applenet | COUNTDOWN: PUTTING THE M IN MORALITY 3.0

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COUNTDOWN: PUTTING THE M IN MORALITY 3.0

Did someone contact you during your dreams? Perhaps you were lucky and a few images of your past lives were revealed to you. Then maybe when your phone begins to act strange, you aren't as surprised. Maybe there's a feeling that you've seen this before... could it be a case of deja-vu?

You could all say it started with a strange icon that popped up on your phone that day. September 9th, 2017, a mysterious icon begins your decent into a different world.

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: September 9th, 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", "sheep", "apple", "shapple" "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. Don't worry, you're not alone in this! In fact, you've probably had a little bit of a warning, right? Your friends warned you in dreams? Hopefully they did cause otherwise, SURPRISE!

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 with any laws. Are you still even reading this? I bet no one really reads this. PS for all apple pie needs, please contact Luci at Luci@applenet.com

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 solely determined at our 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 cause it's time to start fighting back! You can do it! Or at least it will be interesting to see...

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 | Man I Can'T Wait to See What this is About! | APPLES!
It really seems like you don't have much choice. After pressing one of the four buttons (one of them trailing off to the side of the screen), a new screen greets you.

21 DAYS REMAIN BEFORE FULLY AWAKENING

Hey! Welcome to your new half life. Something like that. I'm Luci! You don't know who I am, but I know who you are. Freaky huh? But that's okay, cause you got a few of your friends coming in too. Anyway, answer these questions, we're gonna have a fun time talking about them, I'm not being all fancy this time, got it? Don't worry if the answer sounds 'bad'. After all, you're gonna be working with the rest of us! What's the worst that could happen?

I mean, bad things could happen. But that's why there's other people to help you! CHECK IT OUT GUYS I DID A FRIENDSHIP THING. PS - If you see something from a guy called "Guts", he can be really mean sometimes, so be careful!!!

Are they... acting like they’ve just hired you for a new job? (And really being impolite too. Who is this Guts guy?)

The first (and only) question for today is:

Would you kill a man/woman?

1) Yes! That sounds fun.

2) Yes, but only because they killed someone I loved.

3) Yes, but only out of self-defence.

4) This question is confusing me because I am unable to reach a proper conclusion.

5) No! That's so wrong!

6) No, but mostly because no one should know about my dark secrets.

7) No, I'm too pure.

8) No, but I'd pay someone else to do it. Guilt free, AND smart!

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... or maybe something you've seen before in your mind. 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 will 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.301.02) 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?

But don't worry... this time you're not quite alone.

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

All mentions of their profession or other clues that might reveal who they are will be changed to [INFORMATION LOCKED]. However, due to the dream memories, their usernames will be a combination of the demon you chose for their Persona and their REAL name (not their AU one).

FOR PLAYERS ALREADY IN THE GAME: Your character now has their REAL name and their demon name. Additionally, NOTHING GETS CENSORED WHEN YOUR CHARACTER SPEAKS.

For the new players, have fun!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Looks better that way.

[and with that statement he grabbed hold of Kit's chin before roughly pulling him down so that he didn't have to dislocate his shoulder reaching up to dab at the other boy's cheek. he didn't realize how transparent he was being in the way his actions reflected what he wanted, but there was a ready made excuse for when he did; even someone as scrappy as Vincent could become tired out if they fought enough.

he can't help but feel a vague sort of revenge over the situation, anyway. his companion had moved out of some indistinguishable annoyance without considering the fact that for the most part Vincent did very little to treat his own wounds whenever he acquired them. his first aid skills were tenuous at best.]

[Obediently, Kit leaned closer, unaware of the way his hands slid nearer to Vincent's body on the ledge of the sink. He had always been relatively conscientious of his appearance, if only insofar as it meant being capable of convincing people to trust him or do for him as he asked. He wasn't vain, disliked being told he was pretty or even effeminate, and especially couldn't abide by being mistaken for a woman, but...hearing Vincent confess he looked better with the wound exposed filled him with a strange sense of pride.

And an unusual tightness in his chest not unlike the dizzying flutter he'd experienced earlier when the other boy had lapped blood straight off his palm. As if remembering, his fingers twitched. This was infuriating. The back-and-forth between them giving him whiplash. But he wasn't pulling away. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to cut the pitiful space between them in half.]

...then leave it.

