[EVENT POST] I FEEL STUPID, AND CONTAGIOUS.

[dishearten]

CHARACTERS: Open to all!
DATE: 3/11-3/12, ICly
WARNINGS: Zombie attacks? Violence? Shopping???
SUMMARY: Lockdown at the mall! Grab your CDs and your soft pretzel, it's about to get bad.

LET'S GO TO THE MALL LOCKDOWN Business has been rough for Woodhurst Shopping Center ever since riots and unrest about the Bristol Virus have shunned most to their homes. Perhaps ill-advisedly, in attempts to draw a few more customers back into the polished halls of the grandest shopping experience Woodhurst has to offer, a weekend of big sales, great bargains, and fun family activities was widely advertised in the Woodhurst Watch. There was even a scheduled public concert, performed by the University Choir. The turnout was smaller than hoped, yet the air was quite optimistic. Shoppers enjoyed the day of activities and fun, and the sense of security was bolstered by the increased security detail. There was even some members of the press on hand to document this return to normality in a troubled time. Everything was going well, until a scene broke out in the food court. Security tried to quietly remove members of the choir that suddenly seemed to snap, plowing into one of the food stands and starting to feed on raw meat. However, a good handful of them escaped instant confinement, and while many of the visitors fled the mall as soon as they could, soon Police Detail arrived and put the entire building on lockdown. Nobody in and nobody out until the situation was resolved. 18:00 TO 23:00 HOURS Anyone unlucky enough to be trapped in the mall is left to their own devices, with very little knowledge to go on. This includes many civilians, as well as a small number of Audentes agents. This also includes a small number of infected, more than just the university choir. There's a voice over the loudspeaker imploring people to hide in stores, barricade doors, and stay put until help arrives. The majority of the infected seem to linger in the Food Court especially. Bad news for anyone trapped and starting to get hungry as the hours pass by, without any obvious assistance from the outside. The members of ALASTAIR have a choice, help protect or just do their best to avoid the infected themselves. Characters can get into the Security Office for a camera feed on what is happening in the mall, and potentially use it as a base of operations to work from. 00:00 TO 02:00 HOURS It becomes apparent that the number of infected in the mall are somehow increasing, despite the lockdown. It means that those that have squirreled away into stores and outlets are growing less and less safe as infected numbers multiply and they begin attacking barricades. To make matters worse, anyone that hasn't found cover will find the infected extremely reactive, and willing to give chase around the mall. The security feed indicates the infected seem to be coming in from the Parking Garage. Investigation will reveal a sewer outlet on the bottom floor. Characters will have to decide whether they should utilize the tunnel as a means of escape, or if sealing it off would ultimately leave the remaining hours of lockdown a little less violent. 04:00 TO 09:00 HOURS It's been an agonizing 12 hours, and with surprisingly little aide from the outside. With time to make preparations and put plans in place, now it's time to end this lockdown once and for all. Audentes is tasked with neutralizing the remaining infected as well as escorting any remaining civilians to safety, by any means they decide on. It is up to Audentes to decide how the end of this event plays out, be it removing or otherwise drawing away the lingering infected, or putting them down once and for all. There are plenty of civilians that have been bitten and attacked, leaving the question in the air as to whether they are infected as well. What should be done with those that could be bringing the virus back to their families? The team is going to have to decide on the answer to that.

Comments

[fintastic]

Well I think it is very clever.

[ Not that Peridot needs her ego inflated even more, but... it's important, to feel validated. More important than calling someone out for bragging a little bit. ]

You're lucky, they all want to make seafood out of me! And I left my trident at home so I am kind of useless. I do not usually need rescuing!

[slapfight]

[no, she definitely needs her ego ruffled. especially by pretty girls.

i mean... what. that was a typo.]

Oh no, I don't think for a second you'd need to be- hrm- rescued. [she scratches her chin awkwardly as she turns bluish around her cheeks, her smugness fading in her attempts to flirt.] You seem like you're part of a warrior class. Maybe not one of the more brutish types, but definitely the kind meant for speed and more delicate maneuvers. Like Percy!

[er...] The real Percy, not this fake evil one. [she gesticulates wildly.] Water is his specialty, after all. Don't forget how long he held his breath when he jumped in the lake to retrieve Paulette's friendship bracelet. He might seem like an oversensitive, emotional wreck with terrible taste, but he's strong where it counts.

[fintastic]

[ Feferi is used to being The Cute One, so this is a bit of a role reversal for her, but she's not sure she minds it. All the same, she flushes a little herself. ]

You're not totally wrong. Seadwellers are supposed to be tough. We are at the top of the hemospectrum, after all. Better in every way...

