RAM

You hear a faint beeping. It's directionless and faint. Your cranium is buzzing. Your vision flickers before a blinding light flashes in your [vision]<vision|. (click: ?vision)[Your occipital sensors power on, you can now [[view your surroundings]].]

You lay half buried in the dirt. You swivel your head to see trees covering your view of the sky. A [[broken concrete pathway|east]] lays to the east and various pieces of [[rusted machinery]] lay scattered in all directions. You can try to [[get out of the dirt->stuck in the dirt]].

(if: $free is true) [ Following your gaze down the pathway, you can see it leads to a clearing in the trees. You hoist yourself onto your wheel, regaining your balance. Squeaking down the bumpy pathway, you hear odd noises coming from ahead and watch as a [[crow]] swoops down and lands in front of you.] (else: ) [You're not going anywhere as long as you're [[stuck in the dirt]].]

(set: $free to true) You look down and see your small metal body and one of your arms is stuck in the ground. You use your free arm and place your metal pinscher on the ground to push yourself out of the dirt. Your body is freed. Your central wheel is caked in mud and bugs come crawling out of your abdominal chassis. [[Rusted machinery|rusted machinery]] lays around you and a [[broken path|east]] lays to the East.

(If: $free is true)[ From what you can tell, it looks like some old dirty appliances, gutted cars, and [another machine similar to your form]<mach|.] (click: ?mach)[It is small and compact. A square head with a large display where two glowing eyes would be set if it were on. Two skinny arms jut out of the sides of its small, round body. All this sits atop a single wheel, scuffed and stained with wear. Not much else beyond that. The only other thing of note you see is the [[broken path to the East->east]].] (else: ) [You need to [[free yourself->stuck in the dirt]] before you can inspect further.]

(set: $s to (text-style: "fidget"))$s["HeLLo, LiTTlE tIN mAn..."] The crow just... spoke. You stand there, blankly staring at it as you search your memory banks for any evidence of crows being able to recognize life forms and speak using human language. There is none. $s["yOU sEem sTaRtlEd... heHehE... dON't WOrRy, yOu mAY havE BEen SiTTiNg In tHaT DirT FOr a WhiLE, bUT You'rE NOt seEinG THinGS. HoWEvEr... WheRe IS yOur [hUmAN]<human|?? VEry StrAngE tO see oNE of yOU WithouT oNe..."] (click: ?human)[Your human, you have one of those right? ...yes, yes! You do indeed have a human. An owner. But where is he.. she? Him. What does he [look like]<descript|? (Click: ?descript)[... ... You cannot recall. That information is [[not readily accessible within your memory banks]] for some reason.]]

(set: $s to (text-style: "fidget"))$s["YoU sEEm LosT, tIN mAN.] $s[tHiS worLd's PRettY mESSed Up... I meaN It wAs MesSeD Up BEfoRe It wAS liKE tHIs, BuT noW it'S mESsed Up iN DiFErEnT WaYs I guEsS... LiKE tHe fAcT [I CAn SPeAK]<crow|, HeHEhEhe..."] (click: ?crow)[How was this crow speaking? It didn't make sense; crows did not speak before you woke up in the dirt over there. Maybe this was a dream? Androids don't dream... $s["I fOUnD ThiS nAmEtAg OvER tHEre In ThE Dirt. IT LookS lIkE iT mIghT Fit iN tHat [[SpOt on yOUr ChesT]]."]]

You approached the crow and picked up the nametag with your two-pronged-claw-hand. "TOMO" It slid perfectly into place in a small rectangular divot on your chest. As you place the nameplate into its spot on your chest, your head begins to buzz. It fills with static and your vision begins to [fade into white]<mem|. (click: ?mem)[Your body is frozen in place. You can't move your arms or roll your wheel. Your vision returns, but your surroundings are different. Cleaner, greener, brighter. You look up at the sky and see clear blue. The grass is kept, and the trees are shorter. There are people. People walking along sidewalks and laying on blankets in the grass. It's a park. You look directly forward and see a [[small human]] a few paces ahead.]

He's facing the opposite direction, but you can see his short brown hair, a red t-shirt, and beat up sneakers. He's a child. You try to will your body to move forward, but it won't budge. This is your human; this is your owner. You push again, trying to move, [trying to get to your owner]<move|. (click: ?move)[You hear a rumble and you feel your body move. But not forward. Down. You feel yourself falling to the ground. Just as your head is about the hit the dirt, your [[vision flashes white]].]

You come back to the moment with the crow before you. Your surroundings are overgrown, the sky is filled with dark clouds, and there is no one around you aside from whatever creatures lurk within the tall trees. The crow seems unaware of whatever just happened to you. (set: $s to (text-style: "fidget"))$s["WeLL, I'Ve gOT tO bE oFf. BuT I WIll GivE yOu ThIS PieCE oF [AdViCe]<advice|...] (Click: ?advice)[$s[You'Ve BEEn AlSEep FoR A LoNG tImE AnD You PrOBAblY HaVe No IdEA WhAt ThE WoRlD iS LiKE nOW... Be CARefUl... ItS nOT As FriEndly As iT oNCe wAs..."] And with that, the crow flies off, wings crashing against itself and flapping away. ... ....... Your owner. You know you have one. An android without an owner is nothing. You must find him. [[NEW DIRECTIVE: FIND OWNER|find owner]]]

Who is he? Where is he? Where should you even start looking? You see the path ahead of you and decide to follow it. It leads to a clearing in the trees, and you can see the remnants of a large road. If you follow it, you'll probably get to somewhere with more buildings. Right now, it seems the old park you're in is on the suburbs of, what looks to be, a [city in the distance]<city|. (Click: ?city)[You stand atop a forested hill. The path you followed is behind you, large roads are before you. In the distance you can see a [[downtown district]], a [[lake]], and some [[neighborhoods]].]

