City of IF

Chinaren · Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 1:20 am Post subject:

Very well, I just have enough time to put up a poll.

Fire the gun of voting.

Chinaren · Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 12:47 am Post subject:

K then, with the votes on Tome we have a winner. Starting work on the next chapter shortly.

Thunderbird · Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 6:57 pm Post subject:

Hmm... tough DP. I think the easiest way to go would be to hide in the hospital somewhere. He's wounded enough still to get away with an excuse or two if needbe.

I mean, No matter how I look at it, he needs to take shelter somewhere. The offices? Might be worth taking a peek there to see if any doors are open first I suppose. Might be a bit more private. But I assume they'd all be locked by now.

I'm neutral on the chapter. Nothing to pick at and the plot was progressing along, but nothing here really stood out either, except perhaps his inner note on how easy he was adjusting to this new world of violence and his role in it. That was a nice note.

But not all chappies must be highly charged either. You need some of these lower frequency ones now and then to allow the ones with more impact to carry more weight.

D-Lotus · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 4123 Location: Hollywood, USA

Randy's was an ingenious strategy to infiltrate enemy lines.

But now, let's see, I've always been curious about that Duty office. Does he remember how to get there? Is it far? I bet they're open past curfew; whatever deeds go on in there must go deep into the night. Besides, he's got the ID of an officer, I bet he could get in easily (although he better hurry before they discover the unconscious man in the locker room).

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

I don't really think he could get back into the hospital now - he'd need a plausible excuse as to why he left in the first place, especially as it'll be clear he only recieved field dressing on his wound. I think the best strategy is to visit the Duty Office, as D said. We could find out what's actually in there and test how powerful our new ID is.

If the ID is high ranking enough, I reckon we could actually brave the streets. Those drones must have protocol for when someone is on official business, right?

Chinaren · Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 12:19 am Post subject:

Right, a fair few options for this poll.

Whilst I don't want to influence the vote, I would point out the guy he took the ID from was just a hospital orderly, and hence not likely to be too high up, rank-wise. Just for curfew breaking considerers.

Also he has no idea where the Duty office is from his viewpoint. (Although I guess he could find it if that option won).

So, poll is up, lick the shoe of voting.

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Voted for balls of iron. If I'm honest, I just want to see how that one turns out.

Ingrothechundyer · Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 1:31 pm Post subject:

The White Blacksmith wrote: Voted for balls of iron. If I'm honest, I just want to see how that one turns out. :lol: That almost makes me want to change my vote :P

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Ingrothechundyer wrote: The White Blacksmith wrote: Voted for balls of iron. If I'm honest, I just want to see how that one turns out. :lol: That almost makes me want to change my vote :P

Do it. We can win this thing and give Chinny an almightly headache to write, all at the same time!

Chinaren · Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 2:25 pm Post subject:

The White Blacksmith wrote: Ingrothechundyer wrote: The White Blacksmith wrote: Voted for balls of iron. If I'm honest, I just want to see how that one turns out. :lol: That almost makes me want to change my vote :P

Do it. We can win this thing and give Chinny an almightly headache to write, all at the same time!

Damn you! Damn you all to heck!

Don't forget this is also running on Tome City though, so those votes are also counted. Of course, you could always vote on both sites! :shock:

Anyway, I plan on writing a new chapter today (China time), so get your votes in quick!

Don't forget to add this to your faves if you like it!

Chinaren · Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 2:02 am Post subject:

Sorry, was delayed yesterday by RL events. Should have the next chapter up in a few hours with any luck.

Thunderbird · Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 9:00 pm Post subject:

I'm going to suggest, here, that he just darts back up the stairs, ready to barrel through the 'limping man'. But once up a few flights, he realizes that the 'limping man' must've been some sort of apparition, for it, he, is no longer there (and could have gone nowhere else).

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Reveal himself. Not straight away, of course, just when one of the Boots starts getting brusque with the woman on the desk. I know our hero isn't the bravest, but he also seems the sort to do stupid things like rescuing an injured soldier when she wants to go down fighting.

Also, yeah. We didn't man up in the last poll so I'm going to try and make him do so here.

Chinaren · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:44 am Post subject:

Very well, speedpoll is up, squat over the hole of voting.

Guest · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:54 am Post subject:

run back up, jump through the window and onto the roof...

Chinaren · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 5:29 am Post subject:

K thren, posts are tallied. Next chapte rhas begun, btu not strarting now as I'm too drnnk to typoe properly. Yay.

Ingrothechundyer · Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:53 am Post subject:

Well this certainly puts a new spin on things ;)

It seems to me that Randy would be feeling hurt and betrayed at this point. Not only is the person he was in love with not who he thought she was but she is also the one who proposed going to the party that got him into this mess in the first place.

