Eyewear Cleaner 2077--Demo

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[img[images_ec/cover.png]] <big><big><div id="container"><p>Eyewear Cleaner 2077</p></div></big></big> a game by Naomi Norbez, aka Bez (he/they) (Please open the sidebar and turn on the volume.) Some images have not yet been added to the game. Pardon our appearance. [[Click here to begin.|0]]

Greetings, and welcome to <i>Eyewear Cleaner 2077</i>. Have you played this game before? [[Yes.|yplayeddemo]] [[No.|2]]

<<widget "currentdate">>\ <<print new Date().toDateString()>>\ <</widget>>

<div id="container"><p><<if $points is 1>>Rebellion Level: Novice<<elseif $points is 2>>Rebellion Level: Curious<<elseif $points is 3>>Rebellion Level: Inquiring<<elseif $points is 4>>Rebellion Level: Enthralled<<elseif $points is 5>>Rebellion Level: Captivated<<elseif $points is 6>>Rebellion Level: Convicted<<else>><<endif>> <<if visited("2")>>Digibucks Earned Today:<<else>><<endif>> <<print $Digibucks>></p></div>

Awesome! Would you like to skip to Day 3 and pick a path? [[Yes.|yskip]] [[No.|2]]

<<if visited() is 1>>Ok! Let’s start at the beginning then. . . <center><big><big>[[Day 1|2]]</big></big></center><<endif>><<if visited() is 2>>It is 2077. You are a white straight cis man, smoking in the rain. You are clothed with the best of neon fashions, and equipped with the best weapons the underground society has to offer. [[In short, you are awesome.|2]]<<set $day to 1>><<endif>><<if visited() is 3>>JUST KIDDING! You are a nonbinary fellow, currently sitting in your shitty apartment. It’s early in the morning, and you have work soon. [[You turn off your alarm and get out of bed.|2]]<<set $points to 1>><<audio "wifi" loop play>><<endif>><<if visited() is 4>><<set $Digibucks to 0>><<endif>><<if visited() is 4>>[img[images_ec/apartmentd.png]] The steps of getting ready are easy. You brush your teeth at the tiny-ass bathroom, take a moment to shower (while avoiding getting water in your head ports), and get on your Digicore worker uniform (complete with a name tag). [[It’s actually getting the urge to want to work that’s the hard part.|2]] But it’s something you have to do.<<endif>><<if visited() is 5>>Your name is <<textbox "$Name" "Delvin">> and you are tired of this shit. [[Things haven’t been the same since Rodney left the store.|2]] But there’s not much you can do to change things.<<endif>><<if visited() is 6>> You take a deep breath and grab your bag. You look around the room, seeing what to put inside: <b>Your ID</b>: The tag that reads $Name Bliston. Can’t live in Neon City without one of these. It holds your Digibucks, gets you into every Digicore facility (which is pretty much every building in this city). Basically, your whole world is on here. <b>Your Lunch</b>: The sustenance that keeps you going. Today, it’s a Lean Dog With Cheese you grabbed from the vending machine last night. You could put both of them in your bag right now . . . or you could check your DigiFeed! You still have a few minutes before you have to leave, after all. [[Put everything in your bag.|baggo]] [[Look at your DigiFeed.|d1digifeed1]]<<endif>>

Choose a path to go on: [[The Hacker] [[The Cop] [[The Game Developer] [[The Dom] [[The Vigilante] [[The Lawbreaker]

<<cacheaudio "appstore" "music_ec/appstore.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Beatstoprocrastineto" "music_ec/Beatstoprocrastineto.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "bioluminescence-acousticdemo(bonustrack)" "music_ec/bioluminescence-acousticdemo(bonustrack).mp3">> <<cacheaudio "BlanketFort" "music_ec/BlanketFort.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Bluelagoon" "music_ec/Bluelagoon.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Carputer" "music_ec/Carputer.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "charging" "music_ec/charging.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Cyan" "music_ec/Cyan.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "DriveItLikeYouDownloadedIt" "music_ec/DriveItLikeYouDownloadedIt.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Everythingfeelsgood" "music_ec/Everythingfeelsgood.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "genomnatteniendatorssken" "music_ec/genomnatteniendatorssken.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Guardians" "music_ec/Guardians.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "HuggingAPillow" "music_ec/HuggingAPillow.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Icamebackdownstairsandyouweregone" "music_ec/Icamebackdownstairsandyouweregone.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Inspiration" "music_ec/Inspiration.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Invasion" "music_ec/Invasion.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "LandofaFolkDivided" "music_ec/LandofaFolkDivided.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "MachinesVsWater" "music_ec/MachinesVsWater.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "mint(remake)" "music_ec/mint(remake).mp3">> <<cacheaudio "NeonLights" "music_ec/NeonLights.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Polygons" "music_ec/Polygons.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "PracticingtoaMetronome" "music_ec/PracticingtoaMetronome.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "RemembertheWay" "music_ec/RemembertheWay.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "rhubarb" "music_ec/rhubarb.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "StolenLife" "music_ec/StolenLife.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "StreetsofSantIvo" "music_ec/StreetsofSantIvo.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "studies(tapeedit)" "music_ec/studies(tapeedit).mp3">> <<cacheaudio "TaxipastTurningTorso" "music_ec/TaxipastTurningTorso.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Unfocused" "music_ec/Unfocused.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "WaitingforthetrainItscold" "music_ec/WaitingforthetrainItscold.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "WakingUponAnotherPlanet" "music_ec/WakingUponAnotherPlanet.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Wateringplants" "music_ec/Wateringplants.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "wifi" "music_ec/wifi.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ActionEpic" "music_ec/ActionEpic.mp3">>

<<timed 3s t8n>>"What they’re planning is nothing small, make no mistake about it. They’re planning for thirty thousand years ahead. Colossal things. Colossal crimes. They stop at nothing. They’re out to destroy everything."<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[--Bertolt Brecht|1]]<</timed>>

Credits: Written and Programmed by [[Naomi Norbez|https://norbez.itch.io/]]. Contact the author on Twitter @NaomiNorbez or via email at mninorbez@gmail.com. Cover & Cityscape art by Jasmine "[[Katy133|https://twitter.com/JKaty133]]" Osler. Portraits by [[bobby|https://twitter.com/bobbytries/status/1314618074855813120?s=21]][[tries|https://twitter.com/bobbytries/status/1360690885537759235?s=21]] & [[Alex Stewart|https://twitter.com/Gundamu_Boy]] CGs by Rus Sensitivity Reader: [[Lydia Caradonna|https://twitter.com/LydiaCaradonna]] Music by [[Stevia Sphere|https://steviasphere.bandcamp.com/]], [[Komiku|https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_11_Action_Epic]], and [[Evgeni Rogozin|https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Evgeni_Rogozin/_1693/01_Invasion]]. Tracks used under an [[Attribution license|https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/]]. Changes were not made to the tracks. Beta Testers: Danielle Karthauser, Eva Louise Christensen, Jack Martin, Chride Lassheikki, and SJ Faubert.

You stuff your lunch and ID into your bag. [[Then you head outside—better early to work than late, after all.|d1outside]] <<set $id to "have">><<set $lunch to "have">>

<<if visited() is 1>>[[You pull out your phone and look down at your DigiFeed.|d1digifeed1]] You don’t really follow friends on here (you don’t really have friends in general. . .), but you do follow a varied crowd of celebrities and normal citizens. The DigiFeed is exclusive to Neon City residents (you have to write in your ID number to log in), so you don’t get to see what’s going on outside.<<elseif visited() is 2>>You scroll through your feed: <div class="border">Scarlet Johnson, Singer. 1.1M Followers Seeing the sky when I wake up in the District 1 Highrise is the best feeling in the universe! <3 #morningmoments</div> [img[images_ec/sky.jpg]] <div class="border">VTube Central. 4.3M Followers Watch our stream of Tuski and Germain falling in love with Best Romance VN Ever! #gaming #vtuber</div> [img[images_ec/video2.jpg]] <div class="border">Johnny Gamerman. 50K Followers. Going on a weird Radiant quest in Sky’s Rim. Will live tweet about it!!! Hang onto your butts! 1/?</div> <div class="border">Ryan, Activist. 2K Followers. (This post has been removed by Digicore LLC for containing sensitive content.)</div> <<timed 15s>><<goto "d1lookup">><</timed>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Your apartment is on the 6th floor of a rather large complex, located in District 3 (which is affectionately known as The Monkey’s Paw district, thanks to the old store of the same name). Luckily, the elevator in your building was recently adjusted to be pretty high speed. You go inside it, and a moment later, you’re at the ground floor. [[You walk outside.|d1outside]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>[img[images_ec/cityscape.png]] Neon City’s glorious lights wash over you as you step out into the smog-covered dawn. On the street, people pass by, some with artificial limbs. You’ve even heard of androids unleashed into the world, though that’s nothing but a rumor at this point, science fiction bullshit. But knowing Digicore, they’ll be a reality before long. [[That’s who rules this city. Digicore|d1outside]] logos and advertisements brandish the streets, in between the wanted posters for Lowlife—well, everywhere but the last District, District 4, a place full of decrepit and rotting buildings. It’s between Digicore and a few smaller companies (Arrlingtons, Boar Corp), all fighting for rule over Neon City, but everyone knows Digicore will eventually win out.<<elseif visited() is 3>>Not that you care. You just try to keep your head down and earn the Digibucks it’ll take to survive. [[That’s all you got, and frankly, that’s enough on your plate.|d1outside]]<<audio "wifi" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<elseif visited() is 4>>It doesn’t take long for you to reach the checkpoint. Neon City’s “Digicore Force” crowd the area, checking every person passing by for their proper paperwork. It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived here 15 minutes or 15 years[[—they always check you.|d1outside]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>“Let go of me!” A voice on your right forces you out of your thoughts, and you turn and see the cops have their hands on a young woman. “Sorry, little lady—I don’t see the right ID,” a cop says, a sneer on his face. “Looks like it’s down to the detention center with you.” “My ID’s right there, look!” she screams. But it’s futile—the enforcers drag her away anyway. [[Not an uncommon sight at the checkpoint—you see it at least once a week.|d1outside]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>[img[images_ec/tina.png]] “Ugh,” a lady next to you says. You notice she’s wearing a striking red dress. She turns to you. “You see the way they smirk when they take people away? I hear they get extra money for each arrest—I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true.” She shakes her head. “I hate cops. Fuck all of them.” “[[I hate them too.|hatecops]]” “[[They’re not all bad. . .|notallcops]]”<<audio "Beatstoprocrastineto" loop play>><<endif>>

You look up. There’s <i>still</i> a few minutes left. Want to check it again? [[Check your DigiFeed again.|d1digifeed2]] [[Just get to work.|d1lunchno]]

You scroll through your DigiFeed once again. <div class="border">Tyger Tyger. 10 Followers. Hate my life tbh. Life in the city doesn’t get any better, it’s the worst. (This post is under review by Digicore for containing sensitive material)</div> <div class="border">Windows 98 4 Life. 450 Followers. Looking for a Commodore this week to add to my collection. Haven’t found any though—were they all destroyed in the past, or am I just having bad luck?</div> <div class="border">Ryan S. 4 Followers. Looking for a roommate who wants to live in District 2. 1500 Digibucks a month, utilities included. DM for more information.</div> <<timed 15s>><<goto "d1lookup2">><</timed>>

You shake your head—no point in getting too distracted. Absent-mindedly, you grab your ID, grab your bag, and then [[head outside to get to work.|d1outside]]<<set $id to "have">>

When you look up, you see the time—you have to get out of here! You stand up quickly from your chair, grab your bag, and [[run out the door.|d1outside]]

She gives you a smile. “[[Looks like you and I are on the same team then|d1outside2]],” she says. “Good.”<<set $points += 1>>

The lady frowns, but says nothing. “[[Rotten, every one of them|d1outside2]],” she mutters.

<<if visited() is 1>>The cop rustles through your bag, grumbling to himself. He takes out your ID and examines it for a long time[[—does he think it’s a fake?|d1haveID]]<<audio "Unfocused" loop play>> <<elseif visited() is 2>>Finally, Gerald closes your bag and hands it back to you. “You can go,” he snaps. Thank goodness. You start to walk away, trying to keep your head down, and are almost through the checkpoint when you hear a voice call out to you. “$Name? [[Is that you?!|d1haveID]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>The voice sounds familiar, but you can’t quite place it. You turn around, see their face, and it all [[clicks.|d1haveID]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Rodney!” you exclaim. “I haven’t seen you since you left the eyewear store! How’ve you. . .”<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>> Your voice drifts off when you see what he’s wearing. [[It’s a Digicore Force uniform.|d1haveID]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>[img[images_ec/rodney.png]] “Hey!” Rodney gives you a big grin, but he sees the hesitance on your face. “Yeah, after I left the eye place I was at a loss of what to do, but I eventually decided to join the police force.” He flexes. “I just finished training a few days ago. Now, I’m officially at the rank of officer. Cool, huh?” “[[Um . . . yeah. . .|umyeah]]” “[[Um, NO!|umno]]”<<audio "Icamebackdownstairsandyouweregone" loop play>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The cop rustles through your bag—and he comes back up with a smirk on his face. “[[I don’t see ID|d1noID]],” he says, smiling.<<audio "Unfocused" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Shit. You must have been distracted by the DigiFeed and forgot it at home! Your mind races for an excuse, but you come up empty. “Unfortunately, it looks like I have to detain you,” Gerald says, laughing. “You can explain your lack of ID to the—" “[[Gerald, let me handle them.|d1noID]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>A familiar voice interrupts the cop, and Gerald looks behind you, at another figure. “If you insist,” he grunts, tossing the bag to the other person. [[Where have you heard that voice before?|d1noID]] “Good luck, rookie.”<<elseif visited() is 4>>The person behind you pushes you forward, whisking you away from the crowd and to a quiet corner of the checkpoint. Crap, are you about to get assaulted? You’ve heard rumors of it happening to others, but never thought it would happen to you. “Relax,” the person says—where do you know that voice? “Turn around, $Name. [[It’s me!|d1noID]]”<<elseif visited() is 5>>Wincing, you turn around to face the person. Face and voice come together, and it all clicks. “Rodney?!” you exclaim, smiling. “I haven’t seen you since you left the eyewear store! What are you. . .?”<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>> Your voice drifts off as you see what your old friend is wearing. [[It’s a Digicore Force uniform.|d1noID]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>[img[images_ec/rodney.png]] “Hey!” Rodney gives you a big grin, but he sees the hesitance on your face. “Yeah, after I left the eye place I was at a loss of what to do, but I eventually decided to join the police force.” He flexes. “I just finished training a few days ago. Now, I’m officially at the rank of officer. Cool, huh?” “[[Um . . . yeah. . .|umyeah]]” “[[Um, NO!|umno]]”<<audio "Icamebackdownstairsandyouweregone" loop play>> <<endif>>

“Next!” an officer with the nametag, “Gerald” calls you up, and you nervously walk forward. “Give me your bag,” Gerald snaps, and you quickly obey, <<if $id is "have">>[[praying he won’t find an excuse to delay you—or worse, arrest you.|d1haveID]]<<else>>[[praying he won’t find an excuse to delay you—or worse, arrest you.|d1noID]] <<endif>><<audio "Beatstoprocrastineto" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Thanks! I’m glad you think so.” He looks happy. “I was a little worried about what you might think, but [[I’m glad you approve.|umyeah]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“I heard about how corrupt the force is before I joined, see, but don’t worry.” He smiles. “I want to change things around there, you know? Gotta do it from the inside to do it right. I think I’m really getting somewhere!” [[Somehow, you highly doubt that.|d1outside3]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Rodney frowns. “Well, that’s not very nice,” he mutters. “Look, you don’t have to worry. [[I’m different from other cops, see?|umno]]”<<set $points += 1>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“I heard about how corrupt the force is before I joined, see, but don’t worry.” He smiles. “I want to change things around there, you know? Gotta do it from the inside to do it right. I think I’m really getting somewhere!” [[Somehow, you highly doubt that.|d1outside3]]<<endif>>

“Well, it was good seeing you!” Rodney says, waving. “I’d love to hang out with you sometime. Hey—when you’re off work, I can take you on a ride-along! [[That could be fun, right?|d1outside4]]” “Sure,” you <<if visited("umyeah")>>say cheerfully<<elseif visited("umno")>>lie eloquently<<endif>>. “Sounds great.”

