Call Me Out!

[cyan_maid]

Feel like threading something out with Jane? Homestuck's canon, AUs, taking place within a game she's had CR with one of your characters with, meme-type prompts, text conversations, or otherwise? Come at me, bros!

Just warn for anything like gore, smut, etc. in the title of your toplevel and let's get down to business!

Comments

[cyan_maid]

"Uh, sure, I guess..."

Jane takes a moment to close her eyes and focus, face scrunching a little as she ends up on her tiptoes, but...nope, nothing happens. She rests back on her heels with a frustrated grunt.

"No dice. Sorry." A pause, as she properly takes in the other girl. "...You're a Maid too, huh?"

[psych0p0mps]

"Yes. Maid of Time. My name is Aradia," she adds after a second, finally remembering her manners (such as they are). "This is really weird, though. What is even capable of nerfing two God Tiers down to nothing?"

[cyan_maid]

"Mine is Jane. It's, um, nice to meet you...circumstances regardless." And she means it, too, but...yeah, that is incredibly weird. "Do you think it has to do with the glowing? I know I wasn't glowing at all before I ended up here...wherever here is. It's very pixely."

[psych0p0mps]

Gurl if you think it's pixely now, you shoulda seen it in 1982

"I don't know." Aradia glances down at her Time logo, which is glowing in similar fashion. "If that's what it is, then it's not a very good trade, power-wise.

"I kind of doubt we are going to find any real answers by standing around here, though." She turns to take a look down the street, and points upwards at the enormous monolithic tower that dominates the skyline. "I'm going to try up there, I think. You are more than welcome to come with me if you want. We are probably less likely to die if we stick together."

(This despite the lack of any threat so far. There are more direct and tactful ways to admit you're scared, AA.)

[cyan_maid]

Jane shoves her hands in her pajama pockets. That is actually some sound advice, she can't knock it. "I am all for things that are less likely to make me die again. What do you think that thing could be, anyway? If it's that big, it's got to be important."

[psych0p0mps]

"Only one way to find out!" Aradia says, smiling, and she starts down the street at a trot. This at least is familiar territory. Not literally, of course, since she has never been here before and the territory is completely unfamiliar. But like, having a quest, exploring, adventuring. That's the part that's familiar, and she feels a little better having it there.

It's not long before the dim glow ahead of them brightens into an intersection with a busy thoroughfare. For the most part the vehicles have readily identifiable real-world analogues, although most of them fly at varying altitudes, and at very high speed. Their paths are unnaturally straight and smooth; at one of the corners you can see them making 90-degree turns on a dime without slowing. It's almost as if conventional laws of physics don't apply to a non-physical environment.

This does mean that the girls will have to cross this road to get to the tower, though. Or find a way around.

[cyan_maid]

Jane is personally happy not to be alone. Or, well, not to be with a stranger who wouldn't have a similar inkling of where they should be instead of here. The pajamas are a mystery as well as a relief, it must be said, and she keeps pace with Aradia's trot easily, looking around in open wonder.

When they come to the road, Jane stops. "Oh. Wow. This is...not like a normal highway at all. How are those turns even possible?"

[psych0p0mps]

"Are you asking me that?" says Aradia, watching the vehicles with similar interest. "Because I thought we had established that I don't know anything, either." She doesn't sound particularly irritated, however. It's just a statement of fact.

She soon notices they aren't the only pedestrians in the area. The others look human, mostly - a little desaturated, maybe, but not as grey as a troll. Their outfits aren't the same, but they are very similar, all patterned with glowing blue circuitry. Only some of them have noticed the intruders, but of those, most are staring.

However, Aradia's limited acknowledgment of social norms means she doesn't see anything particularly odd about that. "Maybe we should ask those guys?" she asks, pointing to a small group of them. They don't seem hostile, anyway.

[cyan_maid]

"Ah-" Jane blushes, a little embarrassed. "N-No, just...saying it aloud."

It's true - wondering things aloud is a thing Jane does. When Aradia points out the people in the distance, she stares right back. If there's vehicles being driven, then it makes sense for people to be here, right? Were they native to the area, or lost like these two? The staring is...a little eerie, though. "Uh...that's...yeah, that's a good idea. They can't be more confused than we are."

[psych0p0mps]

"Okay." Yeah, if they're locals then they'll know what's up, and if they're not, then they could join the team. So Aradia approaches the group, with Jane not far behind.

There are three of them: two men, one woman. As the girls get closer, though, these three tentatively back off, looking apprehensive, maybe even a little fearful. There's a wall behind them, though, so they don't have far to go. "Hello!" Aradia calls out to them, more or less oblivious to their reaction. "Can you help us?"

