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week 7
WEEK 7
!getting to the bridge
This week’s main task will be crossing the very famous Golden Gate Bridge to get to a specific bay on the northern end of it. Getting there from the wharf seems like a short trek — deceivingly so. There’s a high volume of abandoned cars on the way there, which makes traveling along the roads a very slow task, indeed.
Inside the cars, there are occasional remains to be found inside, belonging to people who seemingly just starved due to inability of getting out of the city. From the looks of things, maybe when all this started, a lot of people were trying to flee north. Inside the cars, there are actually a number of usable things: spare guns, bullets, stale processed food still in bags, et cetera. You’ll just have to steal from these people who never stood a chance.
Further north, towards the mouth of the bridge, the congestion only worsens. Debris from car accidents, seemingly from people trying to zip around one another, makes traversing the terrain as one group impossible. The party will need to clear some of this debris in order to make it onto the main part of the bridge — preferably in pairs, with one person moving and one person on zombie watch. Upon closer inspection, there are zombies of the crash survivors still among this debris, who have been pinned in the same place for years….
Worse yet, all the noise as you all approach the bridge will begin to draw hordes from the city. Not just any regular sized horde, but a massive one, similar to the kinds that had roamed Los Angeles; hundreds, maybe thousands of undead. The group will quickly become overwhelmed if they do not find a path to squeeze through the debris before the hordes get to them; they can try their luck darting through and over crashed cars, but it’ll be a rushed and panic-inducing escape. Some may find it wiser to try to fight… but those that do will eventually become overwhelmed themselves.
Puppy and Ninety-Nine, who stay back to fight the threat, are eventually overwhelmed and consumed.
The only good news is that the horde cannot make it through the huge pile up as well as the party did; their rushed movements mean that they hinder each other in squeezing through the small spaces required of them. A steady trickle of undead will come from behind from the stopgap, rather than a rush.
Inside the cars, there are occasional remains to be found inside, belonging to people who seemingly just starved due to inability of getting out of the city. From the looks of things, maybe when all this started, a lot of people were trying to flee north. Inside the cars, there are actually a number of usable things: spare guns, bullets, stale processed food still in bags, et cetera. You’ll just have to steal from these people who never stood a chance.
Further north, towards the mouth of the bridge, the congestion only worsens. Debris from car accidents, seemingly from people trying to zip around one another, makes traversing the terrain as one group impossible. The party will need to clear some of this debris in order to make it onto the main part of the bridge — preferably in pairs, with one person moving and one person on zombie watch. Upon closer inspection, there are zombies of the crash survivors still among this debris, who have been pinned in the same place for years….
Worse yet, all the noise as you all approach the bridge will begin to draw hordes from the city. Not just any regular sized horde, but a massive one, similar to the kinds that had roamed Los Angeles; hundreds, maybe thousands of undead. The group will quickly become overwhelmed if they do not find a path to squeeze through the debris before the hordes get to them; they can try their luck darting through and over crashed cars, but it’ll be a rushed and panic-inducing escape. Some may find it wiser to try to fight… but those that do will eventually become overwhelmed themselves.
Puppy and Ninety-Nine, who stay back to fight the threat, are eventually overwhelmed and consumed.
The only good news is that the horde cannot make it through the huge pile up as well as the party did; their rushed movements mean that they hinder each other in squeezing through the small spaces required of them. A steady trickle of undead will come from behind from the stopgap, rather than a rush.
crossing the bridge
The main body of the bridge is clearer in terms of cars… but treacherous in other ways. The lack of maintenance and constant weight on the bridge over the years has worsened the swaying that occurs when winds from the bay blow over — it never feels truly stable, as the group traverses ahead. The ongoing rampage on the southern end of the bridge isn’t helping, either, as more and more weight tries to come on to the bridge.
Of the abandoned cars that are on the main part of the bridge, some of them have lost the ability to stay parked, and thus roll with the movement of the people on it and the wind.
