Patches (Open RP)

Jade started at Toy's words. He started apprehensively at the satyr-like being in his hands. Programming? Trisys was a machine? He'd thought she'd just shapeshifted again. Now she was a robot? Or...had she been one all along? He didn't remember the details of his previous scans (having one's photographic memory hardware ripped out of one's head by transmutation tended to do that), but he had a vague inkling that she'd been flesh and blood.

Or had she?

He had to admit, he didn't know nearly enough about her to say. It made a kind of sense, though. If one were to make a being that granted wishes, the durability of a mechanical core might very well have been preferable to the relative frailty of a living organism. Did this mean he was looking at the 'real' Trisys now? Did she turn back into this when she lost consciousness?

"Hey." the tap of Akat's claws against his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned his head to the side to look at her. Even crouching on his knees as he was, the face of the fully standing Khelari wasn't that much above eye level for him, despite her stature of just under two meters, "I think the little guy's trying to get your attention."

The Dragon's nose followed her indicative finger, pointed down at the gnome, but it wouldn't have been necessary anymore. Now aware of his surroundings again, Jade had felt the little feyfolk's poking and directed his eyes first down, then toward the acorn.

"Yeah, I know that's important..." he told the gnome with a despondent sigh, picking up the Token and staring at it with fruitless thought.

...but I don't know what to do with it.

Akat meanwhile didn't have much to offer either. She knew there was energy about that linked...but she didn't know what to do about it. She'd only recently progressed to conducting liquids. Directing pure energy about to do what she wanted was still a long way off. In short, the Khelari was a student, not a master. And she certainly didn't have any expertise in robotics. Dammit, where was an instruction manual when you needed it?!

Unless...

"Idea." she stated out of nowhere, tapping the Token as she looked to Jade, getting the Drokar's attention again, "Instruction manual. Try getting into it."

"I don't think..." was Jade's uncertain retort at first, but when the admission that he didn't really have any other ideas came cross, he spoke instead, "Okay. How?"

"Think." Akat stated urgingly, "Concentrate. Focus. Stare at it. One way or another, it's got to be good for something if you say it's important to her, right?"

The Dragon shrugged. Sounded logical enough. So he stared at it. Focused at it.

C'mon...do something...Trisys, please come back...

How the power sink hadn't also interrupted the strike Ildela had performed was a mystery, but nonetheless it was incredibly effective. Combined with Tafari not knowing where to reinforce his aura and Ildela's precision, her blades managed to disrupt Tafari's corporeal form considerably, reducing it's consistency by almost half its total value. As expected, her follow-up move drained little to nothing from Tafari. And while she was doing that, she got to watch as he energized himself with a massive amount of power, the damage she had dealt vanishing. He was giving her a 'did you really think that would work?' expression that she herself had been wearing a moment before.

"...While this is all incredibly adorable..." He began. And then Paxtera made planetfall and started to beat on him. He grunted, and staggered ever so slightly as she impacted him with her assaults. Their energy portions were more or less entirely negated, the physical portions causing some discernable damage - But not a huge amount, considering how durable the brute was.

'...Meh, she can have her hittsies.' He thought vaguely. 'Restrain murderous rage. Deal with the actual threat first...' Tafari locked onto Ildela with his focused gaze determinedly. Unless she could placate him, her ability to hide in plain site was not going to work anymore. He then suddenly lunged forward in an attempt to bear-hug Ildela, his hands roaring with an immense output of energy as he built up a surplus from his conduit. It looked as if the brute sought to just pour a massive amount energy into Ildela's frame until it eventually overwhelmed her shields, counting on her being too surprised to dodge the sudden move and his own durability to survive her inevitable attempt to block him via stabbing. If he actually caught her, he would hold on until either he or Ildela was entirely burnt out from energy exaustion. He would put everything he had into the attack, and considering he had just energized himself, he had a considerable surplus of energy to spare.

If Ildela physically dodged the sudden move rather than counting on her shields to deflect it, it would leave Tafari wide open for another lethal strike. One he probably wouldn't be able to heal as easily as the first. And if Tafari got the drop on her but didn't manage to beat her in the energy race, his protective aura would most likely fade entirely away and leave him unable to utilize most of his powers for a while.

