Test Drive Meme #1

[seasonsmods]

Test Drive Meme #1
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Arrival

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Part 1

You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.

The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:

An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.

All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.

Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.

And it looks like you're not alone.


Part 2

After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.

Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.

The Message [ Click to Expand ]

Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.

Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.

This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.

We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.

That's where you come in.

All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.

These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.

Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.

That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.

The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sizes companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.

Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.

Part 3

The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.

All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?

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Exploring the City

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Part 1

The city outside the Research Center and the apartment building is a very futuristic and bright place. There's a lot of fancy technology and the weather seems almost too perfect all of the time. Even the weather here is artificial and doesn't feel natural at all. This is the center of the whole Nightwake City and it's called the district that never sleeps for a good reason. It feels like any time of the day you choose to go out there's something going on.

Everyone was given some money on their money app BankCrow to spend. Why not go for the Gacha Restaurant on the main street if you're hungry? You can either choose what style/type of food you want (different cuisines, pizza, junk food, etc) OR pick any ingredients and list your allergens before rolling the gacha machine and what comes out is a meal that fits your choices. Most commonly they're mediocre quality (2-3 stars), slightly rarer are the very bad and very good dishes (1 stars and 4 stars) and the rarest of them all is the golden 5 star dish that is the most delicious and sophisticated meal you'll ever taste. But hey, at least the drinks are all the same no matter what meal you end up getting.

If the futuristic city style isn't for you, there are other district with various different atmospheres waiting for you just outside the city center.

In the District Spotlight [ Click to Expand ]

Blossomcrown is a modern city, but not as futuristic as the central district. Cherry blossom trees have been planted on the side of the streets to give some color for the otherwise gray scenery. It's a busy place with a central park full of spring flowers in the middle, that gives some much needed peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of the city. There's even the famous Botanical Garden open to all visitors. It's a home to many exotic plants that can't be grown anywhere else (that's safe, at least). There are also plenty of butterflies and bees living in the gardens. Attached to the building it also a flower shop where anyone can purchase a plant for themselves - they're even divided by suitability for each district. But if plants aren't your thing, why not check out the concert venue, which is an arena made for holding concerts. It can be transformed into both an outdoor and indoor venue by opening or closing the roof. Anyone can book the venue to hold a concert as long as they have the funds to do it. They will even advertise your concert for you everywhere!

Those who really just want to see something that's not a city, why not try Frostreign? Sure, it's very cold but there aren't very many buildings. It's more like a small village in the middle of Eternal Winter. The easiest ways to move around here are sledding, skiing and sleigh rides, where either excited huskies or chill reindeers will take people on a ride around the district. There are some snowmobiles too for those, who want to try them. One of the most popular locations is the giant, nevermelting ice castle in the center of the town, where kids love to play hide and seek. It's also a popular locations for dates, as the natural magical crystal lights inside the castle make the place look romantic. Another popular spot is the ice hole, where some brave souls go either swimming and some others at least try staying in the icecold water for a little moment before running to the Sauna Spa! It's an area full of different kind of saunas but it also doubles up as an inn, and due to knowing Otherworlders were going to come today, it's even available for booking!

Those who want to test out their powers right away, Dayrise is the place to go! The Grand Colosseum is designated for power holder practice for at least the following week. After that the natives would like to watch sports again rather than continuous fighting, but even then you're welcome to use the colosseum when there's a chance. After testing your powers, the luxurious baths of Dayrise are a good treat. They're all public baths and none of the natives are ashamed of being naked for hours with strangers. They will also encourage anyone coming with a towel to throw it away.

Part 2

Around the city of Nightwake, Valentine's Day is being celebrated. There are plenty of decorations, all in pastel colors (mainly pink). The Spring Segment districts have also contributed by giving all other districts flowers for decorations for some pleasing aromas. Most of the restaurants also have discount for those who dine together instead of alone.

There are plenty of treats that lift up your mood. Eating too much of the treats results in becoming very clingy to the next person they see. The effect usually wears off in half an hour, but it could take longer depending on how many treats you've eaten.

