It's hard to say I'd rather stay awake

[notglitching]

Who: Rinzler and OPEN
When: February! (Pick a day, any day.)
Where: Mostly Kauto, but a little bit all over.
What: Catch-all for CR shenanigans this month.
Warnings: Possible violence, probable mentions of mindscrew, murder, etc. See also: basic Rinzlerness; nothing awful planned.


A. Shiny Object Detection - OPEN

The last system had crashed. Gone down in a ball of faults and failures, corruption wreaked by the virus that two different sets of admins had kept running. The last system had died because its users were stupid. Because the ones supposed to keep it safe had refused to act. Refused to lead. This system, the savrii claim, has no leaders at all.

Rinzler's not expecting a better end.

He doesn't accept one of their functions. He doesn't agree to any of their rules. No one seems to notice, but when is that surprising? (He doesn't speak.) (Users don't listen.) Instead, the program keeps moving. Scanning. Looking for the threats. This isn't his system, but his admin is here, and no matter the recent complications, Rinzler knows he has to keep Clu safe. In a system so large and so poorly defended, that makes it his task to assess the threats.

All of them. He starts on Kauto, observing the streets and cityscape one rooftop at a time, memorizing layouts and backpaths. The plant-infested regions make for more reluctant visits, but Rinzler performs a few scouting runs—sometimes on foot, sometimes by lightjet. Those wandering the Ingress Complex might pass an orange-glowing figure in the halls... or hear his odd, ticking rumble coming from the walls or ceiling. If the Moira taught him anything, it was that vents are an access route worth mapping.

On Chioni, encounters are likely to be much more brief—the program staggers to a halt just a few paces outside of his transporter, and takes considerable effort getting back inside it. The heat is crippling enough to swamp his systems with a flood of errors, and Rinzler reluctantly postpones further exploration of that zone for later.


B. Creeping means Friendship, right? - CLOSED to positive CR

Rinzler was made to serve Clu. His administrator is the one he's written to obey, the single being Rinzler cannot fail, at all costs. But as faulty as it makes him, as much of his code broke badly in the process... Clu's not the only person here who the enforcer's looking to keep safe. Alan-one is housed in the same district. The betas he'd been training are a short flight away on the same world. Allies, contacts, known factors all scattering amidst some very unknown hazards.

Besides, when he's exploring anyway... it's not too much effort to check in.

Rinzler can be found on nearly any street or rooftop. But the ones he lingers on tend to be near the residences of newcomers—and a certain subset in particular. Allies, friends closer allies, and positive contacts might spot a red-orange glow in the nighttime, or a dark-armored silhouette lurking nearby during the day. Rinzler's not putting out much effort to hide, even if he's unlikely to knock on your door. Socializing, after all, isn't part of his function.

Stalking is.


C. Home Sweet Stuff-Dropping-Off Place - OPEN

As little time as he spends there, Rinzler has a residence as well: a set of rooms high up in one of the skyscrapers of Kauto's business district. It offers a nice view of the cityscape below, a balcony for flipping, jumping, or launching off, and proximity to his admin down the hall. Most of the time, anyone knocking will be out of luck—Rinzler's more likely to be scouting, creeping, or picking a fight elsewhere than sitting at home.

But maybe you got lucky. (Unlucky?) The touch pad still responds with flat, unwelcoming silence, but after a few seconds, the door slides open, revealing a murder-program and his signature headtilt. A glance past will show dim, diffuse lighting against bare walls... and floors... and rooms. Furnishing is for people who have nothing better to do.

Or who have any idea how to go about it.


D. Electronics and Water! - 20th; OPEN

Rinzler was designed to work well past normal tolerances. He can survive with less power, run for longer, do more. He can wait for decicycles on end to receive input or command. Sometimes it feels like most of his runtime has been waiting: to be called, to be tasked, following at Clu's heels or sitting in his cell. And if the year aboard the Moira had been much more exciting, full of threats and challenges and a job-function that always let him serve a use... that doesn't matter.

Rinzler is definitely not bored.

He's just carrying out options slightly lower on his tasklist. As often as they've encountered water on their journey so far, learning to navigate inside it is an undeniably sensible precaution. Still, in the group of people showing up for Region Four's free swimming lessons? The growling, glowing masked-and-armored figure stands out oddly.

For the most part, he sticks to the outskirts of the group, treating the instructor to a helmeted glower as they come by to check that everyone's aware of the basic methods used to hold breath. Once they leave, he'll cautiously approach the fluid. One circuit-lined hand submerges briefly, brightening and dimming as it enters the saltwater. A little drain... but well within tolerance. He can do this.


