So Familiar a Gleam: Start

[voidtreckermods]

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JINNJAR CITY

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"Welcome to Jinnjar City! A city famed as the central power of all of Diagad, and where the magic happens. It has a big history: the birthplace of the first Heroes Association that led to the creation of the Interstellar Justice Alliance, the protectors of the universe. Compared to other places, Diagad's what many people call a superheroes world, but that isn't true. A lot of us don't have the crazy powers that some of the popular folks have! And people like me? We don't care about saving the world! I'm just trying to make it through school, hang out with friends. Live my life!

People tell thousands of stories about us though, and that I can be proud of. When other planets call for help, it's us that comes running to their aid. Our heroes put their lives on the line for anyone who needs a hand, and sure, I don't count myself one of them... but I want to share their story anyway.

Well, I don't need to be telling you about this city, do I? You're a part of it! Always have been, just like me. So I should talk about some funny stuff that's been going on lately instead…”

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A TL;DR notes version of days/prompts: (click to show)

EVENT BASICS: Un-apped AU characters were taken 1 week before the event from their own worlds, their minds altered to believe they were always from Jinnjar, Diagad. They have a superpower because of this and a new life either living alone or with family (other NPCs or PCs). Go to the OOC post for more info.

DAYS ONE-TWO:

• Strange streams of colour in the sky have appeared, and looking at them for too long causes strange headaches. At this point you’re not sure what they’re about, but you can investigate them. However, trying to get right close to them is impossible. You will never get high enough. Regardless, let us know if characters will be investigating anything!
  
  
• Voidtreckers arrive, be on the lookout. People are excited about finding these infamous criminals, and may be bothering those wearing peculiar watches, or the colours of Blue, Red, Purple, or Orange. You might be one of them: the bothered, or botheree. Many games or movie criminals are some adaptation of these Voidtreckers. A lot of people are worried they’re behind the phoenonem in the sky.
  
  
• Nevertheless, people will still have their own lives to deal with, regardless of worrying events. Play around with what job your character has, if they’re in school, what work they do; if they’re drawn to a night life or just hanging around wherever they like. Characters not used to technology in-canon may find themselves having trouble with this world (despite believing they’ve always lived here).
  
  
• Some of the Voidtreckers who are most resistant to illusions and mind control will be breaking out by the end of the first day. They will have to lay low and plot in secret, figure out how to make contact with others. The SCA comms do not work.
  
  
• Other Voidtreckers might begin having dreams about their past by day 2-3.

DAYS THREE-FOUR:

• Those who have been brought to the world begin to dream of their real and past lives, if just in very small and confusing snippets. Some of those dreams may bleed into reality, and people may start to recognise absolute strangers, but don't quite always know why. This is stronger for Voidtreckers than 4th wallers.
  
  
• Random electronics seem to be glitching in odd ways, particularly the training centres, which lock people in together, even random strangers. Mostly it's harmless and more of a pain. People also swear they think they see the tops of buildings 'glitching' or colouring out. People have been speaking about pets going missing on walks, though the zoos and such are mostly fine, save for some of the higher up bird sanctuaries.
  
  
• More of the Voidtreckers and some of the more resilient guests will begin realising the reality of the place they find themselves in. That this is not their own world at all.
  
  
• The propaganda of the city starts to escalate, warnings about the dangerous voidtreckers and reminding people of how great the city is.

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DAYS ONE & TWO: SLICES OF LIFE

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"This is an emergency broadcast to everyone in Jinnjar City. At 08:00 today, a breach into the city was attempted by the invading force known as the Voidtreckers, who have tried countless times before to take over Diagad for themselves. While it's believed the group was resisted, citizen are advised to watch out for anyone acting suspiciously in the city, and to watch out for this emblem. Please call the D-F-O-R-C-E hotline if you see anyone you suspect of being an intruder! Remember to keep low altitudes while we deal with the phenomenon above."

[ RAINBOW SKIES. ] "Everyone's been speculating about what's been going on up above. About a week ago, these long streams of twisting colours suddenly spread through the purple skies of Diagad, rainbow colours inking the clouds. They've been growing out, like merging with the sky itself, and news broadcasts have been telling people not to worry. But what even are they? They say that looking at them for too long causes headaches, while some swear up and down they've seen things in them! I've heard a couple of friends talking about investigating them, but I dunno..."

