While your conversation with Shadow may have shed light on a few things... it's obvious he doesn't think you all are up to the task of saving the universe from Eggman. Which also means that now you're dealing with his test, starting immediately. Some of you may be whisked away with no time to even blink, while others may find themselves wandering the Void aimlessly. Regardless, it seems this week won't be a particularly easy one.
THE VOID
Nothing has changed in the Void. Nothing ever changes in the Void. It's impossible to track the passage of time in here, and your only escape are the rings... though you should be careful with them, as there's far fewer this week. You're free to travel between worlds as you see fit - Shadow won't stop you - but you can be snatched up from wherever you are at any given moment and pulled back into the Void. Maybe don't plan on spending to long anywhere else, because it won't end well for you if you do.
The hexagonal shards will still show you visions of other worlds... but this time they all show the same thing. You'll see worlds - maybe even your own - taken over by robots and Eggman's chroma, reduced to smoldering ashes or being rebuilt in Eggman's image. Your friends, allies, and enemies may even be going about their lives just as listlessly and dutifully, heedless of their surroundings. You may even see alternate versions of yourself among them. Regardless, it seems all these shards have to show you this week are all the possibilities of failure - that other versions of shardbearers in other timelines have already lost.
MINDSCAPES
Shadow's usage of the Phantom Ruby and his own fake Chaos Emerald shard have caused quite the problem for you all - namely, you'll find yourselves traversing each other's innermost thoughts and dreams. Exactly how this mindscape manifests depends on the individual, but one thing will always remain true: you won't be able to find the owner of the mindscape easily.
As a reflection of these inner thoughts, mindscapes can be any sort of place. Perhaps they are a reflection of the owner's inner demons and fear, or perhaps they showcase a bright future they want to work towards. Regardless, this is a dream and one the owner must be awoken from... which means finding them and bringing them back to reality. That's easier said than done when traversing through this dream-like state, where the rules are made up by the owner and you're a foreign being that the dream recognizes as a threat (even if you aren't).
You may encounter familiar places or people within these mindscapes. You may not. You may end up fighting for your life in here... or you may not. Each one is individual, and the experience can vary wildly from person to person. No matter what you face, you must find the owner of the mindscape and bring them back. You must ensure you're strong enough to support them... and protect yourself.
Curiously, you can activate your shared shard power with the owner of the mindscape at any time - or bolster your own power if you share shard colors - even without them being present. Will this make it easier or harder to help bring them back? It depends on the person, your bond, and the mindscape itself...
Waking them up is as simple as convincing them that they're dreaming - that this isn't real and that they still have things to return to - but that may be easier said than done depending on the person... or the mindscape itself. There's no telling what you'll encounter, after all.
SHARDS
You'll find you're capable of more now than you were before. You're really adapting to using your shard powers and fighting with others. Those of you who share shard colors will feel the strength of your shards increasing even more when working together.
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
Given that your allies are being pulled into mindscapes and are unable to break free of their own, your task this week is to help your friends. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are off dealing with their own mindscapes, but whenever they are around, they're adamant about the importance of making sure everyone is freed and prepared for whatever comes next.
ENEMIES
Like last week, you will not encounter any of Eggman's robots. The Void is still free of enemies, though other worlds may possess their own threats. Mindscapes are a bit of a different beast; each one varies, and you may or may not encounter threats of any sort in them. Best be on your guard.
[Your allies will be around sporadically this week, just like all of you. Sonic and Knuckles can usually be found searching the Void for Shadow, but they aren't really having much luck and are rather annoyed by circumstances. Tails is doing better, remaining on the "home base" shard and generally trying to make sure you all are okay. If you need extra rings, you can ask him.
Infinite is still alive, and will be patched up once again either by one of you all or Tails if you'd rather not deal with him (very fair). He's likewise searching the Void for Shadow, but with more fury and desperation rather than annoyance. Thankfully he has mastered the art of floating, so he is not going to risk injuring himself more (probably). At least he won't actually be able to find Shadow to try to throw down with him.
And speaking of Shadow... You won't find him. Even if you specifically call out for him, he won't respond. He's too busy watching and judging all of you all, after all.]
[Dorothy's definitely doing better than she has been in weeks, but there's a certain distance to her actions this week. That isn't to say Dorothy isn't going to be not trying to help others, because she is, but...
It comes out most in the early days of the Void, with Dorothy staring at a shard of her own world in particular. Humans and Raptures seem to have finally managed some level of coexistence through Eggman's machinations; the Nikke of the world do not have to fight anymore. Humans are repopulating the surface, slow but sure, and even her fellow Goddesses are back with humanity at long last. Sure, there's a few visions of just complete ruin, but...
It makes her think. And Dorothy's head has never been a good place to be.]
...What use is there for me, when our battle is said and done...
[Dorothy's left staring, transfixed--though she'll eventually remove herself from it hours later with help and go forth and train. If you need her help here, she'll be glad to provide it.
