[Video]

[doomedtheworld]

[Later at night on the 28th she shows up on the network video feed for the first time. She's standing under a street lamp in the more run down areas of the city, not far from the Dead District for those who recognize the area. She glances around once to make sure nobody's around to see her talking at a notepad.]

I, um, I think I found something.

[And she aims the video feed forward, turning down an alley to aim it at a large patch of some kind of brightly colored fungus spread across the ground and starting to creep up the walls. There are several large mushroom-like growths growing out of it, all covered in splotches of bright colors so it's pretty safe to say that it isn't anything natural.

Even worse, when she zooms in, there are animals caught in it. Birds, mice and rats all covered with the growth and already looking deflated and decayed. Very clearly being eaten away by the stuff.]

Has anybody else seen anything like this?


[OOC: Okay, this is Vanessa's network post before her Mystery Event run-in. All are welcome here to comment or be all "WTF are you doing?! Don't touch that shit, are you mental?!" and I'll put the log up a bit later. Everyone I've spoken to about being involved can come on in. Anybody else who's interested, chuck me a PM so I can try to keep track of it all, just be aware that Bad Things are going to be happening in it so... yeah.]

Comments

text;

[reapsthewind]

Wow, shit. No, I haven't seen anything remotely like that.

I feel like the answer to that is "a flamethrower."

Video

[doomedtheworld]

I feel like you're right.

[And she's going to inch a little closer, just to the edge of the patch, to get a closer look. Because what is self-preservation anyway?]

Know anybody who has one?

[text; iphone]

[amberhearted]

[ of course this happens the night he's working. of course. ]

First killer birds now killer fungi. Did you do anything in particular to piss off our alien bad guys

Video

[doomedtheworld]

Are you saying I started it?

[It's good that they can still laugh about this shit. She's going to get a little closer to it, just to get a clearer picture.]

So... what do I do?

voice;

[eras]

No, but I think you should probably back away from the apparently carnivorous fungus.

Google totally just failed me in trying to identify a fungus that eats large creatures like that, bee tee dubs.

Video

[doomedtheworld]

I'm not going to go stand in it. Besides, it's not moving or anything so I think I'll be fine.

[Okay, what the hell is bee tee dubs? First text faces and now that. Ah, screw it.]

I'm pretty sure this is one of those alien things. I don't think Google's going to help.

[Audio]

[talktothedoll]

Whatever that is, get away from it. I've not seen anything like it, but it's not a stretch to suggest it's something that should be left alone for a professional to deal with.

[Where anyone could find such a professional, he has no idea.]

Video

[doomedtheworld]

We can't just leave it here though. It's not doing anything now but people live around here. We have to get rid of it.

[Texted]

[espigeonage]

Ew. Okay that can't be a good sign. Don't touch any of it!

Video

[doomedtheworld]

[She rolls her eyes.]

Thanks for the advice. I was just about to go stick my face in it.

[She knows he means well. Really, she does. It's just... it's a very stressful situation to actually be there.]

[ text / iphone ]

[allinvein]

A carnivorous alien mushroom? Can't say I've seen that before in that part of town.

How quickly is it growing?

Video

[doomedtheworld]

It isn't normal down here either.

I just got here and it isn't... moving or anything so, I don't know, not very fast?

[Video] 1/2

[originaloddcouple]

[jl;kfsdahrengo SWEET MOTHER OF GOD.]

[Video]

[originaloddcouple]

So. Uh, that's a...

You probably shouldn't get too close!

voice;

[recollection]

...Shit. Whatever that is, it's twisted.

[There are parasites and fungi, but this goes beyond little cellular issues like that.]

What's the largest thing it caught? Just the birds?

Video

[doomedtheworld]

Yeah, no kidding.

[She takes a closer look at the patch, studying the animals caught in it a little closer.]

I think so. I haven't seen anything bigger yet.

Video

[doomedtheworld]

[Her conversations carry on for a few minutes before she's interrupted by growls. Instantly, her head snaps up to find a pack of five dogs stalking toward her, large breeds by the looks of them and family pets judging by the collars hanging from their necks.

