epidemiology | EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

I WANNA START A FIGHT

RIOTS

In the time between the quarantine and now, the virus has spread unnaturally rapidly, with the amount of the population infected estimated to be around 1.5% or approximately 3,750 people. Understandably, the panic has increased considerably. People who were taking the virus seriously before have begun to work themselves up into a frenzy, and even those who were calm are beginning to get anxious.

An infected teacher went on a violent rampage at the local elementary school yesterday, leading the school board to close all Woodhurst schools for the rest of the week while the entire staff is studied for symptoms. There’s no test for the Bristol virus, however, so it’s impossible to tell for sure. This, of course, worries the parents. The unrest starts with a protest at the school, calling for schools to be closed indefinitely until the quarantine is over for the safety of the children, but it doesn’t stop there.

Unrest turns to rioting before long; the majority of the riot is focused at city hall, where citizens are demanding answers, but there’s also mayhem at stores as the people of Woodhurst loot them, stocking up for what some assume is an impending apocalypse. Those who don’t believe this have locked themselves up in their homes not for protection from the infected but the rioters. Suffice it to say, most of the citizens out on the streets are of the slightly unstable variety, although some just found themselves caught up in the riots and became worked up by the crowd.

Local police forces -- including ALASTAIR agents posing as police officers -- have been dispatched to deal with the rioters at city hall. Rioters who attempt to leave the city are taken care of by officers sent by the federal government to enforce the quarantine.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

It might be a good idea to see what supplies can be found at the supermarkets, although you run the risk of getting attacked by a violent looter. The police won’t necessarily turn away anyone trying to keep order at city hall, but any supernatural powers will only incite the already violent crowd, so it’s recommended characters keep from utilizing their powers if they want to stay in one piece. Then, of course, there’s always the option to protect innocents who happen to be stuck out on the streets in the middle of the riots.

While the entirety of the police force is focused at the quarantine borders and outside city hall, now is possibly one of the only chances to get full access to buildings in the city. There are still some workers who haven’t been sent home and some of the buildings are locked up, but there are few police officers that can be spared to go check out a simple break-in.

Now is the time to search the city, if you're feeling brave. If you’re really ballsy, you can even try to slip in through the back door of city hall and go through their records. The only important building in town that’s not able to be searched is the hospital, which is incredibly busy due to the high number of people injured in the riots and traffic accidents.

Of course, just because rioters aren’t around doesn’t mean you’ll be left alone. There’s always a chance you’ll find yourself alone in a building with someone very hungry. Willing to take the chance?

Submit all CYOA choices to this thread.

OOC NOTES

The Bounty Board is now open! If you are looking for ways to get involved in this mission's optional objective, this is a good place to start. We’d also like to remind everyone that ALASTAIR does not invent cover stories for characters -- that’s all them! The only jobs they’ll help with getting are in the police force and government; everything else is up to characters to interview for.

Questions about Woodhurst can be submitted to this thread. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

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[meanwhile, her scent sponge is on full sensory overload and she wishes she could destabilize to get away from it, but that would mean her gem would be in this ick and muck and ew no.]

I might be small, Mettaton, but I'm fierce. An unstoppable force of nature who can... [and she proceeds to do some very comical and truly unfortunate karate moves with sound effects.

mercifully, she does eventually stop.]

Plus I control metal. I can always drop a manhole cover on their heads.

Pft. [Unconvinced chortle.] Alright, then, Peri. Let's hold off on the gun-show until--

[Wait!!

Wait. Wait just a moment.

Mettaton actually stops in his place, eyes boring through the back of Peridot's holographic skull. Back up!! This is the most important thing she's ever said to him. More important than the clues she found. More important than the MISSION.]

...you can control metal...?

[This is the most pleading expression he's ever had.]

Carry me.

Uh...

[she looks him over, tilting her head slowly like a confused kitten. it's not that she can't. he's probably not heavier than a standard earth vehicle and she can lift those. it's just... so impractical.

on the other hand, this is a chance to show off!] ...All right, but if I need to use my powers for anything else, I either have to put you down or throw you at the infected.