But of course, Dorothy herself will eventually get swallowed by the void, and where you end up is...not exactly what you would expect.]
cw: mindfuckery, body horror in the replies to come[The problem mainly lies in how peaceful everything is.
It's a Chicago free of Eggman's chrome and gloom, and everything seems...normal, actually. People go about their lives in ways that they normally would, but they seem even more aware than normal. Most of them greet you kindly and with great honor, in fact; you're the saviors of this world, after all. They're in your debt, and they're thankful as hell to you for all you've done. It isn't quite to devoted levels, not really, but even the most surly of bastards can be found giving you some sort of friendly rapport and a kind smile.
Of course, the problem lies in the fact that no matter where you go, you'll always end up in a different place. Streets don't lead where they should. You could go one direction and end up somewhere else entirely, even if you know where you're going. You might even end up in a place known as Dahngrest, though your time there seems hazier before ending up back in Chicago. There's a feeling of listlessness in the air, directionlessness. It's likely something you'll have to fight off, but...
Once you get outside of town, no matter where you go, you'll end up towards a cave.
A cave with...what seems to be worn down drawings of flight patterns for Eggman's robots, long worn down from disuse. There even seems to be cobwebs, implying it's been unused for a long time, but...
You can sense something in the cave. Do you transverse it?]
The Void [While Fukuda is glad they didn't have to fight Shadow, being left as they are (and perhaps some other things eating at him) has him once again low energy this week.]
What if Shadow's right? What if we're just not strong enough to take down Eggman with the power we have?
[Mulling this over while observing the invasions in the hexagons. Really, it's him that isn't strong enough, isn't it? But if he's part of this team, then... It's more an issue of him not deserving to be on the team.]
The Well (Broad CW: Body Horror) [The individual elements of the world you find yourself in are in a way, completely normal. Normal buildings, normal cars, normal roads, normal trees. However, the world itself is profoundly abnormal because it's all been shattered into pieces. The blocky disjointed fragments float in a vast white void. There's so many pieces it's impossible to tell if they'd all go together to make a complete whole.
There's an odd sterility to it, a lifelessness. While you see cars, none are moving. There's no animals. In the fragments of roads and exposed insides of houses you can see, there's no people. Everything just floats in place quietly.
But you have larger problems at this exact moment. As you come to, you'll find your own body coming apart like the rest of the world. Probably something you should address immediately.]
[When not in others' mindscapes, Viktor remained floating in the void and writing in a leatherbound notebook he picked up from his lab; taking copious and diligent notes regarding his own powers as well as those of the others, organized by shard color and with all multi-shard abilities he knew of taken into account. If this was where they had to begin to improve, then he was going to keep track of every relevant data point just like any other experimental process.]
[ii; mindscape; cw gothic horror-esque possessive implications] [The laboratory is empty, the sky beyond the tall window showing the last remnants of sunset giving way to nightfall. Notes, paperwork, and tools are scattered across the desk space in the organized chaos of a well lived-in location; in one spot a chair was left empty, with a wheeled stool no more than an arm's length from it.]
[The quiet is peaceful, as if this place were a sanctuary left empty only after a long day's work. That combined with the relative darkness makes it all the more clear that something is here, an incomprhensible presence. Violet light flickers in the corner of your vision, and upon a workstation to the side...]
[A hovering object neither metal nor organic, gently floating and pulsating in what almost resembles thought. It feels fundamentally wrong someehow, as if its very existence is a glitch in reality itself...and yet, it calls to you. In your head, more felt than heard, wordless and voiceless impulses beckoning in a way that makes you think it is calling you by name. Calling you closer, it wants to help you, it wants to make you perfect, for you to give yourself up to it so it can grant everything you have ever desired. A strong body, a flawless form, inviting you to evolve beyond your weaknesses, to run, breathe, move, live. No more fear, no more uncertainty, only the sweet safety of perfection.]
[The Hexcore wants you. It wants you to give yourself up to it, whispering wordless sweet promises like poisoned honey in your ear.]
In The Void [ More is around. He's recovered considerably from the state of turbo depression he's been in at the start of last week. After a period of isolation, he's no longer deliberately keeping to himself!! In fact, he might be striking up a conversation with you: ]
Are you holding up alright, confined to this space?
[ He's got some unfortunate experience being trapped outside of timespace, let him mentor you.
Alternatively you may find him doing any of the following: watching visions of other worlds thoughtfully, drawing (nude figure drawings, sketches of Chicago, images of the void itself - your pick), or... trying to train his physical strength by doing basic exercises. He's hating the exercises by the way. What do you mean he needs to do sports here?? ]
Mindscape - will contain Metaphor endgame spoilers [ Welcome to Akademeia, the novelists' study. It's a large single room library with a ground floor and a second floor walkway. There is a giant statue in the room, most often covering your view of the stained glass window behind it. On the ground floor there is a desk area with a cluttered desk. Near the desk, there's a side table with an ominous scroll on it, and on the other end of the desk is a celestial globe. In the armchair nearby, there's a sleeping cat.
