▶ TDM .013

[prismods]

Final Countdown

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Welcome to the Jungle
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

 A  Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

▶ Let’s Do the Time Warp Now
Lunatia | top

Time is relative, but the days do seem shorter — or longer — than usual. A minute passes like an hour. An hour passes like a minute. Everything appears to be moving along as normal, but the numbers and hands on clocks flicker and spin with an unusual and worrying slowness or quickness. Eventually you notice that the darkness of the night barely lasts long enough for you to fall asleep while the sun seems to glare down upon you for an eternity. The temporal shifts disorient your body, which now grows lethargic from being overworked and underslept. Soon, the temporal abnormalities reach a critical point…

 B  Due to the temporal distortions, Prismals and Moonblessed new and old feel their bodies sporadically transform in the strangest of ways. Your joints ache like they’ve carried a lifetime’s weight of misfortune and regret. Your voice turns high-pitched like a certain pair has yet to drop. You turn into a confused infant in one moment and the seasoned fighter you always wanted to be in the next. Your memories also shuffle around along with your apparent age, leaving you confused and unsettled. The transformations can occur and last for as long as the 11th, when everything turns back to normal without incident. That time your baby self peed in your pants? Never happened. Until then, moonlacing seems to stabilize the weird abnormalities.

▶ Starlight, Star Bright, First Star I See Tonight
Lunatia | top

The city’s landscape is not spared by the erratic flow of time. Buildings and streets continuously flicker between the beautiful and vibrant paradise it has become to the ruins of glory days long past. Your eyes may struggle to adjust as you try and convince yourself of what is real and what is not. High rise towers one moment will become wreckage the next, filled with technological debris and the echoing cries of the terrified, and the mighty wingspan of an unknown creature continues to hovers in the distance. The illusion will only last but a minute before you’re back in the present, going about your daily business. However, your trip from the future and back is far from over.

Soon, breaking news reports will inform the city about the sudden vanishing of certain celestial bodies in the sky. Though the moons remain where they should, the nights grow longer and darker as the stars in the sky start disappearing one by one until only the sun remains, eclipsed by some mysterious force. Lunar Scientia has already sent capable teams to investigate the abnormalities, so they ask the public to be patient as they wait for the reports. Until then, they have issued safety guidelines and measures to effectively light the city. The Caelus Tower appears to burn brighter than ever.

 C  For these dark hours, Lunar Scientia releases their latest Chroma-powered technology for Moonblessed use: star lanterns. When a star lantern is held by two Moonblessed, it absorbs newly generated Chroma from them, enabling it to light up the missing stars in the sky as you travel from place to place. The light’s color and intensity will depend on you and your partner’s bond, the spectrum ranging from a violet of hatred to a red full of love. Indifference, however, will not light the lantern at all. It also comes with a float function so that it can be released into the atmosphere without needing to carry it everywhere. Since the technology is limited in stock, Moonblessed may only have one star lantern in their possession.

One of the issued guidelines is to never walk through dark alleys alone even with the lanterns, as the crime rate has increased lately due to those taking advantage of the chaos. This is especially rampant in Level 3, at the mouth of the Lightless.

▶ Oh, They Just Can’t Wait to be King
Outside Lunatia, Port Sylvel | top

On the ides of the third month, an emergency broadcast appears from Captain Natela:

Captain Natela

Greetings, Prismals and Moonblessed.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Port Sylvel has been completely crystallized. The Moon Knights are currently recruiting willing explorers and scientists to investigate the cause. Investigations are still pending, but the outlook is grim. The only survivors were among the few we carried out of the city last month. The rest perished from the crystallization.

Our heart goes out to those affected by this plight. There is no cause for panic. There is no sign that the crystallization is spreading beyond Port Sylvel. We Moon Knights stand with the people of Prismatica, as we have done for centuries. We are not mere defenders of a city but protectors of a planet. We endeavor to find the cause of this tragedy and bring peace and justice to the lives it claimed. Until then, we ask for your cooperation. Stay calm and press onward.

Those who volunteer to participate in the expedition will be rewarded for their efforts. They will be assisted by experts from the Lunar Scientia as well as the bear Prismal and Moon Knight Fahrouk, who looks worse for wear after hearing the news.

Officer Fahrouk

Oh, Moonblessed. It's you. Yeah, Hala is doing good. Won the spelling bee! I think she might make the nationals. ... I… I don't think I ever told you. Port Sylvel was our hometown. My wife is buried there. We’d go there every spring. Hala loved picking the flowers there. Did you know that different flowers grow in Port Sylvel compared to Lunatia? Haaaah...

Moonblessed! I know you think I'm not cool enough to hang out with you, and all I do is ask for your help, but please let me go with you! Please… This is something I have to do as a soldier, a husband, and a father.

… What? You always thought I was cool?

Finding strength and resolve after the participants tell him he's supposed to assist them on their mission anyway, Fahrouk distributes LIFE suits to the participants as he briefs them on what they're about to do. He and the participating Moonblessed will then be transported via a large transport vessel.

Port Sylvel is hardly recognizable. What was once an idyllic coastal town is now a site of tragic beauty — crystal formations encase buildings and Prismals like jagged glass coffins, as if preserving life in its final moments. Readings from life detectors tell you that everyone in the crystal has passed on, but you and your fellow Moonblessed think you can still hear their cries of distress carried along by the wind, warning you about the Prideful King.

 D  Gigantic crystal lions flank the passage of the port city, their wings spread open and blue flames pouring forth from their mouths. You hear rumbling guttural noises, and if you approach them, their roars will escalate to warn you about proceeding any further. Beware: a single bite from these lions can easily tear through the LIFE suit and cause your body to crystallize quickly unless someone rushes in to moonlace with you to halt the effect. These lions are unlike the beasts you’ve fought before: their otherworldly strength is overwhelming, and nothing seems to wear them down. Destroying them seems pointless, as they quickly regenerate the minute they are obliterated.

Eventually, transmissions from the LIFE suits announce an order for escape. Buildings collapse and shatter in your wake, and the ground quakes violently as something awakens in the far distance...


▶ questions

If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

WHO CAN POST? ▶ Test drive memes are for new characters only. Existing players may not post starter threads in the test drime meme. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!

IS THIS CANON? ▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

ANNIVERSARY ▶ Happy first anniversary, Prismatica! Thank you to all of you who have been with us since the beginning. We appreciate it immensely! Remember that we always welcome input and suggestions from players. This event is a little out of the ordinary because of our anniversary celebration.

OPT IN AND OUT ▶ For current players, please do not be alarmed! As always, you do not have to be affected as there are safe areas across Lunatia that remain as is.

AGING UP AND DOWN ▶ You have free reign over how long and how many times your character will be affected. If a character doesn’t have a canon appearance from the past or future, you are welcome to provide one of your own from imagination and use your own PB. You are allowed to speculate on how they’ll look, act, their potential future, and so on. All of these will be temporary to this event. The intensity of the effect is also up to you: whether it will only affect appearance alone and retain their current memories.

IMPORTANT ▶ As a reminder, writing sexual content with characters below 15 years old is a violation of the game's rules and potentially Dreamwidth’s ToS. Players caught doing this will be banned from the game.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[prismods]

[twoasone]

Hi, I submitted my app too late last round and would like to try again this month. Is it alright to use my TDM threads from February for samples, and if so can certain threads be kept as canon? (Namely, the ones about settling into the apartment.)

Yuri Leclerc | Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[tricksterheart]

A. Welcome to the Jungle

[A house of his own is a concept that is surprisingly new to him. Well, it's an apartment but the idea is still so real to him. He finds himself glancing into places curiously as he ponders which one might actually suit him. After all, if he has the rare chance to pick for himself then he might as well find one that appeals, right?

He sure as hell doesn't want anything uncomfortable at the very least. While he could handle it he didn't actually see a reason to endure it when he didn't have to.

Heels clicking down the hall, he opened another door and let his eyes widen mildly in surprise.]

Oh. This one must be occupied.

[At the very least there was someone already inside.]


B. An Interest in Shadows

[Well if there's suddenly a rise in crime then why wouldn't he wander that way to see what is going on. Which is really how he's ended up in an alleyway with several large men towering over him. To the outsider's point of view it likely seems like they're about to mug him. Especially with how they loom over him, one even with his hand pressed to the wall. Yuri's face is obscured so it's hard to see what is actually happening.

Namely that he's negotiating with them. And they're listening.

A growl can suddenly be heard and one of the towering figures moves. It's up to the one watching to decide if they want to help or not. Though, does Yuri actually need help?

Well that is a mystery, isn't it.]


C. Just Lionin'

[Yuri manages to roll out of the way of a bite with only a mild sigh. That was closer than he wanted to admit to. Shifting his balance he glances over to the one that he's with and offers them a smile.]

