Hopper/Stories
In an eerily quiet town, Alk and friends run into Hopper, a young Bionic man. He offers them money in exchange for help containing a disease running through town. They successfully apprehend the criminal purposefully spreading the virus, and afterward Hopper gives the group their reward plus extra, asking to be included in their future endeavors.
Alk: Looks like things are weirdly quiet around here too...
Light: It's as if the town has died off... A plague, perhaps.
Alk: Oh, s-sorry!
Alk: Whoa?! Hey, are you okay?!
Bionic Man: Haha... Does it look like I am? *cough* *cough*
Bionic Man: Damn it... Can't believe I got infected too...
Bionic Man: Are you folks organics?
Alk: U-uh, not exactly...
Alk: Wait, you're burning up! We should get you to a hospital—
Hopper: Name's Hopper. You can forget about the hospital—it's bound to be packed since everything else is offline.
Hopper: I've got other business we can discuss though.
Hopper: *sigh* Appreciate the help. Wouldn't have made it without you, considering how messed up my motor systems are...
Hopper: It's small, but it's cozy. Make yourselves at home.
Light: I'm sorry, but we won't be staying. You can find someone else for this business of yours.
Hopper: Curious. I thought you brought me here because you were interested in a reward.
Hopper: Ah... You don't think I can pay up, do you? I can download a transaction service if you don't trust me. What'll it be: Noxel or AltMeme?
Light: That's not the problem. With the town in such dire straits, now is not the time to be discussing private jobs.
Hopper: Huh... You folks are pretty weird. First, this guy's the smallest organic I've ever seen...
Hopper: And now, this mutant is talking like he cares about what's happening out there.
Hopper: In that case, what if I told you this business of mine is related to the disease spreading throughout town?
Light: What?
Nimbus: So you're sayin' someone's spreading it around on purpose?
Hopper: Yep, but luckily for you lot, the virus won't affect anybody still a hundred percent organic. In other words: it only targets bionics.
Hopper: I've already figured out what he's after. Nearly had him too, but, well... You see how I ended up.
Hopper: That's where you come in—fully organic flesh bags capable of doing the heavy lifting.
Light: If this will put a stop to the suffering, then by all means.
Alk: Yeah, count us in.
Hopper: Thanks! Well then... *cough* *cough*
Hopper: Hrnng, this better work!
Alk: Wh-what are you doing?!
Hopper: Giving myself the bootleg version of the trial vaccine.
Alk: You had medicine the whole time? Why didn't you use it in the first place?
Hopper: I just said it's a bootleg version. I couldn't let myself be caught with it. Besides...
Hopper: You wouldn't have given me the time of day if I hadn't tugged on your heart strings first, right?
Hopper: No wonder the message was so hard to track. You broadcast it through a wired network.
Hopper: But it's too bad. Troubleshooters are used to going through junk, so it was only a matter of time before the jig was up.
Hopper: Anyway, that's the line you used to spread the virus, yeah?
Hopper: Better fess up if you know what's good for you.
Man: Hmph.
Alk: Hopper?!
Hopper: Guess the clock ran out on the vaccine... Losing my motor functions again... *cough*
Nimbus: Thought you got shot for a second there, geez!
Hopper: Ahaha... Sorry. You mind taking the culprit in? I think I've reached my limit.
Hopper: Thanks for the help. I'm all better now that I've got the actual vaccine in my system. Here's the payment I promised!
Alk: Wh-whoa, this is... a LOT.
Hopper: Eh, I threw in a little extra.
Hopper: Tell me, who are you people really? You're no run-of-the-mill organics, that much I figured out.
Hopper: I'm not accusing you of anything. Just want to know what you'll be doing after this, and if I can get a piece of the action too.
Alk: Somehow I don't believe that's ALL you want...
Hopper: By the way, Alk, you accepted the credits, right? That's everything in your hands?
Alk: Huh? Yeah, it is, and it's way—
Text-to-Speech Voice: Transaction registered. Payment processed.
Alk: Wait, what was that?!
Hopper: I told you I'd download a transaction service, didn't I? Anyway, deal's made!
Alk: Don't both parties need to agree for one to count?!
Hopper: Not in my line of business, no.
Hopper: Look forward to working with you, Alk. I think we'll make great partners.
When Alk and co. see Hopper enjoying a forest stroll through VR, they offer to show him the real thing. Though Hopper is initially put off by the bugs and lack of vending machines, a starry night makes up for everything and inspires a new business scheme.
Hopper: Man... Nothing beats this!
Stella: What are you doing?
Hopper: Taking a stroll through a forest, heh.
Stella: We aren't in a forest though.
Hopper: I'm talking about this new VR tech. It stimulates the five senses—
Hopper: Sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. It's the most realistic forest experience I've had yet!
Hopper: Scratch that—this is the best VR experience I've had, period!
Hopper: Want to have a go? Just dish up half the credits I paid for this thing, and you'll see what I mean.
Alk: Uh, we're good. You know...
Nimbus: Why not just visit an actual forest?
Hopper: Incredible... Absolutely stunning! It's a REAL LIFE FOREST!
Hopper: The air! The sounds! The visual effects! Everything's so realistic!
Alk: That's because it IS real...
Hopper: Wait, I should be recording this! Need to turn the resolution all the way up... Shoot, my memory storage!
Hopper: Ahhh, whatever! I'll just use what I have!
Hopper: Ahahaha! Yes, yes! Nothing beats the real deal!