The Gnome started dancing and then vanished and reappeared on Akat's shoulder and patted her head.

Cerelassion rubbed his chin a little. "If I missed my guess I think he had a similar idea but couldn't vocalize it." He looked around as the clean up crew were trying to repair the mess. "Perhaps it be best if we went somewhere else. I don't know who that energy draining fellow was nor how his ablity works... But it might dawn on him to come for the sorce of the magic that attracted him here in the first place." He looked to Trisys.

"Mr. Dispenser your the closes thing we have to an expert here at the moment. Do you think we can move her with out causing any harm? I think the human refugee camp might be best I fear what would happen if she is exposed to magical artifacts. The humans might be willing to hel..." He looked at Toy Dispenser then at Trisys.

"Hmm perhaps that isn't such a good idea they have issues with Machines. The refugees have came here from the waste. So far the machines haven't figured out some of their targets have found a safe haven here. Given that they might not like having Androids or any robotic beings about. Ah I know the cliffs we have started carving out living spaces in the very rock. we can use them."

Trisys was busy doing something. Many things, in fact.

She had next tried to create an image of her form seen via Toy. It had been much harder than summoning ghost images of her past. When constructed as best she could, her voice presence had tried residing in the same space. That proved as ineffective as trying to sit on a rainbow. She tried again, expanding to recreate Jade and the surrounding world environment. Still without substantial results.

A dozen more iterations were attempted as Trisys continued her monologue until she had as little mental power as form; aka none. Her presence draped over the PDA exhausted. Her voice echoes slowed, stilled, then went silent.

"... I tried I tried oh EarthMother! oh Jade! I tried sorry so sorry ... forgive me ... please ... ... Jade ... be well ... ... ... ..."

At this darkest, coldest moment a new voice came through. It sounded more wonderful than the summer solstice stars: please come back...

Jade!

In fantasy stories this is where Trisys would tap a hidden well of strength to blaze back along his connection in a glorious revival. What happened was more like a child nearly sleepwalking in a stumbling shuffle towards Jade's call.

The results were subtle, nearly imperceptible. The whole while Cerelassion was musing over alternative location the satyr's ear tips, wing tips, fingers, hooves, and tail tuff faded to a lighter amber shade. Next her eyes took on the same hue. Her weight lightened greatly. The cherry red spurts of minor spirit magic began flickering. Finally the pair of translucent white horns appeared on her forehead as ponderous as a rising sun. On another plane Toy's PDA connection terminated, no longer having anywhere to connect to.

"Jade." Her voice sounded groggy as it drifted out through her immobile visage. It did become a little more coherent as she continued. "Jade. You live. Thank EarthMother! How strange, I can see you clearly though I feel like I am cross-eyed. Not important. You live! You are normal, whole! My choice was worth it. It is all worth it if you live. I am grateful.

"Something. Something is niggling at me. A thought. Something important. About how I ended up this way. That's right. I panicked when they said they were going to disrupt your sleep. That is when I ended up in the cold place. It wasn't until completely worn out that you call let me return. That must be it. I can't have strong emotions. If I do I am in the cold place, all alone, lost. Though now is almost more a dream with the ceaseless Voices, almost nonexistent sensation, trapped."

She paused, the red electricity cascading from her head to her hooves like a shudder. "Jade, how did you survive as a robot?" Her subdued voice was part awe, a bit bemused, and a lot scared.

"Eyt!" Akat exclaimed, instinctively twitching away from the sudden contact, her shoulder disappearing from beneath the feet of the gnome nearly as fast as he'd appeared there. His fall took somewhat longer, which was fortunate, for it gave the Khelari the time to notice just what she'd just jerked away from and catch the little man like a runner might a football: by diving down into the dirt elbows-first and forming a platform with her hands.

"Heh." she commented as she lay there on her stomach, looking up at the gnome in her palms with an embarrassed, naturally toothy grin, "Sorry. Thought you were something that was spit at me. My apologies."

Jade meanwhile didn't even notice, his attention completely on Trisys, a gentle smile forming on his face as she started talking. He didn't quite understand about what at first, but initially he didn't much care. She was OK, and that's what mattered.

Initially.

As she continued, his smile began to fade. Something was wrong. Strong emotions sending her to a cold place...meaning strong emotions made her pass out? Worth it? What the heck had happened? Why was...?

