Juim had never bothered to ask what his creator had been thinking in giving him such a name^. He had only cared for one thing in his life, this thing being "work". He would wake up, stretch, take the elevator down to the lobby, walk to the Building, and interact with the UI (User Interface) presented to him on a holographic screen. He had never known his work-place by any name other than the Building; "Hey, I'm going to grab some lunch, and then head back to the Building" "I'll be right back. Left something in the Building" "You need me to get you a drink? Sorry, too busy here in the Building". As is the case with many such protagonists, he had never bothered to ask questions- only provide answers and comments. Juim was a "yes sir" kind of guy, and would become nervous if ever given reason to do anything apart from what his normal schedule required. You understand, then, why I've granted you free reign over his program. Don't disappoint me. [[Begin]] ^(After all, "Juim" is pronounced the same way as "Jim", so why not simply call him "Jim"?)Juim awoke from a peculiar dream. He had dreamed of sneaking through a dark corridor, then torturing some poor sap and taking over his body. He could only describe it as odd- he wanted to feel sympathy for the individual, but couldn't since it had only been a dream. (+1) [[Get out of bed]] [[Go back to sleep]] [[Stretch]] (If you have a piece of paper and pen in handy, or some other similar means, you may want to consider recording the points you gain or lose throughout this narrative. When you're finished, your score may earn you a satisfying rank.)Juim hopped out of bed, his limbs aching. He felt tired, stiff, and would have felt generally unpleasant. Still, he had a job to do, and would do it to the best of his ability. (+1) [[Stretch]] [[Lie on the floor]] [[Do a dance]]Juim decided he had had enough, rolled over and went back to sleep, never to awaken again. (-1) Now that you are aware of what sort of consequences apply to certain choices, perhaps you should [[Begin]] again.Juim stretched his limbs, and felt refreshed almost immediately. He was ready to continue. (+1) [[Do a dance]] [[Walk to the elevator]]Juim felt a sudden pain in his back, so he decided to lie on the floor, never to rise again. (-1) It's a good thing all endings are merely beginnings. [[Begin]]Juim danced the Hokey Pokey, but wasn't quite certain what that was about. He couldn't shake the feeling that time had reversed for a few seconds. The muscles in his arms and legs were sore. [[Stretch]]Juim took the elevator down to the lobby. As he listened to the music, he felt strangely content, as if he had been built for this very purpose... which was half true. (+1) [[Walk to the Building]] [[Dance to the Building]] [[Run to the Building]] [[Hail a taxi to get to the Building]] [[Turn around and go home]] [[Question the logic of this narrative]]Juim walked to the Building, enjoying the fresh air and considering what lay in store for him. Before he knew it, however, he had arrived at The Building, where he had gone every day for as long as he could remember. [[The Building]]Juim danced like there was no tomorrow- which for him, there likely wouldn't be. He had no idea why he was dancing his way to the Building... yet that wasn't to say he wasn't satisfied when he finally reached the large glass doors. A female eating her breakfast on a bench took notice of Juim's dancing and, much to his surprise, she winked. "Nice moves." Juim only nodded, acknowledging her praise, before entering in. (+1) [[The Building]]Juim didn't understand the hurry, but felt a strange urgency- almost as if something bad would happen if he didn't reach the Building in time. As it turned out (much to his dismay), he was correct. (+1) [[The Event]]Juim decided to get to the Building in style. He sat down in the back, and the driver promptly shot him in the face. He would dump Juim's remains off the side of the rode later. (-1) [[Begin]]Juim had grown tired of this little adventure, and proceeded to make his way back to the place he called home. Ill realizing, however, that a gas leak had made his room into a fire hazard. Later that day, Juim attempted to turn on his gass stove for his final meal... ...which he would never eat, of course. As the townsfolk went about their day, a loud blairing could be heard from a nearby fire truck, speeding it's way toward Juim's apartment. (-1) Let's start again from the [[Begin]]ning.Juim thought a moment, realizing something peculiar. What was the point of any of this? What was the author trying to say? Was Juim a mere toy- a plaything to be thrown around, destroyed, rebuilt, and played with some more? Is that what all fictional characters are to their authors? Was the plot of this story going to be extended to a trilogy? Did this story even have an end? Such thoughts were disturbing to Juim, so he decided to think about bunnies instead whilst making his way towards the Building. [[The Building]]Juim reached the Building, wondering what he should do to pass the time until it opened, when something caught his eye from a nearby alley. He wandered down, only to witness a child-like character (a Tinkerer, as Juim understood) being held up by a female. Juim quickly hid behind some box or other, eavesdropping on their conversation. "You weren't trying to get away from me, were you?" She asked accusingly, as if catching him in the act of some crime. "Ah- uh- well I-" the tiny thing spluttered, "I don't know what you're talking about-" She sighed dismally. "No. I suppose not." Juim heard a *click*, and the female continued. "You have three seconds to give me the password to the networks before I put your face in, and if I think you're messing with me, I'll blow you sky high." The tiny one's giant Photoreceptors seemed to rattle as his entire frame shook. He mumbled his response. "Ah... um... something- ...something- ...something- ...numbers-" Juim heard a noise that might have been loud, but was muffled by some