epidemiology | PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION.

It's difficult to tell time without the presence of a sun or moon. There are no stars. The world is in constant blackness, the heavens barely visible from below and the only light artificial. It's been like this for months.

Suddenly, those who expressed interest in observing the sun (or lack thereof) will all at once receive a text message on their ALASTAIR jewellery from 82736775:

Get your shit and go look at the sky. Now's the time. If you need me, I'm around.

It's time to get to work.

OBSERVATION.

Find the highest point you can and point the telescopes at the sky. Should be easy, right?

Be mindful that there are still guards patrolling the city, looking for escaped prisoners, and some citizens would be very happy to tip them off to your presence. There are still animals in the forests to contend with, and there are still nosey citizens who may ask you too many questions. There are also your fellow ALASTAIR agents, who may not be very willing to share the spot they already staked out before you just showed up.

People and animals aren't all you need to look out for, either. Seven hours after the observation starts, there is a lightning storm. It lasts for 30 minutes, bolts of electricity arcing across the sky. It might be a good idea to scurry down someplace lower when this happens -- you know what they say about lightning and height.

82736775 doesn't contact anyone after the initial text, so observers are free to give up whenever they decide they've been sitting out in the freezing dark for long enough.

[ note: even if you didn't sign up, feel free to tag in! your character won't have a telescope but that doesn't mean they can't mingle. ]

[ previously: ic info | ooc info ]
[ direct questions here! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Even if it's small, I haven't the faintest idea of what I'm doing.

[ Before she could really overwhelm Shiki, Alice sheepishly held out her telescope before even thinking about approaching him. ]

Not only that, I'm not fortunate as some of you to come from a world filled with technology such as this. Telescopes this size cannot pick up on such crystal clear images.

Oh. [He hadn't really thought of it. As far as Shiki knew, English accents as thick and rustic as Alice's were just normal for everyone. The idea that she was further back in the past or even from an entirely different world never occurred to him.]

S-Sorry, I didn't mean to sound cryptic...

[He cleared his throat, lifting up the port of the telescope to show Alice the dials he used to make adjustments.]

I can explain a bit of it, I think.

It's fine, I'm sure it's a lot to explain.

[ And she didn't mind in the least; there was only so much loitering she could take before she wanted to jump in and help others. ]

Anything helps, really, it wasn't as if... Mr. Sanchez, was it? Explained it well.

[Shiki may have interjected a little too quickly as Alice brought up 'Mr. Sanchez'.]

I'd rather not talk about Rick.

[He knew he sounded rude, but--]

Alright? I'm in a good mood at the moment and I'm not excited to change that.

[ With the faintest raise of an eyebrow, Alice looked at Shiki, slightly confused, maybe even a little miffed. It's rude, but nothing Alice questions him over. ]

Very well.

[ If he's in a good mood, it's best not to ruin it, especially if he's showing her something. ]

Then, please, continue.

[Shiki cleared his throat. He showed Alice the dials that were most important to magnification.]

Okay, so--this controls magnification and this controls the scope. The scope handles how far you want to look and magnification helps you focus on different distances you're already looking at.

You know how, if you hold up a finger in front of your face and focus on it--everything else gets blurry? You can control how the telescope does that, when your own eyes do that naturally.

I hadn't considered that.

[ Alice was pretty attentive to follow the dials, watching him carefully and mirroring every little detail. ]

I kept twisting and turning it... I suppose that's why I wasn't able to see much of anything. I thought if I could mess with it more, I could see something.

[In earnest, Shiki came up with an idea when Alice said that.]

Well, it's tough to calibrate it when you have no reference. That sky isn't really handy to let you know if it's focusing. Try focusing on something you can actually see.

[He had honest intentions.]

Alright.

[ Just as innocent as hers; Alice was a good girl, she didn't get into that much trouble, outside of her adventures. So, she took it to heart and started to look around the Chantes for anything she could focus on.

But, unfortunately, that ended up being a window of a resident, who was already in the process of disrobing herself. ]

[ Which is followed by a yelp from Alice, who promptly turns around and shoves her telescope at Shiki, so roughly, she could have knocked the wind out of him if she tried enough. ]

[ But, for good measure, Alice ends up smacking Shiki in the arm, deciding she is going to blame him for this. ]

How could you?!

[Shiki recoiled a little when Alice yelped--getting the breath knocked out of him when the telescope's weight did the work and hit him square in the stomach.

Then, she smacked him. It was all shaping up terribly. Fixing his glasses, Shiki glowered at Alice.]

Gah! What's the big deal!?

I didn't want to see someone undressing!

[ Alice is already scolding him. Oh, god, it was true what Gintoki said, wasn't it? All of that nonsense how they didn't think about anything else but- ]

Gross.

Wh-- [Sputtering, Shiki held his hands up in protest.]

I wasn't telling you to do that! What about a street lamp or a store sign!?

I was trying to!

[ Oh, well, at least she has it working? But Alice is flustered and angry. It's his fault, clearly. ]

Don't blame me because you weren't being careful enough!

[Shiki fixed his glasses as they fell a bit along his nose.]

I was being careful!

[ If only a little. She still blames Shiki for her slip up. It's not enough for her to storm off. ]

I followed your advice and looked around town.

[ No, it's still his fault. Prudishly, she crosses her arms and turns away, followed by a small "hmph". ]

[Since she was well intent on blaming him for absolutely everything, Shiki realized there was nowhere else to go but lower.]

If it's really my fault, why did you linger so long while looking?

[She really didn't, but why not add to the fire?]

[ Alice stammers, clutching the blanket that's been resting around her shoulders. She doesn't even hesitate to swiftly take a foot against Shiki's shin, seconds after it leaves his mouth. ]

[Ow. Don't let it look like it hurt even slightly.]

That's barely an answer to my question.

I wasn't lingering.

[ Cue rolling of her eyes. ]

I nearly dropped it, as a matter of fact.

Yes, I saw. I was there. Yet--I swear I saw hesitation in you.

Please, I would never!

[ She almost adds she doesn't see women in such a sense, but keeps her mouth firmly shut, growing even more flustered. ]

I was only trying to take your advice so I could help better. I've been sitting out here all night and haven't found anything.

So, you've said it. [Baited and caught--Shiki looked to Alice with a hint of cunning in his eyes.]

--That my intention was clearly to help you and not lead your eyes into perverse waters.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

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1/3 - no, sorry, still getting smacked

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bahaha

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