VCR ELECTRIC REMAINS

CHALLENGE #8: Cough Syrup
CHALLENGE: Make a Memorial
MUSIC: En Tago Serena by Haruomi Hosono
Image description: Same visual style as the new normal, but the background is pixellated hyacinths tinted purple. The entry's title is 'CHALLENGE #8: Cough Syurp.' A rat unplugs VCR's chord. Xe sits, looking sad, and thinks 'Huh. No one came to wake me up. Maybe ATM and Phyllis were busy? Usually Task would have unplugged me by now if one of them hadn't gotten to it. How long have I been out for? I should go find Task' VCR looks up at Polybius. They say 'Polybius...? Where's Task? Xe didn't unplug me today?' Polybius says 'Why would anyone unplug you?' VCR thinks 'Is it just me, or is Polybius kind of... mean?' VCR asks 'How long have I been charging for?' Polybius says 'Why should I care? You're just Task's little plaything, he'll get bored of you eventually.' VCR thinks 'Has Polybius always been like this?' VCR says 'Can you at least tell me how long it's been since the last challenge?' Polybius says 'A week. What's it to you.' VCR says 'I've been asleep for an entire week?' Polybius, still smiling, looks annoyed. She says 'Like I said. Who cares. You're some sad mimic who follows my wife around like some weird looking dog. Did you think your life meant anything? One of these days, you're going to fall asleep, and you're not going to wake up, and I'm going to <em> relish</em> in that. You're just a phase. Don't you forget that.' VCR thinks 'I'm not a dog? At least I don't think I am. I've never seen a dog before.' VCR says 'I don't get it. I thought we were both robots. Aren't we the same?' Polybius slams her hand down next to VCR. She says 'Get the fuck out of my sight. And let me make one thing fucking clear; I am <em>nothing</em> like you. I'm an AI. You're nothing but table scraps.' VCR thinks 'I've never noticed how sharp Polybius' claws are until now.' VCR walks away. She thinks 'Task...?' Xe sees Baptismal Font in the corner. The background fades into the bonus content palette. Baptismal Font says 'Do you still think I'm pretty, VCR? I'm sorry, I just, I- Can we pretend like it never happened? Could we try again? I'm sorry, I don't want to remember anymore. It isn't fair, how you got to forget.' VCR says 'Baptismal Font, I- I can't do that. You know that isn't going to make it hurt any less. I don't feel that towards you. Let's just be best friends, okay? I love you, Baptismal Font.' It fades back to the present. VCR thinks 'Task wouldn't hurt me. Task wouldn't ask me to leave. Task needs me right now. I need to help him. I can't be scared of xem.' VCR is looking at Task in the corner. Task looks upset. VCR says 'Task.. Is everything okay?' VCR thinks 'She looks like my first best friend did. Come on. I've done this a million times before. What's one more? It's just Task.' Task says 'What do you want, VCR. VCR says 'I haven't seen you in a week. Is everything okay?' Task says 'I don't feel like doing anything else today. If you want a challenge, tough luck. Make a memorial or something. Just don't expect me to help.' VCR says 'Task- I don't care about any of these challenges. I'm here because I want to be. Are <em>you</em> okay?' Task says 'I...' VCR thinks 'I'm getting nowhere with this. Maybe I should try a different approach? What worked with my first best friend?' VCR hugs Task. VCR says 'I don't know what's going on, but I'm sorry. I hope it feels better.' Task grumbles. VCR says 'I don't know when that'll be- maybe it'll be tomorrow, or maybe eleven days from now, or farther; but one of these days it's going to feel better. And the time will keep passing until it does.' VCR stands across from Task. Task says '... You should go do the challenge.' VCR asks 'Are you sure you want me to go?' Task looks away and says '... Don't loose.' End description.
