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Post by Vazad on Mar 10, 2018 22:45:28 GMT
Klien, who had obviously been staring at his food intently the entire meal jumped at Skit's statement. The slight sheen of sweat obvious on his forehead. After everything is cleaned up he stands up.
"I-I'm sorry you all had to d-deal with this."
He then follows Skit into the kitchen. Both Fritz and Tansey have pained looks on their faces as he walks out. Fritz begins speaking after the door creaks shut.
"Oh dear. The poor boy's done it again."
Shaking his head he continues.
"If only the Master's were here. He's never been the same since they passed."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Mar 11, 2018 1:45:41 GMT
"Klein isn't your Master?" Parish sat up a little straighter, with a measure of surprise. It was the first bit of interest he'd shown in anything but his research in the time he'd been acquainted with this odd assortment of fellows. "Were the machines in his lab by his own design, or those that came before?" There it was. Single-minded to a fault.
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Post by Vazad on Mar 11, 2018 2:07:04 GMT
Fritz has a pained look on his face, he seems to take a few moments to think. Both of the servants look at the door Klien just walked out of before Tansey gets up and puts her hand on his shoulder and begins talking.
"I'm only going to tell you this because you saved us today. None of the machines you saw in the lab are of Klien's design. Truthfully he's not really a Spark, his parent's our Masters, were though. They disappeared through that gate almost thirty years ago and we haven't heard anything from them since. We're not sure why the boy never broke through but he's been desperately trying to search through their notes to find out how to get them back. Unfortunately, it seems to be a bit beyond him, with how long it's been we don't have much hope. We don't have the heart to stop him. Please don't tell anyone in town that you know his secret, we're fairly certain he'll get run out of town if they know."
Hanging their heads it's obvious that took a lot for her to say. Fritz clenches his fists while Tansy stands there looking lost. They both eye the group warily, seemingly trying to judge everyone's reactions.
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Post by Lockdown on Mar 11, 2018 4:18:07 GMT
Edgar very gently sets his fork down, eyes boring into the two old servants."You allowed a... a mundane to play with reality as if he were a Spark? To toy with everything his parents left him, ignoring his obligations, his duties in the vain hope of getting them back?" His voice is cold as ice, his face might as well have been chiseled granite. The sheer contempt he's projecting would be enough to give a psychic-type fits. "you are supposed to be his seneschals, his keepers as much as you are his servants. Non-Sparks cannot hope to comprehend much of what a Spark is able to do, let alone replicate it. And now you wish him to go back to that once we leave. Letting his foolishness endanger the lands and people his parents entrusted to him. You are failures as the keepers of your lord and lady's legacy." Edgar himself isn't sure where all this is coming from, but these two milksops and their bungling of the situation are offensive to him on a highly personal level.
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Post by DataNinja on Mar 11, 2018 7:26:11 GMT
As Edgar starts his tirade, Sylvia tries to shrink further and further down into her seat. Really, much of that could be addressed at her, too. It may not have been by choice, but her powers are all the result of essentially trying to play Spark. And she's possibly as much a danger to reality as Klein is, given the right circumstances. Not only that, but she abandoned her own duties as well, in the hopes of solving her own problem...
She dearly wishes at this point in time that one of the things that might happen to her is being able to turn invisible... but, of course, that would be too easy. So no such luck emerges.
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Post by sleepytenor on Mar 11, 2018 16:35:00 GMT
Skit stares down at Klein, stern and tense. "What do you think you're doin'? You can't keep puttin' these people in danger with your tinkerin'. You 'aven't paid me in almost a month now, and I'm not 'avin' much patience left for this. I...I been thinkin'....it might be time for me to move on. You know, find another employer. I just can't continue to support what you're doin'." Skit looks at the man in front of him. His eyes betraying his reluctance. For all his mistakes, Klein at least treated him well....most of the time.
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Post by Vazad on Mar 12, 2018 6:28:41 GMT
In the Kitchen
Klien backs up against the door when Skit starts talking, avoiding eye contact. He shuffles his feet as he begins talking.
