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CONFLUENCE 017
Who: Everyone!
What: A Confluence! An invasion!
When: Early April
Where: Everywhere!
Content Warnings: Nonconsensual life takeover, drug use, death
➢ New arrivals will be appearing in Central City. Their arrival will be expected and handled by a number of local heroes, helpful magic, and a few drones–except all of them (sans the drones) will be feeling tired and a touch under the weather. What gives?
➢ Central City dealing with some pod people. Not obviously, of course, but this is a problem that metas of all types are free to investigate. How people choose to deal with them is up to you, but feel free to hit us up with any questions about this mini-event down below.
➢ Little Love has a … cow problem. Or a goat problem. It depends upon your definition of problem. It's time for the great cow strike of 2023. The goats are just passing the word.
➢ Sunset Falls had a ghostly problem that has now become a withdrawal problem.
➢ Excelsior is on its anti-meta propaganda again. There are some citizens from the city exploring other locations to see if they can spot some trouble. Central City seems like it's in some trouble–it would probably be best not to let the propaganda engine catch wind of that, huh? Pod people are just a different name for metas, as far as they're concerned.
What: A Confluence! An invasion!
When: Early April
Where: Everywhere!
Content Warnings: Nonconsensual life takeover, drug use, death
ARRIVAL
A Confluence, capitalized, is the converging of one or more supernatural forces.
Wherever you were, whatever you were getting up to back home—it doesn't matter anymore. One moment you're standing, laying down, sitting, getting shot at—the next, you're falling. It's not from a short distance, either. The sky opens up, and out of it comes you. Maybe you've got the ability to catch yourself before your face meets asphalt, but if you don't, don't worry about it. The citizens of CENTRAL CITY are here to lend a hand. The thing is, some of them might find it difficult to control their powers. Many of them might keep you from crash landing, but you'll still fall and hurt your leg (if not break it). Their skin is pallid and they have dark rings under their eyes. Well, some of them, anyway.
Whatever way you've arrived, you're here now. Your saviors can't seem to focus to stick around too long, and just absently point out where you're going. That's right: you've been dropped off close to the DIADEM HOTEL and won't have to walk very far to get to your temporary housing.
Welcome to Central City.
Wherever you were, whatever you were getting up to back home—it doesn't matter anymore. One moment you're standing, laying down, sitting, getting shot at—the next, you're falling. It's not from a short distance, either. The sky opens up, and out of it comes you. Maybe you've got the ability to catch yourself before your face meets asphalt, but if you don't, don't worry about it. The citizens of CENTRAL CITY are here to lend a hand. The thing is, some of them might find it difficult to control their powers. Many of them might keep you from crash landing, but you'll still fall and hurt your leg (if not break it). Their skin is pallid and they have dark rings under their eyes. Well, some of them, anyway.
Whatever way you've arrived, you're here now. Your saviors can't seem to focus to stick around too long, and just absently point out where you're going. That's right: you've been dropped off close to the DIADEM HOTEL and won't have to walk very far to get to your temporary housing.
Welcome to Central City.
DIADEM HOTEL
The DIADEM HOTEL is usually reserved for the obscenely wealthy. Its rooms are enormous, the beds quite literally enchanted to offer the perfect night's sleep, and the food would usually cost your life savings just to sample. But given the circumstances, the Guilds feel it's the least they can do to aid your transition into this world.EVERYTHING is complimentary, and everyone gets an ALLIANCE CREDIT CARD to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back... though if they catch you abusing it, their accountant will be coming for your head. The employees here seem to be largely untouched by whatever's affecting the citizens outside–but that's probably because they know better than to touch some strange metas they come across.
There's a shopping center immediately across the street. It has an impressive array of outlets that cater to your every need. Food, clothing... and swords? If you can think of it, it's for sale. Although anything clearly supernatural or metahuman seems to be at a minimum and offered under the table. You can grab clothing made to withstand any superpower and a surprisingly mediocre Taco Bell order while you're at it. There's a Super Cinema in the shopping complex across the street that's showing ARCHETYPE 2: WAYS OF THE MOUNTAIN. It's a long, long movie about an alien species that needs to eat rocks to survive. While critically acclaimed, few people can summarize what it's about other than that it's a science fiction marvel for the ages. Not seeing it basically means you're not cool, but it feels like no one has truly seen it because no one even knows what it's really about.
There's a shopping center immediately across the street. It has an impressive array of outlets that cater to your every need. Food, clothing... and swords? If you can think of it, it's for sale. Although anything clearly supernatural or metahuman seems to be at a minimum and offered under the table. You can grab clothing made to withstand any superpower and a surprisingly mediocre Taco Bell order while you're at it. There's a Super Cinema in the shopping complex across the street that's showing ARCHETYPE 2: WAYS OF THE MOUNTAIN. It's a long, long movie about an alien species that needs to eat rocks to survive. While critically acclaimed, few people can summarize what it's about other than that it's a science fiction marvel for the ages. Not seeing it basically means you're not cool, but it feels like no one has truly seen it because no one even knows what it's really about.