MUSIC: Rekviemo by Haruomi Hosono
Image description: VCR walks away to the rest of the mall. As they are walking, Tiny Fan slumps against their leg with a thunk. Thon says 'G3RM is gone.' Ey stand there for a moment. VCR says 'It's just us?' Tiny Fan repeats 'It's just us.' After a moment, Tiny Fan says 'Come closer, I have an idea.' VCR gets on their knees, and Tiny Fan whispers to her. VCR thinks 'I don't know what's going on. I recognized the first thing Tiny Fan wanted me to get. I remember seeing the mushrooms when Codebreaker <em>used</em> me.' VCR is holding a fistful of mushrooms. VCR thinks 'It was harder ripping up some of the carpet in front of Polybius. I don't know how I managed to rip off a chunk before she picked me up and threw me into a skee-ball hoop.' VCR is hanging out of a skee-ball hoop, holding a chunk of arcade carpet. VCR thinks 'Tiny Fan had the last one. Ey just grabbed some dirt off of a plant.' Tiny Fan is handing VCR a crumb of dirt. There is another plant in the background. VCR thinks 'I don't understand why ey wanted these. Wasn't this supposed to be for our team? Why is there a pile of sticks?' Tiny Fan is standing in front of an unlit bonfire. Ey say 'Just- put them ontop.' VCR says 'Is this okay?' Thon says 'It's... whatever. Do you still have that lighter?' VCR pulls out the lighter, and lights the bonfire. Tiny Fan says 'Tinerva's gone. Dexter's gone. G3RM's gone. Our entire team is gone. Where the fuck have you been? I feel like I barely even know you. You haven't been here for most of the challenges- Not like I care, but it's just. The team is gone. It's just us.' VCR says 'I'm sorry, I- I've had a lot of on my mind recently. I didn't mean it.' Tiny Fan says 'You better not be tanking the team averages with... Whatever you keep running off for. I don't want to be joining them anytime soon.' VCR says 'Why? Didn't they just leave?' Tiny Fan says 'What do you think <em>gone</em> means, VCR.' They are sitting in front of the now fully-burnt bonfire. VCR says 'Did something happen to them?' Tiny Fan says 'VCR. Look around you, are you really that dense?' VCR says 'Task told me they left.' Tiny Fan says 'And have you actually seen any of them get up and walk out? Where do you think they're going? They're not leaving, VCR. We're stuck in hell. Get used to it.' VCR says 'You're a liar. Why are you lying to me? Task would never lie to me. Ae's my friend- I thought <em>we</em> were friends.' Tiny Fan says 'I- Whatever. Just go. See if I care.' End description.
MUSIC: La Kanto de la Rondiro de la Stel by Haruomi Hosono
Image description: VCR thinks 'Task wouldn't lie to me. Ze would never lie to me.' VCR walks back into the arcade. VCR thinks 'I don't understand what's going on. Tiny Fan is scaring me. I feel like something's missing. I can't ask him about it. I can't. Task isn't feeling well. I'd make xem feel sicker.' VCR stands in front of Task. VCR says 'Task...? I did what you asked me to. Tiny Fan and I did something for Shirt and Sweet. Since we lost most of the team.' VCR pauses. 'Thon- I-' VCR thinks 'I can't ask hir about it. Not now. Task is nothing like <them</em>. Task would never do something like that. I have to trust xem. There's no one else I can trust. He looks just like <em>they</em> did. VCR says 'Why are you looking at me like that?' Task grumbles. VCR says 'If you want something from me, take it.' Task picks up VCR. Task asks 'Is this okay?' VCR says 'Yeah.' Task is leaning against VCR. Task pauses, before looking away and saying 'I miss her.' The background fades to the bonus content pallete. VCR is holding Baptismal Font's face. Baptismal Font says 'I miss him.' The Task Manager and Baptismal Font fusion from challenge #6 is at the bottom, holding VCR. VCR says 'I'm sorry. The time will pass.' End description.
BONUS
Image description: bonus content palette. Task has one eye open, looking sadly at VCR. They have one arm otop of her. Task says 'VCR, can I ask you about something?' VCR says 'What is it?' Task says 'What do you think happens after you die? You remember, right?' VCR says 'Um. I don't know. It's really fuzzy. My first best friend talked a lot about heaven. About how pretty it was supposed to be. (About how they wouldn't go to it) I don't know if I believe in heaven, but I'd like to think that when I do die, I'll get to be with all of my friends again. I don't know what that means for the people inside me. ... Task, could you die sometime? I don't want to be alone without you there for too long. I think I'd miss you too much.' Task's eyes are wide as plates, and ze says 'I- <em>VCR</em>' Farther down, Phyllis is standing in front of the Rat King. Phyllis says 'Why are you looking at me like that.' The Rat King says in morse code 'I HOPE THEY PUT OUR GRAVES BESIDE EACH OTHER.' Phyllis says 'Don't look at me like that. You know I had to do it.' The Rat King says in morse code 'I UNDERSTAND. I LOVE YOU.' The Rat King and Phyllis lie down next to each other. Phyllis says 'I don't know what weird thing is going on with you and VCR- But take care of her for me, okay? I'm not going to be around to do it anymore. I love you VCR. I love you Winston. Make sure xe knows that, alright?' End description.
RESULTS AND MORSE CODE TRANSCRIPTION
PLACEMENT:
5th out of 17!!
MORSE CODE TRANSCRIPTIONS:
(.. / .... --- .--. . / - .... . -.-- / .--. ..- - / --- ..- .-. / --. .-. .- ...- . ... / -... . ... .. -.. . / . .- -.-. .... / --- - .... . .-. .-.-.-) (.. / ..- -. -.. . .-. ... - .- -. -.. .-.-.- / .. / .-.. --- ...- . /-.-- --- ..- .-.-.-)
You know the drill!! Not doing it for you. :)
And here's the VCR header to remind folks that this challenge had music!! This is the last entry to be uploaded to Imgur!!
Image description: VCR laying down with xyr tongue out, with the text 'STOP: this entry contains music!! Grab some headphones and play in a seperate tab. :) Links will be provided. End description.