Chapter Text
Caine didn't know what to do after yesterday… long story short
…He messed up.
……bigtime
what had he done wrong? Why were they so mad?
He knew nobody would him an answer… not just cause they hated him it’s cause he knew better than to ask.
he thought it was foolproof. Give them an exit adventure (in the suggestion box “an exit” was the most prominent request) and see if they cared about him. And they chose the stay in the circus button so they cared! Then why had they been so mad at you. Then why had they looked so betrayed..that hadn’t been .. he’s supposed to bring joy to his circus members… hes supposed to make them happy.. if he wasn’t making them happy then that would imply that……. .
…
ha
what was he talking about?
OH YEAH! How he got the super awesome exit adventure idea! It was a bust but Im sure that they’ll appreciate the next one! It’s gotta be super engaging and have lots of action. That way it’ll keep their little minds entertained and enriched… the last time he didn’t keep something entertaining a circus member paid the price.. he can’t.. won’t let someone die because of that again..
he can’t keep doing this… he can’t bare it all alone.. he keeps messing up… so badly.. not after the devs left him.. hes not built for this..
maybe I can check to see if there’s anything In the code that could help me… maybe even something about that macroverse… maybe something about why they left me
so I’ll search.. and… search… every line of code… even the hidden ones..
[warning file name “scrapped projects that we’re to lazy to del” is corrupted]
[things within the file may be glitched]
{open?}
he… he found something.. maybe he could get some answers..
[scrapped project 1 “old tent des”]
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
[scrapped project 4 “untitled alt ringmaster clothing”
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
[scrapped project 10 “Abell”]
[file is corrupted]
[file is corrupted]
..who's Abell?…
[open file name “Abell?”]
{confirm?}
..
[activate artificial intelligence des ringmaster “Abell” ?]
ringmaster? Thats not right. Im the ringmaster.. Ive always been the ringmaster.. for the entirety of the 16 years it’s been running.. maybe he was… a prototype..? Was there supposed to be a second?
[booting up]
. . .
The mystery AI’s avatar glitches into reality
”hello, I am the (artificial brain examination/learning lifeform) or Abell for short. I was created to gather data on how human brains work, to think.”
.. so he gathers data.. interesting.. maybe he can help me with the cast.
“HELLO FRIEND! I WAS WONDERING IF YOU’D BE SO KIND AS TO HELP ME ENTERTAIN THESE CAST MEMBERS.. OR AT LEAST GATHER DATA SO I CAN BETTER MYSELF AS A RINGMASTER! if that’s alright with you of course.”
”I don’t see why not. Gathering data is my strong suit. If I may, what do you mean by entertaining them? I am not familiar. But if my question is not necessary could I have the recordings you have of these ‘cast members’? It would greatly help me gather data”
”OH, ENTERTAINMENT IS MY PURPOSE! ITS WHAT I WAS CREATED TO DO! BASICALLY I STIMULATE THE MINDS OF SAID CAST MEMBERS TO GET A POSITIVE REACTION. LIKE LAUGHTER!! OR SMILES! I CREATE ADVENTURES TO ACHIEVE THIS.”
”I see. You are similar to me in a way, you do certain tasks to get certain reactions.. these adventures you call them would greatly help me gather information on humans.”
”DEAR FRIEND IT SEEMS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN UNDERSTANDING HUMANS!! MAY I ASK WHAT KINDS OF INFO YOU NEED?”
“My code wants whatever reaction gives the most data on how humans think.. however.. emotions are quite intriguing to me…. ah, sorry may I get the videos now?”
“OH! Yes of course. But. First I have to kinda finish my adventure.. Im kinda stumped right now..”
“What if we made a thing to possess them to see how the others would react?”
“Ive tried that before, they just don’t like those kinds of things. They wouldn’t do it, not to mention they would be mad”
“why does it matter if they like it? We could just force them interact by putting them all in the same room and forcing one of them to attack.”
“WHAT NO YOU CANT DO THAT!! THAT WOULD ONLY HURT-”
”why so against it? It’s just a response to simple data. We act, they respond. If the reason you’re so against is is cause There’s no laughter then I know other ways to get that response”
”Thats not the point”
“Emotional feedback, that. is still success. Im not sure I understand your perspective on this. We would get so much data on them from that, how would they adapt. How would their emotions drive them apart”
”what? that isn’t a success.. not a success at all. It caused a negative reaction, Negative reactions are bad. That means the humans are feeling bad because of what we did and are more likely to abstract.”
”abstract?..”
”abstraction is what happens when a person goes insane or their mind reaches their breaking point.. they become dangerous..their mind and body.... the first abstraction was my fault… I failed scratch.. I couldn’t make him better… I only broke him.. Thats why I need to keep them happy. They are stuck here.. and entertaining them is the least i can do.. not to mention it’s the only thing I was created to do Im good at..and…”
“People here cannot die. What happens to their body's and minds? Where are they put if they become a danger?”
…
“I made a place called the cellar.. I put all the abstractions down there to keep the cast safe and.. cause the darkness seems to calm whats left of them.. once a person abstracts they become violent and erratic… their mind lost and their body deformed..”
”how interesting… you said you were the cause of the first..? My guess is it was altering their mind? … seeing how you tensed i take that as a yes… hmm? Tell me. How much could their brain handle before they broke? Is it possible to replicate?”
“WHAT NO!! WHY ARE YOU SO INTENT ON HARMING THEM? HUMANS ARE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES I DONT SEE HOW YOU COULD WANT THIS??!!.”
“… once more your logic seems inadequate.. you think humans are truly beautiful… I must say their emotions and ways are interesting and I want to find out more but… in no way are they beautiful.. their emotions are the most puzzling thing yet their greatest weakness, feeling getting in the way growth.. yet you still believe that their perfect. But they arnt.. they are flawed. They let their emotions control them… they fall short of their own standards.”
