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

mod queries.

[etrayamods]

Hope Summers (Marvel 616)

[futuremessiah]

arrival
[Hope listened to Aurora explain what was going on and all she could think was 'oh, this again'. It's not like her whole life hasn't been a survival challenge since birth.

Use your surroundings. That's a good one, Nathan, but a better one is to grab any readily available weapons you might find lying around.]

So, anyone know where a girl can find a few knives and a gun or two?

[Or maybe a mutant or two to borrow powers from?]

st★rlight soirée
[Anything can be a weapon. Anything can be used against your opponent in an instant, especially if they aren't expecting it.

True, but her dad never taught her how to fight in something like this (mainly because when were they ever going to stop long enough for her to have a school life, let alone a prom?). She really hopes (ha) her partner has some skills when it comes to dancing or can follow her lead as the floor suddenly tips beneath them.]

casino royale (13)
[Finally! A chance to use those skills Nathan's been teaching her forever. She's a survivor. She knows how to sneak around, to hide so that others don't see her. All she has to do is get a flash drive and get out of there.

Except for the entrance fee. Hope thinks nothing of it when she spins the wheel and lands on 13. She has no concept of lucky or unlucky numbers. She will by the time the night is over however.]

Barbara Gordon | *Current Character* | DC Comics

[her_own_rules]

⏵ st★rlight soirée ⏴

Barbara had wrinkled her nose at the notion of being forced into another fancy engagement (for a reason other than celebration for the Alfred Pennyworth Foundation). But it was a one-night fancy engagement competition with a big reward. Her years of ballet hard transitioned into her grace as Batgirl, but it could easily extend to this, too.

As could the points. Her standing.
Help others with the resources from it.

She's clawed her way up to Luminary,
but a skip straight to Paragon?

Hard to resist.


Which is how Barbara finds herself dressed to the nine's, and ready to dance (and do whatever else this challenge may entail, as she seriously doubt it will be 'just dancing'). Perhaps, you're here and would like to take a spin around the floor, too?

[ Maybe more later. Will match prose/brackets no problem. ]

Arrival

[heartofthedream]

[ Jean had felt Hope the moment she appeared on Aphaia, and waited patiently enough for her engagement with Aurora in the reception room. She supposes she could have interrupted, but she's usually politer than that. She can be patient, and study the ceiling being torn between grateful to feel her alive again, and resigned to another one of their people dragged into these circumstances. Where the first round of them had been adults; now it was their younger generations appearing in waves.

She's still in the chair when Hope walks out, asking for weapons.
A thing that makes the corner of Jean's mouth twitch. ]

"Hello, Hope."

Jonathan Crane | Batman Begins

[restingstitchface]

Arrival:

[Life in Gotham is a unique kind of game. You have to make the decision whether to travel on a bus or brave the walk home. You have to decide that morning whether to bring an umbrella to shield yourself from the rain. You must decide before you bump into people on the sidewalk whether they will take it personally.

Crane adjusts the position of his glasses to cover more of his eyes before looking at his fellow player, standing straight while attaching his earpiece. He begins tuning the colour of its display, lost inside a world of colour and choice. He laughs at something simple before turning his attention to the other.

He studies them with chilling blue eyes - sharp and intense in their curiosity - but softens his approach with a smile.]

Technology isn’t my strong suit, I’m afraid.

[Is he lying? That is a decision they will have to make.]

Aphaia:

[People inside the colosseum fight with strength and supernatural power. People like himself approach the symposium where they can fight with words and intellect. He finds himself mixing with an eclectic bunch of strangers: some entirely normal whilst others are unconditionally weird.

He stands outside the crowd: a stranger himself who is content to observe.

One person who meets his gaze across the room will see him lift his finger across his lips. A private joke, perhaps? Or simply a sign of recognition? Others might see him gesture towards a couch.]

Sit.

[Will they respond to his movements or directions without thinking? That, too, is a choice they will have to make.]

Starlight Soiree:

[Crane wanders into the ballroom, stopping once or twice to talk to anybody he comes across, his desire to be anywhere else physically evident. His hands are crossed across his stomach as he acknowledges people with a simple nod.

People always ask the same questions they can gossip about. Where does he work? What is his work? His answers are short and unrevealing, excusing his refusal to speak about his patients with claims of confidentiality.

