▶ TDM .003

[prismods]

Fear is never boring

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"The Raisins : Fear Is Never Boring" (Watch on YouTube)

▶ Tales from the Crypt
Moon Iris | top

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. Even the few shy moon creatures you find in the wild have strange crystal growths on their hides. This is far from home— perhaps a dream? You pinch your skin and slap your cheeks, yet nothing seems to do the trick. Searching for answers yields nothing but an endless expanse of purple dust as far as the eye can see. You have four options: one, panic; two, soil yourself; three, admire it all then soil yourself; or four, go into survival mode. Eventually, you’ll realize that you’re not alone.

After a day or two of living off the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. After the strange phenomenon 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? Why did I eat those fifty cent street truck tacos last night? — 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.

While waiting for transport to be prepared, you may freely roam around the government center. Alternatively, you can ask the staff about the moon base. They suggest that you visit one of their excavation sites nearby: an enormous hole known as the Glory. The scientists have been excavating this site carefully for years, searching for a legendary ancient tomb sleeping within. They’re accepting volunteers if anyone is inclined to aid in their efforts. Perhaps the Moonblessed have the knowledge they need to make it a success!

A ⬤ A chroma-powered lift made of magically fortified crystal is used to access the lower grounds. Be careful not to fall off! On the way down, some translucent caterpillars and crystals light your way. Be quiet and keep an eye out for Queen Bowie beetles: these glowing neon bugs are attracted to music, and a single note will send them flying into your clothes and hair. Putting the beetles under pressure is not advised, as they will explode and send their sticky insides flying throughout the airspace, potentially stinging your eyes. This will make moving around in dark, cramped spaces all the more difficult! Thankfully, they get bored if no one tries to sing for one whole minute.

B ⬤ Scientists, engineers, miners, and archeologists are at the unearthed antechambers, hard at work. They will assign you to different tasks: recording observations and taking down notes, digging with advanced excavation tools, or collecting fragile relics with metal and crystal detectors. The Moonblessed may also assist with solving riddles the ancients left in the tomb’s doors, chests and walls. Solving them may lead to either treasure rooms or trap walls that close in on unsuspecting grave robbers. Others, well...

Golden jellyfish statues line the walls, encrusted with glistening jewels all over, some worse for wear. Tall pillars have numerous ancient runes which the Prismals are struggling to decipher. Soon, an eerie whisper reaches your mind: “Wander no further. A curse awaits all who enter our kingdom. Disturb not those who slumber in the deep.” True enough, the floor from this point onward appears to be blue sand combed in the pattern of ocean waves... Are you brave enough to continue drilling through?

C ⬤ If that is not enough to send you scrambling out with moist underwear, perhaps the seismic jolt to the ground will. A slimy substance begins to ooze out the tomb’s cracks, glowing lilac like the Iris moon... The Prismals are quick to usher everyone out before the shaking gets worse. As the lift may be too dangerous, climbing equipment will be provided. Watch out for falling debris or collapsing rocks while assisting each other out of cramped passages and up the walls to safety. Try not to get stuck in the slime!

This little adventure might leaving you wondering what or who exactly lies deeper inside, but the Prismals are just as clueless as you are. Cave-ins happen from time to time, but this might have been the strongest one recorded on this site.

Eventually you’re called to the docks and led onto a large transport vessel. Destination: Prismatica.




▶ Those Kicks were Fast as Lightning
Higher Lunatia, Level 1 | 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.

With the end of Harvest Boon, the city is calm once more. The streets of Level 1 and 2 are now sparkling clean as always, but Level 3 is still in the process of cleaning up. There are confetti and deflated balloons strewn all over the streets, but Swiffy bots are on the scene, sweeping up whatever waste they can get their hands on. Sometimes, they might even play tug-of-war with you for it. At one of the train stations, a Prismal doomsayer screams about the apocalypse returning. Passersby shrug at the conspiracy theory and move on.

A ⬤ In response to the unexpected rough events during Harvest Boon, the Moon Knights decided to hold free-for-all self-defense seminars at a large park near Lunatia Square. The live demonstrations include proper monster-wrangling procedures and how to efficiently keep a rogue moonheld (read: transformed under the moon) Prismal away. Participants are encouraged to learn and interact with each other to learn various safety practices and techniques. The training visors provided enhance the seminar experience, changing whoever your eyes focus on into a cerberus or other rogue moonheld Prismal on the visor’s display. Don’t use the visors for too long, or you’ll be seeing everyone as a cerberus well after you take the visors off! Fortunately, the effects only last for an hour. Energy drinks and free snacks are available to any worn-out Prismal or Moonblessed.

