App for empatheias

[retconnaissance]

⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player: Ami
Contact: MechaPony @ Plurk, RainbowDonut#5538 @ Discord
Age: 18+
Current Characters: Yuki'to Blaire (OC), FFXIV


⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character: Dr. Neil Watts
Age: Somewhere in the late twenties to early thirties.
Canon: To The Moon/Finding Paradise
Canon Point: Post-Finding Paradise, prior to the funeral.

Background:

The Sigmund Corporation houses technology to traverse the memories of another person, and alter them according to their wishes. However, real memories clash with those fabricated by this technology, leaving those that are subjected to the procedure unable to "properly function". Whether this is something damaging to the mind or not is unknown, but it's enough that protests and lawsuits are a very real threat. So Sigmund Corps. has an idea: Use the technology on patients that are already on their deathbed. In turn, they can have their wishes granted before they take their final breath.

Enter Dr. Eva Rosalene, Senior Memory Traversal Agent and her partner, Dr. Neil Watts the Technician Specialist. Rosalene and Watts' jobs are simple: Bring the Sigmund tech to a patient's home, plug them in, traverse their memories, and make the changes needed to achieve that final wish before death.

Most wishes are simple. But some...

Enter Johnny Wyles, a man who wished to go to the moon but had no idea why. As Watts and Rosalene head in and head through Johnny's memories, they discover his late wife, River, who he had met while they attended elementary school together. A quiet and unusual woman (who is heavily implied to have Asperger Syndrome), she spent her days folding origami rabbits for Johnny and asking him what they mean, trying to tell him something. Whatever that message was, it went to the grave with her, leaving Johnny with regrets for having never attempted to understand the woman he loved. Presuming the case to be simple, Watts and Rosalene tread as far as they can into Johnny's childhood and impart a strong desire to go to the moon.

The signal is sent, but nothing changes. They even scream GO TO THE MOON SEE NASA at him, but nothing changes. What's going on?

Watts and Rosalene head further back, and discover there is a portion of Johnny's memories that are distorted and cut off from the rest. For a time, the two step away from the machine. Watts turns to yell at the technician team for giving them a faulty machine, but the idea then hits him: Did Johnny have a blip in his medical files?

Watts finds a hidden medical file, describing that Johnny had been prescribed and then given a LOT of beta blockers in his childhood. One side-effect of this particular drug is the distortion or loss of memories. With this epiphany, Neil and Eva find a way to connect the lost memories together: The scent of roadkill, something they picked up somehow when they couldn't reach the earlier memory. With Johnny in the real world smelling roadkill collected thanks to Neil smashing a squirrel with his car on the way to the building, the memories are connected and the Sigmund doctors discover the source of the beta blocker use...

...Johnny had a twin brother named Joey, who died that day in an accident. In an effort to remove the memory from her little boy, Johnny's mother ordered the drugs. What Johnny had also forgotten was the true first time he'd met River, where the two had first sworn that if they ever got lost, they would meet on the moon.

Dr. Rosalene parts ways with Dr. Watts, claiming to have an idea, and disappears to begin to make her changes. So long as Johnny gets to the moon, she said, they have fulfilled their contract. Neil, fearing Eva aimed to erase River (presuming that taking care of her was what kept Johnny from getting into NASA and reaching the moon), hurried after her to stop her.

With a breath of relief, Eva's plan was executed: In Johnny's mind, Joey never died that day. Johnny can always meet another 'River'... but he only has one brother. Johnny arrives at NASA, ready to join on a shuttle launch, where he meets a familiar red-haired girl named River. Eva had moved her, giving Johnny the love of his life back, and the doctors watch as the shuttle hurtles off to the moon with Johnny and River hand-in-hand. As Johnny's life fades, his wish is granted. A job well done. Upon visiting Johnny's grave later, it's discovered that Neil is suffering from some sort of pain, and requires strong painkillers to keep it in check.

