[Rhys is settled down for the night, in the evening hours after lockdown on 432. He's taken off all his extras to let them air out, and sitting in his ripped t-shirt and looking mostly comfortable. He's better at getting comfortable than anyone should by any rights, here.]

So, I am actually staying in the convenience store here in Res 3, because you don't get pushed out anymore? I was going to try and hike to the next building, but the aura was gone and...well, I didn't get shoved out. That's good news, sort of. Saves me a little hiking.

The Bad News is, that's probably because there's been a change to the food. Some of what's here has gone rotten, and I don't think there's as much stuff as there was last time I was here. Food might be starting to run out, along with everything else.

[He looks much less happy about that.]

I'm hoping it's just this store, but I'm not sure. So if anyone else hits any other places around that have food, do a check and see what you think, alright? I'm going to start rationing just in case, though.

[That's all he was really here to say, so the video feed blinks out for a while, pending responses.]

The sun is gone.
It's not just like that for us, right? You're all seeing it too?? Or *not* seeing it, I suppose.
And the clouds are all
ugh :C

[ And a minute or two later: ]

Well since all this seems very apocalyptic I'd like to say that I'm glad I met all of you
(even the people who kinda suck)
and that I'm very grateful for my time here, whether it's about to end or not.
I'd suggest you all tell the people who matter that you love them, just in case!! Dying with things left unsaid or undone is the WORST.

Sorry to be a complete freaking downer I just think this is really important

Hey everyone
We're trying to figure out who the hell isn't infected by all of this.
So let me or Watson know if you aren't hearing the ringing or that loser's voice.
Stay Safe!

[ Those who still have access to the shadow network, a second message pops up. ]

@dulcedeleche
Hey, Winter. They
We wanted to update you on what the hell is going on.

Strange, you know @beyonce, tried the seance again.
Those who participated had their tablets infected with something.
And some how that was passed on to other tablets?
Might have been transferred on the network around that time
So careful if you go back through what you missed.

Anyways everyone who had their tablet infected can hear this ringing??
I don't hear it.
But Kunsel does and people are talking about it on the network.

They are also hearing that bastard's voice.
Watson's group went to his house and got the whole freaking message!
He's repeating that he's going to borrow them and to keep calm or don't.
Can you believe that??? What the hell is that asshole's issue anyways?

So, that's about it? I think? I'll check with them to see if there's anything else.
Take care, Winter!

Hey, anyone else who can see this! Please let me know or let someone know if you still have this.
We're trying to get a tally of who is left.
Thanks.

*Mornin' Norfinbury. Its been awhile since your last dosage of cryptic video, so Brian is here to help with that. What better to prove one isn't dangerous?

The post starts off with a video of a video--that is, a tablet recording of the playback on a video camera (the edges of the playback window are clearly visible.) This entire section is silent and filmed in low-light mode (so black and white).
It shows someone traveling through the bunker, from room 24 around to room 21 via the normal route. Most of the trip is uneventful but once the door to room 21 is open tons of ants swarm towards the filmer. The video jerks sharply and stops.*

01100100 01100001 01101110 01100111 01100101 01110010

*After the text break (that translates to "danger" in binary), the post switches back to video. But this time its normal tablet video so there's color and video. It shows John, who's curled up in a corner, looking very unwell. He has lumps from the antbites on him, and he's looking to the side at empty space as he speaks in a low voice.*

Yeah, I got that, thanks. *He pauses.* I'm not bothering him over peppermint oil. The antacid's enough. *Another pause.* I'm not playing martyr. It's nausea. It'll pass.

*Then the video cuts to a dead ant (a mutated variant of hercules ant) laying in the snow. Words have been scrawled out in the snow next to it.*

BE WA RE
s i c k

*It stays on this visual for about half a minute before cutting to video-of-video of a centipede-like thing darting out of sight as a drawer is opened.*

sa fe
?

*He really just wants to warn people about dangerous bugs, okay.*

[ Soon after this happens mid-morning, a text appears on the network. Gotta clear up any confusion as soon as possible! Even if Angel herself isn't in the talkiest of moods. ]

Hey, um, me again with more app-related updates
Did everyone get the galaxy key thing on their tablets just before? Or was distribution limited to the people I'm with??
I assume everyone got it, it'd seem kinda dumb for people *not* to, but. Norfinbury, am I right? :V
Anyway, that seems to be the end result of decrypting the file left by Andromeda, so
I'm assuming it'll unlock the bunker. Probably. I hope.
Anyone who heads out that way to check: PLEASE be careful!! For all we know that could be where Miller is hiding. Or it could contain unstable equipment or volatile chemicals or
idk spiders??
My point being stay safe! And keep everyone informed of what you find ♥

[Flynn needs to know.

He's felt so useless ever since he got here, the pace of his progress feels, compared to his other adventures, glacial (heh) and now another threat is looming on the horizon and he knows it's coming, he knows, he knows and he feels so helpless in its wake.

