View source for Fall of Kyoto: Field Report

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2025/10/15
|Location=Kyoto Service Sector
|Synopsis=This report makes its way up the chain at Obsidian.
|Thanks=(Thanks to KLP for letting me spam her)
|Tinyplot=The Fall of Kyoto
}}

At approximately 16:47 JST, technicians Hoshi and Tanaka arrived on site to repair a malfunctioning antenna on top of the Hana Tower in the Kyoto service sector. Transmission degraded as agents appeared to become enveloped in some sort of phenomenon before total signal loss. Situation classified as developing. A retrieval team was dispatched and has located their van and equipment, but no sign of the technicians has been identified. Energy readings normal. The call log is included below.

'''TRANSCRIPT 16:26:04 JST – CONNECTION ESTABLISHED''' 

'''KURATA''': Hoshi, Tanaka, confirm you’re on site. 

'''HOSHI''': Yeah, we’re up on the roof. Antenna’s intact. Again. 

'''TANAKA''': That’s twice now. 

'''KURATA''': Just the readings. Same spike signature as before. Probably just sensor degradation. again. 

'''HOSHI''': Good. Thought maybe we might have a free roamer on our hands or something. 

'''TANAKA''': Please don’t joke about that. 
'''
(pause; faint hum of wind)''' 

'''HOSHI''': All right, gonna start swapping out the sensor. Unit looks clean... If this is fried again next week, I’m billing them for overtime. 

'''KURATA''': You’ll be lucky if payroll even admits you exist. 

'''TANAKA''': Don’t remind me. (short laugh; then silence) 
16:33:12 

'''HOSHI''': Okay, new sensors in. Powering. Signal steady. and at baseline. (pause) Wait. There. There it is again. What the hell? 

'''KURATA''': Shit. Confirmed on my end. You didn’t touch anything?

'''TANAKA''': Nope. Readings are climbing. Fuck, that’s weird. That pattern – are you seeing this? 

'''KURATA''': Patterned how? 

'''TANAKA''': Five seconds apart, rise and then fall. Like breathing. HOSHI: You don’t think… 

'''KURATA''': Outside Tokyo? No. 

'''(distortion) 
'''
'''KURATA''': Okay. Try and reboot it. 

'''TANAKA''': Did already. It’s still showing the anomalous pattern. We’re getting out of here. 

'''KURATA''': No. You two stay put while I confirm with division. 

'''HOSHI''': Fuck that. Antenna’s fine, I’m not getting paid enough for – (abrupt interference) 

'''16:47:09 — CONNECTION REESTABLISHED
'''
'''KURATA''': …copy if you can hear this.

'''HOSHI''': (faint) Streets are clear. Whole block’s dark.

'''KURATA''': There you are. Hoshi, confirm: where’s your location? GPS still shows the tower.

'''TANAKA''': What? Heading east. Should be by the river, but, -where is the fucking van.

'''HOSHI''': SHHH. Shh, shh. Listen. Do you hear that?

'''(distortion; sound of festive wooden clappers in the distance)'''

'''KURATA''': Shit. You’re breaking up again.

'''HOSHI''': There’s… some kind of parade? It’s dark out. I’m seeing lanterns out there. Where is everyone?

'''KURATA''': Dark out? Wait, what?

'''(Clappers get closer, louder)
'''
'''TANAKA''': Where the -fuck- is the van?!

'''HOSHI''': They… hold on. (to someone off-mike) Excuse me? Hello?

'''(clappers suddenly stop)'''

'''TANAKA''': … RUN

'''HOSHI''': OH FUCK! Oh fuck fuck oh fuck

(running sounds, heavy breathing, panied voices, faint, festive music in the distance)

'''KURATA''': What? What’s going on? Get in a building and stay there!

'''16:50:09'''

'''HOSHI''': We.. did we lose them?

'''TANAKA''': ..no, look! There. How did they get there? They were just behind us!. Oh god, they’re not— 
static

'''HOSHI''':  (shouting) Don’t look at the masks. Don’t look at them!

'''(Discordant but festive music, getting closer, closer, sudden thud followed by static)'''

'''HOSHI''': (small voice) Kurata?

'''KURATA''':  Report! What happened? …wait.Are you still with Tanaka?

'''TANAKA''': : (distant) It’s fine now, Hoshi. It’s fine. They were just waiting for us.

'''VOICES''': Come walk with us. It’s time. It’s time

'''HOSHI''': *sobbing*

'''KURATA''': Hoshi! Hoshi, answer me!

'''(long silence; then, faintly, the sound of distant clappers returning)'''

'''KURATA''': …Hoshi?

'''NEW VOICE''': It’s fine now, Kurata. It’s fine. We’re just waiting for you. Come walk with us. It’s time. It’s time.

'''*call log ends abruptly here*'''