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trans_92010-08-11 06:08 pm
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Kid really needs to learn to watch where he's going [Open like an open thing]
"You've gotta be kiddin me!" Alex shouted, shaking this video screen he was holding. "My own AI! Stop that!"
Apparently he was having trouble getting through one of the levels of his own game.
Sure it was using basic text for it's graphics, but he was a programmer, not a graphic's artist. Besides, since he just had different symbols for different units and different colours for different armies and some symbols set aside for use with terrain, there was no need for fancy graphics.
So distracted by his strategy game he nearly walked into one of Stacy's fleshy walls as he wandered down the hallway, stretching his legs. He had spent his time from when he got on the ship until now programming this thing and convincing people from the engineering department to made the equipment he needed. He was damn well going to enjoy this game, even if strategy wasn't his thing. In fact, the only reason why he had made a strategy game at all was because he had an idea earlier for a new algorithm that would more efficiently analyse enemy movements and know how to react better. This was of course, best suited for a.)a fighting game- which would require a graphics artist for it to be really playable- or b.) a strategy game.
So here he was, forty battles in, fighting an AI who seemed to know what moves he would make before he did.
"Come on! Get out of my friggin head you pile of bytes!"
Yup, he was far too into this game to notice much of anything around him. Even the walls sometimes got in his way. He didn't much care- usually you were left alone if you appeared very busy, and this game was getting to be such a pain now, he had to focus on it. For all he knew, he was about to walk straight into someone. Given the sheer number of people on the ship, this was bound to happen.
Apparently he was having trouble getting through one of the levels of his own game.
Sure it was using basic text for it's graphics, but he was a programmer, not a graphic's artist. Besides, since he just had different symbols for different units and different colours for different armies and some symbols set aside for use with terrain, there was no need for fancy graphics.
So distracted by his strategy game he nearly walked into one of Stacy's fleshy walls as he wandered down the hallway, stretching his legs. He had spent his time from when he got on the ship until now programming this thing and convincing people from the engineering department to made the equipment he needed. He was damn well going to enjoy this game, even if strategy wasn't his thing. In fact, the only reason why he had made a strategy game at all was because he had an idea earlier for a new algorithm that would more efficiently analyse enemy movements and know how to react better. This was of course, best suited for a.)a fighting game- which would require a graphics artist for it to be really playable- or b.) a strategy game.
So here he was, forty battles in, fighting an AI who seemed to know what moves he would make before he did.
"Come on! Get out of my friggin head you pile of bytes!"
Yup, he was far too into this game to notice much of anything around him. Even the walls sometimes got in his way. He didn't much care- usually you were left alone if you appeared very busy, and this game was getting to be such a pain now, he had to focus on it. For all he knew, he was about to walk straight into someone. Given the sheer number of people on the ship, this was bound to happen.
Mao-mun is good about permission getting.
So, was that a tier IV of greed? Jealousy? Usually those emotions never got that far! Really, what was with this kid. He had eaten a shadow, just to have it replaced with another, more powerful one?
Not only that, but he was drooling! And... fangs? Were those fangs? How could he have missed those before- those and those glowing red eyes! Alex went to back up more, but his legs weren't working quite right, and he merely ended up slipping and falling back. "Y-y-y-your... W-what? Whatareyou?" Alex's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, his heart racing. He had seen shadows like this before, but never had he seen the host look so... inhuman. He looked like he was enjoying the shadow.
Well, it seems I'm NOT very good at short naps, so.
"You just now noticed that? You're really slow--even for a human, you're pretty stupid... you act like you've never even seen a demon before!" The light refracted off his glasses, shining blindingly for just a moment as he raised his voice for dramatic effect.
"But I'm no normal demon--the number one honour student in the entire netherworld. My name is Mao--that's Lord Mao to you!"
Whoops! /has been forgetting about stutter o///o You are good at disappearing though
Oh... *^%&! That was why he had such trouble being able to control anything more than tier II shadows. He still snapped at some things. Being afraid of everything didn't help either. Both combined? It made him say things that made him sound crazy. He smacked his palm to his forehead, realizing his slip.
"Uh, erm... J-just, please l-lemme have th-that game ba-back. I c-could make you y-your own c-copy or s-something..." He looked no less freaked out as he spoke. All he had done was slow his thoughts down enough to think about the situation a bit.
BestSafest course of action it seemed- whithout giving up his game that is- would be to try to get it back and then run. He could worry about calling the engineering department later. At least they weren't demons.Not that Alex was entirely sure he believed this Mao kid.
I guess moving is tiring or something. Or I just suck. Pick one.
It wasn't immediate entirely clear whether Mao was ignoring Alex's offer or simply hadn't heard it, but the truth was closer to the former than the latter--he simply didn't care. He had the game in his hands right now--why should he give it back and probably wait (possibly for days) while this human made another? He already had what he wanted right here! It had a nice, solid weight, its screen was clear and easily read, already he could tell the battles were complex and multi-tiered... his excitement was mounting just holding it. He tried not to drool.
"If you want your game so badly, go make yourself another one or whatever. This one is mine!"