internal machinery. He was petrified beyond measure- witnessing something so horrible as this for the first time in his existence. He didn't know what to do. If he tried to do anything that involved movement, he would likely be detected. Juim attempted to focus... what was the proper protocol for this situation? Thankfully, a vehicle from law-enforcement pulled up to the entrance of the alley. The female didn't so much as flinch. The one who got out of the vehicle approached her with a bag. "He tell you?" The female snorted. "Nope. Idiot thought sarcasm was appropriate, even in his... circumstances." "You get offended too easily." "Whatever. Put him in the bag." The one who had gotten out of the vehicle threw the tiny thing's remains into the bag, then glanced at the female. "Give me your gun." She tossed it to him. "Don't mess this up, okay?" "Don't worry." He drove off, and she made her way to a bench just outside the Building. She pulled out a box, and started eating breakfast. Juim was mortified, but figured he should just forget about this entire incident and enter into the Building to begin work. (+1) [[The Building]]The Building was nothing if not impressive; a large, glass structure that spiraled and stretched in many directions. It was like seeing a marvelous glass krakken, except it was even more interesting. Juim couldn't appreciate the sight, however, since he saw the Building every day. Inside, Juim was greeted by several employees (the ones designed specifically to be charming and social), and he made his way to the desk at which he would work. Juim sat down, staring at the system's UI. [[>Play with the system's UI]] [[>Work with the system's UI]] >Use the system's UI to hack into the Building's classified networks [[Stand up]] [[Do nothing]]Juim touched the picture of a puppy, and was immediately greeted with a cute bark as the pet application loaded up. The hologram was now displaying a 3D model of the puppy, carefully animated to look as adorable and lifelike as possible. Juim "petted" the puppy, "fed" the puppy, and "played" with the puppy before closing the application. [[>Work with the system's UI]] >Use the system's UI to hack into the Building's classified networks [[Give up]] [[Do nothing]]Juim touched the picture of his face, and his work began. The entirety of his work came in the form of logic puzzles, which he solved with ease due to a certain... circumstance. He continued until the closing hours of his work schedule, then sat back, satisfied. It was as if he had been built for the very purpose of completing those puzzles day-in and day-out, which of course was completely true. [[Leave the Building]] [[Sneak around]] [[Chat with the employees]] [[Try to be inconspicuous]]Juim was surprised that- inspite of his little experience or skill- he was able to hack the program with ease. He began to explore the various networks, when an AI suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks. "Hey!" It would have shouted if it had a voice, but instead projected on the holographic screen, "What do you think you're doing?" Juim considered his response carefully. [[I'm one of the new admins. Let me pass.]] [[Just checking out the net, yo.]] [[Do a dance]] [[Give up]] [[Hack the AI]]Juim did absolutely nothing. Perhaps he had fallen asleep, or was daydreaming about the girl who served smoothies. Come to think of it, he was getting a little thirsty. [[Grab a smoothie]]Juim stood, wondering what he should do. [[Stretch]] [[Turn around and go home]] [[Give up]] [[Grab a smoothie]] [[Do a dance]]Juim ran to a conveniently placed ledge nearby, and jumped. There was a loud *THWACK!* as his frame hit the surface below, splitting into thousands of pieces. The boys swept the pieces into a bin, where they would momentarily be thrown onto a conveyor belt and reassembled. If I had had temples, I would have rubbed them, and sighed. Do you enjoy making my life difficult, or were you trying to leave? If you wish to exit the program, there's a red button with an "x" on it in the top right-hand corner. Oh, and by the way, (-1). [[Begin]]Juim grabbed a smoothie, feeling refreshed by both the taste of the drink and the sight of Kuim, the girl at the counter who took orders. Out of all the individuals in the Building, she was the only one who seemed genuinely friendly to him. Suddenly, something in his mind kicked into his thought-processes. "Shut your brain! You weren't built to have opinions! Get back to work!" Juim sighed, knowing that the voice in his head was correct, but not wanting to leave just yet. He took another moment or two, finishing off his drink and waving to Kuim before returning to his desk. [[>Play with the system's UI]] [[>Work with the system's UI]]Juim returned home and went to bed, satisfied with his day. He hoped that every day could be like this, forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever... and ever... and... ever... ... zzz... [[Begin]]Juim snuck around, and was promptly snecked up. He had never been good at sneakery. [[Untie the noose]] [[Do a dance]]Juim began to chat with the employees, who didn't want to have a genuine conversation with him and instead presented their automated responses. Juim decided to talk to them anyway. [[Who are you guys?]] [[How do I rule the world?]] [[What's the password to the classified networks?]] [[Who built you?]]Juim tried to be inconspicuous. He inconspicuously sneaked around his fellow employees, inconspicuously wandered to a wall, inconspicuously pressed a button on the wall, and inconspicuously walked into the kitchen. He then (quite conspicuously) found a cookie in the pantry. Well, that was lovely. Juim had a thought. What if he tried doing some overtime? Maybe he could get away with doing some more puzzles. [[>Work with the system's UI]].Juim untied the noose, wishing he had a bright idea. [[Give up]]"Really?" The AI said with a skepticism that could only be read between the lines. "So what's the password?" [[Pussy ickle-kins, the