etrayamods: (Default)
∎ ETRAYA MODS ∎ ([personal profile] etrayamods) wrote in [community profile] etrayamemes2025-03-28 09:16 am
Entry tags:

TDM 007

content warnings for this TDM include: violence, potential death, body horror, physical transformation, loss of senses, loss of autonomy

⏵ arrival⏴



Arrival does not happen as Aurora usually plans for it. New characters are introduced to the AI, then informed of a mission that they are required to participate in before they can return to their home base of Etraya. A world called Aphaia is falling apart, and while there is nothing they can do to resolve this broken world, they can participate in the Gamerunner's Stratagem.

Their mission is simple: step through the glowing purple portal that Aurora creates once they've had time to listen to her, and survive until a similar portal reopens in front of them, allowing them to return to Etraya. The Gamerunner's Stratagem is something they have been working on building for quite some time. She informs all newcomers that they will not be present on this world that long: their exit will appear to them exactly when it's meant to, allowing them to meet the others who have been recruited to save their worlds. She provides each and every arrival with an earpiece, allowing them to communicate with the other Etrayans. Aurora suggests taking a bag full of supplies along with them, which she will fill with a few generic items as well as any specific items they may need: synthetic blood for vampires, protein bars for those who may burn through calories faster, medication for anyone who requires it.


⏵ aphaia ⏴


Aphaia is a neon-lit, chaotic planet. Cameras are everywhere, every action and inaction is judged by the 'audience'. Towering holograms advertise upcoming events while flashing leader boards track the most "popular" players. Contestants are thrown into challenges, many of which are games of skill, survival, and deception all to keep the viewers entertained. Not participating is an option! However, avoiding playing along and not putting on a show will quickly cause participants' score to go down, and scores that reach zero? Well.

Unfortunately, there are only so many resources left on Aphaia. Their wildlife has died off, their planet is falling apart, and most others in this galaxy were either destroyed from the inside out, or warring planets trying to gain control of remaining resources destroyed them to avoid others getting involved. Their natural resources are depleted, and only those who manage to keep their scores up are given the luxury of having any supplies. As soon as one steps foot on Aphaia, as soon as they breathe, they intake nanotechnology which tracks their oxygen consumption, their food, everything they do or need. As soon as their scores reach zero?

They disappear. There one moment, and completely gone the next. Their communicators go offline, and while everything they were carrying will be left behind, no one will be able to find them. They are simply--gone, erased from existence.

This is a death and counts as a death as outlined in the game FAQ! Please keep this in mind.

"Points" that go towards their total score will be assigned to contestants from the moment they drop down on planet. This will be visible using the HUD on their earpiece, and will be randomized at the beginning. For the sake of the TDM, we ask that no one be assigned Paragon initially, but you're free to use other ranks!

The possible rankings are:

100: PARAGON
99-80: LUMINARY
79-70: CHAMPION
69-50: CONTENDER
49-30: UNDERLING
30-0: SHADE

Ranks may change daily, or even hourly depending on the kind of situation one has found themselves in. Are they having a very public break up in which it comes out that they wronged their ex? They may go from a Champion to a Shade before they can even blink. Did they save a defenseless reporter from the big bad villain of the week? They may find themselves quickly elevated up to Luminary and given all the benefits that comes with being upper class. The world is their oyster, they only need to figure out how they'd like to utilize it!

Aphaia is broken up into four districts.

The Colosseum is a dynamic battle arena where combatants fight for entertainment, with shifting environments controlled by the audience. Victories earn points, while losses depend on performance.

The Symposium is a lavish social hub for top contestants, where alliances and betrayals are made under the audience’s watchful eye.

The Agora is the public center of Aphaia, where contestants engage with the audience through polls, interviews, and challenges to maintain popularity. It also houses the contestants in high-rise apartments.

And Backalleys provide hidden spaces with intentional blind spots for secret dealings, though the Gamerunner is always aware of what happens there.


