also, Li-Na switches to Cantonese, b/c her English is just not technical enough for this kind of conversation]
For all intents and purposes, the app is simply an app. Aside from the fact it installs itself and cannot be uninstalled, it generally acts like a regular social media app.
With the strange things that happen, it is more that those of us with the app are the only ones able to notice when things are strange. The app itself does not cause the abnormalities, but instead acts as an indicator for those who will be able to see them.
[He was about to do the same, more for the want of privacy than any language difficulties, so it was a relief when she switches over.]
That's probably the most rational answer I've heard in regards to all of this. Most of what I've been hearing so far is that the app itself is responsible for whatever... strange things occur around here, but it seems next to impossible for just a program to have physical effects on people.
I'm guessing Retrospec could track our whereabouts through the app and know when to adjust things around us accordingly, but that assumes they can actually manipulate reality in the first place, which just as unbelievable. It's a headache to try to wrap my head around.
Well, sometimes the app does
do weird things, but it is usually something sort of computer related. Like
locking the app until you play a game. That sort of thing. I think some
people tend to think of the app and the company and people behind the app
as the same thing. When they are not, not really.
I think they can affect reality, to a
certain extent. I have seen the content of books change, physical books.
And someone I know, he had a strange arm attached to him. I do not know how
they do it, and yes, it is a complete headache to try to figure out how
they do it. But I am hoping this announcement means they will be more
forthcoming with information in the future.
That is a good point... I suppose with the app being our first introduction to Retrospec and all, it's easier just to blame that than it is the people who actually created the thing in the first place.
[But jeez, this was really beginning to creep him out. None of this should even be POSSIBLE through scientific means, and trying to find an explanation for what Li-Na may had seen was giving him only blanks.]
Just what kind of people are they to be able to do things like this? There's people out there who would give up their life's work in order to know how they've managed to pull this off. The fact they've hidden themselves and kept this knowledge close at hand is aggravating.
You will want to talk to someone who
was given a task by Retrospec during August. There is a post somewhere on
the app at the beginning of September where people talk about what they
found out, and some of them encountered Retrospec employees or one of the
Founders. I cannot quite make sense of all of it to explain it properly
myself.
Was that when people were transported to other locations? A classmate of mine told me something like that happened around that time, and they weren't able to access the network, so maybe the Retrospec employees possibly tampered with it so they wouldn't reveal their whereabouts.
I didn't think about checking back into the post archives for information, but maybe I should do just that? I hadn't done it beforehand because it felt like an invasion of privacy, but...
Yes, though they went to some very
strange places. Someone I knew ended up in space. But I think the
communication problem had more to do with whatever was causing the monsters
to appear. Retrospec was trying to fix whatever was going wrong and needed
some of us to help them because there was so much to do. And they could not
bring our friends back until it was fixed.
Haha, the usual internet rules apply
to the app, Xiaolang. Once it is out there, it is no longer private.
I guess so... I mean, if it's for the sake of getting myself up to speed with things, then it should be alright.
But wait-- space?? How is that even possible without--
... no, I'm not even going to finish that. If these people know enough to manipulate reality, then sending people into space is probably nothing to them. [But man, would he kill to see their research information. All the things he could learn...! Not that he would be able to show his mother any of it, though.]
You're not the first person to mention monsters to me, though. Were you there when it happened, Li-Na? I know you said you got the app around July, and if the monsters and the people vanishing happened at the same time, that must have been August, right? Did they just suddenly come out of nowhere?
[LOL Xiaolang is learning quick that in some instances, you just
don't try to figure out what actually happened]
At the end of July, there was a video
game convention. ReConvention or something like that. I did not see exactly
what happened, but on the last day, all of a sudden, the convention hall
was filled with monsters. It really did seem like they came out of nowhere.
One moment everything was normal, the next monsters. And then the monsters
stayed infested the city through August.
[YEP...... honestly, though, he'd be here all day if he tried to puzzle out each weird occurrence people have told him about, so he's just going to stick to the more immediate stuff.
Stuff like MONSTERS.]
THAT HAPPENED AT RECONVENTION???
[oh whoops, caps lock-- but STILL??]
I was there for a day or two during the summer, but I didn't hear anything about that! I mean... I guess I didn't because of whatever's been hiding the rest of the weird changes and anomalies from the rest of us, but you'd think monsters taking over a huge convention would have some sort of ripple effect that others would notice?
[monsters are kind of hard to ignore... except when you do...]
It is not so much that people on the app did not notice, but more they simply thought it was normal. I looked at books on Recolle's history in the library, and they included passages about past monster attacks, as if it was a normal occurrence.
Some people were injured yes. Burns, cuts, broken bones. Luckily there are a couple doctors on the app.
[God, he was just concerned about his information being leaked when this all started, he didn't think it would wind up involving the possibility of being attacked by monsters]
I really, really hope they're wrong about that. The rest of this is disturbing as it is-- I don't want to put 'high chance of being attacked by a monster' on the list of concerns I already have about this situation. [Because really-- he's just a normal preteen boy, how can he even defend himself or those he knows against stuff like this?]
