see it to believe it

[whattaprick]

Who: Lambert, Carly, YOU???
What: A basic safety lesson on what to expect in the Mainframe. Don't get derezzed deleted, kids!
When: Early morning, the day after Lambert's post about the Mainframe.
Where: Center Stage
Warnings: Carly being Carly, Lambert's potty mouth, probably.

Were you hoping to sleep in today? Tough shit. Because it's early in the morning, probably right before breakfast, that Carly's voice comes bawling over the public channel of the radio.

"Hello everyone!! We've borrowed Center Stage for an important demonstration! Earlier you may have heard something from our Nightrider Lambert that there's something really dangerous about the coming location ... so we've put together something to help display what to do in the event of the worst! So come to the Center Stage quick!"

Less enthusiastically, Lambert's rejoinder follows, drawled lazily: "Yeah, you definitely don't want to miss this show."

[ ooc: A show, ask, and mingle sort of log -- Lambert and Carly will be doing a short 'presentation' and then open up for Q&A, but feel free to start your own threads to interact with each other? Other nightrunners feel free to butt in. o7 ]

Comments

PRESENTATION -- CARLY & LAMBERT

[whattaprick]

Lambert's never actually been on center stage, but he doesn't look too bothered by it, standing there with fingers hooked into the waistband of his (now thankfully adjusted for his height) pants and a loosely buttoned shirt. Despite the early hour, he seems awake and alert, golden horns and scales catching the light as he surveys their audience. He'd honestly rather be at breakfast than here right now -- no sense launching into a new world on an empty stomach, huh? -- and he suspects a good portion of whoever's actually showed up feels the same.

Does he have any idea what Carly's actually going to present? Fuck no. But hey, if it means less work for him ... besides his usual wolf medallion, he also has the badge icon the Ringmaster gave them pinned to the front of his shirt, and he adjusts it occasionally while he waits for Carly to figure out whatever the hell it is she's doing to get this started.

[insidescoop]

[This is a very SERIOUS MATTER, this...Game Stuff. Carly went all out to try and show everyone what to expect. She's even got help-Nuna is with her! So after Carly has affixed her own badge courtesy of the Ringmaster, she comes out with a nod.] Okay! Ready?

[Is that Ready for Lambert, or the audience? DOESN'T MATTER. She's hopping RIGHT IN.] Okay everyone! The Mainframe is basically the inside of a computer! It's like all the programs and things became people~

But sometimes 'Games' happen, and that's what we're here to teach you about! When a game appears, [she explains, raising a curtain of violet fire at either side of the stage,] a big purple cube will come down from the air! It's huge, and really hard to avoid apparently, so there's not much escaping it if it's coming! [She gives a look to Lambert-care to explain step two?]

[whattaprick]

[ Whoa, wait, it's his turn to do something? Unlike Carly, Lambert doesn't have much in the way of props or special effects to bring to bear, so he shrugs and steps forward, hands turned palm-up. ]

If you were listening on the radio-- [ Pointedly. ] --you already know that this world doesn't let us use all our powers. Or changes them. Some things work, but others won't.

Lucky for us, we've got these. [ He gestures at the badge pinned on his chest. ] When you're caught in a game, tap this twice and you'll 'reboot' -- [ He stumbles over the clearly unfamiliar word. ] --which mostly means you'll get new abilities that will work so you can accomplish the game's objective ... beating the Users.

[insidescoop]

'Users' are basically the player characters! [Carly explains from there.] The heroes of the game! They're the ones who look like knights, or maybe just your opponent in general-this is because the game could be all kinds of things!

You might not even have to do anything other than beat someone at chess. In which case, you better be really smart!

But like Lambert said-if you just Reboot! [she taps her button,] You'll be given all of the things you need automatically...

Including how to play the game!

So, if we were in a game where it was fighting...

[whattaprick]

... you'll probably find yourself with some kind of weapon, if not a whole new body entirely. [ Lambert finishes. ] From what we've been able to pick up, you don't get to choose what that is.

If you end up with something you don't know how to use: keeping the pointy bit away from you and away from your friends is usually a good rule of thumb.

