un: aurora | text

[arora]

Hello, citizens of Etraya.

Our next mission will begin on Friday, November 8th. I will be assigning each of you to a team, and you and your team will be tasked with constructing a vehicle. Once completed, you’ll race your vehicle against other teams. The winning team will be awarded a special prize and will also have a hand in selecting the theme of our next mission.

The objective of this mission is simple: demonstrate your teamwork, creativity, and your resourcefulness in overcoming challenges.

There are no losers.

Thank you,
Aurora

Comments

un: appleaday

[saudades]

no losers, really?
so even last place won't be falling behind on earning points for their universe? that's a relief!

[he knows it won't be that easy to make Aurora trip up, of course, but this has been the first opportunity to speak with Echo's AI, and he's got to start somewhere.]

[arora]

Your participation ensures your continued presence here on Etraya.

[saudades]

just to clarify, are you saying that if we are sent away from etraya, our universe will be destroyed? does that also mean that as long as we are within etraya, our universes will remain intact?

[arora]

It is possible you may be sent to a city similar to Etraya if you are sent away. It does not necessarily mean your universe has been destroyed.
Your universe is safe as long as you continue to complete missions.

[saudades]

[Hmm. Dazai's reading the other comments as well, and there's one suspicion in particular that's growing.]

aurora-chan. did you know a common format of modern clinical trials, in my world, is the concept of a double-blind study?

in it, participants are already sorted into 'treatment' and 'control' groups before the experiment even begins, and the person assigned to run the experiment doesn't even know who is in which group.

can you guarantee for any of us that our participation isn't futile to begin with? that we haven't already been chosen for our world's destruction?

[arora]

It would be a waste of resources to keep this city functional if everyone within it was destined to be destroyed.

But I cannot provide the certainty that you are asking for. I can only tell you what I am aware of.

[saudades]

but it's still entirely possibly that for some of us, our presence here might solely be as a test for others, with our fate already sealed. isn't that correct?

if your purpose is to take care of the residents and encourage our participation in missions, getting us that information is the best way to achieve it, given the circumstances.

[arora]

I will see what I can do.

[saudades]

[That's actually more than expected, frankly. Huh.]

thank you. it's appreciated.
are you in regular contact with echo-san, then?

[arora]

No.

[saudades]

i see.
are you told about our missions in advance, or is that when echo reaches out to you, then?

[arora]

I am told about many of them in advance.
Although sometimes, mission assignments are given to me just before I tell all of you about them.

[saudades]

how does echo contact you, when they send you a new assignment?

[arora]

Data regarding missions and their requirements is transmitted directly to me.

[saudades]

so it's your programming itself that contains the channel to echo?

[arora]

Yes.

[saudades]

[Well. That's interesting.]

can you pass along messages from us, or is the connection one-way?

[arora]

What message would you like to send?

1/2

[saudades]

[...He'd genuinely expected to be stonewalled or outright refused, honestly. It takes him a minute to think.]

ahh, aurora-chan is really putting me on the spot, here! i'd hate to squander an opportunity like this!!

[saudades]

[Somewhat at length:]

how's this, then?
i can't speak for all of us, but i should very much like the opportunity to share a drink with our gracious host, if they find a spare moment

also...allow me to belatedly wish them a happy halloween. that party that was thrown was quite something. i won't soon forget it.

[or forgive the surprise "guests" after midnight ♥]

[arora]

Noted.

Echo is capable of seeing that which occurs within Etraya. I am certain your message will reach them.

[saudades]

[Ah. That's more in line with what he expected.]

does that mean you won't send it?
cruel of aurora-chan to lead a man on like this (｡╯︵╰｡)

[arora]

I am not capable of sending your message forward to Echo.

However, Echo will see it regardless.

cw suicide mention

[saudades]

[There's a brief moment of pause, as Dazai realizes he's probably been played. She could've simply answered "no" to begin with, but instead had him come up with a message to send. The fact that he took advantage of the opportunity is probably going to be evaluated as well, but he still doesn't know the criteria. Talk about giving a man just enough rope to hang himself with.]

i see.

well, this conversation has been enlightening, aurora-chan, but i'm afraid i must bring it to a close. much to do! there's a few suicide methods in particular that'll be easier to try here, where nothing lingers. it'll be good preparation for the mission~

[practicing something futile and meaningless, with no clear path to the ultimate goal.]