▷ Twisting streams of colour are becoming exposed in the sky, and indeed, those who look too long high up will find themselves receiving headaches and dizziness. They’ll fade once you look away, but those who do decide to investigate by getting close will experience a tug, as if something yearns to take them somewhere. There will be patrolling Heroes - this world's equivalent of police - keeping an eye on things. Maybe your character is one of them, or posing as one. Maybe your character wants to learn more about what these are. Regardless, they won’t be able to get significantly close to the streams no matter how high they aim.

[ THE VOIDTRECKERS. ] "Gossip is HOT about these Voidtreckers. I remember seeing a movie about them once, based on something that happened years ago. They tried hacking their way into taking over a dyson sphere being built - like a giant structure around a star. There's other stories about them too, but are they really the ones behind this? Who are we even meant to be on the lookout for? I don't know... I'm kinda spooked. But do they seriously ride around in a flying train?"

▷ You've heard about the Voidtreckers, whether you remember stories about them or not. Are you bothered about them? The news broadcasts say they got rid of them - then why are they asking people to look out? And what are you supposed to look out for? On top of the emblem, there's chatter going on about watching out for people wearing strange devices on their wrists, and wearing colours of Blue, Red, Purple, and Orange.

Will you defend your city from these mysterious foes? Be smart about it, or rash? Or maybe you're interested to know more for your own deeds… whether or not they’re the Voidtreckers of tale, they may have resources for furthering your own goals.

[ LIVING YOUR LIFE. ] “But nevermind all that! Life’s about having fun and hanging out with your friends too. I work part time, but I’ve got plans after my shift’s done! Doing some shopping, going to see a movie. I can’t stress out about the funny stuff going on. And I heard the new waiter in my favourite cafe is suuuper cute!”

▷ Despite the few anomalies going on, you still have a life part of Jinnjar City. You have a job filled with devices that you’ve been surrounded by all your life, or certainly longer than a week or, so you know how to work a coffee machine, right? You know how to drive an air taxi!

And where would you take one to? To anywhere: to the gym, one of the training centres, a spa, to the movies - normal things that everyone around the city have always been around. Meet up with some friends for fruit smoothies, or watch one of the shadow displays held by the Georgi’s Gang around every street, putting on shows to mesmerise and delight the kids.

Or how about buying your groceries to take back to your apartment or house? You know what all these fruits are! Right? Right?

… … maybe it’s produce from another planet.

DAYS THREE & FOUR: JUST ANOTHER NORMAL DAY

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[ DREAMS. ] “Dreams are just dreams, but a lot of people have been talking about them. Like, really being disturbed by them? Not in a creepy ohhh a monster’s coming for me! way, but like, they say they see worlds they swear they’ve been to before. Or see people? I wouldn’t really think about it except, there’s this guy… not like a super cute guy, but someone I think I knew…”

▷ Talk about dreams have been popular lately, though not everyone has them - or, not right away. Sometimes people may be at work, in school, doing nothing in particular when a name (important to their real self) appears in their mind, a flash of scenery. Coming as quickly as it goes. They don’t know what it means, if it isn’t just a symptom of the latest weird gossip influencing them.

But it sticks with you, something you can’t completely dismiss. But surely it’s nothing - right?

[ ANOMALIES. ] ”Just what we need! My friend’s dog’s gotten lost! She was taking him for a walk, and then she just says he went running ahead, and poof! Disappeared! Maybe he saw a cat? He’s always been a lazy chubby thing, but even dogs can’t help themselves, I guess…”

▷ The colours in the sky seem brighter today, closer...but it’s difficult to say for some, unless you’re actively studying them. Sometimes when you look above, you might catch - if just for a second - the tops of roofs glitching out, corners or streaks erased, colours meshing with the walls. You think it might be the light or your eyes, as it never lasts long, and even standing around waiting to see it happen again won’t give you what you want.

You may have other things to worry about than tricks of the light. Animals have simply been...disappearing, and always the ones owned, or particularly birds that fly around freely. People will ask you for help, and it’s weird they need to. Most owners have a tracker chip and app, and either apps show a blank map, or show them just standing in place...a place that when you get there, is nothing, no one.

