Thanks, Ben [Mingle]

[saveournpcs]

Date: 4th of January 20, 3 hours after everyone came out of the cavesCharacters: OPEN

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Three hours after everyone came out of the caves, an earthquake of the magnitude 5.7 shakes the echo boundary.

Up on the ruins, a single block from one of the lower walls gets dislocated and falls.

Down in the city and villages, things go a bit worse. A couple of sheds collapse, things fall over and off things, and some houses are left with cracks in their walls and might end up condemned. A number of telegraph poles fall over and a few on cars. There's three injured and no fatalities over all, and a few related car accidents because people got distracted that again go without fatalities.

...And, of course, the Media are back. The next day, the Sun titles "IS THERE A NEW CRACK IN THE EARTH'S CRUST??? Another earthquake strikes Mossgate 4 houses condemned, 10 admitted to hospital, powerlines down", but newspapers with more journalistic integrity send reporters as well.

Someone else is back, too - Numbered will see Mr Neutral, Mr Evil and Mr Helpful wander the streets.

Comments

Right?

[warped_replica]

Nodding once, he tilts his head to finish guiding the wire and starts to secure it carefully with his tools. Murmuring he considers, “A commonality between a set of pictures might work...”

When his friend offers to make the mod, he glances up from the wires, “...that sounds like a lot of work for something so minor. What did you have in mind?”

Yup.

[iamnotgod]

"Yes, or something like a Pictionary game."

Or whatever that party game had been.

Walter smiles. "It's no trouble, I assure you; at this point acquiring the server space is trivial. And while a cave system would be too on-the-nose-"

And frankly, water was out, too. Though inadvertently guessing the layout of Mr. Evil's base would be amusing...

"How about a cloud system? Where some of the clouds can be walked through, but not all."

[warped_replica]

“I don’t know if any of my followers are dedicated enough to try to figure out my stick figures,” he says with a faint tinge of humor. “A cloud system could be interesting. Though, I do wonder if anyone would be restricted from downloading a mod.”

“Maybe a mini-game based in a browser would be more accessible... But that’s more than double the work,” he wonders out loud. Benjiro likes to team up with other skilled players, but when he opens his streams to viewers, he tries to be inclusive of all skill levels.

[iamnotgod]

Walter gives Ben a knowing, bemused look. "I could always lend a hand in that area instead. But then, you do have skill in sketching."

Perhaps not digitally, but all the same.

Walter gives a sympathetic sigh at the mere idea of browser games. "Nothing using Flash," he says right off. "But it's easier to build that sort of thing from scratch than it once was, to be sure."

[warped_replica]

The methods are quickly becoming more trouble than they’re worth. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t draw for someone else without being paid. Especially on a repeated basis.” Walter is charitable in many ways, and Benjiro will not take advantage of that.

“It would be a lot of hassle regardless. I think something simpler would be better for everyone. It’s not that important anyway.” Just his silly attempt to engage his audience.

Another length of wire is cut and inserted into the build.

[iamnotgod]

"Of course," Walter says, relenting, but still smiling.

"Though, if we're thinking of simple... why not use code itself? Basic messages in Morse or computer code, written on the ground in one part of the server, while you're in another?"

[warped_replica]

To clarify, he asks, “Would I give a clue to find that code? Finding a message written somewhere would definitely take more time and effort once in the right location.” The translators available online would make certain such writing would not be exclusive.

[iamnotgod]

Walter thinks about this one before replying - not that it necessarily shows on his face.

"A clue in chat, yes - the general area for the message, and-or the language used. And the message itself would just say which direction to head to find you."

[warped_replica]

Benjiro nods thoughtfully, “Both binary and morse code are readily recognizable to online gaming communities, so I doubt that would be an issue...” His musing trails off as he works with a particularly delicate bit on the wiring.

When finished with that portion, he is already looking to the next bit on his hastily drawn schematic. He studies it but a moment before he starts looking around the bench and in toolboxes, murmuring, “...where did I leave it now.”

His usually careful organization with tools is absent today.

[iamnotgod]

Walter falls silent for a while, running different coding parameters in his mind now, and then checking in on the latest strangeness in the news now, and then double-checking his email now...