Each one is baring its teeth at her, frothing at the mouth. And each one has a patch of fungus clinging to its head and neck.]

Oh, shit....

[She's backing away slowly, carefully, and she turns the video feed upward to a street sign just to give a location and then the dogs start barking and pandemonium breaks out for a second before it hits the ground. Five large shapes whip past it and then it shuts off....]

[amberhearted]

... Nessa.

Vanessa.

[ ARE YOU SERIOUS.

his grip on his phone is white-knuckled. he stares at the blank screen for a moment, then slams his other palm on his thigh, mind-racing. she's being chased by aggressive dogs. 'killer' fungus is involved. she was smart enough to catch the street sign. he can't do anything.

no, he won't do anything.

he can't just run off to find her. he's on shift. he's a paramedic, he can't be that irresponsible. he-

can pass by the dead district as per the usual when not actively responding to a call, though.

now how to pass the idea onto his rig parner... ]

Video

[originaloddcouple]

[wat

What?!]

...Vanessa?

[Miria's hands wrap around her head in horror. Isaac can only stare in shock.]

Oh god oh god oh god...

She just... we... all she has to... dogs...

[Miria spun around and grabbed Isaac by the shoulders.]

WHAT DO WE DO?!

I DON'T KNOW!

YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE IDEAS!

BUT THEY AREN'T EVER GOOD! YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE IMAGINATION!

I CAN'T IMAGINE THINGS NOW!!!

[There's a long pause of horrible silence.

Finally, they race to the garage in a panic.]

WE'RE COMING VANESSA!

text;

[counterclock]

holy fucking fuck
call the goddamn exterminator

Video

[doomedtheworld]

[An exterminator? Really?]

I'm getting the feeling that's what we're supposed to be here.

handwriting converted to text;

[memoryreprieved]

....Whatever that is, that's... not normal. I've never seen fungus like that.

[ Unless it's native to Locke City? Somehow, perhaps with all the 'the fuck?' reactions? She doubts it. ]

Still Video

[doomedtheworld]

It's definitely not normal.

[Which means it's alien shit. Goddamnit, why did she have to be the one to find this.]

[text]

[needsmorezippers]

Shit. No, haven't seen anything like that. Kind of glad to be honest.

Video

[doomedtheworld]

Yeah.

You should probably stay out of this area. This one isn't that big yet but there might be others. I think it's spreading something to infect the animals around here too.

[depolarized]

Looks like something from a horror movie. Just how long has it been there? [And he's glad he hasn't had dinner yet. And why the hell hasn't anyone done anything about such an obvious health hazard...? There's something familiar about the girl, too, and it's bugging him a bit.]

[doomedtheworld]

No idea. I'm sure it wasn't here last week though. [She's kind of focused on the weird fungus thing at the moment, so she doesn't pay much attention to whether she knows this guy or not.] It must have been a few days. I think it's growing pretty fast.

[video]

[15minuteslate]

Holy shit! Is it -- eating those animals?

[video]

[doomedtheworld]

[Oh, good! You're here! Well, things are kind of serious so she won't pick a fight just now.]

Yeah. Not just that but I think it's using some kind of spores to infect them and get them in close.

Video;

[vetala]

[Kanti is flicking through the Numbers Network, which is her own personal name for it and no one will drag it out of her ever because wow it's a dumb name. But she stops at this post because in involves plants, particularly fungi, which aren't exactly her area of expertise but wow.]

That is fascinating. I can't say I remember much about any particular fungus with that sort of behavior though. Best not to go near it. I don't suppose you'd tell me where you are, hm?

[Because yeah they are Starbucks nemesises but this is dangerous plant life we're talking about.]

Video

[doomedtheworld]

[Ah! They're both here! She hadn't really expected her Worthy Opponent to show up on the network but, honestly, she's willing to take any advice at this point.]

Fascinating isn't really the word I'd use.

[Yeah, she'll totally do that actually.]

I'm on Burwell. Somebody's already coming by. We're going to see how this thing likes fire.