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etrayamemes2025-01-02 03:19 pm
etrayamods) wrote in etrayamemes2025-01-02 03:19 pm
TDM 006
 ⏵ arrival ⏴ Arrival is absolutely not normal this month. Instead of a hospital bed, you wake in a tunnel with a large group of other people. These are the residents. A woman’s voice in an earpiece hurriedly clues you in with an apology. I apologize; I had not planned to introduce you this way, but we are low on time. Please proceed down the hallway. For everyone else, coming in is much the same. The instruction goes out to head to designated areas immediately, where companion bots will escort the residents of Etraya down into the depths, the area beneath where much the same is explained.  ⏵ disrobing ⏴ The tunnel eventually opens directly into the foreroom of an expansive library, painted in marvelous hues and patterns with skylights far above. There are wizards milling about, bearded and holding tomes, quietly chatting amongst themselves. The reception area of the library has tall ceilings with equally tall doors Before you get too caught up in the scenery, a voice directs you forward. A gentleman, hunched and bespeckled craws out. "Make a line! Make a line, everyone! You cannot enter the library dressed as you are... Come forward and give me your name." The receptionist asks your given name and then hands over a box from underneath his counter. You can give him any name you want, he doesn’t seem to mind. It is tied with a tagged ribbon- labeling it accordingly. “The _____ robe of _______.”
As you read what the contents of the box may be, they form inside- Looking and behaving as your character expects them to. After all, magic is all in the wielder’s mind. Don your robes and enter the library.  ⏵ unfamiliar familiars ⏴ For those without a familiar (like one hatched from an egg not too long ago) you may borrow one from the library counter. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but they will all assist in the very important mission. As you roam the library, they will make little indications that you are closer or further from finding a piece of the pearl.
 ⏵ the task at hand ⏴ With robes donned and creature in hand, you must now complete your mission. Find the pieces of the shattered pearl. As you enter the library, you may notice that it’s all very dim. There’s oil lamps around the place that may be moved with you to assist in your journey if your robes do not already emit light. Break off and search the library. There is a directory at the front to point guests to all the different sections.
Each section looks enough like the last, though the books within have immense power. Pick up the wrong book, and you might conjure a dragon or a historical figure! You must persist and avoid making too much noise or breaking too many things. Or else the Librarian, a tall mass of knotted fabric will confiscate your robe and usher you back outside. Your name will be struck from the list, and you must pick a new one to re-enter the library to continue the search. You can try to fight back against him- he may be set alight with the lamp. But should you be starting fires in here? Any thread with 15 comments between you and another may be submitted to find a piece of the pearl. There are 20 pieces altogether, and we will determine if the mission was successful by March 28th. A post will go live on the OOC comm for this! This mission occurs out of time, similar to how the spaceship had. Meaning, those currently in game can experience these events any time between now, and March 14th. Please direct all questions to our mod queries comment! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ArrivalReturn[It's strange... When she becomes aware that she's standing in some long, dimly lit tunnel, she swears she had just been wandering the streets of Etraya — perhaps even considering poking at Damian, seeing what he's been up to. Then... what? A small, short window of memories, wandering the Canadian countryside with her fellow mutant children. She's returned to Etraya, for better or worse, without even so much as missing a beat.
Missions must be completed, same as always.
People are shuffled around to complete them, same as always.
Furrowing her brow, she adjusts her earpiece and listens with a furrowed, too-serious brow.
With a huff, she says:]
I don't need introductions. I go here already.
[... A coupla' months ago.]
II. Disrobing
[SLAP.
While standing in the middle of the walkway, perhaps gathering your robe or just looking around for clues as to what in the world this place wants of you, there's a sharp, unpleasant slap that hits the backside of your leg, like a rolled-up towel from a locker room finding its target. Turning toward the assailant, one will have to look slightly (or more than slightly) down at the 11-year-old girl just behind them. Laura dons her sunglasses and looks particularly unapologetic about what's just happened, as the edges of her gold and pink robe float somewhat threateningly on either side of her.
She has a stoic response, as she pushes up on her shades.]
It's “The Fabulous Robe of Slapping."
[In case you wanted an explanation for your stinging butt-cheek.