But he doesn't fail to notice Ben's question in the middle of that - and between the worry of this just being a symptom of regular stress, and the worry of this being a Numbered thing for the teen, Walter finds himself hoping it's the former.

"The shelf, behind you." With a select few other tools, and a handful of screws that had been left out for some reason.

There's no hiding the worry on Walter's face, either.

[warped_replica]

The direction draws a quick glance from Benjiro, enough to see that worry written so plainly in his friend. He then follows the cue to the shelf, and picks up the tool he had been looking for, “...thanks.” Along with it, he picks up the screws in his other hand to put away properly.

As he settles back on his metal stool to sit at the bench, he speaks as his hands work and his eyes stay on the task, “...you can say it.” Whatever made him look at him like that.

[iamnotgod]

"The stress has been getting to you, I can tell," he admits.

But he manages a grim grin. "But then, I suppose the same can be said of us all."

The earthquake had certainly shaken everything up.

[warped_replica]

Breathily he answers with a sigh, “Yeah...” then speaks normally after, “Yeah it has. I didn’t sleep at all last night. Maybe tonight I will.” Or more likely he will crash for a few hours then be back into insomnia.

Staying busy with the project is how he is coping and not slipping into another panic attack.

“...is anyone else having a lot of trouble?” he tentatively asks regarding the other Numbered.

[iamnotgod]

"If you need a weighted blanket, I've got extra," Walter says knowingly.

He'd offer to stay if that's what it takes, but he knows Ben would reject that right off.

He pauses, then nods. "It's easier to see it on people's faces, now," he answers.

Microexpressions; terribly useful, even when the information wasn't positive in nature.

[warped_replica]

“...it might be worth a shot. It might not be heavy enough,” he says in consideration.

Listening to Walter give a general answer, his hands slow to a pause and the teenager looks up to his friend, “...and what about you?”

[iamnotgod]

"I've found layers work best, when it comes to it," Walter replies, voice softer than his grip.

Letting some of the stress out of his shoulders, he answers, "It piles up faster, because I keep track of more than most people would expect, but I've found it's also become easier to piece it apart again, and tackle things one at a time."

Just at a faster speed than most humans handled it.

My apologies for losing track of this one

[warped_replica]

He nods a little more absently, “I can let you know tomorrow.” He will not impose so much as to have Walter make a second trip all the way out from Mossgate to lend him a blanket. Especially when he cannot bring himself to go into town after being the cause of so much damage.

Benjiro scrutinizes Walter’s visible body language. He has some difficulty telling when Walter is consciously acting to provide a specific external projection. His friend can think and act so much faster, and he wonders how well his body keeps up with his mind.

“I can always turn off the wifi if you want a break while you’re here,” he offers.

No problem. ^^

[iamnotgod]

He has a feeling Ben's aunts will have their own opinion on the matter.

But guilt is a powerful motivator, in its own way.

Walter shakes his head. "I'm afraid it's gotten quite the other way, after all this time getting used to it."

Chuckling wryly, he adds, "Which doesn't mean you shouldn't turn the wifi off; probably healthier that way."

[warped_replica]

Which is all the more reason Benjiro is relieved to be talking about anything but himself.

Securing his current progress, he sets the tools down, “We can give it a try then. I will turn it off, and if you start feeling too bored, I’ll turn it back on. And while I’m inside I can get a couple drinks for us.”

Taking a request from Walter for his preference of a drink, he will head into the house briefly to gather the drinks, and shut down the wifi on his way back out.

Since this is now post-discussion with Mr. Neutral...

[iamnotgod]

It's not as if Walter can't occupy himself in his own head, these days...

After all, he has a lot to think about, especially now.

He looks worried again by the time Ben returns, but seems to shake it off as they get back to work.

"Thanks," he says, accepting the drink and taking a sip first.

[warped_replica]

He notices that look from his friend and asks after handing him his drink, “That dull already? Or is it something else?” Benjiro keeps attention on Walter as he sits on his stool and removes his face mask to drink from his cup.

[iamnotgod]

"No, but I found Mr. Neutral yesterday," Walter begins to explain, staring down at the drink distantly.

"During the conversation, I had another Echo. Two memories, one a set of them."

There's a very pregnant pause.

"Remember when I said that there was a memory of Webmind urging someone to take their own life? There's more where that came from. A lot more."