san raul

<•ColdGold|GM> Finally. The day she's been preparing for has finally come. Her days of being wheel-chair bound feel like they'd happened eons ago, though it had only been a few weeks. Now she's standing on her own in front of her makeshift work desk she's crafted where her jacket sits before her.
3:22 PM Just a few more diagnostics to run, calibrations to complete. She'd even managed to attach a nerve pattern to herself, though her data bank was still incomplete, imagine her reaction when she'd commanded herself to do a jumping round house kick, and executed it flawlessly. Just a few more final touches and she'll be ready to go and start her career for real.
3:22 PM She'll finally be able to start fulfilling her promise. The near noon sun shines brightly through the window showing off the details of the jacket in clear clarity.
3:22 PM ||
3:23 PM ((Describe yourself please.))
3:32 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie smiles as she looks at her handiwork. She's got her light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail so that it's off of her face, revealing the green LED glow of the spinal implant that's framed by her bodysuit. The apparatus runs from the base of her neck down her back, anchoring in her sacral region. The first thing she made, back in Cauldron's
3:32 PM facility. It's free, so that the jacket can hook up into it. Her body still looks pretty thin, but at least she can walk now without her legs shaking.
3:32 PM Still. She needs to find a place where she can actually work. Her mother hates what she's been doing, and it's getting harder and harder for her to hide the blood stains on the carpet.
3:32 PM "Just got to double check everything..." Millie mumbles as she looks over her jacket. She switches the modes on her eye a few times, just to make sure they're running properly, then slides the jacket on over her suit. Getting it on is always the hardest part, but she'll live.
3:32 PM Boots on. Jacket there. She's ready. ||
3:33 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
3:39 PM FossilLord → FD|GM
3:42 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Flipping through the new vision modes built into her eye is just as easy as blinking. She cycles through them. *Click* X-ray vision allows her to see through the wall behind her desk, in the next room her sister is laying down on her stomach with her legs hanging in the air kicking. She's reading a book, though Millie can't quite make out which. *Click*
3:42 PM Electric/bioelectric vision shows her the low power current running through her jacket while it's unattached, it shows her the wiring in the walls, and all throughout the room. *Click* Thermal vision turns what she sees into a heat map. Looking around the walls no longer exist, and she can see a sister shaped blob in the next room. She can see a blob down in
3:42 PM the kitchen, but one of her parents doesn't seem to be home.
3:44 PM *Click*, her vision switches back to normal. The jacket is composed of several pearlescent mint green metal parts, and is very bulky. She steps forward and hefts it into place, it slots into her integrating with her spinal implant. Once everything is locked into place the lights on the suit all come on and glow a bright green.
3:44 PM ||
3:51 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "It's showtime." Millie says, clenching her fists in the air. Gosh, she's so flipping excited. She's going to make the city better. She's going to make Cauldron proud, going to...
3:51 PM Millie stops for a moment and thinks of Siege. She had told her to never give up. Maybe she's doing this for her too.
3:51 PM At least her mom isn't home. That means she'll be able to get out of the house without being begged to join the Wards. Again. That argument is getting exhausting. She doesn't /want/ to join the Wards. The best option for the city is to revive Stronghold. Which, is why she's planning to talk to Artisan. After breaking into the old Stronghold base.
3:51 PM Everything's going to be fine. Right?
3:51 PM Millie leaves her room and frowns. She hasn't yet told her sister what's going on. "Sammy! I'm heading out. Be good, okay?" ||
3:53 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
3:56 PM Millie's boots clomp against the wood flooring as she steps into the hallway.
3:56 PM "No promises! Bye." Her sister calls back from behind her closed door. Must be preoccupied with her book.
3:58 PM She has to hold herself back from taking the steps two or even three at a time in her excitement. Her legs are stronger everyday, but she can do without that for now. She'd save the jumping for the Stronghold base.
4:00 PM She rounds the corner of the steps into the kitchen, where she can see her Dad watching some dishes in the sink. The smell of garlic hangs heavy in the air. "Hey Mills, do you want some..." He starts without looking at her, but he cuts off when he looks up and sees her in her costume. He raises his eyebrows in mild surprise
4:01 PM He turns to face her, and starts to speak but then fails. He shakes his head. "Today's the day, huh?" He manages to ask sadly.
4:01 PM ||
4:03 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Yeah." Millie says with a slow nod. "Today." His tone... It makes her feel a little less excited. Her dad has done so much for her. Sometimes it feels like he's the only one cheering her on.
4:03 PM "Don't tell mom, okay? I don't want her to..." Millie looks down at the ground. This is the first time she's been out of her room without the eyepatch on. "I'm going to be careful, okay? And it's just Artisan. He wouldn't hurt me." She gives him a shaky smile, but she's still nervous. Damn. One look from her dad and her confidence is shaken. ||
4:04 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Social check please))
4:05 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 Soc
4:05 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Soc" [2]  = 2
4:05 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
4:06 PM Her father's face is lined with a lot of conflicted emotion looking at her, and it's hard to read exactly what he's feeling. Is he upset, scared, angry, she can't tell.
4:07 PM ↔ Dolyn (was Dol) nipped out
4:08 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He nods slowly. "I won't tell her. But I want you to tell her yourself. Soon. Okay?" He walks over to her, and looks her up and down, he looks away when he looks her in the eyes. But then he looks back and makes himself keep looking. He leans over and gives her a hug, careful to avoid the sharp bits of her jacket.
4:09 PM "I'm very proud of you for everything you've accomplished in the past few weeks. But I can't help but worry. I know this is what you want and I can't fight you on it, but I want you to be safe okay?" He asks.
4:09 PM Says*
4:09 PM ||
4:13 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Yeah. I'll tell mom." Millie says, even though she doesn't want to. Ever since she caught her taking her eye out in her bedroom, things have been weird. "And I'll be okay. I'm tougher than I look."
4:13 PM She turns towards the door, but then pauses. "I love you, Dad. Thanks for everything." She says. It's weird though. It sounds almost like a farewell, rather than a 'see you soon, I'll be back for dinner.' ||
4:20 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
4:24 PM "Of course you're tough, you're my daughter." He says with a worried smile. "Love you too sweetie, see you soon."
4:25 PM He says as she turns her back. She's about to turn out when she hears her Dad say "Millie wait."
4:25 PM ||
4:29 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Yeah, dad?" She asks, a frown on her face. "I've gotta catch the bus... Unless you want to let me borrow your bike."
4:29 PM Yeah. That won't happen anytime soon. ||
4:32 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "You can go. I just wanted to say one last thing. Things are dangerous right now. If you ever feel like your life is in danger, please run." He say, almost on the verge of a pleading tone.
4:34 PM "Just think about it. That was it, we'll talk more later."
4:35 PM He turns to her and gives her a weak smile. "Now go on, you're gonna miss your bus."
4:35 PM ||
4:36 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie nods. She knows full well how dangerous things can be. The city is descending deeper into darkness. It's her job to pull it out.
4:36 PM "Yeah. See you later." Millie gives a wave, then heads out the front door. It feels weird to be getting on the bus dressed like this. /This/ is her debut? But, she can't drive yet. Getting cancer threw a huge wrench in her Driver's ed plans. Though, if she found the data she could probably just download the driver's manual into...
