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

[scythegun]

But that's not an outright denial either! I'll take what I can get!

[manufactured]

Likely for the best.

[guys...]

[scythegun]

[Right, we are on a mission, aren't we? As much fun as this is, Jaeger should probably pay more attention to his surroundings in case there are monsters about.]

...I suppose it's a good thing that your house really is out of the way!

[manufactured]

[...Ah, right...]

...We probably shouldn't let ourselves get distracted like that.

[scythegun]

Ja, ja, you're right, of course. I'll try to stop being a distraction!

[That's what he's best at, though!! But he really doesn't want to die today, so he'll shut up and keep a look out for monsters.]

[manufactured]

Once we've returned, you can do almost whatever you want and I can't say I'll complain too much about it.

[Distractions are good, after all, just when they're not about to die.]

[scythegun]

My, you are being kind to me today! I'll be sure to keep that in mind~

[manufactured]

Perhaps. But certain things warrant exceptions.

[LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE MONSTER APOCALYPSE.]

[scythegun]

Oh, ja, I'm aware!

[He'll be a good distraction once they're safe, don't worry.]

We haven't seen anything in a long time; I suppose most of them haven't made it this far out.

[manufactured]

Either that, or they've found a reason to congregate somewhere that's further into the city.

Or perhaps the military is finally doing something.

[scythegun]

That would be nice! Maybe we'll be able to get in and out without fighting anything else!

[manufactured]

[And you know, that sentiment would be nice and all if it weren't for the group of four of these fucking things coming at them from a nearby open patch, now that they're decidedly closer to the city.

His gun is out immediately.]

...You really shouldn't have opened your mouth.

[scythegun]

...You're right, I shouldn't have. What the hell are those.

[He brings his briefcase up and transforms it into its scythe form.]

Well, shall we?

[These things don't look like people, so he has no problems fighting them.]

[manufactured]

[Well, one thing about them is immediately obvious - that being that they don't seem to give a single fuck, given that they are rather unabashedly advancing despite the weapons present.]

Whatever they are, they don't seem to know fear. Let's.

[scythegun]

Oh joy, this should be fun.

[That sounds like it was supposed to be sarcastic, but Jaeger's too enthusiastic to actually pull it off properly.

He charges the leader and swings his scythe down, though it's faster and dodges the blow to try to spit purple acid at both of them.]

[manufactured]

[...Lovely. It spits acid.]

Oh, of course it does.

[He'll do what he can to get out of the way, at least, though it'll catch the sleeve of his jacket rather hard, which is going to piss him off royally later.

But you know what, right now there are more important things to worry about; he'll try to shoot at them as best he can, but they're fast as hell - he manages to clip one, and for now he's going to consider that a victory and try not to get more acid on his clothes as he approaches it to pump more bullets into it.]

[scythegun]

[Jaeger's lucky enough to dodge it, but the thing's faster than he's expecting and it dodges the second scythe strike. Jaeger makes a soft, annoyed noise before transforming his weapon into its sword form. He's faster like this and he manages to stab the leader, effectively taking it out. That still leaves three more of these acid-spitting monsters, and Wesker's moving into harm's way. The only thing he can really do right now is keep the other two monsters off of Wesker while he shoots the third. So here's hoping you take that one out quickly.]

[manufactured]

[He'll manage quickly; the laser sight is usually a help here but it's not doing well at guiding his shots when these things won't stop moving around, but he can handle the one he's got on the ground easily enough.

Two left. How are you managing over there, Jaeger?]

[scythegun]

[He's doing okay! One of them nearly bit him but he's got his sword stabbed into the thing and he's pulling it out as Wesker finishes off the other one.

...Which leaves one unaccounted for and if the burrowing underground is any indication, we're in for a game of whack-a-crab-worm.]

Ah, get it—!

[He tries to stab down on the thing, but it dodges around the sword and continues burrowing underground.]

[manufactured]

Shooting it isn't going to be of any help, the ground has too much stopping power and it isn't going to come up if there's noise like that going off up here -

[He'll just be making the world's most exasperated gesture at Jaeger, please stop trying to stab it?]

We're more likely to hit it if it comes up here to engage, it has the advantage down there and it likely knows it.

[scythegun]

What, so you just want me to wait?

[DOES HE LOOK LIKE A PATIENT MAN TO YOU— oh, there it is, trying to spit more acid at them, lovely. Jaeger barely manages to get out of the way in time but he's nearly lost his balance and that thing is advancing on them quickly.]

[manufactured]

[Oh for fuck's sake -

He'll immediately step between Jaeger and the damn acid-spitting monstrosity, unloading all of what remains in Samurai Edge's clip into it; it's...odd, how much his aim improves with adrenaline coursing through his system, and he manages to take it down hard. No hesitation, nothing.]

...Are you all right, or...

[scythegun]

[He stumbles but he catches himself before he can fall on his ass, but Wesker's faster and already finished off the last of the creatures. Jaeger isn't entirely sure what to do with that; he's never owed someone his life quite like this before.]

...Ja, I'm fine. Thank you. I owe you one.

[The words are a little blunted, but they're honest.]

[manufactured]

[...How awkward...]

Don't be ridiculous. You don't owe me anything.

[scythegun]

Well, you did save me.

[Doesn't that explain everything??]