⏵ st★rlight soirée ⏴


Something special is happening in the Colosseum. Lights flicker as the arena shifts, rearranging itself into a grand, glittering ballroom - if a ballroom had stadium seating, paparazzi drones, and an ever-changing floor plan designed to disorient those within it. Silver chandeliers pulse with artificial starlight, their glow refracted through the crystalline floors. Music swells, but it sounds - unnatural. It thrums through your veins, setting your blood alight with the urge to dance.

Why is the ballroom designed as if intentionally put together to throw off one's balance? Well, it's time for the Panopticon Prom, of course!

The Panopticon Prom isn't just an adventure in dancing and impressing your most recent crush. It's a test of endurance, cunning, grace, and charm. The floor beneath your feet moves as if it has a mind of it's own, shifting to the beat like a living creature all of it's own. It tilts, undulates, even vanishing in sections to keep dancers on edge. After all, it's difficult to keep up one's pace if they're falling through a hole in the floor to the foam pit below.

Drones zip through the air, catching every stumble, every misstep, and every attempt to throw off others on the dance floor. This is a competition, after all; and what fun is a dance battle without having the freedom to thwart someone else on their road to victory?

The rules are simple:
  • You must dance with a partner. This can be an ally, an enemy, or someone you intend on using as a stepping stone to victory. It matters not, as long as you have one hand (or limb) on them at all times.
  • The longer you last, the better your chances. Endurance is the name of the game, meaning one must pace themselves on the dance floor. While epic twirls and impressive moves will garner more attention, it may also hurt your chances in the long run.
  • You may sabotage others by throwing them off balance, but keep in mind: everything is televised, and it won't stay secret for long.
  • The arena adapts to the chaos. Expect sudden obstacles, environmental shifts, and sudden changes in the music's tempo. Gravity may shift, walls may close in, but participants can't let that stop them - they must continue to dance, if they wish to win.
The audience is watching. Who will make the final cut and become Prom King and Queen? Everyone is vying for the titles: it doesn't matter what rank you started at when you joined the Panopticon Prom. Whoever wins becomes a Paragon until their points drop. There aren't many opportunities to sail through the rankings, but this is a sure way to do it. As long as they can keep up.


⏵ casino royale ⏴


Out in the Agora, another popular quarterly event is being set up! The Casino Royale has been destroyed countless times, but it seems as if the Gamerunner just can't let it go - every time it gets knocked down, it gets rebuilt.

There is one rule. One must take a turn at the revolving wheel just inside the door as their entry fee, and whatever the wheel lands on, they must maintain until they exit the building for the night. Sometimes, this is easier: an effect they have no control over and cannot undo even if they wanted to. Sometimes, this is more difficult: an assigned task they must complete. Failure to abide by the wheel once means receiving a penalty. Twice? Certain death if caught by any employee.

The wheel's effects are as follows:

1 You must speak entirely in rhyme. 2 Your body has become unnaturally delicate. The smallest injury hurts like a fatal wound.
3 You must avoid stepping into any sources of light. Doing so causes massive burns to appear on any area of your skin where light has touched. 4 You have been transformed into an animal! You can still think as you had before, but you cannot speak or communicate easily.
5 You have been cursed with supernatural strength, but cannot control it. 6 Time doesn't flow normally for you anymore. Each mistake you make makes you visibly younger, slowly erasing your experiences, skills, or even memories.
7 You can no longer form your own words, but only repeat what others have said to you. 8 You cannot meet another person's gaze.
9 You can no longer turn around, physically or metaphorically. If you try to return where you came from, you'll find that the pathway no longer exists. 10 You are given a specific letter that you must avoid using out loud entirely. "A"? Better hope you know enough words without one.
11 Every time you speak, your words come true - but never in the way you intended. Trying to control this is futile; the monkey's paw curls with every new sentence. 12 Within the casino, you lose the ability to feel anything. No pain, no pleasure, no warmth, and no cold. At first it may feel like a blessing - until you realize you cannot feel hunger, or tell if you're injured.
13 Regardless of if you've drunken anything, you still act inebriated. The effect only gets worse the longer you stay. 14 No one can see you. You are invisible, even if you are still able to reach out and touch or converse with those around you.
15 Any special ability you have is gone. You are reduced down to what an average human being is capable of - regardless of if you are human. 16 Violent impulses become impossible to ignore. You are rage incarnate, and you will be heard.
17 Every time you make a decision - to walk into an area, to start a conversation, anything, a small thread pulls loose from your clothing or your skin. Keep making choices, and you may become entirely undone. 18 You may speak freely, but for every syllable you say, your ability to hear slowly fades. You may want to watch your word count - too many, and you may not be able to hear at all.
19 Perhaps you arrived with a friend, or beside a stranger. It matters not: whoever came in either just before or just after you, you feel a powerful urge to protect them to the point of aggression. 20 Love is in the air - at least it is for you. Every time you meet someone's gaze, you feel the need to try and make them fall in love with you, through whatever means necessary.


