EVENT LOG 007 | PART TWO

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Beijing (for the most part!)
WHEN: January 20-January 26(-ish)
WHAT: Arriving in New Beijing, picking up newcomers, playing tourist, and then going into a military base. In the eternal words of Gabriel Reyes, "What could possibly go wrong!?"
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion, loss of autonomy, mentions of circumstances around removing an IV. Further notes at end of log.

> EVENT #007 | PART TWO

Previously on The Days of Our Displaced, a lot of the Displaced decided to hop on a train for New Beijing to help out a murderous AI named Cassius. Just two months ago, Cassius killed thousands of people in New Amsterdam proper, claiming that he did it because the world was ending. Two months later, Cassius is out to find his old friend Judas: a military AI who was once bent on eradicating humanity entirely. Getting to Judas won't be easy, so Cassius intends to deliver on favors for everyone's efforts. That's why they're on the train now: Judas is likely held within the UNA's HQ in New Beijing, the world's capital. The base itself is certain to be secure, and the soldiers guarding the location won't be easily beat.

The train to New Beijing was meant to only have brief stops along the way, but one daring and reckless Displaced is going to decide to try to break the highly advanced maglev train during one of those brief stops … Let's see how that goes:

Trains between the megacities of the world rarely stop to pick up new passengers as they're meant to only hit major stations. As a result, most of the stops are temporary and meant for dropping off shipments and supplies. There are three stops between New Amsterdam and New Beijing: two are at research outposts shockingly staffed by actual scientists and the third is New Kyiv.

New Kyiv is one of the smaller megacities of the world, numbering only at about three million people. Compared to New Amsterdam, its architecture is newer and modeled after most of the current trends. The stop at New Kyiv was meant to be temporary. Several large-bodied robots surged forward to remove large metal boxes full of supplies, and everything went as planned right until it was time to leave. That's when the conductor of the train announced that there were some technical difficulties and everyone would need to remain seated.

The delay itself clocks in at around two hours. No one is allowed off the train to get some fresh air because of the rigid travel sanctions. After all, no one declared that they would be going to New Kyiv, so they can't clear customs to head into the city itself. The only upside is that everyone will get a free beverage of their choice to enjoy during this time.

Once the delay is over, the conductor gets the train moving with a brief apology for the extended stop and no announcement about what was wrong.

> LOST IN NEW BEIJING | NEW ARRIVALS

About fifteen minutes after the Displaced arrive in New Beijing—which is a solid two hours after the original ETA—an alert comes in from Gaby, not unlike how they do from El any other month. It scrolls across everyone's vision as if it's being written while they're reading it.

We got a tip about a surprisingly large group of people in white scrubs being rolled into an old hotel about a mile from the train depot. Get there quickly. The "eyes" we've got on the place tells us they're still out, believe it or not. Check both rooms 303 and 304. Keep them calm. Get their names. We'll get their IDs set up ASAP. Nothing fancy. We can't do fancy when it's fucked up like this.

The hotel isn't very far on foot, so the Displaced may want to get headed in that direction quickly.

Once they get to the hotel, everyone will meet little resistance in getting to the rooms themselves. In fact, anyone who passes through the hotel lobby asking for rooms 303 and 304 will be granted permission to get inside. The elevator up to the rooms is tidy and recently cleaned, though there's a spot on the floor with a stain that doesn't seem like it wants to let up.

Inside, the rooms may seem larger than expected, even with all the new arrivals inside hooked up to IVs and kept sedated. There are no beds present to make room for the hospital gurneys that were brought inside to help get everyone setup, and there is also none of the other usual furniture. Each of these new arrivals has hair recently cut but at different stages of growth. There won't be any instructions for how to handle these new arrivals, but given their level of sedation, it may be apparent that the IVs will need to be removed.

Once the IVs are pulled out, awareness will come to each of the new arrivals in blurred snatches. Chaos and uncertainty, maybe even an ache in their arm from an IV hastily removed. A dim light cast around the room, shades pulled down and a door opening and closing. There will only be faint memories of how they got here: rolled up a ramp into the hotel, crammed into a stinky elevator, waiting for the chime for the next floor. Any sign of stirring would be met with a hushed whisper and a jolt of fatigue, putting them back under.

Whether they like it or not, these new arrivals will have to listen to every order, every command that's given. Hopefully their "saviors" are up for the babysitting task.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

◉ Morningstar in New Beijing won't be equipped to take in these new arrivals. The Displaced will need to exercise discretion to get them from this location to wherever they've chosen to stay to hunker down until they get their IDs made. Going out before then will put them at risk of arrest. All of the new arrivals will have their IDs set up within 36 hours, but there won't be any fancy backstories or certifications. El will supply each of them with a basic, positive work history, with an appropriate number of apartments for their age to get them started. Since none of the new arrivals will have access to a Morningstar safehouse to be added to the network, they won't be added to the network until that 36 hour period is done.

◉ All new arrivals will be given a stipend and some new clothes to get through New Beijing (compared to the raggedy old scrubs they typically have on hand if they first show up in New Amsterdam, these will be new and freshly delivered). That doesn't guarantee that they fit perfectly or are fashionable, and what anyone gets can either be determined by Gaby, El, or one of their Displaced new friends guessing at their size and what they'd look good in. All of their IDs will make it so that they're native to New Beijing, with job applications put in at businesses in New Amsterdam to help facilitate their eventual move over.

◉ Within an hour of getting their IDs set up, Cassius will send them a message from @100432: Hello! I'm Cassius, your NPC (Neural implant Processing Caretaker) helper. Think of me as a mini-guide for all of your world-integrating needs. I have access to information, manipulation, and expansion of some of this world's largest databases.
Please, feel free to ask me anything.
Actually, now that I think about it, I may have something to ask you.

Aside from offering them the same deal as everyone else, he'll be happy to get them filled in.

> NEW BEIJING

Unlike other megacities in 2512, New Beijing's location is the closest to its original namesake, and one of the most preserved. There is a large dam on its eastern-most border that was built as soon as the sea level began to rise and slowly enveloped the city of Tianjin. In time, Tianjin was lost to the ocean, but the Chinese government worked swiftly to protect Beijing from further damage. Since then, that dam has made up the beginning of the border wall around the city, remaining the sole stable fixture for New Beijing in years to come. Now, New Beijing's borders stretch inland for miles upon miles, branching off the dam and remaining flexible and changeable as the city's needed more and more room to grow.

In terms of structure, New Beijing is made up almost entirely of reclaimed parts of the continent of China thanks to the long-standing efforts of the dam. The area closest to the dam makes up the city's historic district, and it's where restored landmarks such as the Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven stand. Other landmarks, such as the Great Wall of Badaling, still surface under the water near the dam. Despite the city's sprawling nature into the Chinese continent, the city is still built upward and downward, with the three uppermost levels of the city being the most appealing to the eye. Deeper into the city away from the sun is where New Beijing hides most of its blemishes: the impoverished people, as well as the districts that are never advertised in any travel packet online.

Otherwise, from the skyline to the traditions held in New Beijing, the city acts as an homage to what once was, with the skeleton of what was there before just beneath the surface.

> THE SURFACE
In many ways, the outward appearance of New Beijing is a perfect model for everything the United Nations hopes to project outwardly. Although they have nothing to prove except to themselves and their citizens, New Beijing is a beautiful city with a high-reaching skyline and a tradition that dates back several millennia. Once the Displaced land in New Beijing, they will find little to fault in the picturesque nature of the city. The streets are clean and though there are older hotels like the one where the new arrivals will be found, they are very rare.

◉ Every building in the city is pristine, with clear glass windows that allow a large degree of transparency. Despite this, the city's large reported population doesn't seem to match the number of people in the first few levels of the city itself.

◉ There are numerous codes of conduct announced by AR displays around the city. No littering or someone will be fined 500 credits immediately. There isn't a curfew, but only public transport vehicles and licensed car-sharing providers are allowed to be in the sky after 9PM. Around 11PM, public transit comes every half hour to an hour, making it difficult to get across the city in the late hours of the night. There are also rigid noise restrictions.

◉ Even during the day, most people prefer to get around via public transit, bikes, or simply by foot.

◉ Most businesses close by 9PM, making it difficult for someone who might seek out a late night snack.

◉ There are few, if any, businesses that would be called "dives" or "holes in the wall." Leasing a property in the upper levels is too expensive. Some ambitious entrepreneurs may go into business together, but they often struggle within just a few months before ultimately giving up. New Beijing offers little room for someone to live out their dreams.

◉ The surface is also where the United Nations government is housed, as well as the UNA Headquarters. The government is housed within the historic district, while the base is on the opposite end of the city, making up its western-most wall.

> RIVERSTONE
Riverstone is a constant figure in the surface levels of New Beijing. Riverstone has been a part of Beijing's identity since the early 22nd century, having relocated their headquarters from Shanghai following the end of World War III. They promised to help preserve and restore the city's landmarks once they named it as their HQ. Once upon a time, Riverstone was an entertainment mogul that branched out during the 21st century, buying up a lot of dying and unsuccessful properties to claim as their own. In the process, they branched into the cybernetics industry and invested in artificial intelligence so they could prove that the world should not be reliant on AI. Riverstone is still an entertainment mogul, but they have their fingers in a lot of other projects.

◉ Riverstone primarily works out of New Beijing. All of their up and coming employees are eventually transferred to New Beijing to live out their lives. There are small satellite locations in other locations (like New Amsterdam), but they focus the bulk of their development on the UN capital city.

◉ In New Beijing, it's hard to find a business that doesn't have Riverstone's mark. Many businesses rely on Riverstone's investment to make it—and if a company fails, it's likely because they failed in that arena. Riverstone owns or invests in the bulk of New Beijing's hotel chains, restaurants, or "small" businesses. The relationship between Riverstone and the city is symbiotic in nature, so much so that no other corporate entity has a foothold in the city itself. Businesses in New Beijing live or die by Riverstone's marketing firms and advertisement.

◉ Riverstone also runs and maintains the city's local public transit.

◉ Unsurprisingly, Riverstone has an amusement park at the center of the city: Dream River. It's an eclectic park full of rides, parades, and roller coasters that acts both as a resort and a marketing machine for many of Riverstone's IPs in the video game, television, and film industries. No matter where someone is on the surface of New Beijing, they'll be able to see the bright blue glow of Dream River in the evening hours.

◉ Any of the Displaced can find tickets to Dream River via resale sites, but it won't be cheap. Besides, no one's in New Beijing for the entertainment—right?

> SPACEPORT
At the northern end of New Beijing is the most heavily trafficked spaceport in the world. Most of the shipments for the colonies come through New Beijing, having been officially checked through customs and approved for transit before they're sent off. Thanks to the technology available in 2512, most of these shipments rarely have any impact on the city as a whole, making their liftoffs unnoticeable in a lot of ways (as they are silent and don't cause any other environmental problems).

◉ Getting into the port isn't difficult. It's actually a tourist trap because there is still some excitement around space travel even in the 26th century. Visitors must declare themselves at the entrance as it is a secure area.

◉ There is a mini-museum along the first long pathway into the port itself given via AR display. Much of the interface talks about the next frontier for humanity, gives projected (and frequently adjusted) dates for the completion of the colony projects, and a demonstration of the significance of terraforming.

◉ There is little mention of UNC2 (the Mars colony), as it's been officially redacted from record.

◉ No freighters depart for the Mars location. Anyone who's waiting for their launch because they've accepted a government subsidy won't be headed to Mars. Most people are headed to UNC3 and UNC5 (the Jupiter colonies) or UNC6 (Pluto).

> THE FORGOTTEN LEVELS
Despite all the glamour and beauty of New Beijing, there should be the sneaking suspicion that something is not quite right. Everyone will be able to depart from the three upper levels of the city via escalator and elevator so that they can explore what is hidden. The deeper someone goes, the more it will begin to be apparent that the impoverished population of New Beijing has been pushed out of the public eye.

◉ Businesses in these areas are cramped and pushed on top of one another. It's cheaper to lease, but the conditions of the buildings themselves is poor as they frequently have to deal with mold and flooding thanks to the closeness to the ocean and the depth of the city itself.

◉ Unlike the surface, the underground part of New Beijing is less pristine. Multiple people wear medical masks. There are hospitals and other amenities providing healthcare to people, but given the difficult lives people lead in these lower levels, most of them can't take off work to get medical care.

◉ There are numerous squatters and homeless people taking up property. They beg for assistance or food. Though many of them used to surface outside of this part of the city, strict sanctions by the city's government forced them back out of the public eye.

◉ There are numerous hostels in these lower levels. They have cramped bunk beds with assigned living areas and blocks of time to shower in community bathrooms. Water rationing is standard in the lower levels because the cost of water is much too expensive.

◉ Food and goods are cheaper in these areas, though someone will have to ask around for what places tend to have fresh enough food.

◉ Drug trafficking and use is rampant in these lower levels. It's not difficult to find someone offering to help dilute the mind so you can live out your day while being unaware of what's happening. Theft is also common.

◉ Gangs are present everywhere, but they have a short lifespan. Unlike in New Amsterdam where the criminal underground has a hierarchy, there is nothing like that in New Beijing. Frequent raids from the New Beijing Police Departments mean that gangs are frequently broken up, with the members sent to rehabilitation centers around the globe. These raids also sweep up drug addicts. These raids come with little notice.

