retrospec | Point of Order

Hitori Togusa shared a photo.
5/11 near Recolle Police Station

So. A few things.
First. Dave! I want my membership card! Talking robot spider tank with a grenade launcher. Apologies to Koutarou for stealing some of his modeling clay to make my toy up there. I still remembered nothing about myself, though, so the betting pool is still open. Anyone who wants in on the 'What Is Togusa Repressing' pool, let me know. I think the odds on 'samurai' just got a lot longer, though.

The second thing is a little more important. A few of us made it into the subway, which is supposed to be shut down, the lines were damaged. The trains sure aren't running, but either it's shut down intentionally, or someone has taken advantage of it. Throughout the line connecting Enprise to Tisse, there are these QR codes all along the floor. They're those things you can scan with your phone to see a picture or other information. Scanning them didn't get any data, though.

The other area I went through, I don't even know how to explain what I saw. Try going to the middle of town. Next time, I ought to bring a camera with me.

I know that as soon as I post this up, Retrospec will probably try to lock it all down even tighter than they already have. But seeing as how I was assuming that's how they were getting things through the city without us noticing? If we can make them stop using it, I'll call that a victory.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Since the start of February. I was among the first group of users, because there wasn't anyone already using the site when I was added.

First group of us was 101. With the additions and subtractions, I think we're sitting upwards of 160 now. 160 is about what I can verify.

[A hundred and sixty... it's a relatively small number compared to the population of the city, but it's still somewhat comforting.]

i see. i was only added this month. [—wait a minute.]

what do you mean subtractions? have people been removed?

Yes. I've only been able to find a few examples, it's hard to tell when people drop off, because they stop communicating. A fellow officer moved out of the city, and he was removed from the platform when he did.

There was also a kid I was keeping up with. He's perfectly all right, still in the city. But he's no longer on the platform, and he's like everyone else now. Doesn't remember that there was ever anything wrong with chocobos.

so we can spontaneously just forget, as well?

that's even more disturbing than the rest of this. [And he doesn't know if he'd prefer to forget or not.]

Apparently. We haven't figured out if there's some pattern to the people that Retrospec turns loose.

It's not the most advisable course of action, but that's why I keep sharing everything I find on the network. Just in case I wake up back to 'normal.' Whatever normal is anymore. At least then somebody else can follow up on what I was doing.

i understand. if all of these posts stay like they seem to, it's the easiest way to ensure everyone has access to it.

they're apparently capable of watching us wherever we are, regardless, so i'm not sure posting it elsewhere would make much of a difference.

Well, one of my superiors keeps giving me crap over being too transparent. Because generally in police work, that's the last thing you want.

But this isn't an official investigation yet. If we ever get the Department to sign on? Then I'll lock everything up. The spirit will stay the same, keep taking notes so other officers can follow up if I am suddenly off the grid.

But, until the Department decides to shift on this? I can handle him rolling his eyes at me if it means everybody's up to speed.

no offense, but i'm not sure the police are capable of doing much about all of this.

i appreciate that you are posting. i don't know anyone involved with this personally, so i doubt i would have heard anything about the subway otherwise.

Maybe not yet, but that's the end game, isn't it? Find who is behind Retrospec and make them face the law. My end game, maybe.

Wait, no one? Really? When this all started, there was no one else you knew on the application?

good luck, then. [You're probably going to need it.]

maybe there are some i see now and again who are, but i just don't know it yet. i'm not the most social person in the city. i didn't grow up here, either.

Makes sense. There's been an odd pattern of whole families getting pulled onto the app at once, lots of people who are already connected.

Why'd you come here, then?

i have heard of some of that. i would think it's easier, being brought in with your family and friends.

i needed a change of pace, mostly. it seemed like there were a lot of opportunities here.

[It's totally because of that and not because he faked his death for stupid selfish reasons and needed to get far away, nope.]

I can understand that, definitely. I came here straight from Japan for school. I loved Japan, but the change of pace here was nice.

Where's home for you?

it must have been an interesting move. how long have you been here, then?

california.

[Is he lying? He'll never tell.]

Oh, wow. It'll be ten years in August. I hadn't thought about it in a while. Picked up the criminal justice degree, and I liked what I saw of the American system, so I stayed here.

And, okay, Misaki. The woman I was dating at the time might have been a big reason why I stayed.

[Heh.]

"might have been?"

Okay, she was. She's still in the city, practicing somewhere. Lawyer, but not a trial lawyer, does risk assessment.

It's still a little too fresh on the breakup, I haven't tracked her down again. No hard feelings, but we're both giving each other space.

you're really honest, aren't you? that's a good trait in a police officer.

[Ren doesn't like liars, but that doesn't mean he expected this guy to tell him more about his personal life. He doesn't mind, though. It's sort of endearing, almost.]

i hope that it turns out as well as it can, in any case.

I suppose so. Not the first time I've heard that. But if it's something that doesn't really matter? Why lie?

I think we're all getting lied to enough right now.

well, there's lying, and there's simply keeping things to yourself. but i'm not criticizing.

you're right, though. lies will only make all of this harder to deal with.

[A flashing sign that says GRADE-A HYPOCRITE would appear here, if the app was able to pick up on such things.]

If explaining the things I'm seeing and getting from Retrospec might help somebody else out, I'll do it.

Whenever it starts to hit you, too, there are plenty of people willing to listen.

has anyone started a therapy group yet?

[Not even he knows if he's joking.]

Edited (just a close bracket in there.) 2017-06-03 05:49 (UTC)

Not yet, but you're not the first person to mention that idea to me. If you float something on the network, you'd probably get some bites.

i'm not sure i'm the person to bring it up, but i'll think about it.

[He's just so cagey it would feel wrong to be the one to bring up talking about your issues. Even he can only stand being so much of a hypocrite.]

thanks for all the information, in any case.

You're welcome. Feel free to message me over this again any time.

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