“Just call me if you want to join me.” He presses a button on his robotic arm, and a moment later, your phone buzzes in your bag. “I gave you my new number. I’ll see you later, $Name!<<if visited ("d1noID")>> And don’t forget your ID next time, ok?<<else>><<endif>>” [[He waves you through the checkpoint, and is gone.|d1work]]<<audio "Icamebackdownstairsandyouweregone" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You turn and watch him blend into the crowd, unsure what to feel. But [[you don’t have time to feel anything.|d1work]] Get going, or you’ll be late for work!<<elseif visited() is 2>>You snap out of it and continue your commute, journeying forward through the Neon City streets. It doesn’t take you long to get to your destination: the <i>Digicore Eyewear & Accessories Store</i>. This is where you work. Right next door to the Neon City Police Station, the Digicore Eye Surgeon, and the Synthroid factory. [[You take a deep breath, and walk inside.|d1work]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>[img[images_ec/eyestore.png]]<<audio "appstore" loop play>> The role of “eyewear cleaner” wasn’t the one you imagined yourself being in. But here you are, scrubbing glasses and implants to ensure the place is sanitized, and fits Digicore’s vision nicely. The place has long since lost the cheery mood that Rodney used to bring in. Now, it’s quiet, [[almost darkly so|d1work]], until customers come in.<<elseif visited() is 4>>As you walk inside, Sam, who’s an older gentleman, looks up from the front desk. “Hello $Name,” he says, giving you a wave. “Good to see you.” You nod and wave back. “Good to see you too.” [[Sam’s the closest thing to a friend you have here—well, after Rodney left, that is.|d1work]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>Further in, Devin, who’s about your age, is giving a customer the sales pitch for VR implants. [[As expected, he barely gives you a second look.|d1work]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>Carly, on the other hand, smiles when she sees you. “Hey there, $Name,” she says as she straightens the shelves. “Ready for another work day?” “[[Yep!|d1yep]]” “[[Hahahaha . . . no.|hahahano]]”<<endif>>

You give her a smile as she speaks, knowing your words are being overheard, and that you’ll likely be in good favor for saying this. “Awesome!” Carly says. She returns to her tasks. You reach the back of the store, where the manager, Harrison, is just leaving the back room. “Morning, $Name,” he says. “[[Get your chip in.|d1work1]]”

<<if visited() is 1>>Carly’s smile fades as you speak. “Can you, um, excuse me for a moment?” she says. You watch awkwardly as she fast-walks up to your manager, likely [[reporting your actions|hahahano]] now.<<elseif visited() is 2>>A moment later, Harrison walks up to you. “Heard you aren’t the most enthusiastic about working today,” he says, frowning. “That true?” You open your mouth to respond, but before you can, he says, “I don’t want to hear it. Just keep your thoughts to yourself from now on, or I’ll be forced to deduct your pay today, understand? Now put your chip in, <i>[[now|d1work1]]</i>.”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You nod and obey, walking in the Employees Only room. Inside, five chips are plugged in, one for each employee here, and yours is 100% charged. After hanging up your bag, you take the chip, and put it in your head port. [[A moment later, he appears.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Ah, good morning, $Name,” the boss says, his hologram settling at the corner of your vision. “My time is money, so let’s not waste it. Get to work stat.” You nod, already feeling the Boss Chip weighing heavily on top of your brain. At one point, Isaiah Warburton actually ran his own stores, but that was before he was bought out by Digicore—now, he can afford the holograms to run things for him, while he himself sits at home getting richer. [[Lucky.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Thinking about me, are we?” the boss asks. “I’m flattered, but anymore of that, and it <i>will</i> cost you.” Right. Even thinking things other than work can get you penalized, so you quickly regain your focus. [[It’s time to start.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>You are stationed near the front of the store, at a tiny table. There’s plenty of eyewear leftover from yesterday to clean. So you better get to work. You pick up your paper towel and sanitizer. [[Scrub, Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>You run the towel over the first piece of discarded eyewear, a VR chip implant. One down, many to go. [[Scrub, Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>There’s a certain rhythm to it, one that fits well with your brain. You actually enjoy your job, if you’re being honest—but it’s the fact that it’s making an insanely rich man richer that keeps you up at night. [[Scrub, Rinse. Scrub, Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>You soon find yourself getting into it—but you’ve learned not to let your mind drift. Don’t want to lose Digibucks, after all. [[Scrub, Rinse. Scrub Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>As you clean, customers come and go from the shop. VR implants are sold here, and they’ve been rising in popularity as of late. Digicore has plenty of sample implants . . . which you have to wash after customers try them. [[Scrub, Rinse. Scrub, Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 9>><<print either("Halfway through, a few teenagers come in. They see the Rebel line and decry authority in its name. Your boss hologram laughs and smile at them. They buy three rebellious wares from Digicore and are on their way. You have to wash the samples they tried on.", "At one point in the morning, a homeless person comes in the store to get warm from the cold. Harrison is quick to chase them out, however.", "At one point, someone with a Sky’s Rim shirt comes in, talking all about how they want the latest VR implant with, in his words, the best graphics. Devin has to explain that’s not quite how it works, but the guy insists he’s right. He walks away with a Y2X model, and seems happy with it.", "Someone tries on thirty pairs of eyewear, which you have to wash. Great. Oh well, them’s the breaks.", "A customer comes in demanding you install his eye implant. You tell him—in a tone of someone who has said this a million times and will say it a million more—that the store just handles implant sales, and if he wants them applied, he has to talk to the Digicore surgeon next door. He eventually gets the point and slinks off, but not before he’s yelled at you a bunch.")>> [[And the morning goes on. Scrub, Rinse. Scrub, Rinse.|d1work1]]<<elseif visited() is 10>>Harrison taps you on the shoulder. “Go have lunch,” he orders. “It’s time for your break.”<<audio "appstore" volume 0.75 fadeout>> You let out a sigh of relief and remove the Boss Chip from your brain. Isaiah Warburton’s hologram flickers for a moment, then disappears. [[Your thoughts are yours again.|d1lunchtime]]<<endif>>

<<if $lunch is "have">>You brought your Lean Dog, which is good. [[Now you can eat.|d1breakroom]]<<else>> Wait a minute. . . You didn’t bring your Lean Dog! [[Dang it.|d1nolunch]]<<endif>>

<<if $lunch is "have">>You dig your Lean Dog out of your bag, and head on over to the [[break room|d1breakroom1]].<<else>>You walk to the [[break room|d1breakroom1]], feeling sullen.<<endif>><<audio "MachinesVsWater" loop play>>

<<if $id is "have">>At least you have your ID—you can use it to buy something else. [[So you venture outside to the vending machines, stomach growling.|d1vendingmachines]]<<else>>And you don’t have your ID to buy something else from the vending machines[[. . . Guess you’re going hungry today.|d1breakroom]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/vendingmachines.png]] The vending machines are just around the corner from work. You walk up to them, and then, you hear a [[voice|d1vendingmachines]].<<elseif visited() is 2>>[img[images_ec/carl.png]] “Hey, you! I recognize you!” You turn around to see a man walking up to you, a smile on his face. He’s wearing a Digicore uniform too, though this one is for the mines, not the city work.<<audio "Wateringplants" loop play>> “I’ve seen you around the vending machines,” the man explains. “Name’s Carl. How about you?” “I’m $Name,” you say. “Nice to meet you,” Carl says. “I’ll get straight to the point. I know you work at the eyewear store. We’re trying to set up a union for Digicore workers to get better conditions. [[You interested in joining?|d1vendingmachines]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>Well . . . that’s new. Not unheard of, but not something you ever thought you’d be involved in. You choose your next words carefully: “[[Go on. I’m listening.|d1ulistening]]” “[[Unions always crumble around here. What makes you different?|d1ucrumble]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Carl smiles. “I knew you were the receptive type,” he says. “Trust me, this union’s going to work[[—because we have a big advantage.|d1ulistening]]” “Oh yeah?” you ask, interested.<<elseif visited() is 2>>“I know it’s a long shot,” Carl says. “Our union just got a big boost—Arrlingtons is sponsoring our cause now. They stand behind us.” So one of the smaller companies is joining the fight. But the cynic in you is skeptical[[—surely Arrlingtons has a reason for doing this.|d1ulistening]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“I can see you have questions,” Carl says. “Fire away.” You voice your foremost concern: “[[What does Arrlingtons want with workers? Why are they involved?|d1uawant]]” “[[Won’t Digicore hit harder once they learn a rival’s sponsoring this?|d1auhit]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Carl frowns. “Well, they don’t <i>always</i>,” he corrects you, “but you have a fair point. Digicore keeps cracking down on unions, breaks them down. But this one’s different[[—we got a big advantage.|d1ucrumble]]” “Oh yeah?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.<<elseif visited() is 2>>“I know it’s a long shot,” Carl says. “Our union just got a big boost—Arrlingtons is sponsoring our cause now. They stand behind us.” So one of the smaller companies is joining the fight. But the cynic in you is skeptical[[—surely Arrlingtons has a reason for doing this.|d1ucrumble]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“I can see you have questions,” Carl says. “Fire away.” You voice your foremost concern: “[[What does Arrlingtons want with workers? Why are they involved?|d1uawant]]” “[[Won’t Digicore hit harder once they learn a rival’s sponsoring this?|d1auhit]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Arrlingtons actually approached us with a representative, said they wanted to join the cause,” Carl explains. “They agreed to stand behind our union. I’m not totally sure why if I’m being honest, but [[I’m glad to have their support.|d1uawant]]” Hmm . . .<<elseif visited() is 2>>“So. You want to join?” You pause for a moment, and then speak: “[[I think I am interested, yeah.|uniony]]” “[[This sounds risky. No thanks.|unionn]]” “[[Don’t unions have a reputation of having Digicore spies in them?|unionspies]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“I think it’s the opposite,” Carl says. “They’ll hesitate <i>because</i> one of the other companies stands behind us. [[Can’t hit us without harming Arrlingtons—and that’ll cost them.|d1auhit]]” Hmm. . .<<elseif visited() is 2>>“So. You want to join?” You pause for a moment, and then speak: “[[I think I am interested, yeah.|uniony]]” “[[This sounds risky. No thanks.|unionn]]” “[[Don’t unions have a reputation of having Digicore spies in them?|unionspies]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>A grin breaks out on Carl’s face. “I’m so happy you’ll be joining us—having one more person to our cause is always a good thing,” he says. “Thanks so much for trusting us—[[I promise, it won’t be in vain.|uniony]]” He takes out his phone and presses a few buttons. A moment later, your phone buzzes. “My contact information,” he says. “Call if you ever need anything.”<<set $carlpath to "yes">><<elseif visited() is 2>>“Come back tomorrow, and we can talk more—I have to get back to work,” Carl says, walking away. “[[See you around.|uniony]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>You watch him go, then turn back to the vending machine. What do you want to get today? It’ll takes away from the money you’re earning today, but at least you can eat. [[Digicore’s Lean Dog with Mustard (3 Digibucks)|d1leandog]] [[Arrlingtons’ Chill Cheese Pack (5 Digibucks)|d1chilicheese]] [[Boar Corp’s Ham & Pepperoni Pie (4 Digibucks)|d1pepperonipie]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Carl sighs. “I thought you might say that,” he mutters, sounding defeated. But then he perks up. “But I’m going to try and convince you. [[Perhaps you’ll join our cause another time.|unionn]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Come back tomorrow, and we can talk more—I have to get back to work,” Carl says, walking away. “[[See you around.|unionn]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>You watch him go, then turn back to the vending machine. What do you want to get today? It’ll takes away from the money you’re earning today, but at least you can eat. [[Digicore’s Lean Dog with Mustard (3 Digibucks)|d1leandog]] [[Arrlingtons’ Chill Cheese Pack (5 Digibucks)|d1chilicheese]] [[Boar Corp’s Ham & Pepperoni Pie (4 Digibucks)|d1pepperonipie]]<<endif>>

“We’ll be spy free,” Carl says. “With Arrlingtons on our side, we can’t possibly lose. So. You in?” “[[I think I am interested, yeah.|uniony]]” “[[This sounds risky. No thanks.|unionn]]”

<<if visited() is 1>>You punch in the number for your chosen food and soon, it slides out of the hole at the front of the machine. [[You grab your meal and walk back to work.|d1leandog]]<<set $Digibucks -= 3>><<elseif visited() is 2>>By the time you get there, you’ve finished eating, Devin and Sam are gone from the break room, and have returned to work. You sit down, [[alone|d1ucheck]].<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You punch in the number for your chosen food and soon, it slides out of the hole at the front of the machine. [[You grab your meal and walk back to work.|d1chilicheese]]<<set $Digibucks -= 5>><<elseif visited() is 2>>By the time you get there, you’ve finished eating, Devin and Sam are gone from the break room, and have returned to work. You sit down, [[alone|d1ucheck]].<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You punch in the number for your chosen food and soon, it slides out of the hole at the front of the machine. [[You grab your meal and walk back to work.|d1pepperonipie]]<<set $Digibucks -= 4>><<elseif visited() is 2>>By the time you get there, you’ve finished eating, Devin and Sam are gone from the break room, and have returned to work. You sit down, [[alone|d1ucheck]]. <<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Time passes quickly. Soon, Harrison taps you on the shoulder. “Go take your break,” he orders. “[[You have ten minutes.|d1afternoon]]”<<audio "appstore" loop play>> <<elseif visited() is 2>>You give him a nod, and remove the Boss Chip, putting it into your pocket. Then you walk to the back of the store, to the restrooms. The bathrooms are supposed to be gender neutral spaces—Digicore made an announcement months ago, and it got them a great amount of good press. But then, management labeled them male and female anyway, to “[[avoid confusion|d1afternoon]]”.<<elseif visited() is 3>>Which bathroom will you go in? [[The gender-neutral women’s room.|gnwr]] [[The gender-neutral men’s room.|gnmr]]<<endif>><<audio "appstore" loop play>>

Inside, Devin and Sam are chatting. “You heard about the new bot that Digicore is building?” Devin asks. “They make a lot of bots,” Sam retorts. “You’ll have to be more specific.” “The one that they’re building to clean the stores,” Devin says, and your heart sinks. “I heard one can clean the eyewear around here in just a few seconds each! That’s amazing!” Then he seems to notice you for the first time and says, “. . . Um, no offense, $Name.” “[[None taken.|d1nonetaken]]” “[[Fuck you.|d1fu]]”

“None taken,” you mutter sullenly. Devin and Sam look [[relieved|d1breakroom2]].

