#tyrak road 96

[danieesketches]

Happy Halloween 🎃

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I’m not one to rush how quick time goes but I’ve been so excited to finally upload these illustrations. Coming up with the costumes was so much fun too aha! (Fun fact, all of this started because I wanted to make a ‘Goldichops and the three bears’ pun).

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Goldichops and the three bears (Robert, John, Fanny and Alex)

Sanrio squad: Yoshikitty, Badtz-Maru, Lala and Pompompurin (Zoe, Kaito, Aya and Max)

Outfit swap (Stan, Sonya and Mitch)

Dino onesies (Jarod and Lola) (they’re pachycephalosaurus onesies because the wiki says the main character of the Prologue book said that’s the dino Lola would be)

Demons, Colton and an angel (Tyrak, Colton, Muller and Florres) (Tyrak doesn’t need a demon costume and I just know Muller probably wouldn’t wear a costume either)

Bowling (Mile 0 Steve and Adam)

Witch and wizard (Anzu and Daw)

The Little Tyrax (honestly only included this illustration because I thought it would be cool to draw them too)

[bleeeeeck]

Tyrak Square condos - Road 96: Mile 0

[kirain]

Have you played Road 96? If so how many of your teens made it? If not, you really should! It's a fantastic game!

I have and I absolutely loved it! Such an underrated game! I even made Picrew profiles that matched the silhouettes on the missing posters, so I could grow more attached to my characters as I played.

Five of my teens made it. Tripp paid to cross, River took the tunnels, Wanda hid in the trucks, Skye climbed the mountain peak, and Terra escaped during the revolution. Cruz unfortunately got arrested after Stan and Mitch f*cked me by stealing my car. It was honestly the worst luck, as it was the first area and there wasn't really anything I could do. I also started out with low energy and collapsed right when the next area loaded. A cop immediately picked me up. Godspeed, Cruz. I hope you escaped The Pits. I'm choosing to believe you did.

North sadly got shot and died helping Zoe cross the border, but that was more of a conscious sacrifice on my end. I knew it was going to happen, but I felt like it was more important to help Zoe escape, since she could potentially start a revolution that would help more teens in the long run. RIP, North. You died a hero.

I didn't know there were so many endings when I played, but I was pretty happy with what I got on my first playthrough. John, Fanny, and Alex escaped and lived a happy life, Jarod captured Robert and locked him in the trunk of his car (which was kind of funny, even though Jarod should also be locked up... probably in a mental institution), Florres was elected president, Tyrak was overthrown and tossed in jail, The Iron Pits closed down, and the wall was demolished. The only downside is Zoe got killed, and that stung, but she knew the risks. Vive la révolution!

[lasisgood]

My sister and I are playing road 96 mile 0 and we still hate Zoe.

Like apparently this is a sequel. But it's so bad. Zoe like we said she would. Just went back home to her rich father facing no consequences for her actions.

So since this is a sequel she doesn't acknowledge anything if the og road 96 except with "you were there weren't you" and it's like she left how many kids and killed at least 2.

Then decides doing this is too hard and goes back home.

We just don't like her. She's a wannabe. She wants to be on the road but it's nothing but a fun road trip to her. The other characters we played as in road 96 weren't doing this for funsies they were doing it for survival if they didn't make they didn't have homes to return to.

I laughed so hard when I found out his name is kaito. Because kaito from vocaloid is my boy and I love him. Me and my sister were like what are the chances. My playstation username is kaito something. The irony.

But I still hate Zoe. I'm not a fan of the mini games it reminded us of temple run. We're not very far into the game but we're still hoping to see all the characters.

I feel like this should've been a prequel than a sequel. And instead of Zoe they should've made it be like her sister or something. And the aftermath of Zoe either passing in the protest or escaping. And that could either radicalize her for the black brigades or set her in her view of Zoe was wrong and that tyrak is all there is and you shouldn't go against the grain.

This timeline is not making any sense

[scriberye]

I was wondering if you still wrote for road 96? And if you do could you do another Jarod one shot x gn! Reader? Or hcs? Thank you! I hope your having a good day/night! :)

Hi, anon! I only intended to write that one piece since I didn't really have any other ideas for a one-shot. I'm sorry! I hope these hcs can make up for the disappointment though! Maybe something in the future? There's a prequel game coming so, fingers-crossed, we get to see more Jarod!

Jarod was not enthusiastic about letting you into his life, but your persistence wore him down. You were the one bright thing in a dark, dark world. As with all good things, he’s worried you’ll get snuffed out, too.

Jarod is careful to keep you and his ‘extracurricular activities’ separate. You remain blissfully unaware of the people he’s murdered while pursing this relationship. He intends to keep it that way.

He’s upfront with you about his anger issues though, but it’s still frightening when he goes off. He never hurts you physically, but his outbursts are draining. After that, Jarod disappears for an unknown amount of time. He always comes back though.

Dinosaurs. At first, it was weird, the dinosaur toys, and dinosaur print ties. You assumed Jarod just liked dinosaurs until you found out about Lola and how much it all meant to him. You grew to accept them, and eventually like the dinosaurs too, because it was a part of Jarod.

You learn about Lola in bits and pieces, but never the full story. You try to support Jarod in his grief, and let him talk about her when he wants. It always ends in tears.

You get creative with date nights since there isn’t much to do in the middle of nowhere. One night it’s a picnic under the stars, another was popcorn and movies on Jarod’s portable VHS player. If you ask really nicely, Joe might even let you use the bar’s kitchen one evening to cook together. But only because he likes you.

It’s not until Jarod gets closure for Lola’s death does therapy actually start working. Some days are better than others, and he depends on alcohol less. He handles his anger better and you’re happy to see him begin to heal and smile more.

To celebrate his recovery (and Tyrak losing the election), you head to the beach. It’s a rare and luxurious treat neither of you could afford before, and it marks a new beginning in your relationship. The trip is intimate, and Jarod welcomes you into other parts of his life. As a bonus, you have a picture of Jarod wearing yellow.

I believe Sonya, Stan and Mitch are in a different place in the ending credits but if you think they’re all on the beach!! Stan and Mitch cause a minor scene, but Sonya catches on that your trip there with Jarod is romantic. She keeps the boys out of your hair, entirely unaware of why the brothers hate Jarod. (You are, too. Jarod isn’t ready for that talk.)

[rpgchoices]

Sometimes I really want to read a short summary of what to expect from a game… and thankfully people can also submit their summaries of games they played and help me (and others) find games that cater to their interests!

submitted by @lairofsentinel

(click here for other videogames)

what to expect from ROAD 96: Mile 0

Story-driven game with little to play, and more about picking options. 

This game is a prequel of Road 96. Here, we understand Zoe’s background in detail and the reason why she, as the daughter’s Petria’s oil minister, left the main city.  Zoe is a character we met in the previous game I've talked about before.

You play with 2 teenagers: Kaito, the son of an exploited working class parents, and Zoe, the daughter of the country’s oil minister. There is no customization.

In this game, we are focused on the City of Petria, a fantasy mixture of north of Mexico and communist Russia, where the tyranny is led by an “elected president called” Tyrak. Mainstream media is completely bought and altered by his party. I have done a criticism about the first game and the real world countries that inspired it. Nowadays, ironically, everything that was done as a criticism of communism [for example, Orwell’s stories] applies perfectly well as a criticism for capitalism, so I’m torn about this game and where it’s aiming for, specially when you know it's a French production.

It’s needless to say that this game has a high content criticizing our current democracy systems. There is also some room for questioning fanatic behaviour in either side: fascist fanatics as well as revolutionary fanatics. One can agree or disagree with the content of this game, but I like how it stimulates your thoughts and your questions.

Its narrative is a lot simpler than in the first game.

We find and meet some of the characters we saw in the previous game too; like the only reporter of the city, Sonya; the kind policewoman Fany, the tired revolutionary John, or the genius kid who is on the road, Alex.

The game loosely presents the previous game’s  3 alignments: revolutionary, moderate, and mainstream. But they seem to be less tight than in the previous game.

This game has a lot of minigames that may end up being very annoying. 

Among the minigames, and as transitions between big acts in the storytelling, we have something called “rides”, in which Kaito and Zoe do a race in high speed in skater or roll skates. Despite being a beautiful, artistic resources, in which we are delighted with amazing music, fast-pace movement, colour and aesthetics according to the part of the story we are exploring [therefore, it has deep meaning and symbolism], they tend to be performed a bit off. There are a lot of camera changes you don’t control that make these rides a bit more challenging that they should be. For a nice compilation of all these rides, check this video [tons of spoilers, though]. I personally love this ride in particular, when the same tyrant politician who developed a police state a la Big Brother and controls and exploits the worker class to death in oil towns is elected again for 10 years more. 

The game has decent graphics without asking you to have a NASA computer. 

Game fully voiced.

Several different endings, I can count around 9, depending on the last scene choices, which are available depending on how much reputation as revolutionary, moderate, questioning or mainstream you were along the game.   

Short game, around 5 hours of gameplay.

——- Plot? ——-

You play as Zoe or Kaito, living in the city of White Sands, where the president, the oil minister, and the flashy reporter Sonya live. The main plot revolves about the friendship between Zoe and Kaito, and how the class difference and reality affects their perspectives and relationship so deeply. 

——- Gameplay? ——- 

You interact with the NPCs and the environment in a way that increase or decrease your moderation, mainstream support, or revolutionary views.  Sometimes there are boring, annoying mini games as the story progresses.

——- Characters? ——- 

Mainly Kaito and Zoe. 

