ic Block Head

[Removed.]

You know in hindsight he really should of expected this sort of thing. His line of work did call for the unique and strange like a somewhat sentient house trying to kill him with itself.Moving fast but not quickly enough a chunk of rubble hit Mannequin as he tumbled. No real harm was done thanks to his highly resistant body but still, that was too close and would frankly make for quite a anticlimactic end to his career. Here lies Mannequin...Crushed by rock. Such a death was insulting. Pushing the chunk off him he didn't wait around to see what else this house of horror had in store and made a beeline out of there separating and propelling his parts out with the force of his strong magnetic pull. As soon as he was out he quickly check to see if Ratchet was ok.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Ratchet was there, already, pressing his weathered face against the wire fence, just to the side of the hole they cut through. He gave a thumbs up from the distance, and then pointed. 

 

A group of construction workers, four of them, had come to investigate the falling masonry. They were big scrawny men, but cautious. Only the biggest seem bold. Hettie the hammer, surely. She was perhaps not as big as Ratchet had made out, but she was big, all the same. Over six foot and strong as an ox. And yes, she was swinging a hammer quite capably. 

 

Ratchet was obviously scared. But the workers had not yet seen either him nor Mannequin. But they probably would...

[Removed.]

Well this wasnt going according to plan. It would seem Mannequin found himself in quite a problem. He could and usually would stand his ground and get some answers outta the workers and their obvious strange buildings but something tells him they wont be open with that information and on top of that he had to watch out for Ratchet. What kind of hero would he be if he got an innocent bystander hurt in a fight? They could try to hide but the only real hiding spots are in the buildings which just tried to kill him so there goes hiding. He didnt like it but the best option would be to stand his ground and try not to start a fight. Surely they can be reasonable...Right?

[Supercape]

GM

 

Hettie and her thugs stopped dead in their march towards Ratchet. 

 

"Go go! Smash their heads in, man!" yelled Ratchet, tearing his hair and dancing from foot to foot with glee at the prospect of Hettie getting her just fate. 

 

"Who da hell are you?" grunted Hettie, shifting her hammer. "You from da building?" she asked, suspiciously. 

 

It was clear that whilst Hettie was extremely strong, she was not particularly smart. Even her thugs, of less than impressive mental powers themselves, were probably smarter than she was. Although they capitulated to her lead as she was strong. Accordingly, they tried to look tough themselves. Whilst not holding firearms these were strong guys carrying things like tire irons and spanners. The fourth one carried a chainsaw. 

 

"If you from da building, you gotta get back. We sort you out, says boss...." mumbled Hettie, full of fumbled and ambiguous diplomacy. 

[Removed.]

Well that was unexpected. Mannequin thought that Hettie would try to live up to hear name and break his kneecaps (if he still had any) but turns out she is just another Meat Head. Meat heads are both bad and good. Bad because what they dont have in intelligence or cunning they make up for with sheer determination and strength. However the good thing about Meat Heads is that they are predictable. As long as you dont surprise them they can easily be fooled. Since she already thinks of him being  part of the house well best to play that up. Downside is going back in the house but he things he would have better chances of keeping Ratchet save against rocks than people who smash rocks.

 

"Back..Buildinggggg....Back to back building....You come back to building...." Mannequin grabbed Ratchet by the shoulder and started lightly pushing him towards the building hoping the Meat Heads bought the ruse."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Yeah, get back to the building, dumb-hat" sneered Hettie, who, for all her strength and bravado, looked relieved. She was clearly happier smashing in the knees of the helpless. 

 

"Hahaha...Dumb Hat!" she laughed. 

 

She looked sternly at the three thugs by her side, who got the message. 

 

"Dumb Hat...har har har! you sure are funny!" they laughed without a trace of mirth. 

 

"Thats right, I am" agreed Hettie. "We better tell the boss that the building has churned out another one. Huh. Looked even more stupid that block head. He ain't gonna be happy..."

 

She pointed at Ratchet with her hammer. "You, scram, or I'll smash your mouth in!" she yelled at him. Ratchet had a kind of crazy boldness to him, but he crumbled and scampered off. 

