middleofsomewhere | So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

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So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

JUST Ā̸̛͇̹̈́͌͐͛̐̋͝Ǹ̵̠͍̲̘͈̮͈̺͔̤͙̳̓̔͑͌̒̓̃́̄̚͘Ớ̶̻̱̄̓͆͂̈́̄̔͋͌̽̀̕͘T̵͙͍͓̻̩͙̻͙̹͎̫̘͇̱̈́̌̓͝ͅH̶̭̻͇̰͈̯̦̹̦̗͐̒́Ẽ̵̡̡̘̳͉͇͚̼̗̣̩͎̞̏͒̈́̏͂̈͝Ř̴̠͋̐͘ NORMAL DAY

"Jinnjar citizens. Unfortunately, all train travel will be closed due to issues on the lines. Members of the Voidtrecker Express have been located around the city, and are deploying trickery to agitate and confuse us. We ask any volunteers at this time to help us locate any suspicious objects and people, and to restrain them.

For the f̴̘̯̰̦̺͖̔͌̋̃ũ̴̢̖̦͙̩̼̺̪͚͍̥͈̜̝͋̌̒̊̚ẗ̶̪̺͕̤̯̞̤͓̝́̑̄̎̊̕future of our city!"

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

EVENT BASICS:

DAYS 5 & 6:

By now, some people have broken out of their fake lives while some haven't. Tension is rising in the city as people are led to believe this is by the Voidtreckers, which some will believe due to illusions and messing with one's heads is believed to be one of their many tactics.
Some oddities are occurring with travel, and glimpses of how the city is made beginning to show. The streams of colour - the void - are getting brighter. Electronics are not working well. Some monster sightings are seen, but not to a large degree.
The prompts here are light to give characters and players time to ICly coordinate, as Voidtreckers are being more actively hunted. Some faces are known. You know who you are, troublemakers.

DAYS 7 & 8:

The world is really starting to go a bit wild now, with more things disappearing, animals on the loose and more monster sightings.
By the end of day eight most people have realised the truth though those who are very susceptible to mind control or very stubbornly wanting to believe in this world will still be trapped, believing this is the Voidtreckers doing.
There are monsters to fight, people to keep calm and a plan to make.

[ HOME SWEET...HOME? ] By day 5, the people of Jinnjar are in a state of anxiety more than before. There's those who realise they're not a part of this world, never were, while there's those who still cling onto this life. Health services say that the source of confusion comes from the colour trails that are brighter than ever in the sky, while the D-Force/Heroes have it confirmed - internally and publicly - that there are Voidtreckers amongst them.

The media shows pictures of potential suspects, some Voidtreckers, some not; a man with the same face as two others, one who made a show by creating ice in the middle of the street. Your face may be shown, but don't worry - they're asking people not to play vigilante.

That'll surely keep people behaved.

[ TRAVEL REVIEW. ] As if it couldn't get more frustrating, most of the trains are down. Air taxis are still available for short journeys, yet some people have the bizarre occurrence where they end up in the wrong spot, and even remember going in this wrong direction...but never say anything about it. Those using the tele-pads will also find themselves not always arriving where they should, or worse, suffering intense headaches, swirling colours behind their eyes, their thoughts jumbled for as long as ten minutes before it passes.

You might want to walk.

[ MAKING DO. ] Still, with all the chaos, many are trying to live. You have a life here, no matter what some other force is trying to make you believe,

For our HEROES: The cinema has rethought its showings due to the worrying happenings of the last few days. Clearly a boost in morale is needed and so they have pulled out some of the great films of the past. Action films that show heroes beating the bad guys, disaster films where the good guys beat the aliens, stop the natural disaster or thwart the secret agency looking to take down civilisation from the inside, at the last minute. Even the childrens films have taken on a pro-hero and triumphant air.

It's not quite distraction though, how could it be when every film has a warning before and after. REMEMBER TO REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO DFORCE and WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW. REMEMBER TO WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS AS CAREFULLY AS YOU DID THE SCREEN.
Fun Park: It's for the kids, but one of the largest arcade parks has a special discount on everything to anyone who come visit. It's even advertised across the news: For half the price, get amazing fun and even better food! Kids younger than eight or from the orphanages get free access everywhere!

