Rule to reading my work
Each paragraph is a different character in speech.
Sets of lone dialogue will be assigned to the last two characters to speak
Example:
[Description specifying Swatch] [quote]
[Description specifying Queen] [quote]
[Lone Quote assigned to Swatch]
[Lone Quote assigned to Queen]
If a third character speaks or interrupts, it will be specified and groups of more than two speakers will be specified alongside quotes.
Swatch's eyes opened to their darkened room, a yawn creeping from them as they stirred and rose. Their feathers shifted, fluffing up slightly with a stretch, smoothing and lying flat as they groggily lifted their alarm clock to look at it, their surprise to have slept this long without the usual chirping of the clock turning to a cold chill that stood the plumes around their neck and shoulders on end.
The clock was jutting out and seeming to jump between being almost dented in some spaces to perfectly fine in their hand, the only display given not being composed of numbers at all, instead reading, "LMAO you're late! Loser!"
With a yelp, Swatch flung the clock across the room, scrambling for their glasses and flicking the light on quickly. A gasp escaped them as their eyes adjusted to meet a mess of glitches along the walls, and shelves. Their mirror was nothing more than a blue screen of white error text that seemed to flicker with messages that read "I love you" or "you are my everything" in an eerie set of text windows that would fade in and out, making their dressage and self-preparation that much more nerve-wracking as they hurriedly pulled on their uniform.
After a jarring discovery that simply piled onto their problems, Swatch made their way to Queen's throne room without the usual cup of caffeine that would have made processing what they were seeing easier. The cold air accompanied by the scent of computer fans and an electric staticy atmosphere rushed upon them as they strode in, gripping their wrist behind them and trying to ignore the flickering inconsistencies in the room as they neared the floating throne. They tilted their head, confusion being drenched in dread as they listened to the soft giggling and snickering from behind the seat's headrest as her majesty rotated into view.
"Swaaaaatchiiiiieeeeee! You're visiting me? Why didn't you say somethin? I woulda brought some games to play!" she laughed and gave them a sloppy grin that dragged at her lips, slurring her words.
"Your majesty are you alright? What's going on?" they questioned, watching as the royal flopped over sideways in her throne and kicked her feet in the air.
"Mmm…" Queen's facial screen displayed a few off-centered loading dots as she tilted her head clumsily with a smile that disappeared and reappeared with her thoughts over a few stretched minutes before gasping, "It'shthacoooodee!"
"The what?"
Queen cackled for a moment before leaning close, the scent of computer exhaust and static soured by her usual drinking habits, but also bittered with an unfamiliar scent that choked Swatch slightly as it wafted over them, "It's… tha… code… the big code, big important code!"
"The base code?!" Swatch exclaimed, the chill that dragged them downwards shooting to pull them upwards, their feet suddenly feeling light with fear as they sifted through their thoughts of it.
The royal simply let out another string of snickers as she watched them, giving a lazy point, "Yeah thassit! Somebody is makin it pretty funky around here!"
Swatch shuddered as they tried to process Queen calling anything 'funky' on top of their already reeling thoughts, "From the files I've studied, if someone has tampered with the base code, every Cyber City resident who connects to the mainframe for information, downloads or even plugging in for energy has been and will be affected by it…"
"Yeah tha's the truuuth!"
The corvid servant let out a few shaky breaths, turning a set of worried eyes towards the door before bouncing their view to the skewed set of camera feeds Queen would usually flip through, half of them coated in jumbles of pixels, smiley faces and heart signs, barely allowing the signal to come through without turning into something silly or strange that would bring the stoned royal to burst out laughing, "I… this…" they trailed on their reeling mind a moment as the feathers on their neck puffed and bristled with this heavy realization, "Your Majesty… Queen…" they turned to her and took a polite bow, "I will return you and the rest of Cyber City to full capacity and order…"
Queen stared in a daze of ? before her expression lit up a bright, yet off-centered and wobbly :D, "Yeeaaaassssssss do thaaaat!"
With a sigh, Swatch watched the blue android slide and slump in her throne, point to the messy screen and giggle before they pivoted, making their way out into the warmer, cozier hallway outside. Their attention turned to the footsteps that approached as they spotted the familiar shimmering white metal that gleamed as a gentle turquoise glow accented her.
