text; un:misstech [OTA]

[roombamastermind]

[attached: an image of a printed map of the city, with various points on it marked red and green, along with what appear to be prices written in the same font.]

Hello, everyone. My name is Croix Meridies, a new arrival.

Since coming here, I've done my best to catalog and mark this city's ramen stands, restaurants, and convenience stores that sell it in instant form, along with listing their prices. I haven't been here long, so I've decided to crowdsource it and offer my findings to anyone interested.

If you could help me fill in the map, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Comments

[roombamastermind]

What's good for the Enma isn't neccessarily bad for the Alliance. And honestly, now that I'm working with the kappa on the city's utilities, I have the whole city's interests at heart.

Also, I think an amazing work of technology like yourself is worth preserving.

[mechspeed]

I see.

[It isn't the first time it's been mentioned. This whole allegiances thing has given him a lot to think about.]

It was suggested to me that I "loosen up" somewhat on cross faction cooperation by a higher ranked member of the department. It is a concept I find difficult to grasp.

[roombamastermind]

I imagine it would be. May I ask, is adversarialness part of your programming?

[mechspeed]

Correct. I am programmed to recognize, review and rate every individual I encounter on their potential threat level, based on several key factors.

[No "friend dectector" on the opposite end unfortunately.]

[roombamastermind]

I see. I know something about doing that myself, and I had to learn how to stop doing that. You can't get by in a place like this if you push everyone away.

[mechspeed]

It is not everyone.

[As if that helps.]

But there are clear lines being drawn. Logically, the divide between factions is as good a place as any to start, given there is some incentive to support the one you are chosen by.

[roombamastermind]

Let me put it this way.

Has being so combative gotten you very far in life? Or has it created more obstacles than opportunities?

[mechspeed]

[He really wants to avoid the topic of this conversation, it's too close to home.]

There are pros and cons. [bs] I have not had much in the way of opportunity by default, given I was built to be a weapon.

[roombamastermind]

And how did being a weapon work out for you?

[mechspeed]

Poorly, of course. It is not a life I would have chosen for myself.

Things are different now.

[Even if he's still approaching life as if he were still Eggman's weapon. Old habits die hard.]

[roombamastermind]

I would hope you would consider the wisdom of changing strategies then. I've had to.

[mechspeed]

I see. You also wish to make effective use of the other factions, is that it?

[roombamastermind]

More like being adversarial landed me in prison, and I can't afford another set-back like that.

[mechspeed]

So you have analyzed your previous failure and decided to revaluate your methods to increase a likelihood of future success.

Put like that, I can understand.

[Surely she didn't learn any lessons about friendship or some garbage like that.]

[roombamastermind]

Something like that. But I also learned the true value of a friendship I had long since discarded.

[ Sorry, Metal. ]

[mechspeed]

[ugh]

Then we are different, you and I. I do not possess anything like that nor do I desire to. My priorities are far more pragmatic.

[roombamastermind]

That's a roundabout way of saying you don't possess anything like that yet.

It seems to continuously work out for most people. Why not give it a try? It'd give you an advantage. It would still be pragmatic of you.

[mechspeed]

I understand friendship is a matter of survival for organic life forms. The individual possesses their own set of skills, while another can possess an entirely different set. Together, you cover one another's weaknesses.

That is not a problem I must deal with. If I am lacking in some way, I will adjust my functions where necessary and overcome. That is the difference between man and machine.

[Metal simply lacks a "heart", figuratively speaking, unable to see what friendship can offer beyond the cold reasoning of a weapon.]