That's still a very troubling ratio, regardless. I've heard things about a dangerous fog last month, so if we're using that as a basis... I'm not particularly looking forward to the holidays. [PLEASE LET HIM BE WRONG ABOUT THIS?? He doesn't want to deal with monsters or dangerous stuff when he should be focusing on finals, CRIES]
Oh no! You are right! If it skips
November then the odds of something happening in December increase! I
really hope that does not happen. I want to enjoy my first Christmas in
Recolle.
[SERIOUSLY, THINK OF ALL THE CUTE CHRISTMAS THINGS....]
Well, it was just a theory?? I mean... I don't think they'd bother us during Christmas. Maybe they'll be doing stuff with their own families and be too busy otherwise? I'm sure it'll be fine! [Speaking for his sake as much as hers, because omg he didn't want to upset Li-Na with that--]
Um... on the subject of holidays, what ARE your plans for Christmas? Are you on your own?
I am staying with a host family, so I
guess I will do what they are doing. I should ask Chiyo... But if you want
to, we could spend some time together! Go out for dinner like everyone does
back home.
[Li-Na... Li-Na... this isn't Hong Kong... Christmas dinner at a
fancy restaurant might not be a thing here...]
[Yo, CLAMP already gave them matching Halloween outfits, I would not be surprised whatsoever if that was a thing]
Um... I don't mind if you don't?? It'd be nice to spend it with family this year, and I don't have any plans otherwise.
-- oh, but the dinner thing might be a bit tricky? There's not a lot of places open on Christmas in the US, apparently. [He learned that the hard way last year, SOBS--] Chinese places are usually open, though? We can even see if there's a dim sum place, if you like that sort of thing. [Xiaolang, for one, loves it, but he doesn't want to drag his cousin to just the places he enjoys.]
I think people host dinner at their house? Although they already do that for Thanksgiving, so I don't see the point of doing it again a month later. [American traditions are weird, yo
But Li-Na automatically gets bonus points for her excellent taste, and he can't help but feel a little... happy? Maybe? At the thought of having someone else from home here to spend the holidays with.]
I haven't had dim sum since I moved here, so I'm not sure if Recolle even has such a place, but... it wouldn't be so bad to go. Especially with someone else who likes it, too.
They cook two big dinners, two months
in a row? That does seem a bit much.
[Li-Na is feeling excited at the prospect of having family to spend
time with on Christmas. She knows Chiyo's family will welcome her into
whatever their family is doing, but it will be nice to do something with
her own family as well.]
Okay. If we can find a dim sum
restaurant, we will go there for dinner on Christmas.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
also, Li-Na switches to Cantonese, b/c her English is just not technical enough for this kind of conversation]
For all intents and purposes, the app is simply an app. Aside from the fact it installs itself and cannot be uninstalled, it generally acts like a regular social media app.
With the strange things that happen, it is more that those of us with the app are the only ones able to notice when things are strange. The app itself does not cause the abnormalities, but instead acts as an indicator for those who will be able to see them.
no subject
That's probably the most rational answer I've heard in regards to all of this. Most of what I've been hearing so far is that the app itself is responsible for whatever... strange things occur around here, but it seems next to impossible for just a program to have physical effects on people.
I'm guessing Retrospec could track our whereabouts through the app and know when to adjust things around us accordingly, but that assumes they can actually manipulate reality in the first place, which just as unbelievable. It's a headache to try to wrap my head around.
no subject
Well, sometimes the app does do weird things, but it is usually something sort of computer related. Like locking the app until you play a game. That sort of thing. I think some people tend to think of the app and the company and people behind the app as the same thing. When they are not, not really.
I think they can affect reality, to a certain extent. I have seen the content of books change, physical books. And someone I know, he had a strange arm attached to him. I do not know how they do it, and yes, it is a complete headache to try to figure out how they do it. But I am hoping this announcement means they will be more forthcoming with information in the future.
no subject
[But jeez, this was really beginning to creep him out. None of this should even be POSSIBLE through scientific means, and trying to find an explanation for what Li-Na may had seen was giving him only blanks.]
Just what kind of people are they to be able to do things like this? There's people out there who would give up their life's work in order to know how they've managed to pull this off. The fact they've hidden themselves and kept this knowledge close at hand is aggravating.
no subject
You will want to talk to someone who was given a task by Retrospec during August. There is a post somewhere on the app at the beginning of September where people talk about what they found out, and some of them encountered Retrospec employees or one of the Founders. I cannot quite make sense of all of it to explain it properly myself.
no subject
I didn't think about checking back into the post archives for information, but maybe I should do just that? I hadn't done it beforehand because it felt like an invasion of privacy, but...
no subject
Yes, though they went to some very strange places. Someone I knew ended up in space. But I think the communication problem had more to do with whatever was causing the monsters to appear. Retrospec was trying to fix whatever was going wrong and needed some of us to help them because there was so much to do. And they could not bring our friends back until it was fixed.
