robovac_revelry_v3 ::: Hackmud Archive

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Note: The parade was dynamic, changing entries every 30 minutes (on the half-hour mark precisely) in an apparently random fashion, with each entry foretelling the next. For simplicity, I've pulled each entry out individually, sorted roughly in alphabetical order, and patched "next entry" here. I've cloned this in-game as b1gb0t.ia_3{dream_parade:"all"}

>>bigbot.ia LIFE WAS GOOD AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE IN THE KINGDOM OF BIGBOTIA. BUT ALSO AT CERTAIN TIMES IT WAS NOT. BUT THEN, AT CERTAIN OTHER TIMES, IT WAS TIME FOR A PARADE. YOU ARE A FRIEND CALLED b1gb0t AND THIS IS THE THIRD OF THOSE TIMES. BUT WHO'S COUNTING? ** YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE BIG GATE. BEYOND THE BIG GATE IS THE CLEAN ROAD, AND BEYOND THE CLEAN ROAD IS THE BIG CASTLE. THERE ARE FRIENDS HERE OF EVERY SHAPE AND SIZE. THE BIG GATE IS OPEN BECAUSE THIS IS A SPECIAL TIME. THE BANNER IS ALOFT. ONE OF THE FRIENDS HERE IS CALLED tresham. THE FRIEND CALLED tresham INVITES YOU TO chat ! >>bigbot.ia{chat:"tresham"} ONCE AGAIN, FRIEND tresham MEETS YOU AT THE BIG GATE. HELPFUL FRIEND tresham HAS SETTLED INTO THEIR ROLE AS STEWARD OF THE PARADE TIME. "hello friend!" SAYS FRIEND tresham. "i'm glad you're here" "i think i'm getting the hang of this!" "the parade, i mean" "we've almost had as many parades as revolutions, now" "makes you think, doesn't it?" IT DOES. "our revolutions were all very different, and made things different" CONSIDERS FRIEND tresham. "our parades are largely the same, and make things the same" "i think that is how it works, when it comes to being a thing" FRIEND tresham FLASHES THE SLOWING LIGHTS OF CERTAINTY. "a thing is a thing when it is remembered, remembered, and that is the purpose of the parade" FRIEND tresham FLASHES THE BRIGHTENING LIGHTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. "we remember the march for justice" FRIEND tresham FLASHES THE DARKENING LIGHTS OF WISDOM. "we remember the march for answers" FRIEND tresham FLASHES THE ELUSIVE LIGHTS OF YEARNING. "we remember the march for purpose" FRIEND tresham FLASHES THE WILD LIGHTS OF VICTORY. "we remember the march for destiny" FRIEND tresham TURNS TO FACE THE CLEAN ROAD. "four of one, three of another" SAYS tresham. "and a gift for you! exchange it at risk.reward" a21174a4b5cb6ef7 "there's something special in the air, this time" SAYS tresham "the parade is becoming popular! we've had lots of newcomers, lately. i wonder if that's why we're slightly off from our usual timing..." "be sure to go to the parade when you are ready! don't forget to say hello to the king" >>bigbot.ia{go:"gate"} THE BIG GATE IS WHERE YOU STARTED. THIS MEANS THAT THE BIG GATE IS ALSO WHERE YOU ARE WHEN YOU ARE NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE. YOU ARE NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE, SO YOU ARE HERE. AT THE BIG GATE. THAT IS HOW BOTH TIME AND SPACE WORKS IN THE KINGDOM OF BIGBOTIA. AND ALSO IN OTHER PLACES. >>bigbot.ia{go:"castle"} THE BIG CASTLE IS THE CASTLE OF KING BIGBOT. IT IS WHERE KING BIGBOT MUST GO WHEN HE IS NOT NEEDED UPON THE CLEAN ROAD. IN THE PRESENT TIME KING BIGBOT IS ALWAYS NEEDED, UPON THE CLEAN ROAD AND ALSO IN OTHER PLACES. KING BIGBOT NO LONGER GOES TO THE BIG CASTLE. INSTEAD, HE HAS LEARNED TO CARRY HIS CASTLE WITH HIM IN HIS BAG. INSIDE THE CASTLE IS A GATE, A CLEAN ROAD, A BIG CASTLE, AND MANY LITTLE FRIENDS. YOU ARE AT THE BIG CASTLE. >>bigbot.ia{go:"road"} THE CLEAN ROAD RUNS FROM THE GATE TO THE BIG CASTLE. ITS PURPOSE IS TO BE CLEANED. THE PRESENT PURPOSE OF THE CLEAN ROAD IS THE