Devin’s eyes widen upon hearing that. “Well that’s not very nice,” he mutters, turning away. “Gonna report that to Harrison, $Name. You know strong language isn’t allowed around here.” You almost forgot about that. [[Shit, that’ll probably result in a loss of Digibucks for the day.|d1breakroom2]] <<set $Digibucks -= 35>>

Devin, being a real dick, continues to talk. “I hear they’re making it so that no matter what store it’s in, it can clean the things there. Eye store, food court, it doesn’t matter. It’s like a multi-use machine, man!” “Neat,” Sam says. At least he has the dignity to give you a sad look. You always knew this job wouldn’t last forever (they never do) [[. . . but being replaced hurts.|d1breakroom3]]

<<if $lunch is "have">>You finish up your Lean Dog, and soon, your break is over<<else>>You sit at the table for a while, and soon, the break is over<<endif>>. [[You get up from the table, put the Boss Chip back in, and get back to work.|d1afternoon]]<<audio "MachinesVsWater" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You walk inside the women’s bathroom. The place has a few cushioned chairs at the front, and the stalls in the back are neat and clean. You duck inside one, do your business quickly, and [[leave|d1afternoon1]].

You walk inside the men’s bathroom. The place is dingy and dark, with urinals at the front and a single stall at the back. You duck inside the stall, do your business quickly, and [[leave|d1afternoon1]].

<<if visited() is 1>>The store is usually busier in the afternoons. People come in and out for neat glasses and cool eyewear. One of those people is a regular customer. His name is Rudy, and he comes in here every week. Each time, he looks at the VR implants, studying them carefully as he stares at each one. And each time, [[he talks to you|d1afternoon1]].<<audio "appstore" volume 0.75 fadeout>> <<elseif visited() is 2>>[img[images_ec/rudy.png]] “Which do you recommend?” he asks, pointing at three of the VR implant samples on display. “Is there a particular one I should buy?” “[[Probably the HDY Device. It’s got great specs.|HDY]]” “[[Maybe the Y2X? I hear it’s super fast.|Y2X]]” “[[Honestly, I couldn’t care less about those things.|IDC]]”<<audio "Polygons" loop play>> <<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The man nods. “I’ve heard that too. [[I’m seriously considering it, honestly. . .|HDY]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Then, to your surprise, Rudy picks up a HDY Model and brings it up to the counter. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he says to you. “Been saving up for months. [[I’m going to use it to change some things.|HDY]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>Rudy finishes his purchase, and is about to leave, but then, he approaches you. “Hey, I got a question, $Name,” he says. You almost forgot you were wearing a nametag for a second. “Do you think it’s possible for one person to change the world? Even a little bit?” You think for a moment. “[[Sure, why not?|d1changey]]” “[[Realistically? No, not really.|d1changen]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The man grins. “Super fast <i>is</i> [[something I’m looking for|Y2X]] in a VR device. . .”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Then, to your surprise, Rudy picks up a Y2X Model and brings it up to the counter. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he says to you. “Been saving up for months. [[I’m going to use it to change some things.|Y2X]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>Rudy finishes his purchase, and is about to leave, but then, he approaches you. “Hey, I got a question, $Name,” he says. You almost forgot you were wearing a nametag for a second. “Do you think it’s possible for one person to change the world? Even a little bit?” You think for a moment. “[[Sure, why not?|d1changey]]” “[[Realistically? No, not really.|d1changen]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Rudy laughs upon hearing that. “You’re honest. I like that.” “And I don’t,” Isaiah Warburton says, frowning. “My employees should be enthusiastic about the products they’re selling. [[Consider your wages deduced.|IDC]]” Well, shit. <<set $Digibucks -= 35>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Then, to your surprise, Rudy picks up a O2E Model and brings it up to the counter. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he says to you. “Been saving up for months. [[I’m going to use it to change some things.|IDC]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>Rudy finishes his purchase, and is about to leave, but then, he approaches you. “Hey, I got a question, $Name,” he says. You almost forgot you were wearing a nametag for a second. “Do you think it’s possible for one person to change the world? Even a little bit?” You think for a moment. “[[Sure, why not?|d1changey]]” “[[Realistically? No, not really.|d1changen]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Rudy smiles. “I knew I saw a common soul in you,” he says. He takes out his phone, and a moment later, you feel your phone buzz. “I’ve sent you my cell phone number,” he says. “Let me know if you want to change the world with me.” And with that, he’s gone. You watch him go, [[his question still echoing in your mind.|d1changey]]<<set $points += 1>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“Oh dear, I’m afraid you’ll be getting another deduction of Digibucks then,” Warburton says. “Get your mind focused back on work, and I’ll make sure it’s not <i>too</i> much of a loss.” Right. [[You quickly refocus on cleaning the eyewear.|d1changey]]<<set $Digibucks -= 35>><<audio "Polygons" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<elseif visited() is 3>>The rest of the day goes by uneventfully. You continue to scrub the eyewear until it’s late into the night, and the store has to close. There’s still some things to clean, but legally Digicore can’t (yet) keep you after closing hours, so you put them away for tomorrow. You say goodnight to your coworkers, grab your bag, and step outside. [[As you do, your pay for the day is transferred over.|d1afterwork]] <<set $Digibucks += 120>><<elseif visited() is 4>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Rudy shrugs. “That’s ok,” he says, smiling. “Maybe I can make you change your mind.” He takes out his phone, and a moment later, you feel your phone buzz. “I’ve sent you my cell phone number,” he says. “[[Let me know if you change your mind about changing the world.|d1changen]]” <<elseif visited() is 2>>And with that, he’s gone. You refocus back on your work, [[scrubbing the eyewear with a regained focus.|d1changen]]<<audio "Polygons" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<elseif visited() is 3>>The rest of the day goes by uneventfully. You continue to scrub the eyewear until it’s late into the night, and the store has to close. There’s still some things to clean, but legally Digicore can’t (yet) keep you after closing hours, so you put them away for tomorrow. You say goodnight to your coworkers, grab your bag, and step outside. [[As you do, your pay for the day is transferred over.|d1afterwork]] <<set $Digibucks += 120>><<endif>>

Back in the neon streets. The wanted posters for Lowlife have taken over all of the advertisements—you’ve heard it’s because they’re more active at night. You pick up dinner from one of the vending machines, eat, and then ponder. What do you want to do now? <<if $Digibucks < 20>>==Head to the bar== You lost too many Digibucks today to go drinking. . .<<else>>[[Head to the bar.|d1bar]]<<endif>> [[Walk around the city.|d1walk]] [[Go back home to rest.|d1home]]

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/bar.png]] You make your way to District 2, where your favorite bar is. You have to pass through the checkpoint, but thankfully it’s closed at this hour. District 2 is dingier than District 3, not that District 3 is much better. Nevertheless, District 2 is known for its active night life, but the area you’re going to is a quiet little corner, not populated by many people. So your walk goes by uninterrupted. You reach the bar in about ten minutes. The familiar sight of Harry’s Home [[comforts|d1bar]] you, and you walk inside.<<audio "BlanketFort" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>A few regulars are already there, drinking the night away. You sit down at a bar stool, and wait to be served. A moment later, Terry, the genderqueer bartender, walks up to you. “Hey, $Name,” ze says. “[[What’ll you have tonight?|d1bar1]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You decide to walk around the city a bit, enjoy the smoggy air. . . Ok, you’re not walking out here for the air; you’re doing it because [[you love the city at night|d1walk]]. Neon City can be really nice when it wants to be, which isn’t too often.<<audio "NeonLights" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You roam the streets without a real goal in mind. Eventually you leave District 3 and find yourself in District 2. District 2 is dingier than District 3, not that District 3 is much better. Nevertheless, District 2 is known for its active night life, with sex workers roaming the streets. You’ve learned to ignore all of them and just keep going. Then you turn the corner, and find a [[surprising|d1walk]] sight.<<elseif visited() is 3>>A person wearing dirty clothing is walking the streets, and upon seeing you, their eyes light up. “Spare some change?” they ask. [[It’s surprising to see a homeless person in Neon City.|d1change]] Panhandling is prosecuted severely here, and anyone who even tries it is be immediately arrested. That’s what happened to you in the past—but you got “lucky” (read: your white “male” privilege kicked in) and were let off with a warning; your new job came through not long after that.<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/apartmentn.png]] You sigh and hang up your bag. It certainly was a day. And you’re going back tomorrow to do it all again.<<audio "wifi" loop play>> At least you have [[two days off after that|d1home]]. So you can rest soon. Finally.<<elseif visited() is 2>>You look around for your own VR port (it’s not as high-end as the eyewear or eye implants, but it does the job), and plug it in. Immediately your user interface surrounds your body. There are a few things you can do before bed. [[What to do first?|d1home1]]<<endif>>

<center><<if visited ("d1news")>><<else>>[[Check the news.|d1news]]<<endif>> [[Play some games|d1games]] [[Go to bed.|d1end]]</center>

LOWLIFE STILL AT LARGE The so-called “vigilante” Lowlife, who embraced the name after being deemed so by Neon City Police, is still at large. Police encourage those who know anything about this criminal’s identity to step forward, as where he’ll strike next is still unknown. PROGRAMMER FIRED IN FIREY DISPLAY Programmer for VR World, Alice Carlile, was laid off from her job yesterday following mass protests by VR World fans, who claim the female programmer “ruined the game” because of the recent microtransactions. Before joining VR World, Carlile was an independent creator making games in her spare time. It is unknown whether she will return to that work. EUPHORIA DEATHS LEAVE POLICE BAFFLED The NCPD is currently investigating a string of deaths related to the illegal drug “Euphoria”, all of which appear to be overdoses. The victims of this drug have also been found to have a history of depression and improper social behavior, so some suspect a suicide epidemic has hit Neon City. DINER OPENING IN DISTRICT 2 A new eatery is opening in the second district of Neon City. Founded by Gregory Tiber, The Open Mouth promises to be a fun casual dining experience. Tiber stated that he was able to open his establishment thanks to funding from Arrlingtons. [[(back)|d1home1]]

You look through your game collection. You don't get to play games as often as you'd like, so you mainly focus on <i>Sky's Rim</i>. But there's also another game you could try. . . [[Sky’s Rim Version 110|d1skysrim]] [[The Social Game|d1tsg]] [[(back)|d1home1]]

You<<if visited ("skysrim1")>> put the game away,<<elseif visited ("sg1")>> put the game away,<<else>><<endif>> unplug the VR port, go into your Sleepsack, and lie down. [[Soon, you’re fast asleep.|d2]]

You have a few regular drinks that you’ve settled on. Tonight you choose . . . <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail==<<else>>[[Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail (10 Digibucks)|cocktail]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 6>>==Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade==<<else>>[[Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade (6 Digibucks)|hardlemonade]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 4>>==Digicore’s Light Beer ==<<else>>[[Digicore’s Light Beer (4 Digibucks)|beer]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“That sounds good,” ze says. “I’ll get it when I finish these glasses, one sec.” Ze continues to scrub dishes. [[There is a short silence.|cocktail]]<<set $Digibucks -= 10>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“So, how many times did customers misgender you today?” Terry finally asks. “[[None, for a change. Thank Christ,|cocktail]]” you reply.<<elseif visited() is 3>>“That’s good,” Terry says cheerfully, scrubbing a glass. “I’ve had a few misgender <i>me</i> today. And since Harry doesn’t care, I have to correct them myself.” “[[Good. Kick their sorry asses.|d1kickass]]” “[[Correcting people is scary though. . .|d1scary]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“That sounds good,” ze says. “I’ll get it when I finish these glasses, one sec.” Ze continues to scrub dishes. [[There is a short silence.|hardlemonade]]<<set $Digibucks -= 6>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“So, how many times did customers misgender you today?” Terry finally asks. “[[None, for a change. Thank Christ,|hardlemonade]]” you reply.<<elseif visited() is 3>>“That’s good,” Terry says cheerfully, scrubbing a glass. “I’ve had a few misgender <i>me</i> today. And since Harry doesn’t care, I have to correct them myself.” “[[Good. Kick their sorry asses.|d1kickass]]” “[[Correcting people is scary though. . .|d1scary]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“That sounds good,” ze says. “I’ll get it when I finish these glasses, one sec.” Ze continues to scrub dishes. [[There is a short silence.|beer]]<<set $Digibucks -= 4>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“So, how many times did customers misgender you today?” Terry finally asks. “[[None, for a change. Thank Christ,|beer]]” you reply.<<elseif visited() is 3>>“That’s good,” Terry says cheerfully, scrubbing a glass. “I’ve had a few misgender <i>me</i> today. And since Harry doesn’t care, I have to correct them myself.” “[[Good. Kick their sorry asses.|d1kickass]]” “[[Correcting people is scary though. . .|d1scary]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Thanks,” Terry says, giving you a grin. “And it’s good to know I have at least <i>[[one|d1kickass]]</i> customer who’ll never misgender me.”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Terry walks away for a moment, and comes back with your drink. “Here you are,” ze says, giving you a smile. “Enjoy.” “[[Thanks.|d1kickass]]” “You’re welcome.” Ze walks away to tend to other customers.<<elseif visited() is 3>>You take a sip, and feel your drink soothe your soul. That’s the stuff. Feels good. . . You’re tempted to order another one after this, but you’re a real lightweight—don’t want to get too drunk tonight. You enjoy your drink and get up, feeling buzzed. That was great. [[Now it’s time to go.|d1bartip]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“I know, but you gotta be consistent,” Terry insists. “Otherwise you get misgendered all day and that hurts like hell. Have to stand up for yourself, $Name. [[Sometimes you’re the only person who can do that.|d1scary]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Terry walks away for a moment, and comes back with your drink. “Here you are,” ze says, giving you a smile. “Enjoy.” “[[Thanks.|d1scary]]” “You’re welcome.” Ze walks away to tend to other customers.<<elseif visited() is 3>>You take a sip, and feel your drink soothe your soul. That’s the stuff. Feels good. . . You’re tempted to order another one after this, but you’re a real lightweight—don’t want to get too drunk tonight. You enjoy your drink and get up, feeling buzzed. That was great. [[Now it’s time to go.|d1bartip]]<<endif>>

You want to leave Terry a tip; you usually try to. How much to give though. . .? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|d1tip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|d1tip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|d1tip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|d1tipno]]

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk out of the bar. It’s time to go home.<<set $Digibucks -= 1>> Keeping your head down, you walk through the streets and make you way back to the apartment complex. One elevator trip later, <<if visited("d2")>>[[you’re at your home.|d2home]]<<else>>[[you’re at your room.|d1home]]<<endif>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk out of the bar. It’s time to go home.<<set $Digibucks -= 5>> Keeping your head down, you walk through the streets and make you way back to the apartment complex. One elevator trip later, <<if visited("d2")>>[[you’re at your home.|d2home]]<<else>>[[you’re at your room.|d1home]]<<endif>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk out of the bar. It’s time to go home.<<set $Digibucks -= 10>> Keeping your head down, you walk through the streets and make you way back to the apartment complex. One elevator trip later, <<if visited("d2")>>[[you’re at your home.|d2home]]<<else>>[[you’re at your room.|d1home]]<<endif>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You walk out of the bar. [[It’s time to go home.|d1tip1]]<<set $tipd1 to "no">> Keeping your head down, you walk through the streets and make you way back to the apartment complex. One elevator trip later, <<if visited("d2")>>[[you’re at your home.|d2home]]<<else>>[[you’re at your room.|d1home]]<<endif>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

They look up at you with expectant eyes, and hold out a QR code. “Spare some change?” they repeat. <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==Yes, I can spare some change.==<<else>>“[[Yes, I can spare some change.|d1yeschange]]”<<endif>> “[[No, I can’t. Sorry.|d1nochange]]” “[[Are you new around here?|d1changenew]]”

You pull out your phone and scan the QR code. It goes to a DigiPay page, and you decide to give them . . . [[1 Digibuck|d1change1]] <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|d1change5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|d1change10]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 20>>==20 Digibucks==<<else>>[[20 Digibucks|d1change20]]<<endif>>

They look disappointed, but not in understanding. “Alright,” they say, and [[walk away|d1changeend]].