Haha, the usual internet rules apply to the app, Xiaolang. Once it is out there, it is no longer private.
no subject
But wait-- space?? How is that even possible without--
... no, I'm not even going to finish that. If these people know enough to manipulate reality, then sending people into space is probably nothing to them. [But man, would he kill to see their research information. All the things he could learn...! Not that he would be able to show his mother any of it, though.]
You're not the first person to mention monsters to me, though. Were you there when it happened, Li-Na? I know you said you got the app around July, and if the monsters and the people vanishing happened at the same time, that must have been August, right? Did they just suddenly come out of nowhere?
no subject
[LOL Xiaolang is learning quick that in some instances, you just don't try to figure out what actually happened]
At the end of July, there was a video game convention. ReConvention or something like that. I did not see exactly what happened, but on the last day, all of a sudden, the convention hall was filled with monsters. It really did seem like they came out of nowhere. One moment everything was normal, the next monsters. And then the monsters stayed infested the city through August.
no subject
Stuff like MONSTERS.]
THAT HAPPENED AT RECONVENTION???
[oh whoops, caps lock-- but STILL??]
I was there for a day or two during the summer, but I didn't hear anything about that! I mean... I guess I didn't because of whatever's been hiding the rest of the weird changes and anomalies from the rest of us, but you'd think monsters taking over a huge convention would have some sort of ripple effect that others would notice?
Was anyone seriously injured from all of that?
no subject
It is not so much that people on the app did not notice, but more they simply thought it was normal. I looked at books on Recolle's history in the library, and they included passages about past monster attacks, as if it was a normal occurrence.
Some people were injured yes. Burns, cuts, broken bones. Luckily there are a couple doctors on the app.
[of course, they're now down to one]
no subject
I really, really hope they're wrong about that. The rest of this is disturbing as it is-- I don't want to put 'high chance of being attacked by a monster' on the list of concerns I already have about this situation. [Because really-- he's just a normal preteen boy, how can he even defend himself or those he knows against stuff like this?]
Were you hurt in any way from it?
no subject
Just going from the four months I have had the app, half of them have been dangerous to a certain degree. However, that is a very small sample size.
[and October barely counts because it was only at night?]
No. I was able to avoid injury.
[only because she was protected by other people]
no subject
That's still a very troubling ratio, regardless. I've heard things about a dangerous fog last month, so if we're using that as a basis... I'm not particularly looking forward to the holidays. [PLEASE LET HIM BE WRONG ABOUT THIS?? He doesn't want to deal with monsters or dangerous stuff when he should be focusing on finals, CRIES]
no subject
[Trouble. With a capital T.]
Oh no! You are right! If it skips November then the odds of something happening in December increase! I really hope that does not happen. I want to enjoy my first Christmas in Recolle.
[omg Retrospec, don't you dare ruin Christmas]
no subject
Well, it was just a theory?? I mean... I don't think they'd bother us during Christmas. Maybe they'll be doing stuff with their own families and be too busy otherwise? I'm sure it'll be fine! [Speaking for his sake as much as hers, because omg he didn't want to upset Li-Na with that--]
Um... on the subject of holidays, what ARE your plans for Christmas? Are you on your own?
no subject
[
Xiaolang and Sakura in matching elf costumes.]Yes, they should get to have a fun Christmas too.
[CHRISTMAS FOR EVERYONE DARN IT]
I am staying with a host family, so I guess I will do what they are doing. I should ask Chiyo... But if you want to, we could spend some time together! Go out for dinner like everyone does back home.
[Li-Na... Li-Na... this isn't Hong Kong... Christmas dinner at a fancy restaurant might not be a thing here...]
no subject
Yo, CLAMP already gave them matching Halloween outfits, I would not be surprised whatsoever if that was a thing]Um... I don't mind if you don't?? It'd be nice to spend it with family this year, and I don't have any plans otherwise.
-- oh, but the dinner thing might be a bit tricky? There's not a lot of places open on Christmas in the US, apparently. [He learned that the hard way last year, SOBS--] Chinese places are usually open, though? We can even see if there's a dim sum place, if you like that sort of thing. [Xiaolang, for one, loves it, but he doesn't want to drag his cousin to just the places he enjoys.]
no subject
don't let us down clamp!]Oh, I did not realize. I wonder what they do instead.
But I love dim sum! That would be fun.
[pft, who doesn't like dim sum? terrible people, that's who.]
no subject
But Li-Na automatically gets bonus points for her excellent taste, and he can't help but feel a little... happy? Maybe? At the thought of having someone else from home here to spend the holidays with.]
I haven't had dim sum since I moved here, so I'm not sure if Recolle even has such a place, but... it wouldn't be so bad to go. Especially with someone else who likes it, too.
no subject
They cook two big dinners, two months in a row? That does seem a bit much.
[Li-Na is feeling excited at the prospect of having family to spend time with on Christmas. She knows Chiyo's family will welcome her into whatever their family is doing, but it will be nice to do something with her own family as well.]
Okay. If we can find a dim sum restaurant, we will go there for dinner on Christmas.