Another popular Valentine's are the game stalls that are intended to be taken on as couples. Anything you win will only be given to your partner. If you play alone, all you get is a round of applause even if you'd do a new high score. These game stalls include a lot of classic from carnivals and festival, racing with horses or vehicles and even video games.

Each district has a small stall that acts as a starting point for the main Valentine's Day challenge. The goal is to travel from one check point to another within the district while holding hands with someone. There is a small task to be done at each checkpoint (like eating a full course meal or popping balloons while still holding hands). The point is to never let go of your partners' hand. Once the pair gets to the end of the course they get a reward.

The reward for getting past the course is a free item from Riki's Rewards (any prize) and a pair of friendship bracelets that sends messages to its pair bracelet (like "I miss you", "Let's meet up").

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The Segments

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Part 1

Exploring the city isn't something that interests you? Well, the four bridges that lead to the Seasonal Segments are always open and you're definitely allowed to go outside. However, due to the summoning magic, the dark energy outside the city has temporary gone haywire and all of the Segments are suffering from their natural disasters at the same time.

Winter Segment is suffering from a raging blizzard and the usual beautiful landscapes are just a white blur for the time being.

Spring Segment is in the middle of a hurricane, with all of the lightest beings being picked up and tossed all over the place with the wind.

Summer Segment is literally on fire. Only the rain forests and jungles, as well as the Great Ocean Lake are safe from it.

Autumn Segment is suffering from a thunderstorm. Chances of getting struck by lightning are quite high should someone step in.

If you're prepared for the weather, no one is going to stop you from going out to explore. It might be a good idea to bring a friend with you. Luckily, the natural catastrophes calm down after two days and the Segments are more normal after that. So it might actually be worth a while to wait before going out.


Part 2

After the storm the sun shines and sheep appear [ Click to Expand ]

When you venture out to the Spring Segment after the storm, there's a herd of Fabric Sheep wandering near the Flower Yard. These sheep are tame and while they usually run and hide, sometimes they look for people to help them get their wool sheared. Luckily natives on the Dayrise bridge are handing out shearing scissors for those who would like to help.

The sheep get scared very easily, but if you don't make too many sudden movements, you will be able to do your job easily. The sheep might even boop you gently as a thanks before heading off again. If you're mean to sheep, however, you might get an angry Gravity Goat chasing you.

Anyone who visits the Flower Yard of any of the Segments will hear a story from a native there. A story of the magic that has been put in place that lets all the otherworlders "respawn" to their respective Flower Yard if they die in Ellipsa. The flower will be the same as it is in everyone's charms. The natives say that more details can be asked from the main four seasonal power holders, but that they've heard it's painless for otherworlders to emerge from the flower.

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All Aboard

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Part 1

After the Segments have settled down, a message appears on everyone's smartphones. Everyone is invited to join some observational cruises at the Airship Station in Nightwake District. There are four different ships leaving at the same time, but if you come back again later you will be able to go to them all eventually. The trip targets are the Seasonal Segments. Of course, there are long instructions as to how one should dress to handle the different weather they would be experiencing while in the air. You have time to shop as the invitation is open for a good while.

The Airship Station is a very modern, almost futuristic, place with a lot of docks with various airships lined up. Most of the ships there are used for in-city transportation and there are various holographic displays that tell how many ships are available and where. Various restaurants are also found here and view from the ones on top of the building is amazing. There's time to look around, but your final destination is the biggest docks at the end of the station.

The point of these cruises is to give otherworlders a chance to see what the Segments are like without interacting with the monsters down below. The ships will fly to the airship station of each Segment and then come back a different route to cover as much of the segment as possible. In total the trip is said to take four days.

Because of the length of the trip, everyone has been provided with a simple two to four person cabin (with their own bathroom/shower) and three meals are served per day throughout the trip. Snacks can also be found from the cafeteria and they're free of charge.

Enjoy the view, bond with your fellow passengers and relax. Staying on the deck is safe, especially if you don't start leaning over the rails to look down.

