⇨ WISMUTH

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: S2:D6-D11
Where: Wismuth and the Carnival Grounds
What: The carnival enjoys a few days in Wismuth, a coastal city on this planet's version of the American east. However, there are a few things very unique about this version of the planet...
Warnings: The usual, wholesome fun.

PILLAR OF CREATION↴ Upon arriving, things in Wismuth will seem pretty peaceful. It's a massive city, with no shortage of things going on, but things like violent crime and homelessness are at an all time low. You can wander the streets without much scrutiny, presumed to just be tourists, and most people here come across as helpful and friendly. ► VIBRANCY: The main thing that sets this planet apart is its vibrancy - AKA, the raw creative energy its filled with, flowing from its status as a Pillar of Creation. There is no literal pillar, but Wismuth and its planet is a place where Creation's energy comes through strongest. As a result, everything here feels somehow more real, more intense in a way that's hard to put a finger on. Life is abundant, and its bleeds through in every sensation. ► ATTRACTIONS: There are plenty of things to see while going around the city. First and foremost, there is a lovely beach area bordering the ocean, and a number of tourist aimed attractions built around it. There are giant malls, movie theaters, live stage performances, museums and all kinds of other points of cultural interest. Anything you can do in a big city you can do here, but better. ► ALLOWANCES: The Ringmaster will be giving everyone a reasonable amount of local currency for a few days on the town. You can't make any massive acquisitions with it, but it's more than enough to eat out, see some shows, go to the beach, and whatever you like. You can feel free to pick up some casual supplies, like mundane clothing and souvenirs. There will be more given out later, after the performance week. ► PERFORMANCE: Performance week is starting early this time, after only a couple days of exploration. When the carnival has already been on vacation for a month, the Ringmaster figures they may as well get right to it, and then do more touring afterwards. Members of the local populace will find themselves in the carnival once performances begin, dazzled by the other worldly sights. Magic doesn't seem to exist here, despite the fact that it will flow easier for people bringing it from other worlds.

Comments

[dressedtothe]

This is having the opposite effect of what he intended!!

"What? How am I cheating?" The song starts up, but he's genuinely bewildered by this. This time, he takes a leaf from Yuya's book and stands on the arrows instead of the centre. "I didn't change the game or anything."

He could have, but he didn't.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya jumps back onto the pad as the song starts, focusing on the screen with a furrowed brow.

"It's--cheating the arcade." Which he as least doesn't yell about, to not draw attention to it. "Like stealing."

He grabs the rail for support as he tries to talk through playing the game, pausing and fumbling some steps. "The arcade costs money to maintain, and all of it comes from the games. If they don't make money, it won't be here for everyone else to enjoy."

And so 9S gets a crash course in capitalism. "Stealing hurts other people, even if it's small things."

[dressedtothe]

9S thinks about that really hard. Like really, really hard. Androids engaged in trade with each other, but that's because they were disparate groups with different needs. But more importantly, Yuya seems to be saying that by not paying the money, other humans wouldn't be able to enjoy the arcade.

And that would be bad!

He'd only been thinking about how Yuya, a human, shouldn't need to spend money on his behalf, not about how the human run arcade needs that money!

Oh no. Oh no. He'd taken that trip with Childermass, and...

"Oh no." The distress distracts 9S enough that he messes up the next few notes. "I went with the Aquisitioner to one of the electronics stores..."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya turns his focus back to the game while 9S is dwelling on that, making up for his fumble. His expression is tight in concentration, and when 9S first starts confessing Yuya doesn't seem to respond.

But 9S doesn't need to finish that sentence for Yuya to pick up on what exactly they did.

"... How much did you take?" He's going to regret asking this.

[dressedtothe]

He kind of doesn't want to say, but...

9S mumbles while he stomps on another set of arrows, "All the external storage on display."

[hippocarnival]

"9S!" Yuya doesn't even look at him. "Just because the people in acquisitions can steal doesn't mean you should! Especially not from innocent people!"