4:36 PM Millie shakes her head. That's a plot for a different time. First, she has to get to the Stronghold base. Synapse. That's who she is now. Synapse. The hero.
4:36 PM A smile cracks back onto her face. It's awesome to think about. ||
4:45 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> She steps into her backyard and across a freshly manacured lawn, and around her mother's small garden. There's a gate on her fence that she steps through, which leads to a backroad.
4:46 PM The bus stop is only a few blocks away, and it isn't very crowded in her community of homes but the people who do see her react appropriately.
4:47 PM One man whose watering his lawn drops his hose and stares at her as she passes. It splashes him. A few kids run inside when they see her, kicking up a fuss.
4:49 PM When she gets to the bustop there's a homeless man sitting on the floor near the bench. He gives her a wordless, red-eyed stare, and then looks back down at the ground.
4:49 PM ||
4:52 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie frowns. She doesn't want people to react like that to her. Does she look villainous? That would be a problem. She's supposed to be the savior of San Raul...
4:52 PM Still. Gotta stay positive. Gotta stay upbeat. She occupies her time waiting for the bus by switching between modes on her eye. X-Ray. Bioelectric. Thermal.
4:52 PM Yeah. Not very entertaining. Maybe next time she should download a book. ||
4:53 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((People don't normally see capes clomping around the nice part of town for no reason))
4:53 PM ((:P))
4:54 PM ...
4:55 PM *Click* She can see the homeless man's bones, *Click* he's an orange blob, *Click*.
4:58 PM As she waits she sees an average height tan skinned asian boy with spiky hair looking down at his phone. He looks over and sees her and then does a double take before yanking out a headphone. He hesitates for a moments​ and then straight up turns to her and snaps a picture of her sitting on the bus bench.
4:58 PM ||
5:04 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Ooh! That's cool!
5:04 PM Millie smiles, trying to think of something she could do to pose. What does she do with her hands? Peace sign? God, that's so stereotypical. Still, it's the only thing she can think to do.
5:04 PM Huh. She'll have to remember to check the forums later. "If you're going to post that. I'm Synapse." Millie says. ||
5:05 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Presentation please))
5:06 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 2h6 Pres
5:06 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Pres" (1) [2]  = 2
5:06 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((nailed it))
5:06 PM → Druza joined (uid209687@charlton.irccloud.com)
5:06 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
5:07 PM It takes her a moment to decide on her pose, and sh only halfway gets the peace sign out before he puts his phone down, the picture already taken.
5:09 PM He looks around to see if its him she's talking to, and then hesitates before answering "Synapse? O-okay." He says before hustling away. As he turns the corner the bus pulls up to the stop. The homeless man next to her is still looking at the ground.
5:09 PM ||
5:12 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. Bus is here. It might not be a perfect picture, but she can deal. Get on the bus. Get to the base.
5:12 PM Hope that no one else stares? ||
5:13 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Presentation))
5:16 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 2h6 pres
5:16 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "pres" (1) [5]  = 5
5:16 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
5:21 PM Her boots clatter against the metal steps as she steps onto the bus. The bus driver's eyes widen seeing her step on, and she forgets to ask Millie for her fare. It takes a moment for people to notice her, but when they do everyone else does quickly. A sleepy eyed girl turns to her, and then immediately elbows her friend. Their commotion alerts the rest of
5:21 PM bus, and soon everyone is looking at her. She can see a few common emotions running through the crowd, but foremost among them are surprise, and awe. She looks legit, she can tell.
5:22 PM Almost all the seats are full, but someone stands up and moves away for her when she steps by. The door closes, and the bus begins to head off. She spends the ride being covered in stares, surrounded by murmured whispers, as the bus climbs up and down the hills deeper into the city.
5:22 PM ||
5:26 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh gosh. She looks to the person who gave up her seat and shakes her head.
5:26 PM "It's fine. I can stand. Really." To be honest, she's really liked standing lately. "But thank you. That was really nice and I super appreciate it!"
5:26 PM Does she sound silly? She hopes that Artisan doesn't think she sounds silly. ||
5:41 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
5:47 PM ⇐ Teruzi and Camtist quit
5:50 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The lady takes her hand after a moment, and shakes it. "Uh, sure. No problem." She says before sitting back down and leaving Synapse to stand in place on the bus as it rolls along.
5:52 PM A few stops pass, and old gazes are replaces with new ones as other people step on the bus to react to her anew. Eventually her stop comes up. She can see Stronghold's base tall through the bus windows.
5:52 PM ||
5:54 PM S<Saff|Synapse> This is it, she thinks. Her heart is racing. Accelerated heart rate meaning that she's excited. Nervous. Anxious.
5:54 PM Millie swallows and starts walking towards the front of the bus. She doesn't want to miss her stop. Though, it's probably a sight to see. A cape in green walking towards Stronghold. Someone's bound to be wondering what's up. Right? ||
6:00 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The bus driver tries not to look at her as she walks down the steps of the bus, but she feels the eyes of everyone on the bus snap to her back as she steps off of it.
6:02 PM Then the eyes of the people of the streets fall on her. This isn't a bus, this is downtown San Raul on the middle of the day. There are /a lot/ of eyes to fall on her. And they do.
6:02 PM → Kiwi joined (Kiwi@net-mc1q4r.nj.comcast.net)
6:03 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Cars whiz by as she walks on the sidewalks towards the HQ and passersby give her space as she makes her way through the crowded walkway. More pictures are snapped.
6:04 PM ⇐ Kiwi quit (Kiwi@net-mc1q4r.nj.comcast.net) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
6:07 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> It isn't long before she sees it resting tall, and proud just above the line of buildings leading to the corner.
6:10 PM When she turns it she sees it. It's floating slightly off of the ground. The Stronghold is completely metallic with thick windows slotted into it. It's about 10 stories tall by her estimation.
6:11 PM ((Know check please))
6:15 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 Know
6:15 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Know" [1] +1 = 2
6:16 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> There's a large levitating ramp that leads to it just before her.
6:16 PM ||
6:20 PM S<Saff|Synapse>  /This is it, Mills./
6:20 PM She steps towards the ramp, slow at first... but then she picks up her pace as her excitement grows. Her mission... it's so close that she can taste it. All she has to do is hope that Artisan says yes! Which, he totally will, with her cool tech and her charm and...
6:20 PM /Breathe, Millie./ ||
6:21 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
6:24 PM The anticipation rises in her with every step, and she's almost bursting at the seams by the time she reaches the doorway leading into it.
6:27 PM The doors are twice her height and are made a thick glass that offers a view of an empty lobby just past it.
6:27 PM ||
6:31 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. First things first. Are the doors unlocked? If not, she'll have to hack them open with her auxillary feature. She could most likely do that. It'll tip Artisan off to her being there, but that's the /point./
6:31 PM Hm. Maybe she should just wire herself in and play a message? She doesn't exactly have a camera on her though. Shoot.
6:31 PM First things first, though. Millie tugs on the door handle. Just to check. ||
6:33 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The door stops with a click as she pulls on the handle.
6:33 PM ||
6:35 PM → iridium248 joined (iridium248@net-bcv.68i.156.175.IP)
6:39 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Yeah. That's what she figured.
