savetheearth | [ 1st | Text

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[Once Haruka finally decided to take action, googling the mystery number in her head had been her first move. She couldn't guess at what she'd find, if she found anything at all, but result of typing that last number into the search engine was mind-blowing. What on Earth was this?

She went back to the very beginning to try and find out.

And quickly starts writing down a list of names under 'Google them', along with a bunch of observations both on the people and the network. She doesn't trust any of this, but she needs to know who to trust even less than usual because it looks like she's been pulled into something dangerous and unstable.

When that's done, she sits, thinks, and processes. What's her move now? Looking over nearly two month's worth of their stories and adventures, she can't help but feel a little endeared to them. She wants to introduce herself to the others; she wants to learn more about them.

She settles for this. Her interest is genuine, but she words it to resemble concern. Everyone will read and interpret it differently, and she can respond as the person they believe she is.]

How are you all adjusting? You've all been pulled into another world, you know, and I understand how difficult the transition period can be.

I should clarify: No, I'm not saying you've literally been transported to a new planet. What I am saying, is that you've been introduced to an entirely new way of looking at the world around you, and the way you feel about your life has changed for it. Think of it like experiencing a terrorist attack - the fear of almost losing your life while going about your daily routine, the sight of those dying around you. Your entire world been irreversibly shaken up, and yet no one from your old life truly understands.

I hope we're all on the same page now.

My name is Minamoto, and I'm interested in how you have been doing.

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[he hasn't spoken to anyone much yet, but something about this message strikes a chord.]

If enough people experience something, does that make it real?

Edited 2013-05-30 21:07 (UTC)

Even if only one person were to experience it, it might still very well be real. Like those people who can see 'extra' colors that the rest of us are blind to. They're so rare, they could go their whole life without ever meeting another person who experiences their condition... but that condition would still be real.

More people experiencing something only adds to the likelihood that there is not a delusion in effect.

That's a good point. But there's still a chance. I guess it would just be easier if it weren't real. Nothing's happened to me, yet. But what I've seen here is hard to refute. On the other hand, one of my best friends is a skeptic, and videos can be faked.

[he's not trying to be confrontational, but the fact that a child was murdered over this? He doesn't really want to believe it.]

How about this: you pick and choose what you want to believe based on what you're most comfortable with. You can add more as you go, right? When you're ready?

[Hello Poe's Law.]

Let's start with the part where you're talking to people outside your head, in you don't believe in that already. [The next part is written in Japanese.] I hope you can't read Japanese. That would render this moot as proof.

[it's a good ten minutes before the reply comes. He had to think about this.]

Some would probably take that to mean they can stay comfortably in denial. Maybe I'm one of them. I'm on a computer. People post all kinds of things on the internet.

[he ran the phrase through Google translate out of curiosity.]

My apologies. I'm not trying to be facetious. But it's hard to decide what I do believe in this case.

...Oh. You haven't tried writing your number on something non-electronic yet?

[he doesn't exactly want to admit to a complete stranger that he was too chicken.]

Why would I?

[srsly cas]

Some people here claim to be writing on paper, you know. It's an easy enough claim to test, and will prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt that this network is no mere website. Yes?

[but then if he witnesses it he has to accept it's real...denial is a powerful thing.]

[he hesitates again, frowning at the screen. Really, he's a grown man, this shouldn't be such a big deal. But something about it is just...embarrassing.]

[he picks up a pen and grabs a sheet of paper from the printer and...just stares at it for a few minutes. Then looks back at the screen.]

That's ridiculous [he deletes it immediately. Takes a deep breath. Pens his number in the top right corner of the page before he can think about it any longer.]

[what.]

[consequently, this time he doesn't actually reply for at least twenty minutes. When he does, it's in slightly shaky handwriting.]

I concede.

[sigh. she feels kind of sorry for him, tbh.]

Just remember: don't tell anyone your real name, or least your full name. Don't show your face. It might not be wise to record your voice either, if you feel it's something people would recognise.

Stay safe.

[he seems to inspire that in people. Not because he tries, at least. But the lecture makes him feel a little indignant.]

The warning's appreciated, but I'm not a kid. I do know how to be careful.

[that just sounds petulant, but he's feeling a little disoriented again from the new information. It really was easier to be in denial.]