It's time not to think too hard, and to ignore the trouble! Play laser tag, racing cars or get a high score on the dance mat!
Encroaching Dangers: Something new is beginning to happen, as the city continues to shift. It starts at night, those that stay out past when the streets go quiet might see a shadow, might hear a growl.

Rumours and reports start to spread about monsters on the street.

DAY SIX: HELP FROM INSIDE

[ AID. ] DIAGNET is full of videos but one that has started doing the rounds is of a small droid and a cat. It's not hard to see why it has gone viral, the cat and cleaning droid are chasing each other around an apartment, caught on a home security footage. The cat tries to catch the droid but every time it gets close the droid turns to chase it and the cat runs away. It has been uploaded with stirring orchestral music, which adds to the madness.

But... For those Voidtreckers who have already regained their memories that little droid seems familiar indeed. As do the sounds that punctuate the music.

beep beep beep boop | boop

boop boop beep | boop boop boop

boop boop | boop boop boop | boop boop boop | boop beep | boop beep beep | beep beep boop | beep beep beep | boop

boop beep boop beep | beep boop | beep beep boop beep | beep

boop boop boop | beep boop beep | boop beep beepp | beep | beep boop beep

boop beep | beep beep boop | boop | beep boop beep | beep beep | boop | beep | beep boop

Of course it might not be anything, just weird droid sounds that haven't been fully edited out of the video.

[ MOONDUST CAFÉ. ] It might be that they figured out the message or, it might be that a friend is dragging them to the cafe. But for those that make their way there, they will find the Moondust Cafe is a bustling cafe on the edge of a park, near local transport links.

For those that say the right words, a slightly bored looking teenager manning the counter waves them to a side door. "Best sit downstairs, service will be quicker."

Downstairs has a fair number of tables and booths and is lit by coloured lighting making everything look a little obscure. There's soft music playing, not loud enough to make it impossible to hear each other but enough to make it a little harder for evesdroppers.

Mingle, discuss. This is probably the closest to a safe space there is.

[ LOST & LOST. ] You may have spotted it already - that is, spotted what's missing. There's been the pets, the birds in the sky, a pen or apple or wrench from the garage. But now, with every single bad thing going on, more is starting to disappear. Machines stop working, from air conditioning, freezers, your Jinnjar MP3 player, to TVs and more.

And in some business buildings, even entire rooms are gone, their floors empty of more than the door you opened to find this out. Even the heroes seem worried and they quickly clear any affected areas, chasing away bystanders and sealing off whole wings of office blocks.

None of them have answers though, except that this must be the Voidtreckers doing. After all who else but that group could have power enough to do such damage?

DAY SEVEN & EIGHT: UNRAVELLING

[ OVEREXPOSURE. ] Everything is starting to escalate. The headaches are getting regular the more you're outside, buildings are starting to go missing around the outskirts. People see parts of the city flickering, and when they reach certain sections of the city, they find they can't go beyond it.

Life tries to go on, but as more areas of the city begin to be sealed off and considered dangerous, even those who are most stubborn about pretending everything is normal can see that is is not.

[ LET LOOSE. ] The breaking down of the city has caused a lot of chaos, but one of the biggest problems are that parts of the zoo have vanished. Walls, fences, enclosure roofs. Meaning that the animals inside are no longer confined and are now prowling the city streets. Real birds now fill the sky that the fakes left empty.

And they aren't all that's there. Twisted creatures are becoming more common on the streets of Diagad. Creatures that look almost like animals but warp and twist between them, one moment a bear the next it has horns and then it is a wolf. But no matter how they look those claws and teeth are bad news for everyone.

[ CRUMBLING, CRUMBLING. ] By day eight whole streets are disappearing. homes, houses. people need to be moved in closer around the congress sector. Colours crackle through the sky like lightning and the world shakes often.