6:39 PM First, Millie changes the mode of her eye to the electric sensing. It's the best way to see what she's actually tapping into. Once she finds a good line, she can implant her auxiliary port to hack in.
6:39 PM "Better get ready, Artisan." Millie mumbles with a small grin. "Because I'm going in." ||
6:47 PM Clawford → Claway
6:47 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
6:52 PM ⇐ iridium248 quit (iridium248@net-bcv.68i.156.175.IP) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
6:57 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Her vision switches and a she's able to see the wiring in the building's wall, and there's almost too much to keep track of. It runs like glowing veins through the building's interior. She sees some running alone the frame of the door way, wills her ports to unclip from her jacket. They draw out like tendrils and wave in the air.
6:59 PM She lunges them forward and they drive into the wall, leaving cracks in the metal frame around the impact sites.
7:04 PM They clamp onto the bright wiring she sees in the wall and she can see the current that runs through it run up her chords into her jacket. It takes a few moments for everything to fully jack in. But once it does she feels the frame innately like it's apart of the rig she has built into her spine. The door is hers to control.
7:04 PM ||
7:05 PM S<Saff|Synapse>  /Okay./
7:05 PM Millie takes a deep breath in, and wills the doors to unlock. She's going to open them. Going to get inside. She's nervous and excited and all sorts of things all wrapped into one. It's probably suspicious looking, her standing here and shooting wires into the Stronghold building, but...
7:05 PM Gosh, this is the most alive she's felt in months. ||
7:13 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Her heart stops for a moment as she wills the doors to unlock. But then she hears the clicking of locks unlocking, and when she pulls the large doors open for her.
7:14 PM To her left she can see a gift shop, farther up a reception area, and then a hallway past that.
7:14 PM ||
7:16 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. She has to find her way upstairs. There's at least ten floors in here... Artisan has to be in one of them, right? Has he been alerted to her presence?
7:16 PM Actually. That's a good idea. She switches her vision a few times. Xray. Thermal. Bioelectric. That might give her a better idea of what's in there. She doesn't want to just start shouting like a fool, but gosh she's so excited that she could do cartwheels and backflips!
7:16 PM Synapse: The hero. That's her. ||
7:32 PM JustLurking → Lurks|DS
7:32 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Xray, and Thermal don't provide a very detailed view from where she currently is. There don't seem to be any living people in her vision range. Her electrical signal vision shows a different picture however.  The view from the inside is far more detailed. She can see the regular spiderweb of wiring running through the walls and ceiling, but past those in the
7:32 PM farther up floors she can see humanoid shaped clusters of electricity wandering about the them.
7:32 PM ((Wits please))
7:36 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 wits
7:36 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "wits" [6]  = 6
7:43 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> They move in what are clearly automated patterns, and patrol routes.
7:43 PM ||
7:47 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. Those must be robots. Hm. Maybe they can help her? If she gets herself caught, she can immediately get audience with Artisan, right?
7:47 PM Millie decides that it's gonna have to be good enough, and she sets out on a search for the stairs or an elevator as quickly as her feet can take her.
7:47 PM "Come on, Synapse. You knew this wouldn't be a cakewalk." She mumbles to herself. And that's true. She had, however, /hoped/ that it'd be a cakewalk. Millie had played the scenario over and over so many times in her head that just being her... it throws her off her game a little. ||
7:50 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
7:55 PM Her footsteps echo as jogs through the large and empty lobby. This place used to hold hundreds in it for tours. Staff and visitors. Now it's like a graveyard. Quiet and empty full of ghosts.
7:58 PM ((Hey brb in like 20 minutes is that okay?))
8:00 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((ye))
8:01 PM → Camtist, iridium248 and CaptNameless joined
8:39 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> She walks past the gift shop and in it she can see all sorts of Stronghold merchandise. Action figures, backpacks, plushies, signed photos all lay unbought inside.
8:44 PM When she gets to the hallway it's filled with glass displays, all housing items of Stronghold's historical importance. In the closest one they can see an orange flaming luchadore mask. The plaque under it reads 'Libre's Mask- In their final confrontation, Buckler unmasked the crime lord as a sign of disrespect. It was after this battle that Libre was
8:44 PM Birdcaged.'
8:44 PM The rest of them are filled with things of that sort, symbols of victory against dangerous opponents, Buckler's first suit of armor.
8:46 PM At the far end of the hallways is a large elevator.
8:46 PM ||
8:48 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh man. This is all so cool! However, she has to pull her mind back. Focus, Millie. Focus.
8:48 PM Elevator. Good. Okay. She just has to get in there... Ooh! She could press all the buttons and see which floor is the best one to get off on? Maybe scan them with her eye first? Yeah. That's a great plan! ||
8:53 PM Wellwick → SleepWell
8:55 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The elevator is a large circular platform, and the vision afforded by her cybernetic eye shows that the entire thing is whirling with complex mechanisms her mind can only kind of complex.
8:56 PM She presses all of the buttons, and it rises to the second floor. As it starts to ascend to the next it stops. "Access level for higher levels Unsuficient" an automated female voice says.
8:57 PM The doors open to an empty room except for some sofas and such. It looks like there's a robot in the next room.
8:57 PM ||
8:59 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. Robot. That'll have to do for now, unless she wants to try to hack into the elevator to get the clearance to go to higher levels.
8:59 PM Millie dashes out and starts looking around. "Anyone here? I mean no harm. I just want to talk." She calls out. ||
9:03 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
9:08 PM As she runs into the next room, she's greeted by a figure that looks kind of like a mannequin dressed in a tour guide's outfit.
9:08 PM He spins around to her, and has no face.
9:10 PM "Welcome to Stronghold HQ, I'm tour bot built by Artisan himself. How are you on this bright San Raul day?" It asks in a cheerful digital voice.
9:10 PM ||
9:11 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Okay. The no face thing is creepy. But...
9:11 PM "I'm doing all right. I'm Synapse. Can you bring me to Artisan?" Millie asks. She has a smile on her face, and she's practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I really need to speak with him. I have a proposition for him." ||
9:16 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "Oh I'm very sorry ma'am, but Artisan is unavailable. I can however, take you on a tour!" The bot says.
9:16 PM ||
9:18 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I really don't want to go on a tour." Millie says, shifting her weight between her feet. "I mean. This place is fascinating for a tinker like me, but... No, I really really need to speak to Artisan. Do you know when he'll be free?"
9:18 PM She's starting to get a little impatient. What's he doing? It's past noon. He can't be sleeping. Is he in the bathroom?
9:18 PM "Really. It's super important. The fate of the city is at stake." It sounds more... dire than what's intended. But it gets the point across. "Please? Otherwise I'm going to have to just go upstairs myself and I really don't want to break anything." ||
9:21 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "Artisan is not available." The bot replies sternly.
9:26 PM "You do not have authorized clearance for the higher levels, and if you attempt to go upstairs security will be forced to intervene." The bot says waggling its finger at her like a disappointed parent.
9:26 PM ||
9:27 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Okay. And if security intervenes what will happen?" Millie asks. "I'd expect someone to put me in holding, correct?" ||
9:28 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "You will be forcefully escorted from the building." The bot replies, its featureless face stares at her.
