001 | [Video Post to the Public Network]

[disconinjafrog]

♪ The most fitting music ♪

[When the video feed comes on, you might all recognize a very famous looking face appearing on your screens. One Yosuke Hanamura has got his COMP on his wrist aimed at his face, and he looks... terribly deep in thought about something. Concerned, even. And, for a change of pace, he seems to have actually posted to the entire public network.

This isn't just a message for the visitors, this is a message for all of Hinoto-Ri, one he's sure people are going to look at because of his mini-celebrity status. Boy it must be important.]

You know I've been thinking about some stuff ever since we got here. Things have been so crazy recently that I wasn't even able to realize it before but now that we've had some time to catch our breath and stop and think about what's been going on...

[He isn't going to say it out loud because he gets the feeling it's kind of taboo to mention them in public like this, but he's been thinking about what the Anoli said.... about the government hiding the fact that the outside world isn't what they say it is.]

I've been here for almost six months now and I feel like such an idiot for not noticing this sooner, and to be honest I'm wondering why the hell nobody else noticed it either. But guessing that we really are in a city that's been completely cut off from the outside world-- an outside world that's supposedly destroyed and totally in ruin... How is this place running as smoothly as it is?

I mean we're still getting fresh produce coming into the stores every single day, we've got energy powering all of the buildings, and new products coming in on shelves. This town doesn't have any farms, or any factories for processing food, it's too small for factories to build most of the stuff that we even get coming in. I mean even if there is a factory or two around, like in the Cancer district or whatever, they'd run out of materials pretty damn fast if they weren't getting regular shipments of plastics and metals and whatever else.

[Yosuke shakes his head in frustration.]

This place runs like the world economy is still a thing that exists out there... if the whole damn world is gone, how can that even be possible? Does anyone know what the hell is going on? I have a bad feeling that we're getting some serious misinformation here...

[It seems like this teenager has stumbled onto a stroke of genius after all.]

▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░

[Only one half an hour later, this video suddenly can no longer be found on the public network. While it is still available on the private visitor's network, the message is now terribly artifacted and the audio horribly distorted.]

░▋░░░▋▋▋░░ been thinking about some stuff ▋▋░▋░░░▋▋▋░░ Things have been so crazy recently that I wasn't ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋ but now that we've had some time to catch our breath and stop and ▋▋░░░▋░▋

I've been here for almost six months now and I feel like such an idiot ▋▋░░░▋░▋ ▋▋░░░▋░▋ wondering why the hell nobody else ▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋ But ▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋ cut off from ▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋-- an outside ░▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋ and totally in ruin ▋▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░

I mean we're still getting fresh produce coming into the stores every single day, we've got energy powering all of the buildings, and ▋▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░ This town ▋▋░▋ ▋▋░▋░▋▋░▋░ farms, ▋▋░▋ factories for processing food, ▋▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░ get coming in. I mean ░▋▋░░░▋▋ there is a factory or two around, like in the Cancer district or whatever, they'd ░▋▋░░░▋ pretty damn ░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░ weren't ░▋▋░▋▋░ regular ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░▋░░ and whatever else.

ERROR FEED U▩STABLE DATA INF▩RMATION.

▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋░▋

[ooc: The original format of this post will only be available for a half an hour and it will be available for the entire city to read during that time. Your characters are able to respond both before and after the message is distorted, however note that if they respond to it before it is distorted, it is very soon after it is posted.]

Comments

Before Distortion - text

[selfgodded]

i presumed this place to be like the colonies in my world. they are able to mass produce large amounts of food and resources for the inhabitants. how they do this though was through some very disturbing means.

i do not like to think that hinotori employs those same means.

[voice] you don't want yosuke's text trust me

[disconinjafrog]

What do you mean by that? I mean this place might be kind of advanced in some aspects but if I had to guess... relatively it's only like... a decade ahead in technology?

[Considering everything that the Kirijo group was known for, anyway.]

[Video | Private | Before data corruption]

[linefacingforever]

That's... a very good point.

[Seriously, it was just like everything in the city was business as usual when they arrived, that even he didn't think anything of it. But no, it shouldn't have been business as usual, and they should have realized that sooner.]

Is there even a path to the outside of the city?

[Video | Private]

[disconinjafrog]

There's gotta be, at least that's what I'm thinking. I'm not sure if they're lying about the whole world being in ruin or not, but they're definitely not giving us the whole picture...

One thing's for sure, there's no way in hell we're as 'isolated' as they say we are...

As much as I hate those Anoli guys, I'm starting to think they actually had a point...