The room is entirely quiet. Aside from the cat gently breathing in his sleep, there is no sign of life here. More is certainly nowhere to be seen. With no threat or urgency, you are free to explore as you like. What do you wish to look at?
(Literally every detail, whether from my flavor text or from the linked reference images themselves is free to be examined and may drag you into a variety of side locations from More's life!) ]
[You find yourself in a room with pastel pink and white striped wallpaper, accented by chocolate brown trim. There is no exit behind you, only doors ahead that open outwards into the unknown.
One is a doorway with a stained glass iris flower set into it, although you can’t seem to look through the glass to see what lays beyond...
One is a doorway painted bright pink with soft, velvety white ribbons tied just over the top of the door, drooping loops of fabric between the two ribbons accenting the pink cutely.
There is no third door. Only a space where a door is clearly meant to be.
One is a door with a stained glass sakura window, although once again you cannot see what lays behind it by simply looking through the glass itself.
It does not matter which you choose, but you must make a choice.]
The scenery pulses, shifts. One minute, tranquil. The next, a flash of unforgiving white, before the seas roaring with tidal waves that reach like great mouths of water. The sky is dark, the stars falling like embers from a fire, and the air around you grows thick and heavy like a hand pressing down upon you. The red star above you lies unmoving. Uncaring.
On your palm, you find something practically engraved in your skin. Three circles sit in a straight line, with the center being significantly larger. The first of the circles faintly flickers, but never quite solidifies. You are missing something important.
...
>> In front of you sits a primitive but sturdy canoe, abandoned. Fading footsteps lead away from it, as though its owner fled in a hurry quite some time ago.
>> To your left, a strange structure glistening with a green light sits high above your head, up a winding stone staircase overlooking the sea.
>> To your right, the beach stretches off into rocky lowlands filled with smoke and charred wood.
>> Behind you are white sandy paths, threading out and disappearing into lush tropical plantlife. A crude wooden sign can be seen several yards in, where the sand starts to split off into dirt and rock and mud, though it cannot be read from where you stand. A bond with Vakama (Diamond) will be present from the moment your feet touch the sand, though it is incredibly faint. Though not necessary, it is heavily recommended you team up with those around you to progress.
[Well, Jasper really couldn't help but laugh at Shadow's assessment that Sonic had chosen poorly. Admittedly, it wasn't for the reasons the little edgehog had brought up, but whatever. Maybe it was for the reasons Shadow had mentioned. Who could say.
It's not like they can go world-hopping this time, even if Jasper had wanted to, so whatever. Maybe he'll wait in the void until he gets dumped into somebody's hellscape. He'll do a few sword forms somewhere, but on some level he's kind of... well. It's not that he's given up. But he does find himself a bit prone to a sort of nihilistic leisure. He ends up parked in front of one of those shards, not really paying that much attention to what's going on in it. Well, not obviously. He's just reading in front of it as a fantasy kingdom gets turned shiny and chrome. The slimes look like this now. Maybe in the images played through the shard, some alternate Jasper has even placed himself as one of Eggman's lackeys? Maybe he pays... maybe a little closer attention to that. Maybe. He doesn't want anyone to pick up on him paying attention, though. Don't notice that his eyes look up at that particular image and a scowl flashes across his face. He doesn't care at all.
If you do end up in his mindscape, it's... well. It's fractured. It kind of switches one way to another on a coin flip. Sometimes, it's a pretty normal castle, brightly lit with shiny and gold everywhere! There are people around, but they're more like... shades, really. They're just kind of going about their business, but they don't really acknowledge you and if you try to touch them, your hand just goes through them.
Of course, when it changes, it's a ruin lit only by the light of the moon streaming through the various holes in the roof and the walls, and you feel considerably less alone. But that's probably not a good thing, because what you might run into isn't particularly good. And you know... maybe if you go from one to the other, if you are near a person, they might be replaced by... something or other. You'll see.
[ That went well, didn't it? Void Archives pretty much seems to have taken the discussion relatively fine, though they can see the timelines where that failure is everpresent. They hum to themselves, seeming also hardly particularly bothered by this. ]
Multiple planes of existence, alternate universes, and dimensions have always been a constant. What we see here is not necessarily reflective of our own reality...
...Though, I wonder, will everyone else think the same? Know the same?
[ Though, as they say this, their smile is a little more...sharp. It's hard to tell what kind of emotion other than amusement they're projecting - but maybe, that is the sole one. Maybe it isn't that complicated. ]
ii. dies irae;
[ The sky is boundless, filled with clouds that pass overhead faster than one can even fathom, but the day never shifts to night; a dizzying spectacle that may grip one's soul into a distracting dazzle if they dare not shift their gaze.
When casting a glance away from the sky, there is something of more import:
A crossroads.