9:28 PM ||
9:30 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Oh. Darn. Yeah. That's not what I want." Millie sighs. "What /can/ you tell me? Because really. I just... Want to talk to him. I promised someone that I would help this city, and he's like. The only hero left that I would trust. Like. I just... I really admire him and his family. His sister was kind to me when I was at my worst. I'd just..."
9:30 PM Millie sighs. This isn't going how she planned /at all./
9:30 PM "I really do mean no harm. Cross my heart." ||
9:35 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "Artisan is not available." The bot replies in identical tone.
9:36 PM "You do not have authorized..." It says going into the same preprogrammed spiel. Talking to this bot isn't going to get her anywhere.
9:36 PM ||
9:37 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Yeah. That's what she figured. Millie sighs and heads back towards the elevator. Looks like she's going to have to try to hack it.
9:37 PM Millie switches her vision back to the electric-sensing. That'll give her a better idea of where to plug the auxiliary in. She just needs to try to override the security controls, and then hope that the robots won't escort her out. ||
9:40 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Okay what floor are you trying to get to once you're plugged in?))
9:42 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((That's a good question. I might try the press all the buttons again? because then I can scan per floor to find the right one.))
9:44 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
9:45 PM Synapse turns around to go back to the elevator and she hears the tourbot call "Have a wonderful rest of your day ma'am." brightly.
9:47 PM The elevator doors woosh back open for her and she turns around as she steps in to jack into the floor level panel.
9:54 PM ((Computers check please))
9:54 PM ((That's Know))
9:54 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 Know
9:54 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Know" [2] +1 = 3
9:57 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> $roll 1d6 System Know
9:57 PM A<[ATM]> ColdGold|GM "System Know" [6]  = 6
10:01 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> She feels herself start to tap into the system, and presses all of the buttons. The elevator rises two floors, and on each she can see a number of robots patrolling. They seem slightly larger than tourbot.
10:02 PM There's still no sign of any living beings on either. The elevator comes to a sudden stop on the fifth floor, though.
10:04 PM A loud voice comes through speakers in the elevator. "Warning you are trespassing on Stronghold's headquarters. Security is on the way. Wait patiently to be escorted out." The blaring voice says.
10:05 PM The doors in front of her woosh open to a large workshop looking space full of workbenches and materials, there's also a production line with a ton of bots that are about tourbot's side tinkering on some panels that slide in front of them.
10:06 PM In the rooms past she can see all the clusters of electricity start to move in her direction.
10:06 PM ||
10:08 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh no.
10:08 PM "Look, I'm aware I'm trespassing. But I have a good reason!" Millie says. Fuck, fuck fuck. She's so screwed. They're going to kick her out. "Siege was my friend!"
10:08 PM Friend might be a strong word, but it was the one that /Siege/ herself had used. If she wasn't in danger of being licked out, she would be in awe of the assembly lines. No time now, though. ||
10:08 PM ((KICKED OUT. OH MY GOD))
10:09 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Is talking the only action she's taking this turn?))
10:10 PM S<Saff|Synapse> -||
10:10 PM Millie jams her finger on the close door button on the elevator. The other floors were probably similar, but she has to at least try. ||
10:12 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Computers please))
10:12 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 Comp pls work
10:12 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Comp pls work" [3] +1 = 4
10:12 PM Lurks|DS → JustLurking
10:15 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> $roll 1d6+1 More Security Know
10:15 PM A<[ATM]> ColdGold|GM "More Security Know" [1] +1 = 2
10:17 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> She's still jacked in and will her control over the systems in the elevator. There's a short back and forth as the elevator's systems assault her invading tech but she counterattacks with a mental flourish and pushes it back far enough to force the doors closed. She sees the clusters of electricity enter the room and rush at the door. She can hear battering
10:17 PM on the door on the other side.
10:18 PM "Warning, cease your resistance or the security level will increase. Please comply." The automated voice replies to her frantic cries.
10:18 PM ||
10:20 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I've told you my terms!" Millie shouts. "Really. I just want to talk to Artisan. That's it. Talk. Not hurt anyone, not steal anything."
10:20 PM She sighs. This is really getting old. Still, she switches her vision over. X Ray. Thermal. Back to electric. She needs to find him, needs to make him listen. "I'm a hero! I'm Siege's friend! I'm..."
10:20 PM Millie isn't sure what to say. These robots obviously aren't listening. ||
10:22 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Just talking to the security system this time, or are you trying to rise again?))
10:23 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((trying to rise again.))
10:24 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Know check please))
10:24 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 know
10:24 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "know" [5] +1 = 6
10:25 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> $roll 1d6+1 Security Know
10:25 PM A<[ATM]> ColdGold|GM "Security Know" [3] +1 = 4
10:25 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((And wits please))
10:25 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 Wits
10:25 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Wits" [6]  = 6
10:27 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> As she yells at the systems she continues the battle of wills, beating the attacking programs back once more as she starts to get used to fighting a purely mental conflict.
10:28 PM X-rays of the next few floors show a few other styles of workshop, a dojo full of dummies, a larger workshop full of dormant mech suits.
10:30 PM She feels the system attempt to start an alarm system but she stops that quickly in its tracks. The thought occurs to her that she's only spoken to robots and AI so far and hasn't seen a single other living person. Artisan either isn't here, or is preoccupied doing something else. If the alarms aren't on yet there's a chance he's not aware he's there.
10:32 PM When she gets to the 8th floor she feels the elevator jerk to a stop again as the security attempts to attack her again. She can feel it straining to turn the alarms on and pull the doors open. Clusters of electricity are already heading in her direction, and one looks to be the size of the mechs she'd caught a look at.
10:32 PM ||
10:35 PM S<Saff|Synapse> A mech? Maybe he'd be in there? It's worth a look?
10:35 PM Millie unplugs herself from the elevator and waits for it to open. She'll have to be fast in checking. If it's /not/ Artisan, she could get caught and escorted out. This is incredibly irritating. If he's not here where /is/ he? Siege had mentioned that he started college, but... classes were over now, and the new semester hasn't started. Did she catch him
10:35 PM while he was out grocery shopping?
10:35 PM Ugh. Maybe she shouldn't have daydreamed so much. This is nothing like she planned. Her version involved running immediately to Artisan, laying out her play, and then they'd rush off and tinker together. Though, that sounds childish and idealistic and overly romantic when she thinks about it now.
10:35 PM It's just a matter of the doors opening. Three, two, one, and then run. ||
10:36 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Your heat vision shows nothing inside the suit, it's just an empty suit btw))
10:36 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((DARN IT.))
10:36 PM ((Redact, then?))
10:37 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((I can put that in the post if you don't want to take back the decision. I'd say you can redact if you want though.))
10:37 PM ⇐ Turncoat quit (uid185268@ealing.irccloud.com) Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
10:38 PM S<Saff|Synapse> A mech? But nothing on the heat signature? Darn it.
10:38 PM Millie jams the close door button again. Keep going.
10:38 PM If he's not here where /is/ he? Siege had mentioned that he started college, but... classes were over now, and the new semester hasn't started. Did she catch him while he was out grocery shopping?
10:38 PM Ugh. Maybe she shouldn't have daydreamed so much. This is nothing like she planned. Her version involved running immediately to Artisan, laying out her play, and then they'd rush off and tinker together. Though, that sounds childish and idealistic and overly romantic when she thinks about it now.
