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etrayamemes2025-08-01 02:03 pm
TDM 009
❬ ARRIVAL ❭
Arrival does not happen normally. While the AI known as Aurora would typically handle your incoming- this time it is instead a strange coincidence. And while she would ordinarily contact you, provide you with context and access to the network- she cannot currently reach you. One moment, you are where you were, and now you’re here: in the middle of some kind of Comic-Con looking event. Weirder still: you now have some kind of super power. You will find that your arrival on this Earth may have granted you new capabilities - perhaps someone without abilities is now able to fly, or someone with their own set of extraordinary abilities now has something new to help with.
❬ SUPERFEST ❭
Not to be confused with Hero-Con or Villian-Con. This is a fan-made convention in downtown SF that takes place during a prime Con weekend that boasts that everyone is welcome here. Well, as long as they adhere to Con Rules. Sleep, Eat, Drink Water, Shower, and don’t blast any holes in the walls. They already have enough of those. Despite the recent Kaiju attack with corresponding tsunamis and earthquakes, the Convention Runners are utterly committed. Though it is held and hosted by fans, there’s a nice variety of Artists, Exhibitors, Panels, as well as a live-streamed Cosplay Contest. Artist’s Alley & Dealer’s Hall Are you even a slightly public hero or villain? Find fan art, merch, even fan comics of yourself and your friends- Or enemies. Panels You don’t even need to have anything planned! Seems like there were some cancellations. Slip in and talk about whatever you like. Cosplay Contest Wear your own costume to the contest- Or find a knock off of someone else’s in the Dealer’s Hall. The Water That Makes You Stupid Yes, the convention is staffed and run by fans… But it’s still run by someone, isn’t it? The badge line is long and the weather is sweltering. Grab a SUPERFEST branded water for $12- Or drink from the fountains as soon as you get into the con center. The Convention President is testing a chemical that will make you harmlessly stupider for a handful of hours to loosen wallets and increase overall enjoyment of convention activities.
❬ THE DIVIDE ❭
First earthquakes and tsunamis culminating in wide scale Kaiju attacks, now this. It’s more subtle than any of those things, but reports of people being dragged by some invisible force or teleporting cross town start emerging. And these people all have powers. But none of them are on your corresponding apps, nor in your network. Weird. It would really be best to investigate this matter. After all, it seems the Hero and Villain organizations (League of Heroes and Vale & Venture) want more information, and if possible- to recruit members before the other does.
❬ THE SAN FRAN WALKING TOUR ❭
For the first three days, the boundary that new arrivals can travel seems very stable. It’s centered upon the convention center, shifting no more than a couple of city blocks in any direction. The boundary is completely invisible and totally indestructible. It can only be found by touching it. After those first three days, though, the boundary starts to move, and the newly warped in have no choice but to come along with it, even if they end up dragged through traffic or made to make hasty exits from buildings. Yet should they come truly against something they cannot escape- Like a closed alleyway or a freight train, they will find themselves spontaneously clipping through the force field boundary and projected onto the inside opposite end of the bubble. It must be disorienting to be thrown a few miles from where you just were.
❬ MISSION NOTES ❭
📌 — This Earth heavily resembles current-day Earth. All cities will be what we would find on the map of our Earth - meaning, there is no Gotham, or any fictional cities in play. Players are free to create their own locations within locations! We won't be monitoring this closely, and want to give players free reign to play with the environment around them as they would like. 📌 — TL;DR: A body-hopping interstellar being has come to visit Earth 2’s San Fransisco for the Fan Convention as well as provide a self-guided walking tour. Newcomers to the TDM are stuck inside the several mile radius of his force-field. He doesn’t know it’s happening, but the Force Field is impenetrable for TDMers, and will push and pull them around San Francisco during these two weeks. 📌 — This setting is from our current Off-World Mission. Additional details can be found HERE. 📌 — Characters already in game are welcome to post to the TDM, too! Please mark them as current characters in your header. 📌 — Because of the way newcomers are arriving, players are welcome to treat this as a fourth wall event of sorts! Threads can be remembered by those in game even if those they speak to do not app, as long as it's approved by all necessary parties. 📌 — For all questions relating to the TDM specifically, please use the MOD QUERIES comment below. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.
no subject
[ That's the first he's heard of this name. ]
Is that who's to blame for my arrival?
