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

[chemex]

[Akira's shoulders hitch upward in a shrug, and he takes a few steps toward the door.] Parkour I can do-- seeing through doors notsomuch. Let's follow, to whatever extent that requires.

[curriculumachine]

Okay...

[He's fine with making no decisions here. As they get closer to the door, there's a noise like an exaggerated gasp heard from within the stairwell. Toly hasn't gone far! Hannah leaps down from Akira's shoulder and tries to open the roof door herself, but it's too heavy. He's in there!]

[chemex]

[Cellphone in one hand with the camera app pulled up, Akira takes Hannah's lead and reaches out with his other hand to pull the door open with a stupid little flourish. Whether he captures Toly or not, he turns the camera front-facing and holds it at an angle to get himself and whatever is behind the door in a few rapidfire snapshots.]

[curriculumachine]

[In one of those selfies will be... a hint of a blue hood, but nothing else. He's vanished. Mike belatedly takes a photo of just Akira and Hannah in the doorway. Hannah hisses and points down the stairs. Below, somehow too far below, there are quick footsteps continuing to descend.]

[chemex]

[Akira tsks in annoyance and takes off after him, except he vaults himself directly over a few railings in an effort to catch up. Kid, you're really gonna need to work on your subtlety.]

[As he goes, he hollers over his shoulder and holds an arm out for Hannah to reclaim her spot on his shoulder if she wants.] Take the fire escape, head him off! [He isn't really sure he expects Mike to be quick enough for that, but maybe.]

[curriculumachine]

[Mike certainly doesn't run, just strolling back the way they came. Whatever. Akira can go break a leg jumping off down the stairs like that if he wants. It's none of Mike's concern. Hannah, though, is excited for the chase, and scrambles back to Akira's shoulder. Below, there's a screech and fumbling footsteps as Toly tries to outrun them.]

[chemex]

[He holds out his phone and takes a few terribly motion-blurred photos, smears of the blue hoodie always a flight or two of stairs below him, but he's gaining. Akira is little if not tenacious, and while he doesn't yeet over too many railings, he's still definitely fighting a little harder to catch up than one might assume is healthy.]

[Or smart, but. At least Hannah's having a good time?]

[curriculumachine]

[While Akira is going all out, Mike continues his slightly more speedy than normal trek down the fire escape and into the building, down the hall to the stairs. The door creaks open loudly and there's a another shout from Toly, now trapped on the stairs between them.]

You get him yet?

[chemex]

[Akira drops into a crouch on the landing just above Toly, reaching up to scritch Hannah gently behind the ears. He's out of breath, but not to an extent that a normal teenager who just ran down several flights of stairs after a dude he's not even sure why he's chasing should be. He holds up his phone again and takes another few shots. At this point his camera roll is going to be full just from this chase.]

If I haven't, I've certainly got a hell of a lot of near-misses.

[curriculumachine]

[Hannah appreciates those scritches, chittering and flexing her sharp fingers into Akira's shoulder. Below, there's a soft whimpering noise, as if Toly feels cornered and panicked. Mike knows that sound, that feeling, and he will take advantage of it.]

Just run him down, I'll get a picture.

[He starts up the stairs, ready to press the shutter whenever Toly appears in front of him. Unless Toly's a parkour guy too, he's not escaping.]

sorry for the delay i was getting clearance from ichi for a photo eyes emoji

[chemex]

[Raccoon fingers, as it turns out, are smaller but not much different from cat paws. They still prick like little needles in his skin, but he doesn't mind too much. Akira jogs his way the rest of the way down to be half a flight of stairs above Toly, leaving him really nowhere to go. With a brief wild grin, he pulls out his phone.]

Now! [He spins on his heel and holds his phone up, the crazed grin still on his face when he snaps several rapid-fire shots of Toly, the poor crazed fool.]

o7 i figured it was time too

[curriculumachine]

[Mike can only manage two photos during this time, because he has to manually advance the film, but Toly and Akira will be visible in sharp focus in at least one of them once developed.]

[chemex]

[He's still grinning when he pivots back to facing forward, spinning his phone on the ends of his fingertips and then sliding it back into his pocket.] Show's over. [Listen, it's habit.]

[He looks past Toly to Mike, stepping to the side of the staircase to allow the guy to make a run for it if he wants, leaning leisurely against the wall to catch his breath, now that it's catching up to him that he just bolted down several flights of stairs. All in a day's work...] So, what's your deal, dude? Camera sh-- whoa!

[Toly, unsurprisingly, takes the chance presented and jets passed him up the stairs again. Akira lets him go.] Cool, sure, okay.

[curriculumachine]

[Mike has no comments; he just watches Toly go, a blur of blue hoodie, far too much stamina than should be possible. For a moment, there's only the sound of his footsteps and Akira catching his breath. Then Hannah claps her little hands. She's hungry!]

[chemex]

[He grins at Hannah, affording her more scritches for her good work.] We gotta get you a bath, ma'am. But first, there's a garbage takeout tray with your name on it.

[curriculumachine]

[Hannah chortles, accepting praise for her betrayal of Toly in exchange for some trash; a shrewd decision that paid off. Mike makes a tiny disgusted noise, but it's not until he's pushing the door open to head back to the van that he actually says anything.]

... I'm not bathing a raccoon.

[Akira's on his own there.]

and then my job kicked my ass for a week i'm so sorry.

[chemex]

[Akira snorts, shaking his head.] No worries, I'll handle that.