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etrayamemes2025-03-28 09:16 am
etrayamods) wrote in 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:
 ⏵ 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:
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. 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. |
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[ blaze would certainly know, though for now, luckily the coast seems clear enough. and as for fio's question: ]
My friends are quite different. If you want to keep an eye out for them, you should look for a blue hedgehog, a cream rabbit, or a very energetic little raccoon.
[ there are more, of course—blaze is almost surprised with herself as she thinks through those she isn't able to mention. amy, tails, silver, and even knuckles are just as deserving of being on her little list, but she isn't too worried about herself right now. instead, she turns her attention to fio, looking up at her. ]
Now, what kinds of things do you like? Perhaps I will know where to find them here.
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The memory of another talking cat briefly crosses her mind. Priyet is far different though... fluffy and bigger too. And that girl used to be human once. ]
Huh? Things I like? Um... [ Is she naming anything that she likes? She's not sure how important it is to know right now but since Blaze asked: ]
I like books! Picture books. I like to draw too. And I like— I like... veggie stew, apples, sweets... [ Trailing off into a murmur, pondering. What else? ]
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I see. Then would you like to go the library with me? I'm afraid I don't know if there are any picture books, but...
[ blaze pauses for a moment before she continues: ]
If you enjoy drawing too, maybe we can make some.
[ all it would take is for blaze to read the story to her, right? though blaze can't help but worry about how many resources may actually be there for them to draw with, but... she would prefer to hold out on hope. if not, then she's willing to put in some work to get them. ]
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They have a library here? [ An eager nod. ] Okay! Let's go.
[ She wonders if the stories are very different from where she's from. If they don't find any picture books, surely she'll find some enjoyment in whatever else they can find. ]
We can draw our own story if there aren't any picture books. Something like a picture diary! [ It's been a long time since she's last drawn a picture diary. She doesn't know if she'll be able to take anything back after saving their worlds, but it would be nice to bring back records to Earth.
There would be plenty to draw and write about. Etraya. Aphaia. Miss Aurora. Blaze... ]
You could tell me more about you too, Blazey.
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[ and a picture diary sounds lovely. already, blaze is thinking through the places she's visited here for anything that might be useful to them in their task. it would hardly be appropriate for a princess to fail to fulfil her promise.
that thoughtfulness persists after a glance to fio for that question, too. ]
About myself, hmm? What would you like to hear about?
[ and to give her an example of what blaze might be able to share: ]
At home, I am the Princess of the Sol Empire, though I've lately been visiting a friend's world in order to assist him in their restoring peace.
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That's just one of Fio's favorite things: princesses! Blaze's situation sounds different from the storybook princesses that she usually reads about. Or once dreamed about. The ones in her dreams were usually sad over their lives and lacked freedom. ]
You're a Princess?! Really? Wow. And you get to travel to help your friend. You're a kind princess.
[ Blaze might have to take the initiative and take the lead, otherwise they'll be stuck in the alley for a while. Fio already has so many questions to ask: ]
What's the... Sol Empire like? What about your family? Did you have to listen to your mommy and daddy all the time?
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Thank you, Fio. Though I don't think it's anything special—it is a Princess' duty to look after her people.
[ and she has come to love the people of sonic's world just as much as her own, feeling a sense of duty that compels her to treat those who reside in it no differently from those in her own world. speaking of which: ]
The Sol Empire is a prosperous and peaceful place, thanks to the blessing of the Sol Emeralds. I have a mother and a father, and my mother leads the Empire as Queen—everybody must listen to her words.
[ though she can't help but worry about that first part, as the emeralds are still on her person right now... but she still answers the questions one by one as they continue. ]
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It's special! You have the duty of a kind Princess! You even went out of your way to check on me. I'm not from your world... or from your empire. You're really, really nice. I think that's wonderful.
[ Because she knows not every figure of royalty is a kind person. She knows stories of violent and unsympathetic rulers. Sometimes they're corrupt and would rather let those of lower standing suffer. Sometimes there was preferential treatment to those of the upper class. That's how her country was like during her lifetime. ]
So are Sol Emeralds a kind of magical treasure?
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Yes, well... [ hold on. ] Yes.
[ gathering her bearings as they walk... ]
They are a set of magical jewels possessing great power. It is imperative that they never fall into the wrong hands, and it is my responsibility as their guardian to ensure that.
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She walks along, listening with interest. Blaze sounds like a heroine she would find in an adventure story! ]
Are there many bad people that want the Sol Emeralds? For... power? [ A thoughtful hum. ] I bet you must be super worried to be far away from home right now.
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[ blaze looks off ahead of them, seeming rather serious as they make their way. ]
Unfortunately, they happened to be with me when I was brought here. I trust the royal guard very much, so I plan to ask Aurora if they can be sent back to my world during my stay.
[ after all, she knows too well that it will fall apart without them. it isn't something that she can change at the moment though. rather, the topic feels like it's taken a serious turn, so blaze looks up to the young girl beside her instead. ]
But enough about me. You don't want to tell me about yourself, Fio?
it's always a challenge for me to explain lore through this little kid's voice smh
[ Her other companions from the Cage might have an easier time explaining what a virtual space is. Even saying the term "data" rolls off the tongue strangely. She's putting it into very simple words. To Fio, it was easier to think of it more as a dream world. But it was all very real.
