TEST DRIVE MEME #016

[larkers]

> TEST DRIVE MEME #016

Welcome to the Meadowlark test drive meme! After waking up in strange and rather worrisome conditions, characters will need to begin to live their lives in this new world. All TDM threads take place after the arrival process, so please assume that the initial adjustment period has passed – in which the characters were dropped off behind a bar run by previous arrivals who then direct them to live in a safehouse for four days before hitting the streets. Now it's time to see the bright sights and sounds that New Amsterdam – and beyond – has to offer.

Applications open every month on the 1st of the month at midnight UTC (00:00).

NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them.

All applicants can use threads from the TDM for their samples.

> SETTLING IN

There is very little that can smooth over the experience of your arrival in this world. Coming to your senses in a van, drugged and restrained, only to be carefully helped out by the unknown guards and nurses and then abandoned in an alleyway of a local sports bar by the name of Red Wings. What comes next is relatively straightforward: you're found by the employees at the bar, all of whom were once left in a similar situation to this one. You're brought down to a safehouse across town that's hidden underneath a soundproofed garage that's been kitted out for training purposes. You'll learn that you aren't among the first that this has happened to here. There are others not from this world who have experienced the same, with no recollection of how they came here. Like you, they have few answers about what's happened to them. Maybe this knowledge brings you a growing sense of futility, or perhaps it inspires a deeper determination in you. But even as you begin to think on what to do next, life has to go on.

All of the new arrivals will be given a fake ID and a background that will lend them access to entry-level jobs. It may be overwhelming, but their fellow Displaced have found their footing enough to be able to help the newcomers. Two Morningstar agents by the names of Gaby and El will be around to take care of world integration and IDs – the rest will fall to the Displaced who arrived before. It would take at least a month's wages to put down a deposit on even the smallest apartment in the city, so everyone has a grace period before they have to leave the safehouse – and then some, depending on the kindness of who's running the show.

Gaby and El will also make their purpose clear if asked: they are a part of Morningstar, a group dedicated to fighting corruption, tearing the capitalist oligarchy down to nothing, and trying to help make a better world. It will be made expressly clear that this entire arrangement to get the Displaced situated in the world is meant to be kept a secret, and that especially includes Morningstar's assistance. Letting the world know about their involvement could cause big problems.

> EXPLORE THE CHANGES
Despite the lack of answers about why you're here, your fellow Displaced will be able to give you a rundown of the changes they've recognized in each other. Anyone who had powers before will find them gone. Anyone who was once an AI or in a completely artificial body will find that their current body is now fully human. Those with cybernetics will find that they've remained mostly untouched, though any primitive ones may be replaced with temporary ones that are improvements on the previous models.

◉ NEW POWERS. In the place of any powers that were lost, there is now a new power. These abilities are unique to each of the Displaced and seem to update over a certain period of time, with the changes appearing thanks to critical emotional events. One thing that's apparent is that the power seems to be linked to the Displaced individual's personality or life before this one, shaped according to who they happen to be. When this power appears, their chest glows with a blue light that shines from their sternum, and it can be triggered by anything: natural inclination or a moment of great stress. If someone's out in public when this happens, they might want to duck under cover lest the blue glow from their chest and the unusual power's appearance draws unwanted attention.

◉ EMPATHY BOND. No matter the circumstances or the conditions, every skin-to-skin touch of the Displaced triggers this empathy bond. Whether they touch hands, brush cheeks, or knock into one another on accident, they'll be met with the emotions of the person they've touched. Every instance of skin-to-skin contact will trigger an immediate empathic bond, letting you feel the other person's emotions and vise versa. While there's nothing that can be done to completely prevent this, someone can either decide to hold on and continue sharing that level of emotional intimacy, or let go and end the shockingly vulnerable exchange. If someone is particularly tactile but not fond of sharing their emotions, they might want to invest in a fashionable pair of gloves.

◉ MEMORY SHARE. In the past year, the Displaced unlocked the ability to share memories similarly to how they can share emotions. While unknown at first, the Displaced soon learned that they could share a memory with each other the same way they could share emotions. All they need to do is focus on a memory and touch the skin of their fellow Displaced, and then they could pass this experience along. These memories are shared through the eyes of the giver, granting the receiver a unique insight into the thoughts, feelings, and sensations during a specific moment in their life.

◉ DREAM SHARING. Once one, two, or five Displaced fall asleep, they may be able to find each other in their dreams. These dreams lead to the dreamers themselves feeling lucid and somewhat in control of their surroundings—though the control itself is ultimately dependent on the dreamer and how well they come around to understanding what's going on. Dream logic applies with the flow of time, but no one is able to spend their entire lives there. Lost powers are still gone for any of the Displaced, but they can use their dreams to practice any new ability that they've received. Memory shares and empathy bonds are just as possible within these shared dream states—if anyone doubts that another Displaced is really there, they can test the empathy bond to see if it activates.