[cyan_maid]

Uuuuuh yeah that's...not a normal reaction. Jane reaches out to Aradia, grabbing onto the hem of her sleeve. "H-Hold on, maybe...maybe we shouldn't just...they're kind of backing away. We should maintain our distance." Then, a little louder so the strangers can hear, "Excuse me? I'm sorry, but, we seem to be lost. Do you happen to know where we are?"

1/2

[psych0p0mps]

The trio hesitates; then one of the men glares at them and turns away, putting his hand on the woman's arm. "Strays," he says. "Don't talk to them."

He's the only one that seems angered, though. The other two soften a bit, looking at the girls with something like ... pity? The second man steps forward cautiously. "It's - we're at Junction D-33152, Subjunction Beta. Near Southbridge."

"Where are your discs?" the woman adds, more clearly worried. It's less clear whether that worry is for herself, or for the "strays."

"Discs?" Aradia repeats. "What do you mean?"

The first man grunts and tugs on the woman's arm. "You can't help them, Diff. Let's get out of here, before the Recognizers-"

2/2

[psych0p0mps]

As if on cue, the distinctive, red-lined shape of a Recognizer swoops out from between two tall buildings and makes a beeline toward the group, stopping above them and training a spotlight on the two intruders. The bystanders scurry out of the way, but not far enough away to keep them from gawking. Aradia holds up one arm to shield her eyes from the light, with limited success.

The voice that comes out of the Recognizer's loudspeaker is low-pitched and heavily synthesized. "UNIDENTIFIED PROGRAMS LOCATED. WARNING: SUBMIT YOURSELVES FOR RECTIFICATION OR BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE DERESOLUTION."

Expecting compliance, the improbable vehicle begins to descend. Aradia glances at Jane, uncertain. "Um, Jane? I don't know what it's talking about but I think we should go."

[cyan_maid]

Junction D-33152, Subjunction Beta? What is any of that supposed to mean, that's not a normal, sensible location. Before Jane speaks up to protest, the strange airborne machine swoops overhead. Jane squints and turns away from the light, gritting her teeth. "What the-"

And then the voice speaks. Programs? Rectification? Deresolution? Nope, none of this is making any sense except for Aradia's proposal, which sounds pretty great to be honest. "Yeah - yeah, let's get out of here!"

LET'S LASS SCAMPER THE HECK OUTTA DODGE

[psych0p0mps]

LASS SCAMPER ENGAGED

They flee together down the sidewalk. Aradia dodges and darts between oncoming programs where needed, but she feels slow. It's not just the flight. Her reaction time is down. She looks over her shoulder, where the thing is easily keeping pace with them, and raises a hand trying to stop it - with time, with telekinesis, anything - but of course nothing happens, so with a frustrated grunt she's eyes forward again.

Soon they reach a T-intersection, and Aradia skids to a stop. Which way...? Does it matter, though? She decides it doesn't, and turns back to Jane. "Split up! It can't chase both of us!" - and without waiting for a reply, she takes off.

But she's not even a few steps into the road before she stops again - a second Recognizer has arrived, at a little distance down the cross-street. "Oh, come on," Aradia whines, and she does a 180 and returns to Jane. The which-way problem has inadvertently been solved, I guess.

Above and not far behind them, the Recognizer repeats, "ALERT: ROGUE PROGRAMS. SUBMIT YOURSELVES FOR IMMEDIATE DERESOLUTION..."

(It is a very good thing that these guys don't have guns.)

[cyan_maid]

For Jane, she doesn't feel slower - comes with being used to living as a normal human, apparently - but this place is way too crowded to properly flee, and that weird thing seems to have honed in on them too acutely to be lost in a crowd. She falters at the path divergence, making a panicked sound and reaching out for Aradia when she starts in the other direction - don't leave her alone, you're the only thing remotely familiar in this place - but the sight of the second Recognizer chills her to her bone.

"Shit-"

Running off towards the only direction they have left, what do they do, shit, shit!

[psych0p0mps]

They get a little way in that direction, with the one Recognizer right on top of them, the second gaining fast, and ahead of them now emerges a third - "Are you kidding me?!" How many of these things do they have?

Well, they can't go forward, they can't go back - what now?

Sideways, though, someone sticks out their arm from a narrow gap between two buildings, less than a meter wide. "In here! Quickly!"