She's a full, whole tangible human being now. (Not that she could tell much of a difference even with knowledge of being "data", a record—a memory linked to a weapon. Yet she was aware of some areas that she couldn't physically reach in the state she was in.) However, she's unsure if her existence now is due to the special favor that she asked for or if it's because of Echo's summoning. Her appearance in Etraya shortly happened after making a request to go to Earth. ]
Lots and lots of memories from Earth are stored in the Cage. Have you heard of a place called Earth?
the brackets help lol
[ truthfully, blaze can't say that she loves the idea of this little girl residing in a place that goes by 'the cage', but she seems fond enough of it—enough to find herself in the very same situation that blaze herself has, so it's probably not her place to say. rather, she tries to focus on what she's being told about the place, instead of the name of it.
... not that she understands that much better than fio herself here. data, huh? suffice to say, blaze is left with much to wonder about. ]
Earth is what the world I come from is called, though I couldn't tell you if it's the same place where that data is drawn from. You must like your home very much if you've found yourself here though.
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[ 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 possibleIt 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...
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Then it seems our goals are aligned. I must also protect my friends' world, so why don't we work together to protect all of them?
[ the cage, earth, and sonic's world too. blaze would like to see them all survive this pruning of universes that aurora talks about, and she's determined to prove their worth. after all, ever since she's learned the lessons that she has from sonic, don't they seem a little brighter? blaze is certain that those lessons and that power she's felt, so different from this place, will earn their place among those deemed deserving—and it doesn't seem as though fio needs any help in learning those lessons herself, either.
but she's getting carried away. they're just coming up to the library doors now. ]
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[ As the library comes into view, Fio takes a few excited steps ahead to the doors. She pauses, stopping to look out towards the surrounding buildings and the various aliens passing by on the nearby street. A large majority of passersby don't pay them too much attention. Their interest is more for the popular contestants. She's grateful for the breathing room at the moment, despite knowing they'll need to boost their popularity. She'll worry more about it later.
As much as the bright neon lights and its activities are very much not to Fio's liking, she's saddened to know that the current world is already on its last legs. ]
...you know, I wish we could save this world too.
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[ and she means that. some small part of her also wishes that there was more they could do for this place—despite the... unsavoury culture and difficult people, even blaze can understand that they're just doing what they can, and what they have to if they want to get by. even so, she has to shake her head. ]
Unfortunately, this world has been like this for a very long time. I'm not sure if we can still undo the damage that has been inflicted on it.
[ just like she had been told earlier: greed, hatred, and inconsideration over many, many years had led to this. damage to each planet in this universe on a scale that's difficult to comprehend. but blaze won't linger on those thoughts. even if not this one, there are still worlds they can save, if they're to believe aurora. to that end, she holds out one hand to fio as her other opens the door. ]
Shall we go inside?
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When Blaze holds out her hand, Fio looks somewhat puzzled. Most children around her age would automatically know what to do. It's been far too long since she's been guided around hand-in-hand by someone older than her. (And she'll later find there are others who are willing to do the same.) ]
Yeah. Let's go. [ She takes her hand after a moment, quietly feeling a little too overjoyed by such a small gesture... ] I wonder what kind of stories they keep in here... do you think we'll be able to keep some of the books?
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Excuse me, do you have any books for children?
[ "For—For, what? Huh?"
the librarian, a stocky 3-legged alien with several eyes and just as many lenses in their glasses, stands up to peer over the desk and get a look at fio beside her. they seem to mumble something to themselves, a skinny hand coming up to adjust their glasses on their face before returning to their seat.
"Yes, well. Children. Children. We don't have those here. What books do children like?"
blaze glances to fio, since this seems to be a question for her. ]
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She loves stories of princesses and their happily ever after endings, even if she knew many of those tales were unlikely. She loves browsing encyclopedias filled with plants and animals, despite some of the difficult words. Those are some possible options. She also wonders if there's anything that could be useful during their stay on the planet. ]
Do you... have an adventure story? Maybe... something with heroes traveling to a far off land. Something with a happy ending.
[ It might serve as inspiration and a morale boost for their journey ahead. ]
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for now, the librarian is rubbing one of their eyes with a hand(?), tapping away at their computer.
"A far off land? Far off land... Right, we've got just the thing. Just plug this in and you'll find your story young misses. You can choose any computer around to browse with. Here you go!"
the librarian has a jolly feeling to them, only slightly offset as their eyes all blink across its face at different intervals. with her free hand, blaze accepts the floppy disk-like thing, then gesturing with it to allow fio to lead their way to their seat. ]
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She gives the alien a polite "thank you". After the planet is gone, she'll be sure to keep the cheery alien librarian in her memories...
A quick look around, then Fio makes way with Blaze in tow towards a computer placed in a quiet corner booth away from the windows, a spot that's hopefully not too disturbing by avoiding the neon lights and monitors from the outside. ]
Is over here okay?