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who: Ozymandias (

dendera ), Noiz (

bunnyblock ), Aoba (

bottombitch )
what: Teen hacker puts fancy grandpa into his video game. Also Aoba is there.
when: July 19th, 3AM
where: Floor 11 of the residential building
warnings: YELLING

[Well, when Noiz had said "I'm ready for you, come see me on my floor whenever is convenient for you," he'd probably meant sooner than almost two weeks later, in the middle of the night. Either he's unaware of what time it is, or he just doesn't care, because when he's entered the floor, he just starts shouting.]

NOIZ! SHOW YOURSELF! I have arrived to do modeling for your strange game!
[He's not going to go looking for him, since he's Pharaoh and all. So he's just going to stand here and talk loudly. What do you mean "that's rude to the other people on the floor? They should be honored to look upon him too.]

I still do not understand what it is you are making! However, I cannot fault any artistic endeavor that requires my glorious visage! Though you are a rude child, in this, you have shown sound judgement!
[Please come collect him so he'll stop yelling.]

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[ Aoba was sound asleep when the shouting started. He lurches out of bed, sluggish and irritable with his hair tied into a loose braid to keep himself from tangling it and waking himself up with a rude tingling, stinging sensation as his nerve endings in his hair are pulled. But instead he's woken up by a loud voice that he instantly assumes is from the television or some comm device turned way too high.

Aoba is scrubbing at his eyes as he walks into the hallway, dressed only in light pink PJs. THIS IS TOO EARLY FOR LIFE. Why are you both talking so loudly and coherently...? ]

Turn down the TV, you woke me up with that weird shouting --

Ah.

[ Aoba blinks mutely at the vaguely familiar figure in their personal space and blinks stupidly.This is unlikely the best impression he can make, but it's been too humid and too long of a day to handle. ]

...Noiz, are you in the habit of having strange men coming over at this hour?

I would never forget such a thing. I have simply been busy. [HMPHS] Also, as a heroic spirit I don't require sleep. In any case-

[And then sleeping beauty shows up. He turns on his heel to see who it is. Similarly, he's vaguely familiar to Oz, but not enough for him to know or care to recall. That said, he is not so rude to ignore him entirely, even though he RUDELY INTERRUPTED.]
Strange? As my renown as a great architect and general is only rivaled by my vast benevolence, I will allow you to attribute this poor behavior to having only just woken up, but do not speak to me in such a way again.

[And then without explaining anything, he turns back to Noiz.]
I don't see why you are complaining, you were awake anyway.

Edited 2017-07-22 17:01 (UTC)

[Ah, there it is. Ozymandias' odd way of talking was almost funny to listen to--he really was like some great god-king from an old movie or stage play. There was something entertaining in it that Noiz won't ever really voice, but the smirk on his face when Aoba shows up to call the guy a strange man is telling enough.]

It's Pharoh Ozymandias, he's not that strange. [He's strange, he's entirely strange.]

Not having to sleep sounds good. I'd like to manage that. [if he didn't have to sleep, he'd get far more work done, honestly.]

I'm not complaining. Not really. [And finally, he raises a hand.] Come in here, I'll explain things to you.

[Ominous]

[ Ozymandias' response is more effective than a jolt of caffeine delivered intravenously, Aoba bristles at the strong feeling of having been dismissed as some lowly commoner. HEY THIS IS HIS HOME?! He's left grumbling under his breath at what he says, cranky from his interrupted sleep and that brusque attitude!

...Which feels so very familiar, if he's honest. He's looking at you, Noiz. ]

V-vast benevolence... this guy...!

[ He folds his arms, not disguising his displeasure. Oh right, he remembers this Pharaoh guy. His body language says a lot, that he's not a fan of someone so loud dropping in at ungodly hours in the morning, not happy about being solidly shut down and definitely not digging Noiz letting all that slide! So he does the only thing he can do - full-body pouts. It's not very mature. Hmph. ]

Maybe you don't see it because you're both weird. It's like two peas in a bizarre pod.

[ Aoba mutters as he leaves the room and heads for the kitchen. Making a lot of passive aggressive noise too because he can't figure out a snappy way to respond but wants to make sure they both know how very! unhappy! He is! ]

[Oz plants his hands on his hips as he watches Aoba walk off, frowning.]

I do not know the idiom he used, but did he just compare me to you? Truly, it is as if he is trying to invoke my anger. I don't know what he thinks that will accomplish, but it would assuredly not end well for him.
[Apparently being compared to Noiz is an insult now? Or maybe it's just because he's a commoner. In any case, since Aoba has left the room for now, he'll just go over to Noiz as he was asked.]

But yes, do please explain your strange project to me.

