JULY EVENT LOG 2.0

[recollecters]

EVENT

CRASH AND BURN The last day of the ReConvention finds con-goers crowding the convention center for last-minute panels and purchases. The halls fill with attendees bartering for wares, attending autograph sessions and showing off their cosplays. But for a select number of people, time is of the essence. Those who scanned their QR codes at the Retrospec booth will notice that their countdown clock draws closer to zero. With each second ticking closer and closer to the end, a sense of urgency settles around the crowd. But, perhaps you’re one of the ones who will carry on as if nothing is happening. Or maybe you didn’t scan your code at all. It doesn’t matter though. There’s nothing stopping the clock from its descent backwards, and as the timer strikes zero a loud, piercing roar echoes off of every wall of the convention center. I. Those who were brave enough to scan their received QR codes (and even those who didn't but received one regardless) will find that their mobile devices shock them, a quick electric burst that leaves behind a white-hot sort of pain. When you open your eyes after the initial hit, a floating treasure chest appears. While there may be multiple chests surrounding you, it seems you may only open those with your name on them. Another beam of light shines upon opening your prizes, orbs skyrocketing through the air as they circle briefly before settling around you. A surge of energy ignites within, and for some lucky few new companions and items have also been rewarded to those who played Jim's game. But…perhaps they aren't the ones you expected. Perhaps they make no sense at all. Why not give them a try? II. But seeing how the convention center continues to shake, it might be better to find out what’s up. The source of chaos can be traced back to Seto Kaiba's gaming booth as a projector in the wall releases monster after monster that pour out of the projection and come to life. Though the TV above Kaiba’s booth is shattered, the projector keeps rolling and the monsters appear while destroying the booth itself in their haste to be free. Among the rubble left behind the blue glow of the Retrospec symbol shines brightly from a side-panel of the projector. For those in the convention center, there is the option to run and hide. With the building shifting due to the onslaught of attacks, piles of drywall, cracks and crevices and more provide for good hiding spots to give you time to make a new plan. Of course, there's always the fight option. What will it take to bring these beasts down? Maybe it's best to lure them outside instead and away from civilians. III. Or perhaps that was a bad idea. Whether citizens manage to wrangle the monsters outside or not the beasts will make their way out on their own, fighting amongst themselves and chasing people through the city's streets. Even those who didn't attend the convention will find that the infestation spreads to every district of the city itself, and their QR-given items and abilities kick in. They aren't going for the kill, but they will follow any moving target including those who aren't on the Retrospec network. Though these citizens may run, hide or need rescuing, if asked they will simply remark that the city's always had a bit of a monster problem. However, now that the fight's moved outside, it's easier to see the distinct red tint to the monsters' eyes every time they blink. A monster that has to forcibly change direction will flicker for a moment, like an image buffering and loading. Even when a monster unleashes an attack, some fighters may take the full impact while others get away with minor to no damage. In those moments, it's easier to bring them to a halt. When a monster meets its demise though, something strange happens. The flickering is more rapid and faster, and the creature will dissolve into black blocks and spores that evaporate into thin air. What the hell was that? Now probably isn't the best time to ask questions. IV. The fighting rages on but with the sun still hanging in the sky it's impossible to tell what time it is. One of the monsters seems to have knocked out the nearby cell phone tower, too, taking down not only cell phone reception, but the entire Retrospec network as well. It goes on for what feels like hours with the sun beating down from above. Retrospec users battle monsters and fight to reconnect while the network errors out any time someone tries to send a message about the city under attack. It seems as though a new wave of monsters appear just as the last one dies down. It's with a sudden jolt that reception on your mobile device returns, but Retrospec appears to be in a maintenance mode where the network is still inaccessible. A quick glance at the date on your phone reveals that instead of the mere hours you thought, nearly five days have passed by and you realize the date is now August 3rd. Upon that realization everyone's devices begin to chime with several notifications and the monsters all seem to pause for one brief moment. Not long after, Retrospec members will also find themselves frozen in place no matter how hard they struggle. The spell on the monsters breaks as they swoop upon these unfortunate few, picking them up in their claws, hands or mouths. A large swirling portal opens not far away and one by one creatures dive straight through the portal with the Retrospec users. These portals may spit you out anywhere in the city, but several of them send residents to Peach Beach. Strangely, the monsters are nowhere to be found, but way out in the distance appears to be a creature, swallowing up the ocean in a swirl of waves. You can try to run out to fight it, but the moment your feet touch what used to be the ocean floor a forcefield throws you back to the sand allowing the ocean to slip away right before your eyes. The moment the last drop is drained, that monster disappears, too. What happens next? To be continued… And welcome to the wrap-up of the ReConvention! As Prompt IV says, monster attacks will continue through all five days (July 30th, 31st, August 1st, 2nd and 3rd) and the network will not be accessible to anyone in-game from now until August 3rd when a mod-posted Retrospec post goes live! Please feel free to play with the monster attacks as you wish! You can have your characters escape via glitches in the monsters, or you can fight the monsters and and your character can actually take damage for a real battle (though death is not an option at this time.) We leave that up to you! Please do not post any threads in this log or in your inboxes set for after this log just yet! We will be setting up August's event via this log and for plot purposes we ask that you refrain from doing anything prior to our Retrospec post on 8/3. Those who are in Group One or Group Two will learn more about their small-focus teams on August 3rd when your logs goes live. Please direct questions about this log to the mod comment here. Thanks!