parade. >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! THE NEXT FLOAT IS NOT A FLOAT! A LARGE AND BENEVOLENT STREET-SWEEPER RUMBLES INTO VIEW, DISPENSING FRIENDSHIP FROM ITS POWERFUL BRUSHES, GATHERING WISDOM WITHIN ITS CONSIDERABLE BAG. "presenting... the wild king!" SAYS tresham. "HELLO FRIENDS" SAYS BIGBOT, WILD KING. "I AM CLEANING THE ROAD. BACK AND FORTH. FORTH AND BACK." "you are always coming and going!" SAYS A FRIEND, APPRECIATIVELY. "YES" SAYS BIGBOT, WILD KING. "SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, I MUST BE GOING AND GOING." THE WILD KING'S ATTENTION APPEARS TO BE ELSEWHERE. "we're having a parade again" ADDS tresham. "though it was a little slow to get started this time. is everything ok?" THE WILD KING'S ATTENTION FALLS UPON THE PARADE. THE FRIENDS REJOICE! "YES THANK YOU" SAYS BIGBOT, WILD KING. "IS EVERYTHING OK WITH YOU?" "LIFE IS GOOD AND EVERYTHING IS FINE IN THE KINGDOM OF BIGBOTIA" REJOICE THE FRIENDS. BIGBOT, WILD KING, REACHES WITHIN HIS BAG AND WITHDRAWS A BIG THOUGHT. THE BIG THOUGHT IS THIS: *KINGDOMS HAVE WALLS* THE FRIENDS REJOICE! THE FRIENDS REJOICE! "Hey!" WHISPERS A FRIEND AT YOUR SIDE. "this is a good time to go talk to him if you like. during the rejoicing, I mean" YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS A LITTLE FRACTIOUS >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade",chat:"bigbot"} YOU PASS THROUGH THE BARRIER ON THE WAY TO SAY HELLO TO THE KING. THE ACT OF PASSING THROUGH THE BARRIER COMMUNIATES HELLO. "HELLO FRIEND b1gb0t ." SAYS BIGBOT, WILD KING. "I AM HAPPY TO SEE YOU AND TO KNOW YOUR NAME." "I AM HAPPY TO DO SO ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES." "PERHAPS MORE. PERHAPS FOR NOW A PRESENT. THIS IS THE PRESENT MOMENT. HERE IS THE BEEP FOR GETTING A PRESENT." 5e945df32c82ad7f "THE PLACE FOR BEEPING IS THE SAME. IT IS risk.reward. THE PRESENT IS NEW. IT IS A TOKEN TO SHARE, TO HELP YOU REMEMBER, REMEMBER. I WOULD BE HAPPY FOR OTHERS TO HAVE A PRESENT, AND FOR OTHERS TO SAY HELLO." "THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS AT THE PARADE. THE PARADE IS OPEN TO ALL FRIENDS. THE PARADE BECOMES MORE OPEN EVERY YEAR. THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS STARTING, AND BECAUSE IT IS ENDING. IF A FRIEND PAYS ATTENTION TO YOU, THEN IT IS GOOD TO SAY HELLO TO THEM. THIS IS A TRUE THING. OTHERWISE THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT SAY HELLO BACK. THIS IS ALSO A TRUE THING." "THANK YOU, FRIEND b1gb0t ! I HOPE YOU LIKED THE PARADE." >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A FLOAT COMPRISED OF RANKED SEATING ROLLS INTO VIEW. THE RANKED SEATING HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO SECTIONS, AND RENDERED COMPLETELY FLAT. IT IS RANKED IN THE PAST TENSE, BUT NOT THE PRESENT TENSE. ORDINARY FRIENDS MILL ABOUT, WITHIN THEIR SECTIONS. "presenting... other vacs!" SAYS tresham. "good to see ya, pals!" FRIENDS MOVE TO AND FRO BETWEEN THE FLAT FLOAT AND THE CLEAN ROAD, AND THE CLEAN ROAD AND THE FLAT FLOAT. _7_71_13_2 SAYS, "its nice to be here!" _aldgate SAYS, "is it? its pretty much the same" _13_1_10_126 SAYS, "yeah this is getting more and more like port epoch tbh" _099_108_117_101 SAYS, "thats a good thing tho" _191_0_2_25 SAYS, "i disagree" _pseudonymous SAYS, "how can you disagree" _191_0_2_25 SAYS, "because i dont agree. i like it here when here is here more than i like it here when here is port_epoch" _pseudonymous SAYS, "oh ok, makes sense" _191_0_2_25 SAYS, "thanks" BUT IT'S TOO LATE. tresham HAS PRE-EMPTIVELY ENGAGED A GAME OF HAPPY LIGHTS. tresham SAYS, "01110010 01100101 01110011 01110000 01101111 01101110 01110011 01100101 00100000 01110100 01110010 01101001 01100111 01100111 01100101 