In front of you - whether that means there is only one or multiple of you (just let me know if there's going to be more than one person in a thread) - there are three paths:
The first (not guaranteed but depending on events, may contain or mention body horror, enslavement), to the left, seems to lead on a path filled with red crystals, leading into a strange facility with a foreboding, crimson red door as the singular point of entry.
The second, leading straight down the middle to a dark and thick forest, upon which a dark, black foreboding structure can be glimpsed, towering over the sea of trees. When taking a few steps towards the forest, the light in the surroundings seem to dim ever so slightly, but not enough that you can't see once you enter (you will need to roll a 1d20 for perception in this path when looking around.)
Then, there so happens to be a third, on the far right, which leads towards what appears to be barren and snowy wasteland, seemingly devoid of life, littered with dead trees. Nothing else seems to strike out on a cursory gaze, but there is an intense feeling of being watched here...as if something might attack at the soonest opportunity.
Among all of this are other details:
The telltale echo of a clock ticking nearby your ear; the sound of a church bell ringing from somewhere in the distance; the peal of children laughing, repeated like a broken record.
Then, one singular rumble that rings—cries out to herald an apocalypse.
Do you choose your poison in this mindscape, and see where it leads you? ]
I [Within the void, Lucifer is rather contemplative. And perhaps a little bored, given he spends time staring at the visions of ruined worlds with an increasingly dour expression as time goes on.]
If I had my powers, I'd personally drag him to Hell.
II [Lucifer’s mindscape is a strange thing. It’s strange in how ordinary it would look, under different circumstances. It’s a darkened club. He’s openly talked about Lux multiple times before, but the way he talked about it, it was always busy. Not right now. There’s nobody around. For someone who clearly likes being around people, it’s… strange.
Where he is, isn’t quite clear. It’s possible he’s somewhere here, maybe in his penthouse which appears unlocked. Or maybe you’re better off leaving the club immediately, to see what version of Los Angeles you walk out to.]
[When he's not finding himself in other people's mindscapes (or getting trapped in his own), Turo is actually sticking closer to the group than he used to do. Maybe wandering the void has grown dull. Maybe some of what's going on is just getting to him. If you encounter him sitting idly in the void, he may ask:]
Why do you suppose the other groups all bonded more quickly?
[From the outside, the initial group had seemed fairly tight to him when he arrived! Turo's not sure he feels that bond himself beyond one or two people, but that too is probably natural. It's just...sort of surprising that all the other groups of random strangers managed to do better than this?
Other than that, he does still duck through the rings once or twice to train more with his Shard, with the aid of the rock-type Pokemon. He also spends time trying to coax Squirrel into slightly more normal squirrel behaviors! Like....tackling things? Turo might not know what squirrels usually do.]
ii. mindscape
[You find yourself in a strange yet beautiful landscape. It seems to be at the bottom of a canyon or crater; rock walls encircle the area, and you can't see the sky above past the strange twinkling fog cover. But the plants down here are healthy and vibrant, fed by the waterfalls cascading down from somewhere high above. The creatures are...not quite what most of you might expect. But for now, they're going about their business, ignoring you.
The path curves downwards, winding along the side of the crater walls. There is a faint Ruby energy in the air, but its owner seems absent.]
[Mindscape] [Your feet touch hard metal. Just as your eyes start to adjust to the dark, it seems to... twitch. This... laboratory of sorts, precariously built in some sort of massive vent shaft, seems to flicker between darkened colors and a foreboding air, and something a bit lighter, more homely. There's a sense of life here, but it's struggling in the emptiness.
And Jinx is here, of course. Seemingly not noticed you, she dangles limply near the edge of one of those large fan blades. Her fingers fiddle endlessly with the cap of an explosive.]
void/wildcard option; [The Void is the same as it always is, and Joker is… less bothered by that then he would have thought he would be, but that’s not to say that he’s unbothered. His life has been one of constant movement, whether in Hullabaloo or the wandering troupes he joined after… everything there, so idleness is strange. The trip to the beach, trying to relax, trying to train, pushing the limits of what he’s capable of… it’s all very unfamiliar to him, but… He’s trying to stay in good spirits. It’s the job of a clown to entertain and bring joy, and he’s trying to do exactly that.
He really, really is.]
mindscape; [You find yourself in a small amusement park, colorful decorations as far as the eye can see. There are a handful of rides and carnival games, with a selection of prizes to win and take home with you. There’s a large, striped tent set up with a large stage and chairs set up for an audience, though the show doesn't start until much later.
A river splits the park in half; on the other side is a haunted house and a mirror maze. The atmosphere inside the haunted house is appropriately oppressive, and if you make it to the center of the house you’ll find yourself in a grand hall with a stage flanked by two staircases. There are benches for the audience, and if you sit and wait for a while you msy experience the show of a lifetime…!