CENTRAL CITY
Typically, Central City is a city of architectural marvels offset by terrible income disparities. Typically, the people here are aware of where not to go; they know which shadows to avoid, which neighborhoods to leave abandoned, and which pizza shops aren't likely to see trouble at all hours of the day. To the outside eye, all of these things remain true. Much of the city continues to be little more than a dilapidated shell of itself–a recurring reminder of what it could be if its citizens weren't afraid of its potential.
At the moment, Central City's citizens are feeling A LITTLE OFF, ALMOST AS IF THEY'RE BOTH IN STEP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND NOT. Why is that? An odd, new INVASIVE SPECIES HAS BEEN TAKING ROOT. That's right. It's pod people time.
To anyone observing the city, nothing has changed. But the people inside will undoubtedly notice the shift. A large number of people have been seen coming from the abandoned, forgotten parts of the city, dressed as if they're keen to return to their 9-5 job. The crime syndicates are keeping quiet; many of its members are fatigued and unaware, trying to go about even their most basic tasks like shaking down local businesses without feeling like they want to fall asleep on their feet.
That's the thing: CENTRAL CITY IS SAFER THAN USUAL because a whole lot of citizens are currently dead on their feet. Not literally–not yet anyway. At first this might seem like a blessing in disguise, but all of the strange behavior is likely to add up. What does this strange behavior look like–and what comes next?
➢ Right now, no one knows that there are pod people, and–in fact–that they have been quietly taking root for a while. A large part of this is because they're difficult to spot before they fully absorb an identity. Think of an ability that makes it hard to focus on someone–that's what's going on with them. As a group, they have a simple cellular structure and seem to have a central nervous system that they share. Yep, it's a hivemind folks. Now–where is that hive?
➢ As a species, the pod people are symbiotic in nature. Their "barely noticeable" forms are only illusions; their true form, at birth, is parasitic and worm-like in nature. They insert through someone's skin and begin to take root, sucking away at their energy bit by bit until they can begin to take on a life of their own. They quite literally form a new body near the hive and hatch out of it. Once they hatch, their host body will begin to wither quickly and die, as its memories and energy are no longer needed. Once they take on this form, they are able to sustain themselves away from a host.
➢ They absorb all aspects of someone's identity: their appearance, their quirks, their memories, and everything else. One might even ask if THEY ARE NOT TRULY THE PERSON THEY TOOK OVER WHEN THEY'RE DONE. Everything about them is the same, after all–EXCEPT FOR A NEED TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD NEWLY BORN PARASITES FROM THE HIVE TO OTHERS VIA TOUCH.
➢ The process of the takeover happens in six steps:
At the moment, Central City's citizens are feeling A LITTLE OFF, ALMOST AS IF THEY'RE BOTH IN STEP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND NOT. Why is that? An odd, new INVASIVE SPECIES HAS BEEN TAKING ROOT. That's right. It's pod people time.
To anyone observing the city, nothing has changed. But the people inside will undoubtedly notice the shift. A large number of people have been seen coming from the abandoned, forgotten parts of the city, dressed as if they're keen to return to their 9-5 job. The crime syndicates are keeping quiet; many of its members are fatigued and unaware, trying to go about even their most basic tasks like shaking down local businesses without feeling like they want to fall asleep on their feet.
That's the thing: CENTRAL CITY IS SAFER THAN USUAL because a whole lot of citizens are currently dead on their feet. Not literally–not yet anyway. At first this might seem like a blessing in disguise, but all of the strange behavior is likely to add up. What does this strange behavior look like–and what comes next?
➢ Right now, no one knows that there are pod people, and–in fact–that they have been quietly taking root for a while. A large part of this is because they're difficult to spot before they fully absorb an identity. Think of an ability that makes it hard to focus on someone–that's what's going on with them. As a group, they have a simple cellular structure and seem to have a central nervous system that they share. Yep, it's a hivemind folks. Now–where is that hive?
➢ As a species, the pod people are symbiotic in nature. Their "barely noticeable" forms are only illusions; their true form, at birth, is parasitic and worm-like in nature. They insert through someone's skin and begin to take root, sucking away at their energy bit by bit until they can begin to take on a life of their own. They quite literally form a new body near the hive and hatch out of it. Once they hatch, their host body will begin to wither quickly and die, as its memories and energy are no longer needed. Once they take on this form, they are able to sustain themselves away from a host.