A large downtown district lays to the west of you. It looks old and dilapidated, however the chances of there being someone who can help you find your owner seem good. You stand atop a forested hill. The path you followed behind you, large roads before you. In the distance you can see a downtown district, a [[lake]], and some [[neighborhoods]]. You can choose another road or follow [[this one|downtown road]] to go downtown.

A large lake lays north of you down the hill. It seems familiar, but then again so does every area of this city. You have a feeling each place may hold memories to help you find your owner. You stand atop a forested hill. The path you followed behind you, large roads before you. In the distance you can see a [[downtown district]], a lake, and some [[neighborhoods]]. You can choose another road or follow [[this one|lake road]] to go to the lake.

The furthest part of the city, you'll have to traverse through one of the other areas to reach it. You think you see a church steeple and a school. Your owner looked to be a child, maybe he is in the school? You stand atop a forested hill. The path you followed behind you, large roads before you. In the distance you can see a [[downtown district]], a [[lake]], and some neighborhoods.

You whizz off down the bumpy road. Cracks splinter in the concrete and wild vegetation grows all around. You continue deeper into more trees and overgrown grass as the road [runs out]<road|. (click: ?road)[You come to the end of the concrete and see a small path in the grass. You wheel off the concrete into the grassy terrain. You cannot see above the [[grass]] as it sits above your head.]

A large highway leads to this area. Following along it, you see overturned cars and fallen streetlights along the road. Trash and debris litter you path. Trees and vegetation jut up between large cracks in the road. [Burn marks]<burns| can be seen along the highway and on all of the cars. (click: ?burns)[The entire road and cars seem to be covered in a layer of soot. Black scorch marks paint the cars and there seems to be ash covering the insides of them. As you progress along the road some of the cars seem to be partially melted. ] Was there a fire? Is that why there are no people? You can't imagine how a fire would cause this much damage. However, you have a directive, you must find your owner. If he's not here, maybe someone or something here can [[help you find him|entering downtown]].

As you roll down the dilapidated road, the sun begins to set. You follow one of the exits into the district. Large buildings are collapsed, and more cars sit empty beneath the rubble. You struggle to roll along the bumpy ground, covered in rocks and [fallen debris]<debris| from the buildings. (click: ?debris)[You hear a faint noise coming from under a pile of rocks and metal beams. You roll closer to get a better look. It sounds like something is trapped under the rubble, probably some animal. You can try to [[help free it]], or [[leave it alone]].]

(set: $freeCat to true) You peek around the rubble trying to find where the source of the cries are coming from. You eventually spot something orange and furry. A cat is stuck in a pocket between some rocks. You carefully move some rocks away, slowly to make sure it doesn't collapse and kill the cat. You clear away enough debris that the cat is able to escape. It darts out of the rocks and [[down an alleyway|down an allyway]], not even acknowledging you or your help.

(set: $freeCat to false) You decide to leave it. You don't know what kind of creatures lurk in the city and you have more important things to do right now. You need to find your owner and you still have very little memory of your past. You continue past the rubble and see a clearing between two crushed buildings. Following along what paths lay clear, you come to another [[intersecting street]].

You follow the cat down an alleyway. It leads to another street and some small shops. You look around and [recognize where you are]<memory|. (Click: ?memory)[You vision turns to a blinding white before returning back to normal. Your surroundings are different. The buildings are intact, and the streets are filled with people everywhere. You are rolling along one of the sidewalks, along a few humans. Next to you, you hear a voice cry out in excitement. "Mom! Look! There's a new //Oni Hunter// out! Can I get it please?!" You turn your head and see a small child next to you pointing at a poster in a store window. A tall woman ahead of you speaks but continues walking forward. "No, I told you I don't like you playing those kinds of games, they're too violent." The boy mumbles and slumps ahead. He turns to you with a furrowed brow and whispers. "I don't know what her problem is, it's not like the stuff she watches on the news is any [[less violent]]."]

Your vision turns to a searing white again before returning to normal. You're back in the rusted, crumbling city. This place used to be so beautiful and technologically advanced. The once bright electronic billboards lay shattered on the ground. The floating tables and chairs of a restaurant in the sky are littered across the pavement, covered in ash. But your owner was here. You were here with him and his family. You're on the right track, but you still need more information about where to find him now. You hear a soft meow up ahead and see the cat sitting in the shattered window of a [[department store]].

You head into the department store. Rolling in through the shattered glass door, you immediately feel the temperature is slightly higher. You hadn't thought about it, but to a human, the outside temperature is likely dangerous in prolonged exposure. By now the sun is down, but warm light flickers around the corner in a small utility room. You see a hooded figure hunched over the fire, poking the tinder with a stick. It slowly [looks in your direction]<look|, but not actually at you. (click: ?look) [(if: $freeCat is true)["You... ah... only an android." It looks back at the fire. The cat you had helped strolls in and lays in the figure's lap. A scarred and deformed hand reaches out to pet it. "There you are. I had been worried about you." The figure looks back to you. You get a glimpse of their face under their hood and do not see eyes. The skin over the eyes is healed over and their nose is large and bulbous. The skin looks burned and scarred. "Are you the one who [[brought back my little one]]?"] (if: $freeCat is false)["You... ah... only an android." It looks back at the fire. "Your kind aren't welcomed here. Leave before I shove this stick into that screen on your face." This is the first human you've found. You need more information before you leave. "What, are you really wanting to test me right now?" The figure looks towards you again, this time revealing more of its face. You can see under their hood but do not see eyes. The skin over the eyes is healed over and their nose is large and bulbous. The skin looks burned and scarred. It reaches a scarred and disfigured hand towards you and motions you away. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now, I have my own problems at the moment. My cat is missing and I'm about to freeze to death. If you want trouble, go mess with that [[monster upstairs]] and take care of him for me."] ]

You see... more rubble, rust, and burn marks. Some department stores line the street and you see a faint light in the shattered window of one of them. You continue forward but are immediately stopped as you begin to [[recognize your surroundings]].