B ⬤ Virtual lunar conditions are also available via multiplayer VR pods in Lunar Scientia headquarters, simulating the Moonblessed/moonheld experience under full moons. Mental exercises and magic practice sessions are accessible in the virtual spaces, allowing people to test out their magical abilities and transformations. Simulation participants can either train by themselves, with a partner, or through a tutorial of instruction-based movements. However, the program is still in beta. You may experience errors or bugs like lagging, NPCs phasing into things they shouldn’t, weird physics, or body glitches.

▶ Meas Trees are the Bee’s Knees
Middle Lunatia, Level 2 | top

The rows of Meas trees planted this Harvest Boon are blossoming beautifully into view, painting the fields in Level 2 with colors of spring. Meas tree saplings each have a small sign next to them, displaying their owners’ written wish if they chose to disclose it. Interestingly, the color and aroma of each flower depends on the owners; fiery personalities might have red or orange flowers, those born in a coastal town might have flowers that smell like the sea near their hometown, and so on. Maybe you’ll encounter a familiar aroma if you’re lucky enough.

The Moonblessed who were most active with moonlacing the past few weeks have the largest trees, nearly rivaling the oldest Meas trees around. The older trees planted by Prismals over time can be seen in the next field, standing majestically with their swaying branches and flying petals.

A ⬤ Picnic grounds for flower viewings can be found near the fields. There are plenty of stalls selling homemade bruschettas, crostinis, sandwiches, wines, cheeses, and other enjoyable finger food. Notably, some wines may give you an insatiable desire to whisper things in someone’s ear. Sweet nothings, death threats, your secret kinks—no matter the words, you’ll want to kill someone softly with them.

B ⬤ The Swiffy bots that are assigned to the parks and gardens in Level 2 help keep things spick and span, but they’re due for maintenance and may attempt to sweep off any unfortunate picnics with their high-powered vacuums or leaf blowers. As they zoom across the paths, they chirrup about not treading on the grass and take off with picnic blankets, table cloths, and people’s clothes. Any nearby maintenance staff (who are all desperately trying to chase the bots) yell that a conk on the head will immobilize them. Once the malfunctioning bots are stopped, the staff approach to wheel them away while apologising profusely for the mayhem.

▶ Questions

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

Comments

[mischiefandice]

[Loki hums, amused despite the situation. He brought this on himself, after all. He doesn't expect Steve to believe him now (or ever, really), but perhaps they can work something like a temporary truce, until they find their way out of this rocky moon.]

You'd be foolish to take me at my word, wouldn't you? And yet I have nothing else to offer.

[Except a gesture of good will, perhaps. He flips the daggers up again but this time does not catch them, letting them dissolve into greenish-gold dust through his fingers. He squares his shoulders and puts his hands in his back, tilting his chin up a little as if to present his bruised throat in surrender. There. Perfectly harmless.

He grins and it looks tired, almost entirely devoid of his usual mischief.]

What would I gain in lying to you, Captain? I'm just as lost as you are.

[assembles]

[ It's true that there isn't anything that Loki could do to make Steve trust him, save for somehow bringing Thor to his side to vouch for him, and even then it would be a strained thing. (The possibility that it's some kind of illusion is always there.) Putting away his weapons helps to some extent, but Steve knows that it wouldn't take much effort for Loki to teleport behind him and stab him in the back all the same.

Suffice to say, his own knife won't be going anywhere. Loki will just have to put up with that. ]

Just because I don't know what your ulterior motive is doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[ The question becomes, is he better off ditching Loki and dealing with this situation on his own, or sticking by his side to make sure that he doesn't pull anything funny? Ultimately, it would be irresponsible to let Loki run off when he might be planning something. ]

So I guess you're stuck with me until I figure that out.

[ Steve isn't going to pick a fight, as tempting as it might be after the hell Loki put them through, but that doesn't mean he'll hesitate to take offensive action if he gets the slightest indication that the trickster's up to something. ]

[mischiefandice]

[Loki tilts his head to the side slightly, considering Steve's distrustful expression. He is not wrong to think that Loki often has ulterior motives though at the moment, as he's just come back from the dead and hasn't had much time to scheme yet, they are uncharacteristically short-sighted. He's working on it, though.

As it is, it costs nothing to tell Steve the truth.]

My ulterior motive is not dying again, this time on a rocky moon. [He arches an eyebrow, sounding wry.] I believe our interests could align, for once.

