june event.

[falsitates]

JUNE 15, 2021

The heatwave has passed and the weather has never been better. The city is full of life once again, and the streets are busy as people return outdoors to enjoy what summer has to offer. Everything appears to have returned back to normal.

For everyone, but you.

The newcomers are given an envelope that is either addressed to their current residence or placed in their belongings. There is no return address, and inside is a New York state government-issued ID. It appears to be authentic. The residents, on the other hand, receive a similar envelope, but with a SIM card. There are no other notes.

Are these your rewards?

  MISSION BOARD

Your phone vibrates.

It doesn't stop until you pick it up and when you do, it's cold. The buttons do nothing as it shuts down, unresponsive to whatever actions that you take. Then, much like last time, white lettering on a black backdrop appears.

WELCOME TO WEEK THREE.
A NEW MODULE HAS BEEN UNLOCKED.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT.
OR YOU MAY CHOOSE TO USE IT.
AUDENTES FORTUNA IUVAT

A new section has been added to the app. It reads as 'missions'. There are currently three tasks available right now.

  BEGINNINGS OF A FOREST

The barrier continues to grow in size. Vitae's outskirts are gradually, but surely, expanding, and in its new area is a sea of trees. There has never been a forest surrounding the city, yet one is unmistakably forming. It's small, extending outside for less than a quarter-mile, and asides from its sudden appearance, there's nothing unusual about it. Only trees, the barrier, and the nagging feeling that someone is watching you.

Nobody in the city seems to notice. When questioned, they claim that the forest has always been there. In fact, the city was created in the heart of a forest, and it has remained that way since its inception. None of them are aware of the fact that these trees were never there until now.

It's as though the forest has always been there.

  DECISION TIME

By the end of the day, your phone vibrates again. A new message appears.

ALLY?
BETRAY?

One of the two choices must be selected. Otherwise, you won't be able to use your phone.

Make your choice.

Comments

[rightminded]

[ it's my first day. ]

[ Given he's just arrived, and the weather is JUST FINE, Akechi seems ... well, very adaptable, for someone who is clearly new here, wearing a Japanese school uniform more suited for the winter months. At the very least he's taken off his blazer and is carrying it over his shoulder on a crooked finger, looking casual and cool. He seems to just be ... wandering around, taking in the sites, so you can find him:

At a convenience store, browsing newspapers and periodicals for job listings;

Standing at the border of the forest, going between thumbing through his phone and querying passing locals about it, to obvious failure;

And then exploring the shrine with a look of open curiosity, examining with particular fascination the lanterns. Should you join him in this location and catch him unawares, he'll startle slightly and laugh. ]

My apologies; I'd thought I was alone. Curious, isn't it? This shrine is very similar to one you'd see in my home country of Japan. It's not the kind of thing I'd expect to see in New York state, and certainly not in this condition. I wonder if City Hall knows of this apparently historic location's run-down state? Perhaps we should petition for its restoration, ha ha.

[ network. ]

Pardon me. I've only just arrived a short while ago. My name is Goro Akechi. To my understanding, I am not the first to arrive here under strange circumstances. According to what I'm reading, there are other unusual happenings as well. It is fortunate, then, that I happen to be a detective. I'm happy to offer my services, such as they are, for whatever use they may be. It is a pleasure to meet you all.

And while I'm here, if I may ask, which did you choose: ally, or betray?

[ wildcard. ]

( ooc: HIT ME WITH ANYTHING YOU LIKE i am open to Things. I'm on disco at skywardlii#5544 or plurk at heartfuls! Also, here's Akechi's app and info. )

shrine

[ehero]

... huh? Sorry, I didn't catch that.

[ dude, you just went OFF while judai was just looking around. ]

[rightminded]

Ah, I was just thinking aloud. Have you been to this shrine often?

[ehero]

[ He shakes his head. ]

No, this is my first time here. I've figured I'd check it out and see if there was anything amiss.

convenience store

[curriculumachine]

[This guy is standing right in front of where Mike wants to be, but instead of asking for Akechi to move, or to reach around him, he remains silent. Hovering. Standing there awkwardly and stepping closer, invading Akechi's space as someone else gets to close to his own to walk past them. The store is too crowded today; it must be the 50 cent coffee promotion, as that's where most people have headed once inside, to the back where the sludge that passes as a beverage comes out hot and tasteless, but it's cheap...

Nh. Is this guy really going to look through the newspaper inside without buying it? Just taking up space in front of the lottery stand when some people have numbers to fill out?]

1/2

[rightminded]

[ can this bitch not see ]

[rightminded]

[ Akechi will glance up slightly startled, as if absorbed in his reading and only just noticing the hovering Mike. ]

Oh, my sincere apologies! Am I in your way?

[ With due haste he'll step back to allow Mike room. ]

[curriculumachine]

Nh...

[It could be a 'yes', or just a grunt. There's no words of thanks or eye contact, Mike just slips by to the stand of blank forms to scribble in lottery numbers, sloppily, the fault of the tiniest of pencils that seems to always be the only thing provided.]

convenience store;

[chemex]

[The unfortunate thing about befriending an obnoxiously pretty detective asshole is that you could recognize him from a preposterous distance. Or maybe that's Third Eye working when it shouldn't-- he's trying to fight with his phone when he walks into the convenience store, and initially he walks right past the aisle Akechi is browsing periodicals in. It's about three steps later that he stops and goes extremely still, weighing his options. Maybe he was seeing things? As odd as his hair color was, it was a naturally-occurring shade. He was sure someone could replicate it with a good eye and some smart color application, too--]

[He takes three steps backward, angling himself to look at something at the corner of the aisle that allows him to put eyes on the man again without turning his head obviously. He's not sure, looking at him, if he's relieved or irritated. He decides on a bit of both, spinning his phone on the ends of his fingers and sliding it back into his pocket. He strides down the aisle, one hand in his pocket, and comes to a stop a shoulder width from him, reaching out to claim a magazine of his own. He lets it drop open in his palm and just about stares through it.]