Or wherever it so happened to strike you.
But the butt-cheek is a possibility. Might need to call HR on that one.
She waves a hand dismissively.]
It does things on its own.
III. The Task at Hand
[Laura has a frog on her shoulder, but it's not the strangest thing that has ever happened to her. Not at this point. Instead, she feeds the frog some flies and bookworms and wanders the books with the intent to find something useful. Señor Rana is not particularly useful, but she has seen frogs so rarely in her young life, she can't help but not mind his poor directional skills.
She picks up a book that the frog is so-so sure about, which ends with a clawed werewolf hand jutting suddenly out from between the pages. Her claws make quick work of it — one minute, a whole book, the next cleaved into multiple pieces by the adamantium claws that have protruded out of her knuckles.
... Nobody saw that, right?
Don't kick her and Señor Lana out.]
IV. Wildcard!
[Follow your heart, I'm not picky. :) Or feel free to hit me up at
Disrobing
Reflexively his free hand reaches up to his choker as both he and the owlet on his shoulder look over at the offending party. Picking a fight might not be the most mature thing to do, but as far as he's concerned they started it. Maybe they'll rethink attacking people after he sends them through a few bookshelves.
Except. Except.
It's Laura. It's just Laura. In a pink and gold robe, with her sunglasses, acting like this is no big deal, even though it's been months since he's seen her. She had gone home, right? Back to her universe? He wasn't sure - the only thing he knew was that she wasn't in Etraya anymore.
Except she's standing right there.
He stares at her, his brain trying to process this and not quite getting all the way there.]
.........................................
Laura?
no subject
Sí.
Soy yo.
[She takes off her glasses to stare back.]
What's wrong?
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But a stupid, childish part of himself wants to ignore that. She's actually standing there, acting like she hadn't disappeared for months. He isn't sure if he wants to throw up or smash through a wall. It's a similar feeling to ones he had back in Russia, when he nearly killed himself saving Last Order. She isn't Last Order, of course, but she's still important to him.
Turning fully to face her, he lets go of his crutch so that he can sink down onto his knees and yank her into a hug. The owlet on his shoulder gives a little hoot, digging her talons into his shoulder to prevent herself from being dislodged.]
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This is different. She's not particularly used to people hugging her, though she's gotten a few in since showing up in Etraya — but usually, people hug her when there's something more serious happening. Close calls or intense emotions... things like that. There is definitely something going on that's upset him, and it immediately puts her on alert.
Slowly, she hugs him back.
In a lower voice:]
... Did someone do something to you? I can threaten them.
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He shakes his head slowly. If there was someone like that around here he'd crush them without a second thought, simple as that. Drawing in a deep breath, he answers in a quiet voice.]
You've been gone for months.
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I just saw you.
[Certainly not months ago, she's pretty sure. But despite her size and age, she's good at connecting the dots; she recollects the short, patchy memory of wandering alongside the other children in the forest. It was such an insignificant thing, she'd thought maybe it was just a dream she'd had and mostly discarded when she woke up.
But that would explain it, wouldn't it?
How she was just standing in some tunnel, with no memory of how she'd gotten there.]
I went back home?
[She doesn't remove herself from the hug, for the record.
(It's very nice.)]
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He doesn't have an answer, though, and it's kind of terrifying.
Accelerator doesn't fully let go, just pulls back enough to look her in the eye, shifting his grip to her shoulders.]
I don't know. What's the last thing you remember?
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I went to sleep — I was in my room.
I was walking through a forest, after that... My friends were there. I thought maybe it was just a dream, because I dream about home sometimes. [It felt real enough, but then again, so do a lot of dreams.] Then I was standing in a tunnel.
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[He's sorting through this information. Did she go home? If she had thought of it as a dream, was it actually a dream or is that feeling just a side effect of Echo putting her back in her own universe and then bringing her back? Or is there some third theory he isn't coming up with? Having so little idea of Echo's limitations he really, really isn't sure - he doesn't have enough data to work with. He certainly doesn't know what she means when she references a tunnel.]
I have no idea what happened to you. [He's at a loss and it's frustrating, and he lets go of her so he can drag a hand through his hair.] It could've been just a dream and Echo had moved you somewhere else, like in some stasis or something, or you could've gone home. Either of those options seems likely.