Some time after that case is wrapped, Sigmund Corp. is given their holiday break, apparently a rarity for the company as they pass their jobs over to their competitor. However, protestors stand outside the building, throwing produce during this time of year as well. This leaves the employees forcibly cheerful as they hole themselves up inside their establishment, trying to have a good time despite their distinct lack of safety should they step outside. Seemingly completely unfazed by the commotion outside, Neil sets up a bowl of water over his door and attempts to call Eva for the second time that day, intending to soak her. Eva's not a moron, of course, so there is no successful pranking to be had that day. Eva is congratulated by Neil's recently-completed 'To the Moon' PC game that he'd crafted himself. His partner is in short not impressed, and leaves the room.

After Neil sought her out, avoiding the holiday party going on entirely, he's privy to Eva's doubts about what they do. The protesters do what they do because they feel it's right. What is it that THEY do is right, changing memories the way they do? The answer is rather simple for Neil: That moment of happiness before every one of their patients breathes their last makes all of their hard work worth it. Though that seemed to help his partner, she admits that sometimes it still isn't worth it.

But that conversation sadly goes no further. With a ring on Neil's phone, they have a job to do, holidays or no. They set off to do their duty and that's the end of that.

Once back, they're ready for their short holiday vacation, and most of the Sigmund Corp. faculty is prepping to head home. Eva presented Neil with his gift, an ambient sound maker to help him focus while he works. Despite griping that he could just use his phone for that, he accepts it. They reveal their respective plans for the time off: Eva is to spend dinner with her sister and her sister's family. Neil, ever the shut-in, declares that the entirety of Sigmund is his castle and he'll stay over to get some "work" done.

Eva briefly considers inviting Neil so he wouldn't be alone, but she soon changes her mind and the two part ways. With Eva in the car, her sister insisting she take Neil with her, Neil begins to figure up a set of Sigmund tech... and blows the power to the building. Frustrated, Neil sets out to restart the power, but hears footsteps and arms himself with a broom. He strikes a surprised Eva in the face.

Later, we find that Eva's sister had invited her family as well as old friends over to have dinner in Sigmund Corp. As Eva is treated of her facial injury, Neil wordlessly excuses himself and leaves the impromptu festivities. Eva follows, finding Neil trying to call his parents. But he loses his nerve and hangs up. As Dr. Rosalene explains that it was her sister's idea, Dr. Watts walks away, much to his partner's frustration. But before Eva can head back to the festivities, she tells him that there's a chair open for him whether he comes up or not. For a moment it seems Neil has no intention of joining them.

...But Neil is human, damn it, and soon joins the festivities, quietly recording the hubbub on his ambient sound maker.

Soon, Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts are sent on a peculiar assignment: A man named Colin Reeds wants very little changed about his life, but he wishes for a change nevertheless. As a husband, a father and an accomplished commercial pilot, what more could be changed to an already eventful life of few regrets? Despite the icy reception by Colin's wife Sofia, Rosalene and Watts are determined to do their job and perhaps find out of there is some sort of event in Colin's life that he deeply regrets. A strangeness begins when, rather than going further back into his memories per usual, they find themselves slingshotting from childhood to adulthood. It's Eva that discovers that they're spiraling inward to some memory in the middle of his life, as if magnetized.

Perhaps there, they will find a way to grant Colin's wish.

But they notice something odd about the memories as they swing from childhood to adulthood: In Colin's loneliness, having no friends and family constantly stepping out for long periods of time, he knew a girl named Faye, and grew up with her. Yet nowhere in his elderly memories does this girl appear, despite her taking up a great deal of his mind in his earlier days. Surely, at the center of the spiral, they would know what's happened to Faye, the most impactful person in Colin's life.

Watts and Rosalene discover that as Sofia and Colin met and grew closer, Faye became more of a distant figure. So that was it- Colin was having girl troubles, and likely needed to remove Faye from the picture so that he would have no regrets. But first, they needed to know who Faye is, and what happened to her. The truth is the strangest they've ever encountered thus far: Colin's imagination was always so strong, his loneliness helped create an imaginary friend for himself. Faye... was never a real person to begin with.

