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

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. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth toes off his boots and heads on back to where Luke is, carrying the grocery bags with him.

He notes the scowl, tilting his head at Luke in the mirror.]

Something wrong?

[dothelokimotion]

This new foundation is a pain to remove.

[ but luke smiles, rising to meet him with a kiss to the cheek. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth smiles at the kiss.]

And what was wrong with the old one?

[dothelokimotion]

[ he sighs. ]

It was fine, but I wanted to see if this one was better. So much for trying something new.

[unkindled_madness]

New can't always be better.

[He offers Loki one of the bags of chocolate.]

But perhaps I found something you haven't tried before?

II

[helpdesk_hero]

[Who cases the caser? Well, in this case (pun not intended but embraced), it was a man that had been trying to get to the bottom of something for a bit now. That he'd even gotten involved in a personal investigation was a matter of dumb luck. A friend of a friend had passed away, and David had felt compelled to look into it, just a little.

It helped, David told himself, that he had a very analytical brain. He didn't want to be in the field much, that just wasn't his nature. But he'd noticed what he feared was a pattern, and so he had decided to act. Just this once. He was tech support after all, not a fighter.

Still, when he drove into the parking lot late at night in his rental car, he felt silly. He was seeing things, he told himself. This was all just so ridiculous.]

It's just coincidences, there isn't this whole big conspiracy thing going on.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth has snuck over and past the fence, but he hasn't gotten far onto the base proper. He hears the gate opening, and the car pulling through. One individual arriving on base this late at night? Someone of importance, or just a minor aberration?

Sticking to the shadows--and he really doesn't need much light to see by--Sephiroth creeps to the edge of the lot to get eyes on the newcomer.]

[helpdesk_hero]

[At last David sighs and gets out of the car. Better to look now and find himself proven wrong than to fuss overlong. He stretches as he leaves the car, it had been a long drive from the nearest rental facility that would accept Alliance credentials.

The darkness was not something he was really excited about though, so as he stands David's hands curl, and a faintly glowing orb of golden light appears over his shoulder.]

Okay, just do what you told him you were going to do. Check the area, make sure there's nothing hacked into the systems, give the guards the warning, and go home.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth is no hacker, but a warning could throw a wrench in his efforts.

He can't just kill this man. If he's already alerted someone to his investigations, then his death or disappearance would just lend weight to them, and subject Sephiroth to further scrutiny. He's also clearly a meta of some kind... He could be patient, let this happen and wait for enough time to pass that they decide the warning was unfounded.

He doesn't really want to.

The parking lot is in easy view of a guard station, but Sephiroth creates the illusion of a figure moving in the shadows closer to a blind spot. Time to see how this stranger reacts; he doesn't seem brave, so maybe he can be intimidated into silence.]

[helpdesk_hero]

[Motion. David's eyes follow it and, after a moment of hesitation, he twists his hands in the air again. This time the light forms something new, a little creature. The cat is sleek and glows more strongly, and at a gesture from David, the thing goes running off after the shadow to investigate.

Not that brave, yes. But willing to use his powers to help compensate, absolutely.]

[unkindled_madness]

[The figure vanishes once it's out of Sephiroth's own line of sight, leaving the glowing cat with nothing to chase. Not quite how he wanted that to work out, but it's further insight into this man's powers.

At least with David's attention on the illusion, Sephiroth can move into a better position to follow him.]

I

[portolan]

[ Balthier's not himself, though that's much less true for everyone inside the bubble than it is for him.

Excelsior is too painful today, and the Society needed someone to investigate a potential dangerous object that may have been related to the situation, so he's in Sunset Falls, at least until it starts to infect his memory again.

He's not really looking for anyone he knows, but it's hard not to pause when he catches Sephiroth's likeness at a cafe when he stops inside for tea late in the afternoon. ]

Long time no see. [ He's wondering if seeing him will jog the other's memory at all. Not that it worked with David or Otto, but neither of them is magical. So Balthier also throws a tiny bit of a perception spell on himself, a sense that they know each other, trying to get Sephiroth's real self to bite. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth glances up. A faint sense of familiarity has him studying Balthier a moment before he speaks. Does he know this man?]

...perhaps too long. I apologize, I can't place you.

[Maybe they served together, briefly? Balthier looks about the right age.]

[portolan]

[ The same as David. Well. Maybe he'll have more luck here. ]

May I? It was a long time ago -- we were different people, really. I went by another name. You were close with a friend of mine. David?

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth gestures; he doesn't mind if the stranger sits.

Did he know a David? He shakes his head slightly.]

We must have fallen out of touch.

[portolan]

[ At least he's agreeing to talk. ]

Alas.

I remember something about looking into a man who had caused you trouble in your youth. Excuse my prying, but I was always curious -- did that turn anything up?

[ Because he's starting to have a theory this spell has somehow warped around the things people don't want to remember. ]

[unkindled_madness]

Now I almost wonder if you have me mistaken for someone else.

[Which is kind of absurd, considering his appearance, but none of this sounds familiar.]

I don't know what you mean.

i.

[skagzz]

SIR FUZZ BUTT STOP!

[ It's not unusual that Tina gets up to nonsense with the family cat, but she's usually not -- up this early. Unless it's a school holiday, which it is.

When the cat runs by it is absolutely covered in hair clips and an old dress up gown. Tina manages to grab him, but not before he flails and knocks over a bowl of fruit. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth has very good reflexes for a geologist (okay it does help to be a Meta), and he manages to catch the bowl before the entirety of its contents spills onto the floor. Some strawberries tumble out and a few blueberries are tragically lost to the nether space beneath the fridge.

Sephiroth arches an eyebrow at Tina and the cat of many names.]

...are you preparing him for one of Luke's shows?

[skagzz]

[ Uhhhhhhh.....]

Yes most definitely Luke Dad wants trained and daring spicy cat friend to support him in his show and I'M HELPING.

[ That cat, which she also named Luke, just meows pitifully. ]

See he wants to help.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth sets the bowl of fruit back in place and takes pity on Luke the cat, gently beginning to remove some of the hair clips.]

He may prefer to ease into it.

[skagzz]

Luke Dad says beauty is pain and discipline is a virtue.

[ Did he actually say that? Probably the first part. ]

I am training Luke Cat to be a STAR.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth is doubtful he's said either one of those things. He continues freeing the cat from hair clips.]

One develops discipline. It isn't instantaneous.