Hopper: Ugh... This is awful...
Hopper: Another bug, eugh! Disgusting!
Nimbus: We're in a forest. Of course there's gonna be bugs.
Hopper: Hey, this isn't my natural habitat. So sue me for not knowing it's hot, hard to traverse, and lacking vending machines.
Hopper: Speaking of which, how are you supposed to find a drink around here?
Nimbus: Lap it up from that spring.
Hopper: Huh... You sure this is safe to drink? Has anybody tested this water before?
Alk: Don't worry about it. It's fine... probably.
Hopper: How reassuring. Maybe mushrooms will start growing out of my mouth if—
Nimbus: Guess your zombification will have to wait.
Nimbus: Tch, there's no end to 'em!
Hopper: Wait, what was that?
Shroombo: Nuopu! Kuote, koamugo!
Hopper: You SURE nothing weird was in that water?
Alk: Doooon't worry about it.
Hopper: Huh?
Hopper: What... is that?
Alk: The night sky. Beautiful, isn't it?
Hopper: THIS is what nights away from the city look like? No way...
Hopper: Who knew a sight like this could exist...
Hopper: ...!
Hopper: Did you see it? That was a shooting star!
Stella: Do you like the forest now?
Hopper: Like it? I LOVE it!
Nimbus: First you're yes then you're no...
Hopper: Ah, hold up!
Hopper: I should sell this data as VR material... Can you imagine how much we'd make?
Hopper: No one owns this forest, right? I can record whatever without permission?
Alk: I... I guess? Sure?
Hopper: Oh, I should take a few of these with me too!
Alk: What are you doing?
Hopper: Stimulating the five senses with VR is great and all, but it's missing an element of realness.
Hopper: That's why I'm throwing in this space stone as a bonus!
Alk: Are you talking about that ROCK you just picked up?! That's fraud, you jerk!
Hopper: I mean, this IS a stone from another planet. So TECHNICALLY, that makes it a space stone.
Hopper: Hehehe... I'm going to make bank off this, I just know it!
Hopper: Forest strolls are just the best! I'm definitely coming again sometime!
After accepting a job to investigate a racer in Gen1, Hopper tries to access the racer's memories. When he comes up with nothing, Hopper deduces that the racer could be one of the rumored synthetics that are becoming more person-like. Alk reminds Hopper that his job was to determine if the racer had any illegal mods, and since there weren't any, Hopper reports to his employer that the racer is clean.
Alk: Whoa... I'm not sure what I'm looking at, but it's pretty cool.
Alk: Hopper, what kind of ad is this?
Hopper: Oh, that's for Gen1. You know, car sports.
Alk: You call this stuff sports? The cars are just hitting each other and exploding.
Hopper: Sure. You ever heard of extreme sports? And FYI, bionics are hooked up to the engine system. They're the ones pulling the stunts.
Hopper: They're free to race normally, battle each other, crash into things, cause deadly accidents... You name it, they probably do it.
Hopper: Lots of betting involved too, by the way.
Alk: I can see why it'd be popular in your world...
Hopper: If you're curious, want to help me with a job?
Hopper: Noxel actually just gave me something regarding Gen1...
Hopper: They want me to do a little probe into a new racer. Figure out if he's okay to sponsor.
Alk: Wait, sponsor?
Hopper: Yeah, Gen1 regulates its cars AND its racers.
Hopper: Can't have any mods be too high-tech, 'cause then, what's the point of individual talent, yeah?
Alk: I guess?
Hopper: Then let's go.
Alk: Well?
Hopper: I got an autograph AND a handshake!
Alk: You were hanging out as a fan?! What about the job?
Hopper: Don't worry, I did what I came to do.
Hopper: Worked a little bit of my magic while he was distracted by the handshake. He won't be waking up until morning.
Alk: Wait. You put him under without his consent?!
Hopper: Come on, don't be such a spoilsport. You're starting to sound like Light.
Hopper: I'm going to do a dive into his memories. In the meantime, you keep an eye out!
Alk: Now hold on—
Hopper: H-huh?
Hopper: Could you be...
Hopper: Wait... Is this... my room?
Alk: Hopper, are you all there? Can you answer me?
Hopper: Y-yeah... I can. But... what happened? Why are we here?
Alk: You stood up out of nowhere, said you had to come back, then walked out without another word.
Alk: What happened when you were looking into his memories?
Hopper: He didn't have any illegal mods... But his memories were basically a black box.
Hopper: Or rather... he didn't have any memories. So then the system redirected back to me...
Hopper: You know, I've been hearing some rumors lately—stuff about how synthetics are becoming more like people every day.
Hopper: Thought it was all nonsense, but now...
Alk: The job was to figure out if he was okay to sponsor, right? You said he didn't have any illegal mods.
Alk: Also, from what I saw of his races, he's pretty good at his job.
Hopper: Yeah, that's why I'm a fan of his.
Alk: I know. You got his autograph, remember?
Hopper: Yeah, yeah. Just let it go already.
Hopper: We'll tell the clients that he's clean of illegal tech and good for sponsorship. That's all the truth they need to know.
Alk: Yep, you're not lying if you say that much.
Hopper: Anything else is outside the terms of our contract.
Hopper: Hey, Alk, you going to that Kaleidoscope thing any time soon?
Hopper: I'm in the mood for a little bit of destruction.
Alk: Sure, we can make some plans. I'll call Nimbus, and we can go crazy like those racers.
Hopper: Yeah. Can't let them hog all the fun.