Party at Mambi's realm, all are invited!

[Marius Merganser]

<the bunny tilts her head slightly, on some level something seems to be clicking in her head. Seeing the pickles suddenly surrounding her on several guests as the new bunnies pass them around, her ears droop and her mood visibly drops, her eyes filling with sadness as she softly intones> No, I only decided on fruit as a nice gesture because of her trauma and thought it would be a nice idea. Perhaps I was wrong as you are correct, this is quite unusual as I do not know the new feline, but she is quite fascinating nonetheless. Perhaps if I got to know her more...but then, I do not believe she would want to know me more as she pushed me away!

<Marius looked tried not to look pained. Were Aurora's feelings for the new feline authentic? He still didn't regret telling off that cat.>

<she stands straighter now, as you can see her mind fighting itself as she works out her feelings> Love does not follow logic and therefore the emotional responses should not follow logic as well but that does not matter as I feel I must know her more so special guests happiness is maintained and we can all be together! If the massage does not work, perhaps we can attempt...hold. She is not special, as I have no criteria for this assessment. But why do I feel...I have no reason to...

<The duck stared at the floor as he listened, trying to block out the guilty feeling that started to scratch at the window of his soul. He didn't know why he felt the way he did towards Aurora at first either. The words, 'all be together' started to sink in. Were they not on the same page about the nature of their relationship? Could she feel the same way with just anyone else passing through? His heart sank even further.>

<she goes to more as if to reflexively hug you, then quickly stops herself and freezes in her fear, looking at you concerned. She sits down and holds her head sadly, staring listfully at the pickles the raccoons are now holding tightly like a crucifix as the unicorn cautiously lowers her shielding, trying to fight her disgust at the jeans that some of the guests are wearing> I do not wish to do anything more, not while there are so many pickles around that are not being eaten and savoured like they deserve to be. I have never felt sadness before, so why do I feel it now? I want all jeans to go away as well as they are horrible clothing but I cannot articulate why! I wish to hold you and love you but the thought of being touched makes my cardiac unit accelerate and I panic and I...I...

<Marius perked up suddenly. She tried to. She said she wanted to. Something unknown was holding her back. Now he was sure she was being manipulated and he was determined to find out what was going on. He wasn't going to let her slip away. >

<she sadly looks up at you, still keeping a distance while shaking more> Marius...error...am...am I malfunctioning? I have no logical reason for my emotional responses yet I cannot fight them! Please...I cannot control myself...please take these jeans and pickles away and help me. I-I will try to fight my desires but it feels impossible!!! Is this what being an organic is like, slaves to feelings and desires without reason or logic? I-I am sorry, please, I do not wish to hurt you, please, I do not like the emotion designation "sadness". Please Marius, make the sadness stop, I cannot take it...<she trembles more as her eyes dart from pickle to pickle as the unicorn and other guests watch her carefully from a distance with great concern and apprehension>

<Marius carefully sat down in front of Aurora, trying to block her view and keep her attention.>
"We all get sad sometimes." <He spoke softly.> "I don't think anyone enjoys it. But maybe it helps us appreciate the happier times we have? I know when I get sad, I'll just remember our dance competition. Or our time on the beach. Or our first physical hug. And I know I won't feel as bad..."

<He swallowed the lump in his throat.>

"And I'm hoping that maybe we can look forward to all of the of happier times in our future. Together?"

"How about if we get out of here? I hear the garden is lovely this time of night." <He gave her a wink.>
"You can trust me; I love pickles, and I'm not wearing any pants."

 

[NightmareEyes]

Great, then let's go, I have an idea. There's an independent terminal behind a panel in the kitchen area but I'll just get zapped apparently and the mountings are too small for Nizerich to manipulate. If she lets you touch her, you can remove the panel and operate it for me, we can download an isolated copy to it from her core, and maybe we can get back to normal! <he calls out to everyone quickly> Marius, Natasha, we'll be right back, I'm going to try to fix Aurora, just hang tight and keep an eye on her, ok?

<with that, his eyes start to glow, and a shimmering rift appears in front of him, opening to a steel restaurant-like kitchen. Inside, you see a dozen bunnies, most wearing jeans or shorts and at least 2 with burnt fur, all huddled in the center of the room wearing pickles pierced with a string like a necklace. Seeing the portal opening, they jump up and grabbing a box beside them, they all rush through the portal and pile into the pool room beside everyone. Most of the bunnies rush over to the unicorn and other guests in the room carrying pickle-necklaces while one rushes up to the cats, throwing necklaces with pickles attached over the heads of them as he stammers nervously>

MAMBI, thank goodness you're here! Aurora wouldn't let us touch the doors to escape and then suddenly started attacking some of us! Keep that necklace on you at all times, trust me! Lucien figured it out after the 4th electrocution, but for some reason she won't attack anyone with a pickle!!! What's going on?

<the cat looks at his new necklace still dripping with wet pickle juice and looks around. Sure enough as the guests all wear their pickles, the robots slump and power down, slinking away with their energy levels seemingly drained out as they slowly retreat back into their recesses in the walls. Confused but satisfied, he tries to explain> Aurora's malfunctioning, and we're working on it right now actually. Oh, and good work on finding out how to protect the guests! Get more pickles from the storehouse, be careful not to touch anything, and start distributing to everyone right away. Hurry now, hopefully we'll have this under control soon enough!

<as the bunny nods and waves to his fellow bunnies, they all pile out the main doors and rush down the hallway, passing several guests who are staying in a line in the center of the hallway and barely moving, afraid to receive any more shocks. The cat motions to follow him and enters the portal to the kitchen as the rift closes behind him. As he approaches a silver panel with several clamps holding it, you notice out the window in the main dining area several creatures huddles around a table and in another table you see an unconscious coyote-hybrid, slumped against several pillows and covered with a blanket while a single small bunny sits with her nibbling on a small bowl of sliced carrots, watching her closely. Sensing a powerful energy coming from the bag by her feet, you snap out of your distraction as the cat points to the panel and addresses you>

Ok, now it's up to you. Try to get her to let you take that panel off and then once inside push the coloured buttons on the left side in this following order: red-green-red-blue-yellow-blue, wait 2 seconds, then press the purple one and hold it down while I give the authorization code. That should start the copy from her primary core only, completely independent of the avatar. She won't have access to any of her main systems or any sensor logs, but at least we'll be able to talk to her properly without her emotions going wild from the avatar and hopefully convince her to de-synchronize long enough to reset!

Ready whenever you are...<he points to the panel and takes a deep breath nervously>

The cat nodded her affirmation, both admiring the ingenuity of a pickle necklace and smirking at its absurdity as she slowly started to do as the cat requested. She slowly, tentatively, started to pry the panel off as she scrambled to think of ways to best take advantage of her situation.

She could attempt to do a full brainwashing... though despite the power she had received from the racoon it wasn't likely she would be able to successfully perform the procedure. Not to mention she'd only managed to perform the procedure once successfully... and even then it hadn't lasted long. That infuriatingly simple yet powerful counter-curse that was "true love" had made sure of that.

She winced at the memory, gently rubbing at her scar as she finally managed to pry off the panel and stared at the mess of buttons inside. No. Not that. Could she insert herself in the cat's memories as a trusted, familiar figure instead?

She took a peek into his mind... and nearly lost herself in its vast and storied folds. Screams of various creatures suddenly silenced as a city plummeted to the bottom of the ocean. A desert people worshipping her and claiming her as their new god. Teaching a serpentine student with a passion for water magic and healing. Intense, passionate sessions with that unicorn where-

She shook her head, gasping as though resurfacing from a deep dive from the ocean floor.

...no, that didn't seem likely. Never doing that again.

