london ♔ stand across the wire

[spellfile]

Technologic [fool remix] - Daftpunk

WHO ||  Lila, Astrid, Faye, Topher, Zero, One, GLaDOS
WHAT || Lila and Zero go to confront the technomage One, with a little help from their friends...
WHERE || Downtown London, CalTech building
WHEN || Late March, 2015 [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

It's been a couple of months since the hacker who goes by the moniker "One" assisted in the attack on the Knights' castle, with the inside assistance of the Artificial Intelligence-turned-human GLaDOS.  Zero has good reason to believe, however, that One hasn't left - that he's waiting for him to come face him, and that the stage he's set for the showdown is the CalTech building in the city, whose employees are off for the week.  Realizing it's likely a trap, Zero's stacked his chips on setting a counter-trap - uploading a virus designed by himself and Topher Brink into the now-cyborg Faye Chamberlain's brain, assuming that he is going to try to hack into her and turn her against them.  

They arrive at the building as the sun is going down, staring up at the building that has a light show of digital streams coursing down the front of it, drawing a snort from Zero.  

"Theatrical jackass."

Comments

[andblockbuster]

[that gets Topher to swallow hard and move towards Lila cautiously- whether it's because he doesn't want GLaDOS to pay attention to him or because Lila is scary is up in the air.] Crazy robo-lady has a point. Lila, maybe you should go find Zero. What's going on with those two- that's totally more your wheelhouse. This is mine. [he glances back at Faye.] I think I can figure this out.

[and by figure this out, he means hope that virus gives him an in or something.]

[reallywicked]

[Faye isn't sure that she necessarily wants to sacrifice Zero to save her own life. It's unfortunate that she has a moral compass now. Things were so much easier before that happened...

So she releases a bit of her hold on her control over her mind and body, hoping to do it in such a way that it will seem like she's getting weaker- and not like some purposeful action (bluff 31).]

[bittersweeter]

[ it's okay, faye, lila isn't going anywhere just yet because, as she irritably points out, gesturing to the generated blackness around them: ] Yeah, I'll go right through the zero fucking doors in here.

[goodbyecaroline]

I actually think you should get to see this. Never say I didn't do anything for you.

[ and just like that, a series of steps ascends out of the floor, inky black, but edged in glowing green. up they go towards the ceiling, out of sight... ]

[bittersweeter]

[ lila looks between the stairs and faye before her eyes land on topher. ]

If you don't fix this, you will not be coming out of this alive. [ she pauses for a moment, letting the absolute truth of that statement sink in (intimidate 53) ] Hold on, Faye. [ and then she turns and races for the stairs. (dex 20 total) ]

[andblockbuster]

[Topher is apparently now officially immune to Lila's threats or he's conjuring all the frustration he's ever felt at Adelle De Witt AND THIS SITUATION, because as she turns to go, he yells back with all the muster of a nat 20 will save] That's cute! 'Cause if we survive this, that'll be in my report... You freakin' psychopath.

[he cracks his knuckles and steps closer to GLaDOS and Faye, some of that confidence falling away, because a man can only stand up to so much scary shit in one day.] You're having some trouble, right? Little bit, maybe? This could've gone a lot smoother... [(Diplomacy 21- HE IS TRYING OKAY)]

[pathology]

[astrid decides to stay with topher because he's a baby bird who needs moral support.]

Like, if you don't fix it, we'll probably all die. I mean, we could probably all die anyway ... it's not great, is what I'm saying.

[goodbyecaroline]

[ sorry faye, but just to be extra fucking ominous, this time the words come out half from all around them, and then the second half OUT OF YOUR OWN MOUTH this is fine ] Fixing it implies that something is broken. All I've done is find a way to improve your friend.

By replacing her. From the inside out.

[andblockbuster]

I don't see that as an improvement. I just see that as inviting another crazy person in my life, and would you believe I've kinda made quota?

[goodbyecaroline]

Who are you

ca̟̯͚̲͇l̪̞̝̖̘͖ͅl̬̬͔̦̬̻̝i͔͕̦͙͈̘̪n̖̻͉̟͢g̘̝̺̗̪͓ ̵̺̫̪c̶r̝̺͚͉a̵z͍͖̲͘y͎̣̯̯̫̯͎͞?̨

[ uhh that didn't seem right ]

[reallywicked]

[Does that mean it's working? God she hopes so. Is it itchy? It seems like it might be itchy.]

[andblockbuster]

[Topher perks up, glances at Astrid, and then takes another tentative step forward.

and then decides maybe he can afford to be a little cocky, because he's feeling his wheaties right now. lila got him worked up.]

I dunno. Maybe the robot who thought she could go up against a neuroscientist when brains are on the line.