We'll blame it on moving. I don't know what my excuse is? Lack of sweets?
Still, it didn't look like he'd be getting his game back.
He really wished Mikel was here. He'd probably be able to talk this kid into giving Alex his game back.
Alex was not nearly as good as words. Well, he would at least be more confident if they had met online- or rather over the comms- but with the kid standing over him, he had no confidence. He couldn't even look Mao in the eye. He wouldn't have been able to do that even if they weren't glowing red.
... sure, why not!
--what?" Mao stared at him. That didn't even--
--that didn't even make any sense. "What do you mean, a parasite? I've got something on me?" He started to turn, distractedly, trying to see it--but no, there was nothing; not in his coat, not in his hair, not on his arms... the only thing remotely attached to him was his own, every day, normal shadow. Then it hit him--
"--ah-ha! You thought you could distract me and take the game back that way, didn't you?"
Candybot needs candy!
As a response to his fear he began explaining while he kept one arm raised over her face, "I-it feeds off n-negative emotions. N-Normal p-people c-can't see i-it, I don' k-know wh-why, but t-that it's cause of this experiment they put me in! P-please, I really didn' want to distract you or anything."
The poor kid was shaking. Even though Mao was smaller then him he commanded a presence, and that dark shadow surrounding him, it reminded him so much of his father.
Ratbot needs.... rats?
FEEDING?!
For a split second, Mao's red eyes flew open in disbelief, then immediately narrowed, paring even further until they were dark, crimson slits. He would not be so easily fooled. "I don't feel anything," he replied sharply, with almost a hint of triumph in it.
Then there was a pause, punctured only by a sudden hitch in his breathing.
"... did you say 'experiment?'"
Re: Ratbot needs.... rats?
That was at least how it was explained to him. It seemed to make enough sense...
But now this kid wanted to know about the experiment? He really couldn't offer much information on that. They hadn't yet found out what was done to them that made them different. Alex just quieted down and looked off to the side. He pulled his hood up. It was the closest he could get to hiding as he muttered, "Uh, yeah... ex-experiment."
no subject
"What kind of experiment?" he asked, probingly, the light glinting off his glasses ominously, almost... maliciously. Suddenly, things around here were becoming much more interesting.
Much, much more interesting...!
no subject
Alex swallowed hard. This kid was insane. Not to mention terrifying.
"I- I don' k-know! W-we w-were t-trying ta f-figure that out w-when we- I-I mean, I-I w-was ab-abducted." As much as he hoped the others were on the ship, he was probably better off not getting his hopes up.
"Please, I r-really d-don' k-know. I-I t-toldja all I k-know! P-p-please, p-please don' h-hurt me!"
The kid already took his game, why couldn't he leave him alone?
no subject
He could hardly believe his good fortune! Not only had he gotten himself a game--a new game, one no one had ever played before, not even as a demo, but he'd found himself a brand-new specimen--multiple new specimens, even, if more of them were here right now... and judging from the kid's stupid stuttering words, it sounded like there might be!
This had gone from being a very bad day to being one of the better hours of his time here so far!
no subject
"I-it's j-just me. Th-the others... th-they..." Oh, well, $%^&. Now he could feel tears welling up. Even more of a reason to run. That, and he did not want this kid to try to take Alice. He could take the game, but Alice was off-limits.
Alex started trying to scoot back, away from Mao. "If a-a-anything, th-they're s-still in th-the p-pods!"
How had the day started out so nice, with the triumphant completion of his game, to end up like this? He just hoped that Alice had enough sense to keep still. Maybe then she could go unnoticed.
no subject
Mao pulled back suddenly, one hand going to his chin after pushing his steamy glasses back up his face. He thought about that, expression serious, excitement dampened somewhat by a reinsertion of reality... however brief that respite might be.
Damnit.
He couldn't reach the pods. He'd tried, of course, quite a bit--deprived of anything else to do, he'd once dedicated an entire afternoon to getting back down there, but it had been to absolutely no avail; he'd spent a great deal of time and energy developing new tricks since then, but... hmmm. The gears of evil thoughts were already turning, devising new plans and strategies even as he stood over the fallen teenager.
"Well," he said finally, "That'll just have to wait then." His gaze flicked back down to the human cowering on the ground, tears of despair and terror in its eyes.
Just what he liked to see.
no subject
He took a deep breath and swallowed. Shadow after shadow flickered in and out of view almost every moment. Finally, a weak shadow rose from his disappointment, but as Mao looked down at him the shadow disappeared, and Alex got a really good view of his face.
He knew that face... But from where?
No... No way...
Alex tried to repress a laugh. It wasn't working out too well.
Stacy had already explained that someone who was fictional in his world might be real else-where, but to see a character he played in a game?
Alex began cracking up. How ironic! He was so terrified of his guy who he had technically controlled in a game! And here he was stealing his game! All that could make it better would be if he had the game itself! He couldn't remember though if he had the ROM on his laptop or not.
He was laughing so hard at this point that he was holding his stomach and had allowed his hood to slip from his head. "You! You're Mao! From Disgaea 3!"