◉ The Red Light District and Morningstar's local chapters work in tandem in these levels. Morningstar acts more openly here because of the countless people in need, and the sex workers often double as information brokers while helping people get shelter and a meal. Morningstar's resources help prevent some of the most severe consequences (such loved ones being separated).

◉ In these lower levels, it's nearly impossible to uphold the laws around population restrictions. As a result, these raids also often result in children being separated from their parents who weren't approved for having a kid. These parents would also be arrested to further justify this action. (Having a child without permission is not enough to get someone arrested in typical situations, so it may seem as if the officers are trying to meet a quota by slapping these parents with arrests for other, unrelated "crimes.") This can happen at any age.

> UNA HEADQUARTERS

On the evening of the 25th, an explosion goes off on the eastern end of the city within half a mile of the UN offices. Thanks to the vicinity of the explosion, UNA soldiers are dispatched almost immediately to the site of the explosion. Only a small handful of people were hurt in this explosion—with no one killed—but there are threats all over social media announcing that this is only one of many attacks that will take place over the next 24 hours. Thanks to the efforts of the AI behind all this, the UN's technical team will struggle to cut off the announcements. A new explosion will occur every hour, moving closer and closer to the UN buildings themselves.

These attacks are Cassius' distractions, and he'll have let the Displaced know about the go time in advance.

> PREPARATIONS AND RECONNAISSANCE
◉ Cassius will provide schematics of the base before anyone steps foot in New Beijing. The base is three times the size of the base in New Amsterdam, with large, soulless buildings. There won't be a set route, but Cassius will mark paths where he can sabotage surveillance as well as areas that are unlikely to house Judas (such as the barracks, cafeteria, and training facilities) and thus should be avoided.

◉ No one will be prepared for an attack on the base, and 75% of the soldiers will be swarming the other side of the city looking for the mysterious entities behind the terrorist attack.

◉ For anyone hoping to do recon in advance, they can take meals at the office buildings located around the edge of the base to try to get an eye on what's inside. While the tall walls around the base will prevent most observation, they'll be able to get a sense of the base so they can compare it to the schematics on file.

> ENTRY POINT AND INTERIOR
◉ Steve Rogers under his alter ego Buff Ridges will be everyone's ride to get inside of the base. In the hours prior to the operation, Cassius will provide Steve with an armored vehicle that will let him in right through the base's northmost loading dock. Despite the conflict elsewhere in the city, there will be little concern about this shipment. After all, business must proceed as usual. Cassius will doctor a manifest or three to ensure this truck arrives without raising any red flags.

◉ The only people allowed on the truck will be people who either agreed to Cassius' terms or who hasn't proved themselves to be a hostile interloper. (Please feel free to contact us below if you're not sure if your character qualifies as a hostile interloper.)

◉ Everyone partaking in the operation will be provided bulletproof vests, masks (though they don't disguise a neural implant, Cassius will be working to scrub any security footage that might track someone's neural implant signature), a gun armed with bullets that can put down a UNA soldier, and stun batons (thanks to Daisy Johnson and supplies from Cassius).

◉ Anyone who's taking part in El and Ren's plan to steal Judas will get a mask that obscures the neural implant signature.

◉ Despite the guns, Cassius will recommend that they disable rather than kill the UNA soldiers because of the protocols enacted when a soldier is killed. It will raise too many alarms, and there isn't enough time to surgically remove a neural implant and dispose of it given the time-sensitive nature of the operation.

◉ Once inside, the interior of the base is as soulless as its exterior. There are white brick walls, tiled floors, and dim lighting because of the evening hours. Most of the UNA officers are off site dealing with the terrorist attack, so there will be little traffic in the hallways.

◉ If anyone wanders off to get food from the cafeteria purely because it's marked, they will get caught.

> FINDING JUDAS
◉ After covering most of the base, the Displaced will come across a large, four-walled structure near the south end of the base. This structure isn't far from the base' medical and surgical wings, as well as the engineering facilities. For those with a savvy eye, they will be able to determine that this structure is built to be protected from most attacks (including ones that are electromagnetic in nature).

◉ There will be a solid, many-layered sliding door on the north end of this structure that's locked through several layers of encryption. Due to the nature of the base and the figure inside of this structure, no one will be able to utilize Cassius or El's hacking prowess to get in. The Displaced will have to work on site itself and figure it out.

◉ If the Displaced get past all the encryption—or recklessly blow the door open, which obviously comes with its own risks—they'll find a server that's running locally. Disconnected from the internet in every way, Judas appears to be kept isolated in a small area. There is no means to talk to Judas yet.

◉ Displaced who have in-game powers that can get them inside will be able to do so. There is no power nerfing here of those in-game powers.

◉ Judas can be transferred onto an offline device that El or Cassius provided for the mission (there will be one of each). Both AI will be aware of Judas' likely volatile nature after being trapped for centuries, and they won't be quick to let Judas onto the world's network.

◉ It's time to decide how this ends up playing out. Will Judas be free or destroyed? Will Judas be handed over to Cassius, El, or taken by the Displaced themselves and set up somewhere secure so they can talk to him? Or will the Displaced get in each other's way, making it so they can't get to where Judas is in the first place?

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies, and welcome to the second part of our event! Your character will be able to jump in as soon as possible. If you've ever taken a look at our arrival logs, this one is working a little differently. Characters will be able to leave and walk the streets freely after 36 hours have passed, making it so they're free to go midway through the day on January 21st (which is the OOC date of November 11th). To get caught up on the event, take a look at our planning post here and our first part of the event here. In addition, Cassius will be contacting all of the newcomers and offering them additional assistance, and you can thread that out here!

Please feel free to ask any other questions about this event! We are always happy to help someone get integrated, and are happy to design a special role for you and your character.

For everyone who opts into Cassius' deal, there is a network up for communication. This is a temporary network, and please note the conditions on that post! This is a way for characters to both get in touch with Cassius and each other. As for El, anyone who's working with them can reach out via zeir inbox over here, if needed.

We're putting the final outcome of this event to an OOC vote!

EDITED 11/11/19: That vote is here!

Please feel free to play out encounters around the UNA base and with regards to Judas' location with the exception of whether they succeed at getting to(/at) Judas or fail. Please head to our Questions thread below to let us know what options you'd like available! We'll also have a section for you to briefly summarize your character's role so we can represent it in the aftermath log. The deadline for voting/submitting will be November 25th at 23:59 UTC.

Finally, as a reminder, do not thread anything out beyond this log. There will be a lot that is dependent on character action in the operation and with regards to Cassius' deals after the fact. As a change from what the calendar for the month says, the aftermath log will be on November 30th. We'll push it back further if it seems like that's needed! This aftermath log may be in two separate parts!

Our next Test Drive Meme goes up on November 20th, with reserves opening on November 23rd. Thanks to all of you for your interest in the game!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

QUESTIONS

[larkers]

[evite]

the first of what will probably be 8000 questions:

- re: the raids on families in the lower levels of nb, will any of these raids occur while the pc's are in nb? if so, if someone were to realize what was happening and follow the raid, would they be able to determine where these collected children were being held? would it be possible for a pc to rescue these children from the holding facility and/or interrupt the raid and pull them away?

not sure if i want to go this route but just want to figure out options!

@100342

[btryl]

Hello! I'm Cassius, your NPC (Neural implant Processing Caretaker) helper. Think of me as a mini-guide for all of your world-integrating needs. I have access to information, manipulation, and expansion of some of this world's largest databases.
Please, feel free to ask me anything.
Actually, now that I think about it, I may have something to ask you.

[This is the thread for all our newbie characters. Welcome!]

@kara.danvers

[advena]

Whoa.

[ that's weird. kara thinks it's also weird to see her thoughts translate into text. not even krypton had something like this. ]

Wait, neural implant?

kara danvers, new arrival

[advena]

arrival — closed to riku

[ in sleep, there is peace. it isn't true sleep — an iv-encouraged state of unconsciousness, really — but it's enough for kara's eyes to stay closed, her chest rising and falling in slow, even breaths, short bob splayed out around her head on the bed to form a small, golden halo.

talking to her won't do much. shaking her limbs, too, only results in a quiet groan of acknowledgement. if riku wants to wake his charge, he'll have to take more drastic, urgent action. there's a risk that, if he doesn't, her weakened body may not awaken from its slumber. ]

new beijing upper & dream river — open to all

[ staying put isn't something kara much wants to do. she might be under the weather, unable to access the powers that make her supergirl back in national city, but she's still dogged and determined to map out the place she's woken up in. besides, anything is better than the hotel rooms and the crowds of people in them, each one overcome with emotions no one's entirely ready to talk about.

so kara explores. as soon as her id is set, she heads out onto the streets, following the lead of the citizens that walk the sidewalks (all surprisingly clean, for such a big city) until she winds up near city center, the skyline always present in her peripheral. at first, her wandering is aimless, simple; she walks into cafes and shops and hotel lobbies, getting her bearings and listening to conversations, endlessly frustrated at how normal her hearing appears to be. she should be able to hear all the way across the city, not just across the room.

it's not until much later, when day turns to night and the sun sinks below the buildings in the distance, when kara finally begins to take in the bright lights of dream river. it's beautiful — in a manufactured, materalistic kind of way. it reminds her of the commercials for amusement parks that used to come on tv during thanksgiving, the ones she used to beg eliza and jeremiah to take her and alex to, the ones that had oversized turkey legs and characters with mouse ears in every other frame. she lingers outside of the front gates, watching enviously as parents with a child clutched tight to their hands waltz through, as giddy twenty-somethings speed in for a few hours with reckless entertainment.

she lingers long enough to watch as one man climbs out of a hovercar taxi, his small child eagerly bouncing at his heels. she watches him so intently, so desperately, she doesn't even notice her chest begin to bloom blue with light, the color spilling forward and mingling with the glow of the dream river sign. she only notices when, a few moments later, the man rushes to her with a confused but urgent expression.

what's your name? i have two tickets, you can have them.

well, isn't that nice? she'd been wishing pretty hard for a way in, but she hadn't asked him for anything... and yet, now she has two tickets, attached to her neural id and just begging to be used. time to turn to someone, anyone, and ask: ]

Do you want to come with me?

new beijing lower — open to all

[ kara winds up in the lower levels almost by mistake. she's following instinct, exploring the city to find those places where the others of the world go, unsure if that will be alien or simply down on their luck in a city like this. she's looking for a bar, something a little sticky-floored and unadvertised, somewhere where people can be anonymous. it hasn't occured to her, yet, that anonymity is a long-forgotten concept in places like this.

she doesn't find the bar of her memories, but what she does find is something else altogether. men and women sporting medical masks, hungry people of all ages begging for food and money, pick-pockets and petty thieves taking what little they can from people who cannot afford to spare it. it's the sort of thing kara would have done anything to stop as supergirl, and for what feels like the thousandth time in a minute, she wishes she had the anonymity of the suit to do anything about it.

but maybe she doesn't need that. maybe she can still be kara, and still do good. so when a man slides up behind an older woman trying to get her groceries home, and when the glint of a knife catches kara's eye, she's all too quick to rush forwards, putting herself and her squared shoulders firmly in between. ]

Stop!

[ is it smart? no. the would-be attacker is all too happy to refocus his attentions, angry and vindictive; while the woman goes free and gets to bring her groceries home another day, kara earns a knife slice for her troubles, the red line pooling blood up and over her bare skin.

from the expression on her face, it's clear this isn't something she's used to. somebody might need to step in and help out before she gets herself killed in the process. ]

› wildcard

[ choose your own adventure. drop me a line at semicolons / quake#2740 or via pm if you have questions/concerns! ]

d̶i̶d̶n̶e̶y̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶r̶l̶ dream river

[thwipandrelease]

[nothing's ever easy for them in this world, so it would figure that this journey to new beijing would come with some unexpected twists and turns. peter's getting some air and trying to take in the city while he still can when he spots the telltale sign of one of their own — that eerie blue glow — looking intently at a man and his daughter who then promptly heads her way. peter tries to master the art of casual as he moves closer to them by looking toward the amusement park between glances at her.

he's more than a little worried she'll get caught because it's not exactly a quiet area, but then the man scurries off and this woman is turning toward him to invite him to join her. huh. well, someone gotta be the responsible adult here. and since it's clear she's not speaking to anyone else, it's apparently going to be him.]

