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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

① LOST & LOST

[ it should really come as no surprise that izō is among the last of those still trapped in the illusion. he's had the dreams — nightmares, really — and the odd headaches, but those are hardly compelling reasons to want to question the reality that he knows. he's content. he has people here. it's not like his life in this place has been too much of a departure from the life he had when he was still human. he still runs the streets with his friends and starts fights, and gets into trouble. getting into trouble's easy when you can make an easy getaway; no one ever looks at a stray dog and wonders if it's the suspect they're looking for.

but of course, it doesn't last. he hears the rumours before shit starts getting really strange and he finds he's more irritated about the heightened presence of hero-types running around than anything else. it's the ultimate in escapism. like a bottle that never goes dry. just choose not to see it.

it's on around dusk when he decides to sit outside for a bit while the sun sets and unwind. he'd done a job today with the others, but if you asked him what it was, he probably wouldn't be able to tell you. someone else might've questioned this odd gap, but izō has never claimed to be smart, so why should he expect his memory to be any better? content is a good way to describe what he's feeling right now, just having a smoke before he heads back. he's not interested in running into any weirdos in the dark either.

he's been zoned out for a bit, just mechanically going through the motions, but when he brings his hand up again for another drag, he finds... nothing! a quick look confirms that he hadn't dropped anything; the cigarette in his hand had just vanished into thin air. ]

Fuck, really? Again?

[ yes, it's not the first time this has happened. but sometimes shit happens, right? no explanation. it's just a thing! a mystery to everyone. he's choosing not to see it. change his mind? he's in the middle of patting down his pockets. ]

Better not have takin' my lighter...

② LET LOOSE

[ willful ignorance is hard. he's been getting caught up in loops — trying to get somewhere, finding he can't, forgetting why. streets he's known all his life (as he believes) keep looking weirdly unfamiliar. it must be all the... renovations. in his defence, he only has to spin a line of bullshit to convince himself, which is a skill izō honed to perfection in his real life.

it all has him preoccupied enough that he misses movement further down the street he's about to cross as he heads for some other nebulous place he thinks he needs to get to. at a four-way intersection, he pauses, that feeling of strangeness returning all at once to make him second guess where he's going. was it straight? or to the left? if he'd kept on going, he might've been fine, but standing out there; he eventually draws the attention of whatever else is alive around here.

he turns at the sound of a growl and the click-click of claws on pavement, staring at the beast — which manages to seem familiar somehow even as the street he's standing on doesn't — for an almost comically long time. move. that's what he should be doing!

izō turns and takes off running, (justifiably) rushing around the first turn he gets to — only to crash directly into someone else. it seems his attitude is more or less the same in one world or the next as he isn't bothering to wait and see if they're okay, just struggling to get back onto his feet and go before he's an appetiser. ]

Gotta go! Don't ask fuckin' questions; just run!

[ there, he's given a warning, at least. it's not like the situation won't become very clear very soon. there's no shame in running from big ravenous monsters when you're unarmed. he's not sure why he thinks of it because it feels completely irrelevant in the midst of things, but he does. ]

③ WILDCARD

[ ooc; want something else? hmu @ koutenko! ]

Edited 2021-07-16 10:36 (UTC)

[She thought she'd spotted him a few times, but she hadn't been sure. There aren't too many heroic spirits she's seen in casual clothes; it's happened enough, sure, but Izo by far wasn't one of them. In normal clothing, he almost looks...normal.

If she thinks about it that's the case for everyone here though.

Now, though. Now, the chaos has brought Izo's social circle in a crossover with 'hers'. Now, with chaos and beasts in the streets, there's no real way to avoid everyone.

Now-] Nhgh-!

[Now...she's surprised.] I...Izo...niisan..?

[Hold on, did he say-

Run?

The sight of gnashing teeth and familiar gleaming eyes is plenty enough.] Right! [Kiyoiri immediately starts running with him, channeling a bit of energy to her legs as needed for the extra boost.]

