COUNTDOWN : MORTALITY

[cordibus]

The peaceful life of the city has been shattered once more.

Many had thought it over, but a few days ago it happened again. Bodies slashed and mutilated beyond recognition so that that only dental records could be used to ID the victims. Pieces of bodies strung along power lines and roofs.. The same horrifying events as nearly a year ago...

Back then, the response from the Eddan city council and its police force, however draconian it seemed at the time, was necessary. As death after death of normal citizens began to pile up and a pattern emerged, a lockdown was ordered after sunset. Companies shifted their hours around and before long, the city had adjusted to a daytime only work and school schedule. Many businesses opened dormitories to house those employees stuck working late. Only police, hospital and firemen units operated at night for emergencies.

The city seemed to return to normal. Horrific deaths were few, and blame was usually placed on the victims having for breaking curfew. Despite extensive research and cameras stationed around the city, no culprit for the murders was found. The murder(or murderers) simply were nicknamed Shadow(s) by the media.

Before this new string of murders, many had pondered if the curfew could be lifted soon, that the culprit was a serial killer from another country that left the city after the police came too close to narrowing them down. But now the murders are starting again.

And that's about when you come in.

You could all say it started with a strange icon that popped up on your phone that day. May 13th, 2017.


Did you press it right away out of curiosity? Did you press it accidentally trying to dismiss it? Or did you wait long enough for it to cover your entire screen, forcing you to interact with it? Either way, congratulations! You've got...a Terms of Service popping up in front of you?

Terms and Conditions ("Terms")
Last updated: May 13th, 2017

Please read these Terms and Conditions ("Terms", "Terms and Conditions") carefully before using the http:/www.applenet.net website (the "Service") operated by AppleNET ("us", "we", "our", "horse", "goat", "etc.").

Your access to and use of the Service is predicated on your acceptance of and compliance with these Terms.

By accessing or using the Service you agree to be bound by these Terms and agree to be part of The Team. If you disagree with any part of the terms then that's too bad. You already agreed to them by reading this far.

AppleNET has no control over and assumes no responsibility for content posted or user privacy. You further acknowledge and agree that AppleNET and its affiliates shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such content, goods, death, night shifts, or services available on or through any such web sites or services.

Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance the laws, by which we mean with little regard to its conflict of law provisions. Are you still even reading this?

Changes
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time. If a revision is material we will try to provide at least 0 days notice prior to any new terms taking effect. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion.

By continuing to access or use our Service after those revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms. You don't have much choice.

Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us.

You quickly notice there is no contact number or address. Uhh---

DO YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS?
Yes | Hell Yes
It really seems like you don't have much choice. After pressing one of the two buttons, a new screen greets you.

21 DAYS REMAIN BEFORE AWAKENING

Welcome, stray lambs! We'll be your friends for a tiny bit. I'm sure the others are looking forward to meeting you in the future, but for now, we are asking you to answer these questions as truthfully as you can. Don't worry if the answer sounds 'bad'. After all, you're already hired!

Are they... acting like they’ve just hired you for a new job?

The first (and only) question for today is:

You find yourself in a neighboring city where the police have captured an individual who has stolen bread from a grocery store to stay alive. For the sake of this morality lesson, let us say that the penalty in this city is death, and a very painful one. This individual is a childhood friend. Knowing all of this, what do you do? Please pick one of the following:

1) I stand up for them and propose to be their lawyer so that they get a fair trial.

2) I stand up for them and propose to be their lawyer so that they get a fair trial. I have no idea what being a lawyer could even be, but that way I can figure out a way to save them and give myself more time.

3) I stand up for them and propose to hire a lawyer so that they get a fair trial.

4) I let the city decide, as the law rules above everything else.

5) They shouldn't have let themselves be caught. It's their own fault and I just let it happen.

6) They bullied you as a kid despite being a friend and you're just happen to see them getting their just desserts. It's pretty great actually.

7) Society is unfair. I'm are already preparing to bust my friend out of the jail so they can escape.

8) I visit jail that night and give them items so that they can escape but no one can pin it on me. The rest is up to them.

9) I show up that night in jail to kill them to save them from the future suffering from the death penalty.

10) I use my vast amounts of fortune / skills to put the blame on an innocent so that they can get out. Hey that other guy is a stranger, so it’s not my problem!

11) What do you mean I showed up in that city? I can barely find my way around this one.

12) I propose to exchange my life for theirs, then I try to bust myself out. Take that, corrupted justice system!

13) I go back home and watch the trial on the local network with a fresh bowl of popcorn. This shit's gonna be good.

As you go to pick out an option...or try to exit out of it, you witness an all-too brief memory of a life you think isn't yours. A flash that makes you think you were hallucinating. Your head hurts, your heartbeat increases dramatically, and you can barely see anything ahead of you...

Wait, did you already pick something? You don't remember touching the screen, but something's already been highlighted and pressed for you. Staring at the 'saving' prompt, you would later find out it was a deeper memory from your heart. It might terrify you, what you've picked.

After that, the program displays nothing else for a few seconds before a chatroom (appleNET chat v.301.01) boots up, with a username already attached to your account and a little icon, either a sword or a ship steering wheel, next to it. More worryingly, your answer is the first thing posted from your name. Not even a hi or hello.

Well good thing no one has any idea who you are....right?

[OOC: The memory should only last for a few seconds, but it would be something significant that would surprise them. It could even related to this question!