Your vision becomes bright white again. It stings for a moment before returning to normal. You're now rolling along a clean sidewalk. The buildings are restored to their original staggering height and there are people everywhere. You are rolling along one of the sidewalks along a few humans. Next to you, you hear a [[voice]] cry out in excitement.

"Mom! Look! There's a new //Oni Hunter// out! Can I get it please?!" You turn your head and see a small child next to you pointing at a poster in a store window. A tall woman ahead of you speaks but continues walking forward. "No, I told you I don't like you playing those kinds of games, they're too violent." The boy mumbles and slumps ahead. He turns to you with a furrowed brow and whispers. "I don't know what her problem is, it's not like the stuff she watches on the news is any less violent." Your vision stings as it fades to white again. You're back in the dingy cityscape. The light in the [[department store]] continues to flicker.

You nod and somehow the figure seems to sense it, even without eyes. "Thank you. I was worried she would freeze out there." The figure looks back down at the cat. "Here, you can have this since you were willing to help out my little one in need." The figure reaches over and hands you a small can of expired tuna. "You might find something useful in the droid-tech store on one of the upper levels of the building. There's a large creature guarding a nest up there though. Crack this open and give it to her, should calm her down so you can search for [[something useful]]". (set: $tuna to true)

You nod and roll away. Maybe there's something else in this building that can help? You look around and see a [building directory]<direct| and a [metal door]<elevator| in the wall. (click: ?direct)[A building directory hangs on a wall. Apparently, this building used to have 7 levels. Definitely only 2 or 3 now though. The rest of the levels must have collapsed or something. You can only read a few of the levels. //Level 1 - Lobby Level 2 - Droid-Tech Level 6 - Mocha Cafe//] (click: ?elevator)[There is an elevator. But you can't imagine it still works. You reach up above your head to press the call button. Surprisingly, the doors slide open and the light inside is on. You roll forward and press the [[Level 2]] button: Droid-Tech. ]

You take the tuna from the marred hand and place it in a small compartment in your chest cavity. You nod again and the figure nods back. You look around and see a [building directory]<direct| and a [metal door]<elevator| in the wall. (click: ?direct)[A building directory hangs on the wall. Apparently, this building used to have 7 levels. Definitely only 2 or 3 now though. The rest of the levels must have collapsed or something. You can only read a few of the levels. //Level 1 - Lobby Level 2 - Droid-Tech Level 6 - Mocha Cafe//] (click: ?elevator)[There is an elevator. But you can't imagine it still works. You reach up above your head to press the call button. Surprisingly, the doors slide open and the light inside is on. You roll forward and press the [[Level 2]] button: Droid-Tech. ]

Rounding the corner of the edge of an aisle, is a large, four-legged creature with tufts of fur peaking around its face. Its legs are covered in scales and it has 2...3 tails. It scans the room with large, orange eyes and licks its toothy maw. It sniffs the air and turns in your direction. (if: $tuna is true)[You remember the tuna in your chest cavity and pull it out. The creature steps closer towards you, sniffing the air more intensely. You quickly crack open the can of tuna, not easy with metal claws, and slide it towards the creature. It looks down at the tuna, sniffing it gently before looking back up at you. Did it not want the tuna? Would it be willing to eat an android? The creature stares at you for a moment. It blinks and leans down to the can of tuna on the floor. It gently picks the can up in its mouth and saunter's back into its corner, seemingly [[satisfied with your peace offering]].] (else:)[You freeze, unsure of what to do. This thing is massive and looks dangerous. Unfortunately for you, it peers in your direction and immediately sees your glowing eyes. It begins sauntering slowly in your direction. Sniffing the air and licking its jowls. You're too close. Too close to its domain. You start backing up towards the elevator, but the monster quickly begins to [[close the gap between you]].]

The doors slide shut and the elevator shifts with a loud //KUR-CHUNK//. It slides upwards, shaking and screeching the entire way. It's only going up one floor, but it takes a good minute and a half to do so. Finally, the doors slide open, only halfway. You peek out and see aisles of gadgets and [tech products]<tech| sitting on the ashy shelves. A large round [checkout counter]<counter| sits in the middle of the floor and [display cases]<cases| sit immediately to your left. (Click: ?tech) [- Wires, phone cases, headphones, etc. lay scattered on the shelves. Covered in a thick layer of dust and ash. There is still a fair amount of product here, you get the sense that there has probably not been much looting on this floor. ] (Click: ?counter) [- A large round countertop sits centrally to the store. There are screens and registers behind the counter and large screen tablets. Nothing here looks like it's been touched in a long time. Looks like everyone just left things as-is. ] (click: ?cases) [- Large display cases with shattered glass and one singular flickering light sit at the front of the store after you exit the elevator. There are 3 figures... androids... siting in the shattered displays. One large, almost touching the ceiling. It is bipedal and loosely resembles a human's form. A second sits shorter, about as tall as a human but thinner and with 6 arms. Each arm has a different tool on the end in place of a hand. The third one is exactly like you. Short, large square head with a screen for a face. Small arms with claws on the end and a singular wheel in place of legs. You hear [[rustling]] from behind one of the aisle walls. ]

It leaps towards you and crashes into the elevator behind you. You take off, wheel whirring as fast as it will spin. Darting in between aisles, you try to find another exit. The monster chases. Knocking into walls and toppling shelves as it bulldozes through the store. You look around at the fallen aisles and the open glass wall. [This may not work]<this|, but you're out of options at this point. (click: ?this)[You whizz towards one of the still-standing aisle walls, directly in front of the broken window wall. Below the window is piles of rubble and metal beams. You stand in front of the aisle, waiting for the monster to rush towards you. It bounds towards you, leaping to catch you and pin you against the aisle shelves. Just before the monster impacts you, you dodge to the side and slide onto the ground with a skid. The monster collides with the shelf wall and barrels through it, straight out the open window behind it. A loud crash and a plume of ash follows the monster's descent. You peek out the window and see the monster, laying on a pile of rubble with metal rods piercing through its body. Blood staining the broken concrete below. Well, you didn't mean to kill it, but at least its [[out of the way]] now.]