 ——- LGBT? ——-

Nothing, so far I perceived. 

——- Sadness level? ——- 

Low, but keeps you thinking.

——- Happy ending? Deaths? ——-

There may be deaths depending on your choices. The endings are always bittersweet or bad. Zoe always leaves the city since she is found in the previous game on the road.

[caught-in-a-landslide]

Road 96 Ocs Lore: Lucas Dimmer.

Hello everyone!

I thought I’d share the story on the Road 96 Ocs you’ve seen. If I’m going to do a whole story on the characters for a series, I might as well make it now!

We’ll start off with the main blonde dude himself:

<Lucas Dimmer>

Age: 18.

Hair Colour: Blonde.

Eye Colour: Blue.

Relations:

-Zoe. (Best Friend/Crush)

-John. (Ally/Friend)

-Melisa & Lily. (Siblings)

-Alex. (Friend)

[His inventory]:

-Baseball bat. (Got broken later on)

-Walkie-Talkie.

-Pocket knife. (In case of emergencies!)

-Energy drink.

[The Encounters]:

-Take Your Time. *And Do It Right* (Jarod encounter)

-Smells Like Teen Spirit. (Zoe encounter)

-Beep Boop Beep. (Alex encounter, Meets another teen named Anna)

-No Concession. (Joined Zoe during this encounter with another Teen named Justin)

-Time To Get Serious. (John encounter)

-Beat It. (Second Jarod encounter)

-Fire Starter. (Rescued Zoe from the police, joins her with crossing the border to reveal the truth on the attack in 86’. Helps her get across and ends up being taken to the Pits)

[Info]:

Teenage rebellion at its finest, Lucas never had much of a social life due to being treated as the weakling of the country…He has come to terms that Petria is beyond saving and no voting for a new president is going to make life any better. Growing up in the old mouldy apartments of White Sands have finally took the toll on him, so what’s the only option now? Getting to the border, and escaping to a better life. He grabbed what he could, left a note claiming he was ‘going out with his friends’, just so his sisters wouldn’t worry, and started his roadtrip. If there’s any luck, he might find others who are struggling just like him, and are experiencing an adventure that no kid wouldn’t want to miss!

However, once coming across the Brigades, Lucas decided to join the fight against the whole thing of Tyrak. Especially since he knew Zoe was an important part of the plans. (As he had meet her and stayed with her until she got arrested, so he knew she was being transferred out of the Pits later on)

[Personality]:

Lucas has a bit of a temper, and sometimes jumps to conclusions over anything. He does love his sisters, but since things have been up and down with his older sister Lily, they have always seemed to argue and it’s never been resolved.

Lucas seems to get into fights or vents out his problems with breaking things and attacking or lashing out on others. It takes a while for him to calm down, but breaking things anyway can help with this.

He started to take a liking to Zoe, as her cheerful and rebellious choices were what made him want to join her. It could be hinted that he might have a crush on her too.

When meeting other teens on the road, he starts off a quiet type, but when interacting with him more often, he can come across as kind and would help them in any way.

Speaking of helping others, Lucas may look like the kind of teen to not bother with other’s problems or feelings, but he’s very sympathetic.

He can at least understand the difference between him and others.

[limentum]

Road 96: Mile 0 and the Complications of Life

Road 96 is a 2021 video game letting you experience the thrill of hitchhiking across a fictional country in 1996. The journey begins from your goal to escape Petria’s authoritarian regime. You will meet different characters and make choices with potentially drastic consequences while discovering secrets along the way. The way the game unfolds is procedurally generated to a degree. By the end of the game, you will have experienced the journeys of several teenagers. Your choices culminate over time – meaning that your story can change from play-through to play-through. In the two years since, the developers at DigixArt released a new game expanding the world, subtitled “Mile 0.”

Road 96: Mile 0

The game is a prequel to the previously mentioned critically acclaimed video game, which released April 4th, 2023. It gives you a glimpse into how the nation of Petria was before the events of the main game. It also sets up some of the characters you run into further down the line. If you are looking for a fun and immersive narrative adventure game with a retro vibe, Road 96: Mile 0 might be for you. In the original game, you followed a series of random teens on a road trip to escape Petria. The plot of this prequel however focuses heavily on the daughter of Petria’s Minister of Oil, Zoe Muller. It follows her life right before she embarked on her journey to escape Petria and introduces a brand-new character. Well, brand new to the world of Road 96, anyway.

Kaito

Kaito is a teen living in the less-privileged side in Petria’s most luxurious gated community by the name of White Sands. He is best friends with Zoe, living in the posh side of town alongside influential individuals like President Tyrak and Sonya Sanchez. Both him and his parents are workers for the city, doing various work as needed by the city and residents. Kaito had to deal directly with the consequences of Tyrak’s rule due his past in Colton City. This led to a more rebellious perspective on his future in Petria. As a result, Kaito tries to challenge Zoe’s beliefs and show her the reality of the country.

Also, Kaito is a character brought over from DigixArt’s first game “Lost in Harmony.” His design looks a lot better in this one too. Kaito’s journey in Road 96: Mile 0 ultimately tests his friendship with Zoe and his own values.

Gameplay in Road 96: Mile 0

Due to Mile 0 being a prequel, it seems a given that this entry borrows some gameplay and mechanics from Road 96. This effectively is the half of the game where you explore the world in first person. It also ends up being where much of the story develops. On top of this, players alternate between the roles of Zoe and Kaito throughout the narrative. Zoe was one of the protagonists you met on your journey in Road 96 as a nameless teenager.

Is there any new gameplay in this sequel?

The game involves a mixture of narrative and musical track-based skating segments, where players will have to make choices that affect the story and the fate of Zoe and Kaito. The musical segments can be an intense experience at times, putting players into the inner worlds of the two protagonists. These skating segments occur in a near-cyclical nature.

You ride and dodge your way through some beautiful psychedelic tracks at the end of each major story event. The moment-to-moment action of these sections is a bit reminiscent of such mobile gaming titles as Subway Surfers or Temple Run, with more production value. However, I found myself very engaged during these moments. To the extent that I dedicated an extra two hours after I completed the story to unlock the achievement for attaining S+ rank on every track. There may be a chance it is concerning that it took me that much time to achieve this. The gameplay here might be a tad simplistic if you’re intently familiar with that style of game. But I found it to be engaging, and even challenging at times.

“The rides are designed to be highly replayable – there is a score system that shows your precision like rhythm games, but also some narrative choices and hidden shortcuts. But don’t worry, for the more chilled players, you can skip those rides so that you’re not blocked from story progression.” - From “Road 96: Mile 0 – How the New Psychedelic Rides Work,” by Yoan Fanise, Creative Director at DigixArt.

Petria and Its People

The prequel features a few of the colourful individuals you met during Road 96. This gives a chance to experience another perspective of the unstable country. The world feels a lot more alive from this point of view. Your character has more of a place in the world. This might be because your playable characters have an identity and voice actor this time around. For the record, they still opt to not voice the character you actively play. The first playable character Zoe only has voiced dialogue during cut-scenes, musical segments, or when playing as Kaito.

I would argue that it helps with the flow of gameplay. It means you don’t have to listen every line of dialogue you already read out and selected. But Road 96: Mile 0 is a story about the conflict and growth between two well-meaning friends. Because of that, the conversations can feel a bit awkward at times.

What’s changed

Is this a problem?

*Spoilers until "Is it worth a try?"*

Akin to the original title, Mile 0 offers the impression that your choices can have a significant impact on the outcome of your story. While this is true to an extent, it only really results in about three or four different endings. Only two endings also have any major difference in their result. Zoe’s choices will either drive her closer to Petria’s regime, or further against it. During your time with Kaito, his choices will either push him into becoming a violent revolutionary with the Black Brigades, or more of a freethinker who simply wants to escape with his family. So yes, the narrative is much more linear than you might expect.

The game suffers from a bit of predetermination due to being a prequel. TVTropes speaks on this issue where prequels are forced to adhere to the canon of the original story. This results in actions from characters that might seem unrealistic, or way too coincidental. You might recall that Zoe is on her own by the time you meet her in Road 96. Due to this, it felt clear that her friendship with Kaito was fated to halt in some form or another. Some of this conflict between friends felt a bit forced as well for story purposes.

In the beginning of Mile 0, Zoe is already a tad checked out from her life in Petria. She doesn’t have a great relationship with her dad, and her mom left years ago. Because of this, Kaito ends up being the only anchor in Zoe’s life that she can rely on. This wonderfully sets up a plot event later in the game when Kaito goes against Zoe’s wish to escape Petria with his family, for their safety. It seems perfectly believable that Kaito, a rebellious but loving teen, would be slightly more concerned with his own well-being than his friend’s – especially considering she lives such a privileged life in White Sands. Even if it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for her time there.

Themes

The story evokes a sense of regret, hope, and inevitability. It seems almost obvious that Kaito and Zoe weren’t meant to last together in Petria. Zoe’s elite status makes her a hot target if she were to ever go on the run, and Kaito’s family isn’t well-equipped to be on the country’s most-wanted list. The overarching narrative of the game follows Kaito’s hope to teach Zoe the truth about Petria’s corrupt government. Throughout my play-through, I consistently made choices that drove Zoe to become a more freethinking person. However, Zoe ends up making some choices at the end of the game that are impossible to change. Due to how open-minded I chose Zoe to act throughout the story, it felt a bit outlandish for her to take such drastic action during the game’s closing chapter.

