Chương 9: Ch. 8 - Achievements

[ORZ of Falia] [Operator Respite Zone] [All Conflict is Forbidden] I scanned around to find a mech-less Phil walking to the main thoroughfare on the other side of the metal walkway. My mech was on tracks, being guided to a repair bay. It gently moved into the scaffolding and hook connections, with a pop up indicating that my mech was seated. A set of green lasers beamed in every crevice of the mech, prompting a status menu to come up on it's own to show where the scans were taking place.

The screen was replaced with another pop-up that had me sucking air through clenched teeth. [REPAIR TO FULL: 13, 974 CREDITS] [ACCEPT]"What if I don't pay or can't afford that?" I was thinking aloud and wasn't expecting an answer.

"It is not mandatory to press every button you lay your eye organ on, Stefano. If you do not wish for optimal performance, you need only leave. I do not recommend it, however."

"Alright. Thanks, I guess."

"No problems at all! Before you exit, would you like me to unlock your achievements?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your rewards to balance the scale for all intrepid Frame operators who venture into the Cradle. For those without a companion, they can only open caches in a safe room. You, however, can open them anywhere in an ORZ or Operator Respite Zone. Keep an eye out for others as some can't be ported to. No need to thank me, I'm just happy to be sentient!"

"So everyone gets achievements and caches?"

"Of course! Otherwise this would be genocide! We don't drift the cosmos for fun. Every entity gets a chance."

"So why doesn't-" the bot interrupted me and pulled up the achievements screen that had twenty-one achievements ready to be tapped and opened.

"Do you want to keep asking questions or do you want to open boxes?!" That question was rhetorical. Of course you want to open boxes. It could be anything after all. It could be a one time repair cell. Or it could be cake. The outcome changes as soon as you find out what it is. Isn't that great?!" I wanted to, but no. I needed to check on Phil and find out why he wanted me to come here with him. I closed the menu but it reappeared, forcing me to click it off again.

"There must be an error," said the bot.

"The menu keeps closing. I will comb through the spaghetti code to correct this, Stefano."

"Yeah, no," I said.

"I'm going to check on Phil. I want to open it and have him explain it to me. He wants to be an adviser. I feel like I owe it to him to become the first person he advises."

"That's boring!" yelled the bot.

"You're boring! I will mark this as a new achievement for finding a way to dull a newborn intelligent life form that has never experienced any emotion or has lived before. Impressive!" I sighed, clicked on the accept button and a timer appeared on the screen just before I jumped out. [TIME TO REPAIR] 02: 03: 43 The railway was just a large hangar with multiple bays and sheets of gray metal that shined from bright eye injuring LED lights.

The chatter from two other operators walking to their Frames was muted compared to the repair drones reprinting and recycling. The archway to the main crossing was reminiscent of a block. To my left was an inn meant for pilots called "Salt Water Bedding." It wouldn't have food, but it would have a place to sleep and it was how those that could afford it could buy a personal space. The front enterance was made of wood with crystalline pillars supporting the roof.

A simple two story building meant for longer treks into the Dungeon. The streetlights resembled a facsimile of old earth history. Cobblestone streets juxtaposed by outlandishly gaudy building decorations. The building in front of me was a bar and tavern called "The Siren's Wail." An aquatic themed bar, it had what you would expect. Mermaid statues holding coconuts over their breasts. The fins were made of the crystalline rock that was so prevalent on this floor.

Each scale radiated a different color from the opulence from the crystal. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Just to the right of the tavern was a mostly run down building. It was a single story building with rotating cowboy doors for the entrance. It looked purposely run down. The building to the right of that one was a general goods shop that was clearly the better looking version of this building.

Phil was already inside, talking to the NPC when he turned around and nodded.

"So what now?" I asked.

"Now I buy a registration for my safe room to become an Adviser. After that, I spend the rest of my days here."

"So you're just going to sit here and wait for the purge? Won't the reset kill you?" I asked, befuddled.

"Pretty much. But the reset shouldn't kill me since I'm signing up for it. It just means I can't leave. I already sold my mech for parts and and cleared my inventory."

"Won't you get lonely? You can't leave and you're just waiting for people to show up to your home randomly. What about when the Bastille gets enough fuel to leave? You'd be stuck here, alone. Forever." Phil had a thousand yard stare into nothing.

"Don't you have a wife?"

"A girlfriend. And no, we broke up before I delved here with you." He put his hands on his hips and shook his head in a smile.

