Éi: Video, December 31, Evening

[let_it_sn0w]

[The video feed flickers on to an extremely beautiful girl soaking in a bathtub, a tablet in a waterproof case collecting steam as she traces numbers into what looks like a pretty detailed study sheet. She's tacking out a paper about fractals, seemingly, and using what seems to be random numbers to get her point across.

One of those numbers isn't quite as random as she thinks it is, and she sets aside the tablet for a second to tie her platinum blonde hair up in a knot on top of her head. Then she resumes working... probably showing the network way, way more than she ever intended to. She's blissfully unaware for the moment, though, appearing to think that she is utterly alone. Which is how it should be, and how she likes it.

Until the phone rings, that is. Vivaldi's "Winter" is the ringtone, and she bites her lip, seeming annoyed.]

Hello? Um... No, sorry, I can't. I'm out at the moment... yeah, it's a... date.

[She laughs stiffly, her smile not reaching her eyes.]

Maybe next time. Tell him congratulations for me? Retiring after 14 years of being concertmaster is a big deal, after all. I'll pick up a card next time I'm out. The rest of you have fun. And have a happy New Year. Bye.

[She snaps her phone shut, sighing and leaning her head back against the tub. But before she can reach for her tablet again, her phone is ringing a second time. Caller ID displays a name that makes her go pale; she sets it aside, ducking her head underwater until it has stopped ringing.]

[text; forward-dated to tonight because melissa is bitchy that she's too tired to party]

[stopinthenameofawe]

[Melissa isn’t going into this post blind. She’s read the recent posts, found herself the FAQ, and figured out just how much these network people think they know. And she is not happy about it.]

Listen up, kids. I have half a mind to make a beeline for Sherman’s office when I get into work tomorrow. But for right now, I’m off duty, and I have a headache, so I’m feeling generous.

You all have one comment to explain to me why I shouldn’t give every scrap of information you’ve put up here to him. Start talking.

[ooc: Replies will be slow until tomorrow, but have fun!]

[Voice]

[espigeonage]

[Julien's voice is a little heavy.] So, heads up, the Reverend Emmanuel Hall has gone off-Network. Forgotten everything. I think it happened a couple days ago, I saw him on Christmas and he seemed - as usual. I know we've had people using the church for meetings and stuff. I talked to him and it sounds like that could still be done, just that needs an excuse, maybe someone watching to make sure he doesn't walk in on anything he shouldn't see. I don't think he would, but hey, caution.

Also I know he'd go on grocery runs for people and was maintaining the latest version of our FAQ. We should figure that out too - I could help with groceries, but my schedule's a little tight and I'm not sure how long I'll be able to do that kind of thing.

Emmanuel'd gone and set this thing up so if this happened he'd mail people letters about what to do about him, that kind of thing. It's a good idea - if someone here depends on you, consider it, okay?

Man. Now that I think about it - there's a lot of people who were Networked, once, and they're still around. Care to remember any with me, Numbers Club?

Voice

[two_stones]

I would like to take this moment to wish all of you good cheer on this very special occasion!

Indeed, as you all know, tomorrow marks the day that some of our more influential ancestors figured was the most likely candidate for the day when Our Lord And Savior was circumcised, give or take a few weeks for date drift over the millenia, which they decided was as good a time as any to put the beginning of the year. At a time when the sun is not quite at its furthest from us, but is close enough that we count it as the end of the night because it's more convenient bookkeeping to decree universal times across roughly-hour-wide political boundaries, we will celebrate by lighting up the sky with ancient stolen technology.

Until then, I'm gonna get shitfaced. Here's hoping for the world making an ounce of sense during some small part of 2014.

[audio]

[loveyoubaby]

Haha! Wow, this shit actually works!? So if this network thing is real, then this business about the police working with aliens must be true too, right.

[He may or may not actually believe that. Well whoever the hell this is, they've got a bit of a drunken slur going on. Just a bit though, he's still speaking pretty clearly. In fact he actually pauses here to take a drink, clearly unconcerned with first impressions. What, it's New Year's Eve, don't judge.]