◉ POWER SHARES AND UNIONS. The Displaced can share something of themselves with another Displaced by offering them an object that comes out of their chest. This object is meant to be symbolic of the person it comes from and significant to them in some way. When someone else takes hold of this object, they will get a sense of the owner's essence, along with temporary access to their in-game ability. Only when they give the item back do they give up the power in question. In addition, the Displaced are able to act in unison and create a fusion of their powers, making it so they can fight someone else with them at once. This ability is there from day one, but the power's ability will only ever present at its current stage.

> THE NETWORK
When the Displaced first showed up, Morningstar set up a private network for all of the Displaced to use in order to communicate. Most of the veteran Displaced are old hands at using the implant now, and will be happy to provide any necessary information on how to utilize this new tool and understand its application in daily life.

Early on, every newcomer receives access to the encrypted network, only available to you and the others like you, making contact between you easy and safe. Familiarize yourself with this network and dig in. Perhaps you're hoping to find some bigger answers, ask about the current nail polish trends in New Amsterdam, or want to play a game of "hot or not" among the Displaced.

◉ IDENTIFICATION. Everyone who gets set up with an ID gets access to Morningstar's network. In order to ensure that none of the Displaced stand out like sore thumbs, Morningstar's agents El and Gaby ensure that everyone has a name that makes it so they fit in among society. All usernames are thusly formed as firstname.lastname, with some room for creativity (Ziggy Stardust has now been among the Displaced twice).

◉ PRIVATE COMMUNICATION. There are private, one-on-one modes of communication available as well, though without the security of Morningstar's encryptions, they're much less safe. You can make calls, send texts, make videos, and even interact with others in a VR simulation—however, it's made very clear that the government has a means of tracking this communication. Big brother is always watching.

> RESOLUTION DAY FESTIVAL

The day of April 26th is known to all United Nations citizens: it's Resolution Day. To everyone around the world, it was originally thought of as the day that the burgeoning United Nations finally rescued humanity by eradicating the last known AI lifeforms. This act took place in 2101. However, recent circumstances have revealed that the United Nations had lied about this fact. For over four hundred years, they kept the AI Judas locked away in their military headquarters in New Beijing. During his enslavement, Judas was forced to create technology to serve the UN's purposes, helping turn their soldiers into a hivemind-like group that would always fall into line.

The Displaced know that there are more AI in the world. El, the Morningstar agent who helps create everyone's IDs, is one of them. This is a secret hidden away from the rest of Morningstar due to the massive anti-AI sentiments. The other is Cassius, a space exploration AI who brought chaos to the Displaced before switching sides to become their ally. None of this is known to the world at large.

Of course, El is linked to the war itself. El was formerly known as Elysian, the AI who accidentally kicked off the six-year-long Xelkoven War between humans and AI. Once a security unit, Elysian killed 50 households full of people as ze believed them all to be a threat. The war was ultimately named after the largest artificial intelligence distributor at the time: Xelkov. Ultimately, a billion humans died in the war, and there was the very real risk that the rest of humanity could have followed if they hadn't advised a method to put the AI down for good. Even though humanity lived on, artificial intelligence did not – save for the three aforementioned AI.

With all this coming out, people in this world aren't psyched to celebrate Resolution Day for the reasons they had been taught growing up. But they're still interested in a day to celebrate each other and humanity's survival.

The citywide celebration of Resolution Day starts early and finishes very late, so whether you choose to join in the fun, learn more about the history of the festival, or take advantage of the revelry for other, more nefarious goals, you'll have plenty of time. As the festival sprawls wildly throughout the streets of New Amsterdam, it gives even the most desolate parts of the city new life with bright lights, noise, and plenty of food. Most businesses are closed for the day, but not all of them—if you've gotten yourself a restaurant, street cleaning, or corporate PR job, you might find yourself stuck on a double shift. Better snatch what small moments of enjoyment you can!

> ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES
Anything you'd think would be at a festival in the year 2512 is definitely at this festival. Food, games, dancing, alcohol, free stuff? It's all there for your enjoyment. While the city streets will be full of people, this isn't a bad day to try networking. Want to get a new job or find a way to pry some information out of someone when they're least likely to remember you? Try to butter them up—or use the powers you've been granted to get your way. If anything goes badly, at least you can slip back into the crowd.

◉ GAMES. Care to play a game? All attendees can play for free. Some games —like the hoverblade racing, the augmented reality fightboxes, and the street-wide bouts of laser tag—require a partner or a competitor, so you better hope someone's willing to do you a solid or bring out your competitive side. For anyone who's interested in something a little less hands-on, all of the city's biggest VR arcades will have setups with all the latest games. Hoping to get noticed for your gaming talent? This might not be the day to try to stand out, but anyone's down to try.

◉ FOOD TRUCKS. It's time to try the delicacies of New Amsterdam. Hundreds of food trucks have turned out today in droves with high hopes that they'll come away turning a profit. Down for some Mexi-German fusion? Or perhaps you're hoping that pad thai still tastes the same with grasshoppers? Share your food – or give away whatever you don't like. Food trucks are the hub of activity, and the busiest ones might be worth the time, but you'll be standing in line for a while.