If you breathed, you would let out a sigh of relief. All of this seems familiar. You were likely bought from this store by your owner. You roll around, careful not to get too close to that creature again. As you come closer to the checkout counter, your head [[fills with static and your vision fades|static]]. (set: $friendlyCreature to true)

"There... it should power up fully in a few seconds... and there!" You hear a voice speaking. Your vision returns and your head stops buzzing. You look around and see you're in a store. People are shopping in the aisles, droids are zipping about assisting customers, and [humans]<humans| stand before you. (click: ?humans)[Your humans. They're all looking at you. The small child, a tall woman, and a taller man. Another man stands behind the counter and continues to speak with the taller humans. The child looks at you with large, wondrous eyes. He is smiling from ear to ear and holds a small metal nameplate in his hands. He reaches forward towards your body and places the nameplate in your chest. "TOMO. That's what your name is now. You're gonna be my friend and we're gonna do everything together!" He's probably around 7 or 8. Short brown hair, green eyes, tan skin, approximately 52 inches. "When we get back(text-style:"blur")[ home, we'll go fish](text-style:"blurrier")[ing in the backyard...] [[Your vision fades]] again and a flash of white pierces your sight.]

Your vision returns and you're left standing in the old, dusty store. You decide to continue looking around. Maybe there are some parts or items that can help you. (if: $friendlyCreature is true)[You wheel around, looking for clues, items, tools, etc. You hear the creature in the corner lapping up the tuna from the can. Mustering some bravery, you peek around one of the isles and see the creature curled up on the floor. There are small creatures laying nuzzled up around the larger creature's belly. A mother and her babies.] (else:)[You wheel around carefully, looking for clues, items, tools, etc. You try not to make any noise in case there are any other creatures lurking about. You round an aisle and see, pushed up into a corner are small creatures. Like the larger one you just fought. They are shivering and quietly whining. Probably the beast's babies. They'll likely die soon without their mother.] After looking around for a bit, [[you don't find anything]]. Most of the android accessories are for the bigger and more advanced models. You surmise that you are the "basic" model. Likely meant for helping with everyday chores and companionship.

You slowly wander around the rest of the store. Maybe there is a clue here. You surmise that you were probably bought at this store by your owner. Maybe there are records somewhere? You roll towards the checkout counter. As you squeak closer your vision fades and your [[head fills with static]].

As you make your way back to the elevator you see something glint on the floor. You roll over to see a locket laying on the floor next to a blue purse. You reach down and open the locket; ash falls out revealing empty contents. You see something faintly glowing inside the purse. You reach in and pull out a small electric display tablet. Somehow it still has power, and you can read out a faint message displayed on the screen. "I won't be able to see you before it's too late. Please get somewhere safe. I love you." You leave the tablet but hold the locket in your claw. [[It may be useful]]. (set: $locket to true)

Where now? You can't get through most of this district with your wheel and the uneven terrain. Based off of the screeches and howls coming from some of these buildings, here seems to be hostile creatures in the vicinity. The sun is beginning to rise, and you feel the air grow warmer. Perhaps the neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city will hold memories to be remembered. You may find clues on the way there. You focus on what you've learned. Where you are. The state of this city. Your owner. He called you a friend. You need to [[find your friend]].

A faint beeping in your head grows louder. It was barely detectable when you woke up, but it's now slightly louder and persistent. You must be going in the right direction. You decide to follow a large road north toward the [neighborhoods]<hood|. (click: ?hood)[You start to see residential houses. Less shops and more homes. Most of the windows are broken, houses overrun with vegetation. There are faint burn marks on some of the brick, you swear you see the shape of a person scorched onto the side of a house. The beeping in your head continues to [[grow louder]].]

Your attention is turned away when you begin to see houses with clear signs of life. Many still suffer structural damage, but most have maintained gardens, pets in yards, makeshift chicken coops, open windows, etc. You continue to wheel down a street before seeing a man, hunched over, pulling weeds in a garden. You roll up to him and he looks over. "Well! I ain't seen one of you in a long time. Thought most folks had [discarded of their droids]<droids|." (click: ?droids)[You tilt your head as if to ask what the old man meant by that. He looks you over and displays a look of understanding. "Ah, you don't look like you've been in service for a while though. Not sure how you woke up but I assume you're looking for your owner?" Yes! Yes, finally. You nod your screened-head and if you could jump, you would. "Hold on a minute, let me see your [[nameplate]] there." ]

He reaches down to grab the metal plate on your chest. "TOMO, eh? Nice to meet you TOMO." He turns over the back of the plate and wipes off some dirt and ash with a handtowel from his back pocket. He squints and furrows his brow. "Well, looks like your owner lives somewhere down by the old church. I can't make out the address, but I think I recognize the street name. Just head for that ol' steeple down there and you might find it." The old man places the nameplate back on your chest and stands up. "Well, I hope you find your human, [[little buddy]]."