Unbelievable. And here I was thinking the guys with Highway Patrol were bad. I picked a hell of a time to transfer, huh? Well whatever, down to business, I guess. My name is none of your business, and I don't wanna be your friend. I already get the basic gist of what's going on here, but I wanna confirm something. I skimmed over something about the Blood Keys bein' cyborgs or something? Someone tell me about that. Excruciating detail is most welcome.

[Anyone from the police station is free to recognize his voice as belonging to "that noisy Max asshole that wears sunglasses indoors like a total dudebro" or something along those lines]

17 | Superhero Time

[chalicejoker]

Who: Hajime Aikawa and you!
What: Hajime got a weird transformation back, and he hasn't told anyone. Turns out his motorcycle's affected by this one for some reason, so now there's a weird armored guy on a weird motorcycle riding around town looking for trouble.
When: Backdated to the evening of December 30.
Where: All around Locke, particularly Japantown. He'll be trying to avoid heavily populated areas, and he's keeping a special eye out for Blood Keys activity.

( Riders gotta ride )

(no subject)

[neopianangst]

Who: Shinji Ikari and Connie Springer
When: last Friday or something
Where: McDonald's
What: Shinji meets Connie when he goes to get some food. Connie makes things very awkward for him.
Warnings: is Connie Springer a warning

( witty cut text goes here )

Operation Care Package: Locke

[ex_purity762]

Who: Pierce Asher purity and YOU
When: Ranges between 12/20 and 12/25
Where: Various places in town.
What: Operation Care Package: Locke Edition

[After the earthquake, a number of people said they'd help assemble care packages for people affected. With financing secured, it's time to get underway.

From gathering resources to assembling and delivery, there's plenty for everyone to do, and less than a week to do it. It's holiday cheer time!]



[ooc: All set! Hit up whichever thread is relevant to you, as desired]

video via maaaagical puzzle paper

[beyondrebirthday]

[Unlike many who may wish for a tough year to end, a certain young man with an obsession with 13s is lamenting each approaching minutes. No more will he get a nice 13/13 each month, which made him smile just like his nickname. If 2014 is to take that away, then he is determined to strike back by leaving another numerical mark on it.

And so, as he crafts it for the paper and writes down the answers for submission, the first thing the network sees is an elaborate sudoku puzzle. Somewhere in there, his personal number has been hidden. It is the first time he's found a use for it since it popped into his head - it's a bit long and not as snappy, not as good as 13 even though it is more unique. Still, if there was any a time to use it, it was now. He looks down at his handiwork, fairly pleased, and as he stares the network can look in on his face. Finally, he lets out a sigh.]

Well, now it's ready. Take that, new year! Heh heh hehn.

showtime #005: video

[hawaiianheir]

[Hello, numbers network. Have a webcam feed from a kid in his room. He's got a noisemaker in his mouth and... well honestly if anyone can make sense of what the fuck he's wearing on his head well, props to you.

There's some movie on in the background. If you've got good ears, you can make out a distinctly fake and completely awful southern accent.]

So who here has nothing else to do on New Year's but to surf this still completely weirdly existence though it should be fake network?

[He laughs, although maybe a little more bitterly than he should.]

Seriously, though. If you told me this time, last year I'd be half-considering dipping back into the delinquent life in order to wage war against a local business who may or may not be collaborating with aliens to kill me. Well, I'd have written you off as a loon. Or Danny.

No offense meant, Danny.

And if you told me I'd be getting weird powers and items and memories alongside that of some dumb nerd, well. Honestly, I'd have laughed even harder.

But I guess we're kind of stuck with it, aren't we? And this year has kinda been most of us trying to make it through without dying or getting arrested or something. I know I didn't ask for this. And... a lot of the people I know here didn't, either.

But let's try and not let it get us down for one night, alright?

[He blows the noisemaker with a satisfactory TOOT]

Here's to 2014 being less of a clusterfuck than 2013. Cheers, everyone. I'm gonna sit in my room and watch some movies.