[Noiz also takes a moment to watch Aoba stalk off, a plain look on his face that doesn't give much reading to how offended Oz should probably be about being called 'two bizarre peas in a pod'. When he turns back to look At Ozymandias, he waves a hand.]

He's saying we do things he doesn't understand.

So he's fussing about it. Don't pay it much mind.

[Because Noiz doesn't pay it much mind at all, as heads in the room he was in previously as he's asked to 'explain' his strange project.]

You're not from this age, so you don't know what VR is.

Instead of telling you, I'll just show you.

[And he bends to pick up an odd looking headset... and he offers it out to the Egyptian.]

Fit this over your eyes.

It's safe.

He should just say that instead of being rude, then. It's a much more direct way to solve the problem.
[He should know, he tells people they do things he doesn't understand all of the time. For examples, Noiz's game. He takes the headset from Noiz, looking skeptical, but of course Noiz beats him to it and assures him it's safe from the get-go. He looks up at the young man, less skeptical but still curious.]

Even if it was not, nothing you could make would be able to harm me. I was not concerned.

[Turning it over in his hands, inspecting it, just to glean as much information as he can from it, which is basically nothing.]
This is the equipment you use to play games now?

Aa. You're probably right.

[He himself speaks directly, after all--at least Ozymandias might appreciate that. Though, he'd also understand Aoba being grumpy, too--he WAS just woken up at 3am by a strangely dressed man who claims to be a Pharoh-king.

But that aside...]

Hoh? [He's not at all interested in hurting the other, but... it's at least something that makes his eyebrows raise in slight surprise. He'll ask about that later. For now...]

It is. Later, a headset won't be necessary.

But the headset helps while I'm building the code.

It takes a lot less to stabilize images using a go-between.

Building the code... First it sounds like a play, now you claim to be "building" some sort of doctrine. Truly, you are leading me down all sorts of roads, Noiz.

[He's not even touching the statement after that, because it was entirely nonsense. It's so strange, he thinks, how he can understand each word separately, yet understand nothing at all when they are strung together. He'd grasped, at least, that the "game" being made here was intrinsically more elaborate than what he's used to. He's not bothered, really. He's willing to learn about all this wacky shit in the current iteration of human society. It's something to do with the ample free time he has here. He'd tried to investigate what exactly games were now by researching at the library, but unfortunately the few books on the subject were (unbeknownst to him) far behind what Noiz is creating.]

Your headset is akin to some sort of scaffold, then.
[That much, he can work out. So he'll put it on.]

[He listens to Ozymandias speak, and his lips can't help but to curl up in a bit of a smile. 'Leading' him down all sorts of roads isn't too far from the truth--not that he's about to admit that.

To be showing an ancient old god-king something like this, it was definitely going to take a bit of explaining, but...

Lucky for the Rider, this is the one thing he's extremely passionate about.]

You'll see for yourself what I mean.

[He doesn't feel he needs to explain much right away, as when Ozymandias puts the headset on, at first, it's dark. But after a few moments of playing with his computer, it flickers to life--

And before the others' eyes, the room will transform into a land the other might just recognise--a expansive blue, neverending sky. Cloudless save for a few specks of white in the distance, the glaring light of a powerful sun...

And sand, as far as the eye could see.
He's gone from standing in a bedroom with the other, to being smack in the middle of an endless desert, the rough image of what looks like a city off in the distance.]

[He's quiet for a moment, unsurprisingly, looking around at the desert he now sees himself standing in. You might easily take it for awe, since his face is partly obscured. But the reason for his silence is quickly revealed to be rather less overtly positive.]

Ah, I see now! [Does he, actually. He turns his head in vaguely the direction he remembers Noiz standing.] You use magecraft for entertainment purposes! [LAUGHS. No Oz, that's not it at all. He puts a hand up as if testing the wind, but of course there is none.]

Certainly, this is a start. However, I do not even know if it would be fair to call this a reality marble, it is a crude attempt at best. I understand that such things are difficult, but no one will believe this as is. I cannot feel the heat on my skin battling with the breeze of the far off ocean. I cannot even feel the sand beneath my feet! And do you truly believe the desert does not have a smell of its own, even out amongst the dunes? Do not be foolish, Noiz.

[Yep, he's fallen into maximum grandpa mode and is just going to point out all the things you've done wrong.]

[There's a quiet moment of confusion that crosses Noiz' face when Ozymandias starts talking, pointing out everything that's wrong with his little projection. Of course it wasn't perfect yet--it was a virtual reality and later he'd work on the system that affected the brain to feel things like 'pain', or 'heat', but...

At the same time, it's ... actually funny. Magecraft, Reality Marble...