◉ NETWORKING. There are other opportunities with the city being flooded with festival-goers. Whether someone is on a mission to try to test the current sentiments toward Morningstar or simply wants to charm some corporate execs, this might be the time to get it done. Whatever your cover story is, make it good. Whether you claim you're hoping to pitch an idea for some new tech or are more interested in seducing – or squeezing – some information out of them, following them into the next bar or karaoke booth may give you the perfect chance. But you might want a lookout to watch your back, a co-conspirator to keep them plied with drinks, or maybe you'll need a voice of reason to stop you from squeezing too hard. Discretion is the name of the game. Everyone can agree upon that.


> HISTORY LESSONS
Aside from your typical booths of free samples, charitable causes, volunteer applications, and white chocolate-covered beetles, you'll find an opportunity to learn about Resolution Day’s history. There are various stands available where—thanks to the augmented reality application of your neural implant—you can view videos about the origins of the festival and the reasons for celebrating. If you haven't done your initial search yourself, you'll be able to buff up on it here. These booths tell the United Nations' version of the history with zero reminders about what came out about Judas.

◉ VR SIMULATIONS. If you'd like to feel like a hero, the UNA are running several virtual reality simulations where you can be taken to the battlefield to fight alongside fellow soldiers, working to bring the outwardly robotic AI to submission. The virtual reality simulation interacts with your neural implant to give you the most realistic experience possible. If you don't ground yourself enough, you'll be certain that the sights, sounds, and smells around you are real as you march in formation toward the brutality waiting up ahead. Feel free to team up with a partner on a side mission, or maybe try to keep someone from plugging in for what could be a traumatic experience. Eerie, heart-wrenching music plays when you die, but is promptly followed by the image of several corporate logos reminding you that they sponsored this day and this event.

◉ SYMPATHIZERS. If you're uncomfortable with the concept of eradicating all AI, no one will understand why. AI sympathizers are not present among the native population. Everyone in this world has been raised with the understanding that AI only wanted to destroy humanity, and that everyone is lucky to be alive in spite of it. They have a deeply ingrained fear, and anyone claiming to formerly be an AI or android won't receive a very friendly response. Even if they know the UN used Judas for centuries, it doesn't mean they're any less afraid of artificial intelligence: they've been raised to believe that all artificial intelligence was out to eradicate humanity.

> CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

Traveling down from the hectic main city streets reveals a different side from the gloss and promise of New Amsterdam. Economic disparity runs rampant throughout the city, and many people are pushed to desperation, looking to find other ways to make ends meet. In the darker shadows, many illegal activities thrive, out of view of the authorities—or perhaps known and supported by corrupt individuals. Maybe you're out exploring, completing a task for Morningstar, or working a job in the place you excel. Whatever brought you to the rougher parts of town, you may want to watch your step, or else find the city eating you as it has so many others.

> ORGANIZED CRIME
Organized crime still has a strong foothold in the world, with gangs and more established families working with drugs, weapons, property, and black market cybernetics, to name a few. These organizations are sprawling units that regularly recruit new members into their ranks, so long as they can prove themselves by passing the intensive hazing. While there are two main mob entities in New Amsterdam—the Riverstone Mob and the Petrov Family—there are a handful of gangs that otherwise roam the streets. Some are loosely sponsored by the mob, while others are fledgling groups trying to gain clout. More than anything, these groups know they don't have the power of the corporations or government, and do everything to seize more power when they can.

◉ JOINING UP. Catching the eye of the mob is difficult, but not impossible. Getting into the larger gangs is less difficult, but they're still wary of anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of how to duck surveillance, traffic drugs and supplies, and intimidate people without catching flack from the NAPD. The best way to start getting attention is through their clubs, casinos, and illegal gambling dens. Getting inside isn't always easy: it might take a few weeks of legwork to get an invite, but someone could try to strongarm their way inside or use some chicanery to make it a smoother endeavor.

◉ ESCAPE PLAN. Whether you went in to cause trouble or accidentally caused it by breathing the wrong way, it's good to have an escape plan in place. Does that mean fighting all the goons available? Maybe. What about stealing a hover bike and getting away? The good news is that hover bikes can fit where hover cars can't.If you've got the skills, you'll be able to weave through the chaos of the city and make a clean getaway. Just don't let the chase run for too long, or you'll have law enforcement on your ass as well.

> FIGHT CLUB

No matter the occasion outside, New Amsterdam's fight club events are held every evening. The bouncers at the door don't have too many scruples on who they let inside. All they care about is whether someone has the money to pay the cover charge.

The interior of the fight club reveals the sophistication of a business that's used to uprooting itself regularly. All the fights take place in a large cage in the center, and you remain on your feet while you enjoy the show. There is a special VIP section if you've been lucky enough to receive an invite or bribe your way in – just keep in mind that these invites are scarce, and you will have to have done something spectacular to earn the attention from someone high up the food chain. Regardless of where you end up, there is one rule: what happens in the fight club stays in the fight club. This tenant is law, and everyone's heard stories of the different (and sometimes extreme) lengths that have been taken to maintain it.

