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]

...Appreciated, Jaeger.

[jesus christ.]

It really has been a while since we've done that properly, hasn't it.

[scythegun]

[you're welcome!!!]

It has been! It seems like every time we end up drinking it's because we're talking about something depressing. We'll have to fix that!

[...]

Assuming this thing with the monsters is only temporary, that is. I don't exactly want to go out drinking if there's a risk of running into any of these things.

[manufactured]

Honestly, if it's not temporary, I'd be tempted to do it anyway. We can't remain afraid of them forever.

[...Granted, he really does not want to run into those little...despair-things while intoxicated, because that sounds like it would end poorly, um.]

[scythegun]

Mm, you do have a point. I don't like the idea of being afraid of them forever. I suppose we'll adapt to it if this is permanent, ja?

[manufactured]

Of course we will. It isn't as though we have much choice.

[He isn't entirely opposed to the idea, seeing as this has been sort of fun for the most part, with the exception of this last experience. It's interesting to think about, anyway.

He sort of has to wonder if the man whose memories he's receiving lived like this; there were certainly a fair amount of inhuman monsters in those memories as well, weren't there?]

[scythegun]

Of course, of course. I would like for things to go back to normal, but I'll admit that fighting monsters is enjoyable!

[With the exception of the one that just fucked Wesker up, but it's not like you can fight those, apparently.]

[manufactured]

[...]

Honestly, at this point I would be more concerned if things could go back to being entirely normal.

[scythegun]

You mean all the stuff with Retrospec and those memories or whatever they are?

[manufactured]

That's part of it, yes.

Now that we know what Retrospec is capable of, if we ever start finding any of this 'normal' again, we should be concerned. Frankly, I prefer the unpredictability by now - it means I'm still seeing reasons to be concerned about all of this.

[scythegun]

That's true. I don't like the idea of being like the other people in this city and acting like all of this is normal. Going back to that would be... Well, I suppose it wouldn't be terrifying at all since I wouldn't be aware of it.

[He shrugs a bit as if to dismiss it, but yikes. The idea really weirds him out.]

[manufactured]

[He's quiet for a moment at that.]

...I know someone who's gone back to not being aware of any of this. It's...strange, she was the one who told me about all of this in the first place, before Retrospec got me personally involved in all of this. And now she doesn't remember, or really see anything wrong with any of this.

I would prefer that such a thing not happen to either of us, or any of the others I know who are aware of it.

[scythegun]

[Jaeger's quiet too, just taking that in.]

I'm sorry about your friend. My cousin doesn't remember any of this either. It's... difficult to talk to him now.

[...]

Frankly, I don't know what I'd do if it happened to one of my employees or someone I see often, like you or Elda. I really hope that doesn't happen.

[manufactured]

Hopefully it won't.

[He can't promise that it won't and he knows it; the notion troubles him, that he can't promise that - they really don't have much control over the situation, do they?]

[scythegun]

If it does...

[What? There's nothing that can be done about it. He's tried to talk about it and gotten nowhere, so he knows there isn't anything that will help.]

...Well, with any luck it won't.

[manufactured]

[For a brief while he doesn't know what to say to that; he has a request that he's not altogether sure it's fair or right to make, and while normally he wouldn't concern himself with concerns like that, this seems...different, for some reason.

After a moment, he says it anyway.]

If something like that happens to me, please keep speaking to me. I know it will be difficult, but if you suddenly stop associating with me due to something like that I won't understand why. I... The idea of it troubles me.

[scythegun]

[For a moment Jaeger has no idea what to say. A request like that is almost cruel, but he thinks he can understand. It would be painful to lose Wesker's friendship, especially for no discernible reason.]

The idea troubles me too, honestly. I wouldn't want to stop speaking with you even if something like that did happen.

...It really would be difficult, though. Especially after everything we've already spoken about. But I'll do my best if it's ever necessary. I trust you'd do the same for me?

[manufactured]

Yes, of course.

[There isn't any hesitation behind it, as cruel though he knows the request is.]

I can't say I know what I would tell you, but if you would want me to keep trying to talk to you about these things, that can be done. If you would prefer that I keep it superficial, that could also be managed, I suppose.

[scythegun]

As long as you're still talking to me, I don't think I'll care even if it is just superficial. But I'd prefer if if you tried to remind me. I know it won't work, but...

[But what if there was a possibility that it would work? It's probably stupid to hold out hope like that.]

[manufactured]

[...]

If it does, for whatever reason, you'll remember what we talked about. It'll just be contextualized differently.

That's what it was like when she tried to talk to me about it. I still remember the things she said, even if they didn't seem to matter at the time. They just make sense to me now, in a way that they didn't before.

[scythegun]

I see.

[He smiles a little at that, even if the expression isn't nearly as over-the-top as it usually is.]

I'm glad to hear that I won't completely forget anything we talk about, then. If that really did happen, I'd want to remember. Thank you, Albert.

[manufactured]

Perhaps your cousin will understand again someday as well.

[He doubts it, honestly, but it's still a possibility.]

Hopefully we'll never have to deal with it ourselves. But if we do, I'll do what I can to keep talking to you about it.

[scythegun]

And your friend as well.

I'll do what I can for you, if it ever becomes necessary. I sincerely hope it doesn't, though!

[manufactured]

...I appreciate it, Jaeger. Truly.

[From the sound of it, he genuinely does; it shows decidedly more than it usually does in his words.

It seems they've managed to find his property without further incident, however - thankfully, given how ugly that last encounter with a monster had gotten.]

Come in and make your way to the study while I let the dogs out; they shouldn't trouble you.

[...Well, mostly. He's keeping one of them inside, granted.]

[scythegun]

I appreciate it as well.

[He's back to the usual level of cheerfulness, but his words are sincere for once.

At that his expression falls a little, but he nods anyway.]

Ja, hopefully they won't.

[From the sound of it, he's pretty sure they're going to find him way more interesting than any monsters they may potentially encounter, but maybe he'll be lucky and Wesker's dogs won't have any interest in him!! He'll make his way to the study without complaining anymore, though.]

[manufactured]

[...Well, their entrance will get the usual burst of canine insanity happening from somewhere in the house; it isn't long before most of it makes its way...well, outside of the house, and may god help any of those bunny spirits that are out there.

However, when Wesker enters the study he isn't alone; he's got Ares with him today, who is...honestly far more chill than Apollo ever would be, but that isn't saying much given that Apollo's default setting is still "maul everything that isn't Wesker."

Still, Ares is a good-sized dog, and he's quick to nudge Wesker away from the weirdo in the study like he doesn't trust Jaeger to not stab anybody or something, and this is going to end interestingly, probably.]

Easy...

[It's quiet but it's calm, aimed more at the dog than Jaeger, though he's sure Jaeger's going to be a mess as well; he's just going to sit down and pet the hell out of this dog, if no one minds, because today has been An Experience.]

He'll let us know if anything gets near the room, at least.