Uh yeah, but you should really be more careful. [he holds out his hand and smiles wide.] I'm Peter.

takeshi kovacs ( ota )

[resleeves]

▶ 01. NEW BEIJING - LOWER LEVELS

---

[ he's really not sure what to expect from this place but he doesn't think it's any surprise that he immediately shuns the shiny surface and ends up in the darker, dirtier parts of the city.

that's where he thrives and that's where he fucking wants to be. he doesn't want to go help a bunch of newly arrived babies who'll need too long explanations and he doesn't want to go mingle with the rich and the famous. he wants to walk along streets where people shy away from him or threaten him without any sort of preamble.

this is where all the fun happens anyway. it's easy, then, to find the people that like to sell the goodies. he's kept himself well stocked for awhile but there's no harm in getting himself a cushion, is there?

he buys a few baggies of colorful pills from one man and a few more from another. he doesn't know what they are and he doesn't care.

he's going to pop two immediately (bright pink, how fun) and let his vision blur and tip while his body seems to float.

not bad, not bad. it doesn't knock him on his ass so once he's good and high, he pushes on, trying to find other things that he could get his hands on. ]

▶ 02. UNA HEADQUARTERS

---

[ kovacs supposes he has to do what he was sent here to do even if he would have rather stayed underground and just taken whatever pill he could get his hands on.

but hey, they give him a nice, shiny gun and a kevlar vest and though the fucking ai didn't want them to kill people, he was probably going to kill some fucking people. look, they'd kill him if they got the chance so oops, if his finger slipped, what would be the fucking harm?

he's alone as he moves down the hall, peeking into various rooms and, when he finds a half drunk bottle of something that smells like alcohol, he picks it up and sips it while he holds the gun in his other hand.

multitasking. ]

▶ 03. WILDCARD

---

[ feel free to throw anything at me. i'm at spoonishly for plotting! ]

as promised, a good girl

[advena]

[ for the past however many years since kara was of legal age, she's only been drunk once in her life. that had been a moment of strange circumstance, aldebaran rum strong in a small glass ordered for her by someone else, and not one she'd repeated since. but she's never been high, not really. not in the way that this man seems to have been, his expression shifting from blissfully unmoored to something more down-to-earth as the effects apparently wear off.

if it's stupid to approach strangers, she doesn't care. she's curious, and she's had so many questions thus far unanswered. maybe this question, however silly, will be the odd one out. ]

Excuse me, [ polite as anything, though there's a determined firmness to the way she steps in front of him. ] What was that you took?

[ no judgment (yet). just endless curiosity. ]

root | ota

[passwd]

a. we are all alive but you would never know - arrival (closed to cassian)

[what's worse? the two of us working together or me taking this next step alone?

the last thing she remembers before this is teetering across a ledge on a high rise, playing chicken with the machine, the wind whipping her hair across her face, and not knowing how things would turn out but hopeful that She would do the right thing and tell her just where sameen was. after that? there's only this: the feeling of movement — rolling? then lifting — an elevator? she shifts, not much but enough to know that she's not going anywhere. root mumbles a weak harry and then there's nothing but darkness.

she doesn't know how long she's out, but when she comes to, her limbs feel heavy, her mouth dry from disuse. root blinks in disbelief at the face of someone she doesn't recognize.

they say don't bite the hand that feeds you, but no one said anything about grabbing for their wrist.]

b. walking side by side like invisible ghosts - lower new beijing

[she's been all over the world, even before taking on the task of being the machine's analog interface. the future is something else though. root wonders if this is what happens if they lose, if samaritan gives birth to an age where other ai rise then fall, human casualties with them. root doesn't like the gleaming glass and clean streets. they feel fake, almost too perfect: a simulation. it's why she journeys to the depths of new beijing. underground, she finds a world which feels more familiar with its messiness.

the medical mask on her face is mostly to blend in. when in rome, right?

she buys an apple, bruised and mealy from a shopkeeper who looks like he could use the money more than her and continues on her way, taking a bite out of it before she catches sight of a woman and her young son being accosted by a group of men clutching lengths of chain and rusty knives. ]

Hello, boys. If you're looking for a dance partner, maybe you should try someone who's available.

[and with that, root chucks her apple at the head of the closest man and readies herself for a fight. won't someone please save this idiot who brought fruit to a knife fight?]

c. everyone is lonely and everyone is sad - una base

[perhaps it's desperation, missing shaw, or missing the comfort of the machine's voice in her ear that leads her to agree to cassius' seemingly innocuous desire to see its ai friend again. of course, there's definitely the nagging feeling that this could be a monumental mistake, that she doesn't know the hierarchy of these artificial intelligences or their motivations.

but she has to start somewhere, and without Her guidance, root is feeling more than a little lost.

it's almost go time, so she slips into the vest, pulls a mask over her head, and tests the weight of the gun by turning it to and fro a few times. it's not too big. not too small but there's definitely room for some improvement. root looks up at the person who's been tasked with handing out all this equipment.]

You sure I can't have two?

[it never hurts to ask.]

d. we all want the things that we have never had - wildcard

[let me preface this by stating that i want all the things. if you want a custom starter, have questions, or want to hash stuff out, please feel free to send me a message either at petyr#1853 or rambaldis.]

b. the sharks are gonna have their day... tonight

[realists]

[ jyn was only a toddler when they left coruscant but the sense memory hits her like a truck as she walks the streets of the lower levels of new beijing; the darkness, the grime, the feeling of being held in her mother's arms as she was walked around and around and around until she fell asleep. she isn't with her mother now and the loss makes her antsy, skin tight, itching for a fight to get all the excess out.

excellent timing considering she watches an apple go flying, bonking a guy on the head. a guy holding a knife that he brandishes at the vaguely familiar woman roughly ten feet from jyn.

(jyn hadn't woken her up but maybe she was in the same room?) ]

You heard her. Isn't anyone going to ask her to dance?

[ jyn gestures to the woman and child, coaxing them away from the thuggish men, expression placid, stance light. jyn doesn't exactly look intimidating. the thugs don't see her as a threat. ]

catra | new arrival

[purrsistence]

>> 1. WAKE UP, WAKE UP

[ Whoever pulls the IV out will be greeted with a definite hiss of pain from a semi-conscious Catra, and it definitely sounds closer to a real cat hiss than a human hiss. They'll also get a glimpse of big, feral cat teeth as she does it. But other than that, she doesn't make a move towards hurting anyone. If anything, she seems too groggy and out of it.

As the IV is pulled out and Catra feels herself come to slowly and groggily, she gets the immediate sense that something is deeply wrong. This doesn't look like home. It doesn't smell like home. It doesn't look or smell like anywhere she's ever been. Her ears go flat and her tail fluffs out in alarm as her eyes dart sideways, looking for enemies. But... she can't see anyone she recognises an enemy here, either. None of these faces are familiar. ]

Where... what...

[ That sounded much more intimidating in her head. But her speech comes out all slurred, and she frowns. ]

>> 2. GETTING IN TO TROUBLE
[ Let's assume that somehow Catra manages to last the 36 hours until her ID is set up without getting into immediate trouble. Well, now that she can roam the streets, that'll change.

Budgeting is never a skill Catra had to learn. So it doesn't take long for Catra to discover that stipends are finite. It all goes smoothly at first-- maybe you interrupt her blowing all her cash shopping. She can be found trying on sunglasses, looking at fake leather jackets, or chowing down on sushi that should be way more expensive than what a new arrival can afford. It's only a matter of time before the situation goes south...

Alternatively, maybe you spot Dream River guards chasing her. How did she even get in? She very clearly doesn't have a ticket. Perhaps fortunately for Catra, she's much faster than any of the guards. If you're inside the park already, you might spot Catra laughing merrily as she gives the guards the runaround, all of them panting in her wake. She doesn't seem to be making any effort to escape the park-- if anything, it seems like she's enjoying watching them all fail to catch her, making her own amusement as she goes.

If you're outside the park, you might either witness Catra nimbly sneaking in through a weak point, or finally being thrown out unceremoniously by some angry guards. She doesn't seem too ruffled, though. They seem to be giving her some kind of lecture and threatening to call the police, but she doesn't seem to be paying any attention. ]

>> 3. ONCE A TRASHCAT ALWAYS A TRASHCAT
[ It's only a matter of time before Catra's lack of funds force her to investigate areas that are less heavily... policed. She skulks about in the lower levels, hungry, using her superior sense of smell to sniff out good food from bad, and dumpster diving behind the better establishments. Even in this day and age, there's always food waste to be found.

Once or twice a passing urchin yanks her tail out of curiousity, and she turns around and hisses at them loudly, causing a scene.

Modern city street sense doesn't appear to be her strong suit, as she frequently walks around the back alleys alone in her quest for things to steal, and it often makes her a target. Perhaps you might spot her alone, or perhaps you might spot her already in the midst of something going down. It doesn't seem to worry her, though-- petty thugs come at her, but she can usually be found yelling "Catch me if you can, losers!" to any would-be muggers. ]

five more minutes, mom

[evite]

[ daisy has had her fair share of unceremonious wake-ups strapped to unfamiliar machines in strange places. even only counting her tenure in new amsterdam, the count is still a few notches above zero, so she considers herself at this point an unfortunate expert in the shitty medical surprise scenario category.

it's not an expert position that pays very well, but what can you do?

either way, she's determined to be gentle — or as gentle as possible, anyway, given the circumstances. she'll pretend to be jemma, summoning all that patience and scientific certainty as one hand palms over catra's wrist to keep her still, the other wrapping around the iv and tugging it out in one clean, swift jerk. yeah, it hurts, but it probably hurt a lot less than if daisy had hemmed and hawed about the whole thing.

the hissing? totally understandable. it's a garbage scenario, made worse by unforgiving bright lights and strangers leaning over you. it'll only get more fucked up if daisy has to resort to exploiting the compulsion drugs that have probably just been pumping through the girl's veins. ]

Hey. [ quiet, non-threatening; as soon as catra's eyes show they're capable of focusing, daisy takes a step back, a little space for the other girl to sit up if she wants without somebody else right in her bubble. ] Sorry about that.

[ about... the pain... not for waking your ass up. ]

Welcome to the future.

helena | orphan black | ota

[sestra]

one. wake me up inside ( closed: silena, kovacs )

[ it's annoying, honestly, how this slow coming back into awareness feels so commonplace to her. helena's body comes back into consciousness but it kicks at her adrenaline at the same time; she's flat on her back, that's bad, that's terrifying, and her heart rate immediately spikes, but her limbs are stiff. ]

[ cw in this thread for: strangulation, impalement, other potential violence. ]

two. living it up in the hotel new world china ( open )

[ have the drugs worn off yet? no. is helena still hurrying through the halls of this hotel anyway? yes. she has no idea where she is, doesn't recognize any faces, and she's frantic to just get out of this building. she's banging on more than a few doors, and when no one answers, she moves on quickly to the next one. eventually she finds a table tucked near an elevator and she slams it against the wall, breaking off a leg and leaving the rest behind. ]

[ encounter this wild child with messy chopped short hair, brandishing the leg of a broken table like a club, her grip too careful to be anything but ready to strike. it's a weapon, and if you don't approach cautiously, she may very well swing at you - unless you order her to stop of course. someone should probably stop her. ]

three. good eats in new beijing ( open )

[ the most important thing of all: food. ]

[ after she's finally taken in and finds a place to stay, she takes the tiny shitty hostel as a sort of home base to explore this city evidently named new beijing. what happened to the old one? too much smog, maybe they all died. this version is tall and big and not at all what she expected of the old beijing, but it's not like she's been there. ]

[ her hair is a mess and she misses her curls, and her clothes aren't much to be impressed by either, so when she wanders into higher end supermarkets, there are stares aplenty as she touches all the shelves and gapes openly at the food. her attempts to steal some of it don't always go very well, and maybe it's not always security who stops her! ]

[ eventually she is chased out of too many stores, and helena wanders her way down to the lower levels. here food is easier to find, and she swipes what she can, shoving it into her mouth before she's caught with it in her hand. she doesn't seem to care about freshness, plopping down on a graffiti covered bench with her pockets full of treats which include: half rotten bananas, a slice of mushroom pepper pizza, an open can of beans, a half eaten carton of takeout noodles, and three stale bagels. maybe her hostel has a toaster! catch her chowing down on the pizza, and jerking protectively over her (rather disgusting) hoard any time someone walks by. ]

four. wild card ! ( open )

[ hit me up! communism @ plurk or romanitas#5368 @ discord or pms. or lemme know if you wanna get punchy with this feral murder child, love 2 fight. ]

call my name and save me from the dark

[chocolateries]

[ they don't have iv lines at camp, but that didn't stop will and michael from teaching them all how to make an iv out of plastic tubing and a bicycle pump so silena learned how to properly insert and remove an iv when she was thirteen. sometimes you don't have nectar and ambrosia so you need to make do with a hardware store.

her fingers are cold, despite how much she rubs them against her jeans to warm them up, but she is quick and careful, pressure against the thin woman's wrist as she removes the iv, applying firmer pressure to stem the bleeding even as she turns to the person in the next gurney, checking their pulse and debating if she can reach across the slim bed and take out their iv whilst holding pressure to this one... probably not.

silena is so focused on her internal debate, fingers tight against the woman's wrist, that she doesn't even notice when her first patient begins to stir. ]

daisy johnson, open.

[evite]

@ the hotel

[ for the majority of the first day, daisy throws herself into the immediate concern: the new arrivals, fresh faces in desperate need of wake-up calls and answers. it's not the most exciting job in the world, but there are enough new bodies to keep her busy over the next several hours — and busy is good, because busy keeps her mind on the task at hand instead of wandering, where it might begin to dwell on her own problems instead of the reasons they're all in new beijing to begin with.

they all being the displaced who made the choice to be here, anyway. the new faces certainly didn't choose it, and there were some on the train who made choices they maybe regretted now.

but as the new faces have begun to be shephered out, each partnered with a new friend to keep them undercover until their neural ids are set, daisy's left with a progressively emptier and emptier pair of hotel rooms, each littered with abandoned hospital beds and discarded ivs, some of which remain even nearly full. it makes her wonder...

the displaced have never come across new arrivals still hooked up to anything. what's in them? your generic cocktail mixture of fluids and sedatives? or something else? something more compelling?

time to find out. ]

Does anyone know how to put one of these in?