 

"You...and you...go tell da boss...." she ordered the two minions by her side. The last one, with the chainsaw, she kept with her. 

 

"We better go make sure dumb-hat stays in the building. Dats what da boss wants for Block Head..." she muttered to the thug. 

 

Keeping her distance, she followed Mannequin back to the mysterious building, eyeing him - and the building - suspiciously. 

[Removed.]

In times like these Mannequin was always fond of making things simple. The most simple way of making things simple was to simply divide the events into The Good News or The Bad News. The Bad News is that  he was captured. The Good News is that he didn't have to worry about Ratchet getting hurt as he was chased off. The Bad News is that he is entering a murder house. The Good News is that it looked like he just had to pretend awhile longer before meeting their boss and finally getting some answers. All things considered he was pleased with the outcome and didn't think for a second that it wouldn't come back to bite him in his backside. At the very worst he has to fight Hettie but he could probably take her. Following their orders he slowly reentered the building hoping it wouldn't kill him due to actual workers being in there with him.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"And stay in there! Don't come out!" shouted Hettie from outside the mysterious self-constructing building. 

 

Even Hettie was not bold enough to enter the building, what with its falling masonry and creaking walls. 

 

And...what was this?

 

What it was was about nine feet tall. It was blue. Or purple. Or maybe a bit of both. A giant ceramic man. 

 

Its head was a cube, much like the falling masonry or the sample that Ratchet had brought them. A face on each side bar the one attached to its body. It had, in essence, a block head. 

 

"This building is restricted!" said the five faces in unison, somewhat angry and self important. 

 

"You are a material anomaly and must be reprocessed!" it added, lurching towards Mannequin....

 

Outside, Mannequin could hear Hettie and the site manager, the Mr. Brick that Ratchet had talked off, in heated discussion. 

 

"What do you mean....there's another one?" screamed Mister Brick. 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by Supercape

[Removed.]

Mannequin wish he could say this was the weirdness thing being attack by a piece of modern art but sadly it wasn't. It seemed to want to feel important but Mannequin had a good guess it was naive. Just a guess but probably a good one...Probably. Maybe he can turn the tables and accuse the art piece gone wrong of the same thing.

 

"No, you!" Jutting out a finger in accusation. "You are a material  anomaly and must stand down or be reprocessed!" Mannequin put as much disappointment and disproval in his voice as possible. The end result would of made a super strict family proud.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I? Am a material anomaly?" queried Block head, its five faces frowning. 

 

Then, the faces broke harmony. 

 

"I am an anomaly!"

 

"No, I am an anamaly!"

 

"No, I am not an anomaly!"

 

"How do i know if I am anomaly!"

 

"Testing....Testing....!"

 

Block Head then proceeded to punch itself in the face, once, twice, then in a flurry of furious testing activity. 

 

The block head, like the rest of its body, was resilient, and had an elastic quality, distorting and springing back when punched. But it the whole head looked rather warped after its vigorous self testing. It wobbled on its feet. 

 

"I am not an anomaly! I am resilient building material! You are attempting deception!" it said, pointing an accusing finger at Mannequin. 

[Removed.]

Ok this was good. Finding out whether the now roughed up art piece could be dissuaded opened up a lot of option. Since it so easily questioned it's own existence it should be easier to make it question other's existence or rather how they exist. Hopefully Mannequin could pull this off without having to fight.

 

"Yes, you may be made out of resilient building material but why does that prove you are no anomaly? After all, you just accused me of being an anomaly despite being made of the same material as you. Sure you can see the fault in your own logic here. Either we are both an anomaly or we are both standard. If we are both an anomaly then the only way to fulfill our function is to deconstruct which I will happily do but I am inclined to believe we are both standard and thus allies and should work together to fulfill our mutual purpose. What shall it be, destruction or fulfillment?"

 

Hopefully this catch 22 proves to be too complicated for the art piece and either it will shut down, destroy itself, or become a willing ally and offer vital information. Even if it wishes for Mannequin to be destroyed he was fairly certain detaching all his limbs and collapsing to the floor would be more than enough to trick the piece into killing itself none the wiser.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Block head paused. 

