TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

[spectates]

[ around noon on friday, all tablet screens go dark at the same time, no matter what characters are doing. then, after a moment, the following text appears: ]

UPDATES INSTALLING.................
INITIALIZING.................
RESTARTING NOW.

[ as promised, screens return to normal. however, a new message appears on the network for all to see ]

SECURITY ACCESS UPDATED
ADDING INFORMATION POINTS
ADDING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURES DETECTED
HARD RESET IS REQUIRED

→CLICK TO EXPAND INSTRUCTIONS

→Access EXPIATION'S five manual terminals
→Input code: 2467362925315
→Initialize reset simultaneously at all terminals.
→SYSTEM RESET will restore all functions to BASIC OPERATING PARAMETERS. Extraneous data and information updates will be DELETED.
→Terminal access points shown below.

[ all tablet maps are updated to include several different location pins. users will notice that there are more pins than the number of terminals, and that they don't seem to be terribly specific about exact locations. users will also note that the pins sometimes seem to fade and flicker, as if they might disappear... ]

Security clearances acquired.
Access granted.
Terminals online and accessible.

System failure is imminent. Due to perpetual lack of upkeep, I am unable to maintain systems at optimal levels.
Chosen of Expiation, I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you.
Save yourselves.

I do not wish to d̶̺̀i̸̘̋e̶͍͝
But I wish for you to live
I̷
p̸l̷e̵a̸s̷e̸
l̴̪̗̈́̉̓̌i̶͕̹̹̿̈́̈̚v̴͓̽͑͆̚ḙ̴͍̋͘

ERROR: user offline

[ the AI will not respond to this message, and the ERROR: USER OFFLINE message appears if anyone attempts to message it. however, the network chat remains active. chosen can use this space to ICly discuss ideas and strategies, to have discussions about the best way to move forward, or even to have arguments over whose ideas they think are better. ideas generated here will be added to the event poll when the event goes up, and can impact the future of the game! have at it, go wild, and have fun! ]

Comments

[florescu]

I would like to meet you.

[nuraridouman]

Why?

["anon" hadn't sounded like a potential customer so far, so why would he or she want to meet him in person now?]

[florescu]

You sound interesting.

[nuraridouman]

"Interesting" is nice, but will it also be profitable? Forgive me for sounding callous, but I'm not here for handouts like some good little hero.

[florescu]

It may be, but I am also not interested in being a hero. I just want to see.

[nuraridouman]

Alright, then. Send me your address and I will come over.

[florescu]

I live in the Inn. I suppose you could smell me when you get in, if you are what I think you are.

[nuraridouman]

[So they're a creature or god of some sort? Huh... ]

Sadly my senses are closer to those of a human than the fine ones of an oni or an animal youkai.

You'll have to give me a little more than that.

[florescu]

I thought you were a kemono. This is disappointing.

[nuraridouman]

I'm an ayakashi. A humanoid-type youkai, to be a little more exact.

[Which isn't saying exactly much. Just that his appearance resembles that of a human more than that of an animal or a thing. But it should explain the lack of the animal youkai-type super senses.]

[florescu]

We are all humanoids. I suppose I'll know when I smell you.

(that moment when two different places with the same terminology work differently.)

My room will be open.

[nuraridouman]

[Douman rolls his eyes at the idea of being expected to try every door until he hopefully finally finds the right one, but for now he is going to entertain this "anon". Or at least he's going to act like it.]

Alright.

[5 minutes later a second text arrives]

I'm here.

[florescu]

(mihai is, clearly, human-ish. the long ears, the pointy teeth, the fact that the entire room is dark as it can be with blackout curtains and the way all nails are claw-like feel like enough explanation.

he'll open the door, but not step out. instead, he gestures with his head, taking a good whiff at the man in front of him.)

Huh. What exactly do you mean by ayakashi?

dsgjhdsgj I thought I'd already replied long ago....! Sorry!

[nuraridouman]

[It's actually the alert of his text being received that directs Douman to the right room.

He nods at the man that opens the door, acting like he knew all along where he was supposed to stand and wait and hadn't just trick-sprinted his way to look like he'd always been there.

At first glance, his own appearance seems even closer to a human's than Mihai's. Take away the noh mask and taisho era clothes, and you'd get a tall (6'1") man with a slightly unusual hair-color, and that's it. On second look there's nothing that isn't somehow off, though. The man in front of Mihai neither has a presence, nor does he have any particular smell nor anything else that'd help get a read of him -- at least when you concentrate on it. The moment the attention is off, all is back in its proper place, feeling as if his being there is the most ordinary thing in the world, though. His scent? As expected. His feeling of a spiritual presence? As expected. The warmth of his living body, the rustle of his clothes and the heaviness of his steps? As expected.

It's as if his very existence is trying to slide into one's blind spot by default.]

Exactly that. I'm a youkai. You don't mind that I'm letting myself in, do you?