[it's not a choice. it's whichever option occurs to her first. that said, she lifts her hands and with an intense amount of grunting... actually manages to get him off the ground and hovering.]

...You know, I've never done this with anything sentient. How's it feel?

O-oh my... [She's doing it!! She's really pulling it off!!!]

Wait. [Being impressed takes a quick backseat, the rest of him getting caught up on the first thing she said, eyes dimmed.] Throw me?

[...]

Oh YES!! [Mettaton strikes a pose in mid-air, kicking his leg out like a professional martial artist.] That's a brilliant idea!! They'll never see this hot missile of justice coming for them! [Other leg! Alternate kicks! Hiyah!!

Haha... Ah. He needs to ask Peridot about using her talents for special effects, later. He always WANTED to try something high-flying and ridiculous.

...Oh, she was asking about him, wasn't she? Mettaton finally ceases his posing and looks down toward his floating body. Huh.] Honestly? This body isn't capable of much feeling, but. There's that expression, about moving through molasses? I've never seen the stuff, personally, but I suppose it feels like that.

Edited 2017-02-19 01:55 (UTC)

[Peridot makes a comical grrk noise as Mettaton begins to move around, proving that maintaining her magnetic field is a bit more difficult when the subject is moving. that would explain her trouble with the mechnical animals in Perdition's Rest.]

This is going to become more like the expression "dumped unceremoniously into human sewage" if you keep moving around like that.

[that's not a common expression, but she's sure it will catch on.]

[...

Later, when he isn't being suspended in mid-air over human waste, he'll have to tell Peridot that, while he has been alive for a very, very long time, he has never heard a threat that made him stop moving as quickly as the one she just gave him. If his cloak was off, his eyes would be visibly dim. He has never looked more like a statue.

...Welp.]

You know. Peri. If you take off those shoes, I could carry you. [Just please do not drop him, he loves himself too much.]

[she scrutinizes him for a second, ready to demand how he figures that, but then it clicks.

she manipulates metal. she's ridden trash can lids up to the top of the barn. she can levitate metal while she's sitting on it.

ohhhh....] Hold that thought.

[she lowers him gently back down onto the ground, and proceeds to tear off the ruined shoes with reckless abandon, tossing them aside and making weird noises as she struggles with them, the sounds echoing through the sewer and probably alerting any infected to their location. whatever. let them come. they're an unbeatable team.

with the shoes gone, she clambers up to Mettaton's shoulders, using his scarf to help her scale him like a determined cat- fortunately for his wardrobe, she doesn't weigh much, nor does she have claws. once she's settled piggyback style on his shoulders, she waves her hands again and he resumes floating above the sewage, only now with a passenger.]

I have to hand it to you, Mettaton. This was a brilliant idea.

Edited 2017-02-23 02:49 (UTC)

I know, [he preens, grinning at her as she makes herself comfortable on his shoulders. If they want to get technical (and he never does), he's already using HIMSELF as some sort of mechsuit. Why not let Peridot? That way neither of them need to walk through this muck and Mettaton doesn't get unceremoniously dropped to an embarrassing death (because he will die of embarrassment).

And Keats said he wasn't selfless. HA!

...okay, so he's actually laughing. If history taught him anything, the infected will only be interested until they sense he's not human, so there's nothing to be afraid of.] Onward then, Peri-pie!

Edited 2017-02-23 03:07 (UTC)

[she has to move her arms in a sort of swimming gesture until she gets the hang of just floating them along, but eventually she gets the hang of it enough that she can focus on the task and speak as well.] I wonder if any of the infected down here will be cognizant enough to answer questions. We could get intel that everyone else is too afraid to get!

[This is so... strange and fascinating! He's never been out of control like this when it comes to his body. It's like someone else is at the wheel, but not in a horrific, science fiction way. He watches his own shadow, his expression a cross between amusement and awe, as he floats helplessly above it. Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see Peridot swinging her arms to either side of his head, propelling them.