lovable cat]] [[Hot potato hot potato hot potato hot potato]] [[What does it matter?]] [[Fool's errand- as all are on until they learn]] [[Ktharia: Meaning the World to Us]] [[Nexus; may he rest in peace]] [[Something-something-something-numbers]]"Oh really?" The AI said. "Then what's the password?" "Ah..." "You don't know? Then you're NOT 'just checking out the net yo', are you?" "Ah... I guess not?" "Right you are. Now, get back to work." The AI rebooted the system, leaving Juim to continue. Being left to his own devices, Juim wondered what he should do next. [[Give up]] [[Stand up]] [[>Work with the system's UI]] [[>Play with the system's UI]] [[>Use the system's UI to hack into the Building's classified networks]] [[Do nothing]]"Wait-wha-wai-wait- wait a minute WHAT-" Juim overrode the AI's program as if he possessed years of experience, only to set off a multitude of alarms. The employees rushed after you, their cheerful expressions still in place, if betrayed by the urgency in their step. Juim had failed, yet hardly felt he had lost. After all, what chance had he had of winning to begin with? His only regret was that he had tried in the first place. (-1) [[Give up]]The Employee's face maintained the same kind-but-calm expression. "We are the employees of the Building. We live to provide helpful information. We are here to serve you. If there is anything we can do to help, please let us know." Juim smiled, somehow reassured by this explanation. [[Chat with the employees]]The Employee's posture suggested a spine too perfect to be human. "In the event of desiring global domination, you may consult the historical documents found in our Building's library." "Thank you." Juim replied. (+1) [[Head to the library]] [[Chat with the employees]]The Employee's enthusiastic robot voice wouldn't break. "If you wish to access classified information, please consult your employer." Juim nodded, despising himself for asking such a question. Why on earth would he ever want the password to the classified networks? Had he lost it?! [[Chat with the employees]]The Employee's large eyes stared without comprehension. "I was built in a Ktharian tech facility, assembled from Bio-Paks, Kinetic Twitchframe, among other components to create a step forward in modern ingenuity." Juim nodded politely. [[Chat with the employees]]"Nope." (-1) //ERROR- *refresh your browser to continue!*"Nope." (-1) //ERROR- *refresh your browser to continue!*"What do you mean?" The AI asked. Juim shrugged. "I'm just going to figure out the password from all these 'undo' buttons, or whatever they're called. There's no point in a password. I'm going to get in, either way." The AI seemed impressed. "Alright then. Continue." Juim had access to the networks... [[//CLASSIFIED.NetIP.connected ... >Input.command]]"Nope." (-1) //ERROR- *refresh your browser to continue!*"Nope." (-1) //ERROR- *refresh your browser to continue!*"Nope." (-1) //ERROR- *refresh your browser to continue!*The AI processed this for a moment. "...Hmph. Fine. You pass." Juim had access to the networks... (+1) [[//CLASSIFIED.NetIP.connected ... >Input.command]] The AI stared at Juim through the lens built into his desk. "You just guessed that on a whim, didn't you?" Juim hesitated. "Maybe." The AI would have grunted had it been able to. "Whatever. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid, got it?" Juim nodded. He didn't plan on it.The Library held a massive collection of books, computers, disks, files, and historians just waiting to be asked questions. Shelves reached almost infinite heights, and the computer desks stretched to the other end of the largest room Juim had ever seen. Of course, he only had permission to access a certain degree of the information available. He wandered over to the small set of books and a laptop, which was all he was allowed to use in the vast library. [[Look up the Greenhouse]] [[Look up the Dungeon]] [[Look up Politics]] [[Break the rules]] [[Turn around and go home]]Juim stared at the options presented to him. [[Research the creation of the world]] [[Learn a little about me]] [[Understand why the Building exists]] [[Give up]] [[Figure out something else]]Juim read the text presented to him. [The Greenhouse our central hub for biological experimentation. It provides entertainment, learning, and relaxation for visitors of every age.] [[Head to the Greenhouse]] [[Look up the Dungeon]] [[Look up Politics]]Juim read the text presented to him. [The Dungeon is where we send Adventurers, Lunatics, and Monsters. Although dangerous, the individuals down there seem to- ENJOY- it.] Juim nodded in understanding, but smiled at the fact that he had never been sent there, except on offical business regarding work of course. [[Look up the Greenhouse]] [[Look up Politics]]Juim read. [There are no politics within our Coordinates. Order, while maintained, is myth. Allignment, while key, is only upheld by chaos. Variables guide our actions, allowing for little external input. We are free within parameters.] The inconsistency was evident, yet the text seemed clear enough for Juim. [[Look up the Greenhouse]] [[Look up the Dungeon]]Juim ran outside his boundaries, running towards the massive display of books. He grabbed a torn up volume entitled "Origins: a Compilation of Accounts Regarding our Generation". He flipped through several pages until coming across a name that stuck out to him. The name was important- more so to him than to any other individual at this exact moment. The text he read was a quote from one of the Building's founders: [*"Jium was designed to help people, and that's exactly what he's going to do. He may seem rather... unorthodox as a Protector, but once people understand, they'll see how he's up there with all the other Protectors we've uncovered."*] Juim read on: [*"Dora, as you may have guessed, is based off of the popular cartoon explorer. Now, our Dora is not Hispanic, but she shares that love of discovery, and understands things that most don't bother to question. We weren't expecting someone so quiet to have so much imagination! (Laughs) I guess that's all we know.