WEEK 1

[biteys]

WEEK ONE

❝Don’t panic. You’re waking up somewhere unfamiliar, but try to relax. You aren’t dead, and I don’t have any intention to harm you. You’ve just been selected for a very special mission. A delivery, I guess. I’d do it myself but… let’s just say I can’t travel in the state I’m in. Take the blue container I’ve left to where I’ve marked on the maps within eight weeks, and you’ll be able to go home happy. More than, really. Any time or place you want to go… I can send you there. It's kinda my thing. Think of it as your payment. Everything else you need to know, I’ll tell you in time. Know that I’m sorry that I had to resort to this, and I’ll pay for my sins in Hell.❞

!

the beginning of the end

That’s what’s playing on repeat on a tape recorder, when the survivors come to.

Characters will find themselves in a humble, American townhouse, which other than being a bit dusty, is still mostly clean. All characters will be sprawled out on the floor and furniture of the living room, in front of what looks to be a giant portal. Characters will also notice they have a seemingly indestructible silver wristband around their wrists, and they have nothing with them but the clothes on their back.

Take a look around, and you'll realize that everyone in the room is likely a stranger. Aside from the tape playing, there's little explanation or proof that what's being said to you is even true. For all you know, one of the people in the room could be responsible for you being suddenly taken here.

Exploring the house's many rooms will reveal that there are small stockpiles food, water, weapons (a few guns, a few bats, a few knives), and maps, along with a large, strange container of blue liquid. The maps all chart a route from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and sport detailed recommended time stamps on them. Strangely, the recommended path occasionally diverges into two separate routes.

Upon searching the house, Haru Okumura finds a set of notes, while Leontuzzo Bellone finds a separate set. They are free to keep these notes to themselves, or share them with the group.

Nothing has anyone's names on it — not the notes, and certainly not the supplies. Everyone will have to compete for the same things. Or maybe all of you can be civilized about this, before anyone goes hoarding weapons and food? Maybe you can even introduce yourselves, while you're at it. For some strange reason, every window and door in this place is locked (and impossible to break), and will be for at least 72 hours, as if someone wanted you all to be cooped up together for a time before heading out.

Most interestingly, in the deepest basement of the house, there's a room with a large, heavy dresser shoved in front of it… and a low moaning and banging emanating from the other side. The door’s slightly ajar, and a closer look reveals a zombie is the source of the sound. Context clues around the basement, like the PhD in interdimensional travel hung up on the wall (for a Dr. Bei), hint that the woman inside is whoever left you this cryptic message - the woman who brought you here, allegedly. But she's long long gone, only this monster left in her wake. It seems she was smart enough to lock herself away to prevent you from being harmed, at least... and it'll give you a preview of the threat that looms outside.

sewer diving

After 72 hours have passed, one and only one door unlocks – in the very same basement that the zombie of Dr. Bei can be found. It leads down to a dark, dingy tunnel that connects to the sewers. Not only is the smell awful, but (non-infected) rats scurry about, keeping to the shadows – but the smell of any of the food you've taken from the house will attract them. Careful!

The party will need to create some light to navigate their way out and keep the rats at bay, or they’ll be bumping around in the dark for quite a while. Now might be a good time to share if you have some matches, or a special talent for being a lantern. Mercifully, there's only one exit that actually opens down in this labyrinth, as if it's a route the Doctor designed to take all the time.

At one point, Puppy falls into the sewage, and loses something they brought from the house.

oh! that's a baseball

Once characters make it out of the sewers, they’ll be a day’s travel to the first mark on the party’s map: “Dodger’s Stadium.” The road they’ll have to hike to get there is winding, curvy, and uphill, which will give the party a good overview of the now dilapidated Los Angeles, along with the many abandoned buildings and cars that litter the place. The stadium itself looks to have been cleared of threats and fashioned into a safe spot a long time ago, as all entrances but one have been completely welded shut. The high walls keep zombies out, and the winding path up here deters most of them from even approaching.

Inside the stadium, there’s some baseball merch (and equipment) to scavenge, not to mention some really old peanuts! Delicious. Maybe there are even some old fireworks laying around this place. Setting up camp here won’t be very comfortable… but at least it’s very safe. A luxury the party won’t have for much longer, if the map is anything to go by. You'll be heading through the city, next, so rest up while you can.