[ these being the two mostly full iv-bags she's got in her fists. time to yeet into danger. ]

@ en route to trouble

[ it's a scene of deja vu: much like during the una raid on morningstar so many months ago, daisy is all business on this evening. the only benefit tonight is advanced notice. she's known for a while now what was coming, and so she's had time to prepare.

though she doesn't attempt any claims at leadership, there's a commanding presence to her tonight, her usual wild energy and easy laughter tucked back behind a firm set of her mouth, the deadly possibilities all too real now. as weaponry and gear are handed out, she takes them on with a practiced, efficient approach, guns weighed in each hand, determining the most comfortable grip and carry; vests are strapped on with a solemn two-pat process. where needed, she'll be quick to silently offer assistance getting someone settled.

her weapons are handed out in similar fashion, one per person, with a quick demonstration of how to activate the electric charge and how to store it without shocking anyone unintentionally. thanks to cassius' delivery of supplies, these are more refined than any she's made before, without the risk of arrest for property damage coming along with them. ]

@ the una base

[ this is what she came for. this is what she promised to do, in exchange for her own inhuman abilities. purpose flows through her, reinforced by sorrow and loss, buoyed by ill-repressed righteous indignation; it leaves her itching for a fight, and what better place to find one?

she's almost disappointed by how few soldiers there are to incapacitate — not kill, not even now, not even when every single one of them deserves it. almost. but it makes it easier to get to the far southern edge of the base, to where a fortress within a fortress stands out amongst the rest.

getting in won't be easy. without the inhuman abilities that once rumbled in her limbs, without the cheat code of blasting a hole through the door without breaking a sweat, she'll have to do things the old-fashioned way.

sure, she could take a page from her conversation with clarke and try to whip up a homemade explosive, but there are sure to be alarms for that sort of thing, so daisy starts first on encryption. without johnny, without the ability to reach out to el or cassius, she's on her own. it'll be slow-going, but she's steady and sure. if she could learn cyrillic on the go, she can do this. just as long as the other displaced don't get in her way. ]

@ wildcard

[ choose your own adventure. drop me a line at semicolons / quake#2740 or via pm if you have questions/concerns! ]

someone didn't take the hippocratic oath

[chocolateries]

[ silena moves from one hotel room to the other, seeking out anyone who is still under the sedative. everyone seems awake, some still getting their bearings, so after checking that no one needs bandaids -- demigods are basically boy scouts and thus always prepared -- she decides to head out.

she is hurt and disheveled, but helena is disoriented and dangerous and silena is compelled to look after her, despite all her injuries having been at helena's hand.

instead, she pulls to a stop when daisy holds up the fluid bags. ]

Why do you want to put an IV in?

[ that seems... counter-intuitive to, you know, waking everyone up and getting them to a safe place. ]

marcos diaz ( ota )

[heliophilous]

▶ 01. LOWER NEW BEIJING - BUSINESSES

---

[ the reason that they're here is cassius but marcos isn't going to let that stop him from doing what he thinks needs to be done. the world they live in is a large one, expanding far past the borders of new amsterdam and while he can't be here all the time, he does find himself slinking around the lower levels, checking out the various businesses.

or rather, checking out the real estate they're housed in. there are places like this in new amsterdam, places that are seedy and scary and behind those walls, marcos wonders if people that need help could be housed. if you make the facade look dilapidated, there was less of a chance of someone peering behind the walls to what was really going on.

it's not an easy bit of scouting. people stare, people shove him around, people question him but marcos tries to keep a mostly hands off approach. he grabs a medical mask and does his best to blend in but a person going from spot to spot just looking draws attention. ]

▶ 02. LOWER NEW BEIJING - RED LIGHT DISTRICT

---

[ there are people here who are willing to talk and marcos takes advantage of that. he stays away from those who out and out identify as morningstar and sticks to those working the area. it looks bad from the outside, he knows, but if he slips them a little money they give him information that he needs.

who needs food, who needs funds, where he can go to find someone who can supply him with this, what he can do to get protection for those he needs. he speaks in hushed tones with women and men who are much stronger than he is and thanks them for their help.

he pays them each a little more to divert any unnecessary attention from them and moves on. ]

▶ 03. LOWER NEW BEIJING - HOSTELS

---

[ eventually, he stops hunting down information and contacts to help a bit. he can't help everyone, he knows, but he has enough money to check a few homeless people into hostels for a night or two. it's not much but it's something. it gives them a place to sleep and gets them off the street for at least a night.

but, even with the face mask and the blending in, word travels. people hear about a man with money, helping those that might need it and everyone down in the lower levels needs it for one reason or another.

marcos doesn't even suspect anything when he steps out of the hostel and is immediately grabbed from behind, arms trapped at his sides. a dirty hand covers his mouth and he's dragged into a dark alley where he struggles, managing to step on the arch of whoever's grabbed him. the man yelps and let's him go and when marcos turns to fight, he feels the pinch of a needle digging deep into his neck.

he stumbles immediately, shoulder crashing into a wall and body sliding down soon thereafter. it's not a sedative but it's making him sluggish, making his limbs uncooperative. the money he has taken without much fight (thanks to whatever's flowing through his body and marcos' inability to protect it) and then they're gone and he's alone in the alley, making quiet hiccuping noises.

he tries to get to his feet but only manages to roll onto his side and then his back. looks like he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. ]

▶ 04. WILDCARD

---

[ please feel free to hit me with anything. the drug used in the third prompt isn't anything that'll kill him, just mess him up a bit for a little while. find me at spoonishly for plotting. ]

3

[staywildstarchild]

[ Well, shit.

Hearing scuffles in this area isn't anything that's out of the ordinary. Muggings seem to be common, especially on idiots that don't know how to hide their coin properly.

(Yes, she's calling Marcos an idiot.) ]

Need some help there, guy? [ The pirate crouches down next to him where he lays like a dead fish once his attackers are far enough away. She's actually strong enough to hoist him up without her powers but doesn't make a move yet. Hoshiko doesn't want to take the chance to damage his probably already fragile masculinity. Though she suspects whatever pride he had is probably long gone by now. ]

henry cooldown ★ ota

[handsomefoil]

[ ARRIVAL ]
Even in a deep sleep, there's flashes of images swimming in his mind. He probably would call it dreaming at the moment, as the setting is unfamiliar and the people around him aren't pinging anything specific. Just muddled faces and rushing scenery. The ding of an elevator. Words tell him things, floating into one ear and out the other, and his body complies. Something about that reaction strikes a little nerve, despite his apparent obedience.

His fingers twitch and flex, as if his body is subconsciously trying to will them to move. More energy surges through his arm and he's slapping around at his side as if he's looking for something important. A weapon. Anything to defend himself with. Tired eyes flutter rapidly, stirring awake again as his instincts of self-preservation kick in again, trying to get him on his feet.

"Where's—?"

Here's your typical reaction to waking up in an unknown room and situation, please be gentle. Or not. He's fine, either way.


[ NEW BEIJING ]
After an interesting couple of days finagling with strange procedures involving IDs...neutral transplants...and basically all the scenario's of a sci-fi nerd's wet dream (which he definitely falls under, let's be real here Mister Light-Saber), he finds himself falling in step with this new lifestyle. His philosophy is to take things one step at a time and it'll eventually make sense to some degree. It's the same with any other unfamiliar place he's ever been, just with a lot less context as to How In The World He Got Here. On the upside, this was the most sleep he's gotten in a very long time, and it's a welcome rest. No sense in aggravating his situation by trying to do something too reckless in such a short period of time. Besides, he had a lot of prep to go through before venturing out into a fantastical world.

He likes taking risks, but they're usually within the realm of his expertise. Calculated risks. Mostly in good fun. This situation is not exactly what he'd describe as "fun", but maybe he'll change his mind somewhere down the line. Only time will tell.

Anyway, what's past is past, and he's not one to dwell on this predicament for too long. He'll mull over the impossibility of his situation in further detail at a later date. That's what downtime was for, and this is certainly not downtime.


★ the forgotten levels
The gradual decline from the surface to the lower levels of New Beijing is pretty obvious, and while he does thrive in a clean and well-run metropolis, he feels that the grimy undergrounds is a place he feels right at home. He only took to the upper levels and other landmarks to just get a feel for them and their locations, and immediately headed into the bowels of the city to get a better look at the true state of the place. His tendency to dress up and look out-of-place as possible might not work fully to his advantage, but he prefers to look his best no matter where he is. Just a personal preference. He's confident that he can worm out of any sticky situation he gets into just from his dress alone. Fortunately for him, his clothes are anything but fancy. Standard issued stuff, it seems.

Using some of the meager funding given to him, he grabs a dry snack from a stall. He isn't sure what he expected from the future, but he supposes humanity's tastes in snacks haven't changed all that much. With all the information he's collected regarding their current state and the missions surrounding this mysterious organization, he's not exactly sure where to start. Or if he should start anything at all. Maybe he could just watch from the sidelines and see what opportunities jump out at him?

Immersed in thought, he wanders the dimly-lit streets with snacks still in hand. Any shifty looks from locals are well-noted, but appearing as oblivious as a wandering tourist.

[ WILDCARDO ]
He's a wandering enthusiast so he can and will be everywhere.

Feel free to ping me at hanshi if you'd like to plot! I'm down rollin with the punches or carefully planning stuff. 👌

arrival

[kgbs]

"The answer to your question is one that will take much explanation," Illya says, eyeing the man as he tries to wake himself up. "Concentrate on getting up first."

And then maybe they can talk about where he is and how he got here.

"I am not your enemy."

illya kuryakin ( ota )

[kgbs]

▶ 01. HOTEL CALIFORNIA

---

[ new arrivals would just happen to arrive on the same day people are attempting to fee a possible murderous ai from the clutches of a murderous army. it just fits how his luck is going lately.

illya's not much of a welcome wagon but he needs to go to the hotel anyway. he'd thought, after everything, of going back to new amsterdam and just figuring out his next move there but then things had started happening, plans had been put into place and now here he was, striding into the hotel and finding himself an empty room since he couldn't really go with his original plan anymore.

just like the message, there are a lot of new people and while illya doesn't get directly involved, he does say a few words here and there, directing them to more knowledgeable people before he stalks away.

he doesn't have time for ae welcome wagon right now and he doesn't much care either. there is almost always some level of anger sitting just below his surface but it's right there today and he's doing nothing to hide it. so, best to remove himself before someone says the wrong thing and he decides that physical aggression is the way to solve the problem. ]

▶ 02. YOU SAY UNA, I SAY TUNA

---

[ the possibility of death lingers in the back of his mind though it is not so much his death that he worries about. while the base looks mostly empty, quiet, there is no way that this is going to be an easy thing. there is no way the una would just leave this ai out in the open for anyone to walk in, pick up and take back with them.

still, he's both grateful and a little disappointed with how little foot traffic there is. he would have liked to come across a soldier or two so he could have taken out all of his rage on deserving parties. but the halls are mostly quiet. he ducks into a room or two, searching for anything worthwhile but mostly comes up empty.

he hears something around the corner, a sound or a scrape, and he moves toward it, gun drawn and cocked. he comes around the edge of the wall silently, coming up behind the back of a una soldier.

looks like someone was home after all. he wants to shoot him in the back so bad but that seems cowardly and — he does it anyway, watching the soldier crumple like a bag of bones.

he is a coward, after all, so why not prove it? he eyes the body of the man (still alive) for a few moments before reaching for his gun and walking on.

he's a merciful coward, at least. ]

▶ 03. WILDCARD

---

[ feel free to throw any other scenario at me. i'm at spoonishly for plotting. ]

una base

[impede]

How long do you really think he'll last like that? Or do you think the delay between now and his dying will be enough to sate your conscience?

[Akechi's voice may seem as if it comes out of nowhere. The truth is that he's being dramatic, caught in shadows that, when combined with his outfit, conceal him well enough. His own gun is tucked away along with the stun baton from his false sister.

(Some part of him nags to call her a real sister: but that part of him doesn't exist and never did. It was a fabrication from a short, barely lived life. It doesn't matter how close it comes to a simple fantasy a boy like him could conjure up if given the chance.)

He finally steps into the light—or what dim light is offered. Not that Illya wouldn't recognize his voice. It's less playful and more on edge, more condescending: more similar to their telepathy-based conversation. But he can probably securely piece the dots together now if he wanted.]

