august event.

[falsitates]

AUGUST 1 ~ 15

Vitae appears to return to normal as the night draws to an end and the new month's first day dawns. Its vanished citizens gradually begin to repopulate the city, and everything returns to normal. Everyone talks about how quickly July went by. August sure has come and gone in a blink of an eye, huh? How funny. They all laugh as they go about their business.

According to the news, the next two weeks will be cloudy, gloomy, and surprisingly chilly.

  THE MISSING

The news also reports that an alarming number of people have gone missing. Citizens of all ages, from young to old, have mysteriously vanished without a trace. It is estimated that approximately 20% of the population has gone missing. Local search parties have been organized and posters have been placed on bulletin boards. A group of volunteers goes into the forest and the abandoned castle every day to look for clues, but they always come up empty-handed.

Rumors quickly spread throughout the city about the disappearances and how spirits must have abducted them. Some of the more superstitious stockpile table salt and hire bogus exorcists to purify their homes. Others visit the shrine and begin praying to gods who have been forgotten. They claim to sense a presence that wasn't there before, and they use it as evidence that a higher being is present and will assist them.

From the trees, four crows watch. When members of the app approach the shrine, they all squawk and flap their wings. Only one flies down to the offering box and dares to come close. The other three remain on the sidelines.

  BRACELETS AND SIM CARDS

Every app user, new or old, are fitted with a watch on their left wrist. It's impossible to remove, and even the most powerful tools fail to make a dent in it. You simply have to live with it. Its user interface has changed since last month. It now has an identical copy of the app, allowing those who frequently forget their phones to have access. It also has a SIM slot on its side, but inputting any regular SIM card appears to have no effect and it's spit out. Anything else is spit out as well.

But for those who kept their mysterious SIdo M cards from June, as well as recent newcomers who wake up with one in their pockets, will find that the bracelet will accept them.

When it is inserted, it displays a city map. It looks a lot like the one that was unveiled last month. It updates every hour to show the user's immediate surrounding area and the precise locations of... something. White dots can be found in random locations, such as the middle of a beach, the back of a supermarket, and dark alleyways. There's no other information about these dots, and it's unclear what would happen if someone went to them.

There are a few scattered throughout the city. Do you dare to go?

  VITAEGATE

Your phone begins to vibrate.

It will not stop until you pick it up and when you do, it's cold to the touch. The buttons become unresponsive as it shuts down. Then, just like all the previous times, white lettering appears on a black background.

WELCOME TO WEEK TEN.
A NEW MODULE HAS BEEN UNLOCKED.
IT HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING VALUE.
DE OMNIBUS DUBITANDUM

The app now includes a new section. It reads 'forum.' The section is exactly what the name says. It's a simple forum where anyone can post comments, but they're all anonymous. No one can tell one from the other.

There are already a few comments.

  DECISION TIME

Your phone vibrates again on the 15th.

ALLY?
BETRAY?

You must choose one of the two options. You won't be able to use your phone otherwise.

YOU HAVE SELECTED [ALLY/BETRAY].
CHOOSE A USER.

The message is followed by a list. It contains the names and photos of all of the app's users. Your phone will remain unusable until you make a decision. Those who are adamant about not making a decision will notice moments before midnight that their watch begins to slowly overheat, with an ominous timer counting down from ten minutes. The options appear once more. After that, the timer will disappear.

YOU HAVE SELECTED [NAME].
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.
PLEASE WAIT PATIENTLY UNTIL THE NEXT UPDATE.

Comments

[cicadashell]

[The nervousness throws him off a bit, expecting more of a pushback from a demon.]

What's up with the shadow smoke?

[He's just going to get straight to the point, crossing his arms over his chest and clearly not going anywhere until he's figured this guy out. He hasn't looked through the list of people provided on the app and isn't going to waste his time reading profiles.]

[silentends]

You saw that? Oh, hell. I guess there's no point hiding it.

[ Nier is frowning a little from being discovered like this. He's not really a demon but he's not really a human.

