middleofsomewhere | So Familiar a Gleam: Start

JINNJAR CITY

"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…”

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.

DAYS ONE & TWO: SLICES OF LIFE

"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

[ 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.

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Alright, but uh.... before I tell ya anythin'? I need you to do one more thing. Look real hard at your wrist. Your watch, your bracelet, whatever you're used to seein' there. Because you do got somethin' there, don't ya?"

He waits for her to do that.

"Someone's got some kinda spell on us. Some sorta magical or psychic thing. You gave me this coat. I was comin' off the worst two goddamn days of my life. Died, stripped of my whole identity, lost my freedom again, had to say good-bye to my son...

"An' you was the first big kindness I was shown after that. You give me this coat while I was fallin' apart. Might as well've dragged me up from over the edge of a cliff... But you also got it. You got what takin' care of a kid means.

"I know that's the part that pisses me off the most. Not that these made-up lives ain't nice. But they took all my hard work keepin' my boy alive away from me."

Crowley wore an elaborate watch, custom-made. A gift from her husband, or so she thought. She stares at it confused, unsure of what he could mean by that. What did it have to do with anything?

The coat-- she flinches, because everything he's saying matches up with her visions. She feels like crying again, feels sick. "Alice..." she mutters her daughter's name, at least, she believes it's her daughter. It's too much to think about.

"I don't have a family." she says, voice cracking. She swallows hard, her mouth feels so dry. If her husband and her daughter aren't real, it means she has nothing.

He takes that bit of sentiment wrong, because he remembers them talking about her before. "Yeah, that's your girl. You talked about her to me. Not here, but there. You talked about her as your old self."

Because if anything, Yondu knows you don't have to be a father to be a daddy. Genetics don't mean what a good effort and good intentions mean.

But then the rest comes out, and Yondu takes her shoulders. "You do! You love each other about as much as any people I ever seen. I barely saw that kinda thing in the whole of my life. Just little sparks of it here an' there. But you an' your angel, Devero an' Koumyou, Bulma an' Vegeta. I see it rollin' off y'all in waves."

He's always aware there's too damn little of it in the universe.

"This thing... tricked me into thinkin' some time a long time ago, I had somethin' like that. I lost 'em an' I was hurt so bad I took down their picture an' had it face down by the register. Losin' 'em is what made me put together the vigilante group. You know what that frame was when I actually looked?

He gets up to go over to where the picture frame had been left, on a box in this back room, and he brings it to set on the table. It's cracked now, and the stock background photo in it obvious.

"It's a goddamn tragedy an' an asshole move, but you ain't alone Crowley. This is just... simpler... than what we was dealin' with."

If what Yondu is saying is true, then they're all trapped here together. At least their captors had the decency to keep them a family. Crowley takes a deep breath, feeling her biggest fear drain out of her. Some might be still frightened that they were trapped in an illusion at all, but to Crowley, that's fixable. To lose her family was another thing altogether.

She watches him retrieve the photo, silent and confused, suddenly feeling as if she's waking up from a dream. All she knows is she needs her family to wake up, too.

"How do we... what do we do now?" he asks, leaning on the table and rubbing at her temples. She still doesn't know who she is, maybe that is the first step.

"See if you can point it out to 'em discretely. I've been tryin' to make everyone look at their SCA while I'm breakin' it to 'em. So they realize that they're the Voidtreckers what's been made out to be the enemy."

Somehow, though, the illusion is effectively hiding the wristbands from other people? But maybe it stops working after it's broken. He hasn't been able to tell yet. He's just made a point of keeping his covered.

Generally, he thinks it was easier to buy it if they were with people they already cared for, or were inclined to like. He didn't know Tani before this, but she reminded him of other kids what were Ravager raised.

"Does your team know?" she asks, concerned about James and the rest of them. "I mean, how do we know who is one of us and who isn't?"

Crowley worries. She'd had a run in with another city hero recently. He looked as disturbed as she did, but that doesn't mean anything.

"Not yet. I'm having to figure out who knows. Or who looks ready to know."

Because some people don't. Some people like these lives. "Hell, I cain't blame 'em. I had three girls what loved me. Had some teammates like I had back in the old days. It's a good life. Just... it ain't mine. This was someone else's, an' I was dropped into it."

He's actually been wondering if these were people that had lived on Diagad. Like real memories of real people, just with the faces digitally edited in their memories. People replaced.

Sort of makes him sad.

Crowley is quiet for a moment. She thinks about James. She met him for lunch and told him something wasn't right but... he didn't seem receptive. Crowley doesn't know everyone who makes up their team, she tries to stay out of it, but she's concerned about her best friend.

"What about James?" she asks, her lips stretched thin in concern, "I've known him my whole life... here anyway, he'll trust me."

"James...."

Oh hell, he remembers Soldat's memories just then. Not just his own. He'd taken Soldat's.

"They don't like usin' that name. They're... I don't know why, but they're a bunch of people. Each sorta a protective part of their personality. But they got brainwashed and used as a weapon."

He tells Crowley this personal stuff because Soldat had talked about him enough for him to know they're friends. "If you can reach 'em please do it. I'm gonna need 'em for what I wanna do."

"Wha-- " she starts, taken completely back by that, sure she knows James better than anyone. "What do they like to be called, then?" she manages, voice shaking again. Being used as a weapon sounds terrible... she's suddenly not sure if she wants them to remember.

"What is it you want to do?" she asks, curious.

"Soldat. Means soldier, so they say. But if you can appeal to 'em, there are three personalities in there. Sarge. The Asset. The Bottomless Pit." He clarifies. "They all need each other."

"I'm gonna call for help," he explains. "I ain't no bartender or manager. I'm a mercenary, an' a few other things. An' I asked the void scout at the last mission if she'd come along. She agreed to."

He sighs, puffing out his cheeks with the gesture. "I cain't let us sit an' stew like this."

So Familiar a Gleam: Start

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