"I-I am sorry for the lack of payment, y-you've been a g-good worker and I know t-that it's been hard on y-you here. A-after we finish t-today I w-will head to the Simon and Simon and see if I-I can liquidate s-some of m-my assets. A-at least pay you w-what I can. I-it's the l-least I can do for putting y-you out like this. I-I'm sorry that y-you feel that way regardless b-but I have a m-mission and I c-can not deviate. I-I hope w-we can part o-on good terms a-at least."
Klien extends a shaking hand toward Skit but turns his head when he hears shouting from the other room.
"W-what IS going o-on in there?"
In the Dining Room
Fritz stares out the nearest window guiltily. while he hasn't looked chipper the entire time you've known him he really shows his age, visibly sagging in the chair. Tansey on the other hand visible straightens at Edgar's words, the hand not on Fritz's shoulders balled into a fist. You can see fire in her eyes as she glares at him.
"Do you... Have any idea what it's like having your pillar, the one thing in the world you thought would never change disappear!? The Master's had been messing with the technology for years! We had no idea what happened, we were distraught. The Boy was easily young enough to have not broken through, how..."
She visibly tenses up, obviously trying to collect herself. Fritz, looks away from the window and up at her. Putting a hand over hers. He continues where she left off.
"In the beginning, it was nothing huge. He mainly went over their notes and tried his best to understand them, he pushed himself to study up on anything that might help him understand. I'm actually amazed that he got this far without the Spark. By the time we realized he wasn't going to break through it was too late, he was dead set on getting them back. We didn't know what to do either, without the Master's maintenance we started to fall apart. We... Needed the Young Master to find them, we..."
Fritz clears his throat and Tansey begins talking again visibly calmer than she was.
"You can think what you want about us but we've done what we could, we weren't made for this. Until today he hasn't done anything that was a threat to the town. Maybe you're right, we should try to stop him but I doubt we'd convince him. Even if we smashed everything in that lab and burned all the Master's notes he'd try again. It's more than just getting them back at this point. It's his life. What can we do but keep the Master's memories alive while we try our best to help?"
The pair of them both stare at Edgar imploringly, desperation and loss filling their eyes.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Mar 12, 2018 15:10:52 GMT
"Edgar, that's enough." Parish bit sternly. "A minion that has lost their Spark is a shell of a person that would do anything to have them back. For a child to lose their parent less so, but still understandable." Parish pinched the bridge of his nose. "The two of you full well understand that Spark constructions defy natural convention? That there was never any hope without another Spark? In it's prime, this tech must have been phenomenal. I can only surmise your former Master was quite gifted, but with this Nexus business they were incarcerated or worse. I changed no settings of the machine itself, only properly repaired the focal components."
The scientist considered the device again. "I do wish to investigate that place further, though I've no doubt it carries grave risks."
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Post by Lockdown on Mar 13, 2018 1:31:54 GMT
Edgar takes a deep breath through his nose at Tansey's cutting words. He keeps himself composed even as the two old servants plead their case. Parish stepping in is unexpected, but gives him time to loosen the knot in his chest, and defang the toxic words he'd been about to spew at the woman.
"Madame, I know better than you could ever hope to comprehend what it's like to lose everything your life is built around. I woke in the snow less than a month ago, battered, bleeding and bruised, with gaping holes in my memory. I do not know where I come from. I do not know if I have a family, a wife, children. I know how to fight, and I know how to handle Sparks. And I know that I am meant to be doing something, finding something or someone and taking them somewhere. The rest..." He opens a hand as if dropping something, "Pure conjecture and muscle memory. As for what you could possibly do to keep your master's memories alive, instead of letting the entire town waste away while he tries to retrieve them; focus on making this place prosperous enough that you could potentially attract a Spark that could help. Honor their legacy by keeping the place above water."
Edgar does a double-take then as he registers something that Fritz has said. "Wait, you personally need maintenance from your Masters?" He studies the two seeming older people closer now, looking for the tell-tale signs of enhancement.
