Open Finished Do data beings dream of digital SHEEPs?

GrimRPer

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It had been tiresome for both Neon and Symlink. The former training his newly awakened power, while supervising the latter's studies, and both also had homework to do... But for now they were tired. To the point Neon sat at a couch and petted his son until both fell asleep, unaware the young data kitsune... Had developed a new ability.

A couple nights ago, Neon found some electronic devices, ordinary ones at that, at unusual places around his room, but having been so tired he ignored them, only to notice they were no longer there. And now those electronics gradually were starting to manifest... A flip cellphone appeared on a table, and a portable gaming device on a seat, and those were just the beginning. Should someone try to use them... They would find themselves in a world that looked like it had been taken from a Fantasy JRPG, like Dragon's Quest, and were even designed themselves to look like 8-bit sprites, in an 8-bit world.
 

PixelatedGlory

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Rhys had wandered into the lounge, only to find people sleeping on the couch and electronics in weird places. Normally they would have just left everything where it was but it kind of looked like a tablet on one of the seat cushions might fall off.

So quietly and politely Rhys scurried over to move it to a safer spot on a table nearby, accidentally tapping the screen as they did so.

Instant fear took hold as something changed them and transported them to... they weren't sure really. Rhys silently pulled their 8-bit arms up to their chest in a now even more exaggerated 'cute' gesture of unease.
 

GrimRPer

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[ S I N C R Y S T A ]
At this village Rhys would find themselves in, a feeling of ye old times was in the air. Even through such old electronic art style, it was possible to tell this was a fantasy medieval world from the very clothes the NPCs wore, to the structure of the residences, to the very guard at every exit except the northern one. What did they have to say? The guards shared the common routine of saying "It is too dangerous to leave! Monsters could jump onto you at any moment!", and nothing else while trying to prevent their leave. As for other NPCs? Well...

Weapons Dealer:
"Torches? Pitchforks? Firestones? You want it- Wait, you are not part of the guild! Shoo, I can't sell you these things or it will be dungeon for me!"

Child A:
"Mom tells me to not talk to strangers. But she also tells me to be home before sunset and to eat my vegetables."

Child B:
"I saw someone just like you, he went to the castle. Where is the castle? Well, you can't leave the village except to go to the castle."

Old Man:
"The secret is in the tree."

Tree:
You find... A Bronze Key!

Item Vendor:
"Sorry, I got nothing. The caravan is late this month... Must be all those monsters."

Young Lady:
"Have you heard about it?"
> Yes "Oh, then I don't need to tell you."
> No "Really? Seems like there is a secret way into the castle if you go right from the gate and check the northeastern wall. Don't tell anyone I told you this."

Castle Gate:
"It's locked. ... ... Hah! I just always wanted to say that. Sorry, but Your Majesty isn't accepting audiences at this moment."

Guild:
The door is locked. A note reads: "Our Adventurers are currently absent, escorting a caravan through perilous territories."
 

PixelatedGlory

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Rhys spent a significant amount of time walking in the village looking at everything. Shying away from the armored people yelling unprompted about staying in the village any time Rhys managed to step just a little too close to the exits they were guarding. They said there were monsters. Rhys didn't want to be attacked by monsters. But maybe they only looked like monsters- like Micha. He was so nice and his many eyes didn't even bother Rhys any more.

In fact it seemed like everyone here just blurted out sentences whenever Rhys approached, not even really acknowledging them directly. It made them really uncomfortable.

They were about to panic when finally someone asked them a question. A nice but really confusing lady asked them if they'd heard it. Naturally Rhys shook their head no and was told about a secret entrance to the castle.

Normally they wouldn't have tried to sneak in somewhere but... there was nowhere else they could go. So they began poking around at the northeastern wall.
 
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GrimRPer

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There was indeed a loose a hidden passageway. As they poked at the wall, a segment of it collapsed. More like simply disappeared, giving a character-sized passage into the castle from what looked like the storage. Or at least one of them. Even though there was no distinct smell, examining a barrel would reveal "This barrel is full of foul-smelling fish. But they still look tasty!"

But in there, within that majestic vastness of the halls and chambers of the castle... There was a severe lack of NPCs. Still, the few that were had some non-important things to share:

Gate Guard:
"Who are you?! Oh, me? I'm doing my job preventing intruders. Not that we have to worry about villagers coming in and out, though."

Sleeping Guard:
"I can't... Eat more... Fish fillets..."

Stairs Guard:
"Are you a friend of SYMLINK? I mean: you LOOK like him, after all. Where is he? He is staying upstairs in a guest room. He wants His Majesty's blessings in leaving to brave the world."
The guard steps aside to unblock the path.


"Walking Barrel":
"Shhh, don't tell anyone, I'm going to steal an armor and pretend to be a guard! It's my dream!"

Throne Room's Door:
It is locked from the inside. You can hear a woman and a man talking inside. But their low hushed tone makes it hard to understand what it is about.

2nd Floor's Guard:
"That guy SYMLINK is a bit suspicious. He went through the gates and door to the throne room like a ghost!"

On the second floor, most doors were locked... Except one where a boy with green fox ears and tail was looking out the window of the room.
 

PixelatedGlory

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Rhys covered their mouth and jumped back as the portion of the wall collapsed, terrified that they had just broken something important.

The NEK0 hurriedly backed away from the hole in the wall and looked around to see if anyone had seen them damage the wall.
 

GrimRPer

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No one reacted any different, everything and everyone followed a routine, the way ordinary NPCs would in games, except being as simple as in old games.

Or so one wish things were.

While true that no NPC would react, someone sure did. From a window, this one character with a degree of similarity with Rhys, the fox boy on the second floor looked and remarked: "Uh? I don't recall there being anyone like this in here. Hey, over here!", he waved to them.
 

PixelatedGlory

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Rhys was extremely puzzled by all the people not reacting and indeed seeming to walk around in neverending circles or just standing there. It didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, and their lack of experience with video games in general prevented them from realizing the similarities to NPCs in a game.

Fortunately someone apparently did spot Rhys and their catlike ears twitched as they heard a voice calling out. They looked over with hope that someone was actually addressing them and their smile immediately faded as they remembered they had just damaged the nearby wall. Nothing much they could do though other than hope the person wasn't too mad.

Rhys waved back instinctively. "hi, i'm sorry about touching your wall. I didn't know it was going to do that." They called back towards the figure in the window.
 

GrimRPer

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"Hm? This castle is not mine. I am just a guest. Wait, you are not a NPC. Wait a minute there.", he was nowhere upset, if anything he was happy from his tone. Symlink, jumped out of the window and... Harmlessly fell on the floor next to Rhys. "I don't recall seeing anyone who acted different from NPCs in here... So... I feel less lonely.", his expression was a distinct broad smile with eyes closed for a moment.
 

PixelatedGlory

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Rhys did exactly as commanded and waited right where they were. Their only movement was to nervously cover their mouth at the child jumping out of a window and then lowering their arms back to hold against their chest like paws, not knowing how to take the complete lack of injury.

"NPCs? I'm Rhys. I'm sorry if you were lonely before but i'm here now. But... where is here?" Rhys was smart enough to realize this wasn't normal. The 'NPCs' and the unrealistic sights and physics made that quite apparent. They just didn't know what kind of an effect this was and how they got there, really.
 
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