dualislogs | i've been bitten by the bug ...

i've been bitten by the bug ...

WHO: Open to all residents
WHAT: Inoculation Season, plus your regular monthly NAPs session
WHERE: Throughout the city, with NAPs held at The Ax Hole.
WHEN: Sept. 10-30 for plague shots and associated side effects; Sept. 10-14 for NAPs
WARNINGS: Please use if applicable!

So tell me, what do you prescribe for these symptoms?

Remember that awful plague that wiped out the city's entire original population? You know, the entire reason you've been brought here? Well, the medical science community of Dualis has been hard at work concocting a cure for as long as anyone can remember, with minimal results. But during the morning of the 10th, news of a breakthrough is announced is a special city-wide bulletin. All media channels are overtaken with this message, and alerts hit every citizen's phone. The best part? Science needs your help!

There's no formal approval process for new vaccines and medications, just a series of volunteer trials before it's determined whether what's being tested is effective. All residents are invited to participate in these trials, with a bonus of 200 extra duos as compensation for their time and possible suffering. Simply head down to your nearest MedDualis clinic and inform the MedDroids supervising that you're reporting for your civic duty. Participants will be given a quick, easy, and practically painless inoculation shot in the arm, and will walk out the door 200 duos richer. Neat, huh?

Participants will be warned that like all experimental drugs, there may be side effects. A non-comprehensive list of those possible side effects includes: minor appearance changes (hair/skin/eye color), enhancing or reducing senses (smell, taste, hearing, sight, etc.), sudden mild development of extranormal abilities (telepathy, super strength, super speed, etc.), the ability to share dreams (if you're not tired of that sorta thing after last month), and/or loss of control over abilities you already possess, or those abilities misfiring. Hey, at least death isn't included on this list!

Any intrepid Dualizen who comes down with a case of weirdness as a result of doing their civic duty will find that weirdness will wear off by the end of the month. The Head thanks you for your sacrifice!

Don't you feel the fever like I do?

Look at all of these bright, shining new faces! There’s even a few less bright, less shining faces - maybe even a few folks without faces - but hey, this city welcomes all types. Chances are, if you’ve just arrived, you're seeing some pretty crazy things, unless you're used to an eye-blinding amount of neon, robots, weird-ass technology, magic, and an omnipresent police force...and hey, if you are, congrats, you're gonna settle in juuuuust fine. But for the rest of you, the Head knows this has gotta be pretty overwhelming, right?

Well, since your quaint individual processing units are probably having a hard time, why not link up with another one? By which the Head means...

Hello, new citizens of Dualis,
and welcome to your monthly Network Adjacency Protocol~!

NAPs are a monthly community networking event similar to the Earth concept of speed dating! Two citizens (new arrivals and old hands alike) are placed at a table together with a handy cue card of queries to help break the proverbial ice. Ask queries and receive results, or ignore the card and yeet yourself straight into a brand new friendship! But don't be too shy, you've only got ten minutes together, and if you just sit in silence for the whole ten, the Network Admins are likely to come supervise and try to repair the uplink through a mild shock to the ol' central nervous system. You might find yourself saying all sorts of unintended facts about yourself if that happens...probably better to just make friends, right? Who doesn’t like friends?!

This month’s event is held at an exciting new establishment called The Ax Hole! The 'Hole is an indoor ax-throwing range plus bar plus mid-price grill-type restaurant, the first of its kind to find a home here in Dualis. You must be at least 18 to drink and/or throw axes, and if you are throwing axes, there is a limit of one drink per hour. The bartenders are very strict about enforcing this rule, and employees are available to give safety instructions on proper ax-throwing technique and supervise activities.

This is a family-friendly establishment, so anyone under 18 is welcome in the restaurant section and the viewing room between the restaurant and range to watch the ax-throwing action, but they are absolutely not allowed inside the range, even just to watch. In fact, anyone who wishes admittance to the range must sign a waiver stating that they understand the risks of participating and agree to hold the Ax Hole free of liability in the event of any accidents that cause injury or death.

If that hasn't scared you off yet, come on down and meet your new neighbors! Oh, and do try to exit with at least as many fingers and limbs as when you entered, OK?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sure he's supposed to keep drunks from getting access to it but what about someone who's studying the axe a little too intently, almost like he's having trouble making sense of something. Lingering symptoms from head injuries are great.

He looks up when Thane approaches and eyes him suspiciously.

"I don't need that," he says, eyeing the waiver.

If someone looks as if they are having trouble making sense of an axe while studying it intently then Thane is sure to be there, watching carefully with his stack of waivers ready in hand.

"Liability waivers are hardly for those signing them." He continues to hold them up as if expecting the other to eventually take one. "I must ask that if you plan on hurling sharp objects at a target on the far side of the room that you sign one."

Squall is staring at the waiver as if it'll come alive and bite him. The last time he signed something, he ended up stuck in his stupid job.

"No." He turns the axe in his hand.

"I know how to handle a weapon."

This is a perfectly reasonable statement to make. The only problem is he doesn't specialize in throwing weapons.

It's a perfectly reasonable statement that, as far as Thane is concerned, matters very little. It's obvious he's going to have trouble conveying that. But if he's annoyed or frustrated he's certainly not showing it.

"That was never in doubt. I apologize if I made it seem as such." Was it never in doubt? Well, that's not important. But It's not as if the range of skill in this place isn't incredibly varied. You never knew what you were going to get with the people here. "But signing the waiver is mandatory for participation. It's for the company's sake, not yours."

