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HOUSE OF M(ETA)
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.
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.
cw: light body horror
( that's the immediate answer that comes rolling out from her. she doesn't even have to think about it. she's not going to run. no, no way! she wouldn't be forced out of her home. nor would she and her family be intimidated! she'd stand her ground. she'd fight, she'd fight, she'd fight. she'd—
—run.
a primal part of her shrieks from within, echoing and vibrating through the very core of her being. it feels it rattle in her bones and electrify her veins. she doesn't know if it's the thought of physical confrontation with this figure or something else. she just knows that hunter is right: they need to leave.
they need to leave.
but she doesn't want to. she wants to stay right here, right in their home, right where they have been building their lives. this is where she needs to be. right here, RIGHT HERE.
she wouldn't lose this one too. she wouldn't lose again—
something cracks, nearly shatters. darkness bleeds into eda's sclera, blobbily overtaking her eyes like ink oozing out from a broken bottle.
eda lets go of her child then, all but shoving him away as feathers start to sprout along her skin in thin lines. )
Go!
Re: cw: light body horror
[He only backs away a little. His voice trembles?]
Aunt Eda?
cw: light body horror
they need to go. she needs to take hunter—
no, she doesn't want to leave—
they need to go!
her body slumps forward, the curve of her back a little too sharp and unnatural. she lifts her hand to her face, but the hand is too large and her nails far too sharp. it's almost too hard to recognise it as her own. )
It's fine. I'm fine.
( a sharp exhale. )
Just go outside. Or to your room. Just-just go.
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[He should run.]
[Quietly.]
No.
[Whatever's happening to her is happening to the both of them. Something evil is leaking in.]
[But she's his aunt.]
[He cups her face in his hands, forces her to look at him.]
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
[Whatever's causing this is emotional probably. Fear. Anxiety. They both recognized something horrible.]
[But they don't have to let it have that kind of power over them.]
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and that's the last thing she wants. )
Hunter, no—
( she protests as hunter's hands reach for her. they feel cool to the touch, but maybe her skin is just flushed. eda doesn't want him here, doesn't want him to stay near her, but she doesn't fight against him. no, for as much as she doesn't want him here, she also doesn't want him to run.
from her.
colour has started to fade from her skin, the shade closer to bone than flesh, and her lips blackened. )
I- ha.
( she starts, startled by the sudden question. her jagged teeth are on full display as she speaks, almost too big for her mouth.
hadn't she just asked him this earlier? the nerve of him to apply it to her.
still. her chest tightens, warmed by the gesture. )
Pop-Tarts. Coffee.
( it's all she had time for. she'd accidentally slept in for far too long. again. she had to rush out asap and she'd eaten the last of the pop-tarts as a quick and easy solution for breakfast. the only reason why she'd had coffee to go with it was because hunter must have started the coffee maker for her before he left. )
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Did you put anything in your coffee?
[Even as he asks his questions, he comforts her, stays close, trying to keep her grounded and connected so she doesn't get lost in whatever feral, monstrous blight that's trying to overtake her. Even if they can't stop her from physically changing into...something, it doesn't mean she has to lose control of her mind. It doesn't mean she has to lose herself to fear.]
[He presses his forehead to hers, hoping touch helps her. He's here. He's still safe from the masked man, with her. He's with her.]
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her body is still changing, contorting and twisting against her will, but the pace of it seems to have calmed. she feels less like she's becoming some sharp, angry and yowling thing. less like she's falling apart.
less like she's losing herself. )
You know mama likes it dark.
( eda answers, a soft but unnatural echo to her voice. it's one of the last changes she undergoes before her spine jerks and wings snap out from between her shoulder blades. they flick outward once before settling against her back, a few loose feathers shedding to the floor.
it's not so bad.
it's not so bad. )
I'm okay.
( for the most part anyway. )
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At least the wings are cool.
[What the hell is happening?]
You wouldn't happen to remember some kind of secret curse a dark wizard put you under that explains this, would you?
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something within tugging, tugging, tugging.
but she forces a laugh. )
The only idiots who ever tried to curse me were hacks and charlatans. They'd never be able to pull this off.
( for this kind of thing. . . well! only she could do it.
but she wouldn't do this.
would she?
no. probably not. )
I'll take any easy answers if you got them though. Cursed artefacts or activated some ancient prophecy where you've been chosen?
( it's a very lame attempt at a joke, but she is trying.
trying her best to pretend she can be calm. )
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[He sits down heavily on the couch, chin in his hands, thinking.]
[Certain things have transferred over from reality. In this world, Hunter is still thoughtful. Curious. A bit of a planner.]
[In short, a nerd.]
We both half-remember something. Enough that my seeing that person in the mask, and you seeing their picture, triggered this.[He gestures to her...change.] Doesn't mean at some point we...whole-remembered it?
