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

Great dropkick in, catboy. That knocks back one of the weird waist-high...things trying to group up on Tidus; a gathering of five of them, two of which turn to Adrien and screech at his presence.

"You deal with those!" is all Tidus has time to say as he brings out his blade, slashes at two who're still distracted by the entrance. Even for its sharp edge, the attack does nothing but make them roll back.

They're tougher than they look (or are as tough as they are...cute?).

"Looks like they're quite a troublesome group," Chat said, moving his back to Tidus because hey, he has a sword, and isn't using is so obviously terribly to cause concern. (A glance isn't enough for a more thorough critique beyond doesn't want to make him cry.)

"How about you boys roll on by," Chat said, sweeping with an extended baton to knocok back the creatures. "You wouldn't happen to know if they're alive, alive, would you?"

Don't blame him, okay, it's them! They've got sturdy bodies - and Tidus doesn't see you doing anything more than bopping, mister!!

"Who knows?" is about the best Tidus can give him, for a few reasons. But it gets to the point, and Tidus doesn't have the time to ponder, with the stubby-legged but hard-bodied creatures coming in at him already. He's slicing at them again, and he may need a more piercing attack to get through the - whatever that makes their bodies. But batting the pests away, he tries for a combo - building up a sphere of water and throw it to knock a pair of the monsters away.

It sends them flying some with a yelp, at the very least. "Ugh! Dumb marshmallows!"

"Well, that's unfurrnate. This would be a lot easier if they weren't, but if I don't know..." He sighed. "Sometimes its hard being the good guy."

Listen, Cataclysm can end things quickly.

He supposed its the harder one it is. "Lets see what a little fire does then," he said, spinning his staff, fire building up over the ends and he swings at the creatures with the flames, see if that's enough to send them running.

What do you know - while the water spell managed to push the monsters away, make them annoyed, the fire noticeably burns them, actually gets tiny squealing out of them. Jumping and hopping indignantly, opening mouths and coming running back at Adrien like they want another go, showing their teeth. Look at them!! They're tough!!!!!

"Oh, sure!" Tidus during that says with well-more-deserved indignation. "Always the element I suck at!"

But he can throw out a smaller fireball of his own, and - the creatures he's been fighting are a bit wet, but still they jump up cartoonishly high to being singed.

They might start second-guessing this attacking plan soon...!

"Hey, it took me months to get fire down and that was with a cheat!" Chat Noir said.

Wherein the ability got dropped into his head during another AU event to get him started. Also trauma.

A lot of trauma.

Practice was trying to overcome that, actually. Master the thing that killed you therapy!

But he sees the creatures coming at him, and since he knows fire works, he keeps them up on the staff and spreads it down to his feet and even the end of his tail because hey, the suit is basically fireproof.

He rushes for the creatures, twirling around the staff, hitting it like a pole vault as he swings around, and honestly, its a fire dancing routine mixed with a little breakdancing.

Catboy has now become Fire catboy, apparently. Which Tidus would call out as a showoff move, if he weren't immediately busy. But the little marshmallows are less than keen to try a second time, really; once the pair find that flames = roasted little critters, especially with Chat Noir spreading the heat, two of them are attempting to go running off, one with a flame lit to its backside - with one kind of hopping on the spot wanting to fight, but refusing to get near those flames.

But even the ones that had been bothering Tidus, upon seeing the fire-show? They're backing off and starting to run, all of them squeaking. And for the lonesome one left behind...

It looks around for its friends, spotting them running far ahead. Squawks in surprise, and starts high-tailing it to follow after. Don't you all leave meeee...!!

Listen.

Chat Noir knows what he's about and showoff move is exactly what he was going for. No reason to not show off if he could also be effective.

As the critters run away, he ends his dance, twirling the baton as it shrinks, fire going out as he puts it on his back. He holds out his hands, let's out a soft breath, and closes them, the fire goes out in a crackle of green black energy.

"You know, I didn't expect fire to be so useful, but it really is a good middle ground," he said with a chuckle, shaking out his hands. Trying to hide any lingering shakes.

Tidus is glad to see them running, though, they might be somebody else's problem. He's not going after them this moment though, letting out a sigh as he rubs the back of his head. Sword disappearing, no longer necessary.

"Good thing you've got it!" Even with his whining earlier - better to have it than not. He looks at the guy properly now, and his...outfit.

"Are you part of the D-Force?"

Chat is more worried about people getting attacked. He can focus on capture efforts when people aren't in danger.

Because, well, killing living things isn't something he's ready for. For many, many reasons.

"It is. Cataclysm is too overkill, but blunt force trauma may not be enough," he said and turned to Tidus. "Nope. Parisian superhero, Chat Noir, at your service. Maybe Voidtrecker? I've yet to put my claw on if that's a thing or not, its the first I've heard the word. But I'm certainly not from here."

The beauty of secret identities and quantum masking: just be blunt you're an outsider.

So someone from the outside - multiple outsides, by the sounds of it. He gestures to the city with both hands.

"I don't think any of us are. Whatever's got us here, it wants us to think we're part of this place. But what I know? This place doesn't exist anymore. So wherever we really are..."

That he grimaces at, taking a second to look down the streets from where he stands. He doesn't know; this guy's guess would be as good as his or anyone else's.

"It's not the Voidtreckers you've got to worry about, though. I'd say some guy making us think we're all from McHappy Citiesville? That's the problem."

"Its a dream," Chat said, looking around with a sad look, glancing down at his hand. "Someone is trying far too hard to make real."

He looks up at Tidus, hands going to cross behind his back. "You don't need to convince me. The archnemesis likes to use negative emotions and corrupted magic to send people on a superpowered rampage. Emotional manipulation and mind control are very furrmiliar subjects," he said with an amused look. "Also, a friend is on the train and I suspect a few more familiar faces."

He tilts his head. "There are a lot of human scents here. So there aren't a lot of fake people, might be anyone whose face and name we can peg is real, and with the glitching, whatever is behind the curtain probably isn't going to be good."

So Familiar a Gleam: Ongoing

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