VCR ELECTRIC REMAINS

CHALLENGE #7: Hold Me While It Happens
CHALLENGE: Fight Your Doppleganger
MUSIC: Kiss Me Again by Wurlitzer Carousel Organ Varieties
Image description: The entry follows the aesthetic decisions of the last 3rd of VCR entry #5. The color palette for this entry is neon blues. VCR is looking up, and thinks 'It's been a couple of days since the last elimination. This is my first time seeing a challenge announcement since the first time.' Polybius raises a hand, and says 'KILL THE CLONES.' VCR thinks 'I don't think I want to do that;' looks at Task (who has a strike through one of their eyes), and thinks, 'But if Task wants me to. I will.' ATM, on daer rollator, walks up to VCR with Phyllis and says 'VCR, are you alright with this challenge?' VCR says 'Why wouldn't I be?' ATM says 'Do you even know what to do?' VCR says 'Yeah!! It'll be okay, I promise. This is what Task wants me to do. I have to do it. As long as I'm being useful to him, I don't mind what happens. Maybe if I just scratch her up a little, she'll run away and I won't have to bite.' Phyllis looks concerned and says 'VCR-' ATM pats VCR on the head and says 'Just because <em>you're</em playing nice doesn't mean <em>it</em> will. Good luck out there.' ATM leaves, leaving Phyllis alone with VCR. Phyllis says 'Be careful, okay? If you don't kill that thing, it'll kill <em>you</em>.' VCR responds with 'If that's what Task wants me to do, I'll do it. No matter what happens to me.' Phyllis says 'Please- don't die. I want you here, okay?' VCR says 'Okay! I'll try my best.' VCR looks concernedly at Phyllis. Phyllis says 'Alright, I'll- I'll see you later. I better catch up with my team. My hip is killing me.' VCR says 'But you don't have hips?' Phyllis says 'Oh, right. Bye VCR.' VCR says 'Bye!!' An old television is displaying security camera footage on it. Polybius and Task are cuddling, watching the footage. Polybius says 'Ughhhhhh, Phyllis' was boring. Is anything happening on any of the other cams?' Task says 'Check cam #2, I think something is happening outside.' Polybius says 'Oh shit, it's VCR. This ought to be good.' End description.
La Masto de "Tenkirin" by Haruomi Hosono (time stamp intentional)
Image description: VCR is standing out in the snow, standing in front of an anthropromorphic CD player. Its limbs are dripping with liquid. VCR extends a paw and says 'Hi!! My name is VCR, I think I'm supposed to fight you?' The CD Player stands defensively and says 'I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.' The background fades to a missing RAM texture. VCR thinks 'She's just like me. I'm living in someone else's dead body too. I don't want to do this anymore.' The background fills with the CD Players screams of 'I LOVE YOU,' and it lunges for VCR. It tackles her, and tries to pry open xyr chassis. End description.
Image description: The screaming in the background cuts out, as it cuts back to the hosts. Task looks shaken, and says 'Xe isn't fighting back. Why isn't xe fighting back-' Polybius looks unmoved and says '... Probably because it's VCR? I'd bet $20 on that goop thing winning.' Task says 'Why did I let her go out there alone, she's going to <em>die</em>-' Polybius holds Task's face, and says 'I know you like playing house with her or whatever, but this was always going to happen. Xe signed up for the death competition.' Task says 'I know, I know, it's just- I didn't even get to say goodbye.' Polybius says 'You're not getting attached, right?' Task looks away from the screen, leaning into Polybius' side. They say 'I know, I know; I'm not- can you just tell me when it's over? I don't want to watch it happen.' It cuts back to VCR. The screaming is back. VCR kicks the CD Player off, and it lands on its feet. VCR freezes in panic, while the CD Player takes this oppertunity to wrap its earbud tail around VCR's legs. It pulls tight, and trips them. VCR crashes to the floor, and CD Player's ontop of xem again. It puts a hand on her top, and pries open her lid. It starts ripping out her wires. VCR thinks 'I'm scared. I can feel the ichor seeping into my wires. It's her, isn't it. My head feels like static. Is this what dying feels like? Oh my god, I'm dying. I don't think I want to die.' VCR grabs its hand, and then stands up, pulling it up with her. Xe says 'Stop it, I don't want you to touch me there. I don't want you to touch me like that.' CD Player pulls on its arm to try to break free, but VCR's grip only tightens. End description.
Image description: The screaming cuts out again, as it cuts back to the hosts. Polybius says 'Task, you can look now.' Task turns back around to face the screen and asks, 'Is it over?' Polybius says 'No, but trust me. You'll want to see this.' The screaming is back, as it cuts back to VCR. VCR thinks 'She isn't giving up. I don't think she's going to leave on her own. Only one of us is going to walk out of here alive. I think she knows it too. I can see the terror in her eyes.' CD Player continues to struggle, as VCR grips even harder now. It screams 'I LOVE YOU' louder then ever before. It looks dazed, as it rips off it's own arm to get away from VCR. It falls to the ground in a puddle of its own goop. The screaming cuts out, as it cuts back to the hosts. Polybius and Task both look shocked. Polybius says 'DID XE JUST RIP THAT GUY'S ARM OFF.' Task says 'Remind me to update VCR's file later. The screaming comes back in, as it goes back to the fight. The CD Player stands up again. VCR thinks 'I'm scared. I don't want to do this. I want to go home. I want someone to hold me.' Its detached arm lays in a puddle on the ground. VCR thinks 'Every part of me is screaming to move. They've died before. I don't think they want to die again. I don't want to die again.' The CD Player walks closer. VCR thinks 'Please, don't let me die.' The CD Player gets too close. VCR bites down with a sickening crunch. The CD Player struggles to push its head out of VCR's jaws, and rips its head in half in the process. It falls to the ground, all of its goop dripping out of the massive hole, and reaches up at her, and the 'I LOVE YOU's finally fade. End description.