*"] [*"Jargon was the very first Protector we found- we wanted someone who not only could stop threats, but who would understand the right way to solve problems. Since we understood how biology and technology could collide to grant our machines humanity, this made our goals achievable. We were excited beyond words...*"] There were parts regarding other Protectors, such as Nexus, but he only briefly skimmed them. It took Juim a few minutes to realize that no one was going to arrest him, or shoot him, or do anything to interrupt... which was just as well, since he desperately needed a moment to think. Juim was an Employee of the Building. He had worked there for as long as he could recall. He wasn't some sort of hero; he solved puzzles for a living. He played with virtual pets. He categorized data. He drank smoothies. There had been some sort of mistake- the "Jium" in question certainly didn't work at the Building, which meant that "Jargon" couldn't be the one pulling the strings behind Juim's actions. "Jargon", whoever he may be, had no reason to be found in a person as outside this conflict as Juim. *"...And yet, here I am."* I sighed. I would like to say that Juim was startled, but it was more than that. He was scared out of his wits. His physical reaction was typical- his spine straightened, his eyes accusingly swept the room, and after a few minutes he realized that my voice was in his head. (+1) [[Further explanations]]...I won't bother to tell you what Juim read. It's not important. [[Understand why the Building exists]] [[Figure out something else]] [[Learn a little about me]]...I won't bother to tell you what Juim read. It's not important. [[Understand why the Building exists]] [[Research the creation of the world]] [[Figure out something else]]...I won't bore you with the details of what Juim read. Suffice to say that the Building wasn't my idea. In fact, I have no affiliation with the people who were running that place. Honestly. [[Research the creation of the world]] [[Figure out something else]] [[Learn a little about me]]Juim found a key: [3YZ2XB4WO3V5SG5R7P608N7M9LKNK] He wasn't entirely certain if it would prove useful, but figured it was better than nothing. (+1) After saving the password to his memory banks, Juim felt satisfied (in spite of the horror of what he had just done). If he had sweat-glands, they would no doubt be hard at work now, for his apprehension had just increased. Why was he doing this? What compelled him to disobey his own program? What had awakened this sense of rebellion? Had he gone insane?? Juim decided that the best thing to do in this situation was to... [[Head to the Dungeon]]Sunlight poured in through the clear cylindrical panels which made up the walls and roof. Juim wandered through the humid, green areas as spectators selected options from elevated platforms. This was the place where animal life and vegitation were experimented with in the form of almost-non-threatening interactivity. There had been a few... miscalculations made in the past regarding what was permissible to grow, but such mutations were stored where they belonged- in the Dungeon. (+1) Standing on the cobblestone center of the Greenhouse, Juim didn't know where to start. [[Go on "path one"]] [[Go on "path two"]] [[Head to the library]]One could be forgiven for thinking the Dungeon sounded a little... fantastical, when in reality the setup was perfectly logical. There was natural lighting coming in from high-placed windows. The walls were a pleasant light grey, and there were technological reinforcements built into the floor and the bars of each cell, to retain the Dungeon's occupants. (+1) The inmates were listed under three classifications- Adventurers (those who caused problems), Lunatics (the byproduct of problems), and Monsters (problems even of themselves). In the first level of the Dungeon, Juim saw four cells, and a locked door. [[Look in the first cell]] [[Look in the second cell]] [[Look in the third cell]] [[Look in the fourth cell]] [[Examine the door]] [[Head to the library]]Juim peered into the first cell. A scraggly thing sat on the floor, hissing strangely. It seemed a typical mutant- multiple limbs, three ears on each side of its head, eight eyes with large pupils and crystal clear irisis, golden-brown fur... Something struck Juim about the teeth, from the way the beast hissed at him. Some of them seemed like jagged diamonds, yet others were merely lumps, like carved opals. It was easy to think that this individual fed primarily off of others... but its teeth suggested an omnivore. Judging from the ratio of sharp to smooth crystals, it may very well have been more accustomed to plant-life. Juim didn't know how he had managed to miss this fact before... but then, he didn't know how this information mattered now, either. He wondered what to do next. [[Give it an apple]] [[Look in the second cell]] [[Look in the third cell]] [[Examine the door]] [[Look in the fourth cell]]Juim was shocked at what he found in the second cell. It was a little alien girl- and by alien, I mean foreign in a way that suggests she underwent some serious mutation, or came from another planet. On the other hand, Juim didn't know anything about other planets. He would've been hard pressed to explain what a solar system was. The girl's skin was magenta. Her ears were three inches long, and they pointed downward. Her shoulder length hair was a dark color. She stared at him with her three large purple eyes, then grinned. Juim felt paralyzed. Her smile was a long stretch of sharp tiny fangs. If she hadn't been mute, Juim guessed that she probably would have said something to the effect of "I want to eat your brains, and save your liver for desert", or something else disgusting. After a few moments of gawking at her, Juim stepped back a bit, wondering what to do next. [[Give her an apple]] [[Look