[the cotton ball in Vincent's hand pauses a few inches from his skin, other hand still holding onto his chin without realizing. the other boy's response made him feel...strangely excited. as if something had been released into the air and was now crackling with energy around them.]

Didn't think you were that easy to sway.

[it was just as uncharacteristic for Kit to give in so readily as it was for him. even though it was his opinion being acknowledged as superior, he couldn't help but question it all the same. things were rarely this simple between them.]

[It was a moment before Kit responded, but when he did, the lingering presence of Vincent's hand upon his chin and the way his other hand had paused seemed to elicit an almost wolfish smile in the taller boy.]

Didn't think you were one to waste an opportunity to get what you wanted.

[He could feel the energy, too. As if the air itself had become charged with a dangerous current. It was a feeling he was growing accustomed to, as it seemed to so often happen in Vincent's presence. And only in his presence, too...]

I don't need opportunities if I want it badly enough.

[if the desire was that intense, he created openings for himself.

like now, when he decided to channel the current dancing off their skin into something far more productive. his free hand finds its way around Kit's neck, cotton swab momentarily forgotten in the quest to pull him even closer and eliminate that minuscule distance between them.

he wanted to suck that predatory grin right off the other boy's face. just a few moments would be all it took to shatter all of that arrogant confidence -

Vincent's thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sudden hammering against the bathroom door. the force of the blows were so great that the poor cheap door was nearly blown off its hinges then and there.]

[Kit offered no resistance as Vincent's hand slipped around back of his neck and pulled him closer. His fingertips were like fire upon his skin, the warmth seeping through him from his head to his toes. He wondered, would Vincent's lips be just as scorching? Would he feel as if he'd walked into a blazing inferno if he let their mouths meet?

They were so close he could feel the other boy's breath on his face, could taste it when he inhaled. Just a little more and —

— the sudden banging on the door caused Kit to jump, his lips ghosting across Vincent's as he turned, a rather scathing look on his face. They hadn't been in here that long, had they? What in the world could possibly be so important that someone had to be attacking the door with what sounded like a battering ram?

He made no move to step away from Vincent when he spoke, arms still firmly planted against the sink and caging the other boy in between.]

...I just need a minute.

"THE STORE'S ON FIRE."

[Vincent is so worryingly agonized from the teasing touch of the other boy's lips as he turned that for a moment the words don't sink in. all he hears is some excuse or another for the world to step in, again, where it wasn't wanted - and his comapnion's statement that he'd only need a minute. as if it would be that quick.

thankfully the rest of his brain catches up both in terms of what's actually happening and what the fuck he's thinking about. the latter is shoved violently into the abyss where all irrational thoughts go to die, and the former receives an appropriate quip.]

Guess I could've had a smoke here after all.

[ha ha ha, ha ha. despite the clearly looming danger, he doesn't bother trying to remove himself from Kit's proximity. a few more moments until the other boy reacted would be fine, right? there was only one place they could go anyway. it was nothing.]

[Those four words rattled Kit, their implication immediately registering through the thick fog of his hunger. In the span of a second or perhaps less he was able to assess the situation. He hadn't smelled smoke for the heavy scent of fire that always seemed to cling to Vincent's skin, but if the blaze was bad enough to drive the store owner outside and across the lot to the bathrooms, that could only mean one thing.

He tore himself away from Vincent without thinking, abandoning his purchases there in the sink right along with the uniform he'd left on the floor. The door was unlocked with hands all too familiar with such devices, and as Kit rushed into the outside air, he seized the store owner by the arm.]

Is anyone still inside?

[This wasn't his problem. He could safely get away from the lot with Vincent and pretend they'd never been interrupted someplace else. But he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did that. If someone was inside and he could have done something...he had to try.]

[if it weren't for the urgency of the situation, Vincent might have felt offended at how quickly his companion tore away. even as things were he couldn't help but notice the faint twinge in his chest as he turned to shovel all the medical items back into their bag. it was stupid to waste things.

he leaves the uniform where it is, however. Kit can come back and get that his damn self.

meanwhile, the store owner shakes his head frantically. he and the other customers towards the front had evacuated immediately, but there was simply no way to know until the fire department came if that had been everyone.

Vincent, sensing where this is inevitably going, chooses this moment to call out:]

You're not going to make any difference at this point.

[by now anyone stupid enough to have remained in the building would be unconscious from smoke inhalation. and given all the gasoline in the immediate proximity...it was a losing cause from start to finish.]