I don't suppose you have a way of completely destroying crystal, do you? Because I'm not interested in feeding these things today.

[He doubts it. Honestly retreat is probably the better option. But it doesn't hurt to, well, check.]


D. Wildcard

[Got another idea? Go for it!]


[ooc: If you ask I will keep spoilers to Cindered Shadows out of tags! Just let me know in advance!]

B

[machiavel]

Hm.

[ seimei won’t reveal his hand just yet.

he’s here because he’s not afraid of walking the alleys at night, and he’s certainly not afraid of a fight, though there’s no need for him to play the hero—but, neither does he make a move to conceal his presence. the only advantages he has as a bystander are that he’s behind the group, and that he’s not the one being attacked in the first place.

he does pull out his device, though, easily swiping through to camera mode. just in case. ]

Nick | Left 4 Dead

[uncleasshole]

▶ ARRIVAL

[On-board the transport vessel to the planet below, you can find Nick laying flat on a bed, staring angrily at the ceiling. His face doesn't match his body - while his face looks thoroughly irritated, his body from the neck down lays perfectly serene and still... probably because he's been sedated to hell. If you saw him outside the ship a few minutes ago, you probably noticed him screaming up a storm and swinging fists at the Moon Knights, crystals still embedded in his skin. Turns out they didn't like that.

His eyes flit over if you stare for too long and he simply growls,]

Get me a drink... or eat shit.

▶ WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

[Once Nick actually settles in and lets the Prismals explain what the hell is going on, he's a little more compliant. Especially when he's told he can get himself a place to live. Once the numbing agent wears off and he's free to roam about the city, the first thing he does is push his way into a street-view unit.

Afterward, you can catch him on the street, eyeing restaurants and clothing stores with equal amounts of hunger. Given the bloody, dirty state of his suit, who can blame him? He may just beckon you over after a moment.]

We get money by touching or whatever, right? Hold my hand for a minute or something, I need a new suit. Or a steak. Could go for either, honestly.

[If you're female-presenting, Nick will quirk a brow and add,]

Unless you're down for a quickie.

▶ WILDCARD

[hmu with a prompt c:]

welcome to the jungle/wildcard (if only bc she Will Not Be Beckoned)

[axemeaquestion]

[After a few weeks looking for Nick, Ellis, and Coach on the slim chance they got poofed to an alien world too, Rochelle was worried. Really worried. Not only was she afraid she left the guys to fend for themselves after the bridge blew - she might also be completely alone here.

Not a comforting thought - until she happened to be on the street when she got the back of a familiar man.

Oh, thank CHRIST. She's never been happier to see a dirty white suit in her life.]

Nick?!

[Rochelle herself might be barely recognizable without the layers of blood and grime she'd acquired by the time they reached New Orleans. At least, that's what she thought to herself once, looking herself up and down after a week here. She wore her hair down, her arm and collarbone were bandaged, and she'd traded in her poor Depeche Mode look for a navy blue dress (the easiest thing she could find that didn't disturb what the doctors stitched up on the moon).

The thing that probably looked most different, though? She's had several showers by now.]

Petra Macneary | Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[islandhuntress]

1. Welcome to the Jungle
[Petra is in a state of shock, eyes wide, drinking in the bustling, alien world around her, brimming with technologies she's never even dreamed of. It makes her feel like a child again, first stepping foot in a country vastly different from her home. At least this time around she speaks the language. You wouldn't know it though. She's said very little during the tour despite her obvious curiosity. She honestly doesn't even know where to start

It isn't until they've finished the tour and moved on to housing that she's able to start to process everything.

Petra gravitates towards the 'cozy' looking apartments as they look the closest to what she's already familiar with. It's unclear whether anyone has already claimed the one she peeks into though.]

Hello?

2. Starlight, Star Bright
[Petra vaguely understands the concept of the lanterns and certainly sees the need for them, the city is very dark. The instructions regarding how to light the lantern made her think that magic had to be involved somehow.

Now to find a second person. Of course, she doesn't have to go far before running into someone and she offers them a smile whether they're a stranger or not.]

Excuse me. Could I be asking for your help? This lantern is requiring two people to make it light.

I am not understanding why they are not just using fire and torches...

3. Wildcard
[Have something else in mind? Go for it :)]

1

[darkseal]

[It's not uncommon to see a new person marveling at the sights here, but when that new person looks this distinctive, it's only natural for Hubert to approach.]

I wasn't expecting to find you here, Petra.

[Maybe at this point he should start expecting his classmates... Anyway, Hubert looks exactly the same as he did during their time at the Officers Academy, though he's ditched the uniform for... well, all black. He still hasn't embraced a wardrobe with color much less the more wild fashions present here, to absolutely no one's surprise.]

Lenore | Castlevania

[modusvivendi]

▶ STAR LANTERN BRIGADE

[Guess who's not complaining one single bit about the prospect of the nighttime stretching out far longer than they have any right to? That's right, it's your resident vampires. Going from the comforts of her castle in Styria to suddenly waking up on some fucking moon in distant space surrounded on all sides by crystals had not exactly been an ideal transition of circumstances, but Lenore is in some ways the most adaptable of her sisters, and she'd wasted very little time on disorientation before immediately setting about turning this new misfortune to her own benefit.

Securing a residence had been easy enough — no, not the unpleasant little hovel that had been assigned to her upon her arrival. A place like that simply wouldn't do at all. Fortunately, a bit of exploring and a significantly greater bit of seducing had quickly led her to securing a favor from the concierge at the most palatial hotel she could find, and the suites offered there were — well, still not comparable to a castle, but they'd do. For the present.

Fortunately, the nights here seem to be almost implausibly long, and so Lenore can frequently be found walking the streets with her face upturned toward the sky, familiarizing herself with the terrain and admiring the starless night all at the same time.

She doesn't seem particularly interested in a star lantern of her own, but she'll certainly remark on those of others, and perhaps even offer to help light one — in exchange for a favor in return, of course.]

▶ TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME

[Naturally, it was only a matter of time before Lenore's nightly wandering caught the attention of some Rather Unsavory Individuals™ who've taken the opportunity to prowl the night themselves. And what a target she makes, a lone pretty waif of a girl dressed in finery click-clacking around in her lovely heeled boots.

She's making her way down a rather quiet street when three men approach her, all armed with their laughable little steel blades, and demand her jewelry and fur stole. What a terrible nuisance — though perhaps a deceptively fortuitous one, provided she can turn this little encounter to her advantage.

She feigns fear, running into a nearby alley that she's certain has a dead end waiting yonder, and when they follow her in and out of sight she makes quick work of them. A little blood on her clothes will help to sell the bit, and she'll have a much-needed snack, besides. Really, she ought to kill them, but on second thought that might raise a touch too much suspicion, so she settles for knocking them unconscious and stacking them in a dumpster.

Then, making certain she's just the right amount of harried and torn, she hurries back out onto the street, crying out in the best damsel impression she can manage — and it is a very convincing one.]

Help! Help, someone, please! Please, help me!

▶ WILDCARD

[ Got a different idea? Toss a starter at me and let's go for it! ]

take a bite out of crime.

[nobodylikeshim]

What's all this?

[ Hisoka hears the screams for help and naturally comes to investigate. He's quite enjoying the rise in crime -- the smell of bloodlust and violence in the air is really delicious. But it seems like some young miss got caught up in it. That's a real shame. ]

Are you all right? [ The magician is splattered with some blood that don't come from the same person. He rarely gets to let loose and with things so chaotic, he thinks that the Moon Knights won't be able to pin any too much on him. But that is his own brand of fun. His smile is honestly cordial and exceedingly friendly to the young woman dressed so delicately. ]

You really shouldn't be in such a scary place. [ And he holds his hand out to her. ] Need an escort? [ Because it'll be fun to lead her around, because he thinks that she'll act as nice bait. He'll be able to kill as many people as he likes under the guise of protecting a helpless miss. Won't that be fun? ]

Lan Xichen | MDZS

[unimpeachable]

Settling in
Waking surrounded by crystal is alarming to the say the last, fingers fumbling for his sword as soon as he sits up, trying to make sense of what he's seeing. By the time he's collected, he's settled somewhat, sword at his side as he arrives at the government center. The information is overwhelming to say the least but he takes the time to familiarize himself with what he's walking into.

The simpler the better, so he finds an apartment that suits him and tries to fix it to resemble what he knows, although he doesn't actually have much luck there. Which has him eventually just sitting there, staring at the unfamiliar walls.

Until hunger is enough to have him venturing out to see if he can find something to eat.

Star light, star bright

Disorientation seems to be the rule of the day lately, Xichen stopping more and more often to blink away the strange lapses in time when he does leave his residence to look for supplies and the like. Not that he's all that effective with doing much of anything domestic, but this at least helps him feel useful.

