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]

You should save that right now. [He gestures.] It's this way. They have sandwiches and all day pancakes.

[stormsoff]

[ perks up ]

Pancakes?

[ er ]

Uh, I mean, that sounds ... fine, I guess. ... thanks.

[hippocarnival]

Pancakes. [That's why Yuya goes there all the time. All day pancakes. Although, it's been less since...

He starts to lead Isaac to the cafe.] And it's no problem. You can order what you like when we get there.

[stormsoff]

... why’re you being so nice to me, anyway? You must think I’m crazy.

[hippocarnival]

It does sound a little crazy. [Yuya scratches his cheek.] But you're a kid, and you said you don't have anyone to call... it just seems really terrible to leave you all on your own.

[He's been there, anyway. Not whisked away to another city in his sleep, but being taken as detached from reality. And alone.]

[stormsoff]

... yeah, well. Aren’t you big, taking care of the crazy drunk kid you picked up off the street cuz you’re so nice.

[ it’s not a nice thing to say, and he seems to know it, but he also doesn’t seem to know how to take it back, instead cutting his gaze away and shoving his hands in his pockets, shoulders tight. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya purses his lips, staring straight ahead as they walk. He doesn't say anything to that--maybe he doesn't have anything nice and vapid enough for it--to the silence just sits awkwardly between them.

Thankfully, not for too long, as the cafe isn't a terrible walk away. Yuya pushes open the door.] Hi~!

[The lady slouching at the counter sits up, pulling on her Customer Service Smile. Although she seems frozen for a second when she sees who it is. "Oh, Yuya?"]

It's me, it's me, I've brought hungry company.

[stormsoff]

[ That leaves Isaac to war with himself in silence, unsure if he’s angrier with himself or with Yuya or whose fault that was or why he’s even angry to begin with. It’s not like any of this is Yuya’s fault.

He will look up when they arrive, but stay quiet, looking between this lady and Yuya thoughtfully.

But the introduction he receives as “hungry company” seems to sink in belatedly, and he starts. ]

Uh, I, uh ... heard you guys have pancakes. [ ... that was pretty lame, but he tried. ]

[hippocarnival]

[The lady at the counter leans forward with a wider grin. "We sure do sweetie. Why don't you to find a seat and we'll get your order in a minute."

Yuya glances over to him, before heading to grab two of the menus by the counter and going for a table by the window. There's a few other patrons, and even less employees--this doesn't seem to be the busiest time of the day.]

You know, I think I'll get pancakes too.

[stormsoff]

S-Sure, thanks...

[ Just. Not seeming to know what to do with himself, really, he follows Yuya. It seems to surprise him that the other is smiling at him again, or at least seems affable—isn’t angry. ]

U-um, sure.

[ Isaac will take a menu, but he’s distracted, pulling out his phone to look at it with a sigh. ]

Have you, uh... I dunno, you’re from here, probably not, I guess. Have you heard of something called Ava? You can’t think I’m any crazier.

[hippocarnival]

Ava? [Yuya blinks slowly, propping one hand on his chin--and then he sits up.] Oh, that weird virus! Yeah, it downloaded itself on my phone while I was at work.

[He got a glimpse at what it wanted and then put it out of his mind, because he was a little busy.]

[stormsoff]

W-wait, you have Ava? [ Isaac drops his menu, shocked. ]

Wait, then—you’re on that creepy app too? We are the same!

[hippocarnival]

You mean this one, right? [He pulls out his phone and opens the app before turning the screen to Isaac.] It is really creepy.

[stormsoff]

[ Isaac nods eagerly, but his expression is sober. ]

That’s the one. That’s what I meant earlier when I told you my phone was acting up. Did yours get all cold, and display that strange text, too?

[hippocarnival]

I think so. [He was a little occupied trying to just shut it off.

He pulls his phone back.] I haven't really looked at it. If it's a virus that'd infect my phone more, right?

[And yet... he just opened the app five seconds ago without consideration.]

[stormsoff]

... I think you should, dude. I dunno if it’s a virus or what, but it’s not gonna be something you can just ignore. There’s something big going on.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks at his phone uncertainly.

He's still focused on it as the waitress comes up, giving Yuya the briefest glance before she fixes Isaac with a smile. "Hi, I'm Anne and I'll be taking your order today. Are you ready?"]

[stormsoff]

[ Meanwhile Isaac is able to switch gears pretty easily, smiling back at her while placing his order for TOTALLY pancakes.

And a glass of milk. He’s 13 it’s fine.

But he watches Yuya out of the corner of his eye, concerned. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya sets his phone face down, looking up at the waitress to give her a smile.

She barely glances at him, disinclined to move any closer across the table. Yuya pretends not to notice.] I'll have pancakes too. And just water.

[Anne gives him a nervous smile, writing his order under Isaacs and mumbling something about bringing their drinks soon before she slinks away. His expression doesn't even shift.] So, that app only showed up after you got here?

[stormsoff]

[ As much as he can be a recalcitrant grouch, Isaac is a perceptive kid. His gaze slides between Anne and Yuya just once before settling on Yuya. There isn’t much to read in his serious expression, other than he’s clearly thinking. ]

Yup. It definitely wasn’t there last time I looked at it, and that was maybe ... I dunno, twenty minutes before I woke up here?

[ ... ]

What’s with you and her? The waitress.

[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.