HOUSE OF M(ETA)

[metamods]

HOUSE OF M

A DREAM IS A WISH…

In dreams you will lose your heartaches,
whatever you wish for,
you keep.

Anti-Meta sentiments are on the rise. This is no secret. Check the news and you see it, politicians arguing about the dangers that superhumans pose to the world. What if they go rogue? What if they stage a mutiny? How can they tell that heroes are really the good guys, when so many of them have secret identities. In the last week, multiple protests against metahumans potentially moving to their cities have broken out across the United States. Some cities have proposed legislation that would make it illegal for metahumans to live within their borders.

Excelsior is leading the charge, politicians are looking to ban any metahuman whose abilities are not technical in origin from living there.

It is little wonder, then, that so many go to bed dreaming of a better world. One without the hardships of this one, or of the one they endured before.

Meanwhile, across the country, Sunset Falls is in a state of change. Mayor West finally has candidates willing to take the position of Mayor from him. This shift in the city's attention prevents anyone from paying much mind to the odd and potent energies taking shape. Sure, there are strange occurrences happening. A young woman walks by the school and immediately forgets her name, her job, and where she lives. Others report a strange feeling of being watched. Those sensitive to it may feel something otherworldly and strange hanging in the air. Bearing down on them with oppressive force.

And, dear heroes, as you know - two forms of surging energies create what is known as a Confluence.

THOSE LEFT BEHIND

You wake to pandemonium.

An emergency broadcast is blaring across any transmissible signal. A Confluence of unprecedented size has struck. Half of the country has been consumed by it.

By noon, there is a quarantine in place - not that anyone seems to be trying to leave the affected area. No, this quarantine is to prevent people from trying to go in. Unauthorized access is not permitted, not until the capes in charge have a better idea of what is going on. Once again, the Godfall Protocols are enacted. All able-bodied metahumans are recruited to the task, and once again, the Starfallen will find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder with those far weaker than them.

This time there is no giant monster to fight. Just a barrier, invisible to the naked eye, that seems to alter anyone who enters into it. The early metahuman scouts report themselves to be unaffected for the first few hours, but any normal humans who enter this space quickly find themselves… no longer themselves.

Atomight, Frances Starling and Mechanima are all at the Alliance HQ. For once, the three faction leaders seem to be in perfect harmony. This is a bad idea, they cannot send their people into this No Man’s Land… but they have no choice. The Godfall Protocols are what they are, they were created for this very reason. Though they are not arguing with each other, the government agents suddenly standing in HQ are telling a very different story. The three of them are not hiding the fact that they are all too aware that their “freedom” comes with a price, and their resentment is reaching a boiling point.

At some point during these early hours, Atomight finds himself temporarily locked out of his office. While the three leaders are distracted trying to regain entry, Fantastic takes center stage and begins issuing the most scripted heart-felt speech you have ever heard. Unlike the other three, he doesn’t seem to care much for what he could be sending people into. This is not a speech meant to inspire confidence that all will work out in the end, that the weakest among them will be taken care of, it is a speech to inspire soldiers.

By the end of this first day, they have gathered enough information to make a determination. The Starfallen seem to be more resilient to whatever effects are occurring than the rest of the population. They are called to a unique, private meeting - one in which all three leaders attend.

“We don’t know what you will be facing there,” they state plainly. “But we know you have the best chance of making it out with your minds intact.”

The choice is yours. You can help secure the area, you can retreat to Little Love and hope that this expands no further, or you can step into the unknown.

You can engage with the leaders here.

HOUSE OF (M)ETA.

Inside the quarantine zone, all is well.

Your alarm rings a little late and you find yourself groggy and briefly disoriented, as though waking from a very long dream. One that you find yourself considering to be unpleasant, and not worth thinking about. You stretch and slide out of bed, perhaps kiss your partner good morning and prepare yourself to wrangle your children and get them prepared for school, but today is like any other day. The world is as it always has been, and you find yourself oddly comforted to know that things are not as bad as they could be.

And then your day begins.

If you are a card carrying member of the Guardian Alliance, then you report to work before most of the world is up and running. Atomight appears to be busy in Central City, as he is not present and is not answering any calls, but you know what to do. The Guardian Alliance is all about finding ways to be useful, without enrolling in any of the government run Metahuman departments. It pays less, and you have to have frequent check-ins with actual government approved heroes, but you find a measure of freedom in it… though the pressure is immense. One wrong move and you may find yourself imprisoned for “irresponsible” use of your powers, branded as the reason why metahumans should stay under the thumb of the government after their service ends, and not allowed to organize themselves in fear they may take over the world.

If you took the darker path, then you will find yourself reporting to an ordinary office building in whatever city you live in, for a boring job that you do not have. Villainy is not a safe passtime, but those who band together tend to stay alive a little longer. The Society of Villainous Reformation exists to provide the community that most villains lack. Villainy comes in many shapes and sizes, and the Society has all sorts. The only uniting factor in this faction is the fact that you do not want to be used the way heroes are. You want to use your powers as you see fit, whether that means you get an edge on tests or rob banks to your heart's content is up to you.

Or are you a vigilante? A complete wildcard, answering to nothing and no one but your own personal sense of justice? Vigilantes have a reputation for being brutal and efficient, needing none of the teamwork and oversight that the guilds use. They are also generally less accountable, unless The Society or the Guardian Alliance steps in.

Starfall, formerly Starstruck. He was one of the first heroes to enroll in the government's War Hero project, which has now become a mandatory military service for all young metahumans upon reaching 18.

The most concerning thing right now in the world is the cult, the Battlements of the Shining God. They are known to sacrifice people to their fearsome God, stating that it will give them the power to put things right. But… you have never seen them in person. Only heard of the wreckage they leave. But disturbingly, if you tune in to the nightly broadcast that the Dreamers of the Willow Maiden put out to help lull you to sleep, you will note they seem… off. Warning of a war that is coming. You are fairly certain you can handle a confrontation with them, though. After all, nothing you couldn’t handle has ever happened.

And as you fall asleep at night in this perfect world, in your perfect life, you swear you hear The Lady herself whispering in your ear. Wake up, wake up, this dream is not yours to live.

Yet when you try to hold on to those words, they slip from your thoughts. And when you awaken, all remains as it should be.

SNAP BACK TO REALITY

For those who agree to go into the quarantined zone, you find yourself given the best gadgets both the Alliance and The Society can offer. They are unsure how to prepare you for this, though the scouts that made it back say that things seem… fine. Peaceful, even. Everyone seemed so happy, but they did not recognize them.

Contact will be difficult to maintain. The radios were functioning while they were inside, but it seems that the further they went into these zones, the worse communication got.

When removed from the quarantine zone, those who were affected regained themselves bit by bit. Some held on stubbornly to their illusionary life, but when presented with undeniable evidence of the life they had before, and reminders of any joy they found within it, they came back to themselves.

“Are you saying that they have to befriend them to remind them of their sanity?” Mechanima asks, torn between incredulity and amusement.

“What he’s saying,” Frances cuts in, “is that they need a reminder that they have a life worth living outside of whatever the hell is going on in there.”

Atomight nods. “This appears to be a shared delusion manifested by magic. So, a mass psychic relay would be the best way to break the hold. However, it will take time to do safely.” He turns to the gathered volunteers. “Your job is to start cracks, so the whole thing shatters when we deliver the final punch… and no one soul is left bearing the brunt of that psychic backlash.”

There’s a moment of silence. You find yourself being handed resources for your trip inside - no weapons, just first-aid kits and any items you may have told people to gather that could remind your lost friends of who they are.

"This is going to change everything," Atomight continues. "Even if all this goes to plan, the fact that it happened at all means things won’t stay like they’ve been."

