WEE͠K ̸́4͝

[strangerpeople]

W҉͘E͜͠͝E̕K̡̛͡ ̡͟4̸

[The blight is all-consuming.

Within days dozens are confirmed infected, and you and your unexpected new scientist friend find yourselves trying to work on a cure. If not a cure, a stopgap of some kind. Anything to prevent this thing from destroying everything. It's hard work. It's not going very well. Really, it feels like with every step forward, you're taking ten steps back. Discouraging is an understatement, to say the least.

A week passes, and the death toll rises. It's really starting to look bleak. You constantly second-guess yourself, and even get into a fistfight with your new ally one night. It's getting to the point where you are working on fumes.

Then, unexpectedly, you get a phone call. It's been a long night, and the sun is beginning to rise above the mountains, when it happens.

You and the scientist are not the only ones looking for a cure. In fact, there are at least a dozen others-and they think they may be close to a breakthrough.

But-and you can't believe you're hearing this, after all of the failure you'd experienced throughout this blight-they need your help.]


---


[To say that the end of last week sucked would be an understatement. To say that no one knows what this week will bring is not even in question. Yet even as you wake, you feel a cloud lift from your mind, as one of the truths you've been living with since the beginning has suddenly changed.]




[But is it possible to abide by this new truth? The Hosts, and IT beyond, seem intent on making that impossible. And the rat...well. Obviously the rat's not an ally. Let's not kid ourselves.

There's only one way to find out if more deaths can truly be prevented-and that's to keep going, and hoping that the new floor that has opened up will offer something in the way of an opportunity.

In the meantime.


There are 11 strangers left in this place.]

Comments

2/2

[hexposition]

[...Multiple someones, actually!

The vehicle bumbling its way down the road appears to be a van, white and red with the windows rolled down.

There are three individuals currently semi-strapped to the roof — Kurama, who's rather cheekily waving to whoever he can see poking their heads out, Eliza, throwing her hands up to the sky like this is some sort of rollercoaster ride, and Emma, who looks like she'd very much like to unstrap herself and return to solid ground as soon as possible.

Kurama and Emma are both sporting pitch-black, skeletal, stencil-like wings. Eliza has nothing of the sort, and for all intents and purposes it looks like she just wanted to ride up there.

It's harder to make out who's in the van itself from a distance, even with the windows down, but it's clearly carrying more people than it was ever meant to. The poor thing.

So, baby, don't fear the reaper(s) – they're here to say hello!]

[telecosmetic]

[As the van coasts to a stop, Eliza is already unstrapping herself and standing up on the roof, glancing around.]

Oi, where the fuck is Caleb? I've got a score to settle with that murdering liar!

[touchsensors]

[Eliza isn't the only one disembarking in a hurry, though Lala has a decidedly different reason for immediately pushing the door open and jumping out. She immediately falls to the ground, taking a few deep breaths as she reunites with nice steady ground that doesn't move or anything.]

[backuphero]

[Jonathan opens the curtains - and closes them, just as suddenly.

He opens them again, plainly checking to see if the van is still there, and when it is, he's bolting out the front door barefoot and half-dressed - ]

Emma?! What the f - Sam Hill are you doing here!?

[After all, as far as he can tell that's his sister-in-law up there with Miss Hates Caleb. And to her...]

He might be around, what's it worth to you?

[poorlovefool]

Oh, I get it, I'm hallucinating... this is still a dream....

[it's a very loud dream though so ugh. He's getting up anyway.]

[notthebreakman]

[Proto Man is stumbling out of the van as soon as it comes to a complete stop. Honestly, he looks a bit ready for death to take him all over again.]

"Seven people," I said. "Alright, we'll just get creative with the seating arrangements," I said.

[otherworldlyking]

[ He came along to see if there was some interesting commotion here. Looking from Emma then to Protoman. ]

...Can't say I expected this.

