WEEK 2

[akudamods]

Saturday passes uneventfully save a little rain. It's on Sunday that you get a little notification of probation for new areas: Neo-Nipponbashi and Chuo. It'd be possible to investigate, to check out some anime, or to worship the defunct Shinkansen. But maybe it's hard to get excited about any of that when Friday’s events suggest that you have simply been provided some additional photogenic places to commit murder. Are you going to bother either overseer after their participation in some mockery of justice? Troll the internet? Get a bat out of Hyper Zone and just take out your frustration on everything?

Those of you who entered the pods will experience fewer “painful bursts of color” as your body is unaffected below the knees, though the same amount of “slight teleportation” glitches. Those of you who abstained from the pods will continue to experience all of the above as well as electric shock sensations occasionally when touching metal objects.

INTERNET | SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

((Internet investigations of any kind go here, and for all IRL areas, please use "investigate" in the subject line of your top-level comment, or link the thread to a moderator!))

Comments

[thefifthchild]

Romance is stupid and can only ever lead to heartbreak. It's useless to me.

[His first relationship didn't turn out so well.]

[fullswingkiss]

I'd say it makes plenty of sense, myself. What reason did she have to care about the people here, compared to the weight of her attachments at home?

[pr159]

[ have some sudden unwanted commentary from the user cuttingedge with the display name "Rx". ]

lmao

Not wrong, tbh, but this really is just about the most "edgy teenager" way you could have put it.

[thefifthchild]

How would you put it then, cuttingedge.

[pr159]

"I prefer to focus my energy on more productive things, actually, so I'm really not interested."

[thefifthchild]

A bit of an understatement. My father got so wrapped up in a relationship with a career criminal that he went on a honeymoon with her AFTER she'd left him at the altar at the behest of my brother's killer, and while he was doing that the city and people he'd promised to protect were under the control of a tyrant.

My disdain for romance is more than just a preference, it's an observation that it makes people weak.

[And everyone he's ever had feelings for (two people) has inevitably abandoned him, so.]

MOTIVE

[akudamods]

[Bunny and Shark are playing hide-and-seek among the scenery of their puppet show.]

Hey, Sharkie.
Yeah Bunny?
What would you do without me?
I’d... look for you, of course?
[Is this the plot of Usasuke and Samemaru…?]
But what if you couldn’t find me?
That could be pretty hard. I’m so glad Cardinal added location shari—
Silly Sharkie, that can’t solve everything. I could be out of signal… I could be hiding really well, or I could even be dead! And what if I was someone you haven’t met yet, but just really wanted to meet? Would you still try to meet me? I mean - how far would you go?
Geez…. Bunny, you know I’d follow you no matter where, but I just don’t think that’d be possible for a little shark like me. I’m not some X-Class Akudama who can just murder another X-Class and get away with it. I could never do that, not even to find my best buddy! Besides, how would it work if you were dead anyway!?
I dunno, ever hear about quantum immortality?
Those are really big words… let’s save that lesson for after I find you!
Do your best to meet up! I’m waiting~ Tee hee hee.
UNTIL NEXT TIME!

[metamere]

Everyone and everything is cruel; there would be no happiness without sadness, no joy without madness.

[fixingtodie]

I could help look... If they have display models, you might be able to get one cheaper.

[metamere]

My standards are higher than most, it comes with being flawless.

Hmm...let's start with a REAL threat if we're going for a do over. Even Zealot can do better than one measly drone. Well, that's a guess. But my guesses are usually on point 🤺.

[intimations]

Seems like that would make placating a pointless strategy, don't you think?

[Anyway, reasons for the new space aside!! A smile slips back on his face at Flowey's response.]

Ahh, but that's good to hear. And here I was wondering if we'd need to be concerned about another incident happening... I'm relieved.

[intimations]

[The wariness is expected at this point, so the little step back isn't a surprise, although his eyes widen as if in awe at the box of chocolates. It slips back easily into an indulgent smile as he nods at the gift.]

That's a beautiful sentiment. After all, there's nothing more precious in the world than love. [He raises a hand to his chin, slowly and deliberately enough that it's obvious that he isn't attempting anything.] But it almost makes me feel a little inadequate. It wouldn't do to be disrespectful... hey, do you think I'd have the time to go and get something else?

[Just going to also make a clear show of looking around at the rest of the crowd too. How long is this line anyway?]

[intimations]

Hehe... the stingy type, then? Not that I can blame you, considering how little compensation we got for servicing them. I almost feel used.