MUSIC: Take My Hand, Precious Lord by Thomas Andrew Dorsey, covered by Rodney Jantzi (turn up your volume, timestamp is intentional)
Image description: Back to the hosts. Polybius says 'HOLY FUCKING SHIT. NOW <em>THAT'S</em> WHAT I CALL ENTERTAINMENT.' Task stands up and says 'I need to go get her. <em>Please.</em>' Polybius says 'The challenge isn't over yet?' Task says 'That thing is dead, it's just- I can't leave her there. I can't.' Polybius says 'You'll be back soon, right?' Task says 'Yeah, I'll- I'll come right back. I promise.' Task walks outside. VCR is staring down at the corpse. Xe still hasn't dropped the other half of the head from her mouth. Task says 'VCR, is everthing alright?' When ae gets no response, ae continues. 'I'm going to take you inside, okay? But I need you to drop that for me first. Can you please drop that?' VCR drops the head onto the ground. Task says 'Okay, now I'm going to pick you up. Is that okay?' VCR nods. Task picks them up, and they cling frantically to Task. TAsk holds them, and says 'It's okay, it's okay. I've got you.' After Task has carried VCR back inside, Task is laying next to Polybius again, curled around VCR. VCR asks 'Did I... do okay?' Polybius says 'That was sick. You should do it to Codebreaker next.' Task says 'You did good, you finished the challenge.' VCR says 'Is it okay? That I killed her?' Task says 'I= <em>VCR</em>, you killed a parasite. It wasn't a real object.' VCR says 'But <em>I'm</em> not a real object. I'm just a bunch of computer parts shoved inside someone else's dead body. This isn't my body. This is what <em>he</em> looked like. Am I a parasite too?' Task says 'I-' VCR pauses, before they say 'Task, can I ask you a question? I'm not doing these challenges to win, I'm doing them for you. I almost <em>died</em> out there. She sunk into my <em>wires</em>. You're not going to ask me to <em>die</em> for you, are you?' Task lays hir head down next to VCR, looking concerned. VCR thinks 'The silence is telling.' VCR says 'You gave me a place to sleep when no one else would. You kept plugging me back in when my battery died even though no one was asking you to. I'd do <em>anything</em> for you. But there is nothing that scares me more then being left alone. Forever. Like I was in the dirt. Still there, but not alive. I'm not going to accuse you of anything, and I trust you to keep me safe. But if you <em>do</em> ask that of me, would you at least hold me while it happens?' End description.
BONUS
Image description: An anthropromorphic vintage computer is standing in front of the threshold of a door. Speaking in Franklin Gothic Medium font, they say 'Honey, I'm home-!' An antrhopromorphic canner leans up onto the computer. She is wearing a wedding ring. She says in Radius FG, 'Microcomputer-! How was work today?' Microcomputer says 'Same as always. Human garbage ain't selling like it used to. How were the kids today?' The canner says 'Well, PDA didn't want to clean its room, and Beeper cried because he accidentally killed a bug. Other then that? Fine. Didn't have any problems with the three.' Microcomputer asks 'Is Calculator back yet?' Canner says 'Nope-! Still out fishing for dinner.' Microcomputer says 'Darn, I need to sit down. But save me a kiss from her when she gets back.' Canner says 'He'll still be out for a bit, let me join you.' Microcomputer and Canner are sitting down next to each other. It is revealed that Microcomputer also has a wedding ring. Microcomputer says 'Say, I was thinking about taking Tape Recorder down to that old mall in town.' Canner says 'Not the rest?' Microcomputer says 'Nawh, PDA and Beeper'd just think it's weird.' Canner asks 'What's the rush?' Microcomputer says 'Well, I mean- I just haven't been down there since my dad took me when I was a kid. Kinda wonder what it looks like now.' Canner says 'What ever happen to your dad?' Microcomputer says 'I dunno; I mean I was always a little worried about him after him and my mom split and he left town but it's just. Weird now. He wrote to me for <em>years</em> but one day he just. Stopped responding. I wonder what happened to him; he was getting pretty old.' Canner says 'WEll, I think that's a lovely idea. Just be careful, okay? I've seen a lot of folks over there, more then the usual. Most of them looked around our size, but the other week I saw some big gangling thing walk out of there. Don't get too close, okay? I don't want to be down a wife.' Microcomputer says 'Hahahaha, Portland ain't what it used to be, that's for sure. I'll be careful, I promise.' End description.
RESULTS
PLACEMENT
5th out of 18
ORIGINAL HEADER:
Image description: MS Paint doodle of VCR holding up a stop sign. End description.
This was originally hosted on Imgur!! I originally had a header to remind folks that there is music. I don't find that necessary on the website. :)