tabularasa_rp | Accessibility Issues [OPEN!]

I. Planning phase

[In hindsight, perhaps Kaiba should have given this more thought before deciding to spearhead this project, and he was beginning to question why he hadn't. It wasn't as if he really knew much about Damien other than he processed more technical knowledge than most and he had a limited mobility. The former had impressed him to a remarkable degree but was that enough to warrant what would be tedious hours of labor? He didn't want to project the image that he could be a softtouch. So as he went along measuring the cave with his rudimentary tools, using his cell phone for light he also pondered a better way to spin this. He was still fully committed to the task despite his misgivings about how it could be interpreted. Besides, after all the failed attempts at building generators this should have a much higher success rate, and he needed something to offset his losing streak.

Nothing had shifted since the last survey, so with the inspection completed he returned to a stack of paper he'd left propped up on a nearby rock. On the pages were schematics, and various measurements. He'd also started a list of the necessary supplies to see this through to fruition.]

There will have to be a ramp system... just about here. [Voicing it to himself as he plotted how to get over that last hurdle to Wall Market, while hastily scribbling a spiral pattern to note that it will be helical in design.

Feasibly he knew that this could be completed much faster if he had a team to work with- but he'd been reluctant to go to anyone else. Ugh- maybe he should fact facts, bite the bullet and look for .... volunteers wherever people tended to congregate.]

[OOC NOTES: Feel free to run into Kaiba either in the cave during the planning phase or out and about looking for ~~suckers~~ helpers. This can be anywhere, just note it in the title! Unskilled labor is welcome since he expects most of you to not know your right hand from your left- er... he expects that most of you have no prior experience]

Speaking of light, there's a source of pink-purple glow around the corner, along with a stronger flashlight beam. And then there's Indigo, looking around as she explores the caves; she can't turn the light of her Matter Manipulator off, so she might as well use it. Upon spotting Kaiba, she waves and after a moment of hesitation, approaches.

"You explorin' too? Ya need any help?" She's friendly enough (even if she can't show it with facial expressions due to the lack of face), since she hasn't learned what Kaiba is like yet.

As the unusual hue started to reflect off of the rocky corridor, Kaiba's initial thoughts were 'who or what is that?'. He momentarily stopped what he was doing in order to focus on her approach. Somehow seeing her in her entirety didn't really clue him in anymore than the lighting had.

He refrained from his usual abrasiveness since she had arrived- strangely enough- at precisely the right time. Help was something, he did in fact require. "Funny you should ask.." Though he wasn't sure what her capabilities might be. Beggars, couldn't be choosers ~~but they could be escorted of your premises if you have a security detail. Kaiba no~~.

"I could actually..." Then he chose his words carefully before proceeding. "I've actually explored this region before, but there are some among us that find the terrain too arduous to navigate, not to mention the prospect of who might appear in the future. I'm trying to see to it that will no longer be an issue." Okay- so.. that sounded more charitable than he wanted to but judging from her upbeat tone, it might be the most effective.

Indigo crosses her arms as she takes the information in, thinking.

"So yer buildin' a path so people don't hafta climb over the rocks an' such to get through here?" She confirms, before holding up her Manipulator with some disappointment. "It'd be easy if this was workin'." Just take away rock where there's too much of it, and put it back where there's not enough. Or just make their own, perfectly square, tunnel through the mountain. Without it, though, they'll have to make do with whatever primitive tools they DO have. "So how are ya gonna do this? Ya gotta concrete plan yet?"

Edited 2020-09-02 23:59 (UTC)

"That's the idea," Replying casually, as he she took it all in. It might not be the most brilliant thing he's ever come up with but he had to start somewhere. Besides, people would end up using this ramp system on a regular basis and who would they have to thank for it? That portion he would keep to himself since it wasn't ideal for maintaining public relations. At least it hadn't been his first thought when the notion sprang to mind. "What's that usually used for other than a glorified night light?" The curiosity genuine.

"I have been drawing up a few plans, but it's not going to be a walk in the park." She was welcome to peruse what he had so far, on the sheets of paper were various diagrams, with measurements on them, and details on the trickier portions of the cave. "Heh- if we had concrete and earth movers it would be completed in no time... but maybe the forces at work here will work in my favor." Since time was still a bit malleable and all.