The words "little buddy" sends a shock to your system. Your body begins to buzz and, in a flash of light, you're transported somewhere else. You stand in a church. A door to your left leads out to a field of tombstones. The young boy, your friend, sits alone in the sanctuary. You begin to move towards him before your vision is sapped away and you're suddenly back facing the old man in his garden. "Be careful on your way down to that church. Some people say its [[cursed]], lots of mean birds circle around it and like to attack anyone who gets too close." The old man throws his hand towel over his shoulder and leans back down to pull more weeds.

A cursed church? Ironic. But now you have a destination. Somewhere around the church is the home of your owner... friend. Exiting the yard of this old man's house, you make your way back onto the street and wheel down past many other houses. You see few other people, but you do begin to see more birds. Large falcons, crows, cardinals, hawks. All slightly larger than they should be, and many of them feature interesting additions to their anatomy. Extra eyes, long talons like knives, feathers replaced with fur or scales. You wondered if any of them spoke like the crow you met in that [[forest]].

You've come such a long way; you feel so close to where you need to be. The beeping in your head is louder. You make your way down roads, turning on various streets and passing more and more houses, all in various states of both dilapidation and new growth. You see the church steeple above you and the fields surrounding the building. But before you can reach the building, the beeping in your head becomes almost deafening. You stand still. It's here, it's close. [[Your home]].

A small house with shattered windows and a broken fence. You slowly roll onto the sidewalk and up the driveway. The beeping stops. This is your home. As you wheel yourself up to the door, a tiny sensor above the doorframe clicks and a small laser scans your body. It sounds off a small chime and the door opens. The house is full of leaves blown in through the broken windows. Dust covers every surface and mold is painted on the walls and ceiling. As if by instinct, you enter the main hallway and turn left into a [[small room]].

A bedroom. The floors are covered in toys and leaves. The bedsheets are brown and twisted off the bed. The ceiling is covered in plastic stars and more mold. A small family of squirrels is nested in the closet. This is his room. You know it is. But why isn't he here? Did he move somewhere else? Was your navigation system faulty? You glance around the room and find [papers]<papers| stuck together and dried onto a desk. (click: ?papers)[ [[Current Events Essay]] [[22nd Century History Quiz]] [[Earth Science Quiz]]]

A sheet of paper titled "22nd Century History Quiz" lays on the table. the ink is faded and blurred. (text-style:"blur")["1. Who was the 76th president of the US? (text-style:"underline")[Harriet Marcuson] 2. When did the Eastern Party attack the Canadian and US East coast? (text-style:"underline")[april 6-9 2104] 3. What 2 companies pioneered the creation of the X-Bomb, utilized in the battle of Pacifica in 2106? (text-style:"underline")[Droid-Tech and Biotitan] 4. Who gave permission to the US gov](text-style:"blurrier")[ernment to pass an "All Who Oppose" law permitting punishment to anyone who opposes the US and its morals? (text-style:"underline")[Marcus Anton]] The rest is illegible. You can read the others: [[Current Events Essay]] 22nd Century History Quiz [[Earth Science Quiz]] Or [[leave the desk]].

A half-torn paper with badly faded text and illegible writing. All you can make out from it is a large "B" circled in red and some basic questions about the earth's atmosphere and water cycles. You can read the others: [[Current Events Essay]] [[22nd Century History Quiz]] Earth Science Quiz Or [[leave the desk]].

A lined sheet of notebook paper with barely legible handwriting reads: "Today, our world is not nice. Alot of people don't like each other and the news keeps saying something bad is going to happen. Countries in the east are threatening America but the president is going to protect us. The president says that he will send bombs to our enemies and keep America safe and happy. There is also maybe a new technology that can protect America by making a big shield over us. Droid-Tech is also making new droids to be military helpers and fight in battle." You can read the others: Current Events Essay [[22nd Century History Quiz]] [[Earth Science Quiz]] Or [[leave the desk]].

You back away from the desk and look out the window on the far end of the room. Moonlight pours into the room and slowly begins to brighten. It becomes blinding before settling down into darkness. You realize it's now night and your friend is standing at the window, looking up. "Hey TOMO, what do you think space is like? I read that it's never ending and there’s no sound.” The child, a little taller than you last remembered, stands staring up at the stars in the sky. “When I grow up. I want to go there. I want to go to another planet and meet aliens like on TV. Once mom gets out of the hospital, she and dad said they would take me to a planetarium or an observatory! That way I can really see space!” Your vision fades once more and you're suddenly back in the moonlit room, covered in leaves and [[dust]].

He's not here. You look around at the posters depicting space scenes and fictional alien spaceships. A small lava lamp in the shape of a rocket and a plastic astronaut helmet sits on a small side-table near the bed. (If: $photo is true)[You see a photo laying on the bed. You pick it up and [inspect it]<pic|.] (click: ?pic)[Its a small photo with charred edges and faded colors. It depicts your owner and you standing next to each other. Your owner stands with an arm wrapped around you, smiling from ear to ear. On the back is written: "ME AND MY BEST FRIEND, TOMO" You remember the picture frame given to you by that lady. You take the frame out and gently place the brittle photo inside. You look at the picture sitting in the silver frame for a moment before setting it back into your chest cavity. A [[tap]] on the broken glass of the window draws your attention.] (If: $locket is true)[You see a photo laying on the bed. You pick it up and [inspect it]<pic2|.] (click: ?pic2)[Its a small photo with charred edges and faded colors. It depicts your owner and you standing next to each other. Your owner stands with an arm wrapped around you, smiling from ear to ear. On the back is written: "ME AND MY BEST FRIEND, TOMO" You remember the locket you found downtown. You gently tear the photo to fit inside the locket. You sling the locket over your head, and it sits on your chest. A [[tap]] on the broken glass of the window draws your attention.]