All Zoe was really looking for was someone who could understand and support her. But when Kaito abandoned Zoe in White Sands with just a letter, it drove her a bit past the breaking point.

So, is Road 96: Mile 0 worth a try?

If anything I wrote here seemed appealing to you, I’d recommend trying it out. If you know anything about me, you know I’m a sucker for narrative games of any kind. But this takes the narrative aspects of Road 96 a step further with much more fleshed out characters. Unlike its predecessor, Road 96: Mile 0 isn’t available on Xbox Game Pass at the time of writing. There is a notably low cost to entry, though. The title launched at well under twenty dollars, even offering a special discounted launch price to some of those who played the original game.

Conclusion

There were places where the experience could have been better, despite my obviously positive feelings. The game stayed a bit small-scoped with the lives of Zoe and Kaito. Don’t mistake my words here, I loved the entire time spent with these two characters. But it all feels like it could have added up to a bit more. It would have added to the overarching narrative and gameplay if they went more in-depth on how these two survived having to live in a place like White Sands. Kaito was a great character throughout the game. His choices and general demeanour throughout the narrative felt very in-line with a teen in his position.

It would help immensely to expand on some gameplay narrative sections. This could tangibly mean adding stealth segments, or slightly more intricate puzzles. Gameplay sections that provide a bit more meaning to the first-person exploration side of the game would make a much more engaging experience. Even with unchanged gameplay, they could have gone more in-depth with a lengthier story overall. This obviously wasn’t feasible due to requiring a bigger budget. The main gripe I noticed so far online is that some actions from these characters feel a bit out of place. I wouldn’t say I necessarily agree. Audiences weren’t given enough time to spend with Zoe and Kaito. If they were, it would have given DigixArt the chance to really set up the personalities and tendencies of these characters in a believable way.

[div1nity]

𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝟗𝟔   -   𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 + 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄  ! :   a small , very messy info dump regarding coraline's road 96 verse . trigger warnings : politics , living under a dictatorship , pushing propaganda , self medicating through drugs . in similar fashion to my assassin's creed verse , there may very well be another alternative verse to this one , we'll see .

coraline grew up in a very wealthy , well off family who was very much in bed with the oppressive government of petria . andrea working in the journalist industry and henry working in politics along side owning his own varying businesses - it paints a very clear picture of who they are and the sort of ideals that they hold . though underneath the surface , they're simply going with the government which holds most of the cards ; naturally , this created a faux loyalty towards tyrak and his party . after all , there's no such thing as true friendship in the game that they're playing ; hungry wolves creating a pack to hunt down the sheep as one .

given the jones' heavy influence in petria media , this created a very interesting dynamic between them and the government ; a mutual beneficial relationship . seeing this , the family began to dig their claws deeper into the the notion of control , inside the country and out .

in enters coraline , the youngest of the of the jones siblings . she has grown up around the corruption and scandal , the lies and mass manipulation . she has always been seen in articles about the family , looking immaculate in clothing that her parents forced her in . she's never really been happy , seeing through the play as easy as glass and as a result she never wanted to be apart of it , however had no choice but to . anyone who can read body language can see she never wanted to be apart of the charade . but still , the part had to be played by someone , and she was stuck in one place . there was no choice in the matter .

coraline has always had a love for all things art ; painting , music , acting . realising this , andrea had a light bulb appear over head . what better than to help drive a message , than to have one of her children be a leading force in media ?

andrea put coraline in acting classes , singing classes and encouraged her to pursue these - it looked like a mother supporting her daughter , but it was anything but . her art was tainted by daily regiment of getting to be as perfect as possible , abuse was not rare , in this verse ; physical abuse is a little rarer , not risking marking her and tainting the project . but it's still very much something that happens mixed with emotional abuse .

coraline got her first role in a petria made movie at the age of 10 , becoming a hit across the country , her stardom had just begun .

eventually , she realised that this was her out . shutting up and doing roles and doing what her mother wanted , there was more of a chance to escape , even if give her the illusion of freedom - by driving forward in this career path , she can leave petria and do work outside the country .

she never expected it to work , but it did .

soon enough coraline became an avid traveller for work , being hired left and right for her talents on a near global scale . it wasn't all fun , in gaining this freedom , she became a walking talking propaganda machine , just as her mother and father intended ; speaking in interviews how petria is a thriving country that valued freedom of speech ; she hated it , despised preaching a wrongful narrative despite the people of her home country being oppressed in every sense of the way . guilt builds up , festering inside her like a poison , she can't look in the mirror without feeling sick , in this ; she turns to drugs and alcohol , though nothing is ever strong enough to numb her . everytime she smiles for the camera side by side with tyrak , a piece of her dies .

[danieesketches]

[MAY 2006]

‘And when they do, there’s an explosion of emotions. They talk and laugh and smile. They go see a movie, they go out for a meal, mobile phones allow them to take photos so easily and they have fun pulling stupid faces into the tiny lens, hands twisting awkwardly so the camera can actually focus on them.’

.

I’m not a writer, but after finishing Road 96 Mile 0, I had many emotions and decided to write a fanfic. I’m not the greatest writer out there, and I imagine there’s probably a fair few mistakes in this, but I had fun creating this.

More of my ramblings are below the keep reading line, along with the story. It became way longer than I imagined it would, but I hope you enjoy reading it, if you chose to do so!

[SPOILERS  IN STORY AND AUTHOR NOTES BELOW]

Self indulgent Road 96 Mile 0 fanfic because the game was everything I hoped for it to be and more.

SPOILERS FOR MILE 0 AND ROAD 96 GOOD ENDINGS.

Also, there is swearing in this story.

This is set during and after the ending in which Kaito and his family are driving away to start their new lives. There is also some mentions of the Road 96 ending where Florres wins (specifically the ending where John, Fanny and Alex embrace one another).

I haven’t started the main Road 96 game yet though, so the knowledge of it I do have is based on playthrough bits I’ve seen on YouTube.

It’s somewhat mostly Kaito-centric but I do try to discuss his parents and a few other characters here and there.

.

In which life goes on and the years bring many changes.

.

The feeling of the night time breeze hit Kaito as he mindlessly gazed out the open window. The stars lined the sky for what seemed like endless miles and the view behind them got smaller and smaller.

Big Bear Rest Stop got smaller and smaller.

Petria got smaller and smaller.

Kaito could have screamed, he could have cried. Zoe had taken the file, but she’d finally know. She’d finally wake the fuck up and see he was right all along. Robert had been so close to finishing them all off there but something in the gun wielding man let them live, leaving with fake IDs, glances across their shoulder and hope.

Instead, he cleared the breath he’d lodged into his throat and whispered “I love you both.” to his parents. He’s nearly lost them so many times, but he hasn’t told them how much they mean to him. How he’s sorry he’s been so angry that he’s not let them know he can still feel love without it being at the expense of hurting someone else.

He sees his mom and dad smile. Tired smiles, but for once they seem to have a light in their eyes. Like maybe something good is ahead.

“We love you too Kaito.” Anzu smiles. “Now get some rest, we have a while to go.”

For the first time in longer than he realises, he knows he’ll sleep maybe peacefully as opposed to the often mild resentment.

.

The car takes them to a place that isn’t quite a town, village or city. More like a pit stop kind of area just after the border, enough places to look around but not exactly somewhere you’d settle down for the remainder of your life.

It’s small, quiet and far from the shitty work dormitory. Daw looks over at his sleeping wife and son and is thankful to whatever higher power exists that he lives another day to see them flourish.

.

He’d long been desensitised to the awful treatment from the upperclass toward the poorer folk of Petria. Having moved there with his wife during its early days of the past dictatorship, they’d managed to get by easily enough as long as they kept their mouths shut and just did what they were told. But then the old leadership was overthrown by Tyrak and everything went from bad to worse.

When Anzu found out they were expecting Kaito, she and her husband had been living in a small apartment at the time, but supporting a baby and yourself was not easy with their wages, so Daw took it upon himself to take as many jobs as he could so Anzu could rest during her maternity.

Their neighbours at the time had been the loveliest older couple they could ever call friends. The Johnsons had seen Petria in many of its forms. Their own lives had not been a walk in the park there, but things went onward and got manageable. Malcolm, the husband, was a crossword enthusiast but didn’t always like reading the contents of the newspapers he bought for puzzles. Abigail, the wife, was short but absolutely loved to wear a bright pink cardigan and green flowery bag whenever she wasn’t working.

They had been a staple support, Abigail coming around to check up on Anzu when Daw and Malcolm weren’t available. She’d bring around some jam and crackers and gently spoke. Malcolm helped them insulate their apartment windows and put reflective foil behind their main room radiator so they’d be a bit warmer when it got colder.

Daw was a silent man. He didn’t argue with authority. He just did as he was told, even when his boss was a pretentious 20 something year old whose manager status was entirely down to nepotism. Daw cleaned streets, wiped windows, trimmed hedges, painted walls. You name it, he’d probably done it.

Long hours, mediocre pay, but if it meant his wife didn’t have to worry or suffer, he’d do it a thousand times over.

Kaito was born on February 17th,1980. He’d cried so much and held so tightly onto the fabric of his mother’s nightdress. Daw had been afraid to hold him too roughly but Anzu had placed the restless infant in his arms and immediately, the fear was replaced by a strive to make sure his son and wife never had to worry.

In the very far distance of White Sands, fireworks had been set off for some other party, but Anzu and Daw saw those as a joyous cry out to welcome their baby boy into the world.

.