[ TRAINING CENTRE. ]
“Really though, other than the weird sky business and how jumpy the news has made everyone about the Voidtreckers, the only odd thing that’s been up is some weird stuff happening at the training gyms. Even I saw it! I was just doing my warm-ups for the day when the field I set it to, the sky...these shapes suddenly appeared, dark and looming. It seriously creeped me out. But it’s just a glitch, right?”

▷ Young or old, the training centres around the central district are a popular spot for everyone to give their powers a safe space to be unleashed. While there’s basic simulations that’s free for everyone to use, people can be personal trainers, or even run group sessions in the bigger rooms.

Sessions aren’t always linked, since getting private training is allowed. However, lately, people keep getting jumped into other’s sessions, and can’t get out until they finish the routine. Sometimes they’re simple, where you need to destroy building block-esque cubes, or superspeed through courses twenty times. But then there’s also story modes, such as…

Castle Defence: Help protect the castle of Erna from the tricky Voidtreckers! They’re trying to storm the castle, and the world needs your power to help keep them away. Difficulty is based on the amount of people present, and speed of the individual. Do you turn things green? Then turning a Voidtrecker green will make them pop! Good job!

Kama Aid: Floating spheres have been lured inside a giant 3-tiered labyrinth ball. You must help the spheres - come in optional people-shaped or even cute animals - be released back outside where the air is fresh. Use telekinesis to tilt the tiers like a ball tilting game, or use super-strength to destroy the different tiers!

Dia Mysteries: A theft, vandalism, maybe even a murder. The crime scene is locked down, and something is afoot. Use your telepathy to gain information from the suspects, sneak into a secure area under invisibility... the solution is yours to find in this investigative simulation.

[ A PSA or Six. ] ”Stay vigilant citizens of Diagad. Please report any suspicious behavior to the DFORCE force.”

Announcements blare from speakers on public transport. Adverts pop up as they scroll through Diagnet. All remind citizens to be on their guard, report strange or disturbing behaviour and keep a look out for any of the symbols or colours of the Voidtreckers.

"Heroes don't keep secrets! If you have suspicions about any dangerous people in our midst, let your local DFORCE force know. Speak the Truth. Save the World."

▷ Billboards are plastered with bold posters reminding citizens to keep an eye out for the Voidtreckers or anyone who they might have tried to sway to their side. For those beginning to glimpse that this city might not be what they once had thought, this could be dangerous especially if their families and friends believe the city truly is under threat.

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credits: text box - city banner - city side - coloured sky by benjamin0000

Comments

Sunset Shimmer | My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | CRAU: Aurora/TheGreening | 4th Wall Guest | OTA

[daydreamshimmer]

As a note, Sunset Shimmer is always wearing a barrette with her cutie mark, and has a large tattoo with the wings curling up around her neck.

Day 1: Voidtreckers
Empathy makes it very hard to think anyone as inherently bad. Seeing things from another's perspective will do that. So when she hears about an invading force, she's....

Curious.

Which leads to her driving around on her hoverbike, looking around as she goes for any of the signs. At times she'll park, some food, check her messages. But always looking.

What motivates people to invade? What do these Voidtreckers want?

She wanted to know.

Day 1+2: Living Your Life
She has school. She also has work. She works in a music store, doing her best to help people find the music they might like. She's fairly knowledgeable of most any genre, after all.

It helps she's in a band with various tastes, even if they do mostly rock and pop. They've experimented. Such a shame most of them are out of town for various reasons.

Day 3+4: Dreams
She hasn't stopped playing with her necklace.

She's not one to fidget normally. If anything, moving things between her fingers is...uncomfortable. It feels weird, it always feels weird. If she's not using them to DO something, then its weird. And yet, she finds she can't stop playing with her necklace.

Its not a trinket, a gift. Sentimental, nothing more.

Except it was something more in her dreams. And she can't forget it, and has to check, has to be sure she still has it.

Day 3+4: Anomalies
Perspective is everything. No one sees the world quite the same, something she knows well, having seen plenty of perspectives.

