TDM 007

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[thelightshines]

[Oh. Well that's kind of nice that he doesn't need to use his actual name. His brows furrow, thinking. What would he use instead though? And once he thinks of something-]

How do I do that? [He does not see any letters...a keyboard? To type it in.]

[laserguy]

You might have to tap the username thing first and a keyboard should pop up.

[OR however it works when characters decide to put a username in. Scott will lead by example at least, tapping his own username of 'shades' and showing that he can change it even now, which kind of neat. If he ever gets bored or wants to choose something that's cooler, then he has the option.

Obviously, he'll think of something in the future.] Then you put your name in.

[thelightshines]

[Man I don't know, but Shadow isn't going to try and say what he wants out loud. That's silly and stupid. And embarassing. He will at least try to see if he can get something written down first and sure enough, a keyboard does appear. Now...what does he put?] Don't look. [He might need a moment to try some ideas. It can be changed at another time, sure, but he wants to be happy with the first one. Eventually he lands on something, something that gives him a small bit of assurance when he's feeling lost.

thelightshines accepted.

The network is now opens to him. Flashes of current events, something displaying a bunch of different subjects, public messages from other people here. A list of words on the side that would take him to other menus if selected. It is a wealth of information suddenly thrown at him. How does one choose to focus on anything like this?]

[laserguy]

[Scott absolutely keeps looking, he just pretends to look away, at least for a few seconds. It's hard to see past his sunglasses anyway, like they're always guarding half of the mutant's expression. Still he's expressive enough, especially with the way Scott's mouth twitches into one of approval.

'thelightshines,' huh? Not what he expected at all from the grumpy space animal, but sure, it definitely works. It probably holds some meaning to him and Scott isn't that much of an asshole to poke fun at it.]

Yeah, that's a good name. [YEAH letting Shadow know that he sees the username, but look he's still helping him with the whole earpiece thing. And getting an idea, Scott starts typing up a message, before sending it to Shadow.]

and now you can send messages to others. pretty useful, i'll admit. it's like instant.

[thelightshines]

[Scott gets one hell of a grim expression at the compliment. How do you know if it is a not? Don't bring attention to it. If he wasn't so defensive, he probably thank Scott for saying that. It certainly better than "hedgehog", "revengeguac" or straight up putting his name "shadow" at first, cause he really couldn't think of anything else in the moment. "Starrynight" did come close though.

He blinks, attention onto the screen as writing suddenly appears from them.] How did you do that?

[laserguy]

[That sure is a face..... it's fine. Scott's kind of getting used to it. He's been sent worse expressions before. Not that he's bragging or anything. Uh-huh.]

You just type it out on the keyboard and direct it towards me.

[He explains first, before he starts typing once more. Scott figures that it's better to lead by example in this case.] this sort of thing is pretty new to me too. we have phones and stuff, but not this.

[thelightshines]

[Who can outgrim the other, Wolverine or Shadow? He does appreciate the visual demonstration, retaining the information better from watching and then copying.]

Never typed like this. [Never typed at all.] It's strange.

[laserguy]

[Scott can't help the small smirk that slowly grows on his face. Maybe because he can still see Shadow grumping about this while texting to him.]

yeah, it's pretty strange, but you sort of get used to it. you can also communicate like this with voice and even video, which is really weird honestly. not used to seeing people's faces when i talk to them over a phone.

[Earpiece, whatever. A strange little device that can do more than a phone and is smaller than that. It doesn't even need to be connected to an outlet. It's really advanced stuff.

If he wasn't stranded on some alien planet, he'd be more excited. And he'd show Shadow the whole talking and video thing through demonstration, but it'd be kind of weird to do it since they're standing next to each other.]

[thelightshines]

[He won't. He's a kid from the 70s, suddenly tossed in some time traveling episode of the Twilight Zone with this stuff. But he has no choice but to try and figure this out. Eventually.]

What is technology in your time like? [An actual, curious question not related to the earpiece? Scott just sounds, not from somewhere as futuristic. Whatever Earth they're from, if it's still Earth. They talk about things that are on Earth anyway. And he's choosing not to type it, because it's tedious.]

[laserguy]

There's phones and computers, movies and television. Oh, and the arcade. You're not a teenager until you played at least one round of Pacman.