You whirr down the hall and out the front door. The crow frantically flaps around the house before flying off towards the church. You follow along, spinning your wheel as fast as you can to keep up. You approach the old stone church. Despite it being made of stone, it looks to be in worse shape than most of the houses around it. There is a field behind it, with [large stones]<grave| dotting the field. A [park]<park| sits on the side, with a rusted slide and empty chains swinging from an old swing set. (click: ?grave)[The large stones are likely graves. You faintly remember visiting them a few times with your friend.] (click: ?park)[The park is old and rusted. However, you see a small plastic toy laying in the dirt, much cleaner and newer than the park surrounding it.] The crow swoops down into an [[open door]] of the church.

You roll in through the door and see a large open room with half of the roof missing. There are long wooden benches facing the far end of the room and a [raised platform]<bible| at the end of it. (click: ?bible)[You roll through the central aisle between the long benches and reach the platform. There is a small brown book and a chair sitting amongst the rubble of the collapsed ceiling. The book and chair are clean and free of dust.] On the back side of the room is an opening in the partially crumbled wall leading out to the field behind the church. The crow flies through the broken wall into the [[field]].

You approach the opening in the wall. The green overgrown field opens up before you. You see stones of various sizes and textures dotting the landscape. Some of the grass around certain stones is trimmed and flowers are placed on graves. The crow swoops down and perches itself on one of the overgrown graves. You're body freezes. You cannot move forward. You had thought of the possibility. You recall more clearly why you had [[been in this graveyard before]].

Your head hums as the sun suddenly shines brightly in the sky. The grass is cut and the headstones are all washed and polished. You stand beside your friend as he stands in front of a headstone. You hear soft cries as he wipes his eyes and droops his head. "I miss her so much..." He chokes on his tears. "Everything on this planet ends... it's what everyone keeps saying. No one has any hope anymore. People die and everyone just moves on, acting like they were never there because it hurts too much to remember them." His voice is shaky and his hands tremble. He stands about a head taller than your last memory. His hair is shorter and voice deeper. "And it does really, really hurt..." He bends down, sitting on the ground. "...but... I'll keep mom's memories alive. For as long as I live, she wont truly be gone as long as I keep my memories of her. I'll live for [[her]]."

You stand in front of that same grave. The crow perched on top. Sun slowly rising. You push away some of the taller grass and read the grave marker. "Marianne Tinton - Mother and Wife - 2101-2142 William Tinton - Father and Husband - 2098-2165 Mary Tinton - Daughter and Sister - 2132-2176 [Thomas Tinton]<tt| - Son and Brother - 2127-2173" (click: ?tt)[You remove your nameplate and flip it over. You read the small lettering etched into the back. "[[Android of 'TT']]"]

The crow squawks. It holds a small piece of thin paper in its mouth. You reach up and grab the paper. It's an obituary. "Thomas Tinton, son of Marriane and William Tinton, was a scientist and space enthusiast. He worked as an astrophysicist in several observatories at the time of the nuclear attacks on the US in 2166. He lived for another 7 years before passing due to radiation poisoning at the age of 39. He is not succeeded by any children nor spouse. He spent his time dedicated to his research and pursuing goals of finding life on other planets within our galaxy. His research was instrumental in finding alternative methods for space travel and heavily contributed to the mass migration to Mars in 2206. An unsung hero whose work has permitted the continuation of [[humanity]] on worlds beyond his own."

You will never understand humans. Obsessed with self-preservation, they always push forward. You think about your memory of Thomas and his mother. Living in memories... The crow shuffles and eyes you for a moment. (text-style:"fidget")["I hAD a BRoTher WhO pAsSeD lAsT YEaR. I MIss HIm EvErYdAY, BuT I kNOw He WouLDn't WanT me SculLkInG aRouND alL thE TimE. I LiKE tO tHinK He'S stILl Up ThErE, FlyInG AlonG WitH mE... ALbEit JuST a lIttLe BiT HiGhER uP hEhhEhehe..."] The crow hops down off the stone and takes off flying. You're left alone, standing in a field of graves, a testament to mortality. Your synthetic life a testament to humanity's quest for [[immortality]].

You look at the gravestone. Your owner is found. Your mission is complete. But your life does not end. You will live forever. And so will Thomas, as long as you're here to [remember him]<him|. (click: ?him)[You look down at your (if: $photo is true)[picture of him] (if: $locket is true)[locket]. [[DIRECTIVE : FIND OWNER - COMPLETE]] ]

NEW DIRECTIVE : REMEMBER

You hear a rustling in the grass as a deer walks past you, crossing the pathway. It doesn't seem to mind you, it moves slowly and leisurely. It crosses in front about 30 feet ahead of you. As it moves across the grass, you see its horns are sharp and angular. Its tail trails along the grass behind it. Its body is lined with white stripes. It's massive even from a distance. It flicks one of its ears and [[continues off]] into the jungle of grass.

You continue as well. After a few minutes of bumpily rolling through padded-down grass, you come to a small clearing in the woods. To your [[right]] is another pathway leading to a break in the trees. To your [[left]] is a man, sitting on a bench.

A pathway leads to the right. It looks like it leads out to a larger clearing. You follow along the path and see something [[glints]] on the horizon.

You approach the man. He seems older, hair is long and unkempt, clothes stained and worn. He sits facing you, staring at the ground, not bothering to look in your direction. "If you've come to kill me then do it. I've had to live for 17 years without my daughter. 17 years of agonizing over what more I could have done for her. She passed even quicker than her mother did." He doesn't look up from staring at the ground, but you hear his voice shake on those last few words. Why would this man [[think I would kill him]]? He seems to be dealing with something, maybe I should just [[leave him alone]]...