E. Wildcard!

Exploring through the Ingress? So is Rinzler! Trying to murder local wildlife? Sounds like fun! Looking for shit to steal? He isn't, but he'll certainly be interested if you target his belongings. Whatever you want goes here.


[[ooc: Spam or prose freely; I'll match!]]

Comments

Early in the month - chance encounter

[swarm_embrace]

Rinzler was among the more interesting people brought here by the Ingress. He'd demonstrated himself to be a capable combatant, even if Kerrigan had only seen him when she was limited by lack of abilities. It was entirely possible he'd been likewise limited, their last encounter hadn't been enough for her to tell either way. But she had remembered his reaction to the destroyed computers on the midway hub.

That was why when she'd come across something, tossed aside and cracked, displaying nothing but error messages, Kerrigan hadn't immediately scrapped it. The Pac-disks had enough storage that carrying an extra object around wasn't a problem, so she'd put it aside. But now she saw the familiar dark and orange-lit figure, so she approached him. Time to hand this off so he could get it to someone who could fix the thing.

"Rinzler."

sticking them in Kauto R1?

[notglitching]

As varied as the local functions seem to be, glowing is still a rare trait among users—enough that Rinzler tends to notice the exceptions quickly. This exception, he's familiar with: both from their brief alliance in the caves and the near-violence that followed. She hadn't been the only one who treated the shattered systems as so much rubble to play with... but Rinzler still eyes her warily behind his mask.

If she's expecting him to apologize, this encounter is going to end worse and quickly.

Suspicions or not, the enforcer's stance doesn't give too much away. He pauses, giving a slightly stilted nod of greeting. User.

What does she want?

That works!

[swarm_embrace]

Kerrigan approached him, the work of a moment to pull the device she'd come across out. It wasn't durable, but the size of it mades it easy enough not to scratch with her claws while she held it out. The dark case is cracked and scuffed, but the small screen was in one piece and there are still faint blinking lights visible on the side.

"I found this. It doesn't work, but it's not beyond repair."

A peace offering. She didn't care about the damn thing, but the destruction of electronics was obviously a very sore topic for Rinzler. It might have even been something useful underneath all the error messages that scroll across the screen when she tried to use it.

It could be his problem now, since he was the one who cared.

[notglitching]

Rinzler doesn't move, but eyes flick down behind his helmet, lingering on the small, cracked object in her hand. Function: unknown, but its significance isn't difficult to guess. He'd been angry at her last time for destroying damaged systems. Now she's brought this one to... what? Show off her mercy? Or as a taunt, a reminder? The program's hunch tightens just a little, glower raising to the user. He doesn't need one.

Found tempers the potential implications some. Still, the rest of her explanation doesn't seem to serve a purpose... even though she acts as if it clearly should. Rinzler glances back to the object. To the user. His helmet angles just a little to one side, puzzled and wary.

So?

d. cue the 'jaws' theme

[handofrapture]

[Of all the people who could possibly need anything even remotely resembling swimming lessons, the Big Sister is probably very, very low on the list. She’s spent her entire life underwater, and swimming through ocean depths that would collapse most people’s ribcages in seconds is as mundane for her as walking down the street would be for most land-dwellers.

Honestly, she’s mostly here for entertainment. Watching a bunch of clueless mostly-adults flail uselessly around in the water is at least something she doesn’t see everyday in Rapture. Maybe she’ll even get to see someone drown? That could be amusing.

She stays out of sight for the most part, watching the proceedings from well beneath the waves. The swimmers-in-training are just beginning to enter the water fully when a flicker of light catches the Big Sister’s attention, in an all-too-familiar shade of red.

She twists around in the water to get a better look. There’s no mistaking it – a black and glowing red shape leans over the edge of the water, a single hand extending past the waves. The Big Sister feels her own aggression rising instinctively at the sight. Even blurred by the water’s surface, it’s still clearly the same manner of creature as the one she encountered in the cave – perhaps it’s even the same one. And it’s still lit a clear and angry red.

And yet… it doesn’t seem to have seen her yet. Neither has it made any move to attack any of the nearby swimmers, helpless as they are bobbing there in the water. Perhaps–

Oh. Oh, this is too good. It can’t swim, can it? That would explain why it hasn’t even entered the water yet, why it’s crouching there stupidly even as it’s literally glowing with malevolent intent. If only it would get in the water, perhaps it could do something with all that pent-up hostility. Perhaps the Big Sister can help…

In a matter of seconds, Rinzler will feel something seize hold of the hand he’s holding in the water and yank him forward, with every intent of pulling him under.]