He doesn’t elaborate. Mechanima’s mask turns to troubled static, and Frances throws a glance back towards the Alliance’s tents. Many of the native metahumans are gathered, and Fantastic is posing for photos with them. The hashtag #METASTOTHERESCUE has been trending for hours, and were you to believe social media, Fantastic is the one leading the charge.

You turn, take a deep breath, and walk through the invisible threshold into another world. The teleportation devices you have been given will take you directly to the city of your choosing.

IN SUMMARY...

• The unrest in Excelsior and the upcoming election in Sunset Falls has caused a massive confluence, which has affected a great portion of the country.



• Anyone within the border of these affected areas finds themselves thrust into an alternate universe, wherein they lived a very different life as a native citizen of this world. In this version of the world, the Godfall Incident never happened.



• All metahumans - regardless of if they belong to Society, the Alliance, and the Unaligned - find that the Godfall Protocols are being enacted, meaning that metahumans will be conscripted into assisting. Knowing most metahumans do not stand a chance against whatever metaenergies are causing this, the leaders of these groups are asking the Starfallen to enter willingly.



• Being in the alternate universe for more than 72 hours will make you start to believe that you are part of it. It is very keen to assimilate you into it, and you may find yourself slowly developing false memories the longer you are in there.



• Exiting isn't an immediate cure, but the longer you are out, the faster you will come back to yourself.




• You can bring your AU-affected friends back to reality by reminding them of who they are, and that the life they have outside of the bubble is equally good as the one inside.



• Anyone who wants to sit this one out can kick back, relax, and enjoy some Kansas hospitality. Little Love is a safe area and will protect any citizens who do not feel capable or are unwilling to jump into the unknown.

Please direct any questions regarding this log HERE.

Comments

NPC RESPONSES & ENGAGEMENT

[metamods]

Comment here if you would like to talk to / interact with any of the NPCs in this world, or ask quick questions as to how your characters actions will impact the world.

Re: NPC RESPONSES & ENGAGEMENT

[portolan]

Balthier wants to set up a large illusion inside the AU showing people what the city should look like/using his perception manipulation to try to make them remember it was real (thinking like a park or an intersection or a lobby of a busy builind). What would the effect of this be on people, and considering larger spells are draining for him to maintain especially with perception manipulation, would he face any significant blow back magically for trying to do this?

Fantastic

[effiomsfavorite]

Huvrye's opinion on Fantastic before that little speech had been neutral at best; after that speech, it's hurtling towards Abject Hatred and picking up speed. He's seen propaganda speeches, namely from the genocidal maniac he'd been forced to work under. It was one thing to address them towards actual soldiers; it's another thing to give one to free people currently conscripted, especially when their number includes teenagers.

He at least waits until the cameras are off or turned away before confronting Fantastic, but that is definitely a very tall winged man with visibly barely contained rage coming for Fantastic. He has a very emphatic point to make: These people aren't soldiers. Don't treat them like they are.

(It won't get violent, or even get close to it - he has more self-control than that - but wow is he ever angry.)

[qualityfriend]

If she has a chance, Dana will ask to get a hotel room in Southern New Hampshire and a rental car, so she can easily get in and out of the affected area to make reports. She's more than willing for that to become a base camp for other meta volunteers and a carpool.

[hacktivision]

Right now, Hardison is sending people who can get in and out quickly to investigate and gather information by talking to people, observing, collecting books and newspapers from the affected area to study, and using bots to scrape social media within the affected area.

He'll also have them go in with sci-fi style energy reading equipment in different areas on the map.

1. Is there any information he could find that Fantastic either didn't know or was deliberately omitting from his public statements?

2. If he's got people taking readings all across the affected area, (generic "energy" readings, with whatever tech is available in the game's setting, basically measuring how strong the... "force" changing reality is) will he notice any areas where the readings are stronger, and maybe pinpoint a source?

3. Hardison's spreading rumors online in the affected area about treasures hidden outside the border, ripe for the picking. Is this method working & drawing any NPCs out?

[a_gaggle_of_ghosties]

Nox would seize the opportunity to approach Atomight directly regarding what he and Stephen Strange have uncovered about the Battlements of the Shining God.

He wouldn't particularly care if he was necessarily alone at the time, he doesn't care if Frances Starling or any other GA people hear anything, but he'd certainly prefer to have the conversation when Mechanima and the government goons weren't within earshot if at all possible.

(I don't mind threading it out IC, but I'm not sure just how easy a time he'd have getting to Atomight)

[trustheart]

It had been harmless. A visit with Tsubasa to check on the status of one of the areas-to-be-affected had been planned to simply be a routine patrol, in order to prepare for any unrest that might erupt. They didn't expect to be caught in something that would literally change everything for them.

The next day, Chris awoke in a different bed than the one in her home in Central City. Except that wasn't her home anymore. She lived in Excelsior, and always had. The daughter of an American singer and a Japanese composer, she'd lived a fairly uneventful life. No death, no war, no forced work camps. No Val Verde. She'd grown up with her family alive and well, and with a childhood full of love.

Of course, it wasn't just her family. She'd had a childhood friend, Tsubasa Kazanari, who had recently become more than her friend. The two of them were dating, with both of them having since completed their mandatory meta military service. Now they were just regular citizens, free to do whatever they wanted with their lives.

Chris worked as a paramedic, using her healing powers to help the sick and injured. Her abilities had of course given her a leg up in this field, with her only needing her field medic training from her time in the military to qualify at such a young age. Thankfully, in all that time, she'd never seen combat, only training, but her job had exposed her to a lot of accidents. It had only tightened her resolve, however, to help people.

You might encounter Chris while she's on the job, responding to an accident. Or maybe you're the reason she's responding to an accident. Or perhaps you'll find her on one of her days off, when she's relaxing in a cafe, or perhaps visiting a bookstore or a music store. Her girlfriend is currently a musical artist, after all...she has to get all the merchandise, right?

In any case, Chris is happy. She has no reason to leave. Even the threats of a cult and a voice telling her this isn't her life to live do nothing to give her unrest. Why would it?

Everything was perfect.

[sunshinethatwarmsherup]

Miku didn't really need much prompting by the government or the Alliance to come to help figure out what the heck was going on in Excelsior. Even if she had wanted to sit out and not get involved, both Chris and Tsubasa had went to the city before the confluence and were trapped in whatever was going on.

So here she was, entering into the area to try to find the two of them and get whoever else out that she could. Which... honestly was probably going to just be the two of them, considering everything. She didn't really know a ton of people who lived in Excelsior, after all.

Of course, finding two people in an entire city was difficult, even with Tsubasa being famous in this weird bubble dimension. And she could already feel a twinge in her mind that it would be pretty nice to live here even if she'd have to go into military service in a year or so.

Stopping at a cafe had been a bit of a whim, but she couldn't keep running around all day without eating or drinking anything. But once she was there and got some super sweet coffee and was turning around to go sit down she couldn't help but blink as she saw Chris sitting at one of the tables.

"Chris! I've been looking all over for you!"

It's right after she says that and heads over to the table that the thought that Chris might not actually recognize her came to her mind. But it wasn't like she could do anything about that now.

[determinationtofist]

[ There was clearly a lot of complicated stuff going behind the scenes in terms of the whole guild thing, but none of that really mattered to Hibiki. She just wanted to help her friends right away, and really it's only thanks to Miku that Hibiki didn't just immediately try to rush in without listening to all of the warnings.

Either way, she got handed all of the weird gadgets and listened when they told her to not stay inside the Confluence for too long... and promptly dashed straight inside.

Finding out that Tsubasa was a famous artist was hardly a surprise to Hibiki. In fact, if anything, it felt more normal than how things have been for Hibiki lately in the first place, what with Hibiki being famous rather than Tsubasa. It did mean that Hibiki wasn't sure how she'd be able to approach her, but fortunately, she doesn't have to worry about that right now.