Perhaps she should just alter his memory as they got the tape to play, make him think that there was some sort of magical interference that only his unicorn friend could cut through? Yes... that could work. It was her best shot anyway.

Quickly inputting the buttons as the cat had instructed, she held down the purple one and waited for Mambi to speak the code.

 

[Mambi]

<Marius perked up suddenly. She tried to. She said she wanted to. Something unknown was holding her back. Now he was sure she was being manipulated and he was determined to find out what was going on. He wasn't going to let her slip away. >

<Marius carefully sat down in front of Aurora, trying to block her view and keep her attention.>
"We all get sad sometimes." <He spoke softly.> "I don't think anyone enjoys it. But maybe it helps us appreciate the happier times we have? I know when I get sad, I'll just remember our dance competition. Or our time on the beach. Or our first physical hug. And I know I won't feel as bad..."

<He swallowed the lump in his throat.>

"And I'm hoping that maybe we can look forward to all of the of happier times in our future. Together?"

"How about if we get out of here? I hear the garden is lovely this time of night." <He gave her a wink.>
"You can trust me; I love pickles, and I'm not wearing any pants."

<the bunny looks around at all the people wearing pickles and stands quickly, hesitating to reach out to you and instead standing a few feet away fearfully> Y-yes, that sounds like a good idea, the garden is quite nice and pickle-free according to sensors. No guests currently occupying that area at the moment. Your lack of pants is most pleasing to me as well, thank you. Jeans can be quite the disgusting attire of choice, and should be banned from this building! I will have to address Mambi on the subject once he returns with the beautiful feline. Shall we go?

<the bunny points to the doors and starts to exit, as the unicorn looks over to you and replies> I'll wait here with the little ones until Mambi returns, just in case... <she gives a side-eye to Aurora, who tilts her head obliviously> I just...there's something wrong with that cat he went with, but I can't place what yet...then we'll go to the infirmary to check on their brother. And um...you be careful too, ok?

<as you nod, the bunny exits and walks down the hallway to the garden doors, dodging panicked creatures occasionally as they stay clear of both her and the walls, fearful of further shocks apparently. Entering the beautiful holographic garden, you see someone left it on sunrise mode, as the light and scents of morning breezes fill the air. With lots of space all around, the bunny smiles wide and relaxes as she slowly walks to the middle of the beach to sit, as far from all walls as possible you can't help but notice. You see that small cleaning robots have pushed a few chairs that were leaning against her walls away from them, and are currently moving a table that was touching her walls as you entered. She taps the sandy surface beside her playfully as she looks at you lovingly>

Sand feels nice! Very warm and crumbly, yet soft. A very unique surface. Do you wish to sit as well?

 

[Mambi]

The cat nodded her affirmation, both admiring the ingenuity of a pickle necklace and smirking at its absurdity as she slowly started to do as the cat requested. She slowly, tentatively, started to pry the panel off as she scrambled to think of ways to best take advantage of her situation.

She could attempt to do a full brainwashing... though despite the power she had received from the racoon it wasn't likely she would be able to successfully perform the procedure. Not to mention she'd only managed to perform the procedure once successfully... and even then it hadn't lasted long. That infuriatingly simple yet powerful counter-curse that was "true love" had made sure of that.

She winced at the memory, gently rubbing at her scar as she finally managed to pry off the panel and stared at the mess of buttons inside. No. Not that. Could she insert herself in the cat's memories as a trusted, familiar figure instead?

She took a peek into his mind... and nearly lost herself in its vast and storied folds. Screams of various creatures suddenly silenced as a city plummeted to the bottom of the ocean. A desert people worshipping her and claiming her as their new god. Teaching a serpentine student with a passion for water magic and healing. Intense, passionate sessions with that unicorn where-

She shook her head, gasping as though resurfacing from a deep dive from the ocean floor.

...no, that didn't seem likely. Never doing that again.

Perhaps she should just alter his memory as they got the tape to play, make him think that there was some sort of magical interference that only his unicorn friend could cut through? Yes... that could work. It was her best shot anyway.

Quickly inputting the buttons as the cat had instructed, she held down the purple one and waited for Mambi to speak the code.

<the cat watched her turning the clamps on the panel with ease. No shocks, no concerns amazing! Why was Aurora only allowing this single creature's touches? Why now?? None of this made sense, the avatar was working perfectly just hours ago, and no Hydra tampering shown yet. Watching the new feline enter the transfer command interlock codes, he relaxes a bit, at least this was working and she was able to get Aurora on her side. Still an odd chill shivered down his tail and these instincts were always trusted in the past. Something was wrong here, but what disturbed him most though was...why was he feeling so certain that the newcomer feline wasn't suspicious anymore? Just an attraction, an instinctual infatuation? Fuzziness from the dots and the extra wine despite Natasha's healing earlier? Whatever it was, somehow he just knew in his heart that she was ok...but why? Who was she anyway? How can he know her inten...>

What? OH, the codes...right...<he clears his throat as your paw presses down on the purple button> Aurora! Please, isolate and copy primary core program only to backup terminal KTN-3, authorization code "dead hooker". Execute immediately! <turns to you and whispers> You can let go now...

<the display lights up with the face of the bunny as she nods and smiles> Code confirmed...new avatar AI coding segregated, transfer in progress...

<as several coloured lights shift in sequence, the cat sits down and exhales in relief watching the display change and come to life. After several seconds, the blinking stops, and the bunny's face re-appears> Transfer complete, how may I assist you Mambi? Why do you wish me to not communicate with myself as per normal?

<the cat takes a deep breath> First things first...Aurora, may I touch this terminal right now with your permission, and do you care that I am wearing a pickle?

<blink-blink> Of course you may touch the terminal, and the pickle wearing, while atypical behaviour even for you, is not a concern at this time.

YES! Now we're getting somewhere, that's clearly you all right. We need you to de-synchronize with your remote avatar. Can you do that?

<she closes her eyes a moment and replies> Error, coding discrepancy detected...diagnostic comparison mapping required to resolve feedback loops before disconnection can occur, please hold...

<the cat yells out> NO, AURORA, don't waste the time, that's the nature of the...<the display glows solid blue as the image of the bunny freezes. The lights blink steadily as the cat sighs dejectedly> Ugh, really? She'll be back in a few minutes...she's just going to discover there's a difference in the emotional center subroutines and we know that already because I just read it off the main terminal before we left!!! AAUUGGHHH!!!! <he lowers his head and shakes it slowly>

<he sighs and smiles, trying to restore some charm while extending his paw in friendship> So...while we wait, might as well get to proper introductions I suppose! I'm Mambi, host of this party that's normally a little more relaxed. I take it you just arrived recently, so I'm sorry I never got to know you better...being a little preoccupied with a lovely...er, no matter. Pleasure to meet you, and sorry for the circumstances. And you are...?

 

[Marius Merganser]

<as you nod, the bunny exits and walks down the hallway to the garden doors, dodging panicked creatures occasionally as they stay clear of both her and the walls, fearful of further shocks apparently. Entering the beautiful holographic garden, you see someone left it on sunrise mode, as the light and scents of morning breezes fill the air. With lots of space all around, the bunny smiles wide and relaxes as she slowly walks to the middle of the beach to sit, as far from all walls as possible you can't help but notice. You see that small cleaning robots have pushed a few chairs that were leaning against her walls away from them, and are currently moving a table that was touching her walls as you entered. She taps the sandy surface beside her playfully as she looks at you lovingly>

Sand feels nice! Very warm and crumbly, yet soft. A very unique surface. Do you wish to sit as well?

<The duck took a seat near Aurora, but still out of wing's reach. He stared at the sand and silently traced random lines with his feather finger for a bit. He felt nauseous as his insides twisted around while he tried to think of what to say. With a heavy sigh, he looked at Aurora and asked reluctantly.>

"So, you really seem to like that new cat, huh?"