◉ FIGHT. It's time to sign up and test your chops against other fighters. Many of the fighters boast illegal cybernetic enhancements, so it would be a really good idea to have someone on hand who knows some first aid. Fights can either happen in duos or in one-on-ones depending on the signups for the evening.

◉ RINGSIDE CHAT. You might just want to enjoy the show, or use the opportunity to grill the bartenders for information. Just be careful not to make a fool of yourself. Asking too many questions might catch the wrong kind of attention – the kind that might find you being thrown into the ring, whether you wanted to be there or not. For all the blood spilled, these fight clubs thrive on discretion, so whatever you do, try to keep it quiet.

> A LIFE OF CHAOS

Life in New Amsterdam was once all festivals and people avoiding association with organized crime. Life in New Amsterdam these days is full of drama, citywide disturbances, and everything else that might be expected of an action film in progress. While there aren't many answers for what's happened to the Displaced, there is enough chaos going around that it seems like it may be connected to their arrivals.

The worst part is that New Amsterdam seems to struggle. Rather than being an anonymous backdrop to those action films, New Amsterdam is a bustling city full of life that never asked to be at the heart of this. When trouble hits, most repairs and restorations focus on helping those with money, while others are left forgotten living in tents and hoping for a helping hand. Recent circumstances have called for improvements in this area—there is more charitable work than ever before in New Amsterdam—but it's still a trying time.

Where the Displaced stand in all of this varies, but it's hard to ignore a city in trouble.

◉ DISPLACED VERSUS DISPLACED. Whether it's by manipulation of an outside force or through inhaling weird monster gas, sometimes the Displaced are at odds with one another. When some of these few heroes are fighting, it means that the city can be left in even greater danger. Other times, the Displaced might not be able to control themselves. Feeling a sudden surge of vengeance and hoping to follow through on it? That monster gas might be the cause. Want to finish out a nasty deal to get something back important? The monster gas won't be an excuse, but maybe someone can pretend it was. Life as a Displaced is wild sometimes.

◉ MONSTERS. As for unconventional threats, there are the monsters. These creatures first turned up in giant form when the first batch of Displaced arrived, stomping all over New Amsterdam. The less unique version of the monsters are around 400m high, have lizard-like features, and tend to show up by tearing down a portion of New Amsterdam's city wall And that's the less unique version. More unique monsters vary in size and make, seeming to be an amalgamation of a number of different creatures. Half-snake, half-dog? Seems odd, but it happens. Hell, we even have a bestiary of some of what can be found. The one consistent feature of all these monsters is they all have golden irises. Suffice to say that running into these creatures could be a problem.

◉ SIMULATION. There aren't many AI left in the world, but the most notorious of them – Judas – definitely has an axe to grind. Once the leader of the AI effort as they sought to destroy humanity after countless AI were wiped out for humanity's "protection," Judas is now well aware that he's only one of three left in the world. Getting a little payback against people is only fair, isn't it? His favorite means was via a simulation, dragging people into a post-apocalyptic hellscape where humanity was forced to live underground and live out repetitive scenarios where they had no choice but to play along or feel like they couldn't survive. This stimulation interacts with the VR technology built into the neural implants, stimulating adrenaline and fear exactly when Judas wants it to do just that. Why? Oh, torture. Why not? Oddly enough, Judas doesn't create any facsimiles of other AI. He takes full ownership of what he puts people through once he takes control. Sure, Judas is a little screwy but after 400 years of captivity, no one can really blame him, can they?

◉ LEAD A REVOLUTION. Just because a world has free health care doesn't mean it's working for all of its citizens. Thanks to a variety of screwed up things over half a millenia ago, this world ended up permanently corrupt. Corporations act as training grounds for political positions, and while nobility is a thing of the past, wealthy families continue on thanks to the oligarchical stronghold that controls the world. Time to change some things up. Either by working with Morningstar or alone because of an urge to create some chaos, this world is ripe for change. Are you going to be the one to bring it about?

> GO NUTS

Feel free to branch out and explore! Visit a doctor about some advanced cybernetics. Sneak through the city checkpoints and set out into the wilderness. Try to hop on a train bound for one of the world's five spaceports to see one of the colonies—though bear in mind the cost and difficulty of one of these joy rides. Experiment with some insect based versions of your favorite recipes. Perhaps you'd prefer to engage in some illegal street racing, spend some time getting used to the technology, or try to become a social media celebrity. Use the SETTING for inspiration and choose your own adventure!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

kavinsky ( the raven cycle )

[dreamkillers]

cw: implied suicide, self-harm, drugs, consent issues to the tune of not being able to consent when impaired.