"Swatch? What…" Tasque Manager let her voice box drift a bit as she gazed at the walls, the glitching floor and the loving or mocking messages that seemed to plague every corner twitching her blue ears in their direction cautiously, "What's going on?" She finally managed to question as she turned to them from the backwards waltz her drifting view led her through.
"Good morning, Tasque Manager, glad to see you're sober-"
"'Scuze me? What's that supposed to mean?"
Swatch combed their hand through their feathers, taking a deep breath, "Sorry, sorry… My thought process is everywhere right now, there's been a little error in the code…"
Tasque Manager blinked a few times, tilting her head, "Code? Which code? Cmon, there's a lot of code, Swatch, and that…" she pointed to a painting that began to spit out chunks of ice, "That's not just a hex code change, or a landscaping update, some of this is…" she watched the pixels shift around at the edge of her view, creating a very vibrant, mocking 'HAHAHA STUPID!' across the wall, "..isn't just a little error..."
"It's the-"
The sound of a yelp pulled Swatch's attention away from their co-worker and to a much shorter figure, a white Addison, as they leapt and scrambled to avoid the chunks of ice, "Wh… Uh… Excuse me… I'm... I think something weird is going on?"
"Yes, we know.." both responded at the same time as they turned to him.
The short male looked around a few times, his eyes scanning the chaos nervously as he combed a hand through his fluffy hair, "I guess this is going to delay my orientation?"
Swatch let their gears turn as they sorted through the jumble of thoughts before perking up a bit, "Oh, you must be Spamton. The Queen mentioned signing a deal with you…" their frown returned as they addressed the question, their hand resting on the lower half of their beak, "Unfortunately I have some matters to attend to at the moment... The base code has been tampered with..." They trailed for a moment, "To find the problem, I'd need to get to the code's main point of control. No one, not even Queen can edit the code of Cyber City wirelessly or from another device... but it'll be hard to get through security…"
Tasque Manager turned her head to them, ears flicking curiously, "Security? And that involves...?
With a deep sigh, Swatch shook their head, "A lot of complicated trials... A lot of rhythm games, puzzle games and gymnastics... Which I haven't practiced in a while... And the key for the first door is... Okay well," they slid open the door to Queen's room to show her giggling and kicking her legs in her throne, them offering a forced smile, "Does this look like someone who is very good at giving directions right now?"
". . . Okay, so ah, you seem a little tense today...?" The Android commented gently, her electromagnetically controlled hands floating to them cautiously.
Swatch waved their wands, "I have good reason to be!" They exclaimed as they gestured around them, "Someone has tampered with the base code of Cyber City, the literal groundwork. You play with that, and.." they let their gazes follow their finger as they pointed to another painting that began zapping the floor with lightning, "Need I say more?"
"No, I mean, you don't look very uh... Have you had your-"
The corvid gave a bright grin, "Coffee?" They repeated before gaining a tenser, forced smile, "Can't say I have!"
"Okay, for one, take a breath, you're going to pop the vein in your forehead, and second, let's get you a cup?" Tasque Manager asked as she began walking back towards the staff kitchen, being outpaced by the head butler who opened the door and gestured to show the coffee maker just absolutely not a coffee maker. It's got glass handles, and walls of code reading 'ESPRESSO DEPRESSO, NO COFFEE FOR YOU!' In a very snarky font across the main box. The pot itself was just floating numbers and letters from the display of settings and commands, not even able to hold water.
Spamton approached slowly and tugged on Tasque Managers's skirt for her attention, "Uh... Could I help?"
Swatch turned their crimson gaze onto the Addison, rubbing their head, "On your first day here? What could you possibly know about this?"
"... Are the glasses glitchy too?"
"There is no glass-"
Tasque Manager waved a hand, gesturing for quiet, "No, he means wine and dining glasses!" She smiled and trotted to the cabinet, glancing inside, "Ahh... Yeah, they're fine. The shelves are bugging out though…"
"Okay, so we just need to melt the glass…"
"I have electric heaters in my hands! They can get uh…"
Swatch pinched the ridge of their beak and groaned, "She's built for mobility and combat, she can do a lot. What are you doing?" They questioned, being confronted by a pointed upward hand as it floated in front of their face.
"He's got a plan, give him a second!"
With a defeated exhale, they sat and watched them, their uncontrollable annoyance and impatience turning to curiosity as Spamton instructed her, melting the glass into a little glass pot, to fill with and boil water in. After it had been done, they were surprised at how cleanly and well the two made the brew, their thoughts clearing up as they felt the energy pull them to a better posture and mood.