Hibiki couldn't help but ogle at all of the Tsubasa merchandise. As a superfan of Tsubasa back home, it felt nice to see after all this time... but more important than even all of the Tsubasa merchandise was the head of white hair that Hibiki would recognize anywhere. ]

Ch...

[ Walking out of the music store with a number of CDs in-hand... ]

C-Chris-chan!?

[delicatetouch]

Chris doesn't have to go to the music stores to get the merchandise of course - Tsubasa could arrange to have almost anything sent to her door, prototypes, limited editions, a completely personalized version just for her - but it seemed like she liked the process.

Even when Tsubasa was right there.

Watching Chris buy her merch.

She couldn't help a soft laugh, at just how uniquely herself Chris was.

"How many stores did you have to check this time?"

David Alleyne | Marvel 616 | OTA [AU-ified]

[helpdesk_hero]

I. Tech Support Duties | At Alliance Excelsior Offices

Perhaps the Alliance wasn't the most powerful entity here in the world compared to the military, but it was how some Metas made their life. Among them was the man currently sitting at a very busy looking desk in the tech department, a set of goggles on his face with little echoes of light on the lenses that say they are some sort of computer. Which doesn't stop him from having another computer in front of him.

Of course his attention isn't so fully taken with the work at hand that he doesn't notice someone enter the office. He looks up from what looks like a wrist watch on the desk before him and smiles at the arrival.

"Good Afternoon. What can Tech Support do for you today?"

And then, after a moment and a glance down at his desk, he sighs.

"Please tell me it's tech support related and that you didn't break something important. I've got a backlog of physical repairs to do, so it might not be fast if it's not really vital. I mean, unless it's code related. That I can do quickly."

And then he grimaces all over again.

"Unless it's field work. Please tell me it's not field work. I had dinner plans with my better half."

II. A Daily Life Of Contentment | Excelsior (Various Bolded Interaction Points)

The best part of having left the military for the guild was that he got to live his own life on his own terms, more or less. It was the moments he could have out in the world, like at the grocery store buying ingredients for dinner, or perhaps out at his favorite coffee shop sitting with his best friends Laurie and Kevin. At other times he just got to enjoy the advanced city, walking hand in hand with his wife in a local park, or and even at a popular bar at night where the robo-bartender made drinks and his friend Jay played music.

This, David knew, was the life. It was welcoming, it was safe, and he knew he could live it to its fullest. Technology could make lives more comfortable, the Metas made the world safe, and everyone he loved was happy. How could he ever be tempted away from something like this? Especially when he didn't even notice if his eyes passed over someone he had known days before. The good news was that he hadn't forgotten all of his friends, so there was always a warm smile for those he remembered, who fit the lie of this place.

III. Family Dinner | Closed to Otto

Dinner was always a delight, something to be shared with people he cared for, and of course friends. In this case it was just as much that the plans for the evening had to do with his partner's happiness. Dani had been looking forward to dinner with the Octaviuses for a while, and he'd left her in the living room with Otto's wife so they could talk. David, of course, was preparing dinner so he was caught up in the kitchen.

That didn't mean he held back from smiling as Otto entered.

"Did they send you in for something, or were they starting to talk about something uncomfortable?" he asks with a smile.

IV. Wildcard
[Got any idea? I'm happy to do it. For ideas of who David is and what's he's like here, my plotting comment is here. Otherwise you can message me with any questions, or just throw something at me.]

I. Tech Support

[portolan]

Some of his texts made it through to people, but most went unanswered, some even pinging back a number disconnected alert despite the fact he had perfectly good texts from days or hours before sitting above them.

He couldn't get ahold of David. And it took almost a damn day to get Guild Clearance to go in.

It was work hours, so the first thing he did was make his way to David's office. Except it's not right. The business is changed, and this building is locked. It takes some texts and calls to the Society outside and some wandering around to find the Alliance building.

And there's David looking -- off, somehow. He can't put his finger on what. But it doesn't matter, because at least he's found him.

His stomach tightens as he approaches and David looks at him with absolutely no recognition. He'd expected that. But it hurts worse than he anticipated.

He's about to get a response out when the last bit of David's comment sets in. Better half.

Was Balthier in this picture somehow? And if not--

"You're the one who's broken something important," Balthier says. He has some ideas on how this could work. None of them are particularly pretty. "Not your fault, but broken all the same."

His fingers go into his pocket, fidgeting with the pocket watch David gave him for solstice.

Tim Drake | DC Comics | OTA [AU-ified]

[mostdangerousbird]

Day One, Morning

It’s Wednesday, so Tim can sleep in until five a.m. He shouldn’t feel this foggy after a solid 7 hours, but he doesn’t remember a restless night. Maybe his parents -

No, that’s not right, is it?

Yes. Of course, they’re in Peru, and Mrs. Mac, the housekeeper, is on vacation. Ergo, Tim’s naturally in a coffee shop right off the campus of a big Div I university at 6:30, buying a six pack of sous vide egg bites, a a scone, and a redeye. A little post-cardio breakfast - and there is no ideal universe in which he's making his own breakfast. He doesn't even flinch at the bill. Doesn't stiff the tip jar, at least, and the barista seems to actually like him.

"See you tomorrow at for 6 at 6!"

"Hey, the world's full of infinite possibilies, Heather! I could go to the all night diner down the street and load up on pasta and chicken!"

"Uh-huh. And I could not have a line. Later Tim!"

There's a chance that he's not as much of an asshole as the Div I varsity jacket with matching t-shirt and slim-cut sweats implies. Although anyone who gets the impression that the only reason his fit doesn't have a hat is because it would mess up his hair? Would be right.

Day One, Lunch

Tim's day does not have a lot of spare time. He has a plan. For today, for the next year, the next 3 years and the next 5.

Today, he's going get in his morning workout (✔), hit all 3 morning classes (✔), afternoon practice, library, evening practice, while simultaneously managing to eat enough to do it. For next year? Making the Olympic gymnastic team as a substitute at 20. Next 3? Degree in comp sci. It's amazing what you can do with next-to-no personal life. Next 5? Main squad in 2028.

So that means scarfing down a lunch in 30 minutes at his table, while wantonly highlighting a textbook that he's not worried about selling while the class is still fresh in his mind. He collects his tray from the small queue that all the student athletes use, and lunch is a masterpiece of 70/30 proteins to carbs, with a protein shake to wash it down and a full liter of water to wash that down.

Company at lunch is welcome, but won't be sought out. It's a crowded cafeteria at noon. Highly unlikely he'll get to keep that big table to himself.

First night, 9:33 P.M. to ??? - Closed to Kon

So the day goes. “Normal” inasmuch that this much privilege can be, until that evening.

He’s one of the last to leave the gymnasium, and the walk across campus is well lit, but relatively empty. Just not a lot of reason to be out on a cold Wednesday night in February, and the parking garage is nearly empty. The evening classes finish at 9, and the rest of the team are in the dorms.

Tim doesn't think much of it. He makes the same trip across campus every night, and he grew up here. Walk with a purpose, don't have visible electronics, and coast on the fact that he's male. The odds of something happening on campus are extraordinarily low.

The odds of, say, the side door of the black van parked 2 spots over from the driver side of Tim's sedan opening like a gullwing door with a swish of hydraulics, revealing a gleaming metallic interior, full of glowing blue lights and increasingly empty of goons in forest green jumpsuits with purple hexagons stitched over the left breast? Why, they're astronomic, he would have insisted.

If he hadn't seen it reflected in the tinted glass of his door window, he definitely would have insisted it was so remote as to be impossible. Now, he's insisting "NO!" and "Gerroff me!" as he's being restrained and rushed backwards into the van by a trio of attackers focused on speed rather than grace. It is less than ten seconds before the van door is closing behind them.

