[Jaunt] Testing, testing...

[vrepit_no]

All right, let's get a headcount. This is Shiro - Takashi, might be a better plan here. Speak up with your name, faction, and if you know anyone who's infiltrating or missing please!

I'm getting the feeling we were at least partly anticipated here. Can we get a run-down of which colors mean what and whether or not people expecting us is a good thing here? It was much clearer in Questing Country.

Comments

[loyalrebel]

Malik here.

White are Variables, what they call Investigators here. The rest of what I know is, admittedly biased as my previous overlay was a Defender and Automata.

Red are Defenders, think guards or police. Blue are Miners, they tend to be explorers. Yellow are the Revolutionaries, they decided they were too good for rules. Green are the Cryptos, they do not get out much. Purple, like myself, are the Automata, we are... former viruses.

[vrepit_no]

Good to hear from you, Malik. Hopefully we won't need to anticipate much combat here, but it's good to know we have you on our side if it does happen. [He really doesn't want to have to fight you for real. Sparring is quite heavy enough thanks.]

...I'm guessing they're not going to be super excited to see someone partly purple, then.

[loyalrebel]

I can do more than just fight, Shiro.

[It's gentle at least.]

Likely not, but they may take kinder to it than they will my arm occasionally flickering green while purple.

[vrepit_no]

Never said you couldn't. But it's a good idea to keep tabs on all the dangerous folk we know of. Otherwise it has the potential to go south really fast.

So that would be Crypto and Automata. The Cryptos were the ones who originally fought with the Automata, right? That could get complicated. Let me know if you need backup.

[loyalrebel]

[He doesn't need a babysitter. yet.]

I am only dangerous if provoked or it becomes otherwise necessary.

I expect equal potential for difficulty coming from Defenders native to The Grid, but I am not entirely worried. I can disguise myself well enough if need be.

Shiro, if I need backup in a fight then it is probably best to steer clear of wherever I am.

[vrepit_no]

[you say that like that would ever stop him from coming running, Malik.]

'A single grain of rice may tip the scales'. I'm not going to leave you to die just because it's going to be a difficult fight.

[loyalrebel]

Shiro.

Considering my immortality, if something can kill me, it will take multiple people to take it down.

I will not let you be an idiot and get yourself killed for me.

[vrepit_no]

It'll be impressive, that's for sure. Look. I respect you too much to promise I won't try. But I'm not going to follow you around looking for trouble. You don't need me getting in your way. But anything that's a danger to you is going to be a huge problem for a lot of other Programs, so it would be nice to at least get a heads up so we can keep everyone else out of its way.

[leftbehindagain]

Did you ever ask any of us why we did what we did?

[The 'like you want everyone else to do every time you do something' goes unspoken... for now. At least Malik's admitting to a biased perspective, but that only helps so much, and it's not like Naoki or Naoto have been quiet about their faction affiliation since the first jaunt.]

[loyalrebel]

My overlay was a bit busy getting beheaded and then there was that whole problem of viruses trying to kill everyone.

I also do not especially care why a bunch of people decided to group together and do their own thing.

Besides, would you have spoken to a Defender to begin with?

[leftbehindagain]

We did. Several, actually.

[loyalrebel]

Congratulations?

Maybe I am simply not modern enough to understand why it was necessary.

[leftbehindagain]

[...Sir you are very lucky Naoto's infiltrating and can't wade into this argument herself.]

As I recall, MapLink was one of a very small handful of Defenders who weren't completely paranoid, which may also color your perspective. Not to mention, as a Defender he was less likely to be on the receiving end of the problem in the first place.

It was never about being 'too good for rules.' It was about being able to help others without being beholden to bad orders just because someone higher up the chain of command gave them. Priority doesn't allow for that kind of flexibility.

[loyalrebel]

Most of the world does not allow for that kind of flexibility.

Unless you utterly divorce yourself from contact with every sentient being other than yourself, there will always be something or someone that a person will be beholden to.

[leftbehindagain]

Maybe so, but normally you can choose for yourself whether their advice or orders are worth following. It's a matter of freedom of choice.

[loyalrebel]

Then why have you not fought the orders of the Arcana?

[leftbehindagain]

I've already picked one fight with a godly being. I'm not taking on seventeen of them without ample proof it's necessary, wise, and far outweighs the alternatives or possible consequences. So far we have none of that.

[loyalrebel]

Yes.

Because getting ripped unwilling from our homes and forced in to the lives of other people to fight a stupid war is less horrible than being told what to do.

I am done.

[leftbehindagain]

[Fine. Be done. It's abundantly clear you never cared to understand in the first place, from where Naoki's sitting.]