video; un: Hob

[100more]

[The video shows Hob, sitting at home on a balcony of his apartment. He smiles, but there's a little uncertainty to his attempt at pleasantness. Something is bothering him.]

Hello, all. Uh, I don't mean to alarm everyone, but...

[That's usually how people cause alarm. Good work, Hob.]

I noticed something strange during my recent walks. I have a path I routinely take as I explore the city, walking different areas each day in case there's something out of the ordinary. Well, I typically stop in the same shops for some water or food, or to carry something home. When I went into one of the stores I frequent, I noticed the things I helped myself to previously haven't been replaced. It always was, before.

[It's hard to mask his concern.]

As more people typically arrive about once a month, if resources get scarcer... shouldn't we think of something?

[A quick smile.]

Or maybe it's all a fluke! A temporary disruption in services. That's all.

[That could be it, right? Hob doesn't have to eat to live, but starving is not a lot of fun.]

Comments

//sorry for not responding on the party thread, I got sick as hell and am recovering still but hi XD

[codenametesla]

[Oh look, it's the kind guy from the party! With some really not kind news! Uh oh!

Normally, she doesn't like using the video feature, but the topic seems too serious to just type up a response to, and she sorta knows this guy at least, right? So after a couple moments of deliberation, she appears in her own video with a little wave, though she's frowning.]

video; un: TeslaCoils
Normally, I'd want to just hope it's a temporary disruption, but with how weird everything has been here, and how it only seems to be getting worse as more people arrive, I think it's probably a good idea to figure out something yeah. But what?

no worries; welcome back!

[100more]

[Hob won't mind switching off video for anyone who wants to communicate without it, but he thinks it's best to communicate such information with more than just text.

When he gets a reply that includes a familiar face, he does smile a bit again.]

I'm not really sure. I suppose we could plan how we use the food we have, like eat the perishable stuff first.

Text | UN: Loki

[abit_ofboth]

That is definitely not good news. I cannot say if it is just a one off or not, that certainly would be preferred. But even if that is the case, we should prepare for the possibility that it is not. You would think if we were wanted here for a reason they would want to provide for us.

text; un: Hob

[100more]

That's a good point. Unless this is some kind of test. Or part of an experiment somehow.

[He still suspects that theory.]

video

[aceslow]

You're right. I noticed they were running behind schedule as well. Which... I doubt was simply an accident.

[ Yeah. He's alarmed. ]

There are no animals here, no farmland. The best I can think of is to set up some sort of rationing system if things carry on that way, but that generally requires more infrastructure to set up.

[100more]

[Now Hob is certain of it, since Kim noticed it, too. He already thinks Kim is quite an observant man.]

We'd also have to get everyone to agree to it. What if not everyone wants to work together? When food starts getting scarce, people can become ugly.

text; un: loveless

[limbical]

and so the rules change
Interesting.

Shame we don't have a botanist or farmer to maybe come up with a solution if things go south
well, I assume we don't anyway.

text; un: Hob

[100more]

With so many people here already, perhaps someone does have those skills. And there's a big park. All we'd need are some seeds.

un: hidden | audio

[matermali]

[ Look, look, she told everyone that something would happen if they over-indulged and now look! If only she were the type to say 'I told you so.'

The voice that response is low, raspy...deliberately wary. ]

I do not think it a fluke.

We ought to keep track of how long it is before supplies in this city are re-summoned. Food and clean water should be of paramount concern.

[100more]

Yes, we should. From the messages I've received, some others have already taken note of this, as well. I suppose we can drink the tap water, but food is another matter.

un. dimitri.

[stubboarn]

I did notice it, as well.

More than that ... something has changed in the city itself. Previously, the disturbances to our lives have been rather benign. But now ... the ice cream messing with our emotions heavily, the issue with the items in the bank vault, the events at the mall ...

Something has changed in our stay, somehow.

[100more]

Kind of like we're being poked at, isn't it?

un; midnightespresso | text

[nerine]

Well
Community garden anyone?
You definitely raise a pretty good point though.

[100more]

It's a good idea, actually. Maybe we should start checking the shops for seeds.

audio ; @thundaga

[astraphilia]

Did it reset eventually, or did it stay gone?

[ Reno hasn't been here long, but even he can figure there's almost no chance it's a fluke. ]

I'm no gardener but I can plan rations if it comes to it. Hopin' it doesn't.

[100more]

Right now, it's still gone, but I'll check again tomorrow.

Good. That planning may be necessary. I don't think I've seen you before.

text | un: ouroborosed

[inlovewithmycar]

Someone already suggested taking seeds out the produce in the shops and growing them. Got a whole park that's perfect for planting, and failing that, we could do an indoor garden wherever there's good sunlight.

Dunno if this place has seasons or not, but if it does, we'd be coming up to autumn soon. Might want to work on the indoor garden, in case winter is actually around the corner.

[100more]

Those are all good ideas. I'm not much of a gardener, but I could learn.

[ Hob is always willing to try, at least. ]

@Alhaitham, audio

[justscribing]

Hadn't replaced or was slower to replace? [These are important distinctions in how the parameters of their prison have changed.]

Another district of this city has become accessible and its stores with it, but there's only so far it can continue to expand.

[But it would be odd to offset their increased resources when it had been limitless before. Either something is straining the current system, or this is the next phase of the experiment.]

What are your thoughts on gardening?

[100more]

It hasn't been replaced yet. Maybe it will be. I hope so. I'll check back again tomorrow, and I only just noticed some things were still gone.

[Maybe they will be replaced, eventually.]

I am very much in favor of gardening.

video; un: d.larusso

[miyagimagic]

[ There's already a frown on Daniel's face as he replies. Not necessarily anything angry, just.. worried, really. ]

It's strange. Why would things appear less often while there are more people here? [ It'd be one thing if it was just more people taking more things, which would make sense. But even when new people arrived before, Daniel still saw the shops restocked with the same amount of items regularly. ]

Do you think they're doing it on purpose?

[ Whoever said nebulous "they" might be. Daniel isn't too sure himself at this point who is running this place, but it has to be someone making these decisions. ]

[100more]

I don't know.

[But Hob is clearly concerned about what it means.]

Maybe it's just temporary. Wish we could ask.

[They would have so many other questions, too, though.]

voice | un: dynamight

[apshot]

With all of the shit that's happened, did you seriously think that they would keep supplying us forever? Fuck, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner.

Can't rely on the fact it's only temporary.

[100more]

I had kind of hoped we would have found a way out before this became an issue.

Others have said the same thing. I guess it's good if we're all on the same page.

video, un: thevampirelestat

[perfectdevil]

[ He'll respond in kind, but the camera is slightly too zoomed in and not at all centered. It's also moving quite erratically as he speaks. He's very clearly never done this before, okay, give him a minute. ]

Usually when there is famine, people ration. Do you think something like that could be coordinated here?

[100more]

[ Hob can't help but look amused by the camera malfunction. ]

Perhaps? I've heard a person has gotten in trouble for stockpiling, though, so that might make things more difficult.

[ And given the username he sees, he must ask. ]

I'm sorry, but... are you really a vampire?

[ Or maybe that's just a cool nickname or something. ]