You were successful in repelling the robots attacking the city, but you've been left with far too many questions. For once, Tails doesn't have any answers for you, and a gloomy uncertainty has fallen over your three allies. It probably doesn't help that everyone had a rough time of it last week. A win is a win, but it doesn't really feel like a win when you're not even sure who this unknown threat is...
Regardless, life goes on. Things are a bit different this week in Chicago, however.
THE CITY
You'll need to be careful now more than ever when heading out into the city. Though Eggman's usual robots are still present, their numbers have been cut drastically. Far fewer drones patrol the streets, with only the occasional tank or B33 to be seen. You can still find and fight them, and they will still call for backup, but it seems like you all really have destroyed a lot of them.
But there are the new additions to Eggman's forces. Unlike the white chrome versions, these are here to cause problems. You can find them patrolling sometimes... but usually you'll find them in the city proper, destroying whatever they can. Whenever they catch sight of you, they will stop at nothing to try to pursue you and destroy you.
The city itself is still undergoing changes, with more of that white chrome spreading throughout, as if infecting the structures themselves. The Badniks will still destroy even that, though; it's more like they're mindless machines than carrying out any precise orders.
But in a stroke of good luck, occasionally you'll find that some of the humans recognize the danger they're in. It's only when confronted with a robot - but you might hear a scream, or see them try to run away, and if you save them, you may even be able to get a few words in before they simply return to their monotonous lives. You won't be able to get any truly valuable information from them, but they will thank you repeatedly for helping. They don't seem to realize that they're being controlled by someone else, even if you ask them about it.
VISIONS
If you thought last week was a lot, get ready for the madness of week 4!
You may still have nightmares. You may still be pulled into each others' nightmares (same as last week, if you'd like to play out more of these). Or maybe you'll finally be able to catch a break and get some z's, but even if you are lucky enough for that, you'll still be dealing with everything else.
You may find yourself randomly teleported into the city. This happens at random, and can happen to multiple people at the same time. One minute you may be waking up, the next you'll find yourself surrounded by robots ready to kill you. And yeah, the robots are a feature, not a bug. No matter how it happens, you will always be facing down robots whenever you're brought into the city. Enjoy!
But maybe your luck holds out and you're unaffected by that. Well, there's still the visions to deal with!
There are two different kinds of visions that may happen.
The first are the more minor ones - where you may see the people closest to you (positive or negative). They will appear for others as well, and they will gladly speak with you - though they aren't exactly behaving in the way they should. They will torment you, reminding you of past failures and imperfections, and speaking as though everything is your fault. They will follow you wherever you go, and will only fade when someone else has helped you come to terms with the horrid things they're saying. These visions are a manifestation of a character's psyche and thus are based on their own perceptions of their friends/enemies and their own faults. They're incapable of interacting with the world or the characters, but they sure can insult you!
The second are much larger in scope. No matter where you were, you may find yourself pulled into friend's memory. These memories are one-for-one versions of what exactly happened, though now you're here! Are you playing the role of someone else, or are you just a bystander in all that's happening?
The character having the vision may or may not be aware of you initially, but once they're made aware of your presence, the vision will still play out as the memory would. The only way to stop it - aside from simply letting it play out in its entirety - is to drastically alter the memory in such a way that it cannot get itself back on track. Considering the trauma some of the people in this game have, it might be a good idea to help break them free of it.
Regardless of which happens to you (the nightmares, the teleportation, or the visions), your vision will turn bright red for a moment afterwards - it vanishes quickly enough, but it leaves you with the eerie feeling that you're being watched.
SHARDS
Your powers are growing, and you'll find you're able to defend yourself with your power in some way, even if yours is a power made for support. All characters are now able to fire off a blast of energy in their shard color to defend themselves - this attack will grow stronger in time, but at least everyone should be able to defend themselves (somewhat) now?
As you fight with your allies - particularly those you have a close bond with, positive or negative - you may feel the tug of something in the back of your head; it tells you that you can do more. Together, you can become more powerful. You can use your shards together. Doing so will grant you a new power, or strengthen the one you already have. The more you trust one another, the easier this power will be to use.
It might be good to experiment with these new powers; after all, you never know when you may need them.
TAILS' TASKS
Like last week, Sonic Team is still in need of rings. Rings are still annoying to get. You'll probably need help to get them, but they're worth collecting. So make sure to grab some for Tails!
You may also be tasked with tracking Chaos Energy. Like with tracking rings, Tails will give you a device that can pick up on the signature. You should be careful in approaching, especially if the signature is a large one, considering the three enemies you faced last weekend. Still, Chaos Energy may lead you to more of Eggman's fake Chaos Emeralds, which could prove useful...
Tracking the source down will lead you to one of the weekly enemies with a shard somewhere on its body. It will be much harder to kill than the regular versions of that enemy, and capable of some kind of special power (players' choice). Crushing the shard will weaken the enemy and bring it back down to its normal power level, making it fairly easy to defeat, but if you manage to defeat it without breaking the shard, you can bring it back to Tails for examination.