There's someone else in the van, different uniform. They crouch down over the dogpile of bodies keeping Tim tightly restrained. A needle jabs his neck, and the world slides out of focus.

---

It's no time, before he lurches back up. He can't remember what he's struggling against but there's something - something. His brain takes a panicked few minutes to recognize he's struggling against the aftereffects of sedation, flitting in and out of consciousness until Tim's finally able to cling to wakefulness. Cold. Crappy bunk. Toilet. Toilet?? And the far wall is bars. He's in ... jail?

"Hello?" Scuffling noises from somewhere in the dark behind the bars. "I have a student deferment from military service, if that's what this is about."

Tim's trying to stay calm, because this is only a misunderstanding. If he's friendly and polite, this will be handled quickly. He approaches the bars, but doesn't touch them. In the dim hall light, he can just make out the bars of another dark cell across the way. "If I may make a phone call, this - "

Shhhhkreeeeee. It's like a scream and a hiss, reverberating off the cinderblock and tight angles of the cell. A twisted, strangle of a sound that's so high-pitched it hurts. A bipedal thing slams into the bars of the other cell, huge and dry looking, with skin that's an ashy orange and mouth that's far, far too wide and open, and Tim throws himself backwards because instinct is screaming to get away from that creature. His own cry of surprise is completely drowned out.

A door opens and slams, somewhere he can't see. He can hear what the door looks like though, heavy and metal. Booted footsteps approach until a man with military carriage and a forest green jumpsuit is between the two cells. The man slams a baton against the bars of the other cell with a clang and the crackle of a tazer. "Shut up, missy. I'm not putting up with it tonight."

The creature retreats, hissing quietly, and the man approaches Tim's cell. "Guess Sleeping Beauty over here woke up and pissed you off, huh girl?"

That... that's not a cop. Not a soldier, either, even though he acts like it, but Tim doesn't know what else to plead for. "Please, if I can just call my parents -"

They'll... what? Let his call go straight to voicemail? Pay whatever ransom is going to be demanded? Fight that thing in the other cell with their stock portfolio?

"Put these on." A set of scrubs is unceremoniously shoved through the bars.

"Sir, I - "

"I'm not going to say it again, boy. When I come back, if those are on and your shit's out here in the hall, then we'll see about arranging a little 'chat' for you." The man chuckles and starts down the hall. At the last second, the creature lunges again, this time extending a short arm with terrible curved claws through the bars. A claw ghosts over the man's sleeve, and it shhhkreees in frustration.

The man grins - Tim can see the smile in profile - and puts a hard mask over his face before he pulls out a phone and taps it. There's a strong smell of rotten eggs, and the room starts to spin. The voice is muffled. "Guess you'll have to put them on in the morning. Thank your friend over there."

Tim realizes he should have sat down when he collapses, and his head hits the concrete floor.

Note

[ It will be 48 hours before Tim's disappearance is reported to police by his coaches after the second day of missed practices, so any news story wouldn't happen until Day 4. I might do a follow-up toplevel once I get a sense of where this is going. ]

Lunch

[helpdesk_hero]

"Excuse me."

David paused next to the table with the clear student athlete. He didn't much like the idea that he was about to do this, but he did need somewhere to sit down to eat, and this was apparently a very seriously busy part of the day for lunch. And this table wasn't too full yet, and was close enough to the exits for David to feel like he could get out quickly if work needed to recall him.

"Would you be alright if I sat here for my lunch?"

And his own lunch was very much focused on healthy eating for someone who was very heavily involved in fitness too. David didn't know why he'd picked up a meal like that, but he had, and he intended to be through it quickly.

Balthier | Final Fantasy XII | OTA

[portolan]

[ ooc: will match format -- no preference ]

Is There Anybody Out There? - Day One, Outside the AU Zone

There was a particularly sensitive deal in the works that Balthier needed to go see to in person, and the transportation of the object was too delicate to leave to anyone else’s hands, not after what happened last May. So he ended up out of town for a few days. Including the night the alterations took place.

He gets the alert on his phone and his blood goes cold as he looks at the map of the effected areas. He hasn’t gotten texts from anyone since yesterday, but he hadn’t thought anything of it.

He’s going in, of course, but it’s going to take time to get briefed, see what support the Society can offer, make sure his transport is still working.

In the meantime he fires off texts to everyone he knows, trying to take a tally of who is still themselves.

Of who still remembers him.

Where are you? I need to talk to you.

Homecoming - Early in the Week, Excelsior

It hasn’t been a great first day of reconnaissance, and he knows he’s supposed to leave in cycles to keep the magic from effecting him too harshly.

Whether he’s gone in with someone and they’re regrouping to leave or he’s convinced someone within the Excelsior bubble to accompany him, he wants to stop by his house and grab a few things for his time away.

“I’ll just be a minute,” he says as he goes to open the front door. It took a little while to find the house, as some of the town map has shifted, so he’s relieved it looks the way he left it. “Can you get the suitcase out of the downstairs closet?”

It’s automatic to turn toward the stairs, already running through where things are in his head, when he stops dead.

“Ffamran, honey? We weren’t expecting you today.”

It’s his mother who steps out of the kitchen, warm and smiling and alive, looking completely comfortable in Earth clothes.

He tenses, because he hears shuffling in the living room, and Cid – the man he’s killed twice now – is walking toward him with a grin on his face.

“Good to see you, my boy. I thought you’d be buried in exams.”

And he hugs Balthier.

Happy Fucking Anniversary - Midweek, Central City

He’s taking a break in Central City, trying to regroup and decide what his next steps are. The Society is putting him up at the Diadem while his house is inaccessbile, and honestly, he hasn’t made it past the hotel bar.

This is where he was a year ago, fresh off a Confluence, fresh off everything happening at home. He’d lost everyone. He had no idea what he was going to do.

And now everyone he cares about doesn’t remember who he is. His house and his job are gone. He’s right back where he started, except he doesn’t think he has the energy to do this again. Can he get to another country? Can he get sent to some other world?

It’s not like Balthier to get drunk in public, let alone sad drunk, but the number of empty cups around him certainly point to his not having a good night. And he’s fiddling with a particularly beautiful pocket watch, a gift from a person who currently doesn’t know who he is.

“What’s the point of rebuilding when the storm’s just going to come again next season?” He’s not really talking to anyone, but he’s not really controlling his volume either.

A Memory of a Memory - Mid to Late Week, Excelsior

[ ooc: I’m waiting on a mod answer on this so may tag slightly slower but YES BRING ME CHAOS ]

Convincing people this isn’t real one by one is slow and painful. He’s exhausted, and he’s hurting, and he’s willing to take a risk because scions curse it all, he is Balthier, and he has saved worlds and ended gods and survived reality jumps and come back from the brink of death and he’s not letting go of his life here.

He picks a prominent place in town, one he knows well, and settles himself in the middle of it, somewhere with support for when he gets weak. This is the biggest illusion he’s ever cast, making the area not just look like it ought to, but laying a thick perception spell so that anyone who enters remembers things as they were.

It’s not perfect, and it’s a strain to hold it. But if he can wake anyone up, it will be worth it.

As people approach, he asks, “Do you know about Starfall?”

Wildcard

[ Feel free to wildcard me or hit more than one prompt for different parts of the week! If you want to discuss something, hit me on PM or plurk portolan ]

Happy Anniversary

[atypical_echo]

Mark didn't really want to be dealing with all of this, of course. He was a hero, sort of, but a world just filled with things being messed up and the wrong way around was just so hard to consider. And there wasn't much he could do he thought. So he'd come to check on a friend, hoping the guy would have some idea of how Mark could help with people. Maybe they could go into the mess together to try and help people.

