dualislogs | 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

He chuckles lightly. "Fortunately, I have yet to see any case of either. But given everything that has occurred thus far, it would not be that far out of the realm of possibility, wouldn't you say?" Not just because of people who were once dead returning to the living, but people from different periods of time and all.

"The tapestry of the universe is delicate. What other consequences could you see coming to fruition from manipulating them as one sees fit?"

It might be a possibility, is all he's saying.

"You know what I think? I think the universe is a dick. It's a fuckin' beautiful place and it's nasty as fuck, and it's probably fragile and tougher than we think at the same time.

"I'd prefer the fabric of time not be undone. 'Cause yeah, that'd be scary shit. But I'd prefer the idea that something could be done about our situations than the helpless shit we're usually saddled with. And you know what? This might be one of our only chances to do something about it."

Helplessness is one of the worst feelings, as is loneliness. If he has even the slightest chance to spit in the face of circumstances, fight his way back, he wants to take it.

Thane gives a deep nod of his head. Upon closer inspection one could possibly see the faintest hint of a smile.

"I believe we are capable of extraordinary things in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. There are examples of it in history, both where I'm from as well as yours, I'm sure."

He passes a glance around the bar as if to consider something.

"Should space and time be torn asunder we will just have to find a way to bring it back together."

"Luckily I'm pretty sure we won't be doing that." He makes a so so motion with his hand. "Reasonably, anyway. We can fuck up, but we can't fuck up that bad."

He hopes.

"Seriously though, these people are really fucking good with axes."

Except him, he's managed to hit the edges of the target, and that's a low bar to jump. He's much better with guns.

"I did not expect so many to be so proficient at it."

Having someone more often than not get in line and actually be good at throwing an ax at a target is a bit odd, but also makes his job just slightly easier.

"Though I suppose if you can throw a knife or a dart you can throw an ax, given the proper adjustments to your technique are made."

He's given this thought.

"I'm great at a gun range. And I'm good at darts. I've just never had the lumberjack experience or the Daniel Day Lewis training to pull off ax-chucking.

"Maybe I can figure it out. I was telling Connor that this is gonna be somehow relevant to the future story and I'm gonna have to rescue someone with this shit. That's how weird-ass narratives work, right?"

Everyone, at some point, has a thought they are in a story. Hank's gotta appreciate a good ridiculous Chekhov's gun. Except it sucks when you fumble with that gun.

"Now that you've vocalized it, you've manifested a timeline in which that very well will happen. I would begin practice, were I you."

Thane is once again just joking, though it's hard to tell with his tone most of the time. The only indication he ever gives is the slightly more casual tone of his words.

Edited 2019-09-30 19:08 (UTC)

"Oh fuckin' lord I hope not."

Hank snorts, though, much to his mistake not taking Thane or any of this seriously. What failure this will be. But right now, he's definitely joking.

All joking aside, though.

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to learn a new skill. No matter how obscure." Especially if it involves a weapon. Why not, really?

"It is simple enough to learn."

"When I was trying it earlier with Connor I had to use two hands, but I didn't do too bad. Not perfect. But I got the ax to stick." And that was something.

Okay, he's a little proud. Here he is, an old ass man, with that sort of childish pride that comes with doing something right.

"Two handed throwing is a valid technique." From what he's gathered using one hand is a little more advanced anyway. He did indeed do some research on your typical axe throwing rules before he started, naturally. "It sounds as if you're well on your way."

There's nothing wrong with having pride in small victories. Be proud, Hank. Be very proud.

"Yeah, I'm at apprentice level ax throwing. But uh... yeah. If you see someone with a faded jagged scar on their wrist, could you let me know? Not like they cut, but like a uh... tattoo that's barely there."

Members of the Heart, to be precise.

There's only a brief pause, long enough to be obvious that he's thinking about his reply but quick enough to show that the thought passes through his mind in a flash.

"I will keep an eye out," he says with a small nod. So far he trusts Hank enough that he feels comfortable agreeing to such a thing.

i've been bitten by the bug ...

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Since this is before the meet-up.

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