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Jun 18, 2022 18:49:06 GMT
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Post by seraphflonne on Mar 13, 2018 20:36:51 GMT
Angela looks annoyed at everyone acting so...irrational, in the ends nature takes care of everything. The 'master' would probably have ended up killing himself, and that would have been that. Really, if it destroyed this place as a side effect, why would that matter? Clearly people believed differently, but who was she to interject in this clearly human matter. If she could she would throw her humanity away in a second, the trappings of it confusing her more than anything else. Oh well, regardless of all this she had gain what she needed. A powerful Spark, and an interesting person with powers that attract Ultra Beasts. She just had to start steering them towards the goal of opening the realm to this one.
Honestly, Angela payed far more attention to Sylvia during this tirade than anything, taking not that the girl was practically uncomfortable with the topic. Angela, unfortunately, had no idea how to deal with that. "Attracting a Spark isn't always good, really, depending on the Spark you might be better off without." Angela knew that Sparks came in all shapes and sizes, as well as skill sets. "Some can be practically useless, and a few can do way more harm than good..." Angela gave Edgar a look as she said this last bit. "And others can focus so much on being superior that they destroy another's works just for the fun of it"
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Post by Necrowolf on Mar 15, 2018 3:06:05 GMT
The spark of excitement that Lennart had was doused a tad by the sudden onset of an argument at the diner table. It seemed a shame that the prospects of adventure and companionship had so quickly shifted into the awkward environment that sprung up from Edgar's sudden outburst. Ugh, if only the world was filled with people like the easygoing, laughing maniacs that filled Glifford's caravan. Well whatever, he was still quite the capable person, and Lennart's carelessness was a partial factor in his current predicaments. So a serious personality could be a good counterbalance for him.
Lennart also has his interest peaked at the statement about "Maintenance". It was a strange thing to say and it would serve as a distraction for Edgar. "Maintenance huh? Never would have guessed you guys were enhanced from your human looks. Did your old master build Skit's arm and leg? And then that begs the question about whether he requires maintenance as well."
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Post by sleepytenor on Mar 15, 2018 11:34:51 GMT
Skit softens a little. "I'd also like to 'part on good terms'. I don't want you to fall behind on you progress. Tell you what. This might sound odd, but let me take the good stock pot and a small assortment of utensils and I'll call it even."
Skit smiles, gives a hearty laugh, and extends his mechanical arm.
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Post by Vazad on Mar 18, 2018 6:13:29 GMT
In the Kitchen
Turning back from the door Klien gives Skit one of his rare smiles.
"T-that should be doable, t-thank you. I-I hope your next employer e-ends up being less stressful for you"
Reaching out he shakes Skits mechanical hand. After a few moments, he lets go and stands there awkwardly. Finally, he turns toward the door and starts heading back into the dining room.
"I-I'm going to go see w-what all that s-shouting was about."
In the Dining Room
After Parish's comments, both of the servant's postures seem to deflate slightly. Tansey nods as she comments.
"We had originally hoped that the boy would abandon the project once he grew up a bit but we underestimated his desire to get them back. It surprised us that he even got the thing running at all."
Shaking her head ruefully she continues to listen as others spoke up. When Edgar speaks of his current problems a look of sympathy is etched on their faces. They remain silent though, letting him finish without trying to interrupt. When he comments about finding a new Spark a worried look crosses Fritz's face while Tansey's expression becomes determined. Fritz nods when Edgar comments about maintenance, looking up at Tansey with a pained expression. Her mouth has become a hard line as she presses her lips together tightly. Both of them look off into the distance hollowly. Before they can reply the conversation continues. Angela's comments bring them back to the matter at hand, Tansey nods along with her.