And then she asked the question that made his blood run cold.

His smile vanished completely. His eyes dropped away from Trisys', his gaze gradually reaching the ground while his hands slid away from her upper arms, coming to strengthless rest to the sides of his lap. How should he answer this? Why should he answer this? He didn't want to. Didn't want to think about it, didn't want to acknowledge it again.

Because you owe her.

"I..." he finally forced out with a gulp, swallowing the dry clod in his throat, "Because I'm a coward. Because each time I tried to kill myself, I was too afraid to do it..."

She couldn't feel his hands move away, she hadn't been able to feel them there in the first place, but the pain in his words and distraught gaze were as evident as a neon sign.

"No, please, no," it was the satyr's turn to beg Jade. "I'm sorry. Forget I asked. I only want your happiness. You are whole now. Meant to know joy. Please. Forgive my fear, Jade.

"Oh, that I could move my hands! I would clasp yours, or cradle your face, or fold them at your feet. I think I can learn how eventually. I will try, so you can then know the truth of my intentions. Please, Jade, please. Don't be sad. You... yours is the only nobleness, sacrifice, and goodness in a Master I have known since the first. Please believe how heroic you are. You are restored through your own merits, not mine."

Toy grunted in satisfaction as Trisys started to melt back into an organic body and speak to Jade. He was very intrigued about the direction of their conversation, but decided it would be best to appear to give them privacy. He gestured for Cerelassion to follow him and crouched down to give Akat a hand up.

"C'mon, the drama is going to be thick for a few minutes so we can wait over here until they're done," he said as he walked a short distance away, back to the pair.

"I wouldn't worry about people mobbing on me, Lassion," he continued, gaze fixing in the direction of the fight, though to anyone else it was at an undetectable range. "I have contingencies for that sort of scenario. But that's besides the point. What is the point is a sitrep."

Crossing his arms, he started to pace back and forth a bit, fingers rapping gently in time with his steps.

"You elves here are apparently the good guys, that much is obvious. I can quantify that. But what's this about machines in the waste? I got a pretty good map of the surrounding terrain on my way in, but that was all. Human refugees? Attacked by the machines or something else? From where? I'm operating in a complete informational void right now and it's starting to get on my nerves."

The Gnome clapped it hands and made a silent laugh like a child. It was a strange bing both filled with countless years of knowledge but yet so simple an immortal child.

Cerelassion went off with Toy Dispenser. "I tell you what I know. On what ever world the waste came from it was once a City I never could remember the name it's just a waste land to me. Someone made some kind of super powerful ... what's the term... Artificial Intelligence. Not sure what happened next but it turned on the population. The Humans here are just the descendants of the survivors I am not sure how long ago it was but I say it been hundreds of years maybe near a thousand. From time to time the Bombers find a human and destroy the area."

"There are a few different types the large Harvesters and the Bombers perhaps more. They work like an insect hive operating from the Main system. So far the AI haven't bothered with us it doesn't see us as a target yet. We even had to kill a few humans that tried to run for our gates in view of one of those Machines to keep the illusion that we aren't friendly to Humans. The majority of the Machine forces are focused on a city of Humans farther north they were once friendly but as resources grew low they became desperate."

"I'm sure the only reason that group of humans haven't attacked us is that they are on the other side of the Waste. The Plans make up the other land around us and populated by the Gre'sil a primitive species still in what could be called a stone age thought now with influence from slaves they captured their culture is changing. There are other realms farther south that trade with us about once every three months give or take. They stay away due to the fear of the Machines from the waste."

"This world if you call it that is called Patches made up from parts of other worlds. No one really knows who created this place or why. The majority of us Elves believed it had a peaceful use at first. So far the majority wants outside contact and trade but some want to close our boarders. Fools... It maybe thousands of years but eventually another patch would land right on us. Lady Aineruda knows this as well as I do. Our best chance of surviving Patches is to have allies or we just slowly rot till we are crushed."

"Thanks." Jade angled his pupils up to look at Trisys' face again, a weak smile developing on his lips, "But it's true. Guess it doesn't really matter anymore though, does it? I...I don't think I can ever thank you enough, heh."