Is your conscience a factor here? Or is it something else?

rey (ota)

[forcevisions]

train

[ the ticket riverstone gave to her puts rey in a comfortable compartment, one where she could feasibly rest, dine, and enjoy the scenery out the train window. instead, she spends the first leg of the trip scouring the train, trying to orient herself and make sense of the schematics. then, as soon as they come to a stop in new kyiv, she heads back towards the engine.

she's discreet, keeping well away from the actual engine room and trying to sess out with the awareness afforded to her by her power of where the objects she's looking for are in the engine itself. most of the train's natural employees, robots included, are occupied with the loading and unloading. it's the perfect chance if she doesn't want to risk derailing it and causing real harm to innocent people -- and she doesn't.

but she looks awfully suspicious, skulking around at a time like this. ]

riverstone

[ the terms of her having passage and board paid for here demand that she spend at least some of her time on the company clock. most of these days are training days, handled in workshops, dealing with robotic parts that genuinely delight rey, even if awareness that she should be chasing leads on the una distracts her. it feels good to learn more about how droids work here, to develop a stronger understanding of the systems.

but in the middle of the week, the company sends them on an educational tour of dream river, where animatronics are used to create a lively, immersive experience for the guests. the AR settings exist only around the very real, practical effects of models and props that are physically present, something which the riverstone representative leading them around and explaining the philosophy to the new trainees emphasizes as they tour the park.

rey can be spotted in her riverstone uniform at the park slurping pineapple whip ice cream and interacting with the robot characters from the latest action franchise. ]

the una attack

[ this is what she came here to do: save people from their own mistakes, and failing that, save other people from their selfishness.

she wears a mask that scrambles her implant, and a hood to hide her hair, which stands out more now that she's dyed it to become kira solo. to slip past the una guards, she avoids engagement rather than inviting it. she anchors their feet to the ground when they try to come for her and anyone else invading with her for the sake of stopping those who cut a deal with cassius. or she uses the same power to knock something around down the hall, the noise drawing the attention of the relatively few remaining soldiers away from her so she can slip past.

when it comes to confronting those she knows are here for cassius, though, she abandons discretion. ]

Stop!

[ she shouts at anyone who she's managed to chase towards the inner sanctum where judas is held. she doesn't use her power against them. not yet. rey chooses to hope, instead, that conversation can close the gap here. ]

wildcard

[ ooc; feel free to pm me, plurk me, etc. if you want to set up something specific. ]

train

[inherited]

[Riku spots Rey getting up and moving right away. It's not that he's watching for her to do something. She's one of his closest friends and someone he trusts. But when she moves, he can't help but trace her movements. It's a habit he's had all his life. Where's Sora going? He could always tell someone. Where did Kairi decide to sit down and relax? Yup, he's always got a bead on that, too. If anything, that's his real superpower: observation and guesswork, as least when it comes to his friends.

Intuition and guesswork is what leads to him leaving his seat and following her. He's not foolish enough to draw anyone's attention. He knows how to slink through the train, steps careful as if he's looking for something. Riku can't act to save his life, but he can keep a low profile when the time calls for it.

By time he reaches her, he's cautious, careful. He leans in, putting his hand on her shoulder, and he says, not too far from her face:] What's up?

klaus mikaelson ♚ new arrival

[interminably]

there's no easy way to find the words to say ♚ closed

( It's not unlike desiccation, he'd think, if he were more alert.

He's weak, that much he knows. He remembers a foul stench, a cramped elevator and a long ride to wherever he is now. He faintly remembers fighting back, or attempting to fight back, but being sedated further. He dreamed of New Orleans and the daughter he'd left behind. This isn't Peace with a capital P, but it isn't anything resembling the other side, either. Perhaps it's some witch's realm of torment. No doubt he'd angered someone in his quest to rid Hope of the Hollow.

The more he attempts to form coherent thoughts, the less stands out. Brief images light up in his mind, surrounded by shadow. His father's form, Freya and him conspiring, the white oak stake meant for him that Elijah had repurposed - ending both their lives in the process, but saving Hope's.

His dry lips attempt to mouth his brother's name, but barely any sound registers.

His eyes come to life slowly but surely, fluttering, doing their best to open all the way. Breathing stands out first, others' breath inhaling and exhaling around him. That's right, he wasn't wheeled in here alone. His head lolls to the side, eyes finding the IV in his arm. An IV.

Weakly, he lifts his right arm. Slowly, his hand drags across his sternum never making it above his body, but keeping contact until fingers graze his left forearm. Only a little higher and he can yank his IV out. His strength courses through him, that he's sure. He needs to fight this and the insanity of the multiple IV's dripping, dripping, dripping down.

With. Every. Drop. )

heist backs dark and cold where there once was gold ♚ hotel

( Klaus has spent his fair share of time stuck in one place, whether because of a spell or simply of his own volition. 36 hours is nothing compared to a thousand years. He laid in wait longer for a trace of Katerina Petrova or another doppelganger born to her bloodline. Patience, he has. What he hasn't is a handle, or say in what his daughter does. She can roam freely.

He's done this once, been tortured for four years before rediscovering everything he'd sacrificed and left behind. The difference here is, New Beijing and this planet aren't his, his daughter's or his brother's.

Not a fan of being behind the 8-ball, Klaus is more than ready to get his bearings when he can leave the hotel.

He spends more time in the abandoned hotel's lobby, rather than the two rooms used to house the captives. A few times, he approaches a maid, or someone at the front desk.

In one such instance, something they say rubs him the wrong way and his smile turns more into a sneer.

Mate, I understand you say you've nothing to do with our predicament, but you see, this is your hotel - Forgive me, the hotel you're working under, the bottom rung of a dilapidated ladder... ( He sees this is pointless. Chastising and cutting this peon down to size is a waste of his time. ) If you do indeed have the means, pass along this message. Hurry it up. Mm?

( Some of the day, he can be seen at one of the windows, peering out into a vaguely recognizable world. Even in a hospital gown, he exudes something more than his garb, a weight he's living with, one he won't voice to these strangers. In contemplation he may seem approachable - but the contrary may be true. It really is hard to tell. )

when we reached the moon, we found out much too soon ♚ spaceport

( Where Klaus Mikaelson has always been a man of specific action and intent, it's easy for him to be swept up in the theatrics of the futuristic city he's found himself in.

He wanders down to the spaceport, having seen in his own time the moon landing on a television set and spent time in museums, but none like where he is now.

He stops to peruse the AR presentation, rapt. It's nothing he's ever heard of, something out of the Looney Tunes' World of Tomorrow he remembers from the mid 1900's, or the World's Fair. Not that the World's Fair holds a candle to somewhere like here.

At the entrance to the spaceport, he declares himself or what have you, but stays on the outskirts of the more tourist parts. He observes the crowds from afar, in part marveling at what's before him, and worrying in kind. This is nothing he's had experience with and Klaus doesn't do well with the unknown. )

now there's somewhere else i should be ♚ surface

( If he were dropped off where he'd been dropped off the last time, maybe he'd have access to more than an ill-fitting outfit, but as he's learned, this is a new city, one unfamiliar to the displaced. It's something he now gets to claim. He's been displaced, his death derailed and taken here with his daughter and brother.

He doesn't see why this means he needs to stay tethered to such an ill-fitting excuse for what passes at clothing. His stipend isn't much, and neither is his compulsion which is something else entirely, but even without a thousand year of riches and endless access, he can find what he needs.

He seeks out a boutique of his liking, preferring to focus on individual pieces that are more his style. More will come in time. He settles on an oversized coat, a black tunic-like shirt with two buttons at the collar and form-fitting pants, of course. Boots follow.

It's standing at the mirror where he feels more like himself and less like himself all at the same time. His shirt leaves a peek at the other new addition to his body, something in his sternum, something he'll have to get used to in his reflection. Jaw set, he lowers his chin bringing his hands to his lapel.

He calls out to someone nearby, either someone curious like him, or is that they work here. He doesn't know. He doesn't need compliments, but it's as good an opening as any to start a conversation and to start gaining any kind of ground here. )

What do you think? It's better than the rags I was provided.

( With some sort of lodging secured for him, he does a little more shopping. Not hours worth, he does have priorities, but he also has minimal means and shouldn't he be comfortable in an uncomfortable place? If spotted, he'll find henleys, fashionable sweaters and the occasional silk-like button down. Not enough for a whole wardrobe, but enough for a change of costume should the day merit it. (Every day merits it.) It's all just to start.

It's bizarre.

He remembers these landmarks vividly, having been an avid traveler, on the run from his father (and an avid reader.) He knows he is not home, or on the planet he remembers. But, he stands here in Tiananmen Square as if he were there.

He even takes a moment to peer out into the water, the hints of a great wall jutting out from underneath the surface. Where has he found himself?

No matter the structure of his day, he does find his way into one of the aforementioned dives. It's a drink he sorely needs. He didn't sacrifice himself. He ended up here. No matter the circumstances in reuniting with his family, this is a natural last stop for the night. It's always bars you find people in. Information does tend to travel with the flow of alcohol.

He nurses his glass of brown liquor for longer than he intends trying to fully process where he's ended up. Maybe it's his far-off look, or the way he taps at his glass absentmindedly. He doesn't belong here. None of them do. )

closed

[tribridfreakshow]

[it's yet another complication to an already complicated situation, but new arrivals take priority, especially since they're not where they're supposed to be and large in number. so she'll help, even though she's pretty sure that there isn't going to be anyone there that she cares about, nor does she particularly want to babysit.

she does a quick scan of the first room for anyone stirring or about to become a problem, easily seeing a hand reaching weakly in the air. she sighs, starting to walk over, only to stop dead in her tracks to stare.

seriously? emotion rises in her chest, only for her to quickly stamp it down. not now. not the time. she can sort out all the bullshit she knows is going to keep her awake at night later.

a figure steps into his blurred line of vision before he can pull the iv out, a hand reaching to do the deed for him with one simple motion. her hand covers the wound it leaves behind; it should heal over almost instantly, but she doesn't need a spurt of blood before it does. her grip is firm, grounding. her voice is the same; if it's anything like her arrival, he'll have to do as she says, at least for now.]

Give yourself some time before you get up. I don't want to have to catch you if you fall off the bed.

[there's only the faintest waver in her voice.]

sora 👑 ota

[lighthearted]

i. sightseeing

[ Almost as soon as Sora arrives in New Beijing, he hits the ground running with searching the city. It will be impossible to see all of it in the matter of a few days, but that won't stop him from trying. Any time that he gets the chance to go to a different city here, it almost feels like going to a new world. And that means searching as much of it as he can for useful information, for a sign that he recognizes. Like always, he follows his heart.

But he might get distracted along the way.

a. [ As someone who didn't see anything that could be called a real city until his teenage years, Sora's relieved that New Beijing has some signs of what came before, especially when those structures happen to be familiar. It's the Temple of Heaven that grabs his attention, with the architecture bringing back memories that leave him feeling homesick for a place that hadn't actually been home. Maybe it's more that he's homesick for the days he'd spent traveling, after being stuck here for so long.

He stares up at the ornate structure with wide eyes and a sense of awe. ]

It really is like the Land of Dragons...

b. [ It's more or less a requirement for Sora to go and check out Dream River. Having become aware of it by seeing its enticing lights the night before, Sora makes his way to the amusement park the first thing the next morning. The entrance is full of decorations, cheerful music, parents with their children (or really just the one child), and stalls selling fried foods and other delicious snacks.

While Sora realizes that this isn't the time to go off and have fun, given that they're all here for a reason, it's hard not to be drawn to the place.

As he stands there with a sense of longing showing clearly on his face, he turns at the approach of someone else. ]

Did you want to check it out?

[ Not that he's even looked into how to get tickets. He's not much for planning ahead. ]

c. [ The final stop on Sora's tour of the city is the spaceport. At this point he's heard about how space travel works on this planet from Cassian, but he's never had the opportunity to go look into it for himself. The idea that it would take months and months to travel from one world to another is a concept he can't really wrap his head around, when gummi ship travel had made it so simple.

So, in a shocking turn of events, he decides to go educate himself. He's in the museum part of the spaceport, looking at the AR-generated blurbs, images, and videos that try to explain the different colonies, travel to them, and terraforming.

Except a lot of it goes over his head. Frowning to himself, he sends a pleading look to whoever happens upon him. ]

Do you know much about this stuff?

ii. una base

a. [ And then it's time for the main event.

While Sora made no contact with Cassius, wanting nothing to do with him and hoping that they could find a better solution to the issue of Judas, there's no denying that the AI has cleared a path for them. This wouldn't be Sora's first time in a UNA base, seeing how he'd gone to help collect Rey, but this one is a lot bigger, and he doesn't have much in the way of defending himself.

He doesn't plan to fight any soldiers. He's going to stick with Ren's idea and try to find Judas as soon as possible. Maybe he'll be able to help, maybe he won't, but this isn't something he could just miss out on. Not when there's even a small chance he could make a difference.

The scrambler mask that El gave them is firmly in place and covering his face as the truck drives in, though most people would be able to tell it's Sora's just thanks to the spiky brown hair that's started to grow out during his time here. That, and the fact that he strikes up conversation. ]

I wonder how hard it's gonna be to find him...

b. [ Once off of the truck and in the base itself, Sora does he best to follow the schematics they've been given. He didn't pick a fight with Cassius himself, so apparently he still gets access to a floor plan. He makes sure to never be on his own, always sticking near to someone he's close to if he can. As reckless as Sora can be, he's not going to underestimate the danger of this place.

As he moves down the hall with his current party member companion, he suddenly hears approaching footsteps from around a corner. He grabs for the other Displaced's wrist. ]

Wait! [ The word comes out in a hushed whisper as he tugs them both into the closest room. Better to just wait until whoever it is passes by, right? Sora may not usually enjoy the stealthy approach, but he knows that escalating to violence here wouldn't be good. These aren't monsters they're fighting. ]

iii. wildcard

[ I'm open to other options! Sora is on team steal-Judas-for-ourselves/El, if that affects anything. You can hit me up at demonology or demonology#1725 on Discord to discuss. ]

sightseeing - c; spaceport

[warfares]

A little.