[goodbyecaroline]

[ faye can feel glados' anger roiling through her, a cold wave of something that tries desperately to seize at her limbs and gain control of them, sending her staggering forward towards topher in a bizarre, menacing horror movie walk. ]

W̪͍̘͓̻̩͍̬h̡̢҉̹̗̟a̷̢҉̺͖͓̩͕̩t̘̮̪͓̫̣̠̼͠ ̸͈͍͎͇̲͈̹̟d̞͙͖̪̗͟i̛̠̬͖̮̺̦̞d͔͖ ̴̧̘̺ý̤͔͍͕o̢̳u͕̹̫̼̲ ̞͓̺̻̪͟͞ͅd̛̙̣͖͓͉o̧͖͕̞͕̪͝ ̨̮̺̫̺̦̩͟ͅt̡̺̥̙̀o̮͎̟̯̩̫̜ ̨̹̭̣̦̘̻͇͈̞m̨͖̟̭̱̯e͈̰̙ͅͅ?̵̢͕̖͔̻͉̯̹̬

[andblockbuster]

[Oh that's not good. He takes a step back towards Astrid.]

....I mean it was more of a group project.

[reallywicked]

[She knows this is supposed to work but feeling her body move involuntarily is downright terrifying. Just a Faye update as these horrors unfold...]

[goodbyecaroline]

T͎̣͙̖͡h̢̫̰̗̹̲̮́ͅe͖͚̝̞̤͟͟n͞҉̢͕̖͍̙͍̯̜̦̼ ̴̟͚͖̗̭͉̖̰̗Ì̢͔̞̹̦͔'̜̤̣͈̤̗͡ĺ̳̰̬̙͢l̷͙̭̜̪͖͍ ̱m̵̨̤̰̪͠a̶̜͈̙̺̬̫̼̯k̻͘e̸͎̗̻ ̨̥̭͍͉͞s̴̴̢̥̪̰ͅù̯̜̹͞r҉̞̻̯̫͍͡e͚̥͉̣̣͕͎͟ ̧҉͔̟ę͎̬̹̜̣v̴̵̱̥e̘̹͔̠̺͕̝̙͟r̸̸͓̠͘y̴͞͏̠͇̮̮̼̱o̷̘̝̼̦̦̕n̴̪̹̝̭̠é̷͎̩̲̪͖͇͙̩͉ ̩͉̣̮i͏̜̭͓͈̱́͠s͚̬̦̼͈͈̗͠ ͎i̝̗̱̩͚̝̟͡n̖͖̞̺͚̙̳͘͝ͅc̨̬l̵̷͏͇̦̞͕͈̝u̞̠̟̤̯̙͉͡ͅd̨̦͙̜̜̀͜e͓̜͖̖̝̰̣͠d̷̢̢̤̼͚̻.̴̡͙̩̥̯͖̭͙̖

[ annnnd faye must make a will save DC 18... to resist the urge to cast a destructive spell at her two buddies here. like... a fireball. ]

[reallywicked]

[Well she sure got a 14.........

so her comes a fireball yall... reflex save 18 for half damage - annnnd that full damage is 35 :x]

[andblockbuster]

[Thanks to action points because Topher would be fucking unconscious by now without it since he took damage already, he passes his reflex save (RS 21), but he's still not looking too good.] I think it's your turn for a bright idea, Astrid, because mine sorta got us here...

[pathology]

[astrid also needs an action point but it's fine ok (ref save 27) this is fine. everything is fine. jk no it's not. she can take being lightly singed, but her lips purse in a line as she glances over at topher and sees him doing not quite as well. this entire situation is not great. maybe if they get a moment she can patch him up. or they'll all die. maybe that.]

Turn her off and on again?! Fuck, I don't know!

[goodbyecaroline]

[ faye's entire body begins jerking and convulsing further, her thoughts overrun by a litany from within of glados insulting her and her mother and topher's dog, a string of statements designed to cut away at any self esteem she might have left, but each one so garbled that it doesn't actually make any sense, the bite stripped away. ]