Thankfully, he finds himself with less people with whom to speak. But unfortunately the dance begins anew. He walks among the crowd and speaks up beside somebody, to whom he offers his hand.]

This may feel like forever but I promise I’m not that bad.

[When you are playing a very dangerous game, sometimes you have no choice but to play.]

Casino Royale:

[Crane turns away from the roulette table after an expected loss…

And immediately collides with the nearest person.

A hand rests upon their shoulder. A voice by their side says excuse me. A cold pair of eyes studies their behaviour. But there is no evidence of a person for anything.]

Blaze the Cat | Sonic (IDW) | new!

[fireboost]

1) STARLIGHT SOIRÉE

[ a popularity contest is something that already puts her at quite a disadvantage—it's blaze's first thought upon entering this place. if she wants to save her world, she understands that this is a test that she must first pass, but it hardly gives her comfort to know that this would be her first trial.

she has... admittedly never been great at interacting with others.

that's why she remains outside of the colosseum rather than entering it, the bizarre music reaching another crescendo—silence—continuation. of course she knows how to dance, but blaze was hoping for... perhaps something a little different from this. she spends some time with crossed arms, observing the building, before turning around with a sigh—only to collide into someone in her absentmindedness. ]

2) CASINO ROYALE

[ rather than take her chances dancing the night away, it's the casino that draws blaze's attention. perhaps she's drawn to it by the memory of something familiar, of her friends at her side, and a role that she has to play—but it isn't a thought that she can linger on for long. while she may have a role to act out, this place is far from the festive feeling that would have been so familiar to her.

the person ahead of her in line spins the wheel, and after a short pause, blaze speaks up: ]

Excuse me, I believe it's my turn.

[ attempting to maintain some semblance of politeness, sure, but still blunt, and clearly impatient. it can't be helped though, if there's a price she must pay for entry, she would rather get it over with swiftly. ]

3) WILDCARD

[ feel free to hit me with another prompt too! if you want to check in first, my pms are always open!! ]

/slams in here with starlight soiree

[ingestion]

( while heather was still reeling from the last mission and full of anger, nervousness, and a general sense of uncertainty, she knew she had to push herself to get out there. to wallow in the darkness of her mind didn't suit her, nor was it something she wanted to do. yet each time aurora or this place setup something new for them to do, it was like a pendulum swing—

one moment violence and despair and the next, some bullshit like this. it wasn't the first party she went to here, but this one was far too fancy for her. it grated against her less posh habits, but she still went along nonetheless.

so when this new person extended their hand to her, she went along with it for the sake of being polite but....

her sassy side always found a way of coming through. )

I might be a little bad, so promise not to get too angry if I step on your toes.

heather continues her lucky streak ⭐⭐⭐

[restingstitchface]

Of course.

[She is escorted [tugged] onto the dancefloor. His grip is gentle, certainly something you can escape out of, but not necessarily something you want to escape out of. His voice rolls from one word to the next, like he enjoyed her remark, as they weave through the crowd.]

I promise that, no matter your performance, I will not call the police.

[He is a gentleman.]

arrival

[overconfidently]

( finding himself displaced out of time and dropped into another world really isn't all that shocking for nate. it's just... this wasn't anything he did. not this time anyways. little annoying, especially when he can't seem to get a read on this aurora here. but it's whatever. he'll figure it out. he's got the means to after all and if the world he's landed himself outside of this one is in some sort of danger he can prevent, well. then he needs to, what with his own world — his own timeline — having been destroyed.

he's standing there. arms crossed, left eye glowing bright gold for a moment before he picks up on something— no. someone nearby and he turns some to face her. staring. )

Don't you think that's a little barbaric?

[limiterrings]

Hi! Since violence isn't banned outside Symposium, what happens if you kill outside of it? Also, are the dealers whatever we imagine them to be since they're aliens so could they take up human appearances, and are they able to die?

[etrayamods]

If one kills outside the Symposium. . . people die! There is no jail on Aphaia, and no punishment for killing outside of public reaction.

The dealers are mostly bipedal aliens, but they range in appearance from close to human, to much less human. They are able to be killed.