And instead here he was, eyes cast toward the bar. He wanted a drink. He shouldn't drink... Before he could tear his eyes away, though, he saw something else. Someone who might well need saved from his own drinking.

The whole thing about being sober was that sometimes you had to reach out and help others too, pull them out of the bottle if they wanted away from it.

"I don't know what the point of rebuilding is, but I can say the answers aren't in those cups, man."

Jason Todd | DCAU | OTA (AU'ed!)

[robintohood]

A Made Man

[It's another beautiful day in Sunset Falls. Jason parks his luxury car, shuts off the engine and gets out. He's wearing a black blazer over a finely pressed red button-down shirt, black slacks, and dark boots. Just like the car, the outfit is sleek and not cheap.

Once he securely locks the car, he begins his rounds contently. Plenty of people in the neighborhood seem to know him and Jason greets them back with the same level of friendliness.

One would have to observe Jason closely and for a while to notice that he's more than just a nicely dressed man with a taste for luxury out for a walk. Every so often he steps into a shop and is greeted by the owner. They make small talk and at some point the owner subtly slides an envelope or a discreet paper bag to Jason. Jason always takes it without thinking twice about it. This is all perfectly routine.

At some point, a small voice seems to whisper at the back of Jason's mind and a small frown crosses his face as he gets the sense he forgot something. But then he shakes it off and resumes his rounds. Everything feels perfectly fine]

A Normal Night

[When it comes to Jason's line of work, it's sometimes better to attract flies with honey than with vinegar. Which is why tonight, Jason's attending a fundraising party for a community center. Just like with his daytime rounds, he's mingling and looking to see who's around. This time he's in an expensive tailor-made suit.

However, his grip on certain people's hands when they shake his hand feels a little tight and his smile doesn't reach his eyes. It's his hints to said people that they should watch their backs.

And once again, the small voice occasionally whispers to Jason tonight. He continues to do his best to ignore it]

Wildcard:

((OOC: Got something else in mind? Hit me up! I always welcome new CRs as well. My contact information is on this journal's profile and I'm in the game's Discord server. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns as well. I also have a feedback post.))

Wildcard!

[welcome_summer]

[Every Sunset Falls native has had it drubbed into them that you never go out after dark if you can help it. Even armed, even in a group. But somehow, the Red Hood keeps beating the odds. He's survived long enough for a shred of caution to kindle within the higher echelons of the local cult. Enough to not bar his dealings from parts of the city. Enough to send emissaries to treat with him, not assassins. (At least, not outright assassins.)

A robed, masked figure waits on a rooftop within mob territory. Of all the things she expected when she was promoted to Damehood, package delivery wasn't it. But in turn, she's survived longest out of the envoys the cult had sent to negotiate with him. What a shock to the elders that he wasn't a fan of the fanaticism and highhandedness the others had shown, and she, prodigal who had only returned Home a few years ago, would be left standing!

She huffs out a plume of frosty air. It's almost too cold for sarcasm. But at least they're not in subzero Central.]

Sephiroth | FF7 | OTA (AU'ed)

[unkindled_madness]

I. A Normal Life (Sunset Falls)

[Sephiroth wakes in the morning to the bed he shares with his husband, Loki Luke. He's the early riser in this household, making his way to the kitchen for breakfast. Luke is the better cook, but Sephiroth does the simple things well. If either of his family make it out in time, they can have some input. Or just laugh at him fending off the cat.

Later in the day, he might be found at his favorite coffee shop, sitting quietly at a table inside and making notes on some academic paper as he sips his coffee. While Sephiroth himself is not famous for anything, you may have seen him on the arm of famous drag queen Miss Chievous, or perhaps supporting his mother Dr. Lucrecia Crescent, a top researcher into metahuman biology. For a background figure, he's memorable.

He'll swing by the grocery store on his way home, because it's just after Valentine's Day and all the chocolate is on sale. He may not be the most romantic, but he is practical!]


II. Anti-War-Hero

[When night falls, Sephiroth's activities become rather less harmless. He was among those metahumans who opted for military service, and he didn't come out of it with any great appreciation for the institution. Quite the contrary, he would like nothing more than to burn the entire thing to the ground.

This isn't the first night that's found him at one of the military bases housing recruits for the War Hero project. He has no ill designs on the teenagers that were drawn into this, but he's killed other participants already--a recruiter or two, maybe a local official in support of the program.

He may only be casing the place, this time. Identifying his next target and observing their routine. He may not have fully mastered his power of illusion, but it goes a long way towards camouflaging him. He hasn't been caught before, and he doesn't expect to be caught now.

Probably someone should, though, because some of these might be real people and not imaginary ones.]

((Will match format. If you'd like to plot something else feel free to hit me up at yinza or my plotting comment!))

( i )

[dothelokimotion]

[ when he returns from the store, luke calls out to him. ]

I'm inside!

[ he seems to be wiping down his makeup carefully, scowling a little at the mirror. ]

"luke knowles" | ota

[dothelokimotion]

( i. performance )

[ as miss chievous, the world was his stage. song, dance, even little impersonations and the crowd ate it up. it was demanding and sometimes, his shows took him far from home but it was always rewarding to see the people cheer and clap for his work. once he's done, luke retreats once he's done but he can't help later to go meet his fans, sans makeup and glitter, but no less charming. ]

Yes, thank you for attending. I hope you liked it.

( ii. normal life — book club )

[ when he isn't performing, luke leads a relatively quiet life. not everything needs to be dramatic after all. he has a little book club with his neighbourhood where they meet bi-weekly to discuss the latest best seller. luke enjoys reading, but he's more interested in gossip and that is what he discreetly asks about, sipping from his martini. ]

So tell me, have you heard anything strange lately?

( iii. wildcard )

[ got a prompt in mind? hit me up @ timmtams or use my plotting comment ]

i

[harageous]

( here's the thing: eda is someone who tends to fully throw herself into the things she loves.

and she loves luke. or to be more exact, she loves luke's alter ego. eda believes miss chievous to have an incredible presence, sparkling talent, and a very smooth kind of grace. she's long since been a promoter for the show, although initially it was more of a volunteer position before things got big.

and things rightfully got pretty big!

she rounds the chair where luke sits, wiping away some of the makeup applied for the earlier performance. )

How do you feel like it went?

( she asks, slightly leaning over him to plant a water bottle on the counter for him. )

Killed it?

( she already thinks so. )

steph brown | dcu | au | ota

[eggplanting]

→ a little background

[In another world, Arthur Brown was a famous quiz show host who was callously fired and tossed aside, starting his downward spiral, taking his wife and daughter down with him.

In this world, Arthur never lost his job. The show flourished. Maybe the difference was Arthur himself; a little more patient, a little kinder, a little less obsessive. It kept him from becoming a violent, angry criminal, whatever the reason. It saved Crystal Brown from turning to drugs and alcohol to cope. And most importantly, it meant that Stephanie Brown was raised by a loving, well-off family who did their best to give her a good life. Neither of them had expected to have a metahuman for a child, but they focused on raising her as normally as they could, steering her away from heroics out of concern for her safety.

She was able to focus on school without having to worry about her father's temper or her mother's addiction, and did well in class as a result. Gymnastics was something fun, not just an escape, and with better resources and more support, she ended up competing several times at Nationals. A gymnastic scholarship had been in the cards at UNC, until a poorly timed high school fling resulted in Steph discovering she was pregnant at seventeen.

Life hasn't been all sunshine and roses, but she kept the baby with the support of her parents, and worked hard to finish high school so her life wouldn't be knocked too far off course. In a way, she views it as a blessing in disguise. There's a lot of pressure in professional gymnastics, with such fierce competition and unreasonable demands on the body. With those plans sidelined, she took some time to focus on raising her daughter, Chloe; being a single mom with reasonably well connected parents kept her from the front lines, during her service. As soon as she was free of all that nonsense, she decided to return to gymnastics, finding a job as a coach at a local gymnasium.