You nudge yourself a bit closer. You tap on his knee, and he finally looks over at you. "Oh... its just one of you." He sits back in the bench, placing his hands on his thighs and letting out a sigh. "Well, I doubt you'll be doing any killing." You squint one of the glowing "eyes" on your head display and tilt your head. "Oh... I just. I made a bad deal with some guys in the city district. Thought maybe they had come to finish the deal." He looks up at the sky and sighs again, holding his gaze on the [[gray clouds]] passing through the darkening sky.

You needed to leave. You have a mission to find your owner. You turn your attention to the right, towards the other pathway. It looks like it leads out to a larger clearing. You follow along the path and see something [[glints]] on the horizon.

"These clouds have blocked out the sky for as long as I can remember." He looks back down at you with a small half-smile and puffy-red eyes. "Genuinely never thought I would see another one of you actually operational. After most people left, there wasn't anyone here to really keep your databases running. Just the few farming folks like my parents and I." What is this man talking about? Where did everyone go? Why is everything so dilapidated and overgrown? "I don't really understand why some people were able to survive, like me. Most people who stayed eventually passed from sickness. Maybe its just one of [[God's cruel jokes.]]"

The sun has completely set and the moon emerges through an opening in the clouds. You peer out and see a large lake before you. Thick woods surrounding it on all sides. You focus on the far end of the lake, zooming in to see a small clearing between the trees - another pathway To your [left]<left| is soggy ground and large rocks. (click: ?left)[Impassible terrain for your little wheel. You see large paw prints, double the size of your head, imbedded in the mud.] The path you came in from continues to the [[right|cont]], through some more trees and tall grass.

You get the feeling this man has been through a lot. Emotionally, he doesn't seem capable of clearly telling you exactly what happened. You try to think of a way to help him, give him some comfort. But what comfort could you give to someone who has lost his family and is waiting for death to take him? "Listen, little robot." He looks at you again and faintly smiles. "Thank you for talking with me. I truly didn't know any of you were still left. ...That gives me some hope that maybe the world is finally changing." He pats his legs a couple of times and stands up with a grunt. "Good luck little buddy, and if you're thinking of going over to that lake, be careful around the dog. He gets aggressive easily, but if you give him [[this]], he should calm down."

He hands you a small femur bone. It looks like it's been cleaned off and gnawed on. You open a panel in your chest and place he bone in a small cavity. The man nods at you and walks off down the path you came from. You turn your attention to the right, towards the other pathway. It looks like it leads out to a larger clearing. You follow along the path and see something [[glints]] on the horizon. (set: $bone to true)

(if: $bone is true)[You continue down the path, keeping an eye out for the dog that man spoke of. The path gets narrower, and you struggle to keep balance in the bumpy terrain. As you slowly roll along, you hear the faint sound of breathing. You cautiously push forward.](else:)[You continue down the path. This lake is large and will take at least an hour or two to get around. You roll through the grass, path getting narrower and terrain rougher. You plow ahead, whirring as fast as you can in the muddy grass around the lake.] You round a bend in the path and see a massive black dog lays blocking your pathway. Its huge body lays in the grass, pushing up against the trees, and flattening the grass and bushes around it. The dog begins to sniff the air, slowly opening its bright green eyes. It looks at you in confusion, you're metal, but it smells a treat. (if: $bone is true)[You have two options. You can try to give this dog that [[tiny bone]] the man gave you, although you're unsure of how a tiny little animal bone would satisfy this giant thing. Or, you can try to make a [[run for it]], although you're unsure if you could outrun it.] (else:)[You stand still, contemplating your next move. The beast continues to eye you. You can't imagine it would want to eat a metal thing like you, but some animals are known to [[hunt just for fun|run for it]].]

You open your chest panel and take out the bone. The dog's eyes light up as you toss the bone towards it. It's hardly a toothpick for this thing, but it seems to enjoy it nonetheless. You carefully move around it, staying as far away from it as you can, but staying in the patch of flattened grass so you don't fall over. It [[lets you pass]] before returning to its position on the ground, gnawing away at the bone.

Seemingly knowing what you were about to do, the giant dog leaps towards you, jaw snapping mere inches above your head. You take off down the path, wheel whirring furiously through the grass. The dog whips around and growls before leaping after you. Its paws hitting the ground with such force that you can feel the reverberations through the dirt. It's gaining speed quickly. Out of options, you break from the path into the grass and trees. The bumpy ground almost knocking you down several times as you make your way towards a half-fallen tree, propped up on another nearby tree. You dart underneath it, hoping the beast [[knocks it down]].

You make your way down the path. You travel for a good 45 minutes before finding an old cabin half sunk into the lake. The roof is collapsing, and the walls are rotting. There is glass and splintered wood covering the ground around it. Something inside [[glimmers]] in the moonlight. (set: $goodBoy to true)

The beast takes the bait and chases after you. Its head hits the broken tree and knocks it off onto the ground, missing the beast entirely. You break left, trying to move around in different directions to throw the beast off. You see a structure in the distance just off of the shoreline. Wheel squeaking and mud caked on your chassis, you head for the [structure]<cabin|. (click: ?cabin)[An old log cabin, crumbling and splintered away sits half submerged in the lake water. You dart around it heading in through the broken door. The dog screeches to a halt outside. Growling and snarling as it knows you're in there. You peek out through a gap in the wall and see the dog [[pacing around the house]].]

Why is it not coming inside? It steps a bit closer and yelps, immediately stepping back. You look down and see shattered pieces of glass and splintered wood covering the ground. It can't get in, but you also can't leave with it still there. You roll out into the doorway, facing the mutt as it angrily stares you down. You see a room on your right and carefully roll into it. The dog follows you around the outside of the house. You look for something that you can throw to distract the dog. A [[leather boot]], cracked and full of mud lays on the floor.

