004 | text

[stonefaith]

[ GUESS WHO JUST GOT SORT OF VICIOUSLY YELLED OUT OF HIS FAVORITE BAR? THAT'S RIGHT. THIS JERKWAD. ]

What the hell is going on? Initiative: no updates to the situation? It's spreading. At this rate you're going to have a riot on your hands soon enough and it may not even be from *us*.

Who's still here? What's happening to you? Do I need to send people out of this god damn city again? Has anyone died.

Though if one of you did this.

[ no, that's all. he leaves that last thought unfinished because guess who is also slightly drunk and paranoid ]

Comments

[eyecontact]

Hello again...
I was worried something had happened to you! Are you OK? [I MEAN AFTER KNOCKING YOUR DEAD ASS OUT......]

[stonefaith]

[ OH. UH. OOPS. yeah probably should've at least thanked the kid instead of... you know... going straight back to the vodka upon reawakening.... ]

I'm sorry. Yes, I'm fine. Seems like I was out for a few days.

I never got to say thank you.

[eyecontact]

It's OK.
But as far as I know nobody knows what's causing all this :\

[stonefaith]

Lovely.

I wonder what it even is, though. I thought it was poison at first but it's starting to look like magic now.

[eyecontact]

Maybe...
I wish it would stop soon :(
I'm not sure how to help anybody. Especially the ones who look like they're really hurting...
(And my hair keeps getting too long...)

[stonefaith]

[ huh? that seems like a weird thing to complain... about.... ]

Do you need it cut?

[eyecontact]

I've cut it twice today but it keeps growing back :(

[stonefaith]

[ OH. okay that's makes it a rather more legitimate point to bring up ]

Is there anything else that's happening to you? Anything else strange? How long has this been going on?

1/2

[eyecontact]

Yes...
Hold on.

text -> video

[eyecontact]

[behold:

puberty.

and an awkward wave + uncertain expression.]

[text -> video]

[stonefaith]

[ SCREAMING and starts reaching for that vodka again ]

I... was only asleep for four days, yes?

[eyecontact]

[Jericho squints. four? he doesn't know. it's been longer than that...but not that long. so he gives a kind of side-to-side head-bob-plus-shrug-with-a-"so-so"-gesture-of-a-hand deal.

his mouth tugs on one side, eyebrows lifting in one of those WELP...kind of ways as his shoulders rise and fall in a heavy breath. he frowns, tugging a strand of hair down, almost reaching the bridge of his nose. again. he looks grimly resigned to having to deal with that later...

he holds up a finger in a one moment kind of way, reaching out to the computer and resetting it back to text.]

It's been a week or so since I saw you? Not that long...
But something's definitely up. With me and a lot of other people.
The Initiative says they know there's something wrong and they're working on it but won't say much else.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan keeps the video on. He's normally not a fan, but right now he's a big fan of anything that doesn't hinder his drinking. And typing with a bottle in one hand is hard. ]

I saw. Some of the transports. And the civilians now, too. That's what worries me. Maybe the Initiative doesn't give a shit about us, but I don't think they'd fuck with their own....

[ Would they? Well, shit. Bariyan frowns, finds a bottle that isn't quite empty yet, and downs it. ]

[eyecontact]

And it's harder when they're not asking for help too...I'm sure someone could!

[stonefaith]

They are asking. Rather angrily.

[eyecontact]

The Initiative is? Or do you mean just the people getting upset?

[stonefaith]

The people. The civilians. Some of them are convinced this is our doing. And it could be, for all I know.

permatext;

[boughtabookstore]

I'm suffering recurring memory loss.

It's hindering my work.

[text]

[stonefaith]

Shit. I'm sorry that you're affected, of all people.

How severe is it?

[boughtabookstore]

[ lies through teeth ]

Not very. More slightly frustrating than anything.

Still, I would appreciate it if the Initiative stood up and did something about it.

[stonefaith]

It appears that they are working on it. Hard to say if that's true or not, of course. I do not believe they have been heard from in the last few days.

[boughtabookstore]

I think perhaps I'll go ask them some questions.

[private / text]

[stonefaith]

[ ...?! ]

And how are you planning to do that?

[private / text]

[boughtabookstore]

I'm sure I'll figure out a way somehow.

text;

[twiceadays]

If one of us did it, what? Are we going to round up a mob and hunt them down?

[text]

[stonefaith]

No. Of course not. The last time one of us decided to hunt anyone down. I did not approve of that. And I hope that it is not one of us, anyway.

[text]

[twiceadays]

Yeah, hunting other people doesn't seem very productive. Whatever this is, I doubt it was us.

[stonefaith]

That. I don't know. though I can't say that there's anyone I'd suspect. I haven't met anyone who seems malicious enough.

[twiceadays]

Appearances can be deceiving, but I haven't either. The Initiative needs to be faster with their answers before we have a bigger problem on our hands.

[stonefaith]

Unfortunately the Initiative does not have a track record for being "fast". their initial response to this mess was the fastest I'd ever seen them acknowledge anything.

[twiceadays]

So they're learning. There's hope.

[stonefaith]

Yes. I suppose. I will reserve judgment. wait to see how they will sort this one out.

[twiceadays]

Hope it doesn't end with another one of them being assassinated.

[stonefaith]

There is no one to point the blame. Not like last time. So there will not be an assassination. there will be riots and people will die anyway.

[twiceadays]

Death happens. Especially in war.

[housebroke]

How long has this... illness been spreading.

[stonefaith]

Can't say for certain. I was out for a couple days when this all began. I think. At least one person was already affected on 6/5. May have started earlier.

[housebroke]

The initiative responded to the possibility of an outbreak less than a day later. Curious, really.

[stonefaith]

Well. That's the fastest I've ever seen them address a problem.

Who knows? Perhaps they are learning.

[housebroke]

What other problems were they actively avoiding?

[stonefaith]

I would not say they were actively avoiding problems, but. A few months ago. The city was invaded by the United Earth. I believe it was about three days before we even heard from the Initiative. Three days is a long time when you are under direct attack.

[housebroke]

United Earth?

[stonefaith]

The Initiative's enemies, whom we are supposedly here to fight against.

We are on an island, right now. From what I understand, the United Earth is everything outside of it.