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

"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.

Invited in, Devero squeezes closer, sitting on Koumyou's feet and leaning his athletic bulk against his legs. He'd only meant to stay in this form a moment, just long enough for Koumyou to recognize him, but now that he's a dog he can-- sort of--

There's not really a good way to articulate it, but he can smell-taste-sense Koumyou's weariness as clearly as if the Sanzo was wearing cologne. It pulls at 'memories' of intruding on the professor's office or finding him around campus and offering the withdrawn man a moment of distraction. He'd always liked to make him smile....

Koumyou's more than just distant or sad right now though. He's emanating a potent cocktail of pure misery, which-- reminds Devero of-- of why he's here, and it's not to be an emotional support animal.

He backs away from Koumyou, pulling his ruff free from the man's hands with a touch of reluctance that he shoves down inside of himself. He returns to his humanself with a soft huff; this time when he goes to his knees, he finishes the motion in the same body, kneeling directly in front of the priest.

He reaches up to take Koumyou's hands, if the priest will let him. "My name's Devero, emID seven-seventy-one, Prosp-oh-two-oh-two, oh-oh-seven-forty-five," he says, leaning to meet Koumyou's eyes-- if the priest will let him. "And I love you, Koumyou Sanzo."

Koumyou lets him take his hands, and meets his gaze... and blinks, equal parts confused and... terrified? Why is he-- why does that make him--

Sanzo hasn't left the room or taken his eyes off his master and their visitor. And so he voices a very quiet, but very sincere, "What the fuck?"

Edited 2021-07-17 05:43 (UTC)

Devero's fingers tighten on Koumyou's even as he shoots a glare in Genjo's direction. Then again, why wouldn't the asshole have a problem with his father dating someone, if just having friends is apparently inconceivable?

He rubs his thumbs over bony knuckles and brings his attention back to Koumyou. "We met on a train after you died," he says earnestly, aware that he sounds like a total madman but saying it anyway. "We danced together to music neither of us had ever heard before, and it was the first time I'd been happy in--" A hesitation, he still can't help the hesitation, but then he says it. "Years. In years, Koumyou. We watched a movie together and you showed me your magic and almost flooded the theater and we ran off laughing. I think I was already falling in love with you even then."

He assesses Koumyou's face. "Does any of this ring a bell...?"

Edited (icon) 2021-07-17 15:34 (UTC)

Love is death, Devero. You may as well have just declared that you're going to commit murder-suicide with Sanzo's miraculously-alive-again master. The younger priest puts out the butt of cigarette number three and immediately starts fighting his lighter for cigarette number four. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck!

And his violet, narrowed eyes never leave the pair, his freak-out entirely internal; even his hands don't shake while he fights the stupid lighter again. Chk-chk, chk.

It's this to keep his hands busy, or his gun. Let's stick with the lighter... for now.

Koumyou stares at Devero with wide eyes, but doesn't pull his hands away, or even... breathe, really. Listening to this, and it seems so familiar, so... real? Devero, who likes to dance, who's laughter has come easier over time, who plays when Koumyou plays, but still takes him seriously too...

He pull his hands mostly free, but only to take one of Devero's, turn it over, and carefully pinch the tip of his pinky. There's a little lump in there. Devero had had him do this that first day, in the cinema car just before he'd lit it on fire on accident.

Between one blink and the next, the chakra re-appears, and Koumyou is suddenly dressed exactly like his son halfway across the room.

"Oh."

As his Sanzo reappears before him, Devero's eyes fill with tears. His smile is so wide and so relieved. "There you are," he breathes, and reaches his arms up to embrace this man who means so much to him.

Koumyou slides off the couch and onto his knees to hug Devero right back, squeezing tight.

Sanzo watches this happen, with the eyes in his head... and also with the eyes of his heart. He grunts concommitally, and turns to leave the room.

Devero couldn't care less that Genjo is leaving. The soft, expressive man hasn't exactly had a great impression of the prickly younger Sanzo. Hell, it's questionable if he even notices the younger Sanzo going; all his attention is focused on Koumyou in his arms.

He fights to keep himself from dissolving into tears; it helps that they are both still very much in danger. He doesn't even let himself linger in the hug, pulling away after a moment and tugging Koumyou up to sit on the couch with him. "The rainbow sky-- being-- did this," he tells him urgently, pressing the priest's hands. "This whole fucking city is an illusion and we've been stuck in it for days."

As he speaks he's reaching up Koumyou's sleeve for the ARMs band. "Is your pendant in here?" he asks. "I was wearing mine, I think that's why I-- I got lucky, and it helps, it's helping me--"

Koumyou notices, of course, glancing after Genjo as he and Dev move to sit on the couch. But it's clear to the priest that his son is just giving them some privacy, now that he knows for sure that they're... you know. What Devero's indicated.

A thing.

"I... think it is, yes," Koumyou drags his attention back onto the topic at hand, and Devero's hand snaking up his sleeve. It's weird for a second, but then it's not.

It's a little weird for Devero, too; he pushes the discomfort firmly away and soldiers through.

He breathes a sigh of relief when his fingers find Koumyou's pendant. He draws it from the wide sleeve and loops the long chain over Koumyou's head, settling it on his chest with anxious motions of his fingers. "There," he says, and then--

Laughs at himself? The chuckle is brief and self-deprecating. "Not that you need it as much as me," he says. But he feels better knowing Koumyou has that bit of protection anyway.

"I don't know about that," Koumyou sets a hand over Devero's, on the pendant. The cord it's on is sized to hang the amulet just above his ceremonial bamboo breastplate. "Yondu broke me out before and I... fell right back into it."

It's a powerful fucking illusion, and-- "It works differently than the others. The others didn't create an entire backstory for itself."

"It keeps trying to pull me back in," Devero says grimly. "If I get distracted for even a minute, it's there, just fucking waiting for me to lose my focus."

He takes his hand back to grasp his own pendant tight. "Yeah. This shit is-- is leveled up from the last time we ran into it." He grimaces. "Rainbow clouds must have been doing some training too."

It's Koumyou's turn to dig into the ARMs band, himself.

"Give me your dominant hand," he says, pulling a black sharpie marker from his sleeve. He still has quite a few of those from the mission on Nion, before Devero's arrival. On that world, one of the many things he'd done is he'd gone around drawing barrier talismans on thinly-sliced pieces of rock.

Devero holds the requested hand out without hesitation, at least a little of that grimness of his leavened now with curiosity. What are you about, Koumyou Sanzo?

Koumyou takes his hand in one of his, turns it over, and starts writing in small sanskrit on the back. It's the same kind of writing as the sutras on the two Sanzos' shoulders.

"This wouldn't be enough on its own, probably. But I'm giving you a talismanic charm to help."

Watching him, Devero nods soberly. He does recognize the characters, if only so far as realizing it's the script from the sutra and accepting them as magical. "Thank you," he says, holding his hand away from himself and assessing the talisman once Koumyou's finished with it.

"Should we do the same for you?" he asks. "I can try to copy it--" As he says that, though, he remembers that, uh, they're not alone in this. Duh. "--or we could ask your son, if you can't do it for yourself."

"Once that dries, I'll need to charge it," Koumyou lets him know, capping and tucking the sharpie away. Of Devero's suggestion, he looks thoughtful, tapping his own chin with a finger.

"I... don't know if he knows how. He only had the very fundamental basics of talismanic magic when I died, but who knows what he has or hasn't learned since that night."

Edited 2021-07-18 03:20 (UTC)

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