“Yeah, I came in from Burnsville not too long ago,” they reply. “Had a string of bad luck, and now I’m homeless. Why?” “[[The police crack down on homeless folks. You should be careful.|policecrackdown]]” “[[No reason.|d1noreason]]

You transfer the money their DigiPay account. “Thank you so much!” they exclaim, tears in their eyes. “Any little bit helps, so I appreciate it.”<<set $homelesschange to "yes">><<set $Digibucks -= 1>> <<if visited("policecrackdown")>>[[They turn to walk away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>They turn to walk away. [[(Let them go.)|d1changeend]] “[[Wait. The police crack down on homeless people. You should be careful.|policecrackdown]]”<<endif>>

You transfer the money their DigiPay account. “Thank you so much!” they exclaim, tears in their eyes. “Any little bit helps, so I appreciate it.”<<set $homelesschange to "yes">><<set $Digibucks -= 5>> <<if visited("policecrackdown")>>[[They turn to walk away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>They turn to walk away. [[(Let them go.)|d1changeend]] “[[Wait. The police crack down on homeless people. You should be careful.|policecrackdown]]”<<endif>>

You transfer the money their DigiPay account. “Thank you so much!” they exclaim, tears in their eyes. “Any little bit helps, so I appreciate it.”<<set $homelesschange to "yes">><<set $Digibucks -= 10>> <<if visited("policecrackdown")>>[[They turn to walk away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>They turn to walk away. [[(Let them go.)|d1changeend]] “[[Wait. The police crack down on homeless people. You should be careful.|policecrackdown]]”<<endif>>

You transfer the money their DigiPay account. “Thank you so much!” they exclaim, tears in their eyes. “Any little bit helps, so I appreciate it.”<<set $homelesschange to "yes">><<set $Digibucks -= 20>> <<if visited("policecrackdown")>>[[They turn to walk away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>They turn to walk away. [[(Let them go.)|d1changeend]] “[[Wait. The police crack down on homeless people. You should be careful.|policecrackdown]]”<<endif>>

You watch them go, then walk away yourself. It’s late, and you should be getting home anyway. You reach your apartment complex ten minutes later, and go inside. <<if visited("d2")>>[[Soon, you’re back in your home.|d2home]]<<else>>[[Soon, you’re back in your home.|d1home]]<<endif>><<audio "NeonLights" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

There eyes widen. “That makes sense,” they mutter. “Thanks for the tip; I appreciate it. I’ll be more careful. “Do you know if there’s a place I can go instead of here? Somewhere the police won’t ‘crack down’ on me?” You think for a moment. “[[District 2 is a good place for outcasts. I’d stay around here if I were you.|d1changed2]]” “[[District 4 is a place where the police rarely go, because of the abandoned buildings. You might want to go there.|d1changed4]]”

They shrug. “Ok.” There’s an awkward pause. “So, can you spare some change for me?” <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==Yes, I can spare some change.==<<else>>“[[Yes, I can spare some change.|d1changey]]”<<endif>> “[[No, I can’t. Sorry.|d1changen]]”

“I see, I see,” they reply. “I haven’t been here long, but it’s good to know that it’s a safer place. I’ll stick around.”<<set $homelessperson to "helped">> <<if $homelesschange is "yes">>[[They nod in thanks, and walks away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>There’s an awkward pause. “[[So, can you spare some change for me?|d1change3]]<<endif>>”

“I see, I see,” they reply. “I’ve seen District 4 from a distance, but I’ve never been there. I’ll make my way over.”<<set $homelessperson to "helped">> <<if $homelesschange is "yes">>[[They nod in thanks, and walks away.|d1changeend]]<<else>>There’s an awkward pause. “[[So, can you spare some change for me?|d1change3]]<<endif>>”

This game has been around for eons. It’s a traditional fantasy game with role-playing elements. In it, the sky is beautiful and clear, unlike in the real world—and that feels nice. You’ve long since grown powerful enough to best any foe in the game. It helps you lose yourself, especially on on bad days. Boot it up? [[Yes.|skysrimloading]] [[No.|d1games]]

The game that comes with every VR device in the city—well, every one sold by Digicore, anyway (which is most of them, if not all of them). It teaches you how to correctly act in the city, and how to spot possible criminals in your day-to-day lives. You’ve never bothered to play it before. Boot it up? [[Yes.|sg]] [[No.|d1games]]

<<if $Skysrimplaying is 1>>[[Loading. . .|skysrim2]]<<elseif $Skysrimplaying is 2>>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3]]<<elseif $Skysrimplaying is 3>>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4]]<<else>>[[Loading. . .|skysrim1]]<<endif>><<audio "wifi" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if $Skysrim is "quest">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "woods">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim2woods]]<<endif>> <<set $Skysrimplaying to 2>>

<<if $Skysrim is "wander">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3wander]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "escort">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3escort]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "root">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3root]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "cockatrice">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3cockatrice]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "quest">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim3quest]]<<endif>> <<set $Skysrimplaying to 3>>

<<if $Skysrim is "wander">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4wander]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "escort">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4escort]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "root">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4root]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "legendary">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4legendary]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "qattack">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4qattack]]<<elseif $Skysrim is "qjoin">>[[Loading. . .|skysrim4qjoin]]<<endif>> <<set $Skysrimplaying to 4>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You boot up Sky’s Rim, and are instantly transported to [[a field near a village—where you last left off|skysrim1]]. You play as a high orc, so green skin covers your regular body, which is itself covered by legendary demonic armor.<<set $Skysrimplaying to 1>><<audio "ActionEpic" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“Oh great warrior!” A villager approaches you with a pleading expression. “My village is under attack by the Radiant’s demonic army of hounds! We need help!” Two dialogue options appear: “[[Sure, I’ll help you.|skysrimquest]]” “[[Nah, I got better thing to do.|skysrimwander]]”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You load up the game. A moment later, you’re a high orc, [[ready to fight whatever the universe has to throw at you.|skysrim2quest]]<<audio "ActionEpic" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>So the last thing that happened before you shut off the game was the amulet talking to you. Do you want to go see what that’s all about? [[Absolutely!|skysrim2quest]] [[Nah. . .|skysrim2wander]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You decide to take on the quest, and follow the marker through the village and out into the woods. There’s a lot of open grasslands, and in between slaying the occasional Bat-Bear and Weretiger, you have a lot of time to [[think|skysrim2quest]].<<elseif visited() is 4>>What could this demon (they’re probably a demon, if you had to guess) want? Was the demon hounds sent out as a message to you specifically? Of course not, it’s a thing every player of this game will experience if they get this quest. [[But it’s fun to pretend, isn’t it?|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>Finally, you reach Carrion Rock, a vulture-shaped mountain with a cave at the very bottom. The quest marker is telling you to go inside, so you [[do . . .|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>. . . and are immediately ambushed by more demonic hounds! Let’s do this. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>You charge forward, determined to kick some ass. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>A dog tries to get the jump on you, but you don’t let it. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 9>>Half of the group is slain. Almost there! [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 10>>A hound bites you pretty hard, so you take a healing potion. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 11>>Only two left. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 12>>Last doggo. Let’s do this. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2quest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2quest]]<<elseif visited() is 13>>It’s done. You gather the loot—50 gold, a silver ring, and quite a bit of Dog Meat [[(again)|skysrim2quest]].<<elseif visited() is 14>>You stand triumphant. The amulet speaks again. “Very impressive,” the demonic voice says. “I await you at the end of the hallway, hero. Let’s have a [[chat|skysrim2end]], just the two of us.”<<set $Skysrim to "quest">><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You’re wandering in the woods. What do you want to do next?<<set $Skysrim to "wander">><<audio "ActionEpic" loop play>> [[Check your active quest list.|skysrim2woods]] [[Just wander and see where the game takes you.|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You look at your active quest list. Aside from the demon dog thing (which you don’t feel like doing), there’s a woman who needs ten Bitter Root herbs (which you already have in your inventory), and there’s a king who needs a cockatrice slain. Both are all the way on the other side of the map. Which quest will you take on? [[The Bitter Root quest|skysrim2woods]] [[The Cockatrice quest|skysrim2woods]] [[Neither, I’d rather wander.|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You mark the quest on your map—now you have to actually get there. That’s the hard part. You start the journey, [[but then. . .|skysrim2end]]<<endif>>

Double-click this passage to edit it.

<<if visited() is 1>>“Oh, thank you!” the villager says. He points in front of you (west, your compass says). “[[Come, they’re this way!|skysrimquest]]” <<elseif visited() is 2>>He leads you down to the village, where giant canines are laying waste to the village. “Slay them, hero!” the villager exclaims. “Please!” No time like the present. [[Better get to it.|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You charge forward, swinging your weapons wildly and letting out a battle cry. The dogs look up upon hearing your approach, but you’re too close for them to counterattack. The slaughter has begun. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>You let out a war cry and charge forward. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>Blood spurts everywhere. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>A limb flies off and a dog howls. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>A dog falls back and poofs into loot. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>The hounds try to recover, but you’re giving them trouble. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 9>>Last doggo. Let’s do this. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimquest]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimquest]]<<elseif visited() is 10>> It’s done. You gather the loot—160 gold, lots of Dog Meat, and a [[mysterious gold amulet|skysrimquest]]—and the quest is finished. <b>One-handed Weapons has leveled up!</b><<elseif visited() is 11>>You look down at the amulet, and suddenly hear a voice: “You have slain my minions, hero,” it says. “You want to stop the ambushes? Come see me at Carrion Rock, and let’s duel.” Another quest pops up on your map, and you grin. [[Let’s do this—|day1bedtime]]<<set $Skysrim to "quest">><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You shake your head and turn away. You don’t feel like doing this quest right now. [[It’ll still be there later.|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You walk away into the woods—and are immediately surrounded by a goblin horde! [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You let out a war cry and charge forward. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>Blood spurts everywhere. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>A limb flies off and a goblin screams. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>A goblin falls back and poofs into loot. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>The goblins try to recover, but you’re giving them trouble. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>Last goblin. Let’s do this. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrimwander]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrimwander]]<<elseif visited() is 9>>It’s done. You gather the loot—40 gold and a lot of clubs—and [[move on. You walk into the woods—|day1bedtime]] <b>One-handed Weapons has leveled up!</b><<set $Skysrim to "woods">><<endif>>

—And that’s when a message pops up: a stylized post-it note that reads, “Don’t forget to go to bed! It’s getting late.” You wrote that for yourself for when you stay up too much playing games. You should probably go to bed. <<if $day is 1>>[[At least you had a fun Sky’s Rim session.|d1end]]<<elseif $day is 2>>[[At least you had a fun Sky’s Rim session.|d2end]]<<elseif $day is 3>>[[At least you had a fun Sky’s Rim session.|d3end]]<<elseif $day is 4>>[[At least you had a fun Sky’s Rim session.|d4end]]<<endif>><<audio "ActionEpic" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if $sg is 1>>[[Loading. . .|sg2]]<<elseif $sg is 2>>[[Loading. . .|sg3]]<<elseif $sg is 3>>[[Loading. . .|sg4]]<<else>>[[Loading. . .|sg1]]<<endif>> <<audio "wifi" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/socialgame.png]] <i>Welcome back to The Social Game! We hope you have been enjoying your experience with this project. For returning to the game, you get 50 points! [[Congratulations!|sg2]]</i><<audio "PracticingtoaMetronome" loop play>><<set $sgpoints += 50>><<set $sg to 2>><<elseif visited() is 2>>[[Let's get right to it!|sg2]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>Your friend wants to go explore District 4. What do you tell them? “[[That sounds like a great idea!|sg2-1w]]” “[[Actually, we shouldn’t do that.|sg2-1r]]”</i>

Double-click this passage to edit it.