[whitemoontiger]

[ Following him is Atsushi, offering a sympathetic look and shaking his head. ]

I'm sorry. I guess that got a bit much didn't it?

[poorlovefool]

[Eric comes out in his pajamas and sees this ... guy?? Who is talking like he was in charge of this whole mess. Yeah, he'll talk to him first, because it's a dream and Lala clearly needs to catch her breath, although he is happy to see her again.]

What the hell's going on here?

[unwittingking]

Proto?

[King's walking up to the robot, sill not sure if he's real or not. He'd like it to be, but...he's just not sure.]

[illusionarymelody]

[Vita had come out to investigate the noise and the first thing she sees is Emma and of course her attention is immediately diverted to her sister.]

Emma? What are you doing here?

[hexposition]

[Emma just got down from the van, and she's been trying to catch her breath, so that voice catches her wildly off guard.

She jumps, just in time with another tick, and whirls toward Vita.]

V-Vita?!

[Looks like she's just as surprised to see you, sis.]

[unwittingking]

…am I hallucinating right now? Or is this some freaky dream I'm still having?

[He just wanted to get breakfast?? What is this mess]

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza glares at him a little, too.] Why didn't you warn anyone about Caleb?

[whitemoontiger]

N-No, it's definitely not a dream.

[ Atsushi raised his hand in a small wave, coming up with a smile on his face. This really felt entirely too surreal right now. ]

Hey there, King. It's good to see you again.

[byanyother_name]

Do you hallucinate often? You might want to get that looked at.

[It's gentle sass, at least?]

[dragonmouth]

[ A very tiny teenage girl with black hair and the best sword arms in this entire van pokes her head out. ]

...I'd think not.

[incendiarize]

[Arthur bolted to the door of Caleb's house, at the noise. A van.... Charles had said he'd send something, and those wings - and Kurama (hadn't Charles not known what was happening to the dead?), and



and everything goes silent and still like absolute zero.]


.............Emma......?

[Has time actually stopped? Is he breathing? He can't tell. He isn't aware as his feet start to move again, running toward her as fast as he can.]

Emma!

[hexposition]

[Guess who's distracted enough by all these people talking to her – especially her sister – that she doesn't actually have time to prepare?

Sooo chances are, if Arthur is coming in for a hug, he's going to tackle her right up against the van.]

Ah-!!

[...In time with the tick.

She will hug him, though, out of instinct, before responding in pure shock.]

Arthur?! What are you still doing here?!

[icanhearscreams]

[Jun tumbles out of the van and attempts to right himself. He blinks and looks around as he stands up, and brushes himself off.]

This is less of a 'City' and more of a 'neighborhood'...

['Sup nerds, it's a nerd.]

[belovedsuffocator]

[She's got a headache coming on, she can feel it. The music alone is a pain to hear, but even she knows better than to argue. She's not getting pushed out of the car, or getting it turned around while it was still driving.

So, this orange...thing steps out of the shotgun seat, a small, slightly smug smile on her face as she speaks.]

I bet you all thought you'd seen the last of me.

[silvertongueheir]

[As more people come out of the van, another figure comes staggering out, swaying slightly on his feet.]

Nnngh...so Weapons can still get nausea, huh? [He looks around slowly.] Osomatsu's here, right?

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama, yes, chatted at some people from on top of the van at first. Mostly because It's Chaos Down There as people are piling out of the van and reuniting and yelling and everything. It's kind of fun to watch.

But after a minute he flies gently down to hover at ground level, doing his best to avoid poking anyone with the wings.]

Sometimes it's nice to be wrong, I have to say.

[necroyalty]

...Emma?

1/2

[strangerpeople]

[The first sign that something might be amiss is very difficult to pick up, a hint of glittering light. High in the air appear a layer of thin ice crystals, though they're affected by gravity - until they strike a briefly flaring layer of fire.

Forming water droplets. Fun.

Is this coming from the direction of the central building's door?]