It's fun, working with little kids who don't take themselves too seriously, and it leaves her with enough free time to take a few courses at CUNY. Once Chloe is old enough for school, Steph plans to return to college full-time, earn her degree, and start the rest of her life. With little interest in heroics or serving, she'll figure out the military issue whenever they eventually come knocking at her door.]

i → college campus

[It isn't often that Steph manages to make it to campus; most of her classes can be taken online, but sometimes she has to make the trip in for whatever reason. It's a good excuse to get some socializing in, especially on the occasions when she isn't just there to take exams or hand in papers.

Today, after spending the morning studying in the library and attending a hands-on class, she's detouring to some kitschy Valentine's Day market, just to catch up with some friends and buy some cute trinkets. It's a little bit of a bummer, being alone on Valentine's Day, but she's determined not to let it ruin her good mood.

Later in the day, she ends up going out for a few drinks with friends, knowing that Chloe is safe and happy with grandma and grandpa. There isn't anything special about the bar, it's just a fun spot with cheap drinks and a great music selection, where she can dance half the night away. Without the weight of her mom's addiction, Steph has no qualms about enjoying those few drinks until she's laughing on the dancefloor and chatting happily with anyone she bumps into.

The train home at the end of the night (or early morning, to be entirely accurate) is quiet, giving her the opportunity to get started on her next reading for class.

Some things will always stay the same, and Steph's never been good at slowing down.]

ii → a day in the park

[Chloe is a proper menace when she wants to be, which only serves to make Steph love her more, no matter how exhausted or covered in paint/food/etc she might be. It's been fascinating watching her daughter develop into her own little person, and Steph is fond of all her quirks and nonsense, including her frequent desire to befriend anyone and everyone she sees.

It results in Steph chasing after her and scooping her up with a laugh, flashing an apologetic smile at whoever Chloe was in the middle of bothering.]

Sorry, I swear she's determined to make everyone her best friend.

[At least it means Steph is meeting people, too.]

iii → the wildcard option

[Throughout the rest of the week, Steph goes about her life as she believes she normally would. Grocery shopping with Chloe, stopping by a café on the way to work, taking a long lunch in the park, going for a run in the early hours of the morning, grabbing dinner with her parents, attending town hall meetings to argue with shitty politicians (just because she's not a superhero doesn't mean she doesn't care), stopping by the library to study. The sort of normal, every day things that people do.

It's nice.

Even when she remembers herself, later, she'll think that it was nice.]

( ii )

[torchbearer]

[ kyle vasquez smiles, placing a hand on his chest as he pretends to take offense. ]

Wow, an uncle can't be a best friend? That stings.

Mayuko Shiraki | Fruits Basket (CRAU)| OTA Event AU'ed

[welcome_summer]

For being a candidate in the Sunset Falls mayoral election, it takes some time for Mayuko to surface in the altered town. Citizens recognize her name but glance to the side, unsure of how much to share. Yes, she’s still with the library, and as a liaison with the secondary school’s media centers; she works so hard for the students. They murmur about the honor of her selection, how proud her family and the library community is. How her extended service in Louisiana, beyond the two years asked of all good citizens, proves her leadership potential. How the prestigious Sohma family, leaders in the town, have thrown their full support behind her (and encouraged others to do the same.)

She hasn’t been seen for days. There are coy remarks that a Sohma scion, an Alliance member, stole her away to celebrate the holiday before the campaign kicks off in earnest. Checking her last known address at Serpenthorne Court, there are a number of residents and neighbors who assure wanderers-by that she will return “soon.” They make no effort to hide that they are taking note of “outsiders” who ask pointed questions.

But soon enough, she returns.

Festival

The atmosphere in the central town square is lively, as the White Hearts Festival barrels on. Mayuko walks among the booths, examining the crafts for sale, sampling the delicacies. Her ideal world and the worlds of others under the illusion she encounters brush each other, gel, finding congruence, encouraging (lowercase a) alliance. She walks with a woman even taller than her, and an (almost unnaturally) attractive man who chats easily with the vendors. Her field director, Ebi Kotobuki and her campaign manager, Shigure Sohma.

“Won’t you try a sweet?” she asks you, whether you’re afflicted or not. It’s common knowledge that any food from the festival could be enchanted. She’s picking out the wary from the gullible, the foolish. For Reasons.

Or maybe you cross paths with her at one of the many balls held. It is Sunset Falls’ equivalent of The Season, after all. Finding new partners and strengthening old bonds. The Sohmas are throwing one as a fundraiser for her campaign, naturally, and quid pro quo demands she and her partner attend those thrown by others. She is welcoming, gracious, perfectly polished and at ease.

Just beware– if she or other people start to suspect something’s up, the hoods go up and the ceremonial knives come out.

Façade

The whispers from the Maiden are getting stronger. That has to be some kind of mark of favor, even if they whisper doubts and lies. Best not to let the Higher-Ups know just yet.

There is a dressmaker in town that Mayuko frequents. One of her dearest friends opened the business years ago, and his sense of fashion is exquisite. She can be found one afternoon stepping in (or stepping out) of the business, relatively alone. Dating a member of the Sohma family means attending high-class affairs, and now with the election and possibly mayorship; there are SO MANY events coming up, her wardrobe needs updating. If you are trying to persuade her with minimal interference, now’s the best chance you’ve got.


Fsteak i mean Wildcard

((I am more than open to explore alternate ideas, I will play along! These were just the prompts that popped to mind first. Extraction/lure and post-extraction threads welcome more towards the end of the event with a “Feud” heading, is all I ask. Please feel free to message me at my plotting comment on the preview post or on Plurk/librarydragons to brainstorm, or just tag and let’s let it roll!))

Festival

[qualityfriend]

Under different circumstances, Dana would enjoy the town festival. She can even see it as a good thing under the current circumstances; it's a good place to try spotting familiar faces. But there's an air to the whole thing that sets her on edge and she has to fight not to show it.

Especially when a familiar faces comes up to her and literally offers her candy in one of the most suspicious ways possible. She somehow manages to smile. "Why not, thank you!" She accepts the treat and carefully cups a napkin around it. "Is it a town specialty?"

Well, that's one person found. Even if she's not at all acting like herself. And she's constantly accompanied by strangers. Could they be controlling her?

edalyn clawthorne 🦉 the owl house 🦉 hoot hoot, ota

[harageous]

i. (AU) College — Office Hours

( for eda, the concept of "office hours" was something she seemed to only very loosely grasp. she always took the time to list her office hours, but they didn't actually mean anything. they were just nice lettering. whether or not eda could be found in her office is based entirely on the positioning of the stars, the strength of the wind, and the tail feather of a turkey. her students have already pretty much learned to grab professor clawthorne (of mythology & folklore studies) whenever she was present.

rather than hope she might be in her office.

which, remarkably, is exactly where she is today. the thing that her students don't know is that she tends to end up in her office whenever she is trying to do something she wants to keep hidden from others. usually her kid. he's a good kid. she doesn't want to worry him too much.

then her door cracks open and she freezes, her single hand wedged between two books on her bookshelf. )

Hey.

( nonchalantly or attempting to. eda looks a little sweaty. )

What's up? I'm just cleaning a little.

ii. (AU) Sunset Falls – "Home"

( in reality, eda had only just moved into a nice little house in sunset falls through the help of a handful reliable humans who were kind enough to begin greasing the wheels for her. it had landed her a home in the human realm. she had a lot of complicated feelings about that that she isn't quite ready to address yet.

thankfully, it wasn't relevant anymore. she's not living in a haunted house in a version of the human realm that's missing its most important human—no, she's lived here for the last handful of years in her father's old hometown with her kid. well, her son. adoptive son. her godson. her kid.

it didn't matter what he was called. he's been family from the day his parents had named her the godparent. before the incident. before custody was given over to her.

what matters is figuring out whether or not he's the culprit for the mess on the driveway. she assumes it's meant to be art, but it looks like little more than a mess of chalky colours and lines.

was it supposed to? )

What do you think it is?