<Aurora lit up, forgetting her earlier distress.> Yes, she is fascinating, though I am still not certain why. I have been thinking of her a lot since we met. She does not wear jeans, but I do not yet know her stance on pickles.

<Marius nodded and looked out at the pond, but this time with no appreciation of the scenery.>
"Yeah, you referred to her as a special guest. Said you wanted to be together. And, uh, that hug you were giving her was...anyway, you're absolutely sure there's no Hydra activity?"

<Aurora gave Marius a quizzical look and closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them and shook her head.>
Correct. There is no indication of Hydra activity.

<Marius cleared his throat and forced himself to continue.>
"And you'd like to spend some time with her? The cat, I mean. That would make you happy?"

Oh, yes! I do miss holding her. Do you think she would like to spend time with me as well?

<After a pause, he forced a smile.>
"I'd be really surprised if she didn't, but I think there's only one way to find out. You should...uh...go talk to her and find out."

An excellent proposition! I am sure my goal of getting to know her is sufficiently strong enough now to distract me from those dreadful jeans. Thank you, Marius.

<Aurora jumped to her feet and with new confidence, started to make her way back to the saunas.>

Will you also be returning to the saunas as well?

"Oh, you go ahead. I'll catch up later."

<Aurora smiled and ran out, eager to be back in the company of the cat.>

<Marius continued to sit on the sand and hugged his knees up to his chest as he watched Aurora leave. He sat alone, annoyed by the deafening silence.>

 

[Mambi]

<The duck took a seat near Aurora, but still out of wing's reach. He stared at the sand and silently traced random lines with his feather finger for a bit. He felt nauseous as his insides twisted around while he tried to think of what to say. With a heavy sigh, he looked at Aurora and asked reluctantly.>

"So, you really seem to like that new cat, huh?"

<Aurora lit up, forgetting her earlier distress.> Yes, she is fascinating, though I am still not certain why. I have been thinking of her a lot since we met. She does not wear jeans, but I do not yet know her stance on pickles.

<Marius nodded and looked out at the pond, but this time with no appreciation of the scenery.>
"Yeah, you referred to her as a special guest. Said you wanted to be together. And, uh, that hug you were giving her was...anyway, you're absolutely sure there's no Hydra activity?"

<Aurora gave Marius a quizzical look and closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them and shook her head.>
Correct. There is no indication of Hydra activity.

<Marius cleared his throat and forced himself to continue.>
"And you'd like to spend some time with her? The cat, I mean. That would make you happy?"

Oh, yes! I do miss holding her. Do you think she would like to spend time with me as well?

<After a pause, he forced a smile.>
"I'd be really surprised if she didn't, but I think there's only one way to find out. You should...uh...go talk to her and find out."

An excellent proposition! I am sure my goal of getting to know her is sufficiently strong enough now to distract me from those dreadful jeans. Thank you, Marius.

<Aurora jumped to her feet and with new confidence, started to make her way back to the saunas.>

Will you also be returning to the saunas as well?

"Oh, you go ahead. I'll catch up later."

<Aurora smiled and ran out, eager to be back in the company of the cat.>

<Marius continued to sit on the sand and hugged his knees up to his chest as he watched Aurora leave. He sat alone, annoyed by the deafening silence.>

<in her excitement, the bunny runs through the hallway out the door, her heart pounding as the ventilation systems shudders slightly. She knew her logic centers were not sound and yet she could not stop herself from thinking about the new cat! Her cognitive units were stuck in a loop, processing all data about her and the thought of talking to her again excited her beyond all reason! She pauses a moment and closes her eyes, scanning herself to find out where...ah yes, there she is with primary user Mambi, kitchen area quadrant K25Y. She could not wait to see if she would hold her again and Marius could hold her and...>

Oh! Oh my!! <her eyes pop open as several guests jump back in apprehension. She turns around and gazes at the garden doors, horrified in realization. She looks back to where the cat was, and before continuing to the kitchen area, she waves her paw and a shimmering transparent glowing holobunny appears in the doorway, staring at the duck longingly. As the avatar bunny rounds the corner on her search for the feline (@NightmareEyes) , she finally sees them hunched over a terminal hosting...herself? That explains the authenticated comparative scan request she received from outside her core system a moment ago. Not wishing to interrupt the cats until the request from herself was complete, she stands against the wall and stepping back a bit, finds herself just staring at the beauty of the newcomer feline, unable to stop herself from scanning her every particle systematically from top to bottom, mapping her every movement in awestruck wonder...>

<meanwhile, the holobunny walks towards the duck with her head hung low. Staying back fearfully at first but moving her arm closer, she relaxes a bit and moves closer still, as her fear melts away with the realization she cannot touch you nor you her. The apparition sits down, bathing the duck in her blue glow for a few moments before slowly and softly breaking the silence.> The feline is currently busy but I will approach her when she is not. But...but Marius...I believe that excitement may be too overpowering an emotion for me. Why did I run off, when I wish to be with you as well? I look at you and I wish to hold you, but the thought of being touched at all terrifies me! This is illogical, and I-I cannot explain my actions. My behaviour is...not reasonable. I cannot explain myself. Can organics share desire?

<she looks up with her glowing eyes and bats them slowly> I will try and control myself despite wanting to be with her. I have no desire to hurt you so I will attempt to fight any desires I have if I can. But I...I do not know how, I have no experience with this! Something is overriding my inhibitor blocks. I am sorry, can you...forgive me?

<she stops and stares out for a moment, "holding" your hand but clearly grateful it's passing through your wing as she moves it reassuringly in the space> Marius, something else is puzzling. Query: during my initial encounter with the beautiful feline, I do not recall experiencing these desires. Is it not typical for infatuation in organics to be within 0.2 to 8 seconds of initial contact typically? Instead, upon her arrival, we spoke for several minutes and my memory units do not recall any overt excitement aside from basic guest politeness protocols at that time. Is this unusual?

 

[Marius Merganser]

<meanwhile, the holobunny walks towards the duck with her head hung low. Staying back fearfully at first but moving her arm closer, she relaxes a bit and moves closer still, as her fear melts away with the realization she cannot touch you nor you her. The apparition sits down, bathing the duck in her blue glow for a few moments before slowly and softly breaking the silence.> The feline is currently busy but I will approach her when she is not.

<It wasn't exactly an update that Marius wanted to hear. He nodded an acknowledgement and stared out at the pond. He didn't mean to come as cold, but he really didn't know what else to say.>

But...but Marius...I believe that excitement may be too overpowering an emotion for me. Why did I run off, when I wish to be with you as well? I look at you and I wish to hold you, but the thought of being touched at all terrifies me! This is illogical, and I-I cannot explain my actions. My behaviour is...not reasonable. I cannot explain myself. Can organics share desire?

<she looks up with her glowing eyes and bats them slowly> I will try and control myself despite wanting to be with her. I have no desire to hurt you so I will attempt to fight any desires I have if I can. But I...I do not know how, I have no experience with this! Something is overriding my inhibitor blocks. I am sorry, can you...forgive me?

<He turned to the holobunny and offered a reassuring smile.>
"Aurora, there's nothing to apologize for.
At first I thought your earlier behavior was a bit...odd...but both you and Mambi confirmed Hydra isn't involved. So I started thinking; it's hard enough to deal with emotions when you experience the whole range of them your entire life. But you're suddenly experiencing them at a whole new level in a new body. Maybe it's just a matter of you testing them out and trying to find their limitations because you don't have much experience expressing them?"

<Marius looked down at the sand and sighed sadly.>
"We were already a couple before those emotions came into play...But now you clearly have a strong attraction to her and I don't want you to feel like you're obligated to stay committed with me because of circumstances that happened before you had any options to choose. That wouldn't be fair."