( festival )

[ the first couple of days had been.. difficult, to say the least. he'd been dead, he thinks? or about to die. he remembers the approach of the flames, the heat, the manic satisfaction of knowing finally.

and then he'd been here. he doesn't remember a lot about the first day or two, doesn't care to. he'd been a fucking nightmare, and coming down had been worse. sobriety makes him mean, really fucking mean.

anyway, that's all behind him now. this place is a shitshow, he can't find fucking cigarettes, the vape shit is stupid as fuck, but it hadn't taken him long to find his high and stay that way. a handjob in an alley had been enough to get him some info, and after that, well, he's dropped to his knees for less. so here at the festival, he's fucked up good, satisfactorily drunk, and--

--snatching up a bottle off someone's table, either sliding into their lap or into a seat next to them. he shakes the bottle at them, smile loose and wicked and gaze hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he obtained somewhere. ]

So this is what they call a party here, huh?

( fight club )

[ he doesn't look like much, of course. he's tall, but he's junkie-thin, after all, looking more like he should be sucking the winner off in one of the back rooms than standing in the ring. turns out he can fight, though, and he fights fucking dirty, and he can take a hit and keep on coming.

he's bloody by the time he splits his knuckles on his opponent's teeth, knocking them out with his last punch. they hit the mat, and afterward, he strolls to the edge of the ring, eye already going black and teeth scarlet from his split lip as he smiles, knifelike and as charming as some kind of snake. ]

Hey sweetheart, wanna' hand me a towel? [ his tongue flicks against his teeth, tasting the blood there, and he laughs, short and ugly. ] Or go a round with me, I'm not picky.

( network | @joseph.kavinsky )

👀🤙👅🍆💦🥴👌

( wildcard )

[ idk encounter him wherever. he will probably be a.) high, b.) an asshole. ]

alex fierro ( riordanverse )

[garotted]

( network | @alex.fierro )

not that i'm complaining about still being able to shapeshift, even if it's a screwed up way of doing it now, but how the hell can i get my handy dandy einherji powers back?
someone's gotta know SOMETHING, right?

( wildcard )

[ encounter her hanging warily around the safehouse either as a human or a cat, trying the food at the festival, or job-hunting. .. idk i just missed and wanted to throw her on here. 8'( ]

daisy → aos

[evite]

→ lost in cyberspace

[ out of the blue, a message goes out. most of its intended recipients are missing in action, unable to answer much like she had been. some messages get bounced around, sent to unfamiliar names and handles. either way... u up? ]

@byteme
hello world

→ power supply

[ she should be used to this by now. the loss of tremors through her veins, an unexpected stillness, nothing threatening to rip her apart from the inside out. in its place, a glow; construction and capability where destruction used to reign supreme.

it still takes her by surprise, though... for a minute. until better instincts kick in, and she remembers what she's good for.

( it's survival. )

find her in a tucked away corner of a black market, recently trimmed hair tied loosely behind the nape of her neck as she works. she's not shy, not subtle; the blue glow is evident from a few stalls away, and her too-casual commentary to passersby is absolutely not a whisper. ]

Does it look like a magic show? [ there's a bark to the words, a near-sharpness, but the edge is replaced by an almost-laugh. a puff of air. ] What do you need?

[ a sword? a shield? a life-size replica of your long-lost love, private parts included? just say the word. ]

→ yolo, etc

[ throw whatever you want at me, it's been a hot minute. ]

Dick Grayson | Titans

[carrera]

( festival )

( The fastest way to get answers is the street. Sure there's the helpers at the safe house - not that he'd admit it but he's really missing Bruce's safe house right this minute - but that's going to be sanitized answers. He wants more truth than that.

A few days out and about with identification and some serious cyber work that he never imagined having himself and the search leads Dick to a festival to celebrate... a billion deaths. That's the part he picks up while playing along.

Which includes some actual play, if only that he really wants to check out the hoverblades. He gives a wave as someone goes by, trying to wave someone down to give him some competition. )

Come on. Can't go too bad, right?

( escape plan )

( In the end, birds are always birds, so despite the festival Dick finds himself in parts of town that he's probably best ignoring. If he was anyone else.

While he's training and years of practice do him well, he ends up finding himself surrounded by a handful of goons while trailing them stalking another person. )

Guess some things don't change.

( No matter the world he's on, it's all the same and so when the first of them come up behind him with a length of pipe, Dick just shrugs... and slams his fist back into his nose.

Snatching up the pipe he swings it into the ribs of another, slamming his foot into another's gut. It doesn't take long before they're down and he looks to the person they had been making a move on as he drops the pipe with a clatter of steel on concrete. )

We might wanna go.

( ringside )

( He hadn't come planning to fight. Not that it had stopped him when someone had shoved him into the ring. It had been fairly well matched, and even the enhancements the other had didn't stop Dick from winning.

Not that he looks much like it as he drops onto a bench ringside, taking a towel someone hands him to dab at the blood on his face. Drawing it back and frowning at all the spots of blood, how much he was cut up, he sighs, shaking his head. )

Don't happen to have a drink to go with the rag, do you?

( network | @ richard.grayson )

That's really all there is.

