FINAL WEEK

[akudamods]

Starting Saturday, the layer of clouds in the sky is more solid than ever. Overcast, reflecting the neon light of the city. By Sunday, you'll see more colors than ever, as several new areas are added to the span of your probation. And some areas aren't, but might see an approach anyway. Do the pods containing six weeks of treatment daunt you in the slightest now that judgment awaits at the end of the fourth week? Though faithful treatment participants only experience flashes on the upper third of their bodies now, their counterparts will experience occasional waves of isolating existential coldness. Does your physically present overseer have anything to say for herself? Just remember one thing: Kanto is watching and waiting.

INTERNET | SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY


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TUESDAY

[akudamods]

ASSASSINATION (in second prompt)

[inspiritus]

Karaoke Bar

[ At some point during the day, the Ex-SOLDIER can be found atop the Karaoke bar roof, and for some reason he seems to be looking at the sky, considering...something. Surely that is a sign of nothing strange, is it? After all, the clouds are just clouds.

Approach...? ]

Umeda Sky Building, approx. around Meeting Time, (Closed Prompt to Rideaux & Sephiroth)

[ Sephiroth has no interest in talking with the populace. They're essentially beneath them, but regardless time is ticking, and there's something that has more or less attracted his attention.

The Loyalist has made no secret of his disdain towards them, and the way that he looked at them like ants when he saw him at the Umeda Sky Building before...well, Sephiroth considered him a primary target to start with. Also? Sephiroth has had the band removed by now.

So, due to some reconnaissance and knowing when Meeting is occurring, that should make moving in to strike down the Loyalist plausible.

The two gathered here are essentially powerful enough that slipping into the building is easy. Teleportation for the win. ]

The sooner we get this over with, the better.

[ Now where will they be able to find the Loyalist? Sephiroth having previously spotted him before should make it simple or easier. ]

umeda sky building

[pr159]

Agreed. We should be able to make it quick once we pin him down, though.

[ He'll be closely following any meeting updates on his phone, but until that starts, he'll skip over to any sort of directory he can find for the building they're in to steer them in the right direction.

At least he's used to navigating corporate skyscrapers. ]

Do we know what department he's affiliated with?

[akudamods]

[He has booked a holoconferencing room on the top story of the left tower. Gotta go fast!]

[inspiritus]

No, despite what tidbits have been heard of him, there hasn't been much information on that regard. But even so, as a politician in a city like this, it might be more ambiguous.

[ The jury is out on that, but this world is...well, different than his own. There are some peculiar aspects of it that exist, even if to him they're not exactly monumental. But still, they're relatively noticible at least.

So, assuming Loyalist has decided to holoconference into the meeting from a room in the building, he'd be in there, then? Also the two of them aren't really fools by any stretch of the imagination. For ease of threading and to speed this up, they probably had the opportunity to view where he was from a security camera room. But hey, this is just more or less a tag to confirm that he's physically there as planned? Before they step into there, at least! ]

[pr159]

Mm...

[ As soon as he finds that conference room on the map, he's definitely going to assume that's the place. ]

Ooh, might have a potential bingo here, actually.

[ So yeah, RIP to whatever robot (or person, if someone was really unlucky) was monitoring the security cameras. If they're able to confirm that's where their target is, then they can start heading that way and get ready to take out any further security that might be guarding the room. ]

COUNCIL MEETING

[akudamods]

[So, there was a city council meeting going on, where Loyalist was talking about the imprudence of attracting X-Classes' attention, how few of them were taking action against Kansai so far. And then, after crying out "Medic too? And Gene—" the meeting was interrupted. A few minutes later, there's a broadcast on the same platforms that were used for the debate back in week 1. Populist "stands" in front of several other council members, though they're evidently overlapping holograms, a well-edited Zoom call.]

The very recently late Loyalist had a proposal. That the X-Class individuals be sent on the Shinkansen to Kanto for their judgment. Serve out their original sentences in the sturdier facilities, perhaps. Make their cases for a pardon or community service. If eight of the remaining fourteen X-Class Akudama become Zendama, I believe his goals are reasonable. On the other hand, if we can identify the majority of the remaining X-Class Akudama as credible threats, the citizens may treat them as they see fit.

Now that we've also managed to to repeal the Swords and Firearms Law. Any citizen will gain the right and means to defend themselves.

[If you're watching this in a crowd, you'll hear a lot of citizens cheer, though a few instead huddle scared.]

There was one more condition I wanted to include. If the Loyalist, myself, and the Governor are all killed, and there were reason to believe the X-Class Akudama are responsible, then we should again consider them a threat as a group. Loyalist was killed before he could object. Preventing that outcome should be a great opportunity for any X-Class Zendama to prove themselves, no?

[Digitally, it cuts out.]

[your_best_friend]

[* ...]

[* Great, now not only does he have to worry about himself, but at least seven other people now.]

[inspiritus]

[ He feels no regret.

