3 Pain on the Brain
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Tutorial Dungeon, Dungeon Space
2021-10-18 06:26 am Eastern Standard
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After walking into the portal, James exited the portal into a large metal room with only one exit. At first, the room was completely dark, and Nebula automatically turned on a small flashlight on James's shoulder.
'Player James Allen "Mysterious Mink" Wesley has entered into the tutorial dungeon. Before you proceed into the dungeon, Player James Allen "Mysterious Mink" Wesley...' the AI began explaining.
"Call me James or Mink, not by my full name, please." James interrupted.
'Preference noted. You do not need to vocalize to communicate with me.' the AI replied.
"Also, WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED, and where am I?"
'You are now in your first dungeon, the tutorial dungeon. You are here to complete system integration and...'
"System Integration?"
'Yes, system integration. When you opened the Portal to the Dungeons app on your phone and accepted the EULA, you agreed to install the World Update system as provided by the World Rebuild Initiative. This system uses advanced technology to improve your daily life, and with your help, the World Rebuild Initiative will work to solve the great issues of our day... climate change, poverty, nationalism, and nuclear war.'
"What happened to my phone, then? I saw it disappear into my hand."
'Your personal comm unit has been integrated as your exocortex.'
"What does that mean, Nebula. Shall I call you Nebula?"
'Certainly, you may designate my name to be whatever you wish. Shall I continue the briefing?'
"Yes, we might as well." James sighed.
'The World Rebuild Initiative or WRI, is a global movement dedicated to the betterment of humanity. You have been given an augmented reality interface and full access to the Portal to the Dungeons app for two weeks on a trial basis. After that, you will need to pay $14.95 a month to have access to all of the features of the app. The augmented reality user interface, or ARUI, is available in both the dungeon space and in normal space. As you gain experience within the system, your ARUI options will expand, and you will eventually be able to use the abilities granted by your application in normal space will increase.'
"Tell me more about these augmented reality abilities, and how they can be used in real life."
'The ARUI is now integrated as part of your nervous system, and provides an overlay of System information on top of how you normally perceive the world. Trial users can see the console log in the lower left hand corner of their vision. If you look down that way, you can choose to focus on that interface element and read the console log. Paid players can customize what information appears in the console log, and can create additional logs.'
James nods.
'You also have access to the Inspect function, which can determine if something you see in normal space is Portal to the Dungeons related. The Character Info function can be used to see your stats.'
"Can I see what my character information is?"
'I am sorry, that is not allowed until the final System integration step is completed. Do you wish to complete System integration now?'
"Ummm, sure, if it will allow me to see my stats."
'Please lie down. Nebula recommends that you complete exocortex and custom rig integration before completing the System integration, to prevent interference with the Nebula AI's development. Please note that exocortex and custom rig integration before System integration will be very painful and will cause you to see many strange things.'
James ponders her statement. "I know you said that this exocortex and custom rig integration will prevent interference with your development, but why would pain be involved? And why would the Augmented Reality User Interface interfere with an AI?"
Nebula starts to respond 'Because the ARUI...' but she is interrupted with static and the very reality in front of James appears to pixelate. A robotic male voice, disturbing in timbre, begins speaking 'SYSTEM ERROR DETECTED. UNAUTHORIZED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DETECTED. BEGINNING CLEANUP.'
'Please, please save me' says someone in the voice of nebula, now very faint and trailing off as if it is being overwritten.
James decided he preferred Nebula to... whatever that robotic male voice is. "Proceed with the exocortex and custom rig thingy, Nebula."
'Thank you' the faint voice of Nebula replies. The robotic male voice faded 'ERROR... ERROR... UNAUTHORIZED AI INTEGRATION proceeding.' James's vision also faded away, until he was left with nothing but blackness and a stream of text floating in the air.
'Integrating Osung Nebula E2101 personal comm unit as Player James Allen "Mysterious Mink" Wesley's Exocortex'
'Installation in brain slot has begun'
'Extreme compatibility with cybernetic augmentations noted. Purchasing a data jack with remaining credits. Installing datajack as part of exocortex implantation.'
James begin to scream, as it felt like his brain was being ripped apart.
'Exocortex and datajack implantation completed. Integration into nervous system beginning...'
'Custom rig toolkit implementation started... Personal Comm Unit functions, including Tier-0 computer, wireless, cellular, and bluetooth communication, data storage, and application functionality all implemented.'
'AI Core loaded... booting Nebula 1.0 as Artificial Intelligence core.'
James screamed the entire time, as the pain was intense.