[limiterrings]

SO TRUE, people die when they are killed... anyway, I like the sound of that, thank you! :)

casino royale.

[redvisor]

( Scott figures he might as well hit the bar while he's here. He knows that's not the purpose of his being here in the first place, but given the fact that he's found himself here on Etraya again, a drink or two isn't really going to hurt any. Might even help him accept this all over again.

He's lost in thought — wondering just how long he's been away, when he accidentally bumps into someone via his shoulder. Reflexes quick, he reaches out to grab hold of her arm as a means to keep her from falling, a slight twist to catch sight of her there behind those ruby quartz shades of his. )

Sorry. You ok?

sanji | one piece | new character

[sanji]

୭ st★rlight soirée

[ a colosseum doesn't seem like much of a challenge, even if sanji typically doesn't have much interest in trying to prove himself in terms of strength, at least not in ways that certain empty-brained swordsmen would try to boast. there's plenty of confidence that his kicks could get him soaring to the top of a competition and there's certainly appeal to how quickly it might be able to boost his known reputation considering his own fresh arrival. but when he steps inside, he isn't met with grunting men carrying weapons or trials of combat, as instead, the glittering display of a grand ballroom comes into his sights.

instantly, his eyes spark with a newfound interest, the glint of the glittering surroundings reflecting in his eyes as one could almost swear they see actual heart shapes shoot out from them like birds in a cuckoo clock. ]

Ohhhhh! Hellooo, beau-tee-ful ladies!

[ really, his attention only swoops to one thing, thrilled enough about seeing women in ballgowns and flashy dresses that he doesn't even think twice about what it means to enter the dance competion: ]

(1) [ if he's lucky, he'll find that his partner is exactly who he hopes it to be — a woman — which will have him descending down on a knee, hand pressed to his chest as he exaggeratedly holds out the other, similar in pose to some dramatic declaration of love. ]

Fear not, mademoiselle! I will make sure the light reflects perfectly on your form as your dear Sanji-kun supports you in being an elegant, shining star~ ♡

(2) [ but most often than not, luck isn't exactly tilted his way when he particularly wants it to be, which is likely why he finds his partner not to his preference. lit cigarette slumping downwards from where it hangs between his lips, he frowns as an excessively curled eyebrow knits inward. ]

Oi, oi, what's this? I didn't sign up to do this with a man.

୭ casino royale

[ strategically searching around for a flash drive seems simple enough (not that he has any clue what a flash drive is, but he's sure he could improvise in figuring that out at some point). initially, he's plenty skeptical that it has to be completed while a certain rule from the spun wheel is in place, but when it seems to land on 14, an excited thrill soars through his entire body — his now very invisible body.

his lifelong dream! the power of invisibility! finally achievable here! sanji nearly abandons the task of the flash drive entirely as he's consumed with a race of ideas of how he could make use of this, giggling privately to himself while he steps further into the casino and ...

someone bumps into him, a look of confusion caught on their face as they peer around at nothing before moving on. sanji, tipped forward in the minor collision, regains his balance and straightens his unseen tie with a slight shake of his head. well, that's bound to happen once or twice. not a problem. now if he could just — another bump. except this time, before he could balance himself properly on his feet, in comes another, and another, as the setting of a very crowded casino proves its great inconvenince for someone who can't be seen.

knocked down to the ground, a few stray footsteps catch on his fallen body, nearly tripping in the process before moving on, one kicking him square in the head.

sanji inhales his cigarette nearly to the butt before this invisible man shouts loudly, ]

OI, WILL YOU ALL QUIT IT ALREADY!?

୭ wild card

( open to doing other prompts or messing around with other wheel ideas! as a warning, sanji has a very loud (and often annoying) obsession with women, where he might lay on the flattery a little thick to start, but i make it a point to cool it down over the course of the interaction. also bear in mind that this is just an aspect of his personality and there won't be actual romantic intentions behind it! for women under 18, sanji will still be highly respectful but there won't be any alluded physical attraction. his canon point is generally considered to be post the whole cake island arc. )

james sunderland — silent hill 2

[hurtling]

— starlight soiree

( this world was strange and different to what he had known and seen, time and time again. the monsters that loomed above and around him in silent hill had become a comfort of sorts because while he was still terrified of them, they were a familiar sight to him. he had learned how to dodge them and stamp the life out of them, their far too human like screams echoing as he watched them writhe under his foot or his weapon of choice.

yet here there was nothing familiar, and yet the way some people looked at him as he passed through, it almost felt as if he were familiar. there were expectations put on him immediately that made his stomach churn and his head feel light— this place wanted him to fight and prove himself worthy, his world worthy of being saved and yet how could he? when everything felt so strange and he felt out of place. it was only when he was drawn into the colosseum and saw the dancing going on that he felt of all things that had happened to him and was expected of him, this was normal. at least he thought. )

Oh? A dance?