He raised his head to speak face-to-face with her again, continuing with, "I'm going to try, though. So how come you can't move then? Did you use too much power? Or did something else happen?"

Taking the Token into his hands again, he held it toward her in the cradle formed by his palms, "Can you use this to fix it? Or...do I need to be doing something with it?"

Akat meanwhile just listened - after thanking Toy for helping her up, of course - putting the pieces together one at a time. Cerelassion's recount sounded bad. Very bad, actually. She'd never known there were people in trouble all the way in the south here. She did know of the city the elven woman spoke of, though.

"Oh, them, yes." she said with a snort, "I remember that city. Buncha wackos. Kept yelling I was a demon and tied me to a pole. Then they tried to burn me. I didn't mind the fire so much, but being tied up that long...mmyeah, not going back there."

"I'll help you guys, though." she said with a smile, "You've been nice to me. So uh...you want to leave, right? Well, we do have one slightly bigger ship. And we could probably make another long before the signal gets here. What all did you want to leave with...?"

Cerelassion smiled at Kethara "Sometimes the young are smarter then the wises of the old. Indeed that was part of our plan if we make friends and contacts we might find a clue to stop patches from ripping chunks of other worlds. Perhaps even reverse things and send us back. So far we still have no clue how to do that. The Builders seemed to have forgot to pass on the information before they left."

He then looked at Akat "For us I'm afraid such is impossible." He motioned to the Gnome who was now following a bug. "Our little friends here are connected to the forest. They can only keep physical form here thought they can leave the boarders for a short time. A day would be to long a time away. We can't leave them behind."

Tafari took being stabbed in the face rather well, his aura reflecting the attack with a loud reverberating noise akin to a tuning fork going off and the level of entropy in his form increasing even more. For a moment, he thought that he had won - And then it turned out his opponent could either phase shift or teleport.

And while Tafari was not exactly keen of mind, he knew that when something turns into smoke and then flows around your body behind you, you turn around and try to get at it again. Or at least take steps to ensure you aren't stabbed in the back. (literally in this case) 'Two can play that game...' he thought. He abruptly vanished as he repositioned the conduit that fed him energy right behind Ildela. He didn't expect that suddenly being turned into a lightning rod for explosive and volatile energy would get Ildela down much...At least not while she maintained the fortitude Lazardarus had granted her. Tafari took advantage of the air being saturated with blinding energy to super-speed a small distance away from the two.

"This is ridiculous." He spat at the two, giving them a killer glare. "We're going to be here all day at this rate, and my mood is so wrecked I can't even ENJOY this little spat."

"Be happy, Jade. Live a fullness of joy. What better thanks could there be?" Is was the right thing to say, even though there was a bit of selfish motive behind it. If Jade lived fully, he would be at peace when death concluded his life. He would not end up one of the Voices that haunted her.

Swallowing was definitely missed. Jade's effort to smile was encouraging. But Trisys had realized a couple things. Suppressing the terror of her situation was a struggle, one she was unsure she could win. Yet even the milder emotions still made her feel chilled like a premonition of an incoming storm. It may not be enough to not feel strong emotions. Any emotions at all might be depleting some kind of cosmic account; one that a zero balance meant she went back to the Cold Place. It was a thought that did nothing to make her battle with fright easier.

She could not ask Jade about it. His bad reaction before made it clear anything about his experience as a robot was not a safe topic of discussion. Trisys would treat it as taboo. She would have to battle her fears alone.

Trisys scrutinized the stone acorn as Jade cradled it for her view. "The Token is a symbol and a connection. As a symbol it binds me to you, Master. Though it I always know where my Master is, and any Wish my Master makes. Nothing more. As a connection, you, as Master, may use it to know anything about me: Everything that has happened to me, what I am capable of, even what I currently see and think.

"At least, that was my Token. Surely you know this from when our Bond formed? Except... this borrowed one has changed forms as well as owners. Still, you can know better than I. As Master you can command it to reveal information, even as through it your Wishes command me. I am its tool, not it mine."

Since Jade had asked, and since she was no longer confident he could get the information via the Token, Trisys started explaining aloud. "I can't move because I don't feel me. Power low? No, no that doesn't sound right. I... I don't feel connected."

