You can never say that I didn't try

[notglitching]

Who: Rinzler and OPEN
When: April 14th through the 24th
Where: the Hold
What: Rinzler killed some people and copes poorly. Set after this log.
Warnings: references to character death and mindscrew, glowy injuries, unfortunate assumptions. (See also: Rinzler.)


The first place Rinzler woke up in this system was a cell. He'd been locked in after a fight with his duplicate—with Tron. Not that the enforcer had been capable then of even hearing the older version's name. Rinzler had attacked because he had to, because the overrides built in his mind detected conflict and demanded he delete the source. Since then, he's shattered that if/then chain. Chipped away at the filters on his memories, even managed, once or twice, to speak.

But he's back where he started, and he knows better than to expect things to end the same way.

For the most part, visitors will find Rinzler seated on the low bench back against the wall. Circuits burn dimly in the shadows, almost outshone by the dull glint of fractured code that covers a full half of the enforcer's core. He's turned slightly to conceal the injured side, but the spiderwebbing cracks through code and armor are obvious to see, and he doesn't have the power to refresh his shell and cover up the damage.

The low rattle of corrupted code echoes through the cell and down the corridor, though it does nothing to compete with the invectives from the user locked in one door down. Rinzler approaches shutdown just once, curled up against the wall, and if the flickering lights and twitch of limbs is any sign, it's anything but restful. The program won't notice anyone approaching then, but he probably wouldn't mind being woken.

Once or twice, Rinzler rises, pacing, frustration and the need to move boiling up through the despair. There's nowhere to go, though, nothing to do, and even that much risks opening his damage further. Maybe he should. Fracture, break, rip himself apart and leave them voxels on the floor to claim and punish. Rinzler wonders if he ever tried before. If he does, he can't remember. He wonders what they'll make him into. Alan-one had told him what would happen, told him he'd correct the fault if Rinzler fought again. Now two users are dead, and if there's any hope at all, it's that they'll decide he's too worthless to salvage.


[[ooc: the duration during which Rinzler can be visited depends largely on the results of his trial, so there may be some time-wobbling. In particular, if he ends up with solitary confinement... no longer applicable; Rinzler will be visitable for both the trial period and his sentence. ETA 2: As of the 20th, temperature conditions will be improved thanks to Vision + co.

Prose and spam both welcome!]]

Comments

[notglitching]

Rinzler did see. Understand? No, not completely. But he saw, and he isn't likely to forget the sight. He listens, sound scraping out raggedly as Asriel talks. When the monster finishes, there's no stall. A moment, maybe, for evaluation. To wonder, a little, that Asriel would need to ask.

But Rinzler nods, short and unhesitating. That's how things work here. That's how they work everywhere. The strong survive, and the weak are used or discarded as the victor prefers.

Kill or be killed? Yes. If you're lucky.

[pleasereset]

It made sense, from what he's seen so far - hostile planets and hostile crew members. But his heart aches at the thought of it. He did the right thing in the end, he knows he did. So why did it hurt? Was the surface world that Frisk lead the other monsters to just as hostile as the one he'd seen with his own eyes years ago? He suffered just as much as the rest of them, so shouldn't he at least get some kind of relief?

None of those thoughts show though, as Asriel's face remains unchanging.

"That's... what I was afraid of."

Asriel's smile stays in place, but it doesn't really seem all that genuine.

"I'll come visit you the next few days, okay? Do you want me to bring you anything?"

[notglitching]

The smile might be a misplaced value, but it's one the enforcer's used to. It brings to mind the beta's expression as he'd left the jury hall, and triggers the same quiet flicker of regret. But Rinzler hadn't lied, and if the world isn't what Asriel expected, that's a disappointment that bears getting used to. Fast.

The helmet inclines fractionally, acknowledging, before Rinzler outputs a short shake of his head. There's nothing Asriel could bring, though he appreciates the offer.

[pleasereset]

Asriel offers a nod, not asking anything more on the topic. His heart is heavy, but... he's seen it with his own eyes, the violence and anger of this place. Why did he think it'd actually be different?

But it's not important right now. He doesn't really want to spend too much time thinking about it other.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Rinzler."