01 ✨ VIDEO

[codes]

Sheesh, what a mess this place is turning out to be. I guess that's what happens when a bunch of middle schoolers end up as our seniors. That's a Japanese term for a mentor-like role in case you're not catching on, alright?

[ Sure, everyone else is concerned about the battle and dramatics going on, but Rin Tousaka? She's up for complaining about the circumstances much later than the rest. Wearing her golden hair up in childish twintails, she's certainly one to talk about middle schoolers. In fact, she doesn't look to be much older than most of the other teenagers here. ]

Haa, at least I have this apartment all to myself now. I guess that really sucks for their partners though. Who knows how long they've waited to reunite with them and now they're all gone. I wonder what happens to those guys whenever their human counterparts leave?

Speaking of, do you think there's a way we can trade? I've got this wussy partner and that's not really good for someone with a strong personality like myself. Well come on, I'm not the only person who's still around am I? I know this place is just full of cowards who can't hold their own so humor me with an answer won't you?

Comments

[codes]

What makes you think it won't work? People who aren't confident in getting what they want never end up with anything for their trouble. Those who do often are rewarded for their persistence.

[greatwork]

"Rewarded" with a monster attacking while you're alone, maybe. If you want something from this world, you'll have to figure out how to manipulate the rules, not just break them.

[codes]

I'm not really scared of monsters. I disposed of many of them before in my world and well, that place and this one are very identical.

[ Manipulate the rules though, maybe that's where she's going wrong. Instead of cracking into the Digital World, maybe she needs to rewrite the coding instead.

Well, at least she's got her mind thinking now. ]

[greatwork]

You come from a world like this festering pile of nonsensical skunkshit? You've got my pity, lady.

[codes]

Minus the skunkshit, but the digital aspect? Yeah.

I'm surprised they didn't transfer my avatar over.

[greatwork]

Okay, pretend for a moment I'm from a world that obeys the basic laws of chemistry and common fucking sense, and explain what you mean by avatar. I'll grant you the digital aspect as something possible despite the fact that it does not make a goddamn lick of sense and ignores basic things like the behavior of elements not to mention information does not interact with matter-- since we're standing on one like it, but you'll have to work with me on the rest.

[codes]

[ Oh god. Nerd alert. ]

It's like a video game. An avatar is what a character in the game looks like. Now since I was part of a "world" that used data that way, wouldn't it have made sense for the data to be transferred digitally here instead of my real body?

[ It makes sense to Rin at least. ]

[greatwork]

You're forgetting that this world used to be fully material. The fact that we can still interact with it on a physical level, not to mention that we're all still physically here too, makes me think that the real world was the dominant part of the so-called world merging, and the "digital world" was added on top of that. In that case, rather than converting your data or whatever into a material form, it would be way easier to grab your physical body like the rest of us.

[codes]

I figured as much, but now I'm stuck with my true hair color instead of my avatar's cooler hair color.

[ And that is what's important here. ] Do you think the real world is the more prominent of the two worlds then?

[greatwork]

... That's where your problem is? Can't you just buy some dye? Or just make some?

That's what I just said. The data is just an addition onto the framework of the existing world, I think.

[codes]

I'm not open for temporary solutions. [ Hmph. ]

But the data being an addition, huh? I'll have to consider the implications of that with my studies.

[greatwork]

That's some high-level vanity there...

What are you studying?

[codes]

This world, of course. [ And how to break into it. ]

My vanity isn't up for question so just keep in mind that it's high class.

[greatwork]

With what methods?

That's not a compliment, you know.

[codes]

I'll take it as a compliment if I please.

As for what methods, it's simple. Well, once I crack this little terminal. I doubt it'll be much help, but if I can reprogram it to do as I instruct and not someone else, I might be able to use it as a stepping stone.

[greatwork]

That's a lot of "ifs" and "mights" there.

[codes]

I don't like to speak in absolutes unless I'm certain and well, it's difficult in this place. It really depends on who all intends to stop me.

[greatwork]

The world itself will, probably.

[codes]

A constant reminder of my life prior to this place. If anything, difficult worlds are something I can always rely on.

[greatwork]

I've always figured if the world's being difficult, then you're doing something wrong.

So, assuming that you can somehow crack the terminal, which is already a big 'if', and then supposing that for whatever reason lets you access the world, what do you intend to do with that access? Just go home?

[codes]

Geez, you can't blame me for the world being difficult. I work around it the best I can, but sometimes things are programmed to be a real pain in the...

...well, it doesn't matter. I have no real desire to go home, but it might shut up some of the people who end up here if they're given a chance to go home shortly after they arrived.

[greatwork]

If that's all you want, a roll of duct tape will do it faster.

[codes]

Their partners might rip it off and undo all of my great work. That'd be problematic cause then they'd be shouting specifically in my general direction.

[greatwork]

Then tape them up, too.