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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Pardon the... [He pauses, sifting through words that all seem unsatisfactory in the end as he ends up untucking the back of his shirt. Why did he even bother tidying it up to start with?] ...Extra limbs.

[That seems the simplest way, though there's nothing that seems enough to soften the appearance of his kagune. The red, serpentine appendage seems to slither out of nowhere, slipping out from under his shirt as he scoops Sonia up in his arms.

His kagune splits into long, sharp limbs that punch into the brick wall in front of them and up they go, scaling the wall by such bizarre means]

The...? [ She tilts slightly, trying to see what he's doing, but it doesn't take long for it to be obvious. She doesn't really have much time to take it in before the ground feels far off and she's scooped up. She only makes a noise when they take off though--and even then it's just a surprised gasp--as she holds onto the bag of food tightly and she tries to look back at the ground disappearing underneath them. ]

A-amazing...! [ Thankfully she isn't afraid of heights, and the whole thing is only making her heart pound so loudly it feels like it's echoing in her ears. That isn't about fear at all though, rather it's more excitement when she turns to look back at him. If he actually looks at her he'll be able to notice that her face is slightly flushed as well, an exmaple of how weird this girl really is probably.

In fact, the mix of emotions there are only positive, as she struggles between being in awe of him or the situation more. ]

[Haise can hear her pulse thudding, and he opens his mouth to assure her that she's quite safe, but her exclamation stops him short. She sounds more like someone on a delightful amusement park ride than someone who's scared of her current situation, and it stuns him enough that he's at a loss as to how he should answer it. He can't think of anyone who would have reacted in quite that way.

Granted, he knows his subordinates viewed him with a certain level of awe, but that was rather different. It was more about a mastery of something they themselves were learning to effectively use than...

Why does Sonia think it's amazing? It's a mystery]

Usually, when Giovanni and I patrol... I go about this way, and he takes rooftops.

[He offers, for lack of a better response, quite befuddled by the time he sees that excited flush staining her cheeks. Sieglinde had coped well with him using his kagune to shield her, but this is quite different from that in more ways than one]

[ She's a little special in that regard, but it's also why she'd taken so much offence in not being confided in before. This, on the other hand, is quite something else. Her eyes flutter as wind whips at her face, but even when they open again they don't move away from his face.

Her hands are both occupied so she can't reach out, so instead she leans up just enough to nuzzle her nose against his jaw. It's a small movement, but at least it reassures him that on top of the awe that she feels safe like this. There is no worry about that. ]

Just please do not let yourself get caught. ...Both of you.

[Despite himself, a soft laugh slips away from him when her hair tickles his neck. The assurance that she's alright with this is a comfort, though Haise keeps his attention on maneuvering through the shadows between buildings to get to her apartment. If she had ever wondered about those strange holes bored into the sides of tall buildings around here, at least she has her answer now]

You don't have to worry. We keep well out of sight.

[It's one of the perks of being something more (and stranger) than human. They don't have the same limitations others might, and the curfew provides some added insurance]

[ Hopefully there is never an earthquake... or that will be a worry. She lets out a soft sigh of relief when he tells her they're careful though. That's what matters, because even if they're doing their patrols for the greater good, she knows the people here won't see it that way. She wouldn't want anything to happen to either at this point. ]

Good. I am glad.

[ She lets herself rest again, cheek pressing against his shoulder now. Her voice softens by a lot then, almost like she isn't sure she wants to be heard or not. At least not while they're in the air jumping across buildings in the way that they are. ]

It's beautiful.

[ ??? Probably best not to ask tbh. ]

[Haise hears the words, though he isn't sure that he follows. He glances skyward for just a moment before he turns his attention back to navigation, and he supposes that he has the answer, judging from the scenery. It's a different vantage point than they're usually able to see]

Mm...the night sky is nice here.