It's not just the infrastructure but the memories of those in the city. Dreams have come realities and all but the most stubborn have begun to realise that this world is not their own. They are from another place. What is going on? Why are they in this city? Who are these people who are their 'family'?

Confusion and anger are growing in the streets and it is perhaps time for the Voidtreckers to come out of the shadows.

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"There's still work to be done." Which means yes, yes she is. She's just not letting herself succumb to it yet. "I was with Senku and some others. We tried to dispel the illusion."

It hadn't gone well. With him sharing, she's able to stabilize somewhat. Closing her eyes and taking a moment to breathe.

"Yeah, well. Maybe it's better in case I accidentally hit a person. I get the feeling they're real this time."

Besides the oppressive headache, he occasionally gets a psychic burst from the city. Someone's mind and powers returning to them so he feels their wave of confusion. He'd enjoy the background noise being there again if it weren't for the hateful sky demon causing him a real headache.

Murphy follows at a lanky jog, bat in hand, fixing it in a tighter grip in case he needs to run in swinging.

"Thank you. It can wait until then." There was genuine gratitude in her voice. "I trust you, as you already know." She trusted him to do whatever was necessary, should she become a danger. As well as she trusted him with smaller things.

"And? What happened?"

It obviously hadn't worked. And if she was hurt....

Yondu pauses and tips his head like suddenly he's realizing that. 'James' isn't like the Yondu Udonta here. A vigilante who leads the Ravagers. A man with good intentions and a family and who at one time had been in love.

James is now in there. "This isn't the same James that you showed me. This is 'here' James, ain't it?"

He turns off his phone and puts it away. "I guess I need to set aside time for that cafe."

She can't... She really can't talk or think too much about it right now. Too much still to do before she collapses. Which she's determined to not do until they're safe on the train.

"It...it took us. Tortured us." Her voice cracked slightly at the end. "I don't really want to talk about it right now." Softly voiced, but firmly said.

"No, but I don't have a choice." This was getting annoying--and Raven knew she'd pay for ignoring this all later. Her body would need rest, and her mind...her mind would need healing. She'd need help.

But it would have to wait; there was work to do right now.

"I'll be alright. Too much to do right now."

Walking with him, Raven has pulled out her notebook from her backpack. Making notes as he comments about the location. She's pretty sure she's understanding him well, and she gives a nod. "I have a class in entrepreneurship I was looking at taken, and location has to be an important component in starting my own business."

This looks like a good location.

Leia knew this kind of pain. And she knew that the silence that followed the screams was worse. Several theories about what the entity might be were discarded and a few more took their place, but neither the suffering she could sense nor any of her thoughts on its potential origins justified what this entity had done.

She felt pity for it. Sympathy. Empathy, even. But her plans remained unaltered. "None of us came here of our own will," she said, calmly and quietly from her hiding place. "You said before that you know our natures and our souls, and yet you brought us here anyway. So what else can any of us do but be true to those natures?"

The entity itself was included in that statement. If its nature was pain, grief, and chaos, then it would be true to that, and gain what came with it. Their natures would always bring them into conflict. One way or another, they could only see that conflict through to its conclusion.

"I'm sure you would." Trunks agreed, and had no intention of being taken in. "But I am just as certain you're NOT a member of D-Force. Not really." This was it--from here it was going to be a fight. "So I ask again, How long?"

Having to do this whole dance every time may get seriously annoying. Next time they set up train wide code phrases or something. "Well, you've figured out the illusion and brainwashing part. We don't know for sure that it's the same thing as last time, but if it quacks like a duck..."

None of them want there to be two entities with this signature move. "I think it bit off more than it can chew with us."

She casts a last glance in the direction of the barricade.

"Acceptable. They appear to be receiving reinforcements. I will follow."

Yondu's plant powers are practically gone. He doesn't try to fall back on them either. He whistles, calling up his arrow so it hovers over his shoulder like some kind of waiting drone, keenly watching for an attack.

What he sees first is people running around the corner from something. What looks like a shrew crossed with a running crocodile. Again, that might be what the thing is meant to look like but honestly he doubts it.