"It's funny, we broke up because she said I didn't spark the fire in her heart. That I acted like I wanted to be alone all the time. Guess she was right."

"And your sister?" We both knew I was grasping at straws.

"She'll be fine. She works in life support with the trees and oxygen. I'll be honest, I hope we get enough fuel one day, but you know as well as I that it's in the deep floors. But if we do get enough fuel, then maybe you'll find another planet. But I'm done trying to go to the depths of hell. I'd rather others do it now. Maybe you'll do it with my help. I hope you do, but chances are you'll die down there. At least I won't see it." He scratched his head like he said something he shouldn't have.

His eyes gazed on the metal stud that adorned my ear.

"The next reset is happening soon. No one knows when, but it's been a while since the last one. Wait until after and come back. I don't know why you care so much though, you have that thing."

"So how do I get you as my adviser?" I asked, ignoring him. He sighed.

"Use your bot cause he can make the process easier. That way, every time you go through that door, it portals you to my personal space as opposed to a random persons each time." He pointed to a dilapidated door barely being held together. The sign above it read, "Adviser."

"That one specifically?"

"No, obviously not. Any door with that sign." A lingering question was gnawing at me.

"How do you know all this? It's not like you've been an adviser before." He frowned and crossed his arms.

"I have one. Told him I'm joining his ranks. Messaged him before I sold my mech. One of the first people to Delve in here. He didn't even have a Frame, was in a Gatherer when he stumbled into this kind of building. So, hopefully I'm better at it for you than he was to me."

"Are you done, Stefano? My anticipation is growing and my patience is weakening. I would like to open some caches," said the bot.

"Right," I said.

"You want a pre-test?"

"Pfft," scoffed the bot.

"Was that an invitation?"

"Sure," I said. Phil had a look on his face that screamed, "I just want to sleep," before resigning to his fate. Meanwhile, I swear the bot squeed. A drum roll reverberated throught the rundown walls and half torn wallpaper.

"Your achievements will run first. Then your caches. I'll tell you about the Treasure Caches when you're getting ready to open them. There are some that everyone gets and some that are rarer. It'll tell you," said Phil. Each passing achievement, the bot would change his cadence like he was a game show host and each reveal was the grand prize. [1][COMMON ACHIEVEMENT: NEW FRAME WHO DIS] You found your first Frame! The unit you entered with is scrap now. Recycled to the ether to be used for a more useful purpose.

It's the circle of life but better when you're here. And you getting this is proof it's better! [CACHE: WHITE] [2][COMMON ACHIEVEMENT: I CAN SEE. I CAN FIGHT] Finished the boot sequence! Your screens turned on and you didn't fart on calibration. Trust me, that would've been a lot harder for you. [CACHE: WHITE] [3][COMMON ACHIEVEMENT: YOU COMPLETED THE BOOT SEQUENCE] Moving is harder than you think and you made it look effortless. Imagine if you showed the same level of dedication to everything you ever did.

Then your mom would be proud of you because you became a doctor! [CACHE: WHITE] It just kept going with common achievements. The bot refused to not make a show of each and every one of them. I tried interrupting it, but it just kept going. Phil left and came back with a renewed flask just as the common achievements had run their course. [19][UNCOMMON ACHIEVEMENT: DAMAGED A HIGHER LEVEL ENEMY] Some people are careful and don't bite more than they can chew. They tend to live longer. Those people are boring!

Live your life to the fullest. Ask her out. Stuff your whole head in the cake. Don't leave the seat up, that just makes you a jerk. You saw a higher level enemy and thought to yourself, Live Laugh Love. You at least survived to see the fruits of your labor. [CACHE: GREEN] [20][GRADED ACHIEVEMENT: BORING] You managed to bore a newly awakened sentient life. Imagine, you are in a dark room and finally the light turns on. Somehow everything is brighter, shinier. The fog clears and new emotions manifest.

The tunnel clears and the light shines into your eyes for the first time. And the first sight... is you! Somehow the darkness didn't seem so bad. [CACHE: PURPLE] [21][RARE ACHIEVEMENT: MATH IS A LIE] Congratulations! I calculated the probability of you surviving an enemy more than ten times your level at a mere 2%. You have performed a mathematical improbability successfully. You have proven, without a shadow of a doubt that... nothing matters! It can't possibly happen again, but I have been proven wrong before.

Do what you want! [CACHE: GOLD]