As time went on, Daw was heartbroken to see the consequences of not being able to keep his promise. Kaito was 14 when Aya passed away and he was 15 when he dropped out of high school to help his parents out when they ended up being evicted from their old apartment.

He’d done so with a smile, but Daw knew when his son was lying and would never admit to seeing the resentment he cast at the rich folk who’d look at workers as if they were scum.

Times like these, he missed the Johnsons. He regrets 1986 happening. He hoped they didn’t suffer.

.

Anzu did the speaking at the motel front desk. John had given them an envelope of cash along with a note reading the address to this place.

“Tell the front desk Mr Ursus recommended you stay here. That’ll help things run smoothly. This should cover you for a bit.” The trucker has advised them before heading on his own way.

The bearded Brigade had been right too. Front desk had them sign a month lease and gave them the keys to a room. The rate worked out fairly even to the worker dorm rent. The envelope had held a combination of their savings they had slowly put away over the course of 6 years and a little extra that John had added.

The room was one main room decorated with a double bed and single bed separated by a desk with a lamp, another desk, a tiny mini fridge and a wardrobe. An iron and a kettle were sat on the bigger table. Through a door was the bathroom which was plain but had a cupboard above the sink for storing things in.

It was big and small all at once, but for now it was home. So clad with only a few bags of clothes and the odd trinket between them, they wiped down surfaces with some wipes and set to getting accustomed to all of this.

“It’s so big.” Kaito mused. For the first time in a long time, all of them would be guaranteed to sleep in a bed for every night the family stayed here.

.

For the first three days, tiredness had taken hold of the Lin family far more than expected. To the point they’d maybe been awake for 5 hours of each day. Almost like they were chasing away years of burdens. By day four, they needed to eat an actual meal instead of a couple crackers.

Front desk had lead them to a room they could use for cooking. $5 fee per person, per use, so the family decided only one would cook in there while the others would take the food to their room.

The first proper meal they sat down to eat was rice with some veggies they’d gotten from the convenience store. Their fridge however had many sandwiches wrapped in cling film, a bag of apples, a bottle of diet cola and some instant noodles.

And it, in Anzu’s opinion, was the best meal she’d had in ages.

.

Maybe this little motel could be home for a while longer.

After their first week of staying together and slowly adjusting to now being known as the Chen family, the trio enquired to the front desk clerk about employment within that area. And would luck have it, the motel was considering hiring more help with some tasks like the laundry and housecleaning.

With the promise of things that sounded too good to be true (alright hours, alright payrate, heavily discounted accommodation and a $3 discount in the utilities rooms) the trio were responsible for things like the cleaning of the rooms, laundry and making the exterior look nice. They worked at different hours but usually two were working the same shift, leaving the third to their own devices.

“Not to worry, if Ursus sent you here, it’s the least I can do.” The woman smiled a cheeky grin before pulling out a sheet of paper to jot down their names and place them into their respective shifts.

Paychecks were given every two weeks and Kaito nearly choked when he saw they’d each gotten $60. Last time they’d gotten something even close to that was when management had been feeling generous (probably trying to be eligible for some weird tax loophole) one Christmas and gave everyone a bonus as a treat. It was only ever the once that happened though.

While his parents had work that day, Kaito had two days off and so he decided that he would treat his parents to dinner. The convenience store clerk was bored reading a magazine. Kaito felt weird as he tried to decide between which pasta sauce he wanted to try. The mini basket on his arm already had a huge bag of fusilli alongside some milk powder and a box of cereal.

Deciding on a plain tomato one, he took the items to be paid for when he glanced a packet of plain biscuits on the stand by him. And for the first time ever, he didn’t cringe when he saw they cost nearly a dollar.

.

Anzu and Daw are asleep in their bed when Kaito creeps out of the room to sit on the porch steps outside. In his hand he has a mug of water and a few biscuits on a napkin. He just sits and watches the world go by. Rarely does a car drive past tonight and here he is in pyjamas with midnight snacks, feeling the weight of the past three weeks.

Petria feels like forever ago and not long enough. He’s woken up each day and not felt like he’s going to lose his shit and tear down Tyrak posters. Thankfully this place is very ‘no politics mentioned’ (at least in attitude) so he doesn’t particularly have to consider the implications that anyone around him may want to sing praises for that shithead.

If they’re going to feel that way, they should stay silent.

The stars aren’t as bright tonight. But the skies are peaceful. He knows that if he were to stand in the middle of the road, he’d see Mount National closer than he could from the roof he and Zoe once sat at. Picking a biscuit to chew on, he pauses and places it down.

“Fucking hell.” He mumbles and draws himself close. Tears pool and are blotted away by the sleeve of his top. “fucking hell.” He repeats.

Because his family is not rich; but here he is. A warm bed, a job he doesn’t particularly hate his manager at and he just bought a pack of fucking biscuits because he saw them and decided why not? He feels like they’re finally winning something. Maybe not a huge something but there’s something.

“I know son. I know.” His mother whispers lovingly as she takes a seat next to him and brings him in for a hug. It’s been so long since she heard her son cry, even more so for reasons not affiliated with the brutal reality of what being poor poor was like.

.

Daw watched the scene from the door. For the first time in a while, all three of them had the next day free and so he decided he’d see if there happened to be any crossword books in the little shop.

“I’m sure you’d be proud, Johnsons.” The older man smiled.

.

The store has crossword books. Daw buys a handful of them.

.

They haven’t gotten around to talking about everything they went through, and for a while, they probably won’t. But that’s for their future.

.

By July, Kaito and his family take a trip to the town a 15 minute drive away from their accommodation. They’ve been putting bits of money down here and there and that’s just as well because after the past two months of a better diet and a steady enough routine, Kaito finds that his old clothes fit slightly closer on him than they used to be. His face wasn’t so gaunt anymore either, one might say he didn’t immediately look like seething death.

Their family had never had a reason to spend above their means, so on a sleepy summer morning, the trio are looking at items in a small charity shop. Amidst her collection of clothing, Anzu saw a lovely green top with flowers on it that reminded her of the bag Abigail had once owned and cherished.

Daw picked up a few Hawaiian shirts and a little fishing hat to add to his collection of one. The work back in Petria may have been gruelling but the hat he wore everyday was a comfort to him. It has been a gift Kaito had acquired for him (the younger never did reveal how he found or got the hat).

Kaito, however, had a bit of different styles in his hand. He had a couple plain tops, a pair of jeans and a couple pairs of trousers, however he also had a bright green and orange colour block shirt and a t-shirt that seemed to be for some band called Metallica.

By the time they get back, Kaito and Daw head back out to start their respective shifts cleaning the vacant rooms and sorting out the laundry load. Anzu sets to carefully removing the price stickers on the clothes and separating them accordingly to get them washed while the machines were free.

Charity shops weren’t a huge thing back in Petria, but when they were, the price of stuff was outrageous to even be considered charity.

Sat in the little room with only her thoughts, she absentmindedly listens to the radio talk about things like some pop group’s upcoming concert in Philadelphia or a new vacuum going on sale. And as the washing machine thrums, she finds herself calm.

.

Routine, Kaito learns over time, is nice. The solid structure of expecting to do something one day and another thing on another is working wonders for him. He carries a little year planner and in it he has his work shift hours written and any reminders he needs to note.

He starts thinking about the gaps in times he has on some weeks. How he remembers his days used to be fairly sporadic after he dropped out of high school. Sometimes he’d be delivering newspapers, others he’d be hanging out with Zoe- before all the need to get out was a thing.

Petria doesn’t become much of a topic of conversation for any of them, though he’s sure at some point his family is going to need to talk about this to someone. He also doesn’t hear about it on the radio stations or TV in the reception area. It’s frightening, like it cut itself off from the world. Beyond those walls was a hellscape.

This motel area isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s a thousand times better than where they ran away from and that in itself makes it almost like a heaven of some sorts. 

Kaito wasn’t sure how long they’d be staying here after they renewed their lease for the fifth time. He was starting to wonder what was beyond this beyond. 

Donning a pair of rubber gloves, Kaito sets to cleaning the utilities area of any food stains, bits of rubbish and dust that may be accumulating. As he scrubs and sprays surface cleaner, the clerk (god, what was her name?) came rushing in to him and quietly beckoned him to come into the back room.

His parents are in the room, eyes glued to the TV when they see it. The newscaster is discussing some documents that have been given to them, recording how the 1986 Peak Collapse was caused not by the Black Brigades but rather Tyrak and his government. Kaito finds himself unable to speak. And as the story progresses, they hear how the dictator had been arrested for his crimes, how Senator Florres won her election campaign and pledged to make amends with many of the citizens of Petria and break down barriers set by the corrupt class system and its equally awful upholders.

“Holy shit.” His father swore. Kaito didn’t know the man even knew how to swear. Learn something new every day.

“I imagine you guys will want some time to process this. Finish up what you’re doing now and take the rest of the night off.” The woman, whom Kaito notices has a name tag saying ‘Arlene’ speaks softly to the boy before she walks into another smaller connecting room to take a call.

The family turn to one another. This day, this day that they could never imagined would happen, had indeed happened.

“Go on Kaito.” Anzu looked ready to burst into tears, her hands shook in her husband’s and she hunched over to take a deep breath. Kaito looked over at her, and wrapped his arms around her and his dad before agreeing and leaving.

.

In the smaller private room with only a filing cabinet, a yellow radio and a landline, Arlene dials a number she’s committed to memory but still keeps a post it note for. The phone line rings out and nobody takes the call, so she hangs up and just stands there.

