sheep_game

In my observations: Neither can many members of Bluebell.

Trying to argue with that would be a fool's errand.

[ Dropping into one of the chairs ]

So... I just wanna take a look first, to see if I even can try to help. Are you both sure you're okay with that?

[ Takes the seat directly across from him ]

Ananke states that he is willing to try anything.

I have observed you for a period of time sufficient to determine that your threat risk is minimal. I will permit the intrusion.

Ahahaha . . . I actually really appreciate that, Scarab.

[ Bitches love being a minimal threat.

He places his (fresh out of the oven, flowering) hand on the table, palm up. ]

When you're ready, then.

[ Pauses for just a moment to regard the flowers, one eyebrow lifting slowly

and then calmly lays his hand in Minuet's ]

[ They'll have experienced something like this before, when Minuet pulled Lily into Perci's mind. This is far more gentle and controlled; like a knock on the door to request access, rather than a battering ram conducting a wellness check.

For Scarab, it seems very much like another alien computer requesting access -- because that's exactly what it is. ]

[ The connection opens, barely even a crack— ]

[ The entry into Scarab's mind slams shut with a flurry of ACCESS DENIED messages appearing in its place.

Across the table, Scarab's mouth thins out in annoyed frown. ]

[ The connection opens again. The denial message appears again, but this time a force of white-hot fury and frustration keeps Scarab's "door" wedged open.

The message warps strangely; still insistent and heavy in an attempt to overwhelm and force another closure, but distorting as if the content of the message itself is being degraded. What did it say again? Something about access... ]

[ Somewhere beyond this bizarre struggle, a very muffled sense of encouragement flares up. It...seems to be helping? The message disintegrates further still until it finally snaps, and the connection slams open abruptly. ]

[ Scarab retracts the portion of mind he'd been forcing the connection open with, leaving the way open for Minuet. That muffled energy flares again, more insistent than encouraging now.

A single word comes echoing out from Scarab's side of the connection; exasperated, but lacking the vicious aggression he'd forced his mind open with: "WELCOME." ]

[ BRO

GOOD THING TOO BECAUSE HE COULD NOT HACK AN ALIEN SUPERCOMPUTER FIREWALL EVEN IF HE WANTED TO ]

[ Briefly considers this strange nexus of organics and computers, and the similarities that are already apparent, and how little he actually even understands about plants, and

Like, if the interface is similar enough, could Scarab just scramble Minuet's brains if he wanted to ]

[ NO. PLEASE FOCUS. oh my god ]

[ NONE OF THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!!!!!

His response is closer to Ananke's than Scarab's; all human emotion, few numbers.

Thanks. Man.

Excellent idea to have that there. ]

[ ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: IMPLEMENTED BY: CREATORS.

The statement is accompanied with a burst of related data, like a flowchart unfolding across Scarab's mental space: The creators are The Reach, known for planetary conquest; command of sentient weapons; millenia of warfare; active conquest attempt against Host:Ananke:Home Planet; threat levels Maximum ; flashes of ripping out other denial/restriction/error protocols (this carries the most emotional sensation: frustrated and determined) ]

[ Another muffled response from Ananke comes through, overlapping the last bits of data flaring from Scarab — Oye, oye, slow down! You always do this. That's too much info at once, ese. ]

[ A disgruntled sensation ripples through the space, but the flood of data ceases, and Ananke responds with what feels like amusement and an underlying sympathy.

Sorry. He got mad that it triggered after he invited you in.

It's hard to tell where Ananke's responses are coming from. It's a little hard to tell where here even is. There's no reflections of a physical space to be found in Scarab's mind — instead there's an almost white-noise buzz of raw data being processed around them, while Scarab's sense of self rests in a vaguely central position to all of it. If Minuet focuses, he might pick up on details like Ananke's current vitals whizzing by; the number of heartbeats in the room they're in; repeated checks verifying that the door hasn't opened; etc. ]

[ Well.

It does explain some of the I WAS BUILT FOR CONQUEST stuff, but there's also a detectable undercurrent of like, vague affection and amusement considering he just thinks Scarab is pretty cute, actually.