( she asks, looking over at the other person attempting to decipher the mystery artwork on the driveway. )

Two bears high-fiving?

( or maybe they were dancing. . . ? )

iii. (AU) Grocery Store – f i g h t

( the best part about valentine's day wasn't the holiday. no, forget that. who needed anything as mushy and romantic as valentine's day? it was just a capitalist conspiracy.

the best part was the d i s c o u n t   c h o c o l a t e.

her first order of the day, that being the day after valentine's, is hit the grocery store. maybe a few. who knows! the wind will guide her, guide her into getting her hand on fistfuls of chocolate.

except there is an enemy.

a vile, despicable cretin who dares to be taking the last of the clearance chocolate. immediately eda is leaning over the bin, swiping her hand towards the individual and their armfuls of her chocolate. )

Hey, hey, hey! Get your grubby mitts of my chocolate! Can't you see I only have one arm?

( not a free pass, actually!

not going to stop her from trying it though. she could really use some backup. )

iii. Wildcard – Give Me Your Best Shot!

(( ooc: plotting comment here. you're welcome to hit me up there. or hit me with whatever, i'll roll with it. live deliciously. ))

II

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth has already been living in this neighborhood for some time, and he passes by Eda's house sometimes on his way home. He'll pause to inspect the... "artwork" with her.]

...I might have said flowers. Or perhaps jellyfish?

The legs are usually more distinct with animals.

((Happy to assume they've met in passing in this AU, just from being around the neighborhood?))

Otto Octavius | OTA

[doctopoda]

i. normal life

[Otto Octavius is one of the foremost inventors in Excelsior! He's a well-known pioneer in the field of clean energy, and has been responsible for several significant breakthroughs throughout his long career!

In spite of that, most of his life is pretty ordinary. It's not like he's some kind of celebrity or meta or anything like that! Obviously he doesn't have any robot tentacles attached to him either, why would he have those?

His lab is out in the warehouse district of the city. He's not one of those scientists who's always blowing something up or making evil giant robots or anything like that. He's strict about lab safety. He's always, always been very strict about lab safety, because...

Anyway. It still pays to keep your expensive scientific equipment well away from any of the high-profile targets villains tend to go after. Besides, the open space is nice! It also means that people don't tend to walk in off the street. They really aren't supposed to, but it's not too hard to plow past the grad student in the front of the building and go find Otto working in the back. Of course, such an intrusion is worrying; his tone's sharp when he sees what's going on.]

Can I help you?

[And of course, he's often down at the university where Rosie teaches! It's his week to come across the city to her for lunch; he's secured a table at their usual diner a block away from the English building. Lunch hour on a college street is always packed, and this place is no different. So he's not annoyed if some stranger attempts to take the seat across from him, but he's still pretty firm:]

Sorry, this table's taken.

ii. civilian life

[Otto does have some Alliance contacts, as it happens. He's been known to pitch in on their tech work from time to time. He just thinks it's neat - and hey, they help people, right?

But it's not as if he's got a bunch of metas on speed-dial. He's just a regular guy. Which is a dangerous thing to be at times, in this world. When the sound of a metahuman fight breaks out nearby - crashes, yelling, and the unmistakable sound of a car being flung headlong into concrete - Otto's quick to duck into the nearest storefront, beckoning for anyone else nearby who also seems like a regular baseline human to come along as well.]

Come on - better to hunker down until they're done.

iii. wildcard

(( hmu at lluosogrwydd ))

ii. but i def want him to meet rosie or at least know she's alive

[portolan]

[ The afternoon has already gone terrible. David not only doesn't remember him, but doesn't seem to remember himself, and any evidence Balthier tries to pull to jog his memory just warps to protect the illusion. He can't get ahold of anyone else, so he's just crisscrossing the streets, trying to come up with a new approach.

That's when the meta fight breaks out, and given all the bullshit in Excelsior lately, he ducks rather than engage.

And hears Otto, unmistakably. When he turns to look, his eyes go wide. It takes him a second to recognize the man without his usual silhouette of tentacles. ]

Otto! [ He blurts out before it occurs to him this man may have forgotten him too. ]

Alec Hardison | Leverage | OTA

[hacktivision]

01. Recruiting

[ Starting today, outside of the area affected by the event, an ad starts popping up on social media. Particularly for people who are searching for answers on friends who have lost their memory, or had their memories rewritten.

It looks like this..

Anyone who clicks that ad is directed to a page with resources; The first several of which are pages with information to route most visitors back to the Alliance's rescue effort.

Of course, the real targets of Hardison's ad will keep scrolling. He's not looking for people who want the Alliance's help; He's looking for the people who are desperate for an alternative.

After a few misdirects to weed out anyone who'd go to the alliance, finally they're led to a private discussion group, with the following message stickied at the top: ]

Okay, so, we all got people on the inside we want to rescue, right? Can't say I'm particularly keen on getting involved with Fantastic.

But I still got someone in there that I need to rescue, and I can't do it on my own. I figure a bunch of you are in the same boat. Anyone looking to start a little grassroots rescue effort? Do some DIY?

-

02: Treasure Hunt

[ One of the missions Hardison sent some of the teammates on was to take a USB stick loaded up with code, take it inside the barrier, and plug it into a computer — any computer — with internet access. His code would do the rest.

And so, within the affected area, suddenly stories have been circulating & popping up on the feeds of every social media site. They're stories much like this one, promising riches of all kinds just sitting there waiting to be taken... all sitting well outside the perimeter of the spell. Hopefully, Hardison can entice some of the affected into leaving without having to lift a finger. ]

-

03: Wildcard?

Gimme a starter, or hit me up on thepreciousthing

un: Sally_Awesomelegs

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

I'm absolutely down! This is, uh

one of the freakier Confluences that's happened

my first one involved exploding ghost zombies, so that is saying A LOT

Galatea | Justice League Unlimited | Very OTA!

[fearfully_symmetrical]

Woke up, fell out of bed; Dragged a comb across my head

There had been something, like a dream, and then - then she awoke.

She stretched, sitting up in bed, lifting her arms over her head, stretching with a happy sigh. Contentment flooded back into her world, as it clearly always did. Why shouldn't it? She knew, instinctively, that she had everything she had ever wanted, right in front of her.

She was Karen Kent, and every day began in a warm bed, wearing a silk nightgown, often with company. What else was there to want?

She stood up with a hum, padding into the bathroom, leaning over the sink and starting to brush her teeth. She kept the tune in her head, moving her hips in time. Yeah, this was the right way to start every day.

Breakfast, then the home gym, then work - then...play.

Snapping off a bite of a power bar, just a few minutes later, she stoops out the front door, wrapped in a fluffy, luxurious robe, to pick up the paper outside the front door of her place.

I read the news today, oh boy

She slid into her usual job as an executive assistant with relative ease, enjoying the beautiful, simple anonymity that the fake glasses granted her. Beyond that her outfit was simple. A blouse, a pencil skirt - enough to cover the basic musculature. That tended to raise questions, on occasion, that she deflected with talk about sports leagues, and so forth.

So far, the Guardian Alliance hadn't figured out her real extracurricular activities. It helped that her company did paperwork for them - she was close enough they likely never looked at their very feet.

This part of her day went pretty much on repeat: arrive, work, lunch, work, coffee break, out. Not terribly fun, but it was a living, right?