( immediately upon walking he was stopped by whoever happened to be near, a hand beckoning him like the devil tempting him into something sinful. only he didn't know the rules of this game and just how much he'd have to endure. )

You'll have to forgive me....ah I uh....it's been a while.

— casino royale

( self-preservation was never james' strong suit even with time and while he had all intents to keep his head down and not bring more trouble to himself than necessary, he found himself roped into taking a game of chance.

only there were no winners, only different degrees of losers and he was the one who happened to land on 8. the gift of gaze aversion, and while he normally found that easy enough to do, there was a vast difference in being forced to do it than doing it because he was reserved.

now outside in agora, with his head down towards the ground, he was finding it difficult to keep his eyes away. it felt like everyone was staring at him, the gaze burning through his skin and mind.

finally it was when he accidentally bumped into someone, that he actually covered his eyes with his hand. )

Sorry I uh....didn't mean to bump into you. You alright? Actually do you think you could answer a few questions for me?

— wildcard

( info | permissions/opt out. this james is new to the game and has no memories/recollection of past events but please, I'm begging, come at him with complaints, call outs, and general disgruntled attitudes. we're here for closure ♥ hit me with any prompt or if you'd like a closed starter, dm me. )

st★rlight soirée :)

[keepitgoing]

[Peter looks left, looks right. Is he with the right person, actually? Sanji seems pretty convinced of it, but all this poor guy gets is an awkward 18-year-old with a penchant for looking completely out of his depth when a Spider-Man suit isn't involved.]

... Aw, c'mon.

I know I'm not that great at dancing, but I think I could get the hang of it.

[DOESN'T MATTER, YOU'RE BOTH MATCHED. Peter doesn't even get his spidey sense set off when an uninvolved observer shoves him from the back; likewise, Sanji gets a playful push, too, so that they're nearly knocked into each other. The orders are pretty wordlessly told: shut up and get to it.

Peter chuckles weakly as the music starts up.]

Claudia Wolf | Silent Hill 3

[devota]

Arrival
[To put things simply, Claudia does not understand how she can be here. Being a vessel for God’s birth means leaving behind no trace of a body by necessity. Her actions meant that she wouldn’t even be granted a seat in Paradise, but it needed to happen for the sake of the world. She has no idea what happened afterwards.

She also has no idea what to make of the current situation. A mission? Home base?

She’d made peace with oblivion. What is she to think of all of this?]

What’s going on?

[It’s said out loud to herself, instead of to anyone who might be passing by.]


Casino Royal (17)
[She’s never stepped foot inside of a casino. Claudia has barely had a reason to step outside of Silent Hill unless absolutely necessary. So she has no idea what to make of the location, or to think about what might or might not be something ordinary for a casino. So spinning a wheel before she’s allowed entrance?

Sure, that might as well be a reasonable thing to ask for. Though, she supposes, non-believers tend to ask for money first and foremost. But there might be some sort of price to pay.]

Am I really meant to be here?

[Again, it’s not a question asked to anyone in particular, and she becomes transfixed by what looks to be a loose thread sticking out of the back of her hand. Like it’s a stitch she’s forgotten about.]

How curious.


Wildcard
[For anything else!]

shadow the hedgehog | sonic idw | new character

[limiterrings]

a) well then, it'll be a date to die for.
location: colosseum

[ initially, shadow had no reason to do anything here. the idea of indulging in frivolous games were for children, someone like him has business to attend to. despite his efforts of trying to leave, one of the hosts stands in shadow's way, insisting that he needs to walk the other way since he's one of the many participants.

with a growl, the hedgehog looks off to the side as the host offers him a piece of paper with his opponent's face. ]

I'm not here to be used for your amusement.