➢ They absorb all aspects of someone's identity: their appearance, their quirks, their memories, and everything else. One might even ask if THEY ARE NOT TRULY THE PERSON THEY TOOK OVER WHEN THEY'RE DONE. Everything about them is the same, after all–EXCEPT FOR A NEED TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD NEWLY BORN PARASITES FROM THE HIVE TO OTHERS VIA TOUCH.
➢ The process of the takeover happens in six steps:
1. INFECTION - the symbiotic parasite is passed via touch
2. ENERGY DRAIN - the parasite begins to take root, causing fatigue in its host
3. MEMORY LOSS AND DISASSOCIATION - there is an odd sense that someone is in two places at once; in addition, it's hard to recall facts about themselves and the people around them
4. HIVEMIND AWARENESS - there is always a sense of power nearby in Central City, as well as safety–there will also be telepathic awareness of other hosts who are at this stage
5. COMPLETE TAKEOVER AND LOSS OF LIFE - the original host begins to wither into a husk, begins to die
6. REBIRTH - the new pod person is born and they are autotrophic in nature: small parasites can be passed from their body, always replicating so that they can continue and spread
2. ENERGY DRAIN - the parasite begins to take root, causing fatigue in its host
3. MEMORY LOSS AND DISASSOCIATION - there is an odd sense that someone is in two places at once; in addition, it's hard to recall facts about themselves and the people around them
4. HIVEMIND AWARENESS - there is always a sense of power nearby in Central City, as well as safety–there will also be telepathic awareness of other hosts who are at this stage
5. COMPLETE TAKEOVER AND LOSS OF LIFE - the original host begins to wither into a husk, begins to die
6. REBIRTH - the new pod person is born and they are autotrophic in nature: small parasites can be passed from their body, always replicating so that they can continue and spread
➢ COMPROMISED METAS WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS THEIR POWERS RELIABLY. When the new pod person is born, they will be born with the power that their previous host had.
➢ STOPPING THE POD PEOPLE IS AN OPTION. So is SAVING THEM. No matter what, some investigation into what they are, how to manage them, and if they're truly harmful is needed. After all–being a part of a hive mind might actually not be so bad. It seems to have helped Central City.
➢ STOPPING THE POD PEOPLE IS AN OPTION. So is SAVING THEM. No matter what, some investigation into what they are, how to manage them, and if they're truly harmful is needed. After all–being a part of a hive mind might actually not be so bad. It seems to have helped Central City.
CLIFF NOTES.
➢ New arrivals will be appearing in Central City. Their arrival will be expected and handled by a number of local heroes, helpful magic, and a few drones–except all of them (sans the drones) will be feeling tired and a touch under the weather. What gives?
➢ Central City dealing with some pod people. Not obviously, of course, but this is a problem that metas of all types are free to investigate. How people choose to deal with them is up to you, but feel free to hit us up with any questions about this mini-event down below.
➢ Little Love has a … cow problem. Or a goat problem. It depends upon your definition of problem. It's time for the great cow strike of 2023. The goats are just passing the word.
➢ Sunset Falls had a ghostly problem that has now become a withdrawal problem.
➢ Excelsior is on its anti-meta propaganda again. There are some citizens from the city exploring other locations to see if they can spot some trouble. Central City seems like it's in some trouble–it would probably be best not to let the propaganda engine catch wind of that, huh? Pod people are just a different name for metas, as far as they're concerned.
WILDCARD.
Metaheroes takes inspiration from all walks of comics. Take a look at the CITIES to get an idea as to what day to day life is like in the other cities. Perhaps you've encountered a supervillain (or hero) who needs to be thwarted, or a metahuman with unusual powers creating bizarre effects. You can also take a look at the MISSION BOARD to get your start as a professional hero, villain, or vigilante.
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But when some foreign presence brushes against his mind, he freezes. It's a feeling with an immediate association--the world of his doppelganger, the one who found Jenova. It was a fleeting sensation he never wanted to dwell on.
This seems... not quite the same. Not that knowing invitation, but a question. Still, he doesn't trust it in the slightest.
What is this?
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Dylan's eyes snap open. What the hell was that? It was too articulate to be the worms, and its confusion felt... precise? It was questioning Dylan specifically.
He closes his eyes and reaches out again, trying to chase that strange ping like a stray thought. Hello?
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Could it be one of the so-called Starfallen? They often arrive with new powers and no understanding of how to use them. It doesn't occur to Sephiroth that this applies in some fashion to him--it's not a new power, but an untapped one.
Do you realize what you're doing?
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Some Starfallen parasites have some kind of psychic link. But I think the signals are getting crossed somewhere. They're tapping into my family's hivemind.
Which probably raises more questions, but Dylan has some of his own: I haven't heard your mind before. Have you heard mine?