[Giving the store owner a violent shove away, Kit darted towards the gas station, shoes pounding the pavement at a dead run, ears deliberately deaf to Vincent's warning.

He had been burned before. His skin was quite familiar with the sinuous lick of fire, the blistering way it ate at tissue and seared to the bone. That was why he had to make sure. Why he couldn't believe anyone could just accept that this was out of their hands. If even one person remained inside, if there was even a shred of doubt that not everyone had made it out safely, the store owner should have been the first to go back.

But he was as useless as the rest of the bystanders...and waiting for the fire department would mean waiting until it was too late. There was only so much time until the blaze spread to the pumps. Three minutes? Maybe four.

Kit wasn't sure as he wrenched open the store doors, standing behind the glass as fire fanned outward at the rush of oxygen into the building. He just knew he had to do this. He'd faced worse odds before, and he'd face worse again...and the moment the lashing blaze fell back, he disappeared inside, ducking beneath a thick cloud of black smoke.]

...fuck's sake.

[the expletive was exasperated but in no way surprised. to be perfectly honest, it would have been more shocking to Vincent to find that his caution had actually been heeded. his companion really was as bullheaded as himself, especially when it came to opportunities to become a martyr.

thankfully he was too stubborn to let Kit have his way all the time.

several moments after the other boy disappears into the smog of the blaze, he'll find the flames rising up inexplicably once more. should he search for the cause, he'll turn around just in time to be smacked in the face with his own uniform jacket, currently sopping wet.

if he's quick enough, he'll be able to catch a glimpse of Vincent (without such a safety filter himself) before he ducks away to check one of the other aisles. and if not...well, it's pretty easy to infer what had happened. they'd be able to cover more ground separately.]

[No explanation was needed. Kit caught the jacket and draped it over his head at once, but before he could throw one end over the other boy, Vincent was disappearing down the nearest aisle. Kit understood that to mean one thing. They didn't have much time, and if they searched separately, they would increase their odds of finding anyone. But he didn't like seeing the other boy duck out of sight...

It was a thought he had to swallow for now, along with the urge to cough. Raising one arm to cover his face, he proceeded deeper into the store and called out, hoping anyone still inside would hear the voice and respond. If they were conscious.

How had the blaze gotten so big so fast? The fire had to have been set deliberately, Kit realized. And if that was the case, there really was no telling how much time they had left before the blaze reached the pumps. If the culprits had set this up...

He cleared one aisle, and then another, working from the far side of the store and back towards Vincent. If they met in the middle and neither of them found anyone, he wasn't quite sure how he would apologize for this...

...and he wasn't given time to consider, either. Not as the flames had finally reached the cashier's counter and the lighters on display there. It started with a single pop, then another, but soon enough the stock was erupting into loud and dangerous balls of fire, pieces of metal and plastic shrapnel fired off in different directions through the store. Not deadly, not by any means, but sharp. And coupled with the rest of the flames and the smoke, very hard to see.]

[luckily for Kit's ego, the other end of this search party had turned up a result.

hand pressed tight against his mouth to combat as much smoke as possible, the other boy's methodical search of the aisles had resulted in his stumbling across a body laying prone on the floor. judging by the beer case beside him, it was easy to surmise why the man was still here - he'd seen the opportunity to do some quick looting and taken it. the irony of how he'd tried to crawl into the refrigerated section to escape the flames wasn't lost on his would-be rescuer.

as he stands to call out for his companion's attention, several fragments of a lighter catch him. they rip through his arm and the thin skin just above his eye, eliciting a deep hiss over the burning pain. this was exactly the sort of repayment he expected for such a senseless good deed.

undeterred, he continues with his former goal and shouts Kit's name several times. he damn well better be able to hear him over the tiny explosions, because otherwise this man was going to be left to his fate without a second thought.]

[Even over the roar of the growing fire, Kit was aware of Vincent. Between the aisles his head was always turning, eyes searching for his partner. When the lighters began to explode and bits of metal and plastic were propelled across the store, when he heard the other boy hiss, he knew he'd been struck. Instinct guided Kit to Vincent before any announcement that he had found someone.]

Stay down!

[The shout demanded no argument. Even as Kit stole quick glances down the remaining aisles to make certain there was no one else to be left behind, he was aware of Vincent's precise position. Always, in the back of his mind, he was calculating the other boy's whereabouts, timing his movements as he listened for his gait over the cement tiles. That idiot didn't need to stand to draw his attention.