[ without a care, shadow smacks it out of the alien's hand, causing the paper to flutter off to another person's feet. they might recognize their own face seeing as they have also been unwillingly (or maybe willingly!) chosen for the royale. ]

b) i'm going to destroy this damn planet.
location: backalley

[ the backalley is more his speed, the less people the better because that means some here are worthy enough to have a conversation with. there's been small talk about trade of weaponry, blackmail, and even information that could help him moving forward. that's why he's here, dressed in a black cloak to hide his appearance and protect his own privacy. the more mystery the better, it gives the hider an advantage from any prying eyes or whoever may try to listen in.

it was all planned: written on a wall looking for information, and in return, they'll be given a great asset if the information met the searcher's expectations. the code being "chaos" if anyone was interested, and coordinates listed. now is the waiting game, arms crossed and his head tilted down to listen to his surroundings of the alley. he hears a few voices here and there, some light taps of movement with someone trying not to draw attention to themselves.

the sound of footsteps come heavier alerting shadow that someone has come. his ears twitch under the hood before they stop, and with his arms crossed, he turns in the direction of the individual. ]

Don't waste my time, say what you have to say.

c) where's that damn singular flash drive!
location: casino

[ he doesn't care much for the casino, the bright lights and the loud sounds are the most unappealing, but the risk of what's here speaks to him more. back and forth between the participants, they speak about some flash drive, and while the technicalities of this world doesn't mean much to him. he knows the more information the better, sometimes he'll get it from others, or he needs to do it alone.

the only misfortune that's fallen upon is when he spun the curse wheel: every time you speak, your words come true. whether that's true or not, shadow scoffs at the aspect and continues moving forward. he's a hog of little words anyway, there's not much he has to say, however the issue that he's having now is the location he needs to get into within the casino. it reads that only two people — partners — can only enter this section, and he's unable to ride solo.

as irritating as it is, he figures that it should be easy to use someone around here, and once he spots someone is when shadow clicks his tongue then grimaces. they'll do. rather than do this the legal way... he waits for an unsuspecting dealer to walk past him where he's hidden himself by a corner and in a blink of an eye disappearing until appearing behind them to swipe his foot at the back of their head. it's with heavy impact (and an audible crack) that the creature collapses to the floor, and shadow pulls them into a closet off at the side. it doesn't take long for him to retrieve the clothes off the alien, holding them in hand that has a bit of blood here and there, but not a big deal.

it's when he comes out from the closet with the clothes in tow that he walks up to the person he saw before, holding out the attire. it's as close as he could get it to their body type, maybe with a few more... alien holes, but it doesn't matter. ]

...

[ this hedgehog appears to want the person before them to wear it. ]

୭ casino royale you get 2 of mine for the price of 1

[shoplifter]

[Laura watches people bumping into some mysterious hurdle for a while, and perhaps even watches him getting curb-stomped a bit longer than he rightly deserves. It's just a little entertaining for a child who has never met a person with invisibility powers. She can't see the man, but she certainly can smell the very obvious scent of cigarettes and spices from delicious foods that she's slowly learned how to be accustomed to. Especially here, as someone who has the highest score achievable.

And boy, she can hear him.

Aphaia's youngest paragon crouches down near the poor guy with her chin in her hand; the gesture is a blessing for Sanji, because it means less patrons are near him.]

Why don't you just stop using your powers?

arrival/wildcard blend — cw: violence, threats, death mentions

[ingestion]

( the fighting, the forced pressure to be perfect and cautious with her words, and the never ending barrage of romantic accusations thrown her way left heather in a state of anxiety and despair. she had avoided the people she knew because she could not comfort them or provide them any sense of guidance when she had felt so lost.

but this? in her aimless wandering? she wasn't expecting this. )

You....no....Claudia?

( for all the rage she had and was worthy of having, heather had been for the most part swallowing it down and reminding herself that she was brought to this world to feel joy and not despair. yet seeing this woman before her, brought back all the painful memories she had to endure because of the order and how claudia of all people was responsible for the demise of her beloved father.

she hadn't told many about her predicament, but the few who knew of claudia would agree—

heather was well within her right to do this. )

You fucking.....you fucking bitch.