Or, of course, you can find the very furthest edges of the park, with tall walls topped in barbed wire that seem out of place. Follow the walls and you'll find a gate with an electronic lock—luckily for you, though, the gate is currently open. There's a path leading from the gate to an imposing manor, but perhaps the door is open…?
Throughout the park and the manor, a sweet, piney smell lingers in the air, soothing all of your worries.]
[It's time for another glimpse into someone's dark and twisted mind(scape)- but who's is it this time?
You find yourself in front of a massive shrine. It looks like it's been quite some time since it saw any use. It's fallen into disrepair and much of the marble structure is covered in moss.
Trying to backtrack from this place brings you right back to the entrance, so it looks like there's only one way forward: into the dark depths.
The interior doesn't seem to be faring any better than the exterior, but at least there's light sources in the form of lanterns scattered across the vast expanse of stone and rubble. There's also a dull hum of topaz energy as you begin your exploration.
The main hall branches off into multiple paths, so at first it's difficult to tell where to begin. However, you manage to catch sight of a figure vanishing into the darkened hall straight in front of you. That's a good of a place as any to start, right?]
Mindscape [ You are standing on an elevated boardwalk made of wood and stone. In front of you is a view of the sea and docks. Behind you, a city stands tall, casting its long shadows over you and the port. It's not pitch darkness, but dark enough that you probably wish you had a more light to see a little better, even with the distant glow of sunlight in the horizon.
In the sky above hangs a solar eclipse. Strangely enough, the sun does not seem to be reflected in the water. And perhaps less strangely given the circumstances, you can sense Topaz energy in the air.
There are a set of stairs that seem to let you head down to the beach. Further down along the boardwalk, the glow of blue lanterns outside an equally blue building catches your eye. In the opposite direction, you can a path from the boardwalk that leads you into the city. ]
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Infinite is still alive, and will be patched up once again either by one of you all or Tails if you'd rather not deal with him (very fair). He's likewise searching the Void for Shadow, but with more fury and desperation rather than annoyance. Thankfully he has mastered the art of floating, so he is not going to risk injuring himself more (probably). At least he won't actually be able to find Shadow to try to throw down with him.
And speaking of Shadow... You won't find him. Even if you specifically call out for him, he won't respond. He's too busy watching and judging all of you all, after all.]
Infinite;
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It comes out most in the early days of the Void, with Dorothy staring at a shard of her own world in particular. Humans and Raptures seem to have finally managed some level of coexistence through Eggman's machinations; the Nikke of the world do not have to fight anymore. Humans are repopulating the surface, slow but sure, and even her fellow Goddesses are back with humanity at long last. Sure, there's a few visions of just complete ruin, but...
It makes her think. And Dorothy's head has never been a good place to be.]
...What use is there for me, when our battle is said and done...
[Dorothy's left staring, transfixed--though she'll eventually remove herself from it hours later with help and go forth and train. If you need her help here, she'll be glad to provide it.
But of course, Dorothy herself will eventually get swallowed by the void, and where you end up is...not exactly what you would expect.]
cw: mindfuckery, body horror in the replies to come
[The problem mainly lies in how peaceful everything is.It's a Chicago free of Eggman's chrome and gloom, and everything seems...normal, actually. People go about their lives in ways that they normally would, but they seem even more aware than normal. Most of them greet you kindly and with great honor, in fact; you're the saviors of this world, after all. They're in your debt, and they're thankful as hell to you for all you've done. It isn't quite to devoted levels, not really, but even the most surly of bastards can be found giving you some sort of friendly rapport and a kind smile.
Of course, the problem lies in the fact that no matter where you go, you'll always end up in a different place. Streets don't lead where they should. You could go one direction and end up somewhere else entirely, even if you know where you're going. You might even end up in a place known as Dahngrest, though your time there seems hazier before ending up back in Chicago. There's a feeling of listlessness in the air, directionlessness. It's likely something you'll have to fight off, but...
Once you get outside of town, no matter where you go, you'll end up towards a cave.
A cave with...what seems to be worn down drawings of flight patterns for Eggman's robots, long worn down from disuse. There even seems to be cobwebs, implying it's been unused for a long time, but...
You can sense something in the cave. Do you transverse it?]
void
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mindfuckery;
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mindfuckery
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cw: memory issues
cw: memory issues
cw: memory issues
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gimme that mindfuckery
GLADLY
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cw: hallucinations
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[While Fukuda is glad they didn't have to fight Shadow, being left as they are (and perhaps some other things eating at him) has him once again low energy this week.]
What if Shadow's right? What if we're just not strong enough to take down Eggman with the power we have?
[Mulling this over while observing the invasions in the hexagons. Really, it's him that isn't strong enough, isn't it? But if he's part of this team, then... It's more an issue of him not deserving to be on the team.]
The Well (Broad CW: Body Horror)
[The individual elements of the world you find yourself in are in a way, completely normal. Normal buildings, normal cars, normal roads, normal trees. However, the world itself is profoundly abnormal because it's all been shattered into pieces. The blocky disjointed fragments float in a vast white void. There's so many pieces it's impossible to tell if they'd all go together to make a complete whole.
There's an odd sterility to it, a lifelessness. While you see cars, none are moving. There's no animals. In the fragments of roads and exposed insides of houses you can see, there's no people. Everything just floats in place quietly.
But you have larger problems at this exact moment. As you come to, you'll find your own body coming apart like the rest of the world. Probably something you should address immediately.]
The Well
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[When not in others' mindscapes, Viktor remained floating in the void and writing in a leatherbound notebook he picked up from his lab; taking copious and diligent notes regarding his own powers as well as those of the others, organized by shard color and with all multi-shard abilities he knew of taken into account. If this was where they had to begin to improve, then he was going to keep track of every relevant data point just like any other experimental process.]
[ii; mindscape; cw gothic horror-esque possessive implications]
[The laboratory is empty, the sky beyond the tall window showing the last remnants of sunset giving way to nightfall. Notes, paperwork, and tools are scattered across the desk space in the organized chaos of a well lived-in location; in one spot a chair was left empty, with a wheeled stool no more than an arm's length from it.]
[The quiet is peaceful, as if this place were a sanctuary left empty only after a long day's work. That combined with the relative darkness makes it all the more clear that something is here, an incomprhensible presence. Violet light flickers in the corner of your vision, and upon a workstation to the side...]
[A hovering object neither metal nor organic, gently floating and pulsating in what almost resembles thought. It feels fundamentally wrong someehow, as if its very existence is a glitch in reality itself...and yet, it calls to you. In your head, more felt than heard, wordless and voiceless impulses beckoning in a way that makes you think it is calling you by name. Calling you closer, it wants to help you, it wants to make you perfect, for you to give yourself up to it so it can grant everything you have ever desired. A strong body, a flawless form, inviting you to evolve beyond your weaknesses, to run, breathe, move, live. No more fear, no more uncertainty, only the sweet safety of perfection.]
[The Hexcore wants you. It wants you to give yourself up to it, whispering wordless sweet promises like poisoned honey in your ear.]
[What do you do?]
II
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[ More is around. He's recovered considerably from the state of turbo depression he's been in at the start of last week. After a period of isolation, he's no longer deliberately keeping to himself!! In fact, he might be striking up a conversation with you: ]
Are you holding up alright, confined to this space?
[ He's got some unfortunate experience being trapped outside of timespace, let him mentor you.
Alternatively you may find him doing any of the following: watching visions of other worlds thoughtfully, drawing (nude figure drawings, sketches of Chicago, images of the void itself - your pick), or... trying to train his physical strength by doing basic exercises. He's hating the exercises by the way. What do you mean he needs to do sports here?? ]
Mindscape - will contain Metaphor endgame spoilers
[ Welcome to Akademeia, the novelists' study. It's a large single room library with a ground floor and a second floor walkway. There is a giant statue in the room, most often covering your view of the stained glass window behind it. On the ground floor there is a desk area with a cluttered desk. Near the desk, there's a side table with an ominous scroll on it, and on the other end of the desk is a celestial globe. In the armchair nearby, there's a sleeping cat.
The room is entirely quiet. Aside from the cat gently breathing in his sleep, there is no sign of life here. More is certainly nowhere to be seen. With no threat or urgency, you are free to explore as you like. What do you wish to look at?
(Literally every detail, whether from my flavor text or from the linked reference images themselves is free to be examined and may drag you into a variety of side locations from More's life!) ]
mindscape
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mindscape (types this tag as a break from getting my ass handed to me by tower bosses 😔)
fucking tower quests...
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alternatively, exercising...
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Mindscape
One is a doorway with a stained glass iris flower set into it, although you can’t seem to look through the glass to see what lays beyond...
One is a doorway painted bright pink with soft, velvety white ribbons tied just over the top of the door, drooping loops of fabric between the two ribbons accenting the pink cutely.
There is no third door. Only a space where a door is clearly meant to be.
One is a door with a stained glass sakura window, although once again you cannot see what lays behind it by simply looking through the glass itself.
It does not matter which you choose, but you must make a choice.]
All other prompts
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[The transition through realities is fuzzy. Like static; like a million points of electricity that turn off, then back on.
CLICK THROUGH -- CW: HALLUCINATORY IMAGERY
You step onto a sprawling shoreline as the sun starts to rise.
The crash of the sea echoes in your ears.
The scenery pulses, shifts. One minute, tranquil. The next, a flash of unforgiving white, before the seas roaring with tidal waves that reach like great mouths of water. The sky is dark, the stars falling like embers from a fire, and the air around you grows thick and heavy like a hand pressing down upon you. The red star above you lies unmoving. Uncaring.
You can feel it deep in your bones.
The world is dying.
