04 - week four

[afflictionmods]

WEEK FOUR

Saturday comes to a close, and it’s time for some rest and recovery. Perhaps the TLC you deserve will come this week, or perhaps the nightmare will continue. It’s hard to say with things being so strange around you, from Wei Wuxian’s disappearance to the sudden addition of objects and places and creatures from your homes. Who knows what this week will bring? Nothing ordinary, that’s for sure.

You wake up on Sunday to an increase in those little glimpses you saw yesterday. What were snippets of songs, locations that might’ve seemed familiar, and creatures that were dormant, are now all alive and whole. When you go to the karaoke bar, the songs you once knew are there. Monsters and animals are alive and sentient. New business are abound. Vehicles are operable, and perhaps some of your old belongings are back, too.

However, some of these things aren’t even things that should exist outside of your dreams. They may be far too strange and unusual to be real, or just things you don't remember ever seeing. The only thing you remember about these things in particular is that they were, quite literally, in your dreams this week.

That being said, every few hours, all of these things from your homes and dreams fade out and get replaced by new sounds, places, beasts….only to maybe come back again at another time.

Well. At least there's one constant here: You’ve got a handful of new locations to look at, with the fog having spread once more, and they aren't going anywhere. There aren’t as many new places that are native to Estelline this time around, but that may be for the best, considering everything going on.


SETTING TRACKER

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEWSPAPER SUBMISSIONS + EDITION #1

SAGE / FLORENCE / LORELEI

MEM SHARE DETAILS

OOC NOTE

OOC: Details on this week can be found here!

Also, we have a lot of participants for the news activity from last week. Neat! Everyone who participated in some capacity will have a small polaroid camera delivered to their doorstep. There's limited film, though - 10 photos per camera. It doesn't seem like there's any extra film at this time, either.

Finally, there will not be any weekly tasks this week. You guys are going to be busy with memshare and dreamscape stuff; instead, enjoy the Estelline University Newspaper!

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[exofractured]

i. cw: violence, memory issues; Rays Arc 3 spoilers

[The glimpse through the portal is inviting: a sunny little fishing village, bustling with cheerful activity. Stepping through brings you out near two teenagers talking nearby. One is a smiling blonde girl, while the boy might look a little familiar. But this small Phantom(?) doesn't have mismatched eyes, and there's no sigil marking his face.]

...hoping we could go to the Moonrise Hill together.

That's a lovely spot! Oh, and we should invite Ix to join us! The three of us haven't had a picnic together in forever.

[Maybe there's a moment to catch the disappointment on the boy's face or the hesitation before he answers.

--But that's not right, is it? The memory distorts, and like a skipping record, the part before seems to replay. Only a little different.]

...hoping we could go to the Glasswater Woods together.

[It distorts again, and this time, you find yourself in the woods. Lush greenery is everywhere and everything is peaceful. Until somewhere through the trees, you hear the snarl of monsters and distant yelling.]

ii. cw: memory and identity issues; Rays Arc 4 spoilers

[Stepping into this memory leads you into what is clearly a castle. Grand marble halls, plush red carpet beneath your feet, banners with some kind of crest hanging from the walls. There's no shortage of things to explore here if you choose to wander around. Or perhaps you follow the sound of voices - voice, singular? There's some kind of argument going on in a room off to the side. It isn't loud yet, but Phantom's tone is intense.]

Please, stop. If the new Delusionward severs my connection to you...

[Some of the words are muffled. But then there's Phantom's voice again, firmer this time in disagreement.]

I know what you're trying to say, but I can't agree to that.

iii. cw: probable violence of the JRPG boss variety; Rays Arc 1 spoilers

[This memory opens into a wide room, dimly lit in an eerie blue. There are traces of machinery all around - giant glass cases faintly glowing from the chunks of crystal inside, a bank of monitors with holograms projected in place of screens, something like a giant wheel giving off spokes of red light. And everywhere throughout the lab are more crystals, growing from the ground, piercing machinery. Including the conspicuous device at the center of the room.

Someone familiar with how to read blueprints might recognize it from the design that was pinned to the bulletin board, even as mangled as it currently is. Phantom, standing nearby, turns at the sound of footsteps.]