It's hard to say exactly what he is. He just looks uneasy, restless and maybe even scared but he replies honestly. ]

It's magic. I was just trying to understand it more. Please don't be angry I know I lied to you.

[ He wasn't just looking for a quiet place to stay , clearly. ]

[cicadashell]

[Jiro's initial assessment is starting to look completely off-base, the way Nier seems almost frightened and wary. It's confirmed when he says 'magic'.]

Chill. I'm not mad at you. I don't even know who the fuck you are.

[His posture relaxes a bit, mainly on purpose to not seem as threatening, as this guy appears to be the nervous type. Ugh.]

So, magic, huh? You're not a mononoke?

[Flat out just gonna ask.]

[silentends]

[ Nier is normally more calm and quiet. He's become terrified of himself because of recent past events. He prefers hiding, keeping his head low, and not causing trouble for anyone. It would be great if he could avoid getting into a mess with Jiro too. ]

Hold on a minute...! What's a Mononoke? I can't answer you until I know what it is.

[Is it some kind of monster? He's curious to know what it is or how it might be related to him.]

[cicadashell]

[Definitely not a mononoke. The ones Jiro has met at least take some kind of pride in what they are.]

A yokai, a spirit I guess, but they're not ghosts. People worshipped them as gods or thought they were demons. The ones you pray to at the shrine, those guys.

[He waves vaguely at the air surrounding Nier.]

That shadow stuff, it's the type of thing I've seen them do.

[Or has done himself, but Jiro isn't going to tell some random guy in an alley that he's possessed by one of those demons; not right now anyway.]

[silentends]

Spirits? But not ghosts? I don't think I'm like that.

[ So it's possible he's not a Mononoke. At the very least, Nier doesn't think he has anything in common with them. Even in his other memories, he believes that he might be something different. ]

The shadow magic is something that just...happened. I'm not a demon. My name is Nier.

[ The app might be at fault for giving him these strange powers. It seems like Jiro knows something of magic so Nier would like to inquire about it at some point. ]

[cicadashell]

I'm Jiro.

[The magic angle is something he's not prepared for, having only recently discovered the existence of mononoke himself. He hasn't been exposed to a lot of supernatural things, and despite what he has seen, magic still correlates with more fantasy fellowship bullshit.]

It just happened, huh.

[It's not a question.]

You're not gonna go kill people after I leave, right?

[So far, Nier doesn't seem the type, but fuck if Jiro knows what he's capable of with this magic.]

[silentends]

[ That's fair. Nier doesn't know what his magic is capable of doing either. He got possessed recently and had a bad time but that's not something he's ready to discuss or face. ]

I don't want to hurt people or kill them, Jiro. It's wrong. Besides, I might have weird magic now but I'm still a nurse.

[ He looks up and tries to see Jiro but Nier's hood falls off revealing a head silvery-white hair. It's very messy and unkempt. ]

How about you? Will you kill someone later....?

[cicadashell]

I'm not killing anyone either.

[There's conviction in it, and he doesn't plan on killing, but shit happens. He raises an eyebrow at Nier's nurse comment. Jiro's not the epitome of good grooming, but Nier's looking kind of like a hobo over there.]

Do you need help?

[silentends]

What a relief. I think I might need help, yeah.

[ Nier's happy to hear that Jiro isn't going to go around committing crimes. Jiro doesn't seem like a dangerous person? So Nier thinks he can relax a little and take a few deep breaths. ]

Up until recently, I was living inside of an apartment with other people. Now there's nobody home. Haven't you heard yet? A ton of people went missing.

[cicadashell]

Yeah, everyone's talking about. I haven't been here long. Before I got here, I was headed for the mononoke realm, so I thought maybe they had something to do with it, but now I think someone fucked up and the portal didn't go where it was supposed to.

[It's a little bit of rant, but with less anger and more annoyance in it. Nier's phrasing is sort of circumspect, but Jiro thinks he gets the gist of it.]

Your family's missing?

[silentends]

You just got here so I think there has to be a good reason for it. I don't understand too much about portals, spirits, or the mononoke but it sounds like something terrible happened.