10:38 PM "Come on. Close, close, close!" Two floors left. Fuck.  ||
10:39 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Final Computers check please))
10:39 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 comp please don't fail me now
10:39 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "comp please don't fail me now" [3] +1 = 4
10:39 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> $roll 1d6+1 Security Know
10:39 PM A<[ATM]> ColdGold|GM "Security Know" [3] +1 = 4
10:39 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((One more time please))
10:40 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6+1 comp pls
10:40 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "comp pls" [1] +1 = 2
10:40 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((why.))
10:42 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Choose one, rise a floor and let the alarms go off. Or let the door open and keep the alarms off and security level at the same level. There are 2 regular sized bots and a mech sized one coming at you))
10:42 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((Rise and let the alarm go off))
10:47 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Synapse braces herself for the attack, and finds herself unexpectedly assaulted by two separate attacks from the security system. She's able to dismantle one and shut it down, causing the door to stay shut and the elevator to rise again. She unfortunately can't stop the other attack and it overrides her control stopping her on the 9th floor, the alarms go
10:47 PM off. A shrill, ear piercing noise.
10:48 PM The doors woosh open again to reveal a living area with a sofa and a large television. There's no sign of electrical signal but... there's a heat signal in one of the rooms!
10:49 PM It's horizontal at first but it moves as the alarms sound. Her X-vision doesn't go far enough to see who it is specifically though.
10:49 PM ||
10:52 PM S<Saff|Synapse> If that's Artisan and he's freaking sleeping past noon... Millie grumbles a little, but tries to keep her smile on, even as she unplugs herself from the elevator.
10:52 PM She has to get in, and her feet seem to move on her own, bringing her inside of the room. The alarms are blaring, and she's not sure if she can yell over them enough. But she has to try.
10:52 PM "Artisan, if you're up here... My name is Synapse. I mean no harm. I just want to talk." To punctuate her statement, she holds her arms in the air. ||
10:53 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
10:54 PM She can see the orange blob shuffle around inside the room and then as she gets closer she sees that her X-ray is in range to see through the wall. ((Wanna look?))
10:54 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((yes))
10:55 PM ⇐ Druza quit (uid209687@charlton.irccloud.com) Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
10:56 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> She flips to X-ray vision to see a young man's bare ass standing in front of a dresser. The kid digs in the drawer and plucks out a pair of boxers out. He struggles to put them back on but seems to be having a hard time. He doesn't seem to have heard her.
10:56 PM ||
10:57 PM ((Ed note- add "It's skinny and pale."))
10:57 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh. That's. Wow. Okay. Millie probably shouldn't look... but curiosity is overtaking her.
10:57 PM She takes a couple of steps towards the room, but not so close that whenever he opens the door he'll think he's being ambushed, or something. Just keep it cool. Casual. And not like she's staring at his ass through the wall. ||
11:03 PM ⇐ SleepWell quit (uid211357@hathersage.irccloud.com) Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
11:09 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> After he finally gets his boxers on he tuns in her direction. He's a medium height Asian kid with messy hair and bags under his eyes. His eyes are green and slanted and his hair is brown. He has hoop earrings in both ears and is pretty thin with a relatively small amount of muscle. He rushes over to a closet and pulls out a baggy graphic tee and throws it on
11:09 PM before running over to the door. He pauses in the doorway as he sees her when he opens it.
11:10 PM He blinks and rubs at hs eyes. After a second he looks at the ceiling.
11:14 PM "Security power down!" He calls out. The alarms stop. He turns to look at her his eyebrows raised, but his expression is serious.
11:14 PM "Who are you and how did you even get in here without setting off the alarms?" He asks. He sizes her from head to toe.
11:15 PM "Nice tech." He adds, appreciatively.
11:15 PM ||
11:17 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Every idea that she had goes out the window when he compliments her stuff. Millie opens her mouth to say something, but for a few seconds no words come out.
11:17 PM "I um. Wow. Hi. Look, I'm sorry I caused you all of this trouble. I'm Synapse. I um. Look, I came to talk to you. I can explain how I got in here, but um. Look, I really just want to talk business first. I had this whole speech prepared but now it's out the window because wow, I'm actually talking to you."
11:17 PM Millie stops and takes a deep breath. She's just word vomiting. "I have a proposal. You. Me. Rebuild Stronghold. Take this city back. Make it better. If... If you wanted. That is. I really hope you do, though? Because I don't exactly have a backup option and I don't really take no for an answer." ||
11:18 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Social please))
11:18 PM ⇐ Bel quit (sid83463@brockwell.irccloud.com)
11:18 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((does presentation apply?))
11:25 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((No since it's one on one))
11:25 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 soc rip
11:25 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "soc rip" [3]  = 3
11:27 PM ⇐ Camtist quit  •  FD|GM → FossilDuke
11:31 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
11:32 PM He looks her up and down, and blinks again.
11:32 PM FossilDuke → FosSleepy
11:34 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He puts his hands up. "Look no offense but I just woke up and I'm going to need you to repeat everything you just said. Preferably at a time when I'm not in my boxer shorts, and don't have morning breath." He says in a deadpan.
11:40 PM "I'm gonna go get dressed. You can watch TV or something while you wait. If you attack me you won't win." He says, starting to close the door.
11:40 PM ||
11:45 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie nods, trying to reformulate what she said in a better way while she waits. "I'm not going to attack you, though. I really mean no harm. Cross my heart."
11:45 PM She sits down on the couch in front of the TV, but her back is awkwardly straight and she's so full of nervous energy that she can't stop bouncing her knee. Artisan is here. He's talking to her. Holy hell. ||
11:48 PM → Druza joined (uid209687@charlton.irccloud.com)
11:51 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
11:52 PM She hears the shower start in the other room, and the wait begins.
11:56 PM The room is pretty big, the television on the wall is huge. The kitchen sink is stacked up with dirty plates and she can see pictures arrayed in the far hallway's walls.
11:56 PM ||
11:57 PM Huge, and takes up most of the wall*
12:00 AM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh, darn. She knows she shouldn't snoop, but... This is as close as she's been like... ever. And Artisan is there...
12:00 AM No. She can't use her X ray vision to spy on him in the shower like some perv. And she shouldn't look at the pictures without permission. Though, they're right there...
12:00 AM Millie sighs. This has been so much harder than she imagined. At least she didn't get escorted out? Her tech is pretty solid, despite the fact that her parents cut her off from any new materials. Ugh. What she would do to have a workshop like /this./ She could start working on replacing her grey matter. She could upgrade  her eye so that it looks more
12:00 AM natural. Finally get her database online.
12:00 AM After a few minutes, curiosity gets the better of her and she gets to her feet, walking down the hall with pictures as quietly as she can. She wants to see. Wants to know what it was like... before. ||
12:00 AM ⇐ iridium248 quit (iridium248@net-72k.a9u.116.203.IP) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
12:20 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> The first picture she sees shows an asian man with a buzzed military haircut, who has his his arm around a straight haired tan brunette woman with freckles dotting the bridge of her nose. Buckler and Tall Tower. In front of them are two young children, a young boy with a sour expression on his face, and a small girl with a sweet smile on her face. Both of
12:20 AM them mix the features of their two parents. Siege, and Artisan and kids.