[video]

[testsubject031]

Yosuke? You're on the fritz...

[What's with all the glitches and errors? Seems the playback file is corrupted... She's watched and responded a little too late, it would seem.

Not to mention she'll make this even stranger if Yosuke doesn't recognize her.]

What're you tryin' to say?

[video] do you mind if i play it like he hasn't met her yet?

[disconinjafrog]

[... robot... chick? That knows his name-- well actually that part wasn't so surprising, his name tended to get around, but still.]

What're you talking about--

[Checking the playback of what he said, though, reveals to him that...]

Wait, what the hell?? It was fine like ten minutes ago!! It's not even on the public network anymore!!

[The teen is frantically trying to figure out what happened to the recording.]

After Distortion > Video

[lighter_flick]

[Leave it to him to not check things as soon as they pop up, right?]

...I think something's up with your video, dude.

[Well no shit...]

Video

[disconinjafrog]

I'm trying to figure out what happened to it, I don't know why it did that! Ugh, this is bullshit...

I can give you a rundown of what I said if you want while I try to fix this.

[Before Distortion - Video]

[justanothermachine]

That is odd. And just how can this place afford to treat us like they have been? I mean... I'm glad for the hospitality, but the locals aren't very happy about it. Seems we're getting treated like kings, while they're paying for it - literally and metaphorically.

[Video]

[disconinjafrog]

They could be wasting resources on us... but I'm starting to think they have more resources than they're letting on.

Which is why I want to get this out to the citizens too. This is a really big deal, if they actually have access to the outside world.

Before distortion - Video

[thewunderkind]

[There is a 16-something year old girl at the camera, with more hair then it should be natural.]

...Sooooo what's the problem exactly? I figured they had something like Energy Siphoning Crystals. I was able to duplicate and create W.O.L.D.s, so why not food?

Video

[disconinjafrog]

If there really was some magical way to conjure food, then I'd think they'd tell us that. Even so, that doesn't explain how this city has an economy going on.

If we had infinite resources, there wouldn't even be an economy, would there? Everyone would just get everything for free.

Video - Before distortion

[genkibot]

Well, there's always the possibility this isn't our actual reality.

We could just be programs running in a virtual space that are merely programmed to feel and think everything is physically real.

It's not too hard to do that! I once visited a virtual space that had nothing but a movie theater and its lobby in it! People loved the movie so much they decided to stay there and watch the movie over and over!

So see, it's not too strange if you put it in that context. And it even better explains why I'm suddenly a human here instead of a tank!!

Video

[disconinjafrog]

That's kind of a weird theory... I mean I guess it could be true?

[Wow you are really hurting his head. He's never seen the Matrix, stop that.]

What do you mean you're a human here and not a tank?

after distortion

[terminalemulation]

...Ah geez. Something's messing up here really badly, I think it's ░░░▋░▋ ▋▋░░ but I'm really not sure.

I'm going to have to do some emergency ░▋░▋░nce to pinpoint the iss░░.

..░▋▋░, the corruption is even giving me problems interfacing. This isn't good, I ░░▋░░▋▋▋▋▋▋

Re: after distortion

[disconinjafrog]

[Cue Yosuke looking like a crazy person while he yells at... his glasses? Yelling at glasses is kind of hard and looks really silly.]

Well fix it already!! That was an important post, why did it mess up like that? [And he's smacking the damn watch to see if that'll fix it because clearly that fixes everything.]

text: after distortion

[prototype_blues]

[Oh Blues saw the video when it first went up, and it was full of very good questions and such. But he didn't feel a need to respond right then and there so... Coming back to the messed up video is a little surprising and irritating.]

Looks like someone doesn't agree with your train of thought, kid.

video

[disconinjafrog]

What? You mean ░▋░▋░▋▋ trying to ░▋▋░▋▋ message? ░░░▋▋▋░▋

Wait ▋░░░▋░ the hell! Stupid ░░▋░▋░▋thing, stop messing ░▋░▋▋▋ ░▋░▋▋me!! Ugh, damnit!!

[Voice-Before Distortion*Private*]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

It is strange. It's starting to make me wonder what else they're hiding from us.

[That group before and the Anoli's message during the closing ceremonies still has her on edge. What else is being covered in secrets?]

[Voice- *Private*]

[disconinjafrog]

Or why they're hiding it from us...

You know, I'm seriously starting to think that we're not dealing with the good guys here, I think we might be sitting in more of a gray area than we thought.