STILL LAUGHING

[notglitching]

[There's a moment. A fraction of a moment, really, when the shadow he casts on the water seems a shade too dark. When the reflection of his lights across the surface look just a little redder than they should.

It does not leave Rinzler remotely prepared.

Scans flare with presence and proximity, pressure-sensation jerks from hand to core, and the enforcer topples forward into the fluid with a loud, ungraceful *SPLOOSH*. Threat threat threat, glitching stupid to let his guard down here, and noise scrapes through the water in a harsh, distorted snarl as the enforcer's left hand snatches his disk from dock and lights the weapon. The water is everywhere, though, dragging at his movements, and the swipe out towards his attacker isn't nearly so quick as it should be.]

SO IS SHE

[handofrapture]

[There’s a satisfying splash as the creature hits the water, and the Big Sister can’t help but laugh at the way it scrambles for its weapon as if they’re still on land. A single kick of her legs already puts enough distance between them that the slow arc easily misses her – and if her boot connects with the creature’s chest in the process, so much the better. The forward stroke ends with a graceful swivel as she inverts, the red faceplate of her helmet now regarding the creature upside-down as she hangs there nearly motionless, giving the creature a chance to catch up.

If it can manage.]

Worst *threat* ever. >C

[notglitching]

[The kick glances off the side of his torso, and if Rinzler wastes no time in snatching at the limb, it slips out of reach just nanos before his grip can close around it. A seething growl of sheer frustration answers the maneuver. He could throw his disk, but even a direct hit could prove its own sort of failure—with his disk embedded in the creature, he would need to reach it to retrieve his backup.

Better not to risk it. Better to catch up in the first place, slice it to pieces up close. Rinzler kicks forward, a hard, fast lunge to shove off the resistance all around... but most of his force expends uselessly, creating only the slowest forward drift. He's moving down faster than he's moving forward.

...

That might be a problem.]

[warandpeace]

B. Creeping means Friendship, right?.

Miller hasn't been expecting better, either.

But what he has been expecting of himself as changed. All of this time, the whole journey, he put up with bad leadership and poor decision making for one end goal, one purpose; he wanted to correct the future he discovered he had contributed to breaking.

He'd wanted to build something people could come together over. Sure, make a profit, too? But profits were for him, for the guarantee he'd never be destitute again. But his dream had a purpose. It was to give men like him a place in the world. Instead it turned into a lifestyle of death, a convention of business he never wanted to become a standard facet of capitalism. His business gave birth to many more that destroyed the fabric of society. And that is what led Kazuhira Miller to endure the entirety of that trip, loss after loss and heart-wrenching good-bye so that he might reach that one simple goal. To make a better planet out of the one he fucked up.

Now he was having to consider the greater universe.

Kaz didn't trust the Savrii either. It was easy to hide filthy intentions behind walls of typical civilization, rings lined with rot under vibrant bark. His world was a version of that. So what were these? To keep their special snowflake of a barely controlled living beheamoth controlled, they had murdered a lab full of scientists whose only crime was being ignorant of what they found. The greater population could very well not know the circumstances surrounding the device that gave their homes life.

Either way, now Kaz was more concerned with the idea that the greater universe could possibly be at stake, and he was a little more interested in that (barely) than restarting his life at home.

He didn't see Rinzler at first because Rinzler had a knack for stealth. He was walking the street of Kauto region one, repeatedly checking a map as he looked at locations possibly good enough to build a business. He credited that lingering feeling of being watched to his constant paranoia, but did stop to glance around him with the suspicion someone might be watching him. It was hard to tell, he didn't know this place, and laws or not fresh meat in a new place was fresh meat.

It's not until he looks up and behind his glasses? Incredulity. Like a man who just discovered his cat perched on the bedroom door.

[notglitching]

The tentatively-flagged food district of the city certainly had a different design than the area Rinzler was living. Smaller structures. Less regular. Much more varied in decoration and design. Rinzler's current perch is a long banner advertising some sort of heated plant. His current side-eye is directed at a stand across the street selling suspiciously flesh-colored objects.

User recharge will never stop being extremely gross.

When he notices the shift of Miller's gaze, the program offers a nod, sound rumbling out evenly. Hi there!