 

"You make sense" he agreed, the faces once again speaking in harmony. "My...your...purpose is what defines us. We are here to build, are we not!?" he questioned. 

 

"This is the absolute, the singular goal. Oh what joy! To build! To build!" he explained, now quite happy despite at least two noses that were smashed to a pulp. "Yes, it is time to build. We shall never cease the joyous task. Never! Not until the universe freezes over. Ah! Happy happy happy!"

 

Block Head turned his block head and started piecing together a wall from some cinder bricks. 

 

He was almost singing. 

 

"Happy happy happy! Build Build Build!" he repeated over and over again. 

 

Until one face caught sight of Mannequin. 

 

"You are the same. You build. And you be happy about build...." he said, concerned that perhaps Mannequin was not quite the same. 

[Removed.]

Seeing the concerned look in the art piece's many faces (some of which broken) he couldn't help but feel sad towards its childlike innocence. Such a thing was rare these days with people lying and abusing each other for their own goals and well...Mannequin was no different in some regards. He openly mislead and lied about himself even though it was always to help people it was still nonetheless a lie.Wanting to not be the cause of any problems or questioning to come up he casually walked over to some electrical components and had a plan. 

 

Grabbing a handful of components he slowly started to tinker as he begun to speak. "Yes, we are the same in many regards but...we are also different in what we do. You are a builder, erecting walls and shelter to keep people safe from outside harm while I, I am a creator. You build that which already exists while I create something new for you to build. If you follow what I say then together we can fulfill our purpose and make the world a brighter place." Finished fiddling Mannequin revealed the most grossly incandescent light bulb you've ever seen. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Vorik

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Ah, you are making sense! Yes!" agreed Block Head. "I build walls. I build ceilings! Oh! Happy building!" smiled the faces with content. "This is what it means to be alive? Yes! Happy happy happy! Build Build Build!"

 

He stared at the light bulb. 

 

"Yes! And you build shiny! Happy shiny thing!" he said, solemn and proud. "I know things about building. Shiny things go in the ceiling. Make pretty light for rooms! Very good!" he said, enthralled by the new complexity. 

 

Block Head was interrupted by Mr. Brick shouting through a loud speaker. 

 

"You there! This is private property!" came the megaphone distorted voice. "Vacate the premises immediately. It is not safe. Things might happen. Like your knees getting shattered!" he ordered. 

 

"Yeah!" came the more muffled, but excited, voice of Hettie the Hammer. 

 

"Shut up! Let me do the talking!" came the megaphone voice back, admonishing Hettie. 

 

"That is Mr. Brick! The owner!" mumbled Block Head. "He develops buildings! Such a good man, to develop buildings!" he muttered, almost in awe. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Supercape

[Removed.]

"Hey Block Head, It looks like Mr.Brick wants to talk to me so I'll hopefully be back to help you. I just have one question before I go though. Do you consider yourself alive? What I mean is do you feel emotions like sadness and joy? Its important for me to know."

 

The sculpture had already displayed a wide range of emotions like anger, joy, and excitement but he had to know if it was truly self aware or not. If it was self aware then some laws allowed it worker rights which where clearly not being followed.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Why, what a most strange question!" replied Block Head, quite shocked. "Of course I am alive! I move. I act. I choose. I might build this, or I might build that. I might build it this way, or I might build it that way. This is free will! I have total free will to do what Mr. Brick says. After all..." he continued, dramatically, pointing his finger to the ceiling as a point of oratory. 

 

"He is...the developer! it is by his glorious happy will and hand that buildings get built at all!" he finished, quite convinced about the matter, and most happy about it, for it would mean building. 

 

"Come out or I'll bomb you out!" screamed Mr. Brick through his megaphone. 

 

"Bomb? Bomb? Surely Mr. Brick would never do such a thing! He is the developer!" muttered Block Head, a little worried. 

[Removed.]

Holding his hands up in a easing motion. "Hey, hey, hey, don't worry. There wont be any bombs destroying your work. At least not when I have anything to do about it. I'm afraid that Mr Brick has deceived you into thinking he is a good person. He is only using you as a tool of cheap labor. He will break things when he doesn't get what he wants. Breaking things are bad right?  I need to go talk to him before he starts breaking things but when I get back I'd like to offer you a job to build more than just walls and ceilings. I'll return when I can."