Not helping. Trisys tried backtracking. "I can see what is right in front of me. Aside from the Voices it is the most pervasive thing. There is no reprieve. I am not able to see peripherally or blink or shift my eyes or close them. Don't think I can any more. It is always there. My eyes can be covered, but that makes sight dark, not absent.

"I can hear. That can be disabled, unlike my vision, though I don't know exactly how or why.

"Aside from that is almost nothing. No smells. No taste. Can't feel my own skin. Not even numb. As if blind to touch. There are... points. Not really like touch, just pressure. Seven? Eight? Maybe nine? It's hard to tell. Some of the others were trying to help figure out where when we were, well, interrupted." Don't think about the Cold Place. Don't think about being scared. Trisys continued quickly, "I suspect, maybe an instinct?, if I can identify them then I can move them. Then I can move me.

"My horns are the only thing that still feel like Me, and even those are strange. Like how my mane used to pull when the wind tangled it. I don't really know more yet. All of this absence, this isolation, is new. I'm still trying to figure out everything." Trisys caught herself before the finished the sentence as 'everything I lost.'

Toy was silent for a few moments as he analyzed this new information, letting the others talk as plans began formulating. He needed to get a hold of one of these 'reaper' machines. They were most likely the only things around here advanced enough to be cannabalized for repairs. And, of course, the useful thing about hive minds is that the intelligence of a single unit is usually rudimentary, which could lead to all sorts of other possibilities...

"It's unlikely that we'll require your spirits to leave the forest," he said to Cerelassion. "At the most we'll probably ask for supplies for those that need them and perhaps magical assistance, as long as it is not limited by distance to your forest.

"Escape is of course the overarching goal," he continued, looking at the three. "Our best bet would be to find a 'Builder' or a control node they used to create this place. To that extent, transportation would be useful."

He nodded sideways at Akat.

"There are other Khelari here, huh? And what kind of ship are we talking about?"

(( Actually in ingame terms it was neither... It would be me seeing you hit buildup and hitting shadowmeld to counter, your attack missing due to massively overstacked defense, then placate and assassin strike. That it doesn't much resemble that when written out is irrelevent. ))

A shiver rippled through Jade's musculature as he listened to Trisys' description of her 'disconnect'. Yeah, he remembered the lack of sensation only too well. That needed to be fixed, and now he knew just how to do it.

Or at least...so he thought.

The Drokar still didn't realize that she'd sacrificed her living form for him. He still thought this was just another shapeshift, like the one she'd performed after he'd first encountered her - only that this one had apparently been against her will, originating in something unseen dislodging within her. By that logic, it was obvious that if this connection she spoke of was restored, she'd be able to go back to normal.

But first there was something else to settle.

"Trisys..." he said with a lick of his lips, thinking through his words carefully to actually get out what he wanted to say, "I need you to understand something: I don't think of myself as your master, and...well, a lot of stuff's kind of a blur still, so that might be why I'm not dealing with this token thing very well. Point is, though: I don't want to. I want to be someone who guides and supports you, not someone who lords and commands over you. I want to be your friend, not your master. So...if it's okay with you, could you think of me like that? As a friend? Please?"

"Hmm..." Akat meanwhile gave a thoughtful nod to Cerelassion, seeming to be looking through her as she spoke, "Yes, not big enough for all this. We'd need to build a whole new one. Might be something in the library...I think I saw..."

"Huh?" her eyes snapped back into focus as Toy questioned toward her, the Khelari turning her attention to him, "Oh yeah, plenty. The entire north pole tribe got dropped here...quite a while ago, actually. And uh...Type 3 Cruiser say anything to you? Mh, guess not. Uhhh...I guess it looks kind of like a long deltoid...maybe half a kilometer long, half as wide at the span..."

As she explained, she put her fingers together and formed the rough shape of something that resembled a kite, rounded toward the rear and tapering at the bow, "Maybe a little wider. I'm not really into ships, but I know it's different from the smaller ones. It can go a lot farther than those too. And hold more people, of course. But not a whole piece of planet, no..."

Trisys was silent for a long while after Jade's request not to be Master, but Friend. If not for the static she might appear MIA again with her absolute motionlessness. Finally, in a very small voice she could not mask a tremble, "Are you returning the Token to dissolve the Bond?"