The lantern is in one hand as he moves through the city, even if it's not putting off much light as of yet, and he's checking the list in his other hand, only half looking at where he's going so if he bumps into someone, there's a quick apology and an attempt to smile, at least.

[Wildcards also welcome]

star light

[islandhuntress]

Even though it's Xichen who isn't looking where he's going, it's not entirely his fault as Petra steps out of one of the shops without considering that people might be passing by as she does.

"Oh!" At least she's managed not to drop anything and quickly turns to the stranger, bowing in apology, "Please, take my apologies. I did not have enough care. You are not having wounds- You are not wounded, are you?"

Max Rockatansky | Mad Max Fury Road

[engineroar]

a. bathhouse

[Max just happens to stumble into a bathhouse. An attendant stops him, but he hears the water splashing and pushes past the poor, bewildered fellow. He either makes it to the men's side, or, in his haste, he happens upon the side for women.

It's so much water, so much indulgence. The man staring down over the edge of the bath in wonder is covered in dirt from head to toe, with blood smeared on his face and hands, an old blood-dried bandage stuck to his hand.

He dips a hand in, not noticing the people in the bath or not caring, and splashes his face with water. Too bad about him getting the water super dirty.]

b. beach

[You're out and about. It's a great day, except for how weirdly short the night was. You're at the beach, when you come across a man lying in the sand, sleeping. Not where the water is, but up the beach where it's drier. The man isn't covered head to toe in dirt anymore, but his clothes still are pretty dirty. He has a sleeve missing on his leather jacket, a leg brace on his leg that looks like it was made from scraps of a car.

There's a cloth beside him, that looks to be a small map. If you pick it up to examine it, though, you'll have a hand shoot up to hold your wrist, the man sitting up with a vicious tone to his voice.] That's mine.

c. Port Sylvel

[Max joins the team out investigating. It's not because he cares, really. It's just a good idea to see what's going on. It's haunting, though, to see people frozen in time... dead.

Max, why didn't you save us?

He sees the face of the dead staring back at him, and in its place... is hers. The child he could not save. One of many, really.

You let us die! she screams, and Max stumbles into the path of the lions, their rumbling turning into roars as one leaps for him, jaw snapping. Max falls back on his rear, terror running cold through him.]

[ooc note: Max is hallucinating here, and the girl is not visible to anyone unless they probe his mind.

d. wildcard

[Feel free to pm or pp me for another prompt!]

b

[laeradr]

[ He'd only noticed the cloth(?) because a light breeze caught the edges of it, and he'd figured he should weigh it down with something heavy so the wind doesn't blow it away while this stranger's napping. But admittedly, when he kneels down to do so and notices it's a map, it piques his curiosity.

He's barely gotten a proper glance at it when the grab at his wrist earns a small start. ]

... I wouldn't claim otherwise. [ Hint taken, he drops it. In contrast to Max's growl, William's tone of voice is steady and calm. ] But you should probably put it away if it's something important. The wind's picking up, and there are more than a few curious birds around.

carol danvers | marvel cinematic universe

[captain_marvel]

a. welcome to the jungle

[Carol has established two things about this new planet she finds herself on. One, definitely not Earth - the moons gave that away pretty fast. Two, it's not any planet she's ever been to, or even heard of. And Carol's heard of a lot of planets.

None of that matters now, however, because she has things to do and places to be so while she's sympathetic to the plight of the people here, she needs to go make sure her own universe is in one piece after the snap. So she intends to fly her way out of here, sooner rather than later.

Only problem is, she can't seem to break atmo. To be more specific, she can't seem to get enough velocity, which has never been a problem before. Still, every time she gets to the point where she thinks she might break through, she loses speed and drops down to the ground, hard.]

Ow.

[She then pauses, because it's been a while since something got an "ow" out of her. She follows it up with a pensive:]

Huh.

[And then she tries again. She's stubborn like that. Eventually she'll give up and move on, but she's gotta try this a few dozen times first.]

b. let's do the time warp again

[There are a few different Carols you might come across in this particular scenario. There's Air Force Carol, who's all confidence and sass, looking around at this brand new world like it's the coolest thing she has ever seen, probably because it is. Also? No superpowers. Unfortunately for her.

Then there's Captain Marvel herself, who is the Carol you normally see on a day to day basis. Friendly, still confident, but more accustomed to the weirdness of another planet. She's new, so she's still trying her hand at the whole making friends thing, but at least she recognizes (most of) her friends from home.

The real problem child, however, is Star Force Vers - the woman who still trusts the Kree, still doesn't realize the ways she's been brainwashed. This is an instance where her confidence is dangerous, it comes with the superiority of the Kree and the belief that the Supreme Intelligence is above all.

Her powers aren't at full blast, but there's something about her that's just a little bit off when she says:]

Look, you really don't want to keep me here.

d. Wildcard

[Feel free to create your own scenario! Or hit me up at iluvroadrunner6.]

let's do the time warp again | also doing time shenanigans, so please choose the carol to suffer!

[nobodylikeshim]

Hello.

[ Hisoka has been affected by the distortion in time -- he has turned into his younger self. This does not make him any less dangerous, however. Even as a child, he found only real joy in bloodshed and chaos. His eyes shine bright as he looks up at the adult. ]

You seem strong. Are you? [ The child rocks on his heels as he looks up at her with wide, expectant eyes. His smile spreads across his face as he seems just happy to have a nonsensical conversation like this with her. ]

Re-L Mayer | Ergo Proxy

[realimperfect]

⁑ LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN

[ In place of the statuesque Re-L Mayer that Lunatia may be used to, there is now a younger version in her place. Her pale, cherubic face lacks that very distinct blue eye shadow, but she’s dressed in a make-shift black dress, altered presumably by a very beleaguered Iggy who is typically close behind his now very young and spirited charge. ]

a. [ Next up for notice is that this young Re-L is emotive. She laughs in teasing glee as Iggy chases after her, stressed as he shouts after her. Re-L seems to take this all as a great game, however, dodging in to the new little spaces she can fit between and through, laughing with glee as that curtain of dark hair flies behind her.

Eventually she’ll make a wrong turn and come in crashing to another person, whether it’s their back or legs or… who knows what.

Familiar with her or not, this small Re-L is still authoritative as ever, chirping out an affronted : ]

Watch where you’re going! You’re in my way!

b. [ … Or in another scenario, Re-L’s managed to lose Iggy somewhere in the crowd, her hands crossed to clasp behind her back as she observes a food stand and the people around it. Her eyes are wise, and catch everyone as they pass her by. In a way, she’s waiting for the most opportune prey that she might be able to convince to do something for her, as there’s something that’s caught her eye.

Once she decides on someone she’ll walk up to them, very casual, hands still clasped behind her back to offer a cheery greeting. ] Hello.

[ Her head tips slightly, dark hair following the movement of her head. ] I need your help with something.

c. [ In the spirit of echoing things that have come to pass, Re-L is just as attentive toward interesting pieces of clothing as she is in shining baubles. A bit like a magpie interested in its next bit to collect, Re-L will approach strangers as confidently as ever, though with a shining interest and mischief behind blue eyes as she moves to touch or grab at jewelry or clothing she finds particularly interesting, stating in wonderment. ]

This is very pretty…

Is it a treasure?

⁂ OH THEY JUST CAN’T WAIT TO BE KING

[ Re-L, at her regular height and all, if of course willing to volunteer to go and explore the newly crystallized Port Sylvel. Inside her LIFE suit, Re-L observes the newly crystallized town, occasionally reaching out as if to see if things were as sharp as they appeared, or to see if the state of the crystal may begin to change.

Of course it does not, and soon she’s left to frown as she takes in the frozen Prismals around her, murmuring more to herself than anyone else with a sense of almost dread. ]

This is like Ophelia, almost. Is something… collecting Prismals, maybe?

[ It doesn’t seem likely, but the moans and screams on the wind remind her a bit too keenly of deserted domes and everything left behind in them. Steel can groan and cry in a way that sounds strangely human, and it raises the hair on the back of her neck.

She turns then to the nearest person : ]

Let’s keep moving.

✦ OBLIGATORY WILD CARD

[ Because of course! Want to play anything with Re-L that I haven't’ prompted here? Hell yeah, let’s do it. Just hit me up with a prompt, or touch base with me here or on plurk at goblinrex! ]

time warp, b.

[anbu]

[The crowds are overwhelming. For all the time he has spent out of the reach of society, to be plunged back into it is a cold shock. More than that, he is not recognized by a single individual, though this is due in part to the change in his clothing - there is no branded mark around his brow, nor red-and-black cloak around his shoulders. Enough to leave Itachi with a crawling sense of unease. As if he's somehow more visible this way than before.

The child finds him staring at the food stand blankly, and when she speaks to him, Itachi turns his chin down. For a moment he is certain she means one of other dozen strangers on the street.

When was the last time a child had so fearlessly approached him?]