Right now she wants to speak to John. Wants to tell him it’s all been worth it, to say thank you for what he and Conny and Stephen and Naomi had done for her all those years ago.

See, she knew what the deal with people that came to her establishment per recommendation of Mr Ursus was. Having been a Brigade as long as she was, she knew what it was like to be scared and looking for a new life.

The dictatorships of Petria had turned what could have been a good place to live into a nightmare for the reserved many.

The Brigades in their early days helped her get out, but she couldn’t bring herself to completely abandon her roots. Something about the hope John had for the future for many had drawn her to staying as a contact for the cause.

This motel had been abandoned when she took it under her wing for dirt cheap from a businessman desperate to get it sold off. And it had taken some time and perseverance, but things were going in such a way that they could keep the business running.

She was happy to spend a while longer here, until there was a guarantee that Tyrak and those alike could never ruin Petria as much as it already had been. And she’d use this place to help those John brought to her.

She’d give them employment as their new self, something to have a reference of for when they spread their wings and flew out of the nest. Rule number one, everyone gets a second chance at life. Rule number two, whoever you were before you came to her was irrelevant.

Arlene takes a deep breath and takes hold of the radio, putting it in one of the black plastic bags she always keeps in the cabinet. Tonight she is celebrating, she’s not sure how, but she is. Once night shift comes in; she’ll let them know the good news if they haven’t already heard.

.

When Kaito returns home, there are grapes and strawberries in one bowl and a huge serving of pasta and sauce in another. There’s also a bottle of cider on the desk that he nearly asks about but his mother smiles “Arlene is very kind.”

As Kaito cheekily asks if he is included in the kindness, Anzu follows up with “maybe our kindness, but not hers.” And the younger realises that’s the first time in a long time that he has heard his mom make a joke (though he knows she’s completely serious).

They eat happily that evening, and still have a nicely stocked fridge for the next few days. Tyrak is hopefully suffering tremendously and people might not have to sneak out of Petria anymore.

Kaito finds himself a little bitter that his family had to worry for so long only for a few months later to bring new hope. Only a little though. Kaito Lin was born in poverty, raised in poverty and saw people’s darkness far too often. Kaito Lin can rest easy now and Kaito Chen will carry on for him.

Maybe that, in itself, is the greatest gift he can receive.

.

And if the Chen family smile a little more often as they work the days after, well that’s not for Arlene to judge.

.

It was late September when Daw and Anzu were finishing their shifts when they saw her in the lobby. Zoe Muller, but not as they remembered her. Now she seemed different, not just because of the piercings and tattoo, but something about her seemed knowing right now. And she must have recognised the duo too because Arlene looked between the trio, lingering on the Chen’s as if to ask if they needed her to do something.

When Daw greeted Zoe with a simple “hello. You are looking well.” Arlene figured they might be okay, and left to go take care of some paperwork, sliding a set of keys to Zoe and taking a few dollar bills into the back room.

Zoe was at a slight loss for words seeing Daw and Anzu in attire that wasn’t the blue Petria workers uniform. They looked content in their grey sweats and plain tops. She took a moment to compose herself and approached the duo, keeping a slight distance between them as if she were afraid they’d reject her.

“I-I. I’m sorry.” She spologises.

“We know.” Daw comments. Kaito had told them what happened when they got into the car after Robert’s hissy fit.

“If you wish to see Kaito, he will likely be around. He likes the view on the porch steps.”

Zoe nods, fear and elation caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected the Lin family to be here. She knows John mentioned having a contact running a motel, but what were the odds of this one being the exact one that her best friend and his family would go to?

“I’d like that.” She smiles. She lets them leave first just as Arlene returns to the front and gives her a knowing look.

“Got some catching up to do or apologisin’?”

“Yes.” Zoe notes, and leaves. Arlene chuckles to herself, wondering what on earth John would say to all of this.

.

Kaito was wearing a green and orange shirt when Zoe saw him sitting on one of the remaining plastic chairs at the foot of the porch. She couldn’t tell if he was sat outside his own room or not but there he was.

He seemed at peace, a crossword book in his hand and a pencil in the other.

“K?” The nickname seems foreign on her tongue. And when the boy turns to her, he can’t help but take in Zoe’s appearance. Eyebrow and numerous lobe piercings, shorter hair and the bird tattoo she’d once had him trace was now permanent ink.

“Z?” he doesn’t seem to quite believe his eyes, setting down the book and standing up to properly determine he wasn’t imagining things.

“Can I sit?” she motions to the porch space next to him. He nods, and then they realise that they’re not the same teens they were a few months ago.

“You got that tattoo eh?” Kaito motions to her shoulder. She’s taken aback. There doesn’t seem to be animosity in his voice. And his eyes aren’t analysing or glaring. In fact, the boy before her is what she imagines Kaito would have been like if his life in Petria had been different.

His dimples are more prominent too, and here he is. As real as can be.

“You were right K. you were always right, and I was so wrong, and-“

“I know.” He muses.

Kaito neither forgive Zoe, nor did he not forgive her. It was a grey area of understanding and knowing that everyone was hurting. Granted he wished they’d left on better terms, but it is what it is and they’re here now.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Kaito finishes. “I’m sorry too. For hurting you back then.”

Zoe forgave Kaito the moment she read the file, but in the spirit of the conversation, she made that vocal and while it wasn’t an immediate patch up of their friendship, it was a start.

“So how are things? I saw the news.” The raven haired boy asks as they stare at each other, noting changes here and there. “Florres won.”

“Yeah, she did. People decided change needed to be given a chance. She’s mild, but she’ll need to be strong to keep her promises. She has potential.”

“Well if the footage of the riots is anything to go by, I think she’ll be desperate to prevent being on the receiving end of that.” Kaito mused, but the way he looked at her said there were unsaid things.

“And how are you?” he went with.

“Depends. There’s a lot of things happening all at once. I think I should give you full disclosure that technically I may or may not be a Brigade…” Zoe starts off and the look Kaito gives her is frozen in the shock. It’s not mouth open, jaw on the floor but the way his eyes nearly pop out of his skull and he whispers “you fucking what?” certainly say something.

“You were right K. The government were lying the whole time. It was the only way I’d have the means to get the story out there!”

“You could have gotten hurt or worse.” Kaito harshly reminded her. “You’re not indestructible.”

“Maybe! But if it meant other people didn’t have to say goodbye to their loved ones, it was worth the risk!” Zoe slammed her hand on the porch floor. “The worst thing I ever did was not saying goodbye to you and I’m not letting anyone else go through that.”

The eighteen year old watched her backpack topple onto its side, the trombone and skates tied to it made a noise. Her friend? Ex-friend? Best friend? Looked at the stuff with something akin to yearning. It had be a while since he skated around.

“You know, the field over there isn’t too sandy.” Kaito stood up and walked behind him into the room. For a few minutes, Zoe wasn’t sure what he was planning until he came out in plainer clothes with his board tucked under his arm.

“Bear in mind, I’m a little out of practice.” Kaito quickly defends, and Zoe’s relieved. “But is now the time for skating?” she’s hesitant to say all is forgiven just yet.

“Was it ever the time for skating back there?” he shrugs. “…unless someone’s out there chasing you?” he eyes her and she shakes her head. Most- if not all- authorities are too busy trying to gain public forgiveness or repair the extensive damage of the past three weeks of rioting.

“Unpack your stuff and let’s go!”

.

Not all has been forgotten or forgiven, but it’s one step at a time.

.

It’s coming to the end of the summer of 1999 when the Chen family make a huge decision to leave the motel and head further up. They’ve made some good memories in this small unassuming area and found many an interesting store in the town up ahead, but they’re ready to spread their wings and fly.

Arlene sits them down in her backroom office to say goodbye. A litre bottle of some flavoured water and some crisps are in a little carrier bag that she shuffles over to them. “You three have been real good company here, I’ll miss y’all. You promise to take care, you hear me?”

Anzu smiled and takes her hand to shake it. “We will. Thank you, for everything you’ve done for us. We truly can’t thank you enough.”

Arlene waves her hand. “Nonsense, you just be sure to live a happy life however you can. Don’t go becoming assholes though; I’ll never forgive you for that.” She cackles. She knows they’re good people at heart. This world ain’t made to be easy if you’re too kind, but after what they’ve been through, she’s sure they’ll figure something out.

“As long as I’m here, this place will always be open for you. Just ask for Arlie.” Arlie is a nickname she let’s an absolute select few use. Most are Brigades but the people they send to her get to share that privilege if she sees fit.

(What she doesn’t mention explicitly is how she added a little extra to their final paychecks, nor does she mention the post it note with her number on it. A smile is scrawled in the bottom corner and a tiny ‘be safe!’ written with it. She really wants them to do well, as she does all who are sent to her).

.

Kaito asks Arlene to let Zoe know that they’re leaving. He’s not sure where though.

.

“Yeah, the baby birds are finally flying the coop.” Arlene feels like a mother hen watching her kids move out. “Kaito wanted me to let you know that much. Somewhere beyond here. He’ll figure it out.”

.

It’s early the next morning when the family have their boxes and bags filled and they make their way out of the parking lot. There’s a gas station in the little town up ahead, so they stop there to fill up the car and extra gas can they have in the boot. Mount National is further behind them than it was before. Daw keeps driving. The family decided that they’ll stay in one of the towns further on their journey.

The place itself is within the Western Sea side of the map called Anamesa. It’s a fair distance away from the seaside town of Thalassa; so the cost of living isn’t too bad. Not as cheap as the motel afforded them, but you could see something for what you spent.