in the first cell]] [[Look in the third cell]] [[Examine the door]] [[Look in the fourth cell]]The third cell confined a very tall, very thin figure. He had long hands, and his fingers touched the floor. The length of his neck went too far to be human, and his skin was a strange grey hue. His face had a small line of a mouth... no eyes. His adam's apple poked out a little. He stared blankly at Juim. Juim stared blankly back. [[Give him an apple]] [[Look in the first cell]] [[Look in the second cell]] [[Examine the door]] [[Look in the fourth cell]]The door to the next level was locked. [[Look in the first cell]] [[Look in the second cell]] [[Look in the third cell]]The fourth cell's prisoner wore a cloak, and a wig of long silver hair. A mask covered her head- which just so happened to be a Bio-Pak. She seemed to be wearing headphones, yet in truth they were a component of her anatomy. Two "eyes" glowed from inside the Bio-Pak through the eyeholes of her mask, granting her sight. She stared a Juim blankly, her "eyes" following his movements. (+1) [[Ask her a question]] [[Stare at her]] [[Look in the first cell]] [[Look in the second cell]] [[Look in the third cell]] [[Head to the library]]Juim walked on the first path presented to him. It was curious to see how it wound this way and that. Upon entering a lowly-lit forest, Juim discovered that the Greenhouse was larger than he had previously given it credit for. It was no wonder that tourists often visited. [[Continue towards the apple tree]] [[Continue towards the fountain]]Juim wandered down the second pathway he saw, and soon found himself faced with a staircase leading up a grassy slope. He could see openness and life in almost every direction. It was no wonder that visitors came by here all the time- the Greenhouse was proving to be larger than Juim had anticipated. [[Continue towards the platforms]] [[Continue towards the field]]The apple tree hosted orange-ish red-ish yellow-ish apples, like the kind you'd find in advertisements regarding the Autumn season. Juim wondered if his gyros could get him to the top. [[Climb the apple tree]] [[Don't climb the apple tree]]Juim peered into the waters of the fountain, where he found a small coin. [[Pick up the coin]] [[Head to the library]]Juim climbed up to the platforms, then sat down in one of the chairs. He began to admire the view, but was cut short by a screen popping up in front of him. It presented several possibilities, each with a focus on altering the environment below. Juim wasn't sure that he wanted to work with this thing, but figured he might as well have a go. [[Create a new species]] [[Change up the landscape]]Visiting the field was a refreshing experience for Juim. After all the hours he spent at a work desk, it was nice to smell the fresh air... not that Juim knew what fresh air smelled like. He looked to the windows above him, and into the sky beyond. Juim paused. Why... did he like being here? It wasn't within the parameters of his programming. One would think he should detest such a sight as this. He was created to work, not to wonder... Yet awestruck he remained. Maybe... maybe he could lie down to enjoy the scene a little more, or explore a bit before leaving the Building. [[Lie in the grass]] [[Explore the field]]Juim wasn't certain as to what he should say. "I'd... like to ask you a question." The prisoner's mask seemed hazy to Juim for a moment. It rematerialized in a different expression. Her mouth didn't move, but Juim heard her speak. "Can't." Juim exhaled. "Why not?" "Can't." "What?" "Can't." Her expression changed to slightly depressed. Juim realized what the problem was. There were restraints on her ability to speak. He wondered what she had done to deserve this. He walked up to a release panel next to the cell's door, wondering what the password might be... or if he should even consider letting her out. [[Free her]] [[Head to the library]]Juim stared. She stared. I yawned. See, it's not that I wasn't glad to see her. I just didn't like to waste time. It made me sleepy. Juim continued to [[Look in the fourth cell]]."Dora." She said. That was all. No further explanation. Juim pressed her with more questions. [[Why are you here?]] [[What is this place?]] [[Who am I?]]"...I don't know." She said. "I don't know what I did to wind up in this place... what I did to deserve this." She seemed to look back on her past, searching for the string of events that had led to her arrest. The roles had reversed between her and her incarcerators in a way that almost seemed ironic... It was the criminals who had arrested the authority. Juim had other questions. [[Who or what are you?]] [[What is this place?]] [[Who am I?]]The question sounded strange when Juim voiced it aloud, yet for her it seemed perfectly reasonable. Regardless, she was hesitant. "You're Jium." Juim didn't notice the spelling difference, but after a moment of consideration something clicked into place. It was like clicking on a choice in an interactive story, and finding out that the choice contained important information. "No," Juim said, "I'm not." She tilted her head a little, not comprehending. He thought further, and continued. "I've been able to hack things that he shouldn't be able to hack. I've been able to think in ways that he shouldn't be able to. My program has been different from what it should be." His stare was intense. "So, if I'm not Juim... then who am I?" It was an interesting question, with an interesting answer. "You *are* Jium... but you're someone else, too." Astonishment could be read on her rescuer's face. "I beg your pardon?" "And you have it." One of her "eyes" winked from behind the mask, then she continued. "There's... someone else... in you. Someone who knows things you don't know. Someone who can do things you can't do. He's been in there for some time, waiting." Juim couldn't believe it. "...Okay, and who might that be?" "Jargon." "...*'Jargon?'