middleofsomewhere | So Familiar a Gleam: Start

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

Sanzo just stares him down for a moment or two longer, and then just like that, he seems to decide Devero isn't lying to him. Well, knowing Koumyou is obvious; using his name like that... using Sanzo's childhood name, too.

It's more about what his words imply.

And the intent behind them.

The gun is flicked upward and away, Sanzo thumbing the hammer back into place. "--'Tch. Fine. There's a lot of weird bullshit going on. Why not this, too."

Oh thank goodness, thank patience, thank all the damn virtues. Devero slumps visibly in relief when Koumyou's absolutely terrifying adult son relents.

Stepping back into the cramped office, he shuts the door. He means to say something about the 'weird bullshit' when he opens his mouth to speak, but what comes out instead is, "Is it really so weird your father might have a-- friend?"

The last time Sanzo remembers his master introducing him to a friend of his, it had been Ukoku Sanzo. So, yes. Yes, actually, it is.

And any thought of the shitty raven makes Sanzo's expression darken ominously.

"Are you going to keep being this annoying?"

At least the gun goes back up a sleeve of those familiar white robes. For now.

Devero reacts without censoring himself, drawing himself up and curling his lip. "Caring about Koumyou is annoying now, is it?" he asks, his fear of the gun forgotten in the face of defending his partner. Yes, even against Koumyou's own son. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Don't worry, Sanzo can give it back just as easily. He stoops to pick up the book he'd dropped when Devero had barged into the office, opening it back up in his hands.

"I do what I want."

Do you wanna go?

The only place Devero wants to go is to wherever Koumyou is. He flings his hands in the air in exasperation. "Look, do you have any idea where he is, or not?"

"Of course I do."

Fuck you, total stranger.

"Just because you're using his homyo freely and you know the first name he gave me doesn't mean jack shit. He's acting weird enough without me bringing some random asshole to him to set him off even worse."

With a disgusted look at the pages, Sanzo shuts the book in his hands and tosses it onto Koumyou's little desk.

"I'd hoped there would be something in here that could help, but I've found nothing. And so far, that includes you."

Rust and ruin. Devero gapes at Genjo, sort of flabbergasted to be dealing with someone so-- so-- so aggressively unhelpful. He has to turn away, pinching the bridge of his nose and breathing deep to get himself back under control. He can't afford to lose it at this shithead; he can't afford to lose his focus and fall back into the insidious grip of this huge, horrifying illusion.

He relaxes the fingers of his other hand and looks down at the pendant on his palm. He rubs a thumb over the comforting geometries of the metal. He breathes in and out, the way Koumyou taught him.

After a moment, he turns back around and looks at Genjo. He takes in the fold and fall of the familiar Sanzo uniform-- Devero knows Koumyou hadn't been wearing his traditional robes when Devero-the-dog had visited him here just a couple of days ago. (He doesn't want to focus on the memories too hard, lest he yield his mind to them, but he can at least remember that.)

His eyes track up to Genjo's face, and pause on the just-visible shape of the holy chakra on his forehead. Something about that feels--significant--

--he'd sat right where Genjo is standing, looking up into brown eyes and whining with anxious concern because something felt wrong about the face of the reclusive philosophy prof but it didn't look any different--

--examining that feeling at home later, in a small apartment that felt so familiar and so alien at the same time, peeling apart a deep unease and finding all kinds of little things that didn't add up--

--sitting bolt upright in bed, spurred by a crystal-clear vision of a smiling man with a scroll over his shoulders and a raised red dot on his head--

Remembering how important Koumyou Sanzo was to him had been the lever Devero had needed to pry himself out of the grip of the illusion. That's why he's here, now. To find his partner, and wake him up too.

He looks at Genjo again. "By acting weird, do you mean acting like he's some mundane philosophy teacher here and thinks he always had been?" he asks, circling a hand to indicate the university. He's taking a gamble here, but he's fairly confident he's got the right read on this situation...

While Devero's gone through that thought process, Sanzo has already taken several more books down off the shelves against a wall, glancing at their titles. And a knicknack, a... shrunken head? With a pink bow in its hair.

"Yes. It's obviously a powerful illusion to still be affecting him. Which means there may be some sort of talisman involved. To sustain it."

He'd already searched the house.

"And you might be part of it, for all I know. So you can share with the class, or you can fuck off, because I'm busy."

That's his gamble paid off, then. Devero actually feels a touch of tension leaving him as Genjo confirms that he's already broken out of the illusion himself.

