introduction log.

[falsitates]

JUNE 1, 2021

The first day of summer - it’s unbearably hot. Temperatures are high and relentless, and without a single cloud in the sky, the sun blazes down heavily on the unlucky few stuck outside.

Weather predictions warn of an intense heatwave that’ll last all week long. The young and elderly are advised to stay indoors and hydrated, and anyone with the symptoms of a heat stroke is urged to head straight to the city hospital. Schools are temporarily closed until new air conditioners can be installed, and businesses come to a slow grind as many call out sick from heat exhaustion.

The city warns that it’s going to be a long seven days.

  NEWCOMERS

You wake up.

You’re left to your own devices. You have a vague memory of the last few moments of your time back in your world, in familiar surroundings, but you’re now somewhere new. Whether you’ve awoken on an unknown rooftop, in a stranger’s bedroom, behind cell bars, or under six feet of water - you know that you’re no longer at home.

You’re on your own for the time being. You must escape whatever predicament that you’ve found yourself in and find answers to your own questions. What brings you here? How did you arrive? What happened to your friends and family? You have an hour to explore and speak with the people of this world before your time runs out.

Something then vibrates in your pocket.

  RESIDENTS & NEWCOMERS

Your phone vibrates.

It buzzes incessantly until you pick it up, but when you look at the screen, it’s blank. It will not turn on, no matter how hard you press the buttons. It’s possible that it overheated and shut down, but it’s unusually cold to the touch, almost as if you’re touching a brick of ice. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, white text appears on a black background.

Decryption confirmed.

Condition green.

Booting program.

The screen goes dark once more. Seconds later, new words are typed.

WELCOME TO [ AVA ]

→ MISSION 001
HEAD TO THE CITY CROSSWALK BY 1500. FIND THE [ OTHERS ]. YOUR REWARD WILL BE ANNOUNCED THEN. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

  WELCOME TO [ AVA ]

You can't avoid the mission; you don't have any choice. Any attempt to ignore or avoid it is futile, as convenient coincidences occur all around you as a motivator to go.

Did you have work? For some inexplicable reason, your shift has been cancelled. Were you trying to get some rest? The fire alarm went off and you were evacuated from your home. Did you attempt to travel to another part of the city? The sidewalks and roads have been closed due to a sudden blackout.

No matter what you do, you are compelled to head to the city crosswalk.

For the middle of the afternoon, it's unusually quiet and empty. Despite the heat warning, there should still be more than just a handful of you and a few others, but you won't have the time to ponder about it. Your phone finally reboots and appears to be back to normal - or so it seems. You've got a new app.

[ AVA ]

It's an icon with a white eye. It stares at you, and the screen remains frozen until you press it. It then starts the initialization process.

WELCOME TO [ AVA ]

PEACEFUL DAYS ARE OVER

ALEA IACTA EST

The text vanishes, revealing the app's interface. It's an online social media network with public forums and private messaging, but it's completely devoid of content. It currently only contains the user profiles of those who have signed up for the app, and you are one of them. Your full name, date of birth, personal address, height, weight, and a mugshot that you don't recall taking are all listed on your profile.

You quickly discover that you have no way of deleting or even editing your information. You can't even get rid of the app. The option simply does not exist.

Minutes after opening [ AVA ], you receive a notification. There have been two new forum posts. MISSION 002 and MISSION 003 are the names of the new threads. You open them to read.

→ MISSION 002
NEWCOMERS, WELCOME TO VITAE. YOUR GOAL FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS IS TO SURVIVE. IF YOU ARE ALIVE TO SEE THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH, YOU WILL BE GREATLY REWARDED.

→ MISSION 003
RESIDENTS, BE AWARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THIS CITY. ONLY TRUST THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW. YOUR COMPENSATION WILL BE PROVIDED IN TWO WEEKS' TIME.

These threads allow you to leave comments. What do you do now?