[ If so, he would like to get in contact with her, but he's probably going to have to stand at the back of a very long line. Good thing he's patient.
Were his opinion asked, Vincent would note the boy owes him nothing. Even if he recognizes him in some capacity, that does not automatically thrust responsibility of any kind upon Sephiroth. And Vincent does not recognize him now, but that may change. His reaction may change as well. Only time will tell. ]
I see. I've been told there's a mission going on. Are you a part of it?
no subject
Could be, I don't have enough information to say for certain, but I'm fairly sure she handles the assignments.
[Like this mission itself! A nod follows; he's definitely here for the mission. With no-one else close enough to eavesdrop without super powers, Sephiroth's not bothering to couch anything in metaphor or secrecy, his stance deliberately casual, doing his best to not mask everything. Normal people don't do that. Be normal. Curiosity is normal. Interest is normal!]
You are too now. It doesn't hurt to play along, whether or not you believe all our planets are at risk. In this one, we're playing at 'heros' or 'villains' and looking for an unknown source forcing ... personality shifts onto people. Good folks turning bad, malicious and cruel people turning to charity and kindness.
[His smile is faint, brief, and gone quickly.]
Any questions?
no subject
There must be dozens of questions running through Vincent's head, and that's just to get started. He did learn some things from a woman he spoke to at that event happening downtown. What he's not sure about is how he's supposed to be a part of this. How is he supposed to solve a mystery he knows nothing about? But, it seems as though no one really had any clues to go on regarding the unknown force.
As for questions, he finally nods. ]
Yes. Which are you?
[ Hero or villain? ]
no subject
[He has no problem with the question, it didn't define who he really was and besides which, Vincent was probably going to be dealing with very similar things once he sorted himself out. Code names, secret lairs or heroic bases, the whole nine yards. None of it meant anything to him at all, except for the home he could return to every day. That mattered. Not the label attached to the rest.]
You don't have to slaughter everyone in your path if you get the same role. Steal a few wallets, press all the buttons at crosswalks and mess up traffic. Declare your intention to conquer the city, things like that.
[He casts a brief sideways glance at the ex-Turk.]
It's hard to tell based on your outfit which one you're supposed to be.
[..That. That is a costume, right?]
no subject
Your secret is safe with me.
[ Hearing that the villainy doesn't have to be destructive is also reassuring. As for himself, he glances down at his clothing, which is not a costume at all. Maybe it would be considered one in this world, though. The boy is dressed much more casually than he is. ]
These are just my clothes. As for what I'm supposed to be in this 'mission', I'm not sure. I don't feel different than before.
[ Maybe it's not affecting him? Or he hasn't been here long enough to feel any heroic or villainous urges. ]
overdid it a bit yesterday. lol. ow
This could be normal in Gongaga or something. Whether or not it strikes him as ridiculous, he chooses to accept it as truth. Somewhere, this is normal. He nods, thoughtful.]
I didn't either, and then I turned into a dragon. Give it time. It might be subtle. Until then, there's.. plenty to do on a strange new world. We might never get to return here, so take the opportunity while you can.
[Honestly, if he knew more about Vincent Valentine, he might not suggest doing tourist stuff to the man. Sephiroth wasn't terribly inclined to touristy things either, and he's made it a point to at least TRY, in between spates of small time petty villainy.]
oh no! rest more. take your time.
Take the opportunity to enjoy this place? ]
I'm a little more focused on finding my companions right now.
[ The advice is appreciated, though. ]
My name is Vincent Valentine.
I'm being careful this time!
[Granted, all he had to work with was a nice long list of all Etrayans currently on the mission, and rumor for the rest, but it's better than nothing, and he pulls out of all things a perfectly ordinary for this planet Android phone and heads for the list of Contacts.