12:20 AM Another photo she sees across the hall shows Buckler and Artisan dressed in baseball uniforms. This time Buckler has an amused expression on his face, but Artisan looks very upset that he has to be there.
12:20 AM Another picture next to that shows a more recent picture of Artisan and Siege. Seeing her friend out of costume is weird. She has similar features to that of her brother. She has almond shaped light brown eyes and a sweet smile. Artisan offers the camera. Siege has a yellow sundress on that shows off her athletic body well. Artisan is just in a button up
12:20 AM shirt and some jeans.
12:20 AM ((Wits please))
12:22 AM FosSleepy → FosAsleep
12:22 AM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 wits
12:22 AM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "wits" [2]  = 2
12:27 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> She loses track of things looking over the pictures and hears the door to Artisan's bedroom start to open.
12:27 AM ||
12:30 AM S<Saff|Synapse> Oh crap.
12:30 AM She could run to the couch as fast as she can and cash on it and hope that he didn't see. Or, she could just... stay here. Try to appeal to the human angle as opposed to just word vomiting. If she kept her back to him, he'd see her spinal implant. The hard work she put into making herself whole again.
12:30 AM However, she turns around and keeps trying to smile even though she's nervous and jittery and trying not to blush behind her mask.
12:30 AM "Told you I wasn't going to attack you." Millie says instead. "Pinkie promised." ||
12:32 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Social please))
12:33 AM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 soc
12:33 AM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "soc" [3]  = 3
12:35 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> He's in a tank top and some solid red pajama pants now. His hair is less all over the place, as it's still wet from the shower. It hands down around his head.
12:36 AM hangs*
12:39 AM "Yeah you just busted into my place, and woke me up a little too early instead." He replies, yawning.
12:40 AM He says nothing about her looking at the pictures as he turns to walk over to the kitchen.
12:40 AM "I'm making an omelette, do you want one?" He asks over his shoulder.
12:40 AM ||
12:40 AM → iridium248 joined  ⇐ JustLurking quit
12:45 AM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie blushes. "An omelette would be fine, thank you." She says, before walking back over to the couch.
12:45 AM "I'm sorry I woke you. I just... Give me a moment. I'm like. Really excited and my brain processes things faster than my mouth can move, and I'm still having trouble controlling the word vomit." Millie stops and takes a deep breath.
12:45 AM "I should start from the beginning? My name is Synapse. And I want to be a hero. But you're the only person I trust enough to help me do that. I want to team up. Revive Stronghold. Or don't. We can be something else. Artisan and Synapse. Just..."
12:45 AM Millie stops, trying to collect her thoughts. "I knew your sister. She was awesome and kind to me. And I want to pay her back by carrying on her legacy." ||
12:46 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> He gives her a look when she says she's excited like he's wondering why she's excited.
12:47 AM He looks around in the fridge retrieving a case of eggs, a few packages of sliced meats, some mushrooms, and chives.
12:48 AM He sets them all out on the counter and then opens a cabinet to grab a bowl.
12:48 AM "How'd you know my Sister?" He asks, sounding curious. "And why do you think I'm the guy to help you?"
12:49 AM ||
12:49 AM -||
12:50 AM He sets the bowl down and cracks the eggs into it. He grabs a fork from a drawer and swirls it around before walking back to the fridge to grab some shredded cheese.
12:50 AM ||
12:53 AM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie frowns. How does she even begin to explain that?
12:53 AM "You said you liked my tech," Millie says, watching him as he mixes the eggs, "I replaced my spinal cord with a material of my own design. If I hadn't..."
12:53 AM She looks down at her hands. They're gloved with the body suit, but the fingers pads have some sort of grippy material so she can actually hold things.
12:53 AM "Glioblastoma multiforme of the spinal cord. I was dying. Your sister visited me in the hospital. She told me not to lose hope. That something could happen and I'd be okay." Millie looks up and smiles just a bit. She's trying to not look stupid in front of him. "I don't think it's fair that I'm here and she's not. But that's life. I think you're the guy to
12:53 AM help me because... Well... If you're even an ounce as awesome as she was, then I'd love to be your friend as well." ||
12:54 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Social please))
12:54 AM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 soc please don't fail this
12:54 AM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "soc please don't fail this" [1]  = 1
12:54 AM S<Saff|Synapse> ((thanks cashy))
12:55 AM C<•ColdGold|GM> She can see him frowning down at the pan that he pulls out of a drawer under his oven, though it's hard to tell what he's frowning at.
12:56 AM "That does sound like something she'd say. I think I remember her saying something about you." He says as he puts some oil in the pan and puts it on the stove top.
12:59 AM He gives her a hard to read look. "Look I'm happy she was right, and that you got powers that healed you. That's all awesome. But I can tell you right now that I'm nowhere near as cool as my sister was. Not even in the same league. He says as he drops the whipped egg yolks into the pan. They sizzle as they make contact with the hot surface.
12:59 AM ||
12:59 AM league"
1:05 AM S<Saff|Synapse> Millie swallows.
1:05 AM "I want to do this. I promised.... I promised I would make this city safe. And I don't know how to do that. You do. You have all this knowledge that I couldn't possibly possess and I can't just download it." She's starting to get frustrated. This isn't what she planned.
1:05 AM "Let's just. For a moment, say that you're right. That you're not like your sister. I still... I still want to help you! I want you to help me! We can help each other!" How on earth is she going to get through to him? "I've always thought you were cool. Really. I'm not just trying to flatter you to get on your side or whatever."
1:05 AM Gah! Why did she download martial arts videos instead of like. People skills 101? That could have helped tremendously.
1:05 AM "I don't know. I don't know what to say. But I made a promise and I don't have any other options." ||
1:22 AM → Faustus joined  ⇐ CaptNameless and iridium248 quit
2:17 AM S<Saff|Synapse> ((Cg i'm assuming you fell asleep. We can pick this up tomorrow if you're free.))
2:18 AM → Nonagon|UB and Wellwick (was SleepWell) joined  ⇐ Dolyn, Nonagon, •ColdGold|GM and Faustus quit  •  Claway → Clawford, Druza → Druza|away
5:05 AM ⇐ You disconnected: Connection closed for inactivity
8:15 AM → Saff|Synapse joined  •  Channel mode: +nrt
8:19 AM Saff|Synapse → Saff
8:51 AM → Bel, FossilLord (was FosAsleep), Turncoat, Teruzi, Camtist and ThalAI joined  ↔ Nick and Wellwick nipped out  •  Nonagon|UB → Nonagon
12:52 PM Saff → Saff|Synapse
12:53 PM ColdGold → •ColdGold|GM
12:58 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
1:00 PM → Magister and echoe joined
1:00 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The smell of the cooking omelette begins to hang in the air as Artisan picks at it with a spatula absently. She can see him chewing on a lip in though from the limited view she has of his face.
1:00 PM his lip*
1:01 PM → OptimusRhyme joined (OptimusRhym@net-ramjst.res.rr.com)
1:02 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He looks over his shoulder at her again. "I don't know, Synapse. From over here it seems like you have a lot of other options that are better than teaming up with me. Like let's say... i don't know. Any of them." He says as he turns to frown at the cooking omelette once more.
1:04 PM He's a little harder to hear over the crackling oil in the pan as he talks into it.