Hella is hit by one of these rolling cars. Satoru Gojo loses their balance, and is nearly thrown off the side from the swaying.
The zombies that are trapped on the bridge do not often see humans, as there have not been people traversing the bridge in such a long time: it makes them less coordinated than the zombies that have adapted to the city, and less fast. It’s the obstacle course of debris and the unstable terrain that makes evading these ones hard, not their speed or hyper aggression. As Puppy and Ninety-Nine fight from behind, there are a few city zombies that make it through to advance from the rear steadily in pursuit. Some of them may be holding things they could have torn from Puppy and Ninety-Nine’s inventory (or body...), so there are a mix of threats.
Thanks to Puppy and Ninety-Nine’s sacrifice, only Sigewinne is infected.
Towards the end of the bridge crossing, the steel cables high up above start to creak menacingly. That’s right: the bridge is starting to collapse. Concrete crumbles, and metal bends — the only mercy the group is afforded is the collapse starts from the southern end, where the massive horde was. However, pieces of bridge and thick cable still fall from the sky indiscriminately, footing becomes even more perilous than previously seen, requiring characters to take risky jumps to survive at times.
In the final sprint to the end of the bridge, Vinsmoke Reiju is pinned under a falling beam, rendering them temporarily immobile in the panic.
Of the abandoned cars that are on the main part of the bridge, some of them have lost the ability to stay parked, and thus roll with the movement of the people on it and the wind.
Hella is hit by one of these rolling cars. Satoru Gojo loses their balance, and is nearly thrown off the side from the swaying.
The zombies that are trapped on the bridge do not often see humans, as there have not been people traversing the bridge in such a long time: it makes them less coordinated than the zombies that have adapted to the city, and less fast. It’s the obstacle course of debris and the unstable terrain that makes evading these ones hard, not their speed or hyper aggression. As Puppy and Ninety-Nine fight from behind, there are a few city zombies that make it through to advance from the rear steadily in pursuit. Some of them may be holding things they could have torn from Puppy and Ninety-Nine’s inventory (or body...), so there are a mix of threats.
Thanks to Puppy and Ninety-Nine’s sacrifice, only Sigewinne is infected.
Towards the end of the bridge crossing, the steel cables high up above start to creak menacingly. That’s right: the bridge is starting to collapse. Concrete crumbles, and metal bends — the only mercy the group is afforded is the collapse starts from the southern end, where the massive horde was. However, pieces of bridge and thick cable still fall from the sky indiscriminately, footing becomes even more perilous than previously seen, requiring characters to take risky jumps to survive at times.
In the final sprint to the end of the bridge, Vinsmoke Reiju is pinned under a falling beam, rendering them temporarily immobile in the panic.
the other side
With the bridge collapsed, and many losses on their hands, the group may be relieved to find that the northern end of the bridge seems… quiet. Almost eerily quiet. While context clues seemed to point to the fact that not many zombies have made it past the bridge, it’s another thing entirely to see it.
North of the city is full of what used to be nature conservatories and national parks, meaning that the terrain is oddly serene and beautiful compared to the terrifying perils of the bridge. Make your way down to the bay you’ve been led to, and check the map: your final destination is an island. It’s called ‘Alcatraz,’ whatever that means…
Wild crabs, fish, and birds are in abundance here, and none seem to be infected.
There are also a number of abandoned boats on the rocky shore, some manually operated and others with engines. It might be time to look for something that can fit all of you, and practice operating them. When night falls, the sky is clear and full of stars — look closely, and you'll see shooting stars here and there, twinkling against the sea of darkness. If only you'd have been able to make a wish earlier, right...?
Once you’ve had time to recover, it’ll finally be time to see where it is this doctor has led you all.
North of the city is full of what used to be nature conservatories and national parks, meaning that the terrain is oddly serene and beautiful compared to the terrifying perils of the bridge. Make your way down to the bay you’ve been led to, and check the map: your final destination is an island. It’s called ‘Alcatraz,’ whatever that means…
Wild crabs, fish, and birds are in abundance here, and none seem to be infected.