And with the flashes, of things being wrong, or animals missing, she finds herself stopping more and more, trying to catch an inconsistency in the act. Because she's now questioning her own perspective.

And with that and dreams, its extremely worrying.

She finds herself at the arcade, watching people, and going to machines, ones she's not entirely sure was there, and checking the high scores. Trying to find anything that doesn't make sense.

Living Your Life

[bestbrotherever]

[Loki hasn't spent much time in this sector and so doesn't know many people, but the teenager who works at the music shop is an exception. They'd run into each other by chance and immediately taken a liking to each other. He couldn't say why, other than her reminding him of his wife who was still in his home city; maybe talking with her eased the pain of separation. Not that he thought about her romantically, of course! He was married, and she was too young.

[He usually stops in at the store during Sunset's afternoon shift. Today is no different; he enters, smiling at the ringing bell, and waits for her to look up and greet him.]

Re: Living Your Life

[daydreamshimmer]

[Sunset was ringing up a customer, making sure to focus on them, yet also very careful in avoiding all contact. It was important to do that at work.]

[But she bade them farewell, finally looking up. Her face lit up, from customer service friendly, to genuine feeling.] Loki! [She moves around the counter, going over to him.] Welcome back.

[Its strange. Its not that Sunset isn't friendly, but its weird for her to get attached so quickly. But there was something about the hero that was just....charming.]

[Not in a crush way, and she certainly wouldn't threaten a marriage if so no matter how much she felt like an adult. Just something likeable.]

[bestbrotherever]

Sunset! I wouldn't miss my favorite part of the day!

[He's glad she was so quick to call him "Loki" instead of "Mr. Odinson". Being called by his last name always felt so formal and out of place. Maybe it wasn't strictly part of protocol to be on such a familiar basis, but he had enough leeway for that.]

How is business? The same as ever, I hope?

Re: Sunset Shimmer | My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | CRAU: Aurora/TheGreening | 4th Wall Guest | O

[souls_of_roles]

Day 2 - school

The teacher had paired them up for the lesson, everyone working in teams. It didn't take a detective to tell that Kyoko... kind of wished to be anywhere else in the world, though she hadn't spoken back to the teacher.

This was one of the girls she avoided most of all. Not that there seemed to be any reason for it. She edged to the furthest part of her seat as she could, eyeing the assignment, and clearly considering just doing it herself to avoid socializing. She was the picture of uncomfortable.

Re: Sunset Shimmer | My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | CRAU: Aurora/TheGreening | 4th Wall Guest | O

[daydreamshimmer]

Sunset could easily see the discomfort. It was hard to miss, let alone when one is an empath. There was a part of her that was tempted to offer to do the assignment herself.

Really, the only reason she WASN'T in college is because of her friends. It would be laughably easy.

But it is laughably easy so cramming it was an option. There was a far more interesting project here.

"You know I don't bite, right?"

Re: Sunset Shimmer | My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | CRAU: Aurora/TheGreening | 4th Wall Guest |Sh

[souls_of_roles]

"Right!" she said, too loudly. "I know! You don't bite! I'm just sitting here! Ready to work!" she was ramrod straight and panicked. And drawing way more attention than she probably wanted.

day 1 - they look around the same age so vague handwave being acquainted via school?

[blitzcheer]

"Sunset, what's up?"

When she happens to be stopping for food, so does Tidus, waiting for his order to get made, but sitting casually by the counter in wait. He's noticed the way she's been looking around, but for his less than perceptive eye...

"Looking for someone?"

A friend, maybe?

Re: day 1 - Sounds good to me! Sometimes ages are weird.

[daydreamshimmer]

"Hm? Oh, Tidus. Hey," she said, looking over from where she's leaning against the counter, people watching.

"Ah, no, not exactly. I'm more....people watching," she said. "Its amazing how much people think they can get away with in a public space just because they're at a table. It makes for an interesting show."

Which is admittedly something she DOES do at times. Even if she was looking for something more specific this time.

[blitzcheer]

People watching. She gets a curious - but humoured - raise of his brows going, but you know what? He's waiting for food. He's here for whatever this is about.