He moves to perch on a corner of Koumyou's desk, watching the other Sanzo going through the books. "I know who's behind this," he says bluntly, laying his cards bare on the table. "Koumyou and I have been traveling together, and over the past month, month-and-a-half we've been battling illusion magic, all from the same source. On the last planet, they made themself known to us-- by throwing a fucking tantrum because we had interfered in their plan to kill all the residents of the city we got dispatched to, for the record.

"They mentioned having lost a place called Diagad," he finishes, assuming he doesn't need to point out the significance of that.

"Somehow, I've heard weirder shit. But this is rising steadily in the rankings."

What with his master being alive and all. Why not have been on an interplanetary road trip with some random weirdo?

He's pretty sure this guy isn't lying, at least. If he is, he's doing an impressive job of it. Sanzo picks through some more books, then pauses with a grunt to dig into his sleeve and produce...

Yep, a cigarette.

And a fucking lighter, because he can't do the magic fire touch his master so often employs.

And as always, the lighter fucking fights him. Chck, chck-chck--

"So I guess I have another asshole to shoot."

"If we can find them. If they're even on planet-- or hell, corporeal." Speaking of weird shit.

He watches Genjo fight with the lighter, offering out a hand after a moment in invitation. Want him to give it a try?

"Obviously," he says as he does, "it's possible to break out of the magic. I'm-- surprised he hasn't already, honestly. Which is why I want to find him." He looks sidelong at the other Sanzo. "I want to try to wake him up."

Sanzo looks briefly at Devero's hand, brow furrowing, and... just continues to fight his shitty disposable lighter. It might be shitty, but it's his only one, so like hell is he handing it over.

But once again, this stranger's words don't seem to be some kind of ploy.

"...Fine, let's go."

And just like that, Sanzo strides for the door.

...All right then. After a moment, Devero retracts his hand, sticking them both in his pockets to cover any awkwardness. Of course, then Genjo turns to leave just like that and he has to awkwardly get out of his way, then awkwardly hurry to follow.

He tucks his pendant under his shirt as he does, keeping it hidden. He can't help but feel its effects are stronger where it lays against his skin, and given the urge he's feeling right now to drop into one of his dog-selves, he needs that grounding.

In fact, he's pretty distracted by that urge as he follows Genjo, his attention focused inward. You're not magic, he's reminding himself. You can't actually turn into a dog. You don't want to turn into a dog. Don't be a fucking dog!

But at the same time, he can't help but remember how easy and simple everything seemed when he was one. How his worries and anxieties receded, pushed back by the pure and visceral joy of... of dogness. If he was a dog, he wouldn't be feeling as sick as he is right now... He wouldn't be so frantic... All he needs to do is-- just--

Up until now, he's been keeping up with Genjo, silently letting Koumyou's son lead the way. But he staggers abruptly to a stop next to a lightpost and whirls to drive a fist into it with a snarl. "Fucking knock it off!" he snaps-- at. himself. Yeah.

And Sanzo doesn't know why he's getting this complicated, frustrated, frantic vibe off the guy even when he's walking behind the priest, but he is.

Which is...

Depressingly normal, honestly.

So when the stranger pauses to punch an inanimate object, Sanzo stops and turns to look at him over his shoulder, finally-lit cigarette dangling from his lips.

And he asks, about as kindly as it gets with him (especially with someone he's gotten off to such a rough start with), "What's your problem now?"

Devero covers his eyes with the punching hand (now bleeding a little) and grips the pendant under his shirt. Through gritted teeth, he breathes, "It's trying to get into me again. The magic. I'm not-- good at this. Sorry."

"When it does that, you gotta grab onto a memory that doesn't match the illusion, and hold on tight," Sanzo states, turning to face him. "It's trying to shove your past into the background and make you focus on its lie. So, don't let it."

He's dealt with this before.

Edited 2021-07-17 03:50 (UTC)

Yeah, he's not surprised by that. He is a little surprised that this asshole is offering any advice at all, though; that's definitely counter to his impression of the man so far.

Still, he's not going to reject a Sanzo's advice on magic. "Yeah," he grunts with a nod. At least 'a memory that doesn't match the illusion' is easy: in this illusion world, he's alone. He's a cog in the machine of Jinnjar city. And while that's not intrinsically distasteful to him, his remembered life here is... lonely.