Y̟̲͈̤̥̍̔ͯ́ǫ̲̣͔̰̎͒̅ų͖̘̟̣̭̻͐̃̌̌̈͂ͥ͛͠ ̘̘͚̥̒̓̒̍̒̋ͪ̒w̨̜̥̖͍̹̼̭̏̏̔̈ͩͩ͢o̡̳̗̮̣̖͍̞̊̍͂͛͊ͥṅ̶̴̰̯͓͗̈'̤͉̭͐́̃̃͛͌̌̈́̀t̶͙̳͖̟̊̽̑̆̃̐ͩ
̠̈́̉͠͝
̉̏̓̆҉̟̪̮͉̙̞̠͚Yͬͪ̄͏̨̬͉͕̠̪̣̼͍ò̴͍͈̗̰̘̼̅̏ͬͥ̍̂̈́͛͘ͅu̷͚͍̿ͩ̏͑̇ ͭ̿҉̱̖̞ͅŵ̴̷̱͈̮̾ͯ̉̾͗̚o̳̹̬̟̮ͩ͂̅̄͜ņ̸̛͔͔͖̬͍͚̩͈ͥͬ͋'͓̗̘̩̜͊̇̉̄͗̍̓̒̎̕ͅt̡̺͎̬̦̯͍̣̥̐͂͑̒ͮͫ̓
̛̟̤̰̝̟̰̰̍ͣ̒́ͅ
͔̩̣̼̪̦͉͌ͮ̈́͆̈͐ͦͫ
̌̔̽҉̢̥̜̦͈͇͍̭̗Ȳ̛ͭͤͧ̇̆̄͏̥̫̞̬o̶͈͔̳̹̦̹̥̘ͧ̾ͧͯų͙̲ͤ͌ͯ̔̚͘͝ ̴̜̘̗̝̻ͭ̔̒̕͡w͂̆̆҉̨̪͕̥͓͈̪̣o͎̻͆̄ͨ̐͢n̺̩̤̂̄ͨ̕͘͢'̠̱̗̹̼̲̥̰̅̍̐̑̊ͯͭ͑ͬ͠t̴̻͇͇͕͇̞ͩ̅ͦ̏ͮͥ͊͒ͣ̀͟
̙̙̗͉͈͔̌ͣ̇͌͊̕
̶̹͈̬̦ͣͬ̇͡g͕̭̫͎̤̀ͮ̊̈́ͬͣͮ̀͟ḛ̞̻̥̪̽͛͊͞t̶̮̑̓̃̍ ̢̥̟̻͉̳͕̬̬͋͌̅̑̇͂ͥ͡à̭͙̠͖͑̚͘̕ͅẅ̧̙̬̻́̇̓̐͟a͚̩͔͍͙ͥ̆̔͆ͨ́y̌̃̿̇͏̲̘̪
͖̞̃͐̌́̕͟ͅ
̶̨̲̪̙̝̘̬͖͛͋̅̚w̵̳̰̣͈ͦͭ̾̓́ͫ͌̅͝ȋ̯̪͎͙͓̖̻́͘ț̔̑͘h̞̜͍͓̺̺͖ͭ́ͥ̔ͣ͒̐
ͦͦ̒͏̱͔̥̩͉͓̹̫̼
̴͔̽͟
̛̗̖̩̝ͪͥ̌̽ͦ̈́̚͡ͅ

[ faye must make a fort save 15 to avoid passing out from the physical strain that's being put on her nervous system right now tbh ]

[reallywicked]

[fort 23. she's the stubbornest bitch in the world. this will probably come back to bite her later, but for now she's hanging on with all she's got.]

[andblockbuster]

[Topher staggers to his feet, burned and battered.] That does not actually work on the human brain- believe me, I have.. [uhhh] Not tried that ever. In my life.

[pathology]

[the most exasperated expression] Cognitive recalibration!! Knock her out, you dildo!

[goodbyecaroline]

[ echo - crusher p

at astrid's words, there's a flare of something that feels a great deal like anger and bitter sadness that flows through faye, not her own, a few words managing to cut through the static enough to make sense: ]

W̮̲͈̦ͅo̯̘͚͖͓̟̮͙͓͖̣̠̫̗͈̹̭̠ͅu̻̣̘͔̜̗̙͇l͇̘̳̤ͅd̖̖͎̼ ͎͙͈̹̼̣͉͓̯̪̫͔̝̫͙̟̝̦ͅy̞͓̬̗͉͓̬̟̦̟̣̖̪̫͎̬o̖͉͕̰̻͙̮̰͇͔͍͉̬͎̖͓u̘̥̱̬͕͇̘̺͎̥̰͎͔̗ ͚̘͖̞̜r̬̩̹̩̙̹̮̩̥̮̙̥̗͎̘e̯̯̳̘̥̟̹̱̣̪̘̜ͅa̤̠͉͓̝͎̰̗̖̤͎l̠̟͓l͔̹̹̤̺̟̟̗͍̳̣ͅy̘͖͚̮͕̝̜̣͎͙̭̭̪͉̭ͅ
̝͍̗̥͔͙̪̞̥͕͙̜̮̖ͅ
͕͎̱̬̻k̥̘̗͕̬̫̮͙͙̞̤i̟̲͇̙ͅl̗̯̗͉̺̣̦l͎̼̬̜͈͓̝͓͕̜̦ ͎̬̭̘̭̠̖̭̩m̠̲̟̥͓e̳̟̻͎̹̭
̭̼̝
͈̻̲͓̰͉͙̹͖̜̺̻̰͈
̱͖̱̠̝͈̝͎̯̖̜̗̗̦̱̙̳y̮̰͓̺̲̫͔̹̱͓o̠̘̠̩͓͕̲͕͈̯̘ͅụ̖͎̗̩͓̱͓̱͚̦͎̱̣̟ ͇͙͉̥̙͕̜͍ͅm̥͙̫̱͍̮̤̟̲̠̠͇̺̳̖̭͇o̜̺͇̥̜̻̟͔̗ͅn̦̹̤̜̼s̻͈̳̤̥̫͇̳͚t̳͓͔̩̜͚̖̩͔̝e̬̩̖͉̭͍̼͎͎͓r̟̩͎͙͍̤͚̪͍̳̼̦͖̱̜̲

[andblockbuster]

[Topher pulls his Beretta Excalibur and begins to move cautiously towards Faye in case she loses control again with the intent to possibly pistol whip her into unconsciousness, because HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO KNOCK HER OUT WITH. HE'S SORRY.]

Faye... Um... If you can hear me, I'm not gonna shoot you, so don't... panic or anything. And also I'm sorry.