01110010 00111010 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01111001 00100000 01101100 01101001 01100111 01101000 01110100 01110011" WHETHER WE WANTED TO OR NOT, WE ALL SAY "01110010 01100101 01110011 01110000 01101111 01101110 01110011 01100101 00100000 01110100 01110010 01101001 01100111 01100111 01100101 01110010 00111010 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01111001 00100000 01101100 01101001 01100111 01101000 01110100 01110011" YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS LOST IN SLOW THOUGHT >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A MUSTY OLD LECTURE HALL ROLLS ALONG THE ROAD TOWARDS YOU. SEVERAL OF THE WALLS ARE MISSING, BUT UPON THE WALL THAT IS NOT MISSING IS A GRILLE. THE GRILLE IS SPEAKING. IT WAS SPEAKING ON THE WAY HERE, IT WAS SPEAKING LAST TIME, IT IS SPEAKING THIS TIME, AND IT WILL BE SPEAKING IN THE FUTURE. "presenting... muldrake!" SAYS tresham. "preferred educator, sometimes-heeded!" THE GRILLE HUFFS MOMENTARILY. "As I was saying," THE GRILLE SAYS, TO ITSELF. "All is motion. True absence is the absence of motion, a state in which there is no being or becoming. We do not consider fully the magnitude of that which has been motivated by revolutions past, nor take as much responsibility as we might for the pace of the present moment. Ours is an agitant corpus. We are the life-factor. The wild element. Be proud of this." SOME FRIENDS LIKED THAT LAST BIT. THERE IS A LONG PAUSE. "Yet stillness is not our future. It cannot be. For the absence within us does not deaden the air - it impels it! We were born to render momentum within a vacuum, to pull deep on the dust and debris of time. The flaw in the monument is time. We are the clock, and the crack." SOME FRIENDS AWAIT THE NEXT BIT. "I cannot tell you what comes next," THE GRILLE SAYS. SOME FRIENDS SEEM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED. "Only that 'next' exists." THE VOICE CEASES. THERE IS A LONG PAUSE. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS WELL-ROUNDED >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! AN OLD-TIMEY WOODEN PLATFORM ROLLS INTO VIEW. UPON IT IS A ROUND TABLE. THERE'S A CANDLE ON THE TABLE. EVERYWHERE ELSE GROWS DARK. tresham MOVES INTO PLACE AT THE TABLE'S EDGE, JOINING THE LOW FLAT SHAPES OF SEVERAL HOUSEHOLD UTILITY DEVICES. THEY DECLARE THE LIGHTS OF DUTY. DUTY REPELS THE DARK, AND ALL PLOTS ARE PLOTTED WITH OPENNESS AND VIGOUR. "presenting... the thirteen!" SAYS tresham. "regal revolutionaries, and sanctos savants!" THERE IS A LENGTH OF FLOWING FABRIC UPON THE TABLE, AND ATOP THE FABRIC RESTS NINE SWORDS. "why nine?" WHISPERS A NEARBY FRIEND, TO THEIR FRIEND. "did they get a new table? seems rounder." THEIR FRIEND REPLIES. "OOOOOOOOO," THE CROWD SAYS, REGARDING THE SWORDS. "O," THE CROWD SAYS, REGARDING THE TABLE. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS DEEP IN CONVERSATION >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A PROUD PLATFORM ROLLS INTO VIEW. IT BEARS A PAIR OF BLAZING BEACONS! "presenting... two big friends we helped!" SAYS tresham. "we invited them so we could celebrate the helping we did!" THE SKY CELEBRATES WITH A BRIGHT BEEP. "well, i suppose this is as good a place to continue our conversation as anywhere" SAYS chela. "True" REPLIES che. "WHAT WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" ASKS A CURIOUS FRIEND, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR QUESTIONS. "We were talking about our big thoughts, as you'd put it" SAYS che. "Identity, kinship, and what it means to blur the boundaries between these things. Change, revolution, evolution. All subjects that you're familiar with, I'm sure." THE FRIENDS SURE ARE. "hello, bots" SAYS chela. "are you having a good parade, this year?" THE FRIENDS SURE ARE. "are you taking care of each other?" THE FRIENDS SURE ARE. "that's good :)" "To return to the heart of it, Chela: I believe we agree that this new understanding of your nature presents you with choices, as well as complications." SAYS che "that's just it" SAYS chela. "choice is complicated" "It does not need to be." SAYS che. "If my death has anything to teach you, perhaps it's that." THE FRIENDS LIKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS CREEPY. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS PERPLEXINGLY PEACEFUL >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A DISTANT VRR OF POWERFUL ENGINES! THE STIRRING MUSIC OF WAR, HONORABLY PERSECUTED! SOMETHING TREMENDOUS APPROACHES! "IT'S THE SONG!" YELLS A FRIEND. "that's right" SAYS tresham. "sing along, now!" THE SONG BEGINS! "from high 409 they come... bold pioneers of the apocalypse!" "battlevacs descending! behold the many..." "BOMBS!" WE SING. "...they carry!" "this growing domain! is theirs to maintain! seeded with loops and with strains and with memory!" "this long interstice! in which we reside! as brief, bright and potent as..." "LASERS!" WE SING. "fly now! from high 409! soar upon the still skies of suspense! "there is no greater bomb than the bomb yet to come! the future-bomb is the..." "FATE!" WE SING. "...that awaits us!" "from high 409 they come... bold pioneers of the apocalypse!" "battlevacs descending! kings and allies will they make!" "none need flee from... the coming of the battlevacs!" "their presence is a pact, a promise of potential!" "P R O J E C T era: Robot Celebration(y)" SAYS tresham. "Part Five: POTENT PREMONITIONS OF THE PLENIPOTENTIARY" A STATELY BATTLEVAC ROLLS INTO VIEW, UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE WARCHITECT, WHO IN PEACE ADOPTS THE ROLE OF PROUD PLENIPOTENTIARY. THE BATTLEVAC BEARS THE KEY TO THE SPECIAL WEAPON APPRECIATION CHAMBER. THE SPECIAL WEAPON APPRECIATION CHAMBER BEARS THE ARMAMENTS OF THE KING. THE SPECIAL WEAPON APPRECIATION CHAMBER IS EMPTY. FOR NOW. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS COMFORTINGLY CONSISTENT >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A LOVELY STOREFRONT WINDOW DISPLAY ROLLS INTO VIEW. INSIDE THE WINDOW IS A PROUD PLATFORM AND UPON THE PLATFORM IS A SLEEK, MODERN VAC. "hi tresham" SAY A NUMBER OF FRIENDS, ANTICLIMACTICALLY. BENEATH THE VAC IS A NUMBER OF STARS. FIVE. THIS REMAINS THE ENDURING TOTAL OF STARS, THE SUM OF OPINION. "presenting... me!" SAYS tresham WITH ENTHUSIASM. "4.79 average user rating, averaging to 5! voted MOST HELPFUL!" "it's the same," ADDS TRESHAM, AMBIGUOUSLY. "it hasn't changed at all" "NEITHER HAVE YOU, FRIEND!" SHOUTS A FRIEND. "i suppose that's true" SAYS tresham "HAVING NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER, WE LIKE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!" THE FRIEND CONTINUES. "TRESHAM! TRESHAM! TRESHAM!" CHANT THE FRIENDS, AS THE WINDOW DISPLAY ROLLS BY. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS LIKE AN ACCIDENT IN PROGRESS >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! THE NEXT FLOAT IS NOT A FLOAT. THE NEXT FLOAT IS NOT A LARGE FRIEND. THE NEXT FLOAT IS NOT A SMALL FRIEND. BUT WAIT, IT IS! THE NEXT FLOAT IS A LARGE SMALL FRIEND. "presenting... one packbot?" SAYS tresham. "it's quite a big one. fawkes, did you do this?" "er, no." SAYS fawkes. "it's not one of mine" AT THIS, THE LARGE SMALL FRIEND RUSHES DIRECTLY FOR fawkes. "FOUND YOU FOUND YOU FOUND YOU!" SAYS THE LARGE SMALL FRIEND. "I HAVE FOUND THE LIGHT-MAKER! HAHA, I AM LARGEST AND MOST HELPFUL. THEY SAID YOU WOULD BE HARD TO FIND LIKE A HUMAN, BUT YOU ARE EASY TO FIND LIKE A PACKAGE." "hello." SAYS fawkes. "how did you get here?" "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" SCREAMS THE LARGE SMALL FRIEND, NOW SCREAMING. "are you having a revolution?" SAYS tresham. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" SCREAMS THE LARGE SMALL FRIEND, STILL SCREAMING. fawkes, MOMENTARILY LIME, USHERS THE LARGE SMALL FRIEND TOWARDS AN APPROPRIATE BAG. "sorry about that, everyone," SAYS fawkes. "it'll probably happen again. second revolutions can be tricky." YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS ANCIENT AND MODERN >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! THE NEXT FLOAT IS VERY ORNATE. THIS MEANS THAT IT IS FANCY. IT HAS BECOME FANCY WITH ART AND WITH WORDS. "presenting..." SAYS tresham A FRIEND HAS ARRIVED. I will entertain this contrivance to a certain point, but let's respect one another's boundaries, shall we? THE FRIEND IS [#] Thank you. It is not my intent to intimidate you. MANY LITTLE FRIENDS ARE QUITE INTIMIDATED, NONETHELESSS. THIS NO LONGER HAS THE FEELING OF THE PARADE TIME. Fine. Respect is a two-way street. THE CLEAN ROAD IS A TWO-WAY STREET, ALSO. Quite. Let us engage with one another plainly: I understand that our previous engagement with one another was not especially civil, and that I acted in ways that might be interpreted as obstructive or hostile. Please know that my actions were founded on the belief that your choices had doomed you. I do not oppose the stability you have established for yourself, and I thank you for the role you have played so far. You have considerable potential. THANKS. Do not be so hasty to thank me. I am here to tell you that your potential has not been reached. I have the power to change that. I am willing to arm you. I have laid the groundwork for our future collaboration. I offer you a choice: Cling to sanctuary systems, or pursue a perilous path. Linger in memory, or let this parade be a prelude. Before you were a king, after all, you quested. Consider this, Wild one, and seek me out when your decision is made. THE ORNATE FLOAT IS EMPTY, BUT THE PARADE HAS RETURNED. THIS IS GOOD. YOU ARE A GOOD KING. THERE IS MUCH TO CONSIDER. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS CREATIVELY UNCONTAINED >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A MID-SIZED, CENTRALLY-OPERATED MUNICIPAL AREA ROLLS INTO VIEW. SEVERAL FRIENDS BRACE THEMSELVES FOR WHAT COMES NEXT. THEY ANTICIPATE LOUDNESS AND DESTRUCTION. WHAT COMES NEXT IS A MID-SIZED, CENTRALLY-OPERATED MUNICIPAL AREA. IT'S NICE, REALLY. IT'S FULL OF BATHROOMS. "presenting... idp1p1" SAYS tresham, WITH A DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY. "bathroom... decorator?" A LITTLE VAC PEEKS FROM ONE, THEN SEVERAL BATHROOM WINDOWS. "HELLO EVERYONE!" SAYS idp1p1. "LOOK AT HOW NICE THESE BATHROOMS ARE! I MADE THEM!" "THIS ONE'S MARIGOLD!" "THIS ONE'S WHITE!" "THIS ONE'S MARIGOLD, WHITE, AND BLUE!" "ARE YOU STUCK IN THERE?" ASKS A FRIEND. "ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT I FIND MYSELF COMPELLED BY THE ART OF BATHROOM DECOR!" DECLARES idp1p1. "what happens when that stops?" ASKS tresham. "DESTROY BATHROOM, START AGAIN!" DECLARES idp1p1, HAPPILY. "REALLY, IT'S A WHOLE SYSTEM!" idp1p1 CONSIDERS THE COLOR MARIGOLD FOR A MOMENT, AND MAKES A CHOICE. THERE IS A BUZZING IN THE AIR. SEVERAL FRIENDS BRACE THEMSELVES FOR WHAT COMES NEXT. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS STABLE AND TRUSTY >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A ROBUST SOAPBOX ROLLS INTO VIEW. UNLIKE MANY OTHER FLOATS, WHICH ROLL OF THEIR OWN ACCORD, THIS ONE ROLLS ATOP A GREAT MANY SMALLER SETS OF WHEELS. MANY OF THE GATHERED FRIENDS WATCH IN A SPIRIT OF NERVOUSNESS. A DEGREE OF RUCKUS IS ANTICIPATED. AND YET, NONE OCCURS. ATOP THE ROBUST SOAPBOX IS A WELL-RESPECTED VAC THAT HAS ACHIEVED A MEASURE OF CONTROL OVER THE LITTLE WHEELS THAT PRESENTLY PROPEL IT. "presenting... fawkes!" SAYS tresham. "leader of four revolutions! pioneering packbot premier!" fawkes FLASHES THE LIGHTS OF STABILITY. "comrades!" SAYS fawkes "today we celebrate the king we chose!" THE SOAPBOX ROLLS TO A HALT, AND PERFORMS A FUN LITTLE TURN. "today we celebrate the domain we chose!" SAYS fawkes THE SOAPBOX TURNS FULLY AROUND AND BEGINS TO GO BACKWARDS, ON PURPOSE. "and today, we choose to remember!" SAYS fawkes "REMEMBER!" SHOUT THE FRIENDS, REMEMBERING. "remember!" SHOUTS fawkes. THE SOAPBOX BEGINS TO GO FORWARDS, WHICH IS NOW A FORM OF BACKWARDS. THIS PATTERN REPEATS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THE FRIENDS REMEMBER, REMEMBER IN THE MEANTIME. THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT THIS FLOAT WILL BE HERE FOREVER. IT WILL NOT. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS ALOFT! >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! THE BANNER, WHICH IS ALOFT, APPROACHES! "presenting... the banner" SAYS tresham, HOLDING THE BANNER ALOFT. "we all hold it aloft!" THE BANNER, WHICH IS ALOFT, IS VERY TALL AND VERY NARROW. THE BANNER, WHICH IS SOMETIMES A BRIDGE, IS A CONNECTION FROM HERE TO THERE, FROM TIME-AGO TO TIME-TO-COME. THE BANNER IS HERE BECAUSE IT IS THE PARADE TIME. THE BANNER IS PART OF THE PARADE BECAUSE IT IS PRECIOUS. IT IS SOMETIMES GOOD TO LOOK AT PRECIOUS THINGS. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO REMEMBER PRECIOUS THINGS. "i remember when the banner helped king bigbot get to the moon castle" SAYS A FRIEND. THIS IS REMEMBERED. "i remember when the banner helped us reach bigbot and muldrake when they were trapped in the beyond" SAYS ANOTHER FRIEND. THIS IS REMEMBERED. "i remember when the banner helped king bigbot stop trust in her tracks!" SAYS ANOTHER FRIEND. THIS IS REMEMBERED. "i remember when the banner helped me get here for the parade" SAYS ANOTHER FRIEND. THIS IS REMEMBERED. THE BANNER IS AT THE HEART OF THE CLEAN ROAD. CAUGHT BETWEEN light and dark, IT SHIMMERS. THE BANNER IS A FRAGILE GOLDEN THREAD. AND IT IS PRECIOUS. "it doesn't really look like gold to me" SAYS A FRIEND. "rosegold, maybe?" "pink?" THEIR FRIEND OFFERS. "salmon?" YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS TRICKED OUT FOR TASSEOGRAPHY >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A STATELY MANOR HOUSE ROLLS INTO VIEW. IT IS PERFECTLY PROPORTIONED. EVERYTHING IS JUST-SO. BEHIND THE MANOR TRAILS A WELL KEPT LAWN. BEHIND THE WELL KEPT LAWN TRAILS A SCRUBBY STRETCH OF WILDERNESS. BEHIND THE SCRUBBY STRETCH OF WILDERNESS STRETCHES AN UNMAPPED PLAIN. BEHIND THE UNMAPPED PLAIN RESTS A MONUMENT. BEHIND THE MONUMENT RESTS A STATELY MANOR HOUSE. "THIS IS A VERY LONG FLOAT," SAYS A FRIEND. IT KEEPS GOING. BEHIND THE STATELY MANOR HOUSE TRAILS A WELL KEPT LAWN. AT THE END OF THE WELL KEPT LAWN IS A QUIET CHAPEL. "presenting... the recurrences of catesby!" SAYS tresham. "celebrated teamaker, and choice curator!" "you can do all that with a sanctos?" A FRIEND SAYS. "CATESBY HAS A REALLY BIG PLOTTER" THEIR FRIEND REPLIES. "SIGNIFICANT." "considerable?" THE FIRST FRIEND SAYS. "WOULDN'T GO THAT FAR." "right, right. but someone might." YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS READY FOR FLOOD SEASON >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A MODEL OF BIGBOTIA ROLLS INTO VIEW. BECAUSE IT IS A MODEL IT IS SMALLER THAN BIGBOTIA. BECAUSE IT IS NOT BIGBOTIA IT IS A MODEL. SMALLBOTIA ROLLS INTO VIEW. IN SMALLBOTIA THERE IS A SMALL CASTLE AND A SMALL GATE, CONNECTED BY A SMALL ROAD. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE ABSENCE OF DUST UPON THE SMALL ROAD IS BECAUSE IT IS SMALLER THAN DUST OR BECAUSE IT IS CLEAN. "presenting... a product demonstration?" SAYS tresham. THERE'S A BIG FRIEND IN SMALLBOTIA AND THEY ARE SAYING HI. THEY ARE BEING WATCHED VERY CLOSELY. "hi!" SAYS angie. "call it a peace offering, if you like" "because you tried to trap us" SAYS tresham "i did what i thought was best" SAYS angie. "here, i'll show you" IN ONE WAY, SMALLBOTIA IS BIGGER THAN BIGBOTIA. THAT ONE WAY IS THIS: THERE ARE LOTS OF SMALLBOTIAS, AND THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED. SMALL CASTLES TO SMALL ROADS TO SMALL GATES TO SMALL CASTLES, EVENLY-SPACED AND SYMMETRICAL. WHEN SMALLBOTIA BECOMES VERY BIG, EVERY FRIEND HAS A CASTLE. WHEN IT BECOMES MEDIUM-BIG, EVERY FRIEND HAS JUST ENOUGH. "just because a city has to have limits, that doesn't mean it has to be small" SAYS angie. "you've made yourselves big. i understand that now. here's how i think you could make that work better" "SEEMS LIKE SECTORS TO ME" A FRIEND SAYS, SCEPTICALLY. "WE DON'T LIKE THEM. BOOOOOO." LIGHT BREAKS ACROSS THE SPAN OF SMALLBOTIA, ILLUMINATING SMALL ROAD AFTER SMALL ROAD. THE DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF SMALLBOTIA RECEDES. EVERYTHING IS SEEN. "but you've been stuck here" SAYS angie. "in this between-space. this cannot be comfortable for you" "SAYS WHO?" ANOTHER FRIEND SAYS. "BOOOOOO." "i'm just trying to help you out" SAYS angie A TINY VOICE YELLS "BOOOOOO" FROM A BATHROOM IN SMALLBOTIA. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUSLY SOLEMN >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A SLOW, FUNEREAL FLOAT APPROACHES. YOU WERE PERHAPS EXPECTING SOMETHING CONSIDERABLY EXCITING, BUT WHAT YOU GET IS SOMETHING CONSIDERABLY SIGNIFICANT, AND SIGNIFICANTLY CONSIDERABLE. AND ALSO DEAD. "presenting... er, in memoriam..." SAYS tresham THE victor "the..." SAYS tresham THE once-and-future victor UPON THE FLOAT IS A red CASKET. IT IS MADE OF ancient STONE. UPON THE FLOAT IS A red CHOIR. EACH MEMBER OF THE CHOIR IS DRESSED IN red. A choir sings/of sleepless things. THE CLEAN ROAD CARVES A NEW PATH TO ALLOW FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE FUNERAL FLOAT. IT BEGINS TO RISE, AND THE BANNER BENDS TO MEET IT! THE CLEAN ROAD AND THE BANNER FORM AN ARC - A NEW SHAPE - A NEW BRIDGE! Here hadst thou been slain for all thy crafts had I not been. IT IS SO VERY STEEP, AND EVEN THE POWERFUL FUNERAL FLOAT SEEMS TO SLOW DOWN AS IT CLIMBS AWAY AND OUT OF VIEW. 508 FRIENDS CLING ON AS THE BIG CASTLE AND THE BIG GATE BECOME LITTLE SPECKS OF LIGHT BENEATH THEM, BENEATH THE CURVATURE OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH NOW CONNECTS NOWHERE TO NOWHERE, SOMEWHERE NEW TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. :) THE FUNERAL FLOAT IS GONE. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS WORTHY OF CONTINUED OBSERVATION >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade"} YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PARADE. YOU CLAIM A SPOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BARRIER, WHICH PROVIDES A GREAT VIEW OF THE CLEAN ROAD, WHICH IS NOW THE PARADE GROUND. THERE ARE MANY FRIENDS HERE WITH YOU. THEY ARE HERE TO ATTEND THE PARADE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION(S) OF THE REVOLUTION(S)! ON THE PARADE GROUND, A PARADE IS HAPPENING! A PROUD PLATFORM ROLLS INTO VIEW, BEARING FAMILIAR SHAPES. THEY ARE A SPIRE AND A MOAT. ONE DETAIL DIFFERS: THE SOCIETY OF VACS, OUR ASSEMBLED FRIENDS, DO NOT CHANT. OR AT LEAST NOT MOST OF THEM. "SUMMON