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Then... my world is still in danger.
[That's also not so great. But at least she has a chance to save it right now.]
Have other people gone home?
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He opens his mouth to say something, and freezes at her question.
Ah, fuck. Forget saving universes, this isn't a conversation she's going to like. She had been pretty close to Connor from what he had seen, it's going to hurt when he tells her he's gone. He isn't the right person for this, but who else is there? He can't put that on Robin or Hank.
Sucking in a slow breath, he glances away for a moment, then looks back at her steadily.]
...... Yeah. Connor.
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... I wish I said goodbye.
[Life in Etraya doesn't work like that. Normal life doesn't always work like that, either.]
Do you think his world could be safe now?
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.....
[At her question, he shakes his head.]
Someone else from his universe is here. His cop partner. I think that confirms it isn't safe.
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But someone else is here. Someone hopefully capable. She'd have to see for herself, on Connor's behalf.]
Is he trustworthy?
[Normal things to ask, when you're someone like them.]
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I think.... Connor would say he is.
[Which is important.]
So based off of that, yeah. I think he's trustworthy.
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I'll have to research him.
[Research. It's what Connor would want. Research is ideal.]
... Did anything else happen? Anything bad?
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He shakes his head.]
No. Still just doing missions. No idea how any of us are doing on them.
Return
Cephiro was a land of will. The heart which believes was the greatest power. It was why Ascot grew in height and became a teen in a short amount of time, why Princess Emeraude maintained peace and prosperity to her people until…
This young girl was not from Cephiro. She’s likely from another world like Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu. And like the Magic Knights, it’s possible she had endured hardships no other in her age range should experience first hand. If her statement held any truth, she was brought here before to complete missions in an attempt to save her world. Apparently she had returned… but why?
He needed to know what’s truly going on, that this wasn’t some sick and horrible joke. He’d already blamed himself for the pain, sadness, and sorrow the Magic Knights felt concerning the former Pillar. He refused to allow the same fate to happen to anyone else and especially if it could be prevented.
Using the staff as leverage, Clef made his way towards the girl with each careful step. Despite his labored breathing, despite the fatigue shown in his eyes, despite the strain on his overworked body… his will was stronger. He will not let his weakened state interfere, not now…
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"Your heart is beating fast. Are you hurt?"
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There’s no physical injuries to speak of, even though his body from the neck down was covered by his robe. His current condition was the result of overexertion; high level spells that were repeatedly cast to prevent Cephiro’s castle from collapse with little chance to recover could do that to even the most powerful of mages.
But there’s no need for the girl to know that. As far as he’s concerned, she’s the one for him to worry over and not the other way around.
“…I heard you say that you’ve been here - to Etraya - before. If your absence was the result of completing enough missions to save your world… then why have you returned?”
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"... I don't feel like I left." She frowns, puzzled by the thought. "I wasn't here long enough to save my home... I don't think I was."
And yet, here she was: back when she'd never truly left.
Or... had she? Going to bed is a muddy memory.
"You are new?"
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Regardless of the reason, his own integrity hasn't diminished nor were any signs of regret present in his features. If Clef was given a choice to go through the whole ordeal a second time, he would do so in a heartbeat.
“…”
The lavender-haired mage held his peace while the other answered his question to the best of her ability. What he noticed upon observation was the change in her facial expression and the sound of uncertainty laced in her voice, both which did little to grant himself peace of mind. If anything, it brought forth a reasonable amount of mistrust towards Aurora and her reasoning behind their arrival to Etraya. He may have to gather information on his own to find some semblance of truth… but how? Where could he even start from here?
“…?”
It took a moment of prolonged silence for him to realize how knee-deep in thought he was; the young girl had apparently asked a question only he could answer, but thus far was given no response. Clef could only get out of this unfortunate situation in the best way he knows how - by being oblivious.
“…What did you say?”
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Granted, he could have been here for months without her knowing. Time is relative only to her — children tend to be like that — and she couldn't place his scent, or his face, or the sound of his voice. People come and go often, but she's not one to forget those markers, not with her upbringing.