( the absence of any mention of the mars colony is strange to say the least, but he does not mention it, turning instead to look at sora over his shoulder. they'd spoken once, months ago, about gummi blocks and space whales. it was a conversation that stuck out in his mind. )

Is it not like this, where you're from?

wei wuxian ( @xuanyu.mo | ota! )

[laozu]

( I. ) NEW ARRIVALS.

I wonder what's actually in it. Maybe we should gather as much of what's left over and study it.

[ maybe great minds think alike, for he holds up the IV bag that had been pumping into the nearest of the new arrivals and scrutinizes it thoughtfully. there may not be enough fluid left over in one bag, but should he gather enough -- perhaps one of the more medically-minded of the displaced ( clarke, he thinks of first ) would be able to find out what's in it. how to stop it from working, maybe even - with great luck or wisdom - be able to create something that counteracts it. returns memories, even, so that they know where they come from when they're brought to the world.

he looks down, though, to the poor new arrival he's standing over - be they just waking up, or still catching their bearings - and smiles; it's bright, too bright for someone who might be experiencing a horrible time. ] Hi! If it pleases you -- actually, even if it doesn't: don't get up too fast, you might get really sick and I don't have a spare pair of shoes for this weather.

( II. ) NEW BEIJING, TOURIST-Y THINGS.

[ wei wuxian spends his time eating everything in sight, starved for the tastes of his homeland, and pouring his time into bolstering both his cooltalk's artistry ( every piece of the natural world, inside a building or in the smallest of personal gardens is digitally painted and posted on his social media, #beijing #feelslikehome #maybeishouldmovehere ). when not eating, he's on tour. when not on tour, he's pouring over information either in a hostel in the forgotten levels or at one of the many cafes in the surface city proper - as he did not take cassius's deal and thus does not have cassius's accommodations. ]

Man, I wish I could have a career with Riverstone.

[ is what he says out loud; visible on the displaced's network is a series of accidentally-published notes:

[Bad username or site: xuanyu @ mo]
Riverstone:
-owns hotels; were they aware of the arrival of the newbies??
-owns transit; look into if their vehicles are trackable, could be linked to the drop off of new arrivals??

NOTE: find all locations riverstone currently/has ever serviced for transit

[ sounds like someone is ALSO up to something ]

( III. ) THE EVENING BEFORE THE HQ RAID.

[ one of the most wonderful things about being "home", in a sense, is the familiarity of custom. it has survived, in one form or another, into the modern era - adapted and transformed by the passage of time, but familiar at the heart of all things. the most important of these things, to him, is cuisine. it is food, it is drink. he splurges on it, for himself and for his fellow countrymen. and he does it for the displaced, old and new alike, after a short stint at a small, kitschy cart that he helps cook and serve out of for a few days - not for funds, but for materials to cook with. it results in a box full of bao, fashioned and colored by the steady hand of an artist but a shitty cook. it's these that he brings to any and all of the displaced that he's able to find, as stealthily and casually as he's able to.

it doesn't matter if they are for or against cassius's deal, if he is able to find them in the street, at their lodgings, passing them on transport - it is with his bao in hand, and it is those peach-like steamed buns that he offers to them. ]

They're longevity peaches! Take one, and know that I'm wishing you a long life.

[ he won't go to HQ, it's not what he's here for -- and regardless of reason, he can wish everyone well.

and say 'goodbye', just in case. his own last run-in with the UNA had been... tragic enough, and ended in scars for him. ]

new arrival

[fournicate]

<sub>[ It is a rather bright smile, isn't it? Klaus is either squinting from how radiant it is, or from the fact he's struggling to regain consciousness. Probably the latter.
At first, a memory pops in his head. Something having to do with going back in time, but then vague memories flash in his mind-- the scent of the nasty elevator, the sensation of being rolled around. There's a burning sensation lingering where his IV was taken out, and all Klaus can mutter at the time is a soft, oh yeah, baby.

Apart of him, at first, thinks he's just had a really good night and can't remember it; that might be why those are the first words out of his mouth. Though, when the stranger instructions him to get up easily, he can't help but be compliant. It's probably a good thing. ]</sub>

Yeah, yeah.. okay.. okay, okay, okay.. we wouldn't want that.

_{[ Finally, his eyes open to look at Wei Wuxian. ]}

Nope. We wouldn't want that at all.

_{[ Even after pumping all of that poison and alcohol in his body, Klaus is still notorious for getting sick. Though, instead of actually moving, he just lies there. He did say get up easily so Klaus is really just taking his time. ]}

hoshiko, new arrival ( ota )

[staywildstarchild]

new beijing;

i. arrival

[ They'd cut her hair pixie short. While she doesn't mind, she's already missing her usual attire that might make it look less... haphazard. Loud fashion is something she usually doesn't mind but this doesn't exactly suit her style. Still, she'll make do with what she has and it's not like she has much leverage here. Yet.

That's a work in progress. Hoshiko already had a difficult enough time waiting thirty-six hours for her ID to be set. Now that she's able to, she explores the city proper. "New" Beijing, they call it, and it's certainly living up to its namesake with how pristine it is. But she recognizes the culture they're holding onto, the hustle and bustle of the big city, and feels oddly homesick for the first time in a while.

She doesn't have time to dwell on that though. Instead, she's focusing her efforts on information gathering. She sits in a small cafe at one point, listening in on conversations and people watching. She also sips at a cheap coffee but makes a face at the first taste. ]

Eugh. This coffee tastes so... manufactured. Guess mom and pop shops aren't popular in this city.

ii. sightseeing

[ Riverstone. Riverstone. Riverstone.

It's everywhere. A name with its fingers in as many pies as this can't be a good sign. She takes her own mental notes - still wary about the network - on what exactly they seem to hold control over and anything they don't. The public transit is of especial interest. Eventually, she finds her way to Dream River.

Since she doesn't have enough money for resale tickets, the woman instead tries an... alternate entrance. Maybe one of the other Displaced finds her trying to pick a lock to a door that claims "no entry." If it's staff, she books it as fast as possible and tries to find the nearest Displaced to help her- ]

There you are! I was just about to break in looking for you. How'd we get separated?

iii. digging deeper

[ It doesn't surprise her that this city has an underbelly. With its size and government structure, Hoshiko had honestly expected it to be worse.

While the information about gangs being difficult to form is disheartening, she's still keeping her eyes out for potential new crewmates. It isn't the first time, it won't be the last, but this is probably the biggest disadvantage she's been at for recruiting in a long while. She has no ship or really anything to her name. With nothing to offer people, she doubts she'll get much traction.

It seems her questioning draws the wrong kind of attention, too. Rookie mistake. ]

Hey, fellas. Sorry, I'm not looking for any fun tonight.

[ At least, not the kind they're offering.

She plays the innocent card to start. That might at least buy her some time before she can find something or someone to help since she's outnumbered and without her powers. ]

iv. wildcard

(( ooc: have any other ideas? anything you want to plot with me? lmk on Discord @ Rose#7613 or PM this journal! ))

arrival

[impede]

[The first thought that crosses Akechi's mind is this: does she know that she stands out like a sore thumb? For his part, his gaudy restaurant enjoyment brings him to this little side cafe, as it's much tamer and less extravagant than anything else he's eaten that week. His review of the place will be nice, but tame: he won't let anyone know that he prefers spots like this. If he's going to cultivate an image for himself, he wants to do it similarly to how he did before. Only after he's done that can he begin to show that he might prefer quieter, overlooked locations.

Not that this place is terribly overlooked, but it's still more ... homely? Is that too cruel a word? Frankly, no one cares about what Akechi thinks about anything.

He clicks his gaze across the cafe to the display for prices and then flicks back.]

Did you know that certain roots are used to imitate the taste of coffee?

goro akechi | ota

[impede]

i. around town ( surface only )

[Once Akechi arrives, he'll go to a hotel room alone, dropping off his bags and belongings before heading back out. Though he's close with Ren—some people may even know that they live together—he chooses to take his room alone. The time there will be savored and appreciated. While he enjoys having someone to talk to (read: enjoys having someone to listen to him), he hasn't been alone in a place since his arrival. He savors it.

It would be a waste to spend his trip alone in a hotel room. No, New Beijing needs to be explored. He rents a bike from his hotel and sets out.

a. His first visit will be to the historic part of New Beijing, where he'll turn and not toward any Displaced that he recognizes (either from the train trip itself or prior occasions).] I'm surprised that this much of the previous world has survived. [His cynicism led him to believe there would be nothing. Of course, he's learned that the city calling itself Tokyo is entirely man-made and metal in structure. That's part of the reasoning behind his surprise.

He'll come back here countless times over their time here, visiting and taking time alone, as well as trying to catch the eye of anyone who looks important while saying he's doing a school project of some kind. Anyone who wants to see Akechi kissing up to politicians will be able to see it in action.

b. Restaurant Week in Beijing! Only it is not the official restaurant week. Akechi will be using the cash flow from Cassius to act like it is. He'll be hitting restaurants around the town, even though someone might be able to see him sneaking in junk food after the fact. In fact, he'll probably seem like he's enjoying that more …

c. Speaking of junk food, he'll be at a lot of dessert places enjoying himself. They'll be classy. He won't need to supplement this stuff.]

ii. the operation

[In the hours leading up to the operation itself, Akechi will be antsy. He'll have gone out to pick up an all black outfit for the arrangement, paired with black gloves and enough pockets and roominess for him to do his work. It won't be anything like his typical outfit in the metaverse, but it'll have to do. After all, it's not as if he can conjure up a better one. Despite being all black, it will be fashionable. He's not going to go into this operation without that. The better part is that it works well with the gear that Cassius has provided: which comes as some relief, as he wasn't able to thoroughly check for that.

And yes, that does matter.

Anyone can see him getting ready at the designated meeting spot. He's used to doing this alone. And without his mask on, he'll barely be able to conceal his distrust in the others. He does believe that they will fuck this up.

Before they go in, Akechi will have a Morningstar mask and all of Cassius' toys.

Once inside, Akechi will be looking out for himself for the most part. He doesn't have his typical strength from the metaverse, so he'll use his gun when needed, but largely avoid physical battles. (He's an excellent shot.)

He won't be against using the other Displaced as meat shields or distractions. His power is that of inducing someone to go berserk. What that involves is that he can (temporarily) drive someone mad, forcing them to act recklessly and without abandon. They don't get any physical benefits.

While he'll start out the operation, he'll be mostly stable. But only for the start. As time goes on, Akechi will become more and more unhinged, more prone to talking wildly and talking down to the other Displaced and even the UNA soldiers coming to attack them. His body language will be wild, his voice projecting with a guttural sound. Simply put: he'll be feral, and it won't be because of anything done to him. No, it seems that this may be the real Akechi…?]

iii. wildcard

[Aside from the above, Akechi is down for awkward encounters in hotel saunas or hot tubs! Awkward encounters on the train! Awkward encounters while buying edgy black clothing! Or anything similar to that. I'm honestly down for anything—he just won't be visiting the lower levels of the city out of some fabricated disdain for being seen down there (not the area itself, just in being seen).

Hit me up in PMs or on Discord at alison#8996 to plan anything else out! I'm also down to write a specialized top level if anything doesn't work here.

As a note, I am interested in working toward a power up for him in this event.]

i. our town

[interminably]

( Klaus does take in the more familiar sights, the sights that remind him that this world is not dissimilar to the one he and his daughter had left behind.

Currently, he's gazing over the water, taking in what he's discovered is a dam and the remnants of the Great Wall peeking out.

It seems that only the displaced seem to open a dialogue with one another here, out of nowhere, even. It's as if they have a shorthand in communication. )

Being not sure of most things here, I am sure this doesn't much fall under the definition of survival. Unless, you see a modern marvel and not a watery grave for something that stood the test of time. ( Before. ) These other landmarks don't seem recreated to you?

riku | ota

[inherited]

i. seeing sights

[Being in New Beijing is—strange. Not long ago, Wei Wuxian had asked Riku if he had ever been, and Riku said, "I wasn't there to have a good time." That was the truth. Now, he can't say that it's any different: he's not here to have a good time, but he knows that he needs to deal with some excess energy from knowing it'll be a few days before they get to work.

Like Sora, he'll be setting out to educate himself. Unlike Sora, it won't be much of a surprise that he does.

a. The first two stops? The spaceport and the historic district. Though Dream River is right there, Riku avoids it at first. It's strange because it reminds him of somewhere he's been before, but he doesn't know if that's normal or not. Disney Castle is Disney Castle, and this is a different world altogether. Then again, this is part of China—or part of it once was. He guesses it's not really like that anymore.

He hits up the museums that he can see, nodding toward any Displaced he sees along the way.] Come on, let's see what we can work out together.

[b. The second priority is reconnaissance. Look, he still doesn't know if this is a good plan. Ren sounded focused. Sora's on board. But Rey's right that there's a risk of the AI ending up in the wrong hands. But what are the right hands? And what does it mean when they start throwing around words like "monster" to discredit their enemies? (Not that he faults Rey for that one. He doesn't.)

He leans awkwardly against a window, trying to act—well, trying to act like any tourist annoying teenager. His forehead is against the glass as he tries to peer into the base from the tall building nearby.] See anything "cool"? [he asks his neighbor, as that's his attempt to be a Normal Teenager, too.