Stranger still, once talk of erasing Faye became more palpable, despite the technology allowing Watts and Rosalene to control the memories and events at will, Faye came alive and insisted that Colin is finished with the procedure, and Sigmund is officially doing more harm than good. Rosalene and Watts are forcibly separated, trapping Watts inside as Rosalene quickly finds her way out of the system.

The battle is then on, as Watts traverses memories looking for Rosalene, exerting as much of his technological prowess and knowledge of the system as possible in trying to regain control. But Faye is two steps ahead of him, booting him out of each memory and locking it away from him. But in the nick of time, Faye is severely weakened: In the real world, Colin is administered further sedatives, giving Neil the opening he needs to reach the final memory with Eva. But before they proceed, Neil takes some information on the anomaly that is Faye... perhaps it could be useful for future projects.

Here in the final memory, they see the day that Colin realized he was growing too old for an imaginary friend, and has to bid Faye goodbye. But they also sense that the drugs are wearing off and Colin is fading. If they want to grant the man's wish, they need to act quickly. It's Watts that realizes that Colin had a damn good life and didn't need to change it. Maybe the knowledge of technology that could change his life and grant wishes was what was making him discontent; maybe removing knowledge of Sigmund Corporation would leave him happy with his life precisely as it is.

But Colin will die before that happens, and there's no telling what might happen if the doctors remain when that occurs. Watts convinces Rosalene that the power to grant that wish has to be placed fully into Faye's hands. Faye is an anomaly, the product of a powerful imagination... only she would truly know how to change Colin's life for the better in his final moments, after living his entire life with him. Throwing caution to the wind, full control is given to Faye, along with wishes of good luck. Faye is shocked but pleased, and bids the doctors leave unharmed while she does what she has always set out to do from the beginning: Be there for Colin, and make him happy.

With another job done, and Watts secretly armed with valuable information, Sigmund Corps. fades from Colin's mind as he passes on, and the duo heads back to report.

Personality:

Dr. Neil Watts is a man who you look upon and wonder what dusty old IT office he got yanked out of. He's a whiz with computers and an accomplished technician, working on the most sophisticated tech that the world has ever known (or at least, as is established in his universe). Because of his expertise, Neil's got quite a bit of an ego. He's more than happy to express how great he is at his job and how great of a team he's a part of. But because of the aforementioned expertise, it isn't just words in the wind; dude knows what he's doing. But that ego comes at a price in that the world seems to enjoy trying to shove a pickled olive in his face, whether it's always getting shoved off of buildings by his work partner, landing on an airplane's wing while in flight and holding on for dear life, or winding up on the wrong side of a horse. But even in the face of misfortune, he appears not to be the sort of guy who would take a lump and decide to give up. Hell, he even gets BACK on the wrong side of a horse to perform his job, even if it's screaming 'free pony rides in space' at a client to help influence them to join NASA and go to the moon. So overall, he's got the ego and it seems next to nothing can deflate it no matter how much his colleagues or the universe itself seems to try.

However, it also makes him incredibly stubborn. If he doesn't want to work, he won't, even if it puts out his colleagues. If he has something he wants to truly do, he'll do it, smashing whatever rules over his knees that he needs to smash. Design your own technology? Done. Make a game that pisses off your only friend? Done. Sleep on the job or avoid meetings to screw around on your computer? Double-done.

Another unceasing trait of Neil is his sense of humor. Whether it's a pop culture reference, new and old, or a prank that would see a colleague soaking wet, Neil prefers to try and diffuse most tense situations with a moment of humor or pushing the buttons of those around him as he sees fit. To get people annoyed with him or make someone smile or laugh is simply easier than having people sock him or yell at him. Really, he thinks more people need to lighten up. ...And stop punching him. And shoving him off of buildings.