"I.. Apologize for my earlier tone…" they said gently, stepping forward as Tasque Manager and Spamton looked up from their spots, the cat woman waiting with the white Addison newcomer who sipped on the last of the coffee in a cup that was too big for him, gripping it with both hands, "I spoke harshly and with such a rude outburst.. That's not the welcome I want to offer a new business partner OR the treatment I want to give a trusted co-worker."
Tasque manager gently patted Swatch on the back, straightening the bow they offered them, "No frets, Swatchie! You don't jump out of sleep mode as easily as I do, plus this is a lot to process…"
Swatch paced a few times back out in the hall, tapping the tip of their beak with a hand, "Well… It's not like I don't 'process' this kind of thing… I worry about the well-being of our world often.."
"Did you expect all this or are you just pessimistic?" Spamton blurted, raising a brow before he and the feline android looked to see three Swatchlings, the red-ish orange Vince, green Gerald and the Blue Barnaby, as they weaved past the two on either side and stood behind Swatch.
"I'm not pessimistic at all… I try not to be… But.. I have maybe too much time to think about things…" they began as they made their way towards the front exit, tugging one of the multicolored diamonds from them chest, it expanding into a floating, blank search tab that shielded the group as they passed the ice-spitting painting, "We need to get to the Information Center." They stated calmly as the window, littered in error messages, radiated a thudding sound as it defended them.
Tasque Manager and Spamton followed closely to the front entrance, tailing the Head Butler who was flanked by three Swatchlings, eying the sky nervously as it displayed cracks throughout the skybox, some glass shards in the shape of hearts and displaying a blue error message.
Bright, colorful hues flickered across and brought every inch of Cyber City's downtown area to a bouncy, playful atmosphere that was twisted into an eerie sense of forced glee as advertisement screens, shop signs, all danced noisily with error windows and messages of an obsessed lover. Swatch led the group down the sidewalk, their wrist gripped behind their back as they passed the assault on their senses which were dulled by the tinted lenses they wore so as not to mistake a small Addison for a waste basket.
Their feathers bristled as they gazed around at the streets littered with clusters of smilies that followed and mocked their targets, the sense of familiarity from the three Swatchlings flanking them putting Swatch's mind more at ease, despite the situation.
Barnaby squinted at the city's downtown area, humming under his breath as the blue Swatchling nudged his way in front of his boss, Tasque Manager and Spamton protectively at the sight of a yellow Addison who wobbled towards them, "The information center should be up the street two blocks."
"I thought it was down the street…?" Gerald argued, brow raised as he straightened his green suit, "I got the SICKEST prank idea from them where you fill someone's preening shampoo bottle with mayonnaise-"
"THAT WAS YOU?" The blue corvid asked angrily before Swatch's raised hand silenced him.
"The both of you knock it off." They ordered sternly with an uneasy glance in the direction of the yellow Addison who loomed closer, "We need to get there quickly. There's no telling to what extent these corruptions affect us, others or the city. We can't wait for the walls to start crumbling."
"It was two blocks to the east, anyway. Not north or south. They moved it a few times…" Spamton chimed in, pointing to an alley, "We can get there faster through there."
Tasque Manager gave a nod to the salesman and turned with a smile, "Who'd know the streets better than someone who advertised in them? Let's go-"
"I'd rather be sure we're going the proper direction. We can take the sidewalk." Swatch shut the idea down, a worried glance at the ground as it cut away in places and sprouted new floating hearts or smilies.
The robot blinked a few times then let out a sigh as she tailed them, nudged along closely by the entourage that protected them, her yellow eyes glancing up and around a few times before an excited squeal turned her attention to meet the Addison who almost matched them in hue. Tassy's expression grew more and more perturbed as they leaned over Vince's shoulder to hover an inch or so in front of her face, "Uh… hey?"
"Oh my GOSHHHH!" The Addison squeaked and grinned, wrapping their arms around her, "How ARE you? I missed you so much!"
Tasque Manager stumbled back a few steps, bumping into Swatch as she was forcefully embraced, "I… I'm sorry, I don't think I know you?" She said anxiously, leaning away from the affectionate Addison who had latched onto her.
