I'm not sure what he is. He's not a player, and he doesn't really act like a person. Or, he didn't at first. He was really skittish. But he's asking for help.
He called Fragment his home, and that he's been trying to reach out to the voices of a lot of players. I was just the first one that responded.
He thinks something's wrong with the admins. That they know way more than they're telling the players, and that something bad is going to happen soon. He said he doesn't know why he's being blocked.
But he thinks the admins are trying to keep people trapped inside the game.
If he's not a player and he's calling Fragment his home, that'd make him a game character, wouldn't it? A game character with a lot of awareness...
Mithrun brought up the idea of a sentient AI... I thought it was way too insane of an idea at first but maybe there's something to it after all.
Ugh. I don't know though. This is...a lot. The admins secretly being the villains? I do think Hien is a shitty admin, but really? That's a cliche anime plot twist. What would they even have to gain by keeping us in the game?
[It takes a few minutes for Levi to reply as he mulls this over in his head.]
As much as I don't want to kick myself later if this ends up being legit, it also sounds really sus.
The admins were definitely trying to shut down conversation with this guy so that could be a point in his favor, but it could also be because he's a rogue NPC with way more power than he should have. Just the overall nature of his DMs to us was ominous at best.
I know you want to believe him, but... I feel like we shouldn't jump the gun here.
True. That's another thing I can't explain. It's been a few hours since the DMs went out and yet there's been no public announcement. Do they really think we're gonna go on with our lives and not mention this?
A promise from a complete stranger doesn't mean that much, Bear. Still...you're set on helping him no matter what I say, aren't you? So I guess I'll hear him out too.
He's pretty smart. I don't know how he knew my name to begin with, but he said it's because he knows everything about people in his home. Kind of the same way the admins know everything.
Yeah. He called me by it when we met. I got kind of concerned, because you and Mr. Jensen are the only ones who should know that. But he said the admins know it all, too.
[He takes the long response as an answer on its own, chucking his own phone to an alarm only setting and not responding back until a few hours later, when he gets up for his morning run.]
Thank you.
I'm not mad, Levi. I think this is important. Hopefully you'll see it, too.
I'm heading out to training. I can be online for some stuff tonight and tomorrow night, but not for very long.
But I'll take you to see him after the weekend's over. And then I'll get you donuts. The good ones, from that bakery by the beach.
[The wee hours of the morning tend to be when Levi's most awake, but he's too emotionally drained to do anything else and ends up falling asleep waiting in vain for Barrett's reply.
At least it's waiting for him when he wakes up in the early afternoon.]
We'll see.
Don't worry about trying to squeeze in online time. I'll probably do something else.
[For the first time since starting the beta, Levi's not really feeling it right now.]
Beach bakery sounds good by the way. Would you want to take a walk while we're there?
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So you DID talk to them. I guess the admins didn't get to you in time to shut down conversation with them.
The out of bounds thing explains why their text was all glitched. That's how you get out of bounds in the first place.
What did you learn?
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I'm not sure what he is. He's not a player, and he doesn't really act like a person. Or, he didn't at first. He was really skittish. But he's asking for help.
He called Fragment his home, and that he's been trying to reach out to the voices of a lot of players. I was just the first one that responded.
He thinks something's wrong with the admins. That they know way more than they're telling the players, and that something bad is going to happen soon. He said he doesn't know why he's being blocked.
But he thinks the admins are trying to keep people trapped inside the game.
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Mithrun brought up the idea of a sentient AI... I thought it was way too insane of an idea at first but maybe there's something to it after all.
Ugh. I don't know though. This is...a lot. The admins secretly being the villains? I do think Hien is a shitty admin, but really? That's a cliche anime plot twist. What would they even have to gain by keeping us in the game?
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I don't understand either, but apparently we might see what he means soon. And I got the feeling he was being really, really honest, Levi.
Lily also said there's more out there just like him. They're stuck to the shadows. I don't know if they're in the game or not.
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As much as I don't want to kick myself later if this ends up being legit, it also sounds really sus.
The admins were definitely trying to shut down conversation with this guy so that could be a point in his favor, but it could also be because he's a rogue NPC with way more power than he should have. Just the overall nature of his DMs to us was ominous at best.
I know you want to believe him, but... I feel like we shouldn't jump the gun here.
Also is his name seriously Lily?
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If he were something dangerous, wouldn't the Admins tell the whole game? What if it's a call for help?
I think we should hear him out, Levi. He doesn't want you to get hurt, he promised. I think his father is who put him there.
I want to introduce you. He wants to meet my brother.
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A promise from a complete stranger doesn't mean that much, Bear. Still...you're set on helping him no matter what I say, aren't you? So I guess I'll hear him out too.
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I've got training the next couple days with the team, but we can go meet Lily after I get back.
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I still can't believe his name is Lily.
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Yeah. He liked it when I brought it up.
He's pretty smart. I don't know how he knew my name to begin with, but he said it's because he knows everything about people in his home. Kind of the same way the admins know everything.
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He knew your name????
And what do you MEAN "when you brought it up"?
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He wanted a name. So I gave him one.
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The admins having access to our IRL names isn't as weird as THIS RANDO knowing. I hope you realize that, Barrett.
And I don't even know where to start on the second part other than WHY. Why did you name a nameless rando after our sister?!
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There's a really, really long pause.
...]
It was just on my mind. She would have been fifteen a month ago, right? And I think she would have liked stuff like this.
I thought maybe it might have been part of the game at first.
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But that anger starts to fizzle out a bit.
Deep breaths, Levi.]
Yeah. I think she would've too.
But that doesn't make a random nameable character worthy of her name, even if this WAS part of the game. They could never be her.
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She deserves to be remembered.
[Nothing he could do ever felt right. He knew she wasn't coming back in real life.
But wouldn't it be a cool reminder, to have her somewhere like this?]
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Cw: child death
[What else is he supposed to say, he wonders.
"Because nothing else ever feels right?"
"Because I want peace and don't know when it'll come?"
"Because I still have dreams of her screaming on the driveway and want it to stop?"]
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When he's done reflecting...]
Sorry.
I shouldn't be telling you how to remember her. That's not fair to you.
As long as you're okay with this guy being called Lily, then you made the right choice.
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Thank you.
I'm not mad, Levi. I think this is important. Hopefully you'll see it, too.
I'm heading out to training. I can be online for some stuff tonight and tomorrow night, but not for very long.
But I'll take you to see him after the weekend's over. And then I'll get you donuts. The good ones, from that bakery by the beach.
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At least it's waiting for him when he wakes up in the early afternoon.]
We'll see.
Don't worry about trying to squeeze in online time. I'll probably do something else.
[For the first time since starting the beta, Levi's not really feeling it right now.]
Beach bakery sounds good by the way. Would you want to take a walk while we're there?
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If you're up for it. The weather's supposed to be nice.
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I am. The ocean air sounds really appealing right now.
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I'll see if Booker wants to come, too. He'd be happy to see you.