... Hello. [Look, what else is he supposed to say.] Are you lost?

Bokuto Koutarou | HQ!!

[nyctea]

1. Onboard


[Bokuto isn't the type of person to easily panic... but he feels like he should panic right now. Very reluctantly he accepts to be ushered on the ship that will take him wherever they said it will take him and remains at one of the windows squinting at the people being left behind on the dock.

His usually boisterous mood is considerably dampened as he finally stalks down between the rows of the seats, clutching onto his duffel bag with big "MSBY Black Jackals" written over it, slung over his chest. Deep breaths... there's no Akaashi around so that's a win. His mind starts listing off the 'good' things that happened (which are far few and in between) which calms him down a bit, but not enough to cheer up.]

Is this seat taken? [He asks person sitting in the front row about the seat next to the window, trying his best to smile through a frown. He should probably come up with something when he arrives. Maybe see if he can check on things back home.]


2. Welcome to the Jungle


[Fiddling around with the remote he found in the apartment had lost his charm after he turned the couch into a coffee table for the twentieth time. It's no fun when he doesn't have Kuroo or Akaashi or someone from his new team to mess around with all this new technology. He suspected things will get advanced but not this much. He can almost hear Atsumu snarking at him to stop it before he breaks it.

So he stops. And gets up. And changes into shorts, leggings, and a hoodie, pulls on the sneakers and heads for the door. When you don't know what to do, go for a run. It always worked in the past so why wouldn't it now? But as he opens the door, he collides with the person that was either trying to enter the apartment he's living in or just walking down the hallway casually. While usually it wouldn't hurt that much, Bokuto, well, works out. A lot. Hitting into a wall might've hurt less.]

Oh my GOD! I'm SO SORRY! Are you okay!? [Please tell him he didn't injure them!]


3. Lunatia Level 2 - Crystal Beach


Phwaaa! It's so nice here, [Bokuto sighs and drops onto the sand, almost dramatically, in a starfish pose. The breeze is nice, the sound of waves is nice (he can't remember last time he went to a beach), and even if it's still slightly cold, what little sun there is feels great on his face.

It's probably not a good idea to fall asleep here, though, even if he's very tempted to. He could feel the heaviness starting to settle behind his eyes when a shadow blocks out the sun that he was collecting like some stray cat.]

Ah, man, you're eating my sun! [He squints up with one eye at the person standing right above him. Did they want something from him...? He doesn't really know many people around here.]


4. Star Lantern


[He has been fiddling with the one that was given to him earlier, flipping it around in his hands and just trying to understand it. Not technologically savvy, he can't catch either the head nor the tail of this thing. It should light up, right? But no matter how much he prods at it, it just doesn't work.]

Ah! Hey, hey, hey! You there! The one with the lantern!

[Bokuto rushes down the street when he sees someone carry a lantern themselves and tries to catch up with them. Please wait up, he has questions! A lot of them!]


5. Wildcard


[ooc: Poke me at Windsongwitch and we can plot out something and I can write up a new starter! He's taken from manga chapter 378, so he's aged up to 23! :3]

2

[babygotbackstroke]

[ A wall hitting another wall is what it felt more like, but Makoto also hadn't quite been expecting to be run into. Thankfully, he doesn't fall onto his ass more so than just stumbling a bit. ]

Heh, I-I'm fine. No worries.

[ Not quite what he expected out of the first few days here, but it was a bit of a welcome distraction? Mostly because the sincerity and boisterousness reminded him a bit of Nagisa. It pinged him a bit with sadness, but he only gave his usual calm smile as he straightened his shirt. ]

Makoto Tachibana | Free!

[babygotbackstroke]

Arrival

[ Makoto wasn't sure how to handle all this. This was seriously something out of an anime, out of super sentai, not... not real life. Sure, he was a firm believer that Earth wasn't the only planet with intelligent life but like... why would he ever expect to suddenly be transported to one?! It had taken quite a bit of coaching from the Prismals to get him to finally leave the government center. After being fed, taken care of for a few days after nearly starving to death, there really wasn't much more they could do with him.

So now he sat outside the government center, clutching a backpack that actually carried a few essentials due to him and Haruka having been out apartment hunting and staying with a friend for the night, but his cellphone was useless. No one else from Iwatobi was here. No one he knew. Makoto was by himself, without any friends or family, and he had no idea what to do. With his backpack squished between his legs and his chest, he pressed his face into his knees. ]

What am I supposed to do?

Apartments

[ Well, Makoto figured out one thing to do. Find a place to stay. The Prismals told him that the apartments were free for him to take and it was up to him if he wanted a roommate or not. He was basically being thrown into adult hood like this and while he had been preparing for some of it going into college, it wasn't supposed to be like this. But, he needed to figure something out.

He still clutched his backpack as he wandered through the apartments, looking for one that seemed to be vacant. He couldn't always tell, since most of the doors were closed. He might knock on your door, but otherwise if it doesn't open up right away to show its vacancy, Makoto moves right along.

Eventually, he does find one. Makoto wasn't sure what to do about the decorating with the built-in machine. He doesn't want to break anything. So, aside from leaving his backpack in the bedroom, Makoto does nothing else except stand in the doorway to figure out the locking mechanism and perhaps flag anyone down to ask questions. ]

Recreation Center - A

[ Makoto hadn't expected to find something as normal as a pool. But he did and while the water was the last thing that really gave him true comfort, it was also the only familiar thing for him and that alone was comforting enough. He had some demichroma given to him, plus enough chroma to not be worrying, so after spending the last few days buying extra clothes, some pre-made foods (he can't cook to save his life), and proper toiletries that aren't travel sized, he had taken to exploring. He should have bought a bathing suit, but the weather didn't call for those to be on sale yet and he didn't know where to look for the professional kind that was usually sold year round back home.

But it didn't matter. Shoes and socks were at the side of the pool, along with his jacket, and dressed in just a plain long sleeved shirt and jeans, Makoto was floating on his back in the middle of the pool. They at least had some kind of swim team around here it seemed, because a couple lane lines were out and he rested the back of his head against one. He looked up at the skylight. ]

Everything seems so normal like this.

[ His voice was muffled, due to the water around him, but it was true. It didn't feel like he was on another planet. The pool even had chlorine. Or something like it. It smelled similar anyway. It was heated, the sky looked normal, even the food seemed pretty normal. The only thing that really looked off were the Prismals, the three moons in the sky, and that everything looked like it was out of some old retro anime or something from the city pop era music. It was weird. Maybe Haruka would like it. His eyes burned at the thought of his parents, his childhood friend, his other friends and he lifted his hands to press the heels of them into his eyes.

He was really so scared, what was going to happen to him from here on out? ]

Recreation Center - B

[ There was one thing he could do and it was greatly helping his mind and heart, even if it wasn't going to heal it completely. Makoto wasn't sure how it all started but he didn't quite worry too much about it as he helped a young prismal girl swim the backstroke for the first time. His hand was under her shoulders, gently guiding her through the motions as her mother looked on with a smile on her face. The girl wasn't the first child he had helped learn to swim. But it was almost natural how he stepped into the role.

Soon enough, the lesson was over and he helped her out of the pool. ]

Are you sure you don't want any compensation for this? We are taking time out of your day...

No, miss, it's alright. I'm just happy to help.

[ Perhaps if this became a regular thing, he could perhaps start charging but for now, when it was just one or two kids every so often, it was enough. Her mother thanked him again and the child have a hearty wave as she wrapped herself tighter in her towel to head to the lockers with her mom to change and get warm for the outside weather. Makoto waved back before bending down to get some of the pool supplies he had brought so he could get ready for home as well. ]

arrival

[nojohnyouare]

...

[Someone walks out behind him, having much less luggage -- in fact, she's only got a... plastic sword? She pauses and watches for a while.]

You're also alone.

seimei aoyagi • loveless

[machiavel]

i. starlight, star bright

[ seimei has a star lantern.

that’s all fine and good, but the problem is that he doesn’t have anyone to share it with. merely holding it himself seems to generate nothing, and he isn’t sure that he trusts anyone else enough to hand over a precious treasure that he hasn’t yet dismantled.

still, he’s genial as he approaches anyone else with an unlit lantern, and he raises a hand in charming greeting—smile pleasant, body language affable, precious fluffy cat tail swishing behind him. it is cordis, so it’s probably fine. ]

Hi there!

[ he holds up his own lantern. ]

Do you mind? I’ll help you with yours, too.


ii. cordis moon

[ when you are a natural catboy, having ears and a tail is not especially odd. when you are a natural catboy on a planet in space where the moons bless a third of the otherworlders with cat features, and the roulette of the gods has thrown you into that third, the results are a little odd.

maybe cute, though, to the proper eyes. seimei has sprouted a second tail right next to his first one, and although he hates it, his pleasant smile gives nothing away. ]

Isn’t this precious? I’ve turned into a Nekomata. You know, I’ve heard that they eat humans. [ his ears twitch. ] I’m feeling a little peckish.


iii. just can’t wait to be king, sort of

[ seimei is neither a member of the moon knights nor a noble volunteer. he looks appropriately concerned at the announcement, though, and he turns to the nearest fellow moonblessed when the message is delivered with a thoughtful frown on his face. ]

I’m only human. There’s nothing I can do to help those poor people.