[ bad enough basically running over a kid, that already makes him hesitate. that's definitely the sort of decision you have to live with for the rest of your life. he's not sure if he's really prepared for that, even given the possibility the rest of his life might only be as long as he manages to get away from the creature.

but then she... knows him? that's almost enough to make him stumble. it's all a bit more than cognitive dissonance, what with the whole thing literally breaking down around them and literally making his head hurt. fortunately, izō is, if nothing else, very good at shoving everything he doesn't want to think about where he doesn't have to see it for a while. all that shock and indecision provides plenty of time for her to catch up, at least.

the only problem is that there's a good chance in a dead sprint they won't be able to outrun the thing, especially since he still thinks he's human — which would seem to interfere with what he should be capable of as a Servant. just a bad time all around. maybe if they had a little time to breathe...? ]

Here! C'mon!

[ someone more gentlemanly might've let her go on ahead since what he's referring to is a narrow gap between buildings, but as izō is... not that... he simply grabs hold of her wrist and pulls her along behind him. it's not the most comfortable place to end up — it's cool, and a little damp from being perpetually in shadow and some random trash has blown in and gotten caught with seemingly only the one outlet to the outside. it's probably just a bit of access space for maintenance or something, and difficult to see what's further in beyond a point. most importantly, it's too narrow for the beast chasing them to fit through, but it definitely knows they're there and seems inclined to try to wait them out, at least for now.

izō lets go once they're both clear, shuffling over to flop down dramatically against one wall to catch his breath. he really doesn't care what the ground is like; after that, he's sitting.

hopefully, neither of the two buildings sheltering them at the moment will decide to vanish... ]

[Well, upside to her personal speed boost, she's not really being dragged around that hard- directionally speaking she is, perhaps, but that's about it. Pretty soon they're in the alley, the beast clawing and snarling at the entry as they sit there.

Well. Izo is sitting. Kiyoiri isn't doing that just yet. Glancing toward it as she wonders how much it would take to get a mystic code from the train later, she waits to be sure that it won't mysteriously crawl in before turning to her 'rescuer'.]

...Izo-niisan. [A greeting, and perhaps all at once a declaration. This is Izo.] ...How have you been?

Look, if yer here 'cause I owe ya money, y'know I'm always good for it! I'm a man of my word!

[ forgetting his entire other life does not stop him from pointing this out just as emphatically. he also seems to have forgotten that following him hadn't exactly been a choice. and another thing... ]

Wait. Ain'tcha a little young to—...

[ yes, now he realises it and feels foolish. this is how it started the other times, so it's easy to assume. maybe those aren't even false memories, just details misapplied to lend just enough credibility to things to help it linger on for this long. ]

Anyway, thought that's what I heard. Awfully familiar for someone I ain't never met before...

[This isn't working very well is it.

It would probably, she thinks, be easier if they weren't stuck in an alley. Problem there- first, she's puny. Second, Izo clearly can't remember being Izo, which means his usual manslayer prowess is functionally useless.]

CAW!

[A crow's call from above, and Kiyoiri looks up. And Takechirou is...following, but not helping. On the one hand the bird kept his attachment; on the other, he seems to think he's a bird, which is helping less. She can't even at least use a Command Spell on Izo- while he's bound to the whole group of seven, herself and Ayumi naturally included, she can't tell if forcing a spell that way will be a good i...

...dea....] ....This should jog your memory, [she decides, and clenching the fist with spells upon it, one fades to dust as she takes her breath and looks up.]

TAKECHIROU! AT MY COMMAND- RECALL YOURSELF AND BECOME SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE HIM DO THE SAME!

[The result is almost instant- with a resounding 'caw', something rainbow-like shatters over the bird. It falls to the ground like black water, though by the time it hits the ground it looks more like someone landing in a crouch. And when that someone stands...]

....Ah.

[Hm.]

Sakamoto Ryouma. Rider.

[Well, now she just feels bad, looking at 'Ryouma in Pilot's Black'. (She wonders if Takechirou is passively mirroring Oryou as well, actually.)

Still, she supposes if this doesn't work, then nothing will.]

Eh?

[ he barely has time to wonder about any of it when the bird is already falling and assuming a shape. justifiably startled by this, he gets to his feet but stays crouched there with the wall at his back. in terms of running away, he'd really picked a hell of a hiding spot, huh?

so far, he's only experienced his memories in dreams, just disjointed snapshots of his life that manifested as bloody nightmares. he'd tried not to think about them or wonder about the voices or the faces of the people he'd seen in them sometimes. wasn't he happier without them? he has a life! he has people! ... doesn't he? this must be what he'd heard about lately, the rumours of strangers wandering around causing trouble. ]

If ya got power, why don'tcha use it to kill that thing?!

