escordvi | OPEN || Kinda Bug and Kinda Snack

Entry tags:

OPEN || Kinda Bug and Kinda Snack

Who: Turo & You!
Status: Open
Where: Snaxburg Island
What: Snaxburg Secrets MANTA Quest, exploring the town-sized island and taking everything in. Building up what is essentially a Snaxdex. Other shenanigans likely to ensue.(Prose or brackets, I'll match you)
Warnings: Will but any up as needed.

Exploration 🐞

A
[Really, this was just the thing to get into after properly resting after an incident last month -and fortunate he did rest, given the mess of things elsewhere- was to head to a newly discovered island. Even if on the smaller side, the rumored life there sounded absolutely fascinating, and reason there were several notebooks stashed away in his leather bag along with a few other items more meant for anyone else exploring he might stumble across as well.

Even the moment he started in, the darting sweetie flies of various kinds were eye catching, and carefully he was able to coax a glittering one that looked like rock candy on a stick to land on his hand.]

Well, you are magnificent little one.

B
[Turo had stopped to take pictures of a few Bugsnax that were marching along, a section which had fallen behind racing to catch up, when a rather glittering, brightly colored bugsnack practically leapt into view to strike a pose the moment the sound of the shellphone's camera had gone off. Rather excitedly as well.]

Oh. You... like attention?

[INSTA!] Ah, I see.

[This one would likely stay still enough for him to sketch out- even if it wasn't necessary, but easier to share like the pictures would be...]

Take It All In 🍔

[It hadn't really been too long into Turo's adventure before a couple of Bungers had taken to following after him. Bouncing along with every step, even rushing along as if to ensure a few more aggressive of their kind kept a distance.

More so when Turo had found a good place to sit that had so many varieties of them milling about so he could pull out one of the notebooks and start sketching a few groups amongst the pages that carried a few more individual pieces that had notes with them.

Even with a few of the somewhat larger Bugsnax flying around, almost at ease with his presence.

Even with things like Loaded Spuddies and a few Flapjackarak meandering around. Watching how they seemed to 'hunt' around here.]

Are you two not hungry?

[Bunger Bunger Bunger—]

Hm. If you are sure.

Wildcard! 🃏
[Bring your own take on a starter, or hit me up if you'd like me to write something a little more personalized ᓚᘏᗢ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Useful. (To be able to tell stuff like that without any risk of illness or poisoning, and to have the food just burn and not leave any waste.

They take a bite of their own candybar.)

Found any favorites yet?

Mm, better to know if a pallet of MRE and other goods needed to be replaced or not. There was also the methods of research that required licking- to tell bone from stone and the like. [Just how it was down there.

Turo looked thoughtful for a moment, glancing down at his own notebook as he turned a few pages to somewhere blank.]

Mango, often with raspberry. The touch of lemon with both is rather nice as well. I've also found that pastry shop I took you to has goods with something called Ruby chocolate that is very good as well. They don't have it often, but when they do it is a real treat.

Can't have been fun to taste. (They make a face. MREs are even worse than the sugary slurries they had to drink back at the farm. And to have to taste spoiled food? Ugh.) Could make a betting game out of it, though.

(It's something Ortega or Themmy would have done.)

So you have saliva then. (It's not their field of expertise by a long shot, but they know the lick test relies on moisture.

The mechanics of how that would work in a robot are interesting, more than the listing of favorite flavors, though they make note that the bakery sells ruby chocolate goods. That's a fairly recent innovation in their world, and they've never had the chance to try it.

Too busy being tortured. Or hiding from their torturers.)

Not at all, but it kept the man from poisoning himself- or only eating instant noodle. [The complete lack of cooking skill beyond that had not gone unnoticed.

... or the memory that it was motivation in Arven's interest in cooking, making the best sandwiches he could alongside that. His creator had noticed it enough, but to find those notes within the Violet Book during his time here? He wished he could have had a chance to—]

Yes, mainly meant as a cleaning enzyme that my tongue is capable of producing due to the design, it is more or less saliva.

I think I'd just starve. (Woe be upon ye, Turo: the one other android in this place is a childish ass.

...They'd actually just pick out the candybars that usually come in MREs and the other not gross things and leave the rest. ~~It'd be a fight to keep them from eating even the gross spoiled candy.~~)

That's impressive, though I guess it's not surprising. (Given what they know about experiments with human minds and robotic bodies in their own world and how disastrous that was.)

He likely would have if I didn't keep track of his eating habits. Could get lost in his work. [Which was where all of his problems and troubles stemmed from, whenever Turo looked back and analyzed things. What he knew.

All the more reason to not allow him to fall into routines his entire Self was based off of.]

There was a lot of work put into my body, even though my existence was likely meant to never be known.

(They snort.)

If he was that obsessive, he probably just kept adding more features to see if he could. (Or...) Do you know if you were the first attempt?

(It's an upsetting thought, that the human Turo might have gone through several robot Turos before creating the one they've come to see as a friend. Especially if they fell apart the way Sidestep remembers reading about back in their world. Would that even happen to a pure AI?)

I-

[Had to think a moment-] The security protocols seemed to have their own programming, enough of something that they took over my body and I could merely watch in the background. The initial one, the Battle Program, was created after me as he worried what may happen if someone managed to make their way down and broke into the Time Machine room.

[He was unsure if it could be classified the same as him, only having its programming to battle and a set way to act when initiated.]

I do not believe there was anything like me before my own creation however, no.

[Programs was what he had said, yet only went into one.]

(They're quiet for a moment, before sighing and slumping against the side of the boulder Turo is sitting on.)

Fuck. That's awful.

