trans_9 | 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.

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"N-not your sh-shadow..." he started to defend. He already sounded pathetic, why not sound crazy too? Looking away he mumbled "I-It's a parasite that is born from and feeds off of negative emotions..."

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.

"A--

--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?"

Alex made a sort of scared 'nngh' noise. Should he keep explaining? "I-I- N-no! N-nothing like that! Swear!" Please don't hit me, please don't hit me! Alex recoiled, expecting to be kicked or hit or something.

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.

F-

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?'"

Edited 2010-08-13 16:34 (UTC)

"You- uh, d-do you f-feel like, erm," well, judging by the look he was giving him... "f-fear? I mean! Uh," No, this kid was not feeling fear, besides, the shadow was fading now. "Maybe p-pride? O-or g-greed earlier? The shadows... they feed off of that... B-but th-they also m-make those f-feelings w-worse! O-or s-something..."

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."

Mao's brow twitched, a not-particularly-subtle gesture of irritation. Afraid? Him?! He bared his teeth slightly, fangs grinding together in restrained anger--how dare he! He leaned in, however, his breathing growing heavier, wetter as saliva began to gather in his mouth, his glasses fogging up with the excitement as the anger was pushed aside by something much more... pressing.

"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...!

Alex inched backwards, closer to the ground. How nice it would be to just sink in?

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?

Mao was now a few inches from Alex's face, the game's casing held in his eager, sweaty hands. "We?" he asked, his grin growing bigger and bigger. "How many of you are there? Where are they?"

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!

What would it take to get away from this guy? Alex pulled he hood further over her head, as if he was trying to get it to completely cover his face- which, in a sense he was.

"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.

The p--

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.

A part of Alex wanted to punch Mao for that, but since they weren't in any immediate danger... well, he'd rather not die.

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!"

Kid really needs to learn to watch where he's going [Open like an open thing]

We'll blame it on moving. I don't know what my excuse is? Lack of sweets?

... sure, why not!

Candybot needs candy!

Ratbot needs.... rats?

Re: Ratbot needs.... rats?

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