W4 CYOA - Lucas, Maomao, Neverah, Uruha

[holyspirits]

make your own memes actually

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[darkholder]

[coming along! as they approach, either way, she'll give a wave so they aren't too startled.]

Hello.

[holyspirits]

[ To get to the roof of the laundromat, luckily they can just take some stairs from the inside of the laundromat. There's bleach and laundry soaps and laundry machines here! Wow! There's a robot sweeping inside, but they don't seem bothered by the girls coming in or going upstairs since this is a public place.

Unfortunately, despite the wave, the robot throwing to their friend across the street was facing away from them as they came up the stairs, and so they startle at being addressed. They drop the paint can they were supposed to receive and it falls right in front of the entrance to the laundromat...

The sweeping robot bursts out outside and starts yelling about TELLING THEM TO BE CAREFUL DAMN IT ]

Uh-oh. [ the robot has a masculine voice and seems to droop ] Now we're in trouble... [ since his friend from across the building seems willing to try to placate the angry laundromat owner, this one turns to the girls ] What is it? If you're looking for change, the machine is down there.

[apoisoncary]

[ she is going to let go of neverah's hand to fold her hands over each other to bow to the robot. ]

Greetings. We didn't mean to make a mess... we were hoping for some directions.

[darkholder]

[giving them a respectful nod as well]

Do you know of a way out of the city?

[holyspirits]

A way out?

[ the robot repeats this a little baffled ( ╹ -╹)? ]

Are you even from here? [ (ᵕ—ᴗ—) joking ] Everybody knows the only way out is up there, but it's impossible. [ he points up at a building away from them, what appears to be a massive skyscraper that dwarves every other building around and climbs so far up the top isn't visible. Well, to be fair, as they stare up they'll find they can't really see the sky either... The entire thing is obscured by a ceiling. Is the entire city underground? ] The tower's been locked a long time to keep the malfunctions at bay.
[ (·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ ) ]

[apoisoncary]

[ ah ]

I see.

[ thinking thinking （´-`）] We were curious about it after hearing someone talking about trying to climb up.

[darkholder]

[that's probably normal and fine,]

Have you seen any of them recently? The malfunctions.

[holyspirits]

[ (O O!) ]

You heard someone talk about climbing up? Musta been one of the Outsiders. They're always talking about that... [ ( `−ㅿ−´) ]

[ he literally jolts when neverah talks about seeing an outsider though, waving his arms around ( ˶°ㅁ°) ]

Of course not! That's why the tower is locked. The malfunctions don't work right. They eat the rest of us for parts... It's dangerous in there. Maintenance are the only ones allowed in, and they've lost people in there before.

[ you may wonder how you could eat a robot for parts. but clearly it's normal don't worry about it!!! ]

[apoisoncary]

[ it's a bot eat bot world out there. ]

Have you heard any rumors about someone succeeding?

[ nev can get the cannibot talk if she wishes ]

[darkholder]

[this continues to be fine and normal!! she pauses for a moment, her screen kind of going a bit staticky as she thinks, but:]

Do you know where we might talk to one of the maintenance workers?

[she does not particularly want to know the in depth details of how a robot would eat another robot thanks]

[holyspirits]

Succeeding? I don't think so... But you'd have to ask one of the Outsiders themselves. Some of them have gone missing before trying to climb up.

[ (◞‸ ◟)💧... ]

If a maintenance worker isn't on duty, they're usually at the bar.

[ how. how does a robot drink. they don't have mouths? well, you guys have seen it, but the robot will still helpfully point down in that direction. ]

Some of them answer when you knock on the tower door, too. Through the intercom. [ ( ╹ -╹)? ] You know... I wonder how they can manage to go in and out of the tower, actually. We never see them walk in or out. And it's locked...

[ he has clearly never thought about this before. ]

[apoisoncary]

Where do the Outsiders usually gather?

[ ( ´ᆺ´ )? ]

There could be another entrance or they get up there a different way...

[ curious and curiouser ]

[darkholder]

I see. Thank you for your help.

[she doesn't have any other questions, so she'll wait for them to answer maomao's last one before pulling her aside to talk about what to do.]

[holyspirits]

Um...