* ...What sort of name is Jargon?" "We called him that since he had a lot of information in his head." Juim (or Jargon, or whatever) chewed on her explanation, but it was a little hard to swallow. Perhaps if he inquired further... [[What happened to you?]]She shrugged. "...I'm not entirely sure. Everything was built by humans. They came from Earth, made everything we know, gave us understanding about the world... and they left... I guess they had some sort of agenda to keep up with." Juim had no idea what "Earth" was, but figured his other questions should come first. [[Who or what are you?]] [[Why are you here?]] [[Who am I?]]Juim picked up the coin. The light reflecting on it blinded his eyes, and for a moment he wondered if he had gone through an interdimensional warp. He could see colors flowing all around him, and he had grown curious. [[Hang out with astronauts on the moon]] [[Visit a lovely village]]Juim found himself in outer space, and like any good piece of machinery, Juim imploded. (-1) The coin returned to reality, happy to have sent someone on a spectacular journey. If only the coin had realized that people were supposed to be put *inside* of the spaceship. [[Begin]]Juim visited a tranquil village, featuring clear running streams, friendly folk, and blooming daffodils. There, he was surprised to find Kuim, who had found the coin just a few minutes earlier. Together, they set off to explore the wonders of their new world. Then Juim awoke with his face pressed against his work desk. He stood up, and came to the conclusion that he should leave the Building. [[Leave the Building]]The apple tree had a lovely view at the top. Juim grabbed an apple and examined it. He wondered if there would be any use for this apple later on. Perhaps someone would be hungry at some convenient point in time. (+1) Juim glanced at his watch (having a watch on his wrist at the time, for whatever reason), and yelped unexpectedly. It was nearly time to begin working! He climbed down the tree, slipped, and landed with a "crunch" at the bottom. As he arose, Juim was dismayed to realize he could not remember for the life of him what had just happened. After glancing at his watch again (and being yet again perplexed by the fact that he even *had* a watch, and had had the presence of mind to be checking it), Juim yelped and headed towards his work desk in [[The Building]].Juim decided not to climb the tree. This choice didn't matter much, for he had walked this path before, and had taken several apples previously. It was a pity that he had no memory of such events, but at least those memories were probably of little consequence. (+1) After glancing at an accurate watch (which he had conveniently found on the branch closest to him), Juim gave a yelp in surprise. He was running late for work. Juim ran to [[The Building]], hoping he could arrive at his desk before something terrible happened.The prisoner stared at, sniffed, and ate the apple greatfully. Although its face was rather unexpressive, the thing seemed to smile at Juim. Juim smiled back, wondering how in the world he had brought an apple to this creature and by so doing won its loyalty. (+1) After pondering for a bit longer, Juim decided to [[Look in the second cell]], not the least concerned that the "l" in "look" had been capitalized.She stared at the apple, first with a strange suspicion... then with a softened expression. The girl shook her head politely, then nodded as if in thanks for the gesture. Juim nodded in turn, slightly relieved that this... whatever it was would probably spare him if she was ever released. (+1) Fealing content with this turn of events, Juim decided to [[Look in the third cell]], figuring he might as well.The thingimadodger lifted his fingertips from the floor, slowly closing them around the apple. Then it gripped Juim by the neck. It was as if he would have looked into Juim's eyes to peer into his soul, but couldn't. For obvious reasons. Finally, the thingimadodger (as Juim had so named him) dropped Juim to the floor, and began to suck on the apple. (+1) Juim waited for what he considered to be his heart rate to beat at a normal pace, then turned away to [[Look in the fourth cell]].Juim was starting to have fun with the controls, when he heard a voice talking to him. "You're not doing anything worthwhile, are you?" He was a tiny short-haired character, who stared at Juim judgingly. One could tell he was in need of a nap. Juim thought about how he might reply. [[No. I'm not doing that.]] [[I might be, I might not be. Want a turn?]] [[How about we go to beddy-bye land?]]Juim began to make alterations (elevating a location in the forest just a lot), when a coin suddenly landed in his pants. (+1) Juim had never realized that he had been wearing pants, and would never acknowledge this fact again. Mortified by such a revalation, he decided to [[Head to the library]]."Hmph" the little one replied. He later wandered off. A few minutes later, a female came by with her eyebrows close together. "I'm sorry, but have you seen my little boy? I'm worried he's gone off somewhere." "Oh, but I'm right here... *mother*." The little one had seated himself near Juim, and was making alterations to the landscape. The female put her hands on her hips. "THERE you are. I was getting worried." Juim watched the pair walk away, then he called after her. "Hey!" She turned to face him. "Yes?" Juim looked slightly regretful for getting her attention. "Aren't you the lady who was sitting on the bench?" "What lady sitting on what bench?" "...Nevermind." She and her... child... left without another word. (+1) [[Sneak around]] [[Head to the library]] [[Leave the Building]]"Psssshhh" he said, and away he went. Regardless of the little one's behaviour, Juim felt proud of himself for not losing his cool. (+1) He continued working until his creature was complete, then the system exited out automatically. The Building was closing for the day. [[Leave the Building]] [[Sneak around]]"Fine." He said, and he began to shape-shift. Juim stared