[They round another corner, and in an ideal world, we'd have a Spider-Man cameo right about here. But their trip is a quiet one, aside the low crunch of brick and metal as they continue along]

[ She startles slightly when he mentions the sky from that, because... okay the sky is nice from here but it wasn't where she had been looking so...

best to just go along with it. The slight skip in her heartbeat might be telling on how it wasn't quite accurate, but it isn't likely he'll get the association anyway. It's fine. This is fine. ]

Quite.

[Haise notices, but he thinks perhaps she felt she was slipping, so he pauses to make sure that he's holding her securely. He wouldn't want her to worry that he'd let her get hurt; he'd sooner let himself get injured than let her down.

They weave between more shadowed buildings before drawing close to her apartment complex, and he hums thoughtfully before moving from the side of one structure to another]

Pretty quick, right?

[ She only feels confused when he pauses to check she's secure, blinking up at him. ]

Y... Yes it is.

[ It's kind of silly but she probably would have been fine with this being the entire evening, honestly. It's likely he'd get tired hauling her around all across the city though, so it's... better that it isn't.

If she's honest, though, she actually hasn't looked down in a while, she's been too focused on his own reactions and maybe a little of the sky and the way forward too. ]

I find it convenient, having a vantage point like this.

[Haise couldn't do this sort of thing back home unless there was an active engagement. It'd call too much attention and likely be cause for alarm, and he hadn't any reason to sneak about this way. As an investigator, he most often relied on his quinque for much of his career, but he'd learned to handle his body better in the past year.

Rather than drop to street level, he instead picks his way over to the balcony outside of her apartment. He hops down there, carefully setting her back on her own two feet]

Good thing Giovanni's ears are sharp...we'll need him to let us in.

[Sliding glass doors just don't come equipped with keyholes]

It is quite special.

[ Nothing she's had the chance to experience outside of a helicopter, anyway. While she has classmates who can run up buildings, it isn't like she's ever gone up like that. ]

And I did learn that the hard way. [ Or rather... Lance did. But well, at least now she knows she's been extra careful in not annoying him too much. As she's let back down she stumbles slightly, gripping the bag of food tightly as her arm finally pulls away from Haise's neck. It aches a little, but she gently taps on the window so Giovanni has at least a proper notice that they're here. It shouldn't take him long. Hopefully he's already home by now. ]

[He hears them even before the quiet knocking rings out through the hush of their apartment, and it has him sitting up from where he'd been reclining on the bed (doing little, starting at the cracked white ceiling with his thoughts moving through the same old cycles, always ending on LilyLilyLily). Curious, he tilts his head, pulls himself up.

He moves on silent feet through the darkness of their apartment then, doesn't bother to turn any lights on as he goes, and when he sees Sonia and Haise standing there on the balcony, he gives them a vague but considering look, one thin blond brow slightly raised.

Despite the darkness, he's still wearing his sunglasses.

he reaches for the balcony doors, and there's the soft click as they unlock, slide open.]

Didn't feel like using the front door? Hahah.

You know it. We took the scenic route tonight.

[Haise answers with an easygoing quirk of his lips, lifting a hand to wave at Giovanni as though this were at all necessary. Silly as the greeting might be, he's engaging in it anyhow. Mundane gestures like this are part of helping the man live in the here and now, small as they are.

He points then to the bag Sonia's carrying, having no doubt that Giovanni can smell the food. Whether he's ever tried it before is another matter; no small number of foodstuffs have appeared to be new to his experience]

Hope you like Chinese food.

[With that, he steps aside and gestures for Sonia to step into the apartment first. After all, she is the lady]

[ Sonia glances back at Haise, a small smile on her face as he lifts his hand in greeting. She holds out the bag in turn, holding it up so Giovanni can see it as well as smell it. ]

We did.

[ She steps in first after being signalled to, though unlike them she doesn't exactly have excellent vision to go walking around in the dark. There's a second as she yelps slightly, bumping into a table on the side near the balcony door.

Then quietly: ]

Could you get the light please?