Part 2

The old lady and her cats [ Click to Expand ]

Each airship station in the segments is unique in their own right. They're not very well-kept like the one in the city and various weather changes have definitely modified them to look old and worn down.

Strangely enough, each of the airship stations has someone living there; an old lady with a herd of different cats depending on the season: winter cats are spirits that can be seen by anyone due to them taking control of stuffed animals, spring cats are part flowers, summer cats look like small lions or tigers and autumn cats are essentially the same as will-o'-the-wisps but in cat shape.

The old ladies explains that they are quite comfortable living there and don't have any plans to "evacuate". They will kindly decline anyone who tries to help them. The airship staff explains there are some special arrangements in place to help them live in the stations as those are safe places to stay in.

Each of the ladies will tell you a story. Winter lady will talk about the Watchtower and who used to live there, spring lady will tell all about the abandoned farm and its owners, summer lady talks about the abandoned castle and its royalty and autumn lady tells about the abandoned mansion and who used to be the lord.

If you talk to the same lady again later the story is different. She tells a different version of the story every time she is talked to. No one is really sure which of the stories is true because of how many versions are circulating around.

The ships only stay docked at the station for as long as the staff of the airship delivers some food and other necessities to the old ladies and then it's back towards the city again. Of course, nothing stops anyone from leaving the ship and experiencing the segments themselves.

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OOC TIPS

- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.

- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible.

- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.

- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!

- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open, except for the Guilds for now.

- Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures.

- You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary, including information on the two mentioned on the TDM.

- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.

- Feel free to also hit our EMP/ATP meme while you're here!

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[turingturo]

He was sure the man was just going disappear out the balcony. And perhaps he should have let him, considering their introduction was... not ideal. And there was obviously some sort of... weapon he was carrying that the AI didn't recognize. Everything about this strange person would normally be a red flag compared to the Professor's memories, screaming 'dangerous, stay away'.

And yet, the relief the AI felt go through his circuits as he heard that lock click and the man step away from the door... it made his shoulders relax, somewhat. Even if the man was dangerous, he was injured, and just...

He needed to help. After all that had happened and what he'd been forced to do that day alone--

He needed to help someone--

"I-I do not wish to go digging around you personal possessions, so if you would like to retrieve the med kit, I will go looking around and see if there's anything in the apartment to assist as well. Just..."

He gestured to the kitchen table between them.

"Take a seat once you find it?--Do you mind if I turn on the lights as well? You can pull the curtains if that will make you more comfortable here."

[steadypulse]

The curtains? Were pulled before he spoke again, and it had that line of his visor glowing that much more distinctly as the room was far darker.

"Go ahead and turn them on." Lights, could turn on the lights.

76 could see fine in the dark due to his tactical visor, and for the moment he was taking advantage of it as his bag was sat down and he laid the pulse rifle beside it, rather than letting it remain on top. Even once the lights were turned on, it wouldn't really bother him, a moment to adjust.

All the same, he did quickly unzip his duffle and fish the medkit out of it. Knew exactly where it was, even if things in his bag were a little out of order from not being put back together properly with the few items he had taken out.

The medkit was sat there on the kitchen table, a chair pulled out at the same time as he. Sat.

Favoring that side, even then.

[turingturo]

That red glow felt... omnious, but the AI shoved that line of thought into data storage.

Unimportant.

"Alright."

If the man looked-- which he probably was-- there was a very brief teal glow in the dark, two of them, before the lights flicked on.

"Give me a moment to look around-- I will check in the kitchen and bathroom."

He wasn't sure if the man needed a narration on what he was doing next, but it again reminded him of working with an especially fearful Pokemon; no sudden movements, remain calm, telegraph what you were going to do so not to startle them.

Not that he 'felt', calm... More... numb, at this point.

Nothing in kitchen, but upon looking into the bathroom--

"Found something. I will be right there."

Moving to the kitchen table, the AI opened a decent sized kit, slipping on some latex gloves to assure whatever this... wound was, he could do stitch it up without harming the man.