1:04 PM "What's your plan anyway? Because it sounds like you want people to hate you as soon as you go out for the first time."
1:04 PM ||
1:08 PM ⇐ OptimusRhyme quit (OptimusRhym@net-ramjst.res.rr.com) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
1:16 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I don't have other options. I'm a tinker. I need materials. My parents cut me off because my mother thinks I'm mutilating myself." Millie says. She's trying to remain calm, but her voice is cracking. "I don't think I can get anything useful done in the Wards. Too much red tape. I don't hate you. I don't blame you for what happened. I don't even think it was
1:16 PM your dad's fault."
1:16 PM Millie looks up at Artisan and frowns. "I'm serious about this. I want you. I want what you can teach me. I want to help!" ||
1:19 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Social check please))
1:21 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 Soc come on
1:21 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "Soc come on" [2]  = 2
1:24 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The only thing she can read off of him is that he's very surprised that someone doesn't hate his Dad. Besides that she can't really tell if anything she's saying is sticking with him. She can't helo but feel the talk isn't going very well.
1:25 PM Artisan walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a couple plates. He scoops one omelette onto one, and then goes to start the other one.
1:26 PM "Look I get it." He says as he walks over to the counter she's at to set a plate in front of her. The omelette is huge, and is stuffed to bursting will all of the materials he'd put inside. There's also cheese melted on top, with chives and mushrooms sprinkled over it as well.
1:27 PM "But I'm just not cut out for this thing. That's been proven by now. If not the Wards then maybe Armor or something? They'd let you do mostly what you want as long as your PR is good. I don't think you'd have any trouble with that." He says not unkindly, with a tight smile on his face.
1:28 PM He goes back over to his pan to finish his omelette.
1:28 PM "If you want anything to drink feel free to go through the fridge by the way. Cups are in the left cabinet."
1:28 PM ||
1:31 PM -||
1:32 PM Synapse can gather one thing from his voice. He sounds weary, and not because he'd just woken up. He sounds tired talking about the whole subject in general.
1:32 PM ||
1:32 PM subject of heroing*
1:40 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I don't want a drink. And I don't want to join Armor." Millie sighs and pokes at her omelette. It looks good, but now her mood is soured and she's not sure how to proceed. "Please, just give me a chance!"
1:40 PM She's incredibly frustrated, and she just wants to throw things and scream. However, her philosophy has always been 'Save your tears for your pillow.'
1:40 PM "Your sister admired you. She told me that you never let anyone slip past you! But, you made it so incredibly easy to break in here. I barely had to hack anything!" Millie stabs at her omelette and takes a reluctant bite. Hopefully he's a better cook than a negotiator. "Look, I get it. Bad shit happened to you. Things are hard. Until two weeks ago they
1:40 PM didn't think I'd make it to see Christmas. So, really. I do get it. But that's not a reason to mope around! You have to get up and keep going and /try!/"
1:40 PM She's shouting, and when she realizes it her face goes red behind her mask and her face falls into a frown. "Sorry." ||
1:41 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ((Another social check please))
1:41 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 soc COME ON
1:41 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "soc COME ON" [5]  = 5
1:46 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...u
1:46 PM ...*
1:48 PM She can see him slowly sink into himself more and more as she continues to say her piece. There are several moments of tense quiet, save for the sizzling coming from the pan that he's hunched over. Finally, he slowly straightens.
1:49 PM When he turns to her his eyes are narrowed sharply, and his mouth is a sharp line.
1:49 PM "Yeah because you know so much about me." He says with a razor sharp tone.
1:49 PM Sharp enough to cut at her.
1:51 PM "Have you ever even been in a fight before, Synapse? Have you ever even seen the people out there?" He says, slowly walking over to her as he lists things. His hands are in a knuckle white grip.
1:52 PM "Were you /there/ when the people in South San Raul woke up as Offshoots, Synapse?"
1:53 PM "I was." He says punctuating both words by pushing his index finger into his chest.
1:55 PM "And I know something /you don't/. We need to win /every/ fucking time. The villains only need to get lucky /once/!" His face is red.
1:56 PM "You may be all excited to save the city, but I didn't ask for this shit. I just wanted to go to school and have a normal life. But we don't always get what we want, now do we Synapse." He says bitterly.
1:57 PM He sighs heavily and walks back over to his stove. He grabs the counter with a vice grip.
1:58 PM Slowly his grip lessens, and his body loses the chordlike tension in it. He turns back to her, his expression much less severe.
2:00 PM "I don't know why you're so convinced I'm the one, but I'm not my Dad. Never could be. Least popular member of Stronghold, remember that?" He says with a little chuckle.
2:01 PM "All I've done is mess things up. You can do better than me." He scoops his Omelette onto a plate, and sits down with it.
2:01 PM ||
2:02 PM white knuckle*
2:03 PM → Teller joined (uid168329@charlton.irccloud.com)
2:08 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I don't want you because I think you're your dad, you absolute freaking walnut!" Millie snaps, before taking another absent minded bite of omelette. She's trying to calm herself by remembering to chew and swallow. It's good, but then again after all the hospital food everything tastes good. "I want you because of /you./ You can at least teach me things!"
2:08 PM Millie puts her plate down on the floor and puts her head in her hands. "No, I wasn't there that day. I was in the hospital. We were weighing our options. Stay there and hope that something will take, or go home and die with my family. After the massacre... I chose to go home. So no, I wasn't there. I was a little more preoccupied."
2:08 PM She peeks out behind her hands for a moment and sighs. "I've really hecked everything up by coming here. And I apologize for that. But I still... You're the person I want to work with. It's—" No. She can't say that. 'It's what Siege would have wanted.' That's not fair to him.
2:08 PM "You're right. I don't know you. I only know what others have told me. But I WANT to know you. I need access to what you have. I need..." Millie stops and takes a breath. "You just think I'm stupid. The omelette's good, by the way. I'll clean the dishes before I leave." ||
2:12 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He doesn't reply at first, just stares at his Omelette quietly. He doesn't eat any at all.
2:16 PM He just sighs heavily. He looks at her and then looks back down at it. "Sorry. I didn't sleep much last night. I didn't mean to yell." He says at a volume that she can barely hear.
2:16 PM ||
2:17 PM Turncoat → Turn|GM
2:19 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I'm sorry." She says, her volume dropping as well. "I guess I got all these ideas in my head and I just assumed that... You're right. I don't know you. And that was selfish of me."
2:19 PM Still, Millie doesn't want to leave. Not without a positive answer. If she goes home without one, her mother will stick her in the Wards and that'll be the end of that. No say. Nothing. "I mean it, though. I do want to get to know /you./" ||
2:25 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ...
2:29 PM He gives her an incredulous expression. "But why? It can't just be because my sister said nice things about you."
2:29 PM me*
2:29 PM About me*
2:29 PM ||
2:31 PM ← Magister left (Magister@net-285sbl.moscow.rt.ru)
2:35 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Definitely not because she had spied his butt through the wall.
2:35 PM "It's... complicated? It's not all about Siege. Some of it is, but most of it's not. I can't say too much. I don't..." Millie sighs. It's stupid. All of this is stupid. She sounds stupid, and she knows it. But she's going to keep the smile on until it's over. "I think you're cool. I've always admired tinkers, even before I came one. So 'least popular member
2:35 PM of Stronghold' my ass."