in bewilderment as the tiny one soon took on the appearance of one of the local authorities. He pulled out a gun from his holster. "Sweet dreams." Juim felt his Twitchframe lose control, and he later awakened in his bed. It was the middle of the night (assuming, of course, that night existed). Juim sat up, and was glad to find that it had all probably been a dream. His anatomy was spotless, as if the incident had never occurred. This, of course, was flat-out wrong. What you have seen is someone who has infiltrated the Building. They've been looking for something in there. ...Now, you could argue that *you* are technically infiltrating the Building also, since you've been messing with Juim's program, but that's certainly not how I personally would view your actions. ...Uh, trust me. That's totally not what you're doing. Juim lay back down on his bed, waiting for the day to [[Begin]].Juim's mind considered the variables. 4RNY98X1C5O7M6H3E2G0[[O]]9JKV9C3P 9N1N1E7L3V6N5[[W]]3S6A5G8D3I0D4E5 ET5OH7M46932KL456[[7]]KRTE0987TCK 3YZ2XB4WO3V5SG5R7P608[[N]]7M9LKNK ... 731142S[[X]]5E9105728YU6B4213HRYR S0P8R5T3YK7L6L5G4R[[3]]E4G1056LLY FL9LS7YA5WB3DS1[[T]]0R2YDNDIWLRLT JO33A89RK2M543[[J]]K7173LTS90F663 Juim thought about it, and realized that he hadn't gone to his house in a while. He hadn't gone to bed in a while. He hadn't done much work in a while. He hadn't done anything that would be considered *legal* for a particularly long time. Perhaps he should [[Leave the Building]]? Just an idea. He could leave. Sort this out at a later time... or he could just [[Give up]]. That was something to think about... or what if Juim simply chose to [[Do nothing]], or to [[Do a dance]]? Those were options- options that to Juim were preferable to letting loose some criminal. How was he supposed to know whether or not he could trust this person? They had only just met, after all, and the only thing she had ever said to him was "Can't". Can't what? "Can't break out of my cell because I'm too dangerous"? "Can't kill you because I've been contained by the authorities"? Juim's hand hovered over the keys.Juim had gotten the answer wrong. He was promptly shot by security from behind. (-8) [[Begin]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong. He was promptly stuffed in a blender. (-8) [[Begin]]Juim typed in the answer, and the prisoner was free. To talk, at least. Her expression changed to greatful. She was glad to be talking again. (+1) "So... what were you going to ask?" [[Who or what are you?]] [[Why are you here?]] [[What is this place?]] [[Who am I?]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong, and was promptly dismembered. [[Begin]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong, and was promptly executed. (-8) [[Begin]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong, and was promptly forced to sit through a thorough lecture. Then he was forced to sit through a soap opera on TV. Then he was forced to sit on a chair that was teetering on the edge of a volcano. (-8) [[Begin]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong, and was promptly taken to a long and boring class about the end of the universe, only to have the universe end right then and there. Guess that defeated the entire point of learning about the end of the universe. (-8) [[Begin]]Juim had gotten the answer wrong, and would go down in history as the worst loser of all time. Thanks a lot... wait, did I say "lot"? I meant to say something to the effect of- ah- what- THANKS FOR PLAYING!! CONGLATURAT ION! YOU GET THE- //ERROR.1.9.control_resume3().connection[lst] Lack of points. (-8) [[Begin]]"We were betrayed. After every consideration, there proved to be a traitor in our midst." She looked at Juim searchingly. "Nexus had always said he was nothing if not loyal, but Jargon could see the signs. No one listened to him, though. We always thought the genius had a few loose wires." *Gee, thanks.* "Then, Jium disappeared. We all went to look for him, and found a secret place beneath our feet. After separating to search the place, he finally found us. Now, he walks with no memories of any life beyond the Building. He's lived in a cage of his own making for a long time..." Juim paled, but felt he should react in the most reasonable manner he could manage. And so, bolting out of the Dungeon, he made his way back to the library. [[Really break the rules- for real]]There was no way Juim was about to do something as stupid as breaking the rules... probably. Concluding that he was probably losing his mind (which was debatable), Juim considered his other options: [[Look up the Dungeon]] [[Look up Politics]] [[Look up the Greenhouse]] [[Do nothing]]Juim had only one question he could ask. He asked it mentally- as he did with the rest of our conversation. "...How?" I would have smiled, had I been able to. *"It all started that fateful night, when you agreed to turn me in."* Juim's mind was getting dizzy. He was tired- or rather, his battery was in need of recharging. "Why would I do such a thing?" *"See, with normal human beings, it takes a lot to have them reprogrammed, and even then it usually doesn't work for long. They care too much. We, however, have less biological matter. We're less *alive*, if you will, so it makes changing our minds easier. "I was imprisoned- my hands cuffed to two structures on either side of me. Some sort of needle gently prodded my neck with every twitch. I didn't know what manner of torture they had in store for me, but it was obvious that it wouldn't be pretty. Next thing I knew, you were strolling into the room. "You came in with an eerie calmness, breaking through the door with one of their weapons. For whatever reason, it hadn't occurred to me that you might have been... altered. I tried to warn you to leave me behind; the others needed to know about this before it was too late. "I couldn't see what you were doing- you had walked behind me. I could hear buttons being pressed, and machinery beginning to whirr. Needles and claws were moving into place. "...Suffice to say, our Biopaks were stuffed into the same shell. I guess they thought you could keep me in check. After the... 