But it's interesting, that you ask how we're doing and then say it's dangerous to reveal information in the same breath.

Too many people on here have shown that they don't, so. Don't blame me for not wanting to take that chance on you.

Nice observation. But it's not like I'm forcing them to tell me things. It's all up to them what they want to reveal, if anything at all. Which, seeing as I'm the new person and not them, they should have already made up their minds about the precautions they'll take to protect their personal safety.

[it's all very logical see (◡‿◡✿)]

[Emmanuel you're getting schooled by a teenage girl, how do you feel about this.]

I've been following this for over a month now. I have a pretty good idea of what's going on. It just didn't seem plausible. There are plenty of conspiracy theory websites. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, but people already have. Simply by knowing this exists. If the law enforcement is against us, what are we supposed to do?

...for over a month, you didn't bother to perform a simple test that could have have confirmed everything in a heartbeat.

Did ignorance really seem that much more comfortable to you? Even with the risk of serious injury or death?

[what the hell is wrong with you]

You say that like organized crime isn't a thing.

[he doesn't really have an excuse, to be honest. But he doesn't reply for a bit, mostly because the words have rattled him a little. Of course he cares. It's far more complicated than that. So...he's not going to answer the questions.]

Organized crime doesn't really hold a candle to this, if it's as big as it seems. We're just ordinary people. Not an army, not an organization. There are children. Please, tell me: what exactly was I supposed to do? Uncover the depth of the conspiracy? Form a militia? I don't think violence is going to solve anything, and clearly talking won't, either. This doesn't change anything about my life because there's nothing I can do.

[just typing that makes him feel strange. Something about it makes him ...frustrated. Angry. Ashamed. He's always been on the quiet side, hanging back--the biggest decisions he'd ever made were choosing his seminary and getting married. And the former, well: that had been something, to be fair, since his father had withdrawn all financial support after calling it a Godless liberal cesspool. But regardless. Technically he was a leader now, as head of his own church, but if he were honest with himself, he didn't feel like one.]

[life just happens to him. That's how it is. There are some things you just can't control. Like when his wife handed him the divorce papers, unable to look him in the eye. Why he's thinking about that now, he's not sure. It's been four years, and she's probably somewhere on the other side of the country.]

Where I've been living, believe me, it does.

[of course it's also 80 000+ people strong, but details.]

I never said you had to do anything, I'm just disgusted by how hard you tried to remain ignorant. Plausible deniability isn't in effect here - your life's in danger and you blindfolded yourself. Do you want to die?!

[he's kind of tempted to ask where this person lives, but at the same time he doesn't really want to know...but really, what kind of accusation is that? He really wants to argue, but he has to stay calm here. Even if he really doesn't feel it. Anger isn't a pleasant emotion, and considering how little he likes conflict, he's surprised he's still replying. It does take him a while and a lot of rewriting before he sends his reply.]

I'm impressed that you're making assumptions about my life and my choices after we've exchanged less than a thousand words over an anonymous forum with each other. Regardless of actual danger, it's unfair to assume that someone can immediately accept a fact that completely breaks down the rules of reality they've been following their entire life. Clearly I'm not dead, so I must have done something right.

[time for the wounded antelope gambit]

Okay, look: I understand that you're confused and worried but I will not lie down and take you attacking me for expressing concern, or for caring. I have feelings too and a right to feel safe in expressing those feelings, and what you're doing right now isn't fair to either of us. Judging your behavior and drawing conclusions based on that demonstrated behaviour is not making assumptions. I also understand that, while you're in such a state, you may not be able to identify this behaviour within yourself but the fact that you've jumped to such a self-victimizing, aggressive stance so quickly, makes it clear that you need to get off the internet and think about your actions today, before you risk emotionally wounding someone else.

[DEEP BREATHS.]

It is a good thing to look out for your own emotional well-being, but when you call someone doing the same thing defensive and self-victimizing, you're just being hypocritical. I can accept that you're worried for other people, but your patronizing tone won't help anyone, especially if they're in a state of emotional distress. Perhaps you should consider that. I don't think I have anything further to say on the matter.

[and he's going to try...not to reply anymore. We'll see how well that goes.]

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[back to typing]

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if you don't want to tag me back after all this time I understand, sob

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