ENEMIES
Though you can still find the enemies from previous weeks in Chicago throughout the city, their numbers have thinned. Mostly, you'll be running into new faces - robots that don't look anything like Eggman's usuals. They are very rarely actually patrolling or idling, instead focused on destroying parts of the city or attacking any people unfortunate enough to get in their way.
Moto Bugs are... rather cute. They roll around on their singular wheel and can slash with their front claws, though primarily they deal damage by ramming into things at fairly high speeds. They're fairly weak, all things considered, especially by now. They're completely powerless when knocked over or onto their backs. Though one Moto Bug is weak, you will never find them alone - instead, you'll usually find at least 3-5 of them in a group.
Crabmeats are robotic crabs. Where does the meat come in? Unclear. Regardless, they're stronger than Moto Bugs and are capable of both bashing with their massive claws and snipping, and either way they are capable of a good deal of damage if you get hit. They're slower though, which means getting out of the way shouldn't be too hard. Like Moto Bugs, these usually are never alone, often working in pairs.
Buzzers are bees. Did you think we were done with bees? We are absolutely not done with bees. These bees function almost identically to the B33 models in that they're capable of firing lasers from their stingers, divebombing to try to sting, and generally be(e)ing a nuisance. Unlike the B33 models, they do not have a glaringly obvious weak point and are a bit harder to hit and destroy as a result. Though you may rarely encounter only one of these bees out in the wild, usually you'll run into groups of them and they will not be(e) happy to see you.
[All three of your allies will be available throughout the week, though some may be harder to get ahold of than others.
Like always, Tails can be found in his lab. He's doing better this week seeing as how we're no longer sleep deprived, but if he seems even more focused than usual and forgetting to eat more frequently... well, listen, you guys aren't the only ones dealing with strange visions.
Sonic still remains out and about, zipping through the city and doing his part to help out against the rampaging robots. He does still go search for rings sometimes, but mostly he's focused on keeping Chicago safe. As safe as he can, anyway. He also might be pushing himself a little too hard, but he's always wearing a smile whenever he greets you.
Knuckles has likewise taken to the city this week; you may still be able to get him to help you with your shards or general fighting training, but he's focused on smashing robots. He is a simple boy who likes to fight. Let him fight!! He's doing better than the other two this week, as fighting really does help him get his stress out.]
[ In one of the rare moments in which Knuckles isn't smashing robots, Percy finds an opportunity to approach. Honestly, he's been avoiding going into the city as much as possible (teleporting aside, but that's a problem for later Coco) for obvious reasons, but he's also tired of being stuck at the base. He should see if he can do something about that. ]
[Generally recovered from the fight, Viktor had a job to do; improving the group's combat mobility and getting at minimum Percy something a little faster than a skateboard. This brought him to venture cautiously into the city, his laser firing on a group of Moto Bugs in particular. Spare parts weren't going to just manifest themselves, after all. Once that was done, Viktor could be seen carrying a couple of said poor unfortunate robots back towards his room--and then stoppng like he'd seen a literal ghost, dropping everything up to and including his staff in a cacophonous noise of metal.]
[Standing in front of him, an unfamiliar figure, unarmed but with murderous intent in hazel eyes.]
[As the week continued, he threw himelf entirely into his work more obsessively than usual; on occasion he would say something in another language as if holding a conversation, then glare at the taller man hovering over his shoulder and answering in an undertone. An easy way to determine what was or was not a hallucination, but not everyone would be so fortunate.]
[ii; visions]
IIa; averted suicide attempt, brief casual ableism [The confiscated research fascinates you about as much as it repulses your mentor, this is a sentiment you feel as much as witness as Viktor (younger, healthier, on no more than a cane instead of the crutch and braces he would later rely on) pages through a leatherbound journal in concentration. It fascinates enough that you see him sneak out one book full of notes and equations--laden with symbols you have never seen before--and seek out the man who wrote them. (He initialed every page of his notes, and you see Viktor roll his eyes at the observation.)]
[You feel a sudden instiable curiosity as Viktor steps out into the evening air of Piltover, the beautiful City of Progress--his cane marks a staccato rhythm on cobblestone streets, making his way through the academic district lit by yellow-white lampposts.]
IIb; cw implied mind control, loss of agency, death [You are everywhere. A hundred places, a hundred perspectives, all of them blending together in a perfect stream of information--visual, tactile, olfactory, audible--that you can somehow comprehend despite the overwhelming amount being far too great for a single human mind. Deep beneath Piltover, beneath most of Zaun in its deeper fissures, this place is a gentle sanctuary. A light in dismal surroundings, a verdant paradise with clean air filtered by the abundant plantlife.]
[Every single person here came to you seeking aid; Shimmer addiction, copious ailments like the one you once suffered, broken bones, and you healed each and every one of them. Saved them, when no other could or would. They call you their Herald, and they are content here; a single bastion of peace in a world besieged by conflicts. Each of them has opened their mind to yours and bears a simple mark, fingerprints left by magic--your magic, given to you by the same force which granted you a second life.]