He shakes his head, a little sadly.

"It was never real. It was a lie to keep you content here. One that our captor could not sustain. When we are away from this cursed world, you can make one of your own."

From beneath Trunks, vines seemed to grow out of the ground, seemingly from nowhere, attempting to wind their way around his arms and legs, with the intent to trap and cage him.

"I really did try and warn you which was awfully generous of me, Voidtrecker."

"Wei Wuxian," he repeats. The name is vaguely familiar. Maybe in his phone contacts? His real phone.

He shakes his head. "You do not need to apologize yet. We are working to understand and avert it. We have not given in to it as written fate."

He looks at her with sympathy, reaches out a hand to her shoulder. "Have you found those who believe in your good nature and will fight fate for you?"

"I do not think it was planned until after I had unleashed my spell. This thing seems protective of its realm and would rather have its captives be content in ignorance."

Loki gives a grin. "Secret identities, hm? Like this?" He shimmers and turns into an exact double of Danny. "Or maybe this would be better?" Shimmer, and he's now a muscle-bound blond man. "Why choose just one?" He flashes between several appearances, male, female, old and young, some not even human, but all with the same grin.

"My friends keep convincing me you can fight destiny. I hope they're right. For you and for me." Raven is quiet a moment, before she nods. "I was lucky enough the first time to make friends, friends who I don't want to see hurt. So...I'm glad the train took me. So they won't have to fight for me."

It was an odd statement. But it was how she felt. Traveling as a voidtrecker had afforded her a chance to avoid her destiny as Trigon's portal.

"And then on the train, somehow, I've made friends again. I'm still not used to it. But I'd do anything for them." For Soldat, and Yondu. For Danny and Madoka, and Ple Two, and Kitty. There were others, but they were all her closest. It still amazed Raven that she had friends.

"You did. But hear I'd heard you were more interested in tech." Trunks said, moving to dodge and twist away from the vines. Certainly not lacking in athletic ability. If needed, he still had his own power given to him by this world. "What's the tech like where you're from?"

"We're looking for these guys." And Trunks repeats the description Anan had given to them all about her crew. "Anan might have a way we can close off this world--but everyone needs to get out first."

"Any decent parent would be scared and worried about that." It's a completely terrifying prospect no matter how trustworthy a child and his companion might be.

She glances up at Growmon. "A Digimon is a good friend to send you with though." No guarantee, but he's certainly safer than he'd be on his own.

She snorts at that, one corner of her mouth turning up in a lopsided sort of smile. "Name one petty despot who's ever taken a good long look at their own fuckup instead of pointing at the nearest scapegoat," she says.

A moment's pause as she scans the desolate street. "As for the demonstration, sure. Haven't had a chance to get a good run in yet today."

If she still has memories of her "aunt's" place, it largely matches. The entryway opens onto a large living room that's making its best attempt at doubling as a library, open enough that it's clear there's no one else present. To the left, the kitchen is likewise clear. To the right, the bedroom door stands half-closed, and the bathroom is too dark to make much out at all.

"To me?" Beau asks. "Or to your 'aunt'?" The latter makes sense if the kid's just regained her memory - she'd be familiar, and while the real Beauregard Lionett isn't anyone's idea of a good influence, she also has a reasonable measure of protective instinct.

"--I'm Beau. Also Purple Team, whatever that's worth. Is Frumpkin with you?" She sounds ever so slightly hopeful. Familiars aren't quite the same as normal animals, and while she can't really communicate properly with the fae cat, there may be some hope of impressing upon him the need to find Caleb.

How very crafty of him to be able to move so quickly and that meant she needed to ramp up her powers, send more vines towards him instead.

"Why don't you just come in nice and quiet like?" She asked in a sweet tone.

"Where's the fun in that?" Trunks asked, upping his own speed to continue dodging. "If I go quietly will you answer my questions?" If the stakes weren't so high (and if he'd gone into this with a proper plan), this would almost be fun.

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So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

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Re: Encroaching Dangers

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Re: Day 7

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