[He notes that Steve has not sheathed his own weapon, and makes no comment. The good thing about siding with heroes is that they are predictable, in ways Loki's usual allies aren't. He's reasonably sure Captain America will not pretend to help him and then stab him in the back, for example. Considering the circumstances, it is almost a relief. He merely has to behave, then, for as long as it suits his purpose.

He hums when Steve mentions that they're stuck together, accepting that for the time being. It's marginally better than being stuck with his own thoughts, at least.]

By all means, Captain. Figure me out.

[The tone of his voice is just a little snippy and then he remembers he's supposed to behave, and adds,]

What do you know of this place?

[assembles]

[ Not dying again is a good goal, although Steve never got the details from Thor about what happened the first time. (Nor does he realize that they're actually referring to two different instances of Loki dying.) The good part of all this is that Steve hasn't yet come across anything that might threaten them, unless Loki himself counts.

He's seen an animal or two, yes, but they seem small and shy, quick to run the moment they hear him coming.

In a way, Loki's snippy behavior is actually more reason to trust him. If he'd been acting too cooperative, Steve would have found that even more suspicious. They're a long way from actual trust still, but after eyeing Loki for a long while, Steve pushes past him to keep moving.

The question isn't one that he has a good answer to, and he sighs before responding. ]

In theory, just as much as you. [ No, he hasn't let go of the possibility that Loki's orchestrated this entire thing, and that he's currently walking right into a trap, one that he won't be able to see coming until the illusion's gone and it's already too late. But he also doesn't have a better option right now, and he's pulled himself out of traps before. ] Woke up here with no warning. There's just a lot of crystals all over the place, and a lot of pink and purple. Are alien planets usually like this?

[ Loki would have a better idea of that than Steve, at least. ]

[mischiefandice]

[By all means Steve, ask about Loki's traumatic death experience, see how that goes over.

As the Captain says nothing and merely marches on, Loki has to bite down a grin. Well, then. It seems he acquired an unlikely ally, at least for the time being. He follows, making sure to stay in Steve's line of sight, but not too close. In other circumstances he'd jump on the occasion to play a good trick on an unsuspecting Captain America, but this is too dire for mischief, even for him.]

Presumptuous. [Loki comments wryly when Steve says he probably knows only as much as Loki himself does about this realm. It's not going to help his case, he knows, but he can't help it. He shrugs, looking around with narrowed eyes.] Alien planets can be a great many things. This is... not unusual, I suppose.

[He says nothing for a few steps, his face carefully blank as he glances over to Steve again.]

Any chance you woke up here because you died in your home world?

[He's not asking to be abrasive really, though the question is harsh. He sounds somewhat hopeful too, not because he wants Steve to die (not moreso than any other of his enemies, at least) but because that would provide an explanation to what this realm is. This is not how Loki had pictured the land of the dead, drawing from what little information was available on it, but he could have been wrong.]

[assembles]

[ The distance that Loki maintains is acceptable, not close enough to make Steve feel like he needs to watch his back constantly, but still close enough that he could probably make a grab for him if there were signs of any funny business.

That wry comment causes him to roll his eyes, but otherwise he doesn't acknowledge it. They're on thin ice with each other as is, forced together for lack of literally any better option. All things considered, Steve thinks he's exhibited a large amount of self control by not pinning Loki to one of these crystals to interrogate him more aggressively.

"Not unusual." That isn't particularly helpful, but they also don't have a lot to go on. The next question really isn't a threat so much as a genuine inquiry, at least as far as Steve can tell, and he can't help looking over his shoulder at Loki for a few seconds before he responds. Loki's face seems to be purposefully neutral. ]

Not as far as I know. I wasn't in any immediate danger.

[ There had been a constant sense of danger due to his fugitive status, but his last memory was going to sleep in some rundown motel room, like most other nights these past few months. ]

[mischiefandice]

[Loki's face is a little too blank for it not to be suspicious though he's mostly hiding from his own memories, not from Steve. He arches an eyebrow when he catches the Captain watching him, as if daring him to make a comment about the question.

Steve's answer is disappointing, if only because it brings nothing new to Loki's theory. This could still be the land of the dead, Loki reckons, but it seems rather less likely now, since he was apparently the only one to die to get there.

He nods curtly and looks up, narrowing his eyes at the night sky above them, trying to catch a glimpse of the stars there through the pervasive purple glow of the crystals. Loki is not an astronomy expert but he knows his way around the galaxies surrounding Asgard well enough, and this clearly isn't one.]