He scans the data onslaught for at least long enough to get some idea of what's going on here.

This feels like... it's just Scarab's space, not somewhere shared. When you two are working together normally, how is it different? ]

[ I dunno how to describe it... It's like having a second person around all the time.

OUR "SPACES": RETAINED. THE INTEGRATION FUNCTIONS BY GRAFTING DIRECTLY INTO [HOST] [CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM]. [HOST] SENSORY INPUT IS CLONED AND RELAYED TO [SCARAB] IN REAL TIME.

Scarab's statement is accompanied by another data burst that seems to be an amalgamation of memories about utilizing the integration. There's a flash of Scarab, curious about some anxious fidgeting his host is doing, slips through his synapses alongside Ananke's own thoughts and "writes" a question directly into his brain (QUERY: ARE YOU DISTRESSED?). Another flash shows the first microseconds of a pain receptor activating — this time Scarab reaches out and down along Ananke's spine to the neurons that control his arm and yanks, jerking his arm away from a stove burner that hasn't quite cooled off yet. His control only lasts for a fraction of a second before Ananke yelps in surprise and his mind clamps down reflexively against the intrusion, shutting Scarab out of the neuron cluster. ("You can just say something instead!")

Other flashes show something similar happening in reverse, but the majority of these come from the thick of combat: Ananke forces his thoughts back through the integration, practically yelling for a specific weapon (a serrated blade/an energy blaster/Scarab's wings with all power diverted into their shield function). He's never able to exert control over Scarab to force the weapons out himself, but the bug never hesitates to supply whatever it is Ananke's demanding.

There are dozens of similar scenarios; Scarab creeping through the gaps in Ananke's mind, usually monitoring idly, sometimes interfering directly. Ananke squeezing thoughts back along the same paths whenever talking isn't an option. In each of them, Scarab's mind is spread out loosely between the crevices of Ananke's mind and the central "chamber" of data in his own mind; an interloper. ]

[ Whoa.

It's-- unsettling, even secondhand; makes the back of his neck prickle uncomfortably. The disruption in bodily autonomy, no matter how well-intentioned Scarab is.

(And yet the meshing of minds, the exchange of thoughts and words and feelings, doesn't spark the same kneejerk distaste)

How did you.... He cuts the thought off. Backstory can wait; he's here to try to help, first and foremost.

Nevermind. Do you know where the dysfunction is? You're still communicating, so obviously the integration isn't entirely disrupted, but... ]

[ THE ERROR ORIGINATES AT THE PHYSICAL CONTROLS. OBSERVE.

The data around them shifts again, like switching between system windows to examine new data. Scarab demonstrates first, sending a small signal for a minor facial twitch through the pathway. The thought passes through easily, changing from thought to raw electrical impulse on the way.

Then Ananke reaches out and the space begins to warp under his influence, becoming much more tangible, something like a futuristic computer console overlaying the raw data of Scarab's mind. It's probably a little disorienting, but neither bug nor boy seemed bothered at all.

Ananke thinks of kicking his leg, presses a button om the console, and the thought follows the same path that Scarab did until it slams up against some kind of barrier and simply fizzles away. In the background raw data, an error message flashes: UNAUTHORIZED USER. ACCESS DENIED.]

[ It is disorienting. He's palpably taken aback for a second, attention moving from Scarab to Ananke to the interface.

No, he thinks, this actually makes sense. Ananke may be a perfectly normal human (as far as he can tell??), but Scarab is clearly something both biological and mechanical. Re-framed like that, it actually makes more sense, not less.

Geez... how the hell did she manage to override this to the point you're locked out of fixing it?

This is clearly a rhetorical question. A statement of "Mirror bitches amirite."

Is it okay if... I try something? ]

[ They both respond at once, unified

Of course.

The space remains unchanged, but both of them seem to back off of the blocked pathway ]

man

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

1/??

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Re: Day 64 post-wolf meeting

Done

1/

Re: Done

Re: Done

4/4

1/2

actually 2/3

done

Re: done

how did i lose this thread for a week :(

noooooooooo

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