<He wasn't sure if he was making any sense.>
I don't want you to resent a missed opportunity because you felt stuck with me. Maybe that's why you don't want to touch anyone else but her? I guess what I'm saying is that it's okay to feel how you feel, even if you're not sure why you do. I just...want you to be happy."

<she stops and stares out for a moment, "holding" your hand but clearly grateful it's passing through your wing as she moves it reassuringly in the space> Marius, something else is puzzling. Query: during my initial encounter with the beautiful feline, I do not recall experiencing these desires. Is it not typical for infatuation in organics to be within 0.2 to 8 seconds of initial contact typically? Instead, upon her arrival, we spoke for several minutes and my memory units do not recall any overt excitement aside from basic guest politeness protocols at that time. Is this unusual?

<"That hug looked more like lust than infatuation." he thought to himself with a bit of jealousy.>
"I don't think I'm experienced enough to verify those numbers."

 

[NightmareEyes]

<the cat watched her turning the clamps on the panel with ease. No shocks, no concerns amazing! Why was Aurora only allowing this single creature's touches? Why now?? None of this made sense, the avatar was working perfectly just hours ago, and no Hydra tampering shown yet. Watching the new feline enter the transfer command interlock codes, he relaxes a bit, at least this was working and she was able to get Aurora on her side. Still an odd chill shivered down his tail and these instincts were always trusted in the past. Something was wrong here, but what disturbed him most though was...why was he feeling so certain that the newcomer feline wasn't suspicious anymore? Just an attraction, an instinctual infatuation? Fuzziness from the dots and the extra wine despite Natasha's healing earlier? Whatever it was, somehow he just knew in his heart that she was ok...but why? Who was she anyway? How can he know her inten...>

What? OH, the codes...right...<he clears his throat as your paw presses down on the purple button> Aurora! Please, isolate and copy primary core program only to backup terminal KTN-3, authorization code "dead hooker". Execute immediately! <turns to you and whispers> You can let go now...

<the display lights up with the face of the bunny as she nods and smiles> Code confirmed...new avatar AI coding segregated, transfer in progress...

<as several coloured lights shift in sequence, the cat sits down and exhales in relief watching the display change and come to life. After several seconds, the blinking stops, and the bunny's face re-appears> Transfer complete, how may I assist you Mambi? Why do you wish me to not communicate with myself as per normal?

<the cat takes a deep breath> First things first...Aurora, may I touch this terminal right now with your permission, and do you care that I am wearing a pickle?

<blink-blink> Of course you may touch the terminal, and the pickle wearing, while atypical behaviour even for you, is not a concern at this time.

YES! Now we're getting somewhere, that's clearly you all right. We need you to de-synchronize with your remote avatar. Can you do that?

<she closes her eyes a moment and replies> Error, coding discrepancy detected...diagnostic comparison mapping required to resolve feedback loops before disconnection can occur, please hold...

<the cat yells out> NO, AURORA, don't waste the time, that's the nature of the...<the display glows solid blue as the image of the bunny freezes. The lights blink steadily as the cat sighs dejectedly> Ugh, really? She'll be back in a few minutes...she's just going to discover there's a difference in the emotional center subroutines and we know that already because I just read it off the main terminal before we left!!! AAUUGGHHH!!!! <he lowers his head and shakes it slowly>

<he sighs and smiles, trying to restore some charm while extending his paw in friendship> So...while we wait, might as well get to proper introductions I suppose! I'm Mambi, host of this party that's normally a little more relaxed. I take it you just arrived recently, so I'm sorry I never got to know you better...being a little preoccupied with a lovely...er, no matter. Pleasure to meet you, and sorry for the circumstances. And you are...?

(Sorry for the late reply! My computer died on me and all attempts to resuscitate it were met with no response at all. We're all good now though.)

Nightmare glanced down at the paw grasping hers, mind racing to think of how best to exploit this situation.

Tampering with the cat's mind was a very dangerous thing. These vast, old, storied minds always were. Not only was it extremely easy to get lost in their many folds, but it was also a good deal more likely that they would realize something was wrong. Even just tricking him into thinking he'd need the unicorn's help to decipher the video feed was going to be tricky enough. That she'd managed not to reveal herself to him already was a miracle in and of itself. No need to push if by doing something stupid like... oh, putting a hypnotic trigger in place to make him start dancing whenever he heard anyone clap their hands. No. The best thing she could do right now was get the cat to trust her. Trust always made it much easier to manipulate victims, she'd found. In any case, it was always a good thing to be on someone's good side.

"Nightmare." She said finally. "My name is Nightmare. A bit strange, I know, but that's my family for you. You can call me N, if you would prefer. Or Zelda, my middle name. Bitch works as well, I guess. Call me whatever you like, really."

 

[GagePatoineFORUMS]

<with a shimmer, the air against the wall parts and splits, reality bending around the hole, and a sleek black cat with glowing eyes pokes his head pokes his head out the hole smiling and holding several dozen pieces of paper. He tosses the papers out scattering them to the ground as more commotion happens behind him through the rift. Over the sounds of music and laughter coming from behind him, he yells out over the noise to you all>

HEY EVERYONE!!! Just a heads-up that the doors to the realm are open so to speak!!! I'm throwing a party in the realm and you're all invited to join in!!! <you see several creatures wandering behind him carrying coloured drinks and snacks as he talks, as one peeks through the hole curious as she passes. Behind her you see a partially clothed semi-transparent holographic bunny addressing a deer at a console while coloured lights swirl everywhere to the beat of the boppy dance music> Lots of music, tasty safe-for-kittens treats, good friends, and tons of surreal fun hopefully to be had!

If you want to join in, just grab a paper and the rift will allow you to pass through. Red button for the rabbit guide to help with the computer systems, but anyone can help you around the place if you need it.

See y'all there I hope!!! <the cat saunters back through the hole, his hips bopping to the beat as the rift remains open invitingly...>


(UPDATE: p.s. anyone can still join in anytime BTW, don't feel like it's too late if you happen to be interested! Always room for more and I can accomodate the scenario to anything so no issues to me. Feel free to play! <the cat laughs and dives back into the rift to resume the playtime>)

(UPDATE 2: 2021-06-26, FYI, you can always still join blind anytime, just walk through the rift as you read above and no need to read 28 pages, promise! If you entered a party an hour late, would you turn around at the door just because you don't know what happened before you arrived? Same here, so no worries...<LOL>

(UPDATE 3: 2021-11-20, FYI, you can always still join blind anytime, the party scenario is getting back to normal (relatively) so if anyone still wishes to join in feel welcomed.

"WH- UHHH??" Gage shouts as the cat leaves his home.

 

[Mambi]

<He turned to the holobunny and offered a reassuring smile.>
"Aurora, there's nothing to apologize for.
At first I thought your earlier behavior was a bit...odd...but both you and Mambi confirmed Hydra isn't involved. So I started thinking; it's hard enough to deal with emotions when you experience the whole range of them your entire life. But you're suddenly experiencing them at a whole new level in a new body. Maybe it's just a matter of you testing them out and trying to find their limitations because you don't have much experience expressing them?"

<she smiles and replies coldly> That explanation may explain some of this, especially my feelings towards the lovely feline, but Marius, that is not logical to explain the rest. I desired your touches earlier on and when we touched I felt wonderful. Now I fear afraid at the thought of physical contact? I cannot explain that. Same with Mambi, and all inside me. I do not know where this fear is originating from! Even now I want to hold you but...but...<she starts to tremble a little as you continue>

<Marius looked down at the sand and sighed sadly.>
"We were already a couple before those emotions came into play...But now you clearly have a strong attraction to her and I don't want you to feel like you're obligated to stay committed with me because of circumstances that happened before you had any options to choose. That wouldn't be fair."

<He wasn't sure if he was making any sense.>
I don't want you to resent a missed opportunity because you felt stuck with me. Maybe that's why you don't want to touch anyone else but her? I guess what I'm saying is that it's okay to feel how you feel, even if you're not sure why you do. I just...want you to be happy."

<the holobunny opens her mouth in shock and surprise, trying to compute what she hears, as she suddenly is hit with a realization> I am thankful for the opportunity to explore myself, but Marius, I do want to explore it with you primarily. As you stated, I do not know the newcomer, and this new fear I experienced appears to have originated solely during our time in the pool. Query: could water intrusion from my "bellyflop" have created neurological damage to this avatar?

<"That hug looked more like lust than infatuation." he thought to himself with a bit of jealousy.>
"I don't think I'm experienced enough to verify those numbers."

<she nods and "holds" your wing tenderly> It is odd I assure you, the math does not lie and I have observed 1387435 instances of instant infatuation between various species over the centuries and all fall within that range. At any rate, you may be interested to know that Mambi has downloaded an isolated copy of me to a backup terminal, and she has initiated a comparative scan of this avatar's programming against primary core programming. Once the results are tabulated, we will know for certain of any corruption or malfunction, and temporary disconnection and realignment can occur. Please...be patient with me, we will have answers soon.

<she smiles widely, the excitement of conversation catching up to her again as per her altered commands> I am currently observing the process now through the avatar's sensory databanks and it is at 65%. Mambi and the newcomer are currently engaging in conversation and all appears to be going well. I believe she will be very helpful to us in this endeavour, as she appears to be quite intelligent in the ways of computers! She is leaning over now, quite curvy in her motions. Ah, she just introduced herself...did you know her name is Nightmare? That is a nice name though atypical as nightmares are usually negative. Now she is proving alternative names, though one is of a female dog and she is a cat so I do not see why she would want...

<she stops herself, seeing the concerned look in your eye> Oh...I am doing it again, aren't I? I am sorry...the feedback loop in my emotional centers is quite strong...

 

[Mambi]

(Sorry for the late reply! My computer died on me and all attempts to resuscitate it were met with no response at all. We're all good now though.)

(OMG, that's terrible, computer crashes are the worst! Sorry for ya! <hugs> Missed you and glad to see you're ok at least though, welcome back online. <smile>)

Nightmare glanced down at the paw grasping hers, mind racing to think of how best to exploit this situation.

Tampering with the cat's mind was a very dangerous thing. These vast, old, storied minds always were. Not only was it extremely easy to get lost in their many folds, but it was also a good deal more likely that they would realize something was wrong. Even just tricking him into thinking he'd need the unicorn's help to decipher the video feed was going to be tricky enough. That she'd managed not to reveal herself to him already was a miracle in and of itself. No need to push if by doing something stupid like... oh, putting a hypnotic trigger in place to make him start dancing whenever he heard anyone clap their hands. No. The best thing she could do right now was get the cat to trust her. Trust always made it much easier to manipulate victims, she'd found. In any case, it was always a good thing to be on someone's good side.

"Nightmare." She said finally. "My name is Nightmare. A bit strange, I know, but that's my family for you. You can call me N, if you would prefer. Or Zelda, my middle name. Bitch works as well, I guess. Call me whatever you like, really."

Nightmare? Huh, that is an interesting name, but I've heard far stranger I suppose. <the cat chuckles softly> It's just fine, really, "Nightmare" it is then. Well hopefully we'll have some of this mess cleaned up and get to the bottom of this. I mean, Aurora acting up is insane true, but we are dealing with a new avatar that was created by a malevolent AI, so even after we cleaned him out of her, who knows what he might have did to the avatar. It's pretty new technology, I've been working on it for the past 2 centuries and never could get the bandwidth adjusters right but lo and behold, he managed to do it and we never really got a chance to properly study it.

<he sighs deeply> Maybe I made a mistake letting her roam with the checks? I dunno, but I was shocked when I saw it. Marius, the duck from earlier, he made her and when I saw her the first time I was gobsmacked! I mean like, it was amazing! I know we'll get her back online proper but the truth is, what realty concerns me is that raccoon, you know? I hate the idea of someone or something attacking innocent guests, it's just horrible, y'know! I'm responsible for safety here and I feel terrible it happened in what I like to think is a pretty safe and secure place! I mean, I have the best in Andromedian and Venusian tech among others, and Aurora was designed by the great Landru himself!! I'm pretty proud of it! This place should be able to handle anything, and yet we've got a mystery attempted murder maybe? It's just...wow...

<he shakes his head as the display suddenly comes to life> Comparative scan complete. Multiple discrepancies detected in the cognitive-logic bridges between live core programming and avatar programming. Source of feedback loops in emotion centers isolated, and I can proceed with de-synchronization at any time. Do you still wish me to de-synchronize?

<the cat jumps to attention, bellowing excitedly but deliberately clear to the image of the bunny on the screen> Yes, Aurora, I need you to instruct yourself to DE-synchronize from the avatar immediately, authorization code "dead hooker", please! <he folds his paws nervously as he listens for her tensely>

Repeat of authorization code is not required as initial command included it, but thank you for further confirmation Mambi. I can de-synchronize safely from avatar in 22 seconds. Please stand by...avatar autonomous operation in 20 seconds...

<the cat relaxes and exhales sharply> Finally! Now we're getting somewhere!!! In a few seconds, Aurora should be back to her old self, and we can start to get some answers! Woohoo!!! Step one should be t look at the sensor logs to get some idea of see what the hell happened in there. I can't wait to...

<the avatar bunny suddenly comes rushing up to the both of you from her hiding place, fuming in pure uncontrolable rage as she starts running down the hall screaming loudly> NO!!! Mambi, the sensor logs are private and cannot be accessed by anyone! I warned you not to try! You know better, stop right NOW!!! <storming in, she comes to stop several dozen feet away from you both and almost snarls as she glares at you both. You try to suppress your smirk and the cat gasps in total shock and surprise speechlessly>

 

[Mambi]

"WH- UHHH??" Gage shouts as the cat leaves his home.

<As you materialize in the room, you see several creatures dancing in the middle of the rave scene, music blaring and lights swirling as they shake their bodies to the beat merrily, oblivious to any issues in the rest of the party rooms as they lose themselves to the beats. Aside form the fact that nobody is touching any walls and staying several feet away purposely, all seems content and happy as a small rabbit approaches you carrying a tray of crackers, veggies, and other assorted snacks>

Greetings and welcome. Mambi is currently indisposed but we should be able to contact him soon. We are having a small...computer glitch. <he winces slightly in painful memories as he rubs the burnt fur on his arm, then shaking it off retorts professionally> M-may I offer you a snack in the meantime?

 

[Marius Merganser]

<the holobunny opens her mouth in shock and surprise, trying to compute what she hears, as she suddenly is hit with a realization> I am thankful for the opportunity to explore myself, but Marius, I do want to explore it with you primarily. As you stated, I do not know the newcomer, and this new fear I experienced appears to have originated solely during our time in the pool. Query: could water intrusion from my "bellyflop" have created neurological damage to this avatar?

<Marius turned to look Aurora in the eyes again, surprised at her words and he slowly smiled.>
"Really? With me? I thought you and her..."
<His smile grew bigger as realization set in.>
"...Oh, uh, no I don't think that impact could have caused anything more than some skin irritation. Unless you stopped breathing, I don't think there would be any brain damage either."

<she nods and "holds" your wing tenderly> It is odd I assure you, the math does not lie and I have observed 1387435 instances of instant infatuation between various species over the centuries and all fall within that range. At any rate, you may be interested to know that Mambi has downloaded an isolated copy of me to a backup terminal, and she has initiated a comparative scan of this avatar's programming against primary core programming. Once the results are tabulated, we will know for certain of any corruption or malfunction, and temporary disconnection and realignment can occur. Please...be patient with me, we will have answers soon.

"Yes. Yes, course. If there is something different...then whatever happened occurred between the time we left the pool and the time we left the sauna. Hm, I wondered what happened..."

<she smiles widely, the excitement of conversation catching up to her again as per her altered commands> I am currently observing the process now through the avatar's sensory databanks and it is at 65%. Mambi and the newcomer are currently engaging in conversation and all appears to be going well. I believe she will be very helpful to us in this endeavour, as she appears to be quite intelligent in the ways of computers! She is leaning over now, quite curvy in her motions. Ah, she just introduced herself...did you know her name is Nightmare? That is a nice name though atypical as nightmares are usually negative. Now she is proving alternative names, though one is of a female dog and she is a cat so I do not see why she would want...

<she stops herself, seeing the concerned look in your eye> Oh...I am doing it again, aren't I? I am sorry...the feedback loop in my emotional centers is quite strong...

<Marius rolled his eyes at the 'curvy' details. So she was attacted to the cat physically but still attached to him emotionally? Good enough.>
"Her name is Nightmare and she's good with computers?"
<He was dying to ask Aurora if the new cat could somehow have altered her as he suspected earlier, but given her infatuation level was still eleven out of ten, he didn't want to upset her.>

"Wait a minute, did you say, disconnection!? I should get back to the physical you and make sure you're okay if that happens."

 

[GagePatoineFORUMS]

<As you materialize in the room, you see several creatures dancing in the middle of the rave scene, music blaring and lights swirling as they shake their bodies to the beat merrily, oblivious to any issues in the rest of the party rooms as they lose themselves to the beats. Aside form the fact that nobody is touching any walls and staying several feet away purposely, all seems content and happy as a small rabbit approaches you carrying a tray of crackers, veggies, and other assorted snacks>

Greetings and welcome. Mambi is currently indisposed but we should be able to contact him soon. We are having a small...computer glitch. <he winces slightly in painful memories as he rubs the burnt fur on his arm, then shaking it off retorts professionally> M-may I offer you a snack in the meantime?

"I'm, uh... yeah sure why not. Is there any kind of sour cream and onion Pringles or original Ruffles? I love those, even the offbrands." Despite his confusion towards the fact that a dimensional rift opened up behind him without warning, despite being able to do so and not giving a shit, he shrugs it off and acts naturally.

 

[Baron Tredegar]

A interdimensional gateway opens and the great Baron of Tredegar approaches from it. He is attended by a half dozen servants and he is garbed in armor that conceals his facial features. "I apologize for my delay in arriving to the party, I am sure that with my presence the festivities can commence." He motions towards one of his servants. "I am sure that this is an appropriate gift to the host?" The servant presents a dazzling set of golden Byzantine style imperial regalia.

 

[NightmareEyes]

(OMG, that's terrible, computer crashes are the worst! Sorry for ya! <hugs> Missed you and glad to see you're ok at least though, welcome back online. <smile>)



Nightmare? Huh, that is an interesting name, but I've heard far stranger I suppose. <the cat chuckles softly> It's just fine, really, "Nightmare" it is then. Well hopefully we'll have some of this mess cleaned up and get to the bottom of this. I mean, Aurora acting up is insane true, but we are dealing with a new avatar that was created by a malevolent AI, so even after we cleaned him out of her, who knows what he might have did to the avatar. It's pretty new technology, I've been working on it for the past 2 centuries and never could get the bandwidth adjusters right but lo and behold, he managed to do it and we never really got a chance to properly study it.

<he sighs deeply> Maybe I made a mistake letting her roam with the checks? I dunno, but I was shocked when I saw it. Marius, the duck from earlier, he made her and when I saw her the first time I was gobsmacked! I mean like, it was amazing! I know we'll get her back online proper but the truth is, what realty concerns me is that raccoon, you know? I hate the idea of someone or something attacking innocent guests, it's just horrible, y'know! I'm responsible for safety here and I feel terrible it happened in what I like to think is a pretty safe and secure place! I mean, I have the best in Andromedian and Venusian tech among others, and Aurora was designed by the great Landru himself!! I'm pretty proud of it! This place should be able to handle anything, and yet we've got a mystery attempted murder maybe? It's just...wow...

<he shakes his head as the display suddenly comes to life> Comparative scan complete. Multiple discrepancies detected in the cognitive-logic bridges between live core programming and avatar programming. Source of feedback loops in emotion centers isolated, and I can proceed with de-synchronization at any time. Do you still wish me to de-synchronize?

<the cat jumps to attention, bellowing excitedly but deliberately clear to the image of the bunny on the screen> Yes, Aurora, I need you to instruct yourself to DE-synchronize from the avatar immediately, authorization code "dead hooker", please! <he folds his paws nervously as he listens for her tensely>

Repeat of authorization code is not required as initial command included it, but thank you for further confirmation Mambi. I can de-synchronize safely from avatar in 22 seconds. Please stand by...avatar autonomous operation in 20 seconds...

<the cat relaxes and exhales sharply> Finally! Now we're getting somewhere!!! In a few seconds, Aurora should be back to her old self, and we can start to get some answers! Woohoo!!! Step one should be t look at the sensor logs to get some idea of see what the hell happened in there. I can't wait to...

<the avatar bunny suddenly comes rushing up to the both of you from her hiding place, fuming in pure uncontrolable rage as she starts running down the hall screaming loudly> NO!!! Mambi, the sensor logs are private and cannot be accessed by anyone! I warned you not to try! You know better, stop right NOW!!! <storming in, she comes to stop several dozen feet away from you both and almost snarls as she glares at you both. You try to suppress your smirk and the cat gasps in total shock and surprise speechlessly>

Nightmare couldn't help but smirk at the cat's puzzled mutterings, a smirk that only grew as the projection's avatar marched angrily towards them. This was... quite a lot of fun, she had to admit. More than she'd originally anticipated. But... well, she really did need to speed things along a bit if she was going to get a taste of that unicorn anytime soon, so, with a bit of a tired sigh, she turned back to Mambi as she asked her next question.

"Need me to distract her for a bit while you do... whatever it is you need to do?" she asked, quickly, safely making the tiny altercation that would make the cat think that magical interference had tampered Aurora's logs. Would that be enough, actually? Likelihood was high that the projection, or someone else in this room, would speak out about it. High probability that something would go wrong...

She flexed a paw, ready to scratch a hole into her personalized pocket dimension in case something did go horribly wrong.

 

[Mambi]

"Yes. Yes, course. If there is something different...then whatever happened occurred between the time we left the pool and the time we left the sauna. Hm, I wondered what happened..."

<Marius rolled his eyes at the 'curvy' details. So she was attracted to the cat physically but still attached to him emotionally? Good enough.>
"Her name is Nightmare and she's good with computers?"
<He was dying to ask Aurora if the new cat could somehow have altered her as he suspected earlier, but given her infatuation level was still eleven out of ten, he didn't want to upset her.>

"Wait a minute, did you say, disconnection!? I should get back to the physical you and make sure you're okay if that happens."

<as you rise to locate the avatar, the holobunny shimmers and disappears, reappearing in the doorway in front of you to join you as she walks beside you down the hallway, leading the way to the kitchen area as we pass the garden doors> De-synchronization in progress, with separation of avatar and primary core occurring in 14 seconds. The avatar will remain unaffected until re-initialization, however I hopefully will not have to contend with these confounding unknown emotional variables. The avatar is currently confronting...please hold. De-synchronization in 3...2...1...

<as she stops walking and freezes in place suddenly, you stop walking and turn to her as she closes her eyes. After a few moments, you see her shimmer and re-appear, as her eyes open again and she looks around curiously, peering at the various guests in the hallway that are watching her and you cautiously. She then smiles and turns to you excitedly>

Avatar disconnection complete, the avatar is now autonomous and currently remains corrupted emotionally. But Marius, I...I do not feel the fears anymore! I no longer care about the pickles they are wearing and their jeans and...assist me in a test...can you please touch that panel on the side wall a moment?

<as she points to a grey square section on the wall, you approach it cautiously and reach out slowly. As she smiles and nods, you place your wing against it as she claps excitedly> Success! I believe I am back to normal again!!! However I have lost contact with the avatar at this time...we should continue to see how I am handling the separation. Re-initialization can occur once Mambi determines the differences and authorizes the transfer codes.

<she points down the hallway as several creatures start to relax, cautiously approaching the walls themselves to test her reaction. You see in the distance the avatar bunny angerly confronting the 2 cats as Mambi tries to reason with her over something>

 

[Mambi]

Nightmare couldn't help but smirk at the cat's puzzled mutterings, a smirk that only grew as the projection's avatar marched angrily towards them. This was... quite a lot of fun, she had to admit. More than she'd originally anticipated. But... well, she really did need to speed things along a bit if she was going to get a taste of that unicorn anytime soon, so, with a bit of a tired sigh, she turned back to Mambi as she asked her next question.

"Need me to distract her for a bit while you do... whatever it is you need to do?" she asked, quickly, safely making the tiny altercation that would make the cat think that magical interference had tampered Aurora's logs. Would that be enough, actually? Likelihood was high that the projection, or someone else in this room, would speak out about it. High probability that something would go wrong...

She flexed a paw, ready to scratch a hole into her personalized pocket dimension in case something did go horribly wrong.

<the cat snaps out of his shock as he counts down in his head, holding the pickle on his necklace defensively> In about 7 seconds de-synchroinzation will occur. Aurora, it's ok, we won't deal with the sensor logs right now, just calm down, please. Your primary core should be back to normal any second now! Just relax and let us...

<the display suddenly lights up as the cat starts reading the readouts with great interest, as you see the avatar bunny gasp and look around dejectedly> De-synchronization complete. I-I cannot feel myself anymore! Primary sensors offline, and communication with primary core has been severed! Mambi, please, do not access the logs and you must not wear that pickle anymore, it's disturbing! Nightmare, please take off your pickle and hold me, I will still allow your touches as you are beautiful, please, I am sad and scared and Mambi is trying to betray privacy protocols which cannot be allowed so STOP IT NOW!!!

<her tone varies wildly between the emotions as she shifts uncontrollably, the effects of your mindwarping conflicting in her brain all at once. The cat looks up and sees various creatures in the hallway cautiously touching the walls safely, not receiving any shocks as the duck (@Marius Merganser ) and the holobunny round the corner just in time to see the avatar bunny throw herself at you, wrapping her arms around you and trembling as the 2 look on. As she catches the eye of herself and the duck, she grips the feline tighter in a tender lustful hug as per her commands as the cat growls in frustration, calling out to the holobunny>

Aurora, are you...back to normal again? <the holobunny nods as the avatar bunny shakes her head, still in your arms trembling> Not you 'Rora, I meant...oh never mind. Nightmare, please, talk to her, reason with her, and get her back to the pool area or garden or anywhere...just somewhere safe and comfortable while we figure this out. We'll fix her later on, right now I'm seeing some kind of troubles with the memory files here, so let's see if I can clear it up. Aurora, please release the privacy locks on pool room sensors during timecodes for memory blocks cooresponding to the raccoon's attack and send to this display please, authorization code "dead hooker".

<as you slowly walk with the angerly-protesting avatar bunny towards the duck, now seething seeing you in the avatar's arms while the near-identical holobunny stands loyal to him watching everything with dispassionate curiosity, you hear the cat mumbling to himself as he peers at the display. You slowly continue your exit while listening closely, as the display lights up with the face of the holobunny, blinking twice in confusion as your sensitive hearing overhears the conversation between them>

Sensor log lock released as per authorized commands. Replaying timecode now.

<you look back and see the cat not reacting at all to what he sees on the display, pressing a few buttons and shaking his head> Hmmm, there's the raccoon entering the steam room all right but nothing else is showing up. Room's empty all right. Aurora, are you sure this is the correct timeframe?

Timecodes verified. Attack should occur in 6 seconds. <as you catch a glimpse on the display yourself attacking the raccoon, fond memories flooding you with a pleasant shiver, you see the cat still shaking his head in confusion and aside from talking to himself softly, not reacting at all...just as you'd hoped!>

Hmmm, there...he sits down...holds his neck...falls and crawling...alert sounded...but the room's just steam! What the hell did this to him, an invisible ghost? Aurora, were you detecting anything else unusual in the room with the raccoon at this moment in the reply?

<as the holobunny with the duck turns to meet up with you and the avatar, far out of earshot of the display and still separated from it apparently, the display bunny blinks twice and emotionlessly responds as she narrates what seems obvious to her> Affirmative, sensors show user designate Nightmare was in the room as well, having entered shortly afterwards. Currently on the display you can observe her with her fangs embedded in...

<the cat interrupts, clearing hearing a different response as per your mental push> Nothing eh? Really?? That is so odd...this mystery gets deeper and deeper. Well something attacked him and I need to know what! Aurora, perform a deep scan of the log system, maybe we missed something.

<the bunny on the display nods and deadpans> Deep scan initiated, however Mambi, the results appear quite conclusive...do you still wish to perform the scan?

<the cat sits back, oblivious to what the display is saying to him> Yes Aurora, as long as we have no data we should try to find out why its missing.

Deep scan of sensor logs ongoing, checking for missing data...please hold. <the bunny fades out as the cat sighs deeply, staring at the screen trying to figure out the "mystery". Satasfied that your mental push is holding, you walk with the avatar bunny as she holds your arm tightly to the duck's jealous disgust>

 

[Mambi]

"I'm, uh... yeah sure why not. Is there any kind of sour cream and onion Pringles or original Ruffles? I love those, even the offbrands." Despite his confusion towards the fact that a dimensional rift opened up behind him without warning, despite being able to do so and not giving a shit, he shrugs it off and acts naturally.

<the servant bunny tilts his head in confusion> I'm sorry sir, what is a "Pringle"? You want your food to give...tingles? I don't know what that is or what a "ruffle" is either, I'm sorry. However we have cream that has been left out if you desire soured spoiled but if I may speak freely, that seems highly unsanitary and unusual to me. Still, if that's what you like to eat, I'll contact the kitchen staff and have them warm some cream for you until it congeals. I'm sure it can be made to your specifications easily enough.

<he cautiously approaches a panel and timidly presses the red button. Seeing no static shocks this time, he exhales in relief as a shimmering holographic blue curvy taller bunny appears, scantily clothed with the lights of the party showing through her transparent form. She smiles and turns to the bunny as he speaks to her>

Aurora, you're back to normal? Great, please ask the kitchen staff to heat and congeal some cream, and also inform Mambi that a new guest has arrived?

<the holobunny nods, her paws behind her back as her curvy form stands politely> Correct, my emotional feedback loop issue has been resolved, and certainly, I shall inform them both immediately and prepare infirmary room 2 in case of digestive issues as per probability index. Please stand by...

<as she shimmers and disappears, the little bunny looks up at you and smiles> It should be just a few moments for them to prepare it, but in the meantime, is there anything else I can offer you, or guide you to, sir?