"Alright-- shall I let you remove the bandages, or should I?"

Each step he'd ask what the man wanted done. Just to be sure he knew he was incontrol of this situation, despite his unease.

And to assure the AI was doing this right at all...

cw; wound descriptions, blood, etc.

[steadypulse]

The tactical visor was tracking the man's every movement, even once 76 had sat still, a hand carefully resting over the wound on that side he was favoring all the while. Easy to do, even when that ability didn't have the full power shunted into it; keeping track of one individual was easy enough.

Gaze flicking to the readings briefly before following the single white target once walls were between them.

Once he was back at the table? That glow died down a bit to something hardly noticeable in the light once again, leaning back in the chair that 76 had taken up.

"Better I do it."

There was clear hesitance before he began unfastening the wrapping, gauze stuck more because of the blood that had soaked through than any adhesive. His jacket was shrugged off, resting on the back of the chair as he had to lean forwards to unwrap; better to get it out of the ware, even if it left his upper body bare then.

76 was careful in uncovering the wound, skin split open and actively bleeding where it cut lines over his side and hip. The skin irritated, and looked as if infection had just started to set in with dead skin here and there. Torn stitches still half clung in place with how they were haphhazardly done, but it was the area at the small of his back that was the worst of it.

Like something had been placed directly there and ripped a chunk out of him, that those spider-web like deep sliced lines that went over his side and hip originated from there, how it did the same for the small of his back.

[turingturo]

"..."

Oh. This is what he'd meant, wasn't it? The AI stared at the wound, a serious, extreme gash in the man's back and along his side.

"How are you still even conscious with that sort of--"

A breath he didn't need. The pain the man must be feeling, and yet he was going to leave through a balcony?

Shut down Emotional physiological responses. Focus at the task at hand.

"I am going to get a towel to wrap around your thighs and hips while I work, to help with any mess or infection. At an initial glance, however, I believe packing the wound in particular locations would be better than trying to stitch it all. Some also may need to be... excised due to their necrotic state."

He can do all this. He hasn't done all of it before, but he knew he had the ability.

"The rest I will stitch up as necessary. Are you alright with this plan of action?"

[steadypulse]

Same way he'd kept conscious through other injuries just as bad, if not worse—

"I was made to endure."

—simple, and certainly left a lot open to interpretation.

He was going to leave through the balcony, to either jump down so he could take off that way, or climb further up to get a better look at the area. Still likely end up back down on the ground and running after, just with a better sense of direction; something to head towards. 76 still needed to work out a feel for the place, explore and dig around whatever areas he could get to.

Find what places would be-

"Fine with it."

Been conscious for worse.

[turingturo]

"'Made to endure'... I see."

He didn't see at all. Or more so, he could speculate, theorize, but...

He'd have to do a biometric scan to get any sort of read on the man if this was more of a genetic or physiological phenomenon. He suspected it had to be, due to the fact this man was obviously human...

But he couldn't risk doing that right now, not with the man so wary of him.

Moving to head back to the bathroom, his one bare hand gripped the man's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Something he recalled from the Professor's memories... remembered earlier from Clavell. To reassure someone-- doing it almost as an innate action to his programming.

"I will be right back."

Letting go to continue his search in the other room.

[steadypulse]

He tensed other that hand- but didn't pull away; the tensing seemed more out of surprise than anything, like it caught him off-guard for anything else that he may have expected. A touch that was meant to be something reassuring? Perhaps even comforting to some, but it simply tripped up 76's line of thought in going along steps to leaving once he'd let the guy satisfy himself with the help.

... Why go this far to a man he'd just bumped into?

"Yeah, alright."

Was certainly one way to keep 76 in place, even if not the intention behind the gesture. The touch.

Fine, he'd stay put. For now.

[turingturo]

'Bumped into' seemed a bit off the mark for their actual introduction. More like 'stumbled into seeing a man acting like a feral abandoned Pokemon and deciding to help him with his obvious open wound'.

He returned soon with towels-- black ones, to hide any blood stains for the moment.