[img[images_ec/socialgame.png]] You boot up the game, and an unblinking eye is suddenly in front of you. Then, it fades away, and is replaced by a [[message:|sg1-1]] <<set $sg to 1>> <<set $sgpoints to 0>><<audio "PracticingtoaMetronome" loop play>>

<i>Welcome to The Social Game! This is a guide to teach you proper etiquette in Neon City, and how you can protect yourselves and others. [[We hope you find it fun!|sg1-2]]</i>

Let's get right to it then! <i>You are standing outside when you see somebody drop a package on the street. What do you do?</i> [[Ignore it.|sg1-2w]] [[Tell the nearest NCPD officer about this incident.|sg1-2r]]

Incorrect! In these incidents, it’s best to tell a NCPD officer about this mysterious package. It could be illegal contraband.<<set $sgpoints -= 50>> [[Next question!|sg1-3]]

Correct! In these situations, telling an NCPD is the best thing to do, in case of illegal contraband. [[Next question!|sg1-3]]<<set $sgpoints += 50>>

Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>Your friend suddenly changes your dinner plans. What do you do?</i> [[Ignore it.|sg1-3w]] [[Report this suspicious behavior to the NCPD.|sg1-3r]]

Incorrect! When someone does things suddenly like this, report it to the NCPD.<<set $sgpoints -= 50>> [[Next question!|sg1-4]]

Correct! Sudden changes of plans can be a sign of suspicious activity.<<set $sgpoints += 50>> [[Next question!|sg1-4]]

Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>Someone won’t maintain eye contact with you at dinner! What do you do?</i> [[Ignore it.|sg1-4w]] [[Tell the nearest NCPD officer about their suspicious activity.|sg1-4r]]

Incorrect! Tell an NCPD officer about this activity. Not maintaining eye contact is a sign of mistrust.<<set $sgpoints -= 50>> [[Next question!|sg1bed]]

Correct! Telling an NCPD officer is the best solution, because not maintaining eye contact is a sign of mistrust.<<set $sgpoints += 50>> [[Next question!|sg1bed]]

Then a message pops up: a stylized post-it note that reads, “Don’t forget to go to bed! It’s getting late.” You wrote that for yourself for when you stay up too much playing games. You should probably go to bed. Perhaps you can do more questions tomorrow? <<if $day is 1>>[[They’re kind of unsettling, though.|d1end]]<<elseif $day is 2>>[[They’re kind of unsettling, though.|d2end]]<<elseif $day is 3>>[[They’re kind of unsettling, though.|d3end]]<<elseif $day is 4>>[[They’re kind of unsettling, though.|d4end]]<<endif>><<audio "PracticingtoaMetronome" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[[. . .|d2]]<<elseif visited() is 2>> <center><big><big>[[Day 2|d2]]</big></big></center><<set $Digibucks to 0>><<set $day to 2>><<set $id to "donthave">><<set $lunch to "donthave">><<elseif visited() is 3>>[img[images_ec/apartmentd.png]] Your alarm buzzes through your dreams and wakes you up instantly. You open your eyes and slowly get out of bed, turning off the alarm. Then you do the usual: brush teeth, take shower, get dressed. You’re all ready to go. You look down at your phone. Do you want to check your DigiFeed? [[Put everything in your bag.|d2haveeverything]] [[Look at your DigiFeed.|d2digifeed1]]<<audio "wifi" volume 0.5 play>> <<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You put your lunch and ID into your bag, and head outside. [[It’s time to go.|d2haveeverything]]<<set $id to "have">><<set $lunch to "have">><<elseif visited() is 2>>As you head to the checkpoint, you let your mind wander. You wonder how many people will look at glasses today at work, and think about what you were doing last in Sky’s Rim. [[And—|d2haveeverything]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>A weird <i>thump</i> sound comes from behind you. You turn—and immediately [[freeze.|d2haveeverything]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>A figure is standing in the shadows, wearing all black, including a mask that covers their face and nearly hides their eyes from you. You recognize who it is from all the wanted posters: the vigilante Lowlife. They look up at you and hold a finger up to where their lips are, signaling you to stay quiet. How do you react? [[Call for the police.|callpoliceL]] [[Let Lowlife get away.|letLgetaway]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>><div class="border">Ozzy Oz, Rare Thing Finder. 6K Followers Yoooo I found a physical book today! My elderly neighbor was selling her shit and she had a physical copy of ‘Fahrenheit 451’, whatever that is. Regardless, it’s mine now!</div> [img[images_ec/book.jpg]] <div class="border">Tabitha, NSFW Artist. Sex Work Is Work. 571 Followers (This post has been removed by Digicore LLC for containing sensitive content)</div> <div class="border">Timothy Smith, Photographer. 400K Followers I’m trying to take photos of the moon, but the smog is so thick! I might need a better lens before I share these pictures with you all. </div> <div class="border">Yolanda, Food Server. 12 Followers. It’s a good idea to have a pet to protect you if you live in District 2 lol. . . Anyway, my Barney’s a good doggo.</div> <<timed 15s>><<goto "d2digifeed1">><</timed>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You look up. There’s <i>still</i> a few minutes left. Want to check it again? [[Check your DigiFeed again.|d2digifeed1]] [[Just get to work.|d1idhave]]<<elseif visited() is 3>><div class="border">Gregory Owens. 42 Followers. Went to District 4 for work today . . . all those rotting buildings are creepy as hell! #dontgotoDistrict4folks</div> <div class="border">Will Of Man, Your Food Delivery Guy. 174 Followers. I had to go to District 1 to deliver food today. . . Those upper-class asshats live well lol. Can’t believe the stuff I saw when I glimpsed inside of the apartment. (This post is under review by Digicore for containing sensitive material)</div> <div class="border">Promoted Post: Digicore VR Eye Implants. Buying one is easy, and the surgery is even easier. Get a eye implant today at your local Digicore Eyewear store!</div> <div class="border">Eliana, Musician. 200 Followers. Doing my music set live on DigiStream! Check it ooooooout! <3</div> [img[images_ec/video2.jpg]]<<timed 15s>><<goto "d2digifeed1">><</timed>><<elseif visited() is 4>>When you look back up, you see there’s just a minute left. You scramble to leave the apartment, [[grabbing your bag|d2digifeed1]] and running out the door.<<elseif visited() is 5>>As you head to the checkpoint, you let your mind wander. You wonder how many people will look at glasses today at work, and think about what you were doing last in Sky’s Rim. [[And—|d2digifeed1]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>A weird <i>thump</i> sound comes from behind you. You turn—and immediately [[freeze.|d2digifeed1]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>A figure is standing in the shadows, wearing all black, including a mask that covers their face and nearly hides their eyes from you. You recognize who it is from all the wanted posters: the vigilante Lowlife. They look up at you and hold a finger up to where their lips are, signaling you to stay quiet. How do you react? [[Call for the police.|callpoliceL]] [[Let Lowlife get away.|letLgetaway]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You decide not to get overly distracted, and [[grab your ID|d1idhave]]. Then you pick up your bag and go out the door.<<set $id to "have">><<elseif visited() is 2>>As you head to the checkpoint, you let your mind wander. You wonder how many people will look at glasses today at work, and think about what you were doing last in Sky’s Rim. [[And—|d1idhave]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>A weird <i>thump</i> sound comes from behind you. You turn—and immediately [[freeze.|d1idhave]]<<audio "wifi" stop>><<elseif visited() is 4>>A figure is standing in the shadows, wearing all black, including a mask that covers their face and nearly hides their eyes from you. You recognize who it is from all the wanted posters: the vigilante Lowlife. They look up at you and hold a finger up to where their lips are, signaling you to stay quiet. How do you react? [[Call for the police.|callpoliceL]] [[Let Lowlife get away.|letLgetaway]]<<audio "HuggingAPillow" loop play>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You look around, and spot a cop standing at the edge of the checkpoint. “Help!” you call. “[[Lowlife is here!|callpoliceL]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>The cop immediately runs toward you. You turn and point at the spot—but Lowlife is gone now. “You said you spotted Lowlife?” the cop asks. You nod. The cop shrugs. “Looks like he’s gone now; that’s a damn shame. [[Let me see your bag for the checkpoint.|d2checkpoint]]”<<set $calledpoliceL to "yes">><<audio "HuggingAPillow" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You give the vigilante a nod, and they nod back in thanks. You turn away for a moment, and when you turn back, Lowlife is gone. Did you do the right thing? As you walk toward the checkpoint, you feel like you might have. And that feels [[good|letLgetaway]].<<set $points += 1>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You walk up to the checkpoint, blending in with the crowd until a cop calls you forward. “HEY, YOU!” he says, pointing your way. “[[YOUR BAG, NOW!|d2checkpoint]]”<<audio "HuggingAPillow" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

You walk forward and nervously obey his instructions. <<if $id is "have">>[[Will you be allowed to pass?|d2idy]]<<else>>[[Will you be allowed to pass?|d2idn]]<<endif>><<audio "Unfocused" loop play>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The cop rustles through your bag, finds your ID, and seems satisfied. You’ve learned not to put your phone in there—otherwise, those rats might take it for themselves. “Alright, [[you’re good|d2idy]],” the cop says, shoving your bag back to you. “Get out of here.”<<elseif visited() is 2>>You do so, running past the checkpoint and escaping into the crowd. You find your way through the streets, and soon, you’re at work. . . . And you’re immediately greeted by a [[peculiar|d2idy]] sight.<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<elseif visited() is 3>>A customer (the only one currently in the store) is chatting a mile a minute with Devin, clearly unable to shut their mouth. People aren’t usually this . . . <i>enthusiastic</i> at the eyewear store. “. . . And my game’s an environmentalist project,” the person says excitedly. “I think it could bring some awareness, change things!” [[Not the first time you’ve heard that|d2idy]]. You ignore the customer and head to the back, plugging in the Boss Chip.<<audio "Everythingfeelsgood" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 4>>“Good morning, $Name,” Isaiah Warburton says. “Get to work, please.” You obey his instructions and walk to the front. The customer is still there chatting. “[[I’m always looking for playtesters|d2idy]],” she says. “So let me know if you’re interested.” “Ma’am,” says Delvin calmly, “why don’t we review the VR eyewear you requested? You want one that will load better graphically, correct?” “Oh right, of course,” she says. “Sorry, I got carried away. Let’s look at those. . .”<<elseif visited() is 5>>You take your place at your station and start cleaning the eyewear from last night. [[That’s when she approaches you.|d2idy]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>[img[images_ec/samantha.png]] “Hi, I’m Samantha!” she says cheerfully. “I didn’t see you there. I’ve been telling everyone in the store about my game.” She lowers her voice. “[[It’s not exactly something Digicore would approve of|d2idy]],” she whispers.<<elseif visited() is 7>>“So, what do you think?” “[[Sounds interesting.|d2idy]]” “[[Going against Digicore? Not interested.|d2samanthan]]”<<elseif visited() is 8>>“Thanks!” Samantha says cheerfully. “[[I’m glad you think so.|d2idy]] Here, let me give you my contact info, if you want to test it out!” Your boss frowns. “Consider your interest in that a penalty,” he snaps. <<set $Digibucks -= 35>><<set $points += 1>><<elseif visited() is 9>>She pulls out her phone, and a moment later, your phone buzzes. “My number,” she says. “Call me if you want to test it!” And with that, she’s gone. You look down at the eyewear, and get back to work, [[before you get penalized.|d2idy]]<<elseif visited() is 10>>Scrub, Rinse. Scrub Rinse.<<audio "Everythingfeelsgood" volume 0.75 fadeout>> The morning passes smoothly, and [[soon, Harrison tells you to take your lunch break.|d2lunchcheck0]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The cop rustles through your bag, then looks up, shaking his head. “No ID,” he says, shoving your bag back in your hands. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us.” Shit, you must have been distracted by social media and left it! You know it’s useless, but you try to get out of this anyway: “Please, can’t I just go home and get it?” “No,” snaps the cop. He puts an arm around you and hustles you forward. [[Looks like you don’t have a choice.|d2idn]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You are brought through the crowd and to a van, where you are locked up in the back with about a dozen other people. Most of them, you notice, are women, and you think back to the lady who was detained the other day. Your heart pounds. [[What’s going to happen to them? What’s going to happen to you?|d2idn]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You open your mouth to try and talk to the people around you, but an old man next to you elbows you and shakes his head. “Best to stay quiet back here,” he whispers. “[[Otherwise they get pissed. Understand?|d2idn]]” You nod.<<elseif visited() is 4>>The van starts up a while later, and [[you lurch back and forth as you are taken through the city streets. . .|d2idn]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>. . . Then the van stops, and for a moment, there is a peaceful bit of silence. Then the doors are quickly thrown open, revealing three NCPD officers waiting for you. “Get out. Single file,” one of them (nametag reading Carlington) orders. “Quick and quiet, understand?” A line forms out of the van, and you land somewhere in the back. Carlington sees the man who spoke to you at the front of the line, and the cop smirks. “You again, old timer?” he asks, walking up to the man. “How many times do you have to come here?” “Please, I keep telling you, somebody stole my identification!” the man says. “I just want to see my sick daughters on the other side of town—that’s all I ask.” “What a shame,” is all Carlington says, and he waves the line forward. “[[Let’s get you all inside.|d2idn]]”<<elseif visited() is 6>>The line marches, with Carlington at the front, another cop named Davey at the middle, and a final officer named Iren at the back. Carlington opens a door, [[revealing the inside of the building.|d2idn]]<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<elseif visited() is 7>>[img[images_ec/detentioncenter.png]]<<audio "Invasion" loop play>> You see a long corridor ahead, with doors on both sides of the long hallway. Carlington stops at the first door and opens it. “Go on,” he says to the first person in line. The person quickly runs inside, and Carlington closes the door behind them—and locks it. This procedure is repeated for everyone in line. Even the old man is shoved behind a locked door. Until, finally, they get to you. Carlington opens the door and gives you a look. You hesitate, wondering what you should do. [[Try to explain one more time.|d2idn]] [[Go inside.|d2dc1]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>“I just forgot my ID at home,” you say. “Please, if you just—” “I don’t care,” Carlingson snaps. “Get in. <i>[[Now|d2dc1]]</i>.”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You reluctantly walk inside of the room, and look around. Inside is a long square table with chairs on all four sides. As you sit down at one of the chairs, the door behind you slams closed, and you hear it lock up. There is a long moment of silence—you can’t hear anything from in here. But as you sit there, you realize they didn’t quite search you—you still have your phone in your pocket! [[Maybe you can get help that way—|d2dc1]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>The door suddenly opens. Two new officers walk inside: one with the nametag “Jefferson”, and the other with the nametag, “Francis”. They’re already glaring at you, so that can’t be a good sign. “Search him,” Jefferson orders his companion, the misgendering making you cringe. Francis walks up to you and pulls you up so that you’re standing, then pats you down. He finds your phone easily, and pockets it. Are you going to get it back? “So, tell us,” Jefferson asks, sitting down at the table. “Why exactly are you here?” “[[I forgot my identification at home.|d2dc1]]” “[[Please, can I just go?|d2dcplease]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>You <i>forgot</i> your identification?” Jefferson asks, raising one eyebrow. “And why, pray tell, did you ‘forget’ it?” “[[I really did forget it; I’m telling the truth!|d2dc1]]” [[(Stay silent.)|d2dcstaysilent]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>“I see,” Jefferson says. There’s a twinkle in his eye. “Well, let me make you a little [[. . . offer|d2dcoffer]].”<<endif>>

“You’re that desperate, huh?” asks Jefferson. There’s a twinkle in his eye. “Well then, let me make you an [[offer|d2dcoffer]].”

Jefferson sighs. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me, kid,” he says. “Look, let me make you an [[offer|d2dcoffer]].”