Nothing will impede him from this course of action. Nothing. ]

[pr159]

[ Oops. ]

[superstructure]

[ sighs ]

[thefifthchild]

[Idiots. They seriously think that pitting them against one another will actually help them, rather than level their city to the ground.]

Shortly after the Council Meeting

[your_best_friend]

[* You start to get many text messages on your phone. All of them just say the word "stop".]

[woodeneye]

Stop what
What'd I do
Whatever I did I didn't do it

[your_best_friend]

You saw the announcement, didn't you? I'm not going to let you ruin my chances for survival.

[* Flowey has no idea who he's talking to.]

[woodeneye]

Yeah I saw it but
I wouldn't do that to you
Don't even know how I'd do it to be perfectly honest
Only way I know to ruin people from surviving is to kill them
And I don't want no one else here to die
So if I was doing anything contributory to that purpose
I won't do it no more
Sorry bout that

Also who are you

[your_best_friend]

Flowey. Flowey the flower.
Who am I taling to????
* talking

Post-meeting investigation

[voidseeing]

Torture/Execution Tourist Trap

[Gai isn't exactly here to enjoy the sights; it's rather that he thinks he might be able to learn something from them, so he can be found studying the exhibits intently, trying to see what sort of information he can tease out of them, sensationalistic and over-the-top though they are.

... the look on his face probably gives his opinion on all of this away, though.]

Tezukayama Private Elementary School (INVESTIGATION)

[So, his intel has revealed to him that Populist frequently gives lectures here, and not only that, but also that she'd raised a full scholarship so that a girl whose parents were killed in a massacre of the innocent could attend the school.

He's got a distinct interest in both things, but for now, he's dressed as 'Mason' once more, accompanied by a small robotic friend who, as it had claimed, could fit into very small spaces. It's easy enough to spin up a story about being someone's second cousin, and please can he come attend the lecture, it would just mean so much to him to be able to witness one for himself--

... and they're in. Slipping off into a secluded alcove, he starts looking around for a vent as he sets both the small drone and Funell down from beneath his coat and addresses the drone:]

Do you think you can make your way through the ducts here? If you can interface with Funell, he should be able to transmit the location of the lecture room to you.

Torture/Execution Tourist Trap

[thefifthchild]

It's disgusting. [Damian's snarl says it all as he takes in the sights of all of this.]

They're all disgusting. [Whether he's talking about the tourists or the people running the show, who can say.]

[voidseeing]

You expected anything else from them?

[Yeah, he gets exactly what Damian means... there isn't much in this place that isn't disgusting, honestly, but he's clinging to the hope that there are still at least a few good people left here.

He's counting on that much, after all.]

I'd say it's ironic that they're more disgusting than the actual criminals, but I think that much goes without saying.

[thefifthchild]

No. I didn't. Yet I still find myself perpetually disappointed by the dregs of humanity found in this city.

[He hopes he can agree. That maybe there's something worth saving. He did at the beginning of this... game, anyway. Did he change? Or did he learn something about himself?]

...According to Kaguya, there's traces of mind control in the broadcasts. They're not entirely to blame, beyond the sociological implications.

[voidseeing]

[Well, that's enough to get his attention right away. He's not surprised, really - and even if there wasn't actual mind control, there's certainly enough brainwashing of a sort going on - but hearing it outright confirmed is sobering, to say the least.]

Mind control? You mean some sort of actual psychological influence?

[dinnerdrone]

[ Once they're in a more secure location, the drone drops most of its pretenses of... well, being a drone. It regains much of its autonomy and begins moving a bit more erratically, no longer purely mechanical but acting as if it's being controlled by something external. ] You're pretty talented with disguises. I would have believed you myself if I weren't with you.

I guess we can all do incredible things under duress, but I think you just have a real aptitude.

[ The drone lowers itself to Funell's level, trying to see if it can connect.]

Hi, Funell. Let's try to get along, all right? ... I'm not sure he can even understand me, but I think I can sync up with him.

[voidseeing]

[Gai gives a faint smirk, amused to be getting a compliment from a drone of all things. It's not the weirdest thing that's happened in his life, but it's definitely up there.]

Let's just say I've had plenty of practice. You can't do what I do without knowing how to pull off the chameleon act.

[He's already pulling a screwdriver out of his pocket to start loosening the grate on the nearest air vent as he says this. Meanwhile, Funell makes a sort of bow towards the little drone and does a couple of spins as if expressing his eagerness to get started-- it seems he understands that much, at least.]

Even if we can't livestream this, I need the video to be in a format that we'll be able to upload later. This is for everyone to see, so no matter what happens to me, don't stop recording.

[dinnerdrone]

[ The drone lets out a little fan-chugging noise that seems to be some kind of huff. ]

It's hard when all you can do is watch. I think I'd feel better about you saying something like that if I could step in and watch your back somehow. That's what the lasers will have to be for.

[ Also come on. They're lasers. But the drone sounds as if it wishes there were other tools at its disposal.]

I'll make sure to get everything I can, but success is going to mean you getting back to release what we find, okay?