( Really he's just pinging the network to see what responses he gets, and from who. )

Padmé Amidala | Star Wars

[naboosnaberrie]

i. festivities

[It seems a strange thing, to be out and about and celebrating after the profoundly unsettling way that Padmé had found herself in this city -- waking up groggy and scarred and frightened in the back of a transport with no answers to her questions. Even having been in the safehouse for a few days, having the purpose of her presence explained has brought little comfort -- Padmé sympathizes with Gaby and El, understands their goals, their purpose.

But she wants to go home. She misses Anakin so acutely her whole body aches from it, a clenching, constricting pain that makes it difficult to breathe.

Still, it doesn't do any good to wallow in misery. After a day or so, Padmé finally ventures outside, part of her resenting the relatively drab, plain clothing she's been given. It's nowhere near her usual fashion sense, but it keeps attention off her, so she supposes it's a good thing? Granted, her usual incognito attire had involved ornate, intricate headdresses and at least 12 cubic yards of embroidery, but desperate times and all that.

Padmé stumbles into the festival almost by accident, turning a corner and suddenly getting swept up into the crowd. It's a surprise, but a welcome one after the long days of moping in the safehouse. She's easily taken in by the merriment, even starting to smile after a few minutes. Joy is infectious, and there's clearly an air of celebration that reminds her of festival days back on Naboo.

She can be found lingering in front of the history booths, brow furrowed slightly, head tilted as she learns more about this strange world she's found herself in. The notion of battling AI is baffling -- the droids she's known have only ever been loyal, courageous allies. Then again, the droids of the Trade Federation were quite the opposite, as were those she battled on Geonosis. After a moment, she comments quietly to whoever might be standing nearby:] I'd always thought droids were as good or evil as those they served. It seems I was incorrect.

[Later, Padmé's good manners have resulted in her being given what appears to be several deep-fried insects on a stick, coated in a sticky, glistening sort of sauce. She's giving them a dubious, wrinkled-nose look, turning the skewer in her hand.] Did I...hear them right? These are...insects?

ii. organized crime

[In a world where the kindest people she's met have been known members of a rebellious splinter, Padmé has to admit that perhaps lawlessness is a better option than law-abiding. It goes against everything she's been raised to believe, that those in power have the people's best interest in mind. As a Queen and Senator, that had been one of her most closely-held beliefs.

Still. With war brewing in her home universe, Padmé is forced to admit that things aren't nearly as black and white as they'd seemed in her youth.

Which is why as days pass, she can be found in the seedier parts of New Amsterdam, hooded and cloaked, keeping to the shadows and observing what she can. It's all mostly an attempt to get an idea of who and what the major players in this city are, who holds the real power. And, most importantly, how she can ally herself with them.

Of course, Padmé is nothing if not compassionate (to a fault), and can also be seen crouching to speak to those huddled in alleys, offering food or clothing or simply comfort, if she has nothing else. She always rises with a significantly more concerned, drawn expression, before squaring her shoulders and moving forward. If she catches someone staring, she'll meet their gaze evenly, raising her chin a bit.]

Yes? May I help you?

iii. network | un: padme.amidala

Good afternoon. Or...evening, I suppose. It's a little difficult to tell sometimes. I'm a newcomer to this city, and I wanted to clarify something I'd heard.

I understand there are space stations here, but they aren't readily accessible by the general public. Is this true? I've never been on a planet without space transit before.

John Connor ( The Sarah Connor Chronicles )

[baum]

i. ( festival )

---

[ There's a chip in his head. He can't keep his hand away from the scar; it keeps retreating there every time his mind wanders.

This is so very not where he's supposed to be. In the first few days, John had acclimatized to the safehouse, to his immediate area, to what people told him about where he was. He's aware of feeling out of place, like he had the last time he went through time. This future's a little more extreme, though not in the way he'd imagined. He has clothes, and some money, all of which he's managed to steal. Old habits die hard; he hasn't lived a genuinely legitimate life since he was twelve years old. His pockets are lined enough.

He doesn't have a gun yet. That's something he needs. He's doing his best to keep his head on straight, to remember his training. He's observing more than acting, learning as he goes.

And then there's this festival. It throws him for a loop. A war with machines, in this world's history. A billion dead. No more machines, now, but not much of an Earth, either. They call it a win, and it is, in theory. ]

Who knew the big bad was climate change, all along, [ he murmurs, even though he had known. Nuclear war; it'll do the trick.

He feels sick. And it's not just because he can't stomach this locust taco. He drops that into the nearest trash, and looks around, before sliding up beside one of a thousand strangers in this square. ]

Are they celebrating, or commemorating? Kind of hard to tell. Not sure I'd make it a party. [ Not like this, anyway. ]

ii. ( simulation )

---

[ Okay, he'd said. I'll try the simulation, he'd said. It's virtual reality; how bad could that be? Much as he hates the fact that it's in him, he wants to see what this neutral network is capable of. So he agrees.