(And unfortunately, probably something to watch out for.)

[Turo allowed himself a slow, steadying inhale; even without the need to breathe, he found the action soothing to some degree—]

There was paranoia that grew into his obsession. I was prepared for the Battle Program, knew it existed and that the only way to bypass it was for someone strong enough to defeat it- it was the one... after, which I only learned of when it began to initiate.

[Fingers curled, head tipping as he looked down towards Sidestep, then one of his own hands.]

The Paradise Protection Protocol-- I was not told of its existence, I do not believe it had even been completed with how it felt.

(They can see the logic of it: put in a hidden extra trap just in case the first one wasn't enough to dissuade enemies. It's something they'd do--though not to an advanced AI since they're well aware those are capable of sentience and sapience--but seeing it like this?

They watch Turo stare at his hand for several moments before looking away.)

I'm sorry.

(They'll quiet down and leave space for Turo to continue if he wants.)

I appreciate it, the thought.

[Condolences for nothing else could be done, but there was still thought and emotion in it. Why else say it when nothing else felt right?

His hand turned over as fingers flexed, letting shoulders relax as that hand dropped to rest over the notebook there on a thigh.]

This Protocol- it took over, despite how hard I tried to keep control. Enough so that it caused the same crystallization you saw before, because it was going to kill four children as they were only dangerous intruders trying to stop my creator's dream in its eyes. [... using the Miraidon he had with him, the same one that had killed the Professor.]

The bond one of them had created with a Pokémon was the only reason it was defeated, and I was able to gain control again. Just before arriving here.

(Wait. Are the crystals... him crying?

When they... was he... They bite their lip and do their best to shove the implications to the back of their mind. They hurt him while accidentally lashing out, that's all.

Fuck. They can't believe the human version almost made him kill kids.)

I know it's weird because you're kind of a copy of him, but I really want to punch your creator.

After much time away from Area Zero and the labs- I can understand that want. I'm sure his own son feels much the same, for various reasons. [Arven.

There was a shake of his head, just to dispel those memories pulled up by the thoughts. Filed back away-]

It still does not seem like the Protocol was finished, and perhaps my creator died before he could- but... The Paradise Protection Protocol is why I knew I had to do whatever it took to disable the Time Machine; so long as I remained, it would never stop.

[Arriving here before he took that leap.]

(They look up at him.)

Did you...?

(Is he saying he sacrificed himself? Fuck.)

I was about to, I knew what sending myself through the Time Machine would likely do.

[There was some chance he would see that world the Professor dreamed of- for a little while, at least. He would be unable to return, and there was no telling how long he would remain powered given the conditions necessary for it.

Even now he was surprised he had not shut down in this world- something about the magic in the very air likely the cause. Why he made sure upkeep of the tattoo was done.]

Fuck!

(They clench their fist, crushing what remains of their candybar before throwing the entire thing in a fit of rage. Looks like the bugsnax are getting a lot of candy today.

...Fuck, did they really just do that? What a waste.

They get another bar out of their pocket. Don't ask how many they have stashed away on their person.)

[Turo carefully slipped his notebook aside so he could reach for his bag and fished out a sort of wax paper wrapped parcel. One done up with string that he untied and unwrapped as he spoke-]

My creator's son was one of the four children, and unfortunately it was also how he learned his father was dead. Had been for- well, enough time that crystals covered much of where it happened.

I did get to say goodbye to Arven at least.

[-and what Turo pulled out was a piece of chocolate bark that was pink in color; pieces of dried raspberries, cranberries, and pistachios covering it.

This he offered to Sidestep.]

Here. It is a piece of ruby chocolate bark.

(Well shit.

They stare at Turo for several moments.)

Shouldn't I be the one doing nice things?

(Turo's the one who just poured his heart our about what his creator did to him. And apparently the guy is dead too. Fuck.

Still they take the chocolate. He offered it, it's theirs now. No take backs.)

[There was a faint sort of helpless little expression there briefly.]

You can call it a habit of mine.

[Wanting to do something nice for others, what he felt he could do when something was needed. He was created to help at his very core, and it was something he did not truly wish to change. Genuinely wanted to help.

Turo did sit back once the piece was taken, breaking off a smaller piece for himself before tucking it away again.]

I am able to keep a good supply of sweet things on me, and I do like to- either for myself or enough to be sure I can share when I wish to.

Habit, huh.

(Part of his programming? They wonder. ReGenes were supposed to be made to be loyal and obedient... though that clearly didn't always work.

They take a bite of the ruby chocolate. Huh. They'd heard it tasted fruity.)

You really like fruit flavors, huh?

[A purpose to be helpful, an assistant, while holding every bit of knowledge and know-how his creator had. The man had needed a caregiver more than he likely thought, and the AI had merely... fallen into that place, amongst every other task required of him.

Here? Here that purpose had taken on a different turn, something that Turo had shaped during his own time in this world without truly realizing. Didn't even think about it, really.

There was a smaller piece broken off the bark he had taken, popping it into his mouth—]

When it comes to sweet things, yes.

Good taste.

(And good to know, they suppose, filing the knowledge away.)

I'm partial to strawberries, myself.

They are good.

[It seemed almost as if on cute that a 'strawberry' went running past, even bouncing in it's sort of hurried panic.

Cries of Strabby strabby strabby in a panic going right along with it.

... Right.]

(Sidestep blinks at this, staring for several moments. They twitch a bit, trying not to react but the change in their breathing is audible and... okay no they're cracking up. It's not a pretty laugh: they snort a lot and with how many times their nose has been broken the rush of air sometimes comes out as a whistle. It is, however, probably the first real non villain cackle laugh that they've had in years.)

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