2:35 PM Millie picks up her plate and starts picking at her food again. "I know this all sounds stupid and sketchy. I get that you probably don't trust me. But really. I mean it when I say that you're my best and only shot. This was the only thing I planned for." ||
2:37 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He gives her a face but doesn't reply, instead deigning to pick at his omelette with his fork. He more moves it around the plate, than eats it.
2:38 PM "That's a lot of pressure, Synapse." He finally says.
2:38 PM ||
2:42 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I know. I'm sorry. I'm being selfish." Millie sighs and stares down at her food. "I just don't know where else to go from here. Home is... weird right now. If I get a job to buy my own materials, then between that and violin and school I won't have enough time to do hero work. I'm doing it again. Putting pressure on you. God I'm... Again. I apologize. This
2:42 PM is on me. I'll just..."
2:42 PM /No. Millie. You can't leave./
2:42 PM "Do you have any questions? About me, I mean? Maybe if we get to know each other for a moment?" ||
2:48 PM Jovial → Jovialunch
2:49 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He continues to look down, but actually eats a bit of his food. "You keep saying you don't have any options but what's so bad about the wards? What do you even want to do that 'red tape' will stop you."
2:50 PM ?*
2:50 PM ||
2:55 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Replace my grey matter with more of my synthetic nerve material, to start with." Millie says. "That's just to start. Most people get freaked out by my power. My mom caught me replacing one of my eyes and totally flipped. She's the one that wants me to join the Wards. I'm assuming they'd be similar in terms of what I am and am not allowed to do with my own
2:55 PM body." ||
2:57 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He nods, still looking down at his food.
2:57 PM "Okay. And what do you even want to do as a hero? What are your goals? How are you planning to make them happen?" He replies.
2:57 PM ||
2:57 PM He asks*
2:59 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I want to make this city safe again. And I want to help the Offshoots as much as I can. From what I can tell, my power only lets me fix myself. Not other people. But it's..." Millie sighs again. "Complicated. I want to get stronger. I want to become a force that'll make anyone who wants to hurt others... A force they'll fear. And to do that, I need to get
2:59 PM stronger. I need to learn. I need to be able to experiment with my tech as much as I can. I can't do that on my own. And I can't do that in the Wards." ||
3:01 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He sighs at his omelette, and gets up. He grabs some plastic wrap and wraps up his blate before putting it in the fridge. He returns to the countertop but doesn't sit again.
3:02 PM "I'm sorry, Synapse, but I don't think it's going to be a no on me joining up with you." He says, with a frown and a guilty looking expression on his face.
3:03 PM ||
3:06 PM I think*
3:06 PM ((Damn typos changing the entire sentence))
3:08 PM S<Saff|Synapse> Don't cry. This isn't the time to cry. Isn't the time to look weak.
3:08 PM Millie stands up, her feet almost moving without her wanting them to.
3:08 PM "Have you given up?" Millie asks. "On everything? I broke in here and the alarms went off and you just... let me? You made me breakfast? That's not how a rational human reacts to someone just. Busting into their home and spying on them through the walls!"
3:08 PM She walks over to Artisan and crosses her arms over her chest. "I really want to respect your choices. I do. But I said to myself I wasn't going to leave until I got a good answer. So I just want to know /why./" ||
3:12 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He looks uncomfortable, he shuffles like he's not sure how he should be standing.
3:13 PM ((One last social check please))
3:13 PM S<Saff|Synapse> $roll 1d6 soc please dear god i'll feed you spelt if you let me do good on this roll
3:13 PM A<[ATM]> Saff|Synapse "soc please dear god i'll feed you spelt if you let me do good on this roll" [4]  = 4
3:15 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He looks ashamed of himself saying it. There are a lot of conflicting emotions on his face, and they all seem to suggest a very tortured, and guilty soul.
3:15 PM "It just feels pointless... I just /can't..." He starts.
3:16 PM He leans on the counter but it looks its more like the counter is the only thing keeping him standing, rather than him relaxing on it.
3:17 PM "But you didn't let me finish..."
3:19 PM "Like I was going to say, I think it's going to be a no to me joining you, but you said it yourself. Getting into the base wasn't very hard, it's not like it wouldn't be easy for you to come here whenever you want." He says, looking up at her.
3:21 PM "And since I act so irrationally it probably wouldn't be hard to talk to me while you're breaking in. Or to use my workshops while I'm sleeping way to late or something." He tries to smile with his joke, but it's a pitiful attempt at one.
3:21 PM ||
3:22 PM too late*
3:23 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Wait, are you serious?" Millie asks. "I can come here? Whenever? Holy shit!" She jumps forward and wraps him in an excited hug, before realizing what on earth she just did. Millie backs away and crosses her arms over her chest while blushing like a total idiot.
3:23 PM "Sorry. Was excited. I won't let you down, really. Thank you so much. Thank you!" ||
3:27 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> Artisan looks surprised at the hug, and his arms hang limp by his sides as she squeezes him. "Uh, yeah I was being serious." He said, his face turning red also.
3:28 PM "But uh, no problem. I guess?" He says awkwardly, staring at the ground.
3:28 PM ||
3:29 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "Sorry. Oh gosh. I um." Millie blushes. "Really. It means a lot." She stops for a moment, thinking, before sticking her gloved hand out to him.
3:29 PM "Millie. That's me. Thank you." ||
3:39 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> "It's okay..." He says, bashfully. He rubs at the back of the head, and looks at her hand like it's a foreign object before his eyes widen, and he utters a quick "Sorry.", and takes her hand in his. His grip is firm, but doesn't hurt.
3:39 PM "Max."
3:39 PM ||
3:41 PM S<Saff|Synapse> "I'll be back tomorrow. If you're up before noon, maybe I'll repay you for breakfast." Millie gives him a small smile, then turns back towards the elevator. "Pleasure doing business with you, Max." ||
3:43 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> He just looks down at his hand with a vaguely confused expression on it. "Uh, yeah sure." Artisan says, sounding unsure of how to reply.
3:43 PM ||
3:44 PM S<Saff|Synapse> She keeps walking towards the elevator, if only to hide the fact that her face is bright red. Oh god.
3:44 PM Millie keeps her eyes on the floor. Make it home. Tell dad the good news. Try not to think about the fact that she just kind of hit on Artisan. ||
3:51 PM Pink → Pink|Gm
3:52 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> The elevator door closes behind her back without another word from Artisan, and the ride down is much quieter than the ride up without the blaring alarms and AI voices.
3:53 PM It settles on the first floor and it opens to reveal the hall full of historical Stronghold displays, and the lobby, gift store, and exit past that.
3:53 PM ||
3:53 PM ((Closing post unless there are some other things you want to RP))
3:54 PM S<Saff|Synapse> ((this'll be the last, then.))
3:55 PM Millie glances over to the hall, giving a soft smile as she does so. While Artisan—Max doesn't want to partner with her... she still has all this space to work with. And who knows? Maybe she can whittle him down and make him concede.
3:55 PM Before she leaves, she snags a t-shirt from the gift shop. Just as a souvenir. Hopefully he won't mind too much. She just hopes that her dad will be as excited as she is. ||
3:56 PM C<•ColdGold|GM> ||||