Wait... Brandon used to be your WHAT?! O.O I think you're better off without that guy, Anjy!

Not that I'm against erasing Brandon's files (hell, let me wipe the whole thing!), but that does sound risky. FIRSTLY THOUGH! I do want to know what's inside that folder. Imma open it. IMMA OPEN IT!

Hmm. Should I trust cake left by people who walk off before I can see who gave me ca- NOM!

Thank you anon! Can't wait to see where this goes next. ^-^

Figured out the password~ And I thought that jerk in the bar was Brandon, but wasn't sure because of the mask!

I didn't get the latest part, though, so I've no idea what you guys are talking about right now :V I hope someone posts the entire message so I don't miss out on anything!

Thanks for the cake anon, one of my favorite things!

Looking forward to seeing how this all plays out.

Never tell someone to not look at something, it just makes them curious...

Ok got it now! I hope I didn't mess up the order of the images and everything's under correct spoilers lol

That was a piece of cake! Anjy might as well have typed out the password itself if it were going to be that easy. With much gusto and confidence, you type "honouramongthieves" on the password prompt.

You decide to text the number Anjy typed after the password hint. ((NOTE: Please do not actually text or call that number in real life!))

WOULDN'T THAT BE RISKY?

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

You notice that your computer rental time is almost up. There goes checking social media with the remainder of your 30-minute limit.

I chose "Wait, did you know about this?" and "Sounds like a good idea". I don't mind messing with Brandon's files, might as well delete everything while I'm at it and put some funny cat videos in there instead~

Now wait just one second. Before we finish this conversation and begin to start thinking about deleting stuff ... There is cake to deal with.

I'm sure I can mess around with my clothes and try to come up with something to fit in a little more with lower Ziara sometime.

Wait a second, what am I supposed to be doing again? Haha I'm sorry cake and dates distracted me.

Ooooh I'd love to chck out Lower Ziara (I'm high-key hoping the 2nd wave of Masq items will give us some Lower Z aesthetic to play with <3)

And here I thought I was sooooo clever figuring out that password ;p

Wait, what.. boyfriend? I'm all for helping you and go to Lower Ziara, I think I look cool enough, but.. erasing those files without looking at them? I 'm not sure I can promise that. I wanna help but at the same time I have no idea who you are or what your intentions are; sure, you look like the victim now but what if those files have nothing to do with you, what if this is a set up? How do I know Brandon is really the bad guy , how do I know you're not just trying to get back at your ex?.. hmmm.. I need to know what those files are.

(thank you for all the gifts anon <3)

...Do I need to be in this thread? I was posting in the It's a Busy Day in Centropolis thread about these plot updates, but you guys seem to be getting the gifts I'm getting. I'm so confused as to the different plot lines going on, I feel like such a dunce lol.

I just checked the Busy Day in Centropolis thread, and it looks like there are quite a few people posting in the wrong thread and causing the confusion! If you got Bella (this one) in your first gift box, then you definitely belong in there~

Yes! I got Bella! Thank you for clearing that up. Also, love your forum art/username. I love Yuzu.

Ahhh so Brandon is showing his face now? And he seems rather out of sorts. I'm actually kinda worried about him. That feels weird. O.o Okay, so he was Anjy's boyfriend. Bad breakup? Feeling guilty about something? I'm getting the impression there's something important there.

Well, the password he gave is good, but just about everything is corrupted. Except this "Anjy" folder. Weird poetry. Weird something in code? More weird poetry, but the file is called "readme"? Interesting. Is this a clue to whatever the second file says?

Thanks, anon! <3

(BTW, the "examine" option from the SAI Morse Code Legend wasn't being used in this plot, was it? Because it's leading to a broken image).

Ooo, this is all getting a little bit too clever for me. I know that this is a cypher, but I'm not sure I'm intelligent enough to figure it out! The readme file seems significant, too, but I'm not quite sure how. I think I can pick out a couple words in the "letters" file.

Okay, this has motivated me to finally get off my ass and get some breakfast so I might be able to understand!

edit: omg

"So you're the snitch who took my flash drive." You feel a slow, albeit strong force turning your chair towards the opposite direction.

"The password is 'omerta', in case you haven't figured that out yet." He walks past you without saying anything else. The morose tone of voice seems uncharacteristic of Brandon. He doesn't even seem to be angry at you for having his flash drive.

This is the moment of truth. From the comfort of a place where you don't have to worry about any prying eyes watching you decrypt someone else's flash drive over your shoulder, you enter "omerta," just as Brandon instructed you.