"This?" Holding up the Manipulator again. "Called a Matter Manipulator. It can suck stuff up from the environment, store it away, and spit it back out, in whatever shape I tell it to." There are other functions as well, but that's the main one and the one they're concerned with right now. "That part ain't workin' right now, though, and I don't wanna risk takin' it apart to find out why. They don't make these anymore." Earth and the Protectorate being gone and all.

She will take a look at those plans, sitting down and spreading them out on the cave floor in front of her. While scanning over them, she idly comments:

"What's keepin' ya from makin' yer own concrete? Don't ya know how?" City-slickers. They couldn't find their own butt without a map. (Never mind that being educated at the Protectorate Academy, she's technically something of a city girl too, just a very well-educated and adaptable one.)

When she held up the foreign object, Kaiba nodded. "Sounds like something straight out of an RPG," but at least it looked as if it might be rooted in science and technology unlike- oh say- a bag of holding in tabletop gaming. "I wouldn't bother potentially ruining it, no. None of my equipment is working either- and I have dissembled and reassembled it." At least with the extensive work he'd put into his duel disk he was sure there had been no mistakes in the attempted repair process. As for the portion she left unvoiced, he would have scoffed at the notion of the Earth being no more- unless. Unless Yugi had ended up losing that last duel, though even then he was dubious that Dartz could actually restructure the world.

It was clear from the position she took, that she was truly giving the plans a thorough inspection.

"Considering we only just regained the ability to utilize fire, it's a tall order to expect a more complicated process to succeed." Though it would be more durable than the suggested material on his sheets. After a brief pause- he realized just how defeatist his words had sounded and he didn't like it one bit. Had he been here so long that he was going to allow this place to determine how and in what manner he proceeded? Without even trying?

"Heh- it might be worth a shot at that."

"We're not gonna know until we try," she waves off his initial dismissal of her idea, still looking over his designs. "We've got all the stuff we need... with the possible exception o' the calcium carbonate. Not that it's hard to find, but it's a pain to identify, and you can only really find it in sedimentary rocks." Okay, yes, you can find calcite in igneous rock, but it's very rare; since 10% of all sedimentary rock is limestone, it's a safer bet. Indigo pauses in her perusal of her plans to look around the very caves they're standing (or sitting) in at this very moment.

"If'n these caves were carved by water, they're a good place to look fer what we need. But if they were carved by lava, we're outta luck." She jolts at the mention of lava, the proverbial lightbulb going off in her head, and turns her lack-of-face toward Kaiba. "Speakin' o' lava, y'know if we got any volcanoes ' round here? The Romans had this neat trick where they'd add volcanic ash to their concrete, makes it stronger."

They weren't going to get anywhere without trying, there was no further argument there. Although Kaiba hadn't thought the science lecture was necessary it at least further displayed that she had any idea of what she was talking about. That being said he didn't offer up much to the discourse.

"How they were formed wouldn't be in keeping with either set of rocks," Ie this specific cave just appeared at will, whenever it felt like it, presumably. "The test for it should be fairly simple however, so once that's assessed we can go from there."

This..., person, was really enthusiastic about all this. "Not to my knowledge. I haven't seen any evidence that Mt. Silver is volcanic in nature, and it's all we've got for mountains so far. That wouldn't rule out the idea entirely since depending on the stage of development, or location a volcano might not be instantly recognizable." Standing there he gazed down at his notes, before placing them away inside his jacket pocket.

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indigloaming - 2020-09-25 08:08 (UTC) - Expand

[The Exarch had just been venturing towards the cave entrance, intent on investigating the markets a little more and perhaps taking a bath. He just happens to run into Kaiba in a narrow passage close to the entrance, and as he takes a few steps backward to allow the boy room to pass, he can't help but note the papers he is carrying.

Hm. Curious.]

Ah... might you be working on something here?

[Initially even while walking, Kaiba was too consumed in his plans to pay the other male much heed. It was fortunate for them both that Exarch took it upon himself to prevent a collision. Once the subject was broached however, it forced Kaiba to respond. Actually- this could work to his advantage.

Maybe.]

For a change. [He stated plainly enough deciding how best to proceed. It wasn't as if he got along famously with this guy.] With this, I can improve the efficiency of getting from the cave entrance to Market Street. Considering that it's currently one of the few sources for various amenities it would be advantageous.