[ his ears pin back, apparently contrite at his own weakness. ]

What will you do?

ii

[fashionicon]

[ Sesshomaru turns his head slightly as he looks to the human that comments on becoming a Nekomata. His eyes narrow as he visibly shows his annoyance at such a joke. The icy silence continues before he finally does speak: ]

Then, eat them.

[ He may have some humans that he has some affection for, but those are his people. Humanity as a whole are wicked and beneath him. They deserve to be the food of youkai and daiyoukai. It is only by the grace of his father that he has not slaughtered them all. Not that any of them would know this. Not that any of them would think to thank him for it. ]

What's stopping you?

Kawasumi Mai | Kanon

[nojohnyouare]

[A]

[Oh, there's a girl with a sword in your apartment building -- wait, what?

If you're not too shocked, you might notice the sword in her hand is plastic, but then again, that probably only raises more questions. She doesn't have much of an expression as she walks down the hall and tries the nearest open door.]

Maybe this one.

[B - responses will be from pandorasbunny]

[There's a little girl standing on the sidewalk, eyes wide as she watches people walk by. You might not notice her -- even if she's eight years old, she looks younger, underfed and short enough that she could get lost in a barley field. But if you do, she'll try and hide behind a lamppost.]

It's different here... Nice?

[D]

Lion-san...

[Mai isn't distracted by the "lion-san" for long, as she brings up her sword (wait, it's real now?) to try to knock them away. She barely scratches one and has to jump back to avoid its lunge.]

Strong. How?

[D]

[mayoninofukucho]

What are you doing?!

[He's not at all one to shy away from combat, but seeing the young woman take on that enormous creature on her own makes him run up to her side.]

You can't fight these things! We don't even know what they are!

virginia johnson | masters of sex

[uncredentialed]

welcome to the jungle;

[ The apartment she found is spare, with a vaguely midcentury-modern look to it, for anyone familiar with the style. She herself is the epitome of midcentury, with her bobbed hair, pencil skirt and heels.

She is shoving something under the bed, what looks like a black case or small trunk of some sort - it's a bit bulky, but with difficulty she manages to get it under there. She's obviously used to wrangling it in tight, awkward places. At a sound (real or imagined), she turns quickly, eyes wide with fear, but back straight, ready to face whoever (or whatever) is there. ]

I've already claimed this one -!

star light, star bright;

[ She has one of the lanterns, though she took one more for the purpose of examining it than making use of it right now. It's only necessity that forces her from her small apartment in an unfamiliar place, a need for some basic food and supplies, and she holds onto the lantern with a tight grip, despite its relative uselessness at the moment. ]

I can see how this would make for an interesting exercise for a pair, but I can't say much for its practicality in an emergency situation...

wildcard;

[ Make up your own prompt! ]

star light

[trenchdoting]

[There's a scruffy-looking detective nearby, clad in a large green trenchcoat. He is currently looking over another lantern, but with far less scrutiny. When he hears the woman speak, he figures she must be talking to him. So he's quick to respond confidently.]

What, just because it needs two people? That doesn't sound so bad to me, pal. It just means we gotta follow the buddy system, which is always a good rule to follow in general! As long as you got a buddy, pal? You'll always be able to light your lantern!

Ferran Gallagher | Original Character

[noblegarnet]

(A) jungles are scary :(

[A normal-looking teenager in a dark peacoat and jeans is one of those found on the moon this month. Ferran follows the knights back to Iris's base without much more than a distant stare, simply going along with the requests of the staff that examines him and then the officials that escort the newcomers to the shuttle down to the planet's surface.

Not a word leaves him during the entire tour of Lunatia, and even when he turns to follow the guide's gestures, he hardly seems to be looking at anything at all. He simply follows instructions, and eventually finds himself in the residential area of Level 2.

As soon as he finds a small apartment that feels suitable enough, he all but collapses inside against the nearest wall, burying his face in his hands and heaving with voiceless sobs.

He forgets to close the door, as it turns out.]

(C) be gay but please don't do crimes

[Not exactly doubting his ability to protect himself, Ferran eventually finds himself wandering (lost, probably) down on a lower level of the city as his legs take him wherever without thought. That doesn't mean he expects to be attacked, but before long he feels the press of a gun against his back as someone demands he give up his money or else.

Brown eyes flash a glowing red momentarily, his gaze moving to the side even though he doesn't turn around enough to see the threat. His voice is even, although there's certainly a spike of adrenaline running through him now.]

That's not a good idea.

[What this looks like to other people is probably a rich pampered kid with no weapon about to be murdered for not giving up his wallet. If there's any light around to see it, anyway...]

(D) who you gonna... call?

[This LIFE suit feels ridiculous, but it does its job.

Ferran observes the crystalline graveyard with a pained furrow in his brow, and his lack of familiarity with the port only does so much to distance him from the awful grief he feels at the sight of it. He's distracted by the sound of far-off voices, though, crying out about...]

The what...? King?

[He doesn't have nearly enough context to decipher these warnings yet, and while he was never a superstitious type or even the kind of person to believe in ghosts before, well... experience has forced him to rethink things. He turns to whoever happens to be nearby.]

Do you hear that?

(D) lion around

[Crystal beasts. This is probably the most familiar thing he's encountered in this place yet, and Ferran, his bangs now red and slicked back like a crest, raises his sword to ready himself for a fight—

At which point they display their fire breathing ability, and he freezes in his tracks, crimson eyes wide with fear. Somehow he's only rarely been forced to fight anything with fire, and at that time he'd had to be saved because of this exact situation. Hopefully someone will reach out to save him now, too, lest he become a part of the rock formation that's taken over the town.]

[OOC: Information about Ferran can be found here, and here's some visuals! Contact me at lumieresdedragon if you want to thread something else!]

(D) who you gonna... call?

[mayoninofukucho]

I-it's probably an echo.

[That makes no sense, but damn it, nobody told him there might be ghosts.]

I'm sure this is normal. M-maybe around here there are invisible walls in the air that throw back the sound, or something.

[He wants to smoke, but he can hardly light up a cigarette in this face-enclosing get-up.]

Claire Redfield | Resident Evil | Sanguis

[ridingvalkyrie]

I. Let's Do the Time Warp

[Waking up in confusing situations? That's the name of the game when you're a Redfield apparently. Shifting between ages? Now that's a little different. And frankly it's getting on Claire's nerves.

She's parked herself outside of some random coffee house or cafe in Lunatia, still attempting to settle in and now attempting to deal with remembering where the hell she is one moment and then utterly forgetting it the next.

For the moment at least she's her correct age... it is her correct age, right? Mid-thirties and not nineteen all over again? Or maybe nineteen is the right one and this mid-thirties business is a fever dreams. Everyone has nightmares about being middle-aged, yeah?

One hand clutching her mug and the other pinching the bridge of her nose between forefinger and thumb, she hmphs as she tries to set her mind straight for the thousandth time today.]

I'm pretty much over this mess now.

II. Starlight, Star Bright, First Star I See Tonight

[With the permanent lights out in the wake of the disappearing celestial bodies Claire herself takes to the streets on some evenings. It's been heavily impressed upon her by now that the star lanterns are vital so she's carting hers along like a good Moonblessed. It's also been heavily impressed how dangerous the streets are but that's a little less heeded. She wasn't exactly one to shrink from rough situations after all.

And for the most part the streets have been relatively tame. Her mission seems clear enough when she happens upon someone else and gesturing her weakly glowing lamp with a crooked smile states:]

Not lost in the dark, are you? Need any help getting home?

[Yeah maybe it's silly to be doing this but without TerraSave and her obsessive workaholic habit being fed Claire is restless. And for now this seems to be helping more than it's harming so why not.]

III. Oh, They Just Can't Wait to Be King

[Fahrouk really knows how to make an emotional appeal, doesn't he. Not that he has to try particularly hard in Claire's case. All the Moon Knights needed were to ask for help and there she was, first in line and more than ready to throw herself into a cause of some sort.

Maybe I should get another hobby or five. She can't feel too bad though once she's managed to get into her own LIFE suit and now looks through the clear helmet at the carnage -- or crystals -- around her.

She's not precisely a stranger to things crystallizing, whether just something she reads in reports or more hands on experience. What is unique here is the voices on the wind, the cries of distress. If nothing else at least those seem to hit Claire in a particular way.