"You have to understand that in the beginning, we thought the Boy would be our Spark. While the later they break through the weaker they are with his parents being so strong we thought there would be no way he couldn't. Any Spark that was part of the family was better than someone who we knew nothing about. I'm sure you've heard the stories, whole towns turn into ravening monsters or even disappearing entirely. By the time that was an option, the Boy would have heard nothing of it. You can think of us as being weak or having made the wrong choice but it really wasn't any one choice."
When Lennart latches back onto the previous subject you can see Fritz's face pale and Tansey bite her lip, it's quite obvious the subject pains them. Finally, after a few tense moments, Fritz stands up. Turning to Tansey he talks to her in a plaintive tone.
"Please put me back."
Tenderly and with a look of pity she replies.
"Always."
As Fritz faces away from the group Tansey gives a brief explanation.
"The Boys Father was the expert on the dimensional aspect of their work but his Mother was skilled with the biological side of things. When she made us she decided it was wasteful having to retrain servants for different tasks. These bodies are finely made but they degrade like anyone else's and need maintenance or replacement."
With his back facing the group Fritz removes his overcoat and shirt. On his aged back, extremely thin lines can be seen crisscrossing it in a symmetrical pattern. The lines almost seem to pinch the skin slightly, as if they were scars or something binding the skin down. Tansey puts her right hand against the nape of his neck and the left on his left shoulderblade pushing slightly. After a few moments, things begin to shift, his shoulders moving forward at an awkward angle and his head tilting forward to lay on his chest. A thin metal tube ejects from inside a small cavity therein. Gingerly Tansey removes it from its compartment and holds it carefully, almost as if it were an infant. The tube is obviously worn, there was writing on it at one point but it is no longer legible. The contacts at the top and bottom have signs of corrosion, with small flakes of some material clogging them. She lets anyone who desires to look at the device a chance before slotting it back in, it immediately springs back closing up. After a few moments of standing there, Fritz shakes his head and begins to put his shirt and overcoat back on. Tansey pats Fritz on the back reassuringly while she continues talking.
"Unfortunately that's not the most pleasant experience. The closest thing I could compare it to is being unable to move in a sensory deprivation chamber. So we try our best to minimize our time out of a body. These are the last two we have functioning though, we're not quite sure what will happen to us when these run out. I hope that goes some way to showing why we're a bit desperate to get the Masters back."
As Fritz finishes putting his undershirt on a gurgling noise can be heard from the door to the kitchen. Klien stands there sheet white. He immediately makes a break for the door leading back out to the foyer. Watching as he dashes out of the room Tansey sighs.
"I'll go see what I can do, He saw one of us transferring bodies when he was young and It seems to have really taken a toll on the boy. Fritz, please stay here I know you'll want to sit down for a bit after that."
With a worried look at Fritz, she hobbles out of the door after the man. Sitting down Fritz gives the everyone around the table worried looks.
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Post by DataNinja on Mar 18, 2018 6:49:47 GMT
Sylvia is rather at a loss for words. This isn't even close to anything that she'd (knowingly, at least) encountered thus far. It's a little bit unnerving, in fact.
She hadn't even been able to tell that they'd been Spark-made... thankfully, though, they seem to be fairly harmless - besides causing her to involuntarily shudder as the tube emerges, her innards writhing in sympathy. She doesn't touch the thing, in fact leaning as far away as possible, afraid she'd somehow break or corrupt it.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Mar 18, 2018 11:19:37 GMT
Parish examines Fritz's true self closely for a moment, noting the wear and buildup on the contacts. It wasn't his field of expertise, the nature of the body. Organic life was disgusting that way, inefficient with it's long periods of downtime, having to uptake large quantities of biomass to build upon itself slowly over time and then excreting everywhere. If he was careful, he might be able to clean the device that housed who they were as people.
"When the last of your bodies expire, you'll likely remain in that separated state ever after. As most humans would understand it, you will die. It is my impression that the mind is a computer, and there is no afterlife for broken computers, such is a fairy tale people who are afraid of the dark embrace." Parish explained. "There is nothing I can do for your bodies, but with some study, I may be able to develop a housing that the two of you could at least be together when that time comes." He offered.