[video - after ]

[feminine_carnivore]

[ Chie's just gonna look at you like you're dumb Hanamura. ]

Yosuke, I understand you're not good at using computers but come on this is just sad! [ Still being a newbie, she's not too clued into how something like that could have a deeper meaning. ]

[video]

[disconinjafrog]

Hey it's not me!! The stupid COMP is glitching out on me, I don't know what's going on!!

*Hyun-ae isn't helping, either, I think she's making things worse. [He's just going to blame the AI because clearly that's the best thing to do when things don't work right, blame the computer for it.]

[Not really here]

[youonlylivethrice]

[He's just going to watch this closely, don't mind him...]

Video

[all_wound_up]

Now that you mention it, that is strange.

Video

[disconinjafrog]

I'm really surprised nobody else has noticed it yet...

[Sometimes he gets strokes of genius like this, but usually not over something this big...]

[Video] Before Distortion

[eyewillprotect]

...Now that I think about it, it is strange. And it doesn't look like any of the other stores have trouble getting materials for their merchandise.

But... If it isn't from the outside, where could it be coming from? It couldn't be underground, either.

[Video]

[disconinjafrog]

I mean the only place it could be coming from is outside, right?? There's gotta be something out there, in that case. I kind of wanna check it out.

[misery_hates_company]

Oh my, what fantastically coincidental corruption! Surely it can't be because you're talking about something DANGEROUS, hmmm?

[disconinjafrog]

I don't ░▋▋░▋ if ░▋▋▋░▋░░▋ Why would th░▋ ░▋▋░▋

It isn't da░▋▋ous!! Wouldn░▋ ░▋▋░▋ look really s░▋icious for ░▋░░▋▋ to ░▋░▋ ░░▋░▋▋░▋

[Ugh this stupid distortion is getting worse and worse.]

Before distortion

[andcarryabigknife]

They clearly intend for us to devour each other.

[disconinjafrog]

... Do you mean that literally or figuratively cause that's kind of a creepy thought...

Video

[acapriciousthing]

[It's certainly something Death has considered. She hadn't brought it up to anyone, since it certainly tended to shake people and she had no real proof. But if someone else was going to bring it up first...]

It wouldn't be the first time.

Video

[disconinjafrog]

Huh? What do you mean by that? Did you notice something else, too?

[He's noticed a few things but this is the one thing he feels most safe about bringing up.]

[text, after distortion]

[greatseal]

Well, this certainly isn't ominous.

[sarcasm should be obvious even through text, but she's actually seriously concerned, especially since she gets the gist of what Yosuke was commenting on.]

[video]

[disconinjafrog]

I'm trying ░▋░▋▋ fix ░▋░░▋ but it won't stop ░▋░▋!!

[Video, voice, and text are all messed up, and the AI just seems to be making it worse and worse.]

Won't be able to ░▋░░▋▋ at this rate!

After Distortion

[electricyousei]

"Your signal is starting to distort, perhaps you want to move to a more secure dataline?"

[disconinjafrog]

I know!! Can't seem to ▋▋░░░▋▋░ all messed up--

How would ▋▋░░░ secure dataline?▋░?

[Video] After distortion

[capitalbackup]

It seems like a dangerous topic to dwell on.

[That's the first time Miyako witnessed a corruption like this on the network. It could be an honest error. But her line of thought naturally think up of other possibilities, including people wanting to silence them.]

[video]

[disconinjafrog]

Yeah no░▋░▋▋ kidding...

[Everyone else was coming to the same conclusion too, it was getting harder to deny that that's what was going on here.]

Not ░▋░▋ sure if ░▋░▋▋ them but could ░▋░▋▋▋

[video] after-distortion

[operationbox]

[It clicked. For Io it isn't too hard to fill in some of the blanks, and she quickly realizes it's a cover-up. In order to prevent her own message from being censored, she'll have to try being vague...]

There are things people think others aren't meant to know, and this shouldn't be one of them.

[video]

[disconinjafrog]

What?? But people s░▋░▋▋ know!! They have a right ░▋░▋▋

[He is very, very against hiding the truth.]

After Distortion [Video]

[risingshepard]

Someone obviously doesn't want you rambling on about this stuff.

[So says a Shepard that's back in her home after a considerable amount of downtime, induced by damaged implants. >_>]

[Video]

[disconinjafrog]

That's what ░▋░▋▋yone else ░▋░░▋▋

[Everyone seemed to be drawing the same conclusion, it was definitely starting to seem that way, despite what his AI was telling him... maybe *Hyun-ae didn't know either?]