[warandpeace]

He looked at his surroundings, and back up at Rinzler, with the distinct lack of ability to parkour up to where he was currently located.

"Do you want to help me investigate the area?" he asked up, hoping for something better than they had. That odd sort of discomfort that came from two men that were always hyper-aware of threats, though branching from very different sources of influence. They weren't crew anymore. There was no need for cooperation, but while he was dubious as to whether a program was any sort of social being at its core, unfortunately humans were. And Miller had made the mistake of getting close to people again.

Whether or not Rinzler accepted the invitation (or stayed up there to do his end of examining their surroundings) he made room for him on the sidewalk, walking with his hands tucked into the pockets of his overnice suit pockets. Too dressy for casual wear, but he'd not worn much outside of his uniforms in quite a while.

[notglitching]

Social? Maybe not. Though that had far less to do with programs' natures and much more to do with Rinzler's. Still, the enforcer hadn't picked this street at random. And as excuses go, Miller's is more than good enough to share.

Rinzler's helmet ducks in a nod, one hand reaching underneath to plant on the surface before he tumbles forward, uncoiling in a neat drop. A few paces puts him at the user's side; a glance assesses the change in externals. It's slightly puzzling, but nothing Rinzler would presume to ask about without a cause. The text that projects up from his TAB instead is short and to the point.

Threats observed?

E; wildcard - ingress exploration

[corrective]

[Bryan was fine - at first.

He assumed that he'd been in shock, had all the symptoms of it, and then stumbling across Murphy and Emori had eased him into this new situation, keeping him distracted. But now the newness of Thisavrou was wearing off and all he could think about was going home. There was one person he'd do anything to get back to and every day he'd come up to the complex, they were no closer to sending him back.

He didn't tell the others that he'd asked, didn't want them thinking he didn't care about them, but he wanted to go home, no matter how bad it was back there.]

Just open the damn thing and put me through.

[Arguing with a tech, who'd been nothing but helpful, wasn't the best idea, but he was starting to panic. Angry, he stumbles out of the main room and straight into some guy - hands flying up, one swiping a stray tear away, the other steadying.]

I'm sorry, really. Wasn't paying attention.

[He blinks a few times, eyes going wide. Oh.]

What's your name?

[notglitching]

[As many lectures as Rinzler's received about the hazards of dropping through vents, sliding off rooftops, flipping over walls, and most of his preferred means of travel... he considers it absolutely typical that the actual collision comes from simply walking down the hall. Noise rises to a harsh whir as the enforcer steps back, hunch coiling to an aggressive crouch. It eases slightly as the utter unreadiness of his potential opponent becomes clear... but Bryan's apology won't earn much better than a glower in return.

Clearly, the user should start.

There's a slight pause at the request that follows, but it's not exactly private data. Rinzler reaches for his TAB, a quick tap activating the holographic interface and projecting a textbox out to the enforcer's side. His attention (and suspicious look) stays on the user.]

Rinzler.

[corrective]

[Bryan tucks his hands into his pockets, hunching up his shoulders as he rocks on his heels.]

Nice to meet ya, Rinzler.

[He's got questions. Things he knows are personal, that he shouldn't ask, so he doesn't. Bryan understands that his own curiosity isn't to be assuaged at the expense of others so he keeps them to himself.]

You know anything about that. [Bryan tips his head at the room behind him, still breathing heavily.] I wanna go home and they can't seem to figure it out.

[He's also hoping if he talks enough, Rinzler will lose some of the defensive stance he's taken up.]

[notglitching]

[Hope springs eternal. Compiles eternal? Something like that. Rinzler's helmet tips a little toward the room, but looking isn't particularly necessary—he can feel the humming fluctuations of the power source from here. ]

Portal subclass: Ingress. Intersystem transport.

[...which the user should know. What's the query, even? Why he can't go back?]

Operating functions: useless.

[And by "functions", he doesn't mean the machines. There's a slightly belligerent shrug.]

was torn btw a and d until i saw you had another d. i can comment again if you don't mind two tho

[retrovirion]

[ (ooc: idk how to make that [by 'that' i meant d, sorry] work spaced out but. i always prefer when people recognise a prompt has only so many changes, so. THIS IS A BTW.)


he's been exploring. and patrolling. they don't really portmanteau well, but considering he's not really going to explain himself to anyone, that doesn't actually matter. the fifth area of kauto, the one he lives in, is probably slightly more used to seeing the red and blue blur swinging here and there, although he's trying not to do it too often. crime doesn't really seem to be that much of a big deal here, so the majority of his time is spent exploring, both swinging and on foot.

he's also spent a fair amount of time in the third district trying to catch the tanglesnakes, since he's actually got an oddly good chance at it, but. the majority of his time so far is still here.

either way, someone else patrolsploring all of kauto isn't unlikely to run into him, and lucky for rinzler he's actually in costume and literally swinging this time. lightjet or not (up to you), this kid has just swung up alongside you and is just. moseying around with you. ]

So, you come here often? You look a little, is it rude to point out you look out of place? Can anyone really look out of place here? I don't know, everyone's barometers are different.