[Okay okay. Innuendo aside.]

I think you hit the nail on the head though. It really seems like they're only satisfied if they see our heads on a pike. Any interpersonal drama between us would only be a bonus.

[your_best_friend]

It almost seems like no matter what reason you come up with, the reasons aooear ti be contradictory to their goals.

Oh! Golly, speaking of other incidents, I made you a yellow name.

[* He holds out a yellow name. It's exactly what it sounds like. "BELIAL", but the letters are yellow.]

So that people know when to spare you.

[intimations]

[It's not as if Sephiroth hadn't made his position clear enough during the bus ride over to the execution, but it's always good to get the confirmation?!]

Almost makes you wonder if they recognize their own hypocrisy. Condemning others to death while they sit back and ignore the blood on their hands... a crowd drunk on its own righteousness is a scary thing.

mini-invest lyfe

[osssuary]

[....... he's memorized all the billboards, so while it's extremely difficult to recognize this one, it's still possible. Kimimaro doesn't flinch when he comes upon the remains and their little entourage, though the bizarre force field effect does give him pause.

Does the feeling go away once the van starts moving? Because he's going to try this again: where does this van go? Direction of Umeda? Is there more information to be gleaned from this particular corpse's fate?

And also.]

[intimations]

Hehe... something like that. I thought it was a good time to pick up an extra or two, just in case. You never know when things like these will come in handy, right?

[This like, probably makes it sound kind of sketch but it's fine, surely!!]

[akudamods]

[When your eyes refocus in the bright light, what fills your gaze is a white line across the entire back wall of the room. Its shimmering open doors are more like portals to all the wonders that the world could offer.]

The Shinkansen brought food and technology into Kansai, as well as the wonderful art and culture of Kanto. The once-famous Koshien stadium was lost along with the rest of Nishinomiya, so they provided the concert dome in Chiyozaki to heal everyone’s spirits. Then, when the accursed Akudama began to plague the city, Kanto provided the means to suppress them and restored the peace and order. Gratitude to Kanto was so immense, a religion was formed, and their belief caused the Shinkansen to be reborn with a living soul as it served as the medium between Kansai and their new gods.

[To the left and right at the front of the room, naturally peripheral vision will more great things like the greatest recent singers and scientists... who were so much more empowered by Kanto's tunes and technology. From here, you can get back to the core of the museum.]

[akudamods]

[Cutthroat! His original estimated sentence had been for 967 years - the longest ever (and you might recall not even the X-Class Akudama surpass this, though they come close). He got excited about the color red, and his favorite food was marshmallows. Killing was his hobby, yet his normal behavior seemed childishly innocent. There were times when he couldn't control his murderous urges.]

[akudamods]

[The posters have no idea what he's talking about, though they piece together that Japan must mean the archipelago that Kansai, Kanto, and the Kyushu Plant all partially comprise. Is the United States of America, one particularly astute person remarks, what the self-proclaimed Vessel on 10chan had been talking about?

Oh, but he should try some Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. You know, with layers within the structure, and more vegetables.]

[akudamods]

[There are approximately fifty people, and with an extremely close look, two of them have shown up just since he got here. If he goes all the way back down the escalator and then to another store, it's possible to imagine this line cycling through and filling up all over again.

The girl sighs.]

Well, you can always come back tomorrow. I'll still be here tomorrow. It'll still be like this tomorrow...

[She's getting down the more it sinks in, and grips the box tighter to reassure herself.]

But we can't say for sure. Maybe today will be the day that we all fade away!

[akudamods]

[Satsuki, you are a vampire. At least, that is how the people here easily categorize your deeds. To be precise, you are a Dead Apostle. Does time mean anything to you? Space certainly does; you physically feel like you are floating. It's a little cold. But aren't you always cold, Satsuki? Surely it was the righteous decision to get in here. Do you believe in justice? Or warmth?]

[akudamods]

[Well, how Chara might have reacted to that was with a simmering resentful icy silent treatment. But they're dead. You're all alone in the pod. Quiet. That's the whole idea, in the end.

Time to get up.]

[akudamods]

[The feeling seems to have been tied to the scraps themselves: They are scooped up in the tarp, leaving clean smooth traversable air. Likewise, the van itself does not seem affected by what's inside, it could be brushed with a hand as it goes, if you like.

North. So maybe Umeda.]

[fixingtodie]

...ah.

[She got caught. But if the other girl was here then did that mean...]

Do you want to go too?