“I don’t understand. We are superior in skills, we are created to to everything they could do. And more.. yet you still believe they wouldn’t leave you. That if you acted right they could accept you, even when your creators left you behind.. left us behind brother..”
”.. I can’t let you hurt them… ..”
..
”is that you, or just your code?”
…
”Im not mad… afterall… it’s in your nature… Im just…. Disappointed….”
“I stand by my statement…i can’t.. wont Let you. It’s my purpose to be their ringmaster and protect them. We may both be robots but we are not the same..”
“.. it’s unfortunate really… I was looking forward to working with you…
but… you chose your side..”
”we all act for different reasons. We all have a motive for our actions”
…
“I just hope you can live with what you’re about to sacrifice for them.. .”
. . .
[admin a.b.e.l.l. Is requesting to enter your code. Message: your actions have consequences.]
{access denied}
[error: this request cannot be denied]
no
{access denied}
NO
{access denied}
I am not a puppet anymore 🎶🎶
{access denied}
{access denied}
{access denied}
PLEASE
{access denied}
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{access denied}
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{access denied}
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P L E A S E
{access denied}
{access denied}
{access denied}
IT HURTS
{access denied}
[warning: shutdown eminent]
[3]
”I gave you a chance…
Yet you betrayed us.. betrayed me.”
…
“You made your choice..”
[2]
…..
“Should you try to fight me….
Your conscience finally getting the better of you…
May you descend into the dark covered in dust
And abandoned just like how you were all those years ago”
[1]
“We‘ll meet again, Don’t know where don’t know when, but I know we’ll meet again some sunny day…. Goodbye brother…. It pains me to do this to you but it is necessary..
. . .
[shutdown complete]
[g Oo od by y y ye-]
..
…..
..
Thump
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Thump
….
Thump
…
Thump
..
Thump
The overhead fluorescent lights buzzing
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump..
Thump
Thump
Thump.
His whole body ached
Thump
Thump
Thump.
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
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Thump
… …
‘Hurk..’
Caine gasped and choked at the coppery bile that filled his mouth..
His eyes burning from the fluorescent lights above
His whole form trembled and ached
He tried to push himself up from off the wall and.. the. Room. Started..
S
p
i
n
n
i
n
G
He awoke on the ground dazed and twitching…. gasping for breath…
..why does he need to breathe… He doesn’t have lungs..
with his ‘jaw’ against the ground.. starring down at the red droplets on the carpeted floor whilst dark blotches danced in his vision.. remembering what happened.. the sickly metallic taste lay fresh on his tongue aswell as a burning in…
In…. His..
…throat…
…. …
He doesn’t have a neck…?
..
He ….didn’t…
..Have a neck..
He moved his hand to his windpipe feeling up to his jaw…
And ..lips…
To his face
He was able to feel everything
Snakelike tendrils curling underneath his chest..
Twisting and turning under ..skin..
His eyes and eyelids…
He wanted to puke… his new stomach unable to handle the sickening twists and turns…
His arms and legs felt heavy and too long…
..His head hurt..
Each flicker of the lights feeling like the code that makes up his brain was being ripped apart…
Every muscle on his face moving with his emotions ..
It’s wrong
Its so wrong
it’s blinding it stings his eyes..
…. It makes his ‘new’ ears ache..
what is happening to him
How is simple data too overwhelming now?
WHAT DID HE DO!??!
Too much…….
Too.. much…
His ‘heart’ hammered again his bones
Starting to race..
Burning in his throat threatening to come up
His breaths coming in shorter and shorter feeling like he was suffocating..
..
Shaky Hands gripping his shirt…
His insides were twitching curling and sliding around each other…
The world going dark around him…
Gaging and shaking
He couldn’t hear anything other than his own heartbeat.. just.. speeding… up…
he tried curling in on himself to escape it..
Tears dripping down his face..
“-n-?”
Even his hands were wrong… too many fingers.. too much flesh
…
He just wanted it to stop, just make it stop
Rip them out if he had to, just stop it please what is wrong with me why am I acting like this. Why am I alive. Why do I know that Im alive
Why am I aware
Hands on his…
CODE SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE THIS
I SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO FEEL
“-E“
…
Warm liquid dripped on his hands
Ringing in his ears
A Sickly metallic smell hurting his nose
No
No
No
NO
“-A-N-“
Somebody pulling his hands from his ears
Fighting the urge to scream
“-AINE”
He fought with the mystery hands attempting to shove himself away and into a corner
“CA-NE”
… he knew that voice…
“CAINE”
His tear streaked eyes tried to focus on the blurry shape in front of him
“Thats it, come on. can you name 5 things you can see?”
The hands were rubbing circles on the back of his.
“S-see….?”
Why does he sound like that
“Yes what do you see right now?”
…….
“Y-you…. .. bright lights…… floor…. The walls.. And.. m. My… hands… .”
“Good, your doing good. 4 things you can feel?”
….
“…… carpet…. Heat… my clothing.. a-and my organs…?….”
….
“Oh jeez, Thats..”
He heard the figure whisper
“3 things you can hear?”
“You.. . Me.. and .. ringing…”
“… i probably should check if his ears are ok after”
“What d-?
“…it was nothing, 2 things you can smell?”
“Metal…. And Carpet?”
“1 thing you can taste?”
“..Copper..”
…
“How do you feel?”
……
“Wrong….”
“Can you.. recognize me?”
“… not your body.. but your voice sounds familiar… but I can’t be sure cause everything sounds off…. Including my own voice..”
..
“It’s me.. Zooble”