...Hm. His original request for the man to sit at the table was based on the assessment of the blood stain on the bandaging, but... now knowing the wound size, he'd not be able to care for it easily in that position.

"--One moment, again. Apologies."

He went to check the rooms-- one, clearly his own; the body suit and the professor's labcoat folded neatly on the bed, a wallet, his Rotom Phone-- along with the Violet Book, several empty, unused master balls... and two occupied ones.

...He would deal with that. Later.

The other? Must be belonging to the other man. It was rude to enter without permission, but-- well. He had not planned to stay, so there must not be anything left of importance, right? And it was urgent. He would apologize later.

Quietly opening the door, he spread the towels on the bed. They'd go with his so the man could hopefully relax some after the wound care.. Returning to the kitchen once again, he started to pack back up the medkits.

"I am going to shift our position to your bedroom. Your wound would not be easily accessible in your current position for the sutures I will need to do. Please do not get up, I will carry you there myself."

[steadypulse]

76 was simply watching the man move around, with and without the very low level tracking available there in his tactical visor. Quiet as he seemed to- he wouldn't exactly describe it as fretting, exactly. Not even while 76 was pulling his head back from the temporary freeze that meant-to-be-reassuring touch to his shoulder had caused.

Strange individual, to say the very least. There was a large level of worry, but there was something else there that lingered in words. In the actions being taken; the precision and odd level of care for a complete stranger.

Everything of importance had been grabbed and stuffed into the duffle bag that was currently at 76's feet; dropped there when he'd sat down at the kitchen table. Looked as if the room had been empty the entire time with how devoid it was of anything but the basics. Nondescript, belonging to no one. As if he'd never been there.

An eyebrow arched slowly-

"I've walked with worse, it's fine." Would just have to grab his jacket from the back of the chair and get up, after all.

[turingturo]

"--All the more reason to carry you, then."

Because he could tell now, if that was the case? He was a very stubborn man. And the AI was... frankly, done with stubborn men not caring for themselves.

It was quick, his movement-- medkits in the man's lap, arms scooping under his knees, and very carefully his back, and lifting him without a second thought.

"I can retrieve your jacket and dufflebag for you once I am finished. ...I will avoid touching your... weapon."

Because that's what he could suppose it was. It reminded him of Clawitzer's main claw...

Once sure the man was secured, the AI walked without pause or difficulty to that empty room.

[steadypulse]

"You're troubling yourself enough—"

Oh, there was plenty of stubbornness about it, but there was so much more reason behind it. Such as the way 76 literally flinched once he was scooped up, how teeth audibly snapped together even behind the mask when words cut short. With the amount of carefulness taken, the silence that was there, made it clear it hadn't been out of pain.

Hands did move to, at least, keep the medkits that had been dropped in his lap from falling to the ground as he was lifted.

"... It's called a pulse rifle, safety is on. Won't go off if it gets nudged."

That was at least some offer of reassurance that the guy could leave it where it was if he didn't want to carry it with the duffle.

[turingturo]

"...It is really no trouble. I want to help."

He did notice that flinch, and worried for a moment that he had accidently caused the man more pain, but... was it something else? The flinch seemed to be in general, not from a particular location.

"A 'pulse rifle'. Fascinating..." A pause, trying to explain why he seemed so strange about it-- "we don't, have weapons like that in my world."

Gently nudging the door to the other man's room with his foot, the AI set the man down on the black towels.

...A glance at his own arms showed him smudged red blood on the white trench coat he was wearing and...

He merely let it drop to the floor. Unimportant.

"I am going to work on cleaning your wounds first. I'll start with the small of your back to disinfect it."

[steadypulse]

So you keep saying.

"They're more common where I'm from. Wars going on all over the world," unfortunately. "My sidearm, and a knife, are also in the bag." So he didn't just have the very large firearm with him. A comfort to him in some way- "I'm an old soldier."

As if that could explain why he had such a weapon at all, without going into any other sort of detail.