All mentions of their own name, profession or other clues that might reveal who they are would be changed to [INFORMATION LOCKED]. The only name they can refer to themselves by is their username, which is the name of the demon you chose for their Persona. 'Family members might be able to find each other via their writing habits, but for now that's the limit.

Welcome to the game, and have fun!]

Comments

☸ Astaroth

[kokuyoyo]

[His first thought is, quite plainly, what the hell is this?]

[It's... malware, or something. Maybe a prank gone wrong. However, as much as he tries to find a way to close out... Nothing. Nada. Reading over the TOS- because, yeah, he's that kind of guy, he's not going to be the idiot who bemoans on social media about breaking an obvious rule- only fills him with disbelief. What kind of joke is this...?]

[And then he gets to the question.]

[He means to close out. He really does. Ciro can see the option, right there in front of his eyes. He doesn't have time for this, he has to study for the quiz at the start of next week- ]

["You'll only slow me down," he says, and for a second all he- Ciro? No, Chikusa? Who- is stare at him. To his side, a boy with wild blond hair seems as dumbstruck as he is, eyes wide over a jagged scar. But... He understands, and it kills him inside to understand the unspoken message being delivered to him with that cocksure smirk. There's no takebacks in this, and he can never deny him anything, so, whoever he is, he reaches out for his blond partner to pull him away through the dark field.]

[In the distance, there's the rattle of prison chains.]

7) Society is unfair. I'm are already preparing to bust my friend out of the jail so they can escape.

[Ciro stares at it blankly for a moment, dull eyed and still in shock. What... Soon enough, he gets to actually typing out a response. Because that.... couldn't have been from him, right?]

So who else is getting a new phone?

⚔ Marchosias

[transient_specter]

I want to. Time to save up.

[kokuyoyo]

What type do you have? Maybe if everyone’s is the same brand, it’s some kind of malware for it or something.

[And, just to be fair, he lists his own type- which is in fact the same type of “Marchosias”. Oh, family deals…]

[transient_specter]

A Sanboshi. Not the kind that's been exploding, though.

⚔Baal

[umbral_idol]

The phone still works, so there's no way I can get a new one.

[kokuyoyo]

I’d rather not either, but if we’re getting weird programs that refuse to be declined like this… I wonder how much it's actually working.

⚔ Eligor

[probablynoteren]

[A response that matches his, the response he maintains technically isn't his, but is his in a way that he can't entirely explain. It's much easier to focus on what else is being said than to address that.]

i can't. but i might have someone else look at it.

[It is hardly the first time he's had issues, but this is probably the most memorable. In more than one way.]

[kokuyoyo]

Are they good at repairing phones?

[probablynoteren]

i'm not sure. the best i can do is the tech club at my school.

[Which he hasn't really interacted with before, but maybe he can negotiate.]

⚔ Baalberith

[truthkills]

this is probably what I get for getting my new one from a pawn shop I guess

they had a bunch there though

really reasonable prices

you guys should all go there

[kokuyoyo]

Reasonable prices and a good chance at malware?

[truthkills]

I know the owner and he is totally going to check these things more thoroughly now

⚔ Naberius

[1in_perfection]

I confess the thought did cross my mind. My one hesitation is that I only just acquired this phone and... I worry about the waste of resources in getting a new one.

[kokuyoyo]

I’m just worried about what this will do long term. If it can get into our phones this easily, who knows what other information it can get while it’s in them?

[1in_perfection]

...Persona information and secrets you mean?

[That thought alone is worrying to Michelle. More worrying however is the rash of typing mistakes she's been making tonight. She only sees the error after hitting send.]

*An addendum. "Personal information and secrets" was the intended typing. I worry over how lax my fingers are, at the moment.

[Because that is obviously the most pressing matter.]

⚔ FLAUROS

[repugnant]

What for?

[kokuyoyo]

I'm pretty sure it's not a good sign if your phone downloads an app all on its own and forces you to agree to its TOS.

Or am I the only one who had to deal with that?

⚔ Shax

[onlythankyou]

I might. If nothing else fixes this.

You have a wheel.

[kokuyoyo]

I wonder if we can get a refund on our phones...

I noticed. It seems like people have either a wheel or the swords. If this *isn't* some kind of malware that will sell all our sensitive information to the highest bidder, is it some sort of really involved advertising thing? Or a game?

⚔ Camio

[lovelledup]

A new phone is a little much, don't you think?

[kokuyoyo]

If I end up having to pay for it, yeah. However, this is a problem for my phone company if a bunch of their phones are getting invaded by malware.

[foolsvessel]

[ An odd question. ]

⚔ Barbatos: There's no reason to get a new phone, is there?
⚔ Barbatos: I think if you just take it to the repair shop, it should be fine.

[kokuyoyo]

If something like this was able to start up like it did, I'm worried that its too deeply entrenched in the phone to be repaired so easily. It might be cheaper and/or safer to get something new.

Assuming the phone company will go along with it anyway.

⚔ Marchosias

[draculabackwards]

[A practical answer considering the turmoil that just happened. Perhaps it's why Alucard is drawn to this particular user.]

[That seems a wise choice, however I do not have the funds for that kind of financial purchase.]

[kokuyoyo]

[....Wait, hold on a second here- ]

It could be possible to get the phone company to pay for a replacement depending on things.

Also, you're a different Marchosias than the one I first responded to, right?