[ (ᵕ—ᴗ—) ]

Well, trying to go upside isn't actually legal, so they're usually keeping to themselves... But it's not like the cops come around here in the slums. Maybe you can find them if you ask around? I heard they have some kind of obvious sign too... but I've never met them. [ (·•᷄_•᷅ ) ] Wanting to go outside like that scares me.

[ he has apparently forgotten they said they wanted to go themselves. good job, robot. but he'll wave them goodbye now that they have finished

and then get hit in the face with a paint can when he turns back for letting his friend take the fall for making a mess for the past twenty minutes. this only causes a bigger paint mess. Good Job, Robots. ]

[apoisoncary]

[ thank you for your sacrifice!

she will go with neve to the side ]

There was something about the maintenance staff at the bar, correct? We may be able to hear something about the Outsiders there as well.

[ maybe two birds one stone? ]

[darkholder]

[watches the paint can fall... rip laundry robots. anyways! she gives maomao a nod.]

I agree. I'd like to see if they know any more about these malfunctions, too. Since we're both in agreement...

[to the bar!]

[holyspirits]

[ to the bar!

The bar is tucked away in a basement, small and cramped. There's a neon sign that announces it's the duffer bar once inside and a robot bartender cleaning a glass with a cloth (always...), but other than the counter with its two barstool and a sad jukebox machine next to a one person table, there's practically no space in here. The walls are lined with pictures that seem to have been taken directly from postcards. The WISH YOU WERE HERE is still visible at the bottom corner. The TV behind the bar is only displaying static.

Other than the bartender, there's a robot slumped over the counter and holding an empty glass. It's wearing work overalls, and there's a lanyard sticking out of its pants pocket. The other presence is a second robot, wearing a more casual outfit that includes a poncho for some reason. It's fiddling with the signal on a portable radio on the lone table. ]

the way i didn't get this notif

[apoisoncary]

[ once at the bar, she will gesture to herself and then gesture to the second robot with a poncho. ]

I'll talk to that one if you want to take first one.

[ let's be like scooby doo and split up gang. ]

[darkholder]

[giving a nod and heading to the counter. with a glance to the robot in overalls:]

Do you want another?

[attempts to befriend this robot by getting them a drink with her nonexistent money]

[holyspirits]

[ The robot with the poncho is very occupied with its radio and doesn't pay attention to Maomao approaching... seemingly. Its face turns into (╹-╹)? despite it not saying anything.

meanwhile, the robot at the bar counter stays slumped face first in its arms. neverah's method of flirting don't seem to be working... though it's the bartender that says: ]

Passed out.

[ curtly. now that neverah is closer, she can see that the robot seems to be dispensing glasses of oil. the bottles behind him all look like fancy bottles of wine and champagne, but the sticker truly advertises ALL NATURAL FOSSIL FUEL.

this means nothing to either of the girls probably, but the question of how a robot drinks remains. ]

[apoisoncary]

[ Can she catch anything on the radio or just static radio noises? ]

Greetings. Are you trying to listen to something?

[darkholder]

[not this ko'd robot!! after a moment, she looks towards the bartender.]

May I have a glass instead, then?

[if they turn their back to get it for her, she's going to carefully try to take the lanyard from this passed out robot. theft is okay if you have a reason for it.]

[holyspirits]

[ There are snippets of a song that plays, along with various robot sounds. None of these seem to be what the robot is looking for.

( • ᴖ • ｡) ]

I'm trying... to find my friends.

[ on the radio? sure.

The bartender does nod at Neverah's request and turns to get her a drink. The robot she's stealing from is completely passed out, so she has no issue casually becoming A THIEF.

New inventory: one lanyard! Attached to the lanyard there's a keycard for some door somewhere, alongside the robot's work ID stating they are a maintenance worker. Convenient!! She might want to hide her treasure before the bartender turns back, though, seeing as it is giving her a glass of delicious, delicious oil. It looks thick and dark.

Yummy. ]

[apoisoncary]

[ She doesn't know you can't use it for communication and will just accept this... ]

Are they going to send you a message?

[darkholder]

Thank you.

[does not actually drink the oil because that's gross even if she's a robot now, but she does take the cup as if she's going to. this is after tucking the lanyard carefully into her pocket which i decided her dress has for this purpose.

to the bartender:]

Do you know what made them pass out...? Did they just drink too much? Not that I can blame them if that's the case. It must be terrible working in there, having to worry about the malfunctions.