He knows his opinion won't change the Ringmaster's or the way that department operates, but can't there be at least a little bit more moral jurisdiction? Like only stealing from evil people who deserve it!

[dressedtothe]

9S looks away, which of course he misses the next few arrows on account of not looking at the screen. "Why are Aquisitions allowed to steal if it's bad then?"

What's he supposed to do with all the external harddrives then? Put them back!? How's he supposed to do that?

[hippocarnival]

"Because the Ringmaster allows it." Probably encourages it since 'thief' is a designated job description. Granted, one handed out to seven year olds so jury's out on how seriously anyone should actually take it.

He stomps on the pads a little more forcefully with a frown. "Fae probably don't care." Hell, Childermass probably doesn't care. "But it's dishonest and you hurt the person you're stealing from, so even if you can, you shouldn't! The carnival's not even free, so we have to have money..."

[dressedtothe]

"Oh..."

But Childermass had no problem with it. Who's right then? Yuya or Childermass? 9S remains silent for the rest of the song.

As the song winds down to a close, 9S turns to Yuya, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I can pay for this. Then I'll... find some way to give the rest of my money to the shop." He sighs. "It won't cover everything. Storage here is expensive and inefficient, but I don't know when the next time we'll be in a world that has the technology for it."

[hippocarnival]

Welcome to humans, they're complex and often disagree on things like 'morality'.

Yuya leans back against the rail. That's more than he was expecting to be done. Since they were already stolen he figured it was just going to be a 'better next time' situation. 9S's small allowance definitely won't cover all of it, but...

"What do you even need all of it for?"

[dressedtothe]

The guilt would be eating away at him if he didn't do something that was actually within his power to alleviate.

9S' DDR score is much improved from what it was the first time, but it wouldn't be what you'd call Great. It was all the broken chains from the Misses that really did him in, despite having a much improved number of Greats and Perfects.

"...In case something happens to me."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya stares blankly at 9S for a minute, before remembering. Right, 9S is an android--he's a computer AI, basically, all digital inside.

"Oh! You mean so you have a back up of yourself?" He's seen movies with something like that! of course, coming from a world full of squishy humans and not robots, he has no personal experience with something like that. "That's a pretty good idea... it's like having an egg."

[dressedtothe]

"An... egg?" he asks, saying it carefully, like a person who has been told something that sounds completely stupid but doesn't actually want to say that.

He understands that avian eggs are calcium carbinate casings that house their embryotic forms when they reproduce. He also understands they're also delicious to eat.

But what does that have to do with backing himself up? He has to be missing something, here.

"...Like the eggs used in the cookhouse?"

[hippocarnival]

"Not a chicken egg." His mouth quirks up in a small, amused smile. "It's a spell the Ringmaster can do so you come back to life if you die. Once. Because usually when people die that's... it."

He gestures vaguely. That explanation flopped quickly. "But I don't think it's easy, otherwise she'd probably use it for everyone."

They get in too much damn trouble, after all. It's incredible it isn't more fatal.

[dressedtothe]

"Right... She had to prepare a spell for the people under the Prince's thrall at the Manor..."

Magic isn't really his area of expertise.

But based on the results of what happened to Rita when she came back, her body was injured. And she remembered the circumstances of her death... which he hadn't realised until he discovered Lambert had lied to him.

"I guess it's kind of like that. But it's more complicated without the infrastructure for it." 9S steps off the dance machine. Wouldn't want to hog it when they're not using it right now. "And because the storage is inefficient, I won't be able to backup everything. If I was successfully restored," which he has doubts about, "I'll probably be missing a lot of memories."

Really, he'd have more luck if he could make a server, but...

[hippocarnival]

Yuya follows him off the game, leaving the second song for whoever else decides to jump on.