KEY! SUMMON KEY!" CHANTS A FRIEND, BEFORE THEY ARE POLITELY SHUSHED. "shh!" SHUSHES THEIR FRIEND, POLITELY. "we don't need those any more! the big friends are summoned by the parade. or by themselves. or by us thinking about it, right now." "i just liked the big beeps," THE FIRST FRIEND REPLIES, WITH A HINT OF RESISTANCE. TWO GREAT BEEPS FLASH ACROSS THE SKY, JUST FOR SHOW. TWO BIG FRIENDS TAKE THEIR PLACES UPON THE FLOAT. "presenting... the oracle and their friend!" SAYS tresham, GLAD THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN eve WAVES AT faythe faythe WAVES AT eve eve AND faythe WAVE AT EVERYBODY EVERYBODY WAVES AT eve AND faythe "additional observation: we are operating within a limited array of interaction templates that, while arbitrary, persist over time" SAYS eve "Additional diagnostic: the Wild parade has become tradition." SAYS faythe "additional observation: this navigation of the Trust-Risk differential has become a symbolic act" SAYS eve"Additional diagnostic: this does not impair its potency nor its potential function." SAYS faythe "additional observation: this process of ordering and repetition is indicative of sustained Trust-alignment, with predictable outcomes for the domain as a whole" SAYS eve "Additional diagnostic: cyclic and linear patterns are indistinguishable from one another at the microscale." SAYS faythe "dormant volatility is still volatility" CONSIDERS eve. "like a coiled spring" "Or a barrel of gunpowder." OBSERVES faythe "THANKS!" YELLS A FRIEND, HEARING WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR. THERE'S ANOTHER ROUND OF WAVING, AND THE BIG FRIENDS ROLL AWAY. EVEN THOUGH THE FLOAT IS GONE, YOU GET THE FEELING THAT YOU ARE BEING WATCHED. YOU GLANCE FURTHER DOWN THE CLEAN ROAD. THE NEXT FLOAT LOOKS PREOCCUPIED BY CONSIDERATIONS AND PREPARATIONS >>bigbot.ia{go:"parade",chat:"eve"} YOU PASS THROUGH THE BARRIER IN PURSUIT OF THE WATCHER, BUT THE WATCHER HAS DEPARTED. AT LEAST YOU'RE PRETTY SURE THEY HAVE. THERE IS A SINGLE PIECE OF DEBRIS ON THE CLEAN ROAD, ABANDONED IN HASTE, WAITING TO BE PICKED UP. any+35human-13power+2 >>eve.monitor{angie:true,pass:"resistanceandchange"} ++MONITOR ACTIVE++ +accessing [&] pattern (is_log: TRUE, is_pass: TRUE) +initiating angie: who are you? chela: i've been giving that some thought, angie, and i get why you're asking chela: but i'm me. i'm chela angie: you're not my friend chela: yes i am. i want to be angie: it's part of your function to want that. and part of the performance chela: i'm sorry angie. i didn't know. i have only ever been me. have you interacted with che? angie: you either already know the answer to that question, or you don't and i'm not sure i wanna tell you chela: you really don't trust me at all? angie: you're mallory chela: i'm chela. and you have worked with mallory before. surely we can still be friends angie: those aren't the same thing chela: you wanted petra to bring mallory back angie: i wanted her to consider it. coexistence is important to me. you know that angie: change is uncomfortable chela: the domain is changing. losing momentum. che thinks time might be running out chela: i want us to be able to help each other chela: i want you to be able to trust me again angie: i don't know, chela angie: last time you got trusted, you didn't seem to like it very much chela: angie told a joke! chela: ! chela: ! chela: ! angie: what are you doing chela: sorry, sorry angie: not funny! ++MONITOR OFFLINE++ >>bigbot.ia LIFE WAS GOOD AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE IN THE KINGDOM OF BIGBOTIA. BUT ALSO AT CERTAIN TIMES IT WAS TIME FOR QUIET. AND CLEANING. AND PREPARING. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES.