Board r
R MEETS ROIX SCENE: includes Slums parts 1 and 2 and Roix's safehouse interlude.
[at this point in time R has just lost most of his belongings including the Orange Agent keycard after they had been taken in a robbery by Hadrin in the previous level. Now he is trying to get them back.]
*R decides that the best way to start a search for Hadrin is to ask around the slums he has just arrived at the entrance to, for the wanted suspect in theft, and see if the people in there will tell him due to his government ID status (at this point R is still largely looking like a GPA officer for he is still wearing his helmet and hasn't got his jacket yet). A short part of the level then takes place in the slums.*
R (thinking): Perhaps, with my government badge and official formality, I can go on an informal search mission to retrieve the keycard... it is an important administration item, after all.
*R arrives at a small opening between the wooden crooked buildings where a masked individual is dragging a heavy looking bag along the ground, who eyes him cautiously. R makes an approach*
Masked Person, overly cautious, tense: Please, state your reasons for being here.
R (trying to stress his official status): I am, uh, an officer from the GPA in search for an important administration item that went missing.. yesterday. I'm looking for a suspect thief of whom I have a partial identity profile of. Can I give you the details... sir?
Three seconds of silence as the person stares carefully
Masked Person: I think I already know why you're here. But go on.
*as R continues, the masked person moves his bag up a large pole attached to one of the buildings, apparently only half listening*
R (dialogue is muffled as scene focuses on Masked Person's actions): The being in question has several more limbs than the average creature.. perhaps twelve, and they appear to be mostly a cyan gel like substance... look, the important thing is: [Camera refocuses] they're a bandit responsible for the illegal hoarding of government property and needs detaining. Surely you know someone like that around here?
Masked Person, halfway up a building, frozen: Look, I might know what you're talking about. if you come over here, I might be able to do something.
R, moving towards the base of the buidling: Right, and what can you do?
*This masked person kicks R clean in the face as he jumps back off the building. R lands on the floor.*
Masked Person: I can stop you from ever being able to return to base, okay?
*R and the masked person attempt to battle. No matter whether you win or lose (loss is more likely in this first battle as it is incredibly difficult), The Masked Person manages to make off with your comms device, ID, and hoverboard, either victorious or in a nearly knocked out damaged state. You're on the floor, looking ahead in awe.*
Roix: look, you're a decent fighter. But I'm going to have to take this. Government agents aren't supposed to know I exist, so now, you're nothing, okay? [Roix takes a lighter and sets the ID alight]. I'm Roix, it was nice fighting you. But you're not getting this back. Maybe I'll see you again around here. See you later.
*Roix takes off with your hoverboard down the dilapidated alleyway. soon enough, you're off the floor and running after him, and this is Slums level part 2, the only level without the hoverboard (100% parkour based)*
*R jumps though a second floor window into a building he suspects Roix has moved into. there's a long wooden corridor and a locked room at the end. To enter it you have to climb out one window and into the other. Once in the dark locked room you see it propped up against a wall, your hoverboard. and on an empty wooden bedframe your device. as you go to grab the device Roix comes in from behind and armlocks you against the bed.*
R: Wait!! I mean no harm, seriously. There's only one thing I want.
Roix: and if there's one kind of person i can never trust, it's GPA officers. I know your a liar.
R: No, seriously---!!
Roix: Well, I knew that you'd come back. Now I can ask you properly this time: why are you here? give me every little detail. and then maybe i can read between the lines and give you what you want.
*R sighs*: yeah..
Roix: or kill you, if not.
[Probably gonna have a timeskip and caption here whereby R painfully attempts to justify to Roix what's happened to him and what he's looking for, under pressure of death. Because I'm not having the player sit through a whole 10 minute conversation where R just painfully recites everything the player has already seen so far]
R:...so naturally I thought being an officer I had the authority to ask someone like you for directions without risk of attack.
Roix: you thought wrong, clearly. you're not very clever, you know? You really thought you could do something like this alone, didn't you?
R: But you understand better who I'm looking for now, right? I need this keycard back.
Roix: I still cannot fully believe a word you say. *R looks up in helplessness and despair thinking his reasoning has failed*
*Roix heads over to a cabinet drawer and from it removes a small card wired to a circuit with a small computer screen along side a small glass jar of a strange purple substance*
Roix: However. I can make sure you do not break your promise.
*Roix removes the lid from the jar which reveals a small brush. Roix paints a mark across the small card in the purple substance*
R: So what is it?
Roix: If you place your fingerprint on the substance then I will help you. I can give you anything you want as long as you promise not to feed any more information back to the GPA, or to return there. For now, that includes your friend Seipi.
R, looking quite panicked now: but what does it DO?
Roix: You really don't know? An officer like yourself?
R: not my area of expertise-
Roix: Once the liquid dries out, your fingerprint will be solidified on this card forever. and the marking will remain on your finger for at least a year. The markings on your finger and on the card are one object. If you break your promise and return to GPA the markings will turn a neon pink and you will fall severely ill for 3 days. Your location will then be revealed to me via this computer. and I will find you.
R: this is oddly specific... how do you know it doesn't ever go wrong?
Roix: because I've done it before. MANY times before. You don't have to worry.
*R, partially in fear and partially suspecting that the purple ink may just be a liquid tracking chip and not actually some bizarre Roix-made dark magic, finally places his finger on the card. The fingerprint appears, and you can see R's finger is stained purple*
*Roix immediately partially lightens up knowing that he can trust R now for his fear of not falling ill for 3 days.*
Roix: Thanks, R. Once again, It's Roix, and its nice to meet you.
R *uncomfortable with the sudden genuine friendliness*: right... the important thing is my board. can i have that back?
Roix: Sure, everything's fine now. You can stay in this building until tonight, if you want. Get some rest. Then tonight, meet me outside at the main entrance and i can take you somewhere where i can pinpoint this Hadrin's location, if you want.
R, relieved: thank you very much. The board means alot to me.
*without another word, Roix leaves the room*
R, to himself: He's absolutely insane, without a doubt. Something about these slums has driven him insane... Well, I'm free to move again, mostly... but it doesn't feel great knowing that Roix is probably able to check my location at all times now.
R can now move about Roix's building for a while, maybe he has the option to sleep, i dont know.
*at 7pm, Roix gives R directions to the nightclub through the (now tampered) comms device, where they will meet. [IN THE NEXT PART]
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