It is the only oddity - the only warning - that you receive before the scenery snaps back to normal. The stretches of an enormous island, lush with life, tower over you. Distant icy mountains, unending treetops, the silhouette of a massive volcano. The same strange red star still lies nestled in the heavens. Uncaring, over all of it.
On your palm, you find something practically engraved in your skin. Three circles sit in a straight line, with the center being significantly larger. The first of the circles faintly flickers, but never quite solidifies. You are missing something important.
...
>> In front of you sits a primitive but sturdy canoe, abandoned. Fading footsteps lead away from it, as though its owner fled in a hurry quite some time ago.
>> To your left, a strange structure glistening with a green light sits high above your head, up a winding stone staircase overlooking the sea.
>> To your right, the beach stretches off into rocky lowlands filled with smoke and charred wood.
>> Behind you are white sandy paths, threading out and disappearing into lush tropical plantlife. A crude wooden sign can be seen several yards in, where the sand starts to split off into dirt and rock and mud, though it cannot be read from where you stand.
A bond with Vakama (Diamond) will be present from the moment your feet touch the sand, though it is incredibly faint. Though not necessary, it is heavily recommended you team up with those around you to progress.
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It's not like they can go world-hopping this time, even if Jasper had wanted to, so whatever. Maybe he'll wait in the void until he gets dumped into somebody's hellscape. He'll do a few sword forms somewhere, but on some level he's kind of... well. It's not that he's given up. But he does find himself a bit prone to a sort of nihilistic leisure. He ends up parked in front of one of those shards, not really paying that much attention to what's going on in it. Well, not obviously. He's just reading in front of it as a fantasy kingdom gets turned shiny and chrome. The slimes look like this now. Maybe in the images played through the shard, some alternate Jasper has even placed himself as one of Eggman's lackeys? Maybe he pays... maybe a little closer attention to that. Maybe. He doesn't want anyone to pick up on him paying attention, though. Don't notice that his eyes look up at that particular image and a scowl flashes across his face. He doesn't care at all.
If you do end up in his mindscape, it's... well. It's fractured. It kind of switches one way to another on a coin flip. Sometimes, it's a pretty normal castle, brightly lit with shiny and gold everywhere! There are people around, but they're more like... shades, really. They're just kind of going about their business, but they don't really acknowledge you and if you try to touch them, your hand just goes through them.
Of course, when it changes, it's a ruin lit only by the light of the moon streaming through the various holes in the roof and the walls, and you feel considerably less alone. But that's probably not a good thing, because what you might run into isn't particularly good. And you know... maybe if you go from one to the other, if you are near a person, they might be replaced by... something or other. You'll see.
mindscape;
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[ That went well, didn't it? Void Archives pretty much seems to have taken the discussion relatively fine, though they can see the timelines where that failure is everpresent. They hum to themselves, seeming also hardly particularly bothered by this. ]
Multiple planes of existence, alternate universes, and dimensions have always been a constant. What we see here is not necessarily reflective of our own reality...
...Though, I wonder, will everyone else think the same? Know the same?
[ Though, as they say this, their smile is a little more...sharp. It's hard to tell what kind of emotion other than amusement they're projecting - but maybe, that is the sole one. Maybe it isn't that complicated. ]
ii. dies irae;
[ The sky is boundless, filled with clouds that pass overhead faster than one can even fathom, but the day never shifts to night; a dizzying spectacle that may grip one's soul into a distracting dazzle if they dare not shift their gaze.
When casting a glance away from the sky, there is something of more import:
A crossroads.
In front of you - whether that means there is only one or multiple of you (just let me know if there's going to be more than one person in a thread) - there are three paths:
The first (not guaranteed but depending on events, may contain or mention body horror, enslavement), to the left, seems to lead on a path filled with red crystals, leading into a strange facility with a foreboding, crimson red door as the singular point of entry.
The second, leading straight down the middle to a dark and thick forest, upon which a dark, black foreboding structure can be glimpsed, towering over the sea of trees. When taking a few steps towards the forest, the light in the surroundings seem to dim ever so slightly, but not enough that you can't see once you enter (you will need to roll a 1d20 for perception in this path when looking around.)
Then, there so happens to be a third, on the far right, which leads towards what appears to be barren and snowy wasteland, seemingly devoid of life, littered with dead trees. Nothing else seems to strike out on a cursory gaze, but there is an intense feeling of being watched here...as if something might attack at the soonest opportunity.
Among all of this are other details:
The telltale echo of a clock ticking nearby your ear; the sound of a church bell ringing from somewhere in the distance; the peal of children laughing, repeated like a broken record.
Then, one singular rumble that rings—cries out to herald an apocalypse.
Do you choose your poison in this mindscape, and see where it leads you? ]
iii. wildcard;
[ The world is your oyster, my friend. ]
ii.
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i. imagine if there was no ww and cube update for wk 6
even i would have been weirded out by it
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[Within the void, Lucifer is rather contemplative. And perhaps a little bored, given he spends time staring at the visions of ruined worlds with an increasingly dour expression as time goes on.]
