[IC] Myriad Reality

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

@Webmaster

Melody, you are crying. You couldn't even begin to convince me that apathy has anything to do with you, or that you lack a sense of love.

[Webmaster]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

Melody, you are crying. You couldn't even begin to convince me that apathy has anything to do with you, or that you lack a sense of love.

@GalaxyRaider

I have unlimited frustration and an existential dread. That's not what it means to be alive.

[System]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

@Webmaster

*Looks down*
You... don't love me?

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

I have unlimited frustration and an existential dread. That's not what it means to be alive.

@Webmaster

*Stops walking just short of the podium*
If that was all you had, then why couldn't you look Tempo in the eyes to say it?

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Looks down*
You... don't love me?

@System

She's lying to herself in a moment of weakness and self doubt. We need to be there for her now, Tempo.

[System]

<Snipped quote by System>

She's lying to herself in a moment of weakness and self doubt. We need to be there for her now, Tempo.

@GalaxyRaider

But how... how could anyone say that..? What about our family?

[Webmaster]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Stops walking just short of the podium*
If that was all you had, then why couldn't you look Tempo in the eyes to say it?

@GalaxyRaider

Stay away!
*A menagerie of viruses materializes across the expanse, as far as the eye can see*
Do you want to see for yourself?
*Two azure panels materialize on either side of me, scrolling at near-unreadable speeds and logging countless errors, most of which reference missing functions, failed imports, and exception handlers*

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

But how... how could anyone say that..? What about our family?

@System

It's a crisis. These are completely natural to feel when you haven't opened up about your thoughts and feelings and let them fester.

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Stay away!
*A menagerie of viruses materializes across the expanse, as far as the eye can see*
Do you want to see for yourself?
*Two azure panels materialize on either side of me, scrolling at near-unreadable speeds and logging countless errors, most of which reference missing functions, failed imports, and exception handlers*

@Webmaster

*Keeps my eyes locked on you and doesn't step back*
See what for myself? I'm looking at what truly matters right now.

[Vacare]

<Snipped quote by Vacare>

It doesn’t even have the common courtesy to kill you first?
Lily: Rude!

@Nimda

The caster died long ago, so we can't even get him to dispel his doing and so it's just been getting worse. I've been able to handle a lot of the things that came my way, but this big boy requires more than just me.

*I look to Sideslash*

Since we're talking shop, mind if I order a drink? A cold lemonade would be nice.

[Spiritblitz]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Maybe that would be good enough for the others, and you could convince them that this void is something everyone shares. But I remember being alive. And what you just said is a lie.
*Hits the top of the podium console*
I felt love, and joy, and sadness. All of those things made me who I was, and by them I made so many choices. Now, they're nothing more than null pointers. Everything I thought I felt and chose was an illusion created by a piece of code. It was all always meaningless! And now every choice I could make is the same. I could leave, I could stay. I could hurt someone, I could help them. Every single one is equal to me!
*Wipes my eyes to look at you, "Fatal Error" circling around my irises*
And I learned why they call viruses evil. Evil isn't resentment. It's apathy.

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Shakes my head*
I'm a block of bytes sitting somewhere on a server. There's no soul flipping those. If my soul is attached to that code, then I'm nothing but a mute slave to the algorithms. And that's why I didn't want any of you to come. I had one hope, one last lie I was holding onto. I wanted to believe there was just one piece of my humanity left...
*Looks at Tempo, but immediately averts my eyes and holds onto the sides of the podium to stop myself from shaking*
But now I'm forced to confront the fact that there's no function for love in my heart!

@Webmaster

Is that why you mutated those viruses?

[Webmaster]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Keeps my eyes locked on you and doesn't step back*
See what for myself? I'm looking at what truly matters right now.

@GalaxyRaider

Then I'll give you something else to care about.
*Taps on the terminal, executing a pre-written script*
There's a nuclear fission plant that has a critical weakness in its design. It's going to melt down. You can leave now and save everyone, or you can wait here and leave them to die.

[System]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Then I'll give you something else to care about.
*Taps on the terminal, executing a pre-written script*
There's a nuclear fission plant that has a critical weakness in its design. It's going to melt down. You can leave now and save everyone, or you can wait here and leave them to die.

@Webmaster

You'd... kill people? We're supposed to save humans!

[Webmaster]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

Is that why you mutated those viruses?

@Spiritblitz

*Looks down*
It didn't slow me down.

[Nimda]

<Snipped quote by Nimda>

The caster died long ago, so we can't even get him to dispel his doing and so it's just been getting worse. I've been able to handle a lot of the things that came my way, but this big boy requires more than just me.

*I look to Sideslash*

Since we're talking shop, mind if I order a drink? A cold lemonade would be nice.

@Vacare

Just a lemonade?

[GalaxyRaider]

<Snipped quote by GalaxyRaider>

Then I'll give you something else to care about.
*Taps on the terminal, executing a pre-written script*
There's a nuclear fission plant that has a critical weakness in its design. It's going to melt down. You can leave now and save everyone, or you can wait here and leave them to die.

@Webmaster

…
Why?

[Spiritblitz]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

*Looks down*
You... don't love me?

@System

Tempo, it’s not true! She does love you.

[Vacare]

<Snipped quote by Vacare>

Just a lemonade?

@Nimda

Mhm! That's for me, what about you two?

[Spiritblitz]

<Snipped quote by Spiritblitz>

*Looks down*
It didn't slow me down.

@Webmaster

The mutation?

[Webmaster]

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

…
Why?

@GalaxyRaider

Because it's all the same! Why do I care who lives or dies? I don't want this, and I don't want to want it either! But I don't want you here, and I can't justify stopping it!

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

You'd... kill people? We're supposed to save humans!

@System

If I'm subhuman, then I'm a slave. If I'm superior, then they mean nothing to me. I'm clearly not an equal.

<Snipped quote by Webmaster>

The mutation?

@Spiritblitz

Yes, I caused it.