A hand moves up to run over his mouth to cover up what could be a laugh, were Noiz any bit in touch with his feelings. Instead he just shakes his head at the other.]

I've never been to the desert.

[Something easy to admit--after all, he actually didn't know that the desert 'smelled'. He'd think it would be just... dry, arid air.]

What's a 'reality marble'?

[Noiz, I know you have this weird complex about only being able to feel pain in VR, but most people enjoy video games for the fact that they can fight people without pain or injury, you know.]

... What? [He's taking the headset off to frown at Noiz properly. The desert bit he gets, sure. But the second thing is strange given that understanding that concept is the only way he can imagine Noiz being able to recreate something like this. If he doesn't know, then either he's somehow someone who's achieved this level of magecraft without training or...]

Is... this not made with magecraft? [Ah yes, it would be rude to not answer the question,] A reality marble is a mage's inner mind made manifest... [He trails off slowly as he talks, "I've never been to the desert," he'd said. Oz looks equal parts concerned and shocked. "Shook," perhaps, as you young people say.]

[After a few moments where he's just looking at the device in his hands, coming to the conclusion that no, this isn't magecraft. Then it can't be anything else but the thing that seems like magic behind the "phones" and "computers" of this era. Technology.]

It is strange that you can do even this much without magic of any sort.

[Don't fret, the option to feel things in the VR world will be an option that's toggled on and off. He's not a psycho--he's just obsessed. There's a pretty stark difference, you know!!]

Mind made manifest...

[He's still someone who completely doubts magic and and mysticism, despite the fact that he's seen and even felt what sort of things magic can do in this world. It'll take a little bit to make a believer out of him it seems, so... when the other brings up the fact that his headset isn't made using magecraft, he just shakes his head.]

It's not magic. It's technology.

[He points... down at the dozen or more computer interfaces he has open on the floor, fixed with fans and wirings and machines of all sorts. He doubts Ozymandias is going to recognise ANY of this, so...]

It's made with machines, hard light, and written code. Magic ...

Doesn't exist where I come from.

It's just something made up, in stories.

[He pauses again, pointing at the headset.]

When I'm done, you won't even need the headset to be able to see the world I'm creating. It'll be around you.

Edited (what the fuck is html) 2017-07-27 21:55 (UTC)

[He laughs a bit at the comment about magic being made up.]

It may exist where you're from, in fact. In my world, modern mages keep their work a secret from the rest of the world.
[It's pretty weak if you ask him, but hey. Presumably there are reasons. He leans forward to peer at Noiz's setup. He has absolutely no idea what he's looking at, but he hopes he's making a face that does not entirely give that away.]

But ah... How interesting, that your technology is striving to recreate things I would associate with magecraft. Perhaps the mages of my world are simply afraid of giving the technology people ideas!
[Laughing again. He's recovered from his monumental realization rather quickly.]

[He gives the other a curious look... before looking away to think about that statement.

It's... weird, to think about. The fact that magic or fantastic things might exist outside the norm--kept in secret to protect its secrets from the 'normal' beings of the world, but...]

Magic seems to break the laws of what's normal.

[It's vague, but...]

If it was widespread, that kind of power might cause chaos.

[He raises an eyebrow at the other.]

Technology is used to make life easier.

...Or fun.

I wonder if magic is the same.

[Oz seems to think on this for a long moment. Of course, his periods of silence have been misleading before, but this time he is actualy preparing a well reasoned answer.]

I would say that both technology and magic are used by people to improve their quality of life. Whether that means for utility, protection, or entertainment. In that they are the same.

[A small scoff, though.]
I am sure whatever chaos magic could have caused is easily replaced by technology. After all, in my time, magic was openly practiced, and we never had one of those "world wars" I have heard of occurring in recent times.

[His expression turns a little bit sour when Ozymandias brings up war, and he moves to sit on the floor to play with a few more of his machines. Getting them set up to begin work now that the conversation was going a direction that the youth... really held no interest in.]

I really hate violence.

[A simple, quiet sentence--it's a reason why he played videogames in the first place. They weren't real, it took skill and wit, not big brutes throwing their weight around to show who's the biggest musclehead.]

If magic makes it less likely for war, I might prefer it.

[As he flicks a switch, turning one of the hologram monitors--hooked up to a camera sitting on one of the shelves in the room. It'll reflect the image of the room itself--meaning Ozymandias himself would show up on the screen.]

[Well, that gets his attention pulled away from wars. As soon as Ozymandias sees his image displayed on the screen... He's crouched next to Noiz on the floor, peering at his likeness on the screen. He knows the phones can put up images of people, but he hadn't been able to see them display his own image before. Fascinating.]