"I know how to wash blood out of clothing if you wanted to keep that," a lame sort of offer as he let himself shift and lay on his uninjured side on those towels. May as well cooperate if he was going this far.

Then right back to it, huh.

"Alright."

[turingturo]

"I believe the last war in our world was fought... 30 years ago, give or take?"

It had been when his creator was a child, needless to say, and far from Paldea. Something Unova was involved with...? He could not recall the details, how curious. If he had been still connected to the central computer he could read up on it more...

"But they are extremely rare. Often only happening once a century or so."

Most likely due to the fact they caused so much destruction and loss of life... and well. If a Legendary Pokemon got involved? All humans and Pokemon everywhere could suffer, not simply the Regions involved in the conflict if they were powerful enough. It simply was foolish to do such things.

"Ah... I see. Was your injury due to that fact?"

But... surely, if he was a soldier, they would not have sent him back to fight so quickly with that sort of wound? He had gotten some sort of attention for it; there were stitches in place after all. Had he been pulled into this world before getting medical assistance...?

"Hm? O-₀h."

A glance back at the fallen clothing. Blood out of clothing...

"...I do not exactly have much to clothing to my name, so... I will take you up on your offer if you are so inclined to assist me. Thank you."

He didn't want to put pressure on the man to help him if he changed his mind, after all.

He started opening up the medkits again, pulling what he'd need from each. Sutures, gauze, wrappings, needle and the stitching thread, anti-bacterial gel--

Setting it up neatly on the bed, and putting on another clean pair of gloves.

"--Would you like something to bite down on while I do the cleaning and sutures?"

[steadypulse]

"Could say that, yeah." That the injury was due to him being an old soldier, due to a self-imposed war and- still fighting. Still running.

Been long enough since he had been wounded that it should have started healing before now but- heh ad an answer as to why it wasn't. Something he was stuck with, and could only keep an eye on. See if it would get worse or not, if his own body would not be able to fight off what was keeping it so firmly there.

Un-healing.

Still, interesting fact that the guy seemed to come from a place peaceful enough that weapons were a rarity. Must've been nice in some way. Didn't doubt it meant there was something else going on, somewhere.

Kept the thought to himself, all the same.

"You're doing this, and it's my blood anyway. Got enough practice in washing it out."

76 let himself be as comfortable- well, as he'd allow himself to be given the situation. Laying mostly on his side and head rested against a folded forearm- "In the medkit I handed you? There's some local anesthetic cream that'll work for a bit, if you want to use that.

"Otherwise, no. Thanks for the offer."

[turingturo]

The man was not inclined to share anything about his time before arriving here. That was not surprising, considering the state of mind Turo had found him in.

Well, perhaps he should just leave well enough alone. If the man did eventually want to tell him, he would. If not... Turo would just need to accept what he said.

The explanation of his offer made Turo pause a moment. That much experience cleaning blood...

... Physiological Emotional Response remain on Lock Down.

Though watching the man position himself like that on his forearm... there was. A pillow right there.

A soft sigh, and the man would find a gentle hand reaching under his head, lifting it off his arm and placing a pillow between them, before carefully lowering it again.

"Here. If you need anything else while I get prepared, please do inform me--Ah. Perhaps a glass of water?"

Surgical thread, needle,--

"Oh, thank you for telling me."

Local anaesthetic cream...

[steadypulse]

Whatever train of thought had been running was immediately derailed by the hand moving under his head. The feeling the touch caused was one thing, why it was happening entirely enough. A pillow—?

He shuddered a bit and kept it clamped down as much as he could, eyes closed tightly and let out a grunted sort of huff to try and cover it.

"Water can come after, right now don't really want a drink."

Would rather get it himself but- hell, who even knew what could be going through those pipes here.

[turingturo]

"...Would you like a blanket for your upper half?

He noticed that shudder. Gloved hand resting on the soldier's shoulder reassuringly, as the AI sat down on the bed near the major center of the wound.

Taking out the anaesthetic cream, waiting on the other man's response.