Comments

[manufactured]

...You can't say there's no element of choice in running around with the scythe.

[...WHY...ARE YOU RUNNING AROUND WITH A SCYTHE, ANYWAY...]

[scythegun]

It's entirely Retrospec's fault! I don't remember how to use a sword or a crossbow and I don't have ammunition for the gun! So I'm stuck with the scythe.

[...it's totally a matter of personal choice, he likes his stupid fuckoff giant scythe okay.]

[manufactured]

You could have gone with literally anything else.

[You can't tell him you don't own any other guns, holy shit.]

Besides, if you use the sword enough, perhaps something will come back to you. That's why I went back for the gun in the first place, despite not knowing how to use it - it was an experiment, at first.

[scythegun]

...Well, I suppose that's one way to do it. Though I'm not sure I want to be up in something's face if I don't know how to use the weapon. I suppose I could shift it back to the scythe if things start looking dicey though...

[HMMM...]

[manufactured]

Don't concern yourself with it now. Unless you want to go out there alone, because I'm not leaving this place just yet.

[scythegun]

No, no! I'm just saying in case it comes up! I'm not that eager to get back out there, you know!

[manufactured]

I should hope not. Again, it would just be pointless to try it now. To say nothing of reckless.

[God, just...let him come over and join you near the window, all right.]

...I wonder if the military will get involved eventually. This seems like the sort of thing they should take note of, doesn't it?

[scythegun]

I've been curious about that too. Civilians are in danger so you think they'd be mobilized already, ja? They stand a better chance of bringing down these things than most people here.

[manufactured]

[...Oh, god.]

Unless the majority of them are assuming, for some insipid reason, that everything is fine and this is somehow normal.

[scythegun]

...You don't think they're really doing that, do you?

[ohhhhh my god]

[manufactured]

I genuinely hope not - the civilians seem panicked in their own right, so perhaps there's a chance they aren't.

[WE ALL THOUGHT THE FRUIT WAS FINE, JAEGER...]

[scythegun]

Well I'd certainly hope not! This is a bit much for people to just ignore!

[DON'T TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE FRUIT]

[manufactured]

Several things that have happened here have been "a bit much", but they've been managing it every time regardless.

[scythegun]

That is odd, isn't it? I can't imagine facing down something like this and finding it perfectly normal.

[manufactured]

There are ways to check, once we're prepared to go out there again.

[It's just a matter of "grab a civilian and see how they behave," isn't it?]

[scythegun]

That does sound interesting! I'm not ready to go back out just yet, but we'll definitely have to do that.

[manufactured]

...Likewise. Though I can likely handle it soon enough, if you would prefer to remain here for the time being.

[scythegun]

Don't be ridiculous, you're not going out there alone! I'll be ready again shortly, I'm sure.

[manufactured]

This is decidedly less physically demanding for me than it is for you.

[Stressful, certainly, and he's still not certain how to handle it, but the point remains.]

[scythegun]

Ja, that's true, but we stand a better chance of taking down anything we come across if we're working together.

[manufactured]

[You know what, fine.

He seems entirely inclined to argue that again, but he seems to decide against it; he just...goes quiet, then, continuing to stare out the window. Thankfully there isn't much out there; he isn't sure how long it'll remain that way, but for the time being it's a welcome break from the chaos out there.]

[scythegun]

[It's better than arguing about it, anyway. Jaeger's just glad that Wesker's staying put instead of deciding to strike out on his own. Wesker would probably be fine now that he remembers how to shoot, but it really is better to work together.

He's quiet too for once, looking out the window. There's not much to see, but it's somehow easier than breaking the silence even though that's the sort of thing he usually does. Being aggressively flippant about it won't help and he knows that.

So instead he'll remain silent for a bit, which is probably the longest he's ever shut up around you.]

[manufactured]

[He's noticed.

He doesn't seem troubled by the silence, though; it isn't terribly comfortable, but it's something he's used to, and after a while he'll return to what he was doing before near the safes - sorting ammunition, looking through the guns, trying to figure out what he's doing here.

...He's content to do this for a while, so. Enjoy your window.]

[scythegun]

[He will! There's nothing particularly interesting out here, but at least like this he can pretend he's doing something useful.

He'll let the silence span for awhile longer before finally breaking it.]

Is there some place in particular you want to go? I'm feeling up to moving again.

[He's not at 100%, but it should be good enough.]

[manufactured]

[...Ah.

He doesn't say anything for a while, but. Hm.]

Do you have anything potentially useful in that shop of yours?