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etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
etrayamods) wrote in etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
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TDM 008
content warnings for this TDM include: gambling references, mild horror themes and suggestive content  ⏵ arrival⏴ Arrival does not happen as Aurora usually plans for it. Newcomers generally find themselves waking up within the hospital, are given a brief overview of their situation, and sent on their way. Now? They wake up immersed in a game within The Gold Saucer. But it doesn't quite feel like a game: whether it's snowy mountains, riding a chocobo as you listened to the wind quickly pass by your ears, or in the middle of a battle with a beast, it feels utterly real. It's only after the game concludes - either by winning or losing - that you find yourself back in the main game area. A bot, dressed as personnel in this lavish playground, approaches each arrival with an earpiece allowing them to communicate with those in their same situation. It also serves to inform them of their goal: collect enough gold saucer points (or GP) by playing the games to acquire a card fashioned to their own likeness from the game counter. Then, they must trade it for someone else's. Seems simple enough, right? Hopefully the cards aren't too expensive...  ⏵ the gold saucer ⏴ The Gold Saucer is an ode to the very idea of fun. It’s huge, labyrinthine, colorful, and lively. Everywhere you look, there’s something to do. At the same time, it’s also impossible to tell what time it is. There are no windows to the outside, there are no clocks. This place is beyond such a thing. There are games everywhere you look, ranging from the pseudo-gambling to sports to pixelated video games in cabinets. Yet no matter which boxing game, pinball machine, or skeeball machine you look at, the same creatures and themes arrive. Cactuars, chocobos, the fiercest Behemoth, the cuddliest Moogle… For those from the realms of Final Fantasy, this will feel natural- homey even. Everyone else will simply understand that there is a fairly strong central theme here about magic, machines, and monsters. It’s hard to tell how long you spend here, and it seems to sit outside of the very concept of time. Still, there are many restaurants, lounges, and vending machines. There are shops and costume rentals. There are even little pharmacies with headache remedies if the partying gets out of hand. And when you grow tired, there is a hotel- though it is made up like a haunted house, you can count on getting some semi-restful sleep.  ⏵ playtime ⏴ At first, stepping through to play any of these games may make participants wonder if they have been teleported somewhere else entirely. But on closer inspection, all the skies above are merely well-constructed interiors with painted ceilings. After all, it always seems to be daytime during these games. Snowboarding - Race to the bottom of the mountain, but avoid obstacles and complete as many tricks as possible! Chocobo Racing- Race on Chocobo-back around a treacherous outdoors race track which can either be taking place in a desert, a swampy forest, or upon an island beach. Work in tandem with your rented bird and against your competition by throwing hazards in their way or utilizing buffs garnered on the track. Different colored birds will yield different advantages. Yellow - Good All Rounder Red - Fast, but hard to steer Blue - Slower, but very easy to steer. Much easier to pick up items from them. Green- Resilient against traps and sabotage Colosseum Battle- Face off against the fiercest beasts around. Pair up with friends or rivals to Collaborate or Compete to do the most damage and deliver the final blow. These battles are synced to the comparative power of the one entering the competition. We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily, after all. And indeed, no one will get seriously, gruesomely, or permanently injured in these battles. Those without fighting capabilities can rent weapons outfitted Materia to assist them in their trial. These will allow anyone to cast spells, though not guarantee any better wielding of weapons. There are a hundred rounds, starting with fairly simple Spriggans, ranging all the way up to blood-thirsty Behemoths to challenge even the most battle-hardened hero. Leap of Faith- Players are presented with an obstacle course that stretches a hundred feet into the air upon floating platforms and islands. Both are held aloft by magical crystals. Powers are entirely nerfed, though falling and hitting the ground is strangely painless. Those who collect the most silver and gold statuettes of cactuars placed at random throughout the course will be awarded proportionate GP; though there is a bonus for those that reach the very top first. Triple Triad- Everywhere you look, people are playing this game on little 3 by 3 boards, or any surface with enough space. You will be given a loaner deck to play with. Are you clever enough to defeat your fellows. Fashion Report- Theobold, familiar to some, stands by himself in a little booth with a dressing room and an incredibly expansive walk-in closet. He is a robot of distinguished fashion and strong opinions on those fashions. Do you dare subject yourself to his scrutiny? Come prepare in his wondrous closets to make the best outfit for the chance to win a prize. Please submit your fashion here! There are Arcade Machines and activities galore. If you can think of it, it’s probably there- Just with that Final Fantasy pastiche on it, of course.  ⏵ the beehive lounge ⏴ There are other places to eat at the Gold Saucer, but the vending machines and cafés all pale in comparison to the dinners at the Beehive. For all the rave reviews, there is a dress code at the Beehive, and this is literal. If you step inside and are not currently wearing a dress, you will be ushered into a sideroom and appropriately made over. However, this is only for those trying to go in through the normal doors. Around the side there happens to be an employee entrance, manned by a bot. He will only allow those in who seem like they intend to work— and therefore must be wearing at least one piece of the Bunnysuit Collection to trick the guard. Once you are made over or have snuck in, you are free to relax inside with drinks, dine on a fine meal, watch the dancers, or participate yourself if you feel brave enough. Why would anyone ever dance here? Well, that’s simple. It pays really well. So if you’re sick of games, or terrible at them— you can always come dance for a shift. Though, don't get any unseemly ideas about freeing yourself of your clothing, this isn't that kind of establishment!  ⏵ haunted house ⏴ When you grow too weary or drunk from a day of games, you may be directed to somewhere a little quieter to sleep. Up the elevator, and through the doors reveals a modest walk through some woods until a quaint, victorian hotel appears. It is always nighttime here, and the stars and moon twinkle above. The receptionist, a bot in a rather bedraggled-looking chocobo mascot costume checks you in and shows you to your room. You can sleep here, especially if you can tolerate the hokey haunted decorations strung up around the place. Though sometimes, late at night, there will come a vigorous thumping on the door to startle sleeping patrons awake- Only for the culprit to vanish and be impossible to locate.  ⏵ ticket counter ⏴ The prize counter is manned by a bot and has a sign posted overhead. Most prizes will be handed over inside an appropriately sized wrapped box, as the contents are a mystery.
This TDM may be treated as a mini-Mission. Time will not pass inside of it in relation to the world outside - meaning, this can be happening at any time between late May into early July! This Gold Saucer is a bit of a mix between that of FF7's and FF14's, but it also has some things that neither have as well. Any inaccuracies are entirely intentional, aimed to make this rest within a space of uncanny valley for those who are familiar. While otherwise being a bit of a chaotic fantastical funhouse for everyone else! If there is something unlisted, chances are it will exist if it is in either of the other versions of the Gold Saucer. 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 to our mod queries comment! |
haunted house;
Maybe he should just find a way back to Etraya somehow. Funny how he almost misses that dumb mansion where all the other mutants live... because all that still feels complicated. Maybe even more so now.
And speaking of mutants...]
What? You think I've been banging on the doors? [Already so defensive... Scott looks at Hawks with a frown, sunglasses spotting his wings and he's definitely making a ton of assumptions already. Oops.]
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Uh, I don't know. Were you? [ He could've been imagining it, maybe. He is exceptionally tired right now. Too tired to realize his wings are being looked at, with Scott's sunglasses. It's not like he has room to talk with his own goggles obscuring his eyes. ]
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[Scott's already mentally preparing himself for the whole 'I recognize you and you're older and an asshole' spiel. Maybe not in those exact words, but he's still expecting something similar to it, even though the older man isn't reacting all that much to him-- besides the initial greeting. Hard to really say though, given that his own eyes are covered.
That's annoying!! Like that's his thing.]
Either I find and stop whatever is causing that shit or I find some other place to sleep.
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He stares at Scott behind his glasses but comes up with nothing. He doesn't know him, so he's about to be really disappointed. ]
Unfortunately I didn't see anywhere else to sleep. Alright, ugh, I'm up I guess. [ He's tired. The light might help with seeing Hawks' eyes through the coloured glass. There are bird-like markings, that's why he hides them. So he doesn't freak people out with his predatory glare. ]
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A part of him thinks about just ignoring it and pretend everything is normal, but might as well just rip off the band aid.]
I'm Scott Summers. [He says, without any real prompting. The teen really does seem kind of grumpy though... still a bit defensive too.]
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Nice to meet you, I'm Hawks.
[ No, he's still oblivious, and most likely like everyone else he's met here, Scott is just as oblivious to who he is. It's wildly refreshing, honestly. ]
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While Scott doesn't recognize his name at all (which he expected), the fact that Hawks didn't even make a small flinch or start frowning... that honestly feels kind of new to him. Is he really that good at hiding his feelings? Or. Uh shit. MAN did he really pin this guy down as a mutant when he isn't one?
Well fuck.
A new feeling of awkwardness begins to spread in Scott while that defensiveness from earlier starts to fade. Not that his posture turns sheepish, but it definitely loses that tension.]
So, uh. [...] You're not a mutant?