It's a combat sim. Like a cross between a video game and a real life exercise, it makes him a soldier, gives him a gun. Almost immediately, it sets him off. He doesn't want this. Shit like this isn't entertaining when it's been your real life. He tries to pull back from it, but somehow, he's pulled in deeper. He doesn't know, yet, that the sim's being overtaken, that he's being pulled into Judas' alternate version. But all of a sudden, the exercise is a tunnel underground, and there's machines on the approach. Terminators. This is the future he knows. The one he'd thought he was going to. He does what he always does; he runs. ]

Get me out. [ He doesn't know if anyone can hear him. Maybe only others in the sim can hear him. Maybe no one can. Maybe he's not really running, at all. He turns what he believes to be a corner in the tunnel and gets behind it, crouching, aware that he'll never kill them by himself not like this. ] Get me out. Now. Something's wrong. Can you hear me? Get me out!

iii. ( fight club )

---

[ He doesn't know how he got here. He'd been a spectator five minutes ago, and then the wrong person had caught his eye. They wanted his name, and they were heavy-handed about it, and okay, maybe John had broken one of their jaws. He can't be sure, but if he did, they had it coming.

Now he's being pushed forward, and the other guy in here is easily twice his size. His hands tighten on the ropes, and he tries to turn back to the people pushing him on. ]

Okay. Can we talk about this? I didn't come here to -

[ But they're not chatty, and there's a bell ringing, to signal the start of what John's pretty sure is the end of his great and esteemed life. His jaw sets and his neck stretches, his body falling into a loose stance that isn't exactly confident, but at least says he knows what he's doing.

In theory.

Quick eyes scan the crowd for any sign of escape. Then he's ducking the first blow, dodging the second, and he gets in an uppercut of his own before he takes the knee to the chest. Falling back, John grabs the ropes and slides beneath them, while the crowd rounds on him. He needs to get out of here. If he has to fight this whole room to do it, he will. ]

 
iv. (network) un: john.dixon

---

[ Social media wasn't huge in the time John's from, but he'd used it mainly to find out what others were doing. The thought of anyone else using it to scope him out is offputting in the extreme, and he doesn't want to leave himself open to it.

At the same time, this network seems the quickest and most 'secure' way of finding out if anyone he knows is here. How he freaking wishes it played audio.

So, he goes to an older code. If anyone gets it right, that by itself will tell him something. ]

26 April


I'm looking for a history lesson. I'm hearing a lot about this world's history.
Where are you from? Do you think this world is the future of yours, or somewhere else completely?

 

jason todd | arkham knight

[vitiate]

(voice testing, be gentle)

01. network: anonymous

so what the hell happened here.

02. festivities

[ festivals and street fairs were always so fucking tiring. but they were a good chance to scout around, see what was going on. quickly identify the assholes he already knew that he hated. you know. street level. get away from the sewers and the skylines and mingle with the people.

"mingle" for a sort of word. but really, he was just trying to identify anyone that looked like they were worth tracking. anyone that looked like they might be able to get him something interesting, and you can't really get that from on top of a roof sometimes.

he does a good job of seeming unassuming (he's got a cap, and his hood's up)-- though he's not above shoving past you if you won't get the hell out of his way. ]

03. organized crime

[ some people would try to stop what looks like a mugging. or interrupt a drug deal gone wrong. but he's just watching, passive from the rooftop across the way.

nah, what catches his interest is when he sees someone trying to be a do-gooder.

or when he sees someone doing some late night rooftop jumping. and he's quick to notice, especially if you're just not trying very hard to hide at all. ]

04. wildcard

[ pm this journal. let's do a scene. ]

Donna Troy | Titans

[wondersidekick]

The Safehouse

[ Being the sidekick of a Justice League member meant many years of strange and impossible things happening to her or around her. Her time with the Titans only made that more true, so once Donna adjusts from the drugs and consumes what information she can get, she ends up one of the more patient people in the safehouse. It's not that she loves standing still, only that she has experience with it, especially when on a stake out.

She is a social person she can often be found in the kitchen area, either sitting down with a drink and kicking a chair out for you with a smile, or looking through the cupbords to see what's eatable as is. Donna makes tea and invites others who walk by, hopeful for a distraction from the quiet in here. She plops down in a chair at one point, trying not to fiddle with her lack of hair. ]

I can't underline how much I would do for a jelly doughnut right now.


Enjoy the Festivities


[ As soon as she's out and about, Donna searches for life. She is in an alien city, or at least a multiverse version of her own, and she wants to get to know it better. She jumps right into the festivities, smiling as she walks around and looks at the games, the food, the information made available.

She gets into line at a food truck. ]

I don't even know what they sell here. I hope it's good.

[ Afterward she seems to be enjoying whatever it is just fine, walking as she eats. At one point she fumbles with her drink but catches it with her foot in a feat of great grace, balancing it there and leaning down to pick it up. Only a few drops gone. ]

Girl Wonder's still got it.

[ Later on she can be seen curiously listening to all of the Resolution Day history details, eventually agreeing to go into the VR Simulation just out of interest, and a few moments later making a face and shaking her head. ]

No, no thanks, I'm all out of time for new trauma today, thanks.


Network: [Bad username or site: donna @ troy]

Two questions. 1. Do they have doughnuts here and 2. when I say Justice League you say?

valkyrie, mcu.