I'd love to turn you on

After work, well.

Well, well, well.

That was when she found her way back to the hidden loft in an old church tower that she'd taken over when she first started her career as Power Lass. The papers had given her the name, and she'd rolled with it. Sometimes she felt like it wasn't...what it ought to be. But, oh, the acclaim. She was technically a vigilante, but her style and her actions kept her in the good books.

So far, at least.

Not for the first time, as she hopped on one foot, taking off one of her heels before removing the other in the same manner, she reflected on how useful the old church tower was. Nobody ever came up here, and there were enough shadows around dusk for her to fly in without being seen.

Quickly, she stripped down, and donned the white costume. It fit like a glove, the long red cape dangling down her back from the gold clasps. She tucked her blonde hair into the white hood, donning the black mask that covered the top half of her face.

Time to go do some good, as she did every night. She could see the headlines now:

'Power Lass Strikes Again! City defender rounds up a band of muggers/arsonists/robbers who had disturbed the peace of our fair city to accomplish their dastardly deeds. Heedless of personal danger, our hero...'

Yeah. It was nice. This...this was the life.

CYA!

[OOC: Happy to add starters or discuss other ideas! Really eager to get her into meeting other people. Hit me up via PM or at c_for_characters]

[hevenly]

Angie's mornings are more regimented than her wife's— she has to be on base at a certain time— but that doesn't mean she makes sure to time everything right so that she can see Karen before she leaves. As Karen is reading the paper, dressed in her fluffiest robe, Angie steps up behind her and places a quick kiss on her hair from behind.

"Anything good in the paper this morning?"

Tsubomi Hanasaki/Cure Blossom | Heartcatch Pretty Cure (unaltered)

[bag_has_snapped]

Speeches?

Tsubomi, as Cure Blossom, had been called in to help with the investigations and rescue efforts going on. This part wasn't what irritated her. As a Pretty Cure, it was her duty to help those in need!

But, that speech by Fantastic... that really rubbed her the wrong way. If she didn't like the Alliance and the Society as it was, that speech right there made it all the more worse. It made it sound like they were going to war! Her opinion of the groups dropped lower right there.

She'd help out - they were ordered to do so - but she needed time to simmer down.

Into the Alterniverse

Once Tsubomi had gotten cooled down, she would join the others in entering the strange barrier and seeing what was going on. On the surface, it seemed like the areas were actually quite okay, but it seemed that the people noticing her for the first time seem a little concerned at the sight of a young girl in a flowery outfit before them.

"Um... hi?" she said, waving. "D-Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you! Honest! I'm here to help!"

Wildcard

(OoC: Got an idea you wanna hit up? Poke me here, a PM or at AshBlaze

billy hargove - stranger things - au'd

[camarod]

FAST TIMES AT . . .

[Being unaligned is a pain. He's gotten used to it; it serves a purpose. Everyone loves a bad boy, especially in the social media game. But it's a pain, everywhere outside of his work.

Everyone expects you to be a hero when you're special. Billy's, well, he's not the hero type. He's not the villain type. He's the type that prefers the money, the free time, the ability to blend in. But sometimes people look, because he's registered. The information's out there - Billy Hargrove, metahuman. People - especially now, with this goddamn cult - are always asking why haven't you -, and the pressure is mounting. It's spreading to his comments, to his subscription numbers.

He can't go get a coffee now without feeling like someone is looking at him, dying to ask him if this'll be the year he joins the Guardian Alliance or if he's, you know. His dad was Guardian Alliance. Distant memories of absentee parenthood, the way it made him cruel with the pressure of it.

He can feel eyes on him now, even as he weighs his options between fucking organic carrots or the weird looking ones. Finds his jaw tense as he glances and gives, well, you a raised eyebrow, nose scrunching. ] What?

YOU'VE GOT MAIL . . .

[He has a dream, sometimes. He's covered in black veins, sitting on the edge of a bed in a vast nothingness. There's no sound, no smell. He sits, staring straight ahead, repeating his own name over and over. Then, gently, softly, a girl comes to him, can't be any more than fourteen. She says: can you see me? and Billy thinks yes, yes, but I can't see you, he'll see you too -

But he doesn't know what he is. Lately the dreams a little different. The girl reaches for his hand, and when she speaks her voice older. Familiar. She says you have to wake up, Billy, or this isn't your life, Billy.

He wakes from those dreams, sweating. Tries desperately not to wake Eddie as he catches his breath, tries to keep the terror to himself in case it spills out. Enough of them leads to online, to people who have similar dreams too, and it's mortifying, sure. But it's - it helps. ]

CALIFORNICATION IS ONLINE.

CALIFORNICATION: I had the fucking dream again. The girl. Does anyone else hear the voice clearer now?

SIXTEEN CANDLES . . .

[WILD CARD - Billy's a sex worker and social media influencer and this has p much stayed the same. You can run into him on the street, at paid events, sometimes even at Guardian or Society events as a paid guest!

Or just. At the gym, grabbing a beer ... Going through the vinyl section of the local record store, not sure why he longs for the 80's so bad...]

( aued, fast times at . . . )

[torchbearer]

[ kyle blinks. he had been sketching idly, not realizing he had been staring. ]

Sorry. Got carried away.

Dylan Brock | AU'd | Sunset Falls (OTA)

[codicies]

01. Escape Attempt - Semi-Closed (Can be observed, but action closed to Jason, Sleeper, and Dylan)

It had been a long, painstaking process just to get a few hours outside of the family panopticon. Dylan had spent days setting up layers of lies and cover stories so each of his bodyguards would assume he was with one of the others, and no one would question it. Then he'd slip away through the blind spot in surveillance he'd found, and go off to explore Sunset Falls.

And, as he slips away from his home under the cover of shadows, it seems to have gone off without a hitch.

-

02. (Crime) Family Party - OTA (Come bother him before he isolates himself on the balcony!)

Dylan doesn't know what the event is. Someone probably told him, but the information didn't stick. After getting caught sneaking out the other night, his security detail had been doubled, and life had just been... suffocating.

Every need is attended to, as long as he behaves, stays put, and looks good for the rest of the "Family".

In addition to the guards, It's not lost on him that attendees seem to be paying a little extra attention to him &madsh; particularly those close to his age. Dylan had been lamenting his lack of friends; He wondered how much Sleeper and Jason were paying them to fill that void for him.

Or maybe they're just seizing the opportunity to try and wriggle their way deeper into the inner workings of the family.

Either way, Dylan greets them with an empty smile and politeness, going through the motions of politeness until they leave him alone.

Periodically, he grabs food — accompanied by guards. Again.

Finally, exhausted and suffocating, he excuses himself to get some fresh air and heads for a balcony. Wordlessly, his security detail follows closely.

Figures. Might as well put them to good use.

"Make sure I'm not disturbed."

At least they listen to him. Two of the security guards stand post at the door, blocking any of the sycophants who'd want to use him to brown-nose their way into Red Hood's good graces.

The rest of them, however, keep their eyes focused on Dylan.

He sighs, folding his arms on the rail and resting his head on them. Late afternoon shadows stretch across the garden below, and for a little while, Dylan can at least imagine escaping through it.

03. Wildcard - Write up a different starter if you want!

1

[robintohood]

Jason and Sleeper had gone over to Dylan's room to gift him a new guitar when they saw that he was missing. Given all the lies the bodyguards were told, it took some time to dig up the real story. They realized soon enough though that Dylan was trying to run away. Relieved that he wasn't kidnapped, the duo ordered security to continue their patrol routes as usual. Plus, if Dylan was still on the premise, he might be realize his cover's been blown and flee faster if he sees the guards suddenly acting up. It was best that Jason and Sleeper handle this matter personally.

Tracking Dylan's scent is easy enough and they too creep in the shadows to follow him.