They live in their car while paperwork is sorted out for the little two bed house they choose.

It’s a humble house, in need of some care though. The back garden is covered in weeds and dandelions, inside the paint is chipped in places and the only furnishings remaining of the old tenants in the house are the wardrobe in one bedroom, a dull white washing machine and a brown leather sofa that creaked when you sat on it. (They definitely did not get their deposit back).

But this is their fourth home. And they love it already.

(Daw finds a phone booth a few roads away and calls the number on the now found note to wish Arlene well and let her know they’re settling in as best they can).

.

Finding work takes some time, so they try to get many affairs sorted like opening bank accounts, getting registered to vote in the area and all that. The phone booth did not know what hit it. They live very frugally for the time being until some full time cleaning jobs open up and Anzu and Daw go for them. Arlene giving them both a glowing set of references when she receives the call from the employment agency, practically tells them they’re lucky the Chen’s want to work for them because they were so good to Arlene’s business.

The probation period of the job lasts three months, so the duo make sure they’re present on time at every shift, even if the hours they’re away from home are very long. It’s somewhat lonely for Kaito who uses his sudden free time to sort out things at home like clearing the back garden and trying to find his own feet, searching through numerous newspaper ads for what this place has to offer.

As of December 1999, that is working as a kitchen porter for a fast food place.

It’s then in the Friday newspaper in January of 2000 when Daw mentions to Kaito that he saw an ad in a paper detailing how to apply for GED examinations. His mother and father have a high school education and they wanted to make sure he had as much of a foundation in life as he could.

They didn’t tiger parent him about it, but did express they’d never been able to forgive themselves for being the reason Kaito dropped out when he had a good head on his shoulders and could use it. Kaito doesn’t argue with them, but he does try to dilute their feelings of guilt by mentioning how the school was probably going to close anyway after the Vice Principal was arrested for having Brigade affiliations.

(It’s true. Well, except for the school closing. Tyrak just dumped a heap of his goons there to make sure people kept silent about any anti-government slander. Everyone hated everyone there. Who knows if the place does even still exist by now).

So Kaito does as the newspaper says. His mom got a landline phone with the first paycheck she got for that month and he calls the number to register his interest. He’ll need to take a couple tests so they can determine if he would be eligible for the programme with any chance of passing at the end. Hopefully work won’t be arses about him needing to switch his hours. (They kind of are, but they don’t fire him so he guesses it’s a win?)

Daw used his pay on the monthly rent and the utilities while Anzu focused on things like necessities and getting their house slowly done up. Kaito would often buy some bits of food, but his parents urged him to make sure he was saving bits away (and had any necessary text books he’d need for his studies).

Kaito passes his pre-study exams and is accepted onto the programme. The cost of the programme is not at all as daunting as he’d imagined it to be, but he dips into the small savings fund he’d assembled from his motel cleaning wages, promising himself to put it back over the year.

The library is an hour away, so Kaito decides to get all the books he can in the one sitting and gets a library card sorted while he’s there. (He’s amazed at how real the fake IDs are and wonders whether Robert had some dirt on someone in the profession. Even the birth certificates are frighteningly real… though the fact the only differences on them to his genuine documents is the family surname and very minor details is funny to him in some respects).

Maybe he ought to consider some home workouts. The books were heavy, but the librarian was at least 20 years older than him and wielded them without fuss.

.

One year passes and by the time it’s May of 2001, not only does Kaito pass the GED examinations, but his Walkman kicks the bucket after four years of faithful use. Mp3 players are coming into the market, but their price tag are a little steep for his liking, so he finds a little shop on the high street and gets a second hand one for $90 dollars. (It lasts a year and a half).

Thankfully, some other things the Chen’s have acquired over that time are lasting way longer. The dressers and the bed bases are holding up well, as is the TV. Pretty much all of their furniture is from a charity stores around the town, the only exception to the rule is the mattresses on their beds. Anzu never trusted second hand fabric focused upholstery because of how easily germs could settle inside it and you wouldn’t know.

It’s why all their furniture can be wiped or in the very least is water resistant.

Daw and Anzu work early mornings and sometimes a few hours in the evenings, so they don’t have forever to sit around and take in the sights, but one of the rare times their rota means they work bulk hours over a few days, they use their time off to sit in the garden with a couple cheap beers in hand and watch the sun slowly dip down over the hours. Today, they decide that the day can be lazy. Dinner isn’t anything huge, just a bowl of pasta and sauce.

Kaito returns home from work with some fries from work and for some reason, a handful of the little toys usually included in the kid’s meals.

“They just looked goofy.” He shrugs. “And they were getting rid of them because of the new theme or something.”

The little toys sit on his windowsill in the corner and remain there for many years to come until Kaito takes his own next step in life and moves into a little studio apartment.

.

As more years pass, it’s soon May 2006. Ten years since they fled Petria.

Anzu and Daw remain working with the agency that hired them in ’99, however they move house as one closer to some hiking fields becomes available. Kaito goes from kitchen porter to hotel receptionist for a small chain. The hours are slightly under full time, but it gives him enough to pay his bills, he has some small tattoos too. Nothing major- just lineart of Mount National on his left clavicle and a skateboard on his inner arm.

He has a few friends too; or at least people he talks to enough. They’re kind. He doesn’t tell them a great deal about himself other than things he’s learned about himself post-1996 and that his family moved there after finding themselves in awe with the fields. It’s partly true.

He gets a TV, a Playstation 2 and a mobile phone (though to be fair, he gets them on a monthly credit pay back plan so it’s not a huge chunk of luxurious spending in one go). He gets Arlene’s phone number from his family so he can call her, because he’s mature enough now to independently put into words his gratitude to her and to John. The number still leads to her, her voice is heavy with smoking and age, but the smile in her voice is just as prominent as it was years ago. She’s happy to let Kaito know that Mr Ursus found love in his life. She also mentions a few things she’s learned over time.

“I think I got a couple years left here before I try fly the coop, if I’m bein’ honest with you.”

“For real?”

“Yeah. Florres seems to be doing okay enough at her job; Petria isn’t as huge a shitshow nowadays. It still has a lot of progress to make, but democracy is doing its best. I ain’t movin’ down there though. Been there, done that- got the t-shirt. I wanna see what life’s got to offer elsewhere.”

Arlene is smiling on the phone as she looks at a few leaflets she has for different places to visit beyond the border. People come and go out of this place, they want to see the Petria of the news stories or they’re finally visiting away from there. She’s got a good team of people. She’s thinking of turning ownership over to her night shift lot, maybe expanding this place to other areas. Who knows?

Kaito runs a hand through his shorter hair and inhales through his teeth to ask “Have you heard from Zoe?” last they saw each other was when they both ran into the plains opposite the motel to skate. Kaito still has his board too. Sometimes he regrets not continuing using it, he’s pretty sure his balance is shot to shit and he’d fall if he tried to use it, but he keeps it as a memory.

On a plus side, he knows for a fact he could carry those GED textbooks without complaining if the situation called for it.

“A while back. She sounds well in herself. I can pass along your details to her if you want. She’s probably travelling at the moment.”

Kaito nods. “That’d be nice. Thanks.”

“Don’t sweat it kid. You keep yourself well, pop down here if you can. We still got some good cola.”

“Aha, I’ll try. I won’t promise though. But if you do decide to go travelling, come up to Anamesa. We got good beers here.”

“Oh my god. You’re still a baby, why are you drinking?”

“I’m 26.”

“You’ll always be a baby to me.” Arlene pauses. “Keep yourself well Kaito. Your parents are proud of you. I hope you’re proud of them.”

“I am. I really am. Thanks. See you later!”

“Good. Take care!” Arlene hangs up.

.

A month later, Kaito receives a text message.

‘It’s Zoe! Call me!”

And he does. And he hears how the years have deepened her voice slightly, but her experiences have humbled it.

They decide to meet up that week.

.

And when they do, there’s an explosion of emotions. They talk and laugh and smile. They go see a movie, they go out for a meal, mobile phones allow them to take photos so easily and they have fun pulling stupid faces into the tiny lens, hands twisting awkwardly so the camera can actually focus on them.

She offers to stay in a hotel so she can stay in Anamesa a while longer, but he offers her his apartment. So they get some snacks and drinks and they act like the apartment is their old construction yard hideout. Kaito has a few games so they hook them up and joke about things and it’s all just amazing.

Zoe thinks that they needed to be adults to be able to do this, that the pain of their parting ways was too fresh in the 90s. Time didn’t erase what happened; it just put a few things into perspective.

Her style has changed slightly again. Her hair remains shoulder length and loose, but she also has some blonde highlights in her bangs. She still has her eyebrow piercing and the numerous ones in her lobes, all adorning purple earrings; however the addition of a new nose piercing is also noticed.

Kaito knows she has more tattoos, though the only bit he’s seen to indicate that is a few stars he saw on her lower arm. She’s long abandoned her full on ripped alien top- punk skater girl look and gone for a white tank, blue denim jacket and green ¾ khakis.

Kaito wouldn’t particularly say his own sense of style was all that different from his youth, granted he owned more formal clothing now (shirts, and a couple trousers and a blazer). Most of his clothes were plain black for his job, but outside of that, he was mostly a comfortable clothes kind of guy. And none of them had holes in them.

They’re playing one of the Street Fighter games and Kaito is getting his ass kicked for the fifth time in a row when he makes a request.

“What if we went on a road trip?”