Her brow furrows and she glances, her posture speaking of attentiveness not rigid but somehow still present.]

You hear that?

IV. Wildcard

[Feel free to hit me with other prompt ideas! PMs are open if you have questions.]

aah, claire! ;; also 3

[deadtective]

...trying not to.

[the softly murmured response isn't meant to be dismissive; rather, it's confirmation that Claire isn't the only one being struck in a very specific sort of way by those voices. Hazel's tilted her head to the side, eyes half-closed as she attempts to pick out something concrete from the sorrow wrapping around them all like vines. did they know what they were doing? or were these just echoes?

...a better question, which answer would she prefer?]

Think it's just us?

[the moonblessed, she means. if it was just the two of them specifically she'd be extremely concerned about this other woman.]

Hijikata Toshirou | Gintama

[mayoninofukucho]

▶ Welcome to the Jungle

[Hijikata took his arrival on Iris and all that followed more or less in stride. His world back home was invaded by aliens a good while ago, and since they brought affordable space travel options with them he's been off-planet a couple of times as well, so neither the varied appearances of the Prismals nor the foreign surroundings came as a shock him.]

[He listened to all explanations given by the Moon Knights, the staff on the Iris moon base, and, after the transfer to Lunatia, the city officials, and ultimately he took the last remaining apartment in one of the housing blocks with no regard for its specific location or furnishings. He has simple needs.]

[One of those needs is food, so he ventures out after having sufficiently familiarised himself with his new home. He's anxious to ensure that there is a mayonnaise supply for him, seeing how he only had one bottle on him when he was transported here. Surely there must be something like a supermarket...]


▶ Starlight, Star Bright, First Star I See Tonight

[While he understood the instructions regarding the lantern on a technical level he still feels at a loss about how he is supposed to go about this in a practical way. He can hardly just walk up to someone and say "Hey, can you hold this lantern with me?". It would be really awkward. Still, he wants to do his share to restore the starlight. A policeman should set a good example.]

[What worries him just as much as the extinguished stars is the way the city changes appearances, flickering like a hologram and turning into ruins before turning back to normal. Right now, as he is patrolling around purely out of habit, Shinsengumi uniform on, samurai sword at his side and lantern in hand, he can once again see the enormous winged creature in the distance. He knows it will disappear again shortly, but he stops to look at it regardless. Its sheer size is enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine, and he can't help but wonder if it destroyed the city single-handedly in the past and they are all seeing after-images of that.]


▶ Oh, They Just Can’t Wait to be King

[Hijikata volunteered to go along on the expedition - the Moon Knights are the local police force, so he feels a sense of allyship to them, and in any case they clearly need as many capable people as they can.]

[Once in Port Sylvel he's taken aback by the sight of the crystal-encased buildings and people. Just how fast did this happen for them to be unable to escape? He always thought crystals grew slowly - not around here, evidently. He keeps a respectful distance to those enormous lions, and when the ground starts rumbling and the evacuation order is given he looks around to see if anyone needs help getting out of here. Staying any longer hardly seems advisable.]


▶ Wildcard

[OOC: Feel free to set a different stage! You can message me or just go ahead.]

welcome to the jungle;

[naturallywavy]

<sub>[ Whatever store that Hijikata has wandered into, it seems to be something similar to a 7/11. The first thing Hijikata will see is a rack of condiments in the store and a price tag that reads mayonnaise. Low and behold, it is vacant, indicating they're sold out.

However, just shy of the condiment station stands Gintoki with a bottle of mayonnaise in his hand-- the very last one in stock. It's identical to the mayonnaise that Hijikata is familiar with. The bottle shape-- the size-- the color of it. It's just what he needs.

Gintoki doesn't notice Hijikata cause he's talking with the store clerk and stroking his chin. ]</sub>

Aaa, but are you sure this is the highest quality dog food you have? It looks like the cheap stuff to me.

lorenz hellman gloucester | fire emblem: three houses

[hotproblems]

I. welcome to the jungle

[The free accommodations are... lacking, speaking generously. Lorenz has no patience for such pedestrian concepts as a one-bedroom, and so after he pokes his head into a few unoccupied single-occupant apartments and turns his nose up at the aesthetic of literally all of them, he decides what he needs- nay, deserves- is a living space for multiple people. That he will live in all by himself.

That's the goal. That's the intention, now, standing in the doorway to one such apartment, arms crossed, looking mildly critical of whoever has come to this door expecting it to be unclaimed. Um, hello??]

I guarantee you, [he is saying, and not for the first time,] This hovel is suitable for one. Namely myself.

[He was here first!! nyeh]

What is wrong with the one next door? [It's wallpapered completely in neon leopard print. He's seen it, he knows this, and,] I daresay you belong in there.

II. welcome to the jungle.........2!!!

[Two things: one, a man has to eat. Two, a man is expected to moonlace to do number one. Absolutely abhorrent, who would suggest something so vulgar, etc etc. Lorenz expires all of his protests privately, at the regrettably static sofa in his apartment that he would love to change into something more visually appealing (a higher priority than eating? maybe), but even when he's gotten it out of his system, well— he doesn't feel any better about it.

But, hm... being poor... sucks!! You might catch him mumbling to himself somewhere in the city, very clearly trying to, ah, justify the concept of moonlacing:]

Naturally, it would be the duty of those more fortunate to provide for those less... Ah! What am I thinking? Something so crass could hardly be considered a duty...

[thestruggle.mov.........

Or, you might run into him after he's somehow loopholed himself into playing along, stiffly holding out a (gloved, because he has manners) hand for a handshake.]

Well met! My name is Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, and it is... a pleasure.

[Through gritted teeth means it's legit.]

III. lanterns

[Bonds, is it... Well, being as he is a fresh new arrival, Lorenz has very little to offer in the way of deep bonds to those he holds a lantern with. He's been consistently disappointed, watching the star lanterns he helps total strangers with light up with a washed-out pink, then dim to sickly yellow. It isn't indifference, of course, but rather... the color of disappointment, trying desperately to mix with appreciation. Because sure, he appreciates the people whose lanterns he's helping with, but ugh if he has to see one more bland, ugly color...

It's the aesthetic. It is, in fact, all the aesthetic. He's wandering around in the dark touching lanterns like a bonafide fool, so this is all he has left. His own lantern remains unlit, waiting for him to find the person whose lantern he can help light up beautifully before he spends his own. The drama of it...

But, alright. At least the hideous lanterns are achieving something. He sighs, turning to the next person with an unlit lantern.]

Good evening. Shall we join hands and hope for the best?

IV. wildcard

[do whatever! i'm at jojoveller if you need me]

ii

[machiavel]

No, thank you.

[ seimei doesn’t seem like he’s making fun of lorenz with his refusal to touch hands, but neither does he seem especially apologetic. his manner, in fact, seems devoid of anything but utter politesse. ]

I’d hate to make you uncomfortable. It seems like you’re as bad with strangers as I am.

[ or maybe he’s just blithe. ]

arjuna alter ▉ fate/grand order.

[chaubis]

01. welcome to the jungle;

( he was god, once; though god he still might be, there is little that treats him such. eventually, he is assigned living quarters that do not do justice to what he has become, but this version of him accepts it quietly, turning around the assigned corners and following through the correct hallways until he finds the right door, the one that was told would be his 'new lair'.

(arjuna has no real opinions on it, does not think its suitable nor does he think it's inappropriate — he accepts it as it is, the door sliding open without much of a noise, without much ceremony.)

it is unlike everything that he is accustomed to, eyes glazing through every little corner and every small detail without much interest. he absorbs and takes in, accepts it as it is, and moves on ungraciously. eventually, he finds a panel, bright and exquisite all the same, and arjuna presses a button — one, then another, and the blinds not too far move, then open, change shape and change color, and do not stop, even he arjuna himself does.

he may have done something he shouldn't have... ah. )

02. starlight, star bright;

( it is nothing that he is not accustomed to; the flickers between liveliness and a barren land was a process necessary for the utopia arjuna found to create. the yugas were very similar, and he wonders for a moment if this here is the same, too. he does not recall, however, missing stars, eternal darkness. here, this is what differs from his world to this one, and even this, arjuna finds it sad.

sad, and evil, and if there's a way to fix it, then ah —

as a moonblessed, he is offered one of those, too, the star lantern. he holds it between gloved hands as though it is the most delicate thing in his possession, and wanders in the dark much unsure of what to do with it. he floats through the streets almost akin to an anomaly, almost hoping the answer would find its way to him. )

03. wildcard;

( give me your best shot. this is ascension 01 arjuna alter, for those who know of fate. )

02.

[downswing]

[ Ships in the night might quarrel for passage, but the roads span broad here, generously splayed. In the night, they're like desert sands, promising menace: Lan Wangji knows his way better than most, after countless days of travel, but the recent spell of dream-like sorcery has left reality a construct they no longer negotiate collectively — someone Wangji observes, more than he participates in.