[He glances sidelong at the periodical in Akechi's hands.]

Always the studious one. You ever considered taking a vacation?

[rightminded]

[ Breathe, he thinks.

Unlike a certain idiot, he'd been prepared for this moment. He's already looked through his phone, seen the profiles, seen the names. He couldn't have missed this one. How could it have failed to stop his fucking heart? Not that he's sure in the first place how it's still beating. Wretched, cursed luck, fate, whatever deity brought him here--whatever kind of cosmic joke it is, it sure as hell isn't funny.

At least he has this, this one bit of grace. Being one step ahead of Akira Kurusu when he most needs it to save his composure, because otherwise he feels taut as a piano string tuned too tight. One more twist--

No. He has this under control.

Akechi tilts his head to glance at the other boy and a smile flits across his face. It touches his eyes, but only barely. ]

Hardly. What would be the fun in that?

[chemex]

[He turns when Akechi does, and-- they're the same height, now. Huh. That tracks, he figures, being that he was the one still alive and growing, Goro the one in whatever manner of dead seemed to suit him best at that given moment. Akira makes no effort to be subtle as he looks him up and down, designating that he looked pretty goddamn alive for a dead guy, and shifts his weight to the foot farther from him, letting his mouth quirk into a vague sort of smile.]

Guess you'd have to take one to find out.

[silentends]

Things here are less than ideal that's for sure.

You can call me Nier.

You asked another question,
didn't you? I choose betray. I have my reasons.

[ Giving an explanation to a total stranger might be a bit much. Nier is fine just leaving it at that. ]

[rightminded]

A pleasure, Nier-san. Please, call me Akechi.

I did, yes. Could it be you're aware of the Prisoner's Dilemma?

network

[cislunar]

Ahaha. A pleasure, Goro. While it may be ruining the premise of the experiment to talk about our decision, I can't deny the straightforward question is charming.
Do you believe that people will give you their honest choice?
Do you believe that if I type "Ally", that these words are trustworthy, from a person you've never met?
Given you're a detective, I'm sure you know that's not the case.

[ tl;dr ]

[rightminded]

I assure you, the pleasure's all mine. It's Johannes, yes?

Well, we are all in this together, aren't we? On the "same side," as it were. It can only benefit us to work together. This is not mere idealism; anyone with an understanding of game theory will say the same.

On the other hand, "ally" could mean a choice to ally with those who developed Ava, and the suspicious user could be excused for choosing "betray." It does pose an interesting dilemma.

Convenience Store

[whiteshroud]

[Jun had gone into the convenience store just to pick up some snacks after work. Akechi's attire makes him pause a bit, what it looking like an actual japanese school uniform than anything else. But....he's not the most social people, in fact just approaching strangers sounds awful. So after a moment of staring, he'll choose not to engage and to keep heading for that snack aisle.

Though if the staring wasn't enough to catch Akechi's eye, maybe the fact this kid has green hair even on the eyebrows is.]

[rightminded]

Ah, pardon me?

[ Akechi is nothing if not incredibly polite, flagging Jun down from an appropriate distance only a moment or so after the other has turned away. ]

I couldn't help but notice earlier that I seemed to catch your attention? It surely isn't so obvious that I'm new here. [ He offers a gentle self-deprecating laugh. ]

network

[pursuit]

Man, if you'd been here a week ago, maybe you and Leon could've worked together... But he doesn't remember anything about this situation anymore.

I chose ally. All we had was words, and nothing attached to them. Never liked the thought of betraying somebody though.

[rightminded]

"Anymore"? Can I take this to mean he is now one of the many who takes nothing amiss with our circumstances?

A fine and understandable choice. You must wish to support those here whom you care for, yes?

Forest

[tsunotarou]

[Malleus had been exploring the edge of the forest as best as he can, but no one seemed to care about the sudden trees.

Except for this one guy, who Malleus just saw talking to a passerby, and the passerby just shaking their head. Maybe this guy is like them and remembers the forest not being there?

Time to figure it out.]

Are you asking about the forest?

[rightminded]

Oh! Hello there. [ Akechi will offer a nod of greeting. ]

Yes, I have been, though without much success. Are you here to make your own investigation?

[morient]

Does your Japan have any sort of magic?

[rightminded]

Of a sort, yes, though I’d hesitate to call it magic. Extraordinary, certainly.

When you say “my Japan,” you are referring to the possibility that us “visitors” are here from different Earths, correct?

Shrine

[infolds]

[ Connor has mostly zoned out after the second sentence. He was actually gonna prank this guy, but it looks like he noticed his presence, so he'll just call it off and pretend like he's just here for sightseeing.

But-- ]

Goddamn... I didn't even say anything and you talk my ear off?! Are all tourists like this??

[rightminded]

[ why is everyone here the worst. ]

... forgive my manners. Perhaps the strangeness of this situation has unsettled my nerves...