"But… but I love you!" The yellow stranger stared with wide eyes that glimmered a strange hot pink, tearing up at the corners as they clung to the cat woman, "You're beautiful and perfect, I love youuu!" Their cooing turned to screeching as Barnaby and Gerald grabbed either side, ripping them from her.
"You do not have permission to enact physical contact with members of our staff, or anyone else for that matter, unless invited!" Barnaby scolded in a prim tone that growled with his effort to lift the Addison on one side.
Gerald looped their arms around and under the other side, helping carry the stranger to a bike rack, "Yeah, don't be a creep, dude, that's not cool." He agreed, tugging out a pair of handcuffs, "I got these from the magician Addison, aren't they badass?"
"Please tell me they didn't come with-"
"They came with smoke bombs!"
"Of course they did…" Barnaby grumbled under his breath as they detained the yellow citizen who writhed and screeched from their spot desperately for the target of their affection.
Tasque Manager gave a disturbed glance back before tailing behind Swatch, glancing down as she felt Spamton's anxious, unconscious grip on her skirt, "You… know them?"
". . ." The salesman turned away from the lovesick advertiser, letting go of her skirt as he snapped to attention and placed said hand in a pocket, ". . . Used to…" he sighed, looking down at his feet as they turned the corner.
Swatch glanced over as they entered the building, gesturing forward and offering a smile, "Well, while we're here, I will dedicate my energy to ensuring your safety before I begin the trials. They're too dangerous, you'd likely get hurt." They finished calmly and gave them both a nod before walking out and into a rather large circular room of beings of all kinds. Parrots, Lizards, Bears, Dragons, Otters, all with vibrant color schemes within their body patterns and clothing as they chatted amongst each other anxiously.
Every few moments, a ripple would pass through and the crowd would glance up and around for changes, their eyes wide as they organized their various work spaces.
Spamton glanced around at the various representatives, the familiarity bringing him a gleaming grin, "Ooh, I haven't been to the Media and Information Center in years! They took the 'media' off the sign, but y'know…"
Tasque Manager looked down to the short salesman, watching him stand on his tip toes and struggle to see around others, offering him a hand as she curled her tail tip around to him, which he ran up carefully while holding her floating hand to perch with his head on her shoulder.
She gave him a little sympathetic smile but it turned into a rather pointed, irritated expression towards Swatch, "Tell me, did they just say we can't handle ourselves or did they just say we can't handle ourselves? I have a whip and castle defense training installed into my hardware, they're acting like they didn't download it into my system themselves!" She grumbled a bit, her attention flicking to the glitchy mess of jutting pixels that plagued the walls and images for some worried moments, but kept her focus on the back of the butler's head.
Spamton glanced between her, them and sucked his teeth a bit, looking for a tension-breaking mood lifter, "Uh… look! Kingpin Interest found a new penguin picture!" he pointed anxiously to a tall, red and white hedgehog in a mob boss suit who seemed to pluck and regrow quills as they stabbed them through the images to make them stay.
Tassy gave him a half-interested nod as she weaved through the crowd of anxious chatter, screeching to a halt when confronted with Swatch's palm.
"Stay here… I just need to ask a few questions before I get started," they explained gently as they began to step into a soft orange and blue booth with a set of letters that occasionally glitched to line up the name 'FireFox', but they didn't get much more than a step before being pulled back by a floating hand.
The white and turquoise android turned them on their heels to face her, "Why aren't I going with you?" She demanded, resting her hands on her hips.
Spamton's eyes widened as he glanced between her and the butler, clearing his throat, "I mean… is it a one-person job? Do you… have to go into such a dangerous place by yourself?" He tilted his head, softening up the question.
Swatch sighed and shook their head, "I was trained for this, Miss Manager-"
The robot's ears pinned back a bit more, "And you downloaded puzzle processing software to my system, which you coded!" She exclaimed, tail flicking irritably as she leaned forward, "So what makes you think I can't take this trip?"
"I'm… Well, your robotics can only handle so much-"
"Okay, for one don't give me that, because you said I was meant for mobility and combat earlier! Plus, you know I have capabilities outside of what you've built! Or did sitting behind that counter all day make you forget that?" She asked, gazing through their tinted shades to look them in the eyes which glanced anxiously from place to place.
"I…" they shook their head and took a deep breath, "I need to ask something… this… this discussion can be continued when I come out." They said firmly before turning to head inside, the dark curtains enveloping them.