Then I do not know. We are nowhere near Asgard. [He considers Steve and adds, for his benefit,] or Midgard. The amount of power required to transport anyone over such a great distance is substantial.

[Which narrows the list of potential suspects somewhat, to anyone willing to go through a lot of effort to get them here.] Whoever did this had purpose.

[assembles]

[ Nowhere near Asgard or Earth. Steve could have guessed at that based on the fact that Loki hadn't immediately recognized it. Then it isn't one of the Realms that Thor's mentioned, either.

The implication that a large power source would have been needed to transport them offers some kind of clue, if only a vague one. Steve's aware that there could be any number of players out in the greater universe who might have it out for the Avengers for one reason or another, though he also blames Loki for bringing Earth to the attention of those potential threats in the first place. ]

Yeah, I didn't figure it was accidental if we're both here. [ Again, this is running with the assumption that Loki himself isn't involved, though that's looking less and less likely, much as Steve hates to admit it. He keeps his narrowed gaze on him. ] You've thrown your chips in with powerful people before. Any guesses?

[ The implication being that Loki had to rely on the strength of others during his attack on Earth, rather than his own. Steve may not be actively attacking Loki for a number of reasons, but he isn't going to hold back on the pointed comments. ]

[mischiefandice]

[The comment makes Loki grin, seemingly more amused than angry by the pointed reminder that he'd needed two borrowed infinity stones as well as an entire alien army to invade Steve's realm. Steve wasn't wrong, either. Loki had thrown his chips with Thanos when it seemed the surest way for him to survive and get his revenge, and though he would not do it again if he had the chance, he didn't exactly regret it, either.]

I can think of a few who'd like me out of the way. [That's not much of an admission. Loki has many enemies. He gives Steve a considering look, baring his teeth in what is almost a leer.]

I'm sure quite a few would like you out of the way as well. [His lips curve up into a more genuinely amused smirk.] And yet there is very little overlap between the two.

[The only one he can think of is Thanos, and this is not Thanos' way. The Mad Titan wouldn't have bothered to banish them to a remote moon, he would have crushed and ground them both into nothingness once and for all.]

[assembles]

[ That look that Loki gives him isn't inspiring much in the way of confidence. It's not a threatening look, exactly, but Loki isn't hiding his distaste. The two of them are on the same page when it comes to their mutual dislike of each other, and not much else.

They both have enemies, that much is obvious. Steve's been placing a target on his back since the forties and he doesn't really have any plans of stopping. Loki's very existence seems to land him into trouble. ]

Okay, "very little overlap" still means there's some.

[ Steve shoots a look at Loki, picking up his pace out of pure frustration. Not just at his unexpected "companion," but at the situation as a whole. ]

Or are you telling me you've got nothing?

[mischiefandice]

[It's not so much distaste (though Loki doesn't particularly care for Steve) as a certain amusement at the idea that Captain America probably has almost as many enemies as someone like Loki. It goes to show that righteousness doesn't pay, doesn't it?]

There is only one I can think of, and this seems unlike him. If he wanted us dead, we would be.

[Loki's voice is very flat as he says this, betraying no emotion. He knows first-hand just how lethal Thanos can be. He arches an eyebrow at Steve gets snippy with him, his eyes narrowing a little.]

If I had something, do you think I would still be here?

[Loki is just as frustrated as you are, Steve, and he won't try to disguise his contempt for that question.]

[assembles]

[ Only one. Steve's going to make a wild guess that Loki means Thanos, as he can't conceive of anyone else who would have it out for both of them. Thanos no doubt takes issue with the fact that Loki had squandered the armies he'd lent him. As for Steve, while it might not be personal, at least a few of the Infinity Stones are on Earth. If Thanos wants those, he'll inevitably have to go through the Avengers.

Even if Steve isn't technically an Avenger anymore, that sentiment still stands.

Loki's probably right, though. This doesn't seem direct enough for Thanos, which leaves them back at square one. And the more time that they spend going around in speculative circles, the more they're going to irritate each other. Steve really has no reason to hang around Loki if he isn't responsible for this and also doesn't know who might be.

He stops walking to face Loki again, crossing his arms over his chest in a measured way. ]

In that case, I'm pretty sure I'm better off hoofing it around this place on my own.

[ There's still no telling when he might end up with a knife in his back. That's reason enough to put some distance between him and Loki. With any luck, he actually finds something of consequence and doesn't end up stumbling on the trickster god again. ]