<<if visited() is 1>>“Listen, listen, we can make this all go away—for a price,” says Jefferson. “750 Digibucks and we drop you back off at home. What do you say?” You do have the money, but it’s in your savings account. And for you, that’s quite a big expense, for someone who only earns 120 Digibucks a day. “Well?” asks Francis. “Do we have a deal?” “[[Ok, deal.|d2dcoffer]]” “[[No way.|d2dcofferno]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Good.” Francis smiles, and pulls out your phone. “Make the transfer.” He pulls a sheet of paper from his pocket: it has a QR code on it, and you scan it with your device. You’re taken to a virtual tip jar for “NCPD Detainment Division, Sector 4”. The tip is automatically set at 750 Digibucks. [[Pay the money.|d2dcoffer]] [[Refuse.|d2dcofferno]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>You let out a sigh and make the transfer. Now you’re 750 Digibucks poorer—and you were already pretty poor.<<set $Digibucks -= 750>> “Excellent,” Jefferson says. “Let me just make some arrangements, and we’ll get you [[home|d2dcofferend]].”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Alright then,” says Jefferson. “We tried to give you the easy way out. Guess you’ll just have to stay here for a bit then.” The two cops get up, and [[leave the room.|d2dcofferno]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>[[. . .|d2dcofferend]]<<endif>>

<<if visited("d2dcofferno")>>By the time the van drops you off at home, it’s late at night. No doubt you’ve lost some Digibucks for not showing up to work on time—that always gets a penalty.<<else>>It’s the middle of the day by the time the van drops you off at your place. And you can’t report to work late—that’s against the rules. Looks like you’ve lost the money. But at least you’re home.<<endif>><<set $Digibucks -= 120>> [[What a shitty day.|d2dcofferend1]]<<audio "Invasion" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<center><<if visited ("d2news")>><<else>>[[Check the news.|d2news]]<<endif>> [[Play some games|d2games]] [[Go to bed.|d2end]]</center>

DIGICORE FUNDS GUARDS FOR LOWLIFE CRACKDOWN Digicore is funding more armed guards to prepare for where Lowlife will strike next. The villain has a pattern of striking pharmaceutical companies, and so the security at those locations has been tripled across the city. Employees of those companies are all being closely monitored and questioned as well. EUPHORIA MYSTERY CONTINUES The drug Euphoria continues to be smuggled into the city, and overdoses occur daily. Interviewing the police chief about the matter, he stated that, “How the drugs are getting into the city is a mystery, but it’s generally proven that the buyers all wanted to purchase it. These are intentionally inflicted deaths, not accidents.” ARRLINGTONS SEARCHING FOR UPPER HAND At the Arrlingtons shareholders meeting, CEO John Cooper stated that, “We are looking for ways to surpass Digicore, and we have found several avenues. I will say more about them as they continue to unfold.” BOAR CORP STOCK GOES BAD Boar Corp, in their latest of unfortunate losses, has needed to sell off some subsidiaries to rival companies, resulting in a loss for investors. Those subsidiaries were quickly scooped up by Digicore, though Arrlingtons also picked up a few of Boar Corp’s broken pieces. [[(back)|d2home1]]

Which game will you play? [[Sky's Rim|skysrimloading]] [[The Social Game|sg]] [[(back)|d2home1]]

<<if visited() is 1>>You let out a yawn and put the VR port away. Then you crawl into your Sleepsack, and [[are soon in dreamland|d2end]].<<elseif visited() is 2>>[[. . .|d2end]]<<elseif visited() is 3>><i>This is the end of the Eyewear Cleaner 2077 demo. Thank you so much for playing! You can view more information about the game and purchase the full Twine at https://norbez.itch.io/eyewear-cleaner-2077 Email mninorbez@gmail.com or tweet/DM @NaomiNorbez on Twitter to give feedback!</i><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Aw, bummer,” she says. “Well, [[I’ll give you my contact info anyway|d2samanthan]], in case you change your mind.”<<elseif visited() is 2>>She pulls out her phone, and a moment later, your phone buzzes. “My number,” she says. “Call me if you want to test it!” And with that, she’s gone. You look down at the eyewear, and get back to work, [[before you get penalized.|d2samanthan]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>Scrub, Rinse. Scrub Rinse.<<audio "Everythingfeelsgood" volume 0.75 fadeout>> The morning passes smoothly, and [[soon, Harrison tells you to take your lunch break.|d2lunchcheck0]]<<endif>>

<<if $id is "have">>At least you have your ID. [[Now it's off to the vending machines!|d2vendingmachines]]<<else>>Or maybe not, because you don’t have your ID with you. Guess you’re going hungry [[. . . yay.|d2breakroom]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You slink off to the break room. Devin and Sam are there already. Devin ignores you; Sam gives you a nod. “So, is Neon City everything you hoped for, Sam?” Devin asks. “I remember you were telling me how you didn’t want to move here. . .” Sam laughs. “Yeah, well, us older folk aren’t big fans of change,” he jokes. “I was pretty well rooted where I was, and the idea that I had to leave, well. . . It really stung at first. I was anxious coming here, but I got used to it.” “[[Do you miss where you were, Sam?|d2breakroom]]” [[(stay silent, let him talk.)|d2brsilent]]<<audio "MachinesVsWater" loop play>> <<elseif visited() is 2>>Sam and Devin turn to you. Devin’s giving you a glare, but Sam gives you a friendly smile. “I do, sometimes,” he admits. “But I know I made the right choice coming here. [[The air’s filtered, after all, unlike most of the country!|d2breakroom]]” “True,” Devin says.<<elseif visited() is 3>>There’s a moment of silence. Then Sam says, “How about you, Devin? Is Neon City everything <i>you</i> hoped for?” Devin grunts. “Well, I was born here, so I can’t complain. I don’t know if it’s everything I ‘hoped’ for—I never hoped for it to be anything other than what it is. And I guess that means I’m fine with it.” Sam laughs. “That sounds about right, kid. [[That sounds about right.|d2breakroom]]”<<elseif visited() is 4>>You check the time on your phone, and see it’s almost time to return to work. [[So you leave the break room.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "MachinesVsWater" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

<<if visited ("d2")>>Soon enough, [[you too return to work|d2afternoon]], putting your Boss Chip back inside of your head as you walk to the front of the store.<<else>>Soon enough, [[you too return to work|d1afternoon]], putting your Boss Chip back inside of your head as you walk to the front of the store.<<endif>><<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You go find your boss chip and plug it back in. [[Then you return to work.|d2afternoon]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>Late in the afternoon, [[two women|d2tinacheck]] walk inside the store. You notice they don’t really buy anything, they just browse the shelves and eye the workers—which includes you. You’re already being watched by your boss, so it’s a little creepy to be watched by some customers.<<endif>>

<<if visited("d1vendingmachines")>>[[You walk down to the vending machines, whistling to yourself.|d2union]]<<else>>[[You walk down to the vending machines, whistling to yourself.|d1vendingmachines]]<<endif>>

<<if visited("uniony")>>[[Just like yesterday, there he is.|d2uniony]]<<audio "Wateringplants" loop play>><<else>>This time, [[you don’t see Carl anywhere.|d2unionn]] That’s a relief. Maybe he gave up on you?<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/carl.png]] “Hey there,” Carl grins at you as you approach the vending machines. “I had a feeling you’d be back to see me. I’m glad you came by.” You give him a nod. “It’s good to see you too,” you say, [[and you mean it.|d2uniony]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>“So I have a job for you,” Carl says. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a chip. From the look of it, it’s designed to go into a head port. “I got all the information on the union right here,” he says. “And I need your help to spread it around. Could you see if anyone else in your workplace is interested in joining the union?” Telling people could reap great rewards. But if you tell the wrong people, you could lose your job. “[[Yes, I’ll do it.|d2uniony]]” “[[No way.|d2unionyn]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Awesome!” Carl says, handing the chip to you. “I knew I could count on you. I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?” He walks away, smiling and whistling. You turn to the vending machines. What to get today? [[Digicore’s Lean Dog with Mustard (3 Digibucks)|d2leandog]] [[Arrlingtons’ Chill Cheese Pack (5 Digibucks)|d2chili]] [[Boar Corp’s Ham & Pepperoni Pie (4 Digibucks)|d2pie]]<<endif>>

You walk up to the machine and order your food: [[Digicore’s Lean Dog with Mustard (3 Digibucks)|d2leandog]] [[Arrlingtons’ Chill Cheese Pack (5 Digibucks)|d2chili]] [[Boar Corp’s Ham & Pepperoni Pie (4 Digibucks)|d2pie]]

You shake your head. It’s too risky, and you could lose your job! Carl nods, and puts the chip away. “Don’t worry, I understand,” he says, giving you a smile. “Gotta warm up to it first. Maybe in time, you’ll want to do it! We’ll have to see.” He walks away. “I’ll see you later, $Name!” You give him a wave, then turn to the vending machines. What to get today. . .? [[Digicore’s Lean Dog with Mustard (3 Digibucks)|d2leandog]] [[Arrlingtons’ Chill Cheese Pack (5 Digibucks)|d2chili]] [[Boar Corp’s Ham & Pepperoni Pie (4 Digibucks)|d2pie]]

<<if visited(“d2uniony”)>>[[By the time you get there, you’re done eating.|d2uniony1]]<<else>>[[By the time you get there, you’re done eating.|d2afternoon]]<<endif>><<set $Digibucks -= 3>>

<<if visited(“d2uniony”)>>[[By the time you get there, you’re done eating.|d2uniony1]]<<else>>[[By the time you get there, you’re done eating.|d2afternoon]]<<endif>><<set $Digibucks -= 5>>

You walk into your apartment, determined to lose yourself. [[What do you want to do now?|d2home1]]<<audio "wifi" loop play>>

<<if visited() is 1>>In the break room, Devin and Sam are sitting chatting, and you know Carly will be here soon, too. Who do you want to talk to about the union? [[Devin|d2uniony1]] [[Sam|d2unionys]] [[Carly|d2unionyc]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Hey Devin,” you say, walking up to him. “Could I talk to you for a second?” Devin stares at you for a moment. “Uh, sure,” he says skeptically. “Let’s step outside.” The two of you walk outside the building, and Devin leans against the wall. “So, what’s up?” he asks. You take a deep breath. How to approach this? “[[So . . . there’s a union. . .|d2uniony1]]” “[[How do you like working here?|d2unionylike]]”<<<elseif visited() is 3>>Devin stares at you for a moment. Then, he laughs. “Very funny,” he says. “Those don’t exist anymore; Sam told me that. You’re pulling my leg.” “[[I’m serious!|d2uniony1]]” you insist. “There’s a union starting up, and I was wondering if you wanted to join it with me.”<<elseif visited() is 4>>Devin scratches his chin. He looks from you quizzically—perhaps he’s trying to tell whether or not you’re lying. Finally, he shrugs. “What the hell, I got nothing to lose,” he says. “Aside from this shitty job.” “Great!” [[You hold out the chip.|d2uniony1]] “Here, some more information for you.”<<elseif visited() is 5>>He takes it and stuffs it in his pocket. “Thanks.” He turns to go inside, but looks back at you. “Thank you,” Devin mutters. Then he leaves. You stand there for a moment, unsure what to think. Then, you go back inside. [[Your break is over.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Sam shrugs. “Sure. Let’s step outside.” You do so. Sam turns to you. “So what’s up?” he asks. You take a deep breath. How to approach this? “[[So . . . there’s a union. . .|d2unionys]]” “[[How do you like working here?|d2unionyslike]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Sam’s eyes widen at your words. “A union?!” he whispers. “Holy shit. We haven’t had one of those in. . .” “Forever, I know,” you say nervously. “I just got involved, and I was wondering [[if you wanted to be part of it|d2unionys]].”<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Holy shit. It’s been a long time since somebody’s told me that,” he says, sucking in a breath. “Is that a no?” you ask. “Not at all!” Sam proclaims. He takes a deep breath. “I know it’s risky, these unions—I’ve been burned before. [[But I want to take the risk.|d2unionys]] I’ll join.”<<elseif visited() is 4>>Your heart soars. “Great!” Here, I have a chip for you; it has more information.” You hand it to him. “Thanks!” He takes it and plugs it in, and his eyes go blank as he skims the contents. “Arrlingtons is involved?! I see. . .” He turns to you and unplugs the port. “Thank you. This makes me feel more hopeful than I’ve been in a long time. You smile. “[[Me too.|d2unionys]]”<<elseif visited() is 5>>There’s an awkward pause. “Well, break’s almost over,” Sam says, shoving the paper in his pocket. “I better get back to work.” “Right.” You clear your throat. “Thank you.” “No.” Sam smiles. “[[Thank you.|d2afternoon]]” You both go back in the building.<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You wait a moment, and soon enough, Carly walks in. You walk up to her. “Hey, Carly,” you say. “Could I talk to you privately for a moment?” She was taking out her lunch, but upon hearing your words, she turn to you. “Um, sure?” she says quizzically. “Let’s step outside, I guess.” The two of you go to the back of the building, and Carly closes the door behind you both. “So what’s going on?” she asked, sounding worried. “[[So . . . there’s a union. . .|d2unionyc]]” “[[How do you like working here?|d2unionyclike]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Carly cocks her head. “A union?” she echoes. “That’s . . . interesting, I guess. So, you’re asking me to join this union?” “If you want to. I have more information on it, if you want it,” you say, [[holding the chip out to her.|d2unionyc]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>She takes it and looks at it carefully. Then she puts it in her pocket. “Thanks,” she says hesitantly. “I appreciate that. I’ll look into this.” There’s an awkward pause, then she says, “Well, break’s almost over! So I’m going back now.” Before you can say anything, she’s gone. You follow her, and [[go back in the building.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

Devin shrugs. “I like it fine. Work is work, you know.” He turns to you. “I’m not going to say something stupid so you can report me to Harrison, so don’t even try. Why you asking me that?” “[[Because there’s a union. . .|d2unionylike]]” “[[No reason. . .|d2unionydnoreason]]”<<<elseif visited() is 2>>Devin stares at you for a moment. Then, he laughs. “Very funny,” he says. “Those don’t exist anymore; Sam told me that. You’re pulling my leg.” “[[I’m serious!|d2unionylike]]” you insist. “There’s a union starting up, and I was wondering if you wanted to join it with me.”<<elseif visited() is 3>>Devin scratches his chin. He looks from you quizzically—perhaps he’s trying to tell whether or not you’re lying. Finally, he shrugs. “What the hell, I got nothing to lose,” he says. “Aside from this shitty job.” “Great!” [[You hold out the chip.|d2unionylike]] “Here, some more information for you.”<<elseif visited() is 4>>He takes it and stuffs it in his pocket. “Thanks.” He turns to go inside, but looks back at you. “Thank you,” Devin mutters. Then he leaves. You stand there for a moment, unsure what to think. Then, you go back inside. [[Your break is over.|d2afternoon]]<<endif>>

That’s what I thought.” Devin sighs, and turns toward the door. “I’ll see you around, $Name. Don’t try to fuck with me like this again, got it?” Before you can respond, he goes inside. [[Well, shit.|d2afternoon]] You let out a sigh and walk inside after him. Your break is over anyway.<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“I like it here,” Sam replies, sounding skeptical. “. . . You’re not trying to make me say something so you can report me to Harrison, are you? Why are you asking me that?” “[[Because there’s a union. . .|d2unionyslike]]” “[[No reason.|d2unionysnoreason]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Sam’s eyes widen at your words. “A union?!” he whispers. “Holy shit. We haven’t had one of those in. . .” “Forever, I know,” you say nervously. “I just got involved, and I was wondering [[if you wanted to be part of it|d2unionyslike]].”<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Holy shit. It’s been a long time since somebody’s told me that,” he says, sucking in a breath. “Is that a no?” you ask. “Not at all!” Sam proclaims. He takes a deep breath. “I know it’s risky, these unions—I’ve been burned before. [[But I want to take the risk.|d2unionyslike]] I’ll join.”<<elseif visited() is 4>>Your heart soars. “Great!” Here, I have a chip for you; it has more information.” You hand it to him. “Thanks!” He takes it and plugs it in, and his eyes go blank as he skims the contents. “Arrlingtons is involved?! I see. . .” He turns to you and unplugs the port. “Thank you. This makes me feel more hopeful than I’ve been in a long time. You smile. “[[Me too.|d2unionyslike]]”<<elseif visited() is 5>>There’s an awkward pause. “Well, break’s almost over,” Sam says, shoving the paper in his pocket. “I better get back to work.” “Right.” You clear your throat. “Thank you.” “No.” Sam smiles. “[[Thank you.|d2afternoon]]” You both go back in the building.<<endif>>