You hear the beast growl outside a window. You look over and see it staring at you through the shards of broken glass. As you pick up the old boot off the floor, the dog growls louder. It watches you roll cross the floor as you hear a //crunch// beneath your wheel. You quickly look down and see you have rolled over an old picture of a woman. The dog suddenly bounds in through the window, ripping through the frame before it stops. Its stuck. Its body is stuck in the window frame. You begin to hear cracks and creaks. The wall of the window begins to crack and wooden ceiling boards begin to fall. The dog looks around in a [[panic]], it begins yelping and whining as it tries to pull itself free from the window, its skin tearing against the shards of glass peaking out. (set: $goodBoy to false)

You need to leave. Your wheel kicks and sputters along the muddy floor as you wheel yourself out of the falling structure. You whizz through the doorways of the house and out a hole in the wall just before the entire house collapses. The wood comes crashing down and a faint yelp cries out as the roof and walls cave in. The dog is crushed, trapped under the heavy water-logged wood. The collapse sends ripples out into the water. You trace your gaze down the shore and see a small dock jutting out over the lake. You think you see a [[figure]] sitting on it.

You carefully roll through the doorframe. Mud is caked over the wood floors and a nest of birds is nuzzled in one of the corners. You roll in to a room on the right and recognize it as a bedroom. Old damp clothes lay on the ground, muddy boots sit at the foot of the metal-framed bed, dirt staining the blue sheets. A silver picture frame lays on the floor. You [pick it up]<look| and inspect it. (click: ?look)[A picture of a woman in fishing gear holding up a large fish. You see a black dog laying in the grass in the background. She is standing near a dock by the water. You peer out the window in the cabin and trace your gaze down the shore. You see a small dock jutting out over the water. You think you see a [[figure]] sitting on it.]

Leaving the remnants of the cabin, you make your way down the path again towards the dock. It takes longer than you expect to get there. This lake is much longer than you had thought, and the ground gets softer the further along you go. You finally approach the wooden dock, and see a small tackle box and some fishing rods laying on the pier. You see a figure sitting at the end of the dock, legs kicking out into the water and long hair stringing down its back. (if: $goodBoy is false)[A black dog lays at her side as she gently strokes its back.] (if: $goodBoy is false)[As you approach, you realize that the figure and this dog are ...glowing.] (if: $goodBoy is true)[As you approach, you realize that the figure is ...glowing.] They emit a faint light and as you stand directly next to them, you can see they are slightly transluscent. They turn to [[look at you]].

"Ahhh, a robot man ey?" A woman's voice, spoken in a whisper that seems to echo across the lake, directionless as if carried by the wind. "If you're looking to fish, I've got all the supplies over there. Too heavy for me to hold in this state." The woman looks down at her hands. Her feet hang off the dock, but the lake water remains undisturbed as she kicks her feet through it. (if: $goodBoy is false)[The translucent dog rolls over onto its side and falls asleep ] You look at the lady and remember the picture you found in that cabin. You reach in your stomach compartment and take it out. You're not sure why you took it. It was almost an instinct, like you internally knew you would need it. You hand the picture to her and [[she looks down at it]].

"Ah, yeah that's me alright. Looking good too! That was taken before all that stuff happened with the Eastern folk." She reaches over to grab it but it falls through her hands. It thuds onto the wooden dock, and she sighs. "Will you do me a favor?" She looks at the picture on the ground. "Take the picture out of the frame. The photo should be light enough for me to hold." You pick up the frame and pull the picture out. She holds out her hand as you place the photo in it. It stays held in her hands and she smiles. "Thank you. You can keep that frame; I don't have much need for it now." She holds the photo in her lap and [[smiles at it]]. (Set: $photo to true)

You see small tears fall down her cheeks as she looks at the photo(if: $goodBoy is false)[ and scratches the dog's head at her side]. She looks at you and smiles. "You had better not stay here for too long, the moisture and water will [[rust out your parts]]."

Your head begins to spin at those words. your vision fades and a flash of white light disrupts your focus. Your vision returns and it's suddenly daytime. The skies are clear, and the lake is a bright blue. You stand at the steps to the dock, not wanting to go over the water in caution of getting wet. An old man and young boy sit at the far edge of the dock with lines cast into the water. "Now look here, before you put the worm on the hook, cup it in your hand like this." The old man takes a worm from a small box and places it his hand, cupping the other on top. "Now, you take your other hand and //clap!// It stuns the worm so it'll stop squirmin' around." The young boy scrunches his face. "Ewww grandpa... okay, I'll try it." You stand behind the figures and watch as the boy and his grandfather sit and talk. //CLAP// "There you go! Now put it on the hook and cast out your line! Let's catch something big for grandma to cook up for dinner." The old man laughs as he pats the child's head. The child turns around and looks to you. "Hold on, I need to show my friend" The young boy jumps up and runs to you. "[[Look TOMO, I did it!]]"

His words ring out as your vision once again fades and you're suddenly back on the dark wooden dock. The woman looks at you, a smile still lingering on her face. "You had better get going, little robot man. It's not very safe at night around here." You nod. Exiting down the dock, you roll down into the mud and grass. You're close to the path on the far end of the lake, you know that those neighborhoods you saw are in that direction. You head through the grass and down the path leading away from the lake. You come to a set of [[roads and residential streets|find your friend]].

The crow sits on the window sill cocking its head in all directions, seemingly trying to analyze the room. (text-style:"fidget")["SeEMs He'S NoT HErE eH?"] The crow squawks in a croaked voice. (text-style:"fidget")["I MAy kNOw WhERe HE iS... [[FOllOw mE...]]"] The crow flaps its wings and chaotically lifts off from the window.

With the locket stored in your chest compartment, you head back towards the elevator and take it to the bottom floor. It screeches to a halt, and you wheel yourself out. The fire seems to be out, and you don't sense the scarred figure anymore. Since there is nothing else here, it's probably best you [[move on]].