But when the going gets truly rough, Neil does know when to stow the ego and humor to put on his business face, and is an accomplished problem-solver. He works most effectively if he has someone to bounce ideas off of him and ground him, and in exchange he's a staunch ally in seeing through a problem. As for his morality when the going gets rough, he's still an unknown: He deeply cared when Eva wanted to erase River from Johnny's mind, yet had little issue removing Faye when the decision came to do so.

Neil himself is an enigma, however. Deep down, his colleagues and even his own partner know very, VERY little about him because he keeps that information locked up tight. He even wears reflective glasses to hide his eyes. What's known is that he's currently suffering from a mysterious pain that requires him to down more than a few painkillers, and there is a disconnect between himself and his parents, but he is reluctant to get in touch with them. To keep everyone at an arm's length perhaps is safest for him because whatever is eating at him would incite pity and he'd hate that as a man with an ego and an image to maintain. He's perfectly fine being the guy that pisses everyone off and spouts one-liners, while also being the guy that Gets Things Done.

Abilities: Neil has no supernatural abilities, and you should never believe him if he tells you to the contrary. What he is, however, is an extremely accomplished technician and programmer. He can design, diagnose and fix an ailing AI or program, or spend his days designing a game for the sole purpose of annoying his colleagues.

Alignment: Piphron. Neil, for all of his eccentricities, is a very guarded person. His inner pain, his feelings about the people around him, all like to sit behind a veil of being a complete dipstick if not the aforementioned cynicism. To have him trust you with information is major enough, and to lose his trust would be just as impactful. Trouble is, does he trust people or not...? Who knows? Not even Eva.

Other: The man doesn't like pickled olives. But I think they're delicious.


⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉

General Sample: Test Drive!
Emotion Sample:

Neil practically tingled. No sooner had he heard of Dunamis did he know that he had to get his hands on it, and of course perfect it. Who else but him? Because this was just like being in the system back home, only everything he could call upon was purely from his own willpower and emotion.

So what better emotion than hope, huh? Neil brought his hands together and pressed them to one side. He squared his stance and stared ahead, grinning from ear to ear. This giant enemy spider ahead of him could wrap him up and inject its venom, liquefying his insides into a tasty Neil Chowder. It could just bite him and be done with it. But no, there was to be no chowder, nor was there to be any biting tonight. He'd been watching the spider's movements and if he didn't get this off now... well, he'd miss for one, but it'd look really, REALLY lame.

It began as a shimmering golden light that bloomed in his hands, warm as sunshine as the earth began to shudder, the subtle sickness of the soil from years of misuse suddenly finding the gumption to live again as wide red protea blooms began to materialize.

"KAAAA... MEEEE..."

Good god, how good would this feel!? It was only him around, not a single interruption. He'll be doing this for REAL real, and not just for play-play! He could die happy, a man who actually got to use this ability!

"HAAAAA... MEEEE..." He felt it from his core, spreading out to his extremities. Heck, he'd say it felt like that thing mommies and daddies do when they put their brats to bed. This spider was gonna feel the opposite of that, and it seemed to know as it closed in.

But the light grew, surrounded his hands. Man, if he could just concentrate, maybe he'd give himself golden hair. He flexed a brow and thought hard about golden, magnificent hair...

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" With a roar, he thrust his hands forward, sending a torrent of hope and energy outward, slamming into the spider. He could see nothing beyond it but the push of its resistance before everything gave. Grass and trees whipped around from the sheer force, but only for a moment before it all died down.

The spider was just legs, a smoking black tunnel where its body used to be, dripping muck. Short of breath, Neil stood tall, hands before him as they still tingled. This place... this place couldn't get any better.

His nose tickled. He reached up and realized, comprised of illusory light, rather than creating a full head of hair he'd given himself a beautiful golden mustache and beard. He gave it a twirl.

Now this place couldn't get any better.


Questions: Nupe.