The stranger, then: they avoid collision in absent dark, if only by footsteps. Wangji turns outward first, affording every step of the berth two strangers should wish one another in honoured courtesy. A kindness, at least — the white of Wangji's robes catches what little light remains, betraying him to wandering eyes. ]

Walk accompanied.

[ Too much has changed within day-hours, second-blinks. The landscape no longer favours them. The people too have become lost, adrift and prone to thievery. ]

μ | Caligula Effect: Overdose

[mu_sic]

1. Arrival

[ There are probably many upset and disoriented Moonblessed on the transportation vehicle, but this young woman happens to look particularly distressed. Even though it's being explained to her, she seems like she's deliberately not listening as she tries to plead back. ]

No, I'm very sorry. You don't understand. I have to go back, or Mobius will collapse! Everyone is counting on me! Please, just connect me back to Metaverse-Es and I can do the rest!


2. Starlight, Star Bright

[ This sort of thing is right up μ's alley! Armed with a lantern, she is running (or rather, floating) around, approaching anyone and everyone who looks like they might be a fellow Moonblessed, no matter how unapproachable they might be trying to make themselves look otherwise. She holds out the lantern in front of her, showing it off to the person she's now in front of. ]

It's sad without all the stars in the sky, isn't it? Won't you help out? We can cheer everyone up together!

[ She offers a gentle, bright smile. ]


3. Just Can't Wait...

[ Volunteering for this mission seemed to make perfect sense for μ. After all, if she can't go back to Mobius and make people happy there, she can at least help out here. And an investigation seems like the sort of thing that she can assist with!

And yet, she isn't ready for the sight of the devastated town. Everywhere she looks, it's more signs of lives cut terribly short. She can't cover her ears while wearing the suit, and the cries of those now passed on haunt her, bringing tears to her eyes as she tries to block them out in vain. ]

Please, stop... I can't take on your sadness like this...!


Wildcard

[ Bring your own! ]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Soundwave, even in his human avatar, may look unapproachable, what's with the grump on the 'woman's' face and the creepy glowing red eyes. Even so, when there's someone approaching, floating... towards him, she'll find that Soundwave doesn't push her away, and instead, listens to her, even with a frown.]

Sad is an understatement. [...] It's lonely.

[Though Soundwave's experience back home made the starless night much scarier and creepier than most would think. It's why he's out here offering to help in the effort to light the sky back up.]

I'll help. [And as much of a grump he can be, he is genuine with wanting to help, holding his yet to be lit lantern between his hands before firmly nodding.]

lio fotia | promare

[piromare]

i ▶ how many toppings do you like on your pizza?

( after settling down in an apartment and decorating it with what he feels appropriate, it's natural to explore the immediate surroundings and become familiar with them, right? even more so to do it on foot instead on a motorcycle, because it seems like the thing to do. lio's not quite sure if he's blending in, but to not receive scrutiny for being a burnish and instead receive the opposite kind of attention--- praise? awe? thankfulness?--- is still very odd to him.

it's better than the alternative, that's for sure.

but as he passes by one particular shop, lio stops dead in his tracks and stares at the front. a bright pink and blue neon sign with a slice of pizza on it fully draws his attention, and he deflates. just a little. maybe some food will help his mood, but he has no chroma or demichroma to spare.

so once he's inside the somewhat cramped space, lio doesn't waste time approaching someone with a calm and polite demeanor. )

Hey, do you mind splitting an order? I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I can.


ii ▶ imagine needing a lantern...

( once he hears about the problems with lower lunatia, he knows that's where he needs to be. it's doing what he does best: protecting the innocent through any means necessary, so long it doesn't end in unnecessary bloodshed or ashes. at first, lio is able to navigate the alleyways with his fire without any problem, the lantern floating behind him...

it's only after some time that lio realizes that his flames are staring to taper: the shadows growing as the light dims. something ahead of him as he turns a corner catches his eye (a flicker of movement perhaps?) and he immediately points his finger at it. another fire sprouts from it, ready to be shot if he deems it necessary. he's not going to let some thug get the jump on him! )

Who's there?

( whether he's aiming at someone who might be friendly, or perhaps it's no one and he's about to get jumped on... )


iii ▶ you can't spell lion without lio!

( at first, it's the pain of seeing something... uncanny. something familiar and unfamiliar, where the situations he's been in are almost reflected in the sight ahead of him: prisons, coffins, however you want to call them, they make every part of lio ache. did the prismals here even have a chance to react? did they even stand a chance? was there something he could've done personally to stop it... every question he has seems to be easily answered by a 'no' and it's infuriating.

it's why he stares at those lions and their flames, how they grumble and growl and clearly pose a threat. )

... they're in the way, aren't they?

( every part of him is itching, burning, and ready to fight. )

We should do something about them.


iv ▶ wildcard

( leave something here for me or PM this journal and we can set something up! )

i

[hisblackwings]

[Generally Link prefers sweets, but in the interest of branching out and trying to adapt to living here he's been trying to make an effort to try new things. Not that he's never eaten pizza of course, but it's just not exactly his first choice... It's just a little messy for someone who generally prides himself on looking professional at all times, that's all. But he's been mulling over what to try when Lio approaches and his attention is drawn to the other man.]

Ah- I suppose not. Are you one of the new arrivals?

[Not that it matters exactly, but he's more willing to help someone who might be new and trying to adjust more than someone just trying to freeload.]

nehan | granblue fantasy | sanguis

[trancensia]

I.
( the part of him that yearns for meaning to be distilled from chaos thinks that this is hell, or perhaps purgatory — some sort of destination that he has ended up at at the end of his mortal life. and yet the logical part of him assumes a far more dreary reality: that this is simply a fantasy conjured by a dreaming mind, knowing that his body was still locked in a coma back in the sky realm.

the distortions in time only seem to reinforce these assumptions. it does feel dream-like, how certain moments seem to last forever (especially the ones you wish would end), how others seem to flash past like the crack of lightning. a stranger arriving to a completely unfamiliar place, this disorientation only compounds as minutes — hours — days? — pass.

he distorts in time too. a younger man, eyes sunken and dark, and then an older one, weathered and worn. as time rewinds, he forgets where he is, and as time fast forwards, he can’t remember how he had come to this place in the first place.

you come across a boy. the jacket that he wears across his shoulders swamps his skinny frame, and his cat-like ears are pressed back against his skull. he looks confused, frightened, overwhelmed — his pale features are drawn, almost hollow, more like a ghost than a living child.

his attention settles on you. his eyes grow wide, uncertain, and he tenses, seemingly ready to bolt. )

II.
( nehan was never blessed with the lethal strength and imposing physique that many of his clan were known for. his family had been apothecaries, and he had largely followed in their footsteps, albeit in a different and difficult path. all this goes to say that he does not cut an intimidating figure, so when he strikes off with his still-unlit star lantern into an alley that he knows cuts through several busy thoroughfares to the apartment building he had been staying in, it marks an opportunity for several local ne’r-do-wells which tail him into the gloom.

someone passing by would notice the noise. there is the ruffling of clothing, then some sharp, angry exclamations. a crack of the impact of bone against bone, then the alternating heavy and sharp sounds of a body and a blade falling to the concrete.

running toward the commotion will find one unconscious body on the ground and one more being pinned against the nearby wall, the muzzle of a gun shoved painfully into the soft space beneath the line of his jaw.

the light shifts as someone approaches, and the pale-haired erune trapping his attacker to the wall looks over his shoulder to set you in a cool, dangerous gaze. there is silence, and then he calmly asks, ) You have an interjection?

III.
( he doesn’t know anything about this port sylvel, but its malady interests him. the slow crystallization of the body and the inevitable end that it brings — it was a unique affliction, and the doctor and pharmaceutical chief within him couldn’t hear something like that and leave it alone. after gathering some information of the disease from some nearby hospitals, he volunteers to join the expedition to try to gain more insight into the cause.

these protective suits are awkward, and he wishes he was wearing very literally anything else, but it is a necessary evil. nehan stands before one of the victims in the ruined streets of the town, inspecting the crystal that they were lethally ensconced inside. he kneels down, looking closer, and then notices someone standing nearby. )

Reminiscent of the crystals on the moon, don’t you think?

( he remembers the moon knights informing him that that’s how they all showed up here. how odd. was there a connection? besides the theme of crystals that seemed to flow like a vein through this world. he extends a metal instrument and snaps off a small fragment of the crystal tomb, dropping it into a glass vial. )

It may simply be a coincidence, but… ( he stoppers the vial. )

IV.
( wildcard! please feel free to PM me if you want to figure something out! )

i.

