?

[ Involuntary shapeshifting. Not just a rumor. Noted. Very noted. ]

[otoko]

Quite a number of things-none of them truly harmful, however. This form of punishment is meant to be temporary, and 'embarrassing', more than anything.

[disorder_heaven]

Jeez, so that's the equivalent of being made to sit in the corner? Hate to find out what happens if you really screw up.

[otoko]

Aaah, so it is...

[He grimaces.] ....One would hope you never do find out...

[disorder_heaven]

Noted. Anything I should avoid, then? I mean besides the obvious "try to take over the world" kind of deal.

[otoko]

Hmmmm...

[He closes his eyes as he thinks over the question, taking a few moments before he answers.] ...While I, the man Gongenzaka, may not entirely agree with only having these guidelines...there are three which the Ringmaster holds to most importance.

First; do not kill your 'kin'. Those who work at the carnival, in other words.
Second; do not steal from the carnival. While it would not seem obvious...this includes attempting to run away.
Lastly, the third...always pay your 'dues'. In other words, if you owe something, you pay it back. Agreements are things to be held. So on, so on.

[disorder_heaven]

All that seems pretty fair, actually. ...Even the run away bit, I guess, since skippin' out on work is technically a bad thing. Do people actually try to do that?

[ Seems weird to him. He signed his soul to the Ringmaster in exchange for a decent library of video games. He can't imagine why anyone would try to back out of a contract if they got something in exchange. ]

[otoko]

Aah, they do... ...though as far as I, the man Gongenzaka, have seen, there have been none who have succeeded in recent times. Typically, they become distracted in the woods, and led back with lighter punishment.

[disorder_heaven]

I don't get it. I mean, we all get somethin' out of the deal. We have places to stay, food in our stomachs, and pretty much free run of the place as long as we don't try to kill anyone. [ Granted, the 2D triangle wings aren't very pleasant, but still! ]

[otoko]

Ah-

[Oh, um...] ...You...have not encountered any who are here due to debt...have you...

[disorder_heaven]

No. But then again, I haven't really talked to anyone about their deals or contracts. Seemed too personal. ...Also, what kind of debt?

[ Yeah, Lucifer's mind tends to shift from his own priorities back to the topic at hand. He isn't lying, though; deals seem to be pretty private information. ]