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But Jenova... He's read through a great deal of research by now. Hojo kept it out of his official reports, he never recorded his conclusions plainly, but buried in test result data is what happens when Jenova cells are introduced to the body of another organism. His case is distinct from those, and he still doesn't know what to make of it.
What do you mean, your family's hivemind? What are you?
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Still, he doesn't just want to leave the question hanging. My sibling's a species that connects to a central hivemind, and I'm part human and part that species, too. Not the most eloquent phrasing, but it'll do.
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Are these parasites harming you?
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Dylan tries to explain the situation, but words make it difficult. He tries to communicate the ideas instead: The parasite worms that have been infesting the people of Central City, draining their strength and eventually their life, replacing them with duplicates who believe they are the real thing.
That, and Dylan hearing their confusion, their panic at being lost in a world they don't recognize, and trying to survive however they can.
They're Starfallen, too. If I can connect with them, maybe I can get them to stop hurting people. Help them find a way to survive alongside us.
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Can he pull back? But he hasn't exhausted this source of information.
Are you so certain those feelings aren't a deception?
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He pauses. Kind of like how I didn't anticipate running into you. Clearly this "hivemind" thing was broader than he ever imagined.
no subject
Perhaps your abilities are broader than you thought. Certainly it's got nothing to do with Sephiroth and what he is.
no subject
Technically, neither are worms, as far as taxonomy's concerned. But that doesn't seem relevant here.
It's like you said. I'm something... alien. But something human, too.
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He has no idea, honestly. Certainly Sephiroth doesn't understand himself well; he has to discover everything for himself. But this person has family, family that's more than a name and collection of documents.
He doesn't get jealous as often as he used to, but that's something to be jealous of.
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I'm not sure. So... not a lot, I guess.
How the hell did this get turned around on him? But with the thought in his head, he can't help but follow it.
I mean, for most of my life I thought I was just human. It's only in the last couple years I even knew I had this whole other piece of myself. And as far as I know, there isn't anyone else like me back home. So everything I know is mostly just... trial and error.
no subject
...I understand that.
Would you be amenable to meeting in person? It's difficult to trust this form of communication.
It's invasive, but at the same time distant. He's sure he isn't just imagining things, talking to himself, but... what is he talking to?
no subject
He's met friends here who are... a convergence of two worlds. Even his own sibling — the one he likes — represents the loving bond that spans two worlds. But Nico and Sleeper both have precedent for what they are. They have examples to guide them, show them what works and what doesn't. As far as Dylan knows, there's nothing quite like him. ]
Sure. Where? I'm in Central City.
no subject
Sephiroth has never been taught to find safety in public areas or crowds (not that there's a crowd at the moment; the theatre has closed for the night), but for him it's a familiar place. The steps out front have good visibility and multiple avenues for an exit. Surely it's nonthreatening.
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At least it's a relatively public place. Dylan's got some good memories attached to it — well, one, specifically. He can probably escape an ambush there if this was some kind of trap.
Is it still open this time of night?
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People appreciate lighting, right?
You're welcome to suggest another location.
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Dylan makes his way to the theater, hashing out details with the mysterious stranger on the way. Finally, he's standing under the lights outside the theater, waiting for...
...a complete stranger? What the hell is he doing, honestly?
no subject
But he's not a stranger, not completely. Sephiroth's brow furrows in recognition of the teen who tried to roast marshmallows over a burning car.
"...you."
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When Dylan finally sees him in the light, his eyes go wide, and he smiles. "You! Arson guy!"
He steps closer. Someday, he'll look back on this and consider the possibility that someone you've labeled arson guy likely isn't someone you should approach. Tonight, however, Dylan's more focused on finding someone who maybe sort-of gets what he's going through.
"I'm Dylan, by the way. I'm not sure if I ever introduced myself."
no subject
"Sephiroth," he replies. "I don't believe I was particularly forthcoming that day either."
He gives Dylan a look of appraisal. He looks so... normal, quite frankly. Easily mistaken for an average human boy. Sephiroth never had that luxury, although perhaps it isn't much of a luxury.
no subject
When he sees the twitch of a half-smile on Sephiroth's face, Dylan can't help but feel a little proud.
Still, he remembers why he's here, and the pride gives way to uncertainty. He takes a breath and rocks back on his heels, glancing away.
"So you're... like me?"
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He's no more certain how to approach the situation. Knowing more of his origins doesn't mean he's any more accustomed to speaking of them. He's no longer in denial about what he is, but in many ways it's still a secret.
"...in some ways, I suppose." A pause. "I had human parents. But alien cells were introduced to my body."
It's the most impersonal way he can think to say it. Was it a terrible thing that they did? It made David furious, but Sephiroth can't condemn Gast's hopes for the Project. It just wasn't what he thought.
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cw, briefly implies some physical abuse in dylan's past
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