The casino is alive with the hum of conversation, the clink of glasses, and the steady whirl of the roulette wheels. Golden chandeliers cast a warm glow over velvet-lined tables, where fortunes are made and lost with the flick of a wrist. But something feels. . . off.

The dealers never blink. The cards never seem random. And the house always wins - always. Maybe it's just paranoia, or maybe this casino is something more than just a den of chance. Tonight, you're not here just to play; you're here on a mission.

You've arrived dressed to kill, blending into the sea of bodies filling the casino's floors. But you're not here to win points or boost your social standing - you're here to win intel. Somewhere in this casino is a single flash drive containing information on just how Aphaia maintains their system. The only problem? The House knows someone is coming for it. After all, they're well-aware of the game: whoever retrieves the flash drive will obtain information on how to flip the script, to change the rules of the game to fit their wants and needs, rather than following the current Gamerunner. After all, this is the Gamerunner's Stratagem that Aurora has sent them out on! Many apply for 'employment' within the Casino Royale in hopes of getting insider information on where the flash drive is hidden and what it looks like. However, it seems that even the employees have no clue where it has been hidden.

⏵ NOTES ⏴


This is an extension of our Aphaia Mission! We have included enough information in this post that catching up to current in game logs isn't necessary to play with it, but you are welcome to use any part of the Aphaia setting in your prompts as you'd like. Current players are also welcome to bring the events from this TDM into their in-game threads.

This mission can happen outside of time as needed! Incoming characters will find themselves introduced to Aphaia as they arrive. Current characters may find Aurora calling on them to visit Aphaia after the current mission for the Gamerunner's Stratagem.

Characters already in game are welcome to post to the TDM, too! Please mark them as current characters in your header. Threads can be kept as game canon as long as both characters get into the game!

Please direct all questions relating to this log to our mod queries comment! All other questions can be directed to our FAQ.

FULL NAVIGATION

floresco: (pic#17084023)

[personal profile] floresco 2025-04-09 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ There's the regular awkward cadence to Cloud's way of speaking, the typical variety that makes his words halt in awkward pauses, and while the way he's greeted her is indeed extremely bumbling, it's in a new way. ]

Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you the truth, and it won't be for show! [ She's really going to have to either leave, or get better at this. Whatever he might want to ask is cut off a second later, as Aerith halts mid-step and glances back at Cloud after his hand settles on her arm. ]

You're right! [ Her free hand pats the back of his as her head nods in earnest. ] Hopefully we won't have to fight.
dreamsofearth: (Angered)

[personal profile] dreamsofearth 2025-04-09 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
[That got Maria thinking. Perhaps she would try contacting the other Shadow, if hers didn't put his ear piece back on. She nodded at Blaze.]

I hope so. I will definitely have some things to say to him. [She frowned at the TV as Shadow left the bathroom. Was the water running in there? Just what was going on in there? The camera went from a split view to focusing on various points in the new (and creepy) room where the other Shadow had been looking around.]

I don't like this. Just....is that creature dead? [It certainly hadn't moved, even when the other Shadow was looking at the cake. Maria got up, going to the bedside table to grab the remote, intending on seeing if there was any sound to this feed. She had the volume turned down on the TV this whole time and if the Shadow's were going to converse, she wanted to hear it.