( she had a gun given to her by harold, and while the temptation to use it and end this wretch's miserable life was high, she opted for a good and old reliable slap to the face. )

You....how could you? How fucking dare you give birth to that thing?

colosseum

[shoplifter]

[This is a very interesting situation that hasn't happened before, seeing Shadow willingly disregard the royale that was supposed to start any minute. It's also interesting because he happens to be the person she'd been assigned to fight, too — as she unfolds the paper to look at it, she notes that he's as grumpy in real life as he is in the picture they'd somehow managed to get of him.

Cameras everywhere. It's obnoxious.

Folding the picture back up, she moves to wander up and see what the problem is between the host and the strange-looking animal. The picture of her — practically a mugshot, with her unperturbed expression — looks back up at her, and she picks it up off the ground in one hand before she turns to Shadow.]

... You do not want to fight?

You could lose points.

[Laura's not really worried about herself; she has almost as many points as you can possibly get.]

cw: violence, threats, death mentions

[devota]

Alessa...?

[She addresses Heather with the name she knows her by; the name Claudia will always consider her true name. It would have been her name had that kidnapper not stolen her away.

She doesn't quite react to the rage, to the hateful words. Because she knows she deserves them. Claudia knows now how cruel it had been to force her very dear friend to birth God. It should have been her all along. So she lets Alessa slap her with all of that violence and anger she knows she deserves.]

Because the world still needed saving.

[There will be no horror or cruelty in Paradise. This, she fervently believes.]

scott summers, xmcu.

[redvisor]

(re)arrival.

[ He really didn't think he would end up back here...

It takes him a moment or two but, eventually, it all comes back to him. The few months he'd spent on Etraya before he'd, apparently, been taken back to his world... a world he hadn't entirely been happy in for a number of weeks that bled into months... and now he's here again. He gets the earpiece, hears it all again, and walks through the portal after he's not exactly given much of a choice. Survive. Sure. He can do that. It's what he's been doing back home, if barely.

The moment he steps through the portal, he's there, backpack slung over his shoulder and ruby quartz shades covering his eyes, leather jacket thrown on. That's the ensemble, really. No black X-Men uniform. Hasn't worn that in some time now.

Standing there, he lets out a breath and puts the earpiece in — lets himself get a lay of the land before he's making his way from the portal he came through, head ducked some, not really paying much attention to anything or anyone. He does, however, activate the earpiece and while it looks like he might be talking to himself, he's actually speaking over the earpiece to the network. ]

If anyone knows the name Scott Summers, reach out to me on this. Maybe we should talk.

casino royale.

[ Recon isn't anything new for anyone on the X-Men, but. Given the fact that he's been yanked out of his world and brought here a second time, he's letting himself have a drink or two at the bar first — get that out of the way and really let himself come to the realization that this is actually happening again.

He's decked out in a nice suit, got the red shades covering his eyes, and nursing a glass of whiskey from the looks of it. He gives the glass a bit of a shake — watches the way the amber liquid coats the sides before it runs back down. Downing the rest of it, he licks over his lips and sets the empty glass down, acknowledging whoever might be there with him at the bar. ]

Buy you a drink?

[ "Buy" but, you know. ]

wildcard.
( if you want something else with scott, feel free to hit up his PM's or catch him wandering around agora. )

wheezes.....heather needs a break from these men lmao

[ingestion]

( she followed along with his movements, forcing a soft smile on her face. although she wasn't feeling the best currently, she could sense the politeness coming from the other person. she decided she'll just go along with this and not really question it.

though his little comment does bring out a bit of a snorted laugh from her. )

Yeah well there's no police in this world or Etraya, so I'm not too worried. Dance a lot back home? Like this?

( in the meantime she's following his movements, keeping up the pace. )

(Re)arrival

[shoplifter]

[Laura is immediately distracted — immediately quieted — by the voice on the other end. She'd just finished an obstacle course and had been making her way back out on the streets of Agora, side-stepping and pushing through obnoxious reporters who love to get the inside scoop of the higher-scoring contestants and their drama.

After a moment, she sends back:]

... Scott? You are here in Aphaia?

[Was Etraya dropping brand new arrivals into missions now?

And was this the Scott who had vanished like she had? Or...]