You put me in your computer already! [He looks around, between the screen and the room, trying to figure out how it's looking at him, but he can't figure it out.]

I don't know how this works at all! [LAUGHS. He's unbothered as much as he is confused.]

He's only replicated your image.

[ Guess who's back? This time, he's dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt, complete with a pair of truly puzzling (and yellow) ankle socks. In his hands is a small tray of simple and cheap design, something you'd find at a discount store. But there's a plain teapot and three cups, as well as a bowl with a small assortment of crackers.

He wasn't about to cook at 3 am in the morning, otherwise he would've attempted donuts. Aoba smiles at the laugh, even though it's too early for any of this, but he seems to be getting used to it. More importantly, he seems less cranky. ]

But hearing you say that makes you seem more approachable, Pharoah.

[ Not wanting to interrupt, he sets the tray down and drops down onto a clear space on the floor and sits cross-legged, his hands gripping his ankles. ]

[Ah, there's Aoba. He was wondering if the blue-haired guy was going to go back to bed, or if he was just going to rage-cook something in the kitchen until their loud guest left.

His eyes flick from the Pharoh to Aoba... before reaching down to grab a few of those crackers from the bowl they're sitting in, crunching on one, idly.]

It's a camera. It can catch and record images and sound.

[He should probably explain HOW it works, but...

He looks over at Aoba. You do it.]

[If you think Pharaoh is eating your unlevened bread squares you're a madman, Aoba. Especially now that Noiz has touched them. He would take tea but as if he'd pour it himself, you fool.]

I... I understand cameras! I simply meant I had not ever seen my image recorded by a camera before.
[The understanding part is an absolute lie, but he is at least aware of the concept, thanks to phones. He peers at the image a moment longer, before turning to Aoba, hands on his hips.]

I am perfectly approachable, as long as I am spoken to with the proper respect. This seems to be a concept foreign to you people here, however, so I understand your confusion.

[ Don't you worry your sun-kissed godlike head over doing something so menial as pouring tea. Aoba's from a place where it's commonplace and expected that he do them the courtesy of pouring it. JUST GIVE IT A FEW, gosh... it's not even done steeping. ]

Really? You've never had your picture taken, even once? Not even a selfie?

[ Aoba's genuinely surprised, who doesn't at least have one of those?! Finally, though, he seems to think enough time has passed that it's safe to start pouring. He starts with his cup, ensuring the weakest falls to him if it's too soon, but the color is right so he begins filling the other cups with a light, spring-green tinged tea.

Wait, isn't this... kind of a perfect set-up for a prank, a little lighthearted getting even for a few hours of lost sleep?

While he pours, he glances at Noiz and grins. ]

Noiz, have you ever heard of a Pharaoh who didn't have a good picture up on their Friendr profile? Isn't that a little embarrassing?

[ For the love of god, play along. ]

[He takes a moment to think about that. Looking at Aoba, and then to his new Egyptian friend. He shrugs his shoulders.]

Maybe he doesn't use websites like that.

[It sounds like he's not playing along at first, but...]

But I remember reading somewhere that Rameses himself has a passport.

[The mummy itself, he means. It has a passport to move between countries. That's pretty impressive, right. That aside...]

...I think Ozymandias is approachable.

Halt. Explains yourselves and your strange words. What is a selfie, websites, and a passport?
[HE WILL UNDERSTAND THE MODERN WORLD DAMNIT YOU JUST GOTTA WORK WITH HIM!!! He seems incredibly serious about this, which frankly probably just makes it 100 times funnier. After a moment's pause, he turns to Noiz.]

If you are intent on using that name, which I do not recall giving you permission to do, in any case, it will be Ramesses the Great or Pharaoh Ramesses. Do not address me so casually.
[He does seem.... slightly pleased that Noiz apparently knows Of Him, though. Yes, he is truly legendary.]

[ Aoba has no idea what Noiz is talking about, but he nods along emphatically anyway - giving a show of support and affirmation to lend some credibility to their joint prank. If they can pull this off, Noiz has earned himself a free pass. ]

Noiz, we're really fortunate that he's taken the time to let plebs like us understand. It's the least we can do to make up for the failings of others, right?

[ He puts a hand over his own heart, feigning dismay over the injustice done to this great... something or other guy. ]

We can show him how to take a selfie and put together a Friendr fitting for such an amazing Pharaoh. Discretely, of course. Obviously, someone of his greatness doesn't need help from people like us, right?

Will you accept our humble gift of Knowledge of... Social Media and Memes, O Ramesses the Great?

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I'd typed a response but forgot to login so it didn't post. I'm a fool.

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caitie is my favourite fool

wheezes

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