Grabbing a pillow, and her mug of tea, she came back to the end of the bed. Sipping the hot liquid, she hugged the pillow in her lap, seeking any form of comfort as she started turning up the volume.]
fireboost: (pic#17751965)

[personal profile] fireboost 2025-04-09 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
I can't say...

[ she hopes not, but she can't say it would be surprising with what she's learned of this world. it's more of a question of whether the local populace would find a dead body... entertaining...

meanwhile on the screen, the younger shadow seems to catch sight of the older entering the room with his luminous chaos spear, looking at his own hand with intense focus. blaze watches intently, deeply interested in seeing what this other shadow can do—while his skills seem less refined, she does see an energy gathering in his palm. ]
internationalrelations: (Default)

[personal profile] internationalrelations 2025-04-09 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
You were duly appalled, don't worry.

[Alex grinned his evilest grin. Honestly Henry had not been as hard to tempt to the party as he'd expected. And even if he'd squawked at June and Nora about it, Alex had been happy that the prince had actually come..]

You brought Pez for moral support. ...or to hit on my sister? Yeah, probably more the second one.

[A shrug of his shoulders.] You probably shouldn't. Just think what I must know that you don't know I know.
internationalrelations: (031)

[personal profile] internationalrelations 2025-04-09 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Alex found himself with a mouth full of hors d'oeuvres, any further gloating he had about being irresistible were instead cut off by the need to chew. Oh. It was pretty tasty actually, so most of his fussing was mollified and quieted.

Huh.

"Why does that sound like you don't think it'd be a shame at all?"

So mean, Henry.

Anyway, Alex opened his mouth again expectantly. Feed him, Seymour.
lordfuckleroy: made by Nia @ <user name=hiraethe> (Default)

[personal profile] lordfuckleroy 2025-04-09 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ Henry could imagine how hard it had been to get out of all of the New Years Day activities that were usually planned, as well as the church services. Especially for a party, he likely had to get Bea to create an alibi for him. ] We must be good friends if I was able to escape my royal leash so to speak.

[ Okay, now that the two of them were distracted, it was much easier to ignore the way that the playing field started to move, they just managed to circumvent it, though nothing could compare to that first waterlogged topple. ] Oh yes, Pez-- He'd seen your sister at the Wedding and had been charmed and had been begging me to introduce him.. until the cake incident happened.

[ Insert accusatory look here. ]
floresco: (pic#17084052)

[personal profile] floresco 2025-04-09 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ That the world they're standing on is ending is the one thing that's sunk in the most in the mad rush of information and experience that was arriving, and being sent off by Aurora seemingly before she had time to catch her breath. ]

I wish there was something we could do, at least. [ The pensive way her brow creases relaxes a second later once Aerith remembers who she's talking to. She sighs, poking at the bottom of her glass as she shakes her head dismissively. Rufus wasn't exactly the Planet's best friend back home, Aerith has no reason to think he's the right person to bring something like helping up with at all. ]

Well, do you know what we're supposed to do, to be entertaining?
internationalrelations: (028)

[personal profile] internationalrelations 2025-04-09 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[It was easier to ignore the fact that the room was literally spinning. Better to focus on the metaphorical spinning. Alex was well aware that he'd protested as recently as Christmas Eve that he and Henry were totally not friends at all, despite the fact that he'd called him and poured his heart out over his family turmoil and Henry had just listened and been there and.

Fuck. Put those feelings away, Alex. Not the time. Not the time not the time.

He rolled his eyes as dramatically as he could manage at the mention of the cake.]


Again, you shoved me into the cake. I just accidentally took you with me.
floresco: (pic#17084022)

[personal profile] floresco 2025-04-09 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ Handling this like she would after finding any cat, Aerith's more than accommodating when the little guy turns to look at the guy who's caught her eye, her fingertips still gently scritching and ruffling through the soft green fuzz at the top of the cat's head. She doesn't expect the feline to come out with any insight, but he should still get a chance to look!

Humming curiously at the batting of feet against the hand supporting his back legs, she looks between the cat and the man, debating.

