Five Pebbles (character)/Dialogue

First encounter

= = I am growing increasingly impatient with the traffic of your kind through me and my premises. During previous interactions, I have been rewarded no other response than a blank stare. Yet you apparently have sufficient ability for communication to circulate complex instructions on how to enter this chamber among each other. You and your kind have the same problem as everyone else, from the microbes in the processing strata to me, who am, if you excuse me, godlike in comparison. We all want a way out. It is only unfortunate that you have collectively decided on... me as your solution to that very elemental desire. The last one I gave some help and some general directions. I will do the same for you. Go west. Past the Farm Arrays. Where the land fissures, go down into the earth and search your way deeper. Now in return I ask you to use whatever grunts, moans and eye-twitches you employ to forward a message to your community. Please stop scratching your way through my memory arrays. Speaking of, on your way out please use the access shaft.

== . .  .  ...is this reaching you? A little animal, on the floor of my chamber. I think I know what you are looking for. You're stuck in a cycle, a repeating pattern. You want a way out. Know that this does not make you special - every living thing shares that same frustration. From the microbes in the processing strata to me, who am, if you excuse me, godlike in comparison. The good news first. In a way, I am what you are searching for. Me and my kind have as our purpose to solve that very oscillating claustrophobia in the chests of you and countless others. A strange charity - you the unknowing recipient, I the reluctant gift. The noble benefactors? Gone. The bad news is that no definitive solution has been found. And every moment the equipment erodes to a new state of decay. I can't help you collectively, or individually. I can't even help myself. For you though, there is another way. The old path. Go to the west past the Farm Arrays, and then down into the earth where the land fissures, as deep as you can reach, where the ancients built their temples and danced their silly rituals. The mark I gave you will let you through. * Not that it solves anyone's problem but yours. * If the Slugcat dies without saving after meeting Five Pebbles, the mark is kept; therefore, if Five Pebbles is encountered once again, he does not give it again and this sentence is omitted.

Traveling from General Systems Bus
"At the end of time none of this will matter I suppose, but it would be nice if you took another way out. One free of... frolicking in my memory arrays. There is a perfectly good access shaft right here."

Traveling from The Wall
"Best of luck to you, little creature. I must resume my work."

= =

With Green Neuron
Let us see what you have here. Eleven... no sixteen! Sixteen slag reset keys. I've seen several before, but one or two will be useful. However, it seems this delivery was not intended for me. Everything suggests it was tailored for the specific predicaments of a friend of mine. Her name is Looks to the Moon, and her state is considerably worse than mine. She's a short distance to the east of here - much shorter than customary. A circumstance that has led to some difficulties between us. I am not without responsibility for her situation. It would only be suiting that I aided in this... rescue mission. As other endeavors have proven futile, I'm not ashamed to admit I've become more invested in day to day matters. I will do what I can to assist you. Unless you are aware, you are not well. I was not a medical facility even when the equipment was functioning, but I will attempt to do something to buy you a little time. You do not have much time. It is admirable what you choose to do with it. Send my regards.

Lingering
Thank you little creature. I must resume my work. I appreciate what you have done but it is time for you to leave. As I mentioned you do not have unlimited time.

Without Green Neuron
I barely listen to the overseers any more. I have concluded that the movements of animals on the premises absolutely and completely lack relevance to my endeavours. With you, they have been very persistent ever since you entered my Farm Arrays. You were on an unusually deliberate path. Now you are here. The images showed you carrying something. You are not any longer. Did you lose it along the way? Or did you give it to Looks to the Moon? In the latter case, I hope it was of some help to her. Not that I can imagine what one of you could be able to do for one of us, but she needs all the help she can get. ... You seem to have been in contact with an iterator before, so perhaps you are already aware. You and I have something in common, little creature. We both have something... unfortunate growing in us. In my case, there is not much to be done. For you however, there might be a way. The old path. Go to the west past the Farm Arrays, and then down into the earth where the land fissures, as deep as you can reach, where the ancients built their temples and danced their silly rituals. I will give you something that might be of help. I suggest you hurry.

=Common Dialogue=

Lingering Too Long
"That's all. You'll have to go now." "LEAVE." "Little creature. This is your last warning."

Returning to the Chamber
"You again? I have nothing for you." "I won't tolerate this. Leave immediately and don't come back." "You had your chances."