⇨ THE MATRIX

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: S1:D22 - S1:D??
Where: Visiting the Matrix.
What: The carnival arrives at its next location, as outlined here. This is a general mingling log for convenience purposes, but players are welcome to make as many other logs for this purpose as desired.
Warnings: Could be a lot of things.

THE MATRIX↴ "What IS the Matrix? The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it." ► INSIDE: On the inside, it all seems so normal. Beyond what you know of the reality you've stepped in, every bit of this place feels just as real as it did back in the carnival. If you were to forget where you'd just come from, would you know any different? The simulation of Chicago is identical to how it would have been in the early days of the new millenia, to anyone who comes from a similar Earth. Humans bustle around you, oblivious to the world outside of the Matrix that they were born into. One bright side to it all is that this hyper realism means the coffee tastes just as good as it does in real life. Anything you could do in real Chicago you can do here - and perhaps even more. ► WHITE ROOM: But before that, you were here. The White Room is a loading program, intended to port objects and people into the Matrix. You arrive as a reconstruction of your true physical form, but common sense suggests that for some of you, entering the mundane world looking like yourself isn't the best idea. It's in this empty world that you will be able to load in whatever physical objects you are, and change the way you present your own body to the system. Changes can be little, or big, but whatever you do, the body has to be able to function according to Earth's physical laws. Don't forget, if you die here, you die in the carnival too. ► DEJA VU: It doesn't matter what you're doing, but at some point you'll notice it - something around you has repeated itself, like a line on a skipping record. Maybe it's the same person bumping into you twice in a row, or the same cab driver yelling at you to get out of the way. It's like reality has rewound and repeated itself, and after the fact you have no proof of it happening beyond the memory of what you saw. You don't know what it means, but something about it is chilling. It may be a good time to find a buddy. ► THE ONE: It won't necessarily come naturally, but in a moment of need you may find yourself bending the world of the Matrix through sheer belief and force of need. How you bend it will always stay without the rules of the universe, at least for now, but when it comes to enhancing your own physical characteristics, just about anything is possible. It will not be easily reproducible, not now, but it could be your first view into the window of what's possible.

Comments

[toogoodtoopure]

Sure. Depends on what kind of stories you like to hear I guess.

[The hand is comforting at the very least, as they push their way through the crowd. The area become a less so around them as they reach the end of it, a few stragglers lining up for the next lot of traffic lights and Yuugi inhales as he spies someone he's already seen out the corner of his eye before he snaps his gaze to the ground, watching to make sure he doesn't trip over his own feet. Don't think about it. Don't pay attention to it. His hand feels a little sweaty in Joker's own, and he rubs his free one absentmindedly against his own hip.]

I got a few.

[Comes with being the vessel of an ancient spirit is what he wants to say, but for now he keeps his mouth shut, instead turning his attention to the older man.]

Probably not as exciting as yours.

[pipers_son]

Oooh, all sorts. Places you’ve been ta, people you’ve met…

[Aaaaand cross. Joker keeps his eyes straight ahead, determined to ignore everything and anything like it isn’t happening. They’re one of the crowd, now, just as oblivious as anyone else. It’s the only time when it pays to be oblivious, in his book, when it’s a defense mechanism. If they’re like this, than if there’s something out for them, maybe this will keep it from sniffing them out so quickly.]

[Then again, who knows. This seems complicated and over his head, all this technology. He could be wrong. Joker would rather he didn’t stick around long enough to find out.]

Anyway, you’ll get more tales of yer own to talk about as well if ya stay with the business long enough. Every stop is an adventure, if ya want it ta be. Sometimes even when ya don’t, ha ha.

[And a turn here… Yeah, this is the right way, he’s sure of it.]

Almost lost my head once. I’ll have ta tell ya about that tale sometime over dinner.

[toogoodtoopure]

[It sort of reminds Yuugi of trying to blend into the crowd in his first year or two of high school. Of course, when you barely reach 5'0" total and have an unusual hairstyle, that makes trying to blend in harder than usual. Trying to make yourself as much of an NPC as possible was almost...well, impossible.

He hums as he lets the other lead, tilting his head in thought before shrugging.]

Can't say I've ever had that happen. But I was almost hung once. And had my soul stolen another time.

[There's a lot of stories that he could tell. Whether or not he could avoid mentioning Atem was another thing. For the moment he tries to avoid tripping over his own feet as he's brushed against by someone, concentrating on moving forward rather than feeling as though his new legs were going to give out on him.]

Sometimes...well, I guess every day is an adventure if you make it that way.

[pipers_son]

[A few years ago, Joker would have boggled at the phrase ‘soul stealing’, especially said so casually. Now, however, he only makes a faint noise of interest, turning them down another street.]

Hope ya keep a better handle on it this time around. Never know what kinda odd places could do who knows what with yer soul.

[Or, he guesses, what working for the Ringmaster will do for any of theirs, but he’ll worry about that if it happens. There are more important things to worry about.]