I see. To have a more even and less treacherous path would certainly be beneficial...

[His face might look young but he certainly does feel the aches and pains of age at times. Walking through the caves in the dark is not his favourite thing to do.]

Might I take a look? I have some experience with such things.

Mm

[He hummed, trying not to look too outwardly pleased. That wasn't really a difficult task for him given the years of practice. Not to mention that the benefits of the bath house are somewhat limited when a rigorous climb awaits a person whenever they want to leave the area]

Go right ahead.

[Though he was curious about the claim, for now he didn't press for more details. When the other offered commentary the experience or lack thereof would be evident. Ever the enigma this fellow.

Sample 1, Sample 2, Sample 3

OOC: Pretend there is more to see! ~~I attempted to draw some myself but they looked like I had drawn them in 5 mins in ms paint... which was accurate~~]

...not entirely unlike the walkways in the Crystarium...

[Murmured mostly to himself as he glances over the plans. He is put in mind of the elevated pathways high above the marketplace.]

Have you come to any decisions on materials yet? I would think to suggest wood, yet I suspect we have not the appropriate tools.

[Crystarium, hm? Kaiba filed that under 'don't really care' and 'might be useful to know later'.]

I have, and you'd be surprised what you can accomplish with basic tools.

[Honestly, he would prefer metal platforms and more technologically advanced implements but things as they were... it wasn't feasible yet]

Actually I was leaning towards wood myself, it's the most abundant resource with the myriad of forested land. It's going to be tedious work but not impossible with all the metal objects collected from the beach.

[In other words the garbage could be fashioned into something serviceable. He'd already prepared some tools for his earlier endeavors]

In order to create this final helical ramp, a crane can be rigged up using the surrounding terrain, this column here... [Pointing to a geologic feature he bothered to note.] is in a prime position. The spare sheets at the apartments can be made into rope.. [Yeah- he's been thinking about it... too much]

Tedious indeed, for I doubt many here have much experience with carpentry. Carpentry with untrained labour, using rudimentary tools fashioned from salvaged scraps... the results might be inexpert, but surely we might produce something serviceable.

[He looks over the geological features the boy proposes building around, picturing it in his mind and nodding.]

However... would I be correct in assuming that you have yet to recruit any aid?

[Just a hunch. This boy is not the personable type, and he’s wandering alone in a dark cave.]

I never said it would be pretty.

[Acknowledging that he was in agreement with Exarch's assessment. Surprisingly. The way the man had grasped the issues so swiftly indicated prior knowledge which wasn't in keeping with the various assumptions the brunette had made in the past, Maybe he was going to have to discard those and start from the beginning..]

There's also the possibility of using concrete, but that hasn't been tested yet, and would still require some wooden framing in order to hold a shape during the pouring process. Heh- we just can't get entirely away from carpentry.

[At least throwing Indigo's suggestion into the mix]

...

[To this he bit back a heavy sigh. Even if it was true, it wasn't the any less difficult to hear. Begrudgingly he did provide an answer.]

... Correct. [The truth hurts]

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crystaltower - 2020-09-05 00:27 (UTC) - Expand

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blue_eyed_obsession - 2020-09-08 05:58 (UTC) - Expand

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crystaltower - 2020-09-08 17:10 (UTC) - Expand

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blue_eyed_obsession - 2020-09-24 01:19 (UTC) - Expand

... you want proper access to the bath house that badly?

[Said by the local troll as she just walked up on him while he attempted to plan all this out loud. She had her arms folded, tapping her foot and looking into the darkness.]

Industrious, aren't you? Or just bored?

Among other things.

[Not missing a beat. Honestly, he had been putting it off but he actually would like to avail himself of that service as well, but there were other issues with the bathhouse. Mostly stemming from not wanting to be disrobed in any capacity around others.

He didn't have to turn to see who it was, but still he did make the effort to face her. It was a bit awkward running into her after the last time, but it likely wouldn't be repeated.]

A mix of both. [If he's being entirely honest.] Besides, it's not as if I'm the only one who could benefit from this.

[For reasons he well knew, she had her own issues about public baths, though there were ways around that. She just stood there, hands behind her back, rocking on her feet back and forth as she looked over the cavern, not seeming quite as ... perturbed as last time.]