“Hmn?” Zoe’s turned to him but is still button mashing and Kaito considers knocking it out of her hand so he can land a few hits in. He chose not to because of maturity and shit, but he pauses it and that’s just as good.

“You know, rent a car and go out on the roads for a week in summer. See what else there is to this place?” last time he said something similar was in relation to escaping Petria, but this idea is about enjoying life. Making memories. His life here is amazing, but he wants to see more things.

Zoe seems to take a few minutes to ponder the idea and Kaito regrets even asking until the woman asks if he can drive and if he has the time. Because while she personally does, what with working as a freelance travel writer and pretty much funding her life with the savings fund she’d transferred into an entirely separate bank (the privilege of her rich upbringing, she’d not lie); it feels only fair for her to check he’s in a comfortable position to do so.

“I have plenty of remaining hours. Only have a few days booked for use so far.” He shrugged.

Zoe nodded wordlessly as she considered the idea. She vaguely remembered the last time Kaito had said something similar back in White Sands, back when it had been hidden with the intention of fleeing a terrible place.

“Zoe?” Kaito quietly asks and she blinks a few times, straightening her back before her expression relaxes and she nods at him. “I don’t think I can say no to that.” She smiles, holding up her can of beer for a toast. And as the night continues on, Kaito offers her his bed but she opts for the sofa. He has an early start the next morning, but finishes after lunch so they can talk about other stuff when he gets back.

.

Zoe was awake when Kaito left out for work at quarter past five. Leaving his keys on the side after unlocking the door, he waves her a “later Z!” and she returns it with a “later K!”

.

The sun was bright even at its early rising, the heat wasn’t yet unbearable. And as Kaito sat on the bus to work, he truly felt like he had what he’d yearned for most in life.

.

A lot of elements of this are based on Google searches for things that were applicable to America in the specific years I mention during this story. I may not have all the details correct, so I apologise for any mistakes I may have made.

I didn’t know whether their new IDs would change their names completely, partially or just different details instead, so I chose to only change the family surname, any other details that could/would be changed are down to your interpretation.

Arlene was not a character I thought I’d write about in this as much as I did, but she grew on me.

In respect to Thalassa and Anamesa; I searched Petria’s meaning online and the first result I got said it was the Greek word for ‘rock’. Following that, I decided to find the word for ‘sea’ (thus Thalassa and it being a seaside town) and Anamesa is noted as an adverb meaning ‘between’ (and I wanted it to be placed in between a bunch of other towns/cities).

Also an extra I wanted to include but Kaito definitely got his tattoos done by an apprentice artist (based entirely on my first tattoo being done by an apprentice).

Maybe things have been unrealistic in this story, but I love happy endings. I’m not the best writer out there, but I had a lot of fun writing this. It became way longer than I had in mind but it is what it is.

[gameguides]

Road 96 Mile 0 Tyrak Square Treasure Hunt

Road 96 Mile 0 is an exciting game that has caught the attention of players worldwide. Our topic is a treasure you need to find in the game: Tyrak Square Treasure. Finding the treasure requires the player to solve a series of puzzles and overcome various challenges, adding to the overall sense of adventure and excitement of the game. In this guide you will learn how to Solve Tyrak Square Treasure Hunt on Road 96 Mile 0.

Road 96 Mile 0 Tyrak Square Treasure Hunt

#Road96Mile0 Read the full article

[lairofsentinel]

I love how in Road 96 they show this chart constantly, while saying the preferred  candidate is Tyrak. This shows SO well how mainstream lies:

The chart shows that they manipulated numbers in the rawest, simplest way since 50%+30%+70%=150%. It should always give 100%. One can accept a 101% since sometimes there are some rounded up in the numbers. 

Even though they are manipulated, the numbers show that the preferred candidate by the majority is NOT Tyrak 70%< 50%+30%=80%

I have the impression Tyrak is around 20%, and this bimbo presented commands people to add 50% in the final chart. 

Things that I loved

The human connection between chars. 

The unique narrative style: how the meta story about waiting the elections changes or affects all the chars, over time. How there are small stories along the road, small personal stories with each character, and then the meta plot, the big story, related to the incoming day of election and how one affects the other. Narrative speaking is a master piece in my opinion. 

Papa Bear: Mr. Ursus, John. This is the kind of radical rebel I like to see some times. A tired, wounded rebel that needs some rest because rebellion is really so hard to sustain over time. It has that tiredness vibe that Ioverth from The Witcher carries: they go on, but they are not the same anymore. Not the same kind of rebel they were in the beginning. And the humanity in keep going as a broken rebel.  

Fanny: Probably the only cop I will like in my life. A cop that stopped finding satisfaction in her job, because everything is corrupted and wrong. The little she can do is always low impact.  

Alex: A genius teenager with the kind of morality I like for these chars: “meh-morality”. Cop adoptive mother, rebel bio parents, living in a tyrannical country, hacking everything because he has his own plan. 

Things that called my attention

Characters with Spanish names. 

The concept of the “Wall” in the border. 

Tyrak and stars.

With those concepts, you have the impression that there is a low-key representation of Mexico. But mixed with communist Russia. I say this because you have landscapes that are pretty similar to the typical desert-like roads from the north of Mexico and the concept of the “wall” at the border, but putting aside some Spanish names here and there, there is nothing more that you can point out as a “fantasy country” based on Mexico.  The symbolism of the star [which design is the same one than the communist red star], and some names around the politicians that “sound” like russian, gives a very low-key sense of “communist russia”, which catches my attention too. 

In real life, we live in a current world where capitalism is destroying everything. So low-key anti-communist symbols, specially when it’s so oversimplified and hidden, makes me suspect that they is an intention in spreading propaganda. It’s hard to say for sure, since the game does it in a very hidden, subliminal way. Maybe Petria [this fantasy country] was meant to be designed as a combination of mexico and communist rusia to question both systems, capitalism and communist, but while it’s very open with the anti-capitalist position, it seems more hidden with its anti-communist position. I dont know. It’s weird.

But in general, Road 96 is a very recommendable game for anyone who enjoys narrative games. 

[chayacat]

Promises (Oneshot Fiction)

Fandom : Road 96

Characters : Stan Sanchez, Mitch Sanchez, Sonya Sanchez, Adam.

Contexte : After the election, life in Petria continues in a better way. With Florres as President, things are gonna be better for everyone...But it will not change the past however.

***

Petria. According to Tyrak, this country is ideal in every way. And education is the key for the youngest so that they can, in turn, make their country proud. There were few schools in the country, there were mostly high schools and universities... who of course was tyrak's propaganda. In the meantime let the schools be schools, with children playing, laughing, arguing but making peace quickly and ... A crying child? Yes, if you pay attention to the noises of the playground, you could hear a child crying. In a corner of the courtyard, not far from a classroom, a little boy, was crying hot tears, surrounded by 3 other children. He was tall enough for his age, his short black hair sported a small puff in the front. He was of a fairly robust build, he was not fat, but not skinny either. 

The other 3 children looked at him and we could hear from two of them the sentence in a loop: "Mitch is a big baby!" followed by laughter. The 3rd, who seemed to be the leader, was holding in his hand a toy, a small fire truck. He looked at Mitch who continued to cry, a smile on his face.

*Look at me this baby! Compared to your stupide brother, you are a real whiner! You're not even able to take it back from me!* he said, laughing.  

*HEY !!!* Said another kid’s voice behind them.  

When the 3 children turned around, they saw another little boy who was look like Mitch but he was a little thinner and his haircut was different, styled on the side but just as short. And if Mitch was a baby according to them, he was quite the opposite.

* Well, look who's there ! Stan "stupid" Sanchez! I should have suspected that you would not be far from your "baby" brother.* said the boy who was holding Mitch’s toy.  

*Give it back ! It’s Mitch’s toy ! Not yours !* replied Stan, by clenching his fists.

* Oh, yes? What if I don't want to ? I always wanted to have a fire truck and you and your brother had no interest in going to tell the teacher!*

Stan's blood did only one trick and without warning, he threw himself on the boy. A fight began between the two. A little later, at the end of the school day, the two brothers were in their parents' car, Stan had scratches everywhere and sulked as he turned his head to the window, while Mitch did not let go of his toy. Sonya was between them, her school day compared to her brothers' had gone well as usual. The Father looked at Stan through the retro interior, then his wife who nodded at him, and sighed before refocusing on his son.

* Stan... we've already talked about it, you know. This is the 2nd time you have fought with these boys this year. As you have already been told, if you or Mitch have a problem with one of your classmates, you should talk to an adult. And not fighting.* He said calmly.  

* But they keep bothering Mitch every day! and the adults do nothing! I can't let them do it without defending myself or Mitch or Sonya!* Said Stan angry.  

* I appreciate that you care about your brother and sister... The problem is that violence is never the solution, Stan... One day you could be seriously wounded! and you know that I will worry too much. You understand?* replied his mother.  

*...Yes, mommy. Excuse me... I wouldn't do it again.*

*... Did you put a blow to his knee?* Said his father.

*Honey!* replied his mother.

* And also a punch in the nose!* said Stan proudly.  

*Stan !*  

*Calm down Sweetie... He has been lectured enough for today. And then I'm curious! and I also know that I have nothing to fear for them, they will know how to defend themselves.* replied his father.

*...Like father, like son.* said his mother sighing.

*That’s why you marry me no ?*  

Laughter was heard from the car, then excitement following a proposal of Super Supper as a meal for this lunch. They didn't have much, they weren't rich, but at least they were all together, as a family. Nothing could have spoiled such happiness... nothing...except...

“Stan?”  