[cyan_maid]

Oh shit, fucking hell, this is crazy - but Jane's willing to take a chance if someone's offering a helping hand. She grabs Aradia's and then grabs the stranger's, letting them pull both girls into the crack. Will this really help??

[psych0p0mps]

More than you might think. The gap is a tight squeeze, but it's long, and eventually it opens up a little bit - still narrow, but runnable.

The person who pulled them in here is hard to get a good look at. He looks to be male, and he's wearing lit-up clothes like to the other locals, and he has short, white hair. Other than that, though. At one point Aradia calls up to him, "Thanks, but who are you?" but he only replies, "Later! Run silent for now."

It feels like forever before he comes to a stop. He feels around on the wall for something, and although it looks perfectly smooth, he soon finds it. A portion of the wall simply dissolves, and he steps through, motioning for them to follow. The gap closes the moment they're through, showing no sign that it was ever there.

For a moment, the small room on the other side is lit only by the glow from their clothing; then the running lights come on. The man presses his hand to another panel, and the elevator - it's an elevator, by the way - begins to descend.

It's only now, catching their breath, that they really get a look at this guy. His face is unfamiliar, but he's definitely young, handsome and bright-eyed. He laughs, relieved. "That was close. Thank the Creator I got to you in time... Are you all right?"

[cyan_maid]

Jane complies with the order, running and running, holding on as tightly as she can...and she leans on her knees, gasping for breath once they finally reach the safety of the elevator. It takes her a moment to respond to their savior. "A...Alright? Alright? I - I think we're grateful just to be alive, sir! Who - who are you? Why did you - risk your skin - for us?"

[psych0p0mps]

"I'm Hash," the man says with a quick nod. "I'm an encryption program, mainly, but I've also made it my function to keep strays like yourselves from being sent to the Games."

There is more than one part of that statement that Aradia has questions about, so she starts with the one that jumps to mind first. "'Strays,'" she repeats, looking to Jane for confirmation. "Didn't one of those guys at the junction call us that?"

Hash nods again, and smiles patiently. "Stray programs, yes. Those who've lost their identity disc. I understand if you're confused - losing your disc can wreak havoc on your memory. Don't worry. You'll feel like yourselves again soon enough."

[cyan_maid]

"Identity disc...?" Jane shares a glance with Aradia, just as confused. "But...sir, you can't...we're not from here at all! There's no discs or anything like that for us."

[psych0p0mps]

Hash pauses, first a little alarmed, then concerned. It's like he knows what Jane's trying to say, but jumping to conclusions isn't quite in his nature. "Not from ... here? You mean... you're not from the Grid?"

"Right," Aradia says. "And we are not programs, either. We are very much living, breathing, organic people." And we intend to stay that way.

Though they're the only ones in the elevator, Hash glances over his shoulder as if to make sure no one overheard. Then he eyes the two of them with apprehension and... even a hint of wonder. "You claim to be... Users?" he says, his voice quieter.

[cyan_maid]

...Alright, this place just keeps getting weirder and weirder. "We only claim to be living beings, sir - not programs or anything of the like. That's all."

[psych0p0mps]

Hash eyes the two of them, hopeful but cautious. "Be careful who you tell such things," he says. "The Administrator has ears everywhere." The elevator slows gently to a stop, and as he steps forward to open the door, he adds, "In fact, ah... just let me do the talking, up ahead."

Aradia glances at Jane and shrugs, as if to say I don't get it either, then follows Hash outside.

The next area is a round room, much too large for its sole occupant, who rests in a sleek armchair in the exact center. She's tall and elegant, with pale hair pulled into a tight bun, thickly outlined eyes, tall wedge heels, and a form-fitting outfit. As with Hash, though, there's a prominent ring, roughly a foot in diameter, attached to her upper back. Unlike Hash's pale blue circuits, hers are white.

She doesn't get up as the three approach, or even acknowledge their presence. Only after Hash awkwardly clears his throat does she respond. "Yes, Hash," she says.

"Isa," he replies, nodding once.

Isa finally turns her head, sizing up her guests with an aloof expression. "More strays? You do love making more work for yourself, don't you, Hash?"

"Almost as much as I love making work for you, my dear," says Hash. Smooth line, but his delivery leaves much to be desired. "But it's worth it if I can keep them out of the Games. Would you mind, uh, spinning them up, please?"

For a moment Isa merely watches him, but then... "Very well." She rises from the chair with - it's certainly grace, but a grace that's oddly mechanical. There's a certain regimented precision to her movements. A small pedestal rises from the floor, and she passes her hand over it, summoning a ring like the ones mounted on her and Hash's backs. "Who will be first?"