Cerelassion adjusted his glasses a bit then sighed "I'm afraid the builders vanished many thousands of years ago. So unless you can travel in time you wouldn't meet them."

"Lazardarus and many others been going out and exploring trying to find a way to control Patches but so far nothing. Thought truth we aren't used to technology and such super science we might have missed something."

"Well, time for me to pull the obligatory rogue ultimatum." Tafari said, looking mildly depressed. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just speed around and set this entire damn forest on fire? I would think I could reduce this place to ashes in a few hours. And you wouldn't be able to stop me."

Trisys didn't hear a response at first, though she certainly got one. She may not have felt the hand that placed itself on her shoulder, but seeing Jade's arm head that way was likely more than enough of a clue.

"No." the Dragon said with a gentle smile. He'd gotten the picture, "Don't worry, I won't be leaving you alone. If that means you need to call me your master, then okay. I'll be your master. For now. But know I'm your friend too, okay?"

"So." he then stated, taking the Token into both hands and looking at it intently, "You say I can tell this...Token to give me information. Okay. Token, show me what happened to..."

He stopped there a moment, having to overcome himself since he didn't like to think of Trisys this way, but believed that if he wasn't specific enough, he wouldn't get the answer he needed. After a second or so, he managed to force out, "...your...tool. I want to know what 'disconnected' her..."

There was silence for a long moment as Toy just stared at Akat. Eventually he broke it with a soft clang as he facepalmed.

"You are entirely too nonchalant about having access to a spaceship," he ground out, other hand rapping irritably against his leg. "And not just that, but apparently the tech to quickly make another one?"

Throwing his arms in the air he walked around in a little circle.

"Well, that'll help! Though with my current luck it'll turn out we'll all get shot down in the first five minutes or something."

"Thank you, Jade." Trisys whispered. Her eyes closed, she let out the breath she'd been holding, and slumped with released tension. That is, she would have if capable of it. Instead all she could do was murmur another inadequate, "Thank you."

Direct focus and good intentions can go far, especially vocalized. Jade had demanded to know what happened, and he was given a front-row seat. The entire Wish sequence was repeated, this time relived from the perspective of Trisys: Yanked from heavenly relaxation pools to Master for the Wish initiation. The countdown. Time ran out unto the awful realization of Jade's Wish granted. The critical moment Trisys choose to exchange her flesh fate for Jade's so that he might live beyond fifteen minutes after restoration. Her continued transformation as the magic and technology squabble, er, incompatible clash, tore at Trisys. Kethara, Cerelassion, Akat, and Lady Aineruda's retrieval of her from beneath the renewed mammoth dragon to discover the newly metalized satyr. And everything between.

Jade experienced it all like an IMAX epic. A little effort would make it possible to be dispassionate. But with the slightest yielding the experience would sweep up and carry Jade along its crest, a breath away from being swallowed whole by the momentous event.

The key information was there to be realized. Primarily that the consequence of Trisys's choice had resulted with her imprisoned in the metal body. Also that her basic senses, most notably touch and smell, were severely crippled or completely gone. Still, knowledge didn't always equate to understanding.

"What by?" Akat blinked, looking at Toy with a mixture of skepticism and lack of understanding, "The only thing around my tribe are those two...well, I don't know what they are, city ships or something, and they've never moved. I don't even think they can. Okay, so I guess there is the Scaffold too...but I've been there, and I didn't see any weapons."

"And what do you mean 'too nonchalant'?" she wanted to know, feeling accused of some manner of wrongdoing, "Sorry if we apparently don't treat spacecraft like your people, but that doesn't make it wrong. Just different."

Jade, meanwhile, was feeling the exact opposite. No one had accused him of it, or even hinted at ti for that matter, but seeing what the Token had presented to him, he knew he'd committed a great wrong. Not intentionally, but still, it was staggering. By voicing his desire, making his 'wish'...he'd cursed Trisys into the same wretched existence that had been his own prison for so long.

It was a good thing he was already on his knees, otherwise he would've fallen to them. He stayed that way in silence for many a long second, head drooping, the long strands of black hair on his forehead slowly falling over his eyes.

"I'm so sorry..." he finally managed to whisper, looking pleadingly up at Trisys, "I...I didn't know. Is...is there anything I can do? Can I...wish for you to be back to your normal self again? Is that allowed...?"