Shifting her hold on the cat, she lifts her arm and guides him up to meet his gaze, her eyes widening earnestly as she speaks in the gentle tone reserved for cute, found animal friends.
]

Whatever you do, make sure you come back alright? Letting you go off alone gives me a real fright. [ Zoro is spared a little forehead kiss, purely because she hasn't brushed him and tidied him up with, but he does get one more little pet on the head before she sets him down gently. ]
lordfuckleroy: ij @ saveface (pic#17533294)

[personal profile] lordfuckleroy 2025-04-09 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
The desire to eat was a basic human need and so well Henry would oblige. He took a few more crostini off the platter and fed them to Henry systematically. "I would say do not throw up on my shoes however I am not quite sure where I found them."

The entire evening felt surreal and the only thing that was real was this moment and even then the idea of nostalgia was a feeling.

Honestly, Henry was surprised to find that 97 percent of things attributed to humanity was things that at this moment he could not feel-- sad, that is if he could even fathom the memory of being sad.
knightowl: (042)

[personal profile] knightowl 2025-04-09 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
[ Bruce disagreed. Vehemently. His mother and father had been good people. Flawed? Sure. Who wasn't? But they did their best to live by their convictions. Alfred Pennyworth was another good man. One of the best Bruce had ever known. He could go on.

Crane is just wrong. Bruce feels that deeply, even if it doesn't show in the hard lines of his face. ]


Good deeds doesn't make a good person. [ Bruce is the poster child of that. ]
internationalrelations: (020)

[personal profile] internationalrelations 2025-04-09 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
Oh shit that worked. Alex would happily play drunk as fuck baby bird right now. Were they helping him sober up? No, not even a little. But they were tasty and he was enjoying the attention, even if said attention was monotone and emotionless. God he'd really give anything for Henry to threaten to murder him or being amused at him for his (incredibly justified) fear of large gobbling birds.

"You eat too."

Alex snatched up a crostini and held it up with a surprisingly almost steady hand. "Even robots need food... when they're not really robots."
restingstitchface: (Severe)

[personal profile] restingstitchface 2025-04-09 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
[Crane slightly angles his head, curious about the other man. What are his motivations for this argument? How has his past informed his present? But as much as he is curious, he is relieved to finally be enjoying what for him is light conversation.

That other people might find these conversations frustrating or difficult? He hardly finds it bothersome. Their slow and dull minds are not his problem.]


Bad deeds hardly make men wicked.

[Do they? He almost raises a brow.]
knightowl: (072)

[personal profile] knightowl 2025-04-09 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
It does when it's a way of life.

[ There's a pointed look at Crane, as if Bruce is trying to assess him in the same way. That familiar feeling pulls at him again and he's not entirely sure what he wants to do with it. Is he curious enough to figure out what about this man bothers him? He just might be. He hasn't had a good mystery in a while. ]
dreamsofearth: (Surprised)

[personal profile] dreamsofearth 2025-04-09 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
[Maria placed the mug of half drank tea aside on the cabinet the TV was sitting on before gripping her pillow tightly. Her eyes didn't leave the screen as she took in what details she could of the dim room.

When her Shadow emerged from the bathroom with chaos spear in hand, she tensed with a deep frown. Perhaps he was using it as a light source. He didn't seem to be threatening the other Shadow with it. Though nothing surprised her more, when the other Shadow raised a free hand and energies crackled in his palm.]


What is he?....[No, he didn't seem like he was going to attack either. It was as if he was...trying to mimic what Shadow's spear? She glanced at what her Shadow was doing by the bookshelf and saw his hand by his ear. Wait...his ear piece! However he appeared to notice what the other was doing. Maria gasped audibly as energies flickered above the other Shadow's head as floating spears materialized and hung motionless. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

Well that told her there was audio at least. She uttered a low sound of disapproval in her throat, tapping on her ear piece to activate the HUD and find the contact list. Realizing that he would probably ignore any calls if it was 'default' she quickly changed her name to Maria R. as something identifiable that he'd recognize. She could always change it later.