 

With that Mannequin cautiously walked out of the front door towards Mr.Brick and his goons. Hopefully this wouldn't end in violence but it probably will. Standing before Brick he crossed his arms standing to his imposing height of 8,2 and glared with his featureless face. "You better have a good explanation for what you are doing here."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I hope not! Unless...can it be?" muttered Block Head. "Sometimes one must destroy a building to build a greater one. It happens! Yes, maybe that is his glorious plan! Why I can scarcely conceive what happy happy building might supplant this one! Oh great joy joy joy!"

 

Mr Brick was a fat man in a cheap suit. Bald as you like, sweating, and red faced. Maybe sun burn, maybe fury. He was shortish, but one would imagine he had a certain strength to his frame. He was in his forties, maybe more, and looked like he had done some time as a labourer on construction sites as a young man. 

 

"Yes, I do! I am a totally almost legitimate businessman, and this is private property! More so, you have trespassed on a dangerously unstable building and I can't be held responsible for an accident" he festered. 

 

"Why, at any moment know the building could collapse on you. Or a hammer could fall on both your kneecaps. Or maybe a chainsaw might slide through your neck. Or a stick of dynamite might get accidentally rammed up your backsi...wait...you are Mannequin, right? You don't even have a backside..." he complained, vexed that his flow of insults floundered. 

 

"Anyway, you best get off this site now. If I see you again, I'm calling the police. And other stuff might happen too...!"

[Removed.]

"You know its better to just lie all the way and say you are a fully legitimate businessman. It makes you seem less slimy. Look I'm just going to get to the point here. I don't know you, I don't want to know you. Hell, I don't even like you but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that you have blatantly stolen my patent material and for reasons beyond me, gave it self awareness. Now don't lie to me. Any inventor worth his salt can easily tell whats his and not his and this is definitely mine. I'm willing to overlook these crimes if you are willing to do a few things. First and foremost, I would like to acquire Block Head. He is a full sentient being and must be kept in a safe controlled lab until he understands morality. Since you seem to already not like him I don't see any problem with you handing him over. The second is that You negotiate with Jimmy Mcron the CEO of Vison Inc for rights to use MY material. It still wouldn't be yours but you'd be allowed to use it. It is only fair that Vision Inc gets some credit for its use. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to know where you got the material in the first place and in such large quantities. Again I don't care about you nor do I want to make you my problem just do these and you will be free to do whatever you want. Otherwise I will see you in court for patent infringement, enslaving sentient life, and the death threats you threw my way.  Even if I do not win the multiple lawsuits I will make this as expensive a process as possible and believe me, Vision has far more money to lose than you. This is the only time I am willing to be reasonable. Do not lose it."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Mr. Brick paused, chewing his lip. 

 

"You...ah...well...given the rights and fair use of ceramics in experimental construction bill...err...wait...no, that's not right. What was it now, the affordable development national property act of wait...ummm...."

 

He frowned a moment, then exploded. 

 

"Goddamnit you buncha morons! Someone get me my goddamn lawyer!!!!" he screamed. He kicked a minion, then a bunch of concrete slabs. He tried to ignored the bone crunching pain, but he looked visibly pale and clammy. And everyone could hear the snapping toes. 

 

"Ok take the idiot for now. If you can. He won't leave that building anyway..." he muttered, then limped back to the administrative prefab building on the site, his cronies in tow. 

[Removed.]

Few could withstand the power of LAW! And Mannequin knew just how to use it. Quite a few years ago there was a huge fiasco where a much bigger corporation VerTiGO "Goal is always up!" tried to sue Vision for a similar sky elevator product. Vision won but still lost millions in the end which taught young Mannequin a important lesson.  There is nothing as soul crushing and life destroying as the legal patent system. He didn't like to pull it out but Mr Brick left him little choice in the matter. Now onto the next problem...Convincing Block Head to come with him.