Riku is decidedly not normal.

c. And then it's time for Dream River.

Actually, scratch that: it's time for Riku sulking on a bench outside of the amusement park, arms crossed as he … actually seems to sulk a little.]

It's like they don't want people to visit the place.

[And there he is: actual normalcy without pretending. A sulking teenager.

He nailed it.]

ii. watching out for fellow Displaced ( the lower levels )

[One of the things that El asked Riku to do when they first talked was look out for the other Displaced. In reality, that's a tall order. In practice? Much of the same. But he's done what he can to observe their faces, committing them to memory. And when it comes to the Displaced, he can probably guess where they'll get into some real trouble.

Actually, well, he guesses that some people would head into the United Nations buildings and kick up a fuss, but he is not touching that.

He'll touch hitting the lower levels, ducking around and trying to keep an eye on people.

It wouldn't be surprising ifsomeone noticed him and identified him by his silver hair—and then either accused him of stalking or not minding his business. Technically, they'd be right!

But he might also intervene when someone's in over their head, stepping in and standing up to anyone who's causing trouble.] What's the problem? [he'll ask, though he might just look like a kid who's still outmatched.]

iii. the base of the UNA

[Remember that request from El? That stands here. Riku knows two things. One, he agrees that giving the AI to Cassius is a bad move. Two, he feels that El would know how to handle it. He just also knows another thing in addition to them: friends who are friends are likely to fight if they have a good reason to.

His goal will be to run intervention. Cut in between Displaced fighting. Even grab a hostile party and pull them out of the way if things get too bad. He doesn't want anyone to hurt each other. Worse than that, he's worried that someone is likely to get killed.

Problem is: this has all the makings of it backfiring in his face. Is Riku poking his nose where it doesn't belong? Probably. Time to see how that shakes out.]

iv. wildcard

[I'm down for lots of things! Want to break into Dream River? Want to play superhero in the lower levels? Want to have a fight with a stupid Disney kid who's shockingly good? All options and more are available for the low, low price of Free. Uh, that got away from me.

If you'd like to talk out a thread or work out a special and specific top level, hit me up in PMs or on Discord at alison#8996.

Also interested in utilizing his power, which is turning shadows into a healing fluid for the most part at this point.]

recon

[recompleted]

[Wow, Riku's really bad at acting normal, and the brief Look that Roxas shoots him makes it clear what he thinks of the attempt. Not that Roxas really has room to criticize; he was bad at being a normal teen even when he was brainwashed to think he was one.]

Nothing so far. They probably keep the cool stuff farther in.

Ren Amamiya | Open

[variate]

001: NEW BEIJING

[ it feels a little like a school trip without chaperone. while he hangs around the hotel in the morning for a quick breakfast, and the later in the evening when the public transport makes it near impossible to get anywhere, he's out most of the day exploring the city. it feels a little strange being there without his friends, but those of the Displaced that have also come on this trip are more than enough to keep him company. if anyone passes him by at the hotel or on the street, he'll stay for a little chat. even when quiet and alone, he doesn't seem to turn anyone away. there are a pair of glasses perched on his nose that he pushes up with a forefinger when they slide down far enough.

a · spaceport: the spaceport seems like the obvious choice to visit. it's crawling with tourists, and there's a lack of authenticity that he finds disturbing. (though that's how a lot of New Beijing seems to be.) he gets caught at one of the shops where someone is trying to sell him a useless 1:100 scale model of one of the mechs from Vestica: Aeon, one of the popular giant robot TV shows currently airing. what's worse is that he looks like he might be considering it.

b · lower levels: once the surface loses its glamor (which it does quickly), Ren heads down into the lower levels. there are a few things that he's searching for as he wanders a little aimlessly, but manages to look focused, like he has somewhere to be. there are some wayward looks that are cast his way, but he stops someone on the street and asks for ... good noodles. the best ones on this level. she directs him to someone else. there's an old man he talks to next, asking the same question: where are the good noodles? there's a little noise in his throat, and he notices a possible-familiar face not far. ] I found them. [ the good noodles.

c · reconnaissance: in the spirit of being just a little prepared, he goes for lunch in the large glass building across the street from the UNA base. loitering around after his meal is over, he finds a some kind of carbonated tisane-like drink that he can get cheap refills on. there's a little noise in his throat for anyone who may pass him, either out of thought or dissatisfaction. ]

002: UNA RAID

[ Ren is used to this, and it's obvious in the way that he's checking his supplies, his knife, and the rest of the particulars that he was given for this mission. this isn't his first B&E rodeo. most of all, he checks the unit that El gave him, making sure to tuck it in his sleeve to keep it accessible. he still feels like the plan is a gamble, but it's a chance that he's more than willing to take. there's a little pang of loss over his Joker costume, which is left back in his own world in the metaverse.

a · preparations: before the mission, and after he's checked and re-checked his supplies, he looks like he's taking a moment to breathe. Ren looks surprisingly put together and focused for a mission that could leave him seriously injured. he's in a neatly fitted black hoodie (with the hood up), and a pair of black jeans. there are a few pockets hidden on him, enough for him to hide what he needs. while he doesn't say much, he will make eye contact as an invitation for conversation.

b · dramatic flair: as a few of the UNA soldiers pass, Ren slides behind a corner, his back flush with the wall. there's a motion with a gloved finger for whoever's with him to do the same. he's patient as they go by, dark eyes watching them from beneath his drawn up hood. there's a lack of foot traffic, which is good, but it does leave him more on edge than not. he remembers what happened last time he encountered a UNA soldier, and just what happened when he used his power on them. while Ren would rather not, sometimes there isn't a choice. his body tenses as he gets ready to move.

c · judas: reaching Judas is like finding the treasure. there's a surge of anticipation before a victory, he feels it in his stomach. there's a twist of a smile on his lips that may seem inappropriate to whoever's with him. they're so close. Ren raps a knuckle against the heavy wall, and says for the person with him: ] Any ideas? I don't have any bombs on me today. [ because does he usually???? ]

003: WILDCARD

[ note: jokers are wild, friends! feel free to hit me up in PM or at hadal if you have another idea! ]

Closed to Akechi.

[variate]

[ New Beijing is bigger than Tokyo, and with more nooks, crannies and back alleys than he could ever explore. Ren isn't at a lack for trying though, and he heads from the surface and back into the lower levels until he can get a feel for the city as a whole: the class disparity, the spaceport, and the historic significance. it's late in the afternoon, and one mecha model later, that he gets a message from Akechi.

he replies with: ]

20 min.

[ it's not surprising—actually, it's more familiar than not, even in a foreign city like this. their little get-togethers remind him of home.

here's there when Akechi gets there, his eyes watching for the differences in the people on the surface versus those he had seen in the lower levels. there's a moment of distraction before he sees him, giving a nod of acknowledgement as if in greeting. no matter how unassuming Ren tries to look, he's still a mess of black hair with a cocked hip. ]

Loki | Open

[selfimage]

i. In New Beijing

[ Loki has come along less for the circumstances and more for the ride. he had been requested specifically, and he can't turn down an opportunity for a little bit of B&E, especially not when he can wiggle his way out of a few days off of work. he's staying at one of the bougee hotels, and matches the look well: dark clothing, high-necked button-ups, dark jeans and boots.

his time in New Beijing is treated more like a vacation than a mission. Loki can be found at a few cafes near the surface level, in the historic district, or spending a bit of credits to get his nails done at one of the local spas.

the rest of his time is spent looking for the patterns that he can find in Riverstone. it's all over to the point of being unnerving to anyone who's not (exactly) part of this world. there are a few places that he can be found: hanging out around their headquarters trying to to look important and chat up some of the lower level employees, looking for businesses that aren't affiliated with them, and trying to blend in at some of the food stands not far from the corporate building.

also, he looks fairly disgruntled standing outside of Dream River. ]

Ugh.

[ the word drip from his lips with a dramatic twinge. maybe he secretly wants to go inside. ]

ii. At the UNA

[ so, Loki's got a thing for breaking and entering. anyone who tags along with him for the ride will catch glimpses of a wicked smile breaking over his lips. there's an easy dance around corners, a slide of his back along the walls. there's no general focus for him in finding Judas, but anyone who manages to pick him as a party member will have his special brand of casual arrogance having their back. while he generally can't be trusted for much, he makes an effort to ensure that his fellow Displaced won't get killed.

the only problem is that he seems to be getting distracted with anything that may be able to be pulled off the walls. Judas might not be the only thing that can be stolen out of the UNA base. ]

Entirely too bad we haven't thought ahead. I'm certain this servers would have some gold on them.

[ he says with a hint of sincere remorse, like they're passing over a goldmine. ]

iii. Wildcard

[ think of something different? hit me up in PM, on discord or at hadal ]

Closed to Jason.

[selfimage]

[ the suit that's wearing is freshly pressed. the ritzy hotel he's staying at has an in-room service that dry cleans wrinkly clothing into something a little more glamorous. after passing his inspection, Loki takes time to put it on: the high necked black-scarf beneath the folded collar of his button-up shirt. it's the only splash of white under a black jacket fastened with over-dramatic black buckles. there's a certain image that he means to keep, even if Jason demands stripping it down to what he would consider Loki's soft parts.

there's a black quilted jacket knit with shiny plastic that he tosses over his shoulder in preparation of heading down the stairs. there's a musical tilt to his voice that comes with the cadence that's so easy for him: ]

Jay—you're not going to keep me waiting, are you? [ would he? ] The time is beyond fashionably late.

[ there's a little anticipation that settles like an eager electricity around him. Loki was the one to instigate this, after all—Jason was usually a little simpler in his demands, but Loki was the one who occasionally liked to be treated like a prince again. ]

steve rogers | ota

[shield]

001. RECON ❯ NEAR UNA HEADQUARTERS

[ Steve has had plenty of time to study the building schematics for the UNA headquarters, but there is no substitute for seeing the building in person. Around midday, he goes for lunch in of the surrounding buildings and secures himself a window table from a vantage point that keeps most of the sprawling military campus in clear view. The view doesn't reveal anything he didn't already know from the schematics, but it helps to orient himself as much as possible without actually stepping inside.

He takes his time with his meal, keeping an eye out for any movement in or out of the base. Even from this side of the walls, the steady flow of traffic tells him that the base is busy and very well-staffed. That much was expected; it's the reason that Cassius has promised a distraction to improve their chances of success. Steve hates that they're relying so heavily on Cassius, but he can't see any better options. He is still hoping they can pull off this break-in without any casualties, and ironically, Cassius's help seems like their best shot.

It's hard for Steve not to be reminded of the last time he planned a break-in of a military fortress. At least the UNA headquarters is on dry land. And this time, he isn't breaking into a heavily guarded base to rescue friends from wrongful arrests brought about by his own mistakes. This time, he chose to protect people over trying to change their minds. He is praying that it will count for something.

Steve loses himself in thought for a short time, only coming out of it when he recognizes someone at the entrance as another Displaced. They were on the same train to New Beijing. Steve catches their eye and gestures at the empty seat across from him. Chances are they're here for the same purpose, and they'll look less suspicious dining together. ]

002. RAID ❯ UNA HEADQUARTERS

[ He doesn't let it show, but Steve is as surprised as anyone when the truck is waved through to the north loading dock without so much as a hint of suspicion. Despite the tension stretching mere minutes into what feel like full hours, he keeps an unremarkable speed all the way up to the dock, where he maneuvers the truck around so he can back up to the freight entrance. Then he twists in his seat and calls out from the driver's cab. ]

Everyone suited up? Get ready, we have one minute.

[ As far motivational speeches go, not his best. But this isn't really his team, and he isn't their leader. Everyone in this truck has their own reason for agreeing to this mission. He isn't here to rally them to work together. He's not even sure that he's ready for that responsibility again. His only job here today is to make sure they all get through this alive. He'll do anything in his power to guarantee it, starting with being one of the first people through the doors.

Steve hops out of the cab, his grip tight around the shield that Daisy made for him, and sprints to the back of the truck to pull the doors open. Then he dashes off through the freight entrance. He moves quietly enough to surprise the first UNA soldier he comes across from behind. He wraps an elbow around the soldier's throat and holds tight until the soldier's feet collapse under him, then he quietly lowers the unconscious body to the floor and moves on. He mets the next soldier head on, slamming his knee into the man's gut before he can make a sound, then using the blunt surface of the shield to knock him out while he's doubled over.

He hears steps behind him and whips around, grateful when it's not a UNA soldier who managed to sneak up on him but someone he recognizes from the truck. He gestures in the direction he was headed and whispers: ]

Let's keep moving.

003. JUDAS ❯ UNA HEADQUARTERS

[ This is it. Steve is well aware that he has dedicated all of his thought and consideration to planning the break-in, and almost none to what he would do about Judas in the event of their success. He didn't even make a huge effort to think it through; it was always something he would have to decide on when he got here. And now here he is.

He knows that he doesn't want to reunite Judas and Cassius. There are too many unknown variables, and most of the known variables aren't too encouraging either. But he isn't content to leave Judas in the hands of the UNA either. There has to be a way to either destroy Judas so no one gets him, or steal him out from under both Cassius and the UNA so that they can learn why he was so heavily sought after.