“Ok,” Sam says. “I’m going inside, then.” Before you can say anything else, he leaves. [[Well, that was a bust.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

“Oh, I love it here!” she says cheerfully. “It’s a great place to work.” She teasingly raises an eyebrow.” “Did Harrison tell you to ask me that? Why do you want to know?” “[[Because there’s a union. . .|d2unionyclike]]” “[[No reason.|d2unionycnoreason]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>Carly cocks her head. “A union?” she echoes. “That’s . . . interesting, I guess. So, you’re asking me to join this union?” “If you want to. I have more information on it, if you want it,” you say, [[holding the chip out to her.|d2unionyclike]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>She takes it and looks at it carefully. Then she puts it in her pocket. “Thanks,” she says hesitantly. “I appreciate that. I’ll look into this.” There’s an awkward pause, then she says, “Well, break’s almost over! So I’m going back now.” Before you can say anything, she’s gone. You follow her, and [[go back in the building.|d2afternoon]]<<endif>>

“Alrighty,” Carly says, giving you a shrug. “Well then, I’m going back inside. See ya!” Before you can say anything else, she’s gone. Great. Your break’s just about over, so [[you decide to go back in too.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "Wateringplants" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Things were rough when I first arrived,” Sam continues. “I knew nobody, I didn’t have a job lined up, I had to convert all my money to Digibucks—it was hard. But I got my job here, I found my footing elsewhere, and here I am now. [[I’m doing alright.|d2brsilent]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>There’s a moment of silence. Then Sam says, “How about you, Devin? Is Neon City everything <i>you</i> hoped for?” Devin grunts. “Well, I was born here, so I can’t complain. I don’t know if it’s everything I ‘hoped’ for—I never hoped for it to be anything other than what it is. And I guess that means I’m fine with it.” Sam laughs. “That sounds about right, kid. [[That sounds about right.|d2brsilent]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>You check the time on your phone, and see it’s almost time to return to work. [[So you leave the break room.|d2afternoon]]<<audio "MachinesVsWater" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

<<if visited("notallcops")>>It takes a while (you notice them chatting with Sam in the back), but they do finally leave. That’s a relief. Harrison calls out to you, “Take your break, $Name!” You do so, removing the head port and heading to the "gender neutral bathrooms". Soon your business is concluded, and after washing your hands, [[you return to work.|d2afternoon1]]<<else>>Finally, one of them walks up to you. “Hey,” she says quietly, and you realize you recognize her[[—it’s the woman in the red dress from the checkpoint!|d2tina]]<<audio "Beatstoprocrastineto" loop play>><<endif>>

You scrub and scrub eyewear as people come in. Until, finally, the day is over, and the store closes. You stop wiping and put away your cleaning supplies, then go to the back and remove the boss chip. [[You’re free! And you got money!|d2afterwork]]<<set $Digibucks += 120>>

<<if visited() is 1>>[img[images_ec/tina.png]] She smiles at you, and opens her mouth to speak. But at that moment, Harrison says, “$Name, take your break!” You turn to her. She says, “It’s ok, that’s probably for the better. Perhaps we can talk outside? I have a proposition for you.” “[[Um, sure.|d2tina]]” “[[Um, no thanks. Not interested.|d2tinan]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Fantastic. [[I’ll meet you at the back of the building.|d2tina]]” And with that, she’s gone.<<elseif visited() is 3>>You go to the back room and remove your Boss Chip (taking that out of your head is always such a relief). [[Then you go to the exit and leave the building.|d2tina]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>The woman in the red dress is standing outside. Upon seeing you, she walks up to you. “I don’t have time to explain all the details, but I and a few others are planning something big,” she says. “Something to help wake people up about how the police treat people around here. And I need someone in the eye store to play a part in it, since you’re next door to the police station. “Would you be up for a little danger, to help a cause that needs it?” “[[I’ll do it.|d2tina]]” “[[I’ll have to think about it!|d2tinathink]]”<<elseif visited() is 5>>The woman smiles. “Fantastic. That’s fantastic. I appreciate that in a person. [[We’ll be in touch|d2tina]].”<<elseif visited() is 6>>“If you decide to join us, meet us here tomorrow.” She pauses, then says warily, “I’ve put a lot of trust in you, telling you this. “[[Please . . . don’t break that trust.|d2tina]]”<<elseif visited() is 7>>With that, she turns around and walks away. Soon, she’s gone. [[Spend the rest of your break relaxing.|d2tinabreakrelax]] [[Call the police and report their actions.|d2tinareport]]<<endif>>

The woman nods. “Ok, no problem. I understand.” She and her companion go around a bit more (you notice them chatting with Sam in the back), but they do finally leave. Harrison calls out to you, “Take your break, $Name!” You do so, removing the head port and heading to the bathroom. This time, you choose the gender-neutral <<if visited("gnwr")>>men’s<<else>>women’s<<endif>> room to go in. Soon your business is concluded, and after washing your hands, [[you return to work.|d2afternoon1]]<<audio "Beatstoprocrastineto" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>The woman frowns, but says, “[[I appreciate your honesty, friend.|d2tinathink]] Thank you.”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“If you decide to join us, meet us here tomorrow.” She pauses, then says warily, “I’ve put a lot of trust in you, telling you this. “[[Please . . . don’t break that trust.|d2tinathink]]”<<elseif visited() is 3>>With that, she turns around and walks away. Soon, she’s gone. [[Spend the rest of your break relaxing.|d2tinabreakrelax]] [[Call the police and report their actions.|d2tinareport]]<<audio "Beatstoprocrastineto" volume 0.75 fadeout>><<endif>>

You lean against the wall and slide down to the ground. Every minute you check time, and at the very last minute, you remember you should probably pee before you go back to work. So you run inside, take a quick trip to the bathroom (you choose the gender-neutral <<if visited ("gnwr")>>men’s<<else>>women’s<<endif>> room this time) and [[get back to work.|d2afternoon1]]<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You could walk over to the station, but you only have a few minutes left of your break—calling would be better. You pull out your phone and dial the station’s direct number. They answer at the second ring. “NCPD, what is your emergency?” a feminine voice asks. You can’t tell if it’s an AI or not. “[[Yeah hi, I think Ijust stumbled across a plot to bring down the cops???|d2tinareport]]”<<audio "Unfocused" loop play>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You explain what the woman in the red dress said, and describe her appearance as best as you can. “Thank you for the tip,” the woman/AI says to you. “[[We’ll look into it as soon as possible.|d2tinareport1]]” And then she hangs up.<<set $bombing to "stopped">><<set $calledpoliceT to "yes">><<endif>>

You check the time on your phone, and realize your break is almost over. So you rush back inside, take a quick trip to the bathroom (you choose the gender-neutral <<if visited ("gnwr")>>men’s<<else>>women’s<<endif>> room this time) and [[get back to work.|d2afternoon1]]<<audio "Unfocused" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if $Digibucks < 20>>==Head to the bar== You lost too many Digibucks today to go drinking. . .<<else>>[[Head to the bar.|d2bar]]<<endif>> [[Walk around the city.|d2walk]] [[Go back home.|d2home]]

<<if visited("d1bar")>>[[You decide to go to the bar.|d2bar1]]<<else>>[[You decide to go to the bar.|d1bar]]<<endif>>

<<if visited("d1walk")>>[[You decide to walk around the city.|d2walk1]]<<else>>[[You decide to walk around the city.|d1walk]]<<endif>>

[img[images_ec/apartmentn.png]] You are soon in your apartment. Plugging in your VR part, the user interface cloaks your body, and you wonder what you should do [[next. . .|d2home1]]<<audio "wifi" loop play>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You walk down to District 2, and soon make it to Harry’s Home. Entering the bar, Terry is right where ze was yesterday, as if ze never left. “Hey there!” Terry calls, giving you a wave. “How’s your day going?” “[[Good so far, I think.|d2bar1]]”<<audio "BlanketFort" loop play>> “[[Meh. It was ok.|d2barok]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“I’m glad to hear that!” ze says, zir face brightening. “That’s always good.” You sit down at one of the bar stools. “What do you want to drink?” Terry asks. <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail==<<else>>[[Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail (10 Digibucks)|d2barcherry]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 6>>==Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade==<<else>>[[Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade (6 Digibucks)|d2barlemonade]] <<if $Digibucks < 4>>==Digicore’s Light Beer ==<<else>>[[Digicore’s Light Beer (4 Digibucks)|d2barbeer]]

You take a stroll, [[not really having a destination in mind.|d2walk2]] <<audio "Carputer" loop play>>

“Got it, got it,” ze says, gesturing for you to sit. “Well, at least you’re here now, so you can kick back a bit and relax.” You sit down at one of the bar stools. “What do you want to drink?” Terry asks. <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail==<<else>>[[Boar Corp’s Cherry Cocktail (10 Digibucks)|d2barcherry]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 6>>==Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade==<<else>>[[Arrlingtons’ Hard Lemonade (6 Digibucks)|d2barlemonade]] <<if $Digibucks < 4>>==Digicore’s Light Beer ==<<else>>[[Digicore’s Light Beer (4 Digibucks)|d2barbeer]]

<<if visited() is 1>>“[[Coming right up!|d2barcherry]]” Terry says. Ze walks away for a moment, disappearing behind the corner of the bar.<<set $Digibucks -= 10>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You wait patiently for your drink to arrive, watching the regulars as you do so. There’s a group of young men in the corner, laughing together. In one booth, an old women sips on a beer, jotting something down in a notebook as she does so. They’re the ones who are usually in Harry’s Home when you arrive. [[The consistency is kind of nice.|d2barcherry]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Here you are!” Terry returns with your beverage, giving you a smile. “Enjoy.” You sip your drink and lean back a bit, loosening up and feeling your shoulders sag downward. This. . . This is nice. “Any misgendering today?” Terry asks. “[[No, nothing to report this time.|d2barcherry]]”<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Good, good,” ze says. “I got nothing to report today either, thank Christ. As they say, no news is good news.” Another customer sits down at the bar. “I’ll be right back,” Terry says, and goes over to them. By the time ze gets back, you’ve finished you drink. “Another?” ze asks, and you shake your head. [[One is enough for you—you’ve had to learn that the hard way.|d2barcherry]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>“Alrighty,” Terry says. “Stay as long as you’d like.” And with that, ze goes to tend to another customer. You stand up from the bar. How much of a tip do you want to leave today? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|d2bartip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|d2bartip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|d2bartip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|d2bartipn]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“[[Coming right up!|d2barlemonade]]” Terry says. Ze walks away for a moment, disappearing behind the corner of the bar.<<set $Digibucks -= 6>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You wait patiently for your drink to arrive, watching the regulars as you do so. There’s a group of young men in the corner, laughing together. In one booth, an old women sips on a beer, jotting something down in a notebook as she does so. They’re the ones who are usually in Harry’s Home when you arrive. [[The consistency is kind of nice.|d2barlemonade]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Here you are!” Terry returns with your beverage, giving you a smile. “Enjoy.” You sip your drink and lean back a bit, loosening up and feeling your shoulders sag downward. This. . . This is nice. “Any misgendering today?” Terry asks. “[[No, nothing to report this time.|d2barlemonade]]”<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Good, good,” ze says. “I got nothing to report today either, thank Christ. As they say, no news is good news.” Another customer sits down at the bar. “I’ll be right back,” Terry says, and goes over to them. By the time ze gets back, you’ve finished you drink. “Another?” ze asks, and you shake your head. [[One is enough for you—you’ve had to learn that the hard way.|d2barlemonade]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>“Alrighty,” Terry says. “Stay as long as you’d like.” And with that, ze goes to tend to another customer. You stand up from the bar. How much of a tip do you want to leave today? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|d2bartip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|d2bartip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|d2bartip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|d2bartipn]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“[[Coming right up!|d2barbeer]]” Terry says. Ze walks away for a moment, disappearing behind the corner of the bar.<<set $Digibucks -= 4>><<elseif visited() is 2>>You wait patiently for your drink to arrive, watching the regulars as you do so. There’s a group of young men in the corner, laughing together. In one booth, an old women sips on a beer, jotting something down in a notebook as she does so. They’re the ones who are usually in Harry’s Home when you arrive. [[The consistency is kind of nice.|d2barbeer]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>“Here you are!” Terry returns with your beverage, giving you a smile. “Enjoy.” You sip your drink and lean back a bit, loosening up and feeling your shoulders sag downward. This. . . This is nice. “Any misgendering today?” Terry asks. “[[No, nothing to report this time.|d2barbeer]]”<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Good, good,” ze says. “I got nothing to report today either, thank Christ. As they say, no news is good news.” Another customer sits down at the bar. “I’ll be right back,” Terry says, and goes over to them. By the time ze gets back, you’ve finished you drink. “Another?” ze asks, and you shake your head. [[One is enough for you—you’ve had to learn that the hard way.|d2barbeer]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>“Alrighty,” Terry says. “Stay as long as you’d like.” And with that, ze goes to tend to another customer. You stand up from the bar. How much of a tip do you want to leave today? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|d2bartip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|d2bartip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|d2bartip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|d2bartipn]]<<endif>>

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk outside. [[It’s time to go home.|d2home]]<<set $Digibucks -= 1>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk outside. [[It’s time to go home.|d2home]]<<set $Digibucks -= 5>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You transfer the money to Terry’s tip jar account (the QR code is on the coasters) and walk outside. [[It’s time to go home.|d2home]]<<set $Digibucks -= 10>><<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You walk outside. [[It’s time to go home.|d2home]]<<audio "BlanketFort" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

Finally, you look up, and realize you’re right across the street from an interesting looking restaurant called “The Open Mouth”. <<if visited("d1news")>>You remember reading about it on the news.<<else>><<endif>> It looks medium-priced, at least. [[Continue walking.|d2walk3]] <<if $Digibucks < 20>>==Go inside.== You probably don’t have enough Digibucks for a meal there, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself.<<else>>[[Go inside and check it out.|openmouth]]<<endif>>