You're running late--

[He stops, visibly befuddled. An unexpected visitor really took the wind out of his sails on whatever speech he was winding up for.]

Another Nexus? What are you doing here?

[OOC: Memories are interactive unless you opt otherwise. If you go non-interactive I'll have other characters appearing to deliver their lines on schedule, otherwise you'll get Phantom. Let me know if you want Affliction!Phantom to appear later in the thread.

If you want to work out a memory that isn't sunny with a chance of violence, poke me on discord/plurk and we can figure out something custom!]

i;

[fabulation]

[ Oh boy.

Xingqiu certainly has little to no context for this. Though, the fact that at least one of those teenagers look familiar doesn't exactly pass him by with ease.

The odd skipping does catch his attention, bringing along a disconcerting feel to all of this. But upon being transported into the woods, he will immediately follow the sounds of shouting and snarling monsters.

What kind of troubling scene does he happen upon next? ]

[exofractured]

[The good news is, by the time Xingqiu nears the scene, things are quieter. There's a flash of light through the trees if he needs anything to guide himself by. The scene opens up on a clearing and a beautiful lake.

Less scenic are the bodies of monsters scattered around. None of them appears to be moving now - actually, the only thing moving is the boy in green, kneeling by the blonde girl. The grass around them is littered with mirror shards.]

Mileena?!

[They're not the only two human bodies present, however. Near them is a boy in a really rather awful blue outfit, also unmoving. Approach? Watch longer?]

[fabulation]

[ Oh, at least the surroundings look nice—haha, jk those sure are some monstrous bodies lying around, what fun!

Xingqiu will, in fact, come along to approach where the three are a decent bit closer. First, to check on the unmoving boy...you know, to see if he's bleeding, or looking otherwise not-dead.

He will even check for a pulse before looking over at the other two. ]

[exofractured]

[The boy is still breathing, but injured fairly badly. There's blood covering him from deep gashes, but more alarming than that might be just how incredibly still he's lying. Mini-Phantom(?) looks up in surprise from where he's checking on the girl.]

Who are you? No, wait- Ix! Is Ix... alright...?

[fabulation]

[ He opens his mouth to answer the first question but then the other inquiry comes and he decides to leave it for now. When he looks back at Ix, Xingqiu feels for a moment a sense of deja vu.

If only because of what happened to Chongyun not too long ago... ]

He's alive, for now. Do you have any bandages with you? Or any healing spells?

[ A long shot since he's so young, but, you know. ]

iii

[undertakings]

[Well, this is probably closer to something like Narnia even if there is more of a magitech vibe than straight fantasy. Perhaps that's why it takes him a moment to answer as he takes in the surroundings instead of paying much mind to Phantom. But once he's had his fill, he'll finally answer the question at hand.]

I was sucked into a portal. It's already happened a few times in the past couple of days.

[He figures this is probably safe to say considering Phantom knows magic and comes from some tricked out fantasy world, but hey, he's ready to be disappointed if he reacts otherwise!!]

[exofractured]

[Shin's absolutely nonchalance, combined with that explanation, seem to temporarily disarm this Phantom. He looks at him in utter confusion.

Portals are... well, that might as well happen. Why not.]

If you're another world traveler, you would be wise to leave quickly. This world of lies is on the verge of falling apart at the seams.

[undertakings]

[Hm. Okay, he stands corrected. But also, it's Phantom so he should've expected no less, or something? That warning does get him to reciprocate with a slightly confused look of his own though.]

What do you mean?

[There is just a lot to unravel with that one statement alone, really. And while it should probably be an alarming statement to hear, at this point Shin is well aware that this is a recreation of a memory--something he can't change. If the world is going to crumble, then that's what will happen.]

[exofractured]

Exactly as it sounds.

[He gestures towards the crystal-riddled Kaleidoscope, which... that doesn't explain anything, actually? It's okay, he's still in peak monologue mood at the moment, so:]

Using the energy I've gathered with this, I'm going to bring down the shield around this world and build a new one on its ashes. And I have no need for anomalies in the world I'm constructing.