!

week one objectives

➤ make acquaintances with your fellow travelers
➤ decide what to do with the zombie of dr. bei
➤ arm yourself with what you can find
➤ scavenge some portable food from the house and while traveling
➤ make camp at the stadium

code

Comments

[mediator]

Ah, that makes sense. Someone with powers like you would be useful.

[ though that makes him wonder why he was brought here over aoko or alice. ...then again, they aren't especially helpful toward others if there isn't some benefit to them. that must be it. ]

Well, thank you for trusting me. We should get moving.

[normalness]

[He doesn't have much a choice right now, he thinks. But he's still too kind to say it.]

Of course. We should all try our best to work together, right?

[Anyway, he'll lead them out since he's the one carrying more, and therefore his load is more unwieldy. Out they go!]

What is it you do?

[Does he have... powers...]

[mediator]

Oh - nothing. I don't have any special powers. I just... became familiar with the existence of them recently.

[ He probably shouldn't say it's because he met people. Aoko and Alice aren't here, but he wants to be mindful of their privacy. They would be very crossed with him even in spirit. ]

I've been told I'm a good runner though.

[normalness]

[Okay, fair. But…]

So… you think you were brought here because you can run well?

[mediator]

[ well-- ]

Running fast is an important skill. It's saved my life and others a couple times actually.

[ he's not defensive! (maybe a little) ]

[normalness]

[...He senses a misstep here. WAY TO GO, CREEL]

I didn't mean that it wasn't. I can't run for very long without getting winded, so that's- [uhhhhh] -pretty impressive.

[mediator]

[ thank you for acknowledging him... he does feel silly for getting offended though (not that he did... no, he did) ]

If you'd like I can help teach you some breathing techniques. If a bad situation comes up, we may need to get out as fast as we can.

[normalness]

[Well, now he has to agree to this just to vaguely smooth things over.]

Sure. That makes sense, in case something really goes bad.

Are you on a track team or something and know all the tricks of the trade...?

[mediator]

No. I actually wanted to join the swim team because I couldn't swim, but that wasn't how high school clubs worked.

[ the co-captain did offer to give him lessons, which was nice! but-- ]

I grew up and lived in the mountains all my life. Physical training was part of my daily routine since I was a child.

[normalness]

[Henry can't imagine wanting to join a sports team in high school, but maybe he can appreciate someone bold enough to do so (or try to) out of self-improvement.]

The mountains? Where are you from? [With a name like his, it sounds like...] Japan?

[mediator]

Yes, Japan. [ Far away from where they are now. He never thought he would leave the country, but it's a shame the circumstances are so bad. ] It's only been a few months since I left home and moved to the city by myself.

What about you Henry? I'm guessing you're from a Western country?

[normalness]

Uh-huh.

[-he manages, finally hauling this last bit out of the doorway of the giftshop. The rest of the trek back to camp shouldn't be too difficult.]

I'm from America. The state of Indiana. Though I've never lived in a big city, only small towns. Must be exciting for you.

[mediator]

[ He knows about America but not about the specific states or towns. Well, it must be the same for Henry. ]

It's been overwhelming, if I'm honest, but I'm happy with the choice I made. My world has expanded so much in a short time. [ His eyes flicker to the floating items then back to Henry. ] Were you born with your powers or did you train to have them?

[normalness]

[Oh. With that, he keeps his gaze forward, with the intent of looking as though he's focused on the path ahead.]

Um... If I explain that, you're going to think I'm crazy.

[...Well, given the situation at hand. Maybe not quite as crazy.]

[mediator]

[ if this was happening before he left the mountains, then everything would be absolutely crazy in his eyes. after moving to the city... well, he thought everyone around town could use magic the first time he accidentally caught aoko using it. but he can sense the apprehension in henry's words nonetheless. ]

I won't. But, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to either.

[ if henry wants a way out of this, there it is. ]

[normalness]

[But it sounds silly, being hesitant to talk about his powers when they're the very thing he might be here for. The thing that makes him... useful, at least, to this very "mission" they've been set on.]

It's... more like I don't really get to explain it to many people, so I don't know how to start. [From the beginning. Vaguely.] Long story short, I found myself trapped in an alternate dimension for a short while; but when I returned, I was changed.

I had these powers.

[mediator]

Oh... I see. So somehow going there and coming back changed your body.