If I had my powers, I'd personally drag him to Hell.
II
[Lucifer’s mindscape is a strange thing. It’s strange in how ordinary it would look, under different circumstances. It’s a darkened club. He’s openly talked about Lux multiple times before, but the way he talked about it, it was always busy. Not right now. There’s nobody around. For someone who clearly likes being around people, it’s… strange.
Empty.
Where he is, isn’t quite clear. It’s possible he’s somewhere here, maybe in his penthouse which appears unlocked. Or maybe you’re better off leaving the club immediately, to see what version of Los Angeles you walk out to.]
II
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Why do you suppose the other groups all bonded more quickly?
[From the outside, the initial group had seemed fairly tight to him when he arrived! Turo's not sure he feels that bond himself beyond one or two people, but that too is probably natural. It's just...sort of surprising that all the other groups of random strangers managed to do better than this?
Other than that, he does still duck through the rings once or twice to train more with his Shard, with the aid of the rock-type Pokemon. He also spends time trying to coax Squirrel into slightly more normal squirrel behaviors! Like....tackling things? Turo might not know what squirrels usually do.]
ii. mindscape
The path curves downwards, winding along the side of the crater walls. There is a faint Ruby energy in the air, but its owner seems absent.]
ii.
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[Your feet touch hard metal. Just as your eyes start to adjust to the dark, it seems to... twitch. This... laboratory of sorts, precariously built in some sort of massive vent shaft, seems to flicker between darkened colors and a foreboding air, and something a bit lighter, more homely. There's a sense of life here, but it's struggling in the emptiness.
And Jinx is here, of course. Seemingly not noticed you, she dangles limply near the edge of one of those large fan blades. Her fingers fiddle endlessly with the cap of an explosive.]
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[The Void is the same as it always is, and Joker is… less bothered by that then he would have thought he would be, but that’s not to say that he’s unbothered. His life has been one of constant movement, whether in Hullabaloo or the wandering troupes he joined after… everything there, so idleness is strange. The trip to the beach, trying to relax, trying to train, pushing the limits of what he’s capable of… it’s all very unfamiliar to him, but… He’s trying to stay in good spirits. It’s the job of a clown to entertain and bring joy, and he’s trying to do exactly that.
He really, really is.]
mindscape;
[You find yourself in a small amusement park, colorful decorations as far as the eye can see. There are a handful of rides and carnival games, with a selection of prizes to win and take home with you. There’s a large, striped tent set up with a large stage and chairs set up for an audience, though the show doesn't start until much later.
A river splits the park in half; on the other side is a haunted house and a mirror maze. The atmosphere inside the haunted house is appropriately oppressive, and if you make it to the center of the house you’ll find yourself in a grand hall with a stage flanked by two staircases. There are benches for the audience, and if you sit and wait for a while you msy experience the show of a lifetime…!
Or, of course, you can find the very furthest edges of the park, with tall walls topped in barbed wire that seem out of place. Follow the walls and you'll find a gate with an electronic lock—luckily for you, though, the gate is currently open. There's a path leading from the gate to an imposing manor, but perhaps the door is open…?
Throughout the park and the manor, a sweet, piney smell lingers in the air, soothing all of your worries.]
mindscape;
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[It's time for another glimpse into someone's dark and twisted mind(scape)- but who's is it this time?
You find yourself in front of a massive shrine. It looks like it's been quite some time since it saw any use. It's fallen into disrepair and much of the marble structure is covered in moss.
Trying to backtrack from this place brings you right back to the entrance, so it looks like there's only one way forward: into the dark depths.
The interior doesn't seem to be faring any better than the exterior, but at least there's light sources in the form of lanterns scattered across the vast expanse of stone and rubble. There's also a dull hum of topaz energy as you begin your exploration.
The main hall branches off into multiple paths, so at first it's difficult to tell where to begin. However, you manage to catch sight of a figure vanishing into the darkened hall straight in front of you. That's a good of a place as any to start, right?]
2 - wildcard
[Hit me up for custom threads here! o/]
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shows up late with starbucks
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[ You are standing on an elevated boardwalk made of wood and stone. In front of you is a view of the sea and docks. Behind you, a city stands tall, casting its long shadows over you and the port. It's not pitch darkness, but dark enough that you probably wish you had a more light to see a little better, even with the distant glow of sunlight in the horizon.
In the sky above hangs a solar eclipse. Strangely enough, the sun does not seem to be reflected in the water. And perhaps less strangely given the circumstances, you can sense Topaz energy in the air.
There are a set of stairs that seem to let you head down to the beach. Further down along the boardwalk, the glow of blue lanterns outside an equally blue building catches your eye. In the opposite direction, you can a path from the boardwalk that leads you into the city. ]
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Wildcard
[ For anything else besides mindscape. ]
shuffles into the mindscape late
I live in backtagland it's fine