Stan opened his eyes, jumping slightly. He looked everywhere, he was in Sonya's limousine, which had stopped. A dream... it was a dream. Or rather a memory. he rubbed his eyes because of the light before feeling a hand resting on his shoulder.

“Stan? Sorry to wake you up but... we have arrived.” said Mitch, looking at him a little worried.  

“Already? Shucks Mitch...Sorry. I was...just taking a little nap.” responds Stan still a little sleepy.

“Adam, you're waiting for us at the entrance, we don't have it for very long.” said Sonya before getting out of the car with a large bouquet of flowers in her hands.

“Yes Sonya.” simply respond the latter.  

Stan and Mitch followed and both found themselves in front of the cemetery gates. They didn't like this place. they wish they never found themselves going there. At least not at their age. And not for as many years.

“Go there both of you. I'm going to stay with Adam. I would go alone after.” said Stan.  

“Are you sure of yourself? Don't you want me to come with you?” asks Mitch.  

“Don’t worry Mitch, just go with Sonya. She will need more your presence than me.” Replied Stan, smiling under his hood.

Mitch nodded at him before joining Sonya, who had already walked to the vault. Stan leaned against the limousine, right next to Adam who was waiting patiently. From a distance he could see his brother and sister, laying down the bouquet of flowers, before Sonya started crying and Mitch took her in his arms. None of them had managed to grieve but... they hid it to worry no one. They were all like that.

“Excuse me... can I ask a question?” Said suddenly Adam taking Stan out of his thoughts.

“Yeah go ahead.” he responds mechanically.  

“Who’s buried there ? And...how did it happened?”

“... It's not up to me to tell you about it, but to Sonya. If she ever feels capable then... she will tell you. When we have all grieved. Just know... that it’s our parents who are buried there.”

“Oh...i’m sorry.”  

Stan shrugged his shoulders in response and turned his head, seeing his brother and sister return. He then took two roses that he had set aside and began to step forward in his turn. He glanced at his brother, making him understand that he needed to be alone this time, that everything would be fine. He arrived in front of the vault where his parents were resting and sat right in front of it, the two roses in his hand that he placed on his knees.

“...Hi.” he starts, trying to find his word before sighing. “Well... I guess I've never really been good at starting a conversation... especially with the dead. It's not something that... that can be learned. And from what I saw... Sonya and Mitch can't do it either. how long has it been? 25 years? Yeah... 25 daggnabit years that you're no longer here. You had done everything to make the three of us a bright future, and that's what we've become. At least Sonya has fulfilled her dream. She wanted to be a great journalist and she succeeded. Mitch and I... We have become criminals. Sacred turning point, when we know that you saw us as... managers of our own garage or as policemen... In the end we are on the other side of the barrier.” he said before looking away. He wanted to cry, but he can’t.

They had always learned from their parents that crime was wrong, that easy money was dirty money and that if they wanted something, they had to work hard for it. But the opposite happened: money, the moto, weapons, it was by stealing that they got them. And internally, Stan sometimes felt a touch of shame knowing that his parents were watching them from heaven. He took a deep breath before turning his head back to the vault.

“But deep down.... we have not changed. Apart from Sonya who has taken on personality, Mitch remains a big teddy bear and me... a real ball of nerves, impatient but still as protective. But you know things are better in the country since Florres was elected. The country is recovering little by little, but life is more... restful we will say. it does not prevent us from continuing our robberies. and I don't think we'll ever stop. I remember when you told us it was wrong to rob. But when you find yourself with nothing and you have to make sure that your brother and sister have something to eat... it becomes a necessity to rob.” he replied.

He stood up and laid the two roses next to the bouquet of flowers. He remained silent for a few moments, then resumed sighing again.  

“ But you know, I always keep my promise. The one I made to you that day. And I would always keep that promise. Anything can happen to me, I am ready to lose an arm, a leg, life itself... but one thing is for sure. I would continue to watch over them. I would continue to do everything I can to ensure that Mitch and Sonya have everything they need... If it has to cost me my life, then so be it. But no one will touch my family. I will not let anyone take away the only family I have left.”

He walked towards his brother and sister after looking at the vault one last time.

“I promise you that.”

***

(There you go! it's shorter than what I usually write but frankly I liked it a lot! and I hope you like it too! I can't wait to write fanfiction on Road96! Oh by the here's,under this text, how Stan is sitting ! feel free to tell me what you think! see ya!)

[rpgchoices]

Sometimes I really want to read a short summary of what to expect from a game… and thankfully people can also submit their summaries of games they played and help me (and others) find games that cater to their interests!

submitted by @lairofsentinel

(click here for other videogames)

what to expect from ROAD 96

You play several teenagers that want to reach the border of the country. There is no customisation, but there are also no scenes that show your chars.

The country you are leaving is called Petria, a fantasy mixture of north of Mexico and communist Russia, where the tyranny is led by Tyrak. Mainstream media is completely bought and altered by him. 

There is a meta plot that covers several in-game weeks, where the events evolve depending on the choices of the teenagers you control. Each NPC has a subplot associated with them that evolves depending on the teenager’s choices and how the meta-plot evolves. The stories occur on different levels. Personal story [the main teenager you control], NPC’s personal stories [related to the chars you meet along the road] and a meta story, general and broader. The way ones affect the other is amazing.

By the end of the story, most of the NPCs you met in your different roads are related to one another. There is a lot of  humanity in them. Each of these chars is multilayered, with a background that makes them more complex and grey.

Every teenager you control, depending on their actions, can be arrested or die on the road, finishing their travel before reaching the border. 

The teenager you use can pick their answers from 3 alignments: brigadier [ rebels that believe change can only be done with extreme measures], democrats [moderate ones who think voting fixes a tyranny], and apolitical view [self-centred]

Along the road, each teenager learns “tricks” such as hacking safes, or lockpicking doors to steal cars. These skills remain available for future teenagers.

The game has decent graphics. 

Game fully voiced.

Several different endings. 

Short game, around 10 hours of gameplay.

——- Plot? ——-

You are one of the many teenagers that have been disappearing “mysteriously”. The truth is that this country where you live, Petria, is a tyranny and in an attempt to find a better life, you, as a teenager, start a trip to the border. There is no guarantee of success. Many perish along the way. The road is filled with dangers but also with good people. Each road is a different story. This game is purely narrative with light elements of “puzzles” but they are immensely easy. 

——- Gameplay? ——- 

You have to pick which means you are going to use to continue your road: hitchhiking, walking along the road, stealing a car, using a bus, or calling a taxi. With each option, at a different place along the road, you trigger a different scene with different NPCs. Sometimes, interacting with some NPC will bring changes in the ending. 

——- Characters? ——- 

The many unknown teenagers you control, besides several npcs that carry their own stories and interact with the main plot.

 ——- LGBT? ——-

Nothing that I could have noticed. 

——- Sadness level? ——- 

Bearable level of sadness in some char’s backgrounds and in the endings. 

——- Happy ending? Deaths? ——-

Every char you control can potentially die. The chars you meet along the road can have bad endings. There are many endings.

[sampoststuff]

(Interacting in good faith) You’re right about the politics being akin to US presidential elections, and believe me as someone from Arizona, Petria’s landscape (and flag) resembles/is based on Arizona, and by a visual extension the US. And there are several other things within the game that makes it resemble the US

However, it is very much based on North Korea and Russia. (Post hidden under read more to not clog up anyone's dash)

Looking at the documentary for road 96, titled On the Road 96 Documentary (which can be bought/rented on Steam), Yoan Fanise, the creator of the game and co-founder of Digixart, talks about how the political plot was created for the game.

”One pretty helpful moment was a trip actually to Poland”

“To visit our friends at Eleven Bits, an incredible indie studio”

“the did This War of Mine and Frostpunk, great people”

“And the developers at Eleven Bits being from Poland”

“the older folks on the team being older”

“had to live through the Iron Curtain era”

“and communism, and they could explain to me”

“at length, what it was like to live there”

“and try to cross the infamous Iron Curtain to reach the western side.”

The Iron Curtain referring to “the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to seal off itself and its dependent eastern and central European allies from open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas.”

Looking on the official Digixart server on discord, one of the devs and the actors on Road 96 comment on what the country is based on.

Looking at some examples within the Road 96 and Mile 0 game itself, there are posters that promote Tyrak. One specific one is for the Reeducation Camp that can be found in both Road 96 and Mile 0.

This poster resembles much of Russian and North Korean army recruiting posters

(America isn't free from this criticism)

(However the main distinction between the North Korean and Russian army recruiting posters is the color usage. Typically, older army recruiting posters from America have a mixture of red white and blue or subdued colors, not red throughout the poster).

In Mile 0, in the music ride section "Ten More Years", there is a shot of the character riding through various soldiers to get to the border

Again resembling the Russian and North Korean posters.

Overall, the game is influenced by the US. But also very much by Russia and North Korea.

road 96: red vs. blue politics, bi-partisan (as far as we know), mostly desert landscape, there's a fucking WALL at the border, overall very obviously american

some idiot: wow north korea much

[queerdagny]

So my love @nerd-nickerson introduced me to a game on switch called Road 96 (it’s also on PC and presumably elsewhere, who knows) and I think y’all would like it. Throughout the game you play as a variety of teens trying to escape the fascist regime under president Tyrak (there is no subtlety) and you meet a number of people who help you hitchhike and further the story. It’s walking with some puzzles, you got dialogue options, you have to make choices. It’s real good. Also you can die. Here are some screenshots which may convince you to play it.