With a quick intake of breath to gather her nerves, Maria proceeded to start an audio call.]
devota: (⚖ but now we’ve come too far)

arrival

[personal profile] devota 2025-04-09 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
[The question is an odd one, but the person she addresses looks just as odd, given her complete lack of eyebrows.]

I'm afraid not.

Do you think it'll come to that?

[To violence and combat.]
restingstitchface: (Isolated)

[personal profile] restingstitchface 2025-04-09 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
You speak like rehabilitation is a pointless endeavour.

[That pointed look is returned, a fixed and focused stare without pause. Not quite predatory but certainly aware.]

Or thankless. People often confuse the two.
limiterrings: (pic#17750847)

[personal profile] limiterrings 2025-04-09 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ he doesn't know what he's doing, but the fact that he's bringing in so much energy to make a spear is more than enough for shadow to react. this is more than enough of a reason to get rid of him, it's unfortunate that shadow's hatred roots so deeply into himself that this makes so much sense.

a swipe of his hand down to instruct the spears to follow ... ]


Die then.

[ until his ear piece rings in his ears, a low, throaty growl surfaces up past his teeth not knowing who's interrupting him, but the name that comes after gives shadow pause. his concentration halting the movement of the blades around the other shadow, the energy looming overhead still while the other focuses on his own spear.

it would be foolish to ignore the call, but his heart skips even more because the entire issue is that this insolent pest left her alone, and what if maria was hurt. he's quick to pick up the call, his ears twitching and a small, single shake of his tail as he's mostly happy that he's going to hear her voice. ]


Are you safe? [ there's concern in his voice, much different from the budding irritation of what he's said earlier in this room. ] Are you okay? Tell me you're okay.

[ one hand comes to his ear, pressing the piece against the appendage in case he needs to hear clearer. he turns around towards the shelf, his expression softening and his brows furrow with concern. ]
sabigoe: (⚙ 63)

[personal profile] sabigoe 2025-04-09 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
Huh. Wow, I didn't think you were from Earth, Blazey... the Cage is a big place! Maybe your memory is in there somewhere too.

[ It's a far too massive database for Fio to actually know. The android and the Pod stationed on the lunar base would know better. being a gacha game with crossover collabs maybe it could have been possible

It was either she talks about the Cage or the original time period she was born in. The number of happy memories in the Cage outweigh the ones she had in her original time period. Although she could think of some joyful times during her old life, most of everything else was painful. Fio is in a good mood, so she opts to mention her favorite place first. ]


The Cage is also where I made my first friend. It's where I made my happiest memories. That's why I love it so much! That's why I have to protect it. And I have to protect Earth too...
sabigoe: (⚙ 63)

[personal profile] sabigoe 2025-04-09 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ Fio is perfectly capable of walking by herself. She often roamed around alone back home...

Yet, when Lars offers his hand, she doesn't turn it down. Just one curious look, then there's a tiny hand eagerly closing around his. Fio smiles big. The last person that she's walked around holding hands with is—probably her parents, during a time when her family wasn't so broken. ]


'Kay! I'll stay close!
sabigoe: (⚙ 65)

[personal profile] sabigoe 2025-04-09 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ Her smile fades when she hears Shadow announce his leave. Shifting around on her heel, she prepares to go after him as he attempts to take off, thinking of ways to get him to stay. He doesn't get very far. It's the announcer that beats her to the punch. One small breeze and within a few short moments, they're both wearing entirely new attire. The startling new weight upon her head takes away all the attention from taking the time to admire her new dress. Staring upon the monitor, she sees what's making her head feel heavy. She slowly reaches up, touching the ears. ]

...Bunny ears? [ Fio smiles nervously and waves to the crowd. It's both for the audience and fondness for the new fit. Even if the new set of ears are really distracting. ] Yeah... it's great. Thank you. [ Yet, her animal ears stick outward, clearly alarmed. As if it wasn't already easy enough to discern her feelings. It is a nice dress though. Fluffy and cute, with a pretty color. Something that she never thought she'd see herself wear, until now.

