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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! |
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[Sonic's attitude is pretty much day and night compared to Shadow's, huh? Scott finds himself feeling at ease around him anyway. It's nice that he doesn't don't have to worry about mutant stuff, for one, and Sonic's personality is just easy to bounce off of.] I'm Scott, nice to meet you.
[...] There's uh, more of your animal friends too around here. Just figured to give you that heads up.
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[He pauses for a second, looking a little contemplative, but his demeanor still light-hearted.] Yeah, I actually met a couple of them? Neither are from the same world I come from, though they do seem to know another version of me. [Which was just a little bit strange.]
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[Color him surprised! Guess he just sort of figured that all space animals with powers don't really know much of anything about Earth. Although, Shadow did mention about watching a couple of movies before, but... he's still feeling that curiosity run through him.
But maybe even more important than that is the fact that Sonic is dealing with the whole 'I know a different version of you' from others. Yeah, that's definitely familiar. The feeling of it isn't as bitter as it was before, but it still isn't easy either.
So, there's something a little more serious, if understanding, as he speaks next.]
Haven't given you a hard time, right? About you being a different version they're used to. [That residue anger is still there in some way though, huh?] I'm kind of familiar with that.
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The pinball machine erupts with flashing lights and a cacophony of celebratory sounds as his final ball sinks into the hole. New High Score! blares across the screen in bold, triumphant letters. But he doesn't seem nearly as excited to have gotten it.]
Yeah, well... the other Shadow was definitely not happy to see me. I still don't know what his deal was.
[And okay, yeah. Sonic could, kinda, understand where other!Shadow was coming from. When he met them, he had still thought Shadow to be dead, so of course he had been hurt and angry when he realized they weren't him. Believing someone, or something, was taunting him using his face.
But now that he had time to reflect on it a little, he can admit to himself (quietly in his mind) that maybe he did handle all that a little poorly.
He was still a little bitter about it, though.]
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[Wait, movies? They actually made movies of those books? Huh. Does that mean Sonic's version of Earth decided that the Chronicles of Narnia was a good enough series to start creating films for? Or is this sometime in the future of his Earth? Hard to really tell.
Interesting thought, but his mind shifts gears to their mutual friend and yeah. He's not surprised to hear that. He doesn't think that Shadow can be happy, ever. It's like he made it his life mission to be grumpy and a prick the entire time. Not that Scott could relate-- nope.]
...Hey, that Shadow just sort of follows me around and calls me an idiot the entire time. He's just an asshole man. Don't think it really has anything to do with you.
[Especially since so far? Scott can say that Sonic is pretty easy to be around.]
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So the attitude isn’t a phase, it’s a lifestyle. [He chuckles a little. He wonders if he will have to deal with him often. Part of him honestly hopes he wouldn't have to, but...there's also a persistent curiosity tugging at the edges of his mind. What exactly made him like that? His own Shadow used to be full of volatile anger when he first met him, probably still is a little. So maybe this other Shadow has his reasons, too. Not like he's justifying it, though, but it could help to understand him better.
Though, honestly? Focusing on, maybe, having to deal with an angrier version of Shadow that could want to kick his butt for whatever reason, it's still somewhat better than thinking about the disappointed looks from those who mistook him for another version of himself. That's a whole can of worms he's so not willing to touch at the moment. Nope.]
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Not here, but back in Etraya, there's a decent selection of movies that you can watch. There's no theater, so it's just mostly grabbing something from the store and bringing it back to your room. Missing out on the big screen and the state of the art speakers, but at least that means you can eat whatever junk food you want.
[Granted, he just snuck in food most of the time anyway. Shit's expensive back home, he's not about to pay more in snacks than watching the movie itself-- although having the full experience is necessary here and there. Just. Not all the time.
Maybe when they get back to Etraya... he and Sonic can watch something though. Hm.]
But yeah, pretty much. I tend to just avoid him when I can. [He shrugs a little, just assuming that's what Shadow would prefer too.]
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And yeah, well, I'll keep that in mind. [He'll worry about having to deal with Other!Shadow later.]
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[The name isn't familiar to him, but he also doesn't really bother to read the actors listed on the 'DVDs' before just popping something into the player. A lot of movies have been foreign to him, some with practical effects that seem way ahead of his time. It's kind of cool, honestly.
And wow. Okay, he can see why Sonic may prefer to watch things at home. He really does talk a lot... but at least someone here knows how to have fun unlike a certain grumpy hedgehog.]
He was probably just extra pissed that you aren't the Sonic that he knows back home. I mean, he's probably a big enough dick to his Sonic too, but... sometimes it really doesn't matter to people.
[He should know. All the comparisons he gets to the Scott Summers that he doesn't know at all. Someone that's older and apparently a hardass. It sucks.
ooc: Sorry for the late! Came back from vacation + dealing with illness.]
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[He considers your next words, frowning a little.] Yeah, well. I was disappointed when I realized he wasn't my Shadow, but that doesn't really give you a reason to be a jerk about it. [Regardless of that Shadow's relationship with the other Sonic, whomever that might be.]
((ooc: no worries! I hope you'll feel better soon!))
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[He can see why Sonic would like a movie called Speed, but hey, it legitimately sounds like a really cool movie. Very fast paced sort of action thriller... he's game for that. Plus, he likes a good one-liner. Or two. He's seen a lot of James Bond--]
Heh, you don't have to convince me about that. [...] And then things get really awkward when you meet people that know you-- or at least a version of you, but you don't know them at all. Happened to me like half a dozen times.
[There's less bitterness though, overall. Still upsetting, but. Better now compared to before.]
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[Hey, it's really nice to find some sort of normalcy in this place with something as simple as having a movie night. And maybe he'll manage to convince his Shadow to join too!]
Yeah, tell me about it. [He's not at that point yet, so he's still a tad bit more bitter about it. He needs time, but he's still super glad his Shadow's here too.
...] Have you thought about what you'll do if you ever meet this "other you"?
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[Nothing good, at least not at first. Fueled by his own anger, his own feelings of feel ostracized, and blaming it all on this other version of him that the other mutants have complicated feelings about. He's past that initial window of rage, but Scott can't say that he's jumping at the thought of seeing this 'other him' still.
He buries his hands in his pockets, trying to remain unaffected.]
Maybe call him an asshole. [...Maybe learn more about him?? Does he want to know that much? He isn't sure. It's complicated thinking about-- so maybe Sonic has some advice on that.] How about you?
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Well... I haven't heard much about this other me. I mean, I sure do hope he's not some kind of jerk, that would suck. [He smiles a little bit, trying to put humor into it.] From the way some were excited to approach me, I guess he's great at making friends, so I think that's cool! Well, except from Other!Shadow, though you could think he was a little excited to kick my butt, if that counts. I am, kinda curious about meeting him? From the way Sonia talked about her world, there seems to be a lot of exciting differences in our lives, so I wouldn't mind asking him about what kind of adventures he's had, share stories, jokes, stuff like that... But, at the same, I can't help but feel a little intimidated...? [He can't help but remember the look of disappointment the Other!Shadow gave him. Like he had expected more. Not whatever he saw in him. It shouldn't matter, but it just had stuck with him.] Does that make any sense?