[ He nods once and clenches down on his teeth feeling anxious because his little sister is missing too. ]

Yeah, I'm having a hard time without them. I can't even cook. Look if you have questions I'll answer. I just want to eat something first.

[cicadashell]

[End of the world terrible, and some cannibalism, but Jiro's not gong to get into that. Especially since he's possibly just found an opportunity here.]

You said you have an apartment? I can cook. I'm not gonna leave you alone when you're all depressed and shit. Let me crash on your couch and I'll help you.

[silentends]

Oh yeah, sure. Feel free to use the couch and make yourself at home. I don't think anybody is staying there right now.

[ He tries to smile a little, feeling happy to have company. It's also a good thing that Jiro knows how to cook because that solves some problems for Nier too. He doesn't have enough money to keep buying expensive meals every day. ]

...There is a dog. I hope you won't mind him.

[cicadashell]

[Jiro has a rare smile in return, because of one thing.]

You got a dog? What's his name?

[He will spend more time talking to Nier's dog than Nier himself, even if he can't understand it.]

I was raised by a dog.

[Is it a joke? No.]

[silentends]

Fluffball. His name is Fluffball.

[ That doesn't sound like a joke. It's fine, Jiro can spend all day with the dog and that won't bother Nier at all. ]

You were raised by a dog? I think you might become good friends with him then! He could use some company.

[ Nier tries to pull himself together to the best of his ability. ]

Thank you for helping me.

[cicadashell]

[Fluffball. That poor dog. If Jiro ever gets his abilities back, he'll ask it what it's real name is.]

Her name was Nachi.

[The best dog-mom. He jerks his thumb towards the street.]

Come on, show me where your apartment is. We'll get food on the way.

[By which he means steal it.]

[silentends]

Nachi is a wonderful name. Okay, let's go. My apartment shouldn't be too far from here.

[ Yeah, almost everyone in Nier's family had strange ideas for names so the poor husky dog got stuck with 'fluffball'. There was a fish with the name 'Sir.Bubblesworth' and that one isn't exactly decent either. Maybe someday Jiro can find the proper name. ]

I feel like I haven't eaten in months. What kind of things do you cook?

[cicadashell]

Lots of stuff. Vegetable dishes, meat, stir-fry, whatever.

[On the way to Nier's apartment, he keeps a look out for food stores or markets.]

Cooking is important. You don't know how to feed yourself, you're gonna always be dependent on someone else.

[silentends]

You can cook almost anything...! Amazing.

[ He's not a picky eater due to his circumstances and inability to cook. He looks down curiously though. ]

Relying on other people is how I've managed up until now. Everyone has always been kind to me. I'm not used to doing managing it on my own. Do you want to teach me???

[cicadashell]

Fuck, no. I'm not your mom.

[After he says it, he thinks maybe Nier's mother is one of the missing family members, but he can't take it back now.]

You can learn by watching, but I'm not explaining shit unless I feel like it.

[silentends]

Huh? I've never had parents. Are mothers supposed to do that kind of thing?


[ Nier just looks more confused than offended. He was abandoned by his parents when he was younger and got used to living life without them. ]

Alright then, I'll try to learn. It's just that...I've had issues with cooking in the past. You don't want to know the details.

[cicadashell]

Guess so.

[His mother's dead, hence the dog. But it's said with just a shrug, because he's not thinking about that. He smirks at the description of Nier's past cooking attempts.]

If you burn down the apartment, it's not my fault.

[silentends]

Oh yeah? That's interesting.

[ Nier can't even hide the way he feels about that last comment and looks like he's in dismay. ]

I wouldn't say I'd go so far and burn down an apartment! Nothing I make is edible asides from toasting bread. Does that count as cooking?

[cicadashell]

[Oh my god.]

No! You can't just eat toast.

[He gives Nier a little shove towards a store he's just spotted. Tiny and less likely to have security cameras.]

C'mon, grab what fits in your pockets and isn't made of sugar.