"Oh yeah? You already caught something exciting?" He leans forward, arms folded, like a guy ready to listen. Come on sis, spill the tea.

Dreams

[partofthecrowd]

"That's a really pretty necklace." Rui commented when she saw the young woman waiting in line for her turn to order some coffee.

"I really like it."

Re: Dreams

[daydreamshimmer]

"Hm?" Sunset looked over and then looked down. "Oh! Yeah, I do too. Its a gift from a friend of mine. We made these cute symbols when we were kids. I'm honestly kind of impressed at how I made something pretty nice when I was like nine."

And yet-

That didn't feel right.

[partofthecrowd]

"Really? That's amazing. I've never made anything like that, I don't think." She said with a bright little smile.

Anomalies

[pleple]

Ple Two catches Sunset Shimmer watching people - a watcher being watched - and the curious look in her eyes that gives away that she's seeing something she shouldn't, or else is trying to. She's not too familiar with this arcade, even in her implanted life here, but she makes her way over curiously.

"Is there something wrong with it?"

Re: Anomalies

[daydreamshimmer]

Sunset looks over briefly, but she's moved onto playing the game. She's pretty good at it, but there's definitely misses here or there.

"Well, its just curious. The machine seems kinda old, doesn't it? Its got wear and tear."

[pleple]

"Pretty poorly maintained for an arcade like this. For... anything around here." The city isn't supposed to let people get away with such neglect right?

Living Your Life

[goingthroughaphase]

"Oh hey, Sunset," Kate greets as she steps into the music store. While the two girls didn't often hang out, they caught each other at school sometimes, or around the mall when they were taking a break from their respective jobs. Kate also liked to visit the music store sometimes, always on the hunt for something to listen to.

"Anything new in today?"

Re: Living Your Life

[daydreamshimmer]

"Oh, hey Kate," Sunset said, waving as she spotted the girl, pausing in her putting tracks back in their place.

She hummed, tapping her chin. "Well, there's a new CD from the that child star that isn't terrible. Kiley Myrus. Then there's Maroon Day from last week."

[goingthroughaphase]

"Hm...I might pick up Maroon Day's album, but they're definitely someone I have to be in the mood for. What's Kiley's music like?"

dreams

[magicurls]

Mami's been so busy that she's barely spoken to her big sister lately. That's regrettable. But Sunset appears to be preoccupied with her favorite necklace.

"...are you worried about an exam, or something?"

Re: dreams

[daydreamshimmer]

"Hm? Oh, Mami," she said and then grinned. "My friends are out of town. It'd be the most stress free exam ever. I probably wouldn't even need to study."

It was the advantages of being a natural born genius. Most of her study efforts were in helping her friends understand the material over herself.

Except history. History was too hard to predict, why were humans so violent-

"Just having strange dreams. It might be my power. Probably brushed against a few too many people."

Living Your Life- Music Store

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea looked over the display in front of him. He'd been to several stores, and this one was the first he'd found that even had sitar music, but now that he'd found it, it was pretty clear from his expression that he had no idea where to go from there. Seriously, why did his roommate have to like such an obscure instrument?

Still, his birthday was coming up in a couple weeks, so Lea wanted to get him something he'd like. Which meant he was probably going to need some help.

Re: Living Your Life- Music Store

[daydreamshimmer]

"You look a little lost," Sunset said, coming up beside him. She looked at the music and hummed. "School project or trying to impress someone?"

Dreams

[soldier_blade]

Being a single parent, even with her brother to help out, Sonya had been too busy and 'preoccupied' to notice an increase in Sunset's 'day dreaming' episodes. She was, however, able to recognize when her daughter was out of sorts, something it seemed everyone was feeling as of late.

She certainly wasn't have a fun couple of days, with her dreams becoming more and more 'uncanny'.

Just as well she had the day off, some time to catch up on things, when she heard the door open, saw who it was. "Sunset...something on your mind?"

Re: Dreams

[daydreamshimmer]

Sunset looked up at the question. "On my mind?"

She hesitated. She didn't like putting pressure on her mother. She was smart, she was mature, she was an empath. She has to be able to monitor emotions!

But...maybe she's noticed something.

"Have you noticed just...a weird sort of vibe in the air, I guess?"