This makes the fact that she invited him to the part and was pushing him to attend appear in a new light. :shock:

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Stay and talk, but grab a gun first. I wouldn't trust either of them - especially since the Voice (hey, what's he up to anyway) warned us to stay away from Claire earlier. These guys could just be dressed up as resistance fighters but if so, what's Don doing there?

Chinaren · Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:39 pm Post subject:

Quote: Stay and talk, but grab a gun first. I wouldn't trust either of them - especially since the Voice (hey, what's he up to anyway)

I'd actually forgotten about that. :oops: Still, I can work it in.

Poll will be up shortly.

Vishal Muralidharan · Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 867 Location: City Of IF!

I agree with WB. I don't trust both of them. Stay and talk and then make a decision.

Thunderbird · Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:09 pm Post subject:

I'm going to offer the hormonal answer. Forget Don - We want to be with Claire so trust her at her word. She did just pull our ass out of the fire AND her explenation makes sense. The fact that the voice was warning us about her... well... I would think his testosterone driven head would rationalize that off as being it was a good warning at the time to keep him from getting sucked into all this but now, its not talking, so it can't be bad to follow Claire now. I'd like to hear what Don has to say, but I'm just as concerned that Claire might be right - still - Whitey brings up a good point about him being here among the rebels yet being 'on the other side'.

Chinaren · Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:51 pm Post subject:

Very well, poll is up. Squeeze the bosom of voting.

Ingrothechundyer · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:12 am Post subject:

Nice twist!

Poor Randy is probably so surprised that he shoots but his aim is off :lol:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:18 am Post subject: I Think.....

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO saw this coming about half way through the chapter. I TOTALY fergot baout the whole "Him" thing fer a while, so it took some time!

I love this mood you've establish with this story. His bladder staying true to form. The novelty cup. It's all so....inviting, and makes me smile like nothing else in my life recently. *Giggles* Liberateing the beer. It makes for a very uplifting read. Kuddos!

The DP? Well, the realist in me sees him going "AHH!!!" And blowing himself away, or even better, the reality of time itself distorting for at least a brief moment. Or, my favorite, th Limping Man walking in and liberating our hero without hesitation.....Yeh, so far as My DP kinda idea....I want the Limping Man to come get Randy.....Maybe have a chat with himself first, but at this point, I don't see the LM giving him up so easly.

Wonderful chappy, let's see more!

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Faint. I'm sorry, but I can't see him manning up enough to stay conscious.

Also, could we have the link to the thread on Tome? Maybe at the end of each chapter, so we can watch the discussion there as well?

Vishal Muralidharan · Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 867 Location: City Of IF!

GREAT ENDING!!!

DP---> If shooting him affects us, then shooting ourselves would HAVE to affect him (I guess, since we are him). Remind him of that and talk with him. He shouldn't get injured and we shouldn't get injured as well. Puts us at a better position cuz we were the ones kidnapped and not him.

Thunderbird · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:37 pm Post subject:

Wow! I blissfully had no idea that was coming actually... lol :laround:

And that was a good thing because the reveal was wonderful! I kinda tend to agree with WB up there but I don't know if it would be that severe. Perhaps just standing there acting like a guppy would be appropriate at the moment. V makes a good point - if we kill ourselves, we'd change everything - so we have a lot of power over this guy right now.

But before enacting any such actions, I'd want to hear him/ourself out first.

Chinaren · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys, glad it surprised (most of) you!

Whilst I've not mentioned it here yet (and this could be classed a a spoiler) the Him in the chair is a future self, so killing Him now wouldn't affect 'our' Randy now. If you see what I mean.

:?

Vishal Muralidharan · Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 867 Location: City Of IF!

Which means we have the upper hand!! This guy better co-operate now! :P

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

We actually need to find out how Randy became Him. Besides, He already know exactly what happens and what Randy's going to do, right? There's no point trying to shoot him because he will know that'll happen and have a guard instructed to jump in front of the gun at the precise second, or something along those lines. And even if we do shoot him, he'll know it's going to happen and that Randy grows up to become him anyway.

We have to know at what points Randy makes the decisions that cause him to end up like this. If we want to avoid it (or not, depending on how much Randy decides he wants the powaaah) that's the only possible way out.

Thunderbird · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:50 pm Post subject:

Older us makes some compelling arguments. I'm wondering what Claire has to say to all this. She might be able to provide for some interesting 3rd party reflection on it all.

I can see how what he's saying is reasonably acceptable as truth, but we have to keep in mind the possibility that we could be being tricked here - especially with 'the voice will lead you astry' comment - it saved our ass back there in the prison and has seemed pretty reliable so far.

