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

[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.]

[touchsensors]

Oyo?

[guess who had COMPLETELY MISSED that there was any kind of connection here

and is also only just realizing where they've ended up]

[poorlovefool]

Lala!! Hey! Nice to see you again!

[Just greeting her like this is normal and they didn't fail her on some level because it's a dream!!!]

[touchsensors]

[...

Lala awkwardly holds her antenna sensors forward in Eric's direction.

......

Lala remembers that that's just a Samanian thing and even more awkwardly puts them down and waves.]

[poorlovefool]

[Eric looks confused at the gesture, then waves back... they're the most awkward.]

Heh. This is weird. [Eric's smiling though.]

I already know this is just a nice dream, so.... let me guess, are you guys here to rescue us?

[touchsensors]

No, we...

[............]

Why are we here-lun?

[poorlovefool]

You mean you don't know?

[come on subconscious, at least put in SOME effort]

[byanyother_name]

Don't let yourself fall into rhythm with the ticking, it's danger-

You know her?

[He maybe sounds a little disgruntled about that.]

[hexposition]

[Sorry, everyone. Emma is currently being tackled by an underfed teenager, so any attempts to ask her questions are going to have to wait a moment.]

[backuphero]

[Once or twice could be coincidence, it just happens with a constant backbeat - but there's something about that moving in time, her wings and that jump both, that's got an alarm bell going off in the back of Jonathan's head.

Only one, though. And it's rather drowned out by the van's song and his sheer bafflement.]

What, they didn't tell you she was here?

[He just gestured at Kurama and Lala, with that.]

[hexposition]

I've barely even had the chance to speak to anyone... who even are y—

[Sorry, busy getting literally tackled. Oof.]

[byanyother_name]

I didn't know there was a connection. I'm not going to be bringing your wife up without a good reason, Jonathan, and you know exactly why.

And you might want to warn her that Akira is driving the van.

[Just. Rubbing the bridge of his nose.]

[touchsensors]

You should warn everyone that Akira is driving the van-lun.

[byanyother_name]

Now, I think Akira did quite well for having to drive through an abyss between the dead and the living.

[His tone is very gentle with Lala even as he loyally defends his boyfriend's skills.]

[backuphero]

I... good point. I'll do that.

[But before he does... a question.]

What do you mean with the rhythm?

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama honestly looks a little surprised that someone here needs to ask. He gestures slightly to the City In General.]

With everything about schedules and timing and synchronization? As well, when I had that problem with the TV, the ticking became stronger and more prominent. I'm fairly sure it's all one with the static and the red fog, part of IT's influence.

I didn't realize you didn't know.

[backuphero]

Had my suspicions, but I figured it was just to try and drive us crazy so we'd fall in line, not a danger on its own. The radio kinda... pulsed at the same speed when I fell into it. Wasn't just that it got louder, it was....

[Really extra double-mega-ultra-creepifying, which is why he actually shudders, and not in a theatrical way at all.]

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama echoes that shudder, just a tiny bit, because he is hopefully still the only person here who understands exactly what Jonathan means.]

Yes. Exactly. My personal theory is that it's partly a form of immersion therapy. It's not supposed to drive us crazy constantly noticing it. It's supposed to be so ever-present that we start to tune it out, and fall into line with it without noticing.

[illusionarymelody]

[Well, she's not exactly the one who is dead here.]

It's so good to see you again!

[And she's going to move closer to hug, because seriously Arthur said you were dead!]

[hexposition]

[Alas, for the sisterly reunion has to wait a minute. Speeding alchemist and all.]

[illusionarymelody]

[She can wait, Emma is definitely getting a hug once Arthur is done hugging.]

[hexposition]

[Now that things have calmed down a tad, it might not be a bad time to jump in.

Or tease. Whichever, really.]

[illusionarymelody]

[Nope, Emma is getting a hug first, then teasing because she's still got to explain that she got married and all.]

[icanhearscreams]

[And behind her, a small beanpole just watches with his arms crossed.]

[backuphero]

Vita, it looks like it's everybody, Kurama said Akira's driving.

[Something is wrong, something has to be wrong, this is too easy....]