Hearing the clank, she drops her gaze to look at Shadow. It's an adorable outfit, like a little knight! Or perhaps he would prefer to be called "cool"? First, she does need to express her disapproval at him for trying to leave. ]


Darkie. Don't... leave yet. You can't leave now. [ "Don't abandon me," she almost wants to say. The bunny ears droop, flattening behind her head. ]

You have to get through this. Just do your best to get as many points as you can. It'll be okay! I'm sure this won't take much longer.
dreamsofearth: (Default)

[personal profile] dreamsofearth 2025-04-09 05:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Maria released the breath she was holding when Shadow answered the call. Her heart had nearly stopped when the spears above the other Shadow's head shifted. He had absolutely been about to..

His open concern disarmed her initial rush of emotion and she was silent a brief moment.]


I'm fine. I'm in the room that the other Shadow secured for me. I'm with Blaze and I'm safe. [Her voice held a tenseness to it. Urgent.] Shadow, I need you to stop what you are doing right now.
thelightshines: (And what you lost)

CW: Suicide Ideation

[personal profile] thelightshines 2025-04-09 05:45 am (UTC)(link)
[His ears twitch when the others speaks, a chill spreading through his body when he heard the words. Those spears can be dodged, but those words manages to hit him at his core.

He broke protocol again. Thought he could just have a little fun after doing well during the testing. Thought he could just practice what he had learned, nothing that the scientists hadn't seen him do. But he was still doing it outside of jurisdiction, and that isn't allowed.

"He's plotting something."
"Keep the specimen in the tank after testing. We can't risk it turning on us."
"But he hasn't displayed any violence toward us."
"You're letting it's unassuming appearance cloud your judgment, professor."
"It's only a matter of time..."
"It's not human afterall. Who knows what it's thinking."


Why...if he's of no used to anyone, he's undesired. Rejected by everyone except for the few that no longer exist among the living. Sonic...what reason would he accept him after what he had done to Tom? Even the one who shares his face, wanted him dead. The spear in his hand falters and flickers out of existence. He feels the heat of the spears until...they stopped?

He blinks once, twice, given time to snap out of those drowning thoughts. He's still alive? He stares at the spears, surprised their advanced had stopped. The voice from the other. They're talking to someone? He's taking this opportunity to blip out of the danger zone, reappearing by a corner, furthest from the other. There's no way. They stopped just to talk to someone?

...There's only one person who can get him to drop everything.]
sodark: made by me (pic#17443354)

[personal profile] sodark 2025-04-09 11:35 am (UTC)(link)
First of all, I'm not avoiding eye contact out of fear. It's one of the wheel spin things. Otherwise, this wouldn't be a problem. [He gestures vaguely at his face.]

Second, we're not on first name terms yet in my universe. [So it feels weird to hear it, he means. He looks down at the hand and pulls a face, but mostly at himself.]

And thirdly, now I feel like a dick so I guess I should. [Even though not looking at his partner seems like it won't win them points. He does take her hand, but he is trying to lead.]
limiterrings: (pic#17750810)

[personal profile] limiterrings 2025-04-09 01:54 pm (UTC)(link)
...What am I doing?

[ he's in the dark talking on the ear pierce directly to her, he sounds less upset about the situation with hee confirming that she's safe. there's a moment where he grows silent hearing who she's with, remaining neutral, he accepts this outcome.

he's mentioned blaze to maria before, someone from his world that didn't come off as a liability. this gave her value in being brought up in conversations by him.

what he doesn't understand is what is he doing wrong? ]


What I'm doing doesn't matter. As long as someone is with you, that's all that matters.

[ ...

he's not there with her, this individual she trusted so much isn't, but at least someone dependable is there. his heart feels like it's being squeezed tight in his chest, and in his mind... he should have been smarter, he should have known that other version of him wasn't enough.

it makes him so mad that the spears pop in the air, but as they do, he does notice that the younger one is gone.

where? hiding in here to get the jump on him? a game of cat and mouse... shadow takes a step forward, ears twitching as he listens for any movement in the room. ]


I have some business to take care of, then we can talk as much as you want.