[ At least on the balcony there had been moonlight... inside it's just dark. ]

[He smiles as they greet him, as Haise raises his hand in a gesture of hello, though the expression retains a certain level of vagueness, a detachment, as though he doesn't quite understand the intended purpose of the unexpected visit. He steps aside though, allows them both to enter, and when Sonia cries out and the sound of flesh hitting wood reaches his ears through the darkness of the room, there's a look of confusion on his face that quickly gives out onto realisation-- it's a difficult thing, sometimes, to remember that most people experience the world in a different way than he does. Even if there'd been a time in his life when his experience had been just like hers.]

Oh. My apologies.

[And his movements cut fluidly through the blackness until he finds the switch, flicks it on. Then, belatedly, like an afterthought--]

I've never had Chinese food.

[Navigating the room isn't difficult for Haise, though he doesn't venture far, instead catching Sonia's elbow to help her balance. He's suspected that Giovanni's night vision surpasses his own, but it's difficult to say, if only because he knows his body has suffered so many injuries around his eyes. That ought to make him stronger rather than weaker in terms of visual acuity, but he often experiences a curious level of strain. Whatever the case might be, he squints when the lights are turned on, taking a moment to adjust.

By then, he has an answer, and so his response comes casually as he lets his hand drop from Sonia's arm]

I suppose it'll be an adventure then. [Perhaps overstating the matter, because it's only food, but for his part he has a certain appreciation for when others try new things. It's just not the same experience for him, and so he's come to live vicariously through others] We've got a variety to choose from, so hopefully you'll find something you like.

[With that, he makes for the kitchen, quite aware by now where utensils and plates are stored]

Thank you... [ She sounds embarrassed and turning on the light only confirms it. Thankfully she doesn't linger on it though, and instead hands over the bag towards Giovanni. ]

Please take this through for me.

[ More because she wants to head to the bathroom and check herself for a second, and she needs to get out of her coat still. ]

I will join you both in a moment.

An adventure. Hahah.

[The tone of his voice is somewhat wry, but it's not quite a refutation either. He'll take the bag from Sonia's outstretched hand, then, follow Haise through into the kitchen.

Wordlessly, he places it on the side, opens it up. Begins to unpack the containers within.]

[While Giovanni unpacks the food, Haise continues to gather plates and utensils, although they could use the chopsticks. Maybe that's something they could teach their associate, now that he thinks about it.

The soft clinks and clacks of dinnerware halt as he thinks to inquire on that note]

Have you ever used chopsticks before?

[He gestures at the ones Giovanni has removed from the bag]

[Haise asks his question, and Giovanni looks down at the paper packet he'd just removed from the bag, the chopsticks obscured inside. Slowly he shrugs, finishes unpacking the bag before screwing it into a ball and moving to deposit it into the bin.

He glances back over his shoulder at Haise. Shakes his head.]

No. I've never heard of them.

[Pulling one set of chopsticks from their paper sleeve, he snaps them apart to show Giovanni, pinching at the air with them]

They can be used for eating this sort of food...I can show you, if you like.

[Haise has no doubt Sonia would be just as willing to do the same, but it'd be rude to volunteer for her while she's out of the room. With the offer issued, he sets the chopsticks down and collects the plates, migrating to the dining table to distribute them]

[There's the slight cant of his head, and when he moves closer to get a better look at the wooden sticks Haise has just removed from their packaging, placed down on the side, his expression is vaguely dubious.]

Why not just use a fork? This seems unnecessarily complicated.

You can do that too, but since you're dexterous, I think you'd find this just as easy.

[Once he's arranged place settings on the table, he moves right along to transporting containers of food as well. It's a little strange not cooking from scratch, but it's more convenient with the outside world being what it is right about now]

People in China and my home country [among others] use them, you see.

[And for his part, Giovanni moves to assist in the relocation of the containers, shifting them to the table along with Haise. He places one down, looks up at the other Audente.]

I see. Well. I suppose I can give it a go.

sorry for this huge nerd

there is no need for apologies pls meanwhile i apologise... just for her full stop jesus

the hime and tentacle monster thread right here

where ren made this sound like a japanese porno.... [bleak]

it was that or reference 'a whole new world'...

one is unlike the other.... [shocku]

mood whiplash would be had

too true....

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