In Search of Basic Common Knowledge [NPC Thread - Dale/CWIS]

Finally, it had happened.
He'd looked high and low...
He'd searched far and wide...
He'd annoyed so, so many people...
But he'd done it.
He'd finally found a CWIS terminal.
...again. In truth, he'd walked past several of the things while he was looking about, but he'd only recently gotten anyone to tell him what he was actually looking for.

He looked the device over, hesitant. It was unfamiliar, he didn't know what it would do, and the last time he'd been in a situation like this the thing he'd been investigating went boom and sent pieces of itself everywhere at dangerous speeds.
Still, he had things he needed to learn in case he saw that 'police' person again.
So, Dale sets about operating the terminal...or rather, prodding things until either it works, or he gets the feeling not running would prove life threatening.

Unbeknownst to dale, his poking and prodding set in motion a series of events that would not unfold for eons to come. This sequence of button presses, keystrokes, and inputs started a program deep within not only CWIS, but Junction as a whole... setting the stage for a calamity that would put the current battle for existence to shame... He also set his personal preferences for Cwis!

This? This actually seemed familiar, for once. Sure, all the buttons made no sense to him, but his eyes lit up a little as CWIS made their appearance.
He hadn't found many, but he recognised an AI when he encountered one. They'd been some of the least awful parts of life before in those brief instances he'd meet one. Not least because he rarely had anything to worry about from them. Most they could do was yell sometimes.
He...had no idea what the rest of this was about though. AIs could be weird.

This was great though. Dale cleared his throat (entirely unnecessarily, all things considered) - sometimes they had a hard time hearing him.
"I was told to find a CWIS terminal...ese?" That was a new one. What did that mean? He spends a moment thinking about it before pushing it aside for a different question.
He didn't know how this AI was made. Someone made them, he'd heard enough talk badly about people they said made them for him to know. And he didn't know what stupid things this one was made to do.
He needed to ask about that first.

...there was a specific way to ask this stuff before he got here, but he couldn't find the log where he'd put that down, and he didn't know if it was different here. He'd have to see if it would work.
Dale cleared his throat again for good measure. "Is there a way I have to say things or anything before you can say stuff? Things they make you not say? Do they make you do that, here?"
He paused, looking at the strange adornments on the AI.
"...do they make you have those things, too? What are they?"

Strange words aside, as CWIS delivered their explanation, Dale found himself both pleased and relieved. No weird ways of asking questions, no frustrations that might cause problems, and they actually liked answering questions!
Though...he did look a little puzzled when told he was responsible for CWIS's outfit. He looked over the interface that he'd run rampant over when trying to activate the terminal and back to CWIS.  He'd ask how they got that stuff from him pressing things, but AIs were weird, and that was enough explanation for him. "Al...right...?"

He wasn't sure what inquiries were, but the AI's next statement helped remind him what he was supposed to be asking about. "I don't know what one of this is...or what a 'home address' is, either..." He looked uncertainly at CWIS. "One of those police people wanted both of them earlier. They also said I could get 'citizen's ID' here. I think."
Dale looks about a bit. "...what's an inquiry, as well?"

"Newborn...?" At this point, it seemed better just to work with it, but what was that he was being compared to...?
He had questions to answer, in any case. "Dale...Blackwood. Dale Blackwood." He hadn't needed his full name in a while, but from what he remembered, the AI would probably need it. "And..."
So, that was what a home address was. Guess he didn't need to worry about it so much after all. But...he didn't really stay in one place, much. Couldn't. People always wanted any good place to sleep, and he needed to find places he wouldn't be found when he wasn't awake anyway.
That...one person aside. He was very lucky, then.
In any case, it meant he couldn't really describe any one place. "Whatever residence is...I move about? Down in the lower bit, the messy one where the buildings get all weird. It's safer that way."

A small wiring sound would emanate from the CWIS terminal, lasting only a few seconds. With a pleasant ding and a lemony fresh sent a small, laminated ID card would pop out of a small slot near the screen."Your citizen's ID number is DDB2357582. Please keep this card on you at all times as it will act as an identification and credit chit for any purchases you need to make on credit! For things like food or shelter or entertainment! All of which and more can be found at your local Toha Heavy Industries outlet center! Speaking of Toha Heavy Industries, right now until 5 day this week, Toha Heavy Industries is running a sale on-" CWIS would take the next five minutes to preach about all the wonderful sales on Canoes, Raincoats, True Self Sentai Personanger Season 3-6 DVD Box sets and an endless list of other odds and ends.

"OH! Dear me I seemed to have gotten off track! Sales just get me so excited!Hehe. Anyway, sense it seems you prefer to wonder the slums I will list your home address as 'Slums' however, be aware that the Junction affordable housing act allows new residence a free lodging in Middle Ward for upwards of one standard year in order to give them time to adjust to Junction and gain a foothold here in the city. Would you like me to start the process for your admittance into this program?"

Dale takes the card, and is about to thank CWIS, when they suddenly launch into a pitch for a great many things he doesn't recognise. This outburst is mentally logged under 'weird AI stuff' as he sits through the whole of it, drastically confused by all the unfamiliar things being listed off one after the other. He only recognises the names of two things in the entire tirade, and before he can ask about them CWIS has moved three things onwards. By the end of it all, he's briefly left pondering what an church organ is and why he'd want three of them.

He shakes his head clear as CWIS gets back on track, but he barely has time to log away the home address he's been given before he's assailed with unfamiliar terms again. "I'm...not sure what you're talking about. Affordable hou...sing..." The question exits Dale's voice as he seems to suddenly realise something, his eyes shooting open. He becomes nervous, more actively keeping an eye on his surroundings. "No! No. No housing. I...no. I don't want it." He shakes his head emphatically.
One of his hands creeps into his jacket pocket, and an enthusiastic synthesised yip can be heard shortly after.

Dale continues to stroke the little synthetic pooch in his pocket, looking on edge. He shakes his head. "I..." He pauses. "Not that. Not the...'housing act' itself. Just..."
He looks around, as if seeing things that weren't actually there, before letting out a shaky breath.
"Things. Things before." He takes Chip out of his pocket, cradling him in one arm while he nuzzles against Dale, and petting him with his other hand. "I...think I know what that means. 'Housing'. Remember it. Used to be good there. Easier. Until..." He pauses. "Not worth it. Better how it is now."

"You...'offended'...?" Yet another thing he didn't understand.
Still...he got the general idea of what they meant. "I...don't think you have anything to say sorry for?" Not by how he understood the word, anyway. "It's a before thing. You had nothing to do with it."
He paused to think at CWIS's questions, before shaking his head. "Maybe. Probably. Can't think of anything, though."

The fiesta flavored image of CWIS would suddenly fade from existence as the terminal shut off.

Dale nods, and looks down at the card in his hands.
He'd...learned what he came here for. He had this now. And he'd found one of those AIs, who seemed happy to help him learn things.
That...that was good. He might have to find one of these again later. But with that done, he had things to do now.
Not sure what yet...he didn't need food now, and he was happy with the money he had too. So...what?

Dale sets off, stowing the card. He'd figure it out.