There are also a number of abandoned boats on the rocky shore, some manually operated and others with engines. It might be time to look for something that can fit all of you, and practice operating them. When night falls, the sky is clear and full of stars — look closely, and you'll see shooting stars here and there, twinkling against the sea of darkness. If only you'd have been able to make a wish earlier, right...?
Once you’ve had time to recover, it’ll finally be time to see where it is this doctor has led you all.
b
Whatever it is, Haru sees it. And for a split second, it seems impossible, doesn't it? She couldn't stop people from being bitten. Couldn't fend off a zombie bear. Couldn't talk Soujuurou or Mark out of their choices. Couldn't stay back. Couldn't convey her thoughts without accidentally cruel implications.
Gojo's already falling. She's too late.
Except that split second is only 0.5% percent of Haru right now. The 99.5% remaining is already running, ignoring the twinge of still-healing wounds. The axe clatters off to the side and she lunges, leaps, feet leaving the stability (questionable) of the ground, one hand outstretched to grasp Gojo's hand and the other flung out behind her. ]
Lucy!!
[ She's never thought to use her Persona like this before. She's not sure if it's possible. But it's her spirit of rebellion and she's using it to rebel against the idea of standing there and losing another one of their number. Milady's fan had caught an attack before. Solidified, long enough. And if Makoto could wield hers so uniquely--
It's a gamble, but she knows it's paid off when the ballgown and trenchcoat-wearing Persona's hand grasps hers, a sudden force that prompts a stifled shriek of pain when the strength and speed of the grab promptly dislocates her shoulder. It means she's got a death grip on Gojo's one hand, at least, as they dangle there for a few seconds and then Lucy yanks back and unceremoniously flings them back onto the bridge.
It's not the most gentle of landings. But it's also not the ocean. ]
no subject
Her summon...?
Grunting against the sharp pain in his side — he's definitely got some bruised ribs, at best — he drags himself over to Haru's side, eyes wide, his sunglasses long gone down to the churning waves far below them.
In between panted breaths: ]
Holy — shit. You — you saved my life.
[ He's not about to mince words. Not now, when they're most critical. ]
Your shoulder — give me your hand.
no subject
Her everything else feels somewhat awful right now, but she obeys, handing (heh) over her hand to Gojo without protest. Or a word, because she's also kind of gasping for breath.
It's... it's all right. She'd made it in time. For once, she'd made it in time. ]
no subject
But they'll have to make time to reconcile with that later, because they're still very much in the middle of bridge filled with zombies and rolling cars, and while the pavement has stabilized for now, he doubts it's going to stay that way for long. With a firm grip on her hand, he straightens out her arm, palm pressing to her own. ]
Hold on. This is gonna hurt like a bitch.
[ But she got mauled by a bear, so how bad could it be, really? That's all the warning before he is forcefully pushing against her arm to pop her shoulder back into its socket. ]
no subject
It does, indeed, hurt like a bitch, but she breathes out shakily a few seconds later. ]
We should keep moving.
no subject
[ They're not out of the woods (too soon?) yet, but even as he starts to clamber back to his feet, he keeps a tight grip on her hand, to help her up and make sure she's steady on her own feet. ]
Can you walk? I got — [ He pauses to heave a deep breath, jutting his thumb over his shoulder. ] A back to ride on, but it'll be slow going.
[ His leg fucking hurts too, but he is ignoring that for now. ]
no subject
[ But she'll stick close, because neither of them are really in the best condition to go ditching each other right now anyway. At least they're both standing, thanks to Gojo's assistance. ]
no subject
[ And he will! Like it or not, he owes Haru now, and he'll be keeping a close eye on her as they continue to cross the bridge. The least he can do is...protect someone who protected him first. ]
no subject
My apologies, you may worry as you want.
[ Though she'll do her best to not inspire more of it. They've still got a slog ahead of them. ]