Lots of magic and powers can alter memory, right? What if something happened, something...bad? With the person in the mask. Something that changed you.
And we've had no clue since then because something took our memory of it away.
[Until he saw something that reminded him, and then drew it for her, reminding her. Bringing up something repressed. Suppressed. Causing her to undertake a change she'd forgotten she could even make.]
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( simply stated, but mostly to confirm that the two of them were on the same page. it's not a bad theory.
it's really not. and should hunter turn out to be right about this, eda already knows exactly where she'd hedge her bets. after all, who else but lilith for something like that? )
It's. . . possible, yeah. Memory related magic is pretty varied and not difficult to perform. Just hard to master.
( for obvious reasons. )
What about what you saw outside?
( did he actually see something? or was he remembering something? )
no subject
Either it's something real that made me start to remember things or...me just starting to remember things?
[He's shaking now, thinking of the that antlered mask again.]
What if it's real? What if something just found us? I want to leave.
[Because he knows. Deep down. He knows what the masked person wants to do to him.]
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Then let's go.
( just like that. if hunter wants to go then she didn't intend to try to force him to stay. especially not when she didn't have any good reason as to why they should. this night has already been a nightmare. terrible. no good. bad. needs a reset button kind of night.
need a lot of alcohol to cope with kind of night too.
but she could settle for some vending machine snacks from some shady roadside motel for now.
eda stands up then or attempts to—her body is now a little too tall, forcing her to bend awkwardly against the ceiling. )
We don't have to figure everything out now. We can just skedaddle.
no subject
[She's kind of noticeable.]
I think you look cool, but people can get weird about metas.
no subject
Whaddya mean? I have magic, baby boy.
( to emphasise her point of just how easy it is, eda begins to draw a spell circle in the air with a blackened claw.
there's a fizzle and a few stray sparks in the loose shape of a circle, but nothing else happens.
eda looks at it silently for a long moment. )
. . . Get me the blanket off the back of the couch.
( she eventually says. )
no subject
[He holds it out to her.]
Where are we going to go? A motel? Or something?
no subject
Oh, you got it on the first try.
( then she grabs the blanket, immediately swinging it around her back to start tying it at the neck. )
The ones off the highway don't usually ask too many questions. Wouldn't care if you checked in for the both of us.
( which probably sounds a bit too specific and that's because it is. there's a great story behind that, actually. )
Don't ask how I know that, kid. We don't have time for it.
( because leaving now really did mean now.
she already knows where the two of them will go, she has plenty of cash in her bag to make it happen, but the next issue is transportation. she could make an attempt at driving the car, but she really didn't think that her body would even fit inside of it anymore. that and there was no way in hell some cop wouldn't pull them over immediately at the sight of her crammed into the car like a can of spam.
right now her body had huge wings though— )
I bet I could fly, right?
no subject
[Really, this new form just keeps ranking up cool points and now he wants to see where it goes.]
her blanket cape makes her look like a child playing superhero
and that path is seeing whether or not she can fly the both of them out of here. eda offers hunter a small nod before making her way out of the room, directing herself to the foyer. once there, she grabs her bag from off of the wall. she unhooks one of the straps from the bag, fastening it around her waist before rehooking it together.
it's not cute but it's serviceable.
then she heads outside, moving to stand on the stairs while waiting for hunter to catch up. )
Grab what you need and let's give this a go!
no subject
[They can worry about anything else like clothes to change into later. They can alway buy it. They're not hiding from the government after all, they're hiding from something sinister and supernatural. They can still use credit cards and stuff, they just need to somehow break up their capacity to be tracked by...whatever.]
[He follows her out.]
I've got everything I can think of.
no subject
( by all accounts, neither of them should need much. this should just be a weird and shitty night that ends up with them eating late-night doordash in some far-off motel. tomorrow they could figure out what to do and if there was anything even to do.
hopefully everything will be over tomorrow.
now that hunter's ready, she kneels down and extends her arms out to him. )
C'mere.
no subject
Are you sure your wings can carry both of us?
[He's hoping the answer is no, because being carried like a doll by your aunt is the opposite of cool.]
no subject
( immediate answer. too bad it's a lie. eda is not actually sure that her wings can even fly, much less carry the both of them.
however, that has nothing to do with it.
this is a bonding experience.
one where if she looks stupid, they're going to look stupid together. )
Don't make me grab you.
no subject
And you know this despite only just sprouting wings, how exactly?
no subject
( this is something that eda has said several times before, but it is not always followed by success. there have been plenty of times when she had said exactly this right before things blow up in her face. last time she said this, she had promptly knocked an entire piping hot pot of chili off the stove and flung it everywhere.
the room smelled meaty for weeks.
but it's too late for second thoughts now. as if guided by instinct, eda spreads her feet, hunkers down, tightens her grip on hunter, and then launches the both of them into the sky. )
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cw: warning of probably mention of child abuse in the rest of the thread
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