You still seem little like... Unmatchy.

Either one's fine! Let's roll with this.

[notglitching]

[Rinzler isn't a resident of the fifth region of Kauto, but he has allies who are. That's more than enough reason to scout the place out. Still, as he runs along the side of one building, leaps up to another, and flips up to land atop a statue (type: unclassified) edging the roof?

The last thing he's expecting is commentary.

A black mask pivots. Noise rattles out in a low whir as Rinzler stares. He's not sure how the bright red and blue creature (user?) gets to judge anyone's capacity to blend. He's even less sure if there was a purpose to its babbling. The helmet angles to the side: mute inquiry. (Or criticism.)

Your point?]

cool deal

[retrovirion]

O.....kay... Not a big talker, that's fine, that's cool. Somebody told me there's not really a whole lot of talking in meet-ups like this.

[ he says, absolutely continuing to talk. and also hang out nearby, because why not. you're a guy in a full body, skintight latex (??) suit, he's a guy in a full body, skintight latexish suit - they already have so much in common!

speaking of that ] That costume is awesome, by the way. I think having lights on mine might take something away from the overall aesthetic but it works really well with yours. [ since it never costs anything to be friendly. he likes to be friendly. he's also maybe a little overeager to make conversation - he hasn't run into many people swinging around up here. ]

So! You hunting for the snake things?

[notglitching]

[Never having had a strange user follow him up walls and start discussing aesthetic, Rinzler supposes he has absolutely no idea what goes on in "meet-ups like this". He's inclined to think the user is making up the concept. Still, that helmeted stare will intensify noticeably with the word costume.

So might a sense of being judged.

The torrent of words at least concludes with a query this time... if not one that's particularly more sensical than the rest. The program shifts, mask turning to stare off in a direction Peter might recognize as forest before glancing back skeptically toward the user. The snake things are in district three. See also: not here.]

Chance Encounter - Ingress

[fight4theusers]

Tron has had just about as much success as Rinzler with settling in on the new system; that is to say, not comfortably by any means. He'd just about been used to life aboard the ship, but now being on the twin planets was different. He's secured a room in the Ingress complex, not needing much in the way of comfort, but hadn't taken a job yet. Security, perhaps... but he needs to know his way around the new place first.

Moving through the Ingress halls, he pauses, noting a familiar set of red-orange circuits. Rinzler. He approaches his duplicate, unsure of the response. They still weren't on exactly friendly terms, but not enemies either.

"Threats detected?"

[notglitching]

Unsure isn't a bad summary, as responses go. Tron approaches, and Rinzler stills, noise rising just a little as the gap between them shrinks. There's nothing particularly hostile to his stance: hunched frame, open hands, no twitch for a baton or disk.

Still, that won't stop Rinzler answering that query with a forward nod and slight quirk of his helmet.

Is Tron counting himself?

[fight4theusers]

It's a start, at least, the way Rinzler isn't immediately moving to attack. Months ago, Tron couldn't have hoped for this much. He stops a safe distance away... safe for both himself and his double, out of striking range for either of them.

A small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth at Rinzler's nod. "Not counting me. I'm no threat to you, hopefully you'd know that by now." Despite their numerous fights, he's never wanted to be Rinzler's enemy.

[notglitching]

Sound settles at a steady whir, and the enforcer's shoulders twitch in a shrug. To him might (maybe) be accurate, but Tron still rated a valid threat. Really, it would be embarrassing for both of them if he didn't.

Rinzler doesn't press the point, though, reaching for his TAB to activate the holographic interface. The usual textbox appears by his side, lines scrolling out in red-orange.

Minor malware detected: Kauto system.
Environmentals (Chioni): glitched.

So, nothing interesting. The enforcer nods to his mirror and quirks his helmet to the side. Has Tron found anything?

[notglitching]

test for tag counter; if you're stalking, just ignore.