Comments

[hippocarnival]

Hm? There's nothing up with us. [He knows why she's nervous. People aren't as good at keeping their words a secret as they think. They all talk too much.

Yuya doesn't acknowledge it.] When did you wake up here? I wonder if it downloaded on my phone at the same time...

[stormsoff]

[ Isaac glares at him.

Actually glares, leaning back in his seat and folding his arms over his chest. ]

You’re full of it, dude.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya smiles coyly, but he doesn't try to explain it.] It's probably not that important. You think this app is, though, right?

[stormsoff]

What— what is WRONG with you? Not that important? You think you can just start a conversation with me like you actually give a toss what I think while lying to my face? All I’m seeing is that you’re fake and a liar and I can’t trust you!

[ .... he’s getting kinda loud ... people are gonna stare. ]

Have you just been pumping me for information this entire time?!

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya leans back in his chair, caught off guard. That is way more impassioned of a response than he was expecting?

Some people are probably, definitely pretending not to stare.]

Where did you get that idea? [Yuya laughs, disbelieving. He pauses before shifting back forward, planting his elbows on the table.] Sorry, I guess you're really nervous waking up far away from home like this. I'm not your enemy and I'm not trying to pump information out of you. I just used to be a regular here, but I don't know her.

[stormsoff]

What am I supposed to think when you dodge MY questions and then pose your own? You’re evasive, you call me drunk and crazy, you’re only taking pity on me because I’m some lost kid—if I was older would you just leave me on the street? I have no idea who you are.

[ He finally stops, puffing like his whole chest is a billows and all he can breathe out is the fire of his fury, burning his throat with every breath. His chest hurts.

You’re the one that said the crazy thing, he just agreed with you, why are you so mad? Why do you always do this to everyone who tries to help you? Stupid. Idiot.

Trying to modulate his breathing, Isaac braces his elbows on the table and bows his head, gripping his hair. ]

... I don’t know why I’m here or why you’re acting like everything’s fine when it’s not or why any—any of this is happening. Just stop ... stop brushing me off.

[hippocarnival]

I thought you wanted to talk about the app? [He tilts his head, leaning one cheek against his hand.] I really don't know her and how she looks at me isn't important, but if you don't believe me then I can't give you an answer you're going to be happy with. Besides the weird app my day's been normal?

[He's just not in the same position as Isaac, who... yeah, is kind of a lost kid and Yuya's nice but probably wouldn't be treating a full grown adult to lunch right now. Adults can handle themselves. This boy seems to be alone.

But that seems to bother Isaac so he won't bring it up.] I don't know what's going on with that or you either.

[stormsoff]

It’s not ABOUT her! [ this explodes out of him, and finally he seems cognizant of the scene he’s making, looking around and then sinking into his chair.

Far more quietly, but mulish, visibly and audibly distrusting: ]

... it’s about you, dude. The way you dodge things I ask and say. I did want to talk about the app, but why would I do that with someone I can’t trust? You haven’t given me a single reason to actually trust you.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya brow knits, quieting as he mentally reviews their conversation in his head. He hasn't been thinking deeply about what he has and hasn't been evasive about. Deflecting unwanted attention is too normal to him, and also, he's really just not having as messed up a day overall as Isaac.

He purses his lips in a tight smile. He doesn't have a good response.] I guess I can't. If you want I can just pay for your pancakes and go?

1/2

[stormsoff]

[stormsoff]

[ His whole face screws up, his eyes wet.

To hide this, he bows his head and digs in one pocket.

He withdraws three whole US dollars, which he slams on the table. ]

I don’t want anything from you.

[ With that, he simply gets up and walks out, swiping his forearm across his eyes as he goes. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya... watches him go. It's not quite the reaction he expected after being distrusted? But he doesn't think he has anything to offer to make him trusted more.

He reaches for the money in an effort to offer it back, but he doesn't say anything when Isaac turns, and ultimately sets it back on the counter. Guess he's going to end up with leftovers.]