'surgery'... took place, we were sent away to be kept out of trouble. Since the moment of our relocation, it's taken me a while before I could find someone to start making you *think*- to see what you could do and ask yourself *why*.*" Juim smiled bleakly, lifting his gaze and staring through the ceiling into the sky above. "I'm not who you think I am, Jargon. You've got your spelling mixed up. I don't know what you think you can do... or what you plan to try... but there's only one place we're going." Then Juim's battery died, and everything went black. [[The End]]Juim lay down in the grass, thinking about how peaceful it felt. A gentle breez, no bugs, beautiful sky... ...Juim later awoke to find that he had fallen asleep. Rather made sense, considering that's what most individuals do when they wake up from sleeping. It was morning- time to be getting to work. Something occurred to him. If there were any answers to be found regarding his strange behavior as of late, where could he find them? He remembered the option to hack into the networks (back when he was at his work desk), but that had been disabled... It was then that Juim found the wrench. It was lying in the grass next to him. He wondered if he should give it a try. Would it lead to the information he had begun to seek after, or would he make some sort of mistake, and in the process disassemble himself? [[Use the wrench]] [[Stand up]]Juim explored a little more, but found nothing of interest. Ah, well. Couldn't blame him for trying. [[Leave the Building]]YOU'VE REACHED THE ENDING! Awesome! So below are the available ranks to see how well you did. Let's check your score! 15+ ->HIGHEST RANK! You're the top! 12+ -> Still basking in the light of your glory! 9+ -> Looks like you got some good points there! 6+ -> Congrats! You are compitent! 3 or less -> Uh... you played this game! So... you're cool to me! If you'd like, you can either start again from the beginning to check out the other possible choices: [[A Thing named Juim]] Or you can try out the demo for an upcoming sequel: [[Begin again]]Kuim awoke from a long and pleasant sleep. She stretched her arms, looked out the window, and smiled in anticipation of a beautiful day. She got out of bed, and wandered to her wardrobe (yes, Kuim had a wardrobe. She was quite fond of it, too). She had always wanted to pick a day to wear a tee-shirt and sweatpants to the Building. Partly because she wanted to see the reactions of her fellow employees, partly because she felt like wearing something comfortable to work in. Kuim stared at the two options available, wondering what she should do. [[-Dress formally]] -Dress casuallyKuim decided not to chance it, and instead put on her formal wear. Walking up to the Building, Kuim thought about how many times in the past she had wanted to skip down the sidewalk, cheerfully looking forward to what lay ahead of her. Perhaps now was the perfect opportunity- the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the grass was green (not that the color of the grass mattered much to Kuim). She slowed her pace, considering what she could do. [[-Keep walking]] -Start skippingKuim eventually reached the Building, admiring the construction. She had always admired artistic design, and had often wondered who had designed this particular masterpiece. Upon entering, somewhere in the far distance, she could see Juim at his work desk. She had always been fond of him- ever since that time when he had actually smiled at her, and thanked her for his smoothie before returning to work. No employee had ever done this before, which had Kuim convinced that Juim was the only real person in this place of droning robots. She considered walking over and having a chat with him, but then wondered if she had enough time to spare before work at the smoothie counter began. [[-Get to work]] -Chat with JuimKuim decided to begin working. She served up smoothies for hours on end, and Juim finally took a break to grab one. He gave her his usual smile, but something told Kuim that he seemed rather depressed. He took his smoothie, took a large gulp from his smoothie, waved at her bleakly, and went back to work. Kuim stared after him, wondering if there was something she could say to lift his spirits. [[-Keep working]] -Try to cheer him upKuim continued to work until the closing hours of the day. She was about to start walking home, when she noticed something suspicious. An employee was leading a law enforcer down a flight of stairs, which wouldn't have seemed too conspicuous if not for what the employee had said. She spoke in a voice low enough to only be heard by Kuim: "Right this way, *guard*. Maybe one day you'll find a better cover for yourself." "Keep your voice down, *citizen*." "Oops." She said in the least apologetic way possible. "Sorry." Kuim didn't know whether to sneak after them, or to conclude that her ears were playing tricks on her. -Go after them and find out what they're up to [[-Conclude that Kuim has gone nuts, and go home]]Kuim decided that she had probably lost her marbles... but smiled at the fact that she technically never had any to begin with. She had once known a fellow who collected marbles, but she herself had never taken up the hobby. After walking home, Kuim jumped into bed. She relaxed in the covers, happy to be alive and to be in a nice bed with a nice job at a nice Building with nice people. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep. In the late morning, Kuim awoke. [[Begin again]] [[The End]]Juim ran back over to his work desk. The... "surgery" had turned out to be a massive success. He sat down, thinking it was high time he found some answers. (+1) [[>Work with the system's UI]] [[>Play with the system's UI]] [[>Use the system's UI to hack into the Building's classified networks]] [[Stand up]] [[Do nothing]]