(no subject)

[recollecters]

Happy New Years, users. I'll cut to the chase; the barrier we instilled a few months ago is decaying quickly and we're sorting through the new data as fast as we can. This barrier was originally designed to contain a rogue error. There are several of you who have taken care of this issue and from here we will handle the rest...thank you. The influx of data will help us decode our next steps. As mentioned, we've spent December tracing several magical sources that are coming up in our readings. We're doing the best we can to trace Clarence--Mr. Vanderweele, and corral the effects he's altering in the city. I believe we're ready to tear down the firewall and begin exploring further. If our information is correct, we're really breaking the boundaries of the layers we've discovered lately! It's exciting, don't you think? The only information I can offer is that we will need you to be strong no matter what happens. We believe things have changed outside of security measures we've set in place, though we will need more data to understand the best way to stabilize the city from his control. We understand if you cannot and do not wish to help, but please know we're doing everything we can. Please take care. Joanne Wiseman Technician 2nd class Retrspec Incorporated Characters' display names are the same as whatever has been previously chosen and are permanently locked in! Please feel free to use this post as a network mingle. Every toplevel can be considered a new post, and threadjacking is permitted. No NPC response will be given. As a friendly reminder, you may also claim one of this month's freebie by submitting a thread from this mod post. This thread must be 10 comments from you and submitted before AC closes.

Comments

[keystaff]

Magical sources? And the layers? But. Of course, I'll do what I can to help. With enough of us helping out, I'm sure we'll figure it out and everything will be alright. I mean, a firewall is like protection to do with computers, right? Not a literal wall of fire.

At least last month we got a bit of a break? Sort of. I mean, the mistlebats being back was kinda unexpected but it really was quieter in comparison to some months with the app? I hope everyone had a great time over the holidays! But as long as Joanne-san and the others are doing their best, so should we!

[...Ever the optimist, of course.]

[blondferret]

You or someone close to you (literally) didn't get sucked into another world after touching a Christmas bauble?

[keystaff]

That -- yes. You think that has something to do with the layers? Maybe.

[blondferret]

No, I was merely observing the fact that you consider travelling to different worlds via a Christmas bauble a "break" from Retrospec.

[Like girl, what is your definition of a break?]

[keystaff]

I mean, it wasn't dangerous or anything? At least, the Japanese town I went to wasn't. That's what I meant.

[It was as much a break as any of them could expect, given some months with the app nonsense they had to deal with.]

[blondferret]

That's all? A harmless Japanese town? Nothing strange about it? Noting jumped out at you?

[He got attacked by cornish pixies for goodness sake!]

[keystaff]

I guess you went somewhere different?

[spirithacker]

yea its a computer thing
but this is retrospec
it COULD be fire

[keystaff]

Wait, you think they really mean an actual wall made of fire?

[spirithacker]

they could
computer firewalls r 2 normal

[keystaff]

But an actual fire, if it got out of control, that could be dangerous!

[As if the app hadn't gotten them involved in any number of dangerous things in the past up till now.]

[spirithacker]

y
so r monsters
we had monsters

[keystaff]

We did. Yes. But that doesn't necessarily mean this is literal?

[standalonehuman]

I'm glad you had a good holiday, Sakura. And, you're right. We can still do our best.

I'll urge everybody to be careful and tell people where they're going if they go to help people. It's worked well in previous months where danger has happened.

[keystaff]

I did. I mean, aside from the strange ornaments. That was kind of weird. But mostly, it was nice to have a break from school and all.

But right! I'll do my best too!

[standalonehuman]

I actually liked the ornaments. They were hopeful. I'm still thinking about what they could mean.

Where did one take you? I mean, if it's all right to talk about.

[keystaff]

I remember someone said they might be like a reminder, that we're working to save those worlds. Or something like that.

I went to the Japanese town in my memories, near Tokyo.

[standalonehuman]

That sounds perfect. I went to a location I remembered, too. Close to his home, where he lived.

What if we take it a step further, though? What if those worlds are actually starting to re-form? Did we really step into them for an hour? We've never had real proof that Retrospec can do what they say, so what if this was their way of proving it to us?

[keystaff]

You too?

Starting to reform? Because we're remembering more of those other lives?

[cardcaptured]

[SAKURA WHY DID YOU BRING UP THE MISTLEBATS, THEY'RE SO CURSED]

I wouldn't say last month was much of a break. It was quiet in the beginning, but all that stuff right before Christmas...

[You didn't get pulled into a dance flashmob or dumped via a portal on anyone, ok]

[keystaff]

[They were. Kind of cute? Even if they do force affection.]

The ornaments? You mean those? They just took me to that town in Japan from my memories. And the birds with our phones....

[There was no weird teleportation for her. Or flashmob, though she did get pulled in to help with making milkshakes. And go to Santa's Workshop.]

[cardcaptured]

... ornaments? No, I meant the other stuff, with the cracks and the birds, and

Wait, what do you mean it took you to the town in your memories? How did that happen?

[Because it was already weird enough when they saw that playground, when they were on the Ferris Wheel in not!Rainbowland, but the fact that they were somehow dumping people into the places from their other lives, too...]

[keystaff]

Cracks? I remember the birds. At least, the phone part. Unless you mean something else there.

But I went to that town in Japan. Where we lived in those other memories. I'm not sure how it happened, but I was figuring the ornaments to decorate the tree and then the next thing, I was there.

[It had been strange. Quiet, but that was probably a good thing. But even so, she definitely hadn't expected it.]

[cardcaptured]

There were these... chasms that kept appearing in the city, that had to be filled up, and there were a bunch of swan and geese appearing everywhere too... you didn't see them?

[Granted, he hadn't seen the ornaments that she was talking about either, so they both weren't entirely aware of what was going on in the city. Though he can probably chalk this up to Retrospec being Retrospec, though...]

Are you alright, though? Nothing tried to hurt you or anything over there, did it? Was someone with you?

[CALM YOURSELF, PAPA BEAR--]

[keystaff]

I guess I missed the chasms. And just didn't think much of the swans or geese when I saw them out near the park or something.

But we were fine. I wasn't alone.

[So, relax, Xiaolang?]