He'll never be happy when he hears the hunt mentioned, but at least this time his expression doesn't sour quite so much--although his gaze drifts away for a moment. "Yeah, like that. Since its magic, it'd probably still work on you! And then you wouldn't lose any memories, but, uh--"

He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Obviously it's a lot better if you don't die." But he knows that's not always a choice for them.

[dressedtothe]

Well, it's a bit too late for that. How many times has he died already? He'll never know.

9S lets out an awkward laugh. "Yeah."

He can't afford to die.

"But it doesn't hurt to have a backup, just in case." His gaze flickers to the screens of the DDR machines, watching them go through their idle animation loop. "I, uh, know humans can't normally come back after they've died. But I think it makes your lives more valuable."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya stuffs his hands in his pockets. "I think everyone's life is valuable."

Granted, that's usually 'human lives' because Yuya comes from a world populated with only humans. But also, there's value in the monster spirits, and value in the gems, and in androids like 9S. He can't see something with so much emotion and not think it deserves at least that much respect.

"But I guess... since we only live once, what we decide to do matters more to us." Yuya's an anomaly, and other people don't get another chance to make different choices like he did. And he's probably not the one who deserved it... but he's the one who got it, and he's going to see his life through until the end.

He glances over to 9S, raising a brow. "As long as your maintained, you'd live forever, right?"

[dressedtothe]

9S can't help but smile a little at that. He knows humans can be unbelievably cruel, but the depth of their kindness also knows no bounds.

"Theoretically, yes."

As long as he's maintained, that's the problem. Rita's the only one who does his maintenance right now. But eventually, if he decided to follow her to her world, she would come to the end of her life. He's not sure he'd want to be around after that.

"I'm sure the Resistance androids have lived a lot longer than I have." He's never asked. "YoRHa like me are newer, but we're, uh. More disposable."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya makes a bit of a face at 'disposable'. He knows 9S doesn't exactly mean it like he can be thrown away--it's probably just that, because his body is newer, it's easier to replace. More modern. That's how electronics and machines were like in his world, after all.

But it's a choice of words that puts a bit of a sour taste in his mouth. "Who are the resistance androids?"

[dressedtothe]

It's just a fact. An unfortunate one that didn't bother him until more recently.

"They're older models who operate from Earth. Overall, they're a much larger organisation, but they're disparate and scattered over the Earth's surface."

9S folds his arms and leans against the railing at the back of the DDR machine.

"They're not as good as fighting as we are but they've survived for this long." They lived on the surface of the planet in close proximity to the machines. It's more dangerous for them. "I guess they had to since they don't have backups the way YoRHa do."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya nods, not intimately familiar with war and rankings and any of that. But he thinks he's following along.

"So you work with them? To fight the, uh," he pauses, trying to remember what 9S told him before they entered the arcade. "The machines?"

The tone he says it in, it's clear he has no perception of exactly what the machines are. Cars are machines. 9S is technically a machine. 'The machines' sounds like something he'd see in an anime. What exactly are they?

[dressedtothe]

9S nods. "Yeah, the machine lifeforms."

It's hard to believe that he won't see another one ever again. After spending so much of his life fighting them -- it was his purpose -- it's so weird to realise that with him deciding not to return to Earth, he'll never see another machine again.

"We call them lifeforms, but they're more like... that roomba. They have rudimentary AI so they can perform their function, but they're not like us. The machines don't have feelings."

[hippocarnival]

"What are you fighting them for? Was there some huge robot uprising against humans or something?"

He assumes it's against humans, since 9S is fighting for them. And he doesn't know a lot about them, so they probably aren't fighting side by side? Where are the humans. Hm.

[dressedtothe]

9S shakes his head.

"The machine lifeforms were made by the aliens that invaded Earth. They wiped out most of the remaining humans... as well as their own alien creators."

What kind of living being would do that?

"They just fight and fight and fight. Earth's overrun with them, so it's our job to eradicate them so the humans on the moon can go back to their homes."