Experiments had always been a soft spot of his. Creatures built on the wheels of progress and the whims of Sparks without any consent. The wheels must still turn, but the prototypes leading up to a final product were not to be discarded.
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Post by sleepytenor on Mar 26, 2018 21:27:15 GMT
Having said his piece, Skit saunters back into the dining room with smile on his face and a wild look in his eyes. He still couldn't help but wonder if this was what he truly wanted, but no matter. His decision had been made. Once he reached his seat, he plopped himself down and continued to eat, suddenly much more interested in the guests and their travels. "So, you'll be 'eading out then?" He looks around the group. Yes, now is the time. "'ope you don't mind 'aving an old cog like me taggin' along." He gives a heart, throaty laugh.
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Post by Vazad on Mar 28, 2018 16:34:43 GMT
As Parish speaks Fritz's expression becomes wan and tired looking. He nods absently while looking down at the table. Once Parish is done he looks up at him once more. "That would be wonderful, being together would at least be... Something. Breaking is preferable to how it feels when we're out of a body. Having Tansey there for the end would mean the world to me."
He slumps back in his seat, the conversation having been very draining for him. Finally, after a few moments, he gets up. "Well, you asked about seeing those notes let me fetch them for you. I shall return shortly."-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a wait that feels like hours Tansy and Fritz both enter the room with an armful of documents. Fritz sets his on an empty spot on the table before working to make sure that everything is cleared away. Once there is room Tansy sets her stack on there as well. “Alright, here you go. Most of this is schematics and pages filled with their mathematics work but there are a few personal documents in the stacks.”She quickly thumbs through one of the stacks, pulling out a leather-bound book and setting it on top of the stack. Reaching into the other pile she quickly locates a tattered notebook that seems like it has seen better days, she sets it on top of the other book. “Those two would be where I would start. I think they were project journals. They should be in all right condition, the Young master was a more high strung when he was little if you’d believe that. We’ll be in the kitchen cleaning up if you need us.”With that she strides through the kitchen door. Fritz sits there awkwardly for a moment before stepping up to Skit and putting his hand on his shoulder. “I just wanted to thank you Mister Samuel. I hope you do well out there.”
With that he follows his wife into the kitchen.
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 10, 2018 5:41:13 GMT
Sylvia pulls one of the books off the stacks, and begins to thumb through it, trying - and mostly failing - at attempting to understand the technical stuff. She was never good at that stuff, it was always verbal instructions. The thought of that all drops out of her head - and the bottom of her stomach drops into a pit, too - as she reads along in the book. She begins to, unnoticed to herself, nervously flicker around as she reads, before thrusting the book back down, looking on in horror.
Another universe, but living? Taking energy into itself? And the machine that made the breach there also made the holes for the Beasts... what if they're connected? And the Beasts wanted her... She has no idea what that could mean, though. Whatever it is, it terrifies her. What if she's connected to this Nexus somehow?
Trying to calm herself down, she steps as far from the book as she can, and instead sets to looking for the letters that Klein offered. The sooner she can get this condition dealt with, the better...
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Post by seraphflonne on Apr 10, 2018 18:03:33 GMT
Angela takes the book after Sylvia shoves it back down, curious as to what would cause such a reaction. Instead she found a pleasant surprise for herself. She skimmed some details, finding plenty of support for her theory of crafting a permanent gate, but this Nexus...She didn't really want anything to do with it, but it has knowledge of dimensions as well. Maybe they could potentially help, but certainly not willingly. She was much better off with this rambunctious group than trying to seek this Nexus out.
"Here, you might find the contents to your liking, Parish, or hate them, whichever" Angela holds the Leather-bound Book out towards the scientist. He would probably have more use of it than her.
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Post by Vazad on Apr 10, 2018 18:19:57 GMT
After a short while of thumbing through the stack of papers Sylvia manages to find a heavily creased letter with bold lettering stating the word ROTHKIND sticking out of the pile at a jaunty angle.
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