I chose to leave him alone AND WTF IS THAT GIF XD I was honestly scared of opening the Anjy folder, because I already had a hunch this was about deleting her nudes... What else would a guy have in a folder about his ex-girlfriend? The readme.txt sounded like anagrams to me and I tried solving them, but nothing really came of it... Then I googled what "omerta" could possibly mean, and here's what wikipedia had to say about the matter: "Omertà is a code of honor that places importance on silence, non-cooperation with authorities, and non-interference in the illegal actions of others." So, is Brandon or someone else staying silent (or being silenced?) about a crime? This is getting very interesting!

Pursue him. Ask Brandon if he's fine. His behaviour was too strange. You follow after him and gently tap his shoulder, asking him if everything is okay.

"I don't know. I really don't know anymore." He avoids making eye contact with you. "I'm not angry. I know Anjy asked you to do this. Tell her what's inside, give it to her, I don't care." You hear someone's phone ring loudly. Brandon shakes his head. "Now, just leave me alone."

You return to your rented terminal, just to find that your time's almost up. You safely remove the flash drive and close all your opened programs. With Brandon's implicit consent, it might be safe to take the flash drive home, or just tell Anjy the passcode.

Thank you again creative anon.

This is getting very interesting. I wonder if the anagram is actually solvable... I may give it a go later on.

ponders

Ok, so far I have this, still trying to solve the READ ME. file, I'm too dumb for this!!!

cracked letters file

anagram solving attempts

hahaha, no really, it's just a matter of excercise; I've been doing these games since I was little, we have a weekly magazine here in italy called La Settimana Enigmistica and it's basically just puzzles. the real struggle for me it's that these are not in my language xD I gave up on the anagrams, lol, it's tood ifficult for me xD

omg you are so smart get out of here with that too dumb for this line I took one look at that and NOPED hard and decided to come back to it later lol

Honestly, don't you just hate it when characters you start out not liking, who you feel like you're not supposed to like ... suddenly become human lol

Ok, I'm ready for lower Ziara but anon PLEASE send help, I can't decipher the anagrams XD

They don't wear pants in lower ziara right?

I have my people working on the anagram as we speak! (Aka I am dumb and my husband is much smarter. We think the word memory is in the second line)

I triiiieeeed for a lower ziara vibe but it ended up turning into something else before i left the wardrobe

The files in Brandon's USB were intriguing, at best. While the document entitled "letters.txt" was relatively easy to decrypt, "readme.txt" proved to be a more daunting task.

Who is this Master? What is this about Lower Ziara? And what could the readme file really contain? These are questions whose answers you may or may not eventually know.

With word that the Masquerade was extended, along with the influx of Lower Ziaran fashions into the Menagerie, courtesy of Adriette, fills many people with anticipation of guests from the underbelly of the magnificent lunar city. It's an unfortunate truth that abject poverty and counter-culture can be romanticised by those who do not truly understand what it means to live among the scorched earth of a dystopia.

How is it that these people were not brought to the consciousness of Ziara City's inhabitants? Perhaps this is why they chose to put up a clinic in the moon...

Just then, a stranger invites you to a dance. She hands you a bag of trinkets, and places something in your pocket. She instructs you leave the ballroom immediately, and not to take out the object she gave you while you're still within the premises.

When you leave the ballroom premises, safe from the prying eyes of any nosy bystanders, you take out the object your dance partner placed in your pocket. It seems to be some kind of rod, wrapped in white paper. You unfurl the wrapper on one end to reveal a glow stick. There also seems to be writing on the paper itself:

"You're invited to a night of music and friendship. See the side of Ziara you've never seen before. Trade the metallic colours of elite balls for the neon lights of the Ziara's vibrant nightlife. Head over to Club PLURality and bring this glowstick with you. If you're initially denied entry, tell them Big Al sent you.

PS. You might not want to wear clothing of the Overworlders. I've left behind a few things that can help you blend in on that bag."

** Participating on the link is completely optional, although story hints may be dropped there from time to time. **

After asking people who seem not to fit in the usual dress of the "floating city" for directions to Lower Ziara, something apparently only given in hushed tones and guarded whispers, you make your way to what appears to be a run-down garage, with a busted signage reading "Club PLURality." It is dark by the time you reach Lower Ziara, but there is an eerie silence in this part of Atebus, even though it is bathed in neon lights and bright colours. It reminds you of the illumination of casinos, but not quite.

As you walk closer to the door of the establishment, you notice a "Sorry, we're CLOSED!" sign on the front door. However, a touch-screen terminal seems to have been activated on the door, for you to leave messages to the people inside. It has an interface much like an old chatroom.

SPOILER (click to toggle)

Ok I have no idea what guys usually wear to rave parties but I'll try to come up with something later!