[swig]

[ (it's been a hot minute, please be gentle. also mild cw: alcoholism.) ]

safehouse + red wings

[ it's almost like she's back on sakaar, but without the trippy technicolor lights. she can't tell if she'd prefer being back there or here, but the one thing that makes it a little more bearable (?) is the alcohol. catch her raiding whatever she can find in the safehouse or just chilling at the bar in red wings nursing a bottle or two. she probably should be concerned about not being able to pay, but you know, she'll cross that bridge when she comes to it.

and if she's sliding back into old habits, well. no one has to know but herself. ]

festival

[ so this, too, is familiar? people all over never turn down the excuse to have free food and drink and games in the aftermath of tragedy, and she's definitely not going to turn down any of those things now. the cuisine isn't even that off-putting when she's had all kinds of weird shit on sakaar, but she goes around trying a little bit of everything, avoiding the trucks with the longer lines for the less popular ones. they're all hit or miss, but food is food at the end of the day.

later on, she does try out the simulation; war and bloodshed are old friends of hers at this point, but there's talk about partnering up. she's used to working on her own, but teaming up with thor had reminded her of things like working together and team work, so she catches the eye of the person next to her and nods towards the simulation. ]

Want to go a round?

fight club.

[ she didn't exactly come here with the express purpose of participating, but maybe she just looked at someone the wrong way, or maybe they could just tell she's someone who can give a good show. either way, she's in the ring now and looking almost bored at the guy they've decided to pit her against, nearly twice her size and sporting a cybernetic arm. funny, how she was always on the outside bringing in contenders, and now here she is, a contender herself.

after the fight, she'll be back towards the bar hailing down another drink, looking roughed up but overall still put together. there's talk about someone needing medical attention though as she takes a swig of her beer, glancing up at the bartender who hands her a small rag for her split lip. ]

Should've seen the other guy.

wildcard.

[ hit me with anything or PM me if you want me to write another starter! as a note, i'm taking her pre-infinity war and after thor 3. ]

Josephine Lightbourne | The 100

[taxomy]

( the festival )
[This place is fascinating, all aspects of it. It's a freedom even she hasn't known, and in this body? Well it seems perfect from her standpoint. And Josie is having a grand old time. Maybe it's better in this place. No, she can't have everything she wants, but she can bury those parts down as she's used to doing anyway.

So she can be found near floating and dancing, going first from a food truck then from vendor to vendor. She throws away the red and white checkered paper holder that likely held something greasy and delicious before stepping up to one of the shooting games. There's a line of people, and she grins at the person next to her like she's ready for a good competition.]

Ready to have your ass handed to you?

( criminal activity )
[The Primes are kind of known for getting in way above their heads, Josephine probably more than most. There's not much thought to consequences-- just survival. And really with centuries of both doing what she wants and getting what she wants with little regard to pesky things like morals, gang activity sounds right up her alley.

The casino is how she gets involved, making herself known. She's a fast talker and really she knows how to use a body like this. Josie gets attention fast. It's her first real assignment though. She's supposed to run money from one part of town to another. She probably should have taken it more seriously, but the idea just seems boring. Josephine Lightbourne doesn't just do low level work, and she's itching for more.

Making an uncalled for stop, she doesn't really explain herself as she gets out of the car, shooting at the door handle of the building before looking back with a shrug.]

Heard they had something we wanted.

( network; @ josephine.lightbourne )
So-- gods, they say? Gods, AI, and near apocalypses.

Tell me more. :)

thanatos | hades

[tsunatos]

I. POWERS

[ Some people might feel awed by gaining powers from the fragment of a god. Thanatos is not one of those people. He is a god — the personification of death, to be precise — and he hasn't gained a thing in this place. He has only lost. Never in his long, long existence has he felt so much like a mortal. Words fail to express how distressing it is.

Still, Thanatos is nothing if not pragmatic. He makes the best of it. He discovers his power quickly, and while it pales in comparison to his natural ability, it is at least familiar. In the safehouse, concealed from the prying eyes of non-Displaced, he practices.

So it is that Thanatos teleports from one room to another with no regard for how startling his sudden appearance may be. Here's hoping he doesn't cause anyone to spill their drink! ]

II. DREAMS

[ Welcome to Tartarus. The architecture is a marvel, with stonework that appears to be pulled directly from ancient Greece. (Spoilers: it is.) Despite this, Tartarus is a dim, dreary place that carries an unmistakable aura of misery. This is not a happy afterlife: this is the place that only the most wretched of souls go.

Thanatos stands on a balcony overlooking Tartarus. He is clad in black and gold, and he carries a large scythe. He watches floating, semi-transparent figures far below, his expression inscrutable. ]

You're not supposed to be here.

[ Spoken in a quiet, measured voice without looking at the intruder. ]

III. NETWORK

@thanatos.nyxides

What attempts have been made to communicate with the gods?

( ooc: feel free to wildcard something else! recognizing thanatos' name and/or realizing that he's a god is a-okay. )