[ He's just spit-balling. If Aozaki or Kuonji were here they would certainly have a better idea of how that could happen to someone. All Soujuurou can do is accept what Henry says on its face and accept it as the truth. ]

I couldn't begin to speculate how something like that happens, but I'm sure they must be useful. [ hm... ] Do you think maybe we've been trapped in an alternate dimension?

[normalness]

[Soujuurou's smart, he thinks. That was exactly the explanation he was given by Dr. Brenner.]

Uh-huh. My blood type's different than that of a normal person, apparently. I don't know if that's all that makes the difference or if there's something... more- [That Shadow, huge and all-consuming, in which he would always lose himself in.] -but that's the lab's best guess.

[But he blinks, wondering at the question. They're nearing camp, now, and Henry telekinetically rearranges the floating items by size, so they can set them down in an organized way.]

Could be? It's definitely a version of "my" Earth, and I guess yours, too. But some of these people seem like they're from even farther away.

[mediator]

Hm. I know there's a doctor among our group. The small girl with blue hair, Sigewinne. Maybe she could advise you more on this?

[ If he's curious about trying to uncover more. This is all over the head of a boy from the mountains, but it sounds interesting nonetheless. ]

I couldn't say how close this 'Earth' is to mine. I've never left Japan, and know very little about other countries... or even areas outside the town I live in. [ He's feeling a little uncultured saying all this. ] Maybe we can share another time to learn more about each other. We're going to be together for a while after all.

[normalness]

Oh, I spoke with her when we were traveling through the sewers. [He held onto her hand like a lost child, he means.] I didn't think about that... maybe I'll bring it up next time. Thanks for the idea.

[Everyone here... so smart... so practical.]

I feel like if the United States fell to ruin under the zombie apocalypse, you'd at least have heard about it on the news. [Wry, joking. Not to make light of a serious situation, but this is an event that would be global newsworthy regardless of what country anyone lived in. He suspects this isn't very close to his new companion's version of "Earth", in that way.] But I wouldn't mind that. That would be...

[A connection! A friendship...?]

...fun. I mean, despite the circumstances.

[mediator]

[ True, an entire country getting sick all at once would make for headlines in Japan. Though he doesn't watch television or listen to the radio very much. Most of his news comes second hand from his friends... maybe he should try to be more worldly when he returns. ]

I think we could all use something to keep our minds off the situation at hand, even briefly so. And we'll work better if we know each other's qualities.

[ His life in the mountains never offered such reprieve. They were always training, always focused, and even casual interactions between himself and his peers were strictly forbidden. For so long he thought that was normal - how could he have been so ignorant?

But finally, they arrive at one of the two dugouts. He might set up some cots on the other side if no one else beats him to it, but right now he wants to focus on what he can do. ]

Ok, my idea is that we can spread out the clothing into cots to lay on and fold the bulkier clothing into pillows or a bottom layer of padding. Thinner clothing can be the top layer and act as sheets too.

[normalness]

[Who's he to argue that? Practicality is the main draw, of course, for most — how else are they going to work together as a group without getting to know each other? Their strengths and weaknesses?

But Henry's priority always has been and always will be being able to connect with others. It was a hope that had died on the vine the moment he began his life in HNL as a test subject proper, but here? Now? Despite the terrible circumstances, there's opportunity again—to meet new people and feel like he belongs.

All that to say-]

Yeah. We'll work better together.

[That too!

When they arrive, Henry follows instructions rather well. He starts with the bulkier clothing, his telekinesis laying them out flat and piling them into little "cots", the best the he can.]

Like this?

[mediator]

[ he's a bit surprised to see henry do it with his powers and not turn that off, but doesn't plan to say anything to it. if he had the power to make things float all at once, he might also get lazy about using his hands. ]

Yes, that's good. [ he lays his clothing down carefully and gets to work, padding the heavier clothes down first, then the lighter clothes on top, then folding a heavy sweater into a makeshift pillow. ] It's not the most comfortable, but we need to rest as well as we can. I don't think anyone will complain at even a simple attempt at a sleeping arrangement.

[normalness]

[He lays the "foundations" for the rest of the cots, anyway. Henry does halt his powers once that's done, so he begins to work the old-fashioned way in tandem with his companion.]

Probably not. Better than sleeping on the floor, I assume. I've never actually been camping before.

...

Not that his is really camping.

[mediator]

It's not, though that's a good thing. When you camp you might get attacked by wild dogs or bears. Animals are vicious when they want something you have. It's never personal, only survival.