[steadypulse]

"No," an immediate answer, but it wasn't snapped. Just. Prompt.

Fingers curled around the pillow there between his head and his arm, glancing at it briefly from the corner of his vision. This was all just—

"I'm fine."

For the most part, as high on alert as he was and still getting blindsided by how each and every touch was feeling.

[turingturo]

"--Alright. If you need me to stop for any reasons, please do not hesitate to tell me."

He'd take the man at his word for the moment. Putting the cream on his palam, the AI would carefully spread it along the most angry looking parts of the man's wound.

...And while doing this, his eyes would shift. Black sclera and teal, glowing irises, he activated his biometric scanner to look over the wound and see what he could find with even his basic scanning capabilities, hoping the soldier wouldn't notice.

What exactly was going on with this gentleman and this wound?

cw; still wound discriptions and bio-science

[steadypulse]

A slow, deep breath was taken; 76 attempting to not quite calm, but center himself.

"Okay." Simple as that, an agreement to say something if it did get to be too much. Well, everything already was far too much and he was itching to run and tuck into some dark hole in the wall somewhere. Get away from all of the people to try and- what? He needed to get out there.

Get a better look and gather whatever intel he could, get himself familiar with the layout so he knew what paths and roads could be best taken if he needed to run somewhere.

But, all of that was being silenced so he could just... let this happen.

Eyes were closed, head on that pillow, and quiet.

The scanner would pick up something rather- interesting. While there was some active healing going on, as if something had enhanced the man on a genetic level for it and more, there was something moving along the edges of that open wound. Biological in origin, but also something machine-like to them despite what and how they were made; small bioengineered nanites.

They were actively eating away at him, fighting that healing factor and causing the wound to actively grow necrotic as it ate away at skin and muscle. Creating a cycle that would make it a never healing wound, a continuous pain and itch of it healing and going through some sort of necrosis over and over again.

[turingturo]

"..."

This was...

What was this? He ran through all possible information he had access to, scanlines running through his eyes. Trying to put it in a context from his own world. He, as an AI, was something beyond what science was able to create in his own world. But biological machines that were actively eating away at the man--

If the Soldier did not have that obvious genetic increased healing factor, he shuddered to think what would happen to the man.

Eyes returned to 'normal', and he let out a slow breath.

It was best he was dealing with this wound; humans touching it could potentially be devastating.

But despite all the analysis and searches he was doing to try and figure out what to do, one result was absolutely certain.

I need to find a way to heal this and help him.

For now, helping him would be to clean this wound, potentially remove necrotic material, and start properly bandaging and suturing it. Once he was sure the anaesthetic cream was in where it needed to be, he got to work on cleaning.

The Soldier would find the touches careful, and absolutely precise-- Washing out the wound with provided saline fluid, wiping away the access, carefully removing the necrotic, dead skin.

"...Doing alright so far?"

His voice was far steadier than he felt.

[steadypulse]

This was... a lot. Breathing kept steadily slow, deep, and on a count that was helping to force it to match every beat with that in his head. Using it to ignore what feelings of touch there were.

It helped, somewhat—

"Yeah, been awake for worse than this. Comes with being an old soldier."

Some tempt at being reassuring? Not even 76 was sure, fingers curled on one side of that pillow as it remained there between his head and an arm. The only sign that something might have hurt a bit was a brief hitched hiss in his breathing, but it evened out quickly enough.

"Cream is helping."

[turingturo]

"I am... sorry, that you've experienced so much pain."

Even if he was an 'old soldier'. Even if he was used to it. It still wasn't something anyone should experience. But he was unsure how to say it beyond just, platitudes. At least his words were sincere, a hand pressed gently to the man's side to reassure him.

"I will try to make this as quick and painless as I can, all the same. I am going to start packing the deeper part of the wound now."

Soak up the blood and other fluids, give the wound some time to recover... as much as it could in this state.

...He paused a moment, realization hitting him.

"...Is there some name I may call you?"

Because it was obvious with how guarded he was, the AI was not going to get his real name from him. But they had all started this without even proper introductions.