Perhaps it's a strange battle to be fighting, but Thane was absolutely nothing if not professional.

"They should've thought of that before letting people come in to throw axes." Seriously, not the best plan to put this next to a bar.

He holds up the axe, pointy end facing Thane, and says in a sudden bout of petulance.

"I'm not handing this over either."

"I will not disagree on that point." There are over one hundred things that are just downright terrible ideas in this place, Thane will admit. But that's partially why he must keep order where he can. Also because it's his job and he takes that responsibility seriously. A guy's gotta earn a living.

Luckily he is not unused to dealing with stubborn young people. That doesn't make it any less unpleasant, however. He doesn't seem to flinch or make any move when the axe is pointed at himself.

"I have no doubt that you don't intend to hand it over." This kid seems stubborn enough that there will be no reasoning with him. "I also have no doubt that you did not entirely think this through. Is your brandishing of the axe a threat? Are you trying to prove something?" He finally moves, only to hold out the waiver towards Squall. "Last chance."

Squall tilts his head curiously, looking at how he's holding the axe then at Thane again. The other is suddenly (to his slower mind) closer and he takes a step back, holding the axe a bit more defensively.

"No." A more judgemental look. "Back off."

He definitely didn't quite think it through, not like he would usually. Hell, he would have given up on even trying the game by now.

"Very well."

Thane gives a simple nod of his head as he turns to set down his paper work, as if he had taken Squall's demand seriously and had no intention of making him hand it over. Of course, that's just his unnaturally calm nature at work. Once his hands are free he turns and holds out his palm, a blue glow bathing his body as well as the axe in Squall's hands.

He should feel a tug, as if someone were physically snatching it from him, as he tries to use his biotics to forcefully levitate the weapon into his own hands — while being careful to do so in such a way that won't end up with either of them getting stabbed, of course.

"Huh?" Blurting out his confusion more vocally than he normally would, Squall immediately grips the axe handle with both hands. It takes longer than normal for his brain to catch up to the fact that Thane has the same blue glow, so while he's stubbornly holding on tight (and he has enough strength to put up a decent resistance for a while. It's not exactly the easiest thing to hold on to).

He glares at Thane ineffectually.

"Hey! Stop it."

Thane is quite impressed that even in his confusion Squall didn't immediately let go of the axe. But unfortunately for the young man he has absolutely no intention of stopping. In fact, the tug on the weapon grows a bit stronger to display the opposite intention.

"You're in no position to make demands." His posture is still straight, one hand behind his back as the other is held up in this nonphysical (on his part at least) game of tug of war, as if this is taking no effort for him at all. "Pride is a dangerous thing. Had you simply signed the waiver you would be doing what you came here to do by now. Instead, you've traipsed into a situation with an unknown outcome and no plan. If you somehow managed to wrest the weapon from my grasp then what would you do?" His wrist bends inward and the pull will become stronger. "Even if I let you have it now, I will simply take it the moment you throw it. You have put yourself in a situation in which you cannot win."

There's something to be said about trained reflexes... and fighting against telekinesis because Squall is most definitely losing this one as the axe slowly slips out of his hands in the course of Thane's lecture.

Why is he even being lectured!

He loses his grip and stumbles forward, catching himself before he face plants, and genuinely looks like he's considering decking Thane. Instead he just scowls and folds his arms tightly.

"Whatever."

Articulate. Despite all the counterpoints he's throwing back at Thane in his head. Who cares about a stupid waiver? He doesn't even care about axe throwing! And don't treat him like a child!

... "You're an idiot."

Okay he may have trouble maintaining a stance on that last point.

Thane couldn't even say why he was lecturing this young man. Instinct, perhaps. And maybe because he sees a young man who stubbornly leaps head first into a situation without thinking it through and thinks of his son. Not that he ever had anything in the way of "instincts" when it came to being a father. But lecturing on the importance of how you act in a potentially dangerous situation? That he knew how to do.

When the axe flies into his hand he catches it with ease, ignoring the fact that Squall does very much look like he wants to punch him in the face. The glow steadily fades until it's gone and his biotics are no longer in use.

"And yet I am the one holding the axe," he answers simply, turning over the weapon in his hand before walking past Squall to place it back on the wall. "You have good reflexes."

"I don't care about the axe!" he mutters, annoyed. He has to drag his eyes back to look at Thane. "I'm a mercenary. Fighting's what I do."

Ugh, why does everything he say sound like a petulant child right now? Even he's getting annoyed at himself.

Ah, a young mercenary. That explains some things.

"I see." He turns from the wall to face Squall, still not looking annoyed or affected at all. "You could stand to think a few steps ahead before acting."

He looks away again when Thane turns back.

"You wouldn't have noticed if I'm not confused right now," Half- muttered and half spoken at a normal tone. He hates this head injury so much right now.

"Wouldn't I have?" he asks, though with the incline of his head and the lighter tone it's obvious he doesn't want — or need an answer to that question. Yes, he would have, he's certain.

"May I ask what it is you're so confused about?"

He likes to think he's not easy to predict.

"I was hit in the head by a really heavy sword..."

He can't say that was an answer he had been expecting. He supposes that explains a lot.

"I see. If this damage to your head is causing you confusion, I would think it to be a serious problem. Have you been to medical?"

He makes a face. "No. And I'm not going to." Don't lecture him, his eyes seem to say.

"I might not come back the same."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i've been bitten by the bug ...

Axe hole

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