Less sprained ankles since everyone seems bent on exploring now that there's that market down there. At this rate, all we need is people, and you'll have a regular town set up around here.

[Yes, he was acutely aware of what was likely preventing her from frequenting that establishment, nor did he blame her. There were other sources for water, but they were all questionable- the sea had to have been polluted with all the items it had conveyed to the shore and Mortis Lake- aside from the unfortunate name -was in an area that shifted radically from being teeming with life to a barren wasteland. Could you really trust either source? With her casual stance, you would never know what a tragic existence she'd had.

Mentally he tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. Personally, he hated constant reminders to the events that had irreversibly altered his life (In some instances he even had such reminders demolished), so why should she be any different (It might have done her a world of good to blow her bridge to smithereens... but she didn't seen willing or able to take that step yet). As an odd yet silent gesture of courtesy he wouldn't bring up her past again.]

Essentially. [The Market Street was in large part a catalyst for these efforts] A shame those people aren't here now, I could use them to put this thing together.

[Familiarity bred a certain contempt, and contempt when nurtured and cultivated over centuries became an almost casual bitterness towards the object. Her tragedy was as much a weapon as it was just a casual reality that she lived with every day. But unlike him, she clung to the trappings of her pasts that defined her. Her bridge was her bridge, and it served to give her an identifying mark. Part of her hated it, like one hated the anchor that they were tied to as they plunged into the sea. but it was hers, and that somehow mattered to her.

Weird the things you clung to.]

Seems that's the one thing this place is having trouble with. Getting lots of extra people to populate. I'm not sure why. But it doesn't seem able to hold many of us at a time, does it?

Do you think it'll try to create its own people from the paper eventually?

[There were only a few things he clung to, like the name Kaiba- but it was advantageous to do so. His old surname had long since been lost to obscurity so there could be no doubt that he was the rightful heir to the Kaiba Corporation. Beyond that- he had no qualms about rebranding, redirecting the companies goals, and burying anything that had anything to do with the former president. The other thing he clung to was his bitterness towards those who wronged him and his desire to show them up in every way possible. That was his unhealthy obsession. He saw no benefit to her dependence on the bridge, but he could recognize the inability to move past it.

The civil discourse was bizarre-]

... [Once again she'd stumbled across something interesting. Was there a maximum capacity for this zone? It's true that on occasion someone new would appear as mysteriously as they all had, but others would go missing... possibly at the same relative frequency. Was that significant?] No, now that you mention it. [Then with a shrug] Normally, I'd think that was a good thing... but it also limits what can be accomplished. [Things must be bad if Seto Kaiba is missing the presence of other people]

[To that suggestion he shrugged, looked thoughtful a moment before continuing]

I haven't been able to predict anything that's developed here so far.. [Don't think he won't be trying to rectify this] .. but now that you've said it, I have a feeling it's more likely to happen than if you hadn't.

[She'd yet to really pin down what Seto had. She only distantly knew 2B and hadn't known the others who had disappeared, so the notion of 'new arrivals' hadn't fully sunk in yet. When, however, she found out about Osomatsu's disappearance, there was going to be a reaction and likely not a very good or healthy one. It was an instability of this place that it was probably better if she learned to cope with it sooner, rather than later.

His question got a nod at first.] If there's a limit, then it means that it's drawing even more from each of us and ... you don't seriously think it's actually listening to us enough to suddenly start making people out of nothing because I said something do y...

Wait. I've seen conversations written in the void, on the fringes of things. Maybe it is?

[Despite his aversion to socializing, he liked keeping tabs on the populace, likely to an unusual degree. Few had slipped past his primitive radar. Actual radar would be a blessing, better yet.. satellite imaging.]

Potentially. [Kaiba reluctantly admitted. Scoff as he might have about the initial theory there did seem to be a correlation between who was here and what developed, further still what they discussed. Hadn't he been one of what was likely several to comment on the absence of wind not long before wind appeared? Etc.] .. but not if we're some sort of controlled experiment. Then whoever is behind this wouldn't want the created people to interfere with ... whatever they are trying to prove.

What sort of conversations?

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bridge_princess - 2020-09-24 19:39 (UTC) - Expand