[wray]

[ there are remnants of a long-forgotten past that flickers in and out of sight.

six finds himself disoriented as more of the day passes by him, or was it night time? it's hard to tell anymore; he's lost tracked after the first ten, twenty, sixty times things have changed on him. thankfully what has afflicted others hasn't quite gotten to him just yet, remaining mostly intact as his current self and neither regressing nor progressing to a different age. who knows how long his good fortune would last though, considering he has a bad-luck streak a mile wide?

for now, he focuses on grounding himself, steadying his entire body despite all the dizzying and confusing sights all around. it would have worked, too, had a familiar (?) glimpse of dirty, silvery hair failed to catch his complete attention from the corner of his eyes. his heart beats once, twice, loudly and slowly, and that alone is enough to make him cautious. he wants to know why it almost feels like— he's seen this before—

regardless of that, he knows it isn't safe for a child to be wandering around by his lonesome. let alone one who looks just as confused and lost as he feels on the inside.

and so he approaches slowly, making sure his steps are heard to avoid spooking the frightened one. (the mask stays put, but there's no way he'll remove it willingly at this very moment.) ]

... It's not safe out here. [ a steady voice, and it's clear he struggles with making himself sound inconspicuous. ] Allow me to take you where you need to be.

[ an attempt was made. ]

Niyon | Granblue Fantasy | Iris

[vintergatan]

[Oh, she doesn't like this.

She really, really doesn't like this. It's not just that she's being poked and prodded in incredibly invasive ways and she can't escape using the magic she usually would have. (Though that's true). It's not just that everything here is bright and harsh and unfamiliar to someone unaccustomed to this level of technology. (Though that's true, too.)

It's that it's so noisy. Some of that is to be expected, because it's a city far bigger than any she's ever been in, and there are so many people. But Niyon doesn't just hear the noise people make, she hears much more than that. And the music that surrounds her is a chaotic, cacaphonic mess that threatens to overwhelm her.

Everyone please shut up.]

[1: Welcome to the Jungle]

[You may encounter someone who looks, at first glance, or from a distance, like a human child. Up closer, however, you may notice gracefully pointed ears, this isn't a human; you might also notice that her proportions aren't that of a child, either. She's just a small woman.

Incidentally, she's also carrying what appears to be some sort of harp or zither slung over her back. And struggling to get it through a door that's clearly built through human-sized folk, not Harvin-sized folk. She's currently trying to wedge the heavy door open with her body, propping it open with a leg.

Niyon exhales.] I don't expect you to help, but stop being so noisy.

[You haven't said anything...]

[2: Starlight, Starbright]

[The tempo of this place is all wrong. It keeps shifting, rapidly accelerating and then decelerating, if not even rewinding. Normally, with an individual, Niyon would just subtly use her own music to bring the discord back in control, but this is much bigger than her. This shouldn't be possible.

All of this results in the musician, absent-mindedly and lost, wandering down a dark alley where some muggers eagerly jump on the seemingly helpless prey.

About two minutes later, she drifts out of the alley, which is where your character finds her.] There are criminals in that alley.

Who picks them up? Are there Enforcers here? They're not going to wake up for a while.

[3: Just Can't Wait to Be King]

[Niyon really, really isn't in the mood to help people she barely knows, especially when her head is still pounding from the overwhelming chaos of the soundscape that surrounds her.

But dammit, if Siete had been here, wouldn't he be yapping at her to use her power to help? She can hear him in her mind, and that's really irritating.

So she's signed up for this. She's already regretting it.]

...what does crystallization do, exactly?

[4: Wildcard]

[Feel free to encounter Niyon anywhere trying desperately to get some peace and quiet. It's going to be hard for her.]

(OOC: Niyon is an empath who can sense people's emotions in the form of music, and can with permission influence them with her own music in turn. Please let me know what you're OK with her sensing or influencing!)

1

[peacewithouttyranny]

[ooc: hey fellow empath! I'm cool with her sensing or influencing emotions. Soundwave himself is an empath and can sense emotions and hear thoughts, if you're cool with that, too.]

[Soundwave just returned from his grocery run, exhausted after trudging through the outside world's thick ad noisy thoughts, wanting no more to rest his mind and feed his cat. While making his way back to his room he happens to what seems to be a small female struggling to get through the door. From a distance, he watches her struggle to get the musical instrument through the door for a moment, before deciding to approach her and give her a hand. But before he could even get a breath out, he's apparently been noticed, which has him blinking and his brows curving upwards in mild surprise.]

I haven't said anything... I'm... sorry?

[How odd. His footsteps are near-silent, as well, so it can't be that. He wonders how his presence was even noticed.]

Anakin Skywalker | Star Wars

[starsignited]

Welcome to the Jungle

[One moment Anakin is on Coruscant, the next he's surrounded by crystals in some unknown place. Ending up somewhere strange was not beyond the realm of possibility considering everything he's been through in his life, but this? This is new.

He listens well enough to the locals (maybe?) to find his way to the apartments. The only reason he does not protest too much because he knew he needed to step back and think. Which is not something he does often, but in this case he has no idea how he got from Coruscant to here.

So first thing's first.

He kind of picks an apartment at random before knocking and opening the door.]

Hello?

[Hopefully this one is not occupied but he didn't really bother to look ahead of time either so who knows.]

Starlight, Star bright

[Okay so the sky and landscape suddenly changing but only for a moment left Anakin feeling as though he may in fact be hallucinating. Or dreaming. One of the two. That would certainly explain a lot, such as how he got here in the first place.

His dreams were rarely ever like this, but he was presented with the lantern and what exactly it was supposed to do ... well, that kind of sealed the deal. There's no way any of this is real.]

I don't think I like this dream anymore. In fact, I think I should wake up right now.

[He sighs at the lantern before shaking it. He hopes he doesn't need to activate it in order to wake up. Where is Padme when he needs her?]

I don't see how this thing is supposed to do anything anyway.

Wildcard

[Down for any other ideas, or if you want a specific prompt just hit me up.]

( wildcarding this )

[jedies]

[ obi-wan was making his way through the crowd when he spots a familiar face. brightening immediately, obi-wan calls out. ]

Anakin!

Yanyou | Ashes of Love

[prettiestsnake]

((ooc – I’m still making my way through the series, I’m on episode 42 and plowing through as fast as I can, but no spoilers for late canon events please!))


welcome to the jungle – sun lamp
The apartment he’s been given is very nice, but it’s cold! He hasn’t yet learned about the thermostat and he doesn’t have any heat-producing magic on him, so he goes out in search of a warm place to take a nap. Soon he finds a lantern shop selling sun lamps in varying sizes, which Yanyou is pretty sure is the greatest invention of all time. He desperately wants to buy one (or several), but doesn’t yet have the Chroma, so he’s been “testing it out” by napping under one for an hour. The shop clerk is starting to get desperate, so she’ll be approaching any moonblessed or moon knights who come near the store to ask for help dealing with this sleepy immortal in the display window.


time warp - baby’s first rebellion
The shifting sands of time have lurched suddenly under Yanyou’s feet, and he finds himself a teenager. Immortal as he is, ‘teenager’ is more of a state of being than an actual number in years, but he appears to be about seventeen, and he is incredibly nervous. The last thing he remembers is sneaking out from home to explore the realms, but he’s not sure what realm this is and he can’t remember how he got here. He’s going to be in so much trouble when he gets home! And yet… as long as he’s here… how can he resist adventures?
He’s dazzled by this wondrous new place. So many bright lights! So many new foods! So much bare skin on display! He wants to look at everything and try everything. If you exist, he wants to make friends with you. If you’re carrying anything modern or unusual to a Chinese fantasy setting, he’ll be drawn over at once, curious. “Oh, what is that?”


starlight – ruins of the future
When the world suddenly shifts into its own future, a place of desolate ruin, Yanyou is horrified. The tragedy of the ruins makes his heart ache. All that color and celebration! The theaters! The food! But far worse than the desolation is the threat of wings in the distance and the echoing cries of some distant, frightened victims. Yanyou knows enough about enormous winged creatures to have an appropriate amount of terror of them! He needs shelter at once, and so do you! Yanyou may not know you, but you’re here with him in this strange place and there is every likelihood that the enormous winged thing wants to eat you both. So he will grab you by the wrist, trying to drag you toward the nearest structure for shelter. “We have to get out of the street! It’s coming!”


wildcard
Surprise me! Or reach out at marlowe_tops

[shiliu]

If he can't wake up, wouldn't calling the hospital have made more sense, this Moon Knight wonders as he gazes down, bemused, at the man in the window. Or perhaps he's just drunk. Gu Yun steps inside, clad in his usual uniform: blue jacket with a cape and over-the-knee shiny armored boots, with his long hair tied up. The first thing he does is inhale. He can't smell alcohol, so the next thing he does is reach out and touch the man's shoulder, giving it a gentle shake.

"if you'd like to sleep somewhere, there are any number of fine establishments nearby that cater to that very desire. Alone or with a partner or several."