And his lack of knowledge about the limping man... I dunno, it just seems as if its possible this is all a hoax to twist our mind.

Still, I'm not entirely certain I bear full disagreement with him on the way he's running society given the circumstances and reasons he presents. For now, we just ask questions and listen, but not only to the elder us, also to Claire who we must demand to have by our side so we can maintain some skepticism.

Great tale unfolding - always love the timeloop stories. They lead to the best of plotwork if done correctly imo.

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

I'm not sure. If older Randy* doesn't know about the Limping Man, it seems that he's the one we need to find out most about. Still don't trust any of them, but at least let Older Randy help Younger Randy as much as possible. Rest up, gain supplies, and be ready to get away at a moment's notice. Find out as much as possible about what happened to Older Randy, but more specifically ask if there are any legends or urban myths that might correlate with the Limping man.

On no account tell any more of the little we know about the Limping Man. He's our one trump card here, if we can find out what he does.

*As an aside, I have a friend called Harman. Loving the name, always makes me laugh.

Vikas Muralidharan · Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 600

Caught up!!!

This story's really amazing. I completely agree with what Tbird has to say though. Seems sensible, and reasonable

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:44 am Post subject: I Think.....

Another wonderful chappy. Much luv.

*Decides to go the violent route* Kill him! Or yourself. Or both! If Randy really wants to avoid this future, he, and the other him, must die to break the loop. But, then again, this suggestion, would end the story right here, right now....So, umns, let's see........*Thinks hard* That's the only sure fire way I can think of to keep this future from coming about. But, for the sake of keeping the story going.......Pull some strings, in true ash hole fasion, and get "The People" to like young Randy better, so they boot out "Old Randy" and make the nicer guy leader!!!!! :P

That's the best I can do fer now, sorry.......Best case scenario would end the story with two bangs. :P Keep up the good chapters!

Vishal Muralidharan · Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 867 Location: City Of IF!

Great chapter C'ren!!

Yeah, I F5 TBird there. I really want to know what Claire thinks of this, a third person view always helps, especially now, since our character might not yet have recovered from the shock and may not be able to think straight.

Also keep threatening to kill ourselves if he doesn't "co-operate" with us. I doubt he went through all that trouble just for a talk with us, and also, he is the older us, and somehow, Randy Harman always came across to me as lazy, some one who wouldn't go through so much trouble to have a talk.

How come he doesn't know about the limping man? I agree with WB there, that he is our trump card. If older Randy doesn't know, something has changed in the time loop.

So I say, continue talking to him, with occasional inputs from Claire. I want to know what else older us has in mind.

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

The way I see it, we ultimately have two choices. We could either be super good till the bitter end (as the Voice wants it) or we could be mean from the very beginning. Or we could do as Older Randy wants and be nice then mean, but that's not a very good option because we're trying to change things here, people! Keep up.

So either we try to save Claire, shout "I'm not leaving without her!" and maybe cry a little or we look out for number one and leave straight away. If we stay to save Claire we will probably be caught by the Limping Man, if we don't we (maybe) keep both legs. Either way, the timeline's been flipped on its head so most of that stuff in the backpack? Yeah, pretty useless.

Chinaren · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:03 pm Post subject:

Very well. Poll is up, and an important one it is too. Pluck the chicken of voting.

Thunderbird · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:57 am Post subject:

I didn't get the chance to comment here before the poll went up but I don't think that really changed much given that WB is right about not having many options - pretty much one or the other.

BUT I'd like to add some thoughts... Perhaps the Limping Man isn't such a 'bad' guy after all. He's a variable olderself doesn't even understand... so perhaps there's a key in the Limping Man to unravelling the solution we're looking for as to how to adjust the timeline in a more positive manner.

Also, if we leave Claire we're pretty much just heartless here. The obvious needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few clause we're up against means nothing when its the one you love.

Another thing... if future self lost his wife, who happens to be Claire... wouldn't he have a stronger emotional impulse here towards her now? If he's as selfish as he is stated to be then wouldn't he be trying to work Claire into being his partner now rather than simply letting her go over to be with his past self? Either way you look at it, something isn't quite adding up there.

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Find someplace to hide and look through the backpack. If this is where we're meant to end up, we can learn what to do next. If not, at least we'll know that there are decisions to make that we've got no help with (and that we can probably throw out all the info).

Thunderbird · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:11 pm Post subject:

Oh HO! The tragedy!!! LOVE the way that scene played out C'ren! Perhaps one of your most powerful ever! And the limping man even brought some comedic relief to the whole thing at the same time without it making the scene feel less dire. Excellent!

He does need to take inventory and look around for a place to hide. Not knowing where he is, he's at least got enough experience now to know he may not want to encounter the first thing to come around the corner here.

I... I'm not sure where he'd be...