Keeping low to the ground to avoid the worst of the smoke billowing thickly above them, Kit made his way to his companion's side and threw the wet jacket over his shoulders. The frown he wore made it obvious he'd already registered why this person hadn't made it out in time, but he was still someone whose life would be lost if they did nothing.]

I'll carry him, but you have to lead the way.

[you know Kit, maybe this is why people are supposed to tell each other when they find themselves acutely aware of another's every movement. just a thought.]

Fuck off.

[he doesn't try and contest the command, but that certainly doesn't stop Vincent from making his displeasure about it known. it's worth the small bit of smoke that slinks down his throat before he covers his mouth once more, no matter what damage it might end up doing to his lungs. this was all the other boy's damn fault anyway.

tugging the jacket over his head, he gives a small nod at the splitting of jobs. sensitive as he was about his height, in moments like these there was no other choice but to be practical; no way he could lift a man of that size on his own. wiping some of the blood streaming into his eye with the jacket sleeve, he sets out towards the exit.]

[There wasn't time for offense, and if Kit was honest with himself, he wasn't sure he would have been offended by those words any other time, either. Vincent had spoken to him much more harshly in the past. If anything, the sharpness of his tongue now helped him to his feet again with the weight of the unconscious man in between them.

He wished it made the smoke sting his eyes and lungs less, too. But it didn't. And the longer it took them to reach the doors, the more lightheaded Kit felt himself growing. Between the sound of his own coughs and the flames, Kit thought he heard the wail of sirens very close, but he couldn't be sure. All that mattered was the two of them, the dead weight they were carrying...

...and the sudden protest of the ceiling above them before flaming chunks began to drop, crashing into the shelves and spilling debris through the aisles and underfoot.]

[oh, for fuck's sake.

he moves without thinking. they're close enough now to the exit, he knows that even without being able to see it, and so Vincent spins around to roughly grab his companion by the arm. without a word or a moment for protest he's hurling him forward, out of the way of the items crashing down atop them and straight towards the door.

it was hardly an act of self-sacrifice, not when he fully intended to leave the way he'd came as well. but if asked, he'd simply say that he was tired of all the stupidity and just wanted to get things over with. the reward of being beaned in the head by a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash isn't lost on him.]

[With the ceiling coming down, Vincent's manhandling wasn't fought at all. Kit trusted him absolutely to make the right call in their current situation. He couldn't say why, but it felt familiar.

He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, through the burning in his lungs and the fog in his head, that Vincent would lead him out of this mess. There was more to him than a savage former resident of Hagu, Kit had seen it before. The first time they'd met. And even earlier that day. Vincent really was someone he was meant to call his partner...

And it was because of him they reached the doors and crashed through them into the open air, flames spitting around them. Vincent's quick thinking had allowed them to escape that contained inferno with their lives.

For that, he deserved a proper thank you, but what he got instead was Kit's legs giving out from under him some feet from the door. The man between them hit the concrete more gently than Kit, buffered by his own body, and firemen and paramedics wasted no time rushing to their sides, several people swarming Vincent too to ask what had happened and if he was alright.]

[despite the blood streaming from his cut and right into his eyes, Vincent immediately began violently waving off the concerned medics with an irate glower plastered across his face.]

The hell does it look like happened? Someone decided to be an idiot and play hero.

[he nods over at Kit's prone form, pulling the jacket down off his head and onto his shoulders in the process.]

If you want to do something productive, go look at him and stop bothering me.

[Unfortunately for the surly boy, the paramedics were insistent about dragging Vincent's ass along with Kit's and their rescued quarry over to the ambulances across the lot.

Something about needing to look at that cut and give them oxygen...not to mention getting them away from the store and the pumps. It seemed the worst of the blaze was being quickly wrestled by the firemen into submission, but it was better not to take chances.

However, as they helped Kit to his feet and it became clear they intended to separate him from Vincent, his hand reached quickly out to capture the other boy's sleeve. No amount of asking or attempts to pry his fingers loose succeeded in extricating his grip, and so they found themselves sitting next to one another in the back of one of the vans while the medical team looked them over.

Even then, however...Kit hadn't let go of the other boy.]