[ His baleful stare across the room suggests this is a low, low bar of competence he's pretty sure most of the Carnival will fail to meet. ]

[insidescoop]

Th-The chances are you'll know how to use it in that case though!! [She cuts in quickly.]

We'll basically be programs of our own-rebooting allows us to automatically adapt to wherever we end up! So instead of having to re-learn things, it's already there!

[whattaprick]

What matters is you pull your weight, no matter what you get stuck with. Don't sit around on your ass counting on anyone else to get it done.

[ Lambert gestures with a hand. ]

If you end up in a game, you're stuck until it finishes. Meaning that nobody stuck outside can help you. Most likely, you'll find some of the locals caught up in it too. I'll say it again: your goal's to beat the User, or Users. If you win, the cube dissolves and you're free to go. If you don't ...

[ He glances at Carly. Something really visual to demonstrate the consequences would be good here. ]

[fortuneglass]

Exactly~ We have to work together! [She coughs, focusing. The fires converge rather than removing themselves, creating a frightening light. She can't exactly make different shapes with this...but.]

Because if we don't, then no matter what can be reverse for us, won't be reversed for them..! All 'losers' of the game when a User wins, become 'nullified'-their minds and bodies reduced to slugs on the ground. The area around them is destroyed, and left in ruin-and if this happens too many times, an entire city can be destroyed easily..!

[She sends the fire back away, brightening.] ...So don't lose!

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert nods, arms crossed. Honestly, he still thinks the whole idea of the game is dumb, but if they're gonna get caught up in it anyway... might as well win it. Because losing is for suckers. ]

That's pretty much it, I guess--

[ He starts to say, only to frown when Carly's Marowak suddenly emerges from stage right, bone club waving. But that is a good reminder... ]

Oh yeah. You can bring in your Pokémon to Mainframe, but make sure they've got one of these. [ He points at the badge. Also, that's as far as he'll get when, without any warning, Nuna flings her bone forward and cracks him sharply in the shin. ]

Hey--! [ Lamber yelps sharply, jerking away. What the hell? ]

[fortuneglass]

Remember, when in a game, the Users won't see things as 'strange'! If you don't reboot, you're probably just a glitchy part of the program, and still an enemy~ [Carly cheers, stepping aside as her marowak rails on Lambert.] Nuna here is demonstrating just that! If you see someone approach in a game that isn't obviously something easy or non-violent, make sure to be on your guard, and shout your name!

That way, we'll know who each other is, and stop!

[whattaprick]

[ One would think Nuna would take that as her cue to stop, but nope, she's just having the time of her life playing Lambert's legs like a new percussive instrument -- or attempting to, anyway. Lambert, having caught on to the aggressive little Pokemon's MO pretty quick, is now engaged in some fancy footwork to dodge out of her reach as much as he can afford to. He's rapidly running out of stage... ]

On the other hand -- don't aim for -- your allies! [ Lambert grunts, between each sidestep. ] We need every edge we can get -- like numbers -- because we probably won't have our own powers. Quit that, [ He finally grates out, exasperated. ]

[fortuneglass]

What he said..! And-

[Give her a moment.] Lambert, you have to say her name!!

[whattaprick]

[ This would be easy enough if it wasn't for one tiny little problem-- ]

Dammit-- [ Another dodge, and this time he hisses, pitching his voice more for her ears than the audience (no luck being subtle, since it's not that big a space): ]

--what was it again?

[fortuneglass]

Nuna!!

[Nuna takes that as her cue to start some fire magic so maybe hurry up with the 'nuna no'.]

[whattaprick]

[ NOPE NOPE NOPE ghost fire do not want nope. ]

Nuna, stop!

[ It's not quite quick enough to avoid the first fireball his way, but at least he gets his shield up in time, so the flames dissipate harmlessly off the barrier. ]

[fortuneglass]

[AND BEHOLD- The pokemon does so, even setting her bone club on the ground with a nod.

Good Job Nuna.]

[whattaprick]

[ Since the fire wasn't enough to completely destroy the shield, Lambert will squint out behind it for a few more moments, then exhale noisily. ]

... I think that's enough of a demonstration, don't you?

[fortuneglass]

W-We should probably go to questions... [Ahahahaaaa...]