[ She wrinkles her nose, clearly uneasy with the topic with the way she spits out the words, but she shakes it off in the same moment. She knows Peridot meant well, so she doesn't take it personally. Also, it's very endearing how things seem to come back to that TV show. Feferi's never seen it, but she gets the point. ]

That's very nice of you to say, though. I'm glad you think of me as more of Percy than a... who was the one you didn't like?

[slapfight]

[the more she hears about it, the more Feferi's home planet sounds remarkably like Homeworld, and it's that reason that makes her shut up, not so much because Feferi seems uncomfortable with it- she's still learning. it's much easier to get her to avoid a topic if it makes her uncomfortable, rather than the other way around.]

You mean Paulette? Hah! I would never compare anyone on this team to her. That would imply they're dead weight and so far I haven't seen anyone unwilling to contribute to the balance of team effectiveness. We're a well-oiled machine.

[ignoring the conflict of course. so what? even a good machine has internal quirks.] Right now, you just need a decent weapon to put yourself back in the fight... Hm.

[she sizes her up and moves towards the back of the shop.] Something worthy of your natural abilities...

[fintastic]

Yeah, her!

[ If Feferi's smirk looks different than it usually does, it's because she's trying not to laugh. But it's completely out of affection.

Thankfully, the change in subject distracts her enough and her curiosity is piqued. ]

What else do you have back there?

[slapfight]

[she giggles.] Just you wait.

[behind the service counter, she's gathered a variety of things she's stolen from other stores, including more metal bars from the clothing racks of various stores. she's been a very busy gem.] I've amassed a large assortment of makeshift weapons! Now let's see...

[she holds up a few rods (with her metal powers naturally) in front of Feferi testing to see if their length is suitable. the first few she dismisses entirely, but she eventually finds one of exactly the right length.] Perfect! ...Well, almost. It still needs something...

[she takes the rod and vanishes behind the counter, rummaging through her collection of hastily collected items.] No... No. Ugh not that...

[fintastic]

[ There's an attempt on Feferi's part to be patient, waiting while Peridot sizes her up, but curiosity gets the better of her and she comes closer to peer over the counter at what she's doing. ]

What is it...?

[slapfight]

You'll see... [when she peeks over, she'll find Peridot turning that rod into what appears to be a pike with a taser attached to it. The "handle" has even been wrapped several times over with thick duct tape, covering some padded material to give it a nice grip. Feferi still has to observe for a few moments before she's finished enough to explain.]

Ta-da! [she holds it up.] It's a long-reach taser. I've amplified the power, so that when you pull this- [she demonstrates and the taser end of the spike sparks dangerously.] -it gives off a burst of electricity, capable of incapacitating most water-based organic lifeforms... In theory.

[a beat] Either way, it will probably hurt them a lot.

[fintastic]

Water-based...?

[ It takes a moment for it to sink in that she's talking about humans and not seadwellers in particular. Her fins perk up and then go right back down, and she smiles and laughs. She reaches out her hands. ]

It's so creative! I bet you'd love alchemizing things. To be honest, I should have thought of this ages ago!

[slapfight]

Alchemizing...? [she hands over the weapon, and brushes off not knowing what that is... because she'd rather brag about what she can do.] I am a technician. Weapons aren't my niche, exactly, but I do deal with repairing and building a lot of technology. When we're not in the middle of a dangerous situation, remind me to tell you about the time I built a drill out of spare parts that was capable of penetrating the Earth's mantle.

[she had help, but... Feferi doesn't need to know that.]

[fintastic]

I wish I had something to give you in return. If you could even get hurt, I could heal you, but...

[ She pauses for a second, then has a fantastic idea. Her eyes go wide, and her grip on her new "trident" tightens. ]

Oh, I know! You have to close your eyes first though.

[slapfight]

Actually, I don't need to be healed. My physical form is- um what?

[there's not much that can cut her off from gemsplaining, but the offering of something in return for her services- not that she needs it. she wanted to help Feferi out... for reasons!

but there's definitely nothing wrong with a little bit of payment. she just isn't sure what it's going to be or why she has to close her eyes.]

...Okay. [and she... closes her eyes, but she's a little apprehensive. the urge to try and squint and see what's going on is strong, but she must commit to this or else she might not get whatever this is.]

[fintastic]

[ Peridot won't have to wait long; quick as anything, Feferi ducks in to give her a little peck on the cheek, then rocks back on her heels, giggling. Even her human disguise blushes all the way to the ears. ]

I know it's not much, but... I hope it's okay! Do you want to let me out so I can go try this thing?

[slapfight]

[and Peridot's cheeks turn a nice shade of indigo as she stammers her way through... anything.

any words at all.] Ah... W-wow. Thanks. [she shakes her head, trying to compose herself, but the blush persists even as she raises the grate to let Feferi out.] Go get 'em!

[...while she sits here and stares at a wall for a little while.]