It doesn't have everything but it has a lot. He .. does not offer his name in return.]
It's good to meet you, Mr. Valentine. If we're very lucky someone you're looking for is somewhere in this list.
no subject
Someone at the fan convention did suggest using a communicator to call out over the network, but Vincent found that idea to be a little too exposing for his taste. Looking at a list of names would be less so, but he's not sure what this young man intends to do just yet or if he can be trusted.
A few steps are taken, and Vincent lifts his left hand, opening the fingers of his gauntlet to accept the device. ]
May I?
[ Will the boy allow it? ]
no subject
Those metal talons won't work with the touch interface. Nor will it go through gloves. It needs to be bare skin.
[Reluctantly, the phone is offered.]
Don't scratch it. I don't want to try to explain to my 'parents' I need a new phone because I let a stranger claw it up.
[Most of the names on the list of people who bother with the network are probably completely unknown. But hey, Cloud Strife is there, so that's someone! ... Unfortunately, none of Vincent's other companions.]
no subject
I'll be careful.
[ He won't get a scratch on it. It takes him a couple of minutes to scroll through the entire list of names. Sciel was right, it's over a hundred. Vincent recognizes one, but he already knew Cloud was here. The rest are unknown to him. Except… Shinra? Interesting. Once he's finished, he offers the phone back. ]
Thank you. If someone arrived days ago, like I did, they wouldn't be on that list, would they.
[ He already knows the answer, so it's less of a question and more of a statement looking for confirmation. ]
no subject
He suspected the latter.]
I'm afraid not, not until an update goes out. Sometimes people appear mid-mission, oftentimes they stay, sometimes they disappear again. I think it's standard to wait a few days to see if a given individual is stably present.
[That is in fact his own guesses and not actual fact, but it sounds perfectly reasonable.]
Word of mouth is often the best way to find out if someone's turned up suddenly, if you've other friends present.
no subject
As Sephiroth explains the nuances of people appearing out of thin air, Vincent thinks he understands. ]
So I may not be stable.
[ Noted. And for multiple reasons, Vincent. ]
Then I will continue my search. Thank you. You've been helpful. I won't tell anyone. I wouldn't want to tarnish your reputation.
[ The boy is supposed to be a villain today, right? ]
no subject
It just means you go back to wherever you came from. But it would be better if you did not.
[Was it true, what would happen to their planets? He didn't know, but he also didn't see why that was a risk worth taking. It's better to play along, until there's certainty. Whole worlds could be at stake.
There's a huff that's probably supposed to be some form of a laugh, and he shakes his head.]
It's alright. This is the civilian disguise, remember? [A moment's hesitation, and then he continues a little more hesitantly,] Do you have a way to contact you, if someone starts asking around for a Vincent Valentine?
no subject
[ Better if he did not return to his home world? Maybe the boy believes their universes are in danger. In a sense, Vincent's home already is. Could this be some unexpected solution to the problem they face at home? Another mystery that won't have an answer. It does show that the boy cares about his universe and others if he's taking this seriously, though.
When asked if he can be contacted, Vincent glances down at himself, but he's devoid of any kind of communication device. ]
No. But if you do meet someone who asks about me, assure them that I will find them.
no subject
[That's some serious villain vibes! His knowledge of anti-heros was rather lacking, so while that was possible he wasn't counting on it.]
Please take care. Some people are taking their roles very seriously here.
[Sephiroth is reasonably pleased with himself. He managed to be reasonably social to anyone's metrics, and not do any damage to his villainous reputation in the doing. Cloud will likely want to know Vincent's around, someone that colorful may be a known entity even if the odds were against it.
He'll be keeping an eye out for that red cloak too. But for now, time to finish investigating a better lair location.]
no subject
Still, if it is any of his companions who get the message, they will know his intentions. That's all that matters.
When he's told to take care, Vincent nods slightly. ]
And you. Good luck with your.. project.
[ The cloaked man turns to leave. He wants to get out of this damn sun. ]