 

Entering  back into thew building with the casual grace of winning a battle without a single punch he waved at Block Head. "I have some good news for you."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Good news! What could it be? A skyscraper to build? A pyramid? What delights of building lay in store for us happy builders?" said Block Head, most keenly. 

 

He did not pause from his work of shifting building materials and stacking them. Despite his simplicity of personality, he was actually very good. Fast, tireless, and accurate in his construction. He could do the work of ten men in half the time, and double the quality. 

 

"To build is to exist. To exist is to build!" he explained cheerfully as he carried on working without pause. This, he could do with ease. He did, literally, have eyes on the back of his head. 

[Removed.]

"I have spoken with Mister Brick and he thinks its a good idea for you to come with me. He wants you to be the best builder you can be so he wants you to come work for me. Working for me will allow you to build to your heart's content and I can assure you that you will be building far more grand and important things all the while. We shouldn't wait around here too long though. There is much I can teach you about building."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"More building! Oh joyous joy! For there is no better thing in life than to build. Building is life! And life is building!" said Block Head. He was loathe to leave his current occupation, but the prospect of grander designs could not be resisted. 

 

And so...back at Vision Inc

 

"See, I told you, man! Totally awesome and stra-ange!" declared Ratchet, waving his fingers at the ether. "I mean, its like a golem, or something, right? A goddamn artificial life form!"

 

"This is a very well constructed building" said Block Head, somewhat upset. "I cannot see any clear area's that need construction work, or any clear avenue to expand?" he asked. His fingers were getting twitchy, and his five faces peered around the walls looking for cracks. Or possibly to make cracks just so the cracks could be repaired. 

[Removed.]

Chuckling to himself Mannequin was pleased with how the day's events went. He not only gotten a further lead on his missing technology but he has also made a sizable profit for his company and found two new friends he could hopefully one day count upon. Best part of all it was done without the nonsensical violence. Being a hero is great and all but saving the day without a punch is what really separates a hero from a barbarian. Yes, today has been a good day. All he need to do now was sit and wait until the negotiations ended and a deal is struck giving him his next lead. He wished he could take the time to bask in his victory but sadly a hero's work is never done as he has 2 people he needs to figure out what to do with. 

 

"Yes, yes, it is a very special day and I am quite pleased with how everything went. It goes without saying that I could not of done any of this without your help Ratchet. Thanks to your bravery to speak out and help regardless of the dangers of losing your job and potentially life I would like to personally thank you. You showing the motivation and resooolve to stand up is exactly what this company prides itself on and I would like to offer you a position as a leading architect in further use integrating the company's tech into public life. I do have one condition though with this job offer. You must agree to see a trained medical professional and get medication. Can't have you working not being on top of your game now can we? I'll let you think the offer over but I can assure you Vision treats its employees very well."

 

He hopes Ratchet would say yes. This was the only way he can see helping the poor guy get back on his feet. He may be...eccentric but he is a mover with a good heart. Now to move on to Block Head before he starts nervously making things to fix in my walls.

 

"As for you Block Head, I didn't lie when I said you'd be building more grand designs here so don't worry but I do have to ask one thing. Is this truly what you want? You are still naive to the world and I don't want to force you to work against your will. Tell you what, I'll have you work down in the Foundry for a few days or so and if you don't like it there we can figure something else out. Ok?

 

Mannequin reached down and pressed the big red button on his desk. 

 

"Janet, please have some lab assistants escort our new worker Block Head to the Foundry. Let them know he will be working alongside them for the next few days and deserves the same respect as everyone else. Those who disagree can personally talk to me. Also. Send a runner for Dr. Deoxy, I require his expertise in Behavior Studies and would like his assistance in following a lead on the strange and mysterious."

 

He knew Dr.Deoxy had a weakness to the beck and call of mysterious science, all mad scientists like him do. His help would be vital in figuring out a more long term plan on how to handle Block Head. Truth be told Mannequin wasn't a people person and hardly had a clue on how to raise a new sentient AI. Its for the best to bring in an expert. Not only could he handle Block Head he would be of great help in following his new lead. The mad doctor had several years of experience on being a super hero than he did and would be a perfect time to meet and learn from an idol that inspired him to be one.