Eyes still closed, he focuses on the image from last night's dream, of a warm and smiling Koumyou Sanzo in his robes and crown and veil. He fills in the memory with sensory details, wresting them stubbornly away from the magic trying to suppress them: the faint smell of train perfume in his hair, the cornsilk fineness of it against Devero's fingers. The grotesquely sharp definition of the wiry muscles on his lean frame. The sound of his voice, laughing. Those long-boned, work-callused hands on Devero's skin, wiping away tears or stroking his face fondly or drawing him close for a kiss.

He focuses on the Koumyou he knows, rejecting the image of a mild college professor that the illusion is trying to feed him instead of his wild, fierce Sanzo.

The urge to turn into a dog fades away again. Devero's able to manage a deep breath, and forces his shoulders to relax.

He looks up at Genjo, eyes roaming over his uniform. The other Sanzo's robes and breastplate and the sutra draped over his shoulders are all solid evidence that the Koumyou he remembers is true. They just have to find him inside the grip of this bullshit illusion.

He tears his eyes from where they want to linger on the sutra and meets Genjo's. "Thank you," he says, flexing his bloody hand. "I'm good. Let's go."

Sanzo just grunts an affirmative, and turns to continue leading the way with his long strides. He walks like someone used to being followed, and always pushing the pace.

He's only human, but like hell will he fall behind the idiot youkai in his crew... and like hell will he slow down on this stupid, fake world.

At least Devero's more than able to keep up. His regular running around the train is serving him well as he resumes following Genjo without complaint. And every time he feels his mind wandering away from the task at hand, straying invitingly towards his life here on Jinnjar?

He fixes his eyes on the Maten sutra, and holds onto the Koumyou in his head.

And every time this weird guy stares too hard at the Maten for a little too long, the skin on Sanzo's neck prickles. But to someone not trained in how to read it, the Maten looks basically identical to the Seiten that Koumyou wears, it's true. And since this asshole doesn't make a move for it, Sanzo doesn't have to aerate him out here on the sidewalk in broad daylight.

So, fine. He'll put up with it.

At least the sour expression on his face is perfectly at home there.

--

It's a long walk and possibly some public transportation later that they roll up on one of the standard-issue family residences. Sanzo just marches right up to the door and goes on in, no knocking, trailing smoke from his third cigarette since meeting Devero.

The living room is very bog standard, and has clearly been searched with about the same book-dropping care Sanzo showed in Koumyou's office. And sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, is that anxious and depressed mess of a professor not!Devero the dog has visited so many times in that selfsame office.

Sanzo stands a bit off to one side, watching whatever happens with that same sour expression on his face that he'd worn the whole way here. Make one wrong move, stranger. Try him.

It's an awkward trip, to say the least, but Devero holds his silence. Partly it's because he's not really sure how to talk to someone this... adversarial; mostly it's because he's fighting actively to keep himself free of the illusion.

Arriving at the bland little family home is a goddamn relief, and Devero's heart jumps in his chest when he enters and sees Koumyou sitting there. He's incredibly tempted to sweep him up and just snog him until he remembers, but a glance between Genjo's face and Koumyou's slumped misery makes him rethink that plan.

So instead he just approaches the couch, stopping at the corner and saying, "Koumyou?" softly.

Koumyou looks up, and he... kind of looks like warmed over shit. Like he hasn't been sleeping at all, which is why he's just sort of... sitting here, miserable.

And sure enough, there's no chakra presently on his forehead. Or rather, it's obscured by the illusion.

He squints at Devero without recognizing him, then looks askance at his son. "Genjo?"

"I'm right here, master," Sanzo has found an ashtray, but he's otherwise not moved since he planted himself here to observe. "This guy says he knows you."

Devero nods, throat tight. He's been rehearsing his grand speech in his head since he woke up, but suddenly he has no idea what to say. And seeing Koumyou look so very miserable? That's not making things any easier.

Maybe he should start inside the illusion, instead of dropping Voidtrecker stuff on him right away.

Taking a step back and a deep breath, he starts to go down on one knee. His body twists and deforms and when the motion is complete, there's a great white dog standing there instead. His plumed tail wags a couple of times and he approaches the sitting man, nosing at his nearest elbow with a whine.

"Oh, it's you," Koumyou's long, bony fingers just sort of automatically dig into thick neck ruff, although his face shows a little embarrassment. "I... thought you were just someone's friendly pet this whole time."

Fuck.

Had he given him treats? He probably had. Is that fucking weird? It probably is.

...He'd definitely talked to him in funny voices and flapped his ears for him.

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