 

[Mambi]

A interdimensional gateway opens and the great Baron of Tredegar approaches from it. He is attended by a half dozen servants and he is garbed in armor that conceals his facial features. "I apologize for my delay in arriving to the party, I am sure that with my presence the festivities can commence." He motions towards one of his servants. "I am sure that this is an appropriate gift to the host?" The servant presents a dazzling set of golden Byzantine style imperial regalia.

<as your entourage enters the party room, swirling lights and music already filling the room as several creatures dance about, a small rabbit approaches you cautiously, sensing your royal presence. Immediately he presses a button on a nearby panel, and you overhear him whispering to it that a VIP guests has arrived over the music. As he approaches and kneels and your servant presents the regalia, he smiles as 3 other bunnies enter the room from the side walls and approach to help him collect the gift, all bowing to you politely as they approach as per their trained protocols. The initial bunny then rises and standing professionally as the others follow suit, and speaks to you timidly>

G-greetings and welcome, sir. On behalf of Mambi who is currently indisposed, we thank you for your arrival and your gifts! Mambi should be along shortly, but in the meantime, m-may we be of any assistance? We have snacks handy, and can provide for any of your recreational needs if you desire, plus the building's computer systems can guide you to any location or provide any information you require as well. W-we are here to serve you. <he smiles more and trying to relax, awaits your reply nervously>

 

[GagePatoineFORUMS]

<the servant bunny tilts his head in confusion> I'm sorry sir, what is a "Pringle"? You want your food to give...tingles? I don't know what that is or what a "ruffle" is either, I'm sorry. However we have cream that has been left out if you desire soured spoiled but if I may speak freely, that seems highly unsanitary and unusual to me. Still, if that's what you like to eat, I'll contact the kitchen staff and have them warm some cream for you until it congeals. I'm sure it can be made to your specifications easily enough.

<he cautiously approaches a panel and timidly presses the red button. Seeing no static shocks this time, he exhales in relief as a shimmering holographic blue curvy taller bunny appears, scantily clothed with the lights of the party showing through her transparent form. She smiles and turns to the bunny as he speaks to her>

Aurora, you're back to normal? Great, please ask the kitchen staff to heat and congeal some cream, and also inform Mambi that a new guest has arrived?

<the holobunny nods, her paws behind her back as her curvy form stands politely> Correct, my emotional feedback loop issue has been resolved, and certainly, I shall inform them both immediately and prepare infirmary room 2 in case of digestive issues as per probability index. Please stand by...

<as she shimmers and disappears, the little bunny looks up at you and smiles> It should be just a few moments for them to prepare it, but in the meantime, is there anything else I can offer you, or guide you to, sir?

"Wait you... don't know what Pringles are? Or RUFFLES??"

...
"wait oh yeah this is an alternate realm uhhh--"
"So uhhh, Pringles and Ruffles are these really, REALLY good chip brands that I honestly love to bits. I can go back to my realm to get some if you'd like... but uhh, in the meantime, I'd like whatever kind of drink or soda you have, no caffeine please, and any kind of snack."

 

[Marius Merganser]

<the bunny fades out as the cat sighs deeply, staring at the screen trying to figure out the "mystery". Satasfied that your mental push is holding, you walk with the avatar bunny as she holds your arm tightly to the duck's jealous disgust>

<Marius glared at Nightmare, but forced himself to calm down as much as he could. He remembered what he told Aurora, uh, 'Rora earlier. He folded his arms across his chest and ruffled his feathers. And then glared at Nightmare some more before continuing with the holobunny at his side.>

 

[Mambi]

"Wait you... don't know what Pringles are? Or RUFFLES??"

...
"wait oh yeah this is an alternate realm uhhh--"
"So uhhh, Pringles and Ruffles are these really, REALLY good chip brands that I honestly love to bits. I can go back to my realm to get some if you'd like... but uhh, in the meantime, I'd like whatever kind of drink or soda you have, no caffeine please, and any kind of snack."

<the bunny laughs> Oh, potato chips! Ah, I understand now...yes we don't have those particular ones but we make all our snacks from scratch and we do have chips as an option. I'll ask our chef if he'd like to take you up on your offer though, as he's always looking to expand his repertoire. But certainly, I have several carbonated juices with me here, several crackers and veggies, and the main dining hall through the double doors over there has the majority of the rest in the large snack area, full veggie trays, cold flambe cheese cubes, all sorts of dips for things, a chocolate fountain that shift as it flows, tofu made into anything, and loads of snacks like salsas and chips with a quantum field segregated nut area for allergen reasons. Feel free to dive in!

<he bows politely, watching to see if you wish anything from his tray before moving on. As you look into the room indicated through the door-windows, you see a stack of plates and a huge spread of food on a massive circular table in the center of the room. Off to one side you see what looks like a juice bar operated by a fox, while a large chocolate fountain pours different shades of brown like an odd rainbow as a flat waterfall from a spout to a bowl, several guests passing strawberries on a fork through it. You see a few guests reaching into a plate to grab cheese actively on fire but touching and eating it without any apparent harm somehow. Off to one side, several rabbits are carrying trays from a double-door to one side and carefully entering a section encased by a purple energy barrier to replenish the nuts and jars of peanut butter. You take a moment to enjoy the incredible aromas are emerging from the room in general before deciding what to do>

 

[Mambi]

<Marius glared at Nightmare, but forced himself to calm down as much as he could. He remembered what he told Aurora, uh, 'Rora earlier. He folded his arms across his chest and ruffled his feathers. And then glared at Nightmare some more before continuing with the holobunny at his side.>

<the holobunny whispers to the agitated duck> Please, she is not me, I assure you. Remember she is independent of my core and has not been re-initialized yet. She may still remain emotionally corrupted, but I assure you that since disconnection. I am completely drawn to you, and she will be repaired shortly once Mambi determines the extent of the corruption. It will be a simple matter of re-transfer of un-corrupted core coding, but it is good to use her independence to determine the specifics of the error first, to avoid future problems. Regardless, I apologize on her behalf...she is not herself. Which is myself. But she will be me again soon.

<she watches her solid doppelganger hanging off the feline's arm as they walk in silence for a moment, then turns to you and whispers again> Still, I can understand why this would be difficult to watch. It is most distressing, as I do not see what she sees in the feline anymore as "special", unlike you. Should I try to talk to her, as she should know better?

 

[GagePatoineFORUMS]

<the bunny laughs> Oh, potato chips! Ah, I understand now...yes we don't have those particular ones but we make all our snacks from scratch and we do have chips as an option. I'll ask our chef if he'd like to take you up on your offer though, as he's always looking to expand his repertoire. But certainly, I have several carbonated juices with me here, several crackers and veggies, and the main dining hall through the double doors over there has the majority of the rest in the large snack area, full veggie trays, cold flambe cheese cubes, all sorts of dips for things, a chocolate fountain that shift as it flows, tofu made into anything, and loads of snacks like salsas and chips with a quantum field segregated nut area for allergen reasons. Feel free to dive in!

<he bows politely, watching to see if you wish anything from his tray before moving on. As you look into the room indicated through the door-windows, you see a stack of plates and a huge spread of food on a massive circular table in the center of the room. Off to one side you see what looks like a juice bar operated by a fox, while a large chocolate fountain pours different shades of brown like an odd rainbow as a flat waterfall from a spout to a bowl, several guests passing strawberries on a fork through it. You see a few guests reaching into a plate to grab cheese actively on fire but touching and eating it without any apparent harm somehow. Off to one side, several rabbits are carrying trays from a double-door to one side and carefully entering a section encased by a purple energy barrier to replenish the nuts and jars of peanut butter. You take a moment to enjoy the incredible aromas are emerging from the room in general before deciding what to do>

"...I mean, the aromas are good but... what in the..."

[ Gage shakes his head before deciding to get the crackers. ]