It's unacceptable. He needs to solve this. He needs to do something before anything happens, before anyone gets hurt, before they can hurt anyone. God, they make his skin crawl. Studying Peter – if that red-eyed creature even is Peter anymore – may be a start but it's not enough.

When he hits up the network his eyes are wild but maybe that's just his regular excitement? After all, he's smiling and not yelling or pointing fingers at (you awful creatures and whatever you are plotting and have done to his friends) his audience.]

Hello Norfinbury, this is your Librarian speaking.

Yesterday I couldn't help but notice that the [horrible unholy] patterns look different on different [alleged] people and I'm curious if we can trace it back to something in our lives. Maybe there are patterns in the-- patterns? And I happen to know one or two things about symbolism, so! There may be answers there.

[He clasps his hands together enthusiastically.]

If you're affected, I'd like to hear about your worlds [if you can even provide that, you impostors] or if you recognize anything about your patterns that seems familiar to you. This might also be a potential first step for Al's brilliant idea of making a collection about our different worlds for the e-library. Really, it seems like the perfect opportunity to get started?

[Flynn smiles.]

Let's talk.


[ooc: threadjacking, tangenting and additional soul-snatching highly encouraged!]

[The feed clicks on with -- SURPRISE!! -- the Joker striking a pose. He appears to be in the funeral home of the Radiation Zone.]

Aloha, lovelies, Joker here!

[He pauses and gestures to whoever is holding the camera.]

YOU should be introducing me, by the way, aren’t you familiar with show business?

[ ...Anyone who’s heard Squalo speak can probably recognize his voice without much trouble even if he's not in view himself - there's that telltale underlying growl that sounds like someone’s yelling through sore throat. ]

Hey, you’re not on camera because you look better. Aren’t YOU the show biz expert here? Just get to it.

[With a whirl, Joker approaches a large coffin and taps it with his fireplace poker.]

Anyhoo, yours truly and the merry band of mountbanks found a secret in the coffin. Observe.

[He pulls open the coffin lid, steps inside, and disappears downwards. The camera follows, revealing a hole in the bottom of the coffin as Squalo breaks into a fit of sharp, nearly hyena-like cackles. How does anyone figure out breaking through the bottom of a coffin? Maybe you should ask. Or not. The view moves past the hole, going down a ladder into a dark room below. Joker stands in the shadows, grinning toothily, illuminated by the light from a second tablet. The lower the camera goes, the more distorted the view gets. Between it and the dark, it’s almost impossible to make anything out, but there are still occasional clear bits. ]

-- [ static ] -- Better describe it. Don’t think anyone --//-- see shit past your shiny face. --//-- looks kinda --//-- Pit room, actually -- fuck this.

[ The camera wiggles around to show off what are probably white walls then focuses on Joker and his light and retreats back up, the distortion easing up enough to transmit the rest of the sound more clearly. ]

It’s a metal room.

It’s also a toasty metal room!

About twenty celsius. That’d be seventy fahrenheit. And, yes, you can sleep down here. Now, isn’t that fun?

[There’s a clank, like someone knocking against a wall.]

Oh, and this here door-- SQUALO! ARE YOU STILL THERE?

YEAH I'M FUCKING THERE! Can’t get signal down here. I’ll try from the ladder.

[ The camera shifts around slightly, settling on the dot of light in the dark and trying to close in. Between the distorted bits, it’s possible to make out the vague shape of a door, then it zooms out again. ]

...This door doesn’t open. Maybe it leads into the tunnels. Or into the jaws of a giant monster. Who knows around this joint?

[ The camera shuffles and goes back all the way up to the coffin room, and a moment later Joker emerges from the coffin as well (the camera angle makes it look vaguely Dracula-like), the recording now clear again. ]

Right. Doesn’t seem to accept any keys or cards or lullabies or whatever. Yeah, I tried the foot key too, nada. So. Anyone got more ideas for opening this thing? We've got time to try some shit out.

Characters: Zell Dincht (swatsflies), Kunsel (deus_ex_phs), Jim Hawkins (rattlingthestars), and Zack Fair (heroproceeding)
Location: Residence Three; Building 317
Date: Day 331, Evening
Summary: Post-Pits happenings
Warnings: The usual Snowhell flavors. Any additional content will be marked in threads as needed.

( Read more... )

[Because what else was there to do when you were waiting for the other shoe to drop. He needed a distraction, something, anything. And maybe this would cheer people up]

So let's play a game.

I like to call it... "Star-Lord's Official Super Cool Game of Awesomeness."

Basically you tell us three of your favorite childhood things--food, toys, shows, whatever--but one is a lie. And we gotta guess which is a lie. And if you guess wrong, you have to tell us an embarrassing memory as a kid.



(OOC: Threadjacking highly encouraged!)