[It definitely is a lot easier to just talk instead of texting, so Scott abandons the whole messaging thing for now so that he can focus on Shadow-- explain what technology is like from his time period. Nothing is really bothering them right now, so it's easy to take his time and well, Scott enjoys talking about this stuff.

A small reminder of home. Which, fuck, he's somehow far away from. He's not going to think about that though, because he's already focusing on something else-- a little detail that he probably should've asked about to begin with.]

Huh, wait. You really don't sound surprised by any of this. Aren't you like some alien... hedgehog? [Head tilt.] Or are you a mutant like me?

[thelightshines]

[That all sounded familiar to him, except...he tilts his head.] The Arcade? [Apparently a place "teenagers" go to play...Pacman. Whatever that is. Place kids go to play. Maria at least never mentioned such a place.

He's quiet, the other starting to inquire about himself. Should have seen it coming when he got too familiar with Earth things. Shouldn't have asked.] You don't look like a mutant. [So his response is to give Scott a look over and not answer the question.]

[laserguy]

[Oh no... not another one that's never heard of an arcade before. At least this is a little more expected, since he's speaking to a talking hedgehog, but still. Unfortunately there's no mall for him to suddenly take Shadow to, not in this place. There's probably nothing like that anywhere on this planet. Probably why it's dying.

Still, if there's ever an opportunity for him to take Shadow to the arcade, he's grabbing that chance and running with it. Well, assuming that the hedgehog doesn't glare at him and try to kill him.]

Yeah, super important place. We'll go sometime. [But Scott lets out a small huff at the mutant comment, one hand folding against his hip as he slightly needles Shadow about it.] Wow, talk about racism. But whatever. What do you think a mutant looks like?

[thelightshines]

[We...? Just like that? Scott hasn't been terrible company. They did answer his questions, but he didn't expect this to go further after they were finished here.]

I don't even know who you are. [Why are you inviting him? Then again, they claim it's an important place. So he should go...??? He tilts his head at the question.] Not human...? [More experiment gone wrong style, bug head or swamp monster.]

[laserguy]

I'm Scott Summers, so now you know who I am.

[Problem solved! No excuses now! Scott's also taking Shadow's reaction as a mostly positive one too, the confusion definitely more welcome than outright rejection. Is he really going around trying to befriend some talking animal? Uh, duh? Who wouldn't?? This feels far easier-- at least better than figuring out this whole survival crap and thinking too hard on being separated from his friends back home.

He honestly likes his company too, so far. A little bit of Kurt, except grumpier.]

Well, take that image out of your head, because where I'm from, mutants can look 'human.' Although, they can look less human as well, but don't go around messing with them either, alright?

[thelightshines]

[Thanks for the name. Still don't know much about you.]

As long as they don't cause me trouble, I won't mess with them. [Despite his grim appearance, fighting isn't something he seeks.] There's a lot of mutants where you're from? [...] The technology makes it sound like Earth.

[laserguy]

[Scott guesses that's fair enough. Mutual not messing with each other would be the best.]

And yeah, sort of? There's enough of us for the government and whatever to consider us our own species, but things have been okay. The number one thing I'm still thinking about is the next James Bond movie to come out. Or maybe even another Star Wars... although I'm not sure if anything could compare to the original movie.

[Oh right, he might be worried a little about school. And his powers, but at least he has glasses now. That's helped with a lot of things, even if he can't control them still. At least he can see.

There's also the whole thing about being stuck here, but. Scott forces himself to focus on Shadow.]

So, wait, you're really from Earth too? That's what I thought earlier, but never met a talking hedgehog before.

[thelightshines]

[So there are more of them...and they're recognized. Huh, much different from the films he seen. That's good, if they aren't bothered by it and thinking about movies. Which, well James Bond is familiar, but what is Star Wars? A show comes to mind, but are they the same, just under a different name?] Is Star Wars related to Star Trek?

[Curious, cause he liked that show whenever it aired. Guess it's still going, whatever time they're in. He doesn't answer Scott right away, frowning. He was hesitant before to answer, but they've been open about themselves, despite how he initially deflected the subject.] ...No. I crash landed on Earth one day. Inside a meteor.

[laserguy]

Oh dude, don't let the nerds hear you compare them. They're totally different things, trust me. You'd never hear the end of it. [Scott likes to think he isn't as bad.] So, you're more of a Trek kind of guy? I guess I'll allow it, just this one time.