It's... neat. It's very neat!

It's leaving him in good enough humor to agree to that (frankly) silly suggestion, anyway. He chuckles.] Why dream when you can help make it a reality?? Aren't they supposed to come back around through contact? You have arms, I have arms... [He drops the tone of his voice, sounding for all the world like he's announcing a monster-truck rally.] BEAUTIES AND GENTLEBEAUTIES! WELCOME TO "HUGFEST NINETY-THREEEEEEEEEEEEE"

[Heehee. They have fun.

...ah. What is...?

Something catches the light from Peridot's gem while they're passing another tunnel. It's reflective and barely just noticeable, but...]

...is that a chair?

[Peridot swivels her head (and her light) back towards the chair she almost missed in her barely concealed disdain for HUGFEST '93. she isn't Steven. she isn't going to hug away her problems.

the chair, however, is more important.] Whoa. I guess if you're gonna retreat from society, you might as well be comfortable, but... [she edges them a bit closer with more erratic hand movements.] Holy smokes. [she taps Mettaton's shoulder and points at something resting on the seat.] Look at that.

Look at...?

[Oh. That.

He snatches it out of the chair before his eyes can actually settle on what, exactly, he's looking at. Some sort of book with two lizard monsters embracing on the cover. Alien text provides the title. Mettaton thumbs through the pages, that same alien text filling the book's entirety.

Oh. Oh, he knows what he's looking at...]

A romance novel.

[Scandalous.] I don't recognize that language... [she huffs.] At least not without my limb enhancers. My finger screens have language analysis capabilities.

[she realizes she is lamenting not being able to read a romance novel and flushes a bit.] It-it could be an important resource. That might tell us more about the being that lives down here!

Oh, it'll CERTAINLY tell us what they're INTO. [Eh? Eh???

...inappropriate. Cough.

What a weird find. Mettaton flips it from end to end, as if somehow it'll divine a meaning that would make sense.] At least it proves something. I doubt this is human script.

[Hn.] Do you think they were waiting for something?

[Peridot squints at it from over his shoulder.] I don't think... many humans are interested in lizard hugs.

[hugs. yes, Peridot. that's exactly what that's an image of. bless her poor Era II virgin heart.] Waiting for what, exactly? Hmm...

[she taps her chin thoughtfully.] If I were a non-human being who wanted to avoid other humans, I suppose I could see the benefit of this place. It's not as if you're going to run into too many down here in this filth.

[she laughs a bit at that, because SHE AND METTATON ARE EVADING THE FILTH. SILLY HUMANS, YOU CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE METAL POWERS- and suddenly there's an unpleasant splash from somewhere up ahead and Peridot's laughter dies in an instant. A second later, she's clinging to Mettaton's head.] What was that?

[There was going to be a comment somewhere in there about who belongs in a sewer or lizard smooches or something, but suddenly there's a sound followed by little green arms just barely keeping themselves from his eyes, THANK YOU, PERIDOT.

Blindly shaking the book back at Peridot for her to take, Mettaton extends his free hand. Bursts of electricity spark above his palm and offer their surroundings an eerie strobing effect. He doesn't want to use any of his more harmful magic; if it's an infected, more could kill them in their condition. If it's something else...

Well. They need to be alive enough for answers.]

Let's find out, Peri. [There's no way he sounds nervous about this. He's a professional. Cool as a cucumber. Everything fine.] Hugfest '93...

[Peridot grabs the book like it's a security blanket, making pathetic whimpering sounds. any feigned bravery she might have held tight to is gone now in the face of...

wait. she can't even get infected. or even hurt by these... people. what does she have to worry about?

she shoves the book into her shirt (ew it's faintly damp. this was a mistake.) and smashes a fist into her palm.]

Yes... Hugfest '93. Let's hug them into submission, inorganic style.

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EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

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