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Somehow he wasn't expecting that, nothing in Scott's demeanor had been volatile to him. Standoffish a bit, sure, but a lot of people aren't good with strangers. It's more confusing that he seemed to soften before he asked that. Mutant is the kind of word that's thrown around by people who consider those like him to be abominations. His tone is bright, maybe a little too bright when he answers. ]
Ah, I'd prefer heteromorph. [ Objectively it's very similar, his physiology and quirk are both a result of mutations. ]
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It sucked being in the dark before, so he'll push this time. Even if he might hate the answer again. Or get confused. But what else is new at this point? The result is always the same, it's just a matter of when it happens to him.
At least asking now means he has some control.]
Is that another word for mutant? ...I haven't heard of it before.
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Heteromorphs are what we call people that have quirks or genetics that lead to a permanent change in physiology that deviate from regular people. It is caused by a mutation, but it's pretty rude to call someone that. [ Of course he could still decide to address Hawks that way, he can't stop him. ]
It affects about eighteen percent of the population. [ In his world. ]
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Maybe the biggest indication that this is all different is the fact that he really doesn't seem to know him-- his name. That's been the wonderful connection between him and all the other mutants here...]
We've always called ourselves mutants. [Scott figures to clear that up at least, offering that tidbit of information about himself.]
Um, I don't really know what the percentage is in my world. We don't really divide ourselves based on our mutations affecting our appearance.
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I have both types of mutation. My quirk is just my wings. Most people have emitter quirks. Some people have transformation quirks. Like if I could hide my wings and had no other traits, I wouldn't be a heteromorph. People like me can be vastly different, so it's hard to give sweeping generalizations.
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Something akin to relief starts running through him, any remaining tension draining from his shoulders as he reworks his original thoughts and assumptions about the older man. He's just a guy with wings and stuff. Kind of a mutant too, it sounds like, but... not really the same thing. Different circumstances? Whatever. Scott doesn't care too much, he's just glad to meet someone that doesn't hold prior expectations of him.]
I guess you could say that I have an 'emitter quirk.' [...] My powers come from my eyes.
[He raises a hand to his sunglasses, as if explaining why he's wearing them even right now in a dark hotel.]
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Oh, I see. You're not the first person I've encountered who has had a quirk like that. Quirks in general are just superhuman abilities to me. [ Just for the sake of clarity. ]
I wear mine to hide my eyes. A lot of people find bird-like eyes to be unsettling, especially if I'm not blinking enough. I don't want to freak people out. They're also useful in flight, but I pretty much have to wear them all the time.
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[It does feel a bit different to Scott if someone got their power through magic though. Or a science experiment gone wrong. Something among those lines. But if people are just born with Quirks in the same way mutants are born with their X-Gene... that's extremely similar.
Huh. Well, this is kind of cool... a small smile finally seems to form on the teen.]
You're not going to hear any comments from the guy that constantly shoots concussive beams out of his eyes. Basically lasers, if you want to be wrong... but it's easier to say.
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He chuckles lightly. ]
I think lasers are meant to melt things as opposed to blunt force. That's what you mean by concussive right? [ It doesn't even seem strange to him, there are so many different abilities in his world. ]
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[Feels like the complete opposite, a shift in dynamic that is honestly kind of hard to think about. Mostly everyone has powers in some way... guess that's cool? Must really suck though then for people that don't have powers. Like not only are you in the minority, but you can't do something neat.
He wonders what the other mutants would react to this sort of thing.]
But yeah, basically. Cool. Glad I don't have to fully explain it to you. [Thanks for not being a dumbass--]
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[ It's definitely a weird dynamic, but as to whether or not that makes the world better is a whole other question. People get judged pretty harshly on their powers, however they manifest. It's just a different set of reasons to compare people. ]
Must be useful sometimes. Blunt force isn't exactly my specialty, so I can't help but admire someone who can manage it.
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[Dividing them into further categories seems excessive in his opinion... but guess if most of the population has a quirk, then that's probably why. Still, Scott isn't going to let that really change his opinion, especially since he actually kind of finds himself liking the other man's presence.
He's easy to talk to, at least.]
...You get used to it, I guess. [He shrugs, mostly trying to hide the fact that he still isn't fully comfortable with it. Or that he's really 'managed' it. He can't control his powers, not really.] But it's useful, especially if I want to make my own entrance somewhere.
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Hawks has always prided himself in being easy to talk to. The last thing he says gets a chuckle out of him though, lightly surprised. ]
You know, that's probably very convenient! I certainly can't break through any walls.
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[Guess he's available. Don't worry, he won't charge too much. Maybe it won't help too much with their current situation, but everyone needs to blast a door down at some point, right? Sure.]
I'm just not responsible for any collateral damage.
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[ There are lots of heroes that can break walls, but that's just not in his skillset. ]
Sorry I thought you were out here trying to creep me out. I still don't know what the noise was I heard and coming out here hasn't really...answered that question.