[it's a good thing there are so many medics present, because when they start insisting Vincent kicks up one hell of a fuss considering his battered state - right up until his companion latches onto him.

the fight drains out of him almost immediately, although the sulkiness certainly doesn't. with a black expression he allows himself to be led to a van, docilely remaining in place as the professionals keep his unworthy ass from sustaining any lasting damage. the only action he takes is to tug Kit's hand off his sleeve and intertwine it with his own fingers; if he was going to be so clingy, he might as well hold onto something worthwhile.

no matter how feisty he was, it had been an exhausting chain of events that Vincent had just barreled through. as they sit there and he continually redirects their focus onto Kit, he finds himself leaning gently against the other boy. it was far more comforting than he'd ever admit.]

[For a brief moment as his fingers were finally pried from Vincent's arm, Kit's head jerked up, anger flashing in his eyes. The feeling of the other boy's hand fitting into his own, however, was all it took to quash the protest that had been a mere second from spilling past his lips and to subdue that verdant fire.

As Vincent settled against him, Kit leaned close, fingers curling tightly around the other boy's. For now at least it seemed he took no shame in admitting the comfort he found in Vincent's proximity, though it was perhaps strange to find someone so warm a soothing presence after having escaped a fire. But that was a thought for later.

Between administered oxygen and having dirt wiped off his face, Kit caught tidbits of conversation from the police on scene.

The culprits had gotten away, but not without being spotted. Apparently some ruffians, a group of four boys who looked to have seen better days, had stolen into the store after Vincent and Kit had left for the bathroom. Between the four of them, it was no wonder the fire had gotten out of control so quickly...

...just as it was no wonder who it had really been meant for.

Kit's hand tightened around Vincent's to the point of shaking. He'd been wrong thinking that Kurt and his ugly band of miscreants wouldn't come back today to settle the score.]

[if it weren't for the indignity of having the cut over his eye bandaged at the time, Vincent would have found some latent energy hidden away somewhere to laugh almost fondly at the outrage he'd just narrowly avoided. for all his maturity he really could be such a child sometimes; it was far more endearing than it had any right to be.

his interest in the police chatter was far more diminished, most of his attention going to making the paramedics' life more difficult and tracing idle little arcs across Kit's hand with his thumb. as sore as he was, this was likely the most peaceful he'd felt all day.

when that hand tightens around his so suddenly, however, his focus snaps away immediately. nothing in the near vicinity had changed, and so he tunes into the conversations around him - and the pieces fall into place easily. it wasn't particularly surprising, given Kit's past, but he still finds himself nursing an unexpected flicker of anger in his chest. fucking cowards.

his other hand moves thoughtlessly, settling gently atop Kit's to still the tremors running through it. they'd survived, and that was all that mattered now. revenge could come later.]

[Vincent's second hand alighting atop his seemed to be successful at first glance in its intended effect. Kit's rage was quieted, the trembling of his hand ceasing almost instantly beneath the blanket of the other boy's fingers. And yet...it was impossible to tell what thoughts were left still buzzing through his mind.

Even as he calmly turned to answer the questions of the paramedics and police that followed, accepting (albeit reluctantly) both a lecture and praise for what he and his companion had done to save the man left inside, he seemed more detached than he did truly calm.

When a moment came where it was just the two of them and none of the professionals flitting about their busy work, Kit turned to Vincent and placed his free hand on the other boy's cheek. Turning his head to look at him it seemed almost like he wanted to apologize or to say thank you...something sincere. But what came instead was almost pleading.]

Let's go.

[There was a truck rolling up across the lot that looked to be filled with a camera crew and a reporter. The police hadn't taken their statements yet, hadn't gotten their names, and Kit wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want this news reaching his foster parents' ears.

He didn't care where they went. He just wanted to be gone before they had more to deal with than what they bargained for.]

Finally.

[despite the lack of any meaningful words from his companion, Vincent allowed himself to give the other boy a smile that was far too genuine for its own good. with a shift of his head that pressed his cheek suspiciously close to the resting resting upon it, he slides noiselessly off the back of the van.

after the misadventures of the day, all he wanted was to put godforsaken Hagu behind him for a couple hours. to this end his feet point them both in the direction of the train station - and, unbeknownst to Vincent, he continues holding on to the other boy's hand as they set off away from the news crew.]

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it's increasingly difficult to keep interrupting them from making out to preserve the timeline

idk about you but it's like my new favorite pastime

does that mean it's going to keep happening to hiei and kurama too

what do you think

i think i'm going to have a lot of fun in my life

that makes two of us!

gosh, i hope so /)u(

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