You shake your head and keep walking. Not tonight. Plus, it’s getting pretty late anyway. After walking a bit longer, [[you make your way back home.|d2home]]<<audio "Carputer" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You step inside the restaurant, and your ears are immediately greeted by the smooth sound of jazztronica. It washes over your ears, and manages to be just slightly louder than the sounds of people eating—by the sight of it, this place is busy. “Hey there!” A server greets you. “Just one person. Alrighty, step this way, sir!” “[[Actually, I’m not a sir. . . I’m nonbinary.|openmouth]]” “[[Um, ok. . .|om1]]”<<elseif visited() is 2>>“Oh, sorry,” the server says. They mutter something under their breath (you have a pretty good idea of what they might be saying), and then tell you, “Alright, um . . . [[fellow person|om1]], follow me!”<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You follow the server to a small booth in the back, walking through quite a crowd of eaters to get there. This place is pretty popular—you wonder how a new restaurant can gain traction so quickly. After you sit down at the booth, the server presents you with a menu. “Someone will be with you shortly to get your drink,” they say. [[And with that, they’re gone.|om1]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You look over the menu. Right as you’ve settled on some choices, another server arrives. “Hi, I’m Marie,” she says, giving you a smile. “What do you want to drink?” [[Arrlingtons Chocolate Milk (3 Digibucks)|ommilk]] [[Digicore Sweetened Tea (2 Digibucks)|omtea]] [[Boar Corp Water (1 Digibuck)|omwater]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Good choice,” Marie says, jotting this down. “[[I’ll be right back with your drink.|ommilk]]”<<set $Digibucks -= 3>><<elseif visited() is 2>>While she’s gone, you look at the menu, and settle on a few choices. The server returns quickly with you drink, and she sets it down on the table. “Know what you want?” she asks. You decide to choose the . . . [[Corn-Salsa Tacos (11 Digibucks)|omtacos]] [[Fish And Chips Deluxe (13 Digibucks)|omfish]] [[Shrimp Salad & Soup Combo (10 Digibucks)|omshrimp]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Good choice,” Marie says, jotting this down. “[[I’ll be right back with your drink.|omtea]]”<<set $Digibucks -= 2>><<elseif visited() is 2>>While she’s gone, you look at the menu, and settle on a few choices. The server returns quickly with you drink, and she sets it down on the table. “Know what you want?” she asks. You decide to choose the . . . [[Corn-Salsa Tacos (11 Digibucks)|omtacos]] [[Fish And Chips Deluxe (13 Digibucks)|omfish]] [[Shrimp Salad & Soup Combo (10 Digibucks)|omshrimp]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Good choice,” Marie says, jotting this down. “[[I’ll be right back with your drink.|omwater]]”<<set $Digibucks -= 1>><<elseif visited() is 2>>While she’s gone, you look at the menu, and settle on a few choices. The server returns quickly with you drink, and she sets it down on the table. “Know what you want?” she asks. You decide to choose the . . . [[Corn-Salsa Tacos (11 Digibucks)|omtacos]] [[Fish And Chips Deluxe (13 Digibucks)|omfish]] [[Shrimp Salad & Soup Combo (10 Digibucks)|omshrimp]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Tasty,” Marie says, giving you a smile. “Alrighty then. I’ll deliver that order to the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything else.” She walks away. You lean back in your chair. Nothing left to do but wait. [[Look around the restaurant.|omtacos]] [[Look at your DigiFeed.|omdigifeed]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You glance around the restaurant. People are talking and laughing with their friends and [[family|omtacos]].<<elseif visited() is 3>>You miss your folks, back in the countryside. Even when the smog came in, they refused to move away from home. So you had to leave. You still call once in a while, but they’ve been cold toward you ever since you left—no, before that, [[ever since you came out|omtacos]]. Nothing you do is ever enough. . .<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Here’s your food.” Marie startles you, and you quickly reposition yourself, sitting normally in the chair. She places a delicious looking plate in front of you. “[[Enjoy|omtacos]],” she says, giving you a smile. Then, Marie is gone.<<elseif visited() is 5>>You pick up your fork, sample some of the food—and your eyes immediately widen. It’s quite a bit better than you expected it to be, and you expected quite a bit for the price. You dig into the dish, and before you know it, [[the food is done.|omtacos]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>“I assume you liked it?” Marie teases, walking back to your table. You give her a nod, and she says, “Good. Shall I get the check for you?” You nod again, and she goes off to get it. Marie returns a moment later, and puts the check on the table: a screen with a custom QR code for you to pay for your meal. “Just put your ID on the code and it’ll start the payment process,” she says. You do so, and the screen flashes. A moment later, it reads, “Meal Paid. Would you like to add a tip?” How much would you like to give? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|omtip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|omtip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|omtip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|omtipn]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Tasty,” Marie says, giving you a smile. “Alrighty then. I’ll deliver that order to the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything else.” She walks away. You lean back in your chair. Nothing left to do but wait. [[Look around the restaurant.|omfish]] [[Look at your DigiFeed.|omdigifeed]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You glance around the restaurant. People are talking and laughing with their friends and [[family|omfish]].<<elseif visited() is 3>>You miss your folks, back in the countryside. Even when the smog came in, they refused to move away from home. So you had to leave. You still call once in a while, but they’ve been cold toward you ever since you left—no, before that, [[ever since you came out|omfish]]. Nothing you do is ever enough. . .<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Here’s your food.” Marie startles you, and you quickly reposition yourself, sitting normally in the chair. She places a delicious looking plate in front of you. “[[Enjoy|omfish]],” she says, giving you a smile. Then, Marie is gone.<<elseif visited() is 5>>You pick up your fork, sample some of the food—and your eyes immediately widen. It’s quite a bit better than you expected it to be, and you expected quite a bit for the price. You dig into the dish, and before you know it, [[the food is done.|omfish]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>“I assume you liked it?” Marie teases, walking back to your table. You give her a nod, and she says, “Good. Shall I get the check for you?” You nod again, and she goes off to get it. Marie returns a moment later, and puts the check on the table: a screen with a custom QR code for you to pay for your meal. “Just put your ID on the code and it’ll start the payment process,” she says. You do so, and the screen flashes. A moment later, it reads, “Meal Paid. Would you like to add a tip?” How much would you like to give? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|omtip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|omtip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|omtip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|omtipn]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>“Tasty,” Marie says, giving you a smile. “Alrighty then. I’ll deliver that order to the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything else.” She walks away. You lean back in your chair. Nothing left to do but wait. [[Look around the restaurant.|omshrimp]] [[Look at your DigiFeed.|omdigifeed]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You glance around the restaurant. People are talking and laughing with their friends and [[family|omshrimp]].<<elseif visited() is 3>>You miss your folks, back in the countryside. Even when the smog came in, they refused to move away from home. So you had to leave. You still call once in a while, but they’ve been cold toward you ever since you left—no, before that, [[ever since you came out|omshrimp]]. Nothing you do is ever enough. . .<<elseif visited() is 4>>“Here’s your food.” Marie startles you, and you quickly reposition yourself, sitting normally in the chair. She places a delicious looking plate in front of you. “[[Enjoy|omshrimp]],” she says, giving you a smile. Then, Marie is gone.<<elseif visited() is 5>>You pick up your fork, sample some of the food—and your eyes immediately widen. It’s quite a bit better than you expected it to be, and you expected quite a bit for the price. You dig into the dish, and before you know it, [[the food is done.|omshrimp]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>“I assume you liked it?” Marie teases, walking back to your table. You give her a nod, and she says, “Good. Shall I get the check for you?” You nod again, and she goes off to get it. Marie returns a moment later, and puts the check on the table: a screen with a custom QR code for you to pay for your meal. “Just put your ID on the code and it’ll start the payment process,” she says. You do so, and the screen flashes. A moment later, it reads, “Meal Paid. Would you like to add a tip?” How much would you like to give? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|omtip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|omtip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|omtip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|omtipn]]<<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>><div class="border">Scarlet Johnson, Singer. 1.1M Followers My current apartment. Don’t be jealous, world! <3</div> [img[images_ec/apt.jpg]] <div class="border">Arrlingtons #1 Fan. 49K Followers (This post has been removed by Digicore LLC for containing sensitive content)</div> <div class="border">Ian, Baker. 51 Followers Making a cake because I have the equipment and why not. Plus, I can stun everyone around me who’s never seen a person baking in their lives lol.</div> <div class="border">Kate, Podcast Wonderwoman. 67K Followers My next podcast will be up for public viewing soon! I interviewed the developers at IndieZone about the exclusives they make. C:</div> <<timed 15s>><<goto "omdigifeed">><</timed>><<elseif visited() is 2>>“Here’s your food.” Marie startles you, and you quickly reposition yourself, sitting normally in the chair. She places a delicious looking plate in front of you. “[[Enjoy|omdigifeed]],” she says, giving you a smile. Then, Marie is gone.<<elseif visited() is 3>>You pick up your fork, sample some of the food—and your eyes immediately widen. It’s quite a bit better than you expected it to be, and you expected quite a bit for the price. You dig into the dish, and before you know it, [[the food is done.|omdigifeed]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>“I assume you liked it?” Marie teases, walking back to your table. You give her a nod, and she says, “Good. Shall I get the check for you?” You nod again, and she goes off to get it. Marie returns a moment later, and puts the check on the table: a screen with a custom QR code for you to pay for your meal. “Just put your ID on the code and it’ll start the payment process,” she says. You do so, and the screen flashes. A moment later, it reads, “Meal Paid. Would you like to add a tip?” How much would you like to give? <<if $Digibucks < 1>>==1 Digibuck==<<else>>[[1 Digibuck|omtip1]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 5>>==5 Digibucks==<<else>>[[5 Digibucks|omtip5]]<<endif>> <<if $Digibucks < 10>>==10 Digibucks==<<else>>[[10 Digibucks|omtip10]]<<endif>> [[Don’t leave a tip.|omtipn]]<<endif>>

You add the tip to the meal and stand up from the table. It’s time to go. You exit The Open Mouth and [[walk home|d2home]], keeping your head down as you do so.<<set $Digibucks -= 1>><<audio "Carputer" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You add the tip to the meal and stand up from the table. It’s time to go. You exit The Open Mouth and [[walk home|d2home]], keeping your head down as you do so.<<set $Digibucks -= 5>><<audio "Carputer" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You add the tip to the meal and stand up from the table. It’s time to go. You exit The Open Mouth and [[walk home|d2home]], keeping your head down as you do so.<<set $Digibucks -= 10>><<audio "Carputer" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You stand up from the table. It’s time to go. You exit The Open Mouth and [[walk home|d2home]], keeping your head down as you do so.<<audio "Carputer" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

You take off the VR eyewear and get in your Sleepsack. Soon, you're fast asleep.

You shake your head put the amulet away in your inventory. You do what you want. And what you want is to [[not deal with that shit right now.|skysrim2woods1]]

<<if $day is 2>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d2end]]” notification pops up.<<elseif $day is 3>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d3end]]” notification pops up.<<elseif $day is 4>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d4end]]” notification pops up.<<endif>><<audio "ActionEpic" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if visited() is 1>>You walk deep into the forest, losing yourself as you pick herbs and slay the occasional Bat-Bear. It’s a series of calming activities, ones that you’ve done over and over again. And that’s the beauty of it. But as you reach the edge of the woods, you stumble across bandits attacking a carriage. What do you want to do? [[Attack the bandits.|skysrim2woods1]] [[Try to sneak away.|skysrim2sneak]]<<elseif visited() is 2>>You charge forward, determined to kick some ass. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2woods1]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 3>>The bandits surround you. You hold up your weapons. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2woods1]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 4>>A bandit attacks you from behind. You repay him by slaying his sorry butt. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2woods1]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 5>>Man, this bandit looks easy. Health is pretty low. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2woods1]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 6>>Just one more lowlife to go. [[Slash with your knife!|skysrim2woods1]] [[Hack with your axe!|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 7>>It’s done. You gather up the loot—five silver swords, 130 gold, and [[plenty of rusty armor.|skysrim2woods1]]<<elseif visited() is 8>>“Oh, thank you!” the carriage driver says. “I was on my way to Farandell when these lowlives attacked me! Now my carriage is ruined! I don’t suppose a hero like you could escort me there, could you?” “[[Sure!|skysrim2escort]]” “[[Nah.|skysrim2woods1]]”<<elseif visited() is 9>>You shake your head, refusing the quest, and wander into the woods. [[You have better things to do.|skysrim2end]]<<endif>>

You crouch on the ground and slowly walk forward in the woods, praying the bandits don’t notice you. Eventually, you’re far enough away that they’re out of sight. Good. [[You prepare to wander some more . . .|skysrim2sneak]]<<set $Skysrim to "wander">>

“Oh, thank you!” the carriage driver says. “[[Please, lead the way.|skysrim2end]] I’m so grateful for your help!”<<set $Skysrim to "escort">>

<<if visited() is 1>>Incorrect! [[District 4 is abandoned for a reason, and should not be entered by civilians.|sg2-1w]]<<set $sgpoints -= 50>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>You see a homeless person panhandling on the streets of Neon City. What do you do? [[Report their presence to the NCPD.|sg2-2r]] [[Ignore them.|sg2-2w]]</i><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Correct! [[District 4 is abandoned for a reason, and should not be entered by civilians.|sg2-1r]]<<set $sgpoints += 50>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>You see a homeless person panhandling on the streets of Neon City. What do you do? [[Report their presence to the NCPD.|sg2-2r]] [[Ignore them.|sg2-2w]]</i><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Correct! Homeless should not be panhandling on Neon City streets. The NCPD are [[properly equipped|sg2-2r]] to handle any homeless who congregate here.<<set $sgpoints += 50>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>You see a prostitute on the streets of District 2. How do you react? [[Purchase their services.|sg2-3w]] [[Report their presence to the NCPD.|sg2-3r]]</i><<endif>>

<<if visited() is 1>>Incorrect! In these situations, reporting the illegal panhandling is the correct call. The NCPD are also equipped to [[handle|sg2-2w]] any homeless who congregate here.<<set $sgpoints -= 50>><<elseif visited() is 2>>Points: <<= $sgpoints>> <i>You see a prostitute on the streets of District 2. How do you react? [[Purchase their services.|sg2-3w]] [[Report their presence to the NCPD.|sg2-3r]]</i><<endif>>

Incorrect! Since buying sex is illegal, both you and the prostitute would be [[legally charged|sg2end]].<<set $sgpoints -= 50>>

Correct! While selling sex is still legal (currently), buying it is not. It is best to [[report the sex worker to the NCPD|sg2end]] in case of illegal activity on their part.

<<if $day is 2>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d2end]]” notification pops up.<<elseif $day is 3>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d3end]]” notification pops up.<<elseif $day is 4>>And that’s when your “[[go to bed|d4end]]” notification pops up.<<endif>><<audio "PracticingtoaMetronome" volume 0.75 fadeout>>

<<if $Digibucks < 1>>==Yes, I can spare some change.==<<else>>“[[Yes, I can spare some change.|d1yeschange]]”<<endif>> “[[No, I can’t. Sorry.|d1nochange]]”

Feature disabled for the demo. [[Start game.|2]]

<<if $lunch is "have">>And you actually remembered to bring your lunch today! [[Yay!|d2breakroom]]<<else>>And you didn’t bring your lunch! Well, [[maybe you can get something from the vending machine instead. . .|d2lunchn]]<<endif>>

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Eyewear Cleaner 2077

a game by Naomi Norbez, aka Bez (he/they)

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Some images have not yet been added to the game. Pardon our appearance.

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