But first, the have to get to Judas. He digs his fingers into the crevice between sliding doors and pulls with everything he has. It's not the fanciest approach but brute force has often worked out for him in the past. This time, however, he isn't sure it will be enough. There's only one of him.

But there doesn't have to be. He can share his strength, he just needs someone else to share it with. He backs away from the doors, looking around for the first person he can find to help. ]

Wanna lend me a hand here?

004. WILDCARD

( Tag Steve at any point above or choose your own adventure! Reach me for plotting at cosmology or cosmology#1563 on Discord. )

001

[flyfightwin]

[carol, like steve, needs to see this base with her own eyes before she can really be sure of how she'll approach things. unlike steve, however, she's made her way to new beijing of her own volition, without assistance or intel from cassius.

she's been keeping mostly quiet regarding her opinions about the planned raid on the una base, but she hasn't been keeping uninformed and the best way to stay informed is to continue to communicate with people who she trusts.

among the displaced, there aren't very many. steve, by virtue of being from her home, is one of them.

she's thankful that he's spotted her and waved her over without a thought. it only takes her a few minutes to grab her own meal and slide into the empty chair opposite him.]

Captain. Hope your day's been going well. [casual conversation seems like a good way to mask their actual task at hand.]

klaus hargreeves | ota!

[fournicate]

HUNKERING DOWN.

<sub>[ As if he wasn't a person who depended on other people and things enough as it is, Klaus is completely lost at everything that seems to be happening. He had been incredibly flexible throughout his life of just going-and-flowing with things, and even in this extreme case, it seems no different. He's been rescued from an unknown room and escorted by another person, seeming awfully obedient to whatever they tell him to do. He's got plenty of questions, but he's still a little too overwhelmed to think of what to say next, so he's not exactly fully aware of what comes out of his mouth.

In any case, they're hustling and bustling through the streets of New Beijing to get to where ever is safe, and he finally glances over at the Displaced that has decided to take him somewhere. ]</sub>

As much as I love getting double-kidnapped, I'd like to know where we're going. More importantly, I need to know if I can actually trust you.

_{[ A brief pause. ]}

Also, I know I make this gown look sexy as hell, but couldn't we at least stop at a Target or something and get something else to wear?

_{[ Sorry to whoever is escorting him. He has priorities and doesn't quite understand how vital it is that they shut up and lay low while his ID is being made. ]}

LOWER NEW BEIJING.

A.
<sub>[ Now that a few days have gone by and Klaus was free to explore, go shopping with whatever little money he was given and completely ignore whatever important mission was at hand, he ventures to a place that is more his style. Through these 36 hours and then after, Klaus has noticed something very different about himself. Even in the bleak darkness, there's utter silence. No cries for help. No pleas from the deceased. Their disfigured faces-- horrifying shrills and gory appearance weren't tormenting him. This is definitely in his favor, but a cost comes with it-- he no longer can see, hear, and feel the presence of one of the most important people to him. He's tried to contact Ben. He knows he's sober enough now to contact anyone he damn well pleases, but even with his efforts, nothing happens.

At one point, Klaus finds himself crumbled to the dirty ground in a tight alleyway, his body shaking and his voice wavering. ]</sub>

I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry.. please, don't leave me like this.. please, please..

_{[ Who the hell is he talking to? Maybe you're passing through and want to talk to him; he really doesn't look well. ]}

B.
_{[ Or, perhaps, you happen to come across him soon after he's had a breakdown, staggering into a hole in the wall bar, the scent of suffocating smoke wafting through the air. Weakly, he finds himself a seat next to you and gestures at whatever drink you're having when the bartender approaches him. ]}

Yeah, I'll have whatever that is. Whatever it is, I don't care, that's what I need.

lower new beijing; a

[reneger]

( a face he recognizes from the line of sleeping bodies, but no one jason has personally had a conversation with just yet. he's not one for holding conversations with newcomers if he can avoid it; they're all messy, and he has enough of a mess to deal with as is.

but here he finds himself, watching some loser crumble to the ground and talk to himself, apologizing as if that'll fix anything. it won't. and it's at least something jason gets. maybe he didn't collapse onto the ground apologizing to the dirt on the pavement but he can understand the feeling. so he kneels down close by, rests his chin against the palm of his hand and presses his elbow down against his thigh to support the weight of his head.

waits a moment. )

Throwing a fit on the ground isn't gonna get you anywhere.

soldier: 76 / jack morrison 💥 ota

[personalwar]

i. UN government building

[ There's a lot of New Beijing to see and get lost in, but Jack came on this trip for a reason, and it has everything to do with the UNA. The chance to see their headquarters and base of operations firsthand isn't something he's going to pass on. Thus far there's been no clear proof that they have anything to do with how the Displaced ended up here, but Jack still views them as a clear threat, and one he can actually see and interact with, unlikely their shadowy kidnappers.

He makes sure to dress in an unassuming way, which isn't often the norm with him. Sporting a baseball cap with a faux-leather jacket over a shirt and dark pants, he could pass as any other tourist. Well, except for the scars, but there's not much he can do about that and he's used to them earning him strange looks here by this point.

He's at the main entrance of the government building. Implant clearance is needed to get inside, it looks like, unless you sign up for an official tour. That's par for the course, and he knows better than to try and sneak in when they're just a few days away from the raid on HQ.

Which means going in the official way. When he notices another Displaced hanging nearby who must have had the same idea, he waves them over. ]

What do you think? Seems worth getting a closer look.

ii. recon

[ Having now determined that the UNA isn't actually aware that they're coming (or if they are, they're doing a damn good job of hiding it), Jack feels more comfortable with taking an even closer look. As expected, UNA HQ is somewhat isolated from the rest of New Beijing, but it can only be so removed within the borders of a mega-city. It means that there's still some office buildings that are positioned around it, and some of them even have high-rise restaurants that are open to the public.

Jack may not look the part of a corporate employee, but the tourist excuse should work here too. All the same, he realizes that having someone with him will make him blend in much more easily, and so he won't protest someone tagging along.

It's as he walks into the lobby of the office building that he suspects will have the best view over the base that he spots another Displaced. He cuts them off before they can head further in, grabbing them by the shoulder. ]

You thinking what I'm thinking?

iii. UNA base

[ Then it's time for all of the Displaced to put their money where their mouth is, at least for those who decided to actually make the trip and infiltrate the heart of the UNA. Storming a military compound is nothing Jack hasn't done before, though he won't say no to the offered truck ride to get them inside. Since he didn't make contact with Cassius either way, he's allowed to come along with little issue.

It feels good to have a gun in his hands again, to say nothing of the stun baton that's clipped to his waist in the event that a different approach is needed. Unlike most of the Displaced, though, Jack doesn't make a beeline for the area where Judas is supposedly located. No, he came here for a different reason.

The schematics they were given don't specify where the implants might be housed, which means that Jack is going to have to make some educated guesses. More than that, he'll need to move quickly.

It's while he's racing down one of the halls that he almost crashes right into one of the other Displaced. He didn't expect to find anyone else in this part of the complex. In fact, he'd been relying on the fact that most of the group would be distracting any guards to the other side of the base.

So he stops short, looking the other Displaced over before he barks out: ]

I'm not here for Judas. Either come with me or get out of my way.

[ At least he didn't point his gun at them. It's something. ]

iv. wildcard

[ I'm open to other options! Jack is steering clear of the Judas stuff, as noted above. You can hit me up at demonology or demonology#1725 on Discord to discuss. ]

i

[kgbs]

Are you really suggesting we go on a tour?

[ jack probably won't be surprised to hear the incredulous tone that illya's taken but it's much better than the angry fury that most people have heard over the past few days. congratulations, you're lucky, jack. ]

What are you thinking? [ jack has to have a reason to go in and before illya agrees, he'd like to know what that reason is. ]

lan wangji ( ota. )

[wangxian]

i. arrivals.

[ they might wake in a rush or perhaps slowly. it is difficult to know. however, he has known such an experience before them, as certainly as those who will know it after. somehow, as they come to awareness, it may be caught that he does not touch them directly. at least, as much as he may not. when he does brush against them, it is only for necessity: the withdrawal of the needle, the removal of the tape that keeps it there. ]

Do not move, [ he says, low and unmodulated. for all the quiet of his posture and his expression, there is a faint knit between the dark of his brows. almost unnoticeable, unless one looks for it. ] Allow your body to adjust.

[ and with that, he will step back as if to give them space to breathe and to question as he neatly tucks the dark of his chin length hair behind his ear. ]

ii. all entailed in new beijing.

[ lan wangji, when not with his countrymen, can often be found immersed in what culture is remembered and what culture is left. over the coming days, he scans a variety of vendors, sampling foods that most might describe as more medicinal or bitter or bland against the palate and within hue. in greens and whites, they may not look entirely appetizing to many, but to those displaced who pass he may offer a morsel or two — wordless, but clear: would you like some? if not, and if they should appear in the hostels beneath new beijing proper, lan wangji will be found giving such items to children who seem to ( after a time ) come to like him.

sometimes, lan wangji frequents the museums. travel to the stars had only been reserved for gods, but there are many tales associated with them. at the time of lan wangji's visit here, he may be teaching a virtual class. and for those who drop into his cooltalk, they may see him upload the resulting sketch: the cowherd and the seamstress, the magpies as their bridge.

and once, perhaps, they may find lan wangji nearest to the dam. overlooking the waters there, his eyes are fixed upon the stony back of what remains of the greatest wall built within his time, within the times after it. he does not immediately speak, but it is not for the way of impoliteness should any come near. it is more that, upon closer observation, it may seem he does not know how to best approach speaking to them despite his seemingly indifferent appearance. or, sometimes, it may seem as though he is intensely researching amid the quiet.

wait long enough and they might hear: ]

Have you seen it?

[ should they look over, they will see that the pale of his eyes have settled upon them. the question, if they get past the otherwise still expression, is peculiarly clear. he means the wall. ]

iii. lingering.

[ beyond the walls of the temple of heaven, one might hear strings.

what is peculiar, however, is the fact that it will have many others searching. whoever is the musician, they do not seem intent on drawing too much attention ( or maybe it is that they are playing for themselves? ). following for a spell the paths beyond it will reveal a man dressed in blues and whites, tucked back from the crowds with what appears to be a guqin upon his lap. he does not look up even as some linger about him, forming a semi-circle in their appreciation. some will whisper about such an instrument being unusual, made entirely of wood ( sans the strings ) as it is. some will make question of what sort of person he is.

and sometimes, if one is particularly lucky, another may come to join him. accompanied by the dizi, the song that that man chooses is noticeably one that makes the other pause almost long enough to miss where it is he is intended to start in.

somehow, above all others, that song and that composition is unknown and the most intimate. ]

( ooc: for any other prompts you might like or questions you might have, hit me up! i'm over at morning star#3715 on discord and at famigerato. )

lingering;

[fournicate]

<sub>[ First off, Klaus shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a religious site, but nobody has stopped him yet, so here he is. Second of all, he's in this little semi-circle that the musician has attracted, but he's seated with his legs criss-crossed, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands. It's pretty obvious that he's enjoying the music. After all, music was one of his favorite things even if he typically didn't listen to this kind of style. It's calming. It's nice.

If there's a silence to ensure the song is over, there's an applause. Maybe he's the only one applauding, but hey. This is better than him shouting play Freebird like he so desperately wants to do.

The style of music takes him back. Way back. Back to the Vietnam War.. despite the fact he doesn't look old enough to have served there. ]</sub>

faith lehane (ota) (cw: excessive violence)

[watcherless]

01. una base - lemme borrow that

[ faith isn't here to be dissuaded from her goals. while the big brains put their heads together to figure out how to double-cross cassius, faith won't take her chances like that. she makes a deal, she keeps the deal until a better one comes along. vagaries do not a better deal make.

so when she goes in, it's with full intent to bring judas out.

the stun baton is a neat prop, and she handles herself well with it, putting down two una guards who round the corner when she ducks into a hallway that cassius had promised low video surveillance on. breathing hard, energized rather than exhausted by the fight. which is a good thing because a third just came around the corner.

she turns to the person next to her, displaying their power, and says: ] Mind if I borrow that?

02. una base - mistakes were made

[ faith shouldn't be trusted alone. she just shouldn't. there are things about her, not about buffy, that keep her from being a good slayer, and they seem to manifest one-by-one. they're almost in the clear. cassius had firmly clarified that they should go as easy on the una soldiers as possible, to make as little of a ripple as possible, but faith --

she's not so good with the control.

the soldier's already on the ground when faith goes at her again with the baton, bringing it down hard into the guard's face and leaving it blood. something crunches. instead of stopping there, faith lets out a brutal yell and swings again. ]

03. wildcard?

[ ooc; dm me or hit me up on plurk if you want a specific closed starter. ]

02

[reneger]

( they're here on a mission, whether or not they're for cassius or against him they've all got the same common endgoal in mind: grab some stupid ai from some off network computer, shove him into a different device, and get the hell out of there. not torment some poor, brainwashed, probably young kid who sacrificed themselves for their family's well being.

which is why when jason does spot faith just going ham on someone, he steps out of line. abandons his own game plan and reaches over to grab hold of the arm holding onto the baton, fingers trying to grip down tight to keep her from pulling out easy as his face pinches into a deep scowl. )

The hell do you think you're doing?