[He teases Shadow, voice light and full of amusement, because who knew that a space hedgehog would actually know of Star Trek?? And be into it?? Although, if they're both from Earth, why hasn't he heard of Shadow before? Another one of those multiple Earth stuff going on? Or is he like top secret government intel?

Hid the fact that a meteor hit Earth with an alien hedgehog on board. Yeah, he wouldn't be surprised. Of course, it's a little strange then that Shadow doesn't know mutants at all...]

But okay, you're an alien. Nice. [He can mark that off his list, even though he's literally on an alien planet now. It's fine.] Sounds like someone back home is doing their job, if you at least know television. We'll catch you up on those other things still, promise.

[thelightshines]

[??????] I'm not...any guy? [He just watched a few episodes? It's not the deep...is it? He doesn't even know if this discussion will ever come up again, but duly noted that they're different?

He's just all around confused by Scott's behavior. That he's not bothered by his appearance and now they want to help him "catch up"? Confused, wary, frowning.] Why? [What's in it for Scott?]

[laserguy]

It's just a term. Like. You're a person or hedgehog that just likes Trek, doesn't matter what species you are.

[Is that a good explanation?? That's what he's going with! Scott's never had to explain this much before; he's like Kurt but even more confused about stuff like this. Scott can't give him too hard of a time though, given he crash landed here in a meteor.

Just a sightly hard time.]

And because this is literally the most important thing? [When it comes to being a teenager at least?? Nah. It is just the most important thing. Those are the rules, he didn't make them. Maybe] Can't leave you behind.

[thelightshines]

[His ears swerve slightly, trying to understand what Scott means by that. It's not important compared to everything going on right now. And what did Scott mean they can't leave him behind? Of course they can. Scott doesn't owe him anything. He wanted nothing from them other than to explain the earpiece. Which they have, and none of this is relevant anymore.

Yet something about the way this conversation has gone seems geniuine. Like maybe he's the one overthinking it. And for a moment, he almost wanted to believe there's nothing else to it. Like it was with her...He shakes his head. It's too simple. Things were simple then, not now.]

What do you want? [So he'll just spell it out for them. He could have just left right then. But he's giving Scott a chance. He'll determine his decision based on their answer.]

[laserguy]

Uh, what?

[Scott tilts his head at Shadow, cocking an eyebrow him at the abrupt question. The hedgehog doesn't look mad, but maybe just a little suspicious?? Guess they're pretty much strangers and Scott's been offering to go to the arcade and watch shows with him, but honestly, all of that came naturally. Just sort of easy to lightly bully someone that is almost as much of a freak as him.

Yeah, almost.]

Nothing? [Maybe a companion here in this strange stupid world, but he can't admit that!! That's way too mushy for him. Nah, have it play it off like the cool teenager that he 100% is.] This is just important stuff man, like I said.

[thelightshines]

[...Nothing. For a moment, his expression soften, ready to open his heart and believe. Believe that Scott really just wanted to do stuff with him...No. He can't. Humans, mutants, doesn't matter. They always want something. Even the professor ended up just using him. And he...something so frivolous isn't meant for someone like him. His brows furrow, that disapproving look back on his face.]

Don't bother. [In a flash, he blips out of there, leaving Scott on his own like before. He reappears quite aways in another part of the building, fist clenched over his chest. Something caught in his throat, a heavy weight in his heart. Familiar pain, a yearning for those bygone days with her. To play games and have movie nights, forgetting all his troubles in those small moments. He can never go back to that.

...

He taps at his earpiece, the last contact still visible when the HUD comes up. He types a single word.]

Shadow. [He doesn't add anything else. And should Scott reply, they won't get a response.]

[laserguy]

[Scott quickly turns around, trying to catch sight of the hedgehog, but no matter how much he looks, the other is nowhere in sight. Something visibly deflates in the mutant, the teen calling out for him a couple of times before kicking the ground in frustration, but mostly because he's just upset. Well, guess that's that, huh? Although, if he has the earpiece, he can try and reach him later. That's something.

And he knows his username at least.

He's a little surprised to see that one word message being sent at him and it helps with those mix of emotions that he didn't know he was already feeling himself. Being isolated in an alien planet really puts a new perspective on things, huh? A feeling of camaraderie, like you're connecting with someone, felt nice.]

Offer still stands.

[He doesn't really expect a reply though, so he starts moving on from his spot after a couple of minutes.]