[ as opposed to messing with him. although to admit that he feels conflicted means acknowledging the reasons why. he was covering his ears so he didn't have to hear that voice again and looking only at the ground now because once was enough. maybe he can ignore this, and it'll go away like everything else. izō can't see it or doesn't notice, but it looks like he's the one with the glitches now as his physical state seems affected by his internal turmoil. a human might have found it easier to get away with his continued denial, but as a servant whose memories and experiences were integral to everything, he's fighting a losing battle.

he's always the one who loses. he remembers an alley, not unlike this one, and something had been hunting him then too. they were only men — manslayers just like him, as a matter-of-fact — but the wolves of mibu had patience and numbers on their side. izō had been on the run; fatigue and hunger had long sapped his strength. he'd already known his luck was soon to run out. ryouma had appeared then too. he hadn't yet started dressing in the western style then, and the dark blues and blacks he appears in now are reminiscent of that. ryouma couldn't save him then, although that might be one thing he doesn't hold onto as a grievance. back then, no one could. as a servant, he's been dragged around and pulled into things that don't concern him, been left for dead only to find out ryouma had gone off happily to chaldea. sakamoto ryouma always looks at the big picture things and thinks of the happiness of others, except the most bitter parts of izō are quite certain that's true for everyone but him.

it's unpleasant but no one could say this wasn't an effective strategy. ]

Oi.

[ he sounds genuinely pissed off. at some point, the illusion seems to have broken entirely, his saint graph returning to its usual state. normal clothes are nice, but it's probably a good sign that he looks like himself again with everything going on. the anger in his tone at least doesn't stick around; there's plenty to unpack about the fact that he's left with the knowledge of his fake happiness, but there's no way he's looking at any of that right now. or ever, if he has his way ~~or at least gets a few too many drinks in him again.~~ ]

I already got a headache, ya ain't gotta call in this guy t'make it worse...

[ as usual, he completely glosses over the rest as if it didn't just happen. ]

[Hmm. Two things-] ...I didn't think of how I could use that power until now.

Also, Takechirou is only 1/7th of someone's Noble Phantasm. Ayumi said that Ryouma-niisan was associated with the Counter Force, yes? I can guarantee he hasn't copied that level of power.

[She lets Izo gradually settle, the hakama- the worn hakama, not the shiny new one he'd managed to get for new years- before sighing.]

...Also, I didn't pick who he copied. ...Sorry.

[She might not sound it, but she really is!] I don't think I can help this kind of headache, either. But, fighting that, [she points, before holding out the hand with command spells,] should be easier now right?

[It's even a 2v1 now!]

[ he waves a hand at the apology, still not really used to that no matter who it comes from. it's not something he considers necessary. izō complains for the sake of complaining most of the time; he never expects anyone to do anything about it. ]

Worked, didn't it? S'all that matters.

[ and it beats the alternatives, which seemed to be getting eaten or waiting around for another strange thing to happen and not being able to do anything about it. the powerlessness was probably the worst part about it.

or... well, he'd had a little bit of "power", didn't he? not that he's volunteering to mention it now. it wouldn't have helped and it's ridiculous.

izō stands and cracks his neck and rolls his shoulders, trying to look perfectly casual about this. he's not worried about the monster outside, but the posturing is for himself, if nothing else. it's fine! see? overconfident as usual; no doubt he could handle this with or without help, please believe him. ]

Hopefully, whatever seventh got copied is the part that knows how t'use a sword.

[ a copy. why was he making such a fuss about this anyway? at least he's not trying to avoid looking now — that would be obvious — but he supposes it's an alright imitation. ]

[Perhaps? Kiyoiri doesn't comment on it, merely looking back to the beast.] Right, [she declares, not bothering to explain that that isn't how '1/7th' works.

Instead, with a deep breath, she reaches out with what she can to give Izo the boost he needs. As with any of the Chaldean Masters, she'll need to stay close- but at least he won't be drawing directly from his own Spirit Origin now.]

Then, let's go. [Easy enough- 'Ryouma' doesn't move, but his 'shadow' does, manifesting as a faint, eerie seeming 'Oryou' to begin delivering blows.]

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So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

okada izō | fate/grand order | 4th wall guest

Let Loose

sorry for the delay i now once again have brain cells orz

ITS ALL GOOD

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