[undertakings]

[Thanks Phantom, for your love of drama and monologue because he would be totally lost here otherwise. This really sounds like a classic villain speech though, and it's... new? He's never really met anyone who would say this kind of stuff with a straight face before...]

And how certain are you that it's going to work out?

ii

[selfconcept]

[ Hien tries to diminish his presence to making himself seem like a regular human whose presence level is so low, he might as well be an ant. He hears Phantom's voice and tries to peek in order to see what's going on. Is Phantom doing some ventriloquist thing in secret...? ]

[exofractured]

[Hien's technique is super effective! Also Phantom is entirely preoccupied with his argument and not inclined to notice anything. When Hien peers into the room he'll see two Phantoms each alike in dignity perfectly indistinguishable from each other. Face, expressions, clothing, mannerisms - perfect reflections.]

You don't know! Ix Nieves is dead. What you should be doing is creating a future for you and Mileena, not trying to revive an Ix from the past.

Mileena's never thought of me like that. And you know I care for Ix. If they can be happy together, then... then I...

You think you can fool yourself? I know your heart. Even more deeply than Marcus does as our mirrite.

[Both Phantoms are looking pretty agitated, the first a little angry, the second with his arms wrapped around himself as he frowns. Looks like a very personal argument.]

[selfconcept]

[ Phantom said something about this, didn't he... Hien squints, watching the two argue. The only thing he questions right now is that why are they wearing the same exact clothes??? ]

[exofractured]

[Wait until Hien finds out that thanks to Rays' "budget," Phantom has the exact same sprite for ages 10-25.

The argument continues more in the same vein - whether the angry Phantom really understands, whether said revival is ethical, what each of their motives are, with maybe a few highlights...]

All you're doing is trying to erase the past where you stabbed him!

[...Well. Now both Phantoms are angry, at least. Improvement?]

If you intend to interfere... I don't care if you're me. I won't forgive you.

Even so, I won't give up. In order to save you, I'll create a world where you can be saved. ...And I'll eliminate anything that gets in my way.

[They might be winding down now. Currently-angry-previously-worried Phantom is turning towards the door.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien pokes his head out. Despite his earlier sneak tactics, he just blatantly asks him the one closer to him: ]

Are you done? Can I come out now?

iii

[pr159]

Just wandered in.

[ Some of the technology here looks a little like what they have in Elympios, he thinks, but it's different enough to make him curious. He goes over to look at a monitor. ]

"Nexus," you said?

LET'S GO time to manifest rideaux for rays

[exofractured]

"Wandered in"? Past the soldiers and the Shadow Beasts?

[Please?? Phantom gives Rideaux a look of warranted suspicion for that.]

It's no matter. I have all the anima I require already.

PLEASE

[pr159]

That's right. Wasn't actually that hard.

[ smiles ]

Require for... what, your project here?

[exofractured]

[FROWNS]

Yes. Enough energy to create not just continents, but to remake this world in its entirety. Are you here to stand in my way?

[pr159]

I'm in the business of destroying worlds rather than creating them, actually... but I don't have a horse in this particular race.

i;

[partymagician]

[ Hm.

The way the memory seems to rewind and suddenly leaves Fai in the middle of the forest is concerning, but he decides to just simply go with the flow to see what happens.

Well, that is, until he hears the sound of monsters intermixed with yelling. Fai runs toward the sound, hoping to find the source of it. ]

[exofractured]

[The source becomes apparent as the woods open up into a clearing by a lake, where a number of wolf-like monsters are lying unmoving on the ground. Another teenager in blue is glowing alarmingly as the girl in red holds up yet another mirror.]

Mileena!

[There's a lot of glowing, chaos, and the sound of a mirror shattering into pieces.]

[partymagician]

[ Well, this is no good! Fai watches closely, trying to get a better gauge of the situation. Is someone losing control over their powers?

Hm.

He brings magic to his fingertips, waiting with a protection spell should anyone need it. ]

[exofractured]

[Fai's guess is astute, but it seems some things about this memory don't want to be changed. Already the light is flaring away again as both the girl and the other boy fall to the ground, and small Phantom(?) looks between them in a panic.]

I-it stopped... Mileena!

[He's a little too distraught to have seen the intruder yet.]