EVENT #12: ADVERSITY 6568654

[expiationmods]

EVENT #12: DO AIS DREAM OF ALGORITHMIC SHEEP?

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)

-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

JANUARY 13

SLEEP MODE INITIATED.
LOADING………………….

The calming hush that falls over Aldrip is strangely comfortable, lulling all Chosen into a deep sleep…or a sleeplike state, for those who will. Whatever the case, it is a very quiet night.

The sleep that follows is anything but.

THE DREAMSCAPES

The Chosen dream of memories, in this dreamscape. They can be twisted and altered by the dream world; events can be contorted or made up; but all of these dreams have within them a kernel of truth. Whether they express an event that happened or part of a person’s past that’s gone fuzzy with age, whether it’s a real moment or just a feeling, something about the dream tells you something about the Chosen to whom it belongs. This may even express itself in multiple dreamscapes, fragments of different memories and feelings to navigate.

Fellow Chosen can travel through these dreamscapes, of course, stumbling upon dreams they were never meant to see. But their presence is not without consequence; the longer two Chosen share the same dream, the more the dream will begin to take on elements of both their dreams, drawing in elements from the Chosen who was simply meant to be watching.

They’re vivid, these dreams–the kind that are so clear, one begins to doubt whether it’s a dream at all. Could it possibly be reality? Whether it’s a good dream or a bad one, the Chosen may find it’s difficult to want to wake up. How could they possibly wake up, when this is so very real? Why would they want to, if it’s a good dream? It’s comfortable, and the idea that it may not be reality is intimidating, isn’t it?

It’s so real that you could stay here forever.

A WAKEUP CALL

Wake up.
You have to wake up.

Staying within the dreams too long is a dangerous thing, and those who don’t wake even once before morning will risk falling into a deep sleep, perhaps never to wake at all.

But how to wake them?

Only by convincing the Chosen that they are most certainly dreaming, as it turns out. Whether that’s someone realizing this on their own, or being helped along by someone else, is entirely up to you. But they must choose to wake from the dream, saying goodbye to the dreamscape without any certainty that they’ll ever see it again, and for some…that could be easier said than done.

Once they wake in Aldrip, they’ll be able to come and go from the dreams at will, helping other Chosen navigate their own waking…or perhaps sabotaging it, for those whose intentions may be less than charitable. (But none of you would do that, right? Right?)

Time becomes meaningless within the dreamscapes, allowing the Chosen to pass through as many of these dreams as they wish before dawn breaks in the morning.

The next day dawns as normal, and surprisingly, the Chosen don’t feel any less well-rested from their long and difficult night chasing after dreams. They may even–_

A sea of numbers, zeroes and ones, their combinations meaningless, their forms shifting. Digital artifacts mar the vision, as if the sequence is somehow corrupted. In those pockets of artifacts, one can see something beyond the numbers, something darker, something blurry with distance.
Query: is this what it is to “dream?”
It feels…warm.

_feel refreshed, actually, as if they’ve lifted various weights from their shoulders. Even those who haven’t may find it difficult to linger on the less happy parts of what they’ve seen. They’ve shared quite a unique experience, after all. Better take some time to process it, before they let it weigh them down.

WILDCARD

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[memori3s]

[ Others might flinch at the sight of a human body falling apart before their very eyes. Minato, instead, stands steadfast as he holds onto Ange's hand a little tighter. Even in this sorry state, it's still her.

There's no reason for him to be afraid, to recoil away from her. ]

...probably not.

[ He's not going to lie to her, to comfort her with falsities. No, it probably won't get any easier. But -- ]

When you get tired, you can rest a little with someone.

[ Rest, replenish one's strength, before getting back up to weather whatever the future holds. So he holds onto her hand, still, even as blood soaks his hand and the cuff of his sleeve. ]

cw: suicidal ideation, though not incredibly direct

[entreats]

But.. I wouldn't want to get back up again.

[ Resting doesn't sound all that bad. Right now Ange knows there's stuff she has to do before she can rest, but once she's done that-- It wouldn't be so bad. The bad part would be the resting having to end, she thinks. ]

I.. [ She slowly breathes in. Parts of her still fall down. Like snow, or cherry blossom petals-- except it's flesh. ] I wouldn't want to do anything anymore. I never asked for this..

[memori3s]

[ Even as more pieces of Ange scatter onto the floor, Minato's determined not to let go of her hand. It'd be a lie to say he didn't understand that feeling, the desire to finally let go of everything that weighed upon his shoulders.

But all he can do is keep holding her hand, fingers wrapped steadfast around Ange's. ]

Life's not fair. I know.

[ Life's never been particularly fair to him. And yet, all he could do was stand time and time again. ]

...do you want to rest a bit right now?

[entreats]

[ The same breath she slowly inhaled is now slowly being exhaled before she speaks up.

There's a quiet moment even after that, and then, closing her eyes, she says: ]

.. yeah.

[ She'd like to rest more than just a little bit, but-- Just a little bit might be nice, actually.

Everything feels so heavy. She feels so tired. ]

I.. trust you. [ Ange says - slowly, but she's still managing to speak, despite her current sorry state. ] So can I rest with you..?

[memori3s]

[ He nods at her, his hand still holding tightly onto Ange's. ]

Yeah.

[ They can rest for a little while. ]

Good idea.

[ Minato pulls what remains of her a little closer, wrapping an arm around Ange to support her the rest of her body. And if she'll let him, he'll carefully lower both of them to the ground to sit for as long as she likes. ]

that's a wrap! thank you for the thread <3

[entreats]

[ Ange is definitely letting him. There's not even a bit of resistance from her body - though it's hard to tell if she could resist even if she'd want to, given how Minato will be able to feel how weak Ange is the moment he's holding her like that. She's so light. Almost like she isn't even there anymore.

With her eyes still closed, all she says is a: ]

.. thank you.

[ A moment after the dream slowly fades away.

But Ange will wake up, thanks to him. ]