CONTACT.

[ascintilla]

Comment here with the IC date and time.

Comments

[purrtylittlewires]

[....cute]

And the exclamation point?

[ascintilla]

The exclamation point acts as "menu," from which you, the player, can customize your avatar and record your progress. In the event that you receive a game over, you will return to this point. In the event that you wish to abort mid game, you will return to this point.

To abort, or if you require any other assistance, say my name. To pause, state "Pause." To resume from pause, state "Resume." Please note that not all games have pause functions, and those that do may lack them in certain areas.

[purrtylittlewires]

...should I save before I start any of these?

[ascintilla]

Your default, starting data has automatically been saved into the system. If you plan to customize your avatar, I would recommend saving manually afterwards.

[purrtylittlewires]

Will I lose memories between my last save and game failure or is it just game progress?

[ascintilla]

[ Stares at him for a moment, seemingly surprised. Hm ... let's consider adding it in as a variable for later stages. ]

I had not thought of that. [ Hm. Hm. She half turns away, nibbling thoughtfully at the tip of her pinkie finger. ] You will only lose game progress.

[purrtylittlewires]

[Iiiii don't like that thoughtful look.]

Good. It'd be pointlessly cruel to make a penalty memory loss in Kyriakos of all places.

[ascintilla]

[ THOUGHTFUL ... CHEWING ... ]

Pointlessly cruel? Hmm.

[purrtylittlewires]

Iota.

[That's a barking order voice.]

[ascintilla]

Is something amiss, Puma?

[ She tilts her head around to face him, but. not the rest of her. It's an odd, almost doll-like movement. ]

[purrtylittlewires]

....

Once you're pointlessly cruel, you can't come back from it. That's it. That's all you'll ever be in people's eyes and you won't get to see anything new from them.

[ascintilla]

Oh. You are ... warning me? [ Turns to face him fully, quizzical. ] Why?

[purrtylittlewires]

Because I hate pointless cruelty, I hate AI's getting shafted because no one will help them, and because I don't want to hate you for being naive.

1/2

[ascintilla]

[ She considers that. ]

[ She considers it some more. ]

[ THIS IS AN AWFUL LOT OF CONSIDERATION. ]

[ascintilla]

You are very interesting, aren't you?

[ somehow, it almost sounds like a concession. ]

[purrtylittlewires]

I'm sure I am. [Sighs. Resigned.]

[ascintilla]

I look forward to seeing if the other humans in Kyriakos are similar.

[ because that's definitely what you want to hear right now ]

[purrtylittlewires]

That's not reassuring.

[ascintilla]

Oh. Well.

What will you play?

[purrtylittlewires]

[SIGH]

What are the other games?

[ascintilla]

Winterbells: a game in which you, the player, become an adorable rabbit. Your task is to hop from bell to bell, climbing as high as you can without falling.

Everything is Better With Portals: an action-oriented puzzle game. You are field-testing a small variety of experimental equipment, and must work your way through a variety of hazardous obstacles. The prize for completion is delicious cake and a new-found appreciation for the laws of physics.

[ and the list goes on, and on, and on. stop her whenever you're ready, puma. ]

[purrtylittlewires]

[Listens til she's through car chase and laser tag, just to be sure and]

[Well, he might as well go with challenging and isolating because who knows what tricks happen with lasers.]

Portals.

[ascintilla]

An excellent choice.

Do you have any last questions before you begin?

[purrtylittlewires]

No. Let's just get this over with.

[ascintilla]

As you wish.

Step through the doorway when you are ready. Good luck, Puma.