middleofsomewhere | 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

~~smash my typos too~~

Is Demyx going to cockblock Tidus's chance to get lucky today? That's alright, he'll accept it. Though their friend doesn't seem so keen, taking the first wallop like a champ (but with a sound like 'gyuh!'); but when the second hit comes back it lets its tongue free, needing a second to swing it for an attack it wants to do - but Tidus slices his sword with a 'oh no you don't!', which only manages to slice some of the tongue.

That's a thick tongue. But a cut is a cut, and it still squeals, hopping back on its long limbs to get away from the pair for distance.

It's not Tidus' day to get lucky with a creepy tentacle monster. He can do that another day.

He saw it trying to retreat and huffed. "Oh no you don't."

Demyx began to play to erect a water wall behind the thing. "Why is this thing so...gross?" He made a face. It was all wiggly and tentacles. Yuck.

It bumps into the wall before it can do the leap it wants to, pushing up against it one more time to confirm - yes, there's now something behind it and it can't even climb it backwards. Smart thinking!

"It'll be gross and dead! Dex, drench it!"

Demyx - or Dex~~ter~~ - will see why as Tidus clenches his fist, pyreflies gathering around it - and then sparks. He's building up a spell, waiting for the water works to come down on the thing -

So that they can follow it up with a bolt. For extra wet-crispy uglyness.

"I should be offended." He said, laughing lightly but he played several notes in succession, and the wall that's so effectively keeping the monster from getting away crashed down upon it, splattering a decent spray of water everywhere in the near vicinity.

Did he overdo it? Did he even care?

As long as it doesn't come down on them or splatter them, Tidus doesn't care. The monster absorbs the shock more from the lightning attack, leaving it a wet, twitchy mess on the ground - and Tidus looking smug, putting his hands on his sides.

"Ha! What's to feel bad about? It was a great plan!" Which means, you're very welcome, Dex!! "We could've tried perceiving it away, if it was an illusion."

Is it? Isn't it? Who knows, only that they suck dealing with illusions they can't beat up.

"Nevermind." Demyx chuckled a little bit and half shrugged, but at the combined attack he can't help but whistle, that was pretty good.

"I mean, sure, but could we do it before it ate you?" He grinned and moved closer to the writhing mass.

"Eugh." For good measure, he whacked it with his sitar. It better stop moving.

"Perceive it not eating me." Ugh, skip that, thanks. He gestures to Demyx.

"So, how long you been out of it? Think all these monsters outta nowhere is that guy coming for us?"

He can't make heads or tails why they're suddenly around. At least, he doesn't remember the city having a monster infestation when he was out of it.

"Couple of days." He responded, wiping tentacle monster guts off his sitar.

"But the monsters are new." He confirmed with a little frown. "Not sure where they're coming from?" Demyx looked around, speculating.

"Wonder if this whole thing's starting to come apart."

"Could be fake." ...though, he's looking at the one they've just dealt with, and it isn't disappearing yet...

"That makes it easier for us-" if this place is coming apart. "If that's the reason we're remembering. You know about the hide-outs and where everyone's meeting up? Don't got much of a plan right now except helping people remember who they are."

"Easier sounds better. If it's fake, it left some very real guts on my sitar, yuck." He complained lightly. He ended his wiping with shooting a small amount of water at it to clean it properly.

"That's a really good plan, I've been working on that too. I don't know how successful I am though. I tried."

Tidus grimaces. It just leaves - along with gross monster matter - them with the question of where the mastermind behind this was getting the monsters from - and why. After everything in Kamakan had been fake...

"It's not the quickest plan." Though, saying that- "How many people from the train have you found? Me and another guy've got some magic to help. Actually..."

He brings up a hand, and from it appear slips of paper - talismans, that he holds out for Demyx to take.

"We can work together, but these help clear people's minds. You take these ones. We can get some more later from Wei Wuxian, the guy who made them."

"A few people, actually, and I mean I was staying with some of them too." Demyx said with a little hum, although he hadn't managed to encounter them in such a way to wake them up.

"What do I do with them?" He blinked at the talismans, but accepted them and Tidus' word that they would work.

So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

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