[You remember how the Hexcore whispered to you, how you feared its power, but you know now you were wrong. You know, because you no longer feel fear. You feel very little, in fact--emotions dulled into an ethereal calm.]
[He's coming here, you know this--the person who helped you realize this dream, who gave you life through the Hexcore. The thought sets a faint warmth somewhere in your chest, distant but recognizeable comfort. Familiarity, the sense that this person belongs here. That you want to show him everything you have accomplished.]
[In this meditative trance, the whispers of a sudden startled fear come to you, and as you adjust your sight to theirs that feeling of warmth grows into a familiarity like coming home. You see through another's eyes, a man with a colossal hammer in a place where weapons are forbidden--but you respond with an immaterial whisper of reassurance. Bring him to me, said in a wordless intent laden with gentle familiarity and care; signaling that it is the Herald's wish he be guided with a compassionate hand, that this man is no danger to you.]
[You--that is, the observer, standing in this verdant paradise perceiving things outside your own mind--have the objectivity to see your surroundings for what they are. The people here have lost some part of themselves; possessing free will enough to function, but their larger indviduality stripped away and replaced with this ethereal connection to a larger hivemind.]
[It's fundmentally wrong, and judging by the look on the ragged newcomer's face, he knows this just as well as you do.]
[Do you follow him?]
[iii; wildcard]
[anything else/lighter stuff! apparently we're building hoverboards this week so we can be sonic riders: firelights edition]
Edited (would you believe i read 'will appear' as 'won't') 2025-02-03 01:25 (UTC)
[ missed out on wolfwood's horror show last week? no problem! wolfwood will be haunted by them for a few nights before he's allowed to get sleep soundly at night again. reminder again of the cw—HEAVY SPOILERS!!, blood, gore, mutilation, child death, murder (mass), suicide ideation.
though it seems like the troubles he had at night are now haunting during the day... ]
.sworn ally. (aka gay on main ig) cw: light/soft spoilers [ wolfwood really thought that after last week he would go back to dealing with his inner demons like he typically would—alone without anyone knowing about them. at night and under the night sky or while he has tucked himself somewhere away from others to have a "smoke break". was it really too much to hope that this could wait until he was a bit more healed up? it's not ideal to be holding someone at gun point while the other arm is wrapped up and in a sling, but them's the breaks.
(however, when has wolfwood had a solid say in what's been happening other than agreeing to come here and help? perhaps this is the price for someone like him.)
with how things have been going, he should have expected something like this to have happened. not even a simple, humble priest was going to be allowed to walk the streets of chicago in peace without trouble coming for him. rather, more accurately, the person who approached him is nothing but trouble: a tall, noodlely man dressed in a red duster with blond (and black) hair spiked up.
having, perhaps too much, experience with dealing with things that he doesn't want to be witnessed by curious eyes, wolfwood has led himself and his new ""friend"" down into an alleyway where he, in the aforementioned situation, stands with a gun pointed at their head. the ""friend"" smiling (the smile doesn't reach his eyes) as they speak clearly and calmly to wolfwood, their posture open, friendly, and almost inviting.
âťťYou've always been such a coward, Wolfwood.âťž
he scoffs at the latest thing that his ""friend"" tells him and shakes his head but never lowering the gun. ]
[ah... a good night's sleep for the first time in the week! And perhaps the last, considering what this week has in store... He's actually pretty bright eyed and bushy tailed to begin with, getting himself a nice breakfast with some lemon tea before he heads out on the town.
It'd be nice if it kept being a Nice Day. Unfortunately, presumably purple text man has other ideas and so it's fucking miserable, and he's got enough people he has deeply complicated feelings about that he's going to keep getting visions of different people in his life. He's oh so exploitable.
The first one may be familiar to one or two of you. It's him, the Devil from da Bible. Wait no I can't make that joke in a Sonic game. It isn't Black Doom, it's Mordegon. I mean, they are kind of similar... but regardless, Jasper just kind of... encounters him at a bus stop on his way to go further into the city and scowls.]
...you could not leave well enough alone and be content to remain in my dreams, could you, Master?
[...maybe at one time he would've been reverent. but now he's just kind of pissed off.
The second apparition is more of a regal sort, who watches judgmentally as Jasper is thanked by a civilian he saved from a pair of Crabmeats because it'd be inconvenient if someone found out he left someone to die. He doesn't. Really care or anything. Or feel a flutter of pride to be thanked so profusely.]
...really, you should just... go back inside to... whatever it is you do. It was nothing.
["Perhaps if you had been so attentive at Dundrasil you would have proven that I had not been mistaken in taking you in, Jasper," says the king, a nasty edge to his voice, and Jasper's false modesty crumbles immediately.
The third apparition is... honestly kind of weird, actually? A black-clad knight is just... around Jasper, generally, but instead of hurling insults, he doesn't seem to be acknowledging Jasper's existence. Jasper seems to be ignoring him as well, but he sees him everywhere-- while he's fighting, while he's trying to get a frappuchino, while he's... in... the shower...
...finally, over a breakfast in the main room, he can't take it anymore. Jasper glares at him, slamming his fist down on the table and standing up to point at the man angrily.]
What do you want? If you have something to say, then say it, Hendrik!
[...Hendrik doesn't respond. He just... turns to leave.
...meanwhile, in dreamland, Jasper's memories are actually kind of a clusterfuck honestly. Instead of getting anything he remembers clearly, things are a little weird? They're very weird, actually. It feels as though they are being seen through a frosted-over window, and instead of anything complete, they're just snippets of different things that don't quite match up with the Jasper you know. First, he's in a ruined throne room looking... different, applauding the arrival of Hendrik and a young man with very nice hair--then, suddenly and abruptly, like film spliced together haphazardly, he's… eating cake? In some kind of evil hell fortress??? Well, very abruptly after that, he’s transforming into a monstrous form, then he's on his knees in that same form as Hendrik walks past him. He speaks, but it's muffled and hard to make out. There isn't... static, because lmao he has no reference for that. It sounds like you're being dunked in and out of water between things that are being said.]
...always wanted? I... be... like... you...
[...and then, there is one more. Jasper is human-ish again, clearly defeated and struggling to breathe as Hendrik kneels down to speak to him. His words are perhaps a bit more clear than the previous memory, but it's still a little foggy...
"...the one who spurred me on. The light that guided me. ... How is it that you never knew?"]
i. base, early week [ Through the week, More is going to try and make himself useful around the base. Catch more offering to help carry things, cleaning up the kitchen (moderate competence), or attempting to do laundry (which means reading the whole instruction manual for the machine). He is still dealing with the numerous bruises sustained in the weekend battle and might be lightly concussed, but he is not letting this stop him! If he's sometimes slightly wobbly on his feet, don't worry about it! If you haven't seen him sleeping or eating in... a while, also do not worry about it! ]
ii. fashion innovations [ With enemies spread more thinly this week, More has finally dared to venture further into Chicago on the search for rings - and in doing so, he's found a store that called to him like a siren to a sailor. The sign outside is half covered in chrome, and yet it remains unmistakable: Hot Topic, the blackest store around. More, who has not significantly changed his clothes in living memory, finds himself entranced by possibility.
If you follow him inside, you'll find him wandering the aisles with a sense of wonder and longing. You'll find him pausing at platform boots, boob window shirts, leather corsets or even these particularly scandalous skinny pants - though the latter is put back on the shelf almost sheepishly. Similarly, he's making sparkly eyes at the black make-up. Truly, this is his personal fashion paradise.
Only... ] I couldn't properly buy any of this even if I wanted to, could I...
[ WHY DOES HE HAVE TO STEAL TO GET COOL CLOTHES?? ]
iii. buffet of horrors - METAPHOR SPOILERS
iii.a silent haunting[ There's a woman behind More. It's not that he's ignoring her, and it's not that he hasn't noticed her. It's more that every time he turns to try and face her completely, he flinches as if in pain. ]
W-who... who are you...? Why do I...
[ The woman does not look impressed by his increasing desperation. She simply watches. ] iii.b scathing judgement[ Another time, More will be tailed by a young man who has a lot more to say. ]
All those grand promises about a mutually beneficial relation, and you just run off and abandon us? Maybe the king was right to lock you away. Maybe he had to, because you're too much of a coward to ever take responsibility on your own.
[ More looks completely thunderstruck by this. And just before he can even think to respond, the young man's appearance briefly seems to shift into someone a little bit different. ]
Father.
[ More looks like he's about to throw up. His eyes dart from one corner of the room to another, like an animal backed into the corner. When he spots your character, he goes paler still. ]
I swear, I don't know what this is-- It's not real, is it? iii.c memory - CW: discussion of genocide[ You're in the throne room of a luxurious palace. Without understanding why, you understand that you are a royal attendant. You have horns on your head to match the ones More is sporting, and you are dressed in finery. The king on the throne should be familiar to you - it's More. He looks a little older than how you met him, and his head is weighed down by a large spiked crown, but it's unmistakably the same man.
In audience, two warriors who look like they've seen a rough few days. Their armor is still partially covered in soot, their capes are singed. One of them is holding a bundle of cloth that you only recognize as a swaddling cloth after a moment of closer examination. The babe inside is watching with large eyes like mirrors, eerily silent.
The king - More - looks horrified. ]
What is the meaning of this?
[ The knight who isn't carrying the baby bites his lip. ]
The village... is gone, your majesty. It was all we could do, to escape with the young prince.
... and Allice?
The chieftess was valiant. It is only through her efforts that we were able to return to us. She... I don't believe she left the village.
[ While More is too stunned to speak, maybe you can use your position to ask a question or two? ] iv. later in the week [ After the memory, More is no longer in the base being helpful. He's not in the base much at all. If you want to find him, you'll have to seek him out deliberately. He's avoiding people very intentionally.
... one easy way to find him though would be running into him being mercilessly chased by a moto bug swarm in the city. He's still useless in combat, so hiding from people is only going so well for him.... ]
[...you know what, he just kind of found himself wandering into Hot Topic because he was... perhaps a little curious? You know. Maybe he should consider a little black and red. Or at least black nail polish. There are, at least, some who know of his darker predilections now, so is there any reason to keep as much of this golden boy facade?
...and ah, there is a familiar face. He does smirk a bit at overhearing him...]
I do have a bit of gold left on me, should you wish to borrow some.
[ Hi Jasper! More is kind of glad there's someone else not disinclined towards this aesthetic. Come purvey the wares with him, at the very least. ]
Normally I might say that I could not possibly accept such a loan, but... [ His eyes drift back to the fucking corset... ] I truly do not have a lot in my wardrobe right now.
[ With a new week comes a slightly new set of dreams for Gyles to find himself lost in. The first few days, it's just a repeat of one he had last week that I'm honestly just copy-pasting from last week's tl lmao. ]
dream one (cw: grief and mourning, hallucination, potential for grandpa to want to fight you???)[ The space you find yourself in is a humble but very lived-in apartment. While there's not much in regards to possessions - most everything has a handmade quality to it, complete with imperfections that make the objects all the more charming - it's clear this space's inhabitants have made this place their home. It's warm and comfortable, complete with a fragrant stew bubbling away gently on the stove.
Outside one of the many windows, you see a gently setting sun over a bustling harbor city. A few stories below, humblefolk and birdfolk of all walks of life go about their evenings. Honestly, in comparison to other nightmares you might've had or traversed into over the week, this one seems... nice, actually? Is it a much needed reprieve from the horrors and trauma, or is there something lurking beneath the surface?
(It's the latter, for the record. Of course it's the latter.)
A short distance from where you stand, you see Gyles, sitting in front of a mirror with a bowl of that warm stew and an even warmer smile on his face. A strange sight, surely, when he's only smiled once in the past two weeks. As to what he's smiling at... well. In place of his reflection sits an elderly honey badger, around the same size as Gyles and with an eerily similar domino worn around his neck.
It's this figure that notices you, and greets you with a smile. ] Oh-! My goodness! Can we help you? [ But as the week progresses, the dreams take a turn for the worse. ]
dream two (cw: grief and mourning, dead bodies, hallucination, potential for grandpa to want to fight you!!!!!) [ The space you find yourself in is a humble but very lived-in apartment. While there's not much in regards to possessions - most everything has a handmade quality to it, complete with imperfections that make the objects all the more charming - it's clear this space's inhabitants had once made this place their home.
"Had", because the warmth is completely gone, in both a literal and figurative sense. The windows are wide open, bringing in a bitterly cold sea breeze - but the world outside is still and silent. And inside, the colors feel off, like they're not as vibrant as they should be. There's a pot on the stove with stew inside, but it's long since cooled.
A short distance from you, you see Gyles, sitting on the floor with a once-full bowl of stew with an even emptier smile on his face. Leaning against the wall directly across from him is the lifeless body of an elderly honey badger. A bowl of the same stew sits in their lap, untouched. ]
... Y'know, the brats a few doors down were askin' 'bout you. [ A laugh. ] Sorry- the kids. They really wanna show you their letters. Wouldn't let me bring you their papers myself - has to be you, they said. And the lady from the other day - Isabelle? - wanted to thank you for the medicine...
[ It's an entirely one-sided conversation, of course. But Gyles is shockingly unbothered. ] [ As a result, he's sort of just... drifting through the hours. He goes from sleeping for the sake of having more dreams, nightmareish as they may turn, to simply going through the motions. He can be found practicing his shard abilities in the training room, drinking in some quiet corner of the base, or wandering around Chicago, despite the danger.
And if you're lucky(??????), you'll see him accompanied by a honey badger of a similar age and stature. It's the same one from his dreams, of course - there will never be a day where his thoughts aren't dominated by him. While you might not hear what the honey badger has said, you'll be able to hear Gyles's response. ] ... I know, Hune.
[he'll start digging in his pockets... he's not presently dressed in a way that quite fits the vibe, but eh. Variety is the spice of life.]
Honestly, it is not the currency they use here, but it feels less unseemly than paying nothing... that, and given the local currency is made of less valuable materials, I imagine it will be a nice surprise once this world has been thrust out of its stupor.
[...he kind of wussed out of coming clean last time, but uh. He probably should, given that people are getting access to his memories and what have you.
He'll bring some cake as a peace offering, at least.]
...Tails. There is something I need to discuss with you.
1) [You ever just wake up from the Horrors only to be teleported to the top of the library? Or the middle of an intersection? Or the kitchenware section of Wal-Mart? And EVERY SINGLE TIME WITHOUT FAIL there are a dozen robots pointing lasers at your face?
Anyway, if you are out in the city and you hear Vakama swearing at the top of his lungs while running for cover: no you didn't. It's fine. The energy blasts and the random debris being tossed wildly followed by a huge swarm of robots in pursuit - that's normal. That's alright.]
2) [With the visions now happening in waking hours rather than just while asleep, one would think that more apparitions would be startling. Unsettling.
But Vakama doesn't seem to be any more interrupted than usual, trying to check in on the remainder of the group in his rounds throughout the building. If anything, he just looks to be in some amount of pain - expression always tight, hand often against his forehead, eyes sometimes struggling not to shrink to a pinpoint of light for a moment before flickering right back. He always shakes it off, though he returns to what he's doing with a little more aggression than before.
No matter where he is, he is always followed by another. About the height of their furry allies, always a slow and steady pace with the tap of his staff as a constant echo, always settled close by to Vakama with a quiet, older tone at everything he seems to do. Every show of temper, every turn of a corner, there is something chided to him in low tones, which only seems to make Vakama that much more upset.
But though he obviously listens, he never looks. He can't bear to.
Not at Lhikan.]
3) [FOR MEMORIES, please just respond requesting a memory and whether you would like it to be light or heavy and I will pick something that is fitting! If there is a specific subject you'd like to hear about or a timeframe of Vakama's life (ex. do you want to know how he got to be this way, do you want furry lore, do you want him being an asshole to his team, do you want to know about the time bomb on his possession, etc), please specify! You may also wildcard roulette and i'll give you two or three prompts to choose from if u are really starved for choice.]
4) [For those that did not get a chance for last week - congratulations, given the content, his current nightmares are still ongoing. CW: BLANKET CW FOR THE FOLLOWING: heavy hallucinatory aspects, disassociation, active mutation/body horror, apocalyptic imagery. Writeup can be found here, all responses will come from firespitter.]
[The crashing sound is enough of an alert to have him sit up from where he'd been in his own bedroom, discarding what he'd been working on to whip the door open --
Well. One party he recognized, and the other looms between him and where Viktor now stands frozen. Who in the world...]
Viktor. [Cautious, eyes on the stranger, then back on the man he knows, a sharded hand tentatively lifting in case one of those robots needs to become ammo here in a moment.] What's going on?
[Rio can still be found working diligently, both around the base and outside against robots. But even her energy’s starting to wane...]
A - Dreams
POISONED CUPS; Threats of poisoning, violence against a friend[You are in a hospital room in Tokyo, Japan, circa 1999. Four people are in the room including yourself: Rio, whose hair is down and who is in pajamas in a hospital bed, a boy with glasses leaned up against the wall near her, and a girl in a uniform standing by your side. A small table has been brought out with two glasses of water set out atop it, and Rio has an uncharacteristically sharp expression as she explains.]
This contest is very simple. It will do the job quickly, and it won’t add meaningless time to our battle.
[She holds up two small, white packets, completely unmarked and otherwise identical.]
One pack is regular sugar. The other pack is a poison that looks the same as the sugar. The poison is strong enough to kill a person two times over, and even I don’t know which bag is the poison.
[With a confident smile, she opens one up, stirring it into a glass, before doing the same with the second glass.]
We both pick a cup to drink. Do you understand? If you drink the cup with poison, you will immediately die. We both have a 50-50 chance of winning. No one knows who the god of death will pick.
[And then, with a bright smile:]
Help yourself~♪ You pick first, and I’ll just drink the other one.
[You know instinctively that you are in the role of Narumi Ayumu, and that Rio is your enemy. She and the other boy are trying to kill you, but for mysterious reasons they must adhere to the rule of employing “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil” in order to earn that right.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
PREORDAINED MEETING; Religious discussion, games to the death (allegedly), bombs and general endangerment[You enter an abandoned church, and Rio stands before you, gazing up at a statue of the virgin Mary. You find yourself asking:
“...Are you praying to God?”]
God does not answer my prayers.
[She responds quietly, not yet even bothering to turn to face you. You take a look around the ruined state of the Church, and you’re vaguely aware that Rio suffered a fairly grievous wound recently. The words come to you whether you mean them to or not:
“Calling me here... is it okay for you to go on a stroll out of the hospital?”
Finally, she turns to you, expression determined:]
It’s not. I need to rest for two weeks. But... this isn’t a situation where I can sleep in bed. We don’t have much time.
[And, with a devious grin, she checks her watch.]
Shall I explain the rules of the game?
[You know, instinctively, that your role is that of Narumi Ayumu. Rio is a dangerous enemy who has killed a teacher at your school and gotten away with it under the guise of pretending she was the victim of another murder attempt. She and a boy are currently holding your friend/acquaintance? hostage, and though they must for some reason adhere to the rule of using “the fairness of an angel and the cunning of a devil”, they are still very much trying to kill you.
Are you ready to play out your part?]
WHICH IS JUSTICE AND WHICH IS EVIL; Discussions of religion, suicidal ideation, manipulation, casual ableism, comedic violence[You reach out to knock on the door of a hospital with the name “Takeuchi Rio” listed as the current patient, only to hear yelling from inside. “You were expecting Kanone’s surprise attack and you didn’t tell me?! If I was here, he and I could’ve stabbed each other and he wouldn’t run-”
“Keep your voice down, stupid!”
Though surprised, you nonetheless open the door and peek inside, only to see Rio sitting on her hospital bed in pajamas, a girl in uniform sitting next to her, and a girl and a boy in similar uniforms, the girl having apparently just whacked the boy over the head for his suggestion.
“That’s why I didn’t say anything. What good is stabbing each other?!”
”Shut up!! Don’t take Kanone lightly.”
Only for Rio to cut in dismissively:]
Ryouko is right. If you don’t withdraw when you’re supposed to, you’ll just die in vain.
[The braided girl next to Rio notices you at that moment and brightens.
”Ah! Narumi. You let yourself in?”
All of the room is focused on you. It seems your new role is that of Narumi Ayumu, friend (or acquaintance?) of the braided girl and someone with an uneasy truce at best with the other teens assembled. You have, as a matter of fact, come here to ask about the very same Kanone they already seem to be discussing...
Are you ready to play your role?]
VS KANONE; gun violence, blood, apparent death[You are taking shelter in a classroom as a boy aims a gun at your assailant, Kanone, down the hall, the windows of the hallway already shattered from gunfire. Instinctively, you know that your target is to take down Kanone nonlethally, and that you and the other two have come here with sedation bullets for the job. While Rio is with you, it’s you and the boy who take turns taking shots down the hallway to keep Kanone from advancing, though you soon have to duck back into safety to avoid taking a hit yourself. The bespectacled boy on your side does not take this as a good sign.
"We’ve predicted it to some level, but for him to come with that kind of a gun... It could easily pierce through two to three bulletproof vests and fire doors!"
“We can’t use a desk or a door as a shield,” you find yourself saying, turning to Rio and catching the ammunition she tosses to you. “Even if we arrange some obstacles in a straight line, it’ll probably be out. At this rate, it’s just a matter of time before he gets his way. What should we do?”
Rio thinks it over for a moment. And then:]
...We’ll approach him and seal his gun, and then we’ll press on him all at once.
[You reload your gun, thoughtful. ”...Huh. Are we really going to do it?”]
It might be dangerous, but we have no choice. It’s safer than staying like this.
[With that, Rio tosses another object - this one a grenade - which you catch easily and unpin. You then turn to the boy at the door:
“Kousuke! You know the formation, right?”
The gun you reloaded moments ago is tossed along to him as you keep a hold of the grenade, and he catches the second gun without a hitch.
"Yes... You better not fire horribly."
Behind you, Rio makes her way out of one of the windows and onto the ledge.
Your role is that of Takamichi Ryouko. You instinctively know that when Kousuke opens fire, it will be your job to throw the grenade to force him to kick it away, using that time to sprint for him and grab hold of his gun before he can fire at Kousuke as he tries to kill the three of you.
Are you prepared to play your part?]
B - Wildcard
[As mentioned above, Rio can be found hanging around the base wearily - if you would like her for practicing Shard Powers or Hunting Down Rings, let me know via DM or PM and I can make a custom top-level for you!]
[While Basilio hadn't been outright avoiding More, there still had been some hesitance to interact directly... at least outside of a larger group setting, like meals, or Olive Garden, or missions. Coming from the same world should have offered some camaraderie, but... More was a clemar. Many of them wouldn't take too kindly to be greeted like a friend by him.
And that was without taking into account the wariness he could sense from More himself...
But after the helpful narration during the fight the past weekend, he decided that some things needed to be ironed out between them - introductions properly made, assumptions dispelled, reputations cleared...
To say the best of intentions disappear entirely in a wash of confused emotions when he sees the man being berated by a familiar face is a bit of an understatement.]
Will? Oh it's good to see you, it is, that Sonic finally--
I know it's hard for you, but don't be stupid, Bas.
[He flinches at the berating from a voice he's been trying so hard to ignore since the visions began.
Will shifts into the Prince. More looks about to pass out.
Basilio steps forward to put both hands on More's forearms to try and steady the man, any hesitance about who he might be gone - if he's seeing these disparaging visions of Will, that's it. He's trustworthy enough. And if he has a problem with paripus claws holding him steady, he can deal.]
C'mon, would he really get on you like that? 'Course it isn't real.
[It wasn't quite fear written on Viktor's face--not yet--but a genuine shock and apprehension. This was wrong in a way he couldn't yet place, but they had seen enough new arrivals that he was completely caught off guard.]
Knd of thought you'd be happier to see me. [His voice was a stark opposite to the other man's, like everything else about him; taller, broader, rougher in a way that Viktor's delicate inorganic appearance wasn't.] Or did you really think you could just run off and everything would be fine? What are you gonna do, start another cult?
[ Of them all, Void Archives supposes this one feels the most approachable, despite the difficulty given his high speed.
They will leave it up to chance for once in their search (and also taking part of assisting with the rings), emerging from the shadows of some alleyway or something when Sonic's stopped for a blessed moment. ]
Hmm...working hard, aren't you?
[ A pause, and idly, more off to the side than anything: ]
It'd be quite the same if you had done to the point of your own detriment, no?
[ Now, Void Archives isn't entirely too surprised to notice that the nightmares persist - there is no doubt in their mind that their enemy clearly noted the effect it has had on everyone's person. That is actually a problem in of itself, but even further still are the changes that are brought as a result of this week's unfortunate...aspects.
For one matter, there is the problem behind the visions. Then, there is something else entirely.
That 'something else' follows them well after they've made tea and are now in the hallways. A familiar sort. ]
How long until you manage to tear some of those here asunder with your efforts? But, you don't quite care about that, do you?
[ They keep walking as he follows. ]
Isn't there another way to adhere to your goals? I'm sure you understand...you and I are hardly all that different after all, old friend.
[ At this, Void Archives stop walking, facial expression momentarily blank, but then they crack a smile, and do nothing but laugh for a long while. Seems like it could be worse? ]
ii. the state of you;
[ Nearby one of the shops, Void Archives is hanging around, but not inside. Off to the side, they're talking to a brown-haired man with glasses - he looks quite severe. ]
You can't keep going on like this. Even those who didn't know you would have expected better from you.
[ The blond scoffs lightly. ]
...What everyone should have expected doesn't matter. I never really needed anyone's approval to do anything.
That is how I am, isn't it? That hasn't changed whatsoever.
[ ... ]
What about your performance so far? Hasn't it been lacking? ...You're nowhere near achieving your purpose.
[ Here is where Void Archives goes quiet. ]
iii. omen;
[ The sky is dark with a clear and obvious red that looks foreboding even from a distance.
Red crystals dot the streets of a strange city, and littered there are buildings that are tilted or otherwise destroyed.
There's a long pathway around the city that eventually leads to a haunting, crimson castle, with strange, ominous vermillion crystal spikes here or there littered in its surroundings, making it appear quite formidable. Not much noise is there to accompany it, but walking into it reveals that there is a familiar blond with a strange mask, and they are facing down a party of separate individuals; a couple of young ladies and young men. ]
iv. gallery of phantasms;
[ After they have helped with the rings, they make their way here, and go to settle themselves down to look at one of the works on display.
They're sitting on the floor, looking at a random painting, and then chuckle to themselves; a rare moment from all the chaos means they also thought to bring a drink with them to partake, sipping at it.
But, they don't say anything. Whatever they're thinking, it's anyone's guess. ]
v. wildcard;
[ Same as usual, whatever isn't above feel free to fling my way! They can be found in the city doing tasks. There is also an option to experience a nightmare, but please let me know and I'll throw a new one. ]
[Another week, another set of tasks to take care of and try to excel with.
Dorothy is going to at least attempt to be a little more out and about this week--first on the docket seems to be another trip, but this time to Old Navy. It looks like she's a woman on a mission through the clothing section, not leaving anything disorganized, but looking through clothes with intent. Trying on new outfits, trying to put her hair up in new ways...
Eventually, she does settle on an outfit, looking herself over in and out of the dressing room--it's outside of it that you may find her looking toward you, and this outfit briefly, and she'll pipe up.]
What do you think of this? Do you...think it suits me?
[It's remarkably reserved when she asks it; she hasn't worn anything but her uniform for literally a century, cut her some slack here, she seems a little nervous.
Of course, you'll definitely find her out and about in the city too--she seems to be taking to helping people pretty well if nothing else, letting loose volleys of those watery bullets at the machines around them. But it looks like she's taken on the task of tracking chaos energy down, and the radar has definitely picked up some kind of ping off of this pair of Crabmeats, and if you're down for a fight--]
Don't suppose I could get some assistance from you? These robots seem to not know when to quit!
[Dorothy isn't immune to the visions, though--she largely seems to be trying her best to ignore them, you may find a certain white haired woman following Dorothy along while she's either saving others or doing her rounds around the base. This is purely optional engagement and more of a wildcard prompt, but lemme know what you'd like if you wanna play with this!
But of course, Dorothy isn't immune as I said--but it only becomes more obvious when you're brought into a memory of Dorothy's. And surprisingly, it's actually a good one.
You seem to have been brought into a mostly empty ballroom, but if you're familiar with Dorothy's other dreams, you can see a few people around dancing and making merry at the seeming leftovers of a party. Red Hood herself seems to be enjoying playing some old tunes on a phonograph; Scarlet is off to the side a bit, exasperated but clearly enjoying herself. Snow White and Rapunzel seem to be dancing a bit on the dance floor, and even the two unrecognizable figures seem to dance with one another and make merry easily. This memory feels almost...blissful. As if it's the perfect moment where nothing can go wrong.
Dorothy herself seems to be hanging by the walls, very notably in her new outfit rather than her old one. She seems hesitant to go out onto the floor at all; it seems like the memory slightly resets itself whenever the record that